Put a curtain in the doorway cause I feel I'm going to freeze. This isn't a CCR mashup. It's a solution I invented to combat our incredibly drafty back mud room. Drafty is an understatement. It's a frigid arctic ice station. The "walls" are a patchwork of drywall, panel, and Styrofoam, presumably for insulation. There are inch wide gaps between seams. I'm surprised the cat can't squeeze through. Read on Put a Curtain in the Doorway Cause I Feel I Am Going to Freeze
Doorway Curtain Cuts Drafts, Heat Loss
Put a curtain in the doorway cause I feel I'm going to freeze. This isn't a CCR mashup. It's a solution I invented to combat our incredibly drafty back mud room. Drafty is an understatement. It's a frigid arctic ice station. The "walls" are a patchwork of drywall, panel, and Styrofoam, presumably for insulation. There are inch wide gaps between seams. I'm surprised the cat can't squeeze through. Read on Put a Curtain in the Doorway Cause I Feel I Am Going to Freeze
Free Printable Jesse Tree Coloring, Ornaments for Advent
Are you Catholic or protestant Christian? If you celebrate a Bible Christmas, you might want to try this idea. Set up a Jesse Tree. During Advent, many Christians decorate their homes with religious holiday decor. The Jesse Tree is an ancient symbol that traces the lineage of Jesus through the Bible. It comes form the passage "A root shall spring up from the stump of Jesse's lineage'. This Bible passage foretells the birth of the Messiah. During Advent, symbols are hung on the Jesse Tree to represent the story of Jesus. For free printable Jesse Tree devotional activities and ornaments, read on.Free Printable Jesse Tree Coloring, Ornaments and Activities
Recycle Maps, Book Jackets, Magazine Covers for Wall Art
Holiday decorating is the perfect time to start thinking redecorate or remodel. While you're about the task of moving furniture and cleaning, make your work multitask. Plan your post holiday decor. Here are green, recycled options for wall art: maps, book jackets and magazines.I am a map-ophile. I should have been a cartographer, surveyor or navigator in another life. I could stare at maps all day and now I can when I rehang maps as wall art or wall covering. Save old maps and pull out maps from National Geographic, Conde Nast, Smithsonian and other travel/culture magazines. I was given several years worth of National Geographic. Besides making fabulous lesson plan material for homeschool and my classroom, I collected about two dozen maps. Hang maps from different regions and time periods. Maps are large enough to use for entire wall coverings. Paper the den, office or bathroom with maps for a bold, literate decor. Green Spring Cleaning and Decor Tips: Recycle Maps, Book Jackets, Magazine Covers for Wall Covering
Tightwad Mama's Common Sense Christmas Shopping
I have a long shopping list of people to buy for at Christmas. I buy several church giving tree gifts. I'm also a tightwad mama. Here are penny pincher shopping tips to save money, keep costs low and buy meaningful gifts for everyone. Lesson number one if you decorate for Christmas or any holiday, keep it simple. Make your own decorations. Use recycled materials. Print decorations from the internet. Make them with kids and old folks. Everyone wins. Read on Tightwad Mama's Common Sense Christmas Shopping Tips
Printable Halloween Party Decorations, Banners, Streamers, Table Decor
Hosting a kids' Halloween party? Looking for ways to decorate the housefor trick-or-treat? Want to decorate your classroom for Halloween? Here are free printable Halloween decorations. We got your witch, pumpkin, ghost, black cats, monsters, bats and more. Free Printable Halloween and Trick-or-Treat Party Decorations, Banners and Streamer
Electric Paint Sprayer for Masonry Bricks
My husband is a jack-of-all-trades and master of some. His handyman prowess has saved us tens of thousands in repairs and professional services. So whatever new tool he needs or wants, he gets. He's very frugal--too much so, worrying about buying himself what he needs. I remind him that we're saving like 80 percent having him do it and he shouldn't cut himself short on supplies. His current big project is painting the house. We had the top half (wood) sided in aluminum but were advised to paint the bottom half which is masonry. If you're planning to paint any brick work, here's a tip: buy an electric paint sprayer. Why? Several reasons. Painting Brick, Masonry--Use an Electric Paint Sprayer
Appliance Cleanups to Lower Energy Use, Save Money
Home maintenance isn't just about decorating. You've gotta take care of that pretty house once you've done the work to make it nice. And appliance maintenance is an important part. Malfunctioning appliances can damage homes, cost you money, even endanger the family. We recently discovered a little disconnect that caused big problems with our air conditioner. Maintenance was nothing more than cleaning something overlooked. It costs energy and money when simple steps are skipped. Here are commonly-overlooked cleanups to improve appliance performance and save cash! Appliance Cleanups to Lower Energy Use, Save Money
Prepping Walls For Painting
In 2000, my husband and I bought a 100+ year-old home. In its long, colorful history, interior walls sported a plethora of coverings--paint, spackle, and wallpaper. Remodeling, we found four themes, the earliest dating back to the Twenties! We have become adept at removing wallpaper and treating walls. Here are tricks to remove wallpaper and treat walls, from 13 years of DIY home fix-ups. How to Remove Wallpaper: Easy, Cheap, Green
Graduation Party Tips: Easy, Cheap Open House
For many of us, May and June will be taken up with graduation open houses. If you have a graduating child, here are tips for planning a cheap, easy open house buffet. This food planning guide is easy, inexpensive and will satisfy all your guests from toddlers to great-grandparents. If you are a Type A OCD ADD DIY parent like me, you manage the whole show and sometimes don't have time to relax and visit. Here are planning, purchasing, preparation, serving and clean-up tips for a perfect open house. I guarantee that you will be able to sit down and enjoy the open house and visit, knowing that everyone has what they need. Graduation Party Food Tips: Plan a Festive Graduation Party Buffet Without Going Broke or Crazy!
Perk Up Your Work Space (and Mood) Easy and Cheap
The best and worst part of being a WAHM (work at home mom) is being home. As my second son quipped, "You don't work at home. You live at work." Wherever you work, environment impacts your attitude about your job. Here are easy, cheap, DIY ways to perk up your work space and mood!* Take it seriously. Work-at-home folks don't succeed (or feel successful) often because they discount their contributions. This is your work space, no less than if you left home for a job. It's where you make money. If you're a home business, you're claiming it on your taxes. Treat it like the professional office space it is. Make everyone else do likewise. Remind them it's your office first and anything else last. Ergo, arrange so it works best for you first, others if possible. Or keep everyone else mostly out, if possible. You need that inner sanctum. Most of us don't have that luxury. Our offices double (triple) as other living spaces. Here's how to make the most of whatever corner you call "work space." Perk Up Your Work Space (and Mood) Easy and Cheap
How to Remove Wallpaper: Easy, Cheap, Green
In 2000, my husband and I bought a 100+ year-old home. In its long, colorful history, interior walls sported a plethora of coverings--paint, spackle, and wallpaper. Remodeling, we found four wallpaper themes, the earliest dating back possibly to the 20s. In 25 years of marriage, we've become adept at wallpapering, removing old wallpaper and treating walls. Here are tricks to remove wallpaper and treat walls, from 13 years of DIY home fix-ups. How to Remove Wallpaper: Easy, Cheap
Detroit May See Shipping Container Community Center, Hotel
Detroit gets a lot of negative publicity. Though some may be exaggerated, and the city has softer sides, poverty, ruined buildings, and crumbling neighborhoods are there. But one positive about living with a fair amount of urban decay is that there there are fewer barriers and more space to experiment. One Detroit group is pursuing a new, rather divergent idea: shipping container buildings. Detroit May See Shipping Container Community Center, Hotel
Cheap, Homemade, Green Spring Cleaning Tips
As days get longer and snow melts, my thoughts turn to spring cleaning: out with the old-man-winter accumulation and in with sunshine and spring-green-clean! Here are easy, cheap, homemade spring cleaning tips and earth-friendly tool swaps. Save money, labor and the environment with these solutions. Plain water, old rags, mild detergent, a broom, olive oil and lemon juice with elbow grease will clean, deodorize, freshen and sanitize as well as costly toxic chemicals Cheap, Homemade, Green Spring Cleaning Tips
Free Printable Easter Egg Patterns, Psanky Stencils
Easter egg coloring is an art form of its own. There are traditional Easter patterns, but one style defines the art: Ukrainian psanky eggs. Many Eastern European countries have egg decorating traditions. These ancient crafts create mosaic patterns in classic designs. If you'd like to try your hand at making psanky eggs for Easter, here are free online patterns, printables and designs. I've included printable traditional easter egg stencils, too. Perfect for Eastertide home decor!Free Printable Easter Egg Patterns, Psanky Stencils
Free Easter Crafts, Decorations, Printables
Whether you celebrate the religious Easter or just enjoy the eggs, bunnies and candy, the holiday is fun for young and old. Coming as it does in spring, Easter is a celebration of new life and nature. For kids, it's a great time to explore science concepts of plant life, insects and baby animals. Here are free printable Easter crafts, coloring pages and activities for classroom, homeschool or just family fun. Here are Easter-themed decorations for parties, classrooms and home decor. Free Printable Easter Crafts, Activities, Decorations
Cheap, Homemade, Green Spring Cleaning Tips
As days get longer and snow melts, my thoughts turn to spring cleaning: out with the old-man-winter accumulation and in with sunshine and spring-green-clean! Here are easy, cheap, homemade spring cleaning tips and earth-friendly tool swaps. Save money, labor and the environment with these solutions. Cheap, Homemade, Green Spring Cleaning Tips
Catholic Prayer Garden: Plants, Flowers for Jesus, Blessed Mother
Prayer, meditation and devotion are not just cerebral activities. True prayer must involve the whole person. Catholics use body gestures to keep our hearts and souls as well as our minds fixed on our Lord. We use the sign of the cross, we kneel, we bow, genuflect and sometimes prostrate ourselves to bring our whole self into oneness with our Lord. Catholics also involve all five senses in our worship. We sing, chant and fix our eyes upon the lovely icons of our church so that we will be completely centered on our Lord. We also burn incense, candles and use scented oils to bring all our senses together. And in our highest worship of all we receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. Here's a list of flowers and plants to use in a memorial garden to Our Lady and Jesus. Lent and Easter Prayer Garden: Plants, Shrubs, Bushes and Flowers
Meadow Brook Hall, Detroit's Period Romance
When I first rode up the cobbled, gas-lit drive to Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester Hills, Michigan, outside Detroit, I felt I'd been transported back to Regency England. Looking for an intimate interlude amid the bustle of contemporary life? Tour the Meadow Brook Hall and grounds. Refuel your inner romantic with vintage Tudor splendor. And be on the lookout for a special treat hidden in the woods. Most of us can't afford a palatial home like this. But there are Tudor design elements we can add: plants, Persian rugs, gilt mirrors, satin curtains in deep reds and blues. These are available inexpensively and give a home a sense of luxurious Regency England. Meadow Brook Hall, Detroit's Period Romance
Cheap, Creative Valentine Gifts for Women: Mom, Wife, Girlfriend
Does Valentine's Day or Mother's Day find you wondering what gifts women like most? You're in good company. Many guys find It is easier to grab the usual bouquet of flowers or box of chocolates than to shop around and find that special gift for mom, sweetheart, girlfriend or wife. This year, you won't need to rack your brain thinking of that perfect Valentine present. The secret to selecting perfect gifts for a woman is to know her interests. What does she like? What does she read, collect or watch on TV? Here is a shopping guide for Mother's Day gifts that fits any budget. Some gift suggestions cost nothing more than a little time and creativity. Inexpensive, Creative Gifts for Mom on Valentine's Day or Mother's Day
Free Printable Valentine's Day Craft Decorations
Looking for cute free Valentine's Day craft activities and party decorations? Here are websites full of free printable crafts, games, party supplies, greeting cards, valentines and holiday activities. Perfect for classroom valentine exchanges and parties. There's a cute cut-and-paste folded paper candy box, similar to the Necco Sweethearts conversation candy hearts box. This craft prints in two pages, one with instructions and one page with the craft. Free Printable Valentine Decor
Free Printable Star Charts, Constellation Patterns, Zodiac Templates for Night Sky Decor
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