Posts Tagged ‘Flower’
Wednesday, June 30th, 2010
Summer is a time for light and airy home décor. Dispense with the deep colours of winter and pare down to the bare minimum of accessories in each room. For instance, opt for a single rose in a simple vase rather than a full bouquet of flowers or place picture groupings or collections of any sort into storage and choose just one favourite for display.
Change window treatments to match the season. Replace heavy drapes with shades or blinds topped with a valance of lace or other sheer fabric. Wash all windows and replace or repair window screens, if necessary. Keep window treatments uncomplicated to allow for easy opening of the widows during the cool evening hours.
Quickly and inexpensively give upholstered furniture a cool, summer feel by creating a throw-style slipcover with a light coloured sheet, large safety pins and co-ordinating pastel ribbon. Simply drape the sheet evenly over the sofa or chair and tuck the fabric in around the seat and back cushions. Neatly fold or gather the excess fabric at the front and back corners. Secure with pins, as needed, and finish with a length of ribbon wrapped completely around the piece and tied in a bow at one corner. (more…)
Tags: Flower, Interior design
Posted in Home, Interesting | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
Add instant beauty to any setting with hanging baskets. Dress up the front of the home for all to enjoy or place them around the back deck or garden. Suspend a hanging basket full of summer blooms in front of the kitchen window and enjoy watching butterflies and humming birds while attending to kitchen chores. Some edibles even grow well in hanging baskets, such as tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, lettuce or herbs. Create a kitchen garden where ground space is limited.
[credit: Lachlan Hardy]
To create a hanging basket, line a wire basket with moss. Fill with potting soil and add Soil Moist granules, if possible, to keep the moisture in the basket. Alternatively, line the moss with plastic. Add the flowers or edibles to the soil and water thoroughly.
Consider placing plants around the outside of the basket as well. Cut holes through the moss prior to filling the basket with soil and then add soil to the level of the holes. Carefully insert the plant roots through the holes and cover with soil. Work up the basket until it is filled. (more…)
Tags: Flower, Plant, WATER
Posted in DIY, Garden, Home, Interesting, WATER | No Comments »
Thursday, June 10th, 2010
Summer is a wonderful time in the garden. Green, lush foliage provides a relaxing and cooling respite even during the heat of the day. Have an amazing garden this summer by following these four tips.
Ensure Adequate Water
Provide adequate water based on plant type, soil condition and weather. When dealing with plants with varying moisture needs, supplement general watering with a drip system or individual irrigation rather than over-watering some plants to ensure adequate water for others. Water early in the day to guard against excess moisture loss through evaporation.
[credit: Memotions]
Encourage Optimal Plant Growth
Hoe weeds on a regular basis, thin seedlings, apply liquid manure to crops and pick peas and flowers to encourage new blossoms. Thoroughly check for signs of pests and parasites at least weekly and treat promptly, as needed. Drape netting over all kinds of berries to prevent damage from birds. (more…)
Tags: Flower, Garden, Plant, Soil, WATER
Posted in Cleaning Tips, DIY, Garden, Holidays, Home, Plumbing, WATER | No Comments »
Monday, April 19th, 2010
Image via Wikipedia
Beautiful, edible decorations can be made for a variety of occasions such as garden parties or weddings. All that is needed are organically grown edible flowers and two simple ingredients.
To sugar preserve flowers, start with edible flowers that have been organically grown without the use of pesticides. Pansies, violets and nasturtiums are all good choices. To be completely safe, grow the flowers yourself.
Prior to picking the blossoms, assemble all needed equipment and supplies. For this project you will need scissors, a paper towel, a small bowl of egg white, a small bowl of super-fine sugar, a small paintbrush, a large plate and a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
Pick the flowers in the morning while it is cool outside. Cut the stems as short as possible and lay the blossoms on a paper towel to dry. Keep the batches of picked flowers small as the sugaring process is time consuming and must be completed in one sitting.
Gently hold each flower by the back and coat thoroughly with egg white, using the paintbrush. Ensure that no part of the front, back or sides is missed. Hold the flower over the plate and sprinkle with sugar until completely coated both front and back. Lay the blossom on the plate if necessary to complete this step. Gently bump or blow on the flower to remove excess sugar. (more…)
Tags: Eco, Flower, Garden, Shopping
Posted in Eco, Garden, Home | 1 Comment »
Thursday, April 8th, 2010
A beautiful yet uncomplicated flower house can be made from just a few materials. All that is needed are four poles or thin boards and some bird netting. Perfect as yard décor or a playhouse for the kids, a flower house adds style and fun to any landscape. 
To build a simple flower house, construct a four-sided tipi-type structure from poles or thin boards cut to the length needed for the desired height of the flower house. Either cut top end of the poles or boards at an angle to fit together snugly and fasten with screws or lash them together with twine.
Once the frame is secure, wrap it in bird netting on three sides and plant vines or annual climbing flowers around the base. Morning glories, nasturtium and sweet peas are all good choices. For additional visual appeal, plant non-climbing flowers around the base, as well. To add fullness and year-round greenery, consider adding ivy. Be aware that the frame will need extra stability to support the additional weight if ivy is included. (more…)
Tags: diy tips, Flower, Garden, Horticulture
Posted in DIY, Garden, Home | No Comments »
Friday, April 2nd, 2010
Image via Wikipedia
While there are many items that make wonderful Easter gifts, such as spring flowers or chocolate bunnies, consider giving beautiful hand painted eggs this year. Already established in some other countries, the craft of egg painting is gaining popularity in the UK, as well.
Inexpensive and easy to make, hand painted eggs are appropriate for anyone. Male or female, young and old alike, designs can be customised to each recipient.
Prepare the Eggs
To remove the contents, place the egg in an eggcup or similar sized container. Holding it gently but firmly, use a needle to poke a small hole in one end and a slightly larger hole in the other. Insert a long needle or thin wire through the larger hole and stir the insides. Hold the egg over a bowl and blow through the small hole to dispel the contents.
Once the egg is empty, submerge it in a mixture of three parts water to one part vinegar. Fill half full, shake gently and blow the liquid out of the eggshell. Shells needing additional cleaning may be left to soak a while in the water/vinegar mixture. Once the shells are clean, let them dry overnight. (more…)
Tags: Crafts, easter, Flower, Holidays, WATER
Posted in DIY, Family, Holidays, Interesting | 1 Comment »
Thursday, March 25th, 2010
With the changing seasons, it’s time to add the beauty and colour of spring to our homes. Whether you live in a house in the country or a flat in town, make a decorative spring door wreath to greet guests and lift the spirits of all passers by.
Take a leisurely walk and gather pussy willow or other branches. If gathering plant materials locally is not an option, purchase the desired items from a florist.
[photo by: Hot Meteor]
Making a beautiful and festive door wreath is easy and requires just a few materials. Follow these steps and start enjoying your wreath today! (more…)
Tags: Flower, home decor, spring
Posted in DIY, Home, Interesting | No Comments »
Friday, February 19th, 2010
- Image via Wikipedia
After the harsh conditions of winter, preparing the garden for spring is important. For maximum beauty and enjoyment later in the year, follow these five basic steps:
- Perform a general clean up, including a thorough weeding. Remove and discard fallen leaves or branches, dead annuals and any other debris from the lawn areas or flowerbeds. Weed all areas while the ground is moist and weeds are small and immature.
- Prune roses, perennials, shrubs and trees, as appropriate. Consult a detailed gardening guide for specific recommendations based on the age and type of plant. In general, most perennials that were not cut back in the fall can be pruned to ground level once new growth is evident at the base. For roses, prune only if mature. (more…)
Tags: Flower, Garden
Posted in DIY, Eco, Garden | 1 Comment »
Sunday, February 7th, 2010
The main tasks on a gardener’s calendar in February revolve around planning and preparation. The days are getting longer and hold the promise of spring, but winter weather is still very much a concern. Although the warm sun shines brightly at times, another hard frost may be just hours away.
Time to Dream
This is the time to dream and plan. Spend time browsing through seed catalogues. Consider which fresh vegetables are desired for the upcoming season and order the seeds. Plan to rotate edible crops and decide whether to let certain areas rest this year. Remember that even small scale food production may eventually deplete the soil of key nutrients. (more…)
Tags: Flower, Garden, gardening, Plant, Soil
Posted in DIY, Garden | No Comments »
Sunday, January 24th, 2010
Spring is approaching and it’s time to begin thinking about the garden. When planning the garden this year, consider giving plants an advantage by starting the seeds indoors. This will ensure that plants are ready to be placed outside and will also reduce the amount of time required before flowers bloom or produce is ready to harvest.
Choosing Seeds
When selecting seeds to start indoors, consider which plants require the longest growing season. There is no sense wasting valuable indoor growing space on plants with an early maturity. Choose those that require extra time. Once seeds are selected, make sure to provide ample light, proper soil, and adequate water and nutrients. (more…)
Tags: Flower, Garden, Plant, Seed, Soil, WATER
Posted in DIY, Garden, Home | No Comments »
