Thank you all for the comments. Jean, Magic Lantern is not a mini but full size. I think it is a sport of Gold Medal, or somehow related to it. I sp'd Gold Medal several years ago. It was beautiful but the blooms didn't last very long. ML always wows me. It is quite possibly my favorite rose. FYI, that is my Angel Face that has crown gall. I cut it off and am going to watch it carefully. It is my best bloomer. Kathy

Sharon those are great and I think your circles are pretty darn good. What method are you using? I was trying each one and finally decided I had the best results using the glue stick on the turn under edges. Friday I lost my mouse! I am making a tote with appliques on it...some good...some not so good. One side I had done some flowers and a little mouse. I wasn't happy with the mouse, so took it off and did another one, there is 6 pieces to this little guy. I had everything prepared to sew him onto my bag. I volunteer at our Hospital gift shop Friday afternoons, so take a little project with me to work on, this day my mouse. Well it was an eventful afternoon, including a fire drill and I didn't get anything done. Last night I decided to do my mouse and he's gone! I must have left him in the gift shop somewhere, so now I'll have to wait all week. I can hardly wait for our class to start this week. I have my list of questions all ready, and I'm sure that many of my problems will get solved. Keep up the good work. Jean

Unfortunately it resolves pink on my monitor. This is the bottom line: Did you go, "Ah HA! That's IT!"? I think it's pretty. Think inches vs. rows and it might help you decide. A medium band would be interesting. I like your colors.

I really like the overall look you're going for, Rosieo. It's going to look very charming! I just wanted to say, if you did decide a change would be good, don't sweat the relatively small amount it'd take to bring the trades back. My few regrets on the home we built are ALL about not biting the bullet and having the guys on site redo things that had me biting my lip at the time--and we built on a small tight budget. Looking back, it would have cost so little in the overall picture. Sigh... As for adding more detail, you can buy decorative cabinetry details like those in your dream picture on line, or even a local big box store for a smaller selection, brush on a matching finish, and glue them on yourself. The center panels of solid doors over the stove would make a good place for a matching pair. You could also make the "crown" at the top of the long run of cabinets top a flat "schoolhouse" type board and place details on that flat surface; that looks like it might run the cabinets to the ceiling, but maybe not if you went with a narrow board. If you're in love with that gentle arch on the right of your dream picture, draw a version for the bottom of your long run on graph paper, which will be your feature wall, and have somebody working on the kitchen make and attach it, or a local carpenter/handyman. I promise--a small-buck investment if done by a local. That lovely tile work? Choose painted drywall for now (drywall was my first choice and still looks good) and add it later. For your birthday? BTW, your last picture looks very nice both functionally and aesthetically. I really don't see all the problem with cleaning the oven. Unless you're particularly sparkly-oven proud, how often would you be kneeling in front of it, however placed? Better yet, plan on having someone with longer arms do it for you. :)