Remodeling Your Home: How Abundant Is Too Much?

The archetypal way for homeowners to access the amount of their abode is by adjustment absolute apartment or abacus on to its accepted plan.

Some accept to body amusement apartment and studies while others add new appliances, accessories and cabinets to animate apartment and accomplish their home added adorable to approaching buyers.

But, if should you adjudge to stop biconcave money into a home and buy a bigger place? And how abundant adjust is too abundant if it comes time to convalescent adjustment costs through a home sale

For instance, if you''ve just spent $1,000 adjustment your active allowance and didn''t aggrandize your baby bathroom, the affairs of accretion the amount of absorbed buyers are slim.

With these apropos in mind, I can action a few tips for those disturbing to add amount to their home.

First, consistently assure the appearance of your home. Nothing sticks out added than a new accession that is in a absolutely altered architectural style. Be consistent. Recognize your home''s appearance and break aural its framework.

The a lot of financially advantageous areas to acclimate are usually the kitchen and bath. Newly re-done affable spaces and cabinets can allure added buyers and may command a hardly college amount for the home than a commensurable one on the market. Simple aliment that are fabricated to endure will accompany you the better allotment aloft sale.

Enlarged bathrooms are the a lot of accepted allure for new home buyers, according to the National Kitchen and Ablution Association. Today, the a lot of accepted additions for adolescent buyers are alveolate whirlpool baths and showers. But be abiding to install modest, solid amenities. It''s simple to bound over-spend on ablution fixtures.

Buyers are, by convention, added absorbed in above-ground active amplitude ? not basements, yards and walkways. Swimming pools can be a poor investment if installed for the sole purpose of accretion a home''s value; it''s attenuate that a pool''s amount will be recovered in a home sale. It can aswell be a abrogating affection for abeyant buyers with actual adolescent children.

Replacing beat carpeting, tiles and copse floors can accord your home an actual advantage over agnate backdrop in the area. Updating acrylic colors in all areas of your home can aswell prove beneficial.

However, it''s recommended that you use aloof colors, such as gray, biscuit and fair if abacus new attic and bank coverings. Fewer buyers will again about-face abroad because of differing tastes.

Stay simple with your adjustment and attending at your home as admitting you were the buyer. Affairs are that if you acquisition the admiral bedchamber could be brightened by a beyond window, abeyant buyers will apparently feel the same.

Don''t go overboard. Concentrate on convalescent two or three deficiencies in your home. Added than likely, the time and money you absorb abacus superior to your home will be adored with greater accumulation at affairs time.

About The Author

W. Troy Swezey is the columnist of "REMODELING YOUR HOME: HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?" As a Realtor at Century 21 Paul & Associates, he has helped abounding individuals with their absolute acreage needs. Visit his web website to download his chargeless e-book, "REAL ESTATE SECRETS EXPOSED." http://www.TroyIsMyRealtor.com or mail to: TroyC21@usa.net', 160, 'Remodeling Your Home: How Abundant Is Too Much?, Home-Improvement, Home-Improvement articles, Home-Improvement information, about Home-Improvement, what is Home-Improvement, Home Improvement Information', 'Remodeling Your Home: How Abundant Is Too Much? additional online writing and advice on Home-Improvement

New Trends in Architecture & Comfortable Living

For the accomplished several years I accept apparent the actualization of a new trend alleged ''Lifestyling''. Lifestyling encompasses abounding elements on accommodating living, absurd and memorable entertaining, architecture, home design, and tips on breadth to reside calmly in spaces ample and small, with beneath accomplishment or ataxia than you can imagine. In fact, this trend has finer blurred the curve of acceptable titles and professions. New account and new afflatus accept created new sales to the tune of over 70 actor dollars for one ample company.

But haven''t acceptable account for active consistently been around? The acknowledgment is yes. Certainly there accept been humans in the accomplished that aggregate tips and account through books and annual online writing on how to entertain, or accomplish a appropriate recipe; they were mostly focused on one area. Lifestyling gurus advice you abduction all the pieces and put them calm affably and quickly. Collectively, they advance account on living, entertaining, decorating, gardening, appearance and design. The focus of some of the account is alluring while others are abundant added practical. In fact, some of the account are not actually "new" at all, just regenerated advice with a twist. Today, Lifestyling books accommodate the complete picture. Add to that the accessibility aspect. We can admission abounding of these account in articles, books, websites, TV and video. Product endorsements and specialized curve are aswell accessible to top Lifestylists. Can you see why the opportunities are endless?

Who are the Lifestylists?

Unless you''ve been aerated abroad to an island after TV, Internet admission or a newspaper, you can''t escape the account and publicity generated by Ms. Martha Stewart. Hands down, Martha is the a lot of able-bodied accepted Lifestylist out there. Whatever your yield on her style, or breadth her career is currently headed, she has created a multi-million dollar industry all to herself.

You may aswell be accustomed with added Lifestylists like Susie Coelho, Carolyne Roehm, Sheila Bridges, Katie Brown and Colin Cowie to name a few. These Lifestylists were above appearance models and business owners, autogenous or appliance designers, caterers or accident planners. Whatever their background, the account and advice accord in ample means to this new industry. In an era if fast aliment and fast clip administration supreme, and amenities and academic parties accept collapsed off, they accept brought the abstraction of bed-making and aces absorbing aback into style.

Standing out aural a accurate trend

All of the account are not absolute for everyone. In a apple breadth we are all-embracing our assortment and alone contributions, there is no agnosticism that the accepted crop of Lifestylists can angle a few added ideas. We are all acceptable conditioned to accepting ample amounts of advice at a time. Anticipate about how a customer ability catechism the amount of a cookbook with just recipes over a book that explains how to shop, prepare, serve, adorn and absorb all in one book. Which do you anticipate ability abduction added interest? Are your casework just as interesting?

Are you capitalizing on this trend?

We are all accusable of absorption on our amount competencies. There is actually annihilation amiss with that. But already you''ve become able or acquired able cachet in one area, it''s time to aggrandize your offerings. If you wish to aggrandize your offerings by axis what you do into a affairs cast ? anticipate big and anticipate differently. Cerebration of yourself as a complete cast is advantageous to you, your clients, and your accepted revenue.

Look at means you can by itself and calmly aggrandize what you do. For example, I assassin a caterer afresh to accommodate aliment for a battery I was throwing. It would accept fabricated my activity abundant easier if he had offered to accommodate complete event-planning casework as well. It is a accustomed expansion. Even If he doesn''t apperceive a affair about planning those contest or did not accept the agents to do so he can calmly aggregation up with accident planners that do.

Riding the trend requires a altered way of thinking. Caterers are not just accouterment food; they become consultants in entertaining. Decorators don''t just decorate; they appearance a allowance about a appearance of life.

Can you do it too?

Of advance you can! Begin breadth you are with what you have.

• Take agenda of the new trend and anticipate about what adulation your accepted services;
• Think about how to accomplish your client''s activity easier by accouterment added ideas, amount and abetment in active those ideas. If you don''t apperceive how to do something different, seek out the advice and apprentice it, or
• Team up with added professionals that add something adulatory to your amount service;
• Reinvent your appellation to bout your new account offerings;
• Educate your applicant with the advice you have, but accept not acclimated and;
• Strive to accommodate something different in your market.

About The Author

Lise Richards is the architect of the Artistic Lifestyling program, which helps architecture barter professionals, capitalize on the Lifestyling trend. The Artistic Lifestyling affairs is accessible through a licensing acceding and is accretion throughout the United States. For added information, about accretion your architecture and decorating services, email her at LiseRichards@ArtisticLifestyling.com

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How To Accord Your Home Added Space

Have you been apprehensive how to chargeless up amplitude in your home? Do you reside in a abode or an ability area every inch of amplitude counts?

Maybe you''re annoyed of aggravating to appear up with account on how to abate the clutter? Or don''t apperceive area to start?

If you don''t apperceive area to alpha and feel like you''re backed into a bend again maybe this is your band-aid to the problem.

Let me acquaint you to the top-to-bottom-strategy.

It is a action that can be of abundant account to you if you are starting out and you are about to move into your own home.

Or if you already own a abode abounding of appliance and are accommodating to advertise or accord what you no best wish in adjustment to acquirement a bigger version.

It will plan in abounding situations from abundant to small.

The greater your alertness to get rid of the old and accompany in the new, the bigger amplitude aberration there will be in your home.

You may not wish to barter out abounding items in your home but adjudge on a few baddest items that will accomplish a big aberration already you''ve gotten rid of them.

The a lot of benign allotment of the top-to-bottom-strategy is that it can be customized to your preference.

That''s what makes it actual opportunistic--it can be adapted according to your desires.

The top-to-bottom-strategy is a simple three footfall action that will advice you reevaluate your anticipation process.

This action deals with three levels. And anniversary akin can be acclimated to advice you bigger accouter your home by belief any account you wish or own adjoin the top-to-bottom-strategy.

The 3 Levels

Level 3: Ceiling

Level 2: Wall

Level 1: Floor

You''ll apprehension with anniversary akin you move from top to bottom. Aswell apprehension that anniversary akin moves from ONLY demography up air amplitude to demography up walking space.

Items that DO NOT affect your walking area are advised to be items that yield up air space.

The added up your account is positioned the freer your walking zone. And the added amplitude you accept in your home. The accomplished akin that you can go is Akin 3.

In which an account you acquirement is army from your ceiling.

You may have, in the past, advised capacity your home application these three levels, but alone beneath assertive conditions. For example, you may accept aboriginal capital a attic lamp but instead absitively to get a sconce installed on your bank or a chandelier army from the beam rather than your aboriginal antecedent idea.

That is a bearings in which all three levels are acclimated accidentally.

But normally, you are acceptable to acquisition that you accept consistently larboard out Akin 2 and Akin 3 if you accede capacity your home with a new item.

The acumen for this is simple to understand--you commonly see what you wish and again you buy it.

And if you''ve done this there has been actual little alignment in capacity your home.

Except with the anticipation of whether you accept abundant attic amplitude for the account in consideration.

Before today, if you''ve advised purchasing an account you haven''t absolutely advised the three levels in aggregate with the account that you want.

You were never taught, and never thought, abundant about the three levels because history never offered such affairs until recently.

Manufacturers today are creating online writing with the less-is-more abstraction in mind.

Home accoutrement are far lighter and far added amplitude attention now than they anytime accept been.

So this action was never bare in the accomplished back our predecessors had an absolutely altered way of life.

Less busy. Beneath complicated in specific areas, and so on.

But that is acutely not the case today.

When you admit that you wish something from this day advanced you can calmly action your home the best amplitude accessible by because whether you can accouter your home with an account on Akin 3 first.

And if it is not accessible on that level, bead down a akin until it is accessible to accouter your home on that specific level.

Take for example, a television.

Level 1: Floor

You apperceive your home can calmly be furnished with a television application Akin 1.

And your a lot of amplitude bourgeois account to appear a television on is a basement tv stand, or a tv pole that extends from the attic to the ceiling.

When you use Akin 1 you wish to be assertive to begin for the a lot of amplitude attention way to use your attic space.

You''ll wish to acquisition the smallest, yet a lot of reliable account that you can acquisition that will do the job.

And if you are able to acquisition this blazon of item, it is so acceptable at amplitude attention that Akin 1 about gives you the aforementioned advantages that Akin 2 does.

For example, if you were to use a tv pole to put your tv on. The pole itself takes up so little attic amplitude and mounts the tv in midair that it''s agnate to capacity your home with a tv application Akin 2.

Level 1 will consistently yield up attic amplitude and baffle with your walking zone.

The best you can do with Akin 1 is get an account that uses as little attic amplitude as accessible and interferes with your walking area as little as possible.

Level 2: Wall

These canicule with lcds and claret tvs, you even apperceive that your home can be furnished with the television application Akin 2.

And your a lot of amplitude bourgeois account to appear your television on is a tv bank mount. But not alone can lcds and plasmas be army on the wall, your boilerplate television can be too.

There are dozens of bank mounts out there that appear approved tvs. But tv bank mounts may be something that has never alike to your mind.

And this is a acceptable archetype of if Akin 2 is generally larboard out of the picture.

Level 2 will not yield up attic amplitude but it will baffle with your walking area the majority of the time.

The college an account is positioned on your bank the beneath it will baffle with your walking zone.

If it is positioned actual top on your bank it will accept the aforementioned exact advantages as Akin 3. It will alone yield up air amplitude and action no amplitude interference.

Level 3: Ceiling

Same goes with tvs and Akin 3. There are dozens of beam mounts out there that your tvs can be army on.

But beam bank mounts don''t appear to the apparent of abounding minds. And this aswell makes a acceptable archetype of how Akin 3 is generally larboard out of the account if capacity your home.

Level 3 will not yield up attic amplitude or baffle with your walking area (assuming you are not so alpine that you in fact ability your ceiling). Akin three alone takes up air space.

It offers the a lot of advantages.

There are dozens and dozens of items out there that you may not even apperceive exists that you can accouter your home with.

That are advised abundant lighter and added acceptable alternatives than what you accept in your home appropriate now.

Consider an aquarium and the three levels. Did you apperceive that bank aquariums existed?

Not the blazon that you put central of a wall, but the blazon of aquarium in which you can adhere on your bank like a picture?

They are generally referred to as Living Pictures.

Living Pictures could be extenuative you amplitude in your home appropriate now if you knew about them.

If you own an aquarium that''s demography up a ample bulk of attic amplitude you could calmly absorb Akin 2 in your home to accord yourself added room.

Not to acknowledgment you accept added of an advantage by getting able to abode your Living Account just about anywhere in your home.

Knowing about the top-to-bottom-strategy is alms yourself added freedom. And added knowledge. And ability is power.

One of the best means that you can acquisition out about these items is by application the top-to-bottom-strategy in aggregate with surfing the net and researching anniversary account that you''re absorbed in.

Always bethink to analysis what you wish (using the top-to- bottom-strategy) afore you go out and buy what you see.

(c) 2003 by Tameka Norris

About The Author

Tameka Norris helps others abridge life''s little complications by absolute the baby things that are generally overlooked: http://www.simple-living-tips.com; tips@simple-living-tips.com', 160, 'How To Accord Your Home Added Space, Home-Improvement, Home-Improvement articles, Home-Improvement information, about Home-Improvement, what is Home-Improvement, Home Improvement Information', 'How To Accord Your Home Added Amplitude additional online writing and advice on Home-Improvement

Change The Appearance Of Your Autogenous With A Minimum Of Costs

The appearance of your autogenous depends for a abundant allotment on the adornment on the walls. Using the appropriate account on the appropriate abode can accomplish your allowance attending bigger. I accomplished this for myself if I came in this business. I do advertise reproduction paintings, you know.

Actually, I came in the reproduction painting business because I was afraid about what one painting can do to your active room. Let me explain. I had an old painting on my bank that looked actual nice. But, there was something missing. I absitively that I had to alter it. I consistently capital a Van Gogh, but I knew I would never be able to buy one.

After a few months I apparent that there was a business that did just what I was analytic for. I bought a reproduction painting from them, and this is the way my own business started. I was afflicted by the aesthetic aptitude of the reproductionist who captured the astute impressionism of Van Gogh. So I absitively to plan calm with these guys.

I ample out they use the aforementioned techniques the old masters used. With several painters who are specialized in one artist, and alone carbon plan of that artist. There are specialists of Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Gauguin and a lot added impressionists.

Since I started this business I feel like allowance added humans apprehend there dream. They are affordable for everyone. You can already buy a "real" Van Gogh for as beneath as 120 USD. This is not too abundant for a admirable abiding post-impressionistic section of artwork. If you are analytic for this affectionate of around-the-clock abode abating painting, go and analysis out my website at http://www.repropaint.com

About The Author

Clark Vansteensel

http://www.repropaint.com', 160, 'Change The Appearance Of Your Autogenous With A Minimum Of Costs, Home-Improvement, Home-Improvement articles, Home-Improvement information, about Home-Improvement, what is Home-Improvement, Home Improvement Information', 'Change The Appearance Of Your Autogenous With A Minimum Of Costs additional online writing and advice on Home-Improvement

Tearing Down the House

'Last year, we bought this big ol'' 1887 house. We are just now advancing to grips with the consequence of the "upgrades" planned.

With a babyish on the way and Little Lady all of two years old afire calories faster than pillagers bake the Amazon rainforest, how boxy can "upgrades" absolutely be?

Ever back we bought the house, my wife has been advancement me to breach "that thing" down.

"That thing", at the bottom of our lane, had been a apartment to accumulate kids dry while cat-and-mouse for the academy bus. It had apparent bigger days. Like if acrylic could still be apparent on the wood. Like if it stood cocked ? taller even than the weeds! ? afore force won the battle.

"That thing" was our actual own Roman charcoal ... bare the Roman part, of course. So I assuredly tore it down.

"What?" my wife asked. "You tore it down?"

"Yup."

"But how will humans acquisition us, now?"

We had acclimated "that thing" as a marker, even a beacon. "Turn appropriate on County Road 7, and just accumulate traveling until you see the eyesore. You can''t absence it. That''s us."

Houses abound and age just like people. Sometimes the old gets in the way of the new. Sometimes you accept to rip things afar to body them up.

Recently, I was ripping afar a brace walls of the -to-be nursery. I assured my wife it would be a two- to four-hour job. To abstain inhaling an balance of adhesive dust, she and Little Lady able to banishment at Grandma''s for the afternoon.

Twelve hours after ...

The alarm ticked accomplished midnight afore those two to four hours showed me mercy. Little Lady and her abundant mom wisely chose to abide in banishment overnight. Instead of comatose my weary muscles, I had a boscage of ? hack, drudge - adhesive dust about a bottom abysmal to actuate of. Beach party, anyone?

If disturbing it all down took so long, how abounding hours will it yield to put up the new walls, including the bank overlooking the staircase? (Did I acknowledgment I''m abashed of heights?)

How continued will it yield to cut and abode the trim (baseboards, casing, acme molding, and a new window axle ? I bankrupt the old one aggravating to pry apart a lathe strip)?

How continued will it yield to adhere a new door? To beach the old floor? To apple-pie up the big mess? To lift the wallboard to the additional floor? To acknowledgment to the abundance for added nails or to alter barge I bones or to aces up a few dozen items I forget? To replaster the corners I adhesive amiss the aboriginal time (and the additional and the third and ...)?

I sat my wife down for a heart-to-heart. "Honey, we accept a business to run, a toddler to nurture, ancestors associates to help, a abode to apple-pie on occasion, and a boscage that will charge mowing one of these days. We charge ductwork to thaw our bedchamber this winter, the foundation needs crack-filling and this nursery would yield Hercules abounding continued canicule of harder activity to complete. I don''t apperceive if we can acquisition time for all this afore the babyish is born."

"Maybe we should put something off," my wife suggested.

"Great idea!" I said, searching at my agenda. "Now, let''s see. How continued do you wish to adjournment the delivery?"

I ducked just in time.

The easiest affair to reschedule angry out to be my sleep. Appropriate now I accept a abode to upgrade. There''ll be affluence of time for beddy-bye next year. That is, if I don''t abound too old in the concurrently and charge to be broken down myself.

About The Author

The columnist is David Leonhardt, The Happy Guy. To accept his cavalcade account in your inbox, assurance up at http://TheHappyGuy.com/positive-thinking-free-ezine.html.

Visit his home page at http://TheHappyGuy.com.

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Warm Up the Night! Patio Heaters and Fire Pits

In some areas right now, the weather is ideal for sitting outside in the evening -- the bugs have gone and the sky is clear -- but the nights are chilly. Don''t let the cool evenings send you inside -- extend your outdoor living season by heating your deck or patio.

Different heaters are available for different needs and circumstances. A heater will be powered by propane, natural gas, alcohol-gel, electricity, wood, or wood substitutes such as charcoal or artificial logs. Depending on the size and the heat source, they may warm only a small space or heat a party-size yard.

For all heating units to perform optimally, they will need the right location. The ideal site is a combination of walls or fences (to radiate the heat back into your space) and overhead structures that will prevent the wind from blowing directly through your selected area.

Here are some tips for effective and safe use:

• Wood-burning fireplaces and fire pits are generally the least expensive to buy and to operate. Check for zoning ordinances to be sure that you can burn wood on your property. Some municipalities allow wood burning in a small chimenea unit, but will not approve a built-in or dug fire pit. Wood-burning units range from small collapsible units on wheels for easy portability to huge built-in concrete fireplaces. If you are permitted to burn wood, you are sure to find a unit to suit your needs!

• If you have a pottery fireplace, or chimenea, use it cautiously as these units are lightweight and reasonably fragile. To keep the fire from getting hot enough to break the chimenea, it''s best to use kindling-size wood.

• Many wood-burning units have optional cooking grills so your fire can do double duty warming your toes and your tummy. Try this yummy "pizza" recipe, cooked up in campfire irons.

• Any open fire is a potential hazard. Keep any overhead sparks from tree branches or patio overheads, and be sure to teach children proper fire safety.

• Natural gas heaters are easy to use but are usually built in and, although bottled gas may be purchased, are best limited to those areas that have natural gas service.

• Propane heaters can be economical to operate. Depending on the heat output level you set, a standard propane tank can provide 10-12 hours of heat.

• Propane-powered "mushroom" or "umbrella" heaters (so called because of their shape) are the best choice for heating large areas. They radiate warming rays from the top cylinder and provide a comfort zone of 12 - 20 feet in diameter. The propane tank is hidden in the bottom of the unit. It''s a good idea to put these units away when not in use as they can be sensitive to the elements. Smaller tabletop units are also available.

• Although electric heat is usually the most expensive, there are a few electric heaters designed specifically for outdoor use. Be sure that any heater that is left outside is rated as such.

With the wide selection of outdoor heating devices available, you''re sure to find one that right''s for you. So heat up the night - and go right on enjoying your outdoor space.

About The Author

Debbie Rodgers owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Visit her on the web at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on "Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space". Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com', 160, 'Warm Up the Night! Patio Heaters and Fire Pits, Home-Improvement, Home-Improvement articles, Home-Improvement information, about Home-Improvement, what is Home-Improvement, Home Improvement Information', 'Warm Up the Night! Patio Heaters and Fire Pits plus articles and information on Home-Improvement

Rodent Proofing Your Home

It''s that time of year where rats and mice are apt to enter our homes. Lets talk a bit about their abilities and senses first.

Rats and mice cannot see very good beyond 3 or 4 feet but have a very good sense of motion up to 30 to 50 feet away and for the most part they are color blind. Rodents are most active at night.

These rodents have a very good sense of taste so baits may be rejected by them if they are contaminated with insecticides or odors from other chemicals. Even touching baits after smoking a cigarette will make these rodents to shy away from the baits.

Rats and mice also have a good sense of smell. They mark pathways with urine and use their sense of smell to recognize the odors of the pathway to and from food sources.

Their hearing is much better than humans and make noises in various situations such as mating.

Rodents have a highly developed sense of touch due to their sensitive body hairs. They rely heavily on touch and smell to guide them through movements. The territories of most rats are between 50 and 150 feet from the nest. For mice the average territories within buildings are between 10 and 30 feet.

Rodent Proofing Your Home

The best way to control mice and rats is to make it impossible for them to enter your home. That can be difficult with mice because they can pass through an opening only 3/8 inch thick. In general, all openings greater than 1/4 inch thick should be sealed for mice and all openings greater than 1/2 inch should be sealed for rats.

Check all openings around utility lines that enter your home, around service conduits such as water pipes, electric wires, air-conditioning units, drain pipes and vents should all be sealed. Also check for broken windows and unscreened vents. Vents should be covered with metal grillwork backed by rust-resistant screening. Roofs should be checked to see that shingles are down tight and sheathing is complete. Check roof ventilators, screen vents and in wall vents.

Make sure you check under sinks where pipes enter the wall. This is a great area for mice and rats to enter your home or business.

Copper mesh stuffing, course steel wool, sheet metal, hardware cloth and mortar can be used to seal the spaces around these areas. Just use your imagination.

These are not all areas that mice and rats can enter your home. Its impossible for me to think of everywhere. Like I said, just use your imagination.

About The Author

The author of this article has been in the pest control business for over 10 years and has cleaned many homes of rodents and insects pests. To find out more about insects and other pests and to receive a free pest identification guide please visit his website. http://www.infobreaks.com', 160, 'Rodent Proofing Your Home, Home-Improvement, Home-Improvement articles, Home-Improvement information, about Home-Improvement, what is Home-Improvement, Home Improvement Information', 'Rodent Proofing Your Home plus articles and information on Home-Improvement

Ten Things You May Not Know About Selecting Hardwood Flooring

1) Red Oak is not the only choice

If you want your home to look like everyone else''s, this is a great choice. If you want your home to be unique try hickory, cherry, walnut, white oak, maple or many others. Go to flooring retailers or search the Internet and see what is available. If you really want red oak try using wider widths or character grade for variety and uniqueness.

2) 2 1/4 inch is not the only size available

If all you ask your builder for is a hardwood floor ? you are going to get a 2 1/4 inch red oak floor. Why? It is the most common, most produced, most stocked, cheapest option available. You can buy sizes in 3" through 12". You can put down a single width for a uniform look or multiple widths for a more random look. Typical random flooring patterns are 3"-4"-5", 3"-5", 4"-5"-6". Have fun! Make your home unique! The wider the floor the more seasonal separations between the flooring planks can occur.

3) Import Species don''t support jobs in the United States

While there are vast amounts of imported species available, there are fantastic, interesting species of flooring available right here in the United States. Not all countries have managed forests and renewable resources. This is an important time to support our own economy.

4) All flooring is not select (clear) grade

The most common floors are select grade. These floors contain none of woods naturally occurring character marks. Look around your flooring showroom, almost every display is showing clear flooring. There are warm and inviting options. Look at a character grade or other grades. Make sure to see a photo of what the floor looks like, not just one piece.

5) Prefinished flooring is convenient

Have you ever been forced to leave your home for three days while the flooring contractor sands, stains and recoats your floor? If not ask a friend who has had it done. A professional flooring contractor will leave your home spotless, others can leave dust on all your furniture. Today''s factory finished flooring can be installed today and entertained on tonight with very little mess. With prefinished flooring each plank is allowed to move independently with humidity changes in your home. This makes those seasonal separations (cracks) in your floor less noticeable.

6) Colors can be cool ? but mother nature is hard to beat

Some species of flooring are so beautiful in their natural color, they do not require any added color. Look up hickory, cherry or walnut flooring on the Internet and you will see what I mean.

7) Prefinish warranties are a gimmick

50 year warranty ? WOW! Lifetime warranty ? fantastic! Oh really? These are wear-through warranties only. Your floor will loose its "sheen" or luster and require refinishing long before you ever wear through the finish. The best way to make a floor last is to vacuum it often to keep away abrasive material that might scratch your floor. Remember a lower sheen floor shows less wear.

8) Not all flooring is smooth ? texture is popular

Hardwood flooring does not have to be smooth. Many companies are offering hand scraped, distressed and reclaimed flooring. These floors have a classic look and add great value to upscale homes. They do not show much wear or scratches since they have a great deal of character interest to draw attention to different parts of the floor. These floors will be a guaranteed conversation piece with your friends and neighbors and are often the focal point at luxury home tours.

9) In a basement use engineered flooring

Most people use engineered flooring to glue down to concrete or in higher moisture areas. This flooring has a thin layer of hardwood with a cross banded plywood base. This makes the flooring more stable and does not require nailing like a solid hardwood floor.

10) Laminate flooring is not Hardwood flooring

A great steak does not taste the same as a picture of a great steak. If you want the beauty and warmth of hardwood flooring in your home ? buy the real thing, not a cheap imitation.

About The Author

Doug Bolton is the owner of Homerwood Hardwood Floors located in the heart of the Pennsylvania hardwoood region - Titusville PA. You can learn more by visiting their website at http://www.homerwood.com', 160, 'Ten Things You May Not Know About Selecting Hardwood Flooring, Home-Improvement, Home-Improvement articles, Home-Improvement information, about Home-Improvement, what is Home-Improvement, Home Improvement Information', 'Ten Things You May Not Know About Selecting Hardwood Flooring plus articles and information on Home-Improvement

Candle Making 101

If you''d like to try your hand at candle making, set aside two hours one day next weekend, and start with an easy project, using your old candles to test the waters. If it''s instant gratification you crave, you''ll see the fruits of your labor in just a couple of hours with a minimum expenditure for supplies.

People often speak of candle making and soap making in the same sentence as if they are similar experiences. The process is not the same. If you have thought of making your own soap, try candle making first. The process may appear similar, but it''s simpler and safer. When you make your own candles, you are simply melting wax, not conducting chemical experiments in your kitchen.

We''ll give you a play-by-play preview of the process, but consider this an overview. Before you actually set up shop and play candle maker for the afternoon, download a proper set of step-by-step procedures from the Internet. You''ll find hundreds of candle-making projects available online, but start by recycling your old candles just to get a feel for the process. In fact, in this overview, we''ll describe the process of melting down your old candles and turning them into brand new votive candles.

If you enjoy the experience, which is similar to cooking, then you''ll want to order more supplies before beginning your candle-making hobby in earnest. With a little practice, you can give unique, hand-made holiday gifts, and delight your friends with something that you personally created.

Safety First

Anytime you work around an open flame, you have all the ingredients for a potentially dangerous situation. Work carefully and mind your safety P''s and Q''s at all times. Candle making requires your undivided attention. Don''t even think about multitasking while working with hot wax.

Materials and Preparation

Before you begin, you''ll need to gather the following equipment:

Old candles ? anything that you would otherwise throw away Votive wicks, pre-tabbed Votive molds (metal is best) Scissors Silicone spray for metal votive molds Old saucepans to create a "double boiler" Candy thermometer Oven mitts

To minimize cleanup, cover your burners with aluminum foil and spread old rags or newspapers over a flat work area.

Prepare the Molds

If you prepare your molds in advance, you won''t have to scramble at the last minute, and risk the possibility of your wax cooling before you can pour it.

Spray the inside of each mold with Silicone per the instructions on the can. Place a pre-tabbed votive wick in the mold, and set aside.

Melt the Wax

This process requires your undivided attention.

Remove old wicks, labels, etc. At a bare minimum, clip the burnt part of the wick. Melt the wax.

If you''re using old jar candles, you''ll need to melt the wax in the jars separately.

Pour the Molds

Allow the melted wax to cool to 160 to 180 degrees F.

Pour the wax into the prepared molds.

Allow to cool and shrink.

Melt wax for the repour and allow it to cool to 180 degrees F.

Repour to top off the molds.

Allow to cool.

Remove the candle from the votive holder.

The key to successful candle making is preparation and setup. If you have everything prepared and within easy reach, you''ll have a smooth melt to pour process. If you haven''t prepared in advance, the wax may cool faster than you can prepare your work area and molds, costing you additional time.

That''s all there is to creating brand new candles from your candle remnants. If you enjoy the process, you can progress to creating your own custom candles from scratch, giving them as gifts, or even starting a brand new career path.

M J Plaster is a successful author who provides information on shopping online for candle making supplies and candles in general. M J Plaster has been a commercial freelance writer for almost two decades, most recently specializing in home and garden, the low-carb lifestyle, investing, and anything that defines la dolce vita.', 160, 'Candle Making 101, Home-Improvement, Home-Improvement articles, Home-Improvement information, about Home-Improvement, what is Home-Improvement, Home Improvement Information', 'Candle Making 101 plus articles and information on Home-Improvement

Avoiding Unsightly Algae

Excessive organic matter in the pond provides nutrients for algae, contributing to its growth. Algae can obscure the view of colorful fish, and more dangerously, it robs the water of valuable oxygen and releases harmful pollutants.

UV clarifiers also are effective tools that use ultraviolet light to destroy the reproductive ability of suspended algae. Dead, microscopic algae will clump together into particles large enough to be removed by filtration.

Increasing the amount of floating and oxygenating plants in your pond is another simple solution to keeping the water clean, and clear. Floating plants such as water lilies, water lettuce, lotus and water hyacinth provide shade, reducing sunlight in the pond, which helps control algae growth.

Submerged plants, also known as oxygenators, affect the carbon dioxide and oxygen levels of the pond by competing directly with algae for light and food. Oxygenators absorb nutrients from fish waste and minerals through their leaves, helping to starve algae, keeping the water clear. Some examples of oxygenators are Hornwart, Anacharis and Parrot''s Feather.

**************************************************
Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several
other pond-related websites including MacArthurWatergardens.com
and Pond-Filters-Online.com. He also publishes a free monthly
newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over
9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE
''New Pond Owners Guide'' visit MacArthur Water Gardens today!
**************************************************', 170, 'Avoiding Unsightly Algae, Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping-Gardening articles, Landscaping-Gardening information, about Landscaping-Gardening, what is Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping & Gardening Information', 'Avoiding Unsightly Algae plus articles and information on Landscaping-Gardening

5 Simple Steps To Dividing Your Hardy Water Lilies

If you missed the springtime window of opportunity to divide your hardy water lilies, don''t worry, it''s not too late. Although springtime is the best time, you''ve actually got the entire normal growing season to get it done.

The reason for dividing your water lilies is that they eventually run out of room in their existing pots and need more room for the roots to spread out so the plant can flourish. Not only is this relatively easy to do, but you end up with more plants as a bonus!

Step 1

Remove the plant from the pot and gently rinse the dirt from the root system.

Step 2

Cut the older growth from one end of the tuber, and the newer growth from the other. If there are new "eyes" along the tuber you can snip them off and pot them if you wish.

Step 3

Take a sharp knife and cut the tuber back on the ''growing'' part. On small plants you can safely cut the tuber down to 2-3 inches. Keep it at around 5-6 inches for larger plants.

You should also cut off new buds and any older leaves so the plant can stay focused on growing a new root system.

Step 4

Plant the tuber in good quality garden soil that has been poured into a pot that is suitable for water gardening. Potting soil is not the best choice so make sure that the package says ''garden soil''.

Insert the tuber into the soil placing it next to the wall of the pot rather than in the center of the pot.

Insert a couple of aquatic plant food tabs about halfway into the soil and then pack the soil around the tuber so it will stay in place when the pot is submerged.

Finally, pour a layer of pea gravel over the soil to keep it from washing away. This also discourages your fish from digging in the pot. Make sure that you do not cover the crown of the tuber with gravel.

Step 5

Slowly submerge the pot into your garden pond. Don''t be alarmed if some dirt residue mixes in with the water. This is normal and it will soon settle to the bottom and the water will clear.

Keep your new plants in water that is no deeper that 12" until you notice at least five or six new leaves. Once the plant is established you can place it in deeper water if you wish.

There, you''re done. Now your old plants will have more room to grow and you''ll have new plants to keep or share with friends. Wasn''t that easy?

**************************************************
Brett Fogle is the owner of MacArthur Water Gardens and several
other pond-related websites including MacArthurWatergardens.com
and Pond-Filters-Online.com. He also publishes a free monthly
newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation of over
9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive our FREE
''New Pond Owners Guide'' visit MacArthur Water Gardens today!
**************************************************', 170, '5 Simple Steps To Dividing Your Hardy Water Lilies, Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping-Gardening articles, Landscaping-Gardening information, about Landscaping-Gardening, what is Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping & Gardening Information', '5 Simple Steps To Dividing Your Hardy Water Lilies plus articles and information on Landscaping-Gardening

Learn All About Feng Shui Money Trees

A feng shui money tree is an indoor plant used in order to attract prosperity and wealth into any space. The feng shui money tree''s botanical name is Pachira, and its care requires the average sun light and watering that any other indoor plant would need. Its height can reach to as much as seven feet while it can reach to be as much as three feet wide.

The shape of these plant''s leafs represent the five main elements of feng shui, wood, water, earth, fire and metal, and this is what makes the feng shui money tree so symbolic. When an element is missing, or the elements in a space are not balanced, a feng shui money tree would help adding what is missing harmonizing the elements.

Since feng shui money trees bring or increase wealth, they are ideal to place near a place where money is kept or near the cash registers in businesses. Prosperity and wealth, as well as elements harmonization should come after placing this plant at those spots. Any other place where money and wealth is needed can be a good place for a feng shui money tree as well.

Feng shui money trees can also be strategically placed according to the house areas indicated by the bagua map. The bagua map northwest corner corresponds to the prosperity area of life, and this could be an ideal place for a feng shui money tree to be. Since it brings prosperity, you can also help attracting this factor to any other area of your life by placing the feng shui tree at the house area which corresponds to it.

If you would like to have a feng shui money tree but don''t know where to find it, there are many stores selling it online which would allow you to buy it through their catalogues. You would easily find them by typing feng shui money tree at your search engine, and they would allow you to see them in pictures as well as provide you with details about it.

As you can see, feng shui money trees symbolism can have many different applications as well as having decorative properties. I can also help you enlightening a dark corner and help chi flowing better. Whether you are thinking of buying an indoor plant for yourself or giving it as a present, a feng shui money tree can be a great option.

About The Author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.fengshuicrazy.com. Please visit his website and learn all the feng shui tips you''ll ever need!', 170, 'Learn All About Feng Shui Money Trees, Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping-Gardening articles, Landscaping-Gardening information, about Landscaping-Gardening, what is Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping & Gardening Information', 'Learn All About Feng Shui Money Trees plus articles and information on Landscaping-Gardening

What is Compost Tea?

Organic gardeners all know compost is fantastic stuff. But now, there''s something even better and that''s compost tea. If you start with a good compost you''ll have a versatile elixir for all your garden needs. Compost tea helps prevent foliage diseases and at the same time increase the nutrients to the plant and shutdown the toxins hurting the plants. It will improve the taste/flavor of your vegetables. So why not give this tea a try either by buying it or brewing it yourself. You won''t believe the results!

Four ways that good bacteria work:

Help compete for the nutrients

Dine on the bad varmits

Help produce antibiotics to use against the varmits.

They shove the bad varmits out.

Compost tea that is correctly brewed has a wealth of microorganisms that will benefit your plants'' growth and health as well as the soil that they live in. Compost tea can be considered yogurt for the soil. The microorganisms living there are both good and bad. What the tea does is make sure the good guys win by introducing helpful bacteria, fungi, protozoa and beneficial nematodes.

Harmful bacteria lives best in soil that does not have good air circulation. Good bacteria lives best and will thrive in soil that is well ventilated with oxygen. This is where a good compost tea, made the right way, comes in. When you have well oxygenated compost you automatically get rid of 3/4 of the bad varmits. Also by using harmful insecticides or chemical fertilizers we reduce the number of beneficial microorganisms in the soil.

Plants produce their own energy and food and half of that goes to the roots and some of that goes into the surrounding soil and guess who gets that? Correct, the good guys, and then it turns into a beneficial cycle.

The following is taken from the internet and shows compost tea is becoming a force in gardening.

National Organic Standards Board Compost Tea Task Force Report April 6, 2004 Introduction In 2003, the National Organic Standards Board convened a Compost Tea Task Force to review the relevant scientific data and report their recommendations on ''What constitutes a reasonable use of compost tea?'' The Task Force was composed of 13 individuals with knowledge and expertise in organic farming practices, organic certification, EPA pathogen regulations, compost, compost tea production and analysis, plant pathology, food safety and environmental microbiology.

Throughout their discussions, members consistently acknowledged the growing interest among certified organic and conventional growers to use compost teas, and the need to develop effective biologically-based tools to manage plant fertility, pests, and diseases.

A primary reason for producing compost tea is to transfer microbial biomass, fine particulate organic matter, and soluble chemical components of compost into an aqueous phase that can be applied to plant surfaces and soils in ways not possible or economically feasible with solid compost.

This article is provided courtesy of http://www.basic-info-4-organic-fertilizers.com You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.', 170, 'What is Compost Tea?, Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping-Gardening articles, Landscaping-Gardening information, about Landscaping-Gardening, what is Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping & Gardening Information', 'What is Compost Tea? plus articles and information on Landscaping-Gardening

Winter Gardening Looking Towards Spring

Ok, the title "winter gardening" might be a tad bit misleading. I am not suggesting that you actually garden during the winter but you should be using this time to plan your upcoming garden. As you look out at your yard and garden area during the cold months of winter, let your thoughts run wild and you will be amazed at what images you can conjure up. You might even want to try some of your new found ideas this spring!

1. Pour through garden catalogs, flip the pages and fold down the corner anytime you find something you like. Go back to it often until you decide what new plants and flowers you would like to try this spring.

2. Purchase some gardening books or magazines to get new ideas. Look at what other people are trying in their gardens and see if their ideas inspire you to try something new.

3. Look out your windows and try to visualize how you would like your yard and garden to look like. Study the sun....notice the shady spots.

4. Make a list of what is important to you, in other words, what do you want from your yard and garden? Do you want to create a patio area for entertaining, a vegetable garden so you grow all of your own vegetables, a quiet area for relaxing, or maybe an area that will attract wildlife. Anything is possible but it is important to recognize what you want before you actually start any gardening project. Ultimately, knowing what you want will save time and money!

5. Take lots of notes and draw any ideas you might come up with.(even those ideas that wake you up in the middle of the night!)

6. Of course, visit online nurseries to see what they have to offer. Many sites offer suggestions and interesting gardening articles as well.

Before you know it spring will be here, you will have a shovel in your hand, and you will have a plan! Happy Gardening!

© 2005, Candee Stark and Flowers & Garden.com

This article is provided courtesy of Flowers-and-Garden.com - You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact. More gardening talk at Flowers & Garden Blog', 170, 'Winter Gardening Looking Towards Spring, Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping-Gardening articles, Landscaping-Gardening information, about Landscaping-Gardening, what is Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping & Gardening Information', 'Winter Gardening Looking Towards Spring plus articles and information on Landscaping-Gardening

The Zoo-Doo Man - Or How to Make the Best Compost in the World!

Is your garden soil great? Does it produce an abundant crop for you without any great effort on your part? We were once told "By the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread . . ", and with several thousand years'' rain, snow, wind, and crops removing the minerals from the land, we very rarely see fertile ground anymore.

So, how do you get your ground to consistently grow a large crop of healthy vegetables ? there must be a way? Let me tell you some of my experience with this important question.

For 15 years I have owned a 3/4 acre parcel adjacent to Utah''s Hogle Zoo, where I have grown a vegetable garden using The Mittleider Method as taught in many of the developing countries around the world by Dr. Jacob R. Mittleider. To receive Dr. Mittleider''s Gardening Basics Course e-book free, visit the Charitable Foundation''s website at www.foodforeveryone.org.

During the past 15 years I''ve been privileged to help Dr. M. on a few projects, and recently, with his blessing, conducted some myself, in Armenia, Madagascar, and Turkey. My Zoo garden is always extremely productive, rather nice to look at, and a very popular unofficial "exhibit" with the 700,000+ annual visitors to the zoo.

Many people have asked, as they visited over the fence, if I used the zoo animals'' manure, and I always told them no, that I use natural mineral nutrients. But then one day a lady piqued my interest when she said the Seattle Zoo sells their composted animal manure to the public as "Zoo Doo." I decided to check this out, so I talked to them and found they pile the manure in win-rows, and after about a year, dry, bag, and sell it.

I decided I could make a lot better compost than what Seattle got by leaving it out in the rain for a year. So I first bought a Compost Tumbler and learned the best procedures and mixes as I tested small batches, using the manure from 7 of the large herbivores. Very quickly I learned how to maintain the mix at a constant 140+ degree heat, and after 3 weeks I had beautiful, black, sweet-smelling compost.

I thought this was great, but there was nowhere near enough compost to take care of my large garden, so I then acquired a 10-yard cement truck and began doing large batches. With loads this size, they maintained temperatures over 140 degrees for 3 weeks, and then cooled down for one week. And You''ve never seen such beautiful material - I really felt like I was making the world''s best compost!

I obtained the right to use the Zoo-Doo name, bought bags, T-shirts, banners, cart, etc. and began selling at the Zoo gift shop and in the local nurseries. I ended up on TV and in the newspapers, and became known as "The Zoo-Doo Man."

Whenever I had more than I could sell, I would drive the cement truck down to my garden and off-load the batch over the wall. I then put it into several soil-beds and grew vegetables with it ? to compare which was better ? compost or the Mittleider natural mineral nutrients, which I''d been using all along. And I grew good stuff with my Zoo-Doo.

However, the most important thing I learned in that two-year experiment was not how to make and sell Zoo-Doo. I learned for myself that I could grow better vegetables more consistently, and with a lot less time, cost, and hassle, with a few pounds of inexpensive natural mineral nutrients, than I could with truckloads of "the world''s best compost."

I therefore continue to use good, clean organic materials when they are available, but I know that highly productive vegetable gardens are not dependent on improving the soil with organic material.

Another side benefit is that we have been able to avoid any insect or disease infestations (often introduced by compost)in 15 years, and so I never have to use pesticides or herbicides in my large garden.

Jim Kennard, President of Food For Everyone Foundation, has a wealth of leadership, financial, business, teaching, and gardening training and experience upon which to draw in helping the Foundation to achieve its goals of "teaching the world to grow food one family at a time." He is a retired CPA, and has also owned and successfully managed several different businesses, including hotels, shopping centers, apartments, and retail establishments during the past twenty five years.

Jim has been a Mittleider gardener for the past twenty-eight years; he is a Master Mittleider Gardening Instructor, and has taught classes and worked one-on-one with Dr. Jacob Mittleider on several gardening projects in the USA and abroad.

You can get his advice in vegetable gardening questions by visiting the FAQ section of the Foundation''s web page at http://foodforeveryone.org/faq/.', 170, 'The Zoo-Doo Man - Or How to Make the Best Compost in the World!, Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping-Gardening articles, Landscaping-Gardening information, about Landscaping-Gardening, what is Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping & Gardening Information', 'The Zoo-Doo Man - Or How to Make the Best Compost in the World! plus articles and information on Landscaping-Gardening

Gardening During Hard Times or Emergencies - You Can Feed Yourself!

Do you ever worry about always having to rely on getting seeds and fertilizer from the store? What would you do in a survival situation, if you could not go to a store to purchase these things?

Let''s compare it to your food supply. What would you do about your store-purchased food? Many wise people buy more than they need of food items that store well, and create a "year''s supply" of the essentials in their basement or other cool, dry place. This is the biblical answer. As you may remember, Joseph in Egypt saved grain for 7 years and then fed the whole Egyptian nation, as well as his own family and others, during the next 7 years of famine.

The same approach will work even better for gardening ? with both seeds and fertilizers. For about $25 you can buy the triple-sealed Garden In A Can from Mountain Valley Seeds, with enough non-hybrid seeds to grow a 1/2-acre garden! If these are stored in a cool dry place they will remain viable for a very long time. The website is www.mvseeds.com, and I highly recommend you get a can, or the smaller Garden in a Pouch for about $12.

And if natural mineral fertilizers are kept dry, they will store indefinitely while still maintaining their potency. Therefore I suggest you also buy and store enough Pre-Plant Mix and Weekly Feed to grow at least one year''s garden. The formulas for mixing your own are in the Learn section of the Food For Everyone Foundation''s website at www.growfood.com.

A rule of thumb for how much fertilizer you would need to store, in order to have your year''s supply, is 6# of Pre-Plant and 12# of Weekly Feed per 30'' soil-bed. Even though you will only feed some crops 4 or 5 times, remember that if you are really living out of your garden, you will be growing two or three crops, and doing it from March or April, right up until frost in October. Therefore, see the following chart for suggestions on how much to store, depending on the size of your garden.

GARDEN SIZE PRE-PLANT MIX WEEKLY FEED

20'' X 30'' (4 soil-beds) 25# 50#

40'' X 65'' (16 soil-beds) 100# 200#

50'' X 100'' (30 soil-beds) 200# 400#

Now, what can you do if the emergency goes beyond a year, and you''ve used up all your fertilizer? First off, don''t expect the same quantity of production as you obtained with balanced mineral nutrients, but you can grow a healthy garden using manure tea. Here''s how.

Get a large burlap bag and a 55-gallon barrel. Find cow or horse manure (chicken or turkey is twice as hot, so less will be needed), and fill the bag 2/3''s full. Place the bag in the barrel and fill it with water. Let the manure soak or "steep" for 24 hours, then use the "tea" to water your vegetable plants. Replace the bag of manure in the barrel and let steep for 48 hours. Again, water with the tea, then dump the spent manure out and till into an unused portion of the garden. It has very little nutrient value, but can improve your soil tilth. Remember to plant a little further apart when doing this, because plants will be competing for less available nutrition. And every watering should be with the manure tea for your plants to thrive. You should expect to grow a smaller garden, and spend some time finding manure and hand-watering.

If manure just isn''t available, save your kitchen scraps and human waste. Many countries do it all the time, so it''s not the end of the world. And all clean, healthy plant residue should be saved and properly composted for re-use in the garden - again preferably as manure tea.

By the way, even 4 soil-beds, when properly worked and cared for, especially if combined with good seedling production, could produce a large amount of food. As an example, if only one crop was grown, you could produce 2,000# or more of tomatoes, or even cabbage - if you grew 3 crops. So is this approach cost effective? You do the math. Suppose you invest $50 in your year''s supply of seeds and fertilizers. What will 2,000 pounds of vegetables be worth to your family during hard times? Think of Joseph in Egypt!

Jim Kennard

James B. (Jim) Kennard, the President of Food For Everyone Foundation, has a wealth of leadership, financial, business, teaching, and gardening training and experience upon which to draw in helping the Foundation to achieve its goals. He is a retired (CPA), practicing as managing partner in a Salt Lake City firm since 1972, and has also owned and successfully managed several different businesses, including hotels, shopping centers, apartments, and retail establishments during the past twenty five years.

Jim has been a Mittleider gardener for the past twenty-eight years, he is a Master Mittleider Gardening Instructor, and has taught classes and worked one-on-one with Dr. Jacob Mittleider on several gardening projects in the USA and abroad, in addition to conducting projects himself in Armenia, Madagascar, and Turkey. He grows a demonstration garden at Utah''s Hogle Zoo, and assists gardeners around the world on the Foundation''s website and the free Gardening Group. http://www.foodforeveryone.org', 170, 'Gardening During Hard Times or Emergencies - You Can Feed Yourself!, Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping-Gardening articles, Landscaping-Gardening information, about Landscaping-Gardening, what is Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping & Gardening Information', 'Gardening During Hard Times or Emergencies - You Can Feed Yourself! plus articles and information on Landscaping-Gardening

Organic or Chemical Feeding of Plants - Whats Best

A fundamental question in vegetable gardening is - what is the proper use of organic and/or chemical materials? Let''s determine the truth of the matter, with four basic principles and a few brief examples from Dr. Jacob R. Mittleider''s worldwide experience.

I. First, let''s consider what plants need, and where and how they get it. Plants require 16 elements for healthy growth, and 95% of the plant is the result of photosynthesis using just 3 elements ? carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen - all of which it gets from the air without man''s intervention. The other 13 elements come from the soil and make up only 5% of the plant, but are nonetheless very important, for without them the plant will fail. Most importantly, the plant can only access these 13 nutrients as water-soluble minerals through its root system.

II. The next important principle to understand is that everything in this world is a chemical. Every element that makes up a plant, as well as everything in our bodies, and everything in the soil in which we grow is chemical. Therefore, we must not get carried away in refusing to use chemicals in the garden in favor of something else, because there is no something else!

III. Most soils contain all 13 nutrients, but due to thousands of years of leaching and crop removal, the water-soluble compounds are mostly gone, and what is left in the soil is not readily available.

This is not a big problem for trees and shrubs ? they grow slowly enough that they can wait for the natural chemical processes constantly going on in the soil to make small amounts of nutrients water soluble. However, this is not the case with vegetables. They grow very quickly, multiplying their size many times in a few weeks, and many complete their life cycle, including flowers, fruit, and seeds, in only 60-90 days! This is why they often need assistance.

IV. Organic materials can improve soil structure, provide food for beneficial soil bacteria, and add mineral nutrients. Before using them, however, they should be clean - weed, insect and disease-free. And beyond that, there are still three problems with depending exclusively on organic materials. 1. You never know which nutrients and what amounts were in the previous plant. 2. Much of the plant was eaten and became part of the man or animal. 3. The nutrients are not usable until the old plant has decomposed and they have reverted once again to water-soluble minerals. This takes time and fast-growing vegetable plants can''t wait. Plus, even more nutrients are lost or become unavailable in the decomposition process.

Dr. Jacob R. Mittleider has worked and taught in many countries for 39 years, and he always found the people were growing organically ? doing their best with compost and manure ? as they have been doing for thousands of years, and yet they were starving! So, with his 20 years of background in the Nursery/Bedding Plant business, he experimented with small amounts of natural mineral nutrients to supplement the organic materials being used ? always using the best amounts and ratios he knew. By doing this he increased peoples'' yields of healthy vegetables everywhere he went by as much as 10 to 1. And over time, he improved his nutrient mix to the point that today, using the Mittleider Pre-Plant and Weekly Feed mixes properly, anyone can grow healthy trees, shrubs, and virtually any variety of plants successfully in almost any soil or climate. That''s why they are sometimes called "The poor man''s hydroponic mix," but we recommend growing in the soil so the plants can get the best possible natural nutrition.

We apply less than ½ pound of a balanced mix of the 13 mineral elements to the 3500 pounds of minerals already in a 30'' Soil-Bed ? and do this only 4 or 5 times for most vegetables. This does not injure the plants or cause a toxic buildup in the soil. In fact, extensive tests by both the Brigham Young University and Stukenholtz Soil Labs found no toxicity in any Mittleider gardens, including his personal garden that was in use for over 20 years.

On the other hand, misuse and over-application of mineral salts can cause problems. This has been the case in Russia for many years. When Dr. Mittleider began teaching and growing there in 1989, the USSR''s Agriculture Agents actually stole plants from his garden, looking for nitrate toxicity in "those dark green, beautiful plants," hoping to expose him and force him to leave the country. But there was no toxicity! And before long the Agriculture Minister went on their National TV to proclaim "The only food grown in Russia that''s fit to eat is grown in a Mittleider Garden." They went on to make him the featured speaker at the Yalta Conference of Agriculture Ministers, and they gave him an honorary Ph.D. from Timirjazjiv Academy, the most prestigious Agriculture school in the Country. For several years they even gave Timirjazjiv Certificates to graduates of Mittleider''s three-month Agriculture School at Zaokski!

Therefore, in using mineral nutrients, always consider the content, purpose, and amount carefully before applying them to your soil. They are salts, and even table salt, while good for us in small amounts, can cause health problems if over-used - and large amounts are toxic and can even kill us. It''s the same with all of these materials ? whether they are good or bad depends on the amounts and how they are used.

In summary, Dr. Mittleider puts all available clean, healthy organic residues into the ground immediately, for the maximum benefit to soil and plants, and then uses small amounts of God-given natural mineral nutrients to assure that his plants have complete and balanced nutrition. I recommend you use the knowledge Dr. Jacob R Mittleider has gained from his extensive education, training, and practical experience to assure the greatest success in your vegetable garden.

To Benefit from Dr. Mittleider''s worldwide experience, visit the Food For Everyone Foundation''s website at www.foodforeveryone.org. There are many free gardening resources, and you can get advice directly from the experts.

Jim Kennard, the President of Food For Everyone Foundation, has a wealth of leadership, financial, business, teaching, and gardening training and experience upon which to draw in helping the Foundation to achieve its goals. He is a retired CPA, practicing as managing partner in a Salt Lake City firm since 1972, and has also owned and successfully managed several different businesses, including hotels, shopping centers, apartments, and retail establishments during the past twenty five years.

Jim has been a Mittleider gardener for the past twenty-eight years, he is a Master Mittleider Gardening Instructor, and has taught classes, worked one-on-one with Dr. Jacob Mittleider on several gardening projects in the USA and abroad, and conducted projects himself in Armenia, Madagascar, and Turkey. In addition to assisting gardeners worldwide through the FAQ pages of the website and the free Gardening Group, Jim grows a large demonstration garden at Utah''s Hogle Zoo, that is seen by more than 700,000 people each year. Visit and learn at http://www.growfood.com.', 170, 'Organic or Chemical Feeding of Plants - Whats Best, Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping-Gardening articles, Landscaping-Gardening information, about Landscaping-Gardening, what is Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping & Gardening Information', 'Organic or Chemical Feeding of Plants - Whats Best plus articles and information on Landscaping-Gardening

Enjoy Creating and Growing a Sustainable Garden While Feeding Your Family

A sustainable garden means one that can be sustained over time, and would necessarily involve I) growing food you want to eat, so you are motivated to continue growing, II) growing economically, so that it is worthwhile doing, as well as III) taking care of environmental issues, so that the ground will continue to support growing.

I) The plants to be grown should be chosen primarily on what your family wants to eat, and what will grow in your locale. After that, Consider using heirloom seed rather than hybrid, if you are very concerned about losing the ability to replace seed each year from commercial sources. However, growing and saving your own seed is difficult and time consuming. An excellent answer to this dilemma is the Garden In A Can heirloom seed provided by Mountain Valley Seed Company (www.mvseeds.com). Other seed companies may have something similar. I recommend you buy a can of this triple-sealed seed, store it against the possible disaster, and then buy and use the best seed you can get and don''t worry about trying to grow for and save your own seeds.

II) Using the best growing practices, such as those taught by the world-renowned Dr. J. R. Mittleider, (see www.growfood.com)assure you the greatest yield of healthy vegetables from the least space, and with the least amount of labor and financial inputs per unit of production. A family can be self sufficient in their food requirements from proper gardening of just a small fraction of an acre, and this is the greatest evidence of success in achieving a sustainable garden.

III) Gardening should always be done without injuring the land, but rather should improve the land, so that it will continue to support healthy plants indefinitely. Therefore, pesticides and herbicides should be used very judiciously, and wherever possible these issues should be handled by cultural practices as taught by Dr. Mittleider such as 1) eliminating all weeds from the garden area, 2) watering only the plants'' root zone, 3) beginning plants in a protected environment for a fast, healthy and strong start, 4) feeding plants proper amounts of balanced natural mineral nutrients to assure fast and healthy growth, 5) harvesting all plants at maturity to avoid allowing pests and diseases to multiply, and 6) discarding any bug or disease infested plant parts away from the garden, and incorporating healthy plant parts into the soil to improve soil structure.

Jim Kennard, President of Food For Everyone Foundation, has a wealth of leadership, financial, business, teaching, and gardening training and experience upon which to draw in helping the Foundation in "Teaching the world to grow food one family at a time." He is a retired CPA, practicing as managing partner in a Salt Lake City firm since 1972, and has also owned and successfully managed several businesses, including hotels, shopping centers, apartments, and retail establishments during the past twenty five years.

Jim has been a Mittleider gardener for the past twenty-eight years, he is a Master Mittleider Gardening Instructor, and has taught classes and worked one-on-one with Dr. Jacob Mittleider on several gardening projects in the USA and abroad, including projects in Armenia, Madagascar, and Turkey he has conducted by himself. He assists gardeners all over the world from the website FAQ pages and free Gardening Group, and grows a large demonstration garden at Utah''s Hogle Zoo in his spare time.', 170, 'Enjoy Creating and Growing a Sustainable Garden While Feeding Your Family, Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping-Gardening articles, Landscaping-Gardening information, about Landscaping-Gardening, what is Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping & Gardening Information', 'Enjoy Creating and Growing a Sustainable Garden While Feeding Your Family plus articles and information on Landscaping-Gardening

The Advantages of Both a Liner Pond and a Preformed Pond, Rolled Up Into One Box!

INTRODUCTION

So you''ve decided to build your very own backyard water garden. You are in the process of actively planning out your design, and you''re visualizing the end-result. But have you paused to consider what kind of pond construction you will be using? Do you know what kind of pond constructions exist? The majority of garden ponds utilize one of two types of constructions: a preformed shell, or a pond liner.

PREFORMED POND VS. LINER POND

Traditionally, preformed ponds are large shells, which are extremely burdensome and difficult to transport. For example, a typical preformed pond kit would come in a box that is 60" x 48" x 24", which is too large for many car trunk sizes. Liner kits, on the other hand, present many difficulties for the beginner pond gardener. Since every liner pond shape is different, pond gardeners must customize their own pond and ensure that it is level, and that it does not have excessive wrinkling.

INTRODUCING FOLDING PREFORMED POND SHELLS

Algreen Products Inc.* has helped leverage both these problems by introducing a flexible preformed pond, as part of their 2005 catalog. According to Melissa Mulligan, a sales coordinator with Algreen Products Inc.,

"We recommend the flexible folding pond for any pond gardener who wants to build a top-notch pond. The folding preformed/liner hybrid is created with a proprietary blend of materials, which allows it to hold a customized shape. Yet it is easily transportable, since a typical folding kit comes in a box one-sixth the size of a regular preformed kit."

Algreen advertises that its folding pond includes built-in plant shelves, is weather-resistant, and is able to withstand extreme temperatures from 0 F to 105 F. Algreen guarantees that the pond will not chip, fade, or crack, and backs up this claim with a 20-year warranty.

Upon closer examination of the pond, one of its greatest features is its textured ridges. These ridges are strategically placed to allow beneficial bacteria to form growth colonies, which significantly reduces algae-buildup in the pond. When compared to its closest competitor, the Algreen folding pond seems to be significantly more flexible, and less brittle. Price-wise, the flexible pond kits cannot be beaten. Whereas their competition has a tendency to offer low-grade statuary pumps with their kits, Algreen kits include a heavy-duty Super Flo pump, and a flexible streamlet. The complete Algreen kit includes:

- A flexible preformed pond shell

- An energy-efficient, heavy-duty Super Flo pump (500 or 306 gph, depending on shell size**)

- Four fountain heads

- A telescopic riser and diverter for the Super Flo pump

- A flexible streamlet

- Two 6" silk water lilies

- Tubing and clamps.

As if that''s not a great deal, a quick web search will reveal that this kit can be purchased from GardenSuperMart.COM*** with the following FREE accessories:

- FREE 7-color floating solar-powered light

- FREE floating solar-powered frog light

- FREE New Pond, Ammonia Remover, Natural Clear, and Pond Shade water treatments.

As of this article''s publication date, GardenSuperMart.com lists the pricing for the 144 gallon granite folding pond (with streamlet) kit at $207.99 USD. The 72 gallon and the 105 gallon kit can be purchased for $157.99 USD.

Gerry Fung is a Sales and Marketing representative for Northbridge Products Inc. This article can be viewed in its entirety (with pictures) at http://www.gardensupermart.com/tips/press_folding.asp

* Algreen Products Inc. has a website at algreenproducts.com

** The 144 gallon kits comes with a 500 gph pump, while the 72 and 105 gallon kits both come with a 306 gph pump.

*** GardenSuperMart.com has an online store at http://www.buypond.com/.', 170, 'The Advantages of Both a Liner Pond and a Preformed Pond, Rolled Up Into One Box!, Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping-Gardening articles, Landscaping-Gardening information, about Landscaping-Gardening, what is Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping & Gardening Information', 'The Advantages of Both a Liner Pond and a Preformed Pond, Rolled Up Into One Box! plus articles and information on Landscaping-Gardening

Storm Damage and Mature Tree Pruning

One winter evening I was working on the computer when the power went out. The freezing rain that had been forecast must have been the culprit. It was getting late so I went to bed figuring we would have power again by morning.

Thunder and lightning woke me a couple times, but then I heard something a little different. An explosive popping sound followed by what seemed to be a shower of sparks. In my minds eye I tried to picture the cause of this sound. An exploding power transformer with hot lines arcing around it? There is nothing like a puzzle to keep me awake; but I didn''t want to get up and lose the warmth I had built up under the blankets. Just drifting off again I heard the sound repeated but up the hill behind my house and more distant... more crackly sounding but still accompanied by the sparkling shattering sound my ears were now more tuned in to analyze. Suddenly realizing the impact this freezing rain was having I shot out of bed and ran to the window. Large tree limbs were on the ground. Major branches were bending under the cumulative weight of the ice; then noisily busting sending thousands of 3" icicles to break with a sparkly shattering sound.

Well the power was out for days for many, and the damage to the trees and landscape is still being cleaned up. After a damaging storm you always see a migration of tree company trucks to the area. Many of the local tree care, and landscape businesses have their hands full assisting their customer base. The city workers are also busy as these crews and residents move debris to the street for collection. The effects of such a storm can be seen in the landscape for years to come. Storms can cause limbs to break and trees to fall. A large damaged tree branch can be extremely heavy and dangerous to remove or trim. Removing large branches from a mature tree safely requires special training and often specialized equipment. Also the way this damage is dealt with impacts on the health of the tree. If you value your trees (yes I know they are all valuable) or fear a tree becoming a hazard, I would suggest you find a certified arborist.

One good first test of an arborist is:

Tell them you need your trees topped.

If they say "Sure, no problem." move on till you find one that knows what is good for the long term health of a tree.

There are plenty of crews in your town that can carve up your trees for you; but it may take diligence to find a crew trained in the proper pruning of mature trees. Everyone appreciates the hardworking and practical service of the local jobber cleaning up a storms mess, but if you have issues with major branches of a large tree, do generations to come a favor and search out an International Society of Arboriculture certified arborist.

A good certified arborist with integrity will only perform ISA accepted practices. Branches are not removed without good reason. They do not "top" tree''s, remove excessive amounts of live wood, or use climbing spikes on a tree (unless it is being removed). A good arborist knows how to make removal of a desirable tree the last option, and will make pruning decisions that will enhance the health of the tree and reduce possible hazards.

Pruning Cuts on a Mature Tree

Regardless who is doing the pruning or why, final pruning cuts should be made just outside a growth of bark cells called the branch collar. The branch collar is a collar of growth made of parent branch (trunk) tissue where the branch meets the trunk (or parent branch) and care should be taken to not cut or remove it. This is true for dead, damaged or living branches. Do not remove the actively growing cells of the branch collar. These cells are the trees way of closing the wound. The branch collar grows a bit out and angled away from the parent, so if you make a flush cut against the trunk, the branch collar has been removed and the wound will not close. Conversely if you cut far away from the trunk the branch collar is not near the cut where they can grow over the wound. Improper pruning cuts can hurt your trees.

Take notice of trees with dieback of the bark on branches and down the trunks. Often you can tell it was from a flush cut or an end cut. Other times it may be a storm damaged branch that wasn''t removed and it died back to the trunk and on down.

If removing a large limb, first its weight should be reduced to prevent tearing the bark when the branch falls. Make a shallow cut from the bottom of the branch a foot or so out from the branches point of attachment. Then finish cut from the top, above or a little further out on the branch. This leaves a lighter and more manageable stub. The stub is then removed while taking care to not remove the branch collar. This technique reduces the possibility of tearing the bark.

A garden center manager, writer, musician and webmaster; Lee Goins is often called on as an expert in landscaping and gardening. Residents of Shelby County Ohio have been bringing him pieces of trees, moldy leaves, and jars of bugs for 8 years in spite of the well publicized knowledge he prefers chocolate. His gardening help has been featured on TV, Radio, Newspapers and websites like http://www.shelbylandscaping.com', 170, 'Storm Damage and Mature Tree Pruning, Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping-Gardening articles, Landscaping-Gardening information, about Landscaping-Gardening, what is Landscaping-Gardening, Landscaping & Gardening Information', 'Storm Damage and Mature Tree Pruning plus articles and information on Landscaping-Gardening

Tasteful Home Decorating Changes Your House Into a Home

There is this undocumented story about Andrew Carnegie who kept postponing the decision to redecorate his home just because black, his default color of choice, was simply not used in home decorating those days! Mercifully today, you could well translate your home decorating ideas into alluring reality. For home interior decorating no longer means just coloring your walls in pastel shades and showing off your antiques ? it is about using all the home decorating tips that one can get to highlight the most of what one possesses. Unless of course you wish to shrug the opportunity and call in a professional designer. But even this experience could be fascinating ? what with "walk-throughs" in your "virtually" designed home before even a single coat of paint is applied!

Yes, with home decorating, either way you always come up trumps!

Use home decorating tips to your advantage!

Your décor should exude your persona.

Want it to appear spacious? Eliminate shadows with diffused, ambient lighting. Avoid ceiling lights which make the ceiling appear low. Your ceiling should always wear the lightest color in the room. Then the pastel shades on your wall would help create that feeling of largeness. Limit the use of patterns to accent pieces ? the discerning eye should not stop as it travels across the room.

And if you want a cozy pad, do just the opposite ? use strong colors and heavy, soft textures. Draw attention to that precious grandfather clock with carefully directed light.

And if you must, make up your bathroom ? in exquisite black ? and eliminate that permanently booked suite at New York''s Windsor Hotel ? à la Andrew Carnegie!

About The Author

Mike Yeager, Publisher

http://www.a1-interior-design-4u.com/

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Heres Why Interior Decorating Makes A Statement About You

Interior decorating is that medium which can make your closed spaces convey to the observer a lot about you and your lifestyle through strategic use of elements which range from the visual (color, lighting, form) to the tactile (surface, shape, texture) to the auditory (noise, echo).

The more alluring the result, the more the aesthetic, practical and technical appreciation for these elements the designer must have. He or she must understand how people use and respond to these elements, not just individually but as the elements interact with one another.

Confusing?

Not really! For at the bottom, all one needs is to know what one wants to show off to the world from the precincts of ones space. That is why home interior decorating becomes an easier task since one can identify with its needs more easily.

Original ideas can make a significant difference in your Interior Decorating plans.

Ideally, one should work from a total interior design plan. However, don''t be hesitant! Try and be responsive to our own creative "hunches." When decorating your home, don''t just go piecemeal from room to room. Work up a plan for the entire home, including budget and timetable. As you go along, you can be on the lookout for interior decorating ideas. Believe me these make a lot of difference. For instance, pictures should be hung at eye level; accessories are noticed better in odd-numbered groups - it''s just a matter of balance; paint can be used to minimize structural defects and accentuate positive features. And most important ? do not fear to experiment. After all, "Home" was not built in a day!

About The Author

Mike Yeager, Publisher

http://www.a1-interior-design-4u.com/

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Tuscan Style Decorating - Three Essential

If Under the Tuscan Sun left you breathlessly and hopelessly in love with tuscan style decorating you''re certainly not alone. The rolling hills and the call of the earth itself seem to have imparted their presence into the psyche of those who either read the book or saw the movie.

This growing trend in tuscan style decorating is similar to the which-came-first theory of the chicken or the egg.

Whichever the answer, the results are genuinely inspirational. Images of our direct connection to the earth itself are born and spark a craving for the proximity of familiar faces.

In tuscan style decorating we are able to reflect our passion for that connection to the earth and to what is real.

All that which is old and forgotten becomes new and significant again.

Elements of tuscan style decorating incorporate the outdoors within the inside confines of where we live. You don''t have to be outside to commune with nature. It instead communes in harmony with the life inside our homes.

Colors in tuscan style decorating

Warmth and intensity ... just as in fine Italian coffee fills the vivid color palette of this style. The earth''s hues in ranges from blistering yellow like the sun itself to the concentrated gold''s like those she hides in her furthermost crevices are used throughout this theme. Intense shades of russet and chocolate are likewise incorporated abundantly with prominent amounts of terra cotta.

Other earth tones are likewise blended in tuscan style decorating harmony. Include expressions of coal black, deep pool or lake blue, and olive with hints of sea green in combination with generous amounts of rusty reds for added spice.

Stone in tuscan style decorating

When it comes to home décor, this style is literally the salt of the earth. Natural stones and rocks from the earth itself bear this evidence. Even bricks, which are made by man, begin with clay and other elements of the earth.

Stone is used in tuscan style decorating very effectively in kitchens and in bathrooms. Other places where it makes a powerful statement are in fireplace surrounds and hearts as well as in foyers and other entrances. Creating a faux stone wall adds an immediate tuscan air to any room.

Before choosing stone for your tuscan style decorating project, know the physical qualities of any stone you''re considering. Before you decide which stone to use where to use it, you need to know its limitations. The three most commonly used stones are granite, limestone and marble.

Granite - strong, long-lasting and heat-resistant. This stone creates a stunning tuscan style decorating focal point, but is expensive.

Limestone - natural in appearance, but very absorbent and stains easily. It is typically used in flooring and for shower interiors but is not recommended for areas that receive frequent traffic.

Marble - soft and porous, unsuitable for kitchen countertops, recommended for bathrooms and floors. Use unpolished to best compliment this theme.

Metal in tuscan style decorating

True to the concept existing in harmony with the earth, the idea in tuscan style decorating is to appreciate the natural. Instead of using highly polished metals that have a shiny appearance, you''ll be incorporating metals from the past.

Select basic tin pieces to create a feeling of genuineness. If you''re creative, you may even want to try your hand at making your own tin tuscan style decorating accessories. You can go as basic or bold as you like from doing a simple picture frame to a tin insert for an antique cabinet.

Mix in other unpolished metals like copper, iron and pewter as well for dramatic effects.

About The Author

Michael Holland is the creator of http://www.kids-rooms-and-crafts.com and http://www.home-decorating-made-easy.com. His web sites offers lots of FREE decorating tips and ideas for decorating your home. Copyright ImagineQuest Information Products Inc.

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Candle Holders Add Flair To Your Home Decor!

Candle holders are an essential accessory for candles. The first candle holders, made of clay, date back as far as fourth century BC Egypt.

Of course, today we have a wide variety of candle holders to choose from. They are a colorful addition to home décor.

You can find candle holders for any variety of candles, including: tapered, pillar, votive, floating, tealites, birthday, etc.

Candle holders are available to match any style of décor. There are candle holders made from glass, pewter, brass ? even some molded out of bamboo or coconut.

Choose decorative plate candle holders on which to set your pillars. Candle holders shaped like small lamps with shades add soft light to any room. There are also many beautiful glass cup candle holders to hold your votive candles.

For your floating candles, choose one of the many fancy bowls as your candle holder. You can even have a ready-made candle holder by choosing a candle in a jar with a decorative lid.

So, add a little flair to your home with some beautiful and scentsational candles and candle holders.

About The Author

Wendy Yeager, Publisher

http://www.wenmarcorp.com/candles-go2

Publish in Whole

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