BRRR it’s Colorado Cold outside, but not inside thanks to the government!

The Obama Administration is dolling out $3.2 billion for energy efficiency and energy conservation projects in states and cities across the U.S., moving that portion of the economic stimulus money a bit closer to your home.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program will fund new and existing programs in states to promote home energy audits, weatherization, energy efficiency upgrades, replacement of outdated appliances and other similar initiatives. The Department of Energy had previously estimated that the average qualifying home could benefit from $6,500 in improvements. Each program differs by state and city, so look to your local agencies or energy.gov/recovery for details. While home improvement initiatives are likely to help individuals most directly, the grants cover a broad array of potential initiatives.

You need to do your research & most installers are up to date on the lates info so If yo uneed a little help check with one of your local energyor window companies to see if you qualify. If you do jump on in now! My mom actaully qualified & they blew in insulation, replaced windows, & more all while she sipped tea on the front porch. Cost to her $0.00!

It is hard to believe but my theroy is we are  paying for it anyway, why not use it!

I swear I stepped away for a few seconds today,when I returned my two year old had used a permanent marker on several surfaces in my front room, & down the hall!

Of course his little art project stretched the span of several different types of surfaces, all requiring a separate method of marker removal. I have been searching the Internetto find any ideas on how to remove the marker & am now so confused that I think I better just paint over it, thorow out the fabric & revarnish the tables! However I cannot afford to do all that & I have company coming in a week

I think the basis is alcohol to all the remedies so I am going to start there & I will let you know how it works, but please if you have any advise other than hide the sharpies from now on. I would really appreciate it.

I did find these step by steps so I’ll start here!

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://z.hubpages.com/u/390146_f520.jpg&imgrefurl=http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Remove-Permanent-Marker-from-a-Painted-Wall&usg=__003Tapk_J9_qTupcRxUMhGWG69U=&h=346&w=520&sz=24&hl=en&start=15&tbnid=s7UWCMBS8EaUqM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=131&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpermanet%2Bmarker%2Bon%2Bwall%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

-Frustrated home owner with unwanted abstract art on her country walls

Ever wondered past an amazing yard & thought -”I want that” well I have! And for the past few years my husband & I have been trying to achieve our perfect yard a little at a time. 

We have done a bit here & a little bit there, we have made great headway, but there is just a little piece of our landscape that is a major thorn in my side. We have been using it as a dog kennel for lack of time & resources, but it is really useless space that is always stinky & bare.

So when I got the call that my husband had scored just enough FREE sod to complete the yard & go from drab to fab I was so excited! As exstatic as I was there was a lot to be done & if you know sod you know the clock starts as soon as it’s cut, and by the time I got the call it had already been about 10 hours

This little project entailed the ripping out of a fence, moving of a ton of rock that had been there for five years, an extension of our sprinkler system, ground prep, carrying the sod from the street , & finally laying it! There was only two of us & the bulk of the work had to be done by me since my husband was at work! Did I mention I have two small kids & a cold!

We settled in for a long days work, and I do mean long…..  This one just about killed me! My hubby & I busted it out but it was a total time crunch & everything else got put on hold! So now we have a beautiful yard that my husband & I are very proud of & tired from, and a messy kitchen that has not been touched in two days!

If you get free sod you just have to sacrifice your time, energy, & life until it is done! It is worth it though

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A glass of sweet tea a dramatic porch, and a rocking chair.–Miss Ariel

What do you think are the attributes that define Southern style? Check out some of the answeres contributed to Southern Style

Gracious and eclectic with a strong architectural basis. — John Chrestia

True “Southern style” has a subliminal sense of theater and joie de vivre, complimented by a definite bend toward elegance. — Joseph Paul Davis

A sense of gracious invitation. Warm, personal colors. Respect and reverence of our past. Subtle intelligence. — Barry Dixon

Decoration in the traditional or classical sense with an emphasis on comfort, hospitality, and liveableness, sometimes with a historical reference point, but not necessarily interpreting “period” interiors. Many Southern homes are renovations of once-grand architecture or even auxiliary buildings on the plantation grounds. — Ann Dupuy

The attributes that define Southern style are a quiet assuredness…a confidence…a warmth that embodies the phenomenon of “Southern hospitality.” — Charles Gandy

Southern style, to me, is rather eccentric, embodying classic roots with a unique application. Comfort and relating to the outdoors is always a strong consideration for design in the South. Color is also very important, many times pulling in color schemes from nature. — Cathy Kincaid

Southern style is unpretentious and extremely comfortable with an air of informality and relaxed elegance. — Josie McCarthy

Southern style means friendly, comfortable, approachable interiors. In the South, it’s all about being welcome. — Celerie Kemble

A sense of one’s heritage and the importance of making a home welcome to family and friends. — J.R. Miller

Southern style speaks of gracious living, hospitality, and restrained taste. — Betty Lou Phillips

Our Southern roots compel us to make hospitality and good manners a priority in our daily living. There is an underlying quality of dignity in the way we decorate. — Cindy Smith

Casual elegance. An inviting style. The mix of both formal and informal rooms that are integral parts of life in the Southern home. — Jim Strickland

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I love Ty Pennington & I just checked out his new web site! It’s full of great tips, fun info, a library, audio how to, & cool toons while you brows! I give it two thumbs up for a home decor site. Usually they are lacking style & just stuffed full of info. leaving you the opposite of inspired, but not Ty’s! Check it out.

http://www.typenningtonstyle.com/index.php

Join the  community! It’s fun

I wanted to pass along this link to one of my favorite magazines for natural design and decorating.

If you want to live a little closer to nature, you’ll like it. It’s called NaturalHomeMagazine, and it’s filled with ideas for”living wisely and living well,” whether you want to bring a little of the outdoors in for spring…or design an entire new wing!

I just enjoy thumbing through it for inspiration, or even if I want to take a mental break to dream (wouldn’t it be great to live in that window-filled house on the side of a cliff, surrounded by nature preserves?!) . Pick up a copy and you’ll see what I mean.

My husband is a total bargain hound, and it’s a good thing because we’ve gotten incredible deals on stuff for our house that we otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford.

Our biggest tip is to shop for clearance items and floor models at the home improvement stores. Sometimes they really just want to get rid of items to make room for more, and will let you buy them for even less than the sale price. Ask to speak with the manager, and don’t be afraid to negotiate!

Also go in and ask if they have anything “out back” that they want to get rid of. Oftentimes they do. It may not be exactly what you were looking for, but keep an open mind.

We got our bathroom vanity for next to nothing–it was a return and some of the cabinets needed to be repaired, which was an easy fix. It’s oak, and I originally wanted white, but now that it’s installed I really like it.

Our bathroom tiles were closeouts. Now, they weren’t exactly the color and style we wanted, but the price made it worth it and they turned out looking great.

We have a brand-new jacuzzi tub that was a floor model, normally going for $1,000, and we got it for a couple hundred! We also have a one-piece “designer” toilet that was practically free.

Our dishwasher was only $100 because it had a couple scratches on it, which aren’t even noticeable.

All it takes is a willingness to spend the extra time visting the stores often, shopping around and hunting for deals, and a lot of flexibility on design.