At Home With Valerie

Embrace your artistic side this Easter with these simple craft ideas: Easter mason jar Remove the lid to your mason jar. Clean the exterior of the jar with rubbing alcohol to remove any residue. Spray paint the jar with a pastel color of your choice. Allow jar to dry. Use a small paintbrush and acrylic paint to draw on a bunny or chick face — eyes, and a beak or nose will do. Allow to dry. Embellish the lip of your jar with twill or ribbon of your choice. Use your jar as a flower vase or fill with treats! Striped Easter eggs Hard boil your eggs and cool them. Fill a container large enough to submerge an egg in with water, then add a few drops of food coloring and 1 tsp white vinegar. Wrap small rubber bands around your egg in striped or criss-crossing patterns. Bands should fit snugly but not too tight. Dip the egg in your dye mixture until the desired color is achieved. Let dry on one side for 1 minute, then turn over and allow the other side to dry for 1

Depending on what part of the country you live in, your lawn may or may not be covered by snow. If it isn't and the weather has turned warmer, such as it does on the west coast of North America, it's time to get outside and assess your lawn's condition. After a long winter, especially if you had a lot of snow, your lawn can be prone to many diseases. One of the most common found in spring is snow mold. Snow mold is a type of fungus and a turf disease that damages or kills grass after snow melts, typically in late winter. Its damage is usually concentrated in circles three to twelve inches in diameter, although yards may have many of these circles, sometimes to the point at which it becomes hard to differentiate between different circles. The good news is that your lawn can be repaired so that it looks good all summer long. Here is what you have to do to restore your lawn to the lush green that it was last summer. 1. When the lawn is dry, and no m

Of course, one of the dirtiest objects in anyone’s home is the toilet. But, that’s not the only place where dirt and germs accumulate. Here are five other dirty places and suggestions for cleaning them. Bath Towels - When you and your family dry off from your shower, your bath towel absorbs the water from your body. Then it sits all day breeding bacteria that thrive in warm, moist areas. Combat this issue by changing your bath towels out every two days and washing your dirty towels in hot water to kill anything living on them. Shower Curtain - Shower curtains easily pick up bacteria the same way bath towels do. They also attract germs from the toilet if they are near each other. Clean your shower curtain by spraying it down with a bleach-based product. Spray the rings and rod, too. Also, when the shower curtain is beyond cleaning, replace it. Doorknobs - Entryway and bathroom doorknobs are exposed to myriad germs daily

For most of us, our bedroom is little more than a place to sleep and relax. However, just because it’s always been that way doesn’t mean that we have to settle for drab and dreary. One trend that’s gaining steam these days is converting your current bedroom into a luxury suite (or something comparable). If you want to live like you’re renting a room at the Ritz, then you want to follow these tips. Compartmentalize Your Activities  Making your bedroom more functional is going to make it more luxurious. Add a gorgeous desk for working and a TV area for entertainment, and you’ll be living it up in no time. Make it Chic  Choose a color palette that is both luxurious and classy. Silver and gold can seem tacky, so choose muted shades that compliment each other. Also, a brilliant and commanding headboard can instantly upgrade the look of your room without any other changes. Light it Properly  Finally, make sure that you have the right light to show off your designs. I

If you’re looking to refinance your home or possibly sell, you’ll need a killer appraisal. A bank will not refinance a home for more than it is worth, and a potential buyer will not pay more than the recognized value of the home. Here are 5 simple steps for a better home appraisal. 1. Tidy your space.  Make sure your yard looks well-groomed and the interior of your home is clean clutter-free. It is well worth the investment to have the home professionally cleaned and have your yard serviced. 2. Invest in the right types of renovations. Kitchens and bathrooms are the best types of renovations. They will typically provide 80% ROI. High-efficiency appliances and upgrades that improve the overall efficiency of the home are well worth the investment. 3. Document your upgrades.  Provide the appraiser with a list and documentation of all upgrades, renovations, and improvements to the home. 4. Do your homework.  Research and provide your own comparab

In order to have a lush green lawn in summer, there are some things you need to do now. In most parts of the country, spring will be arriving soon. When it does, and the last frost is over, it's time to get outside and assess your lawn's condition.  Quite often, usually beginning in the fall and over the winter, your lawn can be and is often prone to disease. Most of the diseases your lawn can get are often caused by various fungal spores which reside in all lawn soil at all times. Extreme weather or improper lawn care techniques can create conditions that foster the sudden growth of disease. What Causes Lawn Disease? Most fungal diseases occur because your lawn is in some way stressed. If you lawn is growing in compacted soil, or is cut too short, or you have excessive thatch in you lawn, this can make your lawn vulnerable to fungal diseases. Over- or under fertilizing and over watering can also encourage fungal disease problems.  How to Det