Punk, I was just joking about Christmas. I'm one up on everyone, anyway. We had bought a new prelit 7' Christmas tree after Christmas the year before we bought this house. The first Christmas here we put it up in the living room and it is now 4 years later and it is still up!! So I don't have to put up the tree!! It's so fun because if I find an ornament I like - I just buy it and bring it on home and put it on the tree, even in July!! DD has forbidden me to put any more on it. Says there is TOO MUCH STUFF and the tree is going to fall over from the weight!! The living room is usually off limits to the GKids unless I am in there with them because of the ball and toy throwing (I get crazy and throw ball inside with them when it is too cold outside sometimes, Shhh, don't tell Alfred.) and the fact that I store LOTS of dishes and accessories behind the sofa. (Everyone else likes the den better and goes there to hang out anyway, so the living room is my sanctuary.) I also have 2 china cabinets in there and one is a beautiful antique that DH's Aunt B had given me when we moved here with the curved glass. (They used to sneak in there and hide when playing hide-n-seek until I found out and made it off limits !! Just think of the damage possibilities. Shivers!) Before we moved here we had lived in a single-wide trailer for about 3 years. Just imagine trying to raise 4 young children, 3 boys and a girl in a single-wide. (Long Story) His older 3 had grown up and left home by then. My DD was grown and married before we married. God knows what he is doing when he doesn't let us see into the future. We would never do what he wanted if we could! No storage, no privacy, no sanity. Needless to say I had great gardens because I couldn't stand the chaos inside!! If I wasn't at work, I was outside daylight 'till dark. Sometimes after dark. Poor Alfred would open the back door and holler out, "Honey, don't you think you ought to quit for the day?" I would holler back, "In a minute." and keep on planting peas by flashlight!! LOL So when we moved here the living room became my refuge. It is where I start my day with my cup of cappaccino,(sp? I just drink it-I don't spell it!!), my Bible study, and LOTS of prayer. I would go in and turn on the tree and sit in silence. Ahhh.. Every woman should have a refuge. I followed Judith's example and my tree is definitely a ' more is more' tree. I started with a bird theme and it grew from there. The color scheme is mostly blue/white except for the birds and a few sentimental items. I still want to order some crystals to give it some more shine. If I ever solve my storage issues and have a nice place to store it, I will put some strings of white lights on it when I put it back up. Now it just has colored and is darker than I would like. I will try to do a post with some pictures as soon as I go buy a new memory stick for my camera. I'll do a separate post for the Thanksgiving 'tables and tales'! I'm feeling some better, now. I will need to get a few more shots to kill all of the infection. Then I'll be as good as new. Thank you for your concern. I love my family here at C&H forum so much. The sewer? What's up with that? Sounds like your life is even more 'interesting' than mine used to be! Details, Girl! Give me details!! I don't know what you are using for energy, but please share your secret! Betty

Lisa, Here's some poems that go with the gag type gifts. Most people make the bag toppers for these. Post back with any questions regarding these. Leprechaun Kisses Wrap hershey kisses in green tulle and tie-on this poem with curly or satin ribbon: Just a little bit of Ireland That I'm sending you today. To bring you luck and happiness On this fine St. Patrick's Day. It's a wee and tiny present Full of luck and wishes. Seems the little folk of Ireland Have sent you some Leprechaun Kisses! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LEPRECHAUN POOP *Use green jelly beans or green tic-tacs* 'Tis a little bit of Ireland That's been sent upon its way To wish you luck and happiness On this fine St. Patrick's Day It's a wee and tiny present From that merry little group 'Tis the little folk of Ireland They have left you their Leprechaun POOP! ---------------------------------------------------- LEPRECHAUN POOP The Leprechauns of Ireland Bring a special gift your way It's full of love and happiness On this St. Patrick's Day And along with all good wishes From this merry little group Comes a little something special It's a bag of Leprechaun POOP! ---------------------------------------------------- LEPRECHAUN POOP So ,you're looking for gold? Well listen, here's the scoop, Those Leprechauns all got away But we found their Lucky Poop! ---------------------------------------------------- Leprechaun Poop It's time for the wearin' of the green And the smallest people you've ever seen. The luck of the Irish they carry along And a pot of god if you can hold them long. but if you let them go to soon Leprechaun poop will be your do! ---------------------------------------------------- Irish Dew Here is an idea for A Leprechaun Drink Poem... Get 10oz plastic green bottles of Mountain Dew. Make some computer labels to put over the others and call them "Leprechaun Drink" or "St Patricks Day Brew" or "Irish Dew" You could even do it with Beer in a green bottle. Poem I ran into a leprechaun And asked if he'd been told Where the rainbow ended With the treasured pot of gold. He didn't know, but then gave me A special Irish brew (dew) To brighten your St. Paddy's Day I'm sharing some with you! or Sit right down I have somethng for you, Here's a green bottle of very good brew. (of special Irish Dew) It's not a clover, or rainbow or gold, Just a great drink, or so I've been told! (or a magical drink) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CUPID POOP *Put some cinnamon red hot heart shaped candies in a bag* I couldn't send you flowers, and candy wouldn't do. And mushy cards just didn't say the things I want them to. So I got you something special, and here's the inside scoop. I found you something very rare - It's genuine Cupid poop! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- CUPID POOP When cupid shoots his arrow and misses your heart by a few You don't have to worry because he left his red Pooh-Pooh. CUPID POOP As cupid shoots his arrow and misses your heart by a few He'll leave you something special His Cupid Red Pooh\-Pooh.

You could put Hershey Kisses in the wine glasses, then wrap them up with basket wrap and attach some red and white ribbon. If your selling them at a craft show, you could put 2 glasses in a basket with a bottle of grape juice, that is in the champagne bottles. Decorate with ribbons also. I don't do much for Easter, except make my kids baskets. Our schools don't celebrate Easter. Their Spring Break is that week.

Sounds Fantastic ! 500 booths ! WOW --- lots of walking ! We have a huge one here in Milwaukee - it's at the State Fair Grounds - but it's so expensive to park - plus $5 to get in and the worst part is that it is so crowded - you can't even get near the booths. If I'm going to spend money - I want to see stuff UP CLOSE ! LOL