The tradition dates back hundreds of years—and there’s an interesting story behind how the baby made its way into the cake. The practice of making and serving king cakes actually dates all the way back to the origins of Mardi Gras itself, which was first celebrated in America in 1699, but baking a baby into the cake wasn’t common practice until the 1800s. Before you don your beads or fire up that delicious batch of gumbo, arm yourself with the details about why there may be a small baby in your slice of cake and what it means if you’re the one who finds it....

For starters, if you don’t already own a quality tape measure, buy one. Get one with a 25-foot-long blade that’s 1-inch wide and has a lock to keep the blade extended, such as the Stanley PowerLock Tape Measure ($11, The Home Depot). The wide blade extends a long way without buckling. If possible, get a tape measure that doesn’t have the first few inches divided into 32nds. These fine markings are rarely needed in carpentry projects and can be distracting....

While bats may not be the most glamorous creatures, they’re superheroes when battling insect pests. This is good news for your garden, where plant-eating beetles, moths, hornworms, grasshoppers, and stinkbugs are among bats’ favorite meals. These nocturnal winged mammals also help curb mosquito populations. Here’s how to attract bats so they’ll get to work in your yard. Why Bats Are Beneficial First of all, insect-eating bats have huge appetites. Some bats, especially pregnant females or nursing mothers, may consume close to their body weight in bugs each night....

How to Bake Chicken Breasts From seasoning slicing, here’s our step-by-step guide to baking chicken breasts. Step 1: Choose Your Seasoning While your oven preheats to 375°F, pick your favorite seasonings or prepare a spice rub to add pizzazz to plain chicken breasts. We love the combination used in our Spice-Rubbed Chicken recipe, but you could simply season with salt and black pepper, garlic powder, lemon-pepper seasoning, seasoned salt, a chili powder-cocoa blend, really anything in your spice cabinet....

How to Bake Chicken Pieces Most nights of the week you just need to know how long to bake chicken breasts, thighs, or drumsticks, not necessarily a whole bird. Prep and bake for a hands-free entrée while you whip up a veggie side dish. Step 1: Prepare the Chicken Pieces Arrange chicken pieces, bone sides down (if using bone-in cuts), in a single layer in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan ($13, Target) or shallow roasting pan....

See photo ledge arrangements we love. Editor’s tip: We recommend resting your photo ledge on pieces of scrap wood to make painting the edges a little easier.

Farmhouse fabrics are informal and treasured for their countrified associations, high-contrast color combinations, touchable weaves, and hand-stitched beginnings. Utilitarian textiles like recycled grain sacks, ticking-striped towels, red-checked tablecloths, and calico aprons are finding new life in country decor. They pop up as upholstery fabrics, throw pillows, bed skirts, and quilts. Want to establish farmhouse style in your home? Here’s a look at the fabrics, patterns, and textiles that let you create country character....

To Prep Green Onions Avoid slimy green onions and keep food safe using these tips to prep your green onions before cutting and adding to recipes. Rinse onions under cool tap water and remove any wilted or damaged tops or slimy skins on the white parts. Lay several green onions on a cutting surface. Using a chef’s knife ($90 Bed Bath & Beyond), trim off the stringy root ends by slicing about ¼ inch above the roots....

Experts say you should wash your water bottle after every use. According to researchers at Treadmill Reviews, athletes’ water bottles, on average, host 313,499 colony-forming units (CFU) per square centimeter. For comparison, the average pet toy has just 2,937 CFU per square centimeter. That’s a lot of germs. Plus, we know any warm, damp place is a breeding ground for mold growth. To make sure you’re drinking from a safe, clean vessel, check out our water bottle cleaning tips below....

How to Peel and Devein Shrimp Most of us can easily find peeled and deveined shrimp at our grocery stores. But if you can’t, or you want to know how to cook shrimp through the entire process, here’s how to prepare shrimp by peeling and getting rid of that icky-tasting (really, you don’t want to eat this) vein. If you already purchased peeled and deveined shrimp, skip this section and get straight to cooking shrimp, below....

Soil Health is Key If plants do poorly, there’s a good chance it has something to do with the soil. Maybe it’s lacking nutrients. (Find out with a simple soil test.) Or the soil could be compacted from being trampled by people, animals, or heavy equipment. Plants in compacted soil cannot develop good root systems, making plants more susceptible to drought, so the soil needs to be loosened and aerated. That’s why soil health is a key factor to consider when growing an organic garden....

Keeping a lawn in tip-top shape often means applying an organic fertilizer twice a year, aerating periodically to discourage thatch buildup and soil compaction, watering regularly, and properly mowing it. But even if you do everything right, you can still end up with bare, thin, or weedy patches here and there. One of the most important parts of lawn repair is figuring out what has caused the problem. Sometimes an accident, such as a fertilizer spill, creates a bare spot in the lawn....

How to Etch a Pumpkin Supplies Needed Real or faux pumpkinPrinted pumpkin stencilScissorsStraight pinsWashable markerWood carving gouge or rotary toolCrafts knifeBattery-operated tea light Step-by-Step Directions With a few supplies and these how-to instructions, you can create your own fall pumpkin decoration. Customize your etched Halloween pumpkin with one of our free printable stencils. Step 1: Prep the Pumpkin If you’d like to place a candle inside the pumpkin, you’ll need to cut a hole in the bottom (not the top!...

Ready to make the move to metal? We’ll teach you the metal stud framing techniques you need—and can easily manage if you have a few basic DIY skills, like measuring, cutting metal, and using a stud finder. Keep in mind: Most walls in remodeling projects are non-load-bearing, meaning they don’t help support the weight of the house; when building a load-bearing wall, make sure your metal studs are rated for that use....

How to Freeze Herbs To start, make sure your herbs are clean. Give herbs a good wash under cool water, then pat them dry. Spread clean, dry herbs (leaves and stems) in a single layer on a cooking tray ($13, Walmart), and put the pan in the freezer for about one hour, or until frozen. (This is known as flash freezing and works well on other fruits and veggies, too.) Put the frozen herbs into labeled, sealed containers....

With our help, you can learn how to customize shelves and bookcases, build a window seat, create a recessed shelf, and make a genius custom closet organizer. Choosing the Right Tool for Your Built-In Project Once you’re settled on what built-in project you’re going to build, it’s time to get to work. Before you pick up any lumber, you’ll need to know what tools to use and how. Each project is unique and may require a certain skill set....

How to Make a Dowel Christmas Tree Supplies Needed 24-inch-diameter wooden round8-foot-long, 1½-inch-diameter wooden poleDrill and drill bits1½-inch wood screwSaw1-inch-diameter dowel, cut into six 18-inch lengths and six 14-inch lengths¾-inch-diameter dowel, cut into six 12-inch lengths and six 10-inch lengths½-inch-diameter dowel, cut into four 8-inch lengths, four 6-inch lengths, and four 4-inch lengthsOrnaments Step-by-Step Instructions While a DIY Christmas tree may seem daunting, it’s actually quite easy. So easy, you barely need more than one step!...

Start by cutting stems using wire cutters. We used long stems for weaving and short pieces to fill in the gaps, but start by cutting stems long and trimming as you go if needed. Thread florists wire through the back of the ribbon knot and tie around the wreath. There are several options for hanging your wreath—hooks to hangers. Use our helpful wreath-hanging tips to display your finished white berry wreath without damaging your door....