Feature Spring item: Snoopy Garden Statue

Spring is just around the corner as our weather is slowly changing for the better and the air around us is warm and flowers are blooming. This seasons is all about decorating the great outdoors, which means it is all about decorating your front lawn! We have a special feature Spring item to share with you today: Solar Powered Free Standing Snoopy Garden Statue. This is one of our newest items in store and even I want it for myself. It is great right by your door as a pleasant greeter for your guests entering your house, or would be great in your garden, with it's solar powered lantern lighting up the way in the night. It is definitely so versatile, because it could be use to decorate year round. In Spring and Summer, it is a great addition to your blooming garden. In Fall and Winter, the fall leaves and possible snow will make this Snoopy statue look warm and inviting. We are selling it in our store for only $99.99, whereas most places carry it for $120! Snoopy lovers, your collection will not be complete unless you have this statue! :)

Origin of Chinese New Year

Do you know how Chinese New Year came about? We weren't quite sure ourselves, so we performed a small research to find out all there is about this holiday. 

The Origin 
Chinese New Year is the first day of the lunar calendar, so it is also called the Lunar New Year. And it is also referred to as the Spring Festival since it is the beginning of the Spring term, which is the first term of the 24 terms on the lunar calendar.
 
It was recorded that Chinese started to celebrate Chinese New Year from about 2000 BC, though the celebrations were held on different times under different emperors. They started to celebrate Chinese New Year on the first day of the lunar calendar based on Emperor Wu Di's almanac of the Han Dynasty.
 
Legend says the celebrations of Chinese New Year may be related to a beast known as Nian. The beast Nian came out to eat people on new years until an old man found a way to conquer it. Then people started to observe and celebrate Chinese New Year. The word "Nian" now has the same meaning as Chinese New Year, which is used as commonly as Chinese New Year. And people often use the term "Guo Nian", which may originally mean "passed or survived the Nian". Now everyone loves Guo Nian.
 
The lunar calendar is represented by twelve animals. Each year is represented by one animal. The twelve animals in order are: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. The Chinese zodiac is also based on the 12 animals.

Traditions and Activities

Preparation 
Usually the preparation starts a month before the new year. The preparation includes thoroughly cleaning and decorating the house, buying new clothes, preparing enough food for at least two weeks. The decorations are highly symbolic with a lot of lucky words, printed paintings and red colors everywhere. Kids are busy in shopping for different kinds of firecrackers. Everyone gets a haircut before the new year. So everything and everyone looks new and fresh on the new year.

New Year' Eve
The New Year's Eve is the time for families. The New Year Eve's dinner is the biggest dinner of the year, much like Thanksgiving dinner in the United States. The dinner is full of symbolic meaning, such as Chinese dumplings implying wealth since they have the shape of ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots. Everyone, even children, drinks a little Jiu (usually hard liquor), which symbolizes longevity since Jiu has the same pronunciation as longevity in Chinese. Then the family chats while watching national TV shows or listening to radio together until the coming of the new year. In China, the national TV shows have been prepared for a few months by a group of famous entertainers.

Firecrackers 
Firecrackers are set off as soon as the new year arrives. You can hear or see firecrackers everywhere and this usually lasts for a few hours. Some people will continue to play firecrackers occasionally through out the first half of the first month. Traditionally fireworks are the sign of getting rid of the old and welcoming the new. Fireworks are now banned in China, so this tradition is history.

 

 Red Packets   
Giving Hongbao or red packets during Chinese new year is another tradition. A Red packet is simply a red envelope with money in it, which symbolizes luck and wealth. Red packets are typically handed out to the younger generation by their parents, grand parents, relatives, and even close neighbors and friends. 

Dragon and Lion Dancing

Dragon and Lion dancing is another tradition of Chinese New Year. Traditionally, two people wear a huge lion or dragon costume and dance. The lion dance dates back to the Han Dynasty (205 B.C. to 220 A.D). It is an important tradition in China. Usually the dance is part of festivities like the Chinese New Year, grand openings of businesses, and weddings. If well-performed, the lion dance is believed to bring luck and happiness. Let your children jump, bounce, hop and leap with a lion dance costume to help bring happiness and luck. Also, the lion head makes a unique Chinese New Year's decoration.  

via Party Details

Classy New Year's Eve party ideas

Christmas has passed...now time to prepare ourselves for a grand new year's celebration! I have found some cute ways to celebrate this year's new year and party into 2011 with style. Some of these ideas are also great because you could recycle your Christmas decorations to make these!

Make Some Noise- Rattle in the New Year by dropping a few pink peppercorns, popcorn kernels or jelly beans into clear plastic ornaments.

Use those lights- For a festive New Year's night, hang strings of Christmas lights from the ceiling about a foot apart along a blank wall, using extension cords to plug each into an outlet. Hang semi-sheer fabric in front (not touching the lights) to create a light wall.

Blue Eyed- We never need an excuse to eat candy, which is probably why we loved those potted lollipops from Dylan Lauren (of Dylan’s Candy Bar). For a wintry version, just fill a small pot or planter with white gumdrops (or yogurt-covered candies) and “plant” some rock candy sticks. Your New Year's guests will love snacking on the candy all night.

via Rachel Ray mag

Christmas trees around the world

I wondered what christmas trees all around the globe looked like and how different people decorated them, so I went on to search for pictures of these trees. CBS News.com had some great pictures in their photo gallery. They had pictures of christmas trees in the United Arab Emirates, the White House...and all the way to Tokyo and China. Take a look at these Christmas trees and see if you become inspired to decorate your own tree in any way!

The Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The White House in Washington

New York City

 Strasbourg, France 

 Prague, Czech Republic

Tokyo, Japan

Shanghai, China

Sydney, Australia

Brandenburg Gate at Berlin, Germany

Stockholm, Sweden

Christmas Decorating DIY ideas

If you want to decorate your home with something more than a wreath, here are more crafts work steps to follow to achieve chic and affordable holiday decorating.

Card Garlands

The season's first greeting cards, arriving weeks before the family tree goes up, are enough to stir most people's decorative impulses. This year, festoon mirrors with Lametta tinsel and use the sparkly wire to display your collection of cheerful tidings. Under the garlands, nestled in compotes, ribbon-lined candy pouches make sweet, simple party favors.
Steps to making Card Garlands

1. Lametta tinsel -- thin, flexible wire covered in shiny tufts -- is available at crafts stores or by mail order. Narrow ribbon and twine work, too; use metallic finishes for maximum shine. Drape several strands across a mirror; affix to back of frame with thumbtacks. Hang cards with 1-inch double-ring paper clips.2. Our pouches recycle 2- to 3-inch-wide ribbon scraps. Align ribbons; we paired sheers with solids so the treats would be visible. Trim ends with pinking shears, and stitch together lengthwise. Cinch one end of pouch with narrow ribbon or yarn, slip in mints, gumdrops, or peppermint sticks; tie other end.

Everlasting Garland

 Steps to making Everlasting Garland

1. Measure the length of your mantel, and multiply by 1 1/4; cut ribbon to that length.
2. Using a ruler and a pencil, mark ribbon at regular intervals. (We marked the ribbon every 6 inches for the larger garland.)
3. To create swags, mark a second ribbon at regular intervals, with spaces at least an inch greater than that of the first ribbon; leave several extra inches on ends. Make creases on second ribbon wherever marked.
4. Apply hot glue to top of first crease, and attach it to the first ribbon where marked, holding crease at a 45-degree angle across width of first ribbon; hold in place just until glue sets. Repeat. (For additional swags, repeat step 4 with more ribbon, and use hot glue to attach swags at creases.)
5. Trim ribbon ends at an angle.

Paper Evergreens

Step 1 For large Christmas trees, use an adjustable circle cutter to make 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-inch-diameter circles from green card stock (for small trees, omit the 6-inch circle).

Step 2 Fold each circle in half 4 times with a bone folder. While circles are folded, snip off the tip of each piece, forming a very small hole in center.

Step 3 Place smallest circle on the pointed end of a wooden skewer (we used 12-inch skewers), letting the tip poke through the hole in circle. With a hot-glue gun, dab underside of circle, where paper and skewer meet. Hold for 10 seconds to secure.

Step 4 Working 1 at a time from smallest circle to largest, slide remaining circles onto skewer; secure with glue.

Step 5 Insert bottom of skewer into a spool; remove, and cut skewer to desired height (we cut ours to 6, 9, and 10 inches), keeping in mind that only spool should be visible beneath standing tree. Return skewer to spool; secure with glue. Add a dot of glue to top of skewer, and attach a gold bead.

Have fun crafting!

via Martha Stewart

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Gift wrapping ideas for Christmas

Tis the season to be giving! We don't like wrapping our gifts in the conventional way. We like it unique and different to switch it up for this year's Christmas! Here we provide you some great ideas for this year's Christmas gift wrapping.

 

Recycle holiday cards as labels for presents. With a pencil, kids can draw (or stencil) the recipient's initial onto a card, and cut it out. Punch a hole in the letter, and tie to gift with yarn or ribbon.

 

Gift tags are all the sweeter when they happen to be crisp cookies. To make them, cut gingerbread dough into shapes or letters, punch with a small hole for threading with cord, and bake. The cookies can be eaten while the unwrapping takes place, or hung on a tree as ornaments.

Who doesn't love tinsel? Here's another way to use it: Twist wired tinsel into six-pointed stars. Cut three pieces of tinsel, two of equal length and one a little longer. Twist equal pieces together at centers, and wrap third piece onto the two twisted pieces, forming a star. Bend end of longer piece into a hook, and attach the star from the ribbon on a gift. Or hang as an ornament on a tree.

via Martha Stewart

A Red and White Christmas Day!

Christmas would be very classy if you do it with just the colors red and white. Look at these pictures of clean and well decorated rooms that can inspire you to do the same. Enjoy!

Wreath DIY for Christmas!

If you haven't yet decorated for Christmas, we have found some very chic DIY ideas that you can work with right away! Follow the steps and you will end up with a gorgeous wreath that no one else has at home. I think these wreaths look even better than store bought ones! Happy wreathing!

Present Wreath

Unwrap a new wreath idea this year. Cover small containers, such as old jewelry boxes, with weatherproof paper, which will hold up outdoors, unlike wrapping paper; seal with all-weather tape. Add decorative bands in contrasting colors, if desired, and tie with ribbon. Attach to a flat wooden wreath form (ours is 18 inches) using a hot-glue gun. Affix a satin bow.

Paper-Doily Wreath

 A delicate-looking wreath that creates the magical effect of candles flickering in the snow is easy to make and surprisingly sturdy.

Step 1 Working on a covered surface, lay a 24-inch wreath form inside a 30-inch one. Attach them with 24-gauge wire at 6 to 8 evenly spaced points.

Step 2 In a ventilated area, coat combined wreath form with white spray paint. Let dry.

Step 3 Wrap wreath form with a 20-foot strand of white holiday lights (test lights beforehand), leaving the plug end unwrapped (as much as is needed to plug in).

Step 4 With scissors, widen the center-hole slits slightly in paper bouquet holders (we used 10 8.8-inch ones, 20 6.4-inch ones, 20 4.8-inch ones, and 50 3.2-inch ones). Poke a finger through center hole of each bouquet holder (from front to back) to create openings large enough to accommodate a lightbulb.

Step 5 Beginning with largest ones, place bouquet holders evenly around wreath, slipping a light through each hole so that bulb bases, not bulbs, rest against paper. (From time to time, hang wreath, and step back to ensure that the arrangement is balanced and attractive.)

Step 6 Add remaining bouquet holders in descending size order. Use smallest bouquet holders to cover centers of larger ones and to fill in any gaps. Hang near an outlet. Unplug when unattended.

Ribbon-Poinsettia Wreath

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Satin ribbon provides a wide range of shades with which to form these beautiful facsimiles. Their hardiness makes them a delightful choice for a fine (and everlasting) indoor wreath.

Step 1 Cut three lengths of wide satin ribbon diagonally to form equal-sided diamonds. Pinch each diamond at the center, and pin to hold it. Hold all three together, staggering them to form the six-leafed blossom, then fix together by looping 26-gauge wire twisted at the back; using wire cutters, remove excess wire at the twist. Cut the stems from four store-bought stamens and attach them to the front of blossom with craft glue.

Step 2 Use green ribbon, about half as wide as the first, for the decorative leaves. Cut two lengths about three times as long as they are wide. With the back side up, fold half the ribbon over so it forms an L shape. Fold the other half of the L over the first so it covers the previous fold. Cinch the bottom of the resulting house shape and hold it with a pin.

Step 3 Shave the edges off of a 19-inch Styrofoam wreath form to give it a rounded profile. Wrap the form with satin ribbon, securing the loose ends with straight pins. Affix ribbon poinsettias and leaves to the wreath with large straight pins (which will be hidden within the folds) held firm with subtly applied hot glue.

via Martha Stewart

For the holidays

Christmas is just around the corner! We have provided you with some great ideas for decorating for the holidays, stylishly. Enjoy!

Wooden Stocking forms are the new, stylish way to sport your Christmas stockings.

 

Brighten a room with colorful bulbs. Even unplugged lights shine when gathered in a glass apothecary jar. For a container that truly glistens, top it off with a dusting of artificial snow.

 

Arrange branches in a vase for an easy, elegant tabletop "tree." This one is adorned with chandelier prisms and gold-painted walnuts.

 

Give cabinets a festive feel fast. We recommend dressing up kitchen cupboards with patterned wrapping paper (don't worry — it's a cinch to remove after the New Year). Just cut the paper to fit glass cabinet doors, as well as the back wall space between shelves, and use double-sided tape to affix.

Thanksgiving for the classroom!

1. Set the mood: add a fall feeling to your classroom by adding fall leaf arrangements to the teacher's desk, or hanging a fall border around the bulletin boards. Add some orange and brown throw rugs, and a Thanksgiving-themed welcome mat outside your classroom door. Set out some Thanksgiving picture books in the reading corner.
2. Review your Thanksgiving lesson plans. See if you can add in any hands-on, decorative activities to your lessons, such as making hand print turkeys or pilgrim hats. These can then be hung on the classroom bulletin board.
3. Use writing activities to help you decorate. Have the children write what they are thankful for on giant turkey feathers made from orange, yellow and brown construction paper. Then, place the feathers on the wall around a turkey body made from brown butcher paper. Alternately, have them write what they are thankful for on paper maple leaves, and string them together to form a garland. Hang the garland from the top of the white or chalkboard, or over a window.
4. Plan an art lesson. If you can't tie in craft activities to your lesson plans, try to find the time to squeeze in one craft activity just for fun, or make it into an art lesson. For example, a lesson on painting with watercolors can be a good opportunity to make fall leaves. Have the children paint watercolor paper in fall colors, letting the watercolors bleed into each other. Once the paper dries, have the children cut the paper into fall leaf shapes. Glue the leaves onto Thanksgiving place mats, or use them for the writing activity above.
5. Don't forget the outside of your room! Initiate a door-decorating contest with the other teachers. Have each class come up with a Thanksgiving theme for their doors, and then decorate the doors.
6. And...don't forget the desks! Tiny pumpkins can be used to make clever turkeys. Glue craft store feathers onto the pumpkins with a hot glue gun, and glue a construction paper turkey "head" to the stem. Use a permanent marker to write each student's name on the turkey and use them as name tags during the month of November. This can be a project for a parent volunteer or for the children if they are old enough to handle a hot glue gun.

via eHow.

Craft Time: Turkey Napkin Holder

Turkey Napkin Holder

Create cute napkin holders dressed up like your favorite Thanksgiving bird, the turkey! The colors and googly eyes will surely please the kids and other present day pilgrims.

Materials
5- by 7-inch Colorful poster board
Craft knife
Double sided tape
Glue stick
2 Goggly eyes (craft stores)
Red and yellow construction paper
Instructions
1) Cut head and feet shapes in the top and bottom edges of a 5- by 7-inch rectangle of colorful poster board, leaving a 2- by 7-inch center band.
2) Use a craft knife to cut 2 wings near the center of the band.
3) Curl the cardboard by wrapping the ends of the band around something round, such as a rolling pin. Remove the band, overlap the ends, and secure them with double-sided tape.
4) Use a glue stick to attach 2 googly eyes, a red paper wattle, and a yellow paper beak. To adorn each mini tom with fancy feathers, simply fold a colorful napkin accordion style and tuck it inside the ring.
via Disney FamilyFun

Six Last-Minute Place Card Ideas for Thanksgiving

If you have no idea what to do for dinner place cards, we have the simple and cute solution for you here. We found these ideas from At Home and thought we should share this with you!

 + Pine cones and acorns are in abundance at this time of year. Pair them with a note of gratitude – either handwritten or printed on card stock – for a thoughtful place card option.

 + Simple is often the most sophisticated. Crisp leaves get a glittery touch by writing your guest’s names in gold ink in these two very different tabletop looks. The high contrast of sculpting your own conifers against a brown leaf – like Kate Pruitt did for Design*Sponge– is fresh and contemporary.

+ Miniature pumpkins are a versatile option for festive Thanksgiving decorating. Use a harvest-hued marker to write guest names on chic miniature white pumpkins, they layer them at each setting with a pretty napkin and scatter a few leaves. Alternatively, guests can claim their spot at the table with personalized flags created from festive ribbon or card stock. Cut them to size, glue them to a toothpick and stick in a gourd or pumpkin.
+ The Pilgrim caps were done by painting little miniature terracotta flowerpots.

+ The warm, tone-on-tone approach of writing the name on a simple leaf is more suitable for a casual gathering with friends.

I really love the idea of painting little terracotta flowerpots and leaves as place cards for a Thanksgiving dinner. Which idea would you take?

8 Tips for Fall Decorating with Natural Flair

• Introduce hints of a new color to your existing palette. Combine autumn red or orange splashes with a neutral or contrasting base such as taupe, olive, or blue. Muted greens are fresh alternatives to bold warm colors. Throw pillows, table accessories, and accent rugs are high-impact, low-investment places to start.
• Find woodsy elements at your local farmers' market or your own backyard. Look for moss, grasses, and small branches. Fill interesting pots with any combination of them, or turn a bundle of twigs into a natural photo holder.
• Small but unexpected details go a long way at the dinner table. Tie a name card to leafy twigs to make great place holders for your guests. Dress up acorns by exchanging one for a large crafts-store pearl and tying them up with a velvet ribbon for a rustic, yet elegant, napkin holder.
• Celebrate the harvest season with casual country touches. Find natural artwork, twine, and rustic wooden accent pieces. Cozy blankets add autumn comfort to any space.
• Choose pieces that will stay timely through the holidays, or that can be updated in a snap, to save space and money. Pinecones, dried berries, and twigs stay up-to-date through the winter. After Thanksgiving, swap your moss and acorns for faux-snow and ornaments to give the same decor a new presence.
• Wreaths are classic and versatile, and can be made from almost any material. Experiment with wheat or leaves for fall, holly for Christmas, or pinecones and twigs for the whole holiday season. Try laying them flat to frame pumpkins, candles, or other centerpieces.
• Candles add warmth and light in any season. They work anywhere. Don't forget about mantels and windowsills. If you stick with neutral colors, embellishments and containers can be changed for the season.
• Make space for conversation. Adding -- or relocating -- seating around a fireplace creates a cozy new space for fall fellowship. No fireplace? Pull a couple of sitting chairs in a corner, add candles for ambiance, and keep a stack of books close at hand.

idea from here!

Some cute ideas we found for Thanksgiving

We found this cute turkey design cupcake from Cake Decorating Ideas. All you need to make this adorable concoction is a cupcake, chocolate frosting, and some candy corn (leftovers from Halloween maybe?).

 

Dark, rich pomegranates make the perfect addition to the Thanksgiving table. With a little gold paint, this fall fruit becomes a brilliant placeholder.

 via ApartmentTherapy.com

 

By simply cutting off the tops and hollowing them out, these colorful gourds are now festive vases and candy dishes.

via Craftzine.com

We hope you found these ideas as inspirational as we did! Now you can continue with your holiday dinner planning with more ideas in mind!

Five Thanksgiving Decorating Tips for Your Home's Interior

1. Display vegetables and mini pumpkins on a tray. Fill in any gaps with fall leaves, moss, raffia, or wheat. If orange clashes with your home's interior, use green apples and spray paint the mini-pumpkins your colors.

2. Tie ribbons and raffia around your candle bases and around your floral arrangements.

3. Set fall-color leaves under your decorations. Safety Tip: Keep leaves separated from melting candle wax.

4. Extend your flower arrangements with fall tree branches. Just one flower package makes a huge impact when you divide and spread it around.

5. Use copper, bronze, and gold spray paint to dress up plain gourds. Fill a glass or crystal bowl with the gourds, oranges, and nuts.

Did I already mention gorgeous red, golden leaves? Here's another way to add fall color: Place the leaves in your green potted-plants.

One beautiful way to kick off your holiday season: Wrap tiny gifts in gold foil; top off with brown and russet ribbons, and place the gifts on the dinner plate. Your table will look fabulous and your guests will love the thought.

Have fun prepping for Thanksgiving!

It is not too early for great Thanksgiving tips!

Create an exciting and welcoming home for your Thanksgiving festivities!

Five "Welcome to Our Home" Holiday Decorating Tips

1. Door wreaths welcome all to your home and set the stage for celebrating. Make a simple wreath to hang on your front door with Thanksgiving colors--brown, russet, olive green. Use tree branches from your garden; attach a few gourds, nuts, raffia, and ribbons.
2. Place a gorgeous mum by your front door. You can plant it later and get flowers next Thanksgiving to use inside. It just takes one bright spot near your front door to attract the eye of arriving guests.
3. Wrap your front door with gift wrap appropriate to Thanksgiving.
4. Make a "welcome to our home" banner. Add your ribbons, raffia, and fall leaves.
5. Group vines, pumpkins, and mums for display impact near the front entrance. Adjust the vines to add height and movement.

Fall Leaves make great interior and exterior decorations. Be sure to hose off any bugs!

Things You Can Do for Halloween

Pay a lot of attention to your lighting. Turn your lights very low, or even turn them off, using only candles to create a spooky Halloween glow. We carry candles that use LED flicker candles, meaning it is completely flame-less so you would not have to worry about fire hazards! 

Halloween Indoor Spooky Ghost and Witch Graveyard Scene LED Flicker Candles (Set of 2

Fill your home with spooky wisps of smoke and fog made from dry ice. You can even use a strobe light to create a spooky atmosphere with the smoke effect. 

Halloween In/Outdoor Flashing Mini Strobe light

Make a few ghastly head centerpieces for your buffet. Beware! With these ghouls looking over your food, there may be lots of leftovers!

Place shrunken apple heads in the least expected places such as on dining room or kitchen chairs, in your guests' coat pockets, or at the bottom of a snack bowl. Get busy now - these little babies take a couple of weeks to reach perfection.

Play spooky Halloween music inside and outside your house. We've had speakers outside our home for years, and the trick-or-treaters always love the scary sounds as they come up our driveway.

Welcome your guests with spooky jack-o-lanterns lining your walkway. Or instead, you could opt for cute smiling jack-o-lanterns like these!

Halloween Indoor Smiling Paper Pumpkins Hanging Lantern Decoration (Set of 3)

Create creepy spiders to scatter everywhere including your buffet table, chairs, ceilings and anyplace else your guests might be surprised.

Halloween Indoor Fuzzy PomPom Spiders Small Decoration (Set of 24)

Spread cobwebs in choice corners of your home and selectively place miniature spiders in each web.

Halloween In/Outdoor Scary Black Spider Web Hanging Decoration

Halloween In/Outdoor Spooky White Spiderweb with Ten Spiders Decoration

Make bat, witch or black cat silhouettes to hide in corners or on your windows.

Halloween In/Outdoor Window Cling or Hang Decoration- Spooky Ghosts

Halloween Indoor Window Cling or Hang Decorations- Cat and Bats

Visit our website now to get your house ready for trick-o-treaters! We ship within 24 hours and shipping & handling is all FREE. You don't have to put a dent in your wallet to enjoy decorating your house for the holidays :)