stuff i’ve made

sand room mishaps :: my attempt at wood working with a steak knife
September 2 By meesh
sometimes i get hair-brained ideas in the middle of the night that keep me awake. my husband and i call this swirling. several months ago, i got this idea that i’d build a sand room. it’s like a mud room, but is really more for sand, since our family tracks more beach sand than mud. […]

garage sale Pottery Barn chess table turned antique
May 28 By meesh
look at this very cool chess table. i found it on eBay. swoon….i imagine some really old dudes in a Provence lavender field playing on this board while sipping on bourbon. now, look at this little ditty i picked up at a garage sale for $5. an innocent-looking Pottery Barn chess table circa 2000. underneath is […]

Restoration Hardware-inspired big boy room reveal
February 1 By meesh
as i listen to Big A trying to ‘soothe’ himself to sleep in his new big boy room, i feel guilty. poor little guy. sometimes he goes down quickly, and sometimes, he’s over-tied, i think…and he fights it. so i’m distracting myself with this post as i obsessively check the monitor… we got him into […]

tutorial :: vintage door restoration with chalk board panel
January 19 By meesh
this is one of the doors from the craigslist vintage door score. after a close inspection, i noticed mold on these doors. so, these are being refinished to be used in outdoor areas. this one’s a single panel door which will eventually have a black chalk board in the panel. first, i washed the door […]
garden love

spring flowers
remember that day last fall when i rode my bike around cutting hydrangea clippings from my neighbors? you don't remember? it's ok, … [more...]

spring has sprung. hyacinths are popping already!
the first signs on spring are here...trouble is, we haven't really had winter. and as i write this, the temperature is dropping to the high 30s here … [more...]

Orchids 101
I've always loved orchids, but was always intimidated by them. Last year, a neighbor gave me the most gorgeous Phalaenopsis orchid (the most … [more...]

summer’s here. the flowers prove it!
We've still got another month or so of what we southern Californians call June gloom. That's right...don't come here expecting hot blazing days. … [more...]

summer flowers :: hydrangea, roses and lavender
i LOVE my garden, and particularly love the flower arrangements that come directly from the garden. the hydrangea is quite … [more...]

attack of the bunnies!
When we landscaped our yard, I specifically researched how to keep the rabbits out. We specifically built raised veggie beds so that the bunnies … [more...]

Rooting Brussels Sprouts
I love Brussels sprouts. Please move on if you don't...b/c this post is all about them and some uber-nerd techniques that I'm testing in the … [more...]