Home & Garden

The Santa Clarita Artist Association will have their 20th Anniversary event called the Art Classic on Sunday, October 18 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Hart Hall Museum in Newhall. There will be over 100 pieces of art exhibited that are judged and awards will be given.  Food, wine and desserts will be served. Tickets are $25 and $30 at the door. This is the only Visual Art Event to be held for the public in Santa Clarita.

The City of Santa Clarita is informing residents about the State’s new “Cash for Clunkers” Program, this time for appliances. The California Department of Energy received $35.2 million in appropriated federal stimulus package funding to assist California residents in swapping out old energy inefficient home appliances for new, Energy Star qualified ones.

Growing up both of our families had gardens.  My husband grew up in a farming family.  At 85 his dad is still farming.  My parents had a big vegetable garden when we lived in Huntington Beach.  Now retired, my dad still has vegetables in planters and containers in the backyard at their townhome.  My husband and I started a garden in the backyard of our Castaic home about 10 years ago.

If you have ever taken a trip to view some of the old ancient ruins of the Roman Empire, I am sure this thought never entered your mind, “I wonder why this Coliseum does not look new anymore?” A thought like that would be silly, as you know that nothing lasts forever. Many factors contributed to the deterioration of the Roman and other ancient buildings: sun, water, heat, storms, and so forth.

Now is the best time in months for those much-needed home improvements, whether it’s a simple repair or a complete remodel.  There are two questions you should ask yourself.  How do you choose the right company?  How can you be assured peace of mind from start to finish?

September is National Preparedness Month, and there is a ton of information out there. In fact, there is so much information it can easily be overwhelming. For those who want all information possible, you can Google “Emergency Preparedness” and scan the websites.

As the season has turned to hot, hot, hot up the Southern California coast, we at SCV Pools, Spas and Masonry are ready to create your dream backyard. With our in-house teams of masons and landscape experts, we will design another gold-medal winning swimming pool and spa in the comfort and convenience of your own backyard.

As in the wood and laminate categories, high sheen and transparent shine were the hot trends in the tile category. Long, thin rectangular tiles reminiscent of flowing streams were seen, as well as tiles made from authentic crystal and semi-precious stones. New heat slumped glass tiles impart a sculpted, embossed effect leading to slight variations in color, shade, size and texture.

Due to the high volume of business this system has generated for Rayne, I would like to share this with our readers.
The term “Hybrid” has been used frequently over the last two decades for many things from fruits, vegetables, and farm animals to fertilizers, plastics and automobiles.  Hybrid can be defined as the “offspring of genetically different parents”.  Often, the hybrid  product can be more efficient than what it is replacing.  As technology improves, the costs generally go down and quality improves.

The months of fall, starting in September are the best time of year to plant most trees, shrubs and turf around your property.  All plants, including lawns benefit by the warmer days and cooler nights.  As fall turns into winter these plants have already started a root system, and they will benefit from the winter rains. 

The Stone Gallery, in Sun Valley, a wholesale supplier of natural stone slabs and tiles since 1990, is now featuring wood-burning pizza ovens for your outdoor kitchen.  Wood-burning ovens have been used in Italy as backyard appliances for many years, and in this country they are a fixture in pizza restaurants.  Currently, the pizza oven is gaining popularity in backyard kitchens as home improvement shows and magazines are featuring them more and more.  We are predicting that they will soon become an integral part of the high-end backyard kitchen.

World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) Provides  Trend Report from Premiere Floor Covering Show

If the devil wears Prada, then the fashion-conscious demon must walk on animal prints, nude tones, layered looks and leather. For these are just some of the hottest trends in flooring uncovered by the World Floor Covering Association’s fashion scouts at this year’s Surfaces – one of the home market’s top international trade shows.

Well-established day lily clumps can produce as many as 400 flowers in a single season. Day lily plants can produce blooms for 30 to 40 days through late summer. Using repeat bloomers and planting several cultivars can add beautiful color spring through summer. For the best quality flowers, day lilies should be grown in full sun, however, there are some varieties that do well in light to medium shade. Consult your landscape professional to find the right variety for your situation.

A recession provides a unique opportunity to remodel your home. Labor is cheap, commodities are 60 percent less expensive. These factors, when taken together, can reduce the overall cost of the remodeling project by 25 to 30 percent. The bottom line is that there are plenty of opportunities to increase the value of your home over time.

At the end of a very busy day, it is good to know that there is some place nice that you can go home to. Aside from the main part of the house, having an outdoor extension like a patio is great because it feels like going to a different place without actually having to leave the comfort of your own home.  A good, comfortable set of patio furniture will certainly be a joy to look at, making your patio a delight to be in. This is where you can hold a barbecue, relax and read a good book while communing with nature, or just plain sit back and unwind.

What should your earthquake preparedness kits contain?  If you live in a region of the world that is susceptible to these natural disasters, then being prepared is an unpleasant fact.

The buzz phrase in America today are the words “go green.” We hear it on the radio and we see it in many shopping centers and advertisements. “Go green” is probably driving you nuts, right? Sure you want to be environmentally friendly and do your part in the green movement, but do you have to keep hearing the words “go green” every day of your life?