Monday 29 October 2018

What’s Hot In Outdoor Patio Designs This Year


Incorporating indoor-outdoor living has always been a challenging task for any homeowner. Since the patio is the place where every family loves to spend their evenings in warm weather, it is only logical to make it fashionable and fabulous. Each year brings new, modern and trendy designs, so if you wish to alter your existing patio or build a new one there are a few guidelines to follow. Here a few boiling designs and ideas on how to reshape and enliven your patio.

Fire Pits
If you don’t already have one installed, then you should definitely do it right away. Fire pits don't only serve for roasting marshmallows, they have become a focal point for an outdoor patio. Over the past few years, there has been an increase in customer demand to have a trendy fire pit. While giving you the opportunity to get everybody together and chill out in a breezy night while listening to the cracking of fire, fire pits also serve as a decorative tool. They come in different materials and sizes, but they mainly serve as a dazzling gathering point, so make sure that you get funky cushions and arrange a comfortable seating around it.

Open-air “room”
It is no wonder that blending indoor space with outdoor has become an ever booming trend this year. Firstly, since it is mostly comfort that we strive for, getting cozy wicker furniture with splashy patterned pillows is a must. Place a nice-sized barbecue burner, a large coffee or accent table, and add cool ornamental or vintage rugs, just make sure that materials are water-resistant. A never-ending trend is having a cool hammock at the corner of your patio for an intimate touch. Upholster furniture can also serve the same purpose and give the outdoor ambient a homey and warm feel. You can place vivid cushions all around to galvanize the life of your outdoor furniture.

Zen retreats
Being out on fresh air can already be relaxing after a hectic day, but indulging in your own little private heaven is the cherry on the top. This season many designers opt to make patios serve multiple purposes, one being trendy and cosmopolitan, another being your personal getaway, while still being easy to maintain. You can find expert patio builders who would build a unique patio that would have all those characteristics. For example, you can close off one side of your patio, add corrugated profiles and beams, and have contemporary ceiling finish in any color you desire. In that way, you can utterly escape from the outside world. Later, you can place stone lanterns, buy a small fountain, and plant evergreens that will give you enough shade and mesmerizing scent for your perfect Zen escape.

Innovative decoration
By adding signature accessories to your outdoor ambiance, you combine the functionality with the style and comfort of the outdoor experience. Placing small but distinctive ornaments brightens up the outdoor space, that is why many designers encourage those ideas. Start off by getting a vintage mosaic table, or add antique charisma to your patio by placing old-fashioned wooden chairs with retro-inspired prints. Get some great lanterns or candles, and make sure that you put a few colorful pots with cacti or succulents. Top everything up with a string of vibrant lights and a magenta Chinese lantern.

Alternative flooring
Another booming trend emerging this year is replacing plain outdoor rugs with budget-conscious flooring. One distinguished design is placing circular paver of different sizes in crushed granite to make the patio stand out. Moreover, something that has become an even bigger favorite is porcelain. Porcelain flooring is, first of all, durable, easy to install and clean, and above all, it mirrors indoor trends. Then, tiles remain timeless because they are also easy to maintain and they freshen up the patio. What will certainly be a hit this season is cobblestone. Since cobblestone come in various shapes and sizes and are used to break up large areas, they will never go out of fashion. The hot trend this year are granite and limestone cobbles. 

Trends and designs are set to be broken and topped by something innovative and new each year. Always strive for originality and ingenuity, and you will have a one-of-a-kind patio worth time and money.

Friday 26 October 2018

Spookies Healthy Halloween Treats



Canadian moms are volunteering their porches for porch pick ups of this healthy and fun alternative to the mass produced typical Halloween treats.
 
Spookies are the brain child of Toronto based New Moon Kitchen.
1kg bag of Spookies contains approximately 50 of New Moon's best-selling Chocolate Chip Cookies in spelt or gluten freeoptions. The treats are: vegan, dairy and egg free, peanut and nut free, and Kosher Parve. Spookies have a shelf life of 75 days, and freeze well too.
 
Aside from porch pickups they also sell online (just shipped a load to Alberta) but the local families who offer their porches for pick up support New Moon Kitchen in their mission to provide a healthier Halloween that parents can feel good about.
 
Spookies are a healthy and ethical choice and with over 50,000 sold already they have become a cult sensation of a treat.

These cookies are absolutely delicious and such an excellent way to provide a healthy snack in between the sugar rush of the Halloween craziness! My kids are so excited to share these with their classmates in their Halloween goody bags this year! 

5 Feng Shui Tips For Your Home Office

As many know the Chinese tend to live longer than any other people. It might be due to the food and their eating habits, but actually, they have an absolutely serene way of personal and business life. Calm working surrounding – you wonder, is that possible? Well, feng shui method can be easily implemented into your home office and give you relaxing, spiritual and yet productive results. Here are the essential tips on how to make your home office more comfortable following the feng shui method which will guarantee results in the long run.

1. Shape up the surroundings

So, your home office is already your own private sanctuary, but you just can’t seem to get the work done effectively. Following the feng shui way, you should first declutter all the unnecessary items that have been pilling up. Consider completely throwing out the excess papers and files that you are not using. Also, get stylish plastic boxes to place the finished files and organize them neatly on the shelves. Try placing office stationery in separate cases, and organize and label the items on the shelves to easily reach and find the files. Too many objects that you no longer use can create unwanted stress, which probably occupies your mind and you don't get the work done.

2. Ease the air

Yes, it might sound strange, but it does the job. Since you work from your home, it is hard to completely escape and relax after a hard working job. Calm atmosphere in your home office is important, so the feng shui trick is to get a good ionizer to clear up the air. In no time you would feel refreshed. What is more, get some houseplant, such as Chinese Evergreen or a Bamboo, that will not only purify the air but it will be a nice decorative element and give your brain the much-needed oxygen. You can also buy a quality electrical air freshener with soothing lavender fragrance because it will definitely keep you focused and inspired while working.

3. Focus on the position

Certain feng shui positions attract the positive vibes and energize your area. Number one feng shui commanding position is to get quality office desks and place them further from the door. Next, do not place chairs in line with the door or facing the wall, but rather face them towards the window. To get the best feng shui energy you should get all the elements needed for perfect serenity. Put a vividly colored painting next to your working station, place a world map on a plain wall or get some earthy ornaments, such as a wooden clock. To attract the right energy let’s not forget about lighting. Light is more than essential, so make sure that you have at least one mild lamp or install uplighters that will boost up your mood.

4. Follow the right elements

There are 5 feng shui elements and each have their own unique representation that can bring the perfect balance into your home office. If your office is facing south, which represents the fire element, then you should not have water elements around it like blue wallpaper or a water dispenser. On the other hand, if your office is facing the north way then you definitely have to implement water elements. Get a black colored computer or stationary because the color of this element is black and blue. Pure white color represents the metal element so have some clear white frames or put a mirror. Earth and wood element are similar so get plants around the office or buy brown furniture.

5.  Address the details

It is not easy to completely bring the entire feng shui effect into your home office. However, you can enhance a mindful working atmosphere with a few details. Pay attention to colors and materials, for example, rectangular wooden frames and desks are the best recommendations in feng shui. Also, choose the colors that represent your work and you will channel positive energy. And to stimulate the energy, even more, implement warm colors in decoration like adding an orange cushion or a yellow bookmark. Another thing that would enhance calming feeling is placing an emerald green suede sofa to contrast the environment. You would be surprised what serene effect you would achieve by changing a few details in your home office.

Wednesday 24 October 2018

Self Care: The Family Edition


Before you become a parent, you only have to worry about yourself. Your evenings are all about focusing on self-care without distraction. Once kids come into your life, things couldn’t be more different. During the early years, you won’t even remember what a bubble bath looks like. Even once your littlies are old enough to walk, talk, and make mischief, you’ll struggle to find time for yourself. That’s a sacrifice you’ll be more than willing to make. It is worth noting, though, that neglecting yourself could leave you unable to provide the care your kids need.


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So, you could say that finding time for self-care is pretty crucial. You’ll certainly notice how much more able you feel to tackle parenting when you’ve recharged. The trouble is that most parents don’t get the chance to do that often. We snatch a few hours each week. Surely even you can see that’s nowhere near enough?

The main reason for difficulty here is the types of self-care we embark on. We consider things like private baths or spa days without anyone to worry about. You have to take time out for these, so they soon become a rarity. But, what if we were to tell you that it is possible to practice self-care without taking time out? By incorporating small self-care pointers into your parenting day, you could look after yourself and your kids at the same time. Here’s how.

Get out in nature as a family

Nature has always been fantastic for self-care. Back in your single days, the chances are that you enjoyed solo woodland walks on occasion. Yet, since the arrival of your children, you’ve considered this out-of-bounds. Why? The fact is that there’s nothing to stop you getting out in nature with your kids. It may not quite have the calming benefits of a walk on your own, but this can still work wonders for your wellbeing. Not to mention that it’ll give your children an all-important outdoor fix. So, go for a walk. Head out to pick mushrooms. Just get outside!

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Incorporate relaxing elements in the home

It’s also possible to incorporate relaxing elements into the heart of a family home. You don’t need to have a bath to make the most of sweet smells. Instead, you could incorporate something like these Aromatech scent diffusers into any room you fancy. There’s also nothing to stop you from playing calming sounds in your family rooms. These are small touches which could make all the difference for helping you chill out.  

Get crafting together

Crafts are also a fantastic way to calm your mind. There’s a meditative quality to things like knitting. That can help with things like mindfulness. Even better, kids love to make things. By embarking on regular craft sessions together, then, you’ll find no end of benefits. Admittedly, playful children don’t quite bring the relaxing benefits of an evening knitting session. But, you should still find that the act of creation helps to nurture you a little.