My New Cabin
The dream has finally come to pass. I have been planning for this event ever since I was a child, and now here were are thirty years later and I finally have it. My grandparents purchased me a secluded cabin in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains when I was four years old, but I they said they wouldn’t officially bequeath it to me until I graduated from college, which just happened
It is an idyllic cabin next to a little stream, and I am in love with it. The first thing I want to do before I get too carried away with hiking, fishing and exploring the great outdoors, I want to furnish the cabin a bit. A handcrafted antler chandelier would be perfect for the main room, along with some leather seats and some traditional handmade wood decor.
History of Jigsaw Puzzles
Jigsaws were first introduced to the world around 1760. They are accredited to , who worked as an engraver and mapmaker in London. His first puzzle was said to be a painting done on a rectangular piece of wood. The wood was then cut into intricate and interlocking pieces with a jigsaw, creating a basic wood puzzle. An extremely maneuverable and fine detail saw, the jigsaw obviously offered the puzzle their name.
Since their inception, jigsaw puzzles have since been moved from wood to cardboard. Cardboard is obviously an easier and cheaper option for these mass produced puzzles. The assortment of pictures and images available with puzzles is practically limitless. There are, however, common picture themes, and that includes nature scenes, repetitive designs, or skylines. Jigsaw enthusiasts can also pick up a variety of accessories such as tables and rollup mats in order to transport a half-finished puzzle.
Embrace Your Inner Cowboy
There are ways to decorate without being obvious about your obsession with fashion. Maybe all these years you’ve been a slave to modern fashions; decorating your home with bright, bold prints and adorning your figure with the latest designer’s garb. Make today a new day and surprise everyone by choosing a new motif for your home and your clothing.
Toss out all your post-modern riff raff and welcome in a rustic, country theme of décor. People may not believe that you would ever milk a cow or shoe a horse, but that doesn’t mean you can’t decorate like a cowboy would. Buy some wagon-wheel tables and adorn them with rustic table lamps. Purchase some handcrafted wooden décor items that revert to a simpler time. Your new rustic style will be the envy of all your friends and family. To really shock them, start donning a cowboy hat to special events
Putting the Pieces in Place
I still remember the exact moment we realized it was a sailboat. Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself here; let me try to explain. I was about 6 or 7 years old when my older sister found an unmarked box on a high shelf of our lakeside cottage. It was rainy day, so we explored the terrain indoors for a while before stumbling upon the box. Inside, it held what seemed like hundreds of pieces to a handcrafted wooden puzzle.
We had never been too interested in puzzles before, but lacking anything better to do we cleared the table and got ready to put it together. It was slow going at first, but our logical instincts took over and patterns began to develop. Clearly all these blue pieces represented either water or sky. Then a string of foamy, white pieces revealed choppy waves. At last, we began to see the outlines of a sailboat and the entire puzzle came into focus. So many years later, this memory remains fresh in my mind.
Gifts for the Puzzle Master
Most people have at least one close friend or family member who could best be described as a puzzle fanatic. These are hyper-logical folks who pay close attention to detail, and they never start a task without finishing it. For them, each new wood jigsaw puzzle presents a unique challenge to be conquered. Some of these people have even been known to complete puzzles upside down, before flipping them over to reveal the image.
Don’t make the mistake of giving these people a simple puzzle as a gift. They might finish off a 200-piece puzzle in one sitting just to show off. Try upping the ante by selecting one of the more difficult, time consuming 1500 piece puzzles. That way, you’ll help to encourage their voracious puzzle habit and still manage to provide the challenge they crave.
Longer Lasting Flowers
I’ve had this lovely wooden vase of roses on my desk this week. My secret admirer bought them for me! They came a few days ago and were brought in by a deliveryman. The note only said, “To my dearest Margie, you are a sweet baby doll.” I was so touched; no one had ever sent me flowers before.
That’s why I was so proud to have them displayed on my desk. But after the fifth day they were there, I noticed that they were starting to wilt. I bought some flower food from the local nursery and immediately it made all the difference. The roses perked up and even seemed to darken in color. Needless to say, next time my secret admirer gets me flowers, I will use flower food.
Placing and Aligning Wall Art
Nothing is more noticeable than a poorly aligned picture or an off kilter poster. When it comes to hanging wood wall art, don’t bother with the hassle of a carpenter’s level. Using laser levels saves time and ensures that you have perfectly aligned wall art. It’s also possible to use a laser level for a number of household needs, such as setting up shelves, aligning bookcases, and even placing lighting fixtures.
While some do-it-yourselfers may see a laser level as a bastardization of traditional carpentry, the improved accuracy and precision that the tool provides can’t be questioned. With hundreds of applications and a clear advantage over the carpenter’s level, for all your household needs there’s no reason not to own a laser level.
The Lost Art of the Jigsaw
Back in the 1950s, wood jigsaw puzzles were some of the most common toys for children; an educational toy that stimulated the brain and also created a cool picture! However, as educational toys have advanced and more specifically, educational software for computers, these traditional toys have taken a back seat. Despite their somewhat archaic status, jigsaw puzzles teach the same problem solving techniques that they did in the past, and can provide hours of fun. It wasn’t uncommon even in the 1980s for people to frame their completed jigsaw puzzle and display it as wall art, but this practice has mostly diminished in the 21st century.
Despite advancements in technology, jigsaw puzzles too have evolved over time. There are now three-dimensional jigsaw puzzles and jigsaw puzzles that are designed to form mazes. There’s a lot of different kinds of jigsaws, so when a child is old enough, whether it be your own, a grandchild, or a niece or nephew, be sure provide them with one of these classic toys.
Creating the Appalachian Living Room
I have always had fond memories of sharing summers with my uncle at his cabin in the Appalachian Mountains. When I chose furniture for my living room, I wanted it just like uncle Tristan’s cabin. I decided to go with rustic living room furniture, which created that old fashioned appeal with traditional accents. I also utilized the space on the walls for a variety of handmade wooden décor items. In the end, I think my rustic living room turned out great.
Years after I first designed my living room, Uncle Tristan came to visit, and even he said it felt like home. I think decorating any room in the house with a particular environment in mind is a great idea. With a home environment that reminds you of another place, you can find it easier to put yourself in a different state of mind.
How to Get Gold Clean, and Keep it that Way
Gold doesn’t tarnish, but it can be dirtied or dulled by the oil in your skin, body lotion, makeup or other substances. There are lots of products out there that promise to clean gold, but you can do it easily with mild detergent and a soft cloth. Of course, it is also imperative to take measures to ensure that your jewelry stays looking great once it is cleaned.
~Mix a squeeze of mild dish detergent with warm water in a bowl.
~Put the gold item into the soap mixture and let sit for a few minutes.
~Use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub the jewelry.
~Remove item from soapy water, rinse it and dry thoroughly with a soft polishing cloth.
~Keep your gold jewelry in ring boxes or some other container so that it is protected.