on the left, 'Stained Glass,' which you have another small pot of...? next to it on the bottom looks like 'Escargot' next to it on the top looks like 'Omaha Beefsteak' or 'Red Robin' or 'Regal Minuet' at the very top, it looks like 'Supercurl' if the hairs on the one to the lower right of that are very red and velvety, that on is 'Fireflush' other than that, i'm not very good with these. if you picked some of these rexes up at a box store or supermarket, they may be part of the "great american cities" series. -ming Here is a link that might be useful: GAC series of rexes

Shooting Star is not the same plant as Fuji Waterfall. Shooting Star is a Hydrangea macrophylla (Big-leaf) and is most likely a renaming of H. mac 'Hanabi' (Fireworks) and is sometimes listed as 'Sumida no Hanabi' (Fireworks of Sumida), developed as an indoor, potted plant for the Florist market. 'Fuji Waterfall' is a H. serrata (Mountain Hydrangea, small leaf) and is said to be the same as the Japanese cultivar, 'Fuji no taki', which means "Waterfall of Fuji" The confusion developed when a nursery began distributing 'Hanabi' with the 'Fuji Waterfall' label, whether knowingly or unknowingly and since the florets of the two are similar, no one questioned the name. A group of visiting Japanese Horticulturists, visiting a nursery in NJ, pointed out the error, but it appears no one cares and I suppose they are still being sold with the incorrect name attached. Since the fertile flower colors of both, H.macrophylla and H.serrata, are pH sensitive, you will need to maintain the current acidity level of your potted plants, to retain the blue color. A small amount of Aluminum sulphate, applied 2 or 3 times each year should suffice. but be careful not to apply too much. Fertilizers containing a small amount of Sulphur can also maintain the correct pH. One of our daughters gardens in Zone 9 and she has had very good success with Hydrangeas. But living only a few hundred yards from the Atlantic Ocean, she rarely has temperatures that exceed the 100°F mark, but 90°+ temperatures are quite common. All of her Hydrangeas are grown in full shade. Good gardening! Rb

Kenmores are made by Janome. I've had two in my sewing history and dearly loved both. I now have a 19365. The additional benefit of going to a dealer is free lessons on proper machine operation and learning how to sew correctly, vital for any beginner. I had the benefit of having lessons on machine operation for my "Lady Kenmore" and sewing classes in Home Economics that pay off to this day when it comes to using different machine feet and proper sewing techniques. Sadly Sears no longer offers lessons nor the schools Home Economics. Self-taught sewing is the rough way to learn with bad sewing habits developed and frustration along the way. However, there are many places that do offer lessons, some free, some not. I would include the lessons in the gift certificate or as a separate gift certificate. I would also include another certificate for the necessary sewing supplies and organizers which can get expensive, especially for good pairs of cutting shears and scissors plus fabric. The consumer reporter for one of our television stations reported that if you go to the store and ask for a gift receipt, the recipient can return the item for the full amount. This would be a good idea for you should you go decide to buy the machine and she doesn't like what you purchased. I know from experience at some stores that if you return a gift and the purchase was made on a credit card, the return will go back on the purchaser's credit card or a gift certificate for that store issued, you don't get the cash back. I would check the store's return and gift certificate policies first.

The rolled arm seems more consistent with the things you have now, but the squared arm would seem to lend itself more easily to modern additions you say you would like to try. But it has the nailheads and you say you don't like them -- so do you really want to live with them day in and day out? The nailheads up on the top of the arm is a current and trendy detail. I like it on some pieces, but you could wind up feeling it looks dated where the rolled arm will only risk looking worn or faded over time. It's a classic style. As for color, I like grey, but I would like more color in there, so I would favor the navy for either style. I would shy away from the grey for the rolled arm. Can't put my finger on why, but the idea isn't working for me. If you do grey, would you go for a monochromatic look -- all black, white and grey with a few color accents?