Thanks for the compliments and encouragement! The castle is actually a teapot, the center "plate" is actually a stepping stone and I have no idea what the emblem on the goblet means...it was a catalog item from Gael Song. The garland and the picture are pictures I downloaded from the web and I got the garland idea from one of the bloggers on the Graphic Fairy's website. I made a much bigger one for Valentine's day and liked it so much that I thought I would make a smaller version for this holiday as well. It was fun putting all of my TS and YS finds together to make this little display.

Oh gosh, it must be the luck of the Irish to get up on Sat morn & see these St. Paddy's Day posts! I'm with all the Holiday-ers above & am happy you are keeping this t'scape up for while...it's delightful! You are so creative, punk, using those tiny green hats in the cloches & on the upside down glassware on each place setting (all that added bling!) Plus the coins on the salad plate and the glass stems w/candles & more St Paddy Day decor! All the stemware is beautiful! Esp the big glass container you used for the centerpc! & all the added stems & Leprechauns! WOW! That is just gorgeous all by itself! Double napkin colors & lime green flatware sure add to the celebration! All the candlelight (a trademark for your tables!)...just love it! Looks like it would be a great table for your b'day friend, too! Here's my toast to you, punk, while sitting at your table: "May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, may good luck pursue you each morning and night." TFS! Jeanne S.

Tea Brack recipe first, then how to make homemade buttermilk. -Grainlady TEA BRACK (source: Irresistible Irish Breads - magazine article by Deborah Krasner) Brack, an Irish word for bread, is often used when referring to fruited mixtures. Tea Brack is a traditional tea bread which is an easy version of barm brack. Makes 1 loaf. 2 c. dark seedless raisins or dried currants (I use currants) 1-1/2 c. firmly packed dark-brown sugar 1-1/2 c. strong brewed tea, chilled 1/4 c. rum (I use 1/8 c.) 2 c. unsifted all-purpose flour 1-1/2 t. baking powder 1/2 t. ground cinnamon 1/2 t. ground nutmeg 1/2 t. salt 1 large egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten 1. Several hours or the night before baking, in large glass bowl, combine raisins/currants, brown sugar, tea, and rum. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit overnight. 2. Heat oven to 325°F. Grease an 8-1/2x4-1/2-inch loaf pan and line with waxed paper. Grease waxed paper. 3. In medium-size bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Slowly beat flour mixture and the egg into raisin mixture just until combined to form a batter. 4. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake brack 1-1/2-hours until browned and cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 5-minutes. Turn brack out of pan and remove waxed paper. Cool brack completely on wire rack. Grainlady note: I use two 7-1/2x3-1/2-inch loaf pans or three 5-3/4x3-3/4-inch loaf pans and reduce the baking time accordingly. This is a very moist bread - more currants than bread, almost. I like the smaller pans so I can cut the bread into thin slices that don't fall apart. If you make it in a regular loaf pan, the slices tend to split and fall apart. -------------------------- I use a large amount of buttermilk when it comes to baking on St. Patrick's Day, so I make a homemade version of it using information from "Natural Meals In Minutes" by Rita Bingham. I use a non-instant powdered milk, but regular commercial milk works VERY well. Homemade Buttermilk To a 1-quart canning jar add 1/2 c. buttermilk and fill the jar with regular milk OR reconstituted powdered milk. Note: You can use commercial buttermilk as the starter, or a reconstituted liquid made from powdered buttermilk, or buttermilk from a former batch of homemade buttermilk - your choice. Stir well and cover (I use a plastic lid designed to use with canning jars). Let stand in a warm place (at least 80°F) until clabbered, about 12-18-hours. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate. Grainlady note: I keep mine in my oven with the light on. The temperature at the opposite side of the oven from the light is about 80°F. You can use homemade buttermilk from a previous to culture the milk for the next batch. Just make sure you use it within 2-weeks. Older buttermilk doesn't work as well as newer buttermilk. If you've ever used reconstituted powdered buttermilk, it's rather insipid, thin, and tasteless compared to commercial buttermilk. The homemade buttermilk is more like commercial buttermilk.

Congratulations Carol. I still needed 3 words for bingo. I have roses, salvia, wild violets and a few late planted daffodils blooming. Not even any buds on my iris or daylilies yet. I do think I saw some buds on one of my clematis. Thank you for hosting a fun month.