Product Work Log

Name: Paige Toddy _____ Date: _April 19, 2012______

Product: Fully Re Designing a room, and making it completely eco-friendly.

Date/Time:

10/15/2011

1:00-2:00

TOTAL TIME:

1 Hour

Date/Time:

Activity: Looking through magazines and websites to get an idea of what I wanted to do for the room, and the furniture. Also I cut out/ printing pictures to get all of my ideas together. I found a lot of neat ideas that I would like to do with the room. I collected pictures and put them on paper to get all of my ideas in order. I found that this was the best way for me to get all my ideas together and to visualize what I wanted the room to look like.

Commentary: This process took longer then I thought. I found out that I am really indecisive about all my ideas for a room. And that my budget needed to be larger to complete all of the tasks that I wanted to complete. I was really scatter brained when I first started because I was so over whelmed with ideas. Eventually I picked out my favorites and had a vision of what I wanted for the room.

Activity: Looking at websites to find “green” items to

10/16/2011

12:00-1:30

TOTAL TIME:

1.5 Hours

Date/Time:

complete the room. While researching I found that “green” products are more expensive than regular products and my parents did not agree to fund more money for my project so I went to the internet to help me find cheap eco friendly items to redesign the room with. While looking through the websites I found out that designers home make a lot of items, instead of just going out and buying them. I took a ton of notes today and plan on bring them around with me while I shop for items.

Commentary:This research really opened my eyes to the fact that every person is going to have their own budget for a room. An efficient designer is going to have to work around it. I found that the cost will stay low with simple designing ‘tricks’, because instead of buying a whole new set of picture frames for a room the designer can simply add items to them to make them fit the style of the new room, without spending money and with helping the environment. Home made items tend to look better in a room, use less harmful products, and the designer will feel more accomplished with to outcome when they know they made the item themselves, and contributing to the environment makes them feel even better.

Activity: Finding the right color of paint for the room at Home Depot. And shopping for items that are good for the environment. I figured out the color scheme that I wanted for the room.

11/5/2011

3:00-5:00

TOTAL TIME:2 Hours

Date/Time:

11/6/2011

11:00-1:00

A light tan for the walls, dark wood/reds for the furniture, and hints of gold and red, which would make items in the room really come to life. The eco-friendly paint was originally $34, but when we got up to the register I realized they used flat paint instead of the satin I wanted. The cashier labeled it as “oops paint” and I got it for much less!

Commentary:I decided that I wanted the room to be a light tan eco-friendly paint ($7). The dark blue made the room look gloomy because there were no windows, so I decided to start off with a clean pallet of light tan. I also had to purchase eco- friendly bamboo brushes.($14) At Home Goods I tried to keep an eye out for good deals, I found some bees wax candles-which are better for the environment then plain wax that is processed and release carcinogens into the air ($8). I knew I could refurbish them and use them to compliment the room very well. I didn’t know that shopping for all the supplies would be this hectic or take so much time.

Activity: Making home made picture frames to match the room and give it a nature-like feeling. I gathered all the sticks I needed from my back yard, (recycling all natural wood instead of using plywood or other products that do not decompose quickly). Then I collected old picture frames from my basement and

TOTAL TIME:2 HoursDate/Time:11/27/11

10:00-11:00

planned on gluing the sticks onto the frames to give the room a nature-like feeling. This project was free and all home made!

Commentary: I did not like this task. It sounded like fun when I first started and I had so much energy to get the job done, but then I realized it was going to take a lot longer than I thought. Finding sticks in my back yard wasn’t too bad. I had to clean each picture frame so the hot glue would stick to it. And came to the realization that hot glue didn’t stick very well to the metal picture frame so I just worked with the two wooden ones. After that I had to glue each individual stick to each of the picture frames. I thought this was going to be easy and quick, little did I know the whole process took two hours. Overall, not my favorite project.

Activity: More research for eco-friendly products and their costs. I took more notes to add to my note book. I plan on getting light bulbs, hemp (to wrap around the candles to give them a new look) and an air purifier to put into the room.

Commentary:

TOTAL TIME:1 HourDate/Time:

12/18/11

11:00-12:00

Research isn’t the most fun thing to do for the project but it has to be done and with my findings I have become more eco-friendly with my lifestyle. I always find ways to be “green” everyday.

Activity: Clearing the room to get ready for painting. I took down the bed that was not going to stay in the room first. I then vacuumed the room and cleaned the floor boards with eco friendly wash.

Commentary: This was just work that needed to be done before starting the room. It didn’t take too long.

TOTAL TIME:1 HOURDate/Time:

12/20/11

5:30-9:00

Activity: Painting the room! We got the room ready to paint, putting down trash bags (that we recycled after). We then got to work right away painting it.

Commentary: I liked finally getting it done and spending time talking with my project facilitator about the room got me really excited for the outcome. At the end, looking at the room and realizing that it took all my hard work was really rewarding!

TOTAL TIME:3.5 HOURDate/Time:

1/21/12

1:00-3:00

Activity: Buying a dresser and side tables. I went to a flea market for cheap furniture with my mom to find some furniture to put in the room, and to re do in an eco friendly matter.

Commentary: I found a beautiful antique dresser for ($85). And two side tables for ($25) together. I bought both with the financial help of my parents.

TOTAL TIME:2 HOURSDate/Time:

1/19/12

4:00-5:30

Activity: Sanding the dresser. I had to take all the knobs off the drawers the sand it. I then had to sand the top and sides of the dresser. I spent $1.87 on the sand paper.

Commentary:This part of the project was very tedious. The dresser was a lot bigger than I thought. It took a lot longer than planned but, the outcome was very rewarding. I am still undecided on whether I want to paint or stain it.

TOTAL TIME:1.5 HOURSDate/Time:

2/28/12

5:00-6:00

Activity: Looking for coupons for eco friendly products. I found a coupon for a free quart of paint that I can use at ACE Hardware stores. I could redeem it on March 17. The paint happened to be environment friendly! I decided I would get paint from there and use it for the dresser.

Commentary: I looked for a long time and found a lot of expired coupons for eco friendly cleaners, but it was so rewarding to find this coupon! I felt like being eco friendly does have benefits.

TOTAL TIME:1 HOURDate/Time:

3/17/12

12:00-5:00

Activity: Buying eco friendly light bulbs, and putting them in the room. Redeeming the coupon for my free quart of paint, and painting the dresser.

Commentary: This was a big day for the completion of my project. I bought energy saving light bulbs. (about $5) and replaced all the lights in the room. I also added a lamp that my family had in storage and replaced that light bulb with an energy saving one. I picked out a burgundy paint color for the dresser to go along with the color scheme of the room. I then painted the dresser, waited for it to dry then set it up in the basement.

TOTAL TIME:5 HOURSDate/Time:3/18/12

3:00-5:00

Activity:Setting the room up. Finally the completion of the room. I dusted everything off using eco friendly washing spray. I put the frames and candles I made in the room, along with the lamp with eco friendly bulb. I also thought a plant would make the room look complete. I researched ferns and found that they require little care, thrive in low-light conditions, and adds visual interest to a room- it was perfect because my mom has ferns on our front porch that she wasn’t using so I took one put it in a vase and put it in the room. I also had an air purifier in my basement that was old and I researched it and the company that makes it said that they sell filters that can replace the old ones.($16) It was the perfect touch to my eco friendly room.

Commentary: The room was finally complete! It was such and amazing feeling because I never thought I could complete an eco friendly room and make it look as beautiful as it does. I am very satisfied with my work!

TOTAL TIME:2 HOURSDate/Time:3/23/124:00-5:30

Activity: Dropping off the un used eco friendly paint left over from the dresser and the room. I took a trip to Alpharetta Transfer Station (11465 Maxwell Rd) and dropped the paint off to be disposed in a way that will not harm the environment.Commentary: This was the closest place to my house that I could find.(30 minutes away) It felt good knowing that the products that I used to complete the room would not be harming the environment.

TOTAL TIME:1.5 HOURS