Category Archives: Home, Car, Yard, and Pets

Magical Garden Ideas: 5 Tips To Create A Backyard Oasis

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A backyard is an ideal place to create a small sanctuary to escape the world and recharge your batteries. And it’s easier than you think, although like any landscaping it will require some beforehand planning. When it comes to magical garden ideas, it can all be summarized as the combination of lush greenery, stone formations, and wooden objects.

These symbolize nature and its inspirational influence on everyday life which will fill you with energy and positivity. If you want to have such a wonderful garden, check these 5 tips to create a backyard oasis of your own.

1.   A relaxed patio

The patio is a valuable addition to any garden and there is so much you can do with it. But to truly turn it into your oasis, you need to make it a separate installation and not part of the house. If the floor is wooden, paint it in light grey to help it pop-up and feel more in harmony with nature.

Install a pergola with wisteria hanging from above and providing shade. During summer, it will bloom with gorgeous purple flowers that will make the space lively and joyful. Wooden bench and table underneath are perfect for meals, while a hammock or two hanged on the pergola’s columns are ideal for afternoon siestas.

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2.   An outdoor entertainment area

Make the most out of the ongoing trend to use the indoor furniture outside, especially when you design an entertainment area. Choose a spot in your backyard and install stone tiles on the ground with slight room between them so you can see the grass. Plant lavish greenery in a semi-circle surrounding part of the new-built stone patio. For this, use plants with colorful leaves like caladium and sumac which will serve as a background to the seating area and also give you some privacy.

A large sofa with unicolor upholstery and patterned cushions will bring out a lounge feel to the area. Also, place two chairs across from it so that the area seems closed off and intimate for friends to chat and have brunch. A glass coffee table and simple canopy to shade from the sun will bring out the Mediterranean style even more from this entertainment area.

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3.   An evening paradise

Although gardens look their best during the day that doesn’t mean they can’t be magical during the evening. Declutter the space around that big tree in your backyard until you have a clean area to turn into your backyard oasis.  Use potted plants like ferns, palms, and philodendron to create lush nature around the tree and especially by the fence if it’s close by.

Use wooden lounge chairs with comfortable upholstery and two or three ottomans around them. Place lanterns with candles on the small coffee table to create a relaxing and romantic mood. However, the key to this evening’s paradise is numerous small lights hanging gently from the tree branches and representing the stars.

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4.   A magical garden pond

Water features are not so uncommon in gardens today since the technology and expertise for their creation has gone a long way. Working with landscaping professionals like Landscape Solutions is the best way to create a pond in your backyard worthy of fairy-tales. Since this will be the focal point, all other pieces will have to fit around it.

Build an elevated patio above the pond where you will create a seating area with a fire pit for extra warmth and atmosphere. Surround the pond with greenery especially flowery shrubs like white jasmine and pink weigela to add color to the area.

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5.   A small haven

Not everyone is blessed with large backyard space, but that doesn’t mean it can’t still be a heavenly place to enjoy the fresh air. Use a fence or wall to create your spot where you can have breakfast in the summer mornings or enjoy a cup of tea in the afternoon. When it comes to small backyard oasis, it depends on various potted plants in all shapes and sizes.

Use bushes and trees against the fence and allow vines to climb up the walls to give it a more natural appeal. Furniture made of cast iron is a sophisticated solution which will bring elegance and character to this area. Add perennial flowers here and there to make the space more colorful like gladiolus and Spanish lavender. For light, use wall-mounted solar lamps and candle lanterns so it would truly become a small haven even in the summer evenings.

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Lastly

These magical garden ideas will help you create a backyard oasis that will give you a perfect spot to spend time with family and friends. They can be your small haven to spend some alone time or an evening paradise to have dinner with friends. Whichever you choose, the abundance of nature and peaceful setting will help you have a peaceful sanctuary even if you leave in the middle of a busy city.

 

Awesome Long-Distance Birthday Ideas

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It doesn’t matter if it’s your partner, sibling, parent, child, or simply your BFF, being separated by distance is always hard. It can make you very jealous of people who get to see each other all the time. But birthdays can be the toughest of all. You want to make them feel extra special and loved, but you are there.

Birthday Party in A Box

If you can’t be there in-person to throw a birthday party, send them one in a box. You can DIY this. It is a super fun surprise, complete with card, balloons, confetti, sweet treat, and a personal note from you.

Best of all, most of the work is done by you.

Make a Video

Record yourself singing or saying happy birthday. You can send it privately, or make a public declaration of those long-distance birthday wishes on Facebook or even YouTube.

You can also make a cute montage. There are a lot of sites that allow you to easily create a video montage from friends and family and make their birthday even more special.

Send a Smile-a-Day

Glass jar with colored notes with blur and toning

Sending someone you love a whole bunch of open when notes is a great idea. Notes are a long-distance relationship gift that keeps giving for weeks.

But if you want to take it up a level, and get crafty, fill a glass jar or tin with personal notes, and customize the colours, trim, and package it cute. It will be gorgeous and personal. You can’t go wrong with it.

Throw a Virtual Birthday Surprise Party

Use Skype or Facetime or any kind of app like that, to connect friends from different locations to host a virtual party.

Make it even more fun by a party horn, and a hat to all those included in on the birthday surprise.

Advent Calendar

You’re probably used to advent calendars for Christmas, but what about making one that counts down to a birthday. Whether beautifully handmade or store-bought and re-done there are some lovely designs ideas out there.

The hard part is getting it done and sending it a month in advance.

Send Balloons and Flowers

Get balloons filled with helium, find the perfect flowers arrangement, and put them in a large box. You need to find a company that can safely send flowers overseas, so they are still intact when the birthday person opens the box.

Unfortunately, latex balloons stay afloat for a very short time with helium, so perhaps try Mylar balloons if you are sending in the mail.

Take Them on an Online Shopping Spree

Everyone enjoys online shopping. You can use all the different sites and apps to surf the web with someone anywhere else in the world. Surf some fun shops together and have a great time.

Let them pick a fun gift, your treat.

Even if you don’t end up purchasing a lot of things, you will find lots of fun items to laugh about.

Map Art of a Special Place

The most meaningful gifts are usually personal, so whether you get crafty yourself or let a professional artisan handle it, a map of a place full of shared memories is a beautiful and creative way to say that you are thinking of them.

Telegram Them

Even though email is awesome, but once in a while, it’s fun to do things the old-fashioned way. When it comes to communication you can’t get much more old-fashioned than sending a telegram.

Telegram stop charges one flat rate to send a telegram anywhere in the world, so it won’t be expensive.

Send a Birthday Countdown

Send a whole week of envelopes or small boxes leading up to the big day.

Label each envelope or box with which day to open each one. Put in a fun note, memory, photo, or treat in each one up to their birthday.

Whatever you choose to do, sending long-distance birthday gifts to your loved ones will most definitely make them smile.

A Sentimental Scent

Neurologists say that smell is linked with memory more so than any of our other senses, so try and find a scent that reminds you of a place that you were at together. Gift the feeling of cuddling up at home together in the scientifically-proven best way possible.

A Ticket To Meet

When you’re in a long-distance relationship, time together is the best present you can gift. Travel to see each other is a must, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a present too. Consider buying a ticket for the person to come and see you, or the other way around.

Use Happy Pictures

Remembering the good times you’ve had makes you happier. If you’ve got photos of the two of you having fun, why not pull some of these together to create a highlight reel of happy memories.

You can do this the old-fashioned way with photos and a glue-stick. Find the perfect photo album and make start putting it together.

If a photo book is not your thing, think about buying them an electronic photo frame and loading it up with happy pictures.

A Special Cut Out Card

Store-bought cards are so boring and not personal. Make your cut out the card and truly express your feelings to the person you are making it for. Make their day by sending them your very own handmade and beautiful card with a unique message from your heart. It is guaranteed that they will appreciate the effort you put in and they do not need to know how easy it was to make.

Because wooing them in real life isn’t an option it that moment, these are the things to offer makeshift dates, cuddles, and more to let your people know that they’re always on your mind. Some are mushy gifts and some are more on the practical side, depending on if you need to up the romance or simply make their life easier, but no matter what you send them, they will be thankful for it beyond words.

Floor Cleaning Tips & Tricks

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Regardless of how tidy you are, your floors, rugs, and carpets get dirty. Between the dirt you track in on your shoes, the accidental spills, and the inevitable accumulation of dust, your floors can get quite grimy. Here are a few cleaning tips and tricks for all types of flooring.

Natural Stone Floors
One of the most important rules when it comes to cleaning natural stone, is to steer clear of acidic products like vinegar, ammonia, or bleach, as they can ruin the stone. Your best bet is to use a pH-neutral cleaner that won’t react with the minerals in your stone floor.

Tile Floors
Tile is easy to clean. Simply combine ¼ cup of vinegar and one drop of dish soap in a spray bottle. Fill the rest with water and mix well. Spritz the mixture onto your tile surface and wipe it down with a microfiber cloth or mop. Steaming the tiles and grout will provide a deep cleaning.

Carpets
Unlike other flooring surfaces, carpets have their own set of rules. For a deep clean, it’s best to steam clean your carpets. For regular cleaning, using a vacuum should suffice.

Hardwood Floors
Wood floors need a lot of attention. Start by determining whether your floor is sealed or not. If it’s unsealed, avoid using water and instead try mineral oil and periodic coats of wax. If the floor is sealed, a simple mix of hot water and soap is a safe bet.

Linoleum
Start by sweeping or vacuuming the floor to get rid of dust, hair, and dirt. Then add about six drops of mild detergent or dish soap to a gallon of warm or hot water. Dampen a mop with the mixture and use it to clean the floor in sections. Avoid getting the mop too wet, and make sure to dry the floors with a towel when you’re done. Standing water can damage linoleum.

Upcycled Storage Jars

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Photo From Lewisville Love

What a great way to reuse and upcycle old jars like these. Clean the label off which might need a product like Goo Be Gone. The top has been spray painted with a silver spray paint that is designed to be used on outside plastic to ensure durability. You can also use steel wool to rough up the plastic to help ensure the paint sticks. Labels like these can be purchased in many craft stores. Use these for spices, nuts, chocolate chips or other snacks and kitchen needs. But don’t just stop in the kitchen. These could work in a bathroom for bath powders, bath bombs, hair bands and first aid supplies. Use in a home office for supplies like staples, rubber bands, new tape rolls, paper clips and other odds and ends.

Organizing For School Mornings

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I hate school mornings, Grumpy kids – Grumpy me! Arghhhh! So ideas to simplify the mornings are always good. Here is an idea I found on the internet I wanted to share. Each child had 2 sets of three drawers (like pictured – around 12.50 per unit) and stacked on each other. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were written on paper and slipped on the inside of each drawer front. Each drawer had an outfit folded and ready to go. If paperwork like permission slips or something important had to be turned in on a particular day that also would go in the drawer. Their book bag packed each nigh goes on top of their respective drawer system.. This leaves sleepy heads no choices because they already are made. You can place these in a mudroom or in their own rooms out of the way. It just helps make the mornings a bit more quiet and much less panicky….. which is good if I have yet to have my coffee.