Faux Painting

Written by Kathleen Wilson


Continued from page 1

Crackling

Crackling is very popular as aged finishes have become so much a part of showcasing warmth and history in our homes. It can be done without purchasing expensive crackling kits. Crackled finishes are a simple chemical reaction. All you need are two colors of latex paint, one a base coat that will peek through, and one a top coat, that you will seerepparttar most of, and household glue. That’s right, direct from your kid’s art box. Sand and prime your piece if necessary, then paint with your base coat. Remember, this will berepparttar 116340 colorrepparttar 116341 will just peek through, so it’s best if it contrasts withrepparttar 116342 top coat. Let dry. Now mix household glue with equal parts water, and brush onto your base coat. This can be done easiest with a foam brush. Allowrepparttar 116343 glue to dry until just tacky, about 30 minutes. Now forrepparttar 116344 reaction part. Brush on your top coat directly overrepparttar 116345 glue coat. Don’t brush over any one area more than once, you will ruinrepparttar 116346 crackle effect in that area. You should start seeingrepparttar 116347 crackling take place within a minute or so. The size ofrepparttar 116348 crackles has a lot to do with your technique in applyingrepparttar 116349 top coat, so experiment a little first. Long, smooth strokes tend to produce larger more dramatic cracks than short strokes, and

if you really want a subtle effect, try sponging or ragging onrepparttar 116350 final coat. Allow to dry overnight. If you wish to further antique your work, simply dab or brush it with some wood stain, then wipe off. Repeat until you getrepparttar 116351 look desired. You can seal with polyurethane or clearcoat, or coat it with common furniture wax.



Kathleen WIlson is the editor of a free ezine and newsletter called The Budget Decorator, dedicated to the "budget impaired" home decorator. Visit her at http://www.thebudgetdecorator.com for more free ideas and projects, and for info on her workshop.


Recycle Kitchen Wastes Using a Home Worm Bin

Written by Sherry Palmer


Continued from page 1
8.Each time you add food, stirrepparttar bedding up to loosen it and keep it from becoming packed down. It is important to keeprepparttar 116339 air circulating to allowrepparttar 116340 rotting process plenty of oxygen. If your bin gets stinkyrepparttar 116341 food is not getting enough air as it decomposes. Frequent stirring will prevent this. Always coverrepparttar 116342 food with additional damp bedding. 9.You may need to add moisture from time to time in addition torepparttar 116343 food. Never letrepparttar 116344 bedding dry out. Sprinkle lightly with water. Fruit juice is even better. Ifrepparttar 116345 bin is too dry,repparttar 116346 food will stop rotting andrepparttar 116347 worms will not be able to eat it. 10.Place your worms intorepparttar 116348 worm bin. Be sure to dump in all ofrepparttar 116349 old vermicompost that came with your worms. This compost material contains lots of micro-organisms that your bin needs to help keeprepparttar 116350 wastes decomposing sorepparttar 116351 worms can eat it.

The process is fairly slow at first. You won’t see much change from day to day. The worms will grow if you providerepparttar 116352 basics: Moist dark environment Rotting Food (kitchen wastes) Bedding to allow air circulation Stable temperature between 60-75 degrees insiderepparttar 116353 bin.

You can learn more about your home worm bin or order Red Wiggler Worms at our web site: http://www.wormlady.com



Sherry Palmer studied horticulture at South Puget Sound Community College and established a small organic farm, Creekside Gardens, on the land where her parents and grandparents once farmed. She raises Red Wiggler compost worms and promotes recycling of kitchen wastes using a home worm bin. Her web site www.wormlady.com is a great guide to raising worms and offers online sale of Red Wigglers.


    <Back to Page 1
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use