November 1976

Early spring? Easy!

Are you afflicted by that late-winter, will-spring-ever-get-here feeling? You don't have to wait until April or May for the refreshing colors of spring flowers. Just force bulbs of your favorites into bloom!

HOW DO OTHER FAMILIES GET ALONG FINANCIALLY?

Flush with cash from the sale of their first home, Jon and Kathi Lounsberry of Goleta, California, paid off their bills and moved into a comfortable new home-- and it's already worth over 20 percent more than when they bought it a year ago.

Plant Lighting Pointers

You don't need a degree in physics to understand light and how it affects plants. Just keep this in mind: Pure "white" sunlight is made up of all the colors you can see plus some you can't see. Passing white light through a prism breaks it down into the specific wavelengths we call visible colors. A rainbow does this naturally.

THE HIGH-FIBER DIET

Would you feel better and live longer if you ate more bran, blackberries, and green beans? Would you be less vulnerable to intestinal cancer and heart attacks? Is there any truth to the claims about the importance of fiber in the diet? Or is the high-fiber theory just another dietary fad?

How to see your furnishings ... spots

... of the most unsettling ... in our American vocabulary is "oops." It signals ... and to keep that spill ... resulting in a spot, you'll ... to take speedy and appropriate action. Here are ... guidelines:

Should you co-sign a loan?

There's no reason not to-- provided you understand your obligations and can trust the borrower. In fact, knowing that your signature is enabling somebody to get the money he needs can be very satisfying.

BOLD UPDATING OF A DOWDY KITCHEN

Unlike many kitchen remodelings, this one didn't entail tearing down walls. The pantry was retained as a pantry but was completely updated. The breakfast area remained but was facelifted, and the kitchen itself got new cabinets.

TIPS TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

A REGULAR FEATURE DESIGNED TO MAKE AROUND-THE-HOUSE JOBS EASIER FOR YOU

First aid kit for glasses

Hung up on door hanging?

Long-lived batteries

Two burgers, comin' up!

An easier way to water hanging houseplants

Mobility for plants that don't get around much anymore

Easy-does-it rustic plank ceiling

GARDENING IN NOVEMBER

You may think there's ... much gardening left to do after heavy frost has stripped your garden, but now's the ideal time to take care of several jobs.

Is your home properly humidified?

A recent study turned up the fact that nine of ten American households are almost twice as dry as Death Valley. Does this include your home? To find out how dry it really is, put a small humidity gauge in your bedroom.

A SEASHORE MOBILE YOU CAN MAKE

Wondering what to do with at collection of shells your family invariably hauls home ... a trip to the seashore? ... them out, string them up, ... you can have a shell mobile like this one.

When should you give someone your power of attorney?

Authorizing someone to act legally on your behalf can be a sensible move in several situations. For example, you might expect an important transaction to come up when you'll be out of the country and can't actually sign the papers yourself.

OFFBEAT HEADBOARDS

Step-by-step project scrapbook

SPRUCING UP YOUR CAR'S UPHOLSTERY

Upholstery is a feature of automobiles that's easy to take for granted. About the only time you notice it is when some minor blemish or rip suddenly reaches maturity, or perhaps when a prospective buyer points to your car's shabby interior as he simultaneously whittles away at your asking price.

HOW TO ORDER MATERIAL FROM THE MAGAZINE

Christmas Toys What a beautiful gift for your children or grandchildren Enchanting toys made with love are sure to be cherished by any youngster. And because you made them, they will be extra special! None have batteries or electrical power, yet all move, swing, or spin. Our Project Plan includes easy-to-follow drawings, woodcutting diagrams, dimensional drawings of every detail, a materials list, and step-by-step instructions for making Bernie the Bobbing Bird, Flying Ignatz, Whirligig, and Little Deuce Coupe. Order No. 50329 Project Plan.

7 ways to be a smart shopper this Christmas

Like millions of Americans, you probably spend much of your pre-holiday time in stores, rushing around buying gifts, and parting with as much money in just a few weeks as you would normally lay out in several months.

OLD-FASHIONED DOLLS TO STITCH AND STUFF

Before you do a thing to our ten tiny dolls, you'll be enchanted by them. Each is a delightful turn-of-the-century character with a distinctive personality. Add your own special touches such as delicately painted or crayoned costumes and a smidgen of elegant embroidery if you like. Then, stitch the dolls with care, stuff them ever so slightly, and they're ready for you to bestow as party gifts or to hang on your Christmas tree.

A ROOMFUL OF FURNITURE FROM JUST 3 SHEETS OF PLYWOOD

Looking for an easy and inexpensive way to furnish a room in your house? Here are details for three easy-to-build projects (plus two alternatives) you can build in a single weekend. Each project requires just one sheet of plywood, common tools, and only a bit of basic carpentry knowledge.

35 HOUSEPLANTS WE KNOW YOU CAN GROW

Even If your thumb isn't faintly green, you can enjoy lush, healthy greenery indoors. The trick is to choose reliable, undemanding plants.

WHAT NEEDLEPOINT DIRECTIONS DON'T TELL YOU

Alas for the novice needlepointer, project directions often assume too much and provide too little in the way of basic information. But once a few simple facts are explained, you can avoid frazzled nerves-- and frayed yarn-- and really enjoy your projects.

ACTION TOYS TO MAKE FOR CHRISTMAS

CRAFTS NATIVELY AMERICAN

For generation after generation, American Indian artisans and Craftsmen have continued to create one of the world's richest and most distinctive collections of design art. Today, the magnificent rug art of the Navahos, the exquisite beadwork of the Indians of the Great Plains, and the colorful pottery of the Pueblo Indians-- to name just a few outstanding examples-- are rightfully considered museum pieces. From this enormous storehouse of design, we have borrowed the motifs for this unusual collection of Crafts Natively American.

Scandinavian design

Scandinavian design is a look and a life-style whose time has come in America. It's the answer for those of us who want to uncomplicate our lives and unclutter our homes ... to dig out from under plies of possessions and streamline our living with no-frills furnishings that make sense.

Timely Turkey Talk

Ever had to wait helplessly for the turkey to finish roasting while the rest of the festive dinner sits and suffers in readiness? Here's how to avoid the time lag.

The Far West

When the dust of the gold rush had settled and the formalities of Appomattox were over, America suddenly found itself straddling a continent. A generation of Americans were eager to put the bitter lessons of Shiloh and Gettysburg behind them, and the words Oregon and California offered hope of a fresh start in a new land.

Shopping editor's choice

Discover the ease and pleasure of shopping by ... Order from the convenience of your own ... with complete confidence. If not delighted, ... company will happily refund your money.

The Man Next Door

Doc Hannelly has a standard prescription for parents worried about a child's lack of appetite: "Pack one lunch. Pack patient in auto with lunch. Start to go somewhere, anywhere. Patient will want to eat before city limits are reached."