THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 29, 1995 TAG: 9510270128
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G2 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: AROUND THE HOUSE
SOURCE: MARY FLACHSENHAAR
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
A CRAFTY ALTERNATIVE to expensive holiday gift wrap begins with plain brown paper.
Technically called brown kraft paper, it is sold in rolls in discount department stores, drugstores and some supermarkets. Much less expensive than fancy gift wrap, it is drab and plain only until you apply these ideas from the October issue of Handcraft Illustrated magazine.
Turn it gold. Lay the paper on a flat work surface and tape down the corners. Dilute acrylic gold paint with water to a milky consistency. Apply this gold wash to the paper with a flat, wide brush, agitating the bristles to create a mottled texture. Tie package with gold crisscrossed trim, if desired.
Make it wrinkle. Beginning with a sheet three times the size of the box, crumple the sheet into a ball, squeezing tightly. Gently unfurl, smoothing out wrinkles. Repeat process. To preserve the wrinkled effect, don't wrap paper too tightly around box. A wide silk ribbon would add color.
Add lemons and stars. Cut a lemon in half. Apply a thin coat of yellow acrylic paint to one cut side using a sponge brush. Press on scrap paper to shed excess paint and juice. Press onto paper to make prints, randomly or in a pattern, adding paint when necessary. After lemon prints have dried, paste on gold stars. (This sounds like one the kids could have fun with.) MOVEABLE TOWEL RACK
This idea from Martha Stewart sounds wacky until you think about it a bit.
A back issue of ``Living'' magazine suggests propping a progressive or apple-picking ladder against a bathroom wall as a place to hang towels in a household with too few towel racks and too many wet towels. This might describe a house inhabited by teenagers, but the clever solution could apply when house guests arrive too.
For a fancier look, you can paint the ladder. RELIEF FOR ALLERGY SUFFERERS
With the approach of cold weather, the mail has been flush with suggestions for minimizing allergens in the home. Here are some:
Keep temperatures as low as possible. Dust mites like a house that's over 70 degrees.
Use mold-resistant paint on indoor walls.
Clean with a fungicide such as properly diluted chlorine bleach to reduce mold growth.
Consider using a dehumidifier to keep relative humidity below 45 percent.
Dust twice weekly with a damp cloth to capture rather than stir up allergens.
Avoid decorations such as dried flowers and straw baskets, which collect dust and mold and are difficult to clean.
Keep houseplants, which boost humidity and harbor mold, to a minimum and keep them out of the bedroom.
Place doormats inside and outside entryways to reduce the amount of dirt tracked in.
Wash stuffed animals to remove dust mites.
Keep books in closed shelving and clothing and linens in drawers or closets that are kept closed. Wrap mattresses and pillows with vinyl encasements.
Wash sheets and blankets weekly in hot water. Temperatures over 130 degrees kill dust mites.
Avoid oscillating and ceiling fans, which keep dust suspended.
Forego the cluttered knickknack look.
Roll up the carpet and replace heavy draperies or venetian blinds with sheer, washable curtains.
Bathe pets weekly.
These tips are from the makers of Tavist-D and Tavist-1 in cooperation with the American Lung Association and from The Maids International Inc., a cleaning franchise. by CNB