Are you the type of person who needs no excuse to throw “the neighborhood event of the season?” Do you plan a party for every calendar holiday? Do you find your love of entertaining slowly out-weighing your party budget? You can throw a fantastic Labor Day soiree on a budget. All it takes is a little planning, a few supplies, and easygoing party guests!

Keep It Low-Key

Keep the atmosphere fresh and light with paper plates, plastic cutlery, and cute, festive Tervises for summer drinks. Reuse school color koozies from last year’s tailgate season, or ask Ace of Gray’s gift shop to personalize your drink accessories with a monogram. One or two nice details (like a vibrant Happy Everything serving dish) will keep your party feeling laid-back instead of drab.

Have a Potluck

When you’re throwing a party, food costs pile up fast. Luckily there’s nothing more charmingly Southern than a good old fashioned potluck! Create a Labor Day feast by asking each guest to bring their favorite dish. Keep a tally of what everyone’s cooking so you don’t wind up without a main dish. Set up a long, covered table where guests can dish up, and you’re set!

DIY Everything

If you’re throwing a Labor Day party on a budget, DIY projects are your new best friend. Add a farm-fresh feel to the table by cooking with ingredients straight from the veggie garden. Repurpose old jam jars as candle holders, give your party a burst of red, white, and blue with 4th of July decorations, and ask the folks at Ace of Gray for ideas on making inexpensive, chic DIY decor.

Pick a Theme

When you throw a themed Labor Day party, you can reap the rewards of your guests’ enthusiasm. Simply slap “White Party,” “Back to School,” “Beach Party,” or “Red, White, and Blue” on the Facebook e-vites and let your friends do the rest!

No matter what kind of party you’re throwing, shop Ace of Gray for cute, inexpensive party supplies for your Labor Day bash.

photo from flickr

Are you ready for game day?

SEC football season transforms the South. It’s not just a passion or a love of the game, it’s a way of life. From the first kickoff until Bowl season, your friends and neighbors will be wrapped up in tailgates, player stats, and collegiate colors. Whether you’re a football fan or not, there’s no way to avoid getting swept away in the thrill of SEC football. Make sure you’re game day ready with these college football season essentials from Ace of Gray’s Gift Shop.

Tailgating Gear

SEC football season kicks off next week. Is your game day gear kit stocked? Whether you cheer on your team at Sanford Stadium, Memorial Stadium, or parked in front of the big screen in your backyard, tailgating just isn’t the same without these college gear essentials.

• A Yeti cooler stocked with ice (and drinks!)
• Meat and a mini grill
• Charcoal, lighter fluid, a spatula, and paper plates
• Food, food, food
• Music and portable speakers
• A canopy (or plenty of sunscreen)
• A team logo Tervis or koozie (or both!)

School Colors

You don’t want to be that guy on game day. You know, the one who shows up to an SEC football party in khaki shorts and loafers, completely logo-free. Show off your team spirit with a hat, t-shirt, or sweatshirt in school colors. Ladies, game day jewelry is the perfect accent to show off your team spirit!

A Game Day Game Plan

To make the most of the college football season, it pays to be prepared. Map out your strategy for assembling and disassembling your tailgate, stock your trunk the night before, and make sure to arrive in plenty of time to kick back and relax with some pre-game fun. Not going to the game? Deck out your front door in a collegiate-inspired decorative wreath. We have game day gear and decor for UGA, Alabama, Clemson, Mercer, and many more!

Ace of Gray is your one stop shop for SEC football gear. Visit our gift shop to stock up on team spirit!

The kids are back in school, traffic is out in full force, and fall looms on the horizon. We may still be in the midst of summer heat, but the autumn season is closer than you think. The end of summer is a difficult time for gardeners: too late for summer blooms, but too early for winter-hardy plants. Take advantage of early August weekends by planning and planting fall vegetable gardens.

A Second Summer Crop

Heat and humidity can cause even the most energetic kids to wither when playing outdoors, but when it comes to fall planting, our Southern climate gives gardeners an edge. While most of the country plants fall vegetables, Gray gardeners can plant a second round of summer crops. Choose warm season veggies that performed well in your spring garden, or branch out with a new variety of summer produce. Plant tomatoes, cucumbers, and other summer favorites in the first few weeks of August to avoid early winter frosts.

Growing Fall Veggies

Are you ready to plant your cold weather crop? Winter vegetables are hardier than their warm weather friends. Prep your growing space by removing late summer weeds, supplementing your soil with compost or fertilizer, and ensuring proper irrigation in your vegetable garden.

• 90 Day Harvest: Onions, carrots, cabbages, rutabega, and brussel sprouts
• 60 Day Harvest: Turnips, swiss chard, collards, and turnips
• 30 Day Harvest: Radishes, Broccoli, and spinach

New to vegetable gardening? Ask Ace of Gray’s landscaping pros about transplanting vegetables, growing from seed, and choosing which vegetables to plant in your garden.

photo from flickr

The world is constantly overflowing with fresh home improvement projects. In the world of Pinterest, google, and your awesome landscaper friend’s Facebook page, it’s easy to get swept up in DIY projects for the home and garden. Sometimes you need to take a step back and tackle the basics. Whether you’re moving, remodeling, or just catching up on home improvement now that the kids are back in school, take a few hours to cross these 5 “anytime” home improvement projects off your list.

1. Fix your front door. Freshen up the entrance to your home with a fresh coat of paint and oil for the hinges. Is your door weather-beaten from years of facing the elements? Replace it for an instant home facelift.
2. Tend the garden. Speaking of exterior facelifts, a few quick, simple updates to your landscape can revitalize a dreary home. Lay fresh sod or overseed patchy grass, line the house with bright bushes, and place flowering planters on the front porch.
3. Update your windows. The eyes may be the window to the soul, but actual windows can tell you a lot about a home. Newer windows are less cloudy, more energy efficient, and easier to upkeep than older ones. If you’re not ready to invest in new panes, fill in worn places with fresh caulk and buy lined curtains to keep the outside air out.
4. A few simple fixes. A kitchen renovation or bathroom remodel costs tens of thousands of dollars, but a few simple fixes can revitalize the home. Add elegant mirrors to make rooms look bigger, paint the walls for a burst of color, and replace inexpensive fixtures like faucets and cabinet knobs.
5. Light it up. Why bother remodeling your home if you can’t see the improvements? Illuminate your home’s best features with new lights. Install outdoor lighting on the porch and in the garden, switch outdated fixtures for contemporary ones, and replace dim light bulbs with long-lasting, energy efficient LED lights.

Need supplies for your next home improvement project? Visit Ace of Gray for the tips and tools you need to get started.

photo from flickr

In the first few weeks of the school year, families spend a lot of time shopping for back-to-school. New clothes, new shoes, new backpacks, lunchboxes, and school accessories . . . to many moms, it seems like two weeks straight of ordering kids to buy equipment that’s both cute and functional. Here at Ace of Gray, we realize that not everyone shopping for back-to-school gear is actually going back to school. Our Garden Center and Gift Shop won’t only be filled with eager school kids, but also with moms, dads, and younger siblings. Shop your school supply list at Ace of Gray this year, even if you’re not heading back to school this fall.

School Gear for Moms

Lunch boxes aren’t just for school cafeterias, and not every grown-up planner is digital. Indulge your back-to-school shopping with Ace of Gray’s school year gear for moms. Our monogrammed, seersucker lunchboxes are perfect for working women and moms-on-the-go. We also have a wide array of purses, bags, and briefcases in classic and modern prints. Can’t keep track of your busy fall schedule? Buy a Lily Pulitzer planner to keep your life sleek and organized. We stock calendars, appointment books, and notebooks in colorful designs that moms, teens, and businesswomen will find hard to pass up.

School Supplies for Tots

Are your older kids heading off to school? That doesn’t keep your toddlers busy! Scan our stock of art supplies and pre-school learners for items to keep your under 5’s engaged and learning. We also carry a supply of cute, comfortable, easy-to-carry nap mats for toddlers who attend full or part-time preschool.

The new school year isn’t just for kids K-12. Check off your school supplies list at Ace of Gray Garden Center and Gift Shop.

Does anyone remember “back to school” back in the day? Functional backpacks, plain notebooks, and tin lunchboxes etched with kids’ favorite superheroes or cartoon characters? We’d never give up our cutesy cartoon lunchboxes, but back-to-school isn’t just about supplies these days: it’s about style. We’ve taken inspiration from the classic school gear of our childhoods, updated it with the latest trends, and added personalized details like decals and monograms. If you’re ready to send your child back to school in style, stop by Ace of Gray Garden Center and Gift Shop.

Backpacks and Lunchboxes

It doesn’t matter if they’re the class clown, the new kid on the block, or the top of their class, kids want to show off their own unique back-to-school style. Outfit your cute kindergartner, chic pre-teen, or rugged outdoorsman in school gear that fits them to a T. Check out our collection of seersucker and gingham backpacks (true Southern classics), geometric print lunchboxes (a fun, modern way to dress up your lunch), faux leather and camo school gear (for little boys who can’t sit still), and cartoon printed school bags (something for everyone!). We sell classic zippered backbacks, drawstring and flap backpacks, and backpacks with handles and wheels. Let kids choose their favorite combinations of fabric, patterns, and styles for back-to-school gear that’s uniquely them.

Back to School Specials

It wouldn’t be back-to-school without a great promotion! From now until August 1st we’re offering free monogramming on lunchboxes to anyone who buys a backpack, too. Personalize your child’s school gear (and keep them from losing it in the process) with a stylish decal, embroidery, or monogram.

Want to learn more about making back-to-school special? Call Ace of Gray for more information about school gear for kids in Gray.

A fresh coat of paint can work miracles, turning a drab kitchen into an inviting home space, updating a dated bathroom, or making old furniture new again. Painting is arguably the easiest DIY home improvement project; just a few hours can transform your home, no prior knowledge necessary. But while painting a bedroom doesn’t require the handyman know-how of installing a tankless water heater or redoing the back deck, these simple painting tips will make the task infinitely easier.

Tools and Supplies

Before beginning your home painting project, stop by Ace of Gray home improvement store for the the necessary supplies.

• Paint scraper to remove old paint
• Wire brush to clean walls
• Caulk and caulk gun to reinforce window seals
• Putty and putty knife to fill holes
• Sander to smooth surfaces
• Paintbrush and rollers
• Paint tray
• Stirring stick
• Drop cloth
• Painter’s tape
• Paint

Preparing to Paint

Before you paint, look through color books to find your desired paint color. Bring home samples to see how each color will look when the light changes throughout the day. Once you have chosen the color for your project, stop by Ace of Gray to purchase your paint. We carry Valspar, Royal, and the #1 ranked interior paint brand, Clark+Kensington. Stock up on painting supplies and set the stage by filling holes, washing the walls, and smoothing your surface. If possible, remove pictures, rugs, and furniture before putting down drop cloths. Edge windows, molding, and outlet casings with painter’s tape before beginning. Paint only on dry, smooth surfaces. If your home improvement project includes a fresh coat of paint on the ceiling, start there before painting the walls.

For more interior painting tips, ask the experts at Ace of Gray.

photo from flickr

The “go green” movement is alive and well. It’s hard to catch up on the news or read your favorite home improvement magazine without catching some new tip about living smarter in your environment. But with so much information available it’s difficult to determine which steps save energy, and which ones just sound good. Instead of trading in your car to bike to work or swearing off grocery store vegetables, try these simple energy saving tips for the home.

• Make water work for you. Simple home fixes like leaky faucets or overworked water heaters often end up on homeowners “to do (later)” list. It’s time to buckle down and start saving. Fixing a dripping pipe can save a few hundred bucks a year on water, while replacing the valve on a constantly running toilet significantly lowers homeowners’ monthly water bills. Tired of wasting money to heat water you don’t use? Tankless water heaters are easy to install, and save hundreds of dollars by heating water only when it’s needed.
• Smart home lighting. A lot of Americans are holding onto incandescent lighting, but there’s no reason not to go green with your lighting. When homeowners replace standard lights with LEDs or compact fluorescent light bulbs, they see significantly lower electricity bills. Bonus: LEDs and CFLs last up to 10 times longer than standard light bulbs, saving homeowners time and money.
• Focus on the landscape. We all know planting trees is a great way to go green, but did you know it can reduce your summer energy costs by up to 35%? Plants create shade, provide a barrier from the wind, and regulate the temperature of your yard, keeping your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

For home improvement tips and energy saving tools, stop by Ace of Gray.

photo from FreeDigitalPhotos

With the mixture of heavy rain, excessive heat, and summer pests at play, keeping a Gray garden healthy in July and August is a challenge. Flowers can get waterlogged and diseased, lawns often develop dry brown or vivid green patches, and overall landscape maintenance becomes a bigger task than homeowners anticipated. To help your landscape thrive this summer, follow these simple lawn care practices.

Water Appropriately

Although Georgia homeowners often worry about drought, overwatering is a bigger risk in the summer. Don’t simply schedule the sprinklers every morning. To practice better watering techniques, remember to:

• Monitor rainfall and adapt your sprinkler schedule.
• Watch your yard after a storm; if water pools in one area, install a runoff trench or storm drain.
• Grab a handful of soil. If the soil is damp and malleable, it’s sufficiently watered. If moisture leaks onto your hand, your lawn is overwatered.
• Irrigate your lawn for more efficient watering.

Aerate Your Lawn

When you lay fresh sod, you must first remove old grass, till the lawn, and aerate your yard. Keeping grass healthy is less time consuming, but it follows similar principles. If appropriate watering, mowing, and fertilization of your grass isn’t keeping the turf healthy, dethatch and aerate your lawn. This allows oxygen and nutrients to penetrate the soil and reach the roots of an otherwise starved lawn.

Mulch Your Garden

Mulch provides a variety of benefits to a Southern garden: it provides a barrier between the sun and the roots, it disperses and conserves moisture, and it traps nutrients where they’re needed most. Mulch around flowerbeds, beneath trees, and around areas where the grass meets shrubs. Choose pine straw or wood chips based on your family’s preferred aesthetic.

For summer landscaping tips, supplies, and professional insights, stop by the Ace of Gray garden center.

Bright, patriotic decorations, delicious slow-cooked burgers, and the laughter of family and friends filling the backyard . . . nothing beats a Fourth of July cookout. Summer gatherings in the South are a time-honored tradition, and the Fourth of July takes the cake for “party of the summer.” Whether your kind of celebration is a well-timed annual get-together, or an impromptu party for your friends and neighbors, follow these 4 tips for throwing Fourth of July cookout.

1. Plan the menu. No Independence Day celebration is complete without steaming plates of burgers and hot dogs fresh off the grill. Make simple, savory sides out of fresh veggies from your vegetable garden, smoked side-by-side with your meat. Fill up your favorite festive serving bowls with chips and dip, fresh fruits, and finger foods. Do you have friends with dietary restrictions? Make sure you keep a dish dairy, nut, or gluten-free.
2. Set the stage. The July 4^th is one day you won’t get away with throwing an indoor party. Prepare your landscape for the celebration by mowing, hauling away branches and yard debris, and filling vases with fresh flowers from the garden. Set up a food table under a covered porch area to protect dessert from the hot summer sun or unexpected showers. Will your Fourth of July celebration be full of little feet? Rent a bouncy house to entertain the kids while the adults catch up.
3. Decorate. Most Americans love to show off their patriotic spirit. Celebrate our nation’s birthday with flag-print paper plates; festive outdoor décor; and Happy Everything serving dishes from the Ace of Gray Gift Shop.
4. Set the mood. Pump your friends and family full of patriotic energy with the perfect summer playlist. Include a variety of patriotic melodies, beach tunes, and American classics. Fill mason jars with sparklers and watch the celebratory spirit catch fire!

Ace of Gray has all the supplies to help you throw the perfect Fourth of July celebration. Heat up the grill and get ready to party!

photo from FreeDigitalPhotos