The Christmas Centerpiece
December 14, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
The photo above is from a Christmas luncheon I attended last weekend. I thought the centerpiece was elegant and did a nice job of adding a focal point to the table without overwhelming the table or getting in the way of the meal itself or the conversation around it. It is important to consider the [...]
Filling the Home with Holiday Cheer
December 11, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
A few ideas for spreading holiday cheer throughout the home: · Tie wire edged ribbon on anything around the home—candle sticks, chair backs, vases. · Add greenery and berries to the chandelier in the dining room · Place candles on the dining table, on the mantle, on the coffee table and anywhere else [...]
A Cleaner Candle
December 10, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
As we light candles in our homes this season to enhance the holiday aura, we might want to take a little caution, not just with the burning flame but with the wax. New soy wax candles are hitting the market with many advantages over traditional paraffin wax candles. To start with paraffin [...]
Gift Ideas for Teens
December 9, 2009 by Krista Franks
Filed under Thoughts of Home
For anyone a little at a loss as they shop for a teen this holiday season, here are some suggestions gathered from various online resources. Apple iPod Nano 8G or iPod accessories Design and Create Your Own Converse Sneakers at converse.com or Design & Customize Your Own Pair of Nikes at nike.com DJ Hero – [...]
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 [...]