Sunday, October 21, 2018
5 Creative Household Pillowcase Hacks
Thursday, October 4, 2018
Bagster Review
We recently demolished an old and small wooden deck. Somehow the little deck turned into a very large pile of debris which seemed to keep growing and growing. Remodeling can be like cutting your own bangs; once you start it is hard to stop. Since we were demolishing the deck... well, of course we should cut down the old unwieldy bush and then could not ignore the well worn railroad ties around the garden bed which had outlived their usefulness.
Where and how to dispose of all these goodies? Even though the pile kept growing the size did not warrant renting a dumpster. At the suggestion of the carpenter the Bagster was investigated to help unload our pile of construction debris.
What Is The Bagster?
Dumpster or Bagster
In my area it is difficult to rent a small dumpster due to the booming construction industry for both pros and DIYers. Small dumpsters are difficult to rent and one must also have the room to park the dumpster.It was clear when the deck (it looked so small) was being removed and parked on the lawn this was more construction debris then anticipated. The pike kept growing ! Who knew such a little deck could produce so much construction debris? The dirt was also filled with concrete from the original construction of the house over 50 years ago.
Now what? Enter the Bagster.
Where To Find The Bagster
I purchased the Bagster from Amazon for $29.95. For our project we needed 1.5 Bagsters so of course not wanting to pass up the opportunity to clean out the garage we made great use of the remaining area in the Bagster.Note: Review the Do’s and Dont's as to the type of materials accepted in the Bagster. We had old pieces of odd shaped concrete which had been hanging around the garage for years we happily filled up the remainder of the Bagster. Actually everything we wanted to put into the Bagster was on the Do list for our area.
Schedule The Bagster Pick Up
The system worked flawlessly. I used the online scheduler at approximately midnight on a Monday. I received a confirmation email of the order and subsequent emails throughout the progress of my order through the process.On Wednesday morning at approximately 5:30 am I heard a rumble outside and it was the very large crane/truck arriving to pick up the 2 Bagsters. Shortly after the pick up I received an email completing the process.Pricing Of the Bagster Pick Up
The pricing of the Bagster and debris removal is two fold: the cost of the Bagster plus the cost of the removal by Waste Management. The cost varies per area and the flat rate can be obtained on the Bagster website. Two Bagsters plus the pick up charge was lower than the cost of renting a small dumpster and so much more convenient!The Yellow Bagster Handles
The Bagster deceptively indeed holds ALOT of debris.It is critical the yellow handles “touch” for the Bagster to be picked up by the truck as a large crane must be able to lift theBagster up by grabbing the handles.
This information is clearly stated on the Bagster bag instructions and the website and do not ignore!
Coupons
Online scheduling allows a customer to take advantage of a discount off the pick up price of more than one Bagster. Coupons are also available online by searching Bagster coupons.Recommendation
I highly recommend the Bagster. It worked flawlessly from start to finish. I’m still surprised how much construction debris can fit into one Bagster. Quick, convenient and on demand debris removal fit our construction project perfectly.Friday, September 14, 2018
How to Easily Paint & Refinish Metal Outdoor Furniture
For the last few seasons, our outdoor furniture has started looking worn and tired. Metal outdoor furniture is too expensive to throw away and replace, but it was definitely time to restore the beauty of the pieces.
Last spring my husband started refinishing our outdoor furniture one piece at a time. He choose our wrought iron table as his first project. With a few cans of black Rust-Oleum and less than an hour, our outdoor table looked brand new again!
Since then, he has refinished the chairs that match that table and the whole set is beautiful again.
Last week, he refinished our wrought iron glider. I love all of our outdoor furniture and appreciate its durability. But, that glider is the one I use the most. I am thrilled to have it restored to its original beauty.
My new slogan for wrought iron metal outdoor furniture: Restore, Don't Replace!
Refinished Wrought Iron Patio Table & Chairs He also painted my little ghost in the background with a can of White Rust-Oleum - Getting him ready for Halloween |
How to Refinish Wrought Iron Outdoor Furniture
Time: 45 minsCost: $25.00
Compared to the Cost of a New Glider: $300.00
Because the refinishing of the metal table and chairs had been so successful, when my husband said he was going to refinish the glider, I grabbed my camera. I wanted to make sure I had everything I needed to tell you exactly how to repaint your metal outdoor furniture too.
Items Needed:
- Cans of Rust-Oleum
- Plastic Drop Cloth
- Tent Pegs
- Plastic Gloves
- Long Sleeve Shirt
- Old Shoes & Old Painting Clothes
Step 2: Cover an area in the yard with a large, thick plastic drop cloth (2.0 mil preferred)
Step 3: Use tent pegs to hold the drop cloth down. We used old army tent pegs at all four corners, but you could use bricks instead to weigh down the corners.
Step 4: Shake up the Rust-Oleum spray paint
Step 5: Turn the piece over and start spraying the underside
Step 6: Turn the piece right side up and spray the entire surface from every angle in order to cover it completely and evenly
It took about 45 minutes and 4 cans of Rust-Oleum to spray paint the glider. That short amount of time spent renewing our glider will give us many more years to enjoy the beloved glider. Plus, the Rust-Oleum spray paint helps to prevent rust.
Additional Spray Painting Tips:
Wear disposable gloves (see products below)
Wear long sleeves to protect your skin
You may need to wear protective eyewear and disposable masks
Keep the spray can moving as you are painting to avoid runs.
You should do all of your painting on any individual piece within an hour.
This spray paint, in our experience, tends to self- level any heavy areas of application as it drys, within reason.
Let the furniture piece completely dry for 24 hrs. before use.
My Wrought Iron Glider Beautifully Restored |
Project Items Needed for Refinishing Metal Outdoor Furniture
Rust-Oleum 245196 Universal All Surface Spray Paint, 12 oz, Gloss BlackCheck Price Trimaco 04301 Slip Resistant Dropcloth Stay Put Vinyl Drop Cloth, 9' x 12'Check Price 12 Pack Tent Stakes, 7075 Ground Metal Camping Aluminum Tent PegsCheck Price Dealmed Brand Nitrile Medical Grade Exam Gloves, Disposable, Latex-Free, 180 Count, Size Extra LargeCheck Price
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Saturday, July 28, 2018
How To Make The Easiest Cuticle Oil Ever
Photo's by Lou16 |
Don't use a cuticle oil? You're not alone, it's a step many people miss out when they do their nails at home. I must admit, but cuticles were in pretty bad shape and I would just rub my hand cream into them and think 'oh well, that's just my cuticles!'
This year I've decided to treat myself my getting my nails done once a month (well it's about every three weeks, but my husband thinks it's a monthly thing LOL!) and I do love it when they pop on the cuticle oil at the end. My cuticles are looking much better, but they would look even better if I used it a little bit more often.
Now I like the idea of using natural products and not having some of the additives that you find in some skincare/personal care products being present. I also know that lemon oil is great for softening cuticles, I just had to look for some cuticle oil recipes ...
There are so many recipes for DIY cuticle oil that they would make your head spin, but many of them used so many ingredients that it just seem such an effort. Using sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, vitamin E oil and about 5 different essential oils just seemed a lot for me to recommend to people, after all we don't have all these ingredients just lying around the house do we?
Well I found a recipe that used olive oil and just two essential oils and I changed the essential oils (based on my own aromatherapy knowledge, and on what I had on hand) and I've come up with the easiest cuticle oil ever -
Easy DIY Cuticle Oil That Your Nails Will Love!
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 drops pure lemon essential oil
2 drops pure lavender essential oil.
Simply mix the ingredients together and keep in a bottle, I recommend seeing if you can find a nail polish style of bottle with a nail polish brush to keep it in (they didn't have any at my local store) or even a roller bottle.
These type of bottles will made it easier to apply, but aren't essential. As you can see from my photo I just used a test tube style bottle (as I had it on hand) and I use a Q-tip to add the oil around my nails. I will let you know, however, that I have some roller bottles on order.
Lemon oil is fantastic for softening hard skin which is why it's a perfect addition to a cuticle oil. Lavender oil is a very nourishing oil, softening and just great for skin. The combination of these two oils works fantastically to help keep your cuticles looking fabulous and as an added bonus, using a cuticle oil after a manicure actually helps it stay looking beautiful for longer something I've only just found out!
EXTRA TIP - if you take vitamin E capsules then simple pierce one of them and squeeze the contents into the cuticle oil. It will make the oil even more moisturizing and rich (a much cheaper alternative to adding vitamin E oil!).
It's very important that you use pure essential oils and not synthetic ones when making your own skincare as each essential oil brings it's own benefits and fragrant oils don't have these benefits.
I love to use Arbonne's essential oils when available, if I'm after an oil that they don't have then I make sure that the one I buy is 100% pure essential oil.
Aromatherapy Isn't Just About DIY Skincare!
You can use essential oils for lots of different things, here's a few articles that you might find interesting ...
Aromatherapy has proven to be very successful at helping to relieve stress, simply by using certain essential oils stress and conditions caused by stress can be alleveiated.
Using essential oils in a humidifier or diffuser can add a lovely atmosphere to a room as essential oils can really help to work on your emotions from relaxing you or making you more upbeat.
The herbaceous fragrance of tea tree doesn't begin to hint at how many uses there are for this essential oil from medicinal to beauty to household uses this is one very versatile essential oil.
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Thursday, June 21, 2018
DIY Mercury Glass
- Mix one cup of white vinegar with one cup of water. Pour into misting bottle.
- Use a paper towel or soft cloth to wipe your glass clean.
- Protect work surfaces with a tarp, newspapers, or a drop cloth.
- Test mister to ensure you will get a very fine spray.
- Shake up your spray paint for two minutes.
Step 6
When I was painting the test tube vases, I used short dowel rods that I stood on end in an old piece of wood. All I did was drill some holes in a two-by-four. Then, I stacked each test tube on a dowel, leaving enough space in between to give me room to maneuver with the mister and spray paint.
Steps 7-8
Immediately spray over the mist with a light coat of the Looking Glass spray paint. You will repeat these steps two to three times, so it is important not to try to get all of the silvering done all at once. Light layering is essential to getting the desired vintage look of mercury glass.
Step 9
Very gently dab all over the misted and painted surface of the glass with a clean and dry paper towel. You want to blot up all spots of water and any larger droplets of paint. This step creates the aged look of the silvered glass.
Step 10
Repeat the misting, painting, and blotting process until you are happy with the final effect. I repeated the process three times on the vases pictured in this tutorial.
Step 11
Once the paint is dry, experiment with arranging your favorite flowers in your gorgeous mercury glass vases. They look really nice in groupings of various sizes and shapes.
In this example, I placed three mercury glass test tubes in an antique bed spring. The addition of a beveled mirror base created stability and an interesting reflective quality. Peonies seemed just right for this type of vintage floral arrangement.
Mercury glass centerpieces don't have to be expensive to look like you spent big bucks at a floral shop. Use the glass you already have at home. It is so easy to upcycle any ordinary jar or cheap vase into something extraordinary. There is something incredibly satisfying about giving a face-lift to a common, plain item.
We all hold the power of transformation in our hands. Let's go create and share some beauty today.
Saturday, June 9, 2018
A Review of Creativity on Review This!
(c) Kimberly Austin Daly, Artist* |
My daughter is an artist. She studied art in college, graduating with a degree in Fine Arts. But her creativity in this field has been present since she was old enough to hold a crayon. All her life she has been compelled to draw & paint. I've always admired her artistic ability because I can't draw a straight line with a ruler! :-)
*Artwork is the property of Kimberly Daly, Artist/Illustrator. Copyright: Do not copy. Permission granted for display in this story.
My hubby was a fine musician, having studied the violin for 14 years, then played the guitar for many more years and even had his own 'trio' during the 'folk music' era of our college days.
Today my son plays guitar and several other instruments and has his own local band with a group of fellow musicians. I can't play any instrument and have no musical ability.
My brother sings and plays guitar. My mother and sister could sing up a storm. I can't carry a tune in a bucket!
Coastal Crochet Crafts on Etsy |
I used to say to my talented family that I had no 'talent' for anything, until they reminded me that my crochet and needlework crafting was MY creative ability.
Creative Talent is in Everyone
You don't have to be able to sing or dance, play an instrument or draw to be talented. Creativity in ANY area is a talent all its own. It was a nice reminder that we all have some form of creative talent, whether its in the arts & crafts field, music or dance, or simply being a wonderful cook. Being able to express ourselves in writing is also a creative endeavor.
Highlighting a Few Reviews Written by Our Talented Contributors on Review This!
Our team of contributors who write for Review This! review many products and do music, book and movie reviews, in addition to a wide range of other topics. They are also very creative, sharing a variety of crafts, tutorials of DIY projects, cooking and baking recipes, and photography and gardening tips. The following are a few examples of this team's creative talents.
Crafts Reviews
(c) Dawn Rae |
(c) Bev Owens |
For crochet crafters, Bev Owens tells us about this easy pattern you can use to create your own handmade poncho in her review titled Reviewing A Crochet Poncho Pattern.
(c) Wednesday-Elf |
Wednesday-Elf loves to crochet, particularly stuffed animals. Handmade crafts are her favorite, as shown in this A Bird in the Hand-i-Craft article. In addition to her own crochet crafting, she enjoys sharing the creative talents of many other fiber art creators on Etsy.
DIY Projects
(c) RenaisanceWoman2010) |
Photography Tips
(c) mbgphoto |
Recipe Reviews
(c) Sylvestermouse |
Sylvestermouse is our creative baker here on Review This! She loves to put together fancy cakes and cupcakes. A quick look at one of her favorite cookbooks for baking (the Cupcake Cakes Cookbook) will give you an idea of some of the fun and clever ideas she often incorporates into her baking.
Gardening Tips
Olivia Morris is one of our resident gardeners. In her How to Grow Your Way to Happiness and a Great Garden, she shares some tips for your spring planting.
Articles on Creativity
For more articles on these creative reviews, click on each subject below:
What do you consider your 'creative' talent?
(c) Review of Creativity by Wednesday Elf
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Modern Masters Metal Effects Paint Review
I was given a custom-made folk art weather vane many years ago. Because of the loveliness of the wood grain, and because I didn't want to risk ruining what was a very meaningful gift, I'd been reluctant to paint or stain the weather vane with ordinary finishes. Until I found the right product, I decided to leave my special art piece unfinished.
When I recently came across some online videos of how Modern Masters paints and patina activators had completely transformed normal household items (like vases, frames, furniture, garden statues, and planters), I knew the day had come to give my weather vane the finish it deserved and had waited for all this time. I stopped by Hobby Lobby to pick up the Modern Masters copper paint and green patina kit and got started right away.
My first experiment with patina application. |
Patina brushed in the direction of the grain. |
I have been asked about whether or not the metal effects paint must be sealed. The copper and bronze finishes are self-protective (no topcoat needed). You are encouraged to seal the iron paint with rust patina. There is a Modern Masters product specifically made for that purpose. It is called Permacoat X-Treme Sealer.
The wonder of this product is that it works on so many different materials (wood, metal, plastic, stone, paper, etc.). You have the choice of copper, bronze, and iron metal effects, along with green, blue, or rust patina activators. I have purchased all three kits and have more projects currently in progress. At the moment, I am restoring two vintage portholes recovered from ships. They are getting the bronze treatment just as soon as I finish removing all of the salt, rust, paint, and caulk from their surfaces. I will post photos throughout that process.
My other ongoing project involves the iron paint with rust activator. I am refinishing some reclaimed doors I purchased from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Those doors are going in the She Shed I built a while back. I'll keep you posted with the results of that experiment as I determine which direction I'm heading with that design. I'm thinking I might try a mixed media approach or play with some stencils when activating the patina. And, of course, it won't stop at that. I've been going through my jewelry box with the thought of giving some items a new look. Check out my Pinterest Modern Masters Metal Effects board for inspiration.
As you can probably tell, I am totally sold on Modern Masters Metal Effects paints. I highly recommend this creative medium. You can purchase the product in kits or individually. The paints and patina solutions come in a number of different quantities, making it easy and affordable to customize based on the size of your project. Go have some fun with your own metal effects adventure in patina painting! You will be amazed.
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Vintage Lamp Bird Bath - DIY Tutorial and Review
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