Practical projects and tips for the backyard DIY fanatic
Modern Art If you’d love to brighten your walls with some new artworks but can’t afford a Picasso or a Warhol, why not have a go at creating your own abstract paintings? It doesn’t matter if you can’t draw, the main thing is just to have a bit...
Decorative Throw Decorative throws are very much in vogue and they add a cosy touch to your living room or bedroom. But you don’t have to go to the expense of buying one. Instead, use your sewing machine, leftover furnishing fabric and Rita Hill’s...
Easy Drawing Have you ever been asked by your children to draw a person or an animal, only to have your drawing skills let you down? Don’t worry, using Rita Hill’s step by step instructions even the most ordinary artist can produce a masterpiece, and save...
Family Tree A shoe box in the bottom of the cupboard is no place for your precious family photographs – why not use them to put together your own family tree? It’s fun, and it’s really easy if you use the special fold-out family tree chart in the...
Fashionable Fabric Bags This trendy fabric bag won’t break the bank, but it will rival any designer creation for style and panache. Choose any two fabrics that look great together. One will make most of the bag, the other will be the lining and the decorative...
Finger Painting – The French Alternative Homemade finger paint can be a lifesaver when the kids are bored. The paint is simple to make and you’ll probably have most of the ingredients in the pantry. Ingredients 1 cup cornflour 1 litre...
Tap Timers Watering is more complex than many people think. Standing out in the garden with a hose is really a very inefficient way of watering your plants. You’d cut down on garden maintenance, save time and waste less water if you installed an irrigation...
Indian Curtains Rita Hill showed how to create your own colourful, soft, shimmery curtains using beautiful sari fabrics from India. Sari fabrics make fantastic flowing curtains for any bare window. They’re also perfect if you’re renting because you can...
Why Timber Rots Don looked at a typical example of dry rot in the timbers of a house. Water had been sucked into the ends of the wood by capillary action, creating a wet zone which rotted as it dried out. This problem is less likely to occur if the ends of the timber...
Pictures and prints add cheer and colour to your home, but they don’t always have to be framed and hung on the walls. Rita Hill showed how to use découpage to turn a plain timber tabletop into a stunning work of art. You will need A small table, old or new...