Revamp and Revive.

Even though I work about 55 hours a week at an aerospace engineering firm, somehow I get myself into projects that keep me even busier. Honestly, I don’t know where I find the energy or time to get them done but so far, I have been kickin’ butt on my DIY to do list. My sister bought a desk at the beginning of the summer that was in rough shape but had huge potential. I told her I would work on it little by little to make sure it’s done by the time she moves into her apartment for the fall semester at Northern Michigan University. So I took a hand sander to it and made sure to smooth the desk out… Here’s a picture of it once sanded. I wish I would have took a picture of it at the very beginning but I jumped into project without thinking.

Then once I applied the stain and polyurethane, she {yes the desk is a girl} looks like a million bucks. I still need to pick up some hardware for it… The pulls were extremely old and very ornate… But now that it’s been revamped, I am thinking about picking up modern pulls. What do you think?

Staining the mirror frame which needs to be reattached to the desk.

So be expecting a picture of the final-final project! Just wanted to show the progress, maybe as a way to motivate me to get it done!

While the stain was drying, I decided to start a different project. We designed a half bath for our back porch awhile back and it has been left unfinished. So I spackled the wall to fill in holes and uneven areas of the walls then sanded it smooth. It made quite the mess and was exhausting. So the last thing I did was wipe down the walls so they are clean and free of dust and ready to be primed. Yeah the lime green paint color needs to go.

Instead, the room is receiving a light tan paint color with white trim. The sink still needs to be put in as well as new flooring. Ahh so exciting! But honestly, thank goodness for this blog because I think it will help bring focus and motivation to my busy life… Can’t keep my followers in the dark about how the projects turn out! Haha. Right? So bare with me on these works in progress.

Anyone else revamping places or things in their life?

A Girl's Workspace in a Greasy Man's World.

I am currently working for an aerospace engineering firm as the only woman engineer on staff, so I thought I'd show how I am able to bring some girlie-ness into a man-dominated field. Since I wear earplugs and safety glasses most of the day, I find it extremely important that my outfit/makeup are at least fashionable to try to even out the dorky gear. As for my desk, you can totally tell it belongs to a girl who loves the color pink and lots of busy prints. Whether it’s the things on my desk or the bright & bold computer background, it totally stands out amongst the other desks covered in fixture prints and manila folders. I can’t help that I am firm believer that colors change your attitude and lookout, so at least my desk makes me happy even though working at 6 am doesn’t.

But don’t get me wrong… I can definitely hang with the boys.  For example, my co-workers laugh at how I can be dressed up and put together then be able to roll my sleeves up and get my hands arms covered in grease. I’m caught in between two worlds... which definitely makes it fun. So here's a look at my desk and the items that are ALWAYS present:

On Tuesday, I was given that pile of work and told "well that should keep you busy these summer months." Yeah, he wasn't lying. I haven't made much of a dent yet. But hopefully I will be able to finish all those projects by August in order to surprise them with my efficiency. Let's hope so!

One of my favorite things and would be totally lost without is my Blue Jacket’s calendar… Yes, I am a diehard Red Wings fan, but this little gem holds my hectic life together. My best friend Emily received two of these calendars at a Columbus game awhile back and was nice enough to share. Thank goodness for that because now every month I get to see a new professional hockey player’s action shot. Of course I made it color-coded, so at a quick glance I am able to decipher my little brother’s baseball games vs. my summer plans. What is sad is I rely on this calendar more than the planner in my bag or the app on my phone… it was the first thing I put up in my office space. It’s the only form of artwork I have at work… for now.

Don't you love the silver smiley face at the top of my calendar? My coworker Jordan drew a face on the cupcake foil wrapper as a thank you/compliment of my Red Wings cupcakes earlier this week. I had to keep it because its stinkin' adorable. I am sure my desk will reflect more about me throughout the summer... so I will post if there is any new changes. Its definitely a work in progress!