whitgia's Profile

I think both ways are fine, it all depends on the child.
I was one of the youngest in my class, with a November Birthday. The only times I really noticed how much younger I was were at the big milestone birthdays: I was the last to get my driver's license, the last one to get into the bars/ buy alcohol. But other than that there were no differences between me and my classmates.
My husband on the other hand, was in the same class as me- but is nearly 2 years older. He went in to kindergarten as the oldest and then repeated it. He had ADHD, and it was the best thing for him. He fit right in with our class.

I am a buyer for a Decorating Company and we try to have as many environmentally friendly options as possible for our clients, there are a lot out there....but you are going to have trouble finding a sofa with down/wool on both body and cushions.
There are many companies who use Bio-hybrid foam as well as Latex cushions. Also keep in mind that even if a sofa cushion is labeled as down, it may be a blend with foam and batting.
Also, there are so many other issues to be concerned with beyond the flame retardants. A vendor who does not use those chemicals, may be cutting "Green" corners elsewhere.

Check out these furniture Industry websites for more info on the regulations and certifications:
http://sustainablebydesign.us
http://www.eco3home.com
http://www.sustainablefurnishings.org/

I can personally attest for Kincaid Furniture- the only vendor to attain the tough Eco3Home certification. Although they do not use down fills on the sofa body, and the cushions are a down "blend", I have physically toured their factory in NC and can tell you that they are doing things right and are committed to providing safe and healthy furniture.

I grew up in a small rural town in CT that had no stores...not even a stop light! The town is full of creative people who respect the beautiful nature surrounding them and many are artists. But within a 20 minute drive we could be shopping to our hearts content at a mall, a string of big box stores or a downtown with quaint little shops...and in a little over an hour we could be in NYC.

Although I know that there are many people who have to drive several hours to go shopping ( my sister now lives in Colorado and is one of them), I hate this misconception that you have to live in the middle of nowhere for small town life.

Living in new England, we definitely have those hot, hazy, humid summer days that make being in the kitchen unbearable! Cold Soups like Gazpacho- all you need is your food processor, with a big slice of baguette. Sometimes, Ill make a grilled cheese to go with it - but I use my Panini press grill instead of the stove, which omits a lot less heat.
Salads are a must- Caprese is a summer staple ( tomatoes, basil, mozzarella), watermelon and feta salad, corn and black bean salad.
We have also been known to just go up the road to the local Creamery and get a big Ice cream sunday for dinner!

Sadly, in CT you still can't buy wine at the grocery store!! But I used to live in CA and we would always buy Trader Joe's " two buck chuck" don't remember the exact name but it was a TJ's brand red and it was only $2.99! Not great- but it went great with a big bowl of Bolognese!

Register for things that fit your lifestyle. My husband and I both love to cook and entertain- but we are not fancy entertainers. I did not want China. We got basic white- perfectly nice Pottery barn plates, cups, bowls that work great for everything from everyday meals to Holiday entertaining. We also got some nice kitchen gadgets- Kitchen aid mixer, Cuisinart food processor, slow cooker, wine fridge. But that's about it for kitchen stuff.
We had just bought a house, so we registered on sites like Anthropologie and Viva terra for fun household decor, and guests told me they enjoyed picking out those more interesting items that you don't see on every registry!

As a Decorator and Product Merchandiser, I dont get to use them in other peoples homes as much as I would like, but in my own home, I Love Natural Curiosities!! Natural and found objects are the main theme on the Mantle over my fireplace. I have a Cow Skull, a mason jar filled with feathers found in the woods, Large Agate peices, Hand carved and found wood sculptures, and an antique Iron ( found at an abandoned house in the woods) as a book end.
Friends always comment on how they love the "Homey" and personal feel.

I personally would not put anything on the windows, but would make the wall pop with a bright accent color and some great art.

If you must have something on the windows, what about a simple swag over each of the 4 windows, with a single Jabot cascading down on the outside edge of each. You could easily do this yourself with inexpensive hardware and some hemmed fabric.

I would do a Sofa Bed. Put it on the wall opposite the kitchen/bath and then put a storage ottoman on wheels in front of it. You can roll it out of the way when the bed is open, use it for storage of your comforter & sheets, you can put a tray on top when you want to use it as a coffee table and you can use it as extra seating when you have friends over!
American Leather, though slightly expensive, makes the most comfortable mattress, its a high density foam! Beleive it or not, you dont feel the metal bars underneath you! ....and they are 100% made in america!

Definetly go to Etsy- the best resource for decals.