Mandy, Author at Serendipity Mommy

Personalizing Your Space: Decor Tips for Making Your Kitchen Your Own

February 26, 2016 by Mandy

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There are numerous simple and affordable ways to personalize your kitchen and really make it your own.

When you look at dazzling array of accessories and kitchen items you can buy through sites like www.bedbathandbeyond.com, it is a case of getting your creative juices flowing and finding some ways to decorate and furnish your kitchen space so that it reflects your own personality and tastes.

Be as bold as you like

With great designer inspiration and ideas from brands like Vera Wang™, you are almost certain to be able to find a color scheme or materials that are just right for the look you are trying to achieve with your kitchen.

One way to put your style stamp on the kitchen is to go bold with color and enjoy a vibrant and stimulating atmosphere created through some beautiful and stunning hues which will light up your space.

Bright colors tend to work really well in the kitchen, so if you want to go for tomato red or deep purple, go for it. If you are still a bit nervous about splashing such bold colors on your walls and how it will turn out, you can still go for a neutral backdrop and then add those vibrant colors using appliances, art and even statement chinaware like a decadent fruit bowl.

Stay focused on style

It is definitely an important design to remember that you should stay focused on your style throughout your kitchen decorating plans and designs.

What you want to avoid is the room ending up looking like a fusion of different styles, so decide what you really like and what your theme is, then run with that through all of the different elements from the tiles you choose to the dinnerware that you put down on the table.

Adding freshness and color

A great way of adding some freshness and color to your surroundings is to make good use of plants and herbs in the kitchen.

Plants instantly add an element of freshness and life to your kitchen and a small herb garden placed on a windowsill will serve a dual purpose of adding some extra color to the kitchen will being practical too, as you will be using them in your recipes when you are cooking.

Future plans

Before you get too carried away with a true statement dining area or kitchen space, do take a moment to just consider your future plans for the house and whether you are likely to need to think about how your designs might impact on resale values.

Not everyone will view your kitchen color scheme with such enthusiasm if you are intending on selling the property within a couple of years of giving the kitchen a makeover, but if you are just doing the design and color scheme for your own pleasure and have no intention of moving anytime soon, then let your imagination run wild!

Take your time to choose a theme and a color scheme for your kitchen that suits your lifestyle and personality, then enjoying seeing your favorite space transformed with some well-chosen accessories and colors.

Phoebe Yates has always had an eye for decor. Studying interior design at college, she uses her free time to work on her own DIY and craft projects and writes blog posts for various decor sites.

Must Do Items on a Family Trip to Queensland

February 23, 2016 by Mandy

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A family trip in Australia wouldn’t quite be the same without heading to Queensland with it’s glorious Sunshine Coast, immense Great Barrier Reef and it’s stylish capital Brisbane. The city of Brisbane is set on the grand Brisbane River and is ultra-modern and packed with great things for you and your family to do. You could spend weeks in a Brisbane hotel alone to see the best of what the city has to offer but there is even more to do in Queensland on the whole, here are my top 3 picks for you and the family.

Lone Pinta Sanctuary

This vast 18 hectare koala Sanctuary is the perfect day out for the family, it is located in a suburb called Fig Tree Pocket and holds the impressive title of being the oldest koala sanctuary in the World. The sanctuary doesn’t just house koalas however, and boasts other wildlife such as kangaroos, wombats, tasmanian devils, reptiles, kookaburras and emus. Visitors can pet and feed the kangaroos, watch feeding time for the tasmanian devils and of course, watching the koalas bouncing from tree to tree. There are lots of guides at the sanctuary who lovingly care for these animals and are more than happy to educate the visitors on each of the wildlife that the house here. Getting to the park is incredibly easy from Brisbane with regular busses available this is a perfect day out for adults and children alike.

Great Barrier Reef

A trip to Queensland simply wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the World-famous Great Barrier Reef. The reef is a gargantuan eco-system that sprawls over 2,000km, it is a collection of tiny islands, reefs and coral that houses some of the World’s most fascinating aquatic species. Visitors to the Reef have the opportunity to snorkel or scuba to see the true majesty of the reef and it’s thousands and thousands of colourful living organisms and incredible sealife. Turtles, sharks, dolphins, starfish and thousands of tropically coloured all call the Great Barrier Reef their home and diving or snorkelling here is breathtaking. Their is plenty of educational activities for kids to do here to educate them, and the parents, on marine life, preservation and what we can learn from the reef, all whilst having a great time. Put it on your list!

Dreamworld

Dreamworld is situated on Queensland’s Gold Coast and is Australia’s largest theme park, the park has over 40 rides and attractions on a location spanning over 200 acres. The park is split into several themed areas, each of which have entertainment and rides that pertain to the theme, the rides across the park are extremely varied and there is more than enough here for kids of all ages, and the adults get to have a bit of fun too on any of the 5 heart pumping rollercoasters.

Several times a year the park stays open after dark which they dub ‘ScreamWorld’ if you are lucky enough to be in Queensland when this happens then I would urge you to go on the night, when it gets that little bit more exciting. The park uses a novel ticket system as well, you can either buy a bronze, silver or gold ticket which gives you varying levels of access and queue jumpers, or you can purchase a little device to book your place on the rides, and cutting the queues. The whole family will love this theme park, just make sure you check out ticketing online to be sure you have to wait the least time possible as this place can get busy.

Cold and Flu During Winter Season: Causes and How to Prevent

February 11, 2016 by Mandy

Winter is the season of cold and flu. It’s never been scientifically proven but a mom would know. It is indeed the time where everyone particularly young kids start to sniffle and get sick.

Why cold and flu is more common during winter

According to new studies, as the internal body temperature drops when exposed to cold air, the immune system’s ability to fight rhinovirus that causes common cold weakens too.

Rhinovirus is known to replicate better in cooler temperature – around 33 degrees Celsius compared to internal body temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. Thus, when the person is exposed to cold air especially outdoors, his/her immune system weakens while Rhinovirus replicates, resulting to cold and flu.

However, it is still not easy to pinpoint as to how the cold air allows rhinovirus to replicate better.

Ways to prevent cold and flu this winter season

Here are some ways to help prevent cold and flu during winter season:

Always stay warm – like what we’ve discussed, cold is common during winter season where the weather is extremely cold so to be able to prevent catching the virus, it is advisable to keep yourself warm. Make sure to wear clothes that will keep you warm especially when going out. Cover your head, feet, hands, and even your nose and mouth in case you have a weak immune system.

Wash your hands regularly – kill the germs and viruses fast by washing your hands regularly. Wash it thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol when you are outdoors and have no access to water.

Take vitamins – it is important to keep your immune system strong to fight viruses like Rhinovirus. Drink your vitamins regularly including vitamin C, D, zinc, iron and probiotics.

Drink cold and flu tablets – in case you are starting to sneeze and sniff, it is time that you drink your cold and flu tablets to fight off germs fast before they create more damage to your health.

Drink lots of fluids – it is also advisable that you drink lots of fluids daily. Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. Rehydration is good for the health since it helps your kidney wash off dirt that your body accumulates. In case you are suffering from cold already, drinking plenty of water will help your body to feel better.

Exercise – lastly, try to strengthen your immune system by working out regularly. It is not easy to be active during winter season where you just want to cuddle up in your couch or bed but you have to. Regular exercise helps increase the number of natural killer cells in the body that fight off bacteria and viruses.

As a mom, you cannot afford to see your child suffering from cold and getting sick. As much as possible you want to protect them from these viruses just to keep them healthy and happy all the time. So be extra cautious when it comes to your children’s health during winter season. Cold is common among adults but moreover among children below 6 years old.

A Few Bad Habits that Could Easily Drain Your Budget

February 10, 2016 by Mandy

Are you looking to shave a few hundred bucks off your monthly expenses? Though there are plenty of ways you can save money, such as clipping coupons and searching for sales, what we fail to realize is that our spending habits are completely under our control. Though there are things you can’t go without, if you take a thorough look at your spending patterns lately, you’ll probably find a few things that you’ve been doing wrong.

By nipping bad habits in the bud you can save more money and improve your financial status. Here are a few things that we realized we needed to change:

Not Budgeting – There was a time when I hated budgeting. The very idea of having to sit down and determine what needed to be paid and how much money I had to pay it was daunting. So we didn’t budget. The problem with this is that we were haphazardly spending money and had no idea where it went. Budgeting allows you to track your finances while also pointing out areas where you can save.
Ignoring Calls from Bill Collectors – No one wants to hear that they have a past due balance – especially when you don’t have the means to pay it back. Naturally, you make the assumption that if you ignore the bill collectors long enough, they’ll disappear (along with the debt). The truth is, ignoring them only makes the problem worse. The longer a bill goes unpaid, the more fees are tacked on which could easily drain your budget. If you’re experiencing tough times, inform the bill collector of this and find out if there are other options for paying off the debt.
Not Comparison Shopping – I know I’ve been guilty of this more times than I can count. You make an impulsive purchase without comparing offers. For instance, for the past year we were paying more than $150 a month for cable and Internet services. Little did I know that with a bit of comparison shopping I could have found Direct TV deals that include television and Internet services for a fraction of the cost. Comparison shopping can save you a great deal of money so always do your due diligence prior to making a purchase.
Failing to Keep up with Maintenance (car and home) – Another weak area for us was maintenance. I was guilty of waiting until the last minute to have the car, heat, or air conditioner serviced. As a result, we ended up having to invest in new appliances and a new car a lot sooner. Not to mention the fact that maintenance and repair costs were a lot more. Staying on top of maintenance on your car and your home will ensure that you get the most value out of your belongings before you need to replace them.
Eating Out Too Much – I don’t know how many times I’ve been so busy that I would take the kids to a fast food restaurant for a quick bite to eat. In my mind they were ordering from the dollar menu so it couldn’t be too expensive. Well, if you’ve ever checked your bank statement at the end of the month, those dollars start to add up. Prepping meals on the weekend is often an easier way to save money.
Using Any Old ATM – I was a member of a bank that didn’t have many branches near my home, so I’d simply withdraw funds from any ATM near me. The problem with this is that there are ATM fees involved. According to Bankrate, the average ATM fee in 2013 was about $3. If you add to that the out-of-network fee your bank charges (ours was $1.95 per transaction), you’re looking at a total of $4.95 every time you withdrawal funds from your account. You may not think this adds up to much, but if you’re like me and take funds out once or twice a week, you’re looking at a whopping average of $20-$40 a month just in fees.

I guess you could say you live and you learn. However, when I actually took the time to evaluate my spending, I was able to find ways to cut back and save hundreds of dollars each year. If you’ve been making any of the same mistakes as me, it’s probably a good idea to correct it. The better you are at handling your finances, the more peace of mind you have. More importantly, the better example you can set for your children.

Everything You Need To Know About House Cladding And More!

February 8, 2016 by Mandy

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When we are talking about cladding, the topic can go on for hours. When you start researching, it’s hard to stop as you can keep digging up endless amounts of information on the subject. That’s why we have put together this helpful guide to walk you through the basics of house cladding.

This guide will discuss the following:

The benefits of cladding
The various types of house cladding available
What to avoid when cladding

Now let’s take a look at some of the benefits of cladding:

Your home can really do with some protection from the environmental elements such as harsh weather conditions, wind, debris flying around, and UV rays. Over time these elements can damage your home so adding house cladding can really help keep your home in good condition.
You are protected from sound waves so you get an extra barrier of quietness around

your home.

Your ventilation system becomes much more efficient with cladding because the air can move through the gap much easily promoting effective air movement.
Because of the improved ventilation, moisture gets carried away from your home easier too.

People have different reasons for choosing to clad their homes. No matter what your reason for investing in cladding is, for aesthetic purposes or to help your home fight off the harsh environmental elements, this guide will walk you through the types of cladding. Educating yourself on this subject will make the purchasing process ten times easier and lead to making a choice your satisfied with.

Types of cladding available

Timber – this highly adaptable material will protect your homes exterior from harsh weather and debris from strong winds. You will not have to do much maintenance and can repaint whenever required.

Stone – coming in many different styles and textures, stone cladding can really bring your exterior to life. Nowadays, with new technology and more efficient manufacturing techniques stone is becoming more affordable!

Weatherboarding – this house cladding requires a bit of upkeep unlike timber. However you do have the option of fixing it to your exterior either horizontally or vertically.

Brick veneer – this is a more traditional type of cladding that blends to the outside of your home and does not need a great deal of maintaining.

Metal – this house cladding type is really adaptable and versatile. Choose from a variety of metals such as brass, copper, aluminium, and bronze.

Cons To Consider

You should always consider how much maintenance will be required for the type of cladding you need. For example, textured cladding can easily gather dust whereas the metal cladding can oxidise and tarnish over time. If you want minimal maintenance, go for weatherboarding of brick veneer.

Before you buy, consider these factors:

Which material to go for – house cladding must fit into your environment and where you live.

Price – because upkeep is so important, think about do you want to pay more initially or smaller amounts over time to keep it in pristine condition.

Aesthetic – this comes down to how adventurous and creative you want to become. For example, stones and metals provide room for personalisation whereas timber and weatherboarding are more generic.

Now you know a thing or two about cladding your home, you will be able to choose the perfect option for your budget and needs. Refer to this handbook when you are out searching for cladding so you can always be well-informed.