All the windchimes were hanging off the poles around a pop up tent cover and there were some tall racks on tables. I mean there must have been two hundred windchimes in that booth. All those spoons.....flattened spoons.....oh, I just couldn't believe it! I was checking prices of things and earrings, nice ones, were selling for $6. The rebar birds were $45, beautiful blown glass vases were $40 and up. Wonderful felted purses were $40 and up. I think if I sold my totems and plate flowers for $20 - $35 I would do okay. My DH says I should just start making as many PF's as possible for next year and not make so many totems. Well, last year the totems sold and this year the PF's sold more and who knows what will sell better next year? It's a challenge and a fun one. I agree with you about your mosaics they would be a hit! It's so hard to find the right kind of spoon. I bought two the other day at a thrift store but they broke when I bent them. Talk about aggravating!!!

Good (but used) gold jewelry that is 14K or 18K *is* called scrap jewelry, unless it is a rare family heirloom. If I have a gold chain I don't want anymore, I throw it in scrap, even though it may be perfectly good. (Just so 80s, or too long, etc.) To jewelers, the only value is the gold value. It is all called 'scrap'. Used jewelry is generally scrap jewelry. Being in the business for over 30 years, we also saw that story on CNN. DH and I totally disagreed with CNN's advice. There is no reason a jewelry store must make a profit off your gold or that someone would have to go store to store shopping their scrap gold. Refineries have solid reputations, unlike those shoddy looking jewelry stores shown on CNN. These stores who "buy gold" won't be reselling the jewelry as is, they will refine it. Unless it is a very rare piece of jewelry then I can't imagine anyone considering selling it, KWIM? (I am talking jewelry like on the Antique Road Show.) If we send 4 oz of scrap to the refinery, they charge us $35. to assay it (remove impurities) and about 4% of the total value of the refined 24K gold. Big difference between 65% and the poor advice that man who buys gold at parties, which was to take nothing less than 50%.

They have changed their formula to remove phosphates. Good for the environment, but bad for your silverware. Suggest you switch brands. There are still some brands e.g. Sunlight Advanced that say they work with silverware. I have also heard on this string that Method Pods work without tarnishing it. A homemade version of Washing Soda and Borax also work for silverware, but it's getting hard to find Borax anywhere also. Apparently it's not so good for people/planet either. I think with the Pewter it's going to be trial and error as well. If you find something that works, let us know.

WOW!! Thank you all so much! The renters or squatters I should say really did some insane stuff here are a couple examples....they actually removed my upper cabinets all together. They put them BACK UP in the master bedroom screwed them right into the brand new drywall with drywall screws...I am just glad they were evicted before any more "construction" took place. Also they had a ferret...Not sure if you have ever smelled a ferret but it is unpleasant to say the least. When we moved in I stripped and scraped the old windows for days and days repainted everything the trim was amazing...they screwed them all shut with drywall screws they loved drywall screws. So yes they screwed us financially and they also prevented our family from living together after a year long deployment to Afghanistan b/c the house was still under construction. So anyways I just cannot thank you all enough for your input and thoughtful answers I am a homebody and have three children under three years so my kitchen is where I live. I have been lurking around this site for months and months looking at posts about soapstone and white shaker cabinets. I never imagined such amazing responses! I have a lot to think about.... We are having our cabinets custom built by a local cabinet maker. I priced them at a local lumberyard Kraft maid and got a price of $5,500 Lowes was $7500 and the Cabinet maker was $10,000. When I told the cabinetmaker we couldn't afford it he threw in installation so we decided to go for it. We convinced ourselves that they would hold up better to the abuse. But really I think once my husband saw the cabinet makers shop he fell in love. The soapstone that I want is the dark type with no veining and will be pretty much out of my price range... I have seen a lot of laminate in basalt slate and soapstone looks. Some that I loved in pictures... but up close I really really hate the edges of laminate. I also don't like the edge of an overmount sink. And those new wedges they are doing is not something I like either. I left the store yesterday with Absolute black polished granite. I have been reading other posts and seem to think what I might want is Jet black Cambria antiqued finished. The absolute black seems to be a problem for people with fingerprints and every little smudge showing. HMMMMMMM........ This would be a lot easier if I was debating about what I wanted I know EXACTLY what I want but it seems like it is impractical for our lifestyle....I really really really LOVE soapstone every single thing about it... Why can't the local high school be ripping out their old science lab right now... that would be perfect. And then I think about the meth lab point and with our luck that just might be our next tenants profession. Seriously though thank you all so much. I will definately be posting pictures soon! But here is one of my temporary kitchen just for the fun of it :)