DIY Christmas Ornaments

Merry Christmas! We hope your week has been full of joy and holiday fun. To bring the holiday spirit to LCD, we had a DIY Christmas ornament party! We scavenged the internet for inspiration or came up with a design on the spot to create an eclectic array of ornaments. See below for the ornaments that make up our LCD Christmas Tree!

Christmas Elf

Christmas wouldn't be complete without Santa's elf's, 

nonetheless our Christmas tree!

Materials: Pine cone, felt, wooden ball, wooden star, small bell, glue gun and sharpie.

Level of Difficulty: Medium/Hard (It would be hard for kids unless an adult is assisting, plus it calls for simple sewing techniques to create the elf hat and bell).

Decorating Tip: Felt can be stretched and snipped to create the shape and size needed for the pine cone & don't forget the glitter for your star!

Mr.Buttons

The perfect addition to any Christmas tree. Elegant 

and fun.

Materials: Buttons, foam ball, clothing pins, glue gun, ribbon, twine and ornament hook.

Level of Difficulty: Easy (You just have to pin down the buttons and make sure they fit around the foam ball).

Decorating Tip: Think of it as a puzzle.

Festive Pine Cones

Either hang these festive cones with twine or add them 

to your table as a festive center piece.

Materials: Pine cones, silver and gold metallic paint, and green and red glitter.

Level of Difficulty: Easy (Only a few materials needed).

Decorating Tip: Sprinkle glitter while paint is still wet or add more paint when dried to make the glitter stick.

Mason Jar Lid 

Front

Back

Best of both worlds! Santa & his reindeer.

Materials: Mason jar lid, twine, fabric and stencil cutout. 

Level of Difficulty: Easy (Find pretty fabric and you're half way there!).

Decorating Tip: You can decorate both sides!

Paper Ornament 

Single paper ornaments or a few hung on a string are 

great additions for your tree!

Materials: Red paper, hot glue, scissors, and twine

Level of Difficulty: Easy (Not a lot of supplies are needed, just folding).

Decorating Tip: Use hot glue for fast gluing.

Bill

Who wouldn't love this charming little guy apart of 

their ornament collection. We sure do!

Materials: Glue, green and red glitter, craft eyes, card stock paper, glass ball ornament, ornament hook, black paint and lots of love!!

Level of Difficulty: Easy (All you have to do is cut paper for the ears and wings then glue).

Decorating Tip: Use thicker paper (or cardboard) for the wings and ears.

Light as a Feather

Stylish and elegant. A lovely accent ornament to a 

beach themed Christmas tree.

Materials: Glass ball ornament, ribbon, feathers, glitter and ornament hook.

Level of Difficulty: Easy (Just need to brush the feathers with glue, sprinkle glitter and stick into glass ball).

Decorating Tip: Let the glue for glitter dry before putting into the ornament.

Rudolf

This rustic Rudolf is sure to add more Christmas charm 

to your tree.

Materials: Twigs, leaves, 1/2 pine cone, craft eyes, red cotton ball, glue gun and twine

Level of Difficulty: Easy (You can find most items in your backyard!).

Decorating Tip: Layout Rudolph's face and let the glue gun take care of the rest.

Tis the Season Ornament

Christmas charm gathered all into one.

Materials: Glass ball ornament, fabric, twine and pine cone bristles

Level of Difficulty: Easy (Takes 5  minutes or less. Just roll your fabric and tie with twine, stick them inside the glass ball along with the bristles, and you're all done).

Decorating Tip: Use a pen to arrange fabric and bristles to where you'd like them. If you don't have bristles opt for a piece of your Christmas tree!

Happy Holidays! 

We wish you a happy and safe 

Christmas & New Year!

LCD & Angel Tree

In support of the Torrance Salvation Army, the LCD team each adopted an angel tree tag and fulfilled the Christmas wishes of children from families in need. We hope they like there presents! 

The Salvation Army Angel Tree was set up in the Del Amo 

Mall between JCPenney & Burlington Coat Factory.

Angel Tree tags. One of our favorite ways of 

giving back this year.

Giving Back with A Million Thanks

 

For the holidays, LCD wanted to give back to our service members for everything they do and have done for our country. With the help of A Million Thanks, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the U.S. military, the LCD team wrote letters of gratitude and were able to drop them off to the nearest A Million Thanks drop-off location to get them out in time for the holidays. Click here for a A Million Thanks drop-off location closest to you & join LCD in giving back this holiday season!

Southbay HOME Magazine Design Showcase 2016

Lunada Consulting & Design, Inc, is thrilled to be apart of the Southbay HOME Magazine Design Showcase collection this year. If you haven't received  or picked up the recent HOME Magazine, we've got you covered. Click here to read the full article with Q&A by Jane Biggeln, Owner and Principal Designer of LCD, where she describes the featured project, shares what makes her an expert in the Design + Build industry, what a typical day in the industry is like, and the most valuable service LCD offers our clients.

For more photos of the featured home click here.

Celebrate Halloween in Style with these No-Carve Pumpkins

Here at LCD we love Halloween! What better way to get into the haunting spirit than by decorating pumpkins for your home? We put together our favorite no-carve pumpkin ideas to help you celebrate Halloween in style. From spooky spiders to stylish marbled effects these pumpkins are sure to spark some fun. Turn on some Halloween music, fill your cup with hot apple cider and a bowl of your favorite trick-o-treat candies, and you're half way there.

Gone Batty

For an elegant twist on a scary bat pumpkin, paint the night away to create this bat filled Halloween sky.

Materials: White paint, gold metallic paint, black ribbon, & scissors to create the perfect bat wing.

Difficulty Level: Easy (hot glue gun's work magic).

Decorating Tip: Two layers of paint & Halloween music.

Edible Embellishments

Create texture on your pumpkin for a fun Fall look.

Material: White paint, blue paint & Trader Joe's Zucchette Pasta.
Difficulty level: Medium (skip the tacky glue & grab a hot glue gun).
Decorating Tip: Paint the stem last so you can use it to maneuver your pumpkin while placing the noodles.

Beetle Juice

Add black and white stripes to your pumpkin for an elegant  Beetle Juice interpreted look.

Materials: Black paint, white paint, silver metallic paint, black ribbon & a spider.
Difficulty Level: Medium (those lines take patience!).
Decorating Tip: Two Layers for each stripe.

Black Widow

 This little one would be the perfect addition to your haunted decorations.

Materials: Black, white & red paint. 

Difficulty Level: Medium (it's all in the details).

Decorating Tip: Knowledge of spiders for improvised painting.

Spiderville

If you're pressed for time but still want your Halloween decor to stand out, grab some plastic spiders and a pumpkin to create this fast and easy look.

Materials: 1 large plastic spider, multiple small plastic spiders & a hot glue gun

Difficulty Level: Easy (Takes 5 minutes or less)

Decorating Tip: A good amount of glue goes as a long way so those spiders don't get away.

Marbled Trio

This stylish marble effect is perfect for a chic Halloween.

Materials: Nail polish, plastic container, water, stir stick & white pumpkins.

Difficulty Level: Hard (the nail polish dries fast & you may need more than two hands, but once you get the hang of it its not too bad) 

Decorating Tips: (1) Lightly swirl immediately after dripping paint in tub of water, don't swirl too much (less is more). (2) Layer colors & paint to hide imperfections. (3) The water should be warm for the paint not to sink.

Mrs. Day of the Dead

Your Dia de los Muertos Halloween decorations wouldn't be complete without Mrs. Day of the Dead.

Materials: Face paint, black Sharpie, eyelashes & jewels. 

Difficulty Level: Easy (When you have all the materials ready).

Decorating Tip: Face paint does not stick well to pumpkin, outline with Sharpie & use face paint to fill in for color.

Classic Jack

Forget the mess of carving a jack-o-lantern and create a carve-less Jack instead!

Materials: Black & purple paint.

Difficulty Level: Easy (takes 5 minutes or less).

Decorating Tip: Create the classic triangle eyed pumpkin face in color & outline in black.

From the LCD Team, we wish you a happy & safe Halloween!

7 Tips for Pet-Friendly Design

For many homeowners, pets are more like furry family members than mere animals, emphasis on the furry, so it makes sense to consider their presence during the design process. Wear and tear is often a greater concern for pet owners and should be considered when making material selections for your home. Below are LCD's top seven design tips to keep your home looking renewed long after project completion without compromising on style. 

Match your fabric color to your pet's hair & add fabric protector

This can help conceal pet hair, wear and tear, and prevent stains that may get on any fabric. Darker fabrics with a small pattern will typically be most forgiving in hiding pet hair as well as wear and tear. Just be aware that high contrast colors can make a pet hair stand out more prominently, and light colors are more likely to show stains, causing them to be extremely difficult to keep clean: Therefore, having your fabric treated with a fabric protector would be a great solution for fast and easy clean up.

Opt for indoor-outdoor finishes

Indoor-outdoor fabrics are more durable than traditional indoor fabrics, often being both water and UV-resistant. This makes clean-up easier, as well as minimizing wear and tear, so your furniture pieces can look great longer.

Groom and bathe pets regularly

Regular grooming can cut down on shedding and pet odor, resulting in less need for clean-up around the house.

Skip or remove carpet

Carpet can collect pet hair, dust, and allergens as well as trapping pet odor. Hard surface flooring is a more durable and easier to clean alternative, especially is your pet has an occasional accident.

Choose washable paint

Painting with a washable product and opting for a semi-gloss rather than a flat finish can help to keep your home looking fresh as pets often rub up against surfaces in your home including the walls.

Give your pets their own space

Creating pet-specific areas can help to keep your home organized by incorporating your pet's needs into your design rather than having them compete for space.

5 Ways You Could Transform Your Grad's Empty Room

Create your own art studio

  Photo: Houzz

This can be a space where you can explore your creative side. Picture a painting corner, DIY craft table with supplies, and cabinets to store your wrapping paper, cards, ribbons, and bows.

Turn it into a cozy guest room

Photo: LCD, Inc.

When family and friends from out of town come to visit they'll love staying in the newly renovated guest room plus the convenience of hassle free check-ins. As a special touch, prepare a tray of essentials for their stay.

Make it into a home gym

 Photo: Houzz

For all the times you couldn't make your yoga or barre class, your personalized workout studio will be conveniently available at all times. Adding full-length mirrors to check your form, a yoga mat, free weights, ballet bar, or treadmill are just a few ideas of how to customize the space for your own workout needs. Don't forget to add speakers to listen to your favorite workout playlist! 

Convert it into a home office

Photo: LCD, Inc.

Own your own business? Thinking of starting one? Or just need a space for your computer and the stack of mail piling up on the kitchen table? Turn the disused room into a home office and customize it to your liking. By adding a desk, computer, task lighting and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, you'll be all set. 

Create the ultimate walk-in closet

Photo: MyDomaine

Transform the empty room into the closet you've always dreamed of which will accommodate all of your clothes, shoes and accessories. With a full-length mirror, sitting area, ambient lighting, and various sized shelves for display opportunities, getting ready will feel like a luxury every day. 

Or leave it as is, because your grad will be back and it's always great when your family is all together under one roof - Just like old times :)

Transform Your Travel Photos into Beautiful Watercolors with this App

Summer vacation may be coming to an end, but the memories from your summer excursions will last forever. Whether you visited a destination you had never been before or revisited one of your favorites, the images you took along the way can bring you back to some of your best moments there.

What better way to reminisce of Summer ‘16 than by turning your travel photos into painterly works of art. Here’s one way you can convert your vacation snapshots into a watercolor masterpiece (no painting experience needed :) ).

1. Download the App: Waterlogue - Our favorite watercolor rendering app (available for your iPhone or iPad)

2. Choose a Photo & Start Creating your Watercolor Painting: Select one of 12 photo filters and customize to your liking.

*Pro Tip: LCD’s favorite filter is “Vibrant” – The color scheme is bright, lively, and crisp – Perfect to brighten up any room!

3. Print: Set your watercolor image to save as “JPEG” and “Original” under image settings (located in the bottom right hand corner of the app), email the image to yourself, and then easily upload and order your painting from an Internet-based image publishing service (our go-to is Shutterfly).

4. Place your art: Think of a room in your home that could benefit from an update, such as replacing an existing piece of art to give the room a fresh look. Any blank walls that could use some love? If you need a visual to help you imagine the art piece in the room and to select a canvas size, grab some painters tape and create an outline the size of the canvas on the wall of your choice (or simply mark out the canvas size with a tape measure). This is a great way to see how the scale of your painting works in the space.

5. Lastly, hang your masterpiece!