Roo – Sorry I’m getting to Houzz so late .. the old “day late & dollar short”! I have held my tongue a couple of times, both with professionals & the wannabes; wanted to ask who died & left them in charge .. “God of Decorating”! I don’t pretend to be a good decorator at all, but if someone can explain why things do or don’t look right together, I’m certainly open to learn. “Because I say so & I’m a professional” doesn’t impress me as an “explanation”! I’ve seen articles like that in specialty magazines, where they’ll show a kitchen renovation, at 2 or 3 different budget ranges. All of them look great, but one may have fully custom cabinets & high-end appliances & finishes, while the others have more stock & mid-line items. It just proves that you can have a beautiful room at ¼ the cost of the top-of-the-line one (which is probably the one featured on Houzz). Mousemaker’s recipe for sugar water is right .. 4 to 1 ratio of water to sugar; I made 6 cups of water the other day, because you’re also supposed to replace it & wash the feeder out every 4 or so days. Jayme – Happy birthday!! I was out of the house early today, for a spring service of my car, and then I didn’t get back online until a little while ago.

Oh, good, no pink tones in the rug :). It is beautiful (and expensive), so I think it's a keeper then. Especially since you're changing the DR rug. Maybe that one could be a natural woven for texture. I think the yellow check is French Country too, but agree it's not quite working with the rug. This gives you the opportunity to go with the shutters or toile fabric. The shutters could be open during the day, and have slats that open while they're closed for filtered sunlight. I think tan would be the perfect neutral for your sofa, along with color in the pillows and patterned upholstered chairs. About the lavender, I'm thinking only of the flower, to me, any color flower goes with any room's palette. And think of the scent! You'll close your eyes and feel like you're in the French Countryside. And in baskets on the bench under a window, so French and pretty... I'll try to find a picture of a tan sofa in a French Country room for you.

I'm not sure what style your looking for but here are some wood idea's, we could give you a price on something if you can't find what your looking for, a sketch would help. Wood type, painted, stained, and size all these factor into what someone is going to ask you. Good luck with your project.

Clean feeding! No-waste mixes and sunflower hearts are a good start, seed trays below feeders also help. But yes she has a valid point: an unnatural population of birds constantly around feeders is prime pickings for air-born and respiratory disease among the birds. Thus the importance of maintaining clean feeders. Poly-lumber and vinyl bird feeders help reduce the spread of disease because mold and bacteria can not settle into cracks as with wooden feeders. But for the most part, it only takes one new visitor (infected bird) for disease to spread.