Friday, August 21, 2015

Simple and Inexpensive Ways to Spruce Up Your Powder Room

Bathrooms and kitchens often get all the glory when you decide to remodel or upgrade parts of your home. In some cases, they've also cornered the competition on some of the more expensive upgrades you can do to your home. The good news is it doesn't have to be so expensive to do a powder room makeover if you get a little creative in the process. Consider these simple tips to help you spruce up your powder room on a shoestring budget.

Change the Color Scheme or Theme
When you start thinking about your powder room décor needing a change, don't avoid it for fear of what it will cost. You might be surprised at how far a fresh coat of paint will take you at little cost. You can also add a few accent pieces, like a new towel set and throw rug to complete the look. Place a picture featuring the appropriate color scheme or theme in a brand new frame and hang it on the wall, replacing something old or simply filling a void.

If you wish, now is a good time to create your seashore bathroom or your classy earth tone powder room. If you are upgrading an entire bathroom on a budget instead of just your powder room, consider getting a new shower curtain and matching towel and rug set and work your way across the theme from there.

Add Some Fragrance
It's amazing what a little fragrance can do for the mood and the overall look and feel of a modern powder room. Choose a delightful scented candle or reed diffuser to infuse a lovely fragrance into your powder room. This will instantly lift spirits while also helping to mask some of those common bathroom odors.

Enhance the Mood
As you think about beautiful powder room decorating ideas, consider the size of your powder room and decide whether it can benefit from a little accent artwork or a relaxing element like an indoor water fountain. You may wish to freshen things up every so often with a small bouquet of fresh-cut flowers or with a plant that adds to the look and feel of the room. You can even set the stage for a mini spa in your powder room by filling a cute basket with bath and body supplies like mini lotions and body sprays or fragrances. This gives your powder room a cozy, yet luxurious feel that your family and your friends will all appreciate.


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Thursday, August 20, 2015

Party Must-Haves: Perfect Serving Solutions for Groups of All Sizes


Hosting parties is a lot of fun but it can also become a lot of work if you aren't prepared. A few party must-haves will help you to serve your guests with style no matter what your menu. Consider these fun and festive serving solutions for groups of all sizes as you begin planning for your next dinner party or social gathering.

 

Serveware for Large Groups

If you are planning to host a big group for a birthday party, family reunion, or other social occasion, a nice selection of serving ware can take you far. Choose a few serving dishes for parties of any size, easily accommodating your snacks, appetizers, and desserts. A simple serving plate allows you to beautifully display a versatile selection of menu items, from veggie trays to crackers and more.

 

Bamboo cutting boards can be a great choice for showing off your meat and cheese tray or other yummy appetizer. A serving platter with multiple sections or pieces like this bamboo and ceramic serving set offers a classy and creative way to serve tiny tidbits or snacks that are meant to be enjoyed together.

 

Creative Crockpot Meals

Cooking in a slow cooker can be the perfect solution to serving large groups. Crockpot meals tend to be delicious, filling, and easily able to stretch for a large crowd. You can serve hot sandwiches with a selection of meat entrees in a buffet server featuring several mini crockpots or make a large batch of meatballs, chili, or ham in a regular slow cooker. For larger pasta entrees like lasagna or baked ziti, consider serving in a foil pan atop an electric double hot plate, keeping everything warm for hours while your guests enjoy seconds, or maybe even thirds.

 

Don't Forget Drinks!

Last but certainly not least, don't forget a cool beverage dispenser to show off your sangria, punch, or other delicious libations. Your guests will love the cute appearance, plus it also makes it easy to serve a large batch of some of your favorite party drinks.

 

 

 

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Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Perfect Gifts for the Little Princess

 Choosing beautiful gifts for girls is sometimes too easy--or maybe too difficult--purely based on the wide array of adorable girl clothes, bows, shoes, cute plush animals, and of course, girl toys available today. Rather than spending all your money on gift after gift, give some thought to the best gift ideas for girls who love being a little princess. Many little girls enjoy the thrills of dress-up and the fun of pretending to be a real, live princess.

Let your favorite little girl live her dream with delightful girls' gift ideas you choose with her especially in mind. Here are a few gift ideas for girls who love princesses.

Dazzling Princess Dolls
From princess baby gifts of soft dolls and animals to more advanced princess dolls that have special accessories and fun features, it's hard to go wrong with a cute, girlie gift for that special princess. Consider a baby Ariel that crawls, Aurora ready for a nap, or Sophia the First with pretty dress-up outfits.

Fun Princess Games
Princess games stir up fun for the whole family! Check out our game selection to find your little girl's favorite princess paired up with some board game fun, like in the Cinderella Royal Ball Game. You can also choose non-princess themed gifts that a princess fan will still love - like classic games such as chess, checkers, and Chinese checkers, among others.

A Little Something for an Older Princess
Girls past the age of 10 may still love being a princess. Even pre-teens and teenagers can appreciate beautiful gifts that sparkle and shine. Consider a glittering pendant necklace for that special young girl in your life. Earrings are another lovely choice for a sweet girl whose ears are pierced, giving her a chance to sparkle wherever she goes.

Take some time to browse our vast selection of jewelry, fragrances, toys, games, and other special and unique girl gifts for that special princess in your life.


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Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Inexpensive Ways to Enhance the Mood of Your Home


Inexpensive Ways to Enhance the Mood of Your Home

 

 Think about the rooms of your home. Some are designated for sleep and relaxation while others are for cooking and eating, cleansing and primping, and spending time socializing with others. Different rooms have different purposes, and as such, some simple decorating tips can help to set the mood appropriately for any room of your home.

 

Colors and Moods

For a long time, color has held close ties to mood and behavior--it's called color psychology. The colors of something--room colors, linens on your bed, paint on the walls, a beautiful vase--can actually impact the way you feel and how you act. Choose artwork and other handcrafted items in eye-catching styles of blown glass or other artistic accent pieces that catch the vibe you are trying to create. Focus on relaxing bedroom colors and more energetic playroom and exercise room colors to set the mood appropriately. As you choose the most prominent focal points for each room in your home, be sure to choose colors that make you feel good about being in that room.

 

Relaxing Home Furnishings

Rooms designed for relaxation--like bedrooms, living rooms, and even bathrooms--can benefit from luxurious, soothing home furnishings that add a touch of class. Decorative indoor tabletop water fountains bring the gentle sound of water into the home while the lovely designs are appealing to the eye as well. Choose a fountain style that suits the room and its purpose or simple something that complements your existing décor and style preferences. Consider spa-like fountains, simple fountains with bowls or steps, and even cute fountains featuring people or animals.

 

More Home Décor Ideas

Visual impacts aren't the only ones that matter when you're trying to create just the right mood for your home. Appeal to the sense of smell--the sense strongest tied to memory. A lovely fragrance by way of luxurious candles or a specialty reed diffuser can infuse just the right aroma into a home, lifting spirits and keeping everything smelling fresh and beautiful. Choose relaxing scents like lavender to keep a calm environment, or something more energizing like a citrus fragrance to liven up a room.

 

Changing the look and feel of your home can be easy and inexpensive if you go into the process with a solid plan. Browse our wide selection of home décor items and home furnishings to create the perfect atmosphere and set the mood for your home.

 

 

 
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Great Hostess Gifts for All Your Social Outings


Great Hostess Gifts for All Your Social Outings

 From holidays to simple dinner parties, it's nice to be invited to dine and socialize at someone else's house. In many such situations, it is customary to bring a small token of your appreciation for the hostess in the form of a hostess gift. Of course, sometimes hostess gifts become more of an afterthought as you scramble to ready yourself and your family for the party. Here are some suggestions of great hostess gifts to consider for your upcoming holidays and social events out of the home.


Traditional Hostess Gifts, with a Twist


Flowers have been a customary hostess gift, especially when grown children come home or when visiting extended family. Rather than a bouquet that will eventually wither and die, why not choose a lovely planter and pot a pretty houseplant or indoor flower yourself? This hostess gift is thoughtful, meaningful, and designed to last quite a while.


You might also consider bringing a homemade dessert or a sweet treat picked out from a bakery or candy shop for the hostess to either serve or keep aside for her own family to enjoy at another time. Scented candles can be wonderful gestures of thanks as well as great hostess gift ideas, even if you are mere acquaintances with the hostess.


Wine Themed Hostess Gifts

For some of your closer friends and family, particularly those whom you know enjoy a nice glass of wine, some wine themed hostess gifts can be the perfect choice to say "thank you." Consider a wine bottle stopper, wine chilling stick, some beautiful wine charms so guests can tell the wine glasses apart, or even a nice wine tote your hostess can enjoy when she's not the one hosting.


The best hostess gifts are typically the ones you put your heart into--whether it's something handmade or something selected and purchased especially with the hostess in mind. Not everyone thinks to bring a hostess gift, even inexpensive hostess gifts, so the lady of the house will surely feel special if you do. When it comes to hostess gifts, it really is the thought that counts.



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