It's not really the point that they can't be removed, it's just to me you shouldn't take old goodies like that to make something to put outside because things outside don't usually last forever. Many of the vintage and antique items of today are just being thrown away and damaged. People do not appreciate anything old and want all new! So one day, everything old will be gone and we all know that much of the crap they make today won't last like the goodies from a hundred years ago! I won't even use the chipped and rusted granite pieces because much of mine looks like that. I don't care because that shows they were used and have a history. That is what makes them more interesting to me!

Members of my family used to can in mayo jars (boiling water bath, not pressure) but began to notice in more recent years that the mayo jars had become noticeably thinner. That's when they stopped saving them for canning. Every canner, especially one who cans in high-volume, is going to lose a jar occasionally, but I still contend, whether it's commercial jars re-used or standard Ball/Kerr/Bernardin jars, if they are treated with respect, the loss rate is minimal. I do a lot of canning and I honestly don't remember the last time I lost a jar. Certainly I have lost jars, but in thirty years I'm guessing I've lost three through breakage. Ironically, I've never lost a commercial jar or a very old jar (i.e. Atlas Mason or others), only Ball or Kerr, but that may simply be a function of numbers. I'm very comfortable with these commercial jars and particularly for short-term processing would rather use these than toss them out. Definitely I feel it's a more appropriate use than throwing them into a landfill or even recycling. However, mayonnaise now comes in plastic and many companies, like Classico, are now preventing secondary usages by re-designing materials or the neck in such a way that it's impossible. Carol

I have searched and searched for the pix of DD's wedding-I have scrapbooked them, so I KNOW they exist...just can't find them. I tried to scan the book she had made, but can't get that to work either. Sigh. The wedding for DD1 is going to be lakeside (did I already tell this?) and much less fancy than her sisters. But a FUN party in any event. We're planning things like lawn Yahtzee, and instead of a guest book, we'll have a 'photobooth' where the guest can write a sentiment on a large card, then have their photo taken. The kids will always be able to put a face to the name. I'm having it catered, it's just so much easier than trying to figure out the logistics of bringing in food. We might do huge bunches of lavender and tiny pots of succulents for the centerpieces. She's bought a bunch of paper lanterns that are battery powered, covered with orange & red cherry blossoms, and we're going to use a lot of bright orange, pink and purple-Indian colors. Her wedding will cost about 1/3 of her sisters, but that is mostly due to the different setting, number of guests and photographer. DD2's wedding had a premier DJ (best money spent EVER), pro photographer, and catering for 125 ppl. We spent a total of maybe $1000 for decor, flowers, favors, etc. Most was all done DIY, but it was fantastic. The owners of the ballroom had asked if they could have pix for their promotional materials! As soon as I can figure out where those pix are, i'll post them. And start posting the ideas we have for this next wedding. Oh, and by the way-that light fixture is hideous, IMHO.

oceanna, The rose one is a bolster pillow I purchased in a speciality store. It travels all over the living room. Sometimes on the piano stool, sometimes on the sofa and sometimes on the piano chair in the photo. One time put up a thread on how to make a simple bolster pillow. If you like to make pillows do a search. The two pillows with the tapestry (the Spanish dancer and the white Gardenia) first I made the pillows, then hand sewed the tapestry on... then hand sewed on the trim. Then stuffed them...On both these pillows I used the brown velour -- that we used to upholstered the brown chair with in the LR. I bought so much of it, I could make even more pillows with it. None of these pillows are washable. In the LR they get no wear and tear. In the family room, (on the sofa)when they get worn or dirty I make new ones. Ebay has quite a few dog needlepoint tapestries. I have the sweetest little nedlepont pillow from Ebay, that I just added fringe to and it's just precious. The hand made needlepoint is expensive as compared to the printed tapestries, however they are wonderful. I love them.