Laura, maybe yours will be late? I only have a few on my Red EC but my small pink one has several opened blooms, I have NO idea why the difference? Good to know other people's TC's are blooming late too. In FL its rare for them to be blooming this late in the season since by March its usually too warm for them to rebloom but its been a little "cooler" than normal for April...but that's ending,lol...we're suppose to be 90 degrees this weekend!! Not ready for summer yet...

Tam, Your buffet is beautiful. You carried the pinks thru very well and the black color is nicely distributed. Often people will forget that "rule" of carrying the colors in the vignette throughtout the "look", which you did very well. The varying heights of the objects are great too (being that the different heights allows the eye to "travel"). The only thing I might change would be to remove the center decoration from the buffet (under the Believe sign), it is very pretty, but, just don't feel that you "need" to fill every "open" space. Sometimes "open spaces" are just as important the vignette its self. I hope you do not mind the comment, I really, really hate giving suggestions, cause I don't want to hurt peoples' feelings. Please realize this is only my opinion and not neccessairly the "correct" one... You really are doing wonderful with your vingettes!

Magpie...Wow! thanks for such wonderful compliments! Now, I think you don't give yourself credit to be able to decorate a hutch - because right now - you Don't Have One! I'll bet once you do...you'll amaze yourself. That time you posted some pics...I loved what you did - and thought you had lovely things and displayed them nicely. I'm looking forward to more from you. As far as those flowered dishes..if you mean the white with the green floral border...they were from a local consignment shop. They only had two...but that's okay.they work in with what I have. I do that alot by just getting two or four sometimes even one. Also, I have years of collecting ..so I have lots to work with. I need YOUR storage space!! jeanne...I know you're right...I have to experiment to find out just what can be done with the photos. I always love how yours look..all like a special presentation. One day, when I can sneak some time...I'm going to give it a try. Thanks again...and anytime you want to share a new technique..I'm interested. jane

Haven't really subscribed to mags for years, but I have bought a number at check-out counter in the past two years, primarily the BHG bath-kitchen ones, and Renovation Style, and one called "Kitchen Trends." Often began reading them while waiting for DH in a store. Also bought the Consumer Reports mag at newstand, without paging through it. I like BH&G for its down-to-earth attitude, its placidity with paint and DIY. Triangulating between the posh mags and House Beautiful and the plebian ones helps me see the field better. I did a lot of reading of library copies of Kitchens and Baths and of kitchen remodel guidebooks. We have a fabulous local library system. Sometimes I go spend a couple hours in library reading latest copies of all those titles that others mention above. Our MPR public radio station sponsorships bring us Minnesota Monthly and its occasional companion Midwest Home, which covers the region's high end building industry primarily. This publication is helpful for showing what are the upcoming open houses, shows, etc. and what are the posh kitchens like, but it is also aimed well above my family's interests and budget and has some downright dumb designs in it sometimes. Portions are online--see link. I do know that a number of helpful images at beginning of project came from this mag--sometimes just a color scheme or a shade or something. Also like reading the pieces put out by local industries--the local co. tile mag, the Parade of Homes promos, etc. Thanks for leads to other online mags. I love to browse. Here is a link that might be useful: Midwest Home Magazine