stuff i’ve made

How to refinish furniture with a Restoration Hardware wood finish :: Annie Sloan tutorial
December 31 By meesh
oh Restoration Hardware… how i love thee… Big A is currently in his converted crib. Problem is that he’s getting too big for us to comfortably snuggle and read books in the glider. and sitting on the floor to read to him isn’t fun. so mamma started searching for a new bed on craigslist…. and […]

Get a Swedish Gustavian look w/ Annie Sloan chalk paint
January 5 By meesh
oh. my. word. i’m absolutely in love with this look right now. i found this perfectly-shaped headboard with a matching dresser on Craigslist. it was a lovely Bombay piece in pitch black with gold details. just not my style, but the shape and detailed wood work were perfect for my next Gustavian-inspired pieces. i usually […]

transform a dark wood bed into a beachy chic treasure
September 21 By meesh
i was in search of a queen bed for a beach property. i scoured craigslist over a few weeks and scrounged all the furniture that i planned on painting. GREAT deals to be had! this waterfront house is all whites and blues, to match the airy, beachy vibe of the lovely town, Coronado. i chose all solid wood […]

Old Glory – wooden American flag
April 22 By meesh
we’ve been testing ways to make big wood walls that aren’t as heavy as Noah’s arc. 🙂 so we built this prototype and i was inspired to paint Old Glory. this is a 4′ x 5′ piece that i hand-painted with a custom blue blend of Annie Sloan graphite + napoleonic and Gilbertson’s chalk paint […]
garden love

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...]

Rooting Brussels Sprouts
I love Brussels sprouts. Please move on if you don't...b/c this post is all about them and some uber-nerd techniques that I'm testing in the … [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...]

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...]

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...]

Orchids 101
I've always loved orchids, but was always intimidated by them. Last year, a neighbor gave me the most gorgeous Phalaenopsis orchid (the most … [more...]