Today we continue Stagetecture’s feature ‘Olioboard Inspiration‘. Before you were inspired by – ‘Decorating with Themed Christmas Trees’ from Sam Holloway. Today, I feature John Nuter who is a member of the the Facebook Olioboard Fan Room group and he helps you tackle those pesky Christmas lights! See his ideas to make your outdoor home come alive and watch an awesome video of a lighting show put to music.

To see all the past Stagetecture’s Olioboard Inspiration members on Pinterest click here.

Olioboard Inspiration #56

‘Creative Christmas Outdoor Lighting Ideas’ – Jonn Nuter

Festive outdoor lighting

When I was younger, after Thanksgiving dinner it was a holiday tradition in our family to go see Candy Cane Lane, which was a nearby neighborhood where everyone went out of their way to out decorate each other’s yards. Cars would be lined up as far as the eye could see and slowly drive through the neighborhood and enjoy the decorations. I always remember it as a magical experience and it was the reason I chose to write about Festive Outdoor Lighting. Think of it as a Christmas present to your yard, a great light display that puts a smile on the face of everyone who passes by. Ready to trip the light fantastic? Here’s what you need to know.

Choosing the right string lights

Lighting strings come with as few as 25 bulbs and can go up to as many as 200.Lighting clips make installation easy and are designed to work without damaging surfaces they are attached to. There are even specialty lights designed to add lights around windows and even ones to grab onto brick surfaces. Choose clips on the size of the bulbs you’ll be using, as well as what you will be attaching them to.

Christmas Outdoor Lighting Ideas

Simple keys to successful lighting

• Map out lighting plan ahead of time.
• Use only light strings and extension cords approved for outdoor use
• When plugging light strings together, never use more than 3 strings on one run.
• Never connect different lengths of light strings, they are rated for different amperages.
• If you need a measurement to light a post or tree, use a string first, then lay flat to measure the length of lights you’ll need.

Incandescent lighting versus LED

And the winner is… LED! A string of LED’S may cost twice as much as the same sized incandescent, but because they are so long lasting the price difference is erased after two to three years of use. LED’S use about 10 percent of the electricity that incandescents use because incandescents use 90 percent of their energy to heat up the filament. LED’S sip energy and produce very little heat which also reduces the risk of fire. Many LED lights meet Energy Star guidelines set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency. LED bulbs are typically made of lightweight plastic and are less likely to break than glass incandescent bulbs. Incandescents are generally brighter, but LED’S have more bulbs per string, so call this one a tie.

Lighting your outdoors

String your lights in the evening, with them plugged in so you can see the effect as you build your light scheme. If you have a nice evergreen in your yard that you would like to illuminate, it is best to use larger bulb sizes. The industry rule of thumb is 100 lights for every vertical foot of tree. larger trees may need more.  Evergreen bushes are perfect candidates for lighting nets, crisscrossed networks of wires and mini lights. Toss them over your bushes, plug them in and viola! Mini light strings are great for spirals of light on posts or trees, the bark is usually rough enough to hold lights in place however, pushpins can be used for support. Don’t drive in a bunch of screws or nails as it can harm the tree.

Display Overboard!

For you adventurous types there are music synchronization kits that turn your yard into a virtual Christmas disco. A standard 30 amp plug-and-play system divides your display into 16 separate channels and can include weatherproof speakers. Pre-synced music and simpler sets can be bought that come with a small speaker and 10 pre-loaded songs.  The end result is really quite impressive(and your electric bill will be also)

Check out this video that shows a great use of outdoor lighting synced to music. It’s AMAZING!

Link to the video –> Decorating your Outdoor Christmas lights.

Let me end by wishing you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. – Jonn

About John Nuter

My name is Jonn Nuter and I live in Milwaukee,Wisconsin. I have always been interested in interior design/decorating, yet only did it in a limited capacity for friends and family. After a bout with cancer 9 years ago, I was inspired to throw convention to the wind and live the rest of my life doing something I was truly passionate about,so I went back to school and I’m proud to say,recently received my diploma in interior decorating from Penn Foster University. I am capable of working with all styles of design, but I tend to lean towards modern/contemporary. I am currently looking to obtain a position in the design field while i work towards starting my own design service. That is where Olioboard comes in as an invaluable tool for creating your own designs whether you just like to experiment or you work in the design industry. It has not only provided me with a place to network,find advice and get support, but I’ve made some great friends.

Today we continue Stagetecture’s feature ‘Olioboard Inspiration‘. Before you were inspired by – ‘A Daughter’s Veteran’s Day Tribute’ from Heather Lee. Today, I feature Lisa Ketz who is a member of the Facebook Olioboard Fan Room group and she gets us ready for Thanksgiving! See her inspiring tribute to the history of Thanksgiving, complete with the iconic Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade outside.

If you’re interested in being featured see details here: How to be featured on Stagetecture’s Olioboard Inspiration‘ series.

To see all the past Stagetecture’s Olioboard Inspiration members on Pinterest click here.

Olioboard Inspiration #48

‘The Inspiring History of Thanksgiving’    Lisa Ketz

The origins of Thanksgiving began with the Pilgrims who settled here from England in 1621.  They are said to have shared a feast with the Wampanoag Indians after a successful fall harvest that lasted for three days.  It did not come to be considered a national day of thanks and official Federal holiday until 1941.  In 1817, New York was the first to adopt Thanksgiving as an official holiday.  In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November.  In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt declared the third Thursday in November to be Thanksgiving.

The Food Is the Star

Thanksgiving Day traditions mainly revolve around the food with the turkey as its symbol.  It is not known for sure that turkey was on the menu at the first Thanksgiving but given the existence of wild turkeys it probably was.  Modern day Thanksgiving has become a day for families to get together and to enjoy a great meal to kick of the holiday season.  The bulk of food preparations usually took place in my house while we watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV.  Dinner was a formal sit down event.  The fine family china and cloth napkins would make a rare appearance.  The adults partook of wine served in fancy wine glasses.  To allow room for all the serving dishes, the table décor was best kept simple.  One of my favorite simple table decor ideas is to place pillar candles in plain glass hurricane vases and surround them with dried corn kernels.

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All the usual fixings for example, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, turnips and cranberry sauce would be served.  I am sure every family has their own special dishes which have been handed down through the generations.  My Mom added creamed pearl onions and green bean casserole to her menu.  Funny, Thanksgiving is pretty much the only time of year I get to enjoy my favorite pumpkin pie.  After dinner the men generally retire to the living room to watch the football while the ladies handled the cleaning duties.  Then it was nap time for all before the leftovers came out, Turkey, stuffing and cranberry sandwiches which would also be had for days afterward.

This Thanksgiving I will be most thankful for the twelve wonderful years I shared with my life partner who just recently passed away.

About Lisa 

I am mom to one grown son and grandma to a beautiful 4 year old little girl.  I live in Binghamton, New York.  I started my own Home Staging business called Added Charm Home Staging several years ago.  I also hold down a full time job in the finance industry.   When I am not working I am on Olioboard.  It is a great creative outlet.  I love to design and shop and Olioboard allows me to enjoy my passions in its virtual environment.   I also enjoy sharing design inspiration with other like minded individuals through the Olioboard Fan Room on Facebook.  If you want to learn more about me, check out my blog at  or my website.  You can also follow me on Facebook or on Olioboard.

Today we continue Stagetecture’s feature ‘Olioboard Inspiration‘. Last week you enjoyed – ‘Festive Kids’ Halloween Costume Party‘ from Adele Baumann Healey. This week I feature Connie Parker who is a member of the Facebook Olioboard Fan Room group and if your front porch still needs some spooky ideas for Halloween, take a look at these creative ideas to greet trick-or-treaters!

If you’re interested in being featured see details here: How to be featured on Stagetecture’s Olioboard Inspiration‘ series.

To see all the past Stagetecture’s Olioboard Inspiration members on Pinterest click here.

Olioboard Inspiration #43

‘Spooky Halloween Porch Ideas’    Connie Parker

Planning a Halloween Party? Make sure your guests don’t arrive at the wrong house by welcoming them up the path to the front door with style! Halloween décor has changed greatly over the years with many new and exciting props. But lets think about that party after the little goblins have gone home to bed. Why not decorate your yard and entrance to please the adults too? Pick a theme and have fun with it.

Pumpkins are a universal symbol for Halloween so why not use them! If you don’t like the mess of carving them up, try embellishing them with sequins and paint. You won’t need a lot of paint if you keep them simple. Sequins, glitter and other gems can be purchased almost anywhere. A little dab of glue and you’ve created a designer masterpiece! You don’t have to be an artist with these little lovelies, just try to keep your focus on the over all appeal of the end result. Too much is just plain too much! If you focus on the walkway up to your door and keep the rest of the yard in darkness you manage to create a focal area. Easy on the eye and welcoming!

Decorating your Halloween porch

Hunt for large gourds to help with your design and place them along the path amongst the others. These too can be decorated if you choose, but the colours and textures of gourds are pretty wonderful sometimes and won’t need a thing added.

For those who like a lighted pumpkin, use an apple corer to punch holes in a pretty pattern and place candles inside. No struggling to create a face needed! The flickering flame will add to a ghostly atmosphere. You will have to carve out the inside of Mr Pumpkin for this one.

Non flammable candle paper bags can be purchased many places to help with your lighting. One small tea candle placed inside and voilà! Use caution though, and place them away from any flammable items.

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The ghostly presence of cheesecloth soaked in watered down glue (like Elmers) can be hung to greet your guests. Place a craft ball inside for the head and a bent hanger to create the arms and let dry. You might like to add some glow in the dark paint for an added spooky effect. Remove when stiff and hang from your porch or a tree.

Lighting and scary pathway ideas

Lanterns made from painted mason jars with a candle inside and placed in the windows are all you need to create a glowing presence. Make sure your interior is dimly lit to enhance the features on your path and to create an air of mystery about your home itself.

These days automated spooks and mannequins can be found and what great fun for little trick or treaters too! If that isn’t in your budget, dress to impress!

If you dread the clean up after the party, send each of your guests home with one of your fabulously decorated pumpkins!

I am a mother of three and grandmother of four. I live and work in British Columbia. Although my job takes me away from home for 40 hours or more a week I spend almost as much time designing on Olioboard. It really is one of my passions. It is my entertainment and my escape. I am not a professional designer nor do I think I could be, but enjoy learning from those around me. I dabble in art but not so much now (no time!) I can be found on Olioboard.

The day is here where we announce the Top 5 Olioboard Fan Room boards from the Villeroy & Boch – ‘Travel the World’ Contest. It was such a treat for me to see the creativity that stems from all of you For that I say thanks to everyone who entered, regardless if you made it to the next round. They take a lot of time, and energy so once again thank you! If you missed any of original information from the Villeroy & Boch contest, please click here.

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Today I pair with Villeroy & Boch and The Olioboard Fan Room on Facebook

to brings you the

Travel the World – Stagetecture Olioboard Inspiration Contest

Inspired by all of the international cities of the world Villeroy and Boch offers 1 (one) lucky winner – 6 (six) NewWave Caffè Cities of the World mugs. Gorgeous premium porcelain cups represent the most cosmopolitan cities of the world! Beautiful detailing brings a piece of the world to your morning cup of hot tea or coffee.

Our Guest Judge – Jane Gianarelli

Jane Gianarelli grew up with a creative gene and love for design and fashion. She credits her love for design to being brought up in a home that was in a constant state of being remodeled and furnished with fine furniture. With a decision to study Interior Design or Apparel Design in college Jane opted for the latter and graduated college with Bachelors of Science in Apparel Design. Throughout her career Jane has gained a wide range of business knowledge with years of managing clothing and furniture stores.

Over the past seven years as an Interior Designer Jane has developed her unique system for her designs. Her style includes mixing classic and modern elements with strong colors and patterns to create functional and unique livable spaces. In addition to Jane’s designing her creative talents lie in original hand renderings of interiors. Offering valuable design tools for other Interior Designers like herself, Jane understands how important it is for clients to understand their design with adding a personal touch.

The Winner is:

Eridania Pauline

Olioboard #3 – Breakfast in Paris!

Breakdown of votes:

Olioboard #3 – Paris – 24 votes

Olioboard #4 – Tokyo – 18 votes

Olioboard #5 – NYC – 12 votes & Olioboard #1 – Rome – 12 votes

Olioboard #2 – Germany – 9 votes

Top 5 Olioboard’s – Travel the World Contest with Villeroy & Boch

Olioboard #1 – All Roads Lead to Rome – Tim Citrino

at Vila Citrino and the citrus groves outside of Rome, Italy (Lazio) 5:30 A.M.

Olioboard #2 – Little German Apartment – Adele Baumann Healey

WINNER!! Olioboard #3 – Breakfast in Paris – Eridania Pauline

Olioboard #4 – Tokyo Suite 2020 – Frances Newman

 Congrats on winning the bid for the Summer Olympics Tokyo! We celebrate with you Around The World with Villeroy & Boch! Wanted to play up to the red and black colors with complementary colors and a bit of rustic warmth, too. Arigato!

Olioboard #5 – Modern Hotel Room in Gotham City – New York City – Tameka Brice

Villeroy & Boch Travel the World – Second Round Directions

ANYONE CAN VOTE!! –  Enter your vote from Olioboards #1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 from above and enter the official entry at the Rafflecopter comment form below.  Only one vote per person PER DAY, but you can get family, friends, etc… to vote once a day too!

Share on your social media – Facebook, Twitter, etc.. and get more people to vote for your favorite!

Awarding the Prizes

The winner will be announced on Stagetecture’s website on Monday, October 28th via the Rafflecopter Entry. Members should check the Stagetecture website to see who the winner is. They WILL NOT be announced on the Olioboard Fan Room timeline.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Villeroy & Boch – Travel the World – Stagetecture Olioboard Inspiration Contest Guidelines

1. 1 entry per person please. One (1) winner will win their choice of 6 mugs in cities (New York, Tokyo, Rio De Janiero, Sydney, London, Paris Rome or Berlin).

2. This competition is only open to adult members (18+ of age) of the Olioboard Fan Room on Facebook.

3. Contest winner’s prize will only be shipped to the continental United States. If you are an international member who wins, you will be responsible for shipping rates from the United States to your international home. The winner should fill out the contact form on Stagetecture.com within 24 hours to claim prize and have items shipped to you.

4. This competition is in no way endorsed, sponsored or connected to Facebook.com or Olioboard.com. This giveaway is arranged between Villeroy & Boch, Stagetecture and the Olioboard Fan Room on Facebook.

 For more Olioboard Inspiration on Stagetecture, click here.

For more Olioboard Inspiration on Stagetecture, click here.

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Today we continue Stagetecture’s feature ‘Olioboard Inspiration‘. Last week you enjoyed – ‘Kitchen Creativity: Cooking with Kids‘ from Lisa Ketz. This week I feature Adele Baumann Healey who is a member of the Facebook Olioboard Fan Room group and she is getting you ready for Halloween! See how her festive kids’ halloween costume party gives creative ideas for you and your family! Whether they enjoy trick-or-treating or just dressing up with friends, her board will truly inspire.

If you’re interested in being featured see details here: How to be featured on Stagetecture’s Olioboard Inspiration‘ series.

To see all the past Stagetecture’s Olioboard Inspiration members on Pinterest click here.

Olioboard Inspiration #42

‘Festive Kids’ Halloween Costume Party’    Adele Baumann Healey

It’s that time of year again – Halloween, where excited children (young and old) prepare to pretend to be something they aren’t, from heroes to Tinker Bell, monsters to butterflies.  Let your own inner child take hold and plan a costume party for your children and their friends – don’t forget to invite their parents or a few of your own friends as well.  Costumes highly encouraged of course!

Kids’ Costume Party decorating 

While decorating for a Halloween party, always consider the age of the children that will be attending.  The worst scenario imaginable would be to have a young child run screaming from the house in pure terror.  Remember, the long nights of nightmares will be shared with you in great detail from the sleepless parents for years to come.

For a children’s party, I would highly suggest you forgo using the tempting candles offered this time of year.  Excited kids high on sugar will not be as concerned about open flames as their adult counterparts. Instead, opt for enough light in the house or venue to illuminate all the fun Halloween lanterns, wall plaques, spider webs, and of course the tables loaded with treats.

Halloween costume party treat ideas

Treats for the kids need not be the normal chips and hotdogs.  Why not have your own family help prepare for the party by having a group cooking evening where even the littlest child can help drop sprinkles on cupcakes or veggies on individual pizzas.  Search the web.  Everywhere you look there are clever and tasty ideas for children’s Halloween finger food, from pretzel and chocolate spiders to mummy pigs in a blanket, to ghost banana pops.  Most are simple to make, and depending on the age of your children or grandchildren, easy for the kids to be included.

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Kids’ Halloween party activities

A great idea (although potentially messy, so have plenty of paper towels handy) is to stock up on small pumpkins and let the kids paint their own special party favor jack-o-lantern.

Have the kids put stickers on their pumpkins and then use washable paint and paint brushes, or finger paints and let the little ones smear it all over the pumpkins covering the stickers. Let the paint dry some and then remove stickers.  Add Glow in the Dark Sparkly glue to the spots not painted and let dry.  During the day, they’ll have colorful, sparkly pumpkins and at night, the pumpkins will glow!  The older the group of kids, the more detailed the painting can become and even teens would like to create a ghoulish pumpkin face.

Have fun, enjoy the noise and forget about real life for a short time, and start planning that Halloween costume party now!

I am a mother of two and a grandmother of 4.Our family was a member of the military for 21 years and lived all over the U.S and in Europe, moving 13 times in 19 years. While residing in Germany, we traveled constantly (my little kids in tow in our old V.W. camper) and I absorbed, through osmosis, the many historical attributes of architecture and design. Even in the U.S. it was a learning experience to see how the many people I met decorated and used their creative skills, each influenced by the environment in which they were living. Simply put, when you move so much and live in so many types of residences it was always a challenge to achieve a homey place for your family to grow and be nurtured. What was my biggest challenge to make into a home? An old TB ward of an empty, Army hospital building! Follow Adele as Redadie on her Olioboard profile

One of my fondest memories as a child was visiting my grandparents at the family holidays and spending an entire day before Thanksgiving cleaning crystal and shining the silverware! It was a tradition to take out the best crystal from the china closet and sit at the dining room table and clean and polish every piece that we would use for Thanksgiving Dinner!

Now that I have my own family we still take out the china for the holidays but I always thought crystal was for homes that were very traditional and formal, and that definitely is not the Gibson’s!

Last month I showed you how Villeroy & Boch brings you Everyday Elegance Crystal that you can use for any day of the week and it’s casual enough to use anytime but still looks gorgeous with your casual or formal dinnerware. Today I’m excited to bring you a crystal piece that can be used at the dining table or anywhere in your home as home decor!

Each year I try and make a new seasonal inspired mantle on our fireplace. This autumn season I thought it would be nice to use fall colors of rust, orange, copper and gold and feature pumpkins and pinecones to show off Villeroy & Boch’s – Modern Grace Compote. While I could have used it as a serving piece for fruit at the dining room table, I think it looks great on my mantle! What do you think?

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Villeroy & Boch’s Crystal

Whether you are looking for simplicity in your home decor or you’d like to dress up your interiors with the addition of gorgeous crystal, Villeroy and Boch has a wonderful selection of pieces that are versatile for serving and for home decor.

I’m already thinking ahead to Christmas when sparkly ornaments will adorn the Compote beautifully along with our traditional lighted garland and stockings! Villeroy & Boch’s crystal can truly be used anywhere. A front foyer table display or as your dining room tablescape throughout the holiday season would be beautiful as well.

Thank you Villeroy & Boch for the gorgeous Modern Grace Compote, I can’t wait to find new uses for it throughout the upcoming seasons!

Have you entered the Villeroy & Boch – Olioboard Fan Room Travel the World contest yet? Today, October 23rd is officially the last day to enter. Check back on Friday to see the top 5 Olioboard’s to vote on for the grand prize winner announced on Monday, October 28th!

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Disclaimer: I was provided the Modern Grace Compote crystal to review on Stagetecture. All the thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.

For the last 10 months Stagetecture has paired with the Facebook Olioboard Fan Room group to bring you gorgeous boards that inspire you to decorate, organize, relax or DIY your home in every way possible. After all this time I was excited to pair with Villeroy & Boch to introduce a contest that will be fun for all and one lucky winner will receive a gorgeous Villeroy & Boch set of 6 mugs from their NewWave Caffè Cities of the World line. If you remember in September Villeroy & Boch was first featured on Stagetecture with their Everyday Crystal drinking glasses.

Today I pair with Villeroy & Boch and The Olioboard Fan Room on Facebook

to brings you the

Travel the World – Stagetecture Olioboard Inspiration Contest

Inspired by all of the international cities of the world Villeroy and Boch offers 1 (one) lucky winner – 6 (six) NewWave Caffè Cities of the World mugs. Gorgeous premium porcelain cups represent the most cosmopolitan cities of the world! Beautiful detailing brings a piece of the world to your morning cup of hot tea or coffee.

Where do you get inspired to travel the world?

Images via: Sam Holloway – Olioboard Fan Room Founder

Villeroy & Boch Travel the World – Stagetecture Olioboard Inspiration Contest Directions

1. All Olioboard Facebook Fan Room members should submit their one (1) Olioboard on the Facebook Olioboard Fan Room Album, here.

2. All entrants will enter an official entry at the Rafflecopter comment area – (see below). The entry form shows you all the directions to be eligible for the contest.

• Create an Olioboard that has your choice of Villeroy & Boch NewWave Caffe mugs that represents your favorite city. At least two mugs MUST be used in your board.
• You can obtain the graphics for the mugs on the Villeroy & Boch website here.
• Each contestant must follow all the directions for liking the Villeroy & Boch social media pages and commenting per the instructions on the Raffle Copter entry below.

3. Awarding the Prizes

First Round: The start date is Monday, October 14th, 2013 and closing date for entries is 12:00am EST on Thursday Oct. 24th October 2013.

Second Round: On Friday, October 25th – all members, friends, family can return back to vote through the Raffle Copter entry form to view and pick their one (1) favorite Olioboard out of the five (5) boards on the Stagetecture website.

4. The winner will be announced on Stagetecture’s website on Monday, October 28th via the Rafflecopter Entry. Members should check the Stagetecture website to see who the winner is. They WILL NOT be announced on the Olioboard Fan Room timeline.

Check back on Friday, October 25th when you will vote on the Top 5 Olioboards for the Grand Prize

Official Rafflecopter Entry Form:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Villeroy & Boch – Travel the World – Stagetecture Olioboard Inspiration Contest Guidelines

1. 1 entry per person please. One (1) winner will win their choice of 6 mugs in cities (New York, Tokyo, Rio De Janiero, Sydney, London, Paris Rome or Berlin).

2. This competition is only open to adult members (18+ of age) of the Olioboard Fan Room on Facebook.

3. Contest winner’s prize will only be shipped to the continental United States. If you are an international member who wins, you will be responsible for shipping rates from the United States to your international home. The winner should fill out the contact form on Stagetecture.com within 24 hours to claim prize and have items shipped to you.

4. This competition is in no way endorsed, sponsored or connected to Facebook.com or Olioboard.com. This giveaway is arranged between Villeroy & Boch, Stagetecture and the Olioboard Fan Room on Facebook.

For more Olioboard Inspiration on Stagetecture, click here.