Romantic Valentine's Day - At Home

Photo: Katja Presnal

Romantic Valentine's Day - At Home

byKatja Presnal

Posted 02/03/10 6:00 am EST | Home

TopicsHolidays, Home, marriage, relationships, romantic, valentine's day

I am one of those women who doesn't really care for Valentine's Day.

In fact, I might just get mad if my husband got me chocolate and roses on February 14.  I would know that he never even thought about giving me a gift for Valentine's Day, but bought it because his mom asked him to. 

However, I am all about keeping the romance alive in my marriage, whether it is Valentine's Day, or any other day. And now, when Valentine's Day happens to be on a Sunday this year, I think it is easy to turn it into a relaxing & romantic evening. I think at some point when we become parents, and celebrate wedding anniversaries year after year, and especially when we get to the double digits like me and my husband have, the romance is easily forgotten. Let's all bring back the romance, and celebrate Valentine's Day this year, like it was the first time we get to say "be my Valentine" to our husbands. 

Here are 10 ideas for your romantic evening at home. 

1. Put the kids to bed early. 

Plan B - Wake the children up early and exhaust them during the day with outdoor play such as sports or taking them swimming. And they are ready for bedtime earlier than normal. 

2. Redo your bedroom. Something as simple as new sheets in the bed will make a difference.

Plan B - At least take the time to clean the sheets, and dry them with lavender dryer sheets for a romantic scent. Or spray a tiny bit of your sexiest perfume on the sheets. 

3. Buy candles and only use candle light for the romantic evening. The fireplace works, too. 

4. Have romantic dinner, just the two of you, after the kids are in bed. Just being able to have a candlelight dinner without any disturbances can be a luxury for us parents! Some aphrodisiac foods that would be great to include for your Valentine's Day meal are nuts (no pun intended) like almonds and pine nuts, chocolate and coffee, fruits like avocado and bananas, spices like basil and coriander. The most traditional foods to stimulate sex drive are raw figs and oysters. 

Plan B - if making a dinner after a day with kids seems exhausting, order your favorite take-out. Or just dessert! 

5. Draw a bubble bath or rose petal bath. Why not soak up together..? Really, when is the last time you have even thought of it? 

Plan B -  Take a quick shower together. You will feel refreshed after the day, and ready for a romantic night. 

6. Don't even think of turning on the TV. Really, just go one night without it and focus on conversation with your husband. Or not conversing with your husband. 

Plan B - If you want to have some TV-time,  rent one of those romantic movies that will remind you how lucky you are to have each others. My favorite is "The Notebook."

7. Full body massage. I'll let your mind wander here whereever you want it to, but relaxing massage is a great way for both of you to connect and spoil each other. Get some aromatherapeutic massage oil and place a towel on the top of your new or newly washed sheets. I recommend cinnamon, cedarwood, vanilla, orange, lavender, rose or jasmine scented massage oils.

Plan B - Not for you? Then try a gentle neck massage, and if you don't want to buy massage oil, use baby oil or even body lotion. 

8. Music - get some music that will create the romantic mood for both of you. 

9. Turn off the phone, the computers and the outside world. This night is only for two of you. 

10.  And why not get some new lingerie...? Or at least put some thought into what you wear.. be comfortable, feel good about yourself, but don't overdo it. 

 

 

 

Personalized Valentine's Day Cards

Tiny Prints

Personalized Valentine's Day Cards

byKatja Presnal

Posted 01/22/10 1:52 pm EST | Home

Topicsgifts, Holidays, valentine's day

It’s time to order the Valentine's Day cards if you want to go the personalized route.

Add your photos, your own message or think of a new unique way to say Happy Valentine's Day - there are so many ways to go customized.

Valentine's Day cards are not just for your sweetheart, Valentine's Day is a holiday the whole family celebrates. Remember the grandparents and aunts this year by sending a personalized card with a picture of your family. And who says the cards kids take to school for friends have to come in a box from the grocery store? Children enjoy great unique as much as adults if not more - there are so many great children's Valentine's Day cards out there, so no need to go the superhero and cartoon character route this year.

Here are some suggestions for your personalized cards for Valentine's Day from some of my favorite online stationery locations. Most card prices vary by the quantity, so please check with each company for the exact pricing.

 

Pear Tree Greetings offers stylish and affordable Valentine's Day photo cards and customizable cards. They have cute card options for kids, and one of my favorites is the traditional two-sided postcard with your own photo in the front (less than a dollar a piece).

Save $$$: Enter VDAYLABEL at checkout and get 24 Free address labels with $19 order.

 

 

If photo cards are what you have set your mind on, click into Tiny Prints - their selection is modern and cute and you can find several options for family cards. In this digital age I find myself very fond of the traditional post cards and my favorite from Tiny Prints is the one with Valentine's day postage stamps printed on the front. What's your favorite?

 

Beau-coup is a party favor store, and when you use your imagination their offerings turn into unique replacements of traditional Valentine's Day cards. Why not skip the card, and just give fortune cookies with a message from you? My favorite is the sugar cubes in the tubes, a sweet treat for co-workers who you share afternoon coffee with.

 

Decorating Inspiration from Your Travels

Photo: Katja Presnal

Decorating Inspiration from Your Travels

byKatja Presnal

Posted 01/20/10 8:17 am EST | Home

Topicscheap decorating ideas, home decorating ideas, souveniers, travel

As much as I love being at home and making it the best place in the world for our family, I like to see the world too!

I love to travel, visit new places, meet different people and try exotic foods.
But one of the best things about traveling is what we bring home.
It is the memories, the photos, the mementos and the souvenirs.
And the inspiration.

 

 

 

Bahamas Home Decorating Store

 

 

I love looking for decorating ideas when I am traveling - and you can too. It is easy and cheap - you don't have to buy anything, just take plenty of photos to bring home a piece of your destination.

Choose local restaurants and soak up the ambience. Visit interior design stores and home decorating stores to get ideas. Visit museums, and art galleries. Look at little details and how things look different from the way they look at home. Sometimes it is just different color schemes, or a different way that people hang curtains. Or sometimes you might get an idea how to hang curtains just by being exposed to different things. I was inspired to use wooden oars to hang my curtains after visiting Finland and spending some time sailing in the archipelago.

If you like the local design and what you see in the stores and have the budget - go for it. You can always ship things home, too -- you don't have to carry them in your luggage. Most design stores will take care of the shipping for you. You will have a piece that will forever remind you of your trip and delight you in your home.

 

 

 

Bahamas Home Decorating Store

 

 

 

Don't worry that if, on top of your travel budget, you don't have any leftover for home decorating budget. You can still bring back things for your home. The photos in this post are from Bahamas. I was on a Disney Cruise Line's cruise on Disney Wonder twice last year and had the opportunity to spend a day at Nassau both times. While I wanted to bring back some things I saw in the design store, I ended up paying five dollars for a conch that now sits on my fireplace mantel reminding me of the ocean and the white beaches of Bahamas.

Items that don't cost much or are free:

- Postcards. You can frame postcards or posters for much cheaper than bringing back local art. Visit museum and art gallery gift shops to get these inexpensive decorating gems.

- Matches in restaurants. Really -- I used to have a bowl of matches from locations I had visited and used them for lighting up candles. Such a small thing - but it would bring back memories.

- Wine or soda labels, restaurant menus (at some places you can ask for the printed menu inside the folder), drink coaster, soaps in your hotel. Think of every day objects that are different and you can use when decorating your home. One idea is decoupaging the wine labels from your trip on an object at home. You don't have to have a set idea about what you are going to do with the items - the ideas might hit you when you get back home.

- Objects from nature. Especially if you are driving, and visiting natural settings, there might be things you can bring home. Think large pine cones (which you might not find in your area), seashells, or even sand from the beach - it will look great in a vase with a tea light and you have just created inexpensive decorating item that didn't cost you much but brings back memories every time you see it.

- Photos! Take lots of them -  you can do so much with your photos once you get home. There are so many ways you can print photos on different products or make them canvas art or simply just frame them for your daily reminder of the location you visited.

 

Lastly, what not to buy...

My own rule is that if it says "Made in China" and I ain't visiting China, I am not going to buy it. I can probably get something similar back home, or online, and it is not worth carrying home. And even if it has my destination's name, well, there will be the same item sold in other destinations too, with a different name printed on it.

 

Conch

Q-Tips Designer Box & Celebrity Nursery Designer’s Best Tips

Photo: Katja Presnal

Q-Tips Designer Box & Celebrity Nursery Designer’s Best Tips

byKatja Presnal

Posted 01/19/10 11:31 am EST | Home

Topicsbaby rooms, home decorating, nursery decorating, nursery design

I had the opportunity to meet Wendy Bellissimo, a celebrity baby nursery designer, at a fun event celebrating the launch of the new Q-Tips packaging. 

The delightful new Q-Tips packages are making their way to your local Walmart and Target as you read this.

Here are nursery design tips from Wendy Bellissimo to create your own designer baby nursery: 

  1. Empty the whole space and the closet to get a feeling of the space.
  2. Become your own designer and start collecting inspiration from magazines and websites. Create your own mood board or a folder with magazine clippings, website printouts, fabric swatches and paint color samples. 
  3. Think of the main pieces, and start with them. Choose the crib, changing table, dresser and rocker. Think long term, and buy furniture that you can use for an extended period of time. For example, a crib that turns into a toddler bed or a changing table that turns into a regular dresser. Some  recommendations from Wendy are a light dimmer and a rocker that has a washable cover – think practical as much as pretty.
  4. Think about the layout first – where the larger pieces of furniture will be placed.
  5. Decide the colors last. It is easiest to go with neutrals, especially if you don’t know the sex of the baby. You can choose basic neutral colors like yellow and white. Then pick your personal touches for both a boy and a girl – just don’t buy them yet. Make two shopping lists for each option, so it is easy to get the remaining products after the baby is born and when you know which colors to choose. This also makes it easy for someone else to do the shopping for you.
  6. Add your personal touches such as items that remind you of your own childhood memories or old mementos from when you were a baby.
  7. Stock up! Buy the newborn size diapers, baby oil and Q-tips before the baby is born. You will thank yourself later.

Q-Tips started out as a baby product, and for a long time finding cute containers to store them was a task nursery designers had. Now Q-Tips just came out with this cute gender neutral design that fits your nursery’s design -- so you have one less design problem to solve! Oh, and the box is really sturdy – you can keep it to store other little items in the baby’s room, too. In fact, my girls are already older and even they like the cute box for their treasures in their room. 

 

A Better Home with Products from Your Grocery Store

A Better Home with Products from Your Grocery Store

byKatja Presnal

Posted 01/18/10 3:58 pm EST | Home

Topicsdecorating ideas, easy decorating, Home, ideas for home

If you are just itching to make a few changes to your home, but don't have time to even start thinking about decorating or remodeling, worry no more. Quick feel-good changes to your home can be done with a few products you find from your local grocery store of all places!  Ok, I don't promise big changes, but tiny ones that will make it easier for you to relax and enjoy your home.

1. Right Light Bulbs
Lighting makes a huge different in how your home looks, and you can create a new feel to your home just with new lighting. Sometimes expensive investments to new light fixtures are not needed - it might only be a case of getting the right light bulbs.  Sylvania.com can teach you more about lighting, here are some of the tips from their site:  choose Soft White Incandescents to achive a warm even glow for your Living rooms and bedrooms. When you want colors to look their best, use halogen directional bulbs in adjustable accent lights to highlight special furnishings or artwork. 

Glade

 

2. Scent of A Home Baked Pie - Or Just Get Glade
Nothing beats the homey-feel than the scent of fresh baked apple pie - or for me it is cinnamon buns. On your next grocery store trip get some apples or pears and other ingredients for a pie and bakes one for the authentic scent. Or skip baking, save your waist and get some of the new Glade candles from their spice collections and go and fake it. I promise, sometimes faking has it's good points - go back to tip 1, and you'll see that you'll get some ambient lighting with the candles too.

Febreze

3. Cover the Stinkies
Sometimes a few scented candles is not enough to make your home feel refreshed - that's when room refreshers like Febreze come in handy. In addition to adding a nice fresh scent, they also cover and eliminates the stinkies in your home (got carpet and pets, you know what I mean..).

4. Fruitful Designs
If you made your New Year's Resolution to eat healthier, you better stock on fruits anyway. But instead of just throwing them in the fridge or even worse, leaving them in the bags on the top of the counter (where did that thought even come from? I would never do such thing..) - display the fruit! When you want a quick center piece for a party, get some color for your table top or  when you want to display your favorite bowl - buy fruit. After display those apples to bring color to your table - visit back to tip 2 - and make the divine apple pie.

 

Apples in a bowl

  • Katja & 's Recommendations
  • Featured Posts From Lifetime Moms Affilliated Bloggers

Valentine’s Day For Your Home

FromSkimbaco Home

Posted 01/11/10 2:15 pm EST | Home

Topicshome decorating

Ideas for your home to make Valentine's Day extra sweet.

Organized Office Supplies

FromComplete Organizing Solutions

Posted 01/06/10 3:06 pm EST | Home

Every professional organizer needs access to her office supplies! We have deep cabinets and more office supplies than Office Depot! The solution was to bin the products in clear bins by categories and label the bins.

31 Days of Organizing

FromOrganizing Your Way

Posted 01/06/10 2:57 pm EST | Home

Last year I introduced The Trash Challenge, my own attempt to be more  aware of what we were throwing away and decrease our amount of trash to one bag per week. However, despite my realization that I needed to finally take the plunge and start composting and...

What Would You Do Differently?

FromOrganizing Your Way

Posted 12/22/09 6:17 pm EST | Home

If you’re feeling stressed out at this moment, take just one moment to step back and think about what you’d do differently if you could. It’s better to think about it now, while you’re in the middle of it, than it is to wait until next year rolls around and inevitably find yourself...

Organizing the Kids' Cups With Labels

FromComplete Organizing Solutions

Posted 12/22/09 6:14 pm EST | Home

So, here it is my very first vlog (video blog)! Last night I realized how many cups that my kids had used during the day and decided to do something about it.

This section of www.lifetimemoms.com contains blogs discussing products and services for which bloggers have received promotional consideration from Lifetime and/or Lifetime's third-party advertisers. Unless otherwise expressly indicated, the opinions that you read on this section of www.lifetimemoms.com are those of the bloggers and/or the advertisers that commissioned or paid the bloggers and not necessarily those of Lifetime. Lifetime disclaims any responsibility for the products or services described in any blog and for the opinions expressed by any blogger.