Greetings fellow bloggers! 

I recently moved my "non-Active Rain" blog from Blogger to Wordpress.  Why?  Because I wanted more functionality in terms of categories, pages, etc.  But if you switch, note that you can't use Google Analytics w/Wordpress...but they do provide sufficient stats of their own.

I also purchased the url of my tag line to use as my blog URL - more professional and consistent with my branding.  And just to make sure it's obvious on my website, I added it on the home page as a widget.

I'm sure as I play around with it I will find features I really miss, but so far, I'm pretty happy with it.

Happy blogging ya'll!

Susan Smith
w/ www.roomsthatwork.com
b/ www.yourhomeonlybetter.com
e/ susan@roomsthatwork.com
p/ 860.808.4171

See if you can tell what was changed, and how much was spent!

Front Door before:

front door after:

Rooms That Work
Your home, only better.
www.roomsthatwork.com
860.808.4171

Despite the deluge of reality cooking shows on TV, not everyone has the time, ability or interest to be a gourmet cook.  Some of us cook so infrequently that our kitchen counters occasionally need dusting.  Others struggle daily to get a quick, decent meal on the table amidst the most chaotic hour of the day. 

Does that lessen the need for a fabulous kitchen?  I don't think so.  The kitchen is more than where you cook.  It's where you brew your morning coffee, toss the day's mail and uncork your favorite wine.  It's where guests inevitably park themselves at parties, and it sets the tone for your home.

Short of any major renovations, here are some easy ways to update your kitchen:

Lighten up! 

• Add lighting underneath the cabinets - fluorescent or rope lighting work well.
• Add attractive night lights under the cabinets or a small table lamp on the counter.
• Replace that boring "over the sink" light with a funky hanging pendant.  Feeling crafty?  Turn a simple colander into hanging pendant!

Make a (back) splash! 

• Rather than traditional tile backsplash, how about infusing a bold color with a fresh coat of semi-gloss paint?
• What about adding strips of stainless steel?  Bonus - cheaper grade stainless is magnetic - add fun magnets to hold recipe cards or favorite photos.

Bare all!

• Curtains a bit dull?  Pitch them and paint the window frame a complimentary color.
• Need privacy?  You can do wonders with stylish dish towels, a pressure rod and round clips.  Fold them in half as a topper, or full length as a café panel.  My favorites are the Crate & Barrel dish towels in abstract lettuce and tomato patterns!

Boring art? 

• How about using chalkboard paint on one wall?  List the week's menu, sneak in a honey-do list, or play a rousing game of hangman.
• Spice up a neutral palate - frame your favorite bold print to infuse some color and oomph into the space. 
• Add a series of smaller framed art underneath the cabinets. 
• Write "Kiss the Cook" on your wall using acrylic wall letters.  Or, how about "I kiss better than I cook?"  Whatever works for you!  Check out www.wallwords.com for ideas.

Whack the knick knacks!

• Retire the small chatchke stuff in favor of fewer, bolder accents.  Too many distractions are stressful to the eye and harder to maintain!
• Whenever possible, go for dual purpose accents.  For example, an attractive vase can hold spoons and spatulas, and glass canisters can display pastas and rice.

Devilish details

• Update cabinet knobs and drawer pulls
• Unsightly trash can?  Swap it out for a chrome step-on can.
• Add a fresh area rug - preferably latex backed and machine washable, if possible!
• Chairs a bit blah?  Add slipcovers, new chair pads, or paint them a new color (black is always in!).

While none of these ideas will improve your cooking, they will, at a minimum, make you smile when you toss the daily mail on the counter as you head to the phone to order in.  Bon appetite! 

Ok, so I'm a bit biased - I'm one of their new "official" bloggers!  I've been a regular commenter (is that a word) for awhile, and am thrilled to be part of the team now.  Please stop by and say hello!  I'm sure HG customers would love to hear your perspectives and ideas!

Click here to view the blog...

Susan

*UPDATE* - Hey, I just figured out how to add the HomeGoods Openhouse blog to my iGoogle page...go to http://www.google.com/ig/adde?moduleurl=openhouse.homegoods.com/index.php/feed/&source=imag and either set it to your Google Reader or as a widget on your iGoogle page. 

I was reading my latest issue of House Beautiful while on vacation last week, and there was an article that referred to a Japanese tradition of leaving one drawer empty for whatever else comes your way.

This can be literal or figurative.  It's easy to accumulate too much "stuff" - and it is equally easy to fill your time with too many activities.

Do you have an empty drawer?  How do you handle time and material clutter in your home and life?

For material clutter, I can't claim any empty drawers, BUT...I keep a bin for each family member in the mud room.  At the end of the week, each person has to go though it and get everything back where it belongs.  Otherwise, I pitch it.

For time clutter, I've been practicing saying "no."  It's much harder than I thought it would be!  I'm also keeping my calendar on google so I can access it from all computers and add it to my igoggle home page.

Other ideas?

Wow...I've been out of the rain for the past few months - very busy and working on something new (more to come later on that)!

Seeing all the new names out there, I'd just like to say "hello" and "welcome" to the Rain!  W/summer approaching, I'm hoping to find more time to blog on a regular basis...I've really missed my friends here, and hope to make some new ones!

Susan Smith
Rooms That Work
Your home, only better.
www.roomsthatwork.com

I'm putting together a top 10 list of last-minute gifts, but can only think of 9!  What should #10 be?

Top 10 (ish) last-minute gifts:

1. Gift Certificate framed in a pretty frame
2. Bottle of wine, favorite spirits or case of beer
3. Forced bulb plant kit
4. Scented Candles
5. Soup mix kit
6. Oversized Tea or coffee mug filled with a favorite blend
7. Lipstick case with mirror (you can never have too many)
8. Photo book with a personal photo or holiday greeting in the first slot
9. Coffee Table Book
10. ???

Here we go again! Thanks Teresa Ramey for tagging me!

1. I'm such a regular at Dream Dinners (where you go assemble your meals) they now have an apron with my name embroidered on it. I feel like "Norm" on "Cheers."

2. I'm a late bloomer. Took 5 years to finish undergrad, got married at 34, and had kids at 37 and 41. Soooo...that means I'll be 59 when my youngest graduates high school!

3. I have a glass of wine every night. It keeps me in "practice" in case I go out to dinner with friends and have 2 or 3 (or whatever) glasses.

4. I have a bowl of Edy's ½-sugar slow churned ice cream every night as well. I believe that if you eat it regularly, your body knows best how to metabolize it.

5. What I want for Christmas: a nap, and to move further south.

I tag: Kathy Holbrook, Kathy Mohr, and Ann Anderson, Yes I'm picking on fabulous Connecticut stagers who don't blog as much as they should!) ;)

Get yer Blog on girls!!!