Before you extend any invitations, there are a few essentials every guest room should have to make overnight visitors feel at home. Be sure to cater to whichever guest will be staying with you. Have essentials for the business person or something to read for the bookworm. These thoughtful decorating ideas will help you furnish a guest bedroom with comfort and style. Related Video
Buy It: Crock-Pot 7-Quart Cook & Carry Programmable Easy-Clean Slow Cooker ($55, Target) Buy It: Salt-Free Cajun Seasoning ($9, The Spice House) Test Kitchen Tip: Use a box grater ($23, OXO) to shred your own cheese. The pre-shredded packages are convenient, but they have anti-caking agents that make it harder to melt into your soup. Buy It: T-fal 5-Quart Dutch Oven ($27, Target) Related Video
But if hiring a pro is outside the scope of your budget, consider working with a designer on a consultation basis, which will give you some guidance for a smaller price. Some home furnishings companies even offer free design consultations to help you get started. Related Video
Buy It: Ball 4-Ounce Jelly Jars with Lids, 12 count ($12, Target) Buy It: Luigi Bormioli Michelangelo Pitcher ($35, Bed Bath & Beyond) Related Video
Repeating the sophisticated style of the front entry, a new second-story porch to the left extends the home’s gracious exterior details. Low-maintenance vinyl siding in ocean blue contrasts nicely with the wood door and white trim. Related Video
Once you’ve made as many pinecone trees as you like, coat each with a thin coat of white paint ($3, Michaels). Editor’s Tip: To make this floral centerpiece last, set the bouquet in a vase with water first; set the vase inside the pineapple. Editor’s Tip: Make orange pomanders by using a large needle to poke holes into oranges. Push the stems of whole cloves into the holes in the oranges....
Make-Ahead Tip: Marinate the bratwurst for 24 hours in a zesty blend of dark beer and steak sauce. Buy It: Lodge Pre-seasoned 10.5-inch Cast Iron Grill Pan ($22, Walmart) Buy It: OXO Nonstick Pro Half Sheet Pan ($26, Target) Related Video
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Baking with Olive Oil If substituting olive oil for vegetable oil (or another cooking oil) in your baking recipe, you can use a 1:1 ratio. Because of olive oil’s distinct flavor, it might affect the flavor of the baked product. Best Olive Oils for Baking Any olive oil is fine, we find the best olive oil to use in baking is made with Aberquina olives ($16, Target). This type of olive oil will come labeled as “mild” olive oil, which allows for a light, mild flavor rather than the stronger extra virgin olive oil on the shelves....
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One of the best ways to find out what to expect for fall foliage in your area is to check out this interactive map created by SmokyMountains.com, which predicts peak fall colors across the United States by county. In addition to using climate data to create the map, the website allows users to report what fall is like in their county each day to improve the accuracy of the map....
Choose Seating with Staying Power First and foremost, make sure there is enough comfy seating available to encourage friends and family to kick back, relax, and linger after hours. Cozy furniture that feels like it belongs indoors, such as a pair of armchairs and a sofa (like this five-piece Better Homes & Gardens set, $1,396, Walmart), gives off a family room aura and can be arranged in a semi-circle to keep the conversation flowing....
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1. Nails and Screws Nails are sized by their length, designated by a penny, or d, size. Gauge, or diameter, increases as the penny size increases; a 16d nail is both longer and fatter than an 8d. Common nails, used for general framing, have large heads and thick shanks. They hold well but are hard to drive and may split the wood.Box nails, thinner than common nails of the same size, reduce splitting in 3/4-inch or thinner stock....
Vacuum Upholstered Furniture Often Our number one cleaning tip is to vacuum your upholstered furniture often. Dirt not only affects the appearance of your furniture, it can also wear away fabric fibers. Use a clean, dry upholstery attachment, or any stiff-bristle brush, to loosen dried dirt and debris. Use the crevice tool for hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. Use Baby Wipes to Clean Furniture Baby wipes are surprisingly effective for quick DIY upholstery cleaning (although you should always test first on an inconspicuous area to make sure they won’t damage the fabric)....
We’re here to coach you through all of your options for cooking bacon, including how to cook bacon in the oven, how to cook bacon in the microwave, how to cook bacon on the stove, and even tricks for cooking bacon on the grill. We’ll also dish on how to select and store your pork for the best results. Prepare to pig out—you’ll want to add strips to every meal after mastering all the best ways to cook bacon....
1. Choose the Right Site for Your Rain Garden Take a good look at your yard: Do any low areas in it have a little standing water after a heavy rain? That could be a natural place to start a rain garden. You also want the site to be in full sun to part shade and at least 10 feet away from your house. Finally, locate your rain garden down a slope from a downspout, ditch—or other outlet for water—running off hard surfaces on your property....
Today, party planners love how easy it is to customize popcorn balls with food coloring, candies, and nuts to suit any holiday or party theme. Read on for tips to make the best popcorn balls you’ve ever tasted. How to Make Fresh or Microwave Popcorn Balls We’ll go through all the steps here to make old-fashioned fresh or microwave popcorn balls at home using this basic recipe. Once you’ve got the classic recipe down, you’ll be able to customize the sweet treats with add-ins, too....
How Many Cups in a Can of Pumpkin, Really? Fifteen ounces of canned pumpkin is just shy of 2 cups (16 ounces would be 2 cups). By comparison, a 3-pound pie pumpkin will likely give you enough puree for a recipe that calls for a can of pumpkin. After cooking and draining a pumpkin, this is about what to expect from a typical cooking pumpkin transformed into fresh pumpkin puree:...
