Monthly Archives: May 2010

June Garden Tours

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June 5: Garden Conservancy Open Days Garden Tour

On Saturday, June 5th, the Garden Conservancy organization hosts five private, self-guided garden tours in Portland. (There are events all over the US with this neat org.) For only $5, you can tour uniquely beautiful garden spaces from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy!

June 19: 3rd Annual Foster-Powell Garden Tour

The Third Annual Foster Powell Garden Tour is on June 19th, and boasts an interesting array of gardens for your viewing pleasure. The garden categories this year span Traditional, Naturescaped, Edible and Artistic to provide a diversity of styles and sensibilities in garden design. And, if you reside in the Foster-Powell neighborhood (between Foster Road and Powell Boulevard, and between SE 50th and 82nd), you might just want to become a Garden Host for this fun event.

                                                                                                                                Photo courtesy of the Foster Powell Garden Tour
Source: Neighborhood Notes

Patient Buyers May Save Money Over Tax Credit

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Missing the tax credit deadline might have seemed like a big mistake to some home buyers, but waiting could have been the smartest thing to do.

Interest rates have fallen so dramatically since April 30th that the typical purchaser of a $350,000 home, financed with a $280,000 mortgage, would have saved a bundle by waiting until May.

At April’s average rate of 5.34 percent, a home buyer would have locked in a 30-year fixed rate loan with a monthly payment of $1,561.82.

The same borrower could have snagged a 30-year fixed rate loan at a rate of 4.625 percent in May and paid $1,439.59 per month.

That’s a $1,467 annual savings. Over 30 years, it’s a $44,003 savings, dwarfing the tax credit.

Source: Informa Research Services (05/26/2010), Realtor Magazine (5/27/2010)

Crafty Wonderland

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In my continued pursuit to find the crafty within,  I spent a few hours in the world of the Crafty Wonderland.  Actually, it was the Oregon Convention Center, but it was chock-a-block full of some seriously crafty, local talent.

I’m going through a glass phase right now (I adopted a couple of orphan beads, isn’t that adorable?), but there was also amazing works in metal, wood, ceramic and stone.

I wasn’t able to capture as many pics as I wanted–the horrible fluorescent lighting just bounced off of every surface–but, hopefully, these images can display some of the masterful artistry and craftsmanship.

I was so inspired that I’m considering taking the classes ”Introduction to Beadmaking” or “Introduction to Fusing” at the Aquila Glass School & Studio.

Here’s to the crafty within!

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