Installing A Plaster Ceiling Medallion

Alex and Bill installed this very fine 3 ft.; 13 piece plaster acanthus leaf design ceiling medallion, together this weekend. The mold for this medallion is from an antique found in a 19th century brownstone in Boston's historic South End, circa 1850. Alex first fashioned a metal apparatus behind the center piece to allow for easy access to the electrical box with parts from Home Depot. He then used an electric disc sander to make the backs of all pieces flat before brushing smooth and priming fronts with a spray coat of "Cover Stain". The next day Bill painted the fronts with Benjamin Moore latex white ceiling paint to match the surrounding sheetrock ceiling. The first exterior pieces were glued with "Loctite Power Grab" along a centered parallel line to the long wall of the room. By laying out the medallion on the floor first, the spacing and positioning between parts was noted. Light: Tom Dixon Etch Web.

 

A 45th Princeton University Reunion

In May of 2020, our Princeton University Class of 1975 will celebrate it's 45th Reunion and the planning for this 5 yr. major event has well begun. Since Bill and I helped with the 25th (I designed the fabric for Class blazers to be worn) housing families and contracting food, beverage and bands; while continuing as chairs for the next ten years....we will be involved with costumes and libations only. Whew. Above is a teddy made from Class of  '58 Reunion fabric "Hand Print" by Lily Pullitzer and a gift to me from a wonderful '75 classmate... which inspired several stuffed animals below of '75 Class Reunion jacket fabric.

I used a vintage McCalls pattern sold on Etsy which originally cost $.35, came without sewing instructions and smaller in scale compared to their inspiration. They do have squeakers I stuck inside and real diploma ribbons though. Below is the fabric on "Prade".