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~ My love of gardening, making home comfortable and entertaining friends and family.

Garden, Home & Party

Monthly Archives: July 2010

DIY (do it yourself) Weekend Project

31 Saturday Jul 2010

Posted by Karen B. in DIY (do it yourself)

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do-it-yourself

Looking back, it must have been somewhere in my early 40’s when I got lazy about doing things myself.  As an excuse I’d like to suggest I was probably in the throes of motherhood, PTA, avid volunteering and taking care of business around the homestead for hubby and kids.

Here is the sconce before paint.

In any event if a piece of furniture needed to be refinished, a room needed to be painted, pillows needed to be made, etc. I would call up any one of my friends that had similar interests and activities and ask them for a reference for a person that could do the job for me.  I’d get a bid and then present the quote to my hubby—we’d discuss the issue and decide if we could afford to have the job done.

I was able to buy this pair of sconces for only $37 including shipping on eBay.

Not too many years ago I discovered the amazing world of blogging.  There are so many talented people out there who can do almost anything AND they are happy to share the ‘how to’ with you.  Some even give a picture-by-picture tutorial of how to do whatever it is they’ve done.

The samples at left were the inspiration for wanting a pair of wall sconces.  Cost was a factor, the middle and right picture are Restoration Hardware and retail for $149-$159 each.

So, I’ve been inspired to try a DIY of my own.  I happened to be on eBay and bid on a pair of old, brass (the seller thought) wall sconces.  I bid the minimum bid, convinced I’d be outbid by days end.  I actually won the auction and with shipping the pair cost me $37.  When I opened the box I was delighted with the style but knew I’d need to paint them since there were paint spatters on the brass.  There are so many household projects that can be tackled by even a novice (moi).  With a computer you can find detailed instructions on almost any DIY project, I encourage you to give it a try.  It’s very fun!

This is a 'before' and 'after' of a closet conversion. Creative and pretty.

The Lettered Cottage, Mustard Seed Creations and Our Suburban Cottage have all given informative instructions on how to paint various items.  I figured the worst case scenario would be that the sconces would be terrible and I’d have to sell them on eBay!

Stay tuned, my next post will provide the how-to and finished wall sconces…

Cooking at the Library

30 Friday Jul 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Entertaining, Food, Simple Meals for the Avid Cook

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cooking, easy recipes

Our public library has started a new program where they host a well-known chef who presents a lecture and demonstration on cooking.  My good friend, Cayley, invited me to join her for the Tuesday lecture featuring Chef Cathy Thomas.

Cathy is very entertaining and her recipes are always tasty.

I won’t go into the details about Chef Cathy’s rich history and wonderful reputation as a fabulous cook (you can Google her) but I will share that she has a new cookbook on the market called, “Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce“.  Cathy teamed with Melissa’s (a grower of organic fruits and vegetables that provides produce to most of our local markets) in writing this book.    The recipes are delicious and really easy—necessary criteria for summer cooking.

Cathy's cookbook is available at Amazon

You will love how delicious and easy this salad is!

Mediterranean Vegetables and Orzo Salad – Yield 6 servings

  • 8 ounces orzo (rice shaped pasta)1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium yellow crookneck squash; trimmed, diced
  • 2 medium zucchini squash; trimmed, diced
  • 1/2 large red onion; finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, diced
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes or cherry, halved lengthwise

————————————————————————————-

  • Minced zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

————————————————————————————-

  • 4 cups washed baby spinach or mixed baby greens
  • 1 ounce salami, cut into 1/8-inch dice (may be omitted if meatless dish is preferred)
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup drained olives, such as kalamata or Nicoise

1.  Bring large pot of water to boil on high heat.  Add 1 teaspoon salt and orzo; cook until al dente.  Drain, refresh with cold water.  Drain and toss with 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil.  Set aside.

2.  Place squash, red onion, bell pepper and tomatoes in large bowl.  Gently toss.  In small bowl or 4-cup measuring cup with handle, combine zest, juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt, pepper and parsley.  Stir to thoroughly combine.  Pour onto vegetables and toss.  Add orzo and toss.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

3.  Divide spinach between 6 small plates.  Top with vegetable-orzo mixture.  Sprinkle each serving with diced salami and crumble feta on top.  Place a small pile of olives off to the side of each salad.

and to accompany this delicious salad…

Wraps are excellent for picnics due to their compact size and portability, no soggy bread to worry about.

Tortilla Wraps with Cabbage and Sweet-Spicy Asian Dressing

Dressing:

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • Zest of 1 orange, about 1 tablespoon
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried chili flakes

Wrap:

  • 4 large tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded green cabbage
  • 1 cup shredded red cabbage
  • 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked, cooled, cut into thin strips
  • 1 cup sno peas, strings removed, each cut into 3 lengthwise strips
  • 1/4 cup shredded, peeled daikon (Japanese radish)
  • 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted, cut into 1/4-inch wide lengthwise  strips
  • 4 green onions, roots trimmed, halved lengthwise
  • 4-6 sprigs of cilantro (or Italian parsley if you prefer)
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1.  Place dressing ingredients in small bowl; stir to combine

2.  Spread enough dressing on one tortilla to thinly coat entire surface.  Place 1/4 of cabbage on lower half of tortilla; place 1/4 of each remaining ingredient on top of cabbage, adding salt and pepper to taste.  Roll up as tight as possible; starting at lower edge, folding over ends to (tuck in contents) half way through rolling up tortilla.  Give it a gentle push to seal.  Cut in half crosswise and place on plate.  Repeat process for remaining tortillas.

I know these recipes appear to be long but they are super easy and would be great for a picnic.  Happy Summer.

Outdoor Living – Living Room or Dining Room

28 Wednesday Jul 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Entertaining, Outdoor living

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

furniture, Outdoor living, Patio dining

This looks like it could be inviting for entertaining guests as well as a relaxing place to read.

Our patio is not very large (10′ x 18′ where the patio table is set up) and while I realize I don’t need a huge patio I’m facing a quandary and I’d love your help.  OR, I just need to ponder it via this venue to help sort it out myself. 🙂

My furniture has grayed nicely. It would be nice if the chairs worked without threat to life and limb!

The candles in the lanterns are the battery operated kind; they are made with real wax but the flame is a flickering light bulb---pretty fun, right?

I don’t expect to be able to start a new project this summer but since I enjoy dreaming, especially where ‘home improvements’ are concerned, I thought I’d give this topic some attention—if you only have room for ONE set of furniture do you prefer a living room space or a dining room space outdoors?

Hubby wouldn't go for these chairs but isn't this great?! I love the outdoor chandelier.

My first choice would be BOTH, yes, that’s right, I want it all!  But now that I’ve grown older and wiser I realize that’s not going to be my reality.

I think this would a great place to dine during the warmer months of the year.

...but then I think this would be so comfortable and inviting.

I confess that one of my favorite things about summer used to be dining al fresco.  That all changed about 3 years ago when we purchased this teak-like patio set from Costco.

If we're going to dream, why not dream big, right? I would love an outdoor fireplace, then you could use the outdoor room year round.

I don’t mind the style but when we got the set home and assembled we discovered the chairs are impossibly heavy and almost impossible to slide.  We have tried all manner of items sold at the home improvement warehouse stores to assist with this problem, to no avail.  In fact, the chairs not only don’t slide on the concrete, they collapse when you try to scoot them close to the table—you see the design is meant to have the chairs recline if you choose (what were they thinking, right?).

I'm not sure why I gravitate towards this outdoor wicker but I seem to have a lot of pictures of outdoor rooms featuring it.

This has seriously hampered my enthusiasm for dining (not to mention entertaining) outdoors.

Maybe if I put in some kind of concrete/stone pad in the corner of our yard, I could create this setting and save the patio for dining.

So, do I replace the chairs, which I could do or do I chuck the entire set and go for this fabulous outdoor wicker that could create a cozy and inviting space to enjoy reading,  relaxing, sipping wine, entertaining?  This would leave me without a spot to dine outdoors, would I miss this little luxury of summer?

Doesn't this look inviting? via BHG

I’ve attached some of my favorite outdoor rooms and I am hoping I can decide before we actually go forward with this project.

photos (other than my yard) via ~ BHG

Toile, my favorite

26 Monday Jul 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Decorating, Misc

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

toile fabric, toile wallpaper

I guess it all started here, in this incredible country…toile’s roots, so to speak.

It all started here...

I know you don’t have to be French to love toile because I have German, Irish, Scottish and a little American Indian blood coursing  through my veins and I absolutely love toile!

The ladder back chair in my library has a khaki and black toile.

My husband is very tolerant and supportive of my decorating style but he has asked that we keep the whole ‘toile’ thing to a reasonable minimum.  I try to comply, honest I do.  Don’t get me wrong, he’s comfortable with his masculinity.  I know this because I tested it early in our marriage when I painted our master bedroom a pale pink and used Ralph Lauren’s Allison pattern on our bed!

In a piece written by Patricia Cummings she tells us…”Toile (pronounced twahl) means “cloth” in French.  “Toile de Jouy,” or “toiles de Jouy,” are terms that refer to fabric that was first manufactured at a factory in Jouy-en-Josas, a village located southwest of Paris, near Versailles.

Our master bathroom has Pierre Deux toile paper in red, although in this picture the paper looks orange!

We renovated this bathroom in 2001 and I'm still not tired of the toile wallpaper.

Founded in 1760 by German-born Christophe-Phillippe Oberkampf, (1738-1815), a textile entrepreneur, the factory site was chosen primarily because of its proximity to the clear running water of the Bievre River”…

Charles Faudree uses toile with checks, a look I love!

Hey, there is a German-born link to toile—no wonder I love toile, it must be in the genes. 🙂

I found this picture of the beautiful brown and white toile while visiting Layla at The Lettered Cottage. This bedroom belongs to a friend of hers.

I’ve found that I never grow tired of toile, in fact, when  I see a new toile design in a shelter magazine or design book my mind immediately starts trying to figure out where I can use that particular color combination/pattern.

Rosemary Beck of Content in a Cottage posted this picture from a child's book (French, naturally)---notice the wallpaper? Toile is charming even in illustration.

Do you love toile too?

Notice how simple the room is and how the red toile curtains makes the room perfect?

Do you have it anywhere in your home?

I love this chair and not just because it is upholstered in toile, but that certainly helps {smile}.

If you have some new ways of using it, pass them along.  I’m always looking for new venues for toile.

House Beautiful had this photo of a wonderful room and the touch of toile is on the lampshade...doesn't it look great?

I love the idea of toile in unexpected places, like the back of this cupboard.

Picture via HGTV

Things on a List

23 Friday Jul 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Decorating, Renovating

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

home, list making

Because its Friday and we’re headed into the weekend I thought we all might want to work on our respective “list of things to do”—even if #1 on the list is 1.  RELAX!  Here is what has been on my mind/list and I hope to get a DIY project done this weekend.  I’ll keep it (the project) a secret in case it doesn’t turn out and I can just casually say, “Oh, my DIY?  No, I ended up relaxing all weekend.” 🙂
Happy Weekend and enjoy!

I’m an avid list maker—I often have more lists than I can keep track of.  That pretty much defeats the purpose of a list, right?  Originally my list making was strictly of the variety commonly known as “Things to Do” list.  But over time I have started making lists of  home improvements, reference list (such as blog sites that have tutorials that may come in handy in the future), blog sites I love to visit list, and things we’ve done to our home list.

The prettier the paper for making a list the happier I am.

What I discovered is that lists, in addition to bringing order to chaos {when you actually fulfill your list}, can be a journal of sorts.  When I review my lists they help me recall what I’ve been doing.

Finding a mirror where this framed picture is hanging is on my "dream" list of future home improvement projects.

This comes in handy where our home is concerned.  In fact, I discovered that if a home-improvement project makes it to the “things I’d like to do to the house” list there is a pretty good chance that even some of the larger projects will get done sooner rather than later.  Is it that whole “positive thoughts produce positive results” thing?

Okay, I realize I don't have this view but one of the things on my list for a few years has been to create a stone pad in our backyard...we have a natural canopy of ficus trees that would be the perfect spot to have some comfy chairs.

Another thing on my list is finding a fountain that cascades the water instead of sounding like someone using the restroom (if you know what I mean).

I also found that the list of “things we bought/done to the house” serves me well when it comes to things like—why does this sofa fabric look so worn?  Oh it might be because its been 10 years since we’ve reupholstered!  Time does fly and we often forget that it was some time ago that we replaced/repaired something in the home.

This is inspiration for my "remodel the guest bath" list. It may be awhile but having it on the list helps.

I believe lists help me feel less stressed about the things I’d like to accomplish.  I do believe my list, where my home is concerned, is an unending list!  What’s on your list to do to your home this year?

Small Yards – Making the cut

20 Tuesday Jul 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Flowers, Gardening, Maintenance

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Gardening, replacing plants

As you may have gathered, we live in a cottage.  We love small spaces and it works for us.  It certainly keeps us on top of the weeding out what we don’t use game.  And because we have a small house we have a relatively small yard.  I should mention that I know this isn’t the case in all regions of the U.S. but in California, where real estate is always at a premium, this is often the standard.

In small spaces some plants aren't able to hold their own year round.

So my dilemma has become…should I get rid of the few plants that haven’t been living up to their end of the bargain?   I hate to be heartless and cruel but there are several plants in my yard that just don’t look very good and because of their close proximity to the house (i.e. small yard, etc.) they are highly visible.

This white bower vine was pretty last year. This spring, due to the rains we had, it looks like it doesn't have enough leaves.

I am going to replace them with a new player (as in sports team language).  If a plant/team member isn’t doing what it takes to make a pretty yard/winning team then I’m forced to make a change!

This corner has struggled due to the shade. Tree trimming is necessary before next fall!

Am I being heartless?  What do you do when a plant is struggling and you’ve nursed it and it still looks pitiful?

When there is limited space you want all of the plants to look good all of the time, is this too much to ask...probably!

I hope to plant a rosemary near this bed, the old one outgrew its location.

What do you do when plants begin to look like they aren’t happy where they are planted?  Do you have a solution?  I’d love to hear from you.

A new world of amazing ideas…free

19 Monday Jul 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Entertaining, Gardening

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

blogs, discovery

I have a confession to make, my first post for Garden, Home and Party was in June 2007.  As you may have read in a recent post I was uncertain about the direction I wanted to head in with the site.  Although the name of my site sums up my passions I was brand-spanking new to this form of expression and not yet confident that anyone would care what I thought about gardening, decorating my home (and home life in general) and party—entertaining and all of the fun associated with that (cooking, table settings, recipes).

Gardening is a passion, I find it to be so relaxing.

As you will notice if you visit my “archives” (some of which seem to be missing, I will have to consult my IT guy-son #2), I was sporadic at best and downright absent from posting for many months.  Then I discovered, quite by accident, Pioneer Woman’s website.  I was hooked on her entertaining style of writing.  Sharing stories of her life on a cattle ranch in Oklahoma with 4 kids and a wonderful husband.  From her site I followed links to other sites that were inspiring {The Lettered Cottage, The Inspired Room and Holly Mathis Interiors}.

My heart sings when I can relax with a stack of "nesting" magazines or embark on a new project for my home.

I realize that I will never have the following of fans Dee Rummond (PW) has but I can follow her lead and be inspired by her “journaling” (PW explained that she started her site as a means to keep her mom up to date with pictures and activities at the ranch).   I can journal my  passion for Garden, Home and Party.

There is nothing like entertaining friends and family in our home.

New to me is the site French Kissed.  I love visiting her site.  Her philosophy says it all, “French Kissed is a design philosophy for people with big ideas and small budgets.  Adherence to its principals produces proof positive that we do not have to be wealthy to live richly.”

Antique Staffordshire figurines add a charming touch to any home.

If you are passionate about your home take some time to visit some of the sites out there, there are some incredibly talented folks offering all of us their ideas for creating a beautiful life using more creativity then $$$.

Welcome to my cottage! {I'm just kidding!}

Share some of your findings with me.  I’d love to hear from you.

A Roland E. Coate – Part 2

16 Friday Jul 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Decorating

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Architects & Builders, Roland E. Coate

As I mentioned in my last post, dear friends bought a Roland E. Coate house in a lovely private community in Laguna Beach.  This home has been taken care of and aside from a new coat of paint on some of the rooms in the home, it is, as you can see beautiful and inviting.

This installment of pictures will be of the bedrooms and the kitchen.  Enjoy!

This room has a tan and cream traditional toile fabric covering the walls.

A comfortable chair inviting you to relax with a good book sits in the corner.

An antique armoire provides additional storage and charm.

Check the view!

This bedroom is so light and airy. Notice the great Ikea trunk at the foot of the bed (I featured this in an earlier post).

Gray wicker is wonderful!

The kitchen has a built in dish pantry, complete with lighting. Very pretty and practical.

Don't you love the lime green napkins and planter and how it ties in with the limes.

Great stove and I love the old rusted iron piece above the stove.

The windows are amazing.

This trained ivy greets you when you open the back door.

I could love this room with it's overstuffed sofas and breathtaking view!

I hope you have enjoyed your tour as much as I did.  Thank you, Glenys for sharing your incredible beach cottage with me!

Roland E. Coate, Architect/in Laguna Beach

14 Wednesday Jul 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Decorating

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Architects & Builders, Roland E. Coate

A dear friend recently bought a home in a private community in Laguna Beach.  The home was built by Roland E. Coate, an architect that was very well known for his wonderful architecture and simple designs in Southern California from about 1921 through 1950.

This home was built in a beautiful community in Laguna Beach and has been lovingly cared for.

Sorry I don't have a wide angle view of the entire house in one frame.

The front door has a door knocker that doubles as a metal vase for flowers, so charming!

Mr. Coate was a part of the architectural team that designed All Saints Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills.  The home you see was built for his own personal use.

Dining Room with a view.

The house has 4 fireplaces and with it's proximity to the ocean I believe they will be used.

Mr. Coate was primarily a residential architect and excelled at designing English Tudor, American Colonial Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival and Monterey Colonial Revival.

Don't you love the leaded windows?

The fireplace over-mantle in the TV room is marble.

Wherever you look there are little nooks and cozy spots in the home.

The living room is inviting and spacious, views of the bay are visible from most of the main rooms.

The lattice fence on this side of the yard will need shoring up, but for now the morning glories are holding it up.

If the views of the Pacific ocean don't relax you you can always visit the spa in the yard.

Don't you love the beautiful accessories my friend has so ably displayed. I love her style!

I’ll post another installment of the Roland E. Coate house in Laguna Beach—the bedrooms and kitchen are wonderful!

Atriums, Conversation Pits and other tract house trends

12 Monday Jul 2010

Posted by Karen B. in Entertaining, Misc, Outdoor living

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Tags

architecture, outdoor living space, Trends

In the early 70’s, when my husband and I were looking to buy our first home many of the new housing tracts offered things like atrium’s, conversation pits and cottage cheese ceilings (ugh!).  When I was a newlywed I thought I wanted a brand, spanking new house.  Boy, did I figure out quickly that I wasn’t a “new home” kind of gal.

This is my friend Jane's house---the charm comes from years of work on various parts of a home. It makes it livable and cozy.

Our first home had an atrium.  At the time this feature was a relatively new innovation for bringing the outdoors in—a Southern California passion (maybe this is common in the mild-winter states).  We purchased the “model” so our atrium came with a lovely built-in, brick fountain which rarely worked but at least it was a finished space as opposed to the barren ground that the new non-model homes had.  I admit that my current house, built in 1968, has an atrium and I’ve grown to love it.  We enjoy the large outdoor wicker chairs and will often read and relax in this space.

Atrium / Courtyard outdoor living spaces

Even the cat is happy about the atrium.

My friend Jane has an atrium/courtyard that rivals most. This gate is a hint of the welcoming atrium just inside.

Jane often sets the atrium dining table with beverages for a party.

This wall hanging and a fountain on a nearby wall create a room that is as pretty as it is inviting.

Jane's Front Door is as pretty as the atrium it resides in.

Conversation Pit

Just typing the words “conversation pit” cracks me up.  It reminds me of one of my all-time favorite movies, “Father of the Bride” when Steve Martin (playing the father) says, “we could have the wedding in one of our all-time favorite restaurants, Bob’s BBQ Pit” and the young son says, “Ah Dad, I don’t think we want the word ‘pit’ on the invitation”.  Hilarious.

If you've never seen this movie, rent it, you will laugh out loud.

Our second home featured a conversation pit—I wonder what the thinking was behind this design detail.  The pit in our house was a step-down space between the living room and kitchen.  Our ‘pit’ was much smaller than the pictures below (and I’ve never had a contemporary house, maybe that was the problem for me).  There was room for a sofa and we installed shelving to accommodate a television—therein lies the problem, we wanted to watch TV and the design team wanted us to converse.

Our "pit" wasn't nearly this large and our house has never been contemporary.

I don't have pictures of our conversation pit but you get the jest of it from these photographs.

The final trend in the late 60’s and early 70’s (at least for tract houses in and around Southern California) was the acoustical stuff they sprayed on all of the ceilings.  I didn’t like the way this “cottage cheese” texture looked and I am not sure of why they used it but it seemed to be in most newly built homes during that time period.  It was later discovered that a lot of the materials used in the product contained asbestos and we were very happy to have found someone to remove it from the house we are currently in.

What are the trends you find in your region for new home construction in your area?

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  • {Home} Paneled walls
  • Fireplace mantles and the mantle clock
  • Atlanta Designer, Dan Carithers
  • A little this and that

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