One of the best parts about Valentine�s Day is all of the decorations that you can line the house with. There are many ways in which you can decorate for this holiday. Of course, the colors of the day include reds, pinks, white and other similar tones. You can even make a wide selection of these from the kid�s construction box. Here are some ideas to help get you started.
The Bulletin BoardCandlesIf you're hosting a fancy sit-down outdoor dinner, use the subtler textures of hydrangea blossoms and colored leaves on a linen tablecloth. Try bringing your indoor dining table outdoors for the evening-it will add unexpected elegance to your setting. Paint gold lettering on small gourds to use as place cards. Grace your table with late-blooming roses in crystal vases.Autumn's colors are deep and rich -- russet, crimson, burnt orange, gold, dark green, and the color of hay. Use these hues repeatedly in tablecloths and settings, flowers, centerpieces, and even the food. Scoop out pumpkins and other squash and fit them with containers of water to make vases. Mass potted mums in vivid colors. Use orange Chinese lanterns, bright rosehips, stems of red or orange berries, or chilies. Wrap vibrant maple or sumac leaves around votive candleholders or napkin rings. Sunflower heads can be strewn on the tabletop, or left on the flower stalks in a container.Sort things into several piles. Really, really grubby stuff (rugby gear, work overalls, things covered in mud) can go in their own pile. They'll need a heavy-duty wash and possibly a bit of soaking, too. Then you'll need two piles of normal gear - light coloured stuff like white shirts, grey singlets and pale fawn trousers in one pile; dark stuff like blacks, navy blue, greens, reds and so forth. Lastly, you'll need a pile of things needing TLC - this includes satin boxers, woollen jerseys and silk shirts. Each pile need to go into the washing machine as a separate load, but the good news is you can procrastinate and wait until you've got a full load of one type - it saves power and washing powder. You may also like to have a separate pile for polar fleece so they don't pick up fluff from cotton things.Did you just put away everything for Christmas? Think about using such things as pearl garlands, beautifully placed on a tabletop or the candle and floral displays too. In the center of the tablecloths, add a gathering of pillar candles, surround them with lace trim, pearls and rose petals. Perhaps you can even decorate them with glitter or other sparking elements. Use a red and pink potpourri to make the smell of the home wonderful.Once the machine has done its thing, hang the clothes out or dry them in the machine. If you leave them in the machine for more than a day (overnight is OK), they'll start to smell of tofu or old cheese. Line drying on a rack or outside on a line makes less wrinkles, so you can get away without ironing things much. If you're using pegs, try to put the pegs on a part of the clothes that won't show the marks, and try not to let the bit you're pegging get too folded over, as this will make the things hard to dry. Hang towels from the corner, but you can fold sheets over. It's a good idea to hang socks up in pairs so you don't mismatch them - and you can see if you've got odd socks straight away.The textures of fall are earthy and rustic. Especially play these up if your gathering is informal -- a corn roast, a bonfire, a jeans and sweater evening. Use burlap or rough cotton to cover your buffet table, and dish towels as napkins. Weigh down your tablecloth with apples or pears hung on rough twine. Or use rattan placemats and wicker baskets. Terracotta pot saucers make great paper plate holders.
All of these things can make an ordinary Valentine�s Day much more enjoyable. You�ll find wonderful ways to decorate for this holiday just by looking around your home. If you want, make some homemade decorations with the kids and enjoy the time together too.
Author: Nicola Kennedy
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