I'm not sure I accessed all the pictures, but it looks like you're doing a great job, thanks for posting!

I should have purchased stock before I purchased the fabrics. The shades only used 2 yards. The drapes used 30 yards of silk and lined with 30 yards of material. They are 100% silk. I'm pretty visual - stay at home - so I do love my surroundings to be pretty. I really wanted a pretty, feminine look. Thanks

I'm more the "play the piano and sew and paint and screw things on the wall and dig in the dirt and tile and glue wood back together and do simple plumbing fixes" old-house owner than the "play with electrical wiring and climb ladders" old house owner. I found this book to be very helpful: http://www.amazon.com/Renovating-Old-Houses-Bringing-Vintage/dp/1561585351/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231628314&sr=8-1 It has no pictures of pretty things, unlike most "old house" books. it talks in great detail about different aspects of the house and what to watch out for and how to fix things. The electrical section is particularly helpful, with full-color photos of good and bad things. It is not advised to blow insulation over K&T (it is against code and a fire hazard, even with fiberglass). Our K&T was fed from modern wire (in an illegal "flying splice"), and ran across the attic. My dad installed electrical boxes, corrected the flying splice, and ran modern wire from the flying splice to where the K&T left the attic. This circuit, as far as I am aware, is the antique light fixtures on the first floor and the porch light only (we shut down the breakers and did a thorough check of lights and outlets and things). Fortunately my home was not renovated a lot, so I have whatever K&T remains and modern wiring. Since I know the circuit of the K&T, if it still exists in the ceilings between the antique fixtures, we can replace it when we do ceiling work. I have no advice for you except get someone to help you who has done it before. And today my efforts are focused on a plumbing issue. Dratted PO (I think about 40 years ago) built a toilet closet through the door of the port-cochere, which is a fine place to put one, except they just built it on the porch, no insulation or wind barrier! (heat tape, though...) And have discovered that the PO did a craptastic job of installing the toilet, and there was an open pipe in the waste system (venting to outside, yuck!) and my plumber friend just came by and said "it's not going to be a quick fix." Fortunately we have another bathroom upstairs and I already ordered the new anaglypta and so hubby can't discontinue my painting project for lack of funds... :) Here is a link that might be useful: Renovating Old Houses

Vapor barrier, in most cold climates, (and I note that because you're in CA, which is different from the very cold upstate NY which I am familiar with) is on the warm side of the wall, not on the exterior. Vapor barrier is there to hold house moisture INSIDE the house, away from the insulation, not to exclue exterior moisture. If you're exposing the studs you can apply a vapor barrier, after you insulate, before you plaster or hang sheetrock. The fiberglass with the heavy kraft paper backing will function, somewhat, as a vapor barrier, but if you've got your whole walls open, it's easy to install a proper one at that time. Now, you may also be concerned about moisture penetration from the outside, chiefly driven rain. That's where those house wraps are employed, but those are not "vapor barriers", in the same meaning, since they are not excluding air-borne moisture vapor as much as liquid precipitation. I can see no way to install one w/o pulling your siding which you may not be interested in doing. I think a good paint job, with well-maintained caulking, and perhaps wall and soffit vents would be satisfactory substitutes for house wrap. Are you sure you don't have any sheathing in the exterior cladding? You may have tar paper between the layers. The (in)famous old house problem with non vapor-barriered insulation is primarily one where moisture migreates outward into the insulation from the house, then condenses inside the insulation (particularly other kinds than fiberglass) causing problems. Depending on your climate it may not be such a big deal as it is in very long season, frigid areas. HTH Molly~