Did You Know? To toast after sipping or with an empty glass is considered bad luck. Dill-Chive Tarragon-Shallot Gremolata Cilantro-Lime Raspberry Blackberry-Honey Editor’s Tip: Leftover confetti makes fabulous table decor.
Plan for a stress-free remodel with these tips and tricks from the pros. 46 Beautiful Backsplash Ideas for Every Style 13 Space-Saving Small Appliance Storage Ideas 19 Workspaces and Desks for Kitchens that Add Function and Design 21 Beautiful Built-in Banquette Ideas How to Build a Custom Range Vent Hood in One Weekend The History of the Kitchen Island and How it Became a Design Staple 26 DIY Ideas to Update Kitchen Cabinets Without Replacing Them...
A warm yellow and crisp white color palette creates a vintage feel in this primary bathroom. White-painted paneling covers three-fourths of the bathroom’s walls, while the upper portion features a sunny-yellow hue. Paint thick, dark grout lines throughout the shower and floor tiling to emphasize the bathroom’s vintage aesthetic. Quick tip: Use a foam brush when painting grout to prevent brush hairs from coming loose.
Keep your cool, even on a steamy, stress-filled weeknight, with this low-fuss make-ahead dinner. In the morning, pile a big bed of fresh summer produce on one baking pan and chicken coated in a homemade honey mustard sauce on another. Chill the farmers market recipe up to 8 hours, then all that’s left to do come dinnertime is roast for about 20 minutes. Pep up your side dish routine with this unique recipe....
Mistake 1: Choosing Curtains That Are Too Skinny The last thing you want during an afternoon nap is to be rudely awakened by a beam of sunlight that your curtains don’t block. Before purchasing curtains, make sure the panels are wide enough to cover your windows. How to fix it: Measure your window before purchasing or making your curtains. Curtain panels should be about two times the width of the window you’re attempting to shade....
For the wreath: Wrap a foam wreath in alternating black and white yarn, then secure the ends with hot glue. Embellish the center of the wreath with purchased decorations, such as a web and glittery spider. For the topiaries: Learn more about this party.
You have to swipe through this insane before-and-after RV makeover. Kayla Miller (@plumprettydecoranddesign) transformed heavy drapes, ancient green carpeting, and clunky cabinetry into a spacious, airy hangout. Thoughtful touches, such as a lip on the bottom shelf to hold baskets in place during transport, speak to the unique needs of an RV. Kevin and Mandy (@188sqft) are the ultimate RV power couple. They both work remotely—sometimes very remotely—and live in their camper full-time with four furry friends....
1. Exterior Doors If you can see light or are able to slide a dollar bill around your door, it’s leaking air. Inspect the seals and sweeps at the bottom; if they’re worn, replace them with ones that have pliable sealing gaskets that fit snugly against the threshold. Add weather stripping and foam gaskets around doorjambs. 2. Windows Use incense as a low-tech leak finder. On a cold, windy day, turn off your heater, turn on any exhaust fans, and hold a lit stick near a window....
Set Up a Coffee Station “When I have people staying with me I set up a little coffee station near my Keurig in the kitchen. Nothing fancy, just a few of my favorite coffees, sugar, creamer, spoons, and mugs (I love the mugs in this Better Homes & Gardens Abott Stoneware Set, $50, Walmart). That way if my guests are up before me, they can help themselves to a cup of coffee… and I can sleep a little later!...
First, make sure your vase or container of choice is clean, then fill it with warm water. Mix in the floral food packet or a spoonful of sugar combined with a teaspoon of white vinegar or bleach to help control bacteria. Next, give flowers a fresh cut under running water with sharp scissors, flower snips, or hand pruners. Cut thick, green stems at an angle. Trim woody stems with an X-shape cut....
1. Fragrant Shrubs Perfect partners for a sunny spot, Lo & Behold ‘Blue Chip Jr.’ butterfly bush and ‘Lil Miss Sunshine’ bluebeard offer fragrance from spring until fall. The felted foliage of the dwarf, sterile butterfly bush is silvery-green, providing an excellent foil for the scented purple flowers that bloom for many months. In contrast, the golden leaves of the bluebeard emit an herbal smell when crushed (plus this plant is covered with sky blue flowers in late summer)....
“I wrote Ambitious Girl for my daughters and anyone who has ever been underestimated or overshadowed.” Local bookstores are not just where we go to buy books—they’re the backbone of so many communities. They support authors, they are community gathering places, they widen our worlds, and connect us to one another. Websites like www.IndieBound.org can help you find independent bookstores in your community.
Despite their essential role, home cooks often need egg substitutes. Maybe you just ran out and don’t feel like that extra trip to the grocery store. Or perhaps you have specific dietary needs, including egg-related allergies. There is also a growing population of people leading vegan lifestyles who need to find creative vegan egg alternatives for their favorite recipes. Egg Substitutes Here are eight fantastic substitutions for eggs in baking, along with suggestions on how to use them and when to avoid certain substitutions....
Substitute Kefir for Water or Milk Use Flavored Water Instead Add an Egg … or a Plant-Based Egg Even if your boxed mix doesn’t call for an egg, go ahead and add one. Eggs provide a creamy richness that will make the batch taste homemade, and they allow the pancakes to rise by keeping the bubbles structurally intact throughout the cooking process. Beat your egg first before folding them into the batter for super fluffy stacks, or go plant-based with a flax egg....
1. Make a List of Patio Furniture Needs Begin by thinking about how you’d like your outdoor space to function. For example, do you want it to serve as a dining area on warm summer nights? Do you plan to host your next dinner party or your child’s birthday party in the space? Or do you envision a peaceful reading nook with comfy and welcoming patio seating tucked into your outdoor room?...
1. Watering Your Houseplants All houseplants have slightly different watering requirements, depending on how they’re grown and changes in plant growth through the seasons. It’s best to water on an as-needed basis rather than by a set calendar schedule. In general, plants grown in well-drained soil in an appropriate-size container should be watered when the top 1/2 to 1 inch of soil feels dry. Cacti and succulents need less water; flowering plants usually need slightly more....
1. Don’t Use Mulch Mixed with Soil Mulch, compost, and soil are different things, says Greg Baka, a long-time gardener and the owner of Easy Digging tools. It’s OK to mix compost into your topsoil to improve it, but let mulch lie on the surface. “Mulch mixed with soil damages the nutrient balance, and causes difficulties in digging and weeding,” Baka explains. Jeff Gibson, landscape business manager for Ball Horticultural Company, adds that you should never use woody mulch as a soil amendment in containers or the ground because, “in the process of decaying, it binds up the available nitrogen that could be going to the plants you want to grow....
Plants for Creating the Foundation Garden Plan Blue pine (Pinus strobus ‘Rocky Mountain’): Zones 3-9 Euonymus (Euonymus fortunei ‘Moonshadow’): Zones 4-8 Boxwood (Buxus ‘Green Velvet’ or ‘Winter Green’): Zones 5-9 Golden mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius ‘Aureus’): Zones 5-9 Rhododendron (Rhododendron yakusimanum): Zones 5-8 Hosta (Hosta ‘August Moon’): Zones 3-9 Spotted deadnettle (Lamium maculatum ‘Friday’): Zones 3-9 Dwarf fountaingrass (Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Little Bunny’): Zones 4-9 Dwarf daylily (Hemerocallis ‘Eenie Weenie’): Zones 3-9 Silver and gold chrysanthemum (Ajania pacifica): Zones 5-9 Serbian bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana): Zones 3-9 Creeping phlox (Phlox douglasii ‘Crater Lake’): Zones 2-9 Creeping thyme (Thymus serphyllum ‘Coccineus’): Zones 4-9...
