Just a response to a couple of folks that had comments or questions directed to me. Don't want to hijack the thread, but since it seems to be completed, perhaps no one will mind. NCamy: we're almost neighbors, as our lake house is 1-1/2 hours west of Asheville, on a lake that is better known for the river rafting provided by the dam on our lake. I'm sure you can guess which one. Asheville is one of my favorite haunts. Mindstorm: Thanks for the compliments on the DR chairs and library desk. The dining room chairs (and table) were made by a local craftsman in Asheville, NC - Jan Derr of Placeways Studio. Their design was a collaboration between Jan, our architect and interior designer. The desk in the library is my favorite piece of furniture in the entire house. It was made by Brian Fireman of Tryon, NC. I cannot recommend Brian highly enough - fantastic craftsman. I agree 100% with Fori that restraint is key in designing an arts and crafts home to keep it from looking like a cliched imitation of the real thing. I love each and every one of the kitchens posted by Garden Web members, but some of those others above are just over the top, overdone. Lastly, Powertoolpatriot (the OP): I still have a clipping from the Winter/Spring issue of Style 1900 Magazine that lists the features that "if you choose from these features, you'll end up with a kitchen you won't regret thirty minutes or several years later" at least according to the author of this article (I think it was Jane Powell based on a credit on the other side of the page). Although this topic has been debated ad nauseum on this forum, and I don't agree with all of the list, I'm happy to mail this to you if you will send me your USPS mailing address (my email address is on my member page - yours is not). Good luck and be sure to post your kitchen when it is done (she says shamed faced, not having posted her own kitchen...).

If you are looking for black and white images there are quite a few here under "food and drink". Do you want all black and white? Here is a link that might be useful: Free Clipart

I have to say I've never ever been inspired by wandering through a retail store. Too pedestrian for me. Instead I prefer to find inspiration at home (what do you collect? what things gather around your home in groups? Plants, glass, pictures of the kids etc.) I use those items as my inspiration as well as fabrics and textural pieces (ie tile, stone, glass). I can easily become inspired in an antique store :) and don't get near me in a fabulous fabric store (I get all giddy and run hither and what goes with hither? gasping...oh look at this....look at this.....LOOK at this!!!) I often come home with a yard or ten of inspiration (which shows when you see my fabric collection LOL). A great deal of the "where" question will first come from "who" you are. Are you a modern gal? Do you love clean lines and bold details? If so, you probably won't find inspiration in the same place I will. You'd probably have a great time in a wonderful furniture store featuring Italian Modern pieces, where as to me they leave me cold. Or do you like traditional or even fussy victorian? You could have a great time in an antique store. Are you a country girl? Find an antique store or even a farmers market and wander with your eyes open. Something as basic as an ear of colored corn should inspire you to develop a decorating scheme. To figure out who you are...pick five things in your home you absolutely LOVE. WHat were they? Which rooms were they in, and how can you share them with others through your decor? In my dining room you'd instantly know that I have a deep love affair with venetian glass. My entire scheme is chosen to highlight that collection, from the art to the wall color. I chose muted antique oils (and while that sounds like I spent a fortune on art...I really spent very little...they were hidden in the back corner of an antique store, painted by someone's grandfather most likely, and no one wanted them...I LOVE THEM). Their muted colors don't distract from my glass, but the gold frames do bring out the gold in my glass. In my living room it's my husband's animal prints. I decorated with them in mind, not going too fussy with furniture so that they're the obvious attraction verses the red sofa's. If you wandered down a hallway in our home you'd see that we adore our little miracle child. We also love our family and all of our halls are decorated to highlight that love with pictures everywere, all in similar frame colors, and in either sepia or black and white tone. The highlight of that collection would be the umm well ooddles of very large black and white portraits of our son done by a local photographer. We always get at least a 12x20 or more in size and I needed a place to display those without overwhelming. So pick five things...if you want, take a picture of them and post it. I bet you will find many of us can be inspired to lead you into the next step to work with those five things :)

You can also use the Clip Art to decorate your envelopes. I had a friend who used to do that and decided last year I'd try it. Everyone love it and raved about how different it compared to receiving "plain old envelopes". This year I'll be doing the same thing and mixing and matching different designs. It's really lots of fun.