From My Desktop

Every year as May rolls around I am reminded of customs I observed as a child that have fallen out of favor and are seldom followed today. I'm speaking of the Maypole Dance and May Baskets. Although I enjoyed the Maypole, it was the distribution of May Baskets that I really looked forward to.

We children would go into the woods and fields gathering may flowers, snowdrops, and other wildflowers, along with wintergreen leaves and red partridge berries to construct our baskets. Often times our "baskets" consisted of tin cans, canning jars, or any other container that could be pressed into service.

Once the baskets were constructed, we would stealthly approach our neighbor's home, leave the basket on the doorstep, ring the bell, and gleefully run and hide behind the nearest tree or bush. We would wait with baited breath to watch the recipient gasp with surprise at our gift. It was all great fun to us and through the custom of the May Basket we learned the joy of giving.

We were encouraged to bring these to the elderly and shut-ins. Well loved neighbors often received 5 or 6 of these offerings, and the ill were well remembered. Many times I saw the glimmer of tears as an elderly person was remembered by the neighborhood children.

So this month, even though May Day (May 1st) has gone by, it's still not too late to deliver a May Basket anonymously to an elderly or shut-in neighbor. Believe me, they'll know what it is and remember the joy and love brought by the custom of May Baskets.

Your friendly neighborhood (even if you are halfway around the world) Home Dec Lady,
Gloria

The Creative Workshop:
Develop Your Color Sense

This month we will try an exercise that may help you begin to think in color.

Choose a room you'd like to work with. Using a camera, a digital camera, or your cellphone, take pictures of various parts of your room. Get them developed or download them into your computer. If they are in your computer, print them out in grayscale (black and white). If you took pictures with a traditional camera, have them developed in black and white. This will enable you to see the values of the room. Do you see too many light spots in one area? Are there a lot of dark spaces clustered too closely together? Are you happy with the balance of values in your room?

If you have a scanner, scan these in your computer and if you have the know-how, do this exercise using your MS Paint program. If you are not a computer user, follow the directions below: From your pictures, trace only the outlines onto plain paper. You can do this by holding the pictures up on the window and tracing on the window, or you can use graphite paper available in craft or art supply stores. Make several copies of your tracings so you don't have to repeat this step. Using markers, colored pencil, paints or whatever medium you prefer, you are going to have fun coloring this room in whatever manner you prefer.

Color to your heart's content. Be wild and crazy or calm and neutral. Use colors you'd never think of using. No one is ever going to see these. You are doing this to feed your soul. You are looking for the real you. Are you really a neutral color person or does your heart yearn for bright reds and sunshine yellows? Go romantic, conservative, or bohemim.

If you only want to paint the walls, leave everything else the same color and just to the walls, carpeting, sofa or whatever other area you want to color differently. Bring your imagination to the forefront and have some real fun with this project. Do you really like the white walls or would a pale green or bright melon really make your room pop?

Use this exercise to discover your real color preferences. What color personality has been deeply buried deep within you for many years? What surprises have you discovered?

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The Creative Dozen:
A Sping Mix of Ideas and Inspiration

1. Some items are just too pretty to store out of sight. Buy a decorative towel rack and screw it to the back of your bedroom door or onto a an unused wall space. Add some S hooks you have a place to hang up your pretty beaded bags, chiffon scarves and other decorative accessories.

2. To add a charming seating area to your porch or patio, pick up some good inexpensive wooden chairs at a yard sale or thrift shop (they don/t have to match). Clean, dry and then sand them to a smooth finish. Spray paint them with a few coats of silver or chrome spray paint. For best results use 3 light coats rather than one heavy coat of paint. Add some colorful cushions and place them around a glass-topped chrome table with some chrome or silver accessories.

3. Fill an entire wall with an eclectic collection of mirrors. Vary the sizes and styles for maximun decorative effect. If you prefer a theme, paint all the frames in a color to blend or contrast with your walls and decorative scheme.

4. For an instant centerpiece or garden light for your porch or patio, fill a large metal or ceramic container with 2 inches of beach sand. Place 12-15 tealights on the sand and you have a beautiful lighted display (tealights become very hot and the sand prevents burning of the container surface). If you are outside, use citronella lights to discourage mosquitos.

5. Liquid soaps are available in gorgeous colors these days, but the containers are in no way beautiful. Decant those dish washing, hand cleaning, washing up liquids into clear glass bottles and create a display on a shelf or windowsill to reflect and diffuse the sunlight.

6. When was the last time you noticed your outlet and wall switch plates? It's the small details that add to a finished room. Could you add some beauty and interest to a room by the simple act of changing a switchplate to match the room decor?

7, An antique metal coatrack is a great accessory to place by the pool or patio. By the pool it is a great place to hang wet towels to dry. On the patio, use it by the barbecue to hang chef's hats and aprons along with barbecue tools.

8. A peg rail is a great storage option in the bathroom. Have a drawstring bag for each family member so that all their personal items can be stashed in their own bag rather than overflowing the shower shelves of left lying on the edge of the bath.

9. If you've ever had a moth problem, you know how much damage they can cause. Mothballs are obnoxious and not everyone can afford a cedar closet. If this is your problem, cut out small fabric squares with pinking shears. Fill them with cedar shavings, tie them with a pretty ribbon and hang them from the hangers your woolen clothes are on. These can also be filled with dried orange peel and whole cloves (another scent moths hate!)

10. This idea is for people who eat in the kitchen but hate looking at the mess created during meal prep. Hang a series of white roller blinds from the ceiling. This will allow you to pull them down to the countertop level when you are finished making the meal, hiding everything out of sight while you enjoy dinner. Dim the lights, light some candles, and the whole atmosphere of the room will change in an instant.

11. A sudden breeze can send you scrambling to catch a billowing tablecloth when eating al fresco. Attaching small weights to each corner of your cloth can save you this aggravation. Ready made weights are available in a wide range of styles at kitchen supply and home improvement stores.

12. If you are looking for an interesting night stand or end table, keep you eye out for small kitchen step ladders with 2 steps. Painted a crisp white, they will provide plenty of space of a cup of coffee, table lamp, an alarm clock or a house plant. The second step can be used for a book shelf or other storage.

Dare to Dream, Dare to Hope, Dare to Believe, Dare to Live!

About the Home Dec Lady:

If you enjoyed this newsletter, visit my website and learn to develop your creativity and create the home you dream of by using my **free** online home decorating workbook.

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All products recommended on this site have been actively researched and used by me. I only recommend products and services I use myself, and hope you find some new and interesting ideas for developing and using your God given talents and creativity.

Your feedback is always welcome and appreciated! Feel free to email me and let me know of your comments and suggestions now while your thoughts are fresh in your mind.

Please feel free to pass on this issue to friends and associates --just keep the entire message intact and unaltered.

Published Monthly “Creative Home Decorating" is a newsletter geared to the individual who dreams of creating the perfect home atmosphere of peace, harmony, comfort and relaxation.

Designed to help the frustrated decorator and creatively challenged, this ezine will inspire you to jump in and take a chance on your inborn talents. By doing this you will grow from the inside out.

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Gloria Daniels, Publisher
http://www.home-decorating-room-by-room.com