Silver plated sets are unloved and underpriced. And perfectly gorgeous. I'd watch eBay in addition to what Lizbeth suggested. Plate should hold up just fine--not like you're going to put it in the dishwasher! Unless of course you wanted something new? No idea where you'd get new silver. The old stuff is too fun to consider new!

I would be hard pressed to describe my sewing machine (new and plastic) as a piece of junk. It can out sew anything grandma used...and I know my granny...she'd have one of these puppies too if she were still around and sewing. We'll I'll give you my "took up sewing at 40" perspective (I'm 45 now). I would suggest you spend at least $500 on a new machine (or gently used one even better) either a Bernina, Viking/Husquvarna, Babylock. I started taking a basic piecing (quilting) class with my stupid $199 brother and put it and the fabric away, swearing never to sew again. It totally sucks to learn to sew on a crappy machine. Rent one, or take lessons on someone elses machine (ie at the bernina shop) and learn how fun it is to sew on a real machine!!! Honestly, I wouldnt be the proud owner of a rediclous machine now :oP If I hadn't been convinced by a friend to take some private lessons through a local quilt shop connection. I HATED sewing on that cheap thing I had, but one hour with a middle of the road Bernina...and I was hooked. Its amazing what a great machine can do, and for housewares, it's a wonder to have a quality machine that can handle the stitches and tension involved in sewing a duvet or tapestry drapes. I purchased a Babylock deal ($999) sewing and embroidery as my second and long lasting machine. I recently sold that lovely thing(a year ago) for about $450, which was a good deal and about what they go for...but such a great machine. I upgraded to a better embroidery machine (esante I think....it's out in the car I have to take it out of the box LOL) because I now love sewing so much and enjoy using the many features of this machine. I also suggest you not try to learn with cheap fabric from Joanne's. Buy some lovely silk dupioni or good quality quilt shop cottons and be sure to invest in quality thread and accessories (bobbins and needles). Its kind of like learning to carve with a butter knife or an artists carving tool set. Perhaps you're not much of a carver...but you'll produce a better lump of funky wood with the artists set, and have more fun doing it, than you will with the butter knife..which will just leave you cursing and wanting to give up on the hobby alltogether. One thing to keep in mind though...I started with my first "real" machine as a baby lock. Even though I only make "big square things" (pillows, curtains, silk quilts) I have purchased some of the wonderful accessories (feet that work magic for you) that go with my machine. While I love Husquvarna and Bernina, I alreay had an investment in Babylock feet, and so I went with a Babylock that used the same style accessories. My sewing machine can be plugged into the lap top and I can upload/download...whatever....great embroidery patterns. My last project I added a 1700's lace embroidery reproduction to the edge of a pillow I was making with antique silk ribbons and a piece of tapestry I had found at an antique store. My grandma would have KILLED to be able to do that!! Always,for any project, buy the best tools you can afford. Buying a high quality machine will make this more fun, and if that's a new one, or a used one (us freak upgrade all the time) it's worth it, verses buying a horrible old metal thing that only goes forward and backward and gives tension...to you that you never wanted! Oh and don't drink red wine and use scissors at the same time....just a little hint...

nicole...email me and I can give you some tips. smcqueen72@comcast.net They'd be super cute arranged in a small flower pot, but you could save yourself some time and money if you just got a large pot and put all of them in one pot and just had people take one as a favor. Either way would be fine I think. You really don't even have to do much to the pop itself. Just use fun colors and some sprinkles. No need to actually make it look like a flower unless you want to get really creative. I think they make super cute party favors.

I'm going to be limited in what I can share in terms of actual bonsai advice, but I can share my experience which I think may be applicable. If not, feel free to skip it and move on to comments by those far more experienced than I. About a year ago I, like you, found myself suddenly very interested in bonsai. I read, looked at examples, watched styling videos, and tried to learn what I could. As of today, I still do not own a single bonsai tree. What I found as I started digging into bonsai was that there was a lot for me to learn before trying to care for my first tree. Unlike you, I started with NO successful gardening background. I started first trying to grow and care for plants that have potential for me to use as bonsai later. I have a couple small boxwoods in training pots. I learned a lot by absolutely murdering an azalea (such as: "Don't murder your azalea."). I have a small yellow elder with tons of "bonsai-no-nos" but I just love the plant so I hope to be able to do something with it some day. I know exactly what kind of juniper I don't want to buy from Home Depot (ugh...). I even kept the stump end of a small oak that I needed to remove from the corner of the yard and am looking forward to new growth on that this spring. I tried many different store bought and home made (not bonsai) soil mixes and learned a lot about water retention and drainage (thanks Al). I've grown (with mixed results) various vegetables, and spent more time in the past year on my general yard landscaping than I have in the rest of my life combined. Over the winter, I even got into woodworking and making planter boxes. In short, my self imposed, "pre-bonsai learning period" has been immensely rewarding and has shown me that my interest far exceeds the smaller sphere of bonsai. I've embraced the idea that bonsai involves a very long term growing and learning process and that bonsai is the art and process of the tree, not just the tree itself. Knowing that has really let me enjoy the experience much more than if I were mostly just concerned with the end result of having the final tree in a pot. Learning to care for a plant species in less demanding conditions will, I believe, make me far better able to care for them in the restrictions of a small pot. Side note: It's also driven my wife partially mad at times, so... maybe exercise some caution... People are all very different but, apart from any actual practical advice to share, I can tell you that, for me, the volume of what is available for me to learn about bonsai has made it something I've really latched onto and I've enjoyed all of it, even without actually having a tree yet. Looking at it in that context (long term learning experience vs. short term end result) may be useful for you as well. Just my $0.02. Hope you enjoy whatever you choose to grow!