Yes the Turkey is the star of Thanksgiving, but a nice decorated table is a close second. A cheap way to decorate your table is to buy a few candle holders of different sizes and put nuts and chestnuts in around a simple white candle. Then get some leaves and greens and place then on the table around them. All of these can be found at you local grocery and craft store.
Thanksgiving decorating
Inventive flower vase
Having just returned from Napa, I’m all about everything to do with wine. I was looking online the other day and found this great post that used a wine bottle as a flower vase. Think about it, there are some beautiful decorated bottles out there, why not use on as a vase. Oh and the bonus? You have to drink the wine first!
The end of summer blues
The end of summer, it’s always depressing especially living in the Northeast because it’s alway so short. But there are ways to get through it. Here a small list to get you through:
Update your wardrobe! Buy yourself a cute new jacket for fall, perhaps a great new pair of boots, even a simple new sweater. A little retail therapy always seems to bring up the mood.
Do a little redecorating. I’m not talking redoing your whole living room, more like buying accent pieces for different rooms in your house. It’s fun to do and mostly inexpensive. A trip to HomeGoods will help you do this. Even if it’s a couple of new fall candles, it will lift your mood.
Plan fall activities. Apple picking, visiting a vineyard, hiking, hanging out with friends at a beer garden for Oktoberfest
Goodbye to summer :(…bring on Fall!!
Imagination and a little bit of paint
I was walking home on the Upper East Side one night and came across this old, 1970’s TV cart outside a consignment shop. I bought it for $20.00 and wheeled it home. After a couple pieces of sandpaper, primer and white paint I picked up from Home Depot for $25.00, I spent the weekend transforming the ugly outdated TV stand I came across to a great side table for my bedroom. I added 2 storage bins I already had from the Container Store and viola, a new nightstand for $45.00.
Credit Karma
They say Karma is a b*tch, but Credit Karma is a simple, sweet application I have found. https://www.creditkarma.com/ is a free website that tracks your debt and give you an updated credit score each month. It also gives you a list of the best credit cards rates for balance transfers and tools you can use to help you reduce your debt. It’s easy, user friendly and did I mention? Free!!
My love/hate relationship with my air conditioner
I love summer…love, love, love summer. The only thing I hate about summer is the time I have to put my air conditioner in. I grew up in a modest home, but one of the luxuries we did have was central air conditioning. If you have central air in your home, you know how lucky you are. I didn’t think twice about it until I moved in NYC and had to jam a huge, heavy, loud air conditioner in my window. I’m lucky the thing didn’t just fall out and kill an innocent bystander. I thought I could adjust quickly though, I was wrong. Although I have gotten a smaller, quieter a/c, there are still problems I encounter every year.
Those accordian panels that never seem to fit:
Try using Command poster strips. This will help secure the panels to the window and you can easily discard them once you remove your air conditioner without damaging the walls.
Water dripping from your neighbors air conditioner above:
This was like Chinese water torture to me, endless drops of water hitting the top of my a/c. Frost King has an air conditioner cushion that you can cut to size and sits right on top of the unit and softens the noise or you can just wrap a bath mat or small rug around the unit.
Ok, now that it’s in, how to make it less of an eyesore:
Decorate around it as much as possible. Pictures, flowers, candles will take the eye away from it.
Stay cool!!
Cascade dishwashing for whites?
Yep. Turns out a combination of 1/2 cup of cascade and 1/2 cup of clorox will turn your dingy whites like new again. Just get a bucket (or fill your tub) with super hot water and soak your favorite tee or tank top in the solution for a few hours and wash as usual. You should also use it in your regular white washings to keep them bright!
Countdown to summer
After a trip to visit the family in Myrtle Beach this month, my boyfriend’s mom had these great little towel clips. They’re cute, fun and clip your towel in place on your beach chair. No more towels flying everywhere when you get up. Boca Clips can be found at Bed Bath and Beyond ($6.00 for a pack of 2). Great find!
Happy Easter!
Happy Easter everyone! I decided to cook a traditional Easter dinner for Joe and I and googled all week for a traditional Easter menu. I finally decided to do ham, string beans and scalloped potatoes. I have to say, it was a really simple and easy menu to cook. I bought a 10 lb ham which honestly for 2 people I feel like we’ll be eating ham for a week (maybe 2), but I didn’t find any other options at my local market. I also found a great scalloped potato recipe online, it’s simple, delicious and we both loved it! Here’s the recipe http://southern.food.com/recipe/scalloped-potatoes-85629 Enjoy and see you in April!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!
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