In a few days it will get to a point where you can just pull it off. I don't cut or force mine off, I just wait until I can gently tug it away from the main stem. I'm not sure about the Avalon Mist part, but the Pinnochio part can bloom many times over a long period from the same spike. At some point, the spike can get 'gnarly' looking from all the twists and turns as it grows and blooms. HTH, Bob

Did Ernie give a good talk?

Find a grouping of pillows that has them all: Two print (you can use pin dot, stripe, floral, plaid, check, paisley, etc) to have two pillows of coordinating colors and then find a solid that has one of the colors in it. Use them as a grouping, one on either end of the sofa. Put the cute little cubby pillow back on the chair. It's too cute not to have a home with you. Have you been to Home Goods, Dillards, TJMaxx, Marshall, Stein-Mart in search of the much-needed pillows. Have you been to Tuesday Morning? Tuesday Morning has great goods and great prices. I got my sisal rugs for the kitchen and breakfast room at Tuesday Morning, $100 for the 6 x 9 and $125 for the 9 x 12. Granted you will not find that everyday every time you walk in Tuesday Morning but be vigilant and also look at Home Goods and TJMaxx for good rug deals. These stores are treasure hunts. I have rugs that either I got or my father got in the ME that I use in my other rooms and in my DR, I have placed a sisal over the rug to give layering and texture and to protect the nice rug from dropped food (grown men eat in that room and you know they are worse than children about dropping food). I would keep the rug you have and use a bigger sisal or jute rug under it, giving it a layered look. You can get a larger rug in sisal or jute on which to place the sofa, etc., and then place the rug you have askew over that. You need a low, bunchy floral arrangement for the table. Look at Stein-Mart for that. Floral arrangements at Michaels and Hobby Lobby are too expensive unless you find the items on sale and make them yourself. Place it on a serving tray of some kind. If you have a silver tray or a mirrored tray, a tortoise tray, etc, that will be fine. Find a cute box to place on the same tray to hold the remote controls and a medium tall candy dish to hod various colors of M&Ms or candy or even get am apothecary jar to fill with potpourri of pretty colors. If you do not have an apothecary jar or a cute box, go to a flea market. It might take 3-4 different ones before you find what you want but you will. You might also find what you want at TJ'Maxx or Target. Home Goods should certainly have anything you want or need. Just hit them at the day they have your colors. Just get one shiny thing (maybe a chrome or silver, brass box to hold the remote; get something glass and open like a candy jar and something floral-like and maybe have the tray of a lacquered material in a more masculine look). You need the masculine versus feminine in that room because of the sofa, the rugs and the chest-come-cocktail table. It is going to be a great room!

A long time back, I tried stamping on antique silver plated spoons. Modern silver plated spoons do not work, because they are made of stainless steel and are too hard. Here is one of my better attempts:Many other attempts turned out poorly due to my shaky strikes. I felt horrible for ruining antique spoons that will never be made again, so I stopped my project. If I take up stamping again, I will order dog tags like yours, Cori Ann. Thanks for the idea. Your tags look fantastic. I still have the stamping tools, which were not cheap. I considered them a long term investment. Here is another possible tag idea. At pettags4less.com, I ordered these stainless steel engraved pet tags. They are $3.89 each, including shipping and engraving. That is pricey if you have a lot of roses, but I do not have that many. Only roses that prove they are survivors get one in my garden:You can engrave on both sides, so you can have the rose name on front and the breeder and year on the back if you like.