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Summertime Decorating

© L.C. Dumke

Aaaaah...sweet, sweet summer. I don't mind that my calendar says summer has not officially begun. I don't mind that it is merely warm and not yet hot here in Georgia. Despite all this evidence to the contrary, I know that summer has begun because of one simple fact: SCHOOL IS OUT! And this, of course, is how many families across the U.S. decide when summer begins and ends-according to the school year calendar.

So as I was rolled out of bed at a blissfully late hour one morning recently, I already began to hear the resounding hymn of "Mooooooom, I'm boooooored." I ignored those sounds and instead began to inspect the rooms in my home, and determined my decor is in need of some "summerfying". What do I mean by summerfying? It's simple: I want to bring some of that bright, warm, lazy atmosphere inside my home, so I can truly enjoy this time of year whether I'm indoors or out.

So, I was faced with how to proceed, and I thought of several ideas I'd like to share with you. If you also would like to inject a little summertime pizzazz into your decorating, try these ideas:

* Remove fleece blankets and down comforters from your beds and replace them with thin cotton blankets or pastel-colored quilts.

* Display fresh flowers in vases or other interesting receptacles to brighten up your rooms.

* Remove heavy curtains and replace them with thin sheers or lace panels, or leave your windows bare all together (wherever privacy is not an issue) to invite the summer sunlight in.

* Break out the florals! Pick up floral-patterned sheets, shams and throw pillows at discount stores and yard sales and sprinkle them around your home.

* Hang a summer "welcome" on your front door. (Mine is a tin wall pocket hanging from a barbed-wire handle. I filled it with plastic daisies.) Wreaths wrapped in plastic ivy are great too.

* Purchase summer plates (brightly colored, made of heavy plastic) to make summertime dining a little more fun.

Enjoy your summer everyone!

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