Instead of layers of draperies with elaborate pleats, one generous drape or graceful swag can do it all. Unlined panels of natural-hued fabric work well in almost any room, with any color scheme. And if you swag fabric from brackets and let it puddle gracefully on the floor, you won’t need to sew a stitch!

These simple tips on how to dress up your window will help a lot:

1. Use good-quality fabric. It doesn’t mean you have to buy expensive fabrics, just learn to hunt for quality bargains.

2. Make sure your drapes diffuses light in the room.

3. Try brushed cotton, muslin, even gauze or mosquito netting. It looks far more luxurious to use a large quantity of an inexpensive fabric than to scrimp on a pricey one.

4. Double the width of the window and an extra 4 to 12 inches in length if you want curtains to puddle on the floor.

5. Choose a bright brass or rustic wrought-iron rod capped with interesting finials.

6. Add tie-backs in whimsical shapes. Simple brackets ( you can use coat hooks ) will help you fashion a swagged drape.

7. To attach curtain to rods, consider curtain clips, which save sewing on hooks, or try fabric tabs, self-ties or cord.

8. If you are making curtains from a washable fabric, make sure it is preshrunk or wash it first before sewing.

9. Use a color-safe bleach in washing your curtains.

10. Steam-press your curtains after washing.

1. Plant Natives. Huge amount of water are wasted watering lawns and gardens. Use your local nurseries and water departments’ facts online and start planting drought tolerant natives from your zones. Start taking Xeriscape classes, visit botanical garden and local garden tours for more information.

2. Buy Organic, local, produce in its natural season. Organic produce doesn’t use pesticides, so it is better for your health and the environment. Local produce in its season uses less energy for shipping.

3. Save water in your home by installing low flow showerheads and toilets. Buy front loading washing machines. Add a plastic cover for your swimming pool.

4. Use non-toxic cleaning products. Improve indoor air quality by using low VOC (Volatile organic compound) paints and install a central vacuum system.

5. Save energy by using compact fluorescent bulbs in your light fixtures. Install tank less water heaters rather than having to keep a full tank of water heated all the time.

6. Install solar panels, inverters, and reverse meters. There are tile-shaped photo voltaic panels now that are visually appealing to your neighbors.

7. Choose walking over driving. Choose metro-link, choose Hybrid or cars with high gas mileage over gas guzzlers. Carpool as much as possible. Drive steadily without much fast acceleration or stopping.

8. Reduce Run-off. You can start by just reducing the amount of time you run your sprinklers.

9. Create a composite file for fertilizing your plants rather than using store brought fertilizers.

10. Build your home right. Whether a new home or remodeled, create an eco-friendly home from the ground up.

Window treatments range from sheers, drapes, curtains, cornices, blinds, shutters, and valances with every imaginable styles. Change a room’s mood, maximize privacy and accent your view-all with the right window treatments. There are no set of rules.

The best way to choose treatments for your home is to choose the types that will meet your family’s needs at the same time will become an attractive addition to your design plan.

Here are top picks from the design world to keep you ahead of the curve!

1 .Use organic materials-Bamboo, organic cottons.

2. Update by adding some of the new spring colors in like teals, grass greens, and earth tones.

3. Try Luxe Fabrics for something different and trendy.

4. Buy some Bamboo rods for a change.

5. Use sleek lines, if that’s your style.

6. Bold prints are always bright and colorful.

7. Silk panels add more elegant look.

8. Going modern? Try the Luxury Tech blinds and panels

9. Think Green.

Every home and person is different and the guidelines offered above can give you the basic information needed in making the right selection for your home!

No more worries, nature has the answer! It’s tough on germs, safe on skin and environment friendly. Now, you wouldn’t have to spend more for costly cleaning materials.

Introducing  5 of the natural spring cleaners:

1.Water + Baking Soda

-The old tandem has long made wonder miracles for kitchen tiles, sinks, bathroom and other countertops and appliances. It’s mild and it has a powerful cleaning power and it’s easy on skin. Just use a sponge dipped on a container with water and baking soda then do the scrubbing. It can also absorb the odor from your refrigerator. To eliminate the stink, place a box of baking soda powder in your refrigerator.

2. Water + Vinegar

- You wouldn’t want the smell but it does cleaning like your ordinary commercial cleansers. To dilute the acid, just add one part to one part of water put it in a bottle and mix. You can use it as a spray or with a sponge. It is an effective cleaning material for countertops, kitchen and bathroom tiles but not good for marbles. The smell fades a few minutes after.

3. Lemon Juice

The acid property of lemon juice acts as an antibacterial and disinfectant perfect for household cleaning. It doesn’t only clean, it deodorizes. It’s perfect for cleaning metals.

4. Salt

If you’re skeptic when it comes to dishwashing soaps, salt can be a good alternative in removing tough grease and stains. Sprinkle salt on pots and pans.

Product Description
The Culligan FM-15DIY Faucet Mount Water Filtration System will improve your quality of life you’ll want to scream “Hey, Culligan man!” just to thank him for helping to make such healthful, refreshing water available. This do-it-yourself system screw-mounts to your existing water faucet, and comes with everything you need for up to 200 gallons of crisp, clear water.

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From Publishers Weekly
A partly serious, partly humorous look at materials we usually discard, the work provides step-by-step instructions on how to transform paper, plastic, metal, wood, concrete and fabric into such unlikely (and undesirable) household items as a chopstick clock or a colander light sconce. Berger and Hawthorne (the editor-in-chief and publisher, respectively, of ReadyMade magazine) also include acknowledged failures, such as the water bottle lounge chair, too fragile and noisy to sit on. Each section begins with a history of the “raw” material, designed to make readers more aware of the environment and the uses of these materials. In addition to proposing new uses for Fed Ex boxes (a CD rack) and plastic dete (more…)

From the Manufacturer
The Sand&Kleen MT 999 J Pole Sander is used with MT 800 or MT 800 J. It is perfect for smaller jobs and is a lower priced system for the DIYer. Helps to eliminate the use of goggles and masks by eliminating airborne dust particles. Includes a lightweight aluminum pole that telescopes 2 to 4 feet, plastic sanding head made of three types of material, virgin ABS material, nylon reinforced ABS and polycarbonate(Lexan¿), abrasive screen, complete instructions, and is backed by a Lifetime Warranty

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From Publishers Weekly
Fashion hipsters Rannels, Alvarado and Meng are co-owners of San Francisco’s Stitch Lounge, a drop-in sewing center where would-be fashionistas can rent sewing machines by the hour, take lessons and compare notes on design and technique. They are enthusiastic teachers and, in their first book, give beginning sewers all the basics, plus 22 tempting projects. Their mission—”subverting” fashion—is all about “embellishing and customizing clothes—refashioning them to make them uniquely your own.” This can mean anything from altering the fit of a blouse with pin tucks and sewing ribbon stripes onto an old pair of jeans to whipping up a sun dress out of a pillowcase. They start with a solid chapter on hand (more…)

Product Description
A brief, but engaging, and eminently useful guide to doing a zine. From tools, to layout, copying, printing, trading, promotion, ordering, mailing, distribution, and a whole lot more. Over 150 (albeit pocket sized!) packed pages. The new third edition includes 32 more pages of distributor listings, stores, and libraries that work with zines.

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Product Description
Ready to take your craft projects to the next level? With “smart” materials, unorthodox assembly techniques, and the right tools, you can create accessories, housewares, and toys that light up, make sounds, or do even more. Fashioning Technology is an introductory DIY book that brings technology and crafts together in a fun and unique way. You get jargon-free primers and lots of how-to projects that will have you making — and even wearing — functional works of art. Written for a broad audience, this book demonstrates how to blend sewing and assembly techniques with traditional electronics to assemble simple circuits using conductive thread, solder joints for snaps, and switches for buttons. With the sewin (more…)