(ARA) – Halloween is the second most decorated holiday, so it won’t be long until ghouls and goblins, witches and vampires, pumpkins and candy corn adornments begin appearing in advance of trick-or-treating and haunting celebrations.

This year, instead of buying your decorations, why not brew a little imagination? Just stir in a few items you already have around the house and a couple of cans of spray paint to create bewitching, inexpensive pieces for your home and yard.

Here are three project ideas to inspire and help you easily put some extra spookiness in your Halloween trick-or-treating.

Ghoulish gravestones
Turn a couple of old boxes into a chilling graveyard to keep the goblins and vampires at bay.

What you’ll need: Black granite textured “stone” spray paint, such as Krylon’s Make It Stone; spray adhesive; glow-in-the-dark paint; boxes (note: old shipping boxes work well); foam or wood letters; various Halloween decorations; hot or super glue; packing tape; newspaper; large nails or ground stakes; and scissors.

How to do it: Set up a spray paint area in a well-ventilated area by covering a table with newspaper. Assemble a box and tape over folded seams leaving one end open, as that will serve as the bottom of your gravestone. Cut a name plaque to fit the box from the cardboard of another and affix with spray adhesive. Glue letters onto the plaque.

Embellish the top of your gravestone with glued-on Halloween decorations, like a bat or skull. Paint the entire gravestone with two to three coats of “stone” spray paint, letting it dry between coats. Once it’s dry, highlight areas with glow-in-the-dark paint. Place a stake in the ground, prop up your box and enjoy scaring the neighbors with your ghoulishly gorgeous graveyard.

Ghostly globes
Add a spooky twist to your outside walkway on All Hallow’s Eve – without having to carve several messy pumpkins – by creating glowing ghostly globes.

What you’ll need: Round glass votives; newspaper; one can each of white frosted glass, white and glow-in-the-dark spray paint, such as Krylon Glowz; and a black craft pen.

How to do it: Cover your workspace with newspaper. Spray several light coats of white frosted glass paint on the lip of each votive and let dry. Next, add several light coats of white paint to the outside bottom of votives, blending the white seamlessly with the frosted glass. Let dry completely.

Spray the entire exterior with glow-in-the dark paint, which will allow your votives to shine even when not lit. Finally, draw facial features with a black paint pen.

Spooky party servers
Embellish your Halloween party buffet by transforming ordinary terra cotta pots into spooky party servers.

What you’ll need: White primer; pumpkin orange, gloss white and gold glitter spray paint; black webbing spray from Krylon; brush-on black paint; repositionable adhesive; assorted terra cotta pots and saucers; metal or enamel bowl; glue; paper; pencil; scissors; and a small paint brush.

How to do it: Wash the pots and saucers. Allow to dry. Spray all the terra cotta with white primer. Let dry and spray with gloss white. Once dry, turn pots upside down and glue the bottom of a saucer to the bottom of each pot. Draw ghosts, tombstones and other scary characters on paper. Cut the shapes out and spray one side with repositionable adhesive.

Position the paper shapes randomly on the pots. Spray the outside of the bowl and terra cotta pieces with pumpkin orange paint. Once dry, spray all the pieces with black webbing spray, then lightly with gold glitter spray. When all the paint is dry, remove paper templates and add details, such as features on the ghosts and words on the tombstones, with black paint. Be sure to not to place unwrapped food on any painted surface.

For more Halloween decorating inspiration, there are a plethora of arts and crafts websites, such as yourholidaystyle.com, offering tips, tricks and inspiration to help you spook your family, guests and trick-or-treaters.

Courtesy of ARAContent and Rob Dandrea, Realtor with Future Home Realty, Tarpon Springs, FL 34688

 

(ARA) – Functional, yet fun. Traditional, yet techie. Today’s children’s rooms are stylish, engaging, organized – and as unique as the individuals who sleep, study, play and hang out in them.

Here is what’s “hot” in children’s decor:

Stylin’
Debbie Zimmer from the Dow Paint Quality Institute sees polka dot designs and “pink” are once again on the horizon, as well as more and more rooms containing 3-D accents, from butterflies to airplanes, with fun and bright paint colors. For teen spaces, glitz and glamour are back in style, with gold accents making a cameo appearance. Zimmer predicts sophisticated wall “monograms” and paint colors growing in popularity, as are urban, sleek and modern themes appealing to this older audience.

The magic of Disney
Disney characters are memorable, loveable and – let’s face it – simply magical. Which is why Murals Your Way, the world’s largest manufacturer of wallpaper murals, is adding 30 Disney murals to its catalog of more than 5,000 existing images. “Whether it’s Winnie the Pooh or Mickey Mouse and Friends for a nursery, or Disney Princess, Disney Fairies, Toy Story 3 or Cars for a young child’s room or playroom, these Disney favorites will bring a smile to any child’s face,” explains Todd Imholte, president of www.MuralsYourWay.com. Licensed from Disney, these wall murals are easy to install, can be custom made to fit any wall from 4 feet by 6 feet and up, and can even be personalized with your child’s name. They even have a new repositionable wall fabric that can be easily removed should your child outgrow a character.

Funky, functional furniture
In a recent “American Chronicle” article, Andy West reported a modernizing of the furniture industry. In lieu of traditional beds, West suggested bunk beds that spread out in different directions to use space and lighting more efficiently. Chairs, desks and drawers that incorporate geometric shapes and swirls of wood in intriguing ways are also good ideas. CR International has capitalized on the trend of using graphics in bedroom furnishings by introducing Graphics, a new addition to their CR Kids & Beyond family of furniture that feature interchangeable panels with bold and striking black graphics.

Lighting that lasts
While parents continue to embrace child-friendly themes, today’s smart shoppers are looking at complementary accents that offer practicality and longevity, according to Jeff Dross, senior product manager for Kichler Lighting. Instead of a themed lamp, parents might opt for a functional swing-arm floor lamp in a neutral finish that can respond to different lighting needs as the child grows. Positioned for diaper changes for babies, the lamp can later be used for homework and reading as the child matures.

The right touch
Linda Navara of LMR Designs, LLC recommends soft, fluffy textures for small children’s rooms, and comfortable, eco-friendly versions are perfect for the older child. Mary Lou Kalmus of Designing Edge also sees organic cotton rugs making an impact for the ecologically conscious.

A higher (environmental) consciousness
Incorporating eco-friendly furniture and accessories in kids’ rooms is essential, adds M. Grace Sielaff, of M. Grace Designs, Inc. She suggests eco-functional and affordable solid wood furniture made from refurbished, recycled and Forest Stewardship Council-certified products, with nontoxic paints to minimize harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Options include a fun Surfin Kids planet-friendly bed from Ecotots, or 100 percent certified organic cotton sateen elephant crib bedding from Urban Hues.

Color their world
When it comes to color, the bottom line is to have fun with it – within your own personal comfort zone, of course. The palette this year is a vivid spectrum from persimmon, goldenrod and pumpkin for girls, as spotted by Kalmus, to the pastel blues, pinks, greens as whites suggested by Kenneth Ludwig, of Kenneth Ludwig Home Furnishings. Sielaff also notes sage green, magenta, turquoise, purple and yellow as being especially popular.

A place for everything … and everything in its place
As kids acquire more and more stuff, keeping their room clutter-free becomes even more critical. Desk organizers, closet organizers, lockers and iPod docking stations all help children keep their clothes, accessories, toys or electronics off the floor and in easily accessible places. If space is an issue, Navara suggests dual-purpose furniture, such as a storage ottoman or an armoire, while West recommends a bed with a pull-out trundle and storage drawers beneath.

Just enough for the city
Urban decor is hot, according to a “How To, Tips and Advice” posting by Stefan on homedit.com. Walls painted with a cooling hue of light blue or light pink set the stage, with animals, flowers or other images painted on them in white to add sophistication. Abstract paintings that respect the dominant color of the room are a nice modernistic touch. Navara also envisions the emergence of black and white with pops of color.

Girls (and boys) just want to have fun
Beanbag chairs. Retro or dorm wall art. Knick knacks. Ribbons that swag to the edges of the room. Shapes that are colorful and glow in the dark. Nets that hold decorative fish. Edgy desk lamps with built-in organizers. For bedroom accessories, the sky’s the limit in terms of color, shape and style. Have fun as you create a unique, special space that your child will be proud to call his or her own.

           Courtesy of ARAContent and Rob Dandrea, Real Estate Agent with Future Home Realty, New Port Richey, FL

 

(ARA) – With the active and bustling lifestyle families lead, it is no surprise that they frequently change the way they interact with, and in, their living spaces. Different stages of life call for different living spaces. Most homes are not equipped to offer this versatility. Outfitted with traditional swinging doors that squander space, standard-width doorways offer limited accessibility and restrictive living areas.

According to a survey on homeowner and home buyer priorities, the ideal home readily adapts to a family’s changing room space requirements. For example, the addition, growth and departure of children or elderly relatives create significant demand for flexible floor plans. To make the most of your home, adding new door solutions like Johnson Hardware’s ingenious Multi-Pass Pocket Door Hardware can help you optimize existing square footage.

A home that is able to evolve with ever-changing families has functionality at the forefront of its design. Johnson’s Multi-Pass Pocket Door application enables up to three 300-pound doors to glide effortlessly into the inside of the wall. Since pocket doors do not swing open or closed, you can reclaim floor space consumed by traditional hinged doors.

Make high traffic areas of your home more accessible with a large entryway that won’t inhibit wheelchairs, walkers or foot traffic. Whether it’s a play room for the kids or living quarters for an elderly relative, a pocket door’s bottom track can be recessed in the floor for easy navigation through the entryway.

With standard Multi-Pass Pocket Door Hardware, you can create up to 12 foot wide doorways, or wider openings with longer custom tracks. Reveal large open areas when the pocket doors slide back inside the wall. Now you have an expansive space for guests to socialize and mingle, an area perfect for family game night or a safe, open area for children to play.

Pull the doors shut and the large space quickly transforms into two cozy and more private settings. Sliding the doors closed allows you to easily create an intimate home theater to watch the latest movie or a comfy, peaceful nook to catch up on your reading. Multi-Pass Pocket Doors give you a level of versatility that standard doors and entryways cannot mimic.

To ensure safe, jump-proof operation, choose hardware that is manufactured and tested to exceed ANSI standards and backed with a lifetime guarantee.

If your home needs some updates to accommodate your family’s lifestyle, it’s easier than ever to make relatively small changes that will have a big impact. For more information, contact Johnson Hardware at 2100 Sterling Ave., Elkhart, Ind. 46516; call (800) 837-5664 or visit www.johnsonhardware.com.

Courtesy of ARAContent and Rob Dandrea, Real Estate Agent with Future Home Realty, New Port Richey, FL

727-510-2100        800-584-2449           robert.dandrea@yahoo.com         www.robertdandrea.com

LIVE IN TARPON SPRINGS, FL

 

(ARA) – Before the fall wind blows trick-or-treaters to your front door, make the most of the season with a few simple projects that your kids will love and you will too. They’re easy, fun and very affordable. All it takes is a little imagination and a few things you already have around the house to transform your home into Halloween central.

“Halloween can be so much fun, especially if you involve the kids,” says Paintideas.com blogger Angie Stinner. “Painting pumpkins or creating simple crafts to decorate your home doesn’t take much time and can be done on a shoestring budget. It’s a great way to share some quality time before the busy holiday season.”

Here are a few easy, affordable projects from Angie’s Halloween bag of treats:

* Go batty – Create adorable beverage can bats to hang on your porch or anywhere in your home. Just rinse a few empty beverage cans with soap and water and allow to fully dry. Remove the ring that’s attached to each can and bend the can slightly at the middle. Then, in a well-ventilated area like a garage with an open door, lay out old newspaper or an old sheet and spray several light coats of Rust-Oleum Universal Gloss Black spray paint onto each can and allow them to dry for 24 hours.

Once the can has dried, glue bat wings to the sides of the can, teeth to the drinking area on the can, eyes to the top of the can just above the drinking hole and bat ears to the outer ring of the can (right above the eyes). The wings, teeth, eyes and ears can be found at your local craft store or you can make them yourself from foam or construction paper. Glue a piece of fishing line to the can, allow the glue to dry and then unwind a paper clip and tie the other end of the fishing line to the paper clip to hang. Leave this “welcome bat” plain, or use orange puffy paint to write a fun Halloween message.

* “Trick” their treats – Don’t send your little ghost or goblin out with an ordinary treat container when it’s so easy to personalize it to reflect their Halloween style. Recycle the old plastic pumpkin they used the year before and transform it into something unique and special with spray paint. Try Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch Ultra Cover 2X. It is available in a rainbow of colors to coordinate with any costume. Try a color like Grape or Berry Pink for your little princess or ballerina. Do you have a Shrek in the family? Try a color like Key Lime or Green Apple for their carrier. Once the plastic pumpkins are painted, let the kids decorate them using markers, puffy paint, stickers or stick-on jewels and they’re ready for a night full of candy goodness.

* Instant messaging – Leave the carving knife in the kitchen drawer and try a new twist on pumpkin decorating. Buy a pumpkin or two at the supermarket or farm stand, clean it well to remove dirt and debris and paint it with Rust-Oleum Chalkboard Paint. Spray paint it traditional black – or brush on one of 14 colors in the chalkboard palette with a foam brush. Remember to “scuff” up the pumpkin with the rounded edge of the chalk – then write messages to your kids throughout the season. The paint preserves the pumpkin, so you can have some Halloween fun right through Thanksgiving.

Looking for more inspiration or Halloween ideas? Visit www.paintideas.com or www.facebook.com/RustOleum.

Courtesy of ARAContent and Rob Dandrea, Real Estate Agent with Future Home Realty, New Port Richey, FL

727-510-2100       800-584-2449             robert.dandrea@yahoo.com                    www.robertdandrea.com

LIVE IN TARPON SPRINGS, FL

(ARA) – Whether you recently moved into a new home or you’re looking for inexpensive updates to spruce-up your existing décor, consider experimenting with color. Paint is the number one do-it-yourself (DIY) project because it’s easy, affordable and instantly refreshes the look of a room. The painting project has become even easier with advances in paint technology and application to save every DIYer time and money.

727-510-2100           800-584-2449                 robert.dandrea@yahoo.com           www.robertdandrea.com

(ARA) – The days are getting shorter and seemingly busier with kids back in school, fall activities kicking off and – although it seems hard to believe – the holidays on the horizon. The long, carefree laissez-faire days of summer have turned a bit more regimented with the change of seasons. Now is the time to get organized and back into a routine that is tailored to your lifestyle. Begin with an organized start to your day in the hub of all home activity: the kitchen.

A kitchen fix-up – striking a balance
With kids constantly searching for snacks, adults on the go, lunches to pack and meals to prepare, a workable routine needs an efficient kitchen with great organization and a superior utilization of space. If you’re going to spend significant amounts of time in the kitchen, then it’s got to be both functional and pleasing to the eye.

“With so much time spent in kitchens, there is a dichotomy that pulls at people when thinking about a kitchen fix-up,” says Cathy Hitz, brand manager for Diamond Cabinets. “Is it style over function or function over style? The truth is you don’t have to favor one over the other. Great kitchens can perform this balancing act when they are designed using innovative products and accessories that give you both.”

A kitchen fix-up does not have to be bothersome or too costly. The best place to start is probably with what you have the most of, use the most, and spend the most time looking at: your cabinets.

Cabinetry manufacturers, like Diamond, have an assortment of door styles, expanded wood choices and finishes, decorative glass options and an array of architectural elements and customization products that fit all kitchens, tastes and budgets. The cherry on top is that inside the cabinets for every room in your home, you can find smart and useful organization features.

A place for everything and everything in its place
In a cluttered kitchen, valuable time can be lost looking for car keys, important mail or even measuring cups. When choosing products to fit your kitchen fix-up, it is as important to understand the utility and unique needs of the people who use the kitchen every day. Do you do a lot of cooking or baking? Or is your kitchen the repository for all things? And not just typical kitchen items, but things such as coats, backpacks, keys and phones?

Diamond’s Logix line has plenty of organization elements and flexibility. One time-saver is the “drop-zone” cabinet, which features a pullout charging station for small electronics that can clutter up a kitchen table. In addition, it has other essential organizational features for the family kitchen, such as key and coat hooks, a white board for messages and a spot for backpacks, briefcases or purses.

As the season unfolds and you work your life into an organized routine, don’t let panic set in as you get back into the swing of things. With an eye on your lifestyle and a few smart kitchen cabinet fix-ups, your kitchen will be ready.

 

Courtesy of ARAContent and Rob Dandrea, Real Estate Agent with Century 21 Bay West in the Greater Tampa Bay area

 

          800-584-2449                                           robert.dandrea@yahoo.com                                  www.robertdandrea.com 

 

 

(ARA) – While saving energy and lowering your bills during the winter takes some personal sacrifice, it might not be as hard as you think. With a combination of changing your habits and a few simple fixes, it’s possible to realize significant savings on your utility bills.

Courtesy of ARAContent and Rob Dandrea, Real Estate Agent with Century 21 Bay West, Tampa, FL 33626

727-510-2100         800-584-2449      robert.dandrea@yahoo.com        www.robertdandrea.com

Live in Tarpon Springs, FL

(ARA) – You’ve stopped buying bottled water, opting instead for a reusable bottle you carry everywhere you go. When you go shopping, your list leans toward the organic and recycled. But when you get home, going “green” seems a lot more daunting.

727-510-2100                               robert.dandrea@yahoo.com                            www.robertdandrea.com

Thinking about living in Tarpon Springs, FL.  Email me with “Tarpon Springs Info” in subject line for a free report .

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727-510-2100                    robert.dandrea@yahoo.com                    www.robertdandrea.com