Workshop to target first-time home buyers

Workshop to targetfirst-time home buyers
YOUNGSTOWN -- Family Financial Education Services, a program of Family Service Agency, will sponsor a first-time home-buyer workshop from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. June 1 at the agency, 535 Marmion Ave.
The free workshop will cover basic home-buying information such as determining affordability, budgeting, credit problems and the loan application process.
Participants will receive a certificate of attendance that will satisfy the education requirements for some mortgage programs.
Reservations are required by calling (330) 782-5664. No reservations will be taken the day of the program.
hCandy dish purchasebenefits cancer charity
Lenox's Gift of Knowledge Candy Bowl is a gift that also gives to others.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the crystal bowl will go to breastcancer.org, a nonprofit organization that operates a breast cancer education Web site. The bowl has a faint tint of pink, the color that symbolizes breast cancer awareness, and is 8 and one-fourth inches long.
The bowl costs $19.95 and is available at department stores and on Lenox's Web site, www.lenox.com.
Paint colors straying further from plain white
Fewer homeowners are playing it safe with shades of white, according to the annual "Color Report" from Home Furnishings News, a trade publication.
In 2003, the top three paint colors from Sherwin Williams were versions of white.
Last year, the company's number one seller was "Jalapeno," an intense rust. Second was a pale gold called "Sequin," and third was a crisp charcoal called "Gray Matters."
hOrganic creations
Textile designer Lotta Helleberg combined her love of botany and a passion for sewing to create Inleaf, a Charlottesville, Va., printing company.
She coats leaves and other plant material in fabric paint and presses them onto dyed linen or paper to make tablecloths and napkins, pillows (above), clutches and stationery. Prices range from $7 to $95.
For more information, www.inleafdesign.com or (434) 882-1569.
Patriotic landscaping
Create a patriotic shade garden by combining white astilbe, a traditional perennial that resembles a sparkler; blue heliotrope; traditional New Guinea impatiens, which bring out the silver of the astilbe; and "Jack Frost" brunnera.
Cool down in style
Forget ugly air conditioners that can ruin the look of a room. The LG Electronics Art Cool series of ventless air conditioners features switchable front panels in a variety of colors, finishes and art designs.
The result is a unit that looks cool while it cools things down. As for efficiency, the system has a slim interior wall-mounted evaporator and an outdoor condenser. The Art Cool line is the only duct-free air-conditioning series that features three-way airflow with computer-controlled vanes to simulate a natural breeze.
The series is available in four BTU levels. Retail prices range from $1,700 to $2,600.
For more information, visit www.lgusa.com.
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