About House & Home: Gardening Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

House & Home In the Spotlight | More Topics |   from Diane Schmidt I've had my garden planted for quite a few weeks now and everything seems to be doing well, except for my cucumbers. I couldn't figure out why they weren't growing until I spotted our orange tabby cat sitting between the rows, systematically biting off the tops of the plants, chewing frantically, then spitting out the stem. My mistake? Forgetting to keep the sprinkler turned on.   In the Spotlight 10 Common Mistakes in Container Gardening One summer, when I lived in a small apartment, I went a little container gardening crazy. But because I used so many containers the balcony started to sag until finally the neighbors below called the fire department worried that they'd become trapped. Of course, having several rubber-clad men descend on my balcony sounds like a girl's dream come true, but it only made matters worse.              More Topics Summertime Essential Oil Blends Candle & Soap Making Your First Knitting Project Knitting How to Remove Perspiration Stains Laundry Vintage Patriotic Postcards Antiques 7 Rules of Building Room Additions Home Renovations Backyard Home Theater Home Theater Enter Our Cutest Cat Contest Cats 10 Most Common Herb Garden Mistakes Okay, so you don't think you could mess up herbs? Think again. I have a basil plant that is just a shadow of its former self. It's because I can't seem to stop making pesto. Either that or the plant has succumbed to our orange tabby's destructive habits.   Re-engineering - Give Your Garden a Makeover This article isn't necessarily about the mistakes we might make as gardeners, rather it provides some great advice on how to give your garden a makeover. And for those of you starting out, check out the suggestions offered; you'll see your green space in a whole new way.     Sponsored Links   Cats Photo Quiz Boy Cat or Girl -- Can You Figure it Out? Think you can tell a boy cat from a girl cat just by looking at a photo? It may not be as easy as you think: even gender-based color patterns can be misleading. Click here to take the quiz. House & Home Ads Online Magazine Site House for Rent E Magazine House Plan Digital Magazine Advertisement     Visit Related About GuideSites: Antiques Apartment Living/Rental Architecture Entertaining Home Buying/Selling Home Repair Interior Decorating Landscaping   Search About      Sign up for more free newsletters on favorite topics. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About House & Home newsletter as batman8672@GMAIL.COM. If you wish to change or remove your email address, please visit: http://www.about.com/nl/usgs.htm?nl=househomesl&e=batman8672@GMAIL.COM About respects your privacy. Our Privacy Policy. Our Contact Information. 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2008 About, Inc.

About House & Home: Keep Kids Entertained This Summer - On the Cheap

House & Home In the Spotlight | More Topics |   from Diane Schmidt Growing up, it seemed summer was the time when our parents actually made money instead of spending it. That's because we were a great source of cheap (read: free) labor, especially since we could pick more strawberries than we could eat, would babysit siblings for an extra hour of television privileges and always mowed the lawn in exchange for a ride to the local swimming pool. Ah, the good old days!   In the Spotlight How to Save Money at Amusement Parks Last summer we went to our local amusement park and while I'd calculated costs for admission and a little extra for some treats, I hadn't counted on the fact that amusement park lemonade quadruples in price as soon as it passes through the turnstile.              More Topics 25 Ways To Be a Cheaper Housekeeper Housekeeping Must Have Tools for Dad Garages & Storage Spaces June Antique Shows Antiques Build a Movable Chicken Coop Small Farms How to Choose a Riding Mower Lawn Care Plan a Graduation Party Entertaining Save Money on Auto Repair Auto Repair Camp at Home Under the Stars Some of my best memories growing up are of the nights my sister and I camped out in our backyard. There was something about seeing our yard and house from a different perspective that always gave me a little thrill. Of course, it helped that my parents were close by, as was the fridge and cookie cupboard, just in case our imaginations got the best of us.   How To Build a Sandbox Nothing says summer like sand and sun. So, if you live far from a beach, the next best thing is a sandbox in your own backyard.     Sponsored Links   Cats Photo Quiz Boy Cat or Girl -- Can You Figure it Out? Think you can tell a boy cat from a girl cat just by looking at a photo? It may not be as easy as you think: even gender-based color patterns can be misleading. Click here to take the quiz. House & Home Ads E Magazine Electronic Magazines House Magazine Divers Magazine Country Magazines Advertisement     Visit Related About GuideSites: Antiques Apartment Living/Rental Architecture Entertaining Home Buying/Selling Home Repair Interior Decorating Landscaping   Search About      Sign up for more free newsletters on favorite topics. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About House & Home newsletter as batman8672@GMAIL.COM. If you wish to change or remove your email address, please visit: http://www.about.com/nl/usgs.htm?nl=househomesl&e=batman8672@GMAIL.COM About respects your privacy. Our Privacy Policy. Our Contact Information. 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2008 About, Inc.

About House & Home: Father's Day Gifts for Any Budget

House & Home In the Spotlight | More Topics |   from Diane Schmidt I once asked my dad which Father's Day gift he remembers the most. Without hesitation, he told me it was a tie I'd made out of paper and an elastic. He said it was because of what I'd written on it, how he could see the determination in my thick crayon strokes; the use of the bright colors that I knew were his favorite. For years, I wondered why he kept it hanging from a corner of the dresser mirror. But now I know that it really is the thought that counts.   In the Spotlight Father's Day Gifts for Any Budget This old adage of the thought counting more than the money spent is so true, particularly these days when it's difficult to know just what the next year will bring and how financially secure we will be. This great article offers gifts for every budget - big or small.              More Topics Make Your Own Father's Day Card Family Crafts Top Summer Health Hazards for Pets Veterinary Medicine How To Grow A Garden On A Budget Herb Gardens What is New Urbanism? Architecture Graduation Gifts For The Graduate Electrical What is a Self-Help Eviction? Apartment Living / Rental Create a Harmonious Feng Shui Garden Feng Shui Free Father's Day Sketches Scrapbooking is a great way to celebrate Dad and to remind him what he means to you. And with these great free page sketches, anyone can create a wonderful display of love and affection.   Find the Right Gift for Father's Day I always find fathers the most difficult to shop for. Maybe it's because my dad would rather visit the dentist than step inside a shopping mall. It makes it difficult to know what might be the perfect gift that expresses everything you've been wanting to say.     Sponsored Links   Best Moves in a Bad Economy Save & Invest the Right Way Find out how to beat a bear market, make smart choices, and keep your cool even when the economy is unpredictable. House & Home Ads House Home Magazine Gardening Advice Father's Day Ideas Garden Plan Shade Garden Advertisement     Visit Related About GuideSites: Antiques Apartment Living/Rental Architecture Entertaining Home Buying/Selling Home Repair Interior Decorating Landscaping   Search About      Sign up for more free newsletters on favorite topics. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About House & Home newsletter as batman8672@GMAIL.COM. If you wish to change or remove your email address, please visit: http://www.about.com/nl/usgs.htm?nl=househomesl&e=batman8672@GMAIL.COM About respects your privacy. Our Privacy Policy. Our Contact Information. 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2008 About, Inc.

About House & Home: How to Make Your Home Shine

House & Home In the Spotlight | More Topics |   from Diane Schmidt I caught my husband using one of our cats to clean the living room floor. Okay, so he was really just playing with her and she happens to like being rolled along the wood surface, collecting dust in her static-filled fur. She just doesn't fit under the sofa where most of the dust collects.   In the Spotlight Top 10 Home Showing Tips If you're planning on selling your home, make sure you put its best features forward with these great home showing tips. And even if you're not selling, this article provides some great ways to make your home shine for your next party, family picnic or barbecue.              More Topics A Tale of Three Shelter Rats Exotic Pets Vegetable Container Garden Basics Container Gardening Sew Your Own Window Treatments Sewing Cheap Ways to Keep Cool Frugal Living Make Freezer Jam in 3 Easy Steps Housewares / Appliances Repair a Bare Patch of Lawn Lawn Care Top 10 Furniture Buying Mistakes Furniture 5 Easy Ways To Makeover Your Kitchen Our kitchen is sad. It's leftover from the 1970's, minus the gold fridge. It's time to update it, but I know it's going to take more than my budget allows. My sister told me to just go with the flow, add a few lava lamps, put up some ABBA posters and make my husband dress in a yellow banana suit.   Easy Tips for Good Energy Flow in Your Home Usually when I clean the house for a party or special event, I'm thinking of sparkling surfaces and getting rid of extra stuff by tossing it in the closet. But this article got me thinking about flow, about how my home feels, which really, when it comes down to it, is what we all want - to feel good in our space.     Sponsored Links   Best Moves in a Bad Economy Save & Invest the Right Way Find out how to beat a bear market, make smart choices, and keep your cool even when the economy is unpredictable. House & Home Ads Home Office Design Interior House Bedroom Makeover Shop Interior Design House Paint Ideas Advertisement     Visit Related About GuideSites: Antiques Apartment Living/Rental Architecture Entertaining Home Buying/Selling Home Repair Interior Decorating Landscaping   Search About      Sign up for more free newsletters on favorite topics. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About House & Home newsletter as batman8672@GMAIL.COM. If you wish to change or remove your email address, please visit: http://www.about.com/nl/usgs.htm?nl=househomesl&e=batman8672@GMAIL.COM About respects your privacy. Our Privacy Policy. Our Contact Information. 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2008 About, Inc.