What To Wear For Family Pictures Outside

Family, ,

A family portrait is a great element to have in your house. It just shows how your family is close-knit. Also, it is a great memento to have and will be an heirloom as years go by.

To have a good family picture, you will have to decide what will be the theme and background will be. Are you looking for something aesthetic? Do you want to highlight the season and year?

Also, you will have to think about what you will wear. It might be simple, but it is not. There are factors you will have to think about what you will wear and so are your other family members.

1. Think About the Season

Each season has colors of its own, and it would be great to match it. The reason for this is because it will look opposing to the background. A great example is taking a picture for this season. Fall is the most popular time to take family pictures because the colors of the season are great and easier to work with. Also, it will be a great time for the upcoming holiday seasons. As fall is more about neutral and earthy colors and so will be your clothes.

2. Coordinating Colors

There used to be a time when family pictures require family members to wear the same t-shirt and even with matching bottoms. But times have changed. Nowadays, family members will be able to show their personalities and interests. That does not mean they have to be all different, because it will not look good if it is. As mentioned earlier, you could coordinate with the season. But it is also important for you and your family members not to clash colors. Because of this, it is important to plan ahead and know about each other’s clothes. You can even have some advice from experts or the photographer.

3. What Surrounds You

Another thing to consider is what will be your background. Sure, the season is a big factor but also keep in mind where you will shoot. It could be in a forest or park or beach. Because of this, you will have to think if there should be a theme you need to follow. Like if you are by the beach. Like, for example, if you are planning to have it done on a beach, you might need to figure out if your clothes are something of the same vibe. This is the same if you are also planning to have it during one of the snow days and will go for winter clothes.

4. Something Simple

When it comes to these types of photos, the main focus should be the family. Because of that, you should wear something that will not distract the picture. One of the most districting would be patterns, and that is why you and your family members should wear something that is less or not patterned at all. Another option is to have it coordinated, so it will not be the main focus.

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How To Stop Your Dog From Barking At Guests

Family, ,

To have a pet dog is one of the most satisfying things a person could have. If one will be stressed out or tired from all the things that happened in a day, one greeting and cuddle from the pet dog will have those fade away.

But as a pet owner, you will have the responsibility to have them trained and behave. It is not just about them learning tricks or where they will do their business or know what your property is, but it is also about how they will treat your visitors. 

Barking would be a natural thing for them to do for we know that they are territorial and for them, your visitors are intruding. It also not really a bad thing if you think about it because it also means they are on guard. But of course, it will be bad if your visitors will get intimidated or scared. And add to that, it will also get noisy.

It may be hard to stop them completely, but with patience and time, you can definitely train them to not to do it every time.

1. Quiet Them Down

This is the method that will be easiest to do. You will just need to have some treats as a reward for you to be able to train them. To start with this, you will need to have someone. It could be a neighbor or friend. Dogs would know if someone is at the door and they will start barking immediately. 

To do this, you would need to have your friend knock or ring the bell. Once the dog starts barking, you will have to command them to stop. They might not understand it at first, so you need to have patience with it. Once they understand what it means to quiet down, give them a treat. Keep practicing until the dog gets used to it. 

2. Ignorance

Another thing you could do is to ignore them. It would be hard if it gets really noisy though. But there is a method of training about ignoring the dog for them to stop. 

You will also need to have help with this. You will need to have them knock or ring your doorbell, and what you will do is to ignore it. If your dog barks, ignore them also. Once they stopped, give them treats. Continue doing this until they will stop barking when someone knocks or rings. With that, they will be ignoring it as the time comes.

3. Keep Them Away

If you know that you will have visitors coming, they could be easily be hidden away at their designated spot inside your house or a dog house. But of course, it will be a different story if your visitors are unexpected.

With their designated spot in your house, you could train them to have them stay there every time someone knocks or rings the bell. You will have to this repeatedly. You can ask for help with this. If they manage to stay at their place, you can give them treats as a reward.

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What To Put In Baby Shower Gift Bags For Guests

Family,

Having a baby is indeed a great feeling one can have. It is not just a celebration for the upcoming parents but also a celebration with their friends and family of welcoming a new life in this world.

In order to celebrate the upcoming birth, baby shower parties are held. With this, gifts are given to the upcoming parents and baby that will be useful.

But of course, it will be nice to also give the guests something. It will be a nice gesture and thank you for them. If you are planning to host one, and find it hard to think about what should be given to them, here are some ideas and tips:

1. Something Useful

It is known that most of the guests will give gifts that are most useful not only for the baby but for the parents as well. Because of this, why not give them the same? There are a variety of things you can give that are available. You can give them soap and lotion. You do not have to give a big size. And because it is of the smaller size, you can also give hand cream since it would be something they would use in a smaller amount. It does not have to be toiletries too. You can also give something they would use in the kitchen or dining room such as utensils or personal such as hand towels.

2. Something Decorative

This must be the most popular to give away. Examples of this are candles. You can have ones that go well with the theme of the party. Another decorative item you can give is mason jars which are very popular right now. You can fill it up with anything. It can be pebbles that are colored or beads. It can be also candles or florals. No matter what, it will be a great thing to have in their homes or office as a reminder of that day.

3. Something Personalized

This will be great if the party has limited guests, and you would know them specifically. With that, you will be able to give things that are personalized. You could give out keychains with their names on it. With the items mentioned above such as mason jars and utensils can also have their names added on it. This will be a nice way to thank them which would seem to be in a personal way.

4. Something Unique

It is not just something that is different but also something that can be a mix of the ones mentioned above. For example, you can give them soaps that have their names carved on it or their names at the labels. You can also give away something tasty and put it inside of the mason jars. One way you can give a unique item is if you crafted it yourself. If you are into it, you can give away cards, keychains, or even those mason jars in different designs that you would know will suit their personality.

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How To Stop Animals From Digging Holes In Your Yard

Yard, ,

As much as it is great to have your own yard, it will be a real headache at times in having to maintain it. From having the grass healthy and also good to look at. But one of the most common problems yet a really big nuisance are animals digging in your yard. They seem very hard to get rid of and because of that, it is also hard for you to maintain and clean up your yard.

There are ways to stop them, and here are some of them:

1. Check for Grubs

The number one reason why animals are digging up your lawn is because of the grubs. These are insects that take up your lawn, and animals dig them up as their food. Because of that, you will have to get rid of those. You may want to call one expert for this and have them control in getting rid of them. The problem is that it might not get rid of all the grubs. Also, the animals will not care if the grub is alive or not, so they may continue digging for those.

2. Put Barriers

Ordinary barriers such as warnings or ropes will not work for them, but you can still use some to get rid of them. Examples are chicken wires or even chain links that will be put upon the fences. This may be a little bit of more physical though because you will need to have it moved to not affect the grass.

3. Repellents

There are also repellents you can use to get rid of them. You can purchase commercial ones at stores. It is available both as a liquid, where you can use it with a hose, or powdered, wherein will be sprinkled. Make sure to use it occasionally, maybe once a week, or it might affect the health of your grass.

There are also alternatives. You can use some household items which are usually something spicy such as cayenne pepper, onions, and hot peppers. 

4. Set a Trap

Another way to get rid of those animals is by setting up a trap. If they got lured into the trap, you can remove them away from your place. This may also give warnings to other animals if they plan to get to your place. You can also have something sprinkle water on them every time they enter your property.

5. Call Animal Control

If it gets too hard because there are too many of them, you can always call animal control. They can help you with trapping those animals.

6. Keep It Healthy

You will also need to have your lawn taken care of. One of the ways is having your lawn reseed. Because of this, the roots will be deep and will not be easily destroyed. Another thing is said before, and that is getting rid of the grubs. Those grubs are pests, and they will be eating the roots which will be bad for the turf. You could also say that animals digging for them is a big symptom.

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How To Level A Yard Without A Tractor

Yard,

A yard is a great thing to have as a homeowner. You will get to do a lot of things in it. It can be also a place you can relax even without going out to explore nature.

But of course, as a homeowner, you have to be responsible for it. You will have to maintain it, so not only it will look good, but it will also last long. It will also be not causing problems like weeds growing or pests taking over.

Leveling your yard is also important so that it will look good and will also ensure proper drainage. There are various ways to do that, and one of them is calling a professional. If you think it is too costly, you can do it yourself. You can invest in a tractor.

If you have the time and patience, you can also do it by hand. Here are the steps for it: 

1. Have the Right Tools

Because you will not use a tractor, you will need to have other tools for this. You will need some basic tools such as a rake, shovel, and wheelbarrow. You will also need some level to measure it up. You will also need something that will serve as your marks, and wooden stakes can do that job.

2. Remove the Turf

For you to be able to level your yard, you will have to remove the current turf or else it will be more challenging as it is. Add to that, it might be unhealthy already because of weeds. You will have to remove those from the roots to make sure they will be getting rid of permanently. 

3. Smooth It

After removing those unwanted plants, you will have to smooth out your yard. You can do this using a rake to spread and distribute the soil. 

4. Slopes

Keep in mind that slope is required from the house. The reason for this is to prevent water collection during rainy days that will cause outflow. You will still need to level the remaining. You can have stakes as your marks, so you will know where the slopes are and will not cause an accident. Then you can use your tools such as the shovel to keep up with the slope.

5. Fill Gaps

There will surely be gaps, and they need to be filled immediately to avoid accidents. Fill them up with a more solid soil or rocks so that they will be more durable. Then after that, continue leveling your yard.

6. Final Touches

To make sure that your yard is really even, you will have to check it. The tool you will constantly use with this is the rake, and it will assure the level of your yard. You will also need to check on your slope constantly if it is still intact. Then the last thing you will do is add some rich soil for the preparation of seeding or planting new grass. You will do this while leveling.

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How To Train Your Dog To Stay In The Yard

Yard, ,

It is great to have a pet dog. If you are tired from a long day of work and really stressed out then you came home and find your dog greeting you and really happy to see you, it will all fade away.

Of course, as a dog owner, you will also have the responsibility. You will have to feed them and also take them for walks. Another responsibility is to train them. No, your dog does not have to do some tricks but they have to be disciplined. And being disciplined means not being messy in the house and knows where to do their business. Being disciplined also not running away from your home and harassing your neighbors.

Another kind of discipline they should know is staying in your yard even if you do not have any barriers. By this, they will not cause chaos and also will be good for their safety.

So, what are the ways they can be trained?

1. Boundary Training

As the name suggests, it is when a dog will be trained to stay within boundaries. And this boundary would be within your house. This will let them know where they will be free to roam and not. This will also have them guarding your property.

For you to do this, you will need to have some items for your dog to recognize the boundary. One of the things you can use is flags. With those, you will also need a clicker. This clicker is essential for their training. Every time your dog recognizes the flag, you will use your clicker and also give them a treat. Practice this in different ways. You can start easy like keeping them near then have them further in your yard as time goes on.

2. Perimeter Training

Another method is the perimeter training. This involves walking your dog around the border so that they will know the boundaries. You will have to do this several times. If you are busy, you will have to set a schedule for this.

This method involves more on command. After introducing your dog to the boundaries, let them walk around it and see if they got familiar with it. Then you will have to do some commands around those perimeters, and this includes the stay and sit. You will have to also introduce a new command which is “leave it.” It is the command you will say when they go to a place outside of boundaries.

3. Extension Leash

This involves putting your dog in a long leash. This will still involve training them with the commands mentioned above. Then you will have to walk them around your property but this time, they will have a leash. With this, you will use those commands but if they do get to cross boundaries, you will have to tug the leash gently. If they managed to obey or stop, you will give them a treat.

This method also involves having someone else. Their role is to go around the perimeter and having your dog not chase after them. If they do, you tug the leash. Another thing you will do is having toys tossed outside the boundary line and let them have restrained in taking it. Do this until you get your desired result.

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How To Turn A Yard Of Weeds Into Grass

Yard,

One of the best things you could have in your home is your own yard. With it, you will get to do a lot of activities such as games and sports. You can also invite some of your friends for a barbecue party. It is also a great space for you if you have kids and pets. The possibilities are endless in what you could do with it.

The problem with it is maintaining it. It is not exactly easy. Then add to that the other problems such as weeds. It is one of those pests that ruin the beauty of your lawn.

The great thing is that you can still save it albeit not an easy task. Here are the ways you can do it:

1. Start Removing

If you will not start immediately then the work will just be added and will get too many as the time comes. That is why you will have to remove it right away. If you also will not be able to do that, it might cause further damage to your lawn. You can do it manually or by hand. An easier way to do it is to apply some weed killer, but keep in mind that it will affect your grass, so you might want something safer.

2. Check the Soil

The reason why your lawn has many weeds is because of the soil. Because of that, you can call on an expert to check your soil. There are also tools available at hardware stores to check it yourself. This way, you could also know if your soil is good enough for the type of grass you would like to have. 

3. Aerate the Soil

To aerate means to freshen or allowing the oxygen to be in and deeper. To do this, you will need some tools. You will need to till your soil and make them loose. You will also be going to open some holes to allow the air in the soil. Because of it, the roots of the grass will be deeper. This will also make fertilizer and water go through easily and deeper.

4. Reseed

After doing all of the above, you will need to plant new seeds for the new grass. You will have to spread the seeds all over the lawn. You can use a tool for this which is called the broadcast seeder. Make sure that the seeds are really in the soil so that it will go deeper and grow right.

5. Take Care of It

It does not stop with the planting. The growing of grass is a process. And even if they grow great, you will still need to continue taking care of it or else it will look bad again. The first thing to do is to water them regularly, at least twice a week. To make your job easier, you can invest in a sprinkler. Then to avoid the spreading of weeds again, remove them immediately with any chance you got. Another way to keep them healthy is by putting fertilizer on them.

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How To Make Reading Fun

Entertainment,

Reading is one of the things you can do to pass time. What is good about it is that it is relaxing and can get your mind off things. It can also activate your imagination.

The problem at times is that you can easily get bored with it. It would be said that this problem is only for kids, but it is for adults too. So, how would one enjoy reading and make it more fun?

1. Choose the Right Time

You would want to do reading when your mind is really clear and relaxed. You also will not choose the time that you are sleepy or else you will just sleep on with your reading. It does not matter if it is night or day. There are some studies that said it would be during the day, but it will be up to you in the end. 

If reading is not really your thing but would like to have a start with it, you can start with short times like having 15 to 30 minutes then see how you will get from there.

2. Choose the Right Place

Another important thing to choose is where will you read. You would want someplace quiet like your room or study or home office. You can even do it in public places such as a library or cafe or at a park. You will also like to choose something that you are comfortable like in a good couch or your own bed. It will be in a place where it will be not bad for your posture. Make sure that the place you will read will be able to make you focused and concentrated. If not, you may lose interest in it altogether.

3. Choose the Right Book

For you to be sure that you would do something for a long time, it should interest you. So, if you are going to start reading a book, be sure to pick something that you know interests you. It is like picking a movie you would like to watch or a playlist that will keep you going rather than irritate you. That is the same for reading. 

There is a variety of genres and types available. Maybe you would like something fictional to escape. Then there are types that love non-fictional or historical to learn. If you want to get started, there are short stories or articles that you can read to begin. As long as what you are reading is motivating for you, it does not matter what.

4. Choose the Right Image

This means having your imagination enhanced. One of the reasons why some people did not like the movie counterparts of books is because it does not meet their expectations or it is not something they imagined. The reason for that is because doing films has its limitations, unlike our brain and imagination which is limitless in a way. 

So, if you want to really enjoy what you are reading, you will need to widen your imagination. You may choose something with images on it or look some of them online. You can also start with a book that has a film based on it, so you could do the comparison yourself.

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How To Host A Dinner Party In A Small Apartment

Entertainment, , ,

A great way to spend time with friends or family is through food. You will be able to catch up and exchange stories really well with food as your company. That is why many would go out to restaurants or any other food places to eat and hangout. A great alternative would be doing it in a home. That way, it will be cheaper and also cozier than a public place.

It would be a hassle if your home is small and seems to have no space for it. But it can be possible, and here are some solutions you can do:

1. Rearrange the Furniture

One of the solutions is to make space for your guests. You can achieve this by rearranging your furniture. Keep in mind that this will be temporary, so do not worry about it much. The one thing you should think about is how will your guests fit in your room? You can repurpose some of your furniture. Some of your tables can serve as food tables. You can also move some of the furniture in other rooms for the meantime. You can also rearrange your seats on the side so that there will be more space and mobility.

2. Think About the Decor

Just because you do not have enough space does not mean you will not make your home look good. You are going to rearrange your furniture, why not take advantage of it? You can have a theme and can even use it as a reason to not use a table or even seats. Lights can also improve the mood of the party. You can have those mood lighting that will also help have their attention away from the lack of space.

3. Choose Food Wisely

Because of the lack of space, it would be better to have the food served in buffet-style. This way, you will not have problems with space for the dinner table. Your guests will also easily mingle this way. But of course, the food should be easily served and also easy to be eaten with minimal utensils. Finger foods are one of the best examples of this, so it is a must-have for the party. They are not only good as appetizers, but the main course can also be cut into parts too. Tacos and burgers are also examples that can be served and eaten easily. This is also the same for your drinks. Make sure to have something that is ready.

4. Just Relax

Hosting a party is really a hard job. But always remember your reason for throwing it in the first place, and that is to have fun. There might be imperfections such as food or drinks being not enough or some spillage, but do not worry about that. Instead, enjoy your time with your friends. Remember that it is all about making memories and catching up. And if you want your guests to enjoy, you should too and do not miss out because of the busyness.

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How To Install An Electric Fireplace In Your Wall

Around The Home, , ,

A house will be called a home if it is a place where you will feel warm, cozy, and relaxed. Surely, it will be your company. But it is not only that, but it is also how you will make it. One of the elements for that to be done is how you will decorate your house. You can decorate it according to your personality and what you feel is right for you. 

This also includes what you will add to your home. For example, if you love music, you will have a lot of musical instruments for sure. If you are into movies or would love to watch shows with the full experience, you might invest in a big-screen TV and sound system. Then if you are into reading, you might have a library full of books. It is all about your interest and things that you find joy with.

A fireplace is also a great addition for your house to be cozier not only for you but also for your guests. What is great is that you will not need to have a gas line to have one. Now, you can have an electrical one and an added bonus is that it is cheaper and also easy to install.

So, what does it take to have and install an electric fireplace?

1. Find the Ideal One

It is not only according to your likes but also considers what will be compatible in your house. You can ask for help or suggestions with this. You can also look for reviews and see if they are good at your home.

2. Choose the Space

After choosing the right one, you will need to have space. It will be really handy if you have it near a power outlet, so you will not need an extension or installing a new one. Make sure that space is also not a fire hazard and also away from direct sunlight and overhead lighting.

3. Prepare the Tools

You will need to have the right tools for this. They are mostly basic tools such as a Phillips screwdriver, hammer, drill, and pliers. You will also need level and measuring tape for accuracy. You might also need a ladder so that your arms will not strain if it gets quite high.

4. Install the Bracket

The first you will install is the bracket. It is the one that will hold the fireplace, so make sure that it will be really secure and stable and make sure that it is not loose.

5. Attach the Fireplace

After installing the bracket, attach the fireplace into it. Make sure that it is secure. Check if it is stable enough to be not pulled away from the wall or will not fall down.

6. Test and Enjoy

Then it is time to use your fireplace. Have its test run and know that it really works and if it does heat your room well. If it has other features, know about them, so you will have the full experience of your fireplace.

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