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Our Family Trip to France

We just got back for the best trip to France and I wanted to write every bit of it down!

Backstory: For Christmas we had the intention of surprising our girls on a trip. We decided that we were done with buying a bunch of crap that they didn’t care about 3 days later and instead we would do something different. In June I saw a great flight deal for round trip tickets to Paris for $450 round trip. Did you notice I said intention?…Dylan was reading a group text message on my mom’s phone and read about the trip. DANG IT!

So it wasn’t a surprise, and it made for a little bit of a lackluster Christmas morning, buuuut we are 100% doing this from now on, I’m just going to be way more stealthy about it.

Ok so let’s talk about France!!

Why France?

We’ve done very little international travel and zero with our kids, so for our first adventure I thought it would be a good idea to do something that we were semi-familiar with. Court and I went to Paris about 7 years ago (OMG we were so young and skinny in those pictures!) so we knew what the language barrier would be like, we knew that we could get around easily, and we felt comfortable taking our girls there. I think our next adventure will be somewhere totally new, but for the first one France seemed like a safe idea!

3 days in Normandy

I think because we had already experienced Paris, I had my heart set on visiting another part of France for part of the time. Oh my heck I am SO GLAD WE DID!! This part of our trip was the best!

I went back and forth trying to decided if we wanted to stay in the country or in a town. Trying to decide on a place to stay is one of my worst qualities. In every other portion of my life I can make quick and decisive decisions with no lamenting. But omg trying to decide on a place to stay is THE WORST. I have combed through every listing on VRBO and AirBNB. The plan was to stay in a cool barn conversion or house in the country. After finally pulling the trigger, the host let me know that the barn wasn’t available. Suck. Then it happened twice more! GAHHHH! So after my first 3 VRBO selections came back with a no, we decided maybe the country wasn’t meant to be, so we booked this fisherman’s house in a city called Honfleur.

We rented a car (from Europcar, pick up was very easy) and it was the best decision that we made the entire trip. We drove all over the western side of France and I don’t think we will ever travel another way again. It was perfect. 

The reason we loved having a rental car is because we could go anywhere and explore. There were handfuls of tiny villages that we drove through, each more quaint than the last. A lot of the towns have these big signs off on the side of the road showing something noteworthy, so if we saw something interesting, we would put it into our map and go see it. Favorite part of the whole trip was driving around discovering things off the beaten path. 

Here’s a run down of our main stops and a few thoughts about each!

Giverny

Home of Claude Monet. Incredible gardens, loads of people. Absolutely worth the stop!

Honfleur

Lots of recommendations for Honefleur, it was a very charming seaside town, but we didn’t love it as much as some of the other places. It would’ve been a great place to visit for the day, but I wouldn’t stay there again. 

One of the reasons I decided to stay in Honfleur vs in the country was the convenience of having restaurants around. Unfortunately the fam was not a fan of french food, so we didn’t use them anyways. It would’ve been better to head to a grocery store, stay in the country, eat PB&J’s and save a ton of money.

Omaha Beach

YES x10000. Omaha Beach is one of the beaches that the United States landed on on D-Day. They’ve got a massive cemetery for all of the US soldiers that died in France in WW2, and an incredible memorial. We got there at 5:00 when they were retiring the flag and it was a very emotional and awesome thing to experience.

We also went down onto the beach and into some of the German bunkers. Definite must do!

Chateau de Fontaine-Henry

I was so bummed that this chateau wasn’t open for tours yet (they start after Easter so we missed it by a week!) This was a roadside sign discovery and has been in the same family for 800 years! Can you even imagine?!

Mont Saint Michel

We had some friends recommend Mont Saint Michel and I am SO GLAD we went. Holy cow, it was mind blowing!! There were a ton of people, but even so it was one of the coolest things that we saw. Definite must see!

Jumieges Abbey

My favorite stop of the entire trip was Jumieges Abbey. It was built in the 600’s and has seen everything from Viking attacks to the French Revolution. It was even dismantled and sold for building scrap, but in the late 1800’s was rescued and preserved. We were almost completely alone, and it felt like such a secret treasure. I absolutely loved it!!

Martainville Chateau

This was another roadside sign discovery that was worth the stop. The whole chateau has been converted into a museum and it was really cool to see furniture and clothing in their semi natural habitat. The one downside for me (this is going to sound annoying) the electronic guide was great, but the descriptions were so long. Like 30 minutes in each room. My girls were over it really quickly, though they liked walking around and seeing everything.

Staying in Paris a few years ago gave us a point of reference and we knew what we wanted to take the girls to see and what we wanted to skip. We stayed in an awesome VRBO (you can find it here) and were right by the Eiffel tower. The hosts were 5 star, definitely would stay there again!

Eiffel Tower

Of course yes. The girls loved it!

Catacombs

We loved the Catacombs last time and thought that the girls would love them too. We got caught behind a guided tour and I wish so badly that we could’ve joined in, so note to self, get more info on that!!

Notre Dame

We were in Normandy when the fire at Notre Dame broke out, so we missed a lot of the excitement, but when we made it into Paris we went to visit. That whole section of the island was blocked off, so we could only see it from the other side of the Seine river and there were SO MANY PEOPLE. Still worth it, and I’m pretty sure I saw Court tearing up, though he’ll never admit to it.

 Invalides Museum

Court and I loved this military museum, the girls not so much. This was a highlight from our last trip.

Louve 

We didn’t spend as much time as anyone wanted here, if we would’ve had another day we would’ve gone back. This was Ivie’s favorite stop, and I got some insop for the wood floors in Phase 2 of the Merc!

 I love to travel, but man alive there is nothing like being home! Have any questions? Leave them in the comments below And have you ever travelled internationally with your kids? What is the best place you’ve been?

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April 22, 2019 at 01:54PM

In celebration of Earth Day, a look at photographs depicting the beautiful transformation of spring landscapes all over the globe. Callie Zhang, 7, walks among the blossoming cherry trees during a family visit to Fairmount Park in Philadelphia on April 4. (Matt Rourke/Associated Press) from Big Picture via Jeff Donaldson’s Blog April 22, 2019 at 01:54PM

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5 Tips To Save the Teddy in Your Life

This blog post is sponsored by LYSOL®

A child’s attachment to their favorite stuffed toy is like my attachment to plants. Unwavering! Stuffed animals are constant companions that go everywhere – and experience everything – ­­ that your kiddo does. Adorable.

Also, really gross.

If your child has a lovie, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. These things are held, sucked on, snuggled, dragged around, and loved to pieces. Quite literally. You could dissect, layer by layer, everything and everywhere your kid has done, ate, or gone, based on their lovie. Funnnnnn!

There are so many mom things to worry about (getting Brem to eat more than dino nuggets and eventually end our year-long potty training effort is at the top of my current list). If your kiddo has a lovie, you probably can’t help but plot your next move to get that thing in the wash before your child becomes the next Patient Zero, while simultaneously wondering how many washes Mr. Bear has left before he disappears in the dryer, Mike Teavee style.

Lysol is launching the cutest program I’ve ever heard of, and I am SO lucky to be a part of it as spokesperson and DIY expert. Lysol’s Teddy Repair Initiative launched this week, with the goal of helping to fix and sanitize even the grossest stuffed animals across the country!! From now through April 23, Lysol is on the hunt for the stuffed animal that is in need of the most care – whether it’s tattered from years of use or in need of sanitization after being passed down by previous generations. Once chosen, Lysol will repair and sanitize this stuffed animal, along with up to 500 others submitted by parents nationwide. Since many children and their stuffed friends are attached at the hip, each stuffed animal that Lysol repairs will be outfitted with a custom RFID-equipped tracking bracelet that allows parents and their children to track it during every step of the repair process. (How cute is that?! Also, I want an RFID tracking bracelet for my secret candy stash!) Visit www.Lysol.com/TeddyRepair to learn more.

Until then, let’s plot together how we can save your little ones’ lovies. I’ve got some tips that will help!

Tip #1 Stop it already with the agonizingly long laundry cycle!!

At the heart of Teddy Repair is Lysol Laundry Sanitizer, a one-of-a-kind product that is safe to use on delicate items and kills 99.9% of bacteria, when used as directed, that regular detergents may leave behind. Yep, you read that right, regular detergent cleans dirt and stains off of fabrics or toys and adds a fresh scent, but it doesn’t completely remove actual bacteria! Lysol Laundry Sanitizer is HEAVEN SENT. It is a bleach free additive that you use in conjunction with your regular detergent, according to usage directions. Have you ever had to wait for a sanitize load to cycle through your washer?! It takes like 5 years!! When you use Lysol Laundry Sanitizer you can kiss those long tear-filled separations good bye.

Tip #2: Wash the lovie every few weeks with their bedding!

Can’t keep track of when Bugsy was last cleaned? Try to wash him the same day that you are washing bedding to stay on a schedule!

Tip #3 Learn to sew a quick slip stitch, this will close up any holes and keep the stitch invisible

 How to sew a slip stitch

Step 1. Thread your needle and knot the end of the thread.

Step 2. Take the thread up through the fabric so that tail is on the underside.

Step 3. Make one small vertical stitch on the same side of the fabric as the tail…of the thread, not the animal.

Step 4. Take the needle across the hole to the other side.

Step 5. Make one small vertical stitch, and then take the needle back across the hole.

Step 6. Repeat as long as necessary! Look at you Meredith Grey!!

Step 7. Tighten the thread and watch the hole close up!

Tip #4 Cover irreparable spots with clothing!

Try sewing pants on Mr. Buttons Snuggle to hide a hole in his backsidebum, or socks on Danny the Dinosaur to cover the rips in his feet! Hello, fashion forward and not leaking stuffing down the aisles of the department store Target?! Win win!! I

Tip #5 Bring in an Imposter!

If your child’s lovie isn’t a one-of-a-kind family heirloom, consider buying multiples that can be swapped out as the need arises. This will give you a chance to sanitize Buddy and will give him a longer life span, and can be a back-up if he ever goes missing!

Please note, these tips also work for princess dresses, and superhero uniforms.

You’ve got until April 23 to have a chance at some serious stuffed animal repair, but until then you can score Lysol Laundry Sanitizer anywhere laundry products are sold (look for it by the bleach!)

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DIY Painted Rainbow Arch Wall Pattern

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April 15, 2019 at 11:33AM

An estimated 30,000 runners compete in the 123rd Boston Marathon. Men’s wheelchair winner Daniel Romanchuk from the US breaks the tape winning the Boston Marathon. (John Tlumacki/Globe Staff) from Big Picture via Jeff Donaldson’s Blog April 15, 2019 at 11:33AM

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One Room Challenge Week #2- Turning the Traditional Girl Nursery On It’s Head

Guys! It’s time for a One Room Challenge update!! Today we’re talking inspo, and having a come to Jesus about tastes. You can check out ORC Week #1 here to find out more about the space I’m overhauling!

What do a 50 year old painting, a Sherwin-Williams paint deck, and grandma chic all have in common? (And by paint deck, I mean the actual deck, not the colors inside it…)

They are the inspo for this nursery makeover!! 

Fun fact, I rarely get on Pinterest. Weird right? In my line of work you would think that I’d seek after any bit of “inspiration” I could find. But in reality the opposite happens. When I go to Pinterest seeking ideas I leave totally discouraged feeling like all the good ideas in the world are already taken. That I’ll never create anything awesome again, and that everyone else in the world is much much cooler than I am. (Totally true btw, I’m not what you’d consider a cool person.)

I feel the most creative when I’m inspired by some rando object that sends the design dominos tumbling. My best projects start with “What if?!” not “I saw”. So staying unplugged is pretty important.

My initial direction for this room was to pull warm deserty colors. Deep dusty orange (like we used in this living room!) and a soft blush, but then my sister send me this picture that my Great Grandma had painted and I knew we needed to take it in a different direction.

There is something SO special about using a piece that you are emotionally connected to as the jumping off point for inspiration. I’ve talked about my Great Grandma before, but she was one of the most incredible women. She loved painting, but didnt start until she was in her 50’s! How many times do we tell ourselves that we’re too _____________ to learn something new? Oh man, that is just not true! She and my Grandpa would hop in their car and take road trips all over the western United States so that my Grandma could find inspiration for her paintings. Earlier this year I was going through some of her old pictures and watched a specific trip through Southern Utah and California unfold. It was so cool to know that there is a 100% chance that they stopped at the Merc to get gas on their journey!

Sorry tangent, my Great Grandma was just the best and I miss her, so when I start talking I just cant stop! 

As soon as I saw this sweet picture with it’s blues, greens, and pops of red, the plan for a perfectly girly boho nursery flew out the window. This room was destined for a different direction!! 

I’ve got to know, where do you find your gold vein of creativity? Let’s fill the comment section and inspire each other!!

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The Complete Guide To Caring For Your House Plants: Snake Plant Edition

via Jeff Donaldson’s Blog The Complete Guide To Caring For Your House Plants: Snake Plant Edition

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One Room Challenge Kick Off

For the first time in my whole life I am joining the One Room Challenge! I’ve followed and watched amazing rooms transform for years and finally pulled the trigger on participating! If you are new to the ORC, let me give you the 411!

The One Room Challenge is a twice a year event where 15 or so bloggers take on the challenge of overhauling a space in their home in 6 weeks. If I am being completely honest, you guys have seen the pace that we work- 6 weeks is a lifetime in our world, but I need to get back in the habit of sharing tutorials and info for the spaces that we’re overhauling (still suffering from a little bit of Merc PTSD) and this is kind of the perfect solution! So get excited because we are getting back to our roots!

It’s no secret that I love doing kids rooms, they make my heart just so so happy because they can be extra creative and whimsical, so for the ORC I am overhauling my sister’s nursery!!

After struggling with infertility for a few years, my sister Miranda had the sweetest little nugget named Finn. She is the happiest and cutest baby in the entire world and my heart just cant take her.

We are turning a spare bedroom that is used for storage into little Finn’s nursery and it’s going to be SO CUTE!! I’m sharing these pictures so that if you’ve got a room like this kicking around you are not alone! This is real life folks!! We’re going a little boho, a little traditional, and a lot exciting. If you’ve got a little girl in your life you are going to be bombarded with ideas for a fun room.

Make sure that you are following along every Wed. and following my Instagram stories for the behind the scenes!! In the meantime, check out all of the other official participants!

At Home With Ashley | Casey Keasler | Dorsey Designs | The Farmhouse Project | Home Made by Carmona

 House of Funk | House of Jade Interiors | House Seven Design | House That Lars Built | Inspired by Charm

 Jana Bek | Jessica Brigham | Kelly Golightly | Murphy Deesign | The Pink Pagoda | Sarah Gunn

 Sherry Hart Designs | Sugar & Cloth | Veronica Solomon | Vintage Revivals | Media BH&G | TM by ORC

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April 02, 2019 at 02:19PM

Here’s a look at some of the best images taken by Globe photographers last month: a fire in the Fens, the beginning of spring, Ice Castles in New Hampshire, the annual citywide youth Spelling Bee, high school state hockey and basketball championships, and the start of the Red Sox season. The Ice Castles display in North Woodstock, N.H., was created with 25,000 pounds of ice, made with millions of gallons of water. Event manager Jared Henningsen expected 160,000 guests this year. Fifteen builders worked on the project and can grow 10,000 icicles a day. (John Tlumacki/Globe Staff) from Big Picture via Jeff Donaldson’s Blog April 02, 2019 at 02:19PM

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Patio Overhaul Reveal!!

Man it’s been a whirlwind week! Nay, it’s been a whirlwind year. If you’ve been around for a while and followed the Merc renovation closely, you might remember that this time last year we bought the property next door. The Granary. You can read all about why and how and who and what right here! The long and short of it is that the portion of the property that we bought was seating areas for a cafe. Lots of little patios and spaces with gorgeous plants all around them.

 Our plan for the Granary itself is to turn it into an Airbnb (hopefully sooner than later!) so for a year I’ve been dying to get my hands dirty and change up the space to something with less lattice and more style.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when my favorite furniture company in all the land Article reached out about shooting some of their new outdoor furniture at the Merc. I was all for it, but as I looked around at the sad brown lattice filled yard it was just not.going.to.work. Perfect excuse to get the patio all overhauled in time for spring and give us a place to enjoy the warmer weather! If you’ve been following along on our Instagram Stories you know how exciting this all has been- if you missed them, you can get caught up in our highlight reel! So much work and so many decisions but I feel great about how it all shook out!

Just as a refresher, this is where we started-the likes of which can be summed up in 4 words.

Brown. Lattice. Corrugated Tin. Blech.

About 10 months ago I went on a lattice rampage and ripped out most of what was blocking the light, and that is the way it stayed until this week.

We started by ripping EVERYTHING out and making the space infinitely more functional by temporarily covering the stairway (we’re not planning on using the space and FOR SURE will use the floor space it created more than the cellar.)

The DIY faux concrete planters help define the space and the wire trellis and Jasmine will look incredible once they have a chance to grow in a little! (Tutorials for the planter and trellis are coming!!) but let’s get on with why you all are really here, the patio reveal!!

Isn’t this the most dreamy space in the whole world?! I can’t even believe that I live here! To make your future summer patio an even more relaxing place to be, Article went ahead and curated 3 distinct styles for their 2019 line. Everything goes together seamlessly – and you can’t go wrong with mixing and matching within one of these styles. Amongst the three, I’m the lucky one that scored Boho Patio (is there a more perfect fit!?). See the other styles Garden Scandi, and Industrial Pop and tell me which one is your fave!! And if you’re still not quite sure which style is best for you, Article even created a quiz to help you narrow down your style. Because they’re amazing like that.

Before we get this patio party started I feel like I need to bear my testimony about Article furniture and the incredible quality that it has. It can be really stressful dropping loads of cash on anything, especially large purchases like furniture. Every single piece of Article furniture that I have had my hands on has exceeded my expectations. The quality is bordering on perfection. One thing that I’ve noticed is that they clearly understand that their pieces will be shipped and assembled and they are SO THOUGHTFUL with how easily things go together. They include extra hardware, and make assembly cake. And their customer service is so good. My Mother In Law bought a sofa from them a few months ago and a section of the back leather was discolored. They overnighted her some leather conditioner to see if it would clear up the discoloration (it did) but were also ready to have a new couch shipped and the old one picked up if it didn’t.

Guys. If you are on the fence about an Article purchase, take the leap! It’s a happy place with gorgeous furniture over here!!

Ok let’s talk about the patio! Let’s have a heart to heart about patio furniture. Even the coolest people in the world resort to living room group mentality when it comes to outdoor furnishings. Guys, just because you can buy complete sets of exactly the same furniture, does not mean that you should! You want everything to go, but you don’t want it to be so perfectly matched that there is no room for self expression! Try mixing up the finishes and wood tones. Use an unexpected rug or pillow color. Do something to make it your own!

The part of our patio that I am the most excited about is the huuuuuge 10 person Tavola dining table. Because we haven’t finished the Merc yet, we literally have no table! Everything happens at our kitchen counter – which is fine when it’s just us, but any sort of family party or social situation is out the door when there is no where to sit.

The legs of the table are heavy duty aluminum, and the top is teak. It is so solid and heavy. Looking at the pictures you can gather as much, but holy cow was I unprepared for just how solid it was. Article always surprises me with their quality.

I paired it with the Svelti chairs (yes, the are made to hold up outdoors!!) and I could not be more happy about it! These chairs will work in pretty much any space – indoor and outdoor and are super inexpensive (under $100 for a pair!). Who wants to come over for Sunday dinner?!

The couch that I used is the Arca sofa in Vintage Brown. The wood is the same worn warm finish that is on the Tavola and is so pretty paired with the ultra dark charcoal fabric. The seat is firm but comfortable, exactly what you’d expect from a high quality outdoor sofa.

The lounge chairs are new to Article this year and they are EVERYTHING. They are the Aeri loungers and so comfortable!! The angle of the seat and the thick cushion is perfect for laying back and lounging. The woven wicker is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It’s natural matte wicker but is flexible and smooth, almost leather like. This is not your mother’s wicker folks. The fabric matches the Arca sofa, but the mix of materials gives it a cool boho vibe.

I mixed up the wood finishes by using the Urba coffee table, it’s a natural lighter teak table and sits low to the ground.  

The Belez Olive Green leather pillows (while admittedly not outdoor) are also from Article and so buttery soft.

And because I know that so many of you will ask, the rug is from Home Depot but has been discontinued!! SAD!

Our modern white globe lights are from a local consignment shop and add a modern exclamation point to the whole space, don’t you think?!

Stay tuned for all of the tutorials and thank you for following along on this whirlwind makeover!! And don’t forget to check out Article’s all new outdoor furniture collection which just dropped this week.

I know there are so many amazing pieces it can get overwhelming. So if you need even more inspiration on how to style their amazing new outdoor furniture head to Ave Styles and No Whey Lady today to see their take on Garden Scandi and Industrial Pop.

  Arca Sofa in Vintage Brown

Svelti Chair 

Aeri Lounge Chair

White Globe Light

Toba End Table

Urba Coffee Table

Tavola Table

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March 15, 2019 at 03:20PM

Students in cities worldwide skipped classes Friday to protest their governments’ failure to act against global warming as part of the “Fridays for Future” movement. The event was inspired by youth activist Greta Thunberg, who began holding solitary demonstrations outside the Swedish parliament last year. Students hold placards and shout slogans as they participate in a protest on March 15 in Hong Kong, China. (Anthony Kwan/Getty Images) from Big Picture via Jeff Donaldson’s Blog March 15, 2019 at 03:20PM

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Modern Openwork Cube Planter DIY

I just cant believe what a huge difference a live plant makes in a space.  If a room in your house is feeling a little ho hum, get your cute butt a plant.  They are a really great inexpensive way to liven things up (literally!)

Every plant needs a planter to spread its roots in.  This is something that we all agree on, but finding one (and one that wont cost you your left trunk) is quite a different story.  Until today.  This Openwork Cube Planter comes in just under $30 and is the easiest thing to build!

You will need:

(1) 12” Terra Cotta Planter (6) 1”Square Wooden Dowels that are 36” long (standard length from HD) Wood Glue Nailer or Screws Wood Filler (optional)

 Start by cutting (12) 13” pieces.  If you are making this with a different size planter, measure the top (ours was 12”) and add 1”.  This will give you a hole that is 11” (because each wood piece is 1” wide)  If you don’t have access to a saw, you can have these pieces cut for you at Home Depot.

  To assemble them put a small amount of glue on the end of one piece.

Then attach it with your nailer or a screw.

 Wipe the excess glue off and move to the next corner.

You will make 2 squares.

Glue and nail the other 4 pieces onto the squares you just made.

Fill in nail holes with wood putty.

Let it dry for 24 hours before placing your potted plant in it.

 Picture how cute this would be on a smaller scale with glass fishbowls or small pots on a book shelf or running down the center of your table!

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Modern Test Tube Propagation Planter | To DIY or To Buy!!

Guys. The plant obsession is taking over my life- and I’m SO HAPPY ABOUT IT!! Today’s DIY project is a modern propagation planter! You can also use it as a bud vase and a million other things. I feel a follow up post coming on.

*Just interested in buying them? Click here to go directly to our shop!!*

So lets kick this off by talking about Propagating!

What is Propagating?

Propagating is the process of taking a cutting from a plant, putting it in water or soil and over time new roots grow, thus creating a new plant!  Picture taking a finger, cutting it off, placing it in a cup of water and growing a new human. I was getting some high society status points by using the word thus, but then totally killed it by talking about human fingers. Plants are cool, I am not.

A lot of propagation starts out by rooting the cutting in water. When the roots have grown a couple of inches, then you transfer it to soil. So having a clear container to see the roots can be super important. There are all different types of propagation depending on the type of plant, if you want to know more about your favorite plants and how to propagate them you can check that out here!

Keep The Water Fresh

To propagate, you need a clean container that can easily have the water replaced (you’ll want to do this every few days with your cuttings) I’ve been using cups, but they are so big that the small cuttings fall inside and it just turns into a frustrating balance game. You need something small, like a test tube And also adorable, because hello, this is your house!

Test Tube Propagation DIY Project

As I was writing the tutorial for this project I came to the realization that while the project is easy enough to make, the gear to do it is a little more expensive than I would’ve liked. (about $115 for 5 completed planters) That’s why we’ve decided to offer these pre-made plant prop stations in the Vintage Revivals Shop for a limited time! You can buy them pre-made here! As far as I know no one has ever tried a DIY and Buy option for a project, so let’s see how it goes!

If you are DIY or die like myself, here is the tutorial!

Supplies:

Wood (we use Birch Plywood) Test Tubes (Jumbo and Medium) Neodymium Magnets Glass Glue Super Glue Painters Tape

Tools:

3″ Hole Saw

Keyhole Router Bit

10mm Drill Bit

Step 1: Cut Your Discs

Start by cutting the 3″ round discs out of wood. When you’re using a hole saw, make sure that your drill is nice and vertical. Even better than a drill is a drill press! This will make it easier to drill because the teeth of the saw will hit the wood at the same time and your disc will be evenly shaped!

Step 2: Sand the Disc

This is a super important part for the finish of your disc, a light sanding along the edge makes all the difference! Use 220 grit sand paper!

Step 3: Drill the Keyhole Hanger

To get your disc to lay flush against the wall, you’ll want to use a keyhole router bit to cut the hole in the back.  Use the hole that was drilled all the way through your disc when you were cutting it with the holesaw as a guide for your keyhole.

Step 4: Drill Pocket for magnets

On the face of your disk, take a drill bit that is the same size as your magnets (ours is a 10mm) and drill down the depth of 2 magnets. You can mark this depth on your drill bit by using painters tape!

Step 5: Glue 1 Magnet in the Bottom of the Pocket

Put your Super Glue inside the pocket that you just created and put one magnet inside.

Flip the disc over and put a little more glue inside the hole against the magnet from the back. Let it dry completely before coming in contact with the second magnet that you’ll be attaching to the test tube!

Step 6: Attach Magnet to Test Tube

Take your painters tape and put a small piece so that it sits flush against the lip of your test tube. Don’t wrap it all the way around the tube, you still want to be able to see through the glass. This step is super important if you are making multiples! You’ll want all of your test tubes to line up and this is a quick and easy way to make sure that all of the magnets are glued in the right spot!

* You want the magnet on the test tube and on the wooden disc to attract so make sure that you are gluing the back of the magnet to the test tube!*

Place your magnet face down and put glass glue (NOT super glue!!) on the back of it. Line the top of the magnet up with the bottom of the painters tape and let the test tube rest on top of the magnet while it dries.

Step 8: When the glass glue has cured, remove the painters tape and stick the magnets together!

TA DAAAA! You are a rockstar!! Attach a screw to the wall and hang!

The magnets wont effect the plant growth at all and you’ll be able to easily change out the water so that your little planties can thrive!

Can’t wait to see these popping up all over your house!! If you are interested in buying some, head over to the shop before they’re gone!!

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Revealing Our Cave of Wonders with Chamberlain

This post is in partnership with Chamberlain

One of the first projects that we did when we bought the Merc, even before renovations began, was updating the detached garage.

If you’ve ever wondered if pinky beige and forest green look great together, let me just permanently sear this image into your mind.

Sorry not sorry.

We attacked it with all of the love and Mandi White paint we could get our hands on and it turned out SIGNIFICANTLY better. To this day, every time my father in law comes over he asks if we’re sure we didnt replace the garage doors because he cant believe how much better they look. (You can see more of the process here)

So even though the outside was spruced up and looking fly (yes, I just said that, I’m also embarrassed for myself) the inside was rough. We’re talking raw cinderblock, wires, and 2 of these ancient relic garage door openers.

That we of course didnt have remotes for. In fact, I dont even know if they made remotes. I’m pretty sure that the way you opened them remotely was to throw a rock at a dinosaur that then started walking in a circle around a huge wooden gear-Flintstones style.

Do you think I’m joking? The garage doors didnt even lock! We had to use a metal rod that Court stole off of one of my hoards to keep them secure. #primitive

When Chamberlain reached out about installing one of their new Chamberlain B1381 Corner to Corner Lighting™ LED Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener, the thought of being able to park in the garage brought tears to my eyes! All of you Southwest-ites can attest to the indescribable pain of trying to drive with a steering wheel that will take your fingerprints off because it’s so hot.  We also (obviously) use the garage as our workshop so functional doors and new lighting is just helpful all around.

The Biggest Difference: Lighting

Just for funsies, look at the difference between the lighting with our old opener and the new Chamberlain. (I know it’s a different spot, Court very enthusiastically took down one of the old openers when I told him we were getting a new one before I could get a proper before and after. I’m pretty sure that means I get an automatic fail on my blogger card.)

This is our old one. I SWEAR on my whole life that this is not one of those magic photoshopped pictures.

It is the exact same conditions in both pictures.

I’m not entirely convinced that if I pulled into the garage with the old light on that I would be able to make out if there was someone there trying to steal all of our wood scraps! I’m also not entirely convinced that it wouldn’t spark and catch the whole dang place on fire. It’s like the Cave of Wonders in there!!

BUT LOOK AT THIS MAGIC!

With the new Chamberlain LED opener, we could go into full on project mode at 2 am! Get excited neighbors!! Most garage lights use standard bulbs that put out between 450-1100 lumens depending on the wattage (lumens is the way that the amount of light output is measured. The higher the number the brighter the light.)

In comparison Chamberlain’s built-in Corner to Corner lighting system puts out a whopping 3,100 lumens-0evenly distributing daylight-like lighting to fill the entire garage! The diodes are also extremely long lasting, so you’ll likely never have to replace them!

Smart Home Tech Standard

We LOVE smart home tech at the Merc, and this garage door opener is no exception. It has a built in Wi-Fi powered by myQ technology that allows you to open and close your garage door from anywhere. Great if you’re like us and always lending out tools.

Other smart home features:

Receive real-time alerts when your garage door opens and close. Know when the kids are home from school, when your husband is hiding from the family, or when your teenager tries to sneak the car out.

Set daily schedules for the garage door to close. I love the idea of having it automatically close every evening at sundown. Just to be sure that everything is locked up tight. How many times have you walked outside in the morning to find that when your kids parked their bikes they didnt close the garage door?

Customize how your myQ-connected garage door opener and lights interact with your other favorite smart devices and home automation platforms. Get enhanced features such as voice control, location-based closing or being able to control myQ via a partner app.

Chamberlain Group and Amazon recently teamed up to offer In-Garage Delivery in 37 cities. I’ve never wanted to live in a large city more.

Aside from its smart home capabilities, we’ll also enjoy the convenience of a built-in battery backup system that enables our opener to work during power outages, so we can still get in and out in case of emergency.

Install was easy and almost entirely a one man job, as evidenced below. When Court started pulling all of the parts out of the box he said “Welp, this is going to be an instruction reading project” and we all know how he feels about following instructions. But it was super easy to follow and he had it done in about an hour.

If you are sick of living in the dark ages of garage doors (hahaha get it!??) you have got to check out Chamberlain’s LED garage door opener with Corner to Corner lighting. You can find where they are available in your area and online by checking out their website here!

And just because I cant believe it myself, let’s have another before and after…

Don’t you just want to break into the chorus of “You light up my life”? I think we’ll need to get Court on that. Learn where to get your own here!

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via Mandi at Revealing Our Cave of Wonders with Chamberlain via Jeff Donaldson’s Blog Revealing Our Cave of Wonders with Chamberlain

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March 02, 2019 at 09:37AM

Here’s a look at some of the best images taken by Globe photographers last month: winter weather, presidential candidates on the stump, a Chinese New Year celebration, Red Sox spring training, and the Patriots’ Super Bowl LIII victory parade. Iraq war veteran Peter Rooney placed his hand on the casket of WWII veteran James E. McCue following a graveside military service for McCue who died at the age of 97. (Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff) from Big Picture via Jeff Donaldson’s Blog March 02, 2019 at 09:37AM

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A Complete Guide To Caring For Rubber Plants and Answers to Why Yours Might Be Dying

Rubber Plant or as they’re scientifically known Ficus Elastica are one of my FAVORITE indoor plants. They can be small enough to sit on your desk or so large that they touch the ceiling. They come in a few varieties (that we’ll talk about in a bit!) but regardless of if it’s a small rubber plantlet or a huge rubber plant tree this easy to care for guy is going to give you all the warm plant lover vibes! (Just make sure you treat it like a friend)

This post is chock full of everything you need to know to not only keep your Rubber Plant happy, but absolutely thriving!

Fun Facts To Keep In Mind

Rubber Plants are not self supporting, the longer they grow the droopier they get. You can keep your rubber plant standing upright by using bamboo or dowels. I just use the leaves to hold it in place.

Rubber Plants are quick growers, growing as much as 24″ in a season!

Rubber plants are poisonous. They produce a milky sap when their leaves or stems are broken. This sap contains latex and can be poisonous to animals and humans.

Rubber Plants consume their soil, so keep a supply on hand for when things get low! We’ll dive into this more later.

Anatomy of a Rubber Plant

The Rubber is a cousin to the fickle Fiddle Leaf Fig, and commands the same presence without making you cry tears of frustration.

It’s thick waxy leaves start out as a soft coral and deepen to a dark green as they age. Leaves are oval shaped with thick stems that connect them to the stalk.

Rubber Plants only grow new leaves out of the top of the stalk (they don’t regrow on the sides). The new leaves are grown in a sheath. The sheath starts out as a tiny deep burgundy spike. As the leaf grows inside, the sheath lengthens and turns a shocking shade of pink. The leaf emerges from the sheath and the sheath falls off completely.

If the plant is in growth mode, when the leaf opens there will be a new sheath with a leaf growing inside!

Um, I did not know this the first time my Rubber got a new leaf. I was out of town and came home to find this pink thing on the floor. I thought my kids broke my new leaf off and heads were about to roll, until I looked up and saw this cute fresh shiny leaf. When the sheath falls off, just throw it away and don’t murder anyone.

At the base of the sheath, right above the older leaf is the node. See the little red circle? Nodes are where new roots can grow if a plant is broken or cut for propagation (which we’ll talk about in just a bit!)

As Rubber plants grow, the older parts of the stalk develop a bark, Most indoor Rubber plants wont grow thick enough to have their stocks turn into self-supporting trunks and will need support from bamboo stalks

Variegated Rubber Plants

Variegated Rubber Plants have the coolest leaves. They are usually white and different shades of green, but can also be pink!

If you have a variegated rubber, you definitely want to avoid direct sunlight. Variegated Rubber plants are more sensitive to direct sunlight and have a harder time producing chlorophyll (what is made when sunlight is converted to sugar) so they can grow at a slower rate than their fully green counterparts.

Best Lighting for Rubber Plants

Rubber Plants, like most Ficus plants love bright indirect light. The giant one that I have in my house is in a huge north facing window. If your Rubber Plant isnt getting enough light you’ll know because it can start dropping leaves (this is usually in connection with overwatering).

If your Rubber Plant is in a window that gets direct sunlight it should still be ok, you just might need to keep a closer eye on the soil moisture!

Wonder what kind of lighting is in your house? Take our quiz and find out!

Watering a Rubber Plant

Rubber Plants love consistently moist soil without soggy roots.

Checking the Moisture Level

You’ll know when it’s time to water when you stick a skewer (or your finger) in the soil and find that the top 2 inches has dried out. I love the skewer method because you can poke around the roots and aerate the soil so that it’s getting fresh oxygen at the roots and breaking up the compacted dirt.

How Often Should I Water?

The frequency will vary on the size of your planter, the proximity to a window, and the time of year, so by paying attention and checking the soil you should be able to stay on top of it! Water when the top 2″ of soil is dried out.

How Much Water Should I Use?

Water deeply (meaning until water drains from the holes in the planter) or until you’ve used 1/4 of the container size in water if your planter doesnt have drainage holes. This means if your plant is in a 4 gallon container, you’ll use 1 gallon of water.

Soil for Rubber Plants

Rubber Plants hate soggy roots, so a well draining soil is very important. Whenever I heard that I was always like, yes but what does that mean?! Cactus potting mix is an extremely well draining soil and can be used as a great general soil when you are replanting.

Ficus plants like Rubber and Fiddle Leaf Figs consume their soil, so watch for the roots to start getting close to popping out of the surface. When this happens, just add more soil to the top and you’ll be good for a few more months!

When to Repot Your Rubber Plant

There is a lot of confusion about when and if you should repot a plant when you bring it home. Most growers put a lot of thought and effort into the potting mix that your plants are potted in, so I would say that unless you are dealing with root rot, or your plant’s growth is stunted from the size of the planter, its totally fine to keep it in the original pot and put it inside a larger decorative one

How fast to Rubber Plants grow?

Rubber Plants are quick growers when they are in the right conditions. If you have the patience and the time, a rubber plant that starts small and adapts to your space as it grows will do even better than a large tree transplanted into your home.

In the right conditions a Rubber plant can sprout up to 24″ in a growing season. If you plant has more than one stalk, its common to have more than one shooting up at the same time. My big guy has 3 stalks and when it’s blooming, 2 of the stalks are usually growing at the same time.

Sidenote: If you notice that your Rubber Plant’s leaves are standing vertical, it is probably because it’s turned them to face the sun. This is totally normal and can be corrected by simply rotating the plant so that the light is hitting it differently! Notice the leaves in the photo below, see how so many of them are standing vertical? The plant needed to be rotated!

How to Propagate a Rubber Plant

Rubber plant propagation is really easy! Nodes can root in water or soil. Propagate from wood parts of the stalk?

Step 1: Cut the Stalk

Cut the stalk between the leaves, you can get multiple starts from one stalk!

Remember, the node is right by the leaf! Each cutting should have a small portion of stalk and a leaf on it.

Step 2: Wash the white sap off of the cuttings

You can also dip the ends of the cutting in rooting hormone or honey to encourage root growth.

Step 3: Place the cutting in water (or soil)

Just make sure that the node stays covered!

Step 4: Replace the water every few days.

Fresh water has oxygen in it that the plant needs! Check for root growth! It can take a few months for the cuttings to root, dont get discouraged, as long as your leaf is still alive, things are happening!!

Step 5: Plant the Rooted Cutting in Soil

Congrats!! Once your Rubber Plant has rooted it’s time to put it in soil! Use a well draining mix that we talked about earlier in this post and watch it thrive!!

How to Clean Dust Off of Leaves

Plants with large leaves can get really dusty, this is a problem because like solar panels, leaves are the way that the plant absorbs light. If the weather is nice outside, take your Rubber Plant out and gently hose it off. Think of how rain would hit it and do it that way! This should clean off most of the dust! If the grime is a little thicker, or if you arent able to move your plant outside, use a baby wipe to wipe them down! You can buy sprays that make the leave extra shiny but I tend to steer away from them because they make the plant look fake.

Are Rubber Plants poisonous?

Rubber Plants are considered poisonous. They produce a milky sap that contains Latex that can be harmful to human and animals. But don’t freak out. They are classified as Toxicity Class 4- which is the most mild classification- meaning no one is going to die. The sap can cause minor skin irritation to larger rashes.

My Rubber Plant is Leggy (Can it Regrow Leaves?)

When Rubber Plants drop leaves they can become leggy, meaning there are no leaves on the lower part of the plant. Rubber plants do not regrow leaves from the lower parts of their stalks, only from the top. So there is no way to make a plant less leggy.

To make your Rubber Plant appear fuller you’ll need to replant smaller stalks in the planter with the larger ones. This will fill out the lower naked space make the plant look bushier.

HELP!! What is Wrong with My Rubber Plant!?

One of the best things about social media is crowd sourcing, as I was writing this post I thought- wouldnt it be cool if we could see real life scenarios where Rubber Plants are struggling, and diagnose what is happening so everyone can learn from it?! So I posted on Instagram and got the best pictures! I’ve got my bestie plant expert Shane in the house to break down what is happening and how to fix it!

Leaves are turning yellow and falling off

If the leaves are lower like they are on this plant, its because the plant is using up all of its energy for new larger growth.  These guys arent getting as much light because they are hidden underneath the larger leaves, and 2. they were the first leaves sprouted and so they’ll be the first to die off as the plant grows. If the rest of the plant seems healthy and there is new growth happening (like there is on this one) don’t worry about a few leaves dying.

If the leaves are higher on the plant, or they are larger new growth, your Rubber Plant is drowning! Cut back on the watering and give it a chance to breathe. You wont be able to save the yellowed leaves, but you can keep it happy moving forward!

Lower Leaves Are Dropping

If your Rubber Plant is dropping lower leaves, especially when it’s new in your home, dont worry! This is your rubber plant getting used to it’s new environment. Make sure that it has adequate light  and everything should stop. If they aren’t, look for other signs as to what could be wrong!

Solution: If this is the only thing happening, it’s totally normal!

Leaves are Droopy

The problem with this little guy is that he’s not getting enough sun! The window isnt casting much natural light and he’s in the corner away from where it would likely shine even if it was. Chances are that it is also being overwatered. When light cant reach the plant, they go into hibernation mode and absorb water less quickly.

Solution: Move this plant to a different spot where it wont be missing the sunshine!

Leaves are Turning Brown and Dropping

This is a watering issue. This reader is going too long between waterings. Usually if leaves turn brown and crispy the Rubber Plant isn’t getting enough water. So what is happening is that the leaves start to dry out and they drop when the plant decides that it needs to put all of it’s energy into saving the living leaves. It is also likely not getting enough light.

Solution: Make sure this plant is receiving regular waterings and that the soil is constantly moist.

Leaves are Droopy, Yellow and Brown and Dropping

This is a soil issue. The soil seems to be compacted which means that the soil has dried out completely at some point and formed sort of a crust. New water struggles to get absorbed and the roots are suffocating.

Solution: You can tell that your soil has dried out if it has pulled away from the container. If this is the case, aerate it with a skewer before you water so that it’s getting all the way to the center of the root ball. If you just pour water on it without breaking up the compacted soil it will just run down the sides of the root ball and out the bottom of the planter.

Stalks are Very Thin and Long

Rubber plants that live indoors will almost always need support, even my tall healthy one has a bamboo support for each stalk! But the issue with this guy is 2 fold. Lack of light is causing it to shoot higher to find any light source, which is why the stalks are so thin.

The second issue is that it’s not getting enough water. See how the leaves are curling back? That is an indicator that it’s thirsty! It might have something to do with the wooden planter that it’s in. The wood might be absorbing a huge portion of the water before your Rubber plant has a chance to! Consider swapping it out for something less absorbent like ceramic, plastic, or glass.

Where to Buy Rubber Plants

You can often find Rubber plants at your local Home Depot or Lowes. They’ll most likely be smaller one though. If you are looking for something larger check out your local indoor nursery. If you’re in Southern Utah you’ve got to go to Moss and Timber! They are my favorite!!

Now you are FULLY prepared to have a thriving and happy Rubber Plant in your home! Welcome to the club my friend!!

Also, PHEW that was a lot of info! Did I miss anything? Leave your questions or comments below!!

 The post A Complete Guide To Caring For Rubber Plants and Answers to Why Yours Might Be Dying appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

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The Latest in Color and Tech Innovation for Your Home

Do you ever have moments where you feel like technology is SO COOL you were transported to the future!? It’s one thing to hear about the latest tech, and another thing entirely to witness it in person. Buckle up kids, we’re going to the future!

Last week I spent a few days at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas with Samsung checking out their newest products and having the best time. KBIS is huuuuuge and is sort of like Coachella for designers and builders. Everything you could ever hope to see or learn about in products related to home building is out in full force.

Tuscan Stainless Appliances

In the world of kitchens, there are 2 things that reign supreme. White and Stainless right? But what is the first word that you think of when you think of white and stainless? Sterile! No one wants their house to feel sterile, it’s cold and unwelcoming! The last few years we’ve seen more colors come into kitchen appliances with Black Stainless (so great for grounding the space!) and last week Samsung launched a new color called Tuscan Stainless. It is this gorgeous smoky bronze color with a semi-matte finish.  Tuscan Stainless is perfect for those that are embracing the earthy inspiration of clay, terra cotta, blush, copper, brass, and burgundy and want their kitchen to feel welcoming!

At KBIS they had Tuscan Stainless set up in different vignettes with different wood tones and styles and it looked incredible with all of them. My favorite pairing was with carrera marble. How good is this!? One feature that I can really get behind is the intigration with Stainless and Chrome into the design. It makes it so that even if you have to add appliances over a period of time, they’ll still work with your current stainless ones.

Tuscan Stainless officially launches in May, you can get more info on it here!

A New Level of Smart Home

Do you ever feel like someone could run your life better than you? Maybe the cute neighbor lady that is always in full makeup at school drop off? Or the friend who brags about going to the grocery store once every 2 weeks when you’re there every day roaming the isles wondering what to make for dinner? What if the thing that could make your life so much easier is your house? We’ve reached Jetson’s level here friends.

Samsung is the unchallenged leader in smart home tech. Where most companies are creating individual devices to fix individual challenges, Samsung is creating ways for everything to work together always. Their SmartThings app is at the heart of it all. It works with over 600 smart home devices (even ones that aren’t Samsung) and makes it so that the tech isn’t just controlled by your phone. It integrates with their Family Hub refrigerator, Frame TV, and Bixby. SmartThings makes it so that your fridge is just as smart and in control as your phone.

Speaking of fridges. The tech that is in the Hub Refrigerator is just BEYOND. You can do everything from find your new favorite recipes, watch TV, check on the sleeping baby, answer your front door, leave love notes and pictures, meal plan, get notifications about when it’s time to change your laundry, check the contents of your fridge in real time so you don’t buy another container of greek yogurt (and that’s just scratching the surface!!)

The only downside that I can see is if you use needing to grab another carton of cottage cheese as an excuse for a Target run, seeing as how your husband can pull up the real time contents of your fridge on his phone and verify if you do in fact need more cottage cheese. #busted

While I was at KBIS, I was also able to see Samsung’s Chef Collection. It’s their top of the line primo product. It of course is beautiful, but the thing that I loved the most is that so many of the smart home features were also incorporated there! So even though it’s luxury and very different from the standard smart home style, it still can help you rule the world!

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