Thursday, December 30, 2010




                                Mantle, Glorious Mantle                                       


Why it's the focal point of the house and my favorite thing to dress up each season!   The mantle is a wonderful design tool.  Even if you have no other signs of holiday/seasonal decor in your room, if the mantle is done, the room looks festive w/o being overdone.  I believe a full decorated mantle looks best, but I am sure simplistic could be nice as well.  The mantle seems to require lots of "stuff", so I look to nature to help me out!  Winter and pine cones go hand in hand.  One stop at a big ol evergreen somewhere and I am set (throw extras in glass canisters,  jars or vases for festive tabletop decor).   Most of the candles up on the mantle are decoration and are not actually burned (safety purposes), but I do have a few in the moose/deer candle holders (Target xmas clearance).  I have a bunch of colored and not burned candles to pull out for whatever whenever (Dollar Tree).  Upside down wine glasses give great height to the candles and are hidden with pine cones.  I found this old window and it too gets dressed according to season.  Here I have kept an xmas wreath out which is not too Christmasy  and should serve well until and maybe through Valentines Day.  I like to stick with the winter red theme b/c it is easy to incorporate into V-tines Day.  So, throw some stuff on your mantle, rearrange it 109 times, then light a few candles and admire your work!!

Why the chic in a POLKA DOT skirt??

Because I am totally feeling the polka dot love these days!  I am not sure if it is a trend found only in the South right now...I hope not because I think it is super cute!  Anyway, I was inspired to make a wreath for winter that I could adapt slightly for V-tines Day.  I hit Micheals and found a ton of great ribbon 70% off!  Now, this was holiday inspired ribbon, but unless it has Santa Claus or Christmas trees speckled about...red, green, gold, silver and white ribbon is fair game for all the time decorating!!   As other colors are becoming more "trendy" for the holidays such as bright pink, purple and aqua, I was able to score several of those great colors as well.  I chose an intial for our last name and adored it with small circles cut from construction paper and glued on.  I sprayed clear protector on it for added protection.  I used seasonal bobbles that were more wintry than x-masy (all clearanced) and I can simply add a few hearts or sparkly heart garland (Dollar Tree stuff) closer to V-tines Day. Its a whimsical and fun wreath that is perfect for the remainder of winter until I am ready to change it to spring decor!

What its all about....

Its kinda like duct tape...1 product with 252 different uses!  In order to decorate on a dime for each season or holiday you must create and recreate and re-recreate and on and on.  One simple red item can be jazzed up for Christmas and changed slightly for winter and reused again for Valentines Day.  Who knows we may even reinvent it for July 4th!!  It is an awesome feeling when the seasonal mantel decor you have created looks as if you have blown the budget at Pottery Barn!  Not so..you may have studied their ads or web page, but certainly we didn't have a shopping spree...just a good hard look at what we have.  With a large dose of vision and creativity, you CAN decorate your home beautifully each season or holiday.   As a homemaker, we are called to wear many hats, play many roles.  Why not ask the same of our "stuff"!?  Make it work for us again and again.  So, follow me and I will show you how decorating on a dime can be easy, fun and so rewarding.  I promise not to decorate with duct tape...well, probably not.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

252 ways to use duct tape!

  1. Hanging posters.
  2. Decorative book cover.
  3. Fix broken tail light on vehicle.
  4. Twist a long piece into rope (thousands more uses).
  5. Tape wires down on floor or out of the way.
  6. Tape wires back together after splicing (much wider than electricians' tape).
  7. Reattach rear view mirror.
  8. Repair cracked windshield/window.
  9. Patch ripped clothing.
  10. Hide unsightly wallpaper seams.
  11. Repair broken hoses.
  12. Repair broken fan belt.
  13. Use as art medium.
  14. Fix broken book binding.
  15. Band-Aid for really big cuts.
  16. Attach leg splint to broken leg.
  17. Wallpaper your house (may be slightly expensive, but well worth it for the resulting sophisticated look).
  18. Reinforce pages in 3 ring binder.
  19. Cover up empty drive bays.
  20. Fold in half and use as bookmark.
  21. Disk labels.
  22. Rappelling harness.
  23. Toilet paper.
  24. Hinge on cabinet door.
  25. Repairing leak in tire/inner tube.
  26. Taping annoying people to walls, floor, ceiling, or bed.
  27. Holding together computer cases.
  28. Hold up exhaust pipe (doesn't last very long).
  29. Repair upholstery.
  30. Make lawn furniture.
  31. Make lawn decorations.
  32. Fix racquetball racquets.
  33. Roll into a ball for hockey practice.
  34. Mark lines on a sporting event field.
  35. Clothing � all sorts.
  36. Can be use to wrap duct work, but doesn't seal or hold up ducts very well.
  37. Use to pull unsightly hair.
  38. Keeps pledges in their place (also applies to siblings).
  39. Patches holes in vinyl siding.
  40. An entire roll can be used in place of a bedroom door to keep someone in for hours.
  41. Twisted correctly, can be used as a billy-club.
  42. Wrapped around newspaper to make a dog chew toy.
  43. Holding on book covers.
  44. Reflective lettering.
  45. Mute function for humans.
  46. Contraceptive device.
  47. Climbing rope.
  48. Earrings.
  49. Cover old pocket folders -- lasts forever!
  50. shoe designs
  51. Girdle.
  52. Sealing envelopes (in case you hate the taste of envelope glue).
  53. Replacement for airplane glue.
  54. For store owners: great way to keep the wigs on mannequins.
  55. Seat belts that'll REALLY keep the kids still.
  56. Closing chip bags.
  57. Make the stapler obsolete!
  58. Putting up Christmas lights (easy removal).
  59. Why bother with waxing...
  60. Add several layers to your car's bumpers for a much safer ride.
  61. Fix vacuum cleaner hose.
  62. Tape ski boot to your ski when the binding breaks.
  63. Repair seams of ski gloves.
  64. Wrap around your waist when your zipper splits in a one piece ski suit.
  65. Lift and separate when you don't want to wear a bra or can't have straps showing.
  66. Hold temple onto eye glasses.
  67. Fix printer.
  68. Make a wallet out of it.
  69. Hold car hood shut.
  70. Patch hole in canoe.
  71. Fixing sets for the school play.
  72. Making props look more realistic.
  73. Make letter for letter jacket.
  74. Hold your letter to your letter jacket.
  75. Re-enforce the phone cord.
  76. Hold batteries in remote control.
  77. Play a CD (reflect a laser beam onto a CD to play it).
  78. Stick pictures up in your locker.
  79. Fix holes in your Airwalks.
  80. Use instead of nail polish.
  81. Hold pens together.
  82. Belt.
  83. Wrap your ankle for sports.
  84. Can be used in place of handcuffs.
  85. Rings.
  86. Hold file cabinet together.
  87. Hold shoe laces together.
  88. Can replace shoe laces.
  89. Can be used in place of Velcro.
  90. Write term paper on it.
  91. Graduation present.
  92. Can be used to put back together a shredded term paper.
  93. Stop your jeans from fraying.
  94. Hair ties.
  95. Hold spikes to your cleats.
  96. Make a book shelf.
  97. Necklace.
  98. Note cards.
  99. Remove lint from clothes.
  100. Makes great bumper stickers with a sharpie!
  101. Cook a baked potato in it.
  102. Hold car door shut.
  103. Tape plastic over broken rear window in car.
  104. Tape down ripped carpet.
  105. Tape sole of ratty sneaker to body of sneaker.
  106. Hold speaker wire to the back of speaker.
  107. Use it as a Biore strip.
  108. Practical joke toilet paper replacement.
  109. Makes a good bib.
  110. Put it on your lawn and paint it green. Say good-bye to mowing.
  111. Mouse trap.
  112. Fly paper.
  113. Tape your little brothers' mouths shut.
  114. Use as vinyl flooring.
  115. Cover rust holes in your car.
  116. Ashtray.
  117. Roofing shingles.
  118. Make a clothes line.
  119. Window coverings.
  120. Use a roof rack on your car for carrying luggage and other items.
  121. Fix a broken plate.
  122. Patch a hole in your swimming pool.
  123. Make a swing for your kids.
  124. Make a tent for camping.
  125. For the annoying mother-in-law.
  126. Lock people into their house, school, office, etc.
  127. Hold your car's bumper in place.
  128. Seat covers in your car.
  129. Fix holes in your sock.
  130. Fix the hole in your favorite coffee cup.
  131. Make a coffee cup.
  132. Retread your tennis shoes.
  133. Earmuffs.
  134. Repair work gloves.
  135. Make work gloves.
  136. Home security system - tape up doors and windows.
  137. Watch band.
  138. CD case.
  139. Wrap a soda can or bottle in duct tape to keep it cold.
  140. Makes stylish notebook decorations.
  141. Use it to fix old instruments.
  142. Use it as a dog/cat/rabbit/frog/lizard/etc. leash.
  143. Hold on toupees.
  144. Duct tape annoying, rambunctious students to their seats.
  145. Reupholster the roof on a '83 Mustang convertible (or any vehicle for that matter).
  146. Attach it to the end of a yard stick (sticky side out) as a way to get pennies out from behind the couch.
  147. Surgical bandage.
  148. Fix a cigarette that is broken at the filter.
  149. A clothesline when you're out in the middle of nowhere. (Peace Corps favorite.)
  150. Use it as a substitute for Bondo.
  151. Makes excellent streamers for bicycle handlebars.
  152. Toilet seat cover.
  153. Reflectors.
  154. Replace broken screen in your screen doors to create an excellent storm door for those cold winter nights.
  155. Makes great posters with the aid of magic markers.
  156. Make a sheet for your bed.
  157. Wrap freshmen up in it.
  158. Use to make the lines in the middle of the road.
  159. Make a space suit out of it so you can walk on the moon.
  160. Use as a musical instrument.
  161. Make a hat.
  162. Make a wallet chain out of it.
  163. Stare at it and try to find new uses for it.
  164. Make a boat out of it.
  165. Throw it at people.
  166. Write on it and stick to someone's back.
  167. Put a few rolls on their side and roll them to have a duct tape race!
  168. Tape a hedge trimmer or chain saw to a long pole in order to trim or cut tall trees.
  169. Use it as hockey tape.
  170. Tape Tupperware containers together in a way that you can stack them on top of each other for more storage space.
  171. Use to keep the cover of an old ice cream maker securely attached.
  172. Cut a hole in a piece of cardboard, wrap duct tape around it and get a really inexpensive original looking picture frame.
  173. Tape Nerf basketball hoop to the back of a door because they just don't stay on their own.
  174. Make a pouch and attach it to a door so you can hold stuff.
  175. Repair smashed pumpkin.
  176. Waterproof sun screen for bald men.
  177. Snowmobile/motorcycle seat cover.
  178. Hold broken U-joints together on truck so you can make it home.
  179. Makes a good replacement for chrome.
  180. Patch holes in convertibles or soft top jeeps.
  181. Resurface your trampoline.
  182. Artificial lighting.
  183. Use it to tape 10 year olds with sugar highs to trees during boyscout trips.
  184. Can be made to fashion weapons in a pinch.
  185. Emergency limb replacements.
  186. Prosthetics.
  187. Make fantastic puppets and other toys.
  188. Can be used to clean the floor when no vacuum is available.
  189. S & M.
  190. Make a ball.
  191. Repair trim on cars.
  192. Patch up fish tank.
  193. Halloween costume.
  194. Waterproof footwear.
  195. Make a makeup case.
  196. Repair leak in pilot gas line.
  197. Gagging device.
  198. Pin striping.
  199. Wrapping Christmas presents.
  200. Patch seams in carpeting.
  201. Patch a hole in a tent.
  202. No need for lunch box - just tape all your food together!
  203. Use to keep President Clinton's pants up.
  204. Cute plant holder.
  205. Keep hair in place.
  206. Make a tie out of it.
  207. Chastity belt.
  208. Blister repair.
  209. Censor speech on softball uniforms.
  210. Repair pantyhose.
  211. Roll it over a pool and make a trampoline.
  212. Keeping guitar strap on your guitar.
  213. Taping mic to mic stand (or a hockey stick).
  214. Taping mic stand to amp.
  215. Hold a float together.
  216. Fix mini blinds.
  217. Get rid of plantars warts.
  218. Hold telephone together.
  219. Hold computer mouse together.
  220. Write on vehicles.
  221. Muzzle.
  222. Make a Halloween mask.
  223. Decorate guard rifles.
  224. Make really cool underwear.
  225. Make a mummy costume for Halloween.
  226. When you get in a really boring conversation pull it out and ask the other person if they can name 101 uses for it (plus or minus 70 or 80).
  227. Attach underwater flashlight to underwater strobe for night dives.
  228. Hold a car battery in.
  229. Headbands.
  230. Jewelry.
  231. Attach glow-in-the-dark bugs to people's houses.
  232. Fixing the toilet seat.
  233. Torture.
  234. Window shade.
  235. Hair extensions.
  236. Seat covering for a 1963 Vespa GS 160 (or any other vehicle for that matter).
  237. Wrap around cardboard tube to make fake swords for the kids.
  238. Waterproof apron.
  239. Beverage holders.
  240. Cooler.
  241. Pet rain gear.
  242. Toilet paper roll cover.
  243. Cell phone holder.
  244. Tool belt.
  245. Shower curtain.
  246. Repair speaker cones.
  247. Poor man's Viagra - two Popsicle sticks and duct tape.
  248. Hold the plastic (or Mylar) on your car where the window should be.
  249. Wrap a "365 Uses For Duct Tape" calendar for Christmas.
  250. Hold up worn out socks.
  251. Suspenders.
  252. Tape keys to bottom of car so you never lose them.