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We'd Rather Sell It Than Count It" 1 9 5 7 - 1 9 9 7 40 W a rs o f E x ce llen ce LIG H TIN G SH O W R O O M S OAKVILLE SHOWROOM ONLY 3 ® n 4 4 5 1 N G L E H A R T S T R E E T O A K V IL L E . O N T A R IO 845-2461 GERRIE ELECTRIC SHOWROOM POLICY il you are not lOO°» sa t'S lie a w *in your p u rch a se S im ply re iu ro >1 wunm 30 days 'O' a iu« retuna Faux finishing is featured on the walls of this kitchen by Catherine Stringer. • Up to 5 0 % off Selected Fixtures • All Table & Floor Lamps 1 5 % off • All Prints 2 5 % off Quantities limited. * Some Sales Final. Valid from Saturday March 13th - Friday March 26th at noon. Closed Saturday March 27th for inventory. Choose The Cut Above IIIECHO The Pro Performance Team " THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday March 17,1999 i CS-3000 14" $ CS-3400 14" $ 329.99 349.99 Powerful and reliable the pro's choice. You may never need all the power of a heavy-duty Echo chain saw, but you'll be glad it's built to tackle your toughest logging, felling and limbing jobs. Superior performance begins with the exclusive Pro-Fire® elec­ tronic ignition and all-position diaphragm carburator that allows the reliable Echo two-stroke engine to start up fast and run smoothly. Well-balanced, with vibration reduction systems, Echo chain saws are also easy to handle. Serving O akville Since 1974 CURRENT POWER MACHINERY INC. 1661 L ak esh o re Rd. W. M ississau g a 822-4211 Faux finishes m ake ordinary, extraordinary When it comes to giving your home's interior some zap, you can't beat the effects of faux finishing. "When it comes to faux finishing, anything goes-ffom walls, floors, ceilings, doors and cabinets to tables, chairs, vases, picture frames, lamps and flower pots, faux finishing can revive 'tired' rooms or furniture or give antique looks to items that are too modem or plain," says kevin Skelly, Marketing Services Manager for Para Paints. Faux finishing gives texture and adds drama to walls and furniture. The end result may be metallic, colour wash, crackle finish, marbleized, 'rag-rolled', 'sponged' or sten­ ciled look, among others. Anyone can faux finish, all you need is planning and patience. Here's how to get started: -Take time selecting colours: Because many faux finish­ ing techniques require two or more shades of paint, applied in successive layers, the colours you choose are key in cre­ ating a desired effect. Whatever colour is used for the foun­ dation will be the dominant hue, so results will vary consid­ erably depending on whether you select a dark or light tone as the base. Be aware that not all colours work well togeth­ er-combing blue and yellow, for example, will result in a green 'untextured' shade. Determine what tones coordinate well with your furniture, flooring and adjacent rooms and hallways, as well as what kind of mood you wish to create. Choose darker colours for a dramatic or romantic atmos­ phere. Keep the colours light for an open, airy feeling. Even neutrals work well in faux finishing, coming alive when lay­ ered in texture-simulating techniques. Before finalizing your selection, confirm your choice with your paint dealer, a designer, or an architect. -Product selection is key: Much of the magic of faux fin­ ishing is in the products you select, so for the best results, use top-quality faux finishing and special effects paints. As well, most faux finishing products are designed to be used with paints manufactured by the same company. -Be creative: Let your imagination loose to create new, fresh and creative looks for your home. Consider matching your walls to the pattern in your furniture by using stencil­ ing techniques. Create unique designs and cuts costs by using common household items as faux finishing tools, including plastic bags, old spray bottles, plastic container lids and rags. You can also cut your own stencils out of card­ board, plastic or sponge, and remember, faux finishing can be applied to so much more than walls. -Experiment: Don't be afraid to practice different tech­ niques on the wall or object you're painting. -Keep records: Once you've completed your faux finish, it's important to keep detailed records of all the colours and techniques you applied in case you need to do touch-ups later on. This includes saving colour chips and listing the colour mixing ratios you used. SPRING is just around the corner The 'Canada Blooms' Show was a resounding success. Large crowds temporarily over­ whelmed the ticket wicket briefly from 10 a.m. opening until noon on Thursday, the day I was there. This is a peak period for tour buses. This year, the shuttle buses had sepa­ rate ticket entrances through the parking garage relieving the crush somewhat. The lunch rooms on the two lower levels had line-ups at lunch time but the small soup, sandwich and coffee stands along the walls took some of the load. The rooms along the main areas of the 700 level overlooking the show were open with table and chair seating areas. TTiis took the overload and was an area for people who brought their own lunch. It certainly is crowded in the morning and early afternoon. The gardens were beautifully designed and built with pathways through the larger areas. I noticed many of the walls had mortar rather than stacked dry stones. The Royal Botanical Gardens were first prize winners in the large garden division. The next garden show is 'Success in Gardening' at the International Centre on Airport Road, April 1st to 4th. The show runs from 10 am . to 9 p.m. Thursday and Saturday to 6 p.m. Friday and Sunday. There are seven lectures a day from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Many of the lecturers are those who gave presenta­ tions at Canada Blooms. This is a small­ er show with 200 exhibitors and smaller garden areas. The pace will be slower and more personal as the exhibitors will have time to talk. Natural Gardens This is the age of the natural garden using native plants to give colour and to attract humming birds and butterflies. Every seed catalogue has their natural seed lines. Some wild flower seed mixes are perennials and others are annuals. For planting the annuals, careful dig­ ging of the area, removing the weeds, and leveling is needed. This is followed by spreading the seed evenly and com­ pressing it into the soil. A floating cover may be used to protect the seeds from the birds and squirrels. Perennial plants will require a cleaner area to seed into, as the weed seeds will overwhelm the wild seeds before they have a chance to grow. Dig the area or rototill it as early as possible, when the ground is moist. Remove all the weeds. Lay a clear plas­ tic sheet over the ground holding it down with weights or with large coat hanger staples. Let the sun heat the soil to kill off JOHN SIMKINS In Your Garden * I weed seeds. Pick up the plastic and rake out any small weeds that have grown and re­ apply the plastic. Do this until about mid- June, then plant the wild perennial seeds. I find seeds impregnated on paper or peat moss germinate better than bare seeds. Keep the area moist until the seeds sprout. 'Traditional Gardening' is a relatively new (1996) magazine that counters the natural movement by 'Creating and Restoring Classic Gardens for Houses of all Ages.' The winter issue has articles on, 'Secrets to Creating Your Own Victorian Flower Garden,' 'Sundials' and 'Landscaping a Front Yard.' There is an interesting humourous video made by the National Film Board on the foibles of people looking after their front yard. It is called 'Lawn and Order' and is in two parts, the lawn and ornamental furniture. It is quite amusing and illustrates the results of going too far. It is available from the Oakville library. The Oakville Horticultural Society's list of new gardening books includes books on 'Building Garden Furniture, Arbours and Trellises' and 'Making Twig Garden Furniture.' These are available for loan to members at the monthly meet­ ings at Knox Presbyterian Church on the second Monday of each month at 8 p.m. Visitors are welcome to attend the meet­ ings usually featuring an illustrated talk or demonstration. They have an exten­ sive garden library. The first of two new books on garden structures is 'Making Bentwood Trellises, Arbours, Gates and Fences,' by Jim Long. He is co-owner of Long Creek Herb Farm and is the author of 12 gar­ dening books. ' The second companion book is 'Making Bent Willow Furniture' by Brenda and Brian Cameron. This is a practical way to make projects from a quilt display ladder to children's chair, a lounger and a wheelbarrow plant stand, painting and finishing each article to fit into its space in the garden. These books are available for $28.50 Cdn. from major book stores or direct from Storey Books, 1-800-441-5700, Dept. V.P. or www.storey.com. « http://www.storey.com