Archive for the ‘Interesting’ Category
Friday, April 2nd, 2010
Image via Wikipedia
While there are many items that make wonderful Easter gifts, such as spring flowers or chocolate bunnies, consider giving beautiful hand painted eggs this year. Already established in some other countries, the craft of egg painting is gaining popularity in the UK, as well.
Inexpensive and easy to make, hand painted eggs are appropriate for anyone. Male or female, young and old alike, designs can be customised to each recipient.
Prepare the Eggs
To remove the contents, place the egg in an eggcup or similar sized container. Holding it gently but firmly, use a needle to poke a small hole in one end and a slightly larger hole in the other. Insert a long needle or thin wire through the larger hole and stir the insides. Hold the egg over a bowl and blow through the small hole to dispel the contents.
Once the egg is empty, submerge it in a mixture of three parts water to one part vinegar. Fill half full, shake gently and blow the liquid out of the eggshell. Shells needing additional cleaning may be left to soak a while in the water/vinegar mixture. Once the shells are clean, let them dry overnight. (more…)
Tags: Crafts, easter, Flower, Holidays, WATER
Posted in DIY, Family, Holidays, Interesting | 1 Comment »
Thursday, March 25th, 2010
With the changing seasons, it’s time to add the beauty and colour of spring to our homes. Whether you live in a house in the country or a flat in town, make a decorative spring door wreath to greet guests and lift the spirits of all passers by.
Take a leisurely walk and gather pussy willow or other branches. If gathering plant materials locally is not an option, purchase the desired items from a florist.
[photo by: Hot Meteor]
Making a beautiful and festive door wreath is easy and requires just a few materials. Follow these steps and start enjoying your wreath today! (more…)
Tags: Flower, home decor, spring
Posted in DIY, Home, Interesting | No Comments »
Friday, March 19th, 2010
There is nothing more welcome and refreshing after a long and dreary winter than the lovely flowers of spring. Planted and tended with care in the garden or sown wild by Mother Nature in a meadow, spring flowers are a beautiful sight to behold.
While primrose is often the first flower to appear each spring, it is quickly overshadowed by the luscious fragrance of violets. Enjoy the early violets while you may; those that appear later, while every bit as lovely, are much less aromatic.
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Tags: flowers, plants, spring
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Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
Imagine this: you are preparing for an important party, you want to look fabulous and original. You open the closet, sift through everything you have stored there and come up with nothing that you would like to wear – everything was either seen already or unfit for the occasion, your mood, your partner’s outfit or whatever else. The only way out of the situation is a quick jaunt to the mall in search of something new that you will probably wear only this one time. A new addition to the pile of clothes that is overflowing from your closet every time you open it. But it can’t be helped, right? It might come in handy someday.
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Tags: Arts, Clothing, Crafts, diy tips
Posted in DIY, Eco, Interesting | No Comments »
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
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March is when things start getting busy in the garden. The hard, cold days of winter are gone and the weather is warming. It’s time to put the plans and dreams of February into action.
You Shall Reap What You Sow
An abundance of fresh produce is the gardener’s reward and now is the time to begin planting some of the early crops. Start garden favourites, like tomatoes, peppers and tubers on a sunny windowsill or in the greenhouse. Early vegetables may be sown under cloches, which will warm the soil to allow germination and protect tender seedlings from cold night-time temperatures.
Examine existing fruit trees to ensure that grease bands are in place and in good condition. Work manure into the ground around all trees and evaluate where grafting may be desired. Put container grown fruit trees, canes and bushes into the ground and mulch well. Tend to the strawberry patch and prune raspberries, if needed. (more…)
Tags: Garden, Home and Garden, Soil, spring
Posted in Garden, Home, Interesting | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
Part of Holland lies below sea level and land on which to build new homes is scarce. In addition, the rising sea level in the Netherlands over the last century has claimed some land and this trend is expected to continue during the current century. In answer to these significant challenges, the Dutch have started constructing houses on the water.
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Tags: house, WATER
Posted in Home, Interesting | No Comments »
Friday, February 26th, 2010
In light of dwindling oil supplies worldwide and an ever-increasing need for plastic food packaging products, very exciting news was recently published in the British press. According to a story in the Telegraph, British scientists have developed a compostable plastic made from sugars derived from non-edible plants. Using various grasses and fast growing trees, Imperial College London researchers have successfully changed glucose from these plants into a polymer suitable for plastic production.
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Tags: Compost, Eco, Environment, Plant, recycling
Posted in Eco, Home, Interesting | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
Every woman (and man) knows what a nice bath can do to soothe a tired body. The heated water relaxes aching muscles, calms the mind, softens the mood. This fact was well known even back in the ancient times, we all know that Cleopatra, the most beautiful woman of her times, was fond of bathing in goat milk which softened her skin and made her look vibrant and fresh. Today, not many of us have the possibility to use milk to bathe in but there are many ways of preparing a miraculous bath.
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Tags: bath, Beauty, Health, WATER
Posted in Bathroom, DIY, Home, Interesting, WATER | No Comments »
Sunday, February 21st, 2010
Choosing a lifestyle that has the least possible negative impact on the earth’s dwindling resources makes good sense. Strive to use resources wisely and eliminate waste whenever possible. There is much that each individual can do on a daily basis to live more ecologically.
Buy Quality
When purchasing any new item, consider quality along with price. From an ecological standpoint, it is much better to pay more for a durable, high-quality item than to buy a less expensive alternative that may soon need to be replaced. This often makes good economic sense over the long-term, as well. To even further reduce the use of resources, look for second-hand alternatives or repurpose an existing item to meet the current need. (more…)
Tags: Environment, Health, recycling
Posted in Eco, Home, Interesting | No Comments »
Thursday, February 11th, 2010
Although Valentine’s Day is nearly here it is not too late to make a truly special handmade gift. All you need is a few photographs, some simple materials and a little creativity. Try one of these clever ideas to craft a unique, personalised gift for your special Valentine.
A Jar Full of Memories
A photo memory jar is a fun and thoughtful gift that is appropriate for anyone and also provides a creative way to use photographs that may be less than perfect. Simply choose a number of photos from a few memorable activities or excursions. Cut them into strips and write a brief message on the back of each strip. For your messages, consider using a theme such as “Why I love you.” Decorate a jar and the lid based on your theme or simply using Valentine’s Day colours, and put the photo strips inside. Add a tag and you’re done! As an alternative in this digital age, print digital photos on cardstock. (more…)
Tags: DIY, Heart, Holidays, Home, Interior design, Valentines Day
Posted in DIY, Holidays, Home, Interesting | No Comments »
