stuff i’ve made

french door redo

it’s 9:30pm on a saturday night and i can’t sleep.  jim rome is on in the background…husband is sleeping, tightly gripping the tivo remote despite having been asleep for at least 20 minutes. i’m cruising free stuff on craigslist when i spot this old beat up French glass door hiding in the back of this […]

Duncan Phyfe drum table gets a Gustavian makeover

my latest obsession is Gustavian furniture.  whites and pale grays all inspired by the bright cheery homes found in Sweden.  makes sense given they have very limited light during the winter months. this Duncan Phyfe drum table was one of the very first furniture pieces i refinished…all prior to discovering Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. you […]

Salt Wash tutorial :: mirror mirror on the wall

I love how Salt Wash makes a piece really look old and chippy. The textured layers allow more paint to poke through. Here’s my tutorial for Salt Wash. Enjoy!

tutorial :: vintage door restoration with chalk board panel

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 […]

garden love

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...]

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...]

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...]

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 has sprung. hyacinths are popping already!

the first signs on spring are here...trouble is, we haven't really had winter.  and as i write this, the temperature is dropping to the high 30s here … [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...]

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...]

[more]