Isragirl Presents : White Noise, Vertigo Dance Company, Photo by Gadi Dagon ©

Starting July 1^st and throughout July and August, the Suzann Dellal Performing Art Center, situated at the heart of Neve Tzedek neighborhood in Tel Aviv, will host the biggest Israeli annual dance festival: Summer Dance (Blazing Dance in Hebrew) 2008: Nine (could have been so great if I could write "and a half"...) weeks of dance performances by 49 companies and solo dancers. During the hot summer festival that takes place this year for the 12^th time you'll be able to enjoy modern dance, theatrical ballet, flamenco, Mediterranean (belly) dancing and other styles of dancing.

The festival will open with the show "Turquoise and Purple" by Belly Dancing Artist, Alina Picherska. Bat Sheva dance company will perform a new cambric work by choreographer and the companies artistic director, Ohad Naharin; Rina Shinefeled and her company will perform to Leonard Cohen song, sang by famous Israeli musicians such as Shlomi Shaban, Eran Zur, Ivry Lidder, Daniel Solomon and others; Compas, the Israeli flamenco dance company will offer a new show called "With Time", that will include guest dancers from Spain; The Nir Ben Gal and Liat Dror company will perform with "Adama"; Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Polak will offer the brilliant "Oyster" that's been popping every summer for a few shows (and we are always happy about it); The Etheaiopian dance company, Beitta, will perform "Tredition and revival - Tezi and Thesis".Vertigo dance company will perform with "White Noise"; Kameaa company will perform with "The Naked Truth"; Kolben dance company  will offer "Inter Face" and the list goes on and on. Every day for 9 weeks - Almost every day a new show!!! (Some shows will run twice). Don't miss this opportunity to catch any Israeli dance company you might find interesting, this festival is a fantastic way to get exposed to Israeli culture and art, and with dance being such a universal language, your enjoyment is guaranteed.

When: July 1^st - August 31^st. Evenings and Friday afternoons.

Where: Suzann Dellal Performing Art Center.

Info and Tickets: 03-5105656 (couldn't find a program of the festival in English for you, so calling and asking what's on is the best option).

Chill out in an air-con theater and watch an uplifting dance show – Hot summer in Tel Aviv

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Floral Design I

Learn the necessary skills to lead you to employment in the floral industry. This course provides the hands-on training foundation for a working knowledge of floral design. Topics include basic geometric arrangements, simple corsage work, bows, vase designs and introduction to holiday creations with fresh flowers. Students need to bring scissors, wire cutter and needle nose pliers. Flowers provided. Class is prerequisite for Floral Design II.

Floral Design II

Now that you have gained the knowledge and expertise on basic floral designs, expand your skills and learn floral design techniques for weddings and funeral tributes. Students need to bring scissors, wire cutter and needle nose pliers. Flowers provided. Floral Design I is a prerequisite.

George Kirby has owned and operated Kirby's Flower Shop in Blacksburg, SC for ten years. Mr. Kirby is also president of Blacksburg Business Association and Blacksburg Rotary.

Holiday Flower Decorating

Whether you need to make a floral design for that certain place in your home, a centerpiece for the dining table, or decorations for holidays, this course will cover all you need to know. You will learn flower preparation, elements of design, supply needs, how to choose and blend materials, and assembly of table, door, and mantle decorations out of fresh and silk material. Students need to bring scissors to class. Other materials provided.

Known locally for fifteen years for her attention to detail, quality, and elegant floral designs, Ms. Williams owns and operates Arrangements for Engagements which specializes in special events and weddings. Ms. Williams shares her expertise in floral knowledge from floral design basics to more unique construction for holiday decorating

I found this video of Tel Aviv city bus tour on youtube and had to share it with you...I call the video "Tel Aviv gay bus tour" because the video was clearly made by someone with a goal: promoting gay tourism to Tel Aviv, and I think that the invitation at the end of the video refers to the Gay Pride Parade, usually held in June. The Original name of the video is "Suddenly I see - Tel Aviv", and the name I chose for it is just my tribute to the TLV gay community which does a lot to encourage tourism to Israel (a great number of the videos I found about Israel on Youtube were made by gays).

About Tel Aviv city bus tours: This is a two hours ride on a roofless (shining red) bus, through all the major attractions of Tel Aviv and Jaffa. You will drive by the long sandy beach of TLV, visit the old city of Jaffa, Neve Tzedek neighborhood, Rothschild blvd, the university, the Diaspora museum and Tel Aviv museum. The bus will take you to the vibrant Carmel market, to the posh shopping area of Kikar HaMedina, Dizengoff St. and Rabin's memorial.

The first tour starts at 9am near Riding Power Plant, the following tour is at 11am and after that, every hour on the hour until 4pm. On Fridays the last tour starts at 2pm. Tourists can get on or off the bus in several places and to make things easy and comfortable, the tour starts with the Tel Aviv Promenade where most big hotels are located, so tourist can hop on the bus at the entrance to their hotel.

It's a fun tour, audio guided in eight different languages, and with the pleasant Israeli weather, this is a pleasurable way to get to know the city. All you have to do is to bring your camera, sun glasses and sunscreen, grab a seat and relax - you are in for a brilliant ride through Tel Aviv.

Fun ride through Tel Aviv and Old Jaffa on a roofless tour bus - Suddenly I see Tel Aviv

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Featured links and friends’ posts » Israel Travel Guide, Burning Man Photos, Tel Aviv Travel Guide, Tel Aviv Bus Tours, Tel Aviv's Free Walking Tours, GLBT in TLV
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You really don't need to go out and buy something special!

I've had clients of mine ask if it was ok and I've always said "absolutely"! Just because your home is on the market, doesn't mean your life comes to a stand still (although it can often feel that way). If tastefully done, Christmas and holiday decor can enhance the warmth and character that make a house a home.....enabling the buyer to envision where he/she would put their tree, or how they would decorate.

As with everything else in your house during the listing period, less is more. Decorate, but don't over do it. More than anything, you want your Holiday decor to enhance your home, not overwhelm it.

Enjoy the Season!

Colleen "Fish" Fischesser, Broker/Owner

www.ColleenFish.com   www.MapleValleyRealEstate.com

"The Maple Valley Specialist!"

I also wanted to make note that we purchased our tree at Danville Farms in Kilgore, Texas.  We have the pleasure of enjoying the fruits of this farm during the summer with their wonderful peaches and choosing our tree on their tree farm.  Thanks, Danville Farms! 

Also, during lunch today I was lead to make a simple tuna fish casserole - noodles, 1/2 can cream of mushroom soup and a handful of shredded cheese.  My kids ate it up!  I asked Sammy if it was "terrificous" (a combination of terrific and delicious).  He said it was "good", so it wasn't quite the level of terrificous.  However, he did give me a "Good job, Momma."  That's good enough for me.

Tony's off slaying the crappie today at Lake of the Pines.  We'll be having fish again tonight - that will put smiles on everyone's face!

This year it seems like everyone has been trying to “go green” – homeowners are making environmentally-friendly choices on everything from cleaning products to flooring.  So it should follow that this concern for the environment carries over into our holiday decorating this year.  If your home is in need of some holiday cheer, here are some “green” ideas to brighten things up:

·        Use LED lights – using LED lights to decorate the inside and outside of your home will not only benefit the environment, it will help your wallet as well!  The lights last a whopping 50,000 hours – that means you could actually pass these lights down to your grandchildren some day!  Adding to their cost effectiveness is the fact that you will be using 90% less energy with LED bulbs – resulting in an electric bill that the Griswalds would envy.  LED lights are also safer – they don’t produce as much heat and considerably reduce the risk of fire, always a concern during the holiday season.

·        Use solar-powered decorations – the “new kid on the block” when it comes to holiday décor, these lights not only save you money on energy – they don’t use any energy at all!  Place the solar panels where they can collect light during the day, and the lights will automatically light up when it gets dark and shine for about 8 hours. 

·        Use mother nature’s decorations – forget going out to shop for decorations.  Some of the best décor can be found right in your own backyard!  Use a real Christmas tree rather than a manufactured, non-biodegradable one.  Even better, buy a young tree with roots and re-plant it after the holiday season!  A basket of pinecones make a beautiful and rustic centerpiece, and fresh pine straw can be made into a lovely and fragrant wreath to display.

 Happy tree-trimming! To learn more about Bradley Beach NJ real estate, please visit PatrickParkerHomes.com or call me at 732-775-2774.  To receive a complimentary home value analysis, please click here.

I cannot tell you how exciting it is for me to see all of these inspiring people in one place for Creative Inspiration Week! Of course, there are many more out there who are my friends and ever bit as talented and inspiring too, I just had to limit myself to a few this week. A few? Well, OK, we are cramming people in so I do hope you will scroll back a bit and catch up with my rapid firing postings. You don't want to miss anything! Did you see Charlotte Lyons in the previous post? I had to quickly move on to the next topic, so I hope you'll take time to go back for a visit and leave her a thank you for the craft idea.

My next guest is another blogger I have actually met in person! She and I had some great coffee and treats at a local coffee shop a couple of weeks ago. She was SO nice, and so generous in sharing her ideas and helpful advice on blogging and business and such. I really felt inspired after meeting with her, she is a smart lady! Do you see a pattern here? I am drawn to successful, but down-to-earth, kind people! Kind people are the best. And I am pleased to introduce you to another of those inspirational folks. Pam writes a great design blog called Housemartin. She is an amazing floral designer and is opening a home, garden & lifestyle shop this next Spring in Portland called Ink & Peat. Hooray for me, I can visit it! She has some great natural holiday decorating ideas for us that I really love, so sit back and soak in the ideas! Thanks Pam!

Welcome to all the readers at The Inspired Room and thanks to Melissa for including me!

I really had fun with the Holiday decorations this year. I tend to get a bit more romantic for Holiday decor. I seem to need a little sparkle - maybe because it gets dark at 4pm? We decided not to get a tree so I just came up with other ideas to build some vignettes in our home.

Here is the mantelpiece over our fireplace. It's a sparkly wonderland of different textures. First I set the palette of aqua and silver. I worked with evergreen branches as a base and nested simple white lights inside. It gives the house a Holiday smell without having a whole tree. On top of the mirror is a snowflake garland from Wendy Addison (a true glitter guru) for Season's of Cannon Falls.

Off on either end you can see white feather trees that I bought locally but you can get them here.

Of course, the star of the winter wonderland show was my new-found deery friend - a vintage cement garden ornament. He even dons a vintage turquoise velvet bow for the occasion.

and to add some shine and color, I used large apothecary jars filled with vintage ornaments in my color story. These were from West Elm several years ago but you can get similar ones here. This really would work with any color story - red and gold, green and gold, silver and pink for those of you with non-objecting beau's.

and here I have more of a footed fishbowl container filled with ornaments.

And now onto the dining room vignette... here I brought in more of sense of nature. It is a large tableau created from many elements. In the center is the "tree". I used 8 very tall mossy branches in a vintage tarnished metal urn. The urn adds some charm and drama.

the palette is shades of green, brown, pale aqua, gold and silver. The ornaments are a combination of vintage balls as well as new acorn and pinecone ornaments from Martha Stewart for Macy's (my sis and I kind of went nuts in there the day after Thanksgiving trying to round up our loot before the kiddies came to see Santa after the parade).

Here is a closeup of how this was constructed. The branches were all set deep into the container and decorative rocks were piled around the branches to anchor them. Then reindeer moss was added to the top of the container for color and mood.

and down below the "tree" was more evergreen branches -- these had brown berries which added texture. I also kept my Blue Hubbard squash as I felt they still fit the scene. People tend the throw pumpkins away the minute Halloween is over but I enjoy keeping them as long as possible. I have found the green and white varieties far outlast the orange and I keep them for Holiday decor. I moved the white ones to my porch!

And here is a vignette at either side of the tree. I used vintage column pedestals and built on top. I then added an apothecary jar filled with moss. I poked into it these clusters of wired glitter ferns (bought locally but available through Michael's) and added silver balls to create a vignette. Behind these are bold silver stars (again by Wendy Addison)

and a final little vignette on a side table...a mini wonderland with a vintage white deer, a sparkling tree, and acorns. It is all set atop a vintage silver bowl filled with live moss.

Cheers and thanks for coming to see it all!

All photos and decoration descriptions are copyright of Pam @ Housemartin blog. Used by permission.

Next, CLICK A FANCIFUL CRAFT! Don't miss other posts in this Creative Inspiration Week series: click here for the beginning!

I'm spreading our Holiday cheer - enjoy the pictures! :)

“It’s not every day you get to come in here and decorate,” said Sheryl Hall, a Virginia Western Community College horticulture student.  “I could never turn down an opportunity to say I decorated the governor’s mansion.”

“It’s a wonderful experience,” added Dena Parker, a student of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.  “It’s a hands-on opportunity you carry with you.”

Follow this link to view pictures of the decorating.  And this link will carry you to a television news story Roanoke's WDBJ7 did on the decorating.

Posted by Jeff Kraus

when i told a boy that i couldnt go out ....because i had to run home to hang sticks from the ceiling...

for... you know... Thanksgiving....doesn't everyone do that???

i mean ...it IS Thanksgiving...there isnt room for the sticks on the table... duh....

but i dont think he understood... actually...i dont think ANYONE i tried to explain it to... understood...

soo....here subarbabies let me show you a pic..of my sticks...

it was a nice party...

football was watched... cocktails consumed...folks were fed... (and no...the lil birdies didnt poo on the table)...

im glad its over...whew!

back to our regularly scheduled programing...

xoxo

Picture courtesy of www.BHG.com

Oh, how I love the holidays! Twinkling lights adorn my tree, stockings are hung on the mantle with care,  and beautifully wrapped presents ...yea right! Truthfully, I'm not really loving it yet, because as usual I haven't found the time to do it all! In fact, not a stocking is hung, black friday is come and gone, Cyber Monday has turned into tuesday and not a  single gift has been bought. Sound familiar? I sometimes feel that I get so caught up in what I need to do that I forget to feel the joy of the season - which is what it really all about! So, with that in mind, my 2007 motto and plan of action for the holidays is Simplify and feel the Joy! Here are my 6 tips to help simplify the holidays.

1. Less is More. It's true. When you finally bring down all those boxes from the attic, instinctively, you want to use it all. Don't. It's impossible to truly "see" through the clutter and the really special things will not be appreciated.

2. Display what you Love. If it's beautiful put it out. If it's treasured put it out. Other wise keep it in the attic. It's like decorating your home - if you empty out a room and only keep items that are meaningful and beautiful to you; you'll find that you've turned your house into a home.

3. Create a Christmas Treasure Chest. For all those items that are dear to our hearts, yet tend to clutter and clash with the beautiful things, store them in a holiday "treasure chest". Items such as children's grade school holiday art projects, Aunt Gladys' hand painted ornaments, christmas books, etc...can be placed in a storage bench, chest or colorful christmas box and be a great conversation piece during the holidays.

4. Make your list and check it twice. Before you spend hours shopping to find the perfect gift that ultimately will be returned on December 26th, consider if a gift card or cash would be better. Especially, when shopping for teenagers. Trust me, a gift card is much more appreciated than a sweater that is soooooo not in style. Just make sure it doesn't expire and that it is for a store that they really like to shop at.

5. Develop a Plan. Whenever I am really stressed, I eventually remember to breath and pull out my journal. For me, It's the easiest way to think through chaos. The problem is that when you are stressed, you continually replay everything you need to do over and over in your mind. Get it down on paper and create lists. A list for gifts, a list for christmas dinner, a to do list for each day. Then cross them off as you go. Getting it down on paper, helps to clear your mind and focus on what needs to be done. Make it a ritual and every morning (or evening before) grab a cup of tea, a beautiful journal, and write. You'll be amazed at how this simplifies even the craziest of days.

6. Journal. At the end of every day, pull out that journal and write down 3 things that you are grateful for. Sarah Ban Breathnach and Oprah shared this idea several years ago and I can personally testify that this simple act can be life changing. To this day, I am amazed at how something that takes so little time, can be so big. Try it, and you'll find that at the end of even a really horrible day, there is still something to be grateful for. If you kids are fighting, have them write or tell each other three things that they are grateful about each other. If you try only this one tip, I promise you will truly enJOY the holidays. It's the best gift you can give yourself!

Take a look around your home or office and consider your holiday plans.  Will you be entertaining large groups or will your gatherings be more intimate?  Do your seating areas need to be rearranged to accomodate your guests or additional traditional decorating items?  Is everything sparkling clean and ready to celebrate the New Year?

At this time of gift giving, why not consider donating things that you no longer need to someone who can use them now?  Those items that are sitting around your home or office collecting dust or cramming your closets could very well be just the thing to make someone else's life happier and more joyful.  At the same time you will be opening up space in your own life for new opportunities.

If you need help getting your home ready, hire a professional.  One day home makovers are a great way to get your home holiday ready quick.  Hiring a Feng Shui Consultant to assist you with your makeover will ensure your well being and goals are kept in mind by guiding you in the best placement of your items to bring you the most joy this holiday season.

Nickie Rothwell, 818-383-7502

Have you run across any holiday hazards this year or in years past? Share your stories so that others don't experience the same holiday trauma!

I replied to an e-mail from a professional organizer today and told her to breath; enjoy her kids while they were small because time flies. You can never get yesterday back. As I pushed send, I realized that I really need to take my own advice. So, I'm taking a break (and a breath) and writing this post.

I really do have a choice. I can stress about my shopping list for Thanksgiving dinner, finding time to clean my house, and finishing work deadlines or I can be thankful the fact that I have deadlines at work and am sitting here working with my best friend from grade school and following our dreams together. I can be thankful that my family will be together on Thursday for the first time in money months. I could go on and on. The point is, that the best part about taking a breath is you take the time to appreciate your life right now and realize that all things considered and inspite of struggles and hardhships; how truly blessed you are.

My mother told me on the day that I got married, to remember that when you die, people will not remember you for how clean your house was, but for the time that you spent with them. I think she is very wise.

So my advice to all of us is to take a breath (often). Look around you. Lets be thankful for the little things we take for granted every day. Don't let stress and "to do lists" deprive us of the things that are really important; making sure to enjoy the opportunity that Thanksgiving presents - a time to be with family, friends and loved ones.

Here are some beautiful (and easy) centerpieces made from things you may already have or can find outside. Who says fabulous can't be easy and inexpensive?

A simple platter or tray with colorful leaves and vines, top with assorted candles of different widths and heights for a quick and interesting centerpiece. From www.BHG.com

Line a large tray with multiple pumpkins, gourds, pine cones and leaves. Tuck in some cut flowers and add your favorite candle sticks for a beautiful and stunning arrangement. From www.BHG.com

Fill a simple vase with branches of colorful leaves, berries, or pinecones for a simple yet elegant effect. From www.marthastewart.com

A glass bowl, water, cranberries and floating candles. From www.recipetips.com

Have wonderful Thanksgiving from our families to yours!

For more information on Interior Design visit the Improve Your Home and Garden website.

A good rule of thumb is that Newsletters, e-newsletters included, should never go out before the 1^st of December. Sending these out prior to Thanksgiving will only incite panic and put you on the Grinch’s good list. Holiday cards can have the same effect, so unless you are writing a two page letter to include with your cards, I would suggest waiting till the 10^th to mail these off. This will still give everyone plenty of time to read your card and/or newsletter and respond to you. Whatever date you choose to send your mailing, keep in mind that the postal service normally takes 3-5 days to get mail to people and during the holiday rush that timeframe increases to 5-7 days. Taking this into consideration all cards and newsletters should be out prior to the 20^th of December if they are going to make it to there destination before Christmas.

There is one form of holiday greeting I have not mentioned and that is the e-card. Yes, these are easier to send and reach there recipients in a more reliable timeframe, however they are also a bit less personal and can be tacky. So unless this is your only option, I wouldn’t suggest it. The holiday season is about sharing your dreams and the magic of the season. Be yourself and send a part of yourself through your holiday card.

Time crunched? Why not delegate the mailing of your holiday cards? Holiday Assistants offers many services to meet your holiday needs including contact management, newsletter assistance, and holiday card mailing.

Warm Regards,

Kristi

Co-founder, manager

www.holidayassistants.com

kristi@holidayassistants.com

Topics in this post include:

• Apologies
• Garage Sales: The bargain hunter's dream
• Holiday Decorating
• Frugal Decorating

I apologize for not posting much in the last couple of months. Several things have happened in my life. 1) I got a new job and have had to adjust to that and 2) I started a sewing blog and have gotten caught up in that excitement. I am considering moving this blog over to combine with my sewing blog. But, for now it will reside here on Blogger. I suppose another reason I haven't posted is that I haven't done much in the way of decorating lately. My previous posts were inspired by projects I was doing around the house but with my new job, I haven't had much time to do anything.

I did go to a few garage sales back in the summer and just last weekend actually. Since we moved to a new neighborhood with a lot of other neighborhoods around it, I found out that the summer is a great time to go to garage sales. In addition, I found out that the best time to go to a garage sale is when an entire neighborhood is having a garage sale. Then, you can just hop from one sale to another without having to drive very far. The only down side is that the best time of day to go to garage sales is as early as possible. Well, I am certainly not a morning person so I am not sure that I get the best items possible but I did score an awesome vintage quilt top last weekend on my birthday. Read more about that here on my other blog. My mom has started a collection of pictures which she gets for a dollar or two at each sale. I think every time we have gone to a garage sale she has bought a picture of some sort. I scored a couple of really neat vintage/Victorian pictures at a sale back in the summer, probably July. I'll try to remember to post pictures soon. I think those are either going to go in my shabby chic room or the (future)nursery.

I finally got out the decorations for Halloween about a week before the big day. I don't have very many. I did find a neat sign that said "Trick or Treat" and had a Jack-o-Lantern guy that I hung outside by our front door. I think we bought it last year on sale at a cutesy touristy store in Fredericksburg, TX. (I had forgotten that we even had it!) I also hung our fall wreath on the door as well. That, along with the mums in different fall colors are all I did to decorate for Halloween and fall this year. I have had some trouble keeping the mums alive. (I sort of have a brown thumb.) As much as I have watered them, they still want to droop and fade. I blame it on the weather that can't make up its mind to be cold or warm. Oh well, I didn't expect them to last very long, they are annuals anyway. (My husband won't accept that answer. He just keeps watering them even though they are wilting.) I guess my point here is that it is really easy to decorate in a way that is simple yet looks pretty good. Thankfully, no one on my block decided to purchase a crazy inflatable pumpkin or ghost this year. We did enjoy the trick-or-treaters visiting last night though. It was our first year to actually turn the light on and pass out candy. We came to one realization, the parents with the kids had the better end of the deal. They didn't have to continuously run to the door. They just went along and some even dressed up and expected candy! OK, sorry that is off the subject.

I will try to be better about posting to this blog (especially if I move it over to link with my wordpress blog, it will be easier to post to). I do have several more ideas about decorating on a budget. This is sort of a challenge for me because I have rather expensive taste but I like to see how I can "borrow" ideas in a less expensive way. I found a great website for that yesterday called the the Frugal Hack. This post in particular is exactly what I am talking about. Check it out! I will be adding more websites such as this to my blog roll very soon. Until Next Time.

Happy Frugal Decorating,

Anna L.

Still working on my holiday photos...I ate a lot of powdered sugar donuts today. You know, when you are working on a display you want to make sure that things taste just right. For the photo. That and you don't have time to fix anything better. And what is better than a powdered sugar donut, anyways? It helps the photos to look less staged, too, with all of those crumbs all over the tablecloth.

The little things in the star dish above are not donuts, though. You wouldn't want to eat those. They are shells. Aren't they pretty?

So between Bing Crosby and my donuts, I am making some progress. You can't get into the holiday spirit without Bing.

I will be back with more photos tomorrow (I will show you a several a week for the next few months!) and we can start talking about how to scent our homes for everyday and the holidays. I'm counting on all of you to pitch in on this one. Start thinking now (but don't post it yet, we want to do it all on ONE post!) about your favorite home scents, favorite candles (brands and scents) or methods to scent the house, favorite laundry soaps, cleaning products, non-allergenic ways to scent the home (or keep it from smelling at all), things you bake or boil to get things smelling nice, tips, tricks, whatever! As long as it helps your home to smell good and not bad, we are going to list it all! Then when we need to know what the best smelling candles are, the best smelling laundry soaps, non-allergenic products, or potions to boil on the stove to scent the air, we will have to look no further than our own resident blog readers and all of their informative comments.

You're the best! I really appreciate all of your comments and emails. Thanks to each one of you who has stopped in! You are always welcome here.