urbanrestorationdeb

02/17/2026

Years ago, I had been accepted into a retail fashion program at Capilano College in North Vancouver.

I was a single mother, preparing to move to a big city with a baby and a plan to survive on student funding while I went to school.
Then the schools went on strike.
I couldn’t imagine taking that leap without the certainty of classes starting, so I stayed where I was.

I still think about that moment sometimes — how one pause can quietly redirect a life.
And how the thread doesn’t disappear, even if the pattern changes.

02/11/2026

Doing a bit of sewing using a recycled tablecloth and some leftover broad cloth go to pattern from a vest that I have. Stay tuned for some more recycled, thrift store finds.

02/07/2026

Something I’ve learned looking back:
not everyone who struggled later in life lacked discipline or foresight.
Many of us simply lived without much margin.
When most of your energy goes into keeping things steady — a roof overhead, food on the table, life moving forward — there isn’t always much left to plan or save.
A lot of people quietly blame themselves for this.
When often, it was just math.

02/04/2026

I didn’t plan to be here, but here I am — navigating life later on my own, with less margin than I expected, in a world that feels heavier than it used to.
A lot of us didn’t fail.
We showed up. We took care of others. We did what needed to be done.
And still, here we are, having to be resourceful in ways we didn’t plan for.
I’m here because so many people my age are quietly trying to stay grounded in an economy that doesn’t leave much room for error.
Stretching income. Carrying more weight than we expected to be carrying at this stage of life.
This isn’t a place for panic, blame, or pretending everything’s fine.
I believe the emotional side matters just as much as the practical one.
If you start losing control there, it’s like standing in quicksand.
I’m not here to sugarcoat things or label them.
I’m here to share how I stay grounded, practical, and in motion, using what I already know, what I’m still learning, and what actually helps.
If you’re navigating this too, you’re not alone.
I’d like to hear your story, and how you’re managing…one step at a time.

09/16/2025

09/06/2025

✨ New from Idylwilde Apothecary

🧴 “Face Time” Tallow Face Cream
Light, non-greasy, made with carrot seed EO for a natural SPF boost.

🌿 Velvety Body Butter
Deeply hydrating but fast-absorbing — zero greasy afterfeel!

Handmade in locally in Cranbrook, BC 💛
Small batch • No preservatives • Made fresh to order

DM to order 💌

01/30/2025

Please share this link with all of your friends and contacts. I appreciate it.

11/04/2024

Oh no, I’ve slid back into 2nd place, but I can get back up there if you guys get on there and vote again because it’s 2 for 1 Hope Votes today till 9 PM tonight,  so you get two free votes today instead of one keep me up there guys! Thank you so much🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️

https://votefab40.com/2024/debbie-stroud

You decide who will appear on the cover of NewBeauty Magazine and enjoy a luxury spa-cation in Scottsdale, AZ!

03/27/2020

Well this self isolation thing has been productive for me. I built a pull out slat bed for my trailer. I wasn’t expecting to take as long as I did to build this but I had to actually wing it & of course because I have some Ukrainian in me, I had to do everything backwards first and then do it the right way, so it took me twice as long🤦‍♀️ I watched a few YouTube videos, none of them were really hitting the mark, design wise, so for the most part, it was trial and error. Then I ran into another snag near the end and I used my “message a friend card” and got the virtual help I needed. Thanks Tim😁 so if I manage to get it from my workshop in the house out to where the trailer is in the barn somehow by myself, I will post a picture of it inside the trailer.😊 I was going to make a video of this for YouTube, but honest to God, even if I put it on warp speed, it would still take a week to watch! 😂