stuff i’ve made

Salt Wash tutorial :: mirror mirror on the wall
October 24 By meesh
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!

painting oak to look like Restoration Hardware :: mud room diy
September 11 By meesh
let me start by saying that i’ve absolutely saved no money by doing this project myself! if i account for the time spent, mistakes made, injuries sustained, and my hourly billing rate, i’d be better off having purchased the Restoration Hardware version. BUT, this has been a great project and i feel that my painting […]

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 […]

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 […]
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...]

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...]
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...]

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...]

spring flowers
remember that day last fall when i rode my bike around cutting hydrangea clippings from my neighbors? you don't remember? it's ok, … [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...]