Home-Dzine Online - January 2013

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Home-Dzine IDEAS AND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR HOME

January 2013

Craft • Decorating • DIY • Green • Decor & Design

NEW YEAR NEW BEGINNINGS marieburgosdesign.com

a word or two

It’s good to know we all made it past 21 December 2012 (end of the Mayan calendar) and can look forward to the new year ahead.

I hope that 2013 is a good one for everyone.

This year I hope to keep everyone busy... whether repairing and maintaining a home, or having fun with DIY. I also want to ask readers to get more involved. Home-Dzine and HomeDzine Online are uniquely South African and it would be great to see more of your projects on the website and in the magazine.

Local is lekker!

Janice Home-Dzine Online is written and compiled by Janice Anderssen.

All projects in this issue, or any other issue, remain the property of Home-Dzine and Janice Anderssen, or the respective copyright holders, and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission.

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DECORATE WITH PERSONALITY Working from the floor up MAKE THE PERFECT OTTOMAN Two DIY styles to choose from NEW HOME A young couple take a big step PAINTING & DECORATING TIPS

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REUSE- REPURPOSE - RECYCLE Handy painting container UPDATE CLOSET DOORS and everything else as well...!

UPDATE LIGHTING Change a light switch cover 5-MINUTE BATHROOM PROJECTS Refresh a bathroom

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REUSE- REPURPOSE - RECYCLE Home made citronella candles FAUX VERTICAL GARDEN with unusual elements DUMMIES GUIDE TO POOLS Pool maintenance products

PERSONALITY

I receive plenty of enquiries asking for advice on how to decorate a home, so I decided to start off the new year with a feature on decorating any home to match your personality.

When decorating a home, and you will notice that I say “home” and not house, the most important element of the entire decorating process is to take into consideration who you are (and your family) and what you want, because at the end of the day you and your family have to live there.

Decorating a home is not about keeping up with the trends, although you can incorporate elements and accessories that are “in”. Decorating is about creating a comfortable or practical space for you and your family to live in.

decor and design

DECORATE YOUR HOME WITH

So where would you start when wanting to decorate a home from scratch?

The most obvious place to start would be with an idea or a foundation from where you can build up from floor level right up to the ceiling.

If you think about it logically, every room has a floor and, after construction costs, this is going to be the most expensive element in a home not counting furniture.

design: la nunnery 4

As one of the most expensive elements in any home, it makes sense to use floor finishings as a starting point for defining your style. When I’m working on a design or colour scheme for decorating a room I start with the floor. It’s the largest area of colour, pattern and texture, and the rest of the room takes its cue from this point.

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MAKE A

home

LEFT: This comfortable living room is warm and inviting.

Neutral shades of being and taupe, with dark accents in leather and wood adding interest and texture.

The dark wood beam around the perimeter of the space creates a visual frame. As the starting point in this room, the light carpet, larger pieces of furniture and wall paint colour provide the backdrop allow plenty of room to play with accent colours and accessories.

NATURAL NEUTRALS

If you aren’t planning to replace existing hard-surface floor finishing, such as stone, ceramic or porcelain tiles, you should look at ways to incorporate this into your overall decorating scheme.

As a backdrop for decorating a room in light, neutral colours look at light shades, such as these paint colours from Plascon.

With the exception of the above floor finishes, most other flooring options are easy to remove and replace, or cover up.

Carpets are probably the easiest to remove and replace - at reasonable cost - depending on the choice of carpet and size of room.

Carpet offers comfort underfoot if you are looking to decorate a comfortable home. Carpet also offers a variety of textures and neutral colours that can form the foundation for almost any decorating style. Not being affected by climatic seasons, carpet is a year-round flooring option to consider.

Myths about the link between carpet use and allergic reactions still abound. The fact is that carpets are the only type of floor covering that prevent the release of dust, and therefore allergens, into the air.

Laminate floors, whether synthetic or bamboo, are available in a range from affordable to pricey depending on quality and how much floor space needs to be covered.

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The filtering effect of carpets acts to contain dust which would otherwise be inhaled and trapped in the respiratory system. We also know that the washing of hard floors with water contributes to a room’s humidity, which causes mould, and hence more allergens in the form of airborne spores.

Unlike other floor coverings, a carpet can also improve the quality of life for people who are allergic to dust or dust mites; with other floor coverings, even the slightest draught blows dust into the air!

Visit: www.belgotex.co.za for more information.

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MAKE A

home

TIMELESS WHITES

LEFT: Elegant and sophisticated but still welcoming, this white room shows how white can be comfortable without being impractical. Walls painted in Plascon Double Velvet are washable and furniture upholstered in washable fabrics are easily cleaned.

Using whites creates a space that oozes classical elegance.

Today’s washable paints and slipcovered furniture options mean that white spaces can be for everyone, including those with children.

White doesn’t have to be white.

There are so many shades of white. I call them whisper whites... subtle shades of white with just a hint of colour.

FYI... I will be slipcovering my sofa in the next month or so and will feature a detailed how-to in Home-Dzine Online.

Use the Plascon Inspired Colour System to choose the shade of white you want to add to your home.

Warm whites incorporate tints from the red or yellow side of the colour wheel and cool whites from the blue or green side.

The Plascon Inspired Colour System was designed to help you create the perfect colour scheme using a single colour as a starting point.

Shades of white let you to decorate any room with just a touch of colour and then add accents and accessories to add your own unique personality.

Simple. And inspired.

What’s nice about decorating with whites is that your choice of additional colours is unlimited.

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To use the Plascon Inspired Colour System select your main colour from the options and then select Monochromatic, Complementary, or Adjacent to see the resulting colour harmonies.

Visit: www.Plascon.co.za for more information.

design: 4m design

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MAKE A

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LEFT: Plascon’s Inspired Colour System came out spot on with the colour selection from this room decorated by an interior designer.

DRAMATIC & DARK

A complementary colour can be seen in the adjoining room - simple serenity - that, although a light shade of blue, works perfectly with the browns in the living space.

While a dark laminate or hardwood floor can look dramatic when paired with white, it also looks stunning when paired with darker neutral shades, or by adding adjacent or complementary colours.

On walls that are badly plastered, uneven or have a lot of imperfections use Plascon Cashmere.

The formula contains a unique Triple-Action BeadTM technology that diffuses light to hide imperfections and maintain an absolute matt finish, even with regular wiping.

Using Plascon’s Inspired Colour System, and starting with the dark colour of the floor (cabin in the woods), I used the colour system to offer colour choices that would work in this room.

Monochromatic

Colours are generated from the same colour hue as the selected colour.

Complementary

Colours are generated from complimentary colours on the opposite side of the colour wheel.

Plascon’s Inspired Colour System offers Monochromatic, Adjacent and Complementary colour options.

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Adjacent

Colours are generated from adjacent colours on the colour wheel (left and right).

Decorating Tips

On smooth walls use Plascon Suede on a feature wall.

Don’t use dark colours in a small room, expect in small doses, or in a dark or south-facing room, as this will make the room even darker.

In these instances it’s far better to opt for lighter neutral shades.

Plascon Suede is a rich faux-suede finish that absorbs and reflects light, enhancing the textured suede finish.

In a space with dark flooring you can use dark colours in combination with light furniture and add impact by painting trim in a light colour.

Both paint products are applied using a brush (around trim and edges) and paint roller on previously wiped clean or suitably primed walls.

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MAKE A

home

LED strip lights - such as the ones shown below from Lighting Warehouse - are beautiful and practical.

BEAUTIFUL BOLDS

They can be used to illuminate virtually any surface or features in and around the home and they are definitely one of the most versatile lighting products on the market today – for backlighting, ambient or task lighting, or lighting in those hard-to-reach places.

This is my personal favourite for decorating a home. Taking its cues from the polished concrete floor, the neutral backdrop of white is highlighted with complementary splashes of colour here and there and bold accents in shades of teal, deep red and purple.

LED lighting options are cost-effective; estimated to use about 20% of the energy consumed by the traditional, incandescent lighting options.

They also offer a greener lighting option. Along with their low energy consumption, LED strip lights are designed to last up to 60 times longer than incandescent strip lights and 10 times longer than fluorescent strip lights.

Decorating a home in these colours allows you to change and update accessories as and when you feel like it - without changing the background colours.

Monochromatic

Colours are generated from the same colour hue as the selected colour.

Complementary

Colours are generated from complimentary colours on the opposite side of the colour wheel.

Adjacent

Colours are generated from adjacent colours on the colour wheel (left and right).

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LED strip lights are flexible, very thin and narrow, creating low profile solutions that are flexible enough to take a shallow bend or curve. This makes them an ideal solution for curved or corner applications, or to illuminate narrow areas where there is little space for traditional lighting, such as on balustrades, bulkheads or stairs.

LED light strips are available in various lengths or can be made to order at The Lighting Warehouse.

With their self-adhesive backing, LED strip lights are very easy to install and can be fixed to almost any smooth, nonconductive surface. The placement area must be clean and dry, then the backing adhesive is simply peeled away and the strip light mounted in place.

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The art of making the perfect ottoman Having made around 60 ottomans in the last year or so you would think I have had enough. I don’t know what it is about an ottoman that inspires me, but I continue to craft on.

Towards the end of last year the DIY Divas introduced the circular ottoman as part of their workshop programme and this has proved to be a popular choice with the ladies.

With this is mind I decided to put together a selection of DIY ottomans that you can make at your leisure.

GOOD TO KNOW For the perfect ottoman, whether you are making a square ottoman, circular ottoman or a storage ottoman, you need to use PG BisonBord.

BisonBord differs greatly from your average chipboard in that it is compressed under high pressure to create a board with less gaps and more strength. This means that there is less chance of your project falling apart later on.

Making and assembling an ottoman is a quick and easy process, but what makes any ottoman unique is the fabric that you choose to upholster your ottoman.

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At the DIY Divas workshops the ottomans that we make are upholstered in fabric supplied by each lady. The result has been an amazing array of ottoman styles ranging from cottage to ultra chic, simply by the choice of fabric used.

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quick & easy

You will need: Let’s start off with a basic square or rectangular ottoman. The ottoman shown right is assembled as two separate sections; the cushion is simply a piece of foam wrapped in thin batting and covered in your choice of fabric.

For the top cushion you will need a sewing machine and basic sewing skills.

The ottoman in this project is 500 x 500mm wide and 400mm high. You can easily adjust the width measurement to make a larger ottoman.

If you wanted to turn this into a storage ottoman, add a board to the base of the top cushion before covering with batting and fabric.

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1 of 16mm BisonBord 500 x 500mm 2 of 16mm BisonBord 200 x 500mm 2 of 16mm BisonBord 200 x 468mm 1 of 1,8 metre PAR pine 44mm wide Pack of 16mm screws Pack of 4 x 40mm smooth shank cut screws Piece of high density foam 100mm thick and 500 x 500mm - if you can’t find 100mm thick foam, use two pieces of 50mm thick Thin batting 4 feet - or make your own with blocks of pine Drill/Driver plus assorted bits Staple gun and 6 or 8mm staples Scissors Hammer

You can make this ottoman square or rectangular.

It makes a comfortable ottoman bench for the end of a bed.

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1. T o make the base for your ottoman attach the two longest side sections to the top with angle braces and 16mm screws.

DIY TIP: Make sure you place the screw tip in the exact centre of the hole in the brace, or it will not be straight.

5. I had some scrap foam lying around, so it wasn’t cut to size. To cut to size I placed the base on top of the foam and used a sharp (new blade) craft knife to cut to size. The foam is only 5cm thick, so I am cutting two sections of the same size.

2. A dd the smaller side sections in the same way and then add angle braces up the sides to secure. Make sure to leave enough room for mounting the foot battens.

6. The next step is to cut the batting for the base. Place the base on your batting, leaving enough batting around to cover the height of the sides. Use sharp scissors to cut away all four corners as shown right.

7. Using the staple gun, staple down only the side edges of the cut batting.

3. U sing a piece of 44mm wide PAR pine, place this over one corner of the box and use a pencil to mark the underside for cutting. These will be support battens for the feet. If you are adding larger feet you will need a wider batten.

4. S crew the battens in place through the outside using 4 x 40mm smooth shank cut screws.

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8. Now it’s time to cut the fabric. Place the base on top of your fabric and allow an extra 5cm all the way around before cutting out.

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Place the fabric on top of the base and, starting at one side and about 1 cm from the top, staple down. I started on the long edge of the striped pattern to ensure the stripes came out perfectly straight.

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10. T uck each corner over and fasten down with a staple. This gives the corners a nice, neat edge.

11. S tart adding the fabric for the sides by folding under the top edge and pinning around the base. I did mine this way to keep the striped lined up, plus it made it easier for stapling.

12. A t the starting point I stapled down the edge of the fabric as shown. After pinning the fabric to the top edge and ending at the starting point, I turned the fabric under and pinned in place. This will be hand sewn once finished stapling.

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13. T urn the box on its side to turn under and staple the fabric to the inside.

14. L eave corners until last so that you can tuck and fold neatly before stapling.

15. T o finish off around the top edge I used an upholstery strip. This strip is made of soft metal and comes i n strips of 1 metre long. You hammer in upholstery pins in blank holes on the strip to fasten down. Amazing!

16. I decided to cut, fold and hand sew the fabric over the top cushion.

17. I bought ready-made legs at my fabric store and these are screwed into the battens underneath.

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Origin of the ottoman The ottoman was introduced to Europe from Turkey in the late 18th century. In Turkey, an ottoman was the central piece of family seating, and was piled with cushions. In Europe, the ottoman was first designed as a piece of fitted furniture that wrapped around three walls of a room and later evolved into a smaller version that fit into the corner of a room. [ wikipedia ]

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Step 1 Draw diagonal lines from corner to corner on one of the 800 x 800mm boards. Where the lines intersect as the centre, pop in a panel pin. Tie a pencil to a piece of string and tie the other end to the panel pin. Adjust as required to draw an 800mm diameter circle.

If you didn’t have the PAR pine cut to length, cut into 300mm long sections for the uprights.

Step 2 Use a jigsaw to cut the first circle and then use this board as a template to cut the second circle.

You will need: Now we are going to move on to a basic circular ottoman. For this project you don’t require a sewing machine if you use bought piping. However, if you want to add piping in the same fabric that you are using to upholster, you will need a sewing machine.

For this project we are making a circular ottoman that is 800mm in diameter x 400mm high. Again, you can easily adjust this measurement to make an ottoman of any size.

GOOD TO KNOW We buy all our foam from Foam Factory. They have branches in Centurion, Cape Town and East London.

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• 2 of 16mm BisonBord 800 x 800mm • 20 of PAR pine 44 x 300mm long • Piece of high density foam 20mm thick and 800mm diameter

Step 3 Use the diagonal lines to assist in placing the uprights around the outside edge of one of the 800mm diameter boards. There are 20 uprights in total and these need to be spaced evenly.

Once you have the layout right, use a pencil to draw around each upright.

• Medium-weight batting • 4 feet - or make your own using blocks of pine - and 16mm screws • Drill/Driver plus assorted bits • Staple gun and 10 or 12mm staples • Scissors • Hammer • Pack of 4 x 40mm smooth shank screws

Step 4 Place the 2 circular boards on top of each other, lining them up exactly. Drill a 3mm pilot hole in the centre of each draw block and through both boards at the same time.

DIY TIP Make sure the boards are hanging over the edge of your workbench, or you will also drill holes through that as well.

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Step 5 In both boards, drive the screws partway into the board so that only the tip shows on the other side. We used 4 x 40mm smooth shank screws for this project. The reason being that a smooth shank screw will pull the uprights to the board and hold them tightly in place.

Step 6 At both ends of each upright, drill a 3mm pilot hole to a depth of about 1mm. This will help in matching up and will prevent the pine from splitting.

Step 7 Place the first circle with the screw tips face up. Match the drilled pilot hole in the upright to where each screw tip shows through the board. Hold the upright level with the edge and vertical before driving in the screws.

Repeat this for all the uprights.

Step 8 Place the second circle over the top of the uprights with the screw tips facing down.

Align the screw tips with the drilled pilot holes and screw in place.

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Step 9 Cut a strip of batting that is slightly wider than the height of the ottoman. Use a staple gun to staple the batting to the edges of the top and bottom at each upright.

Step 10 Cut a piece of 2cm-thick foam to exactly the same size as the top. Cut a piece of batting that is slightly larger than the top.

Use a staple gun to staple the batting around the edge of the top board.

Step 11 Cut your fabric for the top. Use the staple gun to attach the fabric to the edge of the top board.

Pop in a staple at four equidistant points around the diameter. You can easily do this by using the uprights as a guide.

Now staple at a centre point between these four. Continue doing this and working around the ottoman rather than working out from one point. This will ensure that the fabric is nicely laid across the top.

DIY TIP Your staples need to be as close as possible to the bottom edge of the board.

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Fold a hem before pinning in place

Step 12 Cut fabric for the side section. This piece needs to allow extra for folding a hem at the top and bottom edges. To save on fabric, I cut a single piece of fabric in half.

When you finish, it’s easy to disguise the joins with a bit of hand stitching.

first half of fabric

Step 13 Place the side section face-to-face with the top. Fold the fabric under and pin every 10cm or so. This makes it much easier to staple using both hands.

staple down at both ends

second half of fabric

Pin every 10cm

Step 14 For the first section you can staple right to the edge and then staple every 3 to 4cm along the edge of the top board.

If you are using a single strip of fabric for the side, fold under the end before stapling. If using two half sections for the side, staple down the first half and fold under the second half before stapling down.

Tuck under the end before stapling

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DIY TIP Your staples need to be as close as possible to the bottom edge of the board.

fold under at both ends Step 15 Turn the ottoman upside down. Working in the same order as you did for the top, fold under and staple the fabric to the base.

You may need to make folds, so be sure to pop a staple over the top to secure.

Use a hot glue gun or hand-sew to attach webbing or trim

Step 17 If you had managed to finish without any visible staples you can finish now. Or, you can add webbing or trim to conceal the join between the top and side.

Step 16 Secure the feet to the base with 16mm screws, positioning equally around the base.

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NEW HOME FOR A

YOUNG COUPLE Starting off in your first home can be daunting, especially if you have to redecorate and furnish on a tight budget.

Antique finish upholstery pins

One of the most popular finishing options for an ottoman is to add nail head trim. You can do this in two ways: add single upholstery pins to make a decorative pattern or, hammer in a nail head strip. You will find accessories for both options at www.gelmar.co.za.

Nail head strip in antique finish

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I came across this post by the mother and daughter authors of Good Bones, Good Pieces, that you can buy on Amazon, and thought it was a perfect example of how a young couple, moving into their first home, can decorate and furnish without spending a fortune.

The couple bough an old apartment which. although small, was decorated to be cosy and chic.

LEFT: I have often advocated for buying secondhand or auction pieces at bargain prices and taking the time to transform these pieces into furniture fit for any home.

And buying secondhand not only saves you a fortune on what you would spend on new furniture, it also allows you the opportunity to shop around for pieces that fit in with your design plan, and upholster and paint pieces to match.

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http://makelyhome.com/how-to-paint-a-perfect-ceiling-line

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN WALLS AND CEILING Living in a double-storey home with a concrete slab as a ceiling between the ground and first floor, the line between wall and ceiling is roughly finished. I will be putting up cornice one of these days, but for the time being here’s a simple alternative to a neat finish between walls and ceiling.

Use an acrylic sealer to bridge the gap and provide a neat edge after painting.

Put a line of masking tape at the top of the wall and along the edge of the ceiling. Leave a 3 to 5mm gap between the two to allow for the sealer. If you need a wider gap you can.

Transforming a kitchen from dark and dingy into light and bright is not impossible, as can be seen above and right. Most times all it takes is a can or two of paint and a weekend to undertake this instant transformation.

RIGHT: The kitchen is very long and narrow but the young couple wanted to have a place to sit and eat (since there is no dining room).

They came up with a design for a built-in breakfast nook which would utilize every bit of space, and look like it was always there.

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Use a caulking gun to apply the sealer - it’s much easier.

After you have applied, use a finger tip to smooth along the applied sealer. You will need a piece of tissue to keep wiping the excess off your finger as you work.

Find acrylic sealer at your local Builders Warehouse.

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TRIM PAINT ROLLERS

SPRAY PAINT FURNITURE

When you’re not quite finished with a painting project and the ends of a paint roller are clogged up with hard paint, use a pair of sharp scissors to cut away the rough edges, so that you can continue with the project.

If you need to spray paint furniture it gets a bit tricky when trying to paint around legs and feet. A quick and easy solution is to put a screw at the bottom of each leg to lift it up and make it easier to spray.

STOP PAINT RUNS MAKE A SPRAY BOOTH

Cut up a wire coat hanger to fit over the top of your paint can. Use this to remove excess paint from the paint brush rather than scraping against the side of the tin.

Repurpose a cardboard box into a spray booth for all-round spraying of items. String or thin wire is used to hang items in the spray booth.

If you find it hard to remove masking tape, use a hair dryer on low-heat setting to soften the tape and the paint to make it easier to remove.

You can also use a hair dryer to speed up the painting process by drying paint faster, especially where there is high humidity.

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CARE FOR PAINT BRUSHES Paint brushes are too expensive to be disposable. To extend the life of your paint brushes, remove stubborn paint by soaking paint brushes in hot water and white spirit vinegar. Use a metal coat hanger to hang brushes while they dry.

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PAINT

CLOSET

DOORS

When you have to climb up and down a ladder to touch up with paint, or paint around trim, this handy paint container will make the job easier.

There are so many homes that are fitted with standard melamine or laminated closet doors. They look good for a couple of years before fading to a dirty cream colour that is easily chipped

as the melamine gets brittle with age.

Repurpose a plastic milk container to hold paint and have a handy place to store your paint brush.

Use a sharp knife to cut out an opening at the front of the bottle.

DIY dilemma

Reuse - Repurpose - Recycle

UPDATE

HANDY

What’s the easiest way to update closet doors?

Step 1 Remove handles or knobs from the door before you start. If you are going to be putting these back on the doors, give them a good clean or paint them and put them somewhere safe for the time being.

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Step 2 Use a kitchen scourer and Polycell Sugar Soap to wipe down the doors. Have a bucket of water and a cloth handy to rinse clean and dry once you have finished.

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You will need: • Melamine edging strip (iron on) • Iron and ironing board, or flat surface • 2cm paintbrush • Large-size foam roller • Paint tray • Dropcloth • Plascon Universal Undercoat • Plascon Kitchens & Bathrooms paint

Step 3 Put down a dropcloth to make clean up easy and then use a craft knife to cut away edging strips that are chipped or damaged. To clean up simply fold up the dropcloth and empty into a dustbin.

Ideal for areas where a hardwearing finish is required.

This water-based enamel is a Plascon innovation that is 10x more washable that conventional water-based paints.

Plascon Kitchens & Bathrooms paint is an eco-friendly alternative to oil-based enamel but offers the same tough finish.

Cracks appearing around cornice and at corners

Step 4 Use a warm iron to attach new edging strip along the door edges. I like to use a soft cloth over the edging strip and then apply light strokes with a medium-heat iron to secure the strips. Cut away excess using a sharp craft knife.

Step 5 Apply Plascon Universal Undercoat or Melamine Primer over the doors with the foam roller for a smooth finish. Use the foam roller to apply undercoat to door fronts and backs. Let this dry.

PLASCON KITCHENS & BATHROOMS PAINT

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Use an acrylic sealer to fill in cracks and small gaps

Step 6 Now you are ready to apply Plascon Kitchens & Bathrooms paint. Apply in the same way as for the undercoat using a small paintbrush and foam roller. The foam roller ensures a smooth finish that is free of brush strokes.

DIY TIP: When using a foam roller you may see small air bubbles on the finish as you roll on. Continue to roll over and spread out the paint and these bubbles will disappear.

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After applying a long, thin bead, smooth with your fingertip

The quick-drying formula means that you can apply two coats in one day.

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To paint the closet doors - 5 in total - plus the walls and ceiling in the dressing room I used one 2,5 litre of Plascon Kitchens & Bathrooms paint. That included that the walls required an extra coat of paint to cover the existing deep lilac colour.

Just one coat of paint makes all the difference to my closet doors

Note: I applied Plascon Melamine Primer to three of the closet doors and then painted the last two without using the primer. After applying two coats of Plascon Kitchens & Bathrooms paint I gave it a scrub test (washing down with a kitchen scourer) with excellent results. I won’t be using the primer in future.

LEFT: You can see the difference between the painted and unpainted areas. The closet door on the right and the ceiling are lighter and brighter, even after only one coat of paint.

RIGHT: Some rubbing down with Brasso soon had the grubby knobs shining.

The closest doors look brand new with two coats of paint and shined-up brass knobs

I must be honest and say that it was a pleasure to use this paint. It didn’t smell and was very quick-drying. I moved around the room from door to door, walls and then ceiling before going back and starting again.

The result was so overwhelming that I continued painting all the melamine surfaces in the room, which included my small dressing hoekie.

TOP: The sealer around the dressing table countertop was really ugly.

LEFT: After adding a couple of shelves to the space I gave the melamine sides and countertop two coats of paint.

At a cost of around R350, this dressing room makeover was definitely money well spent. It took two days from start to finish and I now have a fresh white space.

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3. Follow precisely the manufacturer’s guidelines to connect all three wires to the new switch plate terminals, for a one-way connection.

4. A section of copper core should be visible at the end of all three wires.

Insert each wire into the correct terminal as directed.

HOW TO CHANGE A LIGHT SWITCH COVER Changing a single light switch plate is a straightforward job if done methodically and safely.

Before carrying out any work, make sure you have read all of this guide, and fully understand the entire process involved with changing a light switch.

Note colours used for residential wiring in South Africa is different from that used in other countries.

Red is LIVE, black is NEUTRAL and the bare copper wire is EARTH 1. B efore carrying out any work, turn off the mains electricity supply at the distribution board. Then, unscrew the switch plate retaining screws.

M odern cover plates will be lettered as to the correct wiring procedure.

L = Live, N = Neutral and the earth terminal will be labelled or have an earth symbol.

5. Only insert bare wire into terminals and ensure no bare wire is visible. Tighten screws securely onto cable cores.

6. For a metal switch plate, you must connect the earth wire (bare copper wire) to the earth terminal on the switch plate.

7. Reposition the switch plate ensuring that no wires are trapped between the switch plate and the wall surface.

8. Fix in place with the retaining screws.

Do not overtighten. Ensure the switch plate is level. Restore the power and test.

If you are in any doubt about working with electricity, seek professional advice from a qualified electrician.

2. G ently ease the switch plate forward to reveal the wiring. Unscrew terminal screws to release all wires.

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New edition of the DIY manual you can’t afford to be without – expert know-how with step-by-step show-how for success every time!

Author, Julian Cassell Whether you need to do a quick fix or a large DIY project, find out how to tackle any DIY task with confidence following this revised and updated step-by-step guide. From fitting a shower cubicle to applying different painting techniques, the simple, clear, un-intimidating instructions ensure even hard jobs are made easy whatever your level of ability. Every step is presented sequentially and photographically, breaking down each stage of a DIY job, from choosing tools to performing tasks to simple fixes for common problems. A helpful overview keeps you on track by showing you the entire sequence of events from start to finish. Plus, new eco-friendly options will help you DIY the green way.

The Dremel Moto-Saw is a compact and easyto-use scroll saw for making detailed cuts in different materials. With a range of different saw blades, the Dremel Moto-Saw can handle many different materials easily. Thanks to its detachable fretsaw, it can be used not only stationary but in-hand anywhere.

This user-friendly scroll saw is not only easy to store and set-up, but also easy to operate.

The Dremel Moto-Saw is the most userfriendly scroll saw.

Features and benefits •E asy to use: quick accessory change combined with effortless set-up and storage due to its compact size.

•D ual functioning: stationary mode for precision work and handheld mode for larger work pieces.

•P recise straight cuts: guide rails and parallel guide to assist cutting up to 18 mm.

Buy the book online at Kalahari.com or ExclusiveBooks.co.za

Many women have been in the position that they want to fix or make something themselves, but simply don’t have the know-how to do it. A fear of power tools, lack of confidence and knowledge have resulted in frustration for many. This book is designed as a reference for those wanting to find out more about DIY. 50

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5 minute

BATHROOM

FIX-UPS

FAILED SILICONE SEALER

SLOW SHOWER DRAIN If a shower or bathtub drains slowly, chances are the drain is clogged with hair. You don’t have to get all dirty to fix this problem.

Step 1 Remove the drain cover. Some covers are held down by screws and some are designed to pop off. If the cover cannot be removed you can still try the following.

Step 2 Use a pair of pliers to bend the end of a piece of wire over to make a hook. An old wire coat hanger is perfect. The wire is not too thin to bend easily but it will bend just enough to fit down the drain.

Mould around baths and showers in a warning that the sealer needs to be replaced. If left unattended, moisture will gain ingress into surrounding walls and cause even more problems.

Remove the old seal using a plastic scraper. Wipe clean with acetone (nail polish remover) and dry thoroughly.

Apply masking tape above and below where you will apply the sealer. This will ensure a perfect edge once done.

Step 3 Insert the wire into the drain as far as it will go. As you reach the blockage you can hook onto built up hair and start pulling it out. Most blockages will come out in a big clump and you can dispose of this down the toilet.

Step 4 Replace the drain cap and run the shower on high for about 20 seconds to wash away any remaining debris.

LEAK AT BASE OF TOILET Water that collects around a toilet waste pipe is a sure indication that the rubber gasket has failed. Pop into your local Builders Warehouse and ask for a wax seal that you can easily fit yourself. The seal costs around R20 and will take about 5 minutes to replace.

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Cut the tip off the sealer cartridge and apply where required. You can use a fingertip to smooth the area before removing the masking tape.

Make sure to use a silicone sealer than is anti-fungal and mould resistant.

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canned

RELIEF

If your not a fan of citronella, making your own candles means you can add other scents to the mix, with essential oils such as eucalyptus, rosemary and peppermint.

YOU WILL NEED: Aluminium cans Double boiler 350g Soy wax Pre-waxed wicks with tabs Citronella oil Dremel hot glue gun 1. Using the hot glue gun, affix the wicks to the bottom of the cans and press it firmly into the centre. If you are using a larger can, add two or three wicks spaced apart around the centre.

http://gardentherapy.ca/diy-citronella-candles/

Reuse - Repurpose - Recycle

With downpours being experienced across the country, and fears of a malaria outbreak in the north, mosquitoes are going to be a pest this summer. Citronella candles are expensive to buy, so here’s how to make your own to have them burning when and where you need them.

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2. Assemble your double boiler and add wax or old candles in small pieces. Don’t worry so much about bits of wick or other specks in the wax as you won’t see them in the candles when they are done.

Heat over medium heat until the wax is completely melted.

3. When the wax is melted it’s time to add the fragrance. Add 20 drops of citronella oil per 350g of wax.

4. Let the wax cool slightly and carefully pour into containers. I can usually gently manoeuvre my wicks to stay in the centre as the wax cools but if you are having trouble, secure the wicks with a chopstick 55

glorious gardens

or clothespin to keep them in line.

Careful not to disturb them too much and set them in a warm place to cool.

Cooling slowly and completely will create the best looking candles.

5. If you get a depressed area around the wick when cooled, warm up some more wax and pour it into the void.

6. Allow your candle to cure for 48 hours undisturbed before burning. Then, when you fire it up, let the candle burn so that there is a full, wide pool of wax before you blow it out. It is said that candles have a memory, so it’s best to let the first burn set the tone for all the rest.

7. Decorate your candles by wrapping them in burlap, twine and/or yarn.

Store near them near the garden, deck or patio so you can quickly light up when the pests start buzzing around.

DID YOU KNOW As someone who regularly lights up a whole bunch of candles when the power goes out, I will definitely be shopping around for soy candles. Soy candles may be more expensive to buy up front, but when you factor in that they last longer than wax candles, you’re really paying the same price at the end of the day.

Scented soy candles emit more scent, as soybean oil lowers the melting point of the candle, and this translates into cooler burning candles and faster scent dispersion. The lower melting point of soy wax results in a larger size of the liquid wax pool around the candle wick. It is from this liquid wax pool that the essential oils evaporate into the atmosphere.

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Can you believe that this gorgeous vertical garden is made using pistachio nut shells?

Kristi at Addicted2Decorated saved the shells from bags of pistachio nuts and dyed them in soft, earthy colours before mounting them in a frame to hang on the wall.

If you don’t have a green thumb, this is one way to add an attractive vertical garden to you patio, or balcony - or even your home - without worrying about it dying!

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You will need: Pistachio shells Hot glue gun and glue sticks Wax paper Food colouring Stainless steel bowl Ice tongues 2,4m length of pine moulding Masonite backing board Straw or moss

http://www.addicted2decorating.com/diy-hanging-succulent-garden-made-with-pistachio-shells.html

Here’s how:

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1. T o make the flowers - on a piece of wax paper - start with three shells and glue them together with your hot glue gun. Now you’re going to start adding shells and building out by gluing shells directly to that. Just add hot glue around the bottom edge of the shell as shown left and then glue them to the first piece you made.

2. M ake as many as you need to fill up your ‘canvas’. I just used a piece of pine moulding the frame, which ended up being about 40 x 65cm.

Of course, it takes FOREVER to make that many flowers, so just be aware of that. This is a good project to spread out over a few days, and just make a couple of flowers each night while you watch your favourite TV show.

3. W hen all of your flowers are made and the glue is completely cooled, the flowers are ready for their dye bath. I used powdered Rit fabric dye in four different colours (Note: Rit dye is not available in SA, so I would suggest that you use food colouring).

I left the flowers in at varying lengths of time. Obviously, the longer you leave them in the dye - the more saturated the colour. I did have a couple of shells detach during their bath, but that didn’t happen much. My flowers stayed pretty well intact during their dye bath.

The flowers that are very light in colour were left in about 30 seconds, and then turned upside down on paper towels for about 20 seconds, and then turned over (right side up) and misted with a spray bottle filled with water. The ones that are more saturated were left in the dye bath for about three to five minutes, and then placed upside down on a paper towel for the excess to drip off, but I didn’t mist those with water since I didn’t want the colour to get diluted.

4. With all of your flowers finished, prepare your faux garden by gluing your choice of backing onto the back board. To fill the frame I used a light brown moss. Be sure to leave the edges free since your frame will fit over the top.

5. Now go ahead and put the frame on (I just made a very simple frame from moulding that you will find at Builders Warehouse), and begin arranging your flowers.

A s you do this, you might find that there are holes that need to be filled.

I ended up having to make four additional small flowers to fill empty space.

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searching for the best pool

MAINTENANCE

solution

As a country that enjoys beautiful weather for most of the year, many South African families take enjoyment by spending time in the garden at the pool.

A swimming pool is still considered an investment buy, and it doesn’t have to be hard work to keep a pool looking crystal clear and inviting.

I was recently invited to talk on the radio about pool maintenance. For some reason I seem to have picked up the reputation for being a bit of a pool fundie. But I’m not. I simply believe that keeping a pool looking good almost all year round is a matter of regular maintenance and doing what’s

SATISFIED

UNSATISFIED PROS & CONS

HTH

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EXPENSIVE

BLU 52

35

17

STAINING PROBLEMS

SALT CHLORINATOR

16

3

INITIAL COST & REPLACEMENT ITEMS BUT CHEAPER IN LONG TERM

CLEAR4WEEKS

8

ECOH2ZERO

4

I decided to do a bit of research on some of the most popular pool maintenance products to see what experiences pool owners have had with the products they use.

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supposed to be done. Like adding a pool maintenance product regularly, cleaning away fallen leaves, doing a backwash, and so on. One area that causes a lot of confusion is what pool maintenance product to use. There are a variety of products on the market, but which is the right one for you...

FAIRLY NEW ECO-PRODUCT

I must point out that the results were taken from a random set of pool forums and are not biased in any way, but you can draw your own conclusions.

Repeated product trials conducted show how effective Eco H2 Zero is... LEFT: 24 May - The pool is allowed to go green and green algae starts to appear on the pool sides. RIGHT: Product added 25 May - 27 May - Pool almost sparkling.

Eco-friendly pool maintenance One product that seems to be drawing a lot of attention is the new eco-friendly and affordable pool maintenance product: Eco H2 Zero Aquamagic This product claims to be a monthly pool maintenance product that is gentle on eyes and skin, safe for pets, and that can be added even while children swim.

The product also claims that backwash or pool overspill is not harmful to the garden.

As a product that does not contain chlorine how does it work?

The active ingredients in Eco H2 Zero are cupric sulphate (kills algae), percarbonates (oxidation) and flocculants (removes phosphates).

There is a need to add 1 cup of chlorine one a weekly basis, but this product reduces the need for chlorine from 3ppm to 0,5ppm - 6 times less that chlorine pool maintenance products!

If you want more information, visit http://www.ecoh2zero.com NOTE: This is not an advertisement for Eco H2 Hero, but I do think that pool owners should be made aware of any ecofriendly products on the market that offer a solution to chlorine pool maintenance, and as a cheaper alternative to switching over to a salt chlorinator.

I will be looking into giving this product a try, especially for the fact that it claims to be eco-friendly and more affordable.

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DUMMIES

guide to a sparkling

POOL

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to have a sparkling pool. It only takes 15 minutes of your time - depending on the type of pool maintenance product you use - to keep your pool crystal clear.

1. Follow instructions Whatever pool maintenance product you choose will provide clear guidelines of what needs to be done and when. Many pool owners don’t even bother to read the instructions - simply tossing the product into the pool and hoping for the best.

2. Invest in a pool test kit A pool test kit is your best friend. With regular testing you know whether or not the pool water needs treating.

3. Keep up maintenance tasks R emove leaves, backwash once a week, replace sand in filter every 4-5 years. These tasks won’t take long and will ensure you stay on top of pool maintenance.

With regular maintenance, you will know immediately when something is wrong and can remedy the situation before it becomes an expensive problem.

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Bookings are now open for our 2013 DIY Divas Career Workshop Saturday mornings from 09:00 to 12:00

www.DIY-DIVAS.co.za 63