‘So many of us work really hard on our flower gardens and unfortunately those tender blossoms just don’t last all that long,’ says Keith Winkler, design expert at Replacements, Ltd., billed as the world’s largest supplier of old and new china, crystal, silver and collectibles. ‘Whether you have large flower beds or just a window box, it’s very easy to let nature be your guide and take advantage of the vibrant seasonal colors and textures by adding flowers and other greenery to your dinner table.’

Think fresh

Summer decorating can go way beyond simply picking a bouquet for your favorite vase. Winkler says with a little creativity you can come up with ideas as fresh as your summer flowers. Start by looking for the beautiful things blooming in your yard and work those into your table setting.

‘You can easily incorporate pieces of your china pattern as well by filling a soup tureen or other large serving pieces with water and floating fragrant blossoms such as gardenias, magnolias or peonies,’ Winkler says. ‘This will create great ambiance by filling your house with a lovely summer smell.’

Another suggestion is to tie cut flowers to colorful fabric napkins with ribbon or twine, or even wrapping running vines like ivy, jasmine or honeysuckle around candle sticks. You can also fill unused tea cups or crystal pieces with colorful blossoms to use at each individual place setting, or arrange candles and flowers on cake stands to use as table centerpieces or in any room of your home. If you live near a lake or the ocean, use sand, shells, driftwood or other materials found along the water’s edge.

Go green

Leaves, fern fronds and other greenery also make great accents. Winkler says another quick summer decorating trick is to take a pretty variegated leaf from a plant such as a hosta and lay it flat on a dinner plate, then place a clear glass luncheon or salad plate over the leaf to place food on. You can use various colored plates, leaves or flowers to create different looks for each guest.

Head outdoors

Why stay inside when you can go directly to Mother Nature?

‘So many people are trapped in the mindset that fine china should only be used for formal meals around the dining room table,’ says Jill Slatter, Replacements’ etiquette expert. ‘That’s just so limiting. You can have fantastic alfresco entertaining such as a beautiful dinner at sunset or under the stars simply by using ‘your good stuff’ outdoors.’

Slatter suggests even using nature as a theme for summer dinner parties. She says you can find thousands of patterns inspired by nature, or add to your own from the company’s inventory of more than 13 million pieces.

Don’t know the pattern name? Take advantage of the Replacements’ free pattern identification service. You can find more decorating tips at Replacements.com.

We love to light the citronella tiki torches and sit by the lake after the bar-b-que, kayaking, and fishing and enjoy the campfire (if  cool enough) and the singing to our friends guitar.  Our friend’s love to be outdoors in the spring, summer, and autumn.  What a great, fun way to entertain.

 
 The 2010 Games and the Host City-Lexington, KY
 
 
The podcast of the June Community Forum for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games is now available online. Listen here to learn more about the progress of the World Games 2010 Foundation and the plans for downtown Lexington.   
 
The Panel included Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry and Krista Greathouse, the WEG liaison from the city, as well as Jamie Link, Foundation CEO, and Mary Wathen, Foundation Director of Community Relations and Protocol.
 
 
Lexington community members, business owners, and reporters all posted questions to the panel. Topics discussed included transportation of horses, athletes and spectators, progress on Games and Spotlight Lexington projects; and the overall impact the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will leave on Kentucky. Everyone on the panel agreed the Games provide an unprecedented opportunity to promote the city and encourage visitors to return.

 
Lastly, the panel discussed the official Trade Show of the Games, located on the Kentucky Horse Park during the 16 days of competition. Link reported that more than 170 vendors have already reserved booth spaces and the Foundation is actively seeking to fill 300 spaces within the Trade Show venue.
 
The World Games 2010 Foundation would like to thank Tom Martin of Business Lexington for monitoring the forum. In addition, the Foundation would like to thank Horse Radio Network and Glenn Herbert for producing the podcast.
Read more at www.alltechfeigames.com

If you would like to rent a home during the games in Lexington, KY, please contact me at the email address below.

Because people are spending more time around their homes, there is a renewed emphasis on the health, maintenance and vitality of grass, trees, flowers, shrubs and other plants and natural areas in the yard. Rising sales at garden centers for items like shrubbery, decorative accessories, fertilizers and pesticides show that consumers are creating inviting, usable lawn and landscape environments.

The benefits of healthy lawns and landscapes are numerous. Trees, shrubbery and plants can create a private and tranquil personal retreat. Well-maintained green spaces have been proven to lower blood pressure, reduce muscle tension related to stress, and reduce feelings of fear, anger and aggression. Lush lawns act as a soft cushion for play areas, remove dust, dirt and allergens from the air, and can significantly decrease carbon dioxide levels. Lawns also act as a filter to help improve water quality by reducing erosion and absorbing runoff so it doesn’t find its way into the gutter and eventually into public drinking water and other sources.

‘When healthy and functioning at their best, lawns and natural areas provide a limitless array of benefits for individuals, communities and the environment,’ says Allen James, president of RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) — a national organization representing the manufacturers, formulators and distributors of pesticide and fertilizer products. ‘To reach their full potential and keep them free from harmful pests, many lawns and landscapes require the judicious and responsible use of fertilizer and pesticide products. Especially as people are spending more time in their yards, using these products as directed to grow healthy plants and protect against potential pest threats is increasingly important.’

While this is the time of year when people can enjoy their lawns and other outdoor settings with pets, family and friends, it is also important to remember that encounters with certain common pests are more frequent during warmer weather. Tick activity and the prevalence of Lyme disease, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is especially high during summer months. According to information from the CDC Web site, approximately 75 percent of all reported cases are acquired from ticks picked up during activities in back yards and around home. Lyme disease is an increasingly common problem, now documented in 49 states as well as parts of Canada, Europe and Asia, and the number of positive cases here in the United States is on the rise. In the 15 year span from 1992 to 2007, CDC reports of Lyme disease across the nation have steadily increased from approximately 10,000 cases per year to more than 27,000 cases nationally.

Though Lyme disease and similar pest-related health risks are a problem, paying attention and taking a few simple, preventative steps can help homeowners and their families reduce the risk of these pest dangers that affect millions of Americans each year.

‘Human health conditions like Lyme disease, West Nile virus and others are spread and transmitted through the bites of ticks, mosquitoes and other pests we encounter in our backyards almost every day,’ James says. ‘Taking the time to eliminate high grass, standing water and other potential pest habitats is a very simple, very effective measure for reducing the prevalence of these unwelcome and unhealthy annoyances.

‘Also, insecticide sprays can be applied to turf, plantings and natural areas,’ he adds. ‘As for personal protection, applying insect repellents and inspecting ourselves and our children regularly and thoroughly after having been outside are some simple precautions that go a long way toward preventing many of these common, but serious health risks.’

By taking the proper precautions and a few easy steps to maintain a healthy, vibrant and pest-free yard, it is easy to create an enjoyable, usable backyard oasis for outdoor fun all year long.

 Advantages Move-Up Buyers Have in a Down Market

The warm weather, longer daylight hours, and blooming tree buds can mean only one thing: summer has finally arrived. Now, with winter behind us, it’s the perfect time to head outdoors and freshen up the yard. Beautify your landscape with these easy tips:

Add a “Recession Garden” - An estimated 43 million people are expected to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs and berries this year. Growing your own produce can save your family a large amount of money on groceries each year, and some say that fresh, homegrown fruits and veggies taste better than those purchased at the store.

Befriend the Birds - Consider including a birdhouse, birdfeeder or birdbath in your landscape this summer. Not only will it lead beautiful wildlife to your yard, but it will also serve as a nice decoration. If you’re on a budget this year, you can easily make a homemade birdfeeder by rolling a pinecone in peanut butter and birdseed.

Plant a Family Tree - Enrich your family ties (and your soil) with a tree that the whole family can plant together. Apple trees and mulberry trees look great in the yard and provide a shady spot for relatives and friends. Try planting one of these trees to commemorate your household’s next special occasion, like a birth or a wedding.

Tackle Yard Work With Ease - With all the lifting, hauling and digging, yard work can be a heavy load to bear. The wheelbarrow is a great tool as it helps lighten the burden for homeowners, as more weight is distributed to the wheels, instead of the user.

Take the Natural Approach - If you’re looking for an alternative to pesticide, consider planting some natural repellants to keep insects at bay. For example, mint can be used to ward off ants, and garlic can do the same for Japanese beetles. These additions will blend in nicely when planted among the flowers and vegetables in your garden, and they’ll also provide lots of flavor to spring and summer recipes.

Previously, first time buyers would not be receiving their $8000 credit until filing their tax returns, until now.   The Federal Housing Administration just announced that they would allow lenders to use the first time buyer credit as a portion or all of a buyers down payment at the closing table.

Shaun Donovan, secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development addressed a group of Realtors at the NAR mid year meeting and had some other positive things to speak about.  “Since January we’ve seen both home sales moving up and down around a relatively stable number and we are seeing the first signs that the rapid decline in home prices is starting to abate.”  He also commented that the overall market was beginning to stabilize.

This is great news, both as a first time homebuyer, and as a seller looking to sell and move up.  The first time market will continue to purchase, thus allowing the buy up seller to spend in a higher price point.  To read the full story, click here.

To find out if you qualify for the first time buyer tax credit, or to help with pricing your home for a quick sell, contact us today at maryanne@maryannesimmons.com    or   kkarls@atproperties.com  .

My husband says I am the most positive person he has ever known, and many say I am an eternal optimist.

Well maybe I am-and i love it.  It beats the heck out of the opposite attitude.

Okay, so our whole Team (ChicagoLand Team  Karls and MaryAnne Simmons TEAM Real Estate) posted  on our blogs on Feb. 09, 2009 .about this seasoned 30 yr. economist predicting a market turnaround by May 15th, 2009.

I LIKE it and I am going to post it again, and I AM believing it !!!!!  What about you ??

Here it is -AGAIN !!!!

  Well according to seasoned economist James F. Smith, at Parsec Financial, we should be looking at better days coming this Spring.  His predictions are that the housing market will be the first to rebound (which should get a nice shot in the arm once the new $15000 homebuyer stimulus credit is finalized), and then the vehicle market, followed by consumer confidence and small businesses.

Smith is attributing the doom and gloom attitude to the “herd instinct.”  He suggests that the trillions of dollars on the market sidelines, pent up consumer demand, and the likely stimulus package that Obama is pushing for will pull the economy out of this supposed recession by May 15th.  With 30 plus years experience and a strong track record, he could be on to something here.

If we really are creatures of habit, lets join his herd and get excited.  This market will be booming again by mid-May.  To see the full story in the Chicago Tribune click here.   If you have questions about the housing market, or are looking to buy or sell a home, please don’t wait.  Contact us today at:

www.kjPremier.com   or  www.PremierRealEstateAndHomeServices.com 

maryanne@maryannesimmons.com  or   kkarls@atproperties.com

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