Spring Lawncare Tips from the U of MN

Has the temperature officially reached 70 yet? Either way, it certainly feels like spring is here! Which means a lot of us are starting to think about our yards. When should we reseed? Do we need to start watering? What are some earth-friendly ways to manage weeds? Good thing the University of Minnesota produced this video to help with your spring lawn restoration questions!

Get Your Deck Ready for Summer!

Hirshfield’s Jen Miranda helps you get you get your deck looking great for all those summer cookouts with helpful tips and advice for decking prepping and refinishing!

{friday finds: faux bois}

I started looking into faux bois after I ran across this very cool bedside table makeover. It’s been on my mind ever since I saw the post, so I thought I best share. This faux bois table is from Pure Style Home, click here to read the entire post.

Faux Bois is french for “fake wood,” as it looks like wood but it’s not.  Replicating the faux bois look appears to be easy, fun and fairly inexpensive.

These photos are showing a painted base, then one or two (I can’t remember what the Old Masters rep said, I’ll find out) layers of stain that has dried.  Also, shown is the graining tool.  Apply the wiping stain and gently rock the graining tool back and forth as you pull it across the surface. The third photo shows two different wood grains. Can you see the right side has more knots than the left side of the sample? The rep very gently dried brushed the finished product to blur the sharp edges.

With practice, and help from knowledgeable co-workers,  I think this is a look I can achieve and be happy with the outcome. Hirshfield’s has the paint experts, graining tools, paint, stain and white cardboard stock to practice on before the real deal.

What do you think of the look? Interesting or not really?

Here is a site dedicated to all that is faux bois: http://itsknotwood.blogspot.com/ Also, the April issue of House Beautiful has eight different articles on the “new look of wood.”

Shop local…for every $1.00 you spend in a locally owned store 68¢ stays in the community vs. 43¢ if you shop national chains. Keep your money in your community.

{beyond beige – choosing the right exterior paint color part 1}

Choosing exterior paint colors can be a challenge.  But you can go beyond beige and still allow your home to shine by following the advice of exterior paint expert, Mark Masica of Hirshfields.

Softer, tone-on-tone combinations have replaced the once popular light body, dark trim homes. Monochromatic color schemes make a home seem larger and less cut up.

Your favorite color may have to be on the inside. Make your home your own, but keep in mind that you’re painting the outside for everyone else… Never forget the importance of curb appeal.

Neutral doesn’t have to mean beige. Colors like green can be considered neutral.  A simple look to Mother Nature will show that many different shades of green go together.  For example, look at all the different bright colors of flowers, yet the foliage is always green.  Still not sure?  Ask yourself if you have ever looked at someone’s home and said the grass doesn’t go with the trees and shrubs.

Don’t call attention to garage doors. If your garage door/doors are visible from the front of the home, the actual door should be considered part of the body of the home and painted accordingly. You can picture frame the doors the trim color of the home. Why? The focal point of a home should be the front door (unless you plan on asking your guests to join you in the garage!)

{exterior winter cleanup}

With melting snow and a warming sun, I feel like I’ve received a new lease on life! This was a tough and long winter, and I’m itching to be done with the cold, the snow and the dark evenings. But as I’m inspecting the perimeters of my house, I’m finding that winter left behind some wounds that are tough to hide with only a few ceramic flower containers.

So, as I do every spring, I bring out my basic checklist to help me stay on track as I tackle a few maintenance projects in the yard. I start with windows and screens (doesn’t it feel good to have the windows open again?). I remove all screens and lay them on the driveway and spray them with water from the hose and use an all-purpose cleaner to get rid of whatever is left. I let them dry while I clean the windows (inside and outside) and windowsills.

It’s the Metrodome!

Nick Wiese correctly guessed that Landmark #10 in the Name that Landmark game is in fact the Metrodome! (or is it Mall of America Field, now?) Congrats, Nick!

Landmark #10 is the Metrodome

So, now that you’ve had some fun (we hope!) playing the Name that Landmark game, maybe you’d like to take a crack at the Hirshfield’s Name that Color Contest. In Name that Color, you decide what the names will be for the paints in Hirshfield’s Spring 2010 Collection. If the name you submit is chosen, not only is that name used for the color, but you also win a $100 gift card! Not bad, right? So what are you waiting for? Click here to learn more about the Name that Color Contest. (And hurry …contest ends March 26th!)

Name that Landmark #10

Are you ready for the last Name that Landmark game clue? Tell us what Minnesota landmark this close-up picture was taken from…

Landmark #10 clue

Not an easy one, I know …so here’s a hint: a strong wind once brought this crashing down…

Post your best guess as to what landmark this is in the comments section below, on the Hirshfield’s Facebook page or at the Twitter account. And while you’re at, don’t forget to the play the Name that Color Contest. Name that Color wraps up this week (3/26 is the last day) …don’t miss out on your chance to win one of 15 $100 Hirshfield’s gift cards!

Name that Landmark #9 is the U of M’s Soudan Underground Laboratory

Congratulations to @KarenMN! (She answered correctly on Twitter). Landmark #9 is the University of Minnesota’s Soudan Underground Laboratory.

Soudan Underground Laboratory

The Soudan Lab is one of the most interesting places in Minnesota, if not the entire world. In that lab is a football-field length neutrino detector that conducts experiments focused on, among other things, determining the origin of the Universe. Want to learn more? Click here. The image above is taken from a mural inside that lab that was painted with colors from Hirshfield’s!

Speaking of colors and contests, how about taking a crack at the Name that Color Contest? Come up with a color name for Hirshfield’s Spring 2010 Collection and you win one of 15 $100 gift cards!

{big daddy’s blue}

How cute is Kathie Jenkins in this photo? And rather revealing! Kathie graciously agreed to have her photo taken with one of the colors from the “Name that Color Contest.” Ms. Jenkins is the restaurant critic for the Pioneer Press.

I did not want to bother her any more than I already had, so I named the color, but keeping her in mind. Big Daddy’s Blue, a nod to Big Daddy’s re-opening.

Hirshfield’s Name that Color Contest runs until Friday, March 26, 2010. Submit on-line or stop by one of our stores. We have 15 colors that need names, so name all of them or one of them with a chance to win a $100 Hirshfield’s gift card. If you experience a creative block, remember wine helps.

Our thanks to Kathie Jenkins.

I was at Big Daddy’s last Sunday and no line. Give them a try if you like BBQ.

Shop local and eat local…for every $1.00 you spend in locally owned stores and restaurants, 68¢ stays in the community vs. 43¢.

{cleaning up the trophy madness!}

March Madness is once again upon us.   As millions of hoops fanatics are swept away by college basketball euphoria, it may be time to try to make sense out of the madness that can be your children’s trophy collection – by creating displays that will make those victories live on.

Here are some creative ideas for displaying your hardware… so you don’t forget the joy of the game.

1. Bulletin boards:  Use a cork bulletin board or multiple squares of cork (found in the office supply aisle) and display your medals.  You can either hang them by the ribbons at multiple levels or remove the ribbons and use a thumbtack through the ribbon hole to maximize your display space.
2. Shadow boxes: For a special season or event in your child’s life, create a unique display to remember it by – include photos, memorabilia (programs, tickets etc) and any awards, medals or trophies.  You can have one custom made at your local frame or craft store, or look for supplies at your local retailer and do it yourself.
3. Shelves: A simple shelf that you can purchase or make is a great way to display trophies in your child’s room.  Or perhaps you were once a star in your own right and want to highlight your trophies in a rec. room.  To make your own, use a 4-6 ft. piece of crown molding with a 1 x 4 on top, stained or painted to suit your room.  This makes a beautiful unique shelf and gives plenty of room for all your metal!