Another View

More Paint

I put on two layers of metallic paint, Jacquard Lumirie Paints. I blotted some of it off so you can still sorta see the base coat. I am almost done, need to finish lining the rest of the box with paper, and get the minature book done.

Another Layer of Paint

More paint, more paper, more glue, more sanding, and maybe some more paint and paper. Eventually the box will be done!

Cigar Box Swap

Here are some in progress pics of my cigar box for the swap I'm in, it was due last week. Needless to say I probably won't have it done until Monday - for mailing that is.

On Surviving Winter

Well unless you live in a cave somewhere with absolutely no contact what so ever with the outside world then you know that heating costs are going to go up this winter. So the question begs to be anwsered how do I keep warm. It's very simple:

Wear lots of clothes!

I keep our house at 58 F. That's right I keep it at 58 degrees F! In the morning I get up, around 6ish, to fix hubbys lunch make the coffee and let the dogs out to do their chores. In the winter I turn the heat up to 62 F and let it run one full cycle. I then turn it back down to 58 F and don't turn it back up until 5 or 6 in the evening. I let it run one full cycle again and turn it down. Sometimes we will turn it up before we go to bed one more time. I personally cna't sleep if it's warmer than 62 F in the house. My house is heavily insulated with woolrock, an insulation material that was used around the turn of the previous century. Woolrock maintains it's temperatures beautifully. I can go several days, w/o running the furnace before the house temp hits 50 F, ask me how I know and it wasn't our choice either.

So by now you either think I'm nuts, full of it, or both. I'm only nuts. I'm also cheap (frugal). And I really hate getting sick, warm buildings in the winter breed disease.

So how do you keep warm Kimberly - we have to ask???

Wool, wool is our best friend. We both wear turtle necks or long sleeve tee shirts, wool shirts or wool sweaters. When it's warmer out we wear cotton long sleeve shirts, flannel or heavy cotton twill, over our tees. We wear lots of wool socks, and I've been known to wear a wool hat indoors on occassion. My head is usually cold but the rest of me is hot. I wear wool socks starting now until spring thaw, I buy them and I also knit them myself.

As for staying warm at night, flannel sheets, wool blankets, thick heavy comforters - get the picture. If you wanna stay warm then cover up!

I heard one source state that the recommeneded lowering of the furnace temp be to 68 F, that's sweltering! Personally I don't take that as a serious drop that would amount to any type of savings in fuel oil and natural gas. 62 F is a serious drop and should create a serious savings. But hey I don't make the rules so what do I know right! I can say this it's only been in the last 50 years or so that we've had these ridiculously high indoor temps during the winter. Prior to that people froze their arses off in the winter.

Old towel

Here's an old towel, that I bought in a box with some old linens, and now that I think about it I should go through that box, I think there's some aprons in there too. The box had old lace, linen napkins and lots of damask table clothes and dinner napkins.

I really like the chicken tracks red stitching around the edge of this towel. It has a lot of stains, foxing, and rust spots on the piece. Overall the stitching is quite fine on a piece that is designated to the kitchen.

Those are silk ladies hankies you see off to the side.

Pink Apron

I"m not sure which style this apron falls under but I bought it because it just screamed "adorable". The pink umbrella just spoke to me I guess. I've been looking for the rest of my aprons, I have lots of them, just not sure where I put them. One of htem, that I shredded, is still hanging in the closet. I should take a picture of that one. It's one of those impossible sheer numbers. I suppose an apron such as that would have been worn on New Years Eve or on ones anniversary.