House Progress Downstairs Bedroom Part #2

My dream is finally coming true! Isn't it looking pretty great? Look at the "before" picture below.

Now you can see how I've spent my winter. I've been painstakingly scrapping off the later blue and yellow paints over this wonderful original buttermilk paint. I love the color of the wall of sheathing, kind of mustard, kind of pumpkin. It's just warm and welcoming on these cold winter days. And I admire the color combination of the gray trim with the pumpkin wall, very subtle, and easy to live with.

And here is a corner with the trim, also stripped. And again, just some gray paint remaining. Look at the bottom of the corner post. Can you see how the previous owner cut away the bottom of the corner post to put in their baseboard heater. What some people won't do! We'll have a jolly old time repairing that, and making it look okay with the rest of the old trim. Thank goodness back in the day the original builders used huge material. Can you think what would happen if you cut a hole 4" deep out of the corner of a new house? It would surely fall down.

Here you can see my next problem. At some time in the past they put a skim coat of plaster over the original plaster, with some texture stuff in it, and over time its gotten all cracked and nasty. The gray area you seen is the original horsehair plaster.

Here you can see the results of a week's worth of work! Not much to show. I have been painfully scrapping off the plaster in itty bitty 1/4" pieces.  I don't think I'll live long enough to get the ceiling clean. And then what? The original plaster is tight to the ceiling, not loose or broken anywhere. But it has a network of cracks. If I spackle them I'll have a network of white spackle, ugly. Should I give up and sheet rock over it? What to do?

Dear readers, I have a decorating question for you. Please, please look at the picture above and help me out. We have pine floors, mustardy wall on one wall, and gray and pine trim. What should I do with the 3 plaster walls. I have a blue cupboard that goes in here, and a blue 4 poster bed, and some 18th C crewel panels that have mustard with blue and red embroidery. I don't think I want to stay with the dark blue buttermilk paint. Too many colors, and its in too bad of shape. under the blue paint you can see where it was once the same mustardy color. Oyster white walls? Repeat the mustard color in a dry butermilk paint on the walls? Help? Please leave comments, I really would like some feed back.

Glastonbury New Years Show

Look at the crowd still coming in at noon! It's always been a popular show, but wow what a difference the weather makes. We had a balmy holiday weekend following the blizzard, so I guess everyone wanted to get out of the house.
This is the annual New Year's Show in Glastonbury, CT. Not a big show, about 62 dealers in the high school gym. But a fun show to do or shop. Very mixed show, only a few country dealers. For example, my neighbor showed jewelry and old fur coats from Manhattan, and was fun to listen to as she sold her wares.

 Look at the crowd in my booth!

Here's a pic of my booth without all the lovely customers.

Here's my neighbor across the way, Dom and Susan De Baise Antiques from Rocky Hill, CT.

Here's my next door neighbor, Martin Webster, West Branch Antiques from Delhi, NY

Here's my favorite thing at the show, a whaling ship desk ornament, with whales flukes to hold your pen, ink bottle in the center, a scrimshawed pic of the ship, the name and the captain's name, and under the center flap that lifts is the whale stamp for using in your ledger when you got a whale! Wow, now that is neat. Shown by Capt. Ron Wojcik at Green Highlander Gallery.

 Here's the booth of my friend Tina Black all the way from PA.

Another fun booth. CT is seafaring country you know.

Another booth,  lots of nice stuff. I hope you had fun looking at the pics of the show, and maybe you can shop here next New Year's. Have a fun and lucky New Year yourself!