ARE YOU PREPARED?

The best way of surviving a fire is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Here are some tips:



Keep your home free of oily rags and trash build-up. Gasoline and other flammable liquids should be stored in approved metal safety cans.

Cleaning materials should be kept in a ventilated area, away from any heat source. Vapors given off by these substances can ignite when they come in contact with a heat source, such as a pilot light.

Check lamps, appliance cords and light switches to make sure there is no faulty wiring. Never overload electrical circuits.


Allow adequate ventilation space around televisions, stereos and other entertainment equipment.


Teach your children not to play with matches. Keep matches in a closed metal container away from heat sources and out of the reach of children.


Never smoke in bed. Carelessly discarded cigarettes are the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States.

Remove all weeds, tree branches and litter from your yard.


If you have a fireplace, make sure it is properly screened and install a spark arrestor with at least a half-inch mesh on the chimney.


Daily household trash should be kept in a covered can away from any heat source. Recycle newspapers frequently.

Be a careful cook. Never wear long sleeves when you cook -- they can catch fire. Keep the handles of your pots turned inward, so the pots can't be knocked over. Never put foil or other metals in a microwave oven.

 Fire safety tips



Photos by Istock photo.com



Make sure all family members know how to dial 911 in case of an emergency.


Have at least two exits from every room in your home. Invest in fire escape ladders for upstairs bedrooms.


Go through a practice drill every six months. With the whole family, practice what to do in a fire emergency.


Assign a tree or other landmark where family members can meet after they escape the burning house.


Teach children never to go back in the house. Train them not to hide from fire under beds, in closets or other places where rescuers cannot easily find them.

Home Fashion on a Budget

Do you wish your home could look like one of the magazine layouts in your favorite design magazine?  It really isn't that difficult or expensive if you know where to look to buy fashionable yet modestly priced home goods.

TJ Maxx Home Goods store is a good place to accessorize your home. They carry a great selection and are very affordable. Their inventory is an eclectic mix of items, which when combined correctly can be very beautiful.

 The challenge here is that there not many vignettes set up to show you how to combine their goods and unless you have the ability to combine color, texture, scale and styles it might be overwhelming.


This is a  monochromatic room and many of the accessories were purchased at discount home furnishings stores. The brown velvet chairs were  purchased off of Craig's List when a corporate apartment was being sold off. When utilizing a monochromatic color scheme be certain to use a lot of texture and high contrast. In this instance I wanted to brighten the room so I selected most accessory items that had a reflective value. I used large Christmas ornaments in a wire bowl along with seashells. The white pillows on the brown velvet chairs also have seashell pieces sewn onto them. Carrying one design concept across multiple surfaces provides interest and cohesiveness.



If you prefer a more colorful room but still want it to be elegant then pair it with a color that is opposite on the color wheel. In this example I used bright pink with green and plenty of neutrals. The secret to the success of this room was the area rug which incorporated all the colors. Bright art, pillows and florals bring visual interest without overwhelming the room. Notice that I have spread out the color across the room. This is key to bringing in a bright color.

Same sofa and chairs were used in both rooms. This illustrates how you can change the look of your room easily with new accessories, a rug and a coffee table. All accessories, mirror and rug are from TJ Maxx Home Goods.

If you prefer a modern style but want the warmth of color you can try this. Select a contemporary sofa and add colorful modern accessories and art. I selected this contemporary sofa which has a neutral base with colorful pillows and added modern lighting and art. The look is warm modern and livens up an otherwise sterile room. Again all furnishings are modestly priced. Lighting from IKEA. Rug and accessories from TJ Maxx Home Goods.

Beautiful design does not have to be expensive. A little imagination goes a long way.

Prefab Housing Considered

A prefab house is one that is largely built in a shop and assembled in sections on the site. The concept has been around a long time, since a Michigan company called Alladin offered the first kit house in 1906. Sears, Roebuck & Co. started selling prefab house kits in 1908, selling nearly 100,000 by 1940. Prefab enjoyed a resurgence of popularity after World War II when hundreds of soldiers returned home to start families and needed housing that was both quick and cheap.

In recent years prefab housing has seen renewed popularity. Proponents claim that it is “greener” than stick-built housing, generating less construction waste and using fewer materials because it is built in a factory under controlled conditions. Dwell Magazine has been championing prefab design as a way for households of modest income to afford good, green modern design. Their Dec/Jan 2012 issue includes a 42 page article on the current state of prefab housing.

Summarizing the Dwell article, we realize that:

Prefab is perfect for vacation houses built on rugged and remote lots, where the expense of transporting materials, equipment and labor is a significant cost factor.

Some people opt for hybrid construction where only some of the building components, like the exterior walls, are prefabricated off-site.

One prefab house took two years to build, contrary to the common understanding that prefab is quicker than stick-built construction.

Another house ended up using insulated concrete form (ICF) panels when prefab of the exterior walls proved more expensive than building on site. Which goes to show that prefab is not always cheaper.

Some prefab companies estimate 9 months for design and 9-12 months for construction. This is about the same time required by a custom site-built house.

Prefab is a technique not a product. While it is not always the cheapest or quickest option for construction, it does have the advantage of predictability. Variables that affect on-site construction can be better controlled in a factory.

Dwell’s Shoppers Guide to Prefab Housing showcases 22 companies, each company having a slightly different way of working.  Important items which may or may not be included in the price of prefab housing are: permits, land, site plans, site preparation, utility hook-ups, foundation, transportation, cost of assembly, additional materials, and parts to be purchased by homeowner

The discussion about pros and cons of prefab housing is passionate and detailed. To expand your grasp of the issues surrounding prefab construction, check out this thoughtful and detailed evaluation from 2008 by Chad Ludeman of Postgreen Homes. Tedd Benson of Bensonwood Homes has a lengthy and articulate response to this article, and Lloyd Alter of Treehugger mentioned a few points to consider as well. Allyson Wendt of Building Green added her thoughts on the future possibilities of affordable, green prefab.

Image: prefab home by Minarc.

New member update: Linda Kerwin

Women On Fire is pleased to introduce our newest member - Linda Kerwin!

Linda and her husband have owned Minuteman Press in San Mateo for the past 8 years. Both were working in high tech in their previous life. Linda has a strong customer service background that helps her connect with people and their goals when it comes to marketing their own businesses. This comes in many forms since their business offers, not only printed materials, mailing services, signage, but they can help you with promotional items like pens, mugs and apparel. Their shops resources are endless and the personal touch provided is key when bringing in a job on budget and on time. Our motto: We make printing painless! The shop has earned two awards. We are certified with a Green Business Award and qualified each year with the states program called WRAP (Waste Reduction Awards Program). This leaves their print shop with the distinction of the only print shop in the Bay Area to hold both these awards.

We provide service to all kinds of customers, large and small, and pride ourselves on building long term relationships. Some of our regular customers include Virgin America, Goodwill Industries, Philips Medical, MD Lash Factor (as seen on the Home Shopping Network), PARCA, FRS, and Notre Dame de Namur University.

On a personal note, Linda loves to ski and is a part-time ski instructor. She loves to stay fit and is a part-time personal trainer. While loving to travel, this has brought her to visit over 25 countries. On the home front she loves gardening and cooking. With an interest in safety, she recently earned her CERT certificate. (Community Emergency Response Team)

Please be sure to visit the company website www.mmpsm.com and follow Minuteman Press on facebook and twitter.

Stay tuned for future blog posts from Linda Kerwin.

first impressions...

like it or not...fair or unfair...when you walk into a room...meet someone for the first time...go in for that first interview...blind date...client appointment...you smile...your handshake is firm...you're smart and friendly and articulate...this may not matter a lot...well...i believe it matters...but what also matters...is what you're wearing...

clothes are absolutely critical in first impressions...i have heard headhunters say...that a person can be selected for a position in the first three minutes of an interview...based on eye contact...body language...and clothing...

the truth is...it can take as little as five seconds for people to look at you and make a conclusion...think of the eye as a camera...making a snapshot...and what the person sees the very first time will be in his or her mind...well...for a long time...if not forever...

when you meet a person for the first time...what you wear is a statement of what you want the other person to know about your status...education...and taste...

while making a good first impression is essential to initial acceptance...and while it may color what happens next...that is not to say that it can't be dominated...over time...by other essential qualities...but time is the key...

bottom line...don't be someone you are not...but when choosing what to wear...choose something that you are comfortable in...that fits your image and looks good...wearing a style that doesn't suit your body shows poor judgement...

and that is where a wardrobe consultant can help...by defining your personal style...one that fits into your own personal life...if you are looking to re-define your "first impression" - give me a call...i would love the opportunity to help you...

fabulous finds
wardrobe stylist/personal shopper
415.577.6133
fabulous.finds@yahoo.com

photo source

New Year New Law

Parents are reminded of a new $500 fine if their child is not large enough to pass the standards of a law.



Photo by Menlo Park Patch

Beginning Jan. 1, 2012 a new California law will require that children riding in any vehicle must be restrained in the back seat in a child restraint until their eighth birthday or until the child reaches 4 feet 9 inches tall. If you're caught violating the new law, you'll be subject to a fine of nearly $500 and the loss of one point on your driver's record.

The California Highway Patrol won't be allowing a grace period when the new standard

becomes law.

California's current child restraint law only protects children that are under the age of 6 or weigh less than 60 pounds. With the new law, California will join more than 20 other states that mandate an 8-year-old use a child safety seat or booster when traveling in a vehicle.
According to statistics, the number one killer of children in the United States is vehicle collisions. Young children are often too small for seat belts that are made to fit adults.

Authorities say restraining children who are under 4 feet 9 inches tall with only a seat belt puts them at risk for serious injury. If the belt is across the child's waist instead of across the hips or thigh bones, he could suffer damage to internal organs and/or a spinal cord injury if involved in a collision. (A series of images in one of the photos above this article shows what happens to the child's body - when not in a booster seat - in a crash.)
A group comprised of Safe Kids Santa Clara/San Mateo Coalition, the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, the CHP, and Assemblyman Jerry Hill suggest a 5-step test to confirm if a child over the age of 8 can safely ride without a child restraint once the new law no longer applies to them:

5-Step Test:

Can your child....

 

1. Sit with his/her back flat up against the vehicle seat

2. while his/her knees are bent naturally over the seat cushion edge

3. with the lap belt across his/her hip or thigh bone

4. and the shoulder belt across his/her shoulder (not crossing over his/her face orunder his/her arm or, behind his/her back)

 

5. and he/she can stay seated in that position the entire trip?

 

There will be a group of 6 and 7-year-old children already out of child and booster seats who will need to return to the child seat restraints. For a mom or dad, that may be a frustrating discussion.