5 Surefire Ways to Protect Your Home From the Unexpected We put so much time, love and energy into making our homes our own. So, why then do we fall short on protecting it from unexpected disasters? The idea of a natural disaster or burglary destroying our home isn’t pleasant to think about. It’s much easier to tune those bad thoughts out and just hope for the best. Unfortunately, that’s not realistic in the world we live in. Protecting your … [Read more...]
Party Planning Tips for Birthdays and Graduation
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Party Planning Tips for Birthdays and Graduation Party decorations supplied by Party City. All opinions are my own. It's time once again to plan for an upcoming birthday or graduation party. There is so much to do and you are overwhelmed with all of the details. I've been there done that. With 23 years of parenthood under my belt and four children, I've thrown my fair share of parties. I've narrowed down my party planning tips to my top 4 … [Read more...]
How To Cut Travel Food Expenses In Half
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Road trips with the family can get expensive when it comes time to eat meals on the road. Here are some of our best tips for How To Cut Travel Food Expenses In Half. Some are simple common sense methods, while others may be things you hadn't considered before. Saving money on food while traveling can free up more room in your budget for an extra day on the road, or perhaps a special day at a local theme park. How To Cut Travel Food … [Read more...]
Lighting for Form and Function
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Lighting for Form and Function One of the most important aspects of interior design is lighting, but unfortunately this is also one of the most complex. There are a great deal of things to remember when working with lighting, which can make the process a little intimidating for a do-it-yourself renovator or rookie interior designer. According to Real Simple, the two rules of thumb for lighting are: 1. Create light sources at different … [Read more...]
Feng Shui Your Bedroom In 6 Easy Steps
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Feng Shui Your Bedroom In 6 Easy Steps Just a few years ago feng shui was all the rage, and it seemed like it was affecting everything from architecture to Donald Trump's bank account. While it doesn't have the same collective buzz it used to have, its ancient Chinese principles are just as able to transform a space as ever — including the feeling and energy in your bedroom. If you're interested in sleeping better and experiencing … [Read more...]
White, Brown, Spanish, Jasmine, even Basmati: How to Cook Rice
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White, Brown, Spanish, Jasmine, even Basmati: How to Cook Rice Unless you know how to cook rice, you've probably had few opportunities to savor the many delicious and popular varieties. There's a rice for every taste and every dish, and each one possesses its own unique flavors and characteristics. Basmati, for example, is said to resemble popcorn in both flavor and aroma. The sooner you learn how to cook rice, the sooner you can begin … [Read more...]
Removing Leaves From Strawberries | How To
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Summertime and strawberries go hand in hand around here. With the cost of produce going up, it pained me to see how much strawberry was going down the drain. My old method of trying to remove it by simply chopping off the top wasn’t cutting it anymore. Here is an inexpensive, quick and easy way to conserve your berry and still remove all the leaves. Tools needed: 1 ordinary straw : strawberries * Starting from the … [Read more...]
Homemade Toys : Petals in a Bottle
Homemade Toys : Petals in a Bottle Here is a simple homemade toy that you can make with recyclable items from home or very cheaply from the $ store. Here are the items needed to make them exactly as mine below: 2 plastic bottles (I used Vitamin Water bottles) WD-40 & paper towel package of fabric petals, leaves, or tissue paper ($1 at the $ store) * Prep the bottle: Remove the label on the bottle(s) and fill the bottle … [Read more...]
Homemade Toys: Indoor Sandbox Bean Sensory Bin
Homemade Toys: Indoor Sandbox Bean Sensory Bin Have you ever noticed that sometimes your children love to play with just about everything but their toys? I am (slowly) learning that my two youngest prefer simple. Ocassionally they like that big flashy toy, but for the most part... most of their favorite toys have been either household items (pots & pans on the kitchen floor, our old cell phones w/battery removed etc) or homemade … [Read more...]
