Courtesy of Marshall Lealand

Marshall Lealand SALES REPRESENTAT I VE, REALTOR ® COMPL IMENTS OF Home& Family Digest

780 975 4814

Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

e: mlealand@shaw.ca w: mllocallistings.com

Exceeding Your Expectations Is My Goal

VOLUME 34 ISSUE 4 5 3

GOT AN AWKWARD CORNER IN YOUR HOME? HERE’S HOW TO FIX IT! When listing your home, you’ll want to stage it so every nook and cranny looks inviting. But what if you have an awkward, empty corner that you just don’t know what to do with? The first thing you could try is creating a plant corner. If you’re a green thumb, choose real plants. If you aren’t, fake plants can still look pretty. Choose three to four plants with different leaf sizes and then arrange them in a variety of pots. For height variations, place one or two in a pot on the floor, one on a slightly elevated surface (such as a small stool) and one on a taller plant stand. If you’d prefer not to place anything on the floor, another idea is to create an art corner. The most budget-friendly approach is to head to a thrift shop and see what artwork you find there. Also keep a lookout for frames you like, even if you’re not a fan of the art itself. Art can be removed and replaced with a different print. Try to choose pieces that would be appealing to most buyers, such as landscapes, sketches or florals – but of course make sure you love them too as you’ll be taking them with you! You can even combine a plant corner and art nook to create a visually interesting area sure to make buyers feel right at home.

GARLIC BUTTER COD Courtesy of www.ehow.com INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS: 1. On a plate or shallow dish, toss the flour and spices together. 2. Coat both sides of each fillet in the flour mixture. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook the cod until it is golden brown and flaky, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. 3. Remove the cod and place it on a separate plate. Add the garlic and remaining butter to the skillet. Cook for about 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice, broth and parsley. Cook until slightly reduced and thick, about 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the skillet with a spatula. 4. Plate the cod with cooked vegetables and pasta or rice. Pour the garlic-butter sauce over the cod.

4 small cod fillets, patted dry 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour Salt Ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/4 cup broth Sautéed vegetables, for serving Pasta or rice, for serving 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh parsley

SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT SPRING Think you know spring? Well, here are three lesser-known facts you may be unaware of. 1. On the first day of spring, a person at the North Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, beginning six months of uninterrupted daylight. A person at the South Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, signaling the start of six months of darkness. 2. According to Greek myth, the return of spring coincides with the return of Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, who is the goddess of plants and fertility. 3. Every year on the first day of spring, people in Poland gather to burn an effigy and throw it in the river to bid winter farewell.

THE BENEFITS OF USING RECLAIMED MATERIALS

– Online buy and sells. You can find anything online these days – even reclaimed building materials! Websites like Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace are all great resources for a cool salvaged find or for building materials leftover from construction jobs. – Local salvage stores. If you live in or near a bigger city, you likely have access to a salvage shop. These businesses are run by people who frequent demolition sites and bring items back to their store that otherwise would have been thrown away. – Residential construction sites. Be your own salvager and head to local residential construction sites. Look for large dumpsters filled with construction “waste” and then politely ask the homeowner (or builder) if you can have items of interest. While some of them might say no – some of them might also say yes! – Family, friends and neighbours. Got someone you know who is renovating too? Head to their house and see what they’re tearing out – it might be just what you’re looking for.

There are numerous reasons to incorporate reclaimed building materials into your home renovation project. Recycled materials are a more sustainable option than brand new, and they also tend to be much more affordable – sometimes even free! Reclaimed materials add character to your home in a way that new items aren’t able to. From using an old wooden beam as a fireplace mantel, to creating a feature wall out of reclaimed brick, to building a bathroom vanity out of palettes – these are all ways you can assure your home will be just as unique as you are. Recycled materials also help you stay within budget. For example, while a new solid panel interior door can cost between $100 and $200, you can often find a salvaged door for less than $50. The same goes for other necessary home features such as sinks, tubs, faucets, flooring, light fixtures – even electrical components. If you plan on hiring a contractor to handle your remodel, find someone with experience in using reclaimed items. Not only will they be able to help you source materials, they’ll also know how to properly repair and install them so they’ll look just as good; even better – than new. Here are a few of the best places to find reclaimed building materials:

HOW TO MODERNIZE DATED FURNITURE If your home is filled with dingy or dated looking furniture, you might be wondering if there’s anything you can do to spruce it up without spending a fortune to replace it. Giving your existing furniture a makeover before you list your home for sale is actually a win-win situation. Not only does it make your home look cleaner and more appealing to potential buyers, you get to take the updated pieces with you when you move to your new home! The first way to update old furniture is to paint or refinish it. If the piece is a high quality wood piece in good condition, consider sanding and staining it to match its original color. If it’s very banged up or made of something other than solid wood – such as MDF or other composite material, consider priming and then painting it white, grey or another color that matches your space. Next up, change the hardware. There are so many hardware options out there it might feel a bit overwhelming, but the best way to go about it is to choose something that compliments the lines of the piece. If it has sleek, straight lines, go with square or rectangle hardware. If it has rounded corners or curves, pick something circular or oval. Don’t underestimate the role good staging can do. Get rid of any clutter and create one or two small vignettes on top of, or next to, your pieces. Use items you already have such as books, candles and vases to add visual interest.

DRESS UP WALLS WITHOUT PAINT Want to create a statement wall, but feel like paint just won’t do? Why not try fabric instead? You can head to a thrift store to see if they have any patterns you like, or try a fabric store. Check in the discount bin for a great deal! You can then hang it in a variety of ways. Rods across the bottom and top of the wall will help to pull the fabric tight. For a looser, more casual feel simply hang the fabric like curtains. You can also create your own DIY removable wallpaper by using liquid starch. It will look just like real wallpaper, but you can peel it off and change it if you get tired of the pattern.

JOKES SO BAD THEY’RE GOOD Courtesy of wwwparade.com

Will these 9 bad jokes makes you laugh – or make you groan? Read on to find out! 1. Why don’t oysters donate to charity? Because they’re shellfish. 2. What does a baby computer call its father? Data. 3. What did the custodian say when he jumped out of the closet? “Supplies!” 4. How does a penguin build its house? Igloos it together.

5. Which knight invented King Arthur’s Round Table? Sir Cumference. 6. What do sprinters eat before a race? Nothing. They fast. 7. What do you call a fly without wings? A walk! 8. What happens when you witness a shipwreck? You let it sink in. 9. How can you find Will Smith in the snow? Follow the fresh prints.

INTERIOR DESIGN BLOGS TO GET YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING Need a little interior design inspiration to get your home ready for sale? Or maybe you’re about to purchase a house or condo and need some online advice on how to make it feel a little homier. Sure, you could pin images on Pinterest day in and out, or scroll Instagram until your eyes get tired, but sometimes the best way to get inspired online is to find an interior design blogger that truly speaks to you. Here are five swoon-worthy design blogs run by professional designers, creative homeowners – or both! 1. Hunted Interior. Former hotel designer Kristin Jackson knows how to make a home feel luxurious on a budget. She believes it isn’t about how much you spend on your furniture and decor, instead it’s all about how you put it together. 2. Hygge for Home. Run by stay-at-home mom Reena, she strives to make her family’s space feel cozy and filled with purpose. She also wants to share the whole process with her readers. 3. The Inspired Room. New York Times best-selling author of books such as Love the Home You Have and But Where Do I Put the Couch? , Melissa Michaels’ blog is filled with tips on how to create a home you love and take pride in. 4. I Spy DIY. Jenny Yolo and her husband and partner in all things DIY buy outdated homes and transform them into vintage-filled, character-driven abodes they then rent out to people searching for a truly homey vacation experience. 5. Old Brand New. Love colour, patterns and mixing design styles? Then you have to check out Old Brand New, run by Dabito – a well-respected photographer and design-enthusiast.

FRENCH WORD SCRAMBLE Courtesy of www.puzzles-to-print.com

INSTRUCTIONS: Learn, or brush up on, French the fun way – by tackling this French word scramble all about the natural world! Unscramble the clues to form French words that describe nature, then unscramble the highlighted letters to answer the question: What do French sometimes call Earth?

Answers:

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