MyrtleBeachOnline.com: Home & Garden

Crape myrtle is a Southern Favorite

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:26 EDT

By Elaine Gaston

egaston@thesunnews.com

Much loved for its beautiful blooms and interesting bark, the crape myrtle continues to top the homeowners' list of preferred trees.

Gardening is dirty work, here's how to come clean

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:23 EDT

By Barbara Mahany

Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO| It is, depending on how you pluck your pansies, the gardener's affliction. Or, a grimy, loamy, packed-under-the-nails, black badge of honor.

Turning trash into treasure

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:23 EDT

By Elaine Gaston egaston@thesunnews.com

Armed with a black spray paint can and an eye for seeing the possibilities, Stacey Zach turns a discarded window shut ter or an old paint-peeling ladder into a nifty home access ory.

Let her find a piece of furni ture in a dumpster, alongside the road or in a thrift shop, and in no time, this 37-year-old mother of two transforms the found object into a treasured piece for her Conway home.

A perfect lawn can be yours if you nurture grass

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:24 EDT

By ELAINE GASTON

egaston@thesunnews.com

What to plant

RECALLS

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:22 EDT

F.A.F. INC.

Lip gloss and jewelry sets

What | The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm, issued a voluntary recall of 30,000 Faded Glory Lip Gloss, Locket and Bracelet Sets because of high levels of lead.

The question: Keep or sell the SUV?

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:22 EDT

Dear Tom and Ray | This will probably seem like a really stupid question, but I need professional advice. I own a 1-year-old Jeep in perfect condition, which I purchased for my job. I was laid off from said job, and now I own a gas-guzzling, really nice-looking Jeep Grand Cherokee that is too big and too expensive for me to drive, especially since I no longer have a job. My question is: Should I trade it in for a smaller, more fuel-efficient car? I have no payments, and being unemployed limits what I could purchase. With gas prices continuing to climb, I don't really know what I should do, since I own the vehicle outright. Care to advise an idiot? - Micci

Ray | I guess this is what you might call "idiot to idiot" communication.

Tom | Or, more accurately, "idiot AND idiot to idiot communication." So consider yourself warned, Micci.

Where to look, how to do it

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:13 EDT

Where to look

Roadsides | Some of the best finds, according to salvagers, have been discovered along roadsides. Cruise through afflu ent neighborhoods on trash collection days to find unbeliev able discards.

Dumpsters | Don't be afraid to dive. Sometimes folks throw away the darndest things, such as unwanted lamps, chairs and picture frames.

Bright comes back

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:09 EDT

Prepare to be jolted by vibrant, deliciously colored furniture.

Later this summer, furniture stores will begin rolling out sofas, chairs and casegoods in a variety of hot new hues, such as chili red, electric blue and tangerine.

Consumers are looking for something cheerful, exciting and electrifying to beat back the blues of a down economy, thus this infusion of color for home interiors, said Wayne Graffius, a designer with La-Z-Boy's Myrtle Beach furniture store. Darker tones are still there, just not as prominent.

Bedrooms take on hotel style

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:14 EDT

Is there anything more inviting than a night at a fine hotel?

Luxury linens, plump pillows, restful colors, rich wood? They all contribute to the appeal.

"I've traveled quite a bit and today's boutique hotels are quite special," said interior designer Susan Stockton, owner of London By Design in Thiensville, Wis. "They offer a wonderful mood, an almost zenlike feel. When we come home at the end of a busy day, it would be nice to come home to something like that."

RECALLS

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:23 EDT

Bayside Furnishings

Youth bed,

toy chests

It's not the horses, it's the weight they pull

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:30 EDT

D ear Tom and Ray | I need some straightforward and honest guidance on how important torque and horsepower are for a small car. My husband recently passed away, and now I must downsize my F-150. I have done research during the past few weeks, looking for the best four-cylinder/automatic that would meet my needs. I am down to the Ford Focus and Nissan Versa. My question: The Focus has a slight edge in torque at 136 (at) 4,250 rpm and horsepower at 140 (at) 6,000 rpm, while the Versa has a torque listed at 127 (at) 4,800 rpm and horsepower of 122 (at) 5,200 rpm. Both have comparable size, curb weight, quality and warranty. I am just not sure if the difference is worth the slightly higher cost of the Focus. Can you tell me if it would make a positive difference in power and pickup during highway miles?

P.S.: Just a word about our family: My 11-year-old grandson recognized your voices when we went to the theater to see "Cars." He has heard NPR in his grandma's truck often during the past few years - Kathleen

Ray | First of all, we're awfully sorry to hear about your husband, Kathleen, but we're glad you're continuing to corrupt your young grandson in his absence.

Learning the history of Uncle Sam

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:24 EDT

RALPH AND TERRY KOVEL

Uncle Sam has changed since he was first pictured in 1852, and there is disagreement about how he came to be.

Most sources say that by 1816, meat barrels sent to the Army were stamped "U.S." and soldiers claimed it stood for "Uncle Sam," the nickname for Samuel Wilson, a meatpacker. But these stories did not appear in reliable printed sources until years after Wilson died.

Story's in the stitch for fashion designer

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:30 EDT

In "Alabama Stitch Book," fashion designer Natalie Chanin shares the methods behind what Vogue magazine called her "haute homespun."

Chanin uses the time-tested sewing, quilting and embroidery techniques she grew up with in Alabama to create up-to-date clothing and other items from recycled cotton jersey.

Her book combines storytelling with how-tos: It relates her tale of returning to her hometown and starting her business, using local women as contractors, and also offers readers 20 projects using such techniques as stenciling, applique and beading.

Cut Outs: Dynamic images for your home

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:32 EDT

By KIM COOK

For The Associated Press

Sometimes beauty is in what you don't see. Cutout designs have made negative space a hot commodity in the home, from laser-cut tables to paper doll-like curtains. For that, thank science: High-pressure water jets were originally conceived as an efficient, eco-safe tool in the lumber industry, but the technology was quickly adopted by other industries to cut steel, glass and plastics.

Where to buy cut outs

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:23 EDT

White perforated metal lanterns ($39-$59) www.westelm.com

Tord Boontje for Artecnica Inc. Until Dawn curtain made of Tyvek ($116) www.plushpod.com

Three Leaf metal hurricane ($14) www.notneutral.com

A bright reflection

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:50 EDT

Colors reminiscent of morning sunshine, blazing summer sunsets and Caribbean coves are ablaze in Joy and Seymour Birnbaum's Wedgefield Plantation home in Georgetown.

The jolt of bold color begins just within the front door, where a vibrant red greets visitors in the foyer. From that vantage point, the cheerful yellow of the living room and kitchen, and the knockout orange of the master bedroom are in view, exuding warmth and intrigue.

"It's just fun," said Joy Birnbaum of the warm colors. "And it's happy."

Garden clinic traffic slows

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:50 EDT

Since the North Myrtle Beach Master Gardeners had to move their plant problem clinic from the Myrtle Beach Mall to a new site at Cactus Sands Nursery Garden Center in North Myrtle Beach, visitor traffic has slowed to a crawl.

Those who operate the clinic are worried people may not know about the new location.

In the two months since the clinic began, they've only had six people stop by with questions or to drop off soil samples.

BE SAFE

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:50 EDT

Keep backyard hazard-free

Rebecca Kolls with the National Gardening Association offered these tips for keeping your backyard free of toxins and other hazards:

Avoid planting shrubs and flowers that are poisonous to pets and children. Those plants include bleeding heart, delphinium, larkspur, foxglove and lily-of-the-valley.

Pressure washing is a simple way to spruce up

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:33 EDT

Early summer is an excellent time to take on outdoor maintenance tasks that have been on the back burner awaiting warmer weather.

Right about this time of year, we pull out our trusty pressure washer and go blasting around the house on a cleaning spree. Beyond a good sprucing up, a power washing will reveal cracks, gaps and wear-and-tear to tackle next.

Here's a guide to a thorough summer cleaning:

Protect planet by gardening green

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:33 EDT

Interest in green gardening is growing as more people look for ways to save money, eat healthy and help preserve the planet at the same time.

North Myrtle Beach resident Linda Dodd said her interest in green gardening practices grew when she became a master gardener in 2005.

"That's one of the things you learn when you become a master gardener, that everything has an impact on our environment," Dodd said. "Growing up, I was always involved in gardening. When I retired, I wanted to get more involved and help the community. This is a good way to do it."