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In 1964, a young Martin Sheen played the role of a solider who returned from World War II only to confront the private war between his parents. Now, more than 40 years later, Sheen reappears in Frank Gilroy's Pulitzer Prize-winning play — but this time around, he's the dad.

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Composer Robert Schumann And Sting: 'Twin Spirits'
2010 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of composer Robert Schumann. One of the most interesting Schumann commemorative items is the DVD <em>Twin Spirits</em>, a British music-theater piece about the intense relationship between Schumann and his wife Clara, performed by Trudie Styler and Sting.


 

 

Informative Articles

5 Ways In Which You Can Make Simple Changes To Your Home Decorating
Home decorating, ever wanted to try it, but hesitated because of time constraints or budget concerns. The following ideas will not only give instant results, but more importantly fit into any budget. 1. Changing the Look of Your Walls ...

decorating petite rooms
When decorating a smaller room, space is generally the main concern. And with the rising prices of real estates, decorating petite rooms is a challenged that more and more home owners face. But there are different ways to visually expand the...

"DECORATING YOUR ENTRANCE FOYER"
The foyer is the room that greets you as soon as you step through the front door. This is the first space and sometimes the only space guests see of your home, yet often foyers or entryways are neglected. This strikes me as odd. Somehow, I always...

Putting PASSION back into home decorating
For most people, they can count the times they redecorate their homes in a lifetime on one hand. It's a shame because this is not because they don't have great ideas about how they want their homes to be, but that the thought of redecorating brings...

What a Five-Year-Old Taught Me About Decorating
My 5-year-old grandson is getting his own room. He’s very excited at the prospect and quite determined to put his own personal stamp on the decorating process. I like to listen to him explain why certain things must be certain ways; it’s an...

 

Schreiber, Johansson Build A 'Bridge' To A Classic
Liev Schreiber and Scarlett Johansson are starring in a widely praised revival of Arthur Miller's A View From The Bridge. They tell reporter Jeff Lunden that as in all great tragedies, this one's clashes and catastrophes have something of the inevitable about them.
Stargazing At The Opera
The Hayden Planetarium in New York takes opera to the moon with a new production of <em>Il Mondo Della Luna.</em> Diane Paulus and Philip Bussmann talk about merging cosmos footage with music, how science can enhance the arts and the future of technology and theater.






“Too Much Stuff” Syndrome or How Decorating and Organizing Can Help Your Sanity
Publishing Guidelines: You may publish this article with the article and resource box intact and unchanged provided any links are hyperlinked. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. (The challenge paragraph may be omitted for...





10 Great Holiday Decorating Ideas

1.First things first. Set a plan or a theme for your Christmas decorating. It doesn’t cost a thing to have a good plan, and when you are working with budget ideas, this is what pulls your ideas together, and makes everything you do look purposeful, and personal. Some theme ideas for Christmas? The rustic lodge xmas, a toyland xmas, countries around the world, Victorian, country, santa, snowmen, old fashioned, the list goes on and on!

2. Make garlands out of felt scraps. Cut Xmas shapes out of felt in miniature, mini stockings, holly leaves, mittens, and string together with needle and floss or strong fishing line to hang all over the house. Remember when you string each shape, tie a knot on both sides of the shape to hold it in its place. You can add more dimension to the shapes by cutting two of each, stuffing them lightly, them sewing the two together. Glue would work also if you aren’t a sewer. Saved used dryer sheets are perfect for this kind of stuffing, or even tiny fabric scraps that are too small for other uses.

3.Drop a tealight candle in your cleaned out glass mayonnaise jars, tie a holiday ribbon around the neck, and you have a beautiful candle with xmas charm. You could nestle the candle in peppermints, nuts, or even sand if you wish. Try grouping several together for a dramatic evening effect. These also make great luminaries.

4. Start a Christmas collection. This can be a great tradition to initiate in your home. My girls and I starting collecting Santas 3 years ago, and it’s something they look forward to, choosing our yearly Santa together. I know it will be a fond memory for them, and I plan to let each child choose a Santa to take with them when the day comes that they leave the nest and start their own home. By the way, this doesn’t have to be expensive, or even store bought. Try sewing or crafting a new decoration each year together for even more memories! Or check out your dollar store…they have some really cute ceramic holiday decorations for a buck or two. Remember, it’s the memories you’re interested in here, not a collectable based on monetary value.

5. If you are looking to do a toyland theme for your Christmas decorating this year, try searching out teddy bears and dolls at your local thrift stores.


'Mortified': Step 1, Exhume Your Past; Step 2, Share With All
In the storytelling series <em>Mortified,</em> performers dig through old diaries and love notes to find a glimpse of their ridiculous, self-centered, pathetic and comical adolescent lives. Then they get onstage and share it with an audience of complete strangers.




Home and Garden decorating
These days the market is flooded with products for the home and garden as well as a wealth of advice and information about decorating. This information can be found in decorating books, magazines, television programs and on the Internet. But, with...






Wash them in a pillowcase and put them in your dryer for at least 20 minutes, then dress them up with ribbons and holiday fabrics. Group them under your tree, on mantels, and on windowsills. Stack small squares of cardboard together and wrap as a tiny present, then tuck them under a teddy’s arm, or wrap an empty box and use it as teddy’s seat by the front door.

6. Place a few inexpensive glass balls in a bowl and embellish with a few sprigs of greenery or some leftover ribbon. If you don't have an extra bowl (it is the holidays, after all!) try decoupaging a box with leftover Christmas wrap, or cover with a little fabric and glue.

7. Take down your pictures and wrap them like a gift, then hang them back on the wall for great holiday cheer! You don't have to do this all around the house, how about just in the entry, or maybe the dining room?

8. Tie greens or ornaments to the chandelier with a little Christmas ribbon, just make sure they don't hang low enough for any candles on the table to catch them on fire.

9. Make your own gift tags out of leftover paper. Ok, this is not a new idea, but try punching it up a bit. Add details by layering shapes over the base paper, use paper punches and scalloped scrapbooking scissors to add style, use a gold calligraphy pen to add names. Or use the scalloped scissors to make old holiday cards into tags.

10. Sponge stars or other seasonal shapes on your window with paint! No, I’m not nuts. Just add a teaspoon or so of liquid dish soap to acrylic craft paint, (I like white or gold metallic) and after the holidays you should be able to wash it off with window cleaner. Use a non- scratching dish scrubber if you come across a stubborn spot.

There it is, the 10 best budget decorating ideas for Holiday decorating! Always remember the most important reason we celebrate, and the reason we take the time to make our homes warm and inviting…our loved ones! Have a wonderful holiday season!


About the Author

Kathleen Wilson is the author of “Quick Decorating Ideas Under $20:The Budget Decorator’s Bible” and the editor of The Budget Decorator, a free ezine dedicated to the “budget impaired” home decorator. Visit her at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com for more great ideas.