Winter Friendly Bird Items

There's something soothing about watching the birds from your window in the wintertime.

Food and shelter can be difficult to find for birds in the winter months and there are some things you can do to help them that will make the harsh months of winter a littler easier on your feathered friends.

First of all, put up a bird house. If you put it within view of your window, your cats will especially enjoy looking out the windows at the activity of the birds and many cats make primal sounds as they watch the birds they will never catch. There is a fun and functional
Blue or Red Roof Motel that has twelve entrances to hold a multitude of birds. The roof opens for easy cleaning and the wood is not treated with poisonous chemicals to ensure the safety of the birds.

Another item will be a bird feeder. Expect a lot of activity at a bird feeder. If you are a resident of the northeast, beautifully colored finches tend to travel in flocks and you're sure to see bright red cardinals, blue jays, starlings and more as they fuel up each day at your bird feeder. You can get a squirrel guard that will prevent greedy squirrels from climbing up and eating all your bird seed. If you enjoy photography, keep your camera handy and you're sure to get some unusual shots of various birds that reside in your area.

Just a few simple additions to your yard or garden area for your feathered friends will make the hardships that come with winter a lot easier to manage and they will reward you with hours of viewing pleasure as they enjoy the bird house and feeder you've given them!
posted by Home Decor Experts - Accent Architecturals   

Start Making New Year's Resolutions

No matter how great your decor is done, clutter can take away from the most professionally decorated interior. Make one of your New Year's resolutions this year to end the clutter.

First of all, pick a room to start in and get two boxes. Use the three and six rule when you go around the room. Anything you haven't used in three months, put it in the box. Anything you haven't used in six months goes in the other box. When your clutter is separated into two boxes, you will need someplace to put the three month box in an organized fashion, consider adding a bookshelf or armoire to your area as you can close the doors on an armoire and be free of clutter and they normally have vast amounts of storage space.

Then, take your six month box and make some decisions about every item in it. Either keep it and find a place to store it out of the way or toss it. You can either donate it to a local charity or give it away on FreeCycle in your city. Either way, it doesn't go back in the room.

Then, go around your room and make sure there is no other clutter. If your room still has a "jumbled" feeling to you - consider moving a piece of furniture around to make your decor "flow". Sometimes a cluttered feeling can come from furniture placement. Make the best use of your space that you can. Once you get a place for your items it's easy to keep your rooms neat and organized that can be one New Year's resolution that's easy to keep!
posted by Home Decor Experts - Accent Architecturals   

Grow an Indoor Herb Garden for Winter

Cooking with fresh herbs will give your food creations a new sense of life. Additionally, you will be upping the nutritional value of the food you make if you use fresh herbs and if you grow them yourself, you will know that your herbs were grown without the use of harmful pesticides. Winter doesn't mean the end of the growing season and fresh herbs, just divide your plants in your garden and then move some indoors and have an indoor herb garden.

Herbs that make a great indoor garden that you will use in cooking include perennials as parsley, sage, mint and chives. Bay, rosemary, white and pineapple sage won't survive a hard frost and if you want to use them all through the winter, you'll need to bring them indoors for the cold season. All you need is a window where the herbs can get maximum sunlight. Most kitchen windows are great for this.

If you only have a few types of herbs that you use the most such as oregano, thyme and mint for tea, you can just have a few pots around and harvest the herbs as needed. The breakdown for recipes is : 1/4 teaspoon powdered herb = 1 teaspoon dried herb = 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh herb.

It's easy to have an indoor herb garden. Not only will the plants provide great flavors and nutrition for the dishes you whip up, they will also provide a cozy feel to your room with their homey appeal.
posted by Home Decor Experts - Accent Architecturals   

Gifts for the Feng Shui Aficionado

If someone on your holiday gift giving list is into Feng Shui, you can find the perfect gift for them, even if you don't know or understand much about Feng Shui.

In the most basic of terms, Feng Shui is about creating balance and allowing positive energy to flow through a room through the careful placement of items and types of items. For harmony in the home, pairs of items are favored to bring a sense of togetherness through pairs and are said to end arguments and strife in relationships.

A gift that the Feng Shui lover on your gift list will enjoy will be a set of Acanthus Bookends. They are sold as a pair and are made from resin from a casting from a classic acanthus design. The acanthus is a plant that is found on the shores of the Mediterranean and has elegant leaves. The rolling design of the leaves is repeated in many classic ancient Roman designs. The bookends measure 4"w x 4.5"d x 6.5"h and are finished in a rich brown to compliment any decor.

As these are cast from lighter weight resin as opposed to heavy stone or wood, they can be used on any bookshelf or shelving unit with great results. An original way to present this gift would be to find a pair classic childhood books at a second hand store and include them between the book ends as a fun way to give this gift to your Feng Shui fan. The pair of books continues the harmony and the children's books are thought to bring innocence and acceptance into the room.

Make this holiday special and give a gift that will really strike a cord in the recipient, go a little Feng Shui yourself for the holidays!
posted by Home Decor Experts - Accent Architecturals   

Healthy Eating for Your Dog

Did you know the way you feed your dog could make him sick? It's not the type of food or the amount (although if you buy cheaply made dog food or feed too much you could be doing that); the height of your dog's bowls can also be a consideration. Some dogs will gulp air as they eat and if their heads are down as they eat, it can severely exaggerate the problem leading to a life threatening problem called canine bloat.

Canine bloat is also called gastric dilatation-volvulus complex, and every breed of dog can be affected. It is mostly found in large dogs. The exact cause of the condition is still up for debate, however what happens is known. The dog eats rapidly and then exercises or plays hard after a meal and the heavy food filled stomach of the dog acts like a weighted down bag and swings back and forth until it twists on itself. It can happen if your dog eats wet or dry food and no matter what breed of dog you have, the signs will be similar.

Early stages of the condition will make your dog anxious, restless, salivating and drooling and he will be not interested in food or water; they may vomit once or twice and then follow this with retching and gagging motions which are usually unproductive. Normally, within an hour the dog will begin to appear swollen and breathing will become rapid and shallow. It is important to get your dog to a veterinarian immediately to relieve the problem or your dog's life could be in danger.

You can help avoid this issue by using an elevated feeder for your dog and also have him relax for thirty minutes after a meal. Many owners groom their dogs after a meal and this is a great way to bond with your dog as well as have him sit and digest his food to avoid the problem of canine bloat.
posted by Home Decor Experts - Accent Architecturals