We all know enough to shut off the power when we are doing our own electrical work (or I hope we do) but what about all of those hidden DIY dangers that you just don’t predict? Here are some ways that people have been getting hurt that usually aren’t on the safety radar. The Power Washer Most power washers will at the very least sting you if they get to close to your skin. Most will at least give you a nice bruise, and some will actually peel the skin off of your fingers, which is pretty disgusting, nevertheless painful. … Continue reading →

Dried flowers can make wonderful displays in your home. You can also use dried flowers to decorate gifts, frame for wall art or use in Christmas and holiday displays. Think ahead now to the spring, summer and fall. You may find just what you need out in the wild, through gifts of roses from loved ones, or in the flowers you buy for your home. Drying flowers isn’t heard, but there are different techniques that must be done for different flowers. Some flowers dry beautifully almost on their own, while others need a little preparation, first in order to look … Continue reading →

Save money and time when you create your own relaxing spa in the comfort of your home. When life throws a lot of stress and confusion at us, it is important to take the time to relax and refresh so we can get back to the business of navigating life and being the best that we can be. A nice day at the spa might seem like the perfect solution, but really, who has the time or the money to do it and do it often? Not me, that is for sure. One nice solution is to create that relaxing … Continue reading →

In the food blog I looked at the idea of handmade Christmas gifts, but what about some Christmas gifts from your garden? If you started off cuttings now, it gives them a few weeks to get established. We have three huge hanging baskets near our back door filled with the most beautiful plant that flower in mauve flowers rather like a violet only larger and they flower all year round in the shade. They look brilliant. They all started from one little cutting from a friend that grew to be enough for one hanging basket. We then took cuttings from … Continue reading →

My kids are going to be involved in several Halloween or Halloween alternative activities in the next few weeks, and I have been told that different costumes may be needed for different events. Who wants to spend a fortune on store bought costumes or have to run out at the last minute when a costume need comes up? That is why I am putting a list together of quick ideas for homemade Halloween costumes. Many of the costumes can be put together with items found around your house or obtained easily at most stores without a lot of hunting. Robin … Continue reading →

Here is a great product that would be good in a playroom, family room or kitchen. It can be installed easily and cheaply but will have a custom built look. The best part of this product is that you can not only allow, but encourage the kids and visitors to get creative and write on the walls. The Lowe’s Creative Ideas magazine featured an idea using dry erase wainscot and pairing it with molding that is attached upside down. The molding with the flat side up acts as a little shelf. The shelf part is useful because you can use … Continue reading →

Are you living in a home that you feel is completely finished? Are all of the repairs, painting, decorating and landscaping are done? If you are, well then I want to meet you and shake your hand. I’ve never gotten to the point where I have felt that a home I’ve lived in was ever finished. Part of my problem, I realize, is that I keep finding myself living in a house known as a “fixer upper.” These homes have a long way to go before they are finished. Out last home came close. I would say that it was … Continue reading →

Does your home have a Little Things List? Mine certainly does. When we moved into our current home, there were 101 things wrong with it. We’ve fixed perhaps 50 of those, and the last 51 are smaller and less noticeable, but they’re certainly there: the leaky tap, the broken light fixture, the closet door handle that spontaneously falls off. I have a little things list, and this summer I am trying to cross them off faster than they accumulate, because these little things do accumulate. And when they accumulate, they make life a little more difficult in all of those … Continue reading →

When finances are tight you learn to be creative about utilizing things and making do. At one stage Mick and I could not afford a desk for me but we solved the problem. Here’s how. We used an old flat wooden door and two bedside cupboards, which had been bought years before at an auction. Bedside cupboards can often be picked up really cheap at auction, yards sales and second hand shops or from relatives who no longer want them. Since all three items were different colors, we sanded them back and then unified the whole thing by slapping everything … Continue reading →