Image via realsimple.com

This adorable patchwork bear can be found at Room Seven. Its fun, summery color would fit nicely in a nursery:

Maybe it’s because of Times Square and its countdown tradition on New Year’s Eve, but clocks always seem to be associated with new beginnings. If you’re looking for something for your bedside or office desk, this Classic 8-Inch Clock won’t disappoint. It comes in three different colors and the chrome accents give it a fun and modern feel.

The Kensington Wall Clock, based on London’s famous Kensington Station, is a double-sided hanging clock and is the perfect accent piece for adding personality to any room. The Small Kensington Wall Clock is white and at just five inches, it’s exactly the right size for spaces like bathrooms or laundry rooms.

A similar style is the Grand Central Clock, which will have you feeling like you’re in the middle of New York City!

And speaking of New York, check out this adorable Vintage Book Box Set. The books are in three different sizes and even open to hide all of your “organized” clutter.

To see more of our stylish and  affordable home decor, go to DownEast For the Home online or visit your local DownEast Home & Clothing store.

Tick-tock!

These glass bowls and jars are perfect for storing cookies, candies – even an assortment of crackers and cheeses. Placing different sizes together on a dinner or dessert buffet will liven up your decor instantly. You can purchase these decorative pieces at your local DownEast Home & Clothing Store. A limited selection is available online, too!

Best wishes for the most amazing holiday parties ever!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose. All signs the winter season has set in! To help you get in the spirit, here is our roundup of the most cozy Christmas mantels.

First up is a Rustic Winter Charm mantel by Heather from the Restyle Group and Destiny from A Place for Us Blog. They teamed up and created three easy mantels that you can recreate in your own home by using items from shops like HomeGoods, Michael’s, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, and others.

Check out more of Heather and Destiny’s designs at the Restyle Group Blog.

If you’re a fan of classic red and green Christmas colors, then you’ll love this mantel from Better Homes and Gardens. This asymmetric look can be easily duplicated in your home.

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Mercury glass and a little “bling” are big trends this year. Below is a classic way to display a collection of both from Midwest Living. Mixed with a bit of greenery and wood tones, this themed mantel is the perfect example of sophistication and style.

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A monochromatic mantel can be breathtaking, as well. This mantel from Honeycomb Creative Co. features winter trees, stockings, plates and glass all in the same color – white!

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How do you decorate your mantel for the holidays? Are you a classic decorator who uses traditional red and green? Or do you have fun with trends like mercury glass and silver? We want to know!

Hi, guys! I’m Ashley and I own an event planning company in Salt Lake City called Attention 2 Detail Events. I’ll be stopping by the DownEast Home blog from time to time, to share some easy and fun ways to liven up the special events in your life. Or, if you’ve never hosted your own party, then hopefully I can give you some great ideas that will build up your confidence to do it!

With Thanksgiving behind us, Christmas is fast approaching. I love having friends and family over to celebrate. One really fun way to bring people together is by hosting a cookie exchange! These popular parties also let you enjoy your own event and not get stuck in the kitchen cooking the entire time. Each guest is asked to bake a favorite cookie recipe and bring enough for other guests to take some home, along with the recipe. At the end of the party, each guest leaves with a whole batch of assorted cookies she can share with her family or pass out to neighbors.

Here are some tips to help you create a fun cookie event of your own:

Do your cookie “math”. Let’s say there will be ten people at your party. I’d ask each guest to bring a half-dozen cookies per person, plus an extra dozen. This would mean each of the ten people would be bringing six dozen cookies. Each guest will then be able to take home six of each type of cookie, plus there will be twelve of each kind for tasting at the party.

Set a holiday tone with the invitation. Christmas-themed decorative stamps can be found online or you can custom-order your own stamp designs, as well. They’re also available this time of year at many grocery stores and all craft shops. Use them to create your own invitations or to seal the backs of the invitation envelopes. You can also easily find blank holiday-themed letterhead or note cards and create your own personalized invitation right on your computer.

 Mail out themed recipe cards with each invitation. You can usually find these at craft stores or your local “dollar” store. Each person should be asked to provide enough copies of their recipe for each guest to have one. When guests leave your party, they’ll each have their own new cookie recipe collection! Provide some cute decorative ribbon or twine so folks can tie their recipe cards together at the end of the party.

Provide an “activity station” for guests. These help to break the ice and get people talking. A cookie exchange is a great time to serve hot chocolate, so why not have a hot chocolate bar?! Serve different toppings and mix-in’s at the station so guests can create their own flavors and combinations. Crushed candy cane, white chocolate chips and cinnamon sticks are a few great options. You may also find some fun holiday items in your grocery store’s baking section, such as special marshmallows in holiday shapes and colors. I love the gingerbread-shaped ones I found for floating in guests’ cups! Also, don’t forget the whipped cream!

Carry the theme over to your party decor. If you’re having your cookie exchange in your home, chances are it will already be decked out in Christmas “attire”. But don’t stop there – you can emphasize your party theme in other ways. For example, serve the hot chocolate in dispensable to-go cups bought at your grocery store, but dress them up by wrapping them in holiday paper secured with tape or glue. And, for displaying the bounty of cookies, use different shapes and sizes of plates to add dimension and interest your table. Don’t be afraid to add a little height to the table, either. One great idea is to create “risers” for cookie plates by wrapping empty boxes in different sizes to look like gifts and then placing the cookie plates on their tops. Super simple!

I hope these tips inspire you to host your own cookie exchange party. If you don’t want to make your own invitations or favor tags, DownEast Home has a really cute Cookie Exchange Kit that provides most everything you need. It’s the same kit I used! You can find the kits at DownEast Home stores as well as online (and at a really great prices: $4.99 each or THREE for $9.99!!).

You can also head over to my blog at Attention 2 Detail Events to enter to win one of three kits that I will be giving away! Enjoy!

Merry Christmas,
- Ashley

Textures. What better way to create drama in your space than to add textures? I absolutely love mixing different fabrics and colors to create interest in a room. The easiest way to do this is with accent pillows. Our newest pillow collection offers several different embellishments such as sequins, fabric leaves, roses and waves of ribbon. And at $14.99 each, it’s easy to splurge on this couch couture!

Layers. Go big or go home! Create depth and interest on your mantel and table displays by layering accessories at different heights. My favorite accents are glass containers in interesting shapes and sizes. Our newest glass apothecary collection provides the perfect place to display your favorite ornaments, pine cones, Christmas candy or pillar candles. Or, plant your very own terrarium (find tips for creating it at hgtv.com). Glass containers are $3.99 to $29.99 – available at DownEast Home & Clothing stores.

Botanicals & Topiaries. Who says tropical plants are only for summertime? Our botanical stem collection features bright reds, greens, yellows and whites that are ideal for accenting your home for the holidays. You’ll love these unique blooms ranging from $3.99 to $7.99.

Topiaries continue to be one of the most popular ways to add greenery to your home. And they are super easy to decorate throughout the year. For the holidays, tie festive ribbon around the greenery or try adding acorns and hazelnuts to the foliage as unique and natural ornaments. Click here to shop our topiary collection – from $4.99 to $49.99.

I am so excited about these new accessories – and I’m positive you will find pieces that you’ll absolutely love! And, as a gift to all of our amazing fans and followers, please enjoy 20% OFF all DownEast For the Home accessories, now through November 23, 2011. To redeem this offer at any DownEast Home store location, just mention that you read it on our blog. Click here for store locations. To redeem online, visit downeastbasics.com and enter promo code FORTHEHOME20 at online checkout.

Also, make sure to “like” our DownEast Home Facebook page and you can enter to win a $500 shopping spree.

Cheers!
Candy