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During the summer we think of flowers like petunias as those fragrant, spilling or tumbling flowers cascading over the rims of baskets and mixed containers. That same show of incredible color coupled with tantalizing fragrance can now be achieved during the cool season with pansies like the Cool Wave series in some zones.I'll be honest when they first came out under the name of Plentifall which I liked, I was a little dismayed by the change to Cool Wave. This may be because I'm a [...]

For a world weary of so much red and blue, green may be just the right tone for the 2017 Pantone Color of the Year.The 2017 anointed color, Greenery, a "zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring," was announced Thursday. "Greenery bursts forth in 2017 to provide us with the hope we collectively yearn for amid a complex social and political landscape," said the release from Pantone, which [...]

Not since the days of "I Love Lucy" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show" have twin beds gotten so much attention from grown-ups.Whether it's because baby boomers are downsizing or people simply want to maximize their space for house guests, it's not just for kids anymore.Once a favorite of television censors, the twin bed has worked its way back into the limelight as more manufacturers decide that two beds are sometimes better than one. They're showing up not only in the youth [...]

A blazing fire and a fresh dusting of snow form the perfect backdrop to the winter holidays, whether you happen to be celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or National Chocolate Covered Anything Day (which falls on December 16, apparently). Well, we can’t guarantee you the type of snowfall described in schmaltzy holiday songs, but we can help you to enjoy a fire that’s both beautiful and safe. Here are tips to make your wood-burning, gas, or electric fireplace holiday-ready. [...]

Our family's move over to the faux side this holiday didn't play well on Instagram.Last week I posted a photo of our recent stop at Home Depot to shop for fake trees. The comments ranged from "What?!?!?!" "No" and "I am so sorry" to "This AND the election? Way too much for one month. Sigh."A "face screaming in fear" emoji was posted. And there were offers of fir-scented candles.I was clearly [...]

Email photos of holiday decor to readerpix@wickedlocal.com

In the weeks leading up to the election, I certainly wasn't thinking about how the outcome might influence perceptions about organizing. But since Nov. 9, clients have mentioned feeling especially stressed, in part because Election Day was a stark reminder that some things are unexpected and just plain out of their control.In an effort to restore a sense of order and calm to their lives, people have told me they [...]

Two years ago, Lyndsie and E.J. Adams and their baby, Archer, were living in a 1990s two-story Craftsman-style home in suburban Shakopee near a golf course."It was 4,000 square feet, and we only used about a third of it," said Lyndsie. "It felt like I had to walk half a mile to grab a diaper."The home's size, including four bathrooms to clean, plus utility costs to heat and cool wasted spaces, sparked the couple to make a dramatic lifestyle change."We decided [...]

Email photos of holiday decor to readerpix@wickedlocal.com

Two years ago, Lyndsie and E.J. Adams and their baby, Archer, were living in a 1990s two-story Craftsman-style home in suburban Shakopee near a golf course."It was 4,000 square feet, and we only used about a third of it," said Lyndsie. "It felt like I had to walk half a mile to grab a diaper."The home's size, including four bathrooms to clean, plus utility costs to heat and cool wasted spaces, sparked the couple to make a dramatic lifestyle change."We decided [...]