Village Laguna charm

Have I mentioned that I love where I live? We are so lucky to have so many beautiful and unique homes that accessorize the beaches and hidden coves perfectly. And all that was confirmed last Sunday, when I went on Village Laguna's 39th annual Charm House Tour.

Getting to peek behind gates and perfectly painted closed doors, is an absolute delight in this beachside town. And although we couldn't take pictures inside of the homes, I did snap a couple of pics here and there.

These folks named their house "Xanadu". I kept humming that song by Olivia Newton John the whole time I was walking through! But really, it was an adorable little cottage hanging right over a wash that was chock full of all kinds of flora and fauna and chirping birds.

 There were six homes featured in all, but I focused most of my attention on this sweet little 1926 cottage. Most of it was pretty original, with creative decor and whimsy throughout. Oh, I so wish that I could have taken some pics of the interior! But wait until you see some of the amazing gardens and exterior!

I have loved these Paolo Soleri windbells for a very long time. They used to have a shop in town that sold them, and I would give them as gifts. That shop is long gone, and I can't believe that I never got one for myself! Recently, I found their website, so now I have to save some $$ for my very own windbell!

By now you've probably figured out that I really love these bells, and that I'm just a little bit jealous of their fabulous collection!

This is an aviary that they have in their front yard. Can you see those little doves on the perch? They also had a couple more aviaries in the back yard.

These folks had amazing taste and a good eye to match. In every nook and cranny there were sweet vignettes to keep you noticing all the purposeful color and texture.

The nasturtiums offer a vibrant burst of color to cheer anybody in need!

If you look closely, you can see that there's a bees nest in the birdhouse. No wonder why their garden looks so good!

Neither the crowds, nor the bees disturbed Elenor's cat-nap!

The color of these succulents is wonderful with the sunshine streaming through, don't you think?

The side yard was just as charming as the front of the house!

Guess who's house was also on the tour this year. Give up? Cindy and Mark Evans'! Remember them? I posted on their Mexican themed garden way back in December. You can find the original posts here and here. Oh, and the L.A. Times did a piece on the inside of their house, which you can find here.

I took this tour with my friend, Janine, who has a blog called Laguna Dirt. Be sure to check out her post, too!

Couldn't get enough? Good, there's so much more!

This is going to be a photofest of the garden that I visited with my friend Janine who has a cool blog called Laguna Dirt. Check out my last post so that you're up to speed!

Like I said, around every corner, and in every nook & cranny there were such cool vintage, flea market finds. Each treasure added so much to Mark and Cindy Evan's garden, highlighting their cool aesthetic. We had a hard time keeping our jaws off the ground, and not gushing at every detail!

The front door. I love how it's ajar, just waiting to welcome friends!

Vintage Mexican folk art horse

I don't think that I could pick one favorite detail. Each item adds so much to this whimsical garden.

I adore the mix of Mexicana with the religious icons

Can you ever have too many donkeys pulling carts? No way!

I think I would pot lots of plants in this potting shed!

Who's that knocking on the door?

Oh, and there is the sweetest courtyard off the kitchen and living room, the tile and fountain are all original to this 1920's casa. It's almost too much for me to take!

Frogs with sombreros, of course!

The perfect sunny spot for the Virgin Mary

Very inviting... iced tea, please.

I'll be dreaming about this garden from now on, and thinking of ways I can infuse creativity into my own garden.

Cool art, too!

 Can picture yourself sun worshipping on this bench? Ah...

I could easily spend another few hours in the Evans' garden, taking pictures and admiring what they've done. It truly is a work of art!

Mexican themed Laguna garden

My friend Janine Robinson has a great garden blog called Laguna Dirt. In her quest for cool gardens around town, I thought I'd introduce her to some friends. I knew she would love Mark and Cindy Evans' amazing garden. So we went by one day, and Cindy just happened to be out tending her garden. We asked if it would be ok if we could come back with a camera so that Janine could take some pics. And after chatting for awhile, and us drooling over all of their wonderful vintage finds, she agreed!

What's behind the gate?

 A few days later, I tagged along when Janine went back to take lots of shots of the garden and to talk to Mark and Cindy a little about their space. Their garden is the stuff of myths. Every inch, and around every corner are wonderful vintage Mexican and religious themed statues and trinkets that leave you feeling nostalgic, and very lucky to be in their space. Sheer bliss.

It's all about the details in this garden.

Aren't those flamingos fabulous?

We stayed for hours! Wandering around and through their large garden, following paths that lead to patios and sun drenched nooks. Everywhere you looked were more cool flea market treasures. 

The colors and textures made this garden so interesting!

Adorable donkey with cacti

Cindy's dad made this St. Francis of Assisi for her, per her instructions

Very cool, right?

A sleeping deck off the main house, the bed is behind the closed blinds on the right.

This Mamasita and her piglets guard the front window

More to drool over

Another Mamasita

Cindy's dad also made this cigar smoking dude.

I have so many more pics to share! I'll have to do another post...