Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying your weekend. We have been having lovely sunny days here with enough rain to keep our garden happy. The garden has lots of  a Annebelle hydrangeas in full bloom now. We have hundreds of daylillies in bloom as well in all different colors.                                                              As we say goodbye to July

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A first look at how Melania Trump decorated White House’s private rooms

Photos in the new edition of “The White House: An Historic Guide” reveal changes to the Yellow Oval Room, the Queens' Bedroom and the Center Hall.

* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

A first look at how Melania Trump decorated White House’s private rooms

Photos in the new edition of “The White House: An Historic Guide” reveal changes to the Yellow Oval Room, the Queens' Bedroom and the Center Hall.

* This article was originally published here

Chef Elizabeth Karmel took questions on how to care for your grill

Elizabeth Karmel joined Jura Koncius to talk about the best ways to clean and care for your grill, during barbecue season and beyond.

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You"re invited! An Afternoon Cream Tea in the Garden

Hello everyone, We have had some pretty hot ,sunny weather here lately by Island standards anyway. The garden is thriving as so many perennials are in bloom now with lots more to come. My friend Barbara and I have decided to have an afternoon cream tea in the garden on Tuesday August 9th at 2 pm. This time there will be a donation bottle and as last time all the money will go to help the

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10 Baby Milestone Disk Sets You Can DIY

This roundup of craft projects is for making your own Milestone baby discs using a Cricut or similar cutting machine and Iron on Heat Transfer vinyl or permanent vinyl.

These 10 tutorials all show you different styles and techniques for creating keepsake memories with your baby.

How do milestones discs work? Baby milestone discs allow you to take photos with a title to the side of the baby, this can be done by placing the disk next to your baby or on their tummy, to stamp the date or title the date or occasion.

I have included some video tutorials also for those of you who prefer an audio guide to assist you in using the Cricut maker.

You can use Acrylic rounds or wood rounds. You could even use heavy cardstock. I suggest using pieces around 8cm+ it gives you a decent-sized title to place next to the baby.

Don’t have a Cricut machine? You can buy Milestone discs ready-made here.

SUNFLOWER BABY MILESTONE DISCS | DIY CRAFT TUTORIALS

 Milestone Discs on Wood Rounds | a Cricut Project – Too Much Love 

Milestone disks  

Free SVG: Baby Milestone Acrylic Rounds 

Wooden Baby Milestone Discs using Cricut and Iron On/HTV (Australian Suppliers) 

Milestone disks

Hand Lettered Baby Monthly Milestones 

Print and Cut your Own Baby Milestone and Month Stickers with picmonkey

ACRYLIC MONTHLY MILESTONE DISCS CRICUT 

How To Make Acrylic Month Milestones with Vinyl and Cricut

 

Looking for HTV or Heat transfer vinyl? Check out HTVront our favorite supplier with quick shipping for those urgent projects

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Tips for dealing with a slippery tub

Don’t rely on mats with suction cups; grit does the job better.

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A SMALL INSTALL

Taps on the microphone....hopefully some of you are still out there:)   I know....I often wonder why I can't get my post written in a timely manner anymore.  I hesitate to say this because my family and friends will be all crazy and start calling.....but....I do think it is mild depression.  In fact I think I have mentioned it before but it really does affect my work and just day to day

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‘They’re just better at it’: the rise of the rock star home organiser

What was popularised as a lockdown trend is now a booming commercial industry. Why are so many of us still fixated on decluttering our interiors?

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Most of the “stay safe, stay home” trends from the past two years have burned brightly before falling out of favour. Banana bread once had a stranglehold on our Instagram feeds, but it’s been a long time between loaves. Puzzles, similarly, no longer dominate the Saturday evening agenda.

But one pandemic-forged obsession appears to only be growing in demand: home organisation.

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* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

‘They’re just better at it’: the rise of the rock star home organiser

What was popularised as a lockdown trend is now a booming commercial industry. Why are so many of us still fixated on decluttering our interiors?

• Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email

Most of the “stay safe, stay home” trends from the past two years have burned brightly before falling out of favour. Banana bread once had a stranglehold on our Instagram feeds, but it’s been a long time between loaves. Puzzles, similarly, no longer dominate the Saturday evening agenda.

But one pandemic-forged obsession appears to only be growing in demand: home organisation.

Continue reading...

* This article was originally published here

Hello everyone, I can't believe how fast July is slipping by. ...can you? One of my favorite things to do in  summer is to enjoy my tea time in the garden. A summer tea It was a good year for strawberries here this year. Pretty china makes me smile. I made some strawberry scones for tea . Sweet summer days I hope you are enjoying your summer and thanks for

* This article was originally published here

Ways to spot and combat ‘shrinkflation’ as grocery bills soar

Shrinkflation happens when manufacturers reduce the amount of product but keep the retail price the same. Here's how to be a savvy shopper.

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A new Shakespeare plot: garden of Bard’s daughter to be recreated

Remedies used by healer Susanna Hall and her doctor husband will be planted at Stratford home

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia offers rosemary to boost memory, while in A Midsummer Night’s Dream Puck pours the juice of “love-in-idleness” on to the sleeping eyelids of Titania, making her “madly dote” on Bottom wearing an ass’s head.

The magical power of herbs and flowers that Shakespeare recognised is now inspiring the recreation of a 17th-century herbal garden in the historic 1613 house that his daughter Susanna shared with her husband, John Hall, a physician who is believed to have advised his father-in-law on medical ailments.

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10 glorious UK garden fantasias to visit this summer

Inspired by exotic travels and distant history, these lesser known British spaces are bursting with colour, idiosyncrasy and creative flourishes

If you are holidaying in the West Country, don’t miss one of the very limited chances to visit Wildside, a few miles north of Plymouth, which opens at the end of the month, and again in August. If you’re not, it’s worth a special trip. Wildside is the most exciting of gardens – the extraordinary creation of Keith Wiley, an obsessive gardener, tirelessly driven by horticultural curiosity, ecological exactitude, rage and grief. He ignores all the usual gardening rules and makes new ones, guided by his close observation of plant communities in natural landscapes across the globe. (It is only by casting off the straitjacket of long-established horticultural practice, Wiley insists, that gardeners can discover their true creative potential.) There are myriad unusual plants to see, and plants used in imaginative ways. It is no surprise that Wildside has been hailed as the most adventurous garden in the UK.

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Think of nesting birds before pruning your hedge | Letter

Trimming hedges, shrubs and trees should be avoided from March to September, writes Elizabeth Welch

Alys Fowler’s article (Who says you can’t prune trees in summer?, 8 July) did not make the most important point of all: that generally there should be no pruning of hedges, shrubs and trees during bird nesting season, from March to September. Even if there are no nests where the pruning is actually taking place, it can cause distress to birds nesting and feeding nearby, which may result in them abandoning their nests.
Elizabeth Welch
Ranton, Staffordshire

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Jonathan Adler talked about decorating, his favorite music and more

Designer Jonathan Adler joins Jura Koncius for a live Q&A on how to find your own style.

* This article was originally published here

8 ways to create the illusion of ‘rooms’ in a small studio apartment

Tips for how studio dwellers can arrange their space to make it feel less like their lives are confined to one small room.

* This article was originally published here

50 Of The Best Farmhouse Style DIY Craft Projects

This roundup shows you how to make 46 different variations of rustic farmhouse crafts. Farmhouse or shabby chic and rustic are all terms given to rough and simple decor items. Farmhouse style is so versatile and can be added to beach theme decor, chic decor, and even Mcgee styling projects.  The best thing about farmhouse crafts is you do not need to be perfect in your ability, rough and rustic are all part of the DIY farmhouse charm.

Dollartree Farmhouse Side Table Hack — CraftBits.com

Farmhouse Coffee Cup Kitchen Storage Basket — CraftBits.com

Dollar Tree Farmhouse Kitchen Stand — CraftBits.com

Dollar Tree – Vintage Farmhouse Milk Urn — CraftBits.com

Farmhouse Rustic Button Chicken Wall Art — CraftBits.com

https://craftbits.com/project/dollartree-hack-farmhouse-porch-numbers/

Farmhouse Decorative Glass Plate — CraftBits.com

DIY Farmhouse Fresh Eggs Kitchen Wall Art — CraftBits.com

Rustic Farmhouse Ladder 

Make Your Own Farmhouse 3 Tier Tray Stack — CraftBits.com 

Dollar Tree Farmhouse Milk Crate — CraftBits.com

Decorative Farmhouse Up-cycled Bottles — CraftBits.com 

Dollar Tree Farmhouse Spade Wall Art — CraftBits.com

DIY Vintage Farmhouse Kitchen Scales — CraftBits.com

DIY Coffee Table Rustic Stamped Books — CraftBits.com 

How to Get the Industrial Farmhouse Look with Dollar Tree Storage | Little House of Four

Farmhouse Candle Holder – Our Southern Home

Dollar Store Cotton Wreath – The Crazy Craft Lady

Farmhouse Kitchen Canister DIY • Crafting my Home

DIY Farmhouse Style Hanging Wire Baskets On Reclaimed Wood

DIY Grainsack Stripe Stamp – Ella Claire & Co.

DIY Tea Towel Pillows – The Wood Grain Cottage

DIY Farmhouse Style Moss Topiary Tree | The Happy Housie

Succulent Pots

Easy DIY Rae Dunn Inspired Pantry Labels | Hip2Save 

French Farmhouse Bread Box (no bread in this box!) – Artsy Chicks Rule®

DIY Three-Tiered Tray – Liz Marie Blog

Industrial farmhouse reclaimed wood and pipe pantry shelf sign

DIY Primitive Cabinet from a Repurposed Wooden Crate and Frame – Knick of Time 

DIY Rustic Wood Tray

FUNCTIONAL AND FABULOUS KITCHEN RACKS – StoneGable

DecoArt Blog – Crafts – DIY Paint Sticks Bushel Basket

Simple DIY ledge shelf tutorial – Christina Maria Blog 

Vintage Cheese Grater Organizer

Reclaimed wood coffee crate lid sign  

Vintage Cabinet Door Serving Tray

DIY Pallet Plaques – Oh My Creative

Pottery Barn Inspired DIY Jute Placemats-Perfect for Summer Entertaining 

Reclaimed wood coffee crate lid sign  

Vintage Cabinet Door Serving Tray 

Decorating with a Vintage Ladder 

Dollar Tree Farmhouse Tiered Tray

DIY Farmhouse Produce Rack – Addicted 2 DIY

The Easiest DIY Farmhouse Chalkboard | The Inspired Hive

How to Easily Age Inexpensive Galvanized Planters | Little House of Four

Redo It Yourself Inspirations : Farmhouse Vegetable Stand

 

 

* This article was originally published here

I love my sofa, but not the bed part. What are my options?

You could remove the bed mechanism if you rig up a way to support the sofa seat. But first see whether you can make the bed more comfortable.

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The waterlily that changed architecture

An amazing true story of elegant structures, aquatic plants and the Crystal Palace

One of the most wonderful things about working as a botanist is the sheer number of plants that are out there. It is estimated that there are 400,000 species on Earth – I say estimated, because more than 1,000 are recorded as new to science each year so no plant scientist can ever know all of them.

And it’s this incredible diversity that occasionally throws up something that captures our imagination – so much that our passion to grow them sets off ripples that revolutionise not just horticulture, but the entire way we live our lives, even architecture. A classic example of this can be found in the most unlikely of places: the upper tributaries of the Amazon rainforest.

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Houseplant of the week: zebra plant

A tropical stunner with vast leaves, this is one deserves pride of place in your home

Why will I love it?
Everyone is obsessed with the stripy markings on the stems of the fast-growing, tropical zebra plant (Alocasia zebrina). Its vast leaves give it its other common name: elephant ear.

Light or shade?
Bright, indirect sunlight.

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* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here

Houseplant of the week: zebra plant

A tropical stunner with vast leaves, this is one deserves pride of place in your home

Why will I love it?
Everyone is obsessed with the stripy markings on the stems of the fast-growing, tropical zebra plant (Alocasia zebrina). Its vast leaves give it its other common name: elephant ear.

Light or shade?
Bright, indirect sunlight.

Continue reading...

* This article was originally published here

Hilton Carter takes questions on caring for houseplants

Hilton Carter and Jura Koncius take questions about choosing and caring for houseplants.

* This article was originally published here

Summer Time Blues

Hello everyone, It is pouring rain here today so I am staying snug inside and enjoying some summer time blues from the past. summer is the perfect time to enjoy refreshments outdoors..... just not today in all this rain.   A summer picnic with a blue theme The rose hedge is in full bloom now and will have a second bloom in late August. After a game of croquet you can relax

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How to cool stifling upstairs bedrooms during the summer

Start low-tech with shades, fans and vents before you consider upgrading your system.

* This article was originally published here

The English are obsessed with our boring, suburban lawns. It’s time to let them go

Lawns are just nature smothered by class aspirations, a constant chase for control

Across the suburbs today, the low scratching buzz of a hundred lawn mowers. This afternoon the smell of cut grass and premature sun lotion will rise in clouds of wet nostalgia and suffocate us, as is its right. Down the road a golf course vibrates in the heat, empty but for three men in the distance plodding importantly between holes. And here at my desk, looking down at our lawn, I seethe.

Each year my hatred of lawns increases by a centigrade. But discussing it with a partner, parent or friend is trickier than it might seem – a conversation about the problem with lawns often lands as comfortably as one about their drinking habits or how often they look at Instagram. The UK is obsessed with lawns, addicted, the UK is in a problematic two-century long relationship with the garden lawn. It is the most enduring fetish of our time. So to criticise lawns, which cover an estimated 23% of the entire urban land area on the planet, feels to many like a criticism of the very structures of their lives. It is to point out that they are naked.

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* This article was originally published here

* This article was originally published here