My Home Office: Before and After

I’ve never had a problem with brown.  I love brown, especially chocolate brown.  I think it looks amazing when paired with crisp white or warm cream and a really hot color.  But I was totally over brown in my home office.  Everything in there was brown, the walls, the furniture, the curtains.  Blah blah blah…

Jingle Bells Christmas Card Display

We love to send them, we love to receive them.  Christmas cards are just one of those holiday rituals that some dread, some cherish, yet we all must decide how to display them every year.  Years ago, I used to apply some double sided tape on the back of the cards I received and I…

An Ornament Party

For me, there is no such thing as too many ornaments during the holidays, especially ones that are handmade, heartfelt, or historic in one’s family.  I just love to deck the halls at Christmastime and having plenty of ornaments on hand is the key to a fa-la-la fabulous season.  My girls and I had a…

Antiques & Eddie

The very best place to shop for antiques in the Bay Area is the monthly Alameda Point Antiques and Collectibles Fair at the former Naval Station in Alameda, California.  This place is a zoo!  Hundreds of vendors and thousands of customers frequent this event and for good reason:  the selections are incredible.  Regulations are strict…

The Final Hurdle

Months ago, I chanced upon some bookcases at the local Villeroy and Boch that was closing its doors.  When I found out the outlet store was selling their displays for $20 dollars each, I was inspired to remodel my blah blah brown home office.  Perhaps you recall the twin glass shelf towers that I transformed…

Tools for a Cool Yule

One observant reader wrote to me the other day reminding me that I never followed up on my first article about my DIY supply closet.  Now that it’s December, it seems time to talk about my favorite tools that I’ve used over the past few years.  I’m also including my wish list for 2010, especially…

Guest Blogger Roundup: Christmas Decor

Happy Friday friends.  I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!  I’m finishing up some holiday décor around my house, and will be giving a tour very soon.  I am also putting the final finishing touches on my new office space in anticipation of the big reveal – I just can’t wait to show you…

DIY Party Crackers

Ladies and gents, this next guest post is brought to you in anticipation of setting your holiday table.  Want to make your guests feel extra special ?  This is a wonderful way to welcome them with a small but thoughtful treat.  It is also a way to introduce a new tradition into your circle.  This…

A Sequined Tree, by Lindsay

Happy Monday friends!  I’m so happy to bring you one amazingly beautiful DIY project from my great friend Lindsay over at Living with Lindsay.  Lindsay is one of those inventive gals that I admire so much because if nobody’s done it, well she’ll figure out how, and then teach you.  When she showed us how…

Detour Ahead

Ever have one of those days/weeks/months where you just get nothing done ?  My list of projects to finish this week was a mile long, but I barely made a dent in it.  There were cabinets to paint, stockings to sew, emails to return, laundry to finish, a household to run, and children to take…

Thanksgiving Tabletop Flourish

With so many great submissions, we’re kicking off Guest Blogger Week early!  Today, I’m featuring a new and talented blogger named Janel Kaden Doran and her blog Dinks. Janel shows us how she crafts some extra special touches during the season for her Thanksgiving table, and not a moment too soon since the big day…

Manzanita Advent Tree

A few weeks ago, I posted a blurb about Advent calendars.  They were on my mind this year because it is one tradition I’ve been saving until I had children of my own that were old enough to get it.  Sort of like how I’ve never read the Harry Potter series because I’m saving them…

Stripping Down

I heart strippers.  No not those kind.  I knew your mind would go there.  No, I like the kind of strippers that take layers of paint off an old piece of furniture. Last week, I was working on a dresser and nightstand combo for my brother’s bachelor pad.  I found this set at the local…

Branching Out

Watching the leaves fall from the trees reminds me of how much I am drawn to branches used in decor.  I found some interesting accessories online, and also some out-of-the-box uses for branches.  First, here are some dynamic images that inspire me these days.  Image: Wedding Bee