How to grow hydrangeas from cuttings

It was a gorgeous day today. The sun was flooding into our kitchen nook. Don’t you just love days with no schedules? It seems like they’re trickier to find as the kids get older. But I’ve been more intentional about trying to find that quiet space…. ….more time to enjoy life’s treasures and simple beauties. So I […]

fall bbq Palm Springs style

let me begin this post by apologizing for my crappy lens.   maybe it has something to do with the time i dropped my camera while catching a woman and her infant as they were stumbling down some stairs at a pee wee baseball game. maybe not. maybe this stock lens is just lame and i […]

paint technique to make Ikea Hemnes mirror look like Restoration Hardware finish

  i picked up this Ikea Hemnes mirror for a property in Mammoth Lakes.  i wanted a rustic look to match the gorgeous and majestic Sherwin Mountain Range that is viewable from the house.  i started with a light dry-brushing of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint’s Paris Grey.  after brushing in the direction of the grain, […]

fresh garden salsa

there’s something really magical about fresh, homemade, garden salsa. the colors are vibrant.  the flavors are unmatched. and when paired homemade tortilla chips, just so ever slightly salted, you’ll just want to eat the entire bowl. if you grow nothing else this spring than cilantro, tomatoes and some chili peppers, you’ll still be happy after […]

a gorgeous, romantic, Napa wedding

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 […]

painting oak to look like Restoration Hardware :: mud room diy

let me start by saying that i’ve absolutely saved no money by doing this project myself! if i account for the time spent, mistakes made, injuries sustained, and my hourly billing rate, i’d be better off having purchased the Restoration Hardware version. BUT, this has been a great project and i feel that my painting […]

big reveal :: vintage door refinished with Annie Sloan chalk paint

the door restoration is DONE! here’s the tutorial post of the first half of this restoration. this is where i started….a stack of FREE doors found on craigslist! here i was sitting on my laptop after the kids were tucked in….la la la….cruising free stuff on craigslist….when i saw a post for 12 FREE vintage […]