A Garden for the Entire Family

A Garden for the Entire Family

You can have the most elaborated back yard from the entire neighborhood, but if it isn’t functional you have built it in vain. We all want to have beautiful and flourishing gardens, but when we have a family, we must also take into consideration the needs of the other members of it. Divide the space of your yard in two or three visual spaces, one for play and relaxation, one for gardening and maybe one for pets.

An open space, covered by lawn is ideal for your children. Here you can install a table for open air lunches or for a romantic summer evening dinner.

Do you have a fireplace? Keep a portion of your garden especially for depositing fire woods, but make sure it is at a considerable distance from the house or animals that can cause damage.

How about pets? You can build for these little members of your family special spaces, in which they can play and exercise. Before you plant bushes and ornamental plants, surround the pet space. Cats and dogs tend to be attracted exactly by the things we try to keep them away from.

Keep the by-passers’ eyes away from your personal life. Before planning the scenery, you must have in sight a place for the garbage cans. It wouldn’t be very nice to have a wonderful garden right next to the garbage cans. These can be efficiently hidden in some kind of surrounded space, decorated on the sides with life fence.

Functionality is an important factor in your garden, so you have to think about children, little pets and family assets before you plant anything. Save a portion of the yard especially for you, in which you can plant whatever you want and leave for the others some space to breathe freely.

You will find it more satisfying this way, once the whole family is happy with your garden and they might even bring their personal ideas for it. It is important that personal space is respected and that is why the garden must not be very wide, taking up all available space. Build from time to time a pathway or some benches where you can just relax and admire your work.

Tag: gardening

You Can Use Your Pottery Collection

Great Uses for Your Pottery Collection

If you are just starting to collect pottery here's a little secret that avid collectors know all too well: pottery is infinitely useful and extremely versatile. What this means is that most pottery has multiple functionality. Just make sure that there aren't certain restrictions on the pieces you purchase. Normally, pottery dealers will let you know the necessary care instructions and precautions that should be taken when you make the purchase.

You will find that most pottery is dishwasher and microwave safe (depending on the glazing method-Raku pottery is not), food safe (again this depends largely on the glazing method and any paints that may have been used), safe for use in the oven, and able to hold liquid. So, you have a lot of options with most pottery pieces that go well beyond the uses for which the specific piece may have been designed to carry out.

• Storage. Vases and other vessels are great for holding things. They are by no means limited to flowers or fruit. Small pottery pieces are great for holding perfumes, particularly those with stoppers, or oils, and countless other small treasures you have lying around. Larger pieces of pottery are perfect for storing large amounts of food. And various medium sized pieces make excellent canisters in the kitchen for storing so many different things.


• Display. Of course there are many pottery pieces that you will want to showcase and display but did you realize that pottery could also be used to display other items you want to show off in your home. For example, use a pottery spoon rest in the bathroom as a soap dish. It's great for displaying special hand soaps in the bathroom and will add a little splash of color to the bathroom counter top.


• Cooking. You may not know that pottery can withstand fairly high temperatures with grace and style. Therefore, it's an excellent choice for cooking. Use pottery in the microwave and the oven, though never on the stove top for preparing and serving all kinds of dishes. If you are wary about using these beautiful pieces for cooking, they can make excellent choices for serving food.


• Dining. Stoneware is a very popular style of casual dinnerware these days and with good reason. Not only is it a beautiful addition to any table but it is also quite versatile. You may also find mugs, plates, and bowls that are thrown or hand built for your dining pleasure. Regardless, most tables are greatly enhanced by the addition of pottery rather than many other choices on the market today.

There are so many thingsyou can do with your pottery, so don't miss out on much of the versatility that many find the primary incentive for investing in pottery for the home. Pottery is a beautiful addition to any home, so don't hide it away but use it fully and regularly in order to enjoy the true value of the pieces and get your money's worth. The true value in pottery is in how much it enhances your life; it won't enhance your life very much if kept locked away in the kitchen cabinets!

Tag: pottery collection uses

Six Popular Collectables

It's never too late to start a collection. Some people start collecting when they are young - baseball cards, stamps, coins, or other items. Others may start later in life. Whatever you collect, make it something that you love.

Personally, I love to collect various rocks, crystals, or seashells when I travel. Someone else I know collects porcelain figures. There are so many things to collect, and many of them can net you a good profit a few years later. We've all heard about people who made a fortune from one stamp or a baseball card.

If you have collectables that are suitable, make a nice display in one or more rooms of your home. Family photo collections make beautiful displays. I know one woman who has at least 50 family photos, all in sterling silver frames arranged on top of her grand piano in the living room. The ebony grand piano makes a lovely backdrop for all of the various shaped sterling frames, and she can enjoy seeing her children and grandchildren everyday.

Another friend of mine has a collection of Lladro porcelain from Spain. She displays them tastefully in groupings around her home. Art glass is also a highly sought after collectible, and welcome decorative pieces for the home.

Here are six items that make popular collections:

• Cookbooks or travel books
• Kitchen gadgets - vintage
• Photos - family, travel, pets...
• Art Glass
• Figurines
• Linens and pillows (of the same type or vintage)

If there is something you love, start a collection now to enjoy for years to come.

Spring Cleaning

Spring is a time of renewal. The flowers are starting to bud, and the weather is changing - hopefully for the better.

Now is the time when we start thinking about our spring cleaning. Just last night a friend told me that to de-clutter is to renew the life.... I'm not sure that I understand this (she's from Brazil, so maybe it didn't translate well) , but I do agree that clutter is not good.


Start with the closets, and here I have a great idea for you. Get motivated to clean out the closets to find things to sell on eBay! Everyone is doing it. I know one woman that is netting more than $1000 per month just selling her "junk" from around the house. She is litterally selling old shoes and used designer jeans, but I understand that household goods, decorative accessories, and the like are also good sellers. Maybe you inherited or were gifted a collectible that is really not to your taste, or doesn't fit your decor. You may do very well with an eBay auction. You never know until you try...

But please, anything that you can't sell, give to a reputable charity.