valentine's day Well...THIS is fun!.....Blue Carrot Shop

valentine's day I just got an email from Alexandra, Graphic Artist, and hunter of nifty stuff. She has just opened a fun little online shop called Blue Carrot Shop where she sells her whimsical wares.

I picked out a few of my favorites here, but there is so much more!

valentine's day Handmade Blue Carrot Bag....perfect for makeup, receipts, coupons...

valentine's day Letterpress numbers and letters

valentine's day Kitchy Bear Tray...so cute.

valentine's day Who doesn't need a Pretzel and Chip container?

valentine's day I think my Barbie had one of these Skotch Koolers!

Hop on over and say "hello" to Alexandra and check out all of the goodies HERE.

And leave her a little comment or two HERE on her blog.

valentine's day Fake it till you make it...

That's a common motto of the Jetplanes...

As a young married couple (yes we still consider 30 yr olds very young) trying to save money and remodel their 2nd house, fake it till you make it is something we do on the daily. You see I am one that you would call having...champagne taste on a beer budget...that comes to clothes, shoes, and home decor.

So when it comes to the living room we needed something to use as an entertainment center. I had my eye on something similar to the PB option below.

Which can be yours for a cool $3k. ummm yeah not gonna happen at all. So what's a girl to do with oh about zero dollars to spend on this.

Well I decided to pull into 2 book cases that I used in my office in the previous house...ala Walmart for around $99.00 a piece. Mr. Jetplane successfully mounted the television on the wall between the bookcases but we still needed something to go in between. We needed found a black tv stand at Target. In order to bring it up a notch we added a lil hardware from Lowes. FYI these will also be used on our cabinets in the kitchen (when we get around to that). We purchased the tv stand for under $40.

So my entertainment center might not be as awesome as PB's option, but its under $300.00.

Not too bad if I do say so myself... oh sorry for the craptastic pictures, they are all taken with my blackberry...someone has lost the charger for the camera :(

valentine's day San Diego: Lost in the Wonderland of The Urban Seed

The Front "Foyer" held a grand concrete table with a truly monumental bouquet of daisies which melded into the iron chandelier which was probably 5 feet in diameter.

I have a habit of losing my family when we are exploring. We were visiting San Diego's Old Town in a fun shop selling pretty trinkets and I was buying one of those hooded striped blanket type sweatshirts from Mexico, I turn around, and the family unit had disappeared.

The Urban Seed has beautiful sunburst mirrors. The sconces were beautiful! Note the great lamps and tin lanterns.

Well...they had to be somewhere, so I wander out looking for them and stumble upon The Urban Seed. I immediately forgot all about the family....I had found my "spot" in Old Town.

International flair, with the French style bench, Moroccan table, tropical bamboo chair, Spanish style candlestick holders, Mexican Tin Mirror.

The Urban Seed is a cacophony of garden delights and imported treasures carefully cultivated by, Maurice Taitano and Michael Bliss, husband and wife team. Maurice (wife) was in the shop when I walked in and we hit it off right away. Kindred spirits, we. She graciously led me through her little plot of Heaven while I kept stopping to take picture after picture. She had the patience of a saint.

French Armoire, Red Lacquer Bamboo Chair

There is a charming collection of rooms here, each with its own flavor. The overall feel is of the historic influence of European colonization of Mexico. Full of sunburst mirrors, lanterns and twig adorned chandeliers, antiques, garden elements, unique and perfect accessories and gifts. The Urban Seed could have held my attention all day.

Rustic Wood Settee, Gilt Sunburst Mirror, Planted Urns, Moroccan Lantern create an inviting vignette.

I was a little bit under a spell I think. Are you?

Blue Wire,Chandelier, Limed Gate leg Table, with all of the surrounding garden elements, charming!!

I glanced at my watch and realized I had abandoned my family, who by now was surely worried. I said my goodbyes to Maurice and rushed back to reality.

Pedestal Table with modern vase....great contrast! Loved the small paintings on the shelves.

But I was sad to go. I will have my pictures to remind me to return very soon.


Beautiful hand made beads hanging from bare tree branches. Glass Bowls of botanical matchbooks. Gorgeous mosaic table.


Huge mirrored sconces, metal star lantern and wire sphere.


Lots of succulents, cactus and beautiful garden elements. Great twig table!


More!

This is the Seed Room. Maurice and Michael are continuing to sell vegetable and flower seeds in the footsteps of Charles Ledgerwood who started the company known as "Reliable Seed" in this same location. These are the original seed bins. Click here for the full story!

valentine's day And here is the lovely Maurice. She and her husband Michael design gardens as well. Be sure to check out their website HERE.

Thank you Maurice for the wonderful tour! I will be back soon.

My family was indeed beginning to worry, so I am glad I finally found them in the Mexican Tile shop across the courtyard. It was time for a Pina Colada and Guacamole....and our next adventure.

valentine's day In the Pink in San Juan Capistrano

valentine's day Studio Pink

Last week the Denham family was gone for a break in sunny San Diego and we took full advantage, packing a lot into a 7 day trip! It is a long drive to San Diego from Sacramento....it can take 8 hours on a good day. To break up the drive, we like to stop in San Juan Capistrano for a leg stretch and some dinner. On this trip, we tried a restaurant I had seen last time we were in town.....and right next door, I found THIS cute shop:

valentine's day How lucky was that?! Studio Pink is an off-shoot of Whim Design and is all about the "pink". Unfortunately for me, the shop was closed by the time we rolled into town (one less bathroom stop and we would have made it!), but I had fun peeking in the windows! And the storefront is adorable.

I did run across more info about Whim on the Fabulous Finds Gal blog, so hop on over for a look!! The pillows, the shell mirror, the pink gourd lamp, all so fun and flirty with the Pink walls as a backdrop.

valentine's day I am peering through the windows taking pictures and when I am done......Tim had disappeared. I suppose pink is just not his color. More likely, he is just starving....so the girls and I hunt him down next door:

valentine's day Sundried Tomato Cafe

The Sundried Tomato Cafe was a fun little spot to stop for dinner. California fresh with lots of sundried tomatoes on the menu....we were happy to sit a spell and relax.

valentine's day The girls love artichokes and this one was so good with Parmesan melted all down into the cracks and bread crumbs baked on top. It was served with a garlic and sundried tomato aoli....yum!

I had the Sundried tomato bisque (natch!) with a salad and topped it off with a fresh berry cobbler.....no sharing (and no sundried tomatoes).

This vacation was starting off really well!

valentine's day Are you ready for some FOOTBALL...

Well football season is almost upon us and the Jetplanes are always excited. We have confirmed our NFL Ticket on Direct TV, made sure the surround sound is set up, we've invited some of our friends to make it a Sunday ritual, and I've been on the lookout for new football gear. And by football gear I mean COLTS gear.


Yeah that's right, if you didn't know already I'm a COLTS fan. I already expressed my disbelief and disgust at Victoria's Secret and their new NFL line. I mean come on VS, no Colts love, no Saints love...ummm what the hell.


But no fear my dear friends... Last season I was happy to find that Old Navy had quite a selection of NFL gear. Not all of it was in women sizes but you could easily find it in Mens or children's. This year is no different. Check it out here . I will definitely be ordering this tshirt and the sweatshirt that goes along with it.

No fear Pink Sass Old Navy is showing your boys some love....

Who's got 2 thumbs and ready to spend her Sundays watching football and drinking beer....THIS GIRL!!!

GO COLTS!!

p.s. Gap Give Get Promo is running now so your purchases are 30% off...

valentine's day On the rocks please...

I am on the lookout for an awesome bar cart or a cabinet, table, etc. that can easily be used as a bar cart. Perhaps it is well known that the Jetplanes like to partake in adult beverages, right now I'm extremely partial to 3 Olives Cherry Vodka. I also enjoy gin and tonics, wine, champagne, and the occasional light beer...but enough about me and my drinking habits.

I want a bar cart and I know exactly where I want it to go in the family room. To my total surprise, Mr. Jetplane is on board for this one. He thinks a lot of my ideas are crazy...I mean really crazy. But luckily I can show him 4 or 5 pictures of what I'm talking about and he now agrees I might not have lost my mind.

Bring on the drinks.... and any suggestions you may have for bar carts... I'm looking for cheap option people, putting in new hardwoods is expensive.

Image 1 from Lonny, no longer have info for image 2 or 3. If you do, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.

valentine's day Santa Cruz: Stripe

Stripe Sign made with Antique Keys above the Cash Desk

Santa Cruz has a lot to offer in the way of shopping, and I think it will take a few more trips before I have exhausted the possibilities. I think I may have lucked into finding one of the best last weekend. Stripe drew my attention right off the bat with their witty window display of vintage globes and player piano reels which had been unrolled and draped over an old ladder.

Stripe is a place with a little of everything I love: fashion, vintage finds, creative decor, art and gifts. Here is just a little peek into Stripe:

Cute clothes, vintage furniture and dishes, fun porcelain egg crate cache dishes

Black and White Photos, Vintage cups and Saucers and a peek into the "Bath Shop"

Hummingbird Pillows and 6 dollar scarves!

valentine's day Train Track Wall "Art" and birds on swings

Now I know what to do with the boxes of Lionel Train Tracks I have been storing from my Dad's vast collection.

Romantic vintage style lingerie

Loved the display stand! Vintage Dining Set and Stripe has Men's clothes too!

Decor, Cards and Lamps throughout the shop

valentine's day Tea Cup Pendant Light

valentine's day Vintage Children's Toys. Very cute Children's Clothes. Loved the Slide used for display.

valentine's day

The Bath Shop with Soaps, Bath Rugs and Pretty Night Gowns

Stripe supports local artisans and designers, and in July, Stripe launched their own label for clothing and other products all made in Santa Cruz. All the more reason to hit the Santa Cruz coast!

For the latest Stripe News, click on over HERE.

Happy Shopping!

valentine's day Is it Black or White...

No I'm not talking Michael Jackson here...I'm talking the color of our kitchen cabinets. Do I go black or white?


Black? Like Gwenie Paltrow's kitchen...

Or white like this gorgeous kitchen...

That is the question my friends. Our counter top is a Corian and appears to be relatively new. It is tan with flecks of white, gray, and black. The flooring we are putting in is a dark, real wood that will be carried in from the living room to the kitchen and into the family room. The wood color is similar to the flooring in the picture of the white kitchen above.

Here is the kitchen in all its glory with the original owner's belongings.

What was your first thought? Those kitchen cabinets on the right have to go??? Well that's what we thought too... Day 1 we ripped out the cabinets. Excuse the 2 big boxes we used those to help us hold the cabinets in place while removing all the screws, nails, and whatever else had been holding those things up since 1986.

So what's the consensus....black or white?

We have purchased fixtures for over the kitchen table and the sink, those are brushed nickel and were cheap at Lowe's so the new cabinet hardware will be brushed nickel. We are also set on removing the top portion of the Corian that is used as a backsplash. These pieces are glued on and not a portion of the countertop. This will be replaced with white subway tile with white or a gray/black grout.

So do we go black or white?

* Sorry I do not have links for the 2 kitchen pictures, if you do, please advise and I will give appropriate credit.

** FYI - All the appliances will be replaced. All trim work will be white and all doors are getting replaced with new, white doors.