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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Live well,
Yvonne

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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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

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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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

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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Live well,
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

Modern Living

Hi Friends,

Traditionally grays have been considered sterile even cold. Today, grays are the new neutrals, all shades of gray are now acceptable and no longer considered the sterile environment of yesterday. Our featured living room this week is all about, what use to be considered, the two most sterile colors in the color palette; white and gray. Sterile or Neutral; you decide.

Our minimalist living room is all about the grays and white with a touch of Mother Earth in the wood stacked in our fireplace. Relaxing, yet sophisticated in the colors that were long ago, a NO!

Check back for more decorating ideas and enjoy your new neutral living space.

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

Office in the Living Room?

Hi Friends,

Welcome back!

Office in the Living Room? Absolutely. In this day and age it is essential to utilize every inch of space. Its not surprising that we live and work in a mutual space so why not make it work for both. An office can be attractive even in the most elegant space. Determine the style of your space; Contemporary, Eclectic, Mediterranean, Modern, Romantic, Traditional, Transitional, Tropical, Asian, English Country and implement a cohesive workspace that is also functional. Accent your desk with flowers and accessories that are stylish but not cluttered. Incorporate ample storage for an overall result that is casual, comfortable, sophisticated or even elegant but it's essential to blend with the existing surroundings. Most importantly, avoid clutter; it's the enemy and I stress that you will have a true appreciation of uncluttered surroundings.

Larger spaces can accommodate an armoire, perfect to close when not in use but affords the space and storage required to run a smooth and successful business right from your living room, bedroom or family room. Whatever the piece, arrangement is paramount. Blending seamlessly is key in any design addition. Think about adding a console to combine with or compliment existing pieces; contrast can be your friend but not in this case. Traditionally credenzas were designed specifically for offices but styles have evolved and they work in most any space if placed and accessorized appropriately. Your environment determines your mode so make it work for you and your family, and whenever possible, think ergonomic. It Works!

Hope you enjoyed this week's feature and check back with us for more decorating ideas.

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