A girl has to stay dry & fashionable, Joules..

Woke up this morning to the pitter patter of rain.....

Yippee...Finally!!!

Here in SoCaL we need this rain desperately.

 Hope it continues all weekend!

Our Lemon grove is going to be so happy!

I have been cutting back everything, fertilizing in anticipation the rain was coming...

A huge stack of wood & pine cones to start the fireplaces, staying cozy!

Under the tree at Christmas were my Joules...

I have been waiting all winter for rain to wear them!

They shipped to me right from England. 

A girl has to stay dry

 & 

fashionable!

A shout out & congrats to my youngest son....

 who tried out for the H.S. freshman baseball team...

after 3 days of tryouts...

It was announced after the cuts of more than half, he made the final roster of 15!

He is a pitcher.

We are so proud of him and all the boys... we hope they have a winning season.

{my tummy was in knots lots of talent it is very competitive at his H.S}

He said he can't wait to play practice in the rain today!

A beautiful day to you!

xo,

me

The working kitchen

Morning Darlin's!

There is nothing cozier than a working kitchen. 

A highly organized space where passion and creativity meet, preparing delicious meals.

More than a kitchen, it's a labor of love...

Personally reflecting the style of it's chefs.

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With open shelves everything is easily found at a glance. Almost appears pantry-ish.

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The library ladder gives easy access to the upper shelves.

 Importantly, keeps everything in reach.

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Love this small scale kitchen, infused with vintage charm.

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Vintage simplicity & function is a beautiful working kitchen.

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Open shelves are practically a necessity... Notice, you rarely see closed upper cabinets.

Love this island!

This is my temporary makeshift kitchen open shelving...in the middle of our renovation

Just painted, see yesterday post...

You can see the gutted ceiling exposed & drywall hanging!

Open, organized & well stocked with everyday items are the essential elements of a working kitchen!

My Design tip: Adding vintage dish ware & unique items to your working kitchen,  inspire a cozy space filled with culinary creativiity.

Hop over to SECOND SHOUT OUT BLOG for my "Saturday's Designing with Vintage" series,

& shop my vintage collection at SECOND SHOUT OUT.

A beautiful weekend  to you...

xo,

me

Chalk paint test...

Morning Darlin's!

I have been anticipating doing the finish on all the new custom interior doors for the renovation.

I bought Anne Sloan's chalk paint on a trip to Scottsdale, I haven't had anything to practice on...

I have been sampling some paint sticks to come up with a process for my doors.

Just so happens...

 I cleared everything from my open kitchen shelves, 

they get a fine layer of drywall dust etc. with the construction.

 & 

thought hmmm...

before I put back everything,

I'm going to paint them! 

I will experiment with my new Anne Sloan chalk paint.

Importantly, to see what it was like to work with before I attempt touching my custom doors.

Here is a sneak peak..

L*O*V*E them...

I will share the B & A next time...

A beautiful Thursday to you...

xo,

me

Wanted: I need a new source for a fabulous wood worker, door maker? In Southern California. Please send me a private email! 

THX

Chic Brick

Morning...

Let's talk a little brick?

{not the slap on the wall veneer}

When there is brick or stone in a space think about this, does it feel instantly cozy?

Perhaps, it connects us to the warmth associated with fireplaces.

Brick laying is an art.

{True story... our old beach house had a lot of brick pathways. I took it all up because I didn't like the  pattern! I just had a new baby so in my spare time...I changed the brick! I loved it, importantly I learned to appreciate it was hard work & was an art.}

There are so many beautiful patterns that can create a one of a kind story.

 Old worn brick has history and character.

Using reclaimed brick or stone is the perfect way to add some history and vintage aesthetic to any project.

In SoCal it's rare to see homes built with brick. 

Real brick or stone is always integrated into my design projects.

These pretty images sum it up!!!

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 OLD world gorgeous & stylish.

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Gallery appeal for showcasing art and beautiful objects.

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Industrial chic, yet cozy.

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Aged lime washed beams & white washed brick.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this combo....

Can wait to get to this part in my project!

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Hearth & Home feeling..

L*O*V*E

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If you have old brick in your house already, expose it...

Pretty things take time and patience.

Yes it takes a lot of work, 

please... don't get lazy & paint it...

My opinion, it takes charming to a cold hospital feel...

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Let the natural, aged appearance become the beautiful art it is....

My Design tip: Brick & stone offers an aged presence. Finding it in a home already is a treasure.

Try cleaning it and appreciate the time that was taken to lay each brick one by one.

Hop over to SECOND SHOUT OUT blog for my Saturday's Designing with vintage.

& Shop some new pieces I just added to my store!

They also have gorgeous reclaimed materials....stone, beams, flooring etc.

A beautiful continued Valentine weekend to you,

xo,

me

tesoro mio

Happy Love week!

Are you celebrating all things you LOVE with who you LOVE?

A week of plenty pretty images everywhere and sweet sentiments flowing...

DOn't you LOVE it!!!!!

Some things I love.... & see everyday at home...

LOVE this circa 1800 Hand carved wood sideboard.

The design plan: it will be the future kitchen island. 

The Carrera marble from Italy has been fabricated and just sitting on it.

waiting  redo the functionability of the inside.

I look at this beautiful piece everyday, patiently waiting....

anticipating to see it in the future kitchen!

Sweet heart mugs just because...

Hand made for my old mercantile...

Fell in Love with these

Felted wool hearts...

I requested them made with sentiments such as Dear Friend, Happy Holidays

& kept a couple just bare.

I gave them as gifts to friends & sold out at my store!

tesoro mio

A lovely valentines to you!

xo

me

Romancing the home

A beautiful Saturday morning to you!

A 

Romantic living style begins with passion. It can be true and show itself in many forms.

Admittedly, I am an incurable romantic...

My Love for nostalgia,
 old photographs, family heirlooms  fuel my passion towards old home and restoration.

I see every old home having a dance.

A history & a future.

How we care for our homes, shows we love them.

Doing simple and thoughtful things for people shows them we Love them too.

Embracing my romantic style at home with my family full of boys is meaningful.

It's my way of showing my boys the softer side of life...

Romancing the home with objects we see everyday remind us of moments we've shared.

These heart shaped beach rocks were collected by my son for me on the beach.

Flowers are sentiments of nature & the heart. 

I keep a container of fresh flowers on my front door always.

In our foyer the first thing you see is the antique cast iron urn, it's never bare.

Tiny roses and rosemary topiary fill it for Valentine's.

Gardening is nurturing & caring...

Heirloom English cottage roses are my favorite.

Beauty & fragrance all in one.

I love to cut them & enjoy them twice inside.

Climbing roses like my Eden adds romance to the exterior of our home.

Preparing a little desert on vintage dishes dishes and setting it up in our garden house for my husband,

 is usually a little distraction from working on our house for a few minutes.

Mmmm...

Each morning I light a candle in the kitchen. Glowing candles are warm & comforting .

I LOVE this little heart shaped candle, 

I have two of them. Gifts from my oldest son and husband when he was little. 

He said the big one {not shown} represented me & the this little one was for him...

We bring it out for Valentines every year....

A note saying "go to the bench"

a cold treat awaits you...

Something unexpected that shows & shares a thought, 

I'm thinking about you!

All things I truly love to do in romancing my family, friends & home...

My Design tip: For a romantic decor infuse it by things your passionate about. Objects that have nostalgia. Collections & nature are not expensive, but priceless to the heart.

A favorite quote, wishing you romance everyday.

Click over to visit my Saturday's "DESIGNING WITH VINTAGE"on SECOND SHOUT OUT BLOG.  You might love the  French container on the door it's available in my shop along with other romantic vintage finds!

xo,

me

Casual moments

A lovely morning to you Darlin's

A casual moment at home with a latte...

{15 minutes before I leave for a workout}

Yippee some rain again last night here in SoCal.

We have been praying for rain here, we are in a draught.

Listening to the rain was a welcome sound...

Hmmm... only a week before Valentines Day!

Do you have big plans?

I would love to hear what you do on Valentines!

There isn't a lot of time left so I better wear this now.

My favorite Vintage pin that belonged to my Mother.

She gave me this I think the first Valentines after I had my first son.

I try to remember to wear it every year. 

I still remember her wearing it when I was a young girl...

I hope you have a beautiful Friday...

 Love for you to join me tomorrow for my

 SECOND SHOUT OUT  "Saturday Designing with Vintage" blog series here

 & on SECOND SHOUT OUT.

xo,

me

What's in Our Grove?

Beautiful day Darlins...

Over the weekend there was a lot of gardening to be done.

So happy for a little rain, 

but you know what follows rain....

Beautiful fruit

&

  weeds!

 I received a lovely email asking me about our grove, did we have any lemons now?

So when I was in the grove gathering some fruit for juices.

I thought I would snap some pics for a little tour...

I

Love this DIY vintage marker we made.

From an old sign, cupola parts, an old gate post.

{You might enjoy my told posts 3/7/12 & 8/4/12}

We designed, graded, put in the irrigation and planted mostly eureka lemons.

They are large, beautiful trees now.

They started out as little twigs wrapped in burlap.

This is a navel orange tree. 

{In addition to the lemons we planted a few personal trees for our family}.

This is a tangerine tree.

See the smaller fruit here on top of the bucket ? They are Meyer lemons. 

We have a Meyer tree too.

Meyer are beautiful for baking, very soft skin. Not good to farm & ship.

We have apples too, these 3 are the first apples on the tree this season.

 About 1 inch in size right now. They have lots of growing to do!

We also have 

 apricot

plum

cumquat

grapefruit

mulberry

Our house sits up on a knoll so this time of year when our doors and windows are open we get infused by the fragrance of the grove.

I wish I could bottle it!

Next week we will be harvesting our first lemons for 2014. 

Hope you enjoyed the quick little tour...

xo,

me

Artful seating

Welcoming a Beautiful first morning of February...

I have such a fondness  LOVE for vintage  furniture.

I

distinctly remember

a very large round ottoman that my grandparents had at their lake house.

Tufted with beautiful silk twisted fringe from the top edge to the floor.

Upon entering the room through french doors it was the first piece you saw.

Etched in my memory....placed in front of the fireplace.

When we gathered in that room it was my favorite place to sit.

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Unique furniture pieces are something I love to incorporate into a space. 

This room is gorgeous, the settee stops you in your tracks... 

the icing on the cake!

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Is this a ottoman, a tuft a poof or a settee? 

It's exquisite!

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So if you know of or see one of these vintage round settees let me know, 

it's on the top of my scout list!

My Design tip: Seating should be comfy and get attention, like a piece of art.

 A unique piece will be a memorable statement.

CLICK over to SECOND SHOUT OUT BLOG for the whole post 

on my series Saturday's "Designing with vintage"

Also shop my Casual Loves Elegance vintage collection

A beautiful day to you!

xo