Summer is a time for light and airy home décor. Dispense with the deep colours of winter and pare down to the bare minimum of accessories in each room. For instance, opt for a single rose in a simple vase rather than a full bouquet of flowers or place picture groupings or collections of any sort into storage and choose just one favourite for display.
Change window treatments to match the season. Replace heavy drapes with shades or blinds topped with a valance of lace or other sheer fabric. Wash all windows and replace or repair window screens, if necessary. Keep window treatments uncomplicated to allow for easy opening of the widows during the cool evening hours.
Quickly and inexpensively give upholstered furniture a cool, summer feel by creating a throw-style slipcover with a light coloured sheet, large safety pins and co-ordinating pastel ribbon. Simply drape the sheet evenly over the sofa or chair and tuck the fabric in around the seat and back cushions. Neatly fold or gather the excess fabric at the front and back corners. Secure with pins, as needed, and finish with a length of ribbon wrapped completely around the piece and tied in a bow at one corner. (more…)
Child’s room is a very important place for the smallest family member – that is his or hers nearly whole world. But not everyone has enough money to create an amazing, fancy children kingdom. We will try to help those families with a quite small budget at their disposal. Check 5 original ways to modify children’s space in your home.
Boxes, cases, chests
Playroom and sleep place for children should remain in order. It’s possible when you use a lot of boxes and cases. Besides organizing the space, they help with keeping it clean. Little boys and girls learn since their first steps that things have special places and should find there after finishing the play time. It’s the end of tiny cars and dolls scattered all over the floor - at least theoretically…
Add instant beauty to any setting with hanging baskets. Dress up the front of the home for all to enjoy or place them around the back deck or garden. Suspend a hanging basket full of summer blooms in front of the kitchen window and enjoy watching butterflies and humming birds while attending to kitchen chores. Some edibles even grow well in hanging baskets, such as tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, lettuce or herbs. Create a kitchen garden where ground space is limited.
To create a hanging basket, line a wire basket with moss. Fill with potting soil and add Soil Moist granules, if possible, to keep the moisture in the basket. Alternatively, line the moss with plastic. Add the flowers or edibles to the soil and water thoroughly.
Consider placing plants around the outside of the basket as well. Cut holes through the moss prior to filling the basket with soil and then add soil to the level of the holes. Carefully insert the plant roots through the holes and cover with soil. Work up the basket until it is filled. (more…)
Certain home maintenance tasks should be performed on an annual or semi-annual basis. Appropriate tasks for spring or early summer include ensuring that window screens and the cooling system are ready for the impending warmer weather, checking for water damage around the home or garden and performing a seasonal check on home safety equipment such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Inspect each window screen and remove for a thorough cleaning, if possible. Repair small problems or completely re-screen, if necessary. Consider switching to finer mesh screening in areas where midges are a nuisance. (more…)
You have a multiple choices – a number of ideas, creative designs and opportunities is infinite. In this post we want to show you just the most interesting, popular solutions and some of the most original wall decorations.
A dripping outdoor faucet is an unnecessary waste of water and may even cause damage to the home. Even a small leak adds up to a lot of wasted water each month. Inspect all outdoor faucets at least twice each year and repair or replace those that leak.
The first thing to try when dealing with a leaky faucet is to simply tighten the packing nut located right behind the handle. Hold the faucet steady with a pair of pliers and turn the nut clockwise. If this does not work, the rubber washer inside may have become hard or brittle over time and need to be replaced.
Prior to further work on an outdoor faucet, assemble all tools and replacement parts needed. Then turn off the water. Always securely support the pipe to which the faucet is attached while twisting on the faucet. Take the faucet apart and inspect the interior of the valve to ensure that the valve seat is smooth and free of corrosion or debris. If all appears in good condition, replace the washer, reassemble and test. (more…)
Greeting a newborn child in the big world is a fantastic oportunity to make a unique gift for the young mum and baby. Of course we can get anything out of the box, but we can also step up and give an awesome, handmade present. We have a lot of possibilities to work with because a little baby needs a lot of special items.
Most popular presents for a new born child are: necessary diapers and towels, baby bottle, baby powder, teat, clothes, baby socks, baby blanket, pram toys. Sometimes people give something else but these are the most frequent gifts, ones that one doesn’t have to put much thought into. Present wrapping is another dilemma, in a broader perspective it is a way of eventual presentation that will make the gift look special and is often underestimated. The giver should definetely put some thought into it. We suggest an original solution: diaper cake or baby bunch.
For begginers a quick review of most amazimg projects of this kind of activity:
April is a month of unpredictability and change. Although the days may be sunny and warm, the threat of hail or frost is ever present. During the month of April, the gardener must be vigilant in protecting any delicate seedlings from damage.
Use this time to finish tidying the garden and prepare for the busy growing season ahead. Ensure that all pruning has been completed and prepare the strawberry beds. Finish planting fruit trees, canes and bushes and renew the grease band around fruit trees, if necessary.
Due to the warmer weather and increasing amount of light, rapid growth can be expected in the garden during April. Take advantage of dry days to finish digging and preparing the garden for sowing and to hoe between crops that have wintered over. Early crops may be safely planted if protected by cloches. (more…)
To create cool home decor on a budget, look no farther than the closet. Cast-off clothing and linens can be transformed into a multitude of home decor items such as decorative pillows for the sofa, large floor pillows or rugs, framed or unframed art, and placemats, napkins or coasters. Old luggage or a briefcase that is no longer used can be combined with legs or set atop a base to serve as functional furniture with built-in storage. Use your imagination and reuse potential trash to make home decor treasures.
Simple throw pillows can be made from any shirt, blouse or cardigan sweater. Cut the garment straight across just under the sleeves and sew closed at the top and bottom. Use the buttons as the opening to insert a pillow or to cleverly store linens or out of season clothing.
Frame decorative motifs or interesting fabrics and hang as art. For larger pieces, mount on stretcher bars and hang without framing. Use the ample fabric from a full skirt or dress to sew a matching set of placemats, napkins and coasters for everyday dining or a special occasion. Cut stained or torn garments into strips and weave a rug. (more…)
A water fountain adds charm to most any setting. Whether used as the focal point in a formal garden or as a whimsical addition to a casual gathering space, an outdoor water fountain is sure to please visitors of all ages. Although there is a wide variety of ready-made outdoor water fountains available for purchase, a much more meaningful and enjoyable feature can be made from an item with sentimental value such as a hand water pump from the family farm or Grandpa’s old whiskey barrel.
To make an outdoor water fountain, the following items are needed:
Piece that will form the basis of the water feature;
Water source, which can be as simple as a garden hose;
Reservoir of adequate size;
Re-circulating pump with ample tubing and a power source; and,
Desired supplemental decor such as plants and rocks.
Create the water fountain by positioning the main feature so that water will flow over or through it and into the reservoir. Place the pump within the reservoir and arrange the tubing to circulate the water. Once all adjustments have been made so that the water is flowing as desired, add plants, rocks and other decor in and around the fountain as the finishing touches. (more…)
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