Kathleen, Thank you for going to all that trouble. Please pass my thanks on to Susan as well. Turns out I have a couple of those plastic light reels! Never thought about converting them to Oscar decor. Only need to get a can of black paint. May already have a partially used one out in the garage. I liked the creator's idea of passing out boas to the woman and black ties to the men. One year I used pastel T-shirts with a bunch of old rhinestone jewelry for the woman and tux T-shirts for the men. Too expensive. I think the boa and bow tie idea is much more sensible and every bit as effective. Now my mind is made up. I'm giving a little Oscar Party next year. Again, thank you for going the extra mile. I've saved the pictures and notes from the blog as well as the pictures mo13 posted here.

I didn't watch a whole lot of it, maybe half an hour or so - I get bored easily with awards shows, they're just public m@sturb@tion AFAIC - but WHAT was it with the one-shoulder thing this year? Seemed like every third woman had on a one-shoulder dress (and most of them not particularly flattering). I thought there were quite a few "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" ;-) gowns in the part I saw. Zoe Saldana's purple fluffy number with the train - which reminded me of the crepe paper carnations that we all made in kindergarten for Mother's Day - and when she and that other woman in a black similarly-overdone thing (I think it was Carey Mulligan?) went down to the mike to present an award neither one could even walk in their gowns. Molly Ringwald's stylist should have been slapped for letting her out of the dressing room in that flappy purple thing. Lot of "fleshtone" dresses this year too, which was a little creepy. I did think Meryl Streep's gown was simultaneously age-appropriate and very elegant. I also enjoyed watching her laugh so many times, she looked like she has a really infectious, hearty laugh instead of the typical Hollywood titter. Mo'Nique looked sharp too, I thought - making absolutely no apologies for her size and I dug the diagonal pleating pattern. At first I was kind of "huh?" about the hair ornament but I decided I liked it.

Did anyone have a chance to try this recipe? Or, maybe someone has a suggestion for a variation of this?

It's fine to prefer a style. I like to use the seasons or holidays to bring out something different. We had an Oscars night party using modern flatware and then used it again on New Years eve. Everyone thought it was fun and special. Some people like what is familiar. It can be comforting. I like using my grandma's china for special occasions. I feel good seeing it and I wish she was with us. Well, maybe she is in spirit, smiling down on us and her china. When I go out and use restaurant flatware, it makes me appreciate my sterling at home. I didn't understand why people liked sterling when it was easier to care for stainless. Now that I have been using my set everyday, I prefer it to my stainless which is very nice. I got a few place settings in different styles to see what I preferred. I like French Recency for everyday because of the balance and the weight in my hand and the elegant style. Some of the other patterns are pretty but don't feel the same when I'm using them. The rest of the family uses the stainless because they can put them in the dishwasher. Our six year old asks for his silver flatware though. He prefers it without knowing the difference in cost or status. I bought him a setting of vintage lunch sized Old Master after he asked to use my sterling regularly. That's what he chose for himself at the antique store and he likes that it's his special setting and is different. At first he would say" may I have an ice cream spoon please ?" because the sterling spoons get colder than the stainless ones and then he wanted to use the other pieces as well. I made a roll up flatware protector out of fabric that he picked out. He washes them carefully and puts them to bed in the drawer. I feel my antiques will be in good hands.