Use the Corner Wisely

跟 Laundry room 借了個牆角

起因是水果, 番薯馬鈴薯, 洋蔥等生食並不一定得全數塞入冰箱, 但流理臺上總擺滿了食物, 塑膠袋, 佔了很大的空間也亂七八糟的...

這個角落頭大約23” x 11”, 很少有這麼窄小的櫃子, 雖然在Ikea找到了對的尺寸, 原是用來裝玩具的TROFAST, 但落地櫃把小小的角落顯得更為擁擠, 其塑膠桶的收納抽屜也不美觀:

IKEA TROFAST

改試懸釘架子: 在Pinterest上找了幾個想法:

Source: No.1/ No.2/ No.3/ No.4

算來算去, 還是去HomeDepot買一塊長木板($8.00), 自己切自己漆最經濟實惠, 再配上 Ikea EKBY KANNA bracket 特價一個還是要$3.00

當時整修廚房的油漆工人工不細, 角落頭就直接上漆, 過沒幾個月就出現裂痕, 還得勞動查理斯重新補修: 先得把裂開的漆刮下, 上joint compound, 黏上masking paper, 再上一層compound, 等乾磨平再補漆:

為了這個修補這個角落, 還特地買了這只專修角落的工具

切了20"長的板子, 對齊中間, 栓上brackets就成啦!

常看水果洋蔥等大多都集中在籃子或金屬網裡, 可是查理斯發現每每只稍微一擺久, 水果外皮都會產生壓痕, 接著就很快爛透, 於是我選用Ikea LIDAN baskets 這樣塑膠質地的布袋來裝生食水果, 既不悶氣也不易損傷食物外皮, 髒了還可以直接丟洗衣機, 一舉數得!

一開始就很喜歡 Ikea FINTORP 小盆吊籃的設計, 可是一個就要$12.99再加一條橫桿$7.99, 兩三個下來那真是昂貴又不重用的收納方式, 就是蘋果也放不了四五顆; 於是就只放一籃在另一面廚房的角落, 是不是整潔多啦?!

Merry Christmas 2012 !!!

期許自己一個project: 每年選一段經文, 設計一款聖誕賀卡, 數算過去一年的恩典:)

Merry Christmas!!

今年是 thechusweethome 第一年的聖誕節, living room 繼續施工中...

Break the Walls Down

上個周末起查理斯開始進行 living room 的整建工作, 重點是 insulation 添加玻璃棉; 從 plaster 換成 drywall, 重漆是必要的事, 鼓起勇氣想嘗試一次"超"大膽的顏色, 既然牆壁要拆, 不妨試試?!? 

Benjamin Moore - Classic Red Living room

要漆上對的紅色難度很高, 就連好的樣本圖都不見得找得到幾張... 在HomeDepot試了兩罐Samples, 是有點怵目驚心... paint the wall red 還是需要很大的勇氣地...

Rudolph the Mini

Although we don’t have a Christmas tree this year, we have Rudolph the Mini!!

We found it on Amazon, and it was advertised fitting a mini cooper S!

Reindeer Auto Outfit 2012

Before two-becomes-one, Charles owned a 1998 Toyota 4runner and I drove a 2004 Toyota Scion XA. We were pretty loyal to our cars because they barely caused us any troubles and both had amazing spaces for our needs. We gotta give Toyota a credit for that!

Sources 1 & 2

The 4runner was about to meet its 200,000 miles and it cost Charles about $300+ of gas per month. Right after we got married, we started looking for a “fun” car, which gives us a better gas mileage and most importantly, fun that is. However, horsepower doesn't mean much to me, but for a dude? Hell yeah! We test drove both Cooper and Cooper S. Charles just loved that sport mode in Cooper S all so very much.  

So yep, we dressed her like the Rudolph the red nosed deer for her first Christmas being a part of thechusweethome. XD

Hang on the Wall

Finally I made more progress to decorate our new kitchen like a cute little bistro!


I used to decorate my former condo kitchen with these sassy little chefs on the wall. I liked them very much and decided to do the same to our current kitchen.

Our kitchen is much bigger but unfortunately less wall spaces for the two ladies (11" x 14"). Therefore, I replaced them with three little fat chefs with smaller frames. 
 

I also got this coffee silhouette hook from Amazon and hung some little cute accessories: (from left to right) a tiny cup from a capsule toy, Charles’ bottle opener, a California souvenir key chain, and a miniature wooden spoon.

You might spot the chef decor here and there already:

The clean/dirty sign for the dishwasher was surprisingly Charles’ idea and I found this cute little chef one on ebay! 

We shopped the valances in Anna’s Linen on black friday weekend. We had these two choices in mind:

 

and we both preferred the brown one with the cute variety coffee cups

Need to tie it up one strap at a time

Oh, by the way, Charles has fixed the window I broke months ago so the cardboard cover has been removed. XD

Countdown to Christmas

This year is the first Christmas in thechusweethome. However, we don't plan to have a Christmas tree because Charles is about to start another insulation project in our living room.

So, I got myself a Pinterest Challenge to get some holiday spirit - an advent calendar

Difficulty: Easy

 

 This is where the idea comes from:

younghouselove

I found the same multi-use hanger in Goodwill for $4.99. The original source is Ikea KOMPLEMENT, which is designed to store 28 accessories.


The plastic snowflakes were found in Dollartree, 10pcs for $1.00. I purchased two sets of them that gives me 20pcs.

I decorated the rest of the empty spaces with some ornaments that I have received over the years. This little Angel is 100% handmade craft from a very talented lady :)

The numbers were fairly easy, just computer print-out cut and paste on a leftover color paper.

Even though I liked the combination of blue and green that the younghouselove picked out, I went with the traditional red and green. More Christmassy.

I found these great decoration stuff in Dollartree & 99cents store, cheap and neat

Total Spending on this project: $7.99

I haven't figured out where to hang the calendar though... Maybe in the hallway?