Mining for gold

 

Over and over I have tried various shades of gold threads, this one 831.  Just not enough contrast on this linen which I chose because of the rough and wrinkled appearance.  I think it's 26 count and looks very similar to the coarse linen of the original.  But I think I have to look at a lighter shade of 28 because I do not have the patience to try more threads.  A light yellowish shade was too ... well.... yellowish, so maybe I should look to the gray beiges?  Those usually show well on very dark linen but something tells me they will also be a fail.  This doesn't look bad in the photo but in person I can't distinguish letters.  One more try and if it doesn't work, start over on a different linen.

 

We started the walls in the beamed room with the dining room's Behr mix of Rare & Radiant.  It's a very soft and neutral white, but my pink eye is glowing.  I am just too sensitive to undertones.  This room is not bright at all like the other room this color is being used in and it seems to show a pink tone with most paints.  No one sees it but me, but I think I must go back to the very light and brighter BM White Dove.  It's really hard as you well know to choose a white with all its various hidden tones, let alone making such a drastic change.

We have very cold, rainy, snowy weather and I am beginning to doubt whether Jason will finish.  I saw his excavating equipment leaving his shop so he is still working, but for how long is the question.  I'm taking Thanksgiving dinner to my sister's this year rather than worrying about the mess.  I do not like cleaning up afterward in someone else's home.  Do you put this dish in the dishwasher?  What about glassware?  Where are the clean towels?   Should I pick a cupboard to put the specialty pieces where you will never find them?

 

I checked for kid's coats online to order since the sales are so early, and those that I chose are already out of stock.  In store and online!  Ridiculous.  I'm too tired to fight the black Friday crowds even though I've always enjoyed it, but with my choices unavailable from the comfort of home, not sure what my options are.

 

Nitzy has been sneezing for two days and we'll have to take him in for a shot.  The vet may ask us to Valium-inize him because he caused so much trouble for them before.  Bud's eyes are runny too and I would like to make it one trip but need to buy another carrier first.  No time and it seems like the holidays are closing in quickly.  Correction.  Warp speed! 

 

Hope your week is going swell.

Thanks for visiting.

 

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Early winter

And I hate it!  How is Jason going to finish in this weather?  That pallet of pavers may be there until spring and we will be tracking in mud all winter. Two mornings of snow, one day over 40 next week and that's it.  Nothing on the horizon over 35 after that.  What the hell!! 

Under this light snow layer is a thick layer of leaves, now topped off with newly fallen.  And several trees are still half with leaves.  Wet leaves do not blow and certainly not after being stuck in the mud.

 

Another show of whiteness, such a soft beautiful shade.  Even if I knew what it was, it would never look the same in here.  I purchased Magnolia's Shiplap online (not sold here) thinking it would be the ticket, it is lighter than the sample and even with two coats, has not covered well enough for me.

 

Enjoy your weekend folks!  It will be an unusually crabby one for me.

 

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And we have cupboards

Wow.  These babies are heavy.  Poor Dominic could barely hold up his end when bringing them into the house.  They are 4 foot wide and almost 6 tall.  I could not wait to put a basket on top.  My dark brown crocks/jugs or baskets will be displayed there.  Shelves for crocks or baskets to hold items will be made for between them beneath the window so the entire wall be utilitarian.

Lots of storage inside. They will be attached to the wall, painted the same white with more black hardware.  He doesn't have the shelves made yet and that's OK.  Lots of work on my part to ready them for paint. 

The interior is finished but there are door details that need some attention and sanding.  Dom is not used to my style and makes beautiful kitchens, but they are overlay profiled doors, all finished and ready for installation.  He didn't even know what an H hinge is and has never done inset or plank doors.  I'm not complaining because at least he was willing to come out and doesn't turn down jobs.  These details don't detract from the strength and utility of the cupboards.

As for the antique sampler, if anyone held a copyright it would have been the stitcher for the design she created, which expires at death + a number of years and can be transferred to others.  If it's a family heirloom and the rights were passed to them, that's different.  But if it's not your work, you cannot apply for a copyright.  Technically, the chart I created for the pony wallet could have been sold by me.  The wallet owner cannot hold a copyright on the antique, but requested I do not sell the chart so I obliged.  Many pieces do not identify the creator or the location.  If you tangibly work out a pattern for a piece, such can be copyrighted as yours, but not the actual piece.  The image you prepare or photos you take of anything are products of your work, are tangible, and can also be copyrighted if you choose.  Not reproducing, selling, profiting from what you are creating from something you have seen, and there is no way to determine the author or any applied copyright, I cannot see the harm.  But if you wanted to make several and sell them, who are you infringing upon?  You can't copy someone's photo, frame it, and sell it.  But they don't hold the rights to the subject in the photo unless it is from their hands.  And needlework is a different medium than a copyrighted photo, which opens up a new discussion.  Antique furniture pieces, quilts, weavings, have all been reproduced and many to be sold.  The laws are extensive and defined, but also confusing and sometimes impossible to verify when old pieces are involved.  An interesting article on patterns (relating to clothing) is here.  And I'm assuming that quilting, furniture, and other items may be considered in the same category.  An example from the site....

Here, while the drawing of the dress may be considered a creative expression of the author and therefore eligible for copyright protection, the pattern instructions and any dress made from the pattern would not be protected by copyright.

How confusing is that????  I've checked many sites and Googled until the cats came home, there is a lot of info out there.  Sellers may post a legal notice about their work and when you agree to their terms and conditions of usage, that is binding.

 

I need to go play with the paint again or Mark is going to the store and coming home with basic white.  Poor guy has been living with painted plywood pieces at every angle for a loooooooong time.

 

Thanks for visiting!

 

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I did a bad thing

Well, I think I did, but I'm not really sure.  If we see an offer to purchase an antique sampler and decide to stitch it ourselves instead, are we wrong?  It's not a chart, not offered as a chart, just an item for sale.  Well it's too late!!  I saw it, immediately knew the colors to use, it's small, and my style.  Sorry Santa, you'll have to wait. 


This was the offer (Ebay photo).  If DMC 501 is used, I'm all in, and that's exactly what this looks like to me.  I had no trouble determining the other colors but I will use one shade of gold instead of two, and a brighter red like 355 (this looks like 814 which I do not like).  Because the linen appears to be a looser weave, I plan to pull 28 count.  It would be very nice on a high count but I want to recreate the look of this and part of the appeal is the coarse fabric and aging. 

Reminds me of one of my favorites, Dorothy Allen from R&R, haven't figured size yet but it may be similar.










That's it!  The sun is out today, very windy.  Since we could not get anyone to cement our front area where the natural stones were removed, we've added a full length step to the front and Jason will be installing pavers.  Not happy.  There is no way to match man made color to natural stone and they all have way too much orangey reddish tones (even though they are gray), but I have no choice.  It is what it is!  Hopefully he will be out Friday or Monday and Dominic is delivering the cabinets then also.  Guess who still can't decide on the white for that room?  Yep.

Have a good one!!

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Getting closer

I pulled some thread today, for someone else, but I was in the floss box.  And it made me want to pull a few for myself.  Can't believe how quickly and painfully these nodes on my right fingers are growing, but I think I can stitch.  I keep saying I will start something this weekend and don't because of the house projects. 

 

Thanksgiving day will be here soon and I know we won't be done or even close.  Jason was here today and we need to get pavers or something for him to install and finish up Wednesday.  One day to find them and choose, not easy in the summer let alone this late in the year.  Hot flashes are raging. 

 

It's after midnight and I'm still up waiting for the boys to come home so I can lock them up for the night.  Their day of relaxation was disrupted by the landscapers and they must have gone on a day trip.

 

Isn't this foyer stunning?  Simple and soft.  Pinterest of course.

 

 

Cheryl, I've tried many ways to contact you and express my sympathy in your loss, but Google+ just won't allow it.

 

Hope everyone's week goes well.

 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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November

November 1.  And I am already tired of seeing "black Friday" in ads.  Countdown to Christmas movies will be boring and stale by December.  Why start them so early? 

 

It has rained and rained and rained and will continue. The brats have decided it's too wet and returned to their inside room.  I can pet Bud, he will sleep on my lap, but the other two are still as untouchable as ever.  I do not think it will ever change. 

 

My sister failed to trap a long haired calico this summer so along with her two adorable kits, she is ready to pop another litter.  There's a separate major issue brewing at her house and she is not happy with the side I am taking.  Not a good time for this as we wait for her 5 year old great grandchild's biopsy results. 

 

It took a while but the ceiling paint around the beams is cut in and ready to roll, walls too.  I have read that when using a shade of white on the walls, a similar but different white should be used on trim.  But I can't find one that isn't too yellow or too gray so I'm not following that advice.  Everything will be one.  I chose Valspar's Rare and Radiant shade of white, mixed by Behr who has the formula.  Leaving the darkside, heading toward the light. 

 

My cabinets were to be finished over a week ago and I haven't heard a word from Dominic.  Hope he isn't having a family crisis. 

 

Every time I go into Walmart, our one remaining store, I can just smack the lips off of some mothers.  This time, a several month old baby was beet red and crying as she held him horizontal at her hip as if he were a clutch.  He was crying so hard he could barely breathe.  My 15 minutes of fame may come one day under a headline, "mouthy elderly shopper attacked by useless idiot of a mother".

 

Hope you all have a great weekend.

 

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