stuff i’ve made

stain a bar to look rustic & weathered
January 1 By meesh
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 […]

big reveal :: vintage door refinished with Annie Sloan chalk paint
January 26 By meesh
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 […]

queen anne dresser refinishing :: part 1
October 3 By meesh
my husband and i took care of our uncle george for the past 18 months. he was a kind man with a generous nature. he had nothing, but gave everything he found to those in need. he treasured this queen anne dresser, which belonged to his parents. i decided it should stay in the family. […]

How to paint wood to look like weathered Restoration Hardware wood
September 6 By meesh
hi friends! i’m back with another furniture painting tutorial on how to use chalk paint to get a weathered wood Restoration Hardware finish. here’s my inspiration. a wonderful wood pier that we visited on our summer road trip. the irony is that the piece i was painting, was in fact, a real Restoration Hardware dresser….from the early […]
garden love

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...]

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...]

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...]

fall is HERE! i found a pumpkin in my garden.
that's right folks....i didn't think it would happen. i planted pumpkin seeds in june....and we had amazingly gorgeous huge leaves. they grew all … [more...]

fall day with my new camera
don't tell my husband, but i bought a new camera... isn't this hibiscus divine? i just love the old wooden crates. why do i love 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...]