Hello! PhyllisMN sent me an e-mail telling me of your request and I'd be happy to give you the directions as best as I can remember what I did! First you will need to find an old bucket or plastic pot that you can break ( I think even a stiff cardboard one would work -like a movie theater popcorn bucket?). You will use this to support your post and to pour cement in. Follow the directions on the back of the cement bag and place your post in the center of the cement making sure to go down far enough. I would recommend about 8 inches. That should support the sculpture once you add the additional weight of the bottles. My first bottle tree, I used an old broom handle painted with copper spray paint for the center post. That eventually weakened and broke, so I ended up dismantling the whole thing and rebuilt it. I went to our local feed store and found a resin type of square utitily broom handle though this time so that it would hold up in the harsh weather conditions. I drilled several holes spaced several inches apart and from different sides all the way through the post. The holes are just large enough to accommodate the larger diameter copper wire that holds the bottles (the branch wires). Honestly I don't remember the gauges of wire that I used, but I'm guessing by the looks of it the larger wire is about 1/4" in diameter. The smaller one about 1/8". You want to have the holes ONLY big enough to get the wire through with some diffuculty, otherwise the wire will flop around. I had a heck of a time removing them from the old one! You want to be able to have the wire remain stiff so you can manipulate it and support the bottles. One of my holes was too large and I wrapped the wire around the post which helped, but it still sagged more than I wanted. Basically then I inserted the wire and after I decided on a length that I thought looked good, I cut the wire (you'll need a heavy duty cutter! or have them cut lengths for you at the hardware store) I bent the larger wires only slightly to create some gentle curves. I then sort of twisted or curled the ends a bit inward, so someone wouldn't rub against it and scratch themselves. Additionally, I decorated the ends with little glass jewels. Once the main structure was built I decorated the post this time with bits and pieces of old broken dishes and oddball jewelry pieces using mosaic techniques. I used the clear silicon (isn't that right up there with duct tape? ) and then grouted it after it dried. Funny, I wasn't able to finish it last fall, but it worked just fine completing it this summer. If you are not going to mosiac it, make sure to paint the pole before you place the wire in the holes. Then, take the smaller gauged wire and starting with the neck, twist the wire around the bottle spiraling towards the bottom end of the bottle. I would always leave an inch or so to twist in a spiral at the neck end several inches at the bottom end to attach to the larger "branch" wires. Before you attached the now wired bottles you can use the clear silicon to add any embellishments you have laying around. I used glass beads, old jewelry, and a few other sparkly trinkets. I also added glass jewels to the branch wires and to the post. To attach the bottles, just twist the wire on as securely as you can manage to the branch wires. Then you can bend either the branch wire or the bottle wire to make sure the bottle is facing downward. You don't want rain to get into the bottles and freeze. That would create a whole new look! :-) I then made leaves from the thin copper foil that you can purchase through an art supply company. Dick Blick is one source that carries some smaller pieces otherwise it comes in a roll. Check out "art metal foils". http://www.dickblick.com/zz605/13/ If you have a good art supply store, they may carry it too and there may be something at the local hardware or Lowes for all I know. For those I traced around a broad leaf from a Johnny Jump Up flower using a Sharpie marker, but you can use any leaf you like or make one up too! I used that because it was a simple heart shaped type of leaf. I didn't want anything too complicated. You can cut the foil with either tin snips or an old pair of scissors. I then created some texture by using a ball peen hammer. That was fun! I had diffculty attaching the leaves so they would stay so if I were to do it again, I think I would drill some holes in them away from the edge and then attach them that way. You could attach them in such a way that some would flutter in the wind and then some more securely that would not move. I originally made thin bands of copper from the foil to fold over the stem part of the leaf. Oh this IS getting long isn't it? Finally, I beaded glass beads of my colors that coordinated with my jewels onto some very thin wire and hung those intermittently on the tree as an additional embellishment. This step would certainly be optional, but I like them. Once completed, dig a hole deep enough to bury the cement base and enjoy! I hope I covered it thoroughly enough for you. If not, feel free to ask questions. I don't get here much at all anymore, but I bet Phyllis would let me know. She could send you my e-mail too.

these might be just the ticket for you! i haven't made them yet but i'd trust sol and there's nothing here not to like! Angel Hair Flans Source: adapted from Sol 1 cup heavy cream 3 large eggs dash of dried thyme dash of nutmeg 3/4 tsp salt 3 shakes pepper 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 3 ounces of angel hair pasta, freshly cooked Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray six 1/2 cup soufflé dishes or ramekins with cooking spray. Whisk first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Divide cooked pasta among prepared ramekins. Pour egg mixture over angel hair pasta. Sprinkle flans with remaining Parmesan. Bake until flans are set and golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Run small knife around sides of ramekins to loosen. Unmold and serve.

Thanks Squirrelhaven and cattknap, tina,robbyrob. I found this huge wholesale fabric warehouse in an industrial park, not far from me. The are wholesalers but also have a section in the front for retail. Since I cleaned my desk, I can't find their business card for the address, however after work today, I'll look it up and get back to you and any other Long Islanders that buy fabric (you'll never pay retail for fabric again) Sweets is right, cutting the fabric wider or longer will give you different size bolsters. The size I cut 18 x 18 -- made a cushion 12" long x 18 around, that is the size I wanted for the chair. When we made the sunburst ones for the living room sofa (pictured above) I cut the fabric wider...the living room bolsters are 13" long x 23 " around...you can see in the photo that it's a fatter bolster. It also has a fabric covered button in the center that the tassel hangs from. If anyone makes the simple (I call it an envelope bolster) please post it here. Happy sewing... Joann

Mitering a 45 in a corner is a very weak seam in stone, and one that shows every potential shift of the cabinets as they settle. Most fabricators will refuse to do that, and if they do, they will want a written waiver. This is a case where you pick a single direction for the grain pattern, and live with the cross grain pattern on the shortest run. As in, Run the pattern lengthwise on the island, sink, and range run, and cross wise on the fridge run, sine it is the short leg of the L. Or, put a different material on the fridge run, like butcherblock. Or a different, non directional material on the perimeter than the island.