Oh and if this has too much sizzle, perhaps you’d rather go for a black and white with touches of silver, or you want something perhaps more sculptural. There is a clever circle collage rug for just the right room, no bling, but great shape and interest.

These are definitely not running with the herd or your ordinary rugs. And in today’s crowded marketplace it isn’t about the same old thing at a cheaper price, but instead standing out. It is also about taking an existing product with a limited niche and creating new niches for that same product. This is a great example of just such a strategy, from tried and true to a whole lot new, Global Accents gets it right. Creativepreneurism abounds!

Your comments and feedback are invited!

Time to reflect, renew, review! This is the ideal time of year to reflect on your accomplishment of the year, renew your energy and outlook for the year upcoming, and review steps you will take to go farther. If you do what you’ve always done, you will get what you’ve always gotten. A new year doesn’t assure change, only you can create change. What are you going to do differently in 2010? I’d love to hear from you!

Prosper by Design, YOURS!

MG

“This October market in High Point we’re all Dorothy. We’ve seen houses drop from sky high prices and wicked witches confess to be just normal gals with a wretched story. Financial Wizards have had their curtains drawn to reveal all and would have fled the scene in a hot air balloon. Everyone seems to want the same fabulous pair of shoes. Our grayscale world has turned into a place of a billion digital colors.

Yes, this is Glinda, that divine Good Witch, crafted from pink bubble gum, red licorice and bubble wrap to showcase the fragility of not only dreams but womanhood. Notice her cocktail glass with bubble makers next to it to her right.

We’ve discovered our wanderlust and run away to see exotic faraway lands and glittering cities. An organic-green fever overcame us. We went to hoe in our gardens, and city rooftops. We shunned the supermarket and flocked to the farmers market. We stopped throwing everything away and made “recycle” fashionable. Suddenly we are men and women made of used tin or biodegradable straw, with hearts and brains, and proud of it. More than ever before; we are not whole without our Toto’s.”

I have to say it was singularly one of the most engaging creative displays I’ve ever had the privilege to see. Farrell co-opted the talents of a team of creatives including local high school students and walked us, his audience, through the fallen Land of Ahhhs. It was thought provoking, eye opening, and entirely unforgettable.

And of course, here is the infamous Wicked Witch of the West created from tootsie rolls, black licorice and sporting a Nyquil martini, the better to “soothe you with, my dear.” I can hear her cackling now!

My favorite is her hilarious shoe fetish as evidenced by the stack of boxes nearby.

Farrell took it a step farther (or several) with his collage of the Yellow Brick Road in Starbucks cups and his image of the Land of Ahhhhs (Emerald City) in Nyqil boxes flattened. Your browser may not support display of this image.

Yes, it does make a political statement, but what Creativepreneur doesn’t have a statement to make?

This got great traffic, entertained people, while stirring the pot, so to speak. And there was no pitch, except to make us think much harder about the times we live in, our impact on the world, and the power of brands. What would your response to today’s times look like if you collaged it with contemporary brands?

Love to get YOUR COMMENTS on this post!

Marketing for a Cause

And in case pink isn’t in your plans you have other options including a shimmery silvery silk to choose from. Whether you decide to make this a statement accent in your living room, include a graceful pair in a corner of a romantic bedroom, or surround your formal dining table with these cause reminders, you can’t help but feel good knowing that you are making a meaningful difference.

Elegant Dining for a Cause

The Platt Collections donates 10% of the proceeds to cancer research. This particular chair is known as the Alyce Chair and was inspired by designer Glenn Midnet whose mother lost her fight against breast cancer.

The Alyce Chair

*I am not a medical professional and all recommendations here are based on extensive personal experience and that of family and friends. I would encourage you to speak with a trained medical professional regarding your own physical limitations and challenges before following any advice.

Here are even more great ways to celebrate your health and fitness:

Happy Smiles

Regular dental care is also a vital part of our overall health. Fortunately with the advent of tooth whitening many more people have become aware of the significance of dental health and the relative ease to have a great smile. Teeth cleaning twice a year, x-rays to determine cavities at least once a year are good preventive maintenance steps, they are also often covered by dental insurance and if not the cost is reasonable and worth it to avoid much more costly work down the road.

Masterful Massage

Not just for special occasions anymore, massage is often recommended monthly or even weekly to relieve stress, work on overused muscles, and improve relaxation. The key is to find the best masseuse for you and they do vary widely, just as there are many different types of massage. Whether your preference is shiatsu, deep tissue, or finger touch you can do some simple research either through a doctor’s office or online and often get a discounted initial session to literally get a feel for the professional touch.

If this seems too extravagant or you want the ultimate in massage convenience look into the many massage chairs currently on the market. It is amazing how effective technology can be in delivering a truly refreshing and soothing experience. Many such chairs offer as many as six different types of touch and are engineered to cover your entire back and some even have built in leg and foot massage as well.

Now you have no excuse not to feel good and get rid of some of that stress we all carry around so well.

Take a Deep Breath

Have you ever been really anxious about something or you’ve been moving much too fast and someone has said to you “slow down and take a deep breath,” and you do and it helps? Very few of us truly breathe correctly using our diaphragm muscle. More often than not we are just doing a quick shallow breathing that keeps us alive but isn’t really imparting the benefits of oxygen to our entire bodies. If we focused more on breathing (typically pivotal in meditation) we would find ourselves calmer, more centered, more alert and aware.

This is especially true if we have a chance to get some really fresh air during the course of a day, not easy with constant transitions from car to interior spaces so often polluted with off gassing materials, airborne germs and more. And just going outside is no guarantee when you are tuned to listen to smog alerts and realize the number of contaminants present in the air around us.

Music for Your Ears

When was the last time you had your hearing checked? Why is it that as children we get everything checked regularly and as adults we wait for a problem? Our ears are constantly bombarded by not just vocal noise, but musical noise, TV noise, traffic noise, computer noise, children noise, electronic noise, and many other types we aren’t even aware of. Have you ever had the power go out when you didn’t think there was any noise? Suddenly you realize how loud quiet really is. When the power goes out, clocks stop ticking, computers stop humming, fluorescent lights stop whining and so much more that we don’t even tune into but it is there. Our ears are constantly assaulted and it behooves us to have them checked at least every couple of years to assure continued health and great hearing.

Windows to Your Soul

Yes, I do mean your eyes and I’m betting you haven’t had them checked lately or if you did it was to get a new prescription! When I was growing up my sister had what they call a lazy eye. She didn’t wear glasses but did do eye exercises daily that strengthened and corrected this. She is glasses free to this day some 30 years later. Unfortunately many of us don’t take care of our vision, we read computer screens until we are blind, don’t pay attention to proper lighting, and generally abuse that delicate instrument known as our vision.

It is so much easier to go in for an annual checkup than to wait until it is too late. Many challenges at the early stages can be corrected by exercises or better care. Later may require Lasik surgery (I know many have experienced great success with this, but any time you can maintain health and avoid surgery is preferred, there are no guarantees.) and much more. Glasses are often not necessary at all and most of us don’t want them. (Sun glasses are increasingly important in this day and age of global warming and the loss of the ozone layer. The glare and UV today takes a serious toll on our vision daily.) Contact lens can be a real hassle. There is no reason to presume that you will need glasses particularly if no one in your family history wears them (yes, genetics does play a role.) Keep the windows to your soul open and without visual aids.

Take care of yourself, honor your body and mind and celebrate health and well being for life.

Be sure to check out Celebrate Your Health and Well Being, Part I for more great ideas on honoring yourself! To get the book, Celebrate Your Life! featuring 101 ways to honor and embrace the best of life every day, go to www.theartofcelebrating.com. For more about author and lifestyle expert Melissa Galt, check out www.melissagalt.com.

Me in a Treasure Trove of Lamps

J Douglas aptly states their tag line as The Art of Living, and an art it truly is. At the recent Highpoint Market I had the pleasure of meeting a handful of their creative manufacturers, including Julie Pinnell of Gallery Designs Lighting.

Julie Pinnell of Gallery Designs

Fleur De Lis Fashion

Gallery Designs is part of a third-generation, family-owned lamp manufacturing company based in Dallas, Texas and founded in 1947. Their high end fashion forward lamp line was launched 14 years ago with a team of insightful, creative designers with the mission to craft lighting looks that transcend the ordinary.

Royal Elegance in Velvet and Bling

Since Gallery Designs continues to manufacture in the USA, instead of importing, they have the ability to manufacture cast metals, marble and fossil stone, and glass into their lamps and incorporate luxurious silks, chenilles, velvets, designer wallpapers and exquisite trims in their shades. It is lighting as art, and each piece becomes an elegant feature, never merely a source of light.

Designer Wallcovering Repurposed

Gallery Designs is just one of many fine manufacturers represented by J Douglas. Doug Self the founder and owner of J Douglas has created a collection of fashion forward products for the home in a range of consumer friendly price points. In a time when many companies are struggling, J Douglas has captured market attention, designer loyalty, and retailer buyers.

Love to get your comments on the lamps designs shown here!

The Honeycomb Chair

One of the keys to effective marketing today is a great hook and at Fall Market in Highpoint, there were some great ones! The first I saw was featured by Ellen Gefen of TheHome.com when she shared what custom upholstery manufacturer C.R. Laine has done to support the honey bees. In case you’ve no clue what I’m talking about, let me share a short snippet from their recent press release.

“The number of managed honey bee colonies has dropped from 5.9 million in the 1940’s to 4.3 million in 1985 to only 2.5 million today.

Honey, How Delicious!

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), the name given to the alarming die-off of honey bee colonies across the country, was first reported in the Fall of 2006. Since then beekeepers around the US have reported the death of hundreds of thousands of honey bees without cause. Otherwise strong colonies are being devastated with the loss of their entire workforce in a matter of a few weeks or even a few days. Should this trend continue, honey bees could cease to exist in the US by 2035 forever changing our circle of life.

Not only are honey bees the only insect that produces food for humans, the honey bee pollination is responsible for more than $15 billion in value to about 130 crops, particularly specialty crops like berries, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. One mouthful in three of our diet directly or indirectly benefits from honey bee pollination.”

Can I Sweeten Your Seat?

This is incredibly sad and will have a profound impact on our diet in years to come. And with so many news stories hitting us every day it is easy to forget this one, or at least let it get buried by many others. C. R. Laine is out to make sure that doesn’t happen by keeping the honey bees at the forefront of home decorating and design in a well thought out campaign of awareness and beautiful design.

By tying one of their top trends to a cause, they create a unique buzz (yes, pun intended!) And they developed a truly memorable promotion that can be leveraged by their retailers nationwide. Take a look at some of the original designs they feature from honeycomb fabric patterns to graphic bee images on pillows, from displays including familiar bee hive, honey bee, and honey products to tree branches fashioned with wire and fabric crafted bees.

Have You Been Messing With The Bees?

This is fun, interesting, and supports our environment and the creatures in it. In October 2008, C.R. Laine became the first company to achieve Sustainable by Design certification from the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA).

For FAQs about CCD, visit: www.ars.usda.gov/is/br/ccd. And your comments about this post are welcome and invited!

Bees In The House!

*I am not a medical professional and all recommendations here are based on extensive personal experience and that of family and friends. I would encourage you to speak with a trained medical professional regarding your own physical limitations and challenges before following any advice.

Here are some great ways to celebrate your health and fitness:

Daily Exercise

Make a point of establishing a routine that works for you. If you are a morning person and can add in even 30 minutes a day at the front end for a brisk walk, a spin on a bike (stationary or otherwise), yoga stretches, Pilates, or whatever makes you feel good, do it. I have found that I literally block my fitness time on my calendar and won’t schedule anything over it. It is my time to feel good, get my heart rate up, and break a sweat! So many of us spend so much of everyday sitting in a car, in an office, on the sofa, at a table, we really do need to make an effort to keep our body active and in tune.

If you are a night owl and prefer to schedule your routine later in the day, make that commitment and create it to work for you. Usually doing exercise right before bed is not recommended as it tends to generate more energy than rest, but perhaps after work or before dinner you can salvage 30 minutes for fitness.

Often we get trapped in the thinking that if we can’t devote at least an hour, it isn’t worth it. This is inaccurate thinking and creates an excuse for not stepping up to take care of ourselves. I have found as have many others that a short regular routine that I do literally every day energizes me and renews my commitment to myself.

Meditation or Prayer

I like to add this on to my exercise routine as this is exercise for the mind and heart. While I know you can go to classes on meditation and that most programs demand 20 minutes to over an hour, I find that even 10 minutes at the opening of my day and 10 minutes at the close of my day can give me greater peace of mind and quiet any anxiety and concerns I may have.

This is an invaluable opportunity to clear your mind of all the priorities, obligations, challenges and more that we each experience daily and just tap into that inner quiet place we each have. (Yes, you do have it too!) This may seem almost impossible first as few of us are accustomed to sitting completely still and quietly for any length of time at all. We always have something distracting us whether it is a computer, television, phone, or someone else in the room. This is time free of distractions and interference, time with just you.

If you have time, do explore the meditation and prayer classes offered at local centers and churches. You may find your own road to peace of mind that much faster.

Cleansing

While I do have friends that swear by a regular colon cleanse, this can be time consuming, not always comfortable, and costly. You don’t have to go to extremes to get valued results. Cleansing can be as simple as taking one day a week or month to rid your body of the accumulated toxins by drinking at least half your body weight in ounces of purified water only, (if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 oz. of water, a good daily practice as well), no soda, no coffee or tea, no juice, no alcohol, and consuming nothing more than raw fresh fruits and vegetables.

If you prefer you can find any number of prescribed cleanses both online and in health food stores that will allow you the chance to get your body back in balance and give it a break from all the junk we so often consume. This is also a chance to become alcohol and caffeine free. Giving up white sugar and flour products can also be very freeing. Many of us have accumulated allergies to foods we eat regularly and just ignore the uncomfortable side effects. When we cleanse and allow our bodies the opportunity to rebalance, we will notice an increase in our energy levels, we often need less sleep, and we will enjoy sharper mental clarity.

Healthy Eating

IBS, otherwise known as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Acid Reflux are all new diseases caused by reactions to foods we have been eating for a long time and the fact that our lives are usually overloaded with stress and anxiety. Rather than add a lot of pills to conquer the symptoms of these illnesses, it makes more sense to find out the root cause and deal with it directly. Often the medications only mask a larger problem and don’t address something as simple as lactose intolerance or an allergy to gluten (yes this does knock out a lot of foods, but there are just as many that are still available and delicious and won’t cause painful side effects when eaten.)

One of the keys to getting back our balance is to reevaluate our diets and pay more attention. This is not about going on a permanent diet unless you want to. I hate the word diet; it implies limitations and inability to enjoy what I want. I prefer instead to eat consciously and pay attention to what my body is asking for. Rarely is it screaming for the cookies, muffins, and desserts I think I want, or that are fast and easy. Instead it is wanting a balance of protein, carbs and fats that will leave me with energy and vitality. We all know how when we indulge in a large lunch loaded with carbs like that Mexican taco special or the pasta buffet that we are ready for a major nap by mid afternoon. We also know that if we indulge less and instead reach for a salad with chicken or tuna and skip the bread and pasta we’ll be more productive, less forgetful, and stay better on track through the remainder of the day. It is easy to get lazy, but the only one we hurt is truly ourselves when we don’t honor our bodies with healthy eating. Are you listening to your body?

Believe me, I have tried just about every diet on the market at one time or another with very little success or success that lasted a week to a month and no more. From Atkins and South Beach to Optifast and just plain old fasting, I’ve done the ketosis diet, the cabbage and orange juice cleanse diet, Weight Watchers and more. I’ve battled weight almost my entire life, but I have found that what works the best is listening to your body and knowing the consequences of ignoring it. Even 10 extra pounds will leave you feeling lethargic, uncomfortable, and uninterested in activities you might usually enjoy. We all make excuses, we are short for our weight, we are fluffy (my favorite!), we are overweight not fat (what is the difference?), we are bloated (everyday?), it’s hormones, it’s PMS, it’s our job, it isn’t. It is simply we are out of control and not honoring our bodies and celebrating the health we deserve.

Please know that I am not suggesting that you replace all your favorite foods with organic substitutes as often you will be dissatisfied with the lack of flavor and cardboard consistency! I know, I have tried this. I have also learned that attempting to find an energy bar that tastes as good as a balanced meal is virtually impossible. They should be used sparingly and as a meal on the go. Too often I know folks that have substituted these for candy bars, or added them to their diet multiple times a day as a snack, not realizing that while the calories may be better allotted to protein instead of carbs, it is still extra calories that will add up at the end of the day, and show up on the scales at the end of the week and month.

Regular Check Ups

How often do we make sure that our kids are well cared for by the pediatrician and that our aging parents get to the doctor regularly but we ignore our own needs for regular checkups. Our bodies are like cars and need to go in for periodic checkups and sometimes tune ups. We are far more likely to avoid significant illness if we stay on top of our health. I am not suggesting going in for every ache or pain, but regular preventive maintenance can be far more time and cost effective than periodic major overhauls and breakdowns.

Women don’t enjoy mammograms anymore than men look forward to prostate exams, but they are necessary to ensure our continued good health and to head off any possible challenges as early as possible. When you are scheduling the kids and your Mom and Dad, take time to schedule yourself.

Be sure to check out Celebrate Your Health and Well Being, Part II for more great ideas on honoring yourself! To get the book, Celebrate Your Life! featuring 101 ways to honor and embrace the best of life every day, go to www.theartofcelebrating.com. For more about author and lifestyle expert Melissa Galt, check out www.melissagalt.com.

]]> http://designingyoursignaturesuccess.com/lifestylediva/celebrate-your-health-and-well-being-part-i/feed/ 0 http://designingyoursignaturesuccess.com/lifestylediva/celebrate-your-home-part-ii/ http://designingyoursignaturesuccess.com/lifestylediva/celebrate-your-home-part-ii/#comments Wed, 13 May 2009 12:22:07 +0000 Melissa Galt http://mylifeadventures.com/?p=448 Home is truly our external heart and as such it needs a lot of care and attention in its decorating and development. Invite friends and family to contribute to the creation of your home. A house is merely a dwelling; it becomes a home when you use your heart to express your environment in a comfortable and inviting manner.

Here are even more great ways to celebrate your home with friends and family.

Build the Deck Bash

I’ve got too many do-it-yourself friends, not to mention handy guys I know, that think decks are the be all and end all of projects. And there are a wealth of manuals on the market for just such a design dilemma. Now generally this is best if coming just off the back of a house with a low drop-off (foot or two), or you need to have someone who really knows their stuff on hand. Often you may not be building new but simply replacing existing decking with new boards or adding a new railing, both appropriate do-it-yourself tasks.

You provide the lumber, food and refreshments and invite friends in the know to bring tools, tunes, and a desire to work. What would have taken you a month of weekends, can now be done much faster with the company of good friends and turned into an experience rather than the project that wouldn’t end. Be sure you have a plan to either dispose of or donate the old lumber if this replaces an existing deck.

Celebrate your home and the great outdoors with a Build the Deck Bash

Deck the Walls Celebration

Got all your furniture in place, but nothing to deck the walls? Make it an event and have guests bring you art for your home. Now, I know it is a little dicey to rely on someone else’s taste so you provide guidelines. You can also register and it doesn’t have to be at some expensive gallery (though go for it if you can!) Consider art from national sources like Pier 1 Imports, Z Gallerie, and Crate and Barrel, many of the major retailers and catalogue companies have registries and not just for brides anymore.

Alternatively, you can rely on just providing a color palette and style, such as Tuscan Countryside, Urban Sophisticate, Coastal Breeze or Classic Traditional. This gives a bit more latitude and creativity to the gift giver. While you may not love it all, you will know that they gave it some thought and you can always pass it on later. (I don’t believe in saving gifts because of who gave them. I also don’t ever check my friends homes for the gifts I’ve given, goodness, I don’t usually remember what I gave!)

Once everyone has arrived, be prepared with a hammer, tape measure, pencil and picture hangars to literally hang it all on the spot. Or, hire an installer during the celebration to do this for you with guidance on placement. Everyone will want to see their treasured gift displayed and know they made a beautiful difference in creating your home.

Celebrate your home with a Deck the Walls Celebration!

Dress the Bedroom Bash

Bedrooms are all about rest and romance. Keep the exercise equipment elsewhere and the desk for work in another room. I’ve also found that too often the bedroom is the last room decorated and often waits until after the great room, kitchen, kid’s rooms and more are done. Yikes! Your bedroom is your haven and deserves to be a priority. Don’t wait; celebrate it with a Dress the Bedroom Bash.

It is up to you to furnish the bed and that means headboard, footboard optional, and a bedding scheme. The rest you can leave up to friends. They can either provide actual furnishings in the form of night stands, lamps, pillows, window treatments, a chair or gift certificates. On the invite include a picture of you lounging on the bed, or your favorite Fido or Rover doing the same and invite them to fill in the gaps.

Yes, you can register pieces if your friends are decorating challenged or you just don’t trust their taste! Most often you can make returns, and it may be fun to see what someone else has in mind with your bed style. You just might find yourself stepping out of the box and getting something more than you expected.

Celebrate your home and optimize your rest and romance opportunities with a Dress the Bedroom Bash!

Knick Knack Party

Perhaps you’ve gotten all your major furniture pieces in place and even have some artwork hung but lack the finishing touches that really make a house a home. So invite your friends to help provide the accessories!

Again, you can register for specific pieces like picture frames, candles, glass bottles and vases, wrought iron figures, florals and greenery, or you can trust your friends, with just a bit about your style in the invitation and a picture or two to give them a head start.

Of course, gift certificates do give anyone an easy out and ensure you get what you want. And you can always do an exchange later. The more information you provide the more likely you are to get tasteful elements that really add polish and flair.

Celebrate your home with a Knick Knack Party!

Spa Bath Moment

It seems every party I go to someone brings the hostess a basket of bath goodies. This is usually much appreciated (except by those of us that are strictly shower types!) and is an easy way to get friends together to celebrate.

Plan a spa bath moment that includes sharing your favorite scents and colors. Do you enjoy lavender or eucalyptus? Lemon or Grapefruit? Are you into fruit or flowers, herbs or grasses? There are so many lotions, potions, aromas, potpourris, candles and more to choose from.

You provide your preferences and consider bringing in a manicurist or masseuse for mini treatments for your friends. Yes, it is usually a girl’s night only. But you can always expand it to guys being included if you have a handy project, like a tub to be replaced or maybe you just need a new shower head installed.

Celebrate your home, relax and rejuvenate with a Spa Bath Moment.

For more great ideas on celebrating your home, be sure to check out Part I of this article. And if you are ready to get the full scoop on Celebrate Your Life! The Art of Celebrating Every Day, go to www.theartofcelebrating.com. Author and lifestyle expert Melissa Galt speaks with audiences nationwide on how to add the celebration to life every day by honoring ourselves, our family, our friends, our careers, our travel and adventure, our health and much more. You can find out more at www.melissagalt.com.

Here are some easy ways to celebrate your home with friends and family.

Housewarming by the Room

So few people it seems remember to throw a housewarming or if they do it is a couple of years after moving in. So, to get this ball rolling, don’t wait for the entire house to be complete; instead, celebrate room by room. Very few folks decorate their entire home at once anyway, and it counts to measure the small successes, even if it is a powder room, not to mention the big successes like a kitchen or bath remodel.

How many entertaining opportunities have you missed by waiting to get your house complete? Remember if your friends are waiting to see your drapery and not you, you might want to consider some new friends! Life is in the connection, not in the stuff. Celebrate every step rather than waiting for just one big one.

Celebrate your home with room by room housewarmings!

Stock the Pantry Party

No one likes to show up at a party empty handed and this is an easy way to get guests to bring what you need and want, while you share the welcome of your home and hospitality.

Create a master list of pantry stockers desired or even register if you are including kitchen appliances like blenders, toasters, and food processors. Let everyone know what you are into, whether it is a pantry full of bottled water, chips and dip or you are a bit more of a cook and want great exotic spices, tins of imported specialty foods, and international flavors. Sure flour and sugar are necessary staples, but I bet you can get more creative.

On appliances and kitchen tools, think hard about what you want and what you’ll use. Sure some are almost required like the blender and even a toaster still, but what about a divine bread maker, the latest ergonomic palm held peeler, a butterfly trash can by Simply Human, or a classic wine rack. You can even suggest gift cards from favorite big box retail kitchen good stores like Bed Bath Beyond, Williams Sonoma, and Crate and Barrel.

Celebrate your home with a stock the pantry party!

Grow the Garden Party

This is one of my favorites as I’ve come relatively late to the realization of a green thumb. The grow the garden party is ideal if you enjoy potting house plants, or dream of a cutting garden, or perhaps harbor visions of growing your own herbs and vegetables. Invite your friends to an outdoor picnic and while you provide the food and drink, ask them to provide a plant or garden tool.

Of course you may want to suggest gift cards from local nurseries for those that are green thumb challenged, and you’ll want to specify full sunshine or shade for desired plants. The point is that you get a more eclectic mix and when all are in bloom, they remind you of each guest and their personal contribution. You could even name each plant with tags after the person that provided it.

Celebrate your home and Mother Nature with a Grow the Garden Party!

Demolition Bash

Okay, you’ve made the decision to remodel and it is a big project. Kick it off in style with a Demolition Bash. Perhaps you are tearing out the kitchen or bath making way for a major update or reconfiguration. In any case, it’s got to go. Be sure you time this with your contractor’s schedule, and invite friends to bring a dish and a camp out in your newly emptied space.

(If you have handy careful friends you can actually invite them to assist with demolition, but be cautious in mixing a party atmosphere with hammers and other serious remodeling tools.)

It is always rewarding to enjoy even a day of the space unfinished before the work of putting it all together gets underway. Do be sure you have made all of your decisions at this stage and you don’t open up the event to brainstorming. Too many opinions will only result in confusion and frustration.

Remodeling can be an exhausting and sometimes chaotic process so celebrating at demolition can make it that much more tolerable. Be sure to plan the next bash at completion!

Paint Party

Personally, I can’t think of anything I’d rather avoid, but I can do it myself if necessary without training. (Heck, I once sponge painted my whole house, since the contractor had reversed the paint colors in the final coat!) But I do have friends that not only enjoy painting but actually find it relaxing, imagine it.

So if you have one or two rooms to get done and would be willing to do the same for friends or family (turn about is fair play in this), plan a painting party. You supply the paint, of course, but I’m betting you have friends with extra drop cloths, ladders, and even brushes that will be game to come and join you for an afternoon or a day of painting to be rewarded with pizza and beer or a cold cut sandwich buffet and icy sodas.

This can save the cost of a contractor and actually make an otherwise mundane and potentially arduous task fun. Many hands make light work, so invite others to help.

Celebrate your home with friends that will help you transform a room or two and a Paint Party!

For more great ideas on celebrating your home, be sure to check out Part II of this article. And if you are ready to get the full scoop on Celebrate Your Life! The Art of Celebrating Every Day, go to www.theartofcelebrating.com. Author and lifestyle expert Melissa Galt speaks with audiences nationwide on how to add the celebration to life every day by honoring ourselves, our family, our friends, our careers, our travel and adventure, our health and much more. You can find out more at www.melissagalt.com.