Home And Family

Archive for March, 2011

Thanks to a generous grant by our Fairy Godmother, Billie Cox-Glimpse and the Helen P. Glimpse Foundation, we have launched the first Fairy Girl’s Club at The Children’s Home in Tampa, Florida.

The Children’s Home is a residential treatment facility caring for children victimized by abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment which has severely impacted their outlook and behavior. Tragically, the 10 wonderful girls who have committed to our 10 week program have learned early on that life is not a fairy tale.

On our first meeting we asked the group what fairies mean to them individually; One of the girls sagely responded “Fairies are about hope.” That’s one of the beautiful gifts of a fairy-inspired life!

One of the main activities is to create Fairy Fan Clubs to show their appreciation for 3 or 4 of their favorite fairies; After reviewing more than a dozen of our fairy role models, the girls narrowed down the choices to these fairies for this particular 10 week program:

Isabella, the Rainbow Fairy of Creativity and New Beginnings
Jae-Lin, the Feng Shui Fairy of Balance and Harmony
Xiomara, the courageous and powerful Spirit of the Rainforest

The word “intuition” means to be tutored from within. As the girls participate in a variety of fun, creative and challenging activities and crafts honoring their “inner fairy,” she becomes an internal source of guidance and inspiration. We are on our third weekly session now and will keep you posted on our club’s progress.

We will launch a website for the Club soon. You can keep up to date by checking Dr. Rose’s Twitter page, http://twitter.com/fairyqueen8.

If you currently have a work at home business, you understand more than anyone, the importance of making a profit.  After all, when you run your own business, you are the only one that is going to be making the decisions.  One bad decision can throw your budget out the door.  The following is information that will help you to keep the costs down for your work at home business.   Expenses
The first thing you should do is make a list of all the expenses for your work at home business.  This list should include daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly expenses.  These are your operating costs.  Items in your list may include such things as ink for your printer, subscriptions, Internet costs, and any taxes you may incur.    When your list is done, you will now need to evaluate it to see where you can cut out the items you really don’t need.  For example, if you subscribed to a monthly website service, you must decide if this is something you really need for your business.  If you don’t, get rid of it.  If your work at home business relies on the information you receive, you may find it to be a necessary expense.     Supplies
When you order supplies for your work at home business, you will want to begin shopping around.  While the office supply store just down the street from you may be convenient, you may find you can save money by purchasing your supplies online.  If you have the room to store them, you will also want to order your supplies in bulk.  Ordering in bulk can save a work at home business hundreds of dollars each year.   Internet Provider
Many who own a work at home business often find themselves choosing a dial-up service because it is cheaper.  While the cost is lower, you may find that such a slow service prevents you from getting a lot of work done.  Investing your money in a speedier service can result in getting more work done, which will allow you to increase your profits.    Office Furniture
While everyone would like to have their work at home business space to be top-notch and trendy, you will find office furniture to be very expensive.  Until your work at home business is bringing in high profits, you should be able to make do with used furniture or even create your own.  If you and someone you know is handy with tools, you may find that designing your own furniture is cheaper and you can actually design what will work best for your work at home business.    When it comes to your work at home business, you must make sure you are keeping your operating costs to a minimum.  Unfortunately, there are times that a work at home business won’t bring in as much income as you would like.   Be prepared for those times and prevent your work at home business from spending too much on unnecessary items.

Recommended: Plug-In Profit Site – Complete Money Making Site Setup FREE!

If you want to do the interior of your room, there are a few main guidelines upon which to work. These are the guidelines letting you carry out the process the right way. It is good to follow the instructions, because they let you embellish the interiors in a way that just feels right. So, it is essential even for people owning great taste that they should have some essential idea about interior design.

A true reflection for your style and class is smartly reflected by your home. A well decorated and well furnished home speaks out class where as standard is something for which furniture takes up the major responsibility. Living Room Furniture New York has come up as a major provider of high quality living room furniture that enlightens the sense of your style and grandeur in one’s interior.
Home Interior is a part of the personal style and artistic inclination of life stylists. Home designs are too many and they are beautiful and self expressive. While decorating a home, space planning, lighting, furniture and windows are important. There are 4 different types of design patterns that life stylists, architects and interior designers follow. No matter what you call it, this type of style is based upon the use of natural materials such as logs and woods, twigs, animal hides and antlers, rocks, metals, etc. To begin with you will want to figure out how you can add these natural materials to your home.

Feng Shui started from Chinese; they believe that colors, furniture, and the way of decoration can affect you in different ways. When you design your interior you should consider the principles of Feng Shui to give your home balance look. Feng Shui deals in colors, flows, and placing an object on different places. There are many Feng Shui experts available in market who gives you consultancy based on Feng Shui. But there are some basic principles which you can follow easily without any consultation of Feng Shui expert. Following are some basic ideas for interior decoration which you should follow throughout designing your home.

Every room in your home has furniture that it must have in order to be livable, and those are the items you should pick. Family room furniture would not work well in your formal living room, for example. An important pre-shopping tip is to measure every dimension at least twice and sketch a diagram that shows the locations of the room’s windows and doors.

Renovations usually cover up many activities, from structural maintenance to making a new building for good looks and higher standards. Renovations do add up to the value of the home and family. It’s not all about just making it look good, but need to make essential materials available at time, make payments to the suppliers, subcontractors and finally the most important, the quality assurance.

Nowadays, as there is scarcity of the home lands, more people are getting their homes renovated. Before making a decision regarding renovating the home, think of a good renowned contractor to handle this work, you still be the project manager. You need to communicate in detail regarding the parts to be rebuilt and need to find solution to the problems. Incase you are not so good at it, you can rather ask your friends or relatives to help you out. Meanwhile, the renovations are being carried on, you need to make alternate arrangements for your luggage and living as well.

Make sure that you have the legal permit for Home Renovation, if you are handling it individually. Incase you have hired a contractor, look out to confirm that he has gone through all legal formalities and has a valid permit too. Another factor to consider is to know that the company is offering any insurance cover or not? It is necessary to get it insured for the safety of workers and the property as well.

Be careful with the details of the contract, as a contract, documents in detail the parts and areas to be renovated. And lastly, make sure not to violate any of the home association’s rules while considering a Home Renovation.

Last week two prisoners made a daring escape from a Greek prison by helicopter – their second airborne jailbreak.

Convicted drug trafficker David McMillan, who spent two years plotting his escape from a Bangkok jail in 1996, told the BBC how much planning this kind of operation takes.

“I had been planning [my escape] from the moment four policeman came into a travel agency and arrested me in Chinatown, in Bangkok.

A local resident captured part of the Greek escape on video

As soon as I actually got to the prison about a week later I started looking at bars and walls and electric fences and I began looking for the best place to be. I went to building six simply because it had the thinnest bars in the windows…

There were not a lot of prison guards per prisoner. Probably one prison guard to 120 prisoners. So it was really run by the trustees, who had their own little uniforms with epaulettes and aviators’ wings and things like that.

The entire essence of [the escape] was secrecy. No-one in there was capable of keeping a secret I would say…

Planning is everything

The first thing to do was to get what you could call a private cell.

Most of the cells would be the size of a family garage and had 25 people in them, often sleeping like sardines packed into a tin, literally.

And if they had chains on, which everybody did, there would be the rattling of the chains, lights would be left on all night.

I paid for a light switch which was another little luxury.

It sounds like I was doing a lot of paying, I mean I had an office, a cook and a cleaner and that kind of thing, but it’s not an awful lot of money – for £500 a month ($708) a person could live well.

But we have to bear in mind that most of the people in there were abandoned people. People who’d lost hope in a lot of their lives and had very few friends left.

Most people got excited at the prospect [of escape], of course, but quite soon realised, ‘hang on a minute, what am I doing here?’ They remembered very quickly the five inmates who’d tried and failed.

They’d got as far as the outside wall. They were all put in the punishment cell, which was really a tin box the size of a small coat locker, and dragged out every day in elephant chains and slowly beaten to death.

Four of those five died.

I knew that here were 12,000 people absolutely lost in this world, and sentenced to a life of pretty much misery, and I thought, if nothing else I have to do it

I started at midnight with hacksaw blades that had been sent over in a care parcel, carefully hidden, so I took those out and began working on the bars.

In fact only one bar was cut, and only partially at that. So my Swedish friend, he was built like a Viking, he had to stretch the thing out, as I squeezed through, oiled up, wearing nothing but my underwear and a pair of trainers.

Final stretch

I just got outside, and then I used a plank to get out and across the yard. It was a bookcase, in fact everything in the room had been built to assist the escape. Furniture turned into step ladders and shower curtains disassembled into long bits of rope.

I had six walls to go over. I assembled a ladder by breaking into a factory, and taking down some long bamboo pole and then I began the arduous haul over a number of these walls.

It was most eerie, I knew where all the guards were, they generally slept at night, but they could wander around, and in fact one did.

I had to hide in the shadows while that was going on. I had a few tricks to deal with that.

I was so exhausted by about 0330-0400 in the morning, that I didn’t really feel anything, except wanting to keep going.

And I think that it was only that final thought as I looked around me, I knew that here were 12,000 people absolutely lost in this world, and sentenced to a life of pretty much misery, and I thought, if nothing else I have to do it.

I went across the road and looked back for a few minutes at this huge prison from an angle I’d only seen from that prison van

As I got to the very top wall where the electric fence was, and dawn was creeping up, that soft orange glow was coming through. That meant that I was late. But I was tangibly outside.

[It was] a feeling I guess I haven’t had since I was a child when you wake up and you know that there’s something good in the world.

And then I more or less slid down the piece of rope I had. Burning my hands, I lost a bit of skin, but I was on the ground, I was outside.

And I went across the road and looked back for a few minutes at this huge prison from an angle I’d only seen from that prison van where a couple of hundred people had been squashed inside wearing the chains and prison uniform, and took a taxi.”

Renovations usually cover up many activities, from structural maintenance to making a new building for good looks and higher standards. Renovations do add up to the value of the home and family. It’s not all about just making it look good, but need to make essential materials available at time, make payments to the suppliers, subcontractors and finally the most important, the quality assurance.

Nowadays, as there is scarcity of the home lands, more people are getting their homes renovated. Before making a decision regarding renovating the home, think of a good renowned contractor to handle this work, you still be the project manager. You need to communicate in detail regarding the parts to be rebuilt and need to find solution to the problems. Incase you are not so good at it, you can rather ask your friends or relatives to help you out. Meanwhile, the renovations are being carried on, you need to make alternate arrangements for your luggage and living as well.

Make sure that you have the legal permit for Home Renovation, if you are handling it individually. Incase you have hired a contractor, look out to confirm that he has gone through all legal formalities and has a valid permit too. Another factor to consider is to know that the company is offering any insurance cover or not? It is necessary to get it insured for the safety of workers and the property as well.

Be careful with the details of the contract, as a contract, documents in detail the parts and areas to be renovated. And lastly, make sure not to violate any of the home association’s rules while considering a Home Renovation.

If you are car lover, you will take car and equip your car with appropriate accessories. Besides that you can make your car is unique look and nice when you add outside accessories. Carid.com is the expert for all your car accessories’ needs.

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Mold growth is all about moisture, so it stands to reason, if you live in an area prone to high humidity, then the chances of your home developing a mold problem are much higher. Anything over a 55% RH level promotes mold and fungi growth. Often, heating and cooling systems will mask that there is a humidity problem, and it’s not until you actually test the room with a humidity sensor or plug in a dehumidifier that the condition is obvious.

Physical Signs of Mold:

1. Mildewy or musty smells in the house can be a sign of a mold problem. The presence of this odor does not mean you have a problem, but it should prompt you to look for further signs.

2. Increased or chronic allergy or respiratory problems, especially by all or most household members is a common sign that there is a problem. According to a 1999 Mayo Clinic study, almost all chronic sinus infections (we’re talking about 37 million Americans), are a result of mold.

3. When levels of toxins from black mold or other fungi reach high levels, toxic poisoning can occur. Common signs include headaches, decreased attention span, difficulty in concentration, and dizziness.

Signs of Mold in Your Home:

1. Water pipe leaks, especially those that have gone undetected, are perfect breeding grounds for mold.

2. Areas of the house that may have been damaged from flooding is a common site for mold growth.

3. If your house has ever had a leaky roof, one logical place to look for signs of mold is the attic. Look for evidence of water damage or mold growth in ceilings on the upper floors.

4. Use of humidifiers can raise the moisture level to a point where mold growth is encouraged. Regulate the humidity level so that it stays within a 55-60% RH range.

5. A damp basement or crawl space can be a haven for mold growth and go undetected for long periods of time. Water leaks from upper sources may also make their way down and add to the problem.

6. Yellowy colored stains on walls, ceilings, and carpets are a sign of excessive moisture. A green, brown or blackish color may indicate the presence of mold. A medical grade black light shone over the area will indicate a yellow glow if mold growth is present. Also look for areas that are bowing or swelling due to excess moisture. Paint peeling and loosening drywall tape are also common indicators.

7. Blocked gutters can cause water to be absorbed into walls through the roof or collect at the base of the foundation.

8. Signs of condensation around windows, walls or pipes, or rusting metal is a sure sign of high moisture that may lead to a mold problem.

9. Warped wood is a sure sign of excess moisture. A build up could cause mold growth.

10. Mold growth behind tiles in a humid bathroom is a common area for detection. The grout is porous, and once the water penetrates, dirt is trapped and encourages mold cultivation.

11. If the steam from dryers or other appliances are vented indoors, this also can be a sign of a problem area. Check for indications of mold around the vent and surrounding area.

12. Be on the lookout for the presence of any wet articles in the house such as rags, indoor clothes dryers or areas where there is poor ventilation.

What to Do:

When you see actual spores of mold growing, perhaps in a small area of the bathroom or shower, take immediate action before it spreads any further. You’ll need to identify the cause of the problem and check to see if it has spread to any other areas. Thoroughly clean and disinfect the area and dry completely. Any spores left behind will continue to grow once the area is exposed to any moisture.

Taking an actual sampling of the mold and sending it off for testing can be expensive, and may only tell you what you already know. You may be better off identifying the extent of the problem and fixing it right from the start.

Laminate flooring has come a long way in the last five years. There are more varieties, colors and grades than you can imagine. Not only is it more reasonable than hardwood, but it’s so easy to install that the average do-it-yourselfer can take it on. The result is a high quality floor that looks almost like wood, and if installed correctly, supports a hefty warranty period. Some brands warranty their laminates for over 25 years.

Here are the steps for installing the Torlys Quick-Step flooring and some of the details you need to be aware of that apply to most laminate flooring.

Place the boxes of flooring in your home and allow 24 to 48 hours to climatize before installation. If installing in a new home, you may want to run a dehumidifier for one week prior to installation. The humidity should be approximately 40 to 60 percent.

Thoroughly clean and level the sub floor using self-leveling concrete for anything more than 1/12″ per 39 1/2″.

The flooring basically floats, but it requires a 3/8″ expansion gap around the outside of the room or any fixed objects. If your baseboard will not cover the gap you can either add quarter round trim or undercut the drywall and slide the laminate under the wall.

When laying over concrete floor, it’s important to determine whether you have a moisture problem. Tape pieces of clear polyethylene plastic in several places on the floor, leave for 24 hours and check whether condensation has formed. Any extensive water build-up or leakage need to be fixed before laying the floor.

Before placing the laminate, start with a 2-mm layer of underlay of antimicrobial foam with attached self-sealing moisture barrier which provides sound absorption and warmth. The underlay is placed in the same direction as the planks. Generally, these are run parallel to the flow of natural light or to the longest wall.

Overlap the underlay about 4″ up the wall to create a vapour barrier. In doorways or cut ends, seal with damp-proof or tuck tape. When attaching one row to another, pull back the foam, removing tape on adhesive strip and replace foam to form a continuous vapour barrier.

Lay down a test row of laminate planks, ensuring the last plank will not be less than 8″. For the first row, begin in the corner and move left to right keeping the groove in front of you. This small step will make the rest of your job easier.

When you’re ready to begin, open several boxes and choose packs randomly from different packs, inspecting each before laying.

Saw off the tongue off the long side of the first row of planks (and the short side of the corner board), so they will fit nicely against the outer edge and create the 3/8″ expansion gap. Don’t cut your last plank until all the pieces in the first row are clicked in place.

Uses the wedges provided by the manufacturer to create your expansion gap for the outer perimeter. When starting the second row, it should be smaller than the first piece you used in the previous row, but no less than 8″. This will stagger the joints as you go along. Click the board into place by angling it slightly, insert tongue into groove, and rock it into place. Click in a scrap at the joints to keep both planks level, and using the tapping block, lightly tap into place.

When installing the last plank in the row, use the board puller to securely attach the plank.

Apply molding to finish off the edges in the doorway, still allowing for an expansion gap. Use T-molding to transition between two types of flooring and snap into place.

Supplies:

laminate flooring
foam underlay
tuck tape
utility knife
table saw
wedges (provided by manufacturer)
tapping block (provided by manufacturer)
board puller (provided by manufacturer)

Home make-up plans will vary from one person to the other as people have different tastes and preferences. Since you cannot have the same plan for your home as that of someone else, it is important to just have a suitable plan fitting your home design and your budget. A home make-up plan will involve a lot of things and for each of the rooms; the plan will depend on the requirements as well as the occupant.

When getting a new home, you can get professional home improvement companies to design a suitable home make-up plan for you. The plan will always consider the space available, the money you have, and your preferred style of home accessories among other important factors. You can always have simple make-up plans for all the areas in the home including the kitchen, bedroom, living room, bathroom and others.

Your home make-up will always portray your taste and this will show whether you are stylish or not. Sometimes the make-up plan may involve rebuilding some parts of the house which may incur some costs. This may be aimed at increasing space to fit in the furniture you want or giving the place a new shape and design. You will need to get in touch with suitable professionals including painters, plumbers and others to do the job for you.

To make a suitable plan, it is important to think of the overall theme you want for the whole home. Then you can now design for each room, choosing accessories that are appropriate to the particular place at the same time conforming to the theme you had chosen. Each part of the home requires it its own make-up plan and the cost of each will be different because of varied requirements.

The people you live with will also determine the kind of home make-up plan you design since they will have to be comfortable with it. Getting ideas from them will help you know their tastes and preference and this way, you come up with something suitable for everyone. You have to make the place appropriate for your young children since they will need a place that is both safe to live and play.

The way you use the home will determine the plan you make since if you stay in the home during holidays only, then you shouldn’t include a lot of details. You can just include the basic items you will need when you are there. A home make-up plan generally includes the interior and exterior décor hence you need to think of the outside too. Remember to make plans for the decorative pieces for each part of the home too and get rid of anything making the home dull.

A home make-up may take a long time, from the time you start designing it to the time you finish work on the home but as long as you do it right, you will have something impressive to show for all the time and effort.