It’s amazing how life changes. Just when you think you know how things are going to play out, they change.
I spent most of my time taking care of my kids and working. I was a single mom. I lived a single mom life. I spent a lot of time working to put a roof over our head, food on the table and clothes on my three children. It’s what I had to do.
Then, I connected with my now husband. He became part of our life and I no longer was a single mom. I had someone to help with everyday things. I had someone to help support not only financially but emotionally.
I loved to watch crafting and DIY home shows but stuck to mostly holiday crafts.
One day while watching TV, I saw an infomercial for the Cricut. I was in total awe. I had to have one.
I told my husband if I had a Cricut I could scrapbook, craft and work on small projects around the home. He seemed OK with the idea but really didn’t say much.
It was the top of my want list. But, it would have to wait till after Christmas.
One night while I was working overtime for Christmas, I walked in the house totally beat. My husband informed me something was wrong with the washer. I totally freaked. I pushed the door open to the laundry room and there it was. Sitting on top of the non-broken washer was the Cricut.
I was speechless for a minute. My husband informed me he bought it because I deserved it for working so hard. He knew how much I wanted it and he wanted me to have it.
I was beyond happy!
I spent the next few years crafting everything from holidays to scrapbooking. I loved scrapbooking! It was more than a hobby it was so much more than that.
I spent hours learning everything I could. I tried different techniques and styles. My work was even published in a few online magazines. I then applied to a position for a designer for an online magazine. I was accepted and soon I was creating layouts for the magazine and teaching classes. It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed it.
I was a serious craft-a-holic.
then things changed
My husband and I decided to buy a house together. I was so excited the day we closed the deal. It was overwhelming at times. I never thought that would happen.
The house was small and it needed a ton of work.
The house was a foreclosure and the previous owner left their dog in the house prior to losing it. There was tons of dirty paw prints on the walls and floors. The woodwork in the living room and staircase had chew marks all over them. The frame of the door to the upstairs was completely chewed up.
It was so sad. It wasn’t the house’s fault you lost the home!
The day we closed on the house we grabbed buckets and soap and cleaned up what we could. We took invetory and headed to Home Depot.
I was a crafter not a DIY kind of person. I never even used a saw until we bought the house. I’ve always wanted to remodel a house to something wonderful, but was I up to it? Could I do it? I’m just a crafter.
We cleaned up the house, fixed what needed fixing and made it livable.
After moving in and unpacking everything, I returned to scrapbooking. I worked on content for my classes and knocked out a bunch of layouts. But, it wasn’t what I really wanted to do.
I wanted a cute home with lots of character. But, with three kids and a husband who’s health had turn for the worse, it wasn’t possible. I couldn’t afford to put a bunch of money into the home. Hiring someone was out of the question. How can I make this happen?
I was online flipping through Pinterest when I stumbled upon tons of ideas for the home. I read how to’s over and over again. I learned how to get the look I wanted. It was all right there on Pinterest.
Can I do this?
I read an article from Funky Junk Interiors. It was about how she turned her house into a work of art using pallets and reclaimed wood. I was in awe.
Pallets, really? I have access to tons of pallets at work.
Again, can I do this?
I searched pallet projects and found so many cool ideas. I had to give it a try.
I started with the pallet wall. It was a ton of work tearing apart the pallets but so worth the end result.
By the time, I finished the pallet shed I was hooked!
I built so many things I needed and wanted using pallets that I couldn’t believe it.
I did it.
It was life changing…
Sadly, scrapbooking has taken a backseat. But, it was the beginning of something so much bigger.
Pallets changed the way I looked at things. It was an eye opener. It made the impossible possible.
I can’t wait to see where it takes me.
Thanks for reading my story.
Thanks for following along.
