Author's articles

Cut Out Cookie Recipe Tips: How to Perfect the Holiday Sugar Cookie

By Ellen Bell · 13 years ago

Baking cut out cookies at Christmas is a time honored family tradition in many homes. Most of us have childhood memories of helping mom or grandma flour the countertops, roll out the dough, and choose ...

Christmas Tree Decorating: How to Design a Show Stopping Tree

By Ellen Bell · 13 years ago

Christmas tree decorating is more than just a family tradition; to some, it's an art form. While it's true that anyone can decorate a Christmas tree, decorating one well does require some talent, forethought and ...

Gardening Nostalgia from Rural Iowa

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

The following article is brief memoir written by my father, Roger Duncan. These are some of his childhood memories of rural Iowa and family gardening: I grew up in the 1950's in an economically depressed ...

How to Trim Trees: 4 Ways to Enhance Your View and Your Landscape

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

Almost every suburban home in America boasts one or two large landscape trees on their property. These large trees provide us with shade, privacy, and are an anchor for our landscape designs. Therefore, we want ...

Curb Appeal Ideas: 5 Ways to Improve Curb Appeal and Sell Your Home

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

With so many homes on the market these days, you've got to make yours really stand out from the crowd if you want to sell it quickly. Never underestimate the power of curb appeal at ...

How to RV the Eco Friendly Way

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

While camping is supposed to be a way to get back to nature, those campers choosing to hit the road in motor homes or RVs are making quite a carbon footprint as they trail through ...

How to Choose a Tree for Your Yard

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

Selecting a tree for your yard is a big job. Whether you're creating a landscape design for a new home or simply replacing a tree that was lost in a storm, trees are the largest ...

Garden Color - Not Just for Flowers Anymore

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

When most of us think of a colorful garden, we envision beautiful expanses of flowers blowing in the wind. While flowers do provide a great deal of vibrant color in a landscape, there are many ...

Man Cave Necessities - Top 5 Requirements for Your Manly Retreat

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

If you are thinking about creating the perfect spot where you can relax in comfort without the interruptions of your spouse or kids, then we have some tips for you. While each person has different ...

Creating an Eco Friendly Man Cave

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

Man caves are the places that men get away from the day to day grind and relax in comfort and seclusion. Common fixtures in man caves usually include big screen TVs, stereo systems, and a ...

Waterless Toilets - What the Third World Needs Now

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

For millions of people living in third world countries, access to basic sanitation facilities is limited or nonexistent. In many of these areas, the lack of running water means that the same rivers used for ...

Sun-Mar Composting Toilets - A Few More Frequently Asked Questions

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

Let's face it, composting toilets are a very complex and little understood product. Many consumers don't even realize that compost toilets are actually odorless and present a great eco-friendly alternative for residential homes in urban ...

5 Easy Ways to Save Money When Planning Your Outdoor Wedding

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

With the summer wedding season fast approaching and many couples looking for ways to cut back on the cost of their nuptials, outdoor weddings are enjoying resurgence in popularity. Not only does an outdoor event ...

Garden Wedding Decorations: How to Decorate the Outdoor Wedding of Your Dreams

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

As the weather gets warmer and spring arrives, so do the many wedding invitations that come in the mail this time of year. June is a very popular month to get married, especially if the ...

10 Easy Ways to Conserve Water and Save Money at Home

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

In today's economy, with millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet and pay the bills, saving money is at the forefront of our minds. Pair this concern with growing ecological worries about water shortages ...

Colorful Landscaping Ideas--Using More Than Just Flowers in Your Landscape Design

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

When designing a garden or landscape, it's important to maintain a balanced color palette. Just as you wouldn't want an entire house decorated in blue and yellow, nor would you want an entire garden of ...

Sawdust Toilet vs. Composting Toilet: What's the Difference and Which Is Better?

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

Anyone who's done a little research on the topic of composting toilets has undoubtedly stumbled across information about sawdust toilets, sometimes also referred to as homemade composting toilets. In this article, we'll make some important ...

Pyramid Trellis Designs and Uses

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

Pyramid trellises, also sometimes referred to as obelisks, make awesome focal points in a garden or landscape design. Available in a multitude of styles, sizes, and colors, choosing one that's right for your yard can ...

Composting Toilet Do's and Don'ts

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

Homeowners with septic systems are accustomed to being cautious about what goes down their toilets. These folks know that you don't want things like sanitary napkins, harsh chemicals, or an excessive amount of toilet paper ...

Outdoor Design Ideas with Movable Garden Structures

By Ellen Bell · 14 years ago

Designing an outdoor living area can be daunting, particularly when you feel like every decorating decision you make is set in stone. However, it is possible to create an outdoor space that can be changed ...