Jason's Log Furniture Reviews

As the calendar closes on 2011 and we open the book on a fresh new year, I always make it a practice to look back on the events of the past year.  I usually marvel over how much has changed in the previous twelve months.  A lot can happen in one year.  Our family, like many others, has faced some lows with deaths in the family but we also had a glorious high point with the birth of our second son.  There is so much to learn by hitting the rewind button on the year gone by and going through it frame by frame.  If you don’t already do that, I recommend making it a practice.

The New Year beckons to us with its undiscovered promises.  It is both thrilling and nerve-wracking to consider all of what is in store for us during the next twelve months.  Many of us take the opportunity every January 1^st to develop a list of goals that we intend to attain and call them our “New Year’s Resolution”.  I don’t know the number of resolutions that are made, but I am sure that the number of them that are broken or not realized to fruition is probably a very high percentage.

In the past, my resolutions have been generic in nature, probably so that I would have an easier time making them come true.  I won’t say that I see them through every single year, but I do feel that my life has significantly improved every one of the past few years.  I like to attribute those positive changes to the practice I make of reflecting every New Year’s Eve and working towards my resolutions every year.

This year I’m taking a little bit different approach.  I still have one generic resolution, large in scope, but I’ve also devised several smaller and more specific goals that I want to reach.  One of them is the design of my home office.  True, that is more of a project than a resolution, but once complete it will provide me with a fresh new perspective in my working environment.  I have decided that I want to include several inspirational signs on the walls for positive motivation.  The piece above, “Time Quote”, words from the legendary leader and innovator that we lost this past year, Steve Jobs, is perfect for bringing me back to a grounded place and providing me with hope and perspective on tough days in the office.  I’m hoping those inspirational words will also keep me on track for keeping this year’s resolution.

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ure, those chairs out in front of the house don’t look so inviting this time of year when they are covered with a blanket of snow.  After all, who wants to sit outside and relax when you have to dress in layers and cover yourself from head to toe in order to stay warm?  There are plenty of options to consider for your outdoor furniture, so take a minute to consider them before you stash the log furniture away until next spring.

First of all, those chairs are a great backdrop for a multitude of decorating uses.  Set a festive wreath or holiday-appropriate sign against the back of the chair.  Tuck a cute snowman onto the seat for a few laughs from passersby.  If you’re dreaming of beach weather about the same time that Christmas comes along, dress a Santa in shades and swimming trunks and then set him in the chair with an umbrella drink.  He may look cold when he’s so scantily clad, but you’ll get a warm fuzzy feeling whenever you are greeted by him.

Cushions and pillows can be a great way to accessorize for the seasons.  You may have cushions that you put on the chairs to create a softer seat during the warmer months, but they can be part of your winter holiday decorating scheme as well.  The hunter green Rustic Natural Cedar Adirondack Junior Seat Back Cushion in the picture creates quite a beckoning resting spot for summer entertaining.  For the Christmas season, pair it with some festive pillows and Santa may just consider having a seat in your outdoor chair to eat his cookies.  Trade the pillows out for various holidays, or keep the same pillow forms and use different slipcovers for each winter celebration.  Cushions…they aren’t just for warm weather anymore.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 JHE’s Log Furniture Place

This is the time of year that the Postal Service either loves or hates.  I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t receive much handwritten correspondence in my mailbox these days.  Most of the mail I pull out of my box during the year is what we delicately refer to as “junk mail”.  Credit card and life insurance companies seem to be the main culprits.  I do enjoy getting some birthday cards in the mail come April, but even those have mainly gone the way of electronic greetings delivered to my Hotmail inbox or Facebook account.

However, at Christmas, it is a common practice to send out cards to friends and family members.  Many of us deposit a large bundle of stamped cards (or two or three) into the outgoing mail slot and eagerly anticipate cards likewise delivered to our box.  The very large influx of cards must really keep the USPS hopping in December!

Filling out cards, stuffing, addressing and stamping can take up some measurable real estate in the house, especially when we aren’t accustomed to hand writing and stuffing so many pieces of mail.  A large flat surface comes in handy for such a task.  The Cedar Lake Cabin Log Writing Desk is the perfect rustic complement to your holiday card preparation.  Not only does it look great in your home with its natural log legs and edges, but also the smooth desktop provides the perfect writing surface for all of those cards.  Pair it with a matching log file drawer and you have plenty of storage for cards, supplies, and all the other documents you need at an arm’s length throughout the year.  Once the holiday card season is over, you can bring out the laptop and put it on the log furniture so you can send all your mail electronically until Christmas comes again.

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Sure, we are supposed to eat meals together as a family around the dinner table.  Experts agree that a family that makes the time to gather around the table for at least one meal a day is often healthier and shares a stronger bond than those who do not.  Many busy families grab meals as they are able and eat anywhere from the front seat of the car while driving to some function or another to on their bed while they study for tomorrow’s test.

I also am a believer in eating around the dining room table together, but even though our kids are very young and not yet involved in activities, it can be very difficult to get everyone to the table at the same time for a meal.  I am not giving up hope, however.  I want to make it a practice that at least one or two nights a week we make it a priority to enjoy a meal together.  One such evening at our house occurs every Friday.  I make homemade pizza and we sit down together in front of the television to enjoy our pie and a movie.  Of course, this scenario does not facilitate much communication but at least we are enjoying an activity as a family and making it a tradition that we all expect and anticipate every week.

Eating in the living room can be a little messy, especially with young children.  Not all of our furniture has a table alongside on which to rest plate and drink.  Using TV trays is a solution, but with limited space in the living room, storing them between Fridays can be a hassle.  The  provides a handy surface for eating and makes storage a snap.  The sturdy tabletop elevates up to a 25” height, perfect for both the little and big people at my house.  When we are finished with the meal, the top lowers back onto the rustic coffee table, creating a seamless piece of living room furniture that offers both style and storage.  I think all would agree, this piece of log furniture is a great way to gather the family around for a meal yet offers flexibility for all of the other activities that go on in a busy household.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 JHE’s Log Furniture Place