CasaSugar

Etsy Finds: When It Rains

CasaSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:17 -0700

We've been hit with crazy rainstorms over the past 24 hours in the Bay Area, prompting flooding, school closures, and one tough commute. Instead of focusing on the perils of our first major storm, I thought I'd focus on the pretty instead. See some of my favorite rainy day-inspired finds.

View Slideshow ›

9 Reasons to Pray For Rain

CasaSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:00:29 -0700

Rain can be a cumbersome thing, and no one will argue with a sunny day. But, when clouds and showers inspire charming, sharp home furnishings, what's not to love about stormy weather? Check out a few of these stylish finds, and you'll find yourself fervently praying for rain in a way you never imagined.

View Slideshow ›

How-To: Patch a Gutter Leak

CasaSugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:00:38 -0700

Unless you live in a perpetually dry desert where it never rains, I bet you enjoy an occasional rainstorm pounding on your house. It's all fun and games and cozy on a Friday night, when you've got nothing to do but watch a scary movie. That is, unless you've got a leaky gutter that leaves your house with water damage. If that's the case, you'd better pull your ladder out of the garage and plug that leak. Then, get back to your Netflix. You'll need just a few supplies, including a ladder (high enough to reach the gutter), some steel wool, metal flashing, asphalt flashing cement or gutter patch, caulk, and disposable plastic gloves.
To be home schooled on how to seal up your gutter, read more.

Here's how, from Barbara K!:

First things first. Make sure your ladder is secure, and ask someone to spot you if you can.
Then, clean out the gutter of leaves, twigs, and other debris. A small broom or scrub brush should do the trick.
To prepare the gutter to be patched, you'll want to scrub the inside of it surrounding the leak with your steel wool.
Then, trim the metal flashing a little larger than the area you need to patch.
Put your disposable gloves on.
Now, to patch the leak, coat the back of the metal flashing with asphalt flashing cement or gutter patch using a putty knife, and press it into place firmly.
Smooth off any excess adhesive using your finger (still wearing gloves).
Test the patch by pouring water onto where the leak was. It should be fixed. If not, run through the steps again, and make sure you're not missing any other leaks.

Source

Casa Quickie: A Softening Rain Chain

CasaSugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:00:35 -0700

Danny Seo recently shared a wonderful tip on his blog to keep water from rushing out of your gutters too quickly, and I had to share. "Just connect a chain to the downspout of your gutters and let the rain slowly and gently trickle all the way down the chain," he says. The softening rain chain creates a beautiful sound when the rain dances down the chain, adding a sweet musical element to your home. Much nicer than the harsh pounding of gutter water hitting the ground. If you've got plants to water though, you may want to just set a barrel beneath the downspout of your gutter to collect rain for watering.
Source

Casa Verde: Collect Your Rainwater

CasaSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:15:59 -0800

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we've been deluged with rain all Winter long. Most of this rain simply spills across the pavement and gutters and gets funneled back into the sewers. However, smart homeowners in this area put all of this water to work for them by saving it in rain barrels. Since the Bay Area has crazy amounts of rain in the Winter and hardly a drop in the Summer, water becomes a precious commodity come July (just when gardens are popping with life and demanding more irrigation). Instead of stressing the local municipality's water service, folks with rain barrels can simply irrigate their backyard gardens and lawns with the rain saved in their rain barrels.

To find out how to make your own rain barrel out of recycled materials, just read more.

Source and Source

How-To: Remove Contact Paper Adhesive

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:00:12 -0800

Remember how I covered my hideous linoleum floors with woodgrain contact paper? Well, while they looked fabulous, it came time to take them off. The contact paper itself was easy to remove, but as expected, a very tough adhesive residue was left. I tried literally everything to get rid of the sticky mess - WD40, Goo Gone, vinegar, Oops!, you name it - and searched far and wide on the Internet for tips to no avail. In the end, thanks to a tip from a friend, I was able to remove the residue. Want to know what the magic potion was?

10 Fall Tasks For Gardeners

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:00:49 -0700

Before snow flies or torrential rain falls, there are some chores that gardeners should tend to so that everything will be shipshape next Spring.

View Slideshow ›

Rain, Sleet, or Snow?

CasaSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:15:32 -0800

In the San Francisco Bay Area, November means a return to rain. I've been enjoying the weekend showers, myself, as they give me an excuse to stay inside and complete half-finished DIY projects. I also have friends in the Northeast and Midwest who've already experienced some early snow showers. How's the sky look in your neck of the woods, and are you happy about the change in weather?

Source

Garden Therapy: Little Farm in the Big City

CasaSugar — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:00:06 -0700

Imagine the possibility of creating a low-maintenance, beautiful, and productive farm in the middle of a city. Such is the reality for homeowner Jennifer Carlson, a Seattle resident who turned her backyard into something extraordinary. For photos of her smart landscaping and gardening ideas, as well as some adorable animals, check out the slideshow. For even more information, head over to This Old House to see blueprints and more photos. Any city dwellers who wonder how they can turn their small patch of yard into something productive will delight in Carlson's home. Source

View Slideshow ›

Casa Verde: Attention-Grabbing Explanation of Water Conservation

CasaSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:00:21 -0700

As I've mentioned before, the shows and hosts of the DIY Network always bring a smile to my face, and that's definitely true with Desperate Landscapes host Jason Cameron, who transforms scrappy-looking lawns into things of beauty, often while wearing a tight t-shirt. I don't know about you, but there's no better way to have mathematics explained to me than by a cute, congenial guy. To find out how much water you can save by using rainbarrels, check out the clip below.

Source