Last year, we started our first garden. It wasn't much but we had some surprises, like a basil plant that got so big it looked like a bush. Unfortunately we waited too long to harvest the basil and then we lost it in an overnight...
My dream for our backyard was that Ron would pave the entire thing -- 65 feet by 20 feet -- in vintage brick. Mind you, this was not Ron dream. Laying brick, on my hands and knees, for days on end! No, sir.The task was...
Recently, Ron re-wired all the lights on the third floor, changing out the knob-and-tube old stuff. He put in some lights where there had been none. (Victorian houses were really dark; they used limited lighting.) So I took this work as an excuse to get...
Ron and I own a Victorian house. You know what that means: wallpaper. The Victorians loved their wallpaper! They loved their wallpaper so much that they put it everywhere, even in their closets and on their ceilings. Unfortunately, wallpaper does not last forever. You can...
Ron and I keep a fairly green house. We recycle, we conserve water in our toilets (waiting to flush if we do number-one), and we use eco-friendly household cleansers. So it made sense for us to buy energy-efficient light bulbs or CFLs, compact florescent lights. They...
Collect sets of vintage pulls and latches to revamp the look of your kitchen cabinets. You can match these to new vintage-style knobs to complete the look I decided that the chrome pulls, knobs, and latches I had put on our kitchen cabinets weren't quite right...
Autumn is the season of flea markets and yard sales. It's an especially good time to pick up old tools at bargain prices -- as people are cleaning out their basements and garages. Some homeowners buy a lot of new tools with the best of...
No matter what condition your old house is in, you need good rugs. A good rug can dress up even the dingiest room, adding color, warmth, and comfort. The problem is, rugs are expensive. Antique rugs are especially expensive. Most people make compromises with their...