Projects Getting Checked Off The List

I have finished a couple of my projects so far this week.

The commissioned mosaic piece is finished. 

I made the Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto and it is in the freezer.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

1 (8.5 ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil

1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves

2 garlic gloves

1/2 (packed) fresh parsley leaves

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

In the bowl of a food processor, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil with the basil, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic just until the tomatoes are finely chopped.  Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl, and stir in the cheese.

This pesto will last one week if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.  I put mine in ice cube trays and freeze.  Then pop them out of the trays and store in a freezer bag.

This pesto is a great topping for sauteed or grilled fish and is perfect over penne pasta.

The big project seen in my last post, is still in the works.  Off to do some major sanding!

Welcome Home,

Penny

A Delicious Crepe Myrtle

Crepe myrtle 'White Chocolate'
in August 2010

A scorching summer doesn't deter the blooms of crepe myrtle, a "go-to" tree for southern gardeners. There are three varieties of crepe (crape) myrtle in my garden, but 'White Chocolate' is my favorite for mixing with perennials.

I stumbled upon this unusual variety in 2006. This year, the blooms are fabulous and have been going strong for a month.

'White Chocolate' is a cultivar selected by Dr. Michael Dirr, University of Georgia, Athens. Rated for zones 7-9, this is a moderate grower to 8 feet high and wide.

Although 'White Chocolate' is a difficult crepe myrtle cultivar to find, it is listed with Monrovia. (Their website allows you to search for garden centers in your area that carry their brand.)

Once established, this tree is drought-tolerant. It is also deer resistant. Japanese Beetles will chew on any crepe myrtle, but the damage is less as the trees grow larger.

The dark burgundy foliage of 'White Chocolate' is especially beautiful when it first emerges in the spring. As the season progresses, it is more bronze-burgundy, but never fades in the strong sunlight. The autumn color is brilliant and in winter, the bark is interesting. The summer blooms are white, but the burgundy and pink tones make it a good color to use with pink or blue blooms of perennials such as agastache, nepeta, echinops and caryopteris.

I shape 'White Chocolate' like a shrub instead of a tree, but pruning must be done with careful consideration—as with all crepe myrtles, you take responsibility when you grow one of these lovely trees, so please don't commit crepe murder!

Crepe myrtle 'White Chocolate'
behind agastache 'Salmon & Pink'

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.

Update

Hello everyone,

I wanted to pop by to thank all of you for your kind and loving messages in the past week as my Mom has been in hospital. To give you a little update-Mom had surgery last night for a bowel obstruction and she has come through the surgery as well as expected and she slept peacefully all morning. the next few days will be very difficult but the Doctor seems hopeful that all can go well if there are no complications such as infection or pneumonia.

My Mom was still pleading for a cup of tea( no fluids for a few days - only ice chips ,and not even that for hours before surgery) as she was going into surgery last night. So please pray that we will soon be enjoying the best cup of tea we ever had!

Thank you again- it is amazing to have support from friends all over the world.

Take care,

Carolyn

First Impressions

We all know the saying about the importance of first impressions. Our homes, like ourselves speaks volumes about who we are.
If you were to pull into my driveway at the moment, you might think I am lazy.......weeds, drooping plants and yes I am a Landscape Designer .................. maybe you might think an overly busy Landscape Designer. Your initial image is lasting.

The presence of a gate, to me, is an enticement, a lovely bit of ornamentation.

And of course the other intent is additionally loud and clear.

But today's post is about the beautiful first impression you can create.
Last February I was in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California for a biz conference. Stolen time was a drive-through this fairy tail community.

Consider the placement............a no-nonsense stride to the front door

Think about the effect. No this is not derelict but a local style of the community adding to it's charm and casual lifestyle

Think of the style and it complementing and enhancing the architectural style of your home. Hints of adobe make this gate and fence appropriate.

 My personal favorite for many reasons;
The overhead arbor makes the gate very important
Love a double gate
The weathered wood blends with the homes colors

 

AND LOOK AT THAT MAILBOX!! 

Live on a busy road? Or in the case of this town.........gawking tourists?

Have something to say? Look closely, inside the gate and arbor

The mystery of what beauty this gate contains

A rustic mix of materials and styles; the gate remains special with stone sentinels supporting it. The wood carries on but in a different pattern.

Not necessarily a means of securing the property but as an element of charm for artistic expression

Love it, but when it speaks to me it says.............."no surface unadorned" and that would be carried forth indoors, no doubt with good taste and a specific theme

This could go two ways, as is in the rustic style of the town, not particularly calling attention to itself. Or a classic white picket gate and fence mirroring the trim and style

SPANISH!   Loud and clear.........vintage sun bleached door with stone and stucco. The home has underlying tones of Tudor but who am I to judge :-)

Pure cottage..............the rounded undulating form of the stone wall, the wood fence capping and arbor perfectly mirror elements of this home

Enticing! Stone and iron............notice the curving path beyond. Curves say to me "slow down and enjoy". Also take note of the stone backdrop which highlights the gate.

SHEER PERFECTION! Don't you agree?
What I see that is so spot on;
-the stone adds weight, all iron would disappear otherwise. It's colorways compliment the roof
-the iron is a taupe/gray that blends. Take particular notice of the subtle arch in the fence, repeating the Tudor timbering on the house
-the separation of the "street garden" and the "interior garden"
-the personalization..........see below

And..........the sense of humor. I want to know these people!

Formal and curvy and subtly French

A nod to it's Spanish Architecture

The same stone as the house is carried forward creating the illusion of a more expansive home. The gate color is repeated on the house trim

"Look" but do not enter................

An artistic whimsical mindset...........a conformist does not reside here.

What about a set of gates for the drive?

This would be my absolute favorite............
-The gates repeat the style and materials

-Maybe they are always left open..........the effect is so good
-The planted drive
-The enticement of the "long view" and what lies beyond

The gates and the fencing need not match

Repetition of the garage door lines...............and........if one material is good (wood), two or three are better (stone and stucco).

  Lastly a moment of shameless self-promotion.
Back in Illinois..............this is one of my landscape clients' home with their free standing gate. Here is what we were attempting to achieve;
-Bring the garden "out" towards the street with repeated architectural elements
-The concrete posts are from my friend and artist Richard Taylor
-The gate is custom made by a local iron worker
-The gates do not function.............purely ornamental
-When the Hydrangea's mature and bloom the gate will stand out with the flora behind it
-WINTER INTEREST..........mandatory in Illinois.

Do you have a gate, want a gate? If you need help in deciding style and color send a photo of the front of your home, we can all learn about the process together.
"He who wants to do good knocks at the gate; he who loves, finds the gate open"
by
Rabindranath Taqure


xo
Debra

kitchen secrets revealed

Ok, so they're not really secrets, but I thought that sounded more exciting than "Where I got my stuff."

I have had lots of comments, emails and general questions about the remodel lately, so I thought I would attempt to give you all the information I have pertaining to the questions I have been asked the most. As a disclaimer, I am a visual person, not a technical person, so some of my information may not be quite as informative as desired... if any of you have advice to add (namely about brick floors) please feel free to chime in...

Question(s): How do you like the brick floors? What kind of brick did you use? What sealer did you use? How do they feel on bare feet?

Answer: I love the brick floors! I am so happy with how they turned out. Unfortunately, that is about all I know. Like I said, I am a visual person and I simply picked the color I wanted and left the install, sealer, etc. to the contractor. In fact, I originally picked a different brick altogether because I loved the color, but I was told it could absolutely not go on a floor as it would be far too crumbly. They steered me in a different direction and, again, I picked based on color. I am sure any brick installer or even possibly contractor could give you answers as to the sealer. (Any one out there have any good tips?) As for bare feet, I actually never go around without shoes on (I have a wee bit of a sensitive foot thing), but when I have walked on it, I think it feels fine, even a little good. It is still a little gritty, which they told me will go away, but it is not rough at all. Is that too longwinded of an answer without really answering what people want to know about the bricks? Whoops....

Question: Where did you get the iron shelving? Do you sell it in your store?

Answer: I actually got these shelves on a buying trip to Paris a couple years ago. We used to sell them in the store, but sadly do not have them anymore. When I got back from Paris, we were able to find someone to make them for the store who had a connection to get all the same kind of pieces (handles, foot bar, etc.), but she more or less ended up flaking on us. We are always on the lookout for something like these. I am actually having metal shelving put in on either side of my stove and found an amazing metal man (not to be confused with the tin man from wizard of oz) named W. Thomas Tuberty. He has done work for LGO, Postino's and other local places. I have more to share on all the fantastic stuff he is working on for us right now, but if you are looking for someone to do something top quality for you, he is your guy. (tuberty designs@gmail.com or call him at 480-213-4982).

Question: Where did you get the hardware on your cabinets?

Answer: I picked out this hardware from a store in Phoenix called Clyde Hardware. We have used them a lot and have always been very happy. If you go, ask for Mike.

Question: Where did you get the white chair covers at the kitchen island?

Answer: I actually had these made for these chairs. The fabric is vintage fabric that I picked up at the flea market. We have a slip cover lady that we use through the store all the time and she made them for me. If you need anything slip covered, call the Willows and we will be glad to give you her info. Anyone have any good suggestions on where to get pre-made slip covers like these?

Question: What paint color did you use on the walls?

Answer: The paint color is Tequila 8672W spma 20-0 int.velvet. I don't really know what all those numbers are for, I just read them off the container. It is from Dunn Edwards, so maybe some of those numbers relate to them, but I figured I would share all of it, in case it is important. And Jody (Sunstate Remodeling and Painting, 480-510-4833), our painter, is the very best, I must say. When we first moved in to this house, our good friend and architect, Jon Martens (who did our original remodel) came up with this color, partially (ok, possibly entirely) for its name. For his memory, I feel its important to remain with this color. I, on the other hand, don't and can't drink tequila, so I must settle for the paint color. Good thing I haven't found a paint color called "vino"...

Anyway, I think that covers most of the questions I have been asked lately. Sorry if all the information you were hoping for is not there... (How big of a slacker am I on those brick questions?) If you have any more questions, please, please ask away!