Bathing Beauties

Splurge Smartly

If you want to splurge on one item, find ways to save elsewhere. RMS user KarenSpirit bought a slightly damaged clawfoot tub for $90 and a $900 vanity on Ebay. The seamless shower doors are a design splurge with fabulous dividends.

Bag a Bathroom Bargain

The addition of decorative tiles around a vessel sink punched up this otherwise beige and boring bathroom. RMS user joeyboti searched his local classifieds to score a deal on the glass tiles and did all of the work by hand. Taking the time to put in a little elbow grease and searching for bargains can keep your bathroom remodel budget in check.

Freehand and Nearly Free

I TOTALLY LOVE THIS!!!! RMS user KarenSpirit totally transformed her good friend's powder room by hand-painting these stunning blooms. Everything else in the bathroom stayed as is. You don't have to update all of the features and decor in your bathroom to make a noticeable difference. In a small space like this, a bold statement can seem like a total bathroom makeover. If you or a friend are artistically inclined, you can update your bathroom for the cost of a couple of gallons of paint.

Stretch Your Dollar

If you look at the comments on Rate My Space about this bathroom by InspiredGuys, you'll see that someone estimated this makeover at $40,000. Actually, this contemporary look was created for $8,000.

Bold and Sleek

If you think a small bathroom limits design potential, take a look at this DIY space by RMS user Mark Adam. Created in one weekend for about $1,000, it features a bold color palette and artwork, sleek finishes and stones on the floor.

Small Stone Wall

RMS user jlgraddy made some smart design choices in this basement makeover that saved money and looks great. The tilework wasn't too expensive because the stone is used only on the back wall. The vanity was a bargain find, and they did most of the work themselves.

Kiawash Island Retreat

Living larger than it's footprint, thanks to the expansive 12' ceiling. This family room provides a front row seat
to dramatic marsh views in the Kiawash Islands.  Glass double doors offers a smooth transition from
indoor to outside spaces.

Asian Inspired Baths

Airy Asian-Inspired Escape

Designer Joseph Pubilones used a combination of neutral tiles — pale peach, copper and bronze — to create a mosaic that adds interest without too much proverbial volume. The floating vanity adds to the room’s airy allure. Photo by Daniel Newcomb

Wow-Factor Shower

More and more homeowners are opting for luxurious showers in lieu of seldom-used tubs. This stunning floor-to-ceiling shower enclosure embodies the trend; it features dramatic chartreuse and pink tile, a shaving bench and steam capabilities. Design by Joseph Pubillones; photo by Daniel Newcomb

Classic and Clean

This timeless master bath uses cool wall tiles and muted lighting to create a refuge from the daily hustle and bustle. Minimal furnishing and accessories keep rejuvenation the focus of the space. Design by Lori Gilder

Rustic Flair

Designer Dan Heldenbrand used a stone bowl sink and a rustic wood-and-iron cabinet to create a Western-inspired theme in this desert home. Oil-rubbed bronze fixtures and a distressed wood countertop complete the look.

Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall

Designer Kenneth Brown used a large-scale mirror to make this small bathroom appear more spacious. The large looking glass also provides ample space for two people to get ready in front of the double vanity.

A round mirror and bi-colored red horizontal tiles mounted in straight lines give this globally-furnished room a contemporary look. Worldly accessories, like the carved wooden mask and tribal-inspired drawing, look right at home against the warm backdrop. Design by Amy Bubier

A Secret Garden

To get maximum natural light without compromising bathroom privacy, this bathroom features a walled garden outside the picture windows. A contemporary soaking tub provides a spot enjoy the view, undisturbed.

New Year's Eve Table Settings

Dinner Time

Set small clocks around the table as a festive way to celebrate on New Year's Eve. A palette of pale green is a fresh way to end the year, and the rustic shape of this china provides a welcome respite from the glitz of Christmas decor.

Seafood Feast

For this sea-themed table, an oyster plate layered over a shagreen charger brings the motifs and textures of the sea to the table. Flowers arranged in a conch shell serve as a beachy centerpiece.

Silver Service

A silvery theme adds elegance to the table. To keep things from becoming too staid, a platinum-striped charger and a beautifully embroidered napkin add texture and refinement.
A silver-painted branch and a centerpiece in a frosty palette introduce natural elements without disrupting the theme. Lamb's ear, a silvery-green perennial, forms the basis of the arrangement.



Champagne Mojito

 http://www.food.com/recipe/champagne-mojito-166279

Christmas Wonders

Pumpkin Roll Recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pumpkin-roll-ii/



Listen to Susan Boyle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMdlr4N-uZk&list=UL

More Christmas Magic

Pecan Divinity Cake: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pecan-divinity-cake-10000000258909/

Organic ChristmasTablesettings

Herb Centerpiece

Gather a selection of fresh, seasonal herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme and bay leaves, and use them to create an alternative table centerpiece.

Fresh Foliage Centerpiece

Pick a selection of whatever fresh foliage and winter flowers you may have growing in your winter garden for this variation on the evergreen centerpiece.

Individual Place Setting: Ivy and Red Berries

Fill an egg cup with sprigs of bright red berries and tuck in a few short lengths of ivy around the edge.

Individual Place Setting: Fresh Flowers

Cut fresh flowers from plants that flourish in a winter garden, such as Christmas rose (Helleborus niger), Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis), or witch hazel (Hamamellis mollis). Put them in a small foil-lined box or pot and add a little water.

Terracotta Pot Candleholders

Turn three simple terracotta pots into stylish candleholders: line the base of each with recycled aluminum foil, put a beeswax candle in the center, pack sand around each candle and cover the sand with a pretty arrangement of fresh foliage and bright berries.

Decorated Chair Backs

These simple arrangements, made up of a few stems of trailing ivy (Hedera), mistletoe (Viscum album), and holly (Ilex), roughly tied together with natural raffia, and attached to the back of each chair, will lend a lovely rustic detail to your decorated table.

Dried Napkin Decoration

Make a simple napkin decoration by gluing together a dried leaf, a dried orange slice and a cinnamon stick. Rest it lightly on a folded linen napkin, or secure it with a length of natural raffia.

Gather a few short stems of fresh mistletoe and a sprig or two of bright berries, bind them together with some garden twine and rest the small posy on a folded linen napkin.





NO BAKE - Cream Cheese, Coconut, Snowball's Recipe

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened. 
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, well drained.
1 cup chopped pecans 

3 cups flaked coconut.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and pineapple until combined then fold in the pecans. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Take out of refrigerator and roll into 1-inch balls; then roll the balls in the coconut. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPJFB0nfLAg&feature=related