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?