Whether you own a Weber, a Holland, or a Traeger, it’s only a matter of weeks until you’re firing up the grill more often than not. Savory dinners, graduation parties, and summer cookouts are so close we can taste them. But there’s one more roadblock before you can make succulent pork chops this Mother’s Day: spring cleaning. Keep your grill in top shape with springtime cleaning and maintenance.

How to Spring Clean Your Grill

1. You may have a charcoal grill, a gas grill, an electric grill, or a smoker. Each variety of grill (and, most likely, every brand) has its own recommended cleaning method. Before diving into spring cleaning, double check the maintenance guide for protips specific to your grill.
2. If you haven’t yet, clear out any cobwebs, insect carcasses, and organic debris that’s collected over the winter.
3. Spot check propane hoses, electrical plugs, and dials for visible damage. Make sure the igniter button functions properly.
4. Burn off food residue by turning up the grill, closing the lid, and letting the heat do it’s work for about 15 minutes.
5. Let the grill cool. Disconnect the propane tank or unplug your grill. Make certain all dials are switched off.
6. Wearing protective gloves, clean the interior and exterior of your grill. Use a grill brush to scrape any remaining residue off the grates. Clean the burners, which often collect grease during grilling season. Brush away gunk that’s fallen into the grill. After cleaning the grill’s walls and fixtures, buff it to add extra shine.
7. Clean and organize your grilling accessories for another season of use.
8. Stock up on charcoal, propane, and flavored wood chips to prevent a problem during your first spring cookout.

Have grill accessories that need updating? Finally ready to replace your old grill with a Big Green Egg? Want to learn more about outdoor cooking? Stop by Ace of Gray’s outdoor living center for tips, equipment, and outdoor living accessories.

photo from FreeDigitalPhotos

Spring isn’t just a season of renewal, but a time of celebration, too. As the sun shines more brightly and flowers burst into bloom, we celebrate the love and support of our mothers, the success of high school and college grads, and the sacrifice of the brave men and women who fought for our country. Homemade crafts, work days, and items from our gift shop are excellent ways to show a loved one you care. But it’s okay to stick to the classics. Here are our 3 favorite ways to give flowers for the holidays.

Make an Arrangement

Did you know Ace of Gray has our very own in-house florist? Make Mother’s Day special with a bouquet of your mom’s favorite flowers. Our florist is happy to work with you to give your loved one a floral arrangement that says, “I know you, I care, and I’m so grateful for everything you do.” Running late to a graduation ceremony? Swing by and buy a fresh pre-made bouquet from our florist.

Plan It

A small container garden is a wonderful way to give a lasting floral bouquet. Ask one of our garden center experts which plants will flourish together in a mid-sized pot. Already know your loved ones favorite varieties? Plant them in an unconventional container and top off the planter with a holiday-themed ribbon.

Plant It

If you want a mobile gift, bouquets and planters make excellent presents. If you don’t mind rooting your present, though, the possibilities are endless. Is your college grad staying in her rental house? Clean up the lawn and trim her rose bushes. Is your mother too busy to plant her spring garden? Buy her favorite flowers and plant them while she’s out running errands. A hands-on gift is thoughtful, meaningful, and lasting. It’s a surefire hit for any occasion!

Buy plants and flowers at Ace of Gray. For additional gardening tips, call or stop by our garden center.

We could never put a price tag on everything mothers do for their kids. Moms are the go-to people for scrapes, heartaches, and learning how to unclog the kitchen sink. Moms teach responsibility, creativity, and so much more. Show your mom how much you appreciate her with a Mother’s Day gift that’s just for her.

4 Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

• All that glitters. Most moms have a “someday” list filled with cute clothing, new home decor, and glitzy accessories. If your mother isn’t the type to buy for herself, make her month by finding her favorites in our gift shop. Whether she loves monogrammed beach bags, Happy Everything dinnerware, or springtime hiking gear, you’ll find everything you need at Ace of Gray.
• Craft queen. Does your mother love DIY? Encourage her to keep crafting with tips and tools from Ace of Gray home improvement store. Supply the materials for her next project by scoping out her favorite Pinboards or restock the stuff she’s always running out of. Want to find a fresh project you know she’ll love? Ask our team about the latest trends in DIY decorating.
• Make it bloom. Whether your mom has a green thumb, a brown thumb, or something in between, the Ace of Gray garden center has the plants she needs to make her home bloom. Say “I love you” with a brilliant bouquet from our floral center, plant her favorite perennials in a cute container garden, or buy a beauty that’s hard to kill like fresh succulents. You can’t go wrong with flowers on Mother’s Day!
• Chores, chores, chores. All moms love it when their kids put in full day of hard work. Get your mother a gift without a price tag this Mother’s Day by cleaning out the backyard, pressure washing the porch, or building her a new backyard oasis.

Looking for that perfect Mother’s Day gift? Look no further! Ace of Gray has everything you need to make your mom feel special this year. Call or stop by for gifts, garden supplies, and home improvement materials.

As spring blooms around us, we’re filled with an insatiable longing to sit outside and soak up the Georgia sunshine. The season of backyard cookouts and lounging on the porch has arrived. If you’re not satisfied with your outdoor living space, here are 3 home improvement updates for your outdoor entertaining area.

Outdoor Living Home Makeovers

1. Make it bloom. When in doubt, just add flowers. Add color, texture, and a bit of privacy screening to your backyard spaces with ornamental trees, shrubs, and flowers. For an extra dose of Southern style on the porch, pot plants in unconventional containers like wheelbarrows or old teapots.
2. Paint a masterpiece. Color is the simplest (and most cost efficient) way to update a worn porch, outdoor kitchen, or backyard dining nook. Simply pick out your favorite weatherproof paint at Ace of Gray and watch your outdoor entertaining space transform before your eyes. The sky’s the limit, but we recommend choosing a neutral palette to match your home, then adding a few pops of brightly painted furniture for flavor.
3. Heat up the grill. What good is an outdoor entertaining area without a killer grill? If you’re trying to move the party outside, you’ll need a great grill. Choose from our selection of grills and slow cookers, like the popular Holland Grill or Big Green Egg. Make your husband’s year by adding an array of meat-tenderizing, flavor-enhancing grill accessories to his summer grill station. Then sit back, relax, and prepare to hand over dinner duty!

Transform your outdoor living spaces this spring with tools, tips, and home improvement materials from Ace of Gray.

photo from flickr

The ladies will play!

Another season of gifts and gardening is on the horizon. You know what that means for the women of Gray: a night of friends, fun, and fabulous deals at Ladies Night Out!

Spring Ladies Night Out

Ladies Night Out is back for another night of sweet savings (and sweeter snacks). Each Ladies Night gets bigger and better, with more food, more fun, and more chances to save big on seasonal gifts and home project materials. This spring Ladies Night Out falls on April 9th. Swing by from 4-8pm and get exclusive deals on the latest home trends, women’s fashions, outdoor clothing, kids crafts, and even major outdoor accessories like grills! Cross gifts for Mother’s Day, Teacher Appreciation Days, and spring birthdays off your list, or plan ahead for Father’s Day with 10% off grills and grilling accessories. Whether you’re shopping solo, hanging out with a group of girlfriends, or bringing your daughter out for her first taste of this incredible event, Spring Ladies Night is one event you won’t want to miss!

Exclusive Savings at Ace of Gray

We always strive to give the folks in Gray great deals on home decor, craft supplies, nursery plants, and home improvement tools, but no one day features more savings than Ladies Night Out. Just a few of our spring deals include:

• 10% off grills and grilling accessories
• 20% most other merchandise
• Free monogramming on our new spirit jerseys!
• Boulevard Candles and Warmers for 20% off and a free pack of melts when you purchase a decorative warmer
• A free demonstration of Metallic Tattoos by local sales rep Nancy Childs
• FREE cool eye masks for the first 240 to checkout

Want to know more about the incredible deals at Ace of Gray’s Ladies Night Out? Follow our Facebook page for photos of our hottest merchandise, daily updates on upcoming sales, and cute pictures shared by our customers.

Spring has finally arrived, bringing with it the bright chirp of birds, fresh shoots of spring flowers, and a renewed vigor to tackle your latest home improvement projects. Whatever spring project you’re prepping for, it could probably use a fresh coat of paint. Transform any room, add the perfect decorative accent, or finish off your latest DIY project in style by adding a touch of quality color. Ace of Gray has everything you need, from expert advice on choosing your finish to an unbeatable deal on high quality paint. Shop Friday through Sunday and get a BOGO bonus: buy one gallon of Clark and Kensington or Ace Royal paint and get 1 free.

*Limit 2 free gallons per household.

Turkey season marks the end of the 2014-2015 big game season for Georgia hunters. As a turkey hunter, you want to be well prepared for the upcoming season with outdoor gear, ammo, and a hunting license from Ace of Gray. Get the information and equipment that you need before the big day to make the most of the season.

Ace of Gray has all of the tips and tools required for turkey hunting season in Georgia. You can pick up your hunting license and stock up on supplies all in one trip. We offer a wide range of camouflage gear including hunting blinds and folding chairs, allowing you to stay hidden from the game. Make sure to check out our emergency supplies, alert whistles, batteries, and first aid kits. You can also stock up on ammo with us.

Are you in the market for clothing or footwear? Warm weather hunting gear such as hand warmers, thick jackets, and propane lanterns are essential for staying warm, dry, and safe on chilly, wet spring days. Ace of Gray keeps more than 1,000 pairs of boots in stocks from all of the top brands including Ariat, Durango, Georgia Boot, and Rocky. Shop rugged work wear with Carhartt, style and comfort with Columbia, and cutting edge technology with Drake Waterfowl.

The 2014-2015 turkey season in Georgia runs from Saturday, March 21 through Friday, May 15, 2015. There are three turkeys allowed per season, which includes the special opportunity season. Please plan accordingly. The special opportunity season is for adolescents age 16 or younger and individuals with mobility impairments (i.e. single-leg amputation above the knee, paraplegia). Hunters participating in special opportunity must be accompanied by an adult who is not allowed to take or attempt to take a turkey.

Photos by FreeDigitalPhotos.net from papaija2008

Spring arrives in just a few days, ushering in a long season of cool mornings, hot days, and bright beauty blooming all around. Spring vegetable gardens are an excellent way to brighten up the backyard, try something new, and spice up the foods you serve at spring and summer parties. If you’re new to vegetable gardening (or haven’t had much luck in the past), here are a few tips for planting a veggie garden this spring.

Vegetable Gardening 101

Before planting your spring garden, prepare the soil by testing the pH and supplementing any deficiencies with spring fertilizers. Weed and apply any necessary pre-emergents to your garden plot. Make a list of which vegetables you want to plant; make sure you design your garden to group the water-loving plants together, give each veggie the right amount of sun or shade, and allow every plant enough room to flourish.

What to Plant in Your Spring Vegetable Garden

If you had a favorite veggie from your fall garden, spring is an excellent time to give it another try. Many of the same plants thrive in spring as in fall. You could also try fresh fare in your spring veggie garden. A few of our annual favorites include:

• Blueberries. Okay, so they’re not veggies. But blueberries are easy to grow, and blueberry gardeners reap bountiful rewards when it comes time to make pies, drinks, and fruit salads in spring and summer.
• Broccoli. Not only is broccoli a superfood, it’s easy to grow. Plant in full or mostly full sun, provide rich soil with excellent drainage, and supplement the soil with fertilizer or compost.
• Garlic. Ready to scare the vampires away? Add flavor to any home cooked meal by growing garlic right in your backyard. Plant early in the season for the best yield.
• Other spring garden all-stars include carrots, lettuce, arugula, spinach, turnips, beets, potatoes, peas, and kale.

Ready to plant? Stop by Ace of Gray for spades, gloves, fertilizer, vegetable seeds, and more spring gardening tips from the experts.

photo from flickr

Maintaining a lawn mower has never been easier with the professional services at Ace of Gray. At an affordable cost, residents of Gray, GA have an opportunity to make sure their lawn mowers are serviced as the spring season approaches.

Take your lawn mower to a qualified professional at least once per year to have it thoroughly inspected and maintained. Meanwhile, here are some of the do-it-yourself tips that will keep your lawn mower working this spring season:

Drain all the oil before storage- Ensure that the remaining oil is drained during winter when the machine is not in use for a long time.

Change the oil regularly- If you don’t change the oil for more than a season, impurities such as dust and leaves may ruin the mower’s engine.

Ensure the air filter is always clean- The air filter blocks impurities from damaging the engine. Accumulated dirt can be washed away by dipping the filter in a detergent. If the air filter does not come clean, you should consider replacing the filter.

In addition to these simple maintenance tasks, there are many other moving parts to keep maintained to ensure the best cut for your lawn. Sharpening or replacing mower blades, repairing broken gears, or replacing old gears will help keep your mower in working condition.

When your lawn mower is properly maintained, you will be able to expect:

• Grass will be cut uniformly leaving your lawn neat.
• The lawn mower will have its lifespan increased.
• You will avoid impromptu repair costs since the lawn mower will hardly break down.
• You’ll be motivated to keep your landscape healthy and presentable.

Ace of Gray provides full service lawn mower maintenance. Now is a great time to bring your mower in for maintenance before the spring season is finally here.

Photo by foto76 via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Looking for a quick way to spruce up your kitchen, living room, or bedroom without dominoing into a total home decor overhaul? Redoing your window treatments can breathe life into a dull room, giving you a quick home improvement fix for spring.

5 Tips for Updating Window Treatments

1. Consider function. The first step in redoing your window treatments is determining what role they’ll play in your home. Are they purely decorative? Are they functional? Should they filter light, or block it out entirely? Determine your goals before looking for new blinds or curtains.
2. Home improvement for windows. Before you bring in new window treatments, complete basic window maintenance tasks. Clean the screens, panes, and frames of every window in the room. Test the seal and determine whether reparative caulk or extra weather stripping is necessary. You may find the windows drafty, even when you’ve resealed the gaps. If so, consider purchasing heavier blinds to block the chill in winter.
3. Consider lighting. Good lighting can brighten a space, making it seem larger and more open that it actually is. If you prefer heavier window treatments, make sure your room has bright overhead lighting and additional lamps. If the space is dim or has minimal fixtures, buy lightweight curtains and easy-to-open drapes to let in the light.
4. Think texture. Textured drapes or Roman shades can add visual interest to a plain kitchen. On the other hand, simple window treatments give the eye a place to rest in a bright, busy, or cluttered kitchen.
5. Remember: there are no rules. No matter what colors are in, how many neutrals you have in your home, or what window treatment trends are leading the pack, in the end, you’re the only judge that matters. Choose something you like and enjoy the new home decor.

Want tips on spring home improvement, making the most of your favorite spaces, or updating your home decor? Stop by the Ace of Gray home improvement store for expert tips, supplies, and more.

photo from FreeDigitalPhotos