tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45897113435402013842024-03-05T07:00:42.481-08:00Staging/Decorating on the Cheap!Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-67073680908098703792018-03-06T22:15:00.003-08:002018-03-06T22:15:42.670-08:00Dress up those Drab Terra Cotta Pots!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's almost time to start those seedlings and start thinking about repotting your rootbound plants. If you're like me, you have a ton of those inexpensive terra cotta pots in all sizes laying around your garden or in your basement or in your garage. While these types of pots are long lasting and cheap, they are pretty ugly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below are some great ideas to dress them up! I've done all of them and trust me when I tell you......each one of them is EASY.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first favorite pot transformation is so easy, it's scary. Head to the dollar store or a garage sale and scoop up several bottles of nail polish. Cheaper the better. Choose colors that you love to look at and don't worry about whether they'll look good on your nails....because we're not putting them on your nails.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tip: Use regular kitchen gloves when trying this technique.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grab a bowl that you don't mind ruining. Fill it half to 3/4 full of warm water. It's important to choose a bowl that will allow you to put the entire length of the pot in without the water overflowing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grab your nail polish. If you want a marbling effect, use 2 or more complimentary colors. Empty the entire containers into the water. Using a toothpick, gently swirl the polish until you see the colors making a marbling effect in the water.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next put your pot in sideways, turn it slowly until all sides are equally coated. The nail polish dries very quickly so don't dawdle too long on this step.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take the pot out of the water and turn it over onto a styrofoam cup so the pot can dry upside down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you want your nail polish job to pop, spray paint the pot white before you dip it in the nail polish/water. Make sure to allow the spray paint to dry completely before dipping it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sxi2ajCtkrkZQ_pu75sWKVd3T0Z_H-nYYSEsBBTwnCoBRK9iSEZn0ZSQxNHpbq6xXmo_KP3SZ4KQYgPbcb6HQulV1toMHk7bIJ21jJrVBQ9rwdWPDviHo9bU-O4o96tyNNeZCObjTRQx/s1600/nail+polish+pots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sxi2ajCtkrkZQ_pu75sWKVd3T0Z_H-nYYSEsBBTwnCoBRK9iSEZn0ZSQxNHpbq6xXmo_KP3SZ4KQYgPbcb6HQulV1toMHk7bIJ21jJrVBQ9rwdWPDviHo9bU-O4o96tyNNeZCObjTRQx/s320/nail+polish+pots.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is such a cheap project, so if you don't like the first one (or two), keep trying. Practice makes perfect!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2Wza5g-rrcxD_a5qtS810YcC1mPVWJyu44oWIaRqihNdH1hTd76M_fMqhPm5ddDtoXAj-MCTYwIQSf1lnw7EqEKd1q2AWTutNS2vEA3G4AR9uMnhUgqLC2ke2zDvzY3yzD_fF8i6IE_j/s1600/nail+polish+pots-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2Wza5g-rrcxD_a5qtS810YcC1mPVWJyu44oWIaRqihNdH1hTd76M_fMqhPm5ddDtoXAj-MCTYwIQSf1lnw7EqEKd1q2AWTutNS2vEA3G4AR9uMnhUgqLC2ke2zDvzY3yzD_fF8i6IE_j/s320/nail+polish+pots-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWhd3mO8xfXSeneWQ17qZDKxuK0OA48c1wwLr00nIN5G52653xWC37AxsdL0l2PNwBPNQytGOBCI2OPVJphWfSZ3D47cKm_ShYaETyzFoSH0ll8znPqwDD6kIMzVVELzONSmTjH0pJvji/s1600/nail+polish+pots-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWhd3mO8xfXSeneWQ17qZDKxuK0OA48c1wwLr00nIN5G52653xWC37AxsdL0l2PNwBPNQytGOBCI2OPVJphWfSZ3D47cKm_ShYaETyzFoSH0ll8znPqwDD6kIMzVVELzONSmTjH0pJvji/s320/nail+polish+pots-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Decoupage!!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Decoupage makes everything look great!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Head to your local craft supply store, grab your decoupage supplies, pick out some pretty wrapping paper, newspaper, fabric or pictures out of a magazine and the results will be unique and stunning!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVB_wgD1e1Axkdqo4R2lqiQ0LXcW0j65zfg90B61sdO2VXTVFvML9mPa_CT7z6xnWxEJtMdanzIm4DHftHqAgIUuucIrh-cnTclPi2dmS8aSb5vMmptycZqLfDpzg1GTF9NklQGLzEH14/s1600/Decoupaged+fabric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVB_wgD1e1Axkdqo4R2lqiQ0LXcW0j65zfg90B61sdO2VXTVFvML9mPa_CT7z6xnWxEJtMdanzIm4DHftHqAgIUuucIrh-cnTclPi2dmS8aSb5vMmptycZqLfDpzg1GTF9NklQGLzEH14/s320/Decoupaged+fabric.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmafhiKkyfyb7c4lAAO5wIfo2NzstNPgbtzKmk8uFPtVqyoxSVnA6kp0gEqd7_AeHXpVBCmdQ3T3d8H6z5-M-ui2d9Jns7gn4TEak_m-ojCXX7emrCMNuG0YM_-ZuDzvDsLtoUqgYnXVhC/s1600/Decoupaged+paper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmafhiKkyfyb7c4lAAO5wIfo2NzstNPgbtzKmk8uFPtVqyoxSVnA6kp0gEqd7_AeHXpVBCmdQ3T3d8H6z5-M-ui2d9Jns7gn4TEak_m-ojCXX7emrCMNuG0YM_-ZuDzvDsLtoUqgYnXVhC/s320/Decoupaged+paper.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spray paint your pots white or any other solid color you'd like and then grab a sharpie. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDv-4nQDBV1ogB69p2ORHzI9F_qHCQS-SdavFItsAgp2QVC0_zh0nmFmB4h-N9v4fWnH_Wz-woADPEnSl1VBkcrYyF0DzLn-n-IfI1gMWFa0iIrlJ8qAlH_Lev_x5IoTRDt-1oV3iWbj7Z/s1600/sharpie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDv-4nQDBV1ogB69p2ORHzI9F_qHCQS-SdavFItsAgp2QVC0_zh0nmFmB4h-N9v4fWnH_Wz-woADPEnSl1VBkcrYyF0DzLn-n-IfI1gMWFa0iIrlJ8qAlH_Lev_x5IoTRDt-1oV3iWbj7Z/s320/sharpie.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How about just spray painting the entire pot. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg978iS9n7TMBQWpqtmBED08tlTwbzBiolhyzH3HLmPJkSz05F-RYcnLFNoW8aKp8rNxvmT7L1WMw0S-AFmxigRKShelriUioyeIX5OlKjMQ07CWodoIvk-_sgbHEpq88qgVebeoPvL9ZkO/s1600/Spray+paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg978iS9n7TMBQWpqtmBED08tlTwbzBiolhyzH3HLmPJkSz05F-RYcnLFNoW8aKp8rNxvmT7L1WMw0S-AFmxigRKShelriUioyeIX5OlKjMQ07CWodoIvk-_sgbHEpq88qgVebeoPvL9ZkO/s320/Spray+paint.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stencils are an easy way to change the look of your pots.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtVEp1Ms5F11_LH69_5c9if4EzDE2n0aZNnIsW0Z5KHzSZZTrVGOV3RsTBuQy5EsflzKjDifcMc8es4mP_awa_SaPDIfzQODkAx-6FJtF7i4b213OepwhBDrgQYOE9-TtHIeIkQkQtrXn/s1600/Stencil+or+image+transfer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtVEp1Ms5F11_LH69_5c9if4EzDE2n0aZNnIsW0Z5KHzSZZTrVGOV3RsTBuQy5EsflzKjDifcMc8es4mP_awa_SaPDIfzQODkAx-6FJtF7i4b213OepwhBDrgQYOE9-TtHIeIkQkQtrXn/s320/Stencil+or+image+transfer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love the look of tile? Maybe you have some tiles left over from a project? Tile your pot! Spray paint the interior of your pot a complimentary color and then tile away! If your leftover tiles are too large, wrap them in a towel and using a hammer, break them up into smaller pieces.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiH3_WdNL4IYL25Nve_VBsxqnVOBfnApb9fpzCrCP-kmnF5T7hvPbH4tGCGdQA49LGtigHDdote7ptyZrutMbyt6EZG6myRZ5X00W9DTS32YUjyuHl1BFHqfWD7A7qw6JpGBkGKXUu-NoQ/s1600/tile+pots-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1500" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiH3_WdNL4IYL25Nve_VBsxqnVOBfnApb9fpzCrCP-kmnF5T7hvPbH4tGCGdQA49LGtigHDdote7ptyZrutMbyt6EZG6myRZ5X00W9DTS32YUjyuHl1BFHqfWD7A7qw6JpGBkGKXUu-NoQ/s320/tile+pots-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVBdqgwVlENn-QUQ_7v_R3tuqGh7NA2-EpY_vvpzxGoWt6KCzXhEM48gH9kDlv5DHt72libcttFsu5C8IZLePcj9y2Vu1np_q8WtzJwvjyVR3NNoPhh-MMor0D8ZdHrodwldBfq3axAtj/s1600/tile+pots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVBdqgwVlENn-QUQ_7v_R3tuqGh7NA2-EpY_vvpzxGoWt6KCzXhEM48gH9kDlv5DHt72libcttFsu5C8IZLePcj9y2Vu1np_q8WtzJwvjyVR3NNoPhh-MMor0D8ZdHrodwldBfq3axAtj/s320/tile+pots.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now go out there and start making those boring terra cotta pots gorgeous!</span></div>
Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-84853913167741850632018-02-07T18:47:00.000-08:002018-02-07T18:47:06.558-08:00Small Spaces Don't have to be Crowded Spaces<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Small spaces are a challenge for anyone when it comes to not only decorating them but making them functional as well as pretty. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you're a renter, you can't really grab a sledgehammer and start knocking out walls....well...you can, but your landlord will probably not be happy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dining rooms seem to be the most sacrificed when builders construct houses and/or apartments. You don't really get an actual dining room, you get a dining nook or corner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This month's post will be full of tips and pictorials to give you a few idea's on how to make your dining area both functional and pretty. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My very favorite thing to do in a small dining nook is banquets. If you're wood working savvy, then go all out with it. But, if you're not, then you can either build a simple box design or you can purchase a few benches and throw some comfy cushions on them. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SzNq5x5ADmmQ4lG2uh4_M5zp2FyHn61c5yXC0t5_1i7HU-bM2TW6VQg-40_QNzJSRCwBvGj-LHn-z4trQjHP6UxfHtZzuscyzPsGipQiVpCbyLwNKrIGynS9mZ3CTX321gx1a7K4roFq/s1600/booth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SzNq5x5ADmmQ4lG2uh4_M5zp2FyHn61c5yXC0t5_1i7HU-bM2TW6VQg-40_QNzJSRCwBvGj-LHn-z4trQjHP6UxfHtZzuscyzPsGipQiVpCbyLwNKrIGynS9mZ3CTX321gx1a7K4roFq/s320/booth.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trust me folks, this is a simple and easy design. All you have to do is built a box out of sturdy lumber that you can have the big box store cut to your measurements. Once you get it home, nail it together and slap it in place. Add a small table and some cushions and you have a great, comfy dining nook.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJC-OpXThyi7gBoT3pRsrMWPjrxpTiqslxjL8MAZybOGMCyUQKSikuu9eqAryfQTwmIHCI1M9AU3ChyW2yxPXXsKHUh-I0rl8RXgOYg94fkUYbPm8IZYMK3cdtn_X7fltZI4XP6Mi8ACw/s1600/another+bench+banquet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJC-OpXThyi7gBoT3pRsrMWPjrxpTiqslxjL8MAZybOGMCyUQKSikuu9eqAryfQTwmIHCI1M9AU3ChyW2yxPXXsKHUh-I0rl8RXgOYg94fkUYbPm8IZYMK3cdtn_X7fltZI4XP6Mi8ACw/s320/another+bench+banquet.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Better Homes & Gardens had this great idea. Get a couple of kitchen cabinets that match the rest of your cabinets. Cut some plywood to fit on the top, nail it down, add cushions, a small table, a couple of small chairs and you're ready to eat.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MtRXtT0CvFmAHP2S6y5EFlxQ-R_W_DL46bmchaxbW6bKZIvrs9h5vpis4wxj4XPi4b4xmasTp1a-rFFujor2W0jmQIQGWyO32zQomfIWL2hWjDsfxbJwD0-dOYFxYGneBoXkjXDOVgzd/s1600/bench+banquet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MtRXtT0CvFmAHP2S6y5EFlxQ-R_W_DL46bmchaxbW6bKZIvrs9h5vpis4wxj4XPi4b4xmasTp1a-rFFujor2W0jmQIQGWyO32zQomfIWL2hWjDsfxbJwD0-dOYFxYGneBoXkjXDOVgzd/s320/bench+banquet.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Notice that this is monochromatic? The color uniformity will trick the eye into believing there's more room than there is.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fTsqGW0Uck66HS8LisrPLiAQ22W5s_6QSjbh0uDdNg5aM90kOdjJAFGSWUIkcB4wEN7Zi5FJ4d7lKlINsmOaTooJa4V8FPST_E8q0AURqcgnCVHrQpVlrggi4Ho-hE0k4mxgVd7HC7pE/s1600/dining+nook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fTsqGW0Uck66HS8LisrPLiAQ22W5s_6QSjbh0uDdNg5aM90kOdjJAFGSWUIkcB4wEN7Zi5FJ4d7lKlINsmOaTooJa4V8FPST_E8q0AURqcgnCVHrQpVlrggi4Ho-hE0k4mxgVd7HC7pE/s320/dining+nook.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The key to making your nook feel larger than it is? Minimize the number of colors and textures. The more colors and textures, the more it clutters the eye. It doesn't have to be ugly to be spare.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9vTUazbHdkAlJZP8azACurdR1eSDZpaWb-J5YOSicdcHa1cblTyabRBwqxU51NXJCeZwKf6KU5t5mKyFPAwWGoYO-9he-yOMY659qW1hIdnp7m9v5qSw2K1tyRJeZpnANAwxK9tSVCGu/s1600/frame+space.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9vTUazbHdkAlJZP8azACurdR1eSDZpaWb-J5YOSicdcHa1cblTyabRBwqxU51NXJCeZwKf6KU5t5mKyFPAwWGoYO-9he-yOMY659qW1hIdnp7m9v5qSw2K1tyRJeZpnANAwxK9tSVCGu/s320/frame+space.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you don't have an actual nook, try putting a small table and a couple of chairs beneath the windows.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUloKkJHexNOrap_aOnIDlE7tS-xKm3hroLWJVykoiyt4MYL1Wzm_SIc30Hf5RiuRg0FtE3KsP45jm8lw_4Uv0k7TNwm-3Cu_GxQje2FOUYwq5RZhA2xQCY3rTzuAHbYyfatlPaknY6bv/s1600/pops+of+color.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUloKkJHexNOrap_aOnIDlE7tS-xKm3hroLWJVykoiyt4MYL1Wzm_SIc30Hf5RiuRg0FtE3KsP45jm8lw_4Uv0k7TNwm-3Cu_GxQje2FOUYwq5RZhA2xQCY3rTzuAHbYyfatlPaknY6bv/s320/pops+of+color.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Notice in this nook they've kept the walls white and added pops of color here and there? It looks inviting but clean.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that you've been introduced to banquets, go out and try it! I promise, it's not expensive and it's not hard. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As always, enjoy your space!</span></div>
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-26671656834675690842018-01-04T10:24:00.000-08:002018-01-04T10:24:26.101-08:00Books, Books and More Books!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ever browse the thrift stores and see all of those hardback books on sale for $.50 a piece and wish you had a use for them? I do. I love hardback books and own approximately 200 of them. For book lovers the natural thing to decorate with? Books!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's look at a few ideas that you can incorporate into your home with books.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Need a "safe" to keep your valuables, keys, change, jewelry or even old love letters? Using an Exacto knife, hollow out a book, glue some pretty fabric to cover the raw edges left from cutting the hole, and add a clasp or a chain that can be bought at any crafts store and you have a book safe!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAfw3L2hyUHvyiH-tmwo0ovuclSqAfjS5_Ejt54b-3wTbH0TA8_ecGnUAsYvF1Ub1cWm8r0GhOpSzQjDmd-DuUUeYBs0tKPFnIoHoEz5pmVn8n4cPN3fNlpqWlXaNIPYbWLH_ujMnn8z_/s1600/Book+box+idea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="530" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAfw3L2hyUHvyiH-tmwo0ovuclSqAfjS5_Ejt54b-3wTbH0TA8_ecGnUAsYvF1Ub1cWm8r0GhOpSzQjDmd-DuUUeYBs0tKPFnIoHoEz5pmVn8n4cPN3fNlpqWlXaNIPYbWLH_ujMnn8z_/s320/Book+box+idea.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What about an IPad cover, a picture frame, a desk organizer or even a book purse? </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQd3Y6CVnWfwtNbMSbwQT3HLuAtLhRNhaPbbOZHoJsGU-VHUFeD2KSLGAO2HnWyfz-nftrSFro0qog_je88P1BcKZIzj0XCxH2coNJz60CleDNjlMvwdTPibpouoU7X1q3DLde-MtIguu/s1600/Book+ipad+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="500" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQd3Y6CVnWfwtNbMSbwQT3HLuAtLhRNhaPbbOZHoJsGU-VHUFeD2KSLGAO2HnWyfz-nftrSFro0qog_je88P1BcKZIzj0XCxH2coNJz60CleDNjlMvwdTPibpouoU7X1q3DLde-MtIguu/s320/Book+ipad+cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkiIj1bXwcQN19McpamIyCid4owfvPJIGNnR_WtPS8PCRn-lzKpfqLkTPNDLkqcRvLzXBJ-GOQVOoaUtlmQKzxIvPw2TGyn1deUepgDMJelm0Yp-PiwhzJtP9DDFleuVuh3cTDUmNfLom3/s1600/book+pencil+holder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="620" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkiIj1bXwcQN19McpamIyCid4owfvPJIGNnR_WtPS8PCRn-lzKpfqLkTPNDLkqcRvLzXBJ-GOQVOoaUtlmQKzxIvPw2TGyn1deUepgDMJelm0Yp-PiwhzJtP9DDFleuVuh3cTDUmNfLom3/s320/book+pencil+holder.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8HnVkkxcLuEMrfwdBtxOeMs2Sxdc0soSMCi0fLqtjr8Z2QN3nsZacxoa3PR5qMlH8_WZg5f8xLjhLnv6V9gKYS1WDsEbOtHRpHw0MIwkC49wPhk592zjzfPSKYNXjOFgnJR84616_fgG/s1600/book+picture+frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="570" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8HnVkkxcLuEMrfwdBtxOeMs2Sxdc0soSMCi0fLqtjr8Z2QN3nsZacxoa3PR5qMlH8_WZg5f8xLjhLnv6V9gKYS1WDsEbOtHRpHw0MIwkC49wPhk592zjzfPSKYNXjOFgnJR84616_fgG/s320/book+picture+frame.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Pm5sMY6zeZa1dW86pG5XIWjXrUkLnb9jT2co1MXGDyzsw3C8A63LF45_bOjYt5ibtnbOOAIQiS4gi3xxDOm85bxQewKvGL33gDVjWTGLIQ4alVnbX523Gq-x0hosZbHPsdIBFL6Sj_yZ/s1600/Book+purse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="500" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Pm5sMY6zeZa1dW86pG5XIWjXrUkLnb9jT2co1MXGDyzsw3C8A63LF45_bOjYt5ibtnbOOAIQiS4gi3xxDOm85bxQewKvGL33gDVjWTGLIQ4alVnbX523Gq-x0hosZbHPsdIBFL6Sj_yZ/s320/Book+purse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What about a book lamp? I love this idea! Stack your books to suit your vision, drill a hole all the way through them so you can fish the cord in there, glue the books together so they are stable and add the light kit. So easy and so dramatic!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1qcEfwa6GmuzNLb2nRVJVRMN9ERegMEpF8Dz4gyd6LC9NmyX-eWvxr4TgpDY5OIz_z6uqcdrYxWhq829B1HapN8CMjZEkkugDNwRGQHtKSMuZy_Lz_0ERqx4VdU6M9MykiAgQEwzm7dw/s1600/Book+lamp-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="616" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1qcEfwa6GmuzNLb2nRVJVRMN9ERegMEpF8Dz4gyd6LC9NmyX-eWvxr4TgpDY5OIz_z6uqcdrYxWhq829B1HapN8CMjZEkkugDNwRGQHtKSMuZy_Lz_0ERqx4VdU6M9MykiAgQEwzm7dw/s320/Book+lamp-2.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWWz0B93mnnsFO0S9u1Y7viIZ7y543z2kVem1q94FIhSZ_FIJ62CKaC1n1c7pH-9l4fDjGKcyjtcWG5UCFpJhPnboX2z5PyUerqoXzvlzEZMN0yEusSc4EXGMXxEGji7Kyd2KipWbtIdV/s1600/Book+lamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWWz0B93mnnsFO0S9u1Y7viIZ7y543z2kVem1q94FIhSZ_FIJ62CKaC1n1c7pH-9l4fDjGKcyjtcWG5UCFpJhPnboX2z5PyUerqoXzvlzEZMN0yEusSc4EXGMXxEGji7Kyd2KipWbtIdV/s1600/Book+lamp.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Book tables and book desks are another way to utilize old books. Follow the same basics as the book lamps and you have a conversation piece that is truly one of a kind. You can get as fancy and complicated as you wish on this one, or you can keep it simple. Whatever your heart desires. Tip: The taller the project the more important it is to run a strong dowel through the books in addition to gluing them in order to keep them from toppling over.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iGNTBR0-Y8oC_qBmppi7QkRUh8vJ-x4MwEXL_fwI6Xi-qGf442fxai6KtPJccxf6AaDO6L5jf_uxQF8qHNWzqfu1ONKc-wBXAD2EsvbAGj0Ttxp2wbOWmhgXz6w-9Eiveo5721ck-_6J/s1600/book+desk+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="338" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iGNTBR0-Y8oC_qBmppi7QkRUh8vJ-x4MwEXL_fwI6Xi-qGf442fxai6KtPJccxf6AaDO6L5jf_uxQF8qHNWzqfu1ONKc-wBXAD2EsvbAGj0Ttxp2wbOWmhgXz6w-9Eiveo5721ck-_6J/s320/book+desk+table.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RbypV-_P-5PRzS1QSJx6_WRva4uoBYDxo_Jm9YLjyBi4lt-yBqI4zezjM25zi4nkfLsXH6d-w081szVkp4EEn-sPEc46ECRroO03wQSYG6DFIGB2VPCEBYdxQzURxL_0eOFMT-354Wkc/s1600/book+side+table-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="570" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RbypV-_P-5PRzS1QSJx6_WRva4uoBYDxo_Jm9YLjyBi4lt-yBqI4zezjM25zi4nkfLsXH6d-w081szVkp4EEn-sPEc46ECRroO03wQSYG6DFIGB2VPCEBYdxQzURxL_0eOFMT-354Wkc/s320/book+side+table-1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HHgfbMabZYueJiFvrgrtzWuw2ozJYBRpY2tbsoWRwuJuLyQE_1ri1rmRRKYhmFOhSTVpXzPKt-9x5PSQwREeS7Ey_WHNktC4kTunuEsgS-C6RWBUVKivHdZcWplFNaCuWo8z4A-5Vy-I/s1600/book+side+table-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HHgfbMabZYueJiFvrgrtzWuw2ozJYBRpY2tbsoWRwuJuLyQE_1ri1rmRRKYhmFOhSTVpXzPKt-9x5PSQwREeS7Ey_WHNktC4kTunuEsgS-C6RWBUVKivHdZcWplFNaCuWo8z4A-5Vy-I/s1600/book+side+table-2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TqgVHGNllQh8chekf7bakKxrjizBROTL6ZOErAoAdWUtgsnLT-JhSARIFFhKU_Lb5C9OX85PK9KA5MeoKVsEZ1D22czBgrs98huvkTC7l9Pw-UX2Apk6Yopd6_AGJNTfmJDFqUY3p_DY/s1600/book+side+table-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="287" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TqgVHGNllQh8chekf7bakKxrjizBROTL6ZOErAoAdWUtgsnLT-JhSARIFFhKU_Lb5C9OX85PK9KA5MeoKVsEZ1D22czBgrs98huvkTC7l9Pw-UX2Apk6Yopd6_AGJNTfmJDFqUY3p_DY/s320/book+side+table-3.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmJ9cKc4UOiB18TaBB_J6vJSehW_6-GECTr2BbLUIKtB2XPoAfHP9j98TOYuoVJLGuJjCWlHkJc8oF6UN5-1mCWM9D4FV8BqWl28tY6958vqbBuOz3UQ72sLyu7JVtB8DO6Nqj3673sfv/s1600/book+side+table.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="583" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmJ9cKc4UOiB18TaBB_J6vJSehW_6-GECTr2BbLUIKtB2XPoAfHP9j98TOYuoVJLGuJjCWlHkJc8oF6UN5-1mCWM9D4FV8BqWl28tY6958vqbBuOz3UQ72sLyu7JVtB8DO6Nqj3673sfv/s320/book+side+table.png" width="309" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How about a "book" shelf? </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg987kQiltBvChSmf-bcfIg0DNxP0Hsz-G3PYuIyJcBtTEN3Wbp1WxDuzXIu5BhCH8sLUkDoUKblO8xtxw17zS4hzsSKIIVYiO7awPz3VJmcU8YQJr-h2FCzSv1J7t5pvPHMr86sUsm2AVB/s1600/Book+book+shelf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="570" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg987kQiltBvChSmf-bcfIg0DNxP0Hsz-G3PYuIyJcBtTEN3Wbp1WxDuzXIu5BhCH8sLUkDoUKblO8xtxw17zS4hzsSKIIVYiO7awPz3VJmcU8YQJr-h2FCzSv1J7t5pvPHMr86sUsm2AVB/s320/Book+book+shelf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Step by step instructions:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSbkbUT0QAyeC24KoJe9zwvXaL8Yz1VvkebHv49xVtMnCTe1ok0WTUmjIzAbYsZulSQeruALxNeB1ElMPwGZUINCN4hEplDov6FTwcgXFCmQWD9JtXrPfuaaOLWU0pVc8hI3AKg3OFs4L/s1600/book+book+shelf+instructions-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="620" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSbkbUT0QAyeC24KoJe9zwvXaL8Yz1VvkebHv49xVtMnCTe1ok0WTUmjIzAbYsZulSQeruALxNeB1ElMPwGZUINCN4hEplDov6FTwcgXFCmQWD9JtXrPfuaaOLWU0pVc8hI3AKg3OFs4L/s320/book+book+shelf+instructions-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMZEMF0bU2cA2ewJW0it0aT1kqhvBraJEGgET7MgAVoDMOTbX8ompFxVTC8a6mqyr690KK0Ilak6nYJKKYh7j6YMPjDtE5bPwPbejzFKruL8IenKinxCB061zrPJBwrc8xVFY-Gm1brs4/s1600/book+book+shelf+instructions-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMZEMF0bU2cA2ewJW0it0aT1kqhvBraJEGgET7MgAVoDMOTbX8ompFxVTC8a6mqyr690KK0Ilak6nYJKKYh7j6YMPjDtE5bPwPbejzFKruL8IenKinxCB061zrPJBwrc8xVFY-Gm1brs4/s1600/book+book+shelf+instructions-2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lastly, what about a book planter? Be sure to line the inside with heavy plastic to keep the water from soaking through the book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That about wraps up this edition of decorating with books! Now head to the thrift store or garage sales and grab some books!</span></div>
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-64995022402561475172017-12-13T12:55:00.000-08:002017-12-13T12:55:59.506-08:00Hot house? Cold House? Loud Neighbors?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is your house cold in the winter, hot in the summer? Are your neighbors or their dogs loud? This post will show you one incredibly easy and inexpensive (or free) way to warm your house in the winter, cool your house in the summer and muffle the sounds of your neighbors (and their dogs).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By now everyone....well...the two people who read this blog....should know that I love to upcycle. Wooden pallets, scrap fabrics and cardboard are my go to's so it should be only natural that I share some ideas involving cardboard, again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few years back I bought an old house. I would venture to say that there was not one drop or piece of insulation in the entire joint. So in the summer, I could feel the heat radiating through the exterior walls and in the winter I felt cold coming through the walls. Since it wasn't a huge house, I had limited options as to furniture placement. The only wall that would work for my bed was an exterior wall. Same thing for the placement of my sofa in the living room. Super uncomfortable in all kinds of weather.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another downside to no insulation is the fact that I could hear every car that drove by, every bark of every dog in the neighborhood and sometimes I could even hear the neighbor's conversations when they sat on their front porch. Believe it or not, cardboard saved both my sanity and my bank account.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Initially, I had estimates done to get insulation put in the house by professionals.....more money than I had to spend. My solution? Cardboard and fabric.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It should also be noted that I hate, loathe and detest white walls and/or plain walls. I love color and I love texture so this idea was pure perfection for me. Another great thing about this solution is the fact that if/when I tire of it, I rip it off and put the whole thing on the curb and replace it with whatever my mood dictates at that moment. But the best thing about it (other than it's gorgeous and easy) is the fact that it's FREE. That so works for me! Free is my favorite word. I love it even more than "cheap".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can get fancy with this if you want. You can pad the cardboard and make the finished look tufted as the picture below.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcWoYrJWxJtMIwtzEaNKjB80gdBe7skAvkzRsOcFwSQ_pdfxKXTU76gqebcF8KNzvsfGomMdHFsS5WYrFN67YqOn1u3ZkYB_5ANlmDmpGUHyPpmVnUiB24B9FiCuliBrf7iO1E0KJCNyB/s1600/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcWoYrJWxJtMIwtzEaNKjB80gdBe7skAvkzRsOcFwSQ_pdfxKXTU76gqebcF8KNzvsfGomMdHFsS5WYrFN67YqOn1u3ZkYB_5ANlmDmpGUHyPpmVnUiB24B9FiCuliBrf7iO1E0KJCNyB/s320/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-8.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can cut the cardboard into strips, roll it and affix it to the walls showing the cut ends.....only do this if you have the time and patience of a Saint. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdu5pa1yR21hLlRWFUgCBT_J4zP7xb8b7-KomjjFOxzD4gBOlJci84uJhniTwkv6c6yF7Rvx9sQ6zcYxlnuNwtafS9Oj6EnF0znGh74DEOn0pWqaGbw1fKl4lgAUtc7fzpz_D0o6qJ_fTq/s1600/raw+cardboard+on+wall-instruction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="144" data-original-width="620" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdu5pa1yR21hLlRWFUgCBT_J4zP7xb8b7-KomjjFOxzD4gBOlJci84uJhniTwkv6c6yF7Rvx9sQ6zcYxlnuNwtafS9Oj6EnF0znGh74DEOn0pWqaGbw1fKl4lgAUtc7fzpz_D0o6qJ_fTq/s320/raw+cardboard+on+wall-instruction.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It should also be noted that if you choose to go this route, you will have to first cover your wall in flattened cardboard or instead of insulating and soundproofing, it will actually magnify any outside sounds and incoming air.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQ-gzjUEXJACk7Q4gGfY60bHA_mgzUT80Vn4mVIlYY_RpfgZvWnayztetBmY7aRru48xfNBhsODiaNHF6VOcg8bF_qF5jBbmSyzw1w2JSIqb-i5O0lrOuNbbGrkTPdnJF11gxomAbuHeF/s1600/raw+cardboard+on+wall-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQ-gzjUEXJACk7Q4gGfY60bHA_mgzUT80Vn4mVIlYY_RpfgZvWnayztetBmY7aRru48xfNBhsODiaNHF6VOcg8bF_qF5jBbmSyzw1w2JSIqb-i5O0lrOuNbbGrkTPdnJF11gxomAbuHeF/s320/raw+cardboard+on+wall-1.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The picture below shows raw cardboard but since it's flat and not rolled, the application is quick and easy.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDUfRDFNaDzNuIo9lHU86_bqipHQUvqfgaE9moSPfG5yibzVZSSV7vxjrtecHBBtRh-fytSqFQ4zbiaCANzWEY0JA0eRGPukyVfzNf2ZwlBXByXPHpROPuO73eWVbXmI6doZYxSpv9wXq/s1600/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDUfRDFNaDzNuIo9lHU86_bqipHQUvqfgaE9moSPfG5yibzVZSSV7vxjrtecHBBtRh-fytSqFQ4zbiaCANzWEY0JA0eRGPukyVfzNf2ZwlBXByXPHpROPuO73eWVbXmI6doZYxSpv9wXq/s1600/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-4.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This one is a bit more involved but still not as complicated as the version involving rolling and cutting the cardboard.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskkWs_SOqgNLFcEGvTV-JVUQMiF53RvngLq0eDwzAF1DP_o5ik34nHxhq4R2jckooEe51PcJGf1RXv85OK28u5xRWFRNRv6MAbmoYiKphiB0LKyYdngIE2tDA_pgzZtUw95pNOP17MvUQ/s1600/raw+cardboard+on+wall-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskkWs_SOqgNLFcEGvTV-JVUQMiF53RvngLq0eDwzAF1DP_o5ik34nHxhq4R2jckooEe51PcJGf1RXv85OK28u5xRWFRNRv6MAbmoYiKphiB0LKyYdngIE2tDA_pgzZtUw95pNOP17MvUQ/s320/raw+cardboard+on+wall-3.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The one below creates almost a brick or stacked stone texture. While it is a bit more involved than simply covering the cardboard with fabric, it is an easy installation. Cut the cardboard in rectangles of various sizes, affix them to the walls and randomly place other rectangles on top to form a stacked effect. Once done, paint and the finished product will be gorgeous.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvav_XeCdXme1MuoLz2cy73m3z7Bd-tvA-gUaYaavlPV7-Oywx8kmvWiLGGy0M-qOwGiiBs8Mx2hcB-Gm0I3xXINiAPm7J7uHB6VJoasXkccmeO5h9VWXSP7jChMbEpjzt9s9M3GJnX27k/s1600/raw+cardboard+on+wall-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="420" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvav_XeCdXme1MuoLz2cy73m3z7Bd-tvA-gUaYaavlPV7-Oywx8kmvWiLGGy0M-qOwGiiBs8Mx2hcB-Gm0I3xXINiAPm7J7uHB6VJoasXkccmeO5h9VWXSP7jChMbEpjzt9s9M3GJnX27k/s320/raw+cardboard+on+wall-2.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To cover the cardboard in fabric all you have to do is cut your fabric to fit the cardboard and tape it to the cardboard. Once that's done, figure out your placement and using a small nail, nail the cardboard in place. Don't worry too much about your choice of tape because once the piece is nailed securely to the wall, the pressure will keep the fabric in place. You can also staple the fabric in place or you can get fancy and trim it out with molding to make a picture effect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not a fan of flat sheets but for some reason, I buy a lot of sheet sets throughout the year. My children think I have a sheet set addiction. Sheet sets all come with both fitted and flat sheets and before I realize it, my linen closet is crammed full of flat sheets that I never ever use. Well, I never use them on my bed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To get these out of my closet, I use some of my flat sheets for curtain panels and I use them to cover cardboard to put on my walls. Great solutions!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9mG2V_g4LwVgPjL8XkKjETdQxxHkJfy57DtmA7tNu7sVzfRrCsdSbZ5DG_AIZDTMgzhOwtMykJmapmuZWRymquqBuQoiSMPu6EWuhs8KWOa04DYu4SGrAD_3VMNQ9JWtUXxdKuFBBJd5/s1600/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="649" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9mG2V_g4LwVgPjL8XkKjETdQxxHkJfy57DtmA7tNu7sVzfRrCsdSbZ5DG_AIZDTMgzhOwtMykJmapmuZWRymquqBuQoiSMPu6EWuhs8KWOa04DYu4SGrAD_3VMNQ9JWtUXxdKuFBBJd5/s320/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-3.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To make a stacked wall, cut the cardboard into various sizes, pad a few, and then place them randomly on the wall.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGARcDXVoZVky6ZaFxomLneaj2AWxwNLQJysaNPIq2NwfxnQeM5Ik3aosVzXMq1B4jYFbVcJ1cg9wyTFbdBOAYPJ9eZ1njfcA5z8vSAbK3bXI_cGNs80SM5YdG6-US89sW-SZlK7CNB1r/s1600/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="236" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGARcDXVoZVky6ZaFxomLneaj2AWxwNLQJysaNPIq2NwfxnQeM5Ik3aosVzXMq1B4jYFbVcJ1cg9wyTFbdBOAYPJ9eZ1njfcA5z8vSAbK3bXI_cGNs80SM5YdG6-US89sW-SZlK7CNB1r/s320/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-5.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This wall below is perhaps the easiest of them all. Tape several boxes together to get the height that you need, cover them in fabric and nail them to the wall. I love the simplicity of it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfm4U8mYymMteSR-cbAgfvyHvw4vjZYsqiReVqeGrRc4ZmUf7-Zl5CcGa6JCdl4yLPUzzV79A_6ZirGfws-lyqJ3-vDrol8i5zA9ZJesG2bEAKkJi3IVUsfeZAn5gLRxVOKwZX_mQMfeaa/s1600/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="400" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfm4U8mYymMteSR-cbAgfvyHvw4vjZYsqiReVqeGrRc4ZmUf7-Zl5CcGa6JCdl4yLPUzzV79A_6ZirGfws-lyqJ3-vDrol8i5zA9ZJesG2bEAKkJi3IVUsfeZAn5gLRxVOKwZX_mQMfeaa/s320/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-9.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love maps? Try using crafting glue to put your favorite maps on the cardboard instead of fabric.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnnccP7S9CZsicZLHPgNbYAX2lJpFw0Vu0ebXhAPT4iE7hPz_8wIDJnJM-yK1IMG0sFnhmNExOlYVvT0Gu4-zezp-dJQcwg3CbhArY_ukRtR0KJeAdfAid1Oq7rZC0x2Q1Mrm3XDpE5sB/s1600/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="900" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnnccP7S9CZsicZLHPgNbYAX2lJpFw0Vu0ebXhAPT4iE7hPz_8wIDJnJM-yK1IMG0sFnhmNExOlYVvT0Gu4-zezp-dJQcwg3CbhArY_ukRtR0KJeAdfAid1Oq7rZC0x2Q1Mrm3XDpE5sB/s320/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-6.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you don't have a super large map like the one above, print off smaller maps that you can find for free on the internet, glue them to smaller cardboard pieces and nail those to your walls.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLJuydK-kbA_pA5ZPvAzUV6AJtCKo2WuqRdEkWOnThUFnQjT7BUrTQFzMTJ8r8uI5_fwF67xXz7muDtcXAAWIW073-UCw6T0oyE7GNZfqiH93r-fudTYI0Yt12PzwfQ8pnpCPn86N345q/s1600/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLJuydK-kbA_pA5ZPvAzUV6AJtCKo2WuqRdEkWOnThUFnQjT7BUrTQFzMTJ8r8uI5_fwF67xXz7muDtcXAAWIW073-UCw6T0oyE7GNZfqiH93r-fudTYI0Yt12PzwfQ8pnpCPn86N345q/s320/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-7.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's another example of covered cardboard. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwI6t4KDO_Xx7Pwkx3cgSoxRZcVGgc2tD0BqEX2c9so574cBPc_QWWziAYsa37q5OiWtzriWL0Snj4iuiLWnVKA-BLFNt2fS9fgb1WIYUmBtsM-ANRHIEuVNhaMDTgsxyo-6hLHhlCZCI0/s1600/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwI6t4KDO_Xx7Pwkx3cgSoxRZcVGgc2tD0BqEX2c9so574cBPc_QWWziAYsa37q5OiWtzriWL0Snj4iuiLWnVKA-BLFNt2fS9fgb1WIYUmBtsM-ANRHIEuVNhaMDTgsxyo-6hLHhlCZCI0/s320/Fabric+covered+cardboard+ideas-2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A lot of houses have those horribly ugly ceiling tiles. Sometimes they are used to cover up a ceiling that was damaged by an old leak or cracks and sometimes they are used to lower the ceiling height. Whatever reason, they are so incredibly ugly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Try using this technique to cover them. I would recommend not using a pattern but rather using a solid fabric but if pattern is what you love, go for it!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglS4GSvwAn_8oBOmIaj2HlvI8KnwXuhGhogFEY7M8-qqfgX9yx1mxpurfR4iM0ofqCVqmp1uOO0jq0zqTkH9Ci5FFzFufn6hT8-xIrC0VeC0REM91L369gW3T7aqF0B6hwKEq0YNDXKbv_/s1600/ceiling+tile-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="450" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglS4GSvwAn_8oBOmIaj2HlvI8KnwXuhGhogFEY7M8-qqfgX9yx1mxpurfR4iM0ofqCVqmp1uOO0jq0zqTkH9Ci5FFzFufn6hT8-xIrC0VeC0REM91L369gW3T7aqF0B6hwKEq0YNDXKbv_/s320/ceiling+tile-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwADvdxqGSNpZ44s7Pj7Pzl0XdxqwWDJswjbrbKafg-ysZMU-dVUMlfPer7fp7MDnu8Qa7rt1iuvmgcpfExE2UzHpd1z8cLzOc3qhlg7z76GiodoOtEWHPhGZYJsXjERAcZTQaGHif8Rp/s1600/ceiling+tile-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="450" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwADvdxqGSNpZ44s7Pj7Pzl0XdxqwWDJswjbrbKafg-ysZMU-dVUMlfPer7fp7MDnu8Qa7rt1iuvmgcpfExE2UzHpd1z8cLzOc3qhlg7z76GiodoOtEWHPhGZYJsXjERAcZTQaGHif8Rp/s320/ceiling+tile-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don't worry about covering a drafty window when using this technique. My bedroom had 2 west facing windows that were protected by shrubbery and were on the side of the house so I didn't get a lot of drafts from those. But I had a north facing window that was unprotected by shrubbery and in the winter time standing by that window was like being outside. It was also exactly where I wanted to place my bed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My solution? I covered both sides of the cardboard that I placed over this window. When you stood outside, you saw what appeared to be curtains. It looked great inside and out AND it stopped the drafts and outside noises from coming into my bedroom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope this post has given you some creative and pretty solutions to your drafty house. It should also be noted that this is a technique that can easily be done to a rental since it doesn't involve defacing the walls. The brad nails will leave tiny holes that will be easy to cover once the panels are removed. As a huge bonus, covering the walls will prevent dirt, grime, and dust from gathering on the walls so when you pull them down, your landlord will think you have scrubbed the walls.</span></div>
Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-38231264548248623152017-12-07T17:57:00.002-08:002017-12-07T17:57:24.556-08:00Anyone for Dessert?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christmas is right around the corner! As such, I thought I'd dedicate this month's blog to desserts fit for a Christmas dinner but super quick and easy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you're pressed for time, try making a Trifle. Easy, fast and oh so delicious. <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Trifle in English cuisine is a dessert made with fruit, a thin layer of sponge fingers soaked in sherry or another fortified wine, and custard. It can be topped with whipped cream</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The beauty of this dessert is the fact that you can customize it to suit the taste of you and your family. Love strawberries, banana's - use those! Want a more wintery dessert? Then try a cookie trifle using gingerbread and pumpkin pudding. The variations are endless.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUVjNAr5UdRgCucANAb88-ZeJ4sJE0MU25dfW6JjYilXSbggghWqgbu-AABeTA0op0-LJM-N_uTZ8ql5iKqt3kxfIFoU4YGRO-KCzyWie8ZCyhrHQ2I9w95WwfCgk1WrkJCV0vUk0007l/s1600/trifle-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUVjNAr5UdRgCucANAb88-ZeJ4sJE0MU25dfW6JjYilXSbggghWqgbu-AABeTA0op0-LJM-N_uTZ8ql5iKqt3kxfIFoU4YGRO-KCzyWie8ZCyhrHQ2I9w95WwfCgk1WrkJCV0vUk0007l/s320/trifle-2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4-29npPRvamSXrs4NH_3OAomz_AH7qMD7KwuhNngTwpwgu7x8LMBI9_Zgkeb81r0AmfKaMKnGxtWu66Vn_eq9QUuSwtF73z7qScrTbCaFxLw4qdtpwfbxRjdbzCdIDwysIVTtCrvWO4o/s1600/trifle-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="616" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4-29npPRvamSXrs4NH_3OAomz_AH7qMD7KwuhNngTwpwgu7x8LMBI9_Zgkeb81r0AmfKaMKnGxtWu66Vn_eq9QUuSwtF73z7qScrTbCaFxLw4qdtpwfbxRjdbzCdIDwysIVTtCrvWO4o/s320/trifle-3.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OmiaYa4Z-xxZ563rR9jT6V7HN-ETtn4urXA708vchzSLK3-XB0PLyuvYCJqaoxApnKcO7QiVkOWXlYTeRQlQ4erhsFCfR2Qg4Xr2D0ynH4wqNWiW6v4R12UcuslHufA_epI7RpKwflfM/s1600/trifle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OmiaYa4Z-xxZ563rR9jT6V7HN-ETtn4urXA708vchzSLK3-XB0PLyuvYCJqaoxApnKcO7QiVkOWXlYTeRQlQ4erhsFCfR2Qg4Xr2D0ynH4wqNWiW6v4R12UcuslHufA_epI7RpKwflfM/s320/trifle.jpg" width="282" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another fast and easy dessert is the ever popular chocolate cake. How about dressing it up a bit for Christmas by drizzling caramel sauce over it? You can, of course, make your own sauce from scratch....or you can buy caramel sauce in a jar and drizzle it to make a beautiful cake that folks will think you spent hours creating.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcN7bNOdXFVUhKDz2AxFE9mRWJFkNabk7UumkI6x2_ZvNPXMtRVCyux3Nvq90lYtFHtqyzuSnQLJdJ5YAOM-XgaB7AkUjf6mna3s2Om1rl5WBEcbwe8VLvv6jAuhLNrBXH5sxW_bjXGUm/s1600/chocalte+caramel+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcN7bNOdXFVUhKDz2AxFE9mRWJFkNabk7UumkI6x2_ZvNPXMtRVCyux3Nvq90lYtFHtqyzuSnQLJdJ5YAOM-XgaB7AkUjf6mna3s2Om1rl5WBEcbwe8VLvv6jAuhLNrBXH5sxW_bjXGUm/s320/chocalte+caramel+cake.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How about making a Christmas Tree for dessert? Buy some shortbread cookies, royal icing in a tube and some edible beads. Put a layer of cookies, a few drops of icing, more cookies (the icing acts as an edible glue of sorts) and continue until you have a tree. Then a few drops of icing on the "limbs" of the tree and place your beads there to act as ornaments. Done!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMdGe733YoOnygXatWOLdbm_NbnSVce7nStxeY8s4kra4A6ut2vnJ6OgpCgm468CRyBdjEABd8Pe8hk0OIvBwui4sWYvO3KwhdqsxIQqELb9zTV3gCQ-5OprFud6-BXwlZb_7BejYkNFO/s1600/xmas+cookie+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMdGe733YoOnygXatWOLdbm_NbnSVce7nStxeY8s4kra4A6ut2vnJ6OgpCgm468CRyBdjEABd8Pe8hk0OIvBwui4sWYvO3KwhdqsxIQqELb9zTV3gCQ-5OprFud6-BXwlZb_7BejYkNFO/s320/xmas+cookie+tree.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How about a tree made from Hershey's Kisses and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups? Too cute!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhff2jdSiSCrfWKIGDw9Wx2yzaWOclraF1Th55hGiQHrf1anygE3Jz7y2tGtgL0edln1o1LX3EWwlOu9VHSGJAFh70WPsxxhGRSjgaw6U92k6NTQ-wgQUKWVD29-FXrAg16ynXtYAvv1vPv/s1600/kisses+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhff2jdSiSCrfWKIGDw9Wx2yzaWOclraF1Th55hGiQHrf1anygE3Jz7y2tGtgL0edln1o1LX3EWwlOu9VHSGJAFh70WPsxxhGRSjgaw6U92k6NTQ-wgQUKWVD29-FXrAg16ynXtYAvv1vPv/s320/kisses+tree.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next cake is a real show stopper. You can google "Malteser Cake" and do it the hard way....or...you can make your favorite chocolate cake and buy your favorite frosting and then stick malted milk balls on the outside. Once you have your malted balls all in place, heat frosting on your stove until it's nice and loose. It should have the consistency of a thin gravy so if you need it to be thinner, add a couple of pats of butter (not margarine) and a teaspoon of water at a time until you get it just right. Never more than a teaspoon of water at a time. It's always easier to thin it than it is to thicken it. Allow it to cool down a bit so it won't melt your malted milk balls and then drizzle it over them.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyerqMWfNEG6SwsR5YJGM7V4QM0PLUyBk7p2dy7edhW7kL_ZGdlhjYt9dC_dptb8JnecTH33Gba1UEysxa1Ybl4aFN1q3-HQ1S3Vocdwb9AngsZAnWnRcOS3ncgiRKAnlX4xFCFA4Xr_sG/s1600/maltball+cake.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="643" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyerqMWfNEG6SwsR5YJGM7V4QM0PLUyBk7p2dy7edhW7kL_ZGdlhjYt9dC_dptb8JnecTH33Gba1UEysxa1Ybl4aFN1q3-HQ1S3Vocdwb9AngsZAnWnRcOS3ncgiRKAnlX4xFCFA4Xr_sG/s320/maltball+cake.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now you have quick and easy desserts that will please the entire family! Christmas is about so much more than standing over the stove! Enjoy your family! after all, that's what Christmas get-togethers are really all about.</span></span><br />
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-25924934373652226822017-11-01T11:09:00.002-07:002017-11-01T11:09:55.523-07:00DIY Projects that don't cost a lot but have a lot of charm!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's getting close to the Holidays. That means company coming...and staying for awhile. It means dragging out the big roasters and dusting off the Holiday decorations.<br />
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I've included a few links to this post that will give you step by step instructions on how to add storage to your home, how to liven it up for the Holidays and overall, how to make your Holidays a little bit more organized and less stressful. <br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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This link will show you how to build your own inexpensive....but high end looking....pot rack. You can also widen it a bit and build multiple racks to put in your bathroom, bedroom, office, living room or even your dining room to hold towels, toiletries, books, knick-knacks or even Holiday dishes. The uses are pretty endless.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIsn40V0wbVbHUY_TZNJzw1FjniUAbwNR67Q-u1LypFgAG4jK-pyAGgnnZkkMxwW-finv5n5d7ny3Jj7s-GIIXdOKNt12fQ0BcfGcrd8TJfbJ57p5XtcU-nC8LjrWAONnoFR8ZL3aNnvE/s1600/pot+holder-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="634" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIsn40V0wbVbHUY_TZNJzw1FjniUAbwNR67Q-u1LypFgAG4jK-pyAGgnnZkkMxwW-finv5n5d7ny3Jj7s-GIIXdOKNt12fQ0BcfGcrd8TJfbJ57p5XtcU-nC8LjrWAONnoFR8ZL3aNnvE/s320/pot+holder-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlB8l3JH9SSZKGTlvp0hLmg0_qUscIruMmKCaJkVYGKjSoUKEqD5jQWJnMq0ZNjfDsZpkT0Kf7PAolkPspDRgepYc1yBSM0NOABzPas3ugrKP3j14ZKMeKlaFXunfQH2sp5alm4Guf-38o/s1600/pot+holder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="434" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlB8l3JH9SSZKGTlvp0hLmg0_qUscIruMmKCaJkVYGKjSoUKEqD5jQWJnMq0ZNjfDsZpkT0Kf7PAolkPspDRgepYc1yBSM0NOABzPas3ugrKP3j14ZKMeKlaFXunfQH2sp5alm4Guf-38o/s320/pot+holder.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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http://www.hometalk.com/17534693/diy-industrial-pan-rack?se=fol_new-20160619-1&slg=ce604680a1cdc71342841e4f31f3bcb4-6658618<br />
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How about a DIY wine rack? This one is not only great for your home but even better as a Christmas gift or even hostess gift. Easy to make and cost next to nothing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFL4R7GFcsidYwPW0H76-446exT3k-aEoMTvQm4pnTWYuaxGGcerc9_IAwjhcI_YYTvKoqynWOtjHbB_P3ijM87kiO8KxgoTmYZCpQyzj3PoY2gdXk-FpMM0mHFuwkyFIV1bjG4tpGsran/s1600/diy+wine+rack-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="634" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFL4R7GFcsidYwPW0H76-446exT3k-aEoMTvQm4pnTWYuaxGGcerc9_IAwjhcI_YYTvKoqynWOtjHbB_P3ijM87kiO8KxgoTmYZCpQyzj3PoY2gdXk-FpMM0mHFuwkyFIV1bjG4tpGsran/s320/diy+wine+rack-2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXU7UpywT37HuBUlHpWp6_y9FpteF3_Qg44W64dSvezzWZHwvxRUacEGEo9_2bumyNB5eF6EEuWIiLEvRNWel7ctn-U2tzq8qpyJZm_2I6kXu8KoYW4H7_XNKkhcCqzJGlngixMRUFQE5/s1600/diy+wine+rack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="634" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXU7UpywT37HuBUlHpWp6_y9FpteF3_Qg44W64dSvezzWZHwvxRUacEGEo9_2bumyNB5eF6EEuWIiLEvRNWel7ctn-U2tzq8qpyJZm_2I6kXu8KoYW4H7_XNKkhcCqzJGlngixMRUFQE5/s320/diy+wine+rack.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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http://www.hometalk.com/17974251/diy-wood-wine-rack?se=fol_new-20160627-1&slg=565929df8e9680d6d1324be0a8915f65-6658618<br />
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Speaking of gifts.....how about a stunning windchime? So easy and cheap!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKaPDtL8ITN5i9w46S3jTURoDxNeTAr1NJHkZsZJkXQ-ak8NrDXLEPNXQMCykkL3rxrtZqmkRIb31_-9wVcSC8CabTH9QW1WnMvdR3N2o_nN1OR-BbQS1RGH-BuEWXXNQiBVGsWOI_ks1/s1600/copper+windchimes-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="634" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKaPDtL8ITN5i9w46S3jTURoDxNeTAr1NJHkZsZJkXQ-ak8NrDXLEPNXQMCykkL3rxrtZqmkRIb31_-9wVcSC8CabTH9QW1WnMvdR3N2o_nN1OR-BbQS1RGH-BuEWXXNQiBVGsWOI_ks1/s320/copper+windchimes-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0B5GCftcBGMjGL9EoXiOoec5dlx4C8umPV_KHaOZjnQ0d9AtsCglC-dutVMqI_FFtVSMiW6k44PlQFZlxK3OZcWnRJKs8tRGBGFb9oA3MLvsRdpwoFGxs9bK2L2nAHCt6Ceg9BJ8ppGzy/s1600/copper+windchimes-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="634" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0B5GCftcBGMjGL9EoXiOoec5dlx4C8umPV_KHaOZjnQ0d9AtsCglC-dutVMqI_FFtVSMiW6k44PlQFZlxK3OZcWnRJKs8tRGBGFb9oA3MLvsRdpwoFGxs9bK2L2nAHCt6Ceg9BJ8ppGzy/s320/copper+windchimes-12.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
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http://www.hometalk.com/19314711/coiled-copper-wind-chimes?se=fol_new-20160731-1&slg=7b5d96daaccc8f069b77d9f90245581d-6658618<br />
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I love baskets! I have them everywhere in my home. They're especially great when you have company. No one likes to dig through the drawers or peek inside cabinets when they go to visit just so they can find a roll of toilet paper or a towel.....well....I hope no one likes to do that. Plus the host/hostess has other things to do when entertaining guests than to run to the pantry or linen closet everytime someone needs those items. <br />
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However, sometimes those baskets that you've loved for years can begin to look a bit dusty and ragged. The next link will show you how to transform any basket into a modern, clean and functional basket. FYI: You don't have to limit yourself to baskets for this project. You can also use one of those Amazon boxes that you have sitting in your garage. Simply glue some of the fabric around the outside of the box and then make the liner as shown. Cheap and easy. Two of my favorite words!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKofxWA7zgH1HI4UGK_GHqWOFnhqpQPsy64Gg3yjhRo2m7IttEx7TOkRlphhaKKu21X9jOT-ya-QWpaqVGt0UVJ4doz_HF0CERUdqsfz8I2h1JURi9Zs3JyHxxG7pqGI_voae-qF5-ked/s1600/basket+liner-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="640" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKofxWA7zgH1HI4UGK_GHqWOFnhqpQPsy64Gg3yjhRo2m7IttEx7TOkRlphhaKKu21X9jOT-ya-QWpaqVGt0UVJ4doz_HF0CERUdqsfz8I2h1JURi9Zs3JyHxxG7pqGI_voae-qF5-ked/s320/basket+liner-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEianEPDJep00rRpfYVXbqhgMXLbBA9DJ2iJiSmkjTgor6f5zs-JmyWm-YyZAJafWuHp_P7DTzQyhOctroOlOxcAC9CUltrnMmmf1SQD360WXeZTd7-l1nnzQOo5H785xb0O5rvkTWXeLJoD/s1600/basket+liner-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="640" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEianEPDJep00rRpfYVXbqhgMXLbBA9DJ2iJiSmkjTgor6f5zs-JmyWm-YyZAJafWuHp_P7DTzQyhOctroOlOxcAC9CUltrnMmmf1SQD360WXeZTd7-l1nnzQOo5H785xb0O5rvkTWXeLJoD/s320/basket+liner-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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http://elizabethjoandesigns.com/how-to-make-a-custom-basket-liner/<br />
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I hope these little DIY projects make your Holidays less stressful, more decorative and mostly more organized!<br />
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As always, enjoy your space!</div>
Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-20999092816074242712017-10-07T15:34:00.001-07:002017-10-07T15:34:16.911-07:00How to get the Builder's Grade Feel out of Your Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Most of my posts concern what to do (and not do) with older houses. Today we're going to talk about what to do (and not do) with newer builds. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">In the 1950's & 1960's affordable housing meant a small ranch style house with a nice size yard. These days it means the about same thing only with a modern twist. I call them garage neighborhoods because when you drive through them all you really notice are the garages (or parking pads). The builders have made the garages or the parking pads the focal point of the entire neighborhood.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">While the inside of these homes have all the modern amenities that one would need, they are still small ranch houses. Most of the time the garage is larger than the actual living space and there is little or no yard. I think the term the builders use is "Zero lot" houses.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Sometimes, we find a house in a location we desire, for the price, we can afford and when we view the house, we overlook some potential issues. Then once we've bought it and moved into it, we are at a loss as to how to make those issues livable for the life of the mortgage. I have included a few pictures of "what not to do".</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">When these builders slap these houses together, they obviously (1) don't cook (2) don't clean and (3) don't have children. I say that because if they did any of the above, the houses would be designed entirely differently. For example, the kitchens would have more storage and counter space with more plug-ins for small appliances. The dining room which leads out to the deck or backyard would NEVER be carpeted and the bathrooms would hold more than 1/2 a person at a time.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">The other thing that annoys me about these houses is the fact that they have lent an entirely new meaning to the term "builders grade". When I view these houses and I see the $10 faucets and the $15 countertops and the $20 cabinets coupled with the plastic bathtubs and the $.25 a square foot carpet/tile, I always wonder where else they scrimped. While the house may have a jetted tub, 2 bathrooms, a huge garage.....the cheap finishes make the house look cheaply built.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVITP5fBWN6OxZqEcykfruWyuIglkyyS3bu35zKBkp6ADYmDm2G8ADfNcILI3x7aX9-6PQ-AFINJWPdBJ5BFjUTkbbx8hRNeKJYs4FeE13wEDWJj0r60mojF10waYFhSD896cuVKl_8GCP/s1600/bathroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVITP5fBWN6OxZqEcykfruWyuIglkyyS3bu35zKBkp6ADYmDm2G8ADfNcILI3x7aX9-6PQ-AFINJWPdBJ5BFjUTkbbx8hRNeKJYs4FeE13wEDWJj0r60mojF10waYFhSD896cuVKl_8GCP/s320/bathroom.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Here's that 1/2 person bathroom I mentioned. Notice the plastic tub takes up the majority of the space. While this tub annoys me for several reasons, painting a windowless bathroom that is already the size of a normal closet, a dark color is just not a good idea. That monstrosity of a plastic tub with its plastic surround should NEVER be the focal point of a room. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Anyone who knows me knows that above all else I loathe white walls, especially in a bathroom. Let me reiterate my reasoning. There are as many shades of white as there are of any other single color. Maybe even more. White is a very reflective color. I would venture to say white is the most reflective color. So what happens when you put one shade of white up against another shade (or two) of white? It changes all the shades of white and they each morph into a duller and dirtier shade of white. I don't care if your tub and your toilet are made by the very same manufacturer, the chance of them being the exact shade of white are slim to none. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">The homeowner had the right idea in not painting the walls white. She just went a bit too far in her color choice.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Here's what she should have done. Find a vein of color in the tile or the base color in the countertops. In this particular room, it would be gray. Then paint the walls a LIGHT gray. To coin an 80's phrase - a "pastel" gray. A barely there gray. That will pull out the gray in the tile and countertop and it will tone down the whites and make them look clean. Then put up a graphic shower curtain. Going for a country feel? Then do a gingham design with tones of gray and blue. More modern feel? Circles in various shades of gray and blue. On the subject of shower curtains, never ever use just one. The whole idea of putting a shower curtain isn't just to keep the water off the floor, it's to hide the plastic tub and surround and add some visual and textural interest to the room. If you use just one curtain, when you pull it closed, it gives the appearance and feel of a wall thus closing off the space and making it appear even smaller. Use 2 or 3 curtains and then when you close them, they will still have gathers in them which will give an illusion of a window rather than a wall. Windows denote space - walls denote dead end.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">All that's left to do is add a towel or two and perhaps some interesting bath accessories like a textured rectangular basket on the back of the toilet to hold a couple of rolls of toilet paper and a pretty water glass or toothbrush holder on the sink area.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Let's move on............</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCoIZF4Knu8zQehv2NjMv5cTtWPlsGTifWKyY8Ffa0Fy4VH1QkpOBjpbcwznnamczD_mnifMZ4jr5vO0HOUz78h0dVJUy8680lVhKEuLg0vlPCRbpRW79ybuR_9SsSN2BiMn72IsKt2MD/s1600/kitchen-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCoIZF4Knu8zQehv2NjMv5cTtWPlsGTifWKyY8Ffa0Fy4VH1QkpOBjpbcwznnamczD_mnifMZ4jr5vO0HOUz78h0dVJUy8680lVhKEuLg0vlPCRbpRW79ybuR_9SsSN2BiMn72IsKt2MD/s320/kitchen-2.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Builders grade kitchen (in the same house).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">BORING! Cheap laminate countertops. Cheap sink and faucet. Low-quality appliances. Cheap tile on the floor. Stock cabinets - and not many of them.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Notice they tiled the back of the pony wall/breakfast bar? Not attractive. They also painted an already small kitchen red. Another thing that annoys me is the fact that the floor (and pony wall) are tiled in beige. The stock cabinets have a beige undertone but the appliances are white. For some reason, builders think that everything should be either beige or white. Ugh.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Here's how I would "fix" this kitchen. I would invest a little money on new facets. I'd get an oil rubbed bronze faucet which would really dress up that cheap sink. By the way, studies have determined that oil rubbed bronze, and also brass, repel germs so they are the best selections for your kitchen and bathroom fixtures. They can look amazing as well.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmOXw_RsOS9HBdpLx-RfEmoumImOVqbhzRFaR3P5MFPMe7uH-ZZnKAc7ZymPilgUXh96b480nqp30_jof90sz_UDJnUtxYkbUO4kMIp922xGWXoXyuH2tNP104HExLbK5fTRWWHJfDHJZ/s1600/Kitchen-Faucets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimmOXw_RsOS9HBdpLx-RfEmoumImOVqbhzRFaR3P5MFPMe7uH-ZZnKAc7ZymPilgUXh96b480nqp30_jof90sz_UDJnUtxYkbUO4kMIp922xGWXoXyuH2tNP104HExLbK5fTRWWHJfDHJZ/s320/Kitchen-Faucets.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Countertops can be pricey so I'm not against leaving the laminate for another day. However, you can tone them down and make them disappear (well, almost disappear) by changing the things that surround them like the cabinets and walls.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">The walls in this one window tiny kitchen should be light in color - not white - just light. Since this kitchen opens up into the dining room, living room and hallway, it should be either the same color as those areas or just a shade away from it. No dramatic colors! People who love dramatic colors need to be living in large houses with lots of windows. Those of us who don't, need to stick with light bouncing colors and that means light and bright. I would go with a very light color that combines blue with green. Just be careful not to get a color that is too saturated. Pastel is the keyword for small spaces. Not your parent's version of pastel - just a white that is tinted to give you the feeling of the color - not an in your face shock of color such as the red on these walls. Hints of color leave you feeling the room is clean, bright and larger than it actually is.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">On to the cabinets. Stock cabinets are inexpensive and surprisingly sturdy. They can last just as long as custom cabinetry. However, they usually aren't attractive. My solution? Take the doors and drawer fronts down, go outside, sand them until all the poly and/or varnish is gone and you have a smooth surface. Then prime them, lightly sand and prime them again giving a good 8 hours between coats to allow the primer to cure and tightly grip the wood.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Now some folks will say "I don't want to fool with taking all the doors off and taking them outside. I think I'll just leave them up and paint them where they are." NOT A GOOD IDEA! That's how you get drips and smears! The doors need to be flat when they are painted and you need to have them outside in the light so you can see where you might have missed a stroke. Be sure to number the back of the doors so you can remember exactly where each door goes. They may all look the exact same - but they probably aren't.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Once you've done that, paint them white, let the paint cure for 8 hours and paint them again. I recommend at least 3 coats on cabinetry - 5 is optimal. I know that you can get a gallon of paint for under $20 at some stores and I also know that you can get primer and paint in one. However, I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS when you are painting cabinetry. You want a top-shelf primer and an equally top shelf paint otherwise, next year you will be painting your cabinetry again. Spend a little extra and not be forced to paint them again for years rather than a year. Also, cheap paint tends to dull and by next year, your beautiful clean white is looking dull and dirty. I don't care what the label says, you can't scrub cheap paint without it coming off and in the kitchen and bathroom, you are going to have to scrub your cabinets from time to time.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Once you've got your drawer and doors painted, move onto the bases. You only have to sand and paint the parts that show. I like to paint the insides when I redo cabinetry only because when you open the cabinet door - you can see what it used to be. I like it all to look new and uniform. However, you can also use wallpaper on the inside of the cabinets to give it an element of surprise. The wallpaper can easily be changed out according to your mood and/or changes in taste and/or decorating styles.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">It's human nature to want to glob the paint on so you can be done with it. I say to you - DON'T. You want to put thin coats on at a time. This way you don't get bubbles or drips or uneven coats. All things that will ruin your paint job and cause you to have to start all over which will not only double your time but double your investment.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Now that the cabinets are all painted, drill holes in the doors and drawers and add hardware. You can buy a handle guide at any DIY store for under $3. You simply clip it to the door or drawer and drill where the holes are to get the perfect spacing for your handles. Well worth the investment.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Oil rubbed bronze is my choice for the handles. Always try to match your pulls to your faucet. Uniformity is like wearing vertical stripes - it makes you appear taller than you really are. Uniformity in the kitchen makes it appear larger than it really is.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGKsV6P1EfnnxRhQsbm0gwuI65f1w1Uy6w5OKzQhg6RkRakuArjFEXP56yt9gq74LyBZ_ysKs-k9FfwcCmc8-tcaqP12wKJlm56ERRZpNvY7_3_fNXK3GVitSr79C4_hz5OCQh4bAcuf8/s1600/handles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGKsV6P1EfnnxRhQsbm0gwuI65f1w1Uy6w5OKzQhg6RkRakuArjFEXP56yt9gq74LyBZ_ysKs-k9FfwcCmc8-tcaqP12wKJlm56ERRZpNvY7_3_fNXK3GVitSr79C4_hz5OCQh4bAcuf8/s1600/handles.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" /></a></div>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">This particular pull is about $1.50 each. The beauty of a small kitchen is the fact that you can spend $1.50 on each of the pulls because there's not going to be 50 of them required. Use them on both the upper and lower cabinets and drawers to keep it uniform. In a large kitchen having handles below and knobs above (or vice versa) is fine but in a small kitchen, you want them all to match to give the illusion of space. Anytime your eyes are interrupted it tricks your mind into thinking something is smaller than it actually is. The reverse is also true. That's one reason that you don't wear a checked blue shirt with a striped yellow skirt. You'd look 25 pounds heavier and 6 inches shorter. The Same thing is true of your kitchen. Too many colors, too many styles will shrink your kitchen (or any other room) considerably.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Let's put the finishing touches on now!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpx9LL8RpeCgU30dgm2MR-bBIAdX3Mrs9k00x-QWZREBhNNx4X893RtWKG0qA-hUu2iskfkUX29c8Sfm13UsGHnjn723ucQZZdiEW6rSsOu162q2tqK5r1djAwNK8BlpkGyebtRlybTRy/s1600/canisters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFpx9LL8RpeCgU30dgm2MR-bBIAdX3Mrs9k00x-QWZREBhNNx4X893RtWKG0qA-hUu2iskfkUX29c8Sfm13UsGHnjn723ucQZZdiEW6rSsOu162q2tqK5r1djAwNK8BlpkGyebtRlybTRy/s320/canisters.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Another way to expand your space and lend an air of cleanliness is by adding reflective items that will bounce the light around. While we all love our decorative canisters, these plain glass canisters will visually expand your room and will go with any color choice without competing.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">I remember having a white set with mushrooms on them. That went out of style and a set with frogs took their place. Then I had to get rid of the frogs because ducks came into style. The ducks were replaced with another fad.....and on and on. How much money would I have saved over the years had I just opted for pretty clear glass canisters that go with any style and any color??</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Rule of thumb.........add color either in your accessories or your wall - try not to do both if your space is small.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">If you noticed, this kitchen had no backsplash. The area between the cabinets and the countertop was painted red. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pTXBrFL2Go5xsiW_8f_Ncyy3OVBviM8P_05mCHVVR4wIjAiaWapqsohLzOp7QNbG5wIrBPWWc3rFTL3mYTVwakub-rpWBgUEy9LdIMHE09fjPY9yxXJUC_wepcBBi4Bp9eL17_j6DTop/s1600/back+splash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pTXBrFL2Go5xsiW_8f_Ncyy3OVBviM8P_05mCHVVR4wIjAiaWapqsohLzOp7QNbG5wIrBPWWc3rFTL3mYTVwakub-rpWBgUEy9LdIMHE09fjPY9yxXJUC_wepcBBi4Bp9eL17_j6DTop/s1600/back+splash.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTzmSIQjX6WpxP1jwkbv4psQZK19FlHeL2Ue0DvUNzAUIQSQaSQtmL0i3DV2oEyo5QpHBxJYiq-0boF9TVu1qdlNPsuVQBOriFH8wYOraLOw1EE8VFpBt5u_dDVm9YWffLAsatOlzrOBm/s1600/Crystal+Clear.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTzmSIQjX6WpxP1jwkbv4psQZK19FlHeL2Ue0DvUNzAUIQSQaSQtmL0i3DV2oEyo5QpHBxJYiq-0boF9TVu1qdlNPsuVQBOriFH8wYOraLOw1EE8VFpBt5u_dDVm9YWffLAsatOlzrOBm/s1600/Crystal+Clear.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Since my idea of fixing this kitchen involved painting the walls a bluish green, how about continuing this onto the backsplash? These glass tiles are reflective and colorful without being overwhelming. If you're going to do your own installation, the small tiles are the way to go. There's no cutting required. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">What if you're thinking "I don't want bluish gray and I don't want white cabinets"? Let me show you what a beige kitchen looks like. You know I'm not a huge beige fan, but beige can be very attractive if done correctly.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIGbH7tcmB78s6mLpzLMTCfQ_8rI0SD847Su2u3uoMXbFxOmKBM52o3CQ26H8DjMC4rQr2eUNqO_Xz6RCDgHRp-MAcm8pnewp2oFz3hcBssJCJYt5LoorD_vDzFTRF_5nLbz7hNNmJybe/s1600/GlassSplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIGbH7tcmB78s6mLpzLMTCfQ_8rI0SD847Su2u3uoMXbFxOmKBM52o3CQ26H8DjMC4rQr2eUNqO_Xz6RCDgHRp-MAcm8pnewp2oFz3hcBssJCJYt5LoorD_vDzFTRF_5nLbz7hNNmJybe/s320/GlassSplash.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">This beige kitchen is clean and shiny! Just as a kitchen should be! Notice the glass canisters? They add visual interest in the room while not getting in your face! Lovely!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">The last tip for the kitchen or bathroom - never EVER put borders in either room. A border attracts your eyes to it. It interrupts your eyes. It ALWAYS makes your room appear shorter and smaller than it really is. Want color? Get it by putting a red (or any other saturated color) teapot on your stove, colorful kitchen towels, a colorful backsplash. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Next, we talk about awkward support walls.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMfZGoMGGNuOz4gtr8tscyQIj-EVudFsgurLYuiYx1DmuOU5aIzMISL8uJyZcrgZGx1pukNelwdzME-jPjBUHMqh_mteG2D6pQH74E0Wrxa6hwF6r97zGUs3GnB3DG5dRyG_ZGuvQf7rh/s1600/kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMfZGoMGGNuOz4gtr8tscyQIj-EVudFsgurLYuiYx1DmuOU5aIzMISL8uJyZcrgZGx1pukNelwdzME-jPjBUHMqh_mteG2D6pQH74E0Wrxa6hwF6r97zGUs3GnB3DG5dRyG_ZGuvQf7rh/s320/kitchen.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Where to begin with this picture? The first thing I notice about this picture is the black support wall. Then I notice the tiny kitchen (painted red) and the sage green walls (which are nice). I can't begin to imagine what they were thinking when they decided that a single black wall in the middle of the room coupled with the brick red cave kitchen and light sage green walls were a good idea. I'm all for separation of spaces, but this takes that concept to a new extreme. And don't even get me started on the carpet in the dining room.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">My solution? Paint, paint and more paint. Because they painted this black, primer is the key here. If I were going to go with the bluish green in the kitchen, I would paint these walls to match exactly or at a maximum to be only 1 shade darker than the kitchen. I would rip off that tile on the back of the pony wall (it's really too narrow to be considered a breakfast bar) and then paint it the same color as the walls.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Once the cabinets are painted white, the walls painted a neutral color and the backsplash is tiled, this entire space will look and feel so much brighter, cleaner and larger.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">As always, enjoy your space!</span></div>
Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-5324381329939709572017-09-05T07:14:00.000-07:002017-09-05T07:14:04.683-07:00Unique Lighting Doesn't Have to Break the Bank!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Even if you rent, you can personalize your space. </span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Warning: Always check with your landlord before removing or adding any fixture. Once you've gotten the okay from your landlord, you are ready to make these amazing fixtures. </span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Most landlords don't mind as long as you put the original fixture right back where you found it before you move....some landlords might like the new one so much, they won't mind if you leave it....who knows?</span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />But what do you do if your landlord doesn't want you to alter his property at all or if you don't want to leave them when you move? You can still make these amazing fixtures.<br /><br />Instead of wiring them for electricity, you can use candles. Another way to make them more portable would be to hang them from your ceiling with plant hooks and add an actual plug in type cord to the fixture so you can hang your fixture and then plug it in rather than hardwire it.<br /><br />Here are some great ideas for empty coffee cans, paint cans, mason jars or any pretty jars with a screw top. <br /><br />This is actually SO easy! Go to Michael's (or your favorite hobby store) buy 4 lamp kits, drill holes in the lids and board, thread the lamp cords through the board, connect the wires and voila!! Instant mason jar lamp. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The whole connect the wires thing stumps me every time....so I took mine to a local lighting company and they did that for me. Still cheaper than purchasing them already made AND I had an extra bonus in that I was able to pick and choose the materials. Win-win. BTW they are using rods normally intended to drop a ceiling fan.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQMwtHex16fjIV3XKIWQU6PyK5q24HLWDM4CqENH8_BHsJisoFRGv21fOfpIS6MY9GI1e4rxn8DfpiaYfNSZTlBJIG_2peRYdiUkSp5NfcBiW0_NduLX3RDq4m758X2A7ZPipyAjUgyA0/s1600/mason-jar-chandelier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQMwtHex16fjIV3XKIWQU6PyK5q24HLWDM4CqENH8_BHsJisoFRGv21fOfpIS6MY9GI1e4rxn8DfpiaYfNSZTlBJIG_2peRYdiUkSp5NfcBiW0_NduLX3RDq4m758X2A7ZPipyAjUgyA0/s320/mason-jar-chandelier.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.098) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="291" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Yet another use for those pallets I mentioned in an earlier post! This one I know I can do because there's no electrical involved!<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6DaYaw0PzzjHk-BM5DDXnoS1lcPCNFZJLiHYiB5fJOpavK9bnSvqwrxX55iFwmDVihBzQRmJYvLKIWSAdvlhwfsmEe3dW6bVs6FjPfNkxKt-azy4nFTt6vk5TqAIEazHd0rBwHpOsQJl/s1600/pallet+light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6DaYaw0PzzjHk-BM5DDXnoS1lcPCNFZJLiHYiB5fJOpavK9bnSvqwrxX55iFwmDVihBzQRmJYvLKIWSAdvlhwfsmEe3dW6bVs6FjPfNkxKt-azy4nFTt6vk5TqAIEazHd0rBwHpOsQJl/s320/pallet+light.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.098) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="275" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />What a great light! I may just have to make a visit to my friendly electrician when I get this assembled! Notice the first one is made utilizing a wire basket!</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCggPPIg9CSCOqjqjCZ3E9P6dDU6EK4tUi5hiiOjsknP5pL5qNdjZEL63m6d_sFQOBgFSj7zEsZXSQDgrA1e1qFGD09xrBXfOim8sE4esJyozayD01BSS5Z7TRl767bqP6M8PgR4mcNXV6/s1600/mason+jar+fixture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCggPPIg9CSCOqjqjCZ3E9P6dDU6EK4tUi5hiiOjsknP5pL5qNdjZEL63m6d_sFQOBgFSj7zEsZXSQDgrA1e1qFGD09xrBXfOim8sE4esJyozayD01BSS5Z7TRl767bqP6M8PgR4mcNXV6/s1600/mason+jar+fixture.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.098) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNK576ltAqkqytSjvVoP9JobdyxD__KuA-c9Urw_d4DtvBPIKJ6dd_vgUWyBVZuMQoxbITeZpYO2b6jakxU9GLx9XDE3f8DIfWQ9TPB29jjMN-8eqsLDQzi-W8aZcEGTJe470WBAYMC_u7/s1600/mason+jar+chandelier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNK576ltAqkqytSjvVoP9JobdyxD__KuA-c9Urw_d4DtvBPIKJ6dd_vgUWyBVZuMQoxbITeZpYO2b6jakxU9GLx9XDE3f8DIfWQ9TPB29jjMN-8eqsLDQzi-W8aZcEGTJe470WBAYMC_u7/s320/mason+jar+chandelier.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.098) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="281" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This would look awesome over my sink!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBX4nLFUT0ZpjOtsQTZcxB0EcErBsbjaiq3UnFP9_7-_gey9xzbRV08KGQxZfW_koHnQd_atywEKMB1Q42nL5a_w8DtfGyymrvOjXpekn5K-Dn0hZ79An5MkEt5PA9Sgywtjazjc1D1QRy/s1600/coffee+can+light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBX4nLFUT0ZpjOtsQTZcxB0EcErBsbjaiq3UnFP9_7-_gey9xzbRV08KGQxZfW_koHnQd_atywEKMB1Q42nL5a_w8DtfGyymrvOjXpekn5K-Dn0hZ79An5MkEt5PA9Sgywtjazjc1D1QRy/s320/coffee+can+light.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.098) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="222" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Nothing beats the playful light of a punched tin shade!<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_3z3gfE5sIui7i8BNdjjOsOB_0v-3LfFbF2odkYlVt5rYMKN2mdFD7OXNnCSVENEcM9HlYd2UVRi4kCkYIRQS-jEaTG8ASUhID5OKwD6_ulGbTrfoWZquwkc9T_mN4gcGhzXOVU-_Sk7/s1600/coffee+can+light-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_3z3gfE5sIui7i8BNdjjOsOB_0v-3LfFbF2odkYlVt5rYMKN2mdFD7OXNnCSVENEcM9HlYd2UVRi4kCkYIRQS-jEaTG8ASUhID5OKwD6_ulGbTrfoWZquwkc9T_mN4gcGhzXOVU-_Sk7/s320/coffee+can+light-2.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.098) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />These paint can lights are great for an industrial look!<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsE-sMeYGmQfItoYrRfRvxcz66whVG18hzLyaWdnUoVR0-iKSPuPzUD-RZ2oCPE_mSSzkOMsja17s5HhJRJGaIVrMxX4j-pe3Vt3-G9Rvtorub16iANy-LWhlBOB4yNRJ3B5Y4FkIses_b/s1600/paint+can+lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsE-sMeYGmQfItoYrRfRvxcz66whVG18hzLyaWdnUoVR0-iKSPuPzUD-RZ2oCPE_mSSzkOMsja17s5HhJRJGaIVrMxX4j-pe3Vt3-G9Rvtorub16iANy-LWhlBOB4yNRJ3B5Y4FkIses_b/s320/paint+can+lights.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.098) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />These crafty ideas are super easy. Pick your materials, put them together and then (in the case of people like me, who are electrically challenged) head down to your local lighting or electrical company and get them to wire it up for you! Done!<br /><br />Enjoy your space!</span></div>
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-40438362145981138562017-08-01T12:28:00.001-07:002017-08-01T12:28:22.017-07:00Eight Things that are Essential to a Clutter Free Kitchen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of us don't have enormous storage filled kitchens. We have a galley kitchen or an eat-in kitchen at best. If you do a lot of cooking, clutter can get out of control before you know it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are some helpful tips to master the main culprits that cause a cluttered kitchen. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH427rE51U22RFtYTATwtuUsqZYfF-wu4lDhg29sA8HL7smICnjCmP-RHRfiYrarga_pnoHTV7i5Xfsrvx8O7yrWiZzDsBj8mntOOW84ZjUfdisydQbKvURgmhTD5ubUl1BgkUusPWfaZx/s1600/Dishes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH427rE51U22RFtYTATwtuUsqZYfF-wu4lDhg29sA8HL7smICnjCmP-RHRfiYrarga_pnoHTV7i5Xfsrvx8O7yrWiZzDsBj8mntOOW84ZjUfdisydQbKvURgmhTD5ubUl1BgkUusPWfaZx/s320/Dishes.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I love buying colorful pretty dishes. While they might be pretty, unless you use them regularly, multiple sets of dishes can be a big source of kitchen clutter. Choose the dishes that you actually use on a regular basis, keep enough for when you host gatherings, and donate the rest. Also, declutter regularly by getting rid of chipped or broken pieces.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvYMXgZyHdiEvvEgqCaRbnGCPSBh3wEhUPNmsyUDGgcWtunsbutyY_LZN3oM4Gwav-A4vGo3NVMlSAGFiRZujsBxigQMgiKW_Dflb0nyu6n_QzdpYnAJK3UzJGlo3FaDYs65gJtfwnLF3/s1600/wall+storage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvYMXgZyHdiEvvEgqCaRbnGCPSBh3wEhUPNmsyUDGgcWtunsbutyY_LZN3oM4Gwav-A4vGo3NVMlSAGFiRZujsBxigQMgiKW_Dflb0nyu6n_QzdpYnAJK3UzJGlo3FaDYs65gJtfwnLF3/s320/wall+storage.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Odd little corners and between the studs are kitchen decluttering gold. They're perfect for a single depth of containers or dishware, which makes it less of a chore to find and organize items. Look for spots where you can easily carve out 6 or so inches -- by a door or between the studs in your wall. To give the space a design boost, paint the back wall a complementary color, and skip doors in favor of well-chosen items and pretty containers. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaLf-4yrLpAbmlPFl-HlbV1MQsmxaHE2zYAcHHqvAKxnoEomxyyaGs4lTgAXS9SGkhL_a8aRsX19HtAP1ZUPmHw3Y02xbIvPSj9b-j3KaMIZVPVNTglPP1ryJIW1uOTGRLknE0jaK8gy5/s1600/counter+tops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="550" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaLf-4yrLpAbmlPFl-HlbV1MQsmxaHE2zYAcHHqvAKxnoEomxyyaGs4lTgAXS9SGkhL_a8aRsX19HtAP1ZUPmHw3Y02xbIvPSj9b-j3KaMIZVPVNTglPP1ryJIW1uOTGRLknE0jaK8gy5/s320/counter+tops.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">No matter how large your kitchen is, if you have the counter tops loaded with appliances, canisters and other items, you have a cluttered kitchen that will feel half the size. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> Try to clear off those surfaces and organize them at least once a day. Stash unnecessary pieces in cabinets, and corral loose bits and pieces in pretty bowls or trays.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vOxVIxM_YeRYbIHX5YWrcYx1F_oGDgZNFEuYhf3pa4_3kSrnmw27qAaS36Gs-0v9MtbDhLKFGKFqLqAoLgECbNot0pc9YVkxJSw_F8-If1iA1JlGvP5L53VCcPB-b7h2bllXK55aVi5f/s1600/hanging+pots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vOxVIxM_YeRYbIHX5YWrcYx1F_oGDgZNFEuYhf3pa4_3kSrnmw27qAaS36Gs-0v9MtbDhLKFGKFqLqAoLgECbNot0pc9YVkxJSw_F8-If1iA1JlGvP5L53VCcPB-b7h2bllXK55aVi5f/s320/hanging+pots.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Many big cooking pieces, such as pots and pans, aren't used with daily frequency. But still, they're good to have when the need arises. A good storage solution that can help declutter a drawer is to install a hanging rod -- here, a simple length of pipe. If you don't have room to suspend it over an island or sink, consider a near-the-ceiling spot in an open kitchen eating space -- here, in a seating nook adjacent to the kitchen.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Another great idea is to deal with it the way Julia Child dealt with it....hang them on your wall. I mean, who can argue with Julia Child? Right?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJ0UP6mW-iRsEYZdHi8g0I56kK0dn3rR8TOh3P7Yt-3-IVr-Wv3WnezbbTXUzP3QXT-5SZh-Fsw6TuHc9-OdgxkOPugbVRII06E3P_UV95vqlJD6iLpSPwHGaOi1TqBdeEMUMu9fdqc2o/s1600/julia+child+kitchen+wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJ0UP6mW-iRsEYZdHi8g0I56kK0dn3rR8TOh3P7Yt-3-IVr-Wv3WnezbbTXUzP3QXT-5SZh-Fsw6TuHc9-OdgxkOPugbVRII06E3P_UV95vqlJD6iLpSPwHGaOi1TqBdeEMUMu9fdqc2o/s320/julia+child+kitchen+wall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Appliance Clutter</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8WRUoY0j1tiuaiG6QOHaOrJvJU3-nyRjV_1xD_NzT2QOLY7iZk5_sgJMXI0bddRgGKxJLHzRRe3uLc97kvPRIbuSE32ZdTB-AwYhubNHpDJaqi31qJJwtl8_4kELdilgSLC8dNT9sSPm/s1600/appliances.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8WRUoY0j1tiuaiG6QOHaOrJvJU3-nyRjV_1xD_NzT2QOLY7iZk5_sgJMXI0bddRgGKxJLHzRRe3uLc97kvPRIbuSE32ZdTB-AwYhubNHpDJaqi31qJJwtl8_4kELdilgSLC8dNT9sSPm/s320/appliances.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Honestly, when's the last time you used that fancy mixer, food processor</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> or juicer? Those pieces can quickly gobble precious counter and cabinet space, even as they gather dust. It's time to declutter: If you haven't used an appliance in a year, find it a new home. If you use it several times a year, find a spot other than the countertop to store it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Plastic Containers</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazE1ixC6zxS50Tq6W2lcpuU_qqV5FNvfEgHepZWXeHHAIrLGw2ATxJOgwPU4c-tqlE2DBu4Xl4ee44xRZGXE5wHXUHAu64_GTvyKuQeutV2QgIwLCKsWN28WWXOjeLG_eh5N60_341Zlt/s1600/old+containers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazE1ixC6zxS50Tq6W2lcpuU_qqV5FNvfEgHepZWXeHHAIrLGw2ATxJOgwPU4c-tqlE2DBu4Xl4ee44xRZGXE5wHXUHAu64_GTvyKuQeutV2QgIwLCKsWN28WWXOjeLG_eh5N60_341Zlt/s320/old+containers.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A cracked lid, a chipped container, a plastic container that is now pink because you once stored Strawberry Jello in it. What about the seemingly thousands of plastic containers whose lids have vanished? At least twice a year, pull them all out of your cabinets, pairing lids with containers and throwing away anything that doesn't have a match or has seen better days. Replace, if necessary, with clear containers that have useable lids as in those that flip, snap, and are pourable.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Windows and Walls</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUz46Gkrw966wrBWmYe9D7f0xuWTzotkiiSLehVNxEjQk-0OqwbAaIrEH0-bJd7jAW5vZ3iX3hmwRe7P8GbEZK4YVyDjFNk462yNhZkRVAV8_7Po34ZcYvuPrvfH1OpL1TZe4OnZre76A/s1600/storage+near+ceilings+and+windows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUz46Gkrw966wrBWmYe9D7f0xuWTzotkiiSLehVNxEjQk-0OqwbAaIrEH0-bJd7jAW5vZ3iX3hmwRe7P8GbEZK4YVyDjFNk462yNhZkRVAV8_7Po34ZcYvuPrvfH1OpL1TZe4OnZre76A/s320/storage+near+ceilings+and+windows.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A few inches here and there can quickly add up to loads of organization ready square feet, especially around windows and near ceilings. That, in turn, can offer space to open up cabinets and drawers by displaying pretty collections or oft-used pieces in convenient spots. Here, narrow shelves stretch around a low window and up to the ceiling; the pared-down display of wood, ceramic, and glass pieces helps the space to feel open and airy.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Out with the old!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6h4ephrF_bZq4kpOH0c9GEir19LPnvtofyDCw3mtQfuPyFcvGjmSTEwN5WGbecOG6_GsUuhx8xhdzTOg7K6z8CUIGG1iuD8_bt8OevPYZhoNbJcRBCld00yJXNl7mtewDh6mVMPQ_8Qfz/s1600/toss+old+and+broken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6h4ephrF_bZq4kpOH0c9GEir19LPnvtofyDCw3mtQfuPyFcvGjmSTEwN5WGbecOG6_GsUuhx8xhdzTOg7K6z8CUIGG1iuD8_bt8OevPYZhoNbJcRBCld00yJXNl7mtewDh6mVMPQ_8Qfz/s320/toss+old+and+broken.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Roboto Thin", sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Dingy kitchen towels, a pan with a broken handle, a cracked cutting board: Sentiment or habit might have prevented you from tossing or replacing these pieces, but anything old or broken simply adds to your kitchen's clutter problems. Take an hour or two to review your cabinets and drawers, and get rid of anything that is in disrepair or has outlived its usefulness......don't forget that "junk" drawer while you're at it.</span></div>
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-59208549922569201772017-07-05T11:37:00.001-07:002017-07-05T11:37:29.222-07:00How to Make an Unexciting Bedroom Exciting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">I have a bedroom shaped like a small box. Nothing architecturally stunning about it. 4 walls, 2 windows and a floor. Yawn.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">When you have a large bedroom there is just so much you can do to spruce it up. There are amazing occasional chairs that you can put in there to form a reading nook. Or perhaps an ornate dressing table? How about splurging on a canopy bed much as they had in medieval times? But when your bedroom is small, you have to be far more creative.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Most designers will tell you that you need to splurge on one big dollar item and build your room around that. I say that's great if you have $5,000 (or more) to spend on a big wonderful bed! However, I don't. So my solution is to snaz up what I have and improvise. Nearly anything can be made to look far more expensive than it is if you dress it up a bit.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Dreaming of a canopy bed? Try this trick.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLf5U5s_gb6Qn-PMWCSuIpV1NRjilMSNyxU1E2olM6vhBOgVSUcE5VsipSj08W6gamBs8CyRg68-0CQgpQstzcX-omdjjbD3n7-Gbilcnl0gDAiXpg86-OpV0OLLnEPA60BvmXLYirglBv/s1600/draped+bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="628" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLf5U5s_gb6Qn-PMWCSuIpV1NRjilMSNyxU1E2olM6vhBOgVSUcE5VsipSj08W6gamBs8CyRg68-0CQgpQstzcX-omdjjbD3n7-Gbilcnl0gDAiXpg86-OpV0OLLnEPA60BvmXLYirglBv/s320/draped+bed.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Look how elegant this is! Curtain rods attached to the ceiling and heavy drapery. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">That's all you need to accomplish this look!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBC5OYgPkDG6rgLfHY6cNUsn7_5OQcXLmFls075Hjk7DPT_djaojFax6ZnBtjVM_1iF2jh_1HPMs826HnKWq1gAKijAsutU_6PNvM0dRwfuy-ma6kwwRzLvSwfGRiZQDdMcrBaQfejC3Vp/s1600/Small+curtains+around+bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBC5OYgPkDG6rgLfHY6cNUsn7_5OQcXLmFls075Hjk7DPT_djaojFax6ZnBtjVM_1iF2jh_1HPMs826HnKWq1gAKijAsutU_6PNvM0dRwfuy-ma6kwwRzLvSwfGRiZQDdMcrBaQfejC3Vp/s320/Small+curtains+around+bed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">The look above is so simple! Attach a curtain rod to your wall and slap on a set of curtains! As your mood or the season changes...so can your mini canopy! Works wonders for a small room with low ceilings! AND if you put a mirror behind it? The illusion of a window will be born!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;" /><br />
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Curtain rods can be attached to the wall behind your bed OR they can be attached to your ceiling! You can hang heavy draperies to give it drama or hang lightweight curtains to give it an airy and light feel! And the absolute best thing about this type of canopy bed, is you can change it out at a whim. You're not married to any particular look, style or color scheme.</div>
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What if you're just not a canopy kind of person? What to do? How about a comfy "head board" that will look great and give you a cushion for those nights when you want to sit in bed and read or watch TV? All you have to do is purchase inexpensive beadboard, nail or glue it to your wall, paint it and then attach comfy pillows to it. Note: If you are a renter, make sure to get permission from your landlord before permanently affixing anything to your walls. If your landlord won't allow a permanent improvement, then hang it like a picture. Attach picture hangers on the back of your beadboard and hang it. Nothing permanent about that!</div>
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If you don't want to do the beadboard, this would still be comfy and super cute if all you did was hang floor cushions on the wall behind your bed. Either way, you get a great look for very little cash.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksHuoVAnAVn0H8bfKghFg5nF8ppikIvyDmXRMEn1SfdgfAaQmwLlRzSgJV8V4L2WY3rqETY0_g3rVIUPKiHV1UFTX7Ens_fsSemMCezNCiHgf0V0rGIfOKmcwG_2KLJujAwA9-SBp__t8/s1600/Floor+pillow+headboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksHuoVAnAVn0H8bfKghFg5nF8ppikIvyDmXRMEn1SfdgfAaQmwLlRzSgJV8V4L2WY3rqETY0_g3rVIUPKiHV1UFTX7Ens_fsSemMCezNCiHgf0V0rGIfOKmcwG_2KLJujAwA9-SBp__t8/s320/Floor+pillow+headboard.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">For the head board above, all you need are two (or three depending on how big your bed is) floor cushions. Try thrift stores or bargain stores. Don't worry if you hate the look of them when you buy them. You can easily change that with a bit of fabric or pretty pillow cases. Get the cheapest ones you can find, recover them, hang a couple of hooks on your wall and sew a couple of rings on the back of the cushions and you have a head board that will give you style AND comfort!!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">What always makes a room, any room, appear larger and brighter than it really is.......mirrors!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">If you have a wall that perhaps isn't right for a piece of furniture due to traffic flow or maybe it's just too close to the bed or another door such as the closet, try putting a mirror there. It will furnish that space, allow light to bounce around and give it some style and functionality all at the same time. Let me show you a sample of a unique mirror below.....</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtq8wdsCVL1l4PM_su-hipbyO6gVh9yDgZhUEFWYk6AUR2NO2jQRDoDjSSvnymC46GfKu4gssAqxu4Qxz8s3oZolegti0sUUCtFJr98rtsNNgrPterZI1dGlnc24CNSSOMcBLfCGo6MKjB/s1600/Ornate+mirror+door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtq8wdsCVL1l4PM_su-hipbyO6gVh9yDgZhUEFWYk6AUR2NO2jQRDoDjSSvnymC46GfKu4gssAqxu4Qxz8s3oZolegti0sUUCtFJr98rtsNNgrPterZI1dGlnc24CNSSOMcBLfCGo6MKjB/s320/Ornate+mirror+door.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">Old doors can be found at salvage companies, on the curb, at Habitat for Humanity outlets or maybe even in your basement or attic. This one was just a simple unadorned door from a renovation that was going to be tossed out.<br /><br />All it took was some paintable wallpaper for the inset at the top, some molding to put around the inset as well as on the top and then going to the glass store to get a piece of mirror to fit nicely in the front. Once you have your mirror, glue it in place and put a thin molding around the edges with brad nails and glue. This will not only give it that finishing touch, but will keep it firmly in place for generations to come! Note: do any painting before you place your mirror otherwise you just might have a mess to clean off your mirror.<br /><br />As for the door knob, take it out and using a wall repair kit that comes with a plastic screen for large holes in walls, patch the area where the knob used to be. Once it's all dried, paint and no one will ever know it was even there.<br /><br />OR you could leave the doorknob if it's an unusual piece and use that to hang your purse or scarves on. Whatever you wish!<br /><br />Enjoy and have a great time trying these tips out in your own home!</span></div>
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-24772395280306221252017-06-06T11:39:00.001-07:002017-06-06T11:39:03.270-07:00Yard Tea Party!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span ht-bind-html-compile="<div>Super easy way to get that pouring tea pot/kettle into a teacup look for your backyard.</div>" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<span ht-bind-html-compile="<div>Super easy way to get that pouring tea pot/kettle into a teacup look for your backyard.</div>" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I am always on the lookout for a cheap yet attractive project. I ran across this on the Hometalk page and had to share it. It looks cheap, easy and really really cute!</span></div>
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Super easy way to get that pouring tea pot/kettle into a teacup look for your backyard.</div>
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<a class="gallery" data-ht-logger="{action:'click_photo_post'}" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" ht-click="mediaViewer.open({parentId: post.id, parentType: 'post', mediaId: mediaItem.id}, post.media)" sl-media_id="3803625" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1482a8; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 475px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;"><img alt="pouring tea pot tea cup decor" class="post-img before-load after-load" height="475" ht-image-activity="" ht-img-fade-in="" index="0" ng-src="http://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803625/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" src="https://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803625/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" status="show" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; max-height: 922px; max-width: 634px; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.5s ease-in-out 0s; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></div>
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<div class="post-text sl-post-text-1" ht-bind-html-compile="<div>You will need:</div><div><br></div><div>A tea/coffee pot of your choice (Thrift Store)</div><div>Candle holder stand (Thrift Store)</div><div>Tea cup and saucer (Thrift Store)</div><div>Plastic crystals (Hobby Lobby)</div><div>Garden hook (Dollar Tree)</div><div>Silicone or outdoor adhesive of your choice.</div>" ng-if="!!mediaItem.formatted_text" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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You will need:</div>
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A tea/coffee pot of your choice (Thrift Store)</div>
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Candle holder stand (Thrift Store)</div>
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Tea cup and saucer (Thrift Store)</div>
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Plastic crystals (Hobby Lobby)</div>
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Garden hook (Dollar Tree)</div>
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Silicone or outdoor adhesive of your choice.</div>
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<a class="gallery" data-ht-logger="{action:'click_photo_post'}" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" ht-click="mediaViewer.open({parentId: post.id, parentType: 'post', mediaId: mediaItem.id}, post.media)" sl-media_id="3803628" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1482a8; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 475px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;"><img alt="pouring tea pot tea cup decor" class="post-img before-load after-load" height="475" ht-image-activity="" ht-img-fade-in="" index="1" ng-src="http://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803628/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" src="https://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803628/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" status="show" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; max-height: 922px; max-width: 634px; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.5s ease-in-out 0s; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></div>
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<div class="post-text sl-post-text-2" ht-bind-html-compile="<div>Silicone your tea cup and saucer together to make them stable.</div>" ng-if="!!mediaItem.formatted_text" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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Silicone your tea cup and saucer together to make them stable.</div>
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<div class="ng-scope" ng-repeat="mediaItem in post.mediaList track by mediaItem.id" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #323336; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<ul class="photos-wrap large-view ng-scope" ng-if=":: !!mediaItem.source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<li class="ng-scope" ht-activity-image-size="mediaItem" image-size="activity_image_size_big" style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px; word-wrap: break-word;"><ng-include class="ng-scope" src=":: '/templates/activity-page/desktop/partials/activity-page-photos-desktop.html'" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="photo-wrapper ng-scope" ng-if=":: mediaItem.type != 'video'" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; min-height: 845px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<div class="pinit-photo" ng-class="{'p402_hide':features.google_survey.enable && !scope.slideshowActivity && $index >0}" style="box-sizing: border-box; left: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 8px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 1;">
<div class="ng-scope" ng-controller="ShareCtrl" ng-if=":: imageSize.height >= 150" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a class="shareBtn btnShareNew pinit fl sl-pin-btn" data-ht-logger="{action:'click_share_pinterest_overlay'}" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" ht-click="share.pin(mediaItem, {site_url: post.site_url, marketing_title: post.marketing_title})" style="background-color: #c92228; border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; font-size: 15px; height: 32px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 31px; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; min-width: 32px; padding: 0px 7px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap;"><i class="ic-pinit-new" style="background: url("/resources/design/sprite_main_1496644191.png") -1px -690px no-repeat transparent; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 17px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 6px; overflow: hidden; text-indent: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 40px;"></i></a></div>
</div>
<div class="actions-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<a class="gallery" data-ht-logger="{action:'click_photo_post'}" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" ht-click="mediaViewer.open({parentId: post.id, parentType: 'post', mediaId: mediaItem.id}, post.media)" sl-media_id="3803631" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1482a8; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 845px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;"><img alt="pouring tea pot tea cup decor" class="post-img before-load after-load" height="845" ht-image-activity="" ht-img-fade-in="" index="2" ng-src="http://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803631/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.1.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" src="https://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803631/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.1.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" status="show" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; max-height: 922px; max-width: 634px; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.5s ease-in-out 0s; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></div>
</div>
</ng-include></li>
</ul>
<div class="post-text sl-post-text-3" ht-bind-html-compile="<div>Silicone your cup and saucer onto your candle holder.</div>" ng-if="!!mediaItem.formatted_text" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Silicone your cup and saucer onto your candle holder.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="ng-scope" ng-repeat="mediaItem in post.mediaList track by mediaItem.id" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #323336; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<ul class="photos-wrap large-view ng-scope" ng-if=":: !!mediaItem.source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<li class="ng-scope" ht-activity-image-size="mediaItem" image-size="activity_image_size_big" style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px; word-wrap: break-word;"><ng-include class="ng-scope" src=":: '/templates/activity-page/desktop/partials/activity-page-photos-desktop.html'" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="photo-wrapper ng-scope" ng-if=":: mediaItem.type != 'video'" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; min-height: 845px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<div class="pinit-photo" ng-class="{'p402_hide':features.google_survey.enable && !scope.slideshowActivity && $index >0}" style="box-sizing: border-box; left: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 8px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 1;">
<div class="ng-scope" ng-controller="ShareCtrl" ng-if=":: imageSize.height >= 150" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a class="shareBtn btnShareNew pinit fl sl-pin-btn" data-ht-logger="{action:'click_share_pinterest_overlay'}" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" ht-click="share.pin(mediaItem, {site_url: post.site_url, marketing_title: post.marketing_title})" style="background-color: #c92228; border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; font-size: 15px; height: 32px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 31px; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; min-width: 32px; padding: 0px 7px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap;"><i class="ic-pinit-new" style="background: url("/resources/design/sprite_main_1496644191.png") -1px -690px no-repeat transparent; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 17px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 6px; overflow: hidden; text-indent: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 40px;"></i></a></div>
</div>
<div class="actions-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<a class="gallery" data-ht-logger="{action:'click_photo_post'}" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" ht-click="mediaViewer.open({parentId: post.id, parentType: 'post', mediaId: mediaItem.id}, post.media)" sl-media_id="3803634" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1482a8; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 845px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;"><img alt="pouring tea pot tea cup decor" class="post-img before-load after-load" height="845" ht-image-activity="" ht-img-fade-in="" index="3" ng-src="http://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803634/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" src="https://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803634/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" status="show" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; max-height: 922px; max-width: 634px; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.5s ease-in-out 0s; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></div>
</div>
</ng-include></li>
</ul>
<div class="post-text sl-post-text-4" ht-bind-html-compile="<div>Silicone your plastic crystal into place on your tea/coffee pot.</div><div><br></div><div>Let all silicone dry completely before bringing outside.</div>" ng-if="!!mediaItem.formatted_text" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Silicone your plastic crystal into place on your tea/coffee pot.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br style="box-sizing: border-box; content: "."; display: block; margin-top: 8px;" /></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Let all silicone dry completely before bringing outside.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="ng-scope" ng-repeat="mediaItem in post.mediaList track by mediaItem.id" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #323336; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<ul class="photos-wrap large-view ng-scope" ng-if=":: !!mediaItem.source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<li class="ng-scope" ht-activity-image-size="mediaItem" image-size="activity_image_size_big" style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px; word-wrap: break-word;"><ng-include class="ng-scope" src=":: '/templates/activity-page/desktop/partials/activity-page-photos-desktop.html'" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="photo-wrapper ng-scope" ng-if=":: mediaItem.type != 'video'" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; min-height: 845px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<div class="pinit-photo" ng-class="{'p402_hide':features.google_survey.enable && !scope.slideshowActivity && $index >0}" style="box-sizing: border-box; left: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 8px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 1;">
<div class="ng-scope" ng-controller="ShareCtrl" ng-if=":: imageSize.height >= 150" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a class="shareBtn btnShareNew pinit fl sl-pin-btn" data-ht-logger="{action:'click_share_pinterest_overlay'}" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" ht-click="share.pin(mediaItem, {site_url: post.site_url, marketing_title: post.marketing_title})" style="background-color: #c92228; border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; font-size: 15px; height: 32px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 31px; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; min-width: 32px; padding: 0px 7px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap;"><i class="ic-pinit-new" style="background: url("/resources/design/sprite_main_1496644191.png") -1px -690px no-repeat transparent; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 17px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 6px; overflow: hidden; text-indent: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 40px;"></i></a></div>
</div>
<div class="actions-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<a class="gallery" data-ht-logger="{action:'click_photo_post'}" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" ht-click="mediaViewer.open({parentId: post.id, parentType: 'post', mediaId: mediaItem.id}, post.media)" sl-media_id="3803637" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1482a8; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 845px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;"><img alt="pouring tea pot tea cup decor" class="post-img before-load after-load" height="845" ht-image-activity="" ht-img-fade-in="" index="4" ng-src="http://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803637/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" src="https://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803637/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" status="show" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; max-height: 922px; max-width: 634px; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.5s ease-in-out 0s; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></div>
</div>
</ng-include></li>
</ul>
<div class="post-text sl-post-text-5" ht-bind-html-compile="<div>Place your garden hook in the ground and hang your tea/coffee pot on it.</div>" ng-if="!!mediaItem.formatted_text" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Place your garden hook in the ground and hang your tea/coffee pot on it.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="ng-scope" ng-repeat="mediaItem in post.mediaList track by mediaItem.id" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #323336; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<ul class="photos-wrap large-view ng-scope" ng-if=":: !!mediaItem.source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<li class="ng-scope" ht-activity-image-size="mediaItem" image-size="activity_image_size_big" style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px; word-wrap: break-word;"><ng-include class="ng-scope" src=":: '/templates/activity-page/desktop/partials/activity-page-photos-desktop.html'" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="photo-wrapper ng-scope" ng-if=":: mediaItem.type != 'video'" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; min-height: 845px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<div class="pinit-photo" ng-class="{'p402_hide':features.google_survey.enable && !scope.slideshowActivity && $index >0}" style="box-sizing: border-box; left: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 8px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 1;">
<div class="ng-scope" ng-controller="ShareCtrl" ng-if=":: imageSize.height >= 150" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a class="shareBtn btnShareNew pinit fl sl-pin-btn" data-ht-logger="{action:'click_share_pinterest_overlay'}" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" ht-click="share.pin(mediaItem, {site_url: post.site_url, marketing_title: post.marketing_title})" style="background-color: #c92228; border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; font-size: 15px; height: 32px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 31px; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; min-width: 32px; padding: 0px 7px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap;"><i class="ic-pinit-new" style="background: url("/resources/design/sprite_main_1496644191.png") -1px -690px no-repeat transparent; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 17px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 6px; overflow: hidden; text-indent: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 40px;"></i></a></div>
</div>
<div class="actions-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<a class="gallery" data-ht-logger="{action:'click_photo_post'}" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" ht-click="mediaViewer.open({parentId: post.id, parentType: 'post', mediaId: mediaItem.id}, post.media)" sl-media_id="3803640" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1482a8; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 845px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;"><img alt="pouring tea pot tea cup decor" class="post-img before-load after-load" height="845" ht-image-activity="" ht-img-fade-in="" index="5" ng-src="http://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803640/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" src="https://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803640/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" status="show" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; max-height: 922px; max-width: 634px; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.5s ease-in-out 0s; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></div>
</div>
</ng-include></li>
</ul>
<div class="post-text sl-post-text-6" ht-bind-html-compile="<div>Place your tea cup and saucer stand under the "drip" of the pot.</div>" ng-if="!!mediaItem.formatted_text" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Place your tea cup and saucer stand under the "drip" of the pot.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="ng-scope" ng-repeat="mediaItem in post.mediaList track by mediaItem.id" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #323336; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<ul class="photos-wrap large-view ng-scope" ng-if=":: !!mediaItem.source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<li class="ng-scope" ht-activity-image-size="mediaItem" image-size="activity_image_size_big" style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px; word-wrap: break-word;"><ng-include class="ng-scope" src=":: '/templates/activity-page/desktop/partials/activity-page-photos-desktop.html'" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="photo-wrapper ng-scope" ng-if=":: mediaItem.type != 'video'" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; min-height: 845px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<div class="pinit-photo" ng-class="{'p402_hide':features.google_survey.enable && !scope.slideshowActivity && $index >0}" style="box-sizing: border-box; left: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 8px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 1;">
<div class="ng-scope" ng-controller="ShareCtrl" ng-if=":: imageSize.height >= 150" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a class="shareBtn btnShareNew pinit fl sl-pin-btn" data-ht-logger="{action:'click_share_pinterest_overlay'}" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" ht-click="share.pin(mediaItem, {site_url: post.site_url, marketing_title: post.marketing_title})" style="background-color: #c92228; border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; font-size: 15px; height: 32px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 31px; margin: 0px 3px 0px 0px; min-width: 32px; padding: 0px 7px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap;"><i class="ic-pinit-new" style="background: url("/resources/design/sprite_main_1496644191.png") -1px -690px no-repeat transparent; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; float: left; height: 17px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 6px; overflow: hidden; text-indent: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 40px;"></i></a></div>
</div>
<div class="actions-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<a class="gallery" data-ht-logger="{action:'click_photo_post'}" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" ht-click="mediaViewer.open({parentId: post.id, parentType: 'post', mediaId: mediaItem.id}, post.media)" sl-media_id="3803643" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1482a8; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; height: 845px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;"><img alt="pouring tea pot tea cup decor" class="post-img before-load after-load" height="845" ht-image-activity="" ht-img-fade-in="" index="6" ng-src="http://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803643/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" src="https://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/2017/04/03/3803643/pouring-tea-pot-tea-cup-decor.jpg?size=634x922&nocrop=1" status="show" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; max-height: 922px; max-width: 634px; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 0.5s ease-in-out 0s; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></div>
</div>
</ng-include></li>
</ul>
<div class="post-text sl-post-text-7" ht-bind-html-compile="<div>If you want the tea cup stand to be more solid, dig a little hole and bury the stand bottom in the ground.</div>" ng-if="!!mediaItem.formatted_text" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
If you want the tea cup stand to be more solid, dig a little hole and bury the stand bottom in the ground.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="ng-scope" ng-repeat="mediaItem in post.mediaList track by mediaItem.id" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #323336; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<ul class="photos-wrap large-view ng-scope" ng-if=":: !!mediaItem.source" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<li class="ng-scope" ht-activity-image-size="mediaItem" image-size="activity_image_size_big" style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px; word-wrap: break-word;"><ng-include class="ng-scope" src=":: '/templates/activity-page/desktop/partials/activity-page-photos-desktop.html'" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="photo-wrapper ng-scope" ng-if=":: mediaItem.type != 'video'" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; min-height: 454px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 634px;">
<div class="pinit-photo" ng-class="{'p402_hide':features.google_survey.enable && !scope.slideshowActivity && $index >0}" style="box-sizing: border-box; left: 8px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 8px; vertical-align: baseline; z-index: 1;">
<div class="ng-scope" ng-controller="ShareCtrl" ng-if=":: imageSize.height >= 150" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<div class="post-text sl-post-text-8" ht-bind-html-compile="<div>Please join me on Hometalk's Facebook Live show on April 11th at 7pm EST to see me make this and more tea cup projects!</div>" ng-if="!!mediaItem.formatted_text" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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Please join me on Hometalk's Facebook Live show on April 11th at 7pm EST to see me make this and more tea cup projects!</div>
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-54346098713887101682017-05-01T15:07:00.003-07:002017-05-01T15:07:38.094-07:00DIY Concrete Planter Idea<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love unusual planters. But unusual planters can be super expensive. So what do you do if you want them but don't want to take out a second mortgage on your house in order to have them?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You make them! Yep. It's not as difficult as you have think. Below are step by step instructions and pictures. Make sure you read the tips at the end of this article. They can save you a lot of money, time and frustration. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3LizEUpJZDxfwixz4f9oL1MZSWSQVElbLoHBf6JPp3zPEswtgpWq7ZbUvnG4cl4fFiv37QTbqaTXrJn1KjX4_nHzEG1EfqR-O3bgbBL2mlQB05KlrgJdtY-iiJGWDF6BeWY2u7T4jR9S/s1600/concrete+hands-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3LizEUpJZDxfwixz4f9oL1MZSWSQVElbLoHBf6JPp3zPEswtgpWq7ZbUvnG4cl4fFiv37QTbqaTXrJn1KjX4_nHzEG1EfqR-O3bgbBL2mlQB05KlrgJdtY-iiJGWDF6BeWY2u7T4jR9S/s320/concrete+hands-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFmyGH-voJCEn_8_Ljq7eQiZ9tfmiCdw2CSLXKQIesHOSEM42eJH9Bk8Dv1dmJvR442mBat3tBXAQ_Iah961xbF7jTIjGj2T7EVNe_ZuIiQTQb9oERcQMUgkgCY2TxL00vqzPaUxoXxzM/s1600/hand-planter-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFmyGH-voJCEn_8_Ljq7eQiZ9tfmiCdw2CSLXKQIesHOSEM42eJH9Bk8Dv1dmJvR442mBat3tBXAQ_Iah961xbF7jTIjGj2T7EVNe_ZuIiQTQb9oERcQMUgkgCY2TxL00vqzPaUxoXxzM/s320/hand-planter-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVJ1EWKQLMo6jfj8cjXxDzYmGopwF4WKrk94fB4dg9kgD2dDgWFkyhGBcVSvUeO7pvWNFyRNyoP5c1VSPpgE_MS9ZH5xXs-JIc4DltnbqE_fnwug-bHqQhETO-0i9-p6S9Uc4JJvOX4TX/s1600/hand-planter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVJ1EWKQLMo6jfj8cjXxDzYmGopwF4WKrk94fB4dg9kgD2dDgWFkyhGBcVSvUeO7pvWNFyRNyoP5c1VSPpgE_MS9ZH5xXs-JIc4DltnbqE_fnwug-bHqQhETO-0i9-p6S9Uc4JJvOX4TX/s320/hand-planter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aren't these just the cutest planters? Now onto the instructions!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Materials</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2c; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">All you’ll need for this easy DIY project is </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2c; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A dust mask, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2c; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A safety pin, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2c; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Bag of rapid dry cement, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2c; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A couple pair of rubber house cleaning gloves, or old garden gloves and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2c; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A big bucket to mix your concrete in. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2c; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Of course, once everything is dry you’ll need an assortment of flower or succulents to fill it with, of course. Put this concrete planter in your home or adorn your garden with a collection of these.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2c; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Instructions</span><br />
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Before starting this project make sure you are working in a well ventilated area. Protect your hands with disposable rubber gloves and your nose/mouth with a dust mask. Avoid breathing in any of cement particles. In a medium size bowl, carefully mix your cement and water. Follow the instructions on the package, mix until the cement is smooth.</div>
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Take your gloves and using a safety pin carefully poke holes in the fingertips. This will help remove air pockets. Place the gloves in a tall container to help hold it upright. You can use a bucket, an empty clay pot or even a bowl. It all depends on what you have on hand and what fits best. </div>
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Carefully take your cement and pour it into the gloves. If the cement is too dry and difficult to work with, add a small amount of water to smooth it out. It should have the consistency of oatmeal or pudding. Carefully push the cement through the gloves, distributing throughout the gloves evenly. Gently tap your rubber gloves to remove any remaining air bubbles.</div>
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Once you have filled your gloves with the cement, you can keep them in the shape you want them to be when they're dry by using bricks, rocks or even votive candle holders and place them under the fingers or wherever you want. If you just want the fingers to be curved in a natural position, place them in a plastic bowl. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXrvCP_5vse7VwDLp_i57iDt4weWAtCRCQI0GYbx0ggmxxKLdA4NK_D702bu0k0uM5EHVfibcGgMRu8PNv2KoOcE5dT6Cvz36_OlMMPor4WMhNsS2bPWQiXB23VXj2zUvSLHxiNMzlHUp/s1600/holding+the+hands+until+they+dry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXrvCP_5vse7VwDLp_i57iDt4weWAtCRCQI0GYbx0ggmxxKLdA4NK_D702bu0k0uM5EHVfibcGgMRu8PNv2KoOcE5dT6Cvz36_OlMMPor4WMhNsS2bPWQiXB23VXj2zUvSLHxiNMzlHUp/s320/holding+the+hands+until+they+dry.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Create a 2nd cement hand for a larger two hand planter. To merge your hands together carefully create a cut on your gloves where the two pieces meet. Scoop out a small amount of cement to merge the two pieces together. To create a bowl shape, place a piece of plastic wrap over the exposed cement and place a small bowl over the plastic wrap to create the bowl shape.</div>
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Let your cement cure for at least 24 hours. Thicker cement will require more time to dry. If you live in a very humid area or it has rained recently, it might take longer than 24 hours.</div>
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Once your cement has dried carefully remove the rubber gloves. Strategically cut the rubber gloves off. Avoid applying too much pressure to the cement when removing the rubber gloves. If a finger is broken during the removal process, reattach it using E6000 glue.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38J1_Alkg4uO7xLIb5Rfe5qVolm2MCFo8N5ObT4r3ljtWRcqi_PgHVFo7cEXnCkOz7GsBGTHirD9qSO7cxV0zwyQT9SwRplC-XVVsTrLVarKdD74aQZHWQ7oWEgQjhmixQevxRofk43EG/s1600/taking+off+the+gloves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38J1_Alkg4uO7xLIb5Rfe5qVolm2MCFo8N5ObT4r3ljtWRcqi_PgHVFo7cEXnCkOz7GsBGTHirD9qSO7cxV0zwyQT9SwRplC-XVVsTrLVarKdD74aQZHWQ7oWEgQjhmixQevxRofk43EG/s320/taking+off+the+gloves.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Use small pliers to help remove the small stubborn left over glove pieces.</div>
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Once our hands are completely dry, all you have to do is add potting soil and small succulents. You can also add pieces of preserved moss to decorate your planter. Water accordingly with a spray bottle.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TIPS</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Always wear a dust mask whenever pouring dry concrete or cement. You cannot avoid the dust that blows up and you most certainly do NOT want to breathe any of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. When buying your materials for this project, BUY CEMENT - NOT CONCRETE. Also makes sure it states on the bag that is can be used for casting. Rapid set cement is what you want to buy. Below is a picture of the bag. You can see it states it can be used for casting.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hpXrOatGA-I0ILodv7mB3nvVxBBF2Fq9uoaD1LsiLJxL8WYtIROtugwa72FezK57BL-mwSiif9qdYODA8RXL7k7_r0SFakdl6reQGcwLLylbOHQfOp1-fdgDbGcjP3eYD1KpD1KFm3Yd/s1600/casting+example.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hpXrOatGA-I0ILodv7mB3nvVxBBF2Fq9uoaD1LsiLJxL8WYtIROtugwa72FezK57BL-mwSiif9qdYODA8RXL7k7_r0SFakdl6reQGcwLLylbOHQfOp1-fdgDbGcjP3eYD1KpD1KFm3Yd/s320/casting+example.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. My last tip is to let you know that while this is a really easy project, the most difficult part of it will be getting the cement down into the fingers. It will take a little patience and a lot of squeezing to get it down there but after the first finger or two, you will get the knack of it and the rest will be quick and easy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. If you want a little color to your project, you can either add cement coloring to the cement when you are mixing it, or wait until the hands have completely cured (dried) and then simply paint them. I have used left over interior wall paint, spray paint and even fabric paint on concrete planters and have had excellent results with all of the above.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!!</span></div>
Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-4697089501361711282017-04-02T12:49:00.002-07:002017-04-02T12:49:18.937-07:00Re-growing veggies you buy from the supermarket<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Did you know there are several veggies that you can grow from scraps? Yep. How much money would you save and how much quicker, tastier and healthier would your dinners be if you could just step outside and pick whatever you needed? Let's look at a few veggies that you should never have to buy from a store again.</span><br />
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Garlic</h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can grow a new bulb of garlic with just one clove. Plant a clove in some potting soil with the roots face down. Now in case you're new to gardening, there is a difference between a garlic bulb and a garlic clove. I have included a photo below to show you which is which. Keep the pot in direct sunlight and cut the shoots back once they get established. This will help encourage bulb growth. After the bulb has reached maturity, take a clove and repeat the process for more garlic.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHcGH38yaAgnXBsbYcTgpFdJ3unKVqJ2kGA8hAB5UWCVUi-ZHnVaJW-UdgF5whoWLWsAjDaWW6cK95fM5KMqHokO7wUvI-1Kvez4qrAdOxLXc2BDRZl8lKAx8bviPJC1SL_VtWqj_0YL2/s1600/galic+clove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHcGH38yaAgnXBsbYcTgpFdJ3unKVqJ2kGA8hAB5UWCVUi-ZHnVaJW-UdgF5whoWLWsAjDaWW6cK95fM5KMqHokO7wUvI-1Kvez4qrAdOxLXc2BDRZl8lKAx8bviPJC1SL_VtWqj_0YL2/s320/galic+clove.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Bean Sprouts</h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can get a new batch of bean sprouts with as little as a tablespoon of scraps. Soak the leftover sprouts in a jar with a little bit of water. Leave the mixture on the counter overnight and drain in the morning. With the sprouts back in the container, cover with a towel and rinse them the following morning. Repeat the process until the new sprouts reach the right size.</span></div>
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Celery</h4>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Celery might be the easiest vegetable to regrow. Simply cut the base of the celery stalk and place in a bowl with warm water. Keep the container in sunlight and you will start to see the stalks thickening and growing from the base. Once this happens, transplant the veggie into soil to finish the growing process.</span></span></div>
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Avocado</h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Regrowing this superfood takes just a bowl of water and some toothpicks. Wash the seed thoroughly and suspend it over a bowl of water with some tooth picks inserted into the seed. The water should cover about an inch of the seed. Do not place the bowl in direct sunlight, but keep it somewhere warm. Add water on a daily basis as needed. A stem and roots will begin to appear, but it might take as long as six weeks for this to happen. When the stem gets to six inches in height, cut three inches off. Place the plant in soil once leaves start appearing.</span></div>
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Sweet Potatoes</h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You need half a sweet potato to regrow a new plant. Suspend the half of the potato with toothpicks over shallow water and wait for roots and sprouts to appear. When the sprouts hit about four inches, break them off and put them in a bowl of water. Once the roots in the new bowl reach an inch, it’s time to transplant to soil.</span></div>
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Potatoes</h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like the sweet potato, regular potatoes are a resilient plant that can be regrown with just a few peelings. The trick is to make sure the peelings have eyes and are cut into smaller pieces. Now you might say....what's an eye?....I have included a photo of potatoes with eyes. Notice the bumps that stick out on the potatoes? Those are called "eyes". You may have to do a little searching at the store to get potatoes with eyes these days as a lot of potato producers have them rubbed off before shipping (I don't know why). They rub off super easily. Each section should have about two or three eyes. Let the peelings dry overnight and then plant them in soil to a depth of about four inches. In a few weeks, you will begin to see a new potato plant sprouting leaves. </span></div>
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Lettuce (practically any type) and Cabbage</h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's easy to regrow lettuce and cabbage with just a few scraps. Pour a small amount of water in a bowl and place the lettuce scraps inside. Make sure the bowl gets a lot of sunlight and mist the lettuce a few times a week. In three or four days, you will begin to see new roots and leaves growing. At this time, remove the lettuce or cabbage from the bowl and place in soil.</span></div>
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Onions</h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Onions take a bit of a different approach. I have included a link to a site that gives very good step by step instructions on how to regrown onions. Short article with great step by step photo's and great information. Well worth a read.</span></div>
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http://www.anktangle.com/2011/03/growing-sprouted-onions.html</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For other sites that offer even more veggies that you can regrow, try these:</span></div>
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https://www.davidwolfe.com/stop-trashing-your-scraps-16-produce-items-to-re-grow-at-home/</div>
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http://freshorganicgardening.com/search/window+sill+onions/</div>
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-36730838835414198962017-03-01T14:31:00.000-08:002017-03-01T14:31:39.700-08:00The Air that You Breathe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Renter's have a special problem and that's air quality. If you are a renter, the chances are great that you aren't the only person who has ever rented that space. There have been others. That brings up a multitude of questions. Did the people before you own dogs or cats? Just because your landlord doesn't allow pets....doesn't mean there weren't any living there. Also, just because a pet owner swears their pet NEVER has "accidents" in the house....doesn't mean they haven't. Did the former residents smoke? Again, just because the landlord says they didn't...it doesn't mean that's true. Even if they didn't smoke, you can never be certain that their visitors didn't smoke inside the house.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was the carpeting replaced before you moved in? If it was, was the subfloor resealed? Was the space painted and if so what kind of paint was used? Is there a chance that asbestos, lead based paint or oil based products were ever used in your space and that there might be a trace of it still?. These are a likely possibility if the space you're renting is older. How is the ventilation in your rented space? If it's an apartment, the chances are you have fewer windows and the ones you do have are probably smaller and seldom opened. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bad air quality can not only cause a plethora of health issues over time, it can greatly aggravate existing health issues like asthma, COPD, allergies, even migraines and sinus infections.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do you handle poor air quality? The first thing to do is clean.....everything. Maybe your landlord had the carpets cleaned before you moved in....maybe not...maybe they just vacuumed. Best to err on the side of extreme caution and head down to the local hardware store and rent a carpet cleaner. The thing to know about cleaning your carpets is that the water will soak into your carpet pad to some extent. If that isn't allowed to thoroughly dry, mold will grow. Now it's not going to be the horrible black mold that everyone is so afraid of, but it will be mold and any type of mold can cause an unattractive odor. It can also aggravate your sinuses or asthma so the best thing to do after cleaning your carpets is to put out fans and make sure everything is dry. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once that's done, it's time to clean all the other surfaces no matter how clean you think they look. Even if your landlord hired professionals to come in and clean it top to bottom, you still have to wonder what products they used. Cleaning products like bleach and/or ammonia are super cleaning products in that they will kill about any germ that they come into contact with. However, they are also not at all user friendly in that their chemical components can linger for days even weeks after they've been used. While you're cleaning, don't forget the ceilings. Remember smoke rises and the ceilings will collect it all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once your rental is spotless and you're feeling great about how clean it is, the next step to living a clean life is to get plants that actually purify the air. Of course, you can buy an air purifier but how pretty is that? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plants are cheaper than purifiers, lower maintenance than purifiers, they don't wear out or break down and best of all, they're prettier than purifiers. Some studies suggest that having plants in your house can actually help lower your blood pressure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's look at some indoor plants that make great purifiers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>English Ivy</u></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEH6h6g3OMV8jDCgSqDRnwfhuFMSC2YKZaSovk96OFJgNdawKPB1F653lmDkKqw5MyulcRmX8-98WbbknBNCjouFxmbHc5GFuQO7KXVjIN45QMcJoGCbsk_1WAP1guGt8Q84r4237pSeJ/s1600/01-house-plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEH6h6g3OMV8jDCgSqDRnwfhuFMSC2YKZaSovk96OFJgNdawKPB1F653lmDkKqw5MyulcRmX8-98WbbknBNCjouFxmbHc5GFuQO7KXVjIN45QMcJoGCbsk_1WAP1guGt8Q84r4237pSeJ/s320/01-house-plant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These plants are super easy to care for and control. Because they're an ivy, they will trail. All you have to do is train them to trail where you want, or snip off the growth. Kinda like giving your plant a haircut. They don't require a ton of light or a ton of water.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The dense foliage of the Ivy absorbs formaldehyde - a chemical that is extremely common in the making of carpeting. Formaldehyde is the most prevalent indoor pollution of them all and is </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">present in glues, pressed woods products such as some flooring, kitchen/bathroom cabinets, pressed wood shelving, wall paneling and even some furniture.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Peace Lilly</u></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkThtT93zypVP5-Fn__ELP6Xiwrl-1QkSuoeQHmrK0UU0hE33BNugI0zA8cS3XrTYhzV-Z2gHhdH-U999DOnwYXcdhFxhyphenhyphen59NFLECujlwvv3-QePkiUb3brBGxXAurwiKIgBwXWmkE-8H/s1600/02-house-plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimkThtT93zypVP5-Fn__ELP6Xiwrl-1QkSuoeQHmrK0UU0hE33BNugI0zA8cS3XrTYhzV-Z2gHhdH-U999DOnwYXcdhFxhyphenhyphen59NFLECujlwvv3-QePkiUb3brBGxXAurwiKIgBwXWmkE-8H/s320/02-house-plant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some people call this plant the funeral flower. This is another easy to care for plant that requires little light, little water and little maintenance. I would recommend whenever you dust your furniture, to dust the leaves of this plant, while you're at it. A thick layer of dust on any plant will prevent it from breathing and from absorbing pollutants. I recommend putting a large dollop of olive oil or pure vegetable oil on a clean cloth or paper towel, then using that to clean the leaves of your plant. It not only gets all the dirt off your plant but give them a shiny appearance. Warning: some plants don't like to have their leaves cleaned with oily products so google before you oil a plant if you have any doubts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This plant is one of the absolute best plants to have in every room of your house. This hard worker gets rid of VOC benzene which is a carcinogen found in paints, furniture waxes and polishes. It also sucks up acetone, which is emitted by electronics, certain cleaners and adhesives.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCDQoGrjwhLk4yPH2R-FfgCX2hx_pSksCHIEBDqicbmX-Q5q8aACHJ2gZKNI8DpSatFM4CeXWcAsbhHOVFx7sk4_SFeiLcGDHDq84keuvL5zRkNkNPrt6c_Hh5FWObvzDESD6NvqldKKI/s1600/03-house-plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCDQoGrjwhLk4yPH2R-FfgCX2hx_pSksCHIEBDqicbmX-Q5q8aACHJ2gZKNI8DpSatFM4CeXWcAsbhHOVFx7sk4_SFeiLcGDHDq84keuvL5zRkNkNPrt6c_Hh5FWObvzDESD6NvqldKKI/s320/03-house-plant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Lady Palm is a hardy plant that can tolerate semi low light. It's best to keep this one near a light source. I have one that I've kept beside a floor lamp in my not at all sunny living room and it does fine. This plant can get up to 6 feet tall but it is a very slow grower so you have plenty of time to figure out where to put it once it's that tall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She is not only gracefully built and easy on the eyes, but she actually rids your air of ammonia which is a super villain of the respiratory system and is a major component of certain dyes, textiles and cleaners.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Boston Fern</u></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTi27uTa-ArxTVCx2RUZmtzyc2b-q0zV_th4YducDKGs22CnhL9G-miacDmPvgDu9PUnlK9qhnvVVHzOXMEzER_L9qLXJIIflyuxsx_DJs4nO4E4aCpiodCX_lZ-syJHKxg0pPlZYB-2N/s1600/04-house-plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTi27uTa-ArxTVCx2RUZmtzyc2b-q0zV_th4YducDKGs22CnhL9G-miacDmPvgDu9PUnlK9qhnvVVHzOXMEzER_L9qLXJIIflyuxsx_DJs4nO4E4aCpiodCX_lZ-syJHKxg0pPlZYB-2N/s320/04-house-plant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Boston Fern is such a beautiful plant. However, it can be a picky plant and I've never had good luck with them. I've known others who have tremendous success with them....but not me. These plants have a need for constant moisture and humidity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They are actually one of the best air purifiers known. They remove formaldehyde which is present in glues, pressed woods products such as some flooring, kitchen/bathroom cabinets, pressed wood shelving, wall paneling and even some furniture. There have been studies that show this plant even removes toxic metals such as mercury and arsenic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Snake Plant (aka Mother in Law's Tongue)</u></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftc1NhHT1yBH3RhkjQ2t-hO0D0EM4QUwCVhyphenhyphenDy-iFJ9Y04t-HSt7h5NCcqAgEd05N8Co8dtgSKsRm2c2xQn62KAnuDgjpKLuVTSyE03ZuLWCsOmSczkl08EcCCbjNONL3AaNQE7UyEng5/s1600/05-house-plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftc1NhHT1yBH3RhkjQ2t-hO0D0EM4QUwCVhyphenhyphenDy-iFJ9Y04t-HSt7h5NCcqAgEd05N8Co8dtgSKsRm2c2xQn62KAnuDgjpKLuVTSyE03ZuLWCsOmSczkl08EcCCbjNONL3AaNQE7UyEng5/s320/05-house-plant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you can't keep this plant alive.....you don't need to have plants...at all. This plant is so easy, it's crazy. The only plant that is easier to keep alive is a plastic plant. Once in a while dust the leaves and give it a small drink when the soil is dry. That's it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is maybe the best plant for a small space. It grows up - not out - and it tolerates low light or bright light.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This easy fella does his work at night. During the night, he will absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the room. He's one to have in every room of your house - including the bathroom. Put more than one in your bedroom for a boost of oxygen while you sleep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To make him even more invaluable, he also sucks in benzene and formaldehyde. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Golden Pothos</u></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjocpV7XF7ZhgfJ6-uO2SGU-HYZjIxwNR0oNhKynQZ1lzlupUEi8RYqIjbzua30Ncv0UHjoVWCsoCvLbkdpZGYa5LnpdRA-_I-h-52OqDMtnm7Zn4YRTsmzfGx82kM60wpedLvbUkk_QxC/s1600/06-house-plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjocpV7XF7ZhgfJ6-uO2SGU-HYZjIxwNR0oNhKynQZ1lzlupUEi8RYqIjbzua30Ncv0UHjoVWCsoCvLbkdpZGYa5LnpdRA-_I-h-52OqDMtnm7Zn4YRTsmzfGx82kM60wpedLvbUkk_QxC/s320/06-house-plant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every live plant that I've ever received from a florist has this little ivy in it. It's a medium growing ivy, it tolerates low light or bright light, it can go long periods of time without watering....it just likes to be dusted from time to time. If you don't know whether it wants a drink, look at the leaves....when it's really thirsty, the leaves curl up and begin to look wilted. Give it a good drink of water, and they will unfurl and look good as new. Like the English Ivy, you can trim it if it reaches further than you'd like and it's easily trained.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Pothos suck in formaldehyde, carbon dioxide and Benzene. Triple threat with this one! This plant can be found anywhere that live plants are sold and it is the cheapest houseplant around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Wax Begonia</u></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixo4EEx57JE9uCNh-KwjRPGoj3xoGKbH2cRfOyjqK4bTqzw8a6aULm146XUu6fPPBTuEzo5L56UYb7WF-cPJ_FnRHy6Pq4Q__wSt1JdEhq5tB89-wfXHr3Bdtz2DkcC5bTBS5LLuD96imF/s1600/07-house-plantA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixo4EEx57JE9uCNh-KwjRPGoj3xoGKbH2cRfOyjqK4bTqzw8a6aULm146XUu6fPPBTuEzo5L56UYb7WF-cPJ_FnRHy6Pq4Q__wSt1JdEhq5tB89-wfXHr3Bdtz2DkcC5bTBS5LLuD96imF/s320/07-house-plantA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have a sunny location and want some color in your plant choices, this is the one for you. It has lovely leaves that look as though they've been waxed and the plant comes in a variety of colors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This beauty cleans benzene and chemicals produced by toluene, a liquid found in some waxes and adhesives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Red Edges Dracaena </u></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTqMANy-5BJywXYuXf1eTH3VOyyBZ5yMm6kQ8ac6_v3tBecI4n2ZR3GhQbWe-YxJM23E7qAMjrMo05P6rbk2dMnTUhq7u8jhlMB-b882gNada7b1mOTvZG5YOfFJQxnrpalvvSzgfA4Hs/s1600/08-house-plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTqMANy-5BJywXYuXf1eTH3VOyyBZ5yMm6kQ8ac6_v3tBecI4n2ZR3GhQbWe-YxJM23E7qAMjrMo05P6rbk2dMnTUhq7u8jhlMB-b882gNada7b1mOTvZG5YOfFJQxnrpalvvSzgfA4Hs/s320/08-house-plant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beautiful plant that can actually get up to 15 feet tall, loves a sunny location and is compact enough to fit into most sunny corners. Moderate to bright sunlight. Requires little water and you will love the red edges on each frond.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This plant will take care of gases released by xylene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde, which can be introduced by lacquers, varnishes, and sealers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Spider Plant</u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another easy to care for plant. You can use it as a hanging plant or in a pot atop a pedestal or table. It is a prolific reproducer so if you want more of them, it's not necessary to go out and spend money on more plants. All you have to do is wait until the plant grows "mini" spider plants at the end of it's leaves. Pick one off and sit it atop some soil, it will root and grow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a another plant that absorbs formaldehyde and benzene. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Between the cleaning and these plants....you will have a super healthy indoor environment!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As always, enjoy your space!</span></div>
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-27786511203179070682017-02-10T13:13:00.001-08:002017-02-10T13:13:20.532-08:00Dark Boring Apartments....What to do?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You find an apartment in the perfect location at the perfect price and you jump on it only to discover after you've moved your stuff in, that's it might be a bit small, a lot darker and with far less storage than you'd remembered. I think we've all done that a time or two. Now you're stuck in a lease for at least a year....how are you going to make this work?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With just a little creativity and imagination, that small, dark apartment will work without breaking the bank. Let's take a look at some great ideas from Better Home and Gardens as well as a couple from Pop Sugar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Kitchen Storage</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kitchen storage is usually the first thing sacrificed when developers build apartments. I guess they think apartment dwellers never cook anything more involved than a frozen pizza. Depending on your sense of style and the style of your apartment, you have tons of choices in a free standing "pantry". Head down to the nearest thrift store, garage sale..or if you're flush with cash...a big box store that sells shelving. Keep in mind that closed in shelving such as bookcases with closed in sides and backs are heavy to the eye and tend to close in a space even more than it already is. Ornate shelving does the same thing. You don't want ornate moldings or ornate metal work on your new pantry. You want clean simple lines preferable in a material that reflects light. Chrome works best in my opinion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Helpful tip: Keep all the less pretty items hidden in your cabinets and only put the pretty items on the open shelving. Canned vegetables, boxes of pasta, your cat food really needs to be hidden away. Instead free up valuable cabinet space (for the ugly stuff) by putting your wine glasses, decent dinnerware, colanders and the like on this shelving. Anything that isn't super attractive can be placed in nice baskets or wooden crates and placed on the shelving to keep it handy but out of sight. I think this is also a great place to store those pasta pots, roasting pans, mixing bowls and bakeware that never seems to fit into the cabinets of an apartment kitchen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Windows/Walls</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What about those windows? Most apartments made between 1980 and 2000 have fewer windows which are smaller and without casings. While this gives you more wall space to hang your prized artwork or photographs and it helps keep the utility bills down a bit, it also tends to make a room dark and feel a bit closed in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One way to combat this problem is giving yourself a wall of curtains. Now, curtains can be pricey. Especially since you are putting them from one end of the wall to the other. The solution? Fabric shower curtains. One shower curtain is the equivalent of 2 to 2 1/2 panels of curtains and usually cost about half of what 2 curtain panels would cost. Nowadays fabric shower curtains come in a huge assortment of colors and patterns. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The beauty of this trick is when you move, you take the curtains with you versus painting where you are out of pocket for the price of paint and supplies yet when you move not only will you obviously have to leave your investment behind but you just might lose your deposit as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another beauty of this trick is the fact that fabric will add color, pattern, texture and movement to your room not to mention that if your tastes or furnishings change, it's easy to swap out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Helpful tip: Hand the curtain rods higher than the top of the window. This will give the illusion that your walls are taller and the window larger. Curtain rods can be pricey. A cheap alternative to those rods are copper tubes usually used for plumbing. Measure the length you need, head to the hardware store, have them cut what you need and then purchase the brackets at a discount store. If you don't like copper, get aluminum pipes or even wooden dowels. If all else fails....go to the dollar store, buy a few brooks with wooden handles and use those. You're only going to see a few inches of the rod when the curtains are opened. Otherwise the rods will be covered. Last tip on this subject: If you don't like the color of the broom sticks or pipes, spray paint them. Problem solved.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Lighting</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some people are okay with dark rooms. They like the cozy, cave like feel of it. I do not. I like light and bright. If you like light and bright rooms what do you do if your room only has one window or maybe more than one window but they're facing shrubbery or trees or another building is blocking a lot of the light?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What you do is invest in lamps. Table lamps, hanging lamps and floor lamps. Lamps of all types. In a previous post, I wrote about transforming ugly, garage sale lamps into gorgeous "new" lamps. There's no need to break the bank buying lamps. Head out to the thriftstores and garage sales and grandma's attic and redo them for a fraction of the price of new ones. Here is a link to that post http://stagingdecoratingonthecheap.blogspot.com/2016/07/forget-paying-top-dollar-for-lamps-and.html</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A floor lamp in a dark corner will immediately make a room feel larger. To keep the electric bill down and prevent the room from being over lit, try to limit the bulb wattage to 40 or 60 watts per lamp. You will still achieve a dramatic difference without making the room or a particular area in the room appearing overly lit while keeping the electric bill down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Rugs</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lots of apartments come with standard, builder's grade, boring carpet. Usually beige. The best way to combat this is by investing in room sized rugs. Again, this is a fix that you can take with you when you move so it's money well invested.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpPoKxlNOajupCBrn_ioHWQ6zeoMh9fya94QMXq_ID1npiRPe9yuWrlV6GrtTlgdjEOd9tJwX6oRx1QbROx4p4I-Lk_NRJlfq49NfOcS4gVHsBildCwb681T8hLaKo73Rj0T5LLuNw_Fv/s1600/rugs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpPoKxlNOajupCBrn_ioHWQ6zeoMh9fya94QMXq_ID1npiRPe9yuWrlV6GrtTlgdjEOd9tJwX6oRx1QbROx4p4I-Lk_NRJlfq49NfOcS4gVHsBildCwb681T8hLaKo73Rj0T5LLuNw_Fv/s320/rugs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rugs aren't the expensive luxury they once were. The best thing about the price is if you get tired of the look or it becomes stained, you can throw it out and replace it without getting a second mortgage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Texture, pattern and color aren't the only benefits to having a rug. Rugs also offer insulation not only from the weather but also from noise which is a great benefit if you live above another apartment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mirrors can open a room almost as much as a window. Well placed mirrors will bounce light around a room and will also trick the eye into thinking there's another window in the room. If you find a mirror whose frame isn't really the color that you like....spray paint it. There's precious little that spray paint won't improve.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfHLe9R82nLu_qAZIZJVOyRNqQTF5OM_WNpumPwOICnfqgBqxA4hGOBMd52bWaGjKQoJYd6hLuexeow0eyx50cNhkHsu-_HBhpSdmC3XBSult5IUCEWfxZ3r5JLnFsVDtlMTFjHNhExO3/s1600/mirrors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfHLe9R82nLu_qAZIZJVOyRNqQTF5OM_WNpumPwOICnfqgBqxA4hGOBMd52bWaGjKQoJYd6hLuexeow0eyx50cNhkHsu-_HBhpSdmC3XBSult5IUCEWfxZ3r5JLnFsVDtlMTFjHNhExO3/s320/mirrors.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Ugly Dated Bathroom Tiles</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes you just have to wonder what the contractor's were thinking when you look at some of their "design" choices. Especially when you see some of their tile choices. An otherwise perfectly fine bathroom can become a real eyesore in the blink of an eye when you look on the wall. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ugly tile isn't something that you can easily remove or paint over. BTW it can be painted over with the right technique and products. But I doubt your landlord would allow it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What to do this case? Try to tone it down. That's really all you can do. The picture below shows a bathroom with yellow tile that was toned down using a lot of green accents. Pink tile was all the rage for a while. Black, gray and white are all good choices to tone down that pink. Ugly tiled bathrooms would be the one time that I'd beg a landlord to allow me to wallpaper and/or paint the walls. Sometimes the tile simply has to be toned down in order to live with the bathroom.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTkOaw69hvpu4Oi39fi_SBxAgGPNyvPzS-AZ316TnXgB6fdj92S8B2jUl5a42jT5HE6-NSqJ9icZZeNLwqKFiAP_RWA3QkAyx_IctxD_m_JsLgnSTTEi9BI4hp_B5k2sCvZftGFPXWteMi/s1600/ugly+tile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTkOaw69hvpu4Oi39fi_SBxAgGPNyvPzS-AZ316TnXgB6fdj92S8B2jUl5a42jT5HE6-NSqJ9icZZeNLwqKFiAP_RWA3QkAyx_IctxD_m_JsLgnSTTEi9BI4hp_B5k2sCvZftGFPXWteMi/s320/ugly+tile.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below is a pink tiled bath left alone and another of a pink tiled bath that has been accented with a nice gray upper wall and accessories. Notice how the additions of a gray upper wall and black accidents tones down the pink?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FL7yb70PLTJfnxDQCwSnttjDMDi5sxpj7NuoIQliAPiQjbK-Hshhb93EUH0vLDL3XvksXMOivYzTtPcC3Hl9xnG93OhN0sCAodVUCU_AFSvvyi_kWB4dwCur3rpnwFcaUFscVSVrIWHi/s1600/c3c2136ab3a8a555f18b9a2751f61a06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FL7yb70PLTJfnxDQCwSnttjDMDi5sxpj7NuoIQliAPiQjbK-Hshhb93EUH0vLDL3XvksXMOivYzTtPcC3Hl9xnG93OhN0sCAodVUCU_AFSvvyi_kWB4dwCur3rpnwFcaUFscVSVrIWHi/s320/c3c2136ab3a8a555f18b9a2751f61a06.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QuWoHfKZx9Zpzzc-UK4Hb756Hkmuu-6mzxjIsgdBoEELilTGInicxBjFanlCXV3ujPK7Zh4gYZ1CXcLS4zpiA55YcsgPMcwMdfFO5XLJWnXaSvCwrbbZOSlcw7nWRCQkQI6zuljecWEQ/s1600/a4b50c3fdd08378b39901e96a0d86054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_QuWoHfKZx9Zpzzc-UK4Hb756Hkmuu-6mzxjIsgdBoEELilTGInicxBjFanlCXV3ujPK7Zh4gYZ1CXcLS4zpiA55YcsgPMcwMdfFO5XLJWnXaSvCwrbbZOSlcw7nWRCQkQI6zuljecWEQ/s320/a4b50c3fdd08378b39901e96a0d86054.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The following bathrooms are, in my opinion, beyond toning down. They are too wild for any accessory to cure.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVrRZL__v4WPZZ1v51aG7gY9_w_Q3dmEO1Ez_9HZeZ9EcMThMUPC5q0X8bmchhNVVbULEAMSzlAscZWiX13HrfeQBsRCZBCmZ2T_oBs-zoinuQIhhNCqUR5clebqPWeF1WyWI4GnBqG3X/s1600/160528a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVrRZL__v4WPZZ1v51aG7gY9_w_Q3dmEO1Ez_9HZeZ9EcMThMUPC5q0X8bmchhNVVbULEAMSzlAscZWiX13HrfeQBsRCZBCmZ2T_oBs-zoinuQIhhNCqUR5clebqPWeF1WyWI4GnBqG3X/s320/160528a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhza7exDzT2dTP9hfltvpMOVetRF0NdR8DCmqhWY2MIvXrE-4fi7tB-XBmqxKAS3v8TCu1I0OJPj5xudxgveCPuVsy7LoUsbFUTs9dTuyanx__FmukrBn6IOqpYs97i7ii2ngLsuq5AdVNb/s1600/bad4-978x400.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhza7exDzT2dTP9hfltvpMOVetRF0NdR8DCmqhWY2MIvXrE-4fi7tB-XBmqxKAS3v8TCu1I0OJPj5xudxgveCPuVsy7LoUsbFUTs9dTuyanx__FmukrBn6IOqpYs97i7ii2ngLsuq5AdVNb/s320/bad4-978x400.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apartment living can be frustrating in that you can't really make dramatic changes to your spaces. However, you can make changes to how you live in those spaces through your accessories, furniture and lighting. That can make all the difference in the world! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As always, enjoy your space!</span></div>
Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-5025346041923767262017-01-02T12:12:00.000-08:002017-01-02T12:16:33.486-08:00Never too early to get ready for mosquito's!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white;">Practically every week I read about a new horrifying disease that is spread via mosquito's. While I realize it's winter, it's never too early to begin planning for the inevitable "mosquito" weather. Keeping yourself, your loved ones and your pets safe from these disease ridden creatures does not require dousing yourself with harmful chemicals or locking yourself indoors.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">There are many types of flowers, herbs, and grasses that naturally repel mosquitoes due to the plants naturally </span><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">occurring essential oils. The oils are released into the air, particularly when a plant is cut or “bruised.” Higher temperatures also cause more of the oils to be released. Coincidentally, higher temperatures are a mosquito's favorite climate.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Here are a sampling of plants that naturally repel mosquitoes:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Marigolds</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">The flower’s aroma not only repels mosquitoes, but marigolds are easy to care for and add beauty to your yard. If you live in the warmer states of America, you can actually leave these in the pots outside all winter. Once the weather begins to warm, most of the time these will regrow. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Lavender</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">Many of us love the scent, but mosquitoes can’t stand it. Lavender is great for people who are lazy about watering since it is drought resistant. Crush the leaves and rub them on your skin and clothes for personal mosquito protection.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Citronella and lemon grass</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;">These related herbs have a lemony scent. Lemon grass is widely used in Asian cooking. The Citronella plant is sometimes called the mosquito plant. If you have ever bought a citronella candle to put on your patio to keep the mosquito's away, you will be familiar with the scent of it. Also many of the mosquito repellent sprays that you buy to smear all over you when you go outside contain this in them. If you buy citronella, make sure you get the varieties Cymbopogon nardus or Citronella winterianus. They work best. Both of these plants are hardy and fairly fast growing. they should last for years with a minimum of care.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Garlic</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">Contrary to popular belief, a</span><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"> 2005 study found that eating garlic does nothing to ward off mosquitoes.</span><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">However, garlic plants do repel them. You can plant the edible form of garlic or try society garlic which is an ornamental garlic that is not edible but has pretty purple flowers that these insects hate. Edible garlic also sprouts flowers just before harvesting time but they aren't as long lasting or as pretty.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Rosemary</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">The pungent pine-like scent drives away mosquitoes. It does well in the ground in warm climates. But if you live in the north, grow it in a pot and keep it inside in the winter. Use it generously in cooking. As a bonus, rosemary is a powerful antioxidant.</span><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"> As a bonus, this plant has been linked to improved memory functions. This can be grown in any size pot or you can plant it directly in the ground and allow it to get as large as it wants depending on the size of your outdoor space.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Basil</span><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">Bruise a few leaves on your basil plant to help repel mosquitoes.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Catnip</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;">Mosquitoes can’t stand it and your cat will love you for growing it. It can be invasive and take over your yard. So restrict it to pots or plant it in between hardscape to restrict its growth.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Mint</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;">Mint is another plant that is usually best grown in a pots because of its aggressive growing habits. There are tons of variations of mint. Lemon, spearmint, peppermint, even strawberry. For mosquito control, I would stick with the traditional mint. This is a great plant if your yard is mostly shaded or contains a lot of pine trees because this plant if left to its own devices will become a hardy grown cover. However, if allowing it to take over your yard isn't your thing, then you should truly plant these in pots in order to control their growth. The great thing about having this as ground cover, is the scent you get from it every time you walk in the yard or mow your yard. It's really heavenly. If you have a bit of "lawn" between a walkway and the house or by your patio and a fence or wall, this would be a wonderful place to plant it directly in the ground. Or you can use it to fill in the spaces between pavers or bricks and still reap the scented rewards.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: 700; text-align: left;">Lantana</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">Lantana just may be the best mosquito-repelling plant of all. Researchers in Africa found it was so effective that it helped control malaria. Scientists planted lantana outside 90 homes in Tanzania. They used another 231 homes as a control group. The lantana-planted homes had 83% fewer mosquitoes. </span><span style="font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">All of these plants will thrive in most parts of the country in the summer months when mosquitoes abound. An excellent strategy is to keep pots of them near doorways to keep mosquitoes out of your house. And plant them in high traffic areas throughout your yard. Some states such as Florida have labeled Lantana as an invasive species so planting it directly into your ground may be prohibited in your community, so it's best to check on that prior to planting. However, I'm not aware of any community that has forbid this plant from being kept in a container. Lantana comes in many colors so the hardest part about having them is deciding which color to buy. They are hardy plants that thrive in most conditions/soils. Another great thing about lantana is the fact that butterflies, hummingbirds and all manner of wonderful creatures love their flowers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">Perhaps the most important part of mosquito control is standing water. This is the most common breeding ground for mosquitoes. It doesn't take a swimming pool worth of water for these creatures to call home. Things as shallow as your pets outside water bowl, an empty flower pot, birdbaths, your house gutters that have become a bit clogged thus creating small pools of water, anything that is thumb deep will suffice and these horrible things will lay their eggs and grow more mosquito's before you know it. If you are vigilant about ridding your property of standing water and plant some of the above plants near your windows and doors, you should have as mosquito free environment as possible.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">As always, enjoy your space!</span></div>
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-56611846794028685442016-12-01T15:35:00.002-08:002016-12-01T15:37:47.495-08:00No money in the budget for Holiday decorations?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Ho</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">l</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">idays can be enormously expensive. There are presents to buy from a long list of friends and family. There's the food. There's the holiday clothes. None of these things are cheap.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What about the decorations?? Uh oh. No money left for that!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Try some old fashioned DIY decorations! I've shown a few below just to get your creative juices flowing. You know my motto.....there's no case of ugly that a can of spray paint and some glitter can't cure!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">A beautifully decorated home is simply a home that feels comfortable as soon as you walk in the door. In my book, there is no right or wrong to it. If you smile when you walk in, it's a winner.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">Tree skirts really make or break a Christmas tree. The last one that I bought cost $40. It lasted a couple of years before the colors faded and I tired of the look.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">Below are a couple of cheap ideas that look amazing. The first one is just cheap felt that has been cut into strips and sewn together. If, like me, you don't want to sew....staple them together. Nothing easier than that. The second one is an old quilt that was cut to size and a couple of strips attached to act as a tie fastener. If you don't have an old quilt laying around, head for the thrift stores.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyObf_H1cecUo1X0UPy4wX-BkYe9B7QwCMJdsauCwF27eVO4dMnvyxOdywviAPhzSZw-8dkC7UUzHWudrUGqMRwqOmBiNAhvGvctlfiQb7tSpbNCjdN4PiAW5bDlzrSQ3VoV1Ri7ybvQS6/s1600/tree+skirt.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyObf_H1cecUo1X0UPy4wX-BkYe9B7QwCMJdsauCwF27eVO4dMnvyxOdywviAPhzSZw-8dkC7UUzHWudrUGqMRwqOmBiNAhvGvctlfiQb7tSpbNCjdN4PiAW5bDlzrSQ3VoV1Ri7ybvQS6/s320/tree+skirt.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmzr2F_1p3XK_7BcHlhLckf-So8SbEraFpTStHUkjIDxg3xu29cXEG9hFY_jrme9_6vlo9tcQd3YxnqBsQRxOSYor8nG8l9s-WkA1-R-a9U1eYazIt4oLApZ1PP11wzUuZ6Vsq0R6enE0/s1600/quilt+tree+skirt.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmzr2F_1p3XK_7BcHlhLckf-So8SbEraFpTStHUkjIDxg3xu29cXEG9hFY_jrme9_6vlo9tcQd3YxnqBsQRxOSYor8nG8l9s-WkA1-R-a9U1eYazIt4oLApZ1PP11wzUuZ6Vsq0R6enE0/s320/quilt+tree+skirt.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">Every year I head to the nearest pharmacy a day or so after Christmas and snap up all the cheap decorations. I say pharmacy because I don't have the nerve or patience to head to a larger store. The pharmacy's generally don't have the parking issues, long lines and crowded stores like the larger stores do. It doesn't really matter if the ornaments are glass or plastic or even if they are pretty. A can of spray paint and a bottle of glitter later, they will be gorgeous! Ornaments aren't just for the tree you know. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44iu3Jp4oh_RWfm6sVHJHFgwfzSFqa1P1SwQAn8AeD_iCrYG2AF2cvoL1uQw2UVf4D0y91vEd4ZoJZm_rZZcgDjp0ycgt-LY12mmJROSb8L5XOHBYlzDrJ3eEG2TIOi1XDep_0tZEHmIp/s1600/ornament+decorations.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44iu3Jp4oh_RWfm6sVHJHFgwfzSFqa1P1SwQAn8AeD_iCrYG2AF2cvoL1uQw2UVf4D0y91vEd4ZoJZm_rZZcgDjp0ycgt-LY12mmJROSb8L5XOHBYlzDrJ3eEG2TIOi1XDep_0tZEHmIp/s320/ornament+decorations.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">Nature's bounty! I love walking in the woods or the park in the fall/winter. I always carry a bag with me and pick up all the pine cones, nuts and interesting foliage that I find. Then when I get home, I use them for decorations. Pine cones are so great! You can glue them together (regular old Elmer's glue will work just fine), you can sprinkle glitter on them or you can just leave them natural. They add to any Holiday decorating.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPsxnQIwQujxMA9VEm-MXQm6uhsQNIM4zEybOD5F1RL6Db2P1QUInGbsVLep97VM8ehbIdlLF8GPwvKmR_P4-9uJHp1C47kRC-H9NDWShmUnQXuC6K0VzKN1QACoJiyjXCkXyQVJKF0jl/s1600/cake+holder+decoration.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPsxnQIwQujxMA9VEm-MXQm6uhsQNIM4zEybOD5F1RL6Db2P1QUInGbsVLep97VM8ehbIdlLF8GPwvKmR_P4-9uJHp1C47kRC-H9NDWShmUnQXuC6K0VzKN1QACoJiyjXCkXyQVJKF0jl/s320/cake+holder+decoration.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_fFQAViyA0ixQMGu8KYbN2EJF41iGmDzbU45VbbPkICOnXhtmvOpL6XcYqhQBu944eogzXvTcK8cN8EiRIsAiaGhDSuHPQ30omG2DAxAysOTIgjqYd8_biAR-CoiAutrksOoerkKTJkVN/s1600/pinecone+decorations.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_fFQAViyA0ixQMGu8KYbN2EJF41iGmDzbU45VbbPkICOnXhtmvOpL6XcYqhQBu944eogzXvTcK8cN8EiRIsAiaGhDSuHPQ30omG2DAxAysOTIgjqYd8_biAR-CoiAutrksOoerkKTJkVN/s320/pinecone+decorations.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">Faux presents are another way to bring Christmas cheer to any room. All it takes are empty boxes and either paper or even fabric. Wrap it up and show it off!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ogHhD3KGDuQqMlOXq_0hhGWKiim2Bf9yDakM7jEozE126f1-TderT8i9WRo-hOMhXjF-d35f1NLLxWaG6pyzFQGcVU7YKfhDLMJPAKc98qJ1APJUUkaq6EbNKf3KgzsVnGucnXT43c7l/s1600/present+decorations.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ogHhD3KGDuQqMlOXq_0hhGWKiim2Bf9yDakM7jEozE126f1-TderT8i9WRo-hOMhXjF-d35f1NLLxWaG6pyzFQGcVU7YKfhDLMJPAKc98qJ1APJUUkaq6EbNKf3KgzsVnGucnXT43c7l/s320/present+decorations.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I love stockings hung by the fireplace! I do get tired of the same ones year after year though. My solution? I go to the thrift stores and find sweaters that have an interesting color or pattern. I then cut off the arms and make my own stockings! I use the body of the sweater to wrap some of my faux presents. This can cost as little as $1.00 per sweater.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-4wR1svYeRuNV0s03JRyhdRKscaw5Zp0qXjfOlbXpAEHqRuZiSosE90RdGF-_5lAk8lxj-kZxNl3qyZwWz6VdjoqEix98qBQPeHSzbluDNvUHJPNNDafqeDd9n2sdFn7diK9r3KC-02Z/s1600/sweater+stockings.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-4wR1svYeRuNV0s03JRyhdRKscaw5Zp0qXjfOlbXpAEHqRuZiSosE90RdGF-_5lAk8lxj-kZxNl3qyZwWz6VdjoqEix98qBQPeHSzbluDNvUHJPNNDafqeDd9n2sdFn7diK9r3KC-02Z/s320/sweater+stockings.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">Don't forget outside! My front door has a full glass storm door and the space between the wooden door and the glass door is very very small. I can't really have a full thick wreath because of the space issue. I don't want to put the wreath on the outside of the glass door. I want it protected from the elements...and any thieves. Wreaths are expensive. So I say, make your own! The picture below is nothing more than a very decorative hard plastic plate that was spray painted, a hole cut out and hung. Whole thing might have cost $1.00....Christmas over?...toss it in the trash.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictlUUM3FwrJshZSIpWCyjsMsZu_VZPvGLHmVcjAelVtdgJSRBhL7regb4rJZdO2LkzjsdY5_sxzGOTCtP_pCA3E0k2B_GwiSoJJtgW8xX0UV8nVk0FjqnFqpC9qxQmvEa5-EVka7uMWNJ/s1600/plastic+plate+wreath.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEictlUUM3FwrJshZSIpWCyjsMsZu_VZPvGLHmVcjAelVtdgJSRBhL7regb4rJZdO2LkzjsdY5_sxzGOTCtP_pCA3E0k2B_GwiSoJJtgW8xX0UV8nVk0FjqnFqpC9qxQmvEa5-EVka7uMWNJ/s320/plastic+plate+wreath.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;">Catch some great deals on plain wreaths last year after Christmas? Using twisty ties, affix them together and create a snowman for your lawn! Super cute!</span><br style="color: #222222; font-size: 15.4px;" /></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLk16u7nrhO2zPQifI2A8MC5LkXCfREKgdIp6ZHtNiBIKB4urJXDR6fIO_vJXSwGEVOrnWj4HHLW12vcj6dqvP49VRbEifwjiJabXBQ1yA2UqQswKSuKtjRcQ04bdB8Jj-MtrTSz2my561/s1600/xmas+wreath+snowman.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLk16u7nrhO2zPQifI2A8MC5LkXCfREKgdIp6ZHtNiBIKB4urJXDR6fIO_vJXSwGEVOrnWj4HHLW12vcj6dqvP49VRbEifwjiJabXBQ1yA2UqQswKSuKtjRcQ04bdB8Jj-MtrTSz2my561/s320/xmas+wreath+snowman.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jars...I love jars. Pour an inch of so of salt in the jar then sit a votive candle in there. Instant walkway lighting.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrJwdftkWqpbJY3nwoL34vISSvIc6qdvILcCaeVY_l21Ajym_preONrJyq0Qw1qatugmPo3jAdpUOanH712Vmq-8YJ1PUEjbFY61sK6hHn9_Kxtp3BZ3buVH9uiiXD5zB2Ex63AhdNN6S/s1600/mason+jar+walkway+lights.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrJwdftkWqpbJY3nwoL34vISSvIc6qdvILcCaeVY_l21Ajym_preONrJyq0Qw1qatugmPo3jAdpUOanH712Vmq-8YJ1PUEjbFY61sK6hHn9_Kxtp3BZ3buVH9uiiXD5zB2Ex63AhdNN6S/s320/mason+jar+walkway+lights.jpeg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So now you have a few very inexpensive and super cute ideas for your Holiday decorating! Merry Christmas!!</span></span></div>
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-8484579920076665902016-11-01T17:38:00.000-07:002016-11-01T17:38:25.303-07:00Thanksgiving Decorating<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Decorating the house is my favorite part of this season. There's Halloween, then Thanksgiving and then the big daddy of all holidays....Christmas! But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Halloween is now over so let's start thinking about decking the halls for Thanksgiving!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">You don't have to spend a fortune on Thanksgiving decorations. Anything with pumpkins, fall food inspired decorations and, of course, candles. Let's start with the candles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Candles can be your best friend when decorating for any occasion. There's so much you can do with them and you can use them for every theme...over and over again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">You can wrap them with pretty leaves from your yard.....</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EGOPWrhmJyZNbw1Vpfd4_USP8ZAJ3BArr1qiD-WVOK0CkVQU5fgoGl0RN1Q-Lzsf_a8lRnS93ZGwSU68yrmrc4J7MMHU59DCXrVsBGMDt8n6WlNjUYiyhBpEdVDnl2eIO2BmKJ9FKZUP/s1600/leaf+wrapped+candles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EGOPWrhmJyZNbw1Vpfd4_USP8ZAJ3BArr1qiD-WVOK0CkVQU5fgoGl0RN1Q-Lzsf_a8lRnS93ZGwSU68yrmrc4J7MMHU59DCXrVsBGMDt8n6WlNjUYiyhBpEdVDnl2eIO2BmKJ9FKZUP/s320/leaf+wrapped+candles.jpg" width="288" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can tie cinnamon sticks around them with twine.....</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8O612FDTqK9vriLgoyNXJk7t5zhzbMk5uDBHnwC8BUtMeawF_J_Sgc8glKIXqAM-_aVyerXb8AVxnyL1Nm1fMNdc2VmtIBVQWFID8dYIYYGFytzhjMVHJaQySc_qISM-ToCA41agECuT/s1600/wrapped+candles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8O612FDTqK9vriLgoyNXJk7t5zhzbMk5uDBHnwC8BUtMeawF_J_Sgc8glKIXqAM-_aVyerXb8AVxnyL1Nm1fMNdc2VmtIBVQWFID8dYIYYGFytzhjMVHJaQySc_qISM-ToCA41agECuT/s320/wrapped+candles.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can leave them plain and simply decorate their holder. How about layering corn in a glass candle holder?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9n0x2fUZcd1WKIN9-vJvklaNGNCbWrm0INGOSVpQGyV2PrycfN24Zx8LhzPPsZWpTiQgn6jjaXeQQ58dvmg20LxsUsGg2qnAtIWkZL4oOgamqYn_sfMOJfVzz96m9Y6kdC0B08tGAQxDI/s1600/corn+in+candle+holder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9n0x2fUZcd1WKIN9-vJvklaNGNCbWrm0INGOSVpQGyV2PrycfN24Zx8LhzPPsZWpTiQgn6jjaXeQQ58dvmg20LxsUsGg2qnAtIWkZL4oOgamqYn_sfMOJfVzz96m9Y6kdC0B08tGAQxDI/s320/corn+in+candle+holder.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...or various dried beans?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiamMdS9lGZqXCfhcC4Ysg8CEC9liu9kPV6nmHn-1m2NsZuvokgp9nBv3Y9gp-zT1xACjBB3jXGQ_u_PYh2HgvCZexnYt1LjNmAZO9L-fDtYDBJLO3R02CmGkoYo5GUd6t1ZYQKQfjwT_o1/s1600/bean+filled+candle+holder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiamMdS9lGZqXCfhcC4Ysg8CEC9liu9kPV6nmHn-1m2NsZuvokgp9nBv3Y9gp-zT1xACjBB3jXGQ_u_PYh2HgvCZexnYt1LjNmAZO9L-fDtYDBJLO3R02CmGkoYo5GUd6t1ZYQKQfjwT_o1/s1600/bean+filled+candle+holder.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pumpkins, squash and other like vegetables are another great way to decorate. They aren't costly and hold up really well for about a month at a time without turning to mush. You can paint them if you don't like them naturally, you can garnish them with glitter or glue buttons on them....the options are endless. I will warn you...if you are going to garnish them...do not puncture them or the insides will begin to rot and you will have a horrible mess on your hands. Always glue your garnishes on.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_AaeMfBLp59g4BsPzTlUoVSth_MpsfI-H3eOxqVH4FNCmbbIqVXUGqAM2j82jEdPEOjm-Ms7shWN4tuCafLlcrFjs9AYmWbOgPCTPabU9uDbOX_l69eTroD28rK2dgWk5ZEnWNDJ7qNR/s1600/spray+painted+pumpkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_AaeMfBLp59g4BsPzTlUoVSth_MpsfI-H3eOxqVH4FNCmbbIqVXUGqAM2j82jEdPEOjm-Ms7shWN4tuCafLlcrFjs9AYmWbOgPCTPabU9uDbOX_l69eTroD28rK2dgWk5ZEnWNDJ7qNR/s320/spray+painted+pumpkins.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can even make candleholders out of them! This idea will require you to scoop out a bit from the middle in order to get your candle in there. This will hold up for a week or so before it begins to rot so I would save this idea for a dinner decoration or maybe if you're planning a party. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohIacUuDoE4GYn4tGEU94LfBpQCSpBnLMZdlsOkfqQUKNhLbnjw_ieekWhA9oic6MkvNpG3Gg2KBM3alTv8qmiU_Ff-79KV0FExV463fZDSUdlzl6WIAsTWwtY_viDcnalqrvuytng376/s1600/pumpkin+candleholder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohIacUuDoE4GYn4tGEU94LfBpQCSpBnLMZdlsOkfqQUKNhLbnjw_ieekWhA9oic6MkvNpG3Gg2KBM3alTv8qmiU_Ff-79KV0FExV463fZDSUdlzl6WIAsTWwtY_viDcnalqrvuytng376/s320/pumpkin+candleholder.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or you can leave them as nature made them and surround them with other fall items for a homey centerpiece.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrR3Q90rlk-14fbMDMj35KDYjUJ_idFH4ndXGt1AoLSq1HNjHCRqvTX__n9mNshO6BEvENua8rm5uoXw99D6S6GGRx8E-8Im38fkJmgg0oghSZzQFx2F5COVsJe91RikY4e1qmRNwIcRbG/s1600/wicker+tray+with+pine+cones+and+acorns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrR3Q90rlk-14fbMDMj35KDYjUJ_idFH4ndXGt1AoLSq1HNjHCRqvTX__n9mNshO6BEvENua8rm5uoXw99D6S6GGRx8E-8Im38fkJmgg0oghSZzQFx2F5COVsJe91RikY4e1qmRNwIcRbG/s320/wicker+tray+with+pine+cones+and+acorns.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How about a fun treat for the kids? Look how cute these Oreo turkey's look! I saw this idea at www.ourbestbites.com They look yummy!</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9i5CNMqKaD1jVsr9ka9LkR_59-TvhxtSbKC3vplS7B0ztsrOrLWBQ9fMcq-DQeNMPc_wv9dwr2vEgSsY5UNh9GbVcu0ql5hgGXJdbYEzczzatirnmNiJ0A9zqtJf6qmeL09_EcjZtUYPI/s1600/oreo+turkeys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9i5CNMqKaD1jVsr9ka9LkR_59-TvhxtSbKC3vplS7B0ztsrOrLWBQ9fMcq-DQeNMPc_wv9dwr2vEgSsY5UNh9GbVcu0ql5hgGXJdbYEzczzatirnmNiJ0A9zqtJf6qmeL09_EcjZtUYPI/s320/oreo+turkeys.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">If you're looking for a decorating project that the kids will enjoy, try turning pine cones and feathers into turkeys. Easy, not at all messy and super cute!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRGxdnVG2SPml-ANLZp2WtZn_L59SlfNL1_bGmHDYBoNH4Y6Gwt3W3AF7CbJ9t2s21fLXc9i0uZOvszeJtH1iw44_NAhqbJsVm1BaXmim2doGeLWix4xnGXx-Thld-p1NXaCVm6LIAx-Z/s1600/pine+and+feathers+cone+turkeys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRGxdnVG2SPml-ANLZp2WtZn_L59SlfNL1_bGmHDYBoNH4Y6Gwt3W3AF7CbJ9t2s21fLXc9i0uZOvszeJtH1iw44_NAhqbJsVm1BaXmim2doGeLWix4xnGXx-Thld-p1NXaCVm6LIAx-Z/s320/pine+and+feathers+cone+turkeys.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All it takes to decorate your house for the holidays is a little imagination, a little scavenging for the items and a few minutes of your time. Simple, inexpensive and gorgeous!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As always, enjoy your space!</span></div>
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-84234252436395050562016-10-07T18:26:00.002-07:002016-10-07T18:26:40.064-07:00Need some Halloween decorating ideas that are easy, cheap and unique?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I love Halloween!! Love it! The best part is decorating the yard so it spooks everyone out. That can get really expensive really quick. So......how about making some great decorations on the cheap?<br />
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It should also be said that I am not an artist type. I can't sew, I can't draw, I can't paint a picture. So these ideas are perfect for me. They look really creative and artsy but I don't have to have talent to do any of them......I like.<br />
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Let's look at some!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpY8fiiv1Se4PrMykA7fIAguzkCfWAzp-1tX-EN9p8DpDrLsM8cRGc4gP075X6AbNNwWQsUjkDXd4QSTXXUiIw5Keye-MauYn4eeS2Xxt65IHKEq5iu31qirogsQUSkFtsEZT2d9rnQ91/s1600/pumpkin+spider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpY8fiiv1Se4PrMykA7fIAguzkCfWAzp-1tX-EN9p8DpDrLsM8cRGc4gP075X6AbNNwWQsUjkDXd4QSTXXUiIw5Keye-MauYn4eeS2Xxt65IHKEq5iu31qirogsQUSkFtsEZT2d9rnQ91/s320/pumpkin+spider.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
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Who's not afraid of a giant pumpkin spider????</div>
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Oh no!!!! They're having a ghost meeting on my front lawn!!!! </div>
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Seriously, stick some brook sticks in the ground, glue some felt on a sheet and then drape the sheet over the broomstick. Done.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh25gGI1sPPEgj_EyadGRKhH7_mReHs5qPH63u5u8JdNx93FqXjLZW1pHq2t0ac08f0riQGBUD4CP_aDzIyFeg6XCzSABEUKVJNHAr91WYRmzWurmkCv5MyfRy97EjkgPDrvlxG-7B8Xmih/s1600/dancing+ghosts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh25gGI1sPPEgj_EyadGRKhH7_mReHs5qPH63u5u8JdNx93FqXjLZW1pHq2t0ac08f0riQGBUD4CP_aDzIyFeg6XCzSABEUKVJNHAr91WYRmzWurmkCv5MyfRy97EjkgPDrvlxG-7B8Xmih/s320/dancing+ghosts.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now I have dancing ghosts??</div>
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For this one, do the same as the previous one. Only this time, staple their "hands" together and tie some string to give them waists and necks.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Hz8rkpnYp7dG6hCBhLlHD9ROQm87RCKyEKwCE9_lVPt4JZnMnbhVBPpmNPVZVB5wuPaVx0to2FEyZqN5U08kLFB-mYeUqaeGXJnHHvOtOmyuQ7o0hVPki9HtNd0_4DQ_IcCwakfsZkv_/s1600/headstones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Hz8rkpnYp7dG6hCBhLlHD9ROQm87RCKyEKwCE9_lVPt4JZnMnbhVBPpmNPVZVB5wuPaVx0to2FEyZqN5U08kLFB-mYeUqaeGXJnHHvOtOmyuQ7o0hVPki9HtNd0_4DQ_IcCwakfsZkv_/s320/headstones.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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With all those ghosts there has to be a cemetery near by</div>
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I prefer to use blocks of Styrofoam for this project but you can use </div>
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cardboard, plywood, or anything else that you can stick in the ground. I paint mine and </div>
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then hammer a few paint stirs in the ground in front and in back to keep these from falling over.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMz9uoTmNblDH01wDYd0FMwBY5xevRRQSigIdIW6trxKbJFBUtDoOSu6jSrP8FiE0OnlHmlUe_8UoxSlZgOeYoXtz6bGGBBuqb-uITUiL5lHWcmlguiInZRtc95sUvd_6peMPVx4KFQAA/s1600/pumpkin+eating+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMz9uoTmNblDH01wDYd0FMwBY5xevRRQSigIdIW6trxKbJFBUtDoOSu6jSrP8FiE0OnlHmlUe_8UoxSlZgOeYoXtz6bGGBBuqb-uITUiL5lHWcmlguiInZRtc95sUvd_6peMPVx4KFQAA/s320/pumpkin+eating+man.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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ZOMBIE PUMPKIN!!!!</div>
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I think this one is really self explanatory</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAurP5pWK3Mfkm8gvCFht-nM3Cbkavm7T_PMSHmzFVZzMXOb5kxYA-ljIxR8RWOn3D2T96jrMSmr4YXiyM7mUWW-R060t4KN5DSz5kqpjtjENCkidCMqI3b1sKo-xcwbHoW1NFuYZXr7A/s1600/skeleton+in+wheelbarrow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAurP5pWK3Mfkm8gvCFht-nM3Cbkavm7T_PMSHmzFVZzMXOb5kxYA-ljIxR8RWOn3D2T96jrMSmr4YXiyM7mUWW-R060t4KN5DSz5kqpjtjENCkidCMqI3b1sKo-xcwbHoW1NFuYZXr7A/s320/skeleton+in+wheelbarrow.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I need to bury this guy!</div>
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This is a cheap plastic skeleton, an old wheelbarrow, a shovel and some sand. Done.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgrGBsUOQYYAlRBbtvLRcSEmGbwfm-fEOTM4Zye25EXLz6koUN_xdUVhKlz1crBcVo-exwW87RrwDLEebdAq-5uXGiT7zLLFVNKxPPZDKIw05MCVj6K92QQ3UBVBSSVQAAJMfd02zzZo8/s1600/tree+eating+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgrGBsUOQYYAlRBbtvLRcSEmGbwfm-fEOTM4Zye25EXLz6koUN_xdUVhKlz1crBcVo-exwW87RrwDLEebdAq-5uXGiT7zLLFVNKxPPZDKIw05MCVj6K92QQ3UBVBSSVQAAJMfd02zzZo8/s320/tree+eating+man.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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Man eating shrub?!! Oh no!!</div>
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Again, pretty self explanatory.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX51fpvbVOtgecZjLJ6jKWoECufUdhud0W38cGgMZgDaAwTEKUIFblb1w2KP7CeRf3Ts_kNX7ckMXqUw546P_ReS-RKpNoILrcalVYIkYNrUx7wYbszQEIAYVEsC8aaKkoKKtt_9BP4KGv/s1600/tree+with+eyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX51fpvbVOtgecZjLJ6jKWoECufUdhud0W38cGgMZgDaAwTEKUIFblb1w2KP7CeRf3Ts_kNX7ckMXqUw546P_ReS-RKpNoILrcalVYIkYNrUx7wYbszQEIAYVEsC8aaKkoKKtt_9BP4KGv/s320/tree+with+eyes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm watching you!</div>
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This one is my favorites. It's just so easy.</div>
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Now go out and terrorize the neighborhood!</div>
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-15040269721502287582016-08-22T10:42:00.001-07:002016-08-22T10:42:22.694-07:00Interesting Things to do with Used Books<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Books are treasures to me and the thought of destroying one by making a safe or a side table or a shelf is nearly more than I can bear. However, not all books are really worthy of saving. I've read some pretty awful books in my life. So these are the ones I choose to sacrifice. Many thrift stores or even dollar stores offer hardback books at anywhere from $.50 to $1.00 each.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How about a book safe? Easy to make! Select your book, glue the pages together in two sections (one for the "lid" and one section to hold your valuables). Then using an exacto knife cut the pages to a depth suitable. Finally glue felt into the hole. Done!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtNe5QB2hdsNFfC6682OyDRuoHROBBknuo_6Z6eJkyTtkvv1IyIRjWGlqNGwi12QWZ6tD3t7bYYTTwqLfjfPxbHTgRB8ncb-l6AtUB7IylG1yvGHvlwH47WiXvwqlBZUWZ7HFJcCEZxKb/s1600/finishedbook1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtNe5QB2hdsNFfC6682OyDRuoHROBBknuo_6Z6eJkyTtkvv1IyIRjWGlqNGwi12QWZ6tD3t7bYYTTwqLfjfPxbHTgRB8ncb-l6AtUB7IylG1yvGHvlwH47WiXvwqlBZUWZ7HFJcCEZxKb/s320/finishedbook1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now let's look at making a lamp base out of books! Again, super easy to make. Align your books to get the perfect angle, drill holes in the middle, glue the books together and thread your rod. Done!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTG5HygHPlIGpH3RfvigX2NGteRK546CotIJvY_MUDs_ERTH8zx6Lo0yVFOenJDCerfQ93OwnqgVrz0huG-VOJZLbHm8P0IAfTo3-iBFXI8yFg9DI3BJq_xxnmwxluuwuY2n-UMeAjSpM2/s1600/book+lamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTG5HygHPlIGpH3RfvigX2NGteRK546CotIJvY_MUDs_ERTH8zx6Lo0yVFOenJDCerfQ93OwnqgVrz0huG-VOJZLbHm8P0IAfTo3-iBFXI8yFg9DI3BJq_xxnmwxluuwuY2n-UMeAjSpM2/s320/book+lamp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another idea for books is making a book table out of them. Same instructions as above. Drill the holes, glues the books together but this time instead of inserting a rod, try using something a bit more stable like a couple of thick (and long) dowels or even a wooden pole or broom handle that you have cut to size. Then you can either lay a piece of glass on top or put a thick coat of poly on the top book to keep any spills from ruining your work. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyWgqjEwPc1eHaXNOzes4ecLt__gZqJKb8XGaooMF2SASrGDhQT-WKMD21VFytsiOC8whCCppDkkvR4EK1LXmLGAHu-gQlpu50FJP-LuOfukw0TZnz1u45fPj0NZwHQMfw1tQQrDKWqGL/s1600/book+table-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyWgqjEwPc1eHaXNOzes4ecLt__gZqJKb8XGaooMF2SASrGDhQT-WKMD21VFytsiOC8whCCppDkkvR4EK1LXmLGAHu-gQlpu50FJP-LuOfukw0TZnz1u45fPj0NZwHQMfw1tQQrDKWqGL/s1600/book+table-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lastly how about making a shelf out of books? Buy metal shelf brackets. Drill a hole where the screws go, screw the book securely to the bracket and install on the wall. Done! It really is as easy as that.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTZjYCEIL3p2D4PaAl98pzkn7JU3WfBYxsAJGLdTJyJa8n0VAR36Ta8_IQ2Wr8gkkyuCrybHfa8-JgzYJtkMEsybMPmOAoPq_SGsW0MeeTvYlgOUO1R5frGAzSQ4lGdX0tKkpMbN0_6lY/s1600/book+shelf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTZjYCEIL3p2D4PaAl98pzkn7JU3WfBYxsAJGLdTJyJa8n0VAR36Ta8_IQ2Wr8gkkyuCrybHfa8-JgzYJtkMEsybMPmOAoPq_SGsW0MeeTvYlgOUO1R5frGAzSQ4lGdX0tKkpMbN0_6lY/s1600/book+shelf.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now head to the thrift store and snap up some hardback books with interesting covers and get to work!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As always, enjoy your space!</span></div>
Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-32444194669580941882016-08-01T12:05:00.001-07:002016-08-01T12:05:09.163-07:00Head Planter Anyone?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I love to roam the hometalk website. They have such cute and inexpensive ideas that I love to try! Below is one of those cute ideas!<br />
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While browsing thrift stores do you ever see one of those styrofoam heads that folks use for their wigs? Snap one up the next time you see it and make a whimsical unique planter out of it! It's super easy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FC65Wr5HETrxO_zMyftIbunBpmSd9K9_Zx5I6HI63eAlMMb_kcEnMZMECSk0eXPWNaV8Dj7xkan8m9HR1o81-KPj_L2Ag0xLue1B52pz7Fev9ag4oME0Jv-gwOiLakMo-PkvtJZSWL_c/s1600/foam_head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FC65Wr5HETrxO_zMyftIbunBpmSd9K9_Zx5I6HI63eAlMMb_kcEnMZMECSk0eXPWNaV8Dj7xkan8m9HR1o81-KPj_L2Ag0xLue1B52pz7Fev9ag4oME0Jv-gwOiLakMo-PkvtJZSWL_c/s320/foam_head.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
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First simply cut the top off the head and dig out the insides to the depth of your choice. Make certain not to cut too closely to the bottom or the sides because you want it to be sturdy enough to hold your soil and plant without collapsing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5tBuSUvWo8FRXvVXzrWW_ckV1RdMXjnji_a2pbmkFOCE7FZIRZqK-NpugvaZ-Yr3aTd5Uc58Lwi152NCCHv7X4ktHre3Ra44c_kVCk8wy6LJrTNmHBgNtrmYFaOWdlfKNaLyd4Pk0i2q/s1600/head+planter-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5tBuSUvWo8FRXvVXzrWW_ckV1RdMXjnji_a2pbmkFOCE7FZIRZqK-NpugvaZ-Yr3aTd5Uc58Lwi152NCCHv7X4ktHre3Ra44c_kVCk8wy6LJrTNmHBgNtrmYFaOWdlfKNaLyd4Pk0i2q/s320/head+planter-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once you have the head emptied, grab your spray paint, exterior paint or even some waterproof makeup and go to town decorating your new planter. Glasses and jewelry make it extra cute!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMwWpo0S54o-xdhw3lW2LsjepxfUoXKpqw_L7RZsoyT2bzFjCvWCvQKvwlBN2JjX1GsEcYu3Drj38D55vlwxknUAfdJ5qIsboLrbkxdf-NjB3DPuAKR5Vw6y6NmMz1wXiwKvRTnzNmFN7/s1600/head+planter-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMwWpo0S54o-xdhw3lW2LsjepxfUoXKpqw_L7RZsoyT2bzFjCvWCvQKvwlBN2JjX1GsEcYu3Drj38D55vlwxknUAfdJ5qIsboLrbkxdf-NjB3DPuAKR5Vw6y6NmMz1wXiwKvRTnzNmFN7/s320/head+planter-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMCvpbL27FQXvtt39pl_pJUD3jNJlGoUq6eW3e5wyubhyYNECknZkDHjYU2R_f3MRJLThDpex0cW5kEXn-GKsBGp5kBQBinW39mbaCtHaEz3MyJ3PdsZqTLDBgxcz8Apqjp67m7YCZ5Wz/s1600/head+planter-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMCvpbL27FQXvtt39pl_pJUD3jNJlGoUq6eW3e5wyubhyYNECknZkDHjYU2R_f3MRJLThDpex0cW5kEXn-GKsBGp5kBQBinW39mbaCtHaEz3MyJ3PdsZqTLDBgxcz8Apqjp67m7YCZ5Wz/s320/head+planter-6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Xa_4ch67mR3UVDF7Ejd097HzLnx4t6ER-tj-aB9Z0OaeFmKdCpUFkbqIapF8_YNZKIkM4Uwq9JJjEV5p7kkjeVaaa0_76RebCYqQa0nsotZTKFgA-Ptj-NRzFcUXUSpOtX3wJjK5bn2h/s1600/head+planter-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Xa_4ch67mR3UVDF7Ejd097HzLnx4t6ER-tj-aB9Z0OaeFmKdCpUFkbqIapF8_YNZKIkM4Uwq9JJjEV5p7kkjeVaaa0_76RebCYqQa0nsotZTKFgA-Ptj-NRzFcUXUSpOtX3wJjK5bn2h/s320/head+planter-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once it's completely dry, it's time to fill it up. Be careful when choosing the plants for this planter that you get plants that like shallow areas. Vines, ferns and succulents work really well for this project.<br />
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Once it's decorated and planted, you can place the head on a garden spike, glue it to a board to help prevent it from toppling over (it will be top heavy) or just place it on the ground among your perennials. <br />
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I think they're super cute!<br />
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Enjoy your space!<br />
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-4549396030815003712016-07-04T13:02:00.000-07:002016-07-04T13:02:56.165-07:00Forget paying top dollar for lamps and lampshades!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVbkrmMg2VW6UhbNdez1XtzbDoCWcNTjUjXxeOu3XLWrgFenz7Z4qIGjtPNHvUydXvptjs8t_XAzj7SwX0iG3qI4SsfXl8giFhSy4ltOTJo7ODjGUDDIlbwbvuOmn63pObM-4sCJ8Bvcv/s1600/variety+of+lampshades.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVbkrmMg2VW6UhbNdez1XtzbDoCWcNTjUjXxeOu3XLWrgFenz7Z4qIGjtPNHvUydXvptjs8t_XAzj7SwX0iG3qI4SsfXl8giFhSy4ltOTJo7ODjGUDDIlbwbvuOmn63pObM-4sCJ8Bvcv/s320/variety+of+lampshades.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nothing adds ambiance to a room like lighting. Absolutely nothing. Well placed lamps will make a room. I have multiple lamps in every room. A dark unadorned corner will become a cozy glowing oasis with the simple addition of a nice lamp. However, really nice lamps are really expensive. Especially now that the lighting industry has seen fit to charge separately for the shades.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A really nice decorative shade can run you $50 and more. Add to that the price of a nice lamp and you're looking at well over $100 investment. That's too much. So how can you achieve the same look for a small fraction of the cost? Make your own.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The beauty about making your own is twofold. (1) It saves you tons of money and (2) you can customize it to fit your decor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love thrift stores, flea markets, yard sales and of course curbs/alleys. If the lamp doesn't work or you question the safety of the wiring...take it to your local electrical shop. They'll check it out for safety and function and they will even rewire it if you don't know how. Rewiring a lamp is not difficult. You can buy the kit from any hardware store and even from stores like Walmart, Michaels and Home Depot. Follow the enclosed instructions or watch a video on YouTube and you're ready to go. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The most important thing to remember when shopping for lamps and shades to redo is simplicity. Until you feel you are really really good at this, skip the pleated shades and the ornate lamps. Go simple. Once you've done a couple of lamps and feel really confident...then jump to the more lavish designs. Of course, if you aren't going to redo the lamp....then pick whatever makes you smile.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To adhere your covering of choice, you can use hot glue, spray glue (like you might use in scrapbooking) or even good old Elmer's glue. I have even stapled fabric to the shade and then glued ribbon around the edges so the staples wouldn't show. It will take you a little practice to get it flat and smooth since you're working with a circle design in most cases, but it won't take you long. Of course, if you are opting for spray paint, you are in for a quick and super easy job!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are tons of options for you in this project. You can use fabric (my personal favorite because it adds texture as well as visual interest). You can spray paint, stencil, use wallpaper...you can even hot glue twine, rope or ribbon on it. How about using newspaper, pages from magazine, sheet music, maps or even print off some black and white photo's to glue to the shade! If you are at all artistic, you can even draw your designs on the shade using a sharpie. I promise the options are boundless!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another interesting thing to do is paint or cover the inside of your shade. Then when the lamps on it will produce a wonderful glow and effect. Completely unique. No one else will ever find another just like it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below are several pictures to jumpstart your creative juices! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLHuzxTnrOljhlBj_OrcvO47VqTz5G6UnMJ8EsgGjnTYDUO6c_zOrUJ8C1VaqHewwQQnNOnEDH8XoyxYd0t-J4Sgzsj7ioNkd14cE9NsETRv6a0PUOoWavkqJBkiFBbj7yqol0yuDatv9/s1600/fabric+lined+lampshade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLHuzxTnrOljhlBj_OrcvO47VqTz5G6UnMJ8EsgGjnTYDUO6c_zOrUJ8C1VaqHewwQQnNOnEDH8XoyxYd0t-J4Sgzsj7ioNkd14cE9NsETRv6a0PUOoWavkqJBkiFBbj7yqol0yuDatv9/s320/fabric+lined+lampshade.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This shade has fabric covering the inside</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWv_lYGcJi70IWs9Ja52VwHr8-HzyPl5JhxV2usjFm1DoPzTaVA5w3DQ7GXmDbOOcLtKeLLqU4hE9cqC7-jZHONVYZ02tcuq2qhAPfqJe7EcCuLUcBFc7IFj2Xl8AvYBmfBF3dKYXMvzji/s1600/painted+interior+lampshade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWv_lYGcJi70IWs9Ja52VwHr8-HzyPl5JhxV2usjFm1DoPzTaVA5w3DQ7GXmDbOOcLtKeLLqU4hE9cqC7-jZHONVYZ02tcuq2qhAPfqJe7EcCuLUcBFc7IFj2Xl8AvYBmfBF3dKYXMvzji/s320/painted+interior+lampshade.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look how gorgeous this shade is after the interior was spray painted a wonderful gold!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5GFoC5Q-HVaH828rYoTrRaSPtJGLyQwDywsqT69_EDp0f_frKRg3bMpHx0Lbp0kqyH6ZW56MmWOuG0rwApDhfP1iI6bPJ6XkZ6TbjEnOGt42o-ezpl_bD7O_E21ip7SUQWJXIVN6Qn9d/s1600/Fabric+lampshade-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5GFoC5Q-HVaH828rYoTrRaSPtJGLyQwDywsqT69_EDp0f_frKRg3bMpHx0Lbp0kqyH6ZW56MmWOuG0rwApDhfP1iI6bPJ6XkZ6TbjEnOGt42o-ezpl_bD7O_E21ip7SUQWJXIVN6Qn9d/s320/Fabric+lampshade-2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love the solid color on the outside and a punch of fun design on the inside!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4bB-LLW2gCFIUIEzn0OsClKsEUqUJ4dA4-2Vh6q0YK2cqgxMmZ35j6FsKuOYH1Qomgk5u07kb5kDz1EcmKwhTCTLujH-bTvBDC2iUvft7BVT0lgQs929jl7R3CyLUnyajOEA-YoM5C9I/s1600/completely+spray+painted+lamp+and+shade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4bB-LLW2gCFIUIEzn0OsClKsEUqUJ4dA4-2Vh6q0YK2cqgxMmZ35j6FsKuOYH1Qomgk5u07kb5kDz1EcmKwhTCTLujH-bTvBDC2iUvft7BVT0lgQs929jl7R3CyLUnyajOEA-YoM5C9I/s320/completely+spray+painted+lamp+and+shade.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This lamp and shade has been spray painted. I love that they painted the inside of the shade the same gold they used as accent on the base.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkFL0WW6DW-0q8CDn1vsajLUcak662HNwKzV2IGEP_-xSkT8ahPWHHfk0UmLx0x6mtf42-YsF0GAPk3eubONJTciqYVp1jyy_LD0iBfgW8r3VmwRDBVNVuMCSRhq6Y3gOx3Y6IU2zeMkj/s1600/completely+spray+painted+lamp+and+shade-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkFL0WW6DW-0q8CDn1vsajLUcak662HNwKzV2IGEP_-xSkT8ahPWHHfk0UmLx0x6mtf42-YsF0GAPk3eubONJTciqYVp1jyy_LD0iBfgW8r3VmwRDBVNVuMCSRhq6Y3gOx3Y6IU2zeMkj/s320/completely+spray+painted+lamp+and+shade-2.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's another lamp/lampshade that was completely spray painted. Love it!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdy9Wah0rrWkeBDIZiL38AKdawg-8T9Yt2GZiC4_1ZvRVoZn6EDPQD_WMmuoTMqJEUDcS_g3-0umZg0jXYVW1MUJqWm5bEAqT85EHj9DywL7R7AzSBwc_3olbOl6UjUwU8AFaWVqUfFZX/s1600/spraypainted+lampshade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdy9Wah0rrWkeBDIZiL38AKdawg-8T9Yt2GZiC4_1ZvRVoZn6EDPQD_WMmuoTMqJEUDcS_g3-0umZg0jXYVW1MUJqWm5bEAqT85EHj9DywL7R7AzSBwc_3olbOl6UjUwU8AFaWVqUfFZX/s320/spraypainted+lampshade.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look at this elegant lamp! They spraypainted the shade, glued silver beading on the base and the end result is stunning!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKLHiOnsiA88xnTGqbnX1M71v7HRl-yo4qjmgcdfi8w7n143ndWYe1QKV3O64oadG94wjscJYqeUcDk3i6N1fPvK9Npe_aajFv_RSysupuidBK33v6z9AXfDT8PKIqZOlHMIxg1Jj0Vjfr/s1600/trimmed+lampshade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKLHiOnsiA88xnTGqbnX1M71v7HRl-yo4qjmgcdfi8w7n143ndWYe1QKV3O64oadG94wjscJYqeUcDk3i6N1fPvK9Npe_aajFv_RSysupuidBK33v6z9AXfDT8PKIqZOlHMIxg1Jj0Vjfr/s320/trimmed+lampshade.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How about spray painting the base and then just adding a few items of interest to the edge of a plain white shade?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhF4b3kJnMdZiEg0fNMNDlrghwid_-Bz8m2pHSBDg6gHbrsGAgYvgzv5Morhbif5cAUG5KEd4bg39iR_pp2aUmlMc71Jtu3u9rO6VRvY5jdUCTR6nGJv6f8g04Uck4pikNv7yxSpS8Ufm3/s1600/rose+lampshade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhF4b3kJnMdZiEg0fNMNDlrghwid_-Bz8m2pHSBDg6gHbrsGAgYvgzv5Morhbif5cAUG5KEd4bg39iR_pp2aUmlMc71Jtu3u9rO6VRvY5jdUCTR6nGJv6f8g04Uck4pikNv7yxSpS8Ufm3/s320/rose+lampshade.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cute!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw15EjZ9Cgvl3uV5UHGGquYEXaBMx3mreDgMEIohpUMRbZrEdFidvPlziNizPFdVxa4urw_oh4vkHOqkt6z6FePj5nRtSDEYpNrqSRlU88_agXTG23AVm48mS7QQ5Ovo7kJYjGP8Mk9N5Z/s1600/sisal+lampshade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw15EjZ9Cgvl3uV5UHGGquYEXaBMx3mreDgMEIohpUMRbZrEdFidvPlziNizPFdVxa4urw_oh4vkHOqkt6z6FePj5nRtSDEYpNrqSRlU88_agXTG23AVm48mS7QQ5Ovo7kJYjGP8Mk9N5Z/s320/sisal+lampshade.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love this sisal covered shade. Visit the site noted on the bottom right of this picture to see even more great ideas!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzK5tJv9fQGpSQqguiR9AciNIhyVtLht2uN4-dJtDZbQlh5UglYAPuk5ydW2HDVOBZKnQgIOZ00CjNKlMmvyJgn3gD-SZaBxDGKb3uidcuWLYucILAJgsoLP-ihFJBSLxZ0407KZhUTzZZ/s1600/frilly+lampshade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzK5tJv9fQGpSQqguiR9AciNIhyVtLht2uN4-dJtDZbQlh5UglYAPuk5ydW2HDVOBZKnQgIOZ00CjNKlMmvyJgn3gD-SZaBxDGKb3uidcuWLYucILAJgsoLP-ihFJBSLxZ0407KZhUTzZZ/s320/frilly+lampshade.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like frilly? How easy is this idea? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNc5ic00f6cZJ1PNSTosnc_-snlJt-vSDYQGm9YFE3DqhkUo6t4arK6MH_SvxpC-4ZKHLpNiUkd3jPnyU44_P4WGv4YszRnLNca0kC2xQ_SqFtAm-DicnK2RynJyjhyQ2c-hor616JKip/s1600/skirt+lampshade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNc5ic00f6cZJ1PNSTosnc_-snlJt-vSDYQGm9YFE3DqhkUo6t4arK6MH_SvxpC-4ZKHLpNiUkd3jPnyU44_P4WGv4YszRnLNca0kC2xQ_SqFtAm-DicnK2RynJyjhyQ2c-hor616JKip/s320/skirt+lampshade.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are good at pleating, this fabric covered shade would be such a fun design!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2mwqZFEFj8SmKi57FcSA59H39VI8E77NH5NgC0N1hEZZgDXlBw57p-a1qXSzGfl1giK4I5imuJCE0zk3uP7_VEf1DVpjA7V8VNLEUcuoUptKZJwJFE4j0u606gqvx0_Rv0a9AXCZBKRY/s1600/Fabric+lampshade-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2mwqZFEFj8SmKi57FcSA59H39VI8E77NH5NgC0N1hEZZgDXlBw57p-a1qXSzGfl1giK4I5imuJCE0zk3uP7_VEf1DVpjA7V8VNLEUcuoUptKZJwJFE4j0u606gqvx0_Rv0a9AXCZBKRY/s320/Fabric+lampshade-3.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wallpaper or even contact paper is a great thing to use to cover your shades. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: Sometimes the glued backing will let loose after time due to the heat of the bulb. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recommend either stapling the edges or adding a line of hot glue to give it more strength.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZbJjzpKpUCRXrGhqeNkvXh_Xi3dfQ56us6jaQVap_vT6egwnwjbBgFi49-YziHnP7EHi_-7TC_J3IdVhRIym4Vda7j8VaL34jb2Rz4A3XlYXsb0f0Km-ssFta6Kf9ps-M8k9I-UXd-76/s1600/Wallpaper+lamp+shade-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZbJjzpKpUCRXrGhqeNkvXh_Xi3dfQ56us6jaQVap_vT6egwnwjbBgFi49-YziHnP7EHi_-7TC_J3IdVhRIym4Vda7j8VaL34jb2Rz4A3XlYXsb0f0Km-ssFta6Kf9ps-M8k9I-UXd-76/s320/Wallpaper+lamp+shade-2.jpg" width="288" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More wallpaper!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1YNZoiZ5RRgSgYTBraJApmlgN1SbYtAlONP0V7MmFhT2HZ0kKhUbZhns0gZ_ydz65iXiI9laDeWFFZEd4gVj3b6p3B1fEzlkyd6Cj0B_NYMYq0iYg0CVZKJE3_AqN-mv1VK5mQ_Mi4Hx/s1600/Fabric+lampshade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1YNZoiZ5RRgSgYTBraJApmlgN1SbYtAlONP0V7MmFhT2HZ0kKhUbZhns0gZ_ydz65iXiI9laDeWFFZEd4gVj3b6p3B1fEzlkyd6Cj0B_NYMYq0iYg0CVZKJE3_AqN-mv1VK5mQ_Mi4Hx/s320/Fabric+lampshade.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's another easy fabric idea. Instead of gluing the fabric to the shade, just make a cute cover for it that can be switched out as your design mood changes.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivRceYUW_U98j3ee39FU7axeKRggQU3yQapUTzoV2R_0B1lJTKtZpeymvMXFjN8Nuqf59r4p89NZvrxmpT5GCCltReO77Jm9NWZNapvQ9oeh4HSJfHBCzQhkN3eHR2IYaGqtUAj6eaxNz/s1600/marker+lampshade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivRceYUW_U98j3ee39FU7axeKRggQU3yQapUTzoV2R_0B1lJTKtZpeymvMXFjN8Nuqf59r4p89NZvrxmpT5GCCltReO77Jm9NWZNapvQ9oeh4HSJfHBCzQhkN3eHR2IYaGqtUAj6eaxNz/s320/marker+lampshade.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Magic Marker shades are super cute! I like that they painted the lamp base!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4080vi9yE_6YzcG6p2BMrmCn-RCINa_iuKWszb5NtYERsjgmtMB8K5aFuNHnRFe6sQOU9UgfWe_PT-q4pr_YkdCpvYjr0Xi3XmSFjMt4lVkOX5CkgxG-3-Aw5ivcx-Hpu-VShvVLQ_dea/s1600/stencil+lampshade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4080vi9yE_6YzcG6p2BMrmCn-RCINa_iuKWszb5NtYERsjgmtMB8K5aFuNHnRFe6sQOU9UgfWe_PT-q4pr_YkdCpvYjr0Xi3XmSFjMt4lVkOX5CkgxG-3-Aw5ivcx-Hpu-VShvVLQ_dea/s320/stencil+lampshade.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How about a stenciled shade? Cannot get easier than this!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPT_tEUuQZ4g9WTuzJm6R-lJr0TRXes4IeUDtoNuwJWt9Z13Jpz6v8QNIDuN6HbKyGuLvesySTStCeOviVuTbTYp063x0dK3LeizY-E0QtXK1T93BoQSYuM7zaJJRMMJrfMftc-I3AFQo/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPT_tEUuQZ4g9WTuzJm6R-lJr0TRXes4IeUDtoNuwJWt9Z13Jpz6v8QNIDuN6HbKyGuLvesySTStCeOviVuTbTYp063x0dK3LeizY-E0QtXK1T93BoQSYuM7zaJJRMMJrfMftc-I3AFQo/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Music lover?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebgKA_WmXlh62FZsphBoo7GgPVGgQ3R4edcfKj-2oDo-_QbsWZvsbF-Q7fmWwVWhQbQUy_0MEUorwYZQUf-1xusnPtxRupY3oWq3QbveIJXQidafLIdv-yZV8UPaRnMf8QLn-RaimzKDZ/s1600/content_lamp_makeover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebgKA_WmXlh62FZsphBoo7GgPVGgQ3R4edcfKj-2oDo-_QbsWZvsbF-Q7fmWwVWhQbQUy_0MEUorwYZQUf-1xusnPtxRupY3oWq3QbveIJXQidafLIdv-yZV8UPaRnMf8QLn-RaimzKDZ/s320/content_lamp_makeover.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Silver Boxes site had this great idea!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8f0_aprzWWcEeCgKo6X3uZ_SkrFmYNtwYDo9Lal5y5-YWN01CVQGVAi6TfzT44kbxWzVVDKS1vVhUuw0d2o3FclJvSdsmjF5qAHpW3m9mdQj13f-gWd4JUZ9ZYxjD1ZvhcX1mf7hvRehR/s1600/vintage-newspaper-decoupage-lampshade-A-500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8f0_aprzWWcEeCgKo6X3uZ_SkrFmYNtwYDo9Lal5y5-YWN01CVQGVAi6TfzT44kbxWzVVDKS1vVhUuw0d2o3FclJvSdsmjF5qAHpW3m9mdQj13f-gWd4JUZ9ZYxjD1ZvhcX1mf7hvRehR/s320/vintage-newspaper-decoupage-lampshade-A-500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Old newspapers or magazines look great!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that you have a few ideas....go find some lamps and give them new life!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As always, enjoy your space!</span></div>
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Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-81122293197863644472016-06-04T08:44:00.000-07:002016-06-04T08:44:37.103-07:00Time to plant!!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This time of the year, I get precious little done inside my home. The outdoors screams my name everyday so I find myself outside more than inside. <br />
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I'm a voracious nester both inside and out. I love the feeling I get whenever I step into my house or outside to my yard. Do I live in a mansion? No, not at all. I live in a comfortable house with a comfortable yard both of which are filled with personal items that I love, make me smile and bring back fond memories. To me, that's more important than any zip code or price point.<br />
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If you're like me, you are on a budget all the time...sigh....so how do you possibly liven up your outdoor spaces without breaking that budget? If you're a renter you certainly don't want to go to your local nursery and buy flowering trees and expensive perennials to plant in your yard because you can't take them with you when you go...well...not legally. Nearly anything can be grown in a pot if it's the right size for the job and you can take them with you when you move.<br />
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The thing I love most about pots versus in the ground flower beds is the fact that I can arrange them anyway I want, I can switch them around with relative ease when the mood strikes me and (most of all) I love the color, textures and height that planters bring to my yard.<br />
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Let's look at some examples!<br />
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I hate monochromatic interiors and I hate monochromatic exteriors. Where is it written that everything outside absolutely must be green or brown?? Break up that color scheme with some lively colors! This picture shows my absolute favorite trick of the garden....place a pot upside down and then place another one on top to give added height. Sometimes when one of my pots gets a crack in it that makes it unusable, but I love the pot, this is what I do with it. I just flip it over and put another pot on top.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHoMx12j1nMfnVUFMW_smqbF6Kfkre6nCd527MZULA2Td7AtrSQpZTa114INx__KG3AocHeONvh7-CIPDxGjj9YJQfaIbatVtNvYqeEzGJ9_3qv_os8xgA7Mlw5tZd0pw6beyRlveRvJq/s1600/pot+on+pot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHoMx12j1nMfnVUFMW_smqbF6Kfkre6nCd527MZULA2Td7AtrSQpZTa114INx__KG3AocHeONvh7-CIPDxGjj9YJQfaIbatVtNvYqeEzGJ9_3qv_os8xgA7Mlw5tZd0pw6beyRlveRvJq/s320/pot+on+pot.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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While the example below is more formal than I like, I do love the whimsy of it. I love making little pathways in my garden that ultimately lead to a bench, seating area or maybe a beautiful fountain. This is especially a great idea if you have an area in your yard that has become overrun with weeds and you just can't get the grass to grow thick and beautiful. Instead of a muddy spot...make it a beautiful spot!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYXgSERsatjQSyvEGWuOpBLsjb0gki-steXD2TBJFv6JjdA0v9soZ_aduA-zwWomwVgBlF1tx65P7rI06U8lXuJnOVriJCxeJDm_MSs97JylNArnaRb6U6XK2-6h6Cv-wPpCAlhkmS-9p/s1600/planter+walkway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYXgSERsatjQSyvEGWuOpBLsjb0gki-steXD2TBJFv6JjdA0v9soZ_aduA-zwWomwVgBlF1tx65P7rI06U8lXuJnOVriJCxeJDm_MSs97JylNArnaRb6U6XK2-6h6Cv-wPpCAlhkmS-9p/s320/planter+walkway.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I cannot stress enough the importance of staggered heights in your garden. If you place all of your planters on the same level and they are fairly all the same height...it begins to look more like an aisle in the garden section of your local big box store. Stagger the sizes and place some of the pots on top of bricks or other pots to make them tower over the others a bit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3eagHKxQTjC-xnefO3mNCd2ZMRkzoqVMb9l4LFYBqXAw5GrgQev5l1ZGq0UvRHhfxyyjRNpcHWozTHHUhGupJF-pOMGePbRR-Z5yfjA8BkLFtvVPplxsnZ9lU8YNQXYCcbFby6w3A1I9/s1600/tiered+planters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3eagHKxQTjC-xnefO3mNCd2ZMRkzoqVMb9l4LFYBqXAw5GrgQev5l1ZGq0UvRHhfxyyjRNpcHWozTHHUhGupJF-pOMGePbRR-Z5yfjA8BkLFtvVPplxsnZ9lU8YNQXYCcbFby6w3A1I9/s320/tiered+planters.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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I cannot tell you how many birdbaths I have discarded because they stopped holding water...I sure wish I could find them because now I know what to do with them! Succulents & ferns work best for this feature because their root systems are shallow meaning they don't require as much "down room" for them to thrive. Make sure to line the bottom with pebbles so to encourage proper drainage. I love it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilKC6UqWvZ-a9uvsJLt9tStPpFhxnZzTLLP43KurQJvv5AGOJLNJ7PTzZrL9fRsaJzm2d-DfAH_6KnnPAX1ETO8LSs1iGlyxj3t1PQkKjc7okBfQamVUFSsE9laOa7u_qNJISMX9x0Gyk-/s1600/birdbath+planter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilKC6UqWvZ-a9uvsJLt9tStPpFhxnZzTLLP43KurQJvv5AGOJLNJ7PTzZrL9fRsaJzm2d-DfAH_6KnnPAX1ETO8LSs1iGlyxj3t1PQkKjc7okBfQamVUFSsE9laOa7u_qNJISMX9x0Gyk-/s320/birdbath+planter.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Look at this idea! An old shoe organizer turned into a fantastic hanging herb garden!! I've thrown a lot of these things away too!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Jm_JHAQpvbqAdYZSGICoJEmmun1j8-23Wotk2UIBoi39SP36_TG8sIuGsuOBmn8K6Vxg-Ml9ICyMsBeBFvkHVx7DPZ1V5GuwWoYjeN54CrtrCsNdfrXJZO08deW87WqmltOSlvvRBQfU/s1600/shoe+holder+planter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Jm_JHAQpvbqAdYZSGICoJEmmun1j8-23Wotk2UIBoi39SP36_TG8sIuGsuOBmn8K6Vxg-Ml9ICyMsBeBFvkHVx7DPZ1V5GuwWoYjeN54CrtrCsNdfrXJZO08deW87WqmltOSlvvRBQfU/s320/shoe+holder+planter.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>
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I am a sucker for old windows and shutters! When I see them at the curb....I grab them. Hanging old windows in your garden or replacing the glass with mirrors is absolutely my favorite thing to do! I also love using old shutters as a type of privacy "fence". However, I had not considered making a planter out of shutters! These shutters break up the empty wall space really well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FqeFmbxCL9Tx9QbwllhM9VRYT2t5MHRzS8WF14_qOmcz_0OIhs8-fIUF1X51E-gLBO1fnWzrB6me0CptWndRE_KAZu7gNA7HpoFYG8ufk7q23oC25yqmEot1CO4oSYM7BPLjXmTqL1zm/s1600/shutter+planter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FqeFmbxCL9Tx9QbwllhM9VRYT2t5MHRzS8WF14_qOmcz_0OIhs8-fIUF1X51E-gLBO1fnWzrB6me0CptWndRE_KAZu7gNA7HpoFYG8ufk7q23oC25yqmEot1CO4oSYM7BPLjXmTqL1zm/s320/shutter+planter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Everyone knows how I feel about wooden pallets!!! The uses for these things are absolutely endless! Well...here's one more use for them!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5yS9z7CFywmamQZ5s_VCXn0ET5saFnGX395fD2a05bhE-yxb_MNdHDADiyFx49ysOhUZkmPAd4VdHxFGKrrGbKJlI7L8MKDT58EYSdALPQEiiy5Itgj5nvOW25Gi4Ge7IYhhI7JNLxZr/s1600/pallet+planters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5yS9z7CFywmamQZ5s_VCXn0ET5saFnGX395fD2a05bhE-yxb_MNdHDADiyFx49ysOhUZkmPAd4VdHxFGKrrGbKJlI7L8MKDT58EYSdALPQEiiy5Itgj5nvOW25Gi4Ge7IYhhI7JNLxZr/s320/pallet+planters.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
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Below is a completely finished and absolutely gorgeous patio area! The egg chair can be rather pricey but if you have an outdoor rocker, that would look stunning there too. The wicker chairs can often be picked up at thrift stores for little money. A couple of cans of outdoor spray paint later and you have stunning chairs that look like they cost hundreds of dollars! Notice the galvanized tub planters? Now you can buy the tubs that are specifically marketed for planters for anywhere from $50 to hundreds of dollars depending on where you go. OR you can go to your local hardware store and buy them for $15 to $30 and achieve the same look. Of course, my picture would include pallets in there somewhere....love the pallet "coffee" table. As for the rug, I recommend buying an outdoor rug with NO color on it. Just a plain sisal or weaved rug. That's because the less color it has already...the cheaper the price. Then tape off the stripes with painters tape and spray paint that rug in whatever color you like. Some of these already "painted" rugs can run upwards of $300 while a plain one can cost as little as $50 and the cost of spray paint. Yes, this picture has my two favorite things in the world....wooden pallets and spray paint.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsiTj_m_HVgKv4nEIkEUF2P6su3_Sxpo1mfNgpYo4dCP9AoMSm6g9Y0q64CELSh4w9NnezgYoxEJSdQbRA6X_ESa1SIBn8k1Hvz-Q-LkYmjMTpXsJ7QIEGyRHK8LO5nwzdyBoy9FR5AWi/s1600/layered+patio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsiTj_m_HVgKv4nEIkEUF2P6su3_Sxpo1mfNgpYo4dCP9AoMSm6g9Y0q64CELSh4w9NnezgYoxEJSdQbRA6X_ESa1SIBn8k1Hvz-Q-LkYmjMTpXsJ7QIEGyRHK8LO5nwzdyBoy9FR5AWi/s320/layered+patio.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
End of the day, your outdoor space is a blank canvas just waiting for you to paint your perfect picture so make it a masterpiece!<br />
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As always, enjoy your space!</div>
Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-63056312130882902092016-05-03T15:04:00.001-07:002016-05-03T15:04:38.121-07:00Who doesn't need more storage?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most people don't have a full basement or attic that is easily accessible, full height, dry & not at all creepy to go into. Those of us with crawl spaces both above and below our houses have to be creative when it comes to storage.....very creative. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bedroom storage is a must. Almost every bedroom has a closet...that's a given. But most of these closets aren't large enough to house everything we need - or want - to house in our bedrooms. The picture below shows an attractive, easy and relatively inexpensive way to add that much needed storage in the bedroom...or any room for that matter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The shelving shown are kitchen cabinets. You don't have to go high end with them. Second hand store, thrift store, close out specials...even off the curb will work. They don't even have to match when you get them. As long as they are close to the same height, you can sand them down, paint them & no one will ever know the difference. If they aren't exactly the same height, then add some molding to them to trick the eye into believing they're the same height. The tall one is an easy project. The bottom unit is a drawer unit for the kitchen & the other two are simply screwed together. One on top of the other. Make sure to securely attach these to your walls. No one wants to wake up to find their shelving has toppled on top of them in their sleep.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4y_SmODoCQC4RqbMD1pHEHzfofHBK2_53BVuEg5EbysDopA6_OZLCss_CYn49XhV5DWO1J7DEd27fSvsb-T2Lq4xkxeKfHGSiFm3dxPI8jkPZRt-VMK7ITYZuqJizLbql1LmhvlzyTxk/s1600/bed+storage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4y_SmODoCQC4RqbMD1pHEHzfofHBK2_53BVuEg5EbysDopA6_OZLCss_CYn49XhV5DWO1J7DEd27fSvsb-T2Lq4xkxeKfHGSiFm3dxPI8jkPZRt-VMK7ITYZuqJizLbql1LmhvlzyTxk/s320/bed+storage.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next picture shows us how to get the jewelry that you wear most often off the tops of your dressers. Head down to the thrift store, buy a couple of frames, spray paint them, take the picture out & replace it with fun fabric. Then simply screw in some hooks & you have a great place to hang your necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings and even your keys!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3sIbW1QVXWOvMh11BeWalj-kTksCMx4Y0lraxo29OjbKq1og2_0L9AbPRSmlubXqhSuicBQ3cH_QKpFaMVvvIiJ4vfxw9WMmsJ2nY4qrfYrmq1G-208mBX8BXIKT-nYxE2SuBuUO5VPHv/s1600/jewelry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3sIbW1QVXWOvMh11BeWalj-kTksCMx4Y0lraxo29OjbKq1og2_0L9AbPRSmlubXqhSuicBQ3cH_QKpFaMVvvIiJ4vfxw9WMmsJ2nY4qrfYrmq1G-208mBX8BXIKT-nYxE2SuBuUO5VPHv/s320/jewelry.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hooks are my favorite things for storage. Whenever you can, make your storage go up rather than out. By utilizing wall space, it frees up precious floor space. You don't have to use hooks to hang things like purses, scarves, hats....whatever....you can use antique doorknobs or plant hangers. Basically anything that sticks out can be used. Get creative!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDg3BzNaVR3P7ol8ZJ-NrLvySyJ0RalW6zp5z6YnEQ0-OtYZpAQgBh31fk7sCa8lYhHpV9WiB9ODVn7nwHKWdtWjqKu7ijCEd6VhsjfcaaemdxqejiVpLBuYRG65FYyWpVhJ5opXIuKlp/s1600/hooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDg3BzNaVR3P7ol8ZJ-NrLvySyJ0RalW6zp5z6YnEQ0-OtYZpAQgBh31fk7sCa8lYhHpV9WiB9ODVn7nwHKWdtWjqKu7ijCEd6VhsjfcaaemdxqejiVpLBuYRG65FYyWpVhJ5opXIuKlp/s320/hooks.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsL8STFv_kyvAog267xVF_B38RO7jT7kUa3CaT_7B72OpbvX8devRH_ZD9tPNGvb_VX4-bKueO9CSTqYo_CB4LAvulj_8eYacjJU9s_3MtaKKkkgRi90fA3HJdtCtKKSF6kwi9-J0G5Y1N/s1600/knob+hooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsL8STFv_kyvAog267xVF_B38RO7jT7kUa3CaT_7B72OpbvX8devRH_ZD9tPNGvb_VX4-bKueO9CSTqYo_CB4LAvulj_8eYacjJU9s_3MtaKKkkgRi90fA3HJdtCtKKSF6kwi9-J0G5Y1N/s320/knob+hooks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peg boards can be used in any room for added storage. You can get them in a multitude of materials. Metal, fiberboard, wood. You can spray paint them to match your decor. The great thing about them is you can also add shelves to them or hang baskets from them, if you get a peg board that is thick enough to sustain the added weight. Below are a few ideas.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnRXl4kPBkH6_ZvAPx5-X7SgQrbqPjnjs8t-2DiFDlxbUtNpKE08LG3XLWicW6eWSi2kc-nv4xhBt6YOLj_K7gBLrf0T74IbZhH2UGEzT3EzSS8ijIGUNkNpci3-BMh2Gbzfa7X94h2zC/s1600/pegboard+home+office.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnRXl4kPBkH6_ZvAPx5-X7SgQrbqPjnjs8t-2DiFDlxbUtNpKE08LG3XLWicW6eWSi2kc-nv4xhBt6YOLj_K7gBLrf0T74IbZhH2UGEzT3EzSS8ijIGUNkNpci3-BMh2Gbzfa7X94h2zC/s320/pegboard+home+office.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnN9HbVNde4Aw-F1RJQiBFt746kYrhgTfKYhUdaP-ruxEaDUx8qvDdfKb4Tn0Fh8eaNpC46yTfznEYNR7R9t_fH3WgZfmDSN3YjK4HRU1QN_jg6A-u0dJT5rvY-SqtD7Y06TgM4x6gyxDh/s1600/pegboard+artwork.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnN9HbVNde4Aw-F1RJQiBFt746kYrhgTfKYhUdaP-ruxEaDUx8qvDdfKb4Tn0Fh8eaNpC46yTfznEYNR7R9t_fH3WgZfmDSN3YjK4HRU1QN_jg6A-u0dJT5rvY-SqtD7Y06TgM4x6gyxDh/s320/pegboard+artwork.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4fDbF52uRfgwgnxK6qnbP1WCiIAXVUCz4KNs-8MuoqipCbF36DzLDJ6P2eUMQl_K8vg1RivjRIaISnlM47cKK-LPwzV6LDMGgcZYwd777KS2XXBnvhjiLzzItxwK2vjnrJM9tGkCXnEY/s1600/pegboard+pantry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4fDbF52uRfgwgnxK6qnbP1WCiIAXVUCz4KNs-8MuoqipCbF36DzLDJ6P2eUMQl_K8vg1RivjRIaISnlM47cKK-LPwzV6LDMGgcZYwd777KS2XXBnvhjiLzzItxwK2vjnrJM9tGkCXnEY/s1600/pegboard+pantry.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnSko-gQSCnwAEoyB_puLOSZWyA668zhsIBEmXJJ_9bTZVs4KpGUZUpcjD_vm0-dflGlCWPLqDnmDTLuiL2-UXVxQ0H690dn16CvcGC3b5Cb0gEY51FscoGNOswvjM0aH3BGd9GIctArc/s1600/pegboard+kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnSko-gQSCnwAEoyB_puLOSZWyA668zhsIBEmXJJ_9bTZVs4KpGUZUpcjD_vm0-dflGlCWPLqDnmDTLuiL2-UXVxQ0H690dn16CvcGC3b5Cb0gEY51FscoGNOswvjM0aH3BGd9GIctArc/s1600/pegboard+kitchen.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfirCcXZwdn3y32CJYugiKeBlSdRO8J6tvo8ciDfI5u4Yk5bSg48zMNT3QFEUD-xmqWwB5kBb-XTKMhcDp-R0QDSrT_Qtu9OXYpMkHUPvggaEL16wW8M1FUkQhdAn5AFkZvqqneh4cp-M6/s1600/backsplash+pegboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfirCcXZwdn3y32CJYugiKeBlSdRO8J6tvo8ciDfI5u4Yk5bSg48zMNT3QFEUD-xmqWwB5kBb-XTKMhcDp-R0QDSrT_Qtu9OXYpMkHUPvggaEL16wW8M1FUkQhdAn5AFkZvqqneh4cp-M6/s320/backsplash+pegboard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whenever you have a small space, the best place to store your stuff....sometimes...is on the walls! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy your space!</span></div>
Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4589711343540201384.post-18502512930985614482016-04-01T08:26:00.002-07:002016-04-01T08:26:57.013-07:00Forget about taking it to the studs!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">I think we've all seen them. The for sale houses that were poorly maintained and very poorly decorated.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">They're the houses that we initially view because of their low prices but once we're inside them, they're also the houses that we view quickly because they are so ugly and dirty.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">If an investor (or potential homeowner) is willing to roll up their sleeves and get a little dirty, these houses could be sources of profit or pleasant places to live. Let's look at some before and afters that required very little money but could potentially result in a very nice profit for the investor or make a great place for the first time homebuyer.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">First, we'll take a peek at a kitchen. Kitchens and bathrooms are the two rooms that frighten a lot of folks. We all know how expensive custom cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances are. We also know that once we rip up the floor covering and tear out the cabinets, there could be (and usually are) scary surprises just waiting for us to find them.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">My rule of thumb is never to rip out the old if there is anyway around it. I have said it before and I'll say it again. Work with what you have. A few coats of paint and a lot of elbow grease can cure just about any ailment a house might have.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">The kitchen below was not gutted to the studs and rebuilt. The cabinets were sanded, primed and painted. New hardware was added. The biggest expense to this redo is the countertops. However, with a little time and gas, you can find high end countertops for a steal. Almost every stone/tile company out there has an area where they store counter tops that were cut for a certain job and maybe the cut was off, an edge was broken during transport/installation or the person who ordered them, didn't pay for them. They can no longer sell the stone as new, so they stick it in a corner somewhere. They will sell that "mistake" to you at a reduced price. The only downside about buying this type of material, is the fact that you will have to pay for them to make cuts to the slab so it will fit into your particular kitchen. This will mean a few seams but if the installation is good, those seams can be blended in so that they are barely there.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">If you can't find a large enough slab on sale, then go with large tiles. You will have seams, but you will also have a high end countertop for the kitchen. Most people will forgive a few seams to get granite or sandstone on their countertops.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br />If the existing counter top is in good shape, meaning no obvious tears, but maybe it's a laminate top in a really ugly color or perhaps it has a permanent stain that is too large to overlook, you can purchase a product that will allow you to refinish the laminate to appear to be granite or marble or even concrete. It is a 6 step process but if you follow their instructions, anyone can use these products and you will have a finished product that will look amazing for up to 5 years. Plenty of time for you to save up for the real thing. </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">There are products on the market now that will allow you to paint your cabinets AND your countertops without having to do a lot of the usual time consuming prep work of sanding and priming which makes the job so much easier and faster. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Notice in the before and after shots below that the layout was not altered, the appliances are the same, the floor tile stayed and even the large rather ugly ceiling fixture looks better. All they did was replace the countertops, paint the cabinets, replace the hardware and add a backsplash. Kitchen done! </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhmUHdz9YqNNXdEQGLt2A-XOc5-NAnI5H-fvj_gpxw46h2diZb9lI09EY-qI2ujLRgUAbQ-xobfZDjA-yeu_cqFK2Gt2GpxUjbmkSMMPqVunEkB_gyPRIkqpHrxya7-YAqmMrFnH7xNE/s1600/kitchen-before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhmUHdz9YqNNXdEQGLt2A-XOc5-NAnI5H-fvj_gpxw46h2diZb9lI09EY-qI2ujLRgUAbQ-xobfZDjA-yeu_cqFK2Gt2GpxUjbmkSMMPqVunEkB_gyPRIkqpHrxya7-YAqmMrFnH7xNE/s1600/kitchen-before.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsh14YS2fKodCrRgUEMVrSv0WpmCZkXqiZIodWTBR77x5WfovsB1Howx7Jq7L7Hf5xaFX6-M6W6E_P9Jbox3cGskcBbnOmfArv0U3aGSPWezP7n1QlpUsQlvYpdcOL_mUVgaTLG5ZLoU/s1600/kitchen-after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsh14YS2fKodCrRgUEMVrSv0WpmCZkXqiZIodWTBR77x5WfovsB1Howx7Jq7L7Hf5xaFX6-M6W6E_P9Jbox3cGskcBbnOmfArv0U3aGSPWezP7n1QlpUsQlvYpdcOL_mUVgaTLG5ZLoU/s1600/kitchen-after.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Now let's move to the bathroom. Personally, I hate working in a bathroom more than any other area of the house (inside or out). They are small, dirty, smelly and surprisingly expensive.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">The after shot of the bathroom below is so nice! All they did was paint the cabinets, add hardware, change out the mirror and the light fixture.....and clean. They left the countertops as they were which I think was a good call as they appear to be in good condition and they are a very neutral color. The difference is night and day!</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Mirrors can be really expensive. My recommendation would be to buy molding and liquid nails. I would simply frame out the existing mirror painting the molding to match the cabinetry and call it a day. If the mirror in good shape, why not leave it where it is and work with it? Another reason (other than money) that I'd leave the large mirror in place, is the fact that when you remove this large mirror, there will inevitably be wall repair necessary to get to get a smooth finish where the mirror was. I hate doing wall repairs. Remember...whenever possible, work with what you have. It saves money but it also saves a huge amount of time.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ89duGZPB5rSrCtmD-gFHKXRnU0RytVD48F4b1w1vrKSWcgcVD5kGvY1IcRfnA1QwALI0n2nF5oYyfwTrI43A7xZyWR4nO3prnEajCg3Oz60FyJtNPCE_IyHWS_OdzFeHfX_0b6HcZFc/s1600/bath+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ89duGZPB5rSrCtmD-gFHKXRnU0RytVD48F4b1w1vrKSWcgcVD5kGvY1IcRfnA1QwALI0n2nF5oYyfwTrI43A7xZyWR4nO3prnEajCg3Oz60FyJtNPCE_IyHWS_OdzFeHfX_0b6HcZFc/s1600/bath+before.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOCiXLTWf8tn_eNh0OXgu3A-ESwdhdgPoXTcYZPzOK3qZ1pw8_ut3oKKfdqTZfzMsPxIUPJ91MppHsR_CFYFU98Dx1v8kFNjFPO8KiGncOkcGEGY_3dDl_EGtTZ1Z7IYRPkqQa3eIsvY/s1600/bath+after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOCiXLTWf8tn_eNh0OXgu3A-ESwdhdgPoXTcYZPzOK3qZ1pw8_ut3oKKfdqTZfzMsPxIUPJ91MppHsR_CFYFU98Dx1v8kFNjFPO8KiGncOkcGEGY_3dDl_EGtTZ1Z7IYRPkqQa3eIsvY/s1600/bath+after.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="221" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">I've noticed that a lot of the time, rehabbers will go into a house, do the living room, kitchen and bath but leave the bedrooms untouched. They will also leave the ceilings untouched. Maybe clean them up but otherwise leave them as they found them. Personally, I think this is a huge mistake on their part.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">The entire house should be uniform before you put it on the market. In other words, do it all - or don't do any of it.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">When I view a house that has been partially done, I don't think "Wow! At least it's almost all done!" Rather I think "Wow! There's still a lot to be done on this house". I don't consider myself lucky that most of the work has been done. I don't even really remember how great the done rooms looked. My memory focuses on the parts of the house that weren't done and will still require work and money to complete. It really doesn't take that much time or that much money to rip out carpets and slap a coat of paint and the difference in the price is more than worth the effort. Even if you don't replace the carpet you ripped out and all you do it remove it and sweep, it will still get rid of any odors, will give the room a clean feeling and give you a clean slate to start with. </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVD5PL249ph9MxE7FCd6SOy-lcJYCyo0CF4baQJcMIqTE2BeGmRXmhdcK6ylYGNr9SvgaHseUKgPhvpwUeISpWpTFQiSARtK2gXG-Y3ngsRjjKFL17vWQ6G9UfZSrul7bdoe5CKJDzls4/s1600/bedroom-3-before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVD5PL249ph9MxE7FCd6SOy-lcJYCyo0CF4baQJcMIqTE2BeGmRXmhdcK6ylYGNr9SvgaHseUKgPhvpwUeISpWpTFQiSARtK2gXG-Y3ngsRjjKFL17vWQ6G9UfZSrul7bdoe5CKJDzls4/s1600/bedroom-3-before.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">There are neighborhoods that require boards on the windows of a vacant house in order to keep vandals out. There are insurance companies and mortgage companies that require you to secure the property while it's vacant. I get that. But if there is anyway to leave the windows unobstructed - that's the way you should go. If you cannot - make it a point to tell every person that views the property that you are required to board the windows. Once you've made the room pretty and clean, they won't mind as much.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Look at the difference! </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsS5FzbXiV1Kv9EHqIoHxbDj6adgnE55ARzdUfTPY5XU7eBt0ZUQDrDho6s42TZw79xQNMe6Yi8CCcc8Bsfx_oHC_d8Jw-BLKzfkxx4lYQCLRca9w-HK8Gu7CGF318yDPMEz8SR0IXi2Y/s1600/bedroom-3-after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsS5FzbXiV1Kv9EHqIoHxbDj6adgnE55ARzdUfTPY5XU7eBt0ZUQDrDho6s42TZw79xQNMe6Yi8CCcc8Bsfx_oHC_d8Jw-BLKzfkxx4lYQCLRca9w-HK8Gu7CGF318yDPMEz8SR0IXi2Y/s1600/bedroom-3-after.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Another thing that can kill your profit are bars on the windows. You can reassure a potential buyer that your mortgage company or insurance company has required you to board the windows while the property is vacant, but there is no mortgage company or insurance company in the country that requires you to put security bars on the windows. So what this tells the viewer is that the last people who lived here were so afraid of the area that they invested in bars for their windows......not a good thing. Also when dealing with barred windows, it should be noted that many fire codes throughout the country have banned the old bars that cannot be unlocked and opened from the inside incase of fire. If a house already has them, they will grandfather those in but once the house is sold...those bars have to come off. The reason for this move was the huge numbers of people who died in house fires simply because they couldn't exit through the barred windows.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XxfCXFayoFwi6y6CBSTowqocQCIhVVMzulYMKlD8igZo1YeYHg2oGBRMNIXyHtSGO2sdMpcbjLOhMOthIpym-kBDX2En1FZRIeBqJs312ifBg4N-y95XZLgKQbj4MDFk-Bny6UbjFWg/s1600/bedroom-2-before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XxfCXFayoFwi6y6CBSTowqocQCIhVVMzulYMKlD8igZo1YeYHg2oGBRMNIXyHtSGO2sdMpcbjLOhMOthIpym-kBDX2En1FZRIeBqJs312ifBg4N-y95XZLgKQbj4MDFk-Bny6UbjFWg/s1600/bedroom-2-before.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="251" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">If you want, you can store the bars in the garage or basement or even the laundry room. Once the property is sold, if the owners feel a need, they can reinstall them but in the meantime the room looks light, bright and less like a prison cell.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGe3JgK77q-DoLHSo0mqKROsJCtKafFw9uaS-cZe0MlHCc-w7IU1r2I7FDDF5_duZB7EzEsOeAU0I1Q4IGyGUcw3_9XGmoNs2FeKuXHACSwDjyZW-iejIZ8KN6b36nACnQ9G_EmXGrxTk/s1600/bedroom-2-after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGe3JgK77q-DoLHSo0mqKROsJCtKafFw9uaS-cZe0MlHCc-w7IU1r2I7FDDF5_duZB7EzEsOeAU0I1Q4IGyGUcw3_9XGmoNs2FeKuXHACSwDjyZW-iejIZ8KN6b36nACnQ9G_EmXGrxTk/s1600/bedroom-2-after.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Here is our last bedroom before and after shot. This room is small. It is also very very blue. This is just ugly and if I were viewing it, I would immediately begin counting how many coats of primer it is going to take (and how much that is going to cost) to cover this vibrant blue.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZkJd3oxvdrUlgfDFNTPb5A5ZJPKcdeR31OTA-pquGAWW7Boxu4D9MKnVfLAtJzpobaXboMAn2OtMejk5pOPlwYeBJHhER07UhPw4zSnXxM69SZYPg7vLM3wzWcG8x1DjGi5vqgFiFAo/s1600/bedroom-1-before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZkJd3oxvdrUlgfDFNTPb5A5ZJPKcdeR31OTA-pquGAWW7Boxu4D9MKnVfLAtJzpobaXboMAn2OtMejk5pOPlwYeBJHhER07UhPw4zSnXxM69SZYPg7vLM3wzWcG8x1DjGi5vqgFiFAo/s1600/bedroom-1-before.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Now we see it with a neutral color, new ceiling fan and new carpet. While it's still a small bedroom, it's now a light, clean and bright bedroom in a neutral tone. Nice.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0_WLYu3wd_XSu64WO-g9JnXcrK6r64x4XaFVgoIlQEaOdqKpAB9-ETWyWtIL9GClijfUzQedjwjzITVyH5rlKuSzwpkQwCuYVkCZG_pebkfW_eozgAh6_8f6qyCabWZKBfcJHkD5hWk/s1600/bedroom-1-after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0_WLYu3wd_XSu64WO-g9JnXcrK6r64x4XaFVgoIlQEaOdqKpAB9-ETWyWtIL9GClijfUzQedjwjzITVyH5rlKuSzwpkQwCuYVkCZG_pebkfW_eozgAh6_8f6qyCabWZKBfcJHkD5hWk/s1600/bedroom-1-after.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="221" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Everyone knows how important curb appeal is to a property. I consider the living room to be the curb appeal of the interior. If the exterior of the house is unappealing, no one wants to go inside. Likewise, if the first room you enter is unappealing, no one wants to see the rest of the house. </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDZtn8Uz0idat63xC1EWO6VikmOOU6YKzh_4ipseqK8ZFHe5xmMd1ftsJAz_jaVkZxzuCKhdDpxgve2FLjIMkKjWOS-JIZ5zGc5nbH7vi4kQV6SN4y8f_S9ImKtXoJ422-EBm0A9LMsg/s1600/LR-1-before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDZtn8Uz0idat63xC1EWO6VikmOOU6YKzh_4ipseqK8ZFHe5xmMd1ftsJAz_jaVkZxzuCKhdDpxgve2FLjIMkKjWOS-JIZ5zGc5nbH7vi4kQV6SN4y8f_S9ImKtXoJ422-EBm0A9LMsg/s1600/LR-1-before.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">For every person in this world who loves red walls, there is another person who hates red walls. Maybe this wall color choice looked great when the previous owners had all their furnishings and decor in this room. But their stuff is now gone so what you are left with are blood red walls and the look just doesn't add value - at all.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Any color saturated paint will, over time, dull and become dingy. It also accentuates any imperfection in the walls making them glaringly obvious. </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Personally, I love color and loathe white or beige walls and/or ceilings. But I'm not going to live in that house - someone else will. That is the single most common mistake investors make when they redo a property. They design and color it according to their taste and wants forgetting that they aren't the ones who will ultimately live in the space. Neutral yet interesting is the always the way to go. </span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Let's see what this particular investor did to liven up this space.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEd7Y_emHEKDgv2k4VZ6OZW2kRQzqcIG6yTYCsrmhJ2eh2k7-RJKSY98piNlZh23yKlN_6HYRZ_E4JRwb_XLrBhR3Bx3yQHkTFaroYg_n68-jbpGgu1GaSFs055UGMRkM1V2JrKFN4kJg/s1600/LR-1-after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEd7Y_emHEKDgv2k4VZ6OZW2kRQzqcIG6yTYCsrmhJ2eh2k7-RJKSY98piNlZh23yKlN_6HYRZ_E4JRwb_XLrBhR3Bx3yQHkTFaroYg_n68-jbpGgu1GaSFs055UGMRkM1V2JrKFN4kJg/s1600/LR-1-after.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Taking their cue from the stone around the fireplace, they went with brown tones which I think was a great idea. Before, the red on the walls made the stone appear dirty. Adding a brown toned neutral to the walls and then a richer brown to the fireplace, made the tiles appear to be there on purpose - not as an afterthought. I applaud them getting rid of the carpeting because to me it looked as if it was dirty and smelly. They chose a laminate tile which looks clean. I think this area looks twice the size it did when it had the dirty carpeting and the red walls.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">What about the living room in the picture below would ever make you want to move your couch in there and stay?</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pGHG3EbESflTHDbNtCI9rDlcqZL5quXjkb5wwNXrexH2tlLnZ6LUftlm80HnfeEsf8GoUcdg9IqzLgGJB5QL50bteFjN7BaPSPPm0R2z5CYpyQ7Y49zsvfzXvXn2NdyvK0v-12bZRwQ/s1600/LR-before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pGHG3EbESflTHDbNtCI9rDlcqZL5quXjkb5wwNXrexH2tlLnZ6LUftlm80HnfeEsf8GoUcdg9IqzLgGJB5QL50bteFjN7BaPSPPm0R2z5CYpyQ7Y49zsvfzXvXn2NdyvK0v-12bZRwQ/s1600/LR-before.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Now look at it below! It looks larger and so clean. I love it!</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxYMwJpYzNnhJQNdmM0mi7sCqutKOt_1sG1ni0FIecvTE45gOVoX19i33VGTw0BpZmBEDyLM9_DsDrUKaInrIy5BwTqVXxkL8Aa076Fng-hcs6P7-S7uXX7IMZEI6tP1RsNNrgDIyRrk/s1600/LR-after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxYMwJpYzNnhJQNdmM0mi7sCqutKOt_1sG1ni0FIecvTE45gOVoX19i33VGTw0BpZmBEDyLM9_DsDrUKaInrIy5BwTqVXxkL8Aa076Fng-hcs6P7-S7uXX7IMZEI6tP1RsNNrgDIyRrk/s1600/LR-after.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">You will notice the dining room off the living room in both the above pictures. Let's get a closer look at that to see how they've transformed that room.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQjkVvzeqNpV_CeIWCnWgaLSQouCmWTPvf72dMS7YxYtoodh6UcFuFSky9qtLVchhZcmjhU7ASEsvkM5h1U_854QeLsB84-zoOu2pVHdP-oki_OsHfkaO-_wWfE2RHX5eDxAF7AgaXt4/s1600/DR-before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #993322; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQjkVvzeqNpV_CeIWCnWgaLSQouCmWTPvf72dMS7YxYtoodh6UcFuFSky9qtLVchhZcmjhU7ASEsvkM5h1U_854QeLsB84-zoOu2pVHdP-oki_OsHfkaO-_wWfE2RHX5eDxAF7AgaXt4/s1600/DR-before.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.498039) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Someone put in a lot of time and effort in stenciling that wall. I'm sure it looked nice when the previous owners lived here. However, since the room is now empty, the floor tiles look dirty and the nice french doors are boarded up.....it's not a good look.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Much nicer!! Personally, I would have cleaned up the tiles and not laid carpet in this room but that's my personal preference. I abhor carpeting in the dining room, kitchen or bathrooms. Absolutely abhor it. However, the room looks really nice and inviting now.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">I love all the DIY shows on TV. I spend the majority of my TV watching on these shows. But they can be extremely deceiving. They always show folks ripping everything to the studs and tossing out everything that was in the house and just starting with a clean slate. They give the impression that's the only way to properly rehab a house.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">I think that is beyond misleading. If your kitchen or bathroom cabinets are in good shape, prime and paint them (including the interior) and add new hardware. You have just saved yourself thousands of dollars right there while achieving the same look. Don't have money in the budget to fix and/or refinish the hardwoods? Carpet is a great way to go. There are still a ton of folks out there who actually like carpet - or at least don't hate it. There are always remnant sales at every carpet store. If you dig, you can most assuredly find a remnant that will entirely cover a small bedroom for a fraction of the original price.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;">Again, work with what you have. You will never ever take a $20,000 house and make it look like a $200,000 house. Never. But, you can make a $20,000 house look like a $60,000 with just a lot of elbow grease, paint, light fixtures, hardware and carpet. You really can.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.524px; line-height: 20.286px;"> </span></span></div>
Erniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02683522662836627571noreply@blogger.com0