Add a Kindly Gnome to the Garden
Of the many garden decorations available, garden gnomes are some of the most popular. Gnomes are traditionally thought of as being small, bearded and wearing pointed, conical red hats. They are perceived as being nocturnal helpers, tending to the garden overnight, with a taciturn and benevolent demeanor. The first garden gnomes were made in Germany in the mid-1800s, and they quickly spread across Germany and into France and England. They are now common worldwide. Currently, there are an estimated 25 million garden gnomes in Germany.
There are many styles of garden gnomes to choose from, including different facial expressions and poses. You can choose a friendly gnome, a sleeping gnome, a gnome holding garden tools, and many more options. A gnome holding a “welcome” sign makes a great greeter for your garden, while a napping gnome with an “on strike” sign makes a humorous addition. No matter what kind of gnome you favor, they make great gifts for any gardening enthusiast.
Go Shabby Chic
If you’re ready to redecorate your house or simply start decorating a new one, you should avoid buying new, pristine-looking furniture. Why? That perfect look went out years ago! Rustic, shabby chic furniture styles came into style in the 1980s and 90s, and remain popular today. They look more effortless and less contrived than perfect furniture. The phrase “shabby chic” was coined by The World of Interiors magazine in the 1980s, and it means interior decor and furniture that is chosen for its age or signs of wear and tear. It can also be distressed to achieve the appearance of an antique.
You can look for used furniture at garage sales or antique stores, keeping an eye out for interesting details and “flaws” that give the pieces more character. If you’re not ready to redo your whole house, you can look for accent pieces to achieve shabby chic home decor. Detailed wall sconces, chandeliers, towel racks, cabinets and tables can all serve as shabby chic accent pieces. If your furniture is simple, these interesting pieces can really grab the attention of your guests and made your home seem more chic than a perfect, overly decorated home.
Welcome to the Garden
Gardeners are a sociable sort – and there’s nothing they love to discuss more than the fruits of their labor. In late March the topic of conversation might be a proud stand of daffodils. By midsummer, it’s time to trumpet the arrival of petunias to the garden. No matter the growing season, gardeners are focused on one objective: making their workspace even more aesthetically pleasing.
Garden décor should be subtle enough that it doesn’t compete with the headlining act – the flowers themselves. With that in mind, a garden plaque can bid visitors welcome without distracting them from the colorful surroundings. Plaques can be affixed to trees or on the side of a home or garage. Either way, their presence in the garden ensures a smile from passers-by.
Does Your Home Pass the Smell Test?
Even the tidiest of homeowners recognize that a little odor-masking can come in handy. Household pets can be fragrant by their very nature, but their presence should be seen and not smelled. This holds especially true when company comes to visit. Even after meticulously cleaning the house and collecting all the pet hair, that unpleasant smell often lingers.
Incense burners can do more than distract from underlying odors – they mask them altogether. It’s important not to compound the problem by overdoing the incense. Burn just enough to set some pleasant smoke wafting through the air. A little goes a long way. Try burning a stick of incense shortly before guests arrive; that way, you’ll be happy to field remarks about your home’s fresh odor.
Decorative birdhouses
A birdhouse is an artificial, man-made structure provided for birds to nest in. Birdhouses are most frequently utilized for wild and domesticated birds, but some mammal species such as bats may also use them.
Decorative birdhouses are usually wooden, though some for birds are made from concrete a mixtures of wood and concrete. While some are made from metal, these are generally unsuitable for outdoor use, as they can overheat easily in sunshine.
Cleaning Your Birdfeeder
Conscientious birders regularly clean their feeders to ensure that disease potential is minimized. Furthermore, clean feeders will attract more wild birds because the fresh, clean seed is more appealing and nutritious.
For the cleanest, healthiest and most attractive feeders:
• Clean Regularly: All feeders should be thoroughly cleaned at least once per month, but popular feeders may need to be cleaned much more frequently depending on how many birds use them and how much seed is consumed. Hummingbird feeders should be cleaned each time the nectar is refilled.
• Use Proper Cleaning Solutions: Feeders can be sanitized with a solution of one part bleach to nine parts hot water. Commercial birdfeeders cleaning solutions are also effective, and a mild solution of unscented dish detergent is acceptable as well.
• Clean All Feeder Parts: For the best sanitation and disease prevention, each feeder should be cleaned inside and out, including all feeding ports, perches, lids, platforms and reservoirs. The feeder’s hooks, poles and any other part where birds may perch or where feces may collect should also be cleaned.
• Use Proper Equipment: Use rubber gloves to avoid any contamination and use stiff brushes to ensure thorough cleaning. Birdfeeder and pet supply stores will have specialized brushes for different sizes and shapes of feeders, though regular bottle brushes can also be effective. An old toothbrush is a great option for cleaning small parts, feeding ports and tight corners.
• Rinse Thoroughly: After cleaning, the feeder and all cleaned parts should be rinsed for at least 10 seconds in clear, clean water to be sure all chemical residue is removed.
• Dry Completely: Before refilling the feeder, it should be completely dry. Any remaining moisture could lead to mold and mildew that can cause illness and rotten, unhealthy seed.
What is Shabby Chic?
Shabby chic items are often heavily painted with many layers showing through obviously worn areas. The style is imitated in Faux Painting using glaze or by painting then rubbing and sanding away the top coat to show the wood or base coats. Fabrics tend to be cottons and linens, with linen being particularly popular, inspired by old French linens. Whites and worn or bleached out pastels are favorite colors. Fabric is often stained with tea to give it the look of old fabric. Bleached and faded are terms often applied to the style.
The essence of shabby chic home decor is vintage and antique furniture painted white (or another soft pastel color) and distressed at the corners by sanding. Pink, mint green, and soft aqua are also popular colors seen in accessories and fabrics.
Popular decor items are pillows made of vintage barkcloth fabric, vintage linens, chenille bedspreads, vintage chandeliers, and anything with roses on it. It is a soft, relaxed feminine romantic way of decorating that looks comfortable and inviting. Also called Cottage style.
Get to know new items every time
The Pacific Northwest has so many native species of birds that it can be hard to keep track of which ones are visiting your birdfeeder each day. To get a wide variety of birds to eat at your feeder try using a variety of food to lure them; sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, peanuts and traditional bird seed are food types that can be used to attract different birds.
You will be surprised how many different colors shapes and sizes of birds you will see. Gold finches, nut hatchers, cardinals, bluebirds, woodpeckers and doves are all frequent visitors to Pacific Northwest birdfeeders. If you’re really interested in identifying the birds purchase some bird-watching binoculars for a birds-eye view.
Making and Keeping Memories with your Pet
There’s little doubt that people can become very attached to and very involved with their pets. Whether they’re a dog lover or a cat lover, pet owners usually like to display their love through various kinds of home décor products. If you know a cat person, specifically, consider giving them cat figurines for a birthday or even just for a surprise gift. And if your friend or relative has a particularly beloved pet, consider making that figurine look like the pet in question.
These figurines are also fantastic tools when it comes time for the animal to pass on. This can be a trying and difficult time for any dedicated pet lover, but having that figurine as a reminder can offer some real comfort during the difficult time. In addition to having pictures available of the lost pet, these figurines will stand as a permanent reminder of all the good times that the two shared together.
Running Your Own Bible Study
If you’re interested in learning more about the Bible and the lessons that can be learned through that text, one option is joining a Bible study. These weekly programs will help people look at Bible stories in a more in depth manner, and it will help you apply the lessons that can be learned in a more modern context. And if you find that you enjoy these kinds of programs, consider leading a group yourself after you’ve learned a bit about how to run a successful session.
Not only will you get the continued joy of studying the Bible, but you’ll also get to experience the thrill of running your own group. And after a few weeks, you’re sure to have gained some great friends from the crowd. If this is the case, and you want to do something special for the group members, look into a small gift to give everyone on the last session. Whether you get angel figurines or specialty bookmarks, the gift is sure to let everyone know how much you appreciate their time, effort, and friendship.