December
2010
| THE DESIGN DIVA DISHES
DESIGN TRENDS AND LIFESTYLE TIPS
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Greetings!
It is that time of year again! The hustle and bustle of the holidays can overtake our sanity, but please remember the true reason for the season and spread joy and love to all you come in contact with. I'd like to give a warm welcome to all my new readers that signed up at the Southern Christmas Show. It was another fabulous event. If you missed it this year, my room was themed "Feasting on Faith" and was a popular display among visitors. The photo was taken before my silver dining chairs were delivered, but after my camera was stolen, so I couldn't do an update!  December is my holiday issue, with easy and inexpensive ideas for Holiday Decorating. The Trend Report has what's new in holiday decor, and the Green Report has natural, organic holiday decorations. Of course , the Color of the Month is Red, and the Recipe of the Month is a Flourless Chocolate Cake which is a chocoholic's dream and is also gluten-free. Thank you again for reading and sharing this E-zine with your friends and family. If you have any questions, feel free to call me at 704.987.0277 or email me at sensiblychic4u@aol.com. Best Wishes for a Wonderful Holiday Season!
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 | Holiday Decorating
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| Holiday decorating does not need to be complicated to be beautiful. Neither does it need to be expensive. Simple components, mixed together in an aesthetically pleasing manner will make your home festive for fun times with family and friends.
Candles
I buy candles by the case over the internet, but you can find inexpensive options in your local big box stores, dollar stores, and even drug stores. Nothing is more flattering than candlelight, and it also makes your party more elegant and intimate. If you have children or rambunctious pets running around, you can achieve a similar look while being much safer by using flameless candles. Below are several options for incorporating candles into your decor.
Gingerbread Houses
Gingerbread houses make beautiful holiday decorations and can be a fun family activity. Kids love the creativity and of course, the candy. It doesn't only have to be for Christmas, as the Hanukkah House, below right, illustrates. Notice the traditional gold wrapped chocolate gelt and dreidle used in decorations. If baking is not your thing, you can purchase pre-made houses or do my cheap cheat: Get a box the size of the house you want to make, lift up the top flaps and tape to form the roof, and cover the structure with graham crackers glued on with royal icing. Once you cover with candy, no one will notice the base is only crackers!
 
For those who want another unique look without baking, try a log cabin made from pretzel rods or a snow house made from sugar cubes. Your options are only limited by your imagination!
 
Ornaments
Ornaments are hard-working baubles that do far more than hang on the tree. Now available in every color imaginable, they add style and color wherever they go. The stunning display below was created by covering a styrofoam ball with hot-glued ornaments and leaves brushed with gold paint. The balls were then rested atop candlesticks and surrounded by more ornaments and ribbon. It makes a beautiful focal point for a mantle or sideboard. Note that this display uses one of this year's trends: the color bronze.
The centerpiece below combines candles and ornaments, and is an inviting display for a dining table. A color coordinated ribbon is attached to the top of the clear vase with double stick tape, and can be changed easily to coordinate with any decor.
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| Trend Report
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| b |  | Holidays are a time for traditions, but it is always nice to breath some new life into your holiday and add some of the new trends in holiday decor. Don't worry about having to get rid of the decorations you already have, just incorporate some new ideas along with the tried and true.
Copper and Bronze decor is a very hot look right now. It is rich and elegant, and blends well with the gold or silver decor you may already have. For a more traditional look, combine copper and bronze with gold as shown in the wreath on the left. For a more modern look, mix it with silver as shown in the photo on the right.
 
Feathers are everywhere this season. Find them on wreaths, trees, and ornaments.
Anyone who knows me would know I simply HAD TO HAVE the pink feather Christmas tree pictured below.
The final trend for this year is thinking beyond the traditional round wreath. A square or rectangular wreath is easy to construct from an old picture frame. Simply wrap or glue on colorful ribbons, greenery, and ornaments. Another easy craft to make with the kids would be the twig wreath, below right. Go on a family hike looking for branches, wire them together, and decorate as desired.
 
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| Color of the Month
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| by Article Author | | Red is everywhere this month, so it is always the Color of the Month for December. Red is the warmest and most energetic color in the spectrum, so for lively discussion, think about incorporating it into your living room, whether you go bold with red walls, or subtle red accessories.
Always remember when accessorizing to sprinkle the color evenly throughout the room.
Dining rooms are the most common area to paint red. Most people already know that it increases the appetite, but did you also know it makes people lose track of time? Sounds like the recipe for a great evening!
Although it might not be a restful color, if you are looking for more enthusiasm, action, and confidence in the bedroom, you might want to use red for a passionate bedroom design.
Feng Shui recommends painting the front door of your home red to invite prosperity to the residents.
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| Green Report
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| by Article Author |
| Did you know that a lot of the shiny holiday decorations surrounding us are made from petroleum based products? While it may be pretty to look at, it certainly isn't green. If you are thinking about having a green Christmas, but don't know where to begin, here are some easy decorations that are natural and organic:
This tree is probably reminiscent of a lot of our ancestor's trees. It is decorated simply with dried fruit and cinnamon sticks, so not only is it pretty, it is wonderfully fragrant.
For this cute cranberry wreath ornament, simply string either fresh or dried cranberries onto craft wire, crimp together into a heart shape, and hang on the tree.
This orange pomander ornament can be created by using a thick needle to thread string through the top of an orange. Next, use a sharp knife to slash the skin evenly around the perimeter of the fruit. Either hang to let dry naturally (takes a long time) or speed up the process by sticking in a 275 degree oven until dry.
For a fragrant ornament, bundle some cinnamon sticks together with a rubber band. Then tie string around the bundle to hide the rubber band, leaving a loop at the top for hanging. For added interest you can run the string through some walnuts to make a natural looking tassel at the bottom.
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| Quote of the Month
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| by Article Author | |
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Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends. ~ Anonymous
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| Recipe of the Month
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| by Article Author | |
I cannot think of a month more associated with sweets than December, with people everywhere entertaining friends and family for holidays such as Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, and New Year's Eve. I have also been hearing more and more of people needing gluten-free foods, so I thought I would share a rich and delicious Flourless Chocolate Cake that is easy to make and sure to be enjoyed by every chocoholic out there!  Flourless Chocolate CakeNon-stick butter spray 4 oz. Bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1 stick cold butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 oz. Frangelico (optional, but delish!) 3/4 C. sugar 1/2 C. cocoa powder, sifted 3 eggs, beaten 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (chips or chopped) 1/2 C. heavy cream Directions Preheat oven to 375. Spray 8" springform pan with butter spray. Put the chocolate, butter, vanilla, and Frangelico in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl rested over a saucepan with simmering water. Stir the mixture frequently until melted and smooth. Cool the mix slightly to keep the eggs from cooking in the next step. Mix in the sugar, cocoa powder, and beaten eggs. Stir until completely blended. Pour into prepared pan. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. While baking, prepare the ganache: put semi-sweet chocolate in a bowl, heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat until hot but not boiling. Pour cream over the chocolate and stir to melt. As soon as cake comes out of the over, pour ganache over it and let ithe cake cool to set. Remove from pan and serve. Warning: very fudgey and gooey!
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| Community Outreach
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| by Article Author | |
Most people say there are only two things guaranteed in life: death and taxes. Well I would like to submit to you a third guarantee: No matter how bad your life is, there is always someone worse off than you. I believe that it is more important to give than to receive. Additionally, it has been my personal experience that when I give generously, whether it be of time or money, the rewards I get are exponentially greater than anything I might have given. In this spirit, I am going to share with you each month opportunities available for us all to give back, for we are all greatly blessed, even in these times of struggle.
Rather than choose two or three charities like I usually do, this month I am sharing the website that the Charlotte Observer has created which lists hundreds of charities that are in need this holiday season. It is not important how much you give, or to whom you give it, it is most important that we all recognize how blessed we are and privileged that we are able to help those who are less fortunate. charlotteobserver.com/giving/. |
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Thank you for reading "The Design Diva Dishes." I hope you enjoyed this issue and will forward it to your family, friends, and co-workers using the link below. Have a great month, and I'll see you again on 1-1-11. How weird is that? Please call me at 704.987.0277 or email me at sensiblychic4u@aol.com with any questions or comments.
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