This project is the ideal introduction to the craft of mosaics. Making a mosaic flowerpot utilizes the skills required for a larger composition, without the risk of spending much on tools that might not be used again. And a mosaic planter doesn’t need … read more

Like trying to capture wind to put in a mason jar or finding that the cake baked and rose higher than expected — that’s purple. “Go, Huskies!” the man shouted while wearing a bright-purple sweatshirt and an equally vibrant UW monogrammed baseball cap. … read more

Chair or stool: a seat with legs, for one person. A chair can be like a friend, there when needed. Or a chair may be like a familiar song that evokes a memory. But too often those oddball chairs and stools are discarded … read more

Not the second stage of the color wheel, but that backseat color you pay less mind to; the color that happened to be there, a whim decision, the jovial hue of gathered gadgets or the color one did not chose. Not to say … read more

When Irv and Sally Sauer built their dream house in McCormick Woods 20 years ago, it was perfect for their lifestyle. The couple designed the 3,400-square-foot house so well, in the two decades since then they hadn’t done any remodeling except for a … read more

Studying the color aqua was like being on a trampoline with 8-year-olds at a family reunion picnic: wild, silly, unpredictable and lovingly memorable. It is the chorus line headliner, the sleeping giant or the softest pillow. Aqua doesn’t steal the scene — it … read more

It rolls off the tongue like grapes on sand paper. The word is not only awkward to say, but orange is a poet’s dilemma. It may be a color always there but less thought of, perhaps like a stagehand whose presence is necessary … read more

Tillandsias are pretty much a no-fail plant. They thrive on neglect, with a little shower of water now and then. You’ll find more than 500 species of air plants (their common name). They are members of the Bromeliaceae family of plants. In their … read more

Studies show that the No. 1 complaint that consumers have about remodeling is not the cost but rather the time it takes to complete a project. Remodels by their very nature can be slightly unpredictable, in that you can never be 100 percent … read more