Butterfly Boudoir

The latest trend is butterflies and it’s not just about the odd picture here and there, it is embracing the winged beauty and there is no better place than in the bedroom. The gorgeous colours and the designs on fabrics and wallpaper are hitting the stores and there is something for everybody, providing you like butterflies.

If you are unsure of how to use this trend in the bedroom, you’ll soon find inspiration all around now spring is upon us. A feature wall in the bedroom with butterfly motifs is an easy way to incorporate the trend, or you could simply update bedroom wardrobes with a few easy peel butterfly stickers, not the children’s stickers though. Grown-up stickers are bold, bright and classy; these would look great on white bedroom furniture.

Your tastes maybe less is more, you’ll find cushions adorned with majestic butterflies, ideal to sit upon the bed and they add a touch of glamour with up to the minute interior design. There are rugs with a simple motif or rugs with a flurry of colour to bring your bedroom into the season. However there is one bedroom you can go overboard on, a little girl’s bedroom.

You can use stencils and ask your child to help decorate their room, using colours of their choice to paint the butterflies. The stencils could be used on the walls or wardrobes or you could buy some fabric paint and plain bed linen and give a totally individual look to your child’s room. The possibilities are endless, even wall art can add an impact to a room and give the appearance of a total revamp. Simply using an old picture frame or buying one for the purpose, you can cut out images of butterflies from magazines and create a collage or ask your child to paint a piece of art to go in the frame. Make sure they sign it; it may be valuable one day.

The butterfly trend is fun and creates the image of spring and summer all rolled into one, what better way to wake up in the morning when your bedroom and bedroom furniture make you smile.

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Finding Accommodation for Overseas Visitors

Having guests come to visit from overseas can be a lot of fun, though it can prove to be a stress, if it means having a house full of people for too long. That’s why getting your guests their own digs can be the best idea – apart from making it a more manageable visit for you, it will allow them the freedom to have a bit of time alone as well. The following are some suggestions for accommodating your visiting overseas guests:
Serviced ApartmentIf your guests will be staying for more than a couple of days, they may want a way to be able to do their own cooking and so on. If this is the case, serviced apartments would be the way to go. Your guests will still be able to spend lots of time hanging out with you, and they will be able to retreat to their own pad to relax and have some time alone.

HostelThis can be a fantastic option, as younger guests are likely to be happy staying in the dorms, while you can also book a private room for older guests or those who would prefer the privacy. The hostel will provide any and all of the information your guest may need for their time in the city, and they are sure to make a few friends while they are moving through the hostel.

B&BIf your guests like a little more luxury and comfort in their accommodation, check them into a local bed and breakfast. This will provide them with all of the comforts of a regular house, without them feeling like they are imposing on your home and personal space.

House SittingKeep an ear out for other friends who may be going away on holiday around the time that your guest arrives – if you are lucky, you may be able to line your guest up with a house sit through your friends. This is the best scenario for anyone trying to house guests, as there is nothing better than having your own home for your stay. It will also help the absent homeowners, as they won’t have to worry about their home sitting empty and vulnerable while they are away.

Granny FlatsIf you are lucky enough to have a granny flat on your property, this is an amazing convenience for when you have visitors. Your guests won’t feel like they are imposing if they aren’t even in your house. You will all have your much needed space, but you will still be close.

Don’t stress out too much over your guest’s accommodation, as they are here to see you, and will be more than happy with whatever accommodation you are able to provide for them. A place that is safe and comfortable is the main thing, and the closer it is to your place, the better!

Free Dating Websites

In these troubled financial times, you’d have to be a few raisins short of a fruitcake to pay good money for something you can get for free. Yet sadly when it comes to online dating there are thousands of people forking out large sums of their hard earned cash each month because some dating website has told them that it’s developed some clever algorithm that practically guarantees they’ll find love.

Unfortunately what these poor love seekers often don’t realise is that it’s in the interest of subscription dating sites to actually prevent their users from finding the partner of their dreams – after all, happy couples don’t tend to spend large sums of money on dating sites each month (and if they do then they’ve obviously got a pretty unconventional relationship).

The simple fact that subscription based dating companies don’t want you to know is that there’s now a large selection of free dating websites that offer pretty much all the features and benefits of subscription dating services for none of the cost.

The great advantage of free dating sites is that there really is nothing to lose – even if you pick one of the lesser free sites on the market and you fail to meet anyone even vaguely close to your image of the perfect partner, the only thing you will have lost will be a bit of time. But choose the right free dating website and you’ll quickly find yourself reaping the benefits with no disadvantages.

One of the better free dating website out there is Mamboo.com, because it offers a wide range of functions and features that allow you to use it in a flexible manner that suits you. When you sign up to Mamboo you won’t be asked to fill in endless questionnaires or undergo any matching procedures, because the site operates on the idea that you know what you’re looking for in a partner much better than it does. Instead, Mamboo users can search through the half a million plus user profiles on the site and use filters such as location, age and appearance to find people in their area with similar interests.

Signing up initially is easy, especially if you’ve got a Facebook account, and the site only asks for a few details such as date of birth and location before you log in. That’s not to say that your profile on Mamboo needs to be limited, indeed the site offers one of the most feature rich interfaces on the market – you can add pictures to your profile, write a blog or online diary that other users can read or join one of the many groups the website offers for people with specific interests. The site also offers users the ability to text and video chat with other users, a facility that not only makes meeting for that first date a little less daunting, but also lets you know that the user you’re talking to is real and active, not some computer generated or dormant account.

The range of features and numbers of people using free dating websites now means that there’s simply no need to pay to find love anymore, but if you are one of those people who still insist on paying to use a dating service, you might also be interested to know that I’ve got a friend in Nigeria who’s recently won the lottery and needs someone to help him claim the money.…

About the Author:
The above article is composed and edited by Shirley Jones. She is associated with many dating online communities including Online Dating services as their freelance writer and adviser. In her free time she writes articles related to free dating websites, online dating etc.
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Best Housewarming Party Ideas

A housewarming celebration is a time to introduce your friends, family and neighbours to your new home. There are a lot of different ways that you can throw a housewarming party, so here are a few great ideas that will help you make yours a party to remember.

Chore-Themed Parties

Housewarming parties that are chore-themed are a great way to celebrate, spend time with friends and family, and get important tasks done at the same time. Be careful whom you invite to these parties, however, because you only want people there who are ready and willing to do you a favour.

Moving Party
If you are moving a short-distance, your housewarming party could start out with a moving convoy where everyone transfers a car-load of boxes from your old home to your new one. Many hands make light work, but try to limit the number of trips everyone will have to make. At the end of the moving, you should have refreshments waiting for your guests, and gift hampers for those who helped you out.

Unpacking Party
Inviting people to help unpack boxes can be a fun, casual party. Generally, the kitchen and the living room are the best rooms for this as everyone will be in the same area, and no one will have to go through your more personal items. Make sure to treat your guests to lots of good food, drinks and gifts to keep the event feeling more like a party, and less like work.

Housecleaning Party
Scrubbing floors, washing windows and vacuuming carpets are all activities that are more fun when friends are doing it together - they will get done much faster too. Make sure to have good food for everyone to snack on throughout the day, and lots of good music!

Redecorating Party
Throwing a redecorating party is especially useful if you have family or friends who have special abilities when it comes to home care. Small renovations, painting, interior design and lawn care are examples of things you may need to take care of before officially moving in, and are things that are better to work on when you have experienced help.

Traditionally Themed Parties

Traditional housewarming party ideas showcase the entire home as the central attraction. Normally, these parties would come soon after you have officially moved in to your new home and have things set up the way you want them.

Open House Party
This is a very popular type of party, as guests can come and go as they please throughout the day. You can then spend more one-on-one time with friends and family as you give individual tours through your new home.

Block Party
Organising a party for the whole neighbourhood not only introduces your friends and family to your new home, but also introduces you to your new neighbours. This is a great opportunity for you to establish yourself as a new member of the community.

Potlatch
A potlatch party is always a great idea simply because you won’t have to unpack your kitchen and serve all your guests right away. Asking guests to bring their favourite food or gift baskets to share will not only create a fun dinner party theme, but will also ensure you have some leftovers to eat during the gruelling days of unpacking.
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A Useful Tool

I really need this tool, my television remote control. I can’t watch television without it. I felt so annoyed if it’s broken. How’s your relationship with your remote control? It has one yellow button, I can link this post to Mellow Yellow :)

How to Climb Up the Wait List for the Perfect Pooch

The saying, “It’s not what you know, but who you know” reigns true in the world of pedigree pooches.

I recently experienced this when I applied for a German Shorthaired Pointer puppy. Thinking that a furry little addition to my family was merely a couple of months away, I was surprised to hear that I would need to jump through a few hoops to even be considered.

This might sound frustrating if you have recently become rid of removalists and moved into a new place or kit home… and are waiting for a furry little friend to accompany you.

However, keep in mind that breeders often make the purchase process fraught with a few minor difficulties, not because they want to complicate things, but mostly because they want to know that their puppies are going to good homes.

Many breeders will give those who are in the running for one of their puppies a questionnaire to complete. If you are an experienced dog owner and you can create a lifestyle that is enjoyable for the dog, then you will jump through this first hoop with flying colours. Having said that, if it is down to the wire (in some cases it is), then you want to put your best foot forward.

Here are some of the more complicated questions our breeder asked us and how we replied.

1.Why are you interested in purchasing this dog?
We are a young couple who recently became engaged and bought our first home - a two-storey house with a big backyard screaming for a dog to play around in it. We have wanted a dog for quite some time but we wanted to wait until the time was right.

We love this breed as we have had them before so we are well versed in the requirements of this breed.

2.How many members are there in your family and what are their ages? This includes other pets.

We are a young couple without children so it would be just our new beloved dog and us. Having said that, we have family and friends who live close by who are often at our place. Some of them have puppies so we are excited to socialise our new pup with them.

3.What is the size of your yard? Is it fully fenced and secure?

We have a decent yard approximately the size of 600 square metres of level land and it is fully fenced and secure. We also have an undercover patio and a laundry room which the pup will have full access to when out in the backyard.

4.What other exercise will you give your dog?

Having had this breed before, we know how important it is for these dogs to get exercise and to socialise with other dogs. We live close by to dog-friendly (off the leash) parks, waterways and beaches and we can’t wait to spend our mornings at them with our new dog.

Our dog will have daily walks (finishing at an off the leash park run around) in the morning and a walk during the evenings. We will take our dog (once it is a bit older) to waterways and beaches on the weekend – hoping it will share our love of the water.

5.Where do you expect your dog to sleep?

Initially we plan on using your crate technique and then gradually moving the puppy into it’s own cushy area in the laundry which overlooks our backyard.

6.What plans do you have for training your puppy?

Initially we will take it to puppy training classes together. We are so keen that we have already researched a couple of programs offered by local Vets and have made enquiries about them… very exciting!

As you can see from the responses above, you need to sell yourself! Be truthful, but include all of those little details that will help your case. Good luck.
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