Things on my mind this week including a whole-house makeover, puppies, cabin heartbreak, sustainable men’s underwear, adoption, thoughts on vinyl windows, waste and recycling, an amazing before & after, two home murals, state power, and the cost to make handmade items.
Read MoreOur house is a 1915 craftsman bungalow in a charming old neighborhood of San Diego. While the house is special in our eyes, we’ve been going through the process of making it even more special with historic designation. It gives us cool street cred, plus with an extra step, we get a discount on our property taxes. There’s a lot of wins, but also a few hurdles to jump over, so I wanna share where we’re at in the process, how to apply yourself, and what this all means for the future of our home.
Read MoreOodles of things on my mind this week including solar panels, the book I’m reading, Black History Month, kitchen tidying, my playlist, and more.
Read MoreBack in early December Ross and I went to Seattle for about a week. He went for work and I went to explore the city and meet up with a couple of my blogger pals! I got to hang out with Cathy of The Grit and Polish at her beautiful farmhouse outside the city and we both met up with Joanna of Jojotastic for lunch and to check in on her kitchen renovation. I asked my fine Instagram followers for recommendations of what to do/see/eat in Seattle and you did not disappoint. I’ve listed everyone’s suggestions here!
But first, I give you a video diary - or vlog, if you will. It’s is mostly a video version of a photo scrapbook of where we ate, clips of pretty trees, and shots of animals - which is basically all I care about.
Read MoreI love having lots of artwork throughout our home. It’s probably because of my years of art school and working in art museums. Yeah, that’s probably why. I enjoy having pieces I find beautiful, ones that make me think, those that make me laugh, and the ones that are nostalgic. Bad art is my biggest deign pet peeve, simply because I hate when people fill their home with nothingness just for the sake of having decor. It makes me sad to see junk hung on the walls of people’s homes just to fill the space.
In this post I round up my favorite online art retailers, list framing options, and share each and every piece of artwork in my personal collection. Take a look!
Read MoreHeartwarming stories, kitchen remodels, new items from my favorite ethical clothing brand, a blog post that resonated with me, more thoughts on Loop, how I did on my yoga challenge and my favorite yoga gear, a showstopping bathroom sink, my new manicure technique, and more!
Read MoreI wrote a blog post last year with a list of unique ways to donate a bunch of things when you’re decluttering. Things like dingy towels, toiletries, cleaning products, paint samples, light bulbs, eyeglasses, houseplants, and so so much more. Check it out even if you read it last year because I added a few more tips, and we can always use a refresher.
I mentioned the Buy Nothing Project in that post but I want to give it a big shout out and profess my love for this group. I mean LOVE. I’m in this group’s page literally every day and I’ve decluttered a bunch of hard-to-get rid of items (read my trash - I’ll explain later), plus I’ve saved oodles of money in the group, too. What is it, you ask? Well, I’ll tell ya.
Read MoreEnergy consumption has been on my mind lately as we’ve been gearing up to add solar panels to our roof and as we continue to think about our footprint on this lil’ world of ours. We hear lots about how we should use LED bulbs instead of incandescent and we should get energy star appliances instead of energy guzzlers - both of which I firmly believe and included in my list of ways to make green energy improvements at home. But, I wanted to know exactly how much energy each of my lights, appliances, tools, and electronics around the house were actually consuming. Because I’m type-A like that.
Read MoreA foster pup updates, miniature doll houses, movies I saw this week, pantry storage, a quirky apartment tour, books I finished, details on my closet system, paint color trends, painting prints, and an inspiring kitchen.
Read MoreWith Netflix’s Marie Kondo special all the rage and her book selling like hot cakes, I wanted to chime in with my experience folding clothes and purging clutter the KonMari way. You may remember that a year ago my pal Natasha Habermann helped me clean out my closet using Marie Kondo’s method. Well, I started folding my clothes in the KonMari way and I’m smitten, so I’m here to show you how, too!
Read MoreIt’s Friday already, so I’m back with a list of things that have been on my mind and what’s been inspiring me on the internet in the past week. It includes an update on our foster dog, the audiobooks I finished this week, a 1950s house tour, a good laugh, a new tea kettle, a homemade kombucha update, thoughts on our food, unique artwork, and a hot tip on traveling for free!
Read MoreI posed an open-ended “ask me anything!” questionnaire on Instagram last week and got oodles of questions. So, I’m here to answer them for you. Every. Single. One. I’m hoping this gives you more insight into who I am, more about the house, and my tricks of the trade. Enjoy!
Read MoreWhere 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.
The thrill of renovating outdoor spaces is they always get better with age. We overhauled our backyard last year and the plant growth during this last trip around the sun is wild! Get ready for lots o’ photos.
We overhauled our backyard it’s my new favorite “room” at our house. Here’s what it cost to completely transform the space.
Ashley has been restoring her craftsman bungalow since early 2015. The Gold Hive chronicles the journey of DIYs, restorations, renovations, and stories.
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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Hammocks, cookbooks, gardening, sewing, and the other things I’ve been up to on my impromptu break, and more.