Category: Lifestyle

Halloween is a time of year when both kids and adults get to have fun and be creative with spooky decorations. You can go all out or you can keep it simple by adding some inexpensive DIY items to your home. If you are looking for a few ideas for your Halloween home decoration, then this blog is for you! We have compiled four of the best and easy DIY decorations you can do for your home.

1. Yarn Spider Webs

Spider webs are a staple of the Halloween season. They are easy to make and all you need is yarn and tape. Choose the perfect spot, whether indoors or outdoors and consider a location that will allow the web to stand out. To make the spider web, start by making an X, a few crisscross lines and a vertical line from the top to the bottom of your web. Cut a long strand of yarn for each section, fold equally and start your first ring with a simple loop knot. Take the yarn around to each arm and loop it around. When you get back around to the beginning of the ring, tie the end with a knot, cut off the excess and start over on the next ring. Continue the process to create as many rings as you like. Add spiders to the giant yarn spider web and you are all set!

2. Tombstones
The easiest way to make your home look like a graveyard is to get some fake tombstones. To create fake tombstones, buy some Styrofoam blocks or use cardboard boxes that you have lying around. Cover them in black construction paper and draw a skull or write ‘RIP’ on each block with white paint. Use tape to attach the blocks together and make sure they stand up straight or attach them to the base of a tree.

3. Jack-O-Lantern
When you think of Halloween decorations, Jack-o-lantern is for sure one of the first things that will come to mind. This is a great family activity and you can get as creative as you like!
To make a Jack-o-lantern Halloween decoration, first things first, get a pumpkin or other type of squash and cut off the top. Then, scoop out all the seeds and pulp from inside, but leave enough so that you can see through it. Carve out the pumpkin – add some eyes and a mouth (the scarier the better). Place a battery-operated tea light inside and, voila! You have your very own jack-o-lantern to light up your porch or windowsill.

4. Yard Ghosts

DIY yard ghost Halloween decoration is a great alternative to store-bought decorations. It is easy to make, and you can use it year after year. If you have large trees on your property, stuff the leaves you have raked into large white garbage bags, draw black eyes on them and scatter them throughout the yard. Alternatively, you can also create yard ghosts by using a white balloon, white thread, white cloth or fabric, black marker, scissors and glue. Blow out the balloons that will serve as the head. Then, tie a knot to your balloon with the thread and drape the white fabric on top covering it entirely. Make a small incision on the cloth so that the securing knot is visible. Now, you can use the black marker to paint some dark circles on the ghost’s face. The final step is to use the thin white thread to tie the ghost decoration to the ceiling or to an elevated surface so that you can get the full-on floating effect.

There you have it, 4 easy DIY Halloween decorations that will create a spooky atmosphere in your own home. Happy Halloween!

I love the summer, but it can be a little dry (no pun intended). I mean, there’s all that sun, sure, but what are you supposed to do with it? Well, if you’re like me and have a backyard with some space to spare, you can turn it into a mini amusement park. You don’t need an expensive trampoline or even an elaborate sprinkler system: these games will entertain your friends or family while also giving them something to do outside!

Giant Jenga
The game is simple: stack up the blocks as tall as you can without knocking them down. If your tower topples, you’re out.
There are lots of ways to play this game, but here’s one version: make sure everyone has a turn building the tower (either by themselves or with a partner). Add in some safety precautions, like not stacking any blocks that are too large compared to those on either side or using only one hand at a time when reaching for a block from above. Then get ready for some serious fun!
The best way to make it more challenging is by adding another set of blocks to use instead of just having two people playing at once (it also helps if there are more than two players). You could also decrease how high off the ground each person’s tower must be before they’re allowed another turn—that’ll force them into quicker decisions about which pieces go where and how many risks they’re willing to take before moving on again.

Outdoor Movie Night
Outdoor movie nights are a perfect way to spend an evening with your kids. The trick is choosing the right film: make sure it’s appropriate for their age and they have a blanket or something else to sit on. You’ll also want to bring snacks, drinks and any other supplies you need (such as paper plates). If you’re projecting onto a screen, make sure it’s big enough so everyone can see clearly!
If you don’t have access to a projector or screen—or if the weather won’t cooperate with outdoor viewing—you can always put together your own makeshift projector with just the right lighting conditions and some good old-fashioned phone tricks.

Water Balloon Fight
Water balloon fights are the perfect backyard game for summer. They’re cheap and easy to make, and you’ll have a blast playing them with friends or family.

Once you’ve got all your balloons ready to go, it’s time to start throwing! You can play free-for-all or team battles; here are some tips on how best to avoid getting hit by flying things:

• Stay alert at all times! If someone throws a balloon at you without warning and hitting it makes a sound louder than “bang!”, there’s no time like now for jumping out of its way—try doing cartwheels or somersaults if need be!
• Stay away from tall grassy areas where people could hide behind bushes waiting until nobody’s looking before launching an attack on unsuspecting victims nearby (you know who I’m talking about).

We hope you enjoyed reading about these simple backyard games. They’re easy to play and require minimal equipment, making them ideal for kids or anyone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of time setting up their own backyard game night. We know there are plenty of other great ideas out there, so if none of these sounds like your cup of tea then take some inspiration from our list and try creating your own backyard favourites!

We are well into the spring months and you can start to smell the savoury scent of grilled BBQ and burgers in the air. Even though it is not officially summer yet, this hot and sunny weather makes us want to get our grills out and enjoy the outdoors. As June is National Safety Month, we thought we would share some grilling safety tips to help us prepare for any risks involved. We think everything tastes better when grilled and knowing these guidelines will help us make the most of our grilling. Here are our top 5 safety guidelines to guarantee a fun and safe barbecue party.

• Read the owner’s manual
The simplest, yet often forgotten, guideline is to read the instructions first. Typically, there are also safety guidelines included in the manual that can be helpful in ensuring your safety and the people around you.
• Grills are for outside only
Grills are never for indoor use and when setting up, make sure your grill is in an open area and away from walls or any combustible objects that could easily catch fire or melt, such as dry leaves or vinyl siding.
• Keep grill stable
It is important to keep the grill on even ground. This will ensure the hot grill is stable and will not be tipped over. Never attempt to move a hot grill. It is easy to stumble or drop it and could result in serious burns.
• Materials to use
Use barbecue utensils with long handles to avoid burns and splatters. In terms of clothing, make sure you are not wearing shirts that have hanging tails and your apron strings are properly tied to avoid catching fire. Don’t forget to use flame-retardant mitts to protect your hands from the heat. Also, consider placing a grill pad or splatter mat beneath your grill to protect your deck or patio from any grease.
• Be ready to extinguish flames and never leave a grill unattended once lit
When setting up your grill, make sure you have easy access to a garden hose or fire extinguisher. You can also use baking soda to control a grease fire. Just make sure you never leave a grill unattended once lit to ensure you can respond quickly in case of a fire.

Being cautious and prepared for any risks involved with grilling ensures you’ll get the most fun out of your grilling. So get those grills out, call your friends and have a fun and safe barbecue party!

Spring is in the air after a long winter season. It is time to put away those thick winter coats, breath in the fresh air and give your home a good clean and declutter in the process. This can be a really overwhelming task if you go at it without a plan and you might miss little things that shouldn’t be ignored. As a reminder, we have come up with a spring cleaning list that you shouldn’t forget when tackling this task! So open the windows wide, let in the fresh air, pop the radio on loud and let’s get started!

1. Wash seldom-cleaned linens.
This is really simple yet we almost always forget to do it. Take all the curtains in your home and load them into your washer. While waiting, you can wipe off your blinds or start cleaning a different area in your home.

2. Let in the light!
The sun is out and it is gorgeous! One way to ensure that you’re letting in all the light is to clean the windows really well, inside and outside. This can also be the perfect time to dust off your light fixtures if you don’t regularly do that. When the sources of light in your home are all clean and clear, you’ll find it brighter and more inviting!

3. Pay attention to nooks and crannies.
So important yet so easy to miss! Cobwebs in ceiling corners and dusty baseboards can often be ignored when doing your regular cleaning. Make this a fun task by getting your kids to help you with wiping the lower areas. Keep it easy by running a Swiffer dry sweeper along the tops of the baseboards.

4. Perform longer-term maintenance.
If you have leather couches, spend more time conditioning them. If your home is carpeted, give the carpets a good clean. Carpet cleaning is an important routine that you must never miss as it is expensive to constantly change it. Simply cleaning it regularly and giving it a good-steam cleaning once in a while will help you save money in the long run.

After cleaning, make your home smell delicious and lovely by diffusing essential oils or baking something wonderful. Invite friends over for brunch or host a fondue night. Share your clean, bright new home and make some new memories!

For a more detailed spring cleaning checklist, feel free to download our Spring Cleaning Checklist to get your home into top-notch shape inside and out!