After a long silence

Well hello abandoned blog and two readers. Some photos to catch you up. Banjo is big:

Our Thanksgiving table:

The Craigslist chair I bought ages ago - with restained legs (never trying that again by myself!) and new upholstery (goodbye weird pineapples).

Our den at Christmas:

Our new painting by Abby Kasonik (Untitled Time Out #5):

Having a baby- he's due in March. Who knows when (or if) I'll post again! xoxo

Fishs Eddy

Been up to my elbows in soap suds this afternoon as I was trying to remove the oiled finish on our teak dining table outdoors. Between refinishing the legs of my Craigslist chair and this table, I've had enough with stains for one year thank-you-very-much. I keep promising photos, but until I post them, go to Fishs Eddy and browse. I'm picking up the Carnival umbrella for myself and some other gifts for friends.

Aren't these "Nursery Glasses" cute?

monday monday

The other day my wonderful husband said (out of the blue) that he wanted me to buy a loveseat for our living room. In eight to ten weeks this will be delivered:

Also an update of the garden coming soon. Sweet peas and cabbage have all come out and more tomatoes went in.

Out with the old

My maidenhair fern couldn't hack it in my urns, so I switched them out today. Also put up these tiny bud vases for some summer color.

As you can see above, my failing rose is completely revived. I came back from a trip out of town to these colorful blooms. Unfortunately, my other roses aren't doing well at all. One has lifeless flowers and the other can't seem to make new growth. Suggestions?

I have a problem---

Dishes. I think I need more shelving.

More from Filoli

Filoli

I have been meaning to visit Filoli for the past few years and finally made my way over this morning. I took far too many pictures to post, but here a couple to tide you over until you can make your own visit to this gorgeous estate.

The back entrance:

Could you imagine having to service all these rooms?

The walk-in silver closet/safe:

The ballroom's fireplace:

A view of a downstairs bathroom. I am in love with the wallpaper:

(Blogger and I are still at odds over justification and spacing. Apologies for the aesthetic incongruities)

New Chair

Some very good friends just gave us a check for our wedding, and I used it to buy the chair below off of Craigslist (thank God for Craigslist).

Today I stripped the horrible faux job off of the feet - which you can't see in these photos - and will restain the legs with a dark finish. Once that's complete, the upholsterer will pick up the chair and cover it in a nice cream fabric. (I didn't even consider recovering it myself. Been down that road before...) After pictures to come!

Product Endorsement

I can't remember which blog first boasted about the benefits of using TWIST Sponges, but I'm sure glad I came across the article. I've been using plain ole' yellow and green scrubby sponges for years now and always think its odd that they give off the yellow dye. What are they made from anyway? And why do they need to be dyed neon colors? Well, there's a new eco-friendly solution: Twist Sponges. 100% biodegradable, no dyes, no plastic packaging. Hooray. I picked some up today and so far they seem more durable and work just as well (the scrubby part is actually better than the old sponges). I also picked up some of their rags which work in place of paper towels. Hooray for Twist!

Today's Finds

A box to replace my husband's shoe boxes:

This helped satisfy my new obsession with antique frames:

A chamber pot as a silverware holder?

Have two of urns and will pot some large ferns this week.

A small wooden mirror:

Hooray for

My new shelves installed and painted by two wonderful friends in exchange for dinner and strawberry rhubarb pie:

This book:

This piece of inspiration (from Design*Sponge):

And for:

- thriving roses

- blooming poppies and bulbs

- new drip irrigation system

- behaving puppy

Ordered.

After sitting and resitting on couches today, I decided on the Montego from Crate and Barrel. Delivery in 6-8 weeks. Oh boy!

Another Option!

Tomorrow is couch testing day. Found this slipcovered option by Mitchell Gold and am deciding between it and the Pottery Barn couch. Opinions welcome (about the style not the color)

Updates

August 2009:

March 2010:By this August, maybe my tiny plants will have become big plants.
And our tiny dog will have become a big dog.

Shopping for Seating

Future purchases:

Colefax Arm Chair from Ballard Designs

Pottery Barn Comfort Sofa

Still in search of a bedframe....

Moss Love

I've noticed many articles recently about "painting" moss. It is an interesting idea and certainly the results can be beautiful but does it do damage? To rooftops? Fencing? I might the technique on some stone steps, but doubt it will take due to our hot, dry summers. But then again, I have been finding a lot of moss in my walks around the neighborhood... so we'll see.

Not moss, but nice inspiration:

These people are considering a green roof on top of this amazing building (a shipping container repurposed into an office):

(all photos nabbed from various web sources that I have since forgotten)