Spring Cleaning is Outdated . . . Learn About "Healthing" This Spring Instead!

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for LYSOL®. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.

We are only a few months into the year and my family has been hit with flu and flu-like symptoms 3 times.  It has been so bad that a friend of mine told me that I needed to "Lysol-bomb" my house.  The two years prior, our family only came down with the flu once each winter.  This year has been significantly worse.  In fact, our last child out of 3 had just recovered from a fever this past weekend.  Even though Spring has begun, it seems we are still not safe.  I do my best to remind everyone to wash their hands often and we try to keep the bathroom clean using Lysol Disinfecting Wipes to prevent the spreading of germs, but we have proven again and again that doing those things is not enough to keep everyone healthy.

This Spring, Lysol urges everyone to go beyond the typical Spring cleaning and reorganizing of their homes by adopting the idea of healthing . . .


Lysol has teamed up with television personality and author Giuliana Rancic to help spread the word about healthing to many YMCA families across the country.  At those select locations, parents and children were educated about how to not just clean, but to disinfect their homes and to improve hygiene habits.  Lysol has provided disinfecting products to these YMCA locations, as well as a year's membership to one local family.  Lysol has also been very active in educating schools nationwide along with new moms about healthing.

After reading through Lysol's tips on healthing, I realized there were a few things I have neglected to pay attention to . . .

1.  We should not only disinfect the large easy-to-reach surfaces, but the smaller out of the way areas too.
2.  Remember to disinfect things, such as light switches, faucet handles, phones, and door knobs.
3.  Making sure that we wash our hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and hot water.

I have never really used Lysol Disinfecting Spray because I always believed that what we were doing was enough.  Adding a can of this product to each floor of our home is going to be our first step in healthing this Spring.

You can download the Healthing Guidebook to share with your friends, family, and community and learn more about Lysol disinfecting products by visiting Lysol.com.

Easy Craft: DIY Spring or Summer Floral Wreath

In early Spring, I had started eyeing the pre-made wreaths at our local A.C. Moore store.  I did see a few that I liked, however, I kept putting off buying one because I knew I could make one myself.  The last time I made my own wreath was about 10 years ago, but I decided that it was time to dust off the old glue gun and make a nice large wreath that I not only liked, but loved.

I like my wreaths to be full.  I just think they look more dynamic and stately that way.  I am not a minimalist in any other part of my life, so why start with my front door, right?  Making a full floral wreath is easier than you may think.  Let me show you how . . .

DIY Project:  Full Floral Wreath

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

artificial grapevine twig wreath

large artificial floral bouquet

artificial floral garland

scissors or wire cutters

hot glue gun

hot glue sticks

Before we start, I want to explain why I chose to use a floral bouquet rather than individual stems of flowers.  The first reason is that the bouquet has a nice mix of different colors, shapes, and sizes of flowers that already work together.  The second reason is that a bouquet costs much less than buying each stem or pick separately, especially when you can find the bouquet on sale.

Step 1.  Make your own floral picks by cutting each flower from the bouquet.  Push the leaves up towards the flower if you would like to use them in your wreath.  Then cut the stem with scissors or wire cutters about a half an inch below the leaf.  Do this for all the stems of flowers.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

  

Step 2.  Take the garland and hide the end in the inner circle of the wreath by tucking it in between two twigs.  Then secure the end in place with some hot glue.

Step 3.  Now take the garland and secure it to a spot on the outer circle of the wreath with some hot glue.  Repeat this, alternating between the inner circle and outer circle of the wreath, similar to a zigzag pattern.  Be sure to secure each point with hot glue.

  

Step 4.  Plan out the general placement of your flower stems, making sure to disperse the sizes and colors evenly around the wreath.

Step 5.  Push each flower stem in between two vines on the wreath and then secure with hot glue.  Repeat with all the flower stems.


Here is the result of today's craft project . . .

The garland is the secret to making this wreath look really full.  I love how mine came out and so does my family.  It is a very cheerful sight to welcome us every time we return home.  Our 5 year old twins especially love it because they are the ones who picked out the original bouquet of flowers used to make this wreath.

Shop 'n' Share: Tinted Glass Candle Holder from Target

If you follow me on Pinterest, then you know that several DIY tinted glass projects have caught my attention, especially ones involving mason jars.  Making my own tinted glass vases or candle holders is one of those "someday" projects. So, when I saw these tinted glass candle holders in several Spring pastels at my local Target store, I could not resist but to buy the blue one.  It matched what I already had on my kitchen table and it was only $6.99.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

I love how $6.99 made our room feel that much cozier.  It never ceases to amaze me how small changes like this one will satisfy my need to redecorate for awhile.  And, I did not have to wait until I had time to learn how to tint glass myself!

Kirkland's Set of 3 Lattice Cube Shelves

If you ask my husband, he would tell you that we did not need one more thing to fill our wall space.  Well, he would be wrong!  We desperately needed something to fill the odd space above the television in our living room.  We use to have a smaller television that hung on the wall, but our current one sits on a low entertainment center.  To make things more complicated, our thermostat is located on that wall, so we could not just hang a large piece of framed art there to fill the space.  Something modular, like this Set of 3 Lattice Cube Shelves from Kirkland's was the perfect solution.

This set of 8", 10", and 12" square shelves are a generous 5" deep.  Originally, I was considering just hanging the framed photos of our 3 children on that wall, even though they did not fill the space well.  These shelves were a much better fit.  It took us awhile to figure out a configuration that felt balanced to us.  I love displaying our family photos this way because it is much more interesting to the eye than just hanging them flat.

This set of shelves came with all the hardware needed to hang them, including anchors.  They are pretty heavy and are made of composite wood.  There are two pre-drilled holes on the back of each shelf.

I think these Lattice Cube Shelves would work best with a mission style or modern decor, but they can be transformed to fit any decor by adding your own special touches, such as artificial flowers, garlands, ribbon, etc . . .

To learn more about Kirkland's affordable home furnishings, visit Kirklands.com and Kirkland's on Facebook.  To learn more about the designers behind these products, visit MyKirklands.com.


Thank you to Kirkland's for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a Set of 3 Lattice Cube Shelves from Kirkland's.

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to Continental U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.  Click here for official contest rules.

How to Gain Entries:

Browse the selection of home decor offered by Kirkland's. Then leave a comment telling me the name of one item you would love to display in your home. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1)  For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.


2)  For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3)  For 10 extra entries, join the Kirkland's Email List to receive exclusive coupons and more. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments telling me you did.

4)  For 1 extra entry, "Like" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here with the link to your Facebook profile.

5)  For 1 extra entry, "Like" Kirkland's on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Facebook profile.


6)  Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7)  Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8)  Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9)  Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, September 5th, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

Back To School 2011: Hello Kitty Table Lamp by Sparkle Bee

Our 4.5 year old daughter is a huge fan of Hello Kitty!  She has everything from a Hello Kitty jacket to a Hello Kitty handbag.  One thing she did not have was a Hello Kitty lamp.  Well, Sparkle Bee from Marino Adriani, a popular brand of children's and teen's electronics, happened to announce that Hello Kitty and Paul Frank will be the focus of their product line for Fall 2011.

Although this lamp would have been perfect on my daughter's desk, it was more needed on her nightstand.  Her previous lamp was battery-operated, a result of my trying to eliminate the hazards of electrical cords when she was younger, was no longer necessary.  She was more than ready to upgrade to a big girl's lamp.

It is very apparent that this Hello Kitty Lamp is well-made and sturdy.  This lamp will not likely be accidentally knocked over by our children.  The pull-chain is actually only there for aesthetic reasons.  The lamp turns on and off with the push of a button, which is much more user-friendly for a child.

This lamp can take up to a 60 watt standard light bulb, but can also be used with compact fluorescent bulbs.  The lampshade is lovely when lit up and gives off a warm light.  I also love that the lamp bears a chrome Hello Kitty insignia on the front, which adds to the perceived value of this lamp, should you be considering it for a gift.

Sparkle Bee offers many other children's electronics products, such as clock radios, telephones, boomboxes, and more.  Visit SparkleBee.com and Sparkle Bee on Facebook to view their latest products.


Thank you to Sparkle Bee for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Mini Room Makeover with My Wonderful Walls

If I were wealthy, I would probably redecorate a different room in the house once a month.  Since I have to live in the real world and must live within a budget, I find less costly ways to give our home mini makeovers now and then by changing some throw pillows, an area rug, or wall art.  My Wonderful Walls is an excellent resource for adding new life to your walls if you have children in your household.

My Wonderful Walls offers wall stickers, wall stencils, and customizable wall art that is perfect for nursery decor or children's bedrooms and playrooms.  Since we live in a townhouse, there is not enough space to discern which parts of the house are child-friendly and which are not.  We do not have a separate playroom for the children and they have pretty much taken over the living room.  That is why I thought it could not hurt to add a little whimsy to our dining area, which is adjacent to the living room.

This is our dining area BEFORE the mini makeover . . . 

Of all the products offered by My Wonderful Walls, my husband and I liked the Garden Tree Wall Stickers the best.  To prep the walls, we only had wipe them down with cold water and let them dry completely.  Having used wall decals before in other rooms, we were prepared to have two people to apply this wall sticker.  With this wall sticker being so large and the branches looking so intricate, we thought it would be tricky to apply the tree all in once piece.  We were so pleasantly surprised!  Instead of having problems with the curved branches sticking to the wrong places or to each other, we found this wall sticker to be incredibly easy to manage.  It was repositionable and, if two tacky parts happened to come together, we could peel them apart without damaging the sticker.


Take a minute to see how simple it actually is to apply wall stickers by My Wonderful Walls . . . 

Other than how easy to manage the wall stickers are, I also love the quality of the decals.  We had no problems with any of the stickers tearing.  I also like the look of pressed paper each decal has, giving the entire display a more handcrafted feel.  The decals adhere to the wall beautifully and you have to really take a close look to figure out if it is in fact a decal or stenciled wall art.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

For the rest of the room, I had my children create some coordinating framed kids art.  (You can find the instructions here.)  I also picked up some silk flowers and ribbon at A.C. Moore to change the look of our vase and napkin basket.

Here is our dining area AFTER our mini makeover . . . 

The Garden Tree Wall Sticker is also available with your choice of coordinating birds or butterflies.  We chose the birds because we thought they would be more fitting all year round.  Our tree is in the Turquoise, but you can also choose from Lavender, White, or Pink flowers and accents.

You can view all products available from My Wonderful Walls by visiting MyWonderfulWalls.com, My Wall Stencils, and My Wall Stickers on Etsy.  Through August 31st, 2011, save 15% off your entire purchase when you checkout using Code: 3G2S on MyWonderfulWalls.com.


Thank you to My Wonderful Walls for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a gift code for our contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a $75 gift code to shop from My Wonderful Walls.

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. & Canadian entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Browse the selection of wall decor offered by My Wonderful Walls. Then leave a comment telling me the name of one product you might like to use your gift code towards if you won this contest. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1)  For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.


2)  For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3)  For 1 extra entry, subscribe to the My Wonderful Walls YouTube Channel. Then come back here and leave a separate comment with your YouTube username.

4)  For 1 extra entry, "Like" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here with the link to your Facebook profile.

5)  For 1 extra entry each, follow My Wonderful Walls on Twitter and/or "Like" My Wonderful Walls on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment for each with the link to your Twitter or Facebook profile.


6)  Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7)  Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8)  Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9)  Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, August 29th, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

Protecting Your Home Beyond Standard Homeowner's Insurance

In today's shaky economy more than ever, if you are lucky enough to purchase the house of your dreams, you really need to do whatever you can to protect one of the largest investments you will ever make in your lifetime.  If you believe in purchasing service plans to protect your home computer, iPhone, or vacuum cleaner, then considering a home protection plan to protect your water heater, stove, garbage disposal, plumbing system, electrical system, and more just makes sense.

As a member of a household where money is very tight, I can tell you that an unexpected repair, such as a broken clothes dryer, is a real hardship.  A home protection plan would allow you to plan ahead for such emergencies, making it less costly for you to repair or replace some of the major components that are essential to everyday living in your home.  As scary as it is to think about not having a functioning laptop or mobile phone, think about what it would be like to not have a functioning water heater for baths or a working stove to cook your family meals.  "Inconvenient" would be a huge understatement.

Maximizing Storage Space in Small Bedrooms

Since we had to relinquish the very roomy master bedroom to our children, our tiny bedroom has been extremely crowded.  Basically we can fit our bed, a 5-drawer chest, a lingerie chest, and my desk.  There is no room for a dresser or night stands.

Our mattress set, which was once top-of-the-line, has turned ten and is in desperate need of replacing.  Before we replace it, we really need to make the decision about whether we would like to keep our contemporary powder-coated metal bed or consider looking at platform beds.

When we were looking for twin beds for our children, I had thought to myself how great it would be if they made captain's beds for adults.  I would love to have two rows of drawers under our bed and a bookcase headboard would eliminate our need for nightstands.  It turns out, there does exist such a product named simply "storage beds."  Since most storage beds are wooden, it will be tough to switch from our sleek modern looking bed to something that is more traditional and cumbersome.  Ultimately, that is a small price to pay to get rid of those plastic under-the-bed storage boxes that are always so difficult to slide in and out from under the bed.

Any Advice About How To Have Our Dream House?

Everyone has their idea of a dream house.  Some people's dream houses may be grandiose, but mine is actually much simpler.  I just want a three bedroom home large enough to house our family of five with an eat-in-kitchen, a fenced-in yard for a dog, and perhaps a tiny little office for me.  I'm not looking for a jacuzzi or a terrace or a fireplace in the master bedroom.  I just want a simple house where our family can create fond memories.

About 7 years ago, we purchased a two bedroom townhouse, which we thought would be a baby step towards our dream house.  Here we are, 7 years later, still stuck in this shoe box because the value of the home dropped nearly by half.  So I need someone to tell me what we should do.  If you have ever been in this situation and have successfully been able to move forward, I would love to hear about what steps you took to do so.

Looking back, perhaps we should have been looking at real estate in Park City, Utah or Tulsa, Oklahoma . . . somewhere away from Massachusetts?  It seems like being stuck in our situation is the price we had to pay for wanting to stay close to our families.

Tips For Reducing Allergens in the Home

Three out of five members of our household display clear symptoms of allergies all year round.  Of course, the allergy symptoms (i.e. sinus congestion, headaches, earaches, sneezing, post-nasal drip, soar throats, etc . . . ) are the worst during the warm weather seasons.  We do take some steps to reduce the amount of airborne allergens in our home, but I have recently learned that we can do much more.

What we usually do is leave an air purifier on 24/7 in our bedroom where our three cats most often convene.  We should really have one or two more throughout the house, but we do not have the extra space in our little shoe box of a townhouse.

We also leave a dehumidifier on in the basement year round.  Our basement has flooded more than once and I am always worried about the amount of mold that must be down there.  We also no longer use a warm-mist vaporizer for the children at night.

According to Dr. Alanna Levine, maintaining a healthier home is as easy as ABC . . .

Avoid products filled with down, excessive use of perfume, powder, hair spray, air fresheners, scented fabric softeners, or anything else that has a strong odor.

Balance the air quality in your home by closing the windows and using air conditioning to keep the pollen out.  Also buy only washable plush toys, so that they can be washed in hot water often.

Change your air filters every 3 months and use high quality allergen-reducing air filters like those from Filtrete.

Another point that Dr. Levine made is that we should fix any leaking faucets or pipes.  We actually have a leaky faucet we have been neglecting and it never occurred to me that it could cause the development of mold.

If you have any tips about ways to reduce allergens in the home, please do share them with us.  Sometimes I feel like I am fighting a losing battle when it comes to allergies.

To learn more about how to improve the air quality in your home and about the Filtrete Clear Advantages program, visit Filtrete.com.


I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Filtrete and received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Is Modern Furniture Right for Your Home?

When I worked in a furniture store as the visual manager, some of my favorite areas to work with were the modern furniture room settings for living rooms, bedrooms, and dining.  They always looked so simple and clean.  In spite of my love for modern furniture, my own home is more mission style.  I suppose in my mind, modern furniture is not very kid-friendly . . . so many right angles.  Over the past decade, however, I have noticed that modern furniture has come a long way.

If you love the space-saving benefits, functionality, and streamlined look of modern furniture, but are worried about comfort, I encourage you to look a little harder.  Although many modern furniture designers pay more attention to design and not enough to comfort, there are some that seem to understand that furniture needs to be family-friendly as well.  Comfortable furniture that is not overstuffed is difficult to come by, but it does exist.  You just need to be patient and persistent in your search.


I received a gift code from CSN Stores as a thank you for participating in this campaign.

Shop 'n' Share: Whale Faucet Fountain

I want to share a neat little gadget I purchased for just $9 from Genevieves.com through the fall fundraiser for my son's elementary school . . . the Whale Faucet Fountain. This little whale slips over the end of your faucet to turn your tap into a drinking fountain. The part that fits over the faucet is rubber inside and should fit snugly around most styles of faucets. If it is on correctly, the water should flow freely through the belly of the whale. You should also be able to use your hand to close the flap that covers the belly without any obstructions from the tip of the faucet.

When you hold that flap shut, the water is forced out the whale's blow hole, thus turning it into a drinking fountain. This is a great way for children to rinse their mouths after brushing their teeth. I do recommend that you do not turn the water on high because it could make the water shoot past the sink onto the floor instead of over the sink. Also, if your child is not gently with the whale when closing the flap, he or she may shift it, causing it not to sit properly on the end of the faucet.

Although Genevieve's is a site that focuses on school fundraisers, I do believe you can bypass the school information and order products on this website just like any other online retailer.

This article was based on my own personal shopping experience. I did not receive product or compensation in exchange for sharing this experience with my readers.