The Polished Pebble

Bringing the Outside In

2012-01-27T13:21:00.000-08:00

There are many things to dislike about living in California

but one is definitely NOT the weather

I have been contemplating this project for the last year and finally

decided to "get on with it...already!"

This will be a new deck and will let us enjoy our

house from the outside a bit more

The problems to work out were
how to deal with these two massive oaks
that are within 5 to 10 feet from the existing patio

and how to make the deck appear visually as a part of the house

and not just a landscape element

I'm showing a few before photos so you can visualize how

plain the house is from this angle

The layout was really important and we needed to be sure not to

injure or impede the oaks root system

It's also important to build a deck structurally correct,
just as you would inside a house,

so it's not spongey or wonky when you walk across it

I also worked on a design for a railing that would mimic the look
of the existing ranch fencing throughout the property

The railing is a really important design element

and I played around with a few ideas

until it looked just right

my carpenters are doing an amazing job too

and always have excellent recommendations

because this is a "design build" project

with out any plans

there are a few more details

that will make this deck really interesting,

so we will keep hammering away!

have a wonderful weekend

TGIF

; 0 )

kelley

Added to the bucket list

2012-01-23T15:15:00.000-08:00

a few more little bucket lamps

for the breakfast room

these ice cream buckets are painted a wonderful aqua/teal green

you may not remember my other bucket projects

so here is one to take a peak at

the custom shade I had made in fabric from those wonderful

old drapery panels

my new neighbor Ellie

so generously gave to me
you can read that post here and here

Ellie is hard at work renovating her home

and I am hoping she will let me have a peek next time I see her!

this is a small and sunny little space just off the kitchen

and will change a bit when the kitchen is renovated

there is not much room

so every square foot matters

I'm not sure how I will re-work the furniture

but I like it in this cozy space and I think it is right for the age
and style of this ranch house in the country

the roof line is really odd and low

but can't be changed unless we pull the whole roof off

so that needs to be worked around

I probably should have a table with leaves to extend the size of the dining area

but....just don't think I will do that either

I'm sort of committed to the idea of small and tidy

which makes life pretty simple in this house

there will be a window seat where the vintage planter is now

so the lamps will need to be placed somewhere else

it's interesting how the vintage Ralph Lauren fabric on the shades

and the Benison fabric on the chair seats go so well together.

I love these lamps in this room and will need to come up with some new ideas how I can work them into the new kitchen design

do you have any creative ideas
or interesting spots for table lamps?

I'd love to hear your ideas

happy remodeling!

kelley

Popped up!

2012-01-22T13:40:00.000-08:00

a little sun and a little rain

and look what popped up

dozens of bulbs were planted

starting in October

and the first guys "up" were these

the fox gloves are just getting started

I can't believe the apples are budding out already!

a little bit of the lavender is blooming

and a few others just sort of

"woke up"

this last week

even the kitchen garden is humming along

the start of something new...?

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning,

but anyone can start today and make a new ending"

~maria robinson~

here's to new and wonderful endings!

kelley

Guest Blogger Post

2012-01-18T15:00:00.000-08:00

I recently wrote a post about my friend and blogger Kat Warren

read it again here

She is an amazing photographer, stylist and avid blogger

She asked me if I would like to write a guest post for her blog!

Heck yea!

She was thinking I could share some ideas to help readers

use vintage and antiques in their homes...

with out the house ending up looking like Grandmas attic

So here is a link to the post

on Kat's wonderful blog:

Low Tide High Style

Thanks Kat!

The Kitchen Considered: Chapter 1

2012-01-16T08:06:00.000-08:00

A kitchen renovation is right around the corner

so here are a few inspiring kitchens

I apologize for not having the name of the people or

publications involved with these photos,

but most have shown up somewhere in blog land...some over and over again

Which tells me they are simply wonderful kitchens!

Designing your kitchen is perhaps the most important room in a home renovation. How many houses have you walked into, whith a great kitchen and it just makes your heart skip a beat!

I know right!

Sooooooo....

Here is what I am thinking about my kitchen design:

Most new kitchens have very few upper cabinets and lots of open shelving

White tile seems to still be strong

as is stainless steel

Grey is definitely on the list!

The kitchen above is a favorite for sure

Country kitchens are lovable still

Lots of interesting center islands

Beautiful windows are on the list

Dark stone is pretty wonderful

Farmhouse sinks

are

still happening

A pop of color....maybe?

Reclaimed wood used in unexpected ways

Interesting pendant lighting

is a "must have"

Long and spacious countertops

if you have the room

Family friendly

Definately not boring!

Favorite movie knock offs...

still going strong...just ask your cabinet maker!

Celebrity chef knock offs too...

Who doesn't still love Ina's kitchen?

Just plain wonderful kitchens

every where I look

where to start?

What is your favorite?

I'll take the one above today

Let's have a cup of coffee together !

Happy Monday

Kelley

Winter Projects

2012-01-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

No house from the 50's would be complete without a set of these old
sliding doors. The ceiling is pretty awful too....

Our lovely set...
happens to be in the mudroom area and they are open much of the time because we take our gardening shoes off here before we walk through the house...
at least we are supposed to!

This was 12 feet of glass and actually dangerous because the track was all wonky and the doors are not tempered. This new set up of doors and windows will be repeated along the back of the house in the living room and again in the master bedroom.

I chose a 4 over 1 double hung window from Anderson and then used a set of french doors from TM Cobb. The french doors are actually sold as solid panel doors but we special ordered them with glass.

We wanted a large single panel of glass with a bit of a shaker detail.

The Anderson windows will be repeated throughout out the rest of the house in sets of 3.

Next week another project is starting here in the back yard....a big huge redwood deck!

Something we really need and will be fun to build. The deck will be built around two of these big oaks and give us a nice place for a hammock and a few more chairs.

Most of our winter projects involve lots of gardening. Even though it's January, we have had weather like June. The garden cart (a great Christmas gift) has been my constant companion. This is one of the handiest garden items I have ever used.

We have been really working hard to get the citrus orchard back in shape and this is the first time our oranges have really looked good with no disease and perfectly sweet fruit.

New gloves too!

These are MUD gloves and are wonderful...

just in case you are looking for a new pair

I gave my husband this garden hose reel for Christmas. Pretty sexy right?!

We have really long hoses....100 feet of more so this little guy is supposed to make hauling the hose around a little easier.

The veggie garden is still giving us lettuce and a few herbs but that's about it.

The grape vines got a big haircut this weekend.

I hope this is our year for a nice crop of grapes.

What I like about the garden in the winter, is you get an opportunity to actually review the structure of the garden elements and you can work on plans for adding new things

The yard work is really mellow and it's nice to just rake leaves or water pots...especially when it is so sunny and beautiful out.

I will let you know how the deck is coming along next week!

Have a wonderful week

Happy Monday!!!!!

kelley

Happy New year

2012-01-02T15:09:00.000-08:00

Ahhh...yes

big sigh of relief

we made it through another one!

already making plans for spring!

you?

~kelley~

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T07:30:00.000-08:00

via Harry Barker

Wishing you all a wonderful Holiday

~kelley~

Provence Inspired Holiday Mantle

2011-12-20T10:23:00.000-08:00

This year I decided to try something a little different

on our big wooden mantle

I ordered 2 dozen packages of lavender,

that came wrapped in little kraft paper bundles

and some dried vines with faux bittersweet berries

I just sort of started working with the vines and then decided a base of some sort would look interesting too, so I added 3 vintage French bread baskets

I was thinking of using glass balls which would have looked great too but I had a big basket of these old rag balls and guess what....?

They looked really interesting

and were really easy to tuck into little niches

and spots all along the vines

Using the lavender already wrapped like this actually saves a ton of time and mess.

I pretty much had the thing done and realized I was missing something...hummm

Hey why not stick a few bread boards in behind the vines!

The biggest challege was getting the balance right...but this arrangement is so free form that you can keep playing with it until you like how it looks

I have to admit I started thinking of all sorts of things to add to this display but then thought it might start to look like a French flea market!

It is kind of a messy project and there were little orange BB's of styrafoam everywhere not to mention lavender...but it smells wonderful!

I really like those bread boards on the mantle...

those might just stay there after the Holidays

I can't beleive there are just a few weeks

left in 2011...where did this year go?

happy decorating!

kelley

Winter Flowers

2011-12-14T13:25:00.000-08:00

December is actually one of the few months in California where you can put away the clippers and the rakes and enjoy

some "quite time" in the garden

These are a few of the things that are still blooming...surprisingly!

There were even a few apples still left on the trees

This is a rose called Tuscan Sun...one of my favorites

The citrus trees are really coming on...especially the tangerines

Our tangerines are the Satsuma variety and are delicious and seedless...

Tangarita anyone?

The tree limbs are literally hanging to the ground

we have so many tangerines

The Mexican sage is still blooming and the lavenders are starting to pop out...but it will be a few more months before the big lavender bloom takes place

The colors of orange and purple

are my favorite to add to an arrangement

and for some reason the burgundy of the smoke tree branches

looks wonderful with this mix of things

Winter is beautiful in so many ways

and mother nature never fails us

hope you are having a

happy and peaceful

December!

~kelley~

Creative Bloggers: Photography

2011-12-12T17:24:00.000-08:00

There are many things that make having a blog enjoyable,

but clearly one of the most rewarding is creating new friendships with people all over the world

who share a common love for beauty, design, creativity

and use blogging to further that passion

Such is the case with blogger:

Low Tide High Style

Kat Warren

She was so kind to let me ask her a few questions about her work, how she sees what she photographs and how she creates her beautiful photographs:

1: How long have you been interested in photography?

I had never done much with photography until I started my blog in January of 2010. I realized that in order to have the kind of blog I wanted I would need to learn to take pictures so that I could use them in my posts. As time went on and I had the chance to visit other blogs, especially Kate's blog "Chronicles of a Country Girl," I realized that taking pictures was a way for me to express myself in a way I had never really done before.

2: Do you have a favorite subject or do you shoot what you see and think it may become a wonderful photo?

It's funny, once you start taking photos you kind of see the world through different eyes. Everything really becomes a photo op if you love taking pictures. Sometimes when I'm driving down the road the light will hit the trees and I will think, "geez, I wish I had my camera right now!" So I wouldn't say that I have a favorite subject, I feel like I'm constantly finding new subject matter all the time!

3: How has technology influenced your work?

Technology has definitely influenced my work. My husband has had nice film cameras since before we met, and I never had any interest in trying to use them. The truth is that I'm not a very patient person, I'm one of those people who isn't good about reading instruction manuals, so if I couldn't shoot digitally I don't think I would have pursued photography. Being able to take lots of photos, especially when you are learning, without having to pay for processing has been a godsend for me. I've shot 150 photos where only 10% of them turned out, and if I had been doing that on film I would be broke by now and very frustrated. I also hated that with film you had to go somewhere to get your film processed and you had to wait to have it done...did I mention that I'm not very patient?! ;-)

The other aspect of technology that I love about today's digital photography is the ability to manipulate images using programs such as Photoshop. These programs allow people like me to take an ordinary photo and hopefully turn it into something extraordinary, even if the only thing you do is crop it. Some people get all wound up about using textures or actions on photos, but I just think that's silly. Since the evolution of photography there have been people manipulating photographs to get the best possible image, even Ansel Adams is believed to have merged multiple images to create his masterpieces, it just took him much longer since he had to do it all in a dark room. I think that if technology helps you realize your artistic vision then I say go for it!

4: Do you have other "artistic passions" besides photography

My friends and family would love this question, because they know that I have been all over the map with various "artistic passions," over the years. I have gone through painting phases, knitting phases, arts and crafts phases, but they were all short lived and not very well executed. Writing, which some consider an art form, and photography are the only ones that seem to have lasted for more than a few months with me. But I believe we are all artistic in some way, and I think that society is what makes people believe they aren't artistic. My children had a not so nice art teacher in elementary school who only encouraged the best kids, I think that is such a shame. We like to pigeonhole people at a very early age, so I think sometimes our artistic tendencies and passions get buried along the way. I think that artistic passions are just dreams, and if you can dream it you can do it, even if your friends, a teacher, or family think otherwise, you should always try and follow your dreams anyway.

5. What are the things that you think make a photo really outstanding?

This is such a great question, and so hard to answer. I think what makes a really good photograph is the way it makes someone else feel. I have posted photos on my blog that I thought were just so so, and then someone will leave a comment telling me how much it touched them or reminded them of something . I think that is what photography is all about, it's a way for us to save a moment in time, or to remind the viewer of something and conjure up a memory. Just look at how we treasure family photos, carefully displaying them in our homes, and handing them down from generation to generation. It's clear that they help connect us to our past and give us a sense of history to pass along to future generations.

I also think that people hold back on taking photos if they don't have the right equipment or if they don't think they have what it takes to get what they "think" is a good photo. I won't lie, having good tools is part of the equation, and I've been fortunate to purchase better equipment as I've gotten more into photography, but there are still photos I took with my old Rebel that look better than those taken with my 5D Mark II. And there are some people out there taking amazing photos with their cell phones, so just go out and shoot and don't get caught up in the techno mumbo jumbo of it all.

6. Has blogging helped in any way with your photography

Blogging is the main thing that has helped me with my photography. It forces me to take pictures, and the more you shoot the better you get. Hardly a day has gone by in the last year that I haven't taken at least one picture. Blogging has also forced me to slow down and try new things with my camera and in Photoshop. When you take new pictures almost every day you get bored with doing things the same way over and over, and that's a good thing. It makes you want to try different settings, different techniques for processing your photos, and that's how you learn, by the simple act of doing.

The other way blogging has helped me is that it has opened me up to other people's blogs where I find inspiration all the time! Through blogging, I have found so many other wonderful blogs...cooking, design, lifestyle, photography, gardening, all sorts of blogs with beautiful photos on them. The same way that people stare at a room in a magazine and take in every detail in hopes of recreating that beautiful room, I do that but with photographs I see on other people's blogs. And just like in the home and design world of blogging, photography blogs are full of useful info and really wonderful people. There is a wealth of information out there, and for someone who is self taught like me, it's been an amazing resource.

Kat had so many different stores that accompanied these amazing photos, all of which were so interesting:

Here is what she said about the photo below:

I took this photo in Heidelberg, Germany. To me it is so quintessentially European, and I loved that the bike was pink while the shutters were yellow. I desaturated the image to give it a vintage feel, like it could be from the 1940s or 50s

I would love for you to check out her blog and her amazing portfolio!

You might just find that perfect Holiday gift for someone

But in any case you will be inspired

and will probably think of using your camera in a new and creative way!

Thanks again for stopping by.....

smile for the birdie

; 0 )

kelley

Holiday Decorating Hee Bee Gee Bee's

2011-12-02T09:58:00.000-08:00

I must admit,
that I am a rather reluctant holiday decorator...

It's not that I don't enjoy it...
because actually it's fun and it's always nice to pull out

"old friends"
from the storage boxes

but more than anything,
I am concerned with overdoing

and creating something that might look sort of silly and busy...
sort of like putting too much icing on a cake!

I have had trees that were 15 feet high
and trees that have sat on a table top...
I even had a fake tree one year!

but now I am somewhere in between

most of my decorating this year
will be simple and natural
and easy to put up...which also means easy to take down!

This was my Holiday decor about two years ago...

I came across many of these photos from

Country Living

which is full of great ideas

this tree is especially thoughtful and simple
...love the bucket!

somtimes all of the swags and ribbons and jingle bells make me dizzy,

but this house seems calm and warm

I like the smaller trees in the buckets too...is this a trend?

maybe so!

these images from House Beautiful photo archives are great ideas...

all purple ornaments and in a garden urn!

...very fun

another smallish tree in a bucket...yes...

definitely a bucket tree for me

Trina, from A Country Farmhouse

has her wonderful home in Oregon,

featured in this months Country Living...

Trina's style is so understated and personal

...I love everything about it!

here are a few more ideas, that might be

just the thing this year

those wood sock stretchers are so cleaver

lime green...hummm....love that too

the simple mantle is so pretty and yet very festive

great idea for stockings...

who says they have to go in front of the fireplace!

using things from nature is always a sure bet

the image below is amazing...the neutrals and then the

gold and shiny bling of the tree... wonderful!

snow...sigh

the pack basket and natural greens

I like the wreath hung low on the screen door too

this simple tree below is so perfect...and how easy to do

those big tall pine cones

in the urns are especially interesting

so what shall I do?...

maybe steal a little bit from each!

and hopefully no hee bee gee bee's

have a great weekend!

~kelley~

Forcing Paperwhites

2011-11-23T12:56:00.000-08:00

Well I suppose at this point I don't need to remind you that I like to garden
&

no matter what time of year or how small or large your yard is
there are fun things to do and try

This is project I have never done before...!
I usually buy paperwhites around Christmas time
already in bloom, at the Nursery

but this year I thought I would give it a try myself

no shortcuts!

how hard can this be...

you don't even need potting soil!

it's pretty remarkable how quickly these take off

you can read a quick "how to" guide here

and if you want even more information on doing this

here is a link to a post done by a blogger pal!

Amber has a great crafty blog

called:

The girl is Crafty....

and yes she is

Have a restful and Happy Thanksgiving!

Ojai Re-decorating and a Something's Gotta Give Rug

2011-11-19T10:28:00.000-08:00

This post is sort of a

what came first....the chicken or the egg?

or in this case it's what should come first...

the rug or the furniture?

a very often asked question

so what is the easy answer?

hmmmm....I'm not really sure

anyway...

I made the decision a few months back to start putting some of the furniture

we have in the rented condo

into the little Ojai ranch house...

it was really interesting how many of the pieces

seemed right at home here

remember the beige condo photos?

this was the condo living room below

I also started repeating the use of certain elements in the Ojai house,
like galvanized metal,

barn wood and grays and reds

and then there was that little touch of blue
that kept popping up

so I introduced a new blue item....

a nice rug...
and I'm not talking toupee here

I have always wanted one of these rugs,

similar to the one in Diane Keaton's liking room

in the movie "Somethings Gotta Give"

Do you just love this room...or what!?

and that rug!!!!

so here is my take on the idea

very different in a little country house...
about a million miles away from the Hampton's

so what do you think came first?

the chicken or the egg....

do you buy the rug first and decorate around it?
or
let the room take shape and then buy your rug?

hmmmm....?

Using Reclaimed doors: A cabinet project

2011-11-15T11:29:00.000-08:00

Hep...
we are at it again

using reclaimed vintage stuff from other peoples houses...
with their permission of course!

This is Dave

he can do/fix just about anything

...or so he tells me

for this project he is sanding and scraping

and making sure I like the way the door looks!

Dave happens to like to have his picture taken too.

Hey Dave!!!!
looks pretty good!

the door is about 7.5 feet tall and about 26 inches wide

about perfect
for a nice cabinet for the bathroom
&
I paid about 60 dollars for the door

it will go in this corner in the guest bathroom

many of the small details in this bathroom are very rustic
have peeling paint and natural wood
but the colors are actually
rather neutral

the vanity is very fun with its
little turned legs and a spot for a basket

the actual bath fixtures and tile
are contemporary and streamlined

but it is interesting how the two
concepts of rustic and contemporary work well together
especially in a space this small

here is our spot for the new cabinet
and a close up of the door in all of its
painted chippy vintage wonderfulness

we chose to build the cabinet in on an angle
so it took up a bit less space

and of course every old door needs an old knocker....you twist the knob and the woodpecker knocks!

The interior is built of simple pine and finished with a white pickled stain

this is the other side of the door
which was originally going to be the front but when we set it in the room
is was too busy and distracting

the only thing missing is a great big old knob...which will be fun to search for

so there you have it!

re-think
re-use
re-cycle

thanks for stopping by!

kelley
; 0 )

Holiday Table Ideas

2011-11-08T14:40:00.000-08:00

Can you believe

it?

Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away

A wonderful and generous fellow blogger Susan, asked me to share some ideas of what I might use this thanksgiving for a table center piece.

The idea was to have some sort of a "coastal" feeling..but there was not a shell or a piece of driftwood to be had that day,

so I did my best with "coastal inspired" colors.

I had these really pretty dyed quail eggs and thought that they might be fun to use

This is just a little wood salad bowl with some stones,

carrot tops and some society garlic blooms from the yard

The main centerpiece is in an old French baguette basket which I filled with dried artichokes and butterfly bush blooms

The old camp blanket over the chair was going to be the table cloth but it was just too busy...but the colors are great!

The huge succulent box spends all year on this table

so why mess with a good thing!

Plus...it's kinda heavy.

I put a few more of the blue eggs in an abandoned birds nest and just layered the rest of the greenery along the length of the basket

The place mats and napkins are simple ticking in black and white

and a bit of that robins egg blue color that you see in the little eggs

I stuck in a few pepper berries from a California Pepper tree in the front yard,

Very festive!!!

I really like to do tables for the holidays...which is pretty much the only time I do them.

It forces me to get creative with what I have just laying around and things that are blooming in the garden.

I always think you can't go wrong with the colors found in nature

Susan wrote an article about this which you can read here.

She included many of my favorite blogger friends too,

and their ideas are really wonderful...it will get you inspired!

Be sure to check out Susan's blog...you won't be disappointed.

Thanks for checking in and have a great week!

kelley

Flowers

2011-11-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else

~Erma Bombeck

Karin Blake: design retrospective

2011-10-28T15:10:00.000-07:00

Many months ago I did a little post about a designer that has influenced me probably more that an other...and just the other day I received yet

another comment about her

and how wonderful her work is

Her name is Karin Blake and her designs are timeless,

striking and very personal

Perhaps the most important aspect of her work lies in her love of

American Folk Art

She is a true minimalist and shows us that less
is indeed more

Karin's work is so true and consistent
that you immediately recognize it as hers

Many of her bedrooms feature a black bed
and almost always a four poster

She began mixing industrial and utilitarian objects with folk art

long before it was common

She often has collections of firkins...
I was so taken with these that I started collecting them too...
almost 20 years ago

Old bikes and trikes find their way into her rooms as well

Every house seems to include a bit of something red

This is Karin at the front door of her own house

on the east coast

Many of the homes she has designed are blessed with
spectacular settings and architecture

Somehow this room seems very cozy despite the size
and the soaring volume of this space

Even in many of the larger homes
she manages to find that cozy niche
that she knows will most likely be a favorite of the homeowner

Karin's kitchens are often similar and always
open and uncluttered and minimalistic

The warmth of the wood...from the floors, to the built in details
is so beautiful

Many of the furnishing are antique but she also uses furniture
that is new and modern and blends the two

beautifully

Both of these rooms are especially beautiful
in their simplicity and use of Folk Art and color

Amish quilts, often very geometric
are a signature component...
I have often wondered what her trick is
to hang these without damaging the textile

Another spectacular kitchen above....and how amazing is the stenciled floor!

This is really one of my favorite bedrooms

Or maybe it's this bedroom.....?

Or this one!

This bathroom was an inspiration for my own

These and many more photographs can be found on the

Architectural Digest web site

here

Thanks you Ms Blake for the many years of inspiration!

Have a simple and happy weekend!

kelley
; 0 )

Fall: the gardeners favorite season

2011-10-23T15:50:00.000-07:00

Fall is definitely "the" season for gardening

the weather is really mild

the nights turn cool and the garden slows down

the fall veggies seem more interesting

and things that were slow in the summer months

now are the stars

winter vegetables seem to have

very fall-ish colors too

I still am harvesting tomatoes...but this is just about the end

lettuce love the fall...just sow it right into your beds

the last of the summer blooms...just about done

lots of purple and white

and some orange ....now that shouts that fall is here!

the birds and insects

seem to be really active right now...but they will slow down soon

we have also had an amazing amount

of monarch butterflies this month

they really don't like having their picture taken...I did my best

this is the time of year we dig up many of our perennials

and divide them to use in other spots in the garden

Gazania happens to be one

that is very easy to divide

and is really drought tolerant

and the colors are great!

I don't remember the name of this last flower...but it is so beautiful and the hummingbirds love it

hope the fall is making you smile

happy gardening

kelley

The Fireplace Mantle: Part 2....done!

2011-10-16T15:22:00.000-07:00

Wow ...what a ton of work

And this was a lot more complicated than it looks

because in order to do this project
I used/coordinated the following trades:

Laborer

Carpenter

Stone Mason

Stucco Contractor

Plumber

Drywall and Painter

Stone Supplier

Stone Fabricator
&

Cabinet Maker

whew

There are many nice components to this fireplace...

the first being this huge piece of old train trestle

I purchased it from a company in Salt Lake City

A very interesting piece of history now resides in my living room...
just no cho cho!

Read about it here

The hearth is toped with soapstone

which is really one of the prettier and user friendly stones available

This slab was quarried in Brazil
but soapstone can be found all over the world

I has a wonderful chalky grey look
and is really warm and natural

The actual brick fireplace was given three coats of stucco
with the final coat being
a hard troweled and burnished finish

It is left natural and we did a nice soft bullnose to all of the corners

for a really clean look

You may have noticed that I pulled down all of the old fake ceiling beams too...
that was fun...!

*think really big sledge hammer*

Peeking out on the right is a new cupboard I designed to house the TV and stereo stuff

It is made from reclaimed barn wood

and yes it was from a red barn!

The wood is left in its natural state and it has some wonderful knots
and variation of color

I have to add a word of caution about doing this....
get a good cabinet maker!

All of this type of wood is very irregular and needs to be planed and modified

to be useable for cabinet work...but it's doable

The doors hinge to the right to keep out of the way of the mantle.

Here you can see the back of the old wood after it is run through a planer...
it looks like it's new!

There are old nails and other things found in the wood too

so that also makes this a bit more labor intensive

I did the top two doors on a diagonal for some interest,

used plain grey barn wood for the fronts

and the red barn wood as the trim detail

The top is stepped back from the base
for more of a vintage cabinet design

I have some really interesting knobs on order and
will show you those when they get here

It's a really nice transition now

and not all chopped up

Although there are a variety of woods used
they all work well when used together in this space

Here is the before below:

Below is my inspiration:

Thank you Ina

And now finished....
at least this project is!

Have a wonderful
&

creative week

and as always
thanks for stopping by!

~kelley~

The Fireplace Mantel: Part 1

2011-10-12T16:36:00.000-07:00

The Fireplace Mantel

we all seem to love them...

we decorate them

we stare at them

we dream in front of them

I was lucky enough to have a beautiful one in the home I recently sold....

but here is a secret...it was sort of a fake!

You turned it on with an electrical switch

and what looks like stone...

was really some sort of precast, made to look like real stone stuff....

one great looking

botoxed, lifted and air-brushed trophy fireplace

But damn...I really loved that mantel!

So now here is what I have to work with....ahhh so lovely

but all real and just waiting for an up date

And yet another fireplace gem in the master bedroom...

notice the stuffed animal (chicken) on the bed

dreaming of how the fireplace will soon look.

A stuffed chicken can dream...can't he?

Never one to shy away from a challenge...
I took my cues for my fireplace renovation

from the wonderful barn owned by Ina Garten

Now let me just say....this may seem like a stretch

and well

you're absolutely right ...it is
a huge impossible stretch

but here goes

I have just a few things going against me:

1. I do not have soaring gorgeous ceilings nor do I live in the Hampton's

2. I have a smallish budget, which I may stretch a bit, to get it right

3. Renovations are messy and expensive and you never know what you're getting into until you are knee deep in the crud
4. The closest I may ever get to Ina Garten is to run into her at the airport...maybe...probably not... OK never

We started ripping things open when we decided to put in hardwood floors.
It's always nice to have a wheel barrow in the living room right?
And at first I thought I might try to save some of the fireplace mantle
(notice the blue taped off area)
but guess what?

all gone

except the fire place

Oh and I got a big hole in the floor for my efforts

Here are the elements that I will use for this project

Soapstone

Reclaimed Trestle Timbers

Reclaimed Barn Wood

Hard Troweled Stucco

a bit of Ina inspiration

Wish me luck!

"POP UP" mudroom details

2011-10-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

No, those are not the ones in my laundry room...but aren't they interesting?

Find them here

I really doubt my collection will get much bigger...but ya never know, right?!

moving right along...
into the land of tide and basil...

I really am a true Mrs Meyers junky...
I love the stuff

Old vintage jars are great for storing

powdered detergent and Oxy clean

Another item in the mud room that is indispensable for us
is this great orchard rack from Gardeners Supply

It not only stores fresh things like tomatoes, squash and apples, but I use it to store onions, garlic and potatoes too

This is some sort of a message board
and I stuck in a few vintage seed packets for fun

The graphics are really interesting

I am never with out

"Boat and Totes" from LL Bean

Here is my storage solution for the rest of the pantry...

this is metro shelving from the Container store

You can add shelves as needed
and they offer these great zippered canvas covers
as a solution to hide the clutter

I used 4 of these in all...
when we get ready to do cabinets in here
these will work in the garage or as additional storage someplace

Over the washer and dryer I added a stainless shelf from Danver
and hung
those great prints from artist Doug Strickland

Does the Mrs Meyers label somehow match Doug's work?

I think it does....how funny!

On top of the washer and dryer

is a stainless top from John Boos for folding laundry

Yes, that is a vintage laundry cart...it actually gets used!

OK, I think I've spent enough time

on the "POP UP" laundry/mudroom

Next project....barn wood!

~Kelley~

Whisk Broom Window Covering

2011-10-03T15:33:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the simplest of everyday objects can find a new life,

as something other than originally intended

We have a really funny odd room between the kitchen and the garage,

which has become one of the most used spaces in the little Ojai house

I call it my "pop-up pantry"...but it functions as both a mud room and laundry room too

This room will eventually get a total makeover, but in the mean time I needed storage...so I ripped out all of the useless goofy cabinets that were here and gave it a fresh coat of white paint.

I thought it might be fun to try something new over the top of the window...not really a shade but more of a detail!

How about using a collection of vintage whisk brooms hung on an old rack with hooks?

Well...alright-ee then lets do it!

Now this might not do much in the way of covering the window...it looks really fun and costs just a few dollars

Here is a peek of the "pop up" pantry/laundry/mud room

I will share a few more details on the next post!

Thanks for checking in...

cheers to a great week ahead!

now where did I leave the dust pan?

kelley

; 0 )

Vintage Picnic Tins

2011-09-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

On a recent antiquing journey

I found a really tattered and dirty old picnic basket

Although the basket was really unusable, when I opened it up it was full of these wonderful old picnic tins.

They are porcelain with interesting locking lids....

there we two inside!

And next to the tins were two wonderful old wicker covered flasks in really great shape...I think I was pretty excited by then...you know the feeling!

And a few other assorted wicker covered jars and glasses

oh my gosh....a gold mine of wonderful wicker

and all for 30 bucks!

What is it about vintage wicker that is so warm and interesting

That is an old asian gardeners hat....just in case you were wondering!

Paired on a table next to the last of this seasons roses

the wicker makes a nice little vignette

I never tire of the David Austin roses...

but they will be gone until probably April

For some reason this photos seems to say that summer is over...

I'm looking forward to fall...how about you?

The 4 Doors: Barn Door Project Finished

2011-09-18T14:01:00.000-07:00

I wrote about these wonderful doors a while back here

They are numbered and have a great white washed finish....I think these may have been for changing rooms at a resort or something

The back of the doors are really great too

definately "barnish"

So how did I use them....

I used them as closet doors!

1 and 2 now reside in the master bedroom and 4 and 24 live in the guest room

When I asked my carpenter to help me with this project...I asked him if he had ever used barn door hardware before.

He gave me a really funny look and said

"yea, but on a barn"

I added some wonderful really old hand hammered door pulls

We trimmed out the little openings with new pine

and used chicken wire safety glass for the windows.

I used briwax for the finish

I purchased my hardware from a company called The Real Carriage Door Company

A couple of facts to remember about using these:

you will need space for your doors to open...more than the average door obviously

Second...the hardware is heavy and so you will need to add wood backing to support the hardware, which means opening up the wall above your opening. We also had to cut down the horizontal support bar to have the spacing equal on both sides

And finally...the doors hang away from the wall by about 2 inches. Take into consideration your moldings and other trim,

which may not allow the doors to open freely

all Mr Barney is missing is a little smile...

but when I see these

I do that for him

thanks for stopping by

don't forget to close your barn door...

Polished Pebble Fold... Curtains...now available

2011-09-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

I posted a few weeks ago here,
about these really simple and pretty linen curtains

I guess Tricia, from Rough Linen,
got quite a few requests for swatches

So guess what....?

She is now offering these on her web site here

It saves you the hassle of cutting them down and doing the sewing!
and she calls them The Polished Pebble fold!
How great is that?!

I know you will love these

and thank you Tricia!

Little Miss Hooiser gets a make over

2011-09-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have this really nice "hoosier"

style cabinet that I was using in my office for storage

The brown paint was probably added not too long ago

and I figured that underneath

would be some really pretty older paint...

Miss Hoosier just never looked good in brown...not really her color

So I loaded her up in my pick up and headed up to Ojai for a makeover

There is nothing better than a project that involves power tools!

First we give her a power wash...this is sometimes easier than using stripper and you can control how much paint gets removed

The brown paint just peeled off

Next step...a good sanding

or micro-dermabrasion

It was a really pretty day so that made the job much more enjoyable

Miss Hoosier and I had a good talk about her life

and how she much prefers being single right now...

especially at this age

The more paint that came off

the more the old broad...

excuse me ...I meant bead board

came to life

My arsenal of make over items!

and doesn't

Miss Hoosiers wood look refreshed?

I pretty much took this cabinet completely apart

and threw away all the hardware

because it was really bent and "newish"

and

soooo last season

Next step is waxing...I used clear BriWax for this project but

you can also get Briwax with stain added

if you want color in the finished product

So here she is after her make over

She looks sooo different....

is that really you Miss H?!

I am now using Miss H for storing napkins,

placemats and that type of thing

I think she likes it better in Ojai!

The hardware is new reproduction from a source called House of Antique Hardware

I have used their things quite a bit

and have yet to be disappointed

The little numbers are old French door numbers or apartment numbers which I purchased a while back from my wonderful blogger friend Andrea!

Please visit her at Faded Plains

she has a great little shop too!

And of course we need some good lighting...what better than a toaster lamp!

Such a great accessory...for Miss H

I found this weird little storage thingy on Ebay

and it looks right at home...maybe to store a cook book or some magazines

so there you go

new duds on the old gal make her really shine

hope you like Miss Hoosier now

...she had low self esteem

but is feeling so much better

; 0 )

Blogging and Photography part II

2011-09-05T13:17:00.000-07:00

Even the simplest cameras come with some pretty nice software.

It's fun when you have some extra time to play around and use the "effects" settings

On the prior post I showed some shots of Mary's gigantic agave in color

and here are the same shots in black and white

I think they look completely different

and even more abstract black and white

The photo above was still much more interesting in color

We spent our weekend probably doing what everyone else was doing...eating and trying to enjoy the last long weekend of summer...

On Sunday morning the light on Newport Harbor was really beautiful so I took out the trusty macro lens and just walked around the dock

Some of the shots shown here I changed to black and white and others are in color

I like the shot above because it is hard to tell

what is a surface and what is a shadow

Here is one shot shown in both color and black and white...which do you prefer?

This shot of the cleat is in color but almost looks like b and w

Old rope is really fun to photograph

So there you have some thoughts on photography...and blogging

Thank you so much for commenting and sharing the types of cameras that you use

and also the tips on software and editing

Photos are great in any room and when you shoot and print them yourself...you have instant, original artwork....how awesome is that?!

I hope you had a great weekend!

~kelley~

Blogging & Photography

2011-09-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

Of the many things I have learned by blogging....and believe me I have learned so much...

first is the importance of photography

I started my blog on April 16th, 2009 and here is the first post...

don't spend too much time...my first few posts were pretty awful

But lets get back to photography...when I first began the blog I was using a very uncomplicated but actually not all that bad
Olympus point and shoot style camera.

I now use a Canon XTi Rebel and have two lenses
The Canon is a hybrid of sorts, in that you can use it off manual and change your speed and f-stop if you dare!

It's a "middle of the road" camera
and there are some newer XTi models that are even better

I usually just shoot on manual and swap out lenses

sooooo any hooo

I have a neighbor in Ojai who is 100 years old, named Mary

and she has some amazing gigantic Agave in her yard...which may be as old as Mary

So how should I photograph these?
and do I need to tell a story about Mary or are the photos of this plant enough?

I took a total of 33 shots

and narrowed it down to these, to try to tell a story about Agave
and how beautiful they are

I took this shot of this sunburned stalk and I sort of like it
but it too needs cropping and the photo is not all that interesting

Here is Mary's gigantic Agave...about 25 feet across

The smaller plants in the front are the children or the "pups"

What I don't like about this shot is the mess in the background

but that is Mary's yard
I guess at 100 or 90 or maybe even 80,
gardening just isn't as important as it used to be!

These shots are interesting in that they show the growth pattern of these huge Agave,
with the center stalk growing straight up (probably 25 feet at least) and then the leaves peeling away into this massive jumble

The stalks are really interesting and lyrical when they get this big

Now I think I might get a bit more artistic and
use some of the really simple editing tools I have on iphoto

Agave stalks leave these tracks and patterns as they peel away
and the stripes are amazing

The photo below reveals the edges of the thorns

I played around with color saturation and shadow...

Using a macro lens can give you wonderful close ups

These photos are a bit more abstract

I shot all of these in an auto shoot mode

but focus manually

The photo below is a dying stalk and the wrinkles seemed really interesting

This final photo of a very large blue Agave in Mary's front yard

It tells the entire story of how the plant reveals itself

and how even the thorns are beautiful

I really like this photo

I have two lenses:

a 50 mm for close ups

and

a 18-55 mm standard lens

for all around photography

I keep thinking I need to upgrade my camera

but these really work well for me

and I can use them for just about every thing I need!

Have a wonderful and photographic weekend....
is summer really over?

; 0 )

kelley

Pure Ralph Lauren: Denim and Supply

2011-08-30T19:40:00.000-07:00

I'm a fan

You?

Totally love this new line from Ralph Lauren called

Denim and Supply

It is edgy and fun but also very vintage
"Ralph"

Much of his clothing these past few years has been a bit boring...I have actually been buying "vintage" Ralph for quite a while

because I loved his old stuff so much

But this new line is really wonderful

A bit of camp

with some grunge

and Americana thrown in!

great jacket
check

Warehouse lodge...yummy sweater

need that

check

wish I was 20
check

Even the puppy needs

some new Ralph

no caps on the dog
thank you very much

I really hope he continues with this for a while
and maybe works in

some things for the home too

The look above is really pretty and fun

got boots?

love boots too

details matter..yes sir they do

Need the vest...badly

great packs and totes

I showed the photo above to my husband and he said...

"my friends would think I have finally snapped"

ha...little does he know they already think that

And

he could sooooo sport this in Ojai...and totally fit right in...not kidding!
they probably pulled these off a guy in Ojai last fall!

hoodie love

our new closet
well maybe not

Hey mister..
actually it should be...

hello son...I'm that old
bummer

Here is a link to view more

What do you think?
very fun right?

~kelley~

Cutter Quilt Cushions and Kubu Rattan

2011-08-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have followed The Polished Pebble for a while,

you know that I am a serious vintage fabric junkie

I love old quilts too and found this great looking "cutter" on eBay

Thought I might use it for some pillows...
but then....the plan changed

I have two of these really huge Kubu rattan chairs on a back porch
and the cushions were plain beige sunbrella...

BOOORE---IINNGG!

The old quilt top has tons and tons of character and dozens
of small little patches and stitches of hand sewn love!

It looks like Grandpa's shirts were the main ingredient,
mixed in with some really old homespun and small little checks

It is really more of a patchwork with very little quilting...
which made this so much easier to cut up

All of the different colors of faded fabric and a really soft feel from all the years of use make this wonderful to sit on...
just ask my napping Husband...
oh and my dog Millie approves too!

I paired the cushions with some vintage striped grain sacks
purchased from my wonderful friend Wendy Lewis

The back cushions sport the same red stripe
as does the ottoman

We made a few new pillows from "left overs" to add to the mix...everything being reversible to a different look

The seat and ottoman are backed with new cotton/linen heavy weight fabric with a very simple cream stripe....I can flip them over in case I get tired of the quilt

But that may be a while....

the upholsterer really stuffed the seats at my request....

lots of extra fill and poofy crowned centers

Kubu rattan has been all over the design blog world for quite some time and I have to say I love it too!

These chairs came from Halo Styles and are really like a chair-and-a-half...
super wide and deep

It's fun to think of new ways to use vintage fabric and really mix it up...
my poor upholsterer usually calls me at least three times
during one of these crazy projects

The chairs sit under a covered porch most of the time...
but I love the look of really faded fabric too, so no worries here

By the way "cutter" quilts are those that have problems
like tears, stains and holes

they are great for craft projects
and things like this,
because you don't feel bad when you cut them up
and usually they are really well priced

one final note:

A big shout out to Wendy from Textile Trunk

She was featured in an article in the LA Daily news and asked me to send them a few photos of the many projects I have done using her fabric

You can read the article here

Hope you are enjoying the end of summer...and did you notice how the ice tea got lower and lower as the I wrote this

I must have been thirsty

; 0 )

Simple Linen Curtains

2011-08-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

Simple can be really beautiful...but you already knew that

I have been searching for the last few months for some simple linen curtains for my bedroom in Ojai.

I pretty much looked at every catalog offering

and priced out some custom pinch pleat curtains

but decided that they might be a bit too fancy

I came across a wonderful source for linen sheets called Rough Linen

Please read Tricia's story....it's wonderful!

I love linen sheets for the bed,

so I bought one to see what they were like....

talk about love at first site

They were packaged beautifully

and when I felt the fabric I knew I had found

my perfect linen

now the true test...I washed them

linen perfection!

I decided to make the curtains myself...with a very large pocket at the top

so they might look like they were casually draped over the rod.

They are the perfect weight...heavy enough to keep the room dark at night...but sheer enough to let in filtered diffused sunshine during the day

The pretty stitching on the hem

gives them a more finish look...

I now have 5 sets of these

covering my vintage and not so beautiful windows...

They catch a breeze and move around...

but no rings or pulls

or bells and whistles

The iron rods are very simple too...you can find them here

Best of all I can take them off and wash them

and then just hang them back up!

Pretty Simple

~!~

kelley

We have some winners....and a few new things in the veggie garden

2011-08-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

Sequoia strawberries...
The local growers are currently planting new crops so I figured I could give this a try too...

There are some amazing farms right along the highway

heading north between Oxnard and Santa Barbara

I would suspect that a huge amount of the strawberries

for sale in grocery stores

come from this area

But I think the birds are going to be a problem...I need a scarecrow!

Wonderful mesclun and lettuces

love

the seeds from Renee's Garden

These seeds can be sown directly into the garden bed and in about 3 weeks you will have more lettuce than you know what to do with....
even if you have just a small garden area.

One seed packet covers about a 2'x2' area

A few of my favorites are:

Monet's Garden Mesclun

Garden Babies Butterhead

Heirloom Cutting mix
and
Paris Market mix

Radish can be done a variety of ways...but I have found the seed tape from Burpee's to work really well and you get really big BIG radish...like golf balls

and it's easy to use...try the carrot tape too

this summer I finally got a handle on the tomato plants

I did some Roma...these are the easiest tomatoes to grow and seem to have the least problems with pests and that type of thing...

I have not used any pesticides on my vegetables yet
and want to keep it that way if at all possible...but there are so many new organic products on the nursery shelf that it's really not a big deal if you need some help

Early Girl...a big favorite of many gardeners
Try these...I don't think you will be disappointed

Sweet 1000 cherries...amazing and so sweet...hence the name...duh
and yellow pear, which are coming in really slow

The apple crop was good and so were the peaches...

but the critters had a heyday with the fruit...
wish they would head off to somebody else's garden...right?!

I tried some Jalepeno peppers this summer and they came in great...love them!

Flowering chives are wonderful...the blossoms can be tossed into a salad for some spice

Yum

It's funny how I used to be so careful,
about labeling what I was planting...now I use wood stakes and turn the seed packet on end and call it a day.

I figure, that if I can't tell what the heck I'm growing by looking at it
or tasting it

I should give up the vegetable garden all together...

OK so enough gardening for today...

on to the good stuff:

The Herbarium winners!!!!
woo hoo

Winner number 1

Doreen!

Winner number 2

Paula!

Thank you to everybody who entered...

I will share the pressings that they will be getting on a future post

and I hope the winners will share their creative ideas for using them too...oh and please email me at here so I can mail out your goodies!

I think as summer is winding to a close, we should all give ourselves permission to take a break and enjoy the sunshine...

take time with family and kids and pets

eat a big ripe tomato

and

take a run through the sprinkler!

Congrats to the winners
&

Bon Appetite

kelley

Big Garden Style: The Boxwood Hedge

2011-08-14T13:35:00.000-07:00

We worked and we dug and we killed ourselves

for two days..

but we got 'um in!

I liked the willow edging too...like a lot of you,

but in the end it was just to impractical for this spot

and it was too much upkeep

We started by doing a complete layout just to be sure we knew where to dig...by the way, I didn't have enough...I was short about a dozen plants!

We used 172 plants in one gallon containers

There are four sections of English roses and we worked a section at a time...digging a trench to accommodate the new boxwood. I added lots of compost and some other soil booster amendment things to give these guys a bit of a jump start

These will look pretty when they get a bit bigger and frame the lavender garden...

next spring will be really fun.

Millie was amazingly helpful...

The biggest challenge in doing this hedge is the rocks we keep digging up....they are everywhere and some are huge!

See that big bad boy in the front of this picture...he was so big that once we actually got him out... we just rolled him to a bare spot

and he will now reside there...

forever

Just in case you thought I was kidding about the rock thing...

This gave us an opportunity to tweak our irrigation system in this area and make a few more decisions about our little water feature,

which will go in the center of the rose garden.

The succulents are really loving this spot too

This rock was such a pain to dig up I feel like I should give it a name...I think we did actually call it a few names,

as we were trying to get the sucker up!

I think you can get the picture...

Any way....all done and I feel like it was worth the work.

I don't quite feel "Texas Big"....but maybe in the spring

Sorry to hear about the terrible drought in Texas...hope that goes away soon!

I will be announcing the herbarium giveaway winners tomorrow, in the afternoon...

so please stop by and see who wins....

I'm a bit behind on my emails... please don't think I am not reading your great comments...I love 'em all!

Enjoy your beautiful day

cheers

kelley

Oh My...Garden like a Texan

2011-08-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

Go big or Go Home

love that

garden like a pro...or a Texan

Texas...BIG

yes sir ...

Lets order some plants...not 6 or 16

not 60 or 116

TEXAS BIG
{i would love to live in Texas BTW}

how about 160...yes that is correct

TEXAS BIG

one hundred and sixty
box wood

Ok you Texas weenies...we are in California now
on your mark...get set...
lets plant...

go home or..
OK
well what ever...

I'm exhausted already

lets just line 'em up and
send them off to a new location...
yep
160 all in...
going to
the back yard pottager

and
once again I must go to the dump...

I have new friends at the dump...

this is really scary...the dump is now where my new BFF's are...
people I know on an intimate level..first name basis

yikes

I feel really comfortable at the dump...this is not a good sign is it?

wait...
don't answer that...

but what happened is:

mother nature had her way with the willow fence

and I tried to keep it tidy ...
but it is just not not working...
so we are doing boxwood

very New England for Ojai

what is next here?

a Lobster party...
Carol are you available?
hope so!

... but I think it will be great...

hey...
there is my pitch fork...

my favorite tool in the garden

40 per planter...
boxwoods that is

millie as supervisor...

and some potato pictures

are you so happy you read this post?

life as I know it....

GARDEN STRONG!

kelley

An Extra Special Giveaway

2011-08-04T15:53:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the project that we did a while back ,

where I asked some blogger friends to use their talents

and frame some vintage pressed flowers?

It was really lots of fun...you can read more here if you like....

But here is what I would like to do...

give the same gift to you!

I will be giving away 4 pressed botanicals,

unframed,

just like these,

.....from the same book actually

But lets make this more fun

and give away the same gift to two people!

You will get your pressings just the way I found them in the old book

and you can frame them any way you wish!

No crazy gimmicks...just leave a comment on this post and you are entered.

The winners will be picked, at random, on August 15th

I know you will love them....

finally:

I wanted to add a note about blogging.

I occasionally get comments about how reading blogs can make people feel inadequate and I find that to be true sometimes for me too.

I have pretty much thrown the towel in about a dozen or more times this last year...

But then I think about the creative part of it all...

and how many really wonderful people I have met through blogging.

So I push on.

No body has a perfect life and if it appears that way...it just isn't so.

I hope you will enter this giveaway

because you are all such a joy to me

at times when I need it the most.

Thank you so much for being...you!

Kelley

I need to kiss my dog!