DIY {Midcentury} Planter

Let's Get Started:

{What you'll need}

1. A vessel for planting (I'm using a midcentury webspun table without the glass top - G2 broke that)

2. Sheets of moss (I purchased mine at a craft store)

3. Thin plastic lining (a garbage bag will do!)

4. Gravel

5. Potting soil (Choose one that suits your plants!)

6. Your plants of course!

1. Create a moss lining on the bottom of the table 

(You can see through my table. ~

If you can't see through yours you can skip this step.)

2. Line the moss with plastic then place gravel on the bottom for drainage.

3. Add your gravel just to the very base.

4. Add soil.

5. Place your plants creating any design you'd like.

I had to include the picture of my shadow Harley.  How cute is he just resting on the plants.  Oh love my first born. 

Enjoy being outside!

Blessings,

{G3QDesigns}

We {Heart} Brass {Animals}

When Brooke and I started our business, we immediately became obsessed with brass animals.  All of them.  Even the not-so-cute ones. 

{Like the weird-flat-faced-cat-ones...}

Then after collecting several of these sweeties, we thought "oh, we were over you".  Well, we quickly came to our senses. Turns out, these little guys have personalities that will win you over, over, over and over again.  Here is part of the family we have now... Enjoy!

Senor crab.  He was likely in many of your homes growing up.  He is an ashtray and his claws hold the smoke.  Not a smoker but genius!

(photo credit: Angela Kohler)

Perhaps Senor G should have been holding the crab!  Alas, the giant rooster.

G1 with El Torro grande.

Nino loco holding the water buffalo.  One of my personal favorites! 

Awe!  Sweet Pea getting sweet with the penguin. 

Ok, maybe not so sweet!

Poor pero.  Really?  Really?

Really!!!! (So so impressed that Harley did not take the cereal out of its mouth!)

All of these little fellas (and plenty more!) are available for purchase 

from us directly or in our store on One Kings Lane.

Many blessings & happy Tuesday!

{G3QDesigns}

S'more Kabobs

Getting ready for a cozy camping trip?

Just love the colors and smells of fall?

I love marshmallows. I love serving food on sticks.

I love this cool, easy idea for S'more Kabobs!

In just a few steps you have dressed up S'more kabobs.

{Five Step Smores}

1. Put your favorite marshmallows on a dessert stick (I used 3)

2. Put your favorite graham's in a baggie and bash 'em 

(put on a flat plate and set aside)

3. Melt your favorite chocolate on a flat plate (I used dark, yum!)

4. Roll your skewered mallows into the chocolate

5. Roll said skewers into mashed grahams

(you may want to refrigerate skewers before dressing the sticks!)

{Five Step Stick Dress}

1. Pick any paper or tissue (I used a paper bag here)

2. Cut fringe into the paper leaving about 1/4 inch uncut at top

3. Place a little glue on dessert stick

4. Roll your paper around stick

5. Add another dab of glue - repeat on other side!

There you have it.  Get snuggly in that tent with your favorite book and a plate-free s'more kabob! 

Enjoy!

{G3QDesigns}

All vintage styling props are G3QDesigns and are available at our shop!

For the Love of Stripes

There's floral, chevron, matchstick and countless others.  

But the print nearest and dearest to my heart is the stripe.  

Timeless, versatile, and stylish.

Stripes + Me = Happy

Striped foyer featured in House Beautiful

Stunning wall treatment featured in Elle Decor

On the walls and windows of a guest bedroom & reading nook 

featured in Elle Decor

On this chair in a stark white dining room featured in Elle Decor

Stripes for Me!

On the windows, on the ceiling, on the floor. . . 

Stripes behind G1 sitting handsomely on an original Eames chair.

Above G2 in his bedroom!

And below G3 making carpet angels in her brothers' bedroom!

Happy Sunday Friends!!!

{G3QDesigns}

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all you mind, and all your strength.

Mark 12:30

Recipe Coconut Lime Pound Cake

School is here! 

This recipe for coconut lime pound cake is the perfect gift for teachers to transition them from Summer to Fall.  

Happy baking!

Pound Cake:

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons of whole milk

1 tablespoon of coconut milk

1 1/2 tablespoons of coconut extract

1 1/2 cups of sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

3/4 cups of sugar

1 cup of room temperature salted butter

Glaze:

Zest of 1 lime

3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice

1 cup of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon of butter

1 cup of sweetened coconut

Instructions for cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream the butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition.  Add the extract, zest, juice and milks.

Slowly add the flour, salt, and baking powder.  Mix until just combined.  Spray a loaf pan with your favorite non-stick spray and add the mix. 

Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Instructions for glaze:

The the cake is cooled, mix all ingredients except for the coconut until smooth.  Glaze should be rather thick.  Spread all over top of the cake and while the glaze is wet, sprinkle the coconut on top and enjoy! 

Olivia Beckman is owner of Bakery Sixty Five in Ventura, California. 

Ready Set Renovate!

Renovation is underway!  The transformations are incredible!  6 bathroom remodels in 4 weeks.  Ready, set, renovate!

Bathroom 1:

This bathroom was plain Jane!  (Not that there is anything wrong with Jane!) We took out all of the 80s headers, changed the wall the shower occupied and gave it a stunning wood planked accent wall behind the modern vanity.

Before:

After:

(Oh my, the orange sticker is a treat!)

Before:

After:

Some Details:

TGIF Everyone!  Have a blessed weekend!

Accidental Ice Cream!

Quick & easy accidental ice cream!!!

1. Accidentally freeze your favorite kid friendly drink,

2. Take the frozen drink out of the packaging,

3. Have your little helper grate the frozen drink into a bowl,

4. Add a few sprinkles and voila! 

Easy peasy (& cute) accidental ice cream!

Happy Tuesday!

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

- 1 Peter 3:8

Book Review: Casual Vacancy, J.K. Rowling

Literature
Guest Blogger: Tayler Morrissey

Yes. 

I know what you are thinking, and the answer is yes, this is the same J.K. Rowling that wrote the fabulous Harry Potter books. And yes, I will fully disclose my love and admiration for this young adult literature.  I love her magical series so much that I admit I was a tad reluctant to even begin A Casual Vacancy, Rowling's first foray into adult fiction. I was afraid that if the book was horrible with all its non-magical mundane it would somehow ruin Harry Potter for me as well.

An irrational fear? Yes. And, thankfully, also completely unfounded.

The Casual Vacancy is a wonder in its own right. But it is not Harry Potter. It is not even in the same galaxy as Harry Potter. And that is a good thing, because the little town of Pagford has enough problems of its own.

Review:

The first thing that happens is Councilman Barry Fairbrother dies.

It happens as suddenly and as simply as that, but the repercussions echo relentlessly through the sleepy town. Fairbrother's newly empty seat on the Pagford Parish Council exposes dark and deep-seated rifts within the small community, and the charming countryside houses with sweet names like "Ambleside" and "Hilltop House" seem to transform overnight into dens of secrecy and duplicity.

Rowling proves herself again an able storyteller. She introduces us to a vast array of characters, all of whom are wonderfully human: complex, motivated, flawed. The townspeople of Pagford struggle with political scandal, marital infidelity, substance abuse, addiction, poverty, and a whole spectrum of emotional and physical abuse. The Casual Vacancy meditates on the ties that bind us together, how we create and navigate our social relationships as families, coworkers, school mates, communities, political bodies, and neighbors. That is not to say, however, that this is a heartwarming tale. Yes, some relationships are based on love of some kind and degree, but many more are the uncomfortable product of obligation, old habit, or exploitation. While I found this novel to be engrossing and realistic, some of the darker scenes were mildly disturbing and it seemed almost as if Rowling were overreaching a bit on the "adult" factor.

Bookended by death, Rowling's newest novel is an interesting exploration of how we both build up and destroy meaning in our own lives. Through a structure of interwoven stories, we see how connected our human lives really are, especially when we remember that all the actions in the story are simply the great ripple effects of a whole community learning to cope with the aftermath of just one man's death. 

The Bottom Line: While I enjoyed The Casual Vacancy's vivid characters and gritty story line, those looking for a light read or a restored faith in humanity should look elsewhere.

Tayler Morrissey received her degree in English from University of California, Santa Barbara.

Bangs, Bangs, Bangs

Featured Guest Fashion/Beauty Blogger: Bonny Trejos

Summer is almost over and fall is nearly here.    

Whether your hair is long or short. 

Wavy or straight.  

This season is all about the bang.

Bonny Trejos is a Stylist at The Canyon Salon, Westlake Village, California.