30 Boxes in 30 Days Challenge - Update 1

Found time to empty two boxes over the last two days even though I had an extended Uni assignment to finish and submit yesterday.

Day 1 -  I started on the spare room which had all sorts of paperwork, booklets and stuff that made its way there in order to keep the rest of the house looking barely presentable. That room is definitely a dumping ground :-(

I can now see the foam couch/small "bed" that takes up one wall. I did have to put stuff into a box for future sorting so I'm not counting that one just yet. I did however manage to fill one box from that room with used paper. I've still got to get into the habit of printing on both sides more often but I do use the blank side for my family research notes. which leads to the second box for the month.

Day 2 - Today I had a look through a box that I've been dumping my genealogy/family research stuff and managed to empty it. The former contents are now in folders and sitting on one of the shelves in the built in wardrobe.

Two boxes down..... 28 to go. So far so good. Let's see if I can keep this up.

30 Boxes in 30 Days Challenge

WOW I can't believe it's been just over 3 months since my last post. Time surely does fly when you're studying hard at Uni. I have managed to get through my first term at Uni and I had so much fun... even though there were moments where I felt like I was going to pull my hair out with the stress of assignments. I can now draw a little better, have a better idea of how to do vector designs for logos etc, have found that I enjoy playing with digital video and audio, and enjoy creating animations. I now have 4 weeks off before term 2 starts on the July 2nd.

One thing that really bothered me during 1st term was how difficult it was to find just what I needed to create a lighting system for the digital video and audio course and to find room to put it. This leads me to today's post. 

I have given myself the challenge of sorting through and packing 30 boxes in 30 days for the month of June. I have so many boxes filled with trash mixed in with treasures that it's time to sort through it all. I am ashamed to admit this but I have 1 junk room which is the spare room, I can barely get to my car because of boxes stacked on both sides and at the front of the garage AND to get anything out of the garden shed I have to literally climb over stuff. As far as having enough crap to do this challenge certainly wont be a problem, nor is time an issue until term 2 starts. The problem is that I am a big procrastinator. Yep, that motivator is always breaking down, so this blog will hopefully help me to stay with this challenge to the end.

OK so the rules are simple. For every box I empty equals 1 box and every box filled to donate, return, use for storage or throw out also equals 1 box each. Each box is to be of a size and weight that can be carried by one person and no smaller than an archive storage box.

Wish me luck... I'm sure going to need it.

Garden Orbs

Christmas is over for another year. The Christmas tree and decorations are packed away until next time. Now what do you do with light sets where only half the strand works or you plan to upgrade to brand new lights? Do you throw them in the bin or do you try to reuse them?

I have found that to have a well lit Christmas tree I need to buy more sets and I’m hoping that the stores will be bringing back last years lights as they were almost perfect. What I loved about them is you can connect the strands together. Less transformer packs and less power plugs = Awesome. The only draw back to them is they have clear cords. Oh well you can’t win them all.

So where is this random ramblings leading I hear you ask?

Take a squiz at this.


It was time to retire my old LED sets from Christmas duty and give them a new year round job and when I first found this idea here, I just had to make my own.

The light shades were found for about $3 each at Saint Vinnie's and at the resale area of the local dump. The one on the left is glass and the other one is acrylic. They are a dime a dozen at any goodwill store. I am on the look out for another glass one because let’s face it, they just look better and have a good weight about them.


All that you need to do is stuff the lights into the shades and hey presto, high end looking glowing garden orbs on a beer budget. Can’t get even better than that and it only takes a couple of minutes to do.

Here are are few more pics for you to enjoy.




 Hmmm now I just need to get some greenery happening which is going to be a challenge. Not a green thumb in sight.

Till next time and stay safe,

Jenni (aks Smokeygem)

Dining Room Makeover Part 2

How is everyone’s weekend going? It’s nice and overcast here making it a lovely day after this heat we’ve been having here.

Remember the dining table I painted recently? See that piece of furniture on the left? It looks like it’s got stickers on it.


Yep that was my latest project. I've had that hutch since about 1999.

Here's a better image of it without the sliding glass and my collection of vintage items handed down to me by my family.



… and this is what it looked like when I first bought it from a second hand shop in Bundaberg. Sorry but it's the best only image I have.


That's my son Cody at the age of 6 isn't he a little cutie.  He was supposed to be doing his homework but when he saw the camera he just had to pose. It’s a different story now. Damn shame they have to grow up LOL

OK back on topic guys.

When I bought it, it was rather bland. Varnish ply doors, white paint and no real character at all. To give it a new look, I added the molding on the doors and painted it this blue-green-ish colour from Taubmans, painted the inserts grey and added some 'Wallies'. Definitely late nineties country going on here and in need of a whole new look.

Oh and check out the outdated contact paper. Now that was a task and a half to remove.


Fast forward to 2012. Isn't it amazing what a little bit of paint and stain can do? I'm loving it. I used Taubmans "Ivory Tower" and Cabot's “Bazillion Roast”  custom stain for the timber and also as a glaze to darken the paint finish. Minwax satin wipe-on poly was used to protect the whole piece.




I haven’t lined the shelving or drawers yet because I’m still looking for a design that appeals to me. Maybe I’ll even have a go at printing my own using the many awesome tutorials online.

Here are the before and after pics of the hutch again.

  Here's how my dining room looks so far PLUS a sneak peak of my next project. Can you guess what it is?


 Till next time and stay safe.

Jenni (aka Smokeygem)

Rocky Swap Meet 2011 - Part 4

I hope you've been enjoying the tour of the 2011 Rocky Swap Meet.

This post is about my favourite stall at the swap meet this year as I have NEVER seen anything like this anywhere. I've even tried to find this on Google search but not one image even remotely came up similar to the awesome work done by a lovely chap by the name of Peter.

Just check these out. I'm sure you'll be drooling over the workmanship of this fine metal artist. Take a closer look at the metal work... do you see what has been used to create these beauties?

Yep, I can see horse shoes and various second hand and vintage hand tools that are mostly used on a farm. Chains, hinges, sheep shearing clippers, springs, hooks. This is what I'd call the ultimate in upcycling my friends.

Here are some more pics. Enjoy.

I would love a Queen size head board like this but with a curved top edge

These chairs are actually surprisingly comfortable.

Santa I want two of these on the back patio please :-P

and one of these as well

I hope you enjoyed the tour of the Rocky Swap Meet for 2001. I am looking forward to next year.

Cheers

Jenni (aka Smokeygem) xoxoxo

Rocky Swap Meet 2011 - Part 3

G'day.

As promised, today I will be showing you what I call "Ugly Dolls". These are locally handmade dolls that look sooooooo life-like it's down right creepy but somehow kind of cute as well.

I'll let you be the judge.

Each doll has it's own name and Bronwyn of "Sea-Life" can make them to order and create a Newborn for you from a photo. If you are interested in having a custom made doll, just send me an email and I'll pass the message onto Bronwyn. If you live in the Land Down Under you can call her on 04 395 45 005. At the time of posting this, there is currently no website or email address that I'm aware of.

Cheers

Jenn

Rocky Swap Meet 2011 - Part 2

Ok, I've been M.I.A for a few weeks now but I have a really good reason... really I do. I have just recently finished my STEPS studies at Uni and boy was it full on with assessments and exams. I have taken on an optional study course in maths so that I don't get rusty leading up to the beginning of my Undergraduate studies next year but that should be less time consuming. I hope.

Anyways peeps, here are the pics of my "purchases" from this years swap meet. Unfortunately I didn't get much as I was having some serious back pain that day. I am however happy with what I did get.

The first item I found was this wheel rim and whatever it came from it was small. The diametre is just a tiny 14.5cm but I did have a project in mind when I picked it up. It was late in the afternoon so it would probably come as no surprise that I got a discount on it. I held it up and asked the vendor what he wanted for it... he said I can take it, FREE. Can't get better than that I hear you say? Oh but I did do better my friends. It was sitting with a set of four larger wheel rims and the guy said I could take them as well.

The small tyre rim I got for FREE

... and the four extra wheels also for FREE. Bargain!!!

These guys are 16.5 cm in diametre

The next lot of stuff I got came from another stall. I've got no idea what I'll be using these for yet but I'm sure inspiration will strike... maybe Pinterest will help me on this one.

The final item I purchased is this contraption. When I saw it I thought it was actually a hook, but apparently it's some type of vintage hand held gardening hoe. Sorry for the poor quality on this one.

See that hole at the tip? I'm guessing that's the screw hole for a timber handle. Don't you just love that rust?

Next year I'll be a little bit more prepared an maybe a little bit more fitter and lighter :-P

Part 3 of the Rocky Swap 2011 tour will feature what I call "Ugly dolls" although my Mum absolutely LOVES them.

Cheers

Jenn