Project- laundry....:)

It's no secret that I love to do laundry:) Ok, well if it was a secret- I just told on myself. Anyway...this here is my laundry room in our Dana Point cottage:)

Cute- but kinda booooring!! I always thought some stripes would look fab in here, and this last weekend I tackled it with the help of my amazing sidekick:)

I have hated these cabinets that I call the GIRAFFE since they were put in. I asked for light distressed and the only thing that was lightly distressed was me- for the last 5 years!! UGH!! Moving along...

Since I have the patience of a two year old and the math skills to match, I let my hubby do the taping:) I mean seriously, I could hear him saying things like 11 and 15/16th's and stuff! Wa what?? I did however, read some time saving tips from Beth about painting stripes, and her info was spot on!

Oh! and for the first time evah I actually wore gloves and saved the manicure I just got a few days ago! I'm growing up:)

We painted a few coats and waited for the paint to dry....

Yippee!!! I'm in love:)

I found these sweet little drum lights at Lowe's, and just shortened the curtains that I already had:)

Here's the view from the kitchen:)

Next week? I'm hoping to get to project-send-the-giraffe-back-to-the-zoo! I'll keep ya posted;)

Better After...:)

Ok, who doesn't LOVE a really good before/after?? This weekend, I painted my house. My dollhouse:) When I ordered this thing, the paint colors I had to choose from were verrry limited. Seriously, it was this or purple or pink or paint it myself...ummm NO! Soo I went with the blue. I thought I could deal with it, because I had these grandiose plans on taking it to our Cali house, and it would fit in perfectly:) Weeeell, 4 years later and she's no where near the beach:(

So Friday my sweet little niece (who had a day off from school) and I took to tackling this crazy paint job. By Monday morning (and coercing Rio to help me)....here she is!!! GREEN:) of course:) I left the shutters and trim the same color and doesn't she look soooo much happier??

Speaking of happier..... Take a look. This is the only "before" pic I could find of the house (if you could call it that) across the street. The blueish- grayish- eyesore- with no grass- sketchy peeps living in it- mess of house- that just needed SOMEONE to love it. This house is what I looked at every time I sat at my dining room table, or on my front porch. It was a house at one time, but over the years had been "converted" into 3 separate apartments:(

Enter Peter Mirata. Owner of Gilbert Contracting Company and pretty much the neighborhood hero:) Yep, he arrived on his white horse and saved this ramshackle sad excuse of a house, and turned her into something the entire neighborhood is proud of:)

Peter spared no expense renovating this house. I'm not kidding, I watched the entire thing-- from my dining table and front porch:)  Check out the master bath:)  

And how beautiful is this kitchen??

My neighbors and I would LOVE some cool peeps to buy this place. Because we're cool peeps!! Uh huh! I mean come on! Who doesn't want to live on a street where there's a Dorie, Lori, Tori and a Jeory!! (I'm secretly hoping for the new buyers to be a Cory....a Maury..... ) Anyway, if you love historic neighborhoods, living downtown, neighborhood parties and happy hour on the porch give these guys a call :)   480.926.2727  more pics here:)

Hpy Mthrs Dy!!

So the hubby and I are here in DP:) and it's Monday. And that means I should be blogging right? Nope. Here I sat with absolutely no ideas. Maybe because when I get here my brain totally shuts off:) Soooo, I turned on what my mom always called- the monster. Yep, that's what she called the TV:)

And look what was on!! PERFECT! I was thinking about doing a Mother's Day post!!

No wire hangers EVER!!!!!

Nothing can make you board the crazy train faster than your kids. And my mama had 6 of them. She used to always say- "insanity is hereditary, you get if from your kids!" I seriously don't know how she did it.

This sweet lady is the bestest of  a mom and an even better Grandma Sweets. She can cure your cold with her chicken neck soup, and make your tummy smile with her homemade mole. But my favorite thing? Her writing. Her words and her calligraphy. And now? Her texts!! She abbreviates.

 I love her to pieces:)

Happy Mother's Day!!

The Secret Garden...:)

I love this movie. This was a dream of mine when I was little, finding a secret beautiful place that no one knows about. Well there is such a place. And I found it. Only I can't tell you where. Just know that it's fab and I happen to know the secret code, the secret handshake, you know- what it takes to get into this cool place:)

 My  niece was celebrating her sweet 16 last weekend and we had a little family party here, what I call- The Secret Garden:) It's this amazing piece of property that is tucked away and belongs to my sweet friend L.O. :) My sis in law hung lights, set up a beautiful tent, hung pink paper pom poms in the trees and lit candles everywhere.

 She set out blankets on the ground and did a picnic style party.

 Love the rustic fireplace in the background:)

 Here's a close up! Can't WAIT to sit here come the fall and have wine (lots o wine) by the fire. Yep L, I just invited myself to a party you didn't know you were having:)

 Here's the place late in the day. LOVE the pergola with the curtains:) But.....

 The place is absolutely breathtaking at night:)

Candles everywhere:)

 And here she is, the beautiful birthday girl.

 

It was a wonderful night celebrating the sweetest of 16:)

The biggest thank you to my friend L.O. You made a sweet 16 birthday girl very happy by sharing your beautiful Secret Garden. I'm looking forward to many more wonderful times spent here. 'Cause you know, I know the secret handshake and all....:)

Must love dogs... :)

Warning: LONG  Frenchie obsessed post ahead:)

Ok.

Not until 6 years ago, when this sweet little French man came into my life, did I even think about loving a dog. We've always had them, but they were always the hubby's dogs. Weeell when my hubby surprised me with this little guy on Mother's Day 6 years ago, my heart melted. So I thought I'd let you know all the obnoxious things I do to keep my Little Bully happy:)

His dog bed. I found this bed online at Cozy Winters. It's HEATED and COOLED, and completely awesome. It plugs in to heat up the heated pad in the middle of the cushion, and then in the summer you fill this other cushion with water to keep it cool:) I think it was about $150.00? But it's been the best thing evah!

But really, he sleeps anywhere he wants.

Like in my blue linen chair...

Or while sitting on the porch....

Or his favorite? His mommy's bed:)

Especially when she's still in it:)

I love, love, love this shampoo. I get it from my vet, but I think you can get it from any pet store. It's about $15, and man! his coat is sooo soft from this stuff:) 

And I can NOT say enough about this fab food!! I tell everyone I know about it. My sis told me about it and LB has been faithfully eating this stuff for over 5 years. Flint River Ranch, It's organic, no filler, pure oven baked goodness. This food literally stopped my Frenchie's itchiness in it's tracks!! And notice he has no brown drippy eye stuff?? Yeah, it stopped that too. So basically the bomb dog food! And the best part? It delivers to your doorstep. Uh huh! I haven't had that -oh crap I'm out of dog food! scare in 5 years. $ 27.49 for a 10lb. bag.

His car seat. Yes, I said car seat. Car seat. EVERYONE made fun of me for this one. But I'll tell you what? It's the BEST thing ever!! As soon as I put Little Bully in it, he goes right to sleep.

I ain't kidding!! Whether we are just going down the street or driving for 5 1/2 hrs. to Cali., he's snoring away in about 5 minutes:)

Speaking of snoring.....

My favorite dog collars. They're from Preston Ribbons. They have a bazillion prints and most important? They're SOFT:) LB enjoyed this bubble print for a while and just recently...

I got this frog print... because he's a FROG DOG!!! :)  My hubby can't deal with the "wimpy" collars I buy my LB, he thinks he should wear something black. Nope. Not happenin!

I love this pic. Wallace is not supposed to be up on this table. But he loves it. So I let him:)

I seriously don't know why he finds this so comfortable?

Ok, so I'll put away my brag book now. I'm pretty sure I have more pics of  Little Bully that I do of my own kids. Yeah, I'm that girl:)

** If you are wanting to love a Frenchie yourself, or just want to help out with the ones who desperately need it- visit the angels at French Bulldog Rescue Network.  They're an amazing group of volunteers that will do anything in their power to save a Frenchie:)

Urban Picnic....:)

Ok. I've always kept this bloggy of mine advertise free. I just like it that way:) I do however, love to talk about the things I love:) Like my sweet baby girl and her new venture. Rio and her bf Chase just bought the cutest of sandwich shops in Historic downtown Mesa. Chase has always had a passion for food and a dream of having his own restaurant. Let me introduce you to....

And here they are. The new owners:) I am one proud mama I tell ya!

Urban Picnic serves up some awesome sandwiches and salads, using the best of organic produce, ingredients and homemade salad dressings:)

Like this awesomeness. The turkey and stuffing sandwich. Uh huh. Stuffing made fresh every morning:) And the side? Blue cheese coleslaw:)

My personal fav- the grilled veggie and goat cheese sandwich and southwestern orzo pasta. Yuuuummmy!!

And last but not least, the Caprese. The bomb. Nuff said:) 

Rio's red velvet cupcakes! Get one before they're gone!

But seriously? You can't go wrong with whatever you order at Urban Picnic. And I'm not just sayin that as a proud mama, I've eaten there since this place opened and I love it! I love it so much I'm gonna pass on some UP love. Say "I picnic with Dorie" and you get your drink free with the purchase of a sandwich or salad! Dealio ends next Tuesday!!