Tuesday 15 December 2015

Curtains, Blinds and Child Safety

Beautiful window treatments can make a world of difference to a room! Curtains and blinds are essential for blocking out light, maintaining privacy, sorting out the acoustics, hiding flaws and making a room look inviting and cosy. They are also often used as a design feature.

Every home has either blinds or curtains in the nursery or in a child's bedroom or playroom. They look great but blinds and curtain cords can present a strangulation hazard to children, as they may become entangled in them while trying to use, play with or play around window coverings.

Even with raised coverings, children can climb onto window sills or furniture and access the cords. It's frightening to think that cords can also strangle infants sleeping or playing in cots placed near windows where cords are within reach or hanging into cots. Since loose cords can very quickly tangle around a child’s neck and cause strangulation, it is advised that parents and carers check window furnishings and fix all dangerous cords out of children’s reach.

Curtains-Blinds.co.uk have put together a simple infographic on what you need to know about window blinds child safety and act now if you haven't done so already.
1. The first thing to do is check if there are any free hanging cords or chains with your blinds in your home. Free hanging cords and chains can be dangerous especially if no constant supervision of the child is available in the room. Some of the window blinds chains could have been equipped with two break way connectors, and a tidying up device may not be needed.

2. Step two replace your old window blinds or order child safety devices to tie up the chains and cords hanging freely. The sooner you act, the safer you can consider your home. It is wrong to think that accidents cannot happen to you, ignore safety instructions and advice. Let's make it safe.

3. Step three check for back cords. Not all the blinds have back cords, so this only applies to certain types of window blinds like roman blinds. The back cords have to have breakaway connectors and if you cannot find any the only solution is to replace these blinds right away. Roman blinds made these days come with connectors for the back cords, and these are designed to snap under pressure.

But if you do not like what you have been reading so far and do not want to go ahead with any child safe devices described above you may choose for complete peace of mind cordless or chain-less window blinds. The roller or rollers made with blackout fabrics operate by pulling the fabric, so being based on a spring system no chain is needed.

Hope this information has been helpful to new parents and parents of young children. As a new mum, I'm always cautious. As a safety measure, the cot is placed far away from the windows and blinds but as Elisha grows up, we'll definitely need to get cordless blinds. Till then all our cords are tied away and wrapped around cleats. 

Till next time...stay safe!
xox
Rani


This helpful and informative post is sponsored by www.curtains-blinds.co.uk/blog/child-safety.

Monday 14 December 2015

Boho Chic Home Décor : How to DIY a Dreamcatcher!

I've always loved dreamcatchers. There's something magical about them that makes you feel safe and protected.
Legend has it that dreamcatchers would filter out all the bad dreams allowing only good dreams to filter through. Bad dreams would get caught in the net and disappear with the rising sun and good dreams would pass through and slide down the feathers to the sleeper.
Today, Lana Hawkins, one of our popular guest bloggers is back with a über cool guest post on dreamcatchers and how to DIY one for your home.
Source: Pinterest
Boho Chic Home Décor
Boho chic home décor is flourishing nowadays. The reason for this is that it really gives you the opportunity to express your inner self and have fun while decorating your home. It lets you set your inner hippie free and have your free spirit play with luxurious fabrics, beautiful vibrant colours and amazing patterns to get your own special bohemian retreat. The key elements of the style are personal touch, warm atmosphere and unique décor.

One of the simplest to make and most unique décor accessories is a dreamcatcher. It fits perfectly into boho style with its unrepeatable forms and limitless choices of decoration. Below are instructions on how to easily make one yourself.
Source: urbanoutfitters.com

How to DIY a Dream Catcher 



Step 1. To start, you will need a circle. Dream catchers were traditionally made of willow branches. If you can lay your hands on some branches, you will get an even more unique piece, but this will require some additional effort. Another option is a wire (it needs to bend easily but does not break). Use a ball, or a jar, or anything round, to bend the wire around it if you want your dream catcher to have a regular shape. The third and most common option is the inner ring of an embroidery hoop, which is perfectly circular and ready‐made.
Step 2. For the second step you will need some yarn. The number of colours depends on your imagination and creative ideas. Then come the embellishments, which can be as diverse as you want them to be (fabrics, ribbons, lace, beads, feathers, etc.). Once you have made or chosen the right hoop, take some yarn and wrap it tightly around the hoop.

Step 3. Now, you need to make the actual ‘catcher’ of dreams. For this purpose, you can crochet a doily from yarn and stretch it in the embroidery hoop, or weave a net. There are many weaving patterns, from simple to complex, but the simplest one is to place 11 pins as markers around the hoop at approximately the same distance from each other. Assign a number from 1 to 11 to each of the markers. Then tie a knot at the marker number 1 and wrap the yarn around the hoop at each marker following this pattern: 1‐5‐9‐2‐6‐10‐3‐7‐11‐4‐8‐1.

Step 4. Tie the yarn again at the end and cut off any loose ends. Knot your ribbons and some more yarn at the bottom, add beads, pendants, feathers, dry branches and flowers, or anything you can find in nature, and your personal scraps and treasures, and you will make a perfect dream catcher.

Dream Catchers for Every Room

Source: hummingbird006.tumblr.com
Dreamcatchers are excellent décor accessories since they add personality to every home. They go really well with boho chic style because of the vibrant colours, organic natural elements, and their mystic spirit. In a modern minimalist home, this detail would be a perfect accent piece on a bare white wall. 
Source: Found on api.shopstyle.com
Source: onekingslane.com
Bedroom imposes as a logical choice, but you can hang your dream catcher in any room.

A dreamcatcher would look great with outdoor furniture. You can sit on your patio and daydream with your dreamcatcher above your head. Imagine sitting in your winter garden, or on your balcony, surrounded by plants, wrapped in a warm blanket, sipping hot tea, and enjoying the cosiness. All this perfect picture is missing is a colourful dream catcher to contrast the green of the plants.

If you have kids, hang a dream catcher above their beds and tell them the story behind it. Good dreams are sure to come along.
Source: www.oneteaspoon.com.au
Do you want to chase the nightmares away? With a dream catcher, you will.

About the Author
Lana Hawkins is an architecture student and a crafty girl from Sydney. She enjoys cooking and knitting. Also, Lana loves writing about home decor and landscaping whenever she gets a chance. Follow Lana on Twitter.


I'm so inspired to make a dreamcatcher for my baby girl Elie's room now!

If you have a favourite style of dreamcatcher, share with us or if you have made one for your home, we'd love to see it!

Also don't forget there is still time to enter the Dennis Family Homes Giveaway and win a $500 gift voucher to shop to your heart's content at Freedom Australia. Click here to enter. Giveaway ends on 21st December 2015.

Good luck!
xox
Rani

Tuesday 1 December 2015

WIN a $500 Freedom Voucher from Dennis Family Homes!

Hello all you lovely people! 

Continuing with our trend of pre-Christmas Giveaways...here's another fabulous one from Dennis Family Homes!

Whether you’ve lived in your home for years, or have just moved into a new one, there’s nothing like a little bit of a décor refresh to give you that just­-moved-in excited feeling every time you step through the doors of your home!

Our friends over at Dennis Family Homes have specialised in helping people buy the property of their dreams, for decades and just like us, they’re obsessed with décor as well – After all, it’s what makes a house a home!
Dennis Family Homes
Dennis Family Homes
To celebrate the launch of their new website, they’re giving one lucky La Maison Jolie reader the chance to win a $500 gift voucher from Freedom Australia! So whether you have plenty of presents to buy for the upcoming Christmas seasons, or you want to treat yourself to some new cushions, linen, furniture, lamps, or other trinkets...sortedWoohoo! 


To enter this fabulous giveaway, simply leave a comment below this blog post with your answer to the question: 
“What is your favourite Dennis Family Homes home design and why?"

Check out their fantastic home designs here, and you can also check out the Dennis Family Homes Facebook page for more home design tips, advice, inspiration, and videos of Ryan Reynolds (yes, you read that right!)

My favourite design would have to be the all new Whitfield...STUNNING! 
Giveaway starts 1st December 2015!
Good luck!
xox
Rani



Terms & Conditions
  • Entry is open to Australian residents only.
  • The competition is a game of skill in which chance plays no part in determining the winners.
  • Competition commences on 1st December 2015, 11am AEST. Entries close 21st December 2015, midnight AEST.
  • Winners must provide their email address to La Maison Jolie.
  • The Promoter’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  • The prize is Freedom gift card, valued at $500.
  • Prize will be delivered in the form of an e­voucher code, which can be used online at www.freedom.com.au, or in­store at Freedom stores in Australia.
  • Total prize value is AU$500. Prizes are not transferable or exchangeable and cannot be taken as cash. 
  • Incomplete or indecipherable entries will be deemed invalid.
  • Only one entry permitted per person.
  • If any prize is unavailable, the Promoter, in its discretion, reserves the right to substitute the prize with a prize to the equal value and/or specification, subject to any written directions from a regulatory authority.
  • The Terms and Conditions are subject to change at any time without notice.
Thank you to Dennis Family Homes for sponsoring the $500 Freedom Australia Gift Voucher!
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