stuff i’ve made

painting an Ikea Malm dresser w/ASCP to get a Restoration Hardware finish

    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 […]

How to paint wood to look like weathered Restoration Hardware wood

hi friends! i’m back with another furniture painting tutorial on how to use chalk paint to get a weathered wood Restoration Hardware finish. here’s my inspiration. a wonderful wood pier that we visited on our summer road trip. the irony is that the piece i was painting, was in fact, a real Restoration Hardware dresser….from the early […]

antique dresser gets a Swedish facelift

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, […]

Using Saltwash to create a vintage beachy look

When we first moved to this house, I decided to paint a bathroom orange. Why orange? I don’t know why. It just felt right. And now…it feels oh so wrong. So…I’m on a mission. Naturally, I start on Craigslist to find the perfect vanity. But there’s something about this glaze that wasn’t sitting well with me. […]

garden love

fall day with my new camera

  don't tell my husband, but i bought a new camera... isn't this hibiscus divine? i just love the old wooden crates.  why do i love the … [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...]

summer’s here. the flowers prove it!

We've still got another month or so of what we southern Californians call June gloom.  That's right...don't come here expecting hot blazing days. … [more...]

artichokes!!!

look what we saw in the garden today!?!? it only took 9 months.  :) anyone have the recipe for the Bandera/Houston's artichoke? … [more...]

look who’s here? spring garden!

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summer flowers :: hydrangea, roses and lavender

i LOVE my garden, and particularly love the flower arrangements that come directly from the garden.   the hydrangea is quite … [more...]

fresh garden salsa

there's something really magical about fresh, homemade, garden salsa. the colors are vibrant.  the flavors are unmatched. and when paired … [more...]

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