To Do: An Update

Last year, I posted a list of household To Do items. Let's see how I've been doing... or not doing.

LIVING ROOM
paint walls and ceiling
replace trim
recover couch
recover loveseat
recover chair
paint wood stove "hearth"
paint wood stove
new front door

DINING ROOM
paint walls and ceiling
replace trim
install wood floor
paint closet
purchase two parsons chairs
rearrange artwork

KITCHEN & HALL
paint walls 
new counter
paint cupboards
new drawer pulls
install wood floor (instead I painted the floor)
new banquette cushions
fix side door
light fixtures

SITTING ROOM
paint walls and trim
new door
new flooring
new rug (rip out old wall-to-wall carpet)
make couch cushions
sort-out desk situation
fix electric plate

BATHROOM
paint walls and ceiling
new window, fix trim
new closet door, new side door
install glass shelf
install shower curtain rod
fix marble threshold

STAIRS
paint walls
paint black trim
install trim on bottom step

BEDROOM
paint walls
install new trim
new window
new floor
paint closet
new closet doors
make curtain

GUEST ROOM
paint walls
install new trim
new window
new floor
paint closet
make curtain

Hmmm... there is some room for improvement. But not as bad as I thought.

Please

Dear Non-Existent Spouse,

Please consider the following when purchasing gifts for me in the near future:

Michael Good Earrings
My love affair with these gorgeous, gorgeous earrings has lasted for 18 years. Yes, yes, I should have bought them when I first moved to Maine, but the then price of $300 was to ridiculous to consider... Fast forward to 2014. Oops.

Liberty Shirt

An updated and adorable version of the Brooks Brothers Fun Shirt, that I just HAD TO HAVE in the 80's. (Ahh, the 80's. Preppies gone WiLd!). But seriously, let's justify this purchase by agreeing that it could be worn to work OR the beach. Right? Exactly!

Ten Yards of Fabric 

Let's please recover the living room love seat. It's time, right? Khaki with red piping. Oh, in addition to the fabric, a blank check made out to Pistol Pete's for the reupholstering... Don't ask how much, you don't want to know.

Sea Bag Tote Bag

One or twice a year, I have to ask my delightful cousin, The Bird, to tell me that $180 is WAY TOO MUCH MONEY to spend on a tote bag. No matter HOW GLORIOUS it is. Especially since we are preppy girls and already own 93,810,174.4 tote bags each. And after The Bird talks me down, I patiently explain exactly how spectacular the particular tote bag is, and then she says, "Ohhh, tempting." 

Basically I need to fire her ass from this job. So if someone was to give me a tote bag, then I wouldn't have to be upset at my cousin. Do you see the logic? Good.

Socks Rolled Down Tumblers by Marimekko (in red)
Hubba, hubba!

A Handsome Gentleman to come over and fill those tumblers with a Gin & Tonics every day after work goes without saying.

Signed,

The Very Grateful Chick in Cape 18

Less is More... But how much less?

This morning I found myself watching a series of TED Talka about Happiness. One in particular "Less stuff, more  happiness" by Graham Hill particularly appealed to me.

Naturally, after watching the video, I had to find out everything I could about the presenter's tiny apartment.... Hey, that's how we roll.

Graham Hill lives (lived?) in a ruthlessly edited and very specifically designed apartment, there is a place for everything, and the home includes everything he needs and nothing that he doesn't. Meanwhile, he is able to have house guests, large dinner parties, watch movies on a big screen, have private phone conversations, etc., etc. 

The apartment is amazing.

www.lifeedited.com

And, much the way the possibility of winning the Power Ball gets me dreaming about all things that I would do WHEN I win, this LifeEdited home caused me to spend 30 minutes dreaming about how lovely my home and life could be if I got rid of the snowdrifts of crap lurking in most of the corners in my house.

Of course, being fickle I spent the next 30 minutes mentally redecorating the LifeEdited living space, by adding... more stuff! A big abstract painting behind the bed,  a squishy pillow and a cozy blanket and on the couch. Basically, I love you just the way you are... Now change. Don't judge.

Prudence Horne

furbish.com

furbish.com

What would you add? Or could you be strict enough to live with so little?

Mantel Shelf Thingy?

Cape 18 does not have a fire place. Instead we have a darling little woodstove. So darling in fact that it only burns approximately 1.7 logs at a time.



I recently learned that wood stoves can be PAINTED! Thanks to Rust-Oleum High Heat Spray, I have a new item on my to do list, more on that later.

But back to today's point... The wood stove sits on a little brick "hearth," complete with two brick half walls and a L-shaped mantel shelf thingy. It is an area that can get quite warm, which excludes flowers, paper, and wax. Frankly, the whole thing is awkward and hideous and very hard to decorate.

Hang empty frames above the "mantel" all painted the same colour as the walls and leave the mantel bare?

Apartment Therapy / Patrick Hamilton


space & architecture

Create a Louise Nevelson-esque sculpture along the top of the mantel? She's a favorite of mine. for her art, yes. But also, how could you not love a woman who used an entire tube of mascara daily? 
House Beautiful

Leave empty?
*sigh*

Thoughts? Other ideas?

The Cape 18 To Do List

I took a good look around dear Cape 18 yesterday and thought, "Holy Monkey, this place is a train wreck." (Only I didn't say "monkey" or "train wreck" at the time.)

Does your house ever get away from you? I just looked away for a second and suddenly it looks like a hot mess and a half.

So, let's get this show on the road with a To Do list. Because lets face it, nothing gives the illusion of progress than making a list.

LIVING ROOM
paint walls and ceiling
replace trim
recover couch
recover loveseat
recover chair
paint wood stove surround
paint wood stove
new front door

DINING ROOM
paint walls and ceiling
replace trim
install wood floor
paint closet
purchase two parsons chairs
rearrange artwork

KITCHEN & HALL
paint walls
new counter
paint cupboards
new drawer pulls
install wood floor
new banquette cushions
fix side door
light fixtures
SITTING ROOM
paint walls and trim
new door
new flooring
new rug
make couch cushions
sort-out desk situation
fix electric plate

BATHROOM
paint walls and ceiling
new window, fix trim
new closet door, new side door
install glass shelf
install shower curtain rod
fix marble threshold

STAIRS
paint walls
paint black trim
install trim on bottom step

BEDROOM
paint walls
install new trim
new window
new floor
paint closet
new closet doors
make curtain


GUEST ROOM
paint walls
install new trim
new window
new floor
paint closet
make curtain
Whew. Now let's see if this list making bidness translates into actual progress.

Brimfield: Take One

Elizabeth and I went to Brimfield on Thursday. In the rain.
It was a mind blow. So much so, I failed to take any photos.

Have you seen that video with Kristen Bell and the sloth?

That is EXACTLY what we felt like. All day.

If you are part of the 1%., the 1% who hasn't heard of Brimfield, you have my permission to head off to Google-town and get busy "researching" Brimfield. For those of you who don't want to waste any additional time... Brimfield is a HUGE antique/flea market held 3 times a year in Brimfeld, MA.

What did I buy?
A big wooden bowl, a necklace made out of violet glass/stones, two monogrammed silver napkin rings, two handkerchiefs (I use handkerchiefs), an old limestone print of pink and green ferns, and two embroidered pillow cases. Plus a diet coke, a cheese burger, and an ice cream cone.

What did I hope to buy, but didn't see?
A twin headboard for the cottage, a full sized chenille bedspread, interesting lamps, and interesting trays.

We will go again.

Brimfield tips by Elliott and Elizabeth.
Go early. Earlier than you are thinking.
If it's raining ditch the umbrella, but wear boots.
Bring you rthe Bean bag, water, some emergency toilet paper, HAND SANITIZER, cash, pen/paper, and your smart phone.
Bargain for everything.

Window Trim

The trim situation at Cape 18 is a little bleak. But have you ever tried to pick out trim? It's like Garanimals on crack. There are 7823591420 choices.

I purposely decorate to avoid an overwhelming amount of choices...
All towels = white.
All sheets = white (special exception made for embroidered pillow cases).
All picture frames = black or gold.

And now I can add window trim to decisions I don't have to think any further about. I'm proud to introduce all future window trim at Cape 18 [fan fare]:

Source: shopgramercy.blogspot.com via Elliott on Pinterest

P.S. Did you know that Garanimals still exist?