Perhaps the most common board-and-batten arrangement uses 1x10 boards and 1x2 or 1x3 batten. You can also use 1x8 or 1x12 boards and 1x4 battens. To seal out moisture, the boards should be in sound condition and free of any open knots—the battens themselves should lap at least 3/4 inch onto the boards on both sides. Cedar is a good lumber of choice because it’s soft; harder wood, such as pressure-treated pine, will not seal as well and is more likely to crack after installation....

1. Clean the refrigerator drip pan. The drip pan is a small tray that captures condensation from your fridge so it doesn’t leak into your kitchen. The heat from the refrigerator coils usually causes this moisture to evaporate, but if excess liquid builds up, it can result in a pool of foul-smelling water. The drip pan is underneath the fridge and typically accessed from behind a kick plate in the front or back of the appliance....

How to Make Meatballs When it comes to DIY meatballs, there are three essential components: meat, binders, and seasonings. There are endless variations when making homemade meatballs, so here is a basic guide on meatball ingredients to get you started. Ground Meat: Choose ground beef, veal, pork, Italian sausage, lamb, bison, turkey, or chicken. Some recipes call for a mix of two or more ground meats. Lean ground meat works well and makes the meatballs more healthful....

What Is Milk Bread? Milk bread (aka Hokkaido milk bread) is a slightly sweet Japanese white bread that is known for its super soft, fluffy texture. The secret to getting milk bread’s so-soft texture and whispy pull-apart strands is the heated milk and flour paste known as tangzhong. Cooked on the stove top, the starch in the flour retains more moisture so the rolls (bonus!) stay fresh longer as well....

The flowers of the alstroemeria plant are so interesting and diverse that they are often likened to orchid flowers. You can always find an alstroemeria to meet your design needs, thanks to the wide variety of color combinations available. The center three petals on these beautiful blooms feature streaks and speckles that are almost reminiscent of whiskers. Some flowers come in multicolor blooms with brushstrokes of color. Where to Plant Alstroemeria Alstroemeria plants are easy to grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 6–10....

That’s not to say I’m any kind of angel when it comes to housework. I rarely take out the compost bin. I tend to clean out the lint catcher after doing a load of laundry—and promptly leave the wad of lint on top of the dryer rather than throw it in the wastebasket that’s mere feet away. And I act like an entitled, grumpy teen when I think the lion’s share of the household chores is falling on my shoulders, even though I haven’t explicitly communicated that I want help....

“When tackling houseplant insect pests, the first step is to ask yourself how much you value the plant,” says Laura Jesse Iles, director of the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic at Iowa State University. “There are no quick fixes and it will take time and dedication to manage the pests.” If you decide to treat instead of tossing your infested plant, Iles recommends isolating it to keep the problem from spreading to your other plants....

Secure labels and tags on a clipboard for easy access. Tuck tissue paper in a wire-mesh wall file, and suspend scissors, bags, and wrapping paper rolls, so they’re within reach without cluttering the table. Editor’s Note: Simplify your approach to holiday gift wrapping by sticking with a single color palette. Buying wrapping paper in two solid colors and two patterns will give you enough variety to create many different gift looks....

When Starbucks launched the PSL in 2003, it was an instant hit, according to Starbucks espresso division product developer Peter Dukes, who helped with the initial marketing and rollout. When you look at the data, the PSL started making gains in Google searches in September 2010 and peaked in 2015 (when “pumpkin spice and everything nice” was the thing to post on social media). Now, the term “pumpkin spice latte” is back to its 2012 volume on Google Trends....

You can crank out three dozen of these sweet little iced balls in an hour, so it’s a great go-to for serving a crowd. Get the recipe: Angeletti Store these cookies between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature, and they’ll keep for up to 2 days (if they last that long). Get the recipe: Jam Sandwich Cookies These shouldn’t be confused with French macarons (with only one “o”), which are delicate, airy sandwich cookies with a layer of filling in between, resembling a brightly colored Oreo....

No matter your home decor style, consider these eye-catching living room color schemes for your next paint makeover. Beige and Green Beige is a classic neutral for the living room, but in this stunning space designed by Amber Interiors, the rich green curtains add an unexpected hue. While bright green would be shocking, a deep green blends seamlessly into this more traditional design. Follow their lead, and choose a neutral sofa you love, then let curtains, throw blankets, or other textiles introduce the accent color in the room....

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Mint green may not be at the top of the kitchen cabinet paint colors wish list, but it’s a surprisingly excellent pick for any kitchen, especially smaller ones. Take the above space, located in a 100-year-old home in Austin, Texas. Designer Maureen Stevens chose mint green paint—Mint Condition from Sherwin-Williams—for the cabinets to help make the small, rather dark space look brighter, and the results are enough to make anyone reconsider opinions on light cabinet paint colors....

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For retailers, this tax can be a way to offset other rising costs related to inflation and supply chain issues. Retailers might also charge more for pumpkin spice items to capitalize on consumer fears of missing out on these seasonal items that are only around for a brief period of time, and might sell out due to their popularity. So, aside from the PSL, what are the seasonal foods that have the highest pumpkin spice tax?...

Before your next wine shop visit, check our champagne buying guide. Champagne can be pretty expensive, so you’ll want to know how to look for the best sweet champagne or dry champagne. Here are a few things you should know before investing in a bottle of bubbly. Champagne Buying Guide: The Basics Champagne is different from sparkling wine. Champagne with a capital “C” can only come from the Champagne region in France, which means it comes with a hefty price tag....

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