Getting Things Done and Showing Off

Yesterday, I was featured on one of my favorite blogs, The DIY Showoff. How exciting, right?! Check out the post here. And if you joined me from Roeshel's lovely blog... hi! Thanks for popping over!

I have a few projects on the go at the mo, and I'm sharing because that's always good motivation for me to actually finish them.

Last weekend, my lovely husband sanded and sealed our patio set - phase one of prettifying the balcony...

{Before} 

{After}

Okay, I know it doesn't look like a huge transformation, but the wood was really suffering before and now it's all rich and lovely-looking again (and, thankfully, less orange). We got the set for about $100 at the end of summer a few years ago (best time to buy patio furniture) and it worked well on our old balcony...

The style (and color) is slightly at odds with the industrial look of our new space, but I think I can make it work. I need to get lots of flowers out there, obviously, but I'm waiting until we're back from our vacation (we're off to California for a week soon). The balcony also needs a good clean, and I'm on the hunt for a cheap and cheerful outdoor rug (because that black metal gets scorching hot) and some colorful chair pads - maybe these ones from Ikea - can't go wrong at $1.49 each.

I also spent a huge amount of time (something ridiculous like 16 hours...and counting) on reorganizing our files. I've always used binders for all our paperwork, and they're always organized because I am mildly anal about sorting. The problem? They keep growing and growing, and the binders don't match and it all just looks fugly. Gah.

I started by going through every single file and trashing a lot of stuff. This was about 2/3 of it. It felt gooood.

I've bought new binders - all nice and white and matching, and now there are only seven of them, instead of 13. I'm still in the process of rearranging and beautifying them, so you'll be hearing more about that soon.

I'm also planning to give the bookcase a bit of love - I'm thinking light duck egg with gold accents (since it's probably going to end up in the living room - read more about that here).

There is still a whole lot of stuff begging to be sorted on that bookshelf, like the five folders of CDs and DVDs, the mismatched photo albums and all S's art materials. All in good time.
That lamp on the left there will also be getting a face lift, and you might notice the blue patch on the wall - that's because I'm also in the midst of painting that room.

Finally (and onto a not-decorating-related topic)... I also clocked a good few hours this weekend putting together my application for US citizenship. While I was at it, I was rifling through all the letters, photos and other paperwork we submitted years ago to prove that our relationship was legit (I entered the US on a fiancée visa; J is American), and found this little gem - a prediction of J and me in 2013:

I don't suppose you'd submit a lovely drawing like that of yourselves if you weren't a real couple, right?! (Most people probably wouldn't anyway but obviously it worked - here I am!) Considering we looked like this then, it was a bit pessimistic...

(Wish I was still that skinny!) J pointed out sadly that he still doesn't have long hair (because his meany wife won't let him) but who knows - we've still got a couple of years to go!

Lastly, today is my BFF's due date! Can't wait to meet her new baby, whenever he or she decides it's time to come out!