September 1994

Between friends

First-Class Vacations on a Bargain Budget

Imagine basking in the sun on Hawaii. Saving big bucks on a cruise. Staying in a staffed villa in the Caribbean. Renting a home or elegant apartment in Europe.

Avoiding Arguments With Your Kids

AFTER TOO MANY UGLY SCENES, A PARENT FINALLY LEARNS THE POWER OF FOUR WORDS

HEALTH ALERT

New Life for Old Glasses

Health Update

Safeguarding Your Medical Records

Have you ever been denied life insurance for reasons you didn't quite understand?

Gardener's almanac

Front-yard facelift

Fresh landscaping can breathe new life into the dreariest front yard. That's why the owners of this rambling ranch allowed us to revive their ailing entry. This facelift included a new brick walkway, generously-sized planting beds, and a colorful assortment of trees, shrubs, and flowers. Here's how you can give your home the same treatment.

Spicing up the kitchen

You've inherited a dreary, boxed-in kitchen that's decades out of date? It's a common complaint as new generations move into dark bungalows, rabbit-warren ranches, and cramped cottages designed for their grandparents.

Fall gatherings

The wonderland that could supply the materials for this tabletop wreath may be as close as your own backyard. Look there for a bounty of greenery, pinecones, acorns, and berries. Then, assemble it according to the directions, below. For more centerpiece ideas, turn the page.

His-and-hers design

When it came time for artist Marna Balin and her husband Richard Hill to settle down on their northern California acreage, they took matters into their own hands. Literally. Combining her skills as a fine artist with his as a home builder and furniture designer, they created the refuge of their dreams-- a bright and airy home that blends time-honored furnishings and architectural elements with fresh, modern-day spirit.

Dressed to frill

Whether clean-cut or soft around the edges, today's slipcovers give a fresh look to basic seating pieces. Could your rooms use a wardrobe change? To inspire you, we've dressed this home two ways, paying attention to the latest in decorative sewing details. Pick the look that suits you, or draw ideas from both styles to become your own quick-change artist. You can have these furniture, pillow, and bed covers professionally sewn, or make your own with our mail-order directions. Whichever, these clever cover-ups will have the new look you've been longing for all sewn up.

Information guide

You can get useful ideas and product information by mail. Use the coupon in this section to order your choice of literature listed below.

Getting the Lead Out

Scientists and doctors have finally reached and agreement on the permissible levels of lead in the human body--zero.

Piping Hot Pillows

Set off a plain pillow with pretty, easy-to-sew piping. Use the same fabric as the pillow face to create a soft outline, or pick a coordinating fabric for a piping that stands out like colorful matting on artwork. Here's how to do it:

Back to school

Days grow shorter and cooler, vacations are over, and the kids, while they won't admit it, are just a tad bored. It's time for new beginnings. You might have a tiny tot just beginning those school days, or maybe you're heading back yourself after a few years' break. Turn the pages and you'll be inspired for a season of learning.

The Shopper' Mart

Discover the ease arid pleasure of shopping ... mail. Order from the convenience of your ... home with complete confidence.

Auto update

Oldsmobile is going head-to-elegant-head against foreign luxury cars with its introduction of the 1995 Aurora. The feisty four-door, front-wheel-drive sedan not only looks the part, with its aerodynamic lines and minimal ornamentation, but it also acts the part, humming along the highway with a powerful new 4.0-liter, double-overhead-cam, V-8 engine.

Electronic Pet Restraints

What you can't see can help you; it may even save your pet's life. That's the principle behind underground pet containment systems, which create an electronic safety shield around your yard without the use of traditional fencing. Your pet roams freely, but only within the boundaries you've chosen.

The man next door

One purpose for September in our part of the country, advises Uncle Dodd Buckner, "is to use up the rest of the hot weather that didn't get crammed into August!"