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Archive for January, 2010

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Patio Furniture Ideas

January 28th, 2010

Summer isn’t too far away, and that brings fond thoughts of dinners outdoors, parties and BBQ’s. Is your patio ready for the extra workouts? You’ll want nice patio furniture to show off for your first get-together of the season. Dragging folding chairs outside just won’t do when you plan parties outdoors. Wicker furniture will give you lots of seating outdoors for those extra guests, and it does it with reasonable prices, too. Summer is too precious to spend indoors, especially if you live in an area with bitterly cold winters.

High quality wicker outdoor furniture begins with the best wicker strands used in construction. Cheaper wicker is sometimes made with PVC, which is bad for the environment, and it won’t last as long, either. Outdoor resin is recyclable, so that makes it very environmentally sound. Wicker furniture made on an aluminum frame with PE will last for many years, so this is a good pick for your budget, too. Wicker furniture is also synonymous with Rattan, to the point where not many people know the difference! » Read more: Patio Furniture Ideas

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Posted in Furniture, Outdoor Living Spaces

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Metal Yard Art to Enhance any Yard

January 25th, 2010

Metal yard art placed around a house is always an enjoyable and striking means of enhancing the appearance of the yard or home. Available in many different styles and sizes, forms and colors, metal yard art can be anything from metal lamps, lamp holders and signs, to address markers, garden signs, seasonal, holiday, or year round decorations, family name signs as well as pieces used solely for decoration.

It makes a grand gift to give to that person who is hard to shop for, as it is a unique gift, and can even be an original customized gift.

There are many kinds of metal yard art that can be uses by a person to express their personality, to tell a story, advertise hobbies, express political or religious ideas, or to identify who lives there. They range from the whimsical and charming to serious political or religious symbols, metal yard art can be a personal touch to make a house a home.

Signs are commonly seen among metal yard art. Some announce the surname of the family there or the name of the home, business, farm, or ranch where they are placed. Others include the date that the home, business, or family was first established. Some signs have amusing or celebratory sayings, or will offer a favorite quote or sentiment. Commonly seen on metal yard art is the welcome sign, and now logos or names from favorite sports teams are growing increasingly common across America.

Holidays such as Easter, Independence Day, Halloween, and of course, Christmas, are times that many American families will adorn their yards and » Read more: Metal Yard Art to Enhance any Yard

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Posted in Landscaping, Outdoor Living Spaces

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Tips For Hosting The Best Barbecue Ever!

January 20th, 2010

I can’t think of anything that says “summer” like a backyard barbecue.  Invite your friends, neighbors, and family (if you’re cool with them) and eat good food and party like it’s going out of style!  There are infinite ways that you can celebrate the backyard feast, but I’ll over some tips that I’ve learned from experience (and screwing up my fair share of them!).

First, and most importantly, is to have a plan.  If you think that you’re going to be able to wing this and have everything come together properly, you’re wrong!  You need less preparation as you barbecue more often and know what to expect, but for the first few you should dial in every detail.

Your plan should cover the menu, who’s bringing food, drinks, entertainment, even the music.  This will make sure that you don’t forget a glaring part of the evening.  Your menu should reflect what you like to eat, but also be things that most people will like.  It’s also important to have a vegetarian/vegan option for those that choose to not eat meat.  It’s not as hard as it seems to exclude meat from your barbecue, and your veg friends will greatly appreciate it.

It’s also important that you have all of the tools that you need before game time.  This means ice, a cooler, propane, charcoal, utensils, burger presses, or whatever you’re » Read more: Tips For Hosting The Best Barbecue Ever!

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Posted in Cooking Outdoors, Grills & Grilling Tools

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The Benefits of Solar Garden Lights

January 20th, 2010

There are few things better than not having to remember to turn on and off lights, and also not causing your light bill to go up. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if your light in your garden and pathway lit up by itself?

Convenient- Because you do not have to wire anything, solar garden lights are very convenient. Think of the freedom it gives you to know you can just stick the stake in the dirt, or attach the light itself to any side of the house, as long as it is in direct sunlight during the day.

Technology – Solar garden lights are a self generating power source that charges up by absorbing the sun’s energy and discharging the stored energy to give out a soft glowing light at night.

When the first solar lamps were created, they were not considered to be the least bit efficient. That was because the charge that was provided through the photovoltaic sells was only good for a couple of hours at a time. However, with LED technology emerging together with the more efficient NiMH power packs replacing the older NiCAD, modern solar garden lights provide both a stronger light and a longer discharge time than they did in the past.

If you want to be amazed at the simplicity of this device, take a peek in to the casing and you’ll see a little controller board, LED light source, along with a photo resistor that is designed to recognize darkness, along with one AA NiCAD battery, plus a solar cell on top.

Environmentally Friendly – With the growing demand for renewable energy, technological advancements have greatly contributed to improved solar garden lights. All sorts of solar garden lights are appearing in the market for numerous positions and uses. » Read more: The Benefits of Solar Garden Lights

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Posted in Gardening, Landscaping

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Japanese Gazebos

January 19th, 2010

Regardless of cultural origin, appearance and size, a gazebo serves the same purpose just about everywhere. But still, you might want one that looks a little different than a typical American pergola. If you want that gazebo in your garden, but want something that stands out a little bit (since a gazebo by itself won’t catch any attention), consider looking at Asian-themed gazebos…particularly Japanese ones. Like most products from or inspired by Asia, Japanese gazebos look much more stylish and beautiful than their American counterparts.

Also, much unlike Western gazebos, some Japanese gazebos have Shoji panels on them, which in turn makes them enclosed; most gazebos are open on all sides. However, the bad thing about Shoji windows is they’ll age noticeably and weaken over time, but as said, not all Japanese gazebos have this feature. Another neat feature about these Asian-themed gazebos is that they often have a raised floor or stand on legs rather than flat against the ground. And a Japanese gazebo will actually last you a while, which is why they can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. According to WoodsShop.com, an azumaya (traditional Japanese gazebo kit) measuring 12’x12’ will set you back about $12,800, and the 10’x10’ curved roof style gazebo is $10,400. Compare that to the 10’x10’ gazebo you can buy at Target for under $300. » Read more: Japanese Gazebos

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Posted in Outdoor Living Spaces, Patios & Decks

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