i hosted a fun painting party earlier this week. my friend Peilin has been wanting to learn how to paint with Annie Sloan. she’s an incredibly talented food stylist and whips together a mean sardine, hummus, olive, fried egg and avocado sandwich when you’re not looking. but don’t tell her that i’m allergic to avocados, […]
garage sale Pottery Barn chess table turned antique
May 28 by
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 […]
industrial clothing rack :: Annie Sloan style
May 27 by
after we installed our entertainment center, we had an extra piece of base board laying around. and if you know me, you know that i can’t throw any piece of wood away. i know, i’ve got issues. but you knew that. it started out 8′ long, so i used a hand hack saw to cut […]
not your Grandma’s dining table was featured!
May 9 by
As some of you know, I took the rugrats to Paris last week to meet up with my folks. I was torn whether to bring my big camera and laptop, but when push came to shove, (and I was staring down a 90 pound stroller!), I decided to rely just on my phone. So when […]
A shabby chic take on an inherited hutch :: Annie Sloan style
May 8 by
my client inherited this from a good friend. it’s a gorgeous piece and again, i sort of felt weird painting it. but i was assured that no one would know since they’re no longer with us. is that weird? so i worked under the don’t ask, don’t tell guidelines…though i wouldn’t know who to tell. […]
your grandma’s dining set has left the building
March 19 by
you’ve all seen this old maple dining set at your grannie’s house, right? most people cringe when they see this type of furniture. i start to twitch and try to hide my excitement. yup, i’ve got issues. my client just moved back from a mission trip abroad. they inherited some amazing furniture from friends and […]
shabby beachy chic side table :: Annie Sloan style
March 16 by
this piece was such a lame late 90s piece that i don’t even remember where i got it or why. every time i walked past it, it begged to be repainted. i do my best work late night….so i dragged her downstairs, camera in tow, and into the garage. it’s march and it was in […]
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 […]
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 […]
how i hacked an Ikea Tarva dresser :: tutorial
February 2 by
i’ll always have fond memories of Ikea. i used to bring my kids there when they had trouble sleeping…. it always went something like this: “they’ll fall asleep in the stroller while i shop.” yup, i’m THAT mom with stuff stacked in the stroller, balanced on the kids’ heads, crammed into the small storage bin […]
Restoration Hardware-inspired big boy room reveal
February 1 by
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 […]
big reveal :: vintage door refinished with Annie Sloan chalk paint
January 26 by
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 […]
tutorial :: vintage door restoration with chalk board panel
January 19 by
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 […]
How to refinish furniture with a Restoration Hardware wood finish :: Annie Sloan tutorial
December 31 by
oh Restoration Hardware… how i love thee… Big A is currently in his converted crib. Problem is that he’s getting too big for us to comfortably snuggle and read books in the glider. and sitting on the floor to read to him isn’t fun. so mamma started searching for a new bed on craigslist…. and […]
Restoration Hardware inspired wood growth chart :: DIY
October 28 by
i’ve never met a piece of wood i didn’t like. i made a makeshift wooden deck around the kids’ playhouse last spring. there was a 6′ piece left. i knew i’d use it. someday. somehow. today was mr. woods’ lucky day. Ecowood Treatment is pretty nifty. But what I’ve found is that on smooth wood, […]
