I have made a few batches of the pickles and they were good. I have also changed up the ingredients a touch with some interesting results. Less salt, add some sugar, celery seed, add jalapeno or serrano, less vinegar,pinch of tumeric, etc. Many possibilities and I just keep notes to what I like and dont like. Very fresh dill is a must here as anything less gives you undesirable results. I personally didnt care for the batch that I made with allspice so I have left it out of future batches. If you do use a hot pepper, be careful how much you use or you wont find anyone willing to help you eat them. I like hot and spicy but most dont care for it. I am currently collecting quart jars so I can make smaller batches with different variations until I find one that everyone likes. Duane

I'm not sure if offset newspapers still sell old metal plates, but if they do they would be great to use as a ceiling "square". Depending on the printing press, the size varies. I can picture it working. Make a jig for what you want the impression to look like out of molding. lay the plate down with the ink side towards the molding and whack with a rubber mallet to shape it around the form of the moldings. The plates are rugged aluminum but would take an impression I'm sure! The plates are held onto the press with a bend that runs the longest length about a quarter of an inch. You could maybe overlap these and fasten to strapping with a fancy tack of something. I saw a show on HGTV where a guy in FL used them as siding on his castle! Hey, it is worth at least a trip to the newspaper to ask about them. Several years ago when I worked in the printing industry they went for $3.00 a dozen which would cover a heck of a lot of footage. Leasa

I have a wonderful "coffee table" book by Claire Jones titled "Monet's Table." It is a pictorial history of the artists life and includes his paintings and recipes. It inspired me to do the same for my family. I am a creative artist and use that creativity in my recipes. The biggest regret I have is letting my grandparents die without getting all that history and all those recipes. My mom was NOT a cook! OMG! All she ever cooked was meatloaf, mac and cheese, and ewwwww salmon patties. OMG I forgot that dreaded liver!! I am using Word for my book. It will take me a long time, but I keep it in my head and try to photograph the family enjoying my recipes at get together s (as is pictured in the Monet book). The one they will remember fondly is cranking the ice cream in the hot summer by the swimming pool. One cranking, one sitting, everyone supervising, and then the licking of the paddle! I've got all the recipes in the book so far. We kick em up every year. I love to grow my own herbs, cure my own olives, and make my own wine from things that we grow. I will include all that in the book, and I will illustrate as much as I can with watercolor and other mediums. I like the idea you give here of sleeving the pages in plastic. Kinkos will plastic coat pages also for a price, but that is an option, and they will bind it all also. It's a project, but a fun one! Love all your ideas!! Suzi

Thanks so much for all the stories! I LOVED hearing about your experiences! I was too impatient to do it the right way! Things are falling into place fairly quickly for my little redo...I love it when a plan comes together. :~) I have one wall left to paint. I sort of dove in...I had about 3/4 of a gallon of the Pavillion Beige. To that I added about a quart of Alabaster. It didn't really change much but it lightened it and warmed it a bit. Then I added about a 1/2 a cup or so of the rust and a couple of smidges of the black. A tweak here and a tweak there (more rust and black) and I ended up with something similar to SW Sand Dune. (I think that's the name). It's barely *greige* but that's okay and I really like it! Sort of a rich, medium taupey brown. Saving money and using up old paint was very satisfying to say the least. My furniture in the room will be a mix of antique white--one or two pieces, (not a yellow or stark white) a rich fruitwood brown and a little black thrown in for good measure. It's been the *computer/office* room and now it's also going to be the den/relax and watch the tube or surf the net* room. I gifted my mammoth double pedestal desk that was (too big for the space), black and had an oak colored top, to my husband's niece and her family (they're in their early 30's, have a big house and were thrilled--buh-bye) and purchased a small (30" wide) glass and metal computer desk to replace it. I needed something small with a lower shelf for the CPU--someday I'll have a MACBOOK !!!!!! I cleaned out 3 large file drawers and recycled/condensed a lot of paper into one file drawer! What a great feeling that is. I still have a few kitchen drawers I need to attack. I also have a loveseat on layaway thats a small, nondescript black/taupe pattern with black piping--it's so cushy! I'm excited for it all to come together. I may paint a curio that's black with the Alabaster (off white) and hang it on the wall. I have a large natural fiber area rug that's got some black in it, too. Gotta haul it out of the out-building. Alas, I have no way to do pics--but someday I'll justify it. Now, if I could just get Honey to clean all the crap off his desk (same room) and keep it clean, I'll be almost home free! Sometime in the next few months, I'll be getting window, door, base and crown mouldings. I've waited for this for 10 years at least! Nothing fancy, just primed MDF--works for me! It'll be SW Alabaster. As much as I like to decorate, I think I want to be done for a while. LOL! Did I just say that???? I've been downsizing and I've had too much stuff/furniture in too many rooms. I like the look of the rooms with less things and more space--also easier to clean. Don't get me wrong--love the layered look, too--I just am not disciplined enough to keep it all dusted. I spose being 57 helps, too. Any suggestions for accent colors? Wrote a book. Thanks again!