A lot of people love to keep a garden in spring and summer, myself included, so it is always a little sad when you have to cut back the garden and prepare it for the winter. I seem to get a little grouchy when this happens. So, after mulling this over for a bit I thought, “why not start an indoor garden?” That is exactly what I did.
Indoor gardens can be made to exude beauty in a room.  They are the perfect solution for apartment dwellers who don’t have room for an outdoor garden. Believe it or not, indoor plants …read more

Are you thinking of redecorating or just freshening up your home for the holidays? I have a few tips that may help.  No one  has a lot of money to spend at this time of year, so let’s look at some practical solutions available for the least amount of spending cash.
Changing your curtains or getting a new window treatment can completely change the look of a room. It doesn’t matter whether you choose sheer curtains, heavy draperies or a sheer curtain with an over drape. Window treatments express your style and also provide privacy. You can choose anything from a …read more

Do you have a bedroom that is in dire need of change or face lift? If so, I have a few ideas that may help. There never seems to be enough money to do exactly what we want to do, so I tried to keep these ideas as inexpensive as possible.
Hang a quilt on the wall behind your headboard. It’s a simple step that looks great. You don’t have to match the quilt with your bedspread, but do keep the same color scheme.
Mix and match some pillows to brighten up the room. Your décor should express your personality so find a …read more

Keeping your work space organized will help you to keep your work flowing. It doesn’t have to be a work space, it can be the place you go to do sewing, crafting or any hobby. If you have a blank wall in your laundry room you can use a pegboard. It will keep all of your supplies intact.
Place a small table under the pegboard to hold a couple of baskets. I save any gift bags or bows that I receive, that look nice, and re-use them for gifts that I give to others. You can use the baskets to …read more

If there is one thing that really bothers me its a smell, dingy looking sink. I can always tell when my garbage disposal needs to be cleaned, the nasty smell kits me right between the eyes. I am what is known as a sniffer. I sniff everything and can detect even the slightest odors. If it doesn’t smell clean then, in my opinion, it is not clean. I have tried a lot of things to clean and deodorize my garbage disposal, but I wasn’t satisfied. I could always detect a slight odor even after cleaning.
I just found what …read more

There is a pile of ironing sitting in my laundry room.  It’s getting bigger and it feels like a huge weight each time I see it seeing there.  The problem is, I absolutely cannot stand to iron.  I think I would rather clean all of the bathrooms than iron. 

Each of us has a certain chore that we just don’t like to do.  This has me thinking of some tips to help us accomplish these dreaded chores.  Hopefully, tomorrow I’ll get to put these tips to use.
1)  Reward yourself.  Tell yourself that after your chore is completed, you’ll do something nice …read more

Brrrr!  I didn’t realize we were going to bypass fall and go right into winter.  Given that fall is my favorite season, this cold weather is a disappointment to me. 

Since winter is on the way, here are some ways to save on your winter energy bill.
1)  Install a programmable thermostat.  Have your thermostat drop down a few degrees each day while you’re at work.
2)  Change your filters every month.  Dirty filters can increase your bills by 20% each month.
3)  Keep your thermostat at 68F or below.  Wear a sweatshirt if you need to.
4)  Make sure your fireplace damper fits well.  …read more

When decorating for fall, try using gourds and pumpkins.  This will you allow you to have decorations that can last through the entire season. 

Seasonal centerpiece – Turn a large pumpkin or squash into a bowl.  Fill it with ornamental gourds and small pumpkins.
Autumn chandelier – Suspend burnished miniature pumpkins and gilded maple leaves from a chandelier with thread.
Curvaceous container – Turn a narrow-necked gourd into a vase by sawing off the gourd’s tip.

Floating Beauties – Fill an assortment of glasses with water and float mini pumpkin gourds inside. 
 Table centerpiece – Start with a fall wreath that has been decorated with leaves, …read more

If your shower head doesn’t seem to be working as well as normal, then chances are it’s clogged.  Many shower heads get clogged with mineral deposits.  Rather than paying a professional to come in, you can try these tips instead.

Try to unscrew your shower head yourself.  Many of them can unscrew with your hands.  If this doesn’t work, you’ll need some plyers.
Wrap your plyers in tape (this is to keep them from scratching up your shower head).  Remove showerhead.
Use a toothpick to remove large clumps of build up.
Submerge the showerhead in vinegar.  You can use a bowl, bucket, etc.  Soak …read more

I did not grow up in a house supplied with coffee.  Neither of my parents drank it. Pretty much, the only exposure I had to it came from a jar of instant coffee at my grandparent’s house because my grandmother was the only one who drank it. When my mom was growing up, she was told that drinking coffee would turn your feet black and so she steered clear of the beverage.
Since then, I’ve learned to appreciate a good cup of coffee.  In fact, I’ve come to be known as a coffee snob.  Earlier this week, I began sharing some …read more