You can enjoy the freshness of a flower garden throughout the year by cutting and drying your favorite flowers. The two easiest and least expensive methods are sand-drying and air-drying.

Sand-drying can be used to dry a wide variety of flowers, such as roses, tulips, dahlias, marigolds and snapdragons. Flowers which last only one day, like day lilies, do not dry well. Do not dry asters, azaleas, chrysanthemums, geraniums, petunias, phlox, pinks, poppies or violets. But feel free to do your own experimentation.

To prepare for sand-drying, cut the flowers at the peak of their show as any imperfections will be exaggerated by drying. Pick the flowers after the dew has fully evaporated. Make sure the stems are dry.

Prepare the flowers by reinforcing the stems and blossoms with florist’s wire or with white glue. For daisy-type flowers and flowering shrubs, push a 6″ piece of wire through the stem and right through the flower head; bend the end of the wire into a hook over the flower head and then pull it down, thus securing the head to the stem.

For flowers such as roses and tulips which are dried face-up, cut off most of the stem except an inch or so and insert the wire as above.

For many-petaled flowers, use glue instead of wire. Diluting the white glue with a drip of water and using a toothpick, dab a thin coat of glue at the base of each petal, working the glue into the base of each flower to attach each petal to the base. Dry completely.

To dry the flowers, slowly cover them with white sand in deep, open boxes. Cup-shaped or rose-shaped flowers should be dried face-up. Make the sand deep enough to hold the flowers in an upright position, position the flower carefully and slowly pour the sand around the base of the flower, then around the sides and under and over the petals. Pour the sand evenly and slowly in order to preserve the natural shape of the blossom.

Daisy-type flowers should be dried face down. Make an even base of sand in the box and make a little dip in the sand the same shape as the flower. Hold the flower steady and carefully build up the sand around the blossom until it is fully covered.

Snapdragons, lilac, elongated flowers and flowering branches should be positioned horizontally in the sand, flowering branches face up. Carefully pour the sand around and between the flowers and into individual blooms. A soft artists’ brush will help you in lifting the blossoms slightly as you pour the sand so that they won’t be flattened by its weight.

When all the flowers are completely covered with sand put the drying box in your drying area and leave undisturbed for one to three weeks. Rapid drying in a very warm, dry and brightly-lit place will produce bright blossoms; slower drying in a more humid spot will produce more muted colors.

Removing the sand should be done very carefully, tipping the container slightly, allowing the sand to flow slowly from one corner of the box. As each flower is released from the sand, lift it gently out.

If you wish to store your dried flowers for later use, seal them in airtight containers such as tins or plastic boxes sealed with masking tape, or in sealed cardboard boxes enclosed in airtight plastic bags.

Air-drying can be very successful with herbs, everlastings and ornamental grasses. Choose perfect plants with long stems, removing the lower leaves. Put the flowers in small bunches, fastening them together with an elastic band; then open each bunch into a fan shape. Hang the flowers head down from nails in a dry, dark place for one to three weeks until they are completely dry. The colors will usually be muted. Display your flowers in the house or store them as above.

You may want to experiment with waxing fresh flowers. This too is simple; just melt some paraffin wax and plunge each individual flower into the wax. Remove and shake the excess wax off each flower. Put it into the refrigerator to set and harden.

Having dried, preserved flowers in your home year-round can really brighten it up. You may want to give dried flower arrangements as Christmas gifts. It is a wonderful, satisfying hobby to preserve your own flowers. You can also make lovely cards by pressing your flowers and covering them with clear mac-tac on a piece of construction paper. It’s easy to do and looks lovely.

To change white carnation-type petals to green, stand the long-stemmed flowers in water containing a green aniline dye. Other suitable aniline dyes may be used to achieve colored stripes on white flowers.

Place flowers over a basin of water which contains a very small amount of ammonia in a bell glass. The petals will usually change. For example, many violet-colored petals will change to green; red colors will become green, white will turn yellow and dark carmine will turn black.

Violet-colored asters can be moistened with a very mild solution of nitric acid. The ray florets will turn red and will also acquire a pleasant scent.

Now that summer is going out like the tides, gather your favorite vacation photos and souvenirs to display throughout your home. Scrapbooking is one way to display your memories but why not take them out of the album and put them on your walls?

“People shouldn’t shove their memories into a box and put them away. By framing them and turning them into art, not only are they personalizing their home, but they are preserving memories,” says nationally recognized interior design consultant Barbara Schmidt, whose work has been featured on television and in countless publications including Architectural Digest, InStyle, Elle Décor and Metropolitan Home. “The key to showcasing memorabilia is keeping it sleek. People are focusing more on color and graphics when framing their precious memories to keep the presentation fresh and unique,” says Schmidt.

Here are a few great ideas to consider when framing precious memories:

1. Pick an event like a favorite vacation to frame.
2. Choose a unique variety of memorable items from each event. For instance, ticket stubs from your favorite attractions, unique postcards, souvenirs and pictures are a great place to start.
3. Pick between one to three mat board colors that complement the pieces when they are pulled together.
4. Visit a professional custom framer to determine the right layout and frame. “People remember things for different reasons,” Schmidt said. “By taking the time to save them instead of packing those items away, it will help the memories live on forever.”

Jay Goltz, owner of Artists’ Frame Service in Chicago — the largest custom framing facility in the country — recommends using preservation quality mat board for conserving memorabilia like the RagMat brand by Crescent. “I love RagMat because it’s pure,” says Goltz, referring to the fact that it’s made out of pure cotton and is naturally acid and lignin free. “RagMat mat board is the only mat board guaranteed safe next to any artwork and is preferred by museums and preservationists, which says a lot.”

For more information about RagMat and custom framing, visit crescentcardboard.com or contact a professional framer in your area.

There is much more to squeeze out of a lemon than just its juice. For years, this versatile fruit has been used in households for beauty treatments, delicious recipes, decorations and even a cleaning agent.

Here are a few ideas of things you can do with lemons to benefit from their natural qualities.

Incorporating lemons as part of your household decorations can offer fresh scents and bright colors to liven up any room. Engulf your home with a soothing citrus scent by making lemon potpourri. Bake lemon slices on a cookie-drying rack in a 175-degree oven for four to six hours and then add to your potpourri mix. Even a bowl of fresh lemons will add fragrance to a room for days!

Create a sunny centerpiece with a lemon posey. Sliced lemons can be incorporated into a centerpiece by placing a slightly smaller glass container into a larger vase and sliding sliced lemons between the two containers. Fill the smaller one with water and add your favorite spring buds.

In addition to its aromatic fragrance, lemons also have a more tangible quality. Lemon juice can soothe the skin, enhance meals, and add zing to cleaning.

A touch of lemon can do wonders in the kitchen while cooking.

Add lemon juice to rice to prevent it from sticking and intensify its white color. Try a squeeze of lemon on salads, steamed vegetables, soups and stews in place of salt or butter for a low-sodium, low-fat treat. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice can also be useful when cooking fish. Its acidic juice will neutralize the fishy smell and prevent the fish from sticking to the grill. Lemon juice is also a natural tenderizer.

Lemon juice has long been recognized for its magical cleaning properties and will make clean up healthy, inexpensive, and fresh-smelling.

Mix lemon juice with white vinegar for quick clean-ups around the house. Cut a lemon in half and dip it in baking soda to scour sinks, bathtubs and cutting boards. Or use it on its own to polish metals such as copper and brass. The lemon juice will soften hands and toughen nails while you clean.

Nothing can rejuvenate your senses like lemons. Lemon and its extracts often show up in perfumes and cosmetics. In many cultures, lemon oil is a cure-all for a host of ailments and illnesses.

Float sliced lemons in a tub of warm water for a refreshing and stress-reducing soak. The lemon-infused water will soften skin, fight dandruff and strip away soap film and excess oils.

You can even highlight your hair by using a fresh lemon rinse. Strain lemon juice into warm water and then pour onto wet (or dry) hair. Massage mixture into hair and scalp and then rinse thoroughly with warm water for beautiful, brighter hair.

And before you throw out a lemon, rub it on your nails to whiten and strengthen them.

Recipe for Citrus Spa Bath

½ cup of Sunkist® lemon peels
½ cup of Sunkist orange peels
2 cups milk powder
4 drops essential oils

Escape to another world with this delightful citrus soak. Draw a bath at a temperature to your liking. When bathtub is half full, add all of the ingredients. Continue to run the water so that all of the ingredients mix into the water evenly, then enjoy.

For more fun and functional Lemon-Aid tips, visit Sunkist’s website at Click Here!.