DIY and How To Corner

Effective and Inexpensive House Cleaning Materials

2012-01-22T02:57:00.000-08:00

Household cleaning products and gadgets need not be expensive to get good results. Listed below are ordinary items which can double as cleaning agents.

Bathtub cleaner
Have a plastic bottle filled with diluted dishwashing liquid near your fiberglass bathtub enclosure. To get rid of the soapy film after you shower, sponge on the diluted liquid and rinse. It would leave a beautiful shine.

Brush-off
When you grate orange or lemon rind, use a new toothbrush to make the grater clean and do away with waste.

Crystal clear
Wash crystal prisms from chandeliers safely and promptly in a French fry basket. Just dip them multiple times in a solution of hot water and detergent till they're clean. Rinse them in clear water and drain in the basket.

Dishwasher Cleaner
Having hard water in your home calls for a weekly cleaning of your dishwasher. Run it through a cycle with vinegar. Rather than wasting the cycle, pull together all your glass knickknacks and seldom-used bar glasses and run them through as well.

Eyeglass cleaner
Keep a small spray bottle of glass cleaner with your cosmetics and every morning clean your glasses after putting on your makeup. Works like a charm!

Grout Mildew Remover
Grout stains made by mildew can not be removed by detergent alone. Instead, scrub grout using an old toothbrush dipped in a solution of 1 part laundry bleach to 4 parts water. Rinse thoroughly and wipe dry.

Quick Duster
The most manageable dust cloth would be an old potholder shaped like an oven mitt. Just turn it inside out, spray the furniture using your favorite dusting product and wipe. For especially tough spots, spray both sides of the mitt and rub your hand on all corners or in little crevices. Cotton work gloves does the trick as well.

Garage oil cleanup
Cat litter is wonderful for absorbing oil drips on the garage floor or the driveway. It is also very much cheaper than commercial oil absorbents.
Pour dry laundry detergent on oil spots. Place a small amount of water to make a paste and allow it to sit. The next day you will be able to wash the stains away quite easily. For more stubborn stains, employ a wire brush to help get oil and dirt out of the crevices.

Glass Door Cleaner
The glass doors on fireplace screens gather loads soot. To clean the glass, use an oven cleaner. Spray on the glass, allow to sit around 20 minutes and wipe it clean.

Jewelry rinse
When you're done cleaning jewelry using your favorite product, place the jewelry in a fine tea strainer and rinse every item well under the faucet without worrying of losing tiny pieces down the drain.

Lemon shine
Don't discard squeezed lemon slices just yet. Rub them on faucet fixtures, rinse and dry. They make chrome sparkle!

Nylon netting
There are several uses for nylon netting: as a dishrag, a pot scrubber, a lint-remover. Another use for the stiff but not too abrasive material is to speed up the removal of ice when you're defrosting the refrigerator. Just dip the netting in hot water first.

Soft scrubber
Use tiny squares of leftover carpeting to wash heavily textured plaster walls. The thick pile cleans the deep uneven surfaces without tearing up and is soft enough to scrub without scratching.

Squeaky clean
If you're using a sinkful of hot water to rinse the dishes, add a capful of vinegar to cut excessive grease or soap. It will give your dishes a clean, sparkling look.
Wash plastic-laminated counter and vanity tops using detergent and wipe dry. Remove stubborn stains by rubbing them with a damp cloth dipped in baking soda. If this does not do it, wipe with a cloth dipped in laundry bleach (test first to be sure this won't harm the top's color). Rinse well.

Vase Cleaning
If a favorite vase has become muddy inside and it's impossible to get your hand in to clean it, you can try this: Fill the vase with warm water, put in a denture tablet and let it sit. The vase will be clean very fast.

Window Cleaning
Never wash windows in direct sunlight; it tends to make them streak. Most commercially available glass cleaners work well. Squeeze the sponge almost dry before washing and prevent dripping water onto painted wood around the window. Stubborn streaks on glass can usually be removed using solution of 1 part vinegar to 5 parts water. Rinse and wipe dry.

By Tip Writer

Cleaning Walls, Upholstery, and Furniture at Home

2012-01-22T02:14:00.000-08:00

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House cleaning can be an overwhelming matter to think about. We may wish to shrug and put it off until the next week, or next month or next year. However, this is a reality each one of us needs to face. Do the cleaning task portion by portion to make the task easier. Here are cleaning tips for walls, upholstery, and carpets:

Interior walls
The paint job you imagined necessary might not be after all! To clean painted walls, clean with a vacuum to remove dust and wash them using a sponge dipped in a mild detergent solution. Wring out excess water and rinse the sponge when it gets dirty. Always wash walls starting from the bottom up to keep detergent from running down onto a dirty surface, creating streaks that could be difficult to take out.

Wall coverings
A lot of today's wall coverings can be washed off the same way as painted walls. However, if your wallpaper isn't washable, it can be cleaned using a wad of fresh bread or a dough-type wallpaper cleaner sold in several wall covering stores. Roll the material over the surface of the paper to lift up soil and keep folding it to expose a clean surface.

Upholstered furniture
Use a vacuum to remove dust and dirt from upholstery and clean with a commercial upholstery shampoo. You can also combine 1 part mild dishwashing liquid with 4 parts water and whip to bring out lots of foam. Put on the foam using a brush. Scrub one cushion or section at a time, trying not to wet the fabric more than necessary. Wipe away the foam with damp cloths or blot dry with towels.
A rug-cleaning machine that has a hand nozzle will do an even better job of cleaning upholstery. Shampoo each item by hand as described above, then go over them again with the machine to pull up deeply embedded dirt.

Carpet
To thoroughly get out embedded dirt, use a vacuum having a power-driven rotary brush (vacuums that rely only on suction do not do as good a job). Spots left behind by food or beverages can be removed by rubbing lightly using a cloth dipped in a solution of 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid in 1 quart water. Don't wet the carpet any more than necessary. Blot dry with paper toweling. Greasy stains that are not water-soluble can be wiped clean using a cloth dampened with dry-cleaning solvent. A small plant mister or spray bottle kept filled with liquid rug shampoo and stashed away in a closet near your carpeted rooms makes it easy to spray and wipe up spills and soiled areas at once.

Instead of shuffling furniture from one room to another to shampoo the carpet, you will be able to save time and effort by putting a small plastic bag over each furniture leg and securing it with a rubber band. Then move the furniture aside to shampoo the area and bring back the furniture to its original spot right away; the bags can be taken out after the rug has dried.

By: Tip Writer © 2012

Interior Home Decorating Ideas and Activities for Winter

2012-01-21T23:43:00.000-08:00

Some people live where it's technicolor all year round. But for the rest of those who experience winter, here are some tips for brightening the homes and actually capitalizing on winter without leaving home.

Flowers in Winter
There is nothing like seeing fresh flowers in the middle of the winter to make a house cheerful. Have some small plants with white blossoms and dark green leaves in painted clay pots that sit on shelves in the kitchen and in a rustic basket on your dining table. They are clean and pure and little reminders of living things that make you look forward to spring. If no fresh flowers are available dried flowers will also do. But be sure you had them prepared way ahead. Here's how to dry flowers.

Touch ups
Take charge of small areas of your house, like window sills and baseboards, and give them all a home makeover. This would put you way ahead of spring when it arrives and you actually would rather be in the garden. Plus, this is among the cheapest ways to improve the look of your house for virtually no effort or money.

Cooking for Later
When it's cold outdoors, use the time to make double batches of dinners that can be stored in the freezer for days when you'd rather do other matters. It's fun to experiment with dishes on winter weekends, and just the heat and aroma from cooking would add warmth and cheer to your home. You could also use the indoor time to get creative with your cooking so you could set a stylish table with a meal to complement it.

Rearranging
Try a new furniture arrangement that could make a room cozier for winter. Place a colorful wool blanket or warm throw to the back of a sofa or chair. Put some books on the coffee table for a spur-of-the moment read on the sofa, while you wrapped in that warm mohair throw.

Begin a New Project
Get all the stuff together, make a place to work, and start a project like a cross-stitch sampler or a needlepoint pillow, or learn to faux paint an old piece of furniture.

Fabric
Most interior designers agree that the quickest and easiest way to totally change the ambiance of a room is to use fabric. Even a really simple, inexpensive fabric can soften a space and add warmth. Ever thought up upholstering walls? It brings a luxurious feeling to a room, covers up flaws, and helps soundproof. It's a classy way to add flair for minimal investment.

Decorator's Touch
Furnishing a brand new house can be overwhelming. A lot of people seek help from professionals. How does a design professional help you create a well-designed, beautifully put-together, and comfortable house that does not look "done"? Firstly, they give you access to showrooms for products, fabrics, and a wide array of colors and styles, sometimes without leaving home. They could help save you pricy mistakes and can give creative ideas for using what you have or solving present house problems.

Plans for the Future
Even when you don't go so far as to redecorate you home, planning to do so can be loads of fun. Make a wish list and keep a scrapbook of cutouts from magazine pages for the things you would like to have or the look you'd like to accomplish if time and money were no object. Gather up swatches of fabrics, paint color chips, and free booklets from home centers.

© 2011 by Ecapz Tip Writer

The Best Time for Garden Bargain Shopping

2012-01-10T03:26:00.000-08:00

Discerning shoppers know that the best garden sale eventsare held during specific months of the year such as January "whitesales," spring sale, and year-end clearance sales. There are also bargainsthat gardeners and landscapers can look forward to when they focus on similarevents on the calendar. March is a great time to shop for bare-root roses;while in June, annual plant prices are being marked down; spring-floweringbulbs are at bargain prices in July; September is a great shopping moment forroses, spring-blooming bulbs, and perennials; and October is generally the besttime to buy fruit trees, shade trees, and shrubs at sale prices.

Annual Bargains

If you are bargain shopping for flowers and vegetable annuals,look for short, bushy, and green plants. Avoid buying those that look "stretched out" and archeddangling lower leaves. Select the most rigid - looking breeds; these willlikely endure the stresses of transplanting the most.

Best Deals in Bulbs

When on the lookout for garden plants for sale, find theones that are huge, smooth, heavy, and firm bulbs. Refuse the ones that havemoldy flecks and those that are shriveled or cushy. Also, don't buy bulbs thathave already started to sprout.

Woodworking Tool: The Plane

2012-01-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

Almost everyone will agree that the hand plane is possiblythe most fun woodworking tool. A plane is simply a chisel enclosed a metal orwooden base to make it easier to use both hands and work a lot more quickly,lifting off at each stroke a very thin wood shaving. While using a plane, youcan actually start to feel the pleasure of carpentry; the aroma of wood risingtowards your nostrils; beautiful curled shavings come up from the blade; thearea behind the plane (as long as you're planing along the grain, as you shouldbe) is smoothened and slick.

When about to use the plane, check the blade beforeadjusting it. You'll find that by taking out the lever cap, the blade may beremoved easily. A cap iron is screwed on the blade which rests slightly in backfrom the sharp edge on the un-beveled side. The cap iron serves as a planingdeflector. The cap iron's sharp edge and the little flat surface that is setnext to the cutter must lie tightly along the full width of the blade sincethey are screwed together. This prevents shavings from going between them. When placing the blade back in the plane, besure to place the cap iron topmost on the unbeveled side of the blade. Replacethe lever cap, locking it with the little cam at the top.

More about hand planes: Tips on Using the Hand Plane

Preparations Before Molding, Panels, and Frames Installation

2012-01-05T20:48:00.000-08:00

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The more popular types of moldings include the half-round,quarter-round, flat-edge, beaded, grooved, and fluted styles. Depending on thefunction and matching design, modifications are made for casings, baseboards,picture frames, coves, paneling,cabinetwork, and battens.

Panels and frames should be mitred and may be connectedusing dowels, splines, glue, corrugated fasteners, screws, or nails. Wheremitre joints are glued, the end grain must first be fitted using a thin coat ofadhesive. This coat of glue should be dried and be scraped up smoothly prior toapplying the last coat of glue. Mitring is also crucial for moldings utilizedfor edgings. For this type of edge, moldings must be cut into 4 slightlyoversized pieces to give adequate stock left to give allowance for mitredcorners. The moldings should first be set in place and any irregularitiestrimmed using a plane. It recommended to use a rabbet, mortise and tenon, orother concealed joint. If a power tool is used to cut the wood, a wooden springshould be clamped to the ripfence to clasp the molding on the dado blades. Usea stick to push the molding on the fence into the blade.

Moldings frequently have a hard grain and may deflect abrad. To minimize this issue, simply by drill a small hole using a brad withhead removed (or a fine steel needle cut off above the eye) as a bit. Anothersafeguard is chopping off the tip of the nail before nailing it into the wood.

Read more on moldings:
Functions of Moldings For Home Interiors and Woodwork

© 2012 Athena Goodlight

Functions of Moldings For Home Interiors and Woodwork

2012-01-05T04:42:00.000-08:00

A molding is considered the easiest "finishingtouch" you could apply to your woodwork. With the proper power tools, you can create your unique designs or makeany of the many different versions. Of course,you may buy ready-made moldings at the lumber yard. They are also sold in stores wherein you canchoose from dozens of various patterns. Some moldings come already finished incommon stains or varnishes.

Moldings are the popularly used to frame items but they'realso applied as a completion edging on a plywood top, a tray, or whatever plainborder. They can be used to increase the size of a contour or to conceal a joinor a flaw. On a big surface area, theycan be applied to create the effect of a smaller board, perhaps coordinatingwith the shape of a window or a door, or in a diamond or an octagonal shape. Itcan also function as a finishing touch on the crown of a cabinet, column, or onas a base. Moldings serve mainly fordecorative purposes. To hold these on thin wood panels, backing cleats caninitially be screwed to the base part, next, the molding is secured to thecleats with screws from the inner part. Moldings can also used to keep windowsand screen doors in position. The samegoes for panel moldings on doors, drawer fronts, and such. However you use themoldings, it is recommended to apply some sealant or paint on the area underthe molding to prevent warping or decay.

Common Types of Screws

2012-01-05T02:26:00.000-08:00

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Choosing the best shape for the screw depends upon thepurpose it must serve. Here are the most common shape and sizes of screws:

Flat head - This screw is the most popular and can becounter-sunk, meaning, screwed in until its head is level with or somewhatbelow the surface of the stock.

Oval head - This screw type can be countersunk and commonlysunk to the rim, it usually bulges out a bit.

Round head - The screw head has a slightly decorativefunction for it bulges out totally.

Fillister head - The head is shaped like three checkers atopeach other to be easily countersunk.

Bung head- The little head, not much wider than the shank, canbe comfortably countersunk.

Binding head - This screw type has slightly tapered sides andround top.

Lentil head -This screw is shaped like a little M & Mcandy.

Headless- The slot of this screw is recessed in the stem.

Truss head, or stove head - The head of this screw is wideand thin.

Pan head - As the name implies, the head is formed like aninverted frypan, narrower on the top, flat on top and bottom.

Drive - A steel, spiral knurl (an elevated twirl) istempered to make the screw easily driven into soft metal.

Dovel -It is a wood screw with threads on both ends.

Winged - The screw head is shaped like a wing for it to beturned using the fingers.

Hanger bolt -This is basically a wood screw on one end anda machine bolt on the other.

What Types of Glues Can Be Used for Woodwork?

2012-01-04T19:05:00.000-08:00

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Comparably, the best, and possibly the most arduous work inwood joining is done by gluing. Anyone can do an average gluing job without muchthought or trouble; but a suitable, lasting joint, even stronger than the wooditself, can only be possible the right glue is used and if the glue is appliedproperly.

The effectiveness of a glued joint is determined by (1) kindof wood, (2) its moisture content, (3) type of joint, (4) precision wherecontact surfaces match, (5) kind of glue and the method of its preparation,handling, and application, 6) level and length of pressure used when setting,(7) process of conditioning glued joints, and (8) service conditions.

Basically, heavy woods are harder to glue than light woods;hardwoods are more toilsome to glue than softwoods; and heartwoods are moredifficult to glue as compared to sapwoods.

There are eight types of commonly used glues availablecommercially. Of these, the first six are especially useful for the homecarpenter: (1) liquid glue, (2) blood - albumin glue, (3) casein glue, (4)synthetic resin glue, (5) vegetable glue, (6) rubber compounds, (7) cellulosecement, and (8) animal glue. There are a lot of ready-made glues on the marketthat are user-friendly, but the hobbyist would want to know about some of theglues utilized by professionals.

Additional details of the qualities of each glue type can beseen here: Types Woodwork Glues

Getting Ready to Varnish Woodwork

2012-01-02T04:55:00.000-08:00

Varnish is mainly used for wood finishing tasks, to preservethe natural state of the wood applying no additional finish, to preserve astain coating, and to maintain and refinish an old furniture.

It is easy to create varnish finishes. The wood, of course,should be filled, and then shellacked, then it is readied for a light sandingfor finishing. The common varnish finish consists of one or two coatings ofrubbing varnish followed by a coating of sealant.

There are various varnishes that are used in finishing, bothfor cabinetry and for other functions in the home.

Start out with all your equipment ready and in place:

varnish

clean varnish pots

duster

closed brush keeper

picking stick

tack rag

turpentine

sheets of 6/00 split-garnet polishing paper

For wood staining and shellacking, the surface must beproperly ready for varnishing because varnish is generally sheer. Old wood maybe washed with laundry soap or dishwashing detergent, and then lightly sandedwith No. 00 paper. Be careful not to remove parts of underlying color thatshould remain visible. Once the original paint has cracked or peeled, remove itthrough sanding or by applying chemicals.

Varnishing must be performed in a dust-free, well ventilatedroom, at a temperature higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Simply use a varnishbrush for this varnishing job.

Read more about varnishing techniques: DIY Varnishing: Tips on Creating a Good Varnish Finish

Facts About Moving Insurance and Guarantees

2011-12-20T06:44:00.000-08:00

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Why You Need to Check the Insurance

Prior to hiring a mover, acquire written details of theinsurance coverage offered by the moving company. Likewise check the length oftime you have to file the insurance claim. When you're already fussed out onthe moving day, a few damages may escape your attention. 90 days is thestandard length of time for filing an insurance claim.

Also verify if your homeowner’s insurance will cover themove. If you have anything especially valuable—such as a priceless antique or aone-of-a-kind art piece—you must ask about special coverage.

The movers would give you with an enumerated waybill afterloading the truck. It’s a good idea to have your own list, which includesdetails of the number of boxes taken from each room and every item not bundledin a carton. Then you can countercheck your list with theirs. Your personallist is a great way to safeguard your belongings.

Why Guaranteed Delivery is Worth the Expense

If you must get your items picked up and delivered onspecific dates, spend for a guaranteed delivery. This actually does notguarantee your delivery, but it obliges the mover to pay a fine—averaging from$125 per day—plus expenses for you to stay in an inn if the date specified inthe contract is not met.

Tips on Hiring Movers

2011-12-20T03:53:00.000-08:00

When you have decided that you are to move to a newlocation, you may be contemplating if you will do it yourself or hireprofessional movers to lift and transport all your worldly possessions. It isundeniable that you will have less expense if you handle the move with somehelp from relatives and friends. You may spend less than $200 if you rent amoving truck and do the loading yourself. Compare that versus typical feesprofessional movers charge: A local move involving a couple of miles may costaround $200 to $300. A long-distance move, which needs the service ofinternational movers may cost $500 and up. Factors such as the quantity andkind of furniture, the number of stairways the movers should manage at your newhome, and other matters could affect costs. If you own a grand piano, youshould get professional piano movers for this task.

If you are moving to a nearby location, you may choose asmaller, local firm. Smaller moving companies might quote lower rates than thebigger moving companies bearing nationwide distinguished names.

Although you choose to hire a professional mover, there areways in which you could still save money by packing and unpacking the itemsyourself. Just be sure to initially check with the moving company. Some movingcompanies give out do-it-yourself packing guidelines, which could specify thetype of packing materials that should be used. Some may define certain rulesfor packing that needs to be followed before the moving company will take onliability for damages.

Flower Projects: How to Dry and Press Flowers

2011-12-08T03:40:00.001-08:00

Flowers you have picked from your garden or from a bouquet you have received may be dried and pressed to create pretty items to give as presents, tokens, or simply to make your home look nicer. The moment after they're in full bloom is the period to gather the petals, leaves, and twigs. You may preserve them and fetch them out as dried materials until you are prepared for your dried flower craft projects.

What flowers are ideal for pressing?

Rose petals, holly leaves, chrysanthemums, Johnny-jump-ups, an variety of multicolored leaves, twigs, blades of grass, and some lobelia blooms are just a few of the suggested ones to use. Geranium buds and leaves and the rest of tall-growing plants should be gathered in autumn. Some fernlike plants in your garden could be used for decorating Christmas cards.

How to Press Flowers

The easiest way to press flowers is still the traditional way. Simply lay the materials on a piece of paper towel, cover with another piece, and place it in between heavy books. Pile additional books on top, or use bricks to weigh it down then leave it undisturbed for a week. This way, long before you need them you already have a bountiful supply of dried and pressed garden blooms once you're set to do some crafting. Pressing flower is a fantastic way to delight the yields of the garden two times over.

More on flower crafts:

How to Dry Roses and Other Flowers

Using Pressed Flowers and Leaves Creatively

Flower Crafts: Step by Step Instructions on Drying Flowers

Candle Crafts: Decorating Candles with Dried Flowers

How to Wire Flowers for a Wreath

How to Prevent Car Theft

2011-12-07T06:12:00.001-08:00

Here are some pointers on how to avoid or at least lessenthe risk of becoming a car theft victim:

Find a Good Car Lock System

The cheapest hindrance to car theft is to lock your car andremove the keys. Leaving the keys inside the car, especially in conspicuousplaces such as the dashboard, invites danger. A better option is having a plastic duplicate of your key set built intoa credit card-size plastic sheet that fits in your pocketbook. These duplicatekeys can be bought from car parts stores available for various car makes.

Set Up A Car Alarm System

There are numerous types of electronic car alarm systems ora combination of alarms/fuel starvation systems. Generally, the systems could cost around $150to $300. The alarm systems function by disabling the car or sounding analarm-or both-when the driver's door is unlocked and an override button is nottriggered. The override is concealed from the thief's vision. These systems areeffective, but only if you remember to set the alarm as you leave your car.(And you should not forget to set the switch when you return inside the car, oryou will activate the ear-piercing warning signal.) To get proper security,you'll have to place a detector on each door, not only the driver's door. Thatwould cost additional expense.

Car alarm systems may sometimes come at a discounted price,so shop for the best bargain. To get the most savings, you may even install thesystem yourself, but do this only when you are reasonably experienced indealing with the mechanics of the car. You can also purchase through mail-orderads in reputable car magazines or buy your car alarm systems online. At theleast, acquire a system that activates your car horn (or a very loud warningsignal) and flashes your headlights. There are alarms are barely audible inheavy traffic.

Cheaper alternatives to alarms are steel bar locks thatfasten onto your steering wheel and occasionally the brake pedal. The car won'tmove until the bar is unlatched or drilled free. These will not stop car nappers,but it'll slow them down.

Avoid Flamboyant Accessories

Occasionally car accessories, and not the car itself, arethe objects of theft. The high end sound system, for example, is a favorite; soare the detachable roof parts on T-roof cars. Faux radio fronts can be boughtto cloak a high-priced model. High-performance tires and aluminum-alloy wheelsare also often stolen-keep them fastened securely on with key-locking lug nuts,available at auto parts stores. Do not buy a car having flashy accessories ifyou will be regularly parking in unsecured or a high-crime location.

DIY Car Maintenance Tips

2011-12-06T22:38:00.001-08:00

Car maintenance must not be disregarded by car owners. A lot of money, energy, and time can be savedjust by being aware of certain techniques that can extend the usage duration ofyour automobile.

Frequent oil change

It is always beneficial to frequently change the car oil andoil filter. Cab and rent-a-car owners change both every 3,000 to 4,000 miles ofuse. For regular city use, it isrecommended to change oil every 7,500miles and change oil filter every 15,000 miles.

If you are confident enough and have the right tools, youmay do the work yourself and thus save money. Changing the oil and filter will take only around 15 minutes if you'reused to it. If you double the frequency of oil changes over the initial 100,000miles, you may spend about $100 more, but your engine will last years longerthan expected. The option is an engine rebuild, which might cost $1,200 ormore, or just buy a new car. If your chassis requires grease lubrication, do ittogether with every oil change.

Tire Maintenance

Buy a tire gauge and an air pump. Tire pressure needs to bechecked every month and add air when needed. Properly inflated tires could lasttwice longer than under-inflated ones. If you rotate tires, keep radials on thesimilar side as you go from front to back. Front tires of cars with front-wheel drive wear out faster than the backtires. Some tire dealers will rotate tires free of charge for their tire buyerswhich would save you $22 to $35 annually.

DIY Preventive Maintenance

Some auto parts just wear out. Be aware which ones would, and the expectedtime they're likely to so that you can change the component before your autobreaks down. Doing this will save a $60 to $80 towing expense, you could choosethe auto-mechanic of your choice, and you could even purchase the auto part ata discount price.

Bring Spare Parts

If you're planning to have a road trip vacation, take somespare parts along: a headlight, fuses, accessory drive belt, antifreeze, tubepatch (for hoses), and a spare tire. If your car goes with just an irregularspare, consider acquiring a used tire of similar size and kind from a salvageyard, but make certain it would fit in your car's spare tire compartment. Alsobring jumper cables, to save you the need to phone an expensive service truck.

How to Get the Best Carpet Deals

2011-12-03T07:01:00.001-08:00

Carpet flooring is an investment that will last for manyyears. Besides being decorative, it offers sound and heat insulation plus itincreases the resale value of a residence. Be acquainted with the carpet styleyou're planning to buy. Inquire about workmanship, appearance, retention,strength, twist, and density. Since artificial light can dull some colors, takehome samples and view them in your room to see how they appear in both daylightand lamplight.

Carpet Prices

Carpet prices are set per square yard, more high-pricedcarpets are denser, better constructed, and available in more designs andweaves. The texture and kind of fiber you select determines how your investmentendures. The more springy the fiber, the better the carpet will appear overtime. Look for tightly twisted threads and a pile compact enough to make ittough to uncover the backing.

Nylon Carpet

Nylon is the sturdiest synthetic fiber as well as the mostpopular material for carpets. It hasexcellent color retention, volume, and softness. Most nylon combinations areeasy to clean; some newer brands are treated to be especially dirt and stainresistant.

Polyester Carpet

This type of carpet has good feel, dyes easily, isnon-allergenic, and is reasonably durable. It is inferior to nylon in mattingand stain resistance.

Acrylic Carpet

Resembling wool material, acrylic carpets are crushresistant and soft, but other combinations pill with wear.

Olefins/Polypropylene Carpet

This type of carpet is colorfast, strong, andlonger-lasting. Most indoor-outdoor carpets are constructed fromolefins/polypropylene.

Wool Carpeting

Wool has a warm, natural appearance and feel. It's also verydurable and fire resistant. However, its colors are generally not as vivid asthe synthetics, yet this classic is still the most expensive.

Carpet Budget

Evaluate your carpet budget, then purchase the finestquality you can afford. Don't scrimp on high-traffic areas; fast wear out canrender it uneconomical. Make certain that the price on wall-to-wall carpetingincludes carpet installation and cushioning. Also find out who will do the joband how it is guaranteed. Installation fees do not vary much; it should be thecarpet itself you must invest in.

Furniture Shopping: How to Get a Good Buy

2011-12-02T06:37:00.001-08:00

A growing number of people are beginning to enjoy staying at home. In the first, place, it's a place where you find comfort. However, even staying home can be costly especially if your appliances and furnishings are of inferior quality, waste a lot of energy, or simply unfit for your lifestyle.

It is possible to furnish your residence in your own stylish way without overspending. Whenever you go shopping for furniture ask yourself, "Is it suitable for your home in size and style? Is it sufficiently versatile to be used somewhere else in the future? Is the price competitive compared with like items? Will it last as long as it should? Find out further on shopping smart, saving money, and getting the most from your appliances and furniture.

Ideal Shopping Seasons
Unlike appliances, home furnishings still maintain the usual December-to-February and June-to-September sale seasons. During these sale months, they drop the prices of beddings, mattresses, furniture, lamps, and rugs at furniture stores and showrooms. Naturally, the experienced shopper could find marked-down merchandise at any time of the year at clearance centers, which are managed by major furniture and department stores. Many would require cash payment and the purchased furniture is for pick up on (delivery may often be arranged for a certain fee).

Price is not All
Don't rely on price alone when evaluating a piece of furniture. Read labels and inquire about features you couldn't see. Don't immediately shun nice veneered construction (a layer of one wood bound to a lesser-quality base). Although it is termed as veneer, it does not imply it's inferior. The layered structure is actually stronger than solid wood, which can warp or break.

Shop for the Future
If you can only afford one furniture, select one that's sufficiently versatile to be used for a long time. Invest in quality furniture for the rooms where you will spend a lot of your time. Get the best couch you can afford, even if you sacrifice some budget for other frills. Place function and comfort foremost and you'll find out that aesthetic lines and symmetries need not be top-of-the-line. All the same, like in building a classic wardrobe, the smart shopper purchases a few fine pieces that will endure rather than selecting cheaper but badly made and ill-designed items.

© Athena Goodlight

Loft Residence Decorating and Design Ideas

2011-12-01T04:16:00.001-08:00

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Residential styles of living have diversified greatly during the decades. Similarly, lofts have undergone tremendous transformations in function as well. From being industrial edifices, these structure have been developed into the most fashionable habitats of free-spirited and modern suburbanites, artists, skilled home entrepreneurs, or simply any person or family in need of a larger living space.

Residences in well renovated old buildings are sought after by many suburban residents now. The growing need for loft residences, give building contractors and real estate investors opportunities to profit from this trend. The attractions of a loft home include uncovered brick walls, high ceilings, large space, and architectural details. To add to the comfort, no outdoor gardening and lawn mowing skills are needed in loft living.

Numerous beautiful residential lofts nowadays were previously old factories. Today, the first impressions of lofts are of space, brightness, and comfort.

Loft space allows you to combine different furniture styles. A modern, overstuffed, single-color couch can blend with a lacquered table, an antique drawer, or an old chest. A wooden armoire can stand-in as a closet. Add warmth to concrete floors with hemp mats. On the ceiling, expose metal pipes to put emphasis on the contemporary industrial look; extend this industrial motif to the kitchen area using stainless steel and brushed aluminum accents on sinks, appliances, furniture and kitchen accessories.

Loft buyers love the concept of openness with no walls and no doors (except for the bathrooms!) type of home home. Furniture can be huge and comfy to pair up with a few striking modern art pieces.

Rent a loft if you think you like to give loft living a try. You may also redesign your home to create a lofty look.

• Use only simple yet functional window treatments. Bamboo blinds, wooden horizontal blinds, or customized Roman blinds are great for this intention.

• Putting up open kitchen shelves is an easy yet smart way to showcase your china collection and beloved pieces.

• Put up a large shower stall in place of your bathtub area to create an illusion of a larger floor space. Set a two-thirds wall of glass instead of using a shower curtain as a division of the shower from the rest of the bath to keep the visually open look of the bath area.

© Athena Goodlight

Buying Used Cars: Tips on Inspecting Before Buying

2011-11-30T21:53:00.001-08:00

Acquiring a used car can possibly be cheaper, because a car greatly loses some of its value even within the initial year of ownership. It continues to lose its value in the years that follow. For similar model of used cars, the highest is price paid for a new-car dealer of the same car model, a smaller price to a new-car dealer of a different make, still lower price to a used-car dealer, and the smallest price to a private owner. But be aware that you only get the best deal if the car has good mechanisms and body. Here are tips on checkin a used car you wish to buy.

Smart Buying
After meticulous inspection when you have found a used car that you wish to buy, ask for the name and contact specifics of the prior owner. This won't be an issue if the used car is for sale by the owner. Contact the car owner to inquire of several details: mileage when the vehicle was traded, frequency of oil change, other car issues encountered. Do not buy it if the name and contact can't be provided. It possibly came from an auto auction, where rental companies and car dealers ordinarily customarilysend their problem autos, together with some decentdecent ones. Be firm on taking the car from the car lot to your trusted car mechanic for a diagnosis, safety inspection, and engine compression check. If this is not amenable to them, don't get the deal.

Checking the Mechanicals
When you're intending to buy a used car, dress comfortably because there's work to be done. Thoroughly check a used car before you even think of making an offer.
- Always insist to have a test drive. Go to the car; don't let the car salesperson bring it to you. Check under the car where it was parked. Check for leak spots under the engine? These may pertain to oil leak, transmission leaks or brake problems.
- Put th full weight of your body on every corner of the car and then release. More that two bounces of the car means it may need new shock absorbers.
- When the car is still cool, touch the inside of the exhaust. If you get an oily, black substance, this may implya valve or valve-seal issue. Ask the salesperson to start the car then stand back to inspect the exhaust. If smoke is blown, it may necessitate expensive repairs.
- Drive the car in regular conditions: on the side streets and highways, in slow-moving traffic, and at top speeds.
- Step hard on the brakes on speed. If the car pulls to one side, it may need costly brake rebuilding. If it takes a lot longer to halt on the second or third stop, the brakes may require new linings.
- Park the car and allow it idle for at least 10 minutes while the air conditioner is running so the engine doesn't overheat. Test the heater, radio, and wipers. Don't rush.
- While the parking brake is on and the car in drive, attempt to accelerate. The engine must stall or somewhat stall. If the car runs immediatelt, the brake might need repairs. In an automatic transmission car, failure to halt or stumble may indicate transmission problem.

© Tip Writer

Home Finishing on a Budget

2011-11-26T07:12:00.001-08:00

Home finishing is the last step in constructing orreconstructing a home. It alsorepresents a big bulk of the construction expense. Here are tips to save money when you're at thefinishing stage of your home constructing.

DIY Finishing

Although you would not wish to take on the responsibility ofbeing your home's contractor, you can still save on your home buildingexpenses. If you have adequate do-it-yourself know how, you can slash thousandsoff your total bill by taking in some of the finishing tasks on your new home.What you finish depends upon your skill level the amount of time you cancommit. The savings may be considerably worth it: You can save on labor costsif you can do them instead of paying a professional contractor.

Talk to Your Contractor

Nearly all building contractors are willing to negotiate topermit a few or most of the home finishing to be handled the owner. Regardlessof the amount of work you choose to finish yourself. It's recommended that youlet the contractor and his workers to finish their task before you assume therest of the task. This is also for your own safety.

DIY Drywall

You'll be able to save a considerable amount of money if youcan perform drywall work. You will require assistance hanging the drywall, butthat demands more strength instead of skill. After which, you may then hire aprofessional to do the more meticulous finishing tasks or opt to do it yourselfif your experience is adequate enough.

Tips on Hiring a Contractor

If you have chosen to hire a finishing contractor, followthese tips before you close the deal:

-Hire a contractor who is accredited in your location.Affiliation with professional builder groups is a good sign.

-Check previous projects that the contractor has complete.Is the quality good? Does it meet your standards?

-Be sure the contractor gets all required permits.Basically, a building permit is prerequisite before starting structuralwork. Remember that the person who getsthe permit is accountable if the work does not abide by prescribed buildingcodes and regulations.

-Make sure your prospective contractor is amenable to yourcompleting the rest or a portion of the work yourself, if that's what you areplanning. Some contractors refuse job contracts that involve subcontracting allor a portion of the work to the homeowner.

Recycling Carpets, Ashtrays, Doilies, and Soap Chips

2011-11-24T01:47:00.001-08:00

Recycle Carpet Remnants

To impart your feet extra insulation from the cold, lineyour boots or rubbers with carpet scraps. Trace your foot on a piece of paperto create a pattern and use the outline to cut the carpeting to fit. This alsoworks well for kids’ snow boots.

Recycle Ashtrays

As fewer people smoke these days, what do you do with allyour ashtrays? Use a few as spoonrests in the kitchen. Keep one on the kitchenwindowsill to hold rings when you're washing dishes. Put one in the bathroom asa soap dish. Others come in handy under plants and in floral arrangements.

Recycle Fancy Doilies

If you have those old-fashioned lace doilies once popularfor protecting the backs and arms of good chairs, you could take them out ofstorage and use them as lovely placemats and table runners. You can use themalone, or with a plastic, solid-colored mat or cloth underneath to protect yourtable.

Recycle Soap Chips

Here is a way to use every shred of soap—the bits we saveand never know what to do with. Take a square of nylon netting, put a handfulof soap slivers in the center, fold the netting up so there are a few layers ofnet around the slivers, tuck in the ends like a package and sew all around theedges using heavy thread. It is great for scrubbing collar stains or cleaninghands after gardening or painting.

© 2011 Athena Goodlight

Decorating Home Interiors With Your Personal Flair

2011-11-22T02:37:00.001-08:00

image credit

Having unique, elegant but no-nonsense interior decor demands some research. Interior design ideas from home and garden books are great sources. But make sure to combine your own unique style in your interior decor.

Create a stylish impression by leaving some reading items such as Architectural Digest and travel magazines lounging on the center table. Books about musicians or history are also good to have around.

Naturally, if you are love traveling, your house will be decked with mementos brought home from the foreign places you have visited. If you picture your home being filmed for a TV program or a featured on a magazine, you would fancy showing a hint of your personal statement, and exhibit glimpses of your elegant taste. Your home may reveal your interests,hobbies, wide range of culture (books are a lot more than ornaments) and fashion sense.

Most importantly, your decor should display an eye for color. Aim to make your home as exceptional as your personality, functional and stylish enough for a magazine, yet as cozy as a much loved pair of slippers.

Show that you have excellent taste, good feng shui, and pleasant house-warming soirees. Select a motif or a theme and apply it throughout the house; this does not have to be rigid, but should reveal your personality. Allow the personality of the house to also have an expression in the decor. Mix old with present, antiques with junk, but over all keep it innovative.

Ideally decorate before you move in, if not, at least decide on the specifics before you encounter the moving-day stress. Figure out what will be the feature of the room, and work around it. Mirrors make a room look bigger, dark colors on the ceiling make the room look smaller.

Decorate with picture frames and determine where the TV, the lazy boy and the bed go, and set up the rest around these.

Add antique clock if you can afford it; the tick-tock resembles a heart beat, and, once you get used to it, it will stop annoying you and it will make your home feel restful. If not, bring in a piano, or an instrument, but be considerate to your neighbors.

Moving home is the time to be rigid and also have a sentimental spring clean. Eliminate old clutter. But never forget that you are not a robot, nor should you reside in a aseptic environment. A squishy chair you can curl up on is indispensable. Your home should be inviting, but not too inviting: people who won't leave can be draining on a host or hostess. The balance you are going for is: 10 per cent mood; 10 per cent personality; 20 per cent comfort and 50 per cent flair.
Make your place clean, yet comfortable; you can admire display homes, but you must not live in such a place. The key is having a home that is livable.

© Athena Goodlight

Inexpensive Ways to Decorate Small Rooms

2011-11-17T05:43:00.001-08:00

Decorating small rooms call for a lot of creative andpractical thinking. It can be really challenging to create delightful cornersand crannies that are totally unexpected when you chance upon them.

The Kitchen

When you have a modest space in your kitchen or dining area,turn it into a pretty spot by using just some accessories. For example, frametwo or three herb prints or a poster as wall decor. Then place a shelf belowthe framed prints to carry small pots of blossoms or fresh herbs. This could turn into a tiny indoor garden forsnipping off a pinch of basil, parsley, or oregano when you need it.

A Pretty Laundry Room

Convert your laundry area into a terrific garden room. Startby using a piece of textile you love and use it to make a customized valancefor the laundry room window. Stencil flowers designs that seemingly grows upthe wall beneath the window. A stenciled ivy vine pattern would also look niceto decorate outside of the window frame. Position real topiary trees on anyside of the window. This cheerful makes one feel good about doing laundry moreoften.

Artsy Powder Rooms

Powder rooms can be turn into art galleries. Use a framedart piece to cover an ample portion of the wall. A framed funny postcard canalso add a touch of cheerfulness. Place small interesting items on your shelfthat might delight guests who use this room. You may use a simple windowtreatment: The valance can be fabricated just by setting up lace-edged linennapkins set on the diagonal tension rod. No sewing required. The bottom draperycan be cafe style, covering only the lower half of the window.

How to Make Your Own Curtain

2011-11-13T19:02:00.001-08:00

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Curtains make nice window treatments to a rather bare room. You can draw a curtain, drape fabric to make a curtain, buy a ready-made curtain and then, if you have exhausted all the ready-made choices, you can just make your own curtain.

Before measuring, decide on the drop and what type of rail you would like to have, since this will affect the width gathered, the length and so on. Then evaluate the coverage. Usually for pulleys- and rod-operated curtains you should add an extra 8—10cm on every side for the operation, and say a generous 15-20cm beyond the frame for all the hooks, rail, etc. Next, measure the correct height and width. Measure the frame but don't forget the extras you will need to total your calculations.

Purchase or borrow a sewing machine, collect swatches and decide on a pattern of style to be attempted. There are lots of great sources of inspiration. If you're new to this, go for something simple, and remember there's a lot to be said on the benefits of bohemianly draped swathes of raw cut cloth. Make sure your curtain fabric is weighty enough for the style intended.

When you bring the fabric home, and wash it following the provided washing instructions, load it into the machine to soften it up. Then meticulously, following your pattern, start to cut as directed.

Pin, tack, hem and then you are ready to machine together. Don't forget to line the curtains. This makes them look far more generous, if not the object of the method will be defeated, as light from the outside will still pour in. Thread through or attach hooks, then attach to curtain rod above the window and let them hang.

Reduce Energy Bills on Home Heating Systems

2011-11-10T21:31:00.001-08:00

The home heating system requires periodic tune-ups to keep it efficiently working. Similar is true with boilers, furnaces, and heat pumps. Having your heater maintained by a professional heater technician annually or every two years save you a lot of money on your energy bill. All the same, it does not mean you could disregard routine maintenance. Here are some suggested DIY heater maintenance tips for you to follow:

Read more: Reduce Energy Bills on Home Heating Systems

The Practicality of Recreational Vehicles and Motor Homes

2011-11-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

Recreational vehicles or RVs are the more popular campingcars. These cars are equal to traveling homes or motor homes. Several campingcars and trailer towing vans are combined under the same label - RVs. The recreationalvehicles can be utilized for many purposes, such as getting across longerdistances, camping or sometimes just as a permanent home.

The biggest and most deluxe recreational vehicles are theClass A Motor homes. The smaller variants are put under class B campervans.Class C recreational vehicles are the more modest sized Motor homes. Other thanthese, the camping cars are also assembled by combining the van with a trailer.Altogether these recreational vehicles are configured to provide space for storageand accommodation place.

A recreational vehicle consists of a bed, a small kitchenarea, table, a TV and storage space, Larger recreational vehicles from Class A comprise of a shower,bathroom, toilets, living room andmaster bedrooms. These deluxe high end camping cars also have refrigerator,satellite TV, internet facility, awnings, slide out compartments and storagespace for a car, motorbike or bicycle. The Class A camping cars are genuinelyluxurious vehicles. These are generally built on a truck or commercial buschassis for a larger space.

The recreational vehicles could be parked in a camping spaceor in the special RV parks. It is really easy to carry the RV to a nationalpark, where staying on can be made comfortable with the vehicle. There's nodemand to book a room at a hotel while traveling in a camping car. One can cookfood in the kitchen, hence no need to locate a restaurant on the way. The RVsalso demonstrate to be a good shelter for the travelers.

Like any vehicle, it is wise to have your RV insured with areputable company such as GoodSam RV Insurance that offers comprehensive insurance plansspecifically designed for recreational vehicles.

Office Reception Chairs for Business Lounge or Home Office

2011-11-05T07:27:00.000-07:00

The quality of your reception chairs in the office willreflect that old saying "you only get one chance make a goodimpression". Inside your office,you will want to be sure that guests and clients are as comfortable as they canbe when they wait for an appointment. Reception chairs are popular outside of the office also, as schools andeven churches use them.

Office reception chairs are really good assets to havearound, as they'll provide a friendly aura and leave a long lasting effect onyour guests. By utilizing these receptionarea chairs in your office, guests should feel cozy and right at home in yourabode. You could also place your chairsaround a desk or coffee table in the waiting room with a heap of magazines foryour guests to read.

While shopping for reception chairs, among the mostimportant decisions will be finding chairs that will make individuals of allheight and weight comfortable.

What you will want to do, is supply office chairs that offeradjustable choices for the height, depth of the backrest, and even the armrests. The ordinary reception chair isvery durable and can last up to 15 years - with every guest along the way beingcomfy and each and every time they sit in the chair.

Nearly all reception chairs have a strong and stable framethat will give your back the utmost amount of ergonomic benefits. You can even get your chairs with otheroptions as well, including leather, vinyl, or fabric. You can also choose the colors and paddingfor the seats.

If you have an office that has a waiting room, you shouldnot hesitate to add reception chairs. These chairs will offer the "home away home" feeling, and giveyour office the look and feel your clients will love to come back to.

Windows and Light in Interior Design

2011-10-31T22:58:00.000-07:00

Windows can pose a decorating dilemma. Most of the day, you will want your windown unobstructed so that plenty of light can enter a room. But at night you would'nt like to see those unattractive window frame. Light is an essential decorating element. There's nothing better than natural light. When planning your room lighting, you should understand the different possibilities and how to achieve them, either naturally or artificially. The window placement should be considered when deciding on the type of curtain, shade, or how other window treatment could look best.

Read More: Functions of Window Light in Interior Design

Using Yellow as Theme for Your Home Interior Decoration

2011-10-29T05:31:00.000-07:00

When you need to brighten up room or a hallway, a touch of yellow does a lot. The use of yellow to paint the interior of a closet gives you a welcome surprise every time you open your closet door. A pale shade of yellow looks very nice in a kitchen or baby's room. If your wallpaper has some yellow accents, consider using yellow on the trimmings of your window, door, and wall. Explore other areas in your home to find where you can add a yellow touch. You'll be amazed at how refreshing and delightful the result will be.

READ MORE>>> Using Yellow as Color Motif for Your Home Interiors

Leveling Tools for Carpentry

2011-10-22T07:04:00.000-07:00

The level tool used in carpentry is typically made of wood, aluminum, or magnesium, and is rectangular in shape, from 9 to 24 inches long. It may typically have one or more true surfaces having a glass vial in the center of each surface. The glass vial right in the center of a horizontal surface and parallel with it is used in leveling; a glass vial in the end of a level, perpendicular to the true surface, is used to check the plumb or vertical trueness.

To check whether a surface is level or plumb, put the level tool on the surface to be leveled or plumbed, while holding the level with the hand. When the position of the bubble isn’t in the center of the vial, the surface is not level or plumb. The bubble always moves toward the higher side...READ MORE>>>

by: Tip Writer

Different Sawing Cuts Used for Woodwork

2011-10-22T06:29:00.000-07:00

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Here are some tips on effectively cutting wood using a hand saw.

A circular cut on wood is typically created by boring a hole using a brace and bit or a drill, then expanding it using a compass or a coping saw or a saber saw. If much of this work must be done, like in cutting a straight cut through floors, it is a good idea to round the end of a crosscut saw, extending the teeth so they form a semicircle. This can be used to cut directly on the floor without drilling. A similar result can be obtained by bolting half a blade of a circular saw to the base of a steel strip or an old saw.

When the saw cut would be of limited depth, create a fence from two thin strips of wood a bit longer than the saw blade...READ MORE>>>

by: Tip Writer

Instructions on Recaning Chairs

2011-10-21T05:26:00.000-07:00

image via Wikipedia

There is a seven-step sequence to weaving a cane seat. Youfirst lace the cane vertically, from rear seat rail to front seat rail. Second,lace the cane horizontally. Third, weave the cane diagonally. Fourth, put downa second vertical layer. Fifth, weave a second horizontal layer. Sixth, weave asecond diagonal layer. Seventh, lace binder cane over the holes. Tie off caneends beneath the rails as you go.

Before you begin recaning your chair, read the preparation instructions provided on the link below:

Preparing to Cane Chair Seats

Now, you may proceed your chair repair process:

Here are the steps indetail:

Step one: begin vertical strands of cane from center hole inback rail to center hole in front rail. Count the holes to be sure. If there'san even number of holes, start with a hole closest to the center. Push around 4inches of cane through back center hole, and hold it using a wooden peg. Pullthe cane across and down through the front center hole, making sure the smoothside of the cane faces up. Bring the end of the cane on the underside of the frontrail and up through the next hole. Then go across seat to the next hole in theback rail and down through. Then over to the next hole, up through it, acrossto the front rail, and down through the next hole there. Keep on lacing thecane this way until half of the seat is covered. Then cover the other half thesame way. Never pull the cane too tight; it would shrink as it dries. Knot theends.

Step two: Lace the horizontal strands across from side railto side rail in the same manner. These strands lie on top of the vertical ones.

Step three: Weave the first diagonal strands, starting atthe right front corner, over horizontal strands and under vertical strands. Tomaintain six-pointed star pattern, you may have to put two strands through thesame hole, due to the curvature of the side rails.

Step four: Lay a second course of vertical cane over thework thus far, using the same holes as for the first course. This course isn'twoven in. Lay cane to the right of the original vertical strands.

Step five: Weave in a second course of horizontal strands,using the same holes as the first course. These strands go below diagonalcourse and first vertical course, and over second vertical course. Place themto the rear of horizontal strands laid down in step two.

Step six: Weave in a second course of diagonal strands, thistime in the opposite direction from the first diagonal course. These weaversalways go under all horizontal and over all vertical strands, just the oppositeof the way in which diagonal strands were laid down in step three.

Step seven: Fasten the binder cane around the seat'sperimeter to cover the cane holes. Binder cane is ordinarily just cane that isone size wider than the cane you use for weaving. Measure adequate length to goaround.

Push one end of the binder cane into the corner hole at theright rear corner, and lay out the rest along the back edge of the cane. Choosea long strand of weaving cane, and pull all but 4 inches through the hole nextto one where binder started out. Loop end of weaving cane around binder, andpull it through the same hole, tying the binder down. Next, bring the long endof the cane up through the next hole, over the binder, and back down throughthe same hole. Keep on this with each hole until you have tied the binder downthe whole way around. Tuck the end of the binder into the same hole where youstarted.

References:

Popular Mechanics

Old-House Journal,Dec 1982

© Athena Goodlight 2011

DIY Tools: Using The Marking Gauge

2011-10-09T04:59:00.000-07:00

image source

The marking gauge is designed to help you make accuratelines parallel to the edge of a panel or board. A common wood gauge is about 8inches long, with a scribing spur close to one end. A sliding head may be movedthrough the body and clamped using a thumbscrew at any place. When choosing agauge, get one made from hardwood secured with a brass or metal head. A specialdouble-bar gauge with two spurs is designed for marking off a mortise. Thegauge is set once, and the spur on each side is used in turn to show themortise area.

>>> READ MORE

DIY Tools: Tips on Using The Brace and Bit

2011-10-09T04:42:00.000-07:00

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For the job of boring holes on your woodwork project,there's this wonderful tool called the brace and bit. When boring holes inwood, a few turns would feed the bit into the wood without much pressure. Todrive screws, the pressure should be maintained. When working in corners orother tight areas wherein a full turn of the crank is out of the question, aratchet mechanism is plied to ratchet the bit either to the right (to drive) orto the left (to withdraw) just by turning the cam ring.

Holes are often bored at the wrong angle since thewoodworker may not be aware how uncomplicated it is to bore them perpendicularto the pierced surface. The main problems that go with boring a hole aregetting it straight and not breaking rough the wood at the bottom of the hole.>>>READ MORE

By TipWriter

DIY Measuring Tools: Pencils and Rulers

2011-10-08T22:42:00.000-07:00

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Carpenters use different types of pencils: hard lead, commonlead,and the regular carpenter pencil. The most widely used type is the flat,hard lead pencil -- 8 inches long. Utilised in rough work, the pencil should be trimmed so that only 1/4 to3/8 inch of lead protrudes from the wood sheath. In finished work, the pencilmust be trimmed so that 3/8 to 1/2 inch of lead is exposed and the lead taperedto a long, flat point. During marking, the pencil should be angled away fromthe guide so that the lead would mark near the edge of the guide. If the pencilgets wet, the glue that holds it together may fail and render the penciluseless.>>> READ MORE

by TipWriter

The Mitre Box

2011-10-04T23:31:00.000-07:00

When you anticipate doing any amount of mitring—that is,sawing at an angle—a mitre box would be a big timesaver. Guides on the mitrebox can be conformed so that a backsaw will cut at whatever angle from 45 to 90degrees to any desired depth. Care must be taken that the stock doesn't shiftwhile cutting, and that the saw doesn't either touch the front or pull out ofthe rear guide. Matching pieces can be easily cut just by adjusting the lengthrod. Frames from 4 to 12 sides can be cut by relating to the proper angle,often pointed on the mitre box itself. In sawing, always begin on the outsideof a mark. A crosscut saw has a kerf of about 1/16 inch, and a rough edge wouldrequire some added smoothing.

by TipWriter

DIY Tools: The Backsaw and The Hacksaw

2011-10-04T23:22:00.000-07:00

The Backsaw

The backsaw is a slender crosscut saw having a reinforcedback to supply rigidity. It is generally a crosscut saw, 10 to 20 inches inlength and with 10 to 14 teeth to the inch. For short, accurate cuts, like inmitring, it is the best tool to use.

The Hacksaw

The hacksaw is a fine-toothed saw utilized for cuttingmetals. You'll find it valuable in your home workshop when you need to shortena screw or bolt, when you should cut off or through a nail, and when a piece ofpipe or hardware must be made to fit.

images via Wikipedia

by TipWriter

The Keyhole Saw

2011-10-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

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The compass, or keyhole, saw bears a narrow, tapered bladein order for it to fit into narrow spaces. Some types come with three or fouralternative blades that can be replaced to meet the demands of the particularcut: there could be ripsaw blades and blades for crosscut work. Due to itsflexibility, the compass saw is especially useful for cutting along curvedlines. This saw is also frequently used for short cuts, or to finish off a longcut and for fine irregular sawing.

by TipWriter

The Coping Saw

2011-10-04T04:05:00.000-07:00

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The coping saw is a small tool, a saw blade carried in asteel frame. It is occasionally called a jig saw. The blade can be removed andcan range in thickness from a threadlike wire to 1/8-inch. width. The blade isthus fragile and must be used only on thin wood. When an interior cut must bemade, a hole is bored, and the blade is threaded through the hole and thenconnected to the frame. On the frame are pawls with slots where the blade fits.Typically the blade can turn inside the frame. Blades may be flat or spiral:the spiral blade has the advantage of being able to cut in whatever directionwithout turning. For vise work, theteeth of the coping saw must point toward the handle, but on work held by a sawhorse, it is best to have the points turned away from the handle.

by TipWriter

The Ripsaw

2011-10-04T03:24:00.000-07:00

Ripsaws, utilized for cutting along the grain of the wood,will encounter less resistance and thus have bigger and fewer teeth than thecrosscut—typically from 5 1/2 to 6 points to the inch. The teeth are slanted atalmost 90 degrees so that wood fibers could be ripped as well as cut. Forcutting thick stock, a coarser tooth is needed—for thin stock, a fine tooth.Because every tooth rips, no bevel is needed on the edge of the tooth, as it ison the crosscut saw. Carpenters liken the ripsaw with a row of chisels pushingforwards.

by TipWriter

The Crosscut Saw

2011-10-04T02:55:00.000-07:00

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The crosscut saw is made for cutting across the grain of thewood. Its teeth are little knives set parallel, far apart enough to hold backthe saw from binding. The crosscut saw does 25 per cent of its cutting on theupstroke and 75 per cent on the down stroke. A saw with coarse teeth cuts quicker than one with close teeth, and itis particularly suited for thick boards, since it doesn't clog as easily. A blade having 7 to 8 points to the inch isacceptable for most home work. But if fine work or joinery must be done, 10points an inch would do a finer job. The number of points is normally stampedon the heel of the blade. Small, fine-tooth crosscut saws, called panel saws,are used for exceedingly fine work. Blade lengths range from 20 to 28 inches,but for home carpentry a 26-inch blade would be the most satisfactory, unless amajor project is to be attempted.

By TipWriter

DIY Tools: The Measuring Tape

2011-10-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

There are different measuring tools. The ones you will need to use will depend on the size and the nature of the work or project you take on. A bigger job may require a 50- or a 100-foot steel tape is needed, but for most tasks, a 6, or up to a 12-foot tape rule will do the job. Most measuring tapes have a ring or hook attached to the tip to make it latch at the point from which the measurement is taken. When this is not secure, tack or nail it onto the spot so that the tape does not slip and give you an erroneous measurement.

Read more tips on using the metal tape: DIY Tools: Tips on Using Measuring Tapes

By Tip Writer

Tips on Using Surform Tools, Files and Rasps

2011-09-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

image via Wiikipedia

Each carpenter uses a Surform file or woodworker's file woodand a regular file for work on his tools. But filing woodwork is usually notregarded good practice. The Surform tool or file is employed to expand roundholes and also to finish curved work that has been sawed near to the line. Tothe craftsman, this is permissible only when the work is exceedingly hard toreach using a chisel or a spokeshave. When working with the Surform tool or file, grasp it at the level of yourelbow. The handle must be held in the right hand on the fleshy part of thepalm, with the thumb leading on top. Thefront end of the tool should be held using the thumb and first two fingers ofthe left hand, with the thumb on top. These tools are designed to cut in onlyone direction, so that pressure must be placed only on the forward stroke.

image via Wikipedia

All files should be worked using the handle, except when afile is employed for jointing a saw. A lot of accidents happen when a filewithout a handle encounters resistance and the tang pierces the handler's skin.Handles are available in metal and wood and are normally removed when the fileis not being used. To put a small handle, insert the file with the handle onthe bench, hitting the point until the fit is firm. Be mindful not to striketoo hard, or the handle would split. To take out the handle, put the ferrule atthe edge of the bench so that the handle is over the bench and the file isfree; then tap the file against the bench.

image via Wikipedia

To create finishing cuts on long, narrow work, clutch thetool at a right angle and move it to and fro. This is known as draw filing.

When filing a curve, use a sweeping movement diagonallyacross the grain to avoid creating grooves and hollows in the work. Thislikewise tends to avoid chipping both edges.

The teeth of a Surform tool are fragile and easily broken.Careless wielding of files would dull them. The oil on a new file can be takenaway by covering it with chalk or charcoal prior to using.

Files will last a lot longer if they're cleaned with a file vard or brush each time they're used. This doesn't sharpen the file but wouldrestore its usefulness. A file used onmetal will soon go dull because of the gathering of filings. These can beremoved by dipping the file in a solution of sulphuric acid for five minutes,then washing it in ammonia. The acid gnaws at the clogging fill and loosensthem enough to let them to fall out.

image via Wikipedia

The wood rasp is a rough-cut file designed for cutting wood,has one flat side and one convex side, either of which closely toothed. One end is a tang that fits into a woodhandle. Surform tools have mostly replaced the rasp modern usage.

The rasp is utilized for cutting and dressing joints where aplane cannot be used, and for dressing handles in handle fitting. Oil shouldnot be used on a rasp because it will cause the rasp to become congested withwood particles.

Shaping the Screwdriver Using a Grindstone

2011-09-20T05:56:00.000-07:00

Among the most valuable things you will know about tools isto use a grindstone on every one of your screwdrivers. Strictly speaking, ofcourse, a screwdriver is not sharpened the least bit— it should be really dull.In fact, you can encounter more grief using a screwdriver that is improperlyformed than with any other tool. If your screw driver ends are already roundedin its edges you will witness tools that act like grasshoppers. Such a toolcould jump out of a screw, dig into the piece of fine-finished wood you areworking with, and may in fact, drive you utterly mad. Having a goodscrewdriver, correctly shaped, you are able to easily drive home a screw thatmatches it without much gamble of its slipping out of the slot and ruining yourwork. Screwdrivers are ground on an emery wheel or grindstone to achieve theirright shape. The edge must be made straight across the end and the faces closeto the ends parallel or almost parallel to one another. This is needed toprevent the screwdriver from slipping.

By Tip Writer

DIY Tools: Sharpening Your Woodwork Tools

2011-09-14T19:50:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest satisfactions you could experience whenyou get interested in tools is taking a dull blade and putting a good sharpedge on it—an edge sharp enough to shave a hair off the back of your hand.

The small piece of natural stone which each carpenter of theeighteenth century brought along with him for putting an edge on his tools, aswell as the large mill-cut circular stone that was turned around using a handleor a foot treadle, has gone out of style since we have learned to make stonesthat serve our purposes better. The small bench stone, driven by a hand crank,which some carpenters bring, is typically made of natural emery crushed tovarying grades of fineness. Artificial materials done in the electric furnace,like corundum, alundum, and carbide of silicon, are crushed, sifted, molded,and baked to form stones of every size, shape, and degree of finenessnecessary.

image via Wikipedia

For the novice, the common oilstone with a rough surface onone side and a fine surface on the other is all that is needed. If, in thecourse of time, you feel that the edges and bevels of your tools are worn downbadly, it may be essential to have them professionally ground so that you couldstart all over again, unless you wish to buy or borrow a revolving stone wherein you do your own grinding.

The grinding of edged tools is best achieved on a titsandstone grindstone, since there is then no danger o burning or drawing thetemper from the steel. If a dry emery stone is used, the tool should be dippedmany times in water to keep it cool.

An improved slow-speed electric grinder having a specialwheel and an excellent control mechanism is available. This grinder is highlysatisfactory, though it uses a dry wheel.

Article by: TW

DIY Tools: The Screwdriver

2011-09-08T21:17:00.000-07:00

image by ladyheart

A screwdriver looks like a really simple tool. Perhaps thatis why a lot of people have never bothered to master its correct usage. Firstof all, you should always choose a screwdriver of a length and tip fitted tothe screw. Screwdrivers are specified by length of blade. The tip must bestraight and virtually parallel-sided. It must also fit the screw slot and benot broader than the screw head. A tip that is too wide would scar the woodaround the screw head. When the blade is too thin you might twist and break thetip, or if the tip is overly narrow, the screwdriver will ruin the slot. Adriver that is not held in line with the screw would slip out of the slot andspoil both the screw and the work. And when the screwdriver tip is rounded orbeveled, it will come up out of the slot, spoiling the screw head. When the tip is damaged, you can regrind orfile it to make it straight.

Always use the longest screwdriver handy for the work. Morepower can be put on with a long screwdriver than with a short one, normallybecause the longer screwdriver has a larger diameter handle. Hold the handlesecurely in the palm of the right hand using the thumb and forefinger graspingthe handle near the ferrule. Using the left hand (if you are right-handed) bracethe tip and keep it pressing into the slot while renewing the grip on thehandle for a new turn.

When no hole is bored for the threaded part of the screw,the wood is often split or the screw is twisted off. If a screw turns too hard,back it out and enlarge the hole. A little soap on the threads of the screwalso makes it more comfortable to drive.

There is a regular procedure that is best used to secure twopieces of wood together with screws: (1) find the positions the screw holes.(2) Bore the first hole in the first piece wood slightly bigger than thediameter of the body under the screw head. (3) Bore the second hole slightlysmaller than the threaded part of the screw. Bore as deep as half the length ofthe threaded part. (4) Countersink the first holes to match the diameter of theheads of the screws. (5) Drive the screws tightly in place using thescrewdriver.

By TW

DIY Tips: Wood Carving Basics

2011-09-08T01:56:00.000-07:00

image credit: keyseeker

When it concerns actual carving, there is no machine that would perfectly do it for you. There's no alternative for steadiness of hand and eye andlong practice. Perhaps more tools have been made for wood carving than for anyother mechanical operation. Each of the tools is, naturally, a sort of chisel,and the underlying requirement of wood carving is to be able to use a chiselskillfully and successfully. Severalchisels are made in 18 sizes, ranging from 1/32 to 1 inch, having straight,long-bend, or short-bend shanks. Veiners are designed as small as 1/64 inch.The other tools are made in six sizes between 1 inch and 2 inches, Most of the small sizes are either spade orfishtail-shaped, and that enhances their usefulness in modeling. Greaterclearance is given just in the back of the cutting edge.

To carve a design in low relief, trace an outline of it onthe wood. Go over the outline using asmall gouge or paring tool and cut on the background side of the line. Whiledoing this, keep an eye on the direction of the grain on the raised part. Setdown the outline using a chisel or gouge that conforms with the curve of thedesign, while using a mallet or a soft-faced hammer for tapping. Cut out the background with a fiatgouge. Model the surface of the designso as to bear an even degree of finish. Complete the modeling by placingdetails and veining. Tidy up the edges and the background. Stamp the backgroundwhen a stamped texture is desired. Try to prevent undercutting the outline, orcausing the edges to be too sharp or the background too smooth.

A lot of beautiful yet simple designs on panels, cabinets,book racks, or chests can easily be created by just outlining with a smallgouge or veiner. The effect could be enhanced by cutting or stamping down thebackground, and still further by gradually modeling the raised parts. The gougelends itself to the forming of beautiful units and borders by merely combininggouge cuts. The skew chisel and the carving knife are especially adapted to thetype of notching known as chip carving. Chip carving is effective if notoverdone and could be as simple or ornate as the taste of the carverprescribes.

Wood carving is the type of thing that artists and hobbyistsspend a lifetime doing; and is definitely among the great arts. There has beena great deal written about the subject, and anyone who wants to go into itdeeply must, by all intents, go to the public library and find the necessarybooks on the subject. One would indeed be richly repaid for taking interest init.

By Tip Writer

Fuzzy Logic 7.5 kg Washing Machine Instructions - Daewoo DWF75TS

2011-09-07T20:57:00.000-07:00

Graphic Manual for Daewoo Fuzzy Logic 7.5 kg Washing Machine

DIY Tips: Veneering Wood

2011-09-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

Any average piece of wood can have a beautiful face when athin sheet of exquisitely grained stock is glued to it. In a simple yetcarefully done procedure, an ordinary table of white pine or gumwood can bemade to appear like walnut, rosewood, mahogany, zebrawood, cherry, or any ofthe exotic woods. Plywood sheets are designed with numerous types of veneercoating in raw and completed states.

Veneers can be created or bought. Imitation veneers are alsosold in rolls and sheets in a great several patterns.

Although most veneers are used chiefly for decorativepurposes, some are also utilized to make a joining stronger. For this purpose,1/4-inch plywood is popular. Poor craftsmanship in veneering and in piecesunderlying veneers nourished a prejudice against this kind of carpentry forseveral years. Modern glues and care in conditioning of wood now prevent thewarping and peeling that caused so a lot of problems years ago.

Ordinarily, veneer is cut from virtually all species oftrees that bear an interesting grain, by saving, slicing, or rotary methods.Veneers are usually 1/28 inch thick. Sawed veneer is made in long, narrowstrips, typically from flitches picked out for figure and grain. The two sidesof the sheet are evenly firm and strong, and either side can be glued orexposed to view having the same results. Sliced veneer is also cut in the form of long strips by moving a flitchor block on a heavy knife. The rotary-cutprocess creates continuous sheets of flat-grained veneer by rotating a logagainst a knife. The back-cut process, the half-round process, and otheralterations of straight rotary-cutting are employed to bring about highlyfigured veneer from stumps, burls, and other irregular parts of logs. In theseprocedures, a part of a log, stump, or burl s laid off center in a lathe and isrotary-cut into little sheets of veneer. All rotary-cut veneer bears an openand a closed side, although it could be hard to discern one from the other whenthe veneer is well cut. When rotary-cut veneer is used for faces, the checkedor open side should, if possible, be the glue side. Since veneer is notordinarily resurfaced prior to its use, it should be cut carefully. If theveneer is nicely cut, there is no appreciable difference in any property exceptthe appearance of wood from veneer created by any of these processes. Veneerchosen to be glued must be (1) uniform in thickness, (2) smooth and flat, (3)free from huge checks, decay, or other quality-reducing features, and (4)straight-grained. For lower classes of plywood, however, some of theserequisites may be altered. The veneers are kept in succession as they are cutand numbered so that they can be paired in the finished panel.

To produce a veneered panel or table top, choose the woodcarefully from clear, straight-grained, well seasoned wood. If narrow boardsare employed (even 2 or 3 inches in width), odds of warping are minimized.

The surface should be squared and planed perfectly smoothand flat in every direction using a jack plane. Be sure that the core stock isof the same thickness at all points. Cut the core to size and shape and sandusing No. 1 sand paper.

On this core, an inexpensive straight-grained veneer, knownas crossbands, is initially applied. These are glued at right angles to thecore strips. These crossbands must first be laid out on the board and connectededge to edge using a veneer tape or other gummed tape.

The veneer is then clamped to the edge between two pieces ofwaste stock on which a protective paper coating was laid. A 1/2 -inch excesscrossband veneer must protrude along every edge.

Disperse glue over the face side of the core; lay oncross-bands and tack gently to the core with 3/4-inch No. 20 brads, If bradsproject more than 1/4 inch, cut out the heads to this size using pliers. Toavoid warping, both sides of the core must be veneered, the second side done inthe same way as the first surface and glued at the same time. On each set ofcrossbands, place a couple of sheets of newspaper, then a flat board, or caul.The entire pack—core in the center, with crossbands, paper, and caul—is thenlaid into a veneer press for 12 hours.

Care should be taken to keep glue off veneers (it causescurling) or the cauls (it induces blemishes). Waxing the cauls or soaping themallows for easy glue removal. When the crossband has dried, take out caul,brads, and veneer tapes. Trim the edges of the veneer flush with the core usinga veneer saw or a plane, knife, or chisel.

Edges of veneered stock are generally veneered in the samefashion. They must be cut a bit wider than needed and cut back after they'vebeen tacked and glued. Bar clamps are utilized to apply pressure to both edges.

The great thing about the finished grain depends on theartistry with which the final veneer is put together, cut, and placed. Atypical assembly is the diamond match, where 4 similar pieces are laid in asquare in various positions so that the grain appears to make a diamond in thecenter. Other patterns stress the stripe, a mottled effect, a burl (from a lumpon the tree), a crotch (where the branch of the tree grew), and stump wood(from the base). Other effects attained are interwoven or fiddleback, a crossor X pattern, a herringbone, a woven pattern, and a repeat pattern.

By Tip Writer

DIY Tips: Installing Wood Panels

2011-09-07T02:10:00.000-07:00

Paneling in wood is a relatively a simple way of producing adistinctive wall treatment that needs minimum care and, as initialconstruction, saves the total cost of plastering. Factory-finished orsemi-finished plywood panels are available in a large sort of veneers andtreatments. A well-stocked lumberyard could have 48 styles ranging from cherryto Philippine mahogany, from plain pine to rare hardwoods.

If you prefer applying solid wood, stock is available inregular or random widths, having factory-made tongue and groove, beveledsidings, or shiplap edges. The material you'll need can be judged by measuringthe wall area, minus the space for doors and large windows, and then adding 5per cent. Lumber must be kiln-dried and left in the area where it should beused for several days to match the moisture content in lumber and room. To givemaximum surface exposure for this drying or damping, narrow strips must be laidbetween the boards, making a sticker pile. Stock that hasn't been moisture-conditionedshould be sealed on backs and edges to avoid substantial warping.

Random-length boards are generally sold to equal 8-footlengths and must be kept together. Panels should be arranged having flashiestgrain in center, or in some other logical order.

After the stock is set up, the steps in paneling are quitesimple.

1. Basement walls or other areas subject to dampness must becovered using tar paper. All walls covered had better be moisture-proof.

2. Over a finished plaster wall, find the studs (they are 16or 24 inches apart), mark them, and secure furring strips (1-by-2-inch or1-by-3-inch furring, using 8d nails), leaving 1 to 2 inches of space at the topand bottom in order that the panels overlap.

3. Remove all hardware that are sticking out and electricalreceptacles and cut spaces (a bit smaller) in panels to grant proper exposure.

4. Beginning from the left corner, nail boards or panels(using 4d nails), first tacking each board or panel, then completing with nails6 inches apart. Tongue-and-groove boards are nailed at an angle; rabbetedboards are nailed square in, in as much as the heads are overlaid by thefollowing board. Panels are nailed at grain angles or in serrations.

5. Where the wall area is irregular, shape edgesaccordingly.

6. Measure, cut, fit, and attach casings and jambs forprojections, doors, closets, built-ins, and the like.

7. Round edges and shape arises.

8. Nail strips on the base of the wall to bear the bottom ofthe baseboard an inch off the floor.

9. Cut and nail the baseboard, working from left to right.Leave 1/4 inch at the bottom over hardwood floors. Mitre the ends at everyjoining and at corners. For tile floors, a plastic base cove can be utilized.

10. Apply appropriate molding at ceiling, corners, andcasings.

11. Countersink all nails and hide them with plastic wood.Remove excess. Finish panels as desired

By Tip Writer

DIY Tips: Polishing Steps and Methods

2011-09-06T23:21:00.000-07:00

image via Wikipedia

Rubbing and polishing are significant steps in finishing.It's here that the final touches are frequently added when a dull or polishedfinish is needed. When a dull finish is required, the finish coat of varnish,after thorough drying, is rubbed down using very finely powdered pumicesprinkled on a felt pad and doused in water.

When a polished surface is required, the work, after beingcarefully rubbed down with pumice stone and water, is then polished using veryfinely powdered rottenstone and crude or sweet oil.

Very soft cotton waste makes for an ideal polishing pad.This pad is dampened with water, then wrung as dry as possible. Rottenstone andpolishing oil, that has been thoroughly mixed together into a thin cream, are thenput on to the pad and the polishing is commenced. The motion isn't the same aspolishing, but it is a straight stroke extending from one end of the surface tothe other.

After the polish has been taken to the highest pointpossible, its brilliance can be intensified by rubbing quickly with the barehand, using the littlest possible amount of oil polish, just enough to keep thehand from sticking to the finish. This rubbing by hand must be done in acircular motion.

When a greasy appearance remains after polishing, clean thepolish off using a soft cloth moistened with alcohol or benzolene. The bestcare should be exercised in doing this. Have but a really small amount ofalcohol on the cloth and go over the surface very lightly, with a circular motion.Never pause or stop. When there is too much alcohol on the cloth, it will burninto the varnish and destroy the polish.

Waxes are created in paste and liquid form and of variousmixtures. They are readily applied using a piece of cheesecloth or a brush,and, after leaving to dry, are briskly rubbed until a smooth polish isattained. Waxes are used on floors, linoleum, table tops, and the like. Waxpolishing could be done over unfilled wood, or over wood filled with pastefiller or a thin coating of shellac. The wax is utilized in the form or abrush, and, after allowing it to dry, are briskly rubbed vigorously using apiece of cheesecloth to get a polish. This must be done numerous times toensure a good gloss.

A simple oil polish can be used in the same manner as a waxpolish on filled or unfilled wood. Oil polish is long-lasting and really simpleto prepare. Equal parts of linseed oil and turpentine, when applied sparingly,rubbed vigorously, and done frequently, will afford a beautiful and lasting semi-gloss.This finish is great in its resistance to heat and water marks, and is usedusually on dining-room tables.

By Tip Writer

DIY Painting Tips: Enameling

2011-09-05T23:15:00.000-07:00

Enameling is more challenging than simple painting, but the results are wortha good deal of effort because a hard, durable coating which nothing else wouldproduce is possible with enamel. Enamel has the added advantage of beingwashable.

All enamels need undercoats to ensure the proper foundationbefore the finish coat or coats are applied. These undercoats dry up having aflat finish. The use of an undercoat is necessary since the enamel is partiallytransparent, for it is made with the best light-colored varnish to assureproper gloss and flow. To enamel a surface:

1. Prepare the surface as you would normally for painting.Clean painted surfaces need little preparation, but stained surfaces must betreated like new surfaces.

2. Apply one or more coats of enamel undercoat (available inwhite) or flat paint, using a brush commonly used for paint. Leave this to dryfor 24 hours. White enamel keeps its color better if grayed by adding of 1tea-spoonful of black enamel to a gallon. Enamel paint could be slow and sticky,especially in cold weather. Place the can in a pot of hot water and you'll havea smoother solution that applies on more smoothly.

3. Check for blemishes. Resand using No. 00 sandpaper.

4. Apply any needed additional undercoats and let dry.Resand as necessary.

5. Put on a coat of enamel, using flow-on strokes of thebrush to prevent brush marks. Enamel paints are "self-leveling" andshould not require rebrushing if paint is applied correctly. Allow the enamelto dry for 48 hours unless a special quick-drying paint is employed. Resand thesurface using No. 00 sandpaper.

6. Apply second and third coats adopting the same process.Allow 72 hours for drying. If enamel must be (applied over enamel, a bit ofcornstarch added to the second coat will give a better bind.

7. For a dull finish, rub with a paste made of pumice andlinseed oil, employing straight strokes with the grain. Remove excess with awet rag and brush.

8. Keep a small amount of the paint of any mixed color forlater touch-ups. A Q-tip or a swab of cotton on a tooth pick makes a convenienttouch-up brush that can be disposed after it has been used.

By Tip Writer

DIY Painting Tips: The Basic Steps in Painting

2011-09-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

The order in which you paint occasionallypuzzles a beginning finisher, particularly with a chair or a bench. Generally, the best policy is to start with the areas thatare least seen—bottom parts, legs, and the like. For the last coat it is bestto begin high and work down.

On panels, the molding must be brushed first, then top tocenter and bottom to center. After the primary panel, brush the top and bottomrails and legs. The rails are brushed right to center, then left to center. Don'twork an area from corners to the center.

On chair or table legs, paint around with the turnings,holding the brush close to the ferrule.

Some Helpful Hints

Here are tips on painting outdoors after you have put a newrail on the porch stairs, or put a fresh piece of siding on the outside of ahouse, or maybe even tackle a bigger job.

1. A white blotter will give you a great idea of the colorof paint when it is dry.

2. Never paint in very cold or frosty weather.

3. Do not paint wet or moist surfaces, or dirty and greasysurfaces.

4. Shellac any knots in the wood to avoid pitch or sap fromcoming through the paint.

5. Do not paint over blistered, loose, cracked, or peelingpaint. Take out these imperfections.

6. Do not apply second or third coats until former ones aredry.

7. Putty all holes after the first or priming coat.

8. Don't use cheap paint oils—use only pure linseed oils.

9. Do not use old worn-out brushes and expect a great job.

10. Brush the paint in. Don't flow it on.

11. Do not prime using ocher or cheap paint.

12. Several thin coats are better than one thick coat.

13. Any paint can become insect repellant by adding a coupleof teaspoonful of citronella, D.D.T., or oil of wintergreen to every gallon.

14. When you keep paint, it is a good idea to show on theoutside label the color and how much is still in the can.

15. To get rid of lumps in paint, cut a piece of screeningto the size of the paint can. After stirring the paint, insert the circle ofscreening and let it settle. Any lumps would settle below the screen,maintaining the top portion clear.

16. Paint odor can be minimized by adding a teaspoonful ofvanilla to every gallon of paint.

17. For painting a ceiling, a long-handled roller, made bysecuring to a broom handle, would save much bending and ladder moving.

18. Steps that are in current use must be painted alternatesteps at a time. While one set dries, paint the other set. Thus an entranceneeded is never be blocked.

When painting walls, naturally, it is commonly needed tosize the plaster or surface on which you are going to paint. A plaster wallwould have a considerable amount of absorbent capacity for whatever liquid.Apparently if this wall could be coated using an impervious film and theabsorption of the paint diminished, the net result might be a saving in expenseand an even color on the surface when it dries. When part of an area —hardwareor decoration—is to be left unpainted, you could mask the area or cover it withpetroleum jelly such as Vaseline. After painting, any droppings can be removedreadily.

Tips on Mixing and Applying Paints

2011-09-05T06:26:00.000-07:00

When you mix paint, make sure to mix adequate amount for thewhole job. When it's dry, check the color under the light in which it would beseen. Keep the color a bit lighter than the effect you want. It is best to usea can only half full with paint. In as much as new cans come filled to thebrim, pour one-third of the can—or less, if you'll be using less—into anotherbroad-based can. Coffee cans are great for this function.

Dip the brush in so that only half the length of the bristlesare covered. Then take out excess paint by pressing on the inside wall of thecan. Professionals place a wire or stick across the paint can for wiping thebrush. (Pressing on the brim tends to spill some of the paint over theoutside.) A paper plate pasted to the bottom of the paint can would help keepyour working area clean.

Here are some steps to get a good painting job:

1. Clear the working area of non-essentials, and collect allthe things you'll require.

2. Prepare the surface. Sand down irregularities and flaws.Fill holes using plastic wood. (If plastic wood isn't available, use puttyafter the priming coat has been placed.) For a good finish, repeat sandingusing No. 0 or No. 00 paper. Brush off all dust prior to continuing.

Old wood must be reduced to a surface free from peelings,cracks, and varnishes. Old paint could be taken out by sanding, or withchemicals and sanding, and a thorough washing using laundry soap or kitchendetergent. Be sure the wood is really dry before painting.

3. In painting, first take out loose bristles from yourbrush by ruffling or brushing on the palm of your hand.

4. Hold the brush handle between thumb and forefinger, likea pencil is held, supporting the broad part of the handle with the fingers. Forrelief, hold the brush as you will a tennis racket. Brush wood first along thegrain, then across grain, and lastly with the grain, at a 90-degree angle.

5. Cover all knots and blemishes with shellac to avoid"bleeding." Bleeding happens when paint oils dissolve turpentine, sapor pitch in the wood.

6. Prime the wood using a coat of thin paint to fill in thepores. The prime coat could be a special base paint of white or a neutralcolor, or it could be a thinned version of the finish paint you decide to use.Put on the first coat firmly with a brush; do not just "flow" thepaint. The brush marks may show after this coat, but would be covered by thesecond, heavier coat that follows. Let the prime coat dry for at least 24hours.

7. Paint can be put on over stain when water stain ornon-grain-raising stain was used. Otherwise, the surface must first beshellacked (one or two coats) or be covered using aluminum paint.

8. Paint a second coat, using firm strokes with the grain.Check the paint now and then for consistency. Allow 48 hours for drying.

9. If needed, paint a third coat. Allow 72 hours for drying.

By Tip Writer

The Portable Power Saw: A Practical and Powerful Gadget

2011-09-05T03:35:00.000-07:00

photo by Chance Agrella

The portable power saw is very much a muscle-and-time saverthat it ranks a high place in the home workshop. The portable electric saw ismade to substitute electrical power for muscle power. Generally, it saves 50 to90 per cent in time for most procedures, and a proportionate measure of energy.But most important, by removing some of the drudgery out of your work, it makeshome woodworking more interesting and fulfilling. Your own effort is confinedto lifting and guiding the saw along the markings.

Cutting where the saw must be taken to the work, or cuttinglumber down to a size which your other saws can handle are the primaryfunctions that this saw does better than any other.

The portable saw can be found in shops that already carry table saws. There is a great variety of saws made but the 7-inch is the perfectone for the home workshop.

By using certain blades, you can, cut other materials otherthan wood—Fiberglas, corrugated sheet metal, slate, and more.

Irrespective of your accuracy with a handsaw, the power sawwould provide a more exact cut after you have adjusted your own skills andlearned to use the built-in guides and other guides that can be bought orimprovised. These will help accomplish true and even cuts.

Saws are sorted by the size of the blade they carry. A blade6 inches in diameter is regarded a small saw, one 10 inches in diameter a largesaw. A 6 1/2- or 7-inch saw will cut 2 1/2 inches vertically. At 45 degrees, itwill cut 2 inches. Thus, the cut is enough for cutting a 2-by-4.

Using the Portable Saw

Depth of cut is determined by an adjustable base thatsupports the saw on the work and is bound in place by a handy tighteningdevice, like a winged nut. A notch in the forward edge of the base enables youto saw a straight line without the use of a guide. Just follow a penciled cutline "free hand," keeping the line in the notch. The base also leanslaterally, allowing the means of accurately controlling the bevel angle of yourcut. Here once more, a handy tightening device, like a wing nut, holds the baseat the cutting angle you choose, and the angle is shown in degrees on a scale.Also on the saw is generally a ripping guide that enables you to make astraight cut a quantified distance' from the edge of a piece of material. Theguide can be removed when not in use.

The saw is turned on and off through a trigger type ofswitch situated in the pistol-grip handle. This placement is an efficient wayto grip the saw, work with it, and control it having minimum fatigue. Theweight of the saw makes a big difference, naturally, in how rapidly you tirewhen using it. For this reason, don't select a saw with excessively heavyconstruction or one that is not well balanced. Such a tool will be too tiringto use. Heft it in the store before you buy it and feel the balance.

By Tip Writer

Planning and Organizing Your Children's Bathroom

2011-08-30T06:09:00.000-07:00

flickr image by JEFFREY'S MURALS

Once you have gone through the process of organizing the bathroom for adult family members, you can proceed to the bathroom of the children. By clearing your bathroom of all things unnecessary and organizing it in an easy to use manner, you encourage the children to become more independent and develop their self-learning skills.

Use the discovery process of category development to help your children create personalized systems for themselves. Assigning each child his or her own every day use drawer (and subdividing the drawers into several finite categories where suitable) will restrict quarrels. Frequently, children have less gear than adults—that is, till they reach their teen years! While your kids are still small, you could store extra towels or warehouse supplies in their cabinets when you find extra space...READ MORE>>>

DIY Decorating With Red Theme

2011-08-23T04:02:00.000-07:00

Two times in a year, that is during Valentine's Day and Christmas, red becomes the dominant color presented in shop windows and magazines. For this color, it's highly undervalued as a base around which to build your decorating scheme.

The Pros and Cons of Red

When in doubt, paint it white. Nevertheless, some smashing rooms are done in shades of red. Some decorating guru would say that everybody loves red. It is the happiest of colors. Red symbolizes easy playfulness and it beams energy.

There are however, many prejudices voiced against red rooms in a home, like:

1. It's too priestly or Victorian.

2. It just belongs in a child's room.

3. It's remindful of old-time saloons having crimson flocked wallpaper.

4. It belongs in public places, like the carpet in a hotel or lounge of an airport.

5. It's excessively regal, as in red velvet capes.

Preconceptions aside, red gives wonderful possibilities and is turning to be more and more popular.

The Finest Places for Red

So where is red best? Hallways look terrific in red. Most entry ways are dark, and red is an excellent color for producing fervor in dark areas. Rather than just lightening up as with a light color, red pulls in warmth and richness. Red also forges good with several other colors. Red is a wonderful color for a dining room. Food, people, and flowers look excellent in a red room. Red positively makes a room glowing when there is candlelight or a fire in the fireplace. Red enhances all the elements in a library or den. Dark wooden furniture, books, leather, tapestry, needlework, and brass look good on red red. Bright white is a good company for your wood trim and doors. Red paint or wallpaper is elegant inside a china cabinet or bookcases. Oriental rugs with red in them are a good choice for floor covering in a red room. Red is enchanting with bronze or gold leaf. Red upholstered fabric is fantastic with dark mahogany furniture.

Red furniture?

You might think it sounds horrifying till you imagine Chinese red-lacquered furniture. A red-painted casual table seems to fit in wherever you place it. Sometimes it could bear a red tole lamp and at other times like a huge white vase of red or white roses with deep green leaves.

Shades of Red

Naturally there are several different shades of red. Some tend toward the pink red of brick or terra-cotta, some include blue or purple in the color. Then there are the clarets. Each shade produces a different ambiance. Dark cranberry red is often seen in early New England houses. Used with deep green or federal blue and you've got a great Early American mix.

Paint specialists frequently urge putting a clear glaze to red wall paint. This gives it a shiny, rich finish. At times, deep red, right out of the can, looks cloudy and dull after it dries out. In this instance, put on a coat of semi-gloss, clear polyurethane for that glazed effect.

Decorating Strategies At Christmas

2011-08-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

With so much decorative selections at Christmas, a strategy is necessary to see to it that whatever is done looks coordinated, well staged and beautiful, and not haphazard and disorganized. By making a few basic or traditional decorations along with testing creative and different ideas, beautiful and pleasing ornamental surroundings can be produced in all homes.

Traditional decorating themes include applying wreaths for doors or entrances and on a wall with unobstructed view. Garlands can be positioned along surface where they can be hung up vertically or horizontally. And Christmas lights can be utilized by itself or with garlands, in shrubs and naturally on Christmas trees.

Using Christmas lights outside along the frame of homes and icicle shaped ones to adorn the roof lines of houses have become really popular. Icicle lights are just as easy as normal lights to put in place and they make a very pleasing display for the holiday season. Adding color to these outdoor light displays can also make homes and the lighting display look more dramatic.

For indoor lighting, candles have become an attractive Christmas ornamental item as they can light up the night in low-key but beautiful manner. Candles create a aesthetic look when displayed at windowpanes if there are at the least two sets of two or three windows directly above one another, which is in a vertical pattern. Modern technologies with candles have also made them safer to use. There are electric candles but also battery-operated ones that can be applied safely rather than electrical ones or in places where there are no electrical outlets.

There are also creative ways to use and integrate several items around the home to make Christmas decorations. Christmas or holiday ribbons can be applied to make bows that are pinned onto draperies to provide a festive appearance and a creative Christmas decoration. Like curtains, houseplants could also be decorated for the holidays. Small Christmas ornaments can be lightly placed on houseplants to give porches, terraces and front lawns a surprising Christmas cosmetic look.

Though many individuals don't use Christmas stockings any longer to stuff Christmas gifts, they can still be used to create excellent Christmas decorations. A collection of Christmas stockings can be tacked on the mantle, shelf or a wall with or without anything inside them. They'll look just as beautiful as those that are oftentimes seen in stores.

Christmas lights can also be wrapped along with garlands on a balustrade or stair railing to add a flashing Christmas look. Mistletoe can also be hung up just about anywhere with or without Christmas lights. If the tale around mistletoe is believed however, then it ought to be hung somewhere with room underneath where two folks can have a friendly holiday kiss or even a hug. Faux snow can also be sprinkled on garlands, mistletoes and wreaths to further raise their visual aspect with something from the Christmas season. And to adopt a decorative feature from department stores, various differently sized boxes can be wrapped, piled in a haphazard style and placed in a nook from floor to ceiling to make a gift pillar decoration.

Old Christmas cards can also be used for decoration by cutting images from them to create a collage. The pictures are then pasted onto a paperboard that can be framed or hung up as is on a wall as Christmas decoration. Even Christmas biscuit cutters could be put to an easy, simple and creative use as a ornamental item at Christmas time. A ribbon can be used to string two or three or even single biscuit cutters that can be put on the Christmas tree or at a window as decorative ornaments.

Any home can consequently be decorated to be appealing for Christmas and the holidays, given the several ideas and ways that Christmas decoration can be done.

DIY Easy Christmas Decorating Tips

2011-08-21T23:51:00.000-07:00

Everyone seems to have a great deal of duties during the holidays than at any time of the year. Most folks are too engaged with family and jobs to even entertain or decorate extravagantly. On that point, here are some thoughts for do-it-yourself party decorations that will earn your home a warm, refined, and inviting atmosphere without an unreasonable quantity of time put in.

Reds and Greens

Gift wrap "pretend" packages with green, red, or silver shiny paper, tie using plush white satin or silver ribbons, and stack on a silver tray to dress a side table or use it as a centerpiece. The boxes may be empty, or employ any boxes from the food pantry to wrap and use just for decoration. Cereal boxes are a good candidate.

No Time to Decorate

Cut huge branches of pine and place on a mantel. Put fat candles in hurricane lamps and set on each end of the mantel. A fine alternative for hurricane lamps would be glass vases.

Centerpiece Ideas

Fill a huge container using greens and supply clear tree lights. Or fill a large basket using cut greens from your yard or garden center. When you choose to add a lovely holiday scent to the house and get a festive area, fill a big wicker laundry basket using pine branches. Disperse some pinecones throughout the branches.

Creative Table Covering

Use large leafy greens like cabbage, kale, spinach, chard, curly lettuce, and other veggies to cover a buffet table. Lay your serving dishes on top of the greens and arrange them up so the leaves border the plates in an artistic way. When you are able to get various heights this also imparts interest.

Use Candles

Candles have played an unforgettable part during Christmas festivities. Candles are an easy way to cause us to feel better, since they improve every setting and every room. Ivory-colored candles are largely distributed compared to any other shade. All the same, candle colors are brighter than ever before having orange, lime, and yellow hues as the newest colors. It doesn't cost much to buy good quality candles that burn for a long time. Beeswax, is basking in renewed popularity, and many people are noticing how easy it is to make their own.

The Beauty of Food

Pile ripe apples, pears, tangerines, lemons, limes, and crab apples in a bowl with pinecones. A pretty container made full with red potatoes could be dressed-up with sprigs of rosemary to adorn a table. You'll be surprised at how many compliments you would get. Put small apples on wooden skewers to fancy up cooked ham or sliced turkey on the table. Cuts of raw vegetables can be set up in interesting baskets. Add long branches of greens plucked from a backyard tree.

Lighting Effects

Light up your table with tall, fat candles from a garden center or floral supply. Drill several holes on a plank to hold the candles and cover the wood in silver foil or wrapping paper. Surround with a number of large and interesting vegetable shapes such as the head of cabbage, a variety of squash, and whatever is attractive from the produce section. It may be a creative experience to view food as an ornamental element instead of for eating.

Decorating with Blooms

It's fun to employ unusual containers for holding flowers. Use a mixing bowl, a wine bottle box, or a wooden salad bowl to contain delicate flowers like roses or freesia.

Make individual floral arrangements for each guest at your table. Spray-paint laurel leaves silver (or use as is), and with a glue stick, pin them lengthwise so they overlap around a glass jar. Tie a nice ribbon or cord around the center of the jar and fill each one up using fresh flowers.

Uses for Lavender

2011-08-16T03:05:00.000-07:00

Essence of lavender has thorough uses, from cleansing skinned knees to adding freshness to the water we use to clean our floors. It could be noted that French women put lavender to their cleaning water since it has been acknowledged to repel scorpions. Luckily we have no such demand, but it surely can't hurt to try it for repelling a few of our own bothersome summer bugs. Who knows, we might find our very own cures or excuses for using lavender.

Read more on The Many Practical Uses of Lavender

Stylish and Practical Window Treatments

2011-08-14T23:48:00.000-07:00

Do you recall when miniblinds were the craze? Today they seem passé. They were the innovative version of our parents' or grandparents' classic 1930s Venetian blinds. Well, wooden blinds are now back in style and they are really similar to those old blinds of a couple of generations back, but they're sleeker and much better-looking. Amazingly, they look modern. Like with clothing styles, well-designed items for home decorating readily come back in style.

A Custom Look

If you have been looking for a custom window treatment look you will be happy to learn you can now get it through the mail. Some companies offer a catalog for ordering custom window treatments such as wooden blinds in various sizes, colors, and finishes as well as shutters and blinds. They provide swatches of fabrics and materials employed in their window treatments so you are able to see and feel the product prior to making a purchase.

What Is a Blind?

A blind is a window cover designed of either horizontal or vertical slats that can be turned for light and privacy control. Horizontal blinds could be drawn up and vertical blinds could be drawn to the side for an unobstructed view.

What Is a Shade?

A shade is a window covering made from a piece of material that gathers, rolls, or folds both up and down. The shade can be brought up for light and view and lowered for privacy.

What Is a Shutter?

A shutter bears a hinged frame, filled with louvers or panels, that attaches straight to the window frame. While the louvers are often opened up for air and light, the frames normally remain closed.

Defining Curtains

Curtains are an expanse of fabric assembled on a rod. Curtains are opened and closed by merely pushing the fabric from side to side.

Defining Draperies

A drapery is an expanse of pleated fabric hanging from several metal hooks. The hooks are typically attached to a mechanical rod that permits the fabric to be closed, drawn open, or gathered to the side.

Wood Blinds

The newest in wood blinds are constructed from basswood and not affected by extreme temperatures and humidity. They come with one-, two-, or three-inch slats, and the cloth tapes that line up and hold the individual blinds and run down both sides of the front of the blinds can be bought in dozens of styles and colors, including a safari print, as well as linen in various colors to match your wall paint. The wood slats have a smooth, satin finish or you can have a more rustic look using the interesting grain finished in a low sheen. For a rugged look there are sandblasted slats that display the natural grain through the paint.

Decorative Tapes

While you can find blinds with color-coordinated nylon ladders too unobtrusive that they almost disappear, the decorative tapes are rather interesting. There is a European-looking two-tone herring-bone design that adds texture and comes in seven colors, also as woven, textured designs like damask.

New and Improved Shutters

Shutters have changed substantially from the old days. Sturdy basswood shutters are precut and predrilled and crafted for quick installation. You may choose your color and finish, the number of panels, even the color of the hardware.

Custom Treatments

When you want custom-made curtains, shades, and balloon or Roman shades, for instance, you can order these in a number of of subtle colors and pretty fabrics like damask, silks, velvets, burlap, chenille, linens, and canvas just to name a few.

© 2011 Athena Goodlight

How to Dry Roses and Other Flowers

2011-08-14T00:21:00.000-07:00

Tips for Drying Flowers
1. Flowers picked to be air-dried must be as perfect as possible and moisture-free.
2. Flowers for drying shouldn't be picked too early in the day. Allow the warmth of the sun evaporate the dew first, and take out leaves from the stems to help speedy drying.
3. The faster flowers dry the better they keep their colors.
4. Collect flowers in bunches and secure the stems using rubber bands. Hang upside down on a hook in a dry, dark area.
5. Most flowers air-dry best when hung inverted.
6. Dried materials can stay hanging indefinitely, as long as they're not hanging in a moist area.
7. To store flowers after they are dry, put them between layers of tissue paper in cardboard boxes.

Read the more detailed version here: How to Dry Roses and Other Flowers

Tips on Buying a Sewing Machine

2011-08-13T04:32:00.000-07:00

Choosing a sewing machine is like in many respects, the selection of a car. One thinks of its features, durability, and reliability and require a period of several years with minimal care and repair. The amount and type of characteristics of a sewing machine delivery affect the price. Consider the features you choose as an investment in the development of your sewing skills. If you frequently use your sewing machine, these features eventually pay for themselves. Three good ways to ensure the quality of your purchase are: choose a known brand, buying from a reputable dealer who runs a good service, and ask the opinion of friends who meet the sewers. Note the two big "don'ts". Do not pay for more features than you can use, do not conserve by selecting a machine that falls short of your expectations in at least a year. Beware of "too good to be true" deals. You should be receiving service from reputable dealer offers.

Read more: Tips on Buying a Sewing Machine

Using Bright Colors Effectively for Your Home Interiors

2011-08-09T23:38:00.000-07:00

Many showrooms walls, ceilings and floors are subjected to variations of beige. The vibrant colors like orange has come to permeate our homes. This adds other up and coming "hot" colors, but some color combinations are such that not many of us can live with. New colors are made each season. So how can we be unique without being outrageous? Perhaps there could be a way to combine new and radical colors in our decor in small doses.

Read more: Using Bright Colors Effectively for Your Home Interiors

Wall Paint Techniques

2011-08-08T02:23:00.000-07:00

When your walls demand repair, or if they're covered with ugly paneling or old wallpaper, the answer for transforming them could be to give them a faux finish. There are several decorative painting methods that are great for camouflage and that produce a look of rich elegance kind of effortlessly and inexpensively. To make a faux finish you start having a base coat of paint over which you put on a translucent glaze. Then you create texture using techniques like sponging, ragging, combing, or stippling...READ MORE>>>

Customize Your Own Bedroom Style

2011-08-08T02:18:00.000-07:00

Designers have made it exceedingly easy to make a totally coordinated look for the bedroom that's fashionable and up-to-date without becoming terribly expensive. The bed and bath sections of stores also offer the latest in designer coordinates. The basic ensembles have sheets, pillowcases, shams, duvet cover, and bed skirt—in whatever size. Regardless what style you favor, whether it's country ginghams by Martha Stewart, a floral ensemble by Liz Claiborne, or the monochromatic scheme of Calvin Klein, to identify a few, you can buy the complete set in a bag. They take all the guesswork out of the job since they've done all the thinking for you.

Read more: Customize Your Own Bedroom Style

Personalized Bedroom Design Ideas

2011-08-08T02:07:00.000-07:00

A bedroom offers much more than just a place to sleep. It is also our private sanctuary where we relax and recharge. Bedrooms reflect our personalities. Through time, our tastes also change, naturally, our bedroom furniture, décor, and design changes, too. Here are ways to personalize the bedroom.

Read more: Redesigning The Bedroom to Suit Your Personality

Storage Ideas for Your Garage

2011-08-08T01:16:00.000-07:00

Garage organizing involves a great deal of proper storage. A lot of people go wrong when considering the right storage system in their garage overhaul. Somewhere between putting together their team and vacating the garage, they jumped the gun and ran to the warehouse store and purchased shelving. When you buy products too early in the procedure, you are likely to get the wrong things.

Many people erroneously believe that if they simply have storage shelves, their organizing problems would be worked out. If you rush out and buy shelves and racks but have no total plan for the space or knowledge of the size and amount of items you wish to store, your satisfaction with their purchase would plummet, and thus become frustrated. If you truly like to become organized, you'll invest the time up front to check the items in your garage and classify them effectively to inform your storage decisions...READ MORE>>>

Hobby Room: To Use or To Store?

2011-08-08T00:51:00.000-07:00

Storage and workspace considerations also could help settle whether you ought to create a separate room or just keep your supplies elsewhere. If you work on your hobbies at a particular desk or table, you would want to store the supplies nearby. This is a useful and sometimes preferred alternative to having a dedicated room.

Again, do consider your natural habits, space features, and storage and workspace considerations before you preemptively appoint a room for hobby duty. Similarly, you may benefit from some caution and tactical advice when establishing your hobby haven.

Read more: Tips on Organizing Your Hobby Room

Economical and Natural Look on Your Walls With Faux Panels

2011-08-08T00:02:00.000-07:00

What Are Faux Panels?

Fauxpanels are low-cost alternatives to real wood, brick, or stone siding. Home owners and builders favor its easy-to-install and maintenance-free quality. The realistic quality of the panelings is achieved from cast molding of the actual matrerials such as rock, stone, wood, or brick. This way, every natural detail is intact.
Home owners could use fauxpanels to evenly enhance the design both interior or exterior spaces because these panels are designed mainly for outdoor use but are also beautiful to use indoors.

Home owners could use fauxpanels to evenly enhance the design both interior or exterior spaces because these panels are designed mainly for outdoor use but are also beautiful to use indoors...READ MORE>>>

Organizing Your Closet

2011-08-03T19:52:00.000-07:00

Closets are the basic storage of the household. They're convenient because they are generally scattered all over the house. They offer quick access to often used items. For these same reasons, we often abuse them with our stashing habits. If you want to solve closet clutter for good, you will need to take the time to assess the household as a whole and specify the purpose of each storage closet. When you undergo this process, your disorganization will start to disappear as your closets serve their own intentional, unique, and orderly purposes.

Read more: Types of Closets and Their Specific Functions

Creating a Distressed Effect Furniture Paint

2011-08-03T19:17:00.000-07:00

The process involves applying two interacting varnishes over each other. Ready-made crackle lacquer is sold in art stores as a pack of two varnishes. You will also need transparent oil glaze, raw umber oil paint (those that come in small tubes), and cheese cloth.

1. Begin with a painted piece in a color of your choice. It can be painted using any base like latex or oil enamel. The piece must be clean from dirt by first sanding lightly.

2. Apply the oil-based varnish using a smooth, thin layer. Allow the varnish dry until slightly tacky.

3. Brush on a coat of water-based varnish, covering up the entire surface entirely. Leave paint to dry for at least an hour. Cracks would appear...READ MORE>>>

Interior Decorating With the Right Kind of Lighting

2011-08-03T06:31:00.000-07:00

Lighting is always the last consideration while decorating or remodeling a room. But it could be the most significant finishing component in a successful completion. Actually, lighting can alter the mood of a room and create an atmosphere that is suitable for the activities done in that particular room. When the lighting is totally wrong, not bright enough or too harsh, it is instantly apparent and bothersome.

A Welcoming Sight

It's so easy to produce ambiance with a single lamp. Lamplight in a room offers a warm and welcoming presence. A soft light left on in a front hallway for those not yet home is such a loving gesture. It gives a feeling of coziness.>>>READ MORE

How to Choose The Best Ceiling Light For Your Home

How to Plan And Choose The Right Landscaping Lights

How to Display Your Plate Collection

2011-07-31T23:26:00.000-07:00

Several people collect plates and apply them as a decorative component in their homes. The custom of hanging ceramics arose in Europe. Plates of all kinds were used to dress walls, along a mantelpiece, around mirrors, and around the top of a wall under the crown molding. At least as far back as the Renaissance time, there were ceramic plates having holes in the backs for hanging. They were discovered in very ornate, formal homes as well as in simple country ones.

Today decorators often hang plates as they would a grouping of paintings. Even so, unlike framed art, hanging plates produce dimension. They can supply pattern on a wall where none exists. And, unlike wallpaper, plates are easily removed when you require a change.

Read more: How to Display Your Plate Collection

Ways to Display Photographs in Your Home

2011-07-31T22:20:00.000-07:00

People enjoy seeing photographs shown in pretty frames and this is a rather inexpensive accessory. A grouping of different-size frames on an occasional table or on a mantelpiece over the fireplace readily personalizes a home.

Search for interesting frames for any size photo you've made. And lastly, if a photo of your family isn't precisely what you had in mind, consider framing a photograph that you buy at a local camera shop. There are hundreds to select from and they are super affordable. Pick a photograph of something that holds special meaning to your family....READ MORE>>>

DIY Painting: Faux Distressed Look

2011-07-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

A faux distressed wall paint job can be a daunting task. It requires a lot of work so be warned. This isn't an easy or quick process, but the results keep on getting rave reviews and everyone would want to know how it was done. If you're willing to put in the time, you can make an interesting effect that would easily cost hundreds of dollars if you hire a pro to do it. The procedure is one of trial and error, yet very forgiving because you could correct the method as you go along. The trick is to attack this project with all out confidence. Don't waver when applying the paint, tissue, or varnish. Just smack it on arbitrarily and it will be a lot of fun.

Follow these steps for that great faux distressed effect.>>>READ MORE

Storage Tips for Laundry Room or Utility Room

2011-07-31T19:41:00.000-07:00

Whether your room functions only for the purpose of laundry hub, or it easily doubles and even triples as other purposes, your family requires easy access to it. In order to restrict the time you spend in this space you might need to reorganize your existing room or, if you're lucky, add on a new space that improve serving your needs. Most of us must contend with the space we have, but there are ways to create a laundry or utility room that truly works for the family.

Read more: Organizing The Laundry or Utility Room

Sorting Out Storage Issues in The Master's Bedroom

2011-07-31T19:13:00.000-07:00

Organizing your master bedroom is worth an investment that would pay you back nightly as you turn in and every morning as you wake up to peace and order. The up-front investment of time to organize this crucial room, however, must also be seconded by a commitment to work on the deposited piles and keep things moving on to their right destination. Never allow surface and storage abuse to violate your sacred space!

Read more: How to Organize Your Master's Bedroom

© 2011 Athena Goodlight

Tips on Organizing Your Papers

2011-07-29T18:46:00.000-07:00

Paper and File Management Tips

Paper Storage and Filing System Ideas

In order to tame the paper pileup, these essential systems must be established to allow you to work on one thing at a time. Successful paper-management systems should include a means to process actionable paper, store projects, and access a tailor-made permanent filing system.

Processing Paper

The first system you must set up is a processing center to catch and queue entering paper for action. This is the single most significant system in any household or office. Actionable paper is paper that corresponds to something you need to do. It involves quick turnover items. Imagine your processing center as a runway: You land and take off on a runway; you don't park. The concept is to keep incoming paper moving via your processing center till you can file it or throw it out.

It is recommended to sort incoming paper not by what it is (like a medical or financial document) but rather what you need to do with it. If you're looking at a bill for medical service, ask yourself what you require to do with it. The answer, naturally, is that you need to pay it. So you'll need a tray called 'To Pay' in your processing system. When you are looking at your bank statement, ask what you need to do with it. You might need to reconcile it and then file it. If that's the case, you must put the bank statement in a tray that says To Reconcile, and after you have finished that task, you can then move it onto a tray that says 'To File.'

Your paper-based actions would be entirely unique to you. Some people have a neat filing system, so they file straightaway. Hence, they do not need a tray that says 'To File.' Others do a lot of phone calls and may need a tray that says 'To Call.' People who have many things to do might want to segregate a huge stack of items needing follow-up into To-Do A and To-Do B or Immediate and Action.

In general, trays work best for splitting up your action-oriented paper. For this reason, customized trays and drawers help people capture and take action on their paper. For example, make a To Do A, To Do B and Immediate Action trays to further sort your papers.

Family Room Organizing Tips

2011-07-29T04:31:00.000-07:00

Organizing a family room is more than merely finding a storage for things. It begins with knowing of the purpose and function of the room. Assess the activities, locate the storage needed, and find useful furniture. Now add all these considerations, the main function of the living room: the lifestyle that defines the specifications and uses for the family room

If you are living the single life, the iPod, laptop may be your pride and joy. Download and store your music by artist or genre could be your favorite activity. Putting money into the adjustable lighting and furniture game could be on top of your list.

If you do not have any children romping about in your family room, you may have other needs and supplies in this room. If you entertain friends and parties in the space is assigned a lower priority in visual entertainment and a higher priority to the entertainment experience... READ MORE>>>

© 2011 Athena Goodlight

Strategic Ways to Organizing Your Kitchen

2011-07-27T03:06:00.000-07:00

Many people shy away with just the thought of organizing a kitchen, thinking that it may really take so much time to properly organize the limited space. We may think that there isn't enough time to tackle this project, yet we may not realize that we live daily with wasted time and effort which add up whenever we have to go around the mess in the kitchen.

Let's take a look into the main concerns in organizing the kitchen and specific strategies in making this space most effective for your daily needs.

Read more: Kitchen Organizing Strategies

Creating Your Personal and Business Spaces At Home

2011-07-24T00:47:00.000-07:00

If you believe you want separate spaces for personal and home business use, decide which activities would occur in each surroundings. This is not in reference to separate his and hers offices so each spouse could have sacred space; this is about creating two stand alone spaces each having a different use: one personal and one purely professional.

For instance, when you have a small desk space that meets the kitchen, you could fit it out using a laptop, files, supplies, calendar and a paper-processing center to make a household hub. At this hub you could pay bills, set appointments, organize schedules, and sort mail. The spare room or office may then be devoted as professional space for your business. If you have a huge home having extra rooms, you can pick out two different spaces and call one the home office and one the business. Alternatively, some bigger homes are constructed with two office spaces that may provide an ideal space for both private and business use.>>>READ MORE

Converting the Dining Area Into Another Room

2011-07-24T00:42:00.000-07:00

How important is your dining room to your lifestyle? Should you keep your dining room or convert it to another room instead? Here are some tips to help you decide.

One way to help you determine if you really need your dining room is to ask yourself how often you use it. When your answer is three times a year or less, are you certain you need to reserve a room for the exclusive purpose of formally entertaining guests? Can you entertain somewhere else on the rare occasion when you have multiple guests? Above all, if you are strapped for space in the remainder of your house, are you amenable to preserve your dining room but abandon the thought of having a room you'd use more often?

Read more: Should You Keep Your Dining Room?

Tips on Organizing Your Children's Toys

2011-07-22T23:38:00.000-07:00

We all want our kids to have the best in life. We wish them to have a memorable childhood, and we frequently think that has to do with the quantity of stuff we give them. The point is this: Yes, we all had some toys and electronics growing up, but not as much that we couldn't enjoy the outdoors and the simple pleasures of life. Which would you rather have for your children?

Children who have way too much stuff appear to get over-stimulated and don't value their belongings as much as kids who have fewer toys and are required to care for them. If you or your family members have been providing an overload of toys for your children, you can do numerous things to backtrack. Naturally, any approach you take should be suitable to your children's age and temperament.

How do we deal with too much toys in our house?>>> READ MORE

Choosing the Types of Shrubs to Plant in Your Garden

2011-07-06T07:02:00.000-07:00

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When choosing shrubs to plant in your garden, keep in mind that most shrubs are able to grow in both sun and shade in variable levels. Blossoming shrubs tend to require some sun for it to bloom; while other shrubs, like the Pierisjaponica, mature best in nearly constant shade. Make sure you consider the quantity of light available to the shrubs you're planning to plant. Will the sunlight be direct or is it strained through your neighbor's trees? Is it morning time sun or late afternoon sun? When there is no shade, would the plants be in bright sunlight for almost the whole day? All of these are conditions you should look at before choosing your shrub. Remember them when you go to the nursery.

Tips on Buying Shrubs
You'll be able to buy shrubs via catalogs, from local garden centers or from specialized nurseries. A lot of garden centers nowadays have plants that are raised elsewhere, but some nurseries do grow their own stock to distribute. If you could find a local nursery that raises its own shrubs, you can be reassured the plant will be sturdy in your area.

If you are purchasing at a local nursery, you can see unique plants and select a specific one for the features you want. The plants are also likely to be larger than those you'd get from a mail-order catalog. But you don't wish to choose a shrub that's a bit large. They will probably be more expensive than the smaller ones and might not transplant well when you bring them home.

Nursery owners urge that you get young plants at approximately half the size of what they'll be at adulthood. That entails if you are purchasing a plant that would grow to be 6 feet tall, buy one that is almost 3 feet tall now. The plant you buy must look healthy — no brownish discoloration in the leaves, zero dead stems. Plants must look as though they are substantially watered. Don't purchase one that's wilted or really dry looking. It may not make it.

The people running the nursery can help you decide on the best stock. Search shrubs that contain a number of stems that grow out from the central stem. Search for dense, bushy plants that contain a number of buds on the branches. Inquire if your nursery will warrant the plant. Some will and give a year’s warranty after purchase.

You could order shrubs by mail when you want a strange variety. It's best to order from a reputable nursery source that specializes in strange shrubs. See how the plant is sent out and tell them when you want it delivered to your area. A lot of reputable nurseries will guarantee what they sell and are willing to reimburse you when the plant is damaged during transport.

© 2011 Athena Goodlight

Understanding Different Grill Features

2011-07-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

When checking out different grills features, you may be confronted with what appears like an alien language. How are you supposed to pick the grill that's best for you if you don't understand what you're reading? While the language employed when identifying grills will not get any easier to read, discernment of what the majority of what it means would help you land in an informed decision.

Probably among the most important things you must take into account is the fuel type. Charcoal grills are among the most used kinds of grills. Charcoal grills use charcoal and lighter fluid to heat and cook your food. Charcoal grills come in all shapes and sizes, and differ in price. Charcoal compels you to buy charcoal and lighter fluid every time you cook with it. It must also be cleaned out every time. Charcoal grills come also in small sizes, which are suitable for apartment dwellers or people having small homes. When you have used your charcoal grill, you could clean it then store it away. Propane grills are also valuable for somebody in small areas, since they may come in smaller sizes. Propane grills utilize propane gas to cook your food. If you prefer to quickly cook foods while still keeping a grilled flavor, you could consider Propane grills. Natural gas grills are a bit more complex then smaller grills, so they demand more room. Natural gas grills are intended to hook up directly to your household's natural gas line, and can cook meat in no time. Smoker Grills are employed when flavor is the first priority. Smoker grills use wood to slow cook your meat. Flavor may be moderated by using several kinds of woods.

BTU is the measure of cooking power of the barbecue grill. Simple math will be called for in finding out the amount of heat that your grill creates. Take the quantity of space available for cooking (generally measured by square inch) and divide it by the total number of BTU’s. Ideally you'll want at least 95 to 100 BTU’s for every square inch of cooking space. So for instance, if you have a grill having 50,000 BTU’s with a 450 square inch of cooking space, then you'll be getting about 111 BTU’s of cooking power per square inch. Anything less, and you may want to decide on a different grill.

The next thing you'll want to factor in is the cooking surface. How much space does it contain? Would you be able to cook for only yourself, or the whole family? Based on your situation, consider a larger or smaller grill.

And when it comes to cleaning, does your grill have any sort of feature that afford you to clean it easier? Some grills provide such things like a cleaning door, which makes it easier to remove the spent fuels. This is convenient if you consider a charcoal and smoker grill. Some grills contain a none stick surface, which grants you to cook without food sticking, and provides very easy cleanup.

Other feature some grills offer is the ability to control several areas of your grill using different temperatures. This is usually controlled by knobs on the front, the same as an oven. This makes it possible for you to cook different kinds of foods at the same time. If you prefer to cook a whole meal on the grill, this can be done as well.

Starting your grill vary drastically with every type of grill. Smokers and Charcoal burners calls for you to light the media, then wait for it to burn out and become embers before cooking. This can take about 20 to 45 minutes. Natural gas and propane gas grills can be started right away, whether by lighting the burners using a lighter, or through a knob on the front, which is mounted to a small hammer that slams into a crystal, causing adequate spark to fire up the fuel.

Create a Hotel Suite Style Bedroom on a Budget

2011-06-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

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If you adore the style of a classy boutique or a plush hotel room and you wish to recreate the similar look in your bedroom, it can be done with ease. Some things to keep in mind

are shaking up the bed, a sophisticated ambiance, good lighting, and simplicity.

The bed is the most crucial item to focus on when you want to go for the comfortable and the exquisite appearance. Buy bedsheets that at least have the 400-thread count

for the bed covering.

Use more fluffy pillows and add an additional padding to the bed for added comfort. Choose a good color combination for your room that speaks of your personality yet exudes an elegant and sophisticated look.

Simplicity is the key to a classy look. You don’t have to concern yourself about fancy designs because carefully selected plain elements actually look a lot nicer than busy decorations.

Keep the windows simple also. You do not need to put a valance over the window if you don’t like it. In fact, one is not required to attain the look you are trying to achieve.

Use a sheer curtain to allow the sunlight to enter and a heavier curtain that matches the bed style and bedding you chose for the room.

The curtains should be easy to pull back to let the light in when you need it and to keep the light out in times when you choose to have a darker room.

You can bring home the elegance of a hotel suite. Remember to stay with the simple colors but go plush and fluffy with your bed items. Being simple is not expensive and you can still get the look you love even on a tight budget.

Basics on Creating a Zen Style Room Design

2011-06-26T00:48:00.000-07:00

Do you wish to redesign your room or home into an Asian-inspired setting? Why not try making a Zen room?

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Zen interior design conveys tranquil and peaceful moods, a connection with nature, and distinct minimalist elegance. These are the key points to start with.

Flashy colors and clutter are eliminated. It does not employ the use of complex shapes and patterns, excessive and ornate furniture or excessive ornaments. In fact, Zen isn’t merely a style at all. Zen pertains to a pure state of being.

A lot of people associate Zen with the Japanese culture, but its actual roots come from China. It focuses on meditation, inner awareness, and gaining enlightenment.

Creating a Zen your home is not difficult, but you must enter into the proper state of mind. The focal point is on the present moment, being calm, still, and simply being there.

The initial step is to clear the clutter from the room/s. Remove ornaments and trinkets hanging about. Clearing the clutter is important in Zen for doing so helps in clearing the mind as well.

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Be rigidly decisive when scanning through your stash. Decide only to keep those things that serve an important purpose. If you can’t seem to throw away some items, store them away out of sight.

Free your home from any extra furniture pieces. This includes the ones on the ceilings, walls, and floors, too. Anything complicated or fussy is not Zen.

When you think of color, choose soothing and calm hues. Choose earth tones, warm, and neutral colors only. Make sure to allow sunlight to enter the room. This will be the primary light source during the daytime.

Always keep in mind that space, light, and function are significant in a Zen home.

© Athena Goodlight on Gomestic