Archive for December, 2009
A cherub is a winged celestial entity, first represented in the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation of the Christian Bible as the second of nine orders of angels, emerging more recently in modern books such as Milton’s Paradise Lost. Usually a cherub is depicted as a small angel, most often an innocent child, with a round, rosy face. The plural of the word cherub can be either cherubs or cherubim, and occasionally “cherubims” is used, as it was in the King James Version of the Christian Bible. Orthodox and Conservative Judaism both include beliefs in the existence of cherubim angels, though some maintain the latter interprets cherubim references to be more figurative than literal in nature. Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism tend to either use angel references metaphorically or drop them altogether. However, in Kabbalah, Hasidic Judaism, and Jewish mysticism, cherubim have always been an important component and are regarded as mystical. Catholic theology ranks cherubim on the second tier of the angelic hierarchy–second to Seraphim.
Christian Biblical art typically depicts cherubim with four wings, sometimes with the faces of lions, oxen, eagles, or adult men. Christianity’s most common adjective referring to cherubim is “many-eyed”, and in certain portraits, their wings are covered with eyes to indicate their all-seeing powers. Western Christianity has often confused cherubim with “putti”, who began appearing in Italian art during the Renaissance period. Putti are pudgy, human, almost exclusively male winged babies, innocent souls who sing daily praises to God. This representation of cherubim has appeared in innumerable church interiors and in addition to the work of Renaissance painters such as Raphael. Many people are fans of this depiction of cherubs, whose likeness appears on very popular shirts, stationery, wall art, and garden décor accents, such as a cherub garden fountain.
Wind Chimes come in a variety of designs and sizes and provide an opportunity to turn your garden into a peaceful and relaxing area. Wind chimes are made with tubes of various lengths and diameters. Several different chimes can be placed throughout your garden to provide a soothing variety of sounds.
In addition to a garden area, you can enjoy wind chimes on a porch or patio. The tinkly sounds when the breezes blow provide a relaxing atmosphere.
The music of quality wind chimes can enhance your garden, porch or patio for many years.
There are many species of birds that would love to nest in cute little birdhouse in your yard or garden. Birdhouses bring charm to your property and nesting birds will bring hours of enjoyment to your family.
There are many cute, whimsical birdhouses available to welcome flocks of flyer’s to your yard.
Nature lover’s can treat their feathered friends to a charming little house they will love to call home.
Scented candles are one of life’s little pleasures. The warm glow of candles creates a cozy, relaxing atmosphere. These little treasures come in a variety of sizes and shapes.
There are tapered candles for candlelit dinners, votive candles for any decor, tea light candles which are great in candelabras. There are pie and cake candles to give your home that scent of freshly baked goodies.
With the many scents and sizes, its no wonder people take great pleasure in having scented candles in their home.
Christmas can be a stressful season because of all the merrymaking and gift-giving involved. To prevent stress from overpowering you this Christmas, here are some reminders:
~Make a checklist. Make a list for everything. Make a gift list, a list of things to do, and another list of people to greet or visit.
~Shop early. Avoid the Christmas rush by shopping early. You can also choose to do your shopping online instead.
~Learn to say “no”. You do not have to go to every Christmas party you get invited to. Just choose the special ones and decline the others.
~Choose your gifts wisely and give gifts as a group. Don’t spend too much time looking for the perfect gift for an acquaintance. Get Christmas gift baskets for family friends or neighbors instead of thinking of one gift for each and everyone.
~Smile. Get into the spirit of Christmas by sharing some Christmas cheer. Remember, don’t be a scrooge!
Over the years, I’ve noticed that many of my friends demonstrate different interior design preferences. Whenever I come over for a dinner party or just an informal visit, I pay special attention to the way they decorate their homes. Sometimes I even pick up a few influential tips. While some people adhere to the belief that “less is more” in design and that white space is an artistic element in itself, I can’t stand to look at white walls in my home.
That’s why I’ve found tapestries to be so useful. For one thing, they can be rearranged and even moved from one room to another with minimal effort. They are large enough to take up a vast swath of wall, and in many cases they bear a memorable design or a meaningful message. My favorite tapestry is located in the living room, and it would definitely qualify as patriotic home decor. It features angels dressed in red, white and blue, and bears the famous saying “God Bless America.”