Can a crabass be thankful?

Of course.

Does that mean gratitude can change your mood?
Not necessarily. 

Can you be thankful for what you have and still be a crabass?
Living proof.

Does knowing others are worse off lighten your mood?
Not necessarily.
It just makes you more grateful, not less crabby. 

How about when you spend a lot of money on a fresh and natural no antibiotic and no hormone turkey and breast, and the meat squeaks when sliced?  Tastes unusual?  Must be swallowed whole for fear of breaking a tooth?
Not really.

How about when the fresh market squash you bought has a secret inside?
Nope.

How about when there is more pie filling on the bottom of the oven than in the pie?
Keep going.

Maybe when you shop at 10pm for another breast and will be up all night thawing it for an early roasting?
Getting close.

Or when the doors on your new expensive cabinets are so warped you need to buy wood and make new ones yourself?
Not quite.

How about when you sit down and think about all the things that DO go right, and the people that are still with us, and the fact that we are still here to crab?
Bingo.

Many people go through mood swings, depression, sadness, isolation, grief, stress, loss.  And how many times do we tell them to be grateful, even during hard times, because there is always someone worse off?  It's true, but in many cases it is not that simple and their burden cannot be lightened with that thought.  They may believe it, and know they are better off than some, but don't be upset with them if that fact doesn't make them feel better.

Just a thought on a day of Thanks.  I'm doing well, hope you are too.

Happy Thanksgiving to you.

 

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The pony

Hi folks.  Thought you might like to see the adaptation by Pam Gill (http://primitivespast.blogspot.com/) of the infamous pony wallet we all saw on Pinterest.  It's not easy to recreate from a photo!   I really like her addition of another pony to the front.  And I so love her offerings.

 

 

 

 

Oh - I made a box for those gourds, most fit, a few are too long.  But the box is 3# and oversize and a lot to ship.  Can't win.  So they are in the attic.

 

 

I may be gone for a bit.  Can't explain what's happening, not sure where it's coming from.  Restless, emotional, sad, unsettled, getting to the point where I am accomplishing very little and if I do, questioning why I bothered.  Weird weird.  Yes I'm sure the issues with finding trades people and having things in upheaval for too long may be part of it, but I have to ask, why the hell are they so important in the first place?  So I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving, and hope to return with something to show, or explain, or announce, or share, or giveaway, or rant about.  Any guesses which?

BTW, I did a little something to the PS charts to recognize them if they showed up on Ebay for much more than I offered, and some have.  Am I ticked?  Yep.
 

Thanks for visiting.

 

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The pile up

 

Ahhhh.  That's much better.  Benjamin Moore's White Dove.

 

Pile up in catchall room 2!  And it's not over.  I have several cupboards in the beamed room that will be moved here too.  The narrow bookcase will be painted and used in my sewing room and maybe all the others will be relocated to the spare room of whats (that's what I call it). 

 

 

 

 And if you are flustered because of clutter or untidy rooms, these should make you feel swell.

 

 

 

The upstairs whats room is holding the finished needlework and items that need to be sorted for usefulness. 

Wicker holds wool, to-be-refinished chests hold fabric,

bins hold the Heirloom Weaver fabric I will never use.

 

I may hate winter, but methinks I'll be busy enough to ignore it and hopefully just whiz by. 

 

Have a peaceful day.

 

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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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