You know those people who walk into a room and you just feel their energy? So that happened to me the other day in a doughnut shop while my kids had their faces happily pressed up against the glass eagerly spying their impending sugary, delightful breakfast. I felt a strong presence enter the tiny shop….and I turned […]
How to grow hydrangeas from cuttings
September 18 by
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 they’re trickier to find as the kids get older. But I’ve been more intentional about trying to find that quiet space…. ….more time to enjoy life’s treasures and simple beauties. So I […]
Using chalk paint to get a drift wood look
September 12 by
i’ve been using chalk paint for the better part of 6 years and am continually surprised by the various looks i can get. the giant frames below were made for a client. these measured 6′ x 8′ and eventually had beautiful sea scape canvases placed atop. i find painting to be so relaxing and meditative. […]
Using wood glue to get a chippy paint look
September 10 by
i’m back. good grief…i’ve neglected my blog. boooooo….. but…. my boys are all on a camping trip and man have i taken the opportunity to do a bunch of projects around the house. i decorated our living room for halloween. stay tuned for that post as i’ll detail how i painted the mantle to look weathered. […]
itchy itchy, scratchy scratchy….how to get rid of lice, naturally
February 10 by
don’t you love when you get this email from the school nurse…. Dear parent, Your child may have been exposed to Pediculosis (head lice). Sincerely, The itchy nurse at your kids’ school but here’s the truth. EVERYONE’s had lice. NO ONE talks about it…until you say in the most muted, soft voice ever….”um, my kids have lice!” then […]
bright colored front doors :: my new obsession
September 13 by
i’ve always had a fascination with paint and color. when people ask for my opinion on colors, my instinct isn’t to be too matchy matchy. but i know that people don’t typically like this answer. so be forewarned…if you ask, i’m going to say “throw in some color!” life’s too short to have everything match perfectly. […]
farm house style bathroom
August 6 by
y’all! i’m soooo excited for this post as it’s been a loooong time coming. my pea brain has been swirling about this bathroom ever since we moved into our house last year. i originally bought this dresser on Craigslist to use as a vanity for the boys’ bathroom. but the cowboy carpenter we used for our initial […]
Rising Broadway Star :: Rodney Ingram
July 14 by
settle in friends. this is a long one… do you remember when Disney’s Aladdin hit theaters? i do. i was 12 and it was my junior year at Penn…yes, i was a prodigy… 🙂 (j/k) my Dad had a recording studio in the house. so i waited in earnest to buy the CD when it […]
healthy spring side dishes
June 1 by
i love making introductions…and this one was particularly awesome b/c i got to enjoy the results…yummy and healthy spring salads at an awesome party! my foodie friend Peilin Breller is a food stylist, and she did me solid by catering another friend’s party. when you’ve got mad skills to make food look good in commercials and […]
organizing legos
May 31 by
this. this is a terrible picture of our living room fireplace. it’s a terrible b/c my lens is terrible. and my eyes are getting worse by the day. and i can’t seem to tell when things are in or out of focus. and i’ve lost my glasses. and.. and… ….and those are all of my […]
spring flowers
May 30 by
remember that day last fall when i rode my bike around cutting hydrangea clippings from my neighbors? you don’t remember? it’s ok, neither do my neighbors….jk. they just all thought i was nuts. hydrangea are incredible. they’re hearty and do so well in the cooler beach climates here in newport beach. you can take a cutting, stick […]
weathered wood whale tails
April 23 by
i came to the shop one day and saw these. my uber-creative carpenter partner in crime hand-cuts these cute things. mr. whale thinks these are perfect for a beach house.
Old Glory – wooden American flag
April 22 by
we’ve been testing ways to make big wood walls that aren’t as heavy as Noah’s arc. 🙂 so we built this prototype and i was inspired to paint Old Glory. this is a 4′ x 5′ piece that i hand-painted with a custom blue blend of Annie Sloan graphite + napoleonic and Gilbertson’s chalk paint […]
oversized rustic wood and metal console table
April 21 by
my friend showed me a photo of a console table she was about to buy. i took one look at the price and immediately knew that we could build the exact thing and save her money. and let’s admit it. who wants to pay retail?! so we go to work. i busted out my tools […]
gigantic weathered wood frames
April 20 by
well, it’s happening folks. my buddy and I found a workshop in an industrial part of town and we’re building custom furniture! it’s crazy….and crazy fun. we’ve been keeping busy with custom furniture builds, and this is one of my favorites. gigantic wood frames. our client has 40″ x 60″ canvas prints of photos they’ve taken […]
