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Many people think using fabrics outdoors is a no-no, but that’s not the case. Look for inexpensive materials on clearance or remnants, or you can recycle sheets and consider the fabrics semi-disposable. Leave them in the rain and then let the sun dry them again. They’ll last just a year or two, but then you’ll be free to start with a fresh look. The other alternative is to invest in rugged, exterior-quality fabrics found at most fabric shops....

Second-Story Remodeling Options There are at least four ways to expand vertically during your home renovation. How you go about your second story addition plans depends on your preferences, foundation requirements for adding a second story, and building regulations. Cost of Adding a Second Story If you need to add a sizable amount of space (several rooms rather than just one or two) but are faced with a tight budget, adding up may be your smartest option....

And while we may be most familiar with our traditions (like giving Father’s Day cards and hosting a Father’s Day brunch), the holiday isn’t just celebrated in the United States. For Father’s Day international celebrations, Dad is honored on different days and in many different ways. Here’s how families celebrate Father’s Day in 15 countries around the world. Related Video

How Many Cups of Powdered Sugar in a Pound Let your cake recipe, powdered sugar icing recipe, or whatever baking recipe you’re using determine if you need to sift the powdered sugar. Sifting powdered sugar makes it lighter and fluffier, so you’ll need more of it by volume to reach 1 pound. With these guidelines, you’ll know the answer to “how many cups of powdered sugar is a pound?” 1 pound = 3½ to 4 cups unsifted powdered sugar1 pound = 4½ cups sifted powdered sugar...

When Pumpkins Are Ready to Harvest Pumpkins, like watermelon, strawberries, and grapes, ripen best attached to the vine. Once removed from the vine, the sugar content of the fruit will not increase, which makes harvest timing especially important for pumpkins you want to use for baking and cooking. While sugar content isn’t a factor in pumpkins used for front porch decor, the process of maturing on the vine does help pumpkins resist rot....

As a general rule, plan to complete a few essential cleaning tasks about once a week, though some bathrooms might need more frequent scrubbing, depending on the frequency of use. For example, a shared kids’ bath will get grimy much quicker than a powder room mainly visited by guests. Whatever way you work it into your cleaning routine, make your bathroom sparkle with this guide on how to clean bathroom fixtures....

Choose a piece of solid wood furniture that’s the right size and style for your room. Then select two colors of latex paint: one for the top coat and another for the base, which will peek through from underneath. Once the paint is dry, you’ll use sandpaper to distress the surface to your liking. Follow the steps below to learn how to paint wood furniture with a gorgeous distressed finish....

How to Freeze Strawberries The most common way to freeze strawberries is by flash-freezing them whole and unsweetened (aka dry pack method). There are also ways to freeze strawberries with sugar that we’ll get to later. Step 1: Wash and Dry Strawberries Before you freeze strawberries, wash them thoroughly by placing them in a colander and gently rinsing under cool water before removing the stems. If you remove the stems before washing, more water can get in and affect the texture and flavor—no one likes a watery strawberry!...

Gerbera daisies (Gerbera jamesonii) are tender perennials and will grow year-round in USDA Zones 8-11, but you can enjoy them in the spring and summer in any climate. Whether you grow them outdoors or inside, there are a few tips to follow to help your daisies thrive. Make sure you keep water off the leaves (too much wetness makes them more vulnerable to disease), don’t let them get too hot, and cut the flower stems off at the base when the blooms fade....

Create a cozy reading nook with an arrangement that wraps around a corner or flank a fireplace with DIY architectural character. Follow the steps below to learn how to make bookcases look built-in. How to Make Bookcases Look Built-In For a seamless look, purchase tall bookcases that reach nearly to your ceiling so you can easily fill in the gap with trim. What You Need Desired number of full-sized bookcasesOne narrow shelving unit for the corner (optional)1 gallon of paint or stainPaintbrushScrews and a screwdriver (or drill)Anchoring hardwareTape measureTrim pieces (enough to line the top edge of full unit)SawSandpaperHammer and nails (or nail gun)LevelWood filler...

Where to Plant Basil Plant basil alongside other culinary herbs in your garden such as parsley, chives, oregano, thyme, cilantro, and dill for a bountiful collection of fresh fragrant foliage. Seed a row of your favorite basil variety in the garden to ensure plenty of fresh leaves for making pesto or flavoring summer dishes. When planted near tomatoes, basil displays an ability to repel pests such as thrips (tiny winged insects) and tomato hornworms....

Bellflowers are among the most popular blue flowers, a rare hue in the plant world. While blue is the most common color, you can also find them in purple, white, and pink. These cheery little bells will grace your garden for weeks, generally starting in late spring and continuing through summer. Where to Plant Bellflower Because this is such a diverse group of plants, it’s always best to research and read labels on specific varieties before planting them in your garden....

The meaning of the “pink” moniker is two-fold: The flowers are often pink (though they come in other colors, too), and the edges of the petals have a fringed look, as if someone trimmed them with pinking shears. The blossoms of some varieties, like Dianthus superbus, feature a very long, exaggerated fringe, like streamers flying off each petal. Before you start planting, be aware that some varieties of dianthus aren’t safe for pets....

Fringed Tulip Varieties Tulipa Angelique Double-flowered tulips stand out because their blooms are packed with petals. Some have so many petals that they are referred to as peony-flowered tulips for their resemblance to those flowers. Bloom time depends on type; some bloom in early spring and others bloom late. Regardless of when they show off their flowers, the blossoms last a long time because the flowers have so much substance.Double tulips’ large, heavy blooms can be a drawback: Rains and strong winds easily damage the flowers, so plant them in a protected location....

When ingested, the leaves, nectar, seeds, and flowers of rhododendrons and azaleas are toxic to humans and pets. Rhododendron or Azalea? Rhododendrons and azaleas are often confused. Azaleas were once considered a separate genus of plants, but they were reclassified as genetically similar to rhododendrons relatively recently. Now, they are in the same genus. People tend to think of rhododendrons as large evergreen plants with big clusters of blooms and associate azaleas with smaller leaves and shorter plant habits....

What Are Strawberry Runners? Strawberry runners (also called stolons) are horizontal stems that grow along the ground. Each runner produces several new “daughter” plants that are still attached to the original “mother” plant. A daughter plant will grow roots where it touches the soil. Once the new plant is established on its own roots, the runner will dry up to separate the daughter from the mother plant. June bearing strawberries send out many runners after fruiting and are often more vigorous than everbearing strawberries....

At a minimum, winter coats should be washed once a year, at the end of the season, to remove environmental and body soils, stains, and odors prior to storing them. Washing coats twice a season is ideal. Some winter coats, like fleece or performance outerwear, can be washed more frequently, anywhere from biweekly to monthly depending on usage and factors such as visible staining or odor retention that indicate it’s time to wash the jacket....

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That’s why a few potted mums perched on your porch seems like a no-brainer for transitioning from summer into the next season. But don’t be in too much of a hurry if you want your plants to last. Even though retailers start selling mums well before fall begins, you may want to hold off on buying them just yet. Mums prefer cooler temperatures, which can be a problem if you buy them when they’re first available and it’s still getting to 90°F during the day....