Holiday

[ECBG]

I went to Michaels Crafts today for baby's breath for around the deer; it was all plastic and horrid!

I got some white glitter balls, nope, horrible!

The ONE floral pick I have has a little greenery, a few apples, and a pine cone! It was perfect, but old! I have to find it again!!! Scream!

I can hardly tolerate craft stores after Prestige!

[Oznell]

Baby's breath-- what a lovely surrounding for your ethereal deer, @ECBG . I would not have thought of that, but how pretty. What a shame you could find nothing adequate. You'll come up with something!

I said I might not get any Christmas decorations this year-- most years I don't, just recycle what I have.

Well-- Q did their free shipping, and I grabbed something I'd been looking at for the longest. Valerie's Floral Bouquet in Honeycomb Pattern Glass Vase H236312.

There are four different choices, including pink peony and yellow rose. I HAD to have the white magnolia for Christmas (and all winter, really).

LOVE the creamy flowers and glossy leaves. Long-winded story: Years ago, I had some beautiful magnolia stems-- they are my favorite floral at Christmas-- that I ended up donating. They were pretty tall and big, and therefore were kind of annoying to store in my one faux floral bin, so...

But Valerie's are smallish and easy to tuck in anywhere. Best of all, the floral pick is not "attached" to the vase it comes with-- so very versatile. I have a fat celadon vase I'd also like to stick it in. But the honeycomb glass is nice to have too.

Am excited-- hope it will not be disappointing! But you never know.

P.S. I was browsing that Astar site, and she was showing how to gently WASH faux florals! I did not know you could do that. Thought you had to use a hair dryer or gently sponge, etc. But she immersed them, fearlessly! She cautioned that you can't do that with "real touch" and some other types though.

[Oznell]

Hey, I apologize for the long paragraph, @ECBG . I had it all nicely spaced, with short paragraphs, and it printed this way! I think the Q is having technical problems today.

Edited to add: I even went back just now, and used the edit function to break up the long paragraph-- and it wouldn't edit!!

Really 'wonky' on the boards today...

[ECBG]

@Oznell

You KNOW I have to see what you put together!!! I ordered my picks by the way!

I got the decorations out of the antique blanket chest, filled it with what I need to store, and covered it with lemon oil which will soak in by morning.

I'll take those white "snow" balls back and get my picks.

[Oznell]

Happy hunting, @ECBG ! You already have such beautiful things to work with, and even though it's a pain to return stuff, it's worth it when it's not "right".

[ECBG]

@Oznell

Are you like me? If it's wrong it's SO TERRIBLY wrong we need to search for an alternative yesterday!!!!

[Etoile308]

My favorite local craft chain (all of four stores) closed a few years ago. I haven't been a fan of Michaels for about ten years. One thing I noticed is that they have greatly reduced holiday inventory of picks and sprays and to find anything nice you have to shop as soon as they start getting in their inventory.