3. And here I thought I was Mrs. Fixit…

I had a long day at work yesterday and did not get home until after 9:00.  I set my things down, took off my shoes, and then proceeded to find this:

Yep, the shelf I so painstakingly hung in my closet in order to create a home for all my clothes completely came out of the wall.  I needed this shelf.  Before I installed it, there was only one long pole across the top of my closet, hanging much too high for me to actually use (I’m only 5’1″, most things are too high).  I went to Home Depot, bought some shelving and the hanging kits, and followed the installation directions to a T.  I even busted out my level and drill.  I blame it on the 100-year-old walls.

I took everything out this morning before leaving for work.  Note the terrible carnage to the wall and my awesome shoe collection.

I’m not really sure what I should do next.  Should I reinstall the shelf and risk further calamity?  Do I try a different type of shelf?  Do I give up and just throw my clothes on the floor? I’m really dreading the solution.

I’m just waiting for the moment that the OTHER shelves I installed (i.e. the second shelf in my closet and the two I put in Jason’s “closet”) eject themselves from the walls.

On a brighter note, I’m pretty pleased with the way my distressed dresser is turning out!  Here’s a sneak peek:

Hoping your closets don’t cave in,

Mrs. Fixit Gabriella

 

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2. For the love of Craigslist.

I have a serious obsession with Craigslist.  I’m often perusing the site to see what sort of goodies random strangers are peddling.  Nothing ceases to amaze me anymore.  Not even this: http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/zip/3144931543.html

Anyway…Jason and I moved to a new place on July 1st.  It’s the upper duplex of a home built in 1905, it’s in Bay View, and I love it.  We decided to pare down on our belongings before the move for two main reasons.  First, it would be less junk to haul up a flight of stairs.  Second, all of our furniture was a clash of different styles, and nothing really “went” together.  It’s my goal to have a home with a cohesive design, or at least matching (or mostly matching) furniture.  We also had a real problem with clutter.  Okay, I’m the one with the clutter problem, but I do declare that it’s because I never had a proper “home” for any of my things.  No more, I say.  No more.

Back to Craigslist, we recently made some awesome purchases from two different “vendors”.  The first was a pretty nifty vintage metal cabinet.  It will be perfect for all of my craft supplies, which currently reside in a myriad of boxes, bags, and plastic containers.  Quite the steal for $25!

Isn’t she a beauty?

There are some minor rust issues I need to take care of, and she could definitely use a new coat of paint…but it’s nothing I can’t handle.

Our second find was a set of dressers with a matching mirror.  They aren’t solid “wood”, but they are perfect for painting and distressing (something I’ve wanted to try for quite a while).  We got these babies for only $65, and that included a $15 delivery charge.   Not bad, huh?

As Jason and I are newlyweds, we don’t have a ton of money to spend on furniture.  However, this doesn’t mean we can’t have a beautiful home.  I just need to be creative with the money we do have!

I started painting and distressing the long dresser this past weekend, and I have to tell you: It looks amazing.  I seriously cannot wait to show off the final results!

Stay tuned, and stay classy.

XO,
Gabriella

 

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1. Down the rabbit-hole.

I suppose I should begin with a normal introduction, but that’s not quite my speed.  I should really start with WHY I want to write a blog in the first place.  Let’s make a list.  I love lists.  I love lists a lot. (Three cheers for alliteration in an introductory blog post!)

Reason #1: I have a ton of hobbies.   I dabble in many, many craft genres.  Knitting, crocheting, making jewelry, sewing, drawing, painting, blah, blah, blah.  Some would say I am a jack of all trades, a master of none.  I say that’s a challenge.

Reason #2: I am a procrastinator.  I’m sure everyone puts things off from time to time, but the fact is that I do it way too often!  If I have a set schedule of blog posts, maybe (just maybe) I’ll finish up the 9,000 projects I have…in a timely manner!

Reason #3: I am forgetful.  I have a terrible memory, and there are parts of my life that I just can’t recall as well as I used to.  I hope that this blog will serve me the same way a personal diary would serve anyone else.  I’ll be able to look back at blog posts and get all warm and fuzzy inside.  Or cringe at my terrible grammar and corny metaphors.

Reason #4: I am disorganized.  I suppose this goes hand in hand with Reason #2, but I could really use an overhaul when it comes to my organization skill set.  If you don’t believe me, feel free to take a gander at my work desk or lab bench.  Writing a blog…a GOOD blog…requires time management and planning ahead.  That little desk calendar I bought is screaming to actually be used.

Reason #5: I like people.  Although I spend a good majority of my time as a hermit, I actually do like chatting with friends and making new ones.  Really!  I hope you find me entertaining enough to follow my posts, and maybe we can teach each other new tricks.

Well, I suppose that’s about it.  I’m sure there are tedious other reasons I could go on and on about, but I’ll spare you that misery.  Now we can get down to the introduction.

My name is Gabriella.  I’m 26, a newlywed, a PhD student.  There’s a Wonderland inside my head.

“Alice was not a bit hurt, and she jumped up on to her feet in a moment: she looked up, but it was all dark overhead; before her was another long passage, and the White Rabbit was still in sight, hurrying down it. There was not a moment to be lost: away went Alice like the wind, and was just in time to hear it say, as it turned a corner, `Oh my ears and whiskers, how late it’s getting!’ She was close behind it when she turned the corner, but the Rabbit was no longer to be seen: she found herself in a long, low hall, which was lit up by a row of lamps hanging from the roof.” – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

 

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