Household Tips

Mother’s Day is right around the corner. Can you believe it? If your mom is like mine, she loves creative gifts — especially gifts that include photos of her grandchildren! PhotoWorks and American Greetings have teamed up to provide a full complement of interesting photo-laden gifts. I love this bucket bag!

PhotoWorks new Mother’s Day photo books ($39.95) include floral-themed designs for mother and grandmother that feature the expression “All About Love.” Scrapbook-themed designs feature expressions such as “Mother is the Heart of Our Family” and kid-friendly, polka dot designs feature expressions such as “Behind Every Great Mom are the Kids Who Love Her.” Each photo book design also features a special poem or sentiment on the title page that can be customized with names and dates.

Mother’s Day expressions are also available on 11 new PhotoWorks greeting cards ranging from traditional single-fold cards to tri-fold and poster cards ($2.07 - $3.47 per card). Examples include “Mommy, You’re the Best,” “What is a Grandma?,” “You’re a Wonderful Sister,” “Mother Memories,” “Daughter, You’re Very Special,” and more.

PhotoWorks also features a variety of unique gifts that can be customized with a personalized photo, including:

— Bucket Tote ($89.95) - This elegant, yet sturdy, tote features a zipper closure, multiple interior pockets and a key fob to hold everything from valuables to playtime snacks.
— Clutch/Cosmetic Bag ($49.95) - A microfiber clutch and wristband handle for her night out on the town!
— Wine Box ($29.95) - This maple wood wine box holds a standard-size bottle of wine.
— Personal Journal ($14.95) - Perfect for noting everything from favorite vacation memories to shopping lists.
— Recipe Cards (As low as $.95 per card in bulk) - Help Mom remember her favorite recipes by turning post cards into handy 4 x 6 inch recipe cards, $1.50 individually.
— Perpetual Calendar ($13.46- $14.95) - Keep Mom organized with this customized calendar.

PhotoWorks Mother’s Day photo books and gifts can be purchased online at http://www.photoworks.com; select items are available at more than 200 American Greetings and Carlton Cards stores nationwide.

And after you’re done shopping, check out Martha Stewart’s gift wrapping tips here!

I love having a real Christmas tree in the house! I hate getting sap on my hands. Easily comes off though — just rub some olive oil on your hands. No more sticky!

The queen of all things domestic has gone on record with her favorite tips for wrapping your holiday cheer!

Wrapping Paper
— To make gift wrapping less hectic, buy a variety of papers in a beautiful palette that works with any ribbon you choose.

— To distinguish identically wrapped presents, vary the color, width, and texture of the ribbons.

— Gift tags aren’t necessary if each family member is assigned a different color wrapping. Choose papers in solid hues that will
complement one another and enhance the colors on your tree.

Ribbons
— Ribbons and tags can get crushed, so don’t add them until you’re ready to unveil your gifts.

— Using the same type of ribbon is an attractive way to unify packages wrapped in different papers.

— Save bits of ribbons, seam binding, and twine along with decorative fruit, silk leaves, and miniature Christmas ornaments for adorning packages.

— With a little scissor work, basic self-adhesive bows are transformed into sumptuous blooms. For each “flower,” cut the loops of one small bow and one large bow at an angle. Then affix the small bow to the empty center of the large bow. Coil a short length of matching ribbon; place coil in center of the small bow, and secure with double-sided tape. Showcase a single bloom, or pair with more matching ribbon.

Tasteful Tags
— Gift tags are all the sweeter when they happen to be crisp cookies. To make them, cut gingerbread dough into shapes or letters, punch with a small hole for threading with cord, and bake. The cookies can be eaten while the unwrapping takes place, or hung on a tree as ornaments.

Photo Gift Toppers
— Decorate with a familiar face (or many of them). Print or copy a photo onto heavyweight paper. Then wrap the package with a wide band of ribbon. Using double-sided tape, secure the photo to ribbon. You can use the photos to identify the giver or the getter, or attach one favorite photo to all your presents.

Here is some great advice from the Ohio credit union association. Follow these tips to avoid getting in over your head this holiday season. No one wants to still be paying for Christmas in March!

– Make a list of who you will be buying gifts for, assign a dollar amount, and stick to it.
– Avoid using credit cards. Instead, pay for gifts with cash.
– Shop early and compare prices.
– Take advantage of sales, coupons, and special offers received in the mail.
– Don’t shop for yourself.
– Pay with a credit card if you can’t use cash; don’t use a debit card. Under federal law you can dispute credit card charges if you don’t get what you were promised. You also have dispute rights if there are unauthorized charges on your credit card.
– Protect your identity by not using debit cards when purchasing gifts online.
– Know return and exchange policies for the stores where you make purchases.
– Have a plan for paying off your bills. For example, make up your mind to pay off your bills by Valentine’s Day. You don’t want to still be paying for holiday gifts on the Fourth of July.

The Consumer Product Safety Coalition published this list of wonderful advice for staying safe around the house this holiday season!

Trees and Decorations:

— When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label “Fire Resistant.” Although this label does not mean the tree won’t catch fire, it does indicate the tree is more resistant to burning.

— When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and do not break when bent between your fingers. The bottom of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.

— When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Because heated rooms dry out live trees rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of traffic, and do not block doorways.

— Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.

— In homes with small children, take special care to avoid sharp or breakable decorations, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children who could swallow or inhale small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.

— To avoid eye and skin irritation, wear gloves when decorating with spun glass “angel hair.”

— To avoid lung irritation, follow container directions carefully while decorating with artificial snow sprays.

Lights:

— Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a nationally-recognized testing laboratory, such as UL or ETL/ITSNA. Use only newer lights that have thicker wiring and are required to have safety fuses to prevent the wires from overheating.

— Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets.

— If using an extension cord, make sure it is rated for the intended use.

— Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.

— When using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use and only plug them into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protected receptacles or a portable GFCI.

— Turn off all holiday lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

Candles:

— Keep burning candles within sight.

— Keep lighted candles away from items that can catch fire and burn easily, such as trees, other evergreens, decorations, curtains and furniture.

— Always use non-flammable holders and keep away from children and pets.

— Extinguish all candles before you go to bed, leave the room or leave the house.

Fireplaces:

— Use care with “fire salts,” which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that, if eaten, can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting. Keep them away from children.

— Do not burn wrapping paper or plastic items in the fireplace. These materials can ignite suddenly and burn intensely, resulting in a flash fire.

— Place a screen around your fireplace to prevent sparks from igniting nearby flammable materials.

Get a free brochure with holiday decorating and toy safety tips at CPSC’s web site http://www.cpsc.gov.

Our friends at Crest (of all places), have come up with some interesting tips for building the perfect stocking. While my favorite source will always be the dollar store, there are some gread ideas in this list!

For many, the traditional stocking (and included stocking stuffers) is the best part of Christmas morning. Whether it’s tradition for you to open your stocking before or after the bigger gifts, the little surprises found inside often inspire laughter, kisses or yelps of excitement. Just as fun as discovering your own stocking is the opportunity to create the perfect stocking for friends and family.

Keys to creating fabulous stockings are to think outside of the box and have fun! Below are some tips from SpinBrush(R) for stuffing a stocking with care:

– Stockings can be inexpensive: Stock up when favorite items are on sale.

– Create a theme stocking: Create a stocking theme that matches the recipient’s personality or interests, such as:

* For your “HERO” - This stocking might include a ‘Greatest Dad/Mom’ mug, superhero apparel or figures and a DVD set of any superhero flick or show.

* For Travelers - For the person who is always jet setting, suggestions include an alarm clock, a Crest(R) SpinBrush(R) Slim, a manicure set, a passport holder, a pack of cards, a stress ball, luggage tags, a paperback and a journal.

* For Pet Lovers’ - This stocking might include stationery, a calendar, cat/dog socks, a picture frame, a figurine and fuzzy slippers.

* For the Foodie - Gourmet nuts, cookie cutters, the latest kitchen gadget, a wine cork, a potholder, dishtowels and mints make a stocking that would thrill any food enthusiast.

* The “Kid” - An ‘adult’ stocking that celebrates childhood. A
slinky, crayons, bubbles, coloring books, candy and animated movies will take the recipient back to a simpler time in life.

* For the Gym Lover - This stocking is stuffed with the latest in exercise accessories and equipment. Smaller, ’stuffable’ items include a pedometer, an exercise band, an energy bar, an mp3 player and a water bottle.

– Stockings aren’t just for mantles anymore: Tradition says that stockings are ‘hung by the chimney with care.’ To add festive cheer, however, display stockings on the Christmas tree, a coat rack, the front door, along staircase railings or in other open spaces throughout the house.

– Start a tradition: Every year, fill a stocking with a collector’s item that the receiver would appreciate, such as a limited baseball card, a charm for a bracelet, an action figure or a special coin.

And while you’re preparing, remember these handy tips for wrapping your gifts!

Here’s something I don’t usually think about…. With all the extra folks wandering around your house during the holidays, your home is sure to become a haven for germs. The Maids Home Services has some tips for keeping those pesky germs at bay and keeping your home safe from viruses during the holidays.

– Wash your hands regularly in warm, soapy water. Place antibacterial hand sanitizer in plain view for guests to use. Make an effort not to touch your mouth, nose or eyes without first washing your hands.
– Spray disinfecting spray on a cloth and wipe all hard surfaces — doorknobs, appliance handles, keyboards, remote controls, light switches, phones, facial tissue box covers, tables, chairs and counters. Viruses can live for up to 48 hours on hard surfaces.
– Keep germs at bay in the bathroom by stashing disinfecting wipes near the toilet and sink for easy, quick clean up whenever needed.
– Hosting overnight guests? Wash items like towels and bedding in hot water with soap. Be sure not to share these items until they are thoroughly cleaned.
– To keep children safe, an effective way to clean and sanitize toys is to put them through a dishwasher cycle. Make sure items are dishwasher safe and are placed securely on the racks away from the heat source. Turn off “heat dry” and run the wash cycle as usual.

Another tip for keeping germs at bay? Encourage kids to soap up by keeping “fun” soaps at their level. Whether you buy cute-shaped soap dispensers or bar soap with embedded Santas, giving kids something they’ll like to wash with will certainly improve your chances of getting them to suds up! For a fun soap product for kids that I loved, check out Squid Soap by the folks at Airborne!

With the holidays approaching, it’s almost unavoidable. You WILL have guests, and some will probably even stay overnight. I entertain regularly — dinner parties and meals. So, when holiday meals come around, I’m not particularly bothered. I know where all of my entertainin If you’re one of those lucky folks with a spare bedroom (I am not), this may come easy to you. With two kids at home, guest planning can be a challenge. The following list of tips comes from our friends at Bed, Bath & Beyond (one of my favorite stores!) Read well, and apply at will!

And of course, don’t forget that you can prepare foods in advance and freeze them!

guests, party planning

It is that time of year. Time to carve pumpkins. Or if you’re like me, time to take the kids to buy pumpkins, then lock them and your husband outside on the porch until the deed is done. I HATE pumpkin carving! If you’re smart, you’ll talk yourself into painting a pumpkin or putting stickers on one INSTEAD of carving. You can always oooooh and aaaaah over the neighbor’s carved pumpkin, right? But you’re likely not going to do that. You’re going to carve one. And if you’re like millions of Americans, you’ll use your garbage disposal for all the pumpkin-y goo.

Bad call.

Halloween drives lots of business to your local plumbers. Lots. That ooey, gooey, pumpkin-y goodness wrecks disposals and clogs plumbing. According to our friends at Mr. Rooter, all that pulp hardens and clogs your drain.

“A pumpkin’s stringy, slimy substance is too much for the garbage disposal to handle,” said Mary Kennedy Thompson, president of the Mr. Rooter Corporation. “Your thoughts should be on Halloween costumes, trick-or-treaters and giving out candy — not calling a plumber to clear your drain.”

Mr. Rooter(R) offers these tips to keep pumpkins from haunting the plumbing system:
– Carve pumpkin on a newspaper instead of over the kitchen sink.
– Do not dump pulp and seeds into the disposal or toilet.
– Instead, throw all pumpkin-related material and newspaper in the garbage.

Better yet, use the seeds! I actually buy roasted pumpkin seeds in little packets during the “down-time” of the year. Roasting them yourself at home is easy and healthy. Check out the recipe at Elementary Chef here

Try as I might, I can’t get this guy to come to my house. However, If you are going to clean the carpet yourself, the most important thing to do is to vaccum before starting the job. Then, get a bottle of multipurpose cleaner and pretreat traffic patterns, stain, spills, etc. Let that sit at least 30 minutes before starting the steam cleaning. I use a quarter cup of Oxi-clean in the hot water dispenser of my steam cleaner and use it to pretreat so it really looks good when it clean. Now, turn on the ceiling fans and the blower on your HVAC and it will dry by the time you get back from the mall.

oxiclean, carpet, mall

If you host a huge gathering during the holidays, start making party food ahead of time and freeze it. Lots of goodies freeze well and cuts down on all the last minute stuff. Don’t apologize for serving ready made snacks and goodies from Costco or Sams. Most are delicious and the fun is being with family and friends and not just what you are eating!!! Be flexible and realize your grown children may have inlaw issues to work around. I have changed plans to accomodate sometimes, but not always depending on how much trouble it became for me.

Saturday morning as I was making yet another Strawberry Jello Pretzel Salad to take to my unit Christmas Party I thought my idea my be worth sharing. When you have quite a few functions to take things to during the holidays, plan on taking the same thing to all of them. You can buy the ingredients for several at one time and putting it together becomes a no-brainer. I’ve taken this to three things in the last week.

Jello, holidays, parties

I love using the big rolls of wrapping paper from Sam’s & Costco. I don’t have a holder like the department stores so I lay the roll across the arms of a dining room chair and pull it onto the table. I can wrap a bunch of stuff in a short time doing this and it makes wrapping big stuff an easy job.

wrapping paper