英语博客：Decorate and beautify.

　　The other day, when I went to lunch with my mum, I noticed that the restaurant was decorated in an autumn theme. It was beautifully done. The owner, or someone who works in that restaurant, must have gone to the local arts and crafts store to get the supplies. I love that place! There you will find all the bits and pieces you need to create beautiful projects for your house. The items are all expertly made, and imported mainly from China and Taiwan. There are artificial flowers, fruits, and feathers. Of course, there are all kinds of strings¹ of lights that you can hang up, or wrap around something else to make a focal point. Candles, wooden boxes of about ten sizes, artificial birds and their nests and eggs, metal ornaments² and stands, and all kinds of glass beads³, paints, frames, and materials are available. It is a creators paradise⁴! The nice thing is, there are examples, throughout the store, of the different projects you can make using items from the shop. All you need to do is take a few minutes to look at the finished project, make a mental list of the supplies you need, buy them, of course, and then put them together. Voila! A finished project. Most shops and restaurants, at this time of year, have something pretty that reflects the season. It's the pattern of things. After Thanksgiving, the autumn themes will be taken down, and Christmas decorations will go up. Until then, it's my turn to have a look in my storage boxes for the arts and crafts items that I have collected over the years, and to turn them into something pretty for my entryway. Candles look wonderful in the middle of these crafty⁵ arrangements. As yet, I can't use real candles, because my two youngest children would be tempted⁶ to touch them. There are, however, some tiny artificial candles, called tea lights, that I can use to add a comforting glow to whatever arrangement I make. And guess what? I'm out of them, so I need to make a trip to the arts and crafts store to buy some more, and ...perhaps a few more bits and pieces.
Grammar notes.
Bits and pieces, guess what, artificial flowers, to be out of something.
1. Can you tidy up your room and put things away? There are bits and pieces all over the floor!
2. He took me to a wonderful restaurant, and, guess what? He proposed.
3. You don't need to water those flowers; they are artificial.
4. We're out of groceries. Let's make a list and go to the supermarket.

1 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

2 ornaments   

n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The shelves were chock-a-block with ornaments. 架子上堆满了装饰品。
• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments. 一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 beads   

n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链

参考例句：

• a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
• Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。

4 paradise   

n.伊甸乐园，天堂

参考例句：

• My house had a small backyard,the paradise of children.我那幢房子有一个小后院，那是孩子们玩耍的乐园。
• On a hot day a dip in the sea is sheer paradise.热天洗个海水澡是十分令人惬意的事。

5 crafty   

adj.狡猾的，诡诈的

参考例句：

• He admired the old man for his crafty plan.他敬佩老者的神机妙算。
• He was an accomplished politician and a crafty autocrat.他是个有造诣的政治家，也是个狡黠的独裁者。

6 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。