stuff i’ve made

queen anne dresser refinishing :: part 1

my husband and i took care of our uncle george for the past 18 months.  he was a kind man with a generous nature.  he had nothing, but gave everything he found to those in need. he treasured this queen anne dresser, which belonged to his parents. i decided it should stay in the family. […]

painting Michael’s wood crates to look like Restoration Hardware

do you have a friend (or many) who inspires you to be healthier? i mean, like when you’re lounging in bed at 7 am, dreaming of  sidecar doughnuts while checking facebook and she’s already finished a marathon? right.  that friend. my friend Robyn is that to me.  she’s a smart, hard-charging, all-natural beauty, and is usually […]

Norm! how to paint Cheers-y bar stools

if you don’t get this post’s title, you’re too young.  i’ve just started and already i’ve digressed. anyway, you’ve seen these bar stools, right? these maple-ish wood bar stools were hip 10 years ago, but you’ve still got them laying around.  they’re sturdy and make for a perfect soccer goal backstop. with a little elbow […]

Rustic mid-century inspired dining table

How to paint new wood to look like weathered, rustic wood.

garden love

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 … [more...]

harvesting potatoes grown in coffee sacks

howdy!  several months ago, i stalked a bunch of gardening blogs to learn how to grow potatoes. while spring isn't the ideal time to grow … [more...]

Hello, ladybugs!

I released 1500 ladybugs into the garden this morning. I have no idea how many have survived, but while they were alive, I snapped a few pix. They're … [more...]

Harvesting and germinating rose seeds

I just love roses. I don't know their varieties or names, but instead, I'm the gal at the nursery going around sniffing all the roses to see which … [more...]

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 … [more...]

a beautiful Japanese maple tree

isn't this gorgeous?  i was visiting a friend back east and spotted this stunning and massive tree. they used to have two trees, but one drowned by … [more...]

attack of the bunnies!

When we landscaped our yard, I specifically researched how to keep the rabbits out.  We specifically built raised veggie beds so that the bunnies … [more...]

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