Awesome some really beautiful cool stuff there. I want to do some teapot totems too. Thanks for the info

Had a nice long post going and the computer locked up! LOL Oh well, I'll try to remember the highlights. First a mythbuster: Tide (together with Gain, ERA, Cheer, Dreft, etc) are made by Procter & Gamble and P&G make *no* store brands or generics of anything for anybody. Huish makes a lot of the store & generic type brands, including Kirkland, Great Value, Sun and they now own the Wisk name too, IIRC. Is it better? That's subjective and depends on what you're doing. In most all objective cleaning tests, any detergent with enzymes will clean better on dirty and stained clothes. If your clothes don't get very dirty, you may not see the benefit. I see a big difference in using enzymes. I used to add them when I used Arm & Hammer, had to use them when I used Sun or other Huish products and when I figured out what it cost to add all the additives like Borax, oxy, dishwasher detergent (for enzymes), Calgon, etc, it cost more than Tide at full retail in the most expensive store. I got some coupons and coupled it with sales and wound up getting several bottles for the price of sales tax so this gave me a chance to compare. No comparison. I don't need all the additives anymore. I use the Free & Sensitive Skin (now replaced by Free & Gentle - name only I presume?) since I don't like clothes to stink. When they stink it's time to wash them. Gain worked well but I couldn't handle the smell and they don't have a dye/stench-free version. I used to use ERA a lot and liked it but the price went way up so I quit using it. I just tried a bottle that was on sale cheap and it works very well. If you don't get your clothes dirty, then any cheap detergent should serve your needs. However for me, since the surgery I have blood that gets on the clothes and there's times I haven't even treated them and with the Tide they come clean. I've also tried the Stain Release pouches. Was very skepical of them, but I have to say I think they make a difference. Some of the Sears detergents (made by Desoto BTW, not P&G) get good reviews, especially the one that has enzymes (getting the message? LOL) All objective testing rates Tide & Gain very highly. Yes they cost more, but often you don't have to use as much. With the cheaper ones, I did have to use more, plus the additives. I'm frugal, but I'm pragmatic. Spending on the additives has to be included in the cost of the detergent. And now, I don't do so much laundry that I'm overly concerned on the cost, even if it is a bit more, and I can say for me, it hasn't been cheaper. Same thing goes for dish detergent. I'll only buy Dawn & Joy. Tried the cheaper ones and they don't work, need more and are more effort. My time and energy are worth something and there too, I buy it cheaper most of the time so double benefit. Two brands I won't use - they just don't work well. Could use just water and be better off and that's Purex and Sun. I threw them out. Couldn't even give them away. Everyone I know tried them and didn't like them. Again, if your clothes don't get dirty, it may be ok for you. Even if I economized and didn't have the cleaning needs I have, I'd then go with ERA free. About $6-$8 for a 150 oz bottle. The inferior store brands aren't that cheap and ERA has enzymes. FWIW I sold Amway for a while and remember the schpiel! LOL They criticized all the top sellers. Not surprising they go after the #1 detergent! LOL I will say, I tried Tide 30 years ago and itched like crazy. Others I know had same issues. But no more. Even friends/relatives with skin conditions have no trouble with the "Free" version and some are even fine with the stench types. What I don't understand is not so much the powder issue but why do people need dyes and stench in everything? Can't you add some Kool Aid and skunk oil if you want it colored and stinky? Would be a lot less room required in the stores if they just had basic, unpolluted detergents and then a rack with dye & stench to add if you must have it.

Shirley, I love the idea of living next door to a sister--I have 5 and I'd enjoy any one of them. I hope your sister enjoys the party. And now you've made me hungry for potato salad! Bengardening, how nice to be treated to dinner. Sounds like a really enjoyable evening. Have fun! YogaLady, do you find it hard to cook both ways? It would be hard for me to come up with recipes that I could just add meat to for DH. You seem to do it easily and your dinners always sound delicious. OMG, Raven! I would love to be part of your family. What a wonderful menu! Isn't family just the best? I can just picture all of you having that wonderful dinner with lots of laughter around the table. You are so lucky! Sue, I'm starting my baking Monday. I'm cutting back this year. The only thing Harry requested was Bourbon balls as far as cookies go. But I want to make some Mexican wedding cookies, too. Making other goodies for the neighbors. You will sleep really good tonight!

I didn't see any side by side dresses at all on the original link either and didn't understand robs comments. I did a Google search and found a ton of articles about this dress including the one with the side by side pictures. And some of them have pretty interesting information about our eyes and how we perceive things. No mention at all concerning monitor settings in any of the articles I read. Grams33 go to the very top of the main kt page, you will see there the place to start your own new thread. It has an example in the posting box, just ignore that and type in your topic and your post then click on post at the bottom in the green box. Once you start your own thread you can ask us for help finding what you need.