By the way - I like your last year's layout - and a ew pixels here and there can sure liven that up even more!!!!!
Again, let me say, it depends entirely on where you want to place things as to if you should use bullet, bulbs or ribbons. I have used all three --- the bulbs are GREAT around the eaves of the house, the bullets have worked beautifully in mini-trees and 6-foot pixel trees. The ribbons mad a great matrix (even though this year my new matrix will be square pixels at a higher density - I was very happy with the old matrix of ribbons).
If you go to YouTube, I have video ther