Do you own an old, outdated sofa or armchair that you've been thinking about replacing? Well, this is a topic that I am asked about frequently. Is the piece worth reupholstering, or should I purchase a new one. There are many variables that must be considered in order to make that decision. First, is this something that has been in my family; maybe passed down from a Parent or Grandparent. If so, chances are the chair or sofa, is a good candidate for reupholstering. The best pieces of furniture are made from kiln-dried hardwood, and are eight-way hand-tied, and held in place by resincoated twine, then covered in burlap and desired padding materials.
The lower quality furniture is most often constructed from rubber or nylon filling and another layer of firm rubber on top. The construction of lower-end furniture will not last as long and therefore it would make more sense to replace it with an eight-way hand-tied piece. We can help you with your replacement of furniture, or the selection of fabrics for the piece to be upholstered. We have a large selection of fabrics and trims to choose from.

It is said that the person who finds the one almond inside will have good luck during the upcoming year.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1 tablespoon plus 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup butter (no substitutes),softened
1/3 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
3 eggs separated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 whole almond.

Apricot Glaze
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1 teaspoon orange juice
Combine almond and 1 tablespoon flour; sprinkle into a well-greased 10-inch fluted tube pan. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening and 1 cup sugar. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in lemon juice, peel and extracts. Combine the baking powder, salt, baking soda and remaining flour; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tarter until soft peaks form. Beat in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff. Fold into batter. Pour into prepared pan. Insert whole almond into batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. For glaze, melt preserves in a microwave or saucepan; strain. Add orange juice; drizzle over warm cake.

More and more of today's homeowners are looking at tile, plank ceilings and classic tin or metal tiles, for a variety of rooms, including the kitchen, family rooms, living rooms, family room basement, bedrooms, etc. One of the reasons for this trend is that homeowners are realizing that a room is more than 4 walls. The ceiling used to be the most neglected surface in a room. Now, homeowners are starting to think of the ceiling as a room's fifth wall and realizing that they can obtain a great deal of architectural detail in it at an affordable cost. As an example, the "Tin Look" sculptured tiles featured here, have the artistry, charm and classic beauty of turn-of-century metal ceilings, but at a fraction of the cost. The tiles can be ordered to match any color to fit in with the rooms' decorating scheme. The patina that develops on tin ceilings as a result of age can even be duplicated. The latest ceilings now range from, knotty pines, cherries, maple, beech and traditional white finishes.

Even before prices at the pump reached record high, you probably had your eye on finding ways to conserve energy. Maybe you already know Honeycomb Shades offer energy efficiency that prevent the heat in your home from escaping while at the same time keeping the cooler air outside from coming in. Now, more than ever, these window treatments can help you enjoy considerable utility savings.
A double honeycomb shade with triple cell, will increase the energy efficiency of a single pane of glass by five times. So as the temperature begins to drop this season, keep in mind that you'll gain an additional layer of protection against the cooler temperatures (and rising heat costs) by outfitting your windows now.

Everything in your home should have a home...a consistent and appropriate place where that object is normally kept. Some items that you use every day, may be on display readily available for frequent use. When an object strays from its "home," it can easily be misplaced, thus causing stress and frustration. Clutter build-up naturally occurs when items are not kept and/or returned to their homes.
Take children's artwork off of the refrigerator and hang them in frames in their room, the laundry room, playroom or office. Make the front of your refrigerator free of all clutter. Invest in storage devices that will make things easier to find, and will help keep you organized. There are great storage containers available today. They range from plastic with drawers, stacking boxes with lids and your more decorative rattan, cloth and leather boxes.
When you have something that you never use, giving it to someone who will make use of it can really brighten your day. Give it to a friend. Pass it along to a relative, or have your children place it in a special "Charity Box" and make a donation to a favorite organization. Items that are outdated, faded, broken or otherwise unusable can often be dumped. You will be freeing your space-and your mind!!!