Is There a Hot Time in Your Future? With a Home Sauna There Is

Saunas have been a way of life in many parts of the world for at least 2000 years. In Finland, with about five million people, there are nearly 2.5 million saunas. With more than one sauna for every household you know they love their saunas. Traditionally, Finnish life has centered around the sauna. Many people even went so far as to use the sauna for giving birth due to its hygienic nature. They have long been associated with health, relaxation and mental well-being. Only the real deal gets this kind of endorsement and survives the test of time.

The heart of the sauna experience is the “Loyly”. This is the envelope of heat and water vapor that surrounds you as water is poured on the hot rocks, which are known as “Konnos”. In ancient times the loyly was associated with a persons spirit and the essence of life itself. It was thought to be the cure for many diseased.

We now know that there is credible scientific evidence to support the claims of multiple health benefits when using a sauna on a regular basis. The circulatory system is stimulated due to the heat. This gives you a mild cardiovascular workout and burns calories while you relax. It has been said to be equivalent to the workout you get while walking.

Sweating is a major part of the sauna experience and has many health benefits. Your skin gets cleansed from the inside out. The pores in your skin get washed out, eliminating oils and dirt that can cause infection and skin conditions such as acne. Toxins that have accumulated in your body cells are forced out from the heat and flushed away in the sweat.

We have all heard about the health benefits of antioxidants. They balance the free radicals in our bodies that can cause damage and sap energy. When water is turned into steam to form loyly, negative ions are formed. These negative ions act much like antioxidants. Antioxidants are, in fact, just a different form of negative ions. There is also evidence that your immune system is strengthened if you use a sauna on a regular basis.

There are more than just physical benefits when using a sauna. Your mental state can be substantially improved as well. Too much stress can cause some serious physical symptoms. Having a “happy place” as a retreat from the real world can reduce stress and do us all some good. It is a lot better to use a sauna as your escape rather than chocolate, alcohol or an even more damaging vice. Feeling bad in a sauna is not easy. The relaxing and soothing environment is conducive to a sense of peace and well being which lasts a long time after you leave the sauna.

In today’s world it is much easier than ever to have access to your own personal sauna at home. The days of having to go to some inconvenient place to enjoy a sauna are long gone. There are many options available for getting one of your own. A quick check of the Internet will reveal options ranging from prebuilt units that can be delivered right to your doorstep, to precut kits or part lists for he complete do-it-yourselfer. There are units that can be up and running literally in a few minutes or you can make a week long project of a kit.

Another recent innovation is the Infrared sauna. This is a relatively new way to produce the body heat that increases circulation and promotes sweating. Infrared saunas use infrared waves that heat you but not the surrounding air, similar to the way that a microwave heats your food. There is no loyly from heating water but infrared saunas tend to be more time efficient, not needing as much warm up time. There is also strong evidence that suggests infrared heat penetrates deeper into skin, making them more effective at detoxification than traditional saunas.

With all these new developments it is no wonder hat so many people are now choosing to enjoy the health benefits of a sauna in their own home.

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Boring Curtains? Try These Three Easy Embellishments

Tired of your curtains or drapes? Are you looking for some fast, easy changes to update and add some flair to your window treatments?

Here are some ideas to add embellishments to your window treatments, adding more of your personality and flair to your home.

Add More Window Treatments

The first is to add additional window coverings. For instance, if you have long drapes, like tab topped curtains, add a swag or valence.

A swag can be anchored in the upper corners of your window with decorative knobs or posts. It will hang and drape down the sides of your curtains and scoop across the front.

For accent swags, choose fabrics to complement your drapes. If your drapes are solid, choose a print fabric. If your drapes are a dark print, choose a lighter accent color within the print.

Valences go at the top of your curtains, and will hide the top of your curtains. Valences can also be in an accent fabric, similar to swags.

Change the Look of Your Window Treatments

The second way to enhance your window treatments is to change the look of your curtains.

One easy change is to alter the hem and make a scalloped edge. There are two ways to do this.

The first way is to make a template of a scalloped edge. Tape it to the curtain bottom to be sure the proportion is correct. Then, undo the current seam for the hem. Re-cut the bottom to the scallop, and re-stitch the hem to the scallop edge. Viola - a new look for your curtains.

The second way to add a scalloped edge is to add gathers along the bottom. First, measure the bottom edge. Now, divide that sum by 4, 5, or 6, depending on which goes into your edge more evenly. For instance, if the hem line is 60″, 6 will go into it 10 times. This will give you 10 gathers, 6″ apart. Or, for 5″ scallops, you will have 11. For 4″ scallops, you will have 12.

Now, starting at one edge, measure in 4″, or 5″, or 6″, depending on how big you want the scallops. Mark with a pin. Continue, dividing the bottom into even sections.

To stitch the scallops, start at the first mark. Stitch perpendicular to the hem line. Your stitches will cover the same length as your scallop - 4, 5, or 6 inches. Once you have stitched that distance, gently pull the thread to gather the fabric. Once it is evenly gathered, knot the thread and repeat with all your marks.

Add Embellishments

The final change you can make to your window treatments is to add embellishments. Let’s start with ribbon.

Here’s a really easy change to make - add ribbon accents. You can add a wide border of ribbon to the hem, or if you have tab top curtains, add the ribbon to the tabs. You can even add ribbon tie-backs to the window frame or walls.

For a more detailed change, add beadwork accents. You can add a beaded ribbon fringe to the bottom, sew beads randomly on the fabric, or add beads to the tab top curtains. If you have a valence, consider adding beads to the top or bottom of the valence.
And finally - add some buttons. You can sew button on the bottom edge or randomly on the fabric. If you have tabbed tops, sew a button at the bottom of the tabs on the top of the curtain.

There are many ways to enhance your window treatments. Be creative - and change those boring curtains!

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