The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fresh ideas to elevate the everyday
Make and give: Sweet concrete
This sidewalk staple turned decorators’ darling is strong and chic, just like someone you’ll be celebrating in May. To create a bud vase, ring holder or pretty paperweight for Mom, mix smooth countertop cement with pigment (muted rose looks especially great), and then create the molds from household items to set your love in stone.
Cement how-to
Think of this userfriendly material as PlayDoh for grown-ups — except you’re supposed to leave it out overnight to dry. Step 1: Stir it up
Following the package directions, combine pigment powder, cement mix and water in a large plastic container. Add more
water, a spoonful at a time, stirring until cement mix dissolves and mixture has the consistency of Greek yogurt. Step 2: Give it shape
Pour cement into mold. For a paperweight, use a round ice mold. For a ring holder, roll heavy paper or contact paper into a cone and tape it shut (set it
inside a cup for balance). For a bud vase, cut the top off a large water bottle and fill it partway, then insert an object to create a hollow (a cardboard tube sealed with tape works perfectly), and add more
Let dry overnight. Step 3: Set it free
Remove mold. Cardboard or paper will peel off; cut plastic with a utility knife, then pull it away.
Clutter control: Sports center
Here’ sa winning pregame strategy for corralling athletic gear. Get a bare-bones shelving unit
that holds sturdy bins and baskets. Drill holes in two shelves to anchor bungee-cord hooks, stretch the
cords between them and stash balls inside. This system slows their roll and keeps them visible, so your home team can grab, go and clean up (score!)
with ease.
Expert advice: Natural resource
Ever wish you had a pro on call to tell you what to plant and how to get rid of pests, and answer all your other pressing culti
vation questions? Shazam! You do. It’s the voice on the other end of the Master Gardeners help line at your state university and its local extension offices. Visit the American Horticultural Society website (ahsgardening.org) to get the telephone number — each of the 50 nifty has one.
Upcycle it: Tender loving care for your trees
Climbing plants and vines look beautiful, but the wires or twine they need for support can damage the limbs they cling to. To protect her trees, Martha places twine inside segments of retired garden hoses — the dark color lets them blend right into the bark.
Instant upgrade: Finer finishes
Elegantly edged cloth napkins aren’t just for the
main characters on “The Crown.” Your royal family deserves them too, and you can whip up a table’s worth with a yard of any fabric and a sewing machine, no fancy serger required. First, fold the fabric into quarters and cut it along the creases into
four pieces. Then, to mimic a neatly bound, serged hem, set your machine to a zigzag stitch on the smallest possible width. Sew along the perimeter, 1/2 inch from the edge, and carefully trim the overhang or pull loose threads to create fringe. Dinner is served, ma’am.
Do-it-yourself décor: Hang tight
You were an ace at tacking up posters back in college. But figuring out how to frame oversize finds so they’re worthy of a whole wall in your home seems to require a doctorate in museum studies. Well Made Gallery Stiicks solve tha tp roblem (from $20 for a 9-inch set, wearewellmade.com). The magnetic wood strips are gen
tle enough to clasp that vintage Berber wedding blanket you snagged in Morocco, come in lengths up to 72 inches and look so neutral, they won’t detract from showpieces like this handmade quilt. Consider them shortcuts to an A+ in decorating.
Quick fix: Towel tactic
Children’s gym rings are a nimble solution for petite powder rooms. Loop a leather strap through and stagger them on the wall, so even the littlest hands can reach.
Punch holes through strip, 1/2 inch above ring, with a leather punch; fasten with a screw foot. To hang, punch a hole in back strip and mount using a wall anchor and screw.
Sip and repeat: Winner’s cup
Most mint juleps nowadays are made with bourbon, but gin was just as popular a base in the 19th century. Our throwback recipe calls for Copper & Kings L’Inspecteur ($30 for 375 milliliters [about 13 ounces], copper and kings. com), a barrel-aged Kentucky gin t hat will mak ea big splash in your stable of Kentucky Derby drinks.
G in julep: In the bottom of a julep cup, muddle 12 mint leaves with 1 1/2 teaspoons superfine sugar
until mint starts to break down. Add 2 ounces gin; stir until sugar dissolves. Add crushed ice to fill cup three-quarters of the way; top with seltzer. Stir, top
with more crushed ice and garnish with a mint sprig. Serve immediately.