Saturday Meanderings

Happy Saturday, friends! I truly try not to miss posting on Saturday as I love sharing all the good things about the week, but lately I am so swamped. Being called to grand jury duty does put a crimp in my schedule and you can read more about that below. So let’s get started and chat about all the fun and good things that happened this week.

What to do about my sofa?

We own a 96″ Mitchell Gold premium sofa and the seat cushions appear to be breaking down. Made with a foam core and down filling, one of the seat cushions became very lumpy. Upon further inspection the foam is degrading and losing its shape. So after placing many calls to upholsterers for cushion rebuilding and getting nowhere, I decide, how hard can this be?

This is my first mistake. Over time, it appears the down feathers were stitched and secured into some sort of batting, but over time, have become loose. In taking apart the cushion, which I did outside, feathers are everywhere. And then the wind kicked up. What a mess! Long story short, I either need to find an expert to rebuild this sofa or just buy a new one.

To make matters worse, I decide to wash the cover of this cushion, not realizing the inside was filled with more feathers. That immediately clogged the washing machine and $300 later, the repairman pulled out what looked like a dead bird~a mass of wet feathers. Sigh.

Of course, this sofa is in the family room and is used daily. I have been to Pottery Barn and Arhaus and just cannot seem to find a sofa I like. Hoping to get a good upholsterer to just rebuild this one. Again attempting this project is a reminder that there are just some DIYs I should not tackle.

Fresh Fig Season

I am up to my eyeballs with garden produce and just discovered my fig tree is also bearing fruit. This tree produces twice a year, now and in November. Fortunately, I love to eat them straight off the tree. But they are so good in recipes too.

This week I made a flatbread with fig. It is super easy and you can find the recipe below. If you don’t have access to fresh figs, I have made this with dried figs too (or possibly add a bit of fig jam). Goat cheese, onions, store bought pizza dough, balsamic vinegar and fresh arugula makes this a tasty sweet and savory dish.

My friend Chloe is in a magazine!

Chloe, from Celebrate and Decorate is a dear friend and one talented gal. Her garden pot wreath featured this month in Hoffman Media’s Summer issue of Entertain and Celebrate. Making this wreath is on my list of things to do (wouldn’t that look so cute on the potting shed door?). Here is a link to the magazine and a direct link to her blog post with a detailed tutorial with steps on how to make this adorable wreath. This magazine is filled with stunning, high end photos too.

Becoming our Annual 5K

Last weekend, my daughter and I did a 5K race in Yarnell, AZ. This is our second year to do so and we are grateful to participate in this sacred race.

On June 28 2013, a cloud to ground lightning sparked what would become the deadliest wildfire on record in Arizona. The fire claimed more than 8,000 acres and 127 structures in Yarnell, while taking the lives of 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshot firefighter crew.

The Yarnell Memorial Run was established in 2014 in memory of the 19 and in honor of their families.  What a wonderful way to spend time with my daughter and get some exercise too.

Paintable Wall Paper

Did you know that paintable wall paper exists? I did not, but my friend, Renae from Peacock Ridge Farm recently renovated her grandchildren’s bunk room, using bead board style paintable wallpaper. It seems like double work to me, hanging it and then painting it, but if you are looking for a specific color, why not? I’m guessing the wall paper hides any wall blemishes or problems so you do not need to do any repairs. Anyway, I found it all very interesting and you will love the sweet finished bunk room. See it here.

Are mosquitos biting you

Both my son and I are mosquito magnets. I’m not a fan of putting Deet on my skin so I am always looking for alternative methods to protect myself from those little buggers.

I recently purchased this Thermacell Rechargeable Repellent, which has a 20 foot mosquito protection zone. It provides up to 5.5 hours of mosquito protection per charge, is odorless and is people and pet friendly. So far so good and this is perfect for backyard, poolside, on your patio or deck. You can find it here on Amazon for $39.99.

New Faux Plant Find

Very few plants grow during the summer on our front porch. You may recall that the two 5′ tall cedar trees by the front door entrance are faux and look fabulous after a few years. You can find them online here.

After moving the geraniums up to the mountains, the front porch is looking a bit bare so I found these two 2 feet tall 18 ” deep faux boxwood potted bushes. They are perfect in my inexpensive Walmart resin woven pot (purchased last year), which measure 11″ tall and 13″ diameter.

Don’t they look nice? The best part is they require no water, no maintenance. Perfect!

When I think about the money I invest in fresh plants that don’t survive over the summer, these faux boxwoods are well worth the investment.

2 Beauty Products

My dear friend, Janie called this week telling me about an eye product she found and likes. This is the same company that makes an excellent powdered sunscreen. I keep the sunscreen in my purse and use it to prevent age spots on the side of my face while driving the car. Here are the details:

This portable, on-the-go brush goes beyond SPF to provide all-mineral, totally invisible protection from environmental aggressors such as UVA/UVB, pollution, blue light, and infrared radiation. Patented ingredients and an antioxidant-infused mineral powder protect against free radicals while hyaluronic acid hydrates for supple skin. 

Easy to apply alone or over makeup for convenient SPF reapplication throughout the day. 

• Water/sweat resistant (80 minutes) 
• Hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic 
• Phthalate-free and Sulfate-free 
• 90-day supply based on typical use.

This is not inexpensive ($69.00), but lasts for approximately 90 days. Find it here

Colorescience eye cream, also a Best of Beauty Award winner:

• CORRECTS: Brightens and corrects dark circles – in four shades for all skin tones 
• PROTECTS: Broad spectrum SPF 35 PA+++ protects against future sun damage. 
• ADDRESSES: Helps restore skin health with hydration that provides support for sagging skin to enhance the upper eye area. Improves the appearance of dark circles, puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles.

It’s $74.00 and you can find it here. A very little goes a long way and I like the way it brightens my dark circles.

Grand Jury Duty

Do you remember back in March when I was called to grand jury duty? Well, I was named an alternate juror and lo and behold, I was just called to serve. The commitment for the permanent jurors is 4 months and two full days a week, ending July 6. Fortunately I haven’t had to serve up until now, but having 2 full days taken out of my week is causing a bit of havoc. All appointments are being rescheduled and I’m feeling really stretched right now. So if I miss a blog post, please understand that there just isn’t enough hours in a day.

Have a wonderful weekend~~

P.S. If you missed any posts this week, you can link to them here.

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