Patina Style by Brooke and Steve Gianetti

Today I want to tell you about a husband and wife design team and Architecture firm that I discovered probably two or three years ago.  They are California based Brooke and Steve Gianetti.  They have a blog entitled "Velvet & Linen" (http://brookegiannetti.typepad.com/).  Their website is located at (http://www.giannettiarchitects.com/).  I am a follower of their blog and you will see it listed here under "Blogs I Like".  Brooke and Steve recently released their newest book, "Patina Style" which is for purchase at the Barnes & Noble page (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/patina-style-steve-giannetti/1100232598?ean=9781423622536&itm=1&usri=patina%2bstyle) or the Amazon page (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1423622537).  Of course you can also order a copy through the Velvet & Linen blog and there are instructions there on how to do that.

I was so pleased to receive my copy of this book yesterday.  It arrived so beautifully packaged.

I almost didn't want to unwrap it.  But I knew that what was inside the wrapping was equally as fabulous, so I decided to move ahead.

Beautiful.  Just beautiful.

I loved the inscription.  The fact that they both signed it individually made it all the more special.

A turn of the inscription page and it was immediately evident that I was in for a real treat as I made my way through the book.

After I made my way through for the first time, I found a promiment spot to display it.

It is a delightful book with lots of wonderful pictures to give you inspiration in your own interior designing quest.  I look forward to referring to it many times in the future when I am looking for just the right thing for a table or an idea to give a finishing touch to a room.  Thank you,  Brooke and Steve, for your inspiration and the heartfelt words.  I wish you great success in all your endeavors.

Patina Style by Brooke and Steve Gianetti

Today I want to tell you about a husband and wife design team and Architecture firm that I discovered probably two or three years ago.  They are California based Brooke and Steve Gianetti.  They have a blog entitled "Velvet & Linen" (http://brookegiannetti.typepad.com/).  Their website is located at (http://www.giannettiarchitects.com/).  I am a follower of their blog and you will see it listed here under "Blogs I Like".  Brooke and Steve recently released their newest book, "Patina Style" which is for purchase at the Barnes & Noble page (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/patina-style-steve-giannetti/1100232598?ean=9781423622536&itm=1&usri=patina%2bstyle) or the Amazon page (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1423622537).  Of course you can also order a copy through the Velvet & Linen blog and there are instructions there on how to do that.

I was so pleased to receive my copy of this book yesterday.  It arrived so beautifully packaged.

I almost didn't want to unwrap it.  But I knew that what was inside the wrapping was equally as fabulous, so I decided to move ahead.

Beautiful.  Just beautiful.

I loved the inscription.  The fact that they both signed it individually made it all the more special.

A turn of the inscription page and it was immediately evident that I was in for a real treat as I made my way through the book.

After I made my way through for the first time, I found a promiment spot to display it.

It is a delightful book with lots of wonderful pictures to give you inspiration in your own interior designing quest.  I look forward to referring to it many times in the future when I am looking for just the right thing for a table or an idea to give a finishing touch to a room.  Thank you,  Brooke and Steve, for your inspiration and the heartfelt words.  I wish you great success in all your endeavors.

Desktop Organization

I wrote on Monday that I was going through my desk to try and organize things a bit and eventually ended up making a little origami box to hold paper packets of salt.  In that post I indicated that I placed this origami box in my leather catch-all on my desk.  I thought today I would follow-up that post with a bigger picture explanation of just what I keep in my leather catch-all.

I got this from Pottery Barn some years ago now.  I used it in the entry table for awhile, but later decided it would work better on my desk.  So, as you see here, I keep quite an assortment of things in this space.  In the back on the left is a bottle of InstaClears to clean my eyeglasses.  The bottle in front of that is a bottle of Citrus Coconut Hand Sanitizer.  In front of that, an emery board, nail clippers (yes, ... men need to maintain their fingernails too) and Chap-Stick.  In the center section in the back is a Mio water enhancer and the newly assembled salt box and Nivea Creme.  On the right in the very back is a picture I printed from the web of Anderson Cooper which I take with me each time I get my hair cut so the stylist will know exactly what kind of cut I want.  In front of Anderson are two glass jars with screw-on tops from The Container Store with a mix of Tic Tacs to keep the breath fresh.  And lastly in the front on the right is two types of dental floss (the one on the bottom being Glide Pro-Health Original and the green box on top being Glide Whitening plus Scope Flavor.)  This is very handy to have at arms reach.  I am set for most anything that comes up with these items at the ready.  Specialize yours to fit your wants or needs.  You could use a little wicker basket or a stainless steel tray to hold the items.  Then customize what you place in it based on what is important to you.  A great way to get a little organization to your desktop and in your life.

Desktop Organization

I wrote on Monday that I was going through my desk to try and organize things a bit and eventually ended up making a little origami box to hold paper packets of salt.  In that post I indicated that I placed this origami box in my leather catch-all on my desk.  I thought today I would follow-up that post with a bigger picture explanation of just what I keep in my leather catch-all.

I got this from Pottery Barn some years ago now.  I used it in the entry table for awhile, but later decided it would work better on my desk.  So, as you see here, I keep quite an assortment of things in this space.  In the back on the left is a bottle of InstaClears to clean my eyeglasses.  The bottle in front of that is a bottle of Citrus Coconut Hand Sanitizer.  In front of that, an emery board, nail clippers (yes, ... men need to maintain their fingernails too) and Chap-Stick.  In the center section in the back is a Mio water enhancer and the newly assembled salt box and Nivea Creme.  On the right in the very back is a picture I printed from the web of Anderson Cooper which I take with me each time I get my hair cut so the stylist will know exactly what kind of cut I want.  In front of Anderson are two glass jars with screw-on tops from The Container Store with a mix of Tic Tacs to keep the breath fresh.  And lastly in the front on the right is two types of dental floss (the one on the bottom being Glide Pro-Health Original and the green box on top being Glide Whitening plus Scope Flavor.)  This is very handy to have at arms reach.  I am set for most anything that comes up with these items at the ready.  Specialize yours to fit your wants or needs.  You could use a little wicker basket or a stainless steel tray to hold the items.  Then customize what you place in it based on what is important to you.  A great way to get a little organization to your desktop and in your life.

Making Multi-Purpose Origami Boxes

So the saying goes, "necessity is the mother of invention."  I was cleaning out my desk today and I discovered that over time I had thrown a bunch of those little packets of salt you get at the deli into a drawer.  Even though I enjoy salt on my food, I do not normally use all of these little packets that are tossed in my bag when I leave the deli.  So they accumulate and I wanted to corral them.  I decided to make an origami box to place them in.  And here is the result of that venture.

 
I found the directions on how to assemble the box online at www.origami-instructions.com.  I started with a piece of card stock that was cut to 6" x 6" square.

I followed the instructions that I printed from the website listed above and in a very few minutes I had a place to keep the salt packets.

I nestled this little box into my leather catch-all on my desk right next to the little glass, screw-top jars of tic-tac's and the bottle of Instaclears which I use to clean my eyeglasses.  This is a very quick and easy way to get a little organization to small things laying around on our desk or in drawers.  I think I'll make some more of these.  Enjoy.

Making Multi-Purpose Origami Boxes

So the saying goes, "necessity is the mother of invention."  I was cleaning out my desk today and I discovered that over time I had thrown a bunch of those little packets of salt you get at the deli into a drawer.  Even though I enjoy salt on my food, I do not normally use all of these little packets that are tossed in my bag when I leave the deli.  So they accumulate and I wanted to corral them.  I decided to make an origami box to place them in.  And here is the result of that venture.

 
I found the directions on how to assemble the box online at www.origami-instructions.com.  I started with a piece of card stock that was cut to 6" x 6" square.

I followed the instructions that I printed from the website listed above and in a very few minutes I had a place to keep the salt packets.

I nestled this little box into my leather catch-all on my desk right next to the little glass, screw-top jars of tic-tac's and the bottle of Instaclears which I use to clean my eyeglasses.  This is a very quick and easy way to get a little organization to small things laying around on our desk or in drawers.  I think I'll make some more of these.  Enjoy.

The Chinese Takeout Box Fiasco

The question last Wednesday, was, . . .  what can we do with an oversized Chinese takeout box.

Well, as much as I would like to share with you exactly what we did with the Chinese takeout box, I cannot.  Over the weekend my phone lost every single picture that I have taken since June 20, of which there were many.  Including the takeout box filled and overflowing with goodies for Bev and a whole array of pictures taken during a visit to Merrifield Garden Center on Saturday.  I am positively sick over the whole thing.  But, we cannot get mired down in our failures.  So we move ever forward and on to the next project.

The Chinese Takeout Box Fiasco

The question last Wednesday, was, . . .  what can we do with an oversized Chinese takeout box.

Well, as much as I would like to share with you exactly what we did with the Chinese takeout box, I cannot.  Over the weekend my phone lost every single picture that I have taken since June 20, of which there were many.  Including the takeout box filled and overflowing with goodies for Bev and a whole array of pictures taken during a visit to Merrifield Garden Center on Saturday.  I am positively sick over the whole thing.  But, we cannot get mired down in our failures.  So we move ever forward and on to the next project.

Bev's Birthday Weekend

It has been a busy week at Crest Avenue and will continue to be busy as we prepare for our dear friend Bev to arrive tomorrow to celebrate her birthday with us.  Scheduled arrival time - 6:00 PM.  I think it takes between 5:00 - 6:00 hours to drive from Erie, PA (Bev's home town) to Cheverly.  I will be busy with last minute cleaning and running errands over the next 48 hours.  I'm just sitting here reading my to-do list for this event - take steaks and hamburger out of freezer to thaw; pick up (4) avocadoes, (2) jalapenos, (2) plum tomatoes (I'm making fresh guacamole); 16 oz. ricotta cheese (I'm also making lasagne); sour cream, limes, lemons; drop off and pick up laundry; stop at liquor store.  We will be serving your choice of martini or cranberry cosmo or whiskey sour on the deck as soon as she arrives.  Her birthday cake this year will take the form of cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes.  (www.georgetowncupcake.com). 

Saturday we are taking a drive out to Merrifield Garden Center Fair Oaks location in Virginia to meet local celebrities Peg Bier, David Yost and Debbie Warhurst-Capp.  All three host a local show called Merrifield Gardening Advisor here in the D.C. Market.  We are so excited to meet each of them.  While we are there we will be selecting and purchasing tulip bulbs for fall planting.  And who knows what else might catch our eye.

Saturday evening Bob is hosting a small gathering at his house for the birthday girl.  Sunday will be spent recuperating from Friday and Saturday and Bev will have a special treat later in the day.  I hesitate to reveal the special treat in this writing as she is an avid fan of Welcome to Crest Avenue blogspot.

So check back over the next few days for posts on the festive upcoming weekend!

Bev's Birthday Weekend

It has been a busy week at Crest Avenue and will continue to be busy as we prepare for our dear friend Bev to arrive tomorrow to celebrate her birthday with us.  Scheduled arrival time - 6:00 PM.  I think it takes between 5:00 - 6:00 hours to drive from Erie, PA (Bev's home town) to Cheverly.  I will be busy with last minute cleaning and running errands over the next 48 hours.  I'm just sitting here reading my to-do list for this event - take steaks and hamburger out of freezer to thaw; pick up (4) avocadoes, (2) jalapenos, (2) plum tomatoes (I'm making fresh guacamole); 16 oz. ricotta cheese (I'm also making lasagne); sour cream, limes, lemons; drop off and pick up laundry; stop at liquor store.  We will be serving your choice of martini or cranberry cosmo or whiskey sour on the deck as soon as she arrives.  Her birthday cake this year will take the form of cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes.  (www.georgetowncupcake.com). 

Saturday we are taking a drive out to Merrifield Garden Center Fair Oaks location in Virginia to meet local celebrities Peg Bier, David Yost and Debbie Warhurst-Capp.  All three host a local show called Merrifield Gardening Advisor here in the D.C. Market.  We are so excited to meet each of them.  While we are there we will be selecting and purchasing tulip bulbs for fall planting.  And who knows what else might catch our eye.

Saturday evening Bob is hosting a small gathering at his house for the birthday girl.  Sunday will be spent recuperating from Friday and Saturday and Bev will have a special treat later in the day.  I hesitate to reveal the special treat in this writing as she is an avid fan of Welcome to Crest Avenue blogspot.

So check back over the next few days for posts on the festive upcoming weekend!

We Dodged A Bullet at Crest Avenue

And a very close bullet indeed.  We had waves of rain come through the Washington Metropolitan area Tuesday afternoon.  The entire day was just scary looking.  Lots of high winds.  There were trees down and power out again in different areas of Northern Virginia, D.C. and Maryland.  Fortunately, not at Crest Avenue.

This was the extent of the damage at Crest Avenue.  And for that, we are incredibly grateful.  It was just up the hill and around the corner that one of my neighbors had a huge tree fall on her house.  More pointedly, her front porch.  Here is a rather blurry picture taken from the car as we drove by right after this happened.




This is the local news crew in the front yard filming for the next news report.

From what I saw on the news this morning, the entire front porch was removed from the house overnight and the roof was wrapped in a blue tarp.  The family will be unable to occupy the residence until repairs have been made which could be months.

The tree fell on the main roof of the house before taking out the front porch, so it was deemed uninhabitable.  Such a shame.  This was one of the 100+ year old homes in our neighborhood that had recently had many upgrades made to the exterior.  Let's hope that the damage is not too extensive and that they are back in their house quickly.

We Dodged A Bullet at Crest Avenue

And a very close bullet indeed.  We had waves of rain come through the Washington Metropolitan area Tuesday afternoon.  The entire day was just scary looking.  Lots of high winds.  There were trees down and power out again in different areas of Northern Virginia, D.C. and Maryland.  Fortunately, not at Crest Avenue.

This was the extent of the damage at Crest Avenue.  And for that, we are incredibly grateful.  It was just up the hill and around the corner that one of my neighbors had a huge tree fall on her house.  More pointedly, her front porch.  Here is a rather blurry picture taken from the car as we drove by right after this happened.




This is the local news crew in the front yard filming for the next news report.

From what I saw on the news this morning, the entire front porch was removed from the house overnight and the roof was wrapped in a blue tarp.  The family will be unable to occupy the residence until repairs have been made which could be months.

The tree fell on the main roof of the house before taking out the front porch, so it was deemed uninhabitable.  Such a shame.  This was one of the 100+ year old homes in our neighborhood that had recently had many upgrades made to the exterior.  Let's hope that the damage is not too extensive and that they are back in their house quickly.

Chinese Take-Out Box

What on earth can we do with a oversized Chinese Take-Out Box?

Check back on Saturday and you will see.

Chinese Take-Out Box

What on earth can we do with a oversized Chinese Take-Out Box?

Check back on Saturday and you will see.

Boxwood Topiaries for the Kitchen

Boxwood is one of, if not my favorite evergreen.  I like the way they look in the landscape and I have them planted throughout my gardens.  One of the things I particularly like about boxwood is that they can be formed into most any design that you can think of.  With this in mind, I decided to put together a couple little ball topiaries for each side of my kitchen sink.

As is the case with most kitchens, there is a window above my kitchen sink which lets in lots of wonderful filtered light.  They should be particularly happy sitting in this natural light source daily.  Also, the humidity from being so close to the sink will be beneficial to them.

So here is how the project went.

I found these cute little boxwoods at the local home improvement center.  They are the dwarf variety which only reach a maximum height of about 3 feet when planted in the landscape.  They are perfect for this project.  They were $6.98 each.

I selected my clay pots proportionate to the size I wanted to trim the boxwood.  I shard of clay in the bottom of each pot will allow proper drainage.

This picture is to demonstrate how to prepare the root ball for planting.  On the right you see that I have removed the boxwood from the original plastic container it came in and have "loosened up" the root ball.  On the left is the root ball as it looks when it first comes of the original plastic container.  Loosening up the root ball before planting in your container of choice helps the plant to better absorb water and nutrients from the potting soil you choose.

Here they are in the clay pots.  The one on the right has been trimmed to take on more of an "orb" shape.  The one on the left has not yet been sheared.

And here they are, both having been shaped into a somewhat cylindrical shape.  It will take some time now for them to acclimate to their new location.  As they continue to grow I will periodically snip a little here and there until I get them into perfectly shaped orbs.

A couple of shots of the finished project.  I think this project turned out quite well.  They really do dress up the kitchen nicely and they are right at the sink, so there is never an excuse to not water them.

I like plants inside the house.  They look wonderful and can be an inexpensive way to create some really appeal or drama.  It will soon be time to start bringing in the plants from the patio for the winter.  That is sometimes a challenge but I am usually able to work them into the decor of each room so they look like they were meant to be there all along.

Boxwood Topiaries for the Kitchen

Boxwood is one of, if not my favorite evergreen.  I like the way they look in the landscape and I have them planted throughout my gardens.  One of the things I particularly like about boxwood is that they can be formed into most any design that you can think of.  With this in mind, I decided to put together a couple little ball topiaries for each side of my kitchen sink.

As is the case with most kitchens, there is a window above my kitchen sink which lets in lots of wonderful filtered light.  They should be particularly happy sitting in this natural light source daily.  Also, the humidity from being so close to the sink will be beneficial to them.

So here is how the project went.

I found these cute little boxwoods at the local home improvement center.  They are the dwarf variety which only reach a maximum height of about 3 feet when planted in the landscape.  They are perfect for this project.  They were $6.98 each.

I selected my clay pots proportionate to the size I wanted to trim the boxwood.  I shard of clay in the bottom of each pot will allow proper drainage.

This picture is to demonstrate how to prepare the root ball for planting.  On the right you see that I have removed the boxwood from the original plastic container it came in and have "loosened up" the root ball.  On the left is the root ball as it looks when it first comes of the original plastic container.  Loosening up the root ball before planting in your container of choice helps the plant to better absorb water and nutrients from the potting soil you choose.

Here they are in the clay pots.  The one on the right has been trimmed to take on more of an "orb" shape.  The one on the left has not yet been sheared.

And here they are, both having been shaped into a somewhat cylindrical shape.  It will take some time now for them to acclimate to their new location.  As they continue to grow I will periodically snip a little here and there until I get them into perfectly shaped orbs.

A couple of shots of the finished project.  I think this project turned out quite well.  They really do dress up the kitchen nicely and they are right at the sink, so there is never an excuse to not water them.

I like plants inside the house.  They look wonderful and can be an inexpensive way to create some really appeal or drama.  It will soon be time to start bringing in the plants from the patio for the winter.  That is sometimes a challenge but I am usually able to work them into the decor of each room so they look like they were meant to be there all along.

Sarah Paige

Todays post is not about gardening or decorating.  It is a very special post that is dear to my heart.

I found this picture of my little niece, Sarah Paige, on my sisters Facebook page.  This is from a couple of years ago.

As you can see, she is a "princess in training."  I love the tiara and the beautiful smile.  This was evidently taken at Christmas as I see a stocking hanging in the background to the right.  And that is my handsome nephew Nathan, to the left holding up something he looks happy to have received from Santa.

Sarah Paige is a very talented young woman.  She likes to draw and I have at least one of her drawings that is framed and hanging in my office.  Of course I encourage her to continue with her art skills.  I hope to be at one of her gallery openings one day.  My nephew is also a very talented young man.  He is proficient in the martial arts and received his black belt last October.  Such a joy to have this two in my life.

Sarah Paige

Todays post is not about gardening or decorating.  It is a very special post that is dear to my heart.

I found this picture of my little niece, Sarah Paige, on my sisters Facebook page.  This is from a couple of years ago.

As you can see, she is a "princess in training."  I love the tiara and the beautiful smile.  This was evidently taken at Christmas as I see a stocking hanging in the background to the right.  And that is my handsome nephew Nathan, to the left holding up something he looks happy to have received from Santa.

Sarah Paige is a very talented young woman.  She likes to draw and I have at least one of her drawings that is framed and hanging in my office.  Of course I encourage her to continue with her art skills.  I hope to be at one of her gallery openings one day.  My nephew is also a very talented young man.  He is proficient in the martial arts and received his black belt last October.  Such a joy to have this two in my life.

A New Phone, . . . And Better Pictures

I had to bite the bullet and upgrade my Android phone.  I put it off as long as I could.  Actually, I was initally very happy with the phone I had.  It was a Samsung Galaxy Prevail.

I bought it and the service from Boost Mobile through HSN.  It was a starter phone and I've had it now for probably a year; maybe a year and a half.

I stayed with Boost Mobile because they have great customer service and you cannot beat the price on their talk, text and web plans.  But I upgraded to the Samsung Transform Ultra.

I like the Samsung phones.  I am familiar with how to use them.  The Ultra is a little wider, so it is easier for me to hold in my hand.  It has a QWERTY keyboard, which is very handy for me.  The on-screen keyboard on the Prevail was so small that it was nearly impossible for me to type on it.  I had to use a stylus to type on the screen because my fingers were too big.  The other upgrades on the Ultra are a built in flash for the camera; front and rear facing cameras; and, of course, higher processor speeds.

Of course I've only had it for one day, but so far, so good.  Like I said, it has a nice hefty feel to it in your hand.  Or at least it fits my hand better than the Prevail.  I always felt like I was going to drop that.  And here is a picture I took this morning of a Crepe Myrtle at the Cheverly Metro Station.

Now that's a pretty picture, even though the bloom is starting to wilt a bit.  So I'm very excited to get started with my new phone and some beautiful new pictures for you of all my many projects.

A New Phone, . . . And Better Pictures

I had to bite the bullet and upgrade my Android phone.  I put it off as long as I could.  Actually, I was initally very happy with the phone I had.  It was a Samsung Galaxy Prevail.

I bought it and the service from Boost Mobile through HSN.  It was a starter phone and I've had it now for probably a year; maybe a year and a half.

I stayed with Boost Mobile because they have great customer service and you cannot beat the price on their talk, text and web plans.  But I upgraded to the Samsung Transform Ultra.

I like the Samsung phones.  I am familiar with how to use them.  The Ultra is a little wider, so it is easier for me to hold in my hand.  It has a QWERTY keyboard, which is very handy for me.  The on-screen keyboard on the Prevail was so small that it was nearly impossible for me to type on it.  I had to use a stylus to type on the screen because my fingers were too big.  The other upgrades on the Ultra are a built in flash for the camera; front and rear facing cameras; and, of course, higher processor speeds.

Of course I've only had it for one day, but so far, so good.  Like I said, it has a nice hefty feel to it in your hand.  Or at least it fits my hand better than the Prevail.  I always felt like I was going to drop that.  And here is a picture I took this morning of a Crepe Myrtle at the Cheverly Metro Station.

Now that's a pretty picture, even though the bloom is starting to wilt a bit.  So I'm very excited to get started with my new phone and some beautiful new pictures for you of all my many projects.