Practical projects and tips for the backyard DIY fanatic
Aftershave – The French Alternative Jackie’s homemade aftershave is a great present for a bloke, and it smells good too! You’ll need 20 cloves 2 star anise 1 stick cinnamon dried rind of 4 limes 4 tbspns vodka mineral or distilled water Method Put...
Some of the most fashionable bathrooms these days feature wonderful bath mats made of wood. If your bath mat has passed its use-by date, just follow Rita Hill’s easy step by step instructions and make a new one. You will need 6 x 120cm lengths of pine dowel...
Are your nerves completely frazzled every time you go away on a family holiday? The trouble is that cars don’t have storage space for all the things kids need while travelling. Rita Hill came up with a perfect solution to this problem. She made bags to go over...
The whole family will have heaps of fun creating these wonderful handmade Christmas decorations. Rita Hill says they are really simple to put together, yet they add that special touch to a Christmas tree. Glitter Baubles corrugated cardboard roll, $4.95 from Lincraft...
Confetti – The French Alternative Paper confetti can be really messy, and it’s not such a good idea to throw rice at a newly married couple either. Although rice is a fertility symbol, when it is left lying around it can attract vermin such as rats and...
Spanish Mission Style Recently we received a very interesting letter from Selena and John Roberts, who are in the process of building a magnificent Spanish Mission Style house on the Gold Coast in Queensland. This is their dream home, and Selena and John thoroughly...
Don visited a garden consisting of three courtyards adjacent to different parts of a Spanish Mission-style house. Landscape designer Paul Bangay has used colour, fragrance, fruit, and the sound of running water to capture the essence and sensuousness of the courtyards...
Straw Bale House Don visited Jo and Kerry Armstrong in Beenleigh, Queensland, and chatted to them about the straw bale cottages they built as an extension of their permaculture philosophy. They say straw is often considered a waste product and many tonnes are burnt...
Suzi Q Garden Andrew Quixley’s award winning design for his sister Suzi’s garden is adventurous and fun, but also practical. Andrew had to contend with design constraints including restricted space, an ugly wall, views of next door’s Zincalume piping...
Tamarama Apartments Don visited Jake Dowse and his wife, Lu Ipkendanz, at their fabulous beachside apartment in the Sydney suburb of Tamarama. A freestanding terrace house originally stood on the steep site, which Jake, who is an architect, bought and redeveloped as a...