Happy Halloween

Hi Friends,

It was our pleasure to bring some fun and creative ideas for Halloween over the past several days. We hope you enjoyed the series and will come back to see us real soon.

Have a Happy & Safe Halloween...

Your kind contribution will allow us to continue sharing great, no cost and cost saving ideas for your space. Click the "Donate" button below to make a contribution. Thank you!

Live well,
Yvonne

Mr. Pumpkin Head

Hi Friends,

Add pizazz to your pumpkin by creating clay facial features that can be mixed and matched.

Materials and Tools:

pumpkin (fresh or faux)
oven-bake polymer clay in assorted colors
acrylic paint
paintbrushes
small wooden dowels or skewers
awl or large nail

Steps:

1. If using a fresh pumpkin, cut a hole in the bottom and remove the seeds.

2. Condition polymer clay by warming it up in your hands. Mold clay into many human or animal facial features, such as lips, horns, eyes, eyebrows, nose and ears. The more choices available, the more fun decorating the pumpkin will be. Make happy features, sad features, angry features or scary features. The sky's the limit.

3. Cut wooden dowels so they are approximately 2 to 3 inches long. Sharpen one end of each dowel. Insert the dull end of the dowel into the back side of each clay facial feature. The dowels will be used to secure the body parts in the pumpkin.

4. Following the manufacturer's instructions, bake the polymer clay in the oven until each piece has fully hardened.

5. The final step is to give your pumpkin a little personality by adding the facial features. If using a fresh pumpkin, the pointed dowel ends should be sharp enough to puncture the pumpkin's skin. If using a faux pumpkin, it's easiest to first poke a small hole in the pumpkin's exterior with an awl or large nail then insert the facial features.

Tip: Once Halloween has passed, don't forget to remove the facial features and store them away for next year.

Shaved and Carved Harlequin Gourd

Hi Friends,

Create an unusual and beautiful Halloween decoration by carving a harlequin pattern into a gourd.

Materials and Tools:

pumpkin or gourd (fresh or foam)
pumpkin-carving tools or sharp knife
shaving tools (rotary tool or wood-carving tools)
masking tape
spool of thread
cup hook
string of Christmas lights

Steps:

1. If using a fresh gourd, cut a hole in the bottom and remove the seeds.

2. Tape two strands of thread every 1/2 inch to 1 inch around the top of the gourd. The closer the threads are, the more diamond shapes will be created. Also important, the larger your diamond pattern is, the easier it will be to carve out. Try to leave about 2 to 3 inches between the lines.

3. Separate the two strands into an upside-down V and tape the separate pieces of thread to the bottom of the gourd. Do this for each pair of thread strands until you've created the diamond pattern all the way around the gourd.

4. Once the harlequin pattern is created, there should be about three rows of diamonds. Carve out every other diamond shape on the first row. Leave the middle row solid and repeat carving on the bottom row. Use the pumpkin-carving tools or a sharp knife for this.

5. Shave (remove just the top layer of pumpkin skin) the remaining diamonds on the first and third rows. A rotary tool or wood-carving tools would work well for this.

6. To make sure the string of lights fills the gourd from top to bottom, insert a cup hook into the upper part of the gourd. Hang the lights from the cup hook and position them so they will illuminate the pumpkin evenly.

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Using a Pumpkin-Carving Template

Hi Friends,

Tips for carving a Halloween pumpkin using a printed template, plus HGTV-exclusive pumpkin-carving templates.

Materials and Tools:

pumpkin (fresh or foam)
template (downloaded from HGTV.com or create your own)
tracing paper
charcoal or graphite pencil
wooden skewer or template wheel
ballpoint pen
tape
carving tools

Steps:

1. If using a fresh pumpkin, cut a hole in the bottom and remove the seeds.

2. Print a template onto regular paper.

3. Next, transfer template to pumpkin.

There are several great options for transferring a template:

* Cover the back of the paper template with graphite by scribbling over the lines with a pencil. Then tape template with graphite-scribbled side next to the pumpkin. Trace the template image onto the pumpkin with a ballpoint pen. The pressure from the pen will cause the graphite to transfer onto the pumpkin.

* Place a sheet of tracing paper between the printed template and pumpkin, and tape both to the pumpkin. Then, trace the template image onto the pumpkin with a ballpoint pen.

# A third option is to tape the template to the pumpkin then transfer the pattern by repeatedly poking small holes through the template's design with a wooden skewer, nail or other sharp, pointed object. Another handy tool for transferring a pattern by poking holes is called a template wheel. These are found in many pumpkin-carving kits and make pattern transfer quick and easy.

4. Use the newly transferred lines as your carving guide.

When creating a template, think outside the box. Creative ideas include:

* Using your computer to print out your family's name or a monogram.

# Spelling out a short word by carving one letter into each pumpkin and then placing the pumpkins together.

# Printing out a family photo and transferring the profile to a pumpkin to create a silhouette design.

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Yvonne

Pumpkin-Carving Tips and Tools

Hi Friends,

What's Halloween without a carved pumpkin? Check out these tips and tricks for selecting the right tool, keeping your carved pumpkin fresh and adding the right illumination.

Pumpkin-Carving Tool Options:

* A serrated knife works well for creating a hole in the pumpkin. It's preferable to carve the hole in the bottom of the pumpkin to cut off any bumps so the pumpkin will sit level. It's also much easier to place the pumpkin over a light source rather than lowering the light, like a candle, into the pumpkin.

* A large metal spoon or ice cream scoop is great for removing the pumpkin seeds. Another option is a battery-operated spinner that's made specifically for scraping the insides of the pumpkin walls.

* Small, paring knives are great for carving designs into the pumpkin. Pumpkin-carving kits, made specifically for kids or adults, are another good source. Battery-operated, pumpkin-carving knives also make quick work of even intricate designs.


Tips for Preserving a Carved Pumpkin:

* Mold and dehydration are the two main contributors to pumpkin rot. Prevent both by covering the carved areas and interior of pumpkin with petroleum jelly. This will keep the pumpkin from drying out and will slow the growth of mold.

* Another option is to add a small amount of bleach to a spray bottle filled with water. Spray the pumpkin daily with the bleach mixture; the bleach fights mold while the water keeps the pumpkin from drying out too quickly.

* Spray the pumpkin with a store-bought pumpkin preservation spray. Make sure that it is environmentally-friendly and nontoxic. Note: Even with these precautions, a cut pumpkin will only last for a few days to a week, so it's best to cut your pumpkin no earlier than a few days before your Halloween festivities.

Illuminating the Pumpkin:

* The candle-free options are nearly endless for showcasing your pumpkin designs. Check stores for color-changing strobe lights, battery-operated tea lights and rainbow LEDs that are made specifically for pumpkins and are safe for use in fresh or foam pumpkins. Battery-operated tap lights are a great option for a small pumpkin or gourd or use several in a larger pumpkin.

* If the pumpkin will be displayed near an outlet, a string of Christmas lights or a small lamp can be used.

* The final choice is candles, the old standby. Votive or pillar candles, placed on a plate which is large enough to catch any drips, are the best option. A good tip when illuminating a pumpkin with a candle is to cut a small hole in the top of the pumpkin, like a chimney, allowing the heat to escape. Note: Candles can only be used in fresh pumpkins, never place a lit candle inside a foam pumpkin.

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Illuminated Witches' Broomsticks

Hi Friends,

Show guests the way to your haunted house this Halloween with these colorful and easy-to-create outdoor decorations.

Materials and Tools:

8-10 brooms with straw bristles
orange spray paint
purple spray paint
brown spray paint (made specifically for plastic)
box cutter or craft knife
outdoor lights in orange, white or purple
hand drill with auger attachment or wooden stake and mallet
drop cords (rated for exterior use)

Steps:

1. To make modern brooms look older and handmade, cut the string that binds the bristles together. Remove all traces of string and fan the bristles out. If the broom has a plastic, rather than a wooden handle, paint it with brown spray paint. Also, if the broom has a plastic hook at the end of the handle meant for hanging, remove it.

2. Add a touch of color to the broom bristles by lightly spraying them with purple or orange spray paint, use one color per broom.

3. Wrap outdoor lights around broomstick. Begin wrapping with the female end nearest the bristles. While wrapping, keep in mind that the plug end needs to be located at the base of the broomstick, allowing the lights to be plugged into an extension cord. If desired, match the color of lights to the color of paint on the broom bristles; for instance, match purple-painted brooms with purple lights.

4. Using either a hand drill with an auger attachment or a wooden stake and mallet, create several 8-inch-deep holes to hold broomsticks. Make sure to evenly space holes, placing them no farther apart than drop cords can reach. Finally, insert broomsticks into holes with bristles facing up and plug in lights.

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Yvonne

Framed Painted Pumpkins

Hi Friends,

Cut foam pumpkins in half to create a one-of-a-kind Halloween decoration.

Materials and Tools:

shadow box frames
medium foam pumpkin
small foam pumpkin
back saw or serrated knife
assorted colors of craft paint
sponge brush
ribbon
hot glue

Steps:

1. Cut foam pumpkins in half with a back saw or serrated knife.

2. Create a plaid pattern on pumpkin halves by painting broad and narrow stripes in assorted colors with the sponge brush.

3. Tie ribbon in a coordinating color around the stems of the pumpkin halves.

4. Remove the glass, if necessary, from shadow box frames and attach pumpkin halves to the back of frame with hot glue.

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Glam Sequined Pumpkin

Hi Friends,

Make an ordinary pumpkin sparkle with the addition of sequins or shimmering glass beads.

Materials and Tools:

small foam pumpkin
sequin pins or craft glue
sequins or glass beads

Steps:

1. Cover the surface of the pumpkin with sequins or glass beads, attaching them with craft glue or sequin pins. This project could be completed with a fresh pumpkin rather than a foam pumpkin, but a foam pumpkin is preferable because it's much easier to stick with pins than a fresh pumpkin. Plus, it won't spoil so it can be used year after year. Tip: For a stylish variation, use contrasting colored sequins to spell out letters or to create a design.

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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How to Make a Halloween Platter

Hi Friends,

Animate a holiday platter with spooky ghosts.

Materials and Tools:

Bullseye glass:
- clear
- orange with rainbow iridescent
- yellow opaque
- orange opaque
- black
- orange Mardi Gras
dichroic glass
1/8" fiber blanket
glow-in-the-dark powder for lampworking
glass enamel paints
Glassline paint, black, white
ceramic mold for slumping platter
1/32" fire paper
oil reservoir glass cutting
glass scoring tool
running pliers
respirator
Morton board and cutting system
electric kiln
straight edge
school glue
cardboard ghost template
black permanent marker
container of water

Steps:

1. Measure, score and break pieces of orange opaque glass, yellow opaque glass, black, transparent orange and clear glass to size using a glass scoring tool and breaking pliers. The orange opaque and yellow opaque pieces will be placed on each end with strips of black, orange transparent and yellow glass in the center. The clear glass piece will be placed on top so it should be sized to span the width of the other glass pieces placed side by side.

2. Place the cardboard ghost template on a 1/8-inch fiber blanket and trace around it with a black permanent marker. Repeat two more times for a total of three ghosts.

3. Cut out the ghosts using scissors. Cut one of the ghosts in half top to bottom.

4. Glue the ghosts to the orange opaque glass using school glue. Place the edges of the ghost that was cut in half along the edges of the glass. This creates the kiln-carved effect and makes the Halloween platter 3-D. Let dry.

5. Turn the opaque orange glass upside down so the ghosts are on the underside. Place the yellow, black and transparent orange strips in that order along the right edge of the opaque orange glass. Place the opaque yellow piece of glass next to the transparent orange strip. Place the clear glass piece on top of the glass arrangement.

6. Draw the outline of the ghosts with white paint on the clear glass.

7. Draw a graveyard scene over the opaque yellow glass with the black paint. Let dry.

8. Using a sharp needle tool, scratch a design into the black paint to create wood grain on the tree trunk and grass on the ground.

9. Scratch the detail in the owl and cut small pieces of dichroic glass for the eyes of the owl and glue them in place. Let dry.

10. Remove the clear glass piece and wearing a respirator, spread black enamel powder on the opaque yellow glass to create eerie clouds in the background.

11. Spread white enamel powder on the ghosts.

12. Being careful not to disturb the powdered enamels, move all of the glass pieces to the kiln. Stack the clear glass piece on top of the other glass pieces in the appropriate arrangement. Fire the Halloween platter in the kiln to full fuse for approximately 6 hours or 1500 degrees. Let cool.

13. Cut a few decals to size (gold stars and black cheese cloth) and slip them into warm water. Place the decals on the spooky platter.

14. Place the glass on a ceramic mold in the kiln and fire it to slump in the ceramic mold.

15. Remove the fiber blanket ghosts.

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Pumpkin and Gourd Bowling Set

Hi Friends,

Create a fun Halloween-style bowling set out of a pumpkin bowling ball and gourd pins. Great as both a yard decoration and party game.

Materials and Tools:

10 gourds
1 small pumpkin
sponge
black craft paint
white spray paint
orange craft paint
paintbrush

Steps:

1. To turn the gourds into bowling pins, spray them with white spray paint. Allow to dry, and then paint an orange stripe around the necks.

2. Add a marbleized, bowling-ball effect to the pumpkin by sponging on black craft paint. Then, add three dots to replicate a bowling ball's finger holes.

3. Set them up in the yard just like at a bowling alley. Tip: This is a great project to complete with kids. They can help paint the gourds and ball, and then have fun bowling.

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Make a Ghost for Halloween

Hi Friends,

Add this ghost to your Halloween decorations and your house will become a favorite haunt of all the little goblins in your neighborhood.

Have you ever seen a ghost? I have. In fact, there's one lurking on my front porch right now. If you'd like to make a ghost to help you hand out treats to the little witches and goblins who come to your door on Halloween, here's what you'll need:

Materials and Tools:

plywood base measuring 12" x 12"
2" x 2" x 6' boards
large plastic foam ball
24 to 40 yards of white gauze
liquid fabric starch
pail
plastic drop cloth
old white socks, rags
hot glue gun
serrated knife

Steps:

1. The first step is to make a frame for your ghost. Drill a pilot hole into the center of the plywood base. Attach one of the 2 x 2 boards to the base with a long wood screw.

2. Cut the foam ball in half using a knife with a serrated edge. With your hot glue gun, attach one half of the foam ball to the top of the board. This creates the head shape.

3. Angle cut two shorter 2 x 2's and screw them into the main 2 by 2. Take an old sock and stuff it lightly with rags. Slide the sock up over the ends of the 2 x 2's to form the shape of hands. To secure them, tape the ends of the socks in place.

4. Because this project is very messy, you are wise to use a plastic drop cloth to protect your floor. Spread the tarp on the floor and set the frame in the center. Pour the liquid starch into the pail, and you're ready to start giving your ghost a little "body."

5. Cut the white gauze into six-foot strips. Dip the strips one at a time into a pail of fabric starch. Pull the gauze out slowly, wringing it out as you go. Begin draping lengths of gauze over the ghost frame until you have created the thickness and shape you desire. Each of our ghosts took about 12 to 20 lengths of gauze.

6. Depending on how you put your frame and your gauze together, you can create a variety of looks for your ghosts: high arms, low arms, hoods or capes. The ghost frame tends to be a bit unsteady. To anchor it, be sure to lay the gauze as flat as possible on the bottom of the ghost. The flattened gauze gives you an area to set bricks or rocks to hold your ghosts down. After all your hard work, you don't want them to fly away in the wind!

7. Allow the ghost to dry, and the gauze to harden. After it is completely dry, you can add a couple of strips of dry gauze and hot glue them into place. This loose gauze will create movement, making your ghost come "alive" on a breezy night! The ghost can be removed from the form, but since they are fairly fragile I recommend that you keep them on the form, if possible.

Your ghost can be placed outside on a covered porch or, for short lengths of time, can be out in the open as long as it is a dry evening. As you can imagine, rain can soften up the dried starch, and leave you with a puddle of gauze instead of a ghost.

So, still not sure you believe in ghosts? Well, add this specter to your Halloween decorations and your house will become a favorite haunt of all the little goblins in your neighborhood. What more proof do you need?

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Yvonne

Halloween Candy Topiary

Hi Friends,

Add colorful Halloween candy to foam topiary forms for a sweet centerpiece.

Materials and Tools:

foam cones in varying sizes
black spray paint
black and orange wrapped candy or jelly beans
hot-glue skillet or hot-glue gun
tweezers

Steps:

1. Spray the cones black and allow to dry.

2. Using tweezers, dip one end of the wrapped candy or jelly beans in hot-glue skillet and press onto the black cone. Alternate candy colors to create a striped effect.

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Printable Halloween Party Invites

Hi Friends,

Gather the ghouls to eat, drink and be scary with these printable Halloween Party Invites in .pdf and ready to go...

Printing Tips:

For best results, print invites onto card stock or similar heavy paper. Fill in event details and cut out card design with decorative-edge scissors. Embellish with glitter, ribbon, stickers or foam Halloween cut-outs.

Haunted House Invitations...

Spooktacular Monster Mash Invitations...

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Boys' No-Sew Pirate Costume

Hi Friends,

Create a quick and easy pirate costume for your little buccaneer this Halloween out of a sweatsuit and a few other basic materials.

Materials and Tools:

adult-size brown sweatshirt
child-size brown sweatpants
wide belt
sword
men's long-sleeve, white cotton shirt
eye patch (purchased or homemade using black felt and ribbon)
bandanna
clip-on earring
tall black boots
scissors
brown felt (for mustache and beard)
ribbon or clear elastic band (for mustache and beard)
hot glue (for mustache and beard)

Steps:

1. Create the pirate's trousers by cutting the sweatpants to a little longer than the child's knee length. Make cuts rough and uneven so the pant bottoms look ragged.

2. Turn the sweatshirt into a vest by first cutting off the shirt's collar, then slitting it up the middle front. Next, cut off the sleeves. Make the cut edges ragged or smooth, your choice.

3. Pair the sweatshirt vest and trousers with an oversized white cotton shirt. Add a wide belt over the vest to hold your little swashbuckler's sword.

4. Slip on tall boots. Dark-colored rain boots work great, but make sure they are comfortable for a long night of trick-or-treating.

5. Finally, add the costume accessories. Tie a bandanna around the child's head; add a clip-on hoop earring and eye patch. Top it all off with a felt mustache and beard, and your little buccaneer is ready to pillage the neighborhood for treats. Tip: To make the felt mustache and beard, simply draw a mustache and beard shape onto brown felt, leaving an opening for the child's mouth. Cut out and glue ribbon or a clear elastic band onto the back of the felt with a hot-glue gun.

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Girls' Quick and Easy Fairy Costume

Hi Friends,

Create an easy no-sew fairy costume for your little trick-or-treater this Halloween out of a sweatshirt, tights and a few other basic materials.

Materials and Tools:

adult-size pink sweatshirt (long enough to function as a short dress)
adult-size white tights (for fairy wings)
child-size white or pink tights
white headband
white or pink canvas shoes or ballet slippers
2 wire coat hangers
wire ties
wide colorful ribbon (to tie on wings)
assorted widths and colors or ribbon (for headband)
spray-on fabric glitter
hot-glue gun and glue sticks
scissors
fairy wand (purchased or homemade)

Steps:

1. Cut off elastic bands at bottom of sweatshirt and sleeve ends. Cut a zigzag design into the bottom of the sweatshirt and sleeves. Slit sleeves about halfway up to create a billowing effect.

2. To add a touch of fairy magic, spray the sweatshirt with spray-on fabric glitter.

3. To create the fairy wings: Bend two wire hangers into the shape of wings, twisting the hook ends of the two hangers together in the center. If necessary, further secure the center of the two hangers with wire ties. Carefully slip tights over wing shapes. Cover the area where the two wings meet with ribbon, creating a large decorative bow. Add a coordinating long, wide ribbon to tie the wings onto the child and function as a sash. Securely tie the sash around the child's waist and make a large bow on the fairy's front.

4. To create a fairy headband: Cut assorted ribbons into varying lengths, tie ribbons onto a white headband. An alternate choice for this would be to cover a plain headband with silk flowers and leaves.

5. Finally, what's a fairy without a wand? Add a purchased or homemade magic wand and your little fairy is ready to conjure up lots of Halloween tricks and treats.

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Halloween Skull Wreath

Hi Friends,

Turn an ordinary foliage wreath into a fun and creepy Halloween decoration with the addition of black spray paint and a few embellishments.

Materials and Tools:

wreath covered with silk foliage
flat black spray paint
orange and black glass Christmas balls
plastic skulls
hot-glue gun and glue sticks
black ribbon

Steps:

1. Spray foliage wreath with black spray paint. Try to cover all of the greenery or flowers with spray paint so no other colors show. This may take several coats.

2. Attach skulls to the wreath with hot glue, spacing them evenly. Fill in with black and orange glass balls, attaching them with hot glue or tying them on with black ribbon.

3. A fun alternative to the plastic skulls are plastic vampire's teeth, wrapped Halloween candy or chatter teeth.

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Lollipop Ghost Halloween Party Invitation

Hi Friends,

Invite family and friends to your haunted house with Halloween party invitations that are part ghost and part sweet treat.

Materials and Tools:

jumbo-size flat lollipops (ours are about 5-1/2" round with a 10" wooden stick)
white felt
white card stock
double-stick tape
white pipe cleaners
red ribbon
scissors
black felt
craft glue

Steps:

1. Trace around lollipop onto white card stock and cut out. Do this twice to create two white card stock circles for each ghost invite. Print or write by hand the party invitation details onto one, leaving the other blank. Use double-stick tape to adhere the circles to the front and back of the lollipop. The blank side is the ghost's face, and the side with the party info is the back.

2. Cut white felt into squares large enough to cover candy and leave enough drape to create the ghost's body (we used 20-inch squares).

3. Fold two opposite corners of the white felt square together, forming a large triangle. Place the lollipop inside the triangle, pushing it against the middle of the folded edge. Gather the felt around the lollipop and tie it securely with a white pipe cleaner. Trim off excess pipe cleaner.

4. Tie red ribbon around the ghost's neck to cover the pipe cleaner. Cut two eyes from the black felt and attach with glue.

Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

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Ghost Bowling Halloween Party Game

Hi Friends,

Halloween is approaching quickly so we need to think quick on our feet. Keep the kids entertained with this fun, easy to create, game. Compliments of our friends at HGTV.

Materials and Tools:

10 empty 2-liter soda bottles with caps
sand
white craft paint or spray paint
black craft paint
1 mini basketball
sponge brush
small detail paintbrush
permanent marker

Steps:

1. Remove labels from empty soda bottles and wash with soap and water. Allow to thoroughly dry. Paint 2-liter bottles and caps white with a sponge brush or white spray paint.

2. Fill bottles, about a quarter full, with sand. This will give weight to the bottles so they can better stand during game play.

3. Add a jack-o'-lantern face to the mini basketball and ghost eyes to the painted bottles with black paint and a small detail paint brush or permanent marker.

4. Set ghost pins up as they would be at a bowling alley and have fun knocking them down. This project is a great Halloween party activity, and kids can help create the bowling set before playing with it.

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Yvonne

Three Elements of a Great Outdoor Space...

Hi Friends,

Increase the livability of your outdoor space with the elements of fire, water and earth, compliments of HGTV.

Big or small, inexpensive or extravagant, your outdoor living space is an investment toward creating your own personal sanctuary. But it doesn't have to be overly complicated: just include fire, water and earth, says landscape designer Michael Glassman. Here, he describes several ways in which you can use these elements to create a cozy open-air refuge.

Fire
“In a recent national survey, the No. 1 one request for an outdoor room is the outdoor kitchen," says Glassman. "The idea of dining under the stars is wonderful. Have you ever noticed how food just tastes better when you eat outside?"

Although outdoor kitchens can involve pricey, extensive projects, the idea is to extend your home's living space into the backyard. So if a built-in gas grill with all the accoutrements isn't in the budget, a charcoal grill will cook your meals up nicely. Whether you're serving a few or a family feast, you can find a variety of stylish outdoor dining tables and chairs to suit your needs.

On a cool, crisp evening, cozy up to a heat source — like an outdoor heater, chiminea or fire bowl — with a cup of tea and a good book. Or enjoy the ambiance and smell of a wood-burning fire in a custom-built or pre-fabricated fireplace.

Water
The sound of a gurgling fountain is a soothing addition to your backyard oasis. Keep it simple with a tabletop fountain or get more elaborate with a professionally installed bubbling stream at the patio's edge.

Overhead structures like a gazebo or screened porch provide comfort and protection from rain, giving you more opportunities to spend time outdoors.

A palapa, or thatched roof structure, also provides protection when it's rainy, hot, bright and sunny. Call your local building or planning department to find out if you need a permit for a structure like this (in most communities you don't need one). Electrical outlets for a fan, heater or other device usually require some type of authorization.

Earth
Earthen elements, such as plants, rock, and other natural materials, provide year-round interest. Some elements, like stone paving and rock walls, anchor the space, while others, such as trees, shrubs and flowers, are fleeting and change throughout the seasons.

Incorporate earth tones into your accessories to connect them with nearby plantings, mulched beds and stonework. For example, outdoor carpets provide the indoor look outside. They're made from a weather-resistant fabric that's durable and won't mildew. They're easy to clean, and they dry quickly.

Outdoor furniture can also enhance the earth element by incorporating pieces made with different grains and colors of wood. When selecting furniture for your outdoor room, aim for comfort. Then consider the size; don't over- or under-scale your furniture for the size of the space. Finally, consider durability. Select items of good quality that won't easily fall apart in the elements.

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Live well,
Yvonne