i picked up this antique dresser on Craigslist. it had been with the family for a few generations, but it was time for it to get a new home. it was a perfect shape with great bones for a new sink pedestal in the kids’ bathroom. the top had a ton of wear and tear, […]
Get a Swedish Gustavian look w/ Annie Sloan chalk paint
January 5 by
oh. my. word. i’m absolutely in love with this look right now. i found this perfectly-shaped headboard with a matching dresser on Craigslist. it was a lovely Bombay piece in pitch black with gold details. just not my style, but the shape and detailed wood work were perfect for my next Gustavian-inspired pieces. i usually […]
juicy prime rib. over-the-top goodness.
December 29 by
i dragged two girlfriends with me to a cooking class just after Thanksgiving. the class was led by Nick Wynn and newly appointed Sous Chef Chris Chun at Big Canyon Country Club. the master sommelier, Steven Poe, paired delicious wines with the foods that were cooked. my favorite was the reisling, but i never did […]
Duncan Phyfe drum table gets a Gustavian makeover
December 28 by
my latest obsession is Gustavian furniture. whites and pale grays all inspired by the bright cheery homes found in Sweden. makes sense given they have very limited light during the winter months. this Duncan Phyfe drum table was one of the very first furniture pieces i refinished…all prior to discovering Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. you […]
snowball recipe :: Mulhall family style
December 15 by
here’s a fun recipe for the kids. we have a sick little dude at home today, so it was time to bust out the snowballs! this recipe is from my high school buddy, Johnny Mulhall, who fondly remembers these as his favorite dessert growing up. he’s the author of Geddy’s Moon if you’re looking for something really scary […]
Annie Sloan painted home
November 22 by
given that i’m pretty much done painting every piece of furniture in our house, i figured it was time for a house tour! these pix aren’t mine, but were taken by someone who specializes in HDR photography. figured i’d see what results it would produce. basically, the camera is set up on a tripod, and […]
chocolate chip pancake goodness
October 19 by
we’ve been in a pancake phase here at the house for about 4 years. 🙂 this momma hides all kinds of goodness in pancakes. pureed veggies, eggs, milk. start ’em young and they won’t know the difference! the problem is that when i think i’m doing a favor by adding chocolate chips, the kids […]
MMSMP kids’ dining table redo and halloween DIY
October 18 by
i don’t get out much. so when i walked into Pottery Barn Kids last week and saw adorable Christmas chair backers, i thought, “i should make these for Halloween!” figuring i don’t have enough time to make Christmas chair backers, i bought them at $20 a piece and said “Self, you can make these […]
a gorgeous, romantic, Napa wedding
October 6 by
we just returned from the most gorgeous and romantic wedding….ever. the setting was idyllic with the changing leaves and warm breezes. i wanted to practice my photo skills, especially in low lighting. and there’s no better place to do that than in napa at the pristine Beaulieu Garden, which i believe is the private family […]
feta stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. you’re welcome.
September 29 by
i’m not gonna lie. these may just kill you. but you’ll be smiling when you die. grab some dates or figs. don’t know the difference? dates have pits. figs have small seeds and are more brown in color. i’m really hoping this isn’t what i’ll look like later in life without teeth. i used all […]
vintage mini bar :: cocktail anyone?
September 26 by
i was driving through a fancy newport neighborhood with a friend a few weeks ago and we spotted this vintage metal thing. we thought it was an ironing board, but upon closer inspection, it was what we believe to be a mini bar. i wish i had before pix, but i don’t. the entire thing […]
my hoarding issues
September 25 by
do you hoard? i’m actually pretty good about purging stuff. i don’t like clutter. but there are some things that get me. mason jars. wood scraps. and old architectural digest inspiration mags. i ran across some old mags with post-it notes tagging pages. i thought “good grief. these will be horrid.” and i was pleasantly […]
lululemon, the new diet
September 24 by
lululemon is like a drug here in Orange County. it’s the dress of choice whether you’re an active marathoner, have an aggro (aggressive, gnarly, hard-core) yoga practice, or are a busy mom who calls tag at the park her sport of choice. so i walk into the store, and am greeted with gorgeous pictures of […]
simple, white, beachy mantle
September 16 by
i still get a lot of questions about the sea fan windows i made a few years ago. i found some vintage wood windows on craigslist from a guy who had replaced all his windows. i hot glued some super large sea fans that i purchased online to recreate the ones i’d been seeing in […]
