Crazy for Candles

Photo credit: Rickey Russell, www.Flickr.com

Nothing creates instant ambiance quite like candles, especially during the holidays.  Whether it’s a single candle casting its warm glow atop a window ledge or votives lined up along a garland-festooned mantel, candles lend a feeling of warmth to rooms and make everything basking in their light seem prettier (even people!).
They also fill the air with heady scent that brings back childhood memories of gingerbread baking or of the tall evergreen dressed in festive glory and poised in the living room corner.
According to the National Candle Association, candles are used in seven out of ten U.S. households with American ringing up approximately $2 billion in candle sales every year.  90 percent of all candles are purchased by women so now I finally understand… my (and your) quest to buy just “one more” candle is understandable–we, women, are simply following our shopping instincts.
Seriously, in addition to being terrific decor items, candles are also great gifts which is why I ascribe to the “one for you, one for me” rule which never fails to please all parties involved.  So, if candles (or candle accessories) are on your holiday shopping list  but you aspire for more than just run of the mill versions, here are four hot picks that are illuminating for more than the obvious reason.










When lit, Pure Palm candles emit the signature sound of a crackling fire.  How cool is that?  The wick also never needs to be trimmed and the candle is made with eco-friendly scent.  Scents shown here:  Mulberry, Mango Cooler, Orange Vanilla, Warm Cinnamon Pumpkin, Holiday Cinnamon Snaps, Butterscotch Coffee and Kiwi Papaya.






















Scents of Home Petite candles are priced so affordably ($6.98 each) that you can buy several complimentary scents and burn them together to create a custom fragrance for your home.  They also make chic stocking stuffers because they small enough to slide down a sock. Scents shown here: Iced Gingerbread, Warm Cinnamon Pumpkin and Ice & Evergreen.






















Ivory Remote Control Flameless Candles are perfect for the couch potato on your Christmas list.  They come with a handy little remote control so there’s no need to get up off the sofa to turn them off.


Fashionistas know that jewelry is the finishing touch to an outfit.  Same with candles.  Look how handsome these Scents of Home Petite Orange Vanilla candle and ribbed Contempo Holiday Cinnamon Snaps candle looks adorned with Christmas Candle Jewelry consisting of a set of three silvery metal charms that affix to candle surfaces. www.cindyshomedecor.com

Ch's $5,000 Dining Room Makeover Contesy

Psstt! Want The Skinny on CH’s $5,000 Dining Room Makeover Contest?

By Carla Jordan  //  Uncategorized  //  1 Comment

Photo credit: Satcolady1, www.Flickr.com

Hang out with my friends and you’ll learn quickly that we take pride in sniffing out deals like relentless little bloodhounds.  The bigger, the better; and if it’s free, the rules is–take no prisoners.  Just come home with the prize.
Well, friends–you finally may have met your match.  There’s a downright feeding frenzy across the nation as word gets out about Celebrating Home’s $5,000 dining room sweepstakes on Facebook.









Yes, CH is giving away a five thousand dollar dining room makeover and throwing in two design pros to create the ultimate entertaining space from top-to-bottom.
Since I write for CH, I can only watch (rats!), then flee the scene for a break now and then  from the non-stop ringing phone and avalanche of e-mails pouring in from the bajillions of you wanting to know:
•”Seriously, $5,000?”
•”Will CH’s super-dooper, designer-in-chief Jeff Floyd and renowned artist Susan Winget
really mastermind the makeover?”
•”Can I choose from anything in CH’s lineup?”
•”All I have to do is click on ‘enter to win’ on CH’s Facebook page?
 –Yes, Yes. Yes, Yes–
As excitement grows, so does your list of questions.  So I beelined it to Jeff Floyd and Susan Winget to find out what makes this the coolest contest ever to take place on Facebook and in CH history.











•What do you mean by a dining room makeover?
“Susan and I will design a dining room that fits the winner’s needs.  “For some people that may mean starting from scratch.  For others, it may mean a bit of paint and layering in accessories that work with existing furnishings that they love.  Sky’s the limit up to $5,000 so it’s going to be fabulously fun!”–Jeff
•How involved will you all be in the transformation?
“From concept to installation, we’ll be on the job working hand-in-hand with the winner to create a gameplan, then select products and guide the transformation.” –Jeff & Susan
•How do you typically work with homeowners when providing design guidance?
“I truly believe your home should be a reflection of you and your tastes, likes/dislikes, personality and aspirations.  So the first meeting is all about listening and doing very little talking (I know–hard for me!).  From that dialogue, a plan will be devised and tweaked until the space speaks to that person and their family.–Jeff
“As a product designer rather than an interior designer, I don’t often get to work with homeowners.  However, while designing my product lines, I’ve learned a lot about trends and what people want in their homes–product that’s both beautiful and functional.  How to make that happen will be top of mind with me as we meet with the contest winner.”–Susan
•What kind of trends work well in a dining room today?
” These days the words ‘dining room’ have taken on a whole new meaning because we live in homes with very few formal areas.  A dining room may be reserved for special occasions or be an eat-in kitchen space used every day.  Whatever the case, our makeover will fit the winner’s lifestyle.  Trends only matter if they are relevant to the homeowner’s personality.”–Jeff
•What excites you most about this contest?
“It’s thrilling to be able to participate in the creative process of home decorating with whomever the lucky winner will be. I’ve found, both in our studio and with our customers, that the process of creative collaboration is so rewarding.  In this case, being able to take a specific individual’s personality into account make it all the more exciting.”–Susan
“The unknown! Where, who, what, how?  How will we get there–airplane train, bus, car, wagon, foot? It’s all a mystery right now and I can’t wait for it to unfold!”–Jeff
On whose doorstep will Jeff and Susan land?  Could be yours but only if…you enter to win (now through midnight CST on March 10, 2012)!

Tagged as: decorating contest | featured

Lets Eat Pie

Photo credit: Steve Buchanan, www.Flickr.com

Finally, a holiday I can really sink my teeth in,  Yes, today is National Pie Day which makes it our patriotic duty (at least in my house) to eat a slice or two in honor of one of the finer things in life–dessert.  If you’re like me, chances are your mom or grandma are pie makers.  I totally lucked out because my dad is also superb at the task and is known for his light, flaky crust recipe.  Mom’s specialty is pecan pie.  Mam-maw made a mean apple pie and my Aunt Nadine whipped up a chocolate pie topped with homemade meringue so high it nearly reached the sky.  My nieces, Hannah and Allison, now make pies that fetch top dollar at their church bazaar.
As for me…well, I’ve mastered the art of pie making but my true gift is eating my handiwork.  I like pie cold, hot or anywhere in between.  Apple, blackberry, chocolate, lemon, pumpkin, pecan, chess–I love them all, especially if they’re topped with cheese, ice cream or drizzled chocolate.
So it’s probably no surprise I’m always on the hunt for a new take on this little round  dessert to have another reason to pop for pie.  A dandy one has surfaced from “Southern Pies“ by Nancie McDermott that you’ve got to try.   This chocolate angel pie  looks almost too pretty to eat…and yet I will (and so should you).

Photo credit: Leigh Beisch, Southern Pies by Nancie McDermott, www.ChronicleBooks.com

Chocolate Angel Pie
This delicate dessert is an ethereal pie, in which meringue—usually pie’s accessory—becomes the crust. Like the Pavlova of Australia and New Zealand, angel pie features a large meringue as the main event. But while Pavlovas are usually filled with sweetened fruit, angel pies are typically filled with lemon curd and whipped cream, or a simple chocolate mousse. Both angel pies and Pavlovas are iterations of the classic Viennese schaum torte. Some Southern cooks add pecans to the meringue crust, making the angel-cloud base quite reminiscent of Divinity, a classic Southern candy. Around the South, angel pies are cherished throughout the year as a celestial party dish.
Makes one 9-inch pie
Meringue Crust:
4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (2 ounces) chopped pecans
Chocolate Cream Filling:
4 squares (4 ounces) semisweet chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
Sweetened whipped cream and cocoa powder, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
To make the meringue crust: Heat the oven to 275 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they are bubbly and foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt, and beat on high speed until the egg whites begin to swell up and hold their shape. Add the sugar gradually, and then the vanilla, while you continue to beat the egg whites, until they are thick, light, shiny, and able to hold firm, curled peaks.
Scoop the beaten egg whites out into the pie plate and use the back of a large spoon to shape them into a piecrust with high sides, extending a little above the sides of the pie pan. Scatter the chopped pecans over the bottom of the meringue crust.
Place the pan on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 250 degrees F, and bake until the meringue crust is lightly browned, firm, and dry to the touch, 45 to 50 minutes more.
Place the pan on a cooling rack or a folded kitchen towel and let cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate the crust for 3 hours, until very cold.
To make the filling: Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup hot water and the vanilla and stir well to combine everything smoothly Set aside to cool completely.
When the chocolate is cool, beat the cream until it is thick and light and holds firm peaks. Gently stir the whipped cream into the chocolate and fold them together to make a delicate, creamy chocolate filling.
Scoop the chocolate filling into the meringue piecrust and mound it up handsomely. Refrigerate it for 3 hours or more and serve cold, with extra whipped cream and a cocoa powder dusting, if you like.
Recipe courtesy of:  “Southern Pies:  A Gracious Plenty of Pie Recipes, From Lemon Chess to Chocolate Pecan” by Nancie McDermott.  Photographs by Leigh Beisch, www.ChronicleBooks.com









The Veranda Home pie plate is a perfect pick.  Its French white hue goes with everything and it’s made of stoneware that’s oven, microwave and dishwasher safe.  Its pie plate stand makes transporting pie easy and dresses up the overall look of the dessert.














Sometimes even the most enthusiastic pie maker doesn’t have time to make everything from scratch.  That’s when mixes like our Lemon Ice Box Tart come in handy.  These time savers make dessert easy to serve up every night of the week. www.cindyshomedecor.com

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Jan

2012

18

Who Wants Popcorn?!

By Carla Jordan  //  Entertaining, Lifestyle  //  No Comments

Photo credit: Carlos Porto, www.FreeDigitalPhotos.com

In my house, there are six (not five) food groups–fruits, vegetables, grains, meat/beans, milk and…popcorn.   Wholesome, low cal and easy to make, I’m such a fan of popcorn that I’ve spent years perfecting it as a meal (ok, so I’m single) instead of just a snack.  And turns out, I’m not alone in my affection for popcorn.  According to research by The Popcorn Board, Americans snarf down 16 billion quarts of the light-as-air stuff annually. That’s a lot of popcorn–about 52 quarts per man, woman and child.  And although world-wide sales of popcorn are steadily growing, nobody eats more popcorn than us!
Tomorrow (January 19) is National Popcorn Day so now’s the time to plan your salute to everyone’s favorite snack. 
To get you started, here are four fun activities to integrate popcorn  into this special day of snacking, courtesy of Popcorn.org:
 •String popcorn, then hang it outside for birds to eat
Need:  sewing needles, string, popcorn
 •Popcorn air hockey (volley a kernel back and forth 20 times without letting if fall)
Need:  flat surface (table), straw (to blow), coffee stirrers (as paddles), popcorn
•Popcorn relay race
Need:  popcorn, spoons
 •Popcorn basketball (can you flick a pice of popcorn into the basket?)
Need:  popcorn, baskets (i.e. muffin tins, small cups), backboards (walls, cardbord)
And may I add one to the list?
•Make popcorn balls. Although if you yearn to break the world’s record, you’d best get to popping.  The world’s largest popcorn ball was created in Sac City, Iowa in 2009.  It weight 5,000 pounds, stood over eight feet tall and measures 28.8 feet in circumference.
Of course, you can always go with the easiest and most tasty activity of all–just eat a big ol’ bowl of popcorn. If that’s your pick, try this unique way of cooking the corn–microwaved in a bean pot.  CH president Heather Chastain created this recipe and it yields the fluffiest popcorn you’ve ever tasted.
 HEATHER’S MICROWAVE BEAN POT POPCORN
 Ingredients:
1/3 cup popcorn kernels
3 tablespoons cooking oil
Directions:
Add cooking oil to popcorn kernels, then cover bean pot with lid.
Microwave for 5-6 minutes.
Remove lid carefully to avoid escaping steam.














The Venetian Home bean pot, like all CH bean pots, is microwave safe and so good-looking, you’ll want to serve your popcorn in it, too.















To add some kick to your corn, sprinkle our Southwestern Chipotle dip mix on your popcorn before serving.





















Or for an Italiano touch, toss cooked popcorn with our Peppi Pizza dip mix.

 www.cindyshomedecor.com

Decorating for Easter

Great way to decorate the table for Easter check out these items in our new catalog www.cindyshomedecor.com

Traditional Design

Traditional design enthusiasts--this one's for you! One of this year's top trends is decorating with furnishings that infuse a room with a sense of history and being passed down through generations. For tips on creating this look, check out our blog, "4 Affordable Ways to Give Your Home an Heirloom Look:"

http://celebratinginspiration.com/2012/01/09/4-affordable-ways-to-give-your-home-an-heirloom-look/

And please tell us--what's your favorite item featured in our blog...and how would you use it in your home? www.cindyshomedecor.com

decorating with art

Decorating with art is a quick way to change the look of a room and it's a perfect project for winter; so check out the tips in Designer-in-Chief Jeff Floyd's latest blog, "Design 101--How to Buy & Display Wall Art Like a Pro:"

http://celebratinginspiration.com/2012/01/03/design-101-how-to-buy-and-display-wall-art-like-a-pro/

What's your favorite piece of art in your home...and why? www.cindyshomedecor.com

Wall Photos

Great way to decorate the table for Easter check out these items in our new catalog www.cindyshomedecor.com

Checking out the new Somerset Song Stoneware

SOMERSET SONG BEAN POT

The classic Bean Pot takes on a new look with this beautifully decorated stoneware piece. It is embellished with a combination of decals and hand painted twig designs. Designed by our Designer in Residence Susan Winget, it is the only pottery in the industry that is this decorative and still oven, microwave and dishwasher safe. And like all of our stoneware, it is fired at a high temperature to increase durability. (Oval) 13 x 8 x 7"
Item: 50700