We all want to be winners. Here you go:

I am giving away a lottery ticket to the first 25 people who leave comments here on my blog. Extra special attention will go to people who leave a meangingful comment that actually spurs conversation

I have been getting into the whole decorating thing lately. Have been moving furniture around and thinking of new things  I want to buy to make this house my home.

The other day, I noticed Kmart had Cube shelves on sale for $40. I bought two sets. See?

I think it’s safe to assume that most people have as much luck buying new towels as this little guy.  I also think it’s safe to assume that most people enjoy the little luxury of stepping out from a hot shower or bath, and wrapping up in the perfect towel. But it can be an effort finding a towel which is absorbent, and resistant to distorting.

As you will know, not all towels are the same, and choosing the perfect towel really is a matter of personal preference. Some people enjoy a thin and coarse towel, while others prefer it to be thick and soft, or somewhere in between. There are however, a few simple rules which can be followed, to ensure that your money is spent on the best towels for you and your family.

The general quality of a towel can be determined by having a close look at the fibres – their content and density. When it comes to content, cotton is the most popular fibre, being the most absorbent, durable and breathable. And as you may be aware, Egyptian cotton is one of the best cotton options. This is because it is grown in optimal climate conditions, making it a very high quality fibre. Some (more luxurious) towels may have a cotton and silk mix. Silk will add softness to the towel without compromising on absorbency.

Towel density refers to the pile and weave of the fibres. As a general rule, the higher the density, the better the quality. Most towels are terry, which is what we call those with a pile (or loops). A velour style towel has its fibres cut or shorn off, making them stand up like grass. This makes the towel feel softer and more luxurious, and can sometimes make the surface appear shinier. The longer and thicker the loops (or cut loops), the thicker and more absorbent the towel will be. When it comes to the weave, it is generally considered better to choose a towel with a tight weave, also adding to the overall thickness and absorbency. Those with a loose weave are more inclined to wear out quickly.

If you are looking for towels which are resistant to distorting, choose those without bands of stitching or decorative patterns at the ends. When washed and dried, the fibres in these bands have a tendency to tighten more than the towel itself, leaving you with a towel that is no longer rectangular.

If your pooch would also like to look this cool in a hooded bath towel, you can purchase it from Paw Palace Online.

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So, I haven’t posted about money is some time… and I think that’s because December always sucks for money and finance situations. Well… we didn’t really follow all the rules we set up for our money in December… I think there were a majority of factors that pushed us over the edge: the instant need for food took us over our 115 food budget and spending time out of the house and on gifts out-did our 10 dollar a week allowance. There was a lot of money that came in and out of our savings, but nothing that would put us in a negative spot from when we started in November.

Anyway… the same rules apply for 2010…. do not take money out of savings; 10 dollar allowance; 115 for food (in and out of the house). I know that once the new baby arrives (and even before), money will be in flux. oh well…

Any suggestions from the rest of the world on efficient ways to save / spend money???

Crock-Pot® Smart-Pot® Slow Cooker

So a couple months ago I broke down and bought a programmable slow cooker. I was convinced that my old fashioned manual crock pot low setting was just a little too high for the number of hours I’m usually away from home. It would be ideal if I was gone for about 8 hours, but I’m usually away for ten. I needed something with a manual setting. And since I wound up using my crockpot at most of my daughter’s volleyball tournaments last year, something with a locking lid would be a dream come true.Initially, I LOVED this crock pot, except the hinged lid. I was thinking of it falling down as people were trying to serve themselved, but that problem didn’t manifest itself. A few weeks after the purchase, I had my son clean it for the first time… and in trying to remove the lid, he broke the hinge. I was sure he’d been too rough with it, but I could still use the front latch to secure the lid well enough for transporting it and although awkward, was able to open and close the lid well enough. But then another week or two passed, and while scrubbing the rim of the lid, the handle broke off in my hand. But I still loved the other features, so I thought I could live with it. Except one thing. There is no little handle on top… so the first time I tried to take the lid off a cooked dish… ouch! It only took a few times of having to use tongs to take off the lid before I was pretty much over that. So we stopped making dinners in the crock pot, although I was using my old manual to make oatmeal several times a week.  

Set 'n Forget® 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker With Spoon/Lid

With a couple rounds of company planned, volleyball season fast approaching, and a hankering for several meals we’d already tried or were wanting to try, I started looking for a crockpot that had all the programmable features I wanted… with a better lid. 

*cue angels singing from the heavens* 

  The Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget® 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker With Spoon/Lid is everything I loved about the Crockpot Smartpot and then some. It’s time programming is much more flexible, and it can be programmed by temperature as well. I made a fabulous Chicken with Lemon & Herbs and some INCREDIBLE Apple Dumplings. To quote my son… “This meal deserves a moment of silence.    

Presto® PopLite® hot air corn popper

So as long as I’m sharing my affection for small kitchen appliances, let me tell you about how we went micro-waveless. Over the summer, my microwave just quit. Just like that. I decided not to replace it for two reasons… money was really tight over the summer, but aside from that… there is NOTHING healthy that can be cooked in the microwave better than on the stove, in the crockpot, oven, steamer, or wok… and I already owned at least one all of those appliances.    

Sound is energy - a movement of air which our ears detect. The vibrations of sound are carried in waves, which strike our tiny eardrums, and in a complex course of actions, messages are sent to our brain. Our brain selects which sounds to listen to, and which sounds to ignore. We generally take note of new sounds, or those which are significant to us, while often learning to ignore those more mundane or continuous sounds. 

There are many factors which determine the distinctive sounds of every home. They are either controlled, such as music playing from your speakers, or uncontrolled, such as music playing from your next-door neighbour’s speakers. Uncontrolled outdoor sounds can be undesirable, such as noisy neighbours, animals, or traffic. But this can be controlled somewhat with a few solutions which absorb noise, such as double glazing or thick curtains.

Then there are uncontrolled outdoor sounds which inspire in us a whole range of positive emotions. Nature can be pleasantly noisy at times, and it’s at these times when the sound should be allowed into your home. Of all the sounds of nature, the one which appeals to most people is water. We love the calming sounds of rain, waterfalls and fountains. One of the joys felt by those living by the sea, is that of listening to waves lapping or crashing on the sand. But you don’t need a house by the sea to experience the same enjoyment. Water features are available in all shapes and sizes, and can recreate the calming sound of water in your own home.

The people and pets who live in a home are generally the cause of most indoor sounds, but this is also determined by the materials in which the home was constructed. Some sounds are so quiet or so habitual, that we barely notice them, and most are uncontrolled and part of daily domestic life, such as the sounds of cooking, cleaning and bathing. Timber floorboards all have their own unique signature sounds, made up of of tiny echoes, creaks and groans. Affecting the quality of all these sounds, are the underlying acoustics of the home. Even the most beautiful looking interior can be spoilt by bad acoustics, which can create an uncomfortable and cold atmosphere.

The very basic rules of acoustics are simple – hard surfaces reflect sound waves, while soft surfaces absorb them. Modern interiors which are also minimalistic, may produce sounds which are too sharp and lively if the acoustics are not attended to. A combination of hard floors, smooth surfaces and minimal fabrics may produce this result if the space is not balanced with ways to counteract the problem. Ceilings can be lined, carpet can be fitted in small areas, and even subtle texture can be introduced to help with the absorption of sound, creating a much more inviting home.

When it comes to different sounds, many of our likes and dislikes are a matter of personal preference, with music being the most obvious example. It is also a simple way to control the sound in your home. Music has a mysterious way of controlling our mood, and can affect both our behaviour and our attitudes. In order to create the atmosphere which you desire in your home, it is important not to forget the significance of music. Instead of leaving the radio on in the background, drowning out any other sounds around it, try to select music which you enjoy listening to. Make a conscious decision to select a particular piece of music to cook, clean, bathe, or simply fill the background with. It can create a formal or relaxed environment, and can have wonderful effects, not just on you and your family, but also the guests in your home.

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Photo from Livingetc.

There are thousands of tiny nerve endings all over the surface of our skin. This is how we experience pressure, temperature, pain and pleasure. We enjoy many different sensations on our skin, like the warmth of the sun, or a good massage. You may find it more difficult to see how this sensory pleasure can be gained from your home, but surprisingly, a home allows an unlimited scope for satisfying the tactile sense. The idea is really quite simple, and domestic comfort ultimately depends on the right textile choices.

The most important textile choices are those which we use against our skin most often, like towels* and linen. But also consider those items which come into contact with your skin regularly, like your sofa, chairs, cushions, doorknobs and handles, work surfaces, and flooring. And while you may not come into contact with things like curtains, blinds or walls very often, they are still to be considered for various reasons.

When choosing textiles, remember that in spite of technology, and its ability to create synthetic equivalents, we still seem to draw the most pleasure from classic natural fabrics, surfaces, flooring and walls. Fabrics such as cotton, linen, wool, silk and leather have the ability to breathe, making them the most comfortable against our skin. Work surfaces and flooring follow similar principles to each other, and products such as marble, granite, or even more economic stone equivalents feel cold, smooth and clean to the touch. Timber surfaces and floorboards are a warmer and softer alternative, and are often loved for the natural knots and other ’faults’. Rugs and carpet are by far the most soft and warm flooring options, but can also vary greatly depending on their fibre content. Synthetic fibres can feel warm and soft, cold and coarse, or variations of waxy and silky. Wool, while being quite difficult to maintain, will hold the most warmth and be extremely soft. And for a more natural alternative to standard plaster walls, exposed brick walls are a growing trend, and will offer a lot of texture and warmth, as will timber VJ walls.

The key to a great interior which brings all of these elements together, is one which involves the principle of contrast. Be it a little or a lot, contrast creates interest, not only for the eye, but essentially for our skin. The best way to achieve this in your home, is to get a good feel for the items in question, and pair contrasting, different and interesting textures together. Place a silk cushion or mohair throw on your leather or cotton fabric sofa. Select a roughly textured artwork or canvas for a smooth wall. Or place a soft, woolly rug on your hard stone tiles or timber floorboards.

There are endless ways of incorporating contrasting textures into your home, and ones which change with the season. It was not uncommon in times past, to change the textiles in a home seasonally, and this idea can still be adopted today. Heavy fabrics, which are thick and enveloping can be used in the cooler months, and exchanged for lighter, cooler fabrics when the weather is warmer. For a quick change, focus on cushions and throws. Or for something more dramatic, include quilt covers, curtains, blinds and even rugs in your seasonal changes.

Aside from textiles, there is also one other important factor to consider. The quality of the air we breathe is also registered by our skin, and we only feel comfortable when the air is the perfect balance of hot, cold, humid and dry. Even when an enclosed room receives too much sunlight, or when the air is simply too still, we can feel uncomfortable and irritated. When designing or decorating your home, ensure that an adequate amount of quality air is allowed into every room. Despite how pleasing any room may be to the eye, a poorly ventilated environment will naturally be avoided.

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*Join me next Wednesday for tips on selecting the best towels.

Photo from Ideal Home.

Check out this gorgeous Carpenter listing in Carmel! This stately home was just built in 2006, and features over 6,900 square feet of luxury. There are 5 bedrooms, and 6 full baths. Custom wood doors, granite countertops and a gorgeous winding stairwell are some of the details that you will find inside.

There is a finished walk-out basement, which leads to the half basketball court and in-ground pool. All of the appliances stay in the home for the new buyer, INCLUDING 2 65inch televisions! There are no covenents or restrictions in this neighborhood and no HOA dues. The eco-friendly geothermal HVAC will save you money and help the environment. The seller would prefer that we schedule our showing at least 12 hours in advance, so call me right away to see this house!

Smell is quite possibly our most primal sense. When we breathe, we smell, and powerful messages are sent to our brain, whether we realise it or not. Smells seem to mostly affect us on an unconscious level, and can influence our mood, determine our emotions, and ignite our memories. Because of this, the smell of a home can often determine someone’s level of comfort and relaxation, and ultimately, if they will enjoy being there.

Here are a number of ways in which you can utilise the power of smell in your home, making it a more inviting place for guests, and a more comfortable and relaxing environment for you and your family.

In the kitchen, place a bowl of fresh fruit on the benchtop. Citrus fruits and pineapples work especially well. The smell causes your tastebuds to recognise its characteristic fruity flavour. A large bowl will fill the room with delicious sweetness.

In the dining room or living room, place a vase of freshly cut flowers. Jasmine works especially well. Flowers bring some of nature’s loveliest scents indoors, and fill the room with the smell of sunshine.

In either the kitchen, dining room or living room, find a warm and sunny windowsill, and place a small bowl of roughly chopped fresh herbs on it. Basil will smell rich and warm, and coriander will smell fresh and tangy. If you are after an even more rich aroma, fill the bowl with some freshly ground coffee beans. Yum!

In the bathroom, fill space on shelves with perfumed soaps and bath oils, and never underestimate the sweet and comforting smell of freshly cleaned towels. While my husband has become immune to them, I have a friend who loves the smell of my towels! So remember that sometimes there are smells around the home, which go unnoticed by those living there, but are picked up by others.

When it comes to furniture, flooring and general textile selection, remember to consider the smell of the items in question before purchasing. Large items such as sofas, rugs, curtains and blinds can (and do) leave their mark in a room, with their smell often present for their entire lifespan. Leather has a very warm subtle smell – the kind that lingers inside luxury cars and expensive shoe stores. Suede is similar to leather, but more musky. Pure wool never quite loses its cozy farm animal smell, and timber furniture, especially hardwood such as silky oak, exudes a rich, homely scent.

If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace, remember that a log fire in winter fills the home with the comforting smell of wood smoke. Sun-dried linen smells far more fresh and sweet than air-dried, and although obvious, delicately scented candles, incense and aromatic oils are also a few other ways of scenting your home.

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Photo from Ideal Home.

Well, 2010 is off to a rollicking start here at Chez living:room! We’re in the latest issue of Munster Interiors – their regular ‘Blog Watch’ feature, written by the lovely Lorna Sixsmith of Garrendenny Lane Interiors, highlights the on-line movers, shakers and dreamers of dreams in the world of home design. Needless to say, we are honoured and privileged to have made the cut!

Featured this month, along with yours truly, is one of living:room’s fave on-line home boutiques, Mabel & Violet, which you may have seen recently in House & Home’s Irish Hot 100 and if not – where have you been? Written by M&V owner, Paula Asple, the blog covers a miscellany of home design, vintage, furnishing and lifestyle topics, including her own home renovation projects.

Of the ‘Blog Watch’ picks, I was delighted to discover ‘Nestled In‘ for the very first time – a Finnish interior blog featuring twenty-somethings Katja & Minna and their home renovation along with DIY projects and interior, art and design faves. Having visited Helsinki many years back, I’m a sucker for Scandinavian design – and not just the stuff that comes in a flat pack – so this blog is destined to become one of my regular reads!

And, of course,  Lorna knows a thing or two about blogging… In addition to scribing for Munster Interiors, managing her interior design business and on-line shop, being a mother-of-two and mucking in on the hubbie’s dairy farm (phew!) – she also finds time to write a regular interior design blog over at Garrendenny Lane. For specific decor or furnishing quandries, Lorna does a Friday Fix-It post where she answers specific reader queries like choosing light fittings for a double-height hallway or decorating a girl’s bedroom – if you’re in need of help, just drop her a line.

If you found this article of interest, you may also like:

The Hidden Potential in your Home

It’s Not About Looks – Good Design Works

Dublin Open House: A-Rated House by FKL Architects (and 5 Ideas to Steal…)

Do you have any any pet peeves about housing or home design? Please leave a comment with your thoughts on this subject or any other home improvement or design issues you’d like to see featured.

So a few people have commented about how I fell off the blogosphere right after I met my dad… and while I’ll admit that I didn’t write for a couple weeks because I was trying to sort out feelings that were raw and new, that can only account for a week or two of my absence. After that, I’ve just been very busy with visits to and from family, and wrestling with some very, very difficult personal decisions. I’m not quite comfortable making this chapter totally public quite yet, but I do have the story in a note on my facebook. So, if you’re not already on my FB page, fix that…

via Facebook | Cyndi Whitmore: Letting go (and moving on).

Our home is our retreat - the environment where we tend to feel most comfortable and safe. It can also be the place where some people derive most of their pleasure. I am one of those people, so when it comes to an interior space, I love those which please all of the senses.

When designing and decorating our homes, we have a tendency to place importance on the visual appearance, and what we can see. We often forget about the importance of appealing to our other senses also. When we dislike a home, it may not necessarily be due to the style of furniture, or the colour of the kitchen. Our disliking may infact be on a more subconscious level, where subtle smells, textures and sounds of the space are picked up on.

Our need for sensual satisfaction in the home can be seen when we purchase something new – we bounce on beds, run our feet across floor coverings, sniff candles and soaps, stroke fabric items, open and close doors and drawers, collapse into chairs, and knead cushions to test for softness, just to name a few. Pleasing these curious senses makes for a more pleasing home, which not only looks good, but feels inviting also.

Next week I’m going to explore three of our senses - smell, touch and sound. I will explain why they are important to consider when decorating, and how you can incorporate them in your home.

Join me on Monday for smell, Wednesday for touch, and Friday for sound.

For more inspiration, read Claire Lloyd’s ‘Sensual Living’.

Have a splendid weekend!

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Photo from Homes & Gardens.

No, this isn’t just a sales pitch from the HVAC vendors, it’s true! If you buy a new, energy efficient furnace, air conditioner or ventillation system, you can get a rebate from the government. The rebate can be up to $1000, if you purchase a geothermal system. Then, you can also qualify for an additional property tax deduction as well!

The program is set to begin on February 1, 2010, and is part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

Many utility companies also offer rebates to customers who replace appliances with Energy-Star models, so that would be an additional bonus to you.

To get your rebate, you will need to have documentation of purchase and installation, and that it is actually an Energy Star rated product. You must purchase the product on Feb. 1 or later, as the program is not retroactive.

For more information, check out http://www.energystar.gov

OK Mr. and Mrs. Seller, pop quiz:

You have 2 offers on your house, 1 for 100% of asking price, 1 for 94%

What do you do?? What do you do??

It is extremely important to look at all the facts of the contract when considering what offer to take. Most sellers are just so excited to hear what the price is, they forget about all the other terms of the contract. Perhaps the one with the higher price is also asking for a closing 2 months out- which could cost you thousands extra. Maybe they want you to pay all of their closing costs. One thing I have often seen is that they will be more adamant that the house be in perfect condition, and all inspection items are repaired. After all, they are paying full price. Not only that, but they have a house they still need to sell.

Maybe the buyers with the lower offer are actually offering the better deal. Their suggested closing date fits your timeline perfectly. They agree to take the house as-is. They don’t ask you to pay their closing costs. They already have their own house sold. While their purchase price may be lower, these added benefits may more than make up for it.

You never know where the best offer will come from, or what it will look like. It is important to take a close look at any offer that comes to you, and weigh the pros and cons.

P.S.: My apologies to the hit movie of 1994, Speed: Howard Payne: “Pop quiz, hotshot. There’s a bomb on a bus. Once the bus goes 50 miles an hour, the bomb is armed. If it drops below 50, it blows up. What do you do? What do you do?”

In the January 2010 issue of Men’s Health magazine, the one with Vampire Diaries’ Sean Faris on the cover, there is an article discussing which plant would best keep a man company in the comfort of his own cubicle.  The answers are interesting – isn’t learning fun?  Hopefully you take these words to heard and bring a leafy friend into your workspace – if for nothing else but to impress your coworkers with your knowledge of everything flora.

1. Areca Palm – Thanks to its huge fronds (which can reach 6 ft in height and feature 60 leaflets), this palm is especially effective in filtering airborne particles.
2. Peppermint – Sniffing mint can increase your alertness and enhance your memory, according to a study in the International Journal of Neuroscience.  Bonus: it can also help suppress your appetite.
3. English Ivy – Tests at the University of Georgia show that English Ivy is particularly efficient at absorbing volatile organic compounds, airborne pollutants spewed by office machinery, that cause headaches and nausea.
4. Lemon Balm – Researchers at Ohio State University found that the scent of lemon improved peoples’ moods and raised levels of norepinephrine, a brain chemical linked to mood and behavior.
5. Golden Pothos – This hardy vine reduces indoor ozone, Penn State researchers found.  Exposure to low ozone levels can cause chest pain and throat irritation.
6. Gardenia – It’s like a long-acting anti-depressant.  A gardenia can live for 25 years, and every time you smell its flowers, your emotional outlook improves…according to research from Rutgers.

Well, I still haven’t finished those mitts or Ross’ socks. All that knitting for the last several months was horrible… way too much sitting and not enough of my usual activity. I’ve been focusing more on not sitting around. I am keeping the knitting to just before bed… when Ross is reading.

I spent most of yesterday cleaning cupboards and closets. The closets had gotten a bit out of hand because I wasn’t spending much time folding and hanging laundry… I was just putting the baskets of clean clothes in the closet. I folded and hung six baskets of laundry yesterday, while washing and drying all the curtains, sheets and pet blankets. I also reorganized and wiped out all of the kitchen cupboards and bathroom cabinets. Even my desk got an overhaul. I’ll leave Ross’ desk for him to deal with!

I’m also getting back to my old workout schedule. I was knitting while on the elliptical and Wii, but with the knitting set aside I can get a much more intense workout. Today will probably be the usual two hours of elliptical (one done already) and half hour on Wii Fit. I also plan to play DDR for half an hour or so.

I’ve quit drinking soda… again. I’m on day three and the headaches are gone already. It’s normally the headaches that make me break down and drink soda again, so I am very hopeful I can finally do it this time.

HomeFinder.com has launched their new iPhone app for Open Houses! http://www.homefinder.com/mobile/info

Of course, because Carpenter Realtors listing are all featured on HomeFinder.com, and because I do open houses, my listings will be on this new app. If you want your house to be at the fingertips of buyers, let my put my Marketing System in place for you!

• One click search to find open houses and homes for sale near you
• Map and driving directions
• Save your favorite searches and properties
• Rich information about properties including photos and floorplans
• Easy to use search filtering to find the right open houses to visit