Annual vinca can be trailing or upright. Trailing vincas are a great option to spill out of a container or hanging basket. Upright varieties work well in mass plantings, especially in landscapes where you want a big impact with little maintenance. All parts of annual vinca (Catharanthus roseus) are toxic and should be kept away from children and pets. Flowers and Foliage Vinca flowers are suspended over glossy, emerald-green foliage....

How to Carve a Sugar Skull Pumpkin Supplies Needed Pumpkin, fresh or artificialPrinted free sugar skull pumpkin stencilLarge knifeScraper toolPin toolEtching tool or chiselSerrated pumpkin carving knifeBattery-operated tea light candle Step-by-Step Directions With a few supplies and these how-to instructions, you can create your own carved skull pumpkin. Customize your Halloween sugar skull pumpkin with paint or a faux flower crown. Step 1: Prep the Pumpkin Start your sugar skull pumpkin carving by cleaning your pumpkin out from the bottom, not the top!...

While the process of changing a door lock is relatively simple, there are few tips and tricks that will ensure your new front door lock works like a charm for years to come. We’ve laid out a step-by-step guide to changing your door lock, with all the tools and materials you’ll need to get the job done right. How to Choose Your New Door Lock When purchasing a replacement lock, make sure you choose one that matches the specifications of your current lock....

For example, many contractors finish the walls of attached garages only enough to achieve the fire rating mandated by building codes. While the surface is serviceable, it’s often far from smooth. At the other end of the spectrum is a dining room wall that will have glossy paint and will be illuminated by ceiling canisters close to the wall that rake light across it at a shallow angle. Under those conditions, even a tiny imperfection will draw attention....

However, although stainless steel is designed to resist corrosion and rust, it’s not impervious to burnt-on messes and discoloration. With everyday use comes stains, water spots, and other stubborn marks, so it’s important to know how to clean stainless-steel pans properly. With a few common household ingredients and some elbow grease, these methods for cleaning stainless-steel pans will restore their shiny, spot-free finish. Follow these tips to keep your cookware looking brand-new....

Step 1: Slice Around and Twist Apart Wash your avocado. No, we don’t eat the skin, but according to the FDA, one in five avocado skins can carry harmful bacteria like listeria or salmonella, so go ahead and give them a good rinse before you prep them. Use a knife to make a lengthwise cut around the seed, cutting through the skin and fruit. Holding the avocado in your hands, gently twist the two halves in opposite directions to separate them....

Open shelves provide an opportunity to show off your personality in the kitchen, but figuring out how to turn your jumble of plates and mugs into a cohesive display can be daunting. Fortunately, there are a few simple design tricks that can help you create an enviable #shelfie using (mostly) items you already own. Follow these steps for styling open kitchen shelves to effortlessly pull off a gorgeous display....

Step 1: Season Your Meat Before cooking burgers on the grill, it’s important to add the right amount of seasoning. For maximum flavor dispersal, our Test Kitchen likes to spread ground beef on a platter and add your seasonings of choice. Gently mix by hand, but be careful not to knead the mixture. Use our best-ever grilled burger recipe as a guide for measurements for upgraded grilled burger seasoning or simply start with salt and pepper....

These teensy microgreen seedlings are grown for harvest at a tender stage and are perfect for a windowsill garden. They’re ready for harvest and can have their stems snipped after only two to three weeks of growing. If left to grow, microgreens become young seedlings and then full-fledged plants. To grow microgreens indoors, you’ll need potting mix and bright light. Flavors range from intense, like a full-grown plant, to subtle....

You want to make sure no electrical current is flowing to the light fixture. Be sure the fixture you are replacing is turned on, then find your home’s electrical service panel lined with fuses or circuit breakers. Start at the top of the box, and remove and replace each fuse or flip each circuit breaker to “Off” momentarily. Have someone watch for when the fixture’s light turns off, and leave that circuit disconnected....

Editor’s Tip: For the best visual effect, your window box should be at least as wide as the window, but should not extend more than three inches beyond the trim on each side.

To install a wall-mounted light you’ll use a ceiling box and wire just as you would for a ceiling light. Most sconces mount with a center stud so you can level the fixture even if the box isn’t level. It should take about three hours to run cable, install a switch, and mount two wall sconces. Before you begin, make sure you know how to strip, splice, and connect wires, install electrical boxes, and run cable through walls and ceilings....

You can customize your paver walkway in several ways to get the design you want. Check out our steps and tips below to see how you can make a winding path of your own. Brick Pattern Options Herringbone This centuries-old pattern may look the most familiar when it comes to brick pathways. The unique angles make it ideal for irregular spaces, such as a curvy path. When set at a 90-degree angle, this classic pattern requires only occasional cuts and is also the design we chose for our walkway, as shown in the steps below....

First, you’ll need a button kit. These easy-to-use kits can be found in a variety of sizes both online and in sewing supply stores. Make sure that your kit includes a template, mold, pusher, and several buttons with backs. You’ll also need fabric scraps. The exact amount of fabric depends on how many buttons you plan to make. Ready to get tufting? Follow these simple steps and you’ll be covering buttons like a pro in no time!...

However, it can be hard to find affordable weighted blankets. If you enjoy sewing, this DIY weighted blanket is the perfect sleep solution at an affordable price point. Plus, you can customize it with your favorite fabric material and design. As a bonus, the poly-fill pellets are machine washable, so you can throw your weighted blanket in the washing machine when spills and stains happen. Learn how to make a weighted blanket, below....

Step 1: Choose the Tortillas Technically the first step in making enchiladas is choosing a recipe and rounding up your ingredients. If you want to make chicken enchiladas, check out this recipe for Creamy Chicken Enchiladas. If you want to learn how to make beef enchiladas, try this simple Beef Enchiladas recipe. After deciding on a recipe, it’s time to choose the tortillas. Corn tortillas are traditional for enchiladas, but flour tortillas also work....

You might think making cookies like that should be reserved for professional pastry chefs. While the process takes a bit of time and patience, you can learn how to make macarons at home. Follow our tutorial for making French macarons step-by-step to nail down the delicate cookie-making basics. Soon you’ll be on your way to creating all sorts of French macaron flavors for your friends and family. How to Make Macarons A tiny French cookie that requires several steps might seem intimidating, but trust us, you’ll quickly get the hang of making macarons....

Read on to master how to make turkey gravy without cooking a turkey, including several ways to max out that savory flavor—without going to the effort of roasting a turkey—plus how to store your make-ahead easy turkey gravy and how to fix it if the sauce gets too thick or too thin. Plus score tips about how to customize your creation, how to freeze the gravy, and how early in advance you can whip it up....

Editor-Loved Front Entryway Decor for Small Spaces Ambird Entryway Wall Shelf with Hooks, from $32 (was $43) Bmosu Bamboo Wooden Coat Rack, from $25 (was $29) CherryNow Woven Storage Basket, from $16 Eweenetu Hanging File Organizer, from $27 with coupon (was $28) DricRoda Umbrella Rack, from $22 Gourmet Basics by Mikasa Metal Stacking Basket, $34 (was $46) Gerzwy Stainless Steel Coat Hook Set, from $14 Decomomo Fabric Storage Baskets, from $25 (was $28) Warmtree Stainless Steel Storage Dish, $10 Bamfox 3-Tier Bamboo Shoe Rack, from $25 with coupon (was $27)...

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires dating information on retail foods and drinks that allow those who purchase them to know when they will no longer offer the best flavor (“best by” or “best if used by”) or when a store may want to remove a product from its shelves (“sell by”). “With the important exception of infant formula, [which could lead to a life-threatening nutrient deficiency since it may be the child’s sole source of nutrition if the quality degrades over time], the worst that will happen to you if you consume an out of date product is that you’ll be disappointed because it won’t taste very good,” Donald Schaffner, Ph....