Recently I was  given a set of affirmation cards and an inspirational book, I don’t have anywhere to display them and have been racking my brain as to what to do with them.  They are beautiful and deserve to be used, so here are some ideas (other than on the desk or the coffee table):

Affirmation Cards:

• Book mark -  Use them in recipe books, magazines, novels everywhere.
• Note or gift cards – Remember when you used to be given writing sets as presents (back when snail mail was popular) , why not use the affirmation cards the same way – Write a note on the back and send one to a friend (it still is a buzz to get mail other than bills), write on them and use them when gift giving.
• Sneaky notes – it makes you and the recipient happy when they get a little something extra with their lunchbox, bag or homework book
• Notice board – stick them on your fridge, noticeboard
• If you scrapbook or are doing photo albums include them or their quotes to sum up the person, event or day you are featuring on the page
• Frame them and hang them on the wall or put them amongst a group of photos on furniture

Affirmation Books:

• Frame the sayings especially if they have cute images with them – they look great in the nursery, amongst photos, in magnetic frames on the fridge.
• Use the quotes in your card writing – many cards now days are blank and we have to think hard to get the sentiment we want – use a book, save brain cells
• When you find the small quote books use them as cards, write in the front of them and attach the whole book to the present with a big bow.

Maybe it’s all the appliances or all the life that occurs, but even in highly decorated kitchens there’s sometimes a lack of art. It’s a shame, really, because just like in any other room, art can really bring in a lot of interest, excitement and “pop” to a kitchen.

And let’s face it, so much of your day-today interactions with family and friends occur in the kitchen, so why shouldn’t it be a cleverly designed yet cheerful room?

Art in the kitchen can be both beautiful and functional. Just make sure it isn’t too valuable or delicate. The kitchen can have a lot of humidity and temperature changes. In some houses it can also have grease in the air on occasion -something that a good range hood will take care of but more one that another time . And if you hang something directly above the stove, assume that it will have a reduced life span, even if it has glass in front.

Most glazed ceramic pieces do well, perhaps a collection of vintage plates and saucers, as they can withstand humidity and be wiped clean of flying tomato sauce, cake batter and oil.

Try using old copper and cast iron pieces, such as kettles or an antique cake mold.

Bright porcelain containers on the counter for flour, sugar, etc., bright tea towels and oven mitts hanging, and for art and I think most of us hang up colourful clippings and photos on clipboards on the fridge.

There are literally 1001 ideas… we’d love to hear and see about your piece of colourful pop in the kitchen

Images from Decor Pad

1. Gather and layout all the pieces you wish to display. Place them in front of the wall or space you wish to hang them on. You can keep them unified by choosing only one style medium, for example, only paintings or only black and white photography or you can create variation by using all different styles of work–even objects can be hung within the salon-style composition.

2. Measure the wall (or walls) where you will be displaying the pieces – consider utilising a corner instead of just one wall for added interest! Once you’ve measured the space where you will be hanging the work, you can map out the floor below with the dimensions and start arranging the pieces within that space. If you’re mixing different forms of media on the wall, remember to consider colour and scale when arranging your composition. You don’t want all your colourful paintings on one side of the wall (or maybe you do!) and the graphite drawings on the other side.

Salon Style Wall Art

You can also trace out all the pieces on craft paper and then cut them out and arrange them on the wall first before you start installing. This technique makes it even easier to envision the final arrangement and limits your chances of having to redo any holes you put in the wall.

3. Hang up your work! Grab your level and hammer or drill– I suggest starting from the centre of the wall and working your way out. But if it’s easier for you, start from one side and work your way across. Have fun–and remember it doesn’t have to be perfect, that’s part of the beauty of the salon-style wall!

If the GFC and the recent Budget didn’t give you a reason to turn to drink, the notion of moving back to some of our quaint home projects – mingled with exotic vodka drinks – might!

I’ve personally always considered vodka a winter drink. I don’t know whether it’s the romantic notion of feeling like a Russian princess, or my time spent skiing throughout my university days, but I think the colder whether we’re starting to (finally) experience is perfect for these vodka infusions.

But no matter the time of year, they’ll also make fantastic gifts (Birthdays, Father’s Day and Christmas).

To create the following infusions, I’ve provided some basic guidelines. Essentially, though, all that’s involved is putting a bit of the best quality vodka you can acquire into a lidded container, adding a few fresh sprigs of your herb of choice and allowing the mixture to infuse for several days. For each of the herbs listed, I’ve also offered five flavour pairings, if you’d like to infuse the vodka with a little more than one herb – which, of course, will also taste fantastic all on its own. These suggestions come from The Flavor Bible, my indispensable go-to manual when looking for ideas for culinary pairings.

Herbs

• Cilantro Pair with: ginger, chile peppers, figs, cucumbers, cumin seed
• Basil Pair with: strawberries, cucumbers, orange peel, peaches, pineapple
• Lemon Verbena Pair with: apricots, blueberries, cherries, cinnamon stick, red currants
• Lemon Balm Pair with: fennel bulb, honeydew melon, black tea, nectarines, blackberries
• Tarragon Pair with: lemon thyme, celery seeds, lemon peel, pink grapefruit, bay leaf
• Dill Pair with: cucumber, coriander seeds, cilantro, capers, lemon balm
• Mint Pair with: apples, cardamom seeds, whole cloves, grapes, peaches
• Rosemary Pair with: pears, lemon peel, orange slices, apricots, plums
• Thyme Pair with: whole allspice, bay leaf, celery stalks, cranberries, sage
• Lavender Pair with: peaches, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, lemon peel

To Infuse

1. Clean and dry a glass container with an air-tight lid. I like to infuse in glass mason jars.

2. Place several sprigs of whatever herb you’d like to infuse in the jar, along with additional flavouring agents, if using. Cover with vodka. Secure the lid tightly.

3. The amount of time required for infusing will vary. If infusing an herb by itself, allow up to two days, shaking the jar several times daily. If using additional flavouring agents, allow at least one week. Keep out of direct sunlight and store at room temperature during the infusing process.

4. Strain solids off using a fine-mesh wire strainer, coffee filter or cheesecloth. Transfer the infusion back to the jar used for processing (after cleaning it out) or into a decorative bottle for gifting.

5. Store the infusion in the refrigerator (and consume within 1 month) or the freezer (consuming within 2 months).

If giving as a gift, you can opt to leave the infusing agents in the vodka and instruct the recipient to strain the solids off after a little time. Otherwise, strain the blend yourself and present the liquor in an attractive glass bottle. I like to use either clamp-lid glass bottles or salvaged, repurposed ones I keep on hand for gift-giving.

These infusions will be equally delicious whether served neat, with ice or blended into a cocktail. From Bloody Marys and martinis to hard lemonade and cosmopolitans, they’ll add nuance and seasonality to whatever whets your whistle.