Saving green and being green

I really try to be as green as i can, while of course saving green, and it helped me to make a list of all those ways.  It might not seem it, but all of those little, insignificant changes really add up to something big.  So here's what i can remember off the top of my head, without trying to bore you to tears:

1.  i keep canvas bags in my trunk and S's trunk for grocery shopping.  With all the health fairs that i do in the community, i make a beeline for them as soon as i notice they are being given out.  I have scored huuuge ones, which means i am fitting more in one bag.  If for some reason we forget, the plastic bags then become our trashbags at home in the smaller cans.
2.  i love the library.  i'm shopping for free, i am using what already has been printed, and i am reducing clutter by not owning these books.
3.  our thermostat is on a programmable timer, therefore cooling and heating only while we are there and maintaining an even temp throughout the day so we don't come home and have to amp it up even more. 
4.  my garden is hooked up to a drip irrigation system, so i am not out there dumping more water than necessary.  plus it means i don't have to stand out there in the heat when i am tired and cranky after work.
5.  i do all our laundry in cold water which uses less energy, and buy those concentrated bottles of detergent.
6.  we replaced all of our lightbulbs with the more energy efficient ones.
7.  i turn off the water when i brush my teeth, even though i prefer having it on for reasons that will make me seem crazy.   i just feel like they get cleaner when the water is running.  i know.  there's something wrong with me.
8.  we recycle everything at home, and with the help of a few coworkers, have made our office a little greener by placing a recycling box next to all the copiers and fax machine.
9.  we replaced all our windows with low e carbon ones to block more heat, therefore maintaining a stable temperature.
10.  we grow a teeny tiny amount of veggies which are also a source of pride for a remedial planter such as myself! Next year i would like a raised bed and a larger section, b/c i want to grow zucchini, onion, and lettuce, as well as peppers that i have grown the past two years.

Did you know there was a container friendly eggplant?  i didn't, but we'll see how this goes.  That flower has to be a good sign, right?? 

yumzers.  i have to act quick, b/c last year the squirrels and rabbits beat me to them while i was waiting for them to get red and perfect.  Now when they begin to turn red i bring them in and wait it out.

Yay, a slew of yellow peppers.  They are growing in the hideous topsy turvey that S received as a gift.  There are two.  Joy.

My loot from the library....did you know you can take out all magazines except the current issue?   My library doesn't have a limit on how many at a time (some do) and how long you can keep them out (my old library let you have only a week)

What little changes have you made to be greener?  Have a great long weekend, and i'll see you back here Tuesday!

linking with these parties: FF@Finding Fabulous, frugal friday @ shabby nest, penching pinching parties @the thrifty home.  edited to add: saving money living life fabulous friday

WTF Wednesday

This sounds fun, i might try and keep up with this.  As long as Craigslist keeps providing me with winners, that is.  Let's have a looksy....

"saleing a full bedroom set call if you like it im takeing a big lost i got it for 1500 im even selling the bed to all  for 500$ head bord and matress w 2 night stands and a dresser mirra"

the next day....

"saleing furniture full bedroom set a sofia a full betroom set ipod lamps rideo a dineing set"

the next day...

"sealing my sofia my full bedroom set a badroom set a dieing room set.  All furniture for sell have to lave."

and again...

"i have bedroom set dresser mirra sofia for sell all furniture must goooooooo"

 What amazes me with this, besides the blatant disregard for punctuation, is that in all the posts (there are even more) the word "furniture" is spelled correctly every. single. time.  How is that possible?

I understand that there are typos, i'm not that much of a word snob and we all make mistakes, but repeated mistakes on the same word mean more than just a typo.  There was a great comment on the last CL post from Judy who called herself a "word warrior."  I love it.  I'm determined to use it in every day conversation.  Thanks Judy!

better from the back

I love when i find stuff at the thrift store that is on extra sale that day, but often you have to scour for the items.  Is that vase i like the right color for today?  What color is the tag on that nightstand?  please be yellow, please be yellow, please be yellow....gah, it's peach! 

But i found a thrift store that has done it right!  They gather all the items that are the sale color that day and put them in one spot!  No more hoping, no more peeking.  All yellow tag items 70% off and in one spot!  i love you, thrift store manager.

So 1.50 for that very large wood frame that could easily be spray painted, or even left as is...you can't get a frame that size at the dollar store.  Goodbye, sweet bunny with americana country kitchen, for you have seen your final days.

And you know how i feel about 4 dollar faux bois planter and her imminent facelift.

Yikes!  What is this? Good lord, it's a good thing this wasn't facing forward or i would have walked right past it.  Possibly after muttering that exact phrase aloud.  Sometimes i do that.  Sometimes in Homegoods. 

There is no question i intend for this to be the back of the planter!

Linking up with Thrifty Treasures @ Southern Hospitality, Debbie Doos, Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays @ Coastal Treasures, Thrifty Thursdays @ Tales from Bloggeritaville.

feeling lucky on a sunday

These past few weeks, and days even, there has been a surge in readership and followers.  I am so incredibly thankful and lucky to have you here, so welcome.  Please don't be shy, say hi.

I wanted to explain how we roll here on Sundays at the Cape on the Corner.  During the week i have no set schedule about what i post.  I'm too random for that.  A project here or there, my newest obsession, things i found online that i like.  you know, anything.  But on Sunday's i feature the sweetest of all sweets, my love of all loves, my little gray girl, Sunday. 

We adopted this sweet girl about a year and a half ago, and i feel lucky every day that she is ours.  You see, we didn't adopt her as a kitten, she was already 3 or 4 years old.  She trusts us, she loves us, there is no where she doesn't like us to touch on her, she comes running in when you call her, she flops, she rolls, she head nudges, she lays on her back and meows til you pet her when we come home, no matter if we went out for a half hour or the entire work day.  Some days she's more skittish than others, set off by something or other.  i don't know how she was treated before she got here, but i can tell you that to say i am obsessed with her would be a huge understatement.  S loves her as much as i, calling her "daddy's good girl" and getting on the floor with her to play.  They have a whole routine every morning i am extremely jealous of.  She has changed him for the better.

She could have been a cat who just hides and doesn't come out.  She could have been more independent than she is.  She could cower at our touch.  Instead, she jumps up and sits on the laptop that is balanced on my lap, and falls asleep with her head in our hands. We chose her, but she just as much chose us.

Everyday is like Sunday, her name taken from the Smiths song.  Everyday is gray.  But in a good way.

Even a caveman could do it

I don't know about you, but i am always tweaking and trying to make little improvements here and there in my home.  I'm pretty happy with my living room which, believe me, has been tweaked to death in the last 3 years, though i might have one small change coming up.  Aside from that, there has been one thing that bothers me and i could see no solution in sight.

Those open shelves.  Hate them.  I can't really fit baskets in there, plus i think baskets would give this room too much of a beachy vibe, and then where would i store my rip roarin fun games?

Enter scrapbook paper to the rescue!  I was all ready to mod podge these puppies up, but you know what, i just worked all day.  On Saturday.  No need to glue or mod podge, when one has tape!  What an even simpler solution!  So easy in fact...a caveman could do it!

I don't know about you, but i find this much less distracting. 

Close up of the paper, which i realize can easily be substituted for gift wrap or wallpaper.  i might upgrade to wrapping paper and just do the whole lid.  I probably should have done that to begin with.  Whoops!

I'm linking this incredibly difficult and time consuming project to a whole slew of parties, cuz it's pretty kickass.  and cheap.  and easy. 

Sun-sunday showcase @under the table and dreaming, shop the house sunday @finesse your nest
Mon-Met Monday at BNOTP, It's so very cheri, Made the World Cuter Mondays, DIY showoff, Keeping it Simple
tues-DIY day ASPTL, Toot your horn tuesdays, Get your craft on @ Today's creative blog
weds-women who do it all, room to inspire, my backyard eden, whatever works @someday crafts, penny pinching party, blue cricket designs
thurs- creative cats, transformation thurs @shabby chic cottage, HoH
Fri-Finding Fabulous, the inspired room, fingerprints on the fridge, tidymoms, favorite things fri, my romantic home, flaunt it fri @chic on a shoestring.

my first, my last, my tablescape

I have never done a tablescape before, tho i think they are beautiful.  i assume when these lovely ladies are setting up these elaborate place settings that dinner is also taking place using them that night.  i could be wrong, but i hope not. 

at my house i have one set of five dishes intact that are my everyday dishes, and i have outdoor dishes that are melamine and won't break if we drop them outside.  Not much variety because a) i don't have the space to store copious amounts of dishes and b) i'm cheap.

But i was so excited with how the new table set up was looking in the DR that i couldn't help myself, and the outdoor dishes are perfect for that room.

please don't be mad that i didn't set the end two settings.  it seemed strange to be setting up and not eating there, so i kept it at the bare minimum.  You're lucky there's silverware! Then i quickly put everything away before S got home, b/c he wouldn't understand about setting a table and not eating there. 

And because she goes where i go....

i am linking up to BNOTP Tablescape Thursday.  Boo yah.

things that boggle the mind, craigslist version

"free apulstry samples"

"chester drawars"

"dinning room table"

these are just some of the items available on philadelphia craigslist tonight.  nice. 

What's black and white and red all over?

I am ashamed to say that these plates have been sitting on my kitchen counter since their acquisition back in April.  I linked 'em up to some parties this week, which served as a reminder to put them away already!

Very timely, b/c the destructicator (destroyer/investigator) accomplished her goal of ruining the three tall vases on the dining room table.  That picture only shows two...she had already broken the other by then.  Sigh, fine, i'll have to buy something else now because the Ikea vases weren't enough of an impact on their own.

 I stopped in my tracks to try this out since the plates were on their way to the dining room closet, and voila!  Don't they look like they were made for this, especially since i cut down the flowers! 

I am excited to link up to Shop The House Sunday this week, because it means i was extra savey and not extra spendy!  woot!  How have you been extra savey this week?

faux bois, baby

i love me some faux bois. i can't say it correctly (my mouth wants to make it rhyme) but i love it.

i am kicking myself for not getting the bird feeder from Homegoods that looked like the table above. i have been thinking about it since the Friday before Mother's Day, a sure sign i should have gotten it.

 i did find this puppy at the thrift store, and i can't wait to show you what i did with her!

images: z gallerie, thomas paul, ballard designs, colee hammock home, moi.

odds and ends

I need to say a big thank you to Lindsey at Better After and Carolyn at My Backyard Eden for featuring the sunroom redo....it literally took me two weeks to get through all the posts in my google reader account.  it's actually pretty funny when you're reading along, and it's like...wait, i recognize that.  oh, it's me.

thankfully, now i'm all caught up and it has stopped saying "1000+."  The moral here is that i apparently read waaaaay to many blogs.  But i ain't stoppin' any time soon!

Also, Creative Home Expressions is giving away a CSN gift certificate.  These CSN guys are everywhere lately, and sooner or later i'm gonna win one.  I'm betting it's going to be later.  much, much later. 

Look, i have actually figured out, thanks to the updated blogger, how to insert a link.  I know, it's about time.  I never claimed to be computer savvy.  And strikethrough...i always thought that was spellcheck!  Let's try this out.  I'm a loser slow on the uptake.  Hmm, is that line too thick?  Is there a way to change that?

 It's the small things, really, that make me happiest. 

Showing some curves

My sweet little home has gone through some changes since that first day she became ours.  The first time we saw her she was a real blank slate, no bushes or edging.  We were free to do whatever we wanted.  When we went back to look a second time, the owner planted and edged and we felt bad ripping out what we were essentially now going to be paying for.  So we made do, just mulching and adding a few annuals that first year.   Of course, we powerwashed the stairs, got a new light fixture, and new mailbox.

By the next summer, we had changed the screen door and the shutters, made an address plaque, and were trying to bulk up the garden.  But still, straight and boxy.  I want to be rid of the straight and boxy.  At this point, she looks like the picture on the right.  Garden has perennials.  Check.  Flower bed, though planted with no rhyme or reason due to my immense lack of skills, is curvy and much larger.  Check.  But you can't even TELL from the street!!! 

You might be wondering why we "went backwards" with that plastic black edging, but in my opinion we had to go backwards to go forwards.  We were able to sell the red scalloped bricks (not my style at all!) via Craigslist.  Right in front of the red bush, and pretty much where the welcome sign is, is how big the bed was before we curved it out.  We used a hose and spray paint to map out exactly what i wanted because S wasn't getting it based on my arm movements alone.  It looked like a cross between trying to take flight and an elaborate prayer ritual.  And then we tilled.  Tillered?  Used the tiller we rented from Home Depot to add compost to the yucky clay dirt we have.

We would have liked to do a retaining wall, but the perennials I ordered came in earlier than expected since we were still having frost, and i had to get them in the ground.  To dig them up now, along with the bulbs we planted, would annoy me to no end. 

So no retaining wall now.  I like that whole raised up knife edge look which would still require taking raising up the plants, or I like these from Home Depot. 

I think we could easily work those to fit our curves.  Don't you?  I would love to know, dear readers, what kind of flower beds or gardens you have.  I warn you, though, I get jealous easily!

Linking up to Remodelaholic, the Inspired Room, fingerprints on the Fridge, tidymoms,  Trash to Treasure, Frugal Friday, favorite things friday, Met Monday, DIY showoff, Mustard Seed Creations, feature yourself friday, motivate me monday, room to inspire, women who do it all, show and share day, my backyard eden, blue cricket design, somewhat simple, show and tell friday.

Allow me to indulge, part deux

View from lanai, with rainbow. maui


Pacific Whale Foundation whale watching sunrise cruise.



That should suffice, i think.

All images taken with regular ol' digital camera, no fancy lenses or zoomy equipment.

the thorn in my side

let me start out by saying, i'm a good girl. the one that teachers counted on, couldn't believe my brother and i were of the same gene pool (ie-he is the bad seed), the one that didn't get in trouble. so when i did get in trouble, even for the slightest thing, or was told something wasn't correctly done, i couldn't handle my shiznit. My eyes well up, my chin quivers, and i start bawling right there.

i'm not just talking elementary school, i'm talking thru high school and college as well. And let's not forget employment. Yes, there too, but i do a better job of hiding it.

So this morning was going fine, but i was 15 minutes late. Usually i am not 15 minutes late, but it has happened in the past. And my supervisor, who i work directly with, happens to be there for the majority of these times. When i am early, and go to my office, no one even knows i'm back there. When i have a presentation, i am always early. So the days that i don't have anything, i slack a little b/c i know i can. This is a very trying job, and yesterday was a busy day. And she gets there on time and spends 20 minutes talking in a co-worker's office, so i don't see the difference. The point is, and i am getting to it, yes, is that she asked me to try to arrive on time in the future because it looks badly on the department (us. we are the department). Try to arrive on time? Does someone try to be late? no, you just are. And look bad for the department? She's always telling me we put the other departments to shame when we gather for the managers report, there's so much going on. But she's a control freak who likes to think she's more important than she is.

So is this really a big deal? no, it's not. but i am not used to "being in trouble" and it will upset me the rest of the day. i needed to vent, so thank you for letting me do so. Hopefully once i have my coffee it will change my outlook on the day. It's kauai coffee, so that's even better.

What about you guys, anyone the bad seed? Nah, i think you're all good girls.

Allow me to indulge.....

Sigh. The gorgeousness.


Napali Coast, Kauai

Hanalei Bay, Kauai

Kilaueau Lighthouse, Kauai

Kapalua Bay, Maui

The Tale of Two Soils

Just a simple question on gardening....why can't i use garden soil in pots? when there is the image of the pot with the line thru it-not for use in pots-is that more like a guideline? a suggestion? a marketing ploy so i spend more money at the store? is it like those tags on pillows that say do not remove? or will this somehow kill my plants if i'm cheap and just use garden soil? it's pretty much too late, but i wonder if i have sentenced them to an early death this year...

don't delay

ok, so every morning on my way to work i cut thru acme's parking lot. i know, you shouldn't do that, get a ticket, blah blah blah. anyway, i pretend i am genuinely looking at acme's wares that they display out front should a copper be looking for scammers like me.

these days, it's flowers, and these flowers, they're pretty. like, actually good looking, not scrawny moment-away-from-death flowers. so i went out at lunch to buy these 6 pack annuals that are on sale for 4.99. not a bad deal, right, 83 cents a flower? for good lookin' flowers? but at the register they rang up for 2 bucks. 2 bucks for a 6 pack of annuals. 33 cents a flower? astilbes, vincas, begonias, something called chocolate mint, the thing that i always confuse with impatiens....i know, i am so very helpful.

i am so excited about this. not about the planting part of it all, tho. never about the planting part.

go, now, go. show me what you get.

sunroom love

Cara from Living the Home Life featured my "killer" sunroom before and after on her blog, http://livingthehomelife.blogspot.com/.

Here's what she had to say about it-

Don't you just want to kick off your shoes and relax with a good read? I'm loving the cozy neutral colors, built in nook, and windows galore. Great job!

Thanks Cara! She and her husband, Eric, are realtors who seem to sell only the cutest and funkiest of houses. Lucky them, and lucky us, because we get to snoop inside!

They are also currently redoing their master bathroom in their new house...sigh, a master bathroom. One day, my friends, one day. Not anytime soon, tho. Not even remotely soon.

And if you are buying or selling in Arkansas, want to see some remodeling, or chuckle at funny dialogue, head on over to Cara and Eric's blog!

Potty Talk

ok, i guess after that title it isn't a surprise where this little vignette sits. It's on the most unappealing of flat expanse, the back of the toilet. what do you do with that space? must it be ugly? must it only be a vehicle to house room spray? i shudder at the thought of what that image is conjuring, but it had to be said. i have tried this, you see, no room spray. but guests don't seem too thrilled with that option, and no one wants to ask a host where it is. awwwkward! so fine, i add the bottle of room spray. but it uglifies my pretty set up. so what do you do? is it possible to mod podge the bottle of glade/aerosol/febreeze/oust and make it a little more subtle? must i rough up said bottle first to adhere pretty paper? seriously, i'm going to do this. but i'd like your advice, ideas, or help. gracias.