On IE, go to tools, then choose internet options. Go to the security tab, choose restricted sites, and click on the sites button. Add each of the following sites:

*ivillage.com
*.overture.com
a820.g.akamai.net
graphics.gardenweb.com
iv.doubleclick.net

Then you'll have no more annoying ads!

Here is a link that might be useful: STE Mineral Oil

Here is a link that might be useful: Holland Bowl Mill

The products:

Clapham's Beeswax Salad Bowl Finish
Bee's Oil
Regular Mineral Oil
Mystery Oil

First a brief discription (my opinion)

Clapham's: It is a paste, inbetween a wax and a liquid. Goes on easy and feels amazing after you put it on. On the touch catagory it is the best of the bunch.

Bee's Oil: It is a wax. A little harder to get on but if you heat it up it would be easier. Has stay power. This is at the top when it comes to keeping the patina on the stone.

Regular Mineral Oil: Needs no discription. It's easy to apply. Would keep a bottle around for those lazy days. Feels oily compared to the wax or paste. That feel goes away quickly though (whithin a hour or two if you wipe it down with a rag).

Mystery Oil: It is a liquid similar to the mineral oil. Not so crazy about the warning lable. Feels a little bit more oily than the mineral oil at first. Seems to react similar to the mineral oil. In my opinion I would rather use the mineral oil just because of convienience considering the warning about it being combustable.

The proof:

This is unoiled stone.

This is the stone just after application

This is a picture of the sheen each gives off

A day after the first oiling

I then oiled it twice more over the next 2 days and waited 4 days to see what we had. Here it is.

The mystery oil evaporated the quickest, then the mineral oil, contiuing on to the clapham's, and finally the Bee's oil.

I could continue the process but I do believe that you will continue to see the same results. Over time I think you wouold spend less time applying with the wax products but I would keep the mineral oil around for quick touchups or lazy days.

This test also gives people a good idea of how soapstone will react when it is installed in their home. This process of oiling and or waxing lessens with time. Each variety of soapstone can react differently as well. This means some stone evaporates the oil or wax products off quicker and or slower. Some people leave it unoiled some oil it often. Some like it inbetween and only oil it sometimes. . . So it really is up to the owner to choose how the stone fits your lifestyle. I still have not figured out how describe to someone who does not know about soapstone in one or two paragraphs. I know it sounds cheesy but I feel it's an experience. If you don't touch it, feel it, live with it, you'll never really understand it.

Laticrete Silver Shadow or Light Pewter

Hydroment Mobe Pearl

Custom Building Products Platinum

Mapei Warm Bray

If your tiles are anything but ultra-thin, I would urge you to reconsider using a hand tool to cut your tiles: it's not that expensive to rent a tile wet-saw, around $35-40 a day here in LA, and you'll feel like an awesome construction goddess once you get used to it. The saw gives a nice, clean cut, and will fatigue you far less than a hand cutter will. Try to save the cutting for the end of your project, so that you minimize your rental time.

Here are a few pointers on using the saw. If the saw blade is turning, be aware of your hands at all times. To remind myself, I chant a mantra: "Where are my hands? Where are my hands? Where are my hands?" If the blade is turning, you must have on protective glasses or goggles. Heavy rubber gloves, like the old-fashioned dishwashing gloves, will help protect your skin, and a plastic apron will help to keep you dry. (Some wet saws throw a lot of water off the blade, and if you're standing in front of the saw, guess where it lands?)

Because I was working with 1x1's, my DH made me a "pusher stick" to help with some of the cutting; it was a piece of 1x2 wood about a foot long, with a 90 degree angled notch cut in the 2" wide section, so that I could hold or push the tiles into place as they went under the blade to be cut.

Never try to cut more than one tile at a time. Never try to cut a sheet of mesh or paper-mounted tile all at once.

If anything ever gets scary, TURN THE SAW OFF FIRST, then deal with the rest of the problem.

Are your tiles pre-mounted on mesh or paper? Or will you be handplacing them?

Sometimes you can deal with fitting mesh-backed tiles into a limited space by mooshing them together a little and making the grout joint a bit thinner. Can't go too far with this, though, or else things will get out of alignment.

Use white mortar. I recall reading about problems with the clear stuff 18 months ago when I was installing glass tiles in my bathroom. Seems peoples' shower walls and ceilings were falling out.

Mesh-mounted mosaic is the very easiest to use, but unfortunately the trend seems to be toward the paper-mounted stuff. I don't like it because you can't soak off the paper until your mortar is dry, and by then, any flubs in the placement are also mortared in. I would distrust any advice that says to soak the paper off before the mortar has set. It takes a good bit of water to get the paper off, and all that water thins the mortar out and makes it more likely that your tiles will fall out of place.

Something to remember is that gravity will pull your wall tiles downward, and they may tend to slip. With mesh-backed tiles you can help hold them up with some masking tape and/or spacers, and you can see how they're doing on the wall after you've put them up. Can't do that with the paper-mounted type. Here's a trick if you're working with the paper-mounted mosaics: get a couple of bags of 1/16" tile spacers, and insert them between the tiles, through the paper, to keep the tiles properly spaced.

BTW, don't try to put the spacers in an "X" in the intersections of the tiles, just push one of the legs through the paper, between the tiles. (2 legs will lie flat against the tiles, and the 4th leg will stick straight out.) Insert one spacer in the grout joint between each 2 tiles. Yes, that's a lot of spacers, but it's worth it when all your tiles are nice and even and your grout joints are uniform. (I tried skipping this in a couple of places, and got some tiles that looked like buck teeth as result!)

Also, never assume that your counter is completely level. Instead, figure out where the "equator" and center line will be in your installation, mark level and plumb lines there, and use those lines as guides for the placement of your tiles.

If you want to do a handmounted design, Mosaic Maestro (Master?) in Chicago sells 11" wide rolls of tile tape that looks like beefed up scotch tape. That way you can sketch out your design on paper, arrange your tiles on the paper, and then put the tape down over them to hold them in place for transfer to your installation. This can get heavy, though, so use an exacto knife to cut the pattern into manageable chunks for transfer. (I used a sharpie to number my chunks and keep them in order.) The great thing about the tape mounting is that you can see through it and correct any problems before they get "set in stone".

One last thing: how are you going to finish off the edges? Will you leave them "raw", (which can look very good with some of the thicker glass tile) or put bullnosed tile, wood molding, or something else around them? If you enclose them in an edging frame, put that up first, and then protect the edging treatment while putting up your mosaic. For protection, I'd recommend using the brown paper painter's tape that's backed with post-it-note type sticky stuff. Masking tape sometimes sticks too well, and can be a pain to peel off.

Okay, this has been a really long post, but YOU CAN DO THIS! It's a grand feeling to look at your own handiwork and know that it's all uniquely yours.

Have fun!

Mollyred

I just purchased some new register covers. They are expensive, no two ways about it. Here are some of the resources I consulted.

Pattern Cut

Reggio Registers

Beaux-Artes

Shop4Classics

Urban Registers

Search for products at the Old House Web

Resources from Period Homes

Good luck!

Heres subways in mbath with Mapei Silver grout

good luck

Here, also, is the kitchen designed because of the kitchen in the movie "Somethings Gotta Give". I wish I had all the info for the original link, but this is just what I'd saved for my own use, so I hope it's OK to include in a post.:

ok, i took some more pictures and changed some things. i took out the tv, which i think i like better. i will put something else there. i also took all the red and yellow plates out of the display cabinets next to the sink. and used all white in the right cab and all glass in the left. what do you think? better? worse? also, i was going to purchase the pottery barn chalkboard for the kitchen wall. dh made one for me today. its big, what do you think of it in the kitchen area? too big? we can't write on it yet so it looks bare. my husband can draw really well so i thought he could draw a picture up at the top and we could use the bottom for lists, notes ect. please be honest.

CHALKBOARD

CHANGES TO STUFF ON COUNTERS AND LIGHTED CAB NEXT TO SINK

I am definitely going to put something over on the butlers pantries. maybe a mixer on one and some containers of some sort on the other.

please tell me what you think.

sandy

Christmas
Exterior outlets (preferably switched from near the front porch)
• On either side of front entryway for Christmas lights.
• Under roof eaves
• High on each porch
• Around perimeter of wrap-around porch
• Near the top peak of gable so there's a place to plug-in the Christmas Star
• Place exterior outlets along driveway and access point on main arterial
Inside (preferably switched) outlets
• At preferred location for Christmas tree
• Under inside of front windows for 'candle' light (www.windowcandles.com) (Stillites)
• At front of main staircase for a lighted garland up the staircase.
• Fireplace outlet on the mantel for decor items
• Outlet over the kitchen cabinets (if they are open to the ceiling), to plug-in Christmas lights to highlight decor. In this way, you don't actually see the wires...just the glow.
For heavy decorators, consider one or two separate 20amp circuits
Outside
Landscaping
• Pillars/posts at the end of my driveway
• Uplight landscaping lights
• Wiring or conduit under your driveway/sidewalks, for later landscaping
• Garden accent lights and fixtures
Outlets
• strategically in yard for electrical mower or weed eater
• one on each exterior wall

wiring for a tv outside up in a corner of my lanai pool area;
wired for two lights in my swimming pool;
wired all four corners of the home with motion sensor lighting;
wired for an irrigation only well;
Wired for motorized awnings
Foot lights (attached to light sensor outside)
Placed an outlet next to our dog's outdoor kennel for a heated water dish.
ceiling fans outside
Allow electrical runs for 'future' buildings or storage sheds, as well as possible motor home hook-ups.
Don't forget to provide electrical package for cooking and barbecue area (and, place it adjacent to the gas supply line).
Include outdoor lighting for stairs, steps and walkways.
Will there be a gazebo in your landscape?
Be sure to design an electrical package for this area!
If you're including a fountain, spa, pool, wading, or hot tub...be certain to remember electrical service for pumps, lights and outlets.
Include electrical service for future shop or work area.

Entertainment
wired for outdoor speakers/indoor theatre system;
Speakers in ceiling
Speakers in eaves outside
For an entertainment center, include 2 quad outlets on center of that wall!
Where your TV is located, don't forget the DVD, VCR, CD, cable, satellite receiver

Kitchen
TV/Cable in my kitchen;
Low voltage-xenon undercabinet lighting;
Above cabinet rope lighting.
Switched outlets above all cabinets (rope lights, Christmas lights)
Outlet above kitchen cabinets to put rope lights (on a timer).
We don't plan on having a TV in the kitchen, but we wired the tall storage cabinet with power and cable for the "next" owner.
Under sink dishwater outlet
Disposal outlet
If you have a glass-fronted cabinet, you probably will want a light source in there.
GFI outlet under the sink for the instant hot water dispenser and garbage disposal
In kitchen walls, place outlets for under- or in-cabinet lighting.
Outlet for my mixer under the countertop in the cabinet the mixer lift is in, that is the only one I wasn't able to do.
Place outlets on both ends of the kitchen island.
In the kitchen we'll have a 12 foot island and also a 3x4' moveable island. That island will be wired to connect with a floor outlet for use while in the kitchen and also have a side outlet connection so I can roll it into the GR for Christmas or even outside on our porch for Margarita parties :)

Utility
added a transfer switch into my fuse box to add a generator safely;
Wired for carbon monoxide sensors
Wired for weather station
If your new home is located in an area where power-loss frequently occurs, be certain to install a sub-panel for electrical generator, or a future alternative energy source.

Security
Alarm system to include the fire sprinkler system
Alarms in window screens (so windows can be left open without breaching the security)
We've wired one loop of exterior security lights on one of the generator's circuits that will totally illuminate the entire yard on all four sides of the house. We have a manual switch in the bedroom, another at the front door and an automatic relay that will turn the lights on if the security system is triggered.
Switch next to bed in Master Bedroom that can turn on/off all exterior lights (yep ... those "boogieman lights").
Bedrooms
built-in ironing boards in laundry and master closet
Laundry/Mudroom
Outlet in the laundry room for iron.
built-in ironing boards in laundry and master closet
Outlets in the top "cubby" of each mudroom locker for charging cell phones.
In the laundry room, provide electrical service for clothes iron (and, don't forget service for a built-in ironing board with a light).

Bathrooms
Chandelier over my bathtub in master bathroom;
Outlets near toilets (Toto washlets)
Outlets inside bathroom cabinets for hair dryers
Water sensors in all bathrooms, laundry rooms and kitchen
Dedicated circuit for whirlpool heater
tv behind mirror in master bath
telephone in master bath toilet room
Place outlets in convenient locations at bathroom vanity, especially if there's a 'his & hers' side (off the sink counter and out-of-site is always nice).
Phone jacks in the bathrooms.

Living Space
outlets placed in the floor of my family room so I could have a light placed behind the sofa on my sofa table;
Outlet on fireplace mantle.
switches for gas fireplace starters
wired for plasmas above 2 fireplaces
In addition to the normal wall outlets we're going with 2 floor outlets in the center of our greatroom and also in the center of our gameroom. They'll come with wood covers for when not in use.
Garage
Wired the garage for a workbench complete with cable, phone and internet connection
phone in garage
Place outlets in garage where car will be parked for a car battery charger.
Also, include outlets at workbench height for power tools
(check amperage requirements of tools & equipment).

wired every room for tv, internet, phone, security;

Wired for Cat 5e ABus whole house audio.
did double tv/phone wiring in bedrooms to allow for flexibility in furniture placement

Rope lights (cove dining rm, under toe kick in bath/kitchen)
Automatic pantry lights - turn on/off when door opens/closes
Inside cabinet outlets in for toe-kick rope lights which was mentioned above.
Small things you recharge, like flashlights, dustbusters, cell phones, etc.
Wired our closet light to be auto on when the door opens.
Created a niche in the wall (could also do a drawer) with a outlet that has a surge supressor plugged into it for plugging in chargers for cell phones, pda's, walkie talkies, flashlight, etc. etc. etc. Over the niche is our message center...

Dimmer over desk in kitchen/living area as I like to surf while DH is watching TV. The dimmer is to keep bright light from "interfering" with DH's shows.
I put in all the outlets and spent alot of time visualizing various furniture placements, xmas decorations, and how we live (where to plug-in the fax/computer/printer/cell phones/answering machines/digital camera/etc).
220 in my closet for a tanning bed
lighting in all niches

outlets in cabs for chargeables

wired for under cab, drop-down, flat screens in kitchen and craft room

low lighting at stairs
floor outlets in den and study
"telephone in master bath toilet room

I also double-wired for tv/phone in every bedroom figuring furniture placement may change. I put a phone jack just inside the rear porch door, in the garage, and in DH's basement workshop area.
3. Here's the interior UTILITY ELECTRICAL PACKAGE:

Place several outlets inside walk-in closets for charging...batteries, pagers, cell phones, cordless flashlights...and those worthless, every-home-has-one, dust busters!
Place an outlet adjacent to telephone jacks for caller ID boxand your cordless telephone base.
I
Don't forget wiring and supports for ceiling fans.
Should radiant floor heat be incorporated into your new home, be sure to include electrical service for this system.
Place outlets in the hallway and entryway.
Sometimes it's hard to find a place to plug in the vacuum cleaner.
If you are putting in a security system or intercom (or are just pre-wiring), be sure to provide
electrical service to these areas.
Closely related: Run two cat5e (or cat6) and two (paired) shielded coax lines (RG-6 not RG-59)
to each room of the house, coming from a central wiring box.
Install a whole-house surge suppressor in your main breaker box.
In the attic and crawl space entries, place outlets near the access hatches.
This will be useful for a light and to plug-in an extension cord!
Think Ahead: place conduit in the ground to accommodate future el runs.

4. Here's the LIFESTYLE ELECTRICAL PACKAGE:
During the design process, review your floor plan using your furniture layout. Think about the lifestyle you want to create within the homestyle.
During the build process, do a walk-thru as soon as possible.
Re-think your electrical layout. Measure. Measure. Measure.
Mark locations of cabinets and furniture.
Define your electrical services based lifestyle needs.
Place outlets and switches in locations that are convenient for you.
Remember: Too many switches in one area looks ugly.
Place lighting fixtures in locations that will benefit your lifestyle.
Be sure your electrical contractor reviews electrical layout with you.
The National Electrical Code determines minimum requirements, and you'll want to meet this standard while also addressing your needs.
If your ground floor is a concrete slab-on-grade,
be absolutely certain of your cabinet and furniture locations so the electrical service layout serves you best!
For furniture placed in the middle of a room, place outlets and fixtures directly above or below exact location.
This includes the locations of chandeliers, table lamps, or reading lights.
Don't rely on anyone else to fully consider your lifestyle...prior to concrete pouring or final framing, be certain to layout your home based on electrical service required for your lifestyle and homestyle.
For a home office, fully consider computer, scanner, printer, answering machine, lamps, chargers, radios...need I say more?
Do you need a plug-in for a laptop computer? Where?
In a bedroom, don't underestimate the number of plug-ins at your bed stand: alarm clock, cordless phone, lamps. A quad outlet may be needed.
In hallways, place small, theater-style foot lighting in the walls at knee level controlled by a switch outside each bedroom doorway (a great idea for getting up in the middle of the night, teenagers coming home late, or subtle mood lighting for a party).
Consider every room in terms of its current and future use...what is now a kid's bedroom, may become a home office or exercise room.
It's a lot cheaper and easier to place wiring now rather than later!
If you intend to include an exercise room, what are the equipment needs?
Consult with your vendor for security or audio system to determine low-volt requirements.

DH had them add an outlet and ethernet above the great room soffit so he can put a wireless access point up there. It's central to the house and won't be seen.

We had dimmers on every entry point,
Outside closet light switches.

Home runs for all TV (A must for satellite) & Phone jacks. Quad outlets located kitchen & bathroom counters,computer/office area,night stand area in bedroom.

I don't think that anyone mentioned theses--outlets in appliance garage in kitchen and outlets in the pantry.

If you have a dustbuster, include an outlet for wherever you will keep it--in our current house that was in a kitchen cabinet, but will be in the pantry in our new house.

We're using recessed lights in our finished basement, but we put in a box for a ceiling light over the area where we would put a pool table so we can add a ceiling light there in the future if we do get a pool table.

Some people put an outlet inside a kitchen cabinet for recharging things so that they can keep phones, etc., out of sight while they are being recharged.

I recall one person on another post who didn't like the big plug that you get with cordless telephones so she put the outlet for the phone in a pantry cabinet and then drilled a hole in the side of the cabinet and ran the cord through the hole to the adjacent counter where she kept the phone.

We also will probably put a motorized rollup hurricane shutter on our master bedroom window so are pre-wiring for that.
We put an outlet about 70" above floor in the pantry because "through the wall" from that is where we're hanging a special painting that we'll put light on. We're not sure exactly where the light needs to be so we can punch through the wall later and plug into the pantry.
We put an outlet whereever we want a phone rather than a phone jack (although we have lots of those too just because). We use a wireless phone system where all the extra handsets just plug in to power - no phone cable needed.

I wish I had thought about the placement of the china hutch with an interior light. There is an outlet to the left and right of the hutch, but that would mean exposing an extension cord.
Also make sure outlets are where the night stands are going(to avoid seeing electrical cords).

I thought I'd start a thread to collect all the resources I've found and let others post theirs to give those of us who are looking for period-appropriate details for our kitchens (even if they're not overall "period" kitchens or even in old homes).

Cabinets: I will probably go with a local cabinet maker, but who can argue with the beauty (and ideas available) of Crown Point? Their prices are high, but definitely a good source for the look/feel of a period kitchen.
http://www.crown-point.com/

Lighting: The favorite around here seems to be Rejuvenation, which offers period reproduction lighting and "houseparts" (cabinet knobs, doorknobs, push-button switches and switchplates, etc.)
http://www.rejuvenation.com/
Schoolhouse Electric also has many period-style fixtures, though I've personally found their website not as user-friendly as Rejuvenation's.
http://www.schoolhouseelectric.com/

Cabinet hardware/doorknobs/switchplates: I heard about House of Antique Hardware while watching Bob Vila, and have to say that their prices are definitely less expensive than Rejuvenation's.
http://houseofantiquehardware.com/
Also, Crown City Hardware: http://www.crowncityhardware.com/index.html
And Restoration hardware: http://www.restorationhardware.com

Marmoleum flooring: http://www.themarmoleumstore.com

Restored vintage ranges: http://www.antiquegasstoves.com/
http://www.vintagestoves.com/stove/welcome/
http://www.antiqueappliances.com/

Vintage lookalike fridges & ranges:
http://www.elmirastoveworks.com/northstar/
http://www.bigchillfridge.com/flash_index.html

Soapstone:
M. Teixeira: http://www.soapstones.com/
Vermont Soapstone: http://www.vermontsoapstone.com/
Green Mountain Soapstone: http://www.greenmountainsoapstone.com/
Soapstone West (great pic gallery of kitchens!):
http://www.soapstonewest.com/soapstone_counters/gallery_soapstone_countertops.html

I know that this board is a wealth of information on vintage-y things, and I've only just touched the tip of the iceberg on info. What else have you got?

www.nor'eastarchitecturalsalvage.com

another lighting place that has beautiful things :

pw vintage

I am getting all of my hardware from :

Robinson's antiques...they have beautiful pulls etc at very reasonable prices