Yes...2 postings in a week!  I got these great articles/links with some excellent "get your home ready for the colder weather" tips.

Here you go:

7 Energy Saving Tips To Help Your Budget Survive The Coming Winter from SurvivalLife


From Roto-Rooter plumbing professionals:
Fall Maintenance Tips for Your Home

Fall has arrived and cooler temperatures are upon us, which means winter is just around the corner. A few quick and easy preparations now can help prevent the need for unexpected repairs throughout the upcoming winter season. The skilled plumbers of Roto-Rooter are available to assist you with any of the following suggestions. Tips to help you prepare your home's plumbing system for the Fall:

• Check all outside faucets for drips and leaks and make necessary repairs.

• Shut off exterior valves if your home is equipped with them and drain water from outside lines. For added protection, you may also want to cover outside faucets using a faucet insulation kit.

• Inspect your water heater for proper operation, as it works harder in the winter months. Set the thermostat to 120 degrees for optimum performance and to prevent scalding.

• Clear leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts to ensure that water drains away from your home's foundation.
  

In areas with colder temperatures:

• Insulate pipes in unheated areas, such as garages and crawl spaces.

• As temperatures begin to drop, make sure to disconnect outside water hoses. If connected, hoses can freeze and cause faucets and connecting pipes to freeze or break within your home.

This is THE perfect time to work on these projects BEFORE the weather turns for the worse...no matter where you live (unless it's in the SOUTHERN hemisphere for my global peeps...then refer to our SPRING tips!).  Have fun!  DeAnna  :)

OK...I couldn't resist posting this pic of the evil clown for this blog post!  This is a pic from a talk I gave at the a special effects conference on utilizing eco-friendly, sustainable design techniques in amusement parks, haunted houses & other themed events.  To say it was a different venue for me to speak in is an understatement!

In the following article I've offered up some easy-to-implement & find tips for you to incorporate GREEN into your Halloween & FALL decor for you interior or exterior!


GREEN is the New Orange for Halloween

A chill is in the air.  Everywhere you look leaves are falling, jackets are being donned and pumpkins, cornstalks and scarecrows are making their appearances on porches and homes…It’s FALL and almost time for celebrating Halloween.   In a holiday that isn’t known for its GREEN & eco-friendly qualities, what’s a socially conscious homeowner to do?

It’s quite easy to institute simple GREEN and eco-friendly principles into your Halloween design-whether you’re just decorating or setting up a haunted house for the kids.

• When using pumpkins, gourds and cornstalks in displays, Buy Local!  Go to farmer’s markets or road-side stands of local farmers to purchase your product.  Not only are you supporting a local business but by reducing transportation costs you are cutting down on carbon emissions emitted by trucks that would otherwise have been used.
• Use no-VOC paints and/or stains in any painting projects.  All major paint manufacturers offer a no-VOC, just ask.
• Rubber-backed carpet tiles are wonderful ways to decorate a space that is temporary.  The rubber-backing is non-skid, helps to reduce slipping and sliding, so this helps with any safety concerns.  These tiles are also easy to reuse & recycle so they don’t end up in land-fills.  (Carpeting is one of the top 3 biggest contributors to landfills in this country).
• When looking for props for your haunted house, check out consignment stores, used sets from high school or community theater groups or rummage sales.  You get to utilize the 3 Rs of reducing waste in landfills, reusing and recycling items and giving them new life.
• Look for textiles that are made from natural fibers: cotton, wool, bamboo, jute, linen or silk (to name a few).  Wool is a great fiber to use, especially if doing a haunted house, as wool is self-extinguishing if a fire breaks out.
• When using candles, look for candles made from soy or palm wax (beeswax is also OK) and wicks made from organic cotton.  Many inexpensive candles have wicks that have a lead insert (you’ll see the metal in the center of the wick) and this is the cause of the sooting, smoke & black that you see on the walls when you blow out the candle. 
• For any aromatherapy product used, make sure that it uses essential oils.  READ the label & if it states “SCENTED” do not purchase.  These items have been made using synthetically made “scents” that are petroleum-based.  If you or anyone else who will be utilizing the space has any type of environmental sensitivities or upper respiratory issues, any synthetically derived “scent” will aggravate your condition.
• LED lights are available in a multitude of colors and can be found as rope and/or puck lights to add light along walkways, in corners or to help create whatever scene you are trying to set.  They are relatively inexpensive, long lasting and help reduce energy costs as they use less energy.

By implementing some of these tips to your Halloween celebrations, not only will you be celebrating in a healthy manner, but you’ll be making GREEN the new orange.

Make sure to listen to DeAnna On Design on blogtalk radio!  Listen LIVE (make sure to subscribe) or to any of the archived shows here.  DeAnna's FALL/Halloween show is available here.






Happy FALL!!  DeAnna :)