A Garden for the Entire Family

A Garden for the Entire Family

You can have the most elaborated back yard from the entire neighborhood, but if it isn’t functional you have built it in vain. We all want to have beautiful and flourishing gardens, but when we have a family, we must also take into consideration the needs of the other members of it. Divide the space of your yard in two or three visual spaces, one for play and relaxation, one for gardening and maybe one for pets.

An open space, covered by lawn is ideal for your children. Here you can install a table for open air lunches or for a romantic summer evening dinner.

Do you have a fireplace? Keep a portion of your garden especially for depositing fire woods, but make sure it is at a considerable distance from the house or animals that can cause damage.

How about pets? You can build for these little members of your family special spaces, in which they can play and exercise. Before you plant bushes and ornamental plants, surround the pet space. Cats and dogs tend to be attracted exactly by the things we try to keep them away from.

Keep the by-passers’ eyes away from your personal life. Before planning the scenery, you must have in sight a place for the garbage cans. It wouldn’t be very nice to have a wonderful garden right next to the garbage cans. These can be efficiently hidden in some kind of surrounded space, decorated on the sides with life fence.

Functionality is an important factor in your garden, so you have to think about children, little pets and family assets before you plant anything. Save a portion of the yard especially for you, in which you can plant whatever you want and leave for the others some space to breathe freely.

You will find it more satisfying this way, once the whole family is happy with your garden and they might even bring their personal ideas for it. It is important that personal space is respected and that is why the garden must not be very wide, taking up all available space. Build from time to time a pathway or some benches where you can just relax and admire your work.

Tag: gardening

You Can Use Your Pottery Collection

Great Uses for Your Pottery Collection

If you are just starting to collect pottery here's a little secret that avid collectors know all too well: pottery is infinitely useful and extremely versatile. What this means is that most pottery has multiple functionality. Just make sure that there aren't certain restrictions on the pieces you purchase. Normally, pottery dealers will let you know the necessary care instructions and precautions that should be taken when you make the purchase.

You will find that most pottery is dishwasher and microwave safe (depending on the glazing method-Raku pottery is not), food safe (again this depends largely on the glazing method and any paints that may have been used), safe for use in the oven, and able to hold liquid. So, you have a lot of options with most pottery pieces that go well beyond the uses for which the specific piece may have been designed to carry out.

• Storage. Vases and other vessels are great for holding things. They are by no means limited to flowers or fruit. Small pottery pieces are great for holding perfumes, particularly those with stoppers, or oils, and countless other small treasures you have lying around. Larger pieces of pottery are perfect for storing large amounts of food. And various medium sized pieces make excellent canisters in the kitchen for storing so many different things.


• Display. Of course there are many pottery pieces that you will want to showcase and display but did you realize that pottery could also be used to display other items you want to show off in your home. For example, use a pottery spoon rest in the bathroom as a soap dish. It's great for displaying special hand soaps in the bathroom and will add a little splash of color to the bathroom counter top.


• Cooking. You may not know that pottery can withstand fairly high temperatures with grace and style. Therefore, it's an excellent choice for cooking. Use pottery in the microwave and the oven, though never on the stove top for preparing and serving all kinds of dishes. If you are wary about using these beautiful pieces for cooking, they can make excellent choices for serving food.


• Dining. Stoneware is a very popular style of casual dinnerware these days and with good reason. Not only is it a beautiful addition to any table but it is also quite versatile. You may also find mugs, plates, and bowls that are thrown or hand built for your dining pleasure. Regardless, most tables are greatly enhanced by the addition of pottery rather than many other choices on the market today.

There are so many thingsyou can do with your pottery, so don't miss out on much of the versatility that many find the primary incentive for investing in pottery for the home. Pottery is a beautiful addition to any home, so don't hide it away but use it fully and regularly in order to enjoy the true value of the pieces and get your money's worth. The true value in pottery is in how much it enhances your life; it won't enhance your life very much if kept locked away in the kitchen cabinets!

Tag: pottery collection uses

Six Popular Collectables

It's never too late to start a collection. Some people start collecting when they are young - baseball cards, stamps, coins, or other items. Others may start later in life. Whatever you collect, make it something that you love.

Personally, I love to collect various rocks, crystals, or seashells when I travel. Someone else I know collects porcelain figures. There are so many things to collect, and many of them can net you a good profit a few years later. We've all heard about people who made a fortune from one stamp or a baseball card.

If you have collectables that are suitable, make a nice display in one or more rooms of your home. Family photo collections make beautiful displays. I know one woman who has at least 50 family photos, all in sterling silver frames arranged on top of her grand piano in the living room. The ebony grand piano makes a lovely backdrop for all of the various shaped sterling frames, and she can enjoy seeing her children and grandchildren everyday.

Another friend of mine has a collection of Lladro porcelain from Spain. She displays them tastefully in groupings around her home. Art glass is also a highly sought after collectible, and welcome decorative pieces for the home.

Here are six items that make popular collections:

• Cookbooks or travel books
• Kitchen gadgets - vintage
• Photos - family, travel, pets...
• Art Glass
• Figurines
• Linens and pillows (of the same type or vintage)

If there is something you love, start a collection now to enjoy for years to come.

Spring Cleaning

Spring is a time of renewal. The flowers are starting to bud, and the weather is changing - hopefully for the better.

Now is the time when we start thinking about our spring cleaning. Just last night a friend told me that to de-clutter is to renew the life.... I'm not sure that I understand this (she's from Brazil, so maybe it didn't translate well) , but I do agree that clutter is not good.


Start with the closets, and here I have a great idea for you. Get motivated to clean out the closets to find things to sell on eBay! Everyone is doing it. I know one woman that is netting more than $1000 per month just selling her "junk" from around the house. She is litterally selling old shoes and used designer jeans, but I understand that household goods, decorative accessories, and the like are also good sellers. Maybe you inherited or were gifted a collectible that is really not to your taste, or doesn't fit your decor. You may do very well with an eBay auction. You never know until you try...

But please, anything that you can't sell, give to a reputable charity.

Spring Decorating Ideas

Spring Decorating Ideas

Spring is a wonderful time of year - a time of renewal. It is in the Spring when people across the country begin shaking off the final dregs of winter, opening their windows, and hanging clothes on the lines to dry. It is also the time of year that most people associate with cleaning; however, few people associate Spring with home decorating. Interestingly, there are very few times of year when it is more appropriate to decorate your home. Let's face it, for most of us, this is one of the few times of year that we are actually happy about cleaning.

Most likely, during the summer months we clean because the kids (young and old alike) are constantly tracking dirt, mud, grass, and goodness knows what else into the house. Cleaning in these days tends to be a chore and yet we still manage to bring out the patriotic colors and celebrate America in style for July 4th. Goodness knows how we find the time with all the extra cleaning and nearly double amounts of lemonade and iced tea being consumed daily. Still we manage to decorate for the summer holidays and take great joy in doing so as if some right of passage has been achieved by our home decorating efforts.

During the Thanksgiving and Winter months we clean house because we just have no other choice. Friends and family will be visiting and they expect our homes to be well decorated and clean for the holidays. This I must tell you is quite an accomplishment with the rush of the holidays and yet somehow we manage to muster up some Christmas cheer when others are around while playing Mr. Scrooge when it comes to running the mop and the broom around our rooms.

Spring is the one season of the year in which our cleaning efforts are nothing short of inspired. Yet it is also the spring that often eludes us when it comes to inspiration for decorating our homes. Perhaps we are over tired from all of our cleaning efforts to seek the inspiration to decorate. If this is the case with you, then my hope is that some of the ideas mentioned below will help bring some serious decoration inspiration your way:

1. Flowers. Spring is the time when flowers start blooming. Flowers are all around us. You can use fresh cut flowers and candles to create beautiful arrangement and centerpieces throughout your home. Find beautiful colored vases to use in all of your rooms.




2. Candles. While briefly mentioned above candles deserve their own spot among the top five decorating ideas, to say the least. Candles and small oil lamps can be soothing, relaxing, invigorating, inspiring, beautiful, elegant, and simply smell good. Candles are great no matter what time of the year it is however, if you select candles in bright spring colors and fragrances you might be amazed at exactly how uplifting these candles can be.




3. Linens. Use towels and other linens to brighten up your spaces. In your kitchen and your bathrooms use bright, bold colors that signify spring, birth, and renewal. These little touches can make a huge difference in not only your attitude about cleaning and decorating but also your attitude about cooking.




4. Fragrance. Although most people do not realize it, the fragrances we use around our homes is a type of decoration. It makes our noses happy to some degree but also the potpourri and candles are often beautiful decorations in and of themselves. Put out bowls filled with brightly colored and lightly scented fragrance balls, dried fruit, and other delights. Gourmet potpourri can be found in all kinds of gift and fragrance shops and is a rather inexpensive way to add a fragrant touch to your home decorating as well as the fragrance of your home.




5. Fruit. Place bowls throughout your home filled with fresh fragrant fruit. Not only does this add yet another layer of fragrance to your home but it is also visually appealing and edible. There are three checks in the 'pro' column for this simple decorative step and I have yet to find one in the 'con' column unless you consider the fact that it must be eaten before it gets too ripe.

For those needing springtime home decorating ideas and inspiration I hope this has helped. If you haven't found some outstanding suggestions above I at least hope that you will have been inspired to find your own fabulous finds for spring decorating.

Gussy Up Any Room with Equestrian Home Décor

Gussy Up Any Room with Equestrian Home Décor

Want to give your home or room a lift, then equestrian home décor could be the solution. Horse décor is one of the most popular animal décor to grace our living spaces. It's versatile and beautiful, not to mention widely available. Horse lovers like to have anything equestrian in a room. Here are some ideas to help you decorate your home with horse décor.

If you feel that bigger pieces are overbearing, start with small accent pieces. Try something like a small horse statuette on your study table, a Texas star wall clock, bookends with horse figures, or wall art with horse motif. Smaller pieces are great for small spaces. Or, put out a large welcome sign or doormat with horse and/or cowboy design to set the tone or mood of the home.

Furniture accents like a country-themed drawer chest or armoire in deep color with horse design can also be a good place to start. This piece can serve as the focal point of the room, or it can be placed in a corner of the room for accent. A horse figure can also serve as a base for a coffee table or side table.

Another easy idea is to use a horse figure as a base for lamps. Or you can have a beautiful horse scene in the lamp shade. When lit, the shade will illuminate the room with beautiful western colors. If you love to decorate your room with tea light candles and oils, you can find a horse motif oil lamps made of ceramic where oil can be burned to provide the scent that you want, or candle holders which are of horse design made from wrought iron.

Try hanging some horse art in the wall. Big or small, the size depends on your preference, as well as on the size of the room. If you want bigger horse designs, you can paint a mural on one wall or use wallpaper with horse designs. This is a great idea for a child's bedroom. What little boy or girl wouldn't enjoy a cowboy or cowgirl theme for their bedroom?

Other accent pieces you can use are throws, rugs or throw pillows with a horse or equestrian motif. These pieces can make a cabin-styled or country home interesting. You can also have a comforter, beddings and pillow cases with horse designs. This is perfect for a horse-loving kid's bedroom. Add a rocking horse, and your child may never want to leave his room anymore.

Horse motif pieces also blend well in country-style bathrooms. You can add a horse towel bar, tissue holder, shower curtain or rug with horse design to your bathroom. You can also place a few decorative tiles with horse design in your sink.

Your kitchen can also be filled with horse décor. Use horse figures in wrought iron as plant or magazine holders, or horse figures as cabinet door knobs or pulls.

An individual's fascination with horse décor can be because of different reasons. Surprisingly, some who incorporate horse décor are not even horse riders nor are they of western or country origin. They simply love the horse form. For more formal or traditional rooms, go for the medieval style knight on the horse motif.

There are many sources of equestrian home décor. Visit a home furnishings store in your locality. We found many beautiful pieces, such as those pictured above at Design Toscano, where there are many designs available. You're sure to find one to accentuate your home. Let the beauty and grace of our equine friends shine when you find a piece to suit your home.

Tag: equestrian horse home decor

Budget Bedroom Make Over Ideas

Budget Bedroom Make Over Ideas

People can always spruce up an old bedroom for less, by using a little bit of ingenuity, creativity, and some vision. Renovating can make an old bedroom look as good as new, or even better!

A person does not have to spend a lot of money to make an exciting change. There are many ways a person can redecorate his/her bedroom for less! Ideas can be obtained by watching shows on television, talking to friends or reading magazines.

Here are some tips to make any bedroom look fabulous:

• Splash the walls with colors
  Repaint the walls. This simply gives your bedroom walls a new face lift! It will lighten up, and completely renew the look of any bedroom! This is a great chance to add some spice to your old, dull, and boring bedroom. Choose your favorite color to add warmth to the bedroom. But if you want to go crazy, you can pick wild colors and create your very own artwork on your walls. This is a great way to add a personal touch to a bedroom. It also will showcase your personality
• Make old furniture look good as new
  Re-upholster old furniture. It’s amazing the difference this makes in the overall look of a bedroom. Individuals don't have to spend a lot of money on new furniture either. They can as easily restyle their old furniture using unique fabrics, paints, etc.
  Just let their imagination run wild! The best thing is that they totally control the finished appearance of their furniture, since they decide what will be done to refurbish the furniture.
• Accessorize the bedroom
  Strategically place some decorative scented candles around the bedroom to give the room an elegant look. They exude a sense of tranquility once they are lit.
  Another great idea is to hang artwork on the walls. It does not have to be expensive, as inexpensive pieces of good quality are readily available. Select reproductions, or photographs! Even better, if they are adept at art, use some of their own creations and make the walls into their very own personal gallery.
• Go hunting at a second hand store
  Numerous treasures can be found in second hand stores! You can purchase second hand furniture as well as decorative lamps, antique mirrors, etc. for bargain prices at these stores
  Garage sales are also great places to unearth hidden treasures. Just drive around the block or watch the newspaper to see if there is anyone who is hosting a garage sale in your area.
• Develop a theme for your bedroom
  A great way to give a bedroom a fun and exciting look is to use a totally different theme. If you want to go with a Bohemian look for your bedroom, you just build around this theme by picking up things that will suit this motif. Also, try digging through old chests in the attic for items that would compliment the new style of your bedroom.
• Decorate your Bed
  Purchase new bedspreads and pillows that will compliment the new style of your room. Pay a visit to the linen department of any mall: browse through their selection of beautiful sheets, bed skirts, comforters, and pillows. The bedroom is a person's sanctuary: that is why it is important that it offers comfort. After a hard day's work, people just want to lie down in bed, relax, and forget about the day that has just passed. Their beds should offer them maximum comfort so that they are rejuvenated for the next day. The condition of the bed is of utmost importance - it is the most essential part of any bedroom makeover!

Renovating a bedroom does not have to cost you a fortune! Just making key changes will make a world of a difference. Those who are on an extremely tight budget do not have to redecorate their bedroom all at once; they can make improvements as their finances allow. Giving a bedroom a much needed makeover can be an exciting and challenging activity. It can give people just the right boost they need to start their day out right.

Let's face it, who wants to wake up to a messy and/or dreadful looking bedroom? By renovating their bedroom individuals can give themselves that much needed change of environment that will help brighten their day!

Tag: budget bedroom decorating make over ideas