Thanksgiving Centerpieces in 15 minutes

Good Housekeeping's November issue has a few centerpieces for Thanksgiving...unusual, unique, and right up my alley. Plus they take no time at all - the article says 15 minutes or less. Here's the 3 I found I like the most...

Line 'Em Up
Seasonal simplicity doesn't get any speedier than this streamlined display: Just parade small white pumpkins along a wooden platter, and — to play up the gourds' paleness — add a runner or fabric remnant in autumnal orange. In five minutes, you're done.

Branch Out
The patina of tarnished pewter contrasts with fall foliage in this rustic-meets-refined grouping. Tuck acorns, viburnum, and crab apple cuttings (find at a florist or gather from the yard) in a trio of staggered-size containers, corralling on a tray. Total time: eight minutes.

Ripe for the Picking
Elegant turns easy when you think outside the vase. In this fresh update of the classic cornucopia, clear glass vases overflow with apples, pears, tangerines, and both ripe and green pomegranates. Accent with ribbon curling in and around the fruit — to run out the time to 13 minutes — and invite guests to grab some produce post-dinner

Holiday Decorating...

I love Christmas. And I love decorating for Christmas. And I really should discontinue all my catalog subscriptions... :) Land of Nod and Pottery Barn might be the death of my pocketbook this year.

I think I might have my friend Melissa see if she could construct something similar to these:

Land of Nod's Santa Sacks, $24 or $32

Santa left his bag behind! And yet, he remembered to eat the cookies.
Unique bags add a memorable twist to finding the gifts under the tree on Christmas morning. Each can be personalized with a kid's name (up to 9 letters); $6.
Tested in the North Pole to ensure maximum gift-holding capability.
100% cotton canvas; Machine washable. Color options - Large bag: Green w/Lt. Green cuff (Red personalization) and Small bag: Lt. Green w/Red cuff (Green personalization)

Judy Garlands, $29 each

Your name needn't be Judy to appreciate our charming holiday garlands.
Decorate trees, mantles or any place you want to spread a little cheer.
Each garland is 148" long; Felt construction. Style options: Tree, Mitten

Twin-Size Bedding

I'm obsessed with finding twin-sized bedding for the boys...they are still in toddler beds (transformed from their cribs), but I've already been looking to 'redo' their bedroom. Yikes. Could make for an expensive transformation - especially since I love several out of the newest Land of Nod catalog.

The M.V.B. (Most Valuable Bedding)

The Little Bedding That Could

From the Department of Motor Vehicles Bedding

Decorating the Playroom

So, how do you hang your kids artwork? Since the boys go to "school" (daycare) now, we get several items a week...per child. I keep some and recycle most. But I probably should display it, right? What's your best display tip?

Land of Nod might be my newest obsession, but I found a ton of stuff I like in their newest catalog...

A Fine Art Clip, $4.95

Take back the fridge! Singular take on our popular Work of Art Clips
gets your kids' artwork off the fridge and up on the wall.
Feature a clothes pin back and hole for easy hanging. Set of 6 clips; wood construction.

Work of Art Clips, $12.95

Let's face it, your kids are budding Picassos. You need a proper way to display their art. Our colorful art clips come complete with string, keyhole for easy hanging and eight clothespin holders. Choose from five handmade motifs (Birds, Flowers, Hearts, Stars, Peppermint).

Decorating the Playroom

Truth be told I've never down anything to decorate the boys' playroom. It's a former spare bedroom / Mike's clothing storage room. The paint and curtains are still tan to match the spare bedding - yet the bed and comforter are at Mike's mom's house in her spare room. Someday I wish for my spare bedroom back...

So anyway, I have nothing on the walls and I've just recently started getting toy storage/organization stuff. Maybe I'm on the road to decorating it?! So here's some ideas I like:

Land of Nod's
An Apple A Day Wall Art & Quite A Pear Wall Art

Land of Nod's
I've Got The Whole World In My Room

Red, White...and Fun!

I am a huge fan of 4th of July...I have fond memories of watching fireworks with my family from the "east" side and love the picnics and affairs that come with the holiday. That may be wide we chose our wedding date (July 1st) to be so close to the holiday.

Good Housekeeping magazine featured a section on throwing a 4th of July party in their July 2010 issue...Here's the full article, and here's some info on a few of my favorite details:

Patriot Games: For safer-than-sparklers favors, fill a pail full of cheery DIY scrapbook-paper pinwheels mounted on slim wooden dowels. Get the how-to instructions for the pinwheels here -

Earn Your Stripes: This crepe paper runner is made in minutes: Cover a table with a white paper tablecloth; snip lengths of blue and red crepe paper to the lengths of the cloth. Weave the colors, as shown; affix at table's edges with double-sided tape.

Tea Party: Serve thirsty guests strawberry tea garnished with frozen tea cubes and skewered blueberries. To make the platter, remove a decorative flag from its dowel, double-stick-tape it to the tray, and trim with ribbon. Get the recipe here.

A Star Is Born: Melted candies take center stage in these treats. Cut out celestial cookies with smaller star shapes in the middle. Bake partially, sprinkle crushed red and blue hard candies (Jolly Ranchers or Life Savers) into the cutouts, then finish baking. Get the recipe here.

Forget Apple Pie: End the Yankee Doodle day by letting partygoers vote for a star or stripe on the flag "cake." Here, cupcakes slathered with white icing are garnished with blueberries, raspberries, or shaved coconut. Arrange in a confectionery salute to Old Glory. They're such a snap to make, you'll be at liberty to enjoy the party! Get the recipe here.

Tax-Free Shopping Weekends

Like many, I'm going to need back-to-school clothing in August, so I wanted to make a mental-note of the tax-free shopping weekends...since Good Housekeeping magazine (July 2010) had a few states listed for 2010, I didn't want to loose this list.


Save More with Tax-Free Shopping
Jenny Realo of Phoenix, MD, says she shaved $100 off back-to-school spending for her three kids last year by shopping during tax-free days. At least fourteen states offer tax-free shopping on most back-to-school purchases this summer; visit taxadmin.org for details, and note these dates:

July
Mississippi (7/30 — 7/31)

August
Alabama (8/6 — 8/8)
Connecticut (8/15 — 8/21)
District of Columbia (8/7 — 8/15)
Iowa (8/6 — 8/7)
Louisiana (8/6 — 8/7)
Missouri (8/6 — 8/8)
New Mexico (8/6 — 8/8)
North Carolina (8/6 — 8/8)
Oklahoma (8/6 — 8/8)
South Carolina (8/6 — 8/8)
Tennessee (8/6 — 8/8)
Texas (8/20 — 8/22)
Virginia (8/6 — 8/8)