Trixi's Blog

When it comes to home decor, the sky's the limit.  It doesn't always be conventional to be chic... unique might be much more interesting.

Designer Jay Jeffers says this:
"I find amazing materials at Fredericksen Hardware & Paint, just a few blocks from my office in San Francisco.  I've used garden lattice to make a headboard, metal piping as drapery hardware, and industrial moving blankets to upholster chairs."  (House Beautiful, May 2012)

There you have it.  We have tons of neat hardware stores in the Houston area.  Ever been to Berings?

Green is good -- but there's a limit, according to a design secret from Carleton Varney.... His expert advice:
"Do not, DO NOT use colored sheers in your home--particularly those that are pea green."

(House Beautiful Designer Secrets, May 2012)

At minimum, tax records should be kept three years.  However, a period of seven or more years is recommended.  Tax and nontax factors play a role in the decision. . . . .
Records associated with tax returns should be kept at least until the statue of limitations (if there is one) runs out....examples:
(1) Owe additional tax..........3 years
(2) File a claim for a loss from worthless securities..........7 years
(3) File a fraudulent return or file no return.......... no limit

(Tierra Grande, Jan. 2012)

Don't be so quick to discard used dryer sheets.  They work excellently to remove soap scum from a shower door.  Just moisten the old dryer sheet a bit and then rub down the shower door and even the tile.   NOW you can dump the worn out well used dryer sheet.  It's done its job thoroughly.
BTW.... a fresh dryer sheet in your pocket or stuck in your gel is said to help keep mosquitos away.  Seems to work.  It did the day I tried it.

I always had a difficult time keeping the cabinet neat in which we keep those narrow long boxes of cling wrap and foil until I decided to stack them in a magazine file container. 

Prospective buyers may be totally turned off (and turned away) by small stuff, such as
- a dirty walkway
- broken mailbox
- torn window screens
- a dirty or unpainted front door
- overgrown flower bed or one full of weeds

Those are "easy fix" items and it doesn't cost very much to repair/replace.  But it can make all the difference in the world when it comes to selling a home.

Some people like keeping their home dark with the curtains and shades pulled.  Pro:  Dust does not show.
Not me.  I like it bright! 
Con:  Dust shows.
Aside from dust there is cost.  Older homes, unless they were upgraded, usually have single pane windows.  They are not cost effective, and before folks consider any of the more popular upgrades such as granite counter tops (for example) they really should consider upgrading their windows. 
If I were looking to purchase a home in today's market, my main concern would certainly be energy efficiency throughout the home. 
Sure, I'm concerned about the environment, but my personal goal is more green in  my wallet.  With the extra green there, I can afford to save up and for all kinds of fancy upgrades down the road.
"Windows are one of the most high-tech products in residential construction. Since the early 1980s, the energy performance of typical windows has increased by more than 50 percent, the result of both improvements in glazing and in frame construction." www.buildinggreen.com

If we store cans and bottles of cleaning products or even "beauty products" under the sink,
it is likely that the ones that come in metal containers eventually leave unsightly rings. 

Those unsightly rings can be avoided by placing these metal containers on coasters
(i.e. lids from margarine tubs) .... or (and this is what I do) .... by taping the bottom of
the cans/containers with a strip of tape. 
This is such a worthwhile quick fix!

I'm all for prevention rather than clean-up, aren't you ???

This home is definitely not your everage run of the mill urban or suburban homestead.  It is located in Bellville, Texas.

The wooden slats in the tension joints in our driveway has rotted away. 
The wood serves the purpose of keeping water from gushing underneath the concrete and washing out areas that could at some point cause the driveway to crack or collapse.
Those tension joints, once the wood is gone, will fill with leaves and debris and give foothold for weeds.
(pulled weeds till my back ached yesterday).  I have seen people fill these gaps with some rubbery liquid.  Looks difficult.  The end result varies depending on how steady a hand the person had (I guess).

Today I had an idea.  I took some inexpensive pipe insulation (97 cents for an 8ft section), cut it in half (it already comes pre-cut on on side) and stuffed the pieces in the gap.  Quick! Cheap!  Looks great!  And serves the purpose.  If it only lasts for one season, no problem.  It's easily replaced... took only a few minutes to install.