After many summers of playing on the backyard play structure, my kids finally out grew it last year. We decided that it was the perfect time to clear out that area and plant a vegetable garden. We built wooden boxes and filled the area with pea gravel so that we would...
…and sunburns are painful…and red. This is the time of year that we start venturing to the beach with our glaring white skin and attempt to cover every inch in sunscreen. It never works, we can never get all the spots, and someone in my family ends up...
Spring is here and I am happy to have things around me that feel like spring to me. I love having fresh flowers in vases, eating cool salads, and wearing flip flops (even without a tan). My house gets happy too with colorful throw pillows and rugs. I used to reserve...
I was thinking about talking about the endless shades of gray that are available right now, but then I looked out my window at a gorgeous blue sky and decided that I’m done with gray for awhile now that Mother Nature seems to be done PMSing all over California....
I will start out this “Friday Finds” post by telling you what I “found” this morning. Having a cat and a dog is not always pretty. “Gifts” from the cat and dog are NEVER pretty. Without completely grossing you out, I will leave the...
I definitely don’t consider myself a super fabulous baker– except for my chocolate chip cookie dough, which is better than sex – but I always give it my best effort. Okay, I lied. I often give baking minimal effort because why would I knock myself out when I...
Coordinating a baby shower isn’t as hard as you think. The Simon+Kabuki “Goo Goo” Shower Kit helped a bunch for my baby shower (a while ago). Set up for 24 people, it comes with plates, cups, napkins, games, coasters, clear boxes, basket grass, and...
When I think of white on white, I remember when my kids tried to color with the white crayon on the white paper in their coloring books. When one of them old me the white crayon was broken because they couldn’t see it on the paper, I told them to embrace the...
My daughter wanted a canopy bed (who doesn’t?) Kids grow up and the twin beds just don’t cut it any more. I was lucky enough to have a friend (Erin) who’s daughter was leaving for college and they needed a new home for this cute canopy bed. Sure...
Have you ever been at a garage sale and thought that rocking chair would be cool if it wasn’t for the hideous fabric, and how would I change that? Or hey that bag of basket grass is really sparkly but I don’t know what to do with it. That happens to me all...
With the recent sadness of the past two weeks, I think spring should be more than ever a time for renewal, positive vibes, and forward thinking optimism. A spring cleaning for the soul if you will. The tree outside our office is doing it’s best blooming even...
Lately I have been drawn to designing and decorating with more natural surfaces, texture, layers, patterns and vintage objects. This trend using canvas, wood and neutral colors is popping up everywhere. It’s very warm and nostalgic but not too stuffy, and it...
One person’s trash is another’s treasure. I am not describing reality TV here – but I could be talking about any of those shows right? To say I don’t like clutter is an understatement. I get nervous watching Hoarders, and I like to get rid of...
I procrastinated on getting my first baby’s nursery ready. Not the wisest plan, since he could have come early (he was late) or I could have been too big (I was fine), but I think I work best under pressure. And I lean towards a state of denial sometimes (baby? What...
You know how every house has that certain room that you explain to guests as the “junk” room, and you keep the door closed and act like there is toxic waste inside? That’s my son’s room. It is smaller in size with a whole lotta stuff, so...
Who says you have to do without cuteness while on a budget. Here is an easy window dress up project that even I can do. These windows in our office were originally covered in skinny white plastic horizontal blinds. (Cue the theme for the movie “Psycho”) I...
Being a semi-shy person growing up, I always tried to avoid making dramatic entrances and would rather scope out the situation first and kinda sneak in. Much to my dismay, as an adult I have not been so successful. My dramatic entrances involve these situtations:...
I usually look at Valentines Day in this way: Besides it being a slightly cringe-worthy holiday, you know that each one of your kids have at least 30 classmates that they need to honor in the form of a small folded Valentine and how the heck am I going to fit this in...
I decided to do a post on how to add personal touches to your kids room decor. It was not easy because they are slobs, so I had to photograph very creatively. I also had fun using some cool apps on my iphone to enhance the photos. There was not a magic app to clean...
My seven year old daughter (budding designer) was sketching ideas for her “Big Bedroom Re-Do 2011”. Nevermind that it has only been a year that we last decorated it. She drew a puffy chair hanging from the ceiling and told me it was a swing and pretty...
The middle of winter is when some of us start wishing for spring. Gray skies are not usually associated with warm bright feelings. I know, being a California girl means I can’t complain about my 50 degree day when some people in the country are experiencing a...
Let’s face it, the kids and the effin’ dog own the house. We pay the bills, but they run the place. Evidence of their existence follows them from room to room. It’s time for moms who appreciate a well-appointed room (free of toys, stale snacks and...
I have a tendency to be late. All the time. I think there was an unconscious effort on my part to correct this by having a clock in every room in my house. I never really made this connection until a friend pointed it out to me: how can you always be late when you...
I’m feeling pretty nostalgic these days. Holidays always do that to me. After I had kids, nostalgia took on a whole new meaning and I started remembering my childhood years and the things I looked forward to: leaving cookies and milk out for Santa, trying to...
I haven’t started my Christmas shopping yet, so the last thing on my mind is wrapping gifts. But when I am done with all the gift searching, buying, trading, online clicking, finagling, parking lot arguing (TMI) one thing that I actually look forward to is...
