CasaSugar

Would You Add a Beehive to Your Home?

CasaSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:30:26 -0700

I grew up with beehives in the backyard, since my dad's a beekeeper. I rarely was stung (perhaps twice in my entire childhood), and always had delicious honeycomb and honey to snack on. While I don't have a beehive in my home now, I've been considering adding one for some time.

If you're already an awesome apiarist, check out these tips from Sunset for winterizing your beehives.

How-To: Save the Honeybees

CasaSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 11:00:24 -0700

Over the last couple of years, honeybees have been disappearing at an alarming rate. Seeing as the buzzing creatures are responsible for pollinating many of our nation's crops, including a wide range of fruits and vegetables, their disappearance is a crisis. According to Zac Browning, VP of the American Beekeeping Federation, “Every third bite we consume in our diet is dependent on a honeybee to pollinate that food." It's not all out of our hands, though. There are actually a few things you - yes, you - can do about it. It all has to do with growing bee-friendly flowers in your garden, windowsill, or your community park. To learn a few of these tips, read more.

This one may sound like a big fat DUH, but, don't use pesticides! Pesticides kill insects.
Plant nectar and pollen-producing flowers. Try geraniums, iris, foxglove, cosmos, zinnias, snowdrops, sunflowers, dahlias, asters, marigolds, hyacinths, crocuses, daisies, marigolds, daffodils, tulips, valerian, or catmint.
Since bees can see ultraviolet, colors like blue, purple, orange, and yellow are more attractive to them, but they cannot see red. So, plant flowers based on those colors as a guide.
Grow flowers that bloom over a range of seasons. This way, there will be food for the bees year-round.
Plant large patches of flowers in close proximity to one another.
Also, planting 10 or more species of plants will attract the largest number of bees.

Read more of my posts about bees here!
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Steal of the Day: Mercury Glass Beehive Cloche

CasaSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:00:19 -0700

Growing up with a beekeeper father has left me with an oddly profound love for the buzzing creatures. I'm not about to harvest a beehive myself, but I wouldn't mind a bit of bee-themed décor. I think this elegant Wisteria Mercury Glass Beehive Cloche ($27, reduced from $54) is the perfect compromise, especially since it also supports my love for mercury glass. It would look très chic standing on its own anywhere in my home, but it's also a great place to hide keys or other odds and ends that build up day to day. I'd like to use it to save leftovers, but unfortunately it's not food-safe.

Casa Shops: Beehive Kitchenware Company

CasaSugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 04:30:47 -0700

While Beehive Kitchenware Company does make measuring cups and lemon juicers, their range of fanciful metal accents ensures that you can use them in any room of your home. I have my eyes on Beehive's Paisley Hooks ($27) myself, though there are plenty of other pieces that have enchanted me. The company, which is located in Massachusetts, is owned and operated by Jim Dowd and Sandra Bonazoli. The metalworkers' collaborative work has been exhibited at the Museum of Arts & Design.

Jim and Sandra's work has been featured everywhere from Gourmet to Architectural Digest. They were first influenced to create their metal home accents after seeing how beautiful antique kitchen items were. With the goal of melding form with function, they started their line of products. Birds and bees are a repeating motif in the company's metalwork, as are delicate petaled flowers. You can order these products online, or find them at a local retailer.

To see images of the products, and to hear about the company's environmental commitment, read more.

Beehive notes that, as part of their environmental policy,

We use only recycled paper in our office and recycle all our paper, junk mail, and cardboard (no small feat!). Our packing peanuts are made from bio-degradable material. Our products come in boxes that are made from recycled, unbleached paper, and are most often nestled in a natural, compostable material. There is very little in the manufacture of our products that creates waste: any reject castings get re-melted, and we recycle every bit of our scrap metals. And of course all of our pewter is lead-free, without any electroplating, to protect the health of our water.

The company also only works with local and national suppliers to cut down on their carbon footprint. While these items are definitely not "needs" for a home, they will complete a home's look and add a whimsical, beautiful touch to any room. I like to think of Beehive's products as things that you might not necessarily buy for yourself, but would be on the top of your list for thank-you gifts for your favorite friends and family.

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Casa Quickie: Keeping Bees Away From Your Pool

CasaSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:00:02 -0700

It's hard to enjoy your endless Summer if bee stings come hand in hand with taking a dip in your pool. But bees have many uses for water, including drinking and using as material to build hives. So, unless there's another source of water nearby, you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll be making a poolside visit. According to the USDA, bees will forage any open water source, so the only way to detract them is by making the water unpalatable. You can do so by filling a spray bottle with a mix of 1/4 cup of dish soap or vinegar and a quart of water, and spraying bees that are at your pool. This will eliminate bees as they forage on water, and prevent others in the colony from learning about your pool's location.
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Roundup: Busy Bees

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:00:00 -0700

I may hate to find moths in my kitchen, but when it comes to bees, those little striped insects can do no wrong. That's why I'd gladly decorate my house with bee wallpaper, stock bee glasses in my cupboard, and sweep curtains back with bee curtain holders. Of course, it's probably due in part to the fact that I'm the daughter of a beekeeper. Bees are also thought to represent a happy, well-organized life, and satisfaction in love. Who can argue with that?

To see some of my favorite bee home accents, read more.

Etsy Find: Rae Dunn Little Bee Dish

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 09:15:43 -0700

Reeled into a great local sale a few weekends ago, I treated myself to a pair of small Rae Dunn dishes that read "EAT" and a larger one with a chartreuse border, perfect for serving up cheese and crackers for a party of two. They've since become a favorite possession of mine. So, I was ecstatic to come across Rae Dunn's pottery in Etsy. This Rae Dunn Little Bee Dish ($25) is also fit for a bit of Brillat-Savarin and apricot compote, but would dole out a bar of lavender soap in the bathroom equally well. If bees aren't your thing, perhaps a little chicken, pig, or crown dish or her "Home Sweet Home" plaque would be more your speed — they're all solid, handmade, and one of a kind.

Get the Look: Molly Sims's Lovely Living Room

CasaSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:00:48 -0700

Interior designer Kishani Perera designed Molly Sims's former Hollywood Hills home, and it's always been one of my favorite celebrity spreads. There's a lot going on in this corner of her living room, but since Perera cued the palette to cool blues, greens, and purples, it's not overwhelming. Her arrangement of black ornate framed mirrors really makes a statement, and the black beaded chandelier plays off of that, bringing in even more glamour. I thought I'd try to re-create this look for those of you who dig this modern Victorian style. See some products to help you get the look when you read more.

Photo by Max Kim-Bee

How-To: Say Welcome Home to Honeybees

CasaSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:15:27 -0700

Are you worried about the frightening and mysterious rate of death in honeybees? If so, you're not alone. In the past two years, almost a third of the United States' beehives have disappeared or been destroyed, and no one knows quite why. But you don't have wait until all the data is in to do something about it. By planting trees, flowers, and plants that naturally attract bees, you can make your deck, patio, garden, or backyard a haven for honeybees.

Here are some things to remember: If you plant a variety of flowers and plants, you will have a greater chance of attracting honeybees. Also, by choosing native plants, you will be using plants that are naturally adapted to your home's region and weather conditions. If you're worried about getting stung, I can reassure you that honeybees will not try to sting you unless you slap at them. My dad's a beekeeper, and even when I've helped him move hives or sat within five feet of a buzzing, busy hive, I've rarely been stung. (By the way, to take the above photo, I was within four inches of this busy little fella, and he never wavered from the job at hand.)

For a list of plants that can help you make your home bee-friendly, read more.

This list, from The Daily Green is more than enough to get you started!

Annual Plants and Flowers Asters, Calliopsis, Clover, Marigolds, Poppies, Sunflowers, Zinnias
Perennial Plants and Flowers Buttercups, Clematis, Cosmos, Crocuses, Dahlias, Echinacea (Purple Cone Flower), English Ivy, Foxglove, Geraniums, Germander, Globe Thistle, Hollyhocks, Hyacinth, Rock Cress, Roses, Sedum, Snowdrops, Squills, Tansy, Yellow Hyssop
Garden Plants Blackberries, Cantaloupe, Cucumbers, Gourds, Peppers, Pumpkins, Raspberries, Squash, Strawberries, Watermelons, Wild Garlic
Herbs Bee Balm, Borage, Catnip, Coriander/Cilantro, Fennel, Lavender, Mints, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme
Shrubs Blueberry, Butterfly Bush, Button Bush, Honeysuckle, Indigo, Privet
Trees Alder, American, Holly, Basswood, Black Gum, Black Locust, Buckeyes, Catalpa, Eastern Redbud, Fruit Trees (especially Crabapples), Golden Rain Tree, Hawthorns, Hazels, Linden, Magnolia, Maples, Mountain Ash, Sycamore, Poplar, Willows

Easy DIY: Swatch Portraits

CasaSugar — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:00:48 -0800

Looking through Flickr photos, I was impressed with Jennifer's adorable guest room. The dark chocolate wall creates a soothing, cozy space, while the patterned Amy Butler swatch portraits create a dramatic focal point to the wall behind the bed.

This project is surprisingly inexpensive to re-create in your home. All you need are some wooden embroidery hoops and swatches of your favorite fabric. Learn how to make your own swatch portraits, and see a close-up of the swatch portraits in Jennifer's home, when you read more.

So pretty! I love the contrast between the vibrant fabric patterns and the chocolate brown wall. For the full tutorial on creating swatch portraits, head to The Purl Bee.

Source: Flickr User Special J