In this business some people just hit the mark with the right story pitch. The work of a New York based clothing designer came across my desk this week, but it wasn't her trendy eye for fashion that caught my attention...

When Anya Ponorovskaya decided to open her own boutique, she took matters into her own hands, literally--including getting down and dirty with the renovations. The third installment in her growing fleet of "Girlcat" boutiques, brought Anya across the bridge to my neck of the woods, Brooklyn. She found a 900 square foot space that needed a little more than just a new paint job to bring it to life. Anya corralled her sales girls and together they got to work on the floors, walls, and everything in between, creating a cozy shop with a bonus backyard garden to plop in when the shopping experience gets overwhelming. The huge undertaking ended with amazing results. Take a look at the before an after shots of Anya hard a work, and if you're ever in Brooklyn, stop by and have a look for yourself.

What DIY project did you surprise yourself by completing?