Decorating and DIY and For The Home and Recycle/Reuse and Tips DIY, furniture, furnituremakeover, makeover, restore, reuse 6:25 am
After moving into a new place, I found that some of my furniture didn’t have the right for my new space. I decided to give a few pieces a makeover, by changing the paint color and the knobs. I have now created what feels like brand new furniture and the pieces work so much better in my new home.
Media Cabinet Before
Media Cabinet After
Decorating and Garden and Tips black fence, black fences, fences, garden design, garden fence, painted fence 8:44 am
An easy and fairly inexpensive way to update your yard is to paint your fence. A dark colored fence will really make your garden pop. Check out these before and after pictures of my side yard.
After – Black Fence
Before – Fence
Tips business, business communication, communication, email, response time, texting, voicemail 8:43 am
Why texting is better than calling or emailing in business (however know your audience):
Send brief texts with all relevant info to ensure a better outcome
Community and Living and Tips etiquette, gifts, neighbors, new home, welcome gift 9:12 am
DIY and Fun Tips and Tips DIY, diy gifts, family projects, gifts, gratitude jar 5:53 pm
I had seen ‘The Gratitude Jar’ idea around for a few years and I finally decided to make one. They are really simple to put together, and they are a great way to remember the positives in life. For those of you unfamiliar with ‘The Gratitude Jar,’ it is simply a container (jar) that you put your positive, grateful, happy memories into. The tradition is to wait until the end of the year to open up the jar and read all of the notes, however the notes can be read whenever you like, especially if you need a little reminder that life’s not so bad. It’s never too late to start your own gratitude jar.
Here’s how:
Decorating and DIY and For The Home and Fun Tips and Living and Products and Tips christmas, crafts, decorating, DIY, diy gifts, diy ornaments, dogs, german shepherd, gifts, holiday, holiday decorating, homemade gifts, horses, kids and crafts, ornaments, snow globe 5:54 pm
Here is an easy, fun craft that you can do with your kids — Snow Ornaments with miniature figures. They will look great on your Christmas tree or lined up on your mantle, and they make great gifts.
Here is what you need to make these cute little ornaments: 
Clear glass ornaments (available at craft stores)
Perlite (available at garden stores)
Small animals or figures (available at toy stores and/or craft stores)
Rubber bumpers (available at hardware stores)
Tweezers and/or chopsticks
Small soft brush on a wire (available at most drugstores in the cleaning isle)
Funnel or cardboard
Ribbon
Take the ornament and add 4 bumpers to the bottom of the glass so the ornament will stand upright.
Next, remove the top of the ornament and add the Perlite about 1/3 of the way up the ornament. Use a funnel or some cardboard to pour the Perlite in the ornament.
Now place your desired figure or small animal in the ornament. Once you get the figure in, use the tweezers or the chopsticks to position your figure. Once the figure is positioned, slightly tap the ornament to make sure the figure is stable. Once the figure is stable use your brush on the wire to clean off the dust from the inside of the ornament. If the figure falls over just reposition it.
Place the top back on the ornament. Once the top is back on, you can add a ribbon to the top if you desire.
Community and For The Home and Living and Pets and Tips apartment, how to land an apartment, navigating tight rental market, rental application, rental process, renters, renting, San Francisco Bay Area, san francisco rental market, tight rental market, tough rental market 4:41 pm
I manage a duplex in Berkeley for my family and see first hand how hard renting in the San Francisco Bay Area has become – for many it is harder than finding a good job. The Open Houses are packed with people, sometimes up to 50 applicants for one apartment (I hear in San Francisco the numbers are much higher), and the number of emails and inquiries are triple that. After selecting the renter, I always send the other applicants an email to let them know they didn’t get the apartment. This past rental, several prospective tenants wanted to know if there was anything they could have done to improve their chances, and with some it was just a numbers game, but for others there were things they could have done that may have improved their chances. Here are my tips: It’s in the Details This is similar to finding and applying for a job. Read the rental Ad and follow any instructions listed in the Ad (how to contact, application/showing process, etc.) Pay attention to the details of the rental such as: vacancy, items included (parking, utilities, laundry), lease or month-to-month, pets allowed. Remember this is a very competitive process and the way you communicate with the landlord/rental agency may be considered in the end. If the Ad is fairly descriptive and the rental process is outlined you should save your questions for the showing. Is it a Match? After reviewing the listing, make sure it works for your needs. If you need a place for six months, don’t waste time with a place that wants a one year lease, if you need a garage don’t waste time with a place that only has street parking, if you have a pet and the place does not take pets don’t waste time on it, etc. Also, check out the neighborhood of the apartment, either by using maps online or by going in person, but don’t bother the current occupants of the unit, you don’t want to be seen as pushy. Be Flexible If the listing provides information on a public showing try to make it to the listed showing. Most landlords are overwhelmed with responses and they don’t need to and don’t have time to have several showings for an apartment. Be Prepared Bring with you a current credit report that includes your credit score. Provide an explanation if your score is low. Bring proof of income (pay stubs, letter from current employer, etc.). If you don’t have a job but have plenty of funds, bring proof (bank statements, etc.). Bring the information you will need to fill out the application or bring an application that you have pre-filled out. The information you may need is: current and past employers, current and past residences, personal references, credit report, proof of income, and bring a pen. If you can, you might want to bring letters from current or past landlords or neighbors attesting to the type of tenant you are, this is especially useful if you are a dog owner. Pets If you have a pet and pets are allowed, bring a pet resume (include a picture of the pet if you are not bringing the pet to the Open House) and references. Landords will want to know the pet is not going to be a problem. The San Francisco SPCA provides information for tenants on how to put together a Pet Resume. At the Showing When going to the showing make sure you park on the street and are considerate of the neighbors, you don’t want to be seen as pushy or entitled. Once there, take your time and really look at the place. I don’t suggest asking for an application or turning over your personal documents until you have spent some time looking at the unit and have asked some questions about the place. You want to clearly communicate your interest in the unit, so tell the landlord a little about yourself and the people/pets that would be living at the unit, and how it is the right place for you (be brief, especially if there are others waiting to speak to the landlord). Mention anything that might enhance the property for example, you like to garden and take pride in where you live. It seems like a lot of work, but if you put a packet together you will be able to use it for multiple places, and it may make the difference in getting the place you want. Most landlords want hassle-free, low maintenance tenants, and the more you can convey that to the landlord, the more likely you will be chosen. Good luck in your search!
Donating and For The Home and Recycle/Reuse and Tips moving, moving plan, organizing, packing, purge, relocating 8:54 am
The No Nonsense Assistant 