stuff i’ve made

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 […]

Restoration Hardware-inspired big boy room reveal

as i listen to Big A trying to ‘soothe’ himself to sleep in his new big boy room, i feel guilty. poor little guy. sometimes he goes down quickly, and sometimes, he’s over-tied, i think…and he fights it. so i’m distracting myself with this post as i obsessively check the monitor… we got him into […]

stain a bar to look rustic & weathered

my buddy built this bar for a client. they requested redwood with a clear coat of varnish. then they decided it was too red and didn’t match the rustic look they really wanted. so i got to work. on a dreadfully cold and rainy day, i bussed in the Minwax Dark Walnut and some watery […]

A shabby chic take on an inherited hutch :: Annie Sloan style

my client inherited this from a good friend.  it’s a gorgeous piece and again, i sort of felt weird painting it. but i was assured that no one would know since they’re no longer with us.  is that weird? so i worked under the don’t ask, don’t tell guidelines…though i wouldn’t know who to tell. […]

garden love

look who’s here? spring garden!

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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...]

how’d that tomato plant get there?

i love seeing the world.  but i also love returning and seeing what's happened in my garden after a week away. the trumpet vines on our garden … [more...]

growing potatoes and yams in coffee sacks

i met a wonderfully delightful woman a few months ago at a baby shower.  i started telling Cheri how i was obsessed with watching YouTube videos on … [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...]

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...]

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...]

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