From The Desk of Sally Summers

Please accept my apology -- if I'm mistaken about you.

2005-06-08T10:21:00.000-05:00

But I think I'm right about you...

-- You love your home and want to protect your biggest investment.

-- You want to save money on all your home-improvement projects.

-- You enjoy the satisfaction and pride that come with doing it yourself.

If not, please don't read any further. This column will not be of interest to you, unfortunately.

But, like I said, I don't think I'm wrong about you.

I think you are serious about tackling a wide range of home-remodeling, landscaping and automotive jobs.

That's the reason I'm able to extend this exclusive one-time invitation to you.

Not everyone -- or just anyone -- is welcome. But you certainly are!

You're invited to join the very select circle of homeowners who are privileged to enjoy Extreme How-To. This extremely exclusive periodical is everything the discerning homeowner and do-it-yourselfer desires -- all in one complete, dynamic and colorful package.

Every issue of Extreme How-To. brings you the latest information about tools, techniques and home-improvement technology. Plus, you get exceptional feature stories, valuable tips, professional secrets and much more to help you get your home improvements done the right way each and every time.

* Painting techniques to brighten up dull rooms.
* Easy-to-install flooring that freshens up any room.
* Siding solutions that enhance your home's exterior.
* Ways to give old furniture a brand new look.
* How to install drywall, ceramic tile, kitchen countertops,
a toilet, window, skylight,
* Water garden, brick patio and even a home computer network.

And that's only the beginning! With Extreme How-To., you'll always have the right equipment, materials and building strategies you need to plan, execute and finish all your home improvements -- while saving valuable time and money in the process.

Plus, whether you're a contractor or you just remodel like one, you'll appreciate these exclusive features found only in Extreme How-To.:

Ask The Builder -- Expert answers for all your home-improvement questions
Tool School -- Reviews of the essential tools you need for repairs and projects
Do-It-Yourself -- Insider information to make your renovations perfect from start to finish.

Beautify your home – inside and out!

2005-05-31T13:13:00.000-05:00

Whether your eye for design is razor-sharp or nothing more than non-existent, you'll love House & Garden magazine. House & Garden is "design at its best." With feature articles, photo spreads and personal interest pieces on designing your house, your garden, and your life, the magazine is art in itself. The colorful layout is more than appealing to the eye. It is an example of superb design that blends functionality and beauty, as the words on the pages teach you to do the same in your home.

House & Garden is the decorating and design magazine from Conde Nast publishing, a company known for its collection-worthy magazine covers, rich editorial content and dedication to the finer things in life. House & Garden is a favorite among high-class homeowners for its impeccable attention to the details that make a home beautiful, stylish and inviting. Every issue of House & Garden is packed with information you can put to use right away:

* Expert advice on architecting and designing an elegant, luxurious home
* Tips that will give you an award-winning garden in every season
* Secrets for furnishing and decorating with style and grace
* Luxuries that will change your life from routine to spectacular
* The latest in sleek home accessories and where-ever-did-you-get-that antiques!
* Columns that teach you to choose the best wine for any occasion
* Pictorials of architectural and design feats, from places of worship to the homes you long for
* Escapes into the world of fine art and advice about how to display it
* Impress your guests this Summer. Let them see that your sense of design, decoration and luxury are comparable to no other -- with ideas and stories from the illustrious House & Garden magazine.

Spring Home & Gardening

2005-05-27T08:42:00.000-05:00

In addition to gardening and interior design, there are the other things that make life go: Friends, family, food and good health. Better Homes and Gardens has been serving America's families for 80 years, helping to make the lives of 12 million readers more enjoyable, stylish and special. A recent issue of ~pubname~ featured a wide variety of informative, entertaining and helpful articles along with dozens of beautiful color photographs:

Gardening -- Top 10 Perennials: If you're looking for foolproof foliage and flowers, congratulations, your search ends here. Here are the top 10 flowers that will make your yard beautiful at almost anytime of year.
Building -- Bistro Kitchens: With the warmth of your favorite restaurant, these casual and user-friendly kitchens are all the rage. Open up the space in your home and promote family inter-mingling around great food! Interior Design -- Budget-Wise Bedroom Makeovers: You pick your price and there's fabulous style for your tastes. See why new looks don't need to cost big bucks.
Family Matters -- What to do When Kids Cheat: We'd like nothing but the truth from our kids, but that can't always be the case. Here are some smart tips on how to handle your child's myths and half-truths.
Food -- Busy Lives, Easy Meals: Small appliances save the day when you're running late. Save time and eat well with these great shortcuts.
Plus, ~pubname~ also includes:

* Health and fitness updates for the whole family
* Shopping buyers guides and reviews
* A directory of architects and designers
* Readers' solutions to family problems
* And much, much more!

Better Homes and Gardens, one of America's most beloved magazines, is the legendary source of inspiration for creating a beautiful, comfortable home, enjoying life and staying happy and healthy. Every monthly issue of Better Homes and Gardens offers ideas on building and remodeling, interior design, gardening, travel, home projects, food and nutrition, education and parenting, money management, health, crafts and more! Create the home of your dreams and improve your quality of life with help from Better Homes and Gardens.

Healthy Strategies Article I'd Like to Share

2005-05-26T09:31:00.000-05:00

Healthy Strategies for Your Ideal Body

By Grace M. Navarro

Once the dust and cookie crumbs from the holidays were swept clean, many people made some resolutions regarding their health, planning to shed some weight and get into better shape. By now, some are still carrying on with their good intentions, while others got derailed and are looking to get back on track. For both cases, here is some information and encouragement.

You've got lots of company if you are presently dieting or preparing to start. At any point in time, there are nearly 60 million US residents on a weight loss program. Given a population of around 300 million, one out of five of the people you meet today are likely to be in the midst of dieting, whether it's necessary for them or not. Data from previous years indicate that during the course of this year, at least half of the population will go on a diet, meaning that half of the people you meet today are probably going to try to lose weight some time in 2005. Since three out of four women think they need to lose weight, a greater number of those dieters will be female.

As you can see, the weight loss industry has an abundance of potential customers. Many companies and individuals are competing for a piece of that lucrative financial pie - and while there are good products and good advice available, there is also the well-known fact that some diet products don't work, and some actually revent weight loss. Understanding a few nutritional principles would help many people avoid the mistake of starting a diet plan that is destined to fail. Oftentimes, it is the flawed diet plan that fails the dieter, not the other way around. According to numerous studies, the average dieter stands a 97% chance of regaining all the weight they struggled and suffered to lose, plus an extra pound or two. Therefore, the single most important thing to understand if you are contemplating a diet is this: research is conclusive - traditional dieting methods based on restricting calorie intake do not work. Period.

In a nutshell, here's why simply reducing calories will not ever work. Our bodies are programmed in miraculous ways for survival, and the part of our brain that does the work
to keep us alive couldn't care less about fitting into a smaller sized pair of jeans. Faced with a radical reduction of food, the alarms go off and our bodies set to work:
conserving energy, creating more fat, slowing down metabolism, and engaging in a battery of survival mechanisms that keep us from starving. In the process of restricting calories, people inadvertently trigger these "starvation responses," which make weight loss very difficult and which guarantee that when the diet is over,
all the lost weight will be regained.

Why do we fall for diet programs that defy common sense? Partly because there is so much conflicting information, and also because there is powerful marketing competing for
our purchases. Another reason for nonsensical dieting, in truth, is that we want to believe it can be quick, easy, and effective - promises that are made to us by many diet plans and products. However, good research and information is out there if you know where to look, and it shows that simplistic, unnatural concepts like low-calorie, no-fat, high-protein, and low-carb do not, by themselves, have staying power. They are fads, not lifetime ways to eat healthfully and pleasurably.

Well then, what does work? Eating the foods our bodies are designed to eat, in proper proportion and combination. Combining the right foods for weight loss is not tricky, but it doesn't seem to be common knowledge either. There are, however, good books available on the subject of effective food combining. The most clearly written and workable book I've found so far is "Good Calorie Diet" by Dr. Phillip Lipetz. The book was written in 1994, but it is based on sound research. And besides, the principles
regarding what foods we should eat in what combinations are as old as humankind.

The concepts in the book are easy to understand. The basics boil down to a few principles. The main two I'll give here so you can get started on the road to changing your eating habits for permanent and real weight loss. Eat whole food, not processed (that is, avoid foods that come in a package, can, or box). Avoid combining animal protein
with starchy carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, pasta, rice) or fruit. This is aligned with the way our ancestors ate, and it makes sense to eat according to the diet humans have thrived upon for millennia.

Grace M. Navarro is a frequent contributor to EZ eDiet Newsletter the best on-line diet information resource. Grace's archive of articles is found at http://www.ezediets.com/

Try GQ to spark women's desire.

2005-05-24T12:51:00.000-05:00

You know it's true: Women aren't impressed with boring clothes, indifferent haircuts and dinner at Taco Bell. Joe Sixpack doesn't get a lot of dates.

So why wouldn't you want to be the best you can -- the clothes, the look, the style, the savoir-faire it takes to be the kind of man women want?

If you don't have all these things already, you can get them effortlessly right now with GQ magazine. Cary Grant had it. Pierce Brosnan has it. Do you? It's an impeccable style -- and GQ will give you all that and more. You get info and advice about clothes, sports, women, travel, entertainment and more for the truly enlightened modern man.

With GQ , you'll never wear the wrong clothes, you'll never wonder if you're really a great lover, you'll never eat at a terrible restaurant and you'll never be totally clueless about what all the other guys are talking about -- ever again.

Find More in Mother Earth News

2005-05-18T15:42:00.000-05:00

No matter what your background, you, too can take advantage of what nature has to offer to get a better life! All these ideas, and hundreds more, come from the legendary Mother Earth News magazine. Live healthier, be happier, eliminate rat-race stress and save money right now with Mother Earth News.

Mother Earth News understands that living a better life means getting nature to work with you. We all want to live more respectfully of the environment, but wonder how we can do that and live our hectic lives. Mother Earth News shows you how -- from saving money on the electric bill to eliminating harmful chemicals from your diet to getting bigger results from your vegetable garden.

Build an easy chair. Find money-saving "green" building materials for that addition. Furnish a country cottage for efficiency, comfort and looks. You'll also appreciate the recipes, gardening ideas and lifestyle articles in Mother Earth News magazine. There's simply no other publication like it.

Fine Gardening Secrets Revealed

2005-05-11T09:19:00.000-05:00

I hope you don't think I'm a bad person for admitting this to you. I was feeling a little bit jealous of my sister. Let me explain...

Every year, I visit my sister Joan in Houston -- and every year, her garden just keeps getting even more beautiful. On my last visit, she had a dazzling display of fabulous cutting flowers that absolutely took my breath away.

When she saw how impressed I was -- and how inquisitive I was about how she had created such a magnificent garden -- Joan finally let me in on her secret. It's a secret that just a small number of avid gardeners had kept to themselves for years.

But the secret isn't a secret anymore.

It's Fine Gardening magazine!

Fine Gardening is the magazine dedicated to gardening enthusiasts like you and me who want to surround ourselves with beauty, but need some guidance to achieve our dream gardens! With the inspiration and information found only in Fine Gardening, your garden will thrive like never before with colorful, abundant spreads of your favorite flowers!

I want to share the secret and also tell you about Fine Gardening because it's the perfect companion for every gardener -- no matter where you live, no matter if your available gardening space is a window box or an acre of fertile ground! Here's why: The expert advice and techniques you get exclusively in Fine Gardening are brought to you by botanists, entomologists, nursery specialists, commercial growers, curators, landscape architects and groundskeepers, so you can be assured that you're getting accurate, tested, reliable information that you can use to cultivate everything from the simple to the spectacular.

As you can see, Fine Gardening knows what's important to gardeners like you and me!

With well wishes for your own fabulous flowers,

Happy Cinco De Mayo

2005-05-05T07:12:00.000-05:00

It's Cinco de Mayo -- not, as commonly thought, Mexican Independence Day, but the commemoration of an 1862 battle in which the Mexican army thwarted Napoleon's French troops and empire-building aspirations.

But on this day our thoughts go to Mexican food and fiestas. So why not Celebrate with Chile Pepper Magazine. Chile Pepper Magazine is for those who like it hot! Chile Pepper Magazine takes you on a zesty tour around the world, in search of the ultimate hot sauces, salsas, chilis, peppers, main dishes, desserts and cookoffs. Chile PepperMagazine brings you delicious drinks perfectly paired with the festive foods you love.

Every issue Chile Pepper Magazine focuses on a spicy food theme, then backs it up with recipes, stories and glorious photographs of food you're just going to have to try!

So kick up your Cinco De Mayo festivities with Chile Pepper Magazine.

Is sugar making you fat?

2005-04-25T16:36:00.000-05:00

This notorious carb has been blamed for everything from packing on pounds to making you tired. But what do you do if you're ruled by a sweet tooth? A lifetime of shopping in plus stores? No way! According to Weight Watchers expert writer, Jodie Shielf, R.D. certain sugars can actually curb your appetite. The world just got a little sweeter....

Every issue of Weight Watchers is packed with advice you need to stay slim and live a full, happy deprivation-free life in the process:

So, here's our list of favorite magazines...from our house to yours.

* Burn more calories with less pain (the no-fail, no-pain, fat busting workout)
* Get a great rear view in minutes a day
* Find joy and order in a high-stress world
* Focus on your priorities and watch pounds melt away

Weight Watchers magazine is made for people committed to change and seeking a healthy lifestyle. Each issue of Weight Watchers brings you advice about nutrition, dieting, cooking, health and fitness that will help you beneficially shape your self-image. Weight Watchers takes a new attitude toward weight loss that will empower you and help you feel great about the way you look!

"You'll find out everything your financial planner, your mechanic, your salesperson, your contractor, your travel agent won't tell you

2005-04-21T12:18:00.000-05:00

If you want to make shopping much, much easier -- whether you're looking for the best mutual fund, car insurance, cell phone, television or toaster...If you want to know the pros and cons about products and services -- before you shell out your hard-earned money...If you want to know the healthiest, most nutritious foods for you and your family...

When you put Consumer Reports to work for you, you get more than 100 car experts, engineers, chemists, statisticians, nutritionists, money advisors and safety gurus you can count on!

Live healthier, wealthier and wiser with the facts you find only in Consumer Reports:

* How to lose weight without feeling hungry
* What the car salesman doesn't want you to know
* Ways to save $700 on your annual cell phone bill
* What the guy in the stereo store won't tell you
* Strategies to protect your nest egg against a volatile stock market
* What your car mechanic might not tell you
* The scary reality about chicken safety and salmonella poisoning
* What your travel agent won't tell you
* The top-rated 27-inch television
* Ways to slash your car insurance costs
* What the appliance store salesman won't tell you
* The expensive secret about premium gasoline
* The only airline consistently rated high for good service and low prices
* The truth the diet gurus refuse to tell you
* Best picks for this year's new cars
* And much, much more!

Consumer Reports compares features, sorts through the choices, analyzes the options and reports back to you. You benefit from the clear advice. Useful recommendations. Wise insights. Simple, easy-to-understand information.

You'll discover new products. New technology. New ideas. New ways to make your life better, safer, easier and more enjoyable, too. You'll know powerful facts. You'll avoid problems. Spot scams. Get the best value for your money.

Consumer Reports is the only magazine of its kind!

Consumer Reports is 100% nonprofit. And Consumer Reports doesn't have to worry about big car companies, big manufacturers, big financial institutions or big airlines pulling their advertising dollars. That's because Consumer Reports doesn't carry any advertising. Consumer Reports is paid by you only and works for you only! Consumer Reports tells you the truth -- in plain English -- straight from the experts at the world's largest consumer product testing center.

Renew Your New Year's Resolutions

2005-04-12T11:54:00.000-05:00

With summer just around the corner it seems like everyone is renewing their weight loss resolutions to get ready for the dreaded swim suits and shorts season!

To help, here's a list of Top New Year's Resolutions -- and the leading magazines that help you keep them...

1. Melt away those unwanted pounds and feel fabulous.
Fitness, Men's Fitness, Weight Watchers

2. Protect yourself against illness and disease.
Natural Health , Herbs for Health , Alternative Medicine

3. Simplify your daily life and get rid of unnecessary stress.
Body & Soul, Yoga Journal, Budget Living

4. Serve easy, healthy and delicious meals that your family will love every day.
The Magazine of La Cucina Italiana, Vegetarian Times, Cooking Light

5. Tackle that home renovation you've been putting off.
Smart HomeOwner, do!, The Family Handyman

I have a confession to make to you -- I'm addicted.

2005-04-08T09:15:00.000-05:00

Let me explain...

For a long time, I have been hiding it successfully from co-workers, friends and acquaintances. My family definitely knows I'm hooked, but even they have no idea how much I've really been caught up in it lately.

And let me tell you something else privately. I have absolutely no intention of stopping!

I'm addicted to reality TV!

*Survivor
*The Apprentice
*American Idol
*The Bachelor
*Amazing Race
*Extreme Makeover Home Edition
*Super Nanny
*Nanny 911
*Real World

To keep up to date on all my favorite reality TV shows and new shows coming soon I turn to the Entertainment Magazines; Us Weekly, TV Guide, In Touch, and Satellite Direct to keep me informed about the ins and outs of my favorite reality TV programs.

Quick, delicious dinners for frenzied work nights

2005-04-06T12:29:00.000-05:00

Tuscan Pot Pie...Chicken Pesto Pizza...Maple-Cranberry Pork Chops.

If you think you need to choose between hours in the kitchen or tasteless takeout, Easy Home Cooking has some great news for you! Easy Home Cooking shows you how to make tasty home-cooked meals your whole family will love -- in just minutes and for only a fraction of the cost of pre-prepared food!

Every issue of Easy Home Cooking brings you:

* Back-to-School Dinners: Quick, easy meals kids love -- and busy moms have time to cook
* Chicken Tonight: Traditional, satisfying favorites that will become family classics
* Good Cook: Essential tools, tips and recipes for great, everyday cooking
* Snack Time: Small, munchable treats
* And so much more!

You care about your family and you know it's important that they eat right. But if you don't have tons of extra time on your hands, Easy Home Cooking is your answer! Your hard earned money won't go to the pizza guy -- and your family will be eat homemade meals they love!

Avoid the take-out trap

2005-04-04T16:19:00.000-05:00

Quick Cooking, brought to you by the same folks who bring you Taste of Home, shows you how to create "rapid recipes with homemade taste." Let's face it, these days time is a very precious commodity, but that doesn't mean we need to feed our families take-out or pre-packaged junk.

America's #1 recipe magazine for busy cooks, Quick Cooking shows you how it's done.

By the way, each of these delectable dishes can be prepared in less than 30 minutes -- many ever faster:

Hawaiian Ham Steaks
Cranberry Turkey Cutlets
Tomato Artichoke Chicken
Chili-Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Five-Minute Trifle
Cheddar-Salsa Biscuit Strips

With more than 100 rapid recipes in every issue, you'll shave hours off your cooking time, so you have more time to spend with your family. Make everyone happy at mealtime, including the cook, with Quick Cooking!

Step into Martha's kitchen and steal her secrets!

2005-04-01T14:46:00.000-05:00

Everyday Food -- the new magazine from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living -- packs a powerfully delicious punch.

Every issue ofEveryday Food brings you more than 50 wonderful, sumptuous recipes that everyone will love. You'll enjoy simple-to-make food and great dinners in 30 minutes with easy-to-find supermarket ingredients.

Chicken, Broccoli and Lemon Stir-Fry. Tasty Turkey Burgers. Pork Medallions with Orange Sauce. Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes. Cornbread Stuffing. Chocolate-Pecan Tart. Grilled Peach Melba with Raspberry Sauce.

Make it easy. Make it fast. Make it good. Make it all with Everyday Food.

Every recipe is accompanied by gorgeous color photography to show you the inspiring results and easy-to-follow instructions to ensure you get it just right.

With so much variety in every issue, you'll never hear the words, "Not this again!"

Embrace your inner chef with Everyday Food.

Save at the supermarket

2005-03-29T12:12:00.000-05:00

MYTH: Shopping at health food stores is expensive.

TRUTH: Health food stores often sell items in bulk for less than they cost at the supermarket. You can get a large bag of cinnamon sticks for about $3 at a health food store. A jar that's one quarter the size costs twice as much at the supermarket.

You'll find cost-saving tips like these in every issue of Family Circle, a long time staple for American women who want to take care of their families the best way they know how. Featuring delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes your whole family will love, Family Circle also gives you help and guidance about relationships, parenting, making your home happy, your health radiant and bringing your inner beauty to the surface!

Discover secrets to a happier, healthier you:

* Eat what you love and lose weight (Impossible you say? Not at all!)
* 3 lasagna dishes your whole family will love -- and you can prepare
* in minutes Have the best kitchen on the block: 36 great kitchen ideas
* Treat yourself! The Chocolate Lover's Diet
* How to have a happy, healthy marriage
* Secrets to a well-behaved child

Family Circle gives you what you need to be a magnificent mom, a wonderful wife, a breathtaking beauty, a fabulous friend -- and above all a cook that gets all the compliments. It's easy to see why women love Family Circle so much!!

Serve up yummy home cooking guaranteed to please even the pickiest of palates!

2005-03-28T12:10:00.000-05:00

Whether you have a passion for cooking or just want to avoid the take-out trap, there are plenty of great magazines to help you and your family eat great! Plus, you'll save time and money. And your family will love you for it!

This week I will be discussing great cooking magazines with recipes for our busy lives.

Crafts: Life's little pleasures!

2005-03-25T14:48:00.000-05:00

The most comprehensive magazine for crafters, Create & Decorate is as perfect for beginners and children as it is for the experts.

With Create & Decorate, you'll get contemporary crafting ideas with complete, step-by-step instructions, and tips and techniques to make your home sparkle with your own personal creativity.

Every issue includes at least 20 different craft projects geared toward the season. Plus, you'll always get four or five other projects for kids. All supplies are either things you already have or that are readily available at your local craft store.

Here's a recent sampling of fabulous projects you'll find only in Create & Decorate:

* Invite your guests in with warm and welcoming decorations
* Have a blast with your kids as you create fun candy apples
* Add elegance to your home with a gorgeous floral arrangement
* Be the envy of all your friends with a striking necklace and matching earrings that you create -- or give as an unforgettable gift
* Teach kids holiday traditions with decorations for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa

Also, every issue features regular departments such as What's Hot, Crochet and Knitting Basics, Crochet and Knitting Abbreviations and Book Boutique. If you need new ideas or if you enjoy the challenge of learning new crafts, Create & Decorate is the perfect craft magazine for you.

Unleash your inner Picasso

2005-03-24T09:05:00.000-05:00

I confess to being an amateur painter myself. And I have to say, that while my husband is really the genius behind the original arts and crafts that make our home so special, anything with paint on it is mine!

What I love about PaintWorks is how rapidly my skills have improved. Sure they have a long way to go before anyone is going to mistake me for Picasso, but I'm getting there!

Every issue of PaintWorks is brimming with beautiful project ideas ranging from acrylics on wood to glass paint on porcelain. Here's a sampling of some recent projects from PaintWorks :

* Create a one-of-a-kind bird tray that brings winged beauty indoors
* Brushstroke technique guide--paint like the pros
* "Must have" tools for the decorative painter. Watch your skills blossom!
* Say goodbye to boring mailboxes with this gorgeous hydrangea mail keeper
* Save money with great gifts you can make

Whether you are a budding Picasso or just enjoy the way it feels to get lost in a project, PaintWorks is a terrific resource to guide you, inspire you and remind you why you love to paint!

Make family time fun with PaperWorks

2005-03-23T16:34:00.000-05:00

With so many create projects to choose from, it's easy to see why PaperWorks is America's favorite painting, recycling, crochet and plastic canvas magazine!

Smart mom's know that no matter what time of year it is they can bond with their family and friends with crafts. You'll find everything from great school projects like how to help your kids design a funky personalized locker to fun Christmas party favors that will earn you the title of "coolest mom in the neighborhood."

Here's a sample of some of the great projects featured in PaperWorks:

* Cherish family moments by magically transforming favorite scrapbook pages into translucent lantern pages
* Your kids will impress their friends with rubber stamps to dress up plain brown school book covers
* Create dew-kissed leaf frames -- great gift ideas your friends will love
* Spend quality time with your kids designing fun personalized holiday gifts
* Spruce up your tissue box with your own hand-crafted designs
* Create a gorgeous latch-hook rug that will be cherished for generations

Bring your family closer and create fabulous projects with flair with PaperWorks!

A colorful, inexpensive way to celebrate the season

2005-03-22T14:36:00.000-05:00

Think gorgeous bouquets die with Labor Day? Think again! Creative Home shows readers how to create a "Golden Glow" with the bounty of Fall. This project is perfect as a Thanksgiving Day centerpiece. Start with a bamboo vase, fill it with gravel or another weight to balance out the top-heavy display. Cut mums with short stems; insert into a circle of dampened floral foam. Fit a small pumpkin in the center of the blooms, top with another ring of mums, and crown with a smaller pumpkin. This darling display gets plenty of "oohs" and "aahs" -- especially from kids! -- and brightens any room.

You'll find great ideas like this in every issue of Creative Home. Created by the experts at Better Homes and Gardens, Creative Home helps you create the home of your dreams with original, hands-on projects to inspire do-it-yourself designers. You'll find exciting projects, new techniques, exclusive guides and more covering all aspects of crafts.

Every issue of Creative Home brings you:

* Cross-stitching
* Knitting
* Needlework
* Simple quilting
* Painting
* Paper and scrapbook crafts
* Decorating
* Plus all kinds of seasonal and holiday crafting projects

With about fifty craft projects in each issue, Creative Home is geared toward seasonal and spare-time crafters of all skill levels. Step-by-step, how-to instructions and full-size patterns are included for each project.

Don't wait another day to have the home of your dreams. Start creating it today with Creative Home.

Transform your home into a sanctuary for family

2005-03-21T14:04:00.000-05:00

Martha Stewart, the queen of elegant crafters, has turned home projects into a true art form. In her award-winning magazine, Martha Stewart Living, she shares the creative principles and practical ideas that have made her America's most relied upon guide to stylish living.

So it's no surprise that when women need to know how to create a perfect holiday place settings, cook a mouthwatering fall stew or give their favorite room a facelift, they turn to Martha for guidance.

Every issue of Martha Stewart Living is absolutely packed with what Martha calls "good things!" Good things are small ideas that are quick, clever and simple. Good things make you say "I wish I knew that before!" Good things come with clear, concise instructions and beautiful photographs. Good things don't take a lot of time or money. You feel good using good things.

Martha Stewart Living brings you beautiful, unique ideas that make your life more wonderful, more comfortable, more delicious, more organized and much more fun. Smart and easy entertaining, cooking, decorating and gardening. Secrets that make everything simple. Countless ways to preserve and protect the things you love. Success you can feel and share. Today, more than 2.3 million readers turn to Martha each month for creative solutions for just about everything!

See what all the buzz is about! Your family will thank you.

Creative solutions from 5 fabulous crafting magazines

2005-03-20T08:01:00.000-05:00

Do-it-yourself creativity adds a personal touch that really makes your house a home

Now that it is officially Spring with East and Passover around the corner it's a great time to start thinking about crafting. So this first week of Spring I'd like to discuss crafting magazines to find those perfect ideas. Crafting is one of the best ways to add a little spice to your life, bring your family closer together, save money by making handmade gifts and create the home of your dreams.

Eat smart. Be fit. Live well.

2005-03-18T11:19:00.000-05:00

You can love food and stay lean. The secret? Knowing your stuff. Like how to use herbs -- instead of butter -- for flavor, cooking methods that lock in flavor and keep out fat and how to create meals so sumptuous you'll never miss the extra calories.

If eating well and staying trim seem too good to be true, Cooking Light will show you a whole new world. Here are just a few Cooking Light recipes so you can see for yourself how decadent healthy cooking can be:

* Grilled Clams with Sambuca and Italian Sausage:
120 calories, 3 grams of fat
* Chipolte Black Bean Dip with Garlic Pita Chips:
107 calories, 2.8 grams of fat
* Corn and Poblano Empanadas:
156 calories, 4.7 grams of fat
* Mushroom and Fennel-Dusted Pork Tenderloin:
204 calories, 6.2 grams of fat
* Peach Upside Down Cake:
178 calories, 5.5 grams of fat

In addition to mouthwatering recipes, you'll find gorgeous accompanying photography, ideas for entertaining and fitness advice. Simply put, Cooking Lighthelps you look great and you don't have to give up any delicious flavor along the way!

Food to feed your soul

2005-03-17T10:43:00.000-05:00

Gourmet readers understand that magnificent food doesn't just feed your body, it feeds your soul. And Gourmet is about food that makes your palate sing and that makes life worth living.

From bold, energetic recipes like pan fried Fanny Bay oysters to sinful, silky delights like Vineyard berries with Bay Leaf custard, Gourmet shows you how to successfully add these recipes to your own repertoire. Every recipe always include deliciously inspiring photography of the result.

Gourmet also takes readers on journeys to far off lands, into spectacular kitchens and into the hearts and minds of famous gourmets.

Life becomes sweeter with every bite of the delectable dishes you'll create, and these famous columns show you how it's done!

* Gourmet Living: Fall in love all over again with dishes that add a little spice to your life.
* Good Travels: Sail though the Greek isles and explore new tastes you can bring home to delight even the most discerning gourmands.
* Gourmet Entertains: Create a perfect party your guests will be talking about for years -- starting with a pitcher of mint juleps and ending with frozen mocha rum parfait
* Seasonal Kitchen: Mango Fandango--do the dance -- from mahimahi with hot and sour relish to mango tart with coconut crust. We promise this will be a night you'll never forget!
* Gourmet Every Day: One-dish dinners like spicy jerk pork tenderloin, so you can eat gourmet without the fuss

If you have a taste for the finer things, Gourmet is your recipe for the
good life...and plenty of good food.

Create unforgettable meals

2005-03-16T13:36:00.000-05:00

If you believe a great weekend means having time to perfect a new recipe and good reading material means plenty of luscious food photography, Fine Cooking is your new best friend.

Fine Cooking gets down to the always delicious nitty-gritty of what it takes to create unforgettable meals. You'll learn how to capture the sweet, salty nuances of grilled meat, spice up desserts and infuse appetizers with just the right amount of zest. And dinner parties? Once you start reading Fine Cooking, there's going to be nobody better than you at preparing a sumptuous spread!

With Fine Cooking, you'll discover:

* Four methods to add flavor to dinnertime staples. Mealtimes will never be boring again!
* The secret to relaxed entertaining so you can enjoy yourself as much as your guests
* How to give classic dishes like stews and casseroles a fresh personality -- and get a lot of compliments in the process.
* 10 secrets to successful holiday dining. Think you can't please everyone? Think again!

Plus, in every issue, you'll be invited to step into Fine Cooking's test kitchen for some serious culinary exploration -- from making your own mayonnaise to using wood chips to bring out subtle flavors in meat.

Whether you're an expert chef or just delight in trying new recipes, Fine Cooking will keep you and your friends and loved ones eating well.

Delight even the most sophisticated palates

2005-03-15T11:32:00.000-05:00

Saveur features sumptuous creations that expand your repertoire and delight even sophisticated palates. You might spend the morning discovering a bakery paradise in Mexico City. The afternoon in Korea for some savory pancakes. And watch the sun set on a quaint vineyard in New York.

Saveur is for gourmets with an adventurous spirit who enjoy exploring authentic world cuisine -- from halfway around the globe and right in your own backyard.

* Indulge your sophisticated palate and be the superstar of any dinner party.

* Take a trip to San Antonio for the best chili con queso and fajitas this side of the border and bring their spicy secrets back to your kitchen.
* Join us on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia for baby roast lamb with wild fennel, grilled mushrooms and baked music-paper rosemary bread. (This meal is such a hit, your family is going to wonder how they got so lucky!)
* Step into the Saveur kitchen to create unforgettable meals in minutes. Who says you can't eat gourmet-style every night?
* Fall in love with Paso, the fast-growing wine region halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles and impress your guests with your wine savvy.

Saveur's team of culinary sophisticates travel far and wide to bring you the best of the best. What they come back with will not only inspire your culinary side, but might inspire some exciting ideas for your next vacation as well.

Impress your guests with great recipes from legendary chefs

2005-03-14T09:53:00.000-05:00

Possibly the most well recognized of all gourmet magazines, Bon Appetit highlights not only food, but entertaining as well. Not much of a stretch really, as for those of us who savor fine cooking, the two are really inseparable.

You'll be invited to step into the kitchens of world famous chefs and of course, steal their secret to making mouth-watering creme brulee, sugared pear charlottes and savory mushroom duck gumbo.

Each issue is filled with stunning photography, innovative recipes and profiles of world famous chefs. You'll learn the 10 tips that every great chef must know. Create dinner parties they'll be talking about for years. Turn your kitchen into a 5-star restaurant -- and watch them bow down to your magnificence. Put a little spice and sizzle into your love life with ethnic cuisine

Plus, in every issue you'll find famous columns:

* "Ask Bon Appetit" -- The experts answer all your kitchen questions

* "Too Busy To Cook" -- Timesaving recipes for the discerning palate

* "R.S.V.P." -- Famous restaurant recipes

* "Entertaining with Style" -- Innovative ideas to wow your guests

Whether your idea of entertainment means a feast for fifty or a quiet
dinner for two under the stars, Bon Appetit will inspire you and keep your satisfied guests looking forward to the next dish you serve up.

Taste test: The top 5 gourmet magazines you'll love!

2005-03-13T13:50:00.000-05:00

This week I'd like to talk about something we all struggle with. What's for dinner? In our fast paced lives we often end up in a boring eating pattern of making the same meals over and over again.

Create cuisine that rivals the world's top chefs
Savoring food is one of life's most intense pleasures. And there is nothing like a magnificent meal to bring families closer together, make daily life more enjoyable and ignite (or re-ignite) a passionate romance.

"You'll find out everything your financial planner, your mechanic, your salesperson, your contractor, your travel agent and much more"

2005-03-11T14:50:00.000-05:00

Consumer Reports is 100% nonprofit. And Consumer Reports doesn't have to worry about big car companies, big manufacturers, big financial institutions or big airlines pulling their advertising dollars. That's because Consumer Reports doesn't carry any advertising. Consumer Reports is paid by you only and works for you only! Consumer Reports tells you the truth -- in plain English -- straight from the experts at the world's largest consumer product testing center.

When you put Consumer Reports to work for you, you get more than 100 car experts, engineers, chemists, statisticians, nutritionists, money advisors and safety gurus you can count on!

You'll discover new products. New technology. New ideas. New ways to make your life better, safer, easier and more enjoyable, too.

You'll know powerful facts. You'll avoid problems. Spot scams. Get the best value for your money.

Consumer Reports is the only magazine of its kind!

Give that special child you love the wonderful gift of Nickelodeon magazine.

2005-03-10T14:11:00.000-05:00

You'll bring them endless fun and laughter all year long -- with 10 annual issues -- and you'll be filled with joy when you see their face light up with a smile...

When you give Nickelodeon magazine, you get:

* A fantastic gift that children will thank you for again and again
* The satisfaction of helping children learn and grow
* An inexpensive solution to gift-giving problems

Nickelodeon, the award-winning entertainment and humor magazine for kids, is packed with fascinating facts, celebrity interviews, comics, pull-outs, puzzles, activities, the inside scoop on Nick TV and much more!

Treat the special child you love to Nickelodeon magazine right now. I promise they'll love you forever!

Here's to giving them laughter and learning,

2005-03-09T15:49:00.000-05:00

Enjoy pets together
Nothing brings us closer to our kids than sharing and caring for the belovedfamily pet. And whether your kids are crazy for cats, love dogs or are freaky for ferrets, there are magazines that help you enjoy pets even more -- with hysterical photos of pets caught in action, insightful pet-care advice that help your children learn responsibility and unusual, inspiring and just plain funny pet stories you can share.

Cat Fancy
Enter the fascinating world of cat behavior
The leading publication for cat lovers, Cat Fancy is the resource for responsible cat owners. Every issue celebrates cats though heartwarming stories and the great feline photos. Plus, there's always plenty of information about health, behavior, grooming, nutrition and more.

Understanding man's best friend
Learn to interpret your dog's body language, discover the secret tips to train your dog like a pro, keep your dog pest-free and give him the care he needs to be healthy and happy with Dog Fancy. Plus, you'll always find entertaining stories and photos you and your children will love.

Aquarium Fish Magazine
And if dogs or cats aren't your preferred pets, you can always check out Aquarium Fish Magazine, Bird Talk, Reptiles Magazine and Ferrets!

Childhood is short. Make the most of it. No matter what your family enjoys, there are magazines out there to bring you closer together. Create memories today that will last a lifetime.

Launch a lifetime love of reading

2005-03-08T14:35:00.000-05:00

Parents and babies love to read Babybug, aimed at launching a lifelong love of books in infants and toddlers 6 months to 2 years. Every colorful issue is filled with pictures, stories and simple rhymes that are just right for the youngest readers

Turn your teen into an intelligent young reader

2005-03-07T09:53:00.000-05:00

Cicada is the only publication offering quality fiction and poetry aimed at kids from 14 up. Encouraging young readers to do their own writing, each issue deals with growing up and facing and adult world in a style geared toward intelligent young readers.

Learn together
There's nothing that feels better than helping kids learn about the world, and there are plenty of magazines that meet a wide range of interests to help you do just that.

Eat together

2005-03-04T14:21:00.000-05:00

In my family we had one rule: No matter how busy we got or what else we had to do, dinnertime was family time. It was the one time of the day when we sat around the table and connected as a family. Shared stories. Laughed. Okay, sometimes complained about my mother's cooking....I may not have appreciated it then, but looking back on it, I believe it was this routine that made our family so strong.

The key to a good family meal is having recipes that the whole family loves -- even the picky eaters -- and not spending too much time preparing them. Luckily, there are several fantastic advice that can bring your whole family closer.

Find Recipes even picky eaters love
On every page of Easy Home Cooking, you'll find the best in simple, kid-friendly home cooked meals you can make in minutes. Plus, you get cooking tips, baking secrets, shopping hints, how-to photos -- even fun menus for holidays and parties.

Bring the magic of Disney into your home

2005-03-03T17:04:00.000-05:00

Disney brings the same magic to your family that has been winning hearts for generations:

* Foster a lifelong love of reading with great stories that kids and grown-ups love
* Plan your next vacation with insider tips and itineraries
* Learn more about all your Disney friends
* Hear all about the blockbusters first!

Play together

2005-03-02T10:17:00.000-05:00

If you're like most parents, there are times when you are at your wits end trying to figure out how to entertain your kids. Even if you COULD remember what you did for fun when you were a kid, chances are your kid has his own ideas about what's fun. Here are a few magazines that show you how it's done!

Up the fun quotient in your family

Every issue of Family Fun is packed with great ideas and advice like:

Family activities to bust boredom

Strategies to make TV a more manageable part of your family's life

Delicious ways to get kids to eat their fruits and vegetables

Reading fun with can't-put-them-down children's books

Camping tips and ideas for fun when you're roughing it

Spend quality time with your kids

2005-03-01T14:03:00.000-05:00

Kids don't stay kids forever -- and the memories we make now are memories that will last forever. Today, with both parents working, it's often tough to squeeze in time with your kids, but boy is it ever important. So how do we find the time and how do we make that time as rewarding as possible?

One of the easiest ways to spend time with our families is to incorporate family time into activities we already do on a regular basis anyway. For some families this might be mealtimes, for others it might mean getting more out of church, while other families might bond over caring for the family dog.

However you structure your day, there are magazines that show you how you can make your family a priority.

Over the next week I will be talking about different ways to spend time with your kids and suggeting magazines that can help you find ideas and activities to do together.

Make your home beautiful -- on any budget

2005-02-24T15:45:00.000-05:00

do! will show you how to make your home beautiful -- on any budget.

If you try just one handy tip that works in your home or garden...If you learn just one decorating secret that makes your home more fabulous...

You'll discover that do! magazine is packed with advice, inspiration and step-by-step guidance you can count on to create your perfect home! Dream...create...improve!

Plus, only do! lets you tap into the know-how of the leading experts from today's top home improvement television shows:

Ty Pennington from Trading Spaces and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
Steve Watson from Monster House.
Evan Farmer from While You Were Out.
All your favorite personalities from all your favorite home improvement shows!.

Protect your biggest investment... Increase the value of your property... Love the place you call home more than ever...Do it all right now with do!

Living Well on a Budget

2005-02-18T14:34:00.000-05:00

If the idea of such rich living for so little money appeals to you, and I think it does, you're a Budget Living person.

Budget Living is the new magazine that helps you get the maximum for the minimum. "Spend Smart. Live Rich." That's the motto of Budget Living. And if anyone can show you how, the folks at Budget Living sure can. This isn't cheap stuff, it's quality items for your lifestyle.

If you want the good life, right now, without winning the lottery, you must read Budget Living. It's the only publication solely dedicated to helping you discover the best bargains on everything. Plus, Budget Living helps you build it, make it, invent it for less money than if you bought it. And that's not all -- Budget Living also offers expert advice on personal finances, from credit cards to 401Ks to retirement savings. Budget Living does the bargain hunting and you get the best deals on airline flights, clothes, furniture, food -- anything and everything your money can buy.

Crafting Ideas

2005-02-10T14:39:00.000-05:00

Whenever I think of my mother, I always remember the first time we made crafts together. I was just a little girl back then, but it made a big impact on my life. For hours, we sat at the kitchen table and patiently painted piles of the old-fashioned metal bottle caps with red, white and blue paint. Then we arranged them in rows and glued them onto a big piece of rectangular cardboard to make an American flag.

Looking back, I am so grateful for that quality time with mom. But I'm equally appreciative of the other benefits of crafting that she silently and lovingly shared with me -- escaping from the stress of daily life, creating treasured keepsakes for friends and loved ones, taking pride in quality work, valuing our country and family traditions.

If you're like me, and I think you are, these things mean something special to you, too. That's why I want to tell you about Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, the magazine of practical projects for people who love to craft. Every issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion brings you quick and easy projects to celebrate the holidays and every day throughout the year! And every project in Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion features big color photos, full-size patterns and step-by-step instructions.

See for yourself right now with a completely FREE issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion from Blue Dolphin Magazines.

What's better than crafting? Nothing, of course! That's why we want you to get this FREE Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion to keep you inspired and crafting all year long!

Indispensable guide to lasting love

2005-02-08T14:49:00.000-05:00

The secret is out of the bag!
Tango is my secret!
Tango, the exciting new magazine about relationships, is your indispensable guide to lasting love!

The only magazine dedicated to the art of being together, Tango is about all the kinds of things women talk about with each other. The incredibly sweet (or dumb) thing a boyfriend did... a couple's breakup... how to deal with a second date, a flirtatious co-worker, a partner who can't always communicate.

Yours for happy relationships and lasting love,

Hooked on Celebrity Gossip

2005-02-02T16:07:00.000-05:00

As a fellow movie fan, magazine reader and gossip hound I've gotta say I'm hooked on these magazines. In Touch Weekly is newest magazine to capture my attention, it seems to have become very popular. Maybe because of the cover with Brad & Jen's Breakup news and all the stories about Jessica & Nick. They all claim to give you inside gossip and news. You can get the straight scoop with so many different entertainment magazines out there. With about pages and pages of sizzling, never-seen-before color photos, news clips and juicy articles. If you want the hottest controversies and the most shocking news, there are so many different entertainment magazines to choose from.

Disney Memories

2005-01-20T14:55:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love Walt Disney? Well we started planning our trip to Disney for this spring and found a great insider's guide to Disney? From suggestions for the most fun at the theme parks to the inside scoop on the latest movies, you can get it all straight from the mouse's mouth with a completely FREE issue of Disney Magazine.

Disney Magazine brings you everything Disney, delivered straight to your door! You can read about the new movies, including interviews with cast and artists. Find out which theme parks have the best values, shortest lines and fastest thrill rides. Discover what's on sale at the Disney store, whether you're a Pooh fanatic or a movie collector.

I am so humiliated.

2005-01-08T14:30:00.000-05:00

But I want to share this personal story with you -- so that you don't ever have to go through the same terrible situation.

Let me tell you what happened...

My son, Tyler, an 18-year-old senior in high school, is dating a lovely young woman in his class named Cindy. My husband and I have invited her over for dinner at our house at least 3 times. But, every time we ask, Tyler tells us that she can't make it.

I am really suspicious when she turns us down for the fourth time, so I confront Tyler about it.

"Is there a reason Cindy doesn't want to come to our house?" I ask him in frustration.

I burst into tears when my son finally admits that he is embarrassed to bring his girlfriend to our house because it's so messy and cluttered.

That was it. I pledged right then and there that things would be different from now on. I knew what needed to be done. So I did it...

Last weekend, I spent all day Saturday and Sunday cleaning.

I thought a lot while I cleaned and organized. I realized that if this could happen to me, it could happen to anyone. That's the reason I'm writing this.
This is your opportunity to take advantage of the tips and techniques the professionals use to clean, organize and make their homes and their lives wonderful.

Clean and care for practically anything.
Get out red wine stains. Make your mirrors sparkle. Wash your laundry much faster and easier. Look to Woman's Day to help you discover how everyday magical solutions like lemon juice, salt, vinegar and other inexpensive treatments can save you time, money and elbow grease all over the house!

Get rid of clutter and be better organized than ever before.
Eliminate those never-ending piles. Clean out your junk drawers. Organize your closets. Display your treasures and collectibles with pride. Find out how to clean, room-by-room from Family Circle Magazine.

Find speedy tips and tricks to prepare the house for unexpected guests or for decorating secrets for a stunning presentation from Martha Stewart Living.

There's something so satisfying about having a place for everything and everything in its place!

Yours for a clean home -- and a happy family,

P.S. Tyler is finally bringing Cindy to dinner at our house this Sunday!

Fat Cat

2005-01-03T13:19:00.000-05:00

"Butterscotch, you're fat!" I told him after dinner. He just rolled on his back and stuck his little pink tongue out at me.

"Don't mock me, Butterscotch, I'm serious this time." Butterscotch stood and exited the room.

"Oh, look, you hurt his feelings!" laughed my husband Jim.

"That's right, just walk away from the problem!" I called after Butterscotch, our six-year-old house cat who had no doubt already fallen asleep on the sofa without giving a thought to his expanding midriff.

And this was how it was decided (or shall I say, decided for me). Butterscotch and I would go on a diet together.

As a cat lover and avid reader of Cat Fancy magazine had recently found an article about weight loss for cats and got Butterscotch started the next day. And today, thanks to Cat Fancy magazine, at least one of us has won the battle of the bulge!

Cat Fancy magazine has up-to-date news and information you need to be a responsible cat owner. Every issue of Cat Fancy conveys a great love of cats through stories and photos, and also includes information about health, behavior, grooming, nutrition, lifestyles and more. Plus, readers also get involved with letters and stories about their cats. Cat Fancy is the leading publication for cat lovers!

Important Blog Links

2004-12-10T17:12:00.000-05:00

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