MIY Monday: College Student Solutions

Sorry this is so late. Lately I haven't even been motivated to update my blog, even though there are so many things I could share with you all. I also haven't felt up to MIY Mondays the way I was when I started. But I wanted to share this with you guys anyways, so here goes.

My MIY Mondays's Mission is share creative, innovative, fun and (hopefully) cheap ideas and projects for you home and life, as well as healthy and (hopefully) cheaper alternatives to everyday cooking, shopping and eating out. I hope you will join in my on my mission!




Today I wanted to share with you a few solutions to some problems I had when I moved into my new apartment. All of these were relatively cheap solutions (for me) because I either had the items already on hand or they were very cheap to purchase.


Problem 1: The only outlet close to my bed was on the other side of the door.

 Solution? Tape DID NOT want to stay, believe me, I tried masking, packaging, painters and scotch. No luck! Then I saw the massive pile of Command Hooks (I have a love affair with these things!) that I have collected over the past couple years.  The great thing about these is that you can remove them easily and keep the hook after you move, so all you need to replace is the sticky strip. The genius inside me decided to put them on the ceiling and hang the extension cord from them. Worked like a charm! I also have this happening in my living room with my modem so I can get internet on my Blu Ray Player!

Problem 2: There were no curtains and curtains are super expensive, even at Walmart.

Solution? The fabric aisle! I was able to get 4 yards of fabric (enough for 5 windows) for under $10! Take the fabric, cut it down (if you are perfectionist, do it neater than I did!) and use thumb tacks or nails to cover the windows. Problem solved! And so much cheaper than curtains (and you get the exact size and color you need!)

Problem #3: The walls are boring!

Solution? The cure for boring walls are endless! If you happen to be an art student like me, then the solution is easy, use your own art! The walls around my T.V. are high school art, and the walls by my futon are college art (left - spindle drawings, done specifically for that wall, right - painting I did in class). 

There is no greater feeling than seeing your own art on display in your own house!

Problem #4: The futon seat is really short with the back up, making it uncomfortable. 

Solution? Disreguard the mess on my futon, but the solution is to use pillows, in this case the armed kind that me and my roommates bought last year, to create your own back, so that you can lay the futon flat and make more room for your butt. And if it's still uncomfortable, a blanket or two should solve that problem!

Placing it against the corner gives me even more foot room!

Problem #5: As an art student, you want to be able to hang up your work and step back, without using tape (can tear the paper) or putting holes all over the wall (can make landlord mad!)

Solution? Ok so yes, there are still holes in the wall where I hung these, but far less if I didn't put them up at all. I was able to get all of the below cork boards from the thrift store for $1.50 each, far cheaper than buying rolls of cork from the office store. Upon hanging them up, I decided to prime them white so that if I use transparent paper I can get an idea what they'd look like and also so bits of cork are less likely to fall off when used. I really like the fact that I have a wall to hang my work for examining on!

That's all I have to share for MIY Monday, but before I go I want to share a recent painting I completed. I decided to experiment more with the knitting artwork, using a different surface and applying paint and gels. The surface on this is a cheap canvas panel, 8 by 8 inches, I had laying around. I don't use these in my classes because they are cheap and non-professional, but I decided to try it for fun. I really like the colors and results. I CANNOT wait to get back in the studio when school starts! I have so many ideas!

Goal: Make the balls blend in with surroundings. Pretty sure that's been achieved? What do you think?

Have a DIY or MIY Blog post you want to share? It doesn't even have to be on a Monday. Add your linky below, I'd love to see what you are up to!

And I am going to leave you all with a Photo of Sasha being silly!

~Lisa

She used to play in this tent as a kitten and we got it out this weekend and she somehow still fits and was having a blast! I will post a video when I have more time. Goodnight guys!