Bright Ideas: Beat The Winter Blues and Smile

Are the Winter Blues getting you down? Here are some tips to be happy and energized! For me, I instantly feel happier when I make my bed, get outside, connect with friends, do something good for someone else every day, and smile! Even if your smile is a fake one, it will instantly make you a little bit happier. Go ahead, try it right now...

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight. ~ Phyllis Diller

Beauty is power; a smile is its sword. ~ Charles Reade

Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important. ~ Janet Lane

I just like to smile, smiling's my favorite. ~ Quote from ELF

So go ahead and Send Flowers to someone you love!

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Related "How To" be Happy during the Winter

Apartment Therapy: 1 Simple way to be happy in the New Year

Real Simple: 9 Things You Can Do to Be Happy in the Next 30 Minutes

Martha Stewart: Body and Soul Challenge

photo: Beautiful Smile

Decorating Ideas - How to Arrange Art on Your Walls

When a customer purchases one of my watercolor paintings, I often get asked the question, "How should I arrange the art on my wall?". Even though this is a very good question, there is no right or wrong answer. Some formal dining rooms call for symmetry, while modern living room spaces might entertain a mix matched collage. It simply is a matter of your personal taste. After all, people buy art that pleases them and makes them happy; therefore, do what feels natural and right to you. I have collected an assortment of wall displays to give you some ideas.

photos: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Enter to win $200.00 towards your choice of Watercolor Paintings.

Related ~ Done in a Day - Salon Wall via Southern Living

How to arrange and hang picture frames using butcher paper via apartment therapy

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How to Organize Your Jewelry with Decorative Bowls

How do you organize your jewelry? I love my decorative bowls, and I use them to keep my jewelry separated and in groups.

When I saw the above image on Emily Clark via Martha Stewart, I went right upstairs and took a photo of my Anthropologie bowls.

Related: Organize your home with Pottery Barn

More Organizing Tips and

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Light Up The New Year with Fire and Ice!!

Happy New Year!! We will be outdoors tonight enjoying some fireworks on New Year's Eve. We will be watching them from a dear friend's beautiful outdoor patio. I was trying to come up with a wonderful hostess gift and decided to make some Ice Sculpture Luminaries.

I have always been fascinated by the the combination of Fire and Ice. I love the warm ambiance it creates. Of course they can be made with just water, but I love the rustic feeling the addition of evergreens and pinecones bring. Here is a wonderful how to pictorial I found:

You need two bowls, one much larger than the other. Fill 1/3 of the large bowl with water. Add pinecones and evergreens.

Place the smaller bowl inside the larger bowl

Weight the smaller bowl down with a large rock. Freeze several hours outdoors or in your freezer - it's been so cold that for us outdoors works fine!!

To unmold run warm water over the larger bowl to release ice sculpture. Add a candle and enjoy!

Happy New Year, my friends!! Looking forward to sharing even more wonderful things with you in 2011!!

(photos Southern Living & Bolig)