Home and Garden 12/09/17

HOME & GARDEN • SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2017

Look inside for these specials and many others.

GIFTS Holiday gift-wrapping tips • Gardening chores • Ken Moon

Holiday gift-wrapping

TIPS AND TRICKS fter all the holiday presents have been purchased, the task of wrapping can begin.

Although some people find wrapping is relaxing and provides a chance to embrace one’s artistic flair, many others find wrapping gift after gift becomes tedious quite fast.

While there are no statistics on just how many gifts the average person purchases over the course of the holiday season, the National Retail Federation says the average consumer will spend around $800 on all things holiday. That means there will be a lot of gifts to wrap before the big exchange. Those who want to make giftwrapping less tedious this holiday season can consider these ideas to streamline the process.

A

about repurposing fabric into beautiful wrapping for presents. A square of leftover fabric, a piece of a t-shirt or even a portion of a sweater that has seen better days can be transformed into an innovative package for gift-giving. Tie the gathered ends into a bow and skip the tape as well. Dress up with ribbon and a tag for extra flair. Fabric bends and moves, making it more forgiving for oddly shaped gifts as well.

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When the time comes to wrap gifts, there’s nothing more frustrating than hunting for wrapping supplies. Have paper, bows, bags, tissue, pens, tape (doublesided tape streamlines the process), scissors, ribbon and any other wrapping accoutrements at the ready. Set up a folding snack table near your wrapping area to hold the supplies so they don’t get in the way.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT LOCATION

Always wrap on a large, flat and sturdy surface. Avoid wrapping on a carpet, which will give gift wrap a wrinkled look and increase the amount of time needed to wrap.

SQUARE IT UP

If you are a master at wrapping rectangular or square gifts but fail when presents are oddly shaped, place misshapen gifts into boxes and then wrap the boxes. Gift bags also can be used for such gifts, but wrapped boxes may look more appealing under the tree.

FABRIC OVER PAPER

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On your next trip to Trader Joes or Whole Foods, bring home more than organic produce. Walk away with paper bags and free gift wrap. Craft a DIY stamp roller or handmade stamps to dress up plain brown bags. Or wrap the gift in twine and add a sprig of evergreen for a rustic look.

Children can even use markers or crayons to create their own designs on gifts, personalizing even further.

Identify each recipient’s gifts by wrapping in a different color or style. Just jot down the key to decoding the wrapping, and you’ll save time on individual gift tags.

Wrapping presents doesn’t have to be a chore. With some time-saving tips and tricks, the work can be a breeze.

Your December calendar of gardening chores

A METRO SERVICES

s I look outside my window, red twig dogwoods are beginning their striking display, evergreens have taken center stage and the twists and turns of bare tree branches beckon.

Exfoliating bark forces me to notice my neighbors’ river birch, while the dried seed heads of not-quiteforgotten perennials sway in the wind. Soon, we’ll be lighting the fireplace and ushering out the year, but until then, alas, the daydreaming must stop – there’s still plenty of work to be done. Here’s a chore for every day of the month.

1. Did you know parsley is biennial? Mulch it now, harvest for most of winter and expect a resurrection in spring.

2. Add compost and lime to the vegetable bed now. They’ll work their magic over winter and soil will be rich by planting time.

3. Store seeds in glass jars or paper envelopes in a cool, dark spot. The refrigerator is fine, but keep away from stored fruit.

4. Clean, disinfect, dry and store garden tools.

5. Snap photos of plants you’d like to move so you’ll remember where they are come spring.

6. Prune dead, broken or weak branches from trees to prevent damage during winter storms.

7. Rinse dust from houseplant foliage to help them “breathe” and absorb maximum sunlight.

8. Terracotta and clay pots may crack if left out in the cold. Empty, clean and store indoors.

9. If deer tend to visit, protect rhododendrons, yews, azaleas and other targeted shrubs with chicken wire.

10. Watch my video for tips for selecting a healthy Christmas tree at newsday.com/ gardening101.

11. Check arborvitaes and junipers for bagworms, then remove and destroy.

12. Happy Hanukkah! Light the menorah and grate your stored homegrown potatoes for latkes worthy of the holiday.

13. If you’re hanging real mistletoe, keep it out of the reach of pets and children, and

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22. Make a list of seeds you’ll want next year, and check it twice. Those catalogs will be arriving soon.

23. Turn the compost pile.

24. Check stored cannas, caladiums, colocasias, dahlias and gladiolas, and mist if they’re drying out. Discard any that have shriveled or rotted.

25. Merry Christmas!

26. Honor the colors of Kwanzaa with eggplant, and red and green peppers on an mkeka.

27. Start lilies indoors now for blooms in time for Easter.

28. Gently knock snow from evergreens with a broom to prevent buckled branches after each snowfall. Arborvitaes and Leyland cypresses are especially vulnerable.

29. Look under leaves of indoor hibiscus. If you find white flies, treat with insecticidal soap.

30. Most houseplants slow down over winter.

Decrease water and don’t fertilize again until spring.

31. Ring out the old and have a wonderful new year!

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14. Make trees and shrubs for free: Bury hardwood cuttings upside down in sand outdoors. Transplant in spring.

15. Keep plants off radiators and away from heating vents. If possible, group them together and run a humidifier nearby.

16. Disrupt the life cycles of hibernating insects by turning the soil in vegetable beds now.

17. Before bringing poinsettias home, inspect carefully for white flies and their eggs.

18. As long as the ground is frozen, you can apply winter mulch. If the ground isn’t frozen, you can plant more bulbs.

19. Refill birdfeeders, and don’t forget fresh water.

20. A healthy Christmas tree drinks a lot: Check the reservoir in its stand daily, and add water as necessary. Keep away from heat and turn off lights before turning in.

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SATURDAY, DEC 9, 2017 I THE GAZETTE I HG 3

HANDMADE GIFTS

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BY GINA CRONIN, HOME AND GARDEN

hy spend your free time this holiday season on hectic lines, when you can get crafty in the comfort of your own home with a hot glue gun and a nice mug of hot chocolate? Creating your own gifts by hand is cost-effective, thoughtful, and allows the recipient to enjoy a one-of-a-kind item that can’t be found on the shelves of any store.

There are three things I’ve noticed about the handmade items I’ve received over the years:

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me to say “thanks, my sister made it for me.” It reminds me again and again of what a sweet gesture it was, and often brings inspiration to others as well.

I DON’T LOSE THEM.

I lose things. A lot. But when someone gives me something they hand-made, you can rest assured that I’ll likely have it for the next decade — probably longer.

My friend made me a picture frame 15 years ago and I still have it. Another friend wrote me a song 6 years ago and I cherish it. My great grandma knit my mom a couple blankets probably 30+ years ago, and guess who has one now? Me.

I NEVER FORGET IT.

While all gifts are special, handmade are more so. It allows me to learn more about the person who is gifting me, and even makes me feel closer to them in many cases. The fact that their time, love and energy went into the item makes it very special. I have gifted poetry to many loved ones over the years, and they will still mention what it meant to them to this day. It shows appreciation and gratitude, and the world can certainly use more of that!

Christmas is just over two weeks away — that gives you plenty of time to get started on your handmade present.

Don’t wait until the last minute though,

End-of-Season Clearance Sale

as handmade gifts often take a bit of time and a rushed project can end up looking messy. Here are a few great gift ideas:

Now On

ART

Let’s start here. If you are an artist, make art! Yes, not all of us can be artists for a living, but the artist within can come out and play during the holidays — and friends, colleagues and family get to be the lucky audience.

Whether you paint, sketch, make music, shoot films, write poetry or do photography, a personalized piece of art is absolutely priceless. Break out your supplies or just your raw imagination and get started on your masterpiece.

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FOREST JEWELRY

Coloradans are oft lovers of the outdoors, so they’ll likely delight in jewelry made from forest materials. On your next hike, pick up some adorable little acorns and tiny pinecones for some DIY fun. Once home, get started by affixing a jump ring to the top of the acorn near the back. Once completely dry, coat once completely with pure gold spray paint. You can use silver or rose gold if you prefer. Let the paint dry for at least 20 minutes, then spray with a clear finish for extra shine. Once that dries for another 20 minutes, string one or multiple charms onto a matching chain.

ESSENTIAL OIL SUGAR SCRUB

Slow it down with this aromatic and luxurious gift — that can be made for cents! All you need is sugar, coconut oil, essential oils of your choosing and cute little jars that can be tightly sealed

(like mason jars). Mix a half cup of sugar and half cup of coconut oil together in a tightly-sealed jar. You can then mix in 15 drops of the essential oil of your choice — popular options include lavender, orange, lemon, peppermint and eucalyptus. Always make sure to properly dilute your essential oils per instructions. You never want pure essential oil to come directly in contact with your skin. If you want to add some color, mix in one drop of natural food coloring.

FIREWOOD TOTE

This is the perfect gift for the woodsman in your life! To make, according to HGTV, you’ll need a twoby-four flat-weave rug, small hack saw,

no-sew hem tape, 1.2 inch diameter wooden dowel, iron and scissors.

First iron out the rug and remove any fringed edges; next, fold the rug over four inches to create a pocket for the dowel, then fuse the rug together with no-sew hem tap and an iron — repeat on the opposite end; to make a handle, cut out a rectangle at the center of the rod pocket on both ends; finally, cut the dowel to six inches wider than your rug with a small hack saw, repeat for the opposite side, then slide the dowel into the pocket. No more making multiple trips and lugging armfuls of firewood to build a fire or start up the fireplace — now your loved one can conveniently carry more wood with your durable firewood tote.

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GOREN BRIDGE

WITH BOB JONES ©2016 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Tips for efficient heating

BY KEN MOON, SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE

Dear Ken: How many degrees do we need to reduce the temperature at night to save energy?

– David

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E-mail: tcaeditors@tribpub.com)

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It’s a balancing act.

On the one hand, you don’t want the furnace to run while you’re asleep (except on the very coldest nights), and on the other, you don’t want it to take too long to heat up the house in the morning. I think eight degrees is about right. For example, at my home I maintain 71 degrees when I’m up and about, and then at about 11 p.m., the thermostat automatically lowers itself to 64.

I hope you have a programmable thermostat at your house. They remember to make the change when you don’t, and so they can save as much as 10 percent on your heating bills (and also A/C expenses in the summertime). You can buy a decent one for less than $20, and it will pay for itself during the first heating season.

KEN MOON

Dear Ken: I have those turbine vents on my roof. I notice that my neighbor covers his this time of year. Should I also?

– Dan

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vent itself.

One precaution: If these are the only vents own the attic, leave at least one of them uncovered. Why? Because you need to release unwanted moisture from the attic. Otherwise you can encourage mold formation up there.

Dear Ken: We have a large three-car garage with a high ceiling. One side is a workshop. How can we heat it to keep it

warm enough to use the shop?

– Nancy First, you’re not allowed to use the existing furnace system to heat the garage because there’s a danger of fumes (and maybe even a fire) getting into the living space. If you only use this area once in a while, an electric system is a good choice. You can install either baseboard strip units or a ceiling mounted blower — like you see in tire shops. Either one will be inexpensive to install and easy to use. Keep in mind, though, that electric heat costs three or four times more than natural gas to provide similar BTU’s. So if you can afford the extra initial expense, consider running a gas line to a heater hung in a corner of the ceiling.

Dear Ken: How do you stop a floor squeak from above? I have a bad one in my bedroom which is on the second floor.

– Carol Sometimes you can cure this problem by driving nails right through the carpet; it sounds worse than it is. Choose 16 penny finishing or casing nails (they have almost no heads). If you can find the appropriate floor joist, they can be driven straight through the carpet and pad. One way to pinpoint an underlying joist is to start at the edge of a heat vent and then count over 16 inch, 19 3/8 inch, or 24 inch, depending on the spacing.

There are also special screws you can buy at the hardware store with a break-away head that snaps off after they are screwed through the carpet.

One problem with this fix is that you can damage the carpet by winding up fibers in the screw rotation — especially if you have a Berber style.

If these methods don’t work out, the one sure-fire way to eliminate squeaks is to roll the carpet back and then attack the floor with regular three-inch deck screws.

Ken Moon is a home inspector in the Pikes Peak region. His radio show airs at 9 a.m. Saturday and is carried on KRDO, AM 1240 and FM 105.5. Visit AroundTheHouse.com.

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PearlS BeFore Swine by Stephan Pastis

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SATURDAY, DEC 9, 2017 I THE GAZETTE I HG 11

TAKE OUR ADVICE ADVICE

Dear Amy: I feel my situation is

more common than most folks are aware of. Let me explain: I’m a 48-year-old woman. I was widowed six years ago. I have no family left (our children are now adults), and I am lucky to be exAMY tremely close to my in-laws.

DICKINSON Here’s the problem: About two years ago, my in-laws and extended in-laws decided that I was “too young to be alone.” Amy, they have started showing up with random “thirsty” men from work, church, the grocery store, you name it!

I’m at peace being by myself. I don’t need money. I love to work in my garden and play with my two cats, while waiting for grandbabies. I simply don’t want the stress/drama of another relationship.

The holidays are coming, and I have a feeling I will be presented with a string of unwanted random men, either wanting a hook-up, or a traditional (per their faith) subservient wife.

How do I tell everyone to leave me alone, without destroying the deep bond I share with these family members? — Confused

ADVICE

I’m head over heels for my new significant other, but he hates using condoms. I trust him, but with all the STDs DR. OZ AND DR. ROIZEN going around, I just have to insist on it. How can I make it a better option for him? — Gladys K., Brooklyn, N.Y. Question:

Dear Confused: If you don’t want to be surprised by a poorly curated selection of randos this holiday season, you should contact all of your in-laws and say, “I love you and appreciate your efforts to see me with another partner, but I’m happy now, and I intend to stay single. Please don’t introduce me to anymore men. It’s awkward for me, and it’s not fair to them, because I’m just not interested.”

I can’t resist the temptation to add that, like you, I was once a very happy and solitary 48-year-old woman, definitely not looking for a relationship, when I met the love of my life (NOT through a family introduction, I might add). My life changed radically from that day on, and while I love my crowded life, I often look back on those aloneyears wistfully.

My point is this: Keep being you. Continue to advocate for your right to live the life you want to live, but I hope you will also remain open to the possibilities.

Answer: The second-best way to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases and practice birth control while you’re at it is for the man to wear a condom. Unfortunately, many guys say that for one reason or another, the prophylactics are uncomfortable: too big, too small, too tight, not tight enough. But that doesn’t mean you or he can skip using one!

You are smart to be concerned about STDs. This past year in the U.S., cases of chlamydia increased by 4.7 percent to 1.5 million cases; gonorrhea is up 18.5 percent to more than 460,000 cases; and primary and secondary syphilis is up 17.6 percent to almost 28,000 cases. And we haven’t even mentioned human papillomavirus (HPV) — it’s virtually universal among sexually active people.

Fortunately, there’s a new product that might help make condoms a more appealing protection.

After getting FDA approval, an American company named ONE has started marketing custom condoms in 60 different sizes, under the brand name myONE Perfect Fit. (They’re an extended partner of the U.K.-based company TheyFit, which has 66 different sizes.)

The Long and the Short of It: The company offers a downloadable measuring kit on their website or you can enter your own numbers if you know them (length and girth). They also provide recommendations. Sources claim that soon after myOne came to market, customers had ordered condoms in all 60 sizes ranging from 4.9 to 9.4 inches long and 3.5 to 5 inches in circumference.

We hope that helps Gladys, and good luck with your new beau.

Send questions to askamy@tribune.com or to Ask Amy, Chicago Tribune, TT500, 434 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago IL 60611.

Email your health and wellness questions to youdocsdaily@ sharecare.com.

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ADVICE

Dear Readers: The Christmas season is in full swing. If you have furry family members and your house is decorated for the holidays, please heed the following suggestions from the American Society for the Prevention of HINTS Cruelty to Animals (www. ASPFROM CA.org): HELOISE • Artificial flowers, holly and mistletoe may be a safer bet than the real deal. Pets can chew on live plants, and the plants can cause tummy trouble, and worse.

• Decorations on the tree are another temptation. Be sure the tree is secured in its holder, and place decorations higher up on the tree. Also, tinsel can appeal to cats especially, but ingesting it could result in abdominal distress.

• Rich, spicy, sweet and fattening foods are terrible for pets. A tiny bite could be OK, but it’s best to stick to the animal’s regular diet.

Enjoy this special time with your family — your entire family, including the furry ones! — Heloise Dear Readers: Good-quality makeup brushes are important to the application of a pretty look; they can really make a difference.

Have you cleaned your brushes lately? You should wash them every other week to keep bacteria at bay, and it’s a good weekend project.

Here’s how: Hold the brush under cold running water, but don’t get the handle wet — you don’t want to loosen the glue.

Lather baby shampoo between your fingers, and then between the bristles for a few minutes.

Rinse well.

Squeeze the brush with a paper towel to reshape it, and lay it flat to dry; don’t stand them, leaning on the handle end. They should be dry overnight.

— Heloise Dear Heloise: I sprinkle foot powder into the lid of a shoebox and keep the lid on the floor of my closet. I step one foot at a time into the lid before slipping into my shoes. — Sharon P., Columbia City, Ind. —

Send hints via email to heloise@heloise.com or via post to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio TX 78279-5001.

TODAY’S HOROSCOPES BY JERALDINE SAUNDERS ARIES (March 21-April 19) Moderation makes the best motto. Set reasonable spending limits and don’t let peer pressure stop you from thinking for yourself.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Something better will come along soon. Romance begun under these stars may not make it to the finish line. Focus on making steady financial progress.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Use your business sense. Investigate before you make a key decision. Just because others live carefree doesn’t mean you should follow their example.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Make every penny count. Run your home like a business. Accepting an offer or following through on a new idea might cause unanticipated complications. Impulse buying might leave you drained of resources.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) You could be blind to hidden expenses or drawbacks. It may be tempting to begin something of major consequence that involves a financial risk.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Pay attention to the compass bearings before raising your sails. You may be required to navigate the complexities of intricate family relationships. Act only from love to avoid aggravating the situation.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Best intentions may be challenged by misdirection.

Joining a group may give you the knowledge you lack. A new project may quickly drain your energy.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Smooth talkers can smooth the way. You may become aware of subtle signs of disagreement with a loved one. Take these signals to heart and try to do a bit more to please those whose opinions matter.

HG 12 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, DEC 9, 2017

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Timing is everything. Your caution is necessary to the process. It’s not that there is anything wrong, but you need reassurances before committing.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) While everyone else is plotting and planning their holiday gifts you might be focused on ways to turn your nest egg into a cash cow.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You may feel that you need to impress your colleagues or out-Jones the Joneses by having the finest possessions. The fact is, no one will notice.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) To be seen as reliable you must rely on yourself, not others. You might be too eager to please, so unless you watch out you might end up doing someone else’s work. There might not be enough time for love.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Dec. 9

Your business expertise is at a peak; the next three to four weeks could be ideal for making a major purchase or entering into important contracts.

The first half of January can be the perfect time for a vacation.

Accept any opportunity that knocks on your door in late April or early May as in some way it will improve your life or be of great benefit. Late May and early June can be ideal for romance and glamorous experiences.