Hiiii everyone and happy weekend! So yesterday I was hanging out and listening to a little I’m From Barcelona and their song “Collection Of Stamps” came on. This song, a little ditty that gives an ode to friends and locations world wide reminded me that it’s been a while since I posted an updated reader map picture. So first, take a listen. And then, take a look!
(As always, I have no rights to this song. I just like it a lot.)
I started making my reader map once I had a little over forty countries reading me with the pure intention of keeping track of them all. But now, with over one hundred and seventy different countries that are hip to lifewithlilred, this map serves as so much more than a location tracker. This little project that I began gives me such an immense feeling of pride every time I look at it – which is frequently, considering it’s located in my bedroom!
To know that the page that little old me started two and a half years ago is reaching locations that I never even knew existed completely blows my mind. This map has also made me SO much better at the geography questions on Jeopardy, which is a really nice added bonus! As soon as “Collection Of Stamps” came on, it made me think of all of my wonderful readers, friends, and followers in the blogging community and I just knew that I had to send a shout out to them in an Updated Reader Map post.
Thank you all so, so much for stopping by my page. If it’s as a one time reader or a loyal follower, I appreciate it far more than you know. Many well wishes and a ton of love to each and every one of you!
What country on my reader map would you like to visit some day? Where are you located? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Being able to make something out of practically nothing is pretty awesome isn’t it? There’s nothing more satisfying than starting out with just a few chunky pieces of wood and ending up with something super awesome to fill your home or garden with.
Furniture and decor these days is so stupidly expensive that it makes sense to do it yourself. Even the pieces that are supposed to look old and shabby cost a fortune these days, if not more, so why bother forking out all of those extra dollars when you can do it for a much cheaper price yourself?
DIY projects aren’t just great for the final result, either. You’ll have something to fill your time with, a new set of skills, and, of course, the patience of a saint afterwards. If you’ve got some spare time on your hands (or little to no spare cash), then try these DIY projects and kick start your new year in style.
The Most Stylish Table Lamps You’ll Ever See: This one is actually amazingly cheap as well as super easy. If you have some spare wine glasses around the house and a few paper shades (if not, both of these items are easy to find and can literally be purchased for a few dollars), drop an LED tea light into the wineglass and cover it with a paper shade. These make the perfect dinner table lampshades that are both safe and stylish to use.
A Side Table With Style: If you have some old window shutters in the garage that haven’t been used in years, then why not put them to good use? You’re clearly not going to use them for their original purpose again so, instead, make a table from them and have an amazingly quirky looking table in one of your rooms for little to no cost.
A Lick of Paint Never Did Anyone Any Harm: If you’ve opened a tin of paint recently and got all of your walls finished, then you don’t need to throw the leftovers in the bin. Paint is expensive these days so you don’t want to waste a drop! Use what’s left to freshen up the furniture around the house. Chairs, tables, display surfaces – whatever is looking a little downbeat, spruce it up in the simplest, cheapest, and easiest way possible.
A Little Woodwork Knowledge Goes a Long Way: If you’re not much of an expert where woodwork is concerned, then don’t worry because that doesn’t need to stop you from having great wooden furniture in your home. Simple projects like a stowaway bench will bring character to the kitchen or garden play area. For tips on what sort of equipment you’ll need to get the job done properly, check out Straight Kerfs’ homepage.
Make Your Decor Pop With Mini Bursts of Color: If you find that your all white furniture leaves your home looking a little boring, then there’s no need to go out and spend a fortune on replacing it all. Simply cover the metal or wooden handles with patterned fabric swatches. You can mix or match and have your home looking far more colorful at the cost of just a few dollars.
How do you DIY? What is one DIY project that you’re really proud of? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Hi everyone and happy Monday!! This past Thursday I had my training for the National Core Indicators (NCI) research project in association with the Ohio Board of Developmental Disabilities at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio…What a mouthful! I had the honor of being one of fifty out of over five hundred selected to take part in this opportunity and I was so happy to be there – even though I had to get up at 4:15 in the morning to begin my day! Let’s discuss, but first take a look at some of the responsibilities that my new job will hold by watching some or all of this video:
My day began early on Thursday morning and didn’t stop until I got home at roughly 7:30 in the evening. After I finished getting myself ready for the day, I packed some snacks, made some coffee, and then hit the road. I live in Akron, Ohio and my drive to Columbus took a little over two hours. Luckily, I began my drive early enough to account for traffic because the rush hour traffic was insane! I had to be at The Ohio State University’s McCampbell Hall by 8:30 to begin checking in and because of my early start I made it right on time.
When I got to our designated room number, I was a bit taken aback by the fact that I was easily the youngest person there. Everyone was at least thirty or older and as I learned throughout the day, all of them had some type of job in the field of service for people with developmental disabilities. Other members of the research project had children with some type of special needs and there were also some fantastic self advocates taking part in the day as well. My parents were so impressed when I told them this and I have to say, I was quite impressed with myself, too!
Our day began at 9:00 sharp and we were introduced to the responsibilities we would have as members of the NCI research project. It’s going to be our job to interview people with developmental disabilities to make sure that through the Ohio Board of Developmental Disabilities they’re receiving the best care possible. It’s also going to be our duty to report anything suspicious to make sure that there is no negligence or abuse going on.
Throughout the day we watched and analyzed the video I posted above, learned how to report possible cases of abuse, and listened to speakers such as the head of the Nisonger Center at OSU who is assisting with this project, department heads at the Ohio Board of Developmental Disabilities, and the people in charge of the NCI project. It was so cool to be able to ask questions and interact with people who are in such high esteem in the world of developmental disabilities.
My training went on until five in the afternoon and I learned so much. We went over the survey that we’ll be completing in extensive detail and I feel confident in my ability to do it well. I have a folder full of paper with the slides of the Powerpoints that we were viewing too so I can look over them whenever I need. My mom read some of them with me too because she’s a developmental pediatrician and is always hungry for more knowledge!
My day was so jam packed with information that I couldn’t even begin to cover it all in one post. All of the speakers did a great job of holding my interest because it definitely would have been easy to zone out during the day! I am so happy to take part in such an important project and I can’t wait to begin conducting my interviews throughout the next few months!
So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: NCI Training Edition! How was everyone’s weekend? What are your plans for the holidays? I wanna hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
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