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Ghoulishly Good Halloween-Themed Desserts

September 23, 2016 by

Whether you’re planning a costume party or simply looking for tasty treats to give out throughout the Halloween season, there are a number of spooky recipes that people of all ages will love. Here are just three fun, creative Halloween-themed desserts that are just as scary as they are delicious.

Chocolate Orange Spider Cupcakes [parenting.com]
This is a slightly advanced recipe that any avid baker will have fun experimenting with right before Halloween. It involves making your own chocolate cupcakes from scratch and jazzing them up with an orange zest, but the real finishing touches are the cookie sticks and round candies that you’ll use to transform each cupcake into a cute and crawly spider.

Giant Candy Corn Cookies [food.com]
While not everyone is a fan of candy corn, you can guarantee that almost anyone will love this candy corn-inspired cookie. By dying boxed sugar cookie mix with three different colors of food coloring, you can create pretty simple cookies that look just like the popular Halloween candy.

Spooky Witches' Fingers [allrecipes.com/]
For a treat that’s much scarier than most, this recipe is a great pick. While the actual recipe is fairly traditional, molding these cookies into the shape of severed fingers certainly isn’t. Top them off with half an almond to create the “fingernail.”

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Wallet-Friendly Ways to Revamp and Rejuvenate Your Rental’s Decor

September 16, 2016 by

Regardless of how on-trend your decor was when you initially adorned your apartment, it's only a matter of time before you feel like your surroundings are outdated. But when a home makeover isn't really in the budget, you might feel stuck with the interior design you've got. You aren't, though. There are tons of budget-friendly approaches to decorating that can spruce up your apartment. Here are just three of them to get the creative juices flowing.

  1. Upcycle existing embellishments. If your home-decorating instincts take you to Amazon, let your money-saving instincts lead you to Pinterest instead this time. Look for DIY ways that you can revamp that old coffee table or update worn throw pillows. It might be as easy as picking up a can of spray paint or some ribbon and fabric glue.
  2. Frame free pieces of "artwork." You don't have to break the bank on a piece of art in order for it to add something to your room. Prints or photos from magazines and books can have just as great an impact on the aesthetic of your bedroom or living room as expensive artwork. Just find a cheap frame at Target or the thrift store to complement your makeshift work of art.
  3. Break out the sewing machine. If you're handy with a needle and thread, there's a lot you can do in your apartment without spending much money. For example, you can easily create new curtains or pillowcases. These are both simple ways to spiff up your apartment that conserve both time and money.

Budget Decorator: 15 No-Cost Ways to Invigorate Your Space [Houzz]
15 Budget Decorating Secrets [HGTV]
The 10 Most Important Tips For Decorating On A Tight Budget [freshome]

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How to Use Color to Brighten Your Home at BLVD l Loudoun Station

September 15, 2016 by

It’s not uncommon for renters to have restrictions when it comes to making changes to the look of the unit; however, there are a number of other ways to brighten up your space without the use of paint. Here are just a few!

  1. Add a pop of color in the kitchen by mixing and matching brightly hued chairs with a neutral table. Paint your existing set in a bright yellow, rich navy blue, or trendy turquoise.
  2. Set out vases of fresh flowers throughout your home for an all-natural burst of color. Think daisies, hydrangeas, and tulips in equally colorful vases.
  3. Top your bed and sofa with a variety of mismatched throw pillows in complementary hues. While they don’t all have to match completely, choosing one color scheme will help you to keep things looking stylish.
  4. Add artwork from local thrift stores and home decor shops housed in painted frames. You can also try a “dipped” look by painting the entire bottom half of the painting and frame in one bright shade.
  5. Add removable wallpaper that you can easily peel off when your lease is up. Use a floral or striped style on one accent wall for a magazine-worthy look.

20 Ways to Add Color to Your Home Without Painting [Brit + Co]
Top 10 Tips for Adding Color to Your Space [HGTV]
7 Ways to Add Color to Your Dining Room [Dwell]

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You’ve Heard of Spring Cleaning, But What About Fall Cleaning? Here’s How to Prepare Your Home for Cooler Weather

September 9, 2016 by

It's common to clean your home top to bottom every spring, but after a long summer of travel and recreation, it may need a good fall cleaning as well. Use this checklist to clean your home in a way that helps you to prepare for the fall season.

  • Wash all of the windows to remove the stuck-on summer bugs, dust and other summer debris.
  • Give hardwood or tile floors a good sweeping and mopping. Even though most people sweep their floors and occasionally go over them with a handheld spray mop, this is a good time to give them a really thorough cleaning.
  • Vacuum the carpets and shake out area rugs. If you have pets, sprinkle them with an odor eliminating powder before vacuuming.
  • Clean inside of light fixtures. This includes lamp shades, kitchen light fixtures (which can easily be removed with a screw driver), and any outside sconces.
  • Remove all of the contents from the kitchen cupboards and clean them. Do the same with the refrigerator.
  • Do a run-down of all of the clothes in your drawers and closets. Place the clothes that you don't wear in a pile to donate to your local thrift store.
  • Clean any patio or outdoor furniture. If you have a storage area, now is the time to pack the furniture away for the cold season.

Fall Cleaning Checklist [Real Simple]

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Get Fit Without the Gym With These Easy Micro Exercises You Can Do All Day

September 2, 2016 by

If the idea of spending hours at the gym makes you dread exercise, you may be looking for a more enjoyable alternative. Instead of lengthy workouts, these quick micro exercises will help you to tone up and trim down without setting foot in a gym — in fact, you can do them even while you're doing other tasks!

  • Crunchless crunches. Strengthen your abs while sitting at your desk or walking around the grocery store. Simply tighten your abdominal muscles by sucking in your stomach slightly. Hold this move for 3 to 5 seconds, and then release and repeat for as many reps as you like.
  • Break for squats. While cleaning your house or even working in your cubicle, take periodic breaks for squats. Do 5 or 10 squats at a time until you complete a set of 100.
  • Relax into a wall sit. While reading documents at work or watching your favorite TV show at home, do a wall sit instead of sitting in a chair. Use your core muscles to keep you steady, and even work in some tiny pulses in your legs to tone your glutes.
  • Stop, drop and push up. When you're doing a somewhat active chore, such as walking the dog or doing the dishes, stop every few minutes to do a round of push-ups.

Mile Posts: 5 Easy Exercises You Can Do All Day [Women's Running]
Deskercise! 33 Smart Ways to Exercise at Work [Greatist]
5 Crazy Simple Ways to Fit in More Exercise [Women's Health]

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Lesser Known Facts About America’s First President, George Washington

August 26, 2016 by

Born February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia, George Washington is best known for his role as America's very first president, taking office in 1789. However, there's more to the life of this natural born leader, including a pivotal position as a general and commander-in-chief during the American Revolution. Here are three lesser-known facts about George Washington.

1) After Washington's father died in 1743, young Washington looked to his older brother, Lawrence, for guidance. Lawrence helped foster George's interest in military service and the arts.

2) Washington found great pleasure in the maintenance of his vast estate, Mount Vernon, which he inherited upon his brother's death in July 1752. Eventually comprising 8,000 acres, the estate hosted a variety of crops, orchards, and livestock. Washington's final years were spent here; he died in 1799.

3) A difference in political opinion caused a rift between Washington and his Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson advised Washington to side with France during the French Revolution, but Jefferson chose to remain neutral. The disagreement caused a breach between the two politicians that was never mended.

George Washington [Bio]
George Washington [Colonial Williamsburg]
George Washington [White House]

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These Two Wedding Registry Sites Can Help You Take the Plunge

August 19, 2016 by

When it comes time to register for gifts for your wedding, it can be difficult to choose the right places to meet your style and your needs. It’s best to keep in mind that you want high quality items that will last a good while, but at prices that your guests can afford. Here are two great wedding registry websites that will make your decision a bit easier.

Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn’s wedding registry is separated into neatly organized sections that help you to create your registry from start to finish. It features a simple registrant information page that allows you to create your couple profile, and it even enables you to decide where you’d like each gift shipped and your preferences on receiving gift cards from guests. Once you fill out your registry, Pottery Barn also makes it easy for friends and family to find your profile and navigate the gifts that you’ve selected.

Williams-Sonoma
The popular kitchenware store offers an impressive wedding registry site that’s packed full of cooking and entertaining items to help you create the kitchen of your dreams. Easily create and manage your registry with just a few fill-in-the-blank questions, then select the items that you love from Williams-Sonoma’s expansive inventory.

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Design a Gallery Wall These Pro Pointers

August 18, 2016 by

A gallery wall can elevate the style of your space and really make a personal statement about your life and style. However, the process takes time, preparation, and patience. Here are some tips to help you build your own gallery wall!

  • Pick out your frames and create diagrams to help play around with some layout ideas.
  • Lay out your frames on your floor before hanging them on your wall to measure everything out.
  • If you find purchasing prints to be too pricey, use your own photography, pictures of family, or restore old photos to place in the frames for a personal touch.
  • You can also hang up empty frames and collect pieces of art over time so you won’t have to splurge on a lot of pieces all at once.
  • Use one large piece to start your collection, then use different sizes and orientation of the pieces to fill space and keep your eyes moving.
  • If you’re going for more of a classic look, use a nine-square grid layout with even space between each frame.
  • Use sturdy frame hangers to protect your walls and your photos against scratches and nicks.

​How To Create A Gallery Wall [Pottery Barn]
How To Create a Gallery Wall on a Budget [Apartment Therapy]​
The Guide To A Well Hung Gallery Wall [Emily Henderson]

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Want to Be an Astronaut? Check Out These Five Facts!

August 12, 2016 by

Does the kid in you still dream about being an astronaut? If you're still dreaming of walking on the moon, check out these facts from NASA about space suits and walking in space!

1) The temperature in space varies drastically, so it's important that astronauts wear specially designed space suits. The temperature can get as hot as 250 degrees Fahrenheit and just as cold.

2) Without the astronauts in them, a space suit weights 280 pounds on earth, while in space, the suits are weightless. Space suits are custom-made for each astronaut, but there is no difference between male and female suits, except for size.

3) It takes 45 minutes to put on a space suit. Then, an astronaut must wait up to an hour, breathing in pure oxygen, to let the body adjust before going on a space walk.

4) To get used to the weightless feeling of outer space, astronauts practice in their suits in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab, a pool filled with 6.2 million gallons of water.

5) Space walks are called EVA, which stands for extravehicular activity. The first EVA by an American took place in June of 1965. The longest EVA to occur was almost nine hours long!

Visit NASA's website for more information.

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4 Foods to Avoid Before Bedtime

August 5, 2016 by

If you’re the type of person who loves a good midnight snack, you may be wreaking havoc on your quality of sleep without even realizing it. While some foods are okay to eat right before bed, others will make it much more difficult to drift off into a dream state. Here are a few foods to avoid before hitting the hay!

  1. Potato chips. Foods that are filled with grease and fat, such as potato chips or French fries, take quite a bit more effort to digest. With your stomach working overtime, it is much more difficult to fall asleep.
  2. Ice cream. Think twice before having that bowl of ice cream while watching late night TV. Fatty foods like this are also more difficult to digest, which could lead to you lying awake with cramps and discomfort.
  3. Candy. Sugar-packed candies will cause your blood sugar levels to spike, leaving you feeling too restless for rest.
  4. Red meat. If you grab a fast food burger on your drive home after a late night, you may not be able to fall asleep once you actually crawl into bed. Red meats like this sit in your stomach much longer than other types of foods, and your body uses a lot more effort to digest them.

9 Things Your Should Never Eat or Drink After 9PM [Bodybuilding.com]
The 5 Worst Types of Foods to Eat Late at Night [Prevention]
The 10 Best and Worst Foods to Eat for Sleep [Fitness]
10 Foods to Avoid Before Bed [Fox News Health]

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