I was sitting outside this morning under the patio umbrella and one thing led to another. You know how that happens…before I knew it I was contemplating new outdoor cushions for our patio furniture. Not that we really need new cushions…but something tells me that the ones I have are not mildew resistant…and that bothers me a bit. If I could find a good deal on a new set of mildew-resistant cushions I think I’d cave in and get a new set this summer.

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My husband and teenage son both enjoy lifting weights. Due to space limitations inside, we have decided to make them a gym area outside in the garage. Believe it or not, they have managed to make themselves a decent work-out area…even though it is a garage.

The one thing we are still lacking out there, though is proper garage flooring for their purposes. I would like to place something with a little give in it over the cement floor…but I don’t know if this is possible.

For the time being, however, everyone is happy though. They have a great place to huff and puff and we don’t have to trip over barbells and dumbbells!

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I was just looking at my side porch the other day and wondering if I want to spruce it up a little bit this winter. I have a wicker furniture set out there, a piece of carpeting on the wood floor, some Americana decor here and there on the walls and on the tables, and all-in-all it is a very nice and attractive summer room. The only thing I was thinking it could use was perhaps some outdoor curtains. Shopping for this kind of thing online is an easy thing to do at shop.com.

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I recently decided to do a deep clean of my china hutch. What an adventure that turned out to be! Emptying it of its contents was a trip down memory lane that I thoroughly enjoyed. Finding old china “friends” that I had long forgotten was a special treat that I would recommend. Not only is my hutch sparkling now, but I have reacquainted myself with old treasures that I will make a point to use soon.

I reorganized it as well and rotated the things that had held prominent display positions to the back and brought other things to the front for their chance in the spotlight.

In this process, I decided to part with a few things. I found one or two things that I decided to give away…always a good thing to do!

So, after completely emptying the hutch, I wiped down the entire inside well. I used a glass cleaner on the glass shelves and doors and made sure the entire inside of the hutch was sparkling. I gave the crocheted doilies a good shake and replaced them on the shelves.

Then came the task of washing all of the contents to remove dust. This was an excellent opportunity to assess each piece and make sure I wanted it to be in the hutch and decide where I wanted it to go. I made piles of pieces that would go back in and decided to part with a few things (not as heartbreaking as I thought it would be!).

I took my time putting the pieces away, making sure that everything had a perfect spot and that each piece was perfectly organized in an ideal place in the hutch.

The finished result? It sparkles and looks like a whole new china hutch. I also have reminded myself about what treasures I possess in my hutch and will be using one or two pieces very soon. The time I spent going through the contents of my hutch was a stroll down memory lane, which I recommend to anyone who has a china hutch. A very enjoyable project with beautiful results!

Technorati Tags: china hutch

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Wicker furniture on a porch or on a deck is a lovely choice in furnishings. Keeping those textured nooks and crannies clean can be a challenge, though.

Vacuum your wicker regularly to control dust and dirt. You could also maintain it with a feather duster if desired. Wipe the furniture occasionally with a damp cloth. It’s important not to saturate the wicker, though, because it could sag out of shape.

Outdoor wicker may present you with more stubborn dirt. If this is the case, you may have to spray the furniture with a hose. Wipe off excess water and let the wicker dry for 24 to 48 hours out of the sun. Do not spray antique wicker with a hose, however! Also be aware that resorting to spraying your wicker with a hose may result in peeling paint issues in the future. Attempt this cleaning technique with caution.

Don’t sit on wet wicker because this could cause it to stretch out of shape.

Some wicker is made from resin and is weatherproof. If this is your wicker, feel free to saturate it to your heart’s content.

If your wicker is cracking this is generally caused by excessive dryness. Apply boiled linseed oil with a brush, to all the nooks and crannies. Reapply the linseed oil until the wicker stays shiny. Wipe off the excess oil with paper towels and let the wicker dry for at least 24 hours before doing anything else to the wicker.

If you have wicker that is uneven or curling, you may be able to repair this. Saturate the reeds so they will move and then bend into position. Cover the area with wet rags for 60 minutes. Wrap the loose ends, glue them into position, and hole them there until the glue dries.

If the paint on your wicker furniture needs help, it’s quite easy to do. Sand loose paint off and then apply a primer paint to bare wicker. Use an oil-based indoor/outdoor paint for the topcoat. Using a spray paint is the easiest way to paint wicker. Apply several thin coats.

With a little care and maintenance wicker furniture should last and stay nice looking for many years.

Technorati Tags: wicker, wicker furniture

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