Common small spaces mistakes

"Proportion and scale are vital. Custom upholstery is essential if you want to avoid burdening a room with furniture that looks like it's on steroids. You should have furniture made in the correct width, height, and depth for the scale of a room. For smaller rooms, I try to avoid anything over 36 inches deep. Better not to overpower a room with the steroid-injected, super-deep models made to fill titanic spaces in McMansions. Bigger is not always better." —TODD KLEIN

"Playing it safe. Instead, put a large-scale printed fabric or wallpaper on the walls and even the ceiling. It's easier, safer, and less expensive to be dramatic in a small space. You might get tired of a bold print in the main living area, but it can make a smaller, less-used room an exciting space to spend time." —VICTORIA NEALE

will continue...

50 things to Do to Go Green

Here is a series of 50 simple things, we are going to post them in a list of 10, that everyone can do in order to fight against and reduce the Global Warming phenomenon: some of them are at no cost, some other require a little investment but can help you save a lot of money, in the middle-long term! Previous Tips from 11 to 20

21. Choose products that come with little packaging and buy refills when you can
You will also cut down on waste production and energy use!

22. Reuse your shopping bag
When shopping, it saves energy and waste to use a reusable bag instead of accepting a disposable one in each shop. Waste not only discharges CO2 and methane into the atmosphere, it can also pollute the air, groundwater and soil.

23. Reduce waste
Most products we buy cause greenhouse gas emissions in one or another way, e.g. during production and distribution. By taking your lunch in a reusable lunch box instead of a disposable one, you save the energy needed to produce new lunch boxes.

24. Plant a tree
A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. The Arbor Day Foundation has information on planting and provides trees you can plant with membership.

25. Switch to green power
In many areas, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar. The Green Power Network is a good place to start to figure out what’s available in your area.

26. Buy locally grown and produced foods
The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community.

27. Buy fresh foods instead of frozen
Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce.

28. Seek out and support local farmers markets
They reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you by one fifth. You can find a farmer’s market in your area at the USDA website.

29. Buy organic foods as much as possible
Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere!

30. Eat less meat
Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.

Me, Myself and "Yo"!

As you know I'm a happy mother of three beautiful girls and a handsome husband that I love a lot. He's a really help...but he's working most of the time...So I do most of the work in the house by myself...Now I'm helping my father and my brother in a FM Radio Show, I'm one of the producers of the program, Me? a producer? :P ...OMG never in my life!.

I'm like The Flash (you know the super hero), but in a feminine version, I have to do everything fast; clean the house, check my products online and work on it, prepare the food (Hold it right there) I have to think first what to cook?

OMG! Select the music daily and get the information for the radio show, by the way the name is "De PUERTA en PUERTA" from Monday to Thursday from 4pm to 6pm, then give the food to my girls and after that do the homework!, Done? I don't think so... got to go the web again and check the show, just in case any further information that they need, plus give them any suggestions (critiques), also I'm getting a report of the online viewers daily, by hour, and guess what? my hobby just arrived "Yo" take a break? not even in my sleep. :D

My grandson...

My name is Toto. I'm a 3 years old, cutie pie.

He's a picky eater... no really, he is.
When he's hungry he stands at the cage's door and he squeaks. Sometimes he bites the bars of the cage and we know that means he wants to go out and take a walk. LOL
We love him so much.

wow! Bululu Studio on another blog?

Yay! I'm very happy...I want to let you know that Bululu Studio is featured on another blog called The Handmade Department Store.

Check the article now and please post your comments here.

50 Things to Do to Go Green

Here is a series of 50 simple things, we are going to post them in a list of 10, that everyone can do in order to fight against and reduce the Global Warming phenomenon: some of them are at no cost, some other require a little investment but can help you save a lot of money, in the middle-long term! Previous Tips from 1 to 10

11. Replace your old single-glazed windows with double-glazing
This requires a bit of upfront investment, but will halve the energy lost through windows and pay off in the long term. If you go for the best the market has to offer (wooden-framed double-glazed units with low-emission glass and filled with argon gas), you can even save more than 70% of the energy lost.

12. Get a home energy audit
Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star can help you find an energy specialist.

13. Cover your pots while cooking
Doing so can save a lot of the energy needed for preparing the dish. Even better are pressure cookers and steamers: they can save around 70%!

14. Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full
If you need to use it when it is half full, then use the half-load or economy setting. There is also no need to set the temperatures high. Nowadays detergents are so efficient that they get your clothes and dishes clean at low temperatures.

15. Take a shower instead of a bath
A shower takes up to four times less energy than a bath. To maximise the energy saving, avoid power showers and use low-flow showerheads, which are cheap and provide the same comfort.

16. Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot.

17. Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year.

18. Insulate and weatherize your home
Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 pounds per year. Energy Efficient has more information on how to better insulate your home.

19. Be sure you’re recycling at home
You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates. Earth 911 can help you find recycling resources in your area.

20.Recycle your organic waste
Around 3% of the greenhouse gas emissions through the methane is released by decomposing bio-degradable waste. By recycling organic waste or composting it if you have a garden, you can help eliminate this problem! Just make sure that you compost it properly, so it decomposes with sufficient oxygen, otherwise your compost will cause methane emissions and smell foul.

Wedding Anniversaries

Ok here is the list... my wedding anniversary is WOOL :D...
Which one is yours?

1^st Year >>> Cotton

2^nd Year >>> Paper

3^rd Year >>> Leather

4^th Year >>> Fruit

5^th Year >>> Wood

6^th Year >>> Candy

7^th Year >>> Wool

8^th Year >>> Bronze

9^th Year >>> Pottery

10^th Year >>> Aluminum

11^th Year >>> Steel

12^th Year >>> Silk

13^th Year >>> Lace

14^th Year >>> Ivory

15^th Year >>> Porcelain

20^th Year >>> Crystal

25^th Year >>> Silver

30^th Year >>> Pearls

35^th Year >>> Coral

40^th Year >>> Ruby

45^th Year >>> Sapphire

50^th Year >>> Golden

55^th Year >>> Emerald

60^th Year >>> Diamond

70^th Year >>> Platinum
75^th Year >>> Brilliant

“Karat or Carat?”

The word Carat should be reserved for gem’s weight like “three carat ruby” and karat reserved as a measure of purity of gold. Long time ago, carob beans were used as a unit of weight, both words karat and carat grew from that root word.

Jewelry Tips 4 of 12

• Although you may have a favorite designer, there's really no need to stick with just one. In fact, there's no need for the pieces to actually be designer. There are plenty of wonderful pieces on the market that are unsigned but certainly make a fashion statement. Mix and match your jewelry to give it character and a little pizzazz!
• Designer pieces tend to cost a little more, last a little longer, and they usually follow more traditional lines so you can wear them for more than one or two seasons.
• Sterling Silver is affordable and very versatile. If you don't want to spend the money for sterling, then purchase some silver plate pieces. Silver is a must have for any wardrobe! You can go from dainty and delicate to large and noticeable. It can be dressed up or down and is acceptable for any event or occasion.
• Have some gold plate or gold tone pieces in your wardrobe basics also. 14-18k gold may be a bit too pricey for many but gold plated jewelry is quite affordable and will give you good value for the cost. Gold, like silver, can be dressed up or dressed down and is perfect for a very classy look.

How to Choose Jewelry

Choosing your jewelry is no different than choosing your wardrobe. Most important is to stick within your comfort zone and your personal fashion style. That said, it never hurts to step out of the box once in awhile.

What's most important is that your jewelry matches up with your outfit. Your jewelry is the finishing touch on your total look. Make your fashion statement count!

Steps:

1. Determine what you want your jewelry to do. Do you want it front and center stage? Do you want it to compliment? Do you want it subtle?
2. Make certain your jewelry is appropriate for the occasion or event you'll be wearing it to. A sexy over sized choker might be perfect for a night on the town but may not be fitting for the boardroom.
3. Determine how long you want it to last and how often you plan to wear it.
4. Know how much money you want to spend.
5. If you can, try on the jewelry or hold it up next to you to determine whether it suits you.

Less is more.

Everyone has heard this phrase before, but try applying it to your daily living/workspace. When you have less, you feel less burdened because there isn't as much to keep track of.

The payoff for having less is that you actually feel like you have more... you are not wasting it looking for items or shuffling through papers. You just feel better about your space and don't feel like your belongings own you, but rather you own them.

To maintenance semiprecious stones in perfect conditions

• Avoid perfumes, colognes; make up powders, cosmetics, hair spray, body oil, heat, and other substances that may cause damage to stones.
• Rub gems with a smooth, soft cloth to remove fingerprints and keep them shiny.
• Store stones away from intense heat and light.
• Try to apply all these products before you wear the jewelry.
  

Things that can be recycled.

Plastics: Plastic bags, water and detergent bottles, milk jugs (check with your city to see if you can recycle only plastics marked with a 1 or 2….or more)

Glass: Food and drink bottles

Paper: Newspaper, office paper, phone books, magazines and glossy prints, cardboard

Metal: Steel and tin cans, aluminum pop cans, aerosol cans, aluminum foil

Condense and Crush – collapse and tie up stacks of cardboard boxes and newspapers. Crush cans by removing the tops and bottoms of tin cans and stepping then crush the cans.

Rinse and Rid – rinse all glass and metal cans and bottles. Dispose of all plastic bottle lids. There is no need to remove labels from the outsides of cans or bottles.

Sorting Stations:
Depending on the size of your household, you can use a cloth bag in your kitchen to collect all the recycling and then have a second location in your garage for sorting to save space in your house.

If you want something that blends in with your furnishings more, use a piece of furniture like a buffet table or even an old wooden box will do. Just create compartments within to separate your recyclables.

You can also buy recycling units. There are many different kinds to choose from, so choose the one that will work for your family.

To make it fun for kids, label your containers by using chalkboard paint and chalk to label each unit accordingly. Create four stations:

Aluminums & tins
Glass
Plastics
Papers

Ship it off:
Check with your community about available curbside pick-up. If that is not available in your community, you will need to take your recyclables to a specific drop-off station.

For large household items or lawn items, you may have to make an appointment for pick up.

50 Ways to go green

Here is a series of 50 simple things, we are going to post them in a list of 10, that everyone can do in order to fight against and reduce the Global Warming phenomenon: some of them are at no cost, some other require a little investment but can help you save a lot of money, in the middle-long term!

1. Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)
CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

2. Install a programmable thermostat
Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill.

3. Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer.
Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has more tips for saving energy on heating and cooling.

4. Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner.
Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

5. Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases.
Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most efficient models available.

6. Do not leave appliances on standby.
Use the "on/off" function on the machine itself. A TV set that's switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode.

7. Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 50°C.

8. Move your fridge and freezer
Placing them next to the cooker or boiler consumes much more energy than if they were standing on their own. For example, if you put them in a hot cellar room where the room temperature is 30-35ºC, energy use is almost double and causes an extra 160kg of CO2 emissions for fridges per year and 320kg for freezers.

9. Defrost old fridges and freezers regularly
Even better is to replace them with newer models, which all have automatic defrost cycles and are generally up to two times more energy-efficient than their predecessors.

10. Don't let heat escape from your house over a long period
When airing your house, open the windows for only a few minutes. If you leave a small opening all day long, the energy needed to keep it warm inside during six cold months (10ºC or less outside temperature) would result in almost 1 ton of CO2 emissions.

Milk Paint?

What You'll Need:
Milk Paint solids (powders)
Container(s) for your milk paint - old ball jars work very well
Paint Brush(es)
Polish - a mix of pure bees wax and natural turpentine
Item to paint that has little or no finish
Tarp
Rag for polishing
Sand Paper

1. Be sure your piece of furniture is clean and does not have any residue from grease or wax, etc. These things will keep the paint from adhering.

2. Place piece on tarp in a well-ventilated area.

3. Sand all areas of item to prep for paint.

4. Wipe down piece to clear off the residue from sanding.

5. Mix ingredients for paint. Mix 1 part powder with 1 part water. *Note: Milk paint in powder form lasts indefinitely until mixed with water.

6. Apply paint with a brush. Apply as many coats as you feel is needed letting the piece dry in between each coat.

7. Let piece dry.

8. It's nice to layer your paints with two or more colors. Then, sand the top layer lightly around edges, at corners and on surfaces where a little natural wear might take place.

9. Now, apply the polish with a small amount on a piece of cloth. You can buy the wax pre-mixed or mix a block of bees wax with an equal amount of turpentine.

*Caution: STAY AWAY FROM ANY HEAT OR FLAME. IT IS VERY FLAMMABLE.

Make sure you're applying the sealant to the whole piece of furniture, in an even fashion.

10. Simply seal up and refrigerate your unused milk paint for your next project. Because of the milk solids, the paint is perishable but will last for a few weeks in a cold environment.

Bald Eagle

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission meets Wednesday and Thursday at Tallahassee's Ramada Conference Center, 2900 N. Monroe St., and will consider several issues.

Wednesday's agenda includes final action on the proposed management plan for bald eagles and deletion of the bald eagle from the list of threatened species. The commission also will consider proposed rules prohibiting taking, feeding, disturbance, possession, sale, purchase or barter of any bald eagle and its nest or eggs, except as authorized by permit. The rules also would prohibit any person from entering an area on public lands that has been posted as closed for protection of the bald eagle.

Source: Florida Today
Photograph: Hüseyin Gürsu