Although a daunting prospect, home, car and business insurer RSA, has provided the following checklist to follow when closing the cottage, to protect your property during the winter months.

Close Up the Cottage Checklist

Kitchen

• Clean the kitchen from top to bottom (including appliances) to avoid mildew and rodent infestations. Bring all perishable foods home.

• Unplug and switch off the electrical source to the fridge and freezer and prop the doors open for proper ventilation.

• Unplug other appliances such as coffee makers, toasters and microwaves (leave your microwave door slightly open).

Bathroom

• Clean the bathrooms from top to bottom including the sink, toilet and bath/shower stall.

• Empty the waste bins.

Living room and bedrooms

• Store linens, blankets, pillows and bed spreads away in sealed plastic bags or bins.

• Leave inside doors open to allow air circulation throughout the cottage.

• Ensure you close the flue in your fireplace and if possible seal off with a metal cap.

Outside

• Cover windows with plywood or thin sheet metal. By numbering each window and labeling the wood or metal cover that fits properly with the corresponding number, you can make this job much more efficient in the years to come.

• Shut off the water and drain the pipes by running the taps until the water stops flowing.

• Remove all fire hazards from your property, such as paper, newspaper, old rags, and chemicals.

• Clean off your outdoor furniture and bring it inside.

• Drain small boats of any water and store them away with the motor.

• Forward your mail to your permanent address.

In addition to these tips, ensure that your cottage is properly insured for the winter. Winter storms and burst water pipes can wreak havoc on your property, so it’s always best to be prepared for the worst. Learn more about what you can do to protect your cottage over the winter months from your insurance broker or online at www.rsagroup.ca.

www.newscanada.com

- includes basil cultivation and growing tipsl

by Monica Resinger

Name/Botanical Name: Basil, Ocimum Basilicum

Description: A highly flavored tender annual herb that is used in many dishes. Sweet basil can reach 2-3 feet tall. It attracts butterflies and beneficial insects to the garden.

- includes four easy recipes for homemade facial toners

By Sharon Hopkins

Skin toners are the next step after a facial cleansing routine. Skin toners ensure complete removal from the skin of all cleansing preparations. They freshen and tone up the skin and prepare a clean surface for the application of make-up. They also restore the acid or alkali balance of the skin, because they are pH balanced. They are designed to penetrate pores, refresh and cool your skin while clearing away excess oil, impurities and dead skin cells that were not removed with your cleanser.

Toners restore the skin’s natural pH balance. When you wash your face, the pH balance of the skin is distorted leading to skin working overtime to restore pH levels; the process of skin restoring the pH levels on its own can take up as much as half and hour or more. By using a skin toner, the pH level of your skin is restored instantly.

Choose a toner appropriate for your skin type. A wide variety of toners are available. Alcohol dries the skin and harms the soluble collagen below the surface of the skin. It is thus safer to use an alcohol-free toner.

Common herbs used in toners include witch hazel, geranium, honey, lemon, ivy, sage, nettle and burdock. Witch hazel has a tendency to dry the skin. It is ideal to combine it with moisturizers such as Vitamin E, honey, etc. Rosewater helps keep skin and face moisturized, fresh and balances the pH levels.

Essential oils are the gentlest way of toning up. Rose water for normal or dry/sensitive skin or witch hazel for oilier skins is ideal bases for fresheners. These can be applied with cotton wool, using smooth, gentle upward strokes or sprayed on to the face. Oily skin benefits from juniper or lemongrass whereas drier skins would benefit from rose or sandalwood.

Apply the skin toner to a cotton ball and sweep it gently across your face. The cotton wool should come out relatively clean when toning. If it is not clean it indicates the cleansing has not been done properly. Do not succumb to the temptation to tone the skin whenever you feel it has become dirty. It should be used only after the skin has completed a cleansing routine and not as a substitute for cleansing. So, remember that your toner must function as a toner and not as a cleanser.

Toning is pleasant and refreshing, can act as an additional cleanser on very oily or dirty skin, and is valuable in removing any traces of grease that the cleanser may have left behind. Think of it as the polishing touch in your skin care treatment.

Homemade Facial Toner Recipes

Summer water use tips to conserve water and help you save money, energy and time.

Unless you live in the permanently arid Southwest, summer usually means more water use and higher water and sewer bills. Even if you draw water from a well, the increased water use also means higher electric bills and more wear on the pump. But for many, this summer, the concern isn’t just about higher bills. With parts of the country suffering from prolonged dry spells and drought, many communities have implemented water use restrictions and water conservation has become a summertime necessity. The good news is that a few small changes to your daily routine and a couple of quick fixes around the house can save you both water and money — this summer, and year ’round!

In the house

– Turn that faucet off. While you brush your teeth, that is, and save about 2 gallons a minute. Do that every time you brush and save an extra 240 gallons a month. Turn the faucet off while you shave and save even more.

– Use the shower; skip the tub. You’d think it would be the other way around, right? But, a five-minute shower typically uses only 10-25 gallons of water while a full tub uses about 70 gallons. To keep shower time to a minimum, don’t run the shower while you shave. If you like your leisurely soaks, stopper the drain right away and adjust the temperature as you fill up.

– Wash a full load of clothes. With the average washer using about 41 gallons a load, the more loads you do, and the more water you use. To cut down on water use, wait until you have a full load.

– Fix that leaky toilet. You know the sound: the sudden hissing of water as the tank fills itself back up, but you didn’t just flush. Or, you might notice a regular damp spot on the floor below the tank. A leaking toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water a day!

– Fix leaky faucets and shower heads. A little drip might not seem like much, but a faucet dripping at the rate of 1 drop per second wastes about 2,700 gallons a year.

In the yard

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a typical single-family household uses about 30 percent of its water outside, on lawns, landscaping and gardens. As much as 50 percent of that water is wasted through evaporation or runoff. To avoid this kind of waste and lower your water bill use the following tips.

– Outdoor faucets leaking? Those little drips can be costly, too.

– Water early or late in the day, while the sun is low and the air is cooler, so less water is wasted through evaporation (be aware, your community may have watering restrictions in effect, and observe those).

– If you hand water, aim at the base of the plant, where the roots are; you don’t have to water the entire plant. Set sprinklers (preferably the droplet and not the mist-type) so they water only your vegetation and not your driveway, sidewalk or street.

– Time your sprinkler use so you don’t overwater (overwatering can be as harmful to your landscape as not watering enough). Simple timers are available for under $15 that hook right up to your faucet.

What else you can do to conserve water:

These steps involve a little more effort and/or money but have a timely payback and offer long-term savings through consistently lower water bills.

– Think about a new toilet. Toilets made before 1992 use anywhere from 3.5–7 gallons per flush. Newer models use, on average, less than 2 gallons per flush. High-efficiency toilets use about 1.3 gallons per flush resulting in a 10-year cost savings of about $1,000 for a family of four – without compromising performance. But, if you’re worried about the “flush factor” (will it all go down?), consider a dual-flush toilet that uses less water for liquid waste removal, and more water for solid waste removal.

– Consider an automatic irrigation system. If you’re spending a great deal of time hand-watering, or moving your sprinkler from place to place, an automatic irrigation system is an excellent investment. Of course, a system that waters even if it’s raining won’t save you much, but PC programmable and self-adjusting systems are available now that offer a drop in water use of 8-60 percent (depending on how arid your particular climate is) and can pay for themselves in as little as 8 months to a couple of years (again, depending on climate).

– Use a soaker hose or drip irrigation. If an irrigation system is out of the question for your entire yard, consider using a soaker hose or drip irrigation around your landscaping and garden. A soaker hose emits water gently along its entire length directly to the base of the plant and little is lost through runoff or evaporation (you can even make your own soaker from a length of old garden hose). Drip-irrigation systems accomplish the same thing, with drip holes called emitters spaced at intervals along the hose. Drip systems will cost a bit more. With either of these methods, you’ll find you’ll have to water less often and use less water when you do. Attach a simple hose timer and you can save even more.

Sources: U.S. EPA, Popular Mechanics, Natural Remodeling (2006, Lark Books).
About The Author: Liz Pauley is a staff writer for RanchRevival.com, a website devoted to owners of ranch style houses, old and new.

Cat Scratching Post Supply List:

4×4 lumber, or two 2×4 pieces attached together
2×6 lumber, or something equally strong and heavy, for the base
wood screws
staples or tacks to attach the carpet
tools - hammer, saw, screwdriver, and staple gun if you’re using staples; utility knife to cut the carpet
scrap of carpet, indoor-outdoor carpet, sisal rope, or another suitable scratching surface
Caution: Wear work gloves and protective eyewear to make this woodworking project.

Cat Scratching Post Instructions:

1. Cut the lumber that you are using for the scratching post to the desired height. Keep in mind that the post must be stable, as your cat is unlikely to use it again if it tips over even once. The scratching post shown here is 28″ tall, with a base of about 18″ by 12″. At minimum, the post needs to be the length of your cat plus enough extra length to allow the cat to stretch out nicely.

2. The base on this model has two layers. The first layer is made by setting 3-12″ sections of 2×6 side by side. Cut 2 sections of 2×6 to match the width of the first layer (about 16.5″ as 2×6 lumber is, in truth, only 1.5″ by 5.5″). Place these 2 sections of the second layer on top of and parallel to the first layer. Attach the top layer to the bottom with wood screws. This makes for a heavy and stable base.

3. Cover the base with your choice of scratch material, which could be as simple as an old piece of carpet or AstroTurf. Natural rope like sisal is also nice, but takes a while to wrap tightly. Attach the material with a staple gun, or a hammer and flat tacks.

4. Place the scratching post in the center of the base. Attach it to the base by using one screw on each face of the post. Cover the post with your scratch material, and attach as described for the base.

5. Secure a dangling cat toy to the new scratching post to entice your cat to try it out. If your cat likes cat nip, rub a little of that into the scratch material or attach a cat nip toy. Try placing the scratching post near where your cat sleeps, as many cats enjoy a leisurely scratch upon awakening.

How-to Article is based upon the WikiHow page How to Make a Cat Scratching Post, released under Creative Commons license.

By Kathy Wilson

Spring is a sign of renewal in many areas of our lives, and our homes are no different! There is something energizing and refreshing about bringing that bright, airy feeling of spring into your home. Here are the 10 best ways to spruce up and revitalize your rooms on a dime!

1. Add white! White with your present color scheme will both cool and brighten, adding the freshness that only white can! If your room colors tend toward the warm side, such as yellows, browns, or reds…then choose creamier white such as ecru or ivory. If you have cooler colors in your room, such as greens and blues, go with the brighter, cleaner whites.

2. Try painting your focal wall, (that is, the one most seen) in a sunnier, brighter, or lighter shade of your current wall color. It will add lightness to the room without drastically changing the whole scheme. Don’t worry, you can always go back to that rich red in the fall, but how about a little petal pink, or sky blue? Remember, its only paint, its cheap!

3. Add a floral print fabric to your room. Using the primary colors already in your room, visit your fabric store and pick out a floral fabric you love with at least one of those primary colors in it. (The more, the better, but don’t feel you must have every color in the room also in the fabric!) Use that floral fabric to make table scarves, placemats, pillow covers, and simple seat cushion covers. Pair it with a solid fabric color already in the room, and you have a custom coordinated look, for just a few dollars and some simple straight sewing!

4. Pick up some pretty colored glassware from the dollar shop, and display it where the sun will light it up! You could even use clear glassware, and fill it with colored water to coordinate with the room. Use your glassware as vases, pencil holders, or candy dishes, but make sure it is seen! Glass sparkles and adds a bit of sunshine to a room.

5. Take down your curtains, and just leave your mini blinds underneath. Don’t leave it bare, though, we don’t want boring! Swag some dried or silk flowers over the top of the blinds, or use some muslin to twist around a curtain rod for an informal but airy valance. (No sew!)

6. Keep your windows sparkling clean. Dirty windows cut down on a surprising amount of light, and make a room look dull. As a bonus, clean windows mean more sparkling glass, and that makes room feel larger and brighter!

7. Pot up some pansies from the garden center and use them indoors as houseplants. They are cheap, easy, and add flowers to a room without the cost of replacing floral arrangements every week! You can even coordinate the flower color to the color scheme of the room. Don’t match the colors, just pick something complementary.

8. Clear most of the artwork and accessories out of your room, and just keep a few larger, simpler pieces. It declutters the room, and helps to put the focus on the freshness of a room. Consider picking up a white lattice from the garden center, and hang it on the wall as a focal point. Place a potted plant in front of it, or hang small framed garden catalog prints from it. Let it be a reminder of the outdoors all season long!

9. Use a stencil or a stamp to add floral and nature motifs to your room for very little money. Stencil vines around windows and doors, hand paint seasonal sayings over doorways with a paint pen, or stamp a floral bouquet on the front of cupboard doors. You can always paint over those small areas with touch up paint in the fall. (Or you might love them so much, they stay year round!)

10. Finally, don’t forget your entry area when you are creating that spring glow all around your home. Remember, your entries are a visitors first impression of your home! Add a pot of pansies on the porch, paint your entry a fresh spring color, and hang a handmade wreath or a basket of flowers on the front door.

All these ideas take very little time, little or no money, and do wonders for your spirit and the spirit of those who you love. Take a little time to brighten your lives!

About the Author: If you would like hundreds more great budget decorating ideas, visit http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com.

Most of us have seen wooden pallets stacked outside a store or warehouse with a big, enticing FREE sign attached to them. Millions of wooden pallets are used around the world for storage in factories, warehouses, and retail outlets and, of course, to transport goods between these facilities. At some point, many of these pallets become redundant or unusable for their original purpose - thus the need for someone to come take them away and reuse or recycle them.

Here are some great make and do ideas for recycling those cast-off wooden pallets …

Wooden Pallet Bench

Make a Wooden Pallet Bench
Readymade Magazine issued a Curbside Pallet Challenge, and you can read the story behind the winning entry of an Industrial Pallet Bench submitted by San Francisco chef Mike Yakura.

DIY instructions to make your own version are included on the page.

Make a Wooden Pallet Fence
Keep out critters and prying eyes when you Make Your Own Wooden Pallet Fence, with instructions from Clay Sawyer for Backwoods Home Magazine.

Rustic Pallet Planter

Make A Rustic Pallet Planter or Country-Style Pallet Deck
Also for the gardening enthusiast are these appealing plans and instructions from esprit cabane to make a Rustic Pallet Planter or, for the truly ambitious recycler with access to lots of pallets, a Rustic Wooden Pallet Deck.

Wooden Pallet Coffee Table

Make a Wooden Pallet Coffee Table
Available on the same great site are DIY instructions to Make a Wooden Pallet Coffee Table. This clever design uses mortar to fill gaps between slats; you can leave the mortar as is, or paint it for a more dramatic contrast with the wood grain.

Make Money from Recycled Pallet Birdhouses
Entrepreneurs should read this article on Backwoods Magazine which discusses how to make Wooden Pallet Bird Houses that are suitable for sale at local retail outlets such as hardware stores, feed stores, garden centers or craft stores.

Wooden Pallet Computer Desk

Build a Wooden Pallet Computer Desk
Starving students can expand their horizons beyond plank-and-brick bookshelves with these detailed instructions by Tom Riley, for Woodware Designs, showing How to Make a Computer Desk from Wooden Pallets.

Rustic Pallet Side Table

Rustic Pallet Side Table

For a straightforward, objective view on recycling pallets, including the pitfalls and benefits of working with this source of wood stock, check out Palatable Woodworking.

This site includes personal experience plans and photos, together with explanations on how the author made such impressive projects as the Rustic Pallet Table, shown at left.

Build It With Pallets
You’ll get the same “rough” plans that the author used, plus major construction tips to inspire your own resourceful creativity with wooden pallets.

In Build It! With Pallets, available from Amazon, author Joe Jacobs describes how to break down pallets into timber and refashion them into useful objects. The book includes over 20 plans for tables, fences, chairs, planters and other items of indoor and outdoor furniture. chairs, tables, fences, gates, chicken arks, planters, sheds, decking, cladding and many other items.

The author suggests notching the ends of eight pallet planks, as shown at left, to build a free-standing raised garden bed, or a run for a pet guinea pig or rabbit.

Raised Garden made from Pallets

Dismantling Wooden Pallets and Skids
One problem with reclaiming wooden pallets is the difficulty in prying them apart. But there are many shortcuts, hints and tips from the creative people commenting on this Instructables page, offering Plans for a Planter from Pallets using a No-Nail Pull Method. You could also check out How to Dismantle a Pallet.

Wooden Pallet Compost Bin

Raised Gardens from Pallets
Over at eHow.com, you’ll find DIY instructions for Raised Garden Beds Made From Pallets.

EHow also has two separate projects showing How to Make a Compost Bin from Wooden Skids or Make a Compost Bin from Free Wooden Pallets.

Finally, see what you can do with 80 reclaimed wooden pallets plus a few other reclaimed materials - Make a Pallet Playhouse. The author provides tons of photos and great advice, but you’ll learn a great deal from the commentary as well.

Wooden Pallet Playhouse

Are you feeling a little toasty this holiday season? Would you love to be one of those people who can stand up at the drop of a hat and offer a clever toast? Do you hold back because you aren’t sure what to say or do you resist the urge because you aren’t sure of the correct protocol?

Few people seem to hold back for fear of committing a faux pas. Nevertheless there are rules regarding toasting and if you want to be the polished professional at the office party or the business dinner, here are a few pointers on the correct way to perform a toast:

The host should always be the one to start the process. Before beginning it is that person’s responsibility to make sure that everyone’s glass is full. After the host has offered a toast, others may follow suit.

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Toasts should be short, simple and sincere. The five-page poem that covers the honoree’s entire life up to that point is more appreciated by the one who wrote it rather than those who have to listen to it.

If the group is large, it is not necessary to clink glasses when a toast is made. Instead, just raise your glass and take a sip. If the group is small and you wish to touch glasses, look the other person in the eye when you do.

Use proper toasting etiquette. Sipping is safer than guzzling, especially if the toasting is going to be extensive.

Gentle is better than hearty when it comes to clinking. You don’t want to be remembered as the one who smashed the glass and bathed everyone around you in red wine.

When you are finished, use a concluding phrase like “Here’s to?” or offer a phrase such as “Cheers.”

The recipient of the toast never drinks or raises a glass. Doing so is somewhat like patting yourself on the back. Instead, the person being toasted may rise following the toast and respond with a word of thanks or by offering another toast. There is no need to stand unless the recipient would like to say a few words in return.

Although it is traditional, alcohol is not necessary to perform the toast. Sparkling water, plain water or any other beverage may be used.

Finally if you want to avoid becoming tipsy while toasting, raise the glass to your lips, but don’t drink. No one is watching to see if you are actually swallowing.

There are many occasions where a toast is appropriate including weddings, anniversaries, christenings, birthdays, reunions or for the birth of a child. If you know you will be attending one of these special occasions then you should prepare your toast in advance. Write it down, keep it brief and practice until you feel confident. Be sure to speak slowly and loud enough for all guests to hear. Start by stating the name of the honoree and your relationship to him or her. Offer a witty and memorable toast and you will be a sought after guest for all social occasions.

“No toast except his own should last longer than 60 seconds.”
- Mark Twain

© 2009, Lydia Ramsey. All rights reserved.

Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer and author featured in the Wall Street Journal and many other off-line and on-line publications. Lydia shares her business etiquette tips in her monthly e-zine, her blog and on Twitter. To register for these free services visit mannersthatsell.com today!

How to Make a Recycled Tote Bag or Purse

Many stores now have a “bring your own bag” policy to encourage the use of reusable shopping bags. While this is great for the environment, it usually means you end up buying some form of cheap fabric bag, printed with the store name, to carry your purchases home.

Here are some stylish shopping bag or alternatives - made mostly from recycled materials, it is true, but oh-so-much-better than turning yourself into a walking billboard for the local foodland.

Make a Purse from a Placemat

T-Shirt Purse

Lorain Blanken, the talented About.com guide for DIY Fashion, has easy step-by-step instructions to make a handy Placemat Purse; perfect for personal shopping or carrying smaller items.

Your local thrift store likely has lots of pretty placemats - pick out a nice one, and look for a set of purse handles (or make fabric handles in coordinating fabric). This project doesn’t even require a sewing machine; just hand sew the two side seams and fasten on the handle, and you’re done.

T-Shirt Grocery Bag

Recycled T-shirt Purses or Totes

I also like the project Lorain has for a casual T-Shirt Purse, made from two recycled tees, cleverly fashioned from two triangles of t-shirt fabric. Lorain provides how-to’s for hand sewing the triangles together; again, no sewing machine required.

You get a sense for how creative this designer is when you see the T-Shirt Grocery Tote that she made one night from two large t-shirts. Read her directions to make your own.

Doggie Bag Tote

Doggie Bag Tote

Pet lovers finally have a use for all those extra large (and extra strong) bags of dog food with recycling instructions from Beverly Watkins to make a Doggie Bag Tote.

Cat lovers, of course, can recycle larger bags of cat food for a feline-themed version. Apparently, the pet food aroma can be washed out, either by hand, or on a gentle cycle in the washing machine, followed by line drying.

Knit a Tote from Plastic Shopping Bags

Tote Knitted from Plastic Bags

No matter how hard you try, you’ll likely still collect a stash of plastic shopping bags on your travels. Knitters can put those to good use with this free pattern for a roomy and colorful Recycled Plastic Shopping Bag Tote.

Crochet a Plarn Bag

Recycled Plastic Bag Backpack

Over at MyRecycledBags.com, check out this stylish Recycled Plarn Backpack Pattern - as well as this free crocheted bag pattern, you’ll find detailed instructions on how to make yarn from plastic bags (plarn) and how to line a bag made from plarn.

Fuse Plastic Bags to Make a Tote

In the LeisureArts.com craft project Library, you’ll find great instructions showing how to make a Fused Recycled Bag Tote.

Fused Recycled Bag Tote

Essentially, this involves ironing a stack of plastic bags under parchment paper to fuse them into single pieces. The fused sections are then sewn together with simple exterior seams to form a tote bag. Love it!

Daylilies are one of my favorite perennial plants. They are pretty, hardy and very easy to take care of. They have arching, sword shaped leaves and lily shaped flowers that come in all shades of yellow, orange, red and more. They grow to a height of about 18 inches usually and are best placed in the middle of the flower bed. Daylilies are called this because their large lily-like blooms only last one day, however, the next day there will be a new bloom right next to the old one on the same stem.

Daylilies will grow in all zones and like full sun, but if your area is very hot, plant them in semi shade. They will usually adapt to any type of soil. They need quite a bit of water during bloom and should be fed with complete fertilizer during spring and summer.

When your daylily plant starts looking crowded and the base is pretty large, it’s probably time to divide it. This is a great time to share with your friends and family. Just dig it up and pull (or whack) it apart. It will take some forceful pulling (maybe even some wrestling) to get the roots apart. It’s a tough plant, so don’t worry too much about hurting it. The best time for this is in early spring or late fall.

Daylilies look beautiful planted near Shasta Daisies or Poker plant. They do well on banks, near pools in the flower bed, and in containers. You can even try them in the vegetable garden planted near some salad ingredients.

The petals are edible and are very tasty. They are crisp and sweet like lettuce and go very well in tossed salads, not only for flavor and texture, but to make the salad pretty.

Even though the blooms only last one day, they still make great cut flowers because the buds are in clusters on one stem. This means one stem with 5 or 6 buds will probably last a week in a vase provided the water is changed daily.

If you don’t have a daylily yet and are looking for easy and rewarding plants, I recommend you get one (or two, or three). Before you buy one, check to see if your family and friends have a plant that needs dividing. This way, when you look at the plant in the future, you’ll have a pleasant memory of who gave it to you.

For more gardening inspiration, check out The Gardening Tips E-book! You’ll learn about compost, starting new plants, rose care & tips, whimsical planter ideas & yard decor, raised bed gardening, garden recipes, plant recommendations, pond care, and much, much more! Get Monica’s FREE e-zine! Each issue includes a home & garden article, delicious recipes and more! Send a blank e-mail to: HomemakersJournal-subscribe@yahoogroups.com