#cheap retaining wall ideas

[ecoorganic]

10 Stunning Retaining Wall Gardening Ideas To Transform Your Garden

[ntls-24722]

cloesona

Featuring @artastic-friend's Kofruth and Atzurae! HOOH I've been thinking about doing this meme for awhile I'm glad it turned out so nice

breakdown:

So, I had the idea that from time to time in the comic, or when the perspective shifted, it would shift onto the artstyle of the respective species, here's how things differed.

Kofruth opens the scene in cave painting medium, cave painting that is notably lacking in Blue! Blue dye is a fairly cheap, common dye and Debu love blue, but it's sometimes excluded from cave paintings designated for fire rooms, which is... where most of their paintings are. Debu caves are completely dark except for the room dedicated to having fire, their fire room, which also happens to be the one they display their art in - because it's the one room you'd be able to see it! However, due to the lack of any other light but their fire, and the color of the cave wall, it's extremely orange in the fire room, which dulls out the blue color from their art. So, sometimes, they do away with it entirely.

Also, why is Atzurae just a bunch of lines?

Debu, due to their size, have the quirk of drawing most things from the top view, since that's how they see everything - especially the 2-foot-tall zebraelves! To them, they just look like big spiders. So they draw them as fat little spiders.

Also, Atzurae's cloesona! It's... not a zebraelf cloesona?!?! It's been given Debu anthropomorphic traits - tusks, and big nostrils! It's almost like it's kofruth's cloesona instead...🤨

I turned off the multiply blending mode to better show this - So, despite zebrapeople, especially zebraelves, championing dye production in the early history of Bolur, they only really make reds and blues. That's cuz it's all they can see! They could make a yellow due to paint something, but why do that when it looks pink, and they have red and white right there in their disposal?

There's also the art style - I originally went a completely different direction with this. My inspo was initially ancienct Chinese art since I saw the parallel of how popular the medium of ink and paper had gotten between both societies, and I had juuuust gotten to finishing before (and you can kind of tell where I was, at the scars around Kofruth's eye) realizing where I should've taken zebraelf art.

Zebraelf's aesthetic attraction is for geometry, and curvilinear designs! It's the same for zebramen too, somewhat, though not as strong as it is for zebraelves. Zebraelves LOVE making things with one stroke and they try to do it as much as possible since it resembles the uniformity and cleanliness of their stripes, though the exaggerated fur was fun (since they express emotions with their fur) so I tried to keep that, too.

There's also the anatomical inaccuracy of giving Debu teeth gaps. Debu notably Do Not have them in their front teeth, and find the seperation of said tusks creepy.

But that anatomical inaccuracy is far less egregious than the one in the next frame:

A closed mouth!!!

Debu's front teeth do retain some vestigial appearance of looking seperate through the gums and the striations, but their lips physically cannot close like this. Zebrapeople can close their mouths, though with a little effort since they have a natural grin, but Debu mouths are too tight, period.

Also, I think a zebraelf might give Kofruth a monobrow! Monobrows are seen as beautiful (due to the singular, aesthetically pleasingly unbroken line), so while not as common in Debu, they might still give Kofruth one.

Not much to say here other than this is easily my favorite frame!! The sclera are shown here since they're often shown in distress, and the white is drool, which are Bolur tears

Most "vertebrates" don't have sad tears, they have sad drool, and i've decided the new reason for that is because their saliva has chemicals with a mild painkilling + soothing effect, so when they're upset their body kicks the saliva-making into overdrive both to calm it down with those chemicals, and to slow their own breathing by having to stop and swallow their own saliva

That and there's the very cool detail (in my opinion) that Kofruth is implied to be semi-animated - Marc Azéma and Florent Rivère made the claim that a lot of cave art was made to be animated under the flickering light of a fire, and that's why a lot of cave art seems to be a lot of animals abstractly juxtaposed on top of one another. (he also made a video showing this off)

Also, here's the GORGEOUS bull from the Cave of Altamira i based the cave paintings off of. STUNNING <3333

[dailyanarchistposts]

J.5.6 Why are mutual credit schemes important?

Mutual credit schemes are important because they are a way to improve working class life under capitalism and ensure that what money we do have is used to benefit ourselves rather than the elite. By organising credit, we retain control over it and so rather than being used to invest in capitalist schemes it can be used for socialist alternatives.

For example, rather than allow the poorest to be at the mercy of loan sharks a community, by organising credit, can ensure its members receive cheap credit. Rather than give capitalist banks bundles of cash to invest in capitalist firms seeking to extract profits from a locality, it can be used to fund a co-operative instead. Rather than invest pension schemes into the stock market and so help undermine workers pay and living standards by increasing rentier power, it can be used to invest in schemes to improve the community and its economy. In short, rather than bolster capitalist power and so control, mutual credit aims to undermine the power of capitalist banks and finance by placing as much money as much possible in working class hands.

This point is important, as the banking system is often considered “neutral” (particularly in capitalist economics). However, as Malatesta correctly argued, it would be “a mistake to believe … that the banks are, or are in the main, a means to facilitate exchange; they are a means to speculate on exchange and currencies, to invest capital and to make it produce interest, and to fulfil other typically capitalist operations.” [Errico Malatesta: His Life and Ideas, p. 100] Within capitalism, money is still to a large degree a commodity which is more than a convenient measure of work done in the production of goods and services. It can and does go anywhere in the world where it can get the best return for its owners, and so it tends to drain out of those communities that need it most (why else would a large company invest in a community unless the money it takes out of the area handsomely exceeds that put it?). It is the means by which capitalists can buy the liberty of working people and get them to produce a surplus for them (wealth is, after all, “a power invested in certain individuals by the institutions of society, to compel others to labour for their benefit.” [William Godwin, The Anarchist Writings of William Godwin, p. 130]). From this consideration alone, working class control of credit and money is an important part of the class struggle as having access to alternative sources of credit can increase working class options and power.

As we discussed in section B.3.2, credit is also an important form of social control — people who have to pay their mortgage or visa bill are more pliable, less likely to strike or make other forms of political trouble. Credit also expands the consumption of the masses in the face of stagnant or falling wages so blunting the impact of increasing exploitation. Moreover, as an added bonus, there is a profit to be made as the “rich need a place to earn interest on their surplus funds, and the rest of the population makes a juicy lending target.” [Doug Henwood, Wall Street, p. 65]

Little wonder that the state (and the capitalists who run it) is so concerned to keep control of money in its own hands or the hands of its agents. With an increase in mutual credit, interest rates would drop, wealth would stay more in working class communities, and the social power of working people would increase (for people would be more likely to struggle for higher wages and better conditions — as the fear of debt repayments would be less). By the creation of community-based credit unions that do not put their money into “Capital Markets” or into capitalist Banks working class people can control their own credit, their own retirement funds, and find ways of using money as a means of undermining capitalist power and supporting social struggle and change. In this way working people are controlling more and more of the money supply and using it in ways that will stop capital from using it to oppress and exploit them.

An example of why this can be important can be seen from the existing workers’ pension fund system which is invested in the stock market in the hope that workers will receive an adequate pension in their old age. However, the only people actually winning are bankers and big companies. Unsurprisingly, the managers of these pension fund companies are investing in those firms with the highest returns, which are usually those who are downsizing or extracting most surplus value from their workforce (which in turn forces other companies to follow the same strategies to get access to the available funds in order to survive). Basically, if your money is used to downsize your fellow workers or increase the power of capital, then you are not only helping to make things harder for others like you, you are also helping making things worse for yourself. No person is an island, and increasing the clout of capital over the working class is going to affect you directly or indirectly. As such, the whole scheme is counter-productive as it effectively means workers have to experience insecurity, fear of downsizing and stagnating wages during their working lives in order to have slightly more money when they retire (assuming that they are fortunate enough to retire when the stock market is doing well rather than during one of its regular periods of financial instability, of course).

This highlights one of the tricks the capitalists are using against us, namely to get us to buy into the system through our fear of old age. Whether it is going into lifelong debt to buy a home or putting our money in the stock market, we are being encouraged to buy into the system which exploits us and so put its interests above our own. This makes us more easily controlled. We need to get away from living in fear and stop allowing ourselves to be deceived into behaving like “stakeholders” in a Plutocratic system where most shares really are held by an elite. As can be seen from the use of pension funds to buy out firms, increase the size of transnationals and downsize the workforce, such “stakeholding” amounts to sacrificing both the present and the future while others benefit.

The real enemies are not working people who take part in such pension schemes. It is the people in power, those who manage the pension schemes and companies, who are trying to squeeze every last penny out of working people to finance higher profits and stock prices — which the unemployment and impoverishment of workers on a world-wide scale aids. They control the governments of the world. They are making the “rules” of the current system. Hence the importance of limiting the money they have available, of creating community-based credit unions and mutual risk insurance co-operatives to increase our control over our money which can be used to empower ourselves, aid our struggles and create our own alternatives (see section B.3.2 for more anarchist views on mutual credit and its uses). Money, representing as it does the power of capital and the authority of the boss, is not “neutral” and control over it plays a role in the class struggle. We ignore such issues at our own peril.

[weirdowithaquill]

Traintober 2023: Day 17 - Holiday

How Sudrian Tourism has Evolved:

Sodor has changed majorly thanks to the publication of the Railway Series and the subsequent Television Series, both of which propelled the island and its railways from being just another part of the UK into a tourism juggernaut. But the fact of the matter is that Sodor did not immediately transform from being an insignificant island on the coast of Cumbria to one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United Kingdom overnight – so how did it all change?

To understand, we must go back to the 1500s, and the Protestant Reformation in England. At the time, Sodor was part of the English Crown – but far looser than its Irish and Welsh neighbours. Due to its small size, rough terrain and low population, King Henry VIII was far less interested in confiscating Catholic land on the island than its surrounding areas. This was in part due to the both Sir Geoffrey Regaby and Bishop Michael Colden, who managed to guide Sodor away from the Lincolnshire Rising and the Pilgrimage of Grace. Due to their remote location and general poverty, Thomas Cromwell never visited Sodor, and Cronk Abbey was never closed. For its part, St Luoc’s Cathedral at Suddery was ‘converted’ to a Protestant Cathedral in 1537, but continued holding Catholic mass. This was done by holding the two religious ceremonies one after the other.

As Sodor was now one of the few parts of the British Isles that had a Catholic church and direct line to the Papacy in Rome, it became an ‘underground’ tourist destination as a new British site of pilgrimage, frequented by Catholics looking to attend mass at the Suddery Cathedral. In return for continuing these ceremonies, Sudrians became more devout to the crown – in particular to Queen Elizabeth I, and by 1603 the Catholic mass had been all but forgotten. This did not end the attractiveness of Sodor as a religious destination, due to the caves of Saint Machan and several other holy sites that litter the island; the numbers were not large, but they did lead to a number of important connections, especially with Ireland, the Isle of Man and English ports.

The next phase of Sudrian tourism came in the 1860s, when the Skarloey Railway found the long-forgotten Skarloey lake and hidden hollow. Rather than explain it, I think I’ll just use the description that the Reverend Wilbert Awdry did:

“Spas were popular at the period and offered the possibility of a lucrative passenger business. Skarloey’s mineral springs and sheltered situation took hold on the minds of some members of the Board, among them Shamus Tebroc who conceived the idea of developing Skarloey as a spa. An hotel and a number of villas were built as a speculation, and the gravity worked incline which had been installed for the conveyance of materials was retained and up-graded for coals, merchandise, and passengers’ luggage.”

Skarloey became the first of the Island of Sodor’s tourist hotspots, especially due to its proximity to Culdee Fell and Saint Machan’s cave. The popularity of the spas was good for a time, but began to fall off as the bad fortunes of the Sodor & Mainland Railway continuously hurt the Skarloey Railway’s tourism campaign with delayed and cancelled trains, ratty carriages and even standoffish staff. This led to Skarloey becoming a local holiday destination instead, but even that began to slow down as WWII loomed.

On the other side of the island, the Mid Sodor Railway also began heavily advertising their railway to holidaymakers across the UK, but to a somewhat better result. The Isle of Man Steam Packet contract the railway picked up led to a large influx of tourists across the late 1800s and early 1900s, up until the 1920s. The railway’s ability to reach the walled city of Peel Godred and the cave of Saint Machan (via the Culdee Fell Railway) made it a very attractive destination for tourists, though this would change at the end of WWI.

The advent of relatively cheap international travel via ferries in the 1920s did a lot of damage to Sodor’s tourism economy, as their major markets in England preferred to travel to either the Continent or the Lake District – or even as far afield as the United States. Sodor instead switched to being primarily an agricultural and resource-extraction economy, with some manufacturing. This continued throughout WWII.

Which leads us to May 12th, 1945. The Three Railway Engines was published – in colour – in the UK. It achieved enough success to lead to the continuation of the series in 1946, and again in 1948, and then again continuously until 1972. These twenty-seven years’ worth of publicity for the island and its railways had a massive effect. Skarloey was rediscovered and the budget-conscience holiday maker of the 1960s chose it for its low prices, high quality, and picturesque scenery, turning around the railways needed to reach it. The Culdee Fell Railway also saw an uptick in traffic as the Peel Godred Railway brought in more passengers than the old Mid Sodor Railway had.

Furthermore, tourists came to see the engines, a phenomenon not seen before in the island’s tourism industry. Insignificant towns such as Dryaw, Brendam, Crosby and Glennock became infinitely more popular as the sites of incidents in the Railway Series, or as convenient locations to stay for travelling the island. The biggest success story of the island’s cities was Cronk however. Cronk grew massively from the tourism trade as the most central location on the NWR to reach the various tourist destinations of Sodor – even Awdry takes a moment to mention ‘The Crown of Sodor’ Hotel on Sigmund Street due to its prominence as a hotel on the island.

This large influx of tourists was however of a majorly local source – the UK, parts of continental Europe and a relatively low number from North America. It wasn’t until the advent of cheap international jetplane flights in the mid-1970s and the debut of the TV series on October 9, 1984.

This debut is what changed everything.

The Thomas and Friends Television series was an international success, with translations into a number of languages (eleven by Wikipedia’s count) and broadcast around the globe. This, coupled with the opening of an enlarged airport at Vicarstown (which had been constructed in 1941 by the RAF and expanded by Vickers in the 1960s. The airport itself had been bought by the NWR in 1982 (probably in anticipation of the TV series) and began receiving jetliners from across the world as early as 1986.

Today, Sudrian tourism is one of the largest income producers in northern England due to its international status crafted by the Thomas & Friends series. The island is a popular tourist attraction for both railfans and Thomas fans, as well as religious pilgrims, spa enthusiasts, hikers, ramblers and historians. The airport at Vicarstown has been linked into the NWR via a spur line, and more recently a number of signs on the island have been converted to include secondary and tertiary languages, for better interpretation.

Sodor reached its best numbers for international tourists in 2019, when over 1.5 million people visited the island, making it the third most visited tourist destination within England, beating out Birmingham. The secret to it’s recent further uptick in visitors is the opening of a number of museums, galleries and other cultural sites on the island, as well as a strong advertising campaign that focused on the island’s major tourist draws, which are:

The North Western Railway, Skarloey Railway, Culdee Fell Railway and Arlesdale Railway from the Railway Series book and subsequent Television series

A pre-Norman era Abbey at Cronk, one of the oldest of its kind in Britain

Suddery Cathedral, which continues to be one of the few remaining pre-reformation cathedrals in Britain

Several Norman-era castles, including a completely intact castle at Harwick

The Walled City of Peel Godred

The caves of Saint Machan

Culdee Fell

Henry's Forest National Park

Skarloey and its spas

Museums, galleries, and cultural centres

The Standing Stones of Killdane.

This advertising campaign brought a greater variety of tourists to the island, especially those from North America.

The island was badly affected by the advent of the Coronavirus pandemic, which saw the high tourist numbers of the previous decade prop by over eighty percent, which forced the island to once again consider restructuring their economy around agriculture, manufacturing, and resource extraction. This eventually was decided against, as tourist numbers have slowly picked back up through 2022.

Sodor has been greatly affected by its rise to one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the UK, including a number of hotels being built on the island – many of which are converted manorhouses – as well as several upgrades made to the transport systems of the island, with updated ferry services between the island’s major ports and locations in the UK and Ireland, as well as the railway building a special line to the island’s main airport, new tram and bus services within the major cities on the island. The island’s railway system has also seen upgrades throughout the latter half of the 20th century, including a third track being added to the mainline, new signalling systems and a number of extra connecting services to cities in the UK, such as Manchester, Birmingham, Carlisle and Preston.

Sodor has grown drastically as a result of its tourism industry and is today an international tourism hotspot. The island continues to be popular into the modern day, as a result of strong advertising and a pointed diversification of tourist offerings on the island to help the island’s tourism industry grow and bring in profits for the island’s people.

Back to Master Post

[thessalian]

Thess vs Missing Mobility Aids

Well, I'm kind of screwed for a couple of days.

A little something about my block of flats: we have four communal dumpsters for the entire block - two for regular garbage, two for recycling. In order to minimise the chance of vermin in the building, these four dumpsters are in a building outside the block of flats which we will call the dumpster shed. Now, the little dumpster shed is right up against the kerb (curb for you Americans; I don't know why they spell it differently here either, but they do) so that the bin men can get to it. Meanwhile, the actual apartment building is down a fairly steep downgrade from the road. And to encourage people to use the small flight of steps or the driveway if they want to get to the front door, there's some retaining wall and landscaping blocked off by mid-height fencing and/or mid-height brick wall. The kind of thing that it takes effort to vault over or climb. Now, the dumpster shed is accessible to those of us putting stuff into the dumpsters by means of going around to the side of the shed, where there's a little platform and some glassless windows at a level that's somewhat easier to lift the dumpster lids and put things in them. This platform overlooks the landscaping and retaining walls for a space of about two feet, and is separated from the landscaping by a steep drop and a bit of safety rail.

Note the bit of safety rail and the steep drop. It is relevant.

I wanted to do some tidying so I figured I'd take the recycling out, come back for the kitchen garbage, and head out to the corner shop for ibuprofen etc on my second trip with the kitchen garbage. As usual, they haven't collected our recycling recently and the recycling dumpsters were a bit full, so I had to play some Tetris with it. And because I needed both hands to do this, I leaned my cane up against the wall, sort of wedged into the corner between what I think is a drainpipe and the wall of the dumpster shed, near to the retaining wall.

Note I said "sort of" wedged. It is also relevant.

While digging recycling out of bags and stuffing it into anyplace it'd fit, I heard a clang. I thought it was a can shifting. It was not a can shifting. It was my cane, falling through the gaps in the safety rail. Made a maybe 7-foot drop into a bush.

I can't get to that bush. I can't vault the fence that might give me a chance to get there, and I sure as hell can't boost myself onto one of the walls. Even if I could, I'd have to get out again. I have no the fuck idea who to ask about retrieving it - probably the landscapers, but they only just turned up last week so we won't be seeing them for awhile. And, at the end of the day, it was a cheap thing and several years old and I probably needed a new one anyway.

Point is that I am without my cane. And I rediscovered just how badly I do actually need the damn thing, because after all that, I still had to take out the kitchen garbage and head out to the corner shop for some now even more badly needed ibuprofen. I'd forgotten how badly walking hurts without the cane.

Anyway, payday's Friday, but honestly, even with an Amazon rush order I probably wouldn't get a new cane until then anyway. I'll cope for the time being. I'll just have to be very careful about any walks longer than getting around the flat. Ugh. I did not need this today, after a particularly shitty day at work.

Just please remind me to get a spare cane. That sort of thing is good practice anyway. Shit happens.

[danco110]

“Oh, that’s a…person up there…Phyrexian…We’ve been made!”

The Mirran rebels aimed their weapons up at the figure embedded in the circle-shaped landmark. But they quickly realized their spears had no chance of reaching even a fraction of the distance between them.

“Any ideas?” asked the spy. “Anyone?”

A nearby Vulshok chuckled under her breath, “We could try throwing you up there, Kara.”

“Very funny.”

With a shake of her head, the Mirran spy joined the rest of her team in staring down the monument and its occupant. The porcelain plated Phyrexian seemed to finally notice them, and tilted its head down at them.

“You are not worshippers.”

“No,” Kara huffed sarcastically, with a roll of her eyes. “We’re here to fix the toaster.”

Again the monument spoke, its tone strained. “Mirrans, you should not be here. Unlike Urabrask, Norn holds no love for you in her heart.”

“Oh yeah? I didn’t notice, from just looking at our people she’s fused into the walls down here.”

“Then take heed, and leave while you can.”

Kara allowed herself a quiet laugh. “Look, pal-”

“Mondrak.”

“Right. Mondrak. Look, whatever cheap trick you’re going to pull - calling for backup, shooting at us from up there - let’s just get it over with, okay?”

Mondrak strained against the monument, its limbs joined with the rest of the porcelain. “I could not attack, even if I wanted. And seeing as how Norn has me stuck here, I do not even want to.”

“Good to know! We’ll be off, then.”

“Wait! Stay away from your people!”

“Aaaand, there it is,” Kara drawled, as she wheeled back around to face Mondrak. “Why should we? So we can’t stop you all from ‘helping’ them?”

Mondrak’s expression grew wistful. “They have already been ‘helped,’ and have opted to retain their former forms in an effort to ‘help’ more of you.”

Kara glanced past the monument to see a group of Mirrans embedded in a wall of metal wiring. Sure enough, their movements were stiff and robotic, and their cries for help sounded synthetic.

“I see…”

[Eh, I reckon if the majority of my writing on Phyrexia is in defiance of canon anyways, it’s kinda redundant to rail against canon, and not write about the plane out of protest, huh?]

[asteroidtroglodyte]

A Gopher has taken up residence in my flower patch. The wee critter has been feasting on the fat crunchy stalks and turning earth like crazy.

Apparently my Phacelia tanacetifolia was simply too lush and scrumptious to pass up. The little beast had to burrow under a compacted earthen dam and 2 retaining walls to get to it. Respect.

I know that the standard response to this sort of thing would be outrage; perhaps a desire to do bodily harm to the Gopher. “Oh no, my flowers!”

I do not do things this way.

This beast is now my Subject, under my protection and free to work my land and feast upon my plenty. They will perform deep fertilization of the earth, additionally improving porosity, aeration, and water retention. They will suffer no harm from me.

Gophers are valuable members of a natural community. Their warrens stretch for hundreds of meters, moving nutrients around and improving the quality of the topsoil. They spread seeds, turn compacted earth, and are positively adorable.

I can plant more flowers. Seeds are cheap. I appreciate the help, little friend.

(I played a lot of Viva Piñata as a kid so the idea of attracting wildlife to my garden has appealed to me since long before I had access to a garden or wildlife)

[oh-he-grows]

After two weeks of stressing and planning and screwing around in chief architect, I came to the obvious conclusion that I should just make raised beds out of basic-ass pine boards. Here's all the research I did so you don't have to agonize over your potential project. All prices are from Lowes. Below is a cost analysis of my project, which would be for 512' long of raised beds (for a growing area of 1,000 sq ft). I had in-ground beds last year but a massive influx of bunny rabbits ate everything that they could, so I'm looking to lift my plants off the ground a bit.

I was originally planning on using pressure treated 2x8s, but soon got sidetracked into cedar fenceposts and pressure treated landscape timbers, so here's what I eventually found:

Cedar fenceposts are great for a small scale garden. If you need 1 or 2 raised beds, I would recommend cedar fenceposts for cost and longevity purposes. If one piece gets damaged somehow, it's cheap and easy to throw in a replacement. They're incredibly cheap relative to other options, resistant to rot and moisture, beautiful, and can easily fit in almost any vehicle which can't be said for the dimensional lumber. Here's a build video for the most elegant fencepost raised bed I found. Downsides: the fenceposts are very thin, barely half an inch thick-- you can't sit on them or put too much pressure on them. They also require more bracing on the corners and in the middle, as well as a top-strip, as shown below. This is factored into the "Specialty Hardware Cost", and is calculated with pressure treated pine- using cedar for these pieces would look nicer (as below), but are much more expensive and some dimensions are out of stock. They're also a lot of work at scale. For my plan (to look good), I would have to cut off the dogear notch at the top for 280 boards individually, and put four screws each into 280 boards individually, which is an obscene amount of labor and hardware.

Next up are Pressure Treated Landscape Timbers, which I first saw from a Millennial Gardner video where the tagline was "lumber dealers HATE this trick!". Which may be true, but screw manufacturers LOVE this trick. They look really pretty and the wood is extremely cheap, but they're short individually, so you would need to stack 3-4 on top of each other to get the look I'm going for. Most importantly though, these need long screws (50 cents to a dollar each) to connect two boards to each other every 24-48 inches PER layer, and additional rebar if it's being used as a retaining wall, which would be another $4 on every side. The wood is cheap and rot resistant, but the hardware costs creep in.

Cedar boards are too expensive. Flat-out, they cost so much money it's insane. nearly $50 for a single 8' 2"x8" is inordinately expensive for a project like this. For the price of one miniature cedar bed, you could get multiple metal beds that will last decades instead. The final deliberation was between Yellow Pine and Pressure Treated Yellow Pine, and I'm deciding to go with regular untreated pine. The price is an extra 30% - 50% cost, and untreated pine should last (outside of the pacific northwest or florida) for 3-5 years without issues, while pressure-treated could last 10 or more depending on the conditions. Pressure treated boards leaching their chemicals into your food is mostly overstated, as arsenic hasn't been used in the process for 20 years now; although, I understand the reservations about using any chemical so close to food supply. The modern process apparently uses copper-based solutions and various fungicide for copper-resistant strains. I've included two cans of boiled linseed oil in the hardware costs for this to help protect them further, and I might find some kind of plastic or other barrier to protect the wood from direct soil contact to keep them going longer. I think I'm going with the 2x12s as well over the 2x8s, just because I like the idea of a taller bed if I'm just using one board. It's more expensive for sure, and the only thing I'm still deciding on. For the most part it's purely aesthetic, but some plants would prefer a bed larger than 8 inches, so that's why I'm leaning towards 12". It turns out that with the bulk discount that comes with 50 boards, 68 2"x8"s are the same price as 34 2"x12"s, but 4 inches taller. I might have to get some additional 2x4s for corner bracing, but this might be the way. I hope this info helps someone build a raised bed and start gardening, or help their garden become more successful (for cheaper). If I got anything wrong or if there are alternatives let me know, I'd love to hear anybody's thoughts.

[raccoon-reviews]

Raccoon Reviews: Burrow Nomad Sofa! • Furniture Reviews

Block Nomad Sofa, $1799+ on Burrow official website

Now, I've seen a lot being said about Burrow furniture. It's snazzy, it's expensive, it comes in pieces! Y'know what else comes in pieces? My now broken ass. No amount of fluffy tail can help make this godforsaken thing comfortable or worth the money.

I have had a Burrow Nomad sofa for nearly 3 years now, and I can confirm it's absolute ass.

The following are my grievances in no particular order:

Cushions do NOT retain shape. After 4 months, there were ass-sized dents in all of them, both sides.

Cushions, also, ARE ALL DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS. I got the chaise add on, and you'd think it would make sense to make it so you can swap out two cushions for the long chaise cushion when not in use, right? Wrong. The dimensions are off. It's too long and narrow to do that.

Storing the cushions is a nightmare. Where tf do I put the leftover cushions when I swap to the chaise? They don't fit under the sofa. They don't fit on or under the ottoman. I hope your tiny apartment had fantastic closet space, or you're fucked with trying to store the pieces not in use.

The butt cushions slide off. Like. So fast. I'll lean back once and the whole cushion has moved off by 4 inches.

If you use the back cushions that come with it, it's a VERY shallow sofa. Barely any space to lean back, let alone with throw pillows. I took them off and use some comfy big pillows, but it's still narrow as shit.

God forbid you try to move the sofa without taking it fully apart first. It's become so wobbly and loose in the joints that it's coming apart with each sit. I get the schtick, easy to move and all that, but holy fuck. I tried moving it across my living room and it was so wobbly when I sat back down that my cat freaked out at its shaking. Only plus side to its wobbly ass is that if you have uneven floors, that's no issue! You also have an uneven sofa.

The height of it is VERY short, especially since the cushions deflate within 6 months of use. Fine for some people, but I am taller than average and my knees are up to my chest when I don't use furniture risers. Also, no way to store anything under it but small cat toys.

There are no options for higher furniture legs and changing them is a nightmare because the legs are part of what keeps the sofa "together."

The charging port is a fine idea, but it's in the most inconvenient place and the cord to plug it into the wall is too short. I gave up and just... used the extension cord I needed to plug the thing into the wall.

Honestly? It's just not comfortable. Even if the cushions weren't completely useless after a few months, the way it's put together means that you have hard spots every 2-ish feet. It hurts your back, your butt, your legs, and it forces you to slide to those places because the cushions are ass and get so flat at the edges.

The sleeper add-on is also shitty. The memory foam does make the sofa marginally more comfortable, but because it's made for ease, it's a thin piece of foam that I honestly could have gotten at Joann fabrics for less money and higher quality. It's also, say it with me, Too Small. The dimensions are about 2 inches shorter on all sides, and the sheets and stuff are fine but cheap as hell along with the "quilt" and pillow. Again, it is not wide enough!! My skinny ass father had to last minute get a hotel because when he tried to stay over, he fell off 3 times. And the topper slid off. And the blankets were too small. And the pillow was flat. It's not even comfortable for napping unless you can curl up onto a single cushion because of the stupid hard areas where the sections meet.

Aesthetically, it's like... fine? But it's not cute enough to excuse even one of these complaints, let alone the price.

Also, "scratch and stain resistant" my ASS. This thing looks disgusting, resists every ounce of OxiClean I've put on it, and took a month of wear and tear from cats before it started literally bursting at the seams. The seams in the corners are all open now, at least 6 inches long in most areas, with fluff and foam on the verge of pouring out, and it looks ugly as shit. Plus, it can't be hidden since the weave of the fabric is so huge. It just makes bigger and bigger gaps, and fixing it is a nightmare. I'd have to hand sew new fabric on over it just to close the holes.

All in all, I've found more comfortable furniture on the side of the road.

Burrow sofas would barely be worth it for a third of the price. It is not durable, it is not cute, and it is not comfortable. It's literally coming apart at the seams.

The only reason you should get this couch is if you're absolutely insane about taking care of your furniture, never move it or sit on it, and like to suffer when you do. The only reason I got this couch was because it was a gift I had no say in. The only reason I've kept this couch is because it was a hella expensive gift, my stairwell is too tiny for an actual sofa, and I don't make enough money to get a new one.

The only plus side is that it's light as fuck, so when I toss it to the curb it won't hurt my back:) no more than it already has, at least.

TLDR; -10/10. This is ass. Do not buy this.

***PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS SOFA. DO NOT RECOMMEND IT. DO NOT EVEN LOOK AT THEIR SITE. IT'S THE WORST SOFA I'VE EVER SAT ON, AND I HAD FRIENDS IN A FRAT.***

[inhalethedust]

Revamp Your Backyard on a Budget: 10 Cheap Decoration Ideas

In the realm of home improvement, transforming your backyard into a charming oasis doesn't have to break the bank. With a dash of creativity and resourcefulness, you can spruce up your outdoor space without draining your wallet. Let's explore some ingenious yet affordable ideas to revamp your backyard into a cozy retreat.

1. Pallet Furniture: Embrace Rustic Charm

Repurposing wooden pallets into furniture pieces is a trend that's both eco-friendly and economical. Utilize pallets to craft seating arrangements like benches, tables, or even a cozy swing. A splash of vibrant paint can add a pop of color, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your backyard sanctuary.

2. DIY Planters: Greenery on a Budget

Elevate your backyard's allure with lush greenery by crafting DIY planters. Get creative with materials like recycled cans, old tires, or wooden crates. Plant vibrant flowers, succulents, or herbs to infuse your outdoor space with freshness and charm. These budget-friendly planters add a touch of personality to your backyard oasis.

3. Outdoor Lighting: Illuminate the Ambiance

Enhance the ambiance of your backyard retreat with budget-friendly outdoor lighting solutions. String lights, solar-powered lanterns, or DIY mason jar luminaries can transform your outdoor space into a magical haven after dusk. These affordable lighting options not only add warmth but also extend the usability of your backyard into the evening hours.

4. Upcycled Décor: From Trash to Treasure

Unleash your inner artist by upcycling everyday items into captivating décor pieces for your backyard. Turn old tires into colorful ottomans, repurpose mason jars into candle holders, or transform wine bottles into elegant torches. Upcycled décor not only adds character to your outdoor space but also showcases your eco-conscious mindset.

5. Thrift Store Finds: Hidden Gems Await

Explore thrift stores or garage sales to uncover hidden gems that can elevate your backyard décor without breaking the bank. From vintage furniture to quirky garden ornaments, thrift stores offer a treasure trove of affordable décor options. With a keen eye and a bit of luck, you can score unique pieces that add charm and character to your outdoor sanctuary.

6. Creative Signage: Personalize Your Space

Add a touch of whimsy to your backyard oasis with creative signage. Craft personalized signs using reclaimed wood, chalkboards, or even old window frames. Whether it's a welcoming message, inspirational quote, or directional signage, creative signage adds a personalized touch to your outdoor haven, reflecting your unique style and personality.

7. Outdoor Rug: Define Your Space

Define and anchor your outdoor seating area with a budget-friendly outdoor rug. Opt for durable and weather-resistant materials that can withstand the elements. A stylish outdoor rug not only adds warmth and texture to your backyard but also delineates different zones, creating a cohesive and inviting atmosphere for relaxation and entertainment.

8. DIY Fire Pit: Gather Around the Glow

Transform your backyard into a cozy gathering spot with a DIY fire pit. Utilize inexpensive materials like concrete retaining wall blocks or repurpose an old metal drum to craft a budget-friendly fire pit. Gather around the crackling flames with friends and family, roasting marshmallows and sharing stories under the starry sky.

9. Vertical Garden: Maximize Space

Make the most of limited space in your backyard by creating a vertical garden. Utilize vertical surfaces like walls, fences, or trellises to grow an array of plants, herbs, or even vegetables. Vertical gardens not only maximize space but also add visual interest and greenery to your outdoor oasis without encroaching on precious square footage.

10. DIY Outdoor Art: Unleash Your Creativity

Infuse your backyard with personality and charm by creating DIY outdoor art installations. From painted rocks and mosaic stepping stones to whimsical sculptures and wind chimes, let your creativity run wild. DIY outdoor art adds a playful and artistic dimension to your outdoor space, inviting admiration and sparking conversation.

Elevating your backyard's aesthetic appeal doesn't have to come with a hefty price tag. By embracing creativity, resourcefulness, and a dash of DIY spirit, you can transform your outdoor space into a charming oasis on a budget. From repurposed pallet furniture to whimsical outdoor art, there are endless possibilities to revamp your backyard into a cozy retreat without breaking the bank.

FAQs

Q1: How can I decorate my backyard without spending a fortune? A1: Decorating your backyard on a budget is all about creativity and resourcefulness. Explore DIY projects, upcycled décor, and thrift store finds to transform your outdoor space without breaking the bank.

Q2: Are there any eco-friendly backyard decoration ideas? A2: Absolutely! Embrace sustainability by repurposing materials, incorporating greenery with DIY planters, and opting for energy-efficient outdoor lighting solutions such as solar-powered lanterns.

Q3: What are some low-maintenance backyard decoration options? A3: Opt for durable materials and weather-resistant décor pieces to minimize maintenance. Consider low-maintenance plants, synthetic outdoor rugs, and easy-to-clean furniture to keep your backyard oasis looking fresh with minimal effort.

[cheapretainingwallideas1]

Cheap Retaining Wall Ideas

Retaining walls are a necessity in many landscapes, helping prevent soil erosion and adding depth to the design. However, they can also be quite expensive to build, particularly when large-scale construction is involved or if the wall must be built on a sloped property. Luckily, there are many ways to keep costs down while still creating a functional and attractive landscaping feature. These cheap retaining wall ideas range from using railroad ties to building a retaining wall with cinder blocks or even concrete blocks. With the right materials and a little bit of creativity, you can create an affordable retaining wall that adds to your landscape design and helps protect your home's investment. You can find more information about choosing a cheapretainingwallideas.

One of the most inexpensive options for a retaining wall is to use breeze blocks, also known as concrete masonry units. These sturdy blocks are easy to assemble and come in a variety of colors, which gives homeowners a lot of flexibility when designing their retaining wall. The design of this particular retaining wall is very simple, but the use of varying color blocks gives it an organic and earthy feel that works well in contemporary landscapes.

Another option for a retaining wall is to use railroad ties, which are large wooden beams often used in railway construction. These sturdy and inexpensive blocks can be stacked on top of each other to create a strong and visually appealing retaining wall. If you're looking for a more modern look, then you may want to consider building your retaining wall with concrete blocks or pavers instead of timbers. Concrete blocks are easier to install and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes, allowing you to create the perfect look for your landscaping.

For a more rustic, yet still impressively designed retaining wall, you can try to build one using pressure-treated 2x4s, plywood, and trim boards. This type of retaining wall can be easily built on your own and is much cheaper than a stone or concrete option. If you're concerned about the durability of this type of retaining wall, you can always backfill it with geogrid to provide additional stability and help with drainage.

If you're a fan of natural stone, then you can save money on the cost of a retaining wall by using natural boulders to construct the structure. This type of retaining wall is versatile and looks great when combined with creeping groundcovers, which can hide the rocks and make the wall appear more organic.

For a cheap option for a retaining wall, you can use a mixture of concrete and cinder blocks, which is easier to install than poured concrete. These concrete blocks come in a variety of sizes, which allows you to build a taller and more sturdy retaining wall on a budget.

[carmelhomesdesignbuildllc]

Role of a Bathroom Remodeling Contractor in Paradise Valley and Scottsdale, AZ

The bathroom is a necessary part of one's home. It is also a place to be alone and enjoy solitude. It is a shame to continue using a small and dingy bathroom forever. Turning to an accomplished bathroom remodeling contractor in Paradise Valley and Scottsdale, AZ, can be a step in the right direction.

While the contractor may provide tips and help with the actual remodeling yet the idea behind the new and luxurious bathroom has to be the homeowners. Some of the aspects that need to be considered without delay must include the following:-

· Budget- This is a necessity that cannot be put off. Working according to a plan becomes possible only when one has a fair idea of the costs involved. It is important to remember that working with top bathroom remodeling contractors will not be cheap. On the contrary, the best materials, unique designs, and the employment of a trained workforce can be expensive. One can lay down the rules and share the budgetary limitations with the contractor to ensure a beautiful bathroom without spiraling the costs.

· Bathroom Type- Well, there are multiple types of bathrooms to consider. From functional to opulent and everything in between, the bathroom's appearance is not limited by one's imagination. One can thus have the contractor chalk out a plan after determining the right type, namely:

Standard Bathroom

Half Bath

Wet Bathroom

Luxury or Over The Top Bathroom

· Layout- It is the onus of the contractor to have a layout ready according to the available space. The user may tweak the features by altering the sink, toilet, and bath placement too. Many homeowners are happy to retain the existing layout, as changing the plumbing and adding too many fixtures can make the expenses soar. Again, one may ask for a bigger bathroom by adding more space from the adjoining room. Whatever the desire, discussing the matter with the contractor and/or an interior designer in advance makes sense.

· Illumination- A bathroom cannot be constructed or redone without thinking of the lights and other illuminating fixtures. There are choices galore! Poor lighting can rob the bathroom of its beauty and functionality. Some of the best lighting that may be considered for a new or remodeled bathroom are:-

Provision of natural light via windows and wide ventilators! A skylight may also help stream natural sunlight during the daytime.

Artificial lighting is extremely popular as bathroom illumination today. Recessed LED lights placed on a dimmer switch can create the right mood. Soft lighting at the level of one's head can create the right effect without causing long shadows.

· Luxury Features- Adding some of the following features/fixtures will up the luxurious feel within the bathroom too:

Heated floor & towel rail

Wall-mounted features

Connecting with a seasoned contractor for full home remodeling in 85258 and 85260 can help one to lead a modern life despite moving into a period home.

[smallerplaces]

It's Britney, Bitch: Kitchen BEFORE

My 7" Britney Spears doll lives in a gray mansard house built from the Petite Dreams Deluxe kit, a house that looks almost exactly like a Real Good Toys "Alison Jr.," only in reverse. I built the house with my parents as a family project over Labor Day 2017, so it was Mom's choice that the floors are painted brown and the walls off-white. She furnished it in very serious Old West.

When I moved into the family home a couple years after her death, I decided this was the only 1:12 house I was going to keep, since it had meaning to me, it's mostly flat and up so it takes a reasonable amount of space, and it goes with my gray bedroom walls. I refurnished it primarily with my own 1:12 furniture (previously in an IKEA Flisat that I didn't bother moving), plus pieces from Mom's collection that I particularly liked or found especially useful.

I'm now giving myself permission to really work on it.

The overall concept is that the house is the "big fancy house" in one of those little towns in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, in the present day. It's been divided into a main house (four rooms) and an income apartment (two rooms). It's to have been redone to capture or retain historic character while being modernized.

Let's take out the furniture and see what we have.

I'm 90% sure that the stainless steel kitchen set is from Hobby Lobby. While Mom boycotted everything in sight for the most random reasons, she never boycotted Hobby Lobby even though its management promotes appalling bigotry that she was supposedly opposed to. I'm chalking that up to the power of location: it's on the main drag of our city, near stores she shopped regularly. The other big craft stores are or were: (a) out near the highway in a difficult-to-get-to plaza; (b) way out past the highway; or (c) in the next town over. I've been tempted, just because it's so much closer than Michaels, but then I remind myself that its leadership would cheerfully have me killed, and there are limits.

Nonetheless, I'm keeping it, because it wasn't my purchase decision. I'm not tracking down the provenance of every innocent-looking item I've inherited, so there are probably items that are way more ethically gray. Also, I still wince when I recall my efforts to create a stainless steel kitchen using a cheap set from AC Moore.

The table set is a must-have because it was my find at an antique store in Sedona, Arizona, when I took the old AZ Shuttle there to get away from the Phoenix heat one summer. On the way up, I'd been talking with the shuttle driver about her dollhouses, and she talked me into the idea of making a quaint little cabin in a Greenleaf Corona Concepts "Primrose." So of course it was Meant to Be when I found this table set!

I never did order a Primrose kit, but this dining set is important and must be included.

Most of these items are things I bought at the Phoenix Park 'n' Swap or at the little J Chew Mexican Import shop in Scottsdale, or that Mom bought when I took her to those places. So they stay, and get some friends added out of my stash.

So the one thing that isn't making the cut is the paper rug that looks like a quilt. This room still needs a lot of work.

Flooring: I want something that says "Victorian California" but also says "washable."

Is this an occasion for subway tile?

Tin ceiling. Seriously. A must-have.

Shelving: means I can display more accessories.

Art: where the accessories don't fit.

Did I mention accessories?

It is time to get cracking on research.

[fairmontfirst]

Finding Your Perfect Match: How House And Land Packages Simplify Homebuying?

One of the biggest decisions you'll make in life is buying a home. It's a big financial commitment, but it also has huge implications on your day-to-day life. The good news is that there are plenty of different factors to consider when purchasing property – from deciding what type of house you want, to finding the right location. 

But what if there was another variable to throw into the mix? What if instead of browsing through listings online or viewing houses with real estate agents, you could be looking at House And Land Packages South Adelaide too? That's exactly what a house and land package offers: convenience and flexibility when buying new property as well as a whole lot more value for money. Let's find out more about how this works.

What is a house and land package?

A house and land package is a home that has been built on a block of land. The buyer gets both the house and the land for one price.

There are many benefits of purchasing a house and land package, including:

You can choose your own layout for your new home. You can choose how many bedrooms you want, what size kitchen you want and where you want it positioned in relation to other rooms in the house. You might also be able to choose what type of bathroom fittings are installed in each room (eg bathtub vs shower).

It's cheaper than buying an existing property with separate blocks of land next door because there's no need for foundations or retaining walls - these have already been constructed by developers when they build their communities together with streetscape features such as sidewalks etc.

Why are house and land packages popular?

House and land packages are popular because they are a great way to get into the property market. A house and land package allows you to get a home at a reasonable price, while also giving you plenty of choice when it comes to choosing your own builder or using the one recommended by the developer.

You can choose from different sizes and styles of homes that meet your needs, whether it be a luxury mansion or something more modestly sized with more space for outdoor entertaining areas like decks and pools.

How do I get the best deal on a house and land package?

When you're looking for a house and land package, it's important to compare prices from different builders. A builder might offer a cheap price on the lot but charge more than another builder for the house and land combined. To get an accurate idea of what your total cost will be, ask for a detailed breakdown of all components:

Land price

House price (and features)

Lot price

Conclusion

House And Land Packages South Adelaide are a great way to get into the property market. They allow you to buy both your home and land in one transaction, which means less stress and more convenience for you as a buyer. 

The price of these packages will vary depending on what kind of house you want (from basic or luxury), but they're still cheaper than buying both separately because you only pay once for everything!