stuff i’ve made

How to refinish furniture with a Restoration Hardware wood finish :: Annie Sloan tutorial

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 […]

Old Glory – wooden American flag

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 […]

Weathered barn wood looking night stand

our landscaping is complete. the fall veggie garden is planted. the play house is seeing a lot of action from the kids. i’ve been noodling over how best to store sandals by our back door, while avoiding looking like your typical Chinese household…shoes all piled up so that no one can get in the door.  […]

Restoration Hardware inspired wood growth chart :: DIY

i’ve never met a piece of wood i didn’t like. i made a makeshift wooden deck around the kids’ playhouse last spring. there was a 6′ piece left. i knew i’d use it. someday. somehow. today was mr. woods’ lucky day. Ecowood Treatment is pretty nifty.  But what I’ve found is that on smooth wood, […]

garden love

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...]

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...]

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...]

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...]

summer hydrangea tablescape

i love hydrangeas. i had the luxury of spending a few hours in the garden today and cut a bunch of hydrangea as they're starting to look a … [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...]

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...]

[more]