Books!
We went to a lovely party at pinkleader and her inestimable husband's house, to say goodbye to kass_rants and Bob, as they get ready to start the next stage of their life in St. Croix. It was delightful meeting the greyhounds for the first time, and we're going to miss you guys! Of course, I still have plans for new patterns.
Thanks to Theo and Roland for hosting us. I had lovely Hobbes time, thank you. :)
Sadly, after all that excitement and travelling, I'm having what I guess one would call an "episode", in that I am constantly tired and want to sleep. I've been asleep more hours than I've been awake today, and I'm barely holding on for The Soup (my favourite Wednesday programme). So, I thought until it come on, I'd show off what Bob's been making for the house.
My new library!
Bob was worried we wouldn't have enough shelf space, but it turns out we have plenty (I can buy more books, whoo!). I even have enough that I can put some of my precious things on shelves to show them off, like photos and my vintage sewing boxes, and such.
This is the side that leads to the master bedroom; the gorgeous desk and chair were always intended for the library, and we've had the desk since before we had the house. There was a horrible moment when we pulled it out from its box (it had been stored in the old house) and I found mould growing on it, but a good strong cleaning and buffing (outside) took care of that. We got the chair from Home Decorator Supply (it's called a "Maharajah" chair, in an uncomfortable echo of colonialist days), and it looks so beautiful with the desk, which is a replica of a travelling campaign desk, and exactly the right size for my non-studio work. The only thing I'd recommend if you decide to buy any of the "Maharajah" line from HDS (they have a chair, a settee, and a coffee table), is check for woodworm. I had to douse it with Raid several times (and put masking tape over the holes) to suffocate the little wormy bastards, as I don't want them getting into any of my real wood antiques. A few woodworm holes are one thing, and active infestation is entirely another.
But the library itself if so light and so wonderful! We are going to put UV filter film on the windows, as it gets the afternoon sun (especially nice in the winter), and I don't want to fade my books. As I had hoped, too, the red walls show up behind the white bookcases, and the colour combination is gorgeous. And I can see all my books! I've been re-reading a lot of them since they came out of their boxes (and I've been so limp and tired), and I can finally read something new (well, you know, long forgotten) while I knit endless pairs of fingerless mittens for sale at 12th Night and Holiday Faire.
(So, for all of you who have asked about mittens, there will be new ones, in cute colours, men's and women's.)
But I freaking love my library. I have a reading nook, the lighting is gorgeous, it can be used as an extra guest room (doors on either end, and I can put up curtains), and it's just heaven looking at all my books. I'm a book keeper - I read and re-read beloved books over and over again, sometimes twice, three times in a row (even when I don't have to, like getting stuck with a bum media player on the flight to Copenhagen in May, where I was forced to view "The Vow" four times without sound, because it wouldn't turn off. I read my book twice, and was on my third run-through when we finally got breakfast. Even with that, I still like the book and re-read it occasionally. By the Blood of Heroes, Joseph Nassise, if you're curious. WWI, steampunk, zombies, alternate history).
Thanks to Theo and Roland for hosting us. I had lovely Hobbes time, thank you. :)
Sadly, after all that excitement and travelling, I'm having what I guess one would call an "episode", in that I am constantly tired and want to sleep. I've been asleep more hours than I've been awake today, and I'm barely holding on for The Soup (my favourite Wednesday programme). So, I thought until it come on, I'd show off what Bob's been making for the house.
My new library!
Bob was worried we wouldn't have enough shelf space, but it turns out we have plenty (I can buy more books, whoo!). I even have enough that I can put some of my precious things on shelves to show them off, like photos and my vintage sewing boxes, and such.
This is the side that leads to the master bedroom; the gorgeous desk and chair were always intended for the library, and we've had the desk since before we had the house. There was a horrible moment when we pulled it out from its box (it had been stored in the old house) and I found mould growing on it, but a good strong cleaning and buffing (outside) took care of that. We got the chair from Home Decorator Supply (it's called a "Maharajah" chair, in an uncomfortable echo of colonialist days), and it looks so beautiful with the desk, which is a replica of a travelling campaign desk, and exactly the right size for my non-studio work. The only thing I'd recommend if you decide to buy any of the "Maharajah" line from HDS (they have a chair, a settee, and a coffee table), is check for woodworm. I had to douse it with Raid several times (and put masking tape over the holes) to suffocate the little wormy bastards, as I don't want them getting into any of my real wood antiques. A few woodworm holes are one thing, and active infestation is entirely another.
But the library itself if so light and so wonderful! We are going to put UV filter film on the windows, as it gets the afternoon sun (especially nice in the winter), and I don't want to fade my books. As I had hoped, too, the red walls show up behind the white bookcases, and the colour combination is gorgeous. And I can see all my books! I've been re-reading a lot of them since they came out of their boxes (and I've been so limp and tired), and I can finally read something new (well, you know, long forgotten) while I knit endless pairs of fingerless mittens for sale at 12th Night and Holiday Faire.
(So, for all of you who have asked about mittens, there will be new ones, in cute colours, men's and women's.)
But I freaking love my library. I have a reading nook, the lighting is gorgeous, it can be used as an extra guest room (doors on either end, and I can put up curtains), and it's just heaven looking at all my books. I'm a book keeper - I read and re-read beloved books over and over again, sometimes twice, three times in a row (even when I don't have to, like getting stuck with a bum media player on the flight to Copenhagen in May, where I was forced to view "The Vow" four times without sound, because it wouldn't turn off. I read my book twice, and was on my third run-through when we finally got breakfast. Even with that, I still like the book and re-read it occasionally. By the Blood of Heroes, Joseph Nassise, if you're curious. WWI, steampunk, zombies, alternate history).