Fondue or FunDo

Sometimes the best traditions start when you just try something new. And, we love to try new and interesting things at our house. Years ago, I started a "party" tradition with the kids of having FunDo night, our version of fondue. Fondue provides an evening of fun, yum and lots of friends.

Years ago, we started out using the ceramic fondue pots with little burners or candles underneath. Our FunDo has gotten more sophisticated, though, so we invested in electric pots to keep things warm, and giving us more time to spend with guests. Typically, we do a three course fondue event including several cheese sauces, a stock broth for meats and seafood, and two different types of chocolate for dessert.

Preparation takes a little time, but it's worth it! We start the day before and cut up all the vegetables that we will dip and store them in the fridge. Our choices include things like carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, red potatoes, mushrooms, and especially apples (but cut those up the day of). We also do some dessert prep by finding things we would love with chocolate and getting them ready. Some of our yummy choices include marshmallows, pineapple, strawberries, bananas (cut the same day), rice krispie treats, chocolate brownies, cookies, wafers, anything that would taste good in chocolate.

The day of the event, I prepare a big crock pot of stock broth. I've tried many different types, but tend to like a beef based broth with a bit of soy, garlic, onions, green onion and lots and lots of seasonings. Using the crock pot when you are serving many folks allows the broth to be hot, tasty and ready to refill an empty pot at a moment's notice.

Cut up your meat and put it on big platters. Great choices include a nice steak, chicken breast, shrimp (precooked is better with kids), scallops, fish, and lobster. Often, I will season part of the beef and part of the chicken with rubs to flavor them for more variety.

Once the food is ready, you need to focus on making the cheese fondue. I have made them from scratch, before, but typically like to start with what I call a starter fondue cheese, a Swiss variety, and create my own from there. You can buy packets of fondue starter cheese at most grocery stores. Typically, they can be found with the gourmet cheese and it may require you asking someone to find the small boxes. Prepare your cheeses ahead of time (shredding them) so you can make the fondue quickly. I try various ingredients in my sauces from wine, beer, nutmeg, finely chopped pecans, garlic and many different spices. Try a spicy variety by adding crushed red pepper, cumin, tarragon, a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce and some garlic. Complete the sauce by adding some pepper jack cheese. Or how about making a sweeter variety using a Riesling wine, nutmeg, tarragon, and mozzarella?

Fondue night is a great way to have a long engaging evening of fun, conversation and interaction with your family and any guests. When done well, it easily can last two to three hours depending on the number of recipes you use and the number of courses. Our girls love it and often beg for a FunDo party. And, if you don't really want to make it yourself, just check out a local fondue restaurant, like the Melting Pot where you can enjoy the pleasure without all the work.

For fondue help check out these sites:

Recipegal.com

Wikipedia

Recipe Goldmine

Find electric fondue pots at Target where we got ours.

Artsy Fruit & Veggie Displays

Thinking about trying something fun with your table next time you have guests? Checkout this great website on carving fruits and vegetables. Make a lovely display for your friends to marvel over. http://www.mosspink.com/veggies.html

Sewing Matters

My daughter’s friend asked to borrow my Kenmore sewing machine today for a sewing class at CCAD. Shannon is exploring the skills associated with becoming a clothing designer to decide what she wants to do when she grows up. My sewing machine is 23 years old. I bought it when I was a senior in high school from Sears, even before I bought my first car. That gives you some idea of how significant that purchase was at that point in my life.

When I was in middle and high school, I took 6 years of home economics where sewing was taught. While, home economics is not a requirement at my kids’ school in suburban Columbus, I grew up in a rural farming community in Ohio, where it was viewed as a necessity. Little known fact and a bit funny to tell people today, is that I was the president of Future Homemakers of America and member for 4 years. I also was the Future Farmers of America’s “Queen” at my school. So, you can imagine that I was involved in the things that seemed to matter to my community, where the focus was on being handy.

With today’s heavy spotlight on technology and social media, I wonder how many kids today learn some of the basic skills of life, like sewing and gardening. I feel that these skills have been invaluable to me during my lifetime as a creative type and eventually owning an interior decorating business. I’ve sewn everything from my own clothes, to Halloween costumes for my kids and even window treatments for my home. I don’t consider myself an excellent sewer or even someone who does it often. I’m more of a convenience sewer for when I can’t find what I want.

My twelve year-old daughter, Madison, recently asked out of the blue if I could teach her to make a dress. We have finished the preliminary steps of buying, reading directions, preparing fabric and cutting out pieces. We are now ready to start the sewing. I’m delighted that she is exploring this as a sideline craft to her hobby of incessant reading. I value raising independent, well-rounded kids who are not afraid to take a risk and try something, regardless for potential to fail.

So, with all this being said, when you are thinking about what activity to engage in with a child, consider doing projects that create a basic life-skill for the benefits of handiness, hobby and learning to take a risk.

Some interesting sites on sewing:

Sears Sewing Machines

Teaching Children to Sew

Free Sewing Patterns

Butterick Patterns

McCalls Patterns

Simplicity Patterns

Threads Magazine

Turkey Traditions

Soon, I will be sharing my thankfulness with family members like many of you. This year we will have members from both my husband’s and my family gathering at the table. We usually have 20 or more people, bringing the noise and activity level up.

I love Thanksgiving and the joy of being together with family. I love it more than Christmas. For me, Thanksgiving maintains a preciousness free from much of the commercialism, expectations for gifting and harried schedules that black Friday brings upon on.

For years, I have been the “noodle maker” in the family, creating egg noodles from scratch and making a crock pot overflowing of a chicken dumpling noodle recipe. It is a 3 day process to make and hang the noodles up to dry. Various family members call weeks in advance to ask if I will be making the noodles in line with tradition. Their mouths start watering the moment they think about the dish. The family doesn’t know it, but one year I cheated. I bought cans of chicken and noodles because I did not want to let them down and I did not have time to make them. I seasoned up the canned goods with flour, more chicken and lots of spices. My family never knew. My kids and I smirked and holding back laughter every time someone commented on how good they were.

Every year we have had a gravy issue for as long as I can remember. Apparently none of my siblings or spouses learned how to effectively make good gravy. One year someone put powdered sugar in the gravy amidst the madness of too many cooks in the kitchen. Another year, the gravy was so lumpy we could do nothing but make fun of it. And then there was the year we got the gravy "just" right and my nephew dumped it all over the carpet while carrying to the table. Last year we just bought the gravy in a jar. Ahh, some things create a different kind of tradition to look forward to.

In preparation for the big day, the girls and I gather in the kitchen and whip up a bakery’s worth of products to serve for dessert. We make cherry and pumpkin pies, brownie and cake recipes and add in a few specialties like pumpkin rolls. We always have a table or two dedicated to desserts. We usually eat the desserts in “phase 2” of our turkey feast after we've made room for more.

Some families take naps, watch a movie or watch a game after their turkey meal. My siblings are pretty active adults and we often will head down to the basketball court near our home and engage aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews in a rowdy game. Or if the weather does not cooperate, we engage in lively board games full of lots of smack talk. This year, I am predicting a rock band tournament in the basement lounge. I can hear the squeals of “Roxanne” now.

My family is also goofy and growing up with five siblings, we learned to entertain ourselves with very little. So lots of silly play happens when we get together at Thanksgiving. Last year we made up a song and sang it rappin’ battle style to my mother. It was our very own version of “I’m getting nuttin’ for Christmas” full of lots of funny statements about our behavior as children. Verses included lines like, "I pushed Brian down the stairs, accidently cut his hair, dressed him up to be a girl, broke his collarbone with a twirl...Oh, I'm getting nuttin' for Christmas...." Of course all these things were mostly accidents! It was pure comedy as each kid one-upped the other.

Whatever your Thanksgiving traditions and plans hold, I hope that you will infuse the joy of thankfulness into everything you do.

Peace out,

Sandy

Cluck if You Hate Daylight Savings Time

The farmers and I doth protest daylight savings time. It appears that the chickens do not adapt to the changed clock until several weeks have gone by, making the first few weeks of April and the last few weeks of October very frustrating. Cluck!

Creepy Food for Families

Looking for some fun things to do for Halloween? How about getting in the kitchen with the family and making fun food? Every year I get the kids in the kitchen, with the notion of making creepy, creative, theme-based food. We make lots of fun stuff from radish/olive eyeballs inside of icecubes, to ghoulish, breadstick bones. It creates traditions for celebrating the holidays and great memories! Here are links to several sites where you will find everything from mummy dogs to witch finger sandwiches. Have fun!

Pillsbury
AOL Recipes
Family Fun

Some personal favorites:

Melon brain
Kitty Litter Cake
Mummy toes
Worm Sandwiches
Bug juice

Play Time for Adults Too

When was the last time you just played? Silly fun, off-the-wall, surprise-your-family play can create incredible joy, and also lasting memories. Sometimes, I like to surprise my children when they are least expecting it. Here are some of my favorite “fun-filled" moments.

• Serve grapes for dinner in a large bowl. Pick up a few and take them off their stem and ping one or two at the kids and yell, “fruit fight!” (Of course they have to help clean up afterwards!) Mini marshmallows also work well for this activity.
• Play a game where you take turns throwing a grape into each others’ mouths. Invariably, you will hit each others’ noses, chins, mouths, and giggle lots watching the grapes bounce off each other and onto the floor. (Cereal is also good for this one.) You may want the "receiver" to close their eyes if you are worried about aim.
• Make a chocolate cake or brownies and when you are done, leave some batter in the bowl. Use your fingers and wipe some on each other's lips and chins to make moustaches and beards. Take pictures! This also works well with icing, melted chocolate and whipped cream.
• Buy water guns and surprise someone with a water gun fight. (Water balloons are a good substitute as well.)
• Get some sidewalk chalk and sit out on the driveway or sidewalk and draw to your heart’s content.
• Play hopscotch or kickball. One time we made a hopscotch with 100 squares leading all the way around the cul-de-sac.
• Pretend to be mannequins and pose somewhere. Have one person arrange the mannequins by changing the poses. Wear hats and scarves to make it more interesting. It is such fun to juxtapose one perspective into a whole other view of the world, watching people and their reactions!

Consider teaching your children to look at things from a different vantage point. It will be a gift they will take into their adult-hood. I know I’ll never be a perfect parent or spouse, but I always hope that some of the great memories I've tried to help create will stand out in the minds of my family forever.

Fun with Archie McPhee

Our last trip to Archie McPhee's in Seattle was a fabulous fun. Our family can create a great memories doing almost anything. I had my camera in my purse and we had some time on our hands. Add a dash of imagination and suddenly you have instant entertainment. Here are some highlights of our trip to this novelty store for you to enjoy.

All of our daughters enjoyed a race through the costume aisles and posed with their favorite looks. Of course I got in on the act too. Perhaps these photos will give you some inspiration for ways to kick up your heels with your family whether you are at a store or in your own home!

For your own Archie McPhee fun moments, you can go online and buy some fun gag gifts to take home to your family tonight. http://www.mcphee.com/ I totally suggest the potatoe guns, which use real potatoes as ammunition, bug suckers (complete with a healthy dose of protein to offset the sugary carbs), a set of test tubes (to create lots of fun creations by mixing things in the kitchen) and of course some costumes. Remember, this site is great for birthday and holiday gifts!

Decorate with "R-Values"

Sit by a bare window on a sunny day, and you’ll feel the sun’s warmth. Sit by that same window on a cold, windy night, and you’ll feel chilled to the bone! With today’s economic concerns, smart homeowners are continually searching for ways to cut expenses and save on their monthly energy bills. Naturally, the best place to start is to be sure our homes are well insulated. But all too often, while overall home insulation is a priority, windows seems to be neglected. No matter what your climate, bare windows are a primary spot for energy to escape.

Since windows make up 20% of a typical homes exterior and 40% of contemporary home construction, having many large uncovered windows can break your energy budget. This is especially true when these windows face a cold Northern exposure in the winter or a sun-saturated west wall in summer. It’s important to know that many window treatment products have actually been assigned an R-Value. Building materials are assigned R-Values according to each product’s ability to resist heat movement. The higher the R-Value, the better it insulates your home. Most windows have an R-value of 0.9 to 3.0, and can be responsible for 40 – 70% of heat or cold transfer for an entire home. Using multiple layers at your windows, including cellular constructed treatments, can actually increase an R-value by 1 to nearly 5 points! So let’s look at a variety of window treatment options, and cut energy costs at the same time.

Cellular shades: These honeycomb style window shades are the best of the best for insulating your windows. They usually have an R-value of at least three and up to 7! They come in double and triple cell and trap air in the combs to help insulate. Most brands have many colors to choose from, are easy to clean, mildew resistant and require little to no maintenance.

Vertical Blinds: Available in hundreds of colors, textures and embossed patterns, vertical blinds can increase window insulation by 40 to 123% AND block 95-99% of ultraviolet light. R-Values reach as high as 4 for vertical blinds when closed.

Roman Shades: These beautiful shades have contours of fabric that fold and overlap making a roman shade. They provide a 49%increase in window insulation value and can block 99% of UV light. They boast an R-value of up to 3 and can be custom made or ordered from many window fabricators.

These are just a few window choices that will greatly increase your R-value, but consider that putting something over your window, especially during the daytime when you may not be at home, and during the late night when you are sleeping, will definitely boost your home’s energy efficiency by keeping out the sun and keeping out the cold.

Although there are many window covering sources to choose from, I have always loved Hunter Douglas products. Consider their website when choosing your window covering. http://www.hunterdouglas.com/

Resuscitate Your CPR Knowledge

When was the last time you considered the importance of CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation? Recently I heard a story about a friend of my children who attempted to save a woman’s life. The boy is twelve years old and was staying at a friend’s house when he discovered his friend’s mom passed out on the floor. He bravely attempted CPR. Although, he was unable to save his friend’s mom, he was honored for his noble attempt and we are all reminded how important it is that both young and old receive a basic training in CPR. Many fire departments provide this training for free or at a very low cost and of course, you can always get training through the Red Cross. Consider enrolling your family members today. For more information on CPR, check out these links:

Wiki CPR
American Red Cross
You tube CPR Video

Open Mindedness Leads to Diverse Life

As my husband often says, “We blend”. My husband is a Chinese Filipino and I am a Caucasian mix of many European classics. We are quite the picture, however, with my light skin and bleached blond hair and his brown sugar skin and Asian characteristics.

I rarely notice people, who are uncomfortable when they see us together, but it does occasionally happen and sometimes their reactions are ridiculous. It often reminds me that I want to be more open minded and more accepting. I’m amazed that people today will openly stare at a mixed couple with oppressive stares hoping that their “opinion” will somehow matter. It brings me however, to today’s blog, which I hope is thought provoking. Do you consider yourself diverse and if so, why? What truly makes you diverse?

When I was a diversity officer in Human Resources, I took a training class many years ago. It was a life altering event for me and perhaps it will be inspiring for some of you. It started with a jar and some beads. Each color of bead represented a different race. We had red, for American Indians, black for African Americans, yellow for Asians, whites for Caucasian, green for all others. This is how the exercise worked if you would like to go through it mentally:

Put 9 beads in the jar (one for each category) for the color that represents the majority of the color of the people at work
At church
The school you went to as a child
The college you went to
In your neighborhood today
For your friends
People you dated
The people in your family
People in clubs you belong to (golf, tennis, rotary, etc.)

Now, if 10% of people at work are any other race, then put a bead in. Do the same for church, neighborhood, friendship circles, past dating, family, etc.

The point of the exercise is to see what color your beads are or how diverse your life is. Are the beads primarily one color? What does this tell you about how diverse your life is? What would you like to do differently? Do you make an effort to include people of different races in your life? How much control do you have over that? Many of us think that we are diverse, but how diverse are we? Most of my jar was white. I was surprised by this. I had friends of other colors, but the numbers were very small, not enough to add beads for the 10% in many cases. Part of it, truly was a function of where I lived and not really anything I felt I could help. But, I realized, when sitting in a crowded room, I didn’t seek out people who were different than me. I realized, I chose what University I went to, what work I employed myself at. It truly is a choice. I decided this was something I really wanted to change and I decided to change it.

Of course this exercise only looks at race, but you could look at age, people with illnesses, religion, politics, and all sorts of other things that differentiate us. The point however is very meaningful in helping us to look at our lives. When I went through this exercise I was very young and it made me look at the world differently. When my daughters were young, I bought dolls for them in different skin colors so that they were exposed right away to a world that was different. Would you intentionally buy Barbie dolls of another color to make sure your kids were exposed early on to the idea of accepting something different? To me, this seems natural. Of course it takes additional action steps beyond just buying a doll that is different, it takes exposing your children to people who are different.

Today, I am proud of the choices my children have made. For example, Ally, our oldest, volunteers for Miracle League (http://www.miracleleague.com/) and plays softball with disabled children so they can have the same experiences you and I have in playing a fun sport. She has also helped out in school with kids who were disabled. Madison, Lizzie and Ally have all been involved with programs to work with the elderly through the school system. Ally, Maddie, Lizzie and Emily have had various friends over the years of other cultures and nationalities, such as Japanese, Vietnamese, Indian, and Russian.

Today, I don’t think about the color of the beads in my jar, because diversity isn't just about color. I just keep an open mind and I know that my life will continue to grow and change and diversity will be inevitable. But, one thing is for sure, Ben and I will never blend!

What’s Your Line?

Understanding what constitutes good design is essential if your home decorating project is going to be successful. The purpose of spending time, thought, effort and money decorating your home is to make it attractive and functional. Comfort is easier to define. Good design is harder to achieve, but it is good design that pleases the eye and what ultimately evokes incredible feelings in people when they walk in a room. Line is the beginning of all design, because it establishes shape or form.

While we’re all somewhat aware of lines, have you ever considered how lines influence mood? You can set the theme of a room by your choice of lines. This is because the human eye involuntarily travels the length of a line, and different lines give different impressions. Here are some thoughts about lines to help you with your design projects:

Horizontal lines are restful. They create a feeling of relaxation and informality, perhaps because a horizontal position is associated with sleeping. Contemporary styles in furniture are often based on horizontal lines.

Vertical lines are formal. They create a feeling of strength and regularity, especially when repeated. They’re undoubtedly associated in our minds with an upright position, thus signifying alertness and conventionality. Think about many of the architectural forms with columns and the formal feeling they give off.

Circles and Squares are static. The eye recognizes these shapes at a glance. Stars and flowers patterns that fit into circles and squares are also static.

Rectangles and ovals give an impression of motion. This is because the eye involuntarily travels around them due to their less regular shape.

Controlled curved lines are happy and romantic and almost always have a lighthearted look. If you want a light and romantic look in your new room, use furniture designed around controlled curves.

Free form curves reflect the flowing lines of nature. These irregular forms are considered contemporary. Just as controlled curves have a fanciful effect, free-form curves create a casual, free and easy mood.

Diagonal lines usually create a disturbing element, unless supported by opposing diagonals or by verticals to give them strength. A variety of diagonal lines used together produce a very busy look, which is often unsettling.

So, next time you are designing, think about your use of lines and how they influence the feeling you want to evoke in the room.

Add a dog to your home

Consider adopting a sheltered animal. There are so many out there just like the 1,000 dachsunds that were just rescued from the puppy mill in West Virginia. One of our friends was fortunate enough to save one of these puppies from an ill fate. http://newsfeedresearcher.com/data/articles_b35/idb2008.08.26.04.04.29.html Many dogs are in need of your love and care, just like our cute little Sparky, a pure-bred Westie, who came from the pound at age 3 and a half. He is adorable. He is not only a living vacuum cleaner sucking up the little particles of food the kids drop all over the kitchen floor, he also makes a snuggly pal whenever we sit on the sofa. His soft white curly fur feels comforting and he has the cutest eyes that look up at us so innocently. We even taught him to walk on the treadmill when we ride the stationary bike or use the elliptical. He’ll hop on the treadmill’s belt and wait patiently while we program the time and speed just perfectly for him. He likes soccer too and it is the only time he ever barks, when he is chasing the ball. Of course no one likes to take him out for a walk or a poo, but they all love to be the one to cuddle with him. So, if your family would like to add another family member, consider adding a pet and consider adopting one because they have a little more love to give.

What to Do with a Blank Wall

Got a blank wall? Trying to figure out how to make this wall be a focal point in your room? Well, here are a few ideas that might inspire you:

• Chose a dramatic color to paint the wall – something different from your other three walls.
• Hang one dramatic piece of art so that the eye will be drawn to the wall helping it to take center stage in your room.
• Create a gallery wall of differing pictures, differing frame styles.
• Add a finish to the wall such as a Venetian Plaster to give it an old world feel.
• Paint your wall a dramatic color and use quarter round to create “frames” around artwork that’s hung on the wall.
• Select a dramatic tapestry – hang it on a decorative rod, complete with coordinating tassels.
• Hang display shelves at varying heights to display your unique collections.
• Wallpaper is back – so texture your wall with grasscloth, a silk, or a dimensional wallcovering.
• Artwork isn’t the only thing that will give a blank wall some pizzazz – how about displaying your antique plate collection.
• Murals – either hand painted or wallcovering murals will give your wall a new fresh – and hot look!
• Hang a mirror, wooden art, metal art or something other than a picture.
• Place a shallow console 12-14 inches deep with a floral arrangement against the wall.

Stand back and preview your new wall. Enjoy its beautiful new look!

Toe Buddies

When was the last time you just played? I mean like totally silly-play. It feels great to let go and do things that defy what we are supposed to or not supposed to do (within reason). This is a blog about a time when we made what we, affectionately call Toe Buddies.

One day, I was sitting in the living room on one end of the sofa, with our daughter Emily who was facing me on the other end. We each had our legs sprawled out along the length of the sofa and her legs were on top of mine. I got a bright idea and grabbed the fine-tipped marker sitting on the coffee table within my reach. Taking hold of her foot, with a devilish grin and smiling eyes, I uncapped my marker. She knew I was up to something and she liked it. Knowing that surely something interesting was about to happen, she openly engaged giving me full-reign of her limbs, with that sure sign of wide, anticipating eyes. I hesitated only long enough to know I had permission, and then took my marker and carefully drew one little happy face on her toe. I decided it looked lonely and needed a buddy. Therefore, I drew another little happy face. Then I filled up each toe with flowers and little designs. I said, “Look, Emily! You have toe buddies.”

She smiled. She loved her toe buddies and asked for more for her other foot. It wasn’t enough. What else could we draw? It was almost Christmas and she asked for a “Grinch” tattoo. I took a stab at drawing one on the bottom of her foot. Not only was she happy, but her other three sisters also started coveting the experience. They lined up on the sofas with their bare feet sticking out wanting their own versions of toe buddies and foot tattoos. I finished drawing Madison’s Nut Cracker and a Rudy, Rudolph for Lizzie, but could barely finish Ally’s tattoo because we both laughed incessantly due to her ticklishness and my inability to draw a single line without making her crack-up. Within a short time, the quietness of the house had evolved from hushed pen strokes to raucous laughing and eventually merry dancing as we stood up and brought our toe buddies and foot tattoos to life. It’s amazing how much fun we can have with a pen, our imaginations and our bodies. After that time, I always kept markers in my purse. Sometimes when we are at restaurants and have to wait for a long time, I pull out a marker and we embark on body art. It makes waiting much eaiser.

Note: Crayola makes a nice set of markers that is washable and non-toxic!

What’s for Dinner?

Do you hate that feeling of knowing it’s time for dinner and you don’t know what to fix? Do you have the ingredients you need to make dinner? Which family members will be home to eat? All these things can tug at your mind while trying to figure out what's for dinner. Here is a solution to take control of your busy life. You'll never again worry about serving up supper.

With a little commitment and about an hour and a half a week, you can pull together a calendar and a weekly menu. Other family members can then help contribute to make things go smoothly every evening with meal preparation. Here’s how to do it:

• Once a week check with family members to find out what activities they have going on. Load the activities into a calendar and post somewhere that everyone can see. It can be as simple as a Microsoft excel or word calendar or you can use http://www.cozi.com/ and upload all family calendars from outlook. It is helpful to include any activities that will impact family schedules.


• Based on the timing of events, plan what days the family can eat meals at home and what time of day it makes sense to eat. If activities end at 7:00 perhaps that is a good night for a crock pot meal that everyone can eat at 7:30.


• Next put a weekly menu together based on how much time is available to cook or eat out. Determine the grocery list based on the menu items. You may find that it make sense to eat out 1-2 nights a week, and the other nights you can cook at home. Without a plan, you may eat out more often because you are not prepared.


• For ongoing ease, create a list of foods the family likes to select from. You can go to recipe sites for ideas like http://www.bettycrocker.com/, http://www.campbellsoup.com/, http://www.kraftfoods.com/. You can make a list of main dishes, veggies, etc. from the websites and then choose from the food lists to create your weekly menus.

If you try this method, you'll never again worry about what to fix for dinner!

Selecting Color Based on Natural Light

Light definitely affects color – so consider checking colors you choose for your home in both daylight and artificial light before making a final decision. As a decorator, I often close the blinds or draperies and look at the color in the artificial lighting, then open the window treatments to consider the color in full lighting. Only then do you get a complete idea of how the color will work. I also encourage my clients to tape several swatches of the color on the wall in areas of shade and light to see how they will like the color both ways.

Your first consideration in selecting the appropriate lighting should be the natural light that comes in through your windows. If your home features larger windows, then you would have the option to choose a few bright dramatic shades as your ultimate color selections. And conversely, the smaller the windows are in your room, might lead you to choosing lighter color shades due to the lack of more natural lighting.

It is important that you remember to take into consideration the direction that the windows in your room face. Windows with a northern or eastern exposure ultimately mean the light in the room will be cool – so selecting a warmer color palette will give you a much friendlier room. Southern or western exposure provides your room with more direct sunlight, so, ultimately the light in these rooms will be warmer. Here bright colors will appear more intense, so you might consider utilizing a cooler color scheme to help your room become appear calm and relaxing. Good luck choosing your color based on the light available to you!

Help, I can't sleep!

Having trouble falling asleep? Did you know there are ten types of insomnia? Read about the different types of insomnia to find out which kind might be keeping you awake at night.

General insomnia – has trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early.

Stress– usually short term. When the stress goes away so does the insomnia.
Behavior – based on children not going to bed on time because a parent has not enforced a bedtime for the child. When made to go to bed, the children learn to fall to sleep.
Lifelong insomnia – a lifelong disorder from infancy. It cannot be explained but could be the result of other sleep disorders, medication, psychiatric disorders, stress, medical problems or other behavioral issues.
Drug or substance – related to taking something that stimulates or affects the body’s ability to sleep.
Medical condition – another medical condition is causing the person to have trouble falling asleep, wake up after asleep, worry about poor sleep or have an inability to go back to sleep.

Mental disorder – a mental health disorder is linked to the insomnia but they are separate issues.
Severe – little or no sleep for days with no clear evidence as to why.
Excessive worrying – sleep deprivation due to excessive worry about an inability to sleep. May be caused over insomnia around a life event that compounds and becomes worse. At bedtime angst and anxiety sets in.

Unspecified - Specific cause unclear.

It is important to know that insomnia is usually not a problem unless you feel tired during the day. Usually insomnia lasts only for a few days or weeks or until the situation that causes the insomnia resolves itself. Here are some other considerations to help you feel better about insomnia resolving itself:

• As we age, insomnia is more prevalent. About age 60 it increases.
• Anxiety and depression cause insomnia.
• Many medications contribute to an inability to sleep.
• A variety of other diseases can contribute to insomnia.
• Alcohol, tobacco and caffeine also increase sleep problems.

So, rest assured, that a good night’s sleep may be possible with the passing of time or some small adjustments in your routine.

Soccer Tailgate

“It was fun hanging out after the game,” one of the girls said to another after our first soccer game tonight. They were munching on fresh sandwiches, fruit, veggies and chips sitting in a cluster of about fifteen kids. The blanket I brought was sitting on the ground empty, while the kids were sprawled out on the grass, using soccer balls for armrests, headrests and holding up their knees. We tried something different tonight since we had an evening game and families were busy running from one event to another. With a team of twenty and many families having several kids, it just made sense to try a soccer tailgate right on the sideline. The craving fans not only watched the game, but also enjoyed a sumptuous array of snacks along the sideline while sitting in their favorite lawn chairs. To make your tailgate successful, consider the following tips:

• Create a simple list of things to bring
• Buy as many things as possible when you are busy (it’s not about being Betty Crocker!)
• Bring a small table that can easily pop up to hold food
• Bring blankets for kids to sit on and roll around on
• Keep paper or Styrofoam products like plates, napkins, utensils and cups in a basket that you can keep packed every week and just pick it up to take along
• Keep it simple with bread, sandwich meat, veggie trays, fruit, chips, cookies
• Enjoy the opportunity to eat, drink and hang with other parents

It’s truly about making life simple for families and creating memories that your children will forever cherish. And if that doesn’t work, maybe it will distract the other team!

Eating Ethiopian Style

Recently, we ate Ethiopian food. We thought it might be fun to try something new with the kids. My husband, Ben and I, love everything spicy. We did not take into consideration that the childrens' bellies might not handle the food well. Our reservations at the Blue Nile had us sitting at the woven basket style tables giving us a more authentic feel. The kids liked the empenada appetizer and ate the coriander chutney sauce, even though it was green and defied their ideas about eating all green foods like broccoli and salad. They sampled various meats with names too difficult to pronounce, scooping them up with their bubbled flat bread, meat juices dripping down their hands and staining their fingernails with spicy scents. Silverware is not provided, so everything is eaten by hand using the flat bread as an eating tool. Near the end of the meal, all the girls shuffled to the singular bathroom simultaneously complaining of burning bellies. Apparently Ethiopian food produces results on the digestive system that McDonalds and Wendy's does not. We thought a quick trip to Denise's ice cream might ease the digestive woes with flavors like 'salty caramel' and 'chai tea' or 'rice pudding', but not so. At the end of the night, we tucked one daughter into bed with a sad face and belly-ache, realizing that not all food adventures work with children. Our friends Geoff and Karen, however, agree with us that Ethiopian food was still a big hit.

Blood Donations

We never know when we will need blood. It happened to me and my ex-husband when we were 21. We were hit by a car while riding a motorcycle. He used 20 units of blood alone that day. My mere maintenance use didn't hold a candle to his 20. Your body holds 7-10 units. We were life lighted and had a long surgery to repair massive injuries to our left legs which sustained open wounds and major broken bones. Over the course of the year, we had a combined 13 surgeries between the two of us, needing some occasional blood. When people need blood they expect it to be there, but we don’t normally think about blood banks when everything is okay. I’m very grateful to all those people who took the time to give so that he and I could sustain our lives that day and get back to good health and live a good life.

If you have time and you are healthy, consider donating blood. The Red Cross is always in need. Where we live, there is a Red Cross conveniently located on Sawmill Road and Bethel in the Carriage Shopping Center by Chase Bank. Check out the website for more information. http://www.redcross.org/donate/give/

Speed-walking for Health

Now is a great time to start a walking program. If you want to get the most benefits from your walking routine consider speed-walking, which is done at a rate of 3.5-5.5 mph. Speed walking involves swinging your arms in pace with the stride, and keeping one foot on the ground at all times. While calorie burn varies between people, you can expect to burn 440 calories (if you weigh about 150 pounds) during a one hour speed-walk, while going 4.5 mph. This is equivalent to a slow run.

Why walk? Beside the obvious notion of burning calories, there are other great benefits from walking. Women who walked three hours weekly were 35 percent less likely to have heart problems. Walking five or more hours a week reduced the risk of heart problems by more than 40 percent among women.

Speed walking for 20 to 60 minutes three or more times a week provides stress-relief and other psychological benefits.
Race-walking provides a lower-and upper-body workout because of the accentuated use of the back, shoulders and arms.
Walking can be done just about anywhere and doesn’t cost a lot of money. All you need is a pair of comfortable walking shoes and a place to walk

For more information on walking, check out this link. http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestURI=/healthatoz/Atoz/hl/fit/card/speedwalking.jsp

Choosing a Table Lamp

Lighting is essential to the task. It plays a key role in the feel, mood and overall effect of the room. Here are some tips to help you select the appropriate table lamp for your space.

• Make sure the total height of the table lamp and the table equal 54-62 inches. This ensures the light is the right height for your eyes and not below the “reading level”.


• Consider a 3 way bulb to change up the light as the lighting needs dictate. Select a lamp that is proportionate to your furniture.


• Note that table lamps are normally 28-34 inches high. Buffet lamps are higher and skinnier.


• Lamp shades should not be more than 2/3rd of the diameter or width of the table to create the right proportion.

How much do fake breasts cost?

Someone close to me got breast implants recently. This spurred a lot of conversation as you can imagine. Like did you know that breast implants cost around $5,000-$10,000? Most people spend between $7-10,000. That made me think about how much things cost. Let's see what else you can buy for $7,000:

28,000 quarter slots games
8,750 candy bars
350 private music lessons
280+ Kiva loans
140 tanks of gas at $50 per tank
70 weeks of groceries at $100 per week
10 basic laptop computers
7-10 pure bred dogs
7-10 (44 inch) flat screen TVs
3 cruises for two to an exotic location with airfare
A high-end racing bike

At the end of the day, we spend our money on what we want, but it is interesting to think about the value we place on things in our society.

Duct Tape Use It On Everything

My daughters love duct tape, especially, the brightly colored duct tape. One day Ally used Duct tape to make a wallet using a discarded Starbucks card and two colors of duct tape. I was thoroughly impressed with her ability to craft. Duct tape has so many uses. Most recently I was made aware of yet one more use on a trip to my daughter’s pediatrician.

Warts can be stubborn. One of our daughters got a wart on the bottom of her foot and we used the over the counter medicines to attempt to cure it. No such luck. We had it burnt off and it came back. We tried more medication, but again, the wart persisted. So, we turned to duct tape as recommended by our pediatrician, Dr. Mary. According to our doctor, a little mediplast (a Band-Aid with 40% salicylic acid), covered by duct tape is the best medicine for a wart. We have been using this method for several weeks now and slowly the wart is diminishing. So, the next time you are contemplating the many uses of duct tape, include wart killer on your list.

Kiva - Loan Money to People Improving Their World

Sometimes I think about how tough life is for people in other parts of the world. Often from where we lie in our comfortable beds with pillowtop mattresses and 300 thread count sheets, it’s hard to feel the hardness of the ground that some people sleep on and think about how we can help them. My sister-in-law, Amy, aided in bringing this notion home for us when she decided to give a unique Christmas present to the whole family. Each of us received a gift certificate to Kiva, a non-profit organization that connects people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. This gift truly is a gift that will continue to give to others.

After setting up my account and “cashing in” our gift certificates, we poured through the pictures and stories of many families. Their lives are so different from ours. They are all trying to do some type of business endeavor that will improve their financial situation. Being a business owner myself, I realized their struggles are on a whole different level than mine. They make pennies or dollars a day while doing a start-up such as a “store” that sells beverages and a few non-perishable items. I am in love with the idea of Kiva and what it does for others. We have loaned out our money and now get to watch updates of how that money is helping others.

It only takes about $25 to make a difference. If you spend more, then you can truly help these individuals have a better life. Check it out today and share it with others. http://www.kiva.org/

Fashion show for Teenagers

Looking for a new activity to engage your teenaged-girls? Why not hold a fashion show? Have your favorite teenager help plan the event. Some suggestions on how to pull it all together:

• Plan a fun party, with some type of run-way and have the kids bring their favorite fashions.



• The kids can spend time making each other over, doing hair and nails and deciding what each girl will wear.



• Create an audience of parents, or friends to watch the event at a posted time.



• Be sure to have some great music in the background to make the show more energized.



• Consider a vintage fashion show with clothing from different decades.



• For more fun, have the girls find a cause to support. They can promote their fashion show and charge a donation or small fee to give to their charitable organization. What a great way to have fun and help others at the same time. If they cannot come up with an organization, consider Kiva. http://www.kiva.org/
  
  Be sure to take photos and videos of the event so they can “relive” the exciting moments later.

It’s that time of year now, back-to-school. You can help ease your child’s transition by hosting a neighborhood rise-n-shine breakfast. Pick a day during the week to hold your party and have your child get involved in the planning. You can have everyone show up in their PJ’s . I recommend keeping it simple with bagels or donuts, with juice for kids and coffee for parents. Another option is to serve breakfast outside a half hour before the kids have to leave or get on the bus. Let everyone know the date and time so they can be sure to show up early. If mornings won’t work out, try holding a “we survived the first week of school” party. Hanging out with their friends can help children get over their ‘starting school jitters’ and get into their routine.

Resistance

My daughter recently got upset with me because she said I ask her opinion and then do the opposite. Obviously, it was her perspective on the situation, so I thought about it. Not being sure if this was true, or to what degree, I decided that the next time I asked for her opinion, I would go with her opinion no matter what. I don’t ask her opinion on life altering events, so this seemed like a sane plan. And of course, I could ultimately better gauge my resistance by doing this.

It happened at a nail salon. She asked me what color I thought she should choose for her nail polish and then I asked her the same. She picked a flamingo pink color, which I had a hard time cherishing on my feet. But then I remembered my promise to myself and thought, it’s only nail polish and by making a different choice, I can show her that I value her opinion. I had my toes painted flamingo pink. I don’t expect simple acts like this one to immediately change a pattern of behavior, but I feel it is important to try new behaviors out in life. What I did realize is that resistance was getting in the way in this situation. With this new perspective on my part, I’m hoping that I can make more choices that will eventually influence my daughter toward a more positive feeling about the value of her opinion.

Sometimes resistance is good, like when we have a budget to live within and someone is trying to sell us something that we know we shouldn’t buy. But other times, resistance is not helpful to our relationships or for us. For today, think about your resistance to good ideas, different ideas, people, people’s behaviors and events that could ultimately provide you some unseen greater good, you’ve yet to experience.

Color Makes a Difference

Did you know that there are scientific studies that have proved that color affects your mood and physical reaction? It's true. A blindfolded person will experience physiological reactions to different colors of light. While the Egyptians knew about this many years ago when building their healing temples of light, some of us are just now understanding the importance of color and light in our environments. Some quick color facts to consider:

• Pink is used in many jail cells to "weaken or calm" inmates. Often the opposing team's locker room is painted pink for football teams.


• Blue is an appetite suppressant. Some weight loss plans suggest using a blue plate to eat your food. Consider putting a blue light in your refrigerator and watch the munchies disappear.


• Research dollars are spent determining what colors your medications should be. The colors are coordinated to match the intended outcome or the taste of the medication.


• Taste tests reveal that the color of beverages affects our sensory perception of the taste. In one study, a drink tasted sweeter to participants when it was red, and the response got increasingly sweeter, the older the tester. Color also determines the acceptability of tasting a beverage, because it implies a taste. Check out this website for more information http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/coltaste.html.


• Pure bright lemon yellow is the most fatiguing color and it is the first color the eye notices.


• Color describes usability and function. Often buttons are red to indicate, stop, don't or proceed with caution. Green is used for go, yes, enter, etc. Look at your appliances and remote controls to see examples of this.

So, next time you are picking a color, take some time to think about how it will affect your mood. While all this is wonderful to know, it didn't stop my kids from enjoying green eggs, pancakes, ham and green milk I made one day for breakfast!

Electronic Calendar for the Family

Tired of missing those important appointments and events within your family? There is good news today for families who want to stay connected. Electronic calendars are all the rage to keep you connected online, and also using mobile devices. Calendar web tools have been around for a while, but today's tools will even send a text message to your son that he has to be home by 3:30 for his practice. Or, you can keep a family journal complete with photos and all members' comments. What a great way to start a keepsake. We just started using one that also allows you to upload your Microsoft Outlook calendar into the family calendar to make maintenace simple. It even uses different colors to differentiate family members' schedules. Check out Cozi and start making your life simpler. http://cozicentral.cozi.com/homepage/.

Organizing a Laundry Room

We have four daughters. The laundry piles up quickly. I often contemplate how a sweatshirt can end up in the chute on a 95 degree day or why girls need to change their outfits so many times. With that in mind, I have created some solutions to our laundry situation that get the kids involved and help minimize the work. Maybe some of these tips will be helpful to you.

Note: My girls are 10-14, but I've been using these solutions for several years now. Children can be very capable when we give them the chance to take responsiblity.
Hang a double hook for each person in the laundry room. This hook can serve multiple purposes. Use it for bookbags or coats and use it for sorting laundry. As the laundry comes out of the wash, hang it on the hook for that person. You can even let each child pick a photo of herself to frame and put over the hook. Another option is to paint the name of each person above their hook. Have family members take their own laundry up to their closets daily. Also, to keep the cycle going, have them bring the dirty clothes to the sorting baskets and hang up empty hangers in the laundry area. It is part of our children's daily ritual now to do these things, but with any new change, you can expect a training period and maybe some grumbles.

Use baskets to sort clothing. My kids started sorting colors in baskets as a game at a very early age. Use different baskets for whites, lights, darks, and "special items" that mom or dad handles. Each person sorts their own laundry, preferrably daily, keeping anything requiring special care, or which is brand new, in the special item basket.


Create written instructions on how to use the washer and dryer. At our house, the older kids help with washing. I wrote step-by-step instructions on 3 x 5 cards that tell how to use the washing machine. It helps them to remember what to do and helps prevent mistakes. Be sure to explain the temperature to use, what buttons to push, where the detergent goes, etc. Keep in mind, if kids are doing laundry, your standards may have to change! You can even include instructions on what to hang and what to fold. Of course they can help sort clothes on the right hook too!

Hang a bar over the dryer for hangers and other clothing. Make sure it is high enough that the clothing doesn't touch the dryer before you hang it. This is a great place to keep your empty hangers and you can easily batch items on the bar for ironing later.

Hopefully, these tips will make laundry go more smoothly for you and your family.

Should My Child Toot her Horn?

If you are a parent, you've likely been faced with the idea of having your child learn a musical instrument. With four girls, we've had our share of music lessons. Our oldest daughter started out sweetly playing the flute for three years. Then at age 13, she suddenly asked to get a drum set. It took a while to warm up to the idea, and now we have two girls drumming. We only had second thoughts the day our neighbor, a policeman, showed up to ask us to quiet down. Apparently the sound insulation we added to our basement wasn't doing the trick. If your child hasn't started playing an instrument, you may be wondering if it makes sense to spend money on an instrument and lessons. Here are some reasons you may want to consider:

Playing a musical instrument makes you smarter. Many studies have shown that parts of the brain develop in people who play instruments and not in non-instrument playing minds. Children who start playing before the age of seven have striking brain development. It enhances coordination, concentration and memory and even improves eyesight and hearing. Some believe it crucial for total brain development.

It teaches discipline. Anytime you learn to master something, you have to set aside time to practice. This creates the process of discipline.

It creates a sense of accomplishment. Of couse at first, some instruments can be hard to learn to play, even frustrating. Over time, however, there is an amazing sense of accomplishment and self esteem for the child or adult who learns to conquer a song or a new lesson.

Playing an instrument relieves stress. Music is very relaxing, especially soft and soothing music. It is also a great activity for a child or teen to go to when they need to "be alone".

It is fun. When you play an instrument you have endless opportunties to join groups during your life where others like playing music. You can also perform at weddings or parties. Music is often part of any event that has a celebration.

Feed Your Mind and Feed the World

Did you know you don't have to have a lot of money to give charitably? Here is a simple way to give to others daily, even if only a little at a time. By playing a vocab game called freerice.com, you earn rice grains, which are in turn given to people who need them. After only a few successful tries you will start stacking up the grains, and growing your vocabulary. Soon, you can help feed hungry people in need. It's easy to play while sitting at your desk at lunch. Or get your kids to play every night before they get free computer time. www.freerice.com

Bringing out the green in all of us

We’ve all heard Kermit the Frog sing, “It's not easy bein' green”, and this rings true for many of us, but it can be good on your wallet. Being green can mean many things, but mostly putting forth a conscious effort to change how you behave in your patterns of recycling, reusing, purchasing and exploring which companies you do business with. So how do we nudge society to create the necessary awareness for change so our resources will last as long as we do?

The answer seems easy. It starts with a single unit, a single individual. Whether it’s recycling a battery, purchasing an energy and water saving washer or a creating a green building, one person initiates the thought and behavior that creates the change. Such efforts on the part of Columbus residents have turned our old pop bottles into benches and picnic tables at the Barnett Recreation Center. Knowing that our recycling efforts are creating renewable products that we can see and touch is indeed inspiring. But don’t get too inspired. While reading The Columbus Dispatch this Sunday, I noted that Columbus is among the worst in the nation at recycling. Our residents recycle 5% of their trash, while a surprising 75% of our waste products are eligible for recycling. I say let's get off the park bench and see what else is in the trash can. While the Baker-Blanquera family was in Seattle this past summer for my brother and sister in law’s wedding, we were impressed by the recycling efforts of the city, where recycling is mandatory. I noted that after one week in Seattle, that nearly all of our trash was recycled and just a small portion was actually being “trashed”. Certainly, this takes a much greater effort on consumer’s parts. Mandatory programs like this certainly move us all in a new direction and make it easier than programs like those in Columbus where residents actually have to pay to recycle. It seems like we just might have this backwards. Are we penalizing the wrong people?

We have all seen advertisements on appliances that save water, save electricity and save us money. It’s hard for any of us to refute the benefits of these when the time comes to replace a worn out clunker that just can’t be fixed. More and more companies are creating options to fit the cultural shift and our consumer choices will continue to grow. With companies jumping on the green bandwagon, many consumers now have to become more concerned about “green sheen” or “greenwashing”, which is a marketing attempt on a company's part to mislead consumers about the environmental benefits of a product or service. If you are concerned about greenwashing, you can look for an appliance with an “energy star” rating, and that will tell you that it has the certification of the government’s Energy Star program, designed to help us all save money and protect the environment. http://www.energystar.gov/

When it comes to other products or services, though, how can consumers read through the claims about the benefits of energy savings and environmental perks and know how to make the right choices? Third party testing agencies are crucial fulcrums in the balancing act between consumers and consumer marketing because they have no real stake in the outcome of the sale. Third party certification is a scientific process where a product, process or service is reviewed by a reputable and unbiased third party to verify that a set of criteria, claims or standards are being met. Organizations such as Greenguard Environmental Institute (GEI) and Green Seal, which are both non-profit organizations, are doing a lot to dedicate themselves to safeguarding the environment and transforming the marketplace by promoting the manufacture, purchase, and use of environmentally responsible products and services. You can check out their websites for more information on program certifications. http://www.greenguard.org/ and http://www.greenseal.org/

While there are third party certification agencies out there for certain types of products and services, as a consumer, you can also look to agencies like Consumer Reports. They have expanded their website to contain a green section. http://www.consumerreports.org/ This agency compiles both test data and consumer opinions and satisfaction information, so, technically, it does not pass the unbiased test. In 2005, Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, launched a group called Greener Choices to create better choices for a greener planet. Their website is loaded with helpful information to assist you in making green choices, recycling old household products and being more informed on industry related information. http://www.greenerchoices.org/

Even buildings themselves can now be certified as green. The U.S. Green Building Council, a non-profit community, provides a certification program to ensure buildings are healthier, more comfortable, safer, and more durable. They have a certification process called LEED, which ensures that homes are green buildings. http://www.usgbc.org/

Last Sunday’s Columbus Dispatch had several articles on the subject. For greater learning, you can check them out.
Green City? http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/insight/stories/2008/04/20/greencity_20.ART_ART_04-20-08_G1_5J9UU2H.html?sid=101
Trucking you’re your trash has its price http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/04/20/TRASH_COSTS.ART_ART_04-20-08_B1_F09VR93.html?sid=101
Going green will allow you to save extra green http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/home_garden/stories/2008/04/20/how_green.ART_ART_04-20-08_H2_0D9UTI5.html?sid=101
City’s green efforts have a way to go http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/04/20/greencity_6.ART0_ART_04-20-08_A1_9T9VR0R.html?sid=101

If you find that you want to learn more about being green, you can wait for others to initiate programs that will cause you to change (such as Upper Arlington's trash program which now charges for each bag of trash you leave at the curb). Or, you can take the initiative for your own learning, by reading some of the links in this newsletter and then taking some steps to modify even a few of your own behaviors. Remember, it starts with one.

Mother Earth Approves Decor

It's spring and mother earth is turning green. I love this time of year and the rebirth it brings. Birds are singing, neighbors are out of hibernation working in their yards and everyone just seems a little bit happier. There is something about the color green that is representative of good things; the cool touch of damp grass on your skin, the secure feeling of knowing you have greenbacks in your wallet, and the wonderfulness of doing your part to help keep the world green. But with all the talk about being green, short of the obvious things like recycling, it’s hard to really know what being green really means. This blog, helps you understand what people are talking about when they talk about going green, gives insight into local green news as well as information on green decorating.

Green is the new black in decorating. Perhaps you won’t put green on every wall, window and sofa, but chances are you may want to consider green in many aspects of your decorating choices. Here are some points that differentiate green decorating choices from ordinary ones:

• Consumes Less Energy and Water


• Creates Healthier Spaces


• Conserves and Preserves Natural Resources


• Improves Indoor Air Quality


• Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions


• Promotes Social Responsibility

So, if you find yourself moving towards green purchases, you may wonder what questions are good to ask of a company that provides a product or service. You may want to try some of these recommended by the Trade Only Design Library, a resource for designers:

• What is the product made of?


• Where do the materials come from?


• Does the product have a low VOC rating?


• Are there finishes on the product and what type? (low VOC or water-based)


• Do the products contain recycled materials?


• Where are the products manufactured?


• What effort has the company made to go green (changes in process)?


• Is there an inherent benefit to the environment to use this product?


• Has the company been third party tested or certified?


• Is the company part of any environmental organizations?


• What has the company done to reduce the environmental footprint of the organization?

Decorating responsibly means considering new choices. We use fabric in furniture, window treatments, bedding, and accessories. Many forward thinking companies are changing their processes to create more earth friendly fabrics. This week, I met with one of my fabric vendors who shared exciting new earth friendly fabric samples with me. I’m proud to say that this is a trend I am seeing with many of my fabric vendors along with information about what qualifies them as such.

Some decorating products contain recycled products. Others are considered a renewable product. How wonderful when we find a two-for-one. FLOR, is a supplier that produces a tiled carpet product with your choice of nylon, hemp or wool on the face, and which has a composite backing of recycled products. It has the lowest VOC (volatile organic compound) or new carpet smell in the industry. And, FLOR loves to work with customers to recycle used FLOR products (making it renewable) in the manufacture of new FLOR products.

When buying paints for your home, consider buying ones with low VOCs, or no VOCs. This means fewer fumes for you and your family. Two of my favorite suppliers are on the list for both categories and can be found in several locations locally. Sherwin Williams http://www.sherwin-williams.com/ offers a line of zero VOCs in their new Harmony line. Benjamin Moore http://www.benjaminmoore.com/ also has a zero VOC line called Pristine ECOSpec and a low VOC line called Benjamin Moore Aura. You can check out http://www.earthyeasy.com/ for more information on VOCs, clean-up and the like. Of course, you can contact me if you need assistance in selecting the right color! Good luck going green, and enjoy the outcome no matter what product you choose.