Green Alternatives for Unclogging Drains

A reader at green-home blog Re-Nest asked the community for some green alternatives to the drain-cleaning chemicals found in Drano. The chemicals tend to work pretty well, but for good reason, some people prefer a gentler, safer or more natural approach. The questioner claims to have tried a common earth-friendly approach -- baking soda and vinegar -- to no avail, but many commenters said that combo, along with some boiling-hot water mixed in » READ MORE

November 04, 2009

1 comment  |  215 views

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What would you do?

DH and I are contemplating decorating the house. The problems are: too much stuff (I'm working on that one) but especially books & photo stuff. The fact that we both find pieces we love and buy them, whether we have any idea where it will go and/or fit into any decorating scheme. And finally, there's a conflict of styles.

The house is a log home, finished on the inside to look like vertical paneling. DH prefers mid-century modern/playing with spa » READ MORE

November 04, 2009

4 comments  |  101 views

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Let the Holiday Posts Begin!

Friends, it is November 2nd, Halloween is over, and it's time to begin the wintertide holiday festivities.

Half of you reading this will say, "Duh, Chris, my tree's/menorah's been up for weeks, and my shopping was done months ago, and Bing's on the old hi-fi right now!" And the other half will say, "Are you kidding me?! Just because the corporations say its time to start selling doesn't mean it's December already...Quit being a slave to commerci » READ MORE

November 02, 2009

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Eco Friendly Aromatherapy Laundry Soap

Once you've bypassed the fragrances and concentrated sudsing, what's left to show for it? You have clean clothes, but no good smellum. Instead of dumping in your own essential oils, which was my first thought,  better order some eco friendly aromatherapy laundry soap from Etsy's LotusSoap. For a mere $3.50, you can try a sample pack of just about any fragrance you can imagi » READ MORE

November 02, 2009

0 comments  |  64 views

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Basics of feng shui

At MLuxe, we're all about helping you find ways to make your life at home more enjoyable. For many folks around the world, the ancient art and science of feng shui (pronounced "fung-shway") is a great way to bring about more happiness and enjoyment.

But what is it? How does it work? What can you do about it? To get some answers, we asked Rodika Tchi, a feng shui consultant and the About.com Guide to feng shui. Here's what she had to say, and be s » READ MORE

October 27, 2009

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The Space of Our Desire – A Story of Smaller and Simpler Living

The Space of our Desire is a compelling story by Kurt Cunningham about smaller and simpler living.

The story was featured in the Fall 2009 print version of The Daily Iowan magazine, Off Deadline and appeared in the online edition with the title Tiny Space, big dreams.

I think you'll all enjoy the interior shots available in the online article.

Read More...

October 27, 2009

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Somewhere to hang memories and Jewelry

This summer I redid this old chair and had to decided if i would through out the top or try to recycle it. I decided to use it and made a  pin up board for my best friend. I got the material for 2$ and the ribbon for 1$. The buttons were from an old shirt of mine.  I got to work and an hour later I had this gorgeous board...I have to make one for myself now!

Yannick.

Before and tools...

The making of....

Final product...I do not have a » READ MORE

October 25, 2009

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24 Halloween Crafts in 24 Hours

I recently completed 24 Halloween crafts in 24 Hours on my blog.  It took a while for me to complete all these projects, but it was a lot of fun!  I compiled them below for your viewing!

Hour 1 - Green Slime Lantern



Hour 2 - Easy Halloween Ribbon/Button Bracelet



Hour 3 - Spooktastic Halloween Pennants



Hour 4 – Simple Halloween Button Earrings



Hour 5 – Decopauged Halloween Tissue Ornaments



Hour 6 – Deviled Egg Halloween Costume



Hour 7 – » READ MORE

October 24, 2009

1 comment  |  235 views

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DIY Thanksgiving: 15 Early House Prep Tips

Don't get caught like this--table centerpiece is ready and the wall is still being painted--Yikes!

We're not even to Halloween and, from past experience, it's time get my Thanksgiving (House Projects) To Do list in order. Every year I'm caught at the last minute trying to spruce up the joint and make the most outstanding tablescapes (in the words of Sandra Lee) the world has ever seen.

We're five weeks out. There's plenty of time, if well planned, to whip the house into an entertaining mecca that will meet even your highest expectations. » READ MORE

October 20, 2009

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Vacation Houseplant Care

We all enjoy vacations, but it is important to remember to make plans for our houseplants for the time that we are away so that we can return home to healthy plants rather than a heartache. Here are a few tips that you may find effective.

If you don't plan to be away too long, you can help conserve moisture by placing the plants in a location out of the direct sun. This will slow down the growth of the plants and reduce the amount of water they » READ MORE

October 13, 2009

0 comments  |  62 views

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