Gifts from the Heart

If you entertain in your home chances are you’ve noticed the tendency of guests to gather in the kitchen.  No matter how comfortable and inviting your living areas may be, people seem to migrate to the kitchen.  Take it as a compliment; the aroma wafting through the house is probably too irresistible to keep them away.  As dining areas have become more of a social gathering spot, many people are dressing up the walls as they do in other rooms of their home, in order to create a comfortable setting that will accommodate both casual family meals and arranged dinner parties. 

May is here, and that means many entertaining opportunities: the big one, Mothers Day, on May 10th, Cinco de Mayo, Graduations, Memorial Day, warm weather barbeques and celebrating family events.  In addition to preparing for the big events with the right food and refreshments, step up the entertaining quotient with just the right home fragrances for every room in the house, inside and out.
We are often asked from new customers why their neighbor’s homes always have such a nice scent when they walk in.  They are sent to talk to us on how they can have the same wonderful fragrancing in their “castle.”

This year my wife and I will celebrate 30 years of marriage.  We were married very young (she was 20 and I was 21) and had absolutely no idea what it took to make a marriage work, nor did we understand our respective roles and responsibilities.  Thank God for his grace and kindness towards us, for he was the one who kept us together and enabled us to grow and prosper as a couple.

Have you ever found yourself suspended in the middle of what appeared to be a hopeless situation?  I’m talking about a situation so seemingly hopeless that you found yourself wondering how you even got there, not to mention how you’re going to get out.  One of the most disappointing things in life is to be faced with a situation that appears to have no hope.  There’s nothing more discouraging than to be faced with a major problem without any solution - questions without any answers.  Have you ever been there?

“Not Herod, Not Caiaphas, not Pilate, not Judas ever contrived to fasten upon Jesus Christ the reproach of insipidity; that final indignity was left for pious hands to inflict.  To make of his story something that could neither startle nor shock, nor terrify, nor excite, nor inspire a living soul is to crucify the Son of God afresh and put Him to an open shame.”  — Dorothy L. Sayers

What if you could be released from everything that truly burdens you?  What if your best day was only a shadow of things to come?  What if there was a way of living better than anything you could imagine?

“How very good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1
It is with great joy that we invite you to join us at Valencia United Methodist Church this Easter and in the days ahead!  We are a community of Christ-followers with a solid foundation, full of hope for tomorrow and a family of faith with a vision to be a place where lives are continuously transformed through Jesus Christ.

On November 11, 2008 proud parents Rick and Crystal Hilstein welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world.  Charlie Shea Hilstein was born weighing seven pounds three ounces and was 20 inches long. 

Sean was six years old when his parents noticed he was becoming increasingly uncoordinated.  He was stumbling and falling, even more than the normal six-year-old silliness.  And then, when the headaches started, Rich and Kelly Anderson became progressively more concerned for their son.  The pediatrician immediately ordered a CAT scan and the diagnosis was almost immediate.  Their precious child had a tumor, just above the brain stem in the fourth ventricle of his brain.

A diamond is a unique stone that possesses remarkable physical qualities, making it a highly desirable stone.  A diamond is the official birthstone for April.  Many people wear and enjoy this gemstone, whether it’s their birthstone or not.

You may have seen the car in Westfield’s Valencia Town Center.  It was parked in the mall for six weeks following Thanksgiving. It’s the Valencia Time Center Smart Car®. Strolling shoppers had an opportunity to submit an entry to win a Ball watch from the Valencia Time Center.  Some 485 votes later, the winner was chosen. 

If you’re looking to “go green,” then antiques and collectibles can be a wonderful place to start.  From furniture to dinnerware, decorator items to vintage textiles and, yes, even old tools and car parts.  Many of these items can be found where antiques and collectibles are sold.  There are auctions houses, antique stores, garage sales, thrift stores, swap meets, print ads Craig’s List, eBay and more. 

Only two percent of women around the world think of themselves as beautiful and four out of five women are dissatisfied with their image.  Too often women, starting from their early years, are bombarded with social, cultural misconceptions and skewed PhotoShopped images that lead to a personal flawed perception which defines our definition of beauty.

Earth day is celebrated this year on Wednesday, April 22.  It is a day that reminds us to do the important things in our daily life that helps the environment. We should treat every day as Earth Day.  We need to manage our precious resources for this generation and the ones to come.

ROOMS & BLOOMS, which was most recently located at the Kohl’s Shopping Center on McBean Parkway and Valencia Boulevard, has moved to a new location on Lyons Avenue.  Inside the new ROOMS & BLOOMS guests are invited to take a freshly brewed cup of coffee or tea to the long flower-lined porch or enjoy it while browsing the shop’s wide assortment of gifts for home, garden and baby.

Well with the recent temperatures I am sure that we all can agree that spring has officially sprung!  The flowers are blooming and all of this energy gives us a chance to start with our “spring cleaning.”  This year however, I decided that it was time to take a different approach and clean up and organize my new Mac!  I recently upgraded my Mac laptop and in doing so realized that I faced some issues. 

Believe it or not, the glass you choose for your framed piece is as important as the frame itself.  The glass, or glazing, can add considerably to the enjoyment of your piece, and more importantly, to the life of whatever you’re framing.  So, how do you pick the right frame for your framing project?  Consider the following points. 

With all the negative news day after day and the drone of “the economy is falling apart,” why not take in some good art galleries and museum breaks as well as some fantastic “music breaks,” by going to choice concerts, or just listening to your favorite group on CD, or visiting us at B&R Gallery & Custom Framing, and having us design a beautiful preservation “shadow box” of your favorite event, and/or memories.  With all the horrible press anyone would get depressed if sitting too long watching it day to day.