By request, I'm including a popular little item from last year-the Love Struck Glitter Tickets. Fun for decorations, attached to gifts-get creative with ways to use them!

There's nothing like fresh flowers. They are mood lifters and room brighteners. Unfortunately, using real flowers isn't always possible or practical. When this is the case, "silks" can be used for nearly the same effect.

Artificial flowers and plant material have come a long way in just the past few years. They are more realistic looking and feeling and can be used in more ways than ever. The prices have changed too, so choosing, using and caring for them is important if you want the most versatility and longevity for your investment.

As with any accessories, considering your style and decor when selecting floral material is your first step. Contemporary decor would usually call for a different feel than traditional decor, but as in many cases, there are exceptions. Special occasions or holidays are times that could require a look that supports a certain theme.

Considering your needs and options, examine your arrangements. Rigid, overblown or over-large florals are dated. The trend toward a loosely constructed look continues. You may be able to refresh a favorite arrangement by removing unnecessary fillers to make it more open and cleaning it by using compressed air/silk floral cleaners. Sometimes it's just best to start with fresh materials.

Take stock of your containers. Do you have a collection that would fill the needs you may have for everyday, entertaining or special occasion use? If the answer is no, now is the time to weed out what will never be used and what will seldom, if ever, be used in your home. If it hasn't been used in 3-5 years, chances are it will never be used. Re-gift, re-purpose, or otherwise recycle by donating the piece.

(I'll talk about re-purposing these next month.)

Examine your floral materials. Throw out material that is beyond cleaning or repair. Anything that is not your style should go in a box to be donated. What's left can be sorted into categories such as filler, (leafy stems and grasses), floral stems, berries, branches, "bushes", (a cluster of one type of flower or a cluster of plant material), picks or other accents.

Check the condition of supplies such as floral wire, foam bases and floral tape. Both foam and tape can age, making them nearly useless.

Now that you know what you have, make a list of occasions you will or may want floral accents. List the containers you may use or other items in your home that may be used as bases for arrangements. Make a list of the plant materials and flowers you would like to use including colors, shapes, sizes and textures.

Shop the craft and floral supply stores and become familiar with the quality and price of their assortments before purchasing anything. Quality can vary among identical-looking florals. Stores can change suppliers due to better pricing and the new and old stock may be mixed together. Ask about return policy on florals in case you purchase too much or other reasons. Don't assume that any purchase may be returned for a full refund.

Spring flowers are already filling the stores and sales will be advertised regularly. Being a smart and prepared shopper will help ensure that the additions to your floral collection will give you the opportunity to be spontaneous and creative when the need occurs.

The grouping of large cabbage roses shown incorporates the honeysuckle color I wrote about last month. The blooms, though traditionally thought as old fashioned, can be at home in any decor depending on the arrangement and can be used throughout the year in a number of seasonal applications. Find them at Pier 1 or click on the link below for more information.

Revive your holiday container or votive-type candles. Grouped as a set or used as part of an arrangement with other accessories, they can be versatile additions to your Valentines Day and other holiday decoration collection.

Embellishing plain candle cups with charms or jewelry pieces is simple. Brooches, pendants, clip earrings and even tie tacks can be attached to ribbon and tied onto the container, making them easy to change for the season or occasion. Christmas cherubs can easily transition to Valentine Cupids. Remove and add symbols for the next celebration.

Lux makes an assortment of embellished candles for different occasions and decor in various sizes. The unusual Mardi Gras set is shown. Check out other assortments by clicking below.

Take the mess, frustration and danger out of lighting your candles and fireplaces with the right kind of lighter. Bic, known for its lighters, makes several styles for tapers, container candles, fireplaces and grills. The style shown, called the Lumiere, is perfect for votives and container candles such as the ones shown above.

Click on the link below for a coupon for your next lighter purchase.

If you have been shopping for vanities and bathroom cabinets, you know how costly they can be. Using stock cabinets and waiting for sales can help trim costs. Repurposing may also be an alternative.

You may have seen old armoires turned into entertainment units, bars and desks, but have you seen them transformed into vanities complete with sinks and mirrors? Years ago, Christopher Lowell featured an armoire conversion on one of his shows. It was truly an amazing redesign.

An armoire vanity may be the perfect solution for a guest bedroom that shares a bath, especially if you just happen to have an armoire or entertainment piece that needs to be repurposed.

Though this idea may not fit your particular need or style, it may help you see the possibilities in repurposing other furnishings like dressers, chifferobes, desks and more.

For an example, please click on the link below for more on the manufactured armoire vanity shown.

I have a friend who throws an amazing Mardi Gras Party every year with some of the best decorations and music to make her home feel like a little bit of New Orleans in the midst Northern Virginia.

One key to the success of her decorations and the feel of the rooms is in the selection and restraint she has used over the years. She has framed prints like a street seen showing a typical building along Bourbon Street with its wrought iron balcony. It harmonizes with her decor and is displayed all year. It doesn't scream Mardi Gras and is simply part of the cohesive blend of furnishings in the room. When party time comes, the impact of the artwork is enhanced when masks, beads and other accessories are arranged throughout the rooms.

Being selective when deciding what decorations you will use or collect is another key. Just as you would when selecting regular home decor, think about the look and feel that you want to create for your parties. free-wheeling blow out calls for a different backdrop than an atmospheric soiree, a costume party or a more casual gathering.

Collecting things while keeping this in mind as well as how you will store items after the party makes it easier on you-and your budget. Like my friend who enjoys some of her collection all year, you can make the same choices and/or repurpose your party decorations so that you too can enjoy your collection-without looking like a party store all year. Unless that is your style!

Tile

The word brings to mind beautiful colors, patterns and textures. It also seems to create anxiety and fear in many homeowners-the anxiety over finding the right tile in the sea of choices and the fear of making a mistake.

There are so many ways to narrow the field of choices and they all depend on your need, your budget, your tastes and maintenance. All will be factors and not to consider them may invite frustration and problems.

Allow yourself time. That means enough time to see your options, place an order and have it installed.

Don't rush into decisions only to find a tile that is better the day after you place an order. (It has been known to happen.) Don't settle for the same reason. If you don't find something you like, take a break and then go back to looking. Sometimes you just need a bit of time to rethink your options.

Take the time to get help if needed. I can help narrow down your choices so that you get a good color and texture flow through the space, but I still recommend that you live with a sample of your choices for a bit to see how you like them. Many tile companies have policies to allow you or your designer to borrow a sample or you may be able to order a piece to see how it looks in your home.

Get exact measurements. A good installer will be able to measure for the size and type of tile you're considering and give you a proposal. The cost of installing should take into consideration waste for pattern layout, edging and possible breakage.

Ask questions of the tile showroom and your installer so that you know what the work will entail. Glass tile installation should be done by an installer who has experience with the material. Not all installers have the skill.

If you are ordering something that's not in stock, allow enough time for your order to come in. Shipping delays can happen for common and not so common reasons-remember last year's volcano eruption in Iceland?

Allow enough time for you to schedule your installer. Make arrangements well in advance but don't set the schedule until the tile has arrived and you have had a chance to inspect it.

For more tile tips, click on the link below from the World Floor Covering Association

Have you been promising yourself that you are going to make decorating changes in your home but Planning Paralysis has stopped you? Did you know that even small redesign changes in your rooms can make an amazing difference quickly, easily and affordably?

Interior Redesigns aren't always about re-doing entire rooms and they aren't major upheavals in a household. Often during consultations I show how effective quick changes can be. The result is easy to live with changes that can jump-start your decorating projects.

Are you ready for a redesign? Contact me and we can talk about your ideas and needs.