Great for Entertaining!

The season of entertaining is coming to a close, but we can make your final shindigs of 2011 delicious!  Drop by our Swedish Food Market and pick up our recipe card for a quick prawn cocktail, and a half-pound bag of peeled shrimp for less than $5!

Grab a couple bottles of sparking juice so even non-drinkers (and your young ones!) can toast the new year, too.  Available in pear and apple/lingonberry for $3.99.




Prawn Cocktail (serves 4)

1/2 bag RAKOR UTAN SKAL peeled shrimp
1 small head of lettuce
2 eggs
4 thin lemon wedges
grape or cherry tomatoes

Rhode Island Sauce
(if not ready-made)

1 3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp chili sauce
a couple dropped fresh lemon juice
salt and ground white pepper
1/2 tbso cognac or Madiera (optional)

For Decoration:
4 tbsp mayonnaise
Sprigs of dill

This is how you do it:
1. Rhode Island sauce: Mix mayonnaise, ketchup, chili sauce, lemon juice, sale and white pepper. Add cognac or Madiera if desired. Chill until serving.
2. Hard boil the eggs and chill with cold water. Rinse tomatoes and cut in half. Cut the eggs in half. (This can be prepared ahead of time.  Refrigerate the items covered in plastic wrap.)
3. Rinse and shred the lettuce, and cover the bottom of your serving dishes (or stemware.)  Add some Rhode Island sauce and fill with tomates and prawns. Place a dollop of mayonnaise on each egg half and garnish with a sprig of dill.  Put the egg halves and lemon slices on top of the prawns and tomatoes.

One Light Bulb for Change!

If every household in the United States replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an compact fluorescent light bulb, the energy saved could light 3 million homes for one year, save about $600 million in energy costs per year, and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions in a single year (the equivalent emissions to 800,000 cars!)

Is it time for you to jump on the CFL bandwagon? If you haven’t yet, why not?

The light from CFLs isn’t the same as my incandescent bulbs.

CFLs still have a reputation for giving off a cool, eerie light that doesn’t flatter anyone’s skin tones.  Manufacturers now offer a wide variety of bulbs with different Kelvin (K) ratings. Bulbs ranking under 4,000K will have a warmer light. Those above 4,000K have a cooler light.  Look for “soft white” or “warm white” bulbs to most closely mimic the light from incandescent bulbs.

Visit http://green.yahoo.com/18seconds/ (the time it takes to change a light bulb) to find out where your state ranks in the CFL switch, (Minnesota is #25!) and get tips on selecting the right bulb for your needs.

CFLs are too difficult to dispose of.

CFLs contain about 4mg of mercury (compared to about 500mg found in a conventional mercury thermometer.) This does not pose a safety risk at home, but could add up if disposed in a landfill.  Disposing of your used CFLs shouldn’t be an inconvenience: keep in mind that they have a much longer life than traditional bulbs. You can dispose of them at your local Household Hazardous Waste collection site, and many retailers that sell CFLs also accept them back for recycling. (Like IKEA Twin Cities!  In fact, if you bring in your bulb to be recycled Monday – Thursday, you can receive 15% off any item in As-Is priced over $20.)

The CFL bulbs I used didn’t last as long as promised.

Following the correct guidelines for usage is key! Don’t use a CFL with a dimmer, unless the bulb is labelled as “dimmable.” Also, choose CFLs for rooms where you leave the light on for an extended period of time (more than15 minutes.) Frequently switching the bulb on and off will shorten its life.

Compact Fluorescent bulbs last up to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs.  Generally, an incandescent bulb will last less than 1,000 hours (about a year, if used 3 hours per day) while a CFL last about 10,000. So, if you install a compact fluorescent bulb in your dining room for your child’s first birthday, that same bulb may be casting light on dinner of their tenth birthday as well.

The time is now! We can all band together an build a more sustainable life at home. Visit www.ikea-usa.com for more tips for all the areas of your home.

(Check out this great article at WIRED about the future of LED bulb technology!)

Tips for a Safe Halloween!

Halloween brings crisp weather, tasty treats, and a chance to show your ghoulish best! Here are some tips to make your Halloween celebrations fun and safe this year!

Before You Go:

• Make sure everyone is well-fed and ready to collect that candy! (Full tummies may prevent eating treats before home inspection.)

• Inspect costumes for fit and mobility, and make sure your little monster can see well enough to navigate in the dark.

• Is your ninja a master of stealth in your living room? Make sure to add some reflective tape and/or lit accessories to make sure your trick-or-treater is visible to others.

• Is there such a thing as too many accessories? Make sure your child has a hand for their treat sack/pail, and a hand free for any accidental trips or spills (or maybe a flash light!) (Also consider: do I want to end up carrying that for blocks and blocks?)

With so many fun light options (flashlights, glowsticks, or
these fun and rechargeable friends) there's no reason
for your child to get lost in the dark this year!

While You’re Out:

• Travel in a group, and always with adult supervision.

• Keep to well-lit sidewalks, don’t cut through yards, and only approach homes with their porch/front lights on.

• Obey all traffic signals, and make sure to cross at intersections! (Drivers are expecting ghosts and goblins, but prefer to not encounter them darting out from between parked cars.)

• Save all candy and treats to be eaten at home, after they’ve been inspected by an adult.

When You’re Home Again:

• Inspect all candy, removing choking hazards for the little ones and watching for signs of tampering. (At this point, my dad would also remove all Snickers bars and my mom would get anything with coconut.)

...at this point recommendations can be made about rationing the treats, but we leave that to you to decide!  (My siblings and I were always allowed to keep everything and eat it as we pleased.  However, my parents would also pay us by the pound for any candy we decided to sell to them. Clever.)

Find more hints at these websites: 

Halloween Safety

FDA - "Lucky 13"

CDC - Halloween Safety

Easy and Beautiful Entertaining

The holiday season is fast approaching!  Family and friends, cooking and eating together. The highlight of any entertaining situation is, of course, the company you keep.  But sometimes you want to take it up a notch – make the experience something really special. You aren’t miraculously given more time to prepare, so it’s time to work smarter, not harder.  Here are some simple and beautiful solutions to make your holiday table top-notch this season.

Talk about a name that makes sense:
SMARTA serving dish goes from oven to
table in a snap.

Double-Duty! Choose bakeware that can double as a beautiful serving piece.  Taking something straight from the oven to the table cuts down on preparation time, and also assures your dish will be hot and ready for the guests to dig in!



Cakes, cupcakes, candies... ARV BROLLOP
cake stand displays them all beautifully.



Put dessert on display! A pre-prepared dessert can double as table decor, and also gives your guest a glimpse of delicious tastes to come.



GOTTIS serving bowl, available in
two sizes, dresses up any occasion.
Fill with potpurri, lake stones, or a
delicious dessert!



Put your pantry to work! Fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts, in a lovely dish or container, can make a beautiful centerpiece for your celebration.  Plus, once everyone’s gone home it’s quick to put away.  No special purchases necessary.

Let your menu be a treat for the eyes as well as the tongue! Nothing wows like a table full of attractive, delicious looking treats. Don’t distract from your hard work with extra frills – let the food do the talking!

Inspiration is everywhere! 
Check out these websites for more great entertaining ideas:

• Hostess with the Mostess

• Sparkling Ink
• Martha Stewart

• Food Network

Crib and Crib Bedding Safety

At IKEA, we know that children are the Most Important People in the world.  Keeping them safe and happy is the Most Important Job in the World.  To help parents keep their children safe, the Consumer Products Safety Comission has issued guidelines for cribs and bedding for children under 12 months of age:

Crib Safety Tips from the Consumer Products Safety Commission

For infants less than 12 months of age, follow these practices to reduce the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and prevent suffocation:

• Place baby on his/her back in a crib with a firm, tight-fitting mattress.

• Do not put pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, pillow-like bumper pads or pillow-like stuffed toys in the crib.

• Consider using a sleeper instead of a blanket.

• If you do use a blanket, place baby with feet to foot of the crib. Tuck a thin blanket around the crib mattress, covering baby only as high as his/her chest.

• Use only a fitted bottom sheet made specifically for crib use.



Keep cribs clear of additional textiles while baby
is sleeping. A single fitted sheet on a tight-
fitting mattress is the best bedding combination.



Check Your Crib for Safety

• A Your mattress should be firm and tight-fitting so baby can't get caught in gaps.

• No missing, loose, broken or improperly installed screws, brackets, or other hardware on the crib or mattress support.

• Cribs that are assembled wrong, have missing, loose or broken hardware or broken slats can result in entrapment or suffocation deaths. 

• No more than 2 3/8 inches (about the width of a soda can) between the crib slats so a baby's body can't fit through the slats; no missing or cracked slats.

• No corner posts over 1/16 inch high so a baby's clothing cannot catch.

• No cutouts in the headboard or foot board so a baby's head can't get trapped.

For mesh-sided cribs and playpens, look for:

• Mesh less than ¼ inch in size, smaller than the tiny buttons on a baby's clothing.

• Mesh with no tears, holes or loose threads that could entangle a baby.

• Mesh securely attached to the top rail and floor plate.

• Top rail cover with no tears or holes.

• If staples are used, they are not missing, loose or exposed.

Soft Bedding May Be Hazardous To Babies

To prevent infant deaths due to soft bedding, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development are revising their recommendations on safe bedding practices when putting infants down to sleep. Here are the revised recommendations to follow for infants under 12 months:

Safe Bedding Practices For Infants

· Place baby on his/her back on a firm tight-fitting mattress in a crib that meets current safety standards.

· Remove pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, pillow-like stuffed toys, and other soft products from the crib.

· Consider using a sleeper or other sleep clothing as an alternative to blankets, with no other covering.

· If using a blanket, put baby with feet at the foot of the crib. Tuck a thin blanket around the crib mattress, reaching only as far as the baby’s chest.

· Make sure your baby’s head remains uncovered during sleep.

· Do not place baby on a waterbed, sofa, soft mattress, pillow, or other soft surface.

Placing babies to sleep on their backs instead of their stomachs has been associated with a dramatic decrease in deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Babies have been found dead on their stomachs with their faces, noses, and mouths covered by soft bedding, such as pillows, quilts, comforters and sheepskins. However, some babies have been found dead with their heads covered by soft bedding even while sleeping on their backs.

For more tops about preparing for your baby's arrival, or making their sleeping space a safe one, visit our Baby Knowledge site.

Furnish with Rugs!

Whether they are bought or passed down from past generations, rugs add comfort and safety to your home. They can accent your furniture, or be their own statement.  Decorating with rugs is an easy way to personalize your space and also make it more pleasant. 

There is such a wide variety of sizes, colors, patterns, functions and materials it may seem overwhelming to make a choice.  The first consideration should always be to make sure your choice is what you like.  Find a rug that fits your personality and tastes, and it will be a good choice.  Of course, there are some other things to consider.  Different rugs have different advantages and are suitable in different rooms.  Do you need a rug that is hard-wearing and easy to keep clean (flat-woven), or are you looking for something that is soft, warm and cozy (pile rugs)?

The entrance to your home is a great place for a rug.  Not only will it greet you after a long day, or invite visitors in – it will help keep your home cleaner! Natural materials are the best foor door mats because they are durable and easy to shake out.  Polypropylene and cotton flat-woven rugs are also a good choice.  Rugs in entryways and hallways should be durable, easy to clean, and also moisture resistant.  Steer toward darker colors because they take so much abuse from traffic and outdoor grime, in hard-wearing materials like sisal, wool or synthetics.

The living room is an area where you can really let out all the stops with rugs.  The rugs you choose should be your style, but also be able to stand up to wear and tear, all day, every day.  Use them to differentiate different areas of the room, such as the sofa/TV area and the reading corner. The advantage of a large rug that has room for an entire seating group, is that it give the impression of cosiness.  A smaller rug can tuck just under sofa and arm chairs, and tie the grouping together with your coffee table.

When you’re getting out of bed in the morning, it’s nice to have a soft pile rug to put your feet on.  Nothing is worst than a cold, bare floor.  If you want to contribute to a calm, serene feeling in your bedroom, consider rugs in neutral tones and modest patterns.  For a child’s rooms, flat-woven cotton rugs are a great choice because they are hard-wearing and also easy to clean.  Spark their imagination with bold colors and patterns!  For safety, look for rugs with a latex backing, or purchase an anti-slip underlay. Keep playtime fun and safe!

In the kitchen, a rug in front of the kitchen sink adds comfort during prep time and clean-up.  Flat-woven rugs are most practical for the kitchen and around eating areas.  Many flat-woven rugs are reversible, giving you an alternate look and a second side when stains are stubborn.  Dining chairs are also easier to move on a flat-woven rug, rather than a high-pile one.  If you’re looking for the right size rug for under your dining table, remember that you need enough room for chairs when they are pushed out: add at least 24” to your dining table size.

Our best advice is still: go with what you like.  There are a wealth of styles, sizes, and materials out there so all you need to do is let your imagination and creativity roam.  Can’t choose between two?  Switching out rugs is a quick and easy way to refresh a room – why not buy both?

Search and view hundreds of rugs on our website.  An easy place to start your search for the perfect rug!

The Importance of Light

In a country where the winter months are long, cold, and dark - lighting plays an essential part in everyday life.  The peoples of Scandinavia embrace light in any form available, and have integrated it into every aspect of daily life, throughout the calendar year.

If you speak to someone living near the equator, they probably describe every effort to avoid daylight and express a preference to artificial lighting that’s along the cooler end of the spectrum.  As you distance yourself from the equator, however, daylight is welcomed as dear friend.  Architecture features large windows, especially along southern exposures.  (In Scandinavian countries, the most successful restaurants are often on the northern side of the street – large windows take full advantage of any sunlight available.)

Lighting in Sweden is warm and diffused.  Candles and candlelight are everywhere. Traditions take full advantage of daylight in the summer (Maypole, Crayfish Fests) and indoor warmth in the winter (Santa Lucia, Christmas.)

Looking to celebrate the Swedish way this winter?  Here are some tips!

A candle in every window. 
Candle-lit windows welcome family and
friends home, and promise a warm and
welcoming interior.

Light it up!
Candles add a warm and cozy glow
to every space.  Battery operated versions
are a safe alternative for homes
with young children and pets.

Decorate with Nature!
Pine boughs, straw, and light bring the outdoors
indoors and serve as a promise of warmer
weather and new growth to come.



Santa Lucia - Bringer of Light
The eldest daughter of the home awakens her
family with warm drinks and traditional rolls.
"Star Boys" accompany, singing traditional songs.



Learn more about how to Celebrate the Swedish Way at Sweden.se:

http://www.sweden.se/eng/Home/Lifestyle/Traditions/Celebrating-the-Swedish-way/

Fill the Walls!



This collage takes "floor to ceiling" to heart!
Be wary of hanging your frames too
close to the floor if you have
children or pets.



Few things are as intimidating as a big, bare wall when you're looking to refresh or transform your space.  For some, a large-scale piece of artwork is a great solution.  For others, a more personal and customizable solution is preferred. A photo collage (or combination of photo and art collage) can fill that empty space, while simultaneously telling your story.




Measuring can be intimidating, but with great
new tools like laser levels, and new systems
for hanging, this project is easily in reach!

One of the simplest ways to unify the look of your collage is to choose frames that are similar in shape or color. This allows the content (photos and/or art) to speak for itself, and avoids having the frames be the focus of the collage. 





Photo collages don't have to be huge, wall-filling statements either!  A smaller collection brings the theme/topic in focus (family, a vacation, etc.) and can also give you the freedom to explore different styles and shapes of frames. Put them in unexpected places!

Tips and Tricks: A ledge on the wall makes for a flexible and easy to install soution.  The best thing? It keeps your presentation fresh while lessening wall damage and keeping things on an even keel!

Lighting Your Bedroom

Adding task lighting makes a room feel
warmer, cozier, and more like home.

 Your bedroom is where you start your day, and where you wrap it up.  It’s your sanctuary... so don’t let your lighting choices take away from that.

Your argument may be that you don’t spend a lot of time in your bedroom with the lights on.  Okay, I’ll accept that... however, if you’re living in the “frozen north” or anywhere where the days get short and the nights get longer and longer – much more of your waking time is going to be spent living in the world of artificial light.

So make sure you make it as enjoyable as you can.

A wall- or shelf-mounted light is a good
solution if you don't have space for a bedside
table, or if you have one and you'd like
to keep the top clear.

Step one:  Assess how much lighting you need, taking into account the room’s size as well as sources of natural light and outlet locations.

A lamp on the bedside table gives a comforting
glow, but a reading lamp allows you to
direct the light and avoid disturbing
your partner.

Step two:  Assess your activities in the room.  You will definitely list sleeping, but do you also have a reading or study area? How about a dressing area? Do you need additional lighting near your dressers or in your closet? (You don’t want anyone thinking you get dressed in the dark!)

Surprise! Separate lighting in dresser drawers
or closets gives a great view of your options
while letting others sleep away!

Step three:  Consider the different types/functions of lighting. General lighting should reach every corner of the room. Direct, or task lighting will fill a specific need (reading, studying, computer work.)

Now that you’ve done your homework, it’s time for the fun part: choosing your lamps!

Extra Tip!

Are you a fan of natural lighting?  Strategically placed mirrors make a room feel larger and brighter. Or if you want to go for the gold: a skylight is a great additional source of natural light.