stuff i’ve made

painting an Ikea Malm dresser w/ASCP to get a Restoration Hardware finish

    when one of your closest friends decides to move to another state, first you cry.  then you dry your tears, get out the paint brush and start painting everything she’s got stashed in her garage.   my buddy had these two Ikea Malm dressers that she picked up at Goodwill for $5.  i […]

transform a dark wood bed into a beachy chic treasure

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 […]

french door redo

it’s 9:30pm on a saturday night and i can’t sleep.  jim rome is on in the background…husband is sleeping, tightly gripping the tivo remote despite having been asleep for at least 20 minutes. i’m cruising free stuff on craigslist when i spot this old beat up French glass door hiding in the back of this […]

shabby chic mirrored door :: diy

this antique mirrored door has some history.  she weighs about 40 pounds and is so super cool, so i’ve named her bessie. bessie was a late night craigslist curb alert find in garden grove.  i’m sure she had a very interesting story before i stumbled upon her, but she’s also had great adventures since she’s […]

garden love

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...]

Harvesting and germinating rose seeds

I just love roses. I don't know their varieties or names, but instead, I'm the gal at the nursery going around sniffing all the roses to see which … [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...]

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...]

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...]

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...]

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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