Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Giving Your Stair Banister the Holiday Treatment

Chances are you decorate your entry door and windows over the holidays. If you have a fireplace mantle, you most certainly take advantage of hanging your stockings and showing off your Christmas collectibles. So don't give up the opportunity to decorate one of the grandest architectural features of a home: the stair banister! If you got it, flaunt it!

Measure your staircase from top to bottom and plan your materials accordingly. If you are draping ribbon, you'll need to use at least double the length of the banister. The same goes for lights and garland. It's always better to have more than less, so a little excess can simply be used somewhere else in your home!

Instead of the usual evergreen garland and red ribbon or bows, try a bright citrus color like orange or a regal color such as fuchsia. Layer a translucent ribbon in the same shade to add depth. A great evergreen alternative is thick wire ribbon draped in loops up the banister. Add large pinecones (we always seem to forget these great accents!) and berry, floral or holly sprays at the top of the loops to make it festive yet natural looking.

Everyone places wreaths on their doors, but what about wreaths attached side by side on the banister? What a great way to showcase them! You can get more creative with the wreath accents then accents on a garland and create a banister that is simply stunning.

Sometimes simple equals elegant. One way to add more floral accent to a simple evergreen garland is to attach white, pink or red silk poinsettias. These gorgeous and traditional Christmas plants have often been resigned to a pot or silk arrangement. Not anymore! Add large bows and berry/pearl sprays in coordinating colors at the top and bottom of the staircase to complete the creation.

Another great take on the Christmas tree is to gather large evergreen boughs and stagger them up the banister. Then take large round ornaments on satin ribbons and hang them from the boughs at different lengths.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Decorative Wreaths - Home Decorating With Beautiful Decorative Wreaths

Whether bought to welcome guests at the front door or to grace the fireplace mantle, decorative wreaths make a wonderful addition to any home. Easy to display and change with the seasons, decorative wreaths come in many varieties of colors, flowers, sizes and materials. Home decorating can be simplified and the home's beauty enhanced with the addition of one or two well placed decorative wreaths.

There are several kinds of wreaths that are available and each have their pro's and con's.

Dried wreaths are made of flowers and leaves that have been dried either in a controlled environment or by exposure to natural sunlight. These wreaths work best for people living in a humid climate. Without dense humidity, breakage and flower crumbling occurs quite easily. Overall these decorative wreaths will look the best when they are new but will begin to deteriorate over time and will eventually need to be replaced.

Preserved wreaths are made of live flowers that have been chemically preserved. Some preserving agents also add a boost of color to give the wreath a longer life and more vibrant colors.

These wreaths work best for people living in a dry climate as humidity often causes their artificially added color to run or their preservation to be compromised. Preserved decorative wreaths will also look best when they are new but will break down and eventually will need to be replaced. Also it is best to use these wreaths outdoors because of the chemicals that they have been treated with.

Artificial wreaths, made from synthetic materials, are designed to withstand all types of weather and humidity levels. They are also hypoallergenic and require little if any maintenance. Most high quality decorative wreaths look extremely lifelike and are designed to endure beautifully season after season, year after year. The use of artificial decorative wreaths is the recommended and best choice both for the lasting beauty they offer but also for their longevity.

Depending on the flowers and foliage in your wreath, small adaptations can keep it in season all year round. In summer, consider adding a few sprigs of fresh greenery and even a few real or silk in-season blooms such as tulips or crocuses. In summer, remove the spring additions and add a warm, buttery silk bow with a fan of dried variegated grasses or small blooms such as orange blossoms. In fall, remove summer additions and add rust colored leaves and a spray of baby's breath running throughout or tied in a bow on the side. In winter, remove the fall additions and wrap a string of miniature white Christmas lights around your wreath and add a few small gold ornaments with a large red velvet bow.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Coming of Age Activities and Celebrations

Have you thought of doing something special for your daughter as she "comes of age?" Many families and communities are finding creative ways to acknowledge girls during puberty.

These ideas will help you honor your daughter's new maturity, acknowledging change, and create a memory of a passage shared. You and she will create moments unique to you, and, who knows? It may be the beginning of a new tradition that she will share with her own family and community in years to come.

Projects

Does your daughter have a cause she is passionate about? Would she enjoy taking on a more involved community project? She might also be ready for a bigger responsibility at home. Some communities invite girls, as they pass through puberty, to give a presentation to a group of women they know, sharing about something they are interested in.

Research coming of age in different cultures. Navajo and Apache communities, for example, hold coming-of-age to be one of the most important ceremonies of all. Why is that? Why does the entire community honor these girls as having special power, and ask them to say special blessings?

Celebrations and Gatherings

Invite friends of any age and have a party! Have a "red" theme, if you want, to symbolize womanhood and power. Read a verse, sing a song, light a candle, have girls walk through an archway, take photos, and eat yummy food.

Crown the girls with wreaths that they make from ivy, flower garlands, or poster-board. Decorate the crowns with ribbon and lace, and crown the girls during a special moment, welcoming them into the circle of women.

Here are things other families have done: One mother, a dance teacher, is planning a gathering of creative movement activities for women and girls in her community. Another, who loves the outdoors, facilitated an overnight for several girls, where each one could have some time alone under the stars, in a safe environment.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Tips For Displaying Your Collector's Dollhouse Without an Interior Decorator

In the wide world of dollhouse accessories there are so many to choose from it can be quite difficult to find just the right piece for your dollhouse. You started with just the house, added the basic furnishings, yet it just doesn't seem quite right. It's not cozy enough or perhaps you just have a feeling it's not finished yet. This is the time to start shopping for dollhouse accessories.

For example, your beautiful Victorian dollhouse is complete on the outside, and you have purchased the chairs, hutches, kitchen appliances and various bedroom furniture. It's still too spacious to adequately represent that particular time period when the entire house was filled to the brim with various figurines, beaded lamps, frilly coverlets and wall hangings.

You are in luck! These days finding the perfect dollhouse accessories are as simple as a quick trip to the Internet. It's easy to fill the china hutch with replicas of find china plates and teacups, or perhaps that table at the end of the loveseat required a tea service complete with treats on a tray? Maybe you need to find a finely painted floor covering made from canvas to bring a bit more authenticity to the parlor?

Whatever you need, it's available and a very reasonable cost. You may have set your dollhouse on a table with a bit of artificial grass. You can even find dollhouse accessories for the lawn. A little simple landscaping such as a rose bush by the front door or an outside lamp can really add to the details you are trying to include for a more finished look.

You can even accessorize to reflect holidays or seasons. In the winter, you may choose dollhouse accessories such as quilts on the beds or thick rugs for the floors.

In the spring you may want to brighten up a room by changing the curtains to something lighter allowing natural light in. At Christmas, trees covered in ornaments, wreaths, plates of gingerbread cookies, trains, gifts, nativity scenes, baking supplies and so many more dollhouse accessories are available to set the mood in your dollhouse.

Purchasing a small jack-o-lantern and placing a bowl filled with candy by the front door can even celebrate Halloween. There is even tiny painted Easter eggs and baskets to decorate with.

Perhaps your dolls love animals; you can purchase birdcages with canaries in them, cats to curl up on the chair and dogs lying in front of the hearth. You can even showcase a miniature collection of dolls, artwork, and shadow boxes filled with butterflies. Anything you could possibly want in your own home is available as a dollhouse accessory.

Dollhouse accessories don't end with decorous items; it can include items such as gingerbread trim on the house, a particular style of doorknob, or adding shutters. You might want to add cleaning supplies to a shelf in the mudroom, or a stack of bills to be paid on the desk in the office. Don't forget to line your bookshelf with books or buy a box of diapers for the baby's room when choosing dollhouse accessories, either.

It is so much fun to build the dollhouse, more fun to furnish your dollhouse, but the real fun begins when it is time to buy all the dollhouse accessories. You will laugh at the size of the roll of toilet paper and be astounded by the options of kitchenware and color choices in clothing and accessories for your dolls. Have fun, go a little crazy, and don't forget the tiniest details when you are choosing your dollhouse accessories.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

15 Summer Decorating Ideas

Summer decorating is a wonderful time to lighten up the colors and fabrics in your home. While you may not be able to decorate every room, there are numerous ways to add summer flair. You can decorate with a summer theme such as fruit (apples, strawberries, grapes), flowers (roses, carnations, daisies), or seaside nautical in addition to following some of the ideas listed below.

1. Replace heavy drapery with light sheers. The sheers provide an airy appeal while letting in the sunshine. If removing your existing drapery is not an option, consider changing just the valance and tiebacks to a lighter color. Another option is to use grapevine wreaths, strands of beads, artificial flowers, or decorative ribbons as your tiebacks or swag holders.

2. Store away items that are not useful in the summer such as blankets, throws, and heavy quilts.

3. Lighten up the color of your sofa by placing a slipcover on it or replacing your dark colored pillows with lighter colors.

4. Place light colored slipcovers on your all-wood dining room or kitchen chairs.

5. To add a lighter summer touch to your dark wood tables, use white lace or doilies as runners or tablecloths.

6. If you have a heavy bedspread, considering replacing it with a lightweight linen blanket.

7. Bring in the outdoors by adding fresh flowers in vases or baskets to counters, tabletops, and nightstands.

8. Add summer accessories around your home such as birdhouses, sea shells, bowls of fruits or vegetables, and summer reading materials.

9. If you have dark lampshades, replace them with lighter ones.

10. Repaint a dark hallway in your favorite hue such as buttery yellow, a creamy tan, or a fresh apple green.

11. Display a grouping of floral plates on a wall, hutch, or fireplace mantle.

12. Clean out the ashes in your fireplace and fill the firebox with a large artificial fern or a basket of colorful flowers.

13. Place twigs in tall vases and set on each side of the fireplace mantle.

14. To add summer whimsy to your bathrooms, hang lightweight fabric shower curtains printed with ladybugs, bees, flowers, or palm trees. Display matching hand towels and rugs to continue the summer theme.

15. Change the layout of your furniture to give your rooms a fresh, new look.

Decorating your home for the summer does not have to be complicated or cost a lot of money. As you can see from the ideas listed above, a new lamp shade, adding new fabrics, or changing the paint color of a room can breathe new life into your interior design. So, have fun and use your imagination to bring some fresh new looks into your home for the summer season.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Jesse Tree and Advent

Jesse Tree and Advent are tied together where as the Jesse Tree has biblical root. Some parishes defer the use of a Christmas tree to a Jesse Tree in the Altar or sanctuary area. Of course some of the Christmas Tree roots do go back to Pagan believes around the time of Constantine, who added some of the pagan tradition into Christianity as a conversion point. The use of a Jesse Tree and now the variation the Jesse Tree Advent Wreath provide solutions for those with concerns. The Jesse Tree is steeped in Jewish tradition and henceforth Christian tradition.

Running in parallel with the Advent wreath each week ornaments are placed on the Jesse Tree. But these ornaments are not the frosty little snowmen, or Santas they ornament well thought out to show the evolution up through the birth of Christ. In some places the ornaments are placed daily and there is a coinciding Old Testament passage to be read each day that highlight a person who contributed to moving God's word forward. If doing this daily you may choose to draw on construction paper a Dove or fish or maybe a tree. And as Genesis 1:1-2:3 is read aloud you would place this item on the tree.

Churches may do this weekly and make it coincide with the lighting of each of the advent wreath candles. They selected Joseph, David (son of Jesse), John the Baptist and Jesus as the Sunday persons that the ornaments are to be based on. For Joseph, the ornament should be a Sack of Grain or a Coat. For David's representation it should be a Shepherd's Crook or a Harp and for John the Baptist, a Scallop Shell. And for Jesus, the ornament prescribed is a manger.

As parents struggle to keep Christmas about Jesus, the use of the Jesse Tree, especially if the parish is using one, is the reason that a Jesse tree advent wreath may be a perfect addition to the home. The scenes are displayed around the wreath to make a circle. The daily practice of speaking about Biblical Figures helps shift the focus from commercialism and the chorus of "I want" when it comes to toys.

The other nice thing about the Jesse Tree is this can be a great opportunity for you to read the Bible stories that go along with each person. It is a great refresher for the parent where as many under forty were not as well catechized as their parents. Rome recognizes this problem and is starting adult education programs. However, to go with a Jesse Tree themed advent wreath it's a great way to brush up on who the major figures of the Old Testament where as well as the Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth and her husband, Zachariah as well as the Magi.

Advent can be a season used not only as a penitential season but it can also be used to strengthen the core of the family. The Jesse Tree is sometimes called an Advent Tree because it functions throughout Advent, foretelling of the good news that is coming, the birth of our Savior.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Home Decorating Ideas - Country Style Updated

What do you enjoy most about Country Home Decorating? For some the fondest memories are the casual, colorful, nic-nac haven of the 1980's...I remember that time, do you? Other country home decorating ideas of the past included painted wood plaques on the walls, pine furniture with cut out hearts, wreaths made of natural materials, ruffles, braided area rugs, bunnies and duckies (with clothes on) in the front yard...it was and still can be, a comfortable, cozy and homey type of decor. In my 1980's neighborhood it was THE decorating look!

Twenty five years later, Country home decor is still a comfortable and sought after look, although some of the elements have undergone a 21st century transformation. In this fresher, updated look, the wall plaques and ruffled plaids may no longer be present, but the overall look is still casual, informal and inviting.

Antique pieces, distressed wood (from age or intentional) of pine, oak and maple are staples of country home case goods. There are many great sources of new, well constructed furniture that provide a timeworn appearance - a big plus! If your style preference is more sophisticated upscale county, you'll most likely select new pieces which will have a light wood finish and a slightly more traditional look as opposed to a Colonial style turned leg, for example.

The cute ginghams and red, blue and green plaids are gone. Textile choices should remain organic, informal and durable, but the pattern and color schemes may vary, depending on homeowner taste. Select your color scheme early on in the project, determining the two or three colors that will make up your palette, and add one or two accent colors. Then stick with the plan to ensure that your space retains that 'put together' look.

As with any home decorating project, Country Home Decorating requires thoughtful planning with regard to the budget, color scheme and coordination of the furniture, accessories and room layout. And please remember that country decor doesn't mean cluttered and disorganized.

Collectables such as candles, baskets, porcelain figures, small antiques, baskets or whatever your passion is, can be displayed in a way that showcases them rather than disappearing into the background. How? Display your pieces in groupings of five or less, varying the size and shape of each piece and thus creating an interesting vignette. Whatever you decide to use as an accent in your country style home, make sure it is something that you love and enjoy having around every day, and that will be your secret to success.

Country style decorating is practical, so look for ways to make your pieces multi-task, or give them a new function. For example, if you have found the most perfect hand-woven basket to add to your home's country decor, use it for storage as well. The antique nightstand that you picked up at the flea market may have a place in the guest bathroom as a small storage unit.

Whether your unique interpretation of country style decorating is rustic, casual and primitive, or updated, fresh and simple...decorate from the heart with pieces you love and you will be pleased with the result.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Outdoor Wreaths - How to Select the Perfect Outdoor Wreath Part 1

In this article series, we'll discuss the elements of shopping to select the perfect outdoor wreath to compliment the area you have in mind. Outdoor wreaths are a very effective way to bring color and texture to a front door, a back patio, a porch, or just about any area. We'll also discuss how to be sure that your online transaction is safe and secure when purchasing over the internet.

To start, determine the area which you are seeking to add enhancement. Ask some basic questions - What size wreath am I looking for? What sort of durability will I need to handle the outdoor elements? Is there a theme or particular color in the rest of my outdoor decor that my wreath will need to flow with? Will a live wreath, a dried wreath, or a silk outdoor wreath suit my purposes best?

Now that you've determined answers to your first question, next, let's talk a bit about lighting. What is the temperature of your room? Because your wreath is outdoors, it is true that the lighting will technically be "natural" but does it have direct sunlight or does it bear the blue tones of sun shadow because direct natural light never shines in that room? Keep in mind that natural light will greatly enhance the beauty and vibrancy of your wreath. Is your current lighting adequate? Will the lighting of the space determine the hues of greenery or flowers in your outdoor wreath?

Also be sure that your outdoor wreath is appropriately sized for the space you would like to hang it. Oversized wreaths look very nice as house ornaments while small dainty wreaths look very inviting on individual doors.

Next determine the season that your wreath will express. Use warm and bright colors of flowers, bright fresh greenery, and seasonal berries for spring and summer. Use rust colors, deep browns, grasses, or earthen accessorized wreaths for fall. Individual holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and July Fourth can be accentuated by a simple red bow, set of Easter bulbs, or decorative flag added to your current in-season outdoor wreath. You will want the blossoms and blooms of your outdoor wreaths to correspond with the blossoms and blooms of nature for that season. For example, in early summer, flower blooms will be bursting with vibrant color, but by early autumn, those blooms will have withered up and fallen off. Don't display a wreath overflowing with spring bulb plants as fall is setting in.

Having determined the season, context, and lighting, you can now shop for the perfect outdoor wreath to compliment your area of need.

In our next installment, we'll look closely at how to find the widest selection of wreaths with the least amount of effort and how to ensure a safe and secure online transaction when purchasing over the internet. Stay tuned!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Sympathy Flower Arrangements

Flower arrangement is an art. You have to know how to play with the colors of the different flowers to radiate the mood you want to project. You have to know how to cut the flowers properly for them to stand firmly or to fall properly and not fall because they are starting to wilt and die. There are basic forms that florists can follow like bouquets, wreaths, table centerpieces, or basket flowers. But nowadays, florists are starting to experiment on unorthodox methods to arrange the flowers to enhance the beauty and extract the best moods.

This experimentation continues for sympathy flower arrangement. You can see the conventional wreaths or bouquets or basket flowers or coffin sprays. Nowadays, florists offer customized shapes to give a personal touch to the gift you offer to the mourning family members. There are now heart-shaped flower arrangements, and crosses and crucifixes are not so uncommon anymore. Star-shaped or pillow-type arrangements are also used more often.

Florists use their knowledge and their imagination to mix and match the different flowers to brighten the mood of the already somber occasion. It is never easy for you or anyone to loose a loved one. Often, the news of a departed leaves you in shock and in a state of confusion, even if the deceased is not someone you know personally, but someone whom you knew from a friend, a co-worker, a classmate, a church mate in your congregation, or maybe a team member in your basketball group. It doesn't matter how you know the person, the reaction is the same. Florists use their expertise to help ease the pain of the loss and at the same time be sensitive to the cultural differences and avoid any religious clashes that could occur.

Monday, May 31, 2010

Wedding Superstitions

How does that saying go? "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and silver sixpence in her shoe." It is a credo believed to carry good luck dating back to the Victorian era and many folks, brides especially, try to arrange their wedding attire accordingly.

* Something old: Something old represents the link with the bride's family and many brides choose to wear a piece of antique family jewelry, her mother's or grandmother's wedding gown.

* Something new: This is to symbolize good fortune and success for the future of the couple. The wedding gown is often chosen as the new item.

* Something borrowed: Something borrowed is to remind the bride that friends and family will be there for her when help is needed. The borrowed object means something such as a lace handkerchief.

* Something blue: The color blue is meant here to symbolize the loyalty and fidelity of the couple. Often the item is the garter.

* Silver sixpence in her shoe: A Silver Sixpence in her Shoe is to wish the bride wealth. But frankly, if you are willing to go through your entire wedding with a coin in your shoe, well that's just crazy :)

The bride's bouquet at its inception formed part of the wreaths worn by both the bride and groom. It was a symbol of happiness. Today the practice of tossing the bouquet is an off shoot of throwing the garter. Single women compete to catch the bride's bouquet because according to superstition the one to make the catch will be married next.

The wedding tradition of throwing the garter began in France when pieces of the bride were considered lucky. The bride would throw the garter to those attending the wedding and whoever caught it could expect good luck. In some states, the groom traditionally removes the garter from the bride and throws it to the unmarried men. The man who catches it is thought to be the next to marry. As the wedding ceremony progress, the excitement level of all increases.

* Catching the garter: Men compete to catch the brides garter as the groom tosses it up in the air.

* Garter game: At some weddings the man who catches the garter places it on the leg of the lady who caught the bouquet or they have the next dance.

These superstitious wedding games have become part of the wedding tradition today. It is believed that by participating you are bestowing upon the couple good fortune.

A century ago, wedding superstitions were even more deeply rooted.

* Marrying a man whose surname began with the same letter was thought to be unlucky.

* Marrying on Friday the 13th cursed your wedding from the start.

* Brides who choose to be married in December were thought to be the wisest woman because she surely would be marrying her true love.

The desire for a marriage to last is strong, and consequently weddings are particularly vulnerable to superstitious beliefs that can supposedly affect it. My thoughts? Try not to take any of them seriously, there are so many superstitions to follow it can drive you crazy! And of course there's the whole "superstition" aspect. You do know that it's all made-up, right? That it's not going to have any bearing on your marriage or wedding day at all, right? Good. I've got to go get the penny out of my shoe now. Good luck!

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Remembering the Meaning of Memorial Day

Wearing poppies, waving flags, parades, placing flags and wreaths at soldiers' graves, twenty-one gun salutes followed by hot dogs and ice cream at the local American Legion were all part of the Memorial Day pre-boomers remember as kids. It was a solemn yet celebratory day because we remembered those who died serving our country and rejoiced in the freedom we enjoyed as a result of their sacrifices.

There are many versions of how this day of remembrance came to be. Dozens of cities in the United States lay claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. In fact, it was originally called Decoration Day - a time to place flowers and flags on the graves of America's fallen heroes and honor their service.

Some say the day got its start before the end of the Civil War, when ladies in the South organized to decorate the graves of the Confederate dead. Others believe a group of former slaves exhumed the bodies from a mass grave in South Carolina filled with the bodies of Union soldiers, buried the remains in individual plots and planted flowers to decorate the cemetery. But Waterloo New York is considered to official home of the day's first observance in 1866.

The tradition of honoring the military dead was renewed during WWI. It started in the United States with the wearing of poppies, inspired by the poem, "in Flanders Fields." The poppies were sold and the proceeds used to benefit servicemen in need. This idea later caught on in Europe to benefit orphaned children and widows of servicemen who lost their lives. A few years later, the European effort petered out and the founder approached a US organization, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), to support the effort. In 1922 the VFW began selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans.

Although the term "Memorial Day" was first used in 1882, it did not become more popular than "Decoration Day" until after WWII. Memorial Day was declared a Federal Holiday in 1967. Over the years, the meaning and observance of the day has diminished. Poppies are still sold by veterans groups. Flags are displayed, but fewer than in the past. And the parades have all but vanished; however, there is a national parade each year in Washington, DC.

Now, Memorial Day, which has turned into a long weekend, marks the beginning of the summer season with cookouts and family activities taking the place of community events. Many have tried to return to the traditional roots of this day. To accomplish this, Americans must be re-educated about the history of Memorial Day and set it aside as a day of remembrance rather that just a day off from school or work.

Legislation has been introduced to Congress in an effort to return the observance of Memorial Day to May 30th instead of the last Monday in May. If you believe this is a tradition you would like to see restored, contact your elected representative and let them know you don't want the meaning of Memorial Day forgotten.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Yarrow-Achillea Millefolium

Yarrow is used to exorcise evil from locations or even people. It confers protection and courage when worn and attracts friends and loved ones. When dried and used in wedding bouquets, it guarantees at least seven years of love.

References to yarrow date back many thousands of years. Fossils containing yarrow pollen have been found in 60,000-year-old Neanderthal burial caves. Achilles reputedly used the herb to dress wounds during the Trojan War, hence its botanical name, Achillea millefolium. The herb was still being applied to battlefield injuries during the American Civil War, 3,000 years later. Its war time vulnerary use caused yarrow to be dubbed "Herba Militaris", the military herb, in early Europe. Other nicknames for yarrow include "bloodwort" and "nosebleed". "Millefolium" means one thousand leaves and refers to yarrow's finely divided foliage.

The ancient Chinese method of foretelling the future, based on the I Ching, a classical book of the Confucian era (551--479 BC), uses 50 sticks of dried, stripped yarrow stems. These are tossed into the air and meaning is attributed to the pattern they form upon falling.

The herb's common name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word, "gearwe", which would have been pronounced something like "Yawraway".

The genus "Achillea" comprises of over 80 species. If you've resisted adding this weedy and invasive plant to your herb garden, with its dull white and pink flowers, you'll be delighted to learn that breeders have recently augmented the herb's color range to include lilacs, crimsons and clear whites. These improved cultivars are generally less invasive than the species, but may revert to the latter if allowed to go to seed. Wild and cultivated yarrows hybridize freely. The Richter's catalogue for 2000 lists the following varieties: Standard, the preferred type for medicinal use; Mace, with its spicy aroma of the oriental spice; Moonshine, the best variety for drying; Red; Sneezewort; traditionally used as a snuff for clearing nasal congestion; Woolly, a low mat-forming variety with golden flowers (this particular yarrow will rot if not given good drainage), and Yellow, a tall variety - up to 5 feet - with large yellow flowers.

Yarrow grows easily from seed and will thrive in the most marginal of soils with the exception of soggy ground. Indeed, manure or fertilizer, or too much shade, will cause the development of weak stems. The herb prefers full sun in slightly acid soil, although a few species prefer a higher pH. Yarrow is a winter hardy perennial in zones 3 to 9 and thrives better with cool nights. It will attract many species of butterflies to your garden, along with lady beetles and tiny parasitic wasps that prey on aphids. Also, yarrow discarded in your compost pile will speed decomposition.

Standard yarrow can be cultivated as a lawn. It will withstand light foot traffic and will eventually choke out weeds. It should be mowed about three times a year to prevent flowering. Sow the seed in late summer or spring, using half pound of seed per 100 square yards. Spread evenly and press lightly into a prepared bed with a roller. Do not use fertilizer.

The wisdom of yarrow's traditional use as a wound healer has been verified by current research. More than 82 medicinal compounds have been found in the herb. Achilleine works as a hemostatic (blood clotting agent) and an astringent. A German study published in Planta Medica in 1994 found that the chamazulene in yarrow inhibits the formation of leukotriene, which triggers inflammation. Another German study, published in Arzneimittelforschung in June 1995, found that yarrow's flavonoids (which provide the plant's pigment) help the body produce prostaglandin, a chemical that controls smooth muscle contraction. When taken internally, this makes yarrow a useful herb for relieving gastrointestinal ailments including diarrhea, bloating and cramps. According to the German Commission E, yarrow's antispasmodic qualities make it particularly useful for treating menstrual cramps. Yarrow is also antibacterial and contains salicylic acid, the active ingredient in aspirin. To reduce fevers, yarrow combines well with elder flower, peppermint, boneset, cayenne and ginger. For reducing blood pressure it may be combined with hawthorn, linden flowers and European mistletoe. These herbs may be taken internally as teas or tinctures. To make yarrow tea, steep one tablespoon of the dried herb in one cup of boiled water for 10-15 minutes. Strain and drink three cups in one day for gastrointestinal problems, fever, hemorrhoids or bruises, or drink all three cups at once to slow heavy menstrual bleeding. For toothaches and minor cuts and burns, apply the tea topically.

To combat a cold, make a tea of yarrow along with elderflower and peppermint. Combine equal amounts of all three herbs. Infuse one teaspoon of the dried herb mixture - twice as much if you're using fresh herbs - and allow it to steep in one cup of water for 10 minutes. Drink three cups a day. If you can catch the cold early enough, you'll find this a very effective remedy.
Yarrow is not toxic, but allergies to the herb are common and sensitivity appears to increase with use. Even simple teas that contain yarrow can cause a mild skin rash and increase photosensitivity. If these symptoms develop, use should be discontinued.
Because of its potential as an allergen, yarrow should be used in moderation in the kitchen. Its leaves and buds have a mellow, sage-like flavor and may be added to wild salads and soups. Mace yarrow (Achillea decolorans) is the one species with culinary appeal. Its narrow, sharply toothed green leaves have a distinctive nutmeg or mace aroma. A small amount of the leaves, finely minced, add a pleasing piquancy to soups, stews, salads (especially potato salads) and cheese dishes.
Yarrow is enduringly popular for dried flower arrangements and wreaths. The yellow-flowered yarrows in particular last for years with minimal fading. The new pastel cultivars do fade upon drying, but the resultant muted colors are still beautiful and popular among crafts aficionados.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Decorate Your Stairway For Christmas

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! And decorating for the holidays can be a pleasure in itself. Your house can be alive with the holiday spirit without putting a huge dent in your time and budget.

It is helpful to simplify things. The tips offered here are fun and easy to do-you don't need to be a professional interior decorator to have a lovely holiday house!

If you have a staircase or railing in your home or on the porch, it is easy to make it festive. Start by choosing fir garland. You can use real or fake, and there are upsides to both choices: the real thing has that Christmas tree pine smell that delights our senses, while the fake garland can be reused year after year, and doesn't pose a fire hazard.

Once your garland is hung at even gently curved intervals from the stair railing, you can add your own personal touch. Use the following suggestions to get your creative holiday juices flowing.

You may choose to string cranberries or popcorn as in the olden days. Or you can paint the edges of pine cones white to suggest snow (or leave them natural). Now add these winsome lovelies to your greenery by fastening with bright ribbons in white, green, red, blue, gold, or silver.

If an outlet is handy, string indoor/outdoor Christmas lights to your garland. Make sure they are cool-burning, and do not leave unattended when lit.

If your staircase or railing is long enough, you may want to hang Christmas wreaths at even intervals.

If you have a landing at the bottom or middle of your staircase, group poinsettias or small potted pine trees in a corner or two. Decorate with ornaments, ribbons, and bows. Or you can fill decorative baskets or containers with fragranced potpourri for an interesting display.

Experiment to see what works for you. Once your staircase or railing is pleasing to your eye, you know you are finished!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Wreaths Galore - Not Just For Christmas Anymore

Wreaths are most often thought to be a Christmastime decoration. Around the holidays, many of us decorate our homes with evergreen wreaths with lights and red bows. Christmas wreaths are a traditional decoration that we're all accustomed to. However, more and more designers are using wreaths as a constantly rotating seasonal decoration. Why limit yourself to only displaying wreaths during the month of December? Wreaths can be a unique and versatile decoration for any season or holiday. Here are some fresh ideas on using wreaths as year-round decorations.

New Year's:
You can easily take your Christmas wreath into New Year's Day by removing the red bows and adding gold or silver ones with some streamers. Other possible decorations include a Happy New Years banner or hat and some small party horns or plastic champagne glasses.

Valentine's Day:
Nothing says love like a pink or red heart shaped wreath. Consider using silk roses, fabric hearts or even wrapped candies. A stuffed animal like a pink or red teddy bear, or small cupid also adds character. Top it off with a beautiful bow and you have a bright decoration for those cold winter days!

St. Patrick's Day:
Everyone can pretend to be Irish on St. Patty's Day! Of course, when designing a St. Patrick's Day wreath, green is certainly a requirement. A mass of green shamrocks wrapping your wreath would look very festive (garlands of plastic or fabric shamrocks can usually be purchased at decorating stores). Additional decorations might include small gold coins or leprechaun figurines.

Easter:
An Easter wreath can be decorated in many ways. Some choose to focus on the Christian celebration of Christ's resurrection, and others choose a lighthearted Easter Bunny theme. Whatever your choice may be, beautiful spring flowers are a good base for an Easter wreath. Other choices might include Easter eggs, chocolate candies or bunnies, and Easter ribbons.

Fourth of July:
In the United States, July 4 is an important holiday when we all like to show our patriotic spirit. Try a straw or grapevine wreath spray painted with red, white, or blue gloss paint as your base, and then have fun from there! You can use firecrackers, streamers, and ribbons for decorations. And don't forget to include some small flags to celebrate our independence.

Halloween:
After Christmas, Halloween is the most "decorated" holiday we celebrate in the United States. Welcome your trick-or-treaters with a festive Halloween wreath. Orange and black are traditional colors, and there are many materials and items you can use to create your wreath. Decorations might include pumpkins, ghosts, black cats, witches, spiders and wrapped candies.

Thanksgiving:
A wreath is a wonderful way to welcome guests to your home for a Thanksgiving dinner. Consider using natural materials this time of year, as they are so abundant. You may have to plan ahead and pick up beautiful leaves as they fall from the trees to create your own special design. A large fall bow with some colorful corn will complete your Thanksgiving wreath.

As you can see, wreaths aren't just for Christmas anymore! Seasonal wreaths are a great way to decorate for each holiday. If you have a nice base wreath, it would even be possible to just change out the decorations to accommodate each holiday or season. And because most wreaths aren't very large, they are an easy way to add a special touch to your home's decor without busting the budget. Be sure to protect your seasonal wreaths by storing them in a secure and efficient manner so that you can enjoy them for years to come.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Christian Fundraiser Ideas

Looking for Christian fundraiser ideas? Here are ten ways to raise funds with a Christian approach or focus, even more if you include fundraising events as well as selling products.

Christmas trees

A great fundraiser at Christmastime is selling Christmas trees, wreaths, poinsettias, and other holiday decorations. Simply setup a tree lot in your church parking lot, staff it with volunteers, and promote it with large signs well down the road.

You can also offer Christian-themed ornaments, decorative yard art such as wire-framed angels pre-decorated with twinkling lights, door wreaths with bible messages, etc.

Garden sale

A garden sale makes a wonderful spring fundraiser. Emphasize your Christian theme with peace lilies, Easter lilies, and other plants symbolizing peace. Flower bulbs and wildflower seeds are always good sellers, plus you can make arrangements with a nursery for flowering shrubs such as azaleas.

Mulch or pine straw are also good revenue producers. You can even sell Father Dom's Duck Doo Compost, an organic fertilizer that supports a good cause.

T-shirts

Many church youth groups sell message t-shirts that appeal to today's youth. These can be custom produced by a screen print company or ordered in bulk from national t-shirt companies. Expect to pay about $8 plus freight for shirts selling in the $12-$15 range.

Christian music

CD sales of Christian music groups are another easy way to raise funds. Focus on top selling groups and look for compilation CDs that feature hit songs from a variety of musicians. That way your music will have the broadest appeal. Take orders in advance and expect to pay 50% of retail price plus freight.

Auction

Hosting an auction is a fun way to raise money for your favorite cause. Seek donations from local businesses and ask everyone in your group to also ask their personal contacts. the more items donated the more you'll raise. To attract an even larger crowd, publicize your event well in advance with a press release.

Yard sale

A yard sale or rummage sale is another easy fundraiser. Put the word out to get as many items to sell as possible. Have it on a Saturday morning in a church parking lot and use road signs and newspaper classifieds to draw a big crowd. You can even turn it into a monthly event during good weather.

Music concert

A Christian-themed music concert can be a great family night or you could do the same thing for a teen audience. Be sure the groups you bring in have the right sound by asking for tapes or CDs. For bigger groups, you can pay a fee or give them a share of the ticket sales.

Fundraising bricks

Many church groups do landscape projects with laser-engraved fundraising bricks. Design a sidewalk, meditation garden, or outdoor patio fountain and incorporate the use of message bricks. Sell individual bricks that people can inscribe with a name and message of their choice. The bricks are surprisingly affordable and priced right, the project will raise amazing amounts for your cause.

Discount cards

Contact local Christian businesses for inclusion on a discount card for families. These usually retail for $10 and expire after a year. If you supply the advertisers, you can get the cards printed for $1 each which means huge profits. Sell these to supporters or to the general public with a sales table outside a grocery store or other high-traffic location.

Christmas carol-grams

Instead of going door-to-door caroling, assemble some talented singers, print up some flyers offering Christmas Carol-grams, and you're in business. Arrange to have a quartet deliver holiday cheer to a loved one's office, nursing home, hospital room, etc. Make sure your singers take flyers with them because this is a great word-of-mouth fundraiser!

That's all the space I have in this article for Christian fundraiser ideas. Look for the companion article coming soon on Christian fundraising events.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Create Your Own Christmas Wreath

Did you know you could make your own Christmas wreath? Christmas wreaths add so much pleasure and whimsical interest to any home or office. Wreaths are easy to make because all you need are the supplies, the effort and your imagination. They are displayable inside or outdoors, depending on their construction materials. You can even make Christmas wreaths for gift giving since nearly everyone has a soft place for such charming sentiments during the holidays.

Traditionally, wreaths were made of evergreen. However, there are several different types of wreaths of decorating, such as Styrofoam, grapevine, straw and wire base. Each of these wreath types has its own special features for wreath making.

You can get craft supplies for Christmas wreath making by shopping online specialty websites as well as hobby and department stores or you can even make your own.

Basic craft supplies will include:

- Wire cutters

- Hot glue and hot glue gun

- Floral picks

- Ribbon cutting scissors

- Florist tape

- Craft wire of either 22 or 24 gauge

Christmas wreaths can be classically simple or they can be outrageously contemporary. The way you make your Christmas wreath look original is to follow your instincts and let you imagination run free to choose a theme, while staying within your budget. You see, the wreath symbolizes the circle of life and immortality. What better why to celebrate life at Yuletide than to make your own original festive Christmas wreath?

Always buy or make your wreath before you consider the decorations to go on it. This will help you determine just how much of what types of decorations you may want to make or purchase to display on your Christmas wreath. You will save money by acquiring the wreath before you begin to decorate.

Stay flexible and creative while making your own Christmas wreath. You can use or make all sorts of items to decorate your homemade Christmas wreath. For instance, you can use cookies, dried or silk flowers and berries, different types of ribbons or bows, tinsel, greenery and other ornaments. You can use just about anything that catches your fancy when making your own Christmas wreath, since you will determine a theme before you begin to make your own wreath. For instance, Christmas specialty socks for babies are just the right size for decorating a wreath. Even large unworn earrings with a lot of glitter and sparkle make a great accent on a wreath. You are only limited by your imagination.

You can even use several small wreaths and create candle holders, just be sure to follow fire safety rules. Alternatively, you can make several Christmas wreaths and hang them as a Christmas wreath collection. On the other hand, you may want to make a large wreath as a center wall piece, or hang it outside or inside the entrance door to your home.

Everyone is sure to enjoy the pleasure of gathering to make his or her own Christmas wreaths. So you may want to make a day of it by making Christmas wreaths a family or group activity. If you decide to have wreath making as a group activity, everyone could bring a few different items and then everyone shares their goods. That way everyone has a surprising original Christmas wreath that is akin to others in the group. Christmas wreath making is fun and provides you with a nice looking decoration and the pride of knowing you can make your own Christmas wreath. Remember with the proper care and storage your Christmas wreath can last for many years.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Fuzzy Blue Lights

There are a multitude of people, all in black. All the same, yet all very different.

Some are men and some are women; some are blond and some have red hair; some are tanned and some are pale as death - but, they all are in black and they all look the same. There is a heavy gloom about the hall - it is as if the world has forgotten about color and if you try hard enough, you can taste the sadness in the air, and it makes you want to cry.

Your three-year old self does not exactly understand what is happening, and your bewilderment shows clearly on your face.

You want to know where your mother is, but no one will tell you anything. You have not seen her in days.

She goes on trips sometimes, and people always tell you where she is, and point it out on the globe at home, just like your mother normally does before she leaves. She did not this time though.

You did not know she was leaving until she did not come back home.

They say she has gone away, and that she is watching you. Why then, you ask, can you not watch her too? You do not care. You want her to come home.

Now they look uncomfortable, eyes darting, murmur something about heaven (what is that?) and say that at three, you are too young to understand - how can you, though, when no one will tell you anything? You want your mother and she is not there.

You see a big wooden box in the centre of the room, that the people in this dank, stone-walled cathedral with pretty little stained glass windows seem adamant to keep you away from. You wonder what is in it. It is a pretty, rectangular box, stained dark, and ornately carved. It is levitated on a stand above a deep, vibrant burgundy carpet that your mother would hate. Your mother hates red, but only you know that, even if you do not know why. People like to give her red things because they look good on her. You are proud that your mother tells you secrets.

There are wreaths of roses, some red; some dyed black. It seems sort of scary, but oddly fitting in the somber room.

Someone holds your hand. An aunt. You do not really like her, but she is the only one in this room that you recognize.

Her palm is cold and clammy, and you would have yanked you hand out from hers if she had not had such a tight grip on you.

Your clothes are black too, and made of an awful material that makes your skin crawl. You squish the urge to fidget and squirm - you have been taught better than that. 'It's rude,' your mother tells you.

People line up, and more roses are given out. This time, they are individual and white, and the sudden burst of sheer brightness makes you blink. You are not given one, however, and you are rather put out by it. Slowly, people place the roses in the box, and look sadly at something inside that you cannot see.

Your older sister, once a part of the black blur, steps out and kneels in front of you, smiling and holding out her arms. You are relieved to see another familiar face, and to be away from your aunt, so you bury your face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent, and her arms wrap around you in a tight embrace. She carries you over to the box, where people try to stop her, and they block her way. 'He does not understand! He needs to say goodbye,' she hisses, and you know that she is talking about you. They let her pass.

You see your mother in the box. She has a proud, dignified sort of aristocratic elegance that simply emphasizes her seeming frigidity, and her eyes are closed. She is beautiful, but there are scars on her face that were not there before. Her eyelids are shaded dark, and her lips stained red, as if it were summer and she'd eaten too many berries again. Her face is caked with skin-colored paint, making her look stiff, fake and unnatural, and it is something you want to claw and scratch off. She is normally full of warmth and life, and you do not understand why she does not move.

You reach out to touch her face to know that she is really there, and she is hard and icy. Her hand does not come up to clasp yours and she does not open her eyes and smile at you. Slowly, your realization sets in. A while ago, your grandmother was exactly the same, and your mother had explained what that meant.
You did not quite care then. You do now, and greatly so.

You let out a half-strangled cry, and wild-eyed, you search for an escape in this entirely too claustrophobic room. Your sister hugs you to her, and she smells like your mother - of vanilla, and apples and cinnamon - and for a second you are calm, before you remember what so distressed you in the first place.

You shake your head stubbornly, gaping, trying to say something, but all your mind can think is no, and all you can whisper is no. You wriggle out of her arms and run down the aisle of the cathedral; out the doors. There is a sycamore tree outside, on which fading, blue fairy lights are hung, and you climb it. You sit on a branch, and hug your torso tight, hoping that if you constrict it enough, your heart will not burst.

Your mother is gone too, like your father (who was never there anyway), and she's not coming back.

You do not notice that you are crying.

It occurs to you that she did not even say goodbye.

You realize that you did not say goodbye.

You start to weep in earnest, and you ask the Gods 'why'.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Year Round Decorating Ideas For The Front Door

The front door of your home is the first thing that visitors will see. You can make a good impression on your guests and visitors by adding some special decorative touches to this area. These decor accents do not have to be elaborate or expensive. Many times just one or two specially selected pieces will go a long way. By decorating the front doorway area you can lend a nice touch to your home, and make your guests feel especially welcomed. Here are some ideas for making the most of your decorating area with ideas to give special pizzaz to your front door.

Hang door garland. This can be in any theme and will cover a large amount of space on the front door. Make sure you choose something that will be relatively weather resistant, and will not fade easily. A garland of fall colored leaves would make a wonderful autumn design. For Christmas, holly or poinsettias could be used to make a similar garland.

Display a large wreath or other floral display with the use of an over-the-door wreath hanger. Try making your own wreath out of natural materials like pine cones. This can be easily accomplished by using a glue gun and adding some decorative floral picks. I usually make my own Christmas wreath by using a pre-made wreath shape, and adding Christmas floral picks or handmade bows. I purchase these inexpensively from the Dollar Store.

Add a door knob hanger. This could be as elaborate as a handmade, one-of-a-kind piece, or as simple as a colored ribbon with bells attached. For seasonal themes, a strand of dried corn or even small fall leaves would make a nice hanger. Snowman and poinsettias would be fun ideas for Christmas or Winter.

Seasonal door decorations are a fun way to decorate the front door. For autumn you could use a fall themed wreath with apples, fall leaves, even tiny pumpkins. Thanksgiving ideas include the cornucopia or dried corn. For the past couple of years, I have used a heavy wrapping paper to "wrap" my front door to look like a present. I usually use a bright red foil paper, then add a handmade wreath.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Understanding How to Grade Coins for Collecting

If you are into collecting coins, then you need to know how to grade coins as well. You'll find it's both an art and a science and if you're keen on coins, you'll find that this knowledge proves to be very helpful even if you are not really looking to becoming an expert in this field. At least it will make sure that you never get cheated.

What are grades? Well, in the 1950s, a man called Sheldon developed a system of grading from 1 to 70. Over the years, this has been revised, expanded, adapted and earlier definitions like Poor, Fine, Fair, Mint State, Uncirculated, etc have now been combined with numbers.

Where should you begin? Well, start with your own coins - that will be where you can build up experience. You need to familiarize yourself with the terminology of grading. For example, the very first thing you need to know is the 'obverse' of the coin, which refers to the face and the 'reverse' of the coin which refers to the back. Attention should be paid to the lettering which refers to both the letters and the numbers as well as the devices which refer to the buildings, faces, laurel wreaths, etc. You should also look for the 'wear' and the 'luster' as well as if any 'damage to the rim' has occurred.

Let's look at the Winged Liberty Head Dime as an example. There was one that was minted in 1941 which was 10% copper and 90% silver. Now these metals can very easily be identified and the quantities too, measured. So simple tests could tell you if it is a fake or not. Now look at the back or the obverse. You'll find that there's a lot of detail in the hair on the face at the back. If this is well defined, then you could probably classify it as EF or Extra Fine or maybe even Uncirculated. On the wing, the feathers should be clearly visible with the edge coming out from the background. Uncirculated coins too can have abrasions and nicks which can occur when they are moved around together in a bag. So even if the coin never really went out into circulation, it does suffer from some amount of wear and tear.

Another coin that is very popular with collectors is the Morgan Dollar. Look above the eye and the ear at the hairline to spot if there is wear and tear. You should clearly see the strands of hair and the folds of the cap should be free of wear and tear. The talons as well as the eagle's breast should stand out clearly as well as the tips of the wings and the feathers. Like the Jefferson Nickel, the Roosevelt Dime and the Lincoln Cent, coins which have a face should be checked for luster by looking at the forehead and the cheek. Make sure the luster is on account of very little usage and low wear and tear and not because it has been cleaned artificially. Keep in mind that coins that are subjected to artificial cleaning tend to lose some of their value. You can't really hide the fact because it shows up when you look at it through a magnifying glass, especially the abrasions and the unnatural sheen and color.

Grading helps put things in perspective when it comes to coins. Of course, there is always the element of individual differences when it comes to the degree of differences. That can only be solved when grading will one day be based on image recognition software. From the human point of view, subjectivity could be achieved by getting more than one point of view.

Friday, May 21, 2010

11 Celtic Christmas Themes

Since its early beginnings the Celtic Christian Church drew inspiration on the pagan traditions of the past. Many of our present day customs have their roots in the druidic or Wiccan rites of long ago. 

The winter solace starts on the 21st of December and is the shortest day in the year. Pagans believed in holding a festival of the sun to encourage its return and bring good fortune and bountiful crop with it. Accompanying this were a number of practices still very much in evidence today over the festive season.

1. The Yule log that we all have on our mantelpiece is reminiscent of the time when an oak log was burnt for twelve hours using the remnants of the previous years to light it. Once it had been burnt the log was decorated and kept throughout the year and its ashes were spread on the fields to encourage a good harvest.

2. Decorating your house with holly and ivy is very much a druidic tradition. They believed that these evergreens along with their blood red berries were a sign of fertility and rebirth. It was placed around doors and windows, so as to capture evil spirits before they entered the house in its spiky leaves. Echoes of this are in today's practice of placing holly wreaths on front doors.

3. The same is true of mistletoe which grows in the boughs of the oak tree. Druids would cut it down with a golden sickle making sure that it did not touch the ground. Meeting beneath a sprig of mistletoe was considered fortunate and a sign of goodwill; hence nowadays at Christmas we suspend it above doorways and exchange kisses if we meet beneath it.

4. Advent wreaths again have their roots in Celtic traditions. The countdown to the celebrations was marked with an evergreen holly wreath or a Celtic rope knot to hold four or five candles. One was lit each week in the lead up to Christmas. Traditionally there were 24 candles, the last of which was lit on the winter solace, bringing most light at the time when the world outside is at its darkest.

5. Place a lit candle in your window to welcome Mary and Joseph should they be passing.

6. Catching the Wren, traditionally an Irish feast celebrated on St Stephen's Day, December 26th, where participants would try to catch a wren, bringing them good luck. Now it is considered more as a time for going door to door, carol singing and passing around the hat.

7. Hogmanay, the Scottish four day festival of the New Year, is when the streets come alive with singing, dancing and partying. These include eating of haggis, a mince, potato and onion based filling put into a sheep stomach.

8. January 6th is the day to celebrate Little Christmas. Here traditionally women have the day off housework and the Christmas decorations are taken down. It is considered bad luck to take them down before or leave them up after this date.

9. The Celtic knot is a prime example symbolizing the life force, as in its never ending circle it weaves its path. These can be used in a variety of decorative ways, as place settings, Christmas cards or wreaths for your front door.

10. Christmas cake, Christmas pudding/ Plum Pudding or Figgy Pudding contain a rich mix of dried fruit, nuts and brandy. You start making them at the end of harvest and leave them to mature in time for Christmas. A cake of plenty made in the deep midst of winter.

11. In Scotland they have the tradition of First Footing, where at the stroke of midnight neighbors visit each other with a small gift, fruit cake or shortbread in return for a wee dram of whiskey. In other parts it is lucky for the first person to enter the house on New Years Day to bring a piece of coal as good luck for the coming year. Tall dark handsome men are thought to be the luckiest, while red headed women are sadly the least lucky ones to have knock on your door.

The Christmas greetings you will hear throughout both Wales and Ireland in the traditional Celtic languages are in Welsh "Nadolig Llawn" and in Gaelic "Nollaig Shona duit". However you choose to say it, have a Happy Christmas. 

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Decorating With Battery Operated Mini Lights

Every once in a while, we all have a decorating project where you want to light a display, wreath, or centerpiece but you just don't have access to an outlet. Or perhaps you need to answer the question - how can you decorate with mini lights without a lot of cords running across the table?

The simple and sparkling solution is to use battery operated Christmas lights. These handy lights aren't just for the holiday months though. They can be used for anniversary parties, proms, dinner parties, baby showers, birthday parties, bridal showers, and weddings, to name a few events.

Battery operated mini lights are the ideal decorating choice for all of your indoor holiday events. Buffet tables won't be just basic anymore. To truly dazzle your guests at your next dinner party, use groupings of these mini lights in and around the punch bowl. The light will cast a beautiful reflection against the glass, especially if the lights are dimmed. In order to lend dimension and interest to your holiday table, elevate Christmas centerpieces behind the food items. Add light by weaving battery operated mini lights into the foliage, hiding the battery pack inside the vase or container. The dessert table will look elegant when decorated with sets of battery operated mini lights.

Wreaths of all sizes are used in homes throughout the year simply beg to be decorated with clear mini lights. Multiple sets of battery operated lights are ideal for this application since the battery packs can be attached to the back of the wreath and out of sight.

You can use wreaths to adorn the walls of every room of the home. They're the perfect addition above the fireplace and can be changed out to match the seasons. The battery operated Christmas lights add a romantic bit of light to the room, as well. While you're at it, use a set of these mini lights along the mantel too for added ambient lighting. Don't forget to add battery operated lights to the Advent Wreath on the table or dining room sideboard during the Christmas season.

Do you have a fireplace but don't want to mess with burning real logs? If you don't have an outlet handy, use sets of battery operated mini lights nestled in and around artificial logs to add a warm glow to your sitting room, den, living area, or bedroom.

Large mirrors are the perfect backdrops for sparkling mini lights. If you have a place behind the mirror where the battery pack could easily be hidden, try outlining your hall mirror or bedroom mirror with battery operated Christmas lights to dress them up for parties and special occasions. It's a sweet way to bring a romantic touch into the bedroom. Your hallway will appear warm and inviting to your family and guests who visit.

I'm sure you've seen people carry interesting things on their heads or on their hats. Why not add some battery operated mini lights to your hat for the parade on the 4th of July? Or build team spirit during your next fun run with lights for every one on the team. Outfit your children with a few too. You'd be the talk of the folks on the sidewalk and your children will never forget the experience.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Say "Merry Christmas" In As Many Ways You Can!

It may happen that this type of weird thought has never drive you mad before. We all know what Christmas is all about but we hardly take note of the thing that Christmas is not same for all. One can try to spell out "Merry Christmas" in various languages and even he succeeds he will rarely keep in mind that the spirit changes from one language to another.

If we say "Fröhliche Weihnachten", we should then think about evergreen wreaths with four red candles hung in the home, cookies on the Christmas tree, lights, ornaments and tinkles... Cookies are in the shapes of people, animals, hearts or stars. Children write to St.Nicholas telling what they want to get as gifts. They believe gifts are brought by Christ child called "Christkindl". The Christmas treat includes roast goose or duck and also "marzipan" candy, cookies or gingerbread with tiny decorations on it. Children love to play with dice and the rule of the game is highly peculiar. One who throws a double puts on a hat, scarf, and gloves and then tries to open a chocolate bar out of the wrapper. It's the German's Christmas! They light up candles on every Sunday before Christmas.

One can taste a different flavor of Christmas when it comes to celebrate the occasion in France. One has to say "Joyeux Noel" instead of "Merry Christmas. It's a fun time for children as they get holidays and New Year is for the adults. The family sets up crèches with Mary, Joseph, shepherds, angels, and the farm animals. Three Wise men are added to the crèche on 6th January, the Epiphany. Children in this case get the gifts from "Pere Noel". Their favorite Christmas dish is stuffed goose with special French dessert in the shape of a Yule log.

Just wish the Italians "Buon Natale" with a smile on your face. It's a religious time for them. They love to sing and dance and generally set up "Presipio" in their homes. The fun goes for three weeks .It is not Christmas but "Novena" for them. The Italian children go from house to house reciting Christmas poems and singing. But one thing is common in every Christmas celebrations. Children wait for their gifts till Epiphany.

On Christmas Eve as the stars come out they light up tiny oil lamps in their houses. They shake their bodies in the tunes of music on the streets and dance with the merrymakers and onlookers after the Midnight Mass and Christmas Dinner. The special Christian dance is "Jota". The most striking part of the celebration is to honor the cow which breathed on Jesus in the stable at his birth time to keep him warm. Officially the Christmas celebration begins on 8th December. They have given a special name to Christmas Eve, "Nochebuena". The traditional Christmas treat is "turron", the almond candy. People exchange presents in the church and they take part in the swing game. They believe that swinging at this auspicious moment evokes an ancient desire to encourage the sun to "swing" ever higher in the sky. This is a short account of "Feliz Navidad" of Spain.

Customs change with the change in the cultural scenario. So, Christmas has many colors and shades as it is celebrated by muti lingual and multi cultural people around the world. But on the whole the spirit remains the same though the customs may differ.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Swags and Wreaths - Not Just for the Holidays

Swags and wreaths are often used as holiday décor but you needn't put them away for the rest of the year. Typically we think of pine needles and red bows, but swags and wreaths not only come in many spring, summer, and fall colors, they are very purposeful year-round décor for the front door, the family room fire place mantle, and a host of other locations.

Swags and wreaths are generally designed in three ways:

Artificial swags and wreaths are made to last in most environments including high humidity or dry climates and in hot or cold conditions. Advanced manufacturing processes and synthetic materials along with UV and other special coatings mean that they will provide years of lasting beauty without degradation. Hypoallergenic and low or no maintenance are additional benefits of artificial swags and wreaths. Most high quality swags and wreaths look extremely lifelike and will provide years of beautiful enjoyment. The use of artificial swags and wreaths is the recommended and best choice for longevity and lasting beauty.

Preserved swags and wreaths are made of live flowers that have been chemically preserved. Some preserving agents also add a boost of color to give the wreath a longer life and more vibrant colors. These swags and wreaths work best for people living in a dry climate as humidity often causes their artificially added color to run or their preservation to be compromised.

Dried swags and wreaths are made of flowers and leaves that have been dried either in a controlled environment or by exposure to natural sunlight. These swags and wreaths work best for people living in a humid climate. Without dense humidity, breakage and flower crumbling occurs quite easily.

There are lots of choices when it comes to using beautiful swags and wreaths for home décor and keeping them in season is easier than you might think. For a light, happy spring feel, look for swags and wreaths made with a combination of morning glory, petunias, eucalyptus, dainty ferns, hydrangea, daisies, peonies, or other brightly colored blooms. White magnolia swags and wreaths are lovely summer selections. If flowers aren't what you prefer, consider some more earthy choices. Pine cones, wheat-head stalks, textured balls, variegated grasses, leaves, moss and feathers are popular things found on swags and wreaths. For a romantic, Victorian touch select swags and wreaths made of roses with berries, grapevine, ivy, eucalyptus, or small buds and blooms of other types of flowers.

Swags and wreaths are a great decorating choice all year round and with just a little creativity you can use your swags and wreaths in multiple seasons.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Christmas Wreaths - History, Tradition and Uses

Evergreen wreaths at Christmas time are a familiar sight on doors, above fireplaces, and on homes. Wreaths have been in use for many hundreds of years, even before the birth of Christ. Many historians believe that the first wreaths date back to the Persian Empire, when royalty and members of the upper class wore diadems, or fabric headbands adorned with jewels. Other cultures would later become fascinated with this tradition, picking it up and adapting it for themselves.

About 800 years before the birth of Christ, Greeks began to recognize the winners of their Olympic games by crowning them with wreaths made of laurel tree branches. Years later, when the games moved from city to city, branches from local trees were used to make these victory wreaths for the winners. During the Roman Empire, military and political leaders wore crowns of leaves and greenery. For example, Julius Caesar was crowned with a wreath made of fresh laurel branches and leaves. The transition of the wreath from a head adornment to a wall decoration is believed to have occurred when athletes (or perhaps victorious military leaders) returned home, and they would hang their headbands on their walls or doors, as a trophy of their victory.

The Egyptian, Chinese, and Hebrew cultures were known to have used evergreen branches as a symbol of eternal life, because the conifer trees stayed green throughout the winter months. After the birth of Christ, the Christmas wreath made of evergreen branches came to symbolize the triumph of life over the long winter months.

The Advent wreath also became a popular holiday tradition after the birth of Christ. This decoration was usually placed flat on a table and was used to count down the four weeks immediately preceding Christmas. Traditionally the wreath was constructed with four candles in a circle and one candle in the middle. The four outside candles were purple or violet, and the center candle was white. Four weeks before Christmas, the first violet candle would be lit. The following week, an additional candle would be lit, and so on, until the white center candle is lit on Christmas Eve or day, signifying the arrival of Christ. A brief prayer was said to accompany the lighting of each candle. The reason for the final candle being located in the center is to symbolize that we should keep Christ at the center of our lives and the center of the Christmas celebration.

Based on drawings and paintings, most historians believe that the use of evergreen wreaths at Christmas time spread across Northern Europe, Spain, and Italy during the early 19th century. The greenery was used as a symbol of life persevering through the cold winter months, and the holly berries that were often used as an adornment were a symbol of the blood of Christ.

It is also believed that Europeans also used wreaths on their doors to represent their family identity, much like a family crest. These wreaths were made from products grown in their own gardens, such as grapevines, fresh flowers, or other produce. The crafting of these wreaths was a family ritual that followed the same general pattern year after year.

Today, wreaths are still widely used around the world. In the U.S., wreaths are a traditional decoration for Christmas, as well as many other holidays throughout the year. Wreaths now adorn doors for Halloween, Valentine's Day, the Fourth of July, and Easter. Furthermore, wreaths are no longer limited to only evergreen branches. Many craft stores, books, and television shows feature unique wreaths made of a variety of unusual materials and decorations for almost any occasion.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Christmas Wreath Appetizer

This Christmas Wreath Appetizer is easy to make and looks like you spent hours making it. Your friends and guests will love it and it's soooooo pretty!

The holidays mean lots of parties and this easy appetizer recipe will be perfect if you are responsible for bringing an appetizer. You can make it ahead of time and when you serve it, watch it disappear!

What you'll need:

- 2 8-ounce tubes of crescent rolls*

- 1 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese

- 1/2 cup of sour cream

- 1 teaspoon of dill weed

- 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder

- 1 1/2 cups of broccoli florets (freshly chopped)

- 1 cup of celery (finely chopped)

- 1/2 cup of sweet red pepper (finely chopped)

- Celery leaves

* found in refrigerator section of grocery store

What to do

First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Next, remove the crescent roll dough from its packaging (make sure you don't unroll it). Cut each tube into eight slices and then arrange the slices in a circle (about 11 inches in diameter.) I've found it very handy to make your circle on an pizza pan (ungreased - 14-inch size works well.)

Then, bake it for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the dough turns a lovely golden color. Cool for 5 minutes or so before gently removing your crescent dough wreath to a serving platter. Then, cool it completely.

In a small mixing bowl, beat the sour cream, cream cheese, garlic powder and dill until nice and smooth. Then, spread the mixture over the wreath and top with the chopped celery, broccoli, and red pepper. You can complete this pretty picture by making a bow with the leftover celery leaves.

This recipe for Christmas Wreath Appetizer serves 16.

Enjoy!

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Add Christmas Splendor With a Santa Claus Postmark!

It's time to start thinking about Christmas again and how to make it even more special. If you are like the typical American that celebrates this wondrous holiday, you will be pulling out your favorite and best loved decorations from past Christmases and adding to them. Most people seem to continuously build that arsenal. After all, there are always new and gorgeous ornaments, wreaths, garlands, and other decorative embellishments we can add. The truth is that having a great variety offers the opportunity to either have a themed oriented decorating scheme, or a free for all style.

Decorating the home is usually a Christmas tradition that all family members participate in. Even the very young get into the act. And of course, us older folks sometimes get a little sentimental at Christmas time. It's not hard to do as we reminisce about favorite Christmases from years gone by. And if we are really lucky we will even have some keepsakes from those times that seem to keep us in touch with our past. Christmas traditions are a great way to bridge the gap between old and new, and young and old. The handing down of traditions keeps a bond of sorts between the generations. Just as our parents did certain things during the holidays, we have followed, and our children will too.

Whether your family traditionally spends a particular day or evening creating and displaying Christmas craft projects, or simply decorating, or just spending quality time together, these can all become treasured Christmas traditions. And great memories will be a part of each Christmas as the tradition is continued. My family's Christmas traditions include putting our Christmas tree up on Thanksgiving Day. Afterward we work on a few Christmas craft projects - a family favorite is creating snowmen out of Styrofoam balls. It's easy enough even for the youngest members to do and fun for all.

When the craft projects are finished it is time to write our letters to Santa Claus. The children love this. I always enjoy learning what it is that they really want for Christmas. When the letters are finished we put them in envelopes addressed to Santa Clause at the North Pole. And when the kids receive a genuine letter back with a Santa Claus postmark from the North Pole they are ecstatic. As soon as their eyes take in the postmark from Santa Claus they are overjoyed, and I get to share in their delight.

No matter what activities you and your family enjoy together, the most important thing is to make it fun and make it special. There's something about Christmas that is magical and I believe that magic lives in our hearts. It just takes the magnificence of Christmas to bring it out in each of us.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Decorate For the Birds - Tips For Feeding Over-Wintering Birds

What if all the birds left town during the winter and we had birdless back yards? What if they didn't return in the spring? Wouldn't you miss their songs, their mating antics, their nest-building and food-foraging activities! Who would eat and distribute seeds? Who would scrounge around and consume all the insects? Where would they raise their babies?

As we sit inside our warm homes and feast on a big bird with all the trimmings, we might think about the little birds outside. Food is scarce for them during the winter months, and it is a time when they need extra protein.

There are fun and creative ways to supplement their diets. It's easy to make a popped corn and cranberry garland or small wreaths for the birds. Some suggested materials are:

• A tapestry needle and fish line or floral wire
• Bright ribbon or yarn
• Bag of raw unshelled peanuts or popped popcorn
• 3-4 apples, cut in chunks or bunch of large grapes, if available
• Bag of fresh cranberries
• Chunks of stale bread

Using the tapestry needle, thread items on the fish line, alternating them in a decorative manner. Tie off the ends with heavy knots and drape on tree. Or, you can use shorter lengths of wire, tie into a circle after threading on the goodies, and hang from tree with ribbon or yarn, like small wreaths.

Use stale bagels split in half and spread with peanut butter and/or lard. Press into birdseed, tie a ribbon through hole, and decorate a tree with bagel wreaths. And don't forget pinecones packed with the same mixture; birds love them!

Make an attractive birdfeeder wreath, starting with a grapevine or evergreen wreath as the base. In addition to some of the materials noted above, you'll need a glue gun, a 1/2" sliced orange and small peanut butter pinecones; "bouquets" of dried seedheads such as lavender, verbena, yarrow, or coneflower, weedheads or pods; clusters of snowberry, nandina, or bay laurel berries, or other garden ingredients you know birds love.

If you care about the aesthetics, plan how you want the wreath to look: a trio of apple chunks here, little flower and weed bouquets placed at two, four, eight, and ten o'clock; slices of oranges there; clusters of berries in between; peanut butter and seed pinecones at six or twelve o'clock, bright ribbons here and there. Some items you tie on, some you sew on, some you glue on.

For practical decor, loosely tie on clutches of 8" lengths of yarn for those birds that begin their nest-building early. To enjoy the bird activities, place the wreath in a visible and somewhat protected area and where you don't mind seed dropping to the ground. The birds may take a day or so to use it, but they quickly become emboldened enough to get on with their winter dining.

For the fruit-loving birds, orange, grapefruit, melon, and coconut halves can be hung like little bowls on a tree. Poke or drill holes in three or four places around the edge; tie on equal lengths of twine, and hang outside. Empty halves can be packed with suet and seed.

Lastly, you can make your own economical gelatin seed cakes. Combine a packet of unflavored gelatin with 1/4 cup of water; stir over low heat until completely dissolved. Add a cup and a quarter of your birds' favorite seed combo, and mix well. Pack into small, lightly spray-oiled molds and chill until solid. Unmold several at a time and put outside on a feeder.

Birds will show their appreciation by coming back again and again, even after the last seed is gone. Better have second and third helpings ready to serve when the first round runs out. And don't forget to have clean water available for drinking and bathing; they'll appreciate that too.

© 2010 Sandy P. Baker

Thursday, May 13, 2010

History Of Olive Trees

Olive trees, 'Olea europaea,' are the oldest fruit trees and certainly are one of the most important fruit trees in history. Olive tree culture has been closely connected to the rise and fall of Mediterranean empires and other advanced civilizations throughout the ages. Because olive trees offered wealth and future food supplies to established civilizations, the agricultural nations became stable societies, resulting from a secure expectation from past experience of an uninterrupted food and olive oil supply. This factor was a necessary requirement for population growth and increase. Dependable fruit production and olive oil production means that olive trees must exist in a stable society and a peaceful environment. That stability must extend for many years, since most ancient seedling olive trees required eight or more years before ever producing the first crop of fruit.

Productive orchards of olive trees meant that a foundation of the great empires of Greece and Rome had arisen and developed into complex economic and political forces. It is interesting to note that the historical decline of these empires corresponded to the destruction of their olive tree orchards that reduced the available supplies of olives, olive oil, olive wood, and olive soap. In connection with the destruction of olive orchards, it is interesting to note that in the Israeli wars with Palestine, 50,000 olive trees were destroyed by Israeli bulldozers. That act of agricultural destruction resulted in considerable anger and unrest along the Gaza strip and the West Bank, because the economic livelihood of many Palestinian farmers depended on their products from the uprooted olive trees. Additionally, the olive tree was historically a 'peace and goodwill' symbol, and when the olive trees were leveled near the city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus and the "Cradle of Biblical History," that elimination of olive trees seemed like a deliberate provocation to end the 'peace' with the Palestinian settlers and farmers.

Medical properties of olive oil were reported by many ancient Greek writers and philosophers, their importance in creating nutritional benefits and wealth for Greek citizens continues abundantly today--some Greek olive tree orchards containing a million or more trees. Aristotle wrote extensively about the accepted methods of successfully growing olive trees.

Greek mythology records that Athena, the Goddess of wisdom and peace, struck her magic spear into the Earth, and it turned into an olive tree, thus, the location where the olive tree appeared and grew was named Athens, Greece, in honor of the Goddess, Athena. Local legend tells us that the original olive tree still stands growing after many centuries at the ancient sacred site. Citizens still claim that all Greek olive trees originated from rooted cuttings that were grown from that original olive tree. Homer claimed in his writings that the ancient olive tree growing in Athens was already 10,000 years old. Homer stated that Greek courts sentenced people to death if they destroyed an olive tree. In 775 BC Olympia, Greece, at the site of the ancient Olympic stadium, athletes competed and trained, and winners were triumphantly acclaimed and crowned with a wreath made of olive twigs. Ancient gold coins that were minted in Athens depicted the face of the Goddess, Athena, wearing an olive leaf wreath on her helmet holding a clay vessel of olive oil. The Greeks began olive cultivation in 700 BC.

The sacred lamp that was used in ancient Greek culture for lighting dark rooms at night was fueled by olive oil. Aged olive oil was also used in sacred anointing rituals of the church at weddings and at baptisms. Herodotus wrote in 500 BC, that the growing and exporting of olives and olive oil were so sacred that only virgins and eunuchs were allowed to cultivate orchards of olive trees. The first documented plantings of olive trees may have occurred during the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete and are believed to have been growing around 3500 BC. That civilization predates the discovered Mycenae olive fossils from 1600 BC and later in the Greek empire. Sturt Manning, an archeologist from Cornell University, reported in Live Science Magazine (Apr 28, 2005) that the most devastating volcano in 10,000 years occurred on the Greek Island of Thera, after which the city of Akrotiri was totally buried by the falling ash. The finding of olive wood and olive seed fossils buried near the site has shown through carbon dating that the volcanic eruption occurred between 1660 and 1600 BC and may have contributed to the total destruction of the advanced Minoan civilization (Atlantis) on the isle of Crete and may have led to the formation of the Sahara desert in North Africa after vaporizing the native forests there.

The fragrant flowers of olive trees are small and creamy white, hidden within the thick leaves. Some cultivars will self pollinate, but others will not. The blossoms usually begin appearing in April and can continue for many months. A wild, seedling olive tree normally begins to flower and produce fruit at the age of 8 years. The fruit of the olive tree is a purplish-black when completely ripe, but a few cultivars are green when ripe and some olives turn a color of copper-brown. The size of the olive fruit is variable, even on the same tree, and the shape ranges from round to oval with pointed ends. Some olives can be eaten fresh after sun-drying and the taste is sweet, but most olive cultivars are bitter and must be treated by various chemical solutions before developing into edible olives. If the olives are thinned on the limbs of the trees to 2 or 3 per twig, the ultimate size of the olives will be much larger. The fruit is gathered in mid October and should be processed as soon as possible to prevent fermentation and a decline in quality.

The leaves of olive trees are gray-green and are replaced at 2-3 year intervals during the spring after new growth appears. Pruning yearly and severely is very important to insure continued production. The trees have the unproductive limbs removed, "so that it will be more fruitful" John 15:2. An olive tree can grow to 50 feet with a limb spread of 30 feet, but most growers will keep the tree pruned to 20 feet to assure maximum production. New sprouts and trees will emerge from the olive tree stump roots, even if the trees are cut down. Some olive trees are believed to be over a thousand years old, and most will live to the ripe old age of 500 years.

Olives generally are beaten off trees with poles, harvested mechanically or by shaking the fruit from the trees onto canvas. Most ripening olives are removed from the trees after the majority of the fruit begins to change in color. It is important to squeeze out the olive oil within a day after harvesting or else fermentation or decline in flavor and quality will occur. The olive oil can be consumed or used in cooking immediately after its collection from the press. Olive oils are unique and distinct, each brand of olive oil having its own character, as determined by many factors, like those unique flavor differences found in fine wines. Prepared commercial olive oils can vary greatly in aroma, fruit flavor; whether the taste is, flowery, nutty, delicate, or mild, and the coloring of olive oil is quite variable.

Olive oil produces many health benefits when used in cooking or when poured over salads. The use of olive oil can improve digestion and can benefit heart metabolism through its low content of cholesterol. Experts claim that olive oil consumption will cause a person to grow shiny hair, prevent dandruff, prevent wrinkles, prevent dry skin and acne, strengthen nails, stop muscle aching, lower blood pressure and cancel out the effects of alcohol.

Olive trees can survive droughts and strong winds, and they grow well on well drained soils up to a pH of 8.5 and the trees can tolerate salt water conditions. In Europe, olive trees are normally fertilized every other year with an organic fertilizer. Alternate bearing can be avoided by heavy pruning and generally the trees respond to this very quickly and favorably.

Olive trees should be purchased that have been vegetatively propagated or grafted, because the seed grown trees will revert to a wild type that yields small olives with an insipid taste. Olive trees are more resistant to diseases and insects than any other fruit tree and, therefore, are sprayed less than any other crop.

Even though commercial production of olives in the United States is only 2% of the world market, great interest in growing olives throughout the South has been stimulated by the recent introduction of promising cold hardy olive trees from European hybridizers. Many European immigrants to the United States grow their own olive trees in large pots, that can be moved in and out of the house during seasonal changes.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Christmas On Cape Cod

The vivid colors of autumn have now faded, the first big shopping day of the season is past, winter has already started to show her hand, and this year that we seemed to just ring in sees her days dwindling away. Yes, it's December on Cape Cod and it comes with a special feel in the air. Beginning with the weekend after Thanksgiving, there are many delightful activities all over the Cape that people of all ages can enjoy. You will see a different side of the Cape other than sunny beaches, whale watching and seafood, but it might just start a new Christmas tradition in your family for years to come.

Towns all over Cape Cod celebrate the coming of Christmas with various activities that have become traditions. Christmas strolls, caroling, festive harbor lights, and holiday fairs bring residents and visitors together to celebrate. Concerts and shows abound, helping build the excitement of the season. Many Bed & Breakfasts show off their warm and cozy accommodations with open houses, homemade refreshments and their best holiday finery.

You could start the festivities off by joining a holiday wreath making workshop on the Saturday after Thanksgiving at Pastiche of Cape Cod in West Barnstable. Or how about joining the Chatham-By-The-Sea celebration starting in mid-November and stretching through December. There are arts and crafts fairs, candy cane making, holiday plays, and a dinner dance at the Chatham Bars Inn. The Chatham celebration all culminates in a First Night Celebration on New Year's Eve.

In Sandwich, the Heritage Museum and Gardens are decked out with a million lights on over 100 acres of gardens from November 24th through the 31st. They also have indoor Victorian displays, a holiday boutique, holiday treats and free rides on an antique carousel, along with other special programs. The classic and timeless holiday tale, A Christmas Story, is being performed at the Harwich Junior Theater from December 8th to the 30th. Other performance treats include the Cape Cod Symphony, the Vienna Choir Boys, renditions of Vivaldi's Gloria and Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, as well as readings of Charles Dickens' favorite Christmas Carol.

Christmas strolls have become a popular Cape Cod tradition in many of the towns. Barnstable, Chatham, Dennis, Falmouth, Harwich, Hyannis, Osterville, Sandwich and Yarmouthport tie in these holiday strolls with other events such as caroling on town greens or at lighthouses, tree lighting, the arrival of Santa (sometimes even by boat!), festive shopping, open houses, holiday treats, special museum events and Christmas parades.

Only a few of the holiday activities awaiting you have been listed here, but if you have never experienced the Christmas season on Cape Cod, you might want to consider spending a few days exploring what the Cape has to offer. So break out your warm clothes, the hot chocolate and your Christmas spirit and start a new tradition for you and yours here on Cape Cod.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

In Need of Great Education About Artificial Interior Design?

Wreath Storage

Wreaths are a beautiful and welcoming way to decorate your house, especially for holidays. However, once you have enough wreaths to match all the seasons and decorations you want, you may feel that there is no place to put your wreaths when you are done with them. There are several efficient, organized ways to keep your wreaths stored until you need them. In fact, one of the best ways to store your wreaths is to simply reuse them. You can do so by having only one wreath and changing or rotating the decorations you display on it. When creating a reusable wreath, you will want a strong foundation. We recommend a solid wreath base to which you adhere the flowers with either tape or light application of glue. Now you do not have to ever worry about storing the large, bulky, often awkwardly shaped wreath ring. You can keep several varieties and colors of flowers in one box instead of having 12 or 14 different boxes of wreaths in your garage. There are storage containers built specifically for wreaths and hanging shelves that store your wreaths nicely if you'd rather use multiple wreaths.

Coupling Home Decorations with Good Cleaning Strategies

When people venture into the world of interior decorating, it is usually with just one goal in life: to make their home look more attractive. Time, however, is usually not on anyone's side when it comes to having a pretty and fresh-looking home. If you are like me, half the battle in your home is just keeping it tidy and organized, let alone getting around to the next interior design project. We can improve the look of our home by creating a schedule of all the periodic tasks one needs to do to keep the house clean (such as cleaning blinds, washing bedding, or dusting picture frames). This way, you can spend just a little time each month doing some of these jobs rather than being stuck several times a year doing them all day long. Second, get the family involved: having a neat home is everyone's responsibility, not just yours, and giving out specific assignments lets everyone finish faster. Finally, when you organize a container or closet, use labels: that way, you never have to waste time wondering where something has been or should be put.

Steps to Building a Wreath

Wreaths are one of the easiest ways to add some flair to your porch. Wreaths vary in many ways: the materials used, the shape chosen, the style emulated. You just need a foam ring and some silk flowers to get started. Most likely, the stems of your flowers will be too long; trim them so that there is about 1 inch of stem remaining. Insert the flowers one at a time into the foam ring. Strategically place them so that they are close enough to cover up the foam, but not so close that they look bunched or crushed. Your wreath will last a very long time if you use a hot glue gun to add small amounts of glue where the base of the flower touches the ring. Vines or other standard greenery can be used to add a festive flare. You can choose to create wreaths using one kind of flower in many colors, or one color using many flowers-or a combination. Once the wreath is completed, hammer in a small nail to the top of the door and string up the wreath.

Thoughts on Rearranging My Home

Every time I find myself in a craft store poring over the new selections, I begin again to think that if only I had this item or that decorative craft, then my house would look perfect. However, the item I buy does not always have the desired effect-with my décor and with my bank account. All too often that purchase ends up leaving my home at the next yard sale. Instead of the constant looking and searching for new items, I have found that rearranging what I already have is a great solution for home décor. Some simple rearranging of my furniture, pictures, and knickknacks spruces up my life at home and gives me that fresh home decor feel. Not does this expand my talents, but it helps to keep my wallet fat!