Now and Then: Painted Window

My Monday afternoon was spent doctoring up a boring little window in our bathroom. I was inspired by my weekend at the Hacienda Doña Andrea, a beautiful wedding venue and bed and breakfast. They have similar treatments on their windows, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
All it took was some white acrylic paint and a broken comb to get the squiggles. Much more exciting now, I'd say!
-Jessie, Santa Fe, NM

CRAFTERNOON: Papel Picado Luminarias

Sounds fancy, doesn't it! Well, the good news is that these lovely little lanterns are easier to make than to pronounce, and will bring a beautiful, colorful glow to any occasion!

Papel Picado is Spanish for "perforated paper" and is a Mexican folk art tradition of delicately cutting pieces of tissue paper. Typically the pieces are strung together to form a festive banner and are used for weddings and parties. I decided to cut mine up and make a beautiful set of lanterns for a party.
They are very simple to make! Here's what you need:
-Glass cylinder vases, 6" tall and 3 1/4" in diameter
-8 1/2 x 11 sheets of frosted vellum paper
-Double sided tape
-Papel Picado banners
-Votive candles
All you have to do is cut the Papel Picado to the size of the vellum sheet, affix a few pieces of double sided tape, and roll 'em up!
Right photo via aymujer
I paired the lanterns with these adorable floral arrangements in salsa tins and votives wrapped in crepe paper. Traditional Papel Picado can be found here, and custom designs can even be found on Etsy!
Happy crafternoonin' sweet chirpers!
-Jessie, Santa Fe, NM

Treat Yourself!

We all need a little pampering here and there. I think it is important to reward yourself, take care of yourself and even treat yourself. I'm not saying we need to be booking spa weekends after every 40 hours, but it is a good idea to take joy in the little perks that we don't get every day.

My Tuesday treat was a gluten-free lemon-poppy seed muffin from Treehouse Pastry, an all organic bakery. It was the perfect pat on the back for a busy weekend.

Going..........Going..........Gone.

I think I'm addicted. And, I maybe, sort of, kinda had a cup of decaf to wash it down.
-Jessie, Santa Fe, NM

les timbres

(the stamps)
haven't we all collected them? chosen carefully at the counter when we have to buy them? i have dreamed of designing them.

1. griffin & sabine by nick bantock.

one of my favorite illustrated books in which "an extraordinary correspondence" unfolds betwixt two artists, one of which designs stamps for the small island where she resides. it's grown-up-pop-up, in that you extract the letters out of envelopes affixed to each page.

2. once again, i must mention my jeweler friend here, margaret emma lane, who owns one of the most amazing stamp collections i've seen over the years, and put it to creative use: this image shows a necklace she made for me.

3. i have a chalk board in my kitchen that helps me track my "to-dos." the top portion of it has little framed spaces, in which i put some of my favorite stamps from my own collection.

4. the recently released "love" king & queen stamps are one of my favorite designs. detailed yet simple, colorful yet subtle.

-Cameron: Santa Fe, NM

Photo Opp

I was driving through the small town of Cerrillos nesled in the Ortiz Mountains and had to pull over and take some pictures. It was just one of those New Mexico days where the air is still and the light is just right.

View of the Sangre de Christo Mountain Range

Do you see the little green house?

-Jessie, Santa Fe, NM

Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love.

Peonies, Peonies, Peonies, Peonies, Peonies, Peonies, Peonies.

-Jessie, Santa Fe, NM

Dans le Jardin: Jessie and the bean stalks

Look at them go! We planted a trio of Blue Lake, Cherokee Wax, and Purple Queen beans. They are the bush variety, so unfortunately I won't be climbing any magical stalks.
Our veggie garden was inspired by Cameron and her husband. They told us about gardening in hay bales and we were willing to give it a try....especially since our New Mexico dirt is less than spectacular. It is easy, relatively cheap and rewarding. To find out to make your own straw bale garden click here. We have a few varieties of tomatoes pictures above....I just need Liz to come to NM and make me some snazzy trellises!
I even put in a drip system this weekend, which is a savior when there are so many seedlings to tend to, like these Japanese eggplant and yellow squash.
Photo, Charlotte Larragoite
Our bird feeder is filled with a Songbird mix and has even attracted warblers like the Black Headed Grosbeak to the neighborhood. Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!
-Jessie, Santa Fe, NM

Snow in Summer & Succulent Heaven

Check out my to-die-for Snow in Summer. I just love it when it snows in summer at my house! The white against the chartreuse is really incredible.



Below are the proud parents of six new chickadees. Aren't they precious? There is nothing like the hens and chicks. I think it's because they remind me of living in the desert where the sun is always shining. They adorn the back splash of my kitchen sink and bring me succulent happiness every time I pause for a visit.



- Liz Ganji | Battle Ground, WA

Great Googlie Mooglie!

That's what I said when this beauty burst out of it's bud. During the winter, I seem to forget what is waiting for a nice warm day before it says hello. These bearded iris are a beautiful fixture in the garden, I welcome their delicate, fluttery blooms any time.
Have a lovely weekend.
-Jessie, Santa Fe, NM

Now and Then: Retro Scallop-Back Bench

Don't you just LOVE before and after features! I do, and I'm happy to welcome "Now and Then" as a frequent installment on C+C. I'm tickled with the process of transforming something that is old and unused into something functional and beautiful!Check out the make-over of this retro scallop-backed bench. A little rust remover, some primer, and a few coats of apple red latex paint, and wa-hoo, good as new!

Gorgeous, que no?
-Jessie, Santa Fe, NM