Recycle Kitchen Wastes Using a Home Worm BinWritten by Sherry Palmer
Recycling your kitchen wastes using a home worm bin is an easy, ecologically sound way to dispose of kitchen wastes. Just think about how much water is used every day when you wash garbage down garbage disposal in your sink! Besides saving water, a worm bin produces an organic compost that can be used instead of chemical fertilizers in your garden and on your house plants. This is a fun and educational activity for youngsters. They will learn something about biology of worms and also importance of reusing and recycling to preserve resources. Here are 10 easy steps to setting up your worm bin: 1.Select a container to house your worms. Both wooden boxes and plastic storage bins work well. 2.Determine what size you need based on amount of waste you generate per week. An average household of 4 creates 6 lbs of food waste per week. They would need a 6 sq ft bin. (2’ x 3’). Keeping your container fairly shallow 12”-18” helps keep bedding from compacting and makes it easier to handle. 3.Your bin should also have a lid to keep predators out and protect your worms from exposure to light and sudden temperature changes. 4.Drill some holes about 1/8” diameter and about 4” apart in sides and bottom to provide air circulation and good drainage. 5.If you keep your bin indoors, set it up on blocks and place a tray or thick layer of newspapers under it to catch any excess moisture that may drain out of bottom.. 6.Add damp bedding to bin. Strips of old newspaper, shredded paper, leaves, or peat moss all work well. Use what you have. Make bedding about 6” deep. 7.Add food waste. You can add food in piles or spread it out into a shallow layer. But cover it with about another 2” of damp bedding. Worms will eat anything that has once been alive including paper. Vegetable scraps, spoiled leftovers from fridge, cereal, fruit rinds, coffee grounds (including paper filters), and stale bread all make great worm food. Don’t feed raw meat, dairy products, or pet feces.
| | Budget Furniture Fix UpsWritten by Kathleen Wilson
Faced with my own furniture dilemma recently, I thought what a great opportunity for me to share ideas with you on how to turn around that tired piece of furniture, without having to spend big bucks! So here it is, secrets from The Budget Decorator on transforming your furniture from trash to TFTE! (Treat For The Eyes!)One of most expensive items in our rooms is our furniture, and we can’t always afford to just replace it when it gets worn, outdated, or just no longer works in your room. The number one concern for those trying to update existing furniture is slipcovers. Now, unless you are an experienced seamstress, sewing fitted slipcovers is no easy task. However, fortunately today’s trends lean towards casual, and that includes furniture. Here are instructions for some simple, casual covers that almost anyone can do. First of all, use sheets instead of pieced fabric, it is MUCH easier and cheaper! Measure your furniture, and buy a sheet size that will cover your furniture piece without it’s cushions, tucked in and around arms.(Don’t forget to check out garage sales for good deals!) Use decorative cording if you like to tie around “skirt” area to give it a more structured look. Simply tuck ends under couch or chair.( You could even tape or staple ends to bottom of piece, if you wanted.) Now take each of your cushions and look at it as if you are wrapping a gift. Cut a piece large enough for your cushion, wrap it like a present, and safety pin it to underside of cushion. (Who’s gonna see it?) Add a few pillows and a throw, and you have changed entire look of your furniture for little money, covers are washable, and you can make one for each season if you want. Sheets, blankets, and quilts can all be used for this project, and can be found at garage sales, thrift stores, and maybe even your own linen closet. Try wrapping cushions with another, different fabric from room. Remember, this is all about casual style, and slipcovers are definitely stylish! Even dining room chairs can be slipcovered. Simply make an open envelope of fabric to fit over back of chair, similar to a pillowcase. If you like, this can be dressed up by tying it with cord or ribbon, sewing on decorative buttons, or adding a little lace. This project can easily be made from leftover curtain fabric and scraps lying around your sewing room.
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