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Any of us that have children or who live with those who
received an extra helping of the awkward gene, know what it
is to discover furniture nicks, dings and other marks on a
daily basis. Since banning the offenders from the room is
impractical (and besides, you love the offenders more than the
furniture anyway, don't you?), you need a few tips to help you
deal with those little imperfections. No! I'm not talking about
the kids, because you know down deep - wayyyyy down deep - they
are perfect! I'm talking about the furniture!
1. Disguise scratches in your wood furniture with shoe polish,
crayon or felt tip markers. A tan crayon or marker is perfect
for light woods, while a red-brown is great for cherry. You
may have to experiment a bit to find a perfect match, but
the right color will make that scratch disappear! (But if
your table is so scratched that you are considering setting
the kids down with a big box of crayons and telling them to
color all the pretty white patterns, you might consider
getting a new one!)
2. If your kids have chewed up all the crayons, you might
consider using a tea bag or rubbing a piece of walnut or
pecan on the marred surface.
3. If your darling child has left his/her glass of kool-aid on
the table (even though you have TOLD them 1,000 times to
never do that!), you can make a paste of salt and mineral
oil to take out the white rings or water marks. Be sure to
rub in the direction of the grain and dry immediately! Then
apply your favorite polish.
4. For cigarette burns (this had BETTER NOT be from the
children!), rub the offending spot with a paste made from
fireplace ash and lemon juice! (I had a low-fat salad
dressing one time that tasted just like this!)
And if all this fails, consider telling everyone that the piece
just has "character!" Collectors pay thousands of dollars for
old furniture with lots of imperfections - in fact, the more
the better! Just think of your home as a Furniture Distressing
Factory!
About the Author:
Pamela Cole Harris is a writer with over 35 years experience.
Her expertise on decorating on a
budget comes from her own experience. Visit her website
www.homeandgardenmakeover.com ,
for her unique view of home decorating and remodeling and a free
monthly newsletter. Or for free syndicated content for your
website, visit Here.
SeptemberLady "Born and have lived in Southern MD most of my life. My husband and I just finished building a new home on the family farm, where I hope to retire in the near future.
My interests: Doll collecting, cookbook collector (especially old ones), antiques, family/friend get-togethers, cooking/baking, flower and vegetable gardening, bird-watching."
Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling Memorial Day signals the start of barbecue season. Everyone wants to light that fire and charcoal that first meal. A few tips might pre- vent your entree from becoming a "Burnt Offering."
Read these tips for plenty of grilling ideas, make this year's barbecue perfect!
Growing and Using Garlic Chives Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum, is a hardy perennial (Zones 3-9) that will grow to about 12 inches high. The stems are skinnier and flat, instead of hollow as are regular chives, with greenish white blooms that are about an inch wide and not as rounded. They bloom in the summer rather than spring. The bloom stalks grow much taller than the leaves, sometimes up to 30 inches.
The stems and blooms are both edible and have a mild garlic onion taste. I've noticed many writers will list this as primarily as an Asian herb, as they are also known as Chinese chives, Chinese leeks, ku chai (China) or Nira (Japan), but it has many other uses as well!
The Perfect Porch Swing Perhaps it is the soothing rhythm or the reassuring creak of the porch swing that attracts us. Perhaps it is the companionable silence or quiet conversation. Or maybe swings simply remind us of more genteel times.
Although porch swings can be purchased in a wide range of materials, the most common are wicker and wood. You can also make your own porch swing from one of the myriad of woodworking patterns available at garden centers, hardware stores, or on the Internet.
Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling
Growing and Using Garlic Chives
The Perfect Porch Swing