The History of the Chandelier
While the chandelier might just be something that you’ve always had in your dining room, it actually has a varied and interesting history. To that end, the first chandelier appeared in medieval times. It was basically a candle chandelier, meaning two pieces of woods were nailed together, and candles were secured to the ends of the wood pieces. With technological advances, the chandelier advanced right along as well. Today, it is typically thought of as a branched and decorative light fixture mounted to the ceiling.
No matter what time period they hail from or what region of the world, chandeliers are known for their complex collection of glass and crystal prisms. This often fills the room with vibrant colors and refracted light. Not surprisingly, some of the most decorative and ornate of all chandeliers hailed from France. Famous for their excess and opulence during the era of pre-Revolution Versailles, truly amazing chandeliers were a fixture among the palaces and castles of that day.
Making Potty Training Fun
For a parent of a toddler, there’s nothing more vital that getting your kid quickly and properly potty trained. Not only is it a milestone for your kid, but it also relieves a lot of burden on your part. That’s why parents spend so much time and money trying to learn how to effectively and quickly potty train their children. But the simple fact is that kids are going to learn when they’re ready and no sooner.
But you’re not completely at the whim of the child. You can help make the process less scary and more fun by installing some decorative toilet seats. These can be covered in drawings of everything from sea life to dinosaurs. Pick something that is a favorite of your child. This way, they’ll have something to be excited about when they’re learning how to use the bathroom. And if you eventually want to return you bathroom to the look of a solid tone toilet seat cover, you can merely switch it out with minimal fuss.
The Rules of Horseshoe
For summer fun, don’t forget that the game of horseshoes is a great option for the whole family. Horseshoes is an ideal game for two or more people. The only equipment that’s required in a horseshoe game is four horseshoes, one stake, and a little bit of room. After that’s acquired, each person takes turns throwing his or her horseshoe. The goal is to come as close to the stake as possible. Point scoring differs slightly between amateur and professional play, but generally it is three points for a ringer (when a horseshoe encircles the stake) and one point for coming closest to the stake.
In amateur play, a leaner (when a horseshoe literally leans on the stake) is worth two. In professional play, this is often considered one point. If both parties throw a ringer, they generally cancel out. That is, each player does not score three points. Play can go to any agreed upon number, but the most common benchmark is twenty-one. A player must win by two. Players are only awarded points if a horseshoe is within six inches of the stake. But again, these rules are often altered or tweaked to accommodate games that are just for fun.
Replacing A Toilet Seat Hinge
Many newer toilet seats come with plastic hinges. These are easy to maintain, and are functional, but many
prefer the classic look that only Chrome or Brass Hinges offer. Installing a new hinge adds character, but it can be a bit daunting. Although most hinges for toilet seats are designed to mount on 5-1/2″ centers, the existing screw holes for attaching the hinge to the seat, most likely will not line up correctly. A dab of wood putty will fill the existing holes. A bit of paint or a stain pen should hide the patch in most cases. Turn the bottom portion of the seat upside down. Position the new hinge along the back edge and center using a ruler or tape measure. Use an awl to mark the position for the screws. Be sure to drill pilot holes for the screws. Use a depth gauge attachment to insure no mistakes. Be sure to check the screw length. Some hinge sets come with screws that may be too long for the depth of the toilet seat. Once the lower hinge is attached, it’s time to attach the upper hinge to the lid. This is where the job gets tricky. By positioning the lid atop the base, one can see that there is no easy way to mark the position of the upper screws. The solution to this is to get some tracing paper. Place the lid on the paper and trace the outline carefully. With scissors, cut out the template carefully. Now place the template on the lower seat atop the hinges. Center the pattern appropriately. Since tracing paper is somewhat transparent, you can see where the hinge holes need to be. Using a Sharpie, dot the position of the hinge holes carefully. Now turn the lid upside down. Remember to flip the template as well. Mark the top with the awl, drill pilot holes, and attach the top. Congratulations, you have now successfully finished your toilet hinge replacement.
Shoeing a Horse
If you’ve ever been exposed to horses, you’ve probably seen horseshoes, or u-shaped metal items fitted onto a horse’s foot. And if you’ve spent any significant amount of time around horses, you might have even seen these horseshoes being fitted onto a horse. A professional horseshoer is known as a farrier, and they fit these shoes by nailing or gluing them into or onto the horse’s hooves. But don’t worry animal lovers. If done correctly, you don’t need to fret about damage or pain to the horse.
The horseshoe is nailed through the hoof wall, which is an insensitive part of the hoof roughly equivalent to a human nail. When this area is trimmed, it can be understood as a kind of manicure for the horse. Many farriers believe horseshoes protect horses from wear and tear on their hooves. There are also a group of farriers, however, who believe that having a horse unshoed, for at least part of the year, can be beneficial to the horse.
Classic Outdoor Lighting
In this day and age, the majority of the new outdoor lighting fixtures seem a little bit boring. In centuries past, cast iron candle lanterns brought unique character to an outdoor space, and while using a candle doesn’t make much sense in modern times, there’s no reason modern lighting fixtures should lack character. Installing vintage lights outdoors is a great way to add character to an outdoor space. Unique vintage lighting wrought from metal and designed to appeal to our classic sensibilities makes a great addition to a porch, garage, or even deck.
In addition to having distinctive character, vintage lighting tends to last much longer than other lighting fixtures. We all know that things were made much sturdier back in their initial conception, and vintage lighting is no exception!
Cabinet Knobs: The Ultimate Eye Candy For Your Kitchen
Your kitchen cabinets need to be replaced but you just don’t have the money to do it? Adding a touch of eye candy to your worn kitchen cabinets can be a cost-saving alternative to replacing them. New cabinet hardware can bring out personality and add new focus to your kitchen.
Refinishing your cabinets is another choice, but having unique cabinet knobs can really bring out the design and style in your kitchen. This little enhancement can bring such detail in your kitchen, and can really tie in the theme that you have established. You can choose from a variety of styles, design, colors, and materials to fit your home.
Original Ideas for Outdoor Fun
Who isn’t tired of the same old outdoor games like croquet, badminton, and soccer? These games can be fun, but now and then it’s nice for a change. There are a lot of fun outdoor games that are a bit less common in the United States. You might consider a few rounds of bocce ball, which is a bit like lawn bowling, but a little different. You can find a bocce ball set at most retailers of sporting goods; and people ranging from seniors to children can partake and enjoy the game. Pickleball is another fun game that is playable on a standard tennis court, but requires a skill set much different from tennis. You might also consider a game of horseshoes. This classic game is still popular today, and contributes to any outdoor picnic or outing. Provides lots of fun whether you’re fifteen or fifty.
There are many more unique games in the world, and half the fun of outdoor games is discovering new ones that are just as much fun as those you know and love. Be sure to try a lot of different outdoor games, you just might find that you have a natural knack for a game you never would have known!
Installing Lights Underneath the Counter
Nobody likes stumbling around in the dark looking for a light switch, but let’s face it, when your eyes aren’t adjusted to the light, turning on the lights can be just as painful. A great solution to this dilemma, whether in the bathroom or the kitchen, is under counter lights. With proper installation, these lights can be left on all the time and provide a dim light source that will help you avoid stumbles and falls but won’t blind you either. Under counter lights are also quite popular in modern design; most contemporary kitchens come with them installed beneath the counters or more commonly, the cabinets.
Most under counter lights are easy to install as well, though the electrical can be a bit trickier. But even if you need to hire an electrician, the fixtures and the wiring can be installed in no more than an hour. If you’re a bit of a handyman, you can do it yourself too!
I Love Classic Bathtubs
There’s nothing quite like taking a relaxing bubble bath in an old fashioned bathtub. I think of all the old fashioned bathtub designs, clawfoot bathtubs are my favorite. When I was little I can remember taking a bath in the clawfoot bathtub at my grandma’s house, and I was always fascinated with the idea of a bathtub that had feet. In fact, my grandma used to tease me that while I was sleeping, the bathtub would get up and walk around the house! I even remember waking up during the middle of the night, running to the bathroom, and making sure the bathtub was still there!
When I had my own house I knew I wanted a clawfoot bathtub of my own. It took me a while to track down a vintage bathtub that would fit well in my bathroom, but when I did, I ordered it right away. Now I can enjoy a good soak just like I used to when I was a little girl!