Need advice for someone starting in the trades
Erickson Handyman Service
3 months ago
last modified: 3 months ago
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Erickson Handyman Service
3 months agoDLM2000-GW
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New Retailer! Need advice and trade publications,, sources, etc.
Comments (4)You open it and they will come :-)) That's a bit tongue in cheek, I know - of course you do need to have some stock on hand initially, but you will be surprised how rapidly vendors and suppliers will find YOU and come calling. There's lots of industry trade publications out there and most of them are free: Nursery Retailer, Lawn and Garden Retailer, Garden Center Magazine are a few that come to mind. And look into joining some trade assocations as well, like Garden Centers of America, ANLA, local landscape and nursery associations, etc. Great for networking. And attend as many approppriate trade shows as you can manage - also a great networking opportunity as well as introducing you to a whole world of potential vendors and suppliers. http://www.nurseryman.com/resources/trade-shows.html Here is a link that might be useful: Horticulture business info site...See Moreready to start and need some advice. please(pic)
Comments (13)Fifteen inch-deep shelves should be plenty big enough for children's books & a few toys, but in your inspiration picture, the seat & the shelves are the same width, and while fifteen inches is a deep enough seat for a pre-schooler, when your grandkids grow up, that seat will be way too shallow for them to get comfortable, which is the whole point of a window seat. So that depth should be extended. Also, make sure the wooden seat height is far enough below the bottom of the winndow to allow adequate clearance room for a truly comfortable cushion, not one of those thin foam pads. Also, with tha extra depth of seat, you'll probably want to make the shelves's framework deeper to match, so that there's room for a matching cushion or two to lean up against the outside of the shelves. And since that means you'll have extra shelf depth to work with, you might think about bringing the wiring up into the framing of the shelves, so that you can add a pair of sconce up above head height for someone --that is, you--sitting there to read to a young one. You need to be comfortable, too, because regardless of what they say, it's NOT all about the children. Which brings us to the whole matter of blinds-vs-curtains. On normal windows, blinds are fine, but for coziness & the kind of secure, protected nook that kids crave--think back to your own card-table-&-blankets tents, here--nothing beats an enclosed window seat with curtains (not blinds) on the room side (not the window side) of the seat, drawn tight against the larger room, as anyone who's ever read the memorable first chapter of Jane Eyre will attest. Aren't you glad you threw this question out there? It just keeps getting bigger & bigger....See MoreRefinishing bedroom set, need advice on where to start
Comments (2)I am not an expert by any means but I have painted a lot of furniture in my house. I would prob lightly sand the chipping areas. I have limited use of chalk paint. I did chalk paint a few chairs and my dining room table. My tabletop was very shiny so I lightly sanded it and then I primed it. I used the chalk paint on top of the primer and then a coat of poly. It has held up fine for over 4 years now. When I paint I usually use just regular off the shelf paint from Lowes or Home Depot. I just painted my entire bedroom set. I did no sanding at all. Just a good primer, painted with Behr regular paint and again a coat of poly on top. Hope it turns out well!...See MoreNeed advice on starting lemon tree bonsai
Comments (13)Couple of thoughts. First, nice trees :) If it was mine I'd be wiring it into a cascade and really pushing the envelope, but that's just me. :) Yes indeed, you can cut it back and make a more proportioned trunk that way. It's actually quite pleasing to look at now even in its non-traditional thin trunk state. Don't remove the younger brother/sister. I'd keep it as is and wind it into the other trunk, wrap the entire thing and let them grow into each other...voila! Instant thicker trunk!! :) https://www.bonsaiempire.com/blog/trunk-fusion The techniques there are good and there are other examples online - I've seen some dynamite trees made by fusing and with yours they're so close together it would be a shame to not use them together. The key to yours will be getting branches to grow. In the meantime... Bonsai pictures are great but in addition, REALLY pay attention to trees in nature. You can learn tons from that and get wonderful ideas. I am constantly blown away by things that I've yet to see bonsai artists do. It'll also help you to break the rules in bonsai. For example, yes, officially, there should be a taper to a trunk, but more importantly, it shouldn't look ugly. Certain pines, and trees such as birches and poplars, can be quite old and not have very tapered trunks. Reverse tapers and bulges can often detract and seem non-pleasing. Never the less, trees are contextual. They grow certain ways because of the conditions. If you've got a thin trunk tree, or something else, dream the story that led to it and let the planting/pot/etc tell that story! We ALL love a good story!! Learn all you can about Lemon trees (or whatever trees you're growing) in general. Have fun and enjoy your trees!! Yes, there rules, and it's really easy to find them online. The fun is in working with nature, telling the story together and learning which rules support the story and which don't. Really enjoy your trees. It's amazing, but as I've learned multiple times, sometimes one winter, or one deer, or one storm is all it takes to drastically alter your bonsai forever or destroy it. It's beauty - enjoy it :) Hope this all makes sense. :) All the best!!...See MoreErickson Handyman Service
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