Holiday Centerpiece

What a fabulous, inexpensive centerpiece to make!  What do you think? Would you try it for something different to use this year?  Just click on the photos to go to the website that shows detail-by-detail how to make this.  

By hometalk
They have so many great ideas to share!

Is Kitty safe in the kitchen?

Toxic Temptations: 6 Foods Your Cat Should Never Eat

If you’ve got a curious kitty at home, Thanksgiving may have been a challenge! Many cats are attracted by the unusual aromas wafting from the kitchen, and they like to investigate. Perhaps your feline friend jumped up on the counter as you prepared the pumpkin pie. Maybe he climbed up on the dining room table to scope out the turkey. It’s quite common for cats to check out food that’s left unattended in the kitchen. With a house full of dinner guests, it gets tricky keeping an eye on kitty.
Yet during the holiday season, just as during all the rest of the year, it’s crucial to keep your cat away from dangerous ingredients. Felines are simply unable to digest many common human foods, and just a nibble can be toxic. As we approach the next round of holiday gatherings, make sure to stow away these ingredients when kitty is nearby, and keep your cat comfortably enclosed in another room during preparation and mealtime.
 

1. Raisins and Grapes. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center advises never feeding pets grapes or raisins. They are known to be toxic to dogs, and the ASPCA states there are ‘still many unknowns with the toxic potential’ of these fruits, including how they affect cats.
   
   
2. Chocolate. While we humans can’t imagine a holiday dessert plate without a few chocolate treats, this is a toxic food for cats. A substance called Theobromine along with Caffeine can cause vomiting and over-stimulate the Central Nervous System, which can lead to death. All chocolate is dangerous to felines, but unsweetened baker’s chocolate is particularly harmful because it contains 8-10 times more Theobromine compared to milk chocolate.
   
   
3. Garlic, Onions & Similar Root Veggies. These foods have the power to destroy your cat’s red blood cells, leading to anemia. Onions are particularly dangerous.
   
   
4. Green Tomatoes. Your cat will experience severe lower gastrointestinal pain after eating these plants. Stems and leaves are especially toxic.
   
   
5. Xylitol. You may not know what it is, but xylitol is a substance you likely digest on a regular basis. It’s found in candy bars, gum, toothpaste and some baked goods, and it’s used an artificial sweetener. Some ‘diet’ food products contain this ingredient. Keep it away from your cat! It has the potential to cause seizures and liver failure.
   
   
6. Bones and Fat Trimmings. Don’t leave that turkey, chicken or roast beef out on the table unattended. And do NOT give kitty those leftover table scraps! A few nibbles of the fat remnants can lead to vomiting and diarrhea, and bones are a choking hazard.

Holiday Pastel Ribbon Wreath

I went on a search for something to make for the holiday season, but ended up finding this... and I like it, of course because it is pastel!  
What do you think?  Would you make it?

By: Kathleen George for STYROFOAM Brand Foam

Conjure visions of sugarplums with this handmade holiday wreath that makes a great quick and easy holiday decoration.

Materials:

• STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam:
  • Wreath, Round Face, 12" x 2 1/2" x 1"
• Foam-safe metallic silver spray paint
• Ultra-fine silver glitter
• Pony beads, one package each: white; silver
• Wire-edged ribbon, 1 1/4" x 5 yds. each: variegated light blue; sheer silver; sheer mauve
• Thin silver or wire ribbon, 6" length
• Metallic large berry sprays with leaves, assorted coordinating colors, six
• Ruler
• Wooden skewer
• Scissors
• Low temperature glue gun and glue sticks
• White, thick craft glue
• Large cardboard box (Optional)
   

Steps:

1. If desired, place foam wreath inside large cardboard box outdoors or in well-ventilated area. Spray paint wreath silver; sprinkle with glitter while wet. Let dry completely.
    
2. Cut approximately twenty 4" lengths from each ribbon color; cut more as needed to fill out wreath shape.
    
3. Apply dot of glue to opening of a silver pony bead; immediately insert one end of a sheer silver ribbon length through hole until tight. Let dry; trim excess ribbon above bead. Repeat to bead all silver ribbons silver; bead all blue and mauve ribbons white. Let dry.
    
4. Refer to photo to join beaded ribbon lengths to wreath. Beginning just inside wreath opening, dot wreath with glue and use wooden skewer to push free end of one ribbon length into foam. Continue adding ribbons in concentric circles around wreath, cutting and beading more ribbons as needed. Offset ribbons slightly from circle to circle.
    
5. Use fingers to bend ribbon lengths toward outside edge of wreath as shown. Twist wire ends, or knot thin ribbon ends, together to create hanging loop. Glue ends into center top back of wreath.
    
6. Trim berry spray stems to 1" length. Apply glue to stems and insert into wreath opening as shown.

Read more
For more project ideas, please see styrofoamstyle.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I normally find my posting material from other blogs and shared information on the web. I do not claim to personally own the material unless I truly have authored it. Honesty is key. I usually try to share with you my overall understanding of any given shared post; but, if applicable, I want to give credit where credit is due by sending you to the original author for the original information and any additional info. It's only fair.

My personal suggestions and opinions are usually in this green italic type - so you will know when it is my own wording/opinion given.

I hope this information has been of some help to you. As always, if you would like to add a thought, question, give suggestions for another topic, or make a general suggestion, please post a comment below. Also, please follow / subscribe to this blog. Thank you! 

More Homemade Gift Baskets for Men!

Okay, yesterday and earlier today I shared gift basket ideas for almost everyone. Here are more ideas with men included, just in case you need a bit of extra help. If you do your homework, you should be able to toss together a basket for just about anyone.  Good luck!

Read more at Buzzle
By Madhura Pandit

Cheap Gift Baskets for Men
You can make a personalized gift basket at home in relatively lower price. Here are some ideas to make inexpensive gift baskets to gift men.

It is a common sight that women are showered with beautiful gifts by men on nearly all occasions. However, men also enjoy surprise gifts, and love to be pampered and cared for. Is your boyfriend, partner, best friend or dad's birthday approaching? You want to gift him something special, but, are completely broke, or cannot afford anything luxurious. Do not worry; here are several ideas that will be helpful to you.

Inexpensive Gift Basket Ideas
A gift basket is one of the best and most versatile gifts for men. It can be gifted to men of any and every age group, and at the same time, can be personalized according to the person's preferences. Secondly, gift baskets also top the list of cheap homemade gift ideas.

Gourmet Food Treat Gift Basket
If your partner or friend is a foodie, and or a connoisseur of good food, then a gift basket made of gourmet food treats can be the best gift for him. Although this basket is full of gourmet foods like cheeses, olives, sea food, you can go for inexpensive version with foodstuffs that are in your budget. The meat and cheese gift basket; or assorted cheeses and bread; assorted cheeses and a bottle of wine, etc. can also be found in reasonable prices. If you are looking for the most inexpensive men's gift baskets for birthdays or any other occasion, then a gift basket of fresh fruits can also be considered.

Leisure Gift Basket
If you want your partner to indulge in something he likes, then a leisure gift basket is just for him. A leisure gift basket usually consists of wine or beer gift basket, games gift basket, music gift basket, scented or essential oils gift basket or even a picnic gift basket. If it is a gift for an elderly man who likes gardening, you can make a gardening gift basket. A breakfast or dinner for two gift basket is also one of the most popular leisure gift baskets for men. The leisure gift baskets can even be made at home. Simply add in all the things related to this hobby together in a basket and decorate it accordingly.

Books Gift Basket
If he loves reading, then a books gift basket is also one of the best ideas. You can put any of the bestsellers or classics that he had long wanted to read, along with some popcorn, decorative book markers, etc. For inexpensive version of this gift basket, replace the books with magazines, puzzle books, calendars, etc. These inexpensive gift baskets are best suited as 'get well' gift baskets for men; but, will also be appreciated for other occasions.

Sports Gift Basket
This is one of the best gift baskets for boyfriend. All men have at least one favorite sport which they either love to play or watch. You can take it as a clue and base your gift on this very theme. A sports gift basket is available in the market within different price ranges. You can also make a sports gift basket at home by filling in accessories related to the sport, sports magazines, etc. A fishing or a golf gift basket is a perfect gift basket for young as well as older men.

Chocolate Gift Basket
Last, but not the least, the chocolate gift basket is also one of the best gift basket ideas for men. Like women, men also love chocolates and you can gift them a gift basket full of chocolates, homemade chocolate truffles or chocolate chip cookies. You can also add in a jar of drinking chocolate or some candies to make a complete chocolate gift basket.

You can find any of these gift baskets in gift shops or online gift shops; or can even make them at home using wooden or wicker baskets. Do not forget to decorate your gift basket with a ribbon and add a card. Good luck!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I normally find my posting material from other blogs and shared information on the web. I do not claim to personally own the material unless I truly have authored it. Honesty is key. I usually try to share with you my overall understanding of any given shared post; but, if applicable, I want to give credit where credit is due by sending you to the original author for  the original information and any additional info. 
It's only fair.   

My personal suggestions and opinions are usually in this green italic type - so you will know when it is my own wording/opinion given.

I hope this information has been of some help to you. As always, if you would like to add a thought, question, give suggestions for another topic, or make a general suggestion, please post a comment below. Also, please follow / subscribe to this blog.  Thank you!

Homemade Gift Basket Ideas

I have always loved the idea of giving gift baskets, even though I've not been able to do so in quite awhile.  If you have NO idea what to give for the holidays, or as a hostess gift when attending a holiday party, consider throwing one of these together. I promise it will be appreciated if you truly take the time to investigate what the likes/dislikes are of the receiver.  Read on...

From Buzzle 
By Poushali Ganguly

Buying a gift for somebody really becomes confusing at times because we fail to understand as to who would like to receive what kind of gift. We need to go for such options that would be safe and can be gifted to anybody from children to adults. Giving a gift basket is a good idea. You can fill it with all kinds of stuff depending on the age of the person and what you think he/she may like.

If the gift basket is homemade you get a chance to personalize it, where there is nothing like it when you gift it to a person. You can definitely make a basket or for that matter buy it, which would also not make much of a difference because ultimately the choice of assortment and the choice of fillers would be yours.

Unique Ideas to Make Gift Baskets

You can use a wicker basket or another encasement like decorative boxes, trays or even large popcorn tubs to make it more fun. At times people also use flowerpots and coffee mugs as gift baskets but whatever you choose it is necessary to understand that it is there to accommodate all the gifts that you plan to assort it with. At times colanders also serve the purpose. For fillers you can use confetti or just shredded paper of various colors. You can also use faux grass to cushion the gifts so that they don't move about or get damaged in any way.

Once you have decided on the basket you can think about the fillers, which would definitely change depending on the occasion. If you are planning to buy a gift for an office colleague then you can fill it with a filler of conventional color and the gifts should be usable as well, like stationery or a coffee mug. Nonperishable food items like chocolates are also a good gift for a colleague as these are things which people generally like.

On the other hand if you are gifting it to a new bride then you could use the color red - the color of radiant beauty, love and a new beginning. On a bed of red filler you can lay gifts like aromatic oils, foot massaging creams and body oils which would make her feel pampered.

If you are making the gift basket for a child then fill it with fillers of various colors and then you can put in gifts in like comic books, color pencils, pencil box, chocolates or toys of various kinds which most of children appreciate.

In case you are gifting it to an adult on an occasion like a wedding anniversary or birthday, try to assess the likes and dislikes of that person so that you choose the right gift; like you can buy an assortment of liquors and for others, a barbecue set complete with spices and sauces.

And let's not forget pets!  

Maybe a friend or coworker just brought home a new pet.  Celebrate the occasion with a gift basket of goodies that they will need and that will be the new addition happy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I normally find my posting material from other blogs and shared information on the web. I do not claim to personally own the material unless I truly have authored it. Honesty is key. I usually try to share with you my overall understanding of any given shared post; but, if applicable, I want to give credit where credit is due by sending you to the original author for  the original information and any additional info. 
It's only fair.   

My personal suggestions and opinions are usually in this green italic type - so you will know when it is my own wording/opinion given.

I hope this information has been of some help to you. As always, if you would like to add a thought, question, give suggestions for another topic, or make a general suggestion, please post a comment below. Also, please follow / subscribe to this blog.  Thank you!

Hangers? Lace?

I thought about this and remembered back many years ago as a kid redoing wire hangers with yarn and thought that was pretty darn cool, but now I saw these ideas and I now see how much more we can do! 

These are all from AllFreeCrafts.com  Just type in hangers and many will come up for you. Here are 3 versions that caught my eye. You can get the basics and materials listed by checking below on this post, but please visit their site for exact instructions. 

Click on photo for remaining instructions

Ribbon Covered Hanger

These pretty coat hangers are very easy to make and you can substitute the ribbon for fabric scraps if you like. Whichever you choose, this no-sew craft project turns a wire coat hanger into a homemade gift or a useful addition to your own clothes closet.
Material:

• Fabric Glue
• Ribbon (at least 3/4 inches wide or larger)
• Household Goop or Crafters Goop Glue (any glue that will stick to fabric and metal)

Homemade Potpourri-Filled Lace Clothes Hanger

By Jane Lake This lace covered, scented clothes hanger is so pretty and feminine, it would be perfect as a wedding shower gift. It would also be appreciated by almost any other woman in your family, from grandmas and great-aunts to teenagers and new moms.  No sewing required - just load up your glue gun and go!

Click on photo for remaining instructions

Craft Supplies:

• plastic clothes hanger
• newspaper and pencil
• white lace
• pregathered lace trim
• small amount of polyester batting
• hot glue gun and glue sticks
• thin ribbon to make a bow
• white silk rose or other floral decorations
• string of pearls
• fragrant potpourri (lavender is lovely)

Wrapped in Lace Hanger

Strictly feminine, trimmed with lace and satin ribbon, this is a great way to recycle and give new life to old clothes hangers!

Material:

• 1 Inch Wide Satin Ribbon
• Lace of Choice [5 inch lace used here]
• Matching Thread
• Sewing Needle [ballpoint recommended]
• Organza or Other Decorative Ribbon of Choice
• Quilt Batting

click on photo for remaining instructions

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I normally find my posting material from other blogs and shared information on the web. I do not claim to personally own the material unless I truly have authored it. Honesty is key. I usually try to share with you my overall understanding of any given shared post; but, if applicable, I want to give credit where credit is due by sending you to the original author for  the original information and any additional info. 
It's only fair.   

My personal suggestions and opinions are usually in this green italic type - so you will know when it is my own wording/opinion given.

I hope this information has been of some help to you. As always, if you would like to add a thought, question, give suggestions for another topic, or make a general suggestion, please post a comment below. Also, please follow / subscribe to this blog.  Thank you!