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Home Front

Briefs and news of note.

By JUDY STARK
Published January 27, 2007

PICK-UP TIPS FOR ALL AROUND THE HOUSE

The Tampa Bay Home Expo continues today and Sunday at Tropicana Field. HGTV carpenter Andrew Dan-Jumbo, above, and Mr. Green Thumb, Stan DeFreitas, will appear. So will 500+ vendors with everything from insulation to windows to landscaping. Details are at tampabayhomeshows.com. Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission: $3.

Pomegranates' conquest rolls on

In the space of an hour one day last week, these items came across the desk. First came the February issue of House Beautiful magazine, which featured an Armstrong vinyl tile checkerboard floor in white and a dark red called Pomegranate. Then, a few pages later, the magazine had a story on drawer and cabinet knobs, including one in the shape of a circle of pomegranates. In the next envelope: a color deck from Benjamin Moore paints, with their 2007 colors, including a dark red called Pomegranate. And in the dairy case at Publix these days, blueberry-pomegranate fat-free yogurt. They're everywhere!

When to give an office file the boot

Trying to figure out how long to keep bank records, income tax returns, utility bills, appliance warranties or mortgage statements? Go to www.lifeorganizers.com, look for the office/home-office link, then look for the topic on records retention. It lists general guidelines on how long specific records should be kept.

Groundhog peeps a weather eye out

Friday is Groundhog Day. That's the day when Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his burrow in Pennsylvania. If he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. No shadow means an early spring. Read all about it at groundhog.org. Celebrate by watching the 1993 Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day, in which a weatherman is doomed to cover the event over and over again. The celebration of Groundhog Day began with Pennsylvania's earliest settlers. They brought with them the legend of Candlemas Day, celebrated on the same day, which states, "For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day, so far will the snow swirl in May . . ."

Guard against dorky decor moves

Of course, you never make any of these mistakes! HGTV will point out 25 Biggest Decorating Mistakes at 7 p.m. Feb. 3. Among 'em: those rugs designed to fit around the toilet; out-of-place themes (the North Woods here in Florida); too many boudoir pillows on the bed; art hung too high; and tchotchke overload. The worst of them all? Fake flowers.

Compiled by Homes and Garden editor Judy Stark

[Last modified January 26, 2007, 11:06:51]