November 1979

When your child gets a really bad teacher

Tom just didn't want to go to school. Until this year, he'd always liked school. But now, in the fifth grade, something was wrong. Almost every morning he was reluctant to get out of bed and often complained of headaches.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU'RE OVEREXTENDED

The symptoms are all too familiar: Panic when you sit down to pay the bills. A rash of "second notices" in the mail. The nagging sense that you're always robbing Peter to pay Paul-- more specifically, invading savings to meet the next car payment.

A BACK-OF-THE-HOUSE RETREAT

How to know what you're getting in a tune-up

"Tune up and save gas!" advise the government, the oil companies, and others promoting energy conservation. While it's true a properly tuned car gets up to 20 percent more mileage than a car needing a a tune-up, the tune-up itself can cost you ore than you bargained for.

An insulating fireplace mask you can build

SET A STUNNING TABLE with HOUSEPLANTS

Guess what's coming to dinner-- or breakfast, lunch, or any meal? Your favorite houseplants, that's what. And the idea is as practical as it is decorative. By using your plants as centerpieces or favors, you save the expense and bother of buying perishable cut flowers.

SEE WHAT YOU CAN GAIN By Subtracting a Ceiling!

When you're seeking more elbowroom at your house, don't be too quick to resort to a costly addition. First, consider what some judicious subtraction could do. Walls are obvious candidates for moving and removing-- but sometimes there are even more dramatic possibilities overhead, especially if you have an unfinished attic up there.

VERSATILE PROJECTS TO STREAMLINE YOUR KITCHEN

Do you have to dig into the far reaches of your cupboards to find your company-only casserole dish or salad bowl? Or prepare half the family meals on the dining room table because the kitchen counters are full? If so, you'll appreciate these two kitchen projects. Both combine hidden storage space with a variety of other functions-- the units can be used for everything from an extra work counter or dining table to a kitchen divider.

Spotlight on lights

Easy-up wall coverings

Parents' rights

Designing with style

Historic miniatures

Learning by doing

Super lamp

What's your financial liability for your kids?

You hope it won't happen, but sometimes it does: Your ten-year-old hops on his bicycle and rides away. Turning to wave to a friend, he swerves and knocks over an elderly neighbor, who falls and breaks her wrist.

Choosing and using a dinette set

In newer homes today, the traditional separate dining room is more of an exception than a rule. Its contemporary equivalent is the family dining area, a space that falls somewhere between a breakfast nook and a standard room in both size and function.

THREE GREAT LAMPS YOU CAN BUILD YOURSELF

Few lights can outshine this trio when it comes to good looks and efficiency. And you can build these designs yourself. Just round up some wood, aluminum, plastic, and a few basic lamp parts, and you're all ready to create these spectacular turn-ons.

HOW TO REFINISH WOOD FURNITURE

Whether you're motivated by a pure love of Americana or a practical desire to save money by recycling wood furniture, finding treasures and getting them home is just the beginning. Restoring wood furniture to its original beauty can be a time-consuming, tedious task-- but the reward is considerable. ...

What to know before you buy stereo equipment

If you don't understand the jargon, it's easy to get confused about stereo equipment. All of the lights, dials, and specifications can be intimidating. But shopping for sound eventually comes down to some pretty basic choices. Here we answer 10 stereo questions to help you make sound buying decisions.

REMODELING FOR THE LONG RUN

When you pump hard-earned dollars into a major kitchen revamp, you want it to last forever-- or almost. That's why a good designer will choose durable materials and time-tested colors for major expense items, such as cabinets, wall treatments, counters, and flooring. And that's exactly what Dyann Kocsis did when she designed this kitchen.

Seating that stays in style

Bright ideas for kids' rooms

How to care for fine art

Even if your house is tidier than average, your fine art is surrounded by environmental enemies. When you cook, run water, turn on lights, and heat and coot your house, you're contributing to what experts call a "hostile environment." Here are some steps you can take to protect your art from its enemies.

Privacy for a corner lot

How can you ensure privacy if your house occupies a corner lot and the front is completely exposed to the street? Rather than hide behind closed drapes, these homeowners added a privacy screen to shield the house and a trellis roof extension to face-lift the garage. Besides providing the needed privacy, the additions enhanced the front of the house and even created brand-new outdoor living space.

How to get rid of unsightly hair

Hair usually appears just about everywhere on the body, influenced by such growth determinants as race, age, sex and hormones. However, hair that's quite normal medically can be cosmetically unappealing.

Wooden window treatments

Year-end tax strategies

Some last-minute maneuvers may pay off in tax savings for you this year or next. You'll have to do some figuring, and the plan won't work for everyone, but the results could be well worth the effort.

Show-off plant displays

COUNTRY FOUR GREAT LOOKS YOU'LL LIKE

Why in this modern age of space technology and computer science should the simple furniture, tools, and handcrafts of an earlier time hold such appeal? Perhaps it's because "country style" furnishings have become synonymous with a way of life that's casual, comfortable, and totally uncomplicated.

A CHOIR OF Angels TO STITCH AND STUFF

Capture the special magic of Christmas by creating a joyous band of fabric angels. Our set of 11 musicians includes ten 7½-inch-high angels and a majestic angel in flight (see below) measuring 12 inches in length-- ideal for treetop trimming. You can embellish them with sequins, beads, and embroidery, paint them, or leave them as is. Once stitched and stuffed, the celestial band can be used dozens of ways-- as glittery ornaments, elegant package trims, party gifts, or sachets filled with sweet-smelling potpourri. Share the angels with friends and make a special keepsake set for your family to treasure.

How to give your cabinets a face-lift...

Just by giving your cabinets new faces, you can revitalize your whole kitchen. To prove the point, we've taken one rather pedestrian kitchen (photo below) and made it something special. We began by converting the cabinets, but once we got going we couldn't stop. Following this complete kitchen makeover are six alternative treatments in which cabinet conversions are the key.

How to roast TURKEY

Preparing your holiday turkey needn't be a hassle. If you follow these tips and refer to the handy roasting chart, your bird should be picture-perfect and done to a turn.

A kitchen for kibitzing

A happy landing family room

Short on space? Don't overlook the room-making potential of one of the do-nothing areas found in most homes. One idea is to turn a bay window alcove into a handy home office simply by adding a desk and chair. Or, follow the lead of these homeowners, who converted a second-floor landing into a cozy, comfortable family room.

A multipurpose room

Are you squeezed for space at your house? One of the best ways to ease the squeeze is to make one room do the work of two or more, as shown in this example.

SPECIAL DIETS

Light for a dark living room

Good News

Any tennis buff in your family should appreciate this unusual racket. The sides and top of the racket's larger-than-normal head are flattened slightly so the head has few extra-short strings. This stringing pattern produces a large hitting area with an extremely low torsion factor.

Coping with common pet problems

Of course, the best strategy is to keep your pet from adopting bad habits in the first place. But if you've slipped up somewhere, here are some tips to help you cope with common pet problems and get your pet's behavior back in line.

FAMILY TRAVEL GUIDE to the Virgin Islands

As you approach the Virgin islands by air, they resemble a fistful of buoyant pebbles scattered along an imaginary line dividing the Atlantic and the Caribbean. But look closer and you can appreciate the vacation potential of this sunny green galaxy of islands, islets, and cays rising from the glistening sea some 45 miles east of Puerto Rico.

Suit-yourself room juggling

Sometimes just a rearrangement of rooms is all that's needed to make a home more livable. In the case of this West Coast stucco, moving the master bedroom from the first floor to the basement opened up space for a sitting room. Tied into the remodeling was a small greenhouse addition.

Corner compositions

How to order material from the magazine

How to choose and use a travel agent

Unless the trip is as uncomplicated as driving to Grandma's house for the weekend, putting it together can be a nerve-frazzling experience. Where and when to go? What to eat? What to see? What to do? Should you rent a car? And, if you're planning to fly, what's what in the ever-changing conglomeration of air fares and special deals?

A classy, glassy conversion

Window wall storage

Shopping editor's choice

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

The Man Next Door

Ken Floyd brags a lot about the fuel economy of his new compact car, but I've observed that his son Ben's tricycle efficiently travels two blocks on one cup of hot chocolate.