Kit Davey, Interior Designer
17 Years in business - Over 2,500 homes transformed!
Newsletter
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News from "A FRESH LOOK" September 2008
1. Quote
2. Guerilla Gardening
3. Odds and Ends
4. Classes
5. Recipe
6. Bookjam
7. Open House
1. Quote of the quarter
Obstacles serve a purpose. They give us a chance to show
how badly we want something.
Randy Pausch
2. Guerilla Gardening
For the past several years I have passed an abandoned patch of soil at an intersection near my home. The neighborhood school had rebuilt the ball field and added a parking lot, but left the triangular bit of soil untouched. Rubble from the construction, trash, and weeds filled the area. Every time I walked by I’d think, “This is so ugly. I wish the school would do something about it!” After a few years of walking by it, I started to fantasize about filching some native California plants from a nearby hillside and planting them there, and finding a local garden supply place to donate some rocks to help create some retaining walls. But, by the time I got back home, I would have forgotten my plan and was on to something else.
One day I noticed the area had been cleaned up. The next day, a heap of topsoil was delivered and the day after that I saw that someone had made little hillocks and planted 7 or 8 drought tolerant plants there. I was ecstatic and believed that my visualization had made that happen (!). I loved driving by this spot, seeing the plants growing, and feeling that it was a really nice introduction to our neighborhood. But, I wasn’t entirely satisfied! In my opinion (!) it needed a few more plants, and some rocks to hold in the soil. Coincidentally, a neighbor was re-landscaping his yard and had a heap of rocks out in front of his home. I asked if I could use them and he happily donated them to my cause. I collected a variety of volunteer grasses and succulents from my yard to add in. One morning last month, I filled my wheelbarrow with my plants and tools and headed over to the school. Within 2 hours I had added two more planting zones and created retaining walls around each plant grouping. I punctuated the area with a cairn---a tower of rocks balanced on top of each other. Every few days I take over a bucket or two of water, which I collect as my shower warms up, and water the plants. Sometimes I notice that another guerrilla gardener waters them in between. I love this gardenette and check on it daily as I go on my morning walk. I googled “guerrilla gardening” and discovered a whole movement of people dedicated to transforming “filth into beauty”. I am hoping to find another project to work on in my neighborhood.
3. Odds and Ends
I read about Randy Pausch in the paper last month. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and a year later gave “The Last Lecture”. The speech was part of a series in which professors were asked to think about what mattered to them most and give a hypothetical final talk. You can view it on You Tube. It is really worth listening to it (It’s about an hour long). Just go to YouTube.com and type in “The Last Lecture” and it will pop up for you to view.
4. Decorating Class: "I LOVE This Room Now---Room Re-Design Secrets”
Wednesday, Oct. 1, 7:00-9:00 pm
De Anza College, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., Stevens Cupertino.
$39, plus $7 materials fee. Take $2 in quarters or dollar bills for parking.
To register call: 408-864-8817 or visit www.fhda.edu.
Would you like a more comfortable, functional and beautiful home? Learn how
to redecorate your house by creatively rearranging the furniture and artwork you
already own. You'll discover how to define your personal style, how to create
new furniture arrangements, and how to balance a room with color. Quick,
easy accessorizing techniques for bookcases, artwork and displaying collections
will also be shared.
Class: Fun, Easy-to-Make Greeting and Art Cards
Come learn how to make your own all-occasion art cards. This class is for those with no art experience or for those with lots. You’ll get quick, easy ideas, using everyday materials---no experience necessary!
- Over 20 techniques will be demonstrated in class
- Come away with at least 10 completed cards
- You’ll be inspired to go on and create your own cards for every occasion!
Saturday, February 28th, 2009, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Palo Alto Adult School
50 Embarcadero Road
Palo Alto
Adult School Phone: (650)329-3752
Cost: $35, plus $10 materials fee payable to instructor
Please email me for supply list: KitDavey@aol.com or if you have questions about the class: kitdavey@aol.com. Or call me at: 650-367-7370.
5. Recipe: Kit’s Easy Tomato Tart
Ingredients:
Frozen puff pastry sheets from the freezer dept. of your grocery store
2 or 3 sliced ripe tomatoes
6 or 7 chopped basil leaves
2 clove garlic, minced
Zest of one lemon
1-cup mozzarella
½ cup crumbed blue cheese
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
Directions: Follow the defrosting instruitons on the package. Once it is defrosted, preheat
oven to 500 degrees. Unfold one of the sheets (it should be a square about 9” by 9”) and
place on a cookie sheet. Bend the edges up to create a rim. Sprinkle mozzarella onto
pastry and layer tomatoes slices on top. Sprinkle basil, lemon zest, pine nuts and garlic
on top. Top with ground pepper if desired. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until
puff pastry is slightly browned. Serve immediately.
6. BOOKJAM, Saturday, October 18
Come join the Bay Area Book Artists annual “jam” from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Oct. 18th. Anyone who loves books as an art form, collage, assemblage, mail art or the printing process will really enjoy this day of demonstrations, exhibits, free samples, an auction, and a big sale of original art. I will be selling my work and also giving a book altering demo. To be held at Foothill College. Attendance is free but parking is $2.00. Visit www.bayareabookartists.org for more info.
7. Open House:
Saturday, Nov. 15th from 12 to 5 pm, 1539 Granger Way, Redwood City. You are welcome to tour my home and also to shop for jewelry, paintings, sculpture pieces, greeting cards and other works created by artisans who set up tables throughout my house. Bring your friends!
Happy Decorating!
Kit Davey
Telephone: 650-367-7370
Email: KitDavey@aol.com
Website: www.AFreshLook.net