stuff i’ve made

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 […]

Chalk paint on a wine barrel book shelf

i’ve been stalking all you annie sloan chalk paint lovers….for a few months now… i’ve even had several quarts in my shopping basket … about to check out … but then something would distract me… until i found a store within minutes of my house that stocks the paint!!!  Truly Tattered in old town Tustin […]

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 […]

A shabby chic take on an inherited hutch :: Annie Sloan style

my client inherited this from a good friend.  it’s a gorgeous piece and again, i sort of felt weird painting it. but i was assured that no one would know since they’re no longer with us.  is that weird? so i worked under the don’t ask, don’t tell guidelines…though i wouldn’t know who to tell. […]

garden love

so cal garden explosion

we've got rogue tomato plants all over the garden.  take exhibit A.  i didn't plant this one and look how amazing it is! i'm sort of insulted, … [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...]

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...]

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...]

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...]

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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