Home & Garden Buzz

Planning a home renovation project? Check out This Old House's list of the top 5 remodeling mistakes. Avoiding these blunders up front could save you thousands of dollars in the long run...

"Fourth of July #2, Independence, Missouri" by Mike Sinclair

The Fourth of July is my Grandma's birthday, so growing up, my family always celebrated with her.

Photo From Window Farms

No space for a garden?

That excuse may become obsolete with Window Farms—DIY vertical gardens that can be grown in apartment windows!

Photo from Frame My Record

I love reusing old items in my home decor. It's not only recession-friendly, but it usually gives the room so much character!

Photo courtesy of Country Living magazine

Repurposing a wood door into a headboard — this is genius creative reuse cuteness!

Photo from Bright Fun Gifts

I'm going to pick me up one of these fill-in-the-blank Things You Must Do to Make Me Happier to-do lists. This message pad and to-do list for the family could definitely come in handy around our house.

Photo from Alpha Mom

Are you and the kids ready for the upcoming and LONG Fourth of July weekend?

Well, while you countdown to the fun, here are three fun 4th of July craft activities plus some musical suggestions for an Independence Day mixtape.

The following is a guest post by Ideal Bite's Mama Bite Editor Alison Neumer Lara

When I was 14, I spent the summer studying French in Strasbourg, Alsace. An amazing six weeks to be sure, but what sticks with me today -- far more than my ability to conjugate verbs -- is that my French "family" lived a green lifestyle I'd never seen in the U.S. in 1991. 

No air conditioning necessary. Instead, they opened windows at night to cool down the house and shaded them during the heat of the day. Children and parents vigilantly turned off lights when they left a room. They also drove a compact car, showered briefly (if a bit rarely for my taste, sorry ...), and, most memorably, reused cloth napkins for a full week.

Photo from de de ce

Loo Table

I keep my toilet paper rolls in a cute little basket, but I'm looking for some new ideas. Here are some interesting ones:

With the Fourth of July just around the corner, I'm feeling very in the mood for red, white, and blue everything for the home!

Here are several Oh-Beautiful red and white and blue favorites for around the house.