November 11, 2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1) From My Desktop
2) The Creative Workshop - Assess Your Rooms
3) Creative Decorating Ideas - Ideas for Christmas Decorating the Whole Family Will Enjoy
4) About “The Home Dec Lady"
5) Legal Stuff
From My Desktop
Hello to all you faithful readers and visitors,
Finally I am back. I know it's been a while, but now that I've taken some time away from this website and newsletter, I'm ready to move on again. I've already started updating my blog and I've added new pages. As I add them, I mention it in my blog so that you can see what new additions there are. If you'd like to be kept up to date on what's new at Home Decorating Room by Room, just click on the RSS button at the top left of my pages add my feed to your home page on Google, Yahoo, etc.
I hope you have a great upcoming holiday season. My decorating tips this month concern Christmas decorating. I realize I am a little early, but I'm afraid if I wait until next month, you won't have time to plan on doing some of the projects that may appeal to you.
Have a Great Thanksgiving.
Your Friendly Neighborhood (even if I am half way around the world!) Home Dec Lady,
Gloria
The Creative Workshop
Assess Your Rooms
When was the last time you really looked at your rooms with a critical eye? Try it now. Walk through your home and think of the first impressions you get. Are you happy with what you see? What do you really like about a room? What makes you unhappy or angry? What would you change if you could? What do you really want this room to convey? You have to know what you want before you can create it
Let's pick a room and try out this process. Assess your rooms to create your own personal style. Most people spend a large amount of time in the living room, so we'll use that one. Go into your living room and look at what you have. Ask Yourself these questions:
* Is it light or dark? * Is it open or cramped? * Is it comfortable? * Is this a place we love to spend time in?
If you are not happy with your answers it is time to change your decorating style to something that reflects your tastes and lifestyles.
Assess everything that is in the room
Look at every item in the room. Some you will want to keep, some you will throw out, and some you will replace. Your room should contain only things you love and that make you happy.
Is your sofa a cast-off from another family member and your coffee table purchased from a flea market because the price was right? Did you put thought into your window treatment or do you still have the venetian blinds you quickly put up the day you moved in so that you would have some privacy? If you are not happy with your room decorating style it's probably because you haven't put much thought or effort into designing and decorating it.
Don't use the excuse that you are not creative. We are all creative in our own way. Good or bad, You have created the room you are looking at. There are no rules or regulations you have to follow if you don't want to. There will be no decorating style police knocking at your door if you use the "wrong" colors. Who's to say your furniture pieces don't fit together because they are not all from the same decorating style period? If anyone asks you "What decorating style are you aiming for?" your answer could always be the all encompassing "This is the Eclectic decorating style."
Decorate with furnishings and colors that make you feel happy
If a room doesn't feel right is because you made a choice that was not right for your taste and lifestyle. Did you choose a color because you thought it was "safe"? Maybe you wanted to use forest green instead of a neutral gray but you were fearful of what the neighbors would think. Now you hate the gray and still want the beautiful green. Well guess what. Paint is cheap. Go ahead and repaint the room the way you want it. Even if other people don't like the color, it's your home. You live in it and you have to look at it every day. Why not use colors that make you smile and feel comforted?
Are you happy with "put up your feet" furnishings and decorating style. Then why feel you have to have a traditional decorating style because you live in a colonial style home? If you feel you are living in a showroom just so you can impress your boss and the neighbors, you will become very dissatisfied. Instead of your home being a haven of peace and harmony, you will always be unhappy there and it will affect your entire lifestyle.
So in the end the goal is to Be Yourself, Please Yourself, Trust Yourself, Enjoy Yourself
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Creative Decorating Ideas - Ideas for Christmas Decorating the Whole Family Will Enjoy
Inexpensive ideas for Christmas decorating is something everyone is looking for in these economic times. People have all different kinds of ideas about decorating their home for Christmas, but we would all love to have the chance to use what we have on hand to decorate our home for Christmas. Inside your home, Christmas decorations help to give your home that Christmas spirit that people crave during the holiday season.
It is an important part of your celebration and can help your home feel more inviting during the holidays. There are many different ways to decorate your home, but making your own Christmas decorations with your family can help make the time together more special and can give a great sense of pride and ownership. There are many different ideas that you can use to help with your interior Christmas decorating ideas.
You can make your home into a Christmas masterpiece with some simple interior Christmas decorations.
- One cute idea is to make a display of festive seasonal dolls or bears. You can add a small Christmas tree with little presents. This is a great way to get your children involved. It is important to let them choose the items so that you don't choose one of their security objects, because you don't want to have to take apart your display to rescue one of their favorites.
- If you have children in the home, go back to the traditional decorating of the christmas tree. String cranberries and popcorn for garland. Bake and decorate christmas cookies for ornaments. This is a great kitchen tree if you have room to display this. This tree can also be set up in the yard and our feathered friends will have a great Christmas treat also.
- Another idea to help give your home that Christmas spirit is to use Christmas ribbon to tie bows all over your home. You can put them anywhere you can tie them, from your stair rails to your curtains. This is a great time to buy a bow maker from your local craft store.
- Since you now have a bow maker, start a tradition of a bow making party with your family and neighbors. Invite everyone to bring ribbons, bells, small ornaments, etc. (along with food for later ) Have a few bow makiing books on hand along with several bow makers. Spend the afternoon making all types of bows for your Christmas presents. You'll have some great laughs, lots of fun, and the satisfaction of creating something useful and original.
- Hanging stockings throughout your home is a wonderful way to add that festive feel in your home. Fill them with fir, holly, stuffed animals, or wooden blocks wrapped as presents.
- If you are looking for an activity to do with your children, then you may want to consider taking a white table cloth and painting it with fabric paint. This is a great way to add your children's personality to your room. Just be sure that you explain that painting on the tablecloth is a one time thing.
- Decorate your houseplants with small ornaments to help make them more Christmasy. If you are out of Christmas ornaments, use your Christmas cookie cutters with a little ribbon. You can't go wrong. If it appeals to you, then you can use it.
- Setting Christmas books out on your table is a great decoration and you can gain knowledge. You can even create a game around the trivia that you find inside of the books.
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.
To find out why and how I am building a web business visit the Mysite/Myself page on my website. I am having fun and building a good income at the same time. If you would like to do the same, check out this page while you are visiting my online home
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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