Up in a tree: Part 1

The first time I went to visit Mike I noticed the tree house.  Never one to hold back;  I exclaimed "you have a tree house"!  Then I asked him if he or his three teenagers use it.  "No,  the kids were never interested".  My brain started spinning.  What fun to hang out in a tree in Marin!  Luckily for me he liked my enthusiasm.

Of course the next question was "do you mind if I check it out"?

The new venture started.  My man let me climb up and I spent a day cleaning house.   I asked the spiders to please leave so they wouldn't get sucked up by the shop-vac.   

We had our first cocktail party on the veranda that night.

The house was built between two Bay trees and is very solid.  Not only did the architect line the outside with weather proofing, he finished it off with shingles left over from the add-on to the main house.  It has a nice little window that faces West.  Perfect for the afternoon sun to stream in.  Although, the inside measures 5 by 4 feet wide and only 5'4" tall there is a lot of potential for lounging.  

The outside has about a 3 foot veranda that goes around two sides.  Plenty of room for two chairs and two people to sit and sip.  The door is a piece of plywood that Mike is going to shape up and I will paint. 

There are some minor adjustments needed for the outside.  One, which Mike already started, is to finish shingling the outside and the other is to change the entrance up to the house.  The rope ladder and small hatch in the floor is not going to cut it for most visitors.  We will create a new entrance with a ladder.  

Mike also made a pulley for raising and lowering a basket to transport goods!

My idea is to have cushions on the floor and hang any other items that might be useful to have in the house.  Like blankets, glasses, a corkscrew...  I am sure you catch my drift.  We are leaving the rustic charm of the outside for camouflage and authenticity.

I have started the next phase: painting.  I primed the inside last week.  Chose two colors of paint for the floor and walls.  Then earlier this week I painted the walls "chamois"... getting some in my hair of course.  Yesterday,  I painted the floor "silver spruce".   I also, hung my first piece of art. This is just the beginning!

I can't wait for you to see it done!!!!

All in a Week

I have been so busy these days that I have been neglecting my blog!

Since I have no current projects to talk about I have decided to post photos that I have taken recently.

These photos are ones that I took on my latest work week in St Helena, California.  One of the gems of Sonoma.  We had a fun week working and playing.

Enjoy!

candy at Dean & Deluca

Martini at French Blue

Friends showing some color

Seasonal fruit salad... yum!

Morning Ritual

As I sit down to write this post I am sipping a delicious cup of coffee.  People who drink tea or coffee have their particular ways of blending their brew.  I am sitting at the table in my living room looking out the window... enjoying my cup with cream and honey.

These photos are the other part of the two part food shoot with Michael and Martha.  Although, we intended them to all go together this seems more like a separate story.

Here is our vision of a morning ritual.

this is the first photo... "before breakfast"

Martha made these delicious lemon curd pastries

now isn't this how you want to start your day?

There are a couple of people I want to thank that contributed to this shoot... Mario De Palma for giving me the beautiful drop leaf table and Peggy Hickey for loaning me her perfect dining chairs.  It's these little gestures that can make pulling a project together much easier.