My Favorite Things

Hi Guys,

I know I'm not Oprah, and I certainly can't afford to give gifts like she does, but, in case you need gift ideas, I thought you might be interested in some of the things I absolutely love and can't live without.

 1.  Godiva's Chocolate Truffle coffee
 2.  Canon's Power Shot SD780IS Digital Elph
 3.  Sorel suede indoor/outdoor slippers
 4.  Diane Gilman jeans--skinny or boot cut
 5.  Liz Claiborne New York sweaters
 6.  iPad
 7.  The North Face winter jackets
 8.  Pre de Provence Mint Leaf body lotion
 9.  Pre de Provence Mint Leaf shea butter vegetable soap
10. Cindy Crawford's Meaningful Beauty, cleanser, eye cream,
      day cream, night cream, and brightener
11. Josie Maran 100% pure Argan Oil and lipstick (all colors)
12. Smashbox Halo hydrating perfecting powder
13. Smashbox satin blush (Candlelit Pink)
14. Smashbox waterproof shadow/liner (Graphite)
15. Smashbox lipstick (all colors)
16. Kabuki brushes
17. Laura Geller baked eye shadow (Gumdrop/Concord Grape)
16. Laura Geller Balance & Brighten
17. Laura Geller blush (Ethereal Rose)
18. Bare Minerals Mineral Veil
19. Jergens natural glow healthy complexion daily
      facial moisturizer
20. Neutrogena eye makeup remover lotion
21. Lip Fusion lip gloss (Bare)
22. Estee Lauder Senuous parfume, lotion, shower gel
23. Cover Girl exact eyelights (Black Ruby for green eyes)
24. Wen shampoo and conditioner (Sweet Almond Mint)
       and Lavender Styling Creme
25. Essie good to go fast drying top coat

There you have it--25 of my favorite things.

That's my tip for today.

b

 

Pine Cone Balls

Pine Cone Ball on a Knob

Hi Guys,

If you were lucky enough to find teeny, tiny, pine cones on your pine cone search, then you can make these pine cone balls.

You will need round, styrofoam balls of various sizes, dark brown paint, a hot glue gun, and, of course, your tiny pine cones.

First, paint your balls and let them dry. If you want to use your pine cone balls as ornaments, make a hole in the ball and hot glue a fabric hanger into the hole. If you just want to put your balls in a bowl, then you won't need a hanger.

Next comes the time consuming part. Put a drop of hot glue on the bottom of the pine cone and stick it to the painted ball. Put the pine cones as close together as you can. You won't be able to cover all the nooks and crannies, that's why I had you paint the ball the color of the pine cones, so they won't be visible.

When the ball is full of pine cones, it is finished.

You can hang your balls on knobs, on your Christmas tree, or group several together in a bowl. I chose to display them on a long, narrow tray.

Pine Cone Balls in a Bowl

Your pine cone balls will last for years if you treat them gently. Have fun with this project!

That's my tip for today.

b

Balls in a Long, Narrow Tray

Pine Cone Arrangements

Pine Cone and Curly Willow Arrangement

Hi Guys,

Today I'm going to show you another way to use the pine cones you gathered. You'll need a clear, tall vase, some curly willow (which can be purchased at a craft store), and, of course, pine cones. I used tall, thin pine cones, but you can use whatever you were able to find.

Pine Cones and Vase

Curly Willow

I first filled the vase full of pinecones, then added the curly willow. That's it!

This is a very simple project, but makes a big impact, especially if you place it in front of a mirror like I did in my front entry.

Small Vase Filled with Pine Cones and Pine Needles

I also filled a small vase with pine cones that can be placed just about anywhere in your home.

These pine cone arrangements can be used from now until the spring. You may want to add some glittery branches at Christmas time if you want your arrangement to look more festive, or just leave it plain.

That's my tip for today.

b

Pine Cones with Curly Willow Added

Decorating Trends

Pewter from Noway

Hi Guys,

This season's decorating trends run the gamut from grays to large, brightly colored flowers. You will also see animal print everywhere as well as the military look. Now, how do you incorporate these looks in your home without changing your entire decor?

Black & White Pictures

Gray Fabric

Gray Bathroom 

One way to include gray is through black and white pictures framed in black frames. Another is through pewter or nickel accessories and drawer pulls. Throws and throw pillows are another, inexpensive way to incorporate some of the new trends. I purchased some gray upholstery fabric that I plan to use to cover several throw pillows to use in my family room. You can also paint a room gray. We painted the bathroom in our basement a medium gray and accented it with purple towels. The backsplash in our kitchen is made of gray, glass tiles which ties into our black and gray granite countertop. Our cabinets are beige and our paint is dark purple. It all works together very nicely.

Flowered Tapestry Chair

I purchased a flowered tapestry chair for my living room and bought a yard of extra fabric to make matching pillows. You could buy brightly flowered pillows or sheets for you bedroom. A flowered rug would be lovely in a family room, bedroom, or kitchen.

Mojo

My sister-in-law covered a dog bed with animal print fabric. Animal print can also be used as throws, throw pillows, or rugs. You can find animal print everywhere. Just don't go overboard with it.

The khaki, drab green, military trend can be subtle or bold since it is rather neutral. You can paint a room, slipcover a piece of furniture, buy a throw or just buy some pillows for your sofa. A good accent for the color would be a warm beige or dark brown. Speaking of dark brown, try pairing light gray with dark brown. It is lovely.

That's my tip for today.

b

Orchids

Green Cymbidium Orchids, White Dendrobium Orchids, and Curly Willow

Hi Guys,

Wow, what a great weekend. Our son got married, in Maine, at a hotel right on the ocean. It was spectacular.

One Orchid Stem

We chose green cymbidium orchids as the major wedding flower because our son is an avid orchid grower. We added white dendrobium orchids, eucalyptus, and curly willow for the two large arrangements. There were also two 24" x 5" vases with one cymbidium orchid stem and curly willow at the bottom standing on pillars to accent the entrance to the aisle.

Hydrangeas and Green Orchids

The tables were decorated with white hydrangeas and green and white cymbidium orchids.

We brought the arrangements home, and I arranged them in vases I had at home.

When the flowers die, I will recreate the arrangements with silk or plastic flowers.

Orchids, Eucalyptus, & Curly Willow

I can also fill the empty vases with pine cones or Christmas balls.

Orchids may cost a little more than roses, but they will last several weeks after the event, and the arrangement can be easily recreated with faux flowers from Michaels. Don't shy away from using orchids for your big event.

That's my tip for today.

b

White and Green Cymbidium Orchids