Hello from Sunny California!
The temperatures have been in the triple digits for several days, and I hope for some relief soon. Hurricane Hillary is off the coast of California, and we are supposed to get loads of rain this weekend.
I think it is just hot everywhere.
We try to get out early in the morning for a walk before we must hunker down in the air conditioning. One of my favorite things is to see the wildlife out and about.
Even the squirrels stopped to take a rest on the bench.



Weekend Adventures
Last weekend we went to San Jose to help some friends with a project. They are giving their kitchen a bit of a facelift, and we helped paint the new wooden stove top hood with the most incredible paint from Modern Masters.
Isn’t this amazing? This paint is a metal finish process using three different products. I love the effect.

What’s Happening in the Garden
The garden is still going strong despite facing a few hurdles this week.
First, the high temps, and secondly I had a bit of a fungus issue.
The fungus hit the dahlias hard. I gave them a good haircut and sprayed them. They seem to be coming back nicely and should give us a few more blooms before the weather changes.
The zucchini still gives us plenty of vegetables, and the Coleus, Rudebeckia, and zinnias look fantastic.




Even with the warm temperatures, I have started to decorate for fall and start my DIY projects.

What Happened This Past Week

DIY Dollar Tree Pumpkin Magnolia Arrangement

Things that have inspired me this week
One of the best parts of being a blogger is reading others blogs. I am always so inspired by what I see. Here are a few of my favorites from this week.
Kids are back to school and my friend Chloe made the cutest BTS cake.
I also love this DIY wall art, these botanical prints are fabulous.
And I loved reading these mouthwatering recipes and facts all about watermelon.
If you are looking for a quick and beautiful DIY for fall, my friend Rachel made these adorable napkin rings.

Fabulous Finds for August
I know the daytime temperatures are still high, but I can feel the evenings cooling off. Or maybe it’s just my imagination because I’m so ready for fall. How about you? Here are a few things I am looking forward to.
- I bought these faux pomegranates last year and loved the pop of color they give on my coffee table in a wood vase, They are just the right amount of color.

On that happy note, I hope you have a great weekend, and I will see you next week.

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How to Make Persimmon Soap at Home
6 shares Facebook Pinterest Save Threads Persimmon soap does not get much easier than this. It is a goat milk melt and pour soap with fresh persimmon pulp stirred in and flecks of dried persimmon and clove, so there is no lye, no cure time, and a whole tray of bars comes together in about…
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Sugared Fruit Ornaments: Five Methods Tested
I bought a bag of plastic fruit and tested five different “sugars” on faux sugared fruit to find out which one actually gives you that frosted, candied look.
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Garden | Garden Tips | Winter
How to Force Paperwhite Bulbs: The Secret to Beautiful Holiday Blooms
Learn how to force paperwhite bulbs indoors, plus my secret alcohol trick for shorter, sturdier stems and beautiful holiday blooms.
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Persimmon Pulp: How to Make It and Keep It All Winter
Persimmon pulp is what I make when a friend with a tree hands me more Hachiyas than any one person could eat. Scooped, strained, and frozen in one-cup portions, it turns a fruit that is only ripe for a few weeks into cookies, bread, and pudding all winter long. The whole job takes about twenty…
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How I Built a Foraged Fall Mantel Around the TV
Fall mantel decor is the thing I put off every season because of one awkward truth: there is a TV above my fireplace and a whole lot of quartz below it. No tall artwork, no towering branches, nothing that blocks the screen. This year I stopped fighting it and built one long, low, foraged garland…
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DIY Christmas Pillow with No-Sew Velvet Trees
Create a festive DIY Christmas pillow in 30 minutes with no sewing required! Featuring velvet tree designs.


I would have never guessed that the range hood was wood! WOW, I am amazed, I am saving this in my kitchen ideas. We had planned to begin ours in the fall, but looks like a bathroom remodel will be happening which I honestly wasn’t so crazy about. My 1950’s bath was something I wanted to hold on to forever, but looks like the ole` gal will be getting some changes due to water damage. I hope you get some relief soon, the weather has been a bugger this year, that is for sure. We started out slow here in Ohio, but now the heat is making it difficult to even get outside to enjoy the sun. I need my sunshine, something new for me, I have not had a suntan since I was 18, too busy being an adult I guess. Hope you have a wonderful rest of your week Wendy!
So many great fall finds here!
And I feel you pain with the triple digits temps. It’s been horrible here and no end in sight.
I hope you get some rain, but no storm damage.
Thank you Michele. I think we have already gotten well over 4″ today. So far no damage. Hoping the night will be calm.
I’m loving that sweater coat, Wendy! Thanks for sharing it!
Thank you, Cindy! It is one of my favorites for sure.
Wendy, I love that metallic paint for your friend’s stove hood! Would love to see the process. And that squirrel resisting no the bench arm-too cute. Thanks for sharing my watermelon post! You are the best. P.S. the link to the botanical one didn’t work for me.
Hi Mary, The metallic paint is quite something. It is called Modern Masters. It is a three-process paint. We put two coats of primer, then two coats of bronze metallic paint.
When it is still wet on the second coat, you spray on the green patina spray, which oxidizes the paint. My friend wanted it darker, so we added a few more layers. I will e mail the image of the product.
I loved your Watermelon post so much! Yikes on the botanical print link. I will go in to fix it. Thanks for letting me know.
Wendy,
Thank you so much for sharing my napkin rings today. I plan to share your DIY Fall Tree tomorrow. Have a lovely weekend.
You are so welcome, Rachel. Thank you so much!