Learning about turnbuckles

My front porch is evolving into a wonderful retreat. This year I decided I wanted it to reflect a New England style, since my husband is from Rhode Island and we love it there. Everything has pulled together nicely with the adirondack chairs, a natural wood and shell wallhanging/wind chime I created last week and comfortable cushions and rugs. Because one end of the porch gets the strong morning to noon sun I have always wanted an outdoor drape that could be pulled to shield plants and people from the summer sun if needed. I was sure I had heard Martha Stewart mention one in her pre-prison stage.

Weeks ago I started my quest to either buy drapes already made or find indoor/outdoor fabric and make them myself. Online I found fabric called rugged red, hoped it would match the colors of the porch and it did. Two weeks later I finally finished planning, measuring, pressing and sewing the drapes so they could be hung. Now the question was how? The drapes measured approximately 90" x 90" and because they were made of all weather fabric, were quite heavy.

This is when I learned about turnbuckles. Instead of a curtain rod my husband suggested using heavy wire, eye hooks and a turnbuckle on one end to tighten the wire so the curtain rings would glide easily and it could all be easily removed. What is a turnbuckle? Webster's describes it as: a device that usually consists of a link with screw threads at both ends, that is turned to bring the ends closer together, and that is used for tightening a rod or stay. And it worked! The drapes are secure, it can be easily loosened and removed, and there is no bulky rod to mess with.

So if turnbuckles can exist all this time and I've never heard of them, then what else is out there that can be useful, make my life easier, or inspire creativity that I don't even know about? More than any of us can imagine. Want some new ideas? Start with exploring a hardware or home store with no particular purpose in mind. Just roam the aisles, brainstorm and discover new uses for old items or new products that inspire projects of their own. Creativity can hit you anywhere if you keep yourself open; why not go wandering today?

Porch Swing Wisdom

We just finished having our house painted. As a result, many of the creative, decorative things I usually do the the porch, deck, and other outside areas were delayed. I've lived for weeks with plants in pots and planters setting anywhere that's out of the way and normally comfortable spaces to sit and contemplate the world aren't even inhabitable yet. This was, of course, very hard for the control freak side of my personality. Hurry up and wait is not something I do well; and usually relaxing isn't either.

As we finally got the front porch in order so it could be enjoyed, my husband asked why I never like to sit in the porch swing? He and my daughter love it but I always decline. My reason; I am so short that I can't comfortably sit in the porch swing and reach the floor to keep it going. It makes me feel like Goldilocks sitting in Papa Bear's chair. From that discussion something monumental happened. We went to the local hardware store, bought more chain, and within half an hour the swing was lowered to an acceptable site for all. How long have I been living with the too high swing, 14 years!

My daughter and I set in the swing a couple of nights ago and relived our days, laughed, almost fell out and generally had a great mother/daughter time. I envision myself swinging along with a good book or just swinging and doing nothing any day now. I might even relax!

The moral is, look around your environment, your relationships, and your life. Often the smallest, easiest to do tweaking or change can make a huge positive impact. And a small change has a way of leading to more small changes and eventually big changes. Don't wait 14 years, do it now. Swing in your swing today.