Video DIY: Set Stylish Holiday Tables on a Budget
Is the party at you house this year? Decorating a festive table doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You can easily set stylish holiday tables…
Year: 2015
DIY Budget-Friendly Holiday Gift Bag Ideas
Here are some super easy DIY fun holiday gift bag ideas. They’re fun ways to go green – and even save a little green –…
Video DIY: Make Easy Christmas Ribbon Garland
Here’s a stylish twist to a Christmas tradition. If the kids want to make looped garlands this year, instead of construction paper, give them some…
Video DIY: Thanksgiving Kids’ Tables Made Easy with These Simple Tips
Ah, the kid’s table… the spot where, if lucky, you might corral busy youngsters for a whopping seven minutes during Thanksgiving dinner. It’s always just enough time for them to smear potatoes across their face, drop their plate on the floor, then materialize at the grownups’ table just as you’re getting seated… But we can fix that!
5 Easy Ways to Add Color to Fall Decorating with Inexpensive Silk Leaves
Fall seems to be a time of decorating quick-change. Within 60 days, we move from spooky Halloween décor, to russet-hued fall colors, to Christmas sparkle…
Faves! Vintage-Look Toys for Playful Decor Style
Retro- and vintage-look toys are a great decorator trick for adding kid-friendly, whimsical charm to busy family spaces. These fun, stylized toys complement many looks…
Fave! Star Wars Mania Craft Book by Amanda Formaro
My online buddy Amanda Formaro (author of the fabulous CraftsbyAmanda.com blog) just published her latest, and perhaps greatest, craft MANIA book — STAR WARS MANIA!…
Tips for Packing a Family Emergency Kit
Disaster can strike anywhere, at any time. And though you may have little or no control over events in a given situation, you can better…
Summer Safety and Sanity for Families on the Go
Welcome, summer! School is out and families are looking forward to spending a little quality time together – usually away from home enjoying the great…
Poison Safety – Avoid Accidents with a Few Simple Precautions
Fall brings about many changes – crisp cool air, new school schedules and holiday visits. These are just a few of the things that change…
Easy DIY Daybed Dust Ruffle Decorating Project
We bought a white iron daybed for my then-three-year-old daughter’s “big girl bed.” Daybeds are decorative and functional choices in kids’ rooms for many reasons….
DIY Decorative Book Baskets for Kids Rooms
Kids books come in many shapes and sizes which can make storing them on shelves or between bookends difficult – not to mention messy and…
DIY Easy No-Sew Fleece Pillow for Halloween — or Anytime
It’s So Easy it’s Spooky! Two simple polar fleece panels come together without a single stitch to create a cuddly no-sew fleece pillow perfect for…
DIY Homemade Recipe In a Jar Gifts
Homemade recipe in a jar gifts with beautifully layered ingredients topped with a flourish are a thoughtful and economical way to treat friends, coworkers, neighbors…
DIY Easy-to-Update Family Photo Gallery
Got a little extra wall space? Showcase your snapshots, favorite family pictures or gotta-see-it candid shots in a great-looking family photo gallery that’s easy to…
DIY Super-Duty Refrigerator Magnets
If your refrigerator serves as a combination community information board, modern art museum and play area, you need strong, unbreakable magnets. We searched for good…
DIY: Spice Up Your Kitchen with a Window Herb Garden
A few basic shelves and spare containers turn any sunny window into a garden spot! Fresh herbs brighten any meal, from simple soups to gourmet…
Easter Decor DIY: Egg-cellent Easter Wreath
Our Easter Wreath is an inexpensive, easy-to-make twist on the classic grapevine wreath and adds a festive Spring-fresh Easter touch to a door or wall….
Faves! Ten Easy Home Storage Solutions for Busy Families
Whether you’re chasing a busy toddler or are an empty-nester, homes can sometimes feel ready to burst at the seams. But a little creativity and…
Slipcover Shopping Guide
We’ve helped thousands of customers choose the right slipcover solution for their home, and have made or installed countless slipcovers ourselves. Though we no longer…
Childproofing Checklist: Safe Trekking with Toddlers
As any parent knows, taking young children for visits away from their childproofed, kid-friendly home can be stressful – sometimes downright unnerving. New surroundings inspire…
Beyond Babyproofing: Fireplace Safety Tips and Hearth Safety
Fall winds and rustling leaves foretell of cozy family evenings around a crackling fire. A warm hearth is a welcoming spot in any home and…
Beyond Babyproofing: Shelf Safety & Stylish Options for Busy Family Homes
Shelves of every variety are a decorating and organizing staple that fulfill numerous roles throughout the home. Aside from how they look and how they’re…
Beyond Babyproofing: Candle Safety & Worry-Free Flameless Options
If you enjoy the ambiance and great scents that candles add to a home, you’re not alone. Candle sales are up and they’re more popular…
Beyond Babyproofing: Surprise New Grandparents with a Baby-Ready Gift Basket
Give new grandparents the tools they need for keeping busy grandkids! New grandparents play a special role in the lives of children, but they sometimes…
Faves! Bar Tools & Wine Accessories
I have one rule when it comes to testing a bar or wine tool. I should be able to use it after a drink or…
Faves! Battery-Operated Candles & Lighting
Safe, smart, worry-free, and smoke-free — battery-operated candles are a great way to enjoy candlelight wherever and whenever, without the danger of an open flame….
Faves! Kitchen Tools
I love to cook, and since I’m often rushing home from work to feed the family I gravitate toward tools that make prep and cleanup…
Faves! Plastic Drinkware: Cups, Glasses & Tumblers
If you’re in the market for plastic glasses or tumblers of any sort you’re in luck. Plastic drinkware is no longer a seasonal line. We…
Faves! Serving Essentials
Who doesn’t love a good party? That’s an easy one — the party host who doesn’t have the right serving tools! Talk about misery —…
Faves! Recipe Organizers
Ask any cook what they love to collect and recipes are sure to be a top answer. From magazine clippings to computer printouts to well-loved…
Fave! Forever & Grand Plastic Drinkware by Prodyne
We stocked Prodyne brand kitchenware for many years and their Forever & Grand unbreakable plastic drinkware lines are tops in my drinkware Top Faves. We no…
Fave! Napa BPA-Free Plastic Wine Glasses & Stemware
The plastic stemware collection we once sold under the Napa brand now goes by many names — Sonoma, Leadingware, even Wine Enthusiast on occasion. But…
Cuddle Weather is Coming! Make a No-Sew Fleece Throw to Fight off the Chill
Our no-sew fleece throw blanket and pillow is a quick and easy DIY project to whip up for yourself and a cuddle buddy. We made ours for Halloween, but…
Fave! Clarus Brand Plastic Drinkware
The Clarus plastic drinkware collection is a Top Tableware Fave in my book for style, quality and durability – and I know it well since…
Faves! NordicWare Plastic Microwave Cookware & Dishes
NordicWare Plastic Microwave Cookware (see their full collection here) is amazingly versatile, offering many specialty pieces that take full advantage of microwave cooking patterns. We…
Fave! Cakepops Made Easy with the Cake Pops Baking Pan
If you’re a fan of cakepops (and really, who isn’t?), then you’ll love this kitchen fave. It’s the Cake pops Baking Pan, proudly made in…
Faves! Tailgating Party Essentials for Sports Fans on the Go
The tailgating party is a main attraction on game day. Whether its a parking lot potluck or a snazzy sit-down affair complete with RV, canopy…
Video DIY: Easy to Make Wine Glass Charms
Help party guests keep track of wine glasses and other stemware with these easy-to-make wine glass charms. A pair of needlenose pliers and a quick…
Faves! Disposable Partyware
As if you don’t have enough to worry about when planning a party! Have you SEEN the vast array of disposable tableware options online? Not…
Faves! Plastic Stemware & Specialty Glasses
If you’re in the market for plastic martini or margarita glasses, champagne flutes, or specialty stemware like hurricanes or dessert dishes, you’re in luck. Once…
Faves! Durable Plastic Mugs for Beer, Coffee & More
If you’re in the market for plastic mugs that look great and hold up to years of use, check out my reviews and top picks…
Faves! Easy-Clean Pillows for Kid-Friendly Style
As one of the easiest, quickest and least expensive home decorating solutions, throw pillows are a particularly easy way for parents to add a dash of style to busy family rooms without worry.
3 Super-Easy Super Bowl Party Menu Ideas
The last place any Superbowl party host wants to be on game day is stuck in the kitchen wondering about the latest score. Since we…
Easy Hummus Recipe: Better Than Store-Bought
The best hummus recipe! 5/5 Hummus… this versatile dip essential to middle-eastern cuisine is moving mainstream. Rich, creamy and protein-packed, it’s a great way to add…
Super Easy Guacamole Dip Recipe
I’m a born-and-bred Texan, so guacamole is essentially my fifth food group (together with salsa and queso). It’s a staple as necessary as olive oil…
Faves! Washable Area Rugs Perfect for Busy Family Life
Have an area in your home that needs a style refresher or a pop of color to liven things up? Area rugs offer a quick…
Fave! Lead Test Kits Make it Easy to Prevent Lead Exposure
Lead-contaminated childrens’ products have topped the recent news stories… and for good reason. Lead exposure can have a very profound and long-term negative affect on childrens’ health. So lead exposure is, and should remain, a concern to parents.
Fave! Wire Storage Cubes for Quick, Cheap Home Organization
From kids’ rooms and family areas to closets and bathrooms, I’ve been using these versatile wire-sided storage cube units with great satisfaction for years. Decades…
How to Cook Up the Perfect Easter Egg
Decorating and hunting brightly colored eggs tops many Easter to-do list, and it all starts with the simple boiled egg. Here are a few tips…
Easter Decor DIY: Fluffy Easter Bunny and Chick Topiaries
Kids will love creating and displaying these cuddly bunny and chick tabletop decorations — and making them couldn’t be easier! These friendly Easter critters are…
Easter DIY: Egg-Cellent Easter Egg Tulips
Add a touch of springtime freshness to your Easter tabletop with our stylish (and inexpensive) Easter Egg Tulips project. Best of all, kids of any…
Beyond Babyproofing: Easter Safety Tips
Spring is here and with it comes Easter – a great reason to fill homes with fresh colors and whimsical accents in anticipation of a…
