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Is It Really Bamboo? Although it is somewhat similar in appearance to bamboo, lucky bamboo is actually Dracaena sanderiana, a native of West Africa. Often found in garden centers and florist shops, lucky bamboo can be shaped by twisting and looping the stems when they are young and slender. The cut canes will grow in soil or water and stay healthy with an occasional dose of fertilizer. If potted in pebbles and water, as shown in this project, change the water completely every two weeks, and add liquid fertilizer for aquatic plants (available at pets stores)....

How to Make a Wood Bead Chandelier Supplies Needed White stringScissorsEmbroidery needleApproximately 500 wood beadsDiagonal pliers14-inch lampshade ringNeedle nose pliers12-inch embroidery hoopPendant light kit Step-by-Step Directions With a few supplies and these how-to instructions, you can create your own wood bead chandelier. If you have leftover wood beads, try creating a colorful yarn and bead chandelier. Step 1: String Beads For this pretty pendant, gather about 500 beads—ranging from ½ to 1½ inches in diameter—and measure three 16-inch lengths of string for a total of about 48 feet....

Materials NewspapersWood chipsStones (optional) Tools Shovel Step 1: Secure a Supply of Wood Chips If you or a neighbor has a chipper-shredder, stockpile chips, but for no more than a year (they’ll start to break down). Or check with your city or county manager’s office. Shredded wood chips are often available for little or no cost from local landfills, as long as you haul them. Alternatively, if you have an ample supply of pine needles or tiny or crushed sea shells in your area, collect those to line the path....

What You Need Well Clear plastic poster boardPebblesHot glue gunMosaic groutSpongeSticksSmall wooden craft rectangles (1-inch x 2-inch)Palette knife Basket Mini wooden dowelsJute cordMini wooden flower potScissorsHot glueTapePencil How to Make the Well Step 1: Cut Poster Board Base Cut 1-inch x 4-inch piece of plastic poster board and glue ends together to make a circle that is 2 inches in diameter. Step 2: Glue Stones Hot glue the stones to the sides of the circle....

First off, you need quality measuring tools. And you need to know the two key ingredients to accurate measuring: consistent technique and practice. Also knowing a few tricks of the trade can’t hurt—which is exactly what this guide provides. Read on to learn about taking and transferring measurements, choosing tools, and more. Editor’s Tip: It’s a good idea to keep the concept of accuracy in a reasonable perspective. For example, you don’t need a perfect fit between sheets of drywall....

Choose five paint colors that are similar enough to blend together, yet have enough definition to be distinguishable. If you like, add a sixth color for a pop. Our color pop is the blue that represents the sky above the sunset in our inspiration photo. We used Sherwin-Williams Ravishing Coral SW6612, Papaya SW6661, Inventive Orange SW6633, Dishy Coral SW6598, Teaberry SW6561, and Interesting Aqua SW6220. 2. Plan the Bands Divide the wall into five or six horizontal bands....

Before you start painting, it’s key to select a primer that’s recommended for the type of bathroom cabinet surface you have (wood, metal, or laminate), and have it tinted to the color of the topcoat. This is especially important if the surface is dark or stained because the original finish can show through the topcoat. Consult with the expert at your paint retailer who can help you select the most appropriate primer....

Editor’s Note: Be sure to wear protective glasses when stripping, and a dust mask when sanding. Chemical strippers can contain toxic fumes, so ventilate the room adequately before applying the stripping solution. Rubber gloves are also a must to keep the chemicals from burning your hands. How to Paint Trim Learn how to paint baseboards, crown molding, window trim, and more with our step-by-step instructions. What You’ll Need Tools...

Perhaps the most well-known type, wax begonias are named for the waxy look of their leaves. These reliable plants come in a variety of sizes to fit just about any space, from as small as six inches to nearly three feet tall, and can often handle partial shade or full sun. Their boldly colored flowers, which may be single or double, last throughout the summer. In the wax family alone, you’ll find multiple shades on the white-to-red spectrum....

How to Tell If It’s a Weed In the springtime, when little stems are pushing up from the soil, it can be hard to tell which plant is a weed and which is the beautiful, $20 perennial you bought last year. Familiarize yourself with the most common weeds in your area (and use a weed identification guide if you’re not sure) so you’ll be confident as you set forth with your tools in hand....

Get your houseplant care guide here. Hoya’s thick, waxy leaves cling to vining stems that can be trained up a trellis, allowed to dangle from a hanging pot, or encouraged to ramble across a surface. As the stems grow they send out long, leafless tendrils that eventually develop flowers and foliage. Do not cut them off. A mature hoya blooms under bright light in spring and summer when plant growth is most active....

1 ounce lime juice 2 ounce gin 6 fresh mint leaves 3 pieces Candied Grapefruit Peel Fleur de sel 2 ounce (Jarritos®) grapefruit soda 1 lime slice or wedge Candied Grapefruit Peel 1 cup grapefruit peel (use a sharp vegetable peeler so they come out pithless and pretty-pieces should be about 1x2 inches) 1 ½ cup sugar 1 bay leaf (fresh if you can find it) 1 sprig fresh thyme 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into julienne

Kitchen Lighting Ideas We Love How to replace your cabinet hardware. Pantry Design Ideas

It’s not the first time Jessica has gone with her gut. At 11, she begged her mother to take her to the Hollywood acting competition that kick-started her TV and movie career. These days, though, it’s all about her girls. “My kids are my top priority,” she says. “Their health and well-being come first.” In fact, Jessica’s determination to do better for her daughters was propelled by her own severe childhood allergies and asthma....

Katy Kiick Condon started her career as a historian, earning her M.A. in the history of design from New York’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum and The New School. She’s never lost touch with her background as an intense researcher and is the self-proclaimed Better Homes & Gardens historian. Between stories on interior design trends and holiday crafts, she can be found flipping through her favorite archival issues: The WWII-era magazines when BH&G exhaustively covered ways to do more with less (wash your garden tools, people!...

3 tablespoon softened butter 3 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel 2 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon whipping cream