Home Improvement for Women

How Do You Get Young Kids Involved In Gardening?

What kid doesn’t love playing in the dirt? For kids, working in the garden isn’t a chore, it’s simply fun! Gardening with kids of any age encourages an interest in nature and the environment. Allow them to choose what to grow – tempt them with exotic options such purple carrots, bright orange cauliflower, white cucumbers, or giant pumpkins. You don’t even need a yard to raise a tasty crop to harvest. Growing vegetables like tomatoes in containers or strawberries in window boxes is easy and gratifying. On rainy days, you can do garden crafts—paint flowerpots or create garden plant markers. A child’s attention span is short. Make sure tasks in the garden are simple and can be successfully accomplished in a short period of time. If they decide that it is time to take a break, or hunt for worms, let them. Make sure that you have lots of options available for them, so that when they become bored with one task, they can easily move on to their next project.

What Tasks Are Age-Appropriate For Different Ages/Abilities?Pre-school and kindergarten

1. Tiny hands are perfect for picking small seeds out of packets. Show your child how to use a stick to poke shallow holes, drop in a seed, and gently pat soil over it.
2. Pick rocks out of soil and stack in a neat pile.
3. Kiddie-sized watering cans let even the smallest children “give the plants a drink” without drowning them.

Grade-school and older:

1. Set seedlings in place.
2. Define garden rows. Set poles on opposite sides of the garden, tie string around one and spool it out to the second. Using the string as a guide, use a trowel to dig a shallow line underneath.
3. Working together to properly space plants lets kids use basic math skills, like measuring in inches.
4. Watering the garden with the hose. (Be prepared for a water fight on a hot day!)
5. Fill planting holes with compost, planting soil, or–coolest of all–earthworms! Hunt for the earthworms as you turn over the soil in the garden.
6. Weeding requires concentration and attention. Point out the different shaped leaves and characteristics of the weeds and the crops. 

Fun For The Whole Family (no matter what age): 

Work together, to build the perfect garden resting spot. A shady bean teepee provides a cool hiding spot and provides support for a bumper crop of pole beans.

You will need:  7-9 six-foot bamboo poles or 2×2 beams, twine, pole bean seeds.

1. Find a suitable spot and mark a circular patch of earth (about 4 feet in diameter)

2. Dig a planting trench and add compost and fertilizer

3. Firmly push the ends of the poles into the ground on the outside of the circle. Sink them about 3” deep. Leave a wide gap between two of the poles. This will be the entrance to the teepee.

4. Tie the poles firmly together at the top using the twine. Remember your kids will be running in and out of the teepee, so make sure the poles are firmly tied together.

5. Plant the pole beans about 2” deep. Use two plants per pole and plant them on the inside of the bamboo frame. Water generously

6. In 7 to 10 days, seedlings should appear. With a little training to keep the vines growing in the right direction, the entire frame will soon be covered with thick foliage, followed by flowers, and then, the beans.

7. I like to mix in other plants, like morning glories or nasturtiums for an even more colorful cave!

Enjoy and do it Barbara’s Way!

I was reminded not too long ago about the importance of summer safety when a friend’s daughter slipped and fell on their wet patio.  Luckily, the plucky 11 year old knew how to swim, because she fell into the family’s just-opened and cleaned pool. She was fine, except for wet clothes, and a bruised arm and ego.  But what if she didn’t know how to swim? I don’t even want to think about it! Well, it’s now time for a primer and a reminder on 10 Summer Safety “Must Do’s”. 

1. Update the first aid kit.  Keep a simple first aid kit in the kitchen, bathroom, car and outdoor storage bench or garden shed.  Make sure everyone in the family knows where the kits are kept. If you already have kits, now is the time to make sure that aspirin and any other meds and ointments are up to date and not past expiration. Replace those that are. Make sure bandages are fresh and well stocked as well.  If you’re buying new, check out Johnson and Johnson’s Emergency First Aid Kit for $29.99 or their Large First Aid Kit for less than $10 – both at Target stores.
2. No running! Create and stick to “running rules” for your kids, and their friends.  Normally, that means no running around pools, ponds, and fountains; wet surfaces; cobblestones and other rough terrain. Running on grass, fields and lawns, are fine.  Let’s face it falling down and scraping knees are part of childhood – so be sensible but smart. Want to make the list official? Go to zazzle.com to create a custom poster listing your rules. 
3. Schedule a family refresher course in CPR.  At least one person in the family should be CPR certified, and it would be ideal if everyone in your house were familiar with the procedure. Sign up for courses at your local high school or a Red Cross chapter.
4. Clear gutters and downspouts. Water damage to your home – which can lead to mold and rot – often will occur because of clogged gutters and downspouts. Dry spring weather is the perfect time to clean out last fall’s dead leaves, twigs, dirt and debris.  Guttersense.com makes a gutter-cleaning tool that eliminates the need to get on a ladder – it’s 19.95, plus shipping.  Of course, when doing outdoor work don’t forget your fashionable Barbara’s Way work gloves, available at Home Depot.com for 14.99.
5. Bug patrol. This is the time of year when ants, including detractive carpenter ants, spiders, and other creepy crawlers, start moving around and in – to your house.  Eartheasy.com sells a variety of natural insect control products, safe for kids and pets – but bad for bugs!
6. Check outdoor electrical plugs.  Make sure exterior outlets are in working condition.  Sometimes a harsh winter can wreak havoc on them.  If they don’t work call a licensed electrician for help.  If they are – check out outdoor lighting options such as lamps, torches, and spots.  The Home Depot, for example, sells an outdoor table lamp by Hampton Bay in Weathered Brown for $84.98.  It’s perfect for adding ambiance to romantic dinners al fresco!
7. Check gas grills before firing them up.  Test for leaks, cracks and other damage.  Make sure tanks are full and the grill itself is clean.  To get the grates ready for barbeques, check out Grill Daddy’s Pro Grill Brush, $21.85 on amazon.com.
8. Know your poison plants – from poison ivy to poison sumac, many wild plants can cause rashes, itching, and other unpleasant reactions.  First, identify plants you may suspect of being poisonous.  WebMd.com has a guide to poison vegetation at http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/poison-ivy-oak-sumac along with tips on what to do if you or a family member is exposed.
9. Replace pets’ flea and tick collars.  If your furry friends spend any time outside, make sure they have new, fresh and effective flea and tick collars. Petco, both the stores and online, has a variety of collars, most priced less than $8.00. 
10. Stock up on sunscreen. The tubes from last summer may have lost their effectiveness – even if they have not reached their expiration date the fact that they have been open and exposed to the air can impact efficacy. Start the season with a new bottle or two.  Remember to apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and always after swimming.  Kids and babies need extra protection, so look for brands especially made for their delicate skin and at least 30 SPF. Blue Lizard baby sunscreen is my favorite for kids – and is recommended by dermatologists.  It’s about $15 and is available at Walgreens and CVS.

Now go on and have a great (and safe) summer with your family and friends.  You did it, Barbara’s Way! 

OVERVIEW: Create customized storage and display for your treasured reading with this simple-to-build bookcase that can be painted or stained to match your décor.

MATERIALS: 1”x10” or 1”x12” pine board (planed, not the unfinished, knotty, rough-looking stuff); eight 1 ½” long flathead wood screws; 16 x (number of shelves desired) ½” long woodscrews; 4 x (number of shelves desired) L-brackets; wood glue; sandpaper

BARBARA’S WAY TOOLS: 12’ or 16’ tape measure, screwdriver, 4.8v rechargeable cordless screwdriver

OTHER TOOLS: handsaw (or circular saw); c-clamps, pencil

BEFORE YOU BEGIN; If you want to skip the cutting and sanding steps, take your measurements to the lumberyard or home improvements store and have them cut the wood to your specifications.

STEP ONE: Some Simple Math

Take a look at what kinds of books you need to store – paperbacks? hardcovers? over sized art books? – and decide where to place the shelves and the exact dimensions of the bookcase. Now use this simple formula to determine how much wood you’ll need: The top and bottom sections should be the same length. The two sides should be the same length. Each shelf should be 1.5” shorter than the top and bottom pieces.

STEP TWO: Measure Twice, Cut Once

If you did not have the wood cut to order at the lumberyard, measure carefully so you end up with two pieces of equal length for top and bottom, two pieces of equal length for the sides and enough pieces for the number of shelves you’ve decided on (remember, the shelves should be 1.5” shorter than the top and bottom pieces). Mark the measurements with a pencil line. Using the c-clamps, attach your board to sawhorses or a sturdy table or workbench with the line just off the edge. Double-check your measurements. Saw carefully using smooth strokes. Sand the rough-cut edges.

STEP THREE: Assembly required

Glue the tops of two side pieces to the inside edge of the bottom piece. Once the glue is dry, attach the top piece in the same way. Mark a dot in each corner of the top and bottom pieces of wood about 1.5” – 2” from the top and bottom edges and about 3/8” from the outside edges. Using a drill bit that’s smaller in diameter than your flathead wood screws, drill holes at each of the marks. If you do this before you install the screws it should keep the wood from splitting, Put the screws in and tighten.

STEP FOUR: A place for everything

Determine the placement of the shelves and, using the ruler, mark a line on each side of the unit. Screw in the L-brackets so that the top of the bracket is level to the line you just drew. Use two brackets per side. Now slide the shelves in so they rest on the brackets. You can attach the shelves to the brackets for more stability. If you have made a tall shelving unit, you should attach at least one of the middle shelves to the L-brackets for extra support. If the shelf is extra wide, consider using L-brackets on the top and bottom pieces for stability.

STEP FIVE: Finishing touches

It’s all about the decorating now. Paint or stain your bookshelf. Add glass doors or leave them open to display your favorite books and items. Your library is in order – and you did it yourself!

Timesaving Tip: Save even more time – and have adjustable shelves – by using board with pre-drilled holes for shelf supports. Before you take the wood home be 100% sure that the holes match up perfectly from side to side.

The sun is out, the temperature is climbing, summer is not far off. I’ve started thinking about shorts, tank tops and bathing suits, which means it’s time to get in shape.

And if your life is busy like mine, it’s often all too easy to make excuses to skip the gym. By creating a space dedicated to fitness in a corner of my home, I’m able to sneak in a workout any time.

Not only is a home gym a great timesaver, it’s also a smart economic move. Between sign-up fees and memberships, a one-year investment in a gym could cost $2,000 or more. You can work out for a lot less at home.

If you think that having a home gym means you need a spare room or finished space in a garage, basement or attic and lots of expensive equipment, think again. Even if you lack square footage or a big budget, here’s how to create an affordable home workout space that’s virtually invisible when not in use.

Choose your location

You should have at least enough room to be able to comfortably lie down and reach your arms over your head and put them side-to-side. To delineate the space, consider mounting a wooden blind or installing a curtain track on the ceiling. Simply lower the blind or pull the curtain to hide your gym equipment, or for privacy while working out.

Air circulation is also extremely important. A window that allows for fresh air is the first choice. If that isn’t possible, install a ceiling fan.

Buy the basics

All you need to furnish a versatile home gym is a fitness ball, free weights, a weighted jump rope, stretch bands and a ½-inch-thick rubber floor mat. You might also want to consider a doorway chin-up bar, Bosu ball (for balance training) or rebounder (a mini-trampoline).

You can also find treadmills, cardio steppers or elliptical striders that fold away and can be stashed in closets or under furniture.

Use the walls

If you don’t already have one, buy a flat-screen TV so you can watch fitness DVDs (or you can also play DVDs or stream classes online on your computer monitor). Mount the TV on a wall, or situate it on a shelf just below eye level, so you can see it whether you are standing or lying down.

Don’t let the space start looking like a locker room — install simple shelves to store weights and other equipment. Or use rolling storage boxes that slide under a bed or couch. Hide a wall-mounted mirror behind draperies and cover rubber floor mats with an easy-to-roll-up rug made of cotton, lightweight wool or sisal.

Now there are no excuses for being lazy, and no need to panic come summer.

Do it Barbara’s Way!

For more tips, videos and how-to’s, visit barbarasway.com.