Jane, thanks for your teaching abilites, I've learned I can use turkey plates on this table and pretend they are bunnies, by covering them up!ha Another thanks for the comment on my little vignettes in the Bell Jars. Karen, my heart would be so Happy if this inspires you to decorate for St Paddys! You have so many wonderful things to share. Thanks for your comments on TJ's Purple scarf and the decorated bird cage. Nana, great to hear you've got your tree decorated and the leprechauns are out! They are mischievous at times so hope you catch them and they lead you to the treasue! Will be fun to see them and what you come up with for your ts. Thanks for all your effort keeping our Holiday forum a fun place to come! I always look forward to seeing what your up to. I agree we've had enough of this White stuff. Mother Nature has us under storm watch again here. Stay warm and safe df's and thanks for all the sweet comments. Punk

Karen, it was nice to see the rerun of your St, Patrick's Decorations. I hope you feel up to decorating for Easter. Right now my house is a combination of St. Patrick's and Easter decorations. I have the St. Patrick's decorations in the TV room and Easter things scattered through out the rest of the house. Thank you for showing the St. Patrick's album. I don't think I've looked at it before. It was fun to see what others have created. I'm with Punk, Thank You for creating and keeping up these albums. It is such a thoughtful thing to do. Nana

Luvs, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to answer you. As Kathleen said, the rooster dishes gave me the "Bird Flu"! LOL The two bead garlands in these pics came from Walmart and Target a few years ago. I wish I had bought more of them. I painted most of the ornaments myself. I did buy a box of mixed color ornaments after Christmas this year and painted shamrocks on the green ones with the faux stained glass paints. I used a lot of gold ornaments with stained glass paints and regular paints and glitter. LOTS of glitter! I don't think I'll ever get all the glitter out of my carpet. LOL The flowers I painted are the carnations. The chartreuse flowers came from Old World Pottery for 77 cents a bunch. I made and painted all of the shamrocks.

These are some goodies I've made for years for our St. Patrick's Day Hoolies (parties). -Grainlady McCann's Irish Oatmeal Cookies (Source: box of McCann's Quick Cooking Oatmeal) Cream: 1-1/4 c. margarine (I use butter), 1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 c. granulated sugar, 1 egg slightly beaten, 1 t. vanilla Combine together: 1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour, 1 t. baking soda, 1 t. salt (optional), 1 t. cinnamon (optional) 3 c. McCann's QUICK Cooking Oatmeal (don't use steel-cut oats), 3/4 c. raisins (I omit), 1/2 c. walnuts. Cream margarine and sugars. Add egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, add to shortening mixture. Mix well. Stir in oats, raisins and walnuts. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes at 375-degrees F. Cool 1 minute before removing to wire cooling rack. Yield: 4-1/2 dozen. [Grainlady note: these are crunchy cookies, not chewy, and any brand of quick oats will work.] ------------------------------------ Broonie (Irish Gingerbread) 2 c. flour 1-1/2 t. baking soda 1 t. cinnamon 1 t. ground ginger 3/4 t. salt 1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened 1/2 c. sugar 2 eggs 1 c. molasses 1/2 c. quick-cooking oatmeal 1 c. hot water Measure flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Sift together onto waxed paper. In mixing bowl, combine butter with sugar until well blended. Add the eggs. Pour mixture into greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350-degree F. preheated oven 25-30 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Cut into squares and serve warm. ----------------------------------------------- Kerry Apple Cake 1-1/2 c. flour 1/2 c. sugar 1 t. baking powder 1/2 t. cinnamon 1/4 t. ground cloves 1/4 t. salt 1/2 c. butter or margarine 1 egg, slightly beaten 1/3 c. milk 3 medium size apples, peeled and thinly sliced, (about 2-1/2 cups) 1/4 c. brown sugar Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and spices. Cut in butter or margarine with a pastry blender until mixture is coarse crumbs [Grainlady note: use an electric hand-held mixer for this step.]. Add egg and milk and blend well to a stiff batter. Mix in apple slices and spread in a greased 9-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle top with brown sugar, bake in a 375-degree F. oven 25-minutes. Serve warm, with whipped cream if desired. ------------------------------------------------- KILLARNEY CHERRY CAKE (I've posted this recipe so many times on the Internet over the years that you can now Google it and find the recipe. I found this recipe in a cookbook that was compiled by Home Ec. Teachers in the "Foreign Section". How authentic to Ireland it is is somewhat doubtful - although cherries are an Irish favorite - but this cake is always a hit and easy to make.) 1-lb. 2 1/2 oz. pkg. chocolate fudge cake mix 1/4 c. plus 3 T. creme de menth or 1 1/2 t. peppermint flavoring (I use peppermint flavoring) 1/2 c. chopped red or green Maraschino cherries 1 1/2 c. heavy cream 2 T. confectioners sugar (powdered sugar) 1/4 c. whole green (or red) Maraschino cherries Chocolate curls (take a potato peeler to a cold or frozen Hershey Chocolate Candy Bar) Prepare cake according to package directions, substituting 1/4 c.creme de menthe for 1/4 c. water or adding 1 t. peppermint flavoring and using the same amount of water as called for on the box (Grainlady note: I prefer the peppermint flavoring to the creme de menthe - creme de menthe tends to burn the cake). Stir in chopped cherries; pour into two greased 9-inch layer pans. Bake as directed on cake mix package. Cool. Whip the cream with remaining creme de menthe or 1/2 t. peppermint flavoring and confectioners sugar. Spread one-third of the whipped cream between cake layers. Heap remaining whipped cream on top. Arrange whole cherries on the top of the cake (Grainlady note: drain and blot the cherries on paper towels first to prevent cherry juice dripping on the whipped cream), add chocolate curls over whipped cream. Note: If you want to save time and money, frost the cake with a tub of Cool Whip (regular or Extra Creamy, the Low-fat stuff doesn't hold up well) with either creme de menthe or peppermint flavoring in it instead of whipping the cream. Make sure this cake is refrigerated until time to serve.