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To find colors that make you happy, look to midtones toward the center of paint chips between the deep, saturated colors and soft pastels. Choose a shade you love (you can mix two or three together), then layer in paler or more intense tones with furniture and accessories. To increase the happiness quotient, include one of the primaries: red, yellow, or blue. These shades energize toddlers in preschools, lift spirits in medical centers, and encourage creativity at media companies, Internet startups, and innovation centers....

Should I Put Water in the Roasting Pan for Turkey? “You can imagine all the turkey cooking methods we’ve tested over our 39 years at the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line,” says Nicole Johnson, the director of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line located in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. “Often, consumers will inquire about adding water to the bottom of their roasting pans. We do not recommend adding water to the bottom of the pan....

Before you break out your rake or leaf blower, however, you might want to consider your alternatives. Usually, when you collect and bag the leaves in your yard, they end up in the dump. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, leaves and other yard debris account for 34.7 million tons of waste per year in the U.S., about 13.3% of all solid waste in the country. The EPA also notes that yard waste generates methane gas, which pollutes the air we breathe, and acids that can leach into the ground, polluting soil and water....

3 cup white rice flour 3 cup potato starch 2 cup sorghum flour 4 teaspoon xanthan gum Chicken Noodle Soup Sprinkle 2 lb. cubed skinless, boneless chicken breast halves and/or thighs with salt and black pepper. In a 5- to 6-qt. Dutch oven heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil over medium-high. Add half of the chicken; cook and stir 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan. Repeat, using 2 Tbsp. oil and remaining chicken....

Pour a tablespoon of each into a small cup and warm it in your palm to release the oil’s aromas. Sip and let the oil coat your mouth and the back of your tongue. Pay attention to the finish. It may be buttery, fruity, herbaceous, peppery, or bitter.

The couple works together building, designing, and developing real estate at their company, We Are In Our Element. They wanted to remake the house quickly and creatively for their own use and as a rental property. After 10 months of work, the Smirkes could finally vacation at their finished property with bohemian desert decor and rent it out via Airbnb for $145–$185 per night while they’re away. Now they host 120 adventure-seeking visitors each year....

Red Twig Dogwood Basics Also known as red osier dogwood, the red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) is a native deciduous shrub. It thrives in USDA Zones 3-7, making it an extremely cold tolerant option for thick hedges in northern states. In good growing conditions, these shrubs can easily reach upwards of 10 feet. In addition to colorful stems, red twig dogwoods offer white flower clusters in spring and white berries in late summer....

“Stainless steel looked futuristic,” says Dr. Anna Ruth Gatlin, assistant professor of interior design at Auburn University who teaches a course on the history of interior design. “In the 2000s, we were living in an age of rapid technological advancements, and we wanted that reflected in our homes.” The Journey to American Kitchens Stainless steel was invented in 1913 for use as a corrosion-resistant material for gun barrels. In the 1920s, stainless steel was used in the manufacture of cutlery, tools, and surgical scalpels....

How to Hard-Cook Eggs (aka How to Hard-Boil Eggs) on the Stove You’re not technically boiling the eggs so hard-cooked eggs is the more accurate term, but you are bringing water to a boil. Whatever you call it, here’s how to do it: Test Kitchen Tip: Do not stack eggs, this will alter the cooking time and could result in eggs being cooked to different levels of doneness. How to Make Steamed Hard-Boiled Eggs This is the technique getting all the praise....

Note: The overall dimensions for this project are dependent on the size of the cooler. Our cooler measures 22 inches long by 13 inches wide by 11 inches tall. We sized the inside of the cabinet to be slightly larger so it’s easy to remove the cooler for cleaning or draining. Adjust the dimensions to accommodate the size of your cooler.

This wooden shelving unit is easy to build without any specialty tools or jigs. Plus it utilizes inexpensive, simple-to-find materials that will save you money and time. Get started on your DIY garage shelves today to maximize your space. How to Choose a Size for Garage Shelves The dimensions of this shelf are designed to yield the biggest shelf while wasting as little wood as possible. However, the depth, width, and height are fully customizable....

Who Was St. Lucy? Santa Lucia’s Day originated in Scandinavian countries. Legend has it that St. Lucy would secretly bring food to persecuted Christians in Rome hiding in the catacombs, wearing candles on her head to keep her hands free and illuminate the way. In fact, the name Lucia comes from the Latin word “lux”, meaning “light”. Today, there are St. Lucy dolls (remember the iconic Kirsten American Girl Doll?), figurines, and ornaments....

Luckily, there are many options when it comes to cooling down a room that doesn’t have air conditioning. For starters, you can cover windows with an awning, shutters, or insulated curtains. In addition to installing an oversized ceiling or using floor fans, you can also try energy-efficient lightbulbs or heat-proofing your bed. Here are creative tricks for cooling your home through the summer months without air conditioning. 1. Cover Windows Leaving your windows uncovered during the sunniest hours of the day lets in a considerable amount of heat....

1. Corral a Collection Use your countertops as a place to house your culinary collections—whether cookbooks, cutting boards, or platters leaned against the backsplash for display. Handed-down wooden spoons, a stack of collected dishes, and etched drinking glasses on a small tray can also provide a moment of interest or a conversation spark when guests gather in the kitchen. Just refer to the less-is-more mentality so your kitchen countertops don’t become cluttered....

When to Get Rid of Old Paint The good news is that paint lasts a long time when it’s properly stored indoors, away from temperature extremes, and with the lid securely in place. In fact, latex paint can last up to 10 years when stored properly, and oil-base (or alkyd) paint can remain usable for up to 15 years. So before you get rid of old paint, pop the lid and take a whiff....

Issues with Baking at a High Altitude Why would an elevation change affect baking? Baking is a science that relies on interactions between flour, fats, liquid, and leavening, and elevation is a significant factor in each of those areas during the baking process. A few of the main problems that arise in baking at higher altitudes include: High-Altitude Baking Adjustments There are also ways that certain ingredients, oven temperature, and cooking time can affect your baking....

How to Freeze Layer Cakes Layer cakes can be a little easier to freeze and store than sheet cakes because you don’t have to clear out as much space in your freezer for them. Here’s how to freeze cake layers: Remove the cakes from their pans and let them cool completely on wire racks. Wrap each cake layer individually in plastic wrap, making sure it’s as airtight as possible (this helps keep the cake moist and prevents freezer burn)....