It's a hazy June morning here in Southern California and I am about to refill my coffee cup one more time before I attack my list of things to do today.


I was lucky enough to spend a couple of days with my mom last week which has me a bit behind around the house.  I don't mind, we had such a nice visit.  I forget sometimes how much I enjoy her company and what a blessing it is to have her close by.


It's hard to believe July is only a day away.  Where did June go?  I am not ready for the hot temperatures that these next few months bring and I have to admit I have already started to day dream about fall.


But not before I enjoy the last of the roses from the garden, plan a 4th of July BBQ, arrange a few play dates for my grandson, enjoy a couple of movies in the park and a trip or two to the beach.

And just to keep you updated...I ordered a new vent for the kitchen and found my light fixture.  I will be buying my paint this week and demo on the kitchen starts next Monday.  Woot, woot!  I am so excited.

It's going to be a busy July around here.  What does July have in store for you?

xo, Patty

Thank you for the encouragement last week.  It definitely was a full week but thankfully, my daughter recovered from her procedure beautifully and life, imperfect as it is, is back to normal.

I finally got the green light to do a little kitchen renovation from hubby man.  I will be working on a $500.00 budget so I am really going to have to make every penny count.  There really isn't much wrong with the kitchen except that it looks mostly like it did when we moved in seven years ago and I am ready to make it my own.


The counter tops are solid stone in shades of brown.  The appliances are all newer and stainless steel and the wood flooring was just replaced six years ago when the pipes burst and I still love it.

I have my planner out and am busy making wish lists.  The first list is if money was not object what would I do?


And then there's the real list.  What can I do within my budget that will give me the most bang for my buck and achieve the look I'm after.

Obviously, nothing will be relocated with my small budget but I think if I'm smart I can still use the money to give me a whole new looking kitchen.


Right now I'm just in the planning stages, lots of lists and sketches and internet browsing.  I am hoping to get started in the next months or so.  I will be sure to take lots of before and afters but for now, you can see how the kitchen mostly looks now in this post from two years ago.

In the meantime, it's back to my second cup of coffee, dreaming, plotting and planning for me.

Happy Tuesday all!

xo, Patty

I am such a scatter brain...I nearly forgot to publish this post and continue on the blog tour love.

My blogging friend Kathy from Kathy's Cottage was gracious enough to ask me to participate in a little meet and greet blog tour and I am so flattered that she thought of me.  Thank you Kathy, I love your blog and really enjoyed getting to know more about you last week.  If you don't know Kathy, go over and take a look at her beautiful blog.


So now, it's my turn...

1.  What am I working on?  That is such a loaded question for me because I always have way too many irons in the fire.  Creatively, I am doing a little mixed media, some jewelry making and attempting to finish a quilt that I started two years ago.

I haven't really felt much like feathering my nest the last few months but all of the sudden, the urge is there so I have started tinkering with a few changes to make around our little cottage.

2.  How does my work differ from others?  Good question.  I am definitely inspired by other creative people and love taking classes.  The older I've gotten the more I am able to fuse what I love about their work and techniques with my own personal sense of art/style.  I think being diverse in what I create helps to keep things fresh (as does the fact that I tend to get bored making the same thing more than a couple times).

3.  Why do I write/create what I do?  I am not sure what drives me, I only know that when I don't, something is missing.  I have sworn off this little blog more than once but it always calls me back.  The same is true of creating.  When my life has been too busy for me to spend time in my studio I find myself withdrawing from life just a bit.  I get anxious, frustrated and not a whole lot of fun to be around.  I've learned to make it a priority even if (gasp) it means the housework has to wait.

4.  How does your writing/creating process work?  It usually kicks in sometime around 2:00 a.m.  An idea forms and the obsession to bring it to fruition begins.  I am not a very patient person and usually dive in before I know what I'm doing and kind of learn by trial and error.  I am getting better at sketching things out and making notes but I still work pretty quickly once the thought hits.  I have lists of ideas in several different note pads and journals around the house and am never bored or lacking for something to get my hands dirty with.


Thank you again, Kathy.  I am passing this tour along to my blogging turned real life friend Kris from Simplify.  Kris is an amazing wife, mother and grandmother and has a garden that anyone would be envious of.  She does the most beautiful crochet work and quilt making and should have her own cooking show for sure!  Did I mention she keeps chickens and hangs her clothes on the line as well.  I know you will love Kris and her beautiful blog.

xo, Patty

Stay with me on this, there is a happy ending...

Why is it that whenever I start moving furniture around in the house I always end up with an extra piece or two?  We moved my youngest grandson into his big brother's room last week, in order to make more room for the crib we had to move a side table (big brother was using as a night stand) out.


Of course, when we moved the crib out of my daughter's room we were able to spread her things out a bit which led to moving a small hutch out of her room.


I decided to move the small hutch into my craft studio for additional storage and to use as a printer table, which involved moving out the existing printer stand from my craft room.


The printer stand from my craft room is larger than the bed side table I was using in the master bedroom, and I could use more storage in there, so I decided to move the original bed side table from the master to the front porch which involved moving the little patio table I was using on the porch to the back patio.

Whew!  After all that furniture swapping I am completely happy with where everything ended except I am still left with the original night stand table from my grandson's room (that started all this moving in the first place) without a home.


One of the changes I ended up with was this pretty sitting area on the back patio.  This is the original front porch side table.  I moved it to a shady corner of the back patio and painted it this pretty bahama blue.  I just gave it a good scrubbing and a coat of primer, then I mixed regular craft paint with the primer and a little grout until I got the color I wanted and gave it a couple of coats of paint.  I pulled this old wicker chair from another area and made a bright new pillow for it using outdoor fabric that I found at Joann's.


Of course I left myself with an empty spot where I moved the wicker chair from but I have a concrete bench in my front perennial bed that will fit perfectly.

But then that will leave a hole where I moved the concrete bench from...

xo, Patty

I was feeling a little overwhelmed the last few days wondering how I was going to be in two places at one time.  As it turns out I forgot this one little word...love.


Sometimes I can forget that there are those out there who love me and mine and are more than happy to step in and be at one of those places for me, if I would just ask.



This time my oldest daughter didn't wait for me to ask, she just showed up in one place so that I could focus on the other.  Awww, love...how I underestimate you sometimes.

Thank you daughter #1 for taking care of daughter #2 so that I could care for grand kids #1 and #3 while she recuperates.  With all my heart...

xo, Patty

*edited to add...one of daughter #2's girlfriends volunteered to come watch grandson #3 so that I could go to bible study this morning after dropping grandson #1 at soccer camp and daughter #1 said she's stop by and clean my kitchen while I'm away.  God is so good.

btw...I am now busy cleaning my kitchen so that my daughter doesn't see it a mess.  Why oh why, are we like that? 

The Monday after a holiday is always kind of welcome for me.  After the hustle and bustle of family, returning to a normal daily rhythm is nice.


I finally changed out a few things on the mantel for summer.  I brought back my favorite yellow bee pitcher and added a patriotic mixed media block.


The cutting garden is producing pretty blooms of cosmos, daisies and zinnias so I added a small bouquet to this little white vase.


I'm getting the itch to remove everything from the wall above the mantel. give it all a fresh coat of white paint and do something totally different.  I have been talking about going back to white walls for quite a while but that would involve me pulling out the paint and a roller and I'm just not there yet.


While I love getting paint on my hands for art, the thought of taking things down, prepping walls, covering stuff up and actually painting walls is really far down on my list of what to do with a Saturday.


The itch is there, I can feel it...not quite yet...but soon.  I hear some people really love to paint, are you one of them? 

xo, Patty

I just have a few pictures left to share of some cute displays and a fun question for you...


No commentary necessary on this photo.  I just love everything about this patriotic display.  From the Old Glory washi tape to the navy blue baby shoes, miniature flags and tattered lace.  I have not done one lick of 4th of July decorating this year and now I'm inspired to get going on it.



I love both of these ideas for an outdoor party.  Light up the fire pit and bring on the smores!  Who says you can't camp out in the backyard?



Another sweet look were these jars of blooms hanging from Shepard's hooks.  Such a pretty way to display flowers outside.

I wonder if you noticed all the recovered umbrellas that were used in the pictures I've been sharing.  Everything from crochet, to lace and old tablecloths were re-purposed to cover umbrellas.  How clever some people are!


And finally, my other swoon item...this upholstered chair.  I love it so!  The fabric is gorgeous and the style and shape of the chair...perfection.



I got into a little flashback contest with the ever so sweet Diana from Nana Diana takes a break over my blue post.  She mentioned that she was not a fan of "country blue".  Which got us cyber talking about goose decor, cut out hearts, big hair and Farrah Fawcett.

My question for you...What was the worst decade for decor and why?  Was it the avocado green of the 70's, the country blue of the eighties or maybe the southwestern flavor of the 90's?   I'll let you think about it a while.  I can't wait to hear.

Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend.

xo, Patty

Is it just me or does color seem to regaining it's rightful place in decorating?  I loved the soothing feel of neutrals these last few years but sometimes a girl just has to have her a little color.

Aren't these wooden signs the coolest thing?  I love the mid century diner lighting that highlights them.  Another project I know I will give a try.  A few scraps of wood, some paint and a drill with a large bit to make the hole for the sockets from a string of lights and you have a customized sign for your back patio or child's room.  Does anyone else need more hours in the day or even one more day in the week to tackle all these projects?



I was happy to see red prominently featured as well.  My sister in law actually purchased the red light fixture in the first photo and hung it on her patio.  I'm glad she did because I know I would have heard her groan that she should have bought it for months, if she hadn't.  I love it (and her)!


I think these cute wooden numbers could be used in so many ways...as house numbers or part of a gallery wall, in a kid's room or how about attaching little hooks to make a key holder by the side door?

I have one more days worth of photo's to share tomorrow to wrap things up.  I hope you are feeling inspired to do a little sprucing and feathering around your place.

xo, Patty

We are at the midway point of this series on my outing to the marketplace.  I hope you aren't bored yet.  I am not the best at editing the gazillion pictures I take when I'm out and about but this trips pictures have been fun to revisit.


Today I thought we'd take on the many shades of blue that are so popular right now.   It was everywhere.



It seems there really isn't a color blue doesn't go well with.  I love the golden yellow polka dots mixed with the turquoise blue strips in this bunting.  And the chippy blue mannequin mixed with burlap and rust...swoon!


Isn't this a great paint treatment on this side table.  I am re-purposing an old end table as a make shift bar area on the patio and think these weathered stripes will be just the touch of fun I was looking for.


What a fun way to reuse an old twin headboard.  We saw this done a few times and I think it is absolutely charming.  How cute would it be to hold backpacks or coats in a child's room?  Or even in a bathroom?  Love this idea!


This is one of my favorite shades of blue and I think it looks great on this antique dresser. I still say, there is a chippy robins egg blue dresser in my future.



I think I'll leave you with these two adorable places to sit and ponder from.  I have been on the look out for an old glider and when I find one I would be mighty tempted to paint it this exact shade of blue (or apple green, another favorite).

My question for you today is this.  What is your favorite shade of blue?  I need a name and brand on this as I have a bit of deciding to do.

Happy hump day!

xo, Patty

We saw a lot of pink at the vintage market place.  Shabby chic still seems to be as popular as ever.  I am not a pink girl but I do appreciate the pretty feminine look in others homes and even have at touch of it in my craft studio.


I love the layering that went into this booth from Three Sisters.  The owner really has a way of combining fabrics and textures to give vintage look.


Isn't this a great idea?  Some old fencing, a few lanterns and some hanging ribbon and you have a pretty punch of color over head.  How fun for your next gathering or in child's room.



Wouldn't this be a good idea for a bridal shower or women's retreat?  I could easily see food set out on pretty pedestals tucked into this shabby decor.



What says shabby chic more than vintage lace?  I really like the look of the lampshade in the first picture.  I could totally see that on a side table or hanging light in my craft studio.


And speaking of my craft studio...oh, how I would have loved to bring this pretty pink storage unit home with me!

Okay, that's all that I have for you today.  What are your thoughts on shabby chic?  Are you a pink girl?

xo, Patty

I took so many pictures of our little excursion to The Vintage Marketplace in Rainbow, California last Friday that I decided I would break them up into mini themes so that I don't overwhelm you with pretty pictures all at once.


I know I always come away from these kind of events feeling overwhelmed and inspired but not quite sure what to do with all that new found inspiration.  I thought it would be fun to share with you what I'm thinking when I see these photos, and hear back from you what your thoughts are.  How would you use this idea or technique in your home or business?  Sound fun?  Okay, here goes...