Spring Cleaning - Clean Your House, Green Your Life

The first official day of Spring was March 20th and for a good chunk of the south it was cold and SNOWING! So the first day of Spring has come and gone in a very cold, white blur but it's not too late to start the infamous (and ever dreaded) Spring Cleaning. Spring cleaning is all about starting fresh; out with the old and in with the new. Why not try helping the environment too? Cleaning doesn't have to be about harsh chemicals and spending lots of money of new and improved cleaning products. I've scoured the web and asked around for some of the best tips on how to "Go Green" during your annual rituals.





First things first. Here's a few ideas on some great, eco-friendly DIY cleaning products.
No Streak Glass Cleaner
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

dissolved into 1 quart warm water
Powerful but Friendly Mildew Remover
dissolve 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup Borax into water
Scuff Remover
As simple as using a pencil eraser
DIY Furniture Polish
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar or lemon juice
Few drops of jojoba oil or olive oil
Essential oil for scent (optional)
Good for Anything and Everything
Vinegar and Baking Soda
- Make pastes and distilled sprays for grout cleaning and any other scrubbing and spraying needed.





During my search I found hundreds of websites for environmentally friendly stain removers, cleaners, detergents and anything else you could possibly need to clean your house with little to no impact on the outside world.


I also found quite a few interesting tid-bits on a few small steps you can make inside your home to help better the planet. Here's just a few I found interesting.

• As few as 15 houseplants in an average size home can offer significant reduction in the number of indoor contaminants in your home.


• If a quarter of the households in the US replaced one incandescent with one CFL, it would save as much CO2 as planting 257,215 acres of forest.


• 50% of the average households energy consumption goes to heating and cooling your home. Make sure to seal all edges and cracks with caulk and weatherstripping when possible. You can also hang curtains and drapes to limit heat gains in the summer and losses in the winter.

Spring is a great time to get a fresh start by cleaning and organizing but harsh chemical cleaners and waste can reek havoc on our already fragile environment. So for this years Spring cleaning festivities take a moment to better the environment while restoring your home to its sparkly clean potential. And as always check out http://www.interiormall.com/ for eco-friendly fabrics, wallpapers, rugs, curtain rods and accessories and more.

Are You Bagged Out?

Does this look like the top of your pantry? This is actual documentation of the top of my pantry. I love having these sacks to grab for a quick lunch sack or picnic basket. They work great when we go to the lake to hold wet bathing suits and clothes too. I don't love, however, having the top of my pantry looking like the Marshmallow Man off Ghostbusters threw up!

We're always looking for great, creative ways to clean up and clean out and since this one hit so close to home I thought I should share with all of you loyal blog readers. Martha Stewart had an article out recently about how to make an adorable bag holder in just a few simple steps.

Tools and Materials:

15-inch-wide dish towel (ours has a 1/2-inch hem)

Pins and scissors10-inch strip of 3/4-inch twill tape

7 1/2-inch strip of 1/4-inch elastic;1 1/2-inch safety pin

Plastic Bag Organizer How-To:

Fold dish towel in half lengthwise, wrong side out; pin along the edge that's opposite the fold. Pin twill-tape ends to one open end to form hanger.

Sew a seam 7 inches from the folded edge to make a tube. Stitch twill tape in place.

1. Twill tape hanger

2. Folded edge

3. New seam

Thread elastic through the towel's existing hem: Snip one small slit in the towel's hem (shown, right). Flip tube over and repeat, making a second slit. Tie a large knot at one end of elastic; attach safety pin to other end. Slide safety pin through 1 slit, and ease through hem and out other slit. Tie elastic ends to gather. Turn bag right side out.

4. Snip line

To see the whole article

http://www.marthastewart.com/goodthings/pretty-plastic-bag-organizer?xsc=eml_org_2010_03_06

And for more great ideas that we love from Martha Stewart visit

http://www.marthastewart.com/

The Mother of all Months!

This month is full of holidays, time changes, season changes and most famous of all, my birthday!

Here's some notable notes for this month.

March 8th: Today is Commonwealth Day if you're reading this in Canada

March 14th: Daylight Savings Time Begins - Don't Forget to "Spring Forward"

March 17th: Show off your Irish side today on St. Patrick's Day

March 20th: First Day of Spring! - Start planting those gardens now

March 29th: Full Moon

March 30th: First Day of Passover

And all month long is a little thing we like to call MARCH MADNESS!! All Basketball all the time!

(Side note - March 12th: My Birthday, I accept cold hard cash and shoes!)

One of the lesser known holidays this month is National Quilting Day. Started in 1991 by the National Quilting Association, March 20th is the date for this years National Quilting Day. Grab your old scraps of fabric or start fresh with some of our craft fabrics. Either way, its high time to start quilting!

You don't have to be a pro to make a great looking quilt. We even have fabrics that are already quilted for you! Our Build-A-Quilt fabrics are pre-made quilted fabric panels which give you a custom look without the custom effort (just like the one shown here). For downloadable patterns for every skill type follow this link: http://nqaquilts.org/. The National Quilting Association can get you started with lots of great ideas and how-tos.

And don't forget, http://www.interiormall.com/ always has you covered no matter what holiday you are celebrating. Our Holiday page offers gift ideas, fabrics, table settings and more. We also have all your favorite college basketball fabrics no matter who you root for. Check us out for new products, added daily!

Light Up Your New Year

Interior Mall has some great new products going up everyday at http://www.interiormall.com/. Carrie and I have been scouring through catalogs and websites for only the coolest, newest products for our site. We've been really lucky to have come across a couple great companies. We'd like to go ahead and "spotlight" some of the brand new lighting we've been putting up the past few weeks. Here's some "bright ideas" for "lighting up" your home... I could go on all day.

I've been working on a great company, Kenroy Home. For over 50 years, the Kenroy brand has been synonymous with refined design, quality and value. Kenroy Home design and lighting professionals seek regional and global inspiration, as a prelude to the creation of innovative and custom product ideas. Kenroy has a wide selection of fountains, home accents, mirrors and lighting. We especially like their line of vanity and bathroom lighting seen here.

I've also been busy with another company with great design, Jubilee Lighting. Jubilee offers traditional and contemporary designs with their own unique flair. Chandeliers with flying butterflies and lamp shades that look like designer hats, to name just a few. These lamps and chandeliers are great for multiple rooms in any house, from a formal sitting room or dining room to a nursery or play room. This beautiful lighting line fits into any room and into any budget.

Carrie's been hard at work on lighting as well, spending this entire week on Laura Ashley's newest collections. Laura Ashley, one of the world's best-loved fashion and home furnishings companies is now being carried by us at http://www.interiormall.com/. Everything from floor lamps, to chandeliers, table lamps and even children's lighting. Laura Ashley is classic design for today's home. (and don't forget about all our Laura Ashley Bedding and Laura Ashley Fabrics as well!)

We've also been putting up quite a few new lampshades. Lampshades are a great, inexpensive way to jazz up the look of an old lamp. Our lampshades come in a variety of sizes, shades, colors and styles. Whether you are looking for a beaded chandelier shade or a ruffled table shade we've got you covered.

And don't forget about our classics like Dale Tiffany, Meyda Tiffany and our Collegiate Lighting section as well. Thousands of lamps, chandeliers, nightlights, children's lighting and shades to choose from at http://www.interiormall.com/.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Since we prefer not to be here at work at midnight tonight, we'd like to wish all our wonderful fans, customers and manufacturers a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

See ya next year!!

Merry Christmas!

According to NORAD, Santa has just dropped off to Kolkata, India and is on his way to Dhaka, Bangladesh. All of us here in Arkansas are hoping he'll bring us a white Christmas and possibly those cute new boots I saw the other day. While we all wait with anticipation for Santa to climb down our chimney (or front door or air vent, wherever he comes in at your house), we'd like to take a moment to thank you.

Thank you to all of our wonderful customers this year. Because of you we are still here, doing well and serving your design needs. Thank you to everyone who reads our blogs and to anyone who has ever been nice enough to take time to respond.

Thank you to all our great manufacturers who continually provide exceptional service to us. Our manufacturers know us by name and are always there to help in anyway they can whether it be to ship out a package in a ridiculously short amount of time or to locate that fabric that no one else can find. Everyday, our manufacturers perform miracles for us.

We hope each and every one of you takes time this Holiday season to thank those close to you. We hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas.

From Shelly, David, Pam, Stephanie, Crystal, Melissa, Miguel, Tracey, Bruce, Tammy, Mikel, Renee, Jodi, Shanna, Carrie and myself, Rachel, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful, prosperous New Year!

Robert Allen Color Stories

Robert Allen has put together some FABULOUS color stories in their new Design Studio!

Check these out!

Robert Allen Color Stories

Here is a sneak peek!

Selecting the right upholstery fabric

Kravet Fabrics is one of the oldest textile houses around. They have classic lines, as well as contemporary - and everything in between!

They have a WONDERFUL blog with some great information!

This post on selecting the right upholstery fabric is a FABULOUS post! Check it out!!

http://kravet.typepad.com/inspiredtalk/2009/12/selecting-fabric-for-upholstery.html

Meet the Staff: Tracy

It has been a while for Meet the Staff. Since we last posted on an employee we have had a couple of staffers come and go. For the next few weeks I will be introducing everyone to our 3 newest employees.
This week - Tracy. She has been working at the Interior Mall showroom since September and while we hated to see Cady go, we are so pleased and thankful to have Tracy with us taking over things. The showroom looks fantastic and if you are ever in the area stop in and check it out and say "Hello" to Tracy.
Carrie: What do you enjoy most about your job?

Tracy: Creative juices can flow!!!

Carrie: How would you describe your personal interior design taste?
Tracy: Transitional with LOTS of whimsy!

Carrie: What's been your most fulfulling job experience since working for Interior Mall?
Tracy: Drapery Design

Carrie: How do you spend your time outside of work?
Tracy: Thinking about drapery design (I wake up in the night with ideas)...I spend lots of time sewing. I see and gather inspiration everywhere I go...when shopping or driving...its like my mind is in constant design mode...can't turn it off!! But, I do love spending time with my family....that's what I enjoy most outside my job.

Carrie: What item from the InteriorMall.com website would you like to add to your wish list?
Tracy: Anything from Jene's Unique Design, Inc.!!!! Probably the green glass candle holders we sell in the showroom are my favorite!

Pantone's 2010 Color of the Year!

Pantone is pleased to announce PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise, an inviting, luminous hue, as the Color of the Year for 2010. Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise inspires thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a comforting escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing.

“In many cultures, Turquoise occupies a very special position in the world of color,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “It is believed to be a protective talisman, a color of deep compassion and healing, and ajj color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky. Through years of color word-association studies, we also find that Turquoise represents an escape to many – taking them to a tropical paradise that is pleasant and inviting, even if only a fantasy.”

Whether envisioned as a tranquil ocean surrounding a tropical island or a protective stone warding off evil spirits, Turquoise is a color that most people respond to positively. It is universally flattering, has appeal for men and women, and translates easily to fashion and interiors. With both warm and cool undertones, Turquoise pairs nicely with any other color in the spectrum. Turquoise adds a splash of excitement to neutrals and browns, complements reds and pinks, creates a classic maritime look with deep blues, livens up all other greens, and is especially trend-setting with yellow-greens.

And be sure to check out all the great turquoise home decor items available at www.InteriorMall.com