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Often we only shop for a certain color of blind or curtain when redecorating. What we forget is that the fabrics that make up these window treatments, plays a larger role in how it looks than we think.

Brocade - Often a weighty fabric woven of silk, cotton, wool or a combination. A raised, floral design in a Jacquard a brocade’s distinguishing feature. It is typically formal styles.

Cambrie - A plain, tightly woven linen or cotton fabric been on one side. Curtain panels can be successfully made from cambric.

Canvas - A coarse woven-cotton material available in heavy or lighter gauges. Canvas is strong and inexpensive. This is the best for room darkening shades.

Chintz - Cotton fabric, often in a floral or other all-over at is coated with a resin that gives it a sheen. Dry cleaning is necessary.

Cotton Duck - A cream-colored cotton that comes in various weights. It is ideal for no sew curtains.

Crewel - Plain woven, natural-cotton fabric with wool ery. Dry cleaning is required.

Damask - Another Jacquard material made of cotton, ol, or a combination with a satin, raised design. This is type is mostly used for draperies.

Gingham - Plain-weave cotton fabric woven in block or checked prints. Its crisp look makes gingham popular for borders and curtain panels.

Lace - Cotton or cotton-polyester-blend material featuring an openwork design. Lace is favored for cafe curtains.

Linen - An unusually strong fabric made from processed flax. Linen is best when used in simple designs.

Understated fabrics are a good choice for a bedroom. Here, a sheer voile is paired with a light silk that drapes beautifully into soft folds when it is drawn back.

Gauzy curtains made of voile have a translucency that is airy and feminine. This type of fabric looks pretty loosely draped, swagged, knotted, or twisted.

Contrasting two materials, such as a heavy velvet over light organdy or a toile pattern over bamboo, adds an interesting layered look on a window.

Moire - This term actually refers to a finish, usually or acetate, that resembles water marking. Washing r the finish, so dry-clean the fabric. Depending on weight moire can be suitable for draperies.

Muslin - Ranging from coarse to fine, a plain weave cotton fabric. Muslin is also called voile.

Organdy - Light cotton washed in acid for a crisp Organdy is used for trimmings, borders, and curtains.

Satin - A silk, linen, or cotton weave with a glossy s and dull back, sometimes with a moire finish. Satin particularly durable but is fine for draperies.

Silk - A shiny fabric made from fibers produced b worms. Silk is favored for swags and formal drapes.

Taffeta - A silk-and-acetate weave that is shiny and maintains shape. Taffeta is used for borders and curtains.

Carry S is an interior decorator that likes to publish her thoughts online about home decor and fashions. You can read more of her decorating tips about window coverings Decormotif.com in the Window Fashions Section or from our shopping blog newsletter at http://www.decormotif.com/newsletter/

[tags]curtain fabrics, window fashions, window treatments[/tags]

When to Water the Lawn:
Your lawn will give you many signs when it needs water. The leaves will curl to conserve moisture, the color will turn bluish-green. The grass will start to curl before it turns brown. When it starts to curl, that is the best time to water. Anything after that is time for “intensive care watering” (water half an inch, wait three hours and water an inch). For healthier roots, water less often but for longer- this will “train” roots to grow deeply into the soil for . In general, a lawn needs about 1 inch of water a week for healthy development.

How Often Should I Mow My Lawn?
The more often you mow- the healhtier it is for your lawn. When you mow your lawn you are getting rid of the the oldest part of the plant because grass grows from the bottom up, and a higher cut will ensure a deeper root system. Most experst suggest cutting on the hight side rather than too low. For bluegrass and fescue, mow at about 3 1/2 inches, for Bermuda and centipede grass mow at 1 to 2 inches, and for St. Augustine grass mow at 3 inches. Mowing encourages a lawn to spread and thicken to choke out weeds, and a deep root system is important because it can reach water farther down in the soil. When a lawn has shallow roots, there’s more likelihood of a deep thatch layer harboring insects and disease. If you have a serious weed infestation, consider mowing twice as frequently as you normally do.

Lawn Chemistry
Here are some guidelines for adding lime or iron to your lawn. Grass prefers slightly acidic soil, so you either add lime to bring the acid level down or add sulfur to increase it. Have the pH of your soil professionally tested. Add lime if it is below 6.0 and gardener’s sulfur if it is above 7.0 .

DANDELIONS are a sign of alkaline soil. Refer to the pH stuff above. The above methods will prevent dandelions from propogating. Since dandelions live about five years, the mature dandelions will struggle with the tall, thick turf and die off in two to three years. I now think that a few dandelions poking up once in a while are kinda nice and I leave them alone.

BLACK MEDIC is a sign of low nitrogen soil. sometimes called “yellow clover”. When it’s taking over, it will choke out grass and make flat mats about a foot in diameter.
CLOVER is a sign of low nitrogen soil. Refer to fertilizing above. White and pink clover is often desired in a lawn. It contributes nitrogen to the soil and doesn’t compete strongly with the grass. Yellow clover is actually “black medic” (see above).

KNAPWEED tries to poison plants around it with niacin. Mow a little more frequently in late June and early July to wipe out knapweed.

LJ Stewart is freelance writer in Toronto. For more information on basic lawn care and household maintenance, visit Relaxed-Lifestyle.com

[tags]lawn care, grass maintenace, weeds, garden. landscaping[/tags]

The term wicker actually refers to a weaving process. Wicker dining furniture comes in numerous styles, designs and price ranges. Wicker furniture is made of reed and paper fibers. Rattan or rotan wicker, reed wicker, cane wicker, bamboo wicker, paper fiber rush and Lloyd Loom paper fiber rush are some of the materials generally used in the production of wicker furniture. Wicker furniture originated from southeast China and Japan, and first came to America about a century ago.

Wicker dining room furniture lends subtle and natural charm to the dining space. This extremely lightweight furniture is easily movable; hence, one can change the d

The autumn months of September and October are when roses perform at their peak. After faithfully following proper rose procedures up to this point, now — at last — you should begin to reap the rewards of full, vibrant, glorious blooms.

Your work isn’t quite done yet, however. Although autumn is the best growing time, it’s also the time you must prepare your rose bushes for winter coming onslaught.

Producing those beautiful blooms you are so proud of is hard work — for your rose bushes, too. They need a lot of water to fuel the flowering process. Continue to water them deeply, as often as needed to maintain growth. Watering daily is okay if you are showing them off, just be careful and observe closely so that you do not over-do the watering process. You want beautiful blooms, not drowned roots.

Continue using water-soluble compost through the end of September. Consider a commercial bloom-boosting fertilizer. The large number in the middle of the formulation is your cue — nitogen, PHOSPHORUS, potasium (potash).

Black spot and mildew are dangerous because conditions for their growth are ideal, so keep up with a vigorous spraying program through the end of October. Stop all fertilizing by the end of October, to let your roses begin the hibernation process.

You can continue to cut rose bouquets through October without causing any harm to the bushes. To encourage rose hips to form, just remove the petals of the dead roses.

Fall just happens to be the right time to start planning next year’s garden. Order new flower catalogs for your research during the dark and dreary months of winter. This is my favorite part — all fun and no work. To get your best selections possible, place your new roses order early. Rose growers know when the best time is to ship new bushes to your climate zone.

Visit Grow Roses to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer with a Website Here.

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

[tags]rose, grow roses, rose gardening[/tags]

The first thing created after water damage in a house is the mold. Mold creates a number of problems for the home owner. Fungi are common in nature and serve a central role as breakdown agents for organic matter. They contain fragments, or spores, which are found in virtually every home and building. Major mold that is found in water damaged homes is called Stachybotrys chartarum (atra), more commonly known as SC. It is a greenish black fungus that grows on materials like fiberboard, gypsum board, paper, dust, and lint. They become chronically moist or water damaged due to excessive humidity, condensation, and flooding.

SC was first noted as a disease when it contaminated cereal grains. When people ate that grain, they started feeling burning sensations in their mouth, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and pain in their abdomen. Then it was found that if its pores are released into air, then there was more probability of developing these symptoms. Few reports of scientific literature stated that there were places where people had to leave the place due to spreading of molds like SC and other molds too. When the spores are released into air, they may be inhaled and can get into lungs causing severe airborne diseases.

To save houses and buildings from mold, some precautions need to be taken. Buildings should be inspected routinely for evidence of water damage and visible mold. Conditions causing mold such as water leaks, condensation, or flooding should be corrected. After water damage, books and papers should be immediately discarded. Water from the carpets and rugs should be immediately removed. Ceiling tiles, if damaged, should be removed and replaced. Remove the water from upholstered furniture with the help of water extraction vacuum. Remove moisture immediately and use dehumidifiers and fans for drying.

For the removal of mold, the simplest and most expedient remediation should be used. After cleaning, try to ensure that there are no such conditions again for these hazardous materials to grow. A profesional restoration company should be called to fix or repair any problems.

For more information about water damage mold please have a look at this link: water damage mold | Dallas | Houston | San Antonio | Austin | Fort Worth

Ross Morrell is an industry professional and a specialist in fire and flood restoration, mold remediation, disaster clean up, reconstruction, carpet cleaning, tile and grout cleaning and air duct cleaning. He has written numerous articles on these various topics for http://www.fireandfloodrepair.com He has many intresting topics and ideas to give our customers important information and basic knowledge… Check out more of his articles.

[tags]water damage,repairing water damag,home improvement,house repair,house flood,mold,house mold[/tags]

In the world of tile one of the latest entrants for new homes and renovations, is Limestone natural stone tile.

Limestone is a beautiful stone, generally available in light browns, beiges and yellow shades. Limestone tile is usually provided with a matt finish, which makes it safer to walk on if there is any liquid spilled. Limestone tile is installed using the same methods as one would use for any other natural stone such as granite or marble and the joints in between tiles should be filled with a grout. To avoid the possibility of permanent staining the limestone tiles should be sealed with a high quality, penetrating, sealer.

Limestone comes in a variety of square and rectangular sizes and is usually 3/16 to a

Bedroom decorating is a project which can bring many different feelings to mind. Decorating can seem to be fun, creative, expressive, and pleasing. While on the other hand it can be daunting, time consuming, expensive and overwhelming. In any case what you need is a good plan. Whether you are redecorating a familiar and comfortable bedroom or starting from the ground up in a new living space you need to have the knowledge necessary to make your decorating project a beautiful success. Decorating is not just about being comfortable, it is also about creating spaces which reflect who you and your family are.

So where to start? First off you will obviously need to determine your budget. Keep in mind that we spend nearly a third of our life sleeping, in addition to the time that we spend in our bedrooms watching television, reading, resting, dressing and getting ready for work etc. You should keep this in mind when thinking of the money you can spend. Also as the saying goes, you often “get what you pay for”. Quality materials and workmanship often are a bit more costly, however this often translates into extra value. Bedding and fabrics which are made well out of higher grade materials will add years of use and will need less repair and maintenance. This translates into less cost over the long run. The number of bedrooms you need to decorate will come into play when making these decisions as well. A child’s or a guest room may not require as much attention to detail and quality as the master bedroom.

The next step in decorating your room is to decide on what type of colors and designs you would like. Waverly Fabrics has some great information on their website. Their “how to decorate” section helps you to pick out a color and pattern scheme which reflects your unique style. They start by offering you a “color quiz” which gives you a series of questions aimed at determining a color palette for the fabrics you will use in your design. These questions cover many areas, from the color of your cookware, your favorite vacation spots, to your hobbies and choice of colors around your home. The quiz results in a color palette suggestion. There is also a similar “lifestyle quiz” which offers you pattern choices based on your answers.

After you determine color and pattern its now time to find the exact fabric or bedding ensemble to go with. When decorating a bedroom there is more to it than choosing a bedspread and pillow cases. The most popular manufacturers, Thomasville, Waverly and Croscill all offer choices that extend beyond the bed. Croscill has many coordinated bathroom accessories to choose from. Thomasville offers fine bedding ensembles and in addition makes fabrics by the yard available so that you can reupholster chairs make curtains, lamp shades, and table and chair coverings. Today, Waverly offers Hundreds of beautiful fabrics, wall paper, paints and furniture. A popular choice for those who are proficient in construction and sewing is to choose Waverly Bedding. By utilizing Waverly’s fabrics families have created the most striking and unique living areas that ones imagination can create. Thomasville’s fabric by the yard is also a good choice if you were to go this route.

Finding a good retailer is the next step. Thomasville, Croscill and Waverly all offer their products through outside retailers. They don’t sell directly to the general public. When looking for a retailer you want to be able to compare price, reputation, availability, and service. An excellent way to do this is to go with on-line shopping. There are a lot of e-commerce and commercial websites on which these products are available. Any time of day or night from the comfort of your home you can browse the best prices, look for customer comments and research the company.

Written by Jared More For aj MOSS. To find out more about Waverly or Thomasville fabrics please visit http://www.ajmoss.com you can also call aj MOSS at 877-862-1270 and a member of our experienced staff can help you make the perfect selection today!

[tags]Bedroom, decorating, home, improvement, tips, interior, bedding, do it yourself, ideas, ensembles[/tags]

Cucumbers are easy to grow in a home garden except for one problem. They are especially susceptible to one disease. Perhaps you’ve seen it in your own garden. You have planted a row of seeds and they have sprouted nicely and have grown into long vines that have spread out over the garden and turned themselves into a big cucumber patch. You are beginning to anticipate having a bountiful harvest of cucumbers for salads and maybe even pickles. But then one evening when you are walking through the garden you notice that one cucumber plant has wilted. Your first thought is that maybe one of the kids, or maybe even the dog, might have been running through the garden and maybe they broke the plant off at the base of the stem. So you get down on your knees and check things out. Nope. The stem is intact. Then you think that maybe the plant needs water, but if that is so then why aren’t all the other cucumber plants surrounding it wilted too? Then you notice a few little striped or spotted bugs flying around, especially near the blossoms of the plant, and then you realize what has happened. All those little bugs are cucumber beetles. They have infected your cucumber plants with a disease called cucumber wilt.

What can you do to control it?

Cucumber wilt is a bacterial disease that is carried by the cucumber beetle. If you find an infected plant in your garden the best thing to do is just to pull it out of the ground and burn it. At this stage, after one plant has wilted, the cucumber beetles have no doubt had a chance to spread through all the other plants in your garden. If you have a really healthy garden you might still be safe because many of your plants could be strong enough to resist the disease and still produce a crop. If this seems to be the case, then the easiest thing to do is just to do nothing. But if your garden is the least bit stressed or out of balance and you can see cucumber beetles zooming around everywhere then the wilt will probably spread and kill almost all the cucumber plants. The next thing you can do is to try to kill as many of the cucumber beetles as possible. Insecticides containing rotenone or pyrethrins are probably the easiest and safest solution and they do work, but it will still be a continuing battle to save the rest of your plants long enough to get a harvest.

Planning ahead and use floating row covers.

There is a simple way to raise cucumbers without having to worry about cucumber beetles and cucumber wilt.

Just put a barrier over your plants so that the beetles will never have a chance to touch them. The easiest way to do this is to use floating row covers. Floating row covers are big sheets of spun-bonded polypropylene fabric that are light enough and thin enough to lay over the plants. Enough light and rain can pass through the fabric so the cucumber plants can grow until they are ready to blossom without ever being molested by a cucumber beetle or by being sprayed with and insecticide. When the blossoms appear, just remove the cover so that pollination can take place. If there are any cucumber beetles around when you remove the cover it will probably take them some time to find the plants and then some more time to do any real damage. By then you will be picking cucumbers.

Tips for using floating row covers.

You should put the row covers on the same day you plant your cucumber seeds. Don’t let the seeds sprout uncovered because the beetles might find the tiny seedlings then and all will be lost. You should also place the covers so that they have room to puff up after the plants start to grow under them. Don’t put them on tight. Make sure to seal the edges completely with dirt all the way around. This is the only way. Don’t use rocks or garden staples because these things still leave openings where a bug can crawl through.

Copyright 2006, Terry Cunning

Terry Cunning is a gardener from Pennsylvania. For more information about organic gardening please visit his website at http://www.gardening.organiccavalcade.com/

[tags]organic gardening, floating row covers, cucumber wilt, garden diseases, insect control,[/tags]

Bathroom shower stalls come in all kinds of stylish designs to suit bathrooms of all sizes and themes. If you’re thinking of revamping your bathroom, installing a shower stall could be a great way to give the whole room a sleek and modern new image, whilst at the same time offering a practical function. With the busy lifestyles we all lead these days, taking a quick shower rather than waiting for the bathtub to fill is a popular option. Even in smaller bathrooms it’s often possible to find the space for a corner shower stall.

Modern shower stalls are made from attractive and durable materials, such as fiberglass, acrylic or tempered glass. Not only does a shower stall look great and bring a touch of luxury to a bathroom, it’s designed to provide many years of use. Shower stalls are made to be low maintenance and easy to clean. If you have a particular look in mind you might want to look into getting a custom made stall. For instance, you could choose between clear, colored, molded or etched glass, depending on what would fit in best with your bathroom’s new look.

When looking at shower stalls, think about the layout of your bathroom and take accurate measurements to help you choose the best design. Consider whether you want to fit a curtain or a door across the entrance. Fabric shower curtains are inexpensive to buy and are a good way to add a splash of color to your d

Curtains are one of the most important accessories for a home theater and work in the same way as for windows. They add that beautiful look to the room and also hide the screen. They are ideal when the room is being used for some other purpose and the screen cannot be moved out. Besides, curtains also give the feel of a real theater. The curtains can be classified as blackout lined curtains and unlined curtains. They are available in many different sizes: 28 inch, 48 inch, 68 inch, 88 inch, 108 inch, 128 inch, 148 inch, 168 inch, and 188 inch. They can also be classified in the way they open or the way they are drawn, like center opening, two-way draw and one-way draw.

Home theater curtains are available in an extensive range of colors to match the d