I'll admit that I don't get as much reading done as I should, but I'm a lover of coffee table books! I've shared a few of my favorites in previous gift guide posts (linked at the bottom of this post) but here's an even bigger collection themed for many different interests your gift recipients may have. Enjoy!
Read MoreIt’s that time of year when people go bananas for sales. My inbox is flooded with coupon codes and limited offers. It’s overwhelming, so I collected them all here for you.
The big box stores tend to get lots of action when they slash prices like crazy, but I’m a big fan of supporting small businesses, too! Many little shops are getting in on the action with discounts, too!
Read MoreI’m super passionate about sustainability, low-waste practices, and making positive environmental impacts. Home improvement can sometimes be super wasteful, but there’s also a lot that can be done to a home to make it efficient and low impact. We recently went on the San Diego Green Home Tour and it was inspiring to see so many green initiatives in practice in a variety of different homes. We saw ultra-modern new constructions as well as modest homes with a bunch of DIY projects.
Read MoreA post with a compilation of things from the internet including my blog award, how to help CA fire relief, charming paint colors, ORC reveals, turntables, recycling candy wrappers, online classes, our favorite shoe, and an invitation from an idol design blogger.
Read MoreIf you follow me on Instagram, you know that we had a thrilling week with the addition of a new roof and the removal of FIVE layers of roofing material. This project was a long time coming and has been the topic of many discussions in our household. So, I’m here to give you all the details from picking a color, finding a contractor, and the cost. Hold on to your seats - roofing is very exciting.
Read MoreA couple of weeks ago, we took in a momma cat and her five kittens through a fostering program at The San Diego Humane Society. You may have seen all the adorable videos I posted to Instagram Stories? They’ve provided hours of entertainment, oodles of cuteness, and gave me lots of things to clean. I wanna tell you all about it, share some favorite feline products, and even encourage you to take some local critters into your home! ;)
Read MoreIf you recall what our front yard looked like when we bought it, you know that the majority of my complaints were with all the excess stuff I didn't like in the yard. So, the first step to getting the yard of our dreams was getting rid of everything else. We were quoted over $2,000 to clear out the yard of plants and send them all to the landfill. Since neither of those things are cool in my book, I devised a plan. Here's how we saved thousands of dollars to prepare for a new landscape
Read MoreRedesigning the kitchen layout has been a doozy! I first talked about it in this post seven months ago where I laid out our must-haves, some sketches, a video walk-through, and a few thoughts on the matter. I asked readers to share their designs and give me feedback, so that’s what I’m here to do today - after a brief half a year of noodling on the designs.
Read MoreI don’t go big for many holidays, but I do like that Halloween is an excuse to gravitate towards dark hues and eerie decor. I don’t do inflatable skeletons, glittery pumpkins, cartoony ghoulish figurines, nor over-the-top gore scenes. I like a classic and simple halloween look that’s really just an extension of my every-day style. This year, I didn’t want to buy anything, so I made a few spooky scenes with 99% decor I already have and use on the daily, and 2% last year’s halloween decor.
Read MoreThe things from around the web that I’ve been digging such as, my friend’s restaurant design, who I’m watching during this ORC, new non-skinny jeans I’m loving, a quote I hope I never forget, simple ways to transition to fall, a dreamy kitchen faucet, painting kitchen cabinets, and financial honesty.
Read MoreIf you live somewhere with seasons, you probably find it odd that I’m sharing a gardening post in October. You’re probably bundled up preparing for cold weather and barren (yet gorgeous) snow-covered landscapes. However, fall is planting season in San Diego. The temps are still in the 80s here, but once it gets chillier, all of us wide-brimmed-straw-hat-wearing-folk are going to be out in the front yard enjoying one of the prettiest seasons. Here are my favorite gardening and landscape maintenance tools!
Read MoreOver the years, our house gained a few additions in the technology department. It has always had electricity, but then it got a phone line, and then a cable line, then another phone line, then satellite, then another cable line to route to another room, and so on. By her 100th birthday, our house had wires, conduit, and cables on every side of her. Naturally, I wanted all of this visual clutter gone. Here’s what I did!
Read MoreWhat I’ve been up to - from gardening, to film photography, and the books and shows we’re enjoying. Plus a house tour that requires a closer look, grass seed to always have on hand, cedar shake excitement, historic window screens, and the privilege I’m reminded of daily.
Hammocks, cookbooks, gardening, sewing, and the other things I’ve been up to on my impromptu break, and more.
Where I’ve been, shooting on film, my dream house, retro costume inspiration, energy rebates, a magic cake, textiles I don’t need but want, a lampshade DIY, my best defense against mosquitos, a new podcast, what’s killing home remodelers, best decision-making advice, overheard parenting, Little Women on acid home tour, best marble etch remover, and more.
If you like florals and color, this bathroom is for you. If you don’t, well, maybe scroll through and you’ll be converted? Or not? Either way, here’s the reveal of a bathroom addition that’s finally here - after a whole three years of construction.
My baby is two! Time’s flying… we wish we could slow down these years… I can’t believe she’s two… and all those other cliché things to say. We celebrated her second trip around the sun in our backyard with a small gathering of friends.
What I’m binge watching, the things I ordered for summertime fun, an incredible legacy, ranking films, a dozen things to say to your kids daily, design decisions, sibling bonds, and more.
I have such love for my historic house, but I’ve shamefully been neglecting the exterior paint. The tired finish was peeling and the faded colors did no justice to the architectural beauty of my 1915 craftsman bungalow. It was time for a change - a transformation that would honor the home's history while infusing it with fresh energy.
Ashley’s restoring her historic home at a snail’s pace in California. She shares home improvement DIYs, tips for sustainable living, and renovation stories - all while aiming to add more color and present real, lived-in, family friendly spaces.
I'm Ashley, a type-A homebody fixing up my historic home at a snail’s pace in California. I share home improvement DIYs, tips for sustainable living, and renovation stories - all while aiming to add more color and present real, lived-in spaces.
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Margot is getting an upgraded room to make space for baby sister in the nursery.
With an additional family member, we want to shuffle the rooms of our 3-bedroom house around. The one off the living room was being used as my home office, so now it’s time to convert it into an actual bedroom. The initial thought was to give this room to baby sister and keep Margot in her room. But we ultimately decided to put the baby in the room designed to be a nursery, then convert the home office into a space designed for a bigger kid. Plus, the office has more windows, and is right off the living room (Margot’s playroom) so it’s better suited for all the daytime play, whereas the single-window nursery is cozier for lots of daytime naps.