Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Melamine Dinnerware

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Melamine...it's not fine china that's for sure but it can look really good!  I really love my melamine shell bowls pictured above!  If you need some melamine dinnerware for all those upcoming summer BBQs check out my product review page for yet another great giveaway!  I just love it when companies want to give you things!!!

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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

My Friend's Garden

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Aren't these foxgloves gorgeous? This is a photo of my friend Claudia's garden.  I recently gave her lots of products to use in her garden...you'll have to pop over to my product review page to see. I'm also going to give one of you the same product....just click here!
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Monday, June 28, 2010

Blueberry Peach Cobbler

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Saturday night one of my supper clubs I belong to got together for summer themed dinner.  I made a Blueberry Peach Cobbler from the current issue of Cooking Light magazine! It was recommended by one of my blog readers, Karen, who I've actually met in person a few times while I've been out and about shopping!  This cobbler was really good and they have the recipe printed on their website. Click here to see it. Thank you Karen for the recommendation!
At our dinner, my friend Andrea told me that she just bought a new house and she had just met the previous owner and they were talking about decorating and she (the previous owner) told her about a blog she reads....It was MY blog! What a small world!  Andrea told her she was in a supper club with me and come to find out...I had actually met the previous owner once at the Sacramento Antique Faire!  What  a small world!  It probably wouldn't be so weird if we lived in a small town but this is the San Francisco Bay Area with millions of people! I'm still shocked!

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Sunday, June 27, 2010

Vote for Debbie!

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Fellow blogger, Debbie of Debbiedoos, submitted a video for Oprah's search for the next TV Star!  Check out her audition video and if you like what you see, VOTE FOR DEBBIE!  Click here to go see it!
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Thursday, June 24, 2010

Show and Tell Friday

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This week for Show and Tell I'm sharing all the different ways I've decorated with shells. I have some shells I collected from the beach but most of these I've bought here and there over the years. There's not a lot of shells to be found on the beaches by apartment but when I went to Martha's Vineyard on vacation in 2006, I was amazed at how many there were!  I brought a big plastic Ziploc bag full of them home with me!
I love the combination of shells, moss and eggs...very earthy!
I think I bought this big conch a thrift store! My memory is so bad!




I made this seashell wreath awhile back...

Seashells and pearls, another good combination...



I even decorate with shells during the holidays...

You may remember my giant seashell cupcake! Don't worry the sand and shells are all edible!

and my chocolate cupcakes with chocolate shells. I did a tutorial on How to Make Fondant Shells because so many people asked how I made them.  They are so easy to make!
If you are joining in on Show and Tell Friday, please remember that your Show and Tell needs to be something from your home or garden. Please read the Show and Tell Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to participate.If you would like to join in, please enter your name and leave your exact Show and Tell blog post link, not just your blog link and as a common courtesy link back to my blog. If your link has been removed, please re-read over the guidelines before re-posting, or e-mail me with any questions.Thank you! I look forward to seeing everyone's posts...it may take me awhile to get around to visit everyone since I work full time but I'll do my best to get to your blog as soon as I can!

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Wednesday, June 23, 2010

My Blue China Cabinet

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 One of the questions I get asked the most is what color I used on my blue china cabinet so I've decided to do another post on it since it was way back in 2008 when I painted it. 

I had originally painted this white but wasn't happy with it so I got brave and decided to try blue. I knew if I didn't like it I could repaint it white again!

For the first step I used Behr Interior House Paint in flat latex and the color was called "French Gray".
Then I just used some acrylic craft paint I had on hand.  It was Plaid Folk Art (from Michaels) and the color was "French Blue".  I diluted it with a little water and brushed that over (working in small areas) and wiped it off. When that was dry, I diluted brown acrylic craft paint with a touch of black(also acrylic craft paint) with water and brushed that on and wiped it off (again just working in small areas.) I don't remember the exact color of brown I used but it was just an average chocolate brown color.   It's amazing to see how it transforms from a flat gray to a color with so much depth.




 Below is how the cabinet looked when I purchased at a thrift store for $49.99. The appliques were about $50 and the paint was about $12. I had some extra glass knobs. Total cost was a little more than $100!!! What a deal!

and this is how it looked painted white....
I'm so happy I decided to paint it blue! I think it looks so much better now!

 Later I took the heavy grid mesh out of the doors and replaced it with chicken wire and I also added some toile fabric which I just wrapped around some core board and pushed against the back of the cabinet. 
The toile fabric made a huge difference!

I also have a link to my technique for painting furniture on my side bar. Just click on the button that says "How to Paint Furniture" and it will take you to my step by step instructions!
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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Nothing to do with decorating but so cool!

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I spotted this car outside of my office yesterday and I just had to go outside to get a better look!  I have a thing for cars...in case you haven't noticed! haha!  The owner of this car drove it here to show his son at work.  He was so nice and told me to go ahead and sit in it! OMG...Wow, unbelievable! 
This car cost more that my first house, and every car I've ever owned...combined!  It was so beautiful though!  It's a 2011 Mercedes Gullwing.
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Monday, June 21, 2010

Summer Whites

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Summer Whites, originally uploaded by Romantic Home.
Happy first day of summer my dear friends!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Happy Father's Day!

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(Click on photo to enlarge)

Happy Father's Day to two of the best fathers I know, my dad and my brother!  

The photo above was taken by my brother last summer at "Woodies on the Wharf" car show in Santa Cruz.  For any of you out there in Northern California it will be held again next Saturday! It's held on the Santa Cruz Wharf and that's the Santa Cruz Boardwalk in the background!  
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Thursday, June 17, 2010

Show and Tell Friday!

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It's time for Show and Tell Friday once again!  This week I'm sharing a new project.  My wonderful dad did the hard part of this project, he built it. I just need to sand it and paint it and I hope to get that done this weekend! 

It's a bed crown which will be hung on the wall over my bed close to the ceiling.  It will have long fabric panels attached inside and draped to the sides.
I'm planning on painting it a creamy white (to match my bed)
with some blue accents.  I haven't decided yet if I'm going to keep the finial at the top or remove it so I can hang it closer to the ceiling.  I'm planning on using sheer white fabric to hang from the inside and drape to each side of the bed posts. I'll include some photos of my room (which still isn't finished) in this post, just so you can get an idea of how it will look.
You can see where it will be hung in the photo below...


If you are joining in on Show and Tell Friday, please remember that your Show and Tell needs to be something from your home or garden. Please read the Show and Tell Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to participate.If you would like to join in, please enter your name and leave your exact Show and Tell blog post link, not just your blog link and as a common courtesy link back to my blog. If your link has been removed, please re-read over the guidelines before re-posting, or e-mail me with any questions.Thank you! I look forward to seeing everyone's posts...it may take me awhile to get around to visit everyone since I work full time but I'll do my best to get to your blog as soon as I can!
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A Garden Bouquet

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A little garden bouquet...

looks so much prettier in a silver pitcher.


 I mentioned a few days ago that I got a huge crack in my windshield of my Jaguar that I've only had for about a month.  Thankfully, Janet from Housepeepers left a comment about having windshield replacement coverage on her car insurance so I called my insurance company and I was thrilled to find out that I also have it and it's only a $100 detectable!  The windshield would have cost me over $800 to replace! The good thing is that it doesn't add extra points or change anything else on my insurance by taking this claim! whew! Thank you Janet!

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