Victorian, Old Wallpaper-Careful it could have Arsenic!

It started around 1775 when a Swedish chemist came up with a brilliant green.  Bright colors were appealing because it brought brightness to a dreary home. Remember electricity hadn't been invented. This green was named after the creator, Scheele's Green. Also known as Paris Green. The green was described as true to nature's foliage. It was used on fake flowers for realism and of course artists used it too! British wallpaper manufacturers including very popular and still considered the ultimate in designer wallpaper, William Morris used it. In fact Morris' son never accepted Scheele's Green was poisonous. It turns out this green was used in a ton of things and it made it to the USA.
I am posting this article to bring awareness to collectors and DIY remodelers.  There are articles out there explaining the lethal toxicity of touching wallpaper sample books and others with Scheele's Green in it.
Historians have now questioned historically popular people's death because of high levels of arsenic found. No joke many adults and children died from the wallpaper in their home but, it took a long time for doctors to convince government and the public. Some articles state it was not until the 1840's some countries banned the green but, William Morris did not cease until the 1880's. The color was used over 60 years!
As a dealer and collector I will definitely be steering clear of any vibrant green items from this deadly era. I would definitely halt any remodeling in an old home from the time frame showing bright green wallpaper. Like asbestos it should not be taken lightly and calls for expert advice and removal. Like asbestos and lead it probably best not to peal back layers and disturb. However, I will tell you I found almost nothing in a 10 minute search about removal of this paper. That is scary! I would consult someone who removes lead and asbestos for help.


More reading: https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2018/05/02/scheeles-green-the-color-of-fake-foliage-and-death/
Pictures of green dresses and a paint can https://www.esquiremag.ph/the-good-life/pursuits/paris-green-history
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/29082603-bitten-by-witch-fever

Pileated Woodpecker Visits!

Wow! I got a treat the other day at my new pole birdhouse in my backyard. All my pictures have come from my big front trees with birdhouses hanging from the limbs. I installed a pole with one house on top and hooks down the pole with a handmade pottery nest and some apple salt block doughnuts in my yard 2 weeks ago. It took a couple days for birds to come. However Monday was a whole other level! A Pileated Woodpecker shows up not on the feeder but the wood pole. His claws clutched the pole as he looked around. I know he spotted me on the patio but, hammed it up and put on a show!

He wanted the suet on the side of the birdhouse. He hopped up, careened his neck and scooped and swallowed suet. This is my first close up on this giant beautiful bird!

More info on Pennsylvania Woodpeckers. 

https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Education/WildlifeNotesIndex/Documents/woodpeckers.pdf

Baby Squirrels

I was looking out of my bay window at my gnarly front tree. It has a lot of character! I saw something move in a deep crevice in the middle of the tree. I got my camera out and zoomed in. I watched and watched the opening. I saw movement and then I saw an eye!

Two baby squirrels are living in the tree! One wanted to come out so bad and tried and tried but, mama kept stuffing him back in. I guess he was just too young yet to be out and about!

These two little squirrels are quite the comedy act. They certainly give their mom anxiety!

It's been about two weeks and they are now allowed out of the house by themselves. They don't stick together. Each has their own personality. I left out an orange for the birds and it turns out squirrels like oranges!

One of the babies ate on a rainy day. Zipping up and down the tree with every noise and back again for more orange!

Then it was one last cute pic. On a birder feeder setting against the tree.

A babble about furniture, Drexel, Duncan Phyfe and Reproductions.

Below is a little babble about furniture, Drexel, Duncan Phyfe and reproductions.
Antique/Collectible Project➥Right now I am planning a furniture project. I am going to take a small Drexel curio buffet and paint it silver. If you read my blog then you know I sell and collect antiques. Twenty years ago I would have told you this was a bad idea! Well I have been saying things have changed. This will not be easy. It will need cleansed of wax and roughed up with sand paper. I will remove all hardware and use painter's tape on the glass. To save money the hardware will be spray painted. This is not a significant piece of furniture. It is a Duncan Phyfe reproduction. I know you have what you think is the real deal. It is probably from the 1940's. Read this article and discover what real Duncan Phyfe is:
http://www.artemisantiques.com/Article_CollectingDuncanPhyfe.aspx
If it was authentic then it would go through NOTHING or a professional restoration process. In fact painting metallic will make it worth more than it's old high gloss cherry exterior. I have seen some crazy prices online for these curios. Like $600.00. Unless some unlikely young person seriously wants old cherry gloss furniture then good luck. My mother who is 70 thinks it is nice, to give you a clue about a buyers age. As is I would hope to get $100 priced at $150.
I will say very good condition inlaid dining tables still hold some value. Sometimes people want the tables and use updated chairs. Since Duncan Phyfe is a bell ringer name be vigilant reading descriptions because people saying it is an antique may also say Duncan Phyfe "Style."  They know and I know it is not an antique but, your average person thinks Grandma's stuff is considered an antique. I have a hard time getting pass the glassy clear coats put on this furniture. Right now people are buying pieces that look more natural or are painted colors. When I am picking it is for untouched wood furniture. I just want to give it a good wax conditioning to resell it.
However in your area maybe formal high gloss furniture still has buyers. There are still areas in our country that have untouched dining rooms and people who have to entertain formally due to their profession. When I owned a storefront I always sold things like this where I made out and out of state pickers would make out too. There are always buyers for something it just depends on how much they want to spend. 

Goodbye Twitter. Social Media Distancing

Social media unfocused can be a warped vacuum. I feel during this anxiety filled time my Twitter account became my enemy and not my stress release friend. I had over 2500 followers and followed almost the same. I got away from my primary goal. I really just wanted to see hobbies, art, religious interests and pets. The problem is people you follow don't always post very specific topics all the time.
I saw increasing posts with doom and gloom, misinformation or flat out misrepresentations of themselves or fraudulent accounts. I saw immoral, unethical and misinformed posts. Bottom line I felt sucked in to these things and bombarded on a daily basis. I started to feel that anxiety when you work with people that don't share your values and feel stressed even after leaving work.
My husband yesterday pointed out to me a study he probably heard on John Tesh. 
He said something I already know. News and social media in gobs are not good for your mental health. In the past 10 days I have watched Twitter and news way too much. I wasn't living life. I was getting a lot of information and a lot of it not fact checked from around the world. It was too much mental sifting and for what? It wasn't giving me anything better in my life. There are some beautiful people on Twitter with enjoyable accounts. However, for me the bad out weighed the good.
It's time to get back to crafting and listening to some good music. It's time to take a walk or take a ride and take some pictures. There is so much to do even with social distancing. Be mentally well my friends. It's ok to leave trivial things behind and be a better you.

Lancaster, PA I Love Cows!

If you don't get out on back country roads then you are missing out on Lancaster CountyHello from Ronks, PA!

Steer just hanging out.

I hope you enjoyed some country time with me!

USA Country Life-Photos

Enjoy my photos shot from my car. Please do not copy.

This sweet cat at a rural general store greets me when I come out because she knows I have a cheese snack for her!

Working the fields. Many pictures on back country roads in Ronks, PA.

Small church near Smicksburg, PA

Nursery where I buy my flowers.