The Only Wall In The House

Our small Cape Cod is full of windows, built-ins, and wood panelling (painted white, thankfully). Since we moved in we opened up the first floor by knocking out a wall in our kitchen. The upstairs is a classic small Cape Cod configuration of sloped ceilings and dormers. This is a round about way of explaining that basically, we have no place to hang anything on our walls. I was pretty sad about this until I realized that all our family photos could adorn our stairwell! It's such a non-space that I had been neglecting it. 

A few months ago I went to Ikea and bought a ton of frames, mostly white ones in various sizes but also a few small unfinished wood ones that I painted grey with left over test samples from Benjamin Moore. (I had to resist the temptation to use only white frames. So many people do that -- understandably, it looks like a million bucks -- that I feel like I had to add my own (messier) personality and use some of my existing frames from our old apartment.) They were sitting around for a long time before I filled them with photos (it's so much harder now that everything is digital). Then they sat a little longer until Mr. SevPrez and his SevParents embarked on the upstairs painting extravaganza. 

This Sunday, after a Stolen Goods pop up the day before and an action packed Mother's Day Brunch at my brother's, I came home intending to take a nap, but somehow found myself hanging frames up the stairs. It must be the nesting instinct.

I followed the ingenious tips from the guys over at Young House Love, namely to use scrap paper and tape to map out where everything will go on the wall before making holes everywhere. Next you mark where all the nails go on the scrap paper, hammer them in, remove the paper, hang the frame, and just like magic, everything looks perfect the first time. No cursing required.

The only thing bad about this project is that it's a tough space to photograph, so I can't share any good pictures with you. But I assure you that walking up and down the stairs has become a totally different experience. I look forward to being reminded of our great friends and family and the highlights of our lives. 

Next time we go to Ikea we'll pick up some more frames. We have more space on the wall I started and there is a small empty wall at the top of the landing that will probably get filled up as well. This is good, since I think once our little one gets here we'll have lots more photos to add.

Stolen Snapshots. Too tired to write!

Now that I've tried Grandma's Crumb Cake, I don't think I can eat any other kind.

Cupcake porn. They sure are pretty.

Getting to know the Booze Cake. Tough, but somebody's got to do it.

Whoopie pies are definitely attracting a following.

Raspberry Pinwheels. Never made them before. As tasty as they are pretty. 

Apple Cranberry Pie Squares vamping it up.

Housework v. Homework

Mr. SevPrez is finishing up with his first year of grad school — hurray! With his internship complete, his papers turned in and only a few days of classes left, he's started to attack the very long list of things we need done around the house. Currently he's painting the upstairs bedrooms, taking them from what I intended to be a subtle, discreet shade of alabaster — in reality an ugly butter yellow that I've hated since the day it dried — to a discreet, soothing elephant shade of gray (Benjamin Moore's Harbor Gray, the green version that gives off no VOCs and therefore isn't scary to pregnant ladies like me). 


He made a huge dent in the project yesterday and it already looks 200 times better. I can't wait to see it today with all the trim work done. Pictures to come, but I am so happy to have my man about the house back that I thought we needed a new banner here at the Seven Presidents blog. And by "we" I mean I, I have just been very swept up with the royals, between being blindsided by my infatuation with the wedding (that Kate is just so charming and graceful) and watching "The Kings Speech" this weekend. It was a great movie. I'm still not sure it was The Best Picture, but it was definitely a great watch especially on the heels of the royal extravaganza. Also a great movie: "The Lives of Others." Two thumbs up from both me and the mister, which doesn't happen very often.

Need Some Sun?

This is what passes for a dose of sun for those of us suffering through April showers back East. I snapped it while walking to my car after work the other day. I had hoped for an unobstructed view of the clouds, but the nature of my NJ landscape got in the way. It's too bad I didn't get the silhouette of any egrets flying home to the lake after a long day. They're back! And you can really see them right now, as the budding leaves don't provide them much cover. Hopefully I'll capture them on film soon.

Before I forget, us Knicks fans could use you: pray for a playoff victory tonight! I'm trying to stay optimistic, but the last two games have reminded me what it's like to be a Knicks fan in the post season. Almost feels like the 90s! Still, if we could get just one playoff victory this year, I would consider it a successful season. The bar is low my friends.


And one more thing, here are this year's NYU tulips. I have to say, not as impressive as years past. But who can turn their cheek to any array of tulips? Not I, not I.

Have an excellent weekend. I plan on cleaning my house tomorrow (glamorous, I know, but I'm craving some order in my life, it's supposed to rain, and Mr. SevPrez is in the last weeks of school) and making a bunny cake on Sunday to bring to my mom's for Easter dinner. Hopefully it turns out well and you'll see the fruits of my work.

Momentus Occasion

My beloved New York Knicks are in the playoffs for the first time in a long time (let's not dwell in the past). They play the Celtics tonight at 7pm. To honor this momentus occasion I present to you Bearnard King, lovingly crafted by my mother way back when. I resurrected him from my parents' attic so he can watch the resurgence of his team with the family.

Rub his belly for good luck!