Dreaming of a Green Christmas
December 8, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
Some Tips for keeping the holidays green… · Keep and reuse ribbons and bows. · Use gift bags instead of wrapping paper and keep and reuse them. · Use and reuse baskets instead of paper for wrapping some gifts. · Create your own wrapping paper from newspaper, magazines, paper bags or fabric. (You can use [...]
Ornament Idea
December 4, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxshirley While I was Christmas shopping the other day I saw a beautiful idea for Christmas tree ornaments. When I walked into a small gift shop, large, clear glass ornament balls hung from invisible string. Inside these oversized ornaments were feathers-peacock and other varieties. The ornaments were very striking, and I’m sure would look beautiful [...]
Making Winter Cozy
December 4, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8276361@N06/2251683685 In the midst of the holiday season with cold weather and shorter daylight hours, it can be a great feeling to spend the evening indoors–curled up under a blanket with a book or watching a movie. Here are a few tips for making the home cozy for winter. Lay some throws over the back [...]
The Christmas Tree Debate: Real vs. Artificial
December 3, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrickbeeson As we prepare for the holidays, some may be wondering what the best ways to remain environmentally friendly are. When it comes to Christmas trees there has been some debate as to which is more eco-friendly—an artificial tree or a live tree. About 80 percent of artificial trees are manufactured in China, where environmental [...]
A Little Online Shopping
December 2, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
http://www.flickr.com/photos/voxtheory Anyone looking for unique, stylish gifts this holiday season should visit etsy.com. For those who aren’t familiar, Etsy is a mega site consisting of smaller individual online stores run by artists and crafters. From the home page you can search for a particular item or category. When you find an item or artist you [...]
Kitchen Trends
December 1, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nancyhugo The themes of several posts here at Thoughts of Home lately have centered on kitchens—kitchen sinks, kitchen cabinets and track lighting for the kitchen. A few future posts will also feature a specific kitchen theme. Today, I thought we’d take a step back and look at a few general trends in kitchen design that [...]
Gratitude
November 23, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
http://www.flickr.com/photos/luchilu Today we will stray a little from topics of home design, but our topic will nonetheless be something that will impact home life. With Thanksgiving only a few days away, I thought we would spend the day focusing on gratitude. Gratitude has been shown to benefit both health and happiness, according to research at [...]
Being a Gracious Guest
November 20, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
http://www.flickr.com/photos/imelda Yesterday’s post offered hosts and hostesses a few tips on the etiquette of hosting. Today, the focus is on being a gracious guest. We are all sure to receive a few invitations throughout the holiday, whether to a family function or a neighbor’s Christmas party, so here are some generally accepted guidelines to abide [...]
The Etiquette of Hosting
November 19, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurabloom Whether hosting the family Thanksgiving feast of a holiday cocktail party, it is easy to become overwhelmed or feel unsure of proper etiquette rules. Here are a few tips to make the event run smoothly and earn you a reputation as a wonderful hostess. Send invitations (or make phone calls) two weeks in advance. [...]
Table Runners
November 18, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
Table runners can be a great accent to a holiday table. http://www.flickr.com/photos/via The most popular way to use a table runner is to have it run length-wise down the entire table. In this arrangement, it can supplement the centerpiece. It can also be a place to set candles or other decorations. A table runner can [...]
A Few Fall Centerpieces
November 17, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
© http://www.flickr.com/photos/hangele In this month’s issue of Fayette Woman, I wrote about some creative ways to set the the table for the Thanksgiving. To supplement that, here are a few ideas for some creative, relatively simple centerpieces to add a little style to the Thanksgiving table without overwhelming the table. While the centerpiece should be elegant [...]
Maintaining an Energy Efficient Home
November 16, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanegorski Making sure your home is energy efficient is not only beneficial to the environment; it can also save you money, especially during colder months, when the heat is running more ofte. Here are a few tips for saving energy in the home: Cook with small appliances like an electric skillet or slow cooker. (Small appliances = [...]