DEBBIE TRAVIS: Try playing dress-up with a Christmas tree

At my house the Christmas tree changes every year. Well, not true -- one stays the same, our traditional tree. It is laden with keepsake ornaments that have been handed down through the family, plus those precious handmade trinkets my . . .

Posted: 2009-12-19

CONNIE OLIVER: Kids share room? Here's how to cut rivalry

I grew up in a family of nine children so I know all about having to share a bedroom with siblings. At times there was rivalry for spatial rights which ended up in more than a few sibling squabbles. With the . . .

Posted: 2009-12-19

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Insulating chimney area an important task

 QUESTION: We live in a storey-and-a-half wartime house, which is not insulated behind the knee walls upstairs. Four years ago we completely gutted the upstairs and added one-inch spacing next to the roof for air movement, then added fibreglass insulation . . .

Posted: 2009-12-19

SOLUTIONS: Use cheap shampoo to clean your faucets

QUESTION: What can I do to have perfectly polished taps in my bathroom? I have tried vinegar and baking soda, but water droplet marks remain on them. This really bothers me because my clean bathroom doesn't really look clean. I . . .

Posted: 2009-12-19

SOLD & OFFERED - Dec. 19-09

Downtown Address: 211 - 167 Bannatyne (Ashdown Warehouse) Asking Price: $219, 900 Sold Price: $217, 900 Taxes: $2, 748.66 Square Footage: 1, 079 Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms:1 Listing Agent: Cyndy Erickson, Sutton Group - Kilkenny Real Estate, 791-7151   Weston Address: 2182 Gallagher Ave Asking Price: $59, 900 Sold Price: $57, 000 Taxes: $376 Square Footage: . . .

Posted: 2009-12-19

Best of both worlds

Open concept meets separate spaces

Granted, about 70 per cent of new home buyers prefer an open-concept floor plan. That's all fine and good: However, where does that leave the other 30 per cent of buyers -- the ones who prefer a little bit of separation . . .

Posted: 2009-12-19

Single family home starts bouncing back

We reported last week resale home sales in Winnipeg for the month of November increased a whopping 42 per cent over the same month last year. We also indicated the new-home market is heavily dependent upon used market sales to stimulate . . .

Posted: 2009-12-19

Rare and well done

It's not often a home comes on market in this enclave

With several new housing communities grabbing the headlines these days, it's all-too-easy for older, well-conceived communities to fade from the surface of public consciousness. One such community is Assiniboine Woods, a product of the early-to-mid 1990's. Tucked in along the Assiniboine . . .

Posted: 2009-12-19

There's only one colour for Christmas poinsettias

Breeders tried other colours, but consumers long ago decided no other shade is right

During the next few weeks, North Americans will spend more than $300 million buying about 75 million poinsettias to decorate homes and offices for Christmas. The red-flowered poinsettia is native to Central America and was named after Joel Poinsettia, the first . . .

Posted: 2009-12-12

DEBBIE TRAVIS: Make first Christmas in own place sparkle

Dear Debbie: We are just married and this is our first Christmas in our own place. And big surprise, everyone wants to come here for dinner. Help. Can you please give me some quick decorating ideas that don't cost much? . . .

Posted: 2009-12-12