Ornament Display
This gem was created by Julie and Ken Giarardini, and has a steel stand signed on the bottom by the artists. The stand goes for $150. Pair it with an art glass ornament, like this one called the Murrini Sphere created by Mary Mullaney and Ralph Mossman. It has little murrini patterns in crystal and also a small “2009″ in some of the designs. Very sharp. Retails for $95 from Artful Home.

Photo Coasters
Normally when I see photo coasters, they are kind of cheesy. This set by Red Envelope, however, is the furthest thing from. It’s sharp. The coasters themselves have spots for pictures, but then the holder is a beautiful wood with an engraved plate. So you could put a message on it to personalize it even more. The coasters have foam backs so they won’t slide around, either. Retails from $34.95.

Personalized Latitude & Longitude Doormat
I liked this idea by Signals for a personalized doormat that listed the latitude and longitude. You just give them the zip of the person you’d like the mat made for, and they will indicate their unique latitude and longitude. Kind of cool, right? It’s made of Olefin on the front, “synthetic jute backing” on the back. Size is 27″ x 18″ and retails for $32.95.

Image: Artful Home

Post from: Blisstree

Artsy Housewarming Gift Ideas

Don’t Spill on a First Date
Ideally, you should get to know someone for a few dates before you spill the details of the more personal parts of your life. Things like health or financial problems, the fact that you can’t have children, or the fact that your ex-wife stalks you. (And yes, these were all mentioned to me on a first date once!) First dates are simply about getting to know someone enough to see if you are comfortable with them and if you want to go out again. That’s it.

Do You Want to Date Seriously?
There comes a point in any new relationship where you realize you want to step it up a notch. You like the person and want to date only them. In short, you want the relationship to be a bit more serious. Wait until this point to tell your date about your secret. By then your date will have gotten to know you enough to put whatever information you’re about to tell them into perspective.

Be Straightforward
Sometimes the way someone will react to you depends totally on how you bring up the information. When you’re ready to share, tell your date honestly and straightforwardly. Don’t make a huge issue out of it, but let them know that you like them a lot and wanted them to know this was going on in your life. Give them time to absorb the information, and let the relationship progress from there. If your date gets scared and decides to end things, at least you know they weren’t the right one for you. But chances are that once your date has gotten to know you a bit he or she will be able to put it all in perspective.

Image: sxc.hu.

Post from: Blisstree

When to Share Details of Your Life?

If you’re someone that likes getting a good deal but hasn’t stopped by the thrift store lately, here are great things to do look for.

Dishes
Do you collect dishes? Want to find a piece to your mom’s old china? Or how about just getting a funky turkey or Santa plate for the holidays? Thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army are your place. Look for things that are in good condition (no chips, cracks, or crazing) because if it’s dirty you’re going to clean it when you get home anyways. Anything that is ceramic or china is usually a good find at these places.

Books
If you’re a big reader, there’s no better place than one of the thrift stores to find cheap books, sometimes as low as ten cents apiece. I buy books for a lot of things (like craft projects), and these are good places to get them cheap.

Furniture
If you’ve got a tight budget and need a few pieces of furniture for the house, be sure to give your local nonprofit or even community resale shop a visit. You’d be surprised at things like couches that just sat in someone’s room untouched, or side tables that were never used. When looking at furniture, be sure to check to make sure the “bones” are in good working order. If it’s a couch you are looking at, make sure it’s comfortable. If it smells a bit musty, use a smell reducer like Febreeze or even a steam cleaner. If the décor doesn’t match your house, consider a slipcover.

Spiffing up something like a couch or chair will still cost you less money than if you had purchased a brand new one. Plus, you can customize it for your style.

Image: sxc.hu.

Post from: Blisstree

What to Look for at Thrift Stores

Write a Paragraph That Shows Your Personality
Instead of a list (such as “I like horse shows, football games, and French food”) add more description to it. WHY do you like these things? (”My favorite weekend days are spent making some great French food so the house smells awesome, then I can sit back and watch the game. There’s nothing better than an afternoon of football where I can yell at the top of my lungs – in the comfort of my own home, of course.”)

The more description you give something, the more your personality comes through. The way to attract someone to you is to show off all those fabulous qualities that make you who you are.

Post a Great Picture
Make sure your headshot shows your smile and face clearly. Watch what you wear, this isn’t the time for sexy outfits. A taste shirt or sweater with a lovely smile will go a long way combined with a descriptive essay.

Don’t Judge Too Harshly
You have to realize that some guys just aren’t as good at getting the details of themselves up on their profile. So if the guy has a stupid picture, or says something incredibly dumb in his essay, try and put it in perspective. Email with him a bit before writing him off. Remember that profiles are just an introduction, you’ve still got to go through the hard work of meeting someone to see if you really like him.

Image: sxc.hu.

Post from: Blisstree

Online Dating Profiles For Gals

Don’t React
As difficult as it is, try not to react to people that try and bait you into an argument. Sometimes the holidays brings out the worst in people, and they can’t help but to purposefully be contradictory. The more you ignore their jibes, the more they will probably move on to someone else.

Get Some Rest
As simple as it sounds, sometimes we just plan too much around the holidays. We cram in too many visits, too many presents, too much travel. It takes a toll and makes us crabby and short-tempered. So take some time to rest, put it all in perspective, and try to go at a reasonable pace.

Practice a Calm Response
As silly as it may sound, sometimes just practicing what you’ll say can help you deal with some of the folks who really push your buttons. They tend to take jabs or make comments about the same things every year, don’t they? Practice a “comeback,” not to engage them further, but to shut them down. For example, if they ask you whether you’ll make up with that relative you don’t see any more, try saying, “You know, since it’s Christmas I’d prefer to focus on this wonderful day instead.” If they press, say, “Thanks so much for your concern. Since that’s between me and X I wouldn’t feel right discussing it with anyone else.” (This is a polite way to tell them to mind their own business.)

Think of the Big Picture
The small details can overwhelm at the holidays. The fact that Aunt Janice has to bring that dessert you hate, or how your mom never listens to you when you tell her you don’t need another fleece pullover…. whatever the gift or gesture, try and take it in stride. Think of the big picture: you are with your family and the time spent with them is really what’s important.

Image: sxc.hu.

Post from: Blisstree

Dealing With Annoying Relatives

Pop Art Mirror
This gorgeous mirror was designed by Mitch and Susie Levin. The frame is made from recycled soda cans if you can believe it! Each can is cut by hand and then nailed to a wooden frame. I love the look of this one, because it can go in a variety of decors. It’s thirty-two inches wide and high, and an inch and half in diameter. It retails for $1,150 from Artful Home.

Glasses
I like a recycled gift that you know the origins of. How about some glasses that are recycled from old car windshields. These are are stemless, and can be used for the casual drink of juice to a more elegant glass of wine. A set of two retails for $22 from Uncommon Goods.

Cuff Links
For the baseball in your life, there is no better gift than these cuff links from Eco Artware. They come in blue, red, or green, and are made from recycled wood stadium seats! The materials were taken from New York’s Yankee Stadium and Chicago’s Wrigley Field during renovation. Each link has the baseball field engraved on the back and also comes with a certificate of authenticity. The pair retails for $150, but for the baseball lover on your shopping list? They’d be priceless.

Record Album Snack Trays
Remember the days of vinyl? How about some funky record album snack bowls from Uncommon Goods? Any music lover will adore these gems. They are made by hand by artist Jeff Davis and go for $25.

Images: Artful Home and Eco Artware.

Post from: Blisstree

Recycled Gifts That Rock

Reindeer Glass Ornament
Don’t just give a plain old ornament, give something that could be considered a work of art. This gorgeous ornament is done with a lampwork technich which, according to Artful Home, means that the glass is heated with “a small flame.” This is apparently works well to do the detailed work required for a tiny ornament of this type. Imagine how beautiful this would work on your tree, or a friend’s tree. The reindeer glass ornament retails from $56 from Artful Home.

Mini Star Wish Ornaments
I love the idea of adding a personal touch to gifts, so these star wish ornaments are just the thing. Here’s how it works: You write a “wish” or hope or thought on a small piece of paper, then place it inside the ornament and hang it on the tree.

The ornament has the word “wish” on the outside and “do come true” on the inside. Wouldn’t your family love to open the ornaments next year and see what they wrote? Or how about giving them to a friend so they can record their thoughts? It’s not your average gift.

A set of five of these retails from $59.95 from Red Envelope. Each ornament is polish nickel plated on the outside and has colored enameled on the inside. Colors come in green, turquoise, purple, blue and red.

Personal Fireplace
Want a fireplace but your don’t have the space? This might work for you or be a fabulous gift for a friend. It stands alone, has a concrete base, and a hurricane glass chimney. Apparently it also crackles like a real fireplace also. This one retails from $99.95 from Signals.

Images: Signals, Red Envelop, and Artful Home

Post from: Blisstree

Artsy Christmas Gift Ideas

Watch the Age Range on Your Search Criteria
Men typically will put an age range of “18- their age” on their profile. While it might be legally okay that you want to date an 18-year old, if you’re a bit too old for that sort of thing women will use this to judge you. They have to. They haven’t met you and know nothing else about you. Give your search criteria the once over before posting it to make sure it’s what you really want.

Skip the Income Info
Income is one of those ultra personal things that people probably shouldn’t share until they know you well. While many sites invite you to post your income level, it might be best to skip it.

Body Issues
Men have a very different way of looking at their bodies than women do. That’s okay, except that in the online dating world you’ve got to take it all with a grain of salt. You might work out and feel really great, but is your body type really “muscular”?

Also, women tend to be more critical about their bodies, and will sometimes indicate that they need to lose a few pounds even when they don’t. Take this into consideration when looking through profiles.

No Cropped Photos
Men also like to use a photo with someone cropped out. Got one of you and your ex? Don’t use it. Women can see you’ve cropped her out and wonder why you chose that picture instead of one of you alone. Online dating is all about subtleties and these types of details can make or break your experience.

Image: sxc.hu.

Post from: Blisstree

Online Dating Profiles For Guys

As you can see I used my dutch oven to cook this in. I made it, let it cool, popped in a plastic container in the fridge, then re-warmed it in the same dutch oven pot the next day.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 T. olive oil
2 medium onions
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 can of chili beans
3 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 green peppers, diced
5 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 (15 oz) can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 (15 oz) can spaghetti sauce
1 can of beer
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Heat olive oil in dutch oven or stock pot. Cook ground beer with onion, green pepper, and garlic. Sprinkle salt and pepper over all when ground beef is cooked through (and no longer pink). Brain off the fat, and add chili powder, cayenne pepper, hot pepper sauce, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Stir to incorporate. Add chili beans, beer, and canned tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

You can eat it at this point, but as I said, I reheated it for the next day. I added eight ounces of cooked spaghetti noodles to the pot and threw the entire contents into a dutch oven to reheat. No additional moisture is needed, it reheats with the ingredients shown. When heated through, spoon into bowls and serve.

Image: Cherie Burbach

Post from: Blisstree

Make Ahead Chili

Here are Vtrim Online’s secrets for making weight-loss doable and sustainable:

1. It’s Not You, It’s Your Home! Is your home toxic for weight loss? Pay attention to your home environment to be successful. Keep fewer fatty foods in the kitchen and fewer TVs throughout the house. A new study suggests that those who are successful at maintaining a weight loss have fewer high fat foods and more exercise equipment in their homes. While you’re at it, create better access to exercise equipment. Don’t leave a treadmill in the basement to collect dust. Move it to a new room that you frequent more often. It will remind you to get your exercise in.

2. The Scent of a Cookie. Food cues trip us up all the time. We smell the hint of caramel corn in the air. We see an advertisement for velvety chocolate on television. Suddenly, we find ourselves digging into the cookie jar for that last chocolate chipper. Reduce impulse eating by eliminating visible foods, eating cues, and temptations. Give high calorie foods a low profile. Store them in the back of your cupboard or on high shelves where they can’t be seen. Same goes for your refrigerator and freezer: store high fat foods in the rear with low calorie, healthy options up front.

3. Step Away From the Couch. To stave off temptation, pick a place (your “Designated Eating Place” or “DEP” for short) and restrict your eating to this location. If you trade carrots for cookies when you’re sitting on the couch watching TV you haven’t changed your behavior, you’ve only changed what you eat while watching TV. Such mindless eating is more often a reaction to boredom than hunger. Enjoy the foods you love at your DEP. You’ll be surprised by how much unnecessary munching you will cut out.

4. Crack Open a Cook Book. Shake up your tried and true recipes with some new additions. What’s so helpful about making your own food is that you choose the ingredients and determine the portion sizes (and leftovers can be served up as tomorrow’s healthy lunch). A Vtrim favorite is a power salad from the Eating Well Diet Cook Book. It’s a healthy spin on a chef’s salad: 6 cups mixed greens, 1 cup shredded carrots, 2 tablespoons chopped red onion, ¼ cup dressing, 10 cherry tomatoes, 4 slices of cut up roast turkey breast, and 2 slices of reduced-fat Swiss cheese, cut up. Takes 10 minutes to make 2 servings with just 180 calories and 4 grams of fat!

5. Take the Short Way Home. When it comes to being more active and burning calories, it doesn’t matter whether it’s in one long exercise session or multiple short sessions. You can take three ten-minute walks, which is just as good as one thirty-minute walk. One study found that people who took more short exercise bouts actually lost more weight. Walking is a perfect exercise because our own bodies act as our resistance – no fancy equipment necessary, just you. Instead of meeting a friend for coffee, ask her to join you for a catch-up walk so you can burn calories over conversation.

Weight loss isn’t easy, but by making small, steady changes in behavior over time, people can come through on their 2010 New Year’s resolutions. And come 2011, unsuccessful weight loss resolutions will be a thing of the past and different life goals can become the focus while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Read more about Vtrim’s January classes at www.uvm.edu/vtrim.

About Vtrim Weight Management Program
The Vtrim Weight Management Program was developed by Jean Harvey-Berino, Ph.D., R.D., a nationally recognized weight-loss researcher at the University of Vermont. Dr. Harvey-Berino’s concept is based on behavior changes: a systematic shaping of daily habits to help people move more and eat less.

Image: sxc.hu.

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Small Secrets for Bigtime Weightloss