Create a Jewel Box of a Powder Room with Venetian Plasters
July 31, 2008
Create a Jewel Box of a Powder Room with Venetian Plasters
by: Jay Dorman
Oh yes, it’s the tiniest room in our home - and the one that all our guests see, eventually. It holds such potential allure and such realized dread. We want that critical bit of real estate to make a good impression, we want it to be original, we want it to be sexy even - but how? Easy! Let your imagination run free! Be wildly creative! Be daring! A fantasy faux finish is perfect for grabbing everyone’s attention and setting the tone and attitude when those special guests enter that necessary little room.
So many options, so little space! Great, do something unexpected. Faux finishes can be simple and stately, subtly underdone, just a whisper on the wall. But in a powder room, why bother with tried and true when luxurious and exotic is so much more fun? Go ahead and make a statement with the wall treatment. Make your friends and family gasp for the first time in a very long time. It’ll be fun for them and for especially for you.
Garden Fencing
July 31, 2008
I made my very first garden when I was six in a small corner at the end of my grandmother’s garden. It was a small patch, not more than six rows by 10 plants long, but it was MINE, with the flowers I picked and the dirt that I dug. And I knew that it was mine when Nana helped me put up the sections of wire fencing that set it off from HER garden.
Garden fencing can serve many purposes, but one of the best is to accent and define areas of your garden. Whether you choose a six or twelve inch high border edging, or stand a section of post and rail garden fencing in the center of a sweep of lawn, garden fencing can add a beautiful accent to your landscaping. Take a look at some novel, unusual ways to use garden fencing to make your garden a showplace that will be the envy of the neighborhood.
Wood Garden Fencing
Dried Flower Wreaths Keep Nature’s Beauty Alive
July 31, 2008
Dried Flower Wreaths Keep Nature’s Beauty Alive
by: Dawn Keadic
There are few things more beautiful than a flower. Floral decoration is a mainstay because of this unrivaled natural beauty. Drying and preservation techniques allow one to decorate their home with true flowers instead of sometimes-inferior silk and artificial alternatives. Dried flower wreaths provide a spectacular way to keep nature’s beauty alive for several years.
Often, wreath makers rely on artificial leaves and flowers for adornments. After all, plant life tends to wither, along with its beauty, when left to its own devices. However, flowers can be carefully dried or otherwise preserved in ways that allow their use in spectacular decorative wreaths.
Some flowers can be dried on the plant. Generally this requires a period of hanging in a relatively dark, dry space. The end result is often delicate (petals can break away easily, for instance), but the beauty of the flower is preserved.
Other flowers respond better to being dried in a silica compound. Silica, which is something akin to completely dry sand, can draw out the moisture in a flower while leaving it completely intact and in retention of its natural beauty.
Kids Ceiling Fans
July 31, 2008
There are ceiling fans designed especially for children, which have designs made to appeal to the imaginations and interests of young ones. There is a wide selection of children’s ceiling fans from many different manufacturers. Some fans have themes like sports, rockets, or airplanes. Other ceiling fans have translucent designs or other unique features. Children’s ceiling fans come in a variety of sizes, from petite to large.
Many popular kids’ ceiling fans have designs on the blades and lights. Sports are a common theme. Many ceiling fans have paintings of baseball bats on the blades and have lights bulb covers shaped like baseballs or soccer balls. Other themed ceiling fans are made to look like space rockets. They are often made out of silver colored metal and are painted to look like the same rockets that are sent to outer space. Other ceiling fans for kids are painted to look like classic airplanes, with the blades as propellers.
Other unique children’s ceiling fans have clear blades or neon colors. Some even have lights actually built into the fan, rather than hanging down separately. These fans are smaller and less bulky than standard fans, and the entire fan is glows when the fan’s light switch is flipped on.
The Natural Beauty of Havasu Falls
July 30, 2008
Three major cascades at Havasu Creek create a landscape that is both beautiful and entertaining. At the base of these falls, one of which is Havasu Falls, is a travertine pool filled with cold turquoise water. In fact, the names of the falls, the nearby lake, and even the city all come from the water’s beautiful color. ("Ha" means water, while "vasu" stands for blue-green).
Located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation in Grand Canyon National Park, Havasu Falls stand 120 feet high. The falls claims one of America’s most beautiful campgrounds and backpacking area. For example, beneath the falls lies billowing cottonwoods under 400-foot rock walks which, along with the falling water, creates a striking lullaby for campers.
Although beautiful, getting to Havasu Falls can be quite an adventure. The most popular route begins in Seligman, where drivers can take I-40 to exit 123. After exiting, visitors should drive 33 miles west on Highway 66 to Indian Road 18. At this point, drivers should turn right and drive about 60 miles to a parking lot at Hualapai Hilltop at the end of the road. Alternatively, drivers can access Indian Road 18 via Kingman by driving 50 miles east on Highway 66, which is approximately 6 miles past Peach Springs.
Furniture Down The Ages
July 30, 2008
Furniture Down The Ages
by: Sintilia Miecevole
All the movable household articles of equipment fall under the category of furniture. Furniture can be made out of metal, plastic, wood, glass, or marble. Whether it is an ordinary pine chest, country chair, or an elaborate ornamental cabinet, all are included in the wide range of furniture. Furniture is a decorative item that serves a purpose. Therefore it can be treated both as an item of necessity and luxury. Moreover, furniture is not restricted to the common stuffs like bed, chair and table only. In fact, other home furnishing materials like rugs, lamps, and mirrors etc are also counted as furniture.
The style of furniture has been changing as civilization has progressed. Various techniques of inlaying, woodcarving, painting, veneering, gilding and marquetry have been used to decorate furniture and make it look attractive. Furniture in the western culture is embellished in the styles followed by the Egyptians, Chinese, Gothic and Greeks.
It is logical to assume that the idea of making furniture must have originated from the human needs. Perhaps, the chest was the first piece of furniture designed by man because of his need to hide his belongings. Followed by the bed, stool and chair etc.
Ten Things a Mortgage Processor Must Know to be Effective
July 30, 2008
From time to time, we hear a story about a processor gone bad. A processor that seemed so knowledgeable early on but now isn’t keeping pace and can’t seem to get along with anyone. Many unhappy customers, unhappy loan officers, and denied files later, Mr. Broker is forced to seek out a resolution.
Replacement or continuing education will be required to address the immediate issue. Additionally, Mr. Broker will need to conduct a more in-depth preliminary interview to determine if the next processing candidate can really meet his expectations.
An experienced processor should know:
1. How to analyze a loan file ? Knowing the elements that make or break a deal is essential. It is critical that a processor has the ability to take a look at a loan application with its supporting documentation and quickly determine the likelihood of that file closing. If challenges are identified, the processor should have some idea of what has to happen (and in what time frame) for the loan to be approved.
Wild Flower Garden - Make Amends…Your Plants Will Love It
July 30, 2008
A wild flower garden, just like any garden you wish to plant, requires good quality soil that will meet the needs of the plants you put in it. That means that your garden soil may need some amendment. So why do you need to amend the soil and how do you do it?
The answer to both of these questions depends on what you intend to plant and the soil in your garden. First, let us look at why you might need soil amendment. The ground may have been stripped of topsoil as most often happens in newly built areas. Such areas are often left with compacted soil due to construction. Another reason is that the pH balance may not be at the desired level. pH (parts hydrogen) is a number that indicates the acidity or alkalinity of your soil/alkaline balance. This is important because the acid/alkaline levels of your soil controls the availability of some food elements in the soil.
Feather Wreaths: Attractive And Simple To Make
July 29, 2008
Feather Wreaths: Attractive And Simple To Make
by: Dawn Keadic
Feather wreaths can be a strikingly attractive decoration and are surprisingly simple to construct.
A wreath made from feathers (either real or artificial) can take many forms. They range from playful decorative items constructed from artificial pink fuzzy feathers to more traditional looking seasonal door pieces made from the feathers of wild turkeys. The options are nearly endless. A quick look at any major crafts show will reveal hundreds of possibilities. The many different styles of these wreaths make them a consistently popular accent item.
Although there are many different patterns and ways to construct a feather wreath, one of the more simple means to produce one is by using a basic straw wreath form (available at any major craft store) and several large feathers. This approach requires no additional supplies, except a pencil or other device that may be used to poke guide holes into the form.
Energy Conservation - Simple Tips That Will Reduce Your Energy Bill
July 29, 2008
Energy Conservation - Simple Tips That Will Reduce Your Energy Bill
by: Hans Dekker
There are many good reasons to conserve energy. If we use less gas, oil and electricity we will save money, and the pollution associated with extracting and using fossil fuels will decrease. Reducing greenhouse gas production may help to reverse global warming. In a nutshell - conservation of energy has both personal and societal benefits.
Most people are concerned with making their money last longer and energy conservation can help by reducing our energy costs. Homeowners can do many things to cut down on their energy needs. Perhaps the best thing they can do to is to install better insulation to retain warm and cool air.
Heating and air conditioning are the biggest energy consumers of the average household. Much of the heat and cool air escapes because of poorly insulated roofs, walls, doors, and windows. In fact in a lot of cases heating and cooling is responsible for around 50% of your energy costs. Improving insulation will result in greater conservation of energy and lesser energy costs. Small changes in this area can result in dramatic reduction in your monthly payment to your utility company.
