Author: lydia

Our First Friendsgiving

Our First Friendsgiving

One thing I’ve been so eager to do since getting married, and then getting a house, is to begin hosting dinners on a regular basis. Until buying our fixer upper in 2015, we’ve only had small-square-footage apartments and one round 4-seater dinner table. Now that 

*Free* Hutch Cabinet Makeover

*Free* Hutch Cabinet Makeover

My favorite price for anything is: FREE! I follow several yard sale pages on Facebook, which are great (and more visually-friendly) places to hunt down local second-hand items. I highly suggest joining some if you like finding things used! This find was almost providential. My 

Why I Blog: Losing a Friend, Finding a Voice

Why I Blog: Losing a Friend, Finding a Voice

As you’re dabbling with the decision to start blogging, and then clumsily nudging that blog to gain traction and momentum, you often find yourself asking “why?” Of course you’d like a readership, otherwise you’re just talking to yourself in a digital mirror, and then a 

From Shabby to Chic: Dining Room Buffet Makeover

From Shabby to Chic: Dining Room Buffet Makeover

As we slowly, and I mean slowly, renovate our half-demolished 1960s house, the dining room has been a particularly hard space to wait for. It’s so functionally important, and one of the quirks of our house when we first moved in was that it didn’t have 

Creativity as Therapy

Creativity as Therapy

When my Postpartum Depression and Anxiety were at their height and my mind felt trapped in a revolving door of “morbid introspection,” my therapist encouraged me to turn to creative outlets for an escape. There’s definitely wisdom in that advice, especially as it relates to 

Front Door Makeover

Front Door Makeover

When we bought a white house with black shutters, it seemed like a given to paint the front door red! I love traditional design schemes, so a white, black and red house will always have my heart. The first thing I did after closing on 

From Brass to Black – Antique Bed Makeover

From Brass to Black – Antique Bed Makeover

For our bedroom makeover, I knew after all of 5 minutes on Pinterest that I wanted a black brass bed. It brings in such a timeless, 19th century look that goes right in with my “antiquey” style. Plus, I figured it would be nice to 

An Uncertain Darkness: Pregnancy After Postpartum Depression

An Uncertain Darkness: Pregnancy After Postpartum Depression

Somewhere several months into my second pregnancy, I ordered and began to read a book titled, “What am I Thinking: Having a Baby After Postpartum Depression” by Karen Kleiman. It’s a valid and sobering question for the mother recovering from PPD, one I had to 

Pain in Childbirth & Postpartum Depression

Pain in Childbirth & Postpartum Depression

“To the woman he said, ‘I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children.’”  – Gen 3:16 (ESV) Among the several harsh punishments meted out to Adam and Eve in the Garden, we regard this as womankind’s particular share.