Paintingfool, The baby Jesus hidden in the cake is the same as one of the Mexican holidays! One of my Hispanic customers at the bank ran a grocery store. He always brought us one of those cakes each year. Adellabedella, loved those cupcakes. I too plan on keeping that idea. Little GD is too young to enjoy it now, but should be a big hit in a couple years. Pattycakes, I was at Dollar Tree just about a week ago. The masks were in the section where they have the shells, stickers, etc. They are unpainted ones--here they were hanging on a hook. Good luck. Your tree sounds lovely. Nice that you can get extra mileage out of a Christmas tree. I'm getting a fake one next year too--so I can keep it up longer. Sandi, I cook corned beef and cabbage for St. Pat's--and I do have an Irish heritage, but mostly like the idea of celebrating for good luck! You'll have to be sure to see my painted wood leprechauns--I'll post them on the painting forum--will try to remember to put them on here too. Luvs

I love anything to do with tea, I am an avid ice tea drinker but I love to use my tea cups for flavored teas or even cocoa. I think I posted before that I have collected tea cups and saucers for a long time. I even made the Teacup Bird Feeder about 5 years ago. At one time my hubby cut the tea cups in half, I glued them to a piece of framed board and decorated with dried flowers. A young man I use to work with told me about his mom's idea about teacups. She is an inspirational speaker and writes beautiful short stories. She attaches them to the tea cup and saucer - www.teacuptraditions.com. If I ever decide to open a shop I would certainly keep it simple and concentrate more on the different teas. I love decorating cakes, cookies, etc., but I don't like the actual baking. I have lots of ideas on the decorating and reading all the posts on this site sure makes it tempting - but I took an early retirement last June and it is scarey thinking about getting up every morning and going off to work again. The only thing that would make it right is if you really love what you are doing. I love the name, Kathleen. I once thought about "The Copper Kettle" (my mom had a copper tea kettle once). It sure is nice to day dream about all the good times you would have with your friends. At my gift shop years ago, we loved sitting on the front porch swinging - lots of times the hubby's would sit there while the wives shopped. BEBE

Patty... I never really decorated for Valentines Day or Easter but I figured a 'Stacking plate' display as the diningroom centerpiece for those holidays would work for me. For the Valentines one I used only 6 Christmas balls (silver/red glittery ones), white doves I had left from a bridal shower, red berries which I had from Christmas, red hearts (I picked those up for a couple of dollars at michales and I had some acrylic crystals and white silk roses. I will not do St. Patricks Day. But I already have some ideas for Easter. Now to your question... maybe you could use some of those balls that they have at target and pier one...you know the ones that are out of twigs, or painted in animal prints or in different metallics and add some dried plant, grass twig like things. I guess that would be a bit more contemporary. Or use different silk florals, berries and birds I think that might work...At some point I'd like to try a 'rustic' looking one with twig birdhouses, pinecones, little birds and some berries. How about using some of the artificial fruit as the starting point...not the sugared one but plain...lemons...pears...or green apples and add things from there. I think the possibilities are endless. Judith's stacking plates have lots of sparkle but maybe one without sparkle could still be beautiful...

Wow, those are wonderful, incredible and meaningful coincidences, Alisande! I've had many similar things happen to me over the years and have come to realize that, like you, I was guided for a higher purpose. One I can relate quickly: I'd been married and living in New Mexico for about ten years when this happened. I'd been keeping in touch with several family friends intermittantly and one morning, had this strong urge to call my friend "B". When I did, she told me that her DH, "W" has battling inoperable cancer, but seemed to be getting stronger lately. That afternoon I, again, had this incredibly strong urge to call their son, a long-time good friend of mine. I hadn't talked to him in several years, though. B&W lived on the east side of Michigan, where I was born and raised. Their son lived across the state in Grand Rapids. When their son answered the phone at his work, I totally surprised myself by blurting out that I had this bad feeling that his father needed him. I did ~ right then~ feel that, but can't believe I spoke those words out loud! Thankfully, though, something resonated in him. He told his boss he had to leave, drove quickly home to pack a few things and then made the 4+ hour drive home to see his dad. He walked in, hugged his dad and W died right there in his arms less than an hour later. He'd taken a bad turn and B had no time to call her son to try and make it home. I know without out a doubt, that God used me to get their son home so that father and son could say their last goodbyes. We were all quite shaken by this, but also very, very grateful. Lynn