Just In Case You Were Wondering...

...we haven't abandoned our blog!



The sky is the proverbial limit...



We'd like to apologize for being out of touch in the last few weeks, but want to let you know that exciting things are on the horizon, and they've been taking up a lot of our time and energy. What exciting things do I speak of? Well...the details are still caught between being Top Secret and Classified, so I can't really divulge too much information, but let me tell you this much: it's big.

You want to know more? I really shouldn't...No, no, I can't...alright, fine - a bit of a hint can't hurt, right? I'll give you one word: Wayfair.

Feel free to do some research, and post your findings (if you feel so inclined!). Keep watching this space for more exclusive information on how we're evolving as a company!

Thanks for being the dedicated fans that you are, and thanks for bearing with us as we undergo a series of exciting transformations.

-Martin E.

Community Manager

CSN Stores

mearley@csnstores.com

Cooking With the Kids!

My earliest childhood memories involved cooking with my mom and older brother. We were always helping out in some way, and to this day I still love to be in the kitchen. With so many options for processed fast food out there nowadays, instilling a love for homemade nutrition in your kids is not only practical, but will promote healthy lifestyles and self-sufficiency in the future. Read on for a few tips, suggestions, and easy recipes to make your kids into great little sous chefs in no time!

Kitchen set up:

Most importantly, make sure your kitchen is equipped for little hands to help. Give your kids their own work station, or find a sturdy stool or bench they can use to reach the counter. Make sure their space is in an area with adequate kitchen lighting so they can see what they’re doing. Also ensure that they have the proper tools. Mixing with a standard whisk or wooden spoon can be challenging for small arms but a child sized set like this one from The Curious Chef will get them excited to help!

Curious Chef Seventeen Piece Measure and Prep Kit - $18.98

Seventeen piece measure and prep kit
Includes a six piece measuring spoon set, six piece measuring cup set, three piece prep bowl set, large poly spoon, kitchen timer, sticker set, and shopping list
Measure and prep kit makes an excellent gift for any occasion
All utensils are real
Measuring spoons have a beveled edge to allow for easy pouring
Measuring cups are designed to keep counters clean
Bonus sticker set and shopping list included
Helps children learn fractions and time
All items are BPA free
Constructed of Plastic and nylon
Manufacturer provides 2 years of warranty
Additional Warning: Choking hazard small parts; not for children under 3 yrs
Overall dimensions: 12" H x 12" W x 3.5" D

Age Appropriate Cooking:

No matter what age, there is always something that your kids can do to help. Make sure you find age appropriate tasks for each child. For younger kids, find simpler activities like sorting, rinsing or stirring, but for older ones be sure to teach them proper knife and stove safety so they can help with other tasks. If you have multiple helpers, make sure you delegate responsibility accordingly. Maybe one person is the dedicated “ingredient getter”, another is the “mixer” for the day while another is the “recipe reader”. For the littlest ones, maybe set up their own station where they can play with ingredients (bread dough is always great for this!) without feeling left out of the fun.

Great Kitchen Lessons:

No matter what age, don’t miss out on the great interactive lessons kids can learn while cooking. Take the opportunity to teach age appropriate lessons like reading, following directions, and counting or fractions. Let them measure the flour or count the eggs to help you. Or use a kitchen timer to teach them about time. And don’t forget about the fun science experiments. Think about the reaction of baking soda or explain why the eggs in your fridge won’t become chickens overnight!

Clean Up:

Don’t forget to include kids on the clean up while also teaching them about proper food handling for fresh produce or raw meat. Then let them go wild at the kitchen sink with a basin full of soapy water to get the dishes done while providing great entertainment. Also, it may be wise to invest in some child-sized aprons to keep their clothes (somewhat) clean and protected. We carry a great line of cute aprons with mommy-sized ones to match!

Fun Recipe Ideas:

The possibilities are endless for great kitchen projects. Let them help with dinner doing smaller tasks like cleaning vegetables or mixing batter. Or try simple kid friendly ideas like:

No Bake: Fruit kebabs, no bake cookies or bars, puppy chow (chex mix), edible play dough, smoothies, fruit popsicles

Fun shapes: Cut out cookies, homemade pretzels, Jell-O Jigglers, pancakes

Interactive meals: Pita or English muffin pizzas, kid-friendly sushi, tacos

While sometimes it may seem easier when rushed or busy to just do it yourself and keep the kids out of the kitchen, just remember all that can be gained from including kids on the fun. Not only will they get to spend time with you, but they’ll be learning new skills, demonstrating responsibility and helpfulness, and creating something that they can be proud of!

Bon Appetit!

Written By: Kate H.

Date Night: Movie Theater vs. Own Loveseat and Popcorn!

Guest Post Alert! Featuring Foodie from http://www.fabanddeliciousfood.com/!

It’s 7:30 P.M. on a Friday night.  What to do?  How ‘bout a movie?

You get to the movie theater with 15 minutes to spare, only to find a really long line.  You fork over 20 bucks for 2 tickets, as you kiss another 25 bucks of your paycheck goodbye at the concession stand.  Ah well, small price to pay for a nice relaxing night out…right?

The theater is really crowded but you manage to get the final two seats left.  Phew.  But just your luck – you are behind someone really tall, so his head blocks your view of the screen.  No matter, you’ll just make the most of it.

The lights dim, the movie starts.  Suddenly someone’s little kid starts screaming and kicking the back of your seat, a cell phone starts ringing, and there’s a group of people who just won’t stop yakking.  It’s going to be a long night…

Wouldn’t it be easier to just have movie night at home? 

How relaxing would it be to just watch whatever movie you feel like, when you feel like, in the comfort of your own home?  Even better, if you have your own theater seats to sink into, which incidentally, would be nice and clean and have no gross stains or undistinguishable messes on them.

Loveseats make a particularly lovely choice, such as this one from CSN Stores,



Catnapper Ranger Reclining Loveseat w/ Console Cupholders & Storage - $799.00
Faux leather fabric in a rich Tanner color
Attractive sewing details highlighted with double needle stitching
The Omega Reclining Mechanism provides smooth, quiet reclining
100% Steel Seat Box: no warping or splitting in this critical area
Metal mending plates enhance maximum strength and provide years of trouble-free operation
Premium grade 8 gauge sinuous No-Sag steel seat springs provide superior support and comfort
Catnapper Limited Warranty (for details click here)
Overall dimensions: 40" H X 79" W X 40" D



 There is a console conveniently located between each seat, complete with cupholders for your soda, and a space to keep your popcorn or candy within reach as well.  

Just picture it: you pick a movie, dim the lights, sink into the nice luxurious seats, and rest your feet in front of you.  The movie starts.  It’s amazingly quiet.  Ah, now you can watch the movie in peace, and actually have that nice relaxing evening you were looking for!

Thanks for sharing Foodie from Fab and Delicious Food!

Bread Pans for Family Fun

Guest Post Alert! Featuring Patricia Linehan from http://inthemomzone.blogspot.com/!

Hi!  I’m thrilled to be guest posting on the CSN blog! My name is Patricia and I’ve been blogging over at In The Mom Zone for a couple of years now.  As a busy mother of 4, I wanted a place to record all the daily things plus a little space to call my own.   When I’m not busy shuttling the kids around, cleaning up the constant messes, or playing referee, I like to craft, read, cook & bake.  Thanks to CSN for letting me drop in!

Bread Pans… they aren’t just for baking any more.  Don’t get me wrong, I love to bake and I still occasionally make actual food in my bread pans.  However, with summer in full swing and the kiddos needing something to keep them occupied {something that’s not a screen and doesn’t have a cartoon voice, that is}, I’ve had to start thinking outside the box.  

Anolon Advanced 9" x 5" Loaf Pan - $17.95
Loaf pan
Advanced collection
Heavy gauge construction resists warping
Silicone Anolon suregrip handles provide a slip free grasp
Oven safe to 500°F/ 260°C

Here are some fun ways we’ve been using our bread pans lately…

• Sorting our bi-colored beans and rainbow rice.

• Playing with goop… mix cornstarch, water, and food coloring and you’ve got yourself some seriously fun play time!

• A place for Legos {especially when we’re putting together those bajillion piece sets that Mr. G got for his birthday}.

• A drying spot for dipped pretzel rods.

Keeping our pony beads from rolling around on the glass dining room table while we make *beautiful* necklaces.

The Caboose has discovered the fine art of percussion on pots and pans.  Hand him a loaf pan and a plastic spoon and the drum solo begins!

Do you have any interesting uses for your kitchen supplies?

Thank you Patricia for your awesome post! If you are interested in been featured as a guest writer, please contact csnpromoteam@csnstores.com for more information! 

Finding a New Use for Old Things

Guest Post Alert! Featuring Amy Smith from motherhoodandmiscellany.blogspot.com!

I love the process of finding cool old stuff. Sifting through antique stores, junk shops, flea markets, yard sales. Finding that one special thing that can really make a statement. I love taking something that is a piece of trash and making it shine. I love the challenge of taking something that was used in one way and making it work in a new or better way. I just love old things, period. Antique items all have a story. Some of the things in my home have a story I'm somewhat familiar with, as they are family pieces passed down through generations. Some the finds I've made over the years are just old, but I can imagine where they've been and like to wonder what their story might be. Some of my things aren't all that old, but their story comes after I purchased them. Like the old coffee table I bought for $3 at a yard sale before moving into my first house in college, and then refinished using glue to make a crackle effect on top before moving into my first by-myself-apartment in graduate school. Or the armchair I got at a flea market for $20 that had a hideous, torn royal blue floral print upholstery. My mom reupholstered it for me and it was a great addition to the waiting room of my first private practice office. Some of my favorite things are both old and have been tweaked by me in some way.

For example, one type of item I especially love because of its endless possibilities and inherent artistic appeal is an old window. I have scored lots of cool old windows over the years at great prices. Most as low as $5, some even free. One person's trash, and all that...

Old windows have so many great uses. I have lots of them that I love using for wall art. I've collected them over the years. I have done work on some of them, and some I pretty much just kept as they were when I found them. Here are some of the ways I've used them for wall art:

Photo Credit: Motherhood and Miscellany

I added the flower stencil to the glass on the bottom window in this photo. I just love the shapes of these windows and the textures of the old cracked paint and wavy glass.

Photo Credit: Motherhood and Miscellany

I love the elongated shape, crackly paint, and great old hardware on this window. When I bought it, it was missing one pane of glass. Rather than adding more glass, I thought it would be more interesting to cut and punch a piece of tin to fit. The tin was brand new, so I rubbed a little brown paint on it to take off the shine.

Photo Credit: Motherhood and Miscellany

I'm a total sucker for a basic mullioned window. We had windows similar to these in the house where I grew up. This one was a boring brown, so I did a paint finish on it to make it more interesting and so it would coordinate better with the other windows in my wall decor. I have used it as a photo frame, but for now I'm enjoying it's simplicity just as is.

Photo Credit: Motherhood and Miscellany

This window was free (yes, in this case that means I picked it out of someone's trash). I didn't do anything to it but scrub it up and add the pieces of a very old and tattered quilt in the openings
.

Photo Credit: Motherhood and Miscellany

This window is one of my favorites. It still has its original paint finish, turning lock at the top and handle at the bottom. I screwed the old door-molding-corner-piece-things in from the back to give it some more interest and a little function too. Initially I used the little shelves for pillar candles. Now, with the window in the entryway of my home, they hold mini framed photos of my girls or provide a place for guests to drop keys or hang hats, coats, or bags.

Photo Credit: Motherhood and Miscellany

This is the first view one gets when coming in my front door.

Photo Credit: Motherhood and Miscellany

The space below the window is empty. I'm still looking for a fabulous foyer table to round out the space. Maybe something old. Maybe a yard sale trash to treasure piece. Maybe even a new table with a funky old look or a piece of naked furniture I can put a great old-looking paint finish on. The possibilities are endless. Happy junking!

Leick Favorite Favorite Finds Demilune Console Table - $159.00

Medium Oak Finish

Solid Ash and Oak Veneers

Space Saving Design

Dovetailed, Solid Wood Drawer Box

Antiqued Metal Drawer Pull & Bottom Display Shelf

Assembly Required

Dimensions: 28" H x 34" W x 13" D

  
One person's trash certainly is another person's treasure.  Tell us about the most exciting thing you've ever found and refurbished!

Thanks Amy, for sharing your creativity and photos with our readers.  Awesome job!

Toddler Home Decorating

Guest Post Alert! Featuring April Griffin from http://pinkiefae.blogspot.com!

I know all the parents out there will appreciate this post. It can even be applied to those parents with the four-legged kid variety. Children change your home.

It seems that before children, your home always looked a certain way. Usually it didn't look like the aftermath of a tornado scene. I said "usually". That doesn't apply to any of my fellow hoarders out there. 

When a sweet little baby comes along, there are the typical home improvement projects that take place. Nursery painting and decorating is a time-honored, but completely useless, rite of passage for new parents. I remember all the plans I had for Bean's room when I was pregnant. I wanted:

• a fiber optic milky way on the ceiling

• top of the line French furniture

• odorless and VOC-free paint for the walls

• emission-free carpeting  

• a built-in sound system that would play the sweetest lullabies known to man

Everything that Martha Stewart and the nature-moms say is best for your baby's space is what I wanted. What did I get? I got some beautiful furniture compliments of my in-laws. (Thank you!) And I got the odorless, VOC-free paint. No milky way. And it was all completed 1 day before I went into the hospital. (Thanks Hubz!)

And how many nights has Bean slept a peaceful slumber in this beautiful oasis of love created by her doting parents? NONE. STILL. Yes, she's 3.  I understand all of my parenting faux-pas here. She still sleeps with us. 

My back protests this every single morning. We've even moved her toddler bed into our room with no luck. She's offered it up to her Daddy but he's standing his ground.

Then when a baby starts to crawl, the baby-proofing comes into play.  Baby gates keep the drooling wonders safe from harm's way.  So do door locks that keep toxic chemicals out of your precious one's hands but continually break your own fingernails and cause eruptions of quickly hushed profanities.

As your baby becomes a toddler, they begin to express their own inner Vern Yip by putting their designing mark anywhere they can, including the tables and chairs:

Wildon Home Hamilton Square Counter Height Table in Amaretto - $497.00
Hamilton Square Counter Height Table
Traditional style
Rich dark Cappuccino finish
Smooth edges with beading, turned legs
Smooth top with leaf, and smooth edge with rounded corners and beading
Dimensions: 36" H x 60" W x 60" D

Too bad my kitchen table is no longer as chic as the one above.

If you are anything like me, you start to forget what your house used to look like and begin to fret about what part of your house will be your child's next victim.  She's been eyeing the top of my bed posts for a couple of days.  She has just realized that the tops come off. Is there a bed post lock out there on the market? 

How do you keep your little loves from destroying the house?

Thank you April for your awesome post! If you are interested in been featured as a guest writer, please contact csnpromoteam@csnstores.com for more information!

Friends Homes Can Say A Lot

Guest Post Alert! Featuring Lisa Weidknecht from www.weidknecht.com!

Have you ever been to a friend's home party? You know the kind where you go because your friend roped you into it. Then you sit through an hour presentation of some product you certainly don't need and probably don't want, and later in the evening feel obligated to buy at least $25 worth of stuff so your friend can get something free? Even worse, they often talk you into having your own home party, because your friend got talked into becoming a representative for the company. Honestly, I love going to those parties. Mostly so I can scope out my friend’s houses and how they decorate. You can tell so much about your friends by hanging out in their home for a few hours. 

One time, I was invited to a home party for candle stuff. I walked into the house and was nearly knocked over by a huge dog. Three cats roamed around the living room, knocking over products and climbing on everyone, while we listened to the representative's long drawn-out explanation of how different their candles were from every other candle on God's green earth. I excused myself to use her bathroom and found myself face to face with the litter box. Obviously my friend needed some new candles because it smelled awful in there. I bought one candle for the grand value of $30.  Her bathroom could have used something like these:

Kenneth Wingard Moda Pillar Holders - $48.00
Available in brushed nickel and slightly antiqued bronze colors
Set of three / one size each 3.25" H, 5.75" H, 8.5" H
Linear, modern design
Mass them together or break them up - they’re very adaptable
Overall dimensions: 3.25"-8.5" H x 3.25" W x 3.25" D

Another time, a friend invited me to her home decorator party. My friend did not need any home decor at all. Every inch of every living room wall was covered with photos and paintings. Her retro kitchen clock collection stretched from one end of her colorful kitchen to the other. She had more fake indoor plants than a cheap casino hotel. She was trying to earn enough points through her friends buying home decor so she could buy a candle collection. Obviously she was at the wrong party. I know where she can get one for $30.

My all-time favorite home party was a kitchen cooking party. I got to go sit on a couch while my friend and her company representative made a dozen delicious recipes. Oh, they were looking for volunteers to help, but we were too busy enjoying the wine they had served when we walked in the door. Note to self, don't serve wine if you want your friends to help you work, but wine does tend to increase the amount of money they will spend on the stuff in the catalog.

Have you ever bought something from a friend’s home party that you instantly regretted?

Thank you Lisa for your awesome post! If you are interested in been featured as a guest writer, please contact csnpromoteam@csnstores.com for more information!