2015

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

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

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

strahl unbreakable plastic tumblers and drinkware

Fave! Strahl Unbreakable Plastic Drinkware

Strahl plastic glassware is a Top Tableware Fave in my book for style, quality and durability. I know the line very well since we stocked and sold it for over

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 is amazingly versatile, offering many specialty pieces that take full advantage of microwave cooking patterns. We stocked most of the line

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

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

The Miracleware Microwave Rice Cooker: Easy Cooking Instructions

If you’ve lost your MiracleWare or PrepSolutions Microwave Cookware Instructions and need a replacement copy, you can find them below. The PrepSolutions (formerly called MiracleWare) plastic microwave cookware

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

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

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