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 […]
dyeing fabric with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint
September 14 by
our shabby chic room is such a happy room. the colors are pretty, cheerful, and frankly, this is the only feminine room in the entire house. with 3 boys in the house, i specifically designed most things to be durable enough to withstand Hot Wheels, baseballs, and general dude stuff. but this room is all […]
painting oak to look like Restoration Hardware :: mud room diy
September 11 by
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 […]
sand room mishaps :: my attempt at wood working with a steak knife
September 2 by
sometimes i get hair-brained ideas in the middle of the night that keep me awake. my husband and i call this swirling. several months ago, i got this idea that i’d build a sand room. it’s like a mud room, but is really more for sand, since our family tracks more beach sand than mud. […]
Restoration Hardware inspired work bench
August 31 by
our neighbors had this piece in their back yard. it reminds me of my old place in w. hollywood. before married life, i restored a cute spanish-style home in west hollywood. the previous owners had redone the 1920s home in a very tacky home depot fashion. pink walls. cheapo pedestal sinks. linoleum floors. so […]
How to get a modern look from Annie Sloan paints
June 14 by
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 […]
egg white & veggie frittata
March 13 by
wow, Peilin Breller and Emily Ivey sure know how to make food look GOOD! check out this frittata. i mean, it is delicious. but just look at that photo! don’t lick the monitor…it’s very unbecoming. ok, here we go: heat oven to 375 i used a cute 5×8 dish for this one dice 1/2 sweet […]
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 […]
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! […]
