joanne: I'm sure you know you are one of the ones who have provided the inspiration for me to take this on. shee: I've only used the Mahagony finish which has a reddish tint to it and is what I'd recommend for the tables in your LR--which look similar to my drum tables. I know there is a test to see if you have shellac or lacquer on your tables as one will dissolve in denautured alcohol and the other with mineral spirts, but it'd be better to check on the woodworking forum. Polyurethene I think was not used as much--again I am only guessing so don't take my word for it. I'd suspect a sealer if it has a glossy surface to it. Basically, if there is a sealer RAF will not hurt, but won't really help either. The beeswax went on ofter the RAF. Your desk is looking really good. Were you ever able to strip the legs? That is the part that would deter me. When I used the stripper I had to use a scraper to get up the old finish which bubbled up. I'm not sure how you do that with the legs. That is why if it were me, I'd probably just paint, though I agree with you I like the woodgrain. Another thought, is to just refinish the top with a similar stain to what is there now and just try using the RAF on the sides if the existing finish is in pretty good condition. Then for the top you can apply a sealer to protect it. That is basically what I ended up doing with my inlay tables since the finish on the legs was in pretty good condition. Again, use your own best judgement, because I am NO EXPERT. To some degree I have experimented on some on my pieces taking that chance. If it was an expensive antique or I had more $$, I'd have them professionally done, but if I were in your shoes and I'd picked up that desk for what was it? $50? I'd try to experiment on refinishing it and if it didn't work out, I'd do the paint/antique technique. I wonder what Reno would suggest since she's had more experience with the different techniques--I've only done restoring/refinishing. sheriz6: Thank you for the compliments. I hope you post more often. This is a wonderful group. newdawn1895: I can see this fabric design looking well as drapes, though think the texture is more suited to upholstery work. maryanne3: I'd love to see pictures of your DR set. Yes, my sideboard has a curved front. It's by Drexel. I don't think it's a "set" with the DR table+chairs, though I know the table and chairs match as the "lace & drape" design in on the pedestals as well. I did buy used as a set though on Craigslist last year from a daughter selling off her mother's furniture as the mother had Alheizmer's so I really don't know too much of the background on it.

The price of quilt fabric at my Joann's ranges from $2.49 to $6.99. With the coupons, it's a bargain. Even the patriotic prints are $6.99 and that's what they are listed for on their website too. Use one or two of those, along with the $2.49 in other red and blue prints and it's a pretty affordable quilt. I agree that muslin makes a good backing. If you want a print though, use the coupon for a large cut of one of the prints you like so you have enough for the backing plus some for the piecework. If you aren't happy with Joann's though, check any of the on-line quilt shops and search the sale items. Last spring I found a beautiful beige fabric with small deep red and blue stars for just $3/yd. I bought enough to use as backing on a couple QOV lap quilts. Kate

The botanical name Plumeria rubra would suggest that species has reddish flowers. But with most species there is some variation in color. Probably uncommon, but once someone happened upon an unusual colored species in the wild, it was collected, cultivated, and likely propagated. Plumeria alba has white flowers. So, I wonder if most of the plumerias we see cultivated today are actually hybrids with a potentially wider gene pool of colors than the straight species. Sort of reminds me of two native hollies in Florida -- Ilex opaca and Ilex cassine. Where their ranges overlap they often hybridize. Explorers happened upon quite a variation of plants resulting from the cross. These are now called Ilex x attenuata. Named selections include Fosters #2, Greenleaf, Savannah, East Palatka, etc, ...each of them a bit different than the others!. That said, I just found this interesting article about the different 'forms' of Plumeria rubra: 'There is little agreement among botanists about how many Plumeria species exist. The number of Plumeria species has been reported from five to 45! Plumeria rubra L. is apparently the source of many Plumeria cultivars. The species is the parent stock for many color variations and many of the named cultivars we have today. In the past, flower colors of Plumeria rubra were considered distinct species but are now regarded as different forms of the same species. All forms have twisted overlapping corollas, much like the blades of a propeller. Forma acutifolia has white flowers and yellow centers. Forma lutea has yellow flowers. Forma rubra has pink flowers with a tangerine- yellow center and forma tricolor has pale yellow-white flowers with yellow centers and a red or pink rim. Forma rubra has the longest flowering days and is the tallest of the four forms. Flowers of forma acutifolia and forma lutea appear earlier in the year than forma rubra but their flowering days are generally shorter.'

The mother of my childhood best friend has the whole length of one wall in the garage dedicated to three shelves that all hold 50gal storage bins full of fabric on them, and at the end of the shelves there is a row with one 50 gal storage bin on each of the 3 shelving levels with patterns and/or notions (which one - patterns or notions - depends on which bin you're looking inside of). The house is a 3 bedroom, one of the two smaller bedrooms is dedicated to sewing; three regular machines, two sergers, a sewing/cutting table, an ironing board, and in its small closet there is even more fabric. :P Their two car garage has never in all the 35 years I've known them, had a car parked in it. She brings an empty suitcase on their vacations - in case there's a fabric store and she sees fabric(s) that she likes. I had to make the decision to drastically reduce my fabric stash when we were in the process of packing up the house to list it and once sold, to move across the country. I currently only have enough fabric to fill up four of the six drawers between the two dressers that are in my sewing/craft/home office room. I recently went in and made masks to donate with some of the larger scrap pieces in patterned prints (the solid colored ones I made masks for my own household with) I had rather than giving them away by the bag full and letting whoever took them figure out what they wanted to do with those.