If these days you find yourself with some extra time on your hand, check out these amazing books, to read or give as a gift.
I am always looking for art books with great photos, and I found several on this list. I came across these books on architectural digest. Hope you find one you like to ownπ
Every year during the holiday season my daughter’s school encourages all students to contribute to their chosen charities.
Students, bake, cook, do crafts, sell paintings, just about absolutely anything their heart desires to make some money for their charities.
Marketplace at school is an exciting day, and a learning experience. Students get the chance to learn about helping others, organizing their time, creating something that others want to buy, and learn about marketing their products.
This year my daughter with her best friend decided on baking cupcakes with flavors of the season. Minty wonderland, caroling coffee, ginger bells, and fa la la vanilla. After spending an entire Saturday afternoon baking, they had 40 cupcakes ready for sale. And the night before the market, couple of hours was spend making beautiful, delicious frosting in holiday colors.
After driving to school, very cautiously, and an hour early to grab a good table, they were ready to sell.π°
Herbs have a wonderful fragrant, and add so much flavor to any food. I have used herb plants as center pieces for many years, and this year offered them as gifts to our thanksgiving guests.
Rosemary and thyme plants are two of my favorites, and have a beautiful flowing shape. To cover the pots first wrap them with colorful gift wraps, and add ribbons and ornaments for more color and shine.
Something about the end of summer, and kids going back to school that cranks up our enthusiasm Β in organizing, and cleaning up our house.
Linen closet, closets, kitchen pantry, kitchen cabinets, book shelves, the garage…..
It all starts when we start going through all the paper, art work, school projects, summer camp crafts, that we have collected for months and they have no longer a shelf space to live on.
A great way to creat an interesting wall. Made of paper, these wall tapestries have beautiful colors, and a natural relaxing look. They make any wall beautiful, and any room cozy and inviting.
IfΒ youβve ever noticed when youβre stressed you stare up at the ceiling, itβs on purpose. WeΒ are subconsciously looking for the blue sky to calm us down.
It is a fact that looking at the color blue can produce chemicals in the body that promote calming. It calms the pulse rate and reduces appetite.
It is a great color to use in a bedroom since it can actually help you sleep. We can still feel the calming effects if we choose warmer gray, blue green or soft purple.
To show off Β our indoor plants at their best we are getting creative with how we place them around the house or in the office.
We used crystal bowls, baskets, buckets in metal, ceramic, plastic, and even clay lanterns. For times we have company and forgotten to buy cut flowers we bring in our flowering pots, even the herbs indoors & give our rustic pots a make over. It is fun you should try it.πΏ
what can be more energizing & rejuvenating than a good night sleep?
You open your eyes & realize you slept the entire night tucked in your bed wrapped in the warm soft comforter.
One sure way to set our bedroom for a solid sleep is to pay attention to how we have placed the furniture in the bedroom.
The art of feng shui creating positive flow.
Any room with unbalanced energy not only can affect our health, but our relationships, and finances too.
Here are some feng shui rules to follow for the bedroom;
Solid wood headboard
1- your head should be near a solid wall. Using a wood headboard or solid upholstered headboard.
Neutral accent pieces
Neutral bedding
2- Avoid these colors: reds, purples, blues, and black.
3- No mirrors, which would be difficult to do, Β but mirrors make theΒ energies of the bedroom very active, or yang. keep it to one only, and donβt hang it on the wall near the foot of your bed.
4- Try not to have a TV or any electronic devices in the bedroom.
We can bring early spring indoors, by cutting a few branches of trees and shrubs, and have them bloom early indoors.
Here is what to look for:
Azalea, beauty bush, crab apple, flowering quince, magnolia, pussy willow, redbud , serviceberry, witch hazel, forsythia,Β rhododendron, spirea,Β and fruit trees : cherries, pears, and apples.
Rhododendron budsRedbud, look for younger ones these are already ready to bloomRedbudRhododendronΒ budsAzalea blooms
If you can cut the branches in a warm day look for swollen, plump buds.Β Cut branches at an angle and be sure you cut them long enough to stand out in your container. To get water quickly to branchesΒ smashing the bottoms of your branches gently, will make it easier for the branches to take up water. For these young buds to go through the transitionΒ place your container away from sunlight, in a cool location.
Whitin 1 – 6 weeks you should see the buds swell and begin to open, and ready to be placed in sunlight.