Bring Spring Inside

The flowers in bloom around my mailbox make me really happy.  Probably more happy than they would make a normal person, but I don't care.  I love them, which is why I walked down my driveway yesterday after work to take a picture of them to share with you.

To celebrate my flowers, here are some tips to get rid of winter and decorate your home for spring!

1. Change your bedding.

It's time to remove that heavy winter bedspread and those extra blankets!  Swap them for something more lightweight, like a cotton blanket or comforter.  Get rid of those dark-colored, dreary sheets, and dress your bed with fresh pastels or floral prints.

2. Open your windows.

Let the clean, fresh air into your home, and get rid of the mustiness left over from winter! 

3. Add fresh flowers.

You don't need to spend a lot of money to have pretty flowers in your home.  Go to your local grocery store, and you can easily pick up a beautiful bouquet for less than $15.  If you want to get more creative, place the flowers in a pastel colored vase adorned with ribbon or lace.  The great part is that flowers can be placed anywhere - on your coffee table, kitchen table, or even your nightstand.

4. Add pastels to your living space.

Look for floral prints, pastels, or anything else that would make the room brighter.  It can be plates, lamps, throw pillows, candles, or any extra seasonal decorations. 

5. Put a spring-themed or bright-colored runner on your dining room or coffee table.

Make spring the center of attention in your home.  Use your home's focal points like the dining room table or coffee table in your living room to brighten up the entire house.

6. Revamp a smaller room in your home.

While it's unrealistic to totally redecorate the larger rooms in your home for every season, you can easily change up the smaller areas, like your foyer, bathrooms, or outdoor patio space. 



Come On, Barbie, Let's Go Party

Happy 52nd birthday to Barbra Millicent Roberts a.k.a Barbie!  Looks pretty good for 52, don't you think?!  My childhood was consumed by playing with my Barbie dolls.  I had probably 30 or more versions of this doll, but only one Ken - that lucky bastard.  At one point, I had my Barbie dolls set up at various locations throughout my parents' house - several in the living room, a few set aside for bath time, and my brother's room (during the transition period before it became my new, bigger room) was my Barbie Paradise.

Even today, Barbie consumes a little part of my world.  Last year, I discovered Barbie's vintage calendar, where each month showcases a drawing based on a vintage Barbie.  Please look at the amazing fashion in the 2011 calendar!  It's a treat every month. 

As Barbie is very diverse and multicultural (note my sarcasm), you might remember that there is a Hispanic Barbie named Teresa.  As you can imagine, I was obsessed with this doll.  Coincidentally, Teresa has been labeled as Barbie's "official" best friend  :-)  That's right, Christie - BACK OFF.

The best part about playing with Barbie dolls was the accessories.  And I don't mean just the fabulous outfits, swimsuits, and pink plastic shoes.  I'm talking about the good stuff - the Dream House and the red Corvette.  To kick it up a notch, I also had a pink-and-white Jeep Wrangler for Barbie's beach vacays, and a hot pink limo so that Barbie, Teresa, and "the others" (Christie, that's you) could have a night out on the town in luxury and style. 

Ever wonder what it would be like to live in Barbie's Dream House?  Well, lucky for you, Mattel has designed a real-life Barbie Dream House in Malibu.  The house is a modest 3,500 square-feet, and it features a chandelier made entirely of Barbie hair and a sunburst mirror made out of 65 Barbie dolls.  Here are some of my favorite rooms.




Barbie's bedroom




Barbie's living room featuring the Barbie hair chandelier



Barbie's kitchen



Barbie's lounge



Another view of Barbie's lounge, complete with a fireplace and the sunburst 65-doll mirror



Barbie's terrace





Barbie's pool





Barbie's view of the Malibu beach






My favorite - Barbie's closet!

 

In case Barbie decides to leave her majestic palace...

And don't worry, the trunk has all of Barbie's necessities as she travels!

So if you are able to run to the store this afternoon, Barbie would really appreciate it if you could pick up a few things so she can prepare for her big 52nd birthday bash!