stuff i’ve made

how i hacked an Ikea Tarva dresser :: tutorial
February 2 By meesh
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 […]

stain a bar to look rustic & weathered
January 1 By meesh
my buddy built this bar for a client. they requested redwood with a clear coat of varnish. then they decided it was too red and didn’t match the rustic look they really wanted. so i got to work. on a dreadfully cold and rainy day, i bussed in the Minwax Dark Walnut and some watery […]

not your Grandma’s dining table was featured!
May 9 By meesh
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 […]

queen anne dresser :: part 2
October 5 By meesh
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 […]
garden love

spring garden party
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 … [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...]

so cal garden explosion
we've got rogue tomato plants all over the garden. take exhibit A. i didn't plant this one and look how amazing it is! i'm sort of insulted, … [more...]

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...]

fall is HERE! i found a pumpkin in my garden.
that's right folks....i didn't think it would happen. i planted pumpkin seeds in june....and we had amazingly gorgeous huge leaves. they grew all … [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...]

teeny, tiny peaches!
i love spring. the flowers are blooming, and you find cool stuff in the garden you've never seen before! like this one here...i've no clue what … [more...]