‘Tis the Season for Easy and Affordable Handcrafted Gifts
(ARA) – The holiday season is a memorable time associated with fun, family and lots of presents. As you consider what to give the people on your gift list, why not try something different this year?
Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores suggests, “Let’s make Christmas!” Handmade gifts are a trend across the country due to their highly personal nature and the fact that they often cost less than store bought items.
“This holiday, forget about that boring or expensive store-bought present. Handmade gifts are more popular than ever, and for good reason,” says Susan Atchison, manager of trend development for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores. “In the current economic climate, people are turning to crafting presents to save money and are discovering that these gifts are so unique that they’re often the gifts that are remembered most.”
Atchison explains that many great gifts can be made for less than $25. She advises aspiring crafters to choose a favorite project and make things in quantities. You’ll save even more money because you buy the supplies and then split the cost. Consider gathering a few friends or family members and creating a gift-making get together! You’ll get crafts done efficiently and spend quality time with the ones you love.
Here are some ideas to inspire you in creating homemade gifts this year:
*An apron is easy to personalize for the baker, chef or grill master.
For the top chef of the family, consider buying a basic apron and decorating it to appeal to their personality. Add that famous family recipe in fabric marker to the front, a clever cooking saying, or even handprints of the grandkids. They are sure to love how unique and useful it is.
* Personalized note cards are fun, festive and useful.
There are always times you need a card to send out to a loved one. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a supply readily at hand? This is a useful gift you can create for anyone from mother to teacher to mail carrier. Buy blank cards and envelopes and decorate with a variety of coordinating papers, ribbons and stamps. You can keep them general or create cards for different occasions such as birthdays and holidays for use throughout the year.
* For the host or hostess who always gives their all.
Traditionally, you might consider sewing a wine bag and bring a bottle of wine to your next holiday gathering. But why not step it up and make a bag for that baguette you’re bringing or a nice container for the appetizer you were assigned for the pot luck?
* Clever pet toys keep furry friends happy.
Creating a gift for the family pet or for your friend who loves animals is the perfect way to show you care. Cat toys can easily be made out of leather and feather pieces. Add a bell and some catnip for some extra pizzazz. Dogs also love homemade toys, just make sure they can stand up to tougher play — rope and thick material work best.
* Deck the halls and deck your friends with stylish clothing and accessories.
Winter-themed clothing is great during the cold months and homemade items are the most cherished. A fleece scarf in a bright color will not only keep the wearer warm, but brighten the wardrobe. Knit hats and mittens are trendy in fashion circles and useful too. Even a hand-sewn fleece poncho can keep your favorite outdoor walker warm during brisk morning jaunts.
* Religious-themed gifts get kids involved.
A homemade gift incorporating the recipient’s religion is something that will definitely stand out. For example, making your own menorah out of fun colored paper and flameless tea lights is an easy and safe gift for a child. When giving, you can explain how the item ties into the time of year and help them to learn about the real reason for the celebration.
* Add a little sparkle to make the season merry and bright.
Nothing brings out the brilliance of the season more than the shimmer of holiday decor. From shiny, handcrafted ornaments and beaded tabletop trees, to sparkling votive holders or a joyful holiday planter, anyone on your list can celebrate in style with these decorations made just for them.
For more ideas and project instructions for homemade gifts, visit your local Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
What: Wake County Public Libraries’ annual storytelling festival, now in its 26th year, featuring two days of storytelling.
When and where: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at Historic Oak View County Park, 4028 Carya Drive, Raleigh; 1 and 2 p.m. Sunday at Marbles Kids Museum, 201 E. Hargett St., downtown Raleigh
Who goes: All ages.
What to know before you go: The festival’s main event is the afternoonlong program at Historic Oak View County Park. It features continuous storytelling on the park’s spacious lawn for five hours.
Willa Brigham, host of the TV show “Smart Start Kids,” which airs on WRAL-TV on Saturday mornings, is the featured teller. But others also will be there to entertain kids of all ages.
For the hearing-impaired, there will be American Sign Language-interpreted stories from noon to 2 p.m. And tellers will offer some special stories for the youngest listeners. So if you’ve got young children in tow, be sure to check the program when you get there to find out where they are.
A hay ride shuttle with more storytelling will take you the short distance from the parking lot to the festival. Food will be sold on site, but feel free to bring a picnic, blankets and chairs to spread out and enjoy the stories. The event is free and open to the public. It will take place rain or shine.
If you can’t make it Saturday, or don’t get enough storytelling then, you can find Brigham performing at Marbles at 1 and 2 p.m. Sunday.
For more information about the storytelling festival, call Wake County Public Libraries at 250-1200 or go to www.wakegov.com/libraries/events/storytelling.
Read More:News & Observer
CARY, N.C. — Guitar Hero enthusiasts will get the chance to compete over two days at the visitRaleigh.com Benefit Concert for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the John Entwistle Foundation for the chance to win a pair of tickets to the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio. The overall winner will have the opportunity to test their skills against 16-year-old Raleigh Guitar Hero whiz, Blake Peebles. The concert is slated for September 19 & 20 at Koka Booth Amphitheater in Cary, N.C.
Competitors will perform an already selected challenge song and each score will be recorded. One winner will be declared on Friday and one on Saturday with each victor claiming a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame membership package. The two champions will battle on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. for the ultimate prize of two tickets to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The final contest winner will face Peebles on Saturday at 8:45 p.m. in an attempt to beat Guitar Hero’s fastest fingers.
A registration table will be set up for the contest just inside the amphitheatre entrance. Registration will begin on Friday, September 19 at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, September 20 at 12:00 p.m. Once the competitor has registered, they may perform the challenge song and try to earn their best score.
Winning the contest isn’t the only way to get a ticket to rock and roll’s biggest night. A random drawing consisting of all registered Guitar Hero participants will take place for another chance to win a pair of tickets to the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
So, sharpen those skills on expert and bring it to the visitRaleigh.com Rock Hall Benefit Concert at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre for an opportunity to win rockin’ prizes.
Last March, Madonna, John Mellencamp, The Ventures, the Dave Clark Five, Leonard Cohen, and Gamble & Huff were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the Class of 2008. The 2009 finalists will be announced late this fall.
Tickets to the September 19-20 festival are on sale at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre box office and via Ticketmaster. The visitRaleigh.com Rock Hall Benefit concert is presented by the Town of Cary and sponsored by SunTrust Bank, American Airlines, Harris Wholesale, Raleigh News & Observer, 96 Rock, 850 The Buzz, Paragon Commercial Bank, Prime Mortgage Lending, French/West/Vaughan and Black Diamond Capital Group. Proceeds from the concert will benefit both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum’s educational outreach and the John Entwistle Foundation’s program of providing musical instruments and music lessons to disadvantaged youths through the public library systems in communities across the country. For more information, visit www.rockhallbenefit.com.
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
Tips for Converting a Basement into the Ultimate Craft Room
(ARA) - Are you passionate about painting? Crazy about quilting? Does scrapbooking allow your creative light to shine? If so, you’re not alone – Americans spent more than $31 billion on arts, crafts and hobbies last year, according to the Craft & Hobby Association. And whether you are plying your craft for pleasure, supplementing your income or have made a career out of it, all crafters have one thing in common – the need for good work space.
“Having a clean, well-organized space set aside for your crafting is important if you want to get the most enjoyment and productivity out of your crafting time,” says Judy Murrah, vice president of education for the International Quilt Festival, and a crafter of 35 years. “A separate room not only allows you to focus on your craft and keep all your materials in one space, it can be closed off to keep your work and any potentially harmful materials from coming in contact with children or pets.”
Few of us, however, have a room to spare in our homes. Some crafters turn to the garage or a corner of the dining room for work space, but these areas pose many problems. A better option may be to create a room specifically for your art, craft or hobby by finishing your basement. Many people are transforming their basements into extra living space, especially homeowners opting to improve rather than move in a shaky housing market. For crafters, finishing a basement can mean the difference between merely making do and working in a bright, inviting space.
So how do you create the ultimate crafting paradise in your home? Here are some hints:
Finish the Room
A warm, inviting environment can nurture the soul of an artist. Rather than working in a room or place that wasn’t designed for your use, consider finishing all or part of the lowest floor of your home. However, finishing the basement yourself will likely be a time consuming and back breaking task. One of the quickest and easiest ways to finish your basement is with the Owens Corning Basement Finishing System that is specially designed for this purpose.
Specially trained professionals install wall panels with built-in thermal insulation to keep the room comfortable in all seasons. The panels also provide acoustic insulation so that any noise your craft may make doesn’t disturb the other members of your household or the neighbors. The panels are durable, dent- and stain-resistant and provide a clean, bright look to the room which can help you focus on the task at hand. Installation takes about two weeks to complete, versus the months of mess associated with a traditional drywall remodel. Visit www.basementfinishingsystem.com to learn more.
Look Up
Good lighting is essential to every arts and crafts endeavor. Be sure to address the placement of overhead lighting to create even brightness throughout the work space. You’ll also want to light key work surfaces with some task lighting – either overhead spots that can be directed or lamps placed directly over a work space.
Keep in mind that the color and purity of the light will also affect your crafting. Colors in paints and fabrics will look different under different types of light. Murrah uses artist’s fluorescent lighting, which is very bright and full-spectrum so colors show true.
Look Down
A good floor is a good foundation for all your creative efforts. The floor should be easy to clean, especially if your craft can get messy like painting or pottery. Painted concrete can provide easy cleanup and durability, but may be too hard a surface if your craft calls for you to stand up for long periods of time. Crafters who are on their feet a lot may consider padded linoleum or some simple exercise pads placed wherever you’ll be standing the most.
Get Organized
“Storage, storage, storage,” says Murrah. Be sure you have plenty of shelves and drawers to store all your materials. Arrange furnishings to provide the maximum work space. You’ll want at least one good table, but it’s up to you to decide if it works better against the wall or in the middle of the room, and make sure it’s the right height depending if you’ll be sitting or standing at it.
“Finally, because you’ll probably be spending a lot of time in your craft room, be sure it’s comfortably heated and air conditioned,” Murrah advises. “Set up a stereo and listen to your favorite music while you work. Your craft room will become your ‘feel good’ room, your own sanctuary.”
Contact: Maggie O’Neill; Ed Johnson
919. 772.4688
Wood from Old Home Site will be Salvaged for New Garner Nature Center
On Friday, July 18, wood from a farmhouse in Garner’s White Deer Park will be salvaged for reuse in the new Nature Center to be built there. Slated for demolition when the park is built, the dilapidated 1930’s farmhouse will contribute first as part of the new building, and also as part of the interpretive program for the park. Staff from Garner’s Parks and Recreation and Public Works Departments and volunteers from the park design team will carefully remove the boards with hand tools. The 3/4” tongue and groove heart pine boards will be used as flooring in the new Nature Center.
The Nature Center will be the Town of Garner’s first LEED Accredited building. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is a measurement tool used internationally to evaluate performance in site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.
Removing the boards is just one of the many environmentally sustainable initiatives the project is undertaking to achieve a LEED rating from the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
“The Nature Center will have many environmentally friendly systems and features,” said Tom Maynard, Director of Garner Parks and Recreation Department. “It will include exhibits about protecting the environment. We believe the building itself will be a tool for use in teaching about how to care for and sustain the environment. The reclaimed wood is one example of how we can show people what they can do at home.”
“Reclaiming the wood is also a nice way to remember the people who once lived in the area and the history of Garner as a farming community,” said architect Louis Cherry of Cherry Huffman Architects.
The Town will store the boards until they are refinished and installed in the new Nature Center. The wood that cannot be salvaged will be recycled. The building begins construction in Fall of 2008 with expected completion in June 2009.
About the Project
White Deer Park is a 96 acre nature park located on Buffaloe and Aversboro Roads in Garner that is slated for construction this Fall. In addition to the nature center, the Park will feature 2.5 miles of paved walking trails, five picnic shelters, two new playgrounds, wildflower meadows and an arboretum. The Nature Center will also permanently house the white deer that the park is named for. The 2500 square foot Nature Center will achieve a LEED Silver Rating from the US Green Building Council for its many environmentally sustainable features.
The design team for the park includes Garner Parks and Recreation Department, obs Landscape Architects, Cherry Huffman Architects, Design Dimension, Stewart Engineering and ConsiderDesign.
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TOWN OF GARNER
(919) 772?4688
www.garnernc.gov
moneill@garnernc.gov
MEDIA ADVISORY
July 17, 2008
Town of Garner to Salvage The Homestead
The best photo opportunities related to this project will be Friday, July 18 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. or 12:45 to 2:00 p.m.
The address of the facility is 2400 Aversboro Road. It is located approximately .5 miles from the Aversboro Road and Timber Drive intersection. Please contact CB McDonald at 919?772?4688 if you plan to visit the site so we can arrange an escort to get you from the parking lot to the site.
Town Of Garner NC website
Garner NC City Guide
City5NC.blog
(ARA) – “He’s so photogenic!” gushes one mother. “She’s so lovely, I’m thinking of getting her into modeling,” asserts another. Are these would-be “stage moms” comparing the beauty of their babies? Not quite. For millions of dog-loving Americans, their pet pooch is among their favorite photo subjects.
From YouTube and pet-oriented Web sites to photography competitions like the Make a Milk-Bone Moment contest that celebrates the 100th anniversary of the popular dog snack and those special moments between pet and pet parent, there are ample opportunities for pet-owners to show off their dog’s charms—and their own photography skills. So how do you get the shot of a lifetime, the winning snap that communicates to all who see it just how special your dog really is?
Celebrity Photographer Christopher Ameruoso, who has photographed hundreds of celebrities with their pets, offers some advice on how to get a howling good shot that captures that special bond between you and your pet:
* Use the Great Outdoors for Great Shots
“Most animals look better outdoors,” Ameruoso says. Plus, natural sunlight will make for a better picture. Take your pup outside and look for a background that enhances the subject – but doesn’t distract from it – with complementary colors, textures and visual interest. Natural light is warmest at sunrise and sunset. Position your pet with the sun behind him. For darker animals, direct sunlight can be ideal. Get down to the animal’s level, so that your head and hers are at the same level when you’re taking the photo.
“Some of the best photos I have ever taken are not just of the dog alone but of a dog and his parent,” Ameruoso says. Consider adding man’s best friend to the shot to capture the special bond and interaction between pet and pet parent.
* Be Patient
“Working with animals requires a lot of patience,” Ameruoso says. If your pet seems to be getting distracted, antsy or over stimulated, let him run around for a while, burn off some energy and then come back for the shoot. Keep the mood casual, and remember that once you start snapping you’ll probably have just 20 minutes to get the shot.
* Squeak and Shoot
Who doesn’t love the sight of a dog with his head cocked to the side and ears raised inquisitively? To get a dog’s attention, Ameruoso hides a small squeak toy in his hand and squeezes it just before he’s about to take a shot. Don’t overuse the trick, however; most dogs will catch on to what you’re doing after five to 10 shots, he says. Also, unless your pet is already trained for treats don’t bring them to your shoot. They’ll only distract the animal.
* Safety in Numbers
Ameruoso often takes hundreds of pictures to arrive at one he really likes. Digital cameras make it easy to take the numerous shots you’ll need to get one outstanding picture. Digital photos also allow you to touch up your picture. Use editing software to adjust color, contrast, brightness and saturation.
Once you’ve got that irreplaceable moment you share with your pet, why not enter it in the Make a Milk-Bone Moment contest? The contest commemorates the 100th anniversary of the famous dog snack first invented in a small bakery on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The top 100 entries that display the special times between pets and pet parents will be posted on www.milk-bone.com where the public can vote for their favorite photo and select the grand prize winner, who will receive a $100,000 contract to serve as the first ever Milk-Bone 100th Anniversary SpokesDog. All entries must be received by Sept. 18 and must be accompanied by a brief essay that explains why the pictured Milk-Bone Moment is special. Visit http://www.milk-bone.com to learn more or to enter the contest.
Pump Up Your Powder Room with Daring Styles
But while you may have perused the style magazines and been tempted by the unique designs — it’s often a daring step to implement them. So, why not start small? Your powder room is likely the smallest room in your home — and could have the potential for your biggest style impact. With a few small changes you can go from drab to glam with some new styles and bold updates.
Bright Ideas
Colors have made it back into our wardrobes after years of gray days. Today, runways are packed with models showing off the year’s hottest hues — bright, vibrant blues and greens and signature jewel tones. Incorporate more color into your powder room with paint that makes a statement. Pantone, Inc., the global authority on color, has selected Blue Iris — a bold and balanced blue-purple hue — as its “Color of the Year” for 2008. Other “it” colors that the company expects will be on walls everywhere this year include its Rococco Red and Daiquiri Green.
Picture Perfect
Now, minimalist metals are hot for the home. Why not spruce up your bathroom walls with metallic-framed vintage black and white photos or advertisements?
And, to create a focal point and a beautiful framing effect for your mirrors try new Mirrorscapes Mirror Frames from Inspirations by Moen. The Mirrorscapes collection includes five different styles of customizable frames ranging from classic elegance to modern sophistication and comes in a wide variety of metallic and wood finishes. The innovative system is easy enough for a DIYer to install in minutes and can turn most any wall-mounted, plate-glass mirror into a beautifully coordinated, custom-designed look.
Lighten Up
Today’s trendsetters are installing chandeliers in unexpected places, like the powder room. The Calais Chandelier from Z Gallerie features a modern vintage-inspired design, with its sweeping curves and dramatic black finish. Or, for an earthy twist on the overhead lighting, try a chandelier made of Capiz, a flat semi-transparent shell with a pearlescent appearance, such as World Market’s Coffee 8-inch Hanging Pendant. For the perfect amount of light no matter what style lighting you choose, install a dimmer. You can set the mood while adding some unexpected whimsy and charm into the bath.
Modern Mania
Just as today’s fashions are sleek, simple and shiny — faucet manufacturer Moen incorporated these cues into the new Level bath suite. This sleek, modern collection features a geometric single-handle single-hole mount faucet in a contemporary chrome finish. Paired with a black, white or clear glass vessel sink, the faucet can punch up your powder room with an extra modern edge.
Accessorize in Style
No powder room update is complete without stylish accessories to pull it all together. It’s the little details that make a big difference and many options are available to meet any design tastes. For a clean, sophisticated look in the bath, the Iso bath accessory collection from Inspirations by Moen offers sleek styling and a contemporary chrome finish. It includes a variety of unique accessories such as a robe hook, pivoting paper holder, towel ring, single and double towel bars, pivoting decorative mirror and a glass shelf. An attractive wall-mounted toothbrush/tumbler holder and wall-mounted soap dish round out the offering.
If you’re looking to taste-test your style desires, look no further than the nearest fashion magazine for inspiration. They offer a host of hot style ideas — not only for your wardrobe, but also to pump up your powder room.
(NewsUSA) - Fresh air and natural landscapes invigorate and relax hikers, bikers and other outdoorsmen. But city and town dwellers don’t have to live without flora -; natural accents can turn any home into a nature escape.
Here are some tips for homeowners looking to get back to nature in their own homes:
- Landscape Your Living Room. Potted plants can provide soothing finishes in living areas and bedrooms. Home gardeners love ficus plants or fig trees, because they’re adaptable and require little maintenance. Orchids, which grow in either natural or artificial light, provide tropical color.
- Transform Your Bathroom. The right touches can turn your bathroom into an exotic retreat. Flowers provide elegance, while new, vanity lighting creates a luxurious note.
Organically inspired bathroom collections can turn regular rooms into spas. The Bamboo bathroom collection from ShowHouse by Moen emulates living bamboo canes and features an open waterway design, mimicking the flow of a natural waterfall. The falling water creates soothing sounds and sensations.
- Use Natural Colors. Natural hues, whether warm or cool, revive indoor spaces. Green, the color of foliage, creates a back-to-nature feel, while the right blue can turn any room into a beachside retreat. Pinks, yellows and oranges can add floral touches.
To bring the outdoors in, consider brightly colored window treatments. The right curtains can seamlessly blend outdoor colors with indoor décor.
- Reflect on Nature. A mirror, strategically hung to reflect an outdoor scene, can make a room feel more natural -; while also making rooms feel larger and more airy. Mirrorscapes Mirror Frames from Inspiration by Moen add the finishing touch to plate-glass mirrors, and install easily enough for decorating novices.
- See Your Aromatherapist. Refreshing, natural scents can really set a mood. Whether fresh, like cotton or linen, or floral, like lilac or gardenia, aromas can make rooms soothe.
Eco-friendly scented candles, like the soy or beeswax candles made by Bluecorn Naturals, burn cleaner than normal candles, helping to reduce indoor air pollution. Placing orange or lemon peels in small bowls around the house can create flame-free scents.
For more information about natural-looking décor, visit www.moen.com.
(ARA) – When the weather turns warm, we open our windows to let in the light and fresh air. But there are other ways to update living spaces to reflect the best of the summer season.
This summer’s hottest hues are cool tones, particularly classic blue and white themes. Blue and white have been used as decorative accents throughout the ages to dress up everything from regal, formal spaces to country cottage homes.
Ancient Egyptians cherished blue and white lotus flowers as the key to creating spaces of spiritual enlightenment. Thought to enhance healing and create relaxing environments, blue and white flowers became popular patterns incorporated into fabrics, porcelain and rugs. In the 17th and 18th centuries, English and Chinese “Blue Willow” designs were introduced as everyday stoneware and serveware. Used in both formal dining areas as well as by the household staff, blue and white was appropriate in virtually every type of interior space.
“The peaceful, simple beauty embodied by a hand-painted Asian vase is a perfect way to introduce a bit of ancient spirituality into your decorating scheme,” says Ruth Martin, director of merchandising for Ten Thousand Villages, a fair trade retailer. “Items incorporating blue and white motifs are some of our most popular, due to their classic style and connection with peoples of ancient cultures and religions.”
Martin offers design tips to incorporate the cool and classic hues of white and blue into your home:
Asian
A simple white vase with intricate blue details is a hallmark of Asian decor. Fill a large vase with bright red or yellow summer flowers for a beautiful and cheerful centerpiece. Adding small blue and white accents to dark wood pieces of furniture, such as a traditional tansu (or step) chest, helps lighten them up and draw the eye.
Beach Cottage
Blue is the color of the ocean and white is the color of the sand, so the two together are a perfect complement to a beach cottage look. Swap out heavy rugs for breezy floor mats made of durable grass and add seating with blue and white ceramic garden stools. Frame personal photos of cherished summer moments in a simple white frame accented with a bit of blue.
Traditional
Remove darker throw pillows and blankets left over from colder months and replace them with crisp blue and white cotton and silk accents. Put heavy draperies in storage and hang light scarves in their place to open up, not only the windows, but the entire room. Set a lovely summer table with classic blue and white porcelain or ceramic dishes on top of white chargers and accented with crisp, white linen napkins.
Modern
Blue and white can have a distinctly modern look when you branch out into shades of aqua and indigo with pops of bright white. Stripes and polka dots are simple and contemporary and look great on tablecloths, napkins and placemats. A white chair amid a sea of blue furnishings (and vice versa) adds a graphic punch to any space.
“Whatever your style, blue and white fits in seamlessly, especially for cool summer decorating” says Martin. “While you’re mellowing out your color palette for the hot season, make sure to support talented artisans and shop fair trade and sustainable. There’s nothing hotter than your blue and white purchases being socially responsible.”
For a large selection of blue and white furnishings and accent pieces from tens of thousands of worldwide artisans, visit http://www.TenThousandVillages.com .
(ARA) - Homeowners know that improvement and redecorating projects can be financially draining. Pair that with the fact that the cost of gas and groceries continue to rise and sprucing up your home may be on the back burner. However, you can still invest in some simple projects that provide a big impact, and you won’t have to spend a fortune to complete them.
Here are some quick and easy ways to boost the look of your home while stretching your funds to the maximum.
Try Before You Buy
Adding some color to the walls is a trouble-free and inexpensive way to extend your home improvement dollar. Dutch Boy offers affordable interior paint in a variety of colors with the average price per gallon starting around $16, depending upon the retailer. To help you save even more time and money, rather than buying expensive and messy jars of test paint colors, consider turning to online sources before you launch into a painting project.
An online color visualizer provides that extra boost of confidence when pulling paint colors together by showcasing photographs of how professionals combine colors on walls, trim and accent areas in various rooms. The visualizer allows you to manipulate wall, trim and accent colors in a variety of room settings. A simple click of a mouse lets you see first-hand how any room in your home might look with one or more colors.
Freshen Up Your Décor
If your furniture is tired looking, or you need to match your new wall color with your current décor, you can lighten and brighten chairs, loveseats and couches with the creative use of decorative throw pillows. Rather than spending thousands of dollars on new pieces of furniture, you can purchase a few pillows at your local home outlet store for less than $100 and strategically place them throughout the room. For an even more dramatic look, use a luxurious pashmina shawl, wrap, or scarf as a throw. A fashionable pashmina can be the perfect finishing touch for almost any décor.
To further accent your newly refreshed room, consider adding an area rug. Unlike wall-to-wall carpet, area rugs can bring colorful designs and patterns into your room without overwhelming it. Area rugs can be well used by the frugal decorator, as they’re extremely versatile, and can serve many purposes. For example, they can start off in the living room, move to the family room or bedroom, and eventually end up in an indoor/outdoor room.
Grow a Worry-Free Garden
Fresh flowers are a great way to add life, and color, to any space. To give the interior of your home an even bigger boost, consider bringing in fresh-cut flowers from your yard and placing them in your home.
In order to stretch your home improvement dollars even further, consider planting a vegetable garden. Not only will it add dimension into your yard, but you’ll be able to harvest your own fresh vegetables for summer meals, saving you money at the grocery store. If you have the time and know-how, can your vegetables for use in the winter months. It will help you keep your food costs down throughout the entire year, especially during the holiday season when budgets can be tight.
Be a Savvy Shopper
No matter what home-oriented projects you decide to undertake, be certain to check for specials or incentives. As the economy has slowed, several major retailers are offering special discounts to lure shoppers into spending again. So take a few minutes to search the Web before heading out the door. Remember, by strategically investing money into the look of your home, both inside and out, you can be sure to increase its value and your affection for it. But you don’t need to spend a bundle to do it.
For more information about Dutch Boy’s “Simple Innovations” products, visit http://www.dutchboy.com or call (800) 828-5669.
