i blog for fun..and mostly about painting furniture. so when one of my 3 readers asks for technique tips, i’m humbled and sort of freaked out. i’m by no means an expert. i just sneak moments after the kids are asleep to paint stuff i find on the side of the road. with kids, i’ve […]
paint technique to make Ikea Hemnes mirror look like Restoration Hardware finish
February 26 by
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, […]
painting an Ikea Malm dresser w/ASCP to get a Restoration Hardware finish
February 25 by
when one of your closest friends decides to move to another state, first you cry. then you dry your tears, get out the paint brush and start painting everything she’s got stashed in her garage. my buddy had these two Ikea Malm dressers that she picked up at Goodwill for $5. i […]
fresh garden salsa
February 23 by
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 […]
shabby metal urns
January 10 by
i had these laying around the garage for a while. and as you know by now, nothing is safe from my paint brush! i’m racing out to Palm Springs for a photo shoot at this hip mid century modern Villa with the ever talented Jimmy Cheng. what are your weekend plans? have a great […]
antique dresser gets a Swedish facelift
January 6 by
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
