MyFurnitureOK.com

There are many people who prefer to give their home’s interior a classic look. Others wish to use window coverings that will not interfere with the interior design of their homes while making sure that the quality is never a concern. If you are either type of person, then custom blinds designed in a classical look may just be the answer you have been seeking.

With customized blinds for your windows, the look you want may be reached without having to compromise your vision. While many of these blinds are often seen in variations of white, you can actually have most any color you wish for your blinds when they are customized. What’s more, you can even have them constructed of wood and stained to match the interior of your home. The quality, of course, is also as high as with any set of blinds you would buy off the shelf so there is no worry for you on that front.

When making your decision about the construction of customized blinds, consider the function as well as the look. For instance, you will want to think about the lighting of the room. How much of it is intended to come from the sun as opposed to artificial light sources? Additionally, think about how much the window will be used for ventilation purposes.

Finally, you may want to consider and address any safety concerns you have with young children in your home. The strings that accompany custom blinds can pose a serious health hazard to small children, because they can cause a child to strangle by getting caught up in them. No matter what you need, though, the beauty of going custom with your classic look blinds is that you can get what you need.

If you are positive that you want a classic look with your window coverings, but still enjoy many contemporary concepts, then simply make those requests with your customized blinds. Remote controlled, switch activated, and holders can all be added to any customized set of classical blinds. You can even combine a classic looking set of blinds and use contemporary color schemes and patters to give your customized blinds the modern look while staying true to the classic feel. Again, the best part about getting your blinds custom made is that you can control everything about the resulting product.

If you have a vision for the window coverings in your home that includes classic looking blinds, but do not want to compromise any part of your vision, then think about custom ordering. Customized classical blinds will offer you the quality you want and the look you envision so that every room of your home can be your dream room.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as classic blinds at http://www.windowblindsandshadesonline.com

[tags]home accessories, curtains, blinds, window treatments[/tags]

Price : $79.99

Features

• Crafted from 100% pine - Unfinished - Some assembly required.
• Great for scrapbooking or other hobbies!
• Perfect for organizing home or office.
• 8 generously sized Drawers and included casters for extra flexibility
• Unit size: 20"W x 13 5/8"D x 40 3/4"H

Product Description

Handy, multi-purpose cart provides endless storage possibilities. Organize your office paperwork and supplies, children’s games or drawings, small toys, projects or hobbies. The perfect companion for the artist, hobbyist or scrap booker! Six generous drawers can store any number of art supplies or scrap booking paper. Easy-roll casters adds to the flexibility of this cart.

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-07-26
When I bought this cart, it did not say unfinished in the title. Apparently, my e-mail changed their deceptive advertising. First of all, the company does not stand behind their product. Our product came with a broken board. Well, this product came while we were on vacation and after the shock of finding out that it was unfinished and trying to figure out how to finish it, we did not inspect everything for a couple of weeks. The company only gives you 24 hours to inspect the product and let them know if anything is broken. However, they don’t tell you this in any of the packaging. So, if we want to get a replacement board, we have to pay to have it shipped to us. I have never met a business that has a 24 hour return policy. Most businesses have a 30 day return policy. Secondly, this product is not quality furniture. Besides the broken board, most of the pieces have gouges and knicks all over it. The wood on the drawers where you have to connect things is so thin that, even being extra careful, three drawers broke as we were trying to connect them. So, we basically have a broken, glued together, useless piece of junk that is an eyesore. This is not worth the 114 dollars plus the 80 bucks in paint and painting supplies it took to finish this eyesore. The company also was very curt in their e-mails and have done nothing to provide recompense for this piece of junk. The only thing that has changed is the advertising of the product, which is good for other people, but not us. I regret the day I bought this product. There are much better cabinets out there that might cost more money, but they are probably better quality and finished when you receive them.

Do you like what you have but dont like your room? Heres the solution: pull your rooms together so they look finished and professionally decorated by following these techniques to add the wow to your rooms! (Ive used them in hundreds of homes!).

1. Paint the walls and ceiling a rich, warm neutral color or one of the colors in your rooms fabrics. Your furnishings will immediately look more at home. I call it marrying your architecture to your furnishings.

2. Next, move your seating away from the walls and group it around a fireplace, a view window or any logical focal point.

3. Now, add a generous area rug to accent and unify your entire seating area.

4. Fill any empty looking corners with large plants and soft up-lights. Add a decorative, folding screen for a fuller look.

5. Place your lamps to evenly and softly light your seating area. Use additional lighting to accent your artwork, collections and accessories.

6. Create a focal point on the coffee table by elevating one of your favorite accessories on a stack of several books (sans covers). This will give your treasure more presence. Then add a low, full green plant or a blooming orchid and a couple of large, glowing candles. If you like a fuller look, use a decorative tray or runner underneath.

7. Lastly, be sure to decorate the top half of your room (from the furniture up), with tall plants, window treatments, artwork and that wall color. The room will feel considerably larger, more interesting and most importantly finished!

These few changes will make all the difference so you can start enjoying living in a beautiful home!

Mary L. Brown of One Day Design is an interior re-designer who specializes in quickly transforming rooms using the furniture, accessories, and artwork people already have to give them a professionally decorated look! She’s been featured on FOXTV, NBC and HGTV. Download Marys FREE Top 10 Decorating Mistakes (and How to Avoid or Fix Them!) and sign up for her FREE decorating eNewsletter at http://www/OneDayDesign.com

More articles at database for articles

When planning your patch of brambles (as these fruits are known), pay special attention to air circulation and soil drainage. Taking weed-control precautions before you plant is also important because most brambles sport hooked thorns that make weeding the mature plants difficult and shallow roots that hoes easily damage. Raised beds work well with brambles. Allow at least 8 feet between rows of plants. Don’t plant where other brambles or potatoes, tomatoes, or eggplant have grown in recent years due to the risk of Verticillium root disease infection. It’s also best to eliminate nearby wild brambles, if possible, because they often spread disease.

Brambles range in growth habit from upright to sprawling - some stand up on their own, but most need trellis supports to keep the fruiting canes off the ground. A typical arrangement consists of a T-shaped post and crosspiece at either end of the row with taut wires or heavy twine running between them down the length of the row. Trailing varieties of blackberry can also be ties to wire fence or other flat support.

Shoots called canes grow from either the roots or crown of the plant. Brambles are biennial, which means that plants flower on second-year canes, which subsequently die. Canes are called primocanes the first year they sprout and floricanes in their second year. Floricanes die after fruiting and should be pruned out. Most raspberries and blackberries produce fruit only on the floricanes, but some raspberry varieties, often referred to as everbearing, also produce on primocanes in the fall.

Depending your personal preference and climate, you can choose from several bramble types and many different varieties for your garden.

Red raspberries: This delicate fruit grows best in cool climates where plants will receive the 800 to 1800 hours of chilling they need to produce fruit. Most varieties bear one crop per year, but others produce two. Summer-bearing varieties produce fruit on floricanes in the summer, everbearing types fruit in the summer on floricanes and again in the fall on primocanes. Although most raspberries produce red fruit, some have yellow or purple fruit.

Black raspberries, black caps: The fruits of this plant have a rich flavor and lack the core that characterizes blackberries. Plants grow new primocanes from the crown instead of the roots and thus are easier to contain within a row because they don’t grow shoots several feet from the mother plant as red raspberries do. Plant 3 feet apart in raised beds.

Blackberries: Preferring hot southern summers, blackberries grow in the lower latitudes, though there are varieties adapted to cooler climates. Blackberries fall into two main categories - bush or upright types and trailing. The trailing varieties make less appealing plants for most home gardeners because they require more trellising and maintenance, have more thorns than the uprights and are less cold hardy. Thornless blackberries are now available, under the names ‘Arapaho’, ‘Black Satin’, ‘Chester’, ‘Navaho’, ‘Hull’ and ‘Triple Crown’.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Gardening

[tags]gardening[/tags]

Price : $17.96

Features

• Weeding tool for efficient, effective weed removal
• Stand-up weeder: pulls weeds by roots quickly and easily
• Durable steel construction and rustproof finishes for long-lasting wear
• Long-handled, patented design allows use from standing position; includes bag clip
• Limited lifetime warranty

Amazon.com Product Description

The Hound Dog Products Weed Hound stand-up weeder pulls weeds by their roots quickly and easily! It requires no bending and no chemicals, making weeding easier both on you and on your garden. The weeder can also be used to aerate soil for a healthier lawn. Like all Hound Dog Products tools, the Weed Hound features durable steel construction and rust-proof finishes for long-lasting wear; its comfortable grips and upright design make gardening easier on your hands, knees, and back. It comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-07-09
I borrowed one of these from a friend to pull the dandelions from my yard and I loved how effective it was. I had to buy one of my own. I’ve pulled weeds with roots up to a foot long - and I didn’t have to worry about using poisins near my gardens. It does leave a hole but you can fill it very easily.

Review date : 2008-06-24
Was fairly disappointed in this product’s performance. Have to place it Just Right and soil needs to be Just So - otherwise wind up yanking away at branches of weed and not the weed itself.

Review date : 2008-06-04
I’m a novice gardener and have become the steward of a sadly overgrown garden. I bought this blindly after having spent a day kneeling and ripping up weeds by hand. I lucked out! What a great product. It’s solidly constructed and has some real heft to it. I did have some issues getting used to how it worked at first. After a while, I got the rhythm and had a blast destroying unsuspecting dandelions and milkweed. I sure hope the neighbors didn’t hear me as I laughed maniacally at the death of those weedy invaders!

Why knock off a star? I did find that a little twisting motion applied as I pulled up slowly helped to get the entire root system. I also noted that sometimes the hound got a little greedy at times and pulled up a lot of soil. I just knocked it off and pushed it back into the divot. And finally, the metal sometimes gets a little stuck and tough to release if I get a little to carried away with weed assassination. I really had to whack it to get it to work again- but keeping that in mind prevented further issues. I also bet I could squirt a little WD40 in there to get it moving again.

All in all- absolutely worth the money!

Review date : 2008-05-30
I think that this works great. I love it and have not put down any bad chems to get rid of weeds.

Review date : 2008-05-08
The design concept is good but this tool needs some reconfiguration before it’s truly effective.

1. The pulling tines should be a bit longer. (They aren’t long enough to grab on and pull up the whole dandelion root, even in wet soil.)

2. The diameter of the base of the tines (where they are mounted) needs to be about 1/4 inch more. (Would give a better chance of grabbing onto the root as the exact center of a dandelion is sometimes hard to eyeball.)

3. Shaft of tool needs to be about 3 inches longer. (So the tool-user doesn’t have to bend over so much to use this thing.)

If your bedroom or bathroom faces the street or a nearby neighbor, issues of privacy and light control, plays a very important part in addressing your wellbeing and piece of mine. There are a couple of window treatments available to choose from such as lined panels, operative shutters, or light-controlling blinds. Either one of these window treatments will secure your privacy from unwanted eyes while taking a shower or changed your clothing.

Keeping light out of the bedroom is as important as letting it in or controlling its
levels. Blinds do not offer as much noise control as heavy fabric shades and provide
privacy only when they are completely closed. Heavy draperies are seldom
appropriate for the scale and style of bedrooms, so use a combination of light
draperies, shades, or blinds. Check the fabric to determine how much privacy and
light control it offers.

Natural light is optimal light. To achieve good natural light control during the day,
hang a flexible window treatment that provides privacy but let in maximum daylight.
The best investment is a set of plantation shutters or high-quality blinds. If blinds
blades don’t fit tightly and are turned downwards, upstairs neighbors may be able
to see through them. The same goes for blades turned upward, downstairs
neighbors may be able to peer in.

A blind with standard white plastic or metal blades is always a good choice, while
shiny; chrome blades express a sleek, chic style. Both are waterproof and easily
cleaned with a dust cloth or a brush designed for blind blades. Another option is to
install a classic white roller shade; it disappears behind a valance when rolled up to
let in the light. Bedrooms and bathrooms should be restful, but they don’t have to
be dull or dated. Give your sleepy abode a wakeup call with lively window treatment.

About The Author:

Roger King has been involved in window treatments for several years, and has been
helping people find and review the best value for window treatment solutions. Visit his
web site =>http://www.all-windowtreatmentideas.com to learn more about this service.

[tags]privacy control[/tags]

Do you like what you have but dont like your room? Heres the solution: pull your rooms together so they look finished and professionally decorated by following these techniques to add the wow to your rooms! (Ive used them in hundreds of homes!).

1. Paint the walls and ceiling a rich, warm neutral color or one of the colors in your rooms fabrics. Your furnishings will immediately look more at home. I call it marrying your architecture to your furnishings.

2. Next, move your seating away from the walls and group it around a fireplace, a view window or any logical focal point.

3. Now, add a generous area rug to accent and unify your entire seating area.

4. Fill any empty looking corners with large plants and soft up-lights. Add a decorative, folding screen for a fuller look.

5. Place your lamps to evenly and softly light your seating area. Use additional lighting to accent your artwork, collections and accessories.

6. Create a focal point on the coffee table by elevating one of your favorite accessories on a stack of several books (sans covers). This will give your treasure more presence. Then add a low, full green plant or a blooming orchid and a couple of large, glowing candles. If you like a fuller look, use a decorative tray or runner underneath.

7. Lastly, be sure to decorate the top half of your room (from the furniture up), with tall plants, window treatments, artwork and that wall color. The room will feel considerably larger, more interesting and most importantly finished!

These few changes will make all the difference so you can start enjoying living in a beautiful home!

Mary L. Brown of One Day Design is an interior re-designer who specializes in quickly transforming rooms using the furniture, accessories, and artwork people already have to give them a professionally decorated look! She’s been featured on FOXTV, NBC and HGTV. Download Marys FREE Top 10 Decorating Mistakes (and How to Avoid or Fix Them!) and sign up for her FREE decorating eNewsletter at http://www/OneDayDesign.com

More articles at articles database

Price : $339.00

Features

• Classic Tongue and Groove, Solid Panel Arms
• Two Lounge Positions for Added Comfort
• Converts Easily from Full Size Couch to Bed
• Complete w/ a Quality 9" Cotton & Foam Futon
• Premium Southern Yellow Pine - Made in the USA - 7 Year Warranty

Product Description

Unfinished full size futon sofa-bed. It’s a sofa and a full-size bed PLUS our patented design allows for TWO lounge positions for added comfort in addition to the upright, seated position. Made of premium, southern yellow pine and comes unfinished so you can stain as you like to fit any decor or leave unfinished for the rustic look. Frame is rock solid, easy to assemble, easy to move and easy to convert from couch to bed and back again.With a Cape Cod appeal, the Everest is designed with a 3/4 thick tongue and groove panel style arm. Complete with a premium 9 cotton/fibre-foam futon mattress in natural. Our futons use premium Fibre-Foam which has a higher resilency and a much longer life than most futons sold today. The 9 has two thick layers of Fibre-Foam with blended cotton above, below and in between each layer. This futon will provide exceptional comfort for many years and is highly recommended. (Futon cover not included)

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-01-28
This is a nice piece of funiture. It doesn’t say in the description but the cover doesn’t come with it. That wasn’t a problem with me though. One of the holes was drilled in the wrong place on a back slat, also not a problem for me might be for someone though. Very easy to put together and takes stain nice. Very comfey too.

Review date : 2007-09-05

Relatively easy to assemble. Very strong and sturdy yet attractive and very comfortable.
The folks selling this item were fantastic to deal with, very helpful, knowledgeable, not pushy and definetly FAST in delivery.
I highly recommend these folks.

Gardening has a certain amount of rules, but with pruning there are even more rules and it’s this complexity that gets new gardeners running for cover. Most gardening books give you all the rules at once, and, if you are anything like me, you end up with overload and gardening indigestion!

Therefore I plan to divide up the subject of pruning into small bite size pieces, covering the most basic pruning information you will need - and in this way, make it more digestible for you! And the first question is:

What Tools do we Need?

There are three basic pruning tools a beginner gardener needs:

- secateurs - these vary in price, so buy the one you feel you can afford and that feels comfortable in your hands
- loppers - secateurs on long arms, the longer the arms and the heavier the loppers, the more effective they are. Try them out before buying as if they are too heavy, you won’t use them!
- saws - a curved pruning saw is invaluable in cutting small branches or stems too large for secateurs

Whatever you use, an important point to remember is to keep your tools clean and sharp: clean, so that you don’t pass diseases from one plant to another, and sharp, so that you don’t tear and damage the plant you are pruning. Additionally, the sharper you keep your tools, the easier and quicker it is to prune your plants.

Why do we Prune our Plants?

Apart from the human need to be neat and tidy, and to keep our plants a manageable size, there are good reasons for pruning.

- to cut out dead or diseased wood from trees and shrubs
- to cut back branches that have become tangled or crossed over to prevent damage
- and to promote new and strong growth

And now for the big questions: what, when and how to prune?

What Plants need Pruning?

There really are a lot of plants that do not need pruning, but if you have trees, shrubs, roses or clematis, then these are the most likely candidates for pruning on an annual basis. This will be covered in more detail in Part II.

When is the Best Time to Prune?

This is where a lot of gardeners become confused, especially with flowering shrubs. It’s useful to remember the rhyme: “If it flowers before June, do not prune”.

The reason for this is that if you prune a spring-flowering shrub in winter or early spring, you cut off all the flowering stems, which have put on growth during the previous year, so you wait and prune immediately after flowering.

If the plant flowers later in the year - late summer or early autumn - then prune in late winter or early spring as new growth starts, as the plant has the spring and summer to put on the growth needed for flowering.

How do we Prune our Plants?

The one important rule to learn here is that when you cut back a stem or branch, always cut back to just above - about 5mm (a quarter inch) - a leaf joint or bud. This is where the new stem will grow from. If you make the cut too high above the bud, the stem will suffer “die-back” - a self-explanatory term - and apart from looking unsightly, may affect and kill the shoot that you want to grow. Make the cut at a slight slope away from the bud to help prevent rainwater draining into the new growth. If there are a pair of buds, immediately opposite each other on the stem, then just cut straight across.

These are the very basic general principles of pruning, but in the next article I will move on to more specific guidelines for dealing with the more common plants and their pruning needs.

Fran Barnwell is a self-taught gardener, learning through experience in her own garden. Fran understands the difficulties that face new gardeners, and has written The Ultimate Guide to Gardening for Beginners, a successful eBook that helps anyone new to gardening to get started, explaining the basics in easy to understand terms. To find out more and to sign up to receive a free series of articles, go to http://www.NewToGardening.com.

[tags]gardening, new gardeners, plants, shrubs, pruning, secateurs,[/tags]

Price : $149.95

Features

• High-velocity jets (6-inch head) steam wrinkles out of garments, drapes
• Fast, easy alternative to ironing; rolls on sturdy casters
• 1300 watts; heats up in one minute; removable 5-foot hose
• Rod hangs garments above steamer
• Removable tank holds water for 75 minutes steaming time

Product Description

Jiffy J-2000 clothes steamer, 1300 watts, with plastic steam head. Similar to the J-2 model, but with updated design and ergonomics Quick 2-minute heat-up time, high-impact polymer outer housing, 1300 watt heating element die cast in solid brass, 50/60 Hertz electrical system, low profile, easy-to-handle water reservoir, new no spill check valve cap for easy filling, over 1.5 hours of steam per filling, color-coded high temperature wiring, fusible link with automatic shut-off for safety, 360 degree swivel casters for mobility, assembly wrench included. Made in the USA.

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-07-26
This is a super steamer that does the job quickly. My problem is I am tall and I need the clothes to hang higher than this will allow. Any solution?

SS

Review date : 2008-07-15
I’m not sure if the steamer works well because this is my first one. I might not even be any good at steaming because I can’t seem to make my clothes look smooth and I keep burning my fingers. The unit, although easy to put together is a monster in the closet. It takes up most of the space in there. The rod doesn’t seem to hold the hanger all that well and I feel like I’m chasing my clothes all around it while burning not only my finger, but also my legs because of the super stiff hot hose. I only wish I hadn’t thrown out the original box, because I can’t return it now.

Review date : 2008-07-14
I’m a steamer fan, and this one works quickly and well. My only complaint is that it’s so tall. I’ve had steamers in the past where the pole telescoped down to a more inconspicuous height. That said, this one is ready to go very quickly and emits the appropriate amount of steam, making for speedy and effective use.

Review date : 2008-07-09
This J-2000 is a very solid, appliance. I was very impressed at the quality of the materials when I unpacked the unit. Solid case, thick hose and very nice Aluminum hang bar. It works great. AGAIN, this is not an iron so do not compare it to an iron. It steams great and works almost like an iron. We looked at a lot of different makes and models and they were all pretty cheap. Looked at the reviews here on Amazon and decided to give it a shot. We are very pleased, and even more so since it is actually made here in the good old USA!!! Another great reason to buy (I do not work for Jiffy, I promise).

Review date : 2008-07-04
This machine puts out a lot of steam. I gave it four stars because the hanger pole is a little too short. (and I’m not a tall person) Other than that, it is very good. However, I have gone back to my iron for pants and cotton shirts. The iron does a better job faster. I also use a fine-mist water bottle for all of my not so permanent press items. I just place them on a hanger, mist, and let them dry. It is fast, easy, cheap and much cooler. I’ll probably keep my steamer to use when removing wallpaper.