I love your decorations, being in the south we don't see many ice skates but I like the idea. My favorite decorations are the things we have saved over the years - even the old aluminum tree - I still do not understand why my mother bought that thing when you couldn't put lights on it. For some strange reason, I still like it, maybe for the memories it brings back.

I typed a long response and then my electricity went down for about two minutes. grrrr Barb, your cutting board is gorgeous! HUGE pic. But gorgeous. A furniture making course -- wow, good for you! I hope you do it. Amity, getting your clay pots at Goodwill was a great idea. You can paint them with house paint, decorate them with craft paint, and seal them inside and out with spar varnish. If you saw my thread about curb appeal projects, that's how I did mine. You can use stencils, and make polka dots with a q-tip, and checks with a flat brush. I'll put a link in for you. Nan, loved the Furoshiki bags video. I'll bet your DS was so proud of himself! Hats off to those of you crocheting and embroidering. We want pictures, please. Mari, thanks for that link! $200 for the basket? You've got a great 'Plan B' there. Tell us more about how you filled the baskets, please. I was wondering if there is a way to make slippers with rice-filled or whatever soles that can be stuck in the micro for cold tired winter feet. A super gift for a baby or toddler is buy a Raggedy (Ann or Andy) and enhance all the features and the heart by embroidering over them with red and black floss. This makes the features just pop. Then embroider the baby's name and b-date on the tummy. Very appreciated. I think some of them have music boxes in them. The Best Present Ever for grandparents is a calendar you make yourself. Use 8.5x11 card stock and get it comb bound by your local cheapie print shop. Put a 5x8 glossy photo of your kid(s) for each month. Dec on Santa's lap, Jan playing in the snow, Aug at the beach and so on. Leave a blank page between each month so if grandma writes appointments on her calendar it won't go through and damage the photo. At the end of the year she'll have a record of the kids growth. Make one for you too! You gals making the jam, are you doing the parafin seal on it? Or is this freezer jam? Please be super careful when pouring a big heavy pot of that hot, hot stuff! Here is a link that might be useful: painting pots

FWIW, I know how your wife feels about that fixture! I fell in love with the Kevin Reilly chandelier---the rectangular one with the fake candles--and have seen it at an aquaintenance's house and in a kitchen magazine. After much research a year ago, I found it for $13,000 at one of the Holly Hunt showrooms. But just now (after 15 more minutes looking...) I found an old eBay listing it for $5,800. Ugh. So Restoration Hardware is another budget way to go for a similar look. It is perfection isn't it?! Here is a link that might be useful: candle fixtures at Restoration Hardware

Thanks for the great idea for the pillar candles! Those dang things take forever to burn up and it just seems a shame to throw them out. Such a shame that I have been known to pick them out of the garbage when I see them there. lol! I got a big charge out of your puppie story too. They sure looked repentent in their crate after you took the aluminum foil roll away from them. And I can never get enough of your "fairies!"