It's spring here in NZ, so I've recently started biking to work every second day.

Benefits of cycling:

• Fitness
• No petrol costs
• Nice views, fresh air

A few months ago I decided to strip one of our bedrooms of gib (drywall/gypsum board). I did it for the following reasons:

• To install wall insulation
• To remove the ugly old fashioned pelmets around the windows
• Because someone had installed 2-3 sheets wallpaper, then painted over. I decided it was going to be too hard to strip it down for repainting.

It's taken me quite a while to get it all stripped down. But now we're heading into winter so the project has become priority number one.

http://www.homedesignfind.com/architecture/architecture-that-mimics-natu...

http://www.homedesignfind.com/gardening-outdoor/before-and-after-making-...

This is a task that even the beginner DIYer can do. But don't be fooled, although it's a mini project, it will take a little while to get it all done. Don't be put off though, because it will be well worth it once it's all completed.
So anyway, I started painting our outdoor furniture (six chairs, one table).
Each chair takes about two and a half hours. Why? Well, allow 30 minutes for preparation, one hour for the first coat, wait 24 hours, then add another hour for the second coat. There's a lot of fiddly bits to a chair.