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Here are more tips for what to plant to attract butterflies and hummingbirds and how to keep them happy, healthy, and returning to your yard. If you can deal with this, then you can make butterflies at home in your garden with puddles for drinking and cooling off, logs for shelter, host plants for laying eggs, and, of course, flowers for nectar. Bright colors will catch their eye in flight, so consider planting your butterfly plants in swaths large enough for them to spot....

When we first entered the pandemic, I wouldn’t have called myself an anxious person. But the more I watched work and life as I knew it wither away, the more I felt that pit in my stomach grow. I found myself awake at random hours of the night trying to figure out my next steps, both in life and in work. This did lead to some fruitful brainstorming, and while I’m on the other side of the early-pandemic struggles now, I can absolutely guarantee I would’ve slept much more soundly with the Baloo Weighted Blanket from pandemic day one....

Dig a 10- to 12-inch deep hole for each plant and consider using a post-hole digger. Establish a post or stake down the center of the row between the two end posts at each end of the row if end posts are more than 20 feet apart. Posts that are 3 inches in diameter and 6 feet tall are ideal. Replace the dirt and pack it in firmly so that the posts do not fall over....

A 24-hour plumber can charge hefty fees, and the truth is that a great many plumbing problems can wait until office hours open in the morning—provided you know what to do when the emergency appears. But what should you do first, how do you determine when you should contact a plumber, and what could the problem possibly be? Here are some answers. Turn off the Water The first thing you can do when you handle a plumbing emergency is shut off the water to prevent any further damage....

They visually define space. It’s amazing how little material is needed to define a barrier between rooms. Even half-length doors do the trick. They’re simple to Install. Cafe doors are even easier than bi-fold doors. The keep out some pets. Cats won’t be deterred by cafe doors; they’ll just go right under. But larger dogs who are unable to pass below the doors usually will not like cafe doors with spring-loaded hinges....

Designs for Painted Birdhouses There are many beautiful painted birdhouses in every color and design imaginable. A simple solid color birdhouse is easy to paint, whether in muted tones or bold palettes, while some artistic birders create birdhouses that resemble real homes’ paint jobs with coordinating colors and trim. Themed houses are also popular, and a basic birdhouse can be transformed into a patriotic palace, country tea cottage, or whimsical ornament with different paint schemes....

Test-daubing ovals of paint on your wall, test-painting entire walls, painting cardboard squares, and taping them up. Each of these methods have their merits and their disadvantages. But online paint visualizers provide the one view that no other method can give. With these programs, you are able to view the entire room in a new paint color, not just sections. On top of that, you can usually view the new color at different times of the day to see how your color might look at dusk, noon, night, or in the morning’s first light....

Black mustard is very easy to grow and will thrive in almost any soil condition. It also reseeds readily which results in rapid spread and this has allowed the plant to naturalize almost everywhere it has been introduced. A consequence of rapid spread has led some areas to label black mustard as invasive. Adding to the problem is the allelopathic tendencies of the mustard plant which inhibits the growth of native flora....

Blown-in from a machine located on the ground, loose-fill insulation is often a better choice. Plus, the machine can be rented on a do-it-yourself basis. Read on to learn blown-in insulation machine rental basics. What Loose Fill Insulation Is Because heat rises, attics and other above-ceiling areas need a lot of insulation. For places where a high-value, R-38, insulation is required, the recommended thickness of the insulation is as much as 14 inches....

That’s why we point you to some bathroom decorating ideas for your guest bath that will help you make a huge impact when selling your home. And yes, they are budget-friendly too! Nothing dresses up the room like shiny, new hardware, and there is a lot of it in the bathroom including sink faucets, cabinet knobs, towel bars, and toilet flush handles. Set aside part of your budget to upgrade these items....

So, if you want a carpeted bathroom, you’ve got to really want one. That said, you should remodel to your own taste, especially if you do not intend to sell your home for a long time, if ever. And, if something was a trend once, it might appear once again in the next 20-year trend cycle. Usually, not putting in carpet is the best approach. But if you really do want to install carpet in a bathroom, observe a few precautions that may help it work better....

‘Arthur’ Creator Marc Brown’s Famous Art Creator of the hit public television cartoon series, Arthur, Marc Brown has created thousands of illustrations in his 44-year career. Roadshow experts met the beloved children’s author at his Massachusetts home to appraise his artwork and a few pieces from his folk art collection. Some of his cartoon sketches have a value of $500-$1,000 each. His mid-range work, featuring characters such as DW or Arthur can sell for $3,000-$5,000 each....

As with many ground covers, grass and weeds growing up through the phlox can be a nuisance. And they will compete with your phlox for soil nutrients and moisture. It’s best to start managing weeds early in the spring before the phlox blooms and its foliage is at its fullest. Hand-pulling is the most effective method for removing weeds. If you let the weeds get out of control, it might be easiest to dig up the phlox (keeping its roots intact), clear the area of grass and weeds, and then replant the phlox....

A Palestinian non-profit organization is preserving the traditional embroidery style of tatreez by incorporating it into their handmade products ranging from home goods to clothing. The art form is composed of various intricate motifs which often tell a story about the person who owns the item containing the pattern, like napkin rings or pillows. But Darzah’s mission goes beyond creating beautiful handmade products. Through interactive and enriching workshops, they’re creating jobs for marginalized females who often faced challenges of gender inequality which results in low-income issues and a lack of economic opportunities....

If you’re looking for a new rug, we can only assume you’re overwhelmed by all your options. When purchasing online, it can be especially hard to tell which rugs are worth their cost. After trying it out for a few weeks, we’re ready to dish on Dash and Albert’s Herringbone Hand Woven Area Rug. The indoor cotton rug is available in everything from a hallway runner to a large 9 x 12-foot size....

Cordless electric hedge trimmers are ideal for gardeners who are looking for an efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to gas-powered maintenance tools. Battery-operated options such as the DeWalt 40V MAX* XR 22” Cordless Hedge Trimmer are especially handy when the job calls for maintaining a good amount of hedges and shrubs. I tested this tool at my Los Angeles home on ficus hedge trees, African irises, and rosemary bushes to see how well its dual-action blades and battery held up during gardening sessions that lasted from 30 minutes to about an hour....

Because the stones are cut from quarries and not made from molds like other pavers, there is a little more variation in size, texture, and color. These variations often add to the beauty of stone pavers. Different Kinds of Stone Pavers There are many kinds of stone pavers. Almost any type of rock can be made into one. The most common ones are: Bluestone Cobblestone Travertine (a favorite building material of the Romans)...

Can You Grow Dragon Fruit Cactus Inside? You can grow the dragon fruit plant (Hylocereus undatus) indoors if your home has a location with plenty of sunlight, such as a sunroom or a large window where the plant gets six to eight hours of sunlight. To make an indoor dragon fruit cactus bear fruit might require hand-pollination, a job that is done by moths, bats, and bees outdoors. Dragon fruit cactus is a vine that can grow up to 20 feet tall....

Different heater styles and models may have different spacing requirements. For example, some heaters run hotter than others and may need extra clearance. That’s why it is critical to follow the instructions for your heater model. That said, there are some general guidelines for positioning standard electric baseboard heaters, as well as some basic safety precautions. The common exception to this guideline is thick carpeting. If the carpet pile is tall enough that it might cover the air opening, the heater should be installed above the carpet....