Holidays

Thankful Around the Dining Room Table

November 17, 2016 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving is a special holiday and always has been in our family. Growing up, I can remember going to my aunts house to eat a big meal. There was a lot of talking, laughing, and family fun. And it was always around a big table with metal folding chairs stuck in between the beautiful dining room chairs.

There were over 20 of us with all the aunts, uncles, and cousins. The food was set out on the table in serving trays of all different shapes and sizes. We passed it around… yummy turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, yams, and sweet rolls. The memories and smells are engraved in my mind.

And now, I have my own family. We have since moved states away so I had to start my own holiday traditions. One tradition that we do when we get together on holidays is focusing on what we are grateful for. We not only do this on Thanksgiving, but other holidays as well.

My favorite thing to do is after all the food has been consumed and the table has been cleared, we pop open the sparkling cider and go around the table and each person will say what they are grateful for and we toast after each declaration. More often than not, someone winds up crying… more often with joy than with sadness.

I just recently thought about doing this on birthdays as well. What a great time to talk about what we love about that person on their special day.

Do you have any fun family holiday traditions? We would love to hear about it!

3 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do With Christmas Lights

October 10, 2016 by Painter Mommy 2 Comments

Did you think Christmas lights were only for winding through the branches of firs and spruces during that festive season? Think again. Christmas lights are a versatile way to decorate for your parties at any time of year. Discover three things you didn’t know you could do with Christmas lights.

Add Glamour to a Roaring ’20s Party

Glamorous 1920s-themed parties have become all the rage since the release of Baz Luhrmann’s film “The Great Gatsby.” The era was all about decadence, and Christmas lights can set the scene beautifully.

You’ll need a lot of Christmas lights to pull off this look, so the approach is perfect for people who decorate their home like the Griswolds in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” If you don’t have enough lights already, you can often find great discounts at sales throughout the year.

String the lights across every surface you can. White lights work best here, because they look a little like crystals glimmering in the night. All those lights can draw a lot of power, so consider choosing energy-efficient LED strings of lights from suppliers such as Christmas Lights Etc instead of traditional Christmas lights.

Light Up a ’60s-Themed Party

Christmas lights can be used in many ways to make your ’60s-themed party groovier. From tie-dyed fabrics to lava lamps, this decade was all about color, so you’re best served with brightly colored lights, not plain white ones. Simply stringing colored Christmas lights around your party will give it a groovy glow. However, if you have more time on your hands, you can get a little more creative.

Knot strips of tulle around a ribbon and tape it to the edge of the table where you’ve got your chips and dips or a retro cheese ball. Wrap some Christmas lights around the legs of the table, underneath the tulle, and turn them on. The lights will shine through the tulle, making your spread look even cooler.

If you have time, you could also make a twinkling peace sign wall hanging. Cut the peace sign out of a large piece of wood and drill holes through the design, following its lines. Poke colored Christmas lights through the holes, turn on the lights, and wait for the compliments to roll in.

Transport Your Guests to the Islands at a Hawaiian Party

We can’t always get away to tropical Hawaii, but with the right Christmas lights, you can re-create time on the islands at home. Any Hawaiian-themed party needs a tiki bar serving exotic cocktails such as mai tais and piña coladas. To add the right island atmosphere to your tiki bar, string up some Christmas lights. The idea sounds strange, but many colored Christmas lights actually look a lot like the lights that decorate island bars. Lights that have large bulbs, such as raspberry LED mini lights, are ideal for your Hawaiian celebration.

If you pack your Christmas lights away in January, you’re not using them to their full potential. With these ideas, you can enjoy these lights when the holiday season is long gone.

Image via Flickr by MsSaraKelly

Things to Ask When Meeting With a Palos Verdes Wedding Florist

October 7, 2015 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Among the most stressful things that a couple will take on in their lives is the planning of their wedding. Taking the time to get all of your proverbial ducks in a row is vital in making sure that your ceremony goes off without a hitch. There are a number of important factors that have to be planned out in detail and neglecting to pay attention to them can lead to a disastrous outcome. The flowers that you will have at your wedding will have to be supplied by a knowledgeable Torrance florist. The following are a few of the questions that have to be asked when meeting with a wedding florist.

What Are the Latest Trends and How Can They Work For Your Wedding?

The first thing that you need to make sure of when hiring a wedding florist is that they are up to speed on all of the latest floral trends. Taking the time to find out what the latest trends are and how they can be incorporated into your wedding can be very beneficial. A great florist will have no problem answering this question in a comprehensive manner.

What Flowers Are Available?

The next thing that you will need to ask about when trying to find the right florist is what types of flowers the will have available. You need tom make sure that you have a full grasp of what is out there before proceeding. The more you are able to find out about the options that you have, the simpler it will be for you to get the right ones chosen. Having a reputable and experienced florist on your side will make the selection process much easier.

How Available Are You During the Time of the Wedding?

Another very important thing that you will have to ask when trying to get the right florist in place is how available they will be during the time of the wedding. You need to make sure that the florist you choose will be able to be hands on during this process. The more you can find out about the florists in your area and what they are prepared to offer, the easier you will find it to get the right one chosen. The time that goes into meeting with the various florists in the area is necessary and the only way you will be able to narrow the selection.

Choosing the team at rollinghillsflowermart.com will allow you to get the right results in no time. Call them or visit their website to get more information on what they have to offer.

6 Simple Ideas for Outdoor Christmas Decorations

December 16, 2014 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Decorating your yard for Christmas can get expensive and time consuming. You can’t just not decorate for Christmas this year, though! Why not cut out the hard work and big price tags and use one of these simple outdoor Christmas decoration ideas instead?

Mason Jar Lighting

Recycling mason jars to use in your holiday decor is super simple and cuts out the price of buying fancy lights. One thing you can start out with is simply stuffing the jars with strings of Christmas lights and setting them up along your porch or walkway. ChristmasLightsEtc.com shares a super helpful infographic that details how to do this lighting trick, along with other ones. Using mason jars doesn’t stop there, though. If you’re ambitious and have the right materials, a holiday-inspired mason jar chandelier can brighten up your porch this Christmas season.

Image via Flickr by Chiot’s Run

Backlit Cutouts

If you don’t have a lot of money this year to spend on decorations, then taking on this simple DIY project could be just the thing for you. Simply use a jigsaw to cut out your shape, such as a snowman, Christmas tree, or Santa Claus, on a piece of plywood. Prop up the plywood in your yard in front of a light to create a backlit effect. Need more detailed instructions? Check out this guide to building your own Christmas backlit cutout.

Glowing Holiday Globes

One of the biggest contributions to your holiday decor will be the lighting you place in your front yard. Attaching string lights to your home can be a hassle, but glowing holiday globes make lighting your outdoors simple. Pick up these glowing frosted globes from nearly anywhere selling Christmas decor. Then place them around your porch or lawn to get an easy and festive effect.

You don’t want your décor to look completely random, though. Consider grouping these globes together in a bird bath or setting them up along your walkway. You can even hang them from your porch if you have the time. You can also find floating lighted globes that you can place in your pond or swimming pool to keep things bright and interesting this holiday season.

Dressed Up Door

If you don’t have the time to do anything else this year, at least put up decorations near your front door. Since that’s more or less the centerpiece of your home, it will be the first thing people notice. Start by adding a wreath to the front door, which you can easily make yourself out of twigs, evergreen branches, pinecones, and other things you might find around the house. You can also buy an inexpensive wreath from any store selling Christmas decorations.

Next, add a string of garland or lights around the perimeter of your door. For a final touch, add something simple next to the door, like a planter filled with fake candy canes or even a small Christmas tree.

Winter Evergreens

For a super simple Christmas decoration, simply put out small Christmas trees in your yard or on your porch. Just make sure to place them strategically so that they’re aesthetically pleasing. Use real or fake trees, and put them in planters to keep them upright. If you have the time, add a few strings of lights and maybe even some ornaments to the trees. If you already have an evergreen or two living in your yard, all you need to do is dress it up with some lights and you’ll be good to go.

Holiday Bench Decor

Do you have a bench sitting on your front porch? Chances are no one’s going to be using it during the chilly weather. Why not put that surface to use? All you need for your holiday bench decor is a selection of evergreen branches, pinecones, and ornaments. Arrange these objects on the bench until you’re pleased with the holiday spirit they bring to your front porch. If you want to add an extra touch to the mix, sprinkle a light dusting of snow atop the arrangement.

Which one of these ideas will you use to decorate your yard or porch this holiday season?

Matchmakers or Heartbreakers: is online dating the best way to find love in the 21st century?

November 12, 2013 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

In recent years the global search for love has made its way online, with one survey showing that two out of five single Americans aged between 24 and 50 have used online dating sites. As the shift to an internet love-hunt grows, with people everywhere settling in front of their stylish new Asus Laptops to look for The One, many are wondering whether online dating really works or if it’s just another way to get our money.

There are plenty who are prepared to argue that online dating is the best way to meet your perfect partner. Effectively a catalog of single-and-ready-to-mingle men and women, online dating opens up new possibilities for meeting people you would never otherwise have stumbled across. With the increased choice comes the benefit of being able to make informed decisions about who you meet. Unlike blind dates set up by sympathetic friends, with e-dating you can check out someone’s profile to find out their quirks and interests and to screen out undesirable traits.

For party animals meeting someone in a bar might be relatively easy, but for the rest of us online dating spares you the stress of trying to find someone spontaneously.

Safety isn’t always a certainty, however. You can’t know for sure if the person you’re speaking to is being honest about themselves. The lie may be something as trivial as a profile picture from their hey day, or a carefully tailored list of interests that doesn’t remotely reflect reality. In more serious cases, though, the risk may be greater, and the possibility of being misled by someone with unpleasant motives is a real one.

There is also the risk of information overload. With pages of profiles to fill, people often share too much information, alienating users they could have a great connection with in person. If you meet someone in a bar, differences of opinion on popular culture can be dismissed because of the chemistry between you, something it is difficult to measure behind a computer screen. Of course, if you do find that connection, there is the stigma of having met someone online to deal with. While the earlier stats prove that this is an increasingly popular way to meet your partner, there are still unpleasant stereotypes that can be hard to navigate.

Both sides of the debate point to some important lessons on human interaction in the digital age. Meeting people online could be a real risk to your safety – but so could meeting the wrong person in a bar, and for some dating on the web provides protection from discrimination. There is no ‘best’ way to find love in the 21st century, but online dating is certainly one that has worked for many people, besides also being fun. For the cynics, remember that some good dating sites are free, meaning that taking a chance on online romance needn’t cost you a penny.