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Choosing a tap for your design

Whether you’re building your first home, renovating your current house, the pressure of choosing the right tap can be rather daunting. The kitchen tap will be one of the most frequently used items in your kitchen, with quite a large amount of choice on the market today there are three considerations we encourage you to think about when it comes to choosing your tap.

Positioning – Where exactly in the kitchen is your tap going to be located? On a kitchen island? Directly under a window? To the left or right of your sink? The position you are wanting your tap to be plays a mega important roll in making a decision, for example, if you wanted your tap place in your kitchen island – did you want it to be an eyesore or blend in as much as possible? If it is going under your window – would you want it sitting nicely under the windowsill line or wanting it sitting over? The positioning of your tap will have a huge impact of the final decision of which tap you can put in the space you want it.

Your type of sink – now this also plays a great role in choosing the tap – there are many questions that come with this like, do you want them the same color or different? Will your sink be a double bowl or a single? The type of sink you choose generally makes it easier to eliminate certain colours or functions. All in all – with the final say of the range you are now can work with given the position and sink type, it comes down to personal preference. There are plenty more components to a tap nowadays. For example, do you want a pull-out spray, or a tap that changes water pressure? A pull-down spray is a great option for double bowl sinks or laundry sinks whereas single bowl sinks smaller than 500mm (width) are best suited for normal taps.

Color Palette – The color palette of your kitchen is important to consider when choosing a tap finish. Matching in conjunction with your benchtop, cabinetry, and all other aspects in your kitchen. Brass finishes are becoming increasingly more preferred, but there are a few things you should learn before purchasing. With a vast number of brass taps available, choosing the right one for your space can be a bit nerve wracking, but don’t worry – consider the look of your kitchen long term. Black & White colored tapware has also spiked in popularity. Black & White are two very powerful colors and can add a degree of sophistication to a space.

 

 

Children cooking in the kitchen

Keep the Kitchen child safe

When it comes to getting a new kitchen, we often forget about the wider aspects to the design process.

Children can play a major part in the design process – particularly the younger ones. They are very compelled by the kitchen and are heavily enticed from all the colourful things you put in and take out of cupboards, drawers & the fridge.

Kids love to be wherever you are – INSTANTLY if they see you’re about to do something they want to help with and we all know they love baking/cooking (i’m pretty convinced it’s because they get to have multiple taste tests and get the rights to licking the bowl!) this is why it becomes important as they are spending a chunk of time in the kitchen also and it can be a jungle for them in there with so many things to grab and play with.

While you spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen, there’s no way of having it child-free, but the bonus here is that we can make it as safe as possible so they minimize any head bumps on sharp corners, jammed fingers in the cabinetry – YOU NAME IT! they will find a way to do it if they can.

Talking to your designer and making sure this is an important design aspect to incorporate is very much achievable while still having the kitchens of your dreams, it may mean having the rounded edges on the bench tops opposed to the square edge or a rounded handle instead of a sharper edged one would be the way to go but the options are super flexible when going through a skilled designer (like our lovely designers here at Next Edition Kitchens!) you often won’t pick up on what else needs to be discussed but the knowledge the designers have is incredible and will have you walking away feeling like you’re in great hands as are your children.

Keep in mind, there are many little gadgets you can purchase to assist the safety in the kitchen if you aren’t designing or renovating. Click here for ideas.

Lights

Lights In The Kitchen Guide

Lights in the Kitchen can be tricky with the different types of lighting out there as an option but with the help from our designers, we can help point you into the right direction.

Every kitchen deserves its own personal complimentary aspect to highlight what a breath-taking project it is, whether you have just done a few renovations/DIY upgrades to what is current or even having a newly built kitchen – this is why lighting in the kitchen is a great opportunity to take on.

Having the kitchen complete and fresh is like you are floating on cloud 9, you come to realize all the effort, time and money gone into achieving this so why not somehow emphasize all that hard thinking and decision making, the cost of material and also the hard work gone in to getting the job done? Lighting in the kitchen is the answer and not only is it stylish – it’s also very practical.

Having a lighting plan in your kitchen can make the chef’s life an absolute breeze with the bright task lighting, for guests to socialize with a lovely calming and elegant ambient lighting, lastly, we can’t forget lighting for the well-thought-out architecture of your kitchen to really shine with accent lighting.
Together, these lighting layers will show off all your kitchen has to offer.

Ambient lighting:
This is like no other lighting that can come from such a pure, organic source that is free: the sunshine! Early mornings usually greet you with a slap in the face of sunshine (a good slap in the face) this is always enough to fill each room everyday apart from when the sun says goodbye for the day and the darkness creeps in.
The right ceiling lighting can be utilized to give off just the right amount of illumination needed. The specific types of artificial ambient kitchen lighting include (but are not limited to) chandeliers, pendant lights, recessed lighting and flush mounts.

While ambient lighting is used to make it easier for you to navigate throughout the kitchen, it often leaves shadows in areas that require more focus. With the help of task lighting, work surfaces and cabinetry are properly illuminated so you can safely prepare meals, read recipes, and easily spot ingredients on a shelf.

What is Accent lighting?
Accent lighting focuses light on a particular area of the room or an object. It is often used to highlight art or other important displays. Common types of accent lights include wall sconces, floodlights, recessed lights, torchère lamps, or track lighting. The brighter light from the accent lamp creates a statement to any room.

We recommend puck lights to really emphasize nicely those glass front cabinets, much like in a china cabinet or your end cabinets.

– Toe-kick lights to gain attention on flooring that have some sort of texture or design. They are also very helpful to those who like a midnight snack but don’t want bright overhead lighting waking them up.
– A table lamp on the bench-top adds a lovely glow to give that illusion to soften the hard surfaces of a kitchen. This looks great in the more quieter areas of your kitchen, keeping it away from the prep stations and kitchen sink.

Task lighting:
Task lighting is exactly what it sounds like: lighting to help you accomplish the tasks you set out to do in your kitchen. Whether it’s preparing meals, washing dishes, paying bills, or helping kids with homework, all of these jobs would be difficult to complete with poor lighting. Task lighting sources include:
– Recessed or “can” lights – We strongly advise placing one over the sink, one for every four feet of bench-top space (at a minimum but is not limited too), and also over the island, if not using pendant lights.
– Pendant lights over the kitchen island serves three purposes, they allow the practicality to be at a high level for task lighting, they make a perfect design statement, and also they compliment areas that need to be distinctive (your smaller spaces) without going over the top.
– Under-cabinet lighting, in the form of compact fluorescent lights, is another great option for task lighting in the food preparation areas.

When I asked our Kitchen Designer her input on how important lighting is, she gave us an awesome explanation: “Lighting completely changes the look & feel of a space. It is one of those design elements which often goes unnoticed when it is good but is glaringly obvious when done poorly! When choosing the correct lighting it is really important to consider the space is used – where in the kitchen will you be working the most? Will shadows be created if lighting is positioned behind you?

Strip lighting is a great option for under upper cupboards whilst LED down-lights are the best option for overhead lighting. Don’t forget about pendant lights & wall sconces which will add key lighting to high use areas- not to mention adding style & interest to the overall kitchen design.”

Common kitchen task lighting options include:

– Strip Lights: Versatile and great for illuminating a cabinets interior, especially low cabinets that hardly receive any ambient lighting. LED strip lights are also used under the cabinet to fully illuminate counter spaces.

– Puck Lights: Round and oval, puck lights are great mood lights and can be used to illuminate countertops in the form of a scallop, spot or pool of light.
If your kitchen is particularly well-designed the right placement of accent lights can be really complimentary and help really highlight your favorite elements.

Common kitchens accent lights will include:
– Dimmers: Having a dimmer switch allows you to progressively transition between the levels of lighting which would range depending on the different tasks in the kitchen. This option is energy efficient and very versatile.

– Motion Sensors: This option can come across as very intriguing and a great idea for the pantry and smaller areas, how many times have you turned on a pantry light and forgotten about it? This option is very versatile and stylish at that.

All-in-all, the kitchen is the magnet for socializing, cooking, and entertainment; all activities that thrive with a generous level of lighting to accommodate each activity. By following the guidelines of light layering, finding the right fixtures and controlling them properly, your kitchen is sure to always wow you and your guests.

Kitchen

Refresh that rental

Are you currently in a cosy rental but the idea of a new kitchen excites you? We all know with rentals we are quite limited with what we can and can’t do, this can be a bit of an itch we NEED to scratch – especially after going through all the possible ideas for design and what our dream kitchen would be when we win lotto. Good news is; I have the perfect guide to achieving the feel of a new kitchen without overstepping our limitations.

 

This first step is a bit of a questionable one until you read the reasoning as to why I have added this in, start sprucing up the room by adding a plain, medium sized mirror in the kitchen it does in fact achieve all sorts of visual positivity. It’s an unexpected element in the kitchen so it instantly makes a statement. If you have a window, it’ll help spread the light around. If you don’t have a window, it’ll be even more vital for reflecting what light you do have in the room.

Create a temporary splashback in the kitchen, a lot of times rental kitchens don’t have any sort of splashback as they are just done to be as basic as can be whilst focusing on that practicality but whose to say you can’t spice it up a bit? You may need to run this past your landlord, but you can achieve this by using a small cut of a detailed/patterned wallpaper in which you can buy from your local paint shops (& even hardware stores if they stock wallpaper!) super easy yet super fun way of adding a dash of your style, temporally.

Do you have old, raggedy flooring that you just want to take a jack hammer to get rid of the awful eye sight? Use a rug – you can get as creative as you like with all these different sorts of rugs out there and you can use any size to cover how ever much you like (bonus with this is you can take this rug with you if you decide to move or even change it up when desired with another rug! Winning)

Boring cabinets? Colour not quite up your alley or isn’t quite linking in with your other colour scheme going on in the rest of the house? Try getting some contact paper, temp wall paper or even vinyl to give your cabinetry a new beginning – just be sure that you can remove whichever product you use without damaging the underneath and, some may need consent from the landlord.

As we all know and have seen how amazing open shelving looks in the kitchen you may not quite have that in a rental, unfortunately there is no real way to have proper floating shelves without getting consent and spending some money to achieve that BUT I can help you fake this look in a more easier, affordable way and this involves taking the doors off your cabinetry where you desire to have open shelving. Of course, this will look a bit different to open shelving, but it is a pretty close idea in comparison and it keeps the area looking more open and modern (just be sure to store those doors safely away and easy to put back on if needed.)

Add a magnetic knife block or a utensil wall holder, these are easy to install and can be taken off when you no longer need that – this looks edgy and keeps storage under control.

Add some plants to jazz up the positive vibes in your kitchen,  plants can uplift your mind set and feel more relaxed – you can even add some herbs and spices so when your cooking up a storm you have this right at your fingertips! Super cute idea and an amazing way to spruce up your kitchen.

Don’t have a ton of space do your prep work? Consider DIYing or buying a chopping board that covers your kitchen sink or stove when you’re not using them to add extra space to work. this creates more space and you can store this easily – another advanced option is to DIY your own kitchen island with wheels! look ideas up on Pinterest as there are so many we couldn’t just choose one!

 

Hopefully you feel like your in the next best thing to your dream kitchen in your rental kitchen.

Oven

How to clean your oven naturally

Today I am inspired to write this blog as my oven is in dire need of some TLC – I did some research on how important this is and the results where mind blowing, I had no idea how regularly you theoretically should be “maintaining” your oven. It seems to be one of those things that “you’ll get around to that tomorrow” and tomorrow turns into the next day, and the day after that and so on but let me remind you how important this is!

My first question I had when I opened my oven last night was “when did I even last clean this?” my answer was struggling to come to mind, it must have been a good 4 months ago (not so bad, right?!) well – WRONG! Here my next question came, how often are you supposed to clean your oven?

Once. Every. Month. HOW BIZARRE! Of all the years I have been in charge of that sort of thing, I never even realized there was actually a time period on how often you should be doing it.

Why is there a time on this? I get the hygiene side of it but what’s the actual history behind this? Simple, your oven can become less efficient at reaching temperatures and eventually may just stop working all together if burnt food/build-up is left unattended.

Crusty build up can also impact the taste of your food and, while high temperatures can kill some bacteria, it’s not a good place to be cooking food (like I said, hygiene)

So, now that I’ve got you itching to go have a look at your ovens – I also have a natural guide on how to clean your oven without even turning it on, this method is super easy and really cost efficient.

 

What you will need:

  • Baking Soda (1/2 cup)
  • Water (to make a paste)
  • Rubber Gloves (Preferably durable, non-disposable ones)
  • Damp dishcloth
  • Spray Bottle
  • Vinegar (White)

 

Instructions:

  1. Clear out the oven

Take out all dish-racks (clean those as well) make sure everything is removed so you have access to get deep in the back of the oven to clear that build-up.

  1. Mix the paste

In a small bowl, mix a 1/2 cup of baking soda with a few tablespoons of water. Adjust the ratio of both as needed until you have a spreadable paste.

  1. Coat the oven

Spread the paste all over the interior surfaces of your oven, steering clear of the heating elements. Use gloves for this portion, as the oven may be pretty gunky. The baking soda will turn a brownish colour as you rub it in; it also might be chunkier in some places than others, which is fine. Just try to coat the whole oven to the best of your abilities, paying extra attention to any particularly greasy areas.

  1. Let it sit overnight

Allow the baking soda mixture to rest for at least 12 hours, or overnight.

  1. Wipe the oven out

After 12 hours or overnight, take a damp dish cloth and wipe out as much of the dried baking soda paste as you can. Use a plastic spatula to help scrape off the paste as needed.

  1. Spray a little bit of vinegar

Put a little vinegar in a spray bottle and spritz everywhere you still see baking soda residue in your oven. The vinegar will react with the baking soda and gently foam.

  1. Do a final wipe down

Take your damp cloth and wipe out the remaining foamy vinegar-baking soda mixture. Repeat until all the baking soda residue is gone. Add more water or vinegar as needed while wiping to really get the oven clean and shiny.

  1. Replace your clean oven racks

Replace the oven racks and anything else you keep in your oven, and you’re done!

 

 

Go give that oven some TLC – You’ll thank yourself later.

Spring

Make Your Kitchen Spring Ready!

What pops to mind when you hear or see the word spring? For me it’s a feeling of freshness, a window of new beginnings and a great chance for ideas to bloom. This is a great chance to spice up your kitchen and give it that “Spring” feeling, don’t run away in fear this will cost an arm and a leg because it certainly doesn’t have to burn a hole in your pocket.

 

Get that feeling of freshness:

Starting small at a very low cost (or if any cost at all) Firstly, gather some flowers and a pretty vase that draws you in – this will give that feeling of a crisp, fresh feel. No need for a large, over-the-top floral arrangement… just a few stems will do the trick! Change it up with colours to compliment the season, here’s a few:

  • Lavender/Purple
  • Rapture Rose (Intense pink)
  • Sky Blue
  • Peach
  • Yellow

Just to name a few, feel free to incorporate any coloured flowers you like!

A window for new beginnings:

When was the last time you fully renovated your cooking utensils range? Swap out the cutting board that has seen better days and the plain plastic cooking utensils and replace them with ones that have a little more energy, Spring is also a great excuse to biff all your tea towels that have seen better days and replace them with new, fresh ones.

New ideas to bloom? I think yes!

Forget about making a huge investment – a small painting or framed quote is an affordable way to own a piece of original art. Get creative and visit your local opshop or even get one of the kids to paint you a picture!  You can frame it and then rest it on your benchtop, or even hang it up on an empty piece of your kitchen wall.

Bring the texture in

Wood and natural wovens are such a golden addition to any space, they add a bit of texture to the area and interest as well as warmth. Find a large bowl and fill it with fruit and your kitchen will be screaming its spring ready.

This is a few ways to get your kitchen in the spring season and will be easy to change when the next season is on the way! Some of these ideas can be incorporated with other seasons anyway

Butler sink

The Butler sink – Must have sink 2018

A couple of weeks ago, one of our suppliers had come to us and proposed an updated brochure of beloved sinks and mixers we use with a few new additions thrown in here and there and let me tell you – we are in for a jolly good treat!

One sink that particularly stuck out to us was the butler sink (or otherwise known as the farmhouse sink) I decided to do a bit of research on this gem and prepare to be amazed – there is a bit of history behind the idea designers had whilst designing this little beauty.

Let’s start with the history so we can appreciate it even more knowing is origination.

You will notice this sink has many different names it goes by depending on what part of the world you live in, here in NZ and Australia we most commonly identify these as a Butler sink or Farmhouse sink, but they are also called apron front (mostly in the US), London and Belfast. (I’m going to stick with using Butler sink for this blog) London and Belfast are in fact two specific designs of farmhouse sink – read a little more about this below.

The Butler sink originated in a time when there was no running water, so in this time we all used buckets (or pales if you will) of water, the idea behind the sink was that it was a place to hold large amounts of water – water that had to be collected by hand with buckets and barrels from nearby water wells, lakes or rivers.

The two original iconic Butler style sinks, which emerged in Ireland and Britain in the late 17th century, were the London and the Belfast sink. They were both of similar design, however – each had their own noticeable different characteristics designed to suit the area they would be used for. The Belfast sink was deep and had an overflow so that excess water could be easily drained away instead of flowing over the sides of the sink. Unlike Belfast, the London sink was designed to be shallower and had no overflow so that every drop could be kept inside the sink.

The design of the sink means that the user can stand directly at the front of the basin – with no cabinets or benchtop in between. This made the Butler sink more comfortable to use for women who would, in olden days, spend some of their day at the sink, preparing food, washing dishes, washing clothes and even washing babies.

Practicality of the size:

While you could still wash your baby in today’s Butler sink, you’ll probably find it more useful for washing large pots, baking/oven trays etc. – items that you would generally struggle to wash in a typical sink, and – if one large bowl isn’t enough, you can find several double bowl options, too.

Installation:

Originally, Butler sinks were designed to sit slightly to the front of the cabinets so that any water that spilled over down the front of the sink it would run directly to the floor instead of flowing on and damaging the cabinets, this is still how Butler sinks are typically installed in a kitchen.

They are also installed just under the benchtop level so that the bench can slightly overhang the sides of the sink, making it easy to wipe water from the bench straight into the sink.

Whats the material?

White Butler sinks are most commonly made from either fireclay or porcelain.

Fireclay sinks are made of clay, which is heated to an extremely high temperature that makes the sink very hard and durable. It also gives the sink its beautiful high shine. The durability of fireclay means that it is very resistant to scratches and chips and is also very easy to clean.

Porcelain sinks are a ceramic material, again heated to high temperatures, although not quite as high as fireclay. They look like fireclay sinks but are less expensive. Porcelain sinks are not quite as durable as fireclay and are more prone to chipping and discoloration.

There are many other options regarding copper colors & stainless steel which both have many benefits.

There is a modern version which unlike the butler sink, it sits on top of the benchtop and has a space for a tap hole incorporated into the sink, eliminating the need to have a benchtop run around the back of the sink. The fact that this sink sits on top of the bench eliminates the risk of water finding its way down the sides of the sink, making for a more water tight option – although not as authentic as the original design.

If you’re needing inspo, don’t fret! i have you covered….https://www.pinterest.nz

 

Casserole/stew

Winter’s Beef Casserole

Don’t just warm your tummy – warm your soul as well! this recipe is a MUST for these winter chills.

  • 600g chuck or gravy beef.
  • 1x onion, sliced.
  • 2x medium carrots, sliced thinly.
  • 2x Tbsp plain flour.
  • 3x cups beef/vegetable stock.
  • 1x tsp Worcestershire sauce.
  • 1x Tbsp soy sauce.
  • 1 Tbsp thyme.
  • 2x bay leaves.
  • 2x tsp garlic.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Cut beef into cubes/strips.

Season with salt and pepper, add about 2 tablespoons of oil and mix well.

Heat a large fry pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches then place in a casserole dish.

Reduce heat in pan, and sauté the onion and carrot in butter. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle in flour and stir until the vegetables are coated.

Gradually pour in stock, stirring well. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Pour into a casserole dish, cover then place in oven and cook until the beef is tender. Stir every 40 minutes or so, adding water if needed to keep the ingredients just covered. (Roughly cooking time is 2hrs and 30mins but will depend on different types of ovens and temperatures)

Smart tip: This casserole can be cooked on a stove top or slow cooker.

Stove top method: Place the browned beef and other ingredients in a heavy-based pot. Partially cover, keep the heat low. Simmer until the meat is very tender. Stir occasionally, adding water if needed to keep ingredients just covered.

Slow cooker: Place the browned beef with other ingredients into the slow cooker and place onto low for 6 hours or until the meat is tender. Depending on size and cut this can take up to 8 hours.

 

Dark panels in kitchen - Grey

How to maintain those dark colored panels/benchtops

As gorgeous and elegant as dark colored panels and bench-tops are they can definitely become a challenge when it comes to finger marks, food splatters etc, a lot of people are hesitant to go with these colors as they want to avoid that nightmare as some would call it – but I’m here to tell you that it is not as bad as you think.

Whether it’s a matt, satin, semi-gloss or gloss finish, finger marks and water spills always stand out and can be hard to remove sometimes.

Because of the way the light reflects off a dark surface, the marks are often more obvious than on a lighter colour surface. If the mark is from an oily product, (for example oily fingers from cooking) removing this with a standard household cleaning spray can sometimes be ineffective as it doesn’t break down the oil. The other consideration is the streak marks that can be left behind by the cleaning product itself.

There is so many products out there people will try to upsell to you saying “it works wonders, cleaning will be a breeze” BUT this is not always the case – you’d be amazed to find how easy it is to clean up marks using warm, soapy water (you can even add in a dash of disinfectant to keep it hygienic but don’t use too much!) with a microfibre cloth – most times this will clean the cabinets leaving them nice and shiny with no marks whatsoever but sometimes, it can leave a water marks, the trick to this is actually window cleaner (it’s safe and leaves the clean look you’re going for.) On a laminate door, a mixture of eucalyptus oil and water in a spray works well to break down the grease and won’t leave streak marks.

*Always use a microfiber cloth when wiping your doors as this will avoid fine scratches from appearing (especially important if the door is a gloss finish). The best brand we have come across for this is Norwex as their ultra-fine fibers are incredible gentle yet extremely absorbent. You can find these down at our showroom or even online!

Regardless of the finish you choose, dark cabinets will generally be more work to maintain the cleanliness, however – by sticking to this cleaning guide, I promise you will be at peace with your lovely, clean outcome.

Easy-Peasy Quiche and Salad

Summer is slowly creeping up on us leaving our appetite for soups and hot roasts in the cooler seasons, now is the time you get stuck with ideas for healthy, easy and quick dinners.

Lately I’ve been working hard in the kitchen picking and choosing parts from each recipe online to create the perfect quiche of my own, after countless failed dinners turning into takeaway nights i was getting tired of not perfecting this summer goodie until i came up with this recipe – you better believe i was very stunned on how such a simple, easy meal turned out to be liquid gold!

All in all, here we have the PERFECT summer time favorite that you just HAVE to try, it’s quick, easy (and cheap!) besides, who wants to be stuck hovering over a hot element for 5000 hours in this heat? definitely not us!

What you will need:

400g Savory shortcrust pastry

2x Spring onions (Sliced)

3x Medium Courgettes (Sliced thinly)

1/2 Cup Sliced red pepper

2x Large mushrooms (Sliced)

150g Feta (Crumbled)

7x Eggs

1x Cup Milk (Or cream for a more creamier taste.)

1/4 Cup Chopped parsley

1/2 tsp Salt & Pepper

1/2 Cup Cheese (I recommend tasty)

2 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil

250g Cherry Tomatoes

1 1/2x Handful of spinach

 

Directions:

  • Set oven to 180C.
  • Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board. Line a 22cm quiche tin with pastry and cut off the excess around the edges.
  • Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Line the pastry with baking paper. Bake blind for 20 minutes.
  • In the base of the cooked pastry arrange the spring onions, rocket and courgettes. Sprinkle the feta over them.
  • Whisk the eggs, milk, parsley, salt and pepper, spinach, mushroom & Red pepper. Pour the mixture over the courgettes carefully and sprinkle with cheese.
  • Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until set. Remove and let the quiche rest for 20 minutes before serving.
  • Put the tomatoes and oil in a small ovenproof dish. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until softened and juicy.
  • Serve the quiche warm, topped with the roasted tomatoes.

And there we have it! Healthy, Easy & cheap! Also not to mention, it’s a real hit with the family – especially those ones who steer clear of vegetables (you can smuggle as many as you like in there they probably wouldn’t even know).. Easy-Peasy or what?