Ash and Eileen’s DIY Story

It always cracks me up that we ended up going down this DIY path because funnily enough, one of the first things Ash said to me was, “I can build that.” ​It was back when he starting taking the same spinning class as me at the gym.

We had known each other from work and would run into each other often at the gym.

He was the only male in my spinning class, as he had been attending for opportunities to drum up conversation with me. 🙂

I remember telling him how I wished I could design my own elliptical/bike with customized features (I was really into working out back then).

To this day, I could not tell you what those features were, but at the time, I thought it was an amazing idea.

Without missing a beat, Ash confidently responded by telling me that he could build this crazy elliptical bike thingy I was imagining.

​I laughed because what could a computer programmer build besides a website?

Who knew that twelve years later, we would be married with two sweet kids (and a hairy little dog), and, Ash, my tech-savvy husband, would have taught himself how to build literally everything we’ve imagined – well, that is, except for my elliptical-bike.

Working Together

Ash has no carpentry experience and I have no design background, yet our passion for making our home more functional and aesthetic motivates us.

I create the vision and Ash makes it reality.

Ash is really amazing at making visuals come to life – whether through his computer engineering projects or his woodworking projects.

Our first project was a bookshelf for my dozens and dozens of books. I had been eyeing an awkward area between a door and closet, dreaming about a floor-to-ceiling shelf.

Ash built it without hesitation, exactly the way I had pictured. I jumped in and stained it.

Giddy with the results, we continued to work on more DIY endeavors. Our second project was a pull-out spice rack in the awkward space between the fridge and the wall. Excited, we kept going 🙂

Our Growing Family

We soon became a family of three and were starting to outgrow our first home.

So, at night, we worked quickly on more projects, knowing our home would soon be on the market.

We focused on DIYs that would increase our home’s value – porch railings, crown molding, French doors on the pantry, outdoor pathways, and room makeovers.

(The house sold in less than a week!)

Continuing Our Dream

Now in our second home we are continuing to dream, build, and create.

Our favorites are the shed that Ash built from the ground up, an old CD tower that we repurposed into a pantry shelf, and my new floor-to-ceiling, full wall bookshelf with a window seat.

Ash’s projects are amazing, and it’s incredible that he’s taught himself along the way. If you are wondering if you can become a DIYer, the answer is yes.

Adding in the Craftyness

Amidst all of our projects, I started to settle into motherhood.

I found myself spending more time planning parties, putting together gift ideas, making holiday crafts, and working on activities with my son.

It could be the teacher in me, but I really enjoyed these little projects that allowed me to be creative with my son – rather than painting furniture or assisting Ash during our little guy’s naptime.

Our friends and family really fussed over these crafty creations– so much, that Ash and I decided to share these stories too.

But don’t get me wrong, I still love a good furniture fix.

A few years later, we had our second child! We still make time for projects because we love it – it’s fun to work and accomplish something, it’s fun to see our vision come to life, it’s fun to be creative, and it’s fun to install those values in our children.

Whenever our son can’t find a piece to a puzzle or something he’s looking for, his response is never frustration. He’ll say, “I can just make my own!” and run to find his scrap box.

I won’t even get started on his collection of paper towel rolls 🙂

So, now Just Measuring Up is a true DIY haven – from home projects to crafty endeavors, and we love sharing all of it with you.

So, what do a computer programmer and a teacher have in common – besides a spinning class we used to take?

We love channeling our creativity, we love inspiring others, and we love finding ways to complete our projects while saving money.

And, the bottom line is that you can too.

After all, we are all just trying to measure up. ​