Designing Your Office

An office space sets the mood of work for the employees and also creates an impression to your walk in customers and clients. An efficient design is encouraging for the employees to give high productivity as well as enjoy the work they are involved with. It should be reasonably priced, aesthetically pleasing and highly serviceable. And of course, it should be comfortable and upgradeable.

A workplace expresses your company's personal essence and attracts your targeted customer. If you realize your existing office layout to be ineffective and congested, it may be time to create a plan that streamlines your work stations and takes full selling point of your distinctive spatial functions. You can create an optimal work flow and a heightened morale for the employees.

If your office needs to be redesigned, you don’t have to purchase everything new. You have to be economical in your office layouts by utilizing some old furniture by giving them a new look and while doing so, you can add a few new pieces to bring an added sparkle. Simple improvements such as ergonomic operated chairs, renovated workstations and small attractive pieces tend to make all the difference when it comes to improvement.

In these current times, anything requires creativity in regards to meeting your annual business office budget. Many of your old sections which can be a bit ragged can be fixed up to look practically new. You can save money without sacrificing top quality and style. Hence, set your parameters and work smartly towards making your same office interesting and practically new. 


Detail Home Services 

Add sparkle to your outdoor ceremony with mason jar hanging lanterns

Add sparkle and atmosphere to an outdoor ceremony or just add charming ambiance to your walkways, gardens or patio.

1. Collect mason jars or recycled clear jars from flea markets, garage sales and antique stores.
2. Get a spool of thin copper or steel wire that’s bendable. One piece needs to be measured to make the lantern handle & another piece will make a loop/handle that goes around top of lantern.
3. To measure, wrap the first piece of wire around the mouth of the jar, then add 3-4 inches to the length of the wire and cut the wire. Take one end of the wire, wrap it around a pen or pencil to form a unified loop, then wrap that end of the loop wire around itself to close the loop.
4. Now place the loop on one side of your jar and pull the excess wire half way around the jar so it ends exactly opposite your first loop. Make a reference point (bend the wire) as this is where you need to make your second loop for the handle. Make your second loop like you made the first loop.
5. Place the wire around the glass jar and secure the end of the wire by twisting it around the first loop you made. Cut off any excess wire.
6. To make the handle, cut a piece of wire to desired length and loop each end of the wire through the loops on the jar and twist wire on each end to secure.
7. Next add a small amount of white sand inside the jar to help secure the tea light. Add a tea light or small candle, depending on size of jar, to complete your lantern.

Kenmore Blog 

Bring that English Country Look in Your Home

Put the emphasis on casual elegance with the English country look. The style focuses on a level of comfort and luxury that’s layered and relaxed without being fussy. 


Get the look

Use saturated paint colors on the walls the way the English do. Try a true red, buttery yellow or mossy green. The same is true of wallpaper– the more pattern, the better. Try bold stripes, floral designs and equestrian-themed paper.

Speaking of horses, the English are mad about them. Add the equestrian look with horse-themed placemats, dinnerware and decorative accessories. 

Fill your home with flowers – chintz flowers, that is. Chintz is once again popular. There are many patterns and styles to choose from in every possible color. Or, try black and white chintz for a crisper, more contemporary edge.

Mix antique or reproduction 18th or 19th century furniture with your existing pieces. Strive for an eclectic look.

Use jute or sea-grass rugs in hallways and living rooms as the English do. You’ll instantly turn your living room into a drawing room.

Hang curtains over windows. The English like to close them at night to keep a room cozy and warm. Just make sure never to call curtains “drapes” – the English never would.

Hang pictures in groups of five or six. Curate your own collection and include vintage botanical and hunting prints.

Try a tartan (plaid) blanket at the foot of your bed, or casually hang it over the back of a cozy chair. 

Kenmore Blog 

Spice Up the Colors in Your Bathroom and Kitchen

There’s nothing like waking up to a bright shot of color. It’s your biggest ally when it comes to refreshing a room.

Color in the kitchen

• Add a backsplash of colored tile to instantly change the look of your kitchen.
• Recover your kitchen chairs or stools in a deep color or new pattern.
• Painted floors are beautiful against white cabinets.
• Place a colorful rug under your breakfast table.
• Put bowls of lemons and limes on counters and table.
• Replace a window with stained glass, or suspend a stained-glass panel in front of it.
• Bright knobs and pulls add a pop of color to maple cabinets.
• Display colorful pottery and dishes on open shelves.
• Frame images of colorful fruits and vegetables to brighten a wall.
• Start a windowsill garden; you’ll gain both color and fresh herbs.

Brighten a bath

• Go bold in a guest bath – try a deep wall color or patterned wallpaper.
• Add colored monograms to classic white towels.
• Fill clear jars with colored soaps or beach glass.
• A simple change of towels can have a big effect. Bold stripes, for instance, say “summer.”
• Hang a glass vase on the wall to hold fresh or faux flowers. 

Kenmore Blog

Decorate and Entertaining Outdoors

Let your outdoor space become the perfect designer room. Create it with a specific use in mind: as the ideal outdoor dining room, living room or dreamy reading nook. 

Design the décor

Start with a bold, colorfully graphic outdoor rug that will do two things: “ground” the space and help you map out the furniture placement. Add layers of color and texture with outdoor fabrics on furniture and as drapery. Use both modern and traditional patterns to mix things up and create your own unique style. Mix and match outdoor dinnerware and furniture to create a curated, vintage-style look.

You can easily give existing furniture a face-lift by re-stuffing and re-covering cushions with a bold fabric. Spray paint will instantly change the look of metal outdoor furniture. Try it… and don’t be afraid to use a bright color like green, yellow, or orange! 

Light the way

Lighting has the biggest impact on how your outdoor space looks and feels. Add outdoor lighting to accent beautiful stone walkways, trees and driveways. Solar powered or LED walkway lights not only showcase the hardscaping, they are also economical and energy-efficient.

For a dramatic look, try solar-powered spotlights to up-light mossy oaks, maples or your favorite fruit tree. Check out the Sears collection of outdoor lighting, oversized lanterns and decorative glass hurricanes — they can be used in so many ways. Try flanking your front door with two oversized lanterns, one on each side of the door, or place a few along your walkway. It’s the perfect solution for adding light and making your entry more inviting. I like to use glass hurricane vases on my outdoor dining, coffee, or end tables to add ambient light for entertaining. I also use lighting to break up the different areas of my outdoor spaces, to create “rooms” for easy entertaining. Walking paths denoted by hanging lanterns will lead guests around your outdoor space. 

Fire it up

Test your culinary skills with Kenmore’s 5-burner gas grill. It makes outdoor entertaining so easy. The colossal grill lets you rotisserie, barbeque, steam and stove-cook all at the same time. Impressive! It’s everything you need to create the perfect feast.

Kenmore Blog

Make Your Stainless Steel Smudge Free

Here are 3 easy ways to keep your stainless steel appliances smudge free:

1) Clean the natural way with water and a cloth or a mild, natural detergent. Towel dry to prevent water spots.

2) Use glass cleaner or household ammonia to vanish fingerprints. Rinse thoroughly and towel dry.

3) Polish your stainless steel to a brilliant shine with a designated stainless steel cleaner. It can also help minimize scratching and remove stains. Be sure to follow directions carefully.

Source: Kenmore 

Tips on Spring Cleaning Your Refrigerator

Spring Cleaning Your Refrigerator
It is that time of year again where our thoughts turn to freshening up our homes and restoring order in our cluttered spaces. Of course, our homes might not be the only thing that is being neglected. Our appliances in our home can often get overlooked, but maintaining them is essential for your home to run smoothly and to save your family money.

Your refrigerator might be one of those appliances that may get overlooked, but it is one of the most important appliances in a home. Simple maintenance and cleaning procedures though can greatly extend the life & efficiency of your refrigerator.

Today I wanted to share with you some tips for spring cleaning your refrigerator and keeping it running smoothly for your family.

Vacuum Your Condenser Coils
When was the last time you vacuumed the condenser coils on your refrigerator? This is the perfect time of year to tackle this to help your fridge run smoothly through those looming hot summer days. To maintain your refrigerator, this simple task should be done once every three to six months.

Begin by unplugging your refrigerator and locate the condenser coils on your refrigerator. Older refrigerators have the coil (a grid-like structure) mounted on the rear of the refrigerator. Newer refrigerators usually have the condenser coil placed at the bottom of the fridge. You can use a flashlight to assist locating the coil and fan if needed.

With a plastic crevice or brush attachment, carefully vacuum dirt and dust wherever it is seen. Be very careful to not damage the fins or coil. If the fan is visible and accessible, cleaning it will help it move air across the condenser coil as designed. Dirt and dust, if allowed to accumulate on the fan blades, decreases airflow, which can affect balance and can contribute to early failure of the compressor.

Deep Clean the Interior
The interior of your refrigerator can benefit from a periodic deep cleaning. I recommend tackling this task the day before you go to restock your refrigerator to cut down on items that need to be moved around, as well as to help establish inventory of items needed.

You will need two dishwashing tubs and a cookie sheet to clean the interior of your refrigerator. Begin by filling one of these tubs with two tablespoons of baking soda and one quart of warm water for wiping down the interior of your refrigerator. Then use your cookie sheet and other dishwashing tub to put all of the condiments on and empty your drawers into for removing items quickly and easily so you can wipe down the interior without a hassle.

Before cleaning the interior of the fridge, fill each drawer with the same amount of baking soda solution in each one and let the baking soda solution do the dirty work of cleaning them while you are wiping out the inside of the fridge.

Using a rag or microfiber cloth, dampen the cloth with the baking soda solution. Gently wipe the interior of the refrigerator and all of the surfaces. If the washing solution begins to look murky, be sure to dump it and get another tub full for cleaning. For any stuck interior stains, you can sprinkle a little baking soda directly on the spot and add just a little water to it to make a paste. Allow the paste to work on the setin stain and then scrub gently to remove the gunk.

Go back to your drawers and empty them and wipe the interiors of these. Now place these back into the fridge and then take your dishwashing tub of solution and empty it into the sink.

Refill the tub with just warm water and add a dash of lemon juice to the water. Use your rag to do a final swipe using just this water & lemon juice solution. This will remove any grit that might be left in the fridge and the lemon juice will give it a nice fresh scent throughout. Dry thoroughly with a terry towel.
Take your cookie sheet of condiments and make sure to give each of these a quick swipe with the rag before returning them. Half the battle is not having clean items in your fridge and this is a good way to start fresh. Return all of the items in the other tub to their proper homes.

Clean the Exterior
The exterior of your fridge can often be overlooked, but it needs attention too. As a mother of two little ones, fingerprints and smudges are all over my fridge on any given day. To remove these, I use an all-purpose cleaner on my fridge.

You can use a microfiber cloth to clean the outside of your refrigerator, as it is gentle but also abrasive enough to remove any marks. Any scuffs still left? Break out your Mr. Clean Eraser (a mom’s best friend!) You can find a generic equivalent of one of these at your local dollar store.

If you have a stainless steel appliance, dip your microfiber cloth into a little vinegar and give the outside of the fridge a good swiping with the vinegar. Then give the appliance another swipe with just plain water and dry thoroughly with a terry towel.

http://inspiration.kenmore.com 

Dishwasher Caring 101

On a recent flight, I was seated next to a woman who tests appliances for a living. I’m sure her job might not seem exciting to some, but I could hardly contain my excitement as we exchanged tips and ideas for maintaining the efficiency of our appliances. I’m not sure if she was used to someone with such enthusiasm about her work! I learned so much on that short flight to Chicago and was in great company too. Writing for Kenmore and sharing ways to care for appliances is my favorite part of my job! I love learning how to keep the appliances in our home running efficiently.

As a busy mom, I can tell you that the most loved and utilized appliance in our home is our dishwasher. As someone who loves saving money and staying within a budget, it’s nice to know that you use less water with a dishwasher than if you wash those dishes by hand. Caring for your dishwasher should definitely be a priority. I’ll share a few quick tips to keep your dishwasher running smoothly.

Switch Your Cycles

We often get in the habit of running the same cycles on our appliances and that isn’t always the best choice for our appliances. Hard-water deposits can build up on the spray arms and jets if only one cycle is being used all the time. Try switching up your normal routines… give the Pots & Pans cycle a spin or the Normal wash cycle rather than choosing the same cycle every time. By switching cycles, you can keep hard water deposits from building up in your dishwasher.

I admit that the cycle I’m most fond of on our Kenmore dishwasher is the SmartWash HE cycle. It can determine the right amount of time, water and energy needed to get excellent cleaning results using the least amount of resources. You can try the shorter cycle on your own dishwasher first or opt for the most energy-efficient cycle and see if your dishes come out clean. If you need to run a longer cycle, skip the heated-dry cycle and allow dishes to air-dry. Doing this is not only more cost-effective, but there is less chance of spotting on your glassware.

Keep the Interior Shiny

For the most part, your dishwasher interior is self-cleaning, but if it’s starting to look dingy, you can try one of these easy tips. Fill your detergent cup with a drinking mix with citrus in it and then run an empty cycle. You can use any citrus drink mix and fill it just as you would with your regular detergent. Any drink mix will do: lemonade, Tang, Crystal Lite, or any other with a citrus ingredient.

If you don’t happen to have a drink mix handy, place a clean cereal bowl containing a half-cup of white vinegar in the upper rack of your empty dishwasher and run a normal cycle. The acid in the vinegar should take care of any mineral deposits that have built up inside your dishwasher. Make it a habit to do this once a month to keep your dishwasher looking like new.

Stubborn spots on the dishwasher door are also bothersome. If the steps above don’t do the trick, you can try using other products to get rid of the stains. Tomato-based stains will just have to fade with time, but you can sprinkle a little baking soda on the door and let it set while you tidy the rest of the kitchen. After it’s set, add a small amount of water to make a paste. Use your soft cloth to rub the paste into the door; this should remove stains.

Keep the Exterior Shiny
For general cleaning of appliance exteriors, a clean damp sponge is your best bet. Add just a dab of dishwashing detergent to the sponge and give it a swipe. Then rinse the detergent from the sponge and go over the dishwasher again. If you have a stainless steel dishwasher, remember to wipe with the grain of the steel. Stainless steel cleaners can also be used, but use them sparingly with a soft cloth and wipe with the grain to achieve the best results.

http://inspiration.kenmore.com 

Make Your Home Cooler While Helping Mother Earth

Cool your home and save energy during these hot summer months. Just a few changes can save you money and conserve energy for a better planet. 

Make sure you have programmable thermostats in your home. This allows you to control the temperature of your home when at home and when not.

Take care of your laundry in the late afternoon or at night. You’ll notice a difference in your utility bill and you’ll keep your house cooler by not running your dryer during the hottest time of the day.

Keep those blinds shut! By keeping your blinds and/or drapes closed during the day, you’ll keep the temperature of the room down and your AC unit won’t work as hard.

Install window coverings like Venetian blinds or drapes on bare windows to help keep the temperature down in the room. 

Change your air filters twice a year. This keeps your cooling unit happy and working efficiently. Check your filters every 45 days to make sure your AC/heating unit is nice and clean.

Use a solar powered window-mount fan to cool down a room instead of blasting the air conditioner! A solar-powered attic fan from Sears will also keep your entire house cooler.

Light candles instead of turning on the lights during summer dinner parties. Why not set the perfect ambiance and save energy at the same time?

Use compact fluorescent light bulbs or LED bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs.

Lighten Up

Feel like doing a quick re-decorating job this month? Try using lighter colors and cooler fabrics such as whites, creams and blues in cotton or linen fabrics. They’re especially pleasing in big vast spaces that have more natural light. Lighter colors will help reflect the light in the room and cooler fabrics will feel more comfortable in the hotter months. Keep your window treatments light in color and texture as well.

Source: http://inspiration.kenmore.com 

Goodies just for Farmer's Market customers all year round

With the first winter session of the Marietta Square Farmers Market kicking off Saturday morning, Cobb residents will be able to buy fresh produce and homemade goodies almost year-round.

The Marietta Square Farmers Market, which is located on Mill Street off the Marietta Square between the corner of Church Street and West Park Square, will be open for the winter months on Saturdays between Jan. 7 and March 31, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The “regular” 2012 market will begin April 7 and be conducted every Saturday and Sunday through Nov. 18. December is the only month when the market will not be open.

“Rain, shine, sleet or snow, we will be open,” market director Johnny Fulmer said of the winter market. “We’ll continue it every year. This is not a test run. … We’ve had too many people, both vendors and customers, that wanted it to become more of a year-round market.”

Fulmer, who runs the farmers market with his wife, Susie, said he “pleaded” with the city of Marietta at the end of November to host the market during the winter months.

Thirty-eight vendors, compared to the regular market’s 65, are participating in this year’s winter market, which will feature Georgia-grown or -made products such as vegetables, baked goods, eggs, honey, meats, fish, dairy products, pasta, salsa, Shea butter and flaxseed.

Vendors come from Cobb and Paulding counties, along with participants from Rockmart and Chickamauga and as far south as Peach County, just below Macon, Fulmer said.

“In the metro area, there are a number of growers,” Fulmer said. “We see a lot of young people getting into the farming business, which is exciting. Often people think of the farmer as being an old guy. The young vendor is also attracting young customers.”

Nancy McKinney of Acworth, who has sold baked goods under the name Fat Lady Baker at the market off and on for the last 10 years, will be participating in the winter market.

McKinney, who also runs The Collective Kitchen off Johnson Ferry Road in east Cobb, said the farmers market exposes her to a new clientele every Saturday.

“It’s just fantastic,” she said. “You’re outside, you get to see all these different people. Old friends come back and the other vendors, we’re like a small family. I’ve met a lot of good people. It’s such a good market.”

McKinney specializes in fresh ground, whole grain and vegan breads, specifically Ezekiel bread.

“I do some artisan bread, some pastries and I grind all of my wheat fresh,” she said.

She began baking 10 years ago because she was tired of being in the “corporate world” managing an accounting department for a big payroll company working behind a desk, she said.

“I kind of fell into it and was interested in the healthy side of it and the healthy grains and kind of came up with the Ezekiel bread recipe,” she said.

McKinney said she believes people should buy locally because vendors care about the reputation of their product and what they give to the product.

“If you have someone selling goat cheese, you know that person is taking care of his goats. The goats aren’t on a corporate farm. The same with the honey and bread and vegetable person,” she said. “We have reputations to uphold. It’s like an art for us.”

The farmers market, now in its tenth year, started in the parking lot of First Baptist Church near the Square and moved to Mill Street four years ago. The market has grown from 12 vendors to offering approximately 65 spaces each Saturday and Sunday.


Source: http://www.mariettahomesale.com/ 

Falcons' Make History in National Football League

The Atlanta Falcons scored two points in Sunday's wild-card loss to the New York Giants. How rare is it for a team to only score a safety in a game? Shutdown Corner looks back at the unusual history of the two-point finish.

• Atlanta's two-point total was the first such score in NFL playoff history and only the seventh in any game since the AFL-NFL merger.

• It was the first time a team's safety was its only score since 1993 when the Cincinnati Bengals lost to the New England Patriots, 7-2.

• Only 34 other times in NFL history has a team scored a total of two points in a game. Most of those games took place before 1940. In five of them, the winning team scored two points. The first 2-0 game was between the Akron Pros and Buffalo All-Americans. The final time it happened, in 1938, the teams were slightly better known: The Chicago Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers, 2-0.

[ Recap: Giants dominate Falcons in wild-card showdown ]
• The highest-scoring two-point game was in 1972. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the New Orleans Saints, 37-2.

• The 1922 Chicago Cardinals scored four points in a loss to the Racine Legion. It was the only such point total in the record books.
• Only one two-point score has been duplicated in modern NFL history. In 1972, the Steelers beat the Chargers 24-2. Eight years later, New England beat Buffalo by the same score. The final in Sunday's wild-card game? 24-2.


Roswell Home Sales 

Jobless rate dips as as private employing increases

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The jobs recovery gathered pace as a measure of private-sector hiring surged in December and claims for unemployment benefits fell, suggesting the battered labor market may continue to strengthen in 2012.


The ADP National Employment Report's December job tally of 325,000 surprised economists who had expected a gain of roughly half that size. It was also above the 204,000 private jobs added in November.


Many economists struck a note of caution, though, saying the number may have been distorted by seasonal factors


Joel Prakken, of Macroeconomic Advisers, which helps produce the survey, told reporters job readings tend to be inflated at year-end as employers keep workers on payrolls for accounting reasons, and the reading could be revised lower.


"Certainly we're getting some more encouraging news on the jobs market, but we have to be very aware that it does reflect a very volatile period of the year -- the holiday season and the days following the new year," said Bernard Baumohl, chief global economist at Economic Outlook Group in Princeton, New Jersey.


Markets did indeed appear to take the data with a grain of salt. U.S. stock indexes were lower while safe-haven U.S. government bond prices edged up, keeping the benchmark 10-year yield below 2 percent.


In December 2010, a surge in private sector hiring far exceeded the total monthly job gain reported by the government.


The more comprehensive government payrolls monthly report, due Friday, is expected to show the economy added 150,000 public and private sector jobs in December, according to a Reuters survey conducted earlier this week.


FIRST-TIME JOBLESS CLAIMS DIP
Even so, data on Thursday confirmed some encouraging trends.
The Labor Department reported the number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell by 15,000 last week, the fourth decline in the last five weeks.

The four-week moving average, considered a better measure of trends, fell to its lowest level since June 2008.

"The message from the four-week averages is that the labor market is maintaining its recent improvement," said Gennadiy Goldberg, interest rate strategist at 4-Cast, Inc in New York.

There were also signs of improvement in hiring within the vast U.S. services sector.

The employment component of the Institute for Supply Management's services index rose to 49.4 from 48.9 in November, though "that wasn't as strong as the ADP report....so there are a few mixed messages on employment," said Julia Coronado, chief economist for North America at BNP Paribas in New York.

A private industry survey showed the number of planned layoffs at U.S. firms fell to a five-month low in November.

But John Challenger, chief executive officer of consultants Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said the two sectors that suffered the most job cuts in 2011 -- government and financial services -- look destined to struggle again this year.

RISKS REMAIN FOR ECONOMY IN 2012
The unemployment rate is expected to have edged up to 8.7 percent last month, from 8.6 percent in November, as some Americans who had given up their search for work were lured back into the market, according to a Reuters survey.

While recent data suggests the U.S. economy expanded more swiftly in the final three months of 2011 after growing at a 1.8 percent pace between July and September, few economists expect that pace to persist through 2012. Most have penciled in a gradual growth rate of around 2 percent for the year.

That may prove too optimistic if Europe falls into a deep recession as countries there slash spending to battle a debt crisis or if Chinese growth continues to slow.

Baumohl said a significant downturn in Europe could threaten U.S. exports and U.S. banks while shaving up to one percentage point off 2012 growth.

"The market believes the numbers do not yet reflect the impact of much lower growth in Europe and the slowdown in Asia," said Cary Leahey, senior economist at Decision Economics. "The problem is the market doesn't really believe the positive trend will last."

The Federal Reserve, which will hold its first policy meeting of 2012 later this month, has pledged to hold interest rates at zero until at least mid-2013.
And a survey of Wall Street firms that deal with the Fed showed primary dealers saw a 45 percent chance the central bank will wait until mid-2014 before it raises rates.

Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, said persistent improvement in the labor market may complicate things.

"The big danger now is that the rate of improvement in labor market conditions will be much faster than the Fed expects, forcing (it) to re-evaluate medium-term inflation risks this year rather than in 2013," he wrote in a note to clients.


Roswell Home Sales