The Rural Voice, 1995-05, Page 52Spring is here at
Taylor's Market
Box Plants &
ready to plant garden mums.
For Mother's Day
Hanging Baskets & Mixed Pots
Fancy decorated cakes fresh
from the bake shop
Garden Fresh Produce every day
& farm fresh eggs
212 Victoria St., Clinton 519-482-3413
MORRIS SACHS
SILO
CONSTRUCTION
SILO ACCESSORIES
SILOS DISMANTLED,
REBUILT AND REPAIRS
R.R. #1
363-3900 Elmwood NOG1OS0
CANADIAN
CO-OPERATIVE
WOOL GROWERS
LIMITED
Now Available
ADVANCE PAYMENTS
600 to 800 per pound
* Skirted Fleeces
* Well -Packed Sacks
For more information contact:
WINGHAM
WOOL DEPOT
John Farrell
R.R. 2, Wingham, Ontario
Phone/Fax 519-357-1058
48 THE RURAL VOICE
Home Decorating
Spring into decorating
BY PATTI ROBERTSON
I'm late! No ifs, ands or buts .. .
well, perhaps the lack of sunshine
in January and February failed to
stimulate me.
The sun is
shining longer
and stronger.
Uninhibited by
leaves on trees,
I see every
cobweb, cat hair
and dust bunny
not captured
during weekly
winter cleaning.
Now, my little
friend Jill from
next door and
yours truly are
rampaging
through the
house in the ritual of spring
cleaning.
I know many no longer feel this
is a necessity, with more efficient
heating systems which do not spew
dust and of course with dual
working relationships ... who has
time? But, I know from past
experience if I do not spring house
clean, the guilt for me will be so
great, the rest of my year will be in
dire jeopardy!
I am not about to lecture you on
procedures for washing walls,
windows and whatnot, but I do
have some relatively cost effective
tricks that I use yearly to make a
body feel that they have a new look
for the current year.
First, one needs to "banish
clutter". We cannot see what is
important in a room's decor if it's
littered. Look for areas in which
the family naturally dumps hobbies,
books, newspapers, clothes, etc.
This is the spot where we need to
place urns, baskets, crocks, trunks,
etc. decorated to fit the motif ... a
container to contain the clutter!
If these containers can be placed
to the far side of sofas, beds, out of
direct view, the final effect is of a
more open and tidy space.
Use the far side of the fridge for
the family bulletin board. This
once again, opens space.
Check for loose wallpaper seams
and borders. Re -glue these into
place and wash down. When
properly maintained, wallcoverings
look good overmany years.
Chipped and peeling paint on
trim also gets a facelift. As for
stained surfaces, Minwax has a
product called "Polyshades" which
is a mixture of stain and Varathane
meant to update tired, previously
finished wood surfaces.
I wash all my ornaments with a
warm solution of water and a little
vinegar and re -group these in new
areas. Groupings of threes or fives
are best for accent pieces, keeping
theme and colour co-ordinated. For
example in the living room on an
end table I would place my lamp
with a figurine and candy dish in
close proximity, playing off each
other's shape.
Another accessory which gets
taken for granted over a period of
time, are artworks and wall art.
These I dust down and scout out
new and interesting areas in which
they can be featured with impact to
the decor.
I try to use less than before and
when it comes to groupings I work
for a lighter effect now in vogue.
Watch that the proportion of the
piece is in scale with the furniture it
is to be featured over. Also a rule
of thumb for height is 6 - 8" for
prints off the back of our sofas.
This is also a great opportunity to
change and rearrange the images in
framed family pictures so as to
create new interest.
Line cupboards and drawers with
attractive wall coverings. Add lace
edging to pillow cases, window
blinds and towels. Change the
hardware of chests, drawers and
cabinets for a new look.
Lampshades and harps can be
changed to update tired looking
fixtures, or spray paint a lamp
which has interesting relief and