Part Two in a Series

Once you have your landscape design on paper, now it’s time to transfer it to the actual location where you will be planting your plants. You will need a couple of tools in order to accomplish this. First it’s handy to have a long tape measure. For example a 50 foot or 100 foot tape measure is a lot easier to use an 8 foot or 16 foot one. You will be able to easier layout your landscape with a longer tape measure. You might also need some wooden stakes, some string, an old garden hose, and some marker paint.

If your landscape design calls for a regularly repeating pattern, or a very rigid formal grid structure, you’ll want to use stakes and string. Start by finding a fixed point on your design and take all your measurements from that one point. Check your measurements frequently as you start laying out your stakes in your yard. Run string or twine from one stake to another to help lay out your design.

If your landscape design is more free-form, with curves and random areas, you’ll use an old garden hose. Again, you want to find a fixed reference point from which to start your plan. Using the garden hose, layout your shape. The garden hose will allow for very smooth and gentle arts and arches and curves as you lay out your design.

In both cases, once you have your design transferred to the ground using either stakes and string or garden hose, you’ll want to make it permanent by using marker paint. Marker paint is simply spray paint where the nozzle is upside down from a normal can of spray paint. You hold it upside down and spray on the ground. Use the paint to trace over your string lines, or the garden hose.

Now that you have your entire design layed out and painted on the ground it’s time to start adding some plants. Remember, a good design uses a layered effect. You will want to place taller plants in the back, and smaller, shorter plants in the front. This gives depth and interest to your landscape design. Take your plant material, in their nursery containers, and begin laying them out in your design. Once you have most of your material in place, take a step back and look at your handiwork. Now walk through your yard, and take a look at how things appear. Now is the time to change things. Once things are planted, it is very difficult to make changes. But now, your plants are still in the containers, you can very easily move things around and change your visual effect.

Preferably, if you have time, leave your temporary landscape in place for a day or two and take a look at it throughout the day. Your design will look different at different times during the day. For example, in the morning, the light is coming from a different angle, than in the evening. So you want to be sure that your landscape design looks good at all times during the day.

In our next article, we’ll take a look, and the actual planting process, how to prepare the soil, and how to make sure your pants have a good start at a long healthy life.

About the Author
Dean Novosat is an avid gardener and landscaper. He has transformed many boring yards into beautiful landscapes. He has several websites including http://www.the-garden-doctor.com and http://www.dr-landscape.com.

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Did you ever wonder what happens to all that government equipment that is purchased each year by federal, state, and local governments? They don’t just throw it away! By law, all unused and out-dated equipment must be sold back to the public at a public auction! That’s right. Everything is available to you and I the American taxpayer. There are primarily two ways that the government does this: on-site auctions or online auctions.

At an on-site auction, the government agency disposing of the property must usually post a public notice about the auction such as the location, date, time, and items to be auctioned off. There is usually an inspection period, especially if there are high-priced items that are to be auctioned off. Bidding is usually open to anyone, but you generally must pre-register on-site at the auction to bid. On site auctions may include items like used vehicles, boats, aircraft, computer equipment and military surplus. Some of the items are new, most are used, and a small percentage of it is junk.

Online Auctions are available to anyone with an internet connection and can be found on various website. The federal government typically uses the GSA auction site at gsa.gov/auctions. The military uses govliquidation.com. State and local governments may have their own websites. You may need to call your local government agency to find out how they handle surplus property.

The fun part is actually bidding and winning items. You can easily purchase things at 80%-90% off of retail! I personally purchased a color laser printer at 10% of it’s value! Granted, I needed to drive 3 hours to pick it up and I needed to clean it once I got it home, but it works flawlessly.

The business part of the equation is in purchasing large lots of equipment. I personally buy and sell large quantities of computer and office equipment. You can purchase computer and monitors by the skid load! I resell to friends and neighbors who get a good deal as well. I can sell them equipment 50% off of retail and still double my money! The local government auctions usually have the best deals as there are typically fewer bidders competing against you. I purchased $12,000 worth of computer equipment for $65! I also picked up a conference table and beautiful retro conference chairs!

Remember though, to bid with your head and not above it. Research carefully what you are interested in and what it would bring in resale. Set a firm price in your mind and don’t go over that price. Don’t ever get caught up in the heat of the moment when the bidding starts going crazy! Take a step back and re-evaluate before you pay more for something than you wanted to.

About the author:
Dean Novosat regularly attends local government auctions and participates online. Much of what he wins, he resells. He has several informative websites including http://www.buy-sell-gov-surplus.com and http://www.government-deals.com .

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There is a lot of concern about herbicides and what they are doing to our environment. Large amounts of chemicals leech into our groundwater polluting our water supply. Cancers and strange diseases with no apparent cause are being linked to chemicals and pollutants in our environment. So how do we control all those pesky weeds in our perfectly manicured landscapes? I will outline several different ways to eradicate weeds without polluting our environment.

The first and probably the simplest of all, is to roll up your sleeves, get down on your knees, and pull the weeds out! I know this seems counterintuitive in an age when we are accustomed to instantaneous and easy ways of doing things. When all we have to do is spray some highly-toxic chemical on a plant and it seemingly evaporates in less that a day! But back in the day, people used to buy tools like a hoe, or dandelion pullers to actually exert physical work to remove weeds. I prefer this method as it actually feels good to get back to our natural instincts and commune with our surroundings. Sweating in the hot sun and doing physical labor is good for the mind, body, and spirit, and with this technique, we can actually eliminate weeds!

A tip for pulling weeds is to give the weed bed a good watering the night before. With the ground thoroughly soaked, the soil will be softened and will yield the entire weed plant, root and all.

The second method is equally effective but it is more difficult to isolate a single weed in a bed of desirable plants. Simply pour hot, boiling water over the weed. The hot water will kill the weed. The next time you make a pot of tea and you have some water left over, pour it on the weeds. How about pasta water? Or corn on the cob? Plenty of boiling water left over there! While the corn is cooking or the pasta simmering, take a quick walk outside to see what weeds need to go. That way you can quickly locate them with your hot pot of water.

And lastly, you can use a string trimmer or lawn mower and just mow them down. Sure, they will grow back up but just keep whacking them down. They are green and produce lots of oxygen for your environment, and mowed down low, who would ever suspect that you have a lawn full of weeds. My lawn is full of clover and violets. Mowed down low, it looks like a beautiful lawn. However, I am the envy of the neighborhood every Spring when my lawn is covered with white and purple flowers during the month of April.

About the Author
Dean Novosat is an avid gardener and landscaper. He has transformed many boring yards into beautiful landscapes. He has several websites including http://www.the-garden-doctor.com and http://www.dr-landscape.com.

Popularity: 4% [?]

All treasure hunters know that the wet sand at the edge of the beach is the best place to find valuable treasure. However, the ocean seems like it always doesn’t want to give up this treasure. Inevitably, as soon as we detect a good target, and began to dig the target, the water rises making it difficult, if not impossible, to recover the target. Even with the best scoops available, it is sometimes very difficult and frustrating to try to recover targets at the edge of the surf.

However, there is a simple tool that anyone can make that will make war recovery easier. simply taken old 5 gal. drywall bucket and cut out the bottom. also remove the handle as it is metal and may interfere. String section of rope through the handle holes so you have an easy way to carry the bucket. I prefer to carry the bucket on my belt.

Now when you are working in the wet sand, and you find a target, pinpoint it. Center the bucket over the target and using both hands, wiggle the bucket down into the wet sand. You have now stabilized the sides of the hole you are about to dig. Using your scoop, remove the sand from inside the bucket, and recover your target. The bucket holds the sides of the hole so it doesn’t collapse in.

I hope you find this technique useful and that you recover more treasure because of it. As I know it has increased the number of targets that I have been able to recover greatly.

Dean Novosat is an avid treasure hunting and can often be found metal detecting the beaches of the mid-Atlantic United States. He uses Minelab equipment exclusively, but you will also find Garret and Fisher detectors in his arsenal. He is the webmaster of http://www.treasure-metal-detecting.com and http://www.metal-detector-info.com.

Popularity: 5% [?]

All treasure hunters know that the wet sand at the edge of the beach is the best place to find valuable treasure. However, the ocean seems like it always doesn’t want to give up this treasure. Inevitably, as soon as we detect a good target, and began to dig the target, the water rises making it difficult, if not impossible, to recover the target. Even with the best scoops available, it is sometimes very difficult and frustrating to try to recover targets at the edge of the surf.

However, there is a simple tool that anyone can make that will make war recovery easier. simply taken old 5 gal. drywall bucket and cut out the bottom. also remove the handle as it is metal and may interfere. String section of rope through the handle holes so you have an easy way to carry the bucket. I prefer to carry the bucket on my belt.

Now when you are working in the wet sand, and you find a target, pinpoint it. Center the bucket over the target and using both hands, wiggle the bucket down into the wet sand. You have now stabilized the sides of the hole you are about to dig. Using your scoop, remove the sand from inside the bucket, and recover your target. The bucket holds the sides of the hole so it doesn’t collapse in.

I hope you find this technique useful and that you recover more treasure because of it. As I know it has increased the number of targets that I have been able to recover greatly.

Dean Novosat is an avid treasure hunting and can often be found metal detecting the beaches of the mid-Atlantic United States. He uses Minelab equipment exclusively, but you will also find Garret and Fisher detectors in his arsenal. He is the webmaster of http://www.treasure-metal-detecting.com and http://www.metal-detector-info.com.

Popularity: 4% [?]

When redecorating a room, don’t forget about your lighting. While it may seem that you will have to purchase all new lamps for your new décor, sometimes all you need is a new lampshade. Replacing a lampshade is a lot cheaper than purchasing a whole new lamp.

I find it is easier to wait until your major room components are in place before selecting new lampshades. Let the theme of your new room eveolve, then select lamp shades that either compliment or contrast with your theme. For example, a wild safari room with a zebra rug on the floor, might be well-served by a simple solid-color lamp shade to help offset the boldness of the rug. However, in a less wild décor, such as a simple, clean, contemporary design, a bold lampshade would add visual interest to the room. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

Lampshades come in a variety of different shapes, textures, and materials. These are your grandmother’s lampshades! Materials can range from paper, to fabric, to natural materials like tree leaves, to fur, to plastic. And designs can range from sold colors, to patterns, to abstract designs.

Before you head out to your lampshade store or place your order online for a replacement shade, be sure to take a look at your current lampshade. Lampshades come in a variety of different sizes (usually measured around the circumference of the shade) and mounting styles. Some shades mount directly to the base lamps while others mount to a support bracket that surrounds the bulb, while others still clip directly onto the light bulb.

Be brave and daring with your choice of lampshades. They are easy to replace if you hate your choice, but a simple lampshade can add that punch of drama to a room.

Dean Novosat holds a degree in Scenery and Lighting Design from Frankling & Marshall College and he uses his knowledge and experience with theatrical lighting in the home. He feels the home is just a blank canvas or stage that we choose to live in! He is the webmaster of http://www.only-lamp-shades.com and he enjoys using light in unique and different ways in the home.

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When redecorating your room, you may be faced with looking for new lampshades (or perhaps a lampshade you currently have has gotten damaged). So why not make your own!

If your lamp currently has a lampshade on it, half of the battle is already won! You have a base to start building your new shade. When selecting a material for your new shade, you can use paper, fabrics, plastic, or any heat-resistant material. Do keep in mind though, that the surface of a 100-watt light bulb can reach over 200 degrees and could cause a fire hazard. Make sure the material you choose for a lampshade is either far enough from the light bulb, or is fire-resistant.

Next, have fun! Take a trip to your local craft store or fabric store and get some ideas for your fabric or other material for your shade. Remember, the more transparent the material, the more the color of your light will change by the material. If you use a lightweight, transparent green sheer material, your finished lamp will give off a greenish glow. On the other hand, a heavy piece of velvet (or how about some thin strips of tree bark) won’t allow much light through at all. Light will escape from the top or bottom of the lamp only. Keep this in mind as you plan your new lampshade.

To begin making your new lampshade, you will need the measurements of the current shade. If possible, take the old shade apart by carefully cutting it along it’s seams. You can then use this as a template for your new lampshade. However, don’t be stifled by the old shade! You can easily create an entirely new look with a piece of rigid wire, bending it into a new shape for a new shade. In this case, making a new cover may be a little trickier, but the process is the same. Simply cover the lampshade frame with your material. For fabric you can sew the seams or glue it. The same is true for other materials. If the glue is far enough away from the light bulb, you can even use hot melt glue.

The best part of making your own lampshades is that if you don’t like your creation, or you redecorate your room, you can quickly and inexpensively make a new lampshade.

Dean Novosat holds a degree in Scenery and Lighting Design from Frankling & Marshall College and he uses his knowledge and experience with theatrical lighting in the home. He feels the home is just a blank canvas or stage that we choose to live in! He is the webmaster of http://www.only-lamp-shades.com and he enjoys using light in unique and different ways in the home.

Popularity: 5% [?]