I saw gorgeous Nematanthus Ubatuba in a back yard in Tampa area - this is a large leaf and generally large plant. Most of Nematanthus do have orange or pale orange flowers. There are some exotic red, white and greenish with dots blooming species - but they are harder to grow and not available in a general nursery sale. Nematanthus comes from South America - I bet it is not dry in Brazil ;-)), but my understanding - it is an understory plant - it grows under the trees and on the trees as epiphyte - so dappled light would be good. Aeschynanthus (lipstick plant) takes the same niche - but in tropical Asia - so requirements are similar. Aeschynathus flowers of the available in nurseries varieties are mostly red, one really easy and quite wide spread species A. longicaulis (marmoratus) has interesting green flowers and gorgeous marble backed leaves. Some time ago a Florida member of this forum posted a pic of a large and well grown specimen of this plant - and it was growing in a back yard. Very desirable A.hybrid is called "Black Pagoda". Regarding conventions - the local gesneriad and AV clubs usually run their shows once a year mostly in the same place. The larger conventions are done in different towns every year - because most of the work is done by the hosting club - and they take turns. You check gesneriadsociety.org and avsa.org on "events" - so you will know who runs what in your vicinity. I would say you are in luck if you have a club nearby you can join - this is usually a source of knowledge, cuttings and nice people to associate with. (Just do not use the words "lipstick" and "goldfish" - if you are dealing with gesneriad crowd - they like to use botanical names - even sometimes not very many people know how to pronounce it right - for me - the biggest issue is Kohleria warszewiczii - I grow this beautiful plant - but i cannot "voice" it.) Cheers Irina Here is a link that might be useful: hybrids and species of Nematanthus

thank you for that. I've got things saved people have written about inside, outside and misting. I wasn't set up to do that, have way overspent, am low on energy. It was all I could do to make myself turn back to my plants from other things going on. In due course, I'll try out your method, I'm not set up with any fluorescent light except on my kitchen ceiling, was going to work on that over the winter. Now I looked at the few gallon pots I had, was wondering where to get more, and decided the heck with it, went and bought some plastic half-gallon terra cotta colored pots at the hardware store (no they look like almost a gallon). If roots start growing through the bottom holes of those, I'll deal with it then. I know gallon pots would be better, they are too heavy, take too much potting soil, and have huge holes in the bottom, and I did not feel like looking for any more rocks to plug them. My cuttings have all these roots but no new leaves, so I wasn't sure if I should pot them up. Think I should, and am thinking of even potting up the ones that have bare stems and covering with soda bottles, and see what happens. But pot them in what soil? I've got contingency plans and shelves ready to move them to the west wall of my bedroom that gets only reflected light from the house next door (close), shut the register as far as it will go, and get a humidifier when I start to wean them out of the bottles. If I get to that point. Thank you for sharing your experience. I don't know if I should use pure potting soil or mix some peat and vermiculite in with it, been reading about H2O2, wonder if that will work instead of capstan when I start seedlings next spring inside, wonder if I should use it on my cuttings, tried some with one that is growing white moldy stuff on it, nothing happened with that, people talk about ml, how do I measure that? I read 1 tbsp then fill a cup with water. What H2O2? The regular kind you buy in the brown bottle at the drugstore? This aimed at anyone who may happen to read, not you, Angel. I've been following michelle_co's posts, and everything different ones write when they've had success, she has to bring hers in now, too, my situation is just a little bit different. I'm at a critical point now. I will watch them carefully and may have to wing it on some of it. I think every cutting but one that looks iffy in the medium George Mander recommended to me has rooted, 8 of those. Maybe that rose just roots easily. I had it going earlier, didn't see roots but it (and another kind) was growing new leaves, then the heat got them all. My rooted ones I stuck August 13, not quite two months, the temps outside were up and down like a yoyo but not like the heat wave we had earlier. It was the medium, the pop bottles, and luck I guess so far. I'm really scared to get any sun on them too soon. They were getting just a little sun outside, but it was cooler by then. I'll take the caps off the bottles for a few days before I take the bottles off, and then only for maybe about 4 hours a day for a week or so, it's so darn confusing, don't want to jostle those delicate leaves by too much off and on.

Thanks Anj and Luvs, I have been lurking and admiring the wonderful works that you both have been posting here and have been inspired often. The window was the first time I tried reverse painting and it kind of boggles my mind. I have a hard enough time thinking "normally" let alone how to paint backwards. It did not turn out as nice I had had envisioned, but I am statisfied with some of the highlights and shadows that were done in reverse. The tile was easy. I always use ..hmm is it "Chauco" paper to trnasfer my designs. (I have a lot of the the paper but not the label). It is the light blue transfer paper. Are you familiar with it? Anyway..first I sponged the background of the tile in purple and beige using the paint colors that I planned to use for the butterflies, then I varnished it with Creamcoat varnish, transfered the design, painted it and then another 2-3 coats of varnish, so it would look shiny like tile. I love working with left over or clearance tiles, there are so many things to do with them. Thank you for making feel very welcome to the group. Joan

On my uncalibrated laptop display, using whatever lighting you have in these images (I imagine florescent, which is green), and comparing that to the toffee and biscotti sink choices, I prefer the toffee. I think the biscotti is too pink. HOWEVER, and I say this in all seriousness. I am a photographer and have acutely trained my eye for color. What I *see* is based upon the conditions in which you took your photo, and the conditions that the blanco stock images were taken. The light sources are different temperatures. I'm mentally adjusting the white balance but I can't get the cast from the florescent lighting completely eliminated without a reference photo with white. The only sure way to know is to get a sample of the silgranites and hold them up against the stone you've chosen in the same light, together. (I still would bet on toffee being the right one).