How To Make a Simple Spring Door Hanger - BTSH Around The House Tip of the Week

I often see some fun door hangers for spring, but always find that they’re just not quite the right size, or colour. This year, getting inspiration from my budding tulips and daffodils, I decided to try my hand at making my own. This was a lot of fun to make, incredibly inexpensive, and really quite easy. This is a project that could even be done with older kids (age 8 and up).


Tools You’ll Need
This is really up to you, depending on how you would like to decorate your wreathe, but I have listed what I used (all of which were simply purchased at the dollar store), and you can feel free to modify to your style:

Kraft Wire String
Ribbon (2 different complimentary colours)
Artificial flowers
Craft Butterfly
Glue Gun

Making The Wreath
Now that you’ve selected your tools, start by making the wreath. To do this, I first made a circle to the size I wanted out of the kraft wire. Then I looped it again to double it, and then I wrapped the wire around the length of the circle, to give it stability. Then, I detached my flowers from their “stems”. The pink flowers were actually a part of a wreath already, but cut them off at their ends still. Next, I attached two of the larger flowers to what would become my outer two edges of the wreath. To attach, simply wrap a piece of kraft wire around the stem, and around the wire wreath (see picture at right). Next, wrap the whole wreath in one of the ribbons that you’ve chosen. I chose the green lace, and decided it would make the most sense to do this before attaching the remaining flowers. Use the glue gun to secure the lace to the wreath in it’s last loop around. Wrapping the lace in this way provided the wreath with even more stability, and gave it a great background colour to work with. Continue to attach flowers and/or butterflies or other accessories with kraft wire around the wreath until it is as full as you desire.

The Finishing Touches
As a final touch, I loosely wrapped the sheer pink ribbon around the entire wreath, careful not to fully cover any of the flowers. I used the same lace to tie a loop at the top for hanging. This is now proudly displayed on my front door to welcome guests!

Written by Shauna Lynn, Beyond The Stage Homes
www.beyondthestagehomes.com

Spring Prep For Your Yard and Garden - BTSH Around The House Tip of the Week

Wow, in some areas the snow hasn’t even finished melting, so why are we thinking about getting our yard ready for spring? Well, believe it or not, this weekend will mark the first day of spring, and in order to make your yard tasks less overwhelming this year, it’s best to get an early start. So, when the sun is shining, take it outside, soak up some vitamin D, and get your yard in shape.

Raking and Seeding
This is a great time to rake up any left-over leaves from the fall, as well as clean up any other debris that has blown in and around your yard over the winter. Raking also helps to prepare the grass for growing season. By giving your lawn a good, deep rake, you can remove any built up thatch, dead grass, as well as lifting any matted blades to allow for new blades to sprout. Overseeding is a great practice that can be done even before the last frost. After raking, spread new seed and fertilizer throughout the lawn, concentrating especially in any bare patches. For uneven areas, add some fresh soil to level out. While some recommend that you wait until fall for overseeding, I prefer to do this in both the spring and the fall. If doing this in the spring, be sure your new seeds get lots of water. With rainy season approaching, you may be able to capitalize on this method of watering.

Herbs and Vegetables
If you’re thinking about a herb and/or vegetable garden this year, now is the time to plan. There are several things you will want to take into consideration when planting.

Annuals vs Perennials—Determine which plants are Annuals (will need to replanted each year) or Perennials (will return year after year). For lower maintenance gardens, try to focus on planting mainly perennials.

Planting from Seeds or Plants—If planting from seeds, you will want to start potting these indoors soon to ensure proper germination. For best results, plant indoors approximately 2 weeks before last frost, and transplant into your garden after last frost.

Placement of Plants—Take into consideration how the sun rises and sets in respect to your garden and be sure to plant accordingly. Some plants will require more sun than others. As well, be sure to take into consideration the anticipated size that the plants will grow to, and avoid blocking the sun from smaller plants with larger plants. Space your plants appropriately. Some plants require more growing room for roots then others. Most nursery plants and seed packs will provide instructions for this.

With all this being said, if you live in Canada, don’t put that snow-blower and shovel away just yet. While many areas have experienced spring like temperatures in the recent weeks, there is always a possibility for more snow. Check with your local weather authority to see when they are forecasting last frost to ensure safe transplanting.

Written by Shauna Lynn, Beyond The Stage Homes
www.beyondthestagehomes.com

What's The Bloomin' Truth? - BTSH Around The House Tip of the Week

Many botanists believe that May is the ideal time to plant flowers and herbs, so how do you decide what to plant?

Now that the May long weekend has come and past, most believe that it is now safe to dive into your gardening. The risk of frost is minimal for this time of year, and the urge to be outside can be overwhelming. So, where do you start?

First, you need to decide if you want to plant perennials (plants that return year over year), annuals (plants that do not return each year), or a combination of both. Annuals are great for planters, but that doesn’t mean to you need to avoid these in your gardens. Of course, the more perennials in your garden, the less maintenance required each spring.

BASIC RULES FOR SELECTING YOUR PLANTS AND FLOWERS:

Colour—just as you would in your home, choose plants whose colours compliment each other. For example, mix lavender with daffodils, and blue iris’ with marigolds, just to name a couple.

Contrast—be sure to have a variety of sizes and shapes of plants to help fill out your garden. It is always best to have your taller plants towards the back of the garden, and your shorter ones in front. This will make fore a great look aesthetically, and will prevent your larger flowers from blocking the sun from your smaller ones.

Growing Conditions—Determine whether your garden is full sun, full shade, or partial sun (meaning that it only gets a few hours of sun each day). Be sure to choose plants that are ideal for your conditions.

Some great perennials to plant now include African daisy, gladiolus, dahlias, lilies, and lavender. Plant your warm-season annuals in May as well, including begonia, chrysanthemum, geranium, marigold, petunia and verbena.

May is also a great time to plant your fresh herbs. Most herbs are perennials, and are a great addition to any garden. They add attractive greenery to your garden, while also adding fresh flavour to your meals.

Apartment bound without a garden? Consider planting your own urban garden! Use the same techniques discussed, but on a smaller scale, using planters and window boxes.

Written by Shauna Lynn, Beyond The Stage Homes
www.beyondthestagehomes.com