New plants for free: how to propagate from softwood cuttings

I am moving house; so from lavender to buddleia, I’m taking cuttings from new growth to plant in my garden. It’s easy when you know how

I am beginning a long farewell: by the end of the year, I will be gone from this garden and starting anew in Welsh soil. I am fantasising about having a garden that wraps around a house, but in truth I think I am gaining all of four metres, several of those in shade. Still, it is a blank canvas to paint on, and when I’m not heartbroken about leaving my fruit trees, I stand in my garden and make plans for what should come with me.

I don’t want to leave this garden with great holes where I’ve uprooted established plants, so instead I am taking cuttings. I have already taken hardwood cuttings of all the soft fruits, vines and figs.

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Mow problem: gardeners encouraged not to cut lawns in May

No Mow May scheme promotes letting wild plants thrive to provide nectar for insects

The number of people not mowing their lawns is increasing after a successful campaign to keep gardens wild, a leading nature charity says.

Gardeners are this year being urged once again by Plantlife to keep their lawnmower in the shed during No Mow May, in order to let wild plants thrive and provide nectar for insects.

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* This article was originally published here

Sunshine Yellow

Hello everyone, I was happy to be able to pick my first bouquet from our spring garden yesterday.                                                                    They make me smile! I love the cherry yellow of our early daffodils. The teapot was a gift from my husband several years ago.  it is a Royal Elfreda Blushing Beauty. Every day now the garden moves forward bit by bit.

* This article was originally published here

How to increase water pressure at home

The problem could be a valve, mineral deposits or rust buildup inside pipes.

* This article was originally published here

THIS AND THAT

OK....here I am and I will try something new..... I will do all of my gabbing first and then add the pictures in no particular order:) I would not say I am a perfectionist but some things irk me...that being when I am trying to do something and IT WON"T WORK.....she said loudly:) Since we last spoke I went to Bluffton to see my brother.  Such a cute little town.  My sister, brother-in-law

* This article was originally published here

Etched Glass Zipper Glassware

This project combines glass etching and painting to create unique and fun zipper design on glassware. It’s also completely dishwasher safe. It’s a surprisingly easy project and great for those interested in getting into glass etching

You can see the full tutorial here.

* This article was originally published here

They wanted more fun at home. So they built an indoor slide.

By bringing the outdoor playground staple indoors, these families put fun at the center of their homes.

* This article was originally published here

To add drama and sophistication to a room, try painting the ceiling

Extending your paint color to the ceiling can add visual interest, texture and sophistication to a room, without much effort.

* This article was originally published here

How to make a claw-foot tub safer for seniors

A rail or support post might work, but a remodel is safest.

* This article was originally published here

Is it time for cutting-edge tech to make your mower greener?

Gardeners are looking for a more environmentally friendly machine, but which is right for you?

Gardeners want to make their grass even greener. As petrol prices rocket and people become ever more conscious of their environmental impact, many are turning to the latest generation of lawnmowers to keep their gardens looking good.

While the fronts of our houses are gradually seeing the replacement of petrol cars with electric vehicles, advances in lithium-ion batteries have meant that the trusted back garden mower has also been given a modern overhaul – but at a price.

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* This article was originally published here

Dried flowers take centre stage in a therapist’s Berlin home

Life coach and floral stylist Maggie Coker finds unexpected beauty in the structures and colours of preserved plants

For centuries, flowers have been dried as a way of preserving them to create long-lasting arrangements that could be rearranged and combined in a fresh way. In this eclectic home, belonging to holistic mental wellness coach and floral stylist Maggie Coker, preserved grasses and wildflowers make a rather chic comeback, taking centre stage to greet visitors with their striking shape and form. For Maggie, the drive behind collecting and preserving flowers is about more than perpetuating beauty. Having created a sanctuary that resonates with joyful emotion, her collection demonstrates reuse in action and a reverence for nature’s gifts.

There’s something beautiful about the colour and texture that occurs when natural objects are dried. In Maggie’s peachy-pink home in East Berlin, there are dried plants all around that started off green and are kept for their strong shape – and they still look great. Maggie, a botanical stylist and founder of FlowerTalk Berlin, uses the language of flowers as a tool to benefit mental wellness, as well as floral artistic expression. “They speak their own language,” she says. “If you slow down and listen, you realise their magical therapeutic benefits.”

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* This article was originally published here

Houseplant of the week: prayer plant

This striking perennial folds up its red-veined leaves every evening, but it’s not exactly low maintenance

Why will I love it?
While the prayer plant (Maranta leuconeura “Fascinator”) is not one you could ever place in the “low maintenance houseplant” category, its super-attractive oval leaves, with green markings and bright red veins, make it worth the effort.

Light or shade?
Place in bright, indirect light.

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* This article was originally published here

Inviting guests for dinner? A home entertaining expert answered.

Jura Koncius and Kimberly Schlegel Whitman discuss how to set a special table.

* This article was originally published here

Getting organized is easy. A pro talks about how to make it last.

People who are successful at staying organized over time tend to share these behaviors and habits.

* This article was originally published here

25 Rae Dunn Inspired DIY Craft Projects

If you can’t grab your hands on any Rae Dunn pottery then how about making it yourself? Well, at least a Rae Dunn inspired piece. You can use a digital cutting machine to create your own decals for the lettering or purchase Rae Dunn labels on amazon.

Did you know that Rae Dunn is not only an actual person but she started out like most of us small-time crafters with a store on Etsy, selling her simple handmade pottery? But this artist is qualified,  Rae has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Industrial Design and worked in graphics and fashion design for several years before discovering clay, which has now been her passion since 1994. Rae currently has a line of wares that is sold nationwide.

So what is the closest Rae Dunn font for Cricut?  I really love “Artisan Bread” which can be found in the Cricut Design studio This is my other favorite Rae Dunn Font which you can download and use for creating your own DIY crafts.

Her merchandise has core ceramic basics like coffee mugs, bowls, and jars for tea, flour and sugar, but has it’s spin off in home design items too.  Whilst her designs are easily recongisable, their simplicity makes them easy to dupe too.

 

DIY Rae Dunn Inspired Dollar Tree Hacks For Under $10.00! 

Can’t Find it in Stores? DIY Rae Dunn Halloween – Peanut Blossom

DIY Rae Dunn Inspired Coasters – Sunshine and Munchkins

Rae Dunn Cricut Ceramic Christmas Ornaments — CraftBits.com

Free Printable Pantry Labels: Farmhouse Rae Dunn Inspired | Organize & Declutter

Rae Dunn Inspired Halloween Decorations – DIY – Hiip2save

DIY Rae Dunn Inspired Easter Eggs (Video Tutorial) – The Kim Six Fix 

Rae-dunn-rolling-pin

The rolling pin is one of my favorite pieces and is perfect for making and gifting at Christmas time, Add some cookie mix and a handmade apron for the perfect DIY gift.

How To Make Faux Whipped Cream Mug Toppers – Something Turquoise

DIY Rae Dunn Mug Ideas

How to Make DIY Rae Dunn Pottery – Thrifty Shopper

DIY Rae Dunn Inspired Decals with Free Templates

Use this Home is Where You Are Farmhouse SVG to Make a Cute Doormat!

FREE Rae Dunn Inspired 2022 Printable Calendar – Twelve On Main

 

Still loving the simple designs? DId you know Rae Dunn was accused of Plagiarism?  Clayton Grudj accused Rae of plagerising their designs. Whilst Rae was creating perfect pieces,  Clayton was instead making objects that were so rustic and out of shape, they had to be labelled with their use. Eg. Bowl, Cup, Mug. Though originally marked with a sharpie.  Hence the original design.  You can read more about it here.

 

Rae Dunn Rock Painting – Inspiring Rocks for the Garden

DIY Rae Dunn Inspired Decals with Free Templates

Coffee Mug Vinyl Ideas | DIY Rae Dunn Inspired Decal Coffee Mugs

Farmhouse Fall Mugs | FREE Cut File for Personal Use 

DIY Hand Painted Block Signs Rea Dunn Inspired Font

DIY Dollar Tree Rae Dunn Measuring Spoon Display 

How to Make Those Popular Rae Dunn Inspired Christmas Ornaments – Amber Simmons

DIY Rae Dunn Inspired Bling Ring Dish | Creative Green Living 

 

But there is more than pottery to Rae Dunn,  she also has two books under her belt: The first, 2015’s Wilma’s World: Good Advice from a Good Dog, is a collection of photographs featuring Rae’s beloved dog and Dunn’s second book, is a collection of daily sketches from France residencies called France: Inspiration du Jour.

So why Does Rae Dunn have a cult following? and what makes it Rae Dunn Pottery valuable and which pieces are worth more?

What makes it valuable is the fact that supply is low and demand is high and you have cult fans or collectors who are willing to pay much higher prices to acquire it. Especially limited edition holiday season designs featuring the Long Letters or LL as it is reffered to in the Rae Dunn Cult pages, I mean fan pages.

So what Rae Dunn designs are more popular or worth more money? Basically anything “vintage” is going to set you back a few hundred dollars, lots of these pieces were created before the cult following occurred. Vintage pieces are far more unique and sort after.  So with all the Rae Dunn “inspired” crafts and DIY”s make sure you are getting the real thing. Do you know how to tell if your item is a real Rae Dunn item? Firstly there are handmade by Rae designs and Rae Designs by agents, the magenta ones are mass-produced and are not her early handmade or thrown works.

Rae Dunn’s work is just regular simple pottery that’s not that different from other items available. So what makes it so highly coveted? For one, her work is influenced by the Japanese aesthetic called wabi-sabi, which embraces the beauty of imperfections. You know kind of like the “Joy of tidying up” by Marie Kondo. Add a Japanese element to it and it went crazy viral too.  Well, I can assure you these “simple” pottery items spark joy for lots of fans. Except of course when a fan found the Rae Dunn mugs to contain Lead, Opps you can read more about are Rae Dunn mugs safe here.

Fans or Rae Dunn collectors have gone viral with swarming stores and waiting outside for hours to get the latest designs released. So what are these fans called? Rae Dunn Women. If you want to see them in action you can check out this viral tiktok showing just how crazy it can be.

 

* This article was originally published here

How to install a new fireplace surround

Safety codes limit the depth of what you can install. A custom design might be the way to go.

* This article was originally published here

Why gardening TV should be more like food telly

Food shows had a massive makeover, it’s time the same happened for gardening programmes

I have always found the conventions of how gardening is talked about on TV weirdly fascinating. Not only because it is all so different from how I and my friends think about gardening, but also because I wonder if the approach taken, born largely out of a desire to broaden its commercial appeal, paradoxically hampers our ability to reach people. Let’s just imagine, for a minute, what would happen if the presenters of food TV shows talked like those of garden TV…

First you’d have your obligatory “jobs for the week”, which would be a seasonal reminder of all the little chores you had to do around your kitchen, starting off with detailed advice on how to defrost your freezer. Showing the one “proper” way to do this, it would end with a reminder that it had to be repeated at least once every six months. There’d be a lengthy segment on the best way to peel an onion next, followed by tips on how to reorganise your spice rack. Actually, wait, that’s not quite right. They wouldn’t be described as simple tips to make things easier, they would be called “rules”, implying that if you, for whatever reason, didn’t memorise and follow them to the letter, everything would fall apart.

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* This article was originally published here

Capturing the 50s in a seaside hut in St Leonards

A beach shed filled with curiosities on the south coast is a place of comfort and inspiration for two artists

There is something so quintessentially British about a beach hut that appeals to my sense of nostalgia. Those rows of tiny huts, painted in a spectrum of the most mouthwatering sherbets and candy colours, make my heart sing.

They are a legacy of the Georgians and Victorians, who were quite prudish when it came to changing into their swimwear, and are now so popular that in some areas there are waiting lists and even a modest one can cost the same as a sturdy deposit on a one-bedroom apartment.

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* This article was originally published here

Rukmini Iyer’s recipe for slow-cooked lamb leg al pastor with pineapple salsa

The Roasting Tin author puts a spicy, tropical spin on Easter roast lamb in her monthly recipe for Ocado

Traditionally, you’d use this lovely al pastor marinade for pork, but it also works beautifully with lamb, which looks so festive when it comes as a whole slow-cooked leg to carve at the table.

With new-season lamb now at Ocado, I like to make this one of the first things that goes on the barbecue in spring. The lamb cooks low and slow in the oven before a quick stint on the barbecue for a wonderful smoky flavour, perfect with a fresh pineapple salsa and a pile of tortillas alongside. If you don’t have a barbecue at your disposal, flash the lamb under a hot grill after the initial four-hour cooking time until it gains a little colour on top.

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* This article was originally published here

Need advice on displaying your houseplants? An expert answered.

Eli Manekin of Loop Living and Jura Koncius will chat about the best ways to display your houseplants.

* This article was originally published here

11 houseplants that work well in small spaces

Bamboo palms, snake plants, aloe and other plants that work well in small spaces.

* This article was originally published here

Inside the joyful Lombardy home of Rosita Missoni

Just like the prints of her fashion label, the Missoni co-founder’s family home is full of jubilant colour and pattern

In Sumirago, a suburb of Varese in Lombardy, where the verdant surrounds sit in the shadow of the famously pastel-tinted Monte Rosa, Rosita Missoni is describing the scene outside her window. “It really is a beautiful day, the sky is a bright blue and the mountain is white,” she says. “It’s why we came here originally, because of this fabulous view – and why my husband insisted on big windows everywhere.”

Situated 25 miles northwest of Milan, the area is the spiritual home of Missoni, the Italian fashion house famous for its joyful zig-zag knits. Rosita established Missoni with her late husband Ottavio in 1953, and it grew into one of Italy’s most recognisable and celebrated exports.

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* This article was originally published here

After the fall: what a garden might look like at the end of the world

‘Post-apocalypse’ is not a typical theme for a garden show, but in Melbourne, landscape architects planted out a climate change worst-case scenario

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Abandoned by humans, no longer inhabitable, a typical suburban Melbourne home sinks into a marshland – perhaps it was caused by flooding, or rising sea levels. A wild entanglement of vegetation creeps around and over the built structures, a forest of self-seeded garden escapers.

Or that’s the plan, anyway. At this stage, the exhibit is not so much a garden as a construction site from a builder’s anxiety dream. On 31 March, it will be ready for the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in Carlton Gardens. The installation, titled Coming Soon, is a showcase garden by Akas Landscape Architecture and Nrth Landscapes, exploring a possible future for Melbourne’s suburban yards.

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* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

After the fall: what a garden might look like at the end of the world

‘Post-apocalypse’ is not a typical theme for a garden show, but in Melbourne, landscape architects planted out a climate change worst-case scenario

• Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email and listen to our podcast

Abandoned by humans, no longer inhabitable, a typical suburban Melbourne home sinks into a marshland – perhaps it was caused by flooding, or rising sea levels. A wild entanglement of vegetation creeps around and over the built structures, a forest of self-seeded garden escapers.

Or that’s the plan, anyway. At this stage, the exhibit is not so much a garden as a construction site from a builder’s anxiety dream. On 31 March, it will be ready for the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in Carlton Gardens. The installation, titled Coming Soon, is a showcase garden by Akas Landscape Architecture and Nrth Landscapes, exploring a possible future for Melbourne’s suburban yards.

Continue reading...

* This article was originally published here