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 […]
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 […]
Ikea hack :: using the DIGNITET curtain clips to hang your kids’ artwork
January 30 by
raise your hand if you love ikea. i was wracking my brain on ways to display the kids’ artwork in the loft. they’re always creating new stuff, and with the seasons, taping it to the wall was becoming a bit aggressive. i even bought two quarts of magnetic paint, but then thought there’s no chance […]
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 […]
Downloadable daily schedule for your baby and kids
January 24 by
call me a freak. i use Excel for everything. my MBA has certainly come in handy for this project! when lil G was born, i couldn’t remember anything. did i feed the baby? what time? which side did i nurse last? so, i created this daily schedule to keep track of the kids. it started […]
downloadable kids’ reward sticker chart
January 23 by
i’ve gotten a few requests to post the reward sticker chart for download. yup, another nerdy Excel thing i did for the kids. most nights after baths, we review the chart. they get a sticker for each ‘task’ they accomplished. this has been successful to get them to learn behaviors such as brushing teeth, […]
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 […]
Darth Vadar, Spidey, and Lightning…oh my! How to make a reversible duvet.
January 15 by
i’ve been making duvets forever. ever since the hand sewing days. ouch! they’re super easy to make, and they can change the look of your room so easily. and there’s just something about snuggling down in a super soft, luxurious, personalized duvet under a soft snuggly down comforter. i prefer cotton. you can wash it […]
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 […]
industrial tae kwon do belt rack :: galvanized steel pipes to the rescue
November 14 by
this is lil G’s room. notice it’s a bit disheveled. but it’s real. he loves maps….and lightning mcqueen….and books….and tae kwon do. for a four year old, he’s quite accomplished, having earned his 4th belt already. i’m pretty sure little kids don’t fail their tae kwon do exams…. maybe they learn a […]
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, […]
antique pedestal table refinishing project :: step by step how-to
October 24 by
this adorable side table was handed down by my hubby’s grandparents, via his uncle. pretty beat up, but good structure. the legs were nearly perfect. then, we had a garage sale and one of the kiddos put his half-eaten donut on the table. (confession: i love my kids…almost as much as i love donuts). some […]
queen anne dresser :: part 2
October 5 by
The Queen Anne dresser is coming along quite nicely. This is where I started: These are the steps I’ve taken thus far: Pulled out all drawers and sanded the body of the dresser with a 220 grit paper. Definitely wore a mask and had the garage door open as the dust was everywhere! Wiped […]
spring garden party
March 17 by
the party went off without a hitch. we’re blessed with amazing friends who lend their time and help! in between setting up, politely bossing my friends around, and trying to be a gracious hostess, i tried to snap a few pix…. the weather cooperated….it rains one day a year in california. and thankfully, the first […]
a custom dining room built-in for my neighbor
January 17 by
several months ago, i was at a friend’s house. she mentioned that she wanted to do a built-in in her dining room. one where the kids could do homework. stash papers. and maybe the adults could even stash a kegerator. and all of it would be hidden if a real dinner were to be served […]
