Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Put Home Expressions show on your schedule
Now that the Parade of Homes is over, you're probably wondering what to do about your home.
You visited many beautiful new homes during the Parade and are torn between fixing up your current home and trading it in for a newer model. Now is the best time ever to consider both options.
Most of the show homes are still open for your viewing. If you've misplaced your Parade magazine, it's still on the Manitoba Home Builders Association website (www.homebuilders.mb.ca). Take some time to visit one that caught your fancy during Parade, or look at some completely new ones.
If you're considering what to do with your existing home, the Home Expressions Home and Garden Show is April 4, 5 and 6 at the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg. Home Expressions is taking place on the second and third floors and is packed with great ideas for your home.
The show is features more than 200 exhibitors, the largest and most comprehensive such event in the province. The list is too long for this column, but let's just say that anything you need for your home's interior, your yard, garden or cottage will be on display at Home Expressions. (www.homeexpressions.ca) There are prizes, raffles and plenty of chances to win big at this years' 40th anniversary show. The Canadian Decorators' Association will be there, providing free advice for upgrading your home. There are two stages with fascinating and informative presentations throughout the show.
A special attraction for this year's event is the MTS Salute to Hockey, featuring the Hockey Fan Cave by Jackie Morra Interiors on the second floor. This was a popular part of last year's Toronto home show, and Home Expressions is the first time that the Fan Cave has gone on the road.
All hockey fans will be delighted to see memorabilia, luxuries and the essentials of the perfect setting to watch hockey. There will even be an artificial-surface skating rink attached to the Fan Cave.
Tickets are available through TicketMaster at the door on the day of the shows for $13.50, which includes agency fees and GST. All of the home and garden products and services that you will need are on display at the Home Expressions Home and Garden Show April 4 (noon - 9 p.m.), April 5 (10 a.m. - 8 p.m.) and April 6 (noon - 5 p.m.) at the RBC Convention Centre. Why drive all over town when everything you need is under one roof?
Mike Moore is the president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: Cleaning that dirty oven isn't so simple
QUESTION: My oven is three years old but looks as though it has been used every day non-stop for 10 years or more. It's a mess, and baking soda can't get it clean! The oven is self-cleaning, but even after I use the self-cleaning feature, the inside floor, inside window and window panes in between look dirty. Is it possible to take the glass apart and clean it? Sarah, Gillam, Man.
ANSWER: After using the self-cleaning feature on an oven, wipe the floor of the oven with vinegar and water to clean up any debris and white residue. To clean all oven windows, fill a spray bottle with two tablespoons of household ammonia, half a teaspoon of dish soap and two cups of water. Spray the windows and leave for 15 minutes. Scrub with an abrasive cloth.
I learned first-hand that taking oven window panes apart is quite easy; it's putting them back together that can be a pain. Two people will make this project a million times easier -- learned that the hard way.
While there are several different styles of ovens, you will need to remove the screws and possibly the hinges. Take photos with your camera as you disassemble so you don't end up putting the glass back in place upside down -- learned that the hard way. Dry the glass before reassembling the door; otherwise, when you put the glass in place, any standing cleaner will drip inside the pane and leave another drip marks. Learned that the hard way, too.
QUESTION: Can you please give me some tips on sharpening dull scissors? Thanks. Jayden, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Some people sharpen scissors by cutting through layers of aluminum foil, sandpaper or steel wool. However, for anyone who owns a rod-style knife sharpener, use cutting movements to cut through the rod several times. Your scissors will end up sharp enough to cut fabric. Another option: Hold one scissor blade on the outside of a glass drinking cup and the other scissor blade on the inside of the cup. Close the scissors as if you were trying to gently cut the lip of the glass. Repeat a few times.
QUESTION: I have a cigarette burn on my carpet. Is there an easy way to fix this without leaving a big space? Help please! Sol, Brandon, Man.
ANSWER: Since the carpet fibres have actually been singed away, you basically have two options: Either contact a professional carpet-care service or trim the entire cigarette-burnt parts away with small scissors. Using leftover carpet remnants, trim several pieces of fibre. Super-glue the fibres into the burnt area. Check the repaired area in a day and add more snipped pieces if needed.
QUESTION: With spring in the air, I am thinking about planting tomatoes, but I don't have a lot of space, and so I was thinking about growing them in pots. Any suggestions? Lorraine, Winnipeg
ANSWER: Great! Purchase a big pot and put a tomato cage inside the pot. Plant your tomato deeply in the soil and fertilize as desired. Fill a few plastic pop bottles with water, close the lids and put them around the tomato plant. Wrap the outside of the cage securely with plastic wrap from the bottom to the top, much like a greenhouse. These extra steps help keep your plant warm and growing well.
Smart tips of the week
-- For a smooth line when applying eyeliner, heat the liner for a few seconds with your hairdryer. Doing this softens the pencil and enables it to glide on with ease.
-- Less to carry: Instead of carrying bottles of condiments outside for a barbecue, fill each cup of a muffin tray with a different condiment, e.g., ketchup, mustard, sliced onions, cheese, relish, etc. Put a small spoon in each cup so guests can serve themselves.
I enjoy your questions and tips; keep them coming. Missed a column? Can't remember a solution? Need a motivational speaker for an upcoming event? Check out my website: Reena.ca.
