Cast iron has become my favorite cooking material and now I’m on the hunt for it whenever I pass a garage sale or antique shop. It’s nonstick, it isn’t going to poison me (cough Teflon), it’s easy to clean, and it lasts forever. When it rusts, it comes clean with two simple kitchen staples that you probably have at home already. Let’s get into it!
Read MoreThe things on my mind this week including my antiquing in Los Angeles, a nearly-original kitchen, thoughts on home sizes, a cranberry kitchen, artist videos, lead in our drinking water, Thanksgiving prep, library audiobooks, gift guides, the movie I adored this week, and more!
Read MoreMy friend Cathy of The Grit and Polish has been opening up the discussion of home sizes and what square footage means to different families. She was talking about it on her blog the other day, and I feel like I have more to share about our home, how we use it, what we wish we had, and how we think it will change in the future. So here it goes!
Read MoreI went to Los Angeles and, of course, went antiquing! Here’s a handy map and a list of all of the recommended places to go thrift shopping, antique hunting, and weekend marketing while in LA.
Read MoreA log home refresh, a $6 old house part, America Recycles Day has some issues, life on Instagram, your chance to be on This Old House, my wildly-requested lip balm and linen top, on being alone, a homestead I want to buy, two movies I’m dying to see, and more!
Read MoreIt’s the season of gifting! I’m brainstorming some new gift guides for 2019, but before I share new gift ideas, I want to remind you of my gift guides from yesteryear. I mean, why re-invent the wheel?? I’ve got gift ideas for old house lovers, entertainers, bookworms, gardeners, techies, homebodies, makers, organizers, zero-wasters and more! The items are all still relevant today and can hopefully inspire what to get and give - or even what to put on your own holiday wish list!
Read MoreThis week’s Weekly Roundup covers my two favorite ORC makeovers, hugelkultur, chore coats, a personality quiz, the tool everyone with an old house needs, a manual espresso maker, talking to kids about race, bust old house accounts, and a staircase restoration.
Read MorePumpkins and gourds are classic decor during the fall season, but please don’t put them in the trash when you’re done admiring them! When put in the trash and sent off to the landfill, pumpkins (and all other food materials) they create nasty greenhouses gasses. Instead of letting them become a negative, turn them into a positive with a few ideas I’ve outlined below.
Read MoreThe title is weird, I know. But hear me out. I have a strange philosophy for making decisions about my home: pretend you're sharing your reasoning with thousands of people. Not in fear of their judgment, but to solidify your own intentions.
Read MoreThe things on my mind this week including historic kitchen photographs, coming-of-age movies, debating sponsorships, why old places matter, This Old House has a podcast, smart renovating budgeting, thoughts on coffee, and my October playlist.
Read MoreI went on the San Diego Green Homes Tour this weekend, which is a two-day ticketed event that allows folks to explore “green” homes all over the San Diego region. The goal is to spread awareness about environmentally friendly design to homeowners, designers, or just curious humans - it was open to all. The houses range from being showy multi-million dollar new constructions in beach-front communities, to small semi-homesteads with modest DIY improvements.
Read MoreLots of things this week! My Halloween decor, moldy fruit sculptures, ethical Halloween candies, four great podcasts episodes ranging from pumpkins to mental health, citrus wallpaper, impressive DIY ghosts, a bra review, my Halloween playlist, three hobbies, art frames, a new cabin purchase, and my search engine that plants trees.
Read MoreMy friend Martha had a vision for this garage conversion: to turn her unfinished catch-all garage into a beautiful, hard-working space that could function as a living room, media room, playroom, laundry room, home office, and storage zone. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t entirely convinced all of that could fit. But somehow(?!), it absolutely does and it turned out even better than I imagined.
Margot is getting an upgraded room to make space for baby sister in the nursery.
What 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.
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 deeply systematic homebody restoring my 1915 Craftsman bungalow in California, slowly and on purpose. I don't make a single decision without first opening 100 tabs. Renovation, DIY, color, and what it actually looks like to live in an old house with two young kids.
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Hi. It's been a while. I've missed this. I took a longer break than I planned. Life has gotten full. I've been developing film and knitting at soccer practice, attempting to garden with the girls and fussing around with furniture layouts. I’ve also been scheduling summer camps, refilling the watercolors multiple times a day, and trying to keep the toys tidied. Around the house, I’m adding color wherever it fits and making some changes to the overall function and feel.