Extreme Work Cubicle Makeover

Here is a picture of my "home away from home" before a few minor changes.   It's the same one seen all over the world - a drab grey.  Everything is grey - the walls, the desk and the cabinets.

We had a contest at work when we moved into new quarters a couple years ago for the "Best Cubicle Extreme Makeover."  I won!

I covered all the walls in fabric.  My look was supposed to be shabby chic, but I think I kinda turned it more into "grandma chic!"  Either way, I actually liked the way it turned out and I received a lot of compliments on it.

We had to dismantle our cubicles and move again last week.  I haven't decided if or how I will redo my new, smaller quarters.  I do know that I will miss watching how my taller co-workers tried to negotiate talking to me through my curtains.  They could never decide whether to stand outside the cube and hunch down to speak with me, come into my cube (which seemed to make them uncomfortable in such cramped quarters) or accidentally knock my curtains down because they misjudged where they were standing!  

Some of my fabric and lace is slightly skewered in these photos because I had started removing and breaking down my cube before I thought to take photos. 

Au Revoir sweet cube.

 (PS..if you look closely, you can see my three cowboys in the far right side of the last picture.  It was taken in '05)

Linking to:

Just Something I Whipped Up      All Thingz Related      

I {heart} Naptime                        A Diamond in the Stuff

Keep it Simple Sunday                Not Just a Housewife

Craftomanic Monday                  Someday Crafts

Sew Many Ways                         Blue Cricket Design

Sumo's Sweet Stuff                      A Little Knick Knack

Polly Want a Crafter                   Between Naps on the Porch (Metamorphosis Monday)

LoveBakesGoodCakes               TwinklingTrees

Treasure Found, Lost and Found Again!

I purchased a super cool, unique, vintage hutch at a garage sale last week. I couldn’t wait to get it home and install it in my remodeled craft room. But, when I got it home it just didn’t look right in the only place I could use it. I was heartbroken. It is such a fun piece and it had a great story. The man who sold it to me was in charge of the estate of his grandmother. He told me stories of the family dinners around the dining table in the room where the hutch spent the last 60 plus years. I fell in love with his story, his hutch and his family and I promised him that it was going to a good home that would continue to cherish it.

Since it wouldn’t work anywhere in my house, I was left with no option but to put it on craigslist. A lot of people cringe at the thought of a “craigslist encounter”, but I have had several wonderful encounters and met some delightful people through craigslist. Within ten minutes of posting it, I had received five inquiries. (I got a good deal and was passing it on to a lucky purchaser.) Email conversations began. I always try to be conscious of the first responders and give them first shot if I have anything to sell. I ended up pulling the ad down almost immediately because of the interest. Anyway, to make a long story short, the first responder decided I lived too far away, so the second responder jumped on the opportunity (who, incidentally, lived quite a bit farther.)

I wish I could have afforded just to give it to them. They turned out to be a young, beautiful family of four (two small boys) that were absolutely adorable. They even had to come in two vehicles because the truck would not accommodate them all! It was so fun to meet them, hear their story and make a little connection. They made my night.

I no longer felt blue about having to give up the special garage sale treasure because I found a new treasure in a special little family that day. And, I was able to keep my promise to the sweet man who sold it to me. It was going to a good home that would cherish it.

Menu Monday

Week of April 18 - 24

Monday

Pork Shoulder Roast

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Salad Greens

Zucchini Stir-Fry

Tuesday

Green Chili Pork Enchiladas (from Monday’s Roast)

Refried Beans

Spanish Rice

Guacamole

Wednesday

Street Tacos (from our favorite taco shop)

Thursday

Deer Roast

Rice and Gravy

Roasted Aspargus

Friday

Homemade Waffles

Sausage

Fruit

Saturday

Out of Town

Sunday

Out of Town

If you wonder why you see “Street Tacos” so much on my menu, it’s because they are so delicious and only $1 each! We have a fun little place in town and each week I get to practice my Spanish while having an awesome, inexpensive dinner! Also, because I work full-time, do a lot of crafts and visit garage sales along with trying to keep my home and laundry from getting too out of hand, we tend to eat out quite a bit. If you prefer more home-cooking than my menus provide, simply pick a meal from a previous menu or share your ideas with me!



Once I get more organized, I am planning to schedule more “Make it once – dine twice (or more) style weekly cooking. Become a follower and I’ll keep you updated!

Menu Monday!

Menu Monday

Week of Mar 20 – 27

Monday

Roasted Whole Chicken (Costco)*

Steamed Broccoli

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Note:  I purchase two whole chickens.  From the leftovers, I glean 3-4 cups of chopped chicken for other meals in the week.  The rest of the chicken and carcasses are thrown in a pot with seasonings, water and celery and I create a soup base/stock from that.  Debone and return chicken to pot.  I then separate the stock/soup base into 2-3 containers for future meals.  I usually freeze one of the bases to use for future last minute meals and use the other one/two for this week.

Tuesday

Biscuit-Topped Chicken Pot Pie (from one of the containers above)

Wednesday

Street Tacos

Thursday

French Dip Hoagies

Au Jus

Homemade Potato Salad

Friday

Green Chili Enchiladas (using 3-4 cups of reserved chicken from above)

Spanish Rice

Low-Fat Refried Beans

Saturday

Grilled Deer Steaks

Grilled Asparagus with Soy Sauce and Sesame Seed

Sticky Rice (Cowboy’s preferred side dish)

Sunday

Lunch – Potluck at Friends

A Spot of Tea?

I found this candlestick and tea box at the local St Vincent’s Thrift shop the other day for less than $3.  The tea box is actually vintage.  It was made by a company called “Ma Beck” that went out of business years ago.

I thought it was pretty cute just as it was, but thought it could be cuter with a little makeover. I’ve been looking for something cute to put my tea bags in so I could leave them on the counter.   Since the Cowboy’s last surgery, he has enjoyed having hot tea at night.  I know!  Not very cowboy-ish, but he is a study in contrasts anyway since he bakes, cooks, builds and farms.  The only thing he doesn’t do is dishes!

So, I painted and glazed the candlestick and tea box and then Gorilla-glued them together.  I switched out the old, ugly knob with a cute key thingy I got from Elliotts recently.  I decided that since I wanted it to hold tea and in keeping with the vintage theme, I would keep the tea plaque.  To dress it up a little I added a couple doodads.  How is that for technical jargon?

My Cowboy and Valedictorian (aka smart, cute, and usually sweet daughter) weren’t all that impressed with it.  To quote them, “it looks like you painted it white, smeared on some brown stuff and are pretending it’s antique.”   Nothing like fanciful praise to validate me!

I'm linking to:

A Diamond in the Stuff
A Little Knick Knack
Shabby Art Boutique
The Girl Creative - Just Something I Whipped Up
ThinkTank Thursday@Joyful Homemaking

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Menu Monday

Welcome to another edition of Menu Monday!  So far, I've managed to actually plan meals to weeks in a row.  I must be on a roll!

Menu Monday

Week of February 21 - 27




Monday

Spiral baked ham

Scalloped potatoes

Green beans

Tuesday

Ham and Beans

Cornbread

Wednesday

Street Tacos

Refried beans

Thursday

Split pea soup

Friday

Teriyaki chicken

Rice

Stir-Fry zucchini

Saturday

Dining out

Sunday

Dining out

Does the fact that I’m posting Fun Friday Finds on Sunday reveal that I’m either a procrastinator or really busy?  I’m going for the really busy, but the truth is, I procrastinated!  I got too busy researching my finds to actually post about them!

These were all found at Estate Sales.  Usually, I find Estate Sales too expensive, but I felt like a got a couple really good deals.  I guess my ebay sales and makeover items will tell whether it’s Trash to Treasure later!

I got all this for $30!  Pictured are a Vintage porcelain lamp, brass lamp, floral etched plate (hard to see), two plant/plate stands, two cool blue bottles, a hurricane candle holder with silver-leaved feet, a Vintage Brighton Jacket in perfect condition, two Anne 

Klein leather clutches and a set of pub placemats.

For an additional $75, I got this really cool Vintage Antique Wrought Iron and Brass double bed.  I love this bed!  I’m debating about keeping it or not because I have been looking for one, but if I can sell it at a really good price……

I couldn't honestly tell you whether it's more fun to Makeover something from Trash to Treasure or sell it at a profit!  I'll let you know when I get a little more experience (smile)!