LOL At bodica :) and gad those sofa's are all fabulous. Maybe I have to shop craigs list more often LOL (I don't even bother here because it's normally junk). Oceanna we'll have to do a Seattle lunch group...held at an antique store LOL to make it worth the trip. I love your description of the light fixture. It really was art glass in it's time :) A small part of me wants to move it to the dining room (where they have a very cheap victorian copy) and then put something else in the parlor. We'll see how that goes. I'm definately into the real thing when it comes to antiques. I grew up in Port Townsend where you're surrounded by the things and have always loved them. One reason we're thinking about refurnishing the house is because they have a lot of fakes and it's very obvious. I'm sure I will do some shopping locally and in Seattle, but the idea of the trip abroad also appeals because the selection is so good. Our antiques here are their garbage sale items in the UK LOL But we'll see. I know my mother is going to get tired of me dragging her through antique stores pretty quick heh heh

Before we bought our current 1925 brick bungalow farmhouse, we spent several months gathering estimates from contractors and tradesmen so we could make an informed decision and offer. Now granted, the house is in rather original condition (i.e., very few updates, mechanical upgrades, etc.), had not been lived in for about a year, and had quite an accumulation of possessions from three generations that the heirs hadn't cleaned out yet, but the house is very solid with great bones. My favorite comment is from the HVAC contractor who walked around and then asked "Has the house been condemned?" Another favorite came secondhand after a general contractor looked at the house for a remodeling job and later told a mutual friend that he thought I had bitten off more than I could chew! Of course, the house wasn't ours yet when these comments were made, but we closed on it a few months ago and are happily restoring it. It wouldn't be charitable to say I want to make them eat their words, but I do sometimes think on what they might say in a year or two!

Big GRIN! : ) Isn't it great! I show mine to everyone. Everything can stay tidy and actually contribute to the wonderful new cooking experience (as opposed to being crammed behind everthhing else to the point of being forgotten)- which is why I think I have all those gadgets in the first place.. full-extension glides rock!

Haha, Dave! I teased one of my computer graphics instructors (they're all very edgy Brits in this school) that I would make a pudgy little bulb with spindly legs and arms. The wince on his artsy face was palpable when I mentioned (just to tease him, 'cos I knew he'd hate it. I think his ponytail drooped as well, at the mere thought...) the smiley face. No, in this Manhattan school they want EDGY. I am thinking that, in the course of my research, I have seen NO edgy logos for garden centers, only really corny traditional ones with maybe one exception. I'm not sure that people would cotton to an "edgy" garden center sign except maybe the rooftop gardeners of Manhattan. Hmmmm. They want simple, they want the letters of the name to form the graphic, they want the next swoosh of Nike or apple like Apple. I dunno, I think it would be confusing and off-putting to a garden center to be too "edgy" and enigmatic. What do you guys think? The homework assignment of designing a logo for an imaginary business is due next week, so I will definitely be working on it during my holiday vacation!