Our first DIY!

So we have moved across the ocean to east asia and we can update you more on the moving and settling-in process. But first, I (harrison) want to tell you about a little DIY project we did this week. While out shopping for some furniture for our 9th floor apartment at the used furniture market, Lauren found this gem of a desk. This yellow, rustic-y, vintage-looking home decoration caught Lauren's eye and there was no turning back. It didn't hurt that it was only about $25 USD (US dollars).

We got it home, along with our other items we purchased and put it in the corner of the living room until Lauren figured out exactly where she wanted to put it.

A few months ago, we had some other american friends who were moving and needed to sell their stuff. We were able to purchase their (nearly) american sized oven which is like gold in these parts for women who love to cook. Most ovens here are the size of a toaster oven or a small microwave.

Well, the large oven was sitting in its place, on the floor in the kitchen for lack of counter space and that's when it hit Lauren. "Why don't we move the desk into the kitchen to give us more counter space and put the oven in the hole (where the chair usually goes)?" So she got our her measuring tape and measured... and wouldn't you know it, the desk was about 4 inches too short.

Well, after being inspired by (and I'm ashamed to say it) Pinterest and other blogs like www.ana-white.com I wanted to build/create some way for Lauren to have what she wanted there in the kitchen and me feel like a man in the process.

I went out to this pile of old junk that the builders and movers throw their scraps into and found some pieces of wood that would be perfect to use to elevate the desk, after some work. Lauren and I put our heads together and brainstormed what we wanted to do then I went out in search of somebody with some power tools.

I found him.

After he watched me measure out what I wanted and drew lines for him to cut, he got to work cutting. He finished cutting the wood into strips for me then we worked together hammering nails into the blocks to keep them together. (all of this service cost me $9USD!) I hoped that this would be what we needed.

When I got home, Lauren was waiting eagerly to try them out. And guess what...Perfection! the blocks gave us enough room to slide that oven right in there.

After 2.5 hours of digging through a scrap pile, brainstorming, measuring, cutting and nailing, now the oven has a home and Lauren has more counter space and drawers (which she had none of before the desk).