Here's a video I intended for and sent to my kids---so they wouldn't visit one Sunday...LOL. I'm a bit of a drama Queen. I never intended to use this here...but it pretty much shows...what happens when you fool around with one tiny room and go through EVERYTHING!
Hope you got a chuckle, Anyway, we live in a small house by today's standards a 1400 sq. ft. ranch with a full basement. We have one large bedroom and two small bedrooms...and one of course is the INFAMOUS EXTRA BEDroom, for guests. LOL.
You know you all have a space like that, where everything gets dumped---guests may never see it, or use it. Well...after last year's basement upset---it really was super full of everything---and the printer was in the LIVING ROOM...
Well, we gave our twin pullout (to King) daybed to our son for the Grand to use.
I ordered a small twin loveseat size sofa for the tiny room.
Guests can use the master with the bath attached and I can sleep in here. Or a single can sleep in here...but a lot of stuff had to go.
Amazingly, this is comfortable...and the old Swedish trunk on gliders is perfect for storing bedding and putting your feet up on. It's on sliders and will scoot right over to open up the bed. Now the Grand can have her own space when she visits.
I ordered a set of twin sheets and pillow cases. We have the vinyl plank flooring to redo the floors during the winter.
Okay, I'm a collector---Most of these books are research for the historical fiction I'm supposed to be finishing. The rest of the file boxes are personal family genealogy stuff, and remnants of the magazine clippings I have been doing for 25 years or so.
I NO LONGER get ANY magazines anymore---I just look up at anything I want to see online.
Ta, DA! All the boxes under the desk on the left are our four family trees photos, from both sides. This winter photos will be digitized, and originals hopefully sent to other families. My mom got every photo from both sides and never did a darn thing with them. Boxes and bins of them, this is maybe 20%.
Wanting to save money and open out spaces elsewhere, I gathered three tables from in the house...I just strung them along the outside wall, and one on the left behind the printer. I used some upholstery vinyl to make beige tops to help unify the look...cost $12.00. The light beige brightens up the room...and protects the wood tops of the furniture.
The middle desk table is perfect height from my sewing machine. Picnic baskets below have sorted patterns and fabrics for my doll projects.
The windows face north and there is also a roof overhang which keeps it pretty dark in here. So the lighting is tricky. I opt for two smaller desk lamps which I can easily move around for where I'm working.
The printer cabinet came from the basement and my husbands office. This is working well here as it is centrally located for the network to get the signal.
My label printer is here for the Etsy shop and all the paper, cardstock, labels, sticky stuff for storage. I love having it all in one place and not in the basement, as I do much of my comp work in the living room while watching tv.
Reconfiguring the room...meant my wall art and memory pieces had to get adjusted here and there. I've been picking up cottage art for years, and have needlepoints, crewel, photos and original art up here along with little memory pieces and gifts from others.
The ceramic lamp---was one from my potting days...and it works perfect on top of the radio. The green cabinet is one of two Swedish Cheese cabinets I used in this room that I've had for over 30 years. They are great for hiding bulky desk/work projects for easy put away.
The largest task was the five foot closet, again, stuffed with photos, antiques, patterns and fabric pieces. Some art supplies also. Every bin has been sorted and labeled. I plan on printing labels, but right now they are scribbled on paper or scraps of contact paper...I did purchase three cheap fabric bins...for 1.25 each at the $$$store.
The rest I already had. I still have the top shelf to do---and thin out the patterns and sell the ones I'll never use...kids grow so fast.
These are the photos of our families, that have been sorted, but I have to start sharing them to others. The temporary stickers aren't sticking---I'll have to get on that right away.
This result took over three weeks to go through everything in this room, sort, throw away, donate, and collate. (Three garbage cans of throw away, 2 trunks of donations and a pile to be sold. I did deep Cleaning and very little decorating. We will lay new flooring during the winter, but for now it's ready for me or company.
Last night I attended my online Zoom meeting for Windy City Barbie Doll Collectors Club
in a comfortable chair with decent lighting and a clean work surface...really a first in 7 years. My doll room downstairs is always a work in progress, so unless I have a display to show...this room will work perfectly.
Another plus, I have freed up space in two other rooms by removing the tables.
My only other purchase was this chair cover, I LOVE...under $5.00 online...heavy smooth polyester knit which works great and helps to unify the space. My desk Scooter chair, we had and is easily adjustable.
Informational Sources for my INEXPENSIVE REDO.
Twin Loveseat from Temu, on sale $274.98 with tax.
Quite comfortable, works smoothly, well constructed and that fabric will wear like iron a thumbs up. Well packed.
One Twin bottom sheet and two pillow cases Temu on sale under $7.00 something, can't find the paperwork.
3 cloth bins for closet from Dollar Tree $3.75
2yd. of vinyl upholstery fabric -Horrid Lobby (since Joann's is gone, only source close by now $11.96
Polyester Chair Cover from Temu $4.77
Total under $306.00
Labels already on hand
Bins already on hand
Artwork: vintage, personal and antique--already had.
Book cases 20 years old from IKEA Billy Bookcases.
3 Lamps over thirty years old, handmade, inherited or purchased.
3 desk/sofa tables, (One, a curb steal (Yield House), one from 30 years old in living room, one from friend swap 8 years old from master bedroom)
Informational Note: I do purchases from Temu via Paypal...which gives me an added layer of personal protection. Deliveries seem to be shorter as they have opened warehouses in the US now. I have not had any problems with them in two years except some mini chair breakage from bad packing.
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When we were in Wisconsin last month, I found this OLD gorgeous colored etching/aquatint probably circa 1910-25. It's hand numbered and signed by an Henri....somebody---I can't read the last name.
Which is a shame because this is a stunning piece and I would love to find out who the artist was. It wasn't very much money...but, I absolutely loved it.
Having taken Printmaking I, II in college, I can appreciate the techniques involved. Aquatint which has been in use since the 1600's as a method of creating tonal colors through a series of acid etchings on a plate(s) through multiple techniques and formulas. The goal is to make colored multiple-identical prints. A similar print on Worthpoint is said to be a Antique French Lithograph, also with an illegible signature, I don't agree as that is an entirely different medium and would not leave a plate mark which this print clearly has on the edges.
If I am guessing right, this is a print made from 4-5 plates. Gray-green, rust, brown/tan, dark-green and the etching itself, perhaps in a black-brown are the colors used. Each color had it's own plate. The depths of color depend on how long the plate was left in an acid bath with a particular treatment on the plate. A plate would be removed and reworked multiple times, resulting in multiple shades of the same color when printed. It's tricky to say the least. One has to be able to envision one's work and desired result in layers. Once a plate is etched it can be softened but not totally erased. (I thought of this as art by suicide...when working on plates in my classes. I'm not a meticulous human being, so this was simply not my media.)
Henri's result was a full-fledged Fall landscape of murky waters and misty backgrounds with a cottage/mill detailed and yet in shadows...truly this printmaker was skilled at his craft.
Here is the reflection in the murky waters, just a hint of the house.
The print itself, is a large piece @20"x24" and is quietly matted in multiple mattes with gold imprinted edgings, and the frame is softly gilded. I am waiting for a framing sale to REDO replace the glass with glare-proof, for anywhere I place this picture, I get fierce reflections from our windows, or worse the television.
Anyone recognizing this signature please contact me or having any information on this print, I try to be accurate on posts, but this post is guess-work. The dealer I bought this from, agreed on my guess, and she confessed she had searched futilely herself.
Perhaps I will find out more, when the framer takes apart my print, and realigns the original mattes.
Perhaps the artist will reveal himself. I have searched all the French lists of artists and printmakers. Another Henri (Jourdain) made prints in the 20-30's similar, but the signature does not match at all.
After WWI, many returning veterans built French and English cottages, chateaus and homes in America. Entire sub-divisions were dedicated to these styles of Tudor Revival, English Stone Cottages, and French Revival. It is understandable that prints of the beautiful French countryside would be chosen for artwork in such homes.
On a side note, an American gallery owner, Sidney Z. Lucas contracted French artists to produce landscapes under the label, “Paris Etching Society.” His prints
can also be identified by a distinctive circular or triangular symbol with the
initials “SZL.” These were very popular in the 1930's and later. This is not one of his artist's prints.
For more information on Lucas see: http://antiqueprintsblog.blogspot.com
It doesn't matter, I will never sell it, as I'm totally in love with the
elusive Henri's whoever he may be, his river, trees, and the cottage
mill, (I really want to live there).
All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own or I am in possesion of the originals,
I have not
been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or products used.
Please do not
use my photos without linking back to this blog without my permission.
Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle
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