stain a bar to look rustic & weathered
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 […]
queen anne dresser refinishing :: part 1
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
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 […]
MMSMP kids’ dining table redo and halloween DIY
i don’t get out much. so when i walked into Pottery Barn Kids last week and saw adorable Christmas chair backers, i thought, “i should make these for Halloween!” figuring i don’t have enough time to make Christmas chair backers, i bought them at $20 a piece and said “Self, you can make these […]
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...]
attack of the bunnies!
When we landscaped our yard, I specifically researched how to keep the rabbits out. We specifically built raised veggie beds so that the bunnies … [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...]
Transplanting potted plants to Kratky hydroponics
My new greenhouse is in full operation and I couldn't be more excited! I've been stalking MHP Gardener on YouTube, and he has this incredible … [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...]
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...]
