Light Up the Night

Recently, Baccarat, a French crystal company, introduced the Jallum Lamp, an indoor/outdoor glow stick made of crystals, aluminum, and LED lights. When fully charged, it can illuminate for up to 8 hours. The lamp, which comes in two models (diamond bevels or bubbles) will be available for sale in September for slightly over $3,000 each. Not having quite that much in the bank for some outdoor lighting, I found some other cool, stylish, more pocketbook-friendly designs:

Solar Frosted Scroll Lanterns by the Glow Co. UK

Bubble Light by Ecosavers

Garden Globe by Murano

Little by Little

My cousin recently tweeted a pic of her newly refreshed entry way, and it was gorgeous! It was a small area, but it made such a statement.

Sometimes, when looking to decorate or re-decorate, we can tend to get overwhelmed. I know I will think "If I can't do the entire room, it's not worth doing at all." Totally not true. Maybe I only have the time or resources for a single wall in a room. Maybe just one piece of wall art. It doesn't take much to get a theme going, so go ahead and replace the bathroom mirror with one with more pizazz and worry about the hand towels and bath mats later, spruce up your entry way, or work on the window valances for the dining room. Slow and steady doesn't always win the race, but it sure helps with sanity!

Any Stain-Removing Starlets?

As a mother of a rambunctious almost-3-year-old, I'm quickly learning the craft of ink and stain removing. I have learned vinegar can help with many things (as long as you don't mind the smell) and highlighter markers come out of microfiber couches much easier than ink. I have learned nail polish will come out of carpets as long as you get to it quickly. And I have come to the conclusion that repainting the house every few months is much easier than trying to get sharpies, pens, and crayon markings off the walls. (Which reminds me, the master bedroom is in serious need of a fresh coat...) 

Above all, I have learned nothing wears on a home quite like spills and stains. A perfectly clean room looks worn and dingy with spots on the carpet, walls and comforter. Being ready to sop up messes on the spot is crucial to maintaining the charm of a humble abode. But I have two small curious children. So what do I do? Stock up on a variety of cleaning solutions (the more organic, the safer and better), address the problems as quickly as possible, and ban grape juice. Oh, and invest in a good quality carpet cleaner. :)