ALA Bright Ideas

Here is a link to the September Issue of ALA's Bright Ideas: http://www.americanlightingassoc.com/newsletter/brightideas-september2010.html/
This month's features include:
~ Pendant Lighting Must-dos ~ EXPERT ADVICE: Get Answers to Your Questions ~ BRIGHT TIPS: Enter to Win the $5,000 Home Lighting Sweepstakes ALA is the American Lighting Association, of which we are proud members. Eleven of our full-time staff members in our 3 showrooms are ALA Certified Lighting Specialists or Consultants. We attend ALA's monthly webinars to be sure we are current on all of the latest trends, technologies, and ideas. And 3 of us (Marcia Hussey from Laurel, Giorgina Schnurr from Arlington, and myself from Chantilly) are heading to Las Vegas next week for the annual ALA Conference. We'll be so motivated and energized with great new ideas when we return!

http://www.dominionelectric.com/

As fall harvest season begins, many gardeners find themselves with bushels of tomatoes, baskets of cucumbers and armfuls of lettuce. So when your garden is overflowing with produce, how do you make the most of your harvest?

Your Fall Garden; How to Prepare It and What to Plant
By Rebecca Somers

It’s time to start thinking about your fall garden. The air is getting cooler and the days shorter. Preparing your garden for fall is easy.  Use Preen in your garden. It’s a granular weed preventer that can be found at any garden shop and is excellent for controlling weeds.
When you mow your lawn, put a bag on your mower and catch your grass and leaves. You will have a wonderful green and brown mix that you can use as mulch which is really good for your soil.  Mulching leaves will amend your soil.
You can continue to deadhead flowers and get extended blooms and some people like to keep their stalks up for the birds. Yellow Finches will come and eat Purple Cone Flower. also known as Rudebeckia. Or, you can plow your stalks under for a neater look.
Maples tend to be the most spectacular in the fall. Autumn Sedum Joy is particularly stunning. Russian Sage is a beautiful bronze and Coral Bells have small purple flowers. You can also plant any number of decorative grasses and Nandina has small red berries that will last throughout the winter.
Pansies like cooler weather and there is a wide variety of pansies you can plant in the fall. Ornamental cabbage also does well and mums and asters are a good choice.
Something to remember when planting your fall garden; whatever is selling at the garden shops or Home Depot tends to do well in the season you’re buying it.
You can plant a vegetable garden in the fall, too. Sugar snap peas, lettuce, cabbage, spinach and broccoli all do well in the fall.
If you want to bring some of your plants inside, try your geraniums or containers that you planted in the spring. Make sure you have plenty of sunshine.

Back to School

It’s time to think about going back to school; putting breakfast on the table, packing a lunch, school supplies and classes—there are lots of things to think about. If you have elementary aged kids, now is a good time to start structuring their time. Plan a few day trips. The Children’s Museum or The Zoo are great places to take in.  Try to get them to bed and wake them up at the same time each evening and morning and the bus will be lots easier to catch.
The same rule holds true of middle school kids.  National studies show that 78% of children lose sleep when school starts. A regular bedtime and a regular waking time do lots to help according to the experts. It may be hard to pull a middle schooler away from the pool, but try to let them be responsible for picking out their school supplies and clothing.  A new outfit does wonders for confidence and a good mood. There are lots of second hand stores in the Washington area if budgets are tight. Otherwise, Lord & Taylor has an excellent selection of kid’s clothes and Staples is great for school supplies.
Try to do some pre-school connecting with your teenager who is going to High School. Tell them what you really like about them and try to develop a rapport.  Listen to them and be willing to get information and not just give it.  Try some empathy—try a walk around in your teen’s shoes.  Acknowledge their thoughts and feelings and validate your teen as much as possible and request don’t demand.  If you can put these simple practices into play before the school year, the foundation you build will help you during the school year. Make sure you designate a place and time for study and you’ve discussed things like screen time and time with friends in advance of school.

The backyard will be the summer entertainment hot spot as Americans seek affordable ways to spend time with family and friends. But your outdoor party can be spoiled quickly if unwelcome insects show up. More than half of backyard revelers have moved a party indoors due to mosquitoes, and 46 percent have left a party to escape the pests, according to a new survey from the makers of OFF! PowerPad Lamp and Lantern.
Create an unforgettable party within a tight budget with these five tips from Natalie Ermann Russell, author of "The Outdoor Entertaining Idea Book:"
1. Keep decor simple: Save money on decorations by making the most of the greenery and foliage that surround you. Simple potted plants as center pieces create an elegant setting at little cost, and they'll last much longer than cut flowers. 2. Set a realistic menu: Give yourself a break by creating a menu that is realistic for your budget and your schedule. To get the best prices, focus on foods that are in season and check out your local farmers' market for deals. Using produce from the farmers' market also makes for less work -- the flavors of these foods are so intense and beautiful, they're at their best when prepared simply. For example, a pasta primavera with blanched farmers' market veggies can be assembled quickly, and is super colorful and so delicious. 3. Invite guests to pitch in: The beloved potluck is making a comeback. Your friends and family will enjoy contributing to the event, but be sure to be specific about what you need so that you end up with a good variety of foods. And establishing a theme can make it even more fun. For instance, call it the Fresh from the Farmers' Market Potluck, where each person brings a dish to highlight a different fruit or vegetable that's in season.
4. Keep away mosquitoes for less: OFF! PowerPad Lamp can repel mosquitoes from an area of up to 15 by 15 feet -- the size of an entire patio -- for less than $10. It would take 15 citronella candles at a cost of up to $60 to protect this same area.
5. Plan right: The fear of running out of food often drives hosts to prepare twice as much food as they need -- at twice the cost. Know your head count beforehand and shop accordingly. A general rule of thumb is to plan for six to eight ounces per person of the main protein (e.g., steak, fish, chicken) and one to two ounces of a side dish like rice or pasta.
Use these simple and affordable tips to entice your guests to linger at your next outdoor party. For more information about how to combat mosquitoes, visit www.offprotects.com.

To see more visit: http://wewerkalandscape.com/.

This is an addition to the rear of a Georgetown row house that incorporates a glass ceiling similar to a
Solarium and full glass windows open to a courtyard. The overall kitchen design by Fred Grenfell of
Kitchen and Bath Studios has an understated elegance of furniture, custom design for this space. The
Cabinets have an old world English appeal with classical moldings and turnings.
Fred used cabinets by Premier Custom built who were able to produce the quality level required for this
Project. The paint color was inspired by a picture of a fish that was sent to premier for color match. They
now call the color “Herring”.
 
Thanks
 
Jerry Weed

Decorating a Dorm Room for Girls or Guys

Many High School seniors have been accepted to college and it’s time to start thinking about going off to school and decorating that all-important dorm room where their going to be spending time studying, socializing and yes, sleeping.
Now, as never before, if your college student wants to, they have a chance to go on Facebook and coordinate their decorating with their roommate. On-line decorating lends itself well to buying matching bedding and accessories.
Bedding should always be the focal point of the room. Look at different bedding options and see what appeals to you. Try Bed, Bath and Beyond or PBTeen.com (Pottery Barn Teen). We looked at Bed, Bath and Beyond and there were 45 different options for bedding.
Once you have your comforter, try bold colors. Dorm rooms can be drab, so go as bold as you are comfortable with. It may be the only time you will have that bold comforter, so don’t be afraid to experiment. You may want to add a really bold area rug to warm up your room.
Put your bed on risers for under the bed storage. You might want a bed skirt, but make sure you measure the drop so it’s long enough to cover the storage. You can also store stuff in your suitcase, but make sure you keep it in the closet. Get trunks on wheels or collapsible box storage. Think as big or small as you want.
You can use strings of lights to give your dorm room a festive air. Target or Pier One has great selections. They have ball lights or stars—there are hundreds to choose from.
A French memo board with crossed ribbons holds pictures from home and ticket stubs. You can make one or buy one on-line.
Vinyl wall stickies are another decorating trick for dorm rooms. Dezinwithaz.com and wallpops.com have wonderful selections. They’re very inexpensive and not permanent. Wallpops has borders, animal prints, NFL, NBA, NASCAR, NCAA—almost any sport you want.
If you’re a guy, you might want to try putting a map of your favorite country on your wall. A small bookcase might work well for your books and backpack. Try a double sided comforter and really durable sheets. Tie it all together with wallpops and you’ll have a dorm room that will express your individuality and be a great home away from home.

How to Bring the Beach Back With You

Sprucing Up Your Outdoor Living Space