Chapter 2: The EVolution of EDEN on the Island

The sweet little cabin on Ship Island was amazing when I first visited. Extremely well built and cozy, it was spotless and inviting. It would have been perfectly and totally fine the way it was ... MORE than fine. It was awesome. But, I have some weird gene in me that won't leave well enough alone. The main reason that I have 'Small Building Passion' is that I get to decorate them. In truth, that's the only reason I want a Boler - I don't actually want to drag it anywhere.

I didn't have to do a thing to Ship Island Cabin but I have that need to put my own signature on everything I do. My need says 'Paint something red.' - 'Make lots of cushions.' - 'Get more chairs.' Sometimes it's tiring listening to that Gene but in this case there was very little to do.

I got the red paint, made some cushions and brought up more chairs. I loved, LOVED the turquoise door and chair and dresser. It was that which steered the colour choice.

When I took my friend from Twillingate over to see the place in the fall, she was surprised and delighted to discover her very own kitchen cupboards that she had replaced 25 years earlier. We had the same exact ones in the house that we built in 1975. I remember how much I loved that style. It was kind of hard to do in a way, but I needed something red, so out came the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. And voila. Red.

I sewed up some black and red cushions, made little valances out of black and white dotted fabric and painted the window frames and a little table to match the cabinets. I picked up some black and white dishes - mostly from the Dollar Store, added a couple turquoise throws from Value Village and a red rag rug and shiny red kettle and I was done.

So here she is ... just a different colour scheme, 

and more pillows.

All the art will be orginal, funky-kinda paintings.  

The first hung was my 'AND Friend', Debbie Brodie Ritz's painting ... on the door.

Oh yeah ... there are a lot of people who would not be impressed

that I was painting over nice wood.

This still isn't done ... 

working on a painting for above the bed.

I painted the walls a really pretty,
fresh and light green and
added a vintage 'tie quilt' from the 60's,
a really nice quilt from Value Village
and pillows. More pillows.
The reading light is very cool.
It's one of those solar jobs from Ikea -
not as romantical as candles but
very handy and practical.

They were totally FINE cupboards - they didn't actually need painting. But, oh well.

Work in Progess. GOOD HEAVENS!! What have you done, woman? You PAINTED over perfectly good wood!

Someday, someone will likely strip them back to what they were.