Painting a Wall Mural
Wall murals are a creative way to decorate any room

Grouping (Wall & Art)
From Columnist Rosalee Decker.

Decorating with Seed Berry Garland
Columnist Rosalee Decker tells us how we can use Seed Berry Garland, a basket and ivy swags to decorate our homes.

Quick Home Decorating Ideas for Any Room
Not all home decorating ideas require a heavy investment of time and money. If you’re looking for a few affordable home interior decorating ideas to freshen up a room over a weekend, try these …

Cheap Home Decorating Ideas
Cheap and Easy Ways To Give Every Room In Your Home A Mini-Makeover

Kitchen Decorating Tips & Frugal Kitchen Decorating Tips
Small changes can have a big effect on how your kitchen looks. Below are 11 decorating ideas that you can do yourself in a day or less. Not only are these simple changes are easy to do, but they are inexpensive too!

Decorating a Child’s Room
When it comes to decorating a child’s room, your approach should be different from decorating an adult bedroom.

Nursery Room Decor
The nursery is your newborn’s first room, his own little world: the environment, which in part will influence and shape his personality.

Decorating Kids’ Rooms
Designing Your Kid’s Room is Child’s Play!

Holiday Decorating Tips
Make your home festive for the holidays with these decorating tips.

Decorate your Patio Area

Quick & Easy Decorating Ideas

2.  In my kitchen as an alternative to expensive wallpaper borders, I use inexpensive grapevine garlands.  I used four garlands and ran them all along the top of the walls.  Quick, easy, inexpensive and the effect is great!

3. For an inexpensive wall grouping, find a calendar with beautiful scenic pics or flowers or animals, whatever fits your decor.   Put 4, 6 ,8 or more of these pics in some nice frames and group them together on a wall. The effect is surprisingly pretty!

4.  Find some colored bottles, jars, etc. you might have lying around or scout garage sales.   Fill these bottles with polished stones, colored beads, seashells, or anything else you like and arrange them on a table or shelf.   Use different shapes and sizes for a more dramatic effect.

5.  Go wild with baskets. Baskets come in many sizes, styles and colors and can be used for extra storage in any room. Use them in the bathroom for cosmetics, toiletries, towels, etc. In the kitchen they can hold utensils, recipes, or food items. Try them for magazines, books, or movies in the living room or bedroom. In the kids’ room they make great places for toys, books, video games. The possibilities are endless!

6.  One thing I would recommend for any home is candles. Candles are an inexpensive way to lighten, brighten and enhance any room in your home. Candles come in a variety of colors, shapes, sizes and scents. You can create a cozy, relaxing mood or you can spice it up and energize your mind and soul. Candles are much more than a decoration!

7.  Arrange a grouping of family photos on a table or wall. This is one of the best ways to warm your home.  Use frames in different sizes and styles to make the grouping more unique and interesting.

8.  For organization, buy plastic storage tubs/boxes in pretty colors.  Use them to store and organize your  linen, toys, off-season clothes, memoirs, etc. Stack them in a corner for a pretty look.

9.  Decorate an old wooden bench or trunk.  Put a decorative pillow or cushion on it and place it by a  window for an instant window seat!

10.  Use your imagination!  Anything and everything can be used for home decorating if you are creative with it!

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Find lots more tips, articles, and resources for your home, family & business at www.SeymourProducts.com   Terri and her husband Terry also offer a low-cost, wholesale distributorship with unlimited support, and a complete line of one dollar ebooks and software with full resell rights. http://www.seymourproducts.com/ebooks-resell

Summer will be here before we know it, and we’ll be spending a large amount of time in our outdoor living area or patio. I long for warm weather so that I can lounge in my big cozy swing with the thick cushions and watch the kids play while I read a good book. Later we’ll grill something delicious to eat and sit around talking and having a fun time together.

Just because the area is outside doesn’t mean we have to settle for a plain old deck and backyard. Decorating an outdoor room, deck or patio is fun and not different than decorating any other part of your home.

You don’t have to spend much money to have an appealing outdoor living space. Your biggest expense may be your patio furniture and outdoor grill or barbeque.

The best way to add charm and beauty to your outdoor area is to simply choose a theme and then find affordable, quality accessories that you like. If you can find useful items as well, then you’re only adding to the benefit of outdoor living and extending your living space.

Add a beautiful table umbrella in your color scheme or maybe an outdoor rug. Tiki lighting can add atmosphere and comfort if used for keeping bugs away. For those occasional chilling evenings, a clay chiminea can be useful for added warmth and also for pest control.

Some other ideas for adding charm and beauty to your deck or patio decor is by adding lovely windchimes, decorative birdhouses, new or antique watering cans and of course don’t forget to add color throughout with potted plants in nice pots that match your theme or style.

Decorating an outdoor living space shouldn’t cost a fortune, but you should take some time to consider the amount of time you’ll spend there and your comfort level. Create an outdoor area that fits your lifestyle and tastes and that you’ll be proud to show off to friends.

About the Author: Sherry Frewerd publishes several cooking and parenting websites and blogs, along with ‘Smoky Hill River Gifts and Collectibles’, where you will find beautiful Patio and Garden Accessories for your Home.

Thanksgiving Decorating Tips & Ideas
Thanksgiving is a magical time in which we remember the things and people in our lives that are special to us. This year why not take the time to decorate your home in honor of this very special holiday?

Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas
It is quite easy to make a memorable centerpiece with very little time and money. Use your imagination and add lots of colors and textures to create a centerpiece that will create the perfect Thanksgiving atmosphere.

Christmas Decorating Tips
Christmas decorating does not have to be difficult or expensive. Simple decorations throughout your house will make fond memories for your family and will be anticipated year after year.

Halloween Storage
Storage for your halloween decorations and costumes is easy when you come up with a system.  Here is some advice on how to get everything ready for next year.

Organize Your Seasonal Home Decorating
By Rachel Paxton

I don’t spend a lot of money decorating my home. Many people don’t want to spend the time or money to decorate with the seasons, but over the years I have learned some ways to creatively seasonally decorate that have cost little or next to nothing.

Because I work a lot, I don’t spend very much time decorating my home. When I’m updating my home to a new seasonal theme, I don’t spend more than a couple of hours arranging and rearranging to get a nice seasonal effect. Here are some of the ways I’ve learned to organize my seasonal accessories:

- I store my seasonal decorations in several large stackable Rubbermaid containers: two for Christmas, one for Easter/spring, and one for autumn/Thanksgiving. When I’m ready to change themes, I get out the one(s) to put things away in, dust or otherwise clean the area(s) where the new decorations will sit, and then get out the new decorations. The storage containers get put back away, and everything is still organized for next season. Make sure you mark the containers in some way to know which one is which. Color coding them buy buying different colored containers works well.

- You will inevitably forget to put something away and stumble across it when you’re cleaning another day. In each bathroom I have a corner of a closet shelf reserved for miscellaneous seasonal decorations. Or if someone gives you a seasonal gift you don’t have anywhere else to put at the moment, this is a good place to put it.

If you find the task of re-decorating your entire home overwhelming, look for certain areas of your home that would be good for displaying seasonal decorations. In my home the kitchen, dining room, and living room are the focal areas of our home. There are certain areas where I concentrate when decorating for the seasons:

- Kitchen: I don’t do a lot of seasonal decorating in the kitchen, but there are a couple of easy things you can do to liven it up a little. Seasonal dish cloths and hand towels are really cute, as well as seasonal floor mats. If you use the towels for decoration only, like hanging from your oven door handle, they will still be nice for the next year. Seasonal refrigerator magnets are also easy to update.

- Dining Area: Our dining room table is the focal point of our dining room. We have a long oak table that is great for seasonal decorating. A table runner makes a nice seasonal addition. I have one made out of Easter fabric for spring, a floral one for summer, and one of Christmas fabric. I just need to get one for autumn. You can accessorize with seasonal place mats, napkins, and napkin rings. These you can make yourself or pick up at yard sales or clearance sales off-season. I also like to decorate the center of the table for the season. A lot of times I will use a vase of seasonal flowers. For autumn I have a vase of artificial fall foliage. I accent the vase with Indian corn, gourds, and artificial fall leaves.

- Living Room: The main areas of the living room I concentrate on are the fireplace mantel and hearth, a corner curio shelf, and the entertainment center. I lay a garland across the top of the entertainment center that can be changed with the seasons: fall foliage for autumn, flowers for spring and summer, and evergreens for winter. On the shelves of the entertainment center and the curio shelves I rotate my seasonal knickknacks. The last place I decorate is the top of the piano. Sometimes I just decorate with houseplants and photographs, but it is also a great place to showcase collections, like my angels at Christmas or my bunny village in the spring. I also have a piece of fabric draped over the piano that I can change with the seasons.

- Other: Window clings are great for any season. Door wreaths can also be rotated any time of year. My grapevine wreath goes up in the autumn and is soon replaced by my Christmas wreath. You could have one for every season. Although I don’t have one yet, a lot of people have seasonal flags or banners displayed outside of the house. These you could buy or make yourself.

These are just ideas to get in the mood of seasonal decorating. Learning to bring the outdoors indoors can be fun–there are many easy, inexpensive ways you can change the look of your home to get in tune with the seasons.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom helping other moms to organize their families and their lives. For other organizing hints visit http://www.Organized-Mom.com

Halloween Decorations Storage Ideas

By Karen Fritscher-Porter

Store your Halloween decorations so they will be easily accessible and in one piece year after year. Here’s the scoop on how to do just that.

Designate a special color marker, such as the Halloween color orange, to use when labeling the outside of your Halloween decoration storage boxes and containers. This color-coding technique will make them easier to locate.

When you buy plastic storage containers for storing Halloween decorations, ornaments or costumes, make sure that either the lids or the entire container is a Halloween color (usually orange, purple, black or grey). That’s another easy way to find your Halloween items at a glance in your garage, closet or attic. Obviously, you’ll mostly find these colors at walk-in retailers sometime between September and November. But if you look around, you can problem find them at some online retailers year-round.

Original boxes and containers, including the custom shaped Styrofoam, work best for storing Halloween decorations. But if you don’t have these, you can still wrap items in newspaper, tissue or even soft paper towels. Store the really fragile or breakable Halloween decorations in smaller storage boxes and tins for extra protection. Then put those smaller boxes into your larger plastic container.

Store candles in a box with a lid in a cool, dark, dry environment so they don’t fade or melt. Store long, tapered candles on their sides so they don’t warp.

Halloween decorations that normally hang by cords, including fragile ones like thin cardboard scarecrows or even bulky ones, can hang from a wall hook in your garage. You can hang these decorations one in front of another. That will take less room because you’ll be hanging several on the same “large” wall hook (such as a hook used to hold bikes, ladders or hoses). Cover these hanging Halloween decorations with old pillow cases and plastic trash bags.

If you’re storing Halloween masks (or some Halloween costumes) that you plan to keep for a long time or that have sentimental value, be sure to check their care instructions or ask the store where you purchase them about this. If you don’t do this, next Halloween you may be surprised to find your Halloween mask crumpled and cracked due to improper storage.

You may want to put all Halloween decoration hardware such as wreath hangers or other special Halloween ornament fasteners in one small box (that goes into one of your larger containers). Put it near the top for easy access and label it “Halloween Hardware–Open First”. That way you can get started right away next year with your Halloween decorating.

Karen Fritscher-Porter writes about home organization at http://www.EasyHomeOrganizing.com where you can read hundreds of free tips to organize your home plus shop for home organizing products. Go there now to read all the tips about how to store Halloween decorations, light strands, candles and more.

Use festive tableware for every meal during the month of December. Search your cupboards and drawers and get out anything that looks remotely festive. You can also shop discount and one-dollar stores and find many items for Christmas that you can use every year. You can add to your collection of holiday tableware each year and soon you will have many types of dishes that will make your holidays special.

Try decorating with bows. Ribbons tied around chairs, plants, candlesticks, drapes, stairs and doorknobs make wonderful decorations. Place bows and ribbons in many locations throughout your home for a festive look that is quick and easy. The bows and ribbons do not have to be green and red. You can try many colors or match the bows and ribbons to the colors you have in your home. Choose ribbons that you can reuse each year. When Christmas is over, pack the bows and ribbons carefully so that you can use them again and again.

Put a holiday wreath on every door in your home. Use real pine, holly, and grapevine and decorate with berries, fruit and pinecones. If you purchase artificial wreaths you will be able to use them year after year.

Arrange many candles around the room and turn the lights off during holiday meals. You will create a special, festive atmosphere that will be remembered and anticipated by your family each year. A fire in the fireplace each night will add to the holiday spirit. You can also arrange candles in your bathroom and around your bathtub. Watch small children carefully when you decorate with candles.

Christmas decorating does not have to be difficult or expensive. Simple decorations throughout your house will make fond memories for your family and will be anticipated year after year. Make sure to put out plenty of scented potpourri and scented oils in various locations throughout your home.

Every Thanksgiving table should include a centerpiece to add to the festive feel of your dinner. It’s quick and easy to make a Thanksgiving centerpiece from fall flowers, pumpkins, gourds, and greenery. You can create a beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece in very little time and for very little money.

CRANBERRY CENTERPIECE
Create another easy centerpiece with only a clear glass vase (any size you desire), two pounds of fresh or dried cranberries, and a large bunch of pink or white carnations. Cut the carnation stems so that the flowers will be just above the top of the vase and remove any leaves. Place the carnations inside the vase and pull the flowers away from the edge. Drop the cranberries into the vase and then fill with water. This is a very easy and inexpensive centerpiece that will look beautiful on your table.

FLORAL PLATTER CENTERPIECE
Here is a simple centerpiece that you can arrange on a tray or platter in just a few minutes: You will need a small potted ivy or mum, a few small gourds or pumpkins, several miniature pumpkins, a few apples, and  some dried or fresh greenery such as leaves, moss, or parsley, and of course the tray or platter in which you will place your arrangement. Place the mum or ivy on one side of the platter and place a gourd and two small pumpkins next to the plant. Make sure you water the plant, but sparingly so as not to overrun or spill the water onto the other items on the platter. Arrange the miniature pumpkins around the platter and place the apples randomly to give a splash of color. Use small apples of both red and green colors. Place the leaves and/or greenery between the apples, gourds, and pumpkins. This makes a wonderful centerpiece that will make your Thanksgiving table a thing of beauty.

HARVEST GLASS BOWL WITH FLOWERS
To make a Thanksgiving centerpiece that includes all the symbols of fall, you will need the following:

- a small glass tumbler
- one very small pumpkin that has had the top cut off and the insides scooped out
- six or more small gourds
- a few dried leaves (preferably in various colors)
- a dozen or more fall flowers such as mums
- a cup of fresh or dried cranberries
- shallow glass bowl

After you have gathered your supplies, place the tumbler inside the pumpkin and fill it halfway with water. Arrange the flowers in the tumbler and place the pumpkin in the glass bowl. Place the bowl containing the pumpkin and the flowers on a cutting board or large glass plate on the table. Arrange the leaves, gourds, and cranberries in a random fashion around the pumpkin. Add a few small candles if you wish. You will have a beautiful centerpiece in just a few minutes of your time.

It is quite easy to make a memorable centerpiece with very little time and money. Use your imagination and add lots of colors and textures to create a centerpiece that will create the perfect Thanksgiving atmosphere.

Thanksgiving is a magical time in which we remember the things and people in our lives that are special to us. This year why not take the time to decorate your home in honor of this very special holiday?

You can show your friends and family that Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and to show loved ones just  how much they mean in our lives. Here are a few Thanksgiving decorating tips and ideas that will make this Thanksgiving one  that will be remembered for many years to come.

Add fall colors and themes to your front yard in anticipation of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Make your Thanksgiving table a thing of beauty with a table runner with golds, browns, or burnt orange colors. You can emboss the table runner with stamps in fruit and nut shapes. Iron-on decals are also a great way to decorate a table runner.

Buy several pillar candles in one solid color and place each on silk fall leaves. Group your candles in various heights and place a few nuts or small gourds at the base of the candles for a special fall look.

Decorate your Thanksgiving buffet table with fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts in brass or silver bowls and baskets. You can also use artificial fruits and vegetables if you want to keep your beautiful buffet table in place for several weeks or the entire month.

Make place cards for every member of the family and any other visitors you may be entertaining and include a note to each written inside the place card of why you are thankful for that person and what  they mean in your life. Your guests and family members will be touched by your thoughtfulness and the  effort you made to make them feel special.

Make garlands from leaves, fruits, berries, and fall colored ribbons to hang from doorways and any place you would normally hang a Christmas garland. You can also purchase bundles of wheat and tie wide, wire-edged ribbon around the center and hang from your fireplace and on doors.

Decorate a small journal or notebook with fall colors, leaves, and ribbons. Allow each member of the family to fill out their own page, listing the things they are thankful for. Make sure to leave markers, stickers, and other decorative items close by so each family member can decorate their page individually. This journal will become a cherished treasure.

Think of all the places you decorate with reds and greens at Christmas and instead place fall colors and Thanksgiving decorations that you can purchase in your local discount or hobby store. These simple ideas will transform your house and make your guests thankful for you.

Cheap and Easy Ways To Give Every Room In Your Home A Mini-Makeover

You  may be looking around your home thinking “Oh, I wish I had money to decorate!”

Anyone who has watched Trading Spaces knows that giving your house a quick makeover doesn’t have to break the bank!

Simple Ways To Spruce Up Your Space
A gallon of paint will give any room a complete facelift! Always check out the ‘oops’ gallons at places like Home Depot. People request colors and never pick them up, or the person mixing the paint doesn’t get the shade quite right. Oftentimes these colors are just putrid, but sometimes you’ll find a gorgeous color that’s a steal! I’ve decorated plenty of rooms from other people’s leftover paints — and loved the results!

Fresh flowers in a vase make a wonderful addition to any room in your home. Pick the flowers from your own yard to save even more money.

Framed pictures of family and friends are a must. If you have them printed in black and white, they’ll never go out of style!

Add mirrors to open up a small room. Mirrors are a great way to decorate, especially in rooms with low light.

Richly scented candles make every room feel welcoming. Between the soft lighting, and the scent, you can’t go wrong with candles.

New throw rugs and runners at the entrance to your home make a great first impression.

The Bathroom
This is the least expensive room in your home to completely redecorate. A new shower curtain, a rug or two, soap dispenser, cup, some decorative hand towels – and your bathroom has a whole new look.

Try a bathroom theme! How about one of these ideas from the standard to the very original?

• Ocean or Sea theme
• Medieval Times
• The Orient
• Western theme
• Rubber Duckies
• Floral – victorian
• Floral – funky

Or work from one of your favorite paintings and take a color scheme from it. Let Dali or even Andy Warhol inspire your color palette.

Your Kitchen
If new cabinets or the island you always dreamed of are not in your budget, give your kitchen a fresh look by shopping for new decorative kitchen towels and pot holders and new matching tablecloth and placemat sets. I love changing my kitchen for the seasons and holidays! A wine rack or framed placemat from a fun restaurant can be the inspiration!

Your Living/Family Room
A few new lamps, a large area rug or an art piece on a bare wall can add life to a dull and tired living room. While these items can be costly, they are certainly more affordable than an entertainment center or sofa.

How about some funky toss pillows and throws for chairs and couches? A little imagination and makes up for not having a big wallet!

The Bedroom
A new bedding set is enough to give your bedroom a major boost! Treat yourself and your spouse to a set of silk or satin sheets to match your new comforter! Search for quality, inexpensive silk sheets.

Budgeting for the Big Change
Treat yourself to a home decorating magazine. Dream big and set your goals high for what you want your house to eventually look like, but start on a smaller scale.

Plan! Mistakes cost money, so really plan your look thoroughly.

Start a Home Improvement Fund by saving change in a jar. When the jar is full, deposit in into a savings account specifically for redecorating your home.

Pick up things here and there slowly. Eventually you’ll have enough to re-do a room. Buy one new item for the room you plan to spruce as you can afford to.

Don’t forget to shop in places like estate sales, charity sales, and moving sales. You’ll never know when you can find an amazing piece of furniture for a great price!

Sometimes the smallest changes equal the biggest difference in decorating. Don’t start out too big. Good things come to those who wait…and those who are bargain hunters!

10 Home Decorating Ideas To Quickly Update Any Room

Not all home decorating ideas require a heavy investment of time and money. If you’re looking for a few affordable home interior decorating ideas to freshen up a room over a weekend, try these ten:

1. Rearrange The Furniture- Pull your furniture away from the walls. Try positioning it at intriguing angles. For example, a sofa arranged diagonally across a narrow living room will make the room look wider.

2. Paint A Wall- Paint one wall your favorite color and make it the focal point. Hang interesting art on that wall and move a nice piece of furniture there. (Note: Make sure that the color is one that is shared with several other objects and fabrics in the room.)

3. Bring In Plants- Greenery always adds a breath of fresh air to a room. If you don’t have a green thumb, try silk plants and trees. The quality has gotten so good that its hard to distinguish them from the real thing.

4. Lay An Area Rug- An area rug is a wonderful way of defining a conversation area. Try one that complements the room. Lay it at an angle beneath your coffee table.

5. Hang Pictures or Mirror- Hang pictures that reflect your personality. Try frames that are more ornate. When hanging a mirror, try and position it so that it reflects and nice view or an interesting architectural element.

6. Group Figurines- Pull out your favorite collectibles. Show off your personality. Find a display area and group related objects together, in sets of three or five. Try and vary the shapes.

7. Add Decorative Pillows- The good news about decorative pillows is that they are an easy way to add textures and patterns to a room. Still better, they can be changed to jazz up a sofa or chair before your room is ready for a major makeover.

8. Replace Lamps- Lamps are probably the one thing in your home that will give others a clue that your room is outdated. Seek out new and fresh lamps that make a statement.

9. Add A Throw Or Afghan- Similar to decorative pillows, throws and afghans add texture to your furniture. They come in all kinds of natural and man made fabrics. Find a pattern and style that you like.

10. Eliminate Clutter- Clutter has a way of eliminating the desired mood and effect of any room. Find storage spaces for papers, toys, and other items that take from the personality of a room.

Michael Holland is the creator of the Web sites http://www.kids-rooms-and-crafts.com and http://www.home-decorating-made-easy.com. His sites offer lots of FREE home decorating tips and ideas.