The sun’s heat and light provide an abundant source of energy that can be harnessed in many ways.
In my quest to discover what there is to know about solar power, I found all kinds of uses for the suns rays that can help us conserve energy. First off was my discovery of solar water heaters.

Also called solar domestic hot water systems, solar water heaters generate hot water for your home in any type of climate, fueled solely by sunshine.

Solar water heating
systems usually cost more to purchase and install than conventional
water heating systems. However, a solar water heater can usually save
you money in the long run. Check out the U.S. Department of Energy site on solar power for the economics of potential savings. Find out more about solar water heaters here; and if you’re feeling particularly DIY, check out how to build your own unit!

The next interesting thing I found was an article at News Scientist Tech about solar-power paint.

Scientists are developing a
way to paint solar cells with a photovoltaic paint onto the steel sheets of walls and roofs of
warehouses and other buildings to generate electricity from the sun.          
       

   
       
            
            
               
The
paint will be based on dye-sensitised solar cells. Instead of absorbing
sunlight using silicon like conventional solar panels, they use dye
molecules attached to particles of the titanium dioxide pigment used in
paints.            
       

   
       
            
            
               
Finally, the solar panel. Through the use of photvoltaic cells, solar panels make use of renewable energy
from the sun, and are a clean and environmentally sound means of
collecting solar energy.

If you are looking for information
on solar panels and don’t know where to start, check out CALFINDER’s blog on solar panels and going solar.

Not quite ready to tackle solar projects on your own???   Don’t forget the fact that searching for a qualified solar installer will never be a dilemma. CalFinder Solar does the FREE screening for you and only works with the best installers in the industry. Get a bid now!

Saving on energy costs not only helps your pocketbook, but also the environment. But old houses can be hard to keep the energy costs down on! What’s a homeowner to do? Strollerderby has ideas.

Say hello to warmer colors, and goodbye to minimalism. It
appears that several interior designers and industry insiders are saying you
should be ready to introduce color into your decor. According to Sean
O’Driscoll of the Associated Press in an article Hot Trends Of Home Design for 2008 , Minimalism is out.

“Susan Gutfreund, who designs for some of the most
expensive apartments in the U.S and Europe, said that minimalist white and
beige are being pushed out in favor of color, textures and layers. Speaking
from Paris where she is redesigning an apartment, Gutfreund said there is a
move toward warmer colors and away from the shininess and flatness of interiors
over the last few years.

In 2008, red tones take on a decidedly soft, warm feel,
such as watermelon or a carrot orange. Black and white continues to be used,
but with unexpected combinations of yellow, lime orange and fresh green,"
she said.

Janice Simonsen of IKEA Designs said

“fruit colors such
as lime yellow, kiwi and tangerine will be very popular in 2008, especially
when used in the kitchen. But blue will continue to be the number one color
choice for homeowners. In 2008, blue will be combined with camel and tan, pale green
and yellow,” she said.

Think you’re ready to try out 2008 colors but not sure
what fits your style? CALFINDER (the source for certified remodeling contractors) has an excellent post about basic color
psychology. They say,

"All too often homeowners choose colors without
understanding basic color psychology. Color impacts our mood, appetite, and
energy level. Years of color response research have shown

that certain colors
elicit specific and often strong responses."

Check out their awesome post Color
Options-Painting for a guide to help you narrow the choices when choosing
colors for your home.

Also remember you can get FREE ESTIMATES from CALFINDER for pre-qualified
contractors in your area to do the work for you when you’re ready to add that
splash of color to your life! From painting to general remodeling, to complete home renovations, they have the expert for you.

What colors do you plan to decorate with this year? Leave us a comment, we’d love to know!

The more I think about this rug, the more I like it and would like to try to DIY a version for myself. I have tons and tons of baby blankets left over from when my 3 kids were babies and I need a rug. The only thing I’m wondering about is what to use to hold it together. What do you think? DIYable?

HT: Craftzine

What a great way to bring the outside in! Do It Yourself has a great idea for taking a tree branch and making it into a rod for your curtains. With the right themed room, this would look perfect!

HT: CasaSugar

[image credit: do it yourself]

Some days I feel like Mommie Dearest. No, I don’t beat my children with wire hangers, but I hate the suckers and I am constantly overrun with them. My husband’s work shirts have to be dry cleaned, so there are usually about 3 billion wire hangers in my house at any given time.

Usually, I get tired of it, collect as many as I can find (does anyone else’s husband tend to hide things like this? oy!) and then take them back to the dry cleaners we use so they can reuse the hangers. While that’s pretty eco-friendly, Wise Bread has a post today about reusing wire hangers in different ways. And it’s a good one, go check it out.

It’s getting cooler even here in Nashville. Wise Bread has a very timely post on how to save money on your heating bill with very inexpensive adjustments. Here’s a bit of the post:

1. First and foremost, make sure your house isn’t inviting in the chill.all the time).
Make the time (and maybe a small monetary investment) to ensure windows
and doors are sealed properly. You can buy weather stripping at any
hardware store. Or, you can roll towels to put under the doors to kill
the draft (hey, nobody said being thrifty was fashionable

2. Become a furnace. Most body heat escapes from
your head. So, a hat can make a huge difference. Technically, another
place heat easily escapes is your thighs. Putting an extra blanket on
your lap can be really helpful too, or you can wear Long Johns under
your jeans if you can stand them. There is no particular study to prove
my own personal theory, but being a woman, I know that if my feet get
cold, the rest of me follows suit. Socks are a quick fix for this. I
always carry an extra pair in my purse in case I need to double up.

There’s a whole lot of great advice there, go read for yourself!

Via Craftzine, here’s a "bright idea"! It’s a recycled lightbulb lamp kit. Not only is it stylish, but it is eco-friendly as well. That’s always a plus when looking for home furnishings.

The best part is, because it is a kit, you can make it yourself so you have the benefit of being able to do it yourself and make the light fixture look the way you want it to.

White vinegar has so many uses, it would take me days to list them all. However, here are some uses in the laundry that you may not have thought of.

Vinegar can prevent fading of new clothing. Add a half cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle. It also brightens clothes!

If you’re really concerned about colors running, soak them in a vinegar bath for 10 minutes before washing. Vinegar sets colors- that’s why we use it for easter egg dying.

Adding a half cup to your rinse cycle also loosens lint and pet hair from your clothing. It also helps reduce static cling. If you’re like me and always forget the rinse cycle, you can use a Downy ball to put the vinegar in. Here’s a link on how Downy balls work, in case you’ve ever wondered.

Vinegar’s a great stain and smell remover. Double it up with baking soda to make a foamy super stain and smell killer!

Vinegar also can help get rid of hard water buildup in your steam iron. Just run a 50/50 vinegar/water mix through your iron.

I regularly add vinegar to my wash and have found it has great benefits. The biggest bonus is that it is quite inexpensive, saving money on fabric softeners and dryer sheets. Give it a try!

CasaSugar reports today on the trend of Tetris-inspired bookshelves. They add a great point of interest to any room, with the way the shelves are arranged. This particular bookshelf is also eco-friendly, being made of highly renewable bamboo. Bamboo is a type of grass and grows quickly, but can be used like wood. Bamboo is a perfect material to make things like bookshelves and flooring from, because it is sustainable and is very attractive.