Do you have a cabin in the North Georgia mountains that’s just calling your name? Is your lake house collecting dust bunnies? Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean your home-away-from-home has to fall into disuse. Keep life fresh with Ace of Gray’s tips for making the most of your cabin in winter.

Exploring the Great Outdoors

No matter how long you’ve had your cabin, there are always fresh places just waiting to be explored. Lace up your hiking boots, grab your Columbia coat, and hunt down your Coastas for an afternoon mountain adventure the kids will never forget.

Winter Cabin Maintenance

It happens every year: you pack up the car, round up the kids, and invite a few friends for that first spring trip to the lake, only to find the cabin in a state of disrepair. Winter is the perfect time to take care of those cabin home maintenance tasks that never seem to get finished during the summer. Fix creaky hinges and leaky faucets, weatherstrip doors and windows, and round up all the linens for a wash. If you’re on top of home repairs, take the opportunity to reassess your landscape. The bare trees and empty flowerbeds leave the home and landscape exposed to your critical eye. Look for peeling paint, irrigation issues, and holes to repair in the landscape.

Decorating Your Lake House

They say life’s always better at the lake — and we’ve got the Happy Everything plate to prove it! If you’re stuck in the winter doldrums, dust off that welcome mat and get to decorating. Feng shui the crowded entryway/great room, replace old furniture on the screened in porch, or add all those little homey touches you’ve never had time for in the past. Want to make some memories as you makeover your lake house? Invite the girls for a weekend away and gain a handful of decorators, free of charge! They’ll be perfectly happy to be paid in good wine and great company.

Whether you’re looking for supplies to build a new dock or cute koozies to offer summer sunbathers, Ace of Gray has all your lake house supplies. Swing by and see all the new home goods we have in stock for spring.

photo from flickr 

January represents a major mental shift for most homeowners. While November and December are all about home maintenance, preparation for guests, and buying the perfect Christmas present, the new year refocuses our attention outdoors. January and February give homeowners a long list of landscape maintenance tasks to guarantee a bright and beautiful spring. If New Year’s resolutions have given you a new drive for home improvement, use your newfound determination to cross these landscaping tasks off your winter maintenance checklist.

Prune Trees and Shrubs

It’s time to pull out the STIHL; mid winter is the ideal season for pruning deciduous trees and woody shrubs. Pruning in winter allows homeowners to encourage fresh growth without jumpstarting a dangerous dormant season greenup. Prune away weak or diseased branches, remove limbs overhanging the house, driveway, or power lines, and shape your trees and shrubs. Just be careful not to over-prune. Many amateur landscapers lop the tops off flowering trees like Crepe Myrtles, stunting their growth and ruining their visual appeal.

Prepare for Spring Growth

Winter is the best time to spread fresh mulch, reassess your irrigation system, and supplement nutrient-deficient soil for spring planting. Before diving into January roses and spring bulbs, prepare your flowerbeds for planting.

Encourage Winter Plants

Not all outdoor beauty comes from spring garden. Highlight the elegance of your winter landscape by hanging white twinkle lights on silvery tree branches, deadheading pansies for better blooms, and adding hardscape elements for visual interest.

Give your landscape new life this winter. For more tips on winter lawn care, January landscaping, and planning the spring garden, come chat with the experts at Ace of Gray.

photo from flickr

The New Year is finally on our doorstep, reminding us that no matter what happened last year, we get a fresh start. Millions of people across the globe are writing up New Year’s resolutions to transform their lives in 2015. While folks across Georgia are joining gyms and planning their annual budgets, Ace of Gray has simple tips to achieve a better year.

Simple Tips for Achieving New Year’s Resolutions

1. Save while you can. There’s no better time to plan for next Christmas than when the last one is still fresh in your mind. Snatch up savings on Christmas decor, seasonal gifts, and holiday dining accessories at Ace of Gray’s after Christmas sales.
2. Get healthy. The best way to get in shape isn’t to run yourself ragged at the local gym. Find an activity you enjoy to help you get fit this January. Buy some new hiking boots and hit the local trails, pick up a pigskin and play football with your kids, or test your ability to dig through Georgia clay with a new gardening venture.
3. Plan ahead. There’s no better time to plan your spring landscape than pruning season. Whether you want a new tree for the backyard or a complete landscape overhaul, winter is the best time to design a new yard. Ask the experts at Ace of Gray about January roses, late winter planting, and spring sod installation.
4. Take care of what you have. Whether you’re building a protected porch for your outdoor living gear or touching up cracked paint on your shutters, winter provides plenty of time for home maintenance tasks. Make sure your home and garden are in good condition so that you can focus on expansion in the spring.

What’s your home improvement resolution for the New Year? Ace of Gray can help! Stop by our store for materials, tools, and expert advice from your neighborhood home maintenance crew.

photo from FreeDigitalPhotos

It’s been a busy year and the last few weeks have only gotten busier. We’ve been buried in a flurry of holiday shopping, decorating, and making memories by doing DIY Christmas projects with the little ones in our lives. It’s always a joy to watch parents, kids, and friends peruse the shelves at Ace of Gray searching for the perfect grilling accessory, holiday floral arrangement, kids’ art set, or monogrammed clutch purse for that elusive person on their list. As you wrap your last presents, marinate your holiday ham, and bring out the baby Jesus for your nativity set, take a moment to give thanks for the love, peace, and hope we feel at Christmastime. Whether we’re watching holiday movies or preparing the guest room for visiting relatives, Christmas reminds us how blessed we are to be surrounded by people we love. After all, Christmas cookies come and go, but the memories of baking treats with grandma is forever!

Merry Christmas from your friends at Ace of Gray!

For a holiday that’s all about peace and love, the holiday season sees a lot of hustle and bustle. We like to start things early, kicking off Christmas with our Ladies Night Out in November. But no matter how well you plan, the stress of the season will probably catch up with you. To help make the holiday more “merry” and less “mayhem,” Ace of Gray has gathered our 4 best tips for planning a successful Christmas.

4 Tips for a Low-Stress Holiday

1. Shop smart. It’s not just about saving money (although the post-Christmas sales are a great place to stock up for next year’s celebration). The closer we get to Christmas, the more stressful the shopping. For a low-stress holiday, avoid the busiest shopping days of the Christmas season. December 21st, December 28th, December 27th, and December 23rd are predicted to be among the busiest shopping days of the 2014.
2. Play it safe. The holiday season means housing a lot of fire hazards. To prevent home fires this Christmas, make sure all living greenery is fresh and watered daily, never place your tree near a heat source (candles, vents, or direct sunlight), and decorate with low-heat LED lighting. Recycle your tree immediately after Christmas.
3. Delegate. Many wives and mothers feel the need to play Santa, short order cook, and maid during the holiday season. Create a to-do list and delegate in advance to prevent a stressful “I’ll do it myself” mentality this year.
4. Share the love. After all, love truly is the reason for the season. When you start feeling stressed out this Christmas, take a break to spend time with the people you love. Chances are a quiet Christmas movie, afternoon of ice skating, or outdoor adventure with your family is just what you need to remind yourself of the peace and joy of the holiday season.

Are you still looking for that perfect Christmas gift for dad, a holiday platter to display your Christmas ham, or an extra bit of festive decor for the front porch? Stop by Ace of Gray gift shop and garden center for all your holiday needs.

photo from flickr

Sometimes there’s nothing harder than shopping for the men in your life. Whether you’re buying a gift for an outdoorsy son, a sports-loving husband, or a man who prefers to stay indoors, items like “holiday tie” and “expensive watch” just don’t seem to cut it. Luckily Ace of Gray has you covered. If you’re stumped on what to buy the men on your Christmas list, try one of these 4 Christmas gifts for any guy.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Men

1. The outdoorsmen. Are you married to a man who counts the days to hunting season? At Ace of Gray we’re well-stocked in hunting equipment, outdoor apparel, and landscaping tools for the guys who just can’t get enough of the great outdoors.
2. The sports lover. Whether the man in your life loves the Tigers, the Dawgs, or any of the big SEC teams, Ace of Gray has you covered with collegiate merchandise. Buy your son a UGA football shirt, get your co-worker an Alabama tervis, or decal your husband’s YETI cooler with his favorite team logo for the playoffs.
3. The family man. If your guy’s idea of a great weekend is playing with the kids in the yard, you’re sure to find the gift at Ace of Gray’s outdoor living center. Make your husband’s holiday with a new accessory for his Big Green Egg, a game to play outside with the kids, or a “World’s Greatest Dad” decal sweatshirt.
4. The quiet guy. Does your son prefer reading to football? Does your dad enjoy a quiet night indoors to an evening out on the town? Find a gift that means something at Ace of Gray. Check out our selection of personalized clothing, DIY projects, glassware and koozies, and art supplies for boys of any age.

Whatever kind of men are in your life, our gift shop and outdoor living center has just the gift for him. Find your man’s perfect gift at Ace Hardware in Gray, GA.

The Thanksgiving season is marked by warm, muted hues and heavy, savory aromas. Last week families across Gray stuffed their turkeys, watched fresh rolls rise in the oven, and set the table with holiday centerpieces in orange and gold. This week Thanksgiving is nothing but turkey sandwiches in lunchboxes and a lingering feeling of wellbeing. The Thanksgiving season is well and truly behind us, fading back into the calendar to make room for all things merry and bright. Keep your holly jolly and your firs festive this Christmas with Ace of Gray’s tips on decorating with fresh greenery.

How to Decorate with Live Christmas Greenery

1. Choose wisely. Ace of Gray has a wide selection of living wreaths, Christmas trees, and fresh, green “swag” for the holiday mantlepiece. Before picking your decor, determine what’s most important to you. Do you want a tree that’s sturdy enough for heavy ornaments or one that can withstand the heat of multiple strands of lights? Would you prefer swag with a heavy evergreen bouquet or fluffy branches for nestling Christmas figurines? Once you know what you’re looking for, the Ace team is here to help you find it.
2. Water live plants. Just because a plant has been cut doesn’t mean it can survive on its own. Water trees and evergreens daily during the holiday season to prevent dropping needles, browning branches, and early withering.
3. Decorate wisely. Further extend the life of your greenery by using low-heat lights, keeping greenery away from heat vents and direct sunlight, and preventing fire hazards by placing candles far away from trees, swag, and garlands.

Alternatives to Fresh Greenery

Ace of Gray has a full range of holiday decor, from living wreaths to artificial swag so green it looks plucked straight from the tree. If you’re traveling for the holidays (or simply too busy to remember to water the plants), get into the holiday spirit with a wide selection of Christmas decor from our gift shop and garden center. Decorate the house in bright wreaths, greenery for the mantlepiece, and holiday decor glittering with twinkle lights. What’s the best part about artificial greenery? You can box it up before New Year’s and reuse it next year!

Stop by Ace of Gray for fresh Christmas evergreens, quality artificial greenery, and a full selection of home decor for the holidays.

Here at Ace of Gray, we know we’re blessed. After all, we have an endless bounty in blooming winter landscapes, gifts to share for the holiday season, and outdoor living accessories. We have a fresh list of delicious Southern treats to cook this Thanksgiving, thanks to our special guest at Ladies Night Out. And we’re rich in people: friends, family, and customers we’ve known for years.

This Thanksgiving, take a step back from the hustle and bustle of daily life to remember the abundance of blessings in your life. Look with new eyes on the people you see every day, the blessings of hearth and home, and the family traditions that truly make the holidays. When you’re stuffed with turkey and pumpkin pie and full to the brim with memories of another festive holiday, Ace of Gray will be here to help you celebrate the holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at Ace of Gray!

Ladies Night Out may have been the event of the Thanksgiving season, but it’s certainly not your only chance to snatch up that perfect Christmas present. After the free samples, holiday promotions, and special guests at our annual Christmas sale, we’re guessing there are still quite a few names on your holiday shopping list. Wrap up your Christmas shopping this year with these unbeatable presents from the Ace of Gray gift shop and garden center.

1. Outdoor living accessories. Did our 10% off grills promotion at Ladies Night Out convince you to finally spring for that Big Green Egg? Snatch up the holiday stocking stuffers while you have a chance. When you give the man in your life a selection of Gourmet Big Green Egg Seasonings he won’t even mind helping out with Christmas dinner! Need a present “for Dad, love the kids”? Our full selection of grilling accessories make the perfect holiday gift for fathers.
2. Holiday decor. We all have people in our lives who celebrate Christmas a little early. Get your busy friends and family members into the holiday spirit by finding them the perfect holiday decor piece. Bonus points if it ties into their current Christmas decorations!
3. DIY Christmas gifts. A gift from the heart is a great place to start. If you’re a lover of all things Pinterest, a homemade gift might be just the personal touch you’re looking for this year. Stop by Ace of Gray home improvement store for all your DIY supplies. Then it’s time to get crafty in your Christmas corner!

The temperatures may be dropping, but things are just heating up at the Ace of Gray gift shop. Visit us for holiday decor, Christmas presents, and more!

It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. Before you know it you and your family will be tucked into the warm dining room to enjoy the delicious food that’s just one reason to be grateful this season. Whether you’re used to squishing in beside a full table of your favorite relatives or you prefer a quieter Thanksgiving affair, the first step in creating the perfect Thanksgiving is setting the stage.

3 Simple Ways to Decorate for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving decorations don’t get as much press as Christmas decorations do, but they’re no less important to their respective holiday. Make your friends and family feel welcome this year by adding a few simple Thanksgiving decorations to your home and hearth.

1. Start outside. Entice your friends, neighbors, and family members into your home by creating a welcoming atmosphere on your porch. Hang fairy lights, set pumpkins on the stoop, and place pots of perennials outside your front door.
2. Bring nature indoors. It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without bright fall leaves, thematic pine cones, and seasonal decor like dried corn. Get creative with your decorating by artfully arranging bare branches into a “thankful tree,” spray painting pine cones gold, or wrapping your candles in red and gold leaves.
3. All about the mantle. In just a few weeks your mantlepiece will be home to brightly colored, oversized stockings spilling with your family’s favorite candy and toys. This month, however, the mantlepiece hosts a merry fire and tasteful Thanksgiving decor. Give your home that extra welcoming touch by hanging a wreath from the mantle, displaying your kids’ homemade decor above the fireplace, or creating a Thanksgiving “welcome” banner out of leaves and gold paint.

Not sure where to start? Stop by Ace of Gray for holiday decorations, general decor, gifts, garden supplies, and more.

photo from flickr