Countertop Trivia and Jewelry-Making

Haven't been sewing at all this week, but I have 1/2 of the Route 66 Quilt completely bound.  The hanger for it arrived a few weeks ago, so this quilt should be hanging on the wall in our office real soon.  I will take pictures that day FOR SURE!  I discovered that I could hand sew the binding to the back of the quilt with it hanging on the longarm.  This was an AMAZING discovery because I've always hated wrestling a large quilt in my lap while trying to move it along stitch-by-stitch.  I just sat on my saddle stool and rolled across the room as I sewed. 

As you know, my kitchen is being torn up and put back together due to the leak in the wall from the water connection behind the refrigerator.  The entire countertop had to be replaced because the cabinet under it had gotten wet, and that was the only way to remove the cabinet.  I had a feeling that this could be problematic, but I was wrong.  It is a NIGHTMARE!!!

The countertop company came out not once -- but twice -- to make a cardboard template of my countertops and to measure and measure and measure.  I told them we wanted the new countertop to be EXACTLY like the one that was there.  Same color, same size, same finish, same overhang, same edge, etc.  They acted like I was being a royal PITA even asking if any of that was going to be a problem because they -- after all -- are EXPERTS -- and they do this all the time -- and I didn't need to worry.  One guy bragged that he was so amazing at polishing countertops, that the new one would be way shinier than the old one.

Two days ago, the countertop and three men arrived here.  They spent about four hours putting the countertop on.  Then the plumber came back and spent the next two hours hooking up the new sink.  When they all finally left, Jerry and I went into the kitchen to examine the countertop.  Guess what we found? 

The overhang is 1/2" wider.
The finish is very dull and not at all shiny because it was not polished.
One end is cut in a curve and doesn't fit up against the cabinet.
The part that holds the sink has a bow or hump in it.

There is such a tiny space behind the sink, I can't even put a small pump bottle of handsoap there.

The countertop on one side of the "L" shape is 1/4" wider from front to back across the whole length of it.

Soooooooooooooooooooooooo, out it goes, and we start over.  We don't know how much more it will cost.  I'm a fighter by nature, but sometimes I just get so frustrated dealing with these issues.  The countertop company ADMITS they screwed up, but......  They say they cut it according to some standard.  I told them I don't CARE what the standard is.  This is a custom home, and I want it like it was.  The owner, Paul, of the countertop company informed me this morning after a 30-minutes discussion that I shouldn't be calling him anyway.  He said I wasn't "his customer" -- Michael was.  I informed Paul that it was MY $6,000!

OKAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

I'm putting on my happy face now, and I'm going to talk about something else.

I am getting VERY excited about making jewelry.  I have never been the jewelry type except for earrings and watches.  I have a few bracelets, but most get on my nerves, and I take them off about the time I arrive at my desk at work. 

I'm too tight to pay a lot of money for jewelry because I think if I pay a lot for something that I should keep it and wear it forever.  I have a gorgeous piece that Jerry gave me for Christmas one year that is 14K gold and has diamonds in it.  It is a necklace, and it is so pretty.

BUT, with me having one shoulder lower than the other one, necklaces always want to hang off to one side on me ESPECIALLY if they are fixed and can't move freely on the chain.

Actually, I may be able to fix that necklace so it will move freely on the chain once I learn what I am doing, and once I get brave enough to buy some 14K wire.  My new friend, Pam, is a professional jewelry maker, and I bet she can look at it and tell me what I can do.

I added one more bead to my loopy necklace.

There is one little loop in it that I can't get to be round enough, but from the back of a running horse, nobody will ever notice it!

Actually, Jerry will notice it.  He knows I'm just learning though, so he may overlook it.  If he complains too much, I will have to spend even more money on lessons and supplies!

Here is a picture of it with another green bead added to it.  I figure it will weight it down a bit and keep it from going sideways.  I can't put it on myself because I can't put a straightpin through my neck like I do Lucy's.  Fire Mountain Gem company sent me two gigantic catalogs, so I will look for a chain when I get some time.

Some of the necklaces I saw in that catalog were downright UGLY!  Others were so huge, I don't know how the people could wear them for over five minutes.  I must be a real weakling when it comes to jewelry.  I'm going to go take a picture (hope that isn't illegal) of one of them so you can see what I'm talking about.

YIKES!

TO ME, this looks like she was walking out to go on her date with a nice beaded necklace, and she tripped and fell in the rose garden.

And this lovely giant red flower on top of two giant beaded leaves is just indescribable.  I hope it doesn't get tangled up in her spaghetti if she goes to an Italian restaurant.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

This is a bracelet.

Wonder what the matching earrings look like!?

And isn't this lovely? I think I could actually use one of these for those days I don't feel like fixing my hair -- or those days when I have to get onto some lazy contractor, and I don't want him to know what I really look like in case he wants to come back and shoot me or something.

It is nearly 5.  While I still HAVE a kitchen, I think I better get in it and figure out what to make for supper.  The last I heard from Michael -- while he was driving to Branson, MO this morning -- was that the countertop people MIGHT show up sometime this week -- maybe on Friday.  Now, that is real definite, isn't it. 

I'll tell you one DEFNITE thing.  The minute the countertop leaves -- I leave.  Phylly, be watching for me!

Hugs, Joy