Wednesday 30 May 2012

PRINTER HOLDER MAKEOVER

When I referred to what I was doing to this holder as a 'restoration', turns out that was a bit ambitious..... let's just say I refreshed her. I made a few little mistakes when doing this one (such as chipping off paint when I should have just sanded, dripping paint, using too much paint, using not enough paint...does anyone out there have tips on how to minimise visible brush strokes?) I ended up doing a couple of undercoats in Alabaster (matt finish) and then the final coat in Pearl Lustre (an enamacryl). The wheels I spray painted in matt black.

I also shouldn't have been so quick to criticise Nathan's painting skills in times past when mine are evidently far worse! But anyway - she is definitely not perfect, but she looks a whole heaps better and I am satisfied; I now have heaps more desk space!


The finished product in use:


Mx

Saturday 26 May 2012

PAINTED JAR TUTORIAL

So my husband thinks I have gone a bit crazy with my flurry of projects for my mini office makeover... But it is all in good fun!

Here is the first: The Painted Jar.


This is by no means my idea - I first saw it on The Beauty Department as a storage idea for the bathroom, but I thought it was be a great container for my pens & pencils. You'll see it in action once my office is ready for its reveal.


HOW TO:

1. Choose a jar - preferably a bottling one (I like the ones with logos). The Recycling Centre was all out of jars (it's bottling season dontcha know... actually I didn't... rats. But I thought this one which came with a weird lid would do nicely).

2. Choose where you want your paint to stop and mask it off with masking or painters tape.

3. Paint. Spray paint would have been MILES better, but I am just wanting to use what I already have - so I went with brush on enamacryl. Use a small, soft brush about one inch wide - I tried using my wide one and it was a bit messy. (If you did use spray paint, be sure to hide the top half with newspaper for the over spray.)

4. Let it dry in the sun.

5. VoilĂ ! All done

Mx

Friday 25 May 2012

SATURDAY GARAGE SALE

This morning we forfeited a Saturday morning sleep-in for three garage sales. With our house move in a month we need a double bed for the spare room, and a couple of chest of drawers (plus anything else that catches my eye). The hunt is on. We live about 15 minutes out from town and got in a bit early so popped to get a pre-sale flat white.



I was skyping with my buddy Hollie last night and she showed me some decanters she has collected for her December 6 wedding and low and behold - what did I find at garage sale number one? A crystal one for $10 and a glass one for $5. A steal! We also found the most amazing glass mirror there for a mere $1 - formerly property of the Wanaka Theatre Club. It is heavy, naturally shabby-chic and I am delighted.



At garage sale number two we found this solid wood chest of drawers. One down, one to go. So now I just need to figure out what to do with it to make it a bit nicer. There are a few options; I am partial to the simplest one - which is leave as is - but change or paint the handles. Nathan is leaning more towards sanding it and either painting or re-varnishing. 

This is our current bedroom furniture. The white one is mine (I inherited this for free from my first flat on Old Farm Rd in Hamilton - the drawers don't shut properly, it is missing handles and very grubby - but I love it) and the brown one belongs to our current house. I really like the contrast between the two - and love the green handles on the brown one.


So what do you think? I don't really think I can paint it white, because then it might clash with the one I have already? (It being mighty dirty...) Some research below:


There's a theme developing here. I think green drawers might be in order. It has the husband seal of approval, and I'm liking the handles on the dressers on the right hand side.

Mx




SECOND HAND FINDS

I made a trip to my favourite place today - The Recycle Centre. And look at all the goodies I picked up for my work space make-over for only $7!


The lady at the counter told me it was a rather eclectic selection, and the man next to my car couldn't help peering into my loaded arms to enquire as to what everything was for. He asked, might I need a stove off the back of his ute for my office redecorating perchance? No sir, I do not. But I was mightily pleased with my haul - although gutted when I got home and realised I left the awesome Rolodex I found sitting on the shelf! Twenty bucks says it's still there next time though. I was also very disappointed when I got home with my ring binder, all hyped up to file, when I realised I do not own a hole punch..... (Can I borrow yours Hol??)

The steel bucket caught my eye because of this lovely pic on Pinterest, the grey in-tray and ring binder are purely functional (while inkeeping with my colour scheme - see below), the glass jar I am going to paint for my pens and pencils, I bargained with the shop lady for that rectangular box (it was holding all the miscellaneous cards, so I had to find a new home for them before I could take it) and - that apple crate. Well. Will you just look at the colours! Very cool and I think I can make it work as under-desk storage.

I've decided my (very loose) theme will be grey, white, wood and green.



PS: I am IN LOVE with that kitchen top left. STUNNING.

Mx

Thursday 24 May 2012

THE HOME OFFICE

When we decided to move south, I was very fortunate to have my company offer me the chance to do my job remotely. So happily I entered my fifth year as the marketing executive for Rialto Cinemas, and I also entered the world of The Home Office. Now. I would love to tell you that my office looks like this:


But actually it looks like this:


Not so pretty. 

But the top image is what inspired me to make something more of the space in which I spend at least eight hours a day. Firstly - I need to get that printer off my desk. Secondly, I need to find something to put all the paper and mess in (possibly the bin...). Thirdly (and probably most importantly) I need to SIMPLIFY. This is a working space, so it will never look perfect, but it might look a heck load better if I made more of an effort. 

I visited the local Recycle Centre on Wednesday and picked up the first additional item I will need to kickstart this project. The printer holder.


The restoration project has begun so I'll come back to that one later. In the mean time here is some inspiration for the new Home Office.



I think the key is finding some main items and colours to pull everything together. As previously mentioned, we are moving house in a month - so I am not going to factor the Orange walls into the equation at all.

Things I must/want to keep:

Glass Corner Desk
Computer
Chair
Printer
Small Pin/White Board
(Black pin board belongs to current house...)
Artwork (wedding present from my Sister Rebekah)
Wall Planner (Ugly but useful)

Things I need:

Storage solutions.

Mx

Wednesday 23 May 2012

PATTERNS




Lately I (along with many more I'm sure) have an attraction to geometric and monochromatic, triangular patterns. Yesterday late afternoon I wandered down the hall and saw this fantastic pattern shining through our curtains in the lounge. This week I also discovered an amazing Etsy store called Tiny Armour which I am in love with. My sister recently got given a stunning Rose Gold Nixon Watch for her birthday so this little Pyramid Ring made me think of her.

HOME






























In February of this year, my husband Nathan and I moved from Auckland (population 1.5 million) to Wanaka (population 5000), New Zealand. A 1,495km journey undertaken in a car and a truck, with walkie-talkies, in two days. We exchanged traffic for tranquillity and high-rises for high country. The. Best. Move. Ever. Now we are settled, and soon moving into our new rental and I can't wait to unpack, nest and decorate.