Jacaranda Living

College Students Want a Dorm Room With the Feeling of Home

College dorms are buzzing. College students are meeting new roommates, finding their way to classes, and for some it’s a first time away from home. That can result in a touch of homesickness that you as a parent can help with. Hercampus.com recommends a number of great tips to help the new college student. These can include staying connected with home. But “not too connected.”

Staying Connected While Letting Go

DG100 Sham - Standard (Satin Stitch) — A comfy pile of pillows makes a dorm room a cozy oasis

A great way for parents and loved ones to help with that “staying connected thing” is a care package from home. Look for snacks, photos, and dorm room decorations to include in a care package. Consider mugs, toss pillows, and even a comfy blanket to make all the difference. Having a warm, welcoming room to come back to after a long day of classes, or to hunker down in when a new student is suddenly down with a cold and far from the comforts of home, can make all the difference in the world for seeing a new way of life in a positive way.

Turning a Dorm Room Into a Cozy Space

toss pillows to decorate a dorm room for a homey feel. — Matching toss pillows in a neutral design can make a nice gift for new roommates

HGTV recommends keeping the size of a room in mind. There isn’t a lot of space for furniture and additional storage. But simple things like toss pillows and comforters can give the room a welcoming, “hug-from-home” feel when its needed most. Coordinating colors can be tough with a roommate or two, but items in a neutral palette can work perfectly. And something as simple as matching toss pillows can be a sweet “getting to know you gift” that can also make a room more comfortable.

Great “Care Package” Theme Ideas

DIY Ready suggests creating themed care packages:

First Day College Care Package – including supporting notes, USB sticks, pens, candy, and office supplies
Things-You-Forgot Package – including bathroom essentials, snack bars, and socks
Get Well Soon Package – using a large coffee/tea mug, and including honey, cold medicine, lozenges, and a caring note from home
Winter is Coming Package – If your child is a Game of Thrones fan, they’ll get a kick out of that message, but include mittens, hats, scarfs, and even a lightweight comforter that’s large enough for a few friends to snuggle under as they talk the night away. Cute pajamas or a comfy personalized robe also make a great gift for those sharing a bathroom with others.

EL262 Alexandra 2-Piece Capri Pants Set** — Cute pajamas or a simple cotton robe are the perfect thing for those students who may have to share a bathroom with new roommates.

Being a Support Network for Your College Student

It can be tough for kids and parents during that first semester or first year away. Everyone is getting accustomed to a different life. Loved ones you’ve seen day in day out for years are now suddenly building their life without you. You may get teary phone calls, not hear anything for weeks, or have a college student anxious to come back home for a visit as soon as possible. It’s all part of the adjustment phase.

Ways to Help the New Student

Rather than supporting the tears and the visits, provide support for the child to remain at school. Greatergood.com recommends supporting your child with self-compassion and kindness. Help them accept that “their difficult feelings are part of the universal experience of leaving home.” Get them to talk about how they are feeling and encourage them to get involved in activities on campus. Set goals to explore one new place a day, or meet one new person a day. Soon they’ll feel far more at home at school! Then it will be your chance to adjust.

A first year away from home can be tough. Knowing that family is still thinking of you, and having small items around that provide the comfort of home can make a huge difference. Little items like toss pillows, blankets, mugs and a favorite stuffed animal can make a dorm room a cozy refuge when the world seems a bit too strange to handle all at once.

DG05-NBDE Slippers, (Closed Toe) - Napoleon Bee (Duck Egg Blue)** — Comfortable slippers from Jacaranda Living

Jacaranda Living has embroidered toss pillows, robes, and other items perfect gift for a new college student. They offer comfort when college life gets overwhelming.

Sources

http://www.hercampus.com/high-school/how-deal-homesickness-freshman-year

http://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/20-chic-and-functional-dorm-room-decorating-ideas-pictures

http://diyready.com/16-cool-college-care-package-ideas/

http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/raising_happiness/post/how_to_help_kids_adjust_to_college

10 Reasons to Sleep in Cotton

Do you ever have those mornings when you wake up and just feel so…good? Don’t you wish you could feel like that every morning? There’s a way that you can! The lush feel and ageless beauty of cotton has been used for centuries and there is nothing else that can beat sinking into the sleek and effortless feel of soft cotton sleepwear after a long day. So why not luxuriate in the timeless sophistication of Jacaranda Living cotton as you wind down, relax and go to sleep?

10 reasons why cotton is the only choice for sleep:

Cotton is a lightweight, seasonal material. It is a fantastic conductor of heat and helps transfer unwanted body heat away in the summer months but also easily insulates and keeps your body warm during the cold winters.
Cotton is hypoallergenic. This means it is not associated with any allergies, it won’t irritate your skin, it is great for asthmatics.

Cotton is low maintenance. Unlike many other popular materials, cotton can be both machine washed and machine dried.
Cotton benefits your skin. Cotton is commonly used for facials and applying lotions because of its smooth and soothing powers on the sensitive skin of our faces. Why deny our bodies the same luxury?
Cotton lives a long time. The lifespan of cotton can be up to twice that of other materials. Cotton is durable and strong but it is also very soft and smooth and can be relied on to last a long time without pilling.
Not too much stretch. There is such thing as too much stretch, but you can count on cotton to keep its shape and to not stretch out over the years. Unlike many thinner fabrics, cotton also will not cling uncomfortably to your body.
More wear, less wash. Because cotton is a breathable material and retains smell easier than oil based synthetic fabrics, it takes longer for the material to take in bad odors, so it does not need to be washed as often.
Cotton is smooth and comfortable. Cottons fibers are wound very tightly resulting in the super smooth feel that won’t irritate skin or cause static.
Cotton absorbs moisture easily. Cotton can take up to ⅕ its weight in water before it starts to feel damp. At night the cotton will absorb body moisture and evaporate it into the air allowing you to feel clean and cool in the morning.
Finally, it’s professionally recommended! Cotton materials are recommended by dermatologists for maximum comfort and minimum skin irritation.

Need I say more?

Make spring vibrant with Rosehip

See our Rosehip Collection

Breathe new life into your wardrobe and awaken your senses this season with gorgeous, eye-catching prints in the Rosehip collection. Cheerful raincoats and umbrellas to keep you dry during those spring showers, colorful overnight and weekender bags and totes to make travel (more) fun, and new shower caps and cosmetic bags to complete your own personal Spring Awakening.

Bask in vibrant color, celebrate new experiences, rejuvenate your senses, and rediscover the outdoors this season.

Treat yourself – after all, Spring only comes once a year!

6 Reasons insomniacs should use cotton rich sheets

Insomniacs Should Sleep in Cotton

The most common suggestion given to insomniacs is to make their sleeping environment more appealing, relaxing and comfortable. This can be accomplished simply by providing your bed with luxurious cotton rich sheets. The benefits far outweigh the cost as you find yourself sinking into luxury as you remove yourself from the distractions of your day and into the comfort of your opulent bedding.

Six reasons to sleep between cotton rich sheets:

Cotton fabrics have a wonderful matte luster, soft drape and are smooth to the touch making your bed more visually inviting.
Cotton fabrics have excellent absorbing capabilities, keeping you more comfortable, releasing perspiration quickly, allowing the fabric to breathe.
Cotton wears well, will not pill and stands up to abrasions.
Cotton can be machine washed and dried.
Cotton is a great conductor of heat, providing warmth in the winter and coolness in the summer.
Cotton is soft, hypoallergenic and does not irritate the skin.

Changing your bedding may positively impact your sleeping habits and your overall health.

Cotton is the Best Choice for Insomniacs

Everyone functions better after a restful night of sleep.

Make your bed as inviting as possible, sleep in luxury, comfort and style with Jacaranda cotton sheets and bedding.

Why you should consider Cotton for your Hypersensitive Child

Little Girls Candy Cane Christmas Dress

It is estimated that 25% of American children have sensory issues. Clothing made of Cotton rich fibers will offer hundreds of different sensory friendly options for a multitude of hypersensitive issues.

Cotton is a soft fiber that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant. Cotton fabrics have excellent absorbing capabilities, does not pill, is not itchy, keeps its shape, is never clingy or causes static electricity and does not irritate the skin, but most importantly it is cool, soft and comfortable for the hypersensitive kid in your life.

Jacaranda Living 100% Cotton Sheets for hypersensitivity

So not only does cotton look and feel great; it’s also a safe choice when choosing Christmas or birthday gifts. You may not know all the health and medical needs of a friend’s son or daughter when looking for a gift, so consider playing it safe and going with a fabric everyone can enjoy.

View a selection of our English Cotton Dresses for girls made from 100% cotton!

5 ideas for an upscale Halloween party

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Halloween parties can be a lot of fun, but you don’t have to settle for mass-printed paper decorations and a punchbowl full of candy to complete your theme. With a little imagination and a DIY spirit you can transform your gathering from vague to vogue.

Pumpkin ice buckets

Store your cold beverages in hollowed-out pumpkins and fill in the remaining gaps with ice. For a more eerie look use white pumpkins. Don’t carve a face into the gourd or you will have a watery mess on your hands.

Masquerade

It’s hard to keep a consistent theme when your guests come dressed as a ghost, The Joker and a space ninja. Instead of costumes, encourage your guests to come in a limited formal wear and supply them them with masks. Consider black tuxedos for the men and white dresses for the women, such as ones from our line of cotton sleepwear. You can purchase a collection of masquerade domino masks or even create your own felt animal masks to liven things up.

Black cocktails

It’s one thing to create mixed drinks along a theme, but it pays to go one step further and give them a striking visual tie-in. Consider getting black sugar to rim the glasses and add whole blackberries into the mix, or try classic drinks like a brain hemorrhage or blood-red sangria.

Party by candlelight

Create some good mood lighting by unscrewing or disabling all the lights and use expressive candles instead. The dim lighting will give the party an inky atmosphere. You can opt for clusters of thick white candles and mix it up with a few skull-shaped candles here and there. Just make sure you have some type of barrier to restrict the melted wax so it doesn’t spill onto the carpet.

Monochromatic candy

It’s routine to see a mix of orange and black candy in a dish during Halloween. Make your display stand out by limiting your candy to a single color, such as all red or all white candies in a clear glass dish. You can order bulk M&Ms and jelly beans in any color and mix in marshmallows or licorice.

https://www.theknot.com/real-weddings/pumpkin-wedding-decorations-photo-1

Jacaranda Living Launches Responsive Website

Massachusetts-based fine linen company Jacaranda Living has launched its new website that is geared more towards today’s users with improved visuals and a more natural responsive design.

The new version of www.JacarandaLiving.com is now live and has larger product displays that allows customers to see full screen images of items such as embroidered bath and bed linens, cotton night gowns and baby layette items.

Some categories of products have been merged to make it faster for customers to navigate the website and find the items they are looking for. The website is fully mobile to accommodate modern customers who are shopping more and more with their mobile devices.

Founded by Cathy and Martin Deale in 2004, Jacaranda Living is a privately held fine linen online retail company with headquarters in the Boston suburb of Wellesley, Massachusetts. Cathy and Martin were born on the Kwa Zulu Natal coastline of South Africa and grew up there until 1997 when they moved with their two young children to live in Boston.

Most of the fine linen items are crafted by talented Zulu women along the South African coastline and the business has grown to provide jobs to women in other parts of Africa and around the world. All Jacaranda Living products are made of natural fabrics – pure cotton, linen, bamboo and silk.

The look is classic European with beautiful embroidery by hand and machine, whispers of cotton lace, applique or simply unembroidered. In every case they strive to remain true to their mission – to produce beautiful, high quality linens and gifts in a socially responsible environment.

Cathy, Martin and the Jacaranda Living team are committed to supporting their customers with outstanding service. Martin handles business development, marketing, strategic organization and direction. Cathy’s tireless energy focuses on the fun part of client interaction and product development. “It’s a happy, exciting and fun place to work because our clients have become our best ambassadors” says Cathy.

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Massachusetts-based fine linen company Jacaranda Living has launched its new website that is geared more towards today’s users with improved visuals and a more natural responsive design. The new version of www.JacarandaLiving.com is now live and has larger product displays that allows customers to see full screen images of items such as embroidered bath and bed linens, cotton […]

&topic=”>Massachusetts-based fine linen company Jacaranda Living has launched its new website that is geared more towards today’s users with improved visuals and a more natural responsive design. The new version of www.JacarandaLiving.com is now live and has larger product displays that allows customers to see full screen images of items such as embroidered bath and bed linens, cotton […]

Get Organized in the New Year

It’s February now and maybe you need to rethink some of your New Years Resolutions. Perhaps you want to get more organized. Here’s a few tips to help you out:

Get your bathroom back in shape by using some beautiful cosmetic bags and baskets to store your hair clips, make up, soaps, and even towels or toilet paper.

File all that paperwork and keep a “work in progress” pile. Here’s a guide to help you with filing and some inspiration for some pretty file cabinets.

Get your closet in order. Sort through clothes you haven’t worn in a year or more. Consider donating these to a local charity. Once you have your clothes sorted through, organize them on proper hangers for them. Having a properly organized closet makes it easy to take an inventory of what you have.

http://www.jacarandaliving.com/bath-linens/bath-accessories/hangers/rw11-adult-hanger-cotton-percale.html?___SID=U

Go through your kitchen. Perhaps there are some tools you never use. There may be some you use more often. Use this helpful guide to help you get your kitchen into an optimal working space.

Take a look at your dining room. Are you in need of new table linens? Do you have serving platters you never use? Take out you old linens and replace them for a fresh new look! Use your own linens to help you polish up some silver since it’s nice and soft or as a rag.

5 easy ways to care for your bedroom

We all spend a lot of time in our bedrooms, be it sleeping or checking Facebook on our phones in the dark. That’s why it’s important to know exactly how to care for and maintain your nest. Here are five pro tips to keep your bedroom clean and fresh.

1. Wash your sheets the right way

Bed linens need to be pulled off and washed every one or two week. With cotton sheets, it’s important to use warm water when cleaning, as hot water could shrink some of the fibers. If you have any special embroidery or other delicate flourishes, such as some of our sheets, make sure to read the care instructions.

Some embroidery requires gentle hand washing. In those cases, don’t scrub with a brush or rub parts of the sheets together. Instead soak the material to loosen stains and unwanted smudges.

Chlorine bleach may be too gruff for most bed linens. Instead try an oxygenated bleach for white sheets. Gentleness is the main idea to keep sheets in tip-top shape as long as possible.

2. Seal it up

Make sure to use a vinyl mattress cover to protect against spills or leaks. If given the chance, mattresses will sponge up any mess, including ones from human bodies. These are extremely difficult to clean and it’s much easier to prevent the problem in the first place. The vinyl cover will act as a barrier to keep the mattress unsoiled.

3. Vacuum the bed

You have probably heard from time to time that skin cells and dust mites build up inside the mattress and will double the weight over a decade. That’s actually an urban legend, but even though the dramatic scale is wrong, there is still a real problem with shed skin and dust mites. To help combat the menace, every time you strip or rotate the mattress, pull all materials off the bed and use your vacuum cleaner’s upholstery to clean the top and sides of the mattress.

4. Use a duvet

Comforters are difficult to clean, and their bulk requires a commercial-grade washing machine to avoid compressing the item and leaving pockets unwashed. The comforter will still need to be cleaned now and then, but wrapping it in a duvet cover will keep it much cleaner during the stretches of time between cleanings. Duvets should be cleaned in a similar manner to bed sheets.

5. No plants and animals

Constant contact with human bodies already presents a large amount of exposure to bed linens. There’s no need to add on additional problems with animal contact. Cats and dogs leave dander behind, so if you want a clean bed then you need to banish your pets from the bedroom. Even having plants in the bedroom can create some airborne debris, so keep them out of the room too.

Make Your Home Look Like Game of Thrones

One of the interior design goals of the epic fantasy series “Game of Thrones” is to present rich settings that do not look like generic European castles, so creators incorporated elements from Nordic, Moorish, Spanish, Persian, Mediterranean, and indigenous cultures to create a series of unique looks.

The North has thick fur coverings and sparse, dark rooms of the North and the cities across the Narrow Sea feature dusty desert beauty, but we’re going to concentrate on the decadent, boastful settings in King’s Landing where some of the most dramatic events in the series takes place.

First, you’ll need to decide on a heraldry theme to tie into various elements. If your family name is associated with a symbol or animal you may decide to embrace it, but you can always use online design sites like MyBlazon or MakeYourCoatofArms to create your own.

Screen Shot 2015-06-03 at 2.44.13 PM

You can then take that heraldry and have it printed on banner flags or even a shield for your wall. If you don’t have kids in the house you can also consider mounting a sword on your wall.

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Alternatively, you can take the heraldry from the show, like Stark direwolves and Lannister lions, with items from Etsy, like these banner flags and these throw pillows.

Either way, there’s a wide range of products in the world that could be festooned with the heraldry you select, including slippers, tissue box covers, cosmetic bag covers and linen napkings.

Scout out more subtle applications for the heraldry as well. If you chose a lion, try investing in a lionhead door knocker or drawer pulls cabinets.

Wooden latticework screens on windows will immediately set your home apart and give guests something unique to ponder over while you plot your next move. These Moroccan designs give you a lot of options.

This red fainting couch provides an asymmetrical elegance to any room, being both an eye-catching centerpiece and a functional piece of furniture.

Lastly if you have some blank walls try covering them with a velvet curtain.