Courtesy of Laura Green

CREATE A WALL MURAL LIKE A PRO

Even if you’re not an artist, you can still create a wall mural in your home with the help of a little technology and a lot of patience. Using a projector hooked up to your laptop, you can easily project a pattern, design or image onto your wall to trace it and then paint. Using a free design program or app, create a document with the same dimensions of the wall you’re wanting to paint. For example, if the wall is 8 feet tall by 12 feet wide, create a document that is 8” x 12”. Then either draw an image or import one that you want to incorporate into your decor. Remember, simple shapes and colour palettes are best if you’re a beginner and this is your first attempt at painting a mural. Once you have a design you like, use the projector to enlarge the image onto the wall. From there, use chalk or a pencil to trace the design onto the wall. Chalk works well on dark walls whereas pencil may be best for lighter walls. The best part is if you make a mistake, both are easy to remove and start over. Once you’re satisfied with the outline, go ahead and paint on the wall. You can refer to the image you created so you remember which colour goes where or you can leave the image projected to help. When the paint has dried, you can wash the chalk or pencil off and no one will be the wiser.

GROWING YOUR OWN FOOD

From the cost of groceries, to growing organic produce to a new hobby, there are numerous reasons you may want to grow your own fruit, vegetables and herbs. The best part is that anyone can do it too - many edibles can be grown in small planters or on a trellis if space is limited. All you need is some sun (6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day is ideal), seeds, soil, water and time. After determining which plant hardiness zone you’re in, you can plan what you want to grow in your garden. Certain fruits and vegetables will grow better in specific conditions so set yourself up for success by planting foods that will most likely survive and thrive in your particular area. If it’s your first season of planting, start small. A few types of foods as opposed to a whole plate full will help you determine if you even have a green thumb and enjoy gardening or if it’s something you have to work up to enjoying. Leafy vegetables (like lettuce), peas, carrots, beans, potatoes, onions, cucumbers and zucchini are generally easy to grow and do well across Canada. Fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries are also popular and easy to get started.