Pinspiration: 5 Tips for Creating the Perfect Outdoor Living Space

We are finally getting a taste of warmer temperatures here in the Northeast, and they've got me itching to spruce up my backyard and deck. I found a few fun and inexpensive ideas on Pinterest for adding some pizzazz to your outdoor living spaces.

Here are 5 tips for creating an outdoor living space that is both inviting to guests and relaxing for you.

1. Create ambience through lighting

Replace motion-sensored flood lights with soft lanterns and candles. Lanterns are the perfect choice for creating soft lighting. Whether you choose electric lanterns or candle-lit ones, their light creates ambience that's perfect for evening entertaining.

Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/193725221443682576/

2. Offer seating options that are conducive to conversation

Keep your seating area tight and comfortable. Having everyone spread out over an area will make conversation difficult. Sectionals are great options for small spaces and for keeping everyone close, making chatting and mingling easy.

There's nothing worse than watching your guests squirm in hard uncomfortable chairs. Make sure cushions are plush and comfy. You want your guests to stick around and stay for a while!

I love how this set includes a nice, big round table for eating as well. It does double duty as both a seating area and an eating area.

Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/56435801550575828/

 

3. Decorate with greenery

Plants and flowers are natural decorations for outdoor spaces. Use bright, bold flowers such as hibiscus and geraniums to add color. I love decorating with herbs. To add pizzazz to herb pots, paint them with chalkboard paint and write the name of the herb on the pot or use pots to identify your street number in your address.

Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/56435801550291245/

4. Take cover

An umbrella is a must for any outdoor living area. A simple umbrella will provide the shade that you and your guests need to remain comfortable. Remember, the the sun will fade your umbrella. There is no need to spend a lot on a good quality umbrella. You can find many in the $50 price range that are comparable to the high-end umbrellas.

Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/225883737530815133/

5. Accessorize

A few strategically placed accessories will pull your entire outdoor space together. Pillows for your seating area add color and texture. Tea light holders are a great choice for your tabletop area.

Source: http://pinterest.com/pin/151926187401926456/

Do you have an outdoor space that you are excited to decorate this spring? How will you combine fun and function in your outdoor oasis? Please comment below to let me know!

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Shop Online at Personal Creations for the Perfect Valentine's Day Gifts

The Hubs and I stopped celebrating Valentine's Day once we had children. I mean, seriously, isn't every day Valentine's Day?? ;-)

I do like to buy the girls a little gift bag with some goodies such as lip gloss, a few pieces of candy, a $15 gift card, etc. And I like to have something that they can give to the Hubs...a little gift that says "We love you".

This year I turned to Personal Creations to find the perfect gift for the Hubs from the girls. I wanted it to be "personalized" without necessarily being personalized. Do you get that? I was surprised by the number of really cute gifts that didn't have to be personalized but were still very personal and special.

The Personal Creations Web site is organized by occasion and type of person for whom you are shopping. I like that Personal Creations had highlighted Valentine's Day bestsellers on the landing page as well. That was especially helpful for me since I was shopping for Valentine's Day gifts.






















I clicked on "Valentine's Day" in the banner and chose "For Him". I immediately saw one gift that I thought would be perfect for the Hubs.

I loved this photo collage. I usually try to put together a collage of my own, but the We Heart Daddy collage was too cute to pass up.

I allowed the girls to choose one more gift. It was their choice, and I knew they'd go for something cutesy! They picked this personalized sweetheart pillow. The Hubs calls the girls his "little spenders'. They thought it would be hysterical to put that on the pillow, and so we did!! I think he'll get a kick out of it.

How cute is that? The girls love it and are so excited to give it to him for Valentine's Day.

What did I think of Personal Creations overall?

Shopping/Ordering
The site is organized in a way that finding products is very simple and straightforward. Personal Creations organizes its products based on occasion as well as person for whom you are shopping. This type of organization makes finding products easy and fast.

Selection
I can only speak to the selection of Valentine's Day gifts since I wasn't searching for any other type of gift. The selection was plentiful and included both gifts that could be purchased as is and gifts that could be personalized. There were many sentimental gifts, and the gifts were available for family members, friends, or significant others in your life.

Price
The prices are very reasonable. The photo collage is $29.99 and the pillow ranges from $17.99 to $19.99 depending on the color you choose. For less than $50, I bought 2 personal and special gifts that will become sentimental treasures.

Quality
I am always concerned with quality when ordering online. Not being able to touch and feel a product will always leave you questioning the quality. I was worried that the pillow my be cheap and flimsy. I was hoping that the photo collage would be a quality frame. I was pleasantly surprised when my shipment arrived and both products met my high expectations. The frame was sturdy and the matte was made from heavy stock paper.

I would definitely order from Personal Creations again and would encourage you to take a look at it for an upcoming special occasion.  If you see something you like, be sure to check out these coupon codes. You can apply them to your purchase. http://www.personalcreations.com/coupon-codes.aspx

Disclosure: I received a $65 credit to shop at Personal Creations. All opinions are my own.

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An Afternoon with Nate Berkus {sort of}

Last Tuesday I met my sister in the city to attend a taping of the Nate Berkus Show. I realized, after she invited me, that it's been a while since I've gone into the city for something other than a social media event. I was excited to spend that day with my big sis and to do something off the beaten path.

We met each other at Penn Station since I was taking a train from NJ and she was taking one from PA. It was a gorgeous fall day in NYC so we decided to enjoy the stroll from Penn Station to 57th Street where the show is taped.

We picked up coffee at Starbucks, OF COURSE!!!! And we headed next door to do some shopping at Sephora. Two of my favorite places side by side. I was in Heaven.

I exercised some serious will power in Sephora and walked out with only 2 bottles of nail polish. Have you ever tried the Sephora brand nail polish? I never had but after testing it in the store, I knew I had to have it. The bottles are small (0/16 fl. oz.) which are perfect for me since I tire easily of nail polish colors. And the applicator brush is wide, so a single coat glides on very easily. They cost $4/bottle.

I bought "Welcome to my Loft" (l.) and "Dark Chocolate Chunk". I love both colors. They are perfect for fall.

We stopped for lunch, and afterwards headed to the studio. We had to arrive by 2:15. I never expected to see a line this long. CRAZY fans!

We snapped a pic of ourselves while we waited.

We were given our tickets and were just steps from entering the studio!

We were seated directly in front of center stage. Great seats!

One of the first things I noticed was the kitchen that was set up to the left of center stage. I could only wonder if there would be celebrity chef on the show!!

It turned out to be Pat and Gina Neely from "Down Home with the Neelys" on the Food Network. They were a ton of fun! We walked away with their latest cookbook, "The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook". I cannot wait to try the recipes. There are some great cocktail recipes in the book, and they look like they'll be perfect for the upcoming holiday season.

We had to shut off all cameras and cell phones once the actual taping began. So, unfortunately, I have no photos of Nate to share. :( But I can tell you this, he is adorable, energetic, and totally fun. And, OMG, is he ever full of fabulous ideas. I could have sat there all day and listened to him dole out advice on window coverings, pillows, placement of furniture in the dining room. Anything. He is a wealth of information and presents it in a fun, non-intimidating and non-threatening way.

If you are looking for something to do in NYC, I highly recommend getting tickets to a taping of the Nate Berkus show. It's an inexpensive way to spend some time in the city doing something out of the box.

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Tackle It Tuesday: Sewing Table Makeover

My mom gave me this sewing accessories table about 15 years ago. I don't know. Maybe it was actually about 20 years ago. I just know that I've had it for what seems like forever. Other than putting new drawer pulls on it years ago, I've left it untouched. Recently, I've been waking each morning and looking at it unsatisfied. It's been sitting in a corner of the master bedroom underutilized and certainly under appreciated. It needed a face lift and a new home, but I was committed to not spending more than $20 to get this done.

Oh, boy! Did I ever come in under budget. I used 1/2 can of spray paint that was in my garage. I did have to buy an additional can at $4.00. I settled on drawer pulls. These weren't my first choice, but you know how you just want to buy anything so that you can finish the project? Well, that's what I was feeling the day I went shopping for the drawer pulls. Plus, it was freezing outside and I was in Lowe's. It was convenient, and I had absolutely no desire to shop around on a cold day.

Take a look...

I really wanted drawer pulls that look like clear crystals, but Lowe's didn't have them. I settled for this brushed silver pull which works, but for $1.98 per pull can easily be tossed when I find what I really want.

To view what others have tackled, click here or visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

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I Love My Front Porch!

Summertime on my front porch reminds me of a Country Tyme lemonade commercial. In fact, I crave lemonade every time I step onto the front porch.

I wanted to share my porch with you, but as I was taking the pictures I realized that the narrowness of the porch made it virtually impossible to get a good shot from any angle. But here goes anyway...
It's difficult to see from the pictures, but the porch is almost completely secluded. There are trees and plants and bushes all around, which makes it ideal in the summer.

The girls love to sit here and enjoy the ice cream after the ice cream truck comes through the neighborhood.

Henry loves to read the paper on weekend mornings, and I just love sitting here...doing nothing.

It's a little slice of heaven in the summer!

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Complimentary Decorating Classes

I love this! Pottery Barn is offering free decorating classes this Sunday, January 25th. All class participants will receive a 10% discount on merchandise featured in the class. To find a store near you, click here. Registration is required as class size is limited. I know I'll be there!

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