When Donna McKeever stumbled upon a rug-braiding class about two decades ago, she fell in love with this nearly lost art. Not only did she find her creative outlet, she wanted to inspire others to pursue it as well. “It’s a very simple art form yet there’s a lot of beauty and simplicity to it,” […]
how-tos
Posted inBlog, Gardeners Corner
Use Nature as Inspiration for Pruning
I hope you’ve had many opportunities to get out into some of our wilderness areas to experience nature untouched by human hands. Did you marvel, as I have, at the overwhelming beauty of these natural landscapes? Nature is a very gifted designer and landscaper, indeed. I strive to follow her example, although a garden, by […]
Posted inFeatured, Home
Your Great Room — Six Beautiful Ways to Create Zones That All Go Together
Most of us love a great room. It’s a latter-day architectural concept that suits a casual lifestyle and allows everyone to talk to the cook and help out with dinner. Perfect for the casual living of the 21st century. Here are some easy design tips to implement in your own home right away: Create zones […]
Posted inFeatured, Home
The Captured Garden
In the summer of 1829, Dr. Nathaniel Ward placed the chrysalis of an adult sphinx moth in an enclosed glass container so he could observe the moth’s emergence. The soil he placed in the container sprouted seeds and spores, as natural soils will do. He fully expected the germinated plants to die off in the […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog
How to Clean Patina off Your Sofa or Chair
If the arms of your fabric-covered chair or sofa look darker and feel colder than the rest of the chair fabric, it is patina from your hands. Highly admired on old wood but not on fabric. Most of it can be removed with a simple cleaner. Put two or three drops of a clear dishwashing […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog
Delicious Results with Leftover Wild King Salmon
Fall is here. Golden and red leaves are dominating the airway and transforming the Earth with a new, patterned blanket. The once-prevailing basil is bowing now, as if to say, good performance, curtain going down. A few weeks back that basil bush was so full of life, plump and boasting. But looking closely, one could […]
Posted inAround West Sound, At Home, Blog
Get Inspired at This Weekend’s Home Expo
As you migrate indoors and into your home’s cozy spaces, this is a good time to turn attention to those deferred home décor or home improvement projects — before the holidays take the best out of you. Just in time to take advantage of the downtime in the garden, Peninsula Home & Remodel Expo brings […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog
Savor the Basil Season with Sweet Potato Basil Casserole
There’s a lot of basil out there this time of the year, but it has reached the end of the season. Folks are scrambling to use and process the fresh aromatic leaves — drying and making yummy basil butter and pesto concoctions. Basil is a common name for the culinary herb Ocimum basilicum of the […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog
How to Insulate with Shades
Some years ago, representatives of an engineering firm in Winslow came to our studio on Madrone Lane and argued that a window shade could not insulate well because the cold has already passed through the glass and is inside the house. To test that assumption — and to prove them wrong — we installed a […]