Where are my manners? Sorry, had a "senior" moment. Welcome Oakleyok, and how wonderful that you've increased your space and now have the room to finally enjoy what you've always wanted. Sounds wonderful. Can't wait to see the pictures. It might be pretty if you could try tucking one of your glass tree ornaments in your garland here and there to tie the 2 together. I would try some white pillar candles behind the garland. It is so much fun to try lots of different variations until something "speaks" to you and you know it is just right. There are so many others here with much more talent and experience than I. I'm sure they can give you some great advice. He doesn't post much anymore, but maybe Jim can post some pictures of his garlands. If not, Karen may have them in her photo album and will post a link. He had a blue one about 2 years ago that I still yearn for with a blue wreath above it to die for! Whatever you decide, I'm sure it will be beautiful and I'm looking forward to the pictures. Betty

Wow -- I want to thank everyone who recommended Thymes' Frazier Fir diffuser. This is our first year with an artificial tree and I really missed the smell. Knowing GW, I did a search and found this perfect thread (!); going to the Thymes' website I found a local (I mean a seven minute drive, door to door) charming shop I'd never seen before. It was incredible! And for whatever reason, they sold it to me for $30 (it should've been $60); I protested but they said "no, that's the price." So I bought a few other bibelots to ease my conscience (and it wasn't hard because it was one of those incredible shops where you want to just move in!). Right down the street from this shop a man was offering hay wagon rides, so my four and two year-olds, husband and I all hopped on and had an incredible ride around this sweet and historic downtown. Then we found an outdoor skating rink, so we rented some skates and pulled each other around. On the walk back to our car a man was handing out homemade candy canes from his candy shop. My four year-old loves candy canes! And all of these wonderful things happened to us today because the generous people here on GW shared Thymes Frazier Fir diffuser. So now I have this gorgeous smell, know about this wonderful local shop, and had a wonderful, serendipitous Saturday. Thank you!

Yeah, I have to sometimes dust my real plants, but I just wash the leaves with a wet rag. They like it. Plant massage. :) I don't have a lot of house plants (year round garden outside, right now choking with roses). Although I own a fake cactus, it was part of an art project. I have an antherium on my bathtub ledge that is currently blooming. It usually gives me one bloom in July. It might be happier elsewhere, but it's been fine there for 14 years. :) It was a present from she who was the lady next door when I was a child. There's a garden window in my kitchen where I had a lot of plants before they got ants. They went outside. Now it has several phalaenopsis that were given to me in December. One may be beyond help, but two have spikes. There's also a little plant with red brachts and white flowers which perks up in the sun and droops at night, and a little red leafed plant I grew from seed, but doesn't seem so happy now that it's in a real pot. And one low light plant in the powder room, which I may need to move to more light. Plants die in the powder room, but they make it nicer, so I try to catch them before they die....

A little late for this, but I would put it in the tub with some bleach water. and let it soak for a couple of hours. That should kill anything in it.