Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Plans a $7-million Renovation Project

The Outdoor Symbolic Memorial alongside the interactive museum commemorate those individuals who died during the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995. Five years after the bombing, the memorial was dedicated to honor the victims. The interactive museum was dedicated a few months after to tell stories of each bombing victim.

To further enhance how the museum engages with the public, the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum will be planning an $7 million renovation project. The museum will be upgraded with expansions including more facilities and added insights.

Renovation is expected to last for 11 month. Currently, the museum is starting with the first part of the five-phase project. Expected completion month will be November 2014.

Based on the master plan, the museum will be expanding the Gallery of Honor to accommodate videos from family members of the victims. Investigation evidence will also be displayed to give insights on how the said bombing happened. Added facilities include an overlook balcony, which provides an added view of the memorial. More artifacts and stories will also be added to the museum.

Heather & Alan Davis
Oklahoma City Realtors
http://www.alanandheatherdavis.com

Garden Boot Camp Offered for Oklahoma Gardeners

Growing your own garden can reap a lot of benefits. Not only does it provide lovely scenery right outside your home, but you can also save a lot of money and have more control over what you put into your body if you grow your own food.

Soon, the spring season will be here, and it will be the perfect time to begin gardening. In anticipation of that, Oklahoma County Master Gardeners is once again offering a helping hand to gardeners in the community to help prepare them before the growing season starts.

A Garden Boot Camp will be held for three consecutive Saturdays at the Oklahoma County Extension Service, 930 N Portland Ave., starting on January 25. The boot camp will provide helpful information to gardeners to assist them in having more bountiful yields this year. Topics will include soil fertility and choosing the right annuals and perennials for your garden.

The program will start from 9:30 a.m. and last until 3:15 p.m. The registration fee is $35, which includes supplies. The deadline for enrollment is January 17.

Heather & Alan Davis
Oklahoma City Realtors
http://www.alanandheatherdavis.com

Tips for Cleaning Your Chimney

If you have a functioning fireplace, it is important to maintain it in order for it to operate properly.  If you neglect your chimney, it will gather a lot of trash and tar that can impact the efficiency of your fireplace and even create a fire hazard in your home.   Each year, there are more than 45,000 chimney fires in America that cause about $125 million in damaged property and an average of 30 deaths.

Cleaning your chimney is one of the most important things you can do to keep your fireplace clean and safe. Chimney repair can be expensive and quite troublesome to do, but fortunately  there are several ways you can clean it yourself.

1. One of the easiest ways to clean your chimney is from the roof. Wear pair of sturdy shoes with grippy rubber soles and bring a brush and tarp or drop cloth. Stand on your roof and use the brush to clean the interior walls of the chimney.  Just remember to close off the opening to the fireplace first in order to prevent soot and dirt from falling down and covering your carpets and furniture.

2. If you are planning to clean the flue, you can easily get rid of the ashes by using a flat fireplace shovel to remove stubborn ashes and a high pressure vacuum cleaner to remove dust. Make sure that the ashes do not accumulate more than two inches at any given time.

3. Make sure you have a good chimney cap to prevent moisture from the elements from seeping into the chimney.  That can cause the tiles to dissolve and allow corrosive elements from the exhaust to mix and weaken the liner. If you don’t have a chimney cap, purchase one with screen mesh that has a lifetime warranty. The screen mesh will prevent animals from getting in your chimney and also keep sparks from reaching the roof.

Heather & Alan Davis
Oklahoma City Realtors
http://www.alanandheatherdavis.com

Front Porch Design Ideas

An attractive front porch can add remarkable value to your home. It creates a lovely view of your neighborhood and gives your home a distinctive look. The design of your porch depends on your aesthetic preferences and the materials available in your area. The durability of the materials that you use is an important factor to consider, especially if you live in a constantly changing climate. Your porch should also be comfortable for you and for your whole family to enjoy.

Since the design of your front porch is like a huge welcome sign, it has to be well-planned. Think of your porch as an outdoor room. Combine garden decor with comfy seating and nice lighting. A plant lamp is perfect for the outdoors and can work with a potted plant or a hanging basket. Putting up a mirror outside your house can reflect the beautiful trees and flowers around you. Just make sure that it is secure enough to prevent wind from blowing it.

Think of the ages of the people in your home. If you have mostly older adults, you might consider adding bentwood rockers and relaxing hammocks. If you have teenagers, they love to bounce up from papa-san chairs and bean bag fixture.

Painting your decor is a great way to create a unified look for your front porch. Always remember to use high-quality spray paint and take time to wipe and clean everything thoroughly before coloring. By simply coordinating the colors of your front porch, you will be surprised by the transformation.

Heather & Alan Davis
Oklahoma City Realtors
http://www.alanandheatherdavis.com

Oklahoma State Parks Offer Free Guided Hikes on New Year’s Day

It’s almost 2014! And, what better way to greet the New Year than to be close with the nature? Once again, for the third year in a row, Oklahoma State Parks will be opening their doors on New Year’s Day with free guided hikes for those who love to commune with nature.

State Parks that will be offering free hikes are Foss State Park, Keystone State Park, Lake Eufaula State Park, Lake Murray State Park, and Osage Hills State Park.

Anyone who wants to join should bring along water, snacks, binoculars, and a camera if they desire. Hikers are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes and weather appropriate clothing. Park staff and volunteers will be leading the hikes, which will range from less than a mile to more than three miles in length.

Heather & Alan Davis
Oklahoma City Realtors
http://www.alanandheatherdavis.com

New Oklahoma City Downtown Park Approved for MAPS 3

MAPS 3 is an ongoing project in Oklahoma City that aims to provide improvements to the overall lifestyle of its citizens. Some of the project’s improvement plans have included sidewalk improvements, construction of new public buildings and amenities, and improvements to the streetcar route.

As part of the beautification plan for the downtown area, a new downtown park was approved this week by the MAPS 3 advisory panel. The park, which will be used to link the Oklahoma River and downtown areas will be called Core-to-Shore.

The new park will include beautiful gardens and a large grassy lawn facing a huge outdoor stage. Fountains will be added to various locations and a promenade and lake will be some of the main attractions.

Core-to-Shore Park will be connected to the SkyDance pedestrian bridge and will take up 40 acres north of Interstate-40 and 30 acres between the interstate and the river. It will be located south of the Myriad Gardens and will be between Hudson and Robinson avenues.

Construction of the project will require $80 million from the $132 million budget, and it is expected to be completed by 2021.

Heather & Alan Davis
Oklahoma City Realtors
http://www.alanandheatherdavis.com

Ways to Utilize the Space Under Your Stairs

If you live in a two-story house, your stairs to the second floor take up a lot of space on the first floor and leave a wedge-shaped vacant area beneath them. This area under the stairs is oftentimes neglected or is used for shoes and hanging coats if there is enough room. The problem with this is that it can rapidly become a dumping ground for hiding random things.

There are many ways you can transform the area underneath your stairs, however, once you recognize its potential. With a little thought, you could turn it into an efficient area that serves multiple needs.

Here are few tips to make the space under your stairs more useful:

1. Install shelves, cabinets, and drawers under the stairs. You can buy ready-made stackable units or add custom, built-ins if you have an usually sized area.  This provides plenty of room to store off-season clothing, seasonal decorations, and keepsake items you do not display in the main part of your house.
2. 2. If the space is close to the water supply or drain lines, you can install a small half-bath or powder room. You can use space-saving fixtures, like a wall-mounted sink and toilet, to maximize the space and add value to your home.  You can also turn the space under your stairs into a mini-utility room, where you can hide your washing machine and dryer from the main part of the house.
3. 3. If you have an open staircase, the space underneath is a great place to squeeze in a little home office or study nook. You can add bookshelves and a  small desktop that is either shallow enough to fit under your stairs or has the ability to fold up into the wall. Use space-saving containers to keep desk accessories and stationery neat and tidy without causing clutter.

Heather & Alan Davis
Oklahoma City Realtors
http://www.alanandheatherdavis.com

Paint Ideas for Your Kids Room?

Decorating a kid’s bedroom is like having playtime yourself. It is a fun process because you don’t have to follow any strict design rules.

There are several fun and easy painting ideas for kids’ rooms that anyone can do. You can either hire professionals to do the task or just do it on your own. This article provides some tips and ideas for your kid’s bedroom that will easily transform its look and feel.

If you decide to do a basic solid color theme for your kid’s room, there are many fun and exciting colors beyond the norm.  The trick is to use them in moderation, so they add to the overall design of the room versus overpowering it.   You can also choose paints that create the illusion of different textures like velvet. Magnetic paint is another option that allows magnets to stick to the wall, which provides hours of fun.

Painting murals onto the walls of the room is another great option. You can usually have an amateur artist paint your desired scene at a reasonable price.  Or, if you feel confident in your artistic skills, you can even do it yourself or use stencils to help guide you.  Murals can dramatically change the look and feel of a bedroom and can easily turn it into a fantasy world.

On other hand, you can also choose a certain theme that your kid is interested in.  Picking a theme can make it easier for you to figure out exactly what you are looking for when it comes to colors, bedding, window treatments, etc.  It will give you a clear picture of how you want to paint the room and what colors you will want to use. Animal themes are always great because they offer a wide range of sub-styles to choose from.  Other popular themes are sports for boys and princesses for girls.

Approach decorating your kid’s room with the mindset of a child.  Let loose and have fun and even let your  child assist you with some of the work.  It will give them an even greater sense of pride in the finished result and will provide you with fun, quality time together.

Heather & Alan Davis
Oklahoma City Realtors
http://www.alanandheatherdavis.com

Leaf Donations Accepted at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma for Mulching

If you have piles of dried leaves on your property and want to get rid of them, consider donating them instead of just throwing them away. The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is now accepting leaf donations to be used as mulch for its gardening program called Urban Harvest.

Urban Harvest is a sustainable gardening program that was created to promote organic farming and more efficient gardening techniques. Through the production of organic fruits and vegetables from the program, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma has been able to distributed healthier foods to their feeding programs.

Aside from organic production, Urban Harvest is also reaching out to the community through gardening trainings and education to assist gardeners and partnerships with other gardens.

Donated leaves will be converted into mulch and compost for use in the Urban Harvest gardens. Partner gardens of the organization in the city will also received some of the materials. Those who want to donate leaves can email Mason at mweaver@regionalfoodbank.org or go to their main office at 3355 S. Purdue Avenue, Oklahoma City. Donations will be accepted until December 18.

Heather & Alan Davis
Oklahoma City Realtors
http://www.alanandheatherdavis.com

How to Avoid Stress During Holiday Preparations

With the holidays just around the corner, many people are thinking of the get-togethers they will soon have with their families and friends. The joy of gathering together in one place offers a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and create memories year after year.

However, with all the fun and merriment that the holiday season brings, there is also a lot of stress during preparations. Because there are many to think about, such as holiday decorations, shopping for gifts, and making holiday meals, it can be easy to become overwhelmed.

To help you avoid stress during holidays, here are a few tips:

• Plan ahead. It is never too early to start planning your holiday feast and how you plan to entertain and welcome guests. Create a list of what you need to do and what you want to have happen when guests are in your house. This will give you an idea of the things you need to shop for and to prepare for your home ahead of time.
• Clean and service your kitchen appliances. Your kitchen will be the busiest room in the house during the holidays, so in order to make everything run smoother and faster, make sure your kitchen appliances are functioning well.
• Start reducing clutter at home. Even if the holidays may be a few weeks away, reducing clutter in phases can significantly reduce your cleaning workload when the holidays are a few days away. For example, on one day, you can sort your refrigerator and throw out old items, so you have enough space to store new food.  On another day, you can polish your wood furniture.
• Prepare your guest rooms. You may have guests who will stay at your house, so be sure your guestroom is always ready for them by already adding necessities such as clean towels and bathroom essentials.
• Delegate work. Do not take on all the responsibilities when it comes to holiday celebrations. Remember, even if you are the hosts everyone must take part for the celebration to be a success. You can organize a potluck where everyone can bring a food item to share at the meal. Also, have your spouse or children help you cooking and clean the house.
• Decorate ahead. Hang holiday decorations as early as possible, so you don’t have to worry about them at the last minute.  Plus, it will allow you to enjoy a magical feeling in your home.

Heather & Alan Davis
Oklahoma City Realtors
http://www.alanandheatherdavis.com