...cleanliness is next to...

Good day! It is clear, crisp and beautiful in Chester County, PA today. Yesterday was spent on the road for the most part and we picked up some furniture. It all went smoothly and that is a good thing. I got home just in time to walk the animals and jump back into my truck to meet friends for dinner. I really wanted to get some house cleaning done but that will have to wait. I had a lot of Styrofoam flecks around this morning from the furniture shipping materials so I did grab my trusty Dirt Devil hand held vacuum cleaner. The li'l darlings like to eat the white stuff and I'm sure it isn't good for them. I am also pretty sure that Hubert Cecil Booth didn't know how far his idea would go when he patented the vacuum cleaner on this day in 1901. I am going to faux paint the base of a large table that I picked up yesterday to complement the marble counter tops. I also found what I think is the perfect area rug for them. I am having a bit if a time trying to find bar stools that are appropriate style-wise yet small enough not to act as a 'do not enter sign' to their newly constructed kitchen 'cause the stools will be floating in the middle of the space. I have to upload and caption several new items for my website, some of which are ceramic Roosters. Every home should have one! There goes the phone. Have a great day!

...tonight, tonight...

Greetings! It is again raining here in Chester County, PA but is warm so I don't mind. I helped my neighbor drop off her vehicle and then we had dinner last evening. I am not a fan of tv per se, especially late night tv but I did get a kick out of Letterman feeling like an 'ugly date' on youtube. On this day in 1954 the nationwide debut of Tonight (The Tonight Show) hosted by Steve Allen on NBC. Pictured is a TV Cabinet available in my furniture section of this website. The phone keeps ringing so I will write more later.

I'm back. BT came in to look at the alternate wallpaper suggestions and then a lady came in to check out the tables on the floor here. The beautiful and HUGE home that I pass twice daily from here to home and vice versa has many, many animals including horses, cows, turkeys and that old curmudgeon turtle that I saved (well, tried to save) with my Racquetball racket a few weeks back. he is still alive, I didn't mean it that way...he just wouldn't accept my assistance. Anyway, there is a "For Sale" sign up and under the 'For Sale" it says collections. I am worried that the animals will be homeless. I, of course am also concerned about the humans. But, back to the animals. Hopefully an animal lover will buy the joint so cranky Mister Turtle can rule the roost without interruption. Ok. There goes the phone again. I hope you have a great day and weekend.

...domestic bliss...

Greetings all! It is a rainy, overcast morning here in Chester County, PA. I was up early painting and am wondering how it will look when I get back home. My housemates joined me and we shared domestic bliss. No fighting, no arguing and everyone treated each other with respect. That's how it should be! A wonderful, long term client stopped in yesterday to inform me that she is moving and will need design help. She is fun and no nonsense so we will have a great time. Then her new neighbor stopped in and will probably hire me to design her new place. My long term client is married and has been happily so for...well... a long time. Yippee! The new client lost her beloved husband almost two years ago and is still adjusting to that emptiness. Lucky are those who find the right partner, but how tough it must be to lose them. Not everyone tho' is so lucky. Domestic violence is a huge problem and it is not limited to women. One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime, and one out of every fourteen

men has been physically assaulted by a current or former spouse, cohabiting partner,

boyfriend/girlfriend or date at some point in their lives. An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year. Historically, females have been most often victimized by someone they knew. On this day in 1997 Roseanne Barr received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has always been a staunch supporter of human rights and broke down barriers on her eponymous television show, depicting domestic abuse, same sex relationships and surviving these horrible situations. My Aunt will be doing a 5k walk to raise funds for victims of domestic violence. She has been doing this for years and if anyone is able to contribute financially to the cause please email her at asawyer@ptd.net. It is called "Step Out Against Domestic Violence" and will be held Saturday, October 4th in the Lehigh Parkway, rain or shine. I have included a link to the brochure if you care to participate. Any donation will help so don't feel bad if you can only give a tiny bit. Pictured today are Three Red Planters, the caption was written a few months ago but fits today's topic oddly enough. Have a great day, and don't take any s*it from abusive people. If you are in a tough situation there is help.

...flying blind...

Good day. Yesterday was a fun filled day. An advertising employee phoned to solicit business yesterday by saying "Hey. How'z it goin'?" I admit, I have no caller ID at work and have been using that landline for 17 years, but geez. When did addressing oneself and stating the purpose of the call at the onset stop? It was pretty much uphill from there. We all have days like these and I am wondering where simple phone etiquette and a veneer of civility went? Most of us do the best that we can, but some days it feels as if I am flying blind. That carpet order that I bored you about this past summer sat in their warehouse because someone on that end mistakenly did not ship it to it's correct destination. The client was ok but a bit disappointed and waited until they were back in the country to have their rugs installed. I sent a polite note to the company explaining the error and my letter was met with a return call which pleased me. But the young gal was unable to stay on topic and kept diverting the conversation. Hmmm. I found a new carpet line late yesterday and am eager to give them a try. They seem eager as well. Something tells me I will be writing another letter, and not blindfolded. Then a duo came into the shop with more advertising regarding these coupon envelopes and I kindly told them that I was not interested in that type of advertising. They were borderline hostile and the heavier of the two smartly offered me a coupon for a cupcake! Wasn't that sweet of her! Last evening was great tho'. We went out to dinner and caught up on small business fun and life in general. My friend is aware of the coupon ad. folks and told me that they were notoriously 'aggressive' which wasn't her exact adjective. But I trust you get the idea. The wallpaper samples arrived yesterday and one is more beautiful than the next. The man sent about 12 Schumacher samples in all which really is above and beyond excellent customer service. He was not flying blind as I described to him the gold damask pattern that we had chosen. I then ordered the replacement fabrics for that job involving the unavailable yardage due to a Fabric House closing it's doors. Kravet, Robert Allen and Carole all came to the rescue and the room will look terrific. On this day in 1929 Dr. Dolittle's brother Jimmy, (that may not necessarily be historically accurate, but it is rather cute) performed the first blind flight from Mitchel Field proving that full Instrument Flying from take off to landing is possible. Before you get all ansy, he was not blindfolded. It is a way of having instruments do the navigating and obstacle clearance in case one is in a cloud, etc. Today's photo features my Fireplace Screen collection, which not only add beauty to a room but keep cinders from flying blind onto your hardwood floors, carpeting or favorite pet. Time to get ready for the shop. Wish me luck. Maybe today I will wear a blindfold and earplugs. Have a great day.

...boat to sail...

Good day! I didn't blog on the 21st and wanted to link one of the most upbeat songs that I have heard. It references 9/21 and is called "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire. I was in my Freshman year of college and will always remember it. (The song.) That song really floats my boat. Speaking of which, on this day in 1977 was the first broadcast of "Loveboat" a deep, seriously intellectual weekly program that dissected interpersonal relationships. Nah. Also on this day but in 1995 Emilio and Gloria Estefan's boat hit and killed a jet skier. "Words Get In The Way" of describing their sadness. The daylight is getting shorter now with the sun rising later and setting earlier. Friends with pools have mostly covered them and I am desperate to get to Marsh Creek once more to sail before the inevitable occurs. I did okay with the fabric re-selection regarding the closing of a major fabric house and the client is satisfied. I am waiting replacement wallpaper samples for another client and so on and so on...(yawn) I solved ( I think) the faux wood blind dilemma with Chris at Prestige Window Fashions who was upbeat, on the ball and professional. I go to EA's this evening and that is always a fun thing. Have a great day and enjoy the sun.

...you can count on me...

Greetings. Last evening we tried a new photoshopping program for a class in design that we will be presenting in December. It took more calculations than my current program, so after about an hour and a half I decided to stick with the older yet better version. The math involved in this industry is more demanding than one might think. It is not only texture and color, believe it or not. Everything is calculations, scale, size, quantity so it is important to be able to count. Before your eyes glaze over, it is also fun most of the time. Herman Hollerith considered calculations more fun that color apparently because on this day in 1884 he patented his mechanical tabulating machine. In 1911 he formed a company and along with three other companies created the Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation the title of which doesn't smoothly roll off of the tongue. But in 1924 it was renamed International Business Machines Corporation; in short...I.B.M.

You can stylishly count the minutes pass with my Black Wall Clock. BT ordered wallpaper for her foyer bath. It required 178.4 square feet of wallpaper and at a 20.5" width roll with a pattern repeat of 25.5" it ended up using 8 single rools. See what I mean? I then calculated what she would need to make a simple shower curtain. The opening is 70" wide and the finished length needed is 72" long. The fabric is 54" wide with a vertical pattern repeat of 22". We need a 4" double hem at the bottom and a 3"double hem to encase rivets at the top. The fabric looks best centered on the 70" finished width treatment so that means centering the 54" width minus .5" for seam consideration on each side and we also want the toile fabric with a large pattern to be centered both vertically and horizontally so we will need 6 yards of fabric. Wasn't that easy? Have a great day. I am counting on it.

...hanging out...

Happy first day of Autumn everybody! It is cool and beautiful out and again we had the park (almost) to ourselves. Saturday evening was great as usual and T grilled and we caught up on some old Perry Mason. Sunday JK and JK came over and we hung out and had a nice afternoon. We lost our marbles, literally and then found them again...pretty much. Today I take the boys for their annual inspection and tune-up and then we have to run to the shop to get furniture samples for tomorrow morning. LR just bought a new place and from what I hear it is right next to her current one. The ladder from Saturday wasn't a tall one and I will order a replacement piece this afternoon to repair her Graber Faux Wood Blind. Then Peyton can create her beautiful artwork without the risk of neighbors copying her skills. We hung out for a bit but they had an Oktoberfest party to get to (drink at) and I had shop hours. Oh yeah, keeping on topic on this day in 1692 the last people were hanged for Witchcraft and on this day in 1776 Nathan Hale was hanged for being a spy during the American Revolution. You can also hang this Station Clock in almost any room. Pictured today is my Autumn Floral Footstool that would fit nicely into many rooms with a more earthy color palette. If this one doesn't match your current decor, there are several other fabrics from which to choose. Or call me and we can redo your entire home to coordinate with this small piece of furniture. And speaking of hanging around, I heard KC on the radio yesterday and her neighbor from Studio City, Casey Kasem announced that on this day in 1971 "Rainy Days and Mondays" was the #1 song in the country. It seems like "Only Yesterday"... Happy Fall! Hang out with someone special this evening.

...follow your instincts...

Good day! It is a crisp and clear almost fall morning and the park was beautiful. We got there early enough to see the mist coming up from the ground and it is a magical wonderland a little more than a mile from where I live. Lucky me! The mirrors arrived in Texas yesterday and the Silver Serving Trays arrived in California. Virginia will most likely get his area rug this Monday. A business associate laughed when I started this website a couple of years ago and I have to admit...for someone who isn't computer savvy it did take me a while. But I ignored the negativity and persevered and now am happy that I stuck to my instincts and forged ahead. On a much larger scale, on this day in 1633 Galileo Galilei was tried before the Inquisition for teaching that the Earth orbits the Sun. This morning I will be high atop a ladder figuring out why a Prestige Faux 2" Wood Blind has lost it's wand. And then I will remedy the situation. BT chose a beautiful Schumacher wallpaper for her hall bath and guess what???It has been discontinued. I didn't even flinch. I have grown somewhat hard to this kind of thing and a little weary too. Perhaps I will drop wallcoverings in the future if it continues to rob me (and clients) of time. I will take it one week at a time tho'. In the old days I stocked hundreds of patterns and that may be another route to go. Wallcoverings are in and people seem to want them. I need to figure out how to satisfy the client without ending up in the looney bin. Which reminds me...also on this day but in 2001 in an address to a joint session of Congress and the American People president George W. Bush declared "war on terror". Yesterday a walk-in bought those cute metal Garden Boxes just in time for frost it seems. I go to Penn Valley this evening for grillmeister's talents. Yippee! Today's photo is a Grand Central Bowl 'cause it is the only thing on my site that, aside from a globe, resembles a planet. ( Or at least a half of a planet.) Have a great day all.

...a pressing issue...

Greetings everyone from a very autumnal Chester County, PA. Forecasters were calling for possible frost last evening but I didn't get any here. I hate to take the plants in, but I say that every year. I had dinner last evening with my great friend and we both swear that the ghost of AP still resides there. Call me crazy...I don't care. I won't divulge much of this ghost 'cause if I do people will be able to Google and then find out where my friend lives. Not that everyone who reads this isn't a cool cat, but after the hacker jerk, the bank manager with no financial skills, the 'friend' who almost killed us by rear ending a long line of traffic on the Schuylkill Expressway (yikes) and the business associate who repeatedly mimics and then doesn't remember, I am having a week of waning trust. Hopefully it is all a part of the harvest Moon and these items aren't permanent and pressing issues. Here I go again giving kudos to UPS, the people in Brown. Their corporation is so well-run that it is probably the easiest part of Internet sales. A major fabric house is filing bankruptcy which doesn't bode well for a client who needs 35 yards of a stripe, 6 yards of their damask and another 6 yards of a textured woven. That is being somewhat selfish and I wish them all the best in this trying time. Is it too early for a cocktail? That isn't a pressing issue, but this certainly is. On this day in 1692 Giles Corey is pressed to death after refusing to plead in the Salem witch trials. Yikes. What a way to go. Reminds me of an old client...I am kidding. Please keep in mind that this form of execution is no longer sanctioned by any governing body. (supposedly) Also on this day, but in 1952 the U.S. barred Charlie Chaplin from re-entering the country after a trip to England. I include this in my 'pressing' blog only because Charlie Chaplin studios became A&M Records where my beloved KC became a star. (this link is to a clip that I watched from Naperville, IL at AA and UD's home that summer.) Don't ask the year. I don't consider it pressing at all. Wink.Today's photo, due to last night's chill is a blanket rack. Have a good day! I want to wear my fish shirt, probably for one of the last times this year and it needs a little...pressing.

...are you experienced?...

Greetings from a sunny, clear Chester County, PA location. Last night's dinner was great as usual. We are both small business owners and always have a lot to share, food being the smallest part of the evening. I (as well as you) have been hearing the word 'experienced' a whole lot lately and would like to focus more on issues at this late stage of the election game. On this day in 1970 Jimi Hendrix died after choking on his own vomit. If these political games continue, (and they usually do) I fear that I may do the same. Hendrix debut album was entitled "Are You Experienced" and is considered to be the greatest, most influential debut release from any artist. When first released in 1967, Are You Experienced turned the music world upside down as Hendrix showed everyone exactly what it meant to be 'experienced.' Also on this day, but in 1180 Philip Augustus became King of France. He reorganized the government, bringing financial stability to the country and thus making possible a sharp increase in prosperity. His reign was popular with ordinary people because he checked the power of the nobles and passed some of it on to the growing middle class. hmmmm. Ok. Back to design now. I located English Brass Casters, designed kitchen valances, began work on a room divider made of antique shutters, chose a stairwell wallpaper, found a red, green and mustard floral upholstery weight fabric for a Camel back sofa and a coordinating red and sage silk vine drapery weight fabric for a Living Room valance, and scared the Jesus out of the always delightful UPS driver who usually scares the Jesus out of me. Touche! I guess it comes from experience? A lady emailed me from Britain to order a few items from my website. Today I have to figure out how to ship internationally. I think I mentioned that last week a man from Britain called regarding custom drapery. Bye Bye Malvern! Just kidding...(?) Have a great day.

...how patriotic...

Greetings from Chester County, PA. The air is cool and crisp this morning with little humidity and our run was great. My American Flag out back gets tangled every day so it is part of my morning routine to fill the birdfeeders and unwrap the flag. This past Sunday at Yellow Springs I learned that Betsy Ross had nothing to do with the creation of our beloved flag. Google it. On this day in 1787 our American Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, PA, just a hop, skip and a 29 mile drive from here. And then on this day in 1814 Francis Scott (stay on) Key finished his poem "The Star Spangled Banner". And then, and please keep in mind that The Miss America Pageant began in 1921, on this day in 1983 Vanessa Williams became the first Black Miss America. I wasn't necessarily saving the best for last but that is kind of a long time... anyway...BB came in and picked up her Cheval Mirror and it was still a little sticky from the gel stain. I guess humidity had something to do with that. The beautiful table and chairs that I sold on Saturday are in good stock. Yippee. I also came up with several replacement possibilities for my design friend and I checked stock on every item. The ragweed or something is wild out there. Both me and my Pom sound like the poster people for Michael Learned's "Sinusitis" foundation. Ahhh, Autumn will be here before we know it. I am looking forward to tonight 'cause I am having dinner with EA. I wish everyone a great day and know that God will give us the strength that we need. I can say that without hesitation because it's MY blog. The photo today is of a Fall Centerpiece of gourds made of carved wood. Not for eating purposes! For decoration only. We need to keep our teeth at least until Halloween is over. And maybe even through Thanksgiving.

...it's a ball, it's a moon, it's the ozone...

Good day. It is cool and not very sunny in Chester County this morning. A furniture delivery came yesterday not as scheduled so I (and the dogs) had to run into work to receive it. Everything is correct so no harm, no foul. Speaking of foul, on this day in 1887 the first game of softball was played in Chicago, Illinois. A lot more 'softball' has been played during this current election process. My design friend sold four different fabrics yesterday and only one is available so I will stop by her studio on my way into work to see if I can help. I know how disappointing it is. Did you see the full Harvest moon through the clouds last night? I may have mentioned asking/praying for abundance in yesterday's blog, therefore I won't mention the Dow Jones Industrial Average. I have added some seasonal accessories onto my website, under 'What's New' and under 'Seasonal' under Home Fashions. I stopped into KMart to grab light bulbs and some bird seed and saw that many of the Christmas decorations and trees were in full stock. Um, yikes... but I digress. Back to softballs. Also on this day in 1987 the Montreal Protocol was signed to protect the ozone layer from depletion. It is considered to be the single most successful international agreement to date. Hmmm. Maybe we all can get along. Have a great day.

...history re-pleats* itself...

Good day! It is sunny and warm already in Chester County, PA. Saturday before shop hours I went to a long term client's and installed Graber Lightweaves Roll Shades. She loves them. Then during shop hours BT came in and we made more decisions regaring her bathroom. After shop hours I went to a client and we chose a large round cherry topped table and 4 cherry chairs. I will faux paint the pedestal base to coordinate with her new green and maroon marble countertops, buttermilk island and cherry cabinets. Yesterday we spent an afternoon with George Washington. Perhaps you've heard of him. He was at the village of Chester Springs to commemorate his visit here on 9-17-1777, not quite 'on this day in' but pretty darn close to it. I didn't know or just didn't remember that George was very cash solid and had his clothes custom made. Most soldiers didn't even bathe regularly. The re-enactors were very well versed in what one man referred to as "a few steps above a hobby". I'll say. He spoke for a good half hour about the clothing itself!* Also, more soldiers died from infection from their wounds in the hospitals than were killed in the act of fighting. I won't go into what I learbed about bugs on here...I wish that I hadn't heard it yesterday. Yikes. The moon last night looked pretty full to me and the sky was brilliant. Tonight should be even prettier if that is possible. I have been to four birthday parties in the past few days. That is a lot of cake. The jerk who has been trying to hack into my computer has been averted finally I think. Linksys was very helpful at a minimal cost even though it took almost four hours on two different occassions to get the help that was needed. She was very polite and knowledgeable but there was a bit of a language/communications barrier. Anyway, hopefully it is now as secure as geek humanly possible. What a week people! Let's have a great day and please look at the sky and the moon tonight and wish/pray for abundance for all.

...test of time...

Greetings! It is sunny and clear in Chester County, PA today and tomorrow promises to be a hot summer day. Just in time for Autumn. Yippee! I arrived at the shop to find a message from an 01 phone number this morning. Yikes. People in Britan called me for custom drapery via my website and I need to let them know that I am in, uh, Malvern, PA, USA. The message was left at 4 am. They should have called my home number. I was UP! Yesterday's installation was fine and I made a rather average place look quite good. (that IS my job after all...) The only reason that the client would need to change what I did is if they turn to dust in a hundred years. I am referring to the window treatments, not the client. I like a classic look; one that can stand the test of time. The fabric was a poppy, pear and french vanilla plaid. Is anyone hungry yet? It poured rain last evening so we had to forgo a long walk in the park but made up for it early this morning. I awoke at 3 thirty and did laundry. I then installed Graber shades for the lovely PK who makes the best cup of coffee, thankfully NOT decaffeinated. She and I are in alignment politically even tho' I make it a rule to not discuss Politics, Religion or Karen Carpenter with clients... BT is coming in today for wallpaper and this afternoon after the shop I go to KL's for kitchen furniture and accessories. PK and KL have been coming to me for two decades for interior design help and for that I am extremely thankful. Talk about standing the test of time! Not quite on the same par as 'David' who was started on this day in 1503 by uhm, whatshisname?? Oh yeah, Michelangelo, but still... I took today's photo from the Farmer's Almanac which was begun in 1792..which certainly has stood the test of time. It is of a Harvest moon that will appear this Monday. If I don't blog until Tuesday I wanted you to see this and prepare your eyes for a ...feast. (Get it...Harvest, feast...) I need some sleep. Have a great day!

...art for (heaven's) sake...

Good day everyone! We just got back from our run and the sky is like a work of art, a natural watercolor if you will. We celebrated by bringing a large trash bag with us and picked up a lot of bottles, paper and gum wrappers from the beautiful parks' environs. That should probably be considered art as I juggled three leashes and a trash bag while running/stopping. Last evening at dinner a friend told me that she is going to paint an oil for me, the subject being a glass of milk! How appropriate since, at my advanced years I drink it a lot. (fat free, of course, but still...) Today I am installing valances made from a bottle green and pink plaid. I will try to remember to take a picture or two. Tomorrow (early) I install more of those great looking Graber Lightweaves Roll Shades and after work I make a housecall to a client who needs new kitchen furniture and some accessories in her family room. I know the scheme well...I did it all about 7 or 8 years ago.
I received a notice in the mail inviting me to my 25th anniversary college graduation. Yikes. Where's the Botox???? Speaking of my college years, on this day in 1940 cave paintings were discovered in Lascaux, France. And NO, that isn't me to the left of the Tyrannosaurus. Contrary to some beliefs the Triassic period was about 230 million years ago. I say that tongue firmly in cheek as no matter what political affiliation you are, it is always necessary to fact check. Clarify what you hear to learn for yourself. Don't follow nonsense and assume that it is true. You can always google too. A few times this week, between talk of pigs and dinosaurs I felt as though I was at Great Adventure, not two months before a Presidential Election. Issues people. Issues.
Today's photo is Art For Mirror's Sake. Oh yeah...the moon will be full on September 15th. It is the Harvest Moon and I know that I talk about it every year and don't know why. Maybe I was an American Indian in a past life, or Scandinavian before Christian Religion...anyway, the Harvest moon seems to appear brighter than other full moons but the luminescence is caused by the seasonal tilt of the earth, (it's orbit is a little different which also changes the length of time between moonrises). Last year I think I posted the album cover of Neil Young's "Harvest Moon". Talk about the stone age.I will post a Harvest Moon photo on the 15th. Bet you can't wait. It is artsy and beautiful. Have a great day.

...not a cloud in the sky...

Greetings! I was putting the dogs into the truck early this morning but not early enough to miss the sunrise. It's rays reflected off of a plane causing the plane to look otherworldly. Not being one to follow dates, I use this blog to keep up on them. I hope that made sense. Owning a business, at least for me sort of washed away the M-F 9-5 workweek decades ago. But I needed no reminder about what happened on this day in 2001. As soon as memory kicked in another plane flew by. I will not post a photo of 9-11-2001 because if you saw any of them they are most probably etched into your memory forever. I will post photos of pretty drapery and pillows that are somewhat cloudy tho' and will reshoot when time allows. I plan on finishing the cheval mirror today; the one that arrived in Oak but was needed in cherry. It will finally be cherry by nightfall. So will my hands. I received Fall fabric books from Carole Fabrics and they look great. There are many faux silks, textured solids and upholstery weights in reds, greens, charcoal and many neutrals. If you are not near me and want to see the line, I have supplied the link. Ok, here are some blurry shots from my past week. Plaid with Floral Pole Swags, Black and White Music Room, pretty pillows with leather straps (shown), Empire Valances, and Wandering Moose Mirror that someone from Minnesota bought via my website. One never knows... Speaking of mirrors, on this day in 1226, the Roman Catholic practice of perpetual adoration begins. (We all know someone like that!) Also on this day, but in 1926 an attempt to kill one of our favorite fascists failed. Benito Mussolini was killed tho' in 1945, having been executed by Italian partisans. Many think that he was hung along with prostitutes, (how offensive to prostitutes) but he was actually hung with his mistress after being shot, of course. Do we really need 90210 (2) or 'The Hills' when we have history books to read? One can't make this stuff up! I think my accessory order may come in today but that is not written in stone. Doesn't matter. No one is in a hurry and the sky is clear and blue... now everyone sing along...

...waterworld...

Good day everyone! We just got back from our run and there are still large puddles in Chester County from the rains. The creek running through the park is a bit higher than usual also. Last evening we ate indoors and looked out on the 'Closed For The Season' pool. ugh. The evening was really fun, and a guest serenaded us after dinner in both French and English. No. It wasn't Celine Dion. I had seen her earlier in the month so why have HER at dinner, ya know! But I digress... This gal wrote a song for Glen Wakefield and we pretty much insisted that she get it copyrighted. She met him and once his book is finished someone will no doubt want movie rights and then she can provide the theme song. Both she and the sailor are from Canada. And he sailed west to east which I learned, is harder than the other way around. Also, on this day in 1939 the submarine HMAS Oxley is mistakenly sunk by the submarine HMS Triton near Norway and becomes the Royal Navy's first loss. "You sunk my battleship"! Remember that board game? I have kindly given a link in case you want to buy it. Not from MY website tho'... Anyway, the accessory order is on it's way as are three area rugs. I also found several teal and brown fabrics for a client, this combination still all the rage with a long term feel so as NOT to have a short shelf life once all is said and installed. I now have the accessories needed to download and post those pics that I have been chatting about but... I had the 'soft' setting on mistakenly. That means that even if the cryptkeeper was having his photo taken, it would look gentle and safe. I have nothing to hide so I will go back and take better photos. It's all in the details so why get all smeary, right? This isn't 'W'. BT moved back from GA and was in looking for wallpaper and we found a few beauts. So did J and B. That sounds like a liquor! I am off to do whatever now. Have a great day.

...don't bug me...

Greetings from dark and rainy Chester County, PA!. Thunder is rocking the area sort of like Elvis Presley did on the Ed Sullivan show on this day in 1956. We do need the rain...the vegetation and the bugs need a good drink. Yesterday was sunny, beautiful and all in all a great day. I installed Empire Valances and promise to have photos soon. I also laid a floral woven carpet and it is just beautiful! Early Sunday I ran a Symantic system scan and hope that everyone does this on a regular basis...clean out those bugs people! Interestingly, on this day in 1947 the first actual case of a computer bug was documented. A moth lodged in a relay of a Harvard Mark II computer at Harvard University. Talk about a security risk! Thank GOD there were no wool sweaters nearby. Today I have a nice pile of paperwork and phone calls to make but they are pleasant ones. I will now transfer photos to a memory card and begin downloading. Have a great day.

...it is written...

Greetings. It is raining heavily, the sky is dark and somewhat fugly outside today in Chester County, PA. I am now in the shop after installing 5 fab. Roman Shades from Graber in a fresco fabric. The client is satisfied as is the son. I did a blackout opacity on the fabric so there will be no more glare as he responsibly (plays video games and text messages friends) completes his homework. I have not yet received my camera cord so am sort of backed up on visual aids. Now back to 'written'. I saw Celine Dion last evening and she was superb. I cannot list more accolades, so I will simply say near perfection. The club box was stocked with food and beverages and everyone was nice. The ride home was expectedly a long one but so what. I loved the concert. Her choice of songs is excellent with some of the best writers on the planet as well as producers and arrangers. Write on! Two exciting things happened on this day, well three. My nephew was born, my neighbor was written up for a ticket, (those dastardly stop signs) and in 1847 Henry David Thoreau left Walden Pond to move in with Ralph Waldo Emerson and his family in Concord, MA. Talk about writing! I had the most pleasant phone call late yesterday. A gal from Texas had been on my website, enjoyed it and bought two of the mirrors shown here today. She plans on hanging them over demilune tables in her foyer. Beautiful! Tonight is a 70's birthday party for P and tomorrow is a party for K. Happy Birthday Conor T! That's a lot of birthdays this weekend. Have a great day.

...some things never change...

Greetings from Chester County, PA! It's sunny and clear again with expected heavy rains tomorrow. Tonight is Celine Dion at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA. This arena supports both sport and musical attractions. We have been going there for the past few years to see great shows and it seems to always be a good time. Thankfully that never changes. I just learned that my friend's Mom is joining us and that should be a hoot. I hope and pray that she doesn't sing along to the 'Titanic' love theme as she cannot hit the high notes. Luckily the club box is made of tempered glass...enuf said. Yesterday in the shop was the usual mix of odd behavior and fun clients who graciously overlook some strange stuff. (thanks PK) and T! And speaking of some things that never change...on this day in 1839 the First Opium War begins in China. For those who thought that this kind of thing was rather new, it isn't. It was an opium war between the already stated China and Britan. Yesterday a man from Venice Beach, CA ordered a weathered blue cabinet with doors from my website. How they find me is odd but I am glad that they do. Hopefully that will never change! I have to get ready to go into my shop now. Tonight will be fun. Have a great day.

...imitation is the...

Good day all! Sunny, crisp and very pleasant weatherwise here in Chester County, PA. I cannot find the cord to my digital camera. I loaned it to friends who must have misplaced it so I can't show the photos that are in it yet. I will order another today and get those copies on my blog. Between the drapery and dog photos, there are a few winners that need to be seen. I guess that photographing is sort of like imitating or replicating. On this day in 1888 George Eastman registered the trademark Kodak, and received a patent for his camera which uses roll film. Today many use digital formats but he was the initiator and I'm glad that his idea was mimicked. Mimicking is 'to resemble closely' so I think that digital photos would fit into this category. Another definition of mimick is 'to copy or imitate so as to ridicule; mock.' That is precicely what a business associate did to me repeatedly yesterday and it was a bizarre thing to behold. This person also could not differentiate between staring someone down and polite eye contact. These may be signs of dementia but I am not a licensed therapist so I am only guessing. But I would certainly NOT copy or mimick these traits. The carpet installation that was started in March of this year was completed yesterday. The client called me and loved it. I was busy plucking grey hairs since the job took soo-o- long. The runner was especially stunning as it covered two sets of stairs and a landing that was cleverly seamed on the diagonal *pats himself on the back* and it looks quite wonderful. Again last evening I went over to friends and we ate outside, cherishing these late summer days.

Celine Dion is this friday. yay. I have liked her since she was a young teen who appeared on a talk show singing 'Where Does My Heart Beat Now'. The voice that came out of this woman even back then is one of the wonders of God. It was a live performance and I have a link for you. Please take three minutes out of your busy day and relish in it. There is a lot of cruelty and sh*t out there but also a lot of beauty. Let's all mimick the latter. Have a great day. I am off to the pet store to see what size muzzles they sell.

...what goes up...

Greetings. It is again sunny, crisp and a beauty of a day. We did our walk and ran into CK and CK. *waves* Yesterday I painted plain shelves in a zebra pattern on the underside so that the darling who is getting them can place many things on them and then view the zebra from underneath as they will be up high. Well, some of them. Then if she tires of that motif, they can be repainted with ease. I will put them up soon. Last evening after the gym and work I went to a cool client who is thrilled to be home from a summer at the beach. So are her children. They kept repeating how happy they were to be rid of the sunshine, beach, sea air and 24/7 funtimes to be back to the grind here in Chester County. Did I display my sarcasm well enough? What goes up... anyway, they are getting new carpet today. Madison Black in a room with a black Baby grand so I removed the carpet myself to pass it on~The room is a 12' x 19' so a regular nylon rug would be somewhat heavy but handleable. Guess what??? This rug was a 100% needlepoint wilton wool. Guess how much wool weighs. This cool cat of a lady helped me to carry the thing out to my truck and I am hoping that she doesn't need traction today. We rolled it up and lifted it high enough into the truck and it was a feat. Job well done. It is going to Habitat for Humanity. Someone will love it as long as they don't have to lift it. Then later later we chose flooring, wallpaper and paint for another lady who is having a wine tasting room installed. Every home should have one! The color scheme is copper, russet and wheat. How tastey. We will have to find a way to keep the hand painted fabric up on the ceiling and we will. Along the lines of 'up', on this day in 1929 the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached an all time high at the time (381.17), which was shortly followed by the Crash of 1929. Isn't 381.17 where it was at the closing bell just yesterday? The nest of tables shown today will go great in the new wine tasting room. They are the same color as her loveseat. Go figure. The walls will be covered in a prepasted onionskin pattern shown on this link. Oh, speaking of 'up' please enjoy this take on "What Goes Up". Warning tho'. A few curse words are used to convey the message so keep the children away... and have a great day.

...what's news?

Greetings on this sunny, crisp after Labor-day. It is back to school for some, including my nieces and nephew who goes to school for the first time. This weekend was a terrific experience for me and all of us had a great time. Aside from hanging at their country club and playing games we were also productive, cleaning and clearing a garage. We also noticed some falling leaves up north...ugh... I kind of didn't want to leave, but I say that a lot..beach, friend's homes, etc. We caught up on a lot of news and the days flew. I brought my laptop but spent very little time on it except to check emails, read some news and reply to clients who purchased from my website. (thanks...) One of the friends that I visited had CNN on all of the time. I cannot remember the last time that I watched the news on TV. Or from a newspaper for that matter. On this day in 1963 CBS Evening News becomes U.S. network television's first half-hour weeknight news broadcast, when the show was lengthened from 15 to 30 minutes. What's New is also a section of my website where I show the latest in color, furnishings and accessories and will update as often as possible. While in CT we also talked about drapery and I will find a tone on tone large scale damask to go in a blue guest bedroom to warm it a bit. My friends with a business at shore points came home late last night and will be here during the week for a change. I am going there this evening and will hopefully get to hear some fun summer business stories from them. I think that I am going to Celine Dion this Friday but am not sure. It is either this week or next and we have a box. I don't think that the crowd will be all that rambunctious but when hearing Miss Dion I don't want to miss a note. The last time that I went to a live show I cannot remember many of the details. Oh yeah. Cher. In one of her many farewell concerts. I saw three of them. "It's All Coming Back To Me Now". wink. Have a great day.