Thanks guys. I have to confess this was the easiest project ever. I just spread GE II very thickly all over (sections) and then took hand fulls of glass and patted them on. After each section dried I brushed off the excess. It took about 3 gluings, letting each dry in between. I get my tempered glass from the glass/cutting store. They usually have stacks of used glass for really cheap. It's really not very sharp, I didn't wear gloves. But you should be careful, especially picking it up afterward. Frou

Helen, I hate to hijack Veronika's thread. I just got into heliconias a couple of years ago. I thought they would have trouble this far north in Sarasota, but the ones I chose have tolerated winters fine so far. The last couple have been mild, though. I have to say, I will not get any more heliconias as I find they take a bit of maintenance to keep them looking good, but I really am enjoying the ones I have. The first one I got was a noid. It was sold to me as heliconia rostrata, but after researching it and asking, I think it is H. pendula: The next one I got at Tropical Paradise and is H. Dimitri Sucre. This is my favorite. I got a rhizome in trade. It is not as vigorous as some of the others, but the flower/bract is stunning. Here is a photo of early blooms. They get a lot taller than this. When the clump gets a bit bigger, I will create another clump in a more noticeable area, cuz I just love this one. It is H. guapa: I also have a rostrata that is small and I don't have a photo of it, and a noid which I think is yellow-orange gyro. I got a trade of Criswick which is still small and hasn't bloomed. That's enough! These photos are old ones. These are not blooming right now.

Well I pulled out my village stuff and it's amazing how you forget what you bought from year to year!!LOL! I have three trees I bought last year. One I have used as part of the nativity display in the bedroom the other two are white with beads on them. Probably too big for the village pieces I have purchased because they are all smaller pieces. Soooo.. I will have to figure out how to display them. I have a few tea cups around......

No wonder you are confused. My head was spinning after reading all of the opinions! I was following the original post, but this is my first look at your follow-up. I agree with the others about finding another shade for first lamp if you decide to use it. The present shade is too short and it is the wrong style. My suggestion would be to take the lamp into a lighting store that sells shades. There you will have some expert advice as well as the option to "try on" various shades, much in the same way that you would try on clothes to determine the most flattering fit and combination. Think of the gas you will save! These are some guidelines for shades that I have found useful: 1. Match the base  think size, shape, style, color. Your goal is to match the mood of the base. 2. Compliment the base  the shade should make the base look better without competing with for attention (like that patterned shade on the metal lamp) 3. Hide the switch  the shade should just barely cover the switch (usually the height of harp + ½ inch). Try different sized harps, or add a shade riser to fine-tune. 4. Sizing Rules of Thumb: (1) Shade height should be about ¾ the height of the base (2) Bottom of shade should be wider than widest part of the base. (3) Shade width should be approximately equal the height from bottom lamp base to the top of the lamp stem, (just below the socket cap) I like both lamps. I think either one will be beautiful, but I would not use both of them in that room. Rather than another ginger jar, it would be nice to use a different architectural form on the console. I like the console very much. I do not like the metal/glass (marble?) lamp with the patterned shade. I would look for gorgeous buffet lamps. I am thinking wooden with an antique gold finish (very simple, but elegant). These are high end lamps, but use as examples. If you want the console to appear more sophisticated, remove the dried flower wreath that is resting on the books below, and remove the wicker basket with the greens from the top of the console. Replace it with a grouping of three (the magic number) similar objects (candles, boxes, ceramics, etc.) of different height and proportion. Good luck and keep up the good work. I am amazed by your shopping energy and resourcefulness.