i love spring. the flowers are blooming, and you find cool stuff in the garden you’ve never seen before! like this one here…i’ve no clue what it is, but it appeared in my raised bed…so i transplanted it. it’s cool! in so cal, we don’t have to remove the bulbs each year…they just stay there […]
shabby chic mirrored door :: diy
March 11 by
this antique mirrored door has some history. she weighs about 40 pounds and is so super cool, so i’ve named her bessie. bessie was a late night craigslist curb alert find in garden grove. i’m sure she had a very interesting story before i stumbled upon her, but she’s also had great adventures since she’s […]
spinach salad with mandarin oranges and pine nuts
March 11 by
my girlfriends Tricia and Sandra came by last week for another fun Cook. Shoot. Eat. party. the salad Tricia made was so delicious and she assured us it was very easy to make. Tricia is super stylish, has amazing skin, and blogs at nouglyduckling.com baby spinach 1 can mandarin oranges craisins red onions feta cheese […]
Sweet and savory chicken chili
March 8 by
I’ve made Deanna’s famous chicken chili for so many events and always get fantastic feedback. Here is the recipe that my dear friend Deanna created a few years ago. I’ve added a few tweaks, but will still give Deanna full credit! It’s unique sweet and spicy taste is different than your typical salty chili…this recipe […]
Lego ice cream truck
March 6 by
lil G is now 4 1/2 and is so into Legos. and with Legos, come hours of searching high and low for the right pieces to make your dream machine. this super cool ice cream truck was inspired by the Lego Ideas Book. the thing about this book is that it doesn’t come with instructions […]
pretty spring flowers
March 5 by
i stumbled on these gorgeous flowers last week. they made me so happy that i ended up living up to my Chinese heritage….snapping away like a mad woman. 🙂 this display of white cabbage is so delicious…you almost want to squat down and taste it…almost. have a great week!
mud room plans!
March 2 by
ok gang. i’ve mocked up the mud room plans. taking inspiration from this: now i’ve just got to figure out how to make it. i can paint it, but when you ask your bestie the name of the saw that has the round spinny blade thingy, you know you’ve got a long way to go! […]
maple bacon doughnuts? yes, please.
February 28 by
our amazingly creative pal Sumter is opening the most incredible gourmet doughnut store ever. here’s a classic pic of sumter on one of our namotu surf trips. classic. he’s got an amazing right brain. he designs hip men’s clothing, remodels gorgeous homes, writes his own music, and has incredible passion for the arts. so it […]
dragon breath
February 26 by
each morning, Big A runs into our room with his best pal stuffed animal and crawls into bed. he usually points to the iPad or iPhone and in his sweet little voice says “Please!” how can one resist this almost 2 year old? i love his fuzzy bed head. yesterday, as I was giving him […]
did you know that Hungary is in Indonesia?
February 21 by
a few months ago, lil G said “Mommy, I didn’t know that Hungary is in Indonesia!” i just figured he was playing some imaginary game again. then he brought me the Hungary and Indonesia flashcards. well, i stand corrected. Hungary does appear to be in Indonesia!
fire roasted baby bok choy
February 20 by
have you ever seen such a thing? roasting baby bok choy over the fire? i learned this from my chef friend on a houseboat trip years ago. first of all, who brings baby bok choy on a house boat trip? second of all, who’s fancy enough to grill it? we certainly knew how to eat […]
beachy chic shutter headboards :: annie sloan tutorial
February 18 by
my friends just moved back from Panama after a 6 month missionary trip with their entire family. they’re the most precious girls you’ve ever met. and sadly for me, at ages 10 and 13, they’re both already taller than i am. how cute are these girls? so i set out to make them some shutter […]
a rustic front entry with vintage buoys and Dinky cars
February 14 by
i was into barn wood furniture 25 years ago. my dad thought i was nuts. he and i picked up this rustic barn wood baker’s rack at the Rose Bowl Swap Meet in ’93. isn’t it awesome? and that antique chair is one that i re-covered with a coffee bag burlap last year. here’s a […]
you can’t beat a winter so cal beach day
February 10 by
my favorite beach months in southern california are oct through march. the weather is just right… the crowds are sparse… the sand castles are perfect… and the action is fun! here’s lil G helping Big A down the slope… and here he is pushing him down like any good big brother would… this seagull wishes […]
how to refinish an antique french door
February 6 by
hi, i’m meesh and i’m addicted to craigslist cheap/free stuff. is it weird that i want to buy an old truck so that i can pick up late night curb alerts? i picked up this door for $10 on craigslist. a very nice young man was remodeling his house in costa mesa and tore out […]
