5 Things to Know about Two Chicks and a Hammer

As HGTV’s newest stars, mother-daughter duo Karen Rominger and Mina Starsiak has learned a thing or two about home renovation. Here are five things you can learn from the spunky pair about creating a pretty home.

Q: What’s your least favorite chore when it comes to home maintenance or housekeeping?

Karen: Cleaning the gutters. It’s time-consuming and dirty.

Mina: Sweeping! I have a pitbull and a shepard mix that seem to shed non-stop.

Q: Landscapes can look great in spring and summer but dead in winter. What are your best tips to help homeowners with curb appeal year-round?

Karen: Keep the front of your house clean and tidy. Sweep the walk, keep the mulch in the beds, remove dead plant material and mow the grass.

Mina: Decorate for the seasons, even if it’s small. When flowerbeds are bare, you can still add color. A stack of pumpkins on the porch is festive while containers brimming with colorful flowers and plants can easily be moved indoors in a freeze. And put a wreath on your front door, but think beyond Christmas. Consider the other holidays and seasons like Easter and spring, or hang one just because it’s pretty.

Q: What’s one simple thing homeowners can do to improve their landscape or garden?

Karen: Mow high, at least 3".  

Mina: Put fresh mulch down…it makes everything look new again.

Q: Not all homeowners are DIYers. What should they look for when it comes to working with a contractor or interior designer?

Karen: Interview multiple contractors. Pick someone whose price is not at the top or bottom of the price range for services in your area.

Mina: Pick someone based on referrals. And don’t always go for the cheapest. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

Q: It’s holiday season. What’s your go-to hostess gift?

Karen: Wine and a candle are always festive and helpful.

Mina: Definitely a bottle of wine. It helps the hostess with the menu and puts everyone in the holiday spirit.

Karen and Mina will take over the Oklahoma City Home + Garden Show Lifestyle Stage on Friday, January 15th at 4pm and 7pm and Saturday, January 16th at 3pm and 7pm. Join them for home improvement tips and advice as well as project ideas.

Don't have tickets yet? Get 2-for-1 when you connect with us on Facebook and treat a friend or family member to the show. We'd love to see you there! 

STATE FAIRGROUNDS OF OKLAHOMA
JANUARY 15-17, 2016.

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Entertaining Outdoor Living at Plaza Palooza

The OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show can give you ideas for the inside and outside of your home. Plaza Palooza, an outdoor living event, will feature live cooking demonstrations at the Grill-It Stage, with local chefs and celebrities, live music from local bands, featured gardens, and a garden market.

The Grill-It Stage will feature grilling demonstrations and free samples to inspire you to try new things on the grill. Demonstrations will take place all three days of the show. Local teachers, radio personalities, and accomplished grill masters can give you ideas for quick meals and give you the inside scoop on entertaining a hungry crowd.

Relax at the Bandstand Stage and enjoy the cool sounds of regional and local bands, like Dante & the Hawks and Signs of Warning. We'll have bluegrass, country, and rock music playing all weekend long. Check out our stage schedule so you can see who'll be playing, when.

The Garden Market will feature an outdoor water feature by Perry Landscaping, pergolas to provide shade, and other plants and garden accessories to create an outdoor space you and your family will enjoy all season.

Celebrate spring, get inspired, and find new ideas for your outdoor living space at the OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show. The home and garden event of the season takes over the Oklahoma State Fair Park March 20-22, 2015. Don't have tickets yet? Get 2-for-1 on Facebook and treat a friend or family member to a fun day at the show!

MARCH 20 - 22, 2015.
OKLAHOMA STATE FAIR PARK

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Stretch Your Dollar With These DIY Tips

Looking to stretch your home improvement budget? There's no better place to get ideas, inspiration, and a little DIY know-how than the OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show. Check out our list of the top four things to do and see at the show to help you become a DIY darling.

1. Stop by the U Build It and Be Your Own Builder booths to get information about doing your own construction or renovation on your home or office.

2. Learn how to reduce and re-use when it comes to water consumption. SqueezeEveryDrop.com will share ways to use less water outdoors and in with drought-tolerant landscape materials, proper irrigation, and leak solutions. Register to win a rain barrel and other cool irrigation tools.

3. Make your home safer. Did you know most accidents in the home are due to slips and falls? Rebuilding Together OKC will share information on increasing safety within the home by implementing a few simple fixes.

4. Catch these DIY presentations at the show:

• "Design Tips to Flip For" and "Undercover DIY: Secrets to Becoming a Do-It-Yourself Guru" are fun, interactive presentation by John and Whitney Spinks of HGTV's Flipping The Block fame.
• "What to Plant When" by Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge, stars of the Cooking Channel's The Fabulous Beekman Boys, will inspire you to grow more of what you eat.
• "Container Gardening - Anyone Can Do It" by Julia Laughlin, former Oklahoma State University Horticulture Professor is ready to help folks discover this innovative gardening style.
• "DIY Home and Office Building Projects" by Bob Braudrick of U Build It will give attendees insight into a variety of DIY projects, from small ones to 50,000 square feet.

The OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show takes over the Oklahoma State Fair Park March 20-22, 2015. Don't have tickets yet? Stretch your home improvement budget even further with this exclusive offer: get 2-for-1 tickets on Facebook!

MARCH 20 - 22, 2015.
OKLAHOMA STATE FAIR PARK

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Rebuilding Together OKC: Making Homes Safer

Win the grill pictured below at the OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show! Purchase a raffle ticket from Rebuilding Together OKC, in Booth #1035, for a chance to win a new 5-burner, stainless steel grill. Tickets can be purchase for $5 each or 3 for $10. The drawing will take place on the evening of Sunday, March 22 - attendees need to be present to win.

Guests at the OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show can learn how to make homes safer when they watch the Rebuilding Together OKC presentation, "Slips, Trips, and Falls - Preventing Accidents in Your Home". Rebuilding Together OKC will also teach guests how the organization helps improve homes through modification and emergency repairs for the disadvantaged and elderly. The non-profit will be presenting on the Little Projects Stage, on Friday March 20th and Saturday, March 21st. Check out our Stage Schedule to learn more.

Since 1992, Rebuilding Together OKC has repaired over 2,000 homes, 30 non-profit facilities, and 8 public school buildings with the help of 50,000 volunteers. These repairs represent a value to the community of more than $20 million.

In addition to the year-round work on homes in the Oklahoma City area, they also host an annual "Rebuilding Day" program each April where hundreds of volunteers come together to make homes warm, safe, and dry for homeowners who need a little help. This year's event is scheduled for April 19 - click here to find out how you can help! Professionals in the home repair trade and handy citizens are instrumental to the success of Rebuilding Together OKC.

Come support Rebuilding Together OKC at the OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show. The home and garden event of the season takes over the Oklahoma State Fair Park March 20-22, 2015. Don't have tickets yet? Get 2-for-1 on Facebook and use your savings to buy a raffle ticket! Good luck!

MARCH 20 - 22, 2015.
OKLAHOMA STATE FAIR PARK

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Sharing Success: Lessons From The Farm

Josh-Kilmer Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge are stars of the Cooking Channel's hit series, The Fabulous Beekman Boys. But things weren't so fabulous in upstate New York when they lost their "city-slicker" jobs in 2008 and had a mortgage on the Beekman Farm. They turned their story of job loss and debt into one of success and sharing.

The Beekman Boys worked with a neighbor to learn about goat farming. Their first lifestyle products were soaps and cheeses made from goat milk. As they were working to make the farm profitable, Josh and Brent won CBS' Amazing Race. It allowed them to pay off the mortgage on the farm; however, their aspirations were higher. They wanted to give back to their community. They created a pasta sauce made from heirloom tomatoes called Mortgage Lifter. The pasta sauce is now carried in large retail locations and part of the profits go to help other farmers pay off their mortgages.

Through it all, the Beekman Boys learned a lesson on how to live. Sustainability became part of their lifestyle. They learned to delay gratifications so that the first tomato of the season tastes like a dream after growing them from seeds and not having tomatoes for months.

During the OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show, Josh and Brent will share their story and encourage others to live off what they "grow" and give back to the community. Hear The Fabulous Beekman Boys present "What to Plant When" Saturday, March 21st at 12pm and 4pm, and Sunday, March 22nd at 12pm and 4pm. The OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show takes over the Oklahoma State Fair Park March 20-22, 2015. Don't have tickets yet? Get 2-for-1 on Facebook and come enjoy the show!

MARCH 20 - 22, 2015.
OKLAHOMA STATE FAIR PARK

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Design Tips To Flip For

When HGTV's John and Whitney Spinks were on Flipping The Block, they had to do a major condo renovation on a limited budget, much like real life. The Spinks learned some tricks to help keep costs down, create high-end style, and get projects completed quickly.

One such life hack is creating home accessories that look high-end, but don't come with a huge price tag. For instance, the Spinks will show audiences at the OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show two light fixtures and ask them which one costs five times more. The majority of people will not be able to tell the difference!

Another way to cut down on decor costs is by using items already found in your house. The Spinks take ordinary picture frames and spray paint them navy blue; their favorite color for 2015. The impact of multiple frames in such a striking color can create an interesting focal point and draw more attention to a grouping of pictures.

John and Whitney are good at spotting trends, inserting the latest design elements on their current projects. They'll share what is trending for 2015 while on stage at the OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show. Catch them Saturday, March 21st at 1pm and 6pm, and Sunday, March 22nd at 1pm and 3pm. Don't have tickets yet? Get 2-for-1 on Facebook and treat a friend or family member to some DIY tips and a fabulous time at the show!

MARCH 20 - 22, 2015.
OKLAHOMA STATE FAIR PARK

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Justin Cave: a Man with a Plan for Landscaping

Justin Cave, star of HGTV’s “Groundbreakers,” has been digging in the dirt since he was a teenager at a landscaping company dragging water hoses to flower beds. He grew up to own a successful landscaping company, host a popular outdoor living television show and travel nationwide delivering landscape presentations, but his passion is still rooted in the basics of outdoor design. At this year’s OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show March 21-23, Justin will plant ideas to upgrade outdoor spaces starting from the ground up.

Start with a Plan

Do you envision a pergola, a seating area surrounding a fire pit and maybe a water feature? Or is a simple patio and a new sod lawn more your speed? Regardless of the budget and experience-level, Justin is confident that you can have the outdoor living area of your dreams, and he says starting with a good foundation and a realistic budget is critical to the plan’s success.

“The two most important things to do before starting a landscaping plan are to assess your wants and needs and establish a budget,” Justin says. “Understanding these things can help you create an outdoor space you and your family can really enjoy.”

Low Cost, High Style

No matter what your budget or style might be, container gardening is one of Justin’s easiest and most cost-effective tips to bring style to your landscape. By mixing the soft edges of foliage and flowers with the hard smooth surfaces of pots or containers, these inexpensive gardens can pay major visual dividends in any garden.

Justin says, “Framing a door or the steps of a front porch with two container gardens is an easy way to add big impact to your home’s curb appeal without spending a lot of money. One key to making an eye-catching container garden is using a plant with foliage that spills over the edge, like a vine.”

Shine Some Light

Strategic lighting is another landscaping technique Justin likes to use in landscape design, no matter if the budget is high-end or cost-conscious. With inexpensive low-energy LED light bulbs and a rainbow of color options, landscaping at night is a trend that is here to stay, according to Justin.

“Landscaping doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. Highlighting an ornamental tree or showcasing interesting architecture can add a lot of appeal to the landscape, especially at night.”

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Justin will present on the “Little Projects Stage” at the OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show on Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23. For a complete stage schedule for Justin and other landscape and gardening experts, visit www.homeshowokc.com. We hope to see you there!

MARCH 21-23, 2014

OKLAHOMA STATE FAIR PARK

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Top Secret Recipe Hacker Coming to OKC

Todd Wilbur hacks your favorite restaurants’ recipes!

Todd Wilbur, author of best-selling cook book series “Top Secret Recipes,” will bring his exciting personality and recipe hacking secrets to the Oklahoma City Home + Garden Show January 17-19 at the Oklahoma State Fair Park. Todd describes his talent for uncovering secret recipes as recipe hacking: a process where he studies everything from the tiniest ingredients to the preparation process in order to recreate some of America’s favorite dishes.

Since releasing his first cook book, “Top Secret Recipes,” in 1993, he has gone on to publish nine others and is currently working to release the eleventh book in the series. In his books, Todd uncovers recipes like Cheesecake Factory’s Thai Lettuce Wraps, Olive Garden’s Breadsticks and P.F. Chang’s Kung Pao Chicken.

Receiving no formal culinary education, Todd educated himself by reading recipes and watching cooking shows, viewing the recipes as puzzles he needed to solve.  So we wanted to know, just how does he do it?

Q: What steps do you take to unlock recipes?

A: Once I zero in on a target dish, I watch shows about that particular type of food to learn the ins and outs before trying to hack the recipe. I had to come up with my own process and techniques for reverse engineering these foods. Sometimes I will run sauces through a strainer or use a magnifying glass to help identify different herbs and spices. I also use my sense of touch to help me estimate the fat contents of foods.

Q: What advice do you have for fans interested in becoming food hackers themselves?

A: Don’t be afraid to ask your server at the restaurant. They may not give you the exact recipe but they will be able to tell you what ingredients are included in the particular food, and that’s a great jumping off point. From there, look for recipes for a similar type of food online or in a cookbook, and then tweak that recipe until it matches.

Q: How long does it typically take to get the recipe right?

A: Expect a lot of trial and error. Sometimes I can hack a recipe in one day, sometimes it takes weeks, sometimes I never get it. That’s all part of the fun.

Todd will demonstrate several of his favorite recipe hacks at the Oklahoma City Home + Garden Show and allow the audience a chance to test his creations. Don’t miss his delicious presentation on the Cooking Stage Friday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 18 at 2 and 6 p.m.

CLICK HERE to guess the ingredients in Iron Starr's Fancy Mac & Cheese

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A Tasty Herb Anyone Can Grow Q&A with HGTV's William Moss

William Moss is an edible garden guru encouraging everyone to Get Out and Grow. His talent for growing and gardening in even the smallest of spaces has gotten him noticed by national TV networks, and his recently published book Any Size, Anywhere, Edible Gardens explores how gardeners of any experience level can grow their own food.

William will bring his enthusiasm and passion for gardening to the Oklahoma City Home + Garden Show, Jan. 17-19. But before he hits the stage, we had a brief chat to learn just what makes him tick – both in and out of the garden.

Get to Know Will 

Q. What is your design or gardening pet peeve?

A. Boring, unimaginative landscapes. Landscapes should be ornamental, functional and maybe even tasty. Don't plant a row of green shrubs. Plant a staggered row with evergreens in the back and blueberries, roses or hydrangeas in the front. When you plant your tomatoes surround them with marigolds, nasturtiums or oregano to spice things up. Increasing your variety and trying new plants are the ways to make your landscape interesting and attractive all season long.

Q. What famous figure(s) inspires your career? 

A. Gardening and landscaping are part science and part art. The people who inspire me are intelligent, creative and innovative, like George Washington Carver, Frank Lloyd Wright, David Attenborough and Martha Stewart.

Q. Name 3 items in your kitchen that you could not live without.  

A. 1. Cast iron skillet. The 10" size is my favorite for making a garden fresh omelet, roasting newly harvest potatoes or even saucing home grown tomatoes.

2. Electric tea pot for my garden tea blends and heating up my twins' bottles.

3. Spice carousel for the many flavorful herbs from the garden.    

And speaking of flavorful herbs, William wanted to share his step-by-step instructions on how to grow Thai Basil right in your own kitchen (or anywhere with a light-filled window).

Growing Tasty Thai Basil

Materials

• Six-Inch Pot with Saucer or Tray
• Potting Soil Mix
• Thai Basil (Ocimum basilicum ‘Siam Queen’) seeds
• Plastic Wrap or Clear Lid

Grow it!
1.      Fill pot with potting mix leaving one inch between soil surface and top of rim.
2.      Scatter several seeds and press into top of soil.
3.      Place pot in sink and gently water until saturated (take care not to wash seeds out of pot).
4.      Cover with plastic wrap or lid and place on sunny windowsill.
5.      After a week or so when seeds begin sprouting, remove cover.
6.      Water regularly as plants grow, every two to three days or when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
7.      Once plants have four sets of leaves, you can begin harvesting. After a couple months when plants become too leggy, harvest everything and begin again.

Two or three leaves are enough to season any seafood or poultry dish. Thai basil is excellent in shrimp and shellfish stews and stir-fries. As with any fresh herbs, add the leaves during the last three minutes of cooking for the best flavor.

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