Home & Garden

JFCS therapist and 1st-Rate thrift store create cozy office on shoestring budget

Anjulie Pfeifer wanted her office at Jewish Family & Children’s Services to feel homey. (Micheal Romero)

Visiting counselor Anjulie Pfeifer’s office is like visiting grandma’s house. Or going to a hipster coffee shop. Or seeing Smokey Bear’s cabin. At least that is what her clients at Jewish Family & Children’s Services say when they walk across the threshold of her office. Scenic paintings line the… Read more »

Pima County partners with lease-to-own finance company

The Industrial Development Authority of Pima County announced a new partnership Monday with Trio, an independent mortgage financing company based in Washington state. The goal is to expand access to affordable financing to qualified Pima County residents to promote homeownership through a Lease-To-Own program. “Some of our residents need… Read more »

For spring delight reminiscent of Israeli landscape, plant bulbs now

Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’ (Courtesy Colorblends)

Arizona and Israel have some climatic and botanic similarities. Israel is lovely in spring — the hillsides covered with a plethora of bright flowers. Israel has a Mediterranean climate, with rains in the cooler winter months, followed by months of no rain, similar to Arizona. While some of the… Read more »

Colorful design ideas to refresh your home this season

This season, take your design vision to the next level with easy DIY projects that enhance neutral room settings using colorful home accents, wallpaper and lighting.

(StatePoint) If you are looking to elegantly redesign the spaces in your home, consider taking your cues from the latest trends in the luxury market. Neutral color palettes and soft, soothing shades, such as gray, taupe and cream are on the rise among today’s luxury homes and adding touches of… Read more »

‘Garden of Hope’ plan blossoms at Tucson Jewish Community Center

This artist’s rendering of the ‘Gan Tikvah’ or ‘Garden of Hope’ at night. The garden is scheduled to open at the Tucson Jewish Community Center in 2019. (Photo: Barbara Grygutis Sculpture LLC)

It is forbidden to live in a city that does not have a garden or greenery – Mishnah Kiddushin 4:12 Gan Tikvah, the Garden of Hope, will be a contemplative oasis designed with the concept of intentionality, and a healing extension from the Tucson Jewish Community Center Sculpture Garden.… Read more »

It’s time to celebrate national pollinator week

The author planted Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia) in her yard for the monarchs, but it is also popular with native bees. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Modern life has sped up and now not only must we humans multi-task, but so must our landscapes and gardens. We aren’t just growing a vegetable or flower garden anymore. Now gardens have multiple purposes like supporting pollinators, engaging children, providing supplies to create beauty products, or decorating our… Read more »

Three home improvement projects that offer a great return on investment

Manufactured stone veneers offer some of the best returns on home renovation investment. (StatePoint)

(StatePoint) Early spring presents an excellent opportunity to get outdoors and spruce up your home’s exterior. But if you have limited time and resources, it’s important to prioritize the focus of your efforts. For guidance, consider Remodeling Magazine’s 2018 Cost vs. Value Report, which shows that not all remodeling… Read more »

Local class to focus on growing mushrooms

Tucson Organic Gardeners, a nonprofit organization, will present “Growing Mushrooms” at its free monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 20 at 7 p.m. at St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church, 3809 E. Third Street, in the Geneva Room. The doors will open at 7 p.m. to allow participants to browse free literature… Read more »

Pima County Master Gardeners plan ‘My Dream Garden’ art contest for students

This water garden at the home of Tucsonan Gail Barnhill might serve as inspiration for art contest participants.

Tucson students can design the garden of their dreams as participants in the Pima County Master Gardeners Student Art Contest.  Master Gardeners are university-trained volunteers who serve as community educators, working with the UA Cooperative Extension. The contest is open to Pima Country residents, ages 5-18, in four categories:… Read more »

Grow your own seder garden with seeds from Pima County libraries

Never again have wilted parsley for karpas (greens) on your seder plate. Instead, grow your own with free seeds, “borrowed” from one of several Pima County Library branches. This Seed Library was among the nation’s first circulating seed concepts, opened in 2012. Now, libraries across the country have adopted… Read more »

Contrasting textures create vibrant design

(Robin Stancliff)

Living in the beautiful Sonoran Desert, we are surrounded by many textures and colors. Think for a moment of the vibrant yellow palo verde blossoms, blaze orange from the desert bird of paradise, vibrant fuchsia from bougainvillea, or the endless shades of blue from sunrise to sunset of our… Read more »

Tips for keeping a busy family organized

(jolopes/stock.Adobe.com)

(StatePoint) When it comes to busy families, things have a habit of becoming scattered quickly. Here are five ways to keep everything and everyone organized, all the time. 1. Centralize information. Hang an erasable calendar or family to-do list in a high-traffic area of the home where everyone can… Read more »

Garden books for Hanukkah offer options from cookery to yard design

Books make a great gift because they contain the precious gift of knowledge. Here are eight gardening books for all types of folks, whether they garden outside or indoors, or just cook with vegetables that others grow. To start off — who doesn’t like a cookbook? “The Renee’s Garden… Read more »