Winter

Good Morning Winter Solstice

I am having my favorite morning coffee again, thinking this will be the shortest day of the year.  Yippee, I am so excited to see the daylight and know it is getting just a little more each day.  I have come to the conclusion that winter is still up my alley, I just can’t find many people my age that agree.  I do still enjoy all that comes with winter, the nice clean surroundings when it snows, plus the quiet that comes with it on my morning walks.

For all of us that still enjoy winter, the cold and the snow, enjoy as long as we can.  Winter is just starting today and will be with us for the next three months. Let’s go play in the wonderful clean snow and go in for some hot cocoa after.

 

Teal Beaded Bracelet
Business Updates, New Products

New Bracelets Coming In

When a new crafter came to me and asked to showcase some beaded bracelets I say yes!

There are many different colors and styles to choose from, I just have to get them listed. They will make a wonderful addition to a new collection of jewelry.

I maybe giving some of them to my sister that loves beads and charms.

Beaded Bracelets
Teal Beaded Bracelet
Business Updates

Happenings This Week

Hi there,

I’m here just thinking about what to write while drinking morning coffee. I have been traveling lately and visiting people from long ago, while picking up some side work to help pay bills and spend extra cash. Today is a morning to start reconnecting to my site a little.

I have been putting up some fun coffee cups that can be personalized and made into gifts for my loved ones. I have tried this out and have come to purchase some for my family for their Birthday and Xmas gifts this year.  I work with another company that prints and sends them out. I create the pictures and sayings that are printed on them.  You can insert someone else’s name or your own on them. I would love to hear some ideas of what you think would be good to have.  You can check out the ones I have so far on this site at coffee cups.  Stay tuned for many more as coffee is the best part of my mornings.

Snowman coffee cup
Elf coffee cup
Business Updates

Web Site Updating

I have been away from the building to make any improvements on it lately. So I have been working on this web site to get more products on and improve the way it runs. I would like to have someone else run this for me, so if your interested please let me know. I have learned a lot over the years of operating a computer that I now want to do the work part of my business.

Building News

Building Basement Windows

I have been working on tearing out the lathe and plaster on the ceiling of the basement. What a mess I’m creating, although I can now see the bones of the building. There are some massive wooden beams up above, some look like 12 x 2s in sections. They are still 4′ above my head under the stage area, this is where I am starting. I am looking to take a bunch of weight off of the floor above.


I have finished sanding and painting a few windows, they have been put back in place and look totally different than when I started. They are now a chocolate brown instead of the standard white that old buildings tended to be. I decided to paint the inside the same brown because it is easier than keeping track of which color for inside or outside view. I think I will paint the trim around the windows a lighter brown or tan on the inside of the basement for a brighter look.

I really like the old glass that is on these windows as they are textured and thick. They let in plenty of light, but are not see through. Great design for the basement windows. I broke a few while trying to take them out and the building came without some in tacked. I do have some extra glass standing around upstairs that may need cutting, but I have accomplished this before and I believe I can do it again. Hopefully I have enough to complete all of the windows.

Some of the frames need fixing or replacing in some areas as they are all at ground level. The grass (weeds) and rain water has damaged a lot of them. I will try and do this while I’m working on the windows themselves. Taking these windows apart has been an adventure as to the mechanical works of them. I have done plenty of windows in the past with the weights and sashes, but this is the first time taking the whole window frame apart. I am up for this challenge and will do my best to complete before the cold weather sets in.

The building is old so the style is a separate hanging storm window or screen that is attached by clips. I have gotten new clips through a company on line some time ago and will get these refinished after the main windows are complete.


I hope to remember to get some pics by next week as to keep a record of my work for you and me.


Thanks for reading this week, Kris

Building News

July’s News

We are reaching the end of July 2022 and I would like to reflect on all I have accomplished so far this year. I helps motivate me on what is still on my list to get done before winter and cold weather sets in.

I have been working on my new/old building formally called Garfield Hall, which used to be an old school, town hall and what ever else was needed in the good old days. There is a complete stage on the back half of the place with a curtain rail that is still in tacked. It contains very old wiring referred to as knob and tube and snakeskin wiring. It also has a cistern on the outside that had an old pump attached for water. I still have both of these, but the pump is very rusty and is missing so many pieces I don’t know if it works at all. I will keep it just for nostalgia of the former life style.

There are underground springs that run under the building that become active after plenty of thaw in the spring or rain throughout the year. I haven’t seen any use for my sump pump for over a year now.

The yard is old grass that are weeds and not anything good to brag about. I am constantly cutting down volunteer bushes that arise close to the building that shouldn’t be. I started last year to clean this up by digging around and cleaning out brush. It is a very demanding job and I decided that I am old enough to rent/purchase some heavy equipment to help out with all the yard work.

Building News

Building Update

I went to work on my building yesterday with my steamer to help me clean up. The place is such a mess in the basement as it has been unoccupied for years. I started steaming around the windows, hoping to get rid of a lot of the cob webs and critters hanging out. Good news is I successfully killed some of the living critters that crawled in and took residence. Today I plan on fogging the place to easily evict the rest of those creepy tenants.

I am starting in the basement for remodeling first as it will be the easiest to heat in the winter. After the fogging and eviction will come waterproof painting and insulating with foam board. Then building walls along the perimeter, wiring, plumbing and whatever else that is needed.

I hope to get a basement septic put in so I can have a drain down there for a kitchen and bath. I plan on living in the basement once all the previous tenants are gone and the place is presentable enough.

Stay tuned and thanks for reading.

Kris

Building News, Business Updates

Today’s News

Today I was working on my new building, took out a few basement windows to strip, sand and repaint. I am going to paint the outside of the windows a dark brown and the inside a white color. I have put a lot of thought in the building colors and have come up with a really deep red with dark brown trim.

I am going to make my living courters in the basement of the building as it will be much easier to heat. There is a lot of cleaning out as it has all my molds from ceramics. When it is done clearing out and cleaning walls and floors, I will be putting up interior walls against the cement walls and start my home remodeling.

I am going to work as often as possible on my new building and hope to have is livable by spring of next year.

The profits of everything I sell thru my website will be to help refinish this building. I want it to be a wedding reception place for all around the area.

Thanks for reading…

Until next time.