Hi, I’m Kate from Northern California.  Full time mom.  Part time attorney.  Bargain hunter, salvager, and incurable DIYer.  I’m a mother to three amazing kids, one teenager and two preschool munchkins. 

I’m a simple gal with a simple dream:  transforming the drab into the fab with an arsenal of paintbrushes, primer and power tools. I’m in pursuit of diamond style on a dime, and I refuse to believe quality must always be expensive.  I completely reject the notion that second hand is second class.  I shop thrift stores, flea markets, antique stores, and Craigslist with an eye for transforming and repurposing found objects.  Like I always say, I’m out to make my world fabulous, for less, one do-it-yourself project at a time. 

I’ve been passionate about design, décor, and do-it-yourself projects for as long as I can remember.  Mr. CG and I have been remodeling homes and spaces for years, so I finally decided to start writing about it.  This site is where I share my adventures in DIY projects, both lovable and laughable.  

I appreciate great design in every form, from country French to craftsman to contemporary, and everything in between.  My personal style leans classic, but I love anything traditional infused with modern flair.  My passion is finding hidden potential in the most tired of objects.  I adore rescuing a dated piece and revamping it with a fresh new look.  I was raised to never let anything worthwhile go to waste, so I’m a passionate recycler and look for the ‘green’ approach first. 

But speaking of reinvention, I myself am a lawyer turned mommy turned DIY blogger.  Want the sixty second synopsis?  I was born and raised in Northern California, and I completed college and law school in my twenties.  I went on to work as a district attorney for several years before hanging up my prosecutor hat and becoming a stay-at-home mom.  I call it my sippy cup sabbatical.  

While taking time off from the law, and with infants in arms, Mr. CG and I decided to expand and remodel our home.  We acted as general contractor through the entire two year process.  From designing the floor plan to picking each and every fixture, we earned enough miles from home improvement store purchases to fly our family to Timbuktu and back, first class.  People called us crazy to take on such a project with babies who didn’t sleep through the night.  They were right.  At one point, the entire back wall of our home was “missing” during the rainiest months of winter. While we temporarily lost our sanity, we dramatically increased our knowledge of home construction.  And oh how I love the smell of sawdust in the morning. 

We Survived This Expansion & Remodel and Lived To Tell the Tale

My deepest appreciation goes out to all of my blogosphere friends who read about my adventures in DIY.  As long as I can hold a hammer, and as long as you keep reading, then I’ll keep writing.   Thanks so very much !

xoxo,

Kate