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What is floral foam? Floral foam is a light-weight, water-absorbent material that can be placed in the bottom of vases and other vessels to create a foundation for floral designs. According to Rita Feldmann, founder of the Sustainability Floristry Network based in Australia, “both florists and consumers have long believed the green, crumbly foam to be a natural product.” But in fact, floral foam is a type of plastic. The green foam product wasn’t originally invented for flower arranging, but in the 1950s, Vernon Smithers of Smithers-Oasis patented it for this use....

Cooking Time for a Stuffed Turkey You’ve selected your favorite stuffing recipe, dressed the turkey in a turkey rub, and stuffed the bird. The oven is preheating, your make-ahead sides are set, and the pies are cooling on a rack. You’re almost there. But what’s the cooking time for the turkey? Take a moment to pat yourself on the back, because you’re almost there. We’re sharing exactly how long you should cook a stuffed turkey....

The best defense is a snow shovel appropriately sized to help you get ahead of the problem. Shoveling with a shovel that’s the wrong height or weight can spell a workout complete with a sore back and arms. Luckily, there are many smartly-designed snow shovels to help clear your home’s paths without any pain. The Most Common Types of Snow Shovels 1. Standard Shovel Standard shovels are the most common type used for snow removal....

How to Clean a Dishwasher Cleaning your smelly dishwasher doesn’t take much and doesn’t need to be done very often. In fact, monthly cleaning can keep your dishwasher looking like new and running well. How to Clean a Dishwasher Door What You Need Warm, sudsy water1/4 cup baking soda (optional)Soft clothRubbing alcoholSmall toothbrushSpongeAbrasive cleanser (optional) Step 1: Clean the Dishwasher Exterior Keep the dishwasher door fingerprint-free by wiping the outside with warm, sudsy water....

Follow the steps below to learn how to maintain the quality of your paintbrushes. While working with water-based paint, you should plan to clean your paintbrushes every two hours and at the end of your project. You can use these same steps to clean paint rollers and pads as well. This simple cleaning solution uses supplies you likely have around the house to easily wash away paint. How to Clean Paintbrushes This technique works best for painting tools that were used to apply water-based formulas, such as acrylic or latex paints....

How to Care for Silver For routine care, a quick wash in soapy water can be a sufficient way to keep silver shiny. Mix a few drops of mild dishwashing soap in warm water and gently wash silver pieces. Rinse and buff dry with a soft cloth. In between cleanings, store silver in a cool, dry place to prevent excess tarnish. How to Clean Silver You can clean tarnished silver (even heavily tarnished pieces) with a simple homemade solution, and you likely already have all the ingredients that you need....

What Meat to Use for a Pot Roast Among the most flavorful cuts for beef pot roast are those that come from the chuck (between the neck and shoulder blade) of the animal. These include cuts labeled chuck arm pot roast, chuck shoulder pot roast, and chuck seven-bone roast. With lots of connective tissue (also known as collagen), these cuts can be tough if undercooked or hurried along in the cooking process....

Step 1: Prep and Boil Lobsters For two 1- to 1½-pound lobsters, bring 8 quarts of salted water (use about ½ cup of salt) to a boil in a 20-quart or larger pot, such as a canning pot, with a lid. The size of the cooking pot ($25, Target) is key because the lobsters need to fit completely inside with the lid closed. Grasp each lobster just behind the head and rinse under cold running water....

Low-calorie summer squash, which is a close relative to pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons, grows on bushes, rather than on vines, like winter squashes. As you learn how to cook yellow squash, remember that you can trade in zucchini or a summer squash variety. Just be sure to eat the skin, as this is where most of the fiber and vitamins A, B6, and C live. (Which means it’s one of the best foods to eat for clear skin....

How to Grow ‘Distant Drums’ Roses ‘Distant Drums’ is hardy in Zones 5-9 and needs a spot in your garden with full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight) and moist, well-drained soil. It usually grows up to 3 or 4 feet tall and about 3 feet wide. In addition to its gorgeous double blooms, the flowers also have a spicy-sweet smell that’s usually compared to myrrh. One of the best parts of growing ‘Distant Drums’ is that thanks to its unique flower color, no two blooms will ever look exactly the same....

Buy It: Hamilton Beach Hand Mixer ($18, Target) Buy It: Wilton Muffin Pan ($11, Walmart) Buy It: Farberware Nonstick Griddle ($17, Target)

Since there is expected to be a holiday supply shortage this year around Christmas, these early robot vacuum deals could not come at a better time. Whether you’re looking for a vacuum that can clean with an app on your phone or a bot that can suction up dirt and mop away sticky messes, this list of deals has it all. And the discounts are seriously good. You can save up to $180 off on best-sellers from brands like iRobot, Shark, and Bissell....

1. Define your entryway. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, staying safe and healthy on college campuses will be important this fall, and setting up your entryway with a few essentials can help stop germs at the door. Although space is likely limited, you can turn even a sliver of wall space into a designated entryway. Mount a few hooks where you can hang up your face mask or ditch a jacket on your way in the door....

You’ve Been Booed Halloween Trick This harmless prank gets the whole neighborhood in the mood for a boo-filled Halloween. Fill a small basket with candy treats and cut a paper ghost door hanger with the word Boo! on it. Place it on a neighbor’s porch in secret and knock on the door. To craft the door hanger, trace a paper ghost, then cut a hole in the center for the doorknob....

The good news is that there are plenty of beautiful native plants that make excellent alternatives in the landscape. Here’s a list of the top invasive plants and the best native substitutes to grow instead. And if, like me and my heirloom spirea, you have one of these offenders that you just can’t part with, make an extra effort to keep it under control (I also remove invasive privet from a nearby woodland in atonement)....

Whether you want to organize clothes in a closet, dresser, or wardrobe, it’s important not to cram too many pieces into a tight space. This leads to wrinkles and makes it more difficult to see the full range of your clothing options when you’re picking out an outfit. Open storage solutions, such as hanging clothes or organizing garments on shelves, are best for what you wear each day, including pants, sweaters, blouses, and dresses....

Test Kitchen Tip: Once you’ve nailed the classic deviled egg recipe, go for one of our variations such as Italian-style or curry and crab. Test Kitchen Tip: Place yolks and other filling ingredients in a resealable plastic bag. Seal bag; mash contents to mix. Snip off a corner of the bag; squeeze bag to pipe yolk mixture into white halves.

1. Start with the right tools. 2. Provide shade. For a bigger break from the sun: Use a freestanding patio umbrella, fit a retractable awning onto the pergola, or install a sail canopy in the pergola’s corners and a pole connected to the handrail. 3. Refresh outdoor furniture. 4. Add character to a pergola. Cut decorative rafters and rafter tails using a pattern and jigsaw. For more-substantial tails, sandwich three boards together using wood glue and screws....

Buy It: Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Cook and Carry Slow Cooker ($50, Target) Buy It: Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker, Large Capacity ($29, Walmart) Buy It: Coarse Mediterranean Sea Salt ($7, The Spice House)