Adding a lamp or two to a room is not only a practical solution to creating a soft ambience or a flood of light for reading or craft work. Lamps will certainly add some light but why settle for just any old style lamp when you can add a touch of class and style by choosing a truly unique looking lamp.

When my girls were little they each had different interests, one loved horses and the other had more random interests, so I made sure that each had decor to suit their personality and this included lamps unique to each girls taste.  My grandaughter is an Elvis fan so she was delighted when she received this Elvis Lamp Animated as a gift.

Elvis dances and sings when the on/off button is pressed so she finds it an absolute delight.  Its such a simple thing, adding a unique lamp to a room but it is amazing just how it adds to the ambiance and the pleasure  a lamp can provide.

There are so many lovely styles of lamps available with bases made in a variety of materials from the traditinal wood base to the more modern styling in plastic and stainless steel. And of course the same goes for the shades.

When I was a child the shades were hard plastic or some sort of pleated, stiffened fabric and they weren’t particularly appealing. Of course when we went away for the weekend to our holiday hangout we were reduced to using kerosene lamps and candlelight as there wasn’t any electricity available. In which case the shades were made from toughened glass.

Playhouses are areas where a child’s lifetime memories are made.

Children can pretend to be whoever they want to be while feeling safe and cozy in their own world of wonder.

And now you can build a playhouse for your children with an easy to put together playhouse kits

There is a wide range of styles available such as Victorian, country cottages, condo’s to name a few. And they come in a variety of sizes. So you are sure to find one to suit your children.

Playhouse kits come with all the hardware that you need for assembly. The base is treated and ready to place on the ground.

The paint is generally not included, but that’s okay because it gives you and your child the scope to discuss the color schemes.

I love the sound of wind chimes in a garden setting, there is something soothing about the sound created as the wind gently moves the chimes to strike against each other or against a centre section made of metal, wood, bamboo or other material.

Don’t make the same mistake that I made a few years ago. I brought a very large set of wind chimes made of copper and the sound was beautiful but very loud.

In fact so loud that I moved the chimes from the verandah to the far corner of the back yard. Even so, on a windy day the sound could be heard booming all over the neighbourhood, much to the disgust of the neighbours.

After a sleepless night during a particularly windy period, I had to relent and remove the offending object, much to everyones relief.

I replaced the loud resonating wind chimes with a more sedate set that tinkled nicely, whatever the weather.

As I have now moved to a rural area and live on 28 acres, I have once again invested in a large set of wind chimes, which can be strategically placed so as to be heard but not be annoying.

Wind chimes make a lovely unique gift and there are so many beautiful styles to choose from. And the sound will always remind them of your thoughtfulness.
Just keep in mind the area where the gift receiver resides.

If you are looking for an alternative to the original Canon 19-35mm lens then this is the one. The Quantaray af 19-35mm Canon lens is great value for money especially if you are on a buget. At under $150 this won’t break the bank.
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I find it frustrating when I have a few special books that I want to display out of the bookcase, and they just won’t stand up straight.

Well I have found the answer  – sets of unique bookends that suit the decor, although I have to admit that I have also purchased a couple of sets simply because I like them. This means I can display the books in different rooms such as the study, home office, lounge and even put those beautiful Italian cookbooks on display in the kitchen.

And a set of unique bookends make an excellent gift for every occasion whether they are for a sportsman, fisherman, golfer, lover of all things gothic, little person or dog lover.

Some of these unique bookends are whimisical in design but all are practical.

And there is a huge number of designs to suit every taste and hobby as you can see by the selection below.

Doesn’t your pet deserve to be warm in the cooler months? Of course they do, after all they feel the cold every bit as much as we do.

We live in Canberra where it gets very cold in winter, in fact minus temperatures are common, and Paula’s two dogs are lucky enough to have an owner who really looks after their welfare.

Bronnie is especially prone to feeling the cold as she doesn’t have a lot of fur, Lucy on the other hand has plenty of fur, but even she feels the benefit of having a heated pet bed.

Fortunately heated beds are available in all sizes, so it doesn’t matter what size dog you have there is a heated bed to suit.

There are also heated beds for cats, so your cat or kitten can also be kept comfy and warm in the winter months.

Cats like nothing better than a full tummy and curling up in a nice warm spot to sleep.

And if you like to take your dog with you when you are travelling around, there are heated pet beds that fit nicely into the back of your SUV.

The Dolce Vita  range of heated pet beds is just one of the practical and decorative styles available.