The walls of my new apartment

As I mentioned in a previous post, I started off 2013 with a new apartment. Living by myself, I feel like King in the Castle, and I no longer have to trudge up 4 flights of stairs. On the down side though, I did have to scale down my operation which includes stowing my little desk and having my kitchen table work double duty. I've had to get pretty creative with storage (big kitchen+tiniest bathroom=curling irons in the pantry). Here's a little sampling of some of the decor I've put up, with a few effects added to the photos cover up the fact that the pictures were taken with very poor lighting. At least I'm honest.

Living room

The left image is one of my own prints, it reads "you & me can grow wild together," while the right silkscreen from Brainstorm.

Kitchen

Above my kitchen table/desk, a graphic print of New York City buildings from overhead, a Christmas gift from my big bro.

Bedroom, which is also the living room btw

Perfumes on a cake stand, buffered by my Great Aunt's doily.

The potty

The bathroom, where all my jewelry now lives beneath one of my octopus prints. There's a little bit of a nautical theme going here.

There's just one lingering box that is waiting for me to figure out when recycling day is. Now that everything's in its' place, it's time get through the winter with some new projects!

Signs of Spring

The early bloomers are popping up left and right, letting us know that Spring is finally just around the corner!  Though I am grateful for the incredibly warm winter we've had, the lack snow has actually made for nearly 5 straight months of gray.  And here you thought you avoided seasonal depression this year!

One Spring thing I've been waiting months for is the bloom of my orchid, which I received for my birthday last year.  It doesn't have a name because I'm not really into naming plants, but I love it like a like a child (I don't really know what loving a child is like).  I got so much joy out of watching each flower open last year that I'm psyched it's starting to bloom again.  I'm always amazed at watch a plant's life cycle, and seeing it bloom again is a sure sign that I haven't done anything to kill it.  Welcome Spring!

Hey girlfriend!

DIY desk

It's hard to believe that with the exception of my college years, I have never had a desk.  After years of making a mess on my couch, kitchen table, floor, and bed, I finally convinced myself to get one.  What I did not want was a "computer desk," complete with a pullout keyboard table and holes for the cables to go through.  I also didn't want anything too bulky or large, more of a writing desk or small table, and I did not want to spend a lot of money on it (I mean like under $40).  After endlessly checking Craig's list and never finding what I wanted, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

I headed to Ikea to see what I could use to create exactly what I wanted on the cheap.  In the section with all the table tops and legs, I was able to pick up two Vika Lerberg Trestles for $10 each.  Next, I headed to the "as is" section and found a leftover metal shelf that (for the most part) fits on top of the trestle legs.

One set of legs + the top

Putting the legs together was a pretty similar to any Ikea job; you wedge some pieces together and turn that tiny screwdriver a million times.  Once the legs were assembled I just popped the top on and voila! a table/desk.

Don't be fooled, it's usually not this clean

Maybe you recognize that hanging bag from last month's post on Customizing a boring canvas tote.  Since the desk has no drawers, the tote bag gives me a little spot for storing the items I need at an arm's reach.  It's held up by one of those purse hooks that my roommate was sweet enough to bring me back from her trip to Madrid.

Right now it holds all my inks.

It's perfect for doing small projects and working on the computer.  The chair I'm using now is from my kitchen, but I'm confident that I'll be able to find a free chair at the end of the month when everyone is moving.  Total cost for a new workspace: $26.