Practical projects and tips for the backyard DIY fanatic
Mexican Artefacts One of the best things about designing a house or garden is the excitement and the satisfaction of creating a look that’s new and different. Tuscan, Santa Fe and Mexican styles are all wonderfully fresh and vibrant, but there is a problem. The...
Mexican Style An extra dimension can be added both to your garden and home by the introduction of interesting artefacts. However in the past the traditional garden gnomes, columns and Greek statues have not always suited the Australian garden. Now there is a range of...
Home-grown Australian styles are hard to find. There’s the Queenslander house with its wide verandahs and stilts, and further south the Federation house. But Noosa, on the Sunshine Coast, is the birthplace of what may become Australia’s first...
Painted Lanterns When Maria Semple migrated to Australia 10 years ago she never imagined that one day she would take on the mission of bringing the joyful colour of her homeland to suburban Australia. But after a visit home in 1996 she returned so inspired that she...
Pantry Pests Have you ever poured yourself a bowl of cereal and discovered, to your horror, grubs wriggling around in it? Or maybe you thought you’d make a cake, until you started sifting the flour and found it was riddled with weevils! Experiences like that are...
Recycled Renovations Next time you are building or renovating, think about adding an historical focal point to the property. There are several ways you can go about it. Check your own attic first, especially if you have a family member like Jim Pike, who never throws...
Jackie French has a simple remedy for irritated, sensitive skin. Throw away your soap and replace it with bath bag made of rolled oats! The starch in rolled oats really soothes and moisturises inflamed skin. To make a bath bag, just take a nylon stocking or a pair of...
Salt and Pepper Shaker Collector Josie Southwood is a passionate collector. She has 8000 ornaments which fill every room in her house. As well as the ornaments, Josie estimates she has around 5000 pairs of salt and pepper shakers. They fill at least seven cupboards in...
Spanish Mission Style Courtyard One of the most difficult things about garden design is knowing where to start, unless of course the property has an identifiable feature or style which can be used as a basis for the landscaping. Don talked to Colin Brown about his...
Stevia: The French Alternative Stevia is a herb said to be 2000 times as sweet as sugar. It can be used as a substitute for sugar in some recipes however, it does not provide the preserving & setting qualities that sugar brings nor the texture. It does provide a...