Lovely Living

LOVELY SHOPPING TIPS: Emergency Gifts

2009-11-10T18:12:00.000-08:00

Stirrings "Cocktail Connoisseur" Gift Set, perfect "emergency gift" for surprise holiday guests

If you have a teensy bit of room in your budget, I highly recommend purchasing a few small "emergency" gifts. Keep them on hand in case an extra person shows up at Christmas, or to fill in holes in your gift list on Christmas Eve when you are panicking.

Every year it seems like we have someone unexpected at Christmas - someone's boyfriend, girlfriend, or an elderly friend of the family. Rather than have them sit empty handed to watch us open gifts, we always try to make sure we have some things already wrapped to give away. We quickly sneak into the other room to write the person's name on the To part of the label, and "Santa" on the From part.

I also use my Emergency Gift supplies as hostess gifts when I travel or go to dinner parties.

If you end up not needing the gifts, you can store them in your gift closet for future emergencies. Or buy things you know you'll enjoy yourself - candles, soaps, cookies, etcetera.

I don't usually give books as emergency gifts because it's too hard to tailor a book to a person I don't know well. It's hard to come up with a reason to give a complete stranger a coffee table book on Alaskan sunsets, or the newest murder mystery - Maybe they've already bought it, or don't like mysteries. Maybe the subject of the book might offend them and I wouldn't know it.

Great emergency gifts include attractively wrapped chocolates (just hope the person isn't a diabetic); gift certificates to local restaurants, spas and movie theaters (for people who live nearby); blank writing journals; attractive soft gloves (perhaps from Target); candles; nicely scented soaps; gourmet jams; a scenic calendar. A nicely packaged bag of coffee or box of tea might be nice.

I always have a couple of moderately priced $6-$9 Christmas ornaments from Crate and Barrel or Pier 1 Imports wrapped and ready to go, too. If they don't get given away, I'll unwrap them and store them to enjoy on my own tree next year.

It could be a good idea to have a $15-$20 bottle of wine on hand too just in case.

LOVELY WINTER PROJECTS: Journaling

2009-11-10T10:06:00.000-08:00

Jane Austen blank writing journal, at Amazon

LOVELY WINTER PROJECTS: Journaling

I like to constantly do projects so that my life does not only focus around work and housekeeping, and not just around fun things like friends and family. I like to do some things just for myself, too. In summer it's difficult to drag myself in from the outdoors, so I do most of my projects during cold dark winter nights.

Enjoy writing? One possible project you might enjoy this winter is journaling.

Journaling can take many forms - diaries, letters, writing exercises, fan fiction, recording dreams, and travelogues.

It can serve many purposes, as well - spiritual discovery, memoir development, writing improvement, grief recovery, healing, catharsis, life planning, record of cooking experiments, creative stimulation, or confession.

Your journal can be in an old notebook, a beautiful hardbound leather blank book, a blank journal you've creatively decorated, or it can even be on Livejournal or Blogger.

Or just write using your word processor or the old fashioned way: a paper college ruled notebook.

I am very bad at remembering to journal every day. I tried techniques like keeping a hardbound journal next to the bed or in my purse. Neither worked, so now I've given myself permission to write only when I feel like it. I've found if I have a fun project to write about, I'm extremely more likely to actually write in one of my journals than if I just sit around waiting for inspiration.

If you don't want to record the banalities of your daily life, diary-style, try something more creative. For example:

Write a fake diary pretending to be a celebrity, then write about your fictional experiences on the set of a nonexistent movie.
Write an "Edward and Bella" Twilight fan fiction story, starring your teenage niece, and send it to her. She'll be embarrassed, maybe; but she also might get a kick out of it.
Develop a travelogue to somewhere you've never been (Use the Web for research to make it more accurate). Write a journal from the viewpoint of a time traveler, sharing your wild experiences as you visit different eras. You could write a journal as though you're an employee at a fancy hotel in Paris (even though you really aren't) making up stories about all the weird rich people that stay there overnight.
Write a pretend letter from one fictional character to another. Or from one historical figure to another. It's fun to mix and match people who couldn't actually have known each other: Have Neil Armstrong write to H.G. Wells, for example.
Write a diary from the perspective of Snow White's stepmother, or Cinderella's stepsister, if you like fairy tales.

The idea isn't to lie to or defraud your readers (if you choose to share your journal). Rather, it's to have a little fun and be creative. I never understand why people get so riled up over fake celebrity weblogs - they're obviously works of fiction and fan fiction. If you're writing a diary pretending to be Paris Hilton, you're not trying to trick anyone, you're essentially writing a series of fictional short stories in the first person perspective.

If you enjoy writing, make time for yourself to write in your journal as often as you feel like it. Treat that time as sacred, and make it known to family members how important it is to you to have that fifteen to twenty minutes to yourself uninterrupted. You might have to actually remove yourself from the house once a week to a coffee shop to get your writing time in, if you can arrange your absence.

Scribetime's Journal Writing Prompts

Women's Memoirs.com

Leisurely Tuesday Evening

2009-11-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

Cosmopolitan Cocktail Candy, at Amazon - Most of my friends like Cosmos, so this year I'll grab a few of these to use as stocking stuffers

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Check over your Thanksgiving grocery shopping list, if needed. I shop early for my canned goods, frozen items and baking supplies. This lets me avoid crowded, stressful stores in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. Except for when I need to go get fresh produce and dairy.

- When's the last time you defragged or backed up your computer?

- Is your anti-virus software up to date?

- If you enjoy incense or candles, when's the last time you burned some?

- Need to do any laundry? Pet bedding? Towels? Clothes for everybody to wear this week?

TODAY'S PROJECT: Do Something Relaxing and Fun With Your Family

What's something you really enjoy doing that you don't usually have time for during the workweek? If you manage to be home tonight with your family members (or roommates or friends), spend a few hours doing fun things with your family tonight.

Go to a movie (even if it means keeping the kids up a bit past bedtime on a schoolnight), watch silly or fluffy TV, settle into a comfy chair with a book, make Lego structures or bake cookies with your kids, scrapbook or knit, or take your dog on an extra long walk. If you enjoy shopping, this evening is a great chance to make huge inroads on your Christmas shopping list without the stress of crowded December malls.

I'm going to spend my time tonight home with my cousins, making a special manicotti meal with fried mozzarella sticks as an appetizer. I'll also attempt to bake Italian breadsticks from scratch today. I'm also baking muffins to send home with my cousin - his household of bachelor boys will probably really appreciate the goodie basket.

A New Week Begins

2009-11-09T16:27:00.000-08:00

What I'm drinking today: Twinings Blackcurrant Breeze Tea (available at Amazon.com)

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Is it time to get your snow tires put on your car? I have an appointment to do this tomorrow. I need to have snow tires on before winter because my grandparents live a snowy 3 hour drive away. Both fall ill regularly and need visitors.

- Make meal plans for the week; create grocery shopping list

- Need to wrap and label any Christmas gifts tonight?

TODAY'S PROJECT: Overall Cleaning

Tonight is my "stay at home and be cozy night." I want to make time for some baking, magazine reading, and TV watching for relaxation. But first, I'm doing a quick once-over on almost every room of the house. This way I can have fun going out to dinner on Wednesday and Friday this week and not worry about any housecleaning projects.

I'll be vacuuming, laundering and swapping out tablecloths in my dining room and breakfast nook, emptying trash cans, sanitizing toilets and bathroom sinks, sweeping the entryway and porch, mopping the kitchen and breakfast nook floor, and decluttering living rooms.

I feel like I spent all weekend cleaning and recleaning the kitchen, so it's fortunately one of the two rooms of the house I don't need to do something about (the recently-cleaned guest room being the other).

LOVELY BLOGS: The Well Appointed House

This blog belongs to an online home decor store. I expected it to be full of blog posts just merely enticing people to buy products from the store, but it's actually chock full of interior decoration knowledge. Recent posts have included info about the quatrefoil architectural element, celebrity inspired interiors, wedding registry gift suggestions, and some fashion related posts. I appreciate that there's actual ideas, tips and inspiration here besides just commercial messages.

http://wellappointedhouse.blogspot.com/

LOVELY TV: Food Network Challenge: Sesame Street Cakes

My nephews love looking at cake decorating books with me. Tonight we'll enjoy watching the Food Network "Sesame Street Cakes" challenge. I'll bake mini cupcakes with the boys so we won't get too hungry while watching the show! I'll also have toys on standby in case they get bored with the show halfway through.

Sesame Street Cakes, at Food Network

LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:

Escape Your Family for the Holidays (CNN)

Fig Jam and Goat Cheese Crostini (CHOW)

If It's Fall, it Must Be Time to Mulch (Toledo Blade)

Is Copper Right For Your Kitchen? (Mlive.com)

A Journey Through the Travel Channel (Slate)

Make Your Own Mozzarella (CHOW)

A Movable Feast: Moving Restaurant from Field to Field (Hemispheres)

Nigella Lawson's Winter Food Advice: Indulge Yourself, Darling (NPR)

Thanksgiving Appetizers (Food Network)

Three Perfect Days: New Orleans (Hemispheres)

10 Tricks to a Trouble-Free Thanksgiving (Real Simple)

Gearing Up For Holiday Guests

2009-11-08T12:44:00.000-08:00

Trader Joe's new Apple Cinnamon Bread and Muffin Mix. I'll use this to bake muffins for my guests next weekend

Are you ready to host holiday guests? Even if you don't have any plans to have family or friends visit, you might want to see if your guest room (or pull-out sofa) is ready for company. You never know who might drop in, or if someone will get stranded from weather-related problems. Or someone might need to stay the night after over-imbibing at your cocktail party).

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Look over the three remaining weeks of the month. Need to make any doctor, dentist or vet appointments? Need a haircut, dye touchup, trim or manicure? Who has a birthday coming up? Do you have a couple of quiet nights at home booked in and solidly enforced (meaning if someone calls to invite you somewhere on that night, you firmly say no, sorry that's my down time?)

- Anybody in your household need to schedule a haircut so they look nice for Thanksgiving? Are you taking holiday pictures? If you take them now, you avoid the crowds and rush, and you might be able to deliver them in person on Thanksgiving!

- Maintenance clean your refrigerator - choose either one shelf, one bin, or two door shelves. Remove all the food, inspect it for Best By date and freshness, toss out anything you won't eat. Wipe down, sanitize and dry the shelves, then replace food in an organized manner.

TODAY'S PROJECT: Guest Room (Again)

Today I'm thoroughly cleaning my guest room again. I cleaned it last week, but it's already been used. Time to freshen it up for the next set of guests!

Last week I removed all the furniture from the room, laundered the bedding so it wasn't dusty, vacuumed, dusted baseboards and closet doors, washed the windows and sill, and wiped down the lamps. I still need to launder the dusty curtains today.

Is there room in the closet for guests to hang their clothing? Right now I need to remove some toys that need to be sorted and make their way to the toybox I store in my garage.

I'm putting a L'Occitane "Winter ForesT" candle (and nearby matches) on top of the bookcase (high enough that visiting toddlers can't reach), and making sure there's up-to-date bottled water in the room for guests to drink. I have two lamps, an alarm clock, and a box of Kleenex within easy reach of the bed. Just like last year, I discovered that one of my pillows is not really in fresh unstained shape, so I will throw it out and replace it with a $15 pillow during my next Costco shopping trip this week. It's not too crucial of a purchase, though, since I keep a variety of four pillows on the bed for someone to choose between.

Have you ever slept overnight in your guest room so you know if the bed is comfy, the blankets adequate, the pillows restful, the lighting good for reading in bed, and the temperature in the room ideal?

Are you hiding clutter in your guest room that needs to be sorted, sold, given away, thrown away or stored elsewhere in your home? I recently stored my holiday dishes in a bin in my storage area in the garage, rather than under the guest bed.

Right before guests actually arrive (perhaps as soon as next weekend) I'll spritz the room with just a tiny bit of pumpkin-scented room spray, put fresh flowers in the room, and perhaps a small box of Godiva tea cookies on the nightstand.

LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:

Spiced Pumpkin and Bourbon Beignets (French Revolution Blog)

Lovely Holiday Shopping Tips: Food Gifts

2009-11-08T07:32:00.000-08:00

Ghiradelli Peppermint Hot Cocoa, at Amazon

LOVELY SHOPPING TIPS FOR TODAY: Food Gifts

Food is a popular gift to give for the holidays, especially during this year's recession. For people you don't know well, it can be an "easy out" in a gift-giving dilemma. You can get really creative when it comes to food gifts, or play it safe with universally loved foods like chocolate and cookies.

Careful thought should be put into food gifts, however. Pay special attention to allergies, diabetes, religious convictions, vegetarianism/veganism, caffeine or alcohol avoidance, and special diets. When in doubt, find out. Ask the person directly, or talk to their spouse or other close friends.

Food gifts can be as simple as a prettily wrapped box of tea, a box of chocolates, a fruit basket sent from a store, or a boxed set of little gourmet jams. (No fruitcakes please!) Or they can be more complicated, like a gift basket you create yourself and fill with various treats. You might bake homemade cookies to send as gifts, or a cake.

If you are going to purchase food at a store, be careful and thoughtful about your selections. At a dinner party one time, I asked my six guests to name the best food gift they'd ever gotten. Hardly anyone could remember a great food gift, but everyone had a story about horrible food they'd been given. It was generally agreed that Hickory Farms food is nasty, and poor quality chocolates from drugstores are to be avoided (Brachs, Whitman, etc).

If you can't afford to give quality chocolate, perhaps give something else instead, like a basket of apples, Trader Joes chocolate covered fruits, or a bag of gourmet cookies.

If you're buying food at a non-grocery store, think about how long the food has been on the shelf. How fresh are those cookies, breadsticks, bread dipping oils, or gourmet crackers?

Some things to keep in mind when giving food gifts are your recipient's allergies (nuts? wheat? dairy?), religious beliefs (Kosher foods, certain types of meats, etc) and preferences (don't give meat or anything with animal products in it to a vegetarian). Is the person diabetic? (Avoid sugar, bread, and potatoes). Is the person on a diet? Perhaps fattening foods like chocolates aren't the best gift for someone currently trying to lose weight. (Etiquette dictates that we never give low-calorie or diet foods to people trying to lose weight).

Wine and liquor gifts pose important considerations, as well - does the person drink? Are they an alcoholic, or do they live with one? Are they trying to cut down on their drinking (or calories)? Is alcohol against their religion? Are they underage? Do you know for sure if they enjoy alcohol or not?

Try not to send regional foods to someone living in the region that food comes from. I wouldn't send pineapples to someone living in Hawaii; nor would I send a gift box of Washington apples to my Washington relatives. But do utilize your own region's foods when creating or ordering gifts for people. I definitely would send Washington apples to my friend in New York.

If you're creating a gift basket with things that need to be baked, like scone mixes, muffin mixes, cookies or cakes, think about the person you are giving the basket to. Do they like to bake? Are they too busy? Will your gifts sit on the shelf for years? Are they a professional chef, so they probably know how to make their own scones without needing a box mix? Are they currently having budget problems, so they maybe can't afford the eggs and oil that your cornbread mix requires?

For upscale gourmet food gifts, I recommend Harry & David, Dean & Deluca, Williams-Sonoma, or Crate & Barrel.

If you're lucky enough to have a Trader Joe's in your neighborhood, you'll have an easy time finding interesting wines, inexpensive quality chocolate, great cookies and crackers, and other nice things to make gift baskets with.

Food gift ideas:

* - Pick up an inexpensive basket at a crafts store, line it with a pretty placemat or linen cloth, and fill it with fresh oranges (or avocados, which are an expensive generous gift). I also like the idea of bringing a large basket of lemons or limes as a hostess gift if you go to a dinner party. It will look lovely in the hostess's kitchen, and will come in handy if she's serving alcoholic mixed drinks.

* - Make a "tea party" basket, with several attractively packaged varieties of tea. Give the tea bag kind, unless you plan on including a tea strainer, in which case you can give loose leaf teas. Include a few pretty packages of cookies and crackers, and honey sticks if you can find them. If you can afford it, Godiva Chocolates sells really pretty tea biscuits in their stores, and wonderful hot chocolate mixes. If your recipient likes to cook, include scone mix. You can also include lemon curd, sold in gourmet grocery stores, Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table, and places like Cost Plus Imports. I wouldn't include a teapot or "tea for one" or teacup, since most people already have plenty of those cluttering up their cupboards.

* - Select interesting olive oils, olives, balsamic vinaigrettes, and include crackers to dip into them. (If you can give the gift in person, include a loaf of fresh baked bread). However, I don't recommend the kind of oil that comes in a decorative container with vegetables inside it. You typically find these for really cheap at bed-and-bath stores, or Ross, Marshall's and Tuesday Morning discount stores. Bed-and-bath stores are not grocery stores and should not be in the habit of selling food. These oils are old and gross and I feel they generally make a tacky gift.

* - If you have someone on your gift list who adores hot chocolate, give them a hot chocolate sampler basket. Fill it with a tempting variety of brands. Throw in a raspberry flavored hot chocolate, and see if you can find a white chocolate mix as well just for fun. Again, I'd skip giving them a mug to go with this gift, as everybody already owns plenty of mugs.

* - Are you a good cook? Bake cookies, pies, cakes, breads or other treats. If it's for someone in the same town, make cheesecakes or other perishables.

* - Create a "winter picnic" basket. If you don't want to spend the money on a wicker picnic basket, or suspect your recipient already owns one, just pack everything up in an inexpensive basket from Michael's. Include small bottles of white wine or champagne; hot chocolate mix; gourmet crackers; a jar of olives; cookies; soup mix; interesting pasta and jar of sauce. Cost Plus World Market, if you have one near you, has a wonderful section of little tiny picnic food items.

* - Fruit baskets (I recommend Harry & David's) are an excellent choice for a boss, co-worker or client. They're inoffensive, fresh, healthy and not fattening.

* - For people living in the same town as you, consider a fresh produce basket. Really this is only a good idea for people who actually cook at home; people who eat many meals out might not get to eat the produce you picked out so carefully before it rots. This is an especially good gift for the elderly or people with a new baby who can't get out to the store easily. Go to your local organic produce store (such as Whole Foods) or a gourmet market. Stock a large basket with wintertime treats including artichokes, hothouse tomatoes, fresh garlic cloves, avocados, fresh basil, fresh mint, baby carrots and red potatoes. Arrange them attractively in the basket so it doesn't just look like you threw a bunch of vegetables in a box. You'll be dropping this gift off in person, so shop for it the night before or the day you'll give it to them. If you're seeing them on Christmas, this won't work since grocery stores are closed; but this might be something nice you could drop off early some afternoon during the holiday week.

* - Send cookies from Eleni's. They're fabulously decorated and come in an attractive box or tin as well. Be sure to order early for timely delivery.

* - Avoid foods that might be thought of as weird. Unless you know the person specifically likes sushi, I wouldn't send them a bento box full of nori and sushi making supplies (obviously you wouldn't arrange to have raw fish shipped to their house anyways) and those Japanese candies make great gifts but taste really different from other candies consumed in America, so I wouldn't send them to just anybody. Skip the strange pickled items in jars, too!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

The Lovely Living Christmas Holiday Gift Philosophy

2009-11-07T15:48:00.000-08:00

Cranberry Mold, at Williams-Sonoma - a great under $20 gift for the hostess in your life.

THE LOVELY LIVING GIFTING PHILOSOPHY:

* - Usefulness - I like to give useful gifts, practical things my recipient will use often, or use all up and get rid of.

(However, I want to give amusing or interesting useful gifts, not boring things, so no socks, unless they are decorated humorously in an inside joke I share with the recipient).

I don't like to give things that will clutter up someone's house or that they'll feel obligated to keep around. No knick-knacks; no souvenirs; nothing plastic if I can help it. Nothing that will sit around contributing to their house's clutter. Nothing that their grandchildren will have to sell off in a yard sale 40 years from now.

I give food, teas, coffees, candles, perfumes, cosmetics, blankets/throws, good quality attractive gloves, liquors, and chocolates. Books that can be read and given away, calendars, stationery that can get used up, DVDs that can be watched and shared. I don't give dishes (might not match their tastes or existing dishes), mugs with clever sayings on them (cute, but too cluttery), or household decor (might not be to their liking).

* - Restraint - Every child on my shopping list has an abundance of relatives giving them gifts this and every holiday. They're truly lucky. Instead of lavishing tons of gifts on my niece and nephews, I've been careful every year to just give them ONE toy and ONE book. It increases the risk of me striking out by getting a gift they maybe aren't excited about, and I'm often tempted to just throw in one or two little gifts to be sure I hit something they like. I don't give them clothes as they are old enough to pick out their own, and their parents buy them enough lovely thinsg to wear anyway. Instead of blowing lots of dollars on each child, I'll spend just a little, and donate more to charity instead.

I'm also giving just one gift to each adult relative, since we all are blessed with comfort and more than enough material goods. We all struggle with clutter and what to do with things we no longer use; I don't want to add to that. (I haven't had much luck talking my family into a No Gifts for Adults policy!)

Because I'm generous with them in other ways (or at least I try to be), my relatives will know that I'm not *cheap* for giving them just one gift. Because I try to be thoughtful with my purchase, and because I invest so much time in picking out gorgeous wrapping paper and ribbons to adorn the packages with, they are generally delighted with the gift or at least with the spirit in which it was given.

* - Personal Taste - Is your potential gift something that not everybody might enjoy? Are you trying to select a perfume or candle fragrance for someone? What if you're buying Amber Musk and your recipient actually can't stand the scent of musk and has to smile and pretend to spare your feelings? Are you buying big chunky heavy bracelets for someone who normally doesn't wear jewelry or wears delicate small unshowy pieces? Buying chai tea for someone who doesn't like cinnamon or ginger? Buying Earl Grey tea or coffee for someone who prefers not to drink caffeine?

Spend some time thinking and maybe asking your friend/relative questions before buying scented items or jewelry or other gifts that depend on personal taste.

* - Thoughtfulness - Some gifts unintentionally insult the recipient or hurt their feelings. My brother, meaning well, gave me anti-acne face wash for Christmas once. It was an expensive salon line, and very useful, but it reminded me of my ongoing battle with my skin, and let me know that other people definitely noticed my bad skin. It was hard to not cry when I opened it, though I knew he was just trying to help. (My skin eventually cleared up, with or without the face wash, whew).

Tread carefully when giving gifts related to the body. Self-help books, diet related items, and hygiene items can be very touchy. Just because someone mentioned to you in confidence that they are on a diet, doesn't mean they want to recieve a diet tips book for Christmas, nor a bag of sugar free cookies.

* - Well Researched - Are you buying a theme gift for someone? Do they still like that animal, sport, celebrity, food/wine, or decor style that you think and assume they like? 30 years ago my grandmother mentioned she liked chickens. Every year since then she gets chicken-themed gifts from relatives who would otherwise sweat and wrack their brains trying to figure out what to get her. She gets chicken dishes, vases, egg cups, rooster potholders, chicken towels, calendars, framed artwork, and more figurines than she has room to display. Does she actually like chickens still, or has she had enough but is too polite to tell us?

Similarly, because I happen to own two cats, family members feel the need to gift me with cat-decorated umbrellas, cat kitchen towels, cat mugs, and cat calendars. And (not to sound ungrateful for kind gifts generously bestowed on me) two years ago I mentioned on accident that I liked peacocks. Now you can guess what sort of kitchen linens, Christmas ornaments, calendars and dishes I've been gifted with. They're lovely, but I'm wondering where I will put all this stuff in five years if this keeps up!

My best friend's husband really, really enjoys wine and learning about wine. I see him enjoy wine and forward wine-related links every week, so I'm pretty sure he still likes it. But I can't possibly know enough to give him a bottle of wine he hasn't seen before, and I shouldn't get him a wine-themed calendar just because he enjoys drinking wine. Nor does he need any more wine bottle charms, wine bottle gift bags, wine stoppers, corkscrews, wine glasses, or books on learning to appreciate wine. I have to tread gently if I am going to approach giving him any wine-related gift. I should be more creative and think of something else along a different theme to try to give him.

Make sure your recipient still likes and enjoys what you think they like and enjoy.

* - Appropriateness - I don't buy Bratz dolls for anyone's children. Besides the fact I personally don't like them, they are a touchy subject with many parents. (Something about their bratty attitudes, scanty clothing and pouty little faces).

I also check carefully before buying Barbies for a little girl - her mom might not care for the message Barbie is sometimes thought to send. I check before sending certain types of books and movies to my very Christian sister-in-law's children, respecting her religious beliefs. And I would never dream of sending a Christmas or Santa themed book, movie, or CD to my Jewish friends' little son.

Also, check carefully on the age of the child you are giving a particular toy to. Is it too babyish for them? Does it have too many small pieces for a young toddler? Are you giving a stuffed animal to a child over the age of five? It might be too babyish, plus they probably already have dozens of stuffed animals by this point in their life.

Is the movie you are giving inappropriate or too scary for a child that young? Is your 12 year old niece really allowed to wear makeup yet, or should you ask permission of her parents before giving her that lipstick palette?

Are you giving a craft set to a child, and if so, are their parents too tired at the end of the day to help them do the craft? Is the toy huge (difficult to store), noisy or will it create a mess in the home? Does it require a ton of assembly work, so the child's parents may have a difficult task of making time to put it together?

Is the item faddish? Avoid fads, especially fads from last year. Just because your niece or nephew loves Harry Potter books, doesn't mean they need Harry Potter Tshirts (Probably can't wear them to school as they're out of style now), Harry Potter school supplies (Again out of style, and the school supply purchase time is in August not December) or Harry Potter calendars (A risky gift since probably everybody who knows the child will get them Harry Potter stuff out of desperation).

Right now many teenage girls are obsessed with the "Twilight" series of books. The second movie is about to come out. If you have a 13-17 year old niece or cousin who you know is into this series, you may well be tempted to get her something "Twilight" themed. Think it through though, and maybe check with her parents. Is she allowed to read the vampire series? Is it ok if she wears a vampire tshirt to school? You shouldn't get her the book, because she probably already has it. You could get her a Twilight calendar - but maybe all her other relatives are thinking the same thing. Try to be a little more creative. The soundtrack? A tshirt based on graphics from the film? A reference guide to the world of Twilight? Something that isn't Twilight related at all, in case 15 other relatives all give her Twilight stuff?

And lastly on appropriateness, are you giving chocolate or candy to a diabetic? Tinned meat to a vegetarian? Pork to a Muslim or Jewish person? Alcohol to a minor or a pregnant woman? Make sure your gift fits in with your recipient's lifestyle and choices.

* - Giving Joy, or Taking It Away? - If you are blessed with a large Christmas shopping budget, and you rush out and buy the latest greatest trendies $150 or $200 toy for your nephew, are you taking away the joy his own parents would have had in giving him such a fantastic, huge, expensive gift? If you don't check with them first, they may have already gotten him the same gift, and they'll have to lug it to the store after Christmas to return one of them.

And if the child's parents can't afford that expensive showy gift, are your family dynamics such that they'll just be happy their son got the gift, or will they be sad (or resentful) that they weren't the ones able to provide it for their child? If your niece loves American Girl, and you rush out and buy her ALL the books in the new line and the newest doll, what's left for her own mother or grandmother to gift her with? If your sister has a special American Girl collecting hobby with her daughter, are you taking away some of your sister's joy and special hobby, by jumping in and claiming part of the fun of the hobby for yourself? I try to think about these things and make my own special hobby with my niece (We are into Little House on the Prairie and soon moving to Little Women).

* The Gift of Your Time * - Consider giving your time instead of a material gift. Knit, sew, make, bake or craft something for someone. Or present them with a home printed "coupon" that you intend to honor if they give it back to you. Offer a Friday evening babysitting their children (if you have a personal relationship with their kids), offer to mow their lawn two times next summer, offer to come over and make dinner sometime and clean up afterwards, or other nice things you can do for a friend or family member (that doesn't involve massages! hehe).

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Friday Night Christmas Shopping and Research

2009-11-06T15:22:00.000-08:00

Stash Tea's "Merry Mint", at Amazon

Tonight I'm looking forward to going out to dinner and a movie with friends. I'll also be working on my Christmas shopping. I'm already about 45% done!

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Do a quick clutter removal from your mail table, stairs, and living room.

- Need to throw out any vases of flowers, and buy new ones for the weekend?

- If you make charitable donations during the holiday season, spend some time with your significant other discussing your charitable giving plan for this year. Figure out how much you want to give, and to which charitable organization. This year many food banks have drop boxes in locations including grocery stores, malls, tire shops, liquor stores, and other retail businesses.

- If you've been using your fireplace lately, take 5 quick minutes to brush it out. Check your supply of firewood and Duraflames; add to shopping list if needed.

- Empty the smaller wastebaskets in your house (Your kitchen trashcan is probably the responsibility of the man of the house). Do all the bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms and office spaces. While you're in the bathrooms emptying wastebaskets, take a moment to see if the toilet paper roll needs replacing. It's amazing how easy it is to freshen and tidy up your house by doing this one little three minute chore.

- Have you had your carpets cleaned in the last six months? If not, make an appointment to have your carpets cleaned, or rent a steamer from your local grocery, hardware or Home Depot. I don't really like to clean my carpets right before the rainy, snowy, muddy season, but I also don't like to invite guests over when I have filthy carpets! Every time I have my carpet cleaned I realize how affordable it is. I have a relatively small cozy house, and lots of wood floors. My three bedrooms, two living rooms and small hallway can be cleaned professionally for around $130.

- Veteran's Day is Wednesday November 11. Take note, the post office and banks will be closed. Do your errands ahead of time. Don't forget to call or write any veterans you know in your circle of family and friends.

- Fill up your car with gas before the weekend, if needed

TODAY'S PROJECT: Holiday Shopping and Research

My Christmas shopping is always done by December 1st, every year, without fail. (I sound like I'm bragging, and I am indeed proud, but mostly I'm just stating a fact about my life!).

I start early in October and work seriously at finishing in November. Also, throughout the year I buy small gifts here and there as I come across them. I shop quickly on all three weekends of November before Black Friday. I don't have to wake up early the morning after a busy Thanksgiving, and trudge out in the dark and cold to find bargains, because I'm already done. Instead, I sleep in leisurely, then get up and make a big teapot of hot black tea, and start working on cleaning up the kitchen. Then it's movies all afternoon in front of the gas fireplace!

Then in December when my friends are running around frantically in the cold, rain and snow, fighting for parking, jostling through crowded stores, and listening to other people's kids scream, I'm home. I'm home in front of my fireplace, watching a movie, sipping cocoa (or something stronger!) and watching the rain or snow out the window. Safe and snug, with my gifts wrapped and ready to go. Aah.

Part of the reason my shopping is done so quickly is I research everything beforehand. I look around online as much as possible before going into a store. And whenever I happen to be in a store to buy something else, I look around very quickly to get ideas, see what things cost, and plan.

Later tonight, I suggest we:

- "Run" around like crazy on the Internet looking at shopping sites and doing research before you shop. See what's out there, what it costs, and look at a large variety of things to help you get gift ideas. Definitely make a paper list and write things down. You can either order things online or go into the stores in person in the upcoming weeks, but you'll be making better choices because of your research.

Also, you probably have relatives you need to mail gifts to because they live far away. Might as well order them online and let the stores do the shipping for you. (Except I think Amazon's wrapping paper is ugly, so I'll have them ship me the gifts unwrapped so I can wrap them myself, then ship them back out. It doubles the shipping cost to do it this way, but I want my carefully chosen gifts to arrive looking fabulous).

Go to websites for stores you already regularly shop at; don't waste your time just typing "christmas shopping" in Google. You'll just get back horrible, ad-filled pages by spam marketers and totally horrid products shoved in your face. Most stores have easy-to-figure-out domain names, Target is Target.com, Nordstrom is Nordstrom.com, etc.

Don't forget eBay, Half.com and Amazon for your shopping! Amazon in particular has lots of housewares and gift items besides books and DVDs. And Half.com has amazing bargains on books, music, videogames and DVDs - often brand new shrinkwrapped ones.

Tonight I'm visiting Target, Costco, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Sephora, Williams Sonoma, and Sur La Table's websites. I'm disappointed in the Pier 1 and Cost Plus Market websites. I can't necessarily afford to give my relatives presents from Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel, but it will probably give me some ideas.

Make a gift list and budget. (My personal gifting philosophy follows in the next post. It may or may not work for you or your lifestyle; it may or may not interest you. But it's there in case you want to look).

Make a plan in advance. Set aside a weekday evening to do holiday shopping (or go tonight!). Shop during the weekend too - take advantage of the relatively uncrowded malls while you still can. The biggest shopping day of the year, November 28, is only 21 days away. After that, malls will become very uncomfortably crowded and chaotic.

During weekday evenings and lunch hours, you can knock off a lot of your shopping list in places most people don't think to do early Christmas shopping. Great places to shop in the evening include bookstores, video stores, Target and Walmart, Sears/JcPenney, and grocery stores. They stay open late and generally have plenty of free parking. You can also shop late at drugstores like Long's, Rite-Aid, Walgreens, CVS and Bartell's, but I generally think of these as panicky last-minute shopping solutions, not somewhere you go when you have plenty of time to plan ahead.

If you have kids, leave them at home with their other parent, or trade babysitting nights with a relative or another mom.

Wrap your gifts (and tag them) when you get home; or if you're too tired, at least be sure to label them with a Post it Note and mark the gift off your shopping list. You can always wrap them during a TV show you were going to watch anyway.

Did you keep track last year, in a journal perhaps, of which person you gave each gift to? I keep records of this every year, so I catch mistakes like trying to give my grandmother a flower calendar every year for Christmas four years in a row. Oops. I also have notes I jot down a couple hours after the actual gift-opening event whenever possible - I've made a note that my eight year old nephew really doesn't like books all that much, but his younger brother is never, ever tired of Thomas the Train.

This year, while we're experiencing a deep recession, I'm budgeting extremely carefully and trying to spend as little money as possible. I'm baking treats as part of my gifts, and if I were good at any crafts whatsoever, I'd be making crafts for people. (Sadly, I can't knit, sew, draw, or make cute felt toys.)

I'm consciously trying to give useful gifts this year, things people might actually need. Gloves, socks, cosmetics, bath products, food gifts and liquor. Things that might have worn out or been eaten up and thus be appreciated.

I'll spend more time carefully wrapping gifts in a lovely, fabulous manner, to make up for the fact they're more boring gifts than I'd usually be giving. I already own tons of beautiful elegant wrapping paper and fanciful ribbons, so no need to go to the store for any more of those.

Thursday in Autumn

2009-11-05T14:54:00.000-08:00

Autumn Apple candle, from Bath & Body Works. Currently burning in my kitchen.

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Time to turn over and rotate our mattresses! It's a good idea to do this twice a year - usually corresponding with the time change. It helps keep the mattress wear even. While I'm turning and flipping the mattress, I will vacuum both sides of it, move the bed and vacuum under it too. This task takes less than ten minutes.

- Need to run a load of mid-week laundry so it doesn't all pile up for you this weekend? I've already run mine, and I'm saving my folding for my 4pm snack break.

TODAY'S PROJECT: Dressing Down and Decluttering

Today I'm cleaning off all sorts of surfaces in my house. Dressers, bookcases, wall shelves, end tables, nightstands, and the tops of bookcases. I'll also take a minute to wipe down kitchen and bathroom counters, which seem to need this service on an almost daily basis.

I am doing this project today because my bedroom dresser and hope chest are so ridiculously cluttered. They shouldn't have anything on them besides the TV, cable box, the stack of four books I'm reading right now, and perhaps one or two knickknacks at the most. Maybe a scarf to dress them up, and a candle and vase of flowers. Something attractive and not too cluttery.

Instead, my dresser is overflowing with books, DVD cases, video game CDs for my laptop, my camera cable, a battery charger for something I don't even own anymore, personal letters (which I have a perfectly good storage system in place for), a couple journals and diaries I'm not writing in anymore and should archive, a jewelry box full of clutter I don't look at or use, photographs I should put away in storage, and some stationery I'm obviously not using up very fast.

My bookcases also have cluttery knicknacks on them, instead of one or two well-chosen ones. And my nightstand is suddenly overflowing with hair clips, pens, post it notes, and discarded drink glasses.

Time to declutter, sort, put things away, dust thoroughly, and edit which items I have sitting on top of bookcases and surfaces. I'd like to just have a scarf (or other fabric decoration) on top of a bookcase. On end tables, I like to have a couple coasters for drinks, a candle and a framed family photo or two.

This project will make my house cleaner (less dusty), more organized, less cluttery, and more relaxing.

LOVELY BLOGS: Bakerella

This baking blog was started after the author took an introductory cake decorating class. She shares her creation "Cake Pops" and shows how to make cupcake bites, cake balls, chocolates, cheesecake, cookies, breakfast items, and other sweets. Lots of dessert inspirations here!

http://www.bakerella.com/

LOVELY WEBSITES: Girl Games 4 Free

I'm a mature grown adult woman who just spent way too much time playing little Flash games on this website. I didn't notice much advertising spam or popups, and didn't have to relinquish an email address to play the games. There are Hello Kitty games, dollhouse games, restaurant and cake decorating games, fashion and dress up games, and lots of other fun things to fiddle with here.

http://www.girlgames4free.com/

LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:

Creative Desserts From Leftover Halloween Candy (Better Homes & Gardens)

Mid-Week in Early November

2009-11-04T08:18:00.000-08:00

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Stay informed. Have you watched your local evening news lately? Read a newspaper (whether the paper version or online) and watched a national news program lately?

- Take a quick peek in your cupboard (unless you remember everything from last month when we took inventory). Are you doing ok on soups, hot cereals, hot teas, hot cocoa, spiced apple cider mix?

- Maintenance cleaning: Pick a floor, whether it be bathroom, kitchen or wherever, and mop it if needed.

TODAY'S PROJECT: Family room

I cleaned my upstairs living room yesterday, so tonight is the downstairs Family Room. (If you have only one living room, you have the night off! Lucky you!)

I need to move all the furniture and vacuum under it. I can't move my television (and the heavy table it stands on) by myself, so I'll try to do my best vacuuming under them with the vacuum attachments.

The TV has to be dusted, throws laundered, curtains Febrezed, end tables and bookcases dusted. There's a vase of dead flowers that needs to be removed, and I'll put away my Halloween coasters and replace them with burgundy beaded ones. I'll dust the few picture frames and knicknacks I have on my end table and mantel.

The fireplace mantel is cluttered with empty candleholders and used matches from the candles we burn, and I need to scrape some spilled wax off of the bricks. Fun!

The sliding glass door needs to have fingerprints washed off of it (plus paw and nose prints from the cats). Pillows need to be fluffed, and couches vacuumed.

I use a tray in place of a coffee table. It needs to be dusted thoroughly. I also have some clutter I need to remove, throw away or find a new home for.

I'll finish by spritzing the room with L'Occitane home spray.

A Surprisingly Warm Day

2009-11-03T15:13:00.000-08:00

A mini bread bowl made out of a sourdough roll, with vegetarian chili inside

I'm throwing a small party tonight for a few friends - they're coming over for a simple meal of chili in bread bowls, and to watch the premiere of "V". It's hard to believe, but I am standing coatless in my backyard in the sunshine, picking fresh mint out of my garden!

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Do you need to light a fire under someone in your family to rake leaves? I'll be raking leaves tomorrow. There is just a loose covering of them on the lawn, but I don't want it to get worse (or wet or muddier) before I start dealing with it.

- If you plan to have a holiday party for friends/co-workers, it's time to start looking at dates. Announce your party as soon as possible. With only five Fridays and four Saturdays in the month of December, people's social schedules can fill up quite quickly.

- Speaking of looking ahead at the holidays, do you have your Thanksgiving travel plans set, or have you invited people to your home yet?

TODAY'S PROJECT: Sorting

Since I'm throwing a party tonight, I'll be busy cooking and cleaning so I can't do a major maintenance cleaning project today. Instead, before I go to bed I'll do some sorting.

Pick two drawers to sort tonight, whether they be kitchen drawers, nightstands, home office, bedroom, bathroom or "junk drawers." I'm sorting two drawers of miscellaneous hair clips, perfumes, razors, hair bands, lipsticks, curling irons, and deodorants from my bathroom cabinet.

Throw away as much as possible from whatever drawers you are sorting. Add nice items to your Yard Sale storage box; add usable nice things to your Give to Charity box. Then as you put what's left (useful or beautiful) back into the drawers, and replace it in an organized fashion. Try to declutter as much as possible.

I'm lucky all my drawers, though wood, are easy to remove and light enough to take with me, so I can sort in front of the TV - it really helps me bribe myself to get it done!

LOVELY BLOGS: Feeding My Enthusiasms

I never can resist nice food blogs with good pictures and clear recipes. This one is currently drooling over Costco pumpkin pies, sharing a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Fairy Cakes, and showing off chocolate-dipped late season strawberries.

http://feedingmyenthusiasms.blogspot.com/

Early November Monday

2009-11-02T06:57:00.000-08:00

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Quickly tidy up before you leave the house (or if you are a stay-at-home mom) so you start the work week off fresh: Put dishes in dishwasher (or take them out and put them away), wipe kitchen counters, vacuum the most trafficked room in your house. You might think you don't have 2 minutes to vacuum before you leave, but I challenge you to try it!

- Make menu plans for the week.

- Did you do your refrigerator maintenance cleaning over the weekend? One shelf, one drawer or two door shelves.

- When you get home tonight, Shine and freshen bathroom sinks and mirrors, empty wastebaskets in bathrooms and replace toilet paper if needed. Remove any soiled looking bathroom towels or rugs to the laundry room if needed and replace with clean ones.

- Take vitamins and drink some fruit juice or eat fresh fruit (I am enjoying an apple right now!)

- Laundry finished over the weekend? I'm doing a load with a comforter, washcloths and hand towels we used this weekend.

- Light candles tonight. I know so many people who own cupboards full of candles but yet forget to ever light and enjoy them.

TODAY'S PROJECT: Living Room

Tonight I'm doing a thorough cleaning on our upstairs living room. It got a bit messy during my last dinner party (people tracked in wet leaves from outdoors, dropped candy wrappers, ate food and left crumbs, and set wineglasses down here and there).

This is the most light-filled room in the house so it's my favorite. I use this room in the mornings sometime to sort mail, pay bills, and do big work projects where I need to spread out. In the afternoons I watch Oprah up here when I'm taking a break from my work, simultaneously doing cleaning projects or reading magazines.

In the evenings, it's often used when I'm entertaining. When guests are over, I spread appetizers and drinks on the coffee table, light a fire, and welcome them into this room while they wait for dinner to be served. Or I watch TV up here if someone else in my house is watching something different on the downstairs TV.

Because I do entertain so often, I need this room to always be in fabulous shape. (I will admit freely to rushing upstairs sometimes before a cocktail party to hide the coffee table's pile of papers, mail and magazines I was working on earlier that day).

There's some things I struggle with (my overloaded bookshelves, and a hard-to-reach ceiling with spiderwebs and candle soot). But keeping the room maintained constantly in a clean manner makes it a lot easier to go through and do a full cleaning today.

I'll clean out the fireplace, and scrub my glass fireplace doors. All the better to show off the warm dancing flames of the next fire I light! The living room windows need to be washed and have the tape from the Halloween lights removed. This should take less than fifteen minutes. I can watch Oprah while I do this, or listen to music. I'm in the mood for some Puppini Sisters.

I have a fireplace mantel and three windowsills to dust, plus two huge bookshelves and all the room's baseboards to dust. I'll move the couch, coffee table, mail table and end tables and vacuum under them. The upholstery on my couch and two chairs needs to be vacuumed. The curtains were laundered during Spring Cleaning, so I may just Febreze them and leave them alone.

The two lamps in the room need to be dusted, and I have some wax to dig out of a candleholder so I can wash it and replace it on the mantel with a fresh Cinnamon Orange candle to burn later tonight.

For a finishing touch, I'll put a bowl of apples on the coffee table. I'll fluff the pillows and be ready to settle in with hot cocoa (perhaps with a bit of rum in it) to catch up on my Tivo'ed cooking shows tonight!

LOVELY BLOGS: A New York Girl

This blog by a girl who recently moved to New York got my attention because of her helpful tips she shares. Her "how to save money" and "effortless style" type posts are really useful, without being condescending or bossy.

I skip over her fashion inspiration posts with pics of celebrities because I'm not all that interested in fashion. But some of you might enjoy reading those. I'll bypass them in order to see more of Hayley's ideas on "How to Transition to Fall" and the posts she shares about what her life is like and what she's struggling with as well as her successes.

http://aconnecticutgirl.blogspot.com/

First Day of November

2009-11-01T08:02:00.000-08:00

Two incredibly large Gala apples from Top Foods grocery store. I'm slicing them and serving them with honeyed peanut butter for an after-school snack for my hungry college student

Now it's November. How the year flies by! Thanksgiving is 26 days away, and Christmas is 55 days away. Think about things you might want to get done this month regarding these upcoming holidays.

Last month we thoroughly cleaned and organized our kitchens. This month it's time to reap the rewards of our hard work. Time for parties, gatherings, holidays, visitors, and impromptu game nights.

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Did you set your clock back an hour last night? Need to check your other clocks, phones, computers, car clocks, etcetera to make sure they are displaying the correct time?

- Pay rent/mortgage and bills.

- Look over your calendar for upcoming birthdays during November. Mail cards, send gifts, or send flowers to anybody on your list for this week.

- Make doctor, dentist, salon, groomer and vet appointments for yourself, pets and family members for the upcoming month.

- Are you attending any plays, musicals, concerts or symphonies this winter? Buy tickets now if you haven't yet.

- Remove any Halloween decorations, keeping up Thanksgiving and fall themed ones (unless you're the type of person who enjoys having Halloween decor out for months!) Store them safely away in a well-marked box. Leave anything that still looks autumn-related: my pumpkins are staying out and so is my orange tablecloth. Keep burning your Halloween candles, they're a great fall color. Plus, if we don't burn them up, we can't go shopping for new Christmas candles!

TODAY'S PROJECT: Dining Room

Let's get our dining rooms ready for the upcoming holiday entertaining season! Whether or not you are throwing Thanksgiving at your own home, you'll want a clean, organized, enjoyable dining room to eat dinner in. You might throw impromptu cocktail parties, or have friends over for a soup-and-salad meal. Maybe you'll do late-night or rainy-day crafts, spread out on your table.

I'm washing my dining room windows (taking especial care to get rid of the tape I used to hang up Halloween lights). I checked over my velvet curtains and they don't need laundering, fortunately.

I'll sponge off and vacuum my upholstered chairs - it takes about 1 minute per chair. I'll dust the table, windowsills, and baseboards. I'm going to dust the wood slats on each chair, then dust the outside of the curio cabinet that sits in my dining room. It also needs its glass windows wiped down inside and out.

Don't forget your light fixture or chandelier - mine is dusty and needs some lightbulbs replaced.

The last part of my project is thoroughly mopping the hardwood floors, using an almond-scented wood floor cleaner. When I'm done, I'll put a clean dark orange and brown harvest-themed tablecloth on the table. For table decor, I'll arrange a mini pumpkin, two candles and a vase of burgundy mums on top of it. I want it pretty, but simple and not cluttery.

I'll finish by spraying a pumpkin chai scented room spray around the room. For lunch tomorrow, I'll eat my soup-and-sandwich lunch on a fresh, clean, restful dining table.

LOVELY BLOGS: Tartelette

This is a gorgeous baking blog with amazing food photography. Currently she's blogging about apple cardamom cake, chai coffee cake, macarons, and taffy crabapples.

http://www.mytartelette.com/

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T14:26:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone has a fun festive time tonight!

Almost Halloween

2009-10-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

Chocolate covered sunflower seeds, from Trader Joe's. I keep them on my coffee table this time of year

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Need to rake leaves on your lawn yet (or better yet, have a kid do it?)

- Dust your bedroom really quickly, if needed. I don't know about you, but my bedroom gets dusty so quickly. I have to dust one bookcase, two night tables, a wooden jewelry box and the "hope chest" my television sits on.

- Fill up with gas for the weekend; visit an ATM for cash if needed.

- Have you looked through your city's local events/arts newspaper lately? It can give you really good ideas for fun things to do - upcoming concerts, plays, restaurants to try, etc. Today during my lunch break I'm going to read my copies of "Seattle Metropolitan" and "Seattle Magazine" for a little catching up on what's going on in my city.

- Take inventory of pet food, and do a collar inspection. Are your pet's collars fraying? dirty? Still reflective (for pets who go outdoors)

TODAY'S PROJECT: Halloween Preparation

If you're throwing a party, you might have a lot of things to do today.

If you're a mom, you might need to finish shopping or help your kids get their costumes ready.

Need to buy candy to give to trick-or-treaters, if you are staying home? Do you have music and movies ready to enjoy tomorrow night, if you aren't going out to a party?

Need to give yourself a manicure before tomorrow? I'm painting my nails black, grey or blue to go with my Sally costume.

I'm going to a party tomorrow, and trying to cook up something fabulous and Halloween-y to bring as my contribution. Tonight I'll make sure my "Sally" costume (from Nightmare Before Christmas) fits, and I'll probably practice the makeup I'll wear on Halloween. I won't do any cleaning projects today or tomorrow, so I expect to be a bit busy on Sunday.

LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:

Fun Halloween Foods, at Food Network

Halloween Recipes Links, at Dark Side of the Net

Illuminate the Dining Table (Eye on Design)

Is the Candy Witch Coming to Your House? (Newsweek)

Mid-Week in Late October

2009-10-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

Pomegranate for my Autumn fruit bowl, 99 cents

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Kitchen floor need sweeping or mopping? Counters clean?

- Tidy bathrooms - refresh toilet paper rolls, empty trash cans if needed, wipe down mirrors, sinks and counters, change out hand towels and rugs as needed, for clean ones

- How is everybody in your house doing for fresh, clean pajamas to wear tonight?

- Do you have a fall wreath on your front door? If you own an autumn-themed or Halloween doormat, have you swapped it out so it's on your doorstep?

TODAY'S PROJECT: Guest Room Tidying

I normally embark on a huge guest room cleaning project in November, before relatives start visiting for the holidays. This year, I have guests who are arriving in time for Halloween weekend. So today I'm cleaning and tidying the guest room.

I've removed everything except the big furniture from the room. I'm washing the bedding (a set of teal sheets and blankets from IKEA), vacuuming the room, dusting the baseboards, dusting the lamp, and sorting the junk in the closet. I sorted this closet last year, but I've already filled it up again, argh. I want my guests to be able to hang their coats up when they visit!

In about an hour I should have a nice tidy dust-free guest room, bed made up, a throw on the end of the bed, pillows plumped and ready to go, lamp sitting next to the bed, and a desk tray nearby with a clock and water glass.

I'm putting a lavender candle (and nearby matches) on top of the bookcase, and making sure there's bottled water in the room for guests to drink. I have two lamps, an alarm clock, and a box of Kleenex within easy reach of the bed.

Right before guests actually arrive on Friday, I'll spritz the room with pomegranate cassis room spray, put fresh flowers in the room, and perhaps a small basket of Satsuma oranges.

Have you ever slept overnight in your guest room so you know if the bed is comfy, the blankets adequate, and the temperature in the room ideal?

LOVELY WEBSITES: Just Bento

I was messing around making sushi last night and enjoyed peeking at this very useful resource site. It's a great place to learn about making the perfect sushi rice, and getting tips on creative bento boxes. But there's also beautifully photographed food, plus the occasional post on gorgeous kyaraben bento boxes. I probably spent about an hour on this site last night learning things.

Just Bento.com

Last Monday in October

2009-10-26T10:30:00.000-07:00

The L'Occitane "Golden Branch" candle I'm burning in my bedroom today

Daylight Saving Time is on November 1st this year. Before you go to bed after your Halloween festivities, turn your clocks back one hour.

Daylight Saving Time

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Plan menus for the week and write your grocery list

- Need to buy Halloween candy to give out to trick-or-treaters on Saturday?

- Finish up your Halloween costume or your children's costumes, if needed

- Book travel for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas if you haven't already

- Need to catch up on laundry you didn't finish over the weekend?

TODAY'S PROJECT: Fire Safety

I take fire safety very seriously. I have been in a hotel that was on fire before. Though it was a small fire and I was in no real danger, it's made me extra cautious. I burn a lot of candles, and use my fireplace often, so I have to consciously think every day about minimizing fire risk.

Safety experts always suggest that we test our smoke alarm batteries twice a year, when we change our clocks. They say we should replace them once a year, during the fall clock change. Clock changing time is coming up this weekend. Let's get our safety related errands done now so we can focus on a fun festive Halloween.

Replace your batteries in your smoke detectors (whether they need it or not. Put batteries on your shopping list if you use up your stash during our safety exercise this week.

Empty and clean your dryer lint trap and clean behind the dryer and around the hose if you can. Inspect the hose for wear, and see if you need to have a professional come out to clean the hose. (Chimney sweep companies often offer this as a service they provide as well).

Vacuum or dust all the smoke detectors in your house while you're at it. Is your smoke detector more than seven years old? Pitch it out and get a new one. You can pick one up at RiteAid, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Target, Home Depot, Lowe's, and even at some grocery stores.

While you're shopping, do you have a carbon monoxide detector?

See if you need to replace your existing fire extinguishers. If you don't have any, now is the time to think about getting one for your kitchen, bedroom hallway, garage, and for each vehicle.

Do you have a flashlight with working batteries next to your bed? Test it tonight in the dark. Can you reach it and turn it on quickly from a lying down position? Is it bright enough?

Do you keep a flashlight in your car? If so, have you tested it in the last week to see if it works?

Spend some time tonight with your family, especially if you have small children, discussing what to do in event of a fire. Practice your fire escape route.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors, at Wikipedia

Fire Safety, at Wikipedia

Fire Safety.gov

LOVELY LIVING: The Week Ahead

Last week was "All About Us" week, where we pampered ourselves, selfishly did things for ourselves only, neglected big housecleaning projects, read books, did crafts, got manicures, and took long baths.

Now it's time to do a few chores, have a fun Halloween, then get back to work. With November comes removal of Halloween decorations, sprucing up of autumn decor, early Christmas shopping, Thanksgiving planning, and getting the guest room ready for houseguests. Time to start thinking about others again!

LOVELY BLOGS: Paris Parfait

This is Tara Bradford's blog on her travels and her life in Paris. It's full of amazing photography, sure to transport you away to enjoyable places during each browsing session.

http://www.tarabradford.com/

LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:

Extraordinary Cakes Made Simple (Today Show)

No Einstein In Your Crib? Get a Refund (NY Times)

Trick Out Your House With Treats (Epicurious)

To Cut Global Warming, Swedes Study Their Plates (NY Times)

Did You Participate in "Time for Us" Week?

2009-10-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

My Autumn walk in Redmond, Washington

This week instead of doing major housecleaning projects, I enjoyed time for myself, doing things I enjoyed.

I still had to do my job every day, prepare dinner for my household, run the dishwasher, start a load of laundry here or there, and do just enough maintenance cleaning projects that my house wouldn't fall into the apocalypse.

But I gave myself room and time to do things I enjoy. On Wednesday I laid around watching movies and reading magazines. I went shopping and out to dinner with my best friend on Thursday, and to dinner and a movie on Friday. On Saturday I enjoyed a birthday party, then went out for drinks with new friends. Sunday I went for an autumn walk, I spent a few hours experimenting in the kitchen, goofing around with makeup and nail polish, and reading books.

I feel majorly refreshed and destressed, and now I'm ready to handle the stress and excitement of getting ready for the holiday season. Relaxed like this, I can look forward to the houseguests who will arrive, the meals I'll cook, the parties I'll throw, and the celebrations I'll share with family.

If you participated in "Time for Us Week", what activities did you do? What did you make a priority for yourself this week?

Last Day of "Me" Time

2009-10-23T07:49:00.000-07:00

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Tidy up real quickly for the weekend. Wipe down counters and mirrors, empty trashcans, remove magazines and clutter from the living room. Empty off the dining table and breakfast nook table if need be. Remove items piled on stairs to be taken upstairs; hang up coats, put away umbrellas and shoes.

- Fill up with gas for the weekend if needed; visit an ATM to get cash if you need some.

- Throw out dead flowers; replace with fresh new ones to enjoy

- Take quick inventory for your shopping list if you intend to go shopping this weekend. Shampoos/bath stuff? Cleaning supplies? Groceries? Lightbulbs? Batteries? Fresh flowers? Laundry detergent? Toilet paper/paper towels? Cold medicine? Christmas shopping?

- Make weekend socialization plans if you haven't already

TODAY'S PROJECT: "Me"

It sounds selfish, but I'm only going to do what I want to do today after work is over. Other than brief tidying for the weekend, not a speck of cleaning. Laundry can wait for tomorrow. Vacuuming can happen tomorrow.

Tonight, I'm going out to dinner and a movie with friends. Beforehand, I'm trying to fit in a little enjoyable shopping before dinnertime. I'm headed to Macy's looking for a dress to wear to my father's 65th birthday party.

Another Day of Pampering

2009-10-21T08:15:00.000-07:00

Today I'll tidy up the bathrooms and vacuum the living room, empty the dishwasher, then that's it for tonight. Plenty of time to clean in the upcoming festive holiday months.

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Need to tidy bathrooms?

- Have everything you need from the grocery store? Milk, butter, eggs, bread, lettuce, tomatoes?

- Thanksgiving is a little over a month away. Do you know where you're going, if you're hosting, if you're traveling? Need to make any plans? If you're traveling or going to someone else's house, do you have a hostess gift?

TODAY'S PROJECT: One More Day of Fun

After I'm done working today, I am going to lie around in bed with tea, magazines and a couple books I'm eager to finish reading. I have a pileup of Donna Hay, Rachael Ray and Oprah magazines, plus two or three Gourmets and Bon Appetits I want to scour for interesting recipes to cut out.

Tomorrow I will go to Target to begin my Christmas shopping.
Every year I try to have all my Christmas shopping (and the bulk of the wrapping) done by December 1st. Because I spread my shopping out over several months, beginning in August, I have more "fun money" left in December.

By that point, I haven't spent all my December budget on gifts, so I can still afford to go out to dinner, buy myself a holiday party dress, and treat myself to the occasional book, magazine, candle, or new lipstick.

And every year when many of my friends and family members are braving snow, wind, cold, rain, and crowds at the mall on December 20ish, I'm sitting in my cozy home, with a cup of rum-infused hot cocoa in front of my fireplace, watching TV and reading books and relaxing; all the while staring at the lovely wrapped pile of presents ready to be given out to my loved ones. (Yes, I'm smug!)

More Time For Ourselves

2009-10-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

I treated myself to a set of these Mathilda coasters from Crate & Barrel

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Need to run the vacuum really quickly through a couple rooms?

- Any trash cans need emptying?

- Dishwasher need to be filled, or emptied?

- Need to clean pet food bowls and water dispensers?

TODAY'S PROJECT: Treat Yourself

Do something nice for yourself today. It doesn't have to involve spending money, but it does have to involve spending time on yourself. If you do have a little room in your budget, splurge on a hot drink at Starbucks, a fall candle at Pier 1, a new shower gel at Bath & Body Works, or perhaps a potted plant at Trader Joe's? Maybe you'd like to buy a new paperback at your local bookstore, or spend just $6 on a couple new magazines to peruse.

No room in the budget? Make your partner take care of the kids this evening (if you have any). Treat yourself to a goofy TV show today, or spend the hour you would have spent housecleaning, reading a book or doing crafts instead. Take a long bath, give yourself a manicure or pedicure, scrub and moisturize your skin. Go through old photos, if that's fun, or get out old children's books to enjoy for yourself. Write in your journal or diary, or work on a short story or poem you've been creating. Paint, or do something else creative that you enjoy doing. Write a letter to someone, go through old letters people have sent you, or try on some goofy makeup and hair styles.

Make someone else cook dinner, whether that be your partner, one of the kids, the microwave, or a takeout restaurant or fast food place. You'll have plenty of time to cook for your family and friends in the upcoming busy holiday season.

LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:

Pumpkin Chocolate Cake (Whole Foods)

"Time For Us" Week

2009-10-19T06:22:00.000-07:00

Lush "Jack-o" Bath Bomb

For the last few weeks we've been working to clean and organize our homes for our families and to welcome guests. Now it's time to turn inward, to pamper ourselves and enrich our lives.

Be a little selfish. Make time for yourself. Demand it, you deserve it! Make your children's father spend time with them while you get a manicure - or drop them off at a grandparents' or friend's house for a few hours. Encourage your boyfriend to go out with the guys, so you can go out with the girls or just have a few quiet hours at home alone. Read that book you've been dying to finish; lazily leaf through magazines drooling at the pretty pictures; take an extra long bath. Linger just a bit longer over your morning hot beverage of choice.

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- With long winter nights ahead of us, consider joining an online book club or book reading group.

- Make yourself a manicure, pedicure or hair appointment for this week, or just go get a walk-in service. (Or whatever would make you feel pampered!) If your budget is tight, just make room in your schedule to give yourself a manicure or pedicure.

- See if you can make plans to have lunch with a friend this week; or go to a movie some evening. Tight budget? Rewatch an old favorite DVD or find something intriguing on cable.

- Make a list of fun things you'd enjoy doing this week. Definitely take your budget into consideration, but spoil yourself a bit if you can.

TODAY'S PROJECT: Pampering

Whatever pampering means to you, see if you can treat yourself to some tonight. Get hubby to give you a massage maybe. Take a long, hot bath with lemon icewater to sip and a book or magazine. Watch a TV show that isn't very good for your brain but is deliciously fun to watch. (I recommend Eastwick on Wednesday nights!) Go out to dinner, or grab fast food (something I don't normally do) for a one-time treat. Think just about yourself, doing the bare minimum you can do tonight to keep your house in order and your family happy and fed. Remember that a happy wife and mom makes for a happy household.

Curio Cabinets

2009-10-18T05:46:00.000-07:00

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Finalize Halloween costumes, put up decorations, finish party plans

- Spot-cleaning kitchen and bathroom floors or just using a few cleaning wipes on them will make them shine and make your weekend cleanup go faster.

- Done with the weekend's laundry? It's folded and put away? Bed linens changed?

- Is there room in your coat closet for actual coats? See if you need to declutter, get rid of unused coats, or move a vacuum to a different closet.

- Use your fragrance oil infuser, burn a candle, or spray your favorite home fragrance

TODAY'S PROJECT: Curio Cabinets

I own two curio cabinets, both full of dishes and keepsakes. Today I'm sorting them both out and dusting. I'm removing everything, including the glass shelves, and washing all the dishes. I have to wash them by hand as they're antiques or fragile fancy martini glasses, so they don't go near a dishwasher, ever.

I can't move the curio cabinets by myself to vacuum under them, but I will give them a good dusting. I'll see if there's anything I can get rid of, as each cabinet is looking cluttered. But unfortunately I think everything in these cabinets is something I either use frequently for entertaining, or keepsakes I'm too sentimental about (like my great-aunt's handmade decorated eggshells).

In the living room cabinet I have martini glasses, wine glasses, a china figurine of a witch I've had since I was a little girl, eggshells my aunt decorated, three or four amethyst glass vases, pink depression glass dessert dishes, a wacky art glass bowl I use to serve M&Ms or peanuts, and a few other miscellaneous pieces of glassware. Almost all need to be washed as dusting alone won't help them. The glass shelves will be washed too, as well as the glass in the doors.

I expect the project to take around an hour per cabinet, which gives me plenty of time to finish up laundry, make dinner and clean up after it before Desperate Housewives comes on!

Life's Celebrations

2009-10-17T19:51:00.000-07:00

I'm going out of town to celebrate a cousin's 40th birthday party. He only lives a three hour drive away. While I'm there, I'll visit another old friend and meet up with a lady from one of my communities for a quick coffee.

It will be a busy trip, and I will have fun. Still, it will be so nice to come home to my clean, orderly home that's decorated cozily for autumn.

Remember, as you set out your homey fall decorations and give your home a personal decorating touch over the weekend, that our homes do not need to look like the latest Pottery Barn catalog.

Pottery Barn has $75 an hour stylists to help them decorate, an army of housecleaners, brand new furniture and plenty of accessories to work with, and talented photographers to make their tablescapes and rooms look exquisite.

They don't have children tramping through the house with muddy shoes, pets running through their home vomiting and depositing hair everywhere, and they don't have people living in their showhouses generating clutter and mess.

Your home will look gorgeous once you are done giving it your personal touch, so don't put yourself under pressure to make it look like a fantasy out of a magazine. The reality is we read books in our living rooms and leave one or two lying on a coffee table next to our box of Kleenex and a cup of coffee. Reality is you asked your child to tidy up the playroom and they did, but there's still a puzzle box sticking out from under a table and they forgot to vacuum the carpet. Reality is you just finished cleaning the kitchen five minutes ago, and someone's already deposited a plate on the counter, and left a half-sliced apple - plus the knife they cut it with - on the cutting board. It's ok.

Our lives shouldn't focus around cleaning our homes. Instead, our clean homes should enhance our lives. Our homes should be lived in and enjoyed, not kept like pristine museums or waiting for Architectural Digest to visit.

Fall Fragrance on Friday

2009-10-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, I sorted out my candles and room sprays, putting away summery scents and getting out autumn ones. Now I'm moving on to my perfumes, home fragrance oils, incense and bath products.

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

- Need to visit an ATM for cash, go to the video rental store, or fill your car with gas for the weekend?

- Tidy up real fast so your home is nice to come home to. Empty trash, empty or fill dishwasher, wipe down kitchen counters, declutter stairs and entryway, vacuum as needed. Whisk through bathrooms refolding towels, changing toilet paper rolls if needed, and tidying.

- Does your microwave need cleaning? Mine does, despite thoroughly cleaning it during our kitchen preparations last week.

- Sort through and read, then recycle any catalogs which have shown up this month. I got a Crate and Barrel, CB2, L'Occitane, Pottery Barn, Sur la Table and Baker's Catalogue. Still anxiously waiting for a new Williams-Sonoma to arrive, and I wouldn't mind if West Elm sent me something.

- Perhaps tonight before it gets dark, you might like to take your children (if any) on a nature discovery walk. Look for fall leaves, pinecones and acorns. Let the children bring a few home to arrange on their dresser or in a windowsill.

- Make weekend restaurant reservations or social plans.

- Tidy up your mail table. Recycle junk mail, read and recycle catalogs, pay bills, and respond to letters.

TODAY'S PROJECT: Fragrance Sorting

(If you don't ever wear fragrance or use scented products, instead sort out your unscented soaps, bath products, etc.)

Sort out your perfume counter/drawer/box etc, preferably in a room with an open window. Sniff every perfume, but only try on those you really are unsure about ever wearing again. (Wash off before family members come home so they don't get overpowered).

Unless your perfume is totally old and gross, you probably won't want to throw away something you know you won't wear. If it's unopened, you can re-gift it. Just be sure you know for sure who gave it to you - give the perfume to someone they don't know so you won't get caught!. Or set it aside in a special box and have a Perfume Trading party after Christmas. Invite close girlfriends and trade new or barely-used perfumes you got as gifts (again, be sure none of the perfumes you are trying to trade away were given to you by anybody on your guest list).

For perfume you are keeping, put away or store your spring and summer perfumes (The citrusy and flowery ones). Dust off and clean your fall/winter perfumes, then arrange them attractively on a counter or dresser. To avoid clutter, only display four or five of your perfumes. Store the rest in an easy to find place. Sometimes I rotate which perfumes I keep out so I don't forget to wear favorites.

If you're a letter writer, think about choosing a perfume to spritz gently on your outgoing letters - but only if you are sending them to people who aren't fragrance sensitive.

Now normally when I sort things out and throw them away, I let myself get a new replacement or two, but in the case of perfume I am going to avoid it. I usually get given two or three perfumes over the holidays as gifts. I won't need to buy perfume for years to come.

Let's all be aware of perfume etiquette: Don't wear any if you are spending time with someone with asthma or allergies; don't wear any if you are riding on an airplane (your seatmate may find it oppressive), and put very very little perfume on at all ever. We should be dabbing, not spraying, for the most part. There's never a reason to spray more than once directly on our clothes, hair or bodies. Less is more! I've also read that you shouldn't ever wear perfume to a wine tasting, as it can affect the taste of wines for some people. I had no idea.

Sort out your room sprays and home fragrances, tossing out any your spouse, boyfriend, kids or roommates don't like. Get out any mulling spices or the kind you boil on the stove to scent your house, and actually use one of them up today. Pay special attention to your potpourri - if it's old and dried and doesn't look nice, toss it. If it doesn't smell strong, use your potpourri recharge oil or toss it.

Spritz the house with your favorite home spray (if it's not going to overpower the next person who comes home today!) Or you can boil a cinnamon stick in water for a nice holiday scent (though it's more Christmasy than autumny, I think).

Last year I admitted I don't usually get to take a bath - the only bathtub in my house is small, and my teenager doesn't keep it very clean. So I've given away or thrown out my beloved Lush bath bombs and other bathtub related products. So I don't have any sorting to do in that area tonight.

In my bathroom, I've discovered I have not been hoarding too many different shower gels. I might actually have an excuse to go buy a new one - just one - at Bath & Body Works this weekend!

LOVELY LIVING: In the Weeks Ahead

Next week is "Time for Us" week. We've been working our butts off to clean up our homes, cook for our families and loved ones, and decorate things all pretty for fall. And what's coming up in November and December? We'll be working even harder to get our houses ready for company, parties, holidays, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, houseguests and etcetera. Plus finishing our Christmas shopping long before December 15th.

So I don't know about you, but I'm going to take some time this next week for ME. I'll be pampering myself, taking hot baths, indulging in a few food and beverage treats, reading and watching TV and movies that I enjoy. I still have to go to work, keep my house clean, cook for my family and take care of my pets. But I'm going to not obsess over cleaning - and since I've worked so hard lately to "maintain" the house in good shape, the truth is I don't have a ton of cleaning jobs that need doing right now.

There's plenty of time in November and December for being unselfish and helpful. Right now, I'm going to be a little bit selfish. Want to join me? Can you arrange some babysitting time (if applicable) so you get some time to yourself? Can you do extra work on Monday so you can sneak a couple hours on Tuesday to pamper yourself or do things just for you?