|
|
|
A Modern Hope Chest
When our neighbors moved away, they left behind an old cedar chest and wanted to know if our family would like to have it. I was sure I could find some use for it. They're not that easy to come by, and it was still in pretty good shape.
I already...
Choosing The Right Wedding Flowers For The Season
Your wedding flowers usually tie to your wedding theme. When most of us envision wedding flowers we think of more of the traditional choices but there are literally thousands of flower choices that work very well for wedding bouquets, ceremonies,...
Human hair extensions create beautiful long hair styles instantly
As you glance across virtually every print medium such as newspapers, magazines and catalogs, there seems to be one thing in common as far as hair cut styles is concerned. The long hair cut style is everywhere. So what are you supposed to do if...
Keeping it Simple this Season
It's back. The holiday season and all the challenges that come with it! This is the time when we are most tempted to overdo things - shopping, partying, spending.
This year…why not practice the art of simplicity and serenity? Begin a new...
Teen Hair Style Ideas
There is perhaps never a better time when you can pull off the very trendy and funky hair styles as when you are a teenager. The teen hair style, while always evolving and reflecting the tastes of the generation, always tends to be a trendy hair...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Your Home and Garden Décor: Creating Bountiful Spaces
Temperatures are on the rise and so is the anticipation to get your home ready for maximum enjoyment. It’s time to get motivated for the season.
It’s always advisable to take a good hard look around every room before you begin. Make a mental list of those areas you most want to work on, then push them aside. We all know what we SHOULD do: Air out the house, clean the carpets, get the dog groomed, dust top to bottom. Kind of bums you out, huh?
So, let’s start with fun things first.
It’s time to wash the blankets and comforters in order to store them until next year. Now you can look forward to re-dressing beds with your favorite patchwork quilts.
Organize closets by placing lighter weight fashions to the front and setting aside heavy outerwear. Fresh cedar sachet’s for chests will ward off moths where you keep winter clothing items. If you just can’t bear the same coat or wardrobe one more year, donate them to those in need.
In your living area, instead of wool throws, how about a new chenille coverlet arranged on the back of your couch to ward off a chill? Even color pillows that enhance the lightest shades in your furniture will give your room a fresh look.
Lighter shades of color heighten your mood as well. Replace last season’s candles and silk flower arrangements with those featuring shades of pink, purple and blues.
Opt for crystal and cut glass vases rather than baskets for your arrangements. Polish them with a soft cloth to exhibit their brightest gleam. Add a sense of style by partially filling them with colorful glass beads or marbles to hide unsightly flower stalks.
Put away dark stoneware plates and soup crocks and replenish the cabinets with bright floral or white dishes. New dishtowels featuring flowers and vegetables from your anticipated garden would be a delight on countertops.
Be certain your plastic outside dishware is in good shape as well. Are iced tea glasses free of scratches? Plastic utensils and paper napkins stocked and ready? Get your pitchers out in anticipation of fresh-squeezed lemon and limeade.
Re-arrange the furniture by changing the focal point away from the fireplace in order enjoy the backyard or soon to bloom garden area.
Now, draw back those heavy draperies and make full use of sheers to invite a fresh breeze into your refurbished surroundings.
Take a tour of your living space. It’s okay to smile. Then, find your seed catalogs, sit down in your favorite chair and turn your attention to the outside.
I’m always hungry, aren’t you? So, in preparation to fill that need, uncover and hose off the barbeque. Be sure to scrape the grill free of rust and residue. Refill the propane tank or buy fresh briquettes so you’ll be ready for any impulsive celebrations at the first sign of inviting weather. While you’re at it, replace the old mat at the front door to welcome your guests.
Retrieve the lawn furniture from storage and make sure webbing is intact and that all the cushions are shapely. How does the deck look? Is it in need of a pressure wash to remove stains, mildew and mold? Tighten loose
boards and raised nail or screw heads and be certain the railing is secure.
To ward off pesky pests, citronella candles come in a wide variety of container styles from terra cotta pots to galvanized pails or lanterns and torches. You will be pleased to find that even votive size citronellas are available to pop into your collection of candle holders.
Planting season is here. It’s time to take inventory. Make sure garden hoses are kink-free, new washers have been inserted into water wands, garden tool handles are free of splinters, pruners are sharpened, you have a matching pair of gloves, and your sun hat isn’t too much of an embarrassment if a neighbor peeks over the fence.
A great way to start would be the introduction of a stunning variety of sweet peas. “April in Paris” is a favorite with its profusion of soft cream blossoms and lilac edges. Be sure to plant the seeds in a sunny location and provide a sturdy trellis for them to climb to their mature 6-8’ height. This hearty vine is frost tolerant in unpredictable pre-spring weather. Another beautiful sweet pea is the “Cupani”. Rich in fragrance and color, the bi-colored flowers of dark maroon and violet add a shock of pleasing color to any landscape or bouquet for the house.
Another attention getter is the “Music Box” sunflower. Smaller than the traditional, edible “Sunzilla” variety, the “Music Box” reaches only knee height. Perfect for beds and borders, the fist-size, golden blooms with chocolate centers will delight all that behold them. If you sew more seeds 3-4 weeks after the first planting, you will be honored with flowers throughout the season.
In a separate section, start an herb garden. This will enable you to stock your spice rack with freshly picked basil, thyme, peppermint and spearmint, fennel, rosemary and oregano to add to your favorite dishes.
Prepare fresh fish topped with a sprig of rosemary, wrapped in foil then barbequed to perfection. Baked potato’s topped with fresh chives. How about dried sage rubbed on a pork loin. Or, a T-bone steak marinating in freshly chopped garlic before grilling.
Flowering plants provide a feast for the eyes. There are a number of different types of lavender available and with its popularity growing, you will want to plant these vibrant, richly scented herbs throughout your garden areas. The English “Hidecote” features silvery foliage with spiked stalks topped with deep purple flowers. The “Munstead”, another English offering, boasts plump mounds of semi-dwarf plants with lavender-blue blossoms.
All of your blooming choices will attract playful butterflies your whole family will enjoy.
Now, place your sparkling lawn furniture in the ideal spot and soak up the sun as you scope out the ideal planting ground for your edible garden.
For more decorating tips, please visit us at Helpful Home Ideas.
About the Author
DJ Ledford is a contributing writer for sites such as Helpful Home Ideas. Please include an active link to our site if you'd like to reprint this article.
|
|
|
|
|
| fashion net - the guide to all things chic |
| Directory of selected chic fashion, art, luxury, shopping, and work sites. [English and Japanese] |
| www.fashion.net |
|
| Fashion TV - HOME |
| International TV channel dedicated to fashion, broadcasts 24 hours a day on satellites and cable systems. Site features programs and lots of info on fashion ... |
| www.ftv.com |
|
| Style.com: the online home of Vogue and W; Fashion, Fashion Shows ... |
| Portal of Vogue and W magazines. Detailed coverage of designer runway collections and style news with a list of job opportunities and links to other Condé ... |
| www.style.com |
|
| Vogue Articles, Features, and More on Style.com |
| Magazine features and articles, fashion show coverage, celebrity style, fashion trend reports, party and award show coverage, shopping guides, and more. ... |
| www.style.com |
|
| Fashion for women -- fashion designers, latest trends, fashion tips |
| Fashion for women: a comprehensive guide to everything about women's fashion including current fashion trends, information about fashion designers, ... |
| fashion.about.com |
|
| Fashion & Style - New York Times |
| Fashion & Style · Dining & Wine · Home & Garden · Weddings & Celebrations · Travel · Jobs · Real Estate · Autos · Comedy on the Hot Seat. By ALLEN SALKIN ... |
| www.nytimes.com |
|
| Fashion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
| The term "fashion" is frequently used in a positive sense, as a synonym for ... In this sense, fashions are a sort of communal art, through which a culture ... |
| en.wikipedia.org |
|
| fashionoffice.org : trends in fashion - Europe . America . Asia |
| fashion magazine - international trends in fashion, style, design, photo, film, art, beauty. catwalk TV, shows, photo stories from New York, Paris, London, ... |
| www.fashion.at |
|
| Fashion, from the concrete to the catwalk | fuk.co.uk |
| London designer interviews and runway archive, photo shoots, street style, weekly updated news and a fashion clinic. |
| www.fuk.co.uk |
|
| FASHION Magazine |
| The web component of Canada's general fashion title, with fashion, beauty, gift ideas and online competitions. |
| www.fashionmagazine.ca |
|
| Telegraph | Fashion |
| Fashion Director Hilary Alexander looks at an expanding market. ... Fashion 'Oscar' winner Giles Deacon is to join luxury label Daks, reveals Hilary ... |
| www.telegraph.co.uk |
|
| Telegraph | Fashion |
| Fashion 'Oscar' winner Giles Deacon is to join luxury label Daks, ... Buying vintage is more than a fashion trend, it's a good investment says Maria ... |
| www.telegraph.co.uk |
|
| Fashion Jobs | Fashion Jobs at 24 Seven Inc. |
| We're 24 Seven Inc., the number one source of fashion jobs and talent for the ... Our success at connecting the right people with the right fashion jobs has ... |
| www.fashion-jobs.biz |
|
| Fashion History Costume Trends and Eras, Trends Victorians - Haute ... |
| Pauline Weston Thomas and Guy Thomas place costume alongside the social history of an era, focusing on fashion from 1800. Includes undergarments, haute ... |
| www.fashion-era.com |
|
| Fashion Planet: Summer |
| New York-based site looks at collections, trends, personalities and global lifestyles with monthly updates. |
| www.fashion-planet.com |
|
| New York Fashion -- New York Magazine - Designers, Fashion ... |
| Fall Fashion. rachel weisz The Sexes Get Dressed. For her? ... Spring 2007 Fashion. philosophy and versace European Shows. The best of the big collections. ... |
| nymag.com |
|
| New York Fashion -- New York Magazine - Designers, Fashion ... |
| The recently maligned country struts its stuff at a fashion show in Manhattan. ... Fall Fashion. rachel weisz The Sexes Get Dressed. For her? ... |
| nymag.com |
|
| Fashion Icon |
| Features latest trends, dressing tips, an ask the fashion experts column, and fun craft projects. |
| www.fashion-icon.com |
|
| Fashion News on Yahoo! News |
| Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet Shine at "The Holiday" Premiere Fashion Wire Daily ... JAKARTA (Reuters) - Mention the words Islamic and fashion and most people ... |
| news.yahoo.com |
|
| Hint Fashion Magazine |
| Hint Fashion Magazine, featuring fashion news, model pages, photo shoots, designer interviews, beauty reports, party pictures and message boards. |
| www.hintmag.com |
|
|