Now is the time to get out the silverware box and polish up the good utensils for Thanksgiving.  That’s another time-consuming task amidst all of the holiday hubbub.  It’s enough to make you ditch the formality and eat in the backyard at the picnic table or outdoor dining set, where you can use paper plates and plastic forks, like the pilgrims did.  (Su-ure, they did!  And afterward, they sat around on their Adirondack chairs and chaise lounges, watching football.)      

Anyway, as is the case in many families, your setting may be a cherished heirloom that you save for special occasions.  But, while you’re trying to make it sparkle, be careful not to do anything that will accidentally harm it; that’s another thing that happens frequently. 

Sterling silver, an alloy of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper, develops a patina over time, with use and exposure to air.  While some people find this attractive, oxidation can also cause unsightly tarnish; but, luckily, it can be polished away – which is what you’re probably doing this week.  If so, do not wear rubber gloves while you’re at it, as that could cause serious damage. 

Indeed, rubber can corrode silver severely enough to leave deep etchings that can be repaired only by a silversmith, and can even wear away raised designs.  So, if you’re gonna wear gloves, make ‘em cotton or plastic; and never use rubber bands on silver utensils, or store them in chests with rubber seals or coverings.  Use solid wood boxes that are lined with cloth. 

At CedarStore.com, we have magnificent silverware boxes, worthy of your finest silver, that are hand-crafted from cherry and oak, finished in one of six resplendent wood tones, and lined with green or burgundy felt.  They also make great gifts, as do any of the jewelry boxes, armoires, jewelry chests, steamer trunks, cedar chests, toy chests, and quilt racks, which you’ll find in our ‘Home Accents’ section. 

Now, when it comes to cleaning the silverware after dinner, the best method can depend upon different factors, including the age and type of the silver.  However, it seems that most people prefer to do their antique pieces by hand, even when it is perfectly safe to put them into the dishwasher (you know – like the pilgrims did!).

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Well, the first big holiday of the season is breathing down our necks.  Next week, most of us will be sitting down with loved ones (and, perhaps, a few people that we can barely stand!), to our turkey dinners.  For those who are feeding large crowds, preparation for the feasts may include trying to figure out where everyone is going to sit, which means pulling a lot of folding tables, folding chairs, picnic table benches, patio chairs, and even outdoor dining tables and kids’ picnic tables, out of storage.

Of course, this is just the beginning; after Thanksgiving, it’ll be one big, mad rush to get ready for Christmas.  Besides shopping for the perfect gifts for everyone, from now until the end of the year, there will be decorating, making travel arrangements, baking, cooking, and trying to decide who’s spending what day, where.         

Another huge part of it is entertaining, which adds the stress of trying to keep our houses clean in showcase condition at all times.  So, we obsess over every little detail, including things that we rarely even think about for most of the year, such as the good silverware.  Because, in many homes, it’s used only on holidays, a lot of people will now be polishing it, to make it radiant for company. 

Naturally, it’s equally important for the silverware boxes to be gleaming as well.  Sometimes, however, they’re in poor condition, because they’ve been handed down with the silverware, and have suffered many scratches and chips while protecting it over the years.  If this is the case, it may be time for a new case – or, rather, box – for your silverware.      

At CedarStore.com, we have gorgeous, hand-crafted oak and cherry silverware chests that are available in six lustrous shades of wood stain, and lined with green or burgundy felt.  Even if you don’t need one, it will make a spectacular gift for someone on your list.  In fact, you can do a lot of your holiday shopping in our ‘Home Accents’ section, where you’ll also find stunning jewelry boxes, jewelry chests, armoires, steamer trunks, cedar chests, toy chests, quilt racks, and more.

And don’t feel guilty about replacing your original silverware box, because you can still keep it in the family.  Just give it to the sister-in-law who gave you socks last Christmas!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Speaking of getting creative with your garden structures, the one that will particularly appeal to your inventive side is the pergola.  Fun and versatile, it will easily lend itself to nearly any landscape project that you can dream up. 

For example, if you have a plain, open space in your yard, you can use a garden pergola to instantly transform it into a shady little haven.  Just add a few Adirondack chairs and ottomans, some accent tables, and a few planters, and you have a nice, breezy little place to relax; or put in a picnic table and make it a cozy outdoor dining nook.      

Millions of people have also discovered that one of the coolest ways to use a pergola is as a patio cover.  The reason that it’s the coolest is that the shade that it provides prevents the brick, stone, or cement floor from heating up, which is doubly cool.  Moreover, in most cases, it keeps the sun out of at least one window, holding the temperature down in the house as well, which is triply cool. 

Another great use for a pergola is as an enclosure for a hot tub.  This one is wildly popular, and ideal for hot tubs in any location, because you can use a plain pergola for cover and shade, or get one with privacy panels, which come in solid and latticed versions.         

You can use pergolas anywhere, no matter how large or small the area, because they are available in all sizes; and they can be free-standing, or attached to your house, garage, or any other stable structure.   

On top of that, even though they are already adaptable to a variety of purposes, here at GazeboCreations.com, our pergolas are even more flexible, because of the talents of our designers and woodcrafters.  In addition to the dozens of sizes in which we already offer our cedar, treated pine, and vinyl pergolas, they will customize them for any situation.

So, put your imagination to work, then put us to work on your special project.

Of course, that’s easy for me to say – I only have to write about it!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

It’s interesting, the way that people tend to make associations about things.  Sometimes, it can involve colors; everyone develops ideas about which ones go together, and, before they know it, they have these unbreakable, personal rules.  That’s not really a good thing, because it can get them into a rut.  What’s even worse is when they take the advice of so-called experts who tell them what goes with what, and end up adopting someone else’s senseless views as their own. 

The same is true for food and beverage pairings.  While, undoubtedly, these usually stem from our own preferences, they are also notoriously dictated by self-proclaimed authorities who profess to have educated palates.  Unfortunately, these blowhards are everywhere, telling us, for example, that there’s only one specific wine that simply must accompany a certain dish, and if you serve anything else, you belong in a doghouse.

Sometimes, we relate things to particular seasons, and can’t envision them in any other context.  Garden structures, for instance, have long been connected almost exclusively to the warm-weather months.  While they have always looked spectacular in the spring and summer, covered with colorful climbing flowers and vines, pergolas, arbors, and trellises were often left looking forlorn and lifeless in the winter, standing dejectedly in a corner, entwined with a few dead branches.

Luckily, however, this practice is also becoming out-dated, as millions more people each year are realizing that their garden pergolas, planter benches, trellis screens, arbors, and arbor extensions can be fantastically integrated with their holiday displays.  In fact, in many cases, these structures, as well as planter trellises, garden bridges, and, of course, gazebos, can even be the main attractions, when adorned with strings of lights, holly, tinsel, and other ornaments.

Even beyond the New Year – in the time that’s known as the dead of winter – outdoor structures can bring new life to your landscape and brighten your outdoor décor.  Moreover, there’s no standard way to use them; they lend themselves to creativity, so you can show off your own, individual style.

Remember, the only rule that everyone really should live by is the Golden Rule. 

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

The lengths to which you will have to go to preserve the beauty of your outdoor furniture depend upon a few factors.  Naturally, the region in which you live has a lot to do with it; if it’s always warm, your patio chairs, picnic table, and porch swing may be going full-swing all year long. 

Then, there’s the more prevalent scenario, wherein the weather is less than pleasant in the winter.  In some areas, this may mean that temperatures go below 50º F, and there’s a fair amount of rain; in others, they can go from below freezing, to below zero, with rain, snow, hail, and ice, either present, or in the offing, at all times. 

Of course, even if you live in one of these places, you may be one of the millions of people who has an enclosed porch, gazebo, or sunroom that you use year-round.  If that’s the case, just as it is with those who live in warm climates, you don’t have to be concerned with storing your furniture for the winter; but if you do have to worry about the ravages of the elements, and you don’t have a garage or shed to put it in, the best solution is to use furniture covers.  

At CedarStore.com, we have the strongest, most durable furniture covers you’ll ever find.  Available in many lovely designs, colors, and patterns, they’re made from materials that include waterproof, UV-resistant Dernier polyester, as well as Tron-Weve, which is water-resistant, UV-inhibiting, and able to withstand any temperature extremes.

Our covers also feature a positive air-flow ventilation system, which allows moisture to evaporate, thus eliminating the threat of mold and mildew.  Moreover, they’re easy to clean, with mild detergent and a sponge, and equipped with buckles and snaps that will hold them securely in place, even on extremely windy days. 

One more thing to remember is that, even if you don’t have to worry about rain, snow, or ice ruining your patio furniture, the sun’s UV rays can come through a window or screen and cause it to fade drastically.  Therefore, you may want to use covers even if your outdoor furniture is indoors. 

Yeah, I know – it’s tough having to deal with all of that sun!

Yours Outdoors (or indoors – I’m confused now!),

Kathy

These days, outdoor furniture is generally much more durable than the porch swings, gliders, and patio chairs of the past; and it certainly outlasts those flimsy folding chairs that everyone used to have.  Geez – remember them?  They had aluminum frames that were collapsible (even though they weren’t supposed to be!), and seats and backs made from those stiff strips of plastic.

When you sat on them in shorts, they’d leave big, red, square patches on the backs of your thighs.  Moreover, there was a limited selection of colors, and only one style; but, if you wanted something really fancy, you could get the ones with gold threads running through the strips of plastic.  Yeah, those were great; they left big, red, itchy squares on your thighs!  Not many people know this, but those chairs were the true inspiration behind the Capri pants craze of the ‘60’s; it was not Mary Tyler Moore on ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’ as is widely believed.  

Of course, those porch chairs rarely lasted more than a season, nor were they meant to; but even the more expensive pieces couldn’t come close to achieving the longevity of today’s outdoor furniture.  However, people have always tried to protect their patio furniture by storing it, or using outdoor furniture covers, in the winter; and, while that certainly helped, the covers back then weren’t much more durable than the furniture.

Fortunately, that’s all changed now.  Here at CedarStore.com, along with our long-lasting, decay-resistant wood outdoor furniture, and our nearly indestructible, polywood, aluminum, synthetic wicker, and vinyl porch furniture, we have a wide assortment of incredibly strong furniture covers that will keep your outdoor chairs, picnic tables, rocking chairs, sofas, loveseats, and accent tables looking like new (or whatever condition they’re in when you cover them!). 

They’re available in several ultra-durable, waterproof materials that are highly resistant to mold, mildew, and fading, and are easy to clean.  Besides providing shelter from the harshest elements, our furniture covers come in several striking designs, colors, and patterns that are almost as beautiful as your furniture.  Best of all, we offer free shipping on all of our covers; and many of them ship in just a few business days, so you can have them before the first snow flies.

And please don’t ask, “What are snow flies?”

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Okay.  Halloween is over.  The ghosts have gone back to their graveyards, the vampires have returned to their coffins, the witches have left town on their brooms, and the Great Pumpkin has, once again, left Linus Van Pelt alone and freezing in his oh-so-sincere pumpkin patch, wondering where he went wrong. 

Now comes the scariest part of the year – the holidays.  Yep.  We’re facing two full months of Christmas commercials (I saw my first one before Halloween) and decorations.  In fact, the malls are already fully decked out, and Thanksgiving is still three weeks away!  Worse yet, many houses will be ready for Christmas by the middle of the month.  That’s a shame, too, because fall decorations are gorgeous; so, even though the Halloween stuff has to go, leave the cornstalks, haystacks, and strings of orange lights on your gazebos, fences, trellises, arbors, and pergolas, until after Thanksgiving.

When it comes to getting gifts, however, there are times when it makes sense to shop early.  Usually, these are cases in which you want to get someone something extra-special, which has to be ordered in advance, like, say, one of our stunning cedar chests.  That will definitely make a spectacular gift; but if you want to be sure to have it there for Christmas, now would be a good time to order, as it takes four to six weeks for delivery.  Of course, it will be well worth the wait.   

At CedarStore.com, in our ‘Home Accents’ section, we have the most magnificent selection of cedar, oak, and cherry chests, along with some dazzling steamer trunks, which can be finished in several lustrous shades of stain, and double coated with lacquer.  Available in all styles and price ranges, they will not only be among the most outstanding gifts you could ever give, but they will surely be the most cherished and enduring as well.   

Besides our cedar chests, we also offer breath-taking jewelry boxes, jewelry chests, armoires, toy chests, and silverware boxes, many of which ship in two weeks or less, and all of which will be shipped free.            

So, you can either throw yourself into the fray to get an ordinary present, or sit leisurely at your computer and choose an extraordinary gift that’s bound to become a treasured heirloom.  Hmm – it sounds like the case for a cedar chest is open and shut.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

When it comes to furnishing our homes, naturally, we all have different tastes (of course, that applies to everything, but, with limited space for such a discussion, we must draw the line somewhere).  Even so, there are certain common denominators that figure prominently into most motifs; and wood is right up there at the top of that list.  It’s universally prized for its strength and beauty – as it always has been – and it comes in so many varieties that it accommodates all personal preferences.

Obviously, here at CedarStore.com, we love wood; and we offer our wood outdoor furniture in so many styles, that there’s something (actually, many things) to suit virtually everyone.  Our expertise, however, is not restricted to porch swings, picnic tables, and patio chairs.  No-o!  While that’s certainly what we’re best known for, it wouldn’t make sense for us, under the circumstances, to confine ourselves to one area.

You see, because we have such extraordinary woodworkers – nay, artisans – on our design team, it would be a shame to hide their talents under a bushel basket; or an outdoor planter, as the case may be.  Instead, we have always thought it best to allow their incredible talents to shine in all directions.  That, as it turns out, is a great philosophy; and if you want to know just how great, go to our ‘Home Accents’ division, where you’ll see some dazzling illustrations of their handiwork on indoor wood furniture. 

Besides being among the most spectacular pieces that you’ll ever find anywhere, some of the items in this section can be essential to your décor.  For example, you can often give a room a very rich aspect by using one outstanding piece of furniture that has looks that will take your breath away, and a price tag that won’t.  With its undeniable beauty, as well as its sheer practicality, a cedar chest fills these requirements, and more.

A cedar chest will give any room in your home the look of luxury; and we have an incomparable selection of them, along with magnificent oak and cherry chests, with radiant, lacquered finishes, in a variety of wood tones, crafted in traditional and contemporary designs.     

So, it really is possible to do more than one thing – and do it well – as long as you have a staff as talented as ours.  And they’re going to be around, creating stunning wood furniture, for years to come – uh, knock on wood!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

While your gazebo can be integral to your backyard Halloween party, if you have a pool house, a cabana, an outdoor sunroom, or even a shed, don’t let it stand idly by during the festivities; any one of these garden structures can also figure into your celebration.

Although they may be useful for many things, just as with the gazebos, the number of ways in which they can serve will depend upon their sizes.  For example, the smaller ones may be perfect for setting up a few folding tables for a buffet, while the larger ones may be roomy enough to hold picnic tables, outdoor dining tables, bar sets, or bistro sets, where guests can sit down and eat. 

Many people also like to turn their outdoor structures into haunted houses.  In these cases, the degrees to which they can be used as such will vary not only according to the buildings’ sizes, but to the ambitions of their owners as well.  Obviously, not everyone wants to go to great lengths for an elaborately staged production, where people walk through in the dark, being scared by others wearing horrifying costumes, while wielding bloody axes and chain saws.      

More often, the gazebos, sheds, cabanas, and pool houses are adorned with spooky decorations, and equipped with eerie lighting and sound effects.  In order to make things as chilling as possible, many people also like to roll out a little fog.  Unfortunately, fog machines have always been too expensive and impractical for most to consider buying; and the alternative, dry ice, is not only a hassle, but can be costly, and dangerous, if it comes in direct contact with skin. 

However, because they have become much more affordable, compact, and easy to use, fog machines are quickly increasing in popularity.  These days, all you have to do is to pour a little fog fluid (usually a solution of glycol and water) into the machine, to instantly create the perfect atmosphere.  Many of the newer ones even have remote controls, and will turn off automatically when they’re low on fluid.  Furthermore, they’re often small enough to be concealed behind an arbor, trellis, pergola, or even a planter.    

So, there you have some more ideas about how you can use your outdoor furniture and garden structures for your outdoor Halloween parties.  And if you are considering getting one of the aforementioned machines, I really hate to say this, but, I guess that could literally be called a foggy notion!  (I’m sorry!)

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

You have tons of options for designing your garden.  On top of the endless varieties of flowers, plants, trees, and shrubs, there are countless types of mulch, as well as decorative rocks, stones, and gravel, in every color imaginable.  Selecting from among them can be difficult and time-consuming; in fact, it may take so long that you could actually miss planting season. 

When everything on that lengthy list, from the necessities, to the accessories, is finally planned, picked out, planted, and placed, you can begin to make decisions about the ideal garden structures to complement your motif.  Once again, you’ll have an incredible assortment from which to choose. 

This, however, does not have to be a long, wearying process, if you know where to look; and that, of course, is right here at CedarStore.com.  Our unparalleled collection of cedar, treated pine, vinyl, polywood, and wrought iron backyard structures includes arbors, trellises, pergolas, and garden bridges, in dozens of sizes, and styles that range from simple, to sensational.   

For example, along with our plain arbors, we have arbors with gates, swings, benches, and extensions.  If you want more than a basic trellis, you can choose an elegant planter trellis, a garden obelisk, a classic five-spoke trellis, or a single, double, or triple garden screen.  We also have planter benches with lattice backs.            

Our equally-impressive array of garden pergolas features free-standing and attached pergolas, as well as pergolas with built-in benches.  You can even use our Custom Pergola Creator to craft a maintenance-free vinyl pergola , or a decay-resistant wood pergola, to your specifications. 

Of course, nothing will give your landscape a lift like a garden bridge; and we have several styles including plank, single and double rail, picket and half-picket rail, as well as captivating covered bridges that you can customize right on our site.  This is also the only place you’ll find the spectacular Opti-Breeze™ Bridge, which is bound to astound, as its dazzling design induces a delightfully deceptive optical illusion that will throw your eyeballs a tantalizing curve.     

This is truly something that you have to see to believe.  Really, you won’t be able to get over it!  Or, uh, I mean, of course, you’ll be able to get over it; after all, it is a bridge.  However, since it’s so hard to describe, I’ll just say that it puts the focus on hocus pocus!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy