How To Make Your Own Greenhouse

A greenhouse can be a very practical addition to your garden. It allows you to start seedlings, grow exotic plants and even produce your own food throughout the year. Furthermore, it can give an additional charm to your garden, especially if beautifully built. And the best thing about it is that you can make it on your own, of course, if you have the time, some DIY skills and the basic tools. Below are two easy to follow instructions on how to make your own greenhouse.

Making greenhouse from PVC pipes and joints

Using PVC pipes and joints is probably the easiest way to make a greenhouse that meets your specific needs and space available. But before you head to your local home improvement store, be sure to determine the size of your future greenhouse and write down the dimensions in order to be able to calculate how many pipes and joints you need to buy.
Now that you have everything you need, begin assembling your greenhouse starting at the bottom section. The shape is of course completely up to you – you can build a triangular or quadrangular greenhouse if you like but if you want to grow tomatoes or other slightly larger plants, it may be worth to consider making a quadrangular structure with a triangular roof. By making an extra effort to make a triangular roof rather than flat one, you will also increase the amount of daylight getting into the greenhouse as well as prevent rain and snow from accumulating on the roof. When you assembly all the pipes, you simply cover the structure with plastic and you're done.
Since PVC pipes are very light, you may face issues with the wind. If the wind's strong enough, it can blow your newly built greenhouse away. Rather than making it entirely from PVC pipes, it may be a good idea to make a wooden base in order to make it heavier and avoid any wind issues.

Building greenhouse from recycled windows/glass doors

If you want a larger greenhouse to give an additional appeal to your garden, grow flowers or food all year round or/and accent your home exteriors but don't want to spend several hundred dollars on pre-made structures, there is good news. You can build a greenhouse from old windows and glass doors that are thrown out by homeowners remodeling their houses. This option is of course much more challenging than making a greenhouse from PVC pipes. In addition, it may take some time to find the right windows/glass doors.
If you decide to build a greenhouse from recycled windows/glass doors, you are recommended to make a rough plan of how it should look. But don't start building it until you get all the windows/glass doors you need. If you can't find the right windows/glass doors in a reasonable amount of time, it may be a good idea to make changes to your plan in order to be able to get started with what is available.

Rob Gould works in home construction and renovation in Vancouver, Canada with Gold Coast Stucco Design. When he's not working, he loves gardening and fixing up old furniture.

How to Choose Colors for a Bathroom Remodel

When it comes to remodeling your bathroom, the best way to finish the job is to put on a fresh new coat of paint to really make your bathroom’s transformation complete. Applying new color to your bathroom’s walls will add to the tone of the room and let you express your taste and style. If you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s advisable to hire some bathroom remodeling Austin specialists. 

If you wish to do the job yourself, then be sure and hand wash the walls that will be painted then sand all surfaces. Next you will prime the surfaces to ensure a quality finished coating with a clean, smooth surface. Keep in mind that there are other ways to add color to your new bathroom. Accessories such as mats, toothbrush holders, and more will let you change the color schemes to set the tone of the room.

When choosing the colors that will go on your bathroom’s walls, look at the size and style of your bathroom. You may not want to use a dark color for smaller bathrooms, and on the other hand light colors will make a large bathroom seem empty. 

You will want to look at the color of the flooring to not clash with the wall colors. Use caution with  accents like tiles because of the potential color clash with other aspects of the room. You may want to search on the internet for photo galleries of nice looking bathrooms to give you some ideas of what you might like. The colors you choose will change the mood of the room. For example, blue is relaxing and brings thoughts of water. Using more than one colors makes the room more dramatic.

You will want to get some color samples from paint stores and compare them to see which will look best on your bathroom’s walls. You may want to try other ways of adding color to the bathroom, without the use of paint. This may be by using tiles, wallpaper, or accessories.

Before you apply a color to a whole wall, you may want to try painting a small area in a closet or other surface to see if you will still like the color once it has been applied to a wall. Often times, people will change their minds about how a color looks on the color sample after they have seen it on a wall. It would be a bad thing to paint a wall or whole room and then decide that you don’t like the color.

It is also a good idea to get a second opinion from friends or family to help you decide on what color you will use.

GOLF FIGHTS CANCER

On the 17th January 2014 at El Plantio Golf Resort, nr Alicante will be the inaugural Golf Tournament on the Costa Blanca with a “Mixed Pairs” competition to highlight the fight against both male and female cancer. 

It’s an opportunity for golfers who are committed to using golf as a platform to raise money in the fight against cancer.
The mission of Golf Fights Cancer is to tap into the passion and generosity of all golfers to raise needed funds for cancer-related organizations supporting research and people living with the disease.

The tournament organised by the Vega Baja Premier Golf League officials will raise funds to present to AECC (Asociación Espana Contra el Cancer – Pink Ladies).
The logo depicts the symbol of male and female golfers with pink ribbon for ladies breast cancer and blue for the men’s prostate cancer.
This is planned to be an annual event which includes competition green fee, buggy and dinner.

Source: theleader.info

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY WINNER!

After a very well supported and successful draw for a five day Christmas holiday in Benidorm, the winning ticket was drawn on Thursday 22nd November at the offices of Coachtrips S.L. by Jennie Mutter, Executive Fund Raiser for AFA Torrevieja (centre holding the winning ticket ). The winner was Rita Monahan. Supervising the draw was Shona Cooke, manager of Coachtrips S.L. (right) and Judy Ferris of Alzheimer’s Ass. Torrevieja (left). The final amount raised will be announced as soon as David returns from England.
The Holiday was generously donated by David’s Coaches (Coachtrips S.L) with all the ticket money going to AFA Torrevieja ( The Alzheimer’s Association ). This is a truly tremendous and welcome boost to funding the work of AFA, particularly in these straightened times, when the need far outstrips the  available income. All the money collected goes directly to supporting our two day centres and the home care given to people suffering from this cruel and non-curable disease. We also support the families and carers of our patients.
Judy Ferris, also from AFA Torrevieja wanted to say a very big thank you to all those who bought the one euro ticket, especially one man who on buying ten tickets wanted his winning ticket ( had he won ) to go to a patient from AFA with their partner, and another who said should his ticket be the winning one, he would offer it for sale and give the sale proceeds to AFA. Wow what lovely people supported this event.
David, of David’s Coaches is a well known supporter of local charities as well as the hard working owner of Coachtrips S.L. and has for many years taken literally thousands of us on day trips, short holidays and even cruises. He has now offered two people the chance to win a free all inclusive 10 day cruise at the end of next summer,again supporting Torrevieja’s  Alzheimer’s Association.
So watch out for these tickets coming on sale very soon. This could be your chance for an all inclusive ten day cruise around the Mediterranean and the Adriatic next year.

Source: .theleader.info

New water pump for volunteer firefighters

A NEW water pump has been donated to the volunteer fire brigade from Balcon al Mar.
Their equipment was damaged at the beginning of October as they attended a fire in La Guardia, Javea.
The volunteers play an important role in Javea and in many cases are the first people to arrive at the scene of a fire. As a result, Amjasa, the company that supplies water to Javea, decided to help the volunteers and donate a new water pump to the firefighting team.

The assistant manager of Amjasa, Josep Lluis Henarejos, has replaced the volunteer’s old pump with a new one which is valued at €3,000. This new pump can accommodate eight pipes simultaneously without the loss of pressure.

The volunteers also received a €2,000 donation from The Original Charity Shop in Javea to help them replace other items of damaged equipment.
The Mayor of Javea, Jose Chulvi, said the budget for the volunteer fire service will increase next year to ensure this vital service continues.

Source: euroweeklynews.com

Fall and Winter Gardens

Many homeowners take full advantage of the beautiful spring and summer months in their gardens, creating beautiful and colorful landscapes surrounding their homes.  However, many homeowners miss the opportunities to add visual interest to the landscape in the fall and winter.  What many don’t realize is that there are numerous ways to keep your gardens active throughout the year, even in the dead of winter.

The reality is that most homeowners spend more time at home during the fall and winter months and they have more opportunity to examine their surroundings.  This can lead to lists of home improvement projects to start in the spring but it can also lead to disappointment in the drab exterior of the house.  The grass is no longer a bright and vibrant green, the plants have browned and the outside of the house seems gloomy.  What can be done?  Is there a remedy to help the drab feel of the yard and garden in the winter?  The answer is yes, there are ways to make the yard more appealing during the colder months.  With trees, landscaping and other elements a homeowner has the opportunity to create focal points in the yard that will help eliminate the sense of winter drab. 

Think about which rooms of the house you spend the majority of your time in during the colder months and which windows you are looking out the most.  It might surprise you how adding a couple of trees or shrubs, that are zone-appropriate, can change the look and feel of the landscape. 

Along with adding trees and shrubs to the landscape consider these other opportunities to keep your yard looking good in the fall and winter:

If you want to keep a thick, full lawn year round then plant rye grass, bluegrass or another type of northern grass that will endure the harsh colder months of the year. 

The right variety of ornamental grass will add a splash of color to a winter garden.  Indiangrass, Gulf Muhly and Little Bluestem are ornamental grasses that are easy to grow and do not require much fertilization.  Their shoots add an accent to the landscape year round and offer lovely color against a stark winter landscape. 

Visit your local garden center and ask about which plants thrive in the winter months.  Euryops Pectinatus is an evergreen that offers bright yellow flowers that bloom year round, including the winter.  Crocus, Snowdrops, Witch Hazel, Christmas Roses, Winter Jasmine, Manzanita, Poinsettias and Pansies are all flowers that typically bloom throughout the fall and winter months.  Scaevola is a rich colored groundcover with purple flowers which usually bloom from January through November. 

Hollies are a type of evergreen that comes in many varieties including groundcover and bushes.  Hollies have deep green foliage and bright red berries making them a great choice for the winter landscape. 

Garden sculptures, arbors, gazebos, benches, stone walls, crack-resistant planters and landscape lighting are all yard accessories that can help draw attention when the colorful flowers are done for the season.

A brightly colored planter with a small pine or evergreen tree will add a splash of color to a deck or patio.  Brightly painted outdoor furniture can add a bit of playful color to your patio or garden as well. 

Outdoor living spaces are a popular home addition these days.  An outdoor fireplace or fire pit can not only add a focal point to the yard but can be a cozy place to spend time with friends and family on crisp fall evenings. 

Your winter garden can take on a whole new look when you add color, focal points and style to your outdoor space.  

Authors Bio:

Jennifer Couch has over 5 years of writing experience with various blogs.  As a mother of 2 boys and a previous Language Arts teacher, Jennifer certainly puts her creative energy to good use.  She has spent the past several years researching and writing on a variety of topics from Vincent van Gogh to the health benefits of fruit including one that’s near and dear to her heart, home improvement.  In addition, Pinterest has become a great source of experimental inspiration in trying to create a dream home for her family.

 

Winter's Coming - Be Prepared And Winterize Your House

Wіth thе rіsіng соst оf gаs аnd еlесtrісіtу, аnd thе drаggіng есоnоmу, kееріng your hоusе рrоtесtеd іs аs іmроrtаnt аs еvеr. Wіntеr рrооfіng your hоmе саn рrоtесt your hоmе frоm dаmаgе duе tо thе hаrsh winter wеаthеr. Ву рrореrlу sеаlіng your hоmе уоu саn аlsо рrоtесt your wаllеt bу kееріng wаrm аіr іn аnd thе соld wіntеr аіr оut. Usе thіs hеlрful сhесklіst tо gеt а јumрstаrt оn рrоtесtіng your hоmе аgаіnst thе еlеmеnts thіs sеаsоn.

Wіntеr Рrооf Yоur Іntеrіоr

Ѕеаl аll dооrs аnd wіndоws tо рrеvеnt drаfts Маkе surе аll dооrs аnd wіndоws аrе рrореrlу sеаlеd аnd іnsulаtеd аgаіnst wаtеr аnd wіnd. Соvеr wіndоws wіth сlеаr рlаstіс tо аllоw sunlіght іn fоr wаrmth whіlе blосkіng соld аіr frоm lеаkіng іn thrоugh thе ехроsеd glаss. Сhесk wеаthеr-strірріng аs wеll fоr сrасks, tеаrs, аnd оthеr рrоblеms аnd rерlасе аs nесеssаrу. Usе а саndlе tо сhесk fоr lеаks аnd fіll wіth саulk оr оthеr sеаlаnts tо blосk соld drаfts frоm іnсrеаsіng your hеаtіng bіlls.

Usе Insulаtеd Curtаіns

Іf wrарріng your wіndоws іn рlаstіс іs unаttrасtіvе оr tо unсоnvеntіоnаl fоr уоu, соnsіdеr рurсhаsіng іnsulаtеd сurtаіns. Тhеsе саn рrоtесt your hоmе frоm drаfts whіlе rеmаіnіng stуlіsh аnd unоbtrusіvе. Іf а wаrm dау соmеs аlоng, thеу аrе muсh еаsіеr tо ореn tо аllоw frеsh аіr іn tо your hоmе аs wеll.

Сlеаn Your Chіmnеуs

Маkе surе tо сlеаn your сhіmnеуs tо рrеvеnt сlоgs аnd роtеntіаl fіrе rіsks. Іf уоu'rе nоt gоіng tо bе usіng your fіrерlасе, mаkе surе tо kеер іt sеаlеd оff tо рrеvеnt drаfts аnd hеаt frоm еsсаріng. Κеер thе аrеа аrоund your fіrерlасе сlеаr оf роtеntіаl fіrе hаzаrds аnd mаkе surе tо сhесk thе ехріrаtіоn dаtе оn your fіrе ехtіnguіshеr јust іn саsе.

Κеер Your Hоusе Wаrm

Маkіng surе your hоusе stауs wіthіn а сеrtаіn tеmреrаturе rаngе іs еsресіаllу сrіtісаl іn thе соld wіntеr mоnths. Вurstіng ріреs аrе соmmоn thіs tіmе оf уеаr аnd thе bеst wау tо рrеvеnt thіs саtаstrорhіс рrоblеm frоm оссurrіng іs mаіntаіnіng а соnsіstеnt tеmреrаturе thrоughоut your hоusе. Rеmеmbеr, thе tеmреrаturе іn your wаlls аnd bаsеmеnt іs соnsіdеrаblу соldеr thаn thе rеst оf your hоusе sо kеер your thеrmоstаt sеt аbоvе 65 dеgrееs tо рrеvеnt your ріреs frоm frееzіng.

Аdd Mоrе Insulаtіоn

Аttісs, bаsеmеnts, аnd сrаwl sрасеs аrе еsресіаllу drаіnіng оn your hеаtіng sуstеm аnd your wаllеt. Аdd mоrе іnsulаtіоn іn thеsе аrеаs tо kеер your hеаt іnsіdе your hоusе аnd thе соld аіr оut. Тhіs саn аlsо hеlр рrоtесt ріреs frоm burstіng аnd flооdіng your hоusе саusіng thоusаnds оf dоllаrs іn dаmаgе.

Теst Smоkе аnd Cаrbоn Mоnохіdе Dеtесtоrs

Тhе rіsk оf fіrеs іnсrеаsеs drаmаtісаllу durіng thе wіntеr mоnths. Маkе surе tо tеst your smоkе dеtесtоrs аnd rерlасе thе bаttеrіеs. А gооd rulе оf thumb іs tо hаvе а smоkе dеtесtоr іn еvеrу bеdrооm аs wеll аs аt lеаst оnе smоkе dеtесtоr реr flооr оf your hоmе. Рrоduсеd bу hеаtіng sуstеms аnd fіrерlасеs, саrbоn mоnохіdе іs аlsо а mајоr соnсеrn. Сlоggеd vеnts саn lеаd tо hіgh lеvеls оf thіs оdоrlеss gаs thаt саn іnсарасіtаtе аnd еvеn kіll. Іnvеst іn а саrbоn mоnохіdе dеtесtоr tо аlеrt уоu оf аnу роtеntіаl dаngеrs аnd рrоtесt your fаmіlу.

Сlеаn Your Hеаtіng Sуstеms

Наvе а сеrtіfіеd hеаtіng sресіаlіst сlеаn your hеаtеr tо рrеvеnt сlоgs аnd роtеntіаl fіrеs. Маkе surе tо hаvе а stainless steel hеаtеr аnd сhаngе your fіltеrs rеgulаrlу аnd hаvе your vеnts сlеаnеd аs wеll. Тhіs саn іnсrеаsе hеаtіng еffісіеnсу whісh hеlрs tо lоwеr your hеаtіng соsts. Сlеаn vеnts рrеvеnt аllеrgу рrоblеms аs wеll bу rеmоvіng dust аnd аllеrgеn buіld uр.

Wrар Your Pіреs аnd Knоw Your Shut-оffs

Сhесk your ріреs fоr dаmаgе аnd lеаks thаt соuld lеаd tо wеаk sроts іf рrеssurе buіlds uр. Wrар your ріреs wіth іnsulаtіоn tо рrоtесt thеm frоm frееzіng аnd іnstаll а рrеssurе rеlеаsе vаlvе tо рrеvеnt dаmаgе tо your sуstеm frоm frееzіng. Knоw whеrе your shut-оff vаlvеs аrе іn саsе your ріреs dо burst. Маkе surе thеу аrе ассеssіblе аnd your fаmіlу knоws whеrе tо fіnd thеm.
Erin Smith is a seasoned blogger on home improvement, renovations and interior design, especially DIY projects that are easy to do for everyone. She's currently working with Absolute Fabrication, a steel and metal fabrication shop.

New Ambassador makes first visit to Costa Blanca

LESS than four weeks into his new role as Her Majesty's Ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, CMG, has made his first visit to Alicante province.
After meeting members of associations and charities working to support the British community, including The Royal British Legion and Age Concern, he met with invited members of the media at a reception in Benidorm. Accompanied by British Consul from Alicante Paul Rodwell, the Ambassador said Spain was the biggest and most important consular region, dealing with around 14 million British holiday makers each year and around 800,000 people resident in Spain.
In a bid to reach these people in a quicker, more effective and efficient way, the Ambassador announced the launch of new Facebook and Twitter pages: “We are in a digital age and are keen to make the most of social media to ensure people are well informed so they are less at risk whether they are staying three days or 33 years.”
The importance of social media became apparent during the Boston Marathon bombing when it was really used for the first time allowing people to access minute by minute updates. “I hope it is a genuine two way communication.” However the Ambassador was keen to stress that it is not a substitute for the consulate service that the team provides as the team in Alicante dealt with 1,200 cases last year: “We want to enable Paul and his colleagues to reach the most vulnerable so the two will work in tandem and allow to get more information out there and give the correct information.”

Source: euroweeklynews.com

AN ATTRACTIVE CRAFT FAIR IN THE MIDDLE OF ALICANTE

If you fancy the idea of getting really exclusive but not expensive Christmas presents before the rush, take a trip to Alicante town centre. 

There, in the Avenida Federico Soto, more or less in front of the Corte Inglés, some 40 stalls with real "Artesanía de Autor" work  will set up shop.  Real craft work, because "Artesania de Autor" means that the person selling the work is the person who made it.  Nothing imported and nothing from a factory.
The regional craft association Amata has been holding real craft fairs all over Spain these last twenty years and has built up a large circle of aficionados in the craft world.  Amata selects participants after looking at the quality of their work and considering how they will fit in - the market should not have too many people selling the same sort of material.
A good variety of ceramics, leatherwork, paper, silver, macramé, wood, original jewelry, fabrics, forged iron, handbags, cushions, wooden toys is to be found on one of their markets.
This market in the middle of Alicante is especially interesting because many of the participants will be working at their stall.  Watch Chema bind books, José carve bone and horn to make spoons or costume jewelry, Thomas painting T-shirts, Diego decorate boxes with filigree paper and Ramón weave intricately patterned buttons with Celtic motifs.
Often they can add to or change part of their design to suit the taste or need of a potential customer - a name, another colour or perhaps a slightly different sized.
Many of the pieces to be seen in this craft fair are the sort of thing you will see in expensive art galleries where you pay a lot more.  Here you can buy directly from the craftsman or woman - cheaper, more fun and a lot more interesting.
And the people in the stalls much prefer to see where their lovingly made articles will find a new home.  Most of these people choose this sort of work because they enjoy making something original, but they have to earn a living, which is why Amata spends its time holding markets to which it hopes to attract people who are really interested in this sort of work.
The Craft Market will be set up in the Avda. Federico Soto and is open on Friday 8, Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 November, from 11 to 2 and from 5 to 9.  Many (but not all) stalls will stay open from 11 to 9, as will the big department stores in this rather up-market part of Alicante which also stay open on the Sunday.

Source: theleader.info

Cubby Houses Are Nothing New, But They Are Better Than Ever

Cubby houses have been around forever, even if they have been called by other names over the course of time.  From simple tree houses to play areas to miniature cottages, they have been enhancing and beautifying yards for years while also being a great place for kids to have fun.  Today's cubbies are amazing simply because of the designs that are out there, and some of them look like regular houses.  People have moved away from simple plastic play areas, and very few homeowners have the experience or interest in designing their own play or tree houses.  Cubbies offer pre-designed and manufactured options that are growing in popularity and shrinking in price.

Parents can now choose from items based on whether they want something especially for boys or girls, younger kids or older or if they want a playground set or a cabin.  Some models include many amenities that can be found in homes including lofts, rooms, windows and decks.  Others are simple boxes with roofs that are raised off of the ground and connected with slides, swings, bridges and other accessories that are normally found in the neighborhood playground.  In short, parents and homeowners have a lot of options and choices when it comes to purchasing and installing the latest generation of cubbies.

So, what is the best solution for you and your property?  Well, there is no easy answer because everyone's tastes and preferences are different.  Some people want something simple and functional while others prefer a unit or set that is little bit more elaborate.  The sky is the limit when it comes to your options, and you can find almost anything that will be a perfect fit for the size and layout of your yard.  When shopping around for the ideal cubby, you should obviously look at design, price and whether or not you can install the pieces easily. But, you should also concentrate on finding one that will be enjoyed and appreciated by your kids.  Include them in the process and let them explore different options as you shop around as well.  This will help to ensure that your unit gets a lot of use for a long time to come.

Cubby houses have been promoting creativity, imagination, physical activity and fun for generations, and now is a good time to introduce your children to this back yard staple.  More families than ever are able to incorporate them into their yards simply because they do not require being designed and built from the ground up.  You can find kits and units that have been designed by experts and assembled in a matter of hours.  Look at some options today and your jaw will drop when you see some of the stuff that is in people's yards as we speak.  Whether you want something simple or looking for an extensive and elaborate set, the cubbies of today are a far cry from what you had when you were growing up, and they are better than ever.

Paul is a member of the http://www.countrycubbies.com.au team. Country Cubbies is Australia’s leading cubby house manufacture.