concretenprimroses, Kathy, I love your painting of the plates. I'm interested in painting clear glass saucers with the Pebeo 160 paint. It looks like you painted a bowl red with a yellow center. Was the bowl originally clear glass? I looked on this website and it shows how to paint on clear glass and then put it in the oven to cure. http://www.dickblick.com/products/pebeo-vitrea-160/ Now I'm wondering how the paint looks if you try to cover the entire saucer, do the brush marks show? Any comments will help. Thanks, Marilyn

If you want a shrubbier, less succulent look, there are a bevy of wonderful low water shrubs, sub-shrubs, and perennials that can handle a LOT of sun I have come across. I wouldn't want a whole garden full of only succulents, but spots here or there can add easy year round color and interesting textures. I've mostly been using them in containers, but I've been putting them towards the front of some mixed borders. The bigger issue with a lot of these plants is tenderness. Many will just die when it reaches the twenties and are set back by temps in the thirties so they are primarily promoted near the coast. I'm not sure what the winter lows are in your area, Ingrid, but I'd be happy to come up with some interesting, high heat/sun tolerance plants that may work well for your vacant area. Aloe tomentosa, Aeonium urbicum, Leucadendron 'Wilson's Wonder', Leucadendron discolor 'Pom Pom, Lessertia montana, and Phyllica pubescens were some I utilized this past weekend. They all have lower water needs and have various points of interest. Phylica in particular works well here if it has excellent drainage because it's indigenous to fairly alkaline conditions. Jay

I remember a different thread where you had the chaise on the other side of the room -- I liked that much, much better. If I were using the room, I'd enjoy looking out the window, and I thought the small desk fit well in its original location -- especially with the artwork and lamp. The only thing I don't care for are the candles on the wall.

Steph, it's all good! It's just a phase~I went thru the same thing when red became so popular, RL Balmoral Red to be exact(how could I ever forget!). I had the fireplace wall, 3/4 up in the dining room, and a powder room all the same red and never tired of it. It helped sell my condo in a tough San Diego market 4 years ago, along with the lime green laundry~of course it was a single woman who bought it. ;o)