Balloon Party Lights Turn Your Party Into A Light Show!

Balloon Party Lights are the latest and greatest rage for parties and special events. Never heard of them? You will - and soon. This innovation in party lighting is sweeping the globe.

Balloon lights are wildly popular in Australia and Sweden, among others, and are currently being used for large functions in the United States. I believe they will soon be as common at celebrations as a cake and candles!

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What IS a balloon light, you say? It is a small brilliant LED (light-emitting-diode) unit, placed inside ordinary latex or helium balloons, which when activated, turns your party into a veritable light show! Simply insert one into a latex balloon containing air or helium, twist to activate, and watch the fun begin!

Balloon Party Lights Turn Your Party Into A Light Show!

Balloon lights can be set to provide constant or blinking light, all from the same unit, for spectacular effects. (The way batteries are inserted will determine if it blinks or not.) They also come in a variety of colors and are reusable.

HERE ARE SOME FUN USES FOR BALLOON LIGHTS:

KIDS PARTIES- Tie a bunch to your mailbox to show where the party is!

SLUMBER PARTIES - No nightlight needed - let balloon lights glow as your kids sleep!

PARTY FAVORS - Kids will want to take them home after the party, so add them to your goodie bags.

WEDDINGS - Turn your wedding decor into a unique and classy fantasy setting with bright white balloon lights ! Add a few in the color of your wedding party for a special personal touch.

WATER ACCENT - Balloon lights are waterproof and can also be used underwater in pools, fountains... even in your cocktail bowl!

EVENING POOL PARTIES - Float balloons in your swimming pool that sparkle and and blink the night through.

LIGHT A PATH - Use to light a twinkling garden path or to illuminate special features of your garden.

TABLE DECORATIONS - Tuck a few balloon lights inside your centerpiece to give it a special glow.

BALLOON ARCHES - Welcome guests to your party with a fanciful illuminated balloon arch!

BALLOON SCULPTURES - Add a whole new dimension to balloon creations with the use of light.

MORE CREATIVE USES FOR BALLOON LIGHTS:

Balloon lights can be used for so much more than parties. Here are some twists on the traditional:

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT - RC Enthusiasts attach balloon lights to their planes, cars, and boats to light them up for nighttime runs.

GUIDING LIGHT- Tie a lit balloon to your child's wrist or stroller - they'll never get lost!

YOUR MESSAGE IN LIGHTS - Spell out someone's name, a message, a wedding proposal, whatever - by attaching balloon lights to a wall, fence or other flat surface.

For example: Spell out "USA" in red, white and blue balloon lights for a Fourth of July display.

HALLOWEEN DECOR - Place balloon lights inside carved pumpkins and luminarias and set outside on Halloween night. Safer than ordinary tea lights, and they last longer, too.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS - Place in greenery on mantel or staircase for a warm glow. Scatter in snow on your lawn for a magical holiday feel. Highlight your manger scene.

FROSTY WITH A TWIST - Make your snowman unique by adding lighted buttons or glowing eyes.

SPORTING EVENTS - Cheer your team on as they burst onto the field through an illuminated balloon arch. Or, highlight your concession stand with balloon lights in bunches to boost your sales.

TRADE SHOW BOOTHS - Make your booth stand out from the crowd by showcasing your company or product in balloon lights. A bunch of flashing balloons will make you the star of the show. No wires to deal with either.

CAR DEALERSHIPS - Tie lit balloons from cars to attract customers. They'll stop in just to see how they work!

Whichever way you use them, balloon lights are a fantastic accent and conversation piece for any celebration, special event or anyplace people gather.

Balloon Party Lights Turn Your Party Into A Light Show!

Patricia B. Jensen is a mother of three and kids party enthusiast. She is the webmaster and owner of Kids-Party-Paradise.com - a complete resource for kids party ideas including invitations, cakes, decorations, games, costumes, favors, and food.

For all the latest party news, read her Kids Party Blog.

Christmas Yard Art - Make Easy Yard Decorations for Christmas

Creating Christmas yard art can be as simple as using a Christmas shape template with accessories added. A grouping of different shapes in holiday colors can look very festive in your yard.

First, find a shape that you want to use. Search the internet for "Christmas tree shape" or "Christmas tree template" for example. Enlarge the shape or draw it freehand on a piece of plywood. Christmas trees, presents, ornaments and stocking shapes work particularly well.

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Cut the shape out of the plywood. Sand the edges if needed. Paint the entire shape on both sides in a base color.

Christmas Yard Art - Make Easy Yard Decorations for Christmas

After the paint is dry, using another color of paint add touches like stripes to an ornament or color the toe and top of a stocking shape.

If you are making more than one shape to go together as a grouping, it looks nice to pick a color pallet and stay in those colors. Like red and green are nice and bright. You could paint 2 shapes in red and 2 shapes in green. Another suggestion is using gold, silver and white.

For the stakes, use 2 wooden dowel rods or steel rods for each. Paint these to match your shape. Attach them to the shape with small u-shaped brackets that can be attached with screws. Look for conduit hangers to use as the u-shaped brackets.

Now add some accessories to the yard art. For a Christmas tree shape, string 3" gold bells through some wire and decorate the tree. 3" gold bells are available at craft stores. Add a weatherproof gold star on top.

Add 3" gold metal bells to a Christmas ornament shape. Just string 3 or 4 on wire and let them hang down. Or gather the bells near the top and add some weatherproof holly.

Yard art in the shape of Christmas presents can be easily adorned with outdoor ribbon and the 3" bells.

Another neat idea for yard art is to add "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays from" and your name on a plaque or added to an ornament shape.

Yard art doesn't have to be fancy. Just plain old Christmas shapes do an excellent job!

Christmas Yard Art - Make Easy Yard Decorations for Christmas

Get more free plans for Christmas yard art and Christmas yard decorations. You will also find the Christmas shape templates you need to create your outdoor Christmas decorations, along with plans to purchase for wood yard art.

Halloween Cakes

Delicious Halloween cakes are easy to make. In fact, you will find many different recipes for Halloween cake that taste great and look scary.

You can turn a simple cake into a Halloween cake by decorating it in a special way, usually with yellow and black frosting. You will find many great Halloween decorating ideas online and offline in recipe books and guidelines.

Halloween

One of the most popular Halloween cakes is the "Spider Web cake." You just bake and frost your favorite cupcakes and put them on a plate. Weave a spider web with frosting by using black licorice and your Halloween cupcakes are ready to be served.

Halloween Cakes

Similarly, you can prepare "Vampire" or "Frankenstein" cakes. There are several web sites that provide information about preparing "creepy" cakes.

One should remember that Halloween cakes are relished not merely for their taste but for how they look. This look should be unique. There is no single rule that needs to be followed. One can be innovative and give a unique look to a Halloween cake, but the tradition is that the cake must look creepy. Some fun ideas for Halloween cake decorations are gumdrops lined up like worms, marshmallows with black licorice in the centers to look like spooky eyes and goofy eyes made with marshmallows with raisins for eyeballs.

There are several companies that offer readymade Halloween cakes. Some help you in choose the creepiest cake by providing you with certain images that can be "drawn" on the cake after you purchase it. These cakes can also be ordered online.

Halloween Cakes

Cake provides detailed information on Baby Shower Cake, Birthday Cake, Cake, Cake Decorating and more. Cake is affiliated with Birthday Cards.

Windmills For Home - How Yard Decorations Can Reduce Your Electric Bill

Windmills For Home-They Don't Have To Be Just Decorations

I started using windmills to scare away deer and crows from my vegetable garden. Then I realized I could use that small windmill to power a marine battery and charge up my electric fence. Then three years later I now have three homemade wind turbines. That garden windmill started my whole adventure to supplementing 48% - 100% of my household electricity, and I'll never go back to the way things were.

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Watching That Little Windmill Spin

Windmills For Home - How Yard Decorations Can Reduce Your Electric Bill

Three years ago I would have never thought that a little homemade windmill on top of a garden post would spawn an interest in homemade energy. The whole project was inexpensive, except for a battery mistake, and easy to do. I guess I owe the corn chewing crows and the spinach munching deer thanks. That small windmill still sets a top a garden post, but now it's put to work. It has three bigger cousins who work for me full time too, and I'm eternally grateful for the money they all have saved me, and it's a pure joy to watch them. So why not go from just a yard decoration to something that works for you.

Even Small Windmills For Home Decorations Can Become Generators

Sure it may take a little ingenuity, but even small decorative windmills can become generators that are perfect for charging small batteries for yard lighting. Couple the batteries with some LED lighting and you have a free lighting system that never goes out, even if you have a power outage. That's pretty darn resourceful and a neat idea too. Imagine a power outage in the neighborhood and your yard is lit up, that's kind of a funny thought. How about a trickle charger for you lawnmower battery over the winter, or perhaps a battery backup for under sidewalk heating?.. Ok, that would take a bigger generator, but you can clearly see how this spawns other ideas, and can become quite addictive when put into action. Building wind generators and putting them to work is just plain good ol, DIY fun.

Try Converting A Small Home Windmill - You Might Just Like It

Windmills For Home - How Yard Decorations Can Reduce Your Electric Bill

Here is more information on my Windmills For Home Use.

I learned how to make my smaller home windmills here

4 Easy Ideas For Halloween Decorations For Your Yard

Some communities are rather dull and drab during the holidays, while others go all out and decorate with style. This occurs at Halloween time as well as other holidays. Here are some easy ideas I have seen over the years that will transform your yard on October 31st:

Jack-O-Lanterns - These are still the best yard decorations, as they can be done by adults and children together. Kids love scooping out all that goopy mess inside, while adults like the illuminated finished product. Don't forget to go online and look for cut-out stencils. Instead of carving out a face this year, you can carve a hissing black cat with his back arched or a witch in front of a moon.

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Cardboard Cut-Out Headstones - These are so simple! All you have to do is cut out headstone shapes from an old box and paint them with a glittery or flat gray paint. If you want to get really crafty, you can add names of friends you are sure will be stopping by to the stones, along with a rhyming cause of death. The popular example I remember goes: "Here lies good ol' Fred. A great big rock fell on his head." Not only will they make the yard look great, but they will be a conversation piece, as well.

4 Easy Ideas For Halloween Decorations For Your Yard

Hanging Bats and Spiders - Craft stores everywhere carry plastic bats and spiders during the Halloween season. If you have trees in your front yard anywhere, hang these decorations all over them with clear fishing line. You can add an extra touch to the spiders by putting a bunch of the spider web decorations in the tree branches along with the spiders. You can also find strings of bat and spider lights, which are exactly like Christmas lights. These make fun additions to your decoration repertoire.

Illumination Bags - Not only are these great decorations, but they keep the trick-or-treaters safe. Bags with little lights or candles inside will light the way to your front yard, helping the eager kids avoid falls. Look for safe instructions to make your own or buy them in bulk to line your driveway and sidewalk.

How you decorate and what you decorate with are really up to you. You don't have to spend a lot of money to make your front area attractive to those trick-or-treaters who might be visiting.

4 Easy Ideas For Halloween Decorations For Your Yard

Nicola always enjoys Halloween parties with her family. Visit her Halloween site for tips and information about Halloween Decorations For Your Yard at http://Halloween-Decorations.Best-Halloween.com

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Best-Halloween.com

The Scariest Halloween Home Decorations

October is almost here and that means taking out pumpkins, spider webs, witches brooms and other Halloween decorations to turn your home's entrance into the scariest on the block. After all, Halloween is one of the best times to have some seriously wacky fun with hair-raising decorations people will remember for years and years.

Decorating your house for Halloween is loads of fun, and it's even more fun if you start early and get creative with your plans. So let's talk about some of the scariest and creepiest ways to decorate the inside of your home.

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Where To Place Your Halloween Decorating Ideas

The Scariest Halloween Home Decorations

If it's in your house, you can probably decorate it. Here's some quick ideas to get started:

• Windows and window sills
• Fireplace mantels
• Doors and doorways
• Walls
• Steps and staircases
• Ceilings
• Tables and countertops
• Corners of the room

Halloween Decorations - Tips To Make Your Skin Crawl

Windows are one of the most visible places to display your Halloween decorations. There are literally endless ways to make a spooky and eye-catching display, just use your imagination.

Here's a cool idea: Take some heavy construction paper and cut out sinister shapes such as a bat, witch or black cat. Place them in any window or corner of your house. You'll be shocked at the impact this simple touch makes.

More Spine-Chilling Ideas

Find some crisp, colorful dry leaves in your garden or nearby park. Scoop them up in a big bucket and spread them wherever you want that ghostly, abandoned Halloween feel.

No Halloween is complete without creepy spiders! Scatter lots of them throughout the house and yard. The more the merrier! And don't forget the fake spider webs that turn any house into a ghostly haunted house.

Spooky Lighting Effects

The right lighting can send chills up any visitor's spine. Dim your lights really low, put dark colored bulbs in the right places or even go without electric lights and use only candles - that will really freak out even the ghastliest spirit who dares venture into your Halloween chamber of horrors! Just watch where you put those candles so the little ones (and not-so-little-ones) don't get hurt.

The right lighting can truly make or break your Halloween decor. Why not up the ante with a fog machine - now you're really rocking! Also try out different colored lights, like red or orange, to make your decorations even more eerie and supernatural.

There's No Limit To The Ghastly Fun

You really can't go wrong with whatever Halloween home decorations you try this year. Making your own is a great way to have some family fun. Or you can shop for the endless variety of choices available in stores around this time. Whatever you do, just remember to have fun and share the wackiness of Halloween with all your family and friends.

The Scariest Halloween Home Decorations

Get even more cool Halloween decorating ideas to have the scariest house on your block this year! Find out which are the hottest Halloween MP3s, home décor and do-it-yourself tips this year. Just click here to get your ghoulish dose of fun: Halloween Home Decorations

Stylish Halloween Wedding Centerpieces

Halloween can be a fun time of year for a wedding. For many couples, the challenge comes in trying to create a design that both embraces the spirit of Halloween and is elegant enough for a wedding. Look no further! These are some fantastic ideas for stylish Halloween wedding centerpieces.

Pumpkins are always a popular part of Halloween decor. A chic way to use them in a wedding centerpiece is to stack mini pumpkins inside a tall rustic lantern. Use smaller versions of the same lantern around the central one, and fill them with pillar candles. It is both seasonal and elegant. A cute idea is to hollow out a small pumpkin and use it to hold a short pillar candle. Scatter a couple of these around the lanterns for a charming accent. This is a great centerpiece design for a fall wedding with a rustic flavor, the kind where the guests wear soft sweaters and handmade wedding jewelry instead of satin gowns.

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Black flowers are another great theme for Halloween centerpieces. Black wrought iron candelabras can be the base of this tablescape. Fill them will deep red taper candles to create a romantic ambiance. There are some interesting options for the black flowers. Noir velvet blossoms with frayed edges would be elegant and a great alternative to fresh cut flowers. Place them around the base of the candelabras for a beautiful effect. There is something sort of Victorian Gothic about the mood created by this centerpiece design, and you can enhance that with your wedding attire. Jet crystal wedding jewelry will be slightly reminiscent of Victorian mourning jewelry, which is perfect for a romantic yet spooky Halloween reception.

Stylish Halloween Wedding Centerpieces

Another creative idea is to make a display using glittered pumpkins. For this easy DIY wedding project, you can use faux pumpkins from a craft store instead of real ones. Paint them black, then brush glue over the surface once the paint has dried. Cover them with black and silver glitter for a stylish take on the typical fall pumpkin. You can create a very elegant display by arranging the glittery pumpkins on a tiered cake stand. Place a large one on top, and use smaller ones on the lower tiers. For a pop of color, burgundy roses can be tucked in among the pumpkins.

Create the look of faded glamor for your Halloween reception using tarnished silver vases or urns spray painted black. Look for elaborate vessels with an antique feeling. Then fill the vases with rich red flowers like dahlias, roses, and burgundy-black dahlias, orchids, and calla lilies. Add sprays of black feathers to the floral arrangements for drama. This would be a gorgeous centerpiece for a formal Halloween wedding, as it is more glamorous than spooky.

The great thing about a Halloween wedding is that you can get really creative. Use your imagination to design centerpieces that are the perfect blend of spooky and stylish. Your guests are sure to enjoy the personal touches you put into planning the perfect Halloween wedding reception.

Stylish Halloween Wedding Centerpieces

Let us know if you need assistance in any area of planning your wedding.Take advantage of Bridget's experience helping clients select wedding jewelry and other accessories. Sign up today for the free http://silverlandjewelry.com/ newsletter to receive tips about the latest wedding trends and special offers on bridal jewelry and bridesmaid gifts!

Landscaping Tips - How to Install an Outdoor Fountain in Your Garden Or Lawn

The soothing sounds of flowing water and its relaxing sight is such a delight to everyone. Adding outdoor fountains to your garden, whether indoor or outdoor, gives a more relaxing feel to your own space and adds up to the beauty that nature has to offer. These bamboo fountains can do the trick by lightening up your garden's ambience and setting the mood of your desire. Each has its own uniqueness to it, each showing a different perspective and personality.

Garden decorative items not only add beauty to our gardens but help with relaxation at the same time. Some prefer outdoor fountains with gigantic statues so it catches attention that is also the garden centerpiece. Others prefer simpler fountains since they just want the cool and comforting feeling water fountains bring. For simpler choices, people may prefer bamboo water fountains, since they have that simplistic style and feel and at the same time serve the purpose of being a tool for relaxation and recreation (and to others, entertainment).

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If you think that outdoor fountains are costly, you definitely have to think twice. These bamboo water fountains can be used with your old or favorite planter, outdoor vase, and so on. Turn your old container into a outdoor fountain and it will surely turn out as a masterpiece. Bamboo fountains come in different sizes and styles which will perfectly reflect your garden's theme and mood.

Landscaping Tips - How to Install an Outdoor Fountain in Your Garden Or Lawn

The Adjustable Water Spout with Pump Bamboo Fountain exhibits adjustable arms for the desired height. This classic bamboo fountain comes in 5 different sizes which will suit an outdoor or indoor garden. Its adjustable feature is perfect for those people who want to set and change the mood every now and then.

The Three-Arm Bamboo Water Spout with Pump is ideal for people who like indoor water fountains. This sleek water fountain can fit shallow containers and match your own personal space. It comes in 3 different sizes.

The Fine-Arm Water Fountain Spout and Pump Kit features make it perfect for those wonderful Zen gardens or for indoor spas. It has a wide, low spout which makes no noise at all, showcasing the water's soothing sound. This classy water fountain comes in 2 sizes.

The Classic Water Spout with Pump has a unique Japanese style and authentic caramel color, perfect for those who want an oriental feel. This classic fountain is perfect for indoor spaces.

The Sphere Figurine with Bamboo Base Water Fountain has a different style to it, having a sphere figurine made of stone rest on a sturdy bamboo base while still having that simplistic yet elegant style to it. This elegant water fountain comes in 2 different sizes.

Landscaping Tips - How to Install an Outdoor Fountain in Your Garden Or Lawn

Bamboo water fountains have endless possibilities. It will inspire beautiful outdoor fountains with a personal touch to your lawn or garden. One can create a thinking focal point in your outdoor space. Take a birdbath, outdoor vase, flower pot, or any container to create the peaceful sounds of falling water amongst your yard decorations. Visit us at Outdoor Stuff to see how to turn that container you love into a bamboo water fountain.

Christmas Crafts - Christmas Doorknob Decorations

You can create your own Christmas doorknob hanger to place on any door in the house. Just by using your imagination you can make great holiday decorations for your home, plus it's fun for the whole family to create wonderful Christmas crafts that will last a lifetime. Below are several easy craft ideas for Christmas doorknob hangers.

Simple Holiday Doorknob Hanger: By using a 4" to 6" piece of plywood and dressing it up with Christmas décor, you will have a Christmas doorknob hanger in no time. All you need is a piece of plywood, Christmas colored markers, a holiday stencil, red or green chenille stems, ribbon, glue gun and of course your own imagination. Try a gingerbread man stencil and add the words "Bite Me" to the plywood. Use one of the chenille stems to hang your doorknob hanger around the doorknob once you have finished decorating it.

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Christmas Crafts Doorknob Wreath: Just by purchasing a small grapevine wreath that a doorknob will go through and a few other items you can have a really unique doorknob hanger. Use a glue gun and glue little holiday bows, bells, green garland and holiday picks on the grapevine wreath and slip on the doorknob of your choice. Make one or several and get the family involved in this fun and easy project.

Christmas Crafts - Christmas Doorknob Decorations

Jingle Bell Doorknob Hanger: A 2 ½" or 3" gold bell is the heart of this doorknob decoration. You will also need a Christmas greenery pick (one with greenery and gold accents), 1 1/4" wide Christmas ribbon, a 12" length of rope that is ½" or less in thickness, green floral wire and a hot glue gun. Make a bow that has 8 loops; each loop needs to be approximately 3 ¼" long. Thread the bell onto the rope. Using lots of hot glue, glue the ends of the rope together to form a circle. Make sure the hot glued end is close to the bell. Feed a length of floral wire thru the bell loop and attach the bow to the rope and bell with the floral wire. Hot glue the Christmas pick to the center of the bow. If needed, also use the wire to keep the Christmas pick attached.

Pine Cone Doorknob Hanger: Use a pine cone to create an elegant doorknob hanger. Quickly paint craft glue onto a large pine cone, being sure to cover each pine petal. Shake glitter over the entire pine cone and let dry. Place 5 drops of essential oil onto the pine cone. Place a hole for a ribbon to fit through the top of the pine cone and put pretty holiday ribbon though it. Now tie the ribbon around the door knob to create your pine cone doorknob hanger.

Recycled Christmas Card Hanger: Use skinny Christmas ribbons in varied lengths and in colors of green, red and white. Simply cut out different pictures from old Christmas cards, such as Santa, Christmas tree, stockings etc. Small jingle bells and small candy canes are great for this project too. Using hot glue or white fabric glue, attach the cutout to the end of one of the skinny Christmas ribbons. If you want to add small jingle bells and candy canes, you will also glue them onto the ribbon. Once all is dry, tie the ribbons around a door knob into pretty bows.

Santa Door Knob Décor: For this project you will need a wooden cutout of Santa or of one of his reindeer or elves that can be found at craft stores. Using ceramic paint, paint Santa and once dried, punch a hole at the top of his head and stick a piece of holiday ribbon through the hole and tie it up around a doorknob into a pretty bow. Hot glue little bells onto the ribbon if desired. These cute little hangers look good on any door and are so easy to create.

Christmas Crafts - Christmas Doorknob Decorations

Find free Christmas crafts to make including Christmas decorations, ornaments, angels, santas, snowmen, kids crafts, outdoor yard decorations, quilt patterns and more.

Wind Chimes Broken? How to Make Them New Again

Most wind chimes are meant to be outdoors where the breezes can make them sing. In general the wind chimes are made out of materials that can withstand the extremes of weather they are exposed to. However, on occasion, strings will rot from exposure to the sun and moisture or high winds will cause the strings and pipes to tangle beyond your ability to work out the knots. You can save your wind chimes. With some relatively inexpensive materials and a little patience you can make them like new and they will be singing for you once again.

Here are the materials you will need:

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Scissors
Measuring tape or ruler
Heavy duty string (comes in several colors) or clear nylon 10 pound test fishing line

Wind Chimes Broken? How to Make Them New Again

Step 1 - If you are able to, get a measurement of the distance from the support ring to the tops of the pipes. Record the measurement. This will help you get a sound similar to the original. If you shorten or lengthen the distance, the tone of the pipes will be affected.

Step 2 - Take note of how the string is looped around the support ring and threaded through the pipes. If possible, take several pictures that you can refer to later. Or you can make basic sketches.

Step 3 - If the string is not too tangled, make a couple of cuts then remove it from the pipes and support ring. You may have enough string intact to give you a general measurement of how much new string you will need. Add about 10 inches to what you estimate you need to leave a little room for adjustment if necessary. If the string is too tangled to salvage any, take the measurement you earlier of the distance from the pipes to the support ring and multiply it by the number of pipes you are restringing. Then multiply that by two and add the 10 inches.

Step 4 - Using the pictures or sketches you made to refer to, start restringing your wind chime. Start by securing the new string through one hole of the support ring and work your way around until you thread the string through that same hole and when you are done adjusting you can tie it off. You may find it easier to restring while the support ring is in a hanging position from a hook as it normally would be. This will also help to keep the new string from tangling as you work.

Step 5 - Hang the wind chimes, relax and enjoy the singing once again.

So do not give up on your broken or tangled wind chimes. With a little bit of time and patience they can be made just like new.

Wind Chimes Broken? How to Make Them New Again

Sarah Frankum

[http://www.chimesandhouses.com]

ChimesandHouses is a family-owned and operated business based in Wharton, TX that developed out of a love of decorating and enjoying our natural environment. We enjoy choosing yard decorations to create the perfect place for entertaining your friends or relaxing with family. You will find a wide selection of yard decorations at prices that fit every budget. Come visit us today!

Pumpkin Decorating Ideas - Unique Tips For Creating Stunning Halloween Displays

What if I told you that within the next few minutes, you could be on your way to creating impressive, professional-looking decorated pumpkins that everyone will envy? I'm about to share with you some unique pumpkin decorating ideas, as well as unusual ways to display your masterpieces once they're finished...

The days are long gone when pumpkin painting has to be the dreaded chore that it once was -- the nasty, sticky pumpkin flesh -- not to mention the danger of injury. And unless you do your carving immediately before Halloween, you'll have the seepage and the dreaded mold that inevitably sets in. Painted pumpkins are the rage, and it's opened up a whole new world of decorating for those with artistic ability and creative minds.

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But What If You're Not So Artistic Or Creative?

Pumpkin Decorating Ideas - Unique Tips For Creating Stunning Halloween Displays

Even if you're like me and you're not quite so creative or artistic, there are some surprisingly simple ways to create professional-looking pumpkins that will last through to even the Thanksgiving holiday. There are lots of affordable guides containing pumpkin decorating ideas that will give you the guidance and detailed instruction you'll need.

Pumpkin Decorating Ideas With A Novel Twist...

Obviously the easiest of all of my pumpkin decorating ideas is the traditional jack-o-lantern face, but there are many other options...

• Fall leaves or other fall design
• Silly faces
• Celebrity Faces
• Spiders
• Scarecrow
• Witch
• Cartoon characters
• Turkey
• Black Cats
• Ghosts
• Goblins

What Supplies Will You Need For These Pumpkin Decorating Ideas?

Painted pumpkins are very economical and the supplies you'll need for these pumpkin decorating ideas can be purchased at your local craft store. You may even have some of them already in your home.

• Markers (The Washable Kind)
• Acrylic Paints
• Newspaper
• Spray sealer
• Accessories (Such As Jewelry, Hats, etc.)

Creative And Unique Ways To Display Your Masterpieces

There is no end to the possibilities. How about creating an entire pumpkin family arranged around hay bales for a stunning lawn display? Decorated pumpkins can also be used for attractive and unique designs for your porch or patio using fall leaves or other autumn designs. I've even seen painted pumpkins decorated with a number painted on each, maybe along with some sort of fall design. Stack them on top of each other and display your house number on your front porch or in your yard.

The Important Thing -- Have Fun!

Pumpkin decorating, above all, is supposed to be fun, so don't get stressed out if your first design doesn't turn out exactly as you expected. Just try again -- and before you know it, you'll become so good at pumpkin decorating that you'll have people offering to buy your designs!

Pumpkin Decorating Ideas - Unique Tips For Creating Stunning Halloween Displays

Envision yourself being able to quickly and easily create stunning painted pumpkin designs this fall that will delight the children and impress your friends and family. No matter who you are or how artistic you may be, the Easy Pumpkin Painting guide will give you all the tools you need to design cute, creative, professional-looking Halloween pumpkins that will be the envy of everyone. It's chock full of unique pumpkin decorating ideas that you'll be able to use for years to come -- and you can get started in the next few minutes. To learn more about the Easy Pumpkin Painting guide (as well as other unique Halloween stuff) be sure to visit: http://paintedpumpkinideasonline.com

Unique Outdoor Christmas Decorating Ideas

Christmas is right around the corner and you must be thinking of great outdoor Christmas decorating ideas to spread some holiday cheer to every aspect of your house, especially your front yard to share the joy with each passer-by. Innovative Christmas yard decoration solutions are not only about being conventional but it is also about what is new. It should be the perfect blend of conventional and creative ideas. After all, Christmas decorations are the perfect way to explore your imagination and find a way to bring it to life.

There are many ways in which you can give your Christmas yard decorations a unique feel and touch. Lights affixed to pre-formed stands can look extremely nice in your yard; you can take your pick from a variety of shapes including Santa, reindeer, and angels. Also, you may even find toy trains and nativity scenes to decorate your garden. You can hang angels from branches to give your front yard a heavenly touch and use lights to decorate trees, shrubs, swings etc.

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You can also make use of fiberglass or plastic figurines that can be lit from behind or within to light up your outdoors. These figurines are available in several shapes and sizes, and they all depict characters that are related to Christmas and are Biblical. Common characters include Santa, three wise men, shepherds, candy canes, elves, angels etc.

Unique Outdoor Christmas Decorating Ideas

Of course, the nativity scene is a huge favorite among outdoor Christmas decorations and perfectly symbolizes the complete meaning of the Christmas season. It is a visual representation of the birth of baby Jesus. The nativity scene would include main characters like Mary, Joseph, and Christ along with some shepherds, an angel, the three wise men, and some animals to represent the barnyard animals. For that extra touch of creativity, you can use a snowfall light boxes that uses the light to create a fake "snow fall" effect.

A new innovative outdoor Christmas decoration idea would be to make use of giant inflatable Christmas yard decorations. These are favorites among the kids and are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. This particular decoration idea is definitely a unique touch to your outdoor decor. They are extremely easy to use and store for next Christmas.

And where would Christmas be without Santa Claus. You can place a big Santa outside to grab attention. But make sure that it is made of strong materials in order to last the harsh weather. You can even place Rudolph in your front yard to enhance the look of your garden.

But nothing beats a huge lighted Christmas tree out in the front yard; decorate the tree with personalized hangings to give it that unique touch. All you need to do is switch on the lights to experience the perfect glow in your garden in the evenings.

Decorating the exteriors can be just as fun as decorating indoors, outdoor Christmas decoration lend a great festive feel to your home. Beautiful Christmas yard decorations send out nice and warm vibes to your guests and visitors. This Christmas, put on your thinking cap and churn out nice and unique Christmas decorating ideas to jazz up your front yard.

Unique Outdoor Christmas Decorating Ideas

Need some more ideas for outside decorating? See our huge selection of Christmas decorations and gift ideas!

Decorating Your Wedding With Battery Operated Lights

Battery operated lights for weddings and receptions are easy to use, versatile, and make everything sparkle on your special day.

Battery operated white Christmas lights are an idea choice for many kinds of space where you are decorating for your wedding ceremony and the reception, especially when you're concerned about having outlets for plugging in the lights.

\"Halloween Decorations\"

Using lights with a battery pack means you will have about 6-24 hours of light available with each pack depending on the style of lights and the quality of your batteries. There are a few varieties of LED battery lights that will last up to 150 hours. It is always best to use the same batteries you are going to use at your wedding and set up a set of lights and time how long they are going to stay on.

Decorating Your Wedding With Battery Operated Lights

Some Brides have asked their guests to turn on their lights all at once at the beginning of the reception or had friends turn them on right before the guests arrive.

Decorating the Wedding Ceremony

Ways you can use these great lights to decorate your church, chapel, or tent:

• Topiaries with lights
• Lights on the altar
• Lights on top of the piano or organ
• Lights on the windowsills next to stain glass windows
• Wrapped around columns or latticework

Decorating the Reception

These lights come in handy for decorating the reception area too. Whether it's inside or outside, you'll find fun and easy ways to bring light into your reception area and make it truly sparkle! Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Glass bricks - put the lights inside the glass bricks and tie a wide bow around the brick for a beautiful centerpiece or decoration for the food table, gift table, guest book table, or cake table.
• Glass vases - nestle some lights inside a glass vase and then add greenery and flowers to match the décor of your wedding - beautiful!
• Cake table - your cake table will simply sparkle with the addition of some battery operated lights surrounding the base of your cake or even nestled inside a large glass hurricane as decoration.
• Topiaries - place topiaries with lights from the ceremony strategically around the reception hall or outside tent for added decoration
• Trellises - trellises are often used for wedding décor and although they look great all on their own, they'll look even better adorned with some ivy and some white lights
• Head table - wrap the battery pack and lights in tulle and decorate the top of the head table beautifully
• Gift table - do the same motif on the gift table as you did the head table to tie them in together

Decorating with battery operated lights for weddings is really very easy and it makes the job of transforming an ordinary looking space into a spectacular one! They come in a huge variety of styles - both traditional and LED - with different lens shapes, numbers of lights to the set and required batteries.

Decorating Your Wedding With Battery Operated Lights

Look for LED battery lights and traditional battery lights online to see all the varieties available.

Shellie Gardner, owner of http://www.christmas-light-source.com, has a passion for Christmas lighting and enjoys helping customers make every occasion special with lights. With more than 500 different light sets and bulbs to choose from, check out her website to find one of the widest varieties of LED and traditional Christmas lights and installation hardware available on the web.

Flickering, Sputtering, Fluttering Fire Lighting to Illuminate Your Halloween Decorations and House!

Haunted houses, burning buildings, and old time electrical lighting running off of a sputtering generator all have one thing in common: flickering and fluttering lights. If you've gone to Disney's Haunted Mansion or the Indiana Jones ride, you'll see this effect in action. There are pricey devices out there that you can use, but you can make a flickering power unit for around fifteen bucks.

Categories: Cool. Tricky Effect.
Skill level: Super Easy.
Time needed: 10 minutes
Expense: -

\"Halloween Decorations\"

"Fluttering Sputtering Firey Light Flicker-er"

Flickering, Sputtering, Fluttering Fire Lighting to Illuminate Your Halloween Decorations and House!

Ingredients:

1) c7 "flicker flame" chandelier or candelabra bulb
2) c7 nightlight socket
3) 3 extension cords
4) photo-sensor outlet
5) Enclosure (like a shoebox)

The photo-sensor turns on the power to its outlet whenever there is no light hitting the sensor. (These devices are usually used to turn lights on after dark.) If we use the flicker/chandelier bulb near the sensor and put this combination in a light-tight box, the fluttering chandelier bulb will make anything pulled into the photsensor also flutter. That's all there is to it. You will need to experiment with the distance between the photo-sensor and the chandelier bulb.

A) Plug the photo-sensor into extension cord 1.

B) Screw the c7 chandelier bulb into the nightlight socket.

C) Plug the nightlight unit into the OTHER extension cord.

D) Plug both cords into a power supply (the 110v wall outlet.) 

E) Plug a third extension cord INTO the photo-sensor unit. This will be the cord that you plug the lights you wish to flicker into. Let's call this the FLICKER CORD.

F) Run the extension cords with the devices into an enclosure like a shoe box. The enclosure must be light-tight. If you will be placing this "controller" outside, make sure the box is weather-proof. We recommend keeping this controller indoors and simply running an extension cord out to your outdoor lights.  

G) Plug at least one light into the extension cord (FLICKER CORD) which is plugged into the sensor outlet so that you can adjust the flicker unit. 

H) In a relatively dark room, experiment with the distance needed between the photo-sensor and the chandelier flicker bulb.  Tape each down when optimum flickering is reached. Adjusting the distance will change how much or how little the lights stay on or off.

I) Tape down the lid on the enclosure and you're ready to rock!

This delivers a lighting trick that is used in almost every movie fire you've ever seen. The actors are lit with fluttering orange light. (Using orange color spot or flood lamps in the flicker device are common.) "Faulty" or sputtering electrical lighting is also created by running the lights into this sort of flicker device. Remember the the photo-sensor you are using can supply as MAXIMUM of 300 watts of power. If you need more juice, just make more units!

Flickering, Sputtering, Fluttering Fire Lighting to Illuminate Your Halloween Decorations and House!

Bill Lae is an award-winning visual effects artist and Halloween Haunter. As one of Hollywood's effects artists, Bill worked for all the networks using his magic touch on TV's top shows including The X-Files, Buffy, & The Outer Limits. He created BigScreamTV http://www.BigScreamTV.com a series of DVDs anyone can use to create in-home Halloween effects with a TV. He also shot a how-to DVD called X-Treme Haunted House Make-Over where he shows folks how to haunt the house for little cost. His love for Halloween started long before he came to LA. As a child he made haunted houses in his parents' basement. In LA, he began mixing easy-to-use technology (DVD players, computers, printers, lights) with other household items to "trick out" his own house every Halloween. At last count, he had 700 trick-or-treaters.

"It's my favorite holiday," Bill says. "I especially love amazing the hardened, media-savvy, teen-age critics. And it truly is the one time when everyone has the opportunity to give unconditionally-giving candy to strangers!" For more Halloween Projects: http://www.booityourself.com

How Did Halloween Begin?

It is believed that Halloween originated from a Celtic holiday known as Samhain, which was celebrated in Ireland and Scotland at harvest time for well over a thousand years. Samhain was the time of year (October 31st) when harvesting was completed and animals were brought from summer pastures to shelter for the winter months. At Samhain a large festival was celebrated, and fruits, vegetables, grain, and animals, were burned as gifts to the gods in huge bonfires in hope of a successful new year. It was believed that during the night of Samhain, that the dead could walk among the living, and that the living could ask the dead questions about the future year. Because they believed some of these spirits were evil, they wore costumes with animal heads to scare the spirits and protect themselves.

Christianity spread to the Celtic lands, and in the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV declared November 1st to be All Saints Day, otherwise known as "All Hallow's Day," hallow referring to sainted ones. All Saint's Day was to celebrate the holy saints and martyrs of Christianity. It is generally believed that this was an attempt to Christianize the popular Celtic holiday and diminish the importance of the Celtic ritual and the influence of their spiritual leaders, the druids. This is also how the day became known as All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween. All Soul's Day was similarly added in Christianity a couple hundred years later to celebrate the dead.

\"Halloween Decorations\"

Carving out turnips and lighting them goes back hundreds of years with the holiday. An Irish legend tells of a man named Jack who tricks the devil to turn into a coin and keeps him from changing back by placing the coin next to a cross. A year later, Jack dies, but is neither allowed into heaven, or hell, so he must roam the earth. The 1800's brought Halloween to the United States with the Irish immigrants. Pumpkins were carved rather than turnips because they were large and more plentiful.

How Did Halloween Begin?

How Did Halloween Begin?

Social network users, click for myspace comments such as compliments, cool comments, love, flirty, birthday, holidays, religion, funny, cute, etc. You can also use myspace graphics. If you love Halloween, click Myspace Halloween Graphics to send to your friends and add to your profile.

Why We Celebrate Holidays

Most of us celebrate holidays - Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's Day - but why?

Of course, we celebrate some holidays because of our religious beliefs. However, there are other reasons why we hold to these joyous occasions. These holidays break up the flow of the year and bind us together as families and communities.

\"Halloween Decorations\"

We celebrate holidays because we want to have fun. We want a break from our regular schedules, jobs, etc. Without holidays our weeks would run together into years of humdrum mediocrity. What is October without children ringing our doorbells asking for candy? What is November without turkey on the table and family around it? What is February with no heart-shaped boxes adorning the kitchen counter? The answer: boring months, I say.

Why We Celebrate Holidays

We also celebrate holidays because they are reasons to reconnect with family and long lost friends. Although we can make the effort to see family and close friends anytime, many people do not. Many people make holidays the times they reach out to other people. And not only is it important to us to feel the warmth of family, we enjoy holidays because they bring out a sense of community. The bright red hearts decorating department stores in February, the blinking lights strung on lamp posts in December, these help us feel connected to something larger than ourselves.

In a world where get-togethers and barbecues do not happen as much as they used to in decades past. In a world where no one borrows sugar from his or her neighbor any longer or bakes a cake when someone moves on to the block, holidays tie us together.

I urge everyone to not throw holidays to the side of the street. Get out and decorate your home at Christmastime. Surprise your spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend with a Valentine's Day gift. And definitely have fun at Halloween. Even if you do not enjoy Halloween, I guarantee the children in your neighborhood will appreciate you dressing up, putting a graveyard in your front yard and passing out candy.

Why We Celebrate Holidays

Scott Faubion is one of the owners of Halloween Hill ( http://www.halloween-hill-props.com ), an online store that sells Halloween decorations, animated Halloween props, and handmade haunt items.

Scary (But Fun) Halloween Party Games

If you have ever been to a Halloween party you know that there are traditional games in which every kid has taken part of. Bobbing for Apples has been a Halloween party games standby for a century or more. The traditional telling of ghost stories with a flashlight on your face still is a Halloween party favorite. This year try something new at your Halloween party. Break from the pack and start a new trend by playing Halloween games that are popular themed and will really give memories of fright and fun and not of boredom. You are sure to think of a few new games yourself, but after reading these ideas it might prime you to be more creative.

Fear Factor is a game show on TV that challenges contestants to do scary and disgusting feats to win a prize. This Halloween, instead of the traditional Halloween party games, have a home fear factor. If you have not seen the show, the basic idea is to perform disgusting, gross dares that will even turn the garbage man's stomach.

\"Halloween Decorations\"

The best way to start the game is to go for touch. Put some disgusting stuff in a box with a hole cut in it. Tell the kids that there is brains in the box and they have to put there hands in the box to move to the next Fear Factor Dare. In the box have a bowl of cold spaghetti smeared with tomato sauce for fake blood. When the children put there hands in the box they will feel the spaghetti but without knowing it is food, they will think it feels like brains.

Scary (But Fun) Halloween Party Games

Have other boxes around for the blind touch game. Put a couple of grapes in a box and tell the child that is the eyes of a dead pirate. In another box put is some beef liver and tell the child that it is the insides of the last child that played the game and lost. In the last bog you can take tied together shoe laces that are wet and cold and you can tell the child that they are feelings the intestines of a murdered woman. You can spin the tale to fit the age groups of the kids, but their heightened imaginations will make this one of the best Halloween party games they have ever played.

The next Fear Factor Halloween game is played with bugs or worms. Have a child sit in a chair blind folded. Tell him that you are taking out a snake out of the box. Tell him that it is a rattle snake. Shake a baby rattle next to his ear and slowly pull a rubber snake over his shoulders and across his body. There are many other gross and scary things that you can incorporate in the game.

A good idea for the end of this Halloween game is to serve gross snacks. Gummy worms and chocolate spiders are a great treat. Candy corn in chocolate pudding also makes a gross, yummy snack. With a little imagination and some creative juices flowing you can make the Halloween party games of the past a memory in only your mind and not your kids.

Scary (But Fun) Halloween Party Games

If you're looking for some ideas for fun Halloween activities or kids Halloween party games, take a look at the Get In Costume website.

You'll find a ton of great ideas for Halloween parties and activities, plus you can get a free copy of my special report "The Family Guide To Halloween Safety" at http://www.getincostume.com

Halloween Decorating Tips - Spooky Fun and a Tree for Halloween?

Halloween is a time when anyone can be a kid at heart. You can celebrate the spookiest holiday of them all to your heart's content without having to break the bank in the process. With a little thought, you can create great-looking Halloween decorations. You're limited only by your imagination.

Spooky Halloween Decorating Tips

\"Halloween Decorations\"

Halloween can be a wonderful time for decorating, since it's so different from any other holiday, and it has really taken off as a chance to let people's imaginations run wild over the past few years. Here are a few ideas for adding some spooky Halloween spirit to your home:

Halloween Decorating Tips - Spooky Fun and a Tree for Halloween?

You can easily make a very attractive display by carving holes in apples the size of votive candles and then allowing the candles to float in a large glass punch bowl, galvanized metal bucket, or tub. It can be especially effective when all the lights are dimmed.

If you're having a Halloween get-together, you can keep the punch cold by freezing water in a rubber glove and then adding it to the punch bowl. It will effectively keep the punch from getting too warm while adding a wonderfully macabre touch to your table decorations.

Another fun thing you can do to dress up your punch bowl is to add plastic spiders and other creepy crawly things to your ice cubes by simply adding them to the water when you put your ice cube trays in the refrigerator. They'll add a nice eerie touch of holiday spookiness to your Halloween party.

On the outside of your home, make sure to add plenty of dry leaves around the porch. Their crunch and dead looks will make your Halloween decorations even more convincing, lending a haunted-house look to your holiday décor.

A Tree for Halloween?

Another unusual, but effective decoration is a Halloween tree. Manufacturers turn out strings of outdoor lights for almost every holiday nowadays, so it won't be hard to find orange lights and other spooky decorations for your tree. Just check your local home improvement center or large department store. Your kids will also have a wonderful time helping to create skeletons, bats, witches, and all the other assorted characters that have a special place at Halloween time to hang on your tree. Take a standard artificial Christmas tree as your starting point and then let your imagination run wild.

If you have railings on your porch, you can also find Halloween-colored garland to thread through the rails at the same store where you found your Halloween lights for the tree. It can be especially potent when combined with your spookily decorated Halloween tree.

There's an ever increasing variety of Halloween-related decorating choices to add spookiness to your holiday décor. You can put a special welcome mat in front of your door, you can get stick-on figures for your windows, you can get motion sensitive manikins that will make scary noises and move around when someone gets too close, and you can even buy fog machines to turn your front porch into one of the spookiest places in town on Halloween night.

Your decorations don't need to be expensive, however. Even small touches like painting river rocks along your walkway orange and adding figures or phrases like "boo" can help add to the overall ambience of your Halloween decorating. If you have a tall tree branch hanging in your garden, hang a stuffed sheet "ghost" and attach it to a hidden rope. Have someone hide and pull the rope back and forth to make the ghost move.

The bottom line: have fun with it. Halloween may be thought of as a children's holiday, but it can make for some of the most fun decorating that an adult can do every year!

Halloween Decorating Tips - Spooky Fun and a Tree for Halloween?

Jeanette Fisher helps home makers have fun decorating their homes. Free holiday decorating tips [http://JoyHolidays.com]

Home Decorating Interior Design Ideas at http://JoytotheHome.com

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

Creepy Halloween Party Decorations For an Adult Halloween Party

When done right, good Halloween party decorations and props can give your adult guests genuine chills they'll remember long after the party. One of the most effective ways to give your decor more psychological impact is to choose a theme. A coherent theme helps set the mood better than a collection of random decorations.

Straight Out of a Horror Movie

\"Halloween Decorations\"

If you're a movie buff, this theme will be easy to create. Say your favorite scary movie is Psycho. Set up your entry way to look like the lobby of the Bates motel, complete with guest book. In the living room, dress up a corpse or skeleton prop as the late Mrs. Bates. And don't forget to put the remains of poor Marion Crane in the shower. With the horror movie set theme, details really help. Using the Psycho theme as an example, you might hang a lenticular changing portrait in your living room and label it "Mother."

Creepy Halloween Party Decorations For an Adult Halloween Party

Haunting Ghosts

Even those who claim they "don't believe in ghosts" still get a little spooked by seemingly paranormal activity when the mood is right. To really rock the ghost theme, don't skimp on your ghost decorations and props. Hanging bed sheets won't cut it. What you want, at least for your most visible ghosts, are specters that look like they used to be human. It's the twisted faces, pale skin and hollow eyes that really creep people out. If you have some room in your Halloween decorations budget, look into a ghost illusion prop. These project semi-transparent, 3-D figures that look disturbingly realistic. Ghost illusion DVDs will get you a similar effect cheaper.

A Night with the Devil

This is another theme that's more about chills than gore. To get the most out of this theme, set up a devil prop that's as life-like as you can find. Place him where your guests will be spending most of their time, whether that's in the living room or outside around a bonfire. To compliment your devil, pick up some ghouls and demons. Decent motion- or sound-activated animated demons can be found for less than . Hang up a few winged demons and leave standing ones lurking in dark corners. Placing one outside on a window ledge looking in also creates a nice creepy effect.

Creepy Halloween Party Decorations For an Adult Halloween Party

Once you have a theme in mind, decorating is just a matter of knowing where to get affordable, quality Halloween party decorations and how to set them up for the greatest impact. Visit HalloweenPartyDecorations.org for cheap décor and props and ideas on setting them up.