Lillian Jones in Art Jewelry Mag

A big congratulations are in order to my friend, fellow North Carolina Society of Goldsmith member and artist extraordinaire, Lillian Jones for making the January issue of Art Jewelry Magazine. I attended a workshop which Lillian taught about using the texturing technique she demos in the article. Afterward, I made a collection of beautiful copper earrings using this and customers loved them.

Time to Get Caught Up

Well, we've finished the house and moved back in already. I'll upload some finished pics later. Just wanted to let me "fans" know I haven't forgotten this blog and will be working to get it up to date over the next few weeks. After finishing the house , moving was a chore. We wanted to use as much of our existing furniture as possible but in some cases it wasn't and we had to get something different. Decorating was a little painful. Sarah and I have "Ying and Yang" ideas in that area. I'm for decoration as little as possible so the openness in a room is part of it's expression where Sarah is of the opinion if there's a table or wall, it needs something to decorate itself with. There was much compromising between us both. Next came the mother-in-law with failing health so now instead of openness in design we are looking at whatever makes an invalid comfortable. Life throws us curves but we swing and sometimes still get hits. So that's where the house is now. The basement is still evolving from a storage facility/metalsmith shop to a knifemaking/metalsmith/laundry room. I'll devote another posting to that soon.

More Renovation

The projects are moving right along now. Framing done, sheet rock up, floor down, cabinets in, with lots of finishing left to do. This is a pic looking toward the back of the house during the sheetrock phase. These guys were masters at the trade. Fast and professional. The darker shot is looking to the front before the cabs are in. Then, presto, here's the cabs and the peninsula separating the dining area form the kitchen. Also, the virginia red oak flooring is visible. Then last, here's the soapstone counter tops and sink.

Home Renovation

Here's the results of almost six weeks of work here at the house. After searching for a nw home we decided to do some major renovations here instead. We didn't need extra square footage but to carry us through our retirement years (thinking positively) we need to so some updating of things here. We've moved out completely as you can see. The sub flooring particle board was removed and replaced with 5/8 plywood to give a more substantial base to the Virginia White oak flooring. This will extend through both levels except in the two upstairs bathrooms where tile floors will be installed. The kitchen was removed and will be beyond the left arch in the first photo. The second shot looking from the back to the front shows the two windows where the kitchebn was and where the new dining room will be. This is taken from in front of the stairs looking accross the living room area, through the kitchen, and into the dining.
The third shot shows the new mater bath arrangement with closet doors seperating it from the bedroom. The last shot shows the trailer and necessart porta john. Yippee.
So there is is at the present. When the heating is installed we'll be sheetrocking and it will start looking more like a house.