An Artistic Way of Showing Those Travel Photos

               

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One of the things that I planned to do on my forthcoming vacation is to work on a photo book or something that could showcase our travels abroad. Every travel that we had as a family is memorable for me, so I would like to have it on display to remind us of the happy and precious moments we've spent together. A photo book is a nice and easy option as you just have to order this online or you can go straight away to the shop to choose your design. But the idea of recycling an old photo frame to hang your laminated pictures in a string using wooden clothespin is a unique idea.

I think this is much cheaper than a photo book , too.

Try it! :)

A New Look For My Son's Room

We have just recently repainted my son's room.  It was his personal choice to change the color motif of his room  to green and blue combination.  He and his Dad agreed to give his room an instant "make over".  After  repainting the whole room, they rearrange all my son's personal stuff from the study table, to his clothes inside the cabinet, to his drawers and shelves and even his bed.  His school stuff were neatly arranged, too.

I am pleased with the result! I find his room now very organized. :)  Here, have a look....

 His clothes cabinet and entertainment corner combined

His bed and study table

His collection of caps on display

I'm glad that I was able to pass to my son my passion for home decorating and organization.  We love to fix our humble home and keep everything in shape.

What do you think of his room's new look?

My Trip Back Home

I have already booked my flight early next month and I will take a different route this time.  It's going to be my first time arriving at Clark Airport and I am worrying that I wouldn't be able to catch a taxi to the bus station.  I would be arriving past 11 PM and chances are I won't be able to catch a ride back home.  I told my son to ask his Dad and little sister to pick me up at the airport just to be sure.  But since, I sold my car nearly 4 years ago, we just normally rent a van for our private tours.

I am still thinking if I still need to purchase another car after I have sold the first one.  The reason why I sold it was due to the fact that no one will actually use it at home as me and hubs are both working overseas.  I don't want the car to just get stuck up at the garage so I just decided to sell it.  Whether I will be buying another one in case I finally decide to stay at home for good is still something that I have to think about.  If ever I wanted to get a Toyota this time.  A friend of mine advised me to get a Toyota as the spare parts are more easy to find as toyota oem accessories are available everywhere and it wouldn't cost much same like other car spare parts of different brands.

Well, that's another thing that I have to think of but for now, I still want to settle my priorities and hopefully I could have another car before I finally decide to stay at home and stop working abroad.   

Home Spa

           

                                                               

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My favorite "me time" has always been spending a day at spa either to get a relaxing full body massage, body scrub, foot spa, ear candling, waxing or simply getting a steam bath. Because of this, I also dream of having my own home spa one day. :)

I saw this awesome home spa design from better homes and I just felt in love with this design.  It's simple yet cozy.  It doesn't even consume a big part of the outdoor space.  

Who wouldn't want to have a long relaxing soak at the end of the day? I'm sure anybody would love that!

I love the fact that the tub is elevated and covered with a pergola.  We can decide whether we want it covered or under the sun. The outdoor seating is perfect for reading your favorite book while having your favorite cup of coffee.  This can also be a good way to entertain close friends and have a "bonding time" with them.

Simply awesome!

Would you like to have a home spa, too?

Bejewel Your Homes With Glass And Stone Tiles

We are just done with some minor renovations in our home's dirty kitchen.  The walls were repainted, furniture rearranged and floor covered with tiles.  Compared to the last time when our house was just built, everything is getting better now as far as building homes is concerned. Now, there are lots of modern materials for the house finishing and this includes the tiles that we are going to use for the flooring, kitchen and   bathroom.  There are more options available now and you can't simply do away with glass and stone tiles.  

The biggest advantage that we can get for using glass tiles is achieving beauty and elegance for as long as proper installation is done.  Aside from that, glass tiles are by far the easiest to maintain.  These are resistant to stains, molds and mildew and very easy to clean.. One can just use a damp cloth or a mop and it will look just perfectly fine.

Stone tiles on the other hand, brings unique element into our own homes.  The most popular types of stone tiles are marble, granite, limestone and travertine.  For most home owners, stone tiles is a reflection of refined culture and taste.  In other words, it spells class and elegance, not to mention that these are extremely durable and adds excellent value to our homes.  Stone tiles will always be a popular choice as it never gets outdated.

So whether you are using stone tiles or glass tiles for your homes, always choose the ones that are being sold by trusted suppliers and manufacturers.  They say that quality comes with a price but don't be scared to experiment and choose the ones that could show your personality and life style. 

After all, stone tiles and glass tiles offer a real value for money and will give you an extra mile for any flooring surface.

Liven Up Your Room With Green

           

                                                                            

                                                                            Photo Source: bhg.com

Shades of green has always been my favorite color for the house.  In fact until now, we have successfully maintained green to be the dominant color for our outdoor paint.  Over the years we've been changing the shades from dark green to olive green to apple green but green has always been the base color.  Well, aside from the fact that green symbolizes money and therefore would symbolize prosperity, I find it very cool and relaxing to the eyes.

My friends used to tell me that I really love green color as they can always see shades of green whenever they visit the house, not to mention that our house yard is surrounded by plants, but I always get compliments from them.  They would tell me how neat and organized I am in the house and of course, that I considered an achievement.  Not everybody who's actively working and busy with their profession can maintain both worlds with much ease and I am happy to say that I am one of the successful ones.  In fact, I am loving home decorating so much that it has been more of a passion rather than a task.

I would be showing more of colors in my next posts as I really love everything that's bold and bright.

How about you? What color palette do you prefer for your homes?

Plumbing Solutions From Rotorooter

Since my house was built, I've already encountered several plumbing problems which I think is very common to every household.  Dripping faucet, clogged toilet and sink and leaking pipes are among the most common problems that I have encountered, and I would say that this has been a very stressful experience.  A dripping faucet for example can add up to your water bill if not addressed immediately.  This simple problem can be resolved at once if we have a basic knowledge about the  most common plumbing problems, their possible cause and the first hand solution.  For a dripping faucet, for example, the most common cause is the worn out washer and this has to be replaced with a new one, as simple as that.  I think it would be a lot better if we could get the size of the washer every time you install a new faucet, so it would be a lot easier to purchase the spare part that needs to be replaced.  Clogged toilet and shower drains can be avoided by making sure that hair are removed from the drain occasionally to prevent the buildup which can cause the drains to clog.  It would also be a wise move if we could make a handy plunger available at home as this could be the easiest solution to unclog the toilet.  However, if the problem is quite complicated, we may need to call a local Rotorooter as they have the expertise required to solve the problem.

Understanding the basics about  plumbing and getting first hand information from the experts on how to solve less complicated problems like a dripping faucet would save us a lot of time and money.  Having handy man tools in the house would also be a necessity and stocking on some basic spare parts for plumbing would also be a wise move.

I remembered how a clogged pipe in our kitchen sink has caused me to panic as this sink is always where the action is.  For this, we need to go out to the dirty kitchen to do all the washing and this really brings us discomfort especially if you are a busy home maker and time is essential.  As I was rushing to have the problem done, I resorted to getting some unreliable plumbers who just aggravated the situation instead of finding a solution and this is an experience which I never wanted to happen again.  Since then, I only rely on the experts for my plumbing needs who could provide a fast, reliable and guaranteed service for all my plumbing needs at home.

It pays to be be prepared and knowledgeable on the most common plumbing problems at home.  After all, we are the ones who will benefit in the end.

      

A Peaceful Spot

               

                    

                                                    http://pinterest.com/pin/509399407822281243/

Saw this awesome outdoor seating from my pinterest board! How would you like to have that peaceful spot in your house?  This corner in your outdoor space is good for a "reading nook" or just a place to relax.  The fact that the place is bright and airy even makes the space more appealing.  If you notice, the set up doesn't require any huge expense.  It's just a simple....plain... work of art!

Love it!

Business Innovations

Being in a corporate world for many years, I have witnessed the business evolving from the simplest to the most complicated.  The advancement in the technology had paved the way for more business opportunities which is not only limited to the physical world.  In fact, many businesses sprung from the world wide web.  However, this advancement in the technology had given a lot of opportunities not only to the big names in business but it has also paved the way for many starting entrepreneurs.  It amazes me how technology could allow businesses to use internet as a n effective tool in reaching their market.  Many businesses had started to put up their own websites to increase their media presence.  Computer technology had also enabled them to use some software to measure the company's standing and progress such as the best dashboard scorecard.  Now, managing a business had been a lot easier with the aid of computer technology and many available resources online.

I could see the world soaring into great heights in the years to come.  The young generation has been very lucky to see these innovations.

Easy Carpet Cleaning Tip

Source: susoutter.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Wow! I found this great tip  on cleaning carpet stains the fast and easy way and I would just love to share it with you.  It's a home made carpet cleaner and can do wonders.

Here are the steps:

Just sprinkle your dampen carpet with baking soda, let it sit for few minutes, then vacuum.

Prepare a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 1 part cleaning solution like the ones being used to clean dishes, the spray the mixture onto the carpet.

Scrub the stains, then vacuum.

Was very happy to discover this carpet cleaning tip as I always have problem maintaining our living room carpet looking and smelling fresh and clean.

Try it!

Pursuing Yoga

I've started doing some researches about yoga as I am very much interested to do it as part of my health goals for this year.  Since, I am new to this yoga thing, I need to do some background reading and watch training videos online.  I have personally chosen this form of fitness exercise since I can do it conveniently at home, in the comfort of my own room.  I guess, i just need to purchase some yoga accessories online and I am set to do my own yoga sessions soon.  First, I wanted to have a yoga mat as a basic requirement, then I can move to doing some basic yoga positions.  As I progress, I am planning to advance to some muscle strenghtening exercises. For this, I may be required to purchase some yoga accessories.   

I also had a friend who is into yoga before and she's doing it with a group of health enthusiasts.  She told me that it was fun doing it especially when you do it in a group.  But I can't afford to go into group sessions now because of my constraint at work.  Anyway, I hope that I would be ale to get my desired results by choosing this light form of exercise.

Recycled Soda Bottles

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If you're into gardening and you want to find ways to recycle those stuff like old plastic bottles gathering dusts in your kitchen , then I think this is a cool way to start.  I'm sure you have tons of Coca Cola bottles at home, why not make use of those as starter pots for your plants like the one shown above.  I've also seen some from other gardeners where they use to paint those plastic bottles in one color and arrange those neatly in rows.

Try it! 

Five Tips On Choosing The Right Air Conditioner

As most homes requires an air conditioning unit especially during summer months when the heat is at it's peak, it would be nice if we could get some pointers which will guide us in choosing the right air conditioner for our homes.

I have listed below 5 simple tips which will help us decide what type of air conditioning unit shall we buy:

1. As there are various types of air conditioning unit, it would be nice if we could check first the requirements of the room where we are going to install the unit. The size of the air conditioner matters as this could ensure that we would be able to get the right cooling effect that we wanted for our homes. So we have to decide whether we are going for the split system or wall unit or stand alone system.
2. Invest on a good brand.  If you go out and search in any appliance centers, you would soon discover the many brands available for an air conditioning unit.  All promise good results and efficient performance.  But, do not be fooled by the "sales talk" of the people in the store.  Each of them represents a brand and would probably lured you to getting one from their company.  Be prepared and do a research before you go to any store.  Choose the brand that has a proven track record.  Read product reviews and research on the unit's outstanding features.
3. Have the unit installed by the experts.  Choosing a company which specializes in air conditioning installation would  save you a great deal of time and effort. Make sure that you will only contact a certified technician who could do the job perfectly for you like Weather World.  Remember, getting the cheapest available offer might not be the best one for you.  Be selective. 
4. Choose a brand that offers the best warranty.  Some brand offers a limited warranty period while others offer a more extensive ones.  Products that are manufactured with confidence will vouch for it's quality and durability. Again, choose the reliable ones.
5. Check for energy efficiency.  I'm sure you will all agree that as home makers, we would definitely go for the ones that could help us save from our electrical costs.  Choosing the right air conditioner which is easy to control, comes with zoning options, equipped with timers and requires low maintenance will do a lot of wonders.

Choosing the right air conditioner is not an easy task and should not be taken lightly.  But following those tips  mentioned above will help you come up with a right decision and get the best results.  After all, we always want to get the best ones for our homes but we should also get the value for every money spent.

More Storage Ideas For Your Kitchen

                                                                                  Source: bhg.com via Allison on Pinterest

One of my greatest problem in my kitchen is lack of storage. I have lots of kitchen stuff which are not properly stored and organized. I just felt that way since every time we're having a party in the house, I get lost of where certain items were kept like party spoons and forks, table napkins, serving spoons, punch bowls, serving trays, etc.

Also, my other problem is providing additional storage for my kitchen counter top. My kitchen is not really that big. It's just of a normal size. It was made that way since, we also have a dirty kitchen anyway, where most of the cooking in the house takes place. Only light breakfasts and simple meals are being prepared in my kitchen inside the house and the rest of the more complicated ones are being done at the dirty kitchen. I have storage areas in both places but I still feel unsatisfied with how my kitchen stuff are stored.

This has been a challenge for me especially so that I am that type of person who is much into home decorations and home organization. For me, no matter how small a space is, there would always be a room for everything if you only know how to reinvent and rearrange. I'm actually thinking of adding shelves and drawers in our existing kitchen cabinet and I hope that I could make it possible within the year.

Photo above shows one way of adding shelves and storage areas in your already built up kitchen counter top. See that spice rack again? I really love this idea. I might use this but I may also be introducing some minor changes as I need to consider the size of my kitchen.

What do you think?

Five Signs That an Elderly Loved One Might Need Assisted Living

Most families eventually have to deal with the difficult situation of whether an elderly relative can cope living alone and if they require more support than the family can provide. Whilst many people in the later years of their lives carry on living independently well into their 90s, others require assisted living in their 80s or even their 70s or 60s. 

Whilst the inevitable demobilising effects of age creep up on us at different times, there are certain signs that an elderly person can no longer cope with living on their own.

Forgetfulness

Whilst we can all be forgetful from time to time, particularly as we get older, if it is proving to be problematic in the sense that it is dangerous to your loved one or others; it may be time to start making decisions about retirement properties. 

Classic signs of forgetfulness that border on the potentially harmful side amongst elderly people include leaving a hob on in the kitchen, leaving a tap running, placing an electrical appliance close to water or leaving food that should be refrigerated out on the counter.

Unable to wash/dress

Naturally when we are in our 70s, 80s and 90s we will not be as agile as when we are in our 20s and 30s and everyday acts such as getting washed and dressed become significantly more difficult than they once were.

One sign that an elderly person requires assisted living is if they are unable to wash or dress themselves properly. You will be able to notice things like your loved one wearing odd socks or having their jumper on back to front easily but if these instances occur rarely then there may not be any cause for concern. However, should this become a regular habit then you may need to investigate the cause and take appropriate action.

Chores unfinished

We are all entitled to leave the washing up piling up on the worktop every now and then but if you notice that your relative’s household chores are rarely being done it might be time to start looking for alternative places for them to live. 

Retirement homes, such as those from McCarthy & Stone, provide assisted living houses and flats that offer an alternative place to live without demoralising elderly residents by removing their freedom. Providing a refreshing balance of support with independence, they offer help as and when needed but do not interfere with your relatives’ way of life unnecessarily. 

My Dream Pantry

                                       

                                               

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Oh, I couldn't help but sigh after seeing this pantry organizer. :)  I really like it's space saving concept.  I was thinking that If every Mom could have this kind of pantry storage area in the kitchen, I think everybody can cook like a Pro! :)

        

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After seeing this, I suddenly had the urge of collecting those cute canisters.  I love the way that those are transparent and could readily give you a hint of what you are looking for in the spice rack and in the noodles section. Cool huh?

Since, I am planning to use more herbs in the kitchen this year, I just thought that this is also a good way to store those herbs and spices.  Oh, I'm pretty sure that it would enable me to prepare more dishes that I have never prepared before.  I would probably start collecting those canisters when I get back home this March.

Speaking of glass jars and canisters, I found this cool way to grow your own herbs at home by recycling those old jars that you have in the kitchen.  I just realized that growing herbs is one of the easiest thing to do at home with this one of a kind idea.

                                       

                                     

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Boost Your Business Through Pay Per Click Management

When I was new to blogging and prior to operating my own sites, I was clueless about search engine optimization, internet marketing and other forms of advertising through the world wide web.  I've learned from my readings and from the tips shared by the experts, that SEO is important for your site to be known and to be recognized, thereby increasing your number of visitors per day or what is commonly known as site traffic.

I would admit, having your ads noticed by millions of site visitors around the world is not an easy endeavor, as building up genuine visitors who would visit your site for your valuable contents requires hard work and dedication.  There are lots of ways to bring customers to your website and one of those is the so called pay per click management. To place your ads on high results of all search engines, you should be able to establish some key words. These key words will then be used by the potential customers when they are searching for a product that matches your ads.  This may sound familiar and easy to do, but actually, it's not as easy as what we normally think.  PPC campaign employs an effective keyword strategy that helps to get more traffic to a website. More traffic means more people and potential customers having access to your products and this could result into an increase in sales.

Effective key word management through pay per click campaign enables online businesses to boost their sales and this could mean a potential growth for your business.  After learning the basics of PPC, I am convinced that this is indeed an effective tool in marketing your business.  

Given an opportunity to operate my own business someday, I would definitely target PPC as a means of promoting my products and world wide presence on the internet.  It's nice to know that this marketing tool is a way cheaper than the traditional ads being run on TV and radios.  It's more direct and personal.  A lot of testimonies has been said about the effectiveness of PPC and the success it brings to most business owners.  It is by far the fastest way of transforming your site visitors to paying customers.  With all these advantages, it's just right to say that it is the best way to boost your business.