Fresh HOME Magazine Review & Giveaway

I may just be the poster girl for fresh HOME!

Fresh HOME is a magazine you can read a dozen times, open to read again, and find another new gem.  It’s fun, helpful, and one that you will want to make into a collection and keep on your bookshelves.

Here are a few of my favorite articles in the Spring 2010 fresh HOME magazine:

• From Tips & To-Dos, Spirit of Spring!

Let the sun shine in.  But wash windows on an overcast day.  (The sunnier the day, the more streaks you’ll leave.)  Clean inexpensively in an eco-friendly way by using newspapers and a 4-to-1 mix of warm water and white vinegar.

• How-To, Fresh-Air Style

Spring has sprung!  Open a window, inhale the sun-kissed breeze and say “later” to winter with these pretty projects.

Now’s the perfect time to take a good look around the house to see what could use perking up.  A few simple touches are all it takes to bring the light, energy and colors of spring inside.

Most of these ideas take less than an hour to do and are easy to change out when summer calls.

If spring bulbs are slow to flower.
Preview the planting season with an indoor planting shelf filled with tulip and hyacinth blooms forced in a nursery.  Top a pair of painted brackets with a stainless shelf; install the unit just below the windowsill.  Slip the blooming bulbs into cheery pots and arrange to your heart’s content.

If branches are blooming in the yard.
Turn them into indoor art by grouping a collection of vases.  Fill one or more with the loveliest branches of forsythia you can find.

If company is coming for brunch.
Stitch napkins together to create a tablecloth.  For added interest, offset the napkin corners, then hand-stitch across the seams using embroidery floss.  Edge lilac linen napkins with rickrack.  Fill a compote with candy eggs and tuck in a little rosemary, too.

If spring sunshine is shining in.
Multiply it with mirrors gathered on a nightstand.  This set of frameless mirrored circles provides plenty of options.  The mirrors corral clutter and provide a safe surface for a cup of tea.  Get a similar effect by scattering mirrors on a coffee table.  Place a vase of flowers on top , and the mirrors will instantly double the blooms.

If spring showers have arrived.
Keep umbrellas handy in an inverted ceramic garden stool placed by the front door.  Even if umbrellas are damp, they can be tucked in the holder.

If woolly blankets feel too heavy.
Replace them with bedding in a spring palette of green, yellow, pink and lilac.  for a soft look, select a solid but textured coverlet and pair it with pretty patterns and solids.  Include a couple of throws for cool nights.

If a neutral rug seems too blah.
Toss a throw rug right on top for a splash of color and pattern.  It’s an affordable way to change the look – plus, it takes only the blink of an eye to make the change.

If pillows need perking up.
Create a simple wrap pillow.  For an 18″ pillow, cut a 36″ square of fabric.  Place the pillow form diagonally in the center of the fabric square.  Draw two opposite sides together over the pillow, and knot.  Draw the other two sides together over the first knot, and knot the second pair.  Slip the ends of the ties under the knot.  For a second option, press a length of fabric into a band.  Stitch of fuse trim to the edges.  Stitch two pieces of ribbon to the band, fit around a pillow, and tie.

• One More Idea, Boot Scoot

This boot box is a great way to keep mud where it belongs – outside. And it’s cute, to boot!

Too easy.  There are a lot of lovely things about spring – April showers and May flowers, for example, but muddy boots just aren’t among them.  This simple solution takes an hour or less to build and smartly showcases your favorite pair of galoshes.

Snag an old fruit box from your local grocer, or make a box yourself from scrap lumber.  Give it a couple of coasts of oil0based paint and fill with pretty polished pebbles.  Done!

Fresh HOME is a quarterly magazine.

Right now you can save 50% off a yearly subscription – click HERE to get your amazing fresh HOME magazine!

One lucky winner will receive a one year subscription to fresh HOME magazine!  Find out how and enter *directly below in the Giveaway Form*.  Also, be sure to check out all of our other giveaways HERE.

A complimentary product/service was provided for this review; however, all opinions expressed are our own.  We were not compensated in any other way for this review.  See Mommies with Cents disclosure policy for more details.