stuff i’ve made

big reveal :: vintage door refinished with Annie Sloan chalk paint

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 […]

dyeing fabric with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

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

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 […]

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 […]

garden love

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...]

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...]

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...]

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...]

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...]

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...]

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...]

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