Kuan Yin is known as the Goddess of Compassion. Her name in Chinese roughly translates as “The One who Hears the Cries of the World. Because of her willingness to help, Kuan-Yin is the patron saint of barren women and protects those whose lives depend on the elements, such as farmers and fishermen. She is one of the most popular deities in all of Asia. Kuan Yin is also spelled Quan Yin.

In Asia, Quan Yin statues can be found in front of or on the grounds of many Buddhist temples. Quan Yin statues come in various forms and poses. She always appears cloaked in white which is the color of purity. Her gown is long and flowing. She will be holding a rosary in one hand which is the symbol of her devotion to Buddhism and its tenets.

My mother is a wonderful woman. She truly deserves the kind of retirement she has planned. She now has a home she had built from scratch and furnished with money from all her hard-earned money.

I can just imagine her small garden planting away some flowering plants. I can almost smell the delicious food she would be concocting in her functional yet modern kitchen. I can almost feel the breeze on my skin as well as she relaxes at her terrace. In fact, I can almost feel the softness and warmth of her queen down comforters as she lays herself down to sleep. She’s worked hard all her life and she really deserves everything that she gets!

I like dining by candlelight every now and then. The semi-darkness creates a restful mood that helps melt away the stresses of the day. During these moments, I bring out the set of four metal candle holders that was given to us during our wedding day two years ago.

These days, my husband is no longer surprised when he comes home from work to find the house in darkness. He knows he’ll find the dining room awash with the soft glows of candles to accompany us while we eat. Later, we’ll snuggle up in the couch and tell each other about how our day went while sipping hot cocoa together.

It’s a fact. It’s the home decor accents and finishing touches that give a home a personality. When you’re decorating your home from scratch, these things are often ignored in favor of the major decisions like choosing the flooring, wall coverings, as well as picking furniture like beds and sofas.

Truth is little decorative items are what make a room homey and comfortable. As simple as tossing one or two uniquely designed pillows on your bed or couch can instantly transform the look of the entire room. You can also brighten up your dull living room by accentuating it with candlelight and will surely relax watching it glow. You don’t have to spend a huge amount of money to create an inviting atmosphere at your own home.

A Waterford crystal item is a thing of exquisite beauty. Waterford crystal vases give out a musical ring when the rim is gently flicked. They are handcrafted with care, and the gentle angles give out a dazzling rainbow when kissed by sunlight. These items make gorgeous and well-appreciated gifts for weddings and other special occasions, such as moving into a new home. Waterford products have an intrinsic value, and are much sought after as collector’s items.

Waterford crystal is also said to bring good vibrations to any home, attracting positive energy by its sheer beauty. Because of its splendor, even famous items are made from Waterford crystal. Some examples of these are the New Year’s Ball that is dropped yearly at Times Street in New York, and the beautiful trophy awarded to the winners of the prestigious Stanley Cup. You too can bring this dazzling beauty home by owning your very own Waterford crystal vase.

You don’t have to have a ranch to be part of the Southwest or Western culture. You don’t have to have a gecko for a pet or dance like the Kokopellis to help you feel the Western ambiance. You don’t have to wear boots to feel like a real cowboy.

Southwestern metal wall art are becoming more popular and available in the art world today. You can enjoy the ambiance in your own home. Hang some geckos in your bathroom wall. Show some style with your decorative crosses. Start a conversation with your horseshoe art. Enjoy reliving the wild wild West!

Dreaming of a specific house and location, planning, saving, investing, getting the right architect and crew, designing, choosing colors and materials, and getting permits are just some of the tasks involved in building your own home. You would think that when everything is finally concretized that there wouldn’t be anything left to do. Well, there’s furniture, interior design, landscaping, and much more. Home decoration is as much a task as building from scratch.

Once you are done though, you can look around or sit by a chair beside floor vases your wife just had to have and think of all the things you had to go through and take a deep breath. Finally having your ideal home and knowing that all your hard work paid off is a feeling that is simply indescribable. Take pride in it. It is all worth it.

Silk plants are so easy to maintain. You can change the look of your home every season. Celebrate fall with seasonal fall wreaths featuring traditional symbols. How about miniature Indian corn, pumpkins and preserved eucalyptus. Tie them up neatly with raffia ribbon to highlight the bounty of nature.

As the weather grows colder and snow starts to fall, it is time to change the décor into festive décor for the Christmas season. Find the perfect door decoration to greet you as you enter your home. Choose from a wide selection of season inspired wreaths and evergreens. Make the holiday glow with beautiful centrepieces. And when the season is over you can store them in boxes ready to be used again next year.

Cuckoo clocks are very much recognizable by their unique look. It is typically pendulum-driven and it strikes the hours using pipes that imitate the call of the cuckoo. These kinds of clock started out in Germany, specifically in Black Forest, Germany sometime in the middle of the 18th century. The most popular design is still the traditional chalet style that hangs on a wall. Usually made of wood, it is decorated with carved leaves and animals.

Traditional cuckoo clocks are pendulum driven. There are two kinds of pendulum movements: one day or eight day movements. Music usually accompanies the movement of the pendulum which is made possible with weights attached to the ends. In recent years, quartz cuckoo clocks have been developed. A bird still appears to call the time but instead of the traditional bellows these are digital recordings of a cuckoo call.

Stained glass art has been popular for decades but when someone hears the name Tiffany, art on glass takes on a life of its own. No, not Breakfast at Tiffany’s as popularized by the beautiful Audrey Hepburn. No, not the little blue boxes that most of every girl would like to receive. Although Louis Comfort Tiffany is the son of Charles Tiffany (founder of Tiffany and Co.), he made a name of his own with his Tiffany-style lamps.

The Tiffany desk lamps or tiffany wall sconce that you have seen or may own have all gone through the copper foil method. First, a pattern for the lamp is drawn on a heavy piece of cardboard then specific numbers and glass colors are written for labeling. Once the pattern is traced, the glass is cut and the pieces are fit. Then, the pieces are cleaned so that the copper would adhere to the edges making the pieces stick to one another. Finally, edges are soldered for a firm hold. Cleaning the lamp once again will show the beauty that was just a cardboard drawing before. Today, though there are many reproductions of the tiffany-style lamps, it does not fall far from the tree. Every lamp that applies this style is exquisite and handcrafted and, therefore, quite precious.