The Trendiest Hair Colors for Winter

Slide 2 of 23: This ultra-flattering warm blonde, seen on the likes of Gigi Hadid, is “an ashy golden beige,” according to Stephanie Brown, Master Colorist at IGK Salon Soho in New York City.

 

Slide 16 of 23: You don't need to dye your hair purple to make a dramatic statement this winter. Long, black hair like Kim Kardashian's stands out, yet looks natural with all skin tones.

Slide 21 of 23: Amy Adams's glossy auburn is exactly what your winter hair Pinterest was missing. Why? Her red is vibrant, yet not brassy.

Slide 13 of 23: Already blonde or platinum blonde? Try an icy hue  like Cara Delevingne's for winter. Bonus: The rigorous upkeep means more time spent indoors at a warm and cozy hair salon.

Slide 10 of 23: If you're stuck between blonde and brunette, get the best of both worlds with a soft fade from dark roots to blonde hair. To brighten your look on dark winter days, frame your face with blonde pieces like Margot Robbie.

Slide 8 of 23: Take red hair a few notches warmer for winter with a dusky crimson shade. Zendaya's shade has hints of chardonnay red with onyx and auburn accents for dimension.

Slide 6 of 23: “For brunettes with almost black hair, like Lizzo or Shay Mitchell, look for an almost gold undertone for the hair,” Brown suggests. “It should almost be like gold flecks are reflecting off of it.”

Slide 4 of 23: Billie Eilish’s signature look may be daring, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be trending. “I think people will like to play around with a version of this look by starting out with platinum hair, dying the roots one color, and leaving the ends either platinum or dying it another,” predicts Brown. “Pastel colors would be ideal for this look,” she adds.

 

Photos by Getty Images

Article By:  Bazaar and Halie Lesavage and Lindy Segal

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/beauty/the-trendiest-hair-colors-for-winter-from-mulled-wine-to-greige-blonde/ss-BBQAMOW?ocid=spartandhp#image=1

How to make an indoor herb garden

Use your own fresh herbs in your recipes

The key to making a recipe delicious is to use fresh herbs; while dried herbs are good, fresh herbs add a lot more flavor to even the most mundane meal. I love growing my own herbs and always have some fresh Rosemary growing in the yard, however during the cold winters it’s not possible to maintain an outside herb garden.

I therefore realized I need to learn how to make an indoor herb garden. After much experimentation I realized that creating herbs indoors isn’t easy; you need to create the right combination of lighting and moisture in order to help the herbs thrive.

 

So how do you make an indoor herb garden?

The good thing about an indoor herb garden is that you can maintain them all year round, and while I still have an external herb garden, the aromas of an internal herb garden really make the idea of an internal herb garden very appealing. Below you will find a general guide for creating your own indoor herb garden; don’t give up, you may not be successful the first time, or even the second time but the effort will pay off when you have fragrance herbs enhancing your recipes.

Rosemary is one of the easiest herbs to grow; it has an amazing aroma and is great in most dishes.
Rosemary is one of the easiest herbs to grow; it has an amazing aroma and is great in most dishes. | Source

Step 1 – select your herbs – if this is your first time then I suggest you select only one or two herbs to start and then as you become more experienced try to increase the number and variety of herbs.

Step 2 – plants or seeds? – decide whether you want to ‘cheat’ by buying a plant or start from scratch by using seeds. Buying a small herb plant from your local hardware store is easier and the herb is more likely to be hardier, but it is more expensive. Using seeds is more difficult and without the right combination of sunlight and water might not develop the hardiness that you need for them to last.

Step 3 – location – finding the right location where the plants will get plenty of sunlight is key; as mentioned before if you don’t have the perfect location then you can purchase a horticultural lamp that you can time to come on during normal sunlight hours.

Step 4 – potting – while you can use fresh soil and fertilizers and try and maintain your own fertilized soil, it is easier to use potting soil with fertilizers and nutrients in them. You can supplement with Miracle Grow if you want, but regular potting soil doesn’t really require much maintenance.

For individual herbs you should use a 6 inch pot, for a full garden use at least a 12 inch pot. If you are using a plant, create a hole that will allow you to put the entire plant in. If you are using seeds, follow the instructions on the packet. Usually you will soak the seed in water for several hours, poke a hole in the soil and then place the seed in the hole (usually the depth will be about three times the height of the seed) and then pat down the soil so that there are no air bubbles.

Step 5 – watering – generally you should water once a week or once every two weeks depending on the moisture retention of the soil. Do not over water. This is one of the hardest parts of creating a herb garden indoors and it can be very hard to judge. Generally I like the soil to feel slightly moist when touching it, but you’ll find what works for you over time by simple trial and error.

Step 6 – harvesting – pruning is an important part of growing indoor herbs; it helps to keep the herb healthy and bushy. You want to aim to have a fairly compact plant. Generally you can use the pruned leaves in your recipes or dry them for the future.

My experiences with growing herbs indoors

 The table below lists the herbs I have grown indoors, what I tend to use them for, and the difficulty level:

Herb
Use
Difficulty
Basil
Great in salads and marinaras
Very easy
Rosemary
Superb with beef
Very easy
Cilantro
Great for Mexican food
Easy
Oregano
Staple for all Italian foods
Easy
Chives
Great in a fresh salad
Moderate
Parsley
Try in soup and salad
Moderate
Sage
Great with chicken and in stuffing
Moderate
Thyme
Perfect in all recipes
Moderate / difficult
Dill
Nice in mashed potatoes
Moderate
Fennel
Great when stuffed in fish
Easy
Mint
A must-have with lamb
Moderate

Conclusion

Making your own indoor Herb Garden is a very rewarding experience. Not only will you save money, enhance you meals but you also add a pleasant aroma to your home. Be careful it can be addicting and you’ll soon find yourself growing some very exotic herbs!

https://hubpages.com/living/make-an-indoor-herb-garden

Author:  Simon Cook

10 Simple Gardening Ideas

Article by nikkimeenlips

How many times have you promised yourself that you were going to start growing your own vegetables or plant some nice flowers only to get distracted and let it fall by the wayside?

Well here’s 10 simple Garden Ideas that you can literally start today – and because most of the ideas use materials that you can find around the house you won’t even have to spend much money.

You are literally 1 pack of seeds away from growing your own food, how exciting is that!

Trellis for pumpkins
Trellis for pumpkins

1 Trellis For Pumpkins

If you like fresh pumpkin pie then you’ll want to grow your very own pumpkins in your back yard.

Pumpkins love climbing so if you want to save ground space then why not try and build a trellis like the one pictured. You will need to keep an eye on the vines to keep them on the trellis.

Trellis pumpkins – in my opinion – taste nicer and are more evenly sized and don’t suffer from the blemishes and pale bottom that ground grown pumpkins suffer from.

Recycled herb garden
Recycled herb garden

2 Recycled Herb Garden

Growing your own herb garden doesn’t have to be a chore or expensive!

Use old wooden boxes – like the wine crates pictured to the right – and simply fill with soil before sewing your favourite herb seeds.

It’s also a good idea to keep the crates raised as it keeps pets away whilst making it easier to water and pick them when ripe.

Grow seedlings in eggshells
Grow seedlings in eggshells

3 Grow Seedlings in Eggshells

To get your herb garden growing you may want to start off by growing the seedlings indoors (especially in colder weather).

Eggshells are the perfect container to do this – not only is it ecologically sound, but the carton sits perfectly on a windowsill where it will benefit from warm sunlight.

The shells are also full of nutrients which will benefit the plants long term (and make a far better growing material than plastics).

DIY herb markers
DIY herb markers

4 DIY Herb Markers

Once you get going with all your herbs you’ll need to stay organised – so gather up a few stones and paint on the different herb names beside each plant.

Not only is this a practical solution for your plant growing but also adds beautiful decoration to your garden – and only takes a few minutes to do!

Recycled garden lighting
Recycled garden lighting

5 Recycled Garden Lighting

Another great way to recycle your rubbish into something really cool. Here’s how to make these “Garden Lanterns”

1) Remove any paper from the tin

2) Fill the tin with water and place in your freezer – until frozen solid

3) Get a nail and hammer and drive the nail into the tin – make whatever designs you’d like!

4) Let the water melt – then pour it out

5) Put it in your garden then add some tea lights – and hey presto you’ve got some awesome garden lanterns!

Recycled garden planter
Recycled garden planter

6 Recycled Garden Planter

If you have old furniture lying about then why not put it to use in your garden.

Again the only cost here is the top soil and packets of seeds – and instantly you’ll add an amazing focal point to your outdoor area.

If you don’t have any old furniture then keep an eye out at flea markets and second hand shops – and you could pick up something really funky or retro for your garden!

Sunflower garden house
Sunflower garden house

7 Sunflower Garden House

Sunflowers are really easy to grow and can grow to mammoth sizes giving your garden brilliant shaded areas – which are perfect for relaxing and reading books under.

To grow really big sunflowers, plant them in a good potting soil and add some liquid fertiliser every other week. Sunflowers (as the name suggests!) love sun – so wait until it’s warm before planting.

You can harvest the seeds yourself or let the birds have their fill and enjoy the extra wildlife that will be coming to your garden!

Hanging garden table
Hanging garden table

8 Hanging Garden Table

If you have an old pallet or door you could make a hanging table – obviously a large tree with strong branches is a prerequisite!

This idea is not as hard as it looks – simply drill the holes into the wood in which the rope will fit through and suspend the rope in the tree.

It will take a while to get the balance right – but once you do that you’ll have a really romantic spot to enjoy lazy summer days!

Pallet vertical garden
Pallet vertical garden

9 Pallet Vertical Garden

Another great thing you can do with pallets is create a vertical herb garden.

For this project, you’ll need obviously need a pallet (try your local hardware stores – they usually have a pile of damaged ones they no longer want)

You’ll also need potting soil, bulbs or seedlings, a small roll of landscape fabric, a staple gun, staples, and sand paper.

1) Sand the pallet to get rid of any splinters

2) Staple the landscape fabric on to one side of the pallet – ensuring that the bottom end is covered also – to prevent the soil coming out

3) Add your soil and then plant your bulbs and seeds

That’s it – your very own vertical pallet garden!

Recycled garden markers
Recycled garden markers

10 Kids Watering Can

This idea is so simple it probably doesn’t need any instructions!

But all you have to do is heat a needle and prick a few holes in a plastic container then draw some pretty flowers on the outside.

Children will love watering the flowers with this and it’s a great way to get them involved in gardening and getting them away from the TV for a few minutes at least!

Does Light Therapy Work?

Different methods claim to cure everything from insomnia to wrinkles. But can you really get results?

Hanging light bulbs with glowing one different idea.

JenpolGetty Images

Everyone is turning toward the light these days: Red-light body sessions have become spa-menu fixtures, and LED gadgets promise to fix everything from insomnia to wrinkles. “We’re only scratching the surface of what light can do,” says Shadab Rahman, Ph.D., an instructor of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Here’s what you can expect from a few trending treatments.

Bright-Light Box to Boost Mood

WHAT IT IS: A lamp that emits rays that mimic sunlight; sitting close to it for 20 to 30 minutes in the morning is said to boost mood, increase focus, and fight irritability in people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

WHAT WE KNOW: About one in five people experiences a mood dip in winter, and light boxes are the go-to antidote. “The light targets the cause: a disturbance in circadian rhythm tied to the change in sunlight and darkness,” explains Michael Terman, Ph.D., of the Center for Environmental Therapeutics. One study showed light therapy to be as effective as antidepressants in treating SAD, with fewer side effects.

SHOULD YOU TRY IT? Yes, but if your blues are mild, try sunlight (free!) first. “Taking breaks outside or at the window can make you feel more alert and focused and improve your mood,” says Rahman.

BRANDS: Carex Day-Light Classic Plus Bright Light Therapy Lamp, $115; AIRSEE Light Therapy Lamp 10,000 Lux, $34

Blue Light to Help You Sleep

WHAT IT IS: Special LED lightbulbs that are said to help battle insomnia by regulating your circadian rhythm; blue-emitting bulbs perk you up during the day, while blue-depleted bulbs help you sleep at night.

WHAT WE KNOW: Many studies have shown that nighttime exposure to blue light (from phones, computers, and regular lightbulbs) suppresses melatonin, the hormone needed to trigger sleep. Other studies have found that exposure to blue light during the day improves alertness.

SHOULD YOU TRY IT? Sure. “We need our day-night contrast to be dramatic;
one way is to use blue-enriched light on your desk during the day and blue-depleted lights wherever you relax for two hours before bed,” says Rahman.

BRANDS: Lighting Science GoodNight Sleep Enhancing Bulb, $13; Harth Nite Switch Bulb, $20

Red Light for Smoother Skin

WHAT IT IS: Beds, masks, and handheld wands that emit red light claim to plump skin and reduce fine lines.

WHAT WE KNOW: A 2013 study showed that light treatments could help reduce wrinkles. “Red light has anti-inflammatory effects and increases collagen production, tightening skin and improving texture and tone,” says Angela Lamb, M.D., a dermatologist at New York City’s Mount Sinai Hospital.

SHOULD YOU TRY IT? Only if you can spend a lot and keep your expectations in check. “These treatments do offer modest improvement, especially when combined with anti-aging creams that include retinol, hydroxy acids, or antioxidants like vitamin C,” says Joshua Zeichner, M.D., Mount Sinai’s director of research in dermatology.

BRANDS: LightStim for Wrinkles, $250; Dr. Dennis Gross, DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro, $435


This article originally appeared in the November 2019 issue of Prevention.

https://www.prevention.com/health/a29849201/light-therapy/

Black Friday De-Stressors

Via TrendImages

 

Hello.  You made it through Thanksgiving, but now Black Friday is staring you directly in the face.  So take some time to de-stress yourself by completing some of the prompts below.  They will take your mind off of the chaos in the malls and prepare you to face  it calmly.  No need to do all of them.  Pick one or two and carry on !

 

journal prompts for anxiety and depression

After de-stressing:

sales.jpg

Via Imgur.

Just be careful out there !

A writing Exercise-Your Favorite Clothing

Not celebrating the holidays here in the U.S. ?  No worries.  How about some writing exercises to challenge you beginning with, “Your Favorite Clothing”.   You can e-mail your work to me or not.  Up to you.  This is a fun exercise, not drudgery, so have some fun.

Here is my e-mail address:  dhickey389@gmail.com

1 (49)englishforeveryone.org

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