weekend
weekend
D I Y
Stick It to ’Em The hot (and easy) washi tape decorating and crafting craze just got hotter with Duck brand’s washi tape offerings in eight funky patterns. Add embellishment to photo albums scrapbooks, artwork, lampshades— the sky’s the limit ($3, officemax.com).
No matter what’s hanging on your walls—kid drawings, family portraits, framed prints—it should be lit simply and naturally. Hang art based on the natural light you do have, keeping it out of direct sun or using mirrors to harness light in dark rooms. Use multiple light sources. Two or three lamps, both floor and table models, will brighten up the art in an average-size room. Avoid the “spotlight effect,” where the light source behind the viewer creates unwanted shadows. Instead, install dimmer switches for overhead lighting, a cheap fix that offers you just the right glow any time of day or night.
Art and Light
Double Duty Holiday Decor No sooner have you strung paper pumpkins for Halloween than it’s time to decorate for Thanksgiving! Here’s a nifty idea that lets you transform simple pom-pom pumpkins into adorable turkeys— thanks to Amanda Kingloff, author of Project Kid (projectkid.com).
Step 1 For each pom-pom, wrap orange yarn around 4 fingers 40
to 60 times to make a thick bundle. Cut from the ball of yarn and slip off your hand. Tie a 6-inch piece of yarn very tightly around the center of the bundle; insert scissors into the loops and snip until all are cut. Trim to a round 2-inch pom-pom. Glue a 1- or 2-inch twig or piece of twine-covered wire into the top center. Voila—pumpkin!
Step 3 Cut a heart from orange felt and glue to the bottom of
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Wood Floor Spruce-Up
To give life and sheen to tired wood floors, and extend their life in the process:
Clean. A mop fitted with a microfiber pad will attract dirt, not just push it around the room. Dunk in a pH-neutral water-based cleaner. Avoid vinegar, soap, wax and steam, as they dull and damage delicate wood. Polish. Rub away minor scratches and protect from further damage with a water-based polish designed just for wood floors. Refinish. Even a well-cared-for floor develops dents and scratches over time. You could refinish it yourself, but a certified professional will ensure that dust is contained and air remains safe. He can even change your floor’s color for a whole new look.
the spool, rounded points facing forward, to make feet. Cut 2 leaf shapes from the felt and glue wings to the turkey’s sides. Cut 3 small teardrop shapes from red felt and glue in place for the wattle. Cut 8 feather shapes from a few colors of felt and glue to the back of the head and body in a fanned arrangement. Now it’s turkey time!
Source: Bona hardwood floor experts (mybonahome.com).
w o r k i n g m o t h e r . c o m O ct o b e r / n ov e m b e r 2 014
See how to make the pumpkin pom-pom at workingmother.com/pompom
counterclockwise from bottom: iStockPhoto (2)
Step 2 For each turkey, wrap brown yarn around a 2-inch-high wooden spool to create a round body. Remove stem from a pumpkin and glue pom-pom to the top of the spool. Draw eyes on 2 small buttons and glue to pom-pom. Fold a piece of orange felt and cut a triangle on the fold to make a beak, then glue just below eyes.
Source: Jay Sacher, co-author of How to Hang a Picture
D I Y
Stick It to ’Em The hot (and easy) washi tape decorating and crafting craze just got hotter with Duck brand’s washi tape offerings in eight funky patterns. Add embellishment to photo albums scrapbooks, artwork, lampshades— the sky’s the limit ($3, officemax.com).
No matter what’s hanging on your walls—kid drawings, family portraits, framed prints—it should be lit simply and naturally. Hang art based on the natural light you do have, keeping it out of direct sun or using mirrors to harness light in dark rooms. Use multiple light sources. Two or three lamps, both floor and table models, will brighten up the art in an average-size room. Avoid the “spotlight effect,” where the light source behind the viewer creates unwanted shadows. Instead, install dimmer switches for overhead lighting, a cheap fix that offers you just the right glow any time of day or night.
Art and Light
Double Duty Holiday Decor No sooner have you strung paper pumpkins for Halloween than it’s time to decorate for Thanksgiving! Here’s a nifty idea that lets you transform simple pom-pom pumpkins into adorable turkeys— thanks to Amanda Kingloff, author of Project Kid (projectkid.com).
Step 1 For each pom-pom, wrap orange yarn around 4 fingers 40
to 60 times to make a thick bundle. Cut from the ball of yarn and slip off your hand. Tie a 6-inch piece of yarn very tightly around the center of the bundle; insert scissors into the loops and snip until all are cut. Trim to a round 2-inch pom-pom. Glue a 1- or 2-inch twig or piece of twine-covered wire into the top center. Voila—pumpkin!
Step 3 Cut a heart from orange felt and glue to the bottom of
132
Wood Floor Spruce-Up
To give life and sheen to tired wood floors, and extend their life in the process:
Clean. A mop fitted with a microfiber pad will attract dirt, not just push it around the room. Dunk in a pH-neutral water-based cleaner. Avoid vinegar, soap, wax and steam, as they dull and damage delicate wood. Polish. Rub away minor scratches and protect from further damage with a water-based polish designed just for wood floors. Refinish. Even a well-cared-for floor develops dents and scratches over time. You could refinish it yourself, but a certified professional will ensure that dust is contained and air remains safe. He can even change your floor’s color for a whole new look.
the spool, rounded points facing forward, to make feet. Cut 2 leaf shapes from the felt and glue wings to the turkey’s sides. Cut 3 small teardrop shapes from red felt and glue in place for the wattle. Cut 8 feather shapes from a few colors of felt and glue to the back of the head and body in a fanned arrangement. Now it’s turkey time!
Source: Bona hardwood floor experts (mybonahome.com).
w o r k i n g m o t h e r . c o m O ct o b e r / n ov e m b e r 2 014
See how to make the pumpkin pom-pom at workingmother.com/pompom
counterclockwise from bottom: iStockPhoto (2)
Step 2 For each turkey, wrap brown yarn around a 2-inch-high wooden spool to create a round body. Remove stem from a pumpkin and glue pom-pom to the top of the spool. Draw eyes on 2 small buttons and glue to pom-pom. Fold a piece of orange felt and cut a triangle on the fold to make a beak, then glue just below eyes.
Source: Jay Sacher, co-author of How to Hang a Picture
