stuff i’ve made
Weathered barn wood looking night stand
October 6 By meesh
our landscaping is complete. the fall veggie garden is planted. the play house is seeing a lot of action from the kids. i’ve been noodling over how best to store sandals by our back door, while avoiding looking like your typical Chinese household…shoes all piled up so that no one can get in the door. […]

Using Saltwash to create a vintage beachy look
July 26 By meesh
When we first moved to this house, I decided to paint a bathroom orange. Why orange? I don’t know why. It just felt right. And now…it feels oh so wrong. So…I’m on a mission. Naturally, I start on Craigslist to find the perfect vanity. But there’s something about this glaze that wasn’t sitting well with me. […]

annie sloan tutorial :: Restoration Hardware wood finish on an old coffee table
July 8 By meesh
A few folks have asked how I got the look on the zero to hero coffee table. I didn’t take pix b/c we’re moving this week and I didn’t have much time to crank out a few more pieces before the movers arrive! But here was my process: Old White as a base, brushed on […]

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

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...]

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...]
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...]

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...]

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...]

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...]