Go Big or Go Home garage wall

Usually the thought of how much flowers actually cost every year aggravates me. And so usually i get the cheapies, and then impatiently wait for them to grow in, and get mad at myself for having gone the cheap route.  This year, i told the boyfriend it was Go Big or Go Home for the pots on the wall, and i loooove the instant gratification of these zinnias all colorful and large, like they've been growing there for some time. 

I never liked the wrought iron scrolls that were on either side of the window, (remember when we de-scrolled the railings?) but needed something that took up a lot of space and helped with the whole "i'm staring at a cinder block wall of ugliness" since the boyfriend refuses to paint it and yet we do nothing about stucco except lament the cost.  These herb planters were a clearance find at the end of last summer, take up a lot of visual space, and modernize the wall as only geometrics can.

 And i'm excited about my basil.  Yeah, i got a lot of basil.  I got confused-i couldn't find lettuce, which i wanted for the window box, and i was in a rush.  So i got 2 different kinds of basil. Times two.  I am leaving the top 2 boxes empty because i can't reach to water them, so they're for decorative purposes only.  #shortgirlproblems.

I'm never sure what colors to go with for my annuals-do they all need to be the same color? Does that look too monochromatic or nicely cohesive? Is that boring or pleasing? My neurotic nature of second guessing loved the colorful blooms all in one plant.  Since i knew i was using the big black wall squares, i repainted the terracotta pots from lively spring green to the darkest free sample i could find, which is Valspar's English Tea Party. 

Here's the ol' cape from the font.  Nothing is in bloom yet, so right now it's lush and green.

 Except this.  What is this, and how did it get here?  Is it hydrangea?  Lilac?

It's pretty, but we'll have to move it to a less crowded spot.

We started work on the patio, since we have tons of free brick and figure we should put them to good use.  I don't really want more brick, but i'd rather not have to move the table and chairs to mow the lawn like we've been doing for years.  Plus, i can finally get a pretty outdoor rug.  The only problem is my neighbor's fence.  It's wonky. 

Perhaps this helps you understand.  For us to make the patio straight, it creates a weird triangle that is not ours, but is not being claimed by then.  We have looked at the property lines and have no idea why they made their fence like this. You can see the white stakes, marking the straight line.

You can sorta make out the string line which marks where the patio will go, and you can see how the fence narrows where our trash cans are.  This stressed my perfectionist darling out and he had a tough time figuring out how to make the patio look right for us and work somehow with the fence.

It took him 1.5 hours to dig out that grass on his own, but when i "helped" last night we got the rest of that half done in a half hour.  Which is interesting, as my "help" was handing him different shovels and loading the lighter pieces of sod into the wheelbarrow, but it clearly made a difference.

Mostly, though, i just took pictures.

What are you all planting this year?  Do you do a color scheme?  Did you know you were reading the blog of a neurotic person?  I think you actually might have known that already.

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That one time? In Paris?

I'm thinking we're going to have to break this into a few posts, and i'm thinking that since the Eiffel Tower is so iconic, it gets to be post number 1. And since it's what we did on day number 1, well, that makes even more sense.

After a 7.5 hour flight we arrived in Vincennes, the smaller town we stayed in that was 10 minute train ride outside of city.  Street markets, family friendly, real sense of local life...and after a week it became "our" bakery, and "our" flower stall.  At night, after being in the city all day, it was us and the locals taking the metro back "home."

Day 1 in Paris looked like this: Find Eiffel Tower.  Stare at long line.  Marvel at structure.  Walk to Rue Cler toting Rick Steve's guide, eat beautiful and colorful quiche at Cafe la Marche, because Rick Steve's recommended it, walk Champs Elysees, hope boyfriend will buy you Louis Vuitton purse (he won't, which you knew yet still hoped ) but he will buy you Laduree macarons (which are heaven and well worth the line) discover your new love of all things pistachio. Walk pedestrian tunnel to Arch de Triomphe.  Eat a macaron before you think about taking pictures (dumb), walk back to Eiffel Tower.  Sit on bench in garden below.  Sit there.  Sit there.  Wait for darkness.  Sit there.  Wait for more darkness so that it will sparkle.  Wonder (stress) what times the metro goes until, run to metro. Write in little travel diary all about your day (boyfriend will ask what you plan to do with this, yet he will insist you do that every night before you forget). Marvel. You're in Paris, my friend.

I loved that we discovered the Eiffel tower the way we did, not hovering above any other structure or seeing it from across the way, but sudden, and in full view.  I had read that the best views of the tower can be seen from the Trocadero, so we took the train to that exit and turned to find ourselves face to face with it. First the selfies, then the sillies.



 Seriously this thing is massive.

thecapeonthecorner.blogspot.com

thecapeonthecorner.blogspot.com

This traffic was crazy, and a pedestrian path is totally necessary.

thecapeonthecorner.blogspot.com

We didn't go to the top of the tower because what i really wanted was to have the tower actually in my pictures.  Sitting below the tower, watching it light up, was one of the top three things for me on this trip.  It was just that moment that makes it real, that you are on vacation, to somewhere new and exciting, crossing another spot off your bucket list. Know what i mean?

Share with me some of your "this is real" vacation moments, would ya?

sharing is caring: thrifty treasures @ southern hospitality, travel photo mondays @ travel photo discovery, places i've been @ the tablescaper,  travel photo thursdays@ budget travelers sandbox , Monthly projects @ Evolution of Style Make it Pretty Mon @ Dedicated House Throwback Thursday @ Sweet Pea, inspire me mondays and power of paint @ domestically speaking, inspire me mondays @ , Places I've Been @ The Tablescaper,  Before and After @ Thrifty Decor Chick,   Sundays @ Suburbs Mama  Mod Vintage Life, Motivate Me Mon @Keeping it Simple,  give me the goods @ rain on a tin roof, home stories a-z, nifty thrifty @ Coastal Charm, be inspired @ elizabeth and co, the scoop @ stone gable,  inspire me tues, lil luna, get your craft on, sugar bee crafts. inspire me weds @ 733, wow us weds @ savvy southern style,  work it weds @ the blissful bee, outdoor weds @ a southern daydreamer, whimsy wednesday, wicked awesome weds @ handy man, crafty woman,  whatever goes weds @ someday crafts,  charm of home,  open house @ no minimalist here, link party palooza @ tatertots and jello, Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring, open house @ no minimalist here, creativity unleashed @ shaken together,creative connection @ making home base,  inspiration gallery @ Craftberry Bush, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, my romantic home, jennifer rizzo, Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity now,  furniture fridays @ mustard seed, Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage, design it fridays @ finding fabulous, best diy @ 36th ave, thrifty things fri @ the thrifty groove,  overflowing w/ creativity @ it's overflowing, nifty thrifty sundays, under the table and dreaming. inspire me please @ liz marie blog,sunday best @ the girl creative  shaken together, seasonal sundays @ the tablescaper,   sunday soiree @ craftomaniac

Step away from the living room-another redo.

People, i am back from France and itching to show you pictures but my computer is not cooperating.  We're gonna work off what we have saved, and that is the current state of the living room.  So without further adieu-

Shazam.

Now that is one debrownified turned deblue-ified collected looking living room if i ever did see.



 And that is one de-slipcovered, leg showing accent chair working fabulously alongside the plant happy hall table.

 

And that is one texturelicious tray up on that there wall, with those ikat damask (designy words!) curtain panels who are doing their part to de-tan those tan walls without lifting a paintbrush.

Not that this was so bad...but ignoring the big blue wall wasn't working out that well.  But ignore it i did try, with the gray curtains and the non blue having rug.  Certainly brightened things up, at the very least.  Ten points if you spot Sunday.
 
It was still too cool in here, with those light blue pillows and ottoman that i assumed were necessary to live with the blue wall and make it a little less random.

Seriously. so. much. better. 

Matchy, but like a collected matchy.

 

 Another bout of textureliciousness with the only unkillable plant i know.

That is why one must have it in multiples.

I'm finding the blue wall is less bothersome without the slip cover on the chair.  That tv stand is a continued thorn in my side.  Stay tuned for an update on that.

Ah, the important things in life.  Travel, music, and home decorating.  Also, reading, because: Books!

Who knew the key to making this work was golds and more vibrant blue? 

Not me, i guess that one's obvious.  Would never have thought the key to ignoring the blue wall was to bring in a deeper blue.

I love how although the pouf is not leather, it mimics the look of the leather ones with the stitching. And the size of that pouf is gigantic, allowing it to masquerade as a coffee table.

I can not even tell you how much i am loving this "new" space, and i seriously think (aside from the tv stand and minor accessorizing) that it is done.  Emily Henderson-esque, styled up pretty, done.  Step away from the living room.

sources-rug:rugsusa/ ottoman:amazon/ pillow cover: alexandra foster c/o house of turquoise/ curtains and pillows:homegoods

sharing is caring: Monthly projects @ Evolution of Style Make it Pretty Mon @ Dedicated House Throwback Thursday @ Sweet Pea, inspire me mondays and power of paint @ domestically speaking, inspire me mondays @ , Places I've Been @ The Tablescaper,  Before and After @ Thrifty Decor Chick,   Sundays @ Suburbs Mama  Mod Vintage Life, Motivate Me Mon @Keeping it Simple,  give me the goods @ rain on a tin roof, home stories a-z, nifty thrifty @ Coastal Charm, be inspired @ elizabeth and co, the scoop @ stone gable,  inspire me tues, lil luna, get your craft on, sugar bee crafts. inspire me weds @ 733, wow us weds @ savvy southern style,  work it weds @ the blissful bee, outdoor weds @ a southern daydreamer, whimsy wednesday, wicked awesome weds @ handy man, crafty woman,  whatever goes weds @ someday crafts,  charm of home,  open house @ no minimalist here, link party palooza @ tatertots and jello, Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring, open house @ no minimalist here, creativity unleashed @ shaken together,creative connection @ making home base,  inspiration gallery @ Craftberry Bush, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, my romantic home, jennifer rizzo, Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity now,  furniture fridays @ mustard seed, Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage, design it fridays @ finding fabulous, best diy @ 36th ave, thrifty things fri @ the thrifty groove,  overflowing w/ creativity @ it's overflowing, nifty thrifty sundays, under the table and dreaming. inspire me please @ liz marie blog,sunday best @ the girl creative  shaken together, seasonal sundays @ the tablescaper,   sunday soiree @ craftomaniac

Will i love Paris in the springtime?

Friends, my annual vacation is coming up and we are not far off from leaving on a jet plane for France.  More specifically, to Paris for a week and then renting a car and exploring Normandy and down to Mont Saint-Michel for another week. I hope to sample random wines (and ciders, Normandy is known for hard ciders) and cheese, and lose ourselves both walking along the Paris streets and driving on the coast. 

As much as i try and refrain from shopping before vacation-who am i kidding-in my head i'm refraining, but the rest of me is flicking through the (clearance) racks looking for the perfect clothes to bring (and that the boyfriend won't notice as new).  For Alaska, there were new boots.  For Hawaii or Aruba, how can one not get sun dress happy?  And for France, it's stripes and neutrals.

 

 Everything was on sale or clearance, and have a lot of mix and match potential.  Any Tom's fans out there?  I got these for this trip-do you think they will be comfy enough for all day sightseeing? Also, there will be pants.  There were just none newly purchased to show you.  But rest assured there will be pants.

I'm trying to get a little dressier with my every day clothes, especially for this trip, so i'm jumping on the blazer bandwagon and pairing them with a more casual shirt.  Blazer to me always meant interview, or stuffy, or constricting.  Happily this one is in sweatshirt material.  Hello little polka dot lining, could you be any cuter?

Also, this.  France made of cheese and bread. 

Now please excuse me while i re-watch Amelie and Midnight in Paris in hopes of absorbing the language by osmosis!

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sharing is caring:  Make it Pretty Mon @ Dedicated House Throwback Thursday @ Sweet Pea, Places I've Been @ The Tablescaper,  Before and After @ Thrifty Decor Chick,   Sundays @ Suburbs Mama ,Craftomaniac,  Mod Vintage Life, Motivate Me Mon @Keeping it Simple,  give me the goods @ rain on a tin roof, home stories a-z, the makers @ persia lou, the scoop @ worthing court,  nifty thrifty @ Coastal Charm, be inspired @ elizabeth and co,  inspire me tues, lil luna, get your craft on, sugar bee crafts. inspire me weds @ 733, wow us weds @ savvy southern style,  work it weds @ the blissful bee,  whimsy wednesday,  wicked awesome weds @ handy man, crafty woman,  whatever goes weds @ someday crafts,  charm of home, Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple, open house @ no minimalist here, link party palooza @ tatertots and jello, tickled pink @ 504 main,  Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring, open house @ no minimalist here, creativity unleashed @ shaken together,creative connection @ making home base,  inspiration gallery @ Craftberry Bush, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, my romantic home, jennifer rizzo, Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity now,  Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage, design it fridays @ finding fabulous, best diy @ 36th ave, thrifty things fri @ the thrifty groove,  overflowing w/ creativity @ it's overflowing, nifty thrifty sundays, under the table and dreaming. inspire me please @ liz marie blog,sunday best @ the girl creative  shaken together, seasonal sundays @ the tablescaper, twirl and take a bow @ house on the way, catch as catch can @ my repurposed life

Because there's a spring vignette party

and i want to go.  Therefore, my flat surfaces got photographed.  And blogged about. 

The itching for the greens, that's what spring does to me.

 It does not escape me that any and all vignettes really are just piles of books topped with objects d'art or plants.  Or plants and art.

And that said piles of books are pretty much about travel.

You may consider that photo a sneak peak of a project that i am super stoked about. Can you tell what it is/where it is?

Greens.  Check.

 Close up of the airplant-this guy is the original, his little friend has already been replaced once.  Apparently even though they aren't rooting to anything, one can't simply snip them back for aesthetic purposes.  Whoopsy.

I mean, of corks the dining room got some succulents, why ever not?  You see what i did there?  Of corks.

Mmmkay...

And you can consider this sneak peak number 2, also of which i am majorly stoked.  So yeah, there's been some stuff happening in the ol' cape. 

Also happening...France.  I am in panic/anxiety mode instead of excited mode, as per usual when i travel.  There will be a fashion post (natch, it's Paris, oui?) but any and all tips pertaining to anything are welcomed.  Rick Steve's (travel guru) has this nugget of wisdom-"Try to nasalize the n sound."  First i need to figure out how one nasalizes anything.  If you need me, i will be trying to make an n come out of my nose....

sharing is caring:swing into spring @ worthing court,  Monthly projects @ Evolution of Style Make it Pretty Mon @ Dedicated House Throwback Thursday @ Sweet Pea, power of paint @ domestically speaking,  Places I've Been @ The Tablescaper,  Before and After @ Thrifty Decor Chick,   Sundays @ Suburbs Mama ,Craftomaniac,  Mod Vintage Life, Motivate Me Mon @Keeping it Simple,  give me the goods @ rain on a tin roof, home stories a-z, the makers @ persia lou, the scoop @ worthing court,  nifty thrifty @ Coastal Charm, be inspired @ elizabeth and co,  inspire me tues, lil luna, get your craft on, sugar bee crafts. inspire me weds @ 733, wow us weds @ savvy southern style,  work it weds @ the blissful bee,  whimsy wednesday, under 100 @ beyond the picket fence,  wicked awesome weds @ handy man, crafty woman,  whatever goes weds @ someday crafts,  charm of home, Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple, open house @ no minimalist here, link party palooza @ tatertots and jello, tickled pink @ 504 main,  Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring, open house @ no minimalist here, creativity unleashed @ shaken together,creative connection @ making home base,  inspiration gallery @ Craftberry Bush, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, my romantic home, jennifer rizzo, Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity now,  furniture fridays @ mustard seed, Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage, design it fridays @ finding fabulous, best diy @ 36th ave, thrifty things fri @ the thrifty groove,  overflowing w/ creativity @ it's overflowing, nifty thrifty sundays, under the table and dreaming. inspire me please @ liz marie blog,sunday best @ the girl creative  shaken together, seasonal sundays @ the tablescaper, twirl and take a bow @ house on the way, catch as catch can @ my repurposed life

Such a little thing, such a little thing

But the difference it made was grave. 

You may remember my kitchen is a dark, dark place that has had few updates. Those updates were meant to brighten and sleekify. Sleekify meaning to modernize and generally improve the space until we actually "do" the kitchen, and even then it isn't going to be a complete overhaul. This means to me, then, that even the slightest improvement will have a big impact.

So for about two years we've been sitting on this kick ass faucet that we got at a tiny kitchen and bath store that was going out of business. And if you've ever gone to a sale like that, you know people aren't messing around and needless to say most pieces were gone.  But i spied a faucet i had only ever dreamed of owning since these things cost a pretty penny.  Problem was this piece was a display piece, not for sale-do you know that means it's not a usable piece?  The faucet was only the pretty parts, not the parts that one needs for use, like tubing and connectory...things.  And usually they are not for sale for this reason. 

I'm sure you know where this is going.  We bought the faucet and were told we could contact the company who would send us parts, which we might have to pay for.  Only we didn't have to pay for them, they sent them for nothing.

Kitchen Faucets by Other Metro elkayusa.com

It's the Elkay Arezzo faucet, priced at 375, on sale from 578, also on houzz for same price of 578.

Now here's the part where i get giddy over the fact that this gorgeousness now lives in my home for only sixty dollars.  Yes, sixty.  60. 6, and then a 0.  And then a...nothing. 

 Let's actually change this from "lives in my home" (as it was for 2 years, wrapped up in towels and waiting to be installed) and actually say "installed and ready for use".

Little things exciting me in this picture-Filtrete water system, push button garbage disposal...

 












 happy little rug.

Speaking of little kitchen contents, i can't stop buying have enhanced the milk glass open shelving by a few pieces.

And that is all.  

What little thing is making a big impact for you these days?  Faucet?  Decor? Infant child?

sharing is caring: Monthly projects @ Evolution of Style Make it Pretty Mon @ Dedicated House Throwback Thursday @ Sweet Pea, power of paint @ domestically speaking,  Places I've Been @ The Tablescaper,  Before and After @ Thrifty Decor Chick,   Sundays @ Suburbs Mama Craftomaniac,  Mod Vintage Life, Motivate Me Mon @Keeping it Simple,  give me the goods @ rain on a tin roof, home stories a-z, nifty thrifty @ Coastal Charm, be inspired @ elizabeth and co, the scoop @ stone gable,  inspire me tues, lil luna, get your craft on, sugar bee crafts. inspire me weds @ 733, wow us weds @ savvy southern style,  work it weds @ the blissful bee, outdoor weds @ a southern daydreamer, whimsy wednesday, wicked awesome weds @ handy man, crafty woman,  whatever goes weds @ someday crafts,  charm of home,  open house @ no minimalist here, link party palooza @ tatertots and jello, Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring, open house @ no minimalist here, creativity unleashed @ shaken together,creative connection @ making home base,  inspiration gallery @ Craftberry Bush, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, my romantic home, jennifer rizzo, Weekend Bloggy Reading @ Serenity now,  furniture fridays @ mustard seed, Feathered Nest @ French Country Cottage, design it fridays @ finding fabulous, best diy @ 36th ave, thrifty things fri @ the thrifty groove,  overflowing w/ creativity @ it's overflowing, nifty thrifty sundays, under the table and dreaming. inspire me please @ liz marie blog,sunday best @ the girl creative  shaken together, seasonal sundays @ the tablescaper,   a round tuit,

Dos Kitties

This cat is hilarious. She reminds of those Dos Equis commercials, so this seemed only fitting. Enjoy.

I call her my little snow tiger, not only because she's striped and grey, but because she is a wild maniac.  A full on stalker, slinker, and predator in the guise of a tiny headed innocent looking kitten.  She bites, she hisses, she attacks my poor other cat, Sunday.  She doesn't jump, like most cats.  Instead she attaches and scratches.  Pity the fool who is oh, i don't know, innocently washing dishes, and this little beast attaches itself to you from behind.  Let me tell you, it is 1) startling and 2) painful.  She'll start at the legs, and walk her way up your back, digging her nails in, then detach as quickly as she attached, leaving you perplexed and in pain. 

But, you know, look how cute she is. 

Just an aside-that wool carpet isn't dirty, it's just leaving its wool business everywhere. And there's also many parts where Sunday has unlooped the looped weaves....love that she's so interested in scratching it, and not this device here for that purpose....and that disgusting tea bag toy is Sunday's favorite thing.  So as gross as it looks, i can't throw it out.  You know how it is.

What would these captions say if these were your pets?