stuff i’ve made

Restoration Hardware inspired work bench
August 31 By meesh
our neighbors had this piece in their back yard. it reminds me of my old place in w. hollywood. before married life, i restored a cute spanish-style home in west hollywood. the previous owners had redone the 1920s home in a very tacky home depot fashion. pink walls. cheapo pedestal sinks. linoleum floors. so […]

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 […]

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 […]

how i hacked an Ikea Tarva dresser :: tutorial
February 2 By meesh
i’ll always have fond memories of Ikea. i used to bring my kids there when they had trouble sleeping…. it always went something like this: “they’ll fall asleep in the stroller while i shop.” yup, i’m THAT mom with stuff stacked in the stroller, balanced on the kids’ heads, crammed into the small storage bin […]
garden love

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...]

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...]

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...]
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...]

a gorgeous, romantic, Napa wedding
we just returned from the most gorgeous and romantic wedding....ever. the setting was idyllic with the changing leaves and warm breezes. i wanted … [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...]

summer’s here. the flowers prove it!
We've still got another month or so of what we southern Californians call June gloom. That's right...don't come here expecting hot blazing days. … [more...]