Look How Jeff Hangs Curtains

So stick around long enough and you'll learn that Jeff is very resourceful. Check out how he hung these curtains in our backyard, creating a cozy and warm atmosphere for our covered back patio.

When we moved into our house about a year ago, the previous owners had installed a huge dog run that extended the entire length of one side of the backyard. The ugly chain link fence was an eyesore, and totally unnecessary for us (especially since there is another fenced area on the side of the house.) See it in this photo? You have to squint and look at the back of the picture, behind the metal gazebo frame, see all that chain link? no bueno!

So one day Jeff went to town and ripped up all that chain link with his bare hands. He subsequently posted the materials on craigslist and in 15 minutes had 15 people calling him to purchase the chain link. So he made about $50, got rid of the eyesore, but was left with the long poles that the buyer never came back for.

Instead of throwing it away, Jeff got an awesome idea to use the poles as curtain rods. He cut them to size and hung them using these hooks from Home Depot. They hang behind the wood frame of the patio cover, so you can't see the hooks. For the poles that were too short, Jeff got creative, er resourceful, and used the end of a broom to connect two short pieces, making one long piece. He's a genius.

I helped with the process by hemming all the curtains we purchased from Ikea (for $19.99 a pair!). And here is the finished project.
After

(more pics coming)

Awe, so cozy. We tried it out last week for our soccer party BBQ and it really did transform the place. And we got lots of compliments on it.

cement planters

Lately Jeff has been on a cement planter creating kick. He gets really excited everytime he sees a plastic bucket/container that he can invision turning into a cool modern planter for our front yard. After a few failed attempts, Jeff has mastered his cement planter technique and has become a machine.

Here is version #2, making our front porch a little more presentable (more pics to come):



Wanna make your own?
What you need:
2 plastic buckets or containers (One should fit inside the other).
Quickcrete or other cement
water
shovel and basin
patience :)

1. Start by mixing your cement following the directions on the cement you choose. Quick tip: Add the water gradulally so it does not become too runny. Jeff mixed it to the consistancy of thick oatmeal.

2. Fill the bottom of your larger bucket up about a couple inches. how much you put in the bottom will depend on the height of your smaller bucket, but you want at least a good two inches to give it a strong base.

3. Set your smaller bucket or container on top of the layer of cement in your large bucket and continue to fill the large bucket up with cement being careful to keep your smaller container centered. Or if you like, having it off center can make it look kinda cool. Just keep it steady.

4. Store your work in progress in a dry place for at leat 24 hours.

5. Now for the tricky part...After your creation has dried completely, remove your buckets using the pull and twist method. You know, twisting and pulling until it loosens. Jeff has had difficulty removing the inner containers and they usually end up cracked or broken, but thats the price you pay for an almost free beautiful cement planter that you made yourself.

Good luck and have fun!

About Us

Hello! We are Jeff and Jessika...ok, I am Jessika and Jeff is my muse, he's not the bloggin type. He's the doing type. So much so that I decided to write about his doings. Sometimes I do too, but mostly I watch tv while he does the doing. Got it? Cool. Follow us and be impressed with how much Jeff does.