Simple Tips for Decorating & Renovating Old Furniture

Pottery Barn Dining Room from PB Catalog

Decorating can be expensive: check out any Crate & Barrell, Pier One, Pottery Barn store or catalog... (all my favorite eye candy stores). However, once one can discover that you do not have to sell your kidney to replace your grandma's hand me down couch from circa 1952, by copying (note not stealing) ideas from these gorgeous catalogs; decorating can be sooooo much fun and INexpensive. Yes, copying with pride almost sets the inner hunter - gatherer free to go wild around flea markets, goodwill stores, rummage sales... When you can pay a $10 for an old coffee table (stay with me here, I will lead you to see the potential of that $10 invested in that old coffee table, which you know it will bring better returns than your damaged 401K), you will sense such a high that no amount of Prozac or a good bottle of pinot would bring...

• First start looking around your house/apartment; try to figure out which room to start first. You don't want to boil the ocean and so start small. I say, best rooms to experiment are 2nd bedrooms/guest rooms/study etc; cause if the whole thing becomes an eyesore, you can revert to Plan B: Shut the door!



• Well, let's start by picking a color palette for the walls, if you are renting then ask the kind landlord if this is ok. As in the past I had some ex-Nazis that were landlords in US, but some are just lovely they let you paint, as long as you paint it back to its original color.



• Then start by painting either all the walls, or pick a nice backdrop color and paint one wall... (I highly recommend just paint one wall, especially as a FIRST project)... Then scour catalogs online and in print, for a room you would like to replicate.



• Next, ask family and friends for stuff they want to get rid of... Trust me, free is better than inexpensive. Then start by searching in goodwill, rummage sales, etc. Once you found a piece, we will start the renovation process.

I really love these sites, that give you great ideas about turning the old into new...

http://livingthehomelife.blogspot.com/

http://decor8blog.com/

• One of the first steps of turning old into new; is seeing the potential, so visit home DIY stores, to pick colors or stains (stain removers). Then start by renovating that old coffee table, whether you want to paint it fire engine red (make sure the area is well ventilated), or you want to bring out the wood grain with a cherry stain... Unleash your inner decorator.

Here are some pictures of old battered table turned into a new treasure of a gorgeous desk. But your imaginations has inifinite ideas, so bring them to life...

Pictures are from Doubell Woodware, South Africa

Till next time, snows of hugs...

Happy 2010 New Year, New Beginnings, New Tips

What an amazing year is awaiting us. New year brings its new beginnings, new hopes, new goals.

In the past (long time ago, I assure you), I used to get so discouraged and fearful with every new year; as I welcomed it with hopes that were so low, I could step on them. Here's a few to make you laugh:

Maybe (always good to have a goal starts with maybe, to show how committed I am to accomplishing) this will be the year I will lose that (10, 20, 30...lbs) extra weight, will start exercising, will take better care of myself, will eat better, be kind, be good, be thoughtful (replace the adjective of choice)... On and on the list went, but the list came with a mandatory second attachment : "I probably won't". So as the self fulfilling prophecies go, I really did accomplish the second part "I probably won't" over and over again year after year. I was truly consistent. I did not lose a single pound, actually gained more, got more in debt, ate like a pig, ("exercise?" what's that?) I could not even spell the word without breaking into a sweat...

That all changed, when I decided one day " To Thine Ownself Be True". As I realized I was not honest with myself . I made excuses, covered up for myself, convinced myself worse was better for the moment. If I was my friend, I would have stopped being friends long ago. So, I made a promise to "try to be good to myself". Which meant that I loved myself enough to take better care of myself, my life and in turn be good to others.

Self love is like orange juice inside an orange (yes it sounds strange, but hear me out). When you squeeze an orange, you expect orange juice to come out. But if the orange is all dried out, you know however much you squeeze you won't get one drop out... So, if I did not have love, respect, and appreciation of myself, how could I give and extend these values to others around me. This started my quest for searching, reading, praying and meditating to find better ways for everything in life and for me... And what an awesome, challenging but inspiring journey it has been and it is continuing to be...It brought so many great experiences, wisdom, joy, peace, prosperity, love, great people into my life and continues to do so...

Since the journey has been ongoing for the last 5 years, and will go on forever, I will share little nuggets of it daily, rather than in one post... One of the biggest starting steps besides learning to love yourself, is to give yourself the gift of hope... Here's how:

-Close your eyes, and think how peaceful, happy, and healthy your life and you could be, if you knew there is nothing to fear

-Then, keep that image in your mind, see yourself happy, healthy, prosperous, joyful, at peace

-Write down, how and where you see yourself next year, in 10 years, in 20 years... Write down, your wishes it may seem absurd, but trust me... It works... It may be winning to lottery or moving to France or finding your ideal spouse, or getting along with your family... Write it down to your heart's content. There is no right or wrong length, or content. Keep writing.

-Then fold the paper, and put it under your pillow. Sleep on it. Next day put in your wallet, and carry it with you. Whenever you need a bit of hope, pull it out and read it through. And best part is: when you see the list of wishes coming through, write " already accomplished" and keep it to remind you, what your faith, your belief and your vision had brought you.

I leave you with one of my favorite Irish blessings today:

May God be with you and bless you. May you see your children's children.

May you be poor in misfortunes and rich in blessings.

May you know nothing but happinessfrom this day forward.

May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand

Simple Tips for Travel in London ( & FREE :)

London Freebies

London and I have a long love story. It has treated me like a moody boyfriend would! You may wonder what type of boyfriends I had, well I was a sucker for bad boys long ago. Thank God, turning 30 cured me of that addiction and gave me the most beautiful gift called wisdom (sorry to go all Hallmark on you, but true)... Like a bad boy; London on its bad days showered me with drizzle that may qualify as rain, or gave me overcast silver skies without a sliver of sunshine for days in a row... It was perfect suicide or depression weather. Yet, even when it is grey and wet, it is still gorgeous. And on its sunny days... It is GLORIOUS!

From its East End markets to winding streets of Kensington, London is a lovely enigma...
I used to live in London; in the city, and later in a quaint English village in Surrey...
While there, I had to discover things that were free, or at least cheap... As anyone who visited UK would testify that, a cup of coffee cost you your kidney, an arm & a leg... ok maybe $6 but still!

So while searching, I came across many free things to do: parks, concerts, museums, libraries, clubs, movies, lectures etc & a site that list them regularly. Whoever does not love free, can bypass this but like moi if you do; check it out... (I do not receive any money from the site for promoting them but I should email and ask them maybe).

Well, I digress. Here is the link: http://www.freelondonlistings.co.uk/events-categories.html

I will write more of my London memories to encourage you to visit this wonderful place... You will be delighted with the sites, pubs, and its charms...You will fall in love and will want to stay longer...

Simple Tips for Food: Easy Chicken Satay

This blog is to offer helpful but simple tips on life, whether it is about making simple but delicious and fast meals, or using vinegar to clean sinks, or finding free or budget smart outings, or making the dollar stretch far, or anything that can be simplified; it is for my son to find all these tips in one place and discover how innovative (read strange) his mom can be and hopefully make his life simpler. If along the way, these tips may also help others, that would be grand too... With that little note, let's start shall we... First things first; food... yummy...


I don’t know about you but I have a lot of cookbooks, & subscribe to countless online cooking sites also watch an embarrasing amount of Food Network…

However, yet to find easy, inexpensive & fast recipes… I find easy but not fast, or vice versa...

So I decided to create this blog for people like me who are looking for great food, that is easy, & fast to make on a budget

Also, give craft & home decor ideas that are easy & fab; on a budget but look luxurious।

Fashion ideas that are cute & fab; on a budget… Well you get the idea…Fab, easy & luxurious looking (yet, secretly done on a budget).

I will post regularly craft, decor projects, fashion tips, recipes, travel ideas & experiences…
Would love to hear from you & come back often…

Today's Simple Tip:

Easy Chicken Satay
Ingredients

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cubed

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, curry powder, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Place the chicken breasts in the marinade and refrigerate. Let the chicken marinate at least 2 hours, overnight is best.

2. Preheat a grill or broiler to high heat.

3. Weave the chicken onto skewers, grill about 5 minutes per side, (watch while broiling till it’s golden and remove), enjoy :)