Memories Are Held In The Wedding Guest Book

One special place for many people to look back at the memory of their wedding is in their wedding guest book. Wedding guest books are a place for people to make comments to the bride and groom and leave them with a special message or warm wishes. It also acts as a roll call or list of everyone that attended the wedding.

Guest books are no longer just a book or register in which people write their names. There are other more modern options out there. A large photograph of the bride and groom with a framed mat is a nice alternative to the standard book. Guests can sign the mat and leave a personal note. The happy couple can then display this photo of them in their home and remember everyone and be reminded of what they wished upon them every time they look at the picture.

If an actual book is more your style and taste there are many types to choose from. Custom wedding guest books can be made to fit your theme and bridal party colors. You can go from simple and elegant to modern and sleek. There is something out there for every couple. It all depends on what you want.

Quick Trip for Garden Decor

On my way home from work today I stopped off at one of my favorite discount stores. They have a great section filled with all sorts of outdoor items. I found some upside down hanging planters for only $0.99. I was really excited because they are normally between $15 and $20. I got three and plan to use them for peppers, tomatoes, and strawberries. We already had one with strawberries at home, but the strawberries seem to disappear the second they are ripe so I figured an extra one couldn’t hurt.

In addition to the planters, I got some soil, plant food, and some seeds. I kept walking through the various aisles in search for some cute, kid friendly, garden decorations. I found a pretty wind chime with butterflies that I know he girls will love. I also found some pink and purple bunnies on little wooden posts that will be great for Easter time.

Speaking of holidays, I also found a couple giant four leaf clover window clings that I can hang up on the sliding glass door for St. Patrick’s Day. I think they will look great accompanied by homemade rainbow light catcher ornaments I plan make with the girls.

Throwing a Halloween bash

My friends and I are having a Halloween bash!! The place is all decorated in spooky stuff, have a hay ride through a spook trail, bobbing for apples, and a best costume contest to boot. It all starts at dark and the whole community is invited. Well most of it anyway.

I’m Scarlet O’Hara of course, Grace is a clown, Celeste is Snow White and Little Joe is one of the seven dwarfs, Happy!! He’s always smiling so Happy fits him perfect. All the adults have to bring a big bag of candy to help with the candy we give out to the kids that come by Trick-or-Treating and other than that, the party is free.

Hey, if you’re in the mountains of North Carolina, stop by and see us. I promise you’ll have a blast. Don’t forget to come in a costume!!!

Tips for Choosing Quality Bed Linens

If you are ready to change your bedding, you may not know where to look for quality textiles. Some companies plan a New York textile show or have showrooms where you can browse. When you go shopping, here are tips for choosing quality bed linens.

Thread Count

This used to be an indicator of quality linen but that is not true any more. Some companies cheat by twisting the yarn and making the thread count higher. If the thread is softer by nature, then the cloth will be softer than a cloth with the same thread count. For example, you can have a lower thread count of Egyptian cotton and it will feel softer than cloth with a higher thread count made with lower quality thread. In reality, a 1000 count sheet may be rather stiff.

Weave

Some people like crisp sheets, like a percale, and others prefer softness, like sateen. In colder climates, many people prefer the nappy feel and warmth of flannel. This is a matter of personal taste and one weave is not superior to another.

Material

Material is also a personal choice. Here are 4 types:

 

  • Cotton – Cotton is preferred by many because it breathes. The best are Egyptian, Pima and Sea Island.
  • Supima – These sheets are made of pima cotton, known for its softness.
  • Polyblend – Some prefer these because they do not wrinkle easily.
  • Linen – Linen is good for warm climates because it is light and soft.

Pumpkin Patch Hunting

Today I went to the local Pumpkin Patch and hunting the most perfectly round big pumpkin I could find. I had a large one last year that was taller than it was round and it carved really nice. But I wanted something different this year.

The pumpkin patch had the pumpkins grouped by size. The really big ones were $40! Wow! I couldn’t believe that people are willing to spend $40 on a pumpkin that they don’t even eat – they just carve it and set it outside to decorate their porch.

The one I decided to buy was beautiful and I only paid $25. I think I could have found one cheaper, but this is a charity sale for the church youth group. I figured that since Halloween is supposed to be a holiday for the kids anyway, that supporting a youth group with my money was the right thing to do.

Saving space

I don’t know about you, but I’m all about saving space. Having grown up in a house that gave me a very small bedroom, I am always looking for ways to maximize my space. Because of this, I end up using a lot of the walls to store things. One example of this would be using wall mount speaker brackets to put my small speakers, so I wouldn’t have to use up any shelf space of desk-top space. One advantage of this is that it protects the speakers from being knocked over by small pets that may be going exploring when your back is turned!

The Yule Log

The Yule Log Dept 56
The Yule Log Dept 56

I am always interested in historical information about Holidays. When I saw the Yule Log for sale at department 56 dickens village I was interested to read the description that explained that it was thought to be good luck to have a large log burn during the twelve days of Christmas, which ends on January 6th. Supposedly if the log would burn that long it would bring prosperity and health to the household.

I never knew that was the thought process behind it! I wonder who created that story!

Clever Street Art

Photo of street art with a mouse watering weeds

I guess that, technically, this is graffiti, but I think it is a cute example of street art that takes something ordinary, like a tiny weed, and turns it into something whimsical. Can you see ordinary things like weeds and get the inspiration to create something like this mouse watering a weed, as if it is her houseplant? I think it is so clever! And I don’t have near the talent to even draw something like this, much less come up with the idea in the first place!

I wonder if the government would get all upset if little drawings like this started showing up on the street curbs. I really think most people would enjoy them, but I bet there would be some jerk who thinks it is destruction of public property or some other stupid crime. And some people do not appreciate art at all – they like things plain, sterile and ordinary. I’m so glad that I am not one of those types!

What do you mean it isn’t an end table?

cajon drum (free clip art)
cajon drum (free clip art)
When Shawn showed me the picture of the cajon drum he wants to buy at musician’s friend I thought that I was looking at a really nice end table! I was so surprised when he told me that it was something called a “pick-up” and it had a built in pre-amp and microphone in it. At that point my eyes must have glazed over because Shawn started trying to explain to me how musicians often have to use several different pieces of equipment to perform the function that this one piece of equipment does. Well after a minute or two I mumbled “that’s nice” and excused myself to go wash my hair. I’m still not sure what it is that it does, but it would look nice sitting beside my sofa!

Happy 4th of July

fireworks (free clip art)
fireworks (free clip art)
I sure hope you guys are having a ‘blast’ today. We have a special July 4th package deal going on where the whole house is decorated for the 4th, and we are having a huge picnic type dinner for everyone in the community too. The other local businesses like the tubing guys up river are throwing in with me and offering tubing and canoeing along with my package.

It’s kind of a bring your own fireworks type display and everyone brings a side dish too from the community. Watermelons are in the river getting good and cold and so is the beer. We always have the best time, and the house is booked solid for the whole 3 day weekend.