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Homemade Fly Repellent – Keep Flies Away with Pine sol
This homemade fly repellent formula uses the common household cleaner Pine Sol. We all know how bothersome flies can be in any outdoor gathering. Keeping them away often means using harsh chemicals. What if I told you that a common household cleaner, Pine-Sol, could be used to do this job? The reason it works is […]
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Homemade Mosquito Repellent – Essential Oil DIY Mosquito Repellent Spray
Preparing a homemade mosquito repellent with a lovely aroma and natural ingredients is easy with this tutorial. This DIY essential oil mosquito repellent spray is made with a few common household ingredients, and works well to keep the mosquitoes away. Summer is here. The days are longer and it’s so nice to sit outside in […]
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Borax Ant Killers – Testing 5 Different Natural Ant Killers Against Terro
If ants are invading your home and you don’t want to use harsh chemicals, home made Borax Ant Killers may be the answer, but how effective are they? I decided to test five of them to find out! Using more organic ant killer remedies is something that many environmentally conscious homemakers have an interest in. […]
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Home Made Miracle Grow – Make your Own Homemade Plant Fertilizer
Make your own home made Miracle Grow as well as several other plant foods easily with epsom salt, baking soda and household ammonia. It’s time for another fun vegetable garden hack. This DIY Miracle Grow fertilizer is a more organic way to feed your plants. The homemade plant food recipe is easy to make and […]
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Kitchen Gift Basket for Mother’s Day – 10 Tips for Kitchen Themed Basket ideas
Mother’s Day is right around the corner. This easy kitchen gift basket makes the perfect personalized gift for anyone’s mother who loves to cook. It is filled with fun, whimsical and useful kitchen items that are made even more special by including items that are geared to your mother’s tastes. This easy kitchen gift basket […]
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Vegetable Garden on a Deck – 11 Tips for Growing Vegetables on a Patio
If you don’t have a big yard with room for a large vegetable garden, try growing a vegetable garden on a deck. Vegetable gardening is one of the great pleasures of the summer months for many gardeners. But for many of us, space does not allow a full outside garden or even raised garden beds. […]
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Low Light Indoor Plants – Houseplants for Lower Light Conditions [Updated]
![Low Light Indoor Plants – Houseplants for Lower Light Conditions [Updated]](https://staging.thegardeningcook.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/low-light-plants-main-1.jpg)
These 20 Low Light Indoor Plants are easy to care for and don’t mind growing in lower light situations. This makes them ideal for those with limited light, especially during the winter months. With the cold weather out in full force, thoughts of gardening are often far from the front burner. Those are the times […]
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Aids for Health and Wellness Goals for 2020 – Fish Oil, Magnesium and Multi Vitamins
When the new year comes to an end, I like to focus on my goals for the year. I find that I have the most success when I keep health and wellness goals at the forefront of my mind all year round. If you have been reading my blog lately, you will know that […]
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Snowman Wall Hanging – A Rustic Christmas Decoration
This snowman wall hanging is a rustic Christmas decoration that is made from an old kitchen door frame. It is super easy to make and looks great hanging on the shutters at our front door entry. Using recycled wood in this project saved me some money and also helps to save the environment. I have […]
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Boxwood Christmas Wreath – DIY Holiday Project
This boxwood Christmas wreath makes a nice change from the traditional fir wreath often seen this time of the year. it’s easy to make and you can use items from your own yard. I enjoy decorating with Christmas plants during the holidays and am always on the look out for something a bit out of […]
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Front Porch Decor for Fall – Autumn Entry Decorating Ideas
It’s that time of the year. Pumpkins, Indian Corn and autumn plants all help to make this front porch decor for fall a hit with visitors! Each year, I use supplies from the previous porch but mix them up a bit to make my fall front porch decor a little extra special. This year, I […]
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Cooking Corn in the Microwave – Silk Free Corn on The Cob – No Shucking
One of my favorite vegetables is fresh corn on the cob. And one of my least favorite vegetables is corn on the cob with a lot of silk remnants sticking to it. Cooking corn in the microwave is the easy way to get silk-free corn every time! These easy tips show how easy it is […]
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Storing Fresh Coconut – How to Purchase, Open and Use Coconut Meat
A single coconut will give you 3 or 4 cups cups of fresh, flaked coconut. But now you have the problem of storing fresh coconut. How do you keep that delightful, flaky bit of goodness in a state that will stay edible for as long as possible? This tutorial shows tips for storing fresh coconut […]
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Shallots vs Onions – What is the Difference? and How to Use Them
This guide to shallots vs onions will answer not only this question but will also show how shallots are different from other onion types. There are many onion varieties so it’s easy to get confused about them. A common question that I get asked is “are shallots and onions the same?” Shallots are somewhat of a trendy vegetable […]
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Vegetable Steaming Times – 4 Ways to Steam Veggies
A steamer basket is a great way to cook a single vegetable or several of them at once by cooking them over boiling water. But to do this correctly, you need to have a good idea of vegetable steaming times. One of the joys of summer is cooking fresh vegetables from my vegetable garden. The […]
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How to Get Rid of Ticks in The Yard – Steps to a Tick Free Garden
These tips show how to get rid of ticks in the yard as well as a few natural treatment options. Summer is a time for being in the outdoors. But ticks also love the warm temperatures and can be bothersome in your yard and garden. Ticks are a nuisance and can be dangerous as well, […]
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St. Patrick’s Day Door Wreath – Leprechaun Hat Door Decoration
This cute St. Patrick’s Day Door Wreath is whimsical and welcomes both my guests and spring with the pretty yellow and purple flowers. The door decoration features a leprechaun hat to give it a whimsical look. It is the perfect way to welcome guests for St. Patrick’s Day. My front door is one place that […]
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Forcing Forsythia Indoors – How to Force Forsythia Blooms
I love anything that gives me a jump start on spring. Forcing forsythia indoors lets me have the showy yellow flowers of the well known harbinger of spring – forsythia bushes . They are great to enjoy indoors well before they give you their cheery spring greeting outside. Luckily, it is very easy to force […]
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Drip Pan Cleaning Using Household Ammonia -Keep Those Burner Pans Clean
Clean up an ugly stove by using just three common household ingredients. This drip pan cleaning works over night to give you sparkling burner pans easily without a lot of elbow grease. One of my pet peeves is seeing my electric stove drip pans and knowing I have to make a trip to the store […]
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How to Host the Perfect Wine and Cheese Party – Tips for Wine Pairings
A Wine and Cheese party is so much fun! Pairing wine and cheese together is one of the great culinary pleasures. And making the pairing a party with loved ones and friends adds up to one special evening. The holidays are here and we are ready for a round of entertaining with our friends. That […]
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Uses for Parchment Paper- 30 Creative Ideas
These creative uses for parchment paper may give you some ideas you hadn’t thought of. We all know that parchment paper is great for easy clean up after kitchen but it has so many more uses. I love anything that makes my life easier in the kitchen or around the home. I’m always on the […]
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Thanksgiving Tablescapes and Holiday Table Ideas
These Thanksgiving Tablescapes and holiday table ideas are so earthy and warm too, with all the colors of fall.Thanksgiving will soon be here and it’s the perfect time to bring out the big ideas for Table decorations. A tablescape is a term used to describe the decoration of the entire table top. The upcoming holiday […]
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Tips for Fall Decorations – Natural and Easy Autumn Decor Ideas
It’s time to welcome autumn with these tips for fall decorations. From easy and simple porch and patio decor and wreaths to table decor, these autumn decor ideas will say hello to the new season in all areas of your home. I love the last change of seasons during the year. The sights and textures […]
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Shallot Substitutes – Replacements to Use if You Don’t Have Time to Shop
Many recipes call for shallots – a member of the onion family. But what can you do if you don’t have time to shop, or can’t find shallots for your recipe? Use these shallot substitutes, instead! Shallots are a small bulb like plant with a taste that is somewhere between garlic and onion. The flavor […]
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Colorful Patriotic Small Porch Decor Idea for the 4th of July
This patriotic small porch decor will greet your guests for the 4th of July in a cheery red white and blue way. It’s easy to put together, cost just $20 and is very cheerful and natural looking. Decorating a small front porch for the 4th of July can be a challenge. If you add too […]
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15 Tested Tips for Using, Storing and Growing Shallots
Shallots are starting to be seen in grocery stores more and often lately. What are shallots? Like onions and garlic, shallots are a member of the allium family. They are a cold hardy vegetable and, like onions, are easy to grow. Their flavor is richer and sweeter and they are very versatile in recipes. This […]