Good thread, Lynn. And good timing since I was having a few similar thoughts bumbling around in my head. I really like some of the suggestions the other gals made for you. Even tho I love your Easter tree, OA's idea for it sounds like a good one that would work in your home. As for your art work...boy do i understand the problems of temporarily storing it. I have to move several pieces for Christmas, but that is the only time I do. Small table displays (like your Asian one) are not that hard to change out, but I hate moving large pictures. I've never tried "gift wrapping" one, tho have seen photos of other folk's and it can be nice looking. Just not something I've wanted to do. What I have done, is take a print that is appropriate to the Holiday or season (you can get them enlarged to size you need at many copy places) and place them OVER the glass of your framed art. If you don't have glass, you can sometimes easily slip them inside the frame over your painting. Its almost impossible to tell you haven't really framed them! Otherwise, a garland or a swag across the top of the frame (or one of those corner swags on it) can make it a bit more holiday appropriate. I would think Old World or Primitive, or handcrafted decor would work good for you. I can see where "cutesy" or too vivid colors wouldn't. Which is the problem I'm having at the moment. I like cute on some Holiday stuff. But my house decor doesn't seem to work for that easily. I recently bought a corner metal shelf unit to put by my front door. My thought being it would make a neat little Holiday vignette area. Yet looking at the regular stuff in my entry way, now I just can't see doing that afterall. (Except for Christmas when I do everything.) For the upcoming Holidays, till Thanksgiving, I usually just decorate my front porch a bit and the family-room mantel. And what I can around the bay window while keeping it "cat friendly". They love to lay there so I have to share it with them and my decorating. Oh, and my stacked plates on the kitchen table and cloche on the bathroom counter! Those 2 are the main things, LOL. Lately I've been thinking I'd like to use the large end table in my family-room for holiday vignettes. I just keeping having doubts that it work without looking like a fish out of water in there. Plus I'm not sure I want to put away the lamp and floral that normally is there. They won't work with ANY holiday stuff either. So today I'm pulling out my Val stuff and trying to figure out what the heck I want to do with it. hugs, Karen

You are right Mo, but unfortunately it's an annual occurence here. We get our rains in the Spring and everything grows, then it gets hot and dry during the summer and it burns! They are really trying to get people who live in the mountains to keep the brush trimmed away from their homes--unfortunately many like the lush look of the foliage. None are near where I live, but our skies have been full of the smoke for several days. Glad you liked the little scarecrows. ;o) Luvs

The idea sounds cute...but here is another thought that would be cute too. In the movie (one of my favorites!) Dorothy had to click her heals 3 times and say "There's no place like home." Instead of putting the heart, clock etc..., at the top of the sign put 3 sets of "ruby slippers" as if they were "clicking" then on the next line put "There's no place like home..." and on the third line put "For The Holidays" with gifts on either side. Whatever way you do it will be cute I'm sure. Have fun!

My neighbor switched to LED outdoor Christmas lights last year. What I didn't like was how puny the light was....toooooo dim. Big contrast between our C9 reds and his LEDs. We usually run four or five strands of outdoor lights 24 hours a day for the month. We turn off the regular outdoor lights for December. In the house, the tree and a lighted garland and a couple of small lighted things are the extent of it. Our electric bill doesn't rise that much...a couple of dollars from the lights. One of the keys is that we turn off our regular outdoor lamp post and garage light. Indoors one lamp doesn't get used during Christmas. It's a trade-off. We are slowly replacing all our incandesent bulbs in the house. I'll miss the warmth of the old bulbs, but the new energy savers are looking better and better each year. For now, the LEDs are staying in the stores. Someday....maybe..... Here is a link that might be useful: Creative Soul