Cheap Wedding Invitations

You want great looking wedding invitations, but you don't want to sell everything you own to afford them. Sadly, cheap wedding invitations can look, well, cheap. This guide will help you to create wedding invitations that look far more expensive than the actually cost. Here's how to use printable invites to get a beautiful look for little money:

1. Paper - Stationery for cheap wedding invitations is easy to get. Local craft shops offer many different options, usually in the scrapbooking section. If you can't find what you are after locally, check out craft and scapbooking stores online. Online invitation specialists often offer paper at prices that won't leave you dizzy. Printable wedding invites can be done on craft paper of any weight, style, or texture to suit your wedding theme.

2. Design - Cheap wedding invitations can be as simple as printing the who, what, when, and where on a piece of cardstock. Another way to create checkbook-friendly printable invitations is to add a photo or image to your invite. Even basic computer software will allow you to easily incorporate a special image. If you're not sure how to do it, search for tips and tutorials online. Even if you're not computer-savvy, with a little effort you can easily create invites that look like they were professionally designed.

3. Layer - Another way to create wedding invites that only look expensive is by adding layers to your printable invitations. Start by printing the text on a lightweight paper. Use craft glue to attach the printed paper onto a slightly larger and heavier piece of paper in a coordinating color. The result is a framed and layered look that looks more costly than it is.

Getting Wet in a Trendy New Wet Room

The latest trends in bathroom designs are clearly wet rooms. If you decide to install one in your house, you will have the benefit of spending time in a spa-like room, in the ambience and style of your choice. You can turn an ordinary bathroom into an open space where all your family will enjoy a splash, but there are also other areas in the house which can be converted to a wet room.

Wet rooms can be installed in both large and small spaces, or in a part of a large bedroom. Thus you can make the most of your space and have the illusion of open plan living and an airy feel whenever you step in the wet room to enjoy a shower. The easy access to a wet room is the perfect solution for elderly people or for children. There are no more dangers posed by the need to take a shower in a small enclosed space where your movements are limited by the design and layout of the objects found in a classic bathroom.

Basically, wet rooms are rooms with no distinct shower space. There are no shower enclosures, just an area where you can splash. All the water is drained through one drain hole. With a wet room you can save space and enjoy the freedom offered by the lack of enclosures. Just step in and feel as if you are under a waterfall in some exotic faraway location.

If you are worried about what happens with all the water in such an open space, you have to know that designers of wet rooms have taken all precautions. Waterproof membranes or tiles are the best options for walls and floor. Underfloor heating can be installed and offer extra comfort, plus this will help dry the water on the floor. High quality wet room drains and specialized waterproofing materials can ensure correct slopes and a watertight barrier. The installation of the membrane is called tanking and it should be done with great care since all the advantages of a wet room will disappear if this process is compromised.

All About Garage Doors

Although Garage Doors may be one of the least prioritized items in your list of fixing or refurbishing your home, these doors are important because they contain some very important and expensive items like your automobile which may cost a few thousand pounds or so. Proper care should be given in maintaining garage doors. In the rainy season, which may be often in the United Kingdom, try to make sure that excess water from the gutter do not directly fall and hit the doors, especially if they are made from timber. And during the summer months, inspect the door if it needs to be resealed as wood has a tendency to move during the change of weather.

Having said that, there is new technology in the garage door industry and this has to do with the materials being used. Such materials include GRP or Glass Reinforced Polyster and ABS doors. ABS is the material used for today's car bumpers which virtually makes the door dent resistant. Both GRP and ABS doors are maintenance free and these doors have fully bonded steel stiffeners at the rear that help protect the doors against a forced entry. Both GRP and ABS materials are light weight yet sturdy and strong. These doors come in customized designs and colors to suit most houses.

Distressed Kitchen Cabinets

Can I distress The finished piece can be refinished with glaze (thinned paint) or varnish, if wanted. Sandpaper and paint stripper are used to remove old paint and to get back to the bare wood. You don't achieve this by whacking at the wood with a sledge-hammer, either! We want to end up with a piece that is very authentic looking and looks as though it has been aged naturally over the decades.

This is not what we are after! Have you seen those 'distressed' pieces in trendy furniture shops where the distressing method has obviously been to press imprints into the timber or wood, with an instrument in places precisely measured to be equidistant from one another? The aim is to have a 'look' that is rustic, imperfect and aged. Mostly these involve removing layers of paint in uneven patches, leaving remnants of layers that show different colors, or even bare wood beneath. There are many methods of aging wooden furniture.

Distressed cabinets are used to give a kitchen a vintage, antique style. In decorative arts, distressing is the art of making pieces look very old and worn. Do you want to create 'distressed look' kitchen cabinets and give a whole new look to your kitchen or other areas?

The Contemporary Kitchen

Updating your kitchen gadgets from time to time is an incredibly important matter indeed. Although it may sometimes seem that manufacturers are just trying to persuade you that whatever latest product is the greatest thing ever just for the hell of it, there's really something of a lesson to be learned. The continued stream of new kitchen gadgets that come onto the market underlines the undeniable fact that the kitchen needs a facelift now and again too.

Whilst alot people will happily update their Television, PC or telephone for a newer model, the kitchen can simply fall by the wayside, and you're then left preparing food with gadgets that may well be somewhat past their prime. Remember, the kitchen is one of the most important parts of the home, and it must be treated well to give the maximum usefulness.

New kitchen gadgets do not need to cost the earth, and when you have bought them you can harvest the rewards with safely and quickly prepared food that everybody can enjoy. New Kitchen Gadgets can assist you in leading a healthier lifestyle too. Think it through- good digital kitchen scales will assit you in being more exact. Food steamers can help you make food without losing any of the goodness, that type of thing.

Choosing Function and Form

Been shopping for dining room chairs lately? If the huge variety of types available on the market has you a little confused, you're not alone. Some versions are fancy, others are more formal and functional. Your best strategy may be to combine the two, and opt for a set which is stylish as well as affording a good degree of comfort. This is especially important if you entertain frequently, or if you have a large family. Let's start narrowing things down by discussing a few of the types you'll likely meet on your shopping adventures: upholstered, wood, and wing backs.

Wingbacks may have an "oriental" appearance or style, whereas the wood types can be very versatile. Upholstered types serve a number of audiences as many pieces come under this category. When shopping for any chair it is best to keep the shape and color in mind, with a eye to what type of décor it will need to complement. For example, choosing a dark cherry piece to go with a light wood kitchen surface probably wouldn't be the wisest choice. Similarly, placing a steel structured upholstered piece in an elegant space with wood furniture can look a bit jarring as well.

Wood pieces are available in a range of colors, depending on both the wood type and the finish. Pink and oak are probably the most common materials you'll find. Oak is durable and quite strong, and can cost a bit more; but if you consider that you'll probably keep an oak set for a long time, the savings may offset the original price.

The Secret to Frugal Living and Interior Decorating

Some might think the title of this article; Frugal Living and Interior Decorating is an oxymoron; "a combination of contradictory words". The truth is, when it comes to interior design and decorating, its not about what you have in your home that's frugal but what you do with it.

Frugal living is not about denying yourself what is best for you and your loved ones, its about choosing quality in all life's venues. Providing living comfort and beauty should be the standard in any home. Many turn to a professional interior designer. But most designers charge way beyond what many want to pay.

Selecting Duvet Sets For A Room

Choosing the best duvet sets for a room is much easier than in the past. The advances made in thread counts and dyeing techniques have resulted in an ability for a person to create a stunning theme in a room using a colorful duvet set.

When deciding on the sets that will be best in the room you are decorating, you will want to decide if the bed is going to be used as a primary point of decoration in the room. In a small bedroom, using a bright and colorful duvet will make the bed seem larger. This can make a room feel visually uncomfortable and smaller than it actually is.

A small room is often complimented with a set that is in a neutral or muted tone a shade lighter than the pop color in the room. When the pop color is muted in the duvet it provides an excellent background for the colors and theme in the room.

If you live in an area that will require a comforter in the winter, there are sets made to accommodate this need. There is no longer a need to completely change out your spectacular bedding when the seasons change. The snaps at the bottom of the duvet allow a comforter to be slipped in the duvet and secured easily.

A small space often can be given a wider look when a geometric design is selected for the duvet. The minimalist lines of the duvet can be selected in bold colors that sit atop a muted or neutral background and add the pop of color that you want in the room without creating a large space. Visually, the duvet provides symmetry and adds an extra layer of texture to the room.

Choose Bathroom Lighting According to your Needs

You can have wall sconces at the - Task lighting for the bathrooms actually illuminates the area for specific activities like reading, using the toilet paper dispenser, or wash basin. This lighting option is not a necessity, but can be used for creating a decorative and dramatic look for your bathroom. - Try accent lighting for illuminating your bathroom as it accentuates the lighting in your bathroom.

The typical sources for this lighting option are chandeliers, flush-mounted ceiling fixtures, and pendants. You can have recessed light fixtures, which are quite in vogue for bathroom lighting as this makes it possible for the lights to reach the corners of the bathroom. This mode of lighting in your bathroom actually plays the role of general lighting in the room. - You can opt for ambient lighting in your bathroom.

Different bathroom lighting options Depending on your preferences you can choose from many kinds of bathroom lighting options. Make sure that the lighting in the bathroom is just right, not very bright and neither too dim. The lighting you choose for your bathroom will be largely dependent on the room design, personal choice, as well as the bathroom setup. Remember that different kinds of bathroom designs require different kinds of lighting.

Bathroom lighting is a part of the broader category of home lighting. It is important to choose appropriate bathroom lighting that would not only provide illumination but also go with the décor of your bathroom. When it comes to lighting the interiors of your home, you cannot afford to ignore your bathroom.

5 Jobs that Deal with Floor Plans and Interior Design

Interior Designer

With their innate creativity, an interior designer is well-versed when it comes to renovation of your home. Since they are experienced when it comes to analyzing floor plans, they are compatible with engineers and architects.

Carpenter

Carpenters have several tasks involved namely: constructing, measuring, repairing, and installing. These are skills that are acquired either through experience or formal training. Since their tasks entail precision especially when it comes to measurements, they need to follow a blueprint and be keen on every detail presented. A blueprint is a piece of design or outline of the structure to be built, which includes the floor plans, electrical connections, piping, and the likes. From there, they are able to formulate an idea on how to carry out their task. Although reading from floor plans is not always applicable especially to those who do not have formal schooling, they can receive instructions directly from the supervisor. Since many of the carpenters are also self-employed, it is not unusual for them to get hired on an on-call basis. They will get paid immediately after the completion of work, which are usually repairs, partitions, and installation of shelves. In some cases, they are given the responsibility to decide what design would perfectly match their interiors.

Home Vegetable Gardening: Garlic

Garlic is a tricky vegetable but not a complicated one to grow. If you give it the right environment you can harvest plenty to last you for months. For instance, garlic loves a soil rich in organic matter such as compost. So whatever area you choose to grow your garlic make sure you mix in plenty of compost. Burying your food leftovers at least eighteen inches deep in that same spot helps as well.

Garlic germinates at a cooler temperature. It likes the soil to be around fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit (thirteen Celsius). Once garlic germinates in the cooler soil, you can grow it in soil that gets a bit warmer but if you can keep it cool you will be better off.

Even though garlic itself can be a bit spicy, the soil it needs is anything but. Garlic loves the soil pH level to be above 6.0 and as near 7.0 as you can possibly get. The best way to test your soil's pH level is use a home soil testing kit available from any home or garden center for less than five bucks. Under 7 and your soil is acidic. Over 7 and your soil is alkaline. Make adjustments to your soil as per the instructions on the kit.

Home Vegetable Gardening: Growing Garden Cress

Just keep the soil moist with moderate watering and you will be ok. As for watering, garden cress does not need much. Garden Cress likes full sun so pick a spot that receives the most sunlight and if you have an indoor herb garden, make sure you pick a window sill that receives sunlight first thing in the morning.

Follow the instructions that come with the kit to raise or lower your soil's pH level as needed. Test your soil with a home testing kit, available from any garden or home center for just a couple of dollars. Garden cress likes the soil's neutral pH to be as close to neutral (7.0) as possible. Garden Cress seeds will germinate in as soon as 2 days and as far out as 6, so as you can see they grow quickly.

The seeds of garden cress are small, so when you plant them a light covering of dirt is all they will need. So keep that in mind when planting. Garden Cress makes a great companion plant to bush beans, beets, carrots, lettuce and spinach to name a few. But it doesn't have to be this way.

An amazing garden and home decor

Whether it's your lawn or any general public park, planters add an elegance wherever its placed. Usually, majority of the individuals want their gardens to look incredibly attractive and hence check out for several garden adorning stuff which truly add beauty to your lavish lush green lawns. Planters look amazingly beautiful in your backyards or lawns. These are nothing but metal, synthetic or wooden containers in which you can plant fresh green timid bushes or blossoming plants to make your garden lawn appear marvelously beautiful. Planters are portable and hence can be easily placed wherever you want to. Planters can be used in numerous ways to give a touch of nature to your indoors or outdoors.

Usually, most of the places are not suitable enough to grow lovely green flowering plants. These prove that plants require nutritious soil rich in minerals to remain greener and flowering for a longer time. All the essential minerals that are needed for proper growth of plants can be provided by your planters. Now whether you have a backyard or not, planters can be positioned anywhere to give a touch of nature. You can now have a small garden in your balcony too with these stylish, colorful and durable planters.

If you have a lavish garden lawn, you could make it exquisitely pretty by bordering it with a row of planters. To make your lawns look like a green patch of heaven, you can decorate it with planters in which you have planted fresh green shrubs or plants with colorful flowers. Or you can also outline your vegetable garden along with a row of planters just to properly separate it from kids play area. If you think about bordering your patio with planters, it gives your lawns an amazing look. Now you can get the privacy in your lawns if you border your yard with planters having tall bushes or palms. The atmosphere that the planters create in your lawns is just beyond words.

If you have no lawns, don't feel depressed, your windows are the best place to place your planters. It is possible to enhance the beauty of your home naturally with the help of planters. Your home looks great and extremely unique with planters adorning your huge windows. You can either place it on the wall of your window or hang it from the roof, it looks mind-blowing!

The Cluster Fly

The cluster fly, or Pollenia rudis, is a fly often mistaken for the common house fly, Musca domestica. It is actually more closely related to the blow fly. This fly is slightly larger then the house fly, and a dull grey color with black markings. The most striking feature of the fly are golden-yellow hairs on its thorax which gives it a golden sheen. Cluster flies do not hang around garbage or refuse like so-called "filth" flies. The adults actually feed on flowers during the spring and summer months. It is also a parasite of the earthworm, using it as a food source when in the larval stage. When you see a lot of cluster flies, it is a good indication that you also have a lot of earthworms. The cluster flies breed in the spring and summer, producing up to four generations in one year.

This fly seems to appear in a home suddenly during the fall or winter, because they get into the attic or crawlspaces of a home trying to keep warm. They will be seen clustered usually on the upper south or west side of a building, where they will crawl into any cracks or crevices in an attempt to get warmers. Then a group of these flies will mistakenly crawl into the house when they are trying to escape, and will buzz at the windows. They are very sluggish and are easy to capture or kill.

They carry no diseases that affect humans, and so are not a concern in that way, and they do not feed or reproduce inside of buildings. They are simply a pest because of their numbers and presence.

Understand the Different Types of Magnetic Sensors

If you are serious about your home security then you will want to pay particular attention to the weak spots in your house which are your doors and your windows. One effective method of making these secure is through the installation of devices like magnetic sensors or shock detectors.

These devices are a vital part of a home alarm system. As long as these sensors are undisturbed, the system will read the area as okay and secured. These magnetic sensors can also be attached to a locking mechanism. What this means is the door can then resist pressures of up to one ton in situations where an intruder is attempting to gain entry by means of brute force.

Having such a lock in place will also prevent exit via the door while the seal remains in place. Where there is an emergency situation the seal can be broken by simply pressing an emergency button that is only available to people on the inside of the house.

However, the magnetic lock will seal again once the door or window is again closed. There are also security experts that warn of an explosion if flammable materials are exposed in such a set up.

Pros and Cons of Salt Water Swimming Pools

The initial set up for salt water swimming pools will be more expensive than the traditional chlorine set up. This is usually an important factor for those looking to install swimming pools on a budget. However, over time, a traditional chlorine system will cost you more because you have to keep adding chlorine. Chlorine naturally breaks down so it has to be constantly replenished.

The initial cost of salt is much more expensive then chlorine but the major difference though is the fact that salt rarely has to be replaced. Properly built salt water swimming pools minimize salt loss from splash outs or leaks. In most cases you will only have to replenish the water that has been lost through evaporation. Evaporation leaves the salt behind so in this sense it will last a long, long time. Some erroneous reports have stated the owners of salt water swimming pools have to replace about 400 lbs of salt each year. This would only be true if your average owners is splashing out or losing about 16,000 gallons of water each year and this just doesn’t happen.

Childrens Bedroom Furniture

here is no limit to the possible ways you could put together a bedroom for a child. Do they like the ocean? Paint the walls an attractive blue, making sure to add in ocean life such as fish, plants and bubbles. Are they a fan of fairy tales? Framed pictures from the pages of antique storybooks, and creamy, whimsical curtains for the windows can be an interesting way to go. This should be a place to play, and something plain and characterless will not do many, if any, favors for anyone staying inside. Placing stars on the ceiling, hanging airplanes, and putting together an activity table for painting and coloring are also great ways to stir the young mind.

However, all of this means little if the proper furniture is not complimenting it. But the process of finding the right furniture is not hard, and even proves to be a fun and engaging experience when the mind is open to it. You can do anything you want, crazy and unusual things that an adult might be laughed at for if they tried to incorporate it into their own living space. For the sea life room, it might be suitable to create a bed shaped like a boat, perhaps with a table nearby fashioned to look like a docking area.

The Most Expensive Chair in the World

Did you ever wonder what is the most expensive chair in the world? How much do you think it cost? The world's most expensive chair was actually made between 1917 and 1919. Called the "Dragons Chair", it is one of the masterpieces of Irish designer Eileen Gray and it has a rather fascinating history.

The sculpted wood frame that surrounds the brown leather depicts the intertwined bodies of two dragons. Originally bought in Paris by Susanne Talbot, it then went to Cheska and Robert Vallois, two Parisian furniture dealers. In 1971 it was sold to a private collector.

The Dragons Chair ultimately eventually found its way into the Art Deco collection of the late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurant and his partner Pierre Berge who were the co-founders of the YSL luxury brand. After Yves Saint Laurant passed away the chair went to auction at Paris' Grand Palais on February 24, 2009. The auction was staged by Christie's in association with Pierre Berge & Associes. The auction of the Collection Yses Saint Laurent et Pierre Berge took more than five hours and left even the most experienced art dealers astounded.

All but 7 of the one hundred fifty lots of rare Art Deco pieces were sold. All totaled, the sale generated over fifty nine million Euros. Ten lots sold for over a million Euros each.

Tips on Buying the Perfect Coffee Table

Most of us have had the awkward experience of being a guest in someone's home, being handed a beverage, and then finding there was nowhere to place it? Our society has grown up around coffee tables. We expect them to be there, and if they're not we're suddenly a bit lost until we get the bright idea to either put the cup on the floor or hold onto it.

Right from the time of their introduction in the Victorian Era, coffee tables have become an important -- if subtle -- requirement in polite living rooms. We need them. But us humans don't like to allow need to get in the way of aesthetics. We want them to be beautiful, stylish and fashionable. And if that's not enough of a burden, we also want them to be multi-functional and versatile.

Enter the kings and queens of coffee tables. They lift, they hide, they store, they display. They masquerade as treasure chests and games halls. These types still offer a firm, reliable service for holding your beverages.

Which Wall Clock Should You Choose

here's something about wall clocks. A certain kind of charm, a style, a homely statement, that is unmatched by any other item of home furnishing. Most homes have one, even if it's only in the kitchen. And if they don't have one yet, they certainly deserve one in the near future.

The variety of wall clocks available today is quite staggering. They are at home equally inside and out, and lend themselves easily to any decor style or theme. Their shapes run from banjo-style pendulum timepieces all the way to raucous, oddly-shaped digitals.

There are still wind-up types available if you search long enough, but most types are battery-operated and will run for long periods without attention. Getting your hands on an original antique will cost a pretty penny and you'll probably have to compete with a whole load of professional horologists, but copies and reproductions are first class as well as being a fraction of the price.