Being a right tool ...

I was on Pinterest again the other day and found this idea for an indoor tool board using an old picture frame and a piece of pegboard.  (The original idea was on ikeahackers.net but appears to have been taken down.)

As I have many, many 'spare' picture frames around the house (including many without glass .. I knew they'd come in handy one day!), I found one about the right size and begged and pleaded asked Peter nicely to find me a piece of pegboard that would fit. I thought he had some spare in the garage but it turns out he, darling husband that he is (sometimes!), went out to Bunnings and bought a piece specially for me and my project.

I started with a wood toned frame (they were all bought back in the early 2000's when wood was in .. and I worked for a photo developing place so I got staff discount, especially if they were scratched or dented), painted it black with gloss spray paint then batted my eyelashes asked Peter nicely to cut the board to size and fit it.

Then it was my turn to go to Bunnings and buy some pegboard hooks and hangers.  After asking several staff members where I would find said hooks and then walking from one end of the place to the other without finding any, I was ready to give up when I found them in the aisle with 50 million different kinds of screws.  You'd think it would be logical to put them with the pegboard, or in the storage section where all the garage organisation bits & pieces are, or maybe even in the aisle that had many other different kinds of hooks but I suppose putting them with screws is logical to someone ... not someone who deserves to design product placement for a job, but still someone nonetheless.

Anyway, after my incredibly frustrating rewarding shopping trip, I returned home and played around with the placement of the various hooks and hangers at my disposal, finally coming up with this arrangement:

Obviously, this isn't the most comprehensive tool collection ever, but it serves my needs for inside the house. There's a hammer, two different types of pliers, two crescent (adjustable) spanners, several screwdrivers, a spirit level, a 5 metre tape measure and a workshop knife.  I can fix (or break) most things I would need to with one (or several) of these tools meaning Peter doesn't have to worry I'm going to borrow one of his precious tools while he's at work.  (just kidding .. I probably couldn't find what I wanted in the garage anyway...)

The best part, well I think so anyway, is where I put it ... in the pantry.  Then I can easily access the tools and also easily see if one is missing.  There's kind of a colour theme going in that almost all of my tools are orange which makes it easier to identify which tools belong to me and which ones belong in the hoarder's dream garage.

The big blank area down the bottom was supposed to be for little 'bins' for screws/hooks etc but I decided not to put them on as they stuck out too much and would have kept getting knocked around, and as I already pick up way too many things off the floor in this house, I figured why create more problems for myself...

I'm toying with the idea of making some sort of sign or nameplate for the whole thing and possibly re-arranging it now that the bins are a no-go but I'll leave it up for a while and see what inspiration strikes. (I know it looks crooked but that's just my lack of photo-taking skills!)

Trying to find some balance ...

The boys gave me a funny sign for the kitchen for Mother's Day (yes I know it was back in May... I've been reading busy) and I finally hung it up this weekend.

Of course, once it was up on one side of the range hood, the whole area looked very unbalanced which my CDO (like OCD but the letters are in alphabetical order like they should be) really couldn't handle.

I was a bit short of ready cash to just go and buy another sign or picture (as well as the fact that it is nowhere near Mother's Day so all the 'funny' kitchen signs have gone to be replaced with 'funny' garage/shed signs leftover from Father's Day) so I did what most modern women do and jumped on Pinterest to find some inspiration for a solution.

After hours and hours an appropriately short amount of time, I came across these free printables from Over the Big Moon, found some spare 8x10" frames and set the printer to work.  I think you're 'supposed' to print them out on photo paper or card but I just went with good old cheap (and available) copy paper. And now for the big reveal ... TA-DA:

I'm not sure if I like them in the wood tone frames but at least they're up on the wall helping to defuse the whole "BUT IT'S NOT BALANCED" meltdown I was this close to having.  It still bugs me .. just not quite as much.  I didn't want to paint the frames as they are part of a gallery wall set I have been hoarding saving for just the right spot but I may change my mind further down the track and paint them black or white. Opinions?