Your Oratory

A couple years ago I went out for a walk after dark. It was lovely and it was just me and my dog. It was very interesting to note that about half the houses on the blocks we perused were using garden lights

photo credit: dichohecho

and half of them weren’t.

Some were even using the solar variety. Can you imagine that? And can you guess which ones looked better? That’s right: the houses which were all lit up with solar garden lights were stunning in the midnight moon. They were very inviting.

On the contrary, I noticed that if I were a burglar I would’ve preferred to rob the houses that had no such exterior lighting. Those were easy targets. I took note of this and went and purchased some for myself the very next day. Lesson learned.

photo credit: simplyla

When you’re looking for affordable yet nice looking furniture for your home what is the first brand you think of? If you said Ikea then we are on the right track. Ikea is a great place to go for easy to build furniture that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Sure they have some stuff that can get really expensive and they have some stuff that isn’t worth the asking price, but on average Ikea furniture really stands out as having some of the best pieces out there.

If you’re in need of a new corner bookcase for your home or office you might want to stop by your nearest Ikea store and browse the selection they have there. Most of the furniture at Ikea is of the assembly required type. You look around in a showroom at all of the furniture as it will be assembled and then you buy the pieces in a box and take it home to put together yourself. Corner bookcases are really easy to put together so you should have no problem finding a nice and simple one at a good price.

photo credit: Gwen Bubbles

Patio umbrellas are a great way to ensure having fun outside is safe from the harmful effects of the ultra violet sun rays.

Back in the old days we never used to worry about UV rays or sun protection, but these days, especially living in New Zealand, the risk of skin cancer is just too great to ignore.

A patio umbrella is the perfect solution for patio entertaining or for putting over the kids sand box so they can happily play all day outside in the fresh air.

You can purchase an umbrella for less than $100 which will serve its purpose well, but if you’re looking for something a little more stylish there are many kinds of market and cantilever umbrellas which really help to give your patio area a fancy look.

You are all ready with your nice new porcelain tea set and you might have a few questions.  One of the biggest ones might be; how do you care for it? When caring for a teapot, be sure to wash it after every use. Do not put your teapot in an automatic dishwasher. It is best to hand wash your teapot in warm soapy water, then rinse it and dry it with a soft cloth or towel.

This type of set can also be used to brew other things besides just tea. You can use the teapot for brewing instant coffee, which works very well. Just be sure to wash and rinse the teapot right away afterwards, so it will not get stained by the coffee residue. You can also make a nice pot of hot chocolate.  If you have young children surprise them by serving some juice or kool aid out of your teapot.  Everything tastes better when served out of a teapot.

Mildew isn’t unheard of, but unlike mold it’s not a popular topic either. While mildew is not as harmful as molds like black mold, they can cause some serious allergies in people if they’re left unattended.

The most common areas where this type of fungus can be found are in your shower and bathtubs. However, they can also be found in your windowsills. They’re easy to spot since they’re fuzzy in texture and gray or white in color and most cleaners meant for this type of fungus will work if they’re used properly. You can also use the cheap chemical know as bleach if you don’t mind damaging your lungs or polluting the environment.

Of course with a good scrubbing and some hot water and baking soda, you can get rid of the mildew without risking damage to your lungs or the environment. Any way you choose, they’ll all get the job done.

photo credit: Susan E Adams

I believe that your choice of interior design furnishings say more about your character than anything else. Like your clothes every item is bought by you and says so much about your personal taste. Clothes on the other hand are pretty fashion led which means you’re unlikely to be wearing vintage or antique clothes. Interior furnishings on the other hand can be from anytime or place, budget permitting, and therefore are more telling.

A friend of mine recently bought a  canopy bed set. Yes, a full size canopy, four poster bed with canopy and matching bedroom furniture, dresser, wardrobe, bedside tables, the lot. What did that tell me about him? That he has delusions of grandeur and zero imagination! Not only does he imagine himself as some kind of medieval king but he doesn’t have the taste to pick out individual pieces of furniture that will tie in nicely with his four poster bed. Hmm, must try harder.

photo credit: lanuiop

Youth bedroom furniture is sized larger than for children but smaller than for adults. This is just the right size for your youthful semi-teenaged little man or woman. Usually found in the children’s furniture section, this type of furniture comes in a wide variety of bed types, including bunk beds, and such pieces as dressers at just the right height. No whimsical designs and bright colors here. As this furniture is for the more mature youth, the tones and designs are similar to adult furniture, just sized down to make a better fit for smaller bodies. Most is naturally finished, just like adult furniture, to show the beauty of the wood’s grain, and usually include a mirror along with a dresser. You can read more information about children’s furniture at Youth Bedroom Furniture.

save money with bedding ensembles

Last week I started looking at new bedding for the guests we have coming to stay.  Not that there’s too much wrong with the old stuff but I think it was on the spare bed when they last visited 5 years ago so I’d like to look like I made an effort for their visit.

However, once I started pricing up all the various items of bedding I’d need to make the bed look good, the cost was getting a bit prohibitive.Time to think again!

Then I spotted an article about discount bedding ensembles which has made me reconsider. Basically you can buy a whole coordinated bed in a bag for one price and these bedding sets (as the price is a fair chunk of change) are often offered at a good discount especially at certain times of the year (like now when the summer sales are getting going).

Time for a trip to town I think…

Thick black oil dripped steadily onto the glass dining table

photo credit: Hello, I am Bruce

.  What was this gross stuff and where was it coming from?  I looked up to the ceiling and I saw a small hole and a wet stain around it.  I didn’t know who lived over my apartment, but I figured that I was going to have to go up there and find out.

I took the stairs two at a time and I banged at the place over mine.  I banged again and then I yelled “Hey is there anybody in there?  It’s urgent. There’s stuff dripping from your place through my ceiling and it’s making a huge mess.”  I kept banging and yelling.

I looked down and I could see oil coming under the door.

A man came out of the next door apartment.  “That guy’s never home.  He’s a long distance trucker, and he’s weird.  I think he’s been gone for about a week.”

She woke up under a glass top dining table

photo credit: GordonMcDowell

. How long had she been in this strange position? She had been unconscious for hours and she was completely disoriented and groggy. She turned her head to the wall and the pain was excruciating. Memories began to come back. They were very frightening. Someone had hit her and he had dragged her to this place where she was becoming conscious. She was walking along a tree-lined street near her house when a man approached her and spoke as though he knew her. After he passed her she received the heavy blow from behind.  Now she was in this gray place tied to a table. She became aware of footsteps nearby and a soft feminine voice asked her “are you happy?” She tried to see this person but couldn’t turn her head. She didn’t answer. The question frightened her more. Other memories began to creep into her consciousness.