34
I think one of the things that I love most about Africa, oxymoron-ish as it may be, is that everything isn't convenient. I just can't go down to Michael's, Kirkland's, or Jo-Ann's to find something fun to buy or make for the house -- and we certainly don't have three Targets within twenty kilometers like we did in the States. I find that I'm much more resourceful and do my best to reinvent the wheel when I can, and it doesn't always work, but it's always worth a shot.
Take wall decor, for instance. I really don't want to spend a lot of money to decorate our home, but it needs to be homey, comfy, and our refuge -- especially after those tough days of ministry. I also don't know how long God has us here in Africa (although we're here until He says 'move!'), so I don't want to invest a lot in decor that we won't be able to take with us. So, when I ran across this fun idea on Pinterest (oh, don't get me started on how much I love Pinterest!), I thought to myself, "I can do this!" Check out this adorable work by Amanda Carver Designs.
With a three-day weekend ahead of us, it seemed like it was time for a project. I asked Steph to track us down a pallet today, and he delivered! He brought home three after visiting Build-It (our local Home Depot of sorts). At first I didn't think any of these were going to do the trick, but we chose one and got to work. As Steph drilled the holes for the anchor screws, I cleaned up the pallet -- just a bit -- with oil and lemon juice (two parts to one). It brought out the depth in the wood, and made it more inside-worthy. After all, who knows where this pallet has been!
In less than thirty minutes, we moved an old, chipped pallet into the dining room, spiffed it up, and hung it on the wall. Eventually I think I'd like to print pictures and buy a few frames for the shelving, but until then I've displayed some of the kiddies' masterpieces from their art classes. I may grow attached to this "revolving art pallet" after all... it's pretty fun to have a place to show it (and them!) off.
So, it's that time... go grab yourself a pallet, an empty wall, and make some magic happen.
