4th of July Party Tips and Products #OrientalTrading

This review is based strictly on my opinion. Others may have a different opinion or experience with the product listed above. I was provided the sample free of charge by the company or PR agency and I provided my honest opinion. No other type of compensation was received for this review.

4th of July Party with Oriental Trading

 With 4th of July just around the corner,  you’re probably thinking fireworks and barbecues!  Today I’m sharing some products and ideas to help you decorate for party and give your backyard barbecue a real patriotic feel.  I received a great assortment of products from Oriental Trading.  Although you may think of the company as the place to buy favors, banners, games, and paper plates for your party, as you browse their selections, you will actually find a great assortment of high quality home decor such as wreaths, table center pieces, and even wall signs and glass platters.

 Here’s a quick list of the items I got:

I just love this stuff!  I’m especially impressed with the high quality of the items I received, as well as the colors and overall look.  Everything is such a great value, and there are a number of things to fit various personal styles and needs.  Even if you are not having a party and just want a few patriotic pieces to put out in your house to decorate for the summer months, Oriental Trading has some great finds.

Take a closer look at some of the items I received, and you will see just how easy it is to turn your back yard into a festive place for the upcoming holiday.

4th of July Table

Table Decor Made Easy! You don’t have to spend a lot of money to create a festive table. If you set your table ahead of time with your plates, napkins, and cups, then your table will look festive already without adding anything else.  Oriental Trading has a great party pack that includes invites, plates, napkins, and cups for 4th of July, and they look great!

For a little extra decor, you can buy inexpensive party favors.  I got a few fans on this table, which are perfect for the adult table, and Oriental Trading has tons of great kid’s party favors that would be suitable to place on tables.  (Hint: For summer parties, consider adding party favors to the children’s table, such as sunglasses, visors, bubbles, frisbees, or other outdoor toys.  These can often be bought in packages of 10-12.)

4th of July Party Table

As for additional decor, a great centerpiece can go a long way.  This utensil basket made a very festive centerpiece.  And I’ve surrounded it here with out patriotic looking dishes.  These are of a super great quality!  For the perfect pre-party decor, you can place your dishes on the table ahead of time. Then just before the party, place the food in your bowls and trays for the ultimate party table!

Kool-Aid Drink Cart 2

Easy Drink Bar!  If you don’t have a bar, you can still have a festive drink area.  Just use a small table or cart.  A festive table-cloth, fabric piece, or banner, will really dress up your table.  Then just add you a bowl of ice, drinks, cups, other essentials, and perhaps one or two pieces of table decor.

4th of July Basket

Home Decor Made Easy! To make your home a little more patriotic, Oriental Trading has some really cute items.  As you can see, the basket makes another appearance here.  I’ve placed this on top of a cabinet in my kitchen,  along with these super cute metal stars, and some star/berry garland that I already had on hand.  Again, here you only need a few items to add a little color to a shelf or cabinet area.

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And I, of course, LOVE wreaths!  This wreath is a smaller size than a lot of others that I have, but I looks great, and I love the festive color, as well as the texture of it.

We Love America

Last but not least, you can adorn your front porch and garden area with a cute sign such as the one above.  The metal stick is included, and the flag is super cute! And to add more color to your porch, Oriental Trading has a great selection of banners and window decor.

Do you decorate in the summer? Please leave me a comment telling us your favorite summer decor trend!

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Living Room Makeover with SureFit

Surefit Makeover

Today I am excited to share a very easy, yet beautiful (if I do say so myself) living room makeover!  I recently received got a slipcover for my couch from the great folks at Sure Fit, and I am so happy with the transformation.  I purchased a slipcover for my recliner a year or so ago, and so I’ve been wanting to get a matching slipcover for the couch.

Let’s start with the chair.  As I said, I bought this from Sure Fit a while back, and it still looks pretty great, and then I just purchased this new throw pillow, just to add a little color and style: [Read more…]

Blue & Brown Decor Inspiration from Kalaty.com

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kalaty Rug Corp for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

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I’m currently researching and shopping for ideas to makeover various areas of my home.  Last week I told you that I was specifically looking around for items to put in my living and I shared some of my favorite trends in wall decor.  I just got a brown slip cover for my couch, and now I believe I’ve narrowed it down and decided that I want a color scheme of brown and blue-green for my living room.

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I’ve been looking at rugs and I found a great selection at Kalaty.com.  Kalaty has all hand made and mostly hand knotted rugs.  The Oriental rug businesses started in the early 1900s in Iran and came to the United States in 1979.  Today it is still a family business, and as such, they have a focus on high quality design.

Their designs include contemporary and classic patterns.  Just a few that I think you’d love include the Verona, the Sierra, the Majave, and the Caspian, but they are all truly great!

Check out this video for information on the company:

Often the couch or entertainment center is dubbed as the focal point of the room, around which everything else is centered; however, a rug can be just as imporant.  A great rug can grab your attention and draw your eye in.  It can also provide contrast.  For example, if you have a brown or black couch, a brightly colored rug, could really make the room pop.  And if you have a  a lot of similar colored accent pieces in the room (vases, lamps, wall art), that rug can really bring everything together and create a cohesive color scheme or theme.

To illustrate what I’m talking about, I created a collage and inspriration board of decorative items, inspired by a rug at Kalaty.com.  Since I’m leaning towards blue and brown for my living room colors, I decided to chec out some items that would go great along side this Tibetan Weave Rug:

 


I’m currently looking for items with a modern and chic look, with perhaps a little “shabby chic” thrown in to the mix.  Here are a few ideas:

 

 

For other items that fit the color scheme, you can check out my Mood Board of Decor.

And for more rug insiration, connect with Kalaty on their social network pages:

Like Kalaty Rug on Facebook

Follow @Kalatyrug on Twitter

Follow Kalaty on Pinterest

Does your living room have a unique color scheme or theme?  If so, please tell us about it in the comments.  Also, visit Kalaty.com and tell us your favorite rug on the site!

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5 Favorite Trends in Wall Decor

This spring I’ve been doing a LOT of spring cleaning and decluttering in my house. Now I’m getting ready to change up the decor a bit.  Some things I currently have my eye on include a new bedspread, rugs, curtains, and metal prints wall art.  I’d especially love some new wall art for my living room.  Since I swapped to new and recliner last year, the art I have on the wall clashes a bit with the existing furniture.  Plus, I’d love to get something new, modern, and trendy.  As I’ve been browsing for ideas and products online, I thought it would be fun to share some of the currents trends in wall decor that I love.  Whether you are looking for beautiful paintings, wall plaques, or metal art, the internet has so much to offer! [Read more…]

Party Time with Oriental Trading

Easter at Oriental Trading

 

I’m very excited to be a part of the Oriental Trading blogger program.  They make it easy to throw a party, stuff gift baskets and bags, come up with arts and crafts activities for kids.  Whether you’re looking for VBS activities, throwing a wedding or shower, or hosting a Hawaiian luau, you are sure to find everything you need, from decorations to favors and more! [Read more…]

Busting Myths of Home Decor

With springtime right around the corner, it is time to start thinking about chores for spring cleaning.  And while you’re planning these projects, it is also a good time to take a look at your home decor and consider some new items and improvements in this area.  I’m not talking about weekend long projects or anything high budget (although it can be a great time for that too!).  Instead I’m talking about small, simple improvements such as replacing your own accent rugs for new ones, or getting new curtains, wall art, or throw pillows. Or you may just want to declutter a room and do a little rearranging to change the look of things. [Read more…]

Getting Started With Your Home Décor? 10 Useful Tips For A Strong Base!

decorate your home with canvas print design photo

What’s the most important thing to attract people/guests in a house? It’s the décor, the interior, the esthetic sense of the homeowner. It’s not easy to make house, a home, like heaven. Sometimes, a hectic task if the owner feels like messed up with the décor ideas. What’s the use of internet? It’s flooded with immense ideas as well as the latest trends of home décor to help the hopeless homeowners. This article is specifically written for those thinking about where to start and what to consider for interior of a home. It’s also useful for those interested in starting their home décor business. [Read more…]

Agraria AirEssence Review

Agraria AirEssence

 Looking for a unique Valentine’s Day gift? Or perhaps something for a bridal shower, wedding, or housewarming?  Agraria  has a fine selection of products for the home, which include lovely scented candles and diffusers,  as well as a line of bath and body products like bath salts and shower gel.

[Read more…]

Diamond Candle Review & Giveaway

Diamond Candle Review and Giveaway

Candles and jewelry make great gifts for any occasion, especially the Christmas season. Diamond Candles takes these two great gift ideas and combines them in to one fabulous gift.  Diamond Candles look great and like other candles will fill the rooms of your home with a nice scent.  And each candle also includes a ring valued anywhere from $10 to $5,000!

 And the candles come in some great scents, including Vanilla Lime, Hawaiian Coconut, Honeysuckle, Apple Slice, Cupcake, and more!

gingerbread candle

For my review, I chose the Gingerbread candle.  I love the smell of gingerbread, and I think it’s a great scent not only for the holiday season, but also for fall.  I was very pleased with the size of the candle.  It’s a great size for decorative purposes and it allows for hours of burning time.

And the scent was great!  It’s very sweet, and it quickly feels the room with a refreshing aroma.

I was also happy with the ring I received.  It is a yellow marquise shaped stone.  It’s big and very bright and sparkly.

I really love my Diamond Candle, and I think  these would be great gifts for the holiday season!

Giveaway: One Simply Sweet Home reader will a Diamond Candle in the scent of their choice.

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Disclosure: I received a Diamond Candle for review. This giveaway is sponsored by Diamond Candle.  The opinions are my own.

Ornament Wreath Giveaway from CVS/Pharmacy

Ornament Wreath

Is CVS on your list of places to shop this holiday season?  If not, it should be!  They have fabulous gifts under $25 for the whole family, including bath & body products, ornaments candy, housewares, dvds, photo gifts, and more!

They also have a great selection of Christmas Decor.  I was very excited when I got a chance to pick out something from their holiday selection to feature here, and I was thrilled to find this Ornament Wreath. [Read more…]