this bliss life

Before and After: Mahogany Cabinet

2012-02-13T05:06:00.000-08:00

I snagged this cabinet for a deal on Craigslist almost a year ago. The woman who sold it to me told her father build it for her in the 1950’s to store her doll collection in. Even though it was too small for the space I wanted, I bought it because I could see the potential in the piece. Sorry for the rough pictures, I forgot to snap a pic before I deconstructed it.

Since the wood was covered in a dark mahogany stain, I first sanded the stain completely through to the bare wood. I used a damp cloth to clean off the dust and then it dry properly.

I did a coat of stain blocking primer (hello Kilz!) and let it dry for 24 hours. The wood just drank up the paint so I went back and made sure the entire thing was primed again before putting the white on.

Then I sprayed on a bright white by Rustoleum. Two coats in, the wood was still drinking up the paint! Yet another full can of paint was needed to cover. After that dried I took a sanding block and distressed some of the corners where natural wear would happen.

When my coats of paint were done I noticed that there was the wood stain stuck to the outer edges of the glass. I was hoping some acetone and q tips would take care of it but we are talking about 60 year old stain here. The only way I got it off was with a razor, lots of cursing and the mister finally scraping the last bits off.

I picked up these Anthropologie knobs awhile ago while they were on clearance. I wasn’t a huge fan of the gold color so I did a coat of nickel spray paint to match better with the hinges. They are so cute!

This is such a sweet little cabinet and I very pleased with the way it came out. It was already purchased and is my second official piece to be bought. YEAH!!

Be well friends.

Finally, Friday!

2012-02-10T14:43:00.000-08:00

This may seem so silly but I managed to cook my very first ever omelet! You know how something just seems too messy or daunting that you just avoid it the most of your life? Well, that was me with omelets. The other day I wanted eggs and needed to use it some produce that was on its last leg. I decided that I would finally tackle that darn elusive omelet!

Using this recipe as a guide I followed it carefully and added tomato, avocado and cheese to my version.

Here’s the finished result.

Please ignore the hole in the rear in which most of my veggies tried to escape!

Thrifted.

2012-02-08T05:48:00.000-08:00

For 1.49!

Weekend Recap: Superbowl Sunday Style

2012-02-07T09:41:00.000-08:00

This weekend I celebrated the birthday of Amaya’s BFF, finished up the cabinet project (pics coming!) and began researching our next big home project...new windows!

We also watched the Superbowl and at the last minute decided to stay home with just the three of us to watch it. I put out a little spread which included artichoke tapanade, fresh guacamole, a cheese platter and some BBQ ribs for the mister. Bebe helped herself to every last bit of the guac! We laughed at the commercials and lamented that the 49ers weren’t playing in the game. I curled up with a book and read and snacked and lounged. Just how a cloudy Sunday afternoon should be.

In Other News...
• Tiny Prints is offering Valentine Days cards for $.99!
• As a survivor of HELLP and Pre-eclampsia, this article deeply touched my soul.
• I’m obsessed with this website...the photos are gorgeous!

Be well!

Weekend Recap: Sonoma Style

2012-02-04T18:56:00.000-08:00

We are experiencing some beautiful weather here in the Bay Area, and although we desperately need some rain, it was nice to get out to Sonoma and enjoy some beautiful sunshine last weekend. A total of 5 couples loaded into a limo and headed out to wine country and our first stop was Viansa Winery.

I should note that when there is a designated driver that is hired for the day and you get to fully enjoy some wine and food, hilarity abounds! It boils down to lots of laugher, ridiculous stories, drinking and eating for a lovely group of friends. Our second to last stop was at Gundlach Bundschu Winery, which had delicious wines (hello vintage reserve!!) and a great staff. It’s off the beaten path but such a great place to visit.

Bubbly pinot? Not my favorite but I loved Schug winery...

On the way home we had a cheese fest prepared by our good friend Fi....I’m in love with that Mt. Tam cheese. Talk about delicious!

On the way home we had a cheese fest prepared by our good friend Fi....I’m in love with that Mt. Tam cheese. Talk about delicious!

Do you have a favorite Sonoma winery I should visit? Let me know in the comments :)

Be well

Thursday Inspiration

2012-02-02T10:05:00.000-08:00

Source: Pinterest

Eat In Month Check In.

2012-01-28T06:50:00.000-08:00

This month I’ve been participating in doing The Chic Life’s Eat In Challenge which to me is always a great way to start off the year. So far I’ve tackled a few new recipes, one being this delicious Butternut Squash soup. I think the hardest part of the entire recipe was cutting up all the veggies.

I used our blender to smooth out the soup. Make sure the soup cools a bit so it won't ruin your blender!

I added a dollop of delicious sour cream before serving.

So far Eat in Challenge is going well. We've tried new recipes, I am making good use of a pint of plain yogurt (smoothies and granola mixtures) and we've gone through two gallons of milk from homemade lattes.

In Other News...

• SF International airport opens the world’s first airport yoga room. Pretty cool I think...

• The Kitchen House was so engrossing, a good read but not one I could ever sit through again.

• We thought this movie was fairly good, however George Clooney wasn’t very believable as a father.

Thursday Inspiration

2012-01-26T09:14:00.000-08:00

This space is beautiful!

Via:Pinterest

Hello, I Love You.

2012-01-21T11:34:00.000-08:00

I’m linking up to my friend Heather’s blog feature, Hello, I love you. It’s a collection of photos that I love with a vintage theme. Thanks for hosting this Heather!

Stylist Home

urban farmgirl

Etsy

Flickr

Pinterest

Thursday Inspiration

2012-01-19T03:16:00.000-08:00

Photo Source.

50 THINGS CHALLENGE!

2012-01-18T08:52:00.000-08:00

Last year I started the year with two challenges, the Eat In Challenge and the 50 Things challenge. I really liked both and decided to do the 50 Things challenge again just because it’s a great way to start off the year on a good foot with cleaning and organizing. The challenge is simple…get rid of 50 Things that you do not want or need anymore. Donate, sell, recycle or trash the things that can’t be salvaged.

Here is our stash!

Finding the 50 Things weren’t very hard…Mr. P cleaned out his closet which provided a few pairs of old jeans and shirts that were donated to Goodwill. Toys and books were also donated or set aside for younger family members. A handful of dvds were sold on ebay which netted around $15!

If you decide to challenge yourself to get rid of 50 Items let me know in the comments!

In Other News….
*This show is my newest viewing pleasure. The mister and I breezed through the first season and I’m watching the second on PBS even though I’m tempted to download it.

*I’m sorry to report that this book was terrible. Written really prematurely considering a few months before she started writing it she relapsed.

Be well!

Friday!!

2012-01-13T13:45:00.000-08:00

1. Lemons!

2. Sassygirl

3. French toast breakfast

4. Always remember

5. 71 degrees in Cali. Praying for rain!

Home Goals for 2012

2012-01-11T13:38:00.000-08:00

It's that time again! Right before Christmas I sat down and really started thinking about our goals for the new year. They came to me pretty easily, all I had to do was walk through our home and spot all of the unfinished "things."

1. Laundry room!
We had our brother-in law paint our laundry room and while the painting job was stellar, I hated the color. With lots of light and some photoshop I was able to lighten this picture. I wanted a very soft blue but its very dark and in a dark room it looks like a pit. So now I’m thinking a soft grey, a flat surface above the washer/dryer cabinets and a rod to hang things to dry. The other side will feature a cork board for misc stuff and hooks for aprons and coats!

2. New windows
The house needs new windows so that will happen this year, and we have been tossing the idea of creating another set of French doors in our bedroom or just lengthening the window itself to allow for more light. I’m very excited to get this house more energy efficient and new windows will help us with that goal.

3. The Side Yard Situation
I’ve been wanting to plant a huge garden in the side yard however it needs much more sun and so we hope to remove a grapefruit tree this year. Neither of us eats them, the tree is very unruly and I’m really hoping with it’s removal that we can replant another tree elsewhere on the property that will provide us with better fruit.

P.S. That tree was pruned this afternoon!

4. Start an Etsy shop
I’ve really been toying with this idea for awhile, I just have too much vintage stuff in the house that I need to sell. 2011 was all about getting through renovations, 2012 will be about getting organized and simplified. I will be doing another 50 things challenge this week and I hope you will join me.

So they may be lofty goals but we have some timelines we want to meet so I’m pretty confident we will get there. Of course I still have my furniture redos, sewing projects and other eco friendly goodness so I hope you stay with me for the ride.

Be well!

Linking up to:
The Nesters Home Goals linky party

A Secret Santa Gift!

2012-01-08T14:57:00.000-08:00

I participate on web board that I've been on years- five and a half to be exact. We had our annual Secret Santa and I wanted to share the awesome package that my Secret Santa sent to me. I think it's a wonderful thing that people who you've never met in real life can put together thoughtful gifts for each other to make the season bright!

Fresh scrub set, Burt's Bees lip balm, She & Him Christmas Album and some chocolate snacks.

Today has been a busy little Sunday with lots of cleaning, organizing and some painting. Can't wait to share a few projects I'm working on!

Be well!

So very true.

2012-01-06T15:07:00.000-08:00

“Serendipity. Look for something, find something else, and realize that what you've found is more suited to your needs than what you thought you were looking for.” ~Lawrence Block

January Photo a Day!

2012-01-04T14:10:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! We are battling a case of pneumonia over here so I have been quiet. But never fear I always have a few tricks up my sleeve! I decided to participate in this photo challenge using Instagram since one of my goals is to take more pictures in 2012.

Do you Instagram?! You should. It’s a quick and easy way to document your daily photos! My name on there is tiff1523 so check me out!

Flea Market Sunday

2012-01-02T05:27:00.000-08:00

Beautiful treasures abound at the Alameda Antiques By the Bay. The weather was perfect and we spied so many cute things!

More for 2012.

2012-01-01T20:16:00.000-08:00

More music. More laughter. More vintage. More family vacations. More creativity. More running. More races. More beach time. More dancing. More cuddling. More green. More gardening. More family. More mister and bebe.

It's Almost 2012!!

2011-12-31T15:10:00.000-08:00

I want to wish everyone a fun and safe New Years Eve! I'm so excited for 2012 and all that it will bring. Tonight we will join friends for a celebration that involves all of our kiddos.

I also want to thank each and every one of you for visiting this blog, for commenting, for following and supporting my DIY green adventures!

Be well!

Post Holiday Thoughts....

2011-12-29T07:58:00.000-08:00

•Family time. Very needed and very enjoyed.

•Fresh citrus fruit from our trees. Such a great winter treat!

•I love that my bebe really liked her bike and chef outfit and plays with those things more than anything.

•Competitive family puzzles are fun. It’s a challenge to see who can put pieces together the fastest.

•Christmas brunch and mimosas….YUM.

•My husband…..what can I say, the man surprised the hell out of me this Christmas! Love him!

•Family naps are glorious. Too bad my kid isn’t really interested in them anymore.

•Having the mister home is fabulous. I've missed that guy.

•Having a clutter free craft room is fabulous. It’s about to get filled up from the Target Christmas clearance sales again though…:)

I hope you had a great holiday as well!

Favorite Projects of 2011

2011-12-27T05:47:00.000-08:00

This was a big year for us, we bought a new house and survived a huge kitchen renovation. I can defintely say that we love our new neighborhood, it is much more family orientated that the old one was. Before the year ends I wanted to recap a few of my most favorite projects of 2011!

1. The major kitchen remodel!
Hands down this was the biggest project we dealt with and with the help of our awesome friend and contractor Keith we were able to have a functional and beautiful kitchen.

2. Fireplace Renovation
It's amazing what a few cans of paint can accomplish! Read here for the lowdown on how we turned our 1960's grey and black fireplace into something pretty.

3. Side Yard and Deck
My husband and dad tackled the huge project of creating a side yard out of all of the unused space on the side of our new home. What was once overgrown junipers and dead lawn is now a beautiful deck overlooking a herb and berry garden!

4. A Vintage Ornate Mirror Redo
This is one of my most favorite thrift store finds. It now hangs in our master bedroom!

5. Square Mirror Redo
I love how this mirror before and after came out. What was once gold and black is not a chippy soft grey!

Those are my top five favorite projects! Looking froward to what all the DIY goodness that 2012 brings!

Linking up to:
Southern Hospitality

Friday, Friday!

2011-12-23T05:33:00.000-08:00

Sending best wishes to you and yours! I'll be signing off for the weekend to celebrate and just be in the moment.

Be well friends!

Photo Source

Gifting.

2011-12-20T17:15:00.000-08:00

Part of this blog has always been about the eco friendly slant we have in our household. It's also about the small changes we've made to create a more sustainable household which for us includes non plastic toys. This isn't to say our bebe doesn't have plastic toys, she does, we just try to keep the amount to a low number.

This Christmas I picked up a soft pizza set from Target, knitted Broccoli and a breakfast set from Etsy, dress up Chef set and coordinating wood fruit set from Target. I also invested in a Leapfrog pen and a few books for the bebe since she has outgrown her old one. So far I've got some Yummy Organic lollipops for her stocking and I think I'll stick a toothbrush and maybe some hair bows for good measure.

We are always walking a fine balance of giving our child things that will hold her attention but also not overdoing Christmas and focusing on material things. Since I got the majority of these items at the Target toy clearance in January I feel much better about paying $3 for the food sets and $12 for the Leapster pen and grabbed a couple more items since they were affordable. Cheap doesn't necessarily mean plastic junk, being patient really pays off if have the time and energy to hunt for the deals. I'm looking forward to her opening up these goodies but also looking forward to family time, good food and having the mister home!

Feel free to share in the comments what your kiddos will be getting this year!

Be well,
Tiff

Christmas Prep finally begins!

2011-12-15T10:33:00.000-08:00

The last few days have been interesting in our home. Both the mister and the bebe have been sick with very nasty colds that I seem to have avoided. I don’t mind being nurse to my family, so lately my goals haven’t been prepping for Christmas or the Twilight extravaganza for my niece, it’s been about making soup, green tea and chasing a toddler with tissue to clean her nose. During some quiet time tomorrow I managed to get a bit of sewing done, whipping up these cute linen stocking ornaments and a few more Christmas bags.

Tonight I plan to turn up some Christmas music loud and start our baking adventures. There are so many loaves of banana and pumpkin breads to make, homemade sweets to make and parties to prep for.

*This book was a fascinating read about growing up the mill towns surrounding Boston.

Holiday Bucket List

2011-12-12T14:28:00.000-08:00

So far we've knocked out three to dos on our short list. We got our tree, decorated holiday bags, and have been driving around seeing holiday lights each weekend evening.

What's on your holiday bucket list?

Christmas Bags

2011-12-05T14:56:00.000-08:00

Christmas craft #1 done!

My goal this year was to purchase any wrapping paper, use the left over from previous years and make bags that can be used over and over again. I used these sewing directions from Destination: Craft and even though I ran out of thread on the first bag (DOH!) the second one was done after a morning trip to the fabric store.

I crammed most of bebe's gifts in them, and I'm looking forward to her peek inside when it's time to open them!

It's Friday! (And December)

2011-12-02T15:36:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year! This year I added a bit of whimsy to our Christmas decor because the bebe loves to see little Santas sprinkled all over the house. This weekend we kick off our celebration of the holidays by getting our tree however today I finished up some decoration of the house.

Stockings and stocking holders from the Simply Shabby Chic line at Target a few years ago, silver garland from Pier 1, green garland from Martha Stewart, thrifted mirror. I need to add black and white pictures to the holders at some point.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Linking up to:

Snapshots from a Weekend

2011-11-28T14:14:00.000-08:00

1. New Gap City Flats
2. Ben Franklin Jelly Belly Portrait @ at the store in Vacaville
3. Pretty wreaths in Reno
4. This book had me chewing my fingernails off!

Tiffany and Co 2011 Holiday

2011-11-27T08:23:00.000-08:00

TIFFANY & CO. "Holiday" from GOODPENNY on Vimeo.

Laetitia Casta and Lee Pace! So gorgeous...

Thanksgiving Road Trip

2011-11-26T18:51:00.000-08:00

For the first time ever we celebrated Thanksgiving out of town with P's family. To be honest I missed my parents, but it was so nice to take a road trip and hang out with our family we don't see too often! The above is a picture I took of our snow adventure at Lake Tahoe. The picture doesn't really show just how beautiful our little hill was. The sledding seemed to be the kids favorite part of course :)

We took time during the weekend to relax mostly but I also snuck away to do some thrifting and found a lovely frame (more chalkboards coming up!) and some vintage books for bebe's Christmas presents. I also decided to do some last minute Black Friday shopping. I was nervous to do it in a town I've never really been in but turns out no worries, the outdoor mall was a straight shot from our hotel and it was practically empty.

I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday weekend!

Be thankful, be well.

And the Winner Is......

2011-11-20T18:59:00.001-08:00

Congrats! Lucky winner, please email me so I can get you your new earrings! Everyone else... I have some more fun giveaways coming up soon enough, but THANK YOU always for participating!

Stella and Dot has some great stuff so if you need to do some Christmas shopping my friend Rebecca can help you out.

Woot, Friday!!

2011-11-18T10:02:00.001-08:00

Sometimes you just need some sushi, Kirin, girlfriends and laughs of giggles to combat a bad day.

In Other News....
So today is the very last day to enter for the Stella & Dot earrings. This has been a small giveaway, maybe next time I'll add a few more things to attract for participants :)

Be well.

Almost free.

2011-11-16T18:48:00.000-08:00

This frame was found hidden behind a stack of gritty old frames at my local Salvation Army. It had no tag and when I asked how much I was told $1. SOLD!

Two coats of OSH pure white. One coat of Rustoleum Chalk board paint.

I'm actually thinking about selling this so if you want it make me an offer! I can easily change the color of the frame too, I went with white because it's so neutral.

This weekend....
We saw Immortals which was terrible but since I'm a huge fan of Henry Cavill I "suffered" through it....if you can call watching perfectly sculpted abs suffering!

Time is ticking for to enter my latest giveaway...make sure you enter!

Friday!

2011-11-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

This week was especially crazy. My work schedule has been changing, I was diagnosed with severe tendonitis, and I've been cooking like crazy for a few events. I'm looking forward to taking a step back and breathing in before all the holiday chaos hits!

In Other News

*This audiobook is really good. It made my commutes to work fly by!

*This recipe for cheesecake is delicious and super easy.

*Have you entered my giveaway yet? Even if we know each other in real life please do!

*Adriana Lima's interview about prepping for the VS Secret show is a fascinating read! If you see photos like this one from the show her body looks on point!

Be well,
Tiffany

A Pretty "New" Mirror!

2011-11-08T06:09:00.000-08:00

Since I'm personally a sucker for refinishing old stuff, i thought I'd start off my tuesday showing you this interesting but fugly mirror. I spied it across the thrift store and thought, it's black and gold, hand carved....this thing is SCREAMING for a makeover! But then it sat in my trunk for approximately 2 years.

Not really. But it felt like 2 years.

I put on a quick coat of a very light grey with a small brush and then proceeded to take sandpaper and promptly sand away a lot of the top coat. In a few places the black peeks through. I like it like that, chippy and distressed. Not so perfect.

I'm debating selling this because of course I just found a different mirror that would look amazing on my mantel. I know I know I say that a lot!

Be good friends!

Snapshots from a Weekend.

2011-11-07T05:40:00.000-08:00

1. Cool vintage children's items at the flea market
2. Our lemon tree making a comeback
3. Finally cleaned off this vintage coffee table
4. Yummy Tortilla Soup

I'm going to get a little personal here, something I don't always do here. I'm seeing some changes coming in the not too distant future. I'm talking about forcing myself to take a leap of faith, to do what makes my heart happy- lots of DIY projects, green living ideas and just being in the moment. To be braver. To have more patience. I always want things immediately but never want to take the time to cultivate. I'm determined to create a beautiful and eco friendly home and world; I hope this blog shows that. I know this particular blog has always been a mishmash of stuff and this might seem to come out of left field but thank YOU for reading. I'm thankful for this tiny space on the internets, new and old friends and my spirit that seems to finally be growing up and healing itself.

Be well,
Tiff

Warm Apples.

2011-11-06T03:55:00.000-08:00

I recently made this version of crockpot applesauce but omitted the sugar. I used the very last of this seasons apples from our tree. Delicious!

In Other News...

I'm totally obsessed with this show. It's sort of creepy and perfect to curl up on a cold night and enjoy.

Don't forget to go an enter my latest giveaway!

Be Brave.

2011-11-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

“Because,' she said, 'when you're scared but you still do it anyway, that's brave.”
― Neil Gaiman, Coraline

Picture from Pinterest.

A Blissful & Sparkly Giveaway!!

2011-11-03T14:29:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited to announce my November giveaway from Stella Dot! I am absolutely obsessed with this collection of jewelry. Seriously I always have a large stack of bracelets on my arm. It's lovely! One lucky reader will win a pair of these sparkly Maddie pearl earrings. Just imagine putting on a outfit for all those lovely holiday parties and making these the final touch. It could be you...

To enter this giveaway, simply take a peek at the Stella & Dot shop and leave me a comment with the name of your favorite Stella Dot piece! Tweeting or FB this post will give two more additional entries, just make sure to leave a comment or link saying you shared the post. This giveaway will be open until 8 pm PST Friday, November 18th and is open to all This Bliss Life readers....(except those that reside in my casa.)

If you do all of the things mentioned above, you might even be able to up your chances by getting your name in 3 times! Super easy!

Hello November!

2011-11-02T14:43:00.000-07:00

A new month means new goals! This month I'm am concentrating on

1. Finishing up our master bedroom renovation.
2. Tracking down a slipcover for my ugly green wingback chair.
3. Enjoying the last of the outdoor weather.
4. Narrowing my goals for 2012- possible Etsy shop??
5. Starting this novel.

I'll be looking forward to things slowing down in November. Although it doesn't always get too cold here, it will be nice to hunker down in the house and prep for all of the fall holiday festivities....

Be well friends!

Photo borrowed from here.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T12:55:00.000-07:00

Have a safe holiday everyone!

New Artwork/Dining Room

2011-10-28T05:30:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! Here's yet another before and after in our lovely 60's ranch house...

But before I get to that I want to share a new piece of art in our home. I saw this old French water treatment sign at the Atelier de Campagne's container sale and just loved it. My vision of art doesn't necessarily encompass pieces from art galleries that cost thousands of dollars. Almost anything can be art and I've found myself collecting artwork that portray my love of the sea.

The rusty spots, the grey seahorse...it just totally spoke to me. I envision my house to have a clean beachy vibe and what's more beachy than a sea horse? I went and saw it in person and ultimately walked away. I'm not sure just why I didn't buy it but I figured if I gave it some time, measured the space and if it was still available then it was meant to be. A few days later Mr. P decided to purchase it as a surprise! I was so stoked to go and pick it up. The trip to Soquel was a lovely one and I went to Center Street Antiques to pick out my latest artwork. By the way if you are ever in Soquel, make a stop to this shop, Atelier de Campagne's space is so lovely as are many of the other vendors.

Before?

Just blah, ugly and brown.

Now? Clean and crisp with vintage touches!

I need something for the opposite wall, perhaps some zinc letters spelling something out ala pinterest?

Original sign picture taken from here.

The Bat-Kitty.

2011-10-26T07:33:00.000-07:00

Bebe picked this pattern out. The Mister had to free hand it since the pumpkin was so small. It's a little crooked but everyone is happy about our first carving of the season.

In Other News...

* I recently read this book which was appropriately creepy considering Halloween is around the corner.

* As if we needed another reason to rid our lives of BPA, this story comes out.

* At the end of The Walking Dead I am always scared to go to bed and yet I watch it every. single. time.

Weekend Chili.

2011-10-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

Used this recipe but added chopped peppers. Yum.

We really slowed things down this weekend. It was the first full one that we had nothing planned except to sleep in and carve pumpkins. I think we all just needed to slow down and take things in.

This upcoming week is proving to be a very busy one. 2 birthday parties celebrating 2 wonderful little girls, a costume Bunco party, a family costume party, a Halloween parade and trick or treating to look forward to!

TJ Maxx Finds

2011-10-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pretty things spotted at TJ Maxx during a recent visit.

A cool outdoor butterfly shaped chair.

A large glass cloche.

Have you found anything fun lately?

Friday Five!

2011-10-21T05:15:00.000-07:00

Five things I'm loving now that it feels like fall.

1. White pumpkins from the pumpkin patch.

2. This X Factor rendition of "Baby"

3. Mumford and Sons

4. Homemade Apple Sauce

5. Country Living's article on collecting vintage Nancy Drew books.

Closet Doors

2011-10-18T15:44:00.003-07:00

When we bought this house we had one week before move in to do as much demo as needed. We had a few friends come over and tear our carpet and closet doors. Unfortunately I don’t have a good before of the closet doors but essentially they looked like this.

We looked into getting custom closet doors but lets be honest, at $600 for bi-fold doors it wasn’t exactly cost effective. Mr. P noticed that the tracks were still usable and intact so he decided to go looking around for replaceable sliding closet doors. At Home Depot we found these and the price was just right.

The doors came primed with a white so we added a gloss white to them to make them easier to clean.

We used these sliding door accessories pieces to drill into the ground. The wheels were then drilled into the top of the doors.

After some grunting and shoving, the doors where inserted onto the tracks.

I still need to find door handles for them. Right now I think they add just the finishing touch to the rooms. No more peeking in on messy closets!

Two New Trees Planted!

2011-10-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

The City of San Jose created a Green Vision that included a goal to plant 100,000 trees. In conjunction with Our City Forest, a non profit tree planting and education organization, they track the trees planted by asking resident to register the trees that they have planted.

Two weeks ago we took part and planted two trees. We chose a Japanese Maple for the front yard and a dwarf lime tree for the side yard.

(Those are water spots from the sprinkler.)

We registered our trees and hope that it gets San Jose closer to the goal of 100,000 new trees planted. If you have planted something recently and live in the area, go to Our City Forest to register them.

Signing off,

Your devoted tree hugger Tiffany :)

Snapshot of the Weekend

2011-10-17T05:10:00.000-07:00

1. Antique trunk at an estate sale.
2. Interesting yard antiques
3. Dessert prep
4. Apple Crisp
5. Dessert in a latte bowl.

Breast cancer awareness month!

2011-10-14T08:12:00.000-07:00

I know I’m a bit late on posting this however every year I make it a point to purchase a few items where the funds go to benefit cancer research. Family members can definitely expect to find a few pink items in their stockings whether it be socks, makeup or accessories . Here are a few items I’m keeping an eye on that can be purchased to support Breast Cancer Research.

Alternative Apparel is one of my favorite lounge clothing companies. Their fabrics are eco friendly, luxurious and affordable. This pink tank would be perfect to lounge in or do yoga in. Can be purchased from Alternativeapparel.com

Sephora’s mixed palette. I really like Sephora’s brand makeup, it is quality stuff and affordable. Purchased here.

Pink Hunter rainboots. Seriously, they speak for themselves! Available at Nordstrom.

Anne Klein’s enamel bracelet. I don’t own a ton of pink clothing items but this could dress up a simple black or grey outfit. Purchase here.

In Other News...

This book is hilarious, sarcastic and just perfect.

Halloween decorating has begun. I admit it’s not my favorite holiday but we try to be festive for the bebe. I will share pictures soon!

Recent Vintage Finds

2011-10-10T06:41:00.000-07:00

Last week I took bebe with me to an estate sale here in town. It can be a tricky undertaking and I make sure I bring plenty of snacks and explain to her that she will be carried in the Beco for a visit to the sale. I usually try to do a quick run through and grab items I want but it can be hard to navigate when the sales are especially crowded.

I found some lovely little items and although I only buy what I know I can use to decorate or cook with, my collection is growing to be a little too big. I'm really debating opening an etsy shop but I'm so busy and I hate doing things halfway so when I can truly commit I think I might make the plunge. Anyway here's what I scored at the estate sale.

A small pitcher, cutting board and a few Nancy Drews!

Pretty blue and cream cloth napkins

It's amazing how many people at the open house asked where I got specific items in the house and I was proud to say "Thrifted!" or "Goodwill!"

Weekend Love.

2011-10-09T17:21:00.000-07:00

At this very minute, I love......

1. The friends and family who came and celebrated our open house!

2.

This sweater from Anthropologie. Can't wait to wear it but that won't happen this week because the temps will be in the high 80's.

3.

This book. Simply magical.

4. Mini dessert. Can't get enough.

5. Lazy Sundays.

Fierce Fireplace Redo!

2011-10-03T05:16:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned several times that the house we bought is an early 1960's ranch home. The entire house had gross brown paneling but one of the most offensive aspects was this brown, beige and BLACK fireplace. Also, notice the fireplace grille that is bright brass. The below picture was taken from the selling realtors website.

And here is what a coat of ultra white paint and a can of Rustoleum's silver metallic paint can do!

I added a bit of fall with white pumpkins we got for .79 at Whole Foods. Can you spot the crown and bottle I got from Aetlier de Campagne?

We didn't want to buy another grille so I sprayed this one silver. I like that this one has a bit of a floral motif on the bottom. The new silver color makes it look much more modern.

We are counting down the days until our open house and I'm so glad to have this project taken care of. Thanks husband!!

Participating in...

Apples Here, Apples There

2011-09-30T18:05:00.000-07:00

Looking into my backyard is one way that I know that summer is just about over. The apples are coming littering the ground tell me that fall is knocking on the door. P. picked a big batch which we have been enjoying over the past few days. They are gorgeous and I think they are Gala apples which is one of our favorites to eat.

This house just blows me away. Yes, the yards are a lot of work but I'm loving all of the food that they provide.

Like these delicious apple mini pies....

Love.

2011-09-29T05:23:00.000-07:00

"What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what gets you out of bed in the mornings, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything."

Pedro Arrupe

Kitchen Update and New Lighting!

2011-09-27T12:56:00.001-07:00

So this post and corresponding pictures made a small splash on Pinterest and I wanted to update on the kitchen progress.

A few months ago we decided on cabinet pulls and handles. The set that I originally wanted arrived from an ebay and what you couldn’t tell in the pictures was that the knobs had a yellow tone to them due to the brass screw on the inside. They looked so yellow and just "off" so I ran to Lowes and Target and got the new nickel pulls and clear glass knobs. I really like the way the cabinets with knobs look today!

I’m loving our pull out spice rack.

The original lighting in the kitchen were those basic nickel flush mount pendants; cheap and nothing special.

I really wanted a aqua pendant light from Barnlight Electric but decided that I wanted that money to go to something else in the budget. A few weeks ago I was wandering through Home Depot and checked out the lighting on a whim. Sticking out was this simple nickel barn pendant on sale for $24.99 and thought BINGO, that's perfect!

Don't you think so too?

A New Message Board

2011-09-20T14:14:00.000-07:00

I remember exactly where I found this mirror. The bestie and I went and found a huge estate sale but when we got there it was like a bad version of hoarders. It looked that the people had just emptied someone’s storage facility of horrible little items. I noticed this mirror and for 8 took it home. And it sat…and sat. The mirror was cracked so I knew I wouldn’t be able to salvage that so I had no clue what to do with it.

Then I figured that I was meant to be a chalkboard. So I worked on cleaning it up and then sprayed with Rustoleum’s white plastic spray.

To start with, make sure your surface is really clean, and if you think it’s spotless, clean it again to be sure. I sprayed a plastic shelf last month and a small area bubbled up that either had dust or some sort of particle that got trapped in the paint. Since you can’t sand plastic the whole thing was pretty much ruined.

I sprayed it with even strokes and let it completely dry. Then I sprayed on a clear coat and let that dry also. I got a small piece of particle board cut and sprayed that with chalkboard paint.

And voila! Here is a re-purposed mirror that works awesome as a message center!

Container sale recap!

2011-09-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning I drove to Corralitos to attend the Atelier de Campagne container sale. The morning was a bit chilly and very foggy but I think everyone had high spirits and anticipation for the sale! While waiting in line I spotted Maria From Dreamy Whites right at the front. I had an idea of what I wanted ahead of time and wanted to see certain items in person but really everything flew out the window the minute I walked into the area. Once again the team had done a fantastic job of setting up gorgeous vignettes! I walked around and put red hold tags on the items I wanted and when I whipped out my camera to take pictures the battery was dead. Thank goodness for iPhones!

And here are my lovely purchases....

A vintage apothecary bottle

Two darling foot stools in a striped aqua canvas.

Finally a chippy old rusty bread box!!!! I crowed to Mr. P that I finally got one of the most elusive finds for me and got a blank stare in return.

A crown. They had a large white one that I almost bought until I realized that I had no where to put it.

I exchanged a quick hello with designer Johan but the owners of the event were very busy. There were several other pieces I wanted including some artwork for the dining room. There was a fabulous Rossi tin sign and another one with a huge bottle of wine but of course I forgot the wall measurements. Anyway I will work putting my new finds in their respective places and then take more pics! Check out their website for more info and pictures of their stock.

After that I stopped at a few other vintage shops in Santa Cruz, grabbed a pastry from the Buttery and headed home.

Missoni Madness- Worth It?

2011-09-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

You may have heard about the Target for Missoni craziness that happened yesterday morning. I stopped by my local Target just to see the quality of the items and when I walked in, the scene was sheer madness. I managed to grab a cosmetic tote, head scarf, and a few toddler items. I checked out the shoes which I wasn't into and the rain boots which were really bulky. The home items weren’t that great either because most of them were the hard plastic melamine version. The clothes racks and accessory racks were totally emptied. Oh and the bike that I thought I had to have?? It was $400. Ouch! Later I stopped off at another Target to pick up some toiletries when I saw purchased an eye mask because I could not resist!

So the husband was about to pull the trigger on the bike and while he was in the website (was was down all morning) he ordered the umbrella and striped cardigan for me. Although I wasn’t obsessing about it I’m pretty happy with the items I did get and of course have to give my husband props for refreshing the website over and over to get my order in. I decided not to get the bike but ultimately I’m happy with my tiny haul.

Later in the day the blogosphere went crazy with disappointed buyers who had trouble getting onto the website but had to watch over 6,000 items of Missoni items were uploaded on ebay. I'm pretty sure that some of the women who I saw wanted were going to resell their stuff. People were pushing carts FULL of items it was complete insanity. Target has released a statement saying that the items on the website will not be restocked so keep trying your store since returns and buyers remorse should start to trickle in. They have also noted that they are aware of the reselling on ebay and are looking into how to prevent it in the future.

As for me, I'll be browsing Anthropologie's sale racks instead ;)

Instagr.am Blurb books!

2011-09-12T21:02:00.000-07:00

Instagr.am is an iPhone app that I adore. I've used it a lot this summer mostly because of the times that I've forgotten my camera or needed a quick sly picture. When I saw that Blurb.com is offering a book that is made for instagr.am accounts I started working on one immediately. It should be done soon and I can't wait to share the final product! Has anyone already ordered one? What did you think of the quality?

My name on instagr.am is tiff1523 if anyone wants to add me!

Tackling the Master Bedroom: A Plan

2011-09-08T14:08:00.001-07:00

The master bedroom is the next project that I’m in the midst of tackling. This is what it looked like when before we moved in.

The orange carpet was immediately replaced with beautiful dark wood and the walls were painted Cumulus Cloud by Martha Stewart. I know that we need at least one more smaller dresser to handle all of our clothes and new closet door since the old ones were removed...they were gross.

I thought I’d go with a white chandelier like before but one say I wandered into Z Gallerie and just about fell over at this stunning chandelier. At 249.99 it’s not exactly budget friendly so I’m still on the hunt for something cheaper but equally beautiful.

I want to sew a few throw pillows for the bed, get decent nightstands, some lamps, etc. My goal is to be somewhat finished in the next two weeks. Because the floors and the walls are already done, I think I can polish off everything else in a short amount of time!

Here are some inspiration pics from pinterest!

Getting ready.

2011-09-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

The date for our open house is set!

But before then we need to do several things to finish up some small projects that have languished since we finished the kitchen.

Here is the list that I have approximately one month to finish.

Finish installing kitchen hardware
Install kitchen pendant.
Paint laundry room.
Install Shelves and hooks for laundry room.
Master bedroom light fixture.
Touch up paint in master bedroom.
Window shades for living room.
NEW COUCHES for living room.
Paint and install closet doors
Outdoor seating for side yard.
Get trees trimmed

I'm exhausted just looking at that! But those who know me in real life know that I never back down from a challenge. For now I'll leave you with a lovely new picture from the Shabby Chic blog, what a simply beautiful garden!

Picture of Rachell Ashwell's barn and garden.

From Gold to White.

2011-09-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

Last week on a thrifting excursion I found this beauty.

This lamp was purchased at a thrift store. It's a heavy stiffel and was priced at 9 which I thought was a bargain! Back in the day when I worked for a now defunct furniture store we sold Stiffel lamps that were in the hundreds! I remember setting aside two that had been clearanced out for my mom who bought them for $5 each. They are still in her house and look classic! While I admire the gold it just wasn't going to cut it for my living room.

I used a coat of semi gloss white to the base which should make it easier to clean off if dust collects. The key to painting an item with so many grooves is even strokes back and forth until all the grooves are painted. If you leave it on one spot you are bound to get puddles of paint that wont dry or drips. I really dislike going back to sand and repaint so I took my time with the painting strokes. Afterward I followed up with some clear poly sealer.

I love how it turned out!

This Weekend...

2011-08-30T08:39:00.001-07:00

* We went to the Oakland Zoo. Small but fantastic!
* Ate lunch everyday as a family
* Drank wine with girlfriends
* Had brunch with a lovely group of mommies.
* Thrifted an amazing heavy gold lamp. Can't wait to show the the makeover!

I've been scarce around these parts because we are trying to enjoy every single last minute of summer. Since the Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer, we have alot of low key stuff planned for the next several days and will enjoy a very hot weekend (it should be in the 90's!)

Be well friends!

Photo by Jun Sieda (summer clouds of the Santa Cruz Mountains) via Flickr source

Berries.

2011-08-26T16:55:00.000-07:00

When winter comes I will miss fresh berries out on the counter as a healthy snack!

I got the container from Crate and Barrel which was much more reasonable than Anthropologie's version.

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

Another Lovely Thrift Store Find.

2011-08-17T14:48:00.000-07:00

I ran into the thrift shop last weekend and spotted this beautiful mirror from afar. I raced over and yanked it off the wall only to discover it was hooked on with some metal clamps. I probably looked ridiculous struggling with it but that's what excitement about a pretty piece will do I guess.

Should I go white? soft pink? or a bold yellow or turquoise?

Project Renovate this House: Bebe's Room Reveal!

2011-08-15T15:44:00.000-07:00

Here is the promised tour of the former master now bebe's room. As I mentioned before this room is big but the guest bedroom is so much bigger so we decided to put bebe in here instead. In in our old house we never really prepped a "nursery" for her. I always wanted a space that could easily transition into a big girl room, but keep the whimsical quality of a toddler.

With the large space it's easy to want to totally pack stuff into it but I'm trying to keep the toy number down to a few pieces that she loves to play with. Another issue with this room is the lack of suitable lighting. The huge tangerine tree outside her window shades most of the light, so I've had to manipulate the photo exposure. The huge window lets so much glare in but I wanted to take a picture in the same position as the original was taken in. Once the tree is trimmed we should have much better lighting.

Here is the before.

And here it is now!

I tried not to deviate too much from her old room to make the sleeping transition better. We used a mixture of newer and vintage pieces to create her bedroom. We pulled in a tall Billy bookcase from the office to house her books and odds and ends. The A hooks are both from Anthropologie and they are perfect to hold her towels, necklaces and backpack.

The dresser is a rehab that I showcased here and I love the feminine curves of the legs. The basket is vintage and holds extra books and all her wooden blocks. Her toddler bed was a craigslist find and the Target bedding is something I scored for $7 on clearance!

The chandelier was from our old master bedroom at the townhouse and I thought it would go much better in here.

The table was a goodwill find that I spray painted with chalkboard paint. Her kitchen is a beloved toy and also useful for storing all of her pots, pans and knitted food items.

There is still so much to do, Mr. P wants to paint a piece of art for the large wall by the bed and we need to order the custom closet doors.

What do you think?

Linking up to:

I Need This.

2011-08-12T03:17:00.000-07:00

No, really I do. And the scarves and the luggage.

Missoni for Target Cruiser Bike. Seen Here.

Cali Love.

2011-08-11T07:53:00.000-07:00

I love summer. And California.

Taken on my iPhone via instagram!

Blackberries.

2011-08-08T14:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend:

We picked blackberries
Had a picnic on the beach
Worked on the sanding and sealing the butcher block.
Cleaned out bebe's room (cannot believe she no longer wears 2T)

Mr. P and I also watched Bad Teacher and Super 8. I think we both enjoyed them both.

How was your weekend?

And the Winner Is......

2011-08-06T20:19:00.000-07:00

I used random.org to generate a sequence of numbers from the 37 entries.

The winner is...

#26
Marisa E.!

Please email me at tiffy0380@gmail.com with your address.

Thanks to everyone who participated! It means a lot to me that you follow my blog and provide encouraging comments. I'll have another cool giveaway next month!

And my next project to reveal is....

2011-08-04T11:20:00.000-07:00

This scary room. And why yes that is black carpet in there!

In Other News:
In the market for a new house? Tony Bennet's house is for sale in the Bay Area.

Did you enter my giveaway yet? Only one more full day to go!

August First and a Small Project!

2011-08-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

First day of August! Could it be that summer is almost over? Say it isn't so! This month I'm looking forward to lots of small house projects getting done, the yard finally being finished and more adventures with the family. But first here's a quick project.

A few weeks ago I decided to do some decorating but wanted to add some pops of color into our living room. I dug out some old frames bought at an estate sale last year and painted them a pretty aqua I created out of two parts enamelware by Martha Stewart and one party BM simply white.

I brushed on the color and then 24 later I took some sandpaper to the frames to give the illusion of some wear.

The large frame has no picture but I kinda like the look of an empty frame. I still need to figure out what to do with this corner, but for now I like my small photo gallery.

Just a reminder my Anthropologie giveaway is ending this Friday. Be sure to enter!

Linking up to:

Happy Friday and a Happy Anthropologie Giveaway!

2011-07-29T06:59:00.000-07:00

Here it is, a giveaway from one of my favorite stores! The thing is even if I don't actually buy anything Anthropologie is such an experience when you visit. The smells, the music, the colors, textures, EVERYTHING about it makes me happy. Another thing that makes me happy? These itty bitty latte bowls! Perfect for food prep, snacks, dips and so much more! I picked the neutral color of white and threw in a quirky little cookbook too!

To enter, all you have to do is:
1. Be a follower or subscriber of this blog (be honest please!) to enter to win the goodies, and if so, please leave me a comment telling me you are!
2. Blog, tweet, or facebook about this giveaway and leave separate comments to the links here.

Now, if you do all of the things mentioned above, you might even be able to up your chances by getting your name in 4 times! Super easy!

The giveaway will end at 8pm PST on Friday, August 5th and don't forget to come back Friday to this post as this is where the winner will be announced. Good luck!

Note: Anthropologie did not sponsor this giveaway nor do they have any idea of who I am. The End.

Happy Spots.

2011-07-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

Rachel from Smile and Wave recently posted a photo challenge about the happy spots in her home. The challenge was to take a picture of the places in your home that make you happy.

Here are mine!

Butcher block island with the weekends farmers market haul.

Old comfy leather chair with handmade pillows. I love reading in this spot.

Seeing my books displayed on our built-in.

My comfy and messy bed- where I love to blog.

Bebe's bed. Where we read stories and snuggle.

The Garden. These are the raspberries we just planted.

What are your places?

Summer Tomatoes.

2011-07-19T06:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Mr. P had the day off so we went to see a movie, and lounged around the house just the two of us while bebe was at school. After a weekend trip to the farmers market to cure a craving of bruschetta, we prepared a small batch and ate it for a light lunch.

Amazing!

New Art from Hawaii

2011-07-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

Hawaii may be the capital of tacky souvenirs but I love it just the same. I wanted one piece that I could remember our first trip bringing le bebe to see the islands and while walking around a small shop I spotted this watercolor. Something just drew me in, maybe it was the deep aquas and purples or the mermaid swimming toward the Mokulua Islands. Whatever it is it will go in the office to remind me to treasure beauty and that I was so blessed to be able to share with bebe one of my favorite spots in the world.

Hawaii

2011-07-17T05:27:00.000-07:00

The beach had been calling for a very long time. So this past week Mr. P and I loaded up the bebe on a plane and flew to Hawaii. We were hosted by Ps generous aunt and uncle at the Ko' Olina Marriott Beach Club. The resort was absolutely gorgeous- it had a private lagoon and rooms that were bigger than our condo.

We didn't want to be busy we wanted to lay on the beach, wade into the waves and sample some local hangouts. We did all that and more.

View from our balcony.

Kailua Beach

Turtle Beach

The Growing Keiki....a fabulous shop in Haleiwa.

Guava Juice. We lived off of it.

Vintage Hawaiian tin signs.

Thrifting.

2011-07-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

I decided last minute to participate in Mr. GoodWillHunting's I "<3" Thrifting party last weekend. I had taken a break from thrifting just because I wasn't finding anything good and mostly because when I did, the prices were so ridiculous that it defeated the economical aspect of it.

I stopped off at the American Cancer Society's Discovery Shop which is an thrift shop. The only one in my area is quite small but boy did it have a few treasures.

This was one of 4 velvet wingback chairs. They were in great condition.

An antique child's rocking chair.

This shabby chic painting would look beautiful as is or with a new coat of paint on the frame.

Interesting dining room chairs.

Did you participate??

Finished Side Yard Fence and Deck!

2011-07-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

When we purchased this home, we always knew that we would have to do something with the side yard space that was just simply unused. Bordered by horrible junipers, we had those ripped out the first week we were in the house and then starting sketching a side access and side yard.

Google view of old color and framed out french doors.

Here is the yard with the new french doors installed.

The fence took about a week to finish.

Snapshots of the deck being laid out.

The finished product complete with benches and a large planter! We are working on a landscape plan that includes a tree to give some shade. The deck is in full sun from morning to mid afternoon and it gets brutally hot out there! So far we have had two get togethers eating out on the deck and the benches come in handy for extra seating.

What do you think??

Linking up to:

Now Read This!

2011-07-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

My Name is Memory is about Daniel, a man who is reborn and each times seeks out his "Sophia" the women he fell in love with during his very first life. Each chapter that represents a different life is fascinating! While it is a love story it evolves into a thriller of sorts when his brother, who finds himself able to take over souls, is introduced as a villian and also on the hunt for Sophia.

I read this in two days, it is that good.

I also finally got this in from the Library. My Name is Mary Sutter is a historical fiction novel about a woman whose determination to be a surgeron brings her right in the middle of the American Civil War. It's sometimes tough to read but overally such an infuriating and adventerous story that every women who faced some sort of sexism can relate to.

Do you have any recommendations of books that I should read?

I hope everyone has a lovely 4th of July weekend. I'll be back finally with the side yard deck and fence reveal!

'Feed' Your Soul Sunday.....

2011-06-26T14:17:00.000-07:00

Our garden is a work in progress at this new home but I wanted to take this Sunday to be greatful of what our little orchard provides.

Pink hydrangeas!

Beautiful green budding apples.

Ripe oranges that taste wonderful. They are quite the climb to get but oh so delicious.

Budding figs...

Thank you Ginger J for all the lemons. I'll be making scones and more importantly lemon bars!

Indeed this house feeds my soul in all ways possible. I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

A Baby Shower.

2011-06-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago crafty girlfriends and I wanted to throw a shower for our lovely friend. We challenged ourselves to come up with a whimsy theme and only use the items that we already had in our possession.

We came up with vintage book theme and hosted at a friends house. The weather didn't quite cooperate so we had to move everything inside but I think the pictures show just how much love went in to putting this together.

Vintage milkglass held flowers from the garden.

Vintage and new books from my collection.

Martha puffs!

Cupcakes, salad, tea sandwiches and every type of tea you can think of!

We all brought our favorite books to gift to the baby girl.

Thanks C and A for the photos!

Deck Progress!

2011-06-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

One again my husband just blows me away. You see, we needed a transition from the new French doors to the newly enclosed side yard and figured we’d do some basic steps off of the doors. But then we saw inspiration pics and thought wow, a beautiful redwood deck would be awesome there.

This is one of the inspiration pictures we have used. We wanted to incorporate planters in the design to add some color to the yard.

The last week or so we’ve had rainy weather, but Mr. P had been studying hard on how to make a floating deck. He started with making a rough mockup on a basic deck designer. Here's P's mockup....

Here are some progress pictures!

Deck framed

Ready for boards to go on top!

Stay tuned for final fence, deck and garden photos and have a fantastic weekend!

1

More Vintage Finds!

2011-06-06T15:21:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!

I wanted to share a few new vintage finds that I've been meaning to post about.
One awesome thing about our historic community is that there are tons of estate and garage sales every single weekend. Estate sales are interesting in this area in that many are run by companies but more often than not you have the children of the owner simply trying to clean out the house. Those sales are my favorite because you are much more likely to find really cool pieces that are affordable.

I'm always on the hunt for specific items sometimes for friends or for myself. Wood crates are one of these items that I'm always willing to buy.

I found this gorgeous box for $5. I love that it's a nod to my county which used to be the canning and orchard capital of the west.

I also found these two lovely bottles for $3. I have a small but strong aqua bottle collection going. I'll be sure to photograph it soon.

Linking up to:

Before and After.....Exterior Paint is Finished!

2011-06-02T17:24:00.001-07:00

It's June already! Here in the Bay Area we are experiencing some cold rainy weather and it doesn't seem like summer is coming any time soon.

Not to be deterred, we took advantage of some brief dry weather and finished the exterior of the house!

Here is the before....bright sunshine yellow....so not our choice.

Here is the after......soft grey, high gloss white for the trim.....

During....

Here is the final product including the painted brick and black door.

Yes, we decided to go with black! We replaced the brass hardware with satin nickle and I think it looks so much better. More modern and more us. You can also see the spider lamp we installed over the door and take a peek at the almost finished fence!

Thanks to P's brother Adam for doing an amazing job!

Let me know what you think!

A Thank You and Some New Artwork!

2011-05-31T18:22:00.000-07:00

I want to say hi to my new readers and thank you so much for stopping by! Over the holiday weekend I logged in and saw that Kate at Centsational Girl had chosen my kitchen renovation to include in her BOTB weekly post. I’m so grateful for that and I’m happy that the kitchen is bringing inspiration to others. I will work on taking pictures of some of the kitchen details and update the post but in the meantime, if you have any specific questions about the kitchen, surviving a remodel, etc please leave a comment and I will promise to answer it as soon as I can.

The weekend bebe and I were feeling a bit under the weather so we stayed close to home while P and my dad made some good progress on the fence. We chose a basic redwood design and it’s almost done. We also had my brother in law finish off the front door and some of the trim on the house. The front brick on the house got a makeover also so I will share that in a separate post.

I did some thrifting this weekend and found a few goodies but my real purchase was another piece of artwork!

About two weeks ago I spotted this painting at the St. Vincent de Paul and couldn’t decide whether or not to get it. I thought about it for awhile, went back for a second study and then on a whim picked it up when I happened to be in the area. I love it the more I stare at it, my favorite aspect being the two fishermen on the boat. P's father worked on a boat for years and I wanted to bring in something that signifies his past.

I hope everyone had a nice weekend!

More Yardwork.

2011-05-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all the lovely comments on the kitchen! We are so grateful that other people see our vision for a calming kitchen.

We’ve already started the next project here at project renovate this house. Wood, wood and more wood.

In an effort to get this house ready for bebe’s birthday celebrations the side yard fence has been been framed out. The side yard was quite large and just this mass of unused space bordered by yucky junipers. The French doors will eventually open out to a small deck and a grassy area for bebe to play that is completely separate from the other backyard which houses the “orchard” and will be mostly garden space.

Here are the posts..

I'll update later when the fence is finished which should be by this weekend!

In Other News...
* Just finished this and this. I though both were quite entertaining, The Provence Cure being more somber of the two.

The Kitchen Reveal!

2011-05-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

Let's look at the before shall we?

So we had a huge task ahead of ourselves. P and his friends did the demo and our contractor Foster Construction worked for three straight weeks to get us up and running in the kitchen.

Here's the beautiful after!

I decided to go with white cabinets to brighten up the space. I love the clean lines of the cabinets and a clean color just made more sense to modernize this house. We were quoted about 10K at several places that provided laminate cabinets. Our contractor recommended a great place so we decided to go ahead with cabinets that were wood and cost HALF the price of everywhere else!

The backsplash was a splurge since we love the Ann Sacks colors but since we didn't have Ann Sacks money we found a beautiful color from Lowe's! The countertops are quartz in the color "vanilla dream."

The farmhouse sink and chrome faucet were a must. The butcher block was delivered from Costa Mesa (thanks Jason!!) and will eventually be sealed with Waterlox.

Wine fridge was a must. Love that it sits in the island which is ALL storage space.

I'll post some updated pics once the hardware and new lighting are installed.

So we survived, we didn't kill each other and if the rapture comes tomorrow at least I will die in a beautiful kitchen. I have to admit, I LOVE THIS SPACE!!

Sources:
Kitchen color is Simply White by Benjamin Moore
Tile, trim from Lowes.
Appliances from Sears.
Wine fridge from Winecoolerdirect.com
Faucet from Amazon.com
Farmhouse sink from CSN.com
Butcher block from Ikea.
Flooring "Roccoco Oak" from simplefloors.com
Canisters, milk glass and jars are vintage.
Vase is from Anthropologie

Linking up to:
Romantic Home's Show and Tell Fridays

Bead Board and The Power of Paint!

2011-05-16T15:42:00.000-07:00

The weather has been cold and rainy the last few days but our home renovations are still going strong. The kitchen is just about finished, we have inspections later this week. I'm aiming for a kitchen reveal next Monday!

Today I wanted to share the power of paint. There was old pine bead board and a built in located just left of the dining nook. It was old, stained and definitely dated the kitchen. So we attacked the space with paint over the weekend and now it looks fresh and clean.

BEFORE

AFTER!

Here are the steps to painting pine bead board.

1. First wipe it down with a mild soap and allow it to dry throughout.

2. Paint with a stain blocker primer. I used Zinssers and rolled three coats on.

3. Next, don't freak out if the primer starts to turn yellow.

4. Sand down any drips or paint brush streaks.

5. Apply two coats of paint.

Since we are going to be using this built in for a variety of things I am going to seal the shelves with some poly.

I think it looks 100% better! Stay tuned for some more before and afters!

New Blinds!

2011-05-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Here is a before picture of one of the rooms in the house. Several things I want you to take note of- the orange carpet, the beige verticle blinds. This room was huge, too big for bebe so we took the room even though there is no connecting bathroom.

Here is a closer look at the old blinds. Ick.

We replaced the verticle with some slat blinds that look much better in the room. It's also a sneak peek at the new wall color, Cumulus Cloud by Martha Stewart.

New Jeans

2011-05-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

Scored these Paige Roxley jean trousers for $49.95 at Anthropologie last week. Wide leg jeans making a comeback? I approve.

Farmer's Market Goodies

2011-05-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T21:47:00.000-07:00

I had a quiet laid back day today and it was so nice to NOT think about house stuff. I woke up around 7:45, which really was late for me, and took a run around my beautiful new neighborhood. Then I came home and soaked in the tub with some Epsom Salts while P made breakfast. We had my favorite, french toast and turkey sausage. Perfect!

I spent the day doing things I adore, like thrifting, walking around the farmers market, enjoying a large Peet's tea. We ended the day watching the Sharks game with tons of snacks. Although they lost it was nice to break in the kitchen with a big spread.

White Gerber Daisies.
(I'm loving the window overlooking my sink.)

Fresh Basil Plant

Thrifty Finds…the anchor hocking jar with the silver lid is easily $20 brand new. I got it for a steal at $2. It will hold oxyclean in the laundry room. The other jar will hold various teas in the kitchen.

BOOKISH: Julie & Julia

2011-05-07T05:45:00.000-07:00

Interrupting your regular home renovations discussion to report....that I just finished this book!

Yes, Yes I know I am late to the party but I popped in the audio version of this novel and I really enjoyed it whilst driving is jacked traffic. The descriptions of the butter laden dishes and Julie Powell's foul mouth make it a must read. I also really enjoyed the movie which really has nothing to do with the book but who really cares.

Next up…

I also joined my Mama and Sis at a movie today. We caught Water For Elephants which was so so damn good. The cinematography was amazing….I guess now I need to read the book!

Have you read anything great lately that I should check out??

Have a good weekend!

The House Gets a New Skin....

2011-05-06T21:41:00.000-07:00

While the inside of the house is being worked on, the outside is also getting a remodel. We had several large, ugly junipers cactus palms growing on the perimitter of the house. We had our friend and landscaper Sloan rip them out. There was so many disgusting things in the bushes including tons of cans and beer bottles from how long ago. There was enough to fill a while trash can which is sad but at least we were able to recycle a lot of it.

Here's a small picture of the original color and landscaping. Do you see the unruly junipers at the bottom of the picture?

Here's a picture of the majority of the junipers ripped out.

P's brother is a union painter who offered to paint our house and so the work started today.

Gone was the atrocious yellow color, a color picked by the old realtor who thought it would be more welcoming than the original white. We chose a cool and calming grey….and I love the look. The trim still needs to be finished and we are trying to decide on whether to paint the door black or navy. But right now, at this moment I'm really loving the new skin on the house. Little by little this is feeling like OUR house and that is amazing….

In which I Discuss Laundry Rooms, Beige and my Kick Ass Husband.

2011-05-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

The laundry closet in the old house was SMALL so we gained a full room with this house. Before it was a yucky linoleum mess. We needed new flooring and found out that anything special ordered would take forever to get. So P. hightailed it over to some hardware stores and picked out the least offensive color that was in stock.

Our conversation went like this….
“What is that?”
“The new laundry room floors.”
“Um I’m going for the French country farmhouse look and that is NOT French Country!”
“I know but it was either this or beige.”
“It looks Tuscan-ish”
“That’s the name of the color babe”
“(*&$(*&%*(!!!!”

I HATE beige. The pictures make the flooring look beige but it’s more of a creamy grey if that makes sense. I didn’t want any sort of brown or beige in this house. So between Tuscan Sunrise or whatever the hell that flooring is called, I will take it over Beige. We had a good laugh over this….

HOWEVER I shouldn't imply (in all efforts to keep it real yall) that this hasn’t been stressful. It has. Trying to keep a toddler out of a construction zone when all she wants to do is touch the stuff that tempts her has been hard. Constantly having the door open, a full trash bin and boxes everywhere has been hard. But we are getting to the end soon and I’m proud that once again we have set our minds to do something and it’s getting done.

Which reminds me, I need to give proper props to my husband. I knew he was a keeper back when we were 18 and 19 struggling to have money for groceries and keeping the lights on. We would have rather got into credit card debt (which we did) rather than beg either of our parents for money. So P. worked long crappy jobs even taking a second job as a night guard before finding a good paying job at a game company just to allow us to afford our crappy apartment. He even gave up a potentially tough but rewarding job in the Navy after scoring high scores on their entrance exam just because I was terrified of missing him. Basically he would do whatever needs to be done to keep us together and happy. So when this house renovation came up I knew I could count on him to take care of some things. And he has. He did a great job on the floors even stressed out and sick. He deftly handles our contractors, our renter and any other miscellaneous “emergencies.” Basically he kicks ass. So if you see him in person give him a high five or a virtual one on FB. Which will really embarrass him but that’s what wives and friends are for right??

Living Room Floors...

2011-05-01T05:50:00.000-07:00

P. finished the living room floors last week. Combined with the newly framed french doors, I think I'm going to enjoy this room! Although this picture was taken around 6pm, the room is completely drenched in sunlight for the majority of the day.

Kitchen Remodel Design Board

2011-04-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

Just checking in to say that we are surviving remodeling insanity and that here's the design board reveal. I'm still deciding on the lighting, but the quartz countertops will be installed next week so by Wednesday we should have a fully functioning kitchen! Not bad considering that it was gutted less than two weeks ago.

Be well friends!

this bliss life

Before and After: Mahogany Cabinet

Finally, Friday!

Thrifted.

Weekend Recap: Superbowl Sunday Style

Weekend Recap: Sonoma Style

Thursday Inspiration

Eat In Month Check In.

Thursday Inspiration

Hello, I Love You.

Thursday Inspiration

50 THINGS CHALLENGE!

Friday!!

Home Goals for 2012

A Secret Santa Gift!

So very true.

January Photo a Day!

Flea Market Sunday

More for 2012.

It's Almost 2012!!

Post Holiday Thoughts....

Favorite Projects of 2011

Friday, Friday!

Gifting.

Christmas Prep finally begins!

Holiday Bucket List

Christmas Bags

It's Friday! (And December)

Snapshots from a Weekend

Tiffany and Co 2011 Holiday

Thanksgiving Road Trip

And the Winner Is......

Woot, Friday!!

Almost free.

Friday!

A Pretty "New" Mirror!

Snapshots from a Weekend.

Warm Apples.

Be Brave.

A Blissful & Sparkly Giveaway!!

Hello November!

Happy Halloween!

New Artwork/Dining Room

The Bat-Kitty.

Weekend Chili.

TJ Maxx Finds

Friday Five!

Closet Doors

Two New Trees Planted!

Snapshot of the Weekend

Breast cancer awareness month!

Recent Vintage Finds

Weekend Love.

Fierce Fireplace Redo!

Apples Here, Apples There

Love.

Kitchen Update and New Lighting!

A New Message Board

Container sale recap!

Missoni Madness- Worth It?

Instagr.am Blurb books!

Tackling the Master Bedroom: A Plan

Getting ready.

From Gold to White.

This Weekend...

Berries.

Another Lovely Thrift Store Find.

Project Renovate this House: Bebe's Room Reveal!

I Need This.

Cali Love.

Blackberries.

And the Winner Is......

And my next project to reveal is....

More Reads!

August First and a Small Project!

Happy Friday and a Happy Anthropologie Giveaway!

Happy Spots.

Summer Tomatoes.

New Art from Hawaii

Hawaii