Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Patio Design – Expanding Your Home Outdoors

A patio can be just like another room in your house. Effective patio design can mean that your increase the floor space of your home, by adding an outside room that allows you to entertain like never before. A patio can just be a rectangular slab of concrete with some plastic chairs and griller, but it can also be so much more.What comes to mind when you think of a patio? Patio design gives you. . .

Which Glue To Use For The Job

In any sticky situation, the key to success is to choose the right adhesive for the job in hand.CLEAR HOUSEHOLDAlso known as general-purpose adhesive, it has a transparent appearance when dry. Suitable for situation where A particularly strong bond is not required.Where to use: On soft flexible plastics canvas, some metals,card,cork, leather,hardboard,fabric and cloth.How to Apply: Where surfac. . .

Nontoxic Pest Control for Your Home and Garden

Pesticides are toxic and, while often effective against pests, can be dangerous for your family and pets. Outdoors, sprayed pesticides might drift on a breeze and dust your vegetable garden or your neighbor's yard. Indoors, pesticides can linger in the air, exposing the family to harmful chemicals. For these reasons, many people are turning to nontoxic pest control methods.Prevention is the . . .

Keep Your Home Happier

It turns out your mother was right after all -- Happiness really does begin at home, with the things and the people you are surrounded by. Your vision is one of the first messengers to send signals to your brain as to how it feels. Therefore, it follows that keeping your home happier will have a direct impact on how you feel. What do you see in your home --Clutter? Chaos? Angry faces? Wha. . .

Buying Home Appliances The Smart Way

When you add up all the money that you can spend on home appliances and fixtures it becomes obvious that you need to spend wisely and carefully to keep costs under control. These items tend to be some of the larger ticket purchases around the home and lots of money can be wasted if buying isn't done properly.One of the most important suggestions for buying appliances and fixtures the smart way . . .

Prepare for Winter Before It Arrives

Even though we are still enjoying warm weather and winter seems far away, now is a great time to begin preparing. If you do a bit at a time before winter hits the tasks are not at all overwhelming. So often, people wait until the last minute to take care of necessary duties. Worst yet, some people wait until snow or rain is pouring down to even begin thinking of what needs to be done. Safety sh. . .

Authenticity Of Vastu (Science of Indian architecture)

Vastu is one of the most ancient sciences of Indian architecture and is composed of specific rules, regulations and directions, set down by sages of the vedic times. For the modern society it is the highly evolved, comprehensive building philosophy. According to vastu, a building or a premises is a living organism and can be designed in harmonic resonance with the underlying energy structure o. . .

Wooden Furniture Care

Protect your investment, from time to time you will need to wax your furniture. This should be done using a soft cloth and bees wax. You should then allow some time before buffing off using a new soft cloth. Always buff in the direction of the grain. Any food or drink spills should be wiped off immediately with a dry cloth. If afterwards the wood is marked, gently rub down with extra fine wire . . .

Closing Up Your Container Garden

All good things eventually come to an end and so summer is waning, even as autumn gives most of us a fresh start. I'll bet your summer container plantings aren't really benefiting, though, from the "back to school-oh I love a clean notebook" boost and aren't dying as gracefully as summer itself is. You're going to have to help them through this! Saving SummerI understand if you just can't bear . . .

The Ultimate Strategy for Decorating a Child's Room!

When it comes to decorating a child's room, your approach should be different from decorating an adult bedroom. That's because a child's bedroom should reflect his or her personality and not yours. For kids, their bedroom is where they play games, read, listen to music, wrestle, display or hide prized possessions, day-dream, or just go to be alone sometimes. So try these eight strategies to hel. . .

Should You Buy a House or a Condo?

A big debate these days is whether or not to buy a house, or buy a condo. Most of this debate comes from a lack of understanding about condos, and what they are. Hopefully, the following information will prove to be helpful.When Buying a condo, are you a tenant?No. That simply isn't true. When you buy a condo, you are buying a part of the corporation, and are thus an equal owner. It is true tha. . .

When is the Best Time to Move?

As Realtors, we are often asked, "When is the best season to move?" This is a tough question, one we cannot answer for you. Most people are asking about price, do they fluctuate throughout the year? NO. Just the number of homes on the market changes; of course the number of buyers changes as well. Hopefully this article will help you make this decision for yourself and your family. Time of Year. . .

Top 7 Reasons Why FSBOs Fail To Sell Their Home On Their ...

In the United States, less than 10% of all For Sale by Owners (FSBOs), are successful in selling their home by themselves. That*s because most people just give up because they don*t realize from the beginning the difficulty and complexity of the job ahead. But that*s not the only reason. Here are the seven most common mistakes FSBOs make when selling their home. 1. Failure to price a property a. . .

Security in Todays World

There are many things in life that are worth protecting. Our children, our valuables, our resources and of course, ourselves. Only twenty years ago, if security was mentioned, you were speaking of protecting your home. And you were most likely discussing a security system, monitoring, watchdogs, firearms and cameras.With the explosion of the personal computer, and the internet’s ease of access . . .

Brighten Up Your Patio With Sun Catchers

Sun catchers add sparkle and beauty to any room in your home. Far beyond the paint-n-bake sun catchers of childhood, sun catchers come in a huge variety of styles that dazzle the eye.The most common window-hanging style bring charm and flair to any room. Choose a color and pattern that complements your decor. Window-hanging sun catchers can be the focal point of a room, or a finishing detail. W. . .

Liven Up Your Walls With Decorative Plates

Decorative plates are often overlooked when decorating a home. Yet, it's the details that really make the elements of a room come together—and decorative plates are a detail present in most rooms. While there are decorative plates that are solely functional in purpose, most have the potential to add to the ambiance of a room. Think about the following wall plate options:Cover your decorative pl. . .

Decorating With Art

A Little Savvy with Framed Art Prints and Photographs Can Help Successfully Pull a Room TogetherBy Celeste Teresi DeSapriMaybe you’re restricted by an older living space with existing furnishings, or overwhelmed by the possibilities a stark new space may offer. Maybe you’re decorating with unlimited funds, or on a shoe string budget. What ever the circumstances, framed art and prints can offer . . .

Mosquitoes in Your Garden? Try Planting These.

If you are a serious gardener, you spend lots of time outdoors. And, for sure, you would rather be tending your plants than swatting mosquitoes. While there are many things you can do to keep mosquitoes away, there are some plants that will beautify your yard and help repel mosquitoes. As one more way to keep mosquitoes away from you and your yard, try planting these attractive plants. HORSEMIN. . .

Creating a Mood with Scents

Have you ever noticed how the warm scent of a candle wafting through the air can be uplifting, energizing, or make you cozy? Or maybe there's a certain body spray, soap, or perfume that just keeps you going through the day. Did you wonder why maybe that Key Lime candle smeeled yummy but also energized you or even motivated you to clean? Or why that Apple Pie scent really helped you appreciat. . .

Reduce Your Heating Bills This Winter - Overlooked Source...

Imagine leaving a window open all winter long – the heat loss, cold drafts, and wasted energy! Well if your home has a folding attic stair, a fireplace, and/or a clothes dryer, that may be just what is occurring in your home!These often overlooked sources of heat loss and air leakage can cause your heat pour out and the cold outside air pour in – much like leaving a window open, costing you hig. . .

How to Modify Your Landscaping to Protect Your House from...

Believe it or not, landscaping can be an important part of a good home security plan. A burglar who is "casing the joint" from the street will choose the house with tall shrubs and trees that provide hiding places. Homes with little or no outdoor lighting are preferred targets as well.So, how can you landscape to protect against burglars while still creating an aesthetically pleasing yard? Here. . .

Bathroom Remodel - The Plan

Planning a bathroom remodel? Each home project of this nature can be broken down into 5 distinct steps. Following through each step will help this often confusing process make more sense and produce a better outcome.Bathroom DesignAsk yourself the question - "What will I have when I'm finished". Similar to planning a road-trip, a successful build project begins with an effective vision of wh. . .

Rising Damp

It doesn’t sound like a particularly interesting topic, however a quick search on the worlds favourite internet search engine will show that in some circles rising damp is a very hot topic indeed. The trouble is that it appears that it could indeed be some type of religion or god; does it exist, or doesn’t it? The truth of the matter is that rising damp does indeed exist in one form or another,. . .

Building Liner Ponds

Surprisingly enough, it is usually in mid-summer that many gardeners begin to think about installing a small pond or water garden. Ponds don't need to be weeded or watered, and they can supply exuberant color in the form of water lilies and bog plants. The sound of a splashing fountain or waterfall is more appealing than weeding a flower bed or mowing that section of lawn. Best of all, no matte. . .

How to Choose between Goldfish and KOI

Many people have asked us over the years "Should I add goldfish or KOI (or both) to my pond? The answer is "it depends." Goldfish are better suited to smaller water gardens and ponds, in the 50 - 500 gallon range. Goldfish are extremely hardy and easy to care for, which makes them the perfect choice for the new pond owner or water gardener. KOI Feeding KOI, on the other hand, require a little m. . .

Fish Health in Hot Summer Heat

Summer is over, but for many of us - the heat remains. Here a couple of things to do to keep your fish healthy and your pond clear going into winter. First, remember to keep your pond well aerated. This is very important to your fish because the pond water actually holds less oxygen at higher pond temperatures. So if it's still hot in your part of the country, keep those waterfalls and fountai. . .

Funniest Pond Stories - Part 1, May 2004

Get ready for some gut-wrenching, laugh out loud hilarious pond stories from all over the world... (Continued from May Issue of PondStuff!) We had some hilarious, truly gut wrenching, laugh out-loud stories sent in by some of you. Here we're going to highlight some of the funniest stories for you to read. We had entries from all over the place (Inluding one all the way from THAILAND!) The compe. . .

How to Tell If You've Got a Rodent Problem

Older houses are most vulnerable to rodents, but it's possible for them to crop up in just about any neighborhood. There are often large rodent populations in the city, but apartment owners typically rarely see them since their landlords will typically take care of building maintenance, including unwelcome visitors. Rodents are more problematic to the average suburban homeowner. Here are some s. . .

Is There a Fungus Among Us?

Mold has taken hold! Not that the microbes have reached out and grabbed us, but rather they have captured our attention. A rash of recent high profile media stories have petrified many people with concerns for both their health and finances. While it is true in some situations that variations and concentrations of mold can kill us both physically and financially, in the vast majority of cases m. . .

Tuscan Style Decorating - Three Essentials

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. . . .

Add Some Light To Your Life With Candles

Candles first served as the main source of light for early civilization. They have made many changes through the years. The candles of today are not the same candles from hundreds of years ago.Before the introduction of wicks, early Egyptians lit their reed torches by soaking them in molten tallow, which is fat from sheep or cattle. Romans later developed wick candles which they dipped into t. . .

Tickle Your Senses With Yankee Candles!

How many of us remember as kids creating our own candles from our broken crayons? We’d have mom or dad help us melt down the crayons on the stove, throwing in every color of the rainbow. Then we’d carefully pour the melted wax into old cardboard milk cartons. But, how many of us were able to turn the fun of creating candles at home into a profitable money-making business? Well, Mike Kittred. . .

Gel Candles - An Alternative To Wax Candles

Gel candles are basically made from a combination of polymer resin and mineral oil. Gel candles make a beautiful gift for friends, family, or for yourself. Gel candles can add a touch of elegance to your home decor. They come in many different shapes, sizes, and scents. Gel candles can be found in fruit jars with labels or gift tags, in fancy glass bowls, wine glasses, and mugs. You can e. . .

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 holde. . .

Is there a leprechaun in your garden

There is no mention to be found of female leprechauns in traditional Irish legend, so as to how they came to be .. your guess is as good as mine. These apparently aged, diminutive men are hard-working cobblers, turning out exquisite shoes for other sprites. If you happen across an industrious little fellow hammering out a shoe, look closely - for he may be a leprechaun. Step quietly, for leprec. . .

Selling Your Home - A FSBO's Guide to Keeping It Safe

Home sellers not only need to think like a realtor in finding potential buyers for their homes, they also need to think like a personal security agent. Sellers need to keep their safety in mind when prospecting potential buyers. The real estate industry has seen a problematic climb in assaults towards realtors, and so is the concern for those who are selling their own homes.Here are the top 7. . .

Tips For Breaking Away From White Wall Paint

Paint is one of the most affordable and easiest ways to change a room. But choosing the right paint colors for your home can seem like an overwhelming task.Paint, accessories, fabric, furniture, and flooring should all blend, so take a good look at the room you will be working on, preferably before you choose a paint color, and decide what will stay in the room, and what you may want to move ou. . .

Life’s a Beach – A Shore Theme in Your Outdoor Space

Twentieth century American architect Phillip Johnson once said, "I hate vacations. If you can build buildings, why sit on the beach?" Mr. Johnson evidently didn't how to relax, but as another summer is slipping away, you can. Did you visit the beach this year? Do you wish you had? Either way, you can create a seaside feel in your outdoor space and enjoy memories of the shore at home! Here are s. . .

Warm & Toasty Outdoors with Patio Heaters

The Heat is On with Patio Heaters.Any outdoor lover will tell you that the right patio heater will allow you to extend your love of the open-air life all year round.A 15-20 foot circle of heat can easily increase the outside temperature by 10-25 degrees Fahrenheit and that makes all the difference between having to stay inside and eating out. As with most patio equipment, the choice of the righ. . .

Used But Not Used Up

Some DIY Maintence will put Used tools back in Main Stream Operation: Professional grade tools are made to withstand long hours of use and abuse. Many home shops have a number of Professional grad tools but for the most part most home shops have tools that are some what less in quality. No matter what grade of tool you have none of them are made to be the "last tool you will have to buy". What . . .

Making Space for Sacred Space

When you read a great inspirational book, prayer, or article, don't you think to yourself, "What a great idea! I should do more daily rituals, prayer, meditation."? It always seems like a great idea, right? We know that sacred practices and sacred space bring peace, harmony, joy, and ease into our lives. Sounds like a great idea! The problem is that the impulse to add more sacred activity into . . .

What does it take to be an Interior Designer?

When trying to decide if Interior Design is right for you, it helps to know what that really means. Interior Design is not simply the profession that “makes rooms and places pretty”; it takes a little bit more than that. You need to know how to do some of the technical aspects of design also. Some of these technical things include:Designing and reading blueprints: This is particularly for the p. . .

The String Algae Blues...

Now that Spring is upon us and things are coming back to life in your pond with the warmer weather, many of us are battling with string algae. String algae is caused primarily by a combination of the buildup of organic nutrients in the water, and sunlight. What happens is that during winter, when things slow down and many of us turn off our filters, decaying leaves and other organic matter (inc. . .

Overwintering Pond Fish

The metabolism of koi and goldfish is controlled primarily by water temperature. As the water cools, pond fish require less protein in their diet. When koi and goldfish are fed high-protein food in cool water, the excess protein is excreted as ammonia from the gills. The microscopic organisms that make up the biological filter (and consume ammonia) also slow down in cooler water. Improper seaso. . .

10 Quick Ways to Change Your Fire-less Fireplace from a B...

Everyone loves a fireplace aglow with a roaring fire or flickering embers. But your fireplace need not be a gaping empty hole--like a picture frame without a picture—-those times you choose not to have a fire.As you look over these ideas, you’ll recognize any that will need to be adapted if you have young children or pets with access to the fireplace. Ivy Basket: A lovely basket filled with a t. . .

How to use Home Decor Accessories to Create a New Look in...

Apart from complimenting your newly painted walls with soft furnishings and effective flooring, home decor accessories in a room are just as equally important. Accessories ranging from flowers in a contemporary vase to art pictures hanging on your walls, all add the finishing touches to any room. Above all, accessories add personality to a room, they inject your own personal touch making your h. . .

How to Change a Rooms Dimension using Wall Pictures

The Basic Role of Pictures Wall art plays an important role in interior design as it helps create the ambience of a room. By cleverly placing wall pictures in certain ways, you can change and create a new look and feel in a room. The role wall pictures play in interior design are:- pictures, mirrors or other ornamental accessories on walls help make the room look 'lived in' and they also injec. . .

How to Decorate your Space with Wall Art

If a room in your house lacks character, by simply placing some fine art prints on the walls can actually make quite an impact. Wall pictures are a necessary accessory in your home and are great to tie in with the room's style and color accent. Before you go off to buy some new pictures for your walls there are a few things you need to plan and decide upon. Here is a quick guide on how to decor. . .

Choosing The Right Mortgage For You

This article will help you understand the differences between a variety of mortgage options. There are many different mortgage products offered by the various lending institutions in Canada, so you may not know what features to look for. As you'll see, each type of mortgage has slightly different features which appeal to a variety of different preferences. For example, some home buyers take com. . .

Feng Shui Decorating Guidelines

The importance of following feng shui decorating guidelines.Feng shui decorating guidelines show us the correct way to place objects, furniture and how to decorate in order to achieve harmony. Living and working spaces and their decorations affect the people inhabiting them, and feng shui decorating knowledge studies the way to make that factor affect in a positive and harmonic way.If you want . . .