A garden is an excellent addition to a home. While it may have been out of use for the winter, spring is on its way and that means you’ll get to enjoy it more as a result. From barbeques to sitting in the sun enjoying a good book, there is nothing like a private piece of land attached to the back of the property.

Unfortunately, yours may be exposed and lack the element of privacy. You’re by no means a secluded person, yet it feels uneasy having to do your thing while the neighbours watch from their windows. You could move but it’s a bit of an over exaggeration. You don’t value your privacy that much!

The good news is that there are basic and simple ways to ensure your garden area is less exposed. That way, you can relax without having to worry about peeping Toms and nosey neighbours. Scroll down to find out more about the tips that will transform your garden.

Create A Screen Of Pots

Don’t worry because there’s no need to glue together a screen made out of stone. What this means is that you can use potted plants to block the view into your garden. All you need to do is to choose bases and flowers that are big and thick and grow to a decent height. Place them near the spots where you feel the most exposed and, hey presto, you’ll have some cover.

People who tend to like this method are those who are on a budget or don’t own their home. Not only are potted plants cheap, but they’re not permanent which makes them perfect for anyone who is renting. And, don’t forget that they add a lot of colour thanks to their deep, vivid hues.

You can even pick off the fruit and eat it if you pick a fruit tree. Due to their height and foliage, they are excellent choices along with bamboo and grasses.

Install A Partition

The obvious option is to put up a fence and block the view for everyone within a five-mile radius. But, there are two problems: the style and the message. As well as being big and ugly, it’s a statement that you don’t want your neighbours peering into your garden. Sadly, it can lead to arguments.

ColourFence garden fencing panels may be able to help if you’re in a pickle. Because they won’t install their products over two metres without planning permission, there is a height restriction. Plus, the different shades and styles should fit into your backyard seamlessly as long as you choose correctly.

But, if a metal fence isn’t your thing, there is an alternative. A faux hedge is a partition that looks real yet doesn’t grow. According to Freshome’s experts, the panelling means there is no need to water, prune or wait for it to take form. This is a great option for those who want a hassle-free natural style.

Hang Fabrics

Hanging fabrics may be the cheapest and most effective option available depending on the layout of your garden. If you have a decking or elevated area, it’s not difficult to use curtains to your advantage. Simply box the area off and install a rail. All you need to do then is attach a piece of cloth and pull it shut when you want your privacy.

To take it to the next level, you can put up a pergola. They are by no means a lavish expensive, plus they are tough to install, yet the result is pretty unique. In the end, you’ll have an outdoor living space with a roof and drapes for some alone time.

You can DIY one if you have the time and energy and want to save money, so check out The Spruce. It has incredible free designs.

Build It Upwards

Rather than putting everything on the floor or at eye level, you can raise the garden. Growing it vertically means that the features will act as blockers and it won’t look unnatural or out of style with the rest of the garden. Plus, it’s straightforward with the right plans.

The key is to make use of hanging baskets and potted plants. The former is simple yet the latter are harder as they need to be stable. So, put up a rack and attach them from a horizontal pole. As always, tall plants and flowers will work perfectly.

In this case, if you build it, no one will come!

Do you have any privacy tips you’d like to share? Feel free to leave them in the comments section.

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Is your wedding day not something that you have dreamed of for so so long now? If you’re saying no to this, then you’re very lucky. Because for most of us, our wedding day is the one thing we’ve dreamed about for so long, and we’ve planned every last detail of how we’d like it to go, and what we should look like on the day.

These plans usually start as a teenage girl, and they’re the best plans to make in your head. But what’s the reality of it all, nothing ever turns out the way you want it to be. You might be able to get a few of the details the same, but when you consider the costs of everything, it’s actually a super expensive day, and the fairytale plans you had would cost you an absolute fortune if you were to follow through with it.

But that doesn’t mean to say that you aren’t still going to have one of the best days of your life and that it won’t be filled with so many different magical memories for you to look back on. To make sure that happens, we want to talk about some of the final details that you should be thinking of, that really will be the cherry on top of the cake!

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The Entertainment

The entertainment is often one of the last things to be thought about when planning a wedding, because typically everything else comes first, such as the wedding dress and the location. But the entertainment is what will really make or break your wedding night! You should be having a look at things such as wedding bands from Alive Network, to see what you could get for your special day.

You want to find a band that’s going to have everyone up off of their seat, dancing around, and getting a little bit tipsy to the music. The last thing you want to have to deal with is an after party where no one is actually partying! You could also think about funky things, such as having a magician walking around, actors or anything else you can think of that will help to keep the fun in the party.

The Finer Details

The finer details are really what no one else will remember, but they will mean the most to you. It’s things like how you’re going to get to and from the wedding, and ensuring it’s really fancy!

You could go down the horse and carriage route if you wanted to be really extra. You also need to think about the cake you want. There are some absolutely beautiful wedding cake designs and flavours that you can explore! Just make sure you’re really exploring the finer details of your wedding, so that you can look back and know that everything was perfect for your special day.

You also have to think about what you want to do after the wedding in terms of the honeymoon. This is a finer detail for you, because we know that the wedding ceremony and afterparty will shadow the plans for the honeymoon, but it’s definitely one of the most important parts!

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Creating a cabin style cottage with an interior that looks carefree and inviting is exciting. For a home to have a rustic look with log cabin style interiors is like creating a dream house with all the aesthetics of a farmhouse. The log cabins look dreamy with the beautiful interiors and warm lighting creating an impact on the wooden logs. It is necessary to use many effective designs with more of the same wooden tones throughout rooms to give the place a simple and rustic look. The beautiful staircase made of logs and positioned well inside the living room complements the other rooms in the house. Decorating the home interiors with wooden and simple décor with an earthy color scheme with cozy and rustic textures adds to the rustic appeal.

Walls and the Ceiling

The rooms can be painted or colored with neutral colors to give the place a contemporary look with the woody feeling. The home with wooden walls and beams and felt ceiling panels give the place a rustic appeal. The felt wall covering and the hanging felt panels add to the trendy style for the interiors of the house. The wooden walls with the exposed log beams look elegant and appealing. The light interiors help to give natural look to the exposed wooden beams. The felt partition and the wooden staircase adds to the natural look of the place. The felt for walls gives the place a rustic log cabin appeal.

Furniture

The furniture for the log cabin style home should be kept simple and unpolished. The tables and cabinets made of unfinished and unpolished wood give a rustic appeal to the log cabin. The light color sofas balance the harsh features of the rustic look. The vintage rug makes the living room look warm and cozy. The wooden stools with the coffee table add to the simple and elegant furnishings. Wooden cabinets and floating shelves can be added into the corners for storing and displaying things. A wooden bookshelf in the corner can be added for the books.

The beds in bedrooms with big wooden frames go with the rustic theme. The cozy built-in wooden bunks are great for the log style cabin bedrooms. The dining table kept near the windows gives a beautiful view of the outdoors. The wooden cabinets and the table tops match the color palette of the rooms. The contemporary look is to combine various styles and fill the gaps amicably to make the place look welcoming.

Big windows

Large windows in the rooms give a beautiful view of the place and also helps with natural light to play with interiors giving the place a nice cozy look. The large windows help to enhance the outdoor feel within the home. Creating a cozy seating space near the window with colorful cushions makes the place look inviting.

Stone fireplace

The log cabins or homes are not complete without the traditional brick stone fireplace. The brick stone fireplace and wood area are a common feature of log cabin style homes. The fireplace adds to the warm and coziness of the home. In fact, the living room with the fireplace is the coziest place in the entire home. The fireplace mantle can be decorated with photo frames, candles, and colorful wreaths.

Barn door

The entrance of the log cabin style home can be complemented with a barn door. The barn door at the entrance gives a rustic appeal to the place. The entrance can be decorated with wire baskets and lanterns along the aisle. We can add a wreath made of artificial flowers on the barn door to add some color to the place.

Antique Trunks

The antique metal trunks add to the rustic vibe of the place. The antique trunks can be used as a storage for various things at home. It can be used for storing linen, quilts, bedcovers, and other items. Placing a vintage trunk in place of a table adds to the cabin style look. The trunks can be decorated with accessories like wire baskets, candles, and another vintage décor. The top of the wine barrel can be used as a tray for displaying antiques and accessories.

Lighting fixtures

The lighting fixtures on the wall create an impression within the room. The subtle lighting gives warm look and creates an inviting ambience to the home. The lighting fixtures should be good so that it enhances the look of the wooden interiors of the home. Hanging a chandelier in the open space from the ceiling makes it the focal point inside the room and gives the cottage a modern look. The lights fixed within the beams and the wall along with beautiful lamps and candles illuminate the place and make the place look bright and welcoming.

Art and Pictures

The pictures and art in their respective frames complement the rooms well and gives the place an aesthetic appeal. The colorful paintings and artwork add color to space and covers the walls well. The artwork with landscapes and nature sets the tone for the cabin style theme. Photo frames look good when they are made from wooden wall hangers for complementing the rustic look of the room. Vintage lamps and clocks also look good for a rustic décor for the living room. The living room décor can be enhanced with antique accents and wreaths made of branches and ferns.

Decorating a log home involves a lot of creativity with imagination for creating a place which is simple, aesthetic and rustic in appeal. Creativity is using a lot of rustic materials for designing the interiors effectively, for adding stylish decor to the home, while perfectly complementing each space. The interiors for log cabin interiors have a lot of elements that contribute to their natural and rustic looks. Since wood happens to be a natural insulator, therefore the interiors of the homes are well protected from the exterior environment. The log cabin homes can be styled aesthetically and made to look welcoming for the family and friends. The important element of rustic style décor is to mix quality with style to make it functional and give the place a welcoming look.

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Most people probably spend their days thinking about how they can earn more money. It can seem like one of the many mysteries of life that is hard to crack. However, you should know that earning extra money doesn’t have to be an impossible puzzle to solve as there are opportunities all around you. For parents, especially, it can be tedious trying to think about what you can do to make money during the few free moments that you have every day. Having said that, here are a few freelance ideas if you’re a busy parent looking to make extra money.

1.) Writing

For every parent out there with decent writing skills, this could create a perfect freelance opportunity for you. There are endless ways to make money as a writer, especially in this digital age. Companies and individuals are always looking for quality and interesting content, so you should be able to get income from this.

You could think about creating a blog and making money from ads or affiliate links. However, this takes time so if that’s something you don’t have, perhaps look for small businesses that need blog content and see if you can offer affordable packages. There are also larger companies looking for freelance writers which means you’d be able to work around your schedule as well.

2.) Personal Training

For the parents who enjoy fitness, why not go down the personal training route? The good thing about this career path is that there’s a significant level of flexibility. If you have kids, you know how important this is as you likely have to balance school runs, meal times and homework with your personal ventures. To follow this path, you could take OriGym’s online Personal trainer course which will enable you to acquire relevant certifications. Another good thing about choosing this path is also that you could earn a lot of money if you’re good at what you do.

3.) Consultancy

In this day and age, people are always looking for expert knowledge. If you’re in a position to give it, this is something you could do while the kids are asleep or at school. Choose an area where you have authority as a result of years of experience or an array of reading. If you have enough knowledge about business, you could also consider becoming a management consultant which means that you’d be solving specific problems or improving efficiency.

4.) Tutoring

Children who need help in school often end up getting tutors. If you’re good at teaching, especially in one of the STEM subjects, you could give lessons after school or on weekends. To become a personal tutor, you usually need qualifications as well as experience in the area that you’ll be teaching on. Being up-to-date with the current curriculum is also a necessity too.

To get started as a tutor, look for ways to get the word out on your social media platforms by making digital flyers and asking friends and family to pass the message on.

5.) Social Media Marketing

For any parents who happen to be experts at social media, this could be a golden opportunity for you. There are people out there who don’t know how to navigate their way around social media or simply don’t have the time and are ready to pay for someone to do it. From the comfort of your own home, you could create social media content plans, post content and help to grow your client’s online community. You’d simply need to learn the fundamentals and be able to show them that you’re capable of getting the job done.

6.) Start a Business

You may be interested to know that all of the suggested freelance ventures above can be turned into businesses. You could run them as a one-man show or decide to bring other people on board and grow your business instead. Other business ideas that can require little effort and resources include becoming an eBay seller or selling stock photography if you’re into taking pictures. The objective should be to look at what people need, or what problem you can solve with your skills or talents.

As a busy parent, making more money can be something that you hope to do for several reasons. Aside from giving your children the best, the more money you have the better opportunities you may be able to create for your family. Hopefully, you’ve been inspired by the list above to begin your own freelance venture.

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Spring is almost here. Are you ready for the bumblebees, butterflies, and birds to dance about your backyard?

Now is the time to start planning for some outdoor fun for the kids, too. Why not beautify the garden while you’re at it? Look around your house and begin to think outside the box for ways to reuse your unwanted knickknacks or cracked plates in the garden.

With these quick and easy D.I.Y. projects, you can keep the kids smiling as the snow melts and spring arrives.

A Rock Garden for Blossoms on a Budget

One of the most exciting trends of 2019 is reducing water waste with drought-resistant plants and fun rock gardens.

One of my favourite DIY garden projects is to create a rock garden that can be brought indoors when the weather turns frigid. You can start this inside now and bring it outdoors when the weather warms back up.

I recommend using succulents because they’re easy to care for and can handle the kids petting their leaves and playing with them. They also propagate easily which can be another learning project for next year.

1. Start with a container. This is where you have options. If you have a container you’d like to use lying around the house, don’t hesitate to turn it into a fun and funky planter. Some unique ideas include a scratched baking pan or even a cracked teapot.

2. Fill the container about 2/3rds full with potting soil or whatever mix works best for the flowers you’ve selected. Succulents often do best in containers with sandy soil that drains quickly.

3. Now, arrange your plants so they have some space to spread a bit. Remember to think contrast when it comes to size, shape, and color. If you have any porcelain figurines, you can add them now, too.

4. Loosen their roots so your plants have the best chances. Kids usually love doing this part because it gives them the opportunity to get a little dirty.

5. Add another inch or three around the roots and place your stones gently on top of the soil.

6. A rock garden doesn’t require much water, but the plants will require sun. So, place your rock garden on a windowsill or somewhere sunny. You and the kids can also add crystals or clay creations to give your rock garden more character.

7. Once it warms up, bring you planter outside and watch your plants soak in the sun.

The Perfect D.I.Y. Plant Markers

After you’ve planted your winter containers and organized your seeds, what can you do next?

As you ready your family for planting some fruits, veggies, and flowers in the garden, you can prepare some bespoke plant markers to the place where your seeds will sprout. This will keep the kid’s hands busy while the soil thaws.

This project is perfect for helping you plan what you want to harvest this year, too.

1. Decide what plants you want. You can time when your flowers bloom and when your veggies will be mature. I like to cycle my flowers for late spring to fall blooms.

2. Find a set of items you no longer have a use for. Get creative. You can use forks and spoons for your veggies or old action figures. It’s really up to you and the little ones what kind of flair you want your garden to have.

3. Let the kids practice their writing or drawing skills. Use a fine-tipped permanent marker to write the names of the plants on small scraps of paper. Torn edges can give these tags a fun look. Little kids also have a blast if you let them name the plants. Who doesn’t want a cactus named Fred?

4. Place the paper over the plant markers and affix them with Modge Podge. Let them dry overnight.

5. In light strokes, spray a sealer over the paper so it will stay on all spring, summer, and fall.

6. Keep them somewhere safe so when spring is here you can pop them into the ground beside your freshly planted flowers.

When it comes to gardening on a budget. D.I.Y. projects are perfect! They will keep the kids from going stir crazy and give your garden a fresh and fun look. This also makes a perfect project to leave with the babysitter or nanny.

Help your kids develop green thumbs while reducing waste. A vegetable garden will also encourage your little ones while teaching them about the natural world. Most importantly, have fun while you wait for spring to arrive!

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