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Q: The blades on my ceiling fan are very dusty. Does dust buildup affect the fan's performance? A: If there is a lot of dust built up on the blades, it might affect the speed, cause the blades to wobble, and put some strain on the fan's motor. In addition, a lot of dust is being kicked up as the fan blades whirl. Dust could build up on the motor as well, and that could be a safety issue.

Sitting at the kitchen table sipping tea and flipping through a collection of antique postcards, artist Barbara Schriber describes her creative process. "I'm very linear and organized," says the 33-year-old owner of Barbara Schriber Designs, a wholesale company in Sandpoint that makes handmade vintage-inspired paper gifts. "Once I get started and get the process going, I'm OK. But I need to have an assignment."

Treasured memories Cheryl-Anne Millsap is reminded daily about life's most important keepsakes.

A group of us want to purchase a plant for friends living in Liberty Lake as a family memorial. We would like it to be pretty, maybe attract butterflies or hummingbirds and be deer resistant. Would lilac be appropriate? What else would you suggest? Annie, Spokane

Judy Klier was always interested in art. In high school she learned to etch designs into glass using acid, and in college she took a few art classes. She even did a stint working for a company that made stained glass. But it wasn't until Judy became a mother that her creative juices really began to flow. "Your kids kind of bring you back to it," says Judy, who lives with her husband, three kids and a Czech foreign exchange student in rural Colbert. "They start doing art, and so you do it with them." Today Judy is running her own glass company – Crystal Klier Design – which specializes in artistic sandblasted glass and stone for commercial and residential projects.

It's not every day that a young married couple purchases a new home and has to scale back their lifestyle to accommodate smaller digs. But this summer Sara Hornor and husband Steve Strange will face the daunting task of downsizing from a 1,300-square-foot rental apartment in downtown's east end to a 722-square-foot loft in Spokane's new Railside Center. Fortunately, the couple has two seasoned downsizers to help guide them: Sara's parents, Susan and Rick Hornor, who in 2005 swapped their large suburban house on Spokane's north side for a unit in the Jefferson Auto Lofts.

A warm summer evening, a cool drink and the gentle rocking motion of a rocking chair on the porch is one of life's great combinations. The only way to make it better is to share the moment with someone special. This handsome double porch rocker project is a comfortable (and affordable) way for do-it-yourselfers to do just that.

The Whitaker family's move to Spokane took 10 visits and nearly two years. Scott Whitaker began the family's journey here from Las Vegas when he applied to be a Spokane Valley firefighter in 2005. After that, he traveled to Spokane for the written exam, the interview, the physical and psychological evaluations, and on trips with his wife to get her sense of the place.

With its graceful arches, warm stucco walls and grand portico, the home of Keith and Darlene Morehouse could be mistaken for an ancient Roman villa. Once inside, visitors are greeted with Craftsman woodwork, period lighting and vintage ceramic tile, all of which the couple have been working to restore since they bought the historic A.L. Porter residence in 2004

Still trying to find a special gift for a mother in your life? If she is a gardener, relax, you don't have to worry. Just take her to the annual Garden Expo on Saturday at Spokane Community College. She will find her own gift, and you will look like a hero. Get a plan

Brad Apperson walks to school each morning. It isn't far. His classroom is in the basement of his family's four-level Mead home. The sixth-grader's desk is tucked below a window. A map of the United States and a multiplication chart hang nearby. His sister's brown and white rabbit, Ariel, frequently peeks at him from underneath a foosball table. Bookshelves line the room. Clear plastic totes filled with art supplies and Legos are stacked within easy reach.

Each weekday morning as Chris DeForest heads out the door to work, his 4-year-old son, John, goes with him. When they arrive at the Community Building in downtown Spokane, they go their separate ways – Chris to his job as executive director of the Inland Northwest Land Trust, and John to on-site childcare.

When flowering trees are in full bloom, my driving becomes hazardous. In fact, so hazardous that my husband won't take the same road if he knows I will be on it at a certain time. You see, I drive forward but look backward, all because I don't want to lose sight of a tree in full bloom.