I’m Ben and every time I sit down or zone out and have five minutes to think, I’ve got another hare-brained scheme hatching for a future DIY project.
I bought my first home in August 2021 and I love my little 1959 fixer upper. From gutting and rebuilding the former landlord special bathroom (and finding just enough 1960s tile under linoleum to make me Sad), to trying really hard to kill crepe myrtle that’s right up on the foundation and finding zero success (the only plants I can’t kill, of course), to deciding to do floor-to-ceiling graphic tile in my kitchen and stopping halfway through because it’s hot in Oklahoma, this house has come a long way!
I look at my house and see potential everywhere and I’m just stubborn enough to try doing it all myself.
I admit it: I have a problem. It’s not quite Ariana Grande, 7 Rings, “I see it, I want it, I bought it, I got it,” but it’s pretty close. I don’t always know how something will work but I know a future project when I see it. Whether it’s old Danish wood lamp bases without hardware (an incredible Route 66 antique shop find) or the remnants of a lyre-shaped piano pedal mechanism, I can find treasures in a junk shop and eventually make them fit my needs.
Besides trolling the local antique store in Tulsa, OK and surrounding areas, I’m often found walking my sweet, cuddly, incredibly needy pitbull, Adeline. She’s never met a stranger, especially if she smells treats in their pocket, and is a favorite at the vet where she’s always on her best behavior. If only the same could be said about the back yard!
And I have a degree in musical theatre, so you can occasionally find me singing, acting, and moving in local productions — especially if I need an excuse to get me out of a big project. (The kitchen also took a backseat to rehearsals for a couple months.)
Besides DIY, dogs, and theatre, I have a soft spot for spicy foods, Kpop, and reading. When we finally get a month or two of cool weather, I love being curled up with a good book, a cup of tea I definitely forgot about, and a soft blanket — bonus points if Adeline’s in a cuddling mood.
I hope you’ll have as much fun with my DIYs as I do and maybe find a little inspiration, too!