Dandelion's Blog

Mexican Fiesta ~ Paper flowers for Decorating

2011-08-21T07:00:00.016-05:00

Several weeks ago we hosted our Sunday School class party. We thought a Mexican theme would be fun and that fajitas with all the fixings, chips and salsa, Ginger Lemonade, and Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie would be the menu. I purchased some bright green tablecloth plastic from Party City and some very colorful plastic plates and cups from Sam's. I know it's hard to believe but I already had a large supply of fuschia tissue paper to make lots of large paper flowers. I had Jerry pull out the pool fountain he had given me for my birthday several years ago to add the soft sound of splashing water.

All set and ready for the party.

We took this photograph after everyone was gone to show how the lights illuminated the flowers. The setting was the most impressive at dusk, as you can see in the first photograph. If you're hosting the event and want photographs consider designating someone to snap photographs for you. I had a friend jump in and say let me take some photos for you. In fact, Carolyn Barnett, actually snapped the first photograph which is my favorite. I'm thankful Carolyn volunteered to be my photographer for the evening.

Along with the tablecloths I found the perfect napkins at Party City.

As I was pondering what to do for a floral arrangement, Kroger's floral department came to the rescue. Who knew Kroger would have my inspiration? The flowers were sorta of deserty looking and even better news was they were on clearance for $3 a bunch. I purchased four different bunches and I walked out of Kroger with my $12 floral arrangement.

As I was searching my cabinets for containers, I found this super cute bowl that my mom purchased in Japan in the 60's. It still had the label on the back. She tried to sell it in a garage sale many years ago for $2.00, I'm so glad no one purchased it. It's a perfect container for sour cream.

These tissue flowers are so easy to make I thought I would share how I made them. This style flower can be used for Mexican and Hawaiian party themes. And of course, fuschia colored tissue paper will work for either theme as well. Since we have a pool and with stone columns, it was easy to decide where to place the flowers. We have 12 columns and I needed three flowers on each column. So I needed 36 flowers in all.

Each flower requires three sheets of tissue paper. First, round the corners on every sheet. Then layer the three sheets and rotate them to resemble a circle.

Next, grab/pinch the center of the three sheets and twist to create a stem and wrap the stem once with scotch tape.

Lightly pull on the paper petals to create and shape the flower. And voila you have a beautiful tissue flower. Each flower only takes about 2 minutes to make.

Enjoy!

Need to freshen up a room?

2011-07-28T16:18:00.010-05:00

Need to freshen up a room? Let me count the ways . . . You can paint the room a new color, add custom window treatments (please be sure to call us), change accessories or add new artwork. Artwork is the choice for this post.

This week I received an catalog from one of my artwork vendors and I wanted to share a few of their new designs.

I love this cute little bathtub scene. It reminds me of my two granddaughters in the tub. Adorable!

I like any type of art that looks like it was sketched by hand especially horses.

I know this is a little abstract, but I like it. I love the colors and the subtleness.

What a great look for a simple style kitchen. I think my daughter-in-law is going to use these in her new house over a long buffet.

How fun is this print for a media room, play room, child's room or any room you want to add a little fun.

Easter Decorating ~ Quick and Easy Ideas

2011-04-22T06:42:00.010-05:00

I love all the seasons and I like to decorate according to the season. Over time I have collected several accessories that reflect the different seasons. When spring arrives, I replace my Pansy arrangement with my sunflower floral arrangement.

Last year Carrie Jones, my daughter-in-law's sister, gave me this adorable ceramic bunny as a hostess gift for hosting Easter dinner. She knows I love to decorate when I entertain. I decided he would look cute in a bed of Baby's Breath. I layered the Baby's Breath in a clay saucer.

This year I purchased these natural looking bottle brush bunnies from Pottery Barn. They were on sale a couple weeks ago. I couldn't resist. I cut some of my Mugo Pine and placed it beside the bunnies to make them feel at home.

Maddie and Morgan, my granddaughters, are going to love them. They arrive in town this afternoon. I can't wait to see their smiling faces.

Maddie and Morgan are in store for a big surprise today, a mommy bunny decided to have her babies about 20 feet from our side door. She burrowed a small hole in the ground and covered the hole with fur.

When the fur is moved we can see three tiny bunnies. You can only see one bunny in this picture. The burrow has a very small opening.

Mommy bunny is very nervous because I was near her babies. Normally, a wild rabbit would never allow me to be near her. It is never a dull moment at our house.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

2011-01-11T15:41:00.008-06:00

I love the snow! The view is fabulous from the bay window in my breakfast room. New fallen snow gives the earth an enchanted and uncluttered look. I know Jerry disagrees with me about the snow because he doesn't like cold weather at all. He would rather be golfing.

In Nashville, we only had a couple of inches of snow. On the other hand, Casey and Owen in Huntsville received lots of snow. This is their second large snowfall this season. This is highly unusual for Huntsville, in fact, they rarely see snow. As you can see from this 10'6" ginormous snowman it took kids and several neighborhood adults to build this monster. The snowman took approximately three hours to build.

Look at those snowballs. This reminds me of the movie Elf when he created a huge amount of snowballs in a matter of seconds. I bet it took them a little longer than a few seconds. In the above photo they were getting ready for the neighborhood snowball fight.

What's the tallest snowman you have ever seen?

Lantana ~ Three Months Later

2010-09-02T23:03:00.001-05:00

Wow, our Lantana is amazing! It's been three months since we planted Lantana in our mailbox planters. The Lantana has performed fabulously. We, well when I say we I mean Jerry, didn't totally neglect them we averaged watering them every three days. You can see from the photo there are a tons of buds about to pop. Some days we look out the window and all we see is yellow. Lantana has added new life to our entrance.

I guess we will be planting Lantana next year.

Take Me Away Calgon . . .

2010-08-23T20:05:00.000-05:00

So many things affect how we feel and act. Eating and drinking healthy things not only have an effect on our body they also have an effect on our mental attitude.

We feel better about ourselves when we take care of our body. After all, we were only given one body. I love drinking Silver Needle White Tea from Teavana. I loved it even more because I know I am drinking something that's healthy. When I brew my tea I make extra so I can drink it cold. I purchased a couple of items to make this tea brewing ritual a truly delightful experience.

This cute owl teapot was purchased for me by my daughter-in-law, Casey from Anthropologie. Isn't he the cutest?

Here is the Silver Needle White Tea from Teavana. This tea steeps for a full five minutes and has a very mild flavor.

The honey pot and the spoon rest also came from Anthropologie.

I add a touch of organic honey.

I add fresh mint because I like the taste. I also feel like it gives me an energy boost; although my research can't substantiate my claim. This little green leaf is rich in Vitamins A, C and minerals such as manganese, copper, iron, potassium and calcium. I store my tea in my grandmother's antique Ball jar, which of course, evokes that sense of family feeling. I told you, I turn this tea brewing thing into a full blown experience.
I think everyone should have special glasses that evoke that "Take Me Away Calgon" feeling. I found my hand blown fish glasses from Crate & Barrel several years ago. I instantly fell in love with them. They're so happy looking!

A flower you can neglect!

2010-05-23T19:48:00.012-05:00

There's something about flowering plants that gives us a feeling of joy inside. However, most of the time that joy includes some effort on our part. In fact, it's not just the initial effort of planting or pruning, the work continues throughout the summer and into fall. With our busy lives, it's hard to keep the landscaping in tip-top shape unless you are fortunate enough to have a gardener; which I don't. So I am always on the lookout for low maintenance, but BEAUTIFUL plants.

During our annual trip to the Farmer's Market in downtown Nashville, we found the perfect solution for the two stone planters beside our mailbox. Our mailbox is too far away from the house for us to make a commitment to watering the planters on a daily basis. We thought if we could find a plant that we could water once a week or every four days that would be ideal. It seemed like a lost cause, but then we remembered Lantana! We planted it several years ago in our landscaping around the house and it was beautiful, but YIKES, it tends to take over. Lantana is like a desert plant; it doesn't require much water or care. In fact, you can plant it just about anywhere and then forget it. Another benefit to planting Lantana, it attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Lantana comes in several different varieties. Check our your local nursery to see what's available.

If you're looking for a plant that has color and is practically care-free, Lantana might just the ticket for you.

I'll take another picture later in the summer to let you know how our neglected Lantana is faring down by the hot busy road.

Mother's Day Traditions

2010-05-08T21:20:00.015-05:00

Jerry, my husband, started a Mother's Day tradition about 10 years ago. Before then, Jerry had always taken us out to eat on that special day. One year, after waiting two hours to be seated at the restaurant, Jerry decided he would start cooking for all the moms in our family. It was such a hit that it became an enduring family tradition! This year, we shared this tradition with 20 family members and friends.

Jerry, Owen, Lee, my brother, brother-in-law and his brother all pitched in to help prepare and cook. They don't let the mom's do anything, which all the moms love! We feel so special and honored.

Are you wondering what they cooked and how it looked?

Menu:
Grilled pork chops
Baked potatoes
Fresh steamed spinach
Macaroni Salad
Deviled Eggs
Sister Shubert's Yeast Rolls
Sweet Tea

Owen, my oldest son, started another tradition. He makes a stepping stone with Maddie and Morgan's hand or foot prints every year on Mother's Day for his wife, Casey. The girls help decorate the stepping stone with colored stones and chunks of glass. Aren't they just too cute? Maddie, the oldest, is going to be nine on May 14th and we always celebrate her birthday on Mother's Day as well. Do you have any special Mother's Day traditions that you would like to share with us? We would love to hear about them!

Nashville Under Water

2010-05-06T18:47:00.000-05:00

Last weekend was frightening to say the least. Torrential rains lasted for two days with a record rainfall in most areas of 10" - 13". The water rose so fast many people did not have a chance to evacuate their homes. Many of the businesses in downtown Nashville were flooded. In fact, most of the people that work in downtown Nashville were not able to go back to work until Friday and some are still closed. What's even sadder is most home owners and business owners did not have flood insurance. Most of these homes and businesses were not in a flood zone. Total damage is estimated at $1.5 billion. The Cumberland river crested at 51.9 feet, about 12 feet above flood stage, that's the highest since 1937.

The above video shows only some of the devastation Nashville experienced last week.The photos in this video are horrifying.

What was the most shocking to me was the fact that so many cars and trucks were caught on the interstate when the waters surged on I-24 Saturday afternoon and that was just the beginning.

Opryland Hotel sustained an enormous amount of damage. Over 1500 guests had to be evacuated. The hotel will be closed for 4 - 6 months for repairs.

Several of my family happened to be out of town and had to wait until Monday before they could return to Nashville. Since we live on a hill we survived without damage; just an over flowing pool and lots of broken branches from the high winds.

Nashville Businesses have donated millions of dollars to help the flood victims. If you would like to help in anyway, there are several organizations set up to receive donations.

Spring is in the air!

2010-04-09T14:14:00.003-05:00

Spring brings perfect temperatures with very little humidity, not to mention those vivid and vibrant colors and smells of fragrant flowers in bloom; who wouldn't love this season? It is invigorating to be outside. In fact, spring weather is the natural way to get a boost of energy.

For those of us who can't be outside as much as we would like during the spring, we can compensate by bringing a bit of the outside to the inside of our home. Live flowers create energy and positive thinking while adding life to any room. As most of you know, I live on 15 acres of land that my grandfather and grandmother purchased during the depression. Jerry and I are really fortunate to have all the established trees and shrubbery planted many years ago.

The Forsythia bushes were beautiful this year. We have several planted along our fence row.

My grandmother planted a Lilac bush so long ago I don't even know how old it is. I remember the fragrant smell of Lilacs from when I was a little girl and we visited my grandparents home in the Spring.

I also enjoy having the ability to view nature's outside beauty. Be sure to plant flowering trees, shrubbery or flowers so that they are visible from inside your home. Dogwood trees are very slow growing trees, which makes them a perfect tree to plant close to your house.

Inevitably, Spring leads to Summer so we are getting ready to open our pool. We always make sure we add plants with lots of color to our planters around the pool because they are visible from our family room.

Combine Two Photographs into One Great Photograph

2010-02-28T22:28:00.019-06:00

Photographing multiple people in one shot can prove to be a challenge, especially when you stir a few children and the sun into the mix. The above photo is my corrected photo. Maddie and Morgan, my grandchildren, and Casey look great in this shot. Of course, that is not what the photograph looked like in the beginning.

Here's the first photograph; you notice Maddie, on the right, is looking away, but Casey and Morgan look great.

In the second photograph, Maddie looks great, however, I guess Morgan is trying too hard to get the photo session over with and her smile is a little too fake. And, of course, Casey looks great in both shots. I always ask the adults to keep smiling and looking at the camera, so I only have to focus my attention on the girls.

Here's what I did to combine the two photographs. I decided to cut Morgan, the youngest one on the right, out of the shot on the left and replace her head on the right. I use Photoshop Elements to do photo editing. First, I cropped the photographs to get the vertical heights as similar as possible. Photoshop Elements 8 includes a Guided Edit, with a Photomerge: Faces mode. Since Morgan's head was pointed down, I decided to use Maddie's eyes and mouth as my alignment points. I opened both photographs, clicked on my Source photo on the left, clicked the Align icon, moved the three cross hairs to Maddie's eyes and mouth. (Click on photo to enlarge.) I then clicked on the photo on the right and repeated the process placing the cross hairs on Maddie's eyes and mouth. Then, I clicked Align Photos. (This step ensures both photos are lined up perfectly. Aligning the photographs correctly is the key to a successful merge.) Then I clicked on the pencil, drew a "C" around Morgan on the left photo and, voila, Morgan's body on the left moved to the photo on the right. It took me a total of five minutes to merge the two photographs. I tried this technique, for the first time, earlier that day and it took me over an hour. I learned the secret to merging photographs is to crop the photo vertically so they are similar in height (e.g. the sky above Casey's head) should be the same distance.

Here's the photograph I worked on earlier today. A couple of weekends ago, we traveled to Huntsville to celebrate Morgan's 5th birthday. Saturday was the "cookie party," which consisted of nine little girls making and decorating sugar cookies. (It took eight adults to pull this off!) Everyone in the family had eaten so many of those sugar cookies that no one could even think about eating ice cream sundae's after dinner, so the Mardi Gras birthday party continued through Sunday also.
Morgan's favorite dessert is ice cream.

Even the "5" candle was not ready for this shot, but I loved Owen's smile. I looked at both photographs and knew that I didn't like either one of the photos by themselves. My only choice, if I wanted this shot, was to cut Owen out of the photo and merge him with the photograph below. Tip: Notice the distance above Owen's head.

In this shot, it seems Owen is not ready. Notice the difference in the distance above Owen's head in this shot. Once, I figured out that I needed to crop the first photo to match the distance above Owen's head, merging the photographs only took a couple of minutes.

Morgan will only be five once, so you don't get a second chance to capture the precious memories. You grandparents that are reading this know what I mean. Just looking at pictures of my granddaughters instantly makes Jerry and me smile!

Birthday Celebration With a Bright & Festive Theme!

2010-02-24T17:01:00.014-06:00

Last Sunday morning, Jerry and I were up bright and early preparing for a lunch for eleven people. Six people in my immediate family have birthdays within 39 days of each other, so Jerry and I decided to roll the celebration into one big event.

To make the day fun and festive, I decided to go with a bright color scheme. A great table scape gives the impression the food is going to be incredible. Just in case you're wondering, yes the food turned out great too. The menu consisted of baked chicken with gravy, baked potatoes, green beans with fresh garlic, fresh spinach, fried apples, Sister Shubert yeast rolls and blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

The day was warm and sunny and the temperature was a comfortable 64 degrees. Once I decided on the fun and festive theme, the first color that popped into my head was Citrus Green. Citrus Green invokes a happy energetic feeling in almost everyone. The weather and the napkins were my inspiration and the simplicity of my white plates made the perfect backdrop. I have lots of white linens and white dishes, which made the rest of the decorating come together easily. Looking back, I realize that I have had so many different colored dishes, but I think the Apilco white dishes from Williams-Sonoma are my favorite. The Apilco dinnerware is so versitle, it's easy to dress a table up or down. Fresh flowers always add the crowning touch to any table. A few yellow tulips added a touch of color and hinted that spring is just around the corner. I pulled out some of my milk glass pieces and found the two vases and a fruited bowl. The fruited bowl filled with lemons was exactly what I needed to complete the centerpiece.

I have a huge collection of vases, which includes those two milk glass vases that I received flowers in as a gift when my sons, Owen and Lee, were born. Wow, those vases are old! Two of the birthdays were celebrating were for my sons; Owen will be 35, and Lee just turned 31. I love using dishes that have been in the family for years. We celebrated a wide age range of birthdays, from 5 - 81 years old. My dad won the prize for the oldest and Morgan, my granddaughter, was the youngest. Family is such a blessing, they are always there when you need them the most.

What a great day. I love entertaining, I should do it more!

Unique Benches & Chairs (part two)

2010-02-04T10:52:00.002-06:00

Wing Chair & Ottoman (34w x 30d x 34h)

Here is a sampling of benches and chairs. Notice how many of the pieces have a loose weave fabric which adds a sense of casualness to the otherwise formal style of the furniture.

Rococo Ottoman (20w x 20d x 24h)

Queen Ann Hall Bench (61w x 19d x 30h)

Queen Anne Bench (61w x 19d x 30h)

Library Chair w/ Step Stool (25w x 21d x 34h)

High Back Bench (65w x 26d x 47h)

Cottage Bench (62w x 23d x 40h)

Caned Wingback Chair (30w x 30d x 49h)

Batavia Bench (64w x 22d x 34h)

Barcelona Garden Bench (63w x 19d x 46h)

Wing Chair & Ottoman (34w x 30d x 34h)

Princess Vanity (53w x 18d x 30h)

Unique Side Tables

2010-01-28T15:07:00.015-06:00

Barrel Chest (36w x 18d x 30h)

As Bettye, Jerry and I were doing research for a project we are currently working on, I opened a catalog from a new vendor we found in October at High Point Market. I love the casualness of their line so much I decided to write several blogs that will showcase many of their pieces.

This blog will show you a sampling of their side tables. If you see anything that interests you give us a call, we will be glad to help you find just the right spot for one of these pieces. I have included the name and dimensions of each piece. Isn't that Barrel Chest the cutest?

Several of these pieces are offered in other color options. Notice the 3 Drawer Chest in the gray color, this company has several pieces in this color. It is such a tranquil color and will work with so many paint colors.Ribbed Side Table (30w x 18d x 28h)

Tall Sideboard (40w x 12d x 42h)

Baroque Side Chest (18w x 18d x 26h)

3 Drawer Side Chest (19w x 16d x 25h)

Provence Drink Cabinet (28.5w x 19d x 30.75h)

Barley Twist Wine Rack (32w x 13d x 36h)

Apple's Big Announcement ~ Come See our Latest Creation!

2010-01-26T14:53:00.004-06:00

For those of you that love technology, like me, you will want to know what exciting announcement will be divulged during the press conference Apple has scheduled. The press conference will take place in San Francisco on Wednesday, January 27th at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time.

Rumors are running wild about the "new creation." I have read several forums and most seem to agree it will be some type of tablet pc, with the majority of news and forum speculators guessing it will be 10-inch tablet. Apple has been working on a tablet for years. In fact, the iPhone was created during the development of the tablet. For now, Apple is keeping the announcement very hush hush. Some of the techies on the forums think that whenever Apple launches a new product it should be considered a holiday. I had to chuckle at that one.

Check these websites out for more information:

Ubergizmo (Join them for live, up-to-the-minute blog postings with photos)
Techradar (the rumor round-up)
CNet (lots of comments)

Another rumor floating around is that Apple will announce that they will no longer be exclusive with AT&T and that Verizon could soon be selling the iPhone. Others disagree, saying that Apple will not want to dilute their exciting news about the tablet.

We can also look forward to a new release for the iPhone in the next couple of months. Who knows where Apple will take us in the future? One thing you can be sure of is that it will be exciting!

Our Trip to Atlanta's Mart - Part 3 (Holiday)

2010-01-22T09:15:00.001-06:00

It never ceases to amaze me how many showroom specialize in only Holiday items. The market for Christmas items is huge! Some of the holiday accessories were beautiful and very creative.

Bettye and I loved the addition of the beads. You can add these beads to almost anything to add a little glitz for the holidays.

We loved the idea of these simply decorated Christmas trees. Each silver ball was individually glued to the tree.

This pumpkin arrangement was amazing. If you have been reading my blog you know I love decorating for Thanksgiving.

Our Trip to Atlanta's Mart - Part 2 (Accessories)

2010-01-19T13:00:00.001-06:00

Of course, the citrus or acid green color is still very popular. I think every showroom had something in this color.

These silk mums looked so real, Bettye and I had to feel them. We are very picky about artificial arrangements.

These one stem mini pots are great to place in a guest room bedside table or to place at each place setting for a bridesmaid luncheon or a dinner party.

Our Trip to Atlanta's Mart - Part 1 (Furniture)

2010-01-11T16:41:00.041-06:00

Bettye Zettergren, our new designer, and I just returned from Atlanta's Merchandise Mart. Bettye and I spent two 10-hour days walking the floors of "Building 1" and a few floors of "Building 2." To give you a feel for the size of this Market, "Building 1" has 20 floors and each floor has 30 - 50 showrooms. The showrooms in Building 1 have accessories, linens, holiday and furniture. The other buildings had showrooms that included housewares, gourmet, gift and apparel.

We found so many great showrooms! We love visiting market to see what's new. I took photographs of a few interesting things we found in the showrooms. (Note: The showroom floodlights made it really difficult to capture a good shot.)

Oatmeal colored furniture was prominent in a lot of showrooms, as well as upholstered furniture with oatmeal linen fabrics. Using such a neutral colored piece of furniture allows you to paint your walls almost any color and leaves you with lots of options for window treatments. I love the natural texture that linen adds to a space. Linen can also evoke both the feeling of formal and, at the same time, a touch of casual.

The king headboard above was gorgeous with its oatmeal colored linen fabric. I think it was the tallest sleigh headboard I have ever seen. Bettye and I estimated the height at 7'.

The photograph isn't great but it shows more of the oatmeal colored furniture.

Would you like to make a drastic change in your dining room without the cost of purchasing all new furniture? Consider changing your two end chairs to one of these chairs covered in a custom fabric. Adding two totally different end chairs to a dining room table can change the whole feel of the room.

We found these outdoor rugs that are made to withstand the outdoor elements. They even had a display with a sprinkler pouring water over a rug continuously. The best part, in my opinion, was their reasonable prices. They were available in multiple solid colors as well as a braided style. They even poured red wine on the rug and it didn't stain the rug!

The Adorable Fairy Doors!

2009-12-16T17:38:00.015-06:00

I spend at least one to two hours reading every day. When you make it a practice to read on a daily basis, a whole new world is opened up to you. The amount of information available on the internet is staggering. Casey, my daughter-in-law and partner, reads as much as I do and several weeks ago she happened to read a blog that mentioned "Fairy Doors" and we both thought it was the cutest idea! As I began researching this unusual topic, I was surprised to find how many people have added "Fairy Doors" to their homes and businesses.

I think this craze began in Ann Arbor Michigan (click on the second door on the Ann Arbor page to view sightings). Visitors and children are enthralled with hunt. Check out the "Fairy Door" Google installed in one of their conference rooms; the title on the Fairy Door is "Giggle," how appropriate! Perform a search in Google for "Fairy Doors." There is a lot of information out there (resources and blogs) regarding this subject. Judy Santoni and her girls visited Ann Arbor, click HERE to read their story. You will see that the possibilities are limitless!

If you have small children or grandchildren, this is a perfect idea to add a bit of magic to your home or business. What child wouldn't would love having a "Fairy Door" to visit? There are so many creative and imaginative things you can do with these. Start a tradition by encouraging children to clean their room, then, if they don't clean their room, the cleaning fairy comes to tidy up the room and leave a note saying she is disappointed and will visit again later hoping the room will be clean next time or maybe every night the fairy is moved to a different spot and, of course, you might mention the fairy door is only magical when they don't touch it.

You can purchase "Fairy Doors" from Enchanted Fairy Doors Shop or Monkeytail and Wellington or purchase dollhouse doors and adorn them yourself.

'Tis the Season!

2009-12-09T16:28:00.021-06:00

I love the Christmas season! Everyone seems extra friendly during the holiday season. This year (and I still can't believe it), I am not going all out with my usual Christmas decorating. Because I was out of town at the beginning of December, and also because Jerry and I are going to Casey & Owen's (my son & daughter-in-law and my two granddaughters) home to celebrate Christmas with them, I decided not to put up a tree this year. YIKES, this is a first for me and it feels strange! Next year, though, I am planning on decorating as usual and hosting a Christmas Open House.

This year Casey has been busy decorating her house with a little inspiration from Anthropologie. If you have visited the Green Hills store, you may have seen lots of stacked wood and their famous handmade snowballs. These snowballs are the cutest and are so easy to make. We asked our sales person if she knew how they were made and she spilled the beans. Jackpot!!!

Here is how to make indoor snowballs that "won't melt in your house!"

Crumple up white kraft paper to the desired size. (Be sure to vary the sizes)
Wrap the crumpled ball with plastic wrap at least 4 or 5 times.
Wrap outer layer in Glad "Press & Seal" with the sticky side out.
Roll sticky ball in artificial snow. (Artificial snow can be purchases at Target or any craft store.)
Voila' ... you have the cutest snowballs ever!

Who knew they would be so easy and inexpensive to make?

Look how cute these jars are with the white lights, silver ornaments, and snow.

I love decorating with live greenery. Not only does it look great, it smells even better! Take time to enjoy the sights, smells, and good eats of this holiday season!

Making a difference in a community!

2009-11-23T21:09:00.024-06:00

Lee McElwee, our office manager, made the comment after seeing the movie Blind Side, "This movie inspires you to want to do more." I hope this movie will inspire everyone that sees it to do more for humanity. Our entire family and several friends are going to see the movie on Thanksgiving night. I have heard rave reviews about this movie. I can't wait to see it; I love movies based on true stories.

This movie made me think about the nonprofit organization in which Dandelion Interiors is a member. The group is WCAA (Window Coverings Association of America), which is a nonprofit organization for the custom window treatment industry. This organization sets the standards for business owners that fabricate and/or sell window coverings. WCAA members are committed to educating themselves and providing the highest quality custom window treatments. Dandelion been a member of this group for over 10 years and we have dedicated ourselves to maintaining these high standards. In fact, I believe in this organization so much that I am an active WCAA board member.

This year, our members decided to get involved with Habitat for Humanity after Julie Coleman and Jill Robson spoke with Lisa McIntyre at Habitat for Humanity. Jill Robson was instrumental in securing the donations for the hardware and linings that were used in the homes. The hardware was donated by a local company, United Supply Company and the lining was donated by both Read Window Products and United Supply Company. The cost of the fabric was paid for with our local chapter's funds. Additionally, many of our members donated lots of time to fabricate the drapery panels. Very proud to be a part of this giving group.

What is Habitat for Humanity?

They are a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian ministry founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a decent, safe and affordable place to live. They build homes for people in need, regardless of race or religion. They welcome volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds.
The houses are simple, decent and affordable to low-income families around the world. See what Habitat houses are like around the world.
Whenever possible, they build energy-efficient, sustainable housing. Learn more about our construction and environmental resources.

This week, Jerry Green and Johnnie Davis installed drapery panels in two Habitat for Humanity homes. Originally, they were scheduled to install draperies in three homes, but they ran into a snag when they noticed a doorbell was installed over the window in one of the homes. The homeowner was disappointed, however she was assured that we would return with a solution and she would have her draperies soon. Our group is providing draperies for nine new happy homeowners.

This is Jill, chapter Vice-President, steaming the panels after Jerry and Johnnie installed the draperies.

I would love to hear your thoughts and comments regarding activities you are involved in to give back to your community, the earth or anything you do to make someone's life a little better.

Decorating for Thanksgiving

2009-11-21T09:14:00.011-06:00

Spring and fall are my favorite seasons. I think the fall colors are inspiring. The cooler weather always gets me in the decorating mood, I begin pulling out my fall/Thanksgiving decorations. This year, I purchased a few new items to add to my collection. Decorating for the holidays is an easy and inexpensive way to totally change the look and feel of your home.

I found this classic turkey a couple of years ago at Williams Sonoma. He will always be part of my Thanksgiving decorations. The swag/pumpkin garland came from Pottery Barn. These decorations made a perfect addition to my dining room table.

Since my house has been the gathering place for Thanksgiving for the past 15 years, I always seem to adorn the dining room more than any other room in my house. We will have 18 -20 people ready to gobble down the feast on Thanksgiving day. I picked up this cute pheasant at Z-Galleries this year. They had a great sale on their accessories.

I added my rusty wire pumpkin to a bookshelf in my family room and sprinkled a few dried leaves around the base for added interest.

I had to purchase the adorable ceramic pear and pumpkins from Z-Galleries. The price was too good to pass up. I added a few fall leaves that were kissed with a touch of glitter.

Of course, I always have to burn a few spice candles and brew some spiced cider to complete the mood. Now all I have to do is work on my menu, determine what dishes my family will bring, go to the market, cook the turkey and dressing, set the table . . . . Whew, I think I am tired already. Happy Thanksgiving, hope all of you have a great day with your family.

Favoriate Finds at High Point Fall Furniture Market

2009-11-07T14:04:00.009-06:00

Jerry and I returned from High Point Furniture Market recently. High Point Market runs for seven consecutive days. Everyday designers walk until they feel like their legs will fall off and then get up the next day and do it all over again. There is so much to see at this market. I wonder if anyone can see it all. You can tell in the videos I am still perfecting my video skills. Just use the pause/rewind button if I moved to fast in the video. More videos showing you what's new when I visit Atlanta's Merchandise Mart in January and High Point again in the spring.

Below are some of the showrooms I found interesting at this market.

*Song: Stop and Stare by One Republic

Loved the furniture pieces and accessories in this showroom.

*Song: Fireflies by Owl City

More great furniture pieces. I love the distressed looking furniture. So much less fussing and worrying over dents and scratches.

Song: Hallelujah by Brandi Carlile

Great outdoor pieces.

*Song: Show Me What I'm Looking For by Carolina Liar

Great lamps with great pricing.

*Song: Free by Sarah Brightman

Beautiful glassware.

Blending Family Heirlooms Into Your Space

2009-11-01T18:34:00.001-06:00

I love the pieces that my Grandparents and Great Aunts have handed down to me. That special chair or maybe the bowl that always had the best homemade potato salad at the family gatherings. Those things bring back memories every time I see them.

This past weekend when I was in Huntsville visiting, I helped Casey blend an antique corner china cabinet and several pieces of glassware that her Grandparents had given her into her dining room. Casey's dining room walls are a deep red color and the china cabinet is a dark wood color. The challenge was to create a display that was not too old fashioned. Casey likes mixing old pieces and new pieces together and that is exactly what we did!

First, we pulled out the pieces from her Grandmother that she loved, then we looked over things that she had in her cabinets and picked the things that would mix well.

We decided on martini glasses, two antique platters, several vases, a cake stand, ice cream cups, a soup tureen and a hand embroidered hand towel. We purchased three cupcake candle holders to add some interest to the cake plate and crystal knobs from Anthropologie. Those crystal knobs really did the trick to help the cabinet come alive.

Since this corner of the room lends itself to be on the dark side. We decided to leave the doors open on the cabinet. What a difference leaving the doors open made. When the doors are closed the reflection from the glass made it very hard to see what was in the cabinet. With the doors open you can see everything clearly. We have already had a little resistance to the idea. Maddie (the eight year old) and Owen (my son) were trying to be helpful and closed the doors. We've now enlightened them when it comes to open China cabinets.

As we studied our creation, we decided the addition of a few funky plates would add even more charm. Here is one of the plates Casey ordered.

When you receive a family heirloom, many times with very little effort you can create a very unique look. Try covering an old chair with a really cool fabric and you'll fall in love with the chair all over again. I'm sure Casey's grandmother will be love seeing her China cabinet being enjoyed by her granddaughter and great granddaughters!

I Love Shopping at Anthropologie

2009-10-26T13:56:00.000-05:00

This weekend, I went to visit Maddie & Morgan, my granddaughters in Huntsville, AL for Halloween. While I was there Casey, my daughter-in-law and I went shopping at Bridge Street mall which is an upscale outdoor mall in Huntsville, AL. One of the stores we love to shop at is Anthropolgie. We love seeing what new things they have out on their shelves. Casey and I both love their clothes and their home accessories.

Their clothes and home accessories are not the only things that are unique, their store displays are always something everyone notices. I decided to share some photos to show you what I mean. Yesterday, we entered the store and see the snowy forest of Birch trees adorned in the latest fashion.

I love these Owl teapots. The teapot allows you to place tea leaves into the strainer. I think I might be getting one for Christmas!!

I love the sweater and the tree displays made from either paint sticks or those woods wedges you can get from a home improvements stores.

I think I am loving gray this year.

Notice the displays made from hangers on the wall. Anthropologie always tries to only use recycled materials for their displays.

I think I need those champagne flutes.

Casey and I had a great day and walked away with several treasures from Anthrophologie. In Tennessee there is a store in Green Hills.

Painting a Room? What Color Primer Did You Select?

2009-10-03T15:49:00.020-05:00

In a recent issue of the Sherwin Williams publication, "Stir," there was an interesting article regarding primers. It's a great article for anyone getting ready to paint a room; even if you're hiring a painter, make sure to discuss what color primer they will be using.

Take note of the paint swatch and the end result of each of the samples. You will notice the bottom sample produced the brightest and clearest paint color. The bottom sample used the gray primer that Sherwin Williams recommends and the results were stunning. It matched the paint swatch exactly!

Below is an excerpt from the article:

Conventional wisdom tells you to use a white primer or one tinted with the topcoat color. But sometimes there’s a better choice, and it’s the Sherwin-Williams Color Prime® System of gray-tint shades for primers. We’ve found that many of the bold, deep, vivid, and transparent hues in our palette reach their true color in fewer coats when applied over a gray-tinted base coat.

Here’s how it works – Primer tinted to the right shade of gray creates the ideal balance of light absorption and light reflection to more successfully achieve the correct topcoat color, and achieve it in fewer coats. So with the Color Prime System, you’ll get the color you’re looking for and you’ll save time and money. And that’s not all, tinting a primer to the recommended gray shade ensures better touch-up, superior hide, more uniform color, and less streaking. Which adds up to an easier job for you, and customers pleased with a job well done.

When painting a room yourself always consult with your local paint professional. Give them details on what type and color of paint are currently on the wall. Many paint stores now offer small paint samples; these samples are inexpensive, so be sure that you don't skip the important step of doing a test on your wall. The color test should be at least an 18" square. I suggest doing this test on both sides of a corner, if possible. Live with it a couple of days. Then, if you love it after two days, you are ready to paint.

Once a room is painted, even if they don't love it, most people don't decide to re-paint until years later. Since wall color can make or break a room, take time to get it right the first time.

Don't forget that Sherwin-Williams "Colorsnap" and Benjamin Moore "Ben" offer color matching apps for iPhone users!

Another Design Option for Double Stack Windows

2009-09-28T18:12:00.000-05:00

Our clients, Jenelle and Earl, contacted us several weeks ago and decided it was time to add draperies to their living room. As the conversation continued, we found out their daughter is getting married and they were be going to hosting the wedding reception at their home. What a perfect way to use part of the wedding decorating budget! We proposed two different styles that we thought would be perfect for their space. After reviewing the renderings we created, they decided on the Basketweave style panels. Since the panels were going to be almost 17' long, we felt like the Basketweave would add extra detail and break up the length of the draperies.

It was a win-win for everyone! Jenelle daughter will have a beautiful space for her reception and Jenelle and Earl will have fabulous Basketweave draperies in their home to remind them of their daughter's wedding. Since these windows produced a lot of heat and light, I also recommended tinting their windows with Vista film from Solar Insulation and adding Hunter Douglas Duette Duolite Shades. The Duette Shades from Hunter Douglas are two shades in one. The top of the shades is a sheer Duette and the bottom shade is a semi-opaque Duette. I love these shades. They one of my favorites!

Nashville's Home & Garden Show

2009-09-12T08:41:00.010-05:00

Friday afternoon, we visited the Nashville Home & Garden Show at the Nashville Convention Center. You could find everything from a Jalapeno dip to a solar Wind Turbine. I took a couple of pictures with my iPhone to give you a glimpse of some of the vendors we visited. I loved the Total Quality Environmental booth with their full Wind Turbine on display.

Lively Landscaping, I love water features in a backyard.

Fire Pit Art ~ Very cool fire pits, I love the two plain ones on the right.

Solar Insulation ~ We found our friends from Solar Insulation. If you are experiencing excessive heat or glare problems, window film can substantially reduce these issues. We recommend window film to almost every client. Window film not only reduces heat and glare it also reduces UV rays, which can severely damage window treatments, hardwood floors, wood furniture and upholstery.

Perma Glaze ~ This company can restore or change the color of any piece of porcelain, tile, fiberglass or acrylic. If you have a bath with an "out of date color," this company can change the color at a very reasonable cost.

Winell Lee ~ What a grand fireplace mantel.

All Phase Exteriors ~ These gutters certainly make a statement.

Step Into Africa

2009-09-06T13:25:00.009-05:00

I know this blog does not contain any decorating tips, but I wanted to share this opportunity from World Vision that our church, Community Church of Hendersonville, is hosting.

We are the only church in Tennessee hosting this unique event. We have over 320 volunteers signed up to make sure everything is perfectly setup and all the tours run smoothly. "Step into Africa" starts September 13th and runs through September 20th. Click learn more about "Step into Africa." The cost is FREE. We are expecting 5,000 - 8,000 people to tour the exhibit next week. Each person will experience the exhibit with a headset and is guided by the voice of a child in Africa. The purpose of this event is to create awareness about the AIDS pandemic in Africa. Click here to view a video. After you tour the exhibit our church is offering the opportunity to sponsor a child. So many children in Africa are orphaned, both parents have died from AIDS and these children are left to fin for themselves. Jerry and I have been sponsoring a young girl, Julieth Issac Nassary, for almost two years. We know we can't help everyone, but we can help someone. The cost is only $38 per month.

A lot of people ask "How do you know if the money is really going to the children?" World Vision is accountable to a third party company; 87% of the funds given to World Vision goes directly to the children only 13% is used to run the organization.

Another Design Option for a Bay Window

2009-09-04T09:39:00.000-05:00

John and Marlene wanted to added window treatments to dress up their dining room. They also wanted to make sure the design we selected included privacy during the day, since this window is close to the road.

We suggested adding Hunter Douglas Silhouette Shades which would give them the option to have filtered privacy during the day and total privacy at night. Then we also suggested stationary Ruche Top Draperies mounted on a custom wood pole with decorative finials. Once we presented them with the rendering they loved the entire design concept. You can see the final results look fantastic!

Beautiful Window Treatments for Bay Windows!

2009-09-01T09:18:00.000-05:00

Our clients, John and Marleen have in a beautiful home on the lake and of course all lake homes include a beautiful view. Marleen loves to retreat to her master bedroom to read and gaze out at the beautiful view. What a perfect spot for a relaxing retreat.

John and Marleen wanted to add window treatments to warm up their space. We decided to add a swag style top treatment with stationary drapery panels. For privacy, we installed Hunter Douglas Eclipse Duette Shades. These shades provide almost total blackout, which makes for a perfect sleeping environment. The rendering convinced them to move forward with the project.

What Window Treatments Can you Do on Double Stacked Windows?

2009-08-21T16:09:00.022-05:00

Our long time clients, Steve & Jann, wanted a window treatment for a window wall.They had their cedar plank house built on top of a hill in a heavily wooded area. This window wall has a beautiful view of the wooded area. They love their view but wanted to add some warmth to the room and also wanted a design that was in keeping with a natural design style. We selected pleated draperies with a banded lead edge and decided to use a custom made bamboo rod, rings, and finials. The draperies frame the window and will clip ever so slightly into the glass to preserve the view.

Steve and Jann had us quote this window treatment some time ago when we did some other work for them. Steve decided to surprise Jann for her birthday with the new draperies. Jerry created the rendering and the storyboard and Steve presented them to her during lunch. Needless to say Jann was thrilled. We have an appointment to finalize fabrics next week. What a birthday gift! I guess we would all like a birthday gift like that. Happy Birthday Jann!!

Is Your Pet Like a Member of the Family?

2009-08-18T10:07:00.003-05:00

Today most people consider their house pet a member of the family. The portrait above is of our cat "Tanner." Eight years ago, Casey our daughter-in-law rescued this kitty and asked if we would be interested in giving this cat a home. He had been left to fend for himself, had an infected paw, and was very afraid of people. Jerry and I were a little hesitant at first because he was on the wild side, but we liked that he looked like the cat in the movie Pet Cemetery.

We thought he could live outside, be a barn cat, and catch mice. It didn't take long for Jerry to fall in love with the cat and now Tanner has the run of the house, but he still loves to go outside. A couple of months after we adopted Tanner, a client pointed out that we had a Russian Blue cat. We had never heard of that breed until she mentioned it that day. Tanner has turned out to be an unusual cat, he does not jump on furniture or the counters. (I loved that!) In fact, I made a silk pillow for him, and he sleeps on that most of the time.

After we had Tanner for several years, Penny Kester one of my friends that does pet portraits asked if we would like a portrait of Tanner. I loved the idea! We gave her a photograph, and she took it from there. She totally captured him. I also loved the fact she added the royal looking chair as part of the portrait. A pet portrait adds a very personal element to any space. It is definitely a conversational piece of art!

If you are interested in having Penny Kester paint a pet portrait of your pet you can contact her at 615-822-6032. All Penny needs to get started is a photograph of your pet.

What Can You Do in a Breakfast Room?

2009-08-15T16:18:00.013-05:00

There are so many options when it comes time to deciding on a window treatment style for a breakfast room. You can decide to add drapery panels, a valance or both. Most everyone has one common request, they want to preserve as much of the view as possible. With our graphic rendering software we were able propose this unique top treatment to Beth, our client, she instantly loved it. There are so many little details in this design. The contrasting tails, the buttons and the main fabric really set the tone for this room. During my fabric research, I stumbled across this fabric and instantly loved it. Beth was waiting to select a paint color based on the fabrics we chose. Picking a paint color after picking fabrics is always a smart choice. I knew this fabric would add so much fun to this room. I love adding a little funkiness to a room, especially a breakfast room. Once the fabric and the design had been determined we did a rendering to scale allowing Beth to see exactly what her windows would look like.

You can see the rendering and the final results were exactly the same. This room turned out fabulous; it's colorful and happy! I know Beth and her family will enjoy this space for years to come. Thanks Beth for allowing us to help you with your decorating project. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

Do You Wear Rose Colored Glasses in Your House?

2009-08-10T10:58:00.004-05:00

After 8 - 10 years every space needs a bit of a make-over to keep it fresh and update. If you haven't done anything to a room in over 10 years, take a look around the room and you will see what I mean. You will be surprised what you see when you take off your rose colored glasses.

The above photographs are of my living room. I had painted this room Roasted Pepper years ago and decided last year I was tired of this color for this room. I still love this color but decided I wanted to tone the contrast between the draperies and the wall. (The red color looks a little brighter than it really was. Camera flashes seem to play havoc with reds.) I didn't want to replace my Ruche top draperies; I still loved those. I began to look at paint colors and decided on Saddle Soap for the walls and Soft Suede for the trim from Porter Paints. Look at the difference a paint color can make. It makes me feel like I have a totally new room.

You might consider changing paint color in a couple of rooms. You will be amazed what that one thing can do for a room. Wall color invokes emotion in a room; sometimes it is a good feeling and sometimes it is a bad feeling. Many people make the mistake of deciding on a paint color without doing a test sample on the wall. I always insist on my clients purchasing a pint/quart of paint to test out a color before purchasing gallons of paint.

Maybe your floral arrangements are dusty and tired looking, maybe your wall could use a fresh coat of paint and maybe you should consider changing your paint color or maybe your the art on the walls is out of date. If you have some pieces of art that are timeless and very special. You might consider moving them to another room.

New Art Will Liven Up Any Space!

2009-08-04T06:35:00.008-05:00

While we were at High Point market we found several pieces of art that we loved here. These tall vertical framed Anemones were a perfect choice to mount over a king bed in a master bedroom. A room with a king size bed needs special attention to keep the bed from over powering the room.

It is hard to tell by looking at the photograph above how the colors pop against the black background. These prints are instantly catch your eye; they are simply stunning. You can check out my previous post on "Wall Sconces" to see them mounted over the king bed.

Add Beauty to Your Backyard!

2009-07-26T11:52:00.004-05:00

The Yellow Finch is one of my favorite bird. The first time I saw one I thought someones pet yellow canary had gotten loose. I started searching immediately to find out about these beautiful birds and found out they were Yellow Finches. There are also Purple Finches, but the yellow ones are so stunning.

They are so easy to attract since they are very common in our area. All you have to do is purchase a Finch feeder and we recommend the cheap ones under $10.00. For some reason, we found they weren't attracted to the expensive feeders. Feeding them is also easy, just purchase some Thistle seed at the same store that you purchase the Finch Feeder.

We have two Finch feeders, at times every perch is filled with a Finch. These birds are stunning! I love watching them from the pool and my office window.

Wall Sconces ~ A Cool Lighting Solution!

2009-07-23T13:54:00.001-05:00

Wall sconces are a very unique way to add lighting to almost any room. First of all, installing a wall sconce conserves space. There are times when you may not want to use the space on an end table, night stand or maybe you don't want to add another item on your floor.

I love unique lighting it can add as much interest to the space as a piece of art. These nickel finish sconces pictured above are from Global Views. We found these when we were at High Point Furniture Market and fell in love with them.

Are You Cool Enough?

2009-07-20T17:44:00.000-05:00

Adding a ceiling fan to a room can reduce energy costs by up to 40% for each room. When I read an article on tips about saving energy costs, I was surprised about how much a ceiling fan could impact an electric bill.

When air is moving you always feel cooler. We had already installed a fan in our downstairs office; the track lighting heated the room so much especially in July, August & September. After we read the article, we decided to add a ceiling fan to our small media room and we were thrilled with the results. It seemed that we were on a roll so we added another one in our master bath. Our master bath is large, however, as we were getting ready in the mornings it seemed to be extra warm.

Each room that we added a ceiling fan made a huge difference in how cool the room feels! We are now cool an happy and the cost was very inexpensive.

Building a New House?

2009-07-11T18:54:00.000-05:00

If you are building a house or if you know anyone that is make sure to pass this tip along to them. After the house is framed, take your digital camera or video camera and take shots of each room especially of the window area. This is great information to have before window treatments are installed.

Another thing to consider, would to add extra wood around the window area to ensure ample support for window treatments. Or, say you are going to add a pot rack to the ceiling in the kitchen, have the builder add additional wood to give the proper support for heavy pans. Maybe you are not going to use traditional towel racks and instead use knobs or hooks to hold towels; add extra wood for additional support.

iPhone ~ It's amazing!

2009-07-08T18:22:00.000-05:00

Jerry and I went to the Apple store last weekend and purchased an iPhone for both of us. Jerry got a black one and I got a white one. Love that we can distinguish between the two phones. Why did we both get the same phone? My thought was with two people learning the same phone the learning curve would be much less. I have been researching this phone for over a year and we were already AT&T customers and we were eligible for the upgrade price of $299. Yes, you know I had to have the best one; the one with the largest harddrive (32GB.) It's like having a mini computer.

We purchased the iPhone with lots of space. Right now, I'm in the process of adding lots of photos. First, I created a folder called iPhone photos with sub-folders see above screenshot. The Contact Images folder contains cropped headshots of my contacts. Now when a person calls me on my cell their photo appears. I even got a few headshots from Facebook. Did I say I love this!! Notice, I also have a Dandelion Portfolio folder. Now Jerry and I have our entire portfolio everywhere we go. I created these folders then gave Jerry a copy of them and now without any work on his part he has the same folder. LOVE THIS SHARING THING! In iTunes all you do is click on the Photos tab and select the folder you want your phone to always sync with.

The iPhone also doubles as my iPod. That comes under Jerry's duties. He handles all mp3s I handle the photos. We also added a mosquito repellent app; not sure it this works yet!

What I loved about the iPhone is all the apps that are available. I know other phones have apps but iPhone seems to have the most at this time. Of course, I added Bank of America since I had been seeing them advertise there app when I am doing my online banking for sometime now.

Here is a few of our favorite apps:

http://www.chefslittlehelper.com/ is an app where you can enter your favorite family recipes. Your whole family can have access to them via this website. The website version is available and free to everyone. The iPhone app is .99 cents. What I love about this app is your recipes are always with you. Say you're at the grocery if you decide to make a dish and can't remember the ingredients, just open this app. Now that I have added several of my recipes, Jerry can purchase the app and add those same recipes to his cookbook without any work on his part. It even has a grocery list function. Special Note: all recipes are viewable to everyone; so you can add any one's recipe that is listed to your iPhone app. To find the recipes I have added click the search button then click on the Users tab and type Debbie Green. I have added my meatloaf recipe, my mom's famous spaghetti & meatballs recipe and Jerry's grandmother's sugar cookie recipe. Check them out. I will be adding my Fried Apple recipe soon! I know you guys from up North have never heard of them. They are "to-die-for."

http://www.grocerygadgets.com/ is another app Jerry and I love. This app is $4.99 and both of us had to purchase it. Jerry did the research on what we wanted in a "shopping list" type app. Our requirements were it needed to have the website version as well as the iPhone app, it had to be syncable to both of us. In other words, we wanted one list for both of us. I could add items to the list and his would automatically be updated. And sure enough this one did all that. We tried it out today and Jerry was off to the store with his iPhone in hand. As you check off an item it goes to the bottom of the list. We also created a weekly grocery list that contains all the items we purchase on a regular basis.

White Noise Lite (added this app from iTunes) Jerry and I have to have noise to sleep and especially when I travel. I can't sleep at all if it's dead quite. This app is so cool. Some of the sounds include crickets, extreme rain, grandfather clock, chimes, white noise, thunder storms, oscillating fan & more and of course you can set the time to repeat for up to 24 hours. How can sleep that long?? We are using the lite version which is free!!

Around Me (added this app from iTunes) On the iPhone click on the app to view a list of banks, bars, coffee, gas stations, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, theaters, too many more to list. Click on the desired category to view results. This app is Free.

http://www.keeperapp.com/ I am always needing a password. I have a physical one on my desk, but there are many times I need a password when I am away from my office. This is the perfect solution for me. It is totally secure it has a Military-Grade encryption (128-bit AES). I can even export these to share with Jerry. This app is free.

Create an Unforgettable Photo Book for your Business!

2009-06-24T11:46:00.000-05:00

Looking for inspiration? Browse through our online portfolio book that we created in Picaboo. If you own your own business and need a professional looking portfolio Picaboo is a perfect choice.

Create an Unforgettable Photo Book for your Children!

2009-06-22T20:28:00.000-05:00

I just finished created photo books for my sons and their wives Owen & Casey and Lee & Leah. I used Picaboo to create these books. The books actually took several months to compile. I have over 100 years of photos that I gathered from a lot of different family members. The books are fabulous!! The time consuming part is the actual gathering of the photographs. WOW, who knew gathering photos would consume most of the time. Here are some tips when creating a photo book with a large amount of pages.

Create a file folder under Pictures or My Pictures "Picaboo Photo Album"
Decide how you want to organize. Below are the folders I created for my two books.

Owen (my oldest son by himself)
Lee (my youngest son by himself)
Owen & Lee (both boys together)
Jerry's Mother side of the family
My side of the family
Casey's side of the family (Owen's wife)
Leah's side of the family (Lee's Wife)

During my photo search, I wanted to add school photos to show what how they changed through the years. They had lots of different pets so I wanted to make sure I added photos of all their pets. I took a cake decorating class when the boys were young so I wanted to add photos of some of the special cakes I made. As you can see I did several groupings of their different interests on the pages inside the book. Both books have around 300 photographs. Most of the photos had to be scanned since it was before the digital age. NOTE: For the digital photos I copied and pasted them into the appropriate files. In other words, I left the original in it's folder.

I gave my family a preview of what I was doing several months ago and they loved it. What is so great about this concept is the fact it is so compact and 300 photos are in just one photo book. The books highlight most of the events in their lives and gives them a sense of their heritage. Another thing, we all realized is that you can certainly see where certain family members get their looks. It has been a journey down memory lane. It was hard to tear myself away from the project. One thing I am sure of is I am glad I am FINISHED!!!

For you young mothers, the moral of this story is to take lots of pictures you'll be glad you did one day. It seems that the first child has lots of photographs and then the photos start to taper off for each child after that. If you have a tradition or something that is unique in your family be sure to snap those shots so they can be recorded in your family history.

Have You Seen Us Around Town?

2009-06-18T07:30:00.002-05:00

By now you have probably spotted our company vehicle driving around town. The next time you spot us, call us a mention the time and place of your siting to receive $100 off your next job with us.

Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Shutters ~ Have Them Your Way!

2009-05-15T07:44:00.000-05:00

Custom shutters can be fabricated to fit just about any application. Shutters on an eyebrow window look fabulous. This application is one of my favorites.

Notice how these shutters also allowed the bottom louvers to be closed while the upper louvers remain open.

2009-04-06T12:49:00.000-05:00

BATH WITH A VIEW

Windows placed over or near garden tubs and whirlpool baths open the outdoor beauty and natural light to a bath. Being able to view the outdoors, while relaxing in a hot bath can be a very therapeutic and de-stressing experience. However these windows can create difficulty for functional window treatments when privacy is needed. How do you open and close the window treatments without climbing in or over the tub to operate the window treatment? The answer is motorization.

Almost all forms of window treatments can be motorized for function. Window treatments can be automatically raised, lowered, opened or closed by a hand held remote control or a wall switch. This is not as expensive as it may sound as long as some pre-planning takes place. If you are in the new construction or remodeling phase of a bathroom, pre-wiring for automation is simple and the least expensive during this process. If the bathroom is existing and no major remodeling is scheduled then the choice of window treatment and type of motorization is very important. Motorization for window treatments is available in many styles. Motorization can be hardwired (best for new construction), low voltage wired, or battery powered. Controllers for the motorized window treatments can be a hardwired wall switch, radio frequency (RF) wall switch, radio frequency (RF) hand held remote, or infrared (IR) hand held remote.

Windows and window treatments are a vital part of our homes décor. If you have a window treatment that is not functional due to obstruction and or location, consider a motorized window treatment. Begin enjoying the beauty of the outdoors with open window treatments and privacy when needed at the touch of a finger.

Draperies that break on the floor can add a relaxed feeling to a room.

2009-03-25T17:21:00.000-05:00

I love the feeling you get when you break a drapery on the floor. There are many benefits to breaking draperies on the floor. One of the reasons I like to break draperies on the floor is that it gives a more relaxed feel to a space. Another benefit is when it comes time to clean; it is much easier to dress a drapery that slightly breaks on the floor as opposed to a drapery that puddles on the floor. Draperies that break on the floor also appear fuller since the bottom section of the drapery spreads out slightly.

A break can vary from 1/2" - 1 1/2" verses a puddle which can vary from 5" - 12". Years ago it was fashionable to puddle draperies on the floor, now most designers recommend draperies break instead of puddle.

There are certain circumstances when it might not be advisable to break a drapery on the floor; a breakfast room and maybe a bathroom. Many windows in breakfast rooms are close to the table and therefore, leaving the draperies at constant vulnerability. There are also times in a bathroom the window just screams for a drapery to cozy up the bathroom, however, since there is so much activity in this room and debris on the floor it might not be best choice to have a drapery break in this room.

Make a Room Feel Larger

2009-03-12T12:54:00.000-05:00

Everyone wants their home to feel warm and inviting but we also want the room to appear larger. As a rule, we recommend mounting window treatments several inches above the window. For example, say you have an 8' ceiling height and you mount your window treatment under your crown molding or just below the ceiling, not only will the room appear larger but the ceiling height will appear taller as well.

Another mistake a homeowner might make would be to add a cornice with a straight bottom and then mount that cornice at the top of the window. Below I have created a rendering with our "Minutes Matter Studio" graphic design software to illustrate the different look achieved when the cornice is mounted near the crown molding or ceiling opposed to mounting at the top of the window. See how much taller the ceiling height appears and how much larger the room looks.

Here is another design tip when trying to make a ceiling look higher. Add a shape to the bottom of the cornice. By adding movement to the bottom of the cornice it can trick the eye into moving up and down so the eye does not stop at the longest point of the cornice.

You could also accomplish extra height with drapery panels and a decorative rod. Notice the difference when you mount the drapery rod at the top of the window or when you mount the rod under the crown molding or near the ceiling.

We recommend giving every room that extra lift! Would you like to see how new window treatments could change your room? As part of our service we create renderings to help our clients visualize how new window treatments will look on their windows.

Paint Those Baseboards Dark ~ See the Difference

2009-03-07T13:55:00.002-06:00

When you want an inexpensive way to dramatically change a room; consider changing your paint color. Doing something as simple as changing a paint color not only will freshen up the room, but create a totally new mood in the room. When you decide to paint your walls a different color, you should also consider painting your trim and baseboards. The furniture and the window treatments did not change; only the wall color and the trim color changed. I did add an oversized mirror over the fireplace and a few new prints that I found at High Point Market.

Years ago almost everyone painted their trim a white color. Now trends have changed and trim is being painted much warmer colors. We recommend to clients with hardwood floors that they paint their baseboard a dark color. Most people paint their baseboard the same color as the other trim in the room. I am not talking just two shades darker than the trim, I mean really dark; I decided on "Sarsaparilla" from Porter Paints. When you paint your baseboard a dark color it helps ground the floor. Take a look and see the difference, I think you'll agree.

Hunter Douglas Shades Reduce Energy Costs

2009-03-01T10:10:00.000-06:00

Hunter Douglas window shading not only adds beauty to your home but did you know the right window shades or window treatments can also cut energy bills. In an average home about 10% of the exterior walls are made up of windows. That does not sound like a lot but windows can generate about 50% of our homes energy cost. The walls of a average home typically have an R-value of 19, while standard double-pane windows only have an R-value of about 2. R-values measure resistance to heat flow. Homes that have a lot of window are at risk for much larger amounts of energy loss.

Recently attended a Hunter Douglas seminar "How Windows Impact the Environment" which addressed the use of various window treatments to control heat loss and heat gain through windows. During the winter we try to keep the heat in our home and in the summer we try to keep the heat out. The better we can control heat gain or loss the more efficient and (Green) our home will be. Less energy used translates to a lesser utility bill.

Adding Hunter Douglas Duette Architella Opaque honeycomb shades can increase an additional +4 R-value to an existing 2 R-value window thus increasing the efficiency of an average double-pane window by 200%. Architella shades have a double cell adding even more R-vaule than a normal honeycomb shade. A Duette Semi-Opaque honeycomb shade can add an additional +2 R-value. Hunter Douglas Vignette Modern Roman shades, Hunter Douglas Silhouette, and Pirouette window shades can add an additional +1 R-value to your windows.

It’s easy to see that these Hunter Douglas products can easily pay for their cost in a short period of time. Not only do you add fashion to your home you cut energy consumption and cost.

Repainting Oak Cabinets ~ A Fabulous Surprise!

2009-02-25T18:38:00.000-06:00

Jerry and I inherited our antebellum style home from my parents/grandmother. The house was built in the late 1800's. We remodeled our home over 23 years ago and the time had finally come to update my tired old oak kitchen cabinets. As you well know this is a project most everyone procrastinates or decides not to undertake at all due to the major inconvenience and frustration. My project involved repainting a lot of oak cabinets, which a lot of people don't think can be done. I decided on two tone cabinets with a final coat of glaze to give them a slight worn effect. (I knew I had to have the worn look due to the grain of the oak.) I also added glass knobs in keeping with my home style. We also a ceramic tile counter top and back splash which included a mosaic tile banding, a new sink, faucet and pot filler. The total remodel took about six weeks.

My decision to renovate my existing cabinets instead of purchasing all new cabinetry was based on two facts. One was, of course, the cost and the other was the fact I like being as green as I can. The finished results were amazing as you can see.

Practice safety with window treatments

2009-02-23T18:11:00.003-06:00

Since 1990 more than 200 infants and young children have died from accidental strangulation by window cords. Visit the WCSC website and get educated. Child proof your home. Many functional window treatments involve unsafe cords. Cords can be a chocking hazard.

Many people have blinds or shades installed near a crib or a child's bed. If these shades or blinds have dangling cords that are not tied down they can be extremely dangerous to a toddler or small child. We do not recommend that any shade or blind be installed in a toddler or child's room.

Here are some safety tips regarding cords and window treatments from the Window Coverings Safety Council.

Install only cordless window coverings in young children's bedrooms and play areas. Replace window blinds, corded shades and draperies manufactured before 2001 with today's safer products.
Move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window cords, preferably to another wall.

Keep all window pull cords and inner lift cords out of the reach of children. Make sure that tasseled pull cords are short and continuous-loop cords are permanently anchored to the floor or wall. Make sure cord stops are properly installed and adjusted to limit movement of inner lift cords.

Lock cords into position whenever horizontal blinds or shades are lowered, including when they come to rest on a windowsill.

Hunter Douglas offers numerous alternatives to double or loop cords on window treatments. PowerRise is a motorized lifting system that is battery operated. LiteRise is a cordless lifting system in which a shade can be raised simply by lifting the bottomrail. Ultraglide is a lifting system which has only a single cord in which the shade is lifted by using a pumping action on the cord. Visit Hunter Douglas website to read more details regarding these innovative lifting systems.

Protect Window Treatments and Furnishings From the Sun's Harmful UV Rays

2009-02-10T16:57:00.000-06:00

When a client is interested in window treatments one of the first things I recommend is that they consider tinting their windows to protect their new investment. Adding window tinting to a window can block up to 99.9% of the harmful UV rays from the sun. UV rays from the sun can fade and destroy fabrics fast.

These treacherous rays can ruin a beautiful hardwood floor, sofa table and grandfather clock. Ask me how I know, it actually happened to me. I thought my grandfather clock was safe because it was next to my patio doors which lead out to my pool. These patio doors face due north and never get even a glimpse of the sun. These doors allow a lot of light in and with natural light comes those UV rays which totally faded one side of my grandfather clock. Another lesson I learned is just because you have a porch doesn't mean you are safe from UV rays. My dining room has beautiful silk draperies installed. Several years after they were installed I decided to test the fabric for sun damage. I scraped my fingernail on the back of the lead edge side hem and to my horror I ripped the fabric. I was sick, I thought my porch would have somewhat protected my draperies from the sun. Now I have all the windows in my house tinted with Vista film (Soft Horizons (v-33 SR C). I also use Solar Insulations which is a local company in Nashville, TN. They have been in business for years and provided excellent service to all of my clients. I have never received one complaint regarding their service or the products they use.

When you visit Vista Flims website there is a link to a pdf document that states that a homeowner may be eligible for up to a $500 credit for window tinting installed during the 2009 calendar year.

Woven Wood Blinds - Warm Up a Room

2009-02-01T17:07:00.000-06:00

Woven Wood blinds from Hunter Douglas can be a great solution to help reduce heat from the sun. They also add a unique natural style that no other hard treatment can add. They add a natural feel to any room since they are made with natural wood products. You can use these shades as a standalone treatment or add them under drapery panels to achieve a fabulous look. It's one of my favorites. I used these shades in my breakfast room to add beauty and deflect some of the heat in the hot summer months. There are hundreds of choices available in style and color for these natural beauties. They can be installed as an inside or outside mount.

Woven woods can be a perfect choice for a study or an office when a more tailored or masculine look is desired. A blackout or a privacy liner can be added when glare on a flat screen TV or a computer monitor is a problem. When woven woods are used without a liner the result is a soft filtered view. Since I have a fantastic view from my very large bay window the soft filtered view was the perfect choice for the breakfast room.