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DIY Why? Banksy Balloon Girl 8 0f 8

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So last month we moved into our new flat and we are getting a really great deal but we agreed that we would do all the improvements to the place. So here is a wee series on our home DIY and so this is why:


When we were deciding on decor for the flat we both had the idea of using vinyls on the walls and the living room was the first decision. We wanted to use something dramatic but emotive also and Banksy’s balloon girl was the obvious choice for me as it’s one of my favourite Banksy pieces. So I mocked it up in Photoshop and we both agreed it would look awesome and indeed it does!

 

DIY Why? – The Fridge Door 7 of 8

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So last month we moved into our new flat and we are getting a really great deal but we agreed that we would do all the improvements to the place. So here is a wee series on our home DIY and so this is why:

Fridge door tray stops. Like so many things in this flat that came with – the fridge is a little old and run down. We didn’t realize until we’d moved in that the fridge was actually missing the door trays which was not fun. So remembering the fact that I could challenge MacGyver or the-A-Team to an invent-off with my surly coat-hanger bending skills  I decide to create a simple guard which so far has been quite effective – except the top one is a bit prone to popping off if you open the door to vigorously. They say you can fix anything with Gaffer Tape and WD40 but I’d like to add wire coat hangers to the list!

DIY Why? – The Drop Leaf Table 6 of 8

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So last month we moved into our new flat and we are getting a really great deal but we agreed that we would do all the improvements to the place. So here is a wee series on our home DIY and so this is why:

Drop Leaf table – Our last kitchen was never a fun place to cook in and I was determined to make sure that I would have enough surface space to cook comfortably. The layout of our kitchen is much better simply because it’s much bigger but I was concerned that if we needed to prepare a large meal then there wasn’t quite enough space so we bought this IKEA drop leaf table. The fun bit was fitting it as it’s a hollow wall and so I had my first go at using some heavy duty hollow-wall screws. – Its been great to use and is holding up strong.

 

DIY Why? – The Shelf 5 of 8

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So last month we moved into our new flat and we are getting a really great deal but we agreed that we would do all the improvements to the place. So here is a wee series on our home DIY and so this is why:

This is really only an honorable mention as its not really a full project. It’s only a shelf but the fun thing was that i got to get the circular saw out and wreak more havoc on the previously mentioned desk. The result is an incredibly useful shelf in the kitchen cupboard.

 

DIY Why? – The Upcycled Desk 4 of 8

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So last month we moved into our new flat and we are getting a really great deal but we agreed that we would do all the improvements to the place. So here is a wee series on our home DIY and so this is why:

Another item we inherited was this spectacularly large office desk!

The last guy who rented the room upstairs – I say rented when actually he only paid for 2 out of the 7 months he lived here and when he snuck out he left our good friend Jo without his contribution to the utility bills! – What a lovely charming chap!!!  – Anyway we tried to sell this monstrosity on eBay but it never even got a viewing so I decided to use it for myself. It had a date with my brother-in-law’s circular saw and then became a much smaller but more suitable desk for my office although I had to work on its orientation as the first office layout didn’t suit the sloping floor which gave me a dodgy back as i was sitting on a slope and bending my back to the right:

Now it’s great!

DIY Why? – The Upcycled Futon 3 of 8

By Blog, Techie No Comments

So last month we moved into our new flat and we are getting a really great deal but we agreed that we would do all the improvements to the place. So here is a wee series on our home DIY and so this is why:

Another thing we inherited with the flat was one of these old IKEA Futon things. Now even in good condition these things are the most uncomfortable things ever to the point that in the past I have chosen the floor over the futon option. Now this particular one was in bad shape. It was suffering a few broken slats and a missing screw or two. – So why would we wanna keep it? Well – it wasn’t  for the original purpose. No I wanted to use it for shelving. With the help of my brother, we cut them down to size and stained them with the same stuff we used for the low sideboard then mounted them in the alcove above the TV ready for the Hifi and DVD’s bringing a nice symmetry to the room.

DIY Why? – The Repainted Sideboard 2 of 8

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So last month we moved into our new flat and we are getting a really great deal but we agreed that we would do all the improvements to the place. So here is a wee series on our home DIY and so this is why:

So in this picture you can see the aged and battered pine sideboard. Okay so you might not really be able to see it but believe me  – it’s there. Its the unit underneath all the other stuff doing its job as a sideboard well just looking pretty ugly (behind the chair).  – Knowing that we were going to be bringing in our own set of shelves we decided we should paint the sideboard black or to be precise – we decided to stain it black.

DIY Why? – The Upcycled Sofa 1 of 8

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So last month we moved into our new flat and we are getting a really great deal on the place but we agreed that we would do all the improvements to the place. So here is a wee series on our home DIY and so this is why:

So we inherited this cheap and tatty IKEA sofa with the flat. It was ready to go to the dump and Ruth wanted it gone but I was keen to see if we could up-cycle it. Two sofas are always better than one especially when we now have loads of space and if we could achieve that without having to buy another sofa then that was gonna be ace too! So on my first investigation of how we might make it a little better the whole back of the sofa fell off as the chipboard which kept it in place crumbled. At this point Ruth really wanted it gone but a little further investigation (made easier now it was in two halves) gave me the inspiration on how to rebuild it and make it better than it was. Then thanks to several 6inch bolts, many many MANY staples, a few throws and £15 lighter it was transformed in to this:

Ten brilliant typography vids

By Techie, Video, Work No Comments
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEVvEsEbl5I] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14NY21zJcGo] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ72jo7JcDk] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kdrsPRZnK8] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYWg3zSXiBw] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxkM3YTWu9s] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejweI0EQpX8] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3lSSp-3068] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXEjR1H3JKk] [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHBSVhjufFo]

(via Mashable)

and my own one:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7td0agr7cg]

I just got on Google+

By Techie No Comments

I was invited to Google+. I clicked the link and accepted the invite eagerly and I have that feeling I had when I first signed up to facebook. Lots of positive anticipation but a niggle that it won’t really take off.

I have really high hopes for Google+. It’s not that I have anything against facebook but I hope that this will either make facebook up their game on their user experience or that Google+ would wipe the floor and get rid of them. I don’t wanna have to cope with managing 2 major social media networks.

Google has a lot going for it. They have their a**enal of apps with Gmail, Calendar, Docs, YouTube, Reader, Picasa etc… If they can integrate all this smoothly then I can see myself running with Google+ and leaving the latter.

However it aint that clear cut! It depends on what the masses do. 600million users are not going to jump ship over night! I suspect a lot of people will leave FB because so many are no longer happy with the privacy transparency issues. Some will leave becuase of the great circles tool in Google+ which allows you to take much more control over who sees what in your profile and your wall.

I think this is gonna be an interesting couple of months watching what happens. Lets see who wins!?!?!

Googlers! #POTD

By Techie, Work No Comments

Today we had an team of amazing Google Developers come in to give their time and advice on a project we are developing at work.

They gave us some really great insight and advice and were generally all brilliant! Really lovely bunch of people whom we hope to work with in the future!

Good times!

MOT Due #POTD

By Driving, Techie No Comments

It’s that time of year again and I’ve just booked the car in for it’s M.O.T. with the garage down the road from Tearfund. The car is definitely starting to feel old so I’m hoping that it passes with relative ease. If it’s expensive that may be a problem cause with the change in the law to women’s car insurance brokers this year, it means that our policy will cost more.

We may be looking at having to replace her which is sad as I think this week our last payment just went out which means that she is finally all ours!

I really love our car.

There are a few things that need doing:

  • The Annoying Rattle: for over a year now there has been this really annoying tinkly/rattle coming from the front passenger side of the car. I don’t know if it’s from the wheel or the suspension but I do know that it didn’t affect the MOT last year. It kinda sounds like a loose washer or summat.
  • Rear Window Wiper: About 18 months ago was the last time i was able to use the rear wiper. Either the wiring or the motor has gone but for months there was a hopeful clicking, sometimes a whine from it but now it just clicks at me but doesn’t actually do any wiping. Nits now a decorative piece a bit like the angel on a Rolls only more rubbery and its on the back of the car instead on the nose.
  • Groaning / Squeaky Brakes: They either groan or they squeak, it’s not fun but luckily it’s also not all the time. They were last changed at QuikFit and the i brought it back to them a few days later when it was squeaking quite a bit but was told it would take a while for the pads to bed in…they’ve been “bedding in” for 2 years now.
  • Sticky Clutch: Over the past few months the clutch has stated to stick when letting it out. It occasionally  gets caught on the last third of its extension which means you have to hook your toe on it and pull it free which is irritating.
  • Full service is also due, so should get new sparks and oil too.

Will just hope and pray it’s not mahoosivley expensive!