Seewalds 37: Yes, Jessa is Pregnant

[HerNameIsBuffy]

15 minutes ago, SilverBeach said:

Back in the day, there were people who ordered custom vinyl covers for their new sofas. They stuck to you and made crunchy, farting noises if you weren't careful sitting down.

I see you spent time at my Gramma’s house, too!

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

23 minutes ago, SilverBeach said:

I just don't see the point in having beautiful furniture that you never see.  Back in the day, there were people who ordered custom vinyl covers for their new sofas. They stuck to you and made crunchy, farting noises if you weren't careful sitting down. There are also people that leave the plastic wrapping on their lampshades. Nope. Furnishings are made to be used. Not abused, but normal wear and tear is expected. I wouldn't have kids painting on my unprotected table, or doing heavy crafts, but eating? Sure. Wood can develop a beautiful patina from use. I do have glass tops on my wooden night tables because I am always spilling something and would also put a glass top on a dining room table. I have a eat in kitchen and a formal dining room, so my nice wood table doesn't get used much.  When it does, it's placemats only.

My mom didn't put plastic covers on the furniture, but there was one room in our house we were NOT allowed to use. It was the "formal" living room. It got used once a year at Christmas for opening gifts and then it was tiddy it up and get out. 

My B/SIL (dh's brother & wife) are over the top about clean. SIL threw a baby shower for a family member many years ago, she put down drop clothes, tarps and plastic over the floor & furniture. She lined the stairs to the bathroom with drop cloths as well and had paper towels and a "special" trash can in the rest room for us to use. It was the most awkward and uncomfortable gathering we've ever had. We couldn't figure out WHY she insisted on throwing this shower if she didn't' want anyone in her house. We know they are clean freaks but that was OVER the top.  

[HerNameIsBuffy]

2 minutes ago, allthegoodnamesrgone said:

My mom didn't put plastic covers on the furniture, but there was one room in our house we were NOT allowed to use. It was the "formal" living room. It got used once a year at Christmas for opening gifts and then it was tiddy it up and get out. 

My B/SIL (dh's brother & wife) are over the top about clean. SIL threw a baby shower for a family member many years ago, she put down drop clothes, tarps and plastic over the floor & furniture. She lined the stairs to the bathroom with drop cloths as well and had paper towels and a "special" trash can in the rest room for us to use. It was the most awkward and uncomfortable gathering we've ever had. We couldn't figure out WHY she insisted on throwing this shower if she didn't' want anyone in her house. We know they are clean freaks but that was OVER the top.  

That is crazy!  I have a family member who has a beautiful home but similar issues with dirt from other people so she just doesn’t have gatherings at her house - we’d all be too clenched to enjoy ourselves.

One of my favorite stories:  

We come from a tidy and one might say anal paternal family so imagine my laid back sister in laws surprise when at 4 or 5 my nephew had a friend over to their house and suddenly soaks a washcloth and followed his friend around slopping sudsy water on everything he touched.

turns out when the friend used the bathroom my nephew was listening to make sure he washed his hands.  He didnt.  Hence following behind him to disinfect everything.

there was quite a conversation she had with my brother about “you people” and “need help” 

?

[xlurker]

on the table cloth issue, gotta say I adore people that mistreat their wooden furniture!  Yup, that is me at the yard sales, curb side and dump looking for those old tables and chairs that have been abused and misused    For a few bucks and lots of elbow grease I have a beautiful 1930's makeup vanity, maple dining table and various chairs (including a Heywood Wakefield and mid century modern!)  

Some things are too far gone for my refinishing skills, and they get painted--but not many!  Also have to add that I never make these items look "brand new"  I want to honor the history of each piece.

[CTRLZero]

1 hour ago, xlurker said:

that is me at the yard sales, curb side and dump looking for those old tables and chairs that have been abused and misused

My daughter lives near a college, and it is amazing what people just leave curbside as the yearly churn of students and faculty occurs.  Her most prized possession is a beautiful dining room table with only a slight flaw at one end of it, probably from a hot dish being set on it.  Most of her good quality furniture is from curbside "shopping" in her neighborhood. 

[HarryPotterFan]

On 1/18/2019 at 9:54 AM, Scrabblemaster said:

Sometimes we will eat on the blank wooden table, but only on rare occasions, like when we ate like drunken dinosaurs and 

When I was a kid my mom would always tell my brother to stop eating like a dinosaur. Big mistake, that only encouraged him because he LOVED dinosaurs. He probably wanted to be one. I pointed this out to her a couple years ago and she said she realize that’s why he never listened.

On 1/18/2019 at 1:55 PM, Melbelle said:

Tablecloth thread drift...I'm in!  So, tell me is this normal?  My husband's family all have beautiful wood dining tables and we have one that was originally his grandparents.  All of their tables have pads that are custom fit to the tables and are made of something that looks like wood printed vinyl.  You cannot use the tables unless the pads are on the tables, therefore everyone uses tablecloths on top of the padding.  I love linens so I don't hate tablecloths, but I also think a beautiful wood table, set with china, a table runner, and some candles and greenery is gorgeous!  I'd love to do a setting like that at holidays...but the padding must protect the table at. all. times. 

My parents do that with their dining room table. Having something see through to protect the table and allow it to be seen would be a good idea. We mainly use the table with big holidays/when we have lots of guests over. But yeah, the padding is there at all times. Which is useful when one of the cats jumps up on the table, rubs against the vase holding fake flowers, and knocks the vase over. I should drag my parents to the arts & crafts so they can pick out something to weigh the vase down so it doesn’t fall over.

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

Our kitchen/dinning room table has seen better days. It is 14 years old and shows the wear of raising 2 kids at it. 14 years of home work, family meals,  family game nights, art projects, Christmas Cookies, Easter Eggs, paying bills, painting nails, spilled cups of milk, juice water, wine, spilled nail polish remover, spilled paint, nail polish.  Pen marks, scraps and scratches from knifes and forks and all that goes with raising a family.  The table is still in good shape structurally, but it looks like it has been used for a LONG time.  I'm going to get some new chairs for it sooner or later but the table it self will stay, I may fix it up or I may not. I like the history my table tells. 

[VelociRapture]

We used tablecloths for a while. Then we got a dog and welcomed a baby. We stopped using them after our daughter started crawling since it would have been easy for her to get hurt by pulling the tablecloth - and everything with it - off the table. 

I very much dislike vinyl tablecloths. I don’t like how they feel or look. I also don’t like that they rip easily. Our dog ruined a few with her nails when she’d jump and walk on the table (I swear she thinks she’s a cat sometimes. )

Our kitchen table now has a nice collection of scratches and marks on it, but I like it better that way. I feel like it tells a story. 

[WiseGirl]

To cover or not cover a table.

Hmm experience has taught me that when a cat coughs something on a dinning room table and it is not found right away, some of the finish will definitely be gone leaving a very non glossy spot on a glossy table.

Kitchen table is covered because dog likes to jump on it. Dining table was my grandparents and is uncovered.

[lumpentheologie]

I've never covered my tables with anything, nor did my parents when I was growing up. I've never had a particularly nice table either, but I don't like the look of table coverings, even runners or placemats.  I like my wood table, it has some scratches, but they don't bother me.  I got wood because I want to look at it!  

[Seahorse Wrangler]

On 1/13/2019 at 11:01 PM, singsingsing said:

I also just want to take a moment to highly recommend a book called The Ties That Bound: Peasant Families in Medieval England by Barbara Hanawalt. It's a must-read if you're interested in Medieval England/social history. Most of it is based on coroners' records, and it's fascinating. It dispels a lot of myths about the era, such as some of the ones mentioned above, but also the myth that most people lived in multigenerational households - nuclear family households were actually more common.

 

And another book on my wishlist, thank you.

[PlentyOfJesusFishInTheSea]

On 1/18/2019 at 4:01 PM, zee_four said:

Did you go to Anna Mae's???

I haven't been to Anna Mae's in a long time but it is justifiably famous around here! My mom (not Mennonite) makes really great homemade pie so I am spoiled.

[Chickenbutt]

I know this is not the perfect place to post this, but talking about tablecloths, I am making this for my son and DIL. They never use their table for eating unless they have guests. I made a table runner and they requested a tablecloth. It is 108"x54". (hope I did the spoiler right)

Spoiler

 

[mollysmom]

6 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

I see you spent time at my Gramma’s house, too!

Reminds me of Marie on "Everybody Loves Raymond" lol

 

Crap, I just realized I quoted the wrong person!!! lol I was referring to the plastic on the couches. 

[Seahorse Wrangler]

1 hour ago, Chickenbutt said:

I know this is not the perfect place to post this, but talking about tablecloths, I am making this for my son and DIL. They never use their table for eating unless they have guests. I made a table runner and they requested a tablecloth. It is 108"x54". (hope I did the spoiler right)

  Hide contents

 

Pretty. I just bought myself a simple cushion to embroider. I haven't done anything like that since my teens, so nearly 40 years ago. I just hope I can remember how to do it and not get bored because it's taking too long.

[Chickenbutt]

@Seahorse WranglerThank you. It is Swedish Weaving or Huck Weaving. It isn't so bad once you get the hang of the pattern. It does take a lot of time. Good luck on your embroidery. 

[Kjaerringa]

I grew up with table pads under vinyl tablecloths. 

I rebelled. I use cloth tablecloths. I have a thing for old linens...tea towels, runners, old lace, etc....women spent so much love and effort making them...I am prone to rescuing them at every rummage sale and second hand store. I use a dresser cloth, too...hand embroidered. I just can't bear to see their work tossed aside.

I have just begun using the lace trimmed pillowcases my great grandmother made. Everybody kept them for company. It has been over 100 years, now. Using them honors her work and her memory, IMHO.

[SuperNova]

17 hours ago, xlurker said:

on the table cloth issue, gotta say I adore people that mistreat their wooden furniture!  Yup, that is me at the yard sales, curb side and dump looking for those old tables and chairs that have been abused and misused    For a few bucks and lots of elbow grease I have a beautiful 1930's makeup vanity, maple dining table and various chairs (including a Heywood Wakefield and mid century modern!)  

Some things are too far gone for my refinishing skills, and they get painted--but not many!  Also have to add that I never make these items look "brand new"  I want to honor the history of each piece.

I'm so jealous, congrats on finding a reasonably priced Heywood Wakefield anything! Mr Nova and had to save our pennies to buy our HW dining set. The wood has its original finish that has mellowed to a lovely golden hue. It's super sensitive to heat and steam so we had a custom table pad made but I hated it and found some nifty cork backed placemats instead.

I usually only lurk in this thread but there's nothing like some good furniture and tablecloth talk to bring me out of hiding. @Chickenbutt, your Huck is beautiful. How long did it take? 

[Carm_88]

I really didn't know that people were so passionate about tables and table clothes! 

[Chickenbutt]

@SuperNovaThank you. What you see in the photo is maybe just over a 1/4 of the entire tablecloth done. I have been working on it for almost 4 weeks. Some days I spend a good amount of time working on it (5-6 hours) other days I spend only a couple of hours or no time at all. I should have thought to keep track of how long it actually is taking me. Maybe I will start paying attention now and keeping track. Who am I kidding? I won't do that....lol. 

 

[Charliemae]

1 hour ago, Carm_88 said:

I really didn't know that people were so passionate about tables and table clothes! 

I have one of these moments every other week reading FJ.  

[Mama Mia]

21 hours ago, Chickenbutt said:

I know this is not the perfect place to post this, but talking about tablecloths, I am making this for my son and DIL. They never use their table for eating unless they have guests. I made a table runner and they requested a tablecloth. It is 108"x54". (hope I did the spoiler right)

  Hide contents

 

Gorgeous. It looks sort of like smocking, but without the gathers. I’m sure it will become a treasured heirloom in your family.

[Baxter]

I put a table cloth on my wood dining room table when it is being used. The rest of the time I try to leave it uncovered. The finish on it would make it look like crap if it got scratched up. My kitchen table is glass so I leave that uncovered all the time. I love glass for a kitchen table because my son can spill on it or paint or do playdough and it's so easy to clean up. Maybe we would consider getting a wood table for our kitchen when he is older. I think then I would leave a wood kitchen table uncovered. But then I would use placemats, which would really just be an excuse for me to buy more linens.

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

4 hours ago, Carm_88 said:

I really didn't know that people were so passionate about tables and table clothes! 

Oh I did, I stopped being amazed at what (mostly) women get involved in, knitting/crocheting, needle point, embroidery, quilting, lace making, sewing, scrapbooking, if it invovles, yarn, thread, needles, fabric, paper, glue, glitter or anything you can buy at Joann's/Michael's/Hobby Lobby there is a crowd of people that will buy it.  

[xlurker]

13 hours ago, SuperNova said:

reasonably priced Heywood Wakefield

this wasn't only reasonable, it was free!  sitting on the curb, terrible water damage...needless to say no longer an original finish.  But after months of sanding its still a pretty chair.  And hey, what I did could not damage it any more then it already was