Valentine's Day - Decorating and Gift Ideas

Here's a great idea if you are decorating for a Valentine's Day event, or would just like a nice keepsake gift for loved ones. The hand blown glass hearts at ConiArtGlass.com make great party or wedding favors, gifts, and year round decorating accessories for your home.

In the image on the right, you can see one way they can be used as party or wedding favors. Put one at each place setting to let your guests know how much you appreciate their participation in your event.

Another idea to to hang them in windows to let the sun shine through them - beautiful! Or, put them in lovely bowls or centerpieces. There are so many ways to use them. Need a gift for a co-worker or friend, they also can be used as paper weights.

The glass hearts come in several unique and beautiful colors, and ConiArtGlass.com will sell them at wholesale or retail prices, depending on the number of pieces you require.

So if you are looking for a unique and beautiful party or wedding favor, decorating or gift idea, take a look at the mouth blown glass hearts at Coni Art Glass!

Tag: valentine's day decorating gifts wedding favors

Re-upholster for Low Cost Decorating

Re-upholster for Low Cost Decorating: It’s more than Just Saving Money

With everyone these days talking about the problems in the economy, and the need for everyone to save money, here is one low cost decorating idea that makes sense!

Although you may think that re-upholstering their furniture is only done to save more money, in reality, it can offer more advantages than just cutting expenses. However, cutting expenses can be a great thing too!

Some people argue that re-upholstering is expensive; even more so than buying new furniture. The debate continues over whether it is more economical to re-upholster furniture or buy new.

What many people fail to realize is that re-upholstered furniture is often preferred for a number of reasons other than saving money. Statistics show that 8 out of 10 people would rather re-upholster their furniture and their main reason is not even about money.

Do you want to know why more and more people are considering re-upholstering than buying new furnishings? Here’s why:

1. To preserve the quality of the furniture
   Survey shows that nearly 85% of the items being re-upholstered have damage on the outer surface only. This means that most of the damages are minor; padding that is sticking out or damage to the upholstery. If the damage is not to the framework itself, it is an indication that the framework is probably still in good condition and it would be better to preserve it and have it re-upholstered than to purchase new furniture.
2. For remembrance
   Nearly 75% of the people who had their furniture re-upholstered contend that they wanted to preserve their memories of the furniture; perhaps it was the first furniture acquired after their marriage or it has been handed down from generation to generation.
   If the fabric of their furniture is worn out, give it a sparkle and a new life by re-upholster it because some things are worth preserving!
3. For adaptability of desired patterns
   One of the best things about re-upholstering is that people can choose a quality material and designs that they prefer for their furniture. They can have the look that they have always wanted without compromising the price.
   Re-upholstering for low cost decorating cannot be underrated because it offers more advantages than just monetary saving.

Tag: reupholster furniture for low cost decorating

Home Storage Ideas to Add More Space

Home Storage Ideas to Add More Space

Do you live in an apartment building with small or nostorage space? Just because a room is small does not mean you can't turn it into your dream space. Below are some creative strategies to maximize your space and manage your stuff!

Organize.com! 12% off $125.00 or more purchase (Coupon Code: A4564)

Examine your room for hidden spaces. You do not have to look for secret doors. Look instead for spaces among your things, above and/or below. Just think of other areas where you can place your stuff.

The suitcase stack. Typically, you can find vintage suitcases for fairly inexpensive prices at yard sales. Use them to add extra storage space to your home by stacking them up (in a horizontal position) with the biggest at the bottom and the rest placed one on top of each other creating a pyramid of suitcases.

Make use of folding furniture. If you do not have enough room for a kitchen table, you can use a folding table that is mounted on the wall. You can easily fold it up when you don’t need it.

Store items under your bed. Obtain a few plastic boxes in which you can place small items. This way you maintain orderliness under your bed.

Put spare blankets in a bag to increase space.

Stack dishes on shelves and craft multi-level storage cabinets or utilize a small cubbyhole for cans of vegetables and consommé.

Dressers are not only meant for the bedroom. Dressers add more storage space. You can also place them in your living room or kitchen. To remove the seemingly bedroom-like impression with the dresser, try painting it a color that matches your living room or kitchen.

Use shoe racks to organize your shoes. Do not place your shoes under your cabinet. This will only make your cabinet more disorganized.

Containers: Classify items according to their use and place them in small or large containers. Place all your hair care products in one container and put it near the shower so that it can be easy to reach.

Be practical yet creative in decorating your space. Build shelves on top of doors or window to add more storage space. You can add small decorative items to make it more attractive.

You can also put up shelves for small items at the sides of your cabinets. There you can place your shoes, hats or handbags.

Tag: organize home more space

Wedding Decorating - Unique Wedding Favors for Each Table

Wedding Decorating - Unique Wedding Favors for Each Table

Provide unique wedding favors for each table at your wedding is a way to let your guests know how much you appreciate their attendance at your wedding. Standard practice is to give each guest the same favor, but if your centerpieces will vary from table to table you may want to vary the favors as well. This is a great idea for those couples who cannot settle on one overall theme for their wedding. You may choose to have a different theme for each table. As a result, you may also prefer to have a different wedding favor for each table. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of offering unique wedding favors for each table at your reception.

One of the most obvious advantages to offering unique favors at each table is it prevents the couple from having to select just one wedding favor. There is a wide variety of wedding favors available and many couples have a great deal of trouble selecting just one favor. This may be because they are not agreeing on which favor would be the most appropriate or because they each have several different favors which they really like and are having difficulty narrowing down their options. For either of these cases, the idea of giving different wedding favors at each table is a great idea.

Another advantage to giving unique wedding favors for each table is that the couple can branch out and either choose several different themes or one overall theme which they vary slightly from table to table. Once you know your table arrangements and seating chart, you can also vary the favors accordingly. This can make the process of shopping for wedding favors a lot more fun for couples who enjoy doing this. However, couples who feel stressed out by the process of selecting wedding favors would be wise to simply stick to one wedding favor because the process of selecting several different favors can make the planning exponentially more stressful.

One of the major disadvantages of offering unique favors at each table is the couple will not likely be eligible for bulk order discounts. Many wedding favor manufacturers are often willing to offer discounts to couple who are ordering a large number of the same favor to distribute to all of their guests. However, couples who are ordering different favors for each table will likely not qualify for these discounts. Most weddings have approximately 8-12 people at each table. This means the couple will not be ordering many of each favor and will most likely have to pay full price for each one.

Another disadvantage to providing unique wedding favors for each table is it can make setting the tables more complicated. If each table will also have a unique centerpiece and the wedding favors are designed to match the centerpiece, special care must be taken to ensure the correct favors are placed at the correct table. This may be obvious if the favors are unwrapped but if they are wrapped it can be incredibly difficult. Someone familiar with the favors and how they were wrapped should oversee the process of setting the tables to ensure the correct favors are placed at each table.

Another disadvantage to giving unique wedding favors to each table is it may create discontent among the guests. For example some guests may feel as though the favors given to one table are nicer than the ones given to the table at which they are seated. This is not a major concern as most guests will not make these types of comparisons but if the couple is concerned about this possibility they may wish to keep the wedding favors the same for each table.

Tag: wedding decorations favors

Home Decorating With a Nautical Theme

Home Decorating With a Nautical Theme

For those who love the sea and everything it represents there is no better theme to bring into their home decorating plans than a nautical theme. The theme itself is perfectly lovely and suitable for homes and homeowners that are not so in love with the mystery and romance of the deep blue sea. For those who do love the idea of sailing off into the sunset however, this is an excellent choice for home decorating.


There are many ways that a creative mind can incorporate a nautical theme into the home decorating plans. One of these ways is by using darkly stained wainscoting for the lower half of your walls along with a chair rail in order to imitate the wooden interior of finer sailing vessels. This imitates the interior of a sailboat and some powerboats. This is an impressive addition in most homes and quite ambitious in some as it is not the least expensive method of decorating. The effects however are stunning when used for this purpose.

Another great idea is to use a marine shade of blue for curtains and window coverings and have them made of the same type of materials that sail covers are made of on a sailboat. If you are truly ambitious you could elect to paint the walls in this marine shade of blue and select another color for the curtains or wooden blinds instead. However, white walls are perfectly acceptable when it comes to creating the look and feel of the interior of a boat.

Rope is another great tool to use in order to make the nautical theme a bit more authentic. You can twine rope around picture frames, candleholders, and all manner of other things in order to incorporate the rope into the room without having it look out of place. If you are truly ambitious you could even string a hammock in some forgotten corner of the room in order to hold coats in the wintertime or merely to authenticate the theme to some degree.

Portals, clocks, barometers, and such make excellent art in a nautical themed room. Other great additions would include items such as seashells, sand dollars, model boats, and artwork depicting the sea. For many, this is where we feel most at home, we derive our inspiration, and we literally feel as though we can truly commune with Mother Nature.

No nautical themed room or home is complete without a lighthouse to guide weary sailors home at the end of a long journey. Do not neglect an important feature such as this in your nautical themed home decorating ventures and purchases. If you are lost as to how to subtly incorporate this into your room you may want to look up a talented artist by the name of Thomas Kincaid. He is known as the painter of light and has managed to capture the essence of lighthouses in a manner that no other artist has been able to duplicate. One of his paintings would make an excellent addition to your nautical theme.

A nautical theme for home decorating is a great way to go for many families and for many reasons. All in all it isn't the most expensive of decorative themes though it isn't by any means the least expensive either. The good news is that there are very few absolutely right or wrong ways in which to achieve the look and atmosphere you are hoping to achieve.


Tag: home decorating nautical theme

9 Ideas to Help Organize Your Kitchen

9 Ideas to Help Organize Your Kitchen

You may think that it is an easy task to organize a kitchen. You may realize that it can also be difficult to do tasks in the kitchen if it is not organized. You must set steps and routines for you to follow and have an easy time working in your kitchen.

Here are some pointers that you may use in organizing your kitchen:

1. You must keep your kitchen clean for you to work conveniently and free from any time consuming activities before you cook. Discard any items that you will not use and place them in a place where you can locate them easier when the time comes that you will need their use.
2. If there are medicines, spices, or food that have already met their expiration, you can put them in the trash or discard those things immediately.
3. Store cooking utensils, pots, and pans in an area near to where the stove is placed. You can congest the cooking materials for you to have more space in cooking.
4. If there are large materials and cooking utensils that are seldom used in the kitchen, you may want to remove them and place them in a cupboard. There are even appliances that are not used in your everyday cooking. You may consider adding to your kitchen an appliance barn. This can store your juicers, toasters, blenders, and other appliances on the countertop with order and arrangement.
5. Place the silverwares and dishes close to your dining area. It can be accessible for you to get these items when you are about to eat. You may need silverware holders and racks to have more space.
6. You have to be aware of the materials or tools that are reachable by your children such as knives, cleaning chemicals, and alcohol. Keep them in high places where they cannot be reached.
7. You may use a bulletin board or the refrigerator to stick or hang reminders and schedules. These can help you to have an enjoyable and organized time in the kitchen. Designate spots for your mail and bills and check them out everyday.
8. Always keep you refrigerator clean and neat both inside and outside. If you see mystery foods, discard them at once. Sometimes there are unknown items that are placed in the refrigerator.
9. If you are through with the kitchen, you must check everything before you leave the kitchen. Do not forget to turn off the lights and the ceiling fan and everything that you used with electricity. The key to an organized kitchen is maintenance.

Do Your Taxes The EASY Way—For FREE. Use TurboTax Online Free Edition today. Start Now


Tag: 9 Ideas to Help Organize Your Kitchen

Home Decorating with a Native American Theme

Home Decorating with a Native American Theme

There really is no style of home decorating that can be identified as decidedly Native American. There are however touches that can be added to almost any style of décor. The trick is always a matter of incorporating these things without making them seem out of place. Of all the design styles that exist, and of course depending on the tribe in question, the southwestern style of home decorating and design would actually make a good match for many Native American artifacts, touches, and artwork.

Pottery is central to a Native American theme. Different tribes had different styles of creating pottery. If you have a favorite tribe or a favorite style of pottery you may want to build the remainder of the room or design area around the pottery you love as it is quite personal to many people and not all styles of pottery will match all other styles of weaving, carving, basket making, or artwork. Pottery is very useful in a kitchen if you plan to use some of it in this room. Not only can most pottery be baked when cooking but it also works wonders for storing things like utensils that you would like to have in reach, strays, napkins, and any other things you can think to store within the pottery you have available. If you are going to pay for it you may as well put it to good use.

Speaking of artwork. There are some beautiful Native American prints as well as some 'sand art' that is a must have for a room that is trying to capture the spirit of the Native American or at least a specific tribe and incorporate that spirit into their homes. I think this is a beautiful idea for those who wish to pay their respects to those who are ancestors to many of us. Not that the pottery mentioned above isn't art work in and of itself but the addition of art that can be placed on the wall is a welcome addition in many homes.

Keep in mind also that many Native Americans played the flute. Some people display a collection of Native American flutes next to their prized pieces of art. There really is no wrong way to go about home decorating when it is your own home that is being decorated. Select the things you like, omit the things you do not like. You do not even have to be loyal to one tripe, design, style, or region when decorating your home. Some people have happy little collections that are filled with all kinds of odds and ends pieces from a wide variety of artistic styles along the way.

For those who are hoping to stick with a somewhat Native American theme baskets are once again a good selection to add to the collection. Baskets are not only lovely but also incredibly useful for holding blankets, throws, rugs, pillows, knitting supplies, magazines, and anything else you do not wish to have cluttering the living spaces of your home. They are even quite good about hiding remote controls for the electronic equipment when you place them cleverly throughout the room.

The best suggestion for those who wish to honor their Native American neighbors and ancestors by incorporating the artwork and designs into their home decorating plans is not to spend too much time planning. The Native Americans appreciated nature and allowing many things to happen naturally. Use this opportunity to learn this very important lesson while incorporating other great things you appreciate about them into your home.

Tag: home decorating with a native american theme

Decorating an Apartment on a Budget

Decorating an Apartment on a Budget

Renting your first apartment may be a bit challenging especially you're on a tight budget. It's not only the rent and the other bills that have to be paid monthly but also the maintenance costs should you decide to make any decorative changes.

When anyone rents an apartment, the apartment owner will typically ask for a deposit and a few months rent in advance. The deposit will normally only be returned when the lease ends and if there is no (or little) repair needed before it can be occupied by another tenant.

Here are some cost-saving tips when decorating an apartment;

1. If you have any posters, one good idea is to use straight pins to hang them, and make the smallest holes. If they are framed, use the smallest nail possible so that when the lease ends the holes will be easy to patch using a spackling compound.
2. If the apartment is fully furnished, cover the furniture with decorative and colorful throws to prevent it from getting dirty or stained.
3. Buying a disposable rug or carpet would be better than an expensive one to protect the floor. Outlets such as Home Depot offer some great choices that are nice looking and very inexpensive. Should the carpet become soiled or stained you won't feel badly about throwing it out due to the small investment.
4. Check out retailers like Pier One Imports or IKEA for inexpensive furnishings and accessories. IKEA has many options from which to choose, and is quite inexpensive.
5. Inspect the apartment with the landlord before you move in to check for existing damage, or cracks or holes in the walls from the previous occupant. These should be duely noted so that you are not charged for this damage at the end of your lease.
6. Tenants can usually paint or apply wallpaper only with permission from the owner. In many cases landlords will allow the walls to be painted, and will even pay for the paint, if they approve the color. Most owners who will allow repainting will specify the color which is generally an off white, but you can negotiate. Be sure there is sufficient paint saved for any touch up that needs to be done later.
7. If you want privacy use curtains that can be hung using spring tension rods. These are both easier to assemble and disassemble than standard curtain rods.

When starting out on a small budget, cover all the bases and you will save money decorating the apartment. It will also help make the apartment a comfortable place to live until you decide to move elsewhere.

Tag: decorate apartment on budget

Types of Closet Organization Systems

Types of Closet Organization Systems

Getting your closet organized by accessing the available space requires you to decide on the type of closet
organization system you want to use. There are three types to choose from – hanging rods, shelves, and drawers. Of course there are various accessories you can add to enhance the space you have in your closet, but these are the main types of closet organization systems you have available to work with.

Hanging rods can be much more versatile than just a long bar that hangs across your closet, as most of use having hanging in our closet. You can choose to install a second hanging rod, and double your hanging space instantly. You can also choose to have a hanging rod that only goes across half of your closet, in one tier or two. This is a great way to access the remaining space in your closet for other closet organization products.

Shelving units in your closet are an excellent way of getting it organized. You can use simple dividers to make several small shelving areas. Have you ever piled too much on the top shelf of your closet only to watch everything topple over? Or you simply have to dig through the pile each time you want to wear a particular item? Having multiple shelves makes separating your clothing items and accessories a very easy feat. You will be able to find everything you want in an instant.

You can make the shelves as long or short as you desire. You can also choose the depth. Depending on the type of material you use to device the shelving units, you may be able to adjust them later on as your storage needs change.

Baskets and drawers are great for storing anything you can think of in your closet. Make sure you choose a closet organization system that offers drawers or baskets that slide in and out with easy. Again, you can choose the width and the depth of these baskets and drawers to suit your needs and your closet space. You may have to make them skinny, you can add depth to get more in them.

Take your time to find the closet organization system that works best for you. There are so many different set ups and types of materials to choose from that you may have a hard time making up your mind. If you are unsure of the best set up for you, look at various resources available to you. The internet is a great way to find information on various closet organization systems. You can find several websites that allow you to enter the dimensions of your closet and see what you can come up with. Try a layout in many different materials to see what you will be the happiest with.

You will save money if you purchase a closet organization system or kit over purchasing the various products individually. You will also be assured that they all fit together properly, with only one customer support center to work with in the event you have complications while you try to get everything installed.

The internet is a great place to compare the different manufacturers of closet organization systems. You can find out about designs, the level of skill needed to assemble them and the cost. It is also a good idea to read reviews about the various closet organization systems to find out what other consumers are experiencing with the one they chose to purchase.

tag: types of closet organization systems