Toasting the Holiday Season

The Gift of Wine

By Michelle Morey

Whether you are choosing wine for family gatherings or artfully selecting gifts for party hosts, be inspired by an unprejudiced palate and comforted in the knowledge that the “world of wine” is as broad as it has ever been. Ultimately, it is a nimble exercise in determining preference, quality and whether or not the wine is “splurge-worthy”; it’s simply a matter of taste and value.

Capture the imagination of romantics, poets and writers by offering a gift of sparkling wine. Almost every wine-producing country, as well as multiple regions within, lay claim to a representative bubbly. French Champagne, Italian Franciacorta and California exemplars are sure to please. Pol Roger NV Brut Réserve ($45.00/btl.) consistently reveals the true class and finesse of this esteemed Champagne house. Bellavista Franciacorta NV Brut Cuvée ($40.00/btl.), one of the finest sparkling wine producers from Lombardy, lauds delicately ripe fruit with a luscious mousse, and Domaine Carneros by Taittinger, Carneros Vintage Brut ($30.00/btl.) epitomizes winemaker Eileen Crane’s ability to adapt “old world” sensibilities to “new world” expressions in California. Start brushing up on your party toasts, for the wine will be flowing, and “if the aunt of the vicar has never touched liquor, look out when she finds the Champagne.” – Rudyard Kipling.

As the holiday season morphs from busy to hectic, an afternoon with friends and a healthy dose of play may be in order. Wines such as Kanu Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc ($10.00/btl.), a balance of bright melon, nectarine and honeysuckle, and Bethel Heights Oregon Pinot Gris ($16.00/btl.), an eruption of ripe stone fruit, tangerine and lime blossom, will delight a host and whet your appetite for further whimsy. Frank Family Napa Valley Chardonnay ($30.00/btl.) is another “play-worthy” selection; a full-bodied portrait of apples and pears with hints of vanilla and spice.

Wintry winds, a crackling fire and a pot of simmering goodness keep kitchen sages busy and appreciative of red wine offerings. Domaine Drouhin Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($37.00/btl.) sets the standard for Burgundian style greatness in Oregon. Beautiful structure betwixt red fruits and hints of spice proclaim Véronique Drouhin and family French royalty in the Pacific Northwest. Jean-Louis Chave Côtes-du-Rhône “Mon Coeur” ($18.00/btl.) is a multi-layered, Grenache based, brambly reflection of the Southern Rhône Valley that extols the happy partnership between renowned winemaker Jean-Louis Chave and Eddie Gelsman. Rao’s Napa Valley Merlot ($45.00/btl.), one of the Pellegrino family’s signature wines, pays homage to its namesake restaurants while honoring family tradition and dedication to quality. Velvety texture and dark plum musings contribute to this lovely California merlot; a perfect gift for any occasion.

If you want to garner grateful thanks from your holiday host, consider any number of rich and sweet wines: dessert style Sherries, Ports, Sauternes, Eisweins, just to name a few. Like sparkling wine, there is enormous range of selection, price, value, and quality in this category; explore with abandon.

As the holiday season unfolds, take time and rejoice in celebrations with gifts of wine, good will, laughter and blessings for the New Year.

Smart Phone Smarts

Fine-Tuning Your App Awareness

By Ashlee Verba

Okay…we know “there’s an app for that,” but what exactly is an app? We’ve been hearing the phrase since the release of the iPhone, but apps are still a relatively new and developing technology. For those who are completely unfamiliar with the term and/or function, “app” stands for application, which is a downloadable program for Internet-capable cell phones, specifically iPhone, BlackBerry and some Palm models. Aimed at both fun and functionality, apps provide quick, anywhere access to navigational tools, eBooks, games, stock tickers, Web pages and much more. To the not-so-tech-savvy, the prospect of joining yet another techy revolution may seem unattractive, at best, but in all actuality, apps are simple to download, user-friendly and can truly make one’s life easier. Here’s a crash course on how to get app-happy and stay that way.

Apps for All

There really is an app for everything. Need a quick recipe? Consult a chef application that can not only walk you through that Asian Salmon recipe, but can automatically add necessary ingredients to your shopping list, too. Lost in New York City? A navigation app can give you step-by-step directions for finding the subway that will get you where you want to go. For those who love Star Wars, the Light Saber app is great fun. Flick your phone down to release the colored light beam and listen to the “wherrr” “whaa” as you move your pseudo-saber like a Jedi. The Fake Call app allows you to create a fake contact and have “them” call you on-demand, perfect for interrupting your co-worker’s story about her infamous fruit ambrosia.

No doubt one or many apps will sound appealing to you, but there are a few things you might want to know before you jump head first onto the app-wagon. For starters, apps are device-specific, meaning that iPhone apps are only for the iPhone and BlackBerry apps are intended for BlackBerry phones. Depending on where you download from and what you want, the cost of an application can range from free to $30. (A few insanely advanced apps can cost quite a bit more.) To avoid wasting time and money, make sure you’re downloading for the right smart phone before you buy.

App-rehensions

Like all new technologies, users and programmers are learning that apps have glitches worth being wary about. The main concern with apps right now is the idea that they may be doubling as spyware, meaning they “phone home” with certain demographic information. The company getting the most flack for this right now is Pinch Media, Inc. Pinch apps give users the option to allow the company to use their geographic information to create statistics for Pinch. However, the user is not asked just once. It is a repeated question that essentially annoys the user into submission. Once the user finally hits “Allow”, the app then transfers that user’s geographical location to Pinch Media every single time the app is launched.

Doesn’t sound like too big of a deal, right? It wouldn’t be if that were all the information they got. If the phone is registered with Facebook or any other networking site, the app developer may be getting more than you agreed to, like your age, sex and birthday. Though it sounds like an intentional scam, Pinch is a reputable company whose intentions are only to analyze, which is why Apple still allows Pinch Media to upload applications to their app store. Since there aren’t any official tips on how to avoid a Pinch app in your phone, the best advice would be to always hit “Don’t Allow” when prompted with any question while running an app. If the program continues to pester you, uninstall the application.

Deletion Downers

Here’s another issue that’s got some users fired up: In the fine print, phone corporations reserve the right to veto and/or remotely delete apps from your phone at their discretion. This is usually done after a glitch is found, but sometimes the company doesn’t even need a glitch. Apple, for example, rejected an app called Eucalyptus because it contained the eBook The Kama Sutra, which Apple deemed to have “objectionable content.” The same issue occurred when unauthorized dealers released George Orwell’s 1984 in the app store. Both apps have since been re-admitted into the online store, but not before they were deleted from user’s phones. Though there’s truly no way to tell which apps companies will consider unacceptable, you can avoid the deletion of data from your phone by asking yourself if it could be potentially offensive to anyone before downloading it. If the answer is yes, you may want to skip it for the time being; or go old school and opt for a hard copy instead.

Third Party Threats

Any ol’ user can create and submit apps for download. Because they aren’t created by the actual software company, these “third party” apps can, in some cases, become an electronic nightmare. Apple does approve of and sell many third party apps in their online store; it’s the third party Web sites that require you to key a “jailbreak” code into your phone before downloading their apps that can be troublesome. CYDIA, for example, is a Web site that offers countless third party applications, but is NOT endorsed or sponsored by any smart phone provider, and therefore not scrutinized for inappropriate content or glitches. While it might be tempting to “jailbreak” your phone, some users have reported lost memory and data as well as depleted battery power after downloading in this manner. Use caution when downloading off of Web sites other than Apple (www.apple.com), BlackBerry (www.blackberry.com) or Palm (www.palm.com). Think Napster versus iTunes; would you rather download applications directly through Apple or try your luck with a random dot-com? You paid good money for that smart phone, always try to go with the more reputable site.

If you’re simply not the trusting type, Swebapps.com is an affordable alternative, allowing you to create your own app either for business or pleasure. Swebapps offers a few advantageous options such as AppTracker, which allows you to track and analyze data related to your app, like how many times it’s been downloaded and which buttons are used most.

Overall, apps most definitely have good intentions and purpose–there are just a few kinks that need to be worked out. But if you’re curious, shop around. With thousands of apps on the market, you’re sure to find at least one to serve some specific need. If only there were a guide to picking your perfect program…is there an app for that?

Top Tens

Although Apple’s AppStore offers thousands of applications, here’s a list of Time Magazine’s Top 10 Apps of 2008:

• Pandora Internet Radio: Music site that streams music it thinks you would like based on your already-built playlist.

• Around Me: Uses geo-location to locate you and places around you (gas stations, restaurants, hospitals, etc.).

• AP Mobile News Network: Essentially delivers all things reported in the news.

• Ocarina: A playable imitation of the ancient flute-like instrument.

• Wikipanion: Wikipedia made iPhone-friendly.

• Adrenaline Pool Lite: A virtual pool table.

• Instapaper: Consolidates bookmarked Internet articles that you are interested in but didn’t have time to read.

• NetNewsWire: An RSS reader–basically, a subscription to a Web page that automatically updates on your phone when the site does.

• iTalk: Voice recorder with options. (Perfect for journalists.)

Fake Calls: Allows you to enter a fake contact into your phone and have it call you on-demand.

Getting Back Your Groove Thing

How Finding Your Passion Can Keep You Sane

By Hana Haatainen Caye

Ever wake up in the morning and just want to stay in bed? You can’t put your finger on it–things aren’t all that bad–yet still, you just can’t get excited about facing another day in the craziness known as your life. Kids, the economy, laundry, rising grocery prices, work…all the things that must be dealt with. All the things that hijack your energy and keep you from being the vivacious person you used to be. There is no crystal ball, and you have very little control over the world around you, but you can do something for yourself. Something that will help you get your groove thing back while staving off depression, bitterness and unhappiness. It’s finding your passion. And whether you have time to indulge a little or imbibe a lot, plan on doing it for fun or choose to make your newfound activity a career, finding your passion can make a difference in how you look at life…and yourself.

A Recipe for Happiness

The hit movie Julie and Julia, a story that parallels the lives of famed chef and TV personality Julia Child and Julie Powell, a then obscure and slightly depressed blogger, illustrates just what can happen when you find a passion that’s life-changing and contagious. One that the movie’s producer Lawrence Mark proclaimed was “a passion for food that got them through tough or uncertain times.” They might not have known it when they started, but their exuberance for food turned into an exuberance for life; an avenue for finding out who they truly were, and a way to accept themselves in spite of their faults and failures. It gave them purpose.

You may not become famous like these two women, but finding your passion does have benefits that include:

• Reduced Stress – Becoming passionately engrossed in an activity takes your mind off stressful events, thereby reducing high blood pressure, fatigue and other stress related illnesses.

• Living in the Moment – When you engage in a passionate activity, the mind becomes so occupied that the past and future become non-existent. You are simply in the now, much like practicing meditation or mindfulness, but with a tangible outcome.

• Increased Self Esteem – You’ll find an amazing reserve of strength just behind that wall of fear you’re knocking down, as well as a renewed sense of accomplishment that helps to build confidence in all aspects of your life.

• Renewed Optimism – Because you enjoy what you’re doing and see positive outcomes, you believe you can succeed. You are in control and making things happen. This optimism translates to other areas of your life, helping you to cope when things are beyond your control.

Who Cares What Others Think

If finding a passion is so beneficial, then what keeps us from going for it? Aside from perceived time and economic constraints or just plain apathy, there are a number of roadblocks you must overcome to truly find your passion.

Fear

Going out on a limb is easier for some than others, but allowing fear to keep you from purposing your passion is, quite simply, giving fear entirely too much power. Try taking baby steps towards your goal. As you conquer small advances, take on greater ones, all the while justifying the risk with the reward. Ask only that you do your best and be happy that you tried. With each small triumph, you’ll empower your resolve, and fear will eventually diminish or be done away with all together.

Resentment

What good does holding onto the past do? So what if you’ve been wronged, suffered setbacks or aren’t in the best physical shape of your life. Letting go of “what ifs” and “if onlys” will serve to free up your energy to move on to positive, can-do scenarios. Moving forward in a passionate activity has a domino effect; one that focuses on where you’re going, not where you have been.

Conformity and Rationale

Our parents meant well, but times have changed. People don’t work the same job for a lifetime, retiring with a bank account full of money saved, a tidy pension and the free time to drink lemonade on the porch. Being laid off is a coin toss in our society, so finding something you love and making money at it may not be far fetched. Explore your options and move accordingly. You might not start out looking for a passion that produces a paycheck, but don’t discount it because it’s not the norm. Compliance doesn’t necessarily lead to happiness, especially when it means depriving yourself of what you were born to do.

Making it Happen

As Alan Alda stated, “You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover is yourself.” In order to discover your passion, you have to be ready to leave your “city of comfort.”

Brainstorming

Get started by getting to know what it is you really like to do. Find a spot where you will be undisturbed for about fifteen minutes and, without thinking, write about what excites you and makes you happy. Ask yourself, what job would I love to have or what did I love doing as a child? Focus on what makes you feel alive and stress free.

Continue the exercise by listing five to ten things you would love to do, then number them according to how much you would like to be doing them right now. The items that rise to the top of the list create a good springboard from which to execute a passionate dive.

Reel in Your Prospects

Look beyond your inner and outer obstacles and be suspicious of any limitations you set upon yourself, but be realistic! Blind people cannot be airplane pilots and senior citizens cannot run for Miss America or become major league baseball pitchers! Determine what it is you love to do, evaluate each activity from a pragmatic standpoint and act accordingly with the knowledge that this is a viable activity worth spending time on.

Take a Trial Run

You’ll never know if you’re truly passionate about something until you try it. Find ways to practice by volunteering for an organization centered on your quest, taking classes on the subject, or joining clubs or leagues associated with your chosen activity. These are excellent ways to give your future aspirations a trial run. As you dig in deeper, be honest with yourself. Is your passion becoming a burden, or do you look forward to it more than the day you started. The answer will determine if it’s right for you.

Is a life of passion really within reach? Absolutely! Keep at it. Embrace the challenge. It may just be the very thing you need to jump start your life, get back in the groove and find what was lost but never really gone….and that’s you.

Jump start your journey with a little help from those in the know.

• Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose, by Matthew Kelly

A key to finding lasting happiness in a changing world.

• The Passionate Life A Common Man’s Guide to Getting Everything You Want Out of Anything You Do, by Mitche Graf

Filled with practical tips on how to live a life of purpose and meaning.

• The Passion Test: The Effortless Path to Discovering Your Destiny, by Janet Attwood and Chris Attwood

Interviews with people who are successfully living a life of passion.

• Living Big: Embrace Your Passion and Leap into an Extraordinary Life, by Pam Grout

Focused on breaking long-held, self-defeating patterns and living big.

When Fido Can’t Make Friends

Socializing Your Cranky Canine

By Ashlee Verba

Saving a dog’s life through adoption is bittersweet, as even the best ones come with emotional baggage. Most of these animals have been subjected to abuse and neglect from previous owners, and as part of their ingrained survival instinct, their post traumatic stress often manifests in anti-social behavior. In the shuffle from puppy mill to sometimes abusive home to shelter, they simply haven’t had the opportunity to connect with the world in a positive way. While you may not be able to erase your faithful friend’s bad memories, shaping your dog into the well-socialized, happy companion you’ve always wanted is not only rewarding, it’s necessary for the well-being and peace of mind for both you and your pet.

Ready for Action

Socializing an adopted dog is all about helping her make positive associations with people, other animals and new situations. Before you begin, it’s crucial to understand that dogs learn by associating actions with positive, negative and neutral outcomes. For example, if a dog hears a loud, startling sound as she goes to pick up a bone, she may initially associate that bone with fear, not having the cognitive ability to realize the bone and sound aren’t inextricably linked. The same goes for positive stimulus, which is why rewarding your dog for good behavior with treats and affection is a surefire way to help your pup make positive associations. That said, no amount of positive stimulus will be effective without first establishing your role as master and protector as early as possible (ideally, as soon as you adopt) with a few tricks and training tools.

Tools of the Trade

Since so many adopted dogs have been abused and mistreated, showing the dog who is boss must be handled delicately. Just controlling your dog’s food is one way of acknowledging that you’re the “alpha,” but there are plenty more direct ways to let the dog know who’s calling the shots without exerting yourself as a threatening force.

• Leashes and Harnesses: Though both may seem restrictive to your dog at first, with proper training and introduction, tensing and loosening of the leash helps to establish trust between you and your pet, as well as keep her safely away from dangerous situations and frightening stimuli.

• Short, Firm Commands: Unusual commands such as “uh uh” work best, because the average person says the word “no” multiple times per day, which can ultimately be confusing.

• Squirt Bottle: This will not only work with socialization but with eliminating any unwanted behavior, such as excessive barking, begging or taking things without being told. With the setting on a solid stream, aim for the back of your dog’s head between the ears and combine it with whatever command for “no” your dog understands.

• Neck Pinch: The back of the neck is where dogs instinctively go to establish their power among each other. If your pooch exhibits aggression, try a quick, sharp pinch to the back of the neck combined with a firm negative command.

• Kennels and Baby Gates: As den animals, dogs enjoy the security of small spaces they can freely enter and exit, like a kennel. Baby gates across doorways allow animals to see what’s going on and still be a part of the “pack” while taking away the opportunity to misbehave. As long as you do not use either as punishment for negative behavior, your dog will seek them out as a safe haven when anxious or scared.

Whether you select one method of discipline or utilize a combination of many, the point is that Fido knows that challenging your authority will result in an undesirable outcome.

Socializing your Pooch with People

Though your dog may not act skittish around you or other members of your household, solid indications that she is anxious around new people include hiding, shaking, restlessness, crouching and keeping her tail between her legs. To correct this behavior, start by bringing one or two people you know well and trust into your home. When guests initially walk in, they should completely ignore the dog and not initiate any contact until she’s had time to realize that you are okay with this stranger’s presence.

Next, from a seated position, have your guest display a treat in a flat, open palm and say the dog’s name invitingly. After the dog seems more comfortable with creeping up and snagging the treat, have your guest perform the same process but with the treat wedged between their index and middle fingers. With a longer dose of contact, your guest can then make their other hand visible and begin petting the dog gently, continuing with soft-spoken, verbal praise. Your dog may shy away from touch at first, but should eventually come around with repetition. Once this is accomplished, positive association has begun, and you can expose your dog to more and more guests; just make sure they know to take it slow. The dog still may not trust strangers, but she will trust that you won’t let anyone hurt her.

Socializing with Other Dogs

The difficulty in socializing your pooch with other animals depends on where they came from. Dogs from puppy mills have spent their first few years around other pups and get along fine with, even welcome new playmates. Those that have had little to no contact with other animals, or had a bad experience with one are likely to respond to a meet and greet with aggression and fear. As you get to know your dog better, you will learn to feel out the situation based on body language. Lowered head with ears pinned back, baring teeth and/or growling, a fixed stare on the other dog and having all four paws securely on the ground as if preparing to pounce are common signals that a fight is about to take place.

First meetings with other dogs should be short and sweet, and the dog should be on a leash. Allow nose-to-nose contact for no longer than 10 seconds, then lightly tug the dog’s leash and give verbal and physical praise if she continues to walk calmly, without exhibiting anxiety. The next step is to give your pet a treat with another dog within a noticeable 8-10 foot radius, as this will yield a positive experience while another dog is present. A good place to try this is a small dog park, where you may run into just one or two other dogs.

Classes

If you’re working with an especially stubborn mutt, don’t worry; there are classes that both modify behavior and serve as terrific mediums for socialization. Maria Hossmer of Dog E Mom (448-5398) is a local pet trainer offering a variety of private and group classes, including Naughty 2 Nice for adult dogs with behavioral problems and Proper Puppy for puppies under 6 months of age. Six week courses cost $90 and adopters get a 10% discount. Young dogs that are better behaved, yet still need help socializing can be enrolled in a PetSmart puppy class. The 8-week course costs $110 and consists of (1) one-hour class per week.

With time and patience, socializing your new beloved pal is a completely accessible goal. Some may catch on quicker than others, but consistency, dedication, timing of the rewards and, of course, TLC are all it takes. Now get out there and start socializing!

Spring Spruce Up

Bringing Your Backyard Back to Life

By Patricia Guth

Spring is here, the perfect time to think about opening your home to family and friends for pool-side BBQs, lawn games and fun get-togethers. What better place to gather than your backyard! But if you’re like most homeowners, your backyard probably suffered a bit of neglect during winter. Now is the time, while the weather is still mild, to rejuvenate that barbecue, landscape, swimming pool and outdoor furniture. Come summertime, you’ll be ready to cool off in a beautiful, well maintained backyard oasis.

Get Cookin’

Spring is a great time to do the necessary annual maintenance that will keep your BBQ grilling all summer long. Set aside one weekend afternoon to perform a few essentials.

Rub a Dub

Preheat your barbecue in order to soften any food residue, then turn off the heat. When it is cool enough to touch, yet warm enough to easily remove greasy byproducts, don heavy work gloves and remove any parts that aren’t fastened down–such as grills, warming racks, rock grates/bars and lava or ceramic briquettes–and lay them on newspaper. Scrub the inside of the grill with warm, soapy water (dish soap is fine), commercial cleaning agents like GooGone BBQ Grill Cleaner or environmentally friendly products like SoyClean or SunBrite, and a steel wool pad. Rinse with a hose, let dry, and coat with cooking spray or oil to prevent rusting.

Next, clean individual parts in hot, soapy water, spray them with cooking oil and let air dry completely before re-assembly. Check for any broken or cracked parts, replacing as needed. You may also want to replace lava rocks or briquettes, available at most garden, home and barbecue stores, or update your cooking surface with modern, non-flare up ceramic grill tiles available at www.thenoflaresquare.com.

Making the Connection

For gas or propane grills, test hoses and connectors for leaks by applying soapy water at the connections. Turn the gas on briefly but do not light barbecue. If the mixture bubbles, you have a leak that needs repair. If the propane tank valve is leaking, simply tighten the connections. If hose fittings are leaking, you may need to replace them. In addition, if one side of your gas grill doesn’t produce a good, blue flame, you probably have a blockage in a gas jet or venturi tube. Check out the “Grill How To” section at www.gasgrillsnow.com for detailed information on cleaning these and other important parts of your grill. Always use extreme caution when dealing with propane and natural gas. If you feel hesitant, contact Southwest Gas for help and information.

Adding Sparkle

Brighten up the outside of your grill by using high-temperature barbecue paint on any outside surfaces that have faded. (Try Krylon or Rust-Oleum, available at Lowes or Home Depot.) NEVER paint the inside of the barbecue. Wait for paint to dry before re-assembling grill.

Clean stainless steel grills with warm, soapy water or industrial stove or barbecue stainless steel cleaner, using a non-abrasive sponge or brush (never steel wool), and buff with a soft cloth for a brilliant shine.

Pool Particulars

Getting the pool ready for summer playtime also requires some routine maintenance. Probably the most overlooked task is cleaning out your filter pumps. Ideally, these should be rinsed out every month or so, as they become clogged with debris. This causes the water pressure to drop, preventing your pool sweep or in-floor cleaning system from operating at full capacity.

Follow the directions from your pool equipment manual for removing the filters from their housing. Rinse the filters until the water runs almost clear. This is best accomplished by using the high pressure hoses at a self-serve carwash rather than a home garden hose, and because they recycle their water, there’s no water waste. In addition:

• Inspect the deck for cracks or areas that need to be repainted or refinished.

• Check inside the pool for loose tiles or plaster chips, and give your grout a good cleaning with special grout cleaner (available at pool supply stores) to prevent calcium buildup.

• If you don’t have an auto-fill, bring the water level to its proper height.

• Have your water analyzed by a professional (Leslie’s Pool Supply will do this) to determine what chemicals are needed for proper balance. You may need to drain the pool periodically if the water will no longer hold chemicals.

Sprinkler Savvy

As the heat arrives, nothing will kill your lawn quicker than a broken or leaky sprinkler system. Look for signs of underground leakage or breaks in the pipe by testing each individual station and observing its performance. Tell tale signs include reduced water pressure in a specific station as well as muddy ground water or sink holes near the pipes or sprinkler heads. During this same check, also look for missing, broken or clogged heads, and be sure that all the sprinklers are spraying in the right direction and proper pressure. Replace and adjust as needed. You should also check for watering schedules in your area by visiting the Las Vegas Valley Water District website at www.lvvwd.com.

Yard Work

Once hot weather comes it may be too late to treat your grass with certain chemicals, so now is the time to fertilize and treat for annoying pests and fungus that can kill your grass and plants in a matter of weeks. Take this opportunity to put your lawn and flowers on a fertilization schedule. An easy way to remember to fertilize is to do so on every major holiday. Choose a fertilizer that incorporates a fungicide agent to protect against airborne fungus, prevalent in the summer months. Be sure to consult with your garden store for the best percentage of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus suited for the outdoor temperature at a given time, as high concentrations of some chemicals can burn your lawn and flowers in the summer heat. Inspect all plants for nibbles, treating as necessary to eradicate pests.

Finally, prepare your lawnmower by taking it in for a check-up and having the blade sharpened. You may also wish to rub the blades periodically with rubbing alcohol to kill any fungus and prevent a previous infestation from reoccurring.

Finishing Touches

If your patio furniture is looking less than fabulous, take time to restore it to its original beauty. Any metal, plastic or wood furniture can be painted for a quick fix. (Use rust-proof paint on metal furniture.) Replace loose bolts, screws, etc. Wash vinyl seat cushions with soap and water. Fabric cushions can be put in the washing machine if small enough, otherwise, use upholstery cleaner.

If your cushions are beyond saving and you wish to invest in some new ones, check out www.customcushions.net or www.patio-furniture-cushions.com for a large selection of replacements. For odd sized pillows or for a more custom look, consult with companies that restore outdoor furniture cushions. They typically provide better quality and more varied fabrics, and can also fix and coordinate matching umbrellas, throw pillows and even patio curtains.

Add some new accessories, including potted plants, backyard wall art, a small fountain and perhaps even a comfortable hammock strung between a few sturdy trees – a perfect place to rest after spring cleaning is completed!

Once Upon a Time

The Art of Telling Interesting Stories

By Michelle Vessel

You’re laughing it up at a cocktail party with a group of old friends and new acquaintances. Suddenly, there’s a lull in the conversation, and you decide to launch into a hilarious anecdote about something that happened to you a few days ago. You backtrack to provide some context for your story, and before you know it, you’ve veered wildly off-track and begin to blank on the details of what it was you wanted to say in the first place. As you stutter and stall, eyes are glazing over, snarky looks are being exchanged, and you even catch a glimpse of a muffled yawn or two. Before long, a few ladies excuse themselves to freshen their drinks. Within seconds, the others have followed suit, leaving you alone and feeling like a social reject that doesn’t deserve to have friends.

Don’t take it personally. You simply suffer from an all-too-common affliction; you’re just not a naturally gifted storyteller. Although some people seemingly tell great stories from the time they can speak, communication experts say that crafting a great tale is actually a learned set of skills that, when practiced and perfected over time, will come in handy much more often than you might expect. By harnessing the age-old power of storytelling, you can get a leg up in situations ranging from getting the word out about your new business to breaking the ice on an awkward first date.

Touting the Telling

If you think about it, virtually every type of communication we engage in can be improved just by adding a touch of storytelling flair. When it comes to trying to land a new job, career coaches advise jobseekers to distill their qualifications and professional experience into a 30-second “elevator pitch” that can be unleashed at a moment’s notice. Child development experts cite storytelling as a great way to impart life lessons and to illustrate the reasoning behind household rules. Last but not least, having a firm grasp on the basics of good storytelling can make parties and social gatherings a whole lot easier and more enjoyable, especially for those shy and retiring types who tend to feel anxious when they find themselves in the spotlight.

A Well-Tuned Tale

Telling better stories doesn’t just happen by accident. Focus first on learning how to recognize the ingredients that make for a ripping good yarn.

• A beginning, a middle and an end. Perhaps the single most important part of identifying a good story and telling it well is figuring out how the plot should be structured. Don’t provide too much history or context, and finish with a bang to avoid rambling on and diluting the impact of your story.

• Dramatic impact that fits with the audience. Figure out who your audience is and tailor the message to engage their interest. The story elements you emphasize when speaking at a cocktail party are likely to be totally different than those for a roomful of grade-school kids.

• A fast-paced plot. Once you get things rolling, try to retain a consistent momentum. Nothing makes an audience’s attention wane more quickly than an unevenly paced story.

• Vary Voice Inflection. A monotone voice is an interest killer. Vary the speed, volume and intonation of your voice to create interest. If inclined, impersonate other voices to garner affect and emphasize character traits.

• Just enough vivid detail. To ensure that your story will really come alive in the telling, elaborate on little details that do a lot of narrative heavy lifting. A one-sentence description packed full of sensory details can really bring a character to life without dragging down the pace of the story.

• A clearly defined theme or point. Long-winded stories that never get to the point are grueling. Convey events that happened, but also why they matter in the story. This will help your audience to care about the outcome.

Fact or Fiction

Keeping these elements in mind, it’s important to develop your own storytelling code of ethics. Although most of us know that some of the anecdotes told at cocktail parties and backyard barbecues are likely to be a bit exaggerated for effect, professional storytellers advise saving tall tales and outright fiction for venues in which the audience is open to an element of imagination. Fabricating details when spectators are expecting at least partial truth may cause you to lose credibility. If your story is fantasy-based, make sure you convey that fact by describing it as a “fable” or a “fairy tale.”

Still, when your story is mostly true, that doesn’t mean you have to provide a police report-like accounting of names, dates and details. The true art of effective storytelling comes with knowing when and how to emphasize some aspects of your tale and downplay or gloss over others.

Practice Makes Perfect

Now that you understand more about what makes a story effective, it’s time to put what you’ve learned into practice. Opportunities to burnish your new skills are all around you, both in the community and at home.

• Storytelling Festivals: Check out the events calendar at Clark County Libraries (www.lvccld.org), Henderson Libraries (www.mypubliclibrary.com), or call the NV Storytelling Guild (478-7704) for local events and make one of them the focus of a family day trip.

• Toastmasters Meetings: Dedicated to the art of storytelling and effective communication, Toastmasters focuses specifically on helping its members become better public speakers. Check the newspaper or the Toastmasters website (www.toastmasters.org) for a meeting time near you.

• Kids’ Story Times: If the thought of telling a story in front of grown-ups sends chills down your spine, use your own kids and their friends as storytelling guinea pigs. There are few critics who are harsher or more ruthlessly honest than a room full of easily distractible youngsters.

• Volunteer: Once you’re feeling bold enough to take your act on the road, why not volunteer your storytelling services? Children’s hospitals, assisted living facilities, senior centers, organizations that work with developmentally disabled individuals–these are all great venues in which to try out new stories and give back to the community at the same time.

• Story Potluck: When you get right down to it, stories are an important part of what makes us human. Celebrate the ancient tradition of storytelling with a story-themed potluck dinner. Ask everyone to bring a covered dish and their favorite family legend, reminiscence, ghost story, or tall tale.

Although storytelling is an age-old part of our culture, it doesn’t come naturally to everyone. But with just a little practice and attention to detail, you can hone your storytelling ability, get your point across, connect meaningfully with others, and effortlessly reel off a few hilarious and perfectly timed anecdotes at next month’s cocktail party.

Boost Your Budding Skills

Whether you prefer an online course, how-to books or other fun teaching aids, there’s help out there for every aspiring storyteller.

• Sign up for an online class or personal coaching from storyteller Doug Lipman at www.storydynamics.com. The site also offers a treasure trove of storytelling tools and resources, with kits and story-of-the-month club memberships starting at $5.

• Margaret MacDonald’s highly acclaimed Storyteller”s Start-Up Book is an absolute beginner’s guide to the fine art of storytelling, available at Amazon.com and your local library.

• The popular public radio show This American Life features a loosely themed group of gripping personal stories Sundays at 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 9 & 11 p.m. on KNPR-FM2 88.9. You can also get some storytelling technique tips from the show’s creator and host, Ira Glass, online at www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/15255.

• Practice family storytelling with the Once Upon a Time card game. These game cards provide lots of interesting storytelling prompts for players of all ages. Available at Amazon.com and select specialty retailers.

Sherlock Holmes Was Wrong: Reopening the Case of the Hound of the Baskervilles

By Pierre Bayard

As Reviewed by Macy Walsh

Anyone who imagines that Star Wars or Star Trek or Harry Potter may claim to be the largest franchise in literary and film history has just not been paying attention. In raw sales they may emerge victorious, but in sheer numbers of attempted tributes, revisions, expansions, parodies, exposes and scholarly studies, they are no competition for the Sherlock Holmes industry. Novels and stories that star the private detective from Baker Street pour out of publishing houses every year.

Now we have a scholarly work out of left field by a professor of French literature at the University of Paris who is also a psychoanalyst. With Sherlock Holmes was Wrong, professor Bayard offers a novel interpretation of what is arguably the best known and most beloved of Arthur Conan Doyle’s tales of Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles. The professor’s contention is that the truth behind the story eluded not only Sherlock Holmes, but generations of readers and Conan Doyle himself and he means to set the record straight; to reveal the real crime committed at Baskerville Hall and see its perpetrator brought to belated literary justice.

Bayard contends that in settling on Jack Stapleton and his hound, Holmes nailed the wrong suspect. In brief chapters he recounts the well-known plot, describes Holmes’ methods of inquiry, notes a number of mistakes made by the master, presents his own method of “detective criticism” and then delineates all the problems with the story and solution.

Among the problems the professor highlights are: Why did the hound leave no marks on the first corpse, that of Sir Charles Baskerville? When Seldon, the convict, dies wearing the clothes of Sir Henry Baskerville, the hound is never actually seen, so why assume that it was responsible? It does attack Sir Henry near the end, but only after a shot has wounded it first. Bayard also notes that, after deciding on Stapleton as his suspect, reading all the clues as pointing in his direction and then driving the man out onto the moor to his certain death, Holmes waves away the issue of motive when questioned by Watson. In response, Holmes admits this is “a formidable difficulty,” but adds, “I fear you ask too much when you expect me to solve it.”

Fortunately, the story offers enough clues to indicate, not just the real killer (and the real murder), but also Doyle’s “hatred” for the hero his public forced him to revive and bring back from a supposed death at Reichenbach Falls, as reported by Watson eight years before. Turning to psychoanalytic theory, Bayard argues that The Hound of the Baskervilles is a “compromise formation.” It represents Doyle’s deadly hatred for Holmes by absenting him from much of the story (Watson is sent to Baskerville Hall to investigate alone for many chapters), by showing Holmes committing mistakes and inaccuracies when he does reappear, by associating Holmes with evil portents and forces, and of course by showing the great detective fastening on the wrong suspect and, indeed, the wrong murder: “…the victim in Conan Doyle’s book is executed with the complicity of Holmes, and without the true murderer ever being bothered.”

Underlying Bayard’s theme of Conan Doyle’s “hatred” of Holmes is his contention that fictional people are, in some important respects, the same as real people; that they have a strongly real existence–at least in the unconscious psyche of human beings–and thus they can act, to a degree, on their own initiative; that they can move into the real world, as real people can move into the fictional world. As evidence of this, he offers Holmes mania–the massive and violent public outcry that literally forced Doyle to bring Sherlock Holmes back from the dead–as well as Doyle’s own struggle with the character that he seemed to conceive as literally killing him from within.

It’s heady stuff for the casual reader who simply wants to enjoy a good “who-done-it” without spending too much time analyzing the plot or the author’s motives, but Bayard lays out his arguments concisely and convincingly, in plain language. The chapters, as well as the book as a whole, are short. If you know and love the Holmes canon well, you’ll probably enjoy it. If you don’t, you’ll probably wonder what all the fuss is about. I found it thought-provoking and fascinating. Oh yeah, who done it? You’ll have to read it!

2009 Holiday Fitness Gift Ideas

No matter how many people are on your gift list there’s always at least one that’s a stumper. Well, if you’re shopping for a gym junky, or just somebody who’s already proclaiming a New Year’s resolution to get fit, why not give them the tools and accessories they need for a health regime? Here are some suggestions to help cross that health nut off your list.

Gizmos and Gadgets

The Wii Fit was such a hit that Nintendo launched its sequel, the Wii Fit Plus ($99.00), just in time for the 2009 holiday season. Wii Fit Plus contains all the features of the original but adds 15 new activities, 6 strength and yoga exercises, and the ability to fully customize your own routine. Already have Wii Fit? No problem; purchase the Wii Fit Plus disk ($19.99) which transfers previously saved files from the Wii Fit into the Plus. Available at local electronic and retail outlets.

Compatible with iPod Nano, iPod Touch and iPhone 3GS, the Nike + iPod Sportkit ($29 at www.apple.com) helps joggers, runners and those using cardio machines track their time, distance, pace and calories burned. Data is collected either via a sensor in your shoe or a connection to your cardio machine and then sent to the iPod for audio feedback and display. iPod recommends using Nike + shoes with the foot sensor, but you can easily attach the sensor to any running shoe with special attachments like Runaway clip-ons ($8.99 at www.switcheasy.com) or lace-ins ($4.95 at www.lacelid.com). Locally available at Apple retailers.

Cardiac Friendly Cuisine

Devin Alexander, author of the NY Times bestseller Biggest Loser Cookbook, offers a new family friendly version, Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. With more than 125 guilt-free, budget friendly recipes, you can whip up recipes like hula pizza, mandarin orange chicken and even a meatball parmesan sub. Fast Food Fix, also by Alexander, takes recipes from fast food chains, including guilt laden Subway oatmeal cookies, and reinvents ingredients for healthier versions. Available at Borders and Barnes & Noble Bookstores for $21.95.

Slow cookers ($29.99+), available at Williams-Sonoma, Bed Bath & Beyond and most kitchen appliance retailers, are making a comeback. Healthy accompaniments to this gift include Fix-It and Forget It Lightly Low-Fat Slow Cooker Cookbook by Phyllis Pellman (try the Beef Stroganoff and the Caramelized Pears ‘n’ Wine) for around $14.99, and Slow-Cooker Liner Bags ($1.99) for clean-up in less than a minute. Cookbook is available at Barnes & Noble; liner bags are sold at most grocery stores.

Fun & Functional

A Physio/Fitness Ball is one piece of equipment that can shape, tone and stretch the body while providing a great, low impact workout at home. Danskin’s Core Ball Plus ($50 and up) features a floor ring for added stability and two resistance tubes with adjustable handles attached to its sides for a new level of training. A variety of instructional DVDs are available to customize your workout. Available at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Practicing fitness moves on a Wobble or Balance Board will not only challenge one’s core but tone without building bulky muscles. They’re perfect for those training for board sports or anybody looking to improve their balance and strength. ($10 and up)

Resistance Tubing ($7.50 and up) is used for toning all muscle groups and comes in six resistance strengths. Extremely light weight, portable and easily stored, these are perfect for fitness fanatics who like to workout anytime, anywhere. Both Balance Boards and Resistance Tubes can be found at Dick’s, Sports Authority, Big 5, Target and Walmart.

Apparel & Accessories

There is no excuse for missing workouts when your clothes are packed and ready to go in a new gym bag. Puma bags are functional, including zippered areas that separate dirty clothes from clean, yet fashionable enough to sport as purses or luggage. Check them out at Puma stores in Town Square or Fashion Show Mall.

Adidas’ new line of ClimaWarm® workout clothes keep cold weather warriors dry and comfortable in chilly conditions, yet still allows sweat to escape ($55.00 on up for Clima365 pieces). If you’re looking to spend less, but still want to give the gift of fashionable workout wear, check out Target or Nordstrom Rack.

Lucy active wear, yoga accessories, hats and leggings are the latest in fitness wear that’s fun, energetic and inspirational. The new Hatha pant is even socially conscious, with partial sales proceeds through December going to Off the Mat, Into the World, a charity organization that bridges yoga and service. Visit the Lucy store in Town Square.

Stocking Stuffers

Last minute stuffers include specially padded Thorlos® blister-free socks ($12 and up), available at REI, Outdoor World and Boot Barn; EZ-Freeze® Flip ‘n’ Flow sports bottles and others that hook onto belt loops, making hydration “green” and stylish; and a variety of Gift Cards from health conscious establishments including Whole Foods, iTunes, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Puma or Lululemon.

Remember, fitness is priceless. Give a gift that inspires health, happiness and a renewed outlook on life that lasts far beyond the holiday hoopla.

A Special Spot for the Holidays

The Cool Kid’s Table

By Lisha Ross

Holidays are all about food, fun and enjoying it together right? Well, those of us who were banished to the kid’s table well into early adulthood might’ve seen it differently, having felt excluded rather than special. Then again, it was still slightly better than hearing about CNN’s latest world report and eating with forks instead of our fingers at the adult table. If only that wobbly, folding card table was jazzed up a bit, we might’ve had more to keep us occupied than kicking each other under the table. This holiday season, let the kiddos have their cake and eat it too at a festive kid’s table. By adding colorful touches and some hands-on activities, you can put together a cool kid’s table that’ll make all in attendance feel like a VIP.

Set Up for Success

Generally, the kid’s table is reserved for those old enough to feed themselves, yet too young to participate in adult conversation, although teens might prefer to sit with younger siblings rather than the boring grown ups! Consider the age of your diners and set the table accordingly. With very young children, for example, grandma’s fine china and crystal candelabras probably aren’t the way to go. Instead, opt for seasonal paper or plastic plates, plastic champagne or wine glasses and battery-operated candles like those found on www.candleimpressions.net. The table will feel adult-inspired but without the accident-prone possibilities.

Placement of the table is also an important factor. Position it far enough away to give the kids some independence (perhaps in the adjacent room), yet close enough to see and hear the goings on in case you have to squash any tug-of-wars over the salt shaker.

The Fun Stuff

Providing a few activities to keep the kids busy before and after eating will help make the experience fun for them and more relaxing for the adults. You can go simple or over-the-top depending on your time and budget. Susan Doherty, star of the podcast “Six Minute Style” likes to go all out, and you can watch her set up a superb beach-themed kid’s table at www.sixminutestyle.com. Granted, you probably won’t be setting up a nautical table for Christmas or Thanksgiving, but most of her ideas can be adjusted to suit any holiday theme. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Bucket of Fun: Whether you use a bucket or basket with a tisket and a tasket, these fun receptacles can be filled with crinkle confetti and party favors and placed at each setting or in the middle for all to share. Seasonal pieces like stockings or cornucopias work great too.

Color Splash: Ask your local butcher if he can spare a few pieces of butcher paper or pick some up at Office Depot to line the table. Supply crayons, color pencils or markers and festive cookie cutters for stencils.

Name Cards: Cut fun shapes into colored poster board and write each kid’s name on it with a sparkly marker. Better yet, let them spell out their own name with markers, stencils or letter stickers, decorating their tag as they please.

Personalized Placemats: Pick up a few cookie sheets from the dollar store and spell out each child’s name with letter magnets. A bag of extra letters and themed magnets can be placed in the center for sharing.

Delightful Drinks: Give each kid a fun bendy straw or stick candy to slurp up their hot apple cider or specially created kid’s beverage.

Cookie Charisma: Place pre-made sugar cookies in a bucket or bowl in the center of the table and set out tubes of colored icing. After dinner the kids can decorate the cookies and chow down.

Fanfare: Sprinkle each table with cornucopia shaped Bugle chips for Thanksgiving, chocolate gelt for Hannukah, or red and green M & Ms for Christmas; tasty treats are the ultimate, edible table-toppers. Add color and fun with shiny confetti, tiny dreidels, etc.

While younger kids might enjoy a good Dora the Explorer coloring book, older ones may feel patronized by the gesture. For older kids, swap out the cookie cutters and coloring books for a holiday word search puzzle or educational worksheet from ABCteach.com or Enchantedlearning.com. For groups of mixed ages, you can also provide inexpensive, disposable cameras so they can take fun pictures of each other. If they finish eating before the adults, clear the table of plates and liquids, set out a basket of holiday books and encourage older kids to read aloud to the little ones.

Cool Kids Rule

All that fun at one table is bound to rally up some excitement. As a parent (and particularly a guest in someone else’s home) it’s your job to remember that the kid’s table is not a free-for-all and basic rules of behavior should be encouraged. Throwing food, screaming, fighting and running around should never be permitted. Make sure you go over the rules with the children before they sit down; you don’t want to have to excuse yourself from the adult table repeatedly to ask the children to behave. Once the ground rules have been set, you can let the good times roll until the last apple pie crumb is devoured.

Setting up an amazing kids table may add a few more items to your holiday to-do list, but chances are you’ll have as much fun decorating it, as they will have dining there. Who knows! You might just create a bigger and better kid’s table tradition, giving everyone in attendance, young and old, fond memories that’ll last a lifetime.

Reuse…Recycle…Redecorate

Creating a Fresh New Look for Free

By Tracey Drake

For most people, home is a place to retreat from the everyday stresses of life. It’s where we go to rejuvenate, and it’s important to have a space that mends the spirit and provides comfort and happiness for those we love. Unfortunately, budgetary constraints may be preventing you from revving up tired spaces, leaving your home in a kind of decorating limbo that’s stale and less than appealing. How to break the rut? Reuse…Recycle…Redecorate!

A Different Perspective

The easiest way to redecorate without spending any money is to simply ‘rethink’ your existing furnishings. Every day, interior designers and home stagers rethink for their clients. What this means is moving furniture, accessories and décor accents from one place to another, and in many cases, from one room to another. It may seem like an overly simplified way to redecorate a home, but you will be truly amazed at how small changes can make a big impact.

Get started by taking a tour of your own home, going into each room with a fresh eye and an open mind. Don’t forget things hidden away in closets, cabinets or in the garage. Create an inventory paying special attention to each piece of furniture, the draperies and area rugs, and accessories such as lamps, vases, artwork, plants, throws and toss pillows. A few helpful hints for successfully integrating your “stuff” might include:

• Measuring: Scale is very important when rearranging items from one part of your home to another. By taking the dimensions of furniture and large scale items like trees and artwork before you move them around, you’ll save on back breaking mistakes.

• Organizing: Put like accessories into one specific area of your home; for example, the lamps all on the dining room table, artwork lined along the walls of the spare room, vases on the kitchen countertops etc. This makes for an easy way to visualize and then “shop” for what you need without having to run all over the house to find things.

• Inspiration: This can be found in decorating magazines, furniture stores and online. Look closely at the shape and scale of the room in the picture, choosing those that best fit your own home design and furnishings. Use the picture as a kind of schematic guide for placing the furniture and accessories in your own space. It’s a great way to gain new perspective and obtain a professional look.

Invite a friend over for an extra set of eyes, muscles and ideas, and get things rolling. Two heads are always better than one, and it helps to have a fresh outlook from those that don’t see your home on a day to day basis.

From This to That

Thinking outside of the box is important when decorating with recycled and repurposed items. Experiment and don’t be afraid to alter the color, shape and purpose of your belongings to create interest and functionality in newfound form.

Furniture Makeovers

Less can be more in a space, especially in the case of an over-furnished master bedroom. Consider moving that oversized highboy dresser to the end or along an empty wall of the upstairs hallway. Properly accessorized with a vase of flowers, family photographs or a sophisticated lamp, it does double duty as an elegant way to store linens or off season clothing. In a tired looking family room, an outdated solid oak coffee table could easily take on a new life in the entry way. With just a few seat cushions on top and baskets beneath to hold homework, backpacks and unsorted mail, what was old is now new, and serving the need for additional storage and clutter concealment.

Fabric from Unexpected Places

Sometimes all a room needs is a touch of texture and color, and the easiest way to accomplish this is by using fabric. Cotton, silk, and linen sheets, thin, chenille bedspreads or duvet covers make fabulous window treatments. For smaller windows, tea towels or placemats make adorable café style curtains for the kitchen or laundry room. Create rod tabs with inexpensive ribbon pinned to the underside of the fabric for a casual, country flair. For larger windows, create a rod pocket by folding fabric over the rod and securing with small safety pins which will not be seen from the front once the panels are adjusted for fullness. Conversely, a window valance makes a perfect table runner for a small dining room or coffee table. Embellish it further by folding the edges to a point and pinning a tassel to hold it in place. When you want to change things up again, no harm no foul to your linens; simply unpin, wash and press, and they’re as good as new for another use.

A Work of Art

You’d be surprised what you can turn into wall art if you put your mind to it. Repurposed, clear DVD or CD cases make for an amazing piece of art when fitted with your personal, digital photos and hung side by side in a large, rectangular grid. Visit www.Ehow.com for instructions to make it. Colorful plates or shallow bowls that may be taking up valuable storage space make a graphic statement when artfully arranged on plate hangers or shelves. Antique quilts and decorative rugs are also great options. When using a number of different items or pictures on your wall, be sure to have an organized design to avoid a cluttered look, and paint all frames the same color for cohesiveness.

Unused, Unloved Paint

Every year, millions of dollars are spent on gallons of paint that end up hidden away on a shelf in the garage.

Check your stash to determine how much paint you have to work with. If you have less than a gallon in a single color, think about painting a single feature wall–perhaps behind the fireplace–to make the hearth a feature of the room. Other options might be to paint outdated or inexpensive accent furniture pieces. Don’t be afraid to use vibrant hues including that seafoam green or barnyard red that wasn’t quite right for the entire room, but would make for a nice pop of color as an accent. Tone down your piece by distressing with fine sandpaper, allowing some of the original wood tones to peek through.

The art of looking beyond a single purpose and seeing the vast possibilities your existing furnishing could have might seem daunting at first. But with a little imagination, a bit of elbow grease and a ton of creative energy, your home can be new again without buying a single item.

Host a Neighborhood Swap Meet

So you’re tired of your own furniture and decorating accents but don’t want to foot the bill for new ones? No worries – host a decorating swap meet!

• Gather your friends, family, and neighbors or post an ad at your community center.

• Invite everyone to bring their unwanted furniture, knick-knacks, accessories, dishes, fabric, draperies and unused paint and building supplies.

• Be sure to make a rule that if someone brings something, they must take something home.

• When the event is over, anything that is left over should be donated to charity. It is a win-win situation.

Remember: One woman’s junk is another woman’s treasure! A do-it-yourself swap meet is a great way to find new pieces for your home without spending any money.