How To Enter Into The New Year With A Fresh Perspective

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How To Enter Into The New Year With A Fresh Perspective

Each time a brand new year comes around, we can often go into a panic about how the next twelve months are going to be. The idea of resolutions start to be thrown around and we instantly think about all of the crazy things we need to do to better ourselves. But, a lot of the time, they can be far too crazy, indeed. After the parties wind down, it is likely that you’ll think about the future. But, instead of thinking up tough resolutions that you just can’t stick to, why not realistically decide what you want to do with the rest of the year?

Decide What You Want: The first job on the list will be to decide what you want to get out of the next twelve months. This can be entirely personal to you but it has to be achievable. You don’t want to set yourself insane targets of looking like a Victoria’s Secret model and becoming the boss of your own fashion empire, all within a year. Instead, you need to prioritize what really matters to you.

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Focus On You: When you’ve figured it out, it’s time to turn your time and attention on to yourself. You might be used to focusing on others, but that’s all about to change. From now on, you’re going to work on you. Start by setting some personal goals and coming up with an action plan with steps on how to tick each goal off. It might sound complicated, but a concrete plan will help you to see it through.

Rest More: It might sound like you’re going to be working harder in the New Year with your personal goals and action plan, but that’s not the overall idea. Instead, you want to walk into the new year with an open mind and a better perspective on life. And that includes taking a time out. You need to be able to rest more, relax, and recover. Nobody can take on the world if they’re tired and overworked.

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Head In The Right Direction: Then, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re heading in the right direction. It will depend entirely on what goals you’ve set, but you should be able to measure how well you’re doing, no matter what they are. If it’s relationship related, maybe you need to socialize more or work on being a kinder person? If it’s career focuses, then maybe you need to get in touch with Recruitment Services and look into getting a new job? Whatever the action is, make sure you take it.

Enjoy More: And finally, what would gaining a fresher perspective on life be without a little fun? As well as driven and focused, you also need to be happy. Try and make sure that you leave enough time for fun in your life. Whatever your hobby may be, make sure that you stick to it. Make plans with friends, see family, and never feel bad for enjoying your life. You only get the one, so make it count.

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Going Away For Winter? Don’t Forget To Protect Your Home

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Going Away For Winter? Don’t Forget To Protect Your Home

Taking a vacation over the winter period has become more and more common. Some people want to spend Christmas with the family, others want to counter the January blues by carving up the ski slopes or going somewhere exotic to get some much needed sun. Everyone has a right to go on holiday. The issue is that winter is also burgling season – abandoned houses and freshly-unwrapped gifts offer the perfect opportunity for professional thieves. To give you peace of mind whilst on your vacation, here are some great ways that you can safeguard your house and deter burglars.

Employ a House Sitter: The best way to put off thieves is to not leave your house empty. Robbers will survey a house for days before making a move to check that it is empty. They will read social media posts stating that you’re going on holiday and count the cars in the driveway. Throw them off by having someone stay in your house, or at the very least randomly make visits to check up on things. You may need someone to feed the cat and water the plants, anyway. Make sure that this house sitter is a close friend or family member that you can trust.

Install Security Lighting: The winter months are great for thieves because they’re dark, which makes it easier to go undetected. Catch thieves with motion sensitive lighting. No one will want to pick your front door lock if they’re lit up for all the street to see. This form of lighting also has non-security related practicalities, such as helping you find your keys in the dark.

Buy a Burglar Alarm: The most obvious method is, of course, to install a burglar alarm. This can be fitted on windows or a door to detect if someone breaks in. Make sure it’s always got batteries in it so that it’s always armed and ready.

Invest in CCTV: If you really want to ensure protection, security cameras are certain to ward off potential robbers. Strategically placing one of these can give you scope for all possible entries and even help out the neighborhoods (providing they are alright with you installing a security camera). Even a non-working camera can put off a thief.

Lock Up Your Shed: Thieves will often target garden tools as this doesn’t even involve having to go into the house. Keep all of your garden equipment stored away and lock the door with a padlock, otherwise you may come home to find you have a missing lawnmower or bicycle.

Home Insurance: If you choose to opt for none of these features, at the very least you should invest in home insurance so that any items that could be stolen can be replaced without you having to fork out money. This won’t help you replace sentimental objects, so if you’re worried about losing these kinds of items, the other security methods mentioned are recommended. If anything, many of these anti-burglary features such as a burglar alarm, CCTV, security lighting, and secure locks will help to lower your insurance fees and strengthen any claim you make.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Christmas Countdown Questionnaire

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Christmas Countdown Questionnaire

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday! I hope that all of you are having a wonderful start to your week. With Christmas being just around the corner in a whopping five days, I thought that it would be fun if we all answered some holiday season related questions and see how everyone is faring during this super festive time of year. Feel free to reblog this post and find out how your readers would answer these questions! You are also more than welcome to add questions of your own or change any of mine – I promise I won’t be offended! 😉

Holiday Q & A:

  1. What is on your holiday wish list this year?
  2. What is your favorite seasonal food or drink?
  3. Are you an early or late holiday shopper?
  4. On a scale of 1 to 10, how good of a gift wrapper are you?
  5. Best present you’ve ever received?
  6. How about the worst?
  7. Do you prefer shopping in store or online?
  8. What holiday are you celebrating this season?
  9. Who is the hardest person on your list to shop for?
  10. What is a gift that you would like this year but will never in a million years receive?

My Answers:

  1. My holiday wish list is usually the same every year – moolah and makeup! I love when I can get a full restock of my favorite beauty essentials on Christmas. It may seem kind of boring, but my beauty must haves are things that I use daily and run out of quickly so having a few extra on back stock is a godsend!
  2. I LOVE Christmas dinner, which is typically the same as Thanksgiving dinner! So stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams and all of the vegetarian side dishes are my faves. I don’t really have a favorite holiday drink but I do enjoy treating myself to a Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks at least once during the winter.
  3. I am a very early holiday shopper! I was done buying and wrapping presents by early December and I am so happy for it. Shopping any later would give me anxiety!
  4. I would say that I am a 4 when it comes to holiday gift wrapping. I start out strong but then by gift number three, I think that a toddler could wrap better than I can.
  5. Hmm…last year my mom got me a gorgeous new coat from Target that I had my eyes on for forever and I freaking love that thing so much.
  6. I can’t really think of the worst present that I have ever received – that’s what gift receipts are for!
  7. Online holiday shopping is a must for me. I honestly can’t remember the last time that I did a majority of my Christmas shopping at the mall or wherever. Almost all of my shopping was done on Amazon and it made all of my Christmas purchases a breeze.
  8. My family celebrates Christmas but as a nonbeliever, I am only there for the food and the presents!
  9. MY SISTER IS SO HARD TO SHOP FOR. You would think that she would be one of the easiest but that has never been the case. My sister is very specific when it comes to things that she does and doesn’t like. That’s why I usually have to opt for gift cards or booze for her!
  10. An all expenses paid trip to Europe, duh. 🙂

How would you answer some of the questions on my Christmas Countdown Questionnaire? How does your family ring in the holiday season? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Easy Peasy Parties: Don’t Miss The Fun With These Time Saving Tips

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Easy Peasy Parties: Don’t Miss The Fun With These Time Saving Tips

If there’s one thing that I love, it’s parties! They’re a great excuse to dress up, gather your friends together, and have a great time. But they’re also hard work. If you’re not careful, you could spend the whole evening in the kitchen preparing food and ensuring everyone’s needs are met. Follow our simple tips to enjoy your parties and still be the hostess with the mostess.

The Right Tools For The Job: Having the right tools for the job will make the process simpler and more efficient. So it follows that having the right kitchen appliances and accessories will make your preparations much smoother. Start with the basics like a good set of kitchen knives. Most food prep requires chopping of some description and the right knife will make your job much easier.

If you enjoy baking, possessing a professional food mixer will save on combining, rubbing in, whisking, etc. You’ll be whipping up Baking Show quality cakes in no time at all. An ice machine is also a godsend when it comes to parties and cocktail hour. Check out reviews such as the Manitowoc Ice Machine Review to find the best machine for your needs.

And finally, a dishwasher is indispensable and will pay for itself time and again in terms of the time you save. At the end of the party, you can stack the dishes, close the door, and switch it on. No more standing at the sink for hours clearing up.

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^ My kind of party!

Food: The food will depend on the type of party that you’re throwing. If it’s a casual affair, maybe chips, dips, and beers will be sufficient. If you’re throwing a dinner party, then that’s a whole different ball game. For anything in between, there are several nifty time-saving methods that you can employ.

  1. Suggest Everyone Brings A Dish: This will take a little organization. Otherwise, you’ll have thirty plates of cupcakes and no savory snacks. Get your friends together and decide who will bring which dish. Ensure that you have a good selection. This will free you up to spend time on your dress preparations, so you can emerge looking effortlessly stylish.
  1. Do A Buffet: Buffets are a great option when it comes to parties. The food is provided on a large table and everyone helps themselves. You can cater for lots of different tastes; just ensure that everything is correctly labeled. You don’t have to worry about trips in and out of the kitchen and ensuring everything is timed to perfection. You won’t even have to serve. Everyone can serve themselves while you get on with having fun. This is how my graduation party was set up and it worked perfectly! Just make sure that you provide for people with dietary restrictions and preferences like allergies or veganism!

For extra time-saving points, provide guests with paper plates and paper napkins. At the end of the night, go around with a plastic bag and toss the plates in the garbage. No washing up. Bonus! (In my opinion, this is a must!)

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  1. Provide a Drinks Table: Providing a drinks table where everyone can help themselves will ease the burden of constantly having to check that everyone’s glass is filled. Pop and water are a necessity but you could also provide the fixings for hot chocolate or a specialty cocktail for some mixing fun!

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Cheers!

Parties are fun and a great way to catch up with all of your friends. Don’t miss out on yours by spending it in the kitchen. Employ a few smart time-saving strategies and the party will run itself.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Get The Most From Your Vacation By Ensuring Your Home Stays Safe While You’re Away

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Get The Most From Your Vacation By Ensuring Your Home Stays Safe While You’re Away

Going on vacation is the perfect chance to get away from all of your everyday stressers. You may want to forget everything for the time you’re away, and that’s fine, but taking a few steps before you go will ensure that you don’t return to disaster. Coming home to find that you’ve had a break in would ruin that relaxed vacation feeling straight away. Avoid that eventuality by ensuring you do everything possible to keep your home safe. Following these tips will allow you to escape entirely during your time away:

Don’t Announce Your Vacation on Social Media: In a world where we live on social media, it’s tempting to plaster your page with news of your vacation. You want your friends to know where you’re going, right? Call them up and tell them! Putting the fact that you’re on vacation online is as bad as sticking a sign on your door saying that the house is empty. Don’t invite a break-in into your life. You may think it’s safe, but you never know who’s watching your page. Even people you don’t have as friends can see what you’re putting online a lot of the time. You may trust everyone on your friend’s list, but it’s those other people you need to be careful with.

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Tell Your Neighbors: Letting a few neighbors know that you’re going away will allow them to keep an eye on the house. Knowing that someone is watching over your place will allow you to stop stressing. Leave a contact number and ask them to call you if they see anything suspicious. It might be worth asking a family member or friend to pop in while you’re away, too. If a thief is watching the house, seeing people coming and going will put them off. Not to mention that your guest can do a quick check around the house. They can collect your mail, as well, so there’s not a pile right in front of the door for anyone to see. Make sure you let those neighbors know that this will be happening to avoid confusion!

Take Precautions: Taking a few home defense precautions is always a good idea, especially if you’re away. Keep your valuables locked up. If you haven’t got a home security system in place, you should consider one. It’s possible to buy alarms which send a notification to your phone when triggered. That way, you’ll know what’s happening straight away. This method is much more reliable than asking people to keep an eye on things. After all, they can’t be watching all of the time.

Leave a Light On: Leaving a light on when you go away is an old trick, but it works. Don’t worry about the cost of the electricity, either. Think how much more you would lose from a break in. Leaving a light on will fool any potential thieves that the house is occupied. This, paired with the person you have popping in every now and again, is sure to work as a deterrent.

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Featured Image By: Flickr

The Perfect Festive Night In

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The Perfect Festive Night In

The countdown to Christmas is on, by the end of this week we’ll be tucking into a big dinner and ripping open the presents under the tree! But in the meantime, why not enjoy the run-up to Christmas? It’s that perfect time of year when everyone is truly in the festive spirit; chances are you’ve already broken up from work and have free time to relax and enjoy yourself. Here’s everything you need for a perfect, festive night in.

Make Your Surroundings Cozy: Whether it’s your comfy sofa with plenty of throws and pillows, or your bed with gorgeous, clean sheets make sure that you have everything situated for cold winter cuddles. If you want to really treat yourself you could buy a brand new set to use; Christmas bedding is a popular choice, or you could go with something luxurious like hotel bedding from Richard Haworth. Light some candles, turn on the heating, draw the curtains and create the perfect cozy environment to enjoy your evening.

Use Some Pampering Products: A pampering bath is the perfect way to begin your cozy night in. A soak in a hot bath with a luxurious bath oil, bath bomb, or bubbles will warm you up and have you feeling perfectly relaxed. You could use a face mask to treat your skin, and a hair mask to nourish your locks. You could paint your nails in a festive shade and use your most indulgent skin care to leave your skin feeling extra smooth and soft. We all have those products which we save for a special occasion, so why not make that now!

Change into Comfy Pajamas: Once you’re out of the bath, comfy pajamas are a must. You can buy pajama sets, dressing gowns, fluffy socks, and slippers all for relatively cheap, and they’re great for this time of year. You want pieces that are ultra soft and comfortable so you can properly lounge. I recommend TJMaxx for all of your pajama needs – that’s where I stocked up!

Prepare Some Festive Food and Drink: Enjoy some of the delicious festive snacks that you probably wouldn’t have during the rest of the year. Hot chocolate with all the trimmings, or a glass of mulled wine. Lots of chocolate and indulgences- Christmas isn’t a time to be counting calories! Allow yourself whatever you want, guilt free. The inevitable New Year’s detox is right around the corner so may as well enjoy it while you can!

Decide On a Few Things To Do: Do you have a box set that you’ve been dying to start, or a program you want to catch up on? Now is the time to put it on. You could scour Netflix for some Christmas films or download lots of books to your Kindle. You could listen to music, Skype a friend or family member, or even put on a meditation app and just relax. This is a great time to catch up on all of the fun things that you want to do on a regular day, but just don’t have the time for. Having time to sit around and do whatever you want gives your mind a much-needed break from work. When you eventually do go back in in January, you’ll be well rested and ready to go.

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7 Secrets To Create A Spa Experience In The Comfort Of Your Home

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There is no denying it, at the end of the year, sometimes all you need to enjoy the holiday is to relax and feel good in your skin. Easier said than done, you may comment, and you would be completely right. As a modern society, it is becoming more and more difficult to be able to sit down, relax, and forget the everyday pressures of work, studies, and life in general.

While some rely on a night out with friends to get rid of the stress of the routine, others prefer to spend a day at the spa where they will be pampered and looked after. It’s not always easy to find the time to get to the spa, and it’s never 100% relaxing anyway: You are away from home and there’s the possible awkwardness of being surrounded by strangers wearing nothing but towels. So why not take the best of the spa experience and re-create it at home?

#1 Get The Best Hot Towels Experience:

The one thing that is common to every spa is the warm towels that the professionals use to wipe off excess product on your face. This immediately gives a delicious feeling of comfort and care, which helps you relax. If you think that this is impossible to achieve at home, think again. If you have a tumble dryer, you could wet your favorite towels and place them to dry for a few minutes before you start the spa treatment. Make sure that they are not fully dry when you stop the tumble dryer! They will be nice and warm on your face.

Alternatively, if this is not an option, you could soak your towels in hot water and wring them out until they are nearly dry. Let them stay slightly damp. To maximize the sensation, you can add a few drops of essential oil to the water to benefit from the aroma-therapeutic smells as you place the towel on your face.

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Warm towels are a spa must have!

#2 Relaxing Candles:

You can’t have a proper spa treatment under the harsh light bulbs of your bathroom. You need a soft and calming source of light, such as candles – especially scented ones that help to relax the mind. The light of candles has an immediate relaxing effect, its soothing dimness will ease your thoughts and get you in the spa mood in less time than you need to say ‘spa treatment.’ Choose your candle scents carefully because you don’t want something that smells so overpowering to the point that it’s unpleasant. Wellness candles that contain essential oil will have a positive impact on your mood: Lavender is a common choice, for example.

If candles aren’t your thing, there are countless other ways to help set the vibe. Aromatherapy diffusers, CBD gummies, or even a percolator bong can get you in a relaxed state of mind to fully enjoy your spa experience!

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#3 Find The Right Music:

When you walk into a spa, you generally hear soft and quiet music such as bird songs, the sound of water, or a tranquil oriental piece. While you may not consciously register it, this music can slow down your mind and prepare you to enjoy your spa treatment. If you are one of those people who naturally find it difficult to relax at the end of a long day, you want all the help you can get to set the perfect mood for your spa experience. Finding a calming playlist, with slow tempo music, will help to reduce your blood pressure and let go of the stress that your day brought about.

#4 The Importance Of Massage:

A good massage is not only a relaxing experience, but it also contributes to your overall health. However, you will find it difficult to find a professional masseuse for your at home spa! You could find chairs on the market with heated roller heads that can prove incredibly relaxing, too. If you are not keen to invest in a new piece of furniture, you can still find a smart alternative that will be just as helpful, such as taking a warm bath to soothe your muscles.

#5 Use High-Quality Skincare:

Start your spa day with a facial mask to clear out your skin from all of the impurities that it could have gathered outside. You can decide to treat yourself to a high-quality skincare mask, with the advice of a skin expert. But, if you prefer the organic feel of a spa treatment, you can make your own facial mask by mixing one tablespoon each of turmeric, raw honey, and milk. Then, apply the thick mixture onto your face and leave it for about 10 to 15 minutes. The combined actions of the three ingredients – anti-inflammatory turmeric, anti-bacterial honey, and exfoliating milk – will leave your skin feeling clear and healthy.

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Ahhhhh 🙂

#6 Make The Most Of Essential Oils:

Essential oils are common in most spa locations and are used in a variety of treatments for their relaxing, exfoliating, and moisturizing properties. If you, too, want to follow the essential oil route, do make sure to choose only organic oils that will offer the best of the plants. While there are plenty of choices including luxurious blue lotus oil or invigorating citrus, lavender and eucalyptus are two favorites that you will find in most spas. The key when using essential oils is to remember not to apply them directly onto your skin. Instead, you could mix them to your bath water, for example, or soak a washcloth in a mix of water and a few drops of oil. You don’t need much to get the best of them, so make sure to be cautious when using them, as too much could harm your skin.

#7 Make It A Healthy Rendez-Vous With Yourself:

Finish your spa day at home with a healthy treat, such as a cup of fresh green tea, a berry smoothie, or maybe a matcha cupcake if you are feeling a little naughty. Also, do make sure that you are drinking plenty of fresh water throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated. Remember that the spa day is about feeling good inside and out, and one of the best ways to do that is to stick to a healthy diet at the same time!

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Fresh Green Tea Leaves

DIY Projects That Could Transform Any Space In Your Home

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DIY Projects That Could Transform Any Space In Your Home

When it comes to decorating a home, we all have our own personal style to contend with. Some people like to stick with the catalogue inspiration you find in many magazines, while others like quirky and unusual items to accessorize their homes. However, one thing we can all get involved in a little more is creating our own pieces for our home.

You may think that you are not very crafty or perhaps haven’t got much time or patience for creating things yourself. But, some things are so easy that you just might be tempted to give them a go. Thanks to websites like Pinterest there is more inspiration than ever before, from the complex to the easy you are bound to find something that you could do. I thought it would be a great idea to share with you some DIY crafts that could help you get started.

Homemade Soft Furnishings: All of us have some sort of soft furnishings in our home, so why not create some of them yourself. They’re amazing to style a room with and can help create a theme or carry out a color scheme that you had in mind. Here are some of the top homemade soft furnishings you could create.

Cushions: Cushions are one of the easiest things that you can sew. With many patterns online to help you cut out the fabric and even tutorials on how to use the sewing machine you can’t go too wrong. The great thing about this is that you get to choose the fabric, so it makes an unusual dressing feature to a bed or couch. Cushions are allowed to be loud and fun so don’t be afraid to pick out a bright and vibrant fabric with a crazy pattern. It could transform your living areas and make great talking points. Plus, they are one of a kind so there is no chance of someone having anything the same as you.

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CAT!

Bed Linen: If you are a little more daring or brave, you could take on the challenge of creating your own bed linen. In theory, it’s just like creating one giant cushion cover, but there is a lot of fabric to work with so you may want to keep with the practice on smaller items. Again, the best thing about it is choosing your own fabric so you can be as unique and daring as you want to be with vibrant patterns or unusual color choices.

Bed Spreads: A bedspread is a little different. Traditionally being thicker in material and something that is more for dressing the bed area than sleeping with. Most people tend to create a patchwork quilt for this sort of thing. You could collect cuts of fabric and design to create something totally unique. A quilt like this may be a more long term project.

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Blankets: Blankets make great presents, especially for friends and family who have just had a newborn baby. But, they are also amazing in your home for those cold winter nights. A cute tip to remember for the future for when you have your own family is to keep outgrown baby clothes. Use pieces of the material to create a beautiful patchwork blanket that could be a keepsake for years to come.

DIY Touches to Already Existing Items:

Sometimes we don’t have the time to create DIY items from scratch, but that doesn’t mean that your home interior can’t have that DIY touch. This is when you could get creative with existing items in your home.

Twinkly Lights: Everything looks better by fairy light glow, am I right? Especially at this time of year where the twinkly lights are out in full force. But, this kind of lighting doesn’t have to be reserved for Christmas. Adding some cute fairy lights to a bed headboard makes a bedroom feel cozier and more inviting. You could even add some twinkly lights to shelves, plants (my dad put lights on a fern this year, lol), or large pictures that hang on the walls.

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Embellishments: If you love having a bit of bling to shine through your home, then get a little handy with gems and a glue gun. Add some gems to an existing lampshade, a shelf, or even a desk area. Hot glue guns and adhesives are easily purchased online and can be very simple to use. You could also add embellishments to clothes or other DIY projects you are making like blankets or cushion covers.

Add Some Personalized Artwork to Your Home:

Finally, nothing is more personal than art. We all have our own taste, ranging from textured paintings, canvas drawings, or real life photographs. Use this in abundance and create your own DIY projects to decorate your home with art.

DIY Canvas Prints: If you have a talent for art why not use it? Blank canvases are easily purchased, giving you that chance to create something from the heart. Perhaps you love bright and vibrant brushstrokes of paint, or something a little more delicate like a portrait or a painted landscape. Using your talent to create a piece of artwork for your home is satisfying (Especially when someone might compliment you on it!). It’s a great way to continue a theme or color scheme in any room decoration.

Photo Montage Wall: If you prefer the real life side of art and you have a passion for photography, then why not get a little snap happy with your camera more often and take those pictures. Create a photograph montage wall in one of your favorite rooms. You could use a theme of black and white prints with matching frames, or just go a little crazy and place random shots in no order. It’s such a personal thing and should invoke happy memories every time you look at it.

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 So sweet.

Think About the Lighting: Finally, one last thing that you can do is open up your curtains to let the natural light in. It can transform a room. Even on the darkest of days that we are getting this winter, you will still be able to make the most of the midday light.

I hope this has inspired you to add a bit of a DIY touch to your home decoration! How do you DIY? What was your biggest DIY epic fail? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Featured Image By: Pexels

Turning Your Back Garden Into A Perfect Paradise In Five Easy Steps

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This time of the year, it’s hard to think about going outside too much. Your back garden starts to turn into a barren wasteland, with patchy, brown grass and a load of bushes and trees that are more stick than leaf as the winter gets into full swing. Looking out of your back window has never been more dismal! Luckily, there are some things that you can do to make it a little better during the first sightings of spring. Read on to find out more…

Add Evergreen Plants: If you’re going to add more plants to your back garden, it’s best to make them evergreen ones, so that you can appreciate them all year round. You could add daphne plants, which are known for the small, fragrant flowers that grow during the winter and spring. Or, you could try aucuba, a tough green shrub that will make it through the harshest winters. You could also add a lavender plant – not only is it attractive and fragrant, but it’ll also attract bumblebees throughout the summer.

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Pretty!

Grow A Vegetable Patch: If you start to grow your own vegetables and become more self sufficient, then no question about it, you will feel incredibly proud of yourself. Make sure that you do your research first so you can find out what fruits and vegetables grow at what time of year. If you’re really determined to produce your own food, then you could get a greenhouse to get yourself organized and grow a bountiful harvest for you and your family to enjoy.

Install A Deck: If you want to turn your back garden into a place where you can relax, then it’s important to install a deck. Invest in some treated timber from a reputable merchant like George Hill Builders Yard, and work with a garden designer to find the shape of the deck that’s right for you and your family’s needs. A deck will enable you to sit outside and eat together when the warmer weather comes around. Although it isn’t very environmentally friendly, a patio heater can always keep you warm out there in the winter while sipping hot chocolate with friends.

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Install A Water Feature: There’s very little that’s more peaceful than the gentle trickling of water. If you have the space in your back garden, why not add a small fountain or pond? Not only will it provide an area of peace and reflection, but it will also encourage a wider variety of creatures to take up residence in your back garden. Bear in mind that it doesn’t have to be a huge feature that takes over the space. A small fountain or even a bird bath will be just as effective!

Add A Bird Feeder: One of the small joys in life is looking out of your kitchen window at the birds in your back garden (I do this frequently!) – so you should install a bird feeder full of seed where you can see it. Buy a bird book so that you can identify different breeds of birds and figure out which ones will come to visit the feeder the most depending on where you live.

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So cute! 🙂

Little Things In The Home That Will Save You Money In The Long Run!

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Having a home to run is expensive. There are lots of hidden costs, and it’s quite easy for one to come at you unexpectedly. Which, in turn, can cause a major issue with your budget or eat into your savings! But there are things that you can do to avoid this. Read on to find out about some of the small things that you can do around the house that will end up saving you money in the long term.

Maintain The Roof: The roof is pretty essential no matter what sort of home you have. It keeps you dry and seals up your home against the elements. But fixing a roof that has sprung a leak, or a hole can cost big bucks. Sometimes, roofs get damaged by the weather conditions. If you have a tornado to contend with there’s not a lot that you can do to stop yourself from losing a few tiles.

But, if you only have to deal with the normal range of weather, maintaining your roof regularly can really help prevent any unavoidable damage. That means checking the roof once a season for any holes, leaks, or loose tiles. Remember it’s much easier to plug a small hole, or fix one or two loose or broken roof tiles than it is to re-lay the entire roof. If you have a leak, then this means you have an urgent roof repair on your hands. If you don’t deal with it now it could lead to water damage within your home. If this is the case then make sure that you get in touch with Rytech Restoration, as they can help.

It is a good idea to have a roofing specialist come in at least yearly to ensure that it is still in excellent condition. It can be dangerous to do this yourself! When problem areas are found quickly, the savings will speak for themselves. Simply enter a search for “roof repairs in Melbourne” (or your local area) to find a well reviewed professional for this job. During the inspection, they might not find anything. However, if they do it can be tended to immediately.

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 Pixabay Image

Be Efficient With Water: Another thing that you can do around the house that will save you money in the long run is to be efficient with you water. As most people are lucky enough to have water on tap, it can be easy to forget that we actually pay for it. But we do, so that means the more you use, the higher your bills will be.

By cutting down the amount of water that you use, you can save some serious money. You can do this with small easy actions like putting a brick in your toilet tank. This means it will still flush, but there is less of a volume of water to be refilled every time. Or you can time your showers, so you will only use so much water at a time. You can even reuse the water that you have used in the bath or for washing your clothes to water your garden!

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The throne room!

Look After Your Purchases: Something else that you can do around the home that will save you money is to make sure that you take care of your more expensive items. For example, if you invest in a nice piece of oak furniture you will need to clean and polish it properly so it will last a long time. If you are wondering, how do you look after oak furniture? Then click the link to find out.

Also, it’s worth regularly shampooing the carpets, maybe once a year or even once a season if they get heavy use. Then, they will stay clean and fluffy for a long time, meaning you will save money as you won’t have to replace them as often.