As cut flowers, hydrangeas completely steal the show in any vase. Besides their beauty, these blooms have a few unique characteristics that you can use to enjoy your hydrangeas more. Try these simple tricks to change the color of your hydrangea flowers, revive them when they wilt and dry them so you can always have them around, even in winter. 1. Change the Color of Your Hydrangea Flowers If you’ve got a pink-flowered bigleaf hydrangea that you want to turn blue, or perhaps vice versa, then a little chemistry can help you achieve the hue you desire....

According to Brown, a few items you probably already have at home will tackle grime, but the trick is to keep it from coming back. “The secret to keeping your faucets looking nice is cleaning them daily,” says Brown. Remove water spots and buildup with the tips below, then apply regular TLC to keep them looking clean. “Remember to always dry the faucets and knobs after use to prevent water with trace minerals drying on them....

Test Kitchen Tip: Store this make-ahead St. Patrick’s Day dessert in the refrigerator for up to two weeks before serving. Test Kitchen Tip: Make the sauce for this Irish dessert up at least 24 hours before serving! Related Video

Second, “the illusion of volume is your best friend,” says Powell. Techniques such as curling or gently back-combing, along with products, such as a dry shampoo or dry texturizing spray, can make a huge difference when it comes to making it look like you have more hair than you actually do. More specifically, focus on creating that volume at the roots and crown. “This will make the hair appear thicker and fuller at the scalp, where hair loss and thinning tend to be the most noticeable,” says stylist Amy Abramite, creative director at Maxine Salon in Chicago....

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with baking the contents according to the directions on the box and letting the kids go wild with decorating. But if the idea of straight-up sheet cake sounds boring to you or you’re just looking for something new to try out in the kitchen, check out some of these unique, kid-friendly ways to use up that cake mix and bring an element of celebration to even your most basic desserts....

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Beauty companies have long used this practice with body scrubs and lotions. But nowadays, more makeup brands are doing the same, creating products that take on the smell and/or the appearance of food. Companies are creating vegan products that are solely made of organic materials, utilizing those strong scents. Some of their flavored products are even safe enough to eat. Although we don’t advise actually consuming them, here are some of our favorite food-inspired beauty products....

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and evenly moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Buy It: Spearmint Plant 2-Pack ($13, The Home Depot) Special Note: Test for any allergy first by rubbing the leaves on a quarter-size patch of skin on your inner forearm. If after a day or so there’s no irritated reaction, it’s likely safe for you to rub away....

Even with familiar ways of celebrating—such as roasting a huge turkey or hosting a gathering of extended family and friends—it’s always a perfect time to start a few new Thanksgiving traditions. These family-friendly ideas are good for all ages and family sizes. So whether you’re cooking dinner for two or twenty, consider picking up one (or two) of these sweet ways to make Thanksgiving even more special. Personalize the Table Going all-out on table decorations will make each guest feel welcome and special....

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Just snip 4- to 6-inch long stems from any of the following plants, remove any leaves from the bottom half, and place the bare stems in water. Keep the cuttings on a sunny windowsill and change the water every few days. If you intend to plant them, once the roots are a couple of inches long, move your cuttings into containers of potting mix. Related Video

But no need to melt into a puddle of worry—yes, even with prime pie and cookie season just weeks away. Ahead, we’ll explain why a butter shortage might be imminent, plus how to adjust savory and sweet recipes to account for any ingredient swaps required. While nothing can fully replace the flavor of our beloved Irish butter, we do have some very serviceable substitutes if you can’t find butter in the supermarket refrigerator case....

“You can use ice to reduce puffiness around the eyes, decrease oil production and inflamed spots, constrict pores, soothe sunburn, and give the skin a healthy glow by boosting micro-circulation,” Board-certified dermatologist, Sophie Shotter, MD, previously told Real Simple. “It is also said to increase absorption of active ingredients by causing capillary constriction and creating a ‘pulling’ effect into the skin.” The RoselynBoutique Ice Roller has a detachable head that comes off of the handle so you can store it in the freezer....

Why Good Sleep Is So Important Sleep and mood are intricately linked, where a deficiency in one can cause dysfunction in the other. “Getting poor quality sleep or less sleep than what’s needed can cause severe mood changes ranging from irritability to anxiety, depression, and decreased resilience. And low mood from depression or anxious racing thoughts tend to significantly impair sleep quality and duration,” says Ben Spielberg, MS, neuroscientist and founder of TMS and Brain Health....

When choosing the best snowblower for you, it’s important to consider how much snow you usually get, the type of snow (heavy and wet or powdery and dry), and the surface area you need to clear. There are two basic types of snowblowers to choose from: single-stage and two-stage models. This refers to the mechanism used to gather up the snow on the ground. A single-stage snowblower uses an auger (a corkscrew-like part) to draw in the snow and channel it into the discharge chute....

Can You Eat Decorative Gourds? The simplest answer to whether or not you can eat gourds is technically yes; decorative gourds aren’t poisonous or toxic. However, you probably don’t want to eat gourds, especially when there are much tastier options available. The decorative gourds you see on display have hard, tough skins, and also don’t have very much flesh on the inside. So if you were to try cooking a gourd, it wouldn’t be very easy to prepare, and also wouldn’t taste great....

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The confectioner’s sugar adds a festive dusting of “snow,” making this recipe more festive and winter-appropriate. If you are short on time, consider that the prep takes less than an hour. The total time noted (two hours) includes baking and cooling time. Related Video

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Also known as a mouse melon, the Mexican sour gherkin, or by its Spanish name, sandiita (little watermelon), a cucamelon is the fruit of the Melothria scabra vine and is about the size of a grape. But despite the name, they’re not actually a hybrid of watermelons and cucumbers. They do have a semi-hard rind with markings like a watermelon, but the entire thing is edible so you can pop them in your mouth for a burst of cucumber flavor with a sour twist (think a cucumber and lime mashup)....