Finding Style For A Modern Home

In the world of modern home decor, there are way fewer rules than there used to be. Unlike in the past, other people won’t judge your home if it meets certain styles, instead opting to enjoy its unique nature. Of course, though, choosing something other people like is hardly an issue when finding your own preferences is just as hard. So, to help you out, this post will be exploring some of the best ways to find your own style when decorating your home.

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Inspiration

At the very beginning, you’ll want to start by gathering just a little bit of inspiration. You won’t be copying other people’s ideas, but, rather, will be using them to come up with your own. To achieve this goal, though, you’ll need to look in the right places.

Social Media: Websites like Instagram and Pinterest are arguably the very best around for this sort of research. Using simple tagging systems to help you search and find the items you want, these sorts of services are perfect when you’re looking for new things. Of course, though, you will want to look very regularly to make the most of them.

Stores: In a lot of cases, the very best way to inspire yourself will be through seeing something in the flesh. Finding options like modern and contemporary armchairs to match a room will be hard without seeing them first, and you might have to go to a store to do this. To make this easier for you, most companies will have websites to give you an idea of what they offer.

Finding Items

Once you have an idea of what you’d like for your space, you can start to look for ways to get your hands on it. In most cases, people will want the easiest option to achieve this sort of goal, though this may not be right for you.

Cheat: If you simply want a piece of furniture without any hassle, buying your piece from a store will make it a lot easier than making it yourself. But, you won’t have as much freedom. To get the items with the most intrigue, secondhand stores will often stock options which can’t be found anywhere else. This can be a great way to cheat your way to some unique rooms.

Use Your Creativity: Of course, though, for the best results, you might have to do some of the work yourself. Thankfully, resources like scaffold and pallets can often be found for nearly nothing online. With the right tools at your disposal, these sorts of materials will be easy to make into furniture which will turn any head it comes into contact with.

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start working towards something different with your furniture. A lot of people will spend a huge amount of money on interior designers and other professionals to help them with this. But, with the right effort, you can avoid this expense, relying on your own eye for design instead of theirs.

Human Interaction: The One Thing that Technology Can Never Surpass

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Technology is constantly being improved upon. We live in an age where more and more things are becoming computerized. Sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming. People are losing their jobs to machinery, which can complete tasks more accurately, efficiently and for a lower cost than any person realistically could. Robotic arms man factory lines. We pass our items through scanners and onto scales while doing our grocery shop. Self-driving cars are now even in the process of development, threatening the livelihoods of chauffeurs and taxi drivers the world around. The examples are endless. While this is impressive, there are certain things that technology just cannot replace. 

A prime example? Real human interaction. Here are a few areas where humans just really do the job best.

The top 4 formal gown designers in 2017

The holidays are fast approaching and that means that there will be many parties that you might have to attend in the coming weeks. While some parties may just require you to wear casual clothing, you may also get an invitation to attend a celebration that will require you to wear something a little more formal than your usual party get-up.

The clothes you wear is just one of the things that make a big impression on people. You want something that will show off all of your positive attributes and leave a stunning impression on anyone who sees you. 

There are so many formal gown designers out there that you may become confused. Some might even start to look the same and you may think that you should just get a cheaper version since they look alike. But you should think of your formal gowns as also an investment. After all, you can just wear them in the other special occasions you need go to. And if you purchase your gowns from well-known designers with good reputations, you can be sure that your gown will last you many years.

Low Ceilings? Here's How to Get the High Ceiling Feeling

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Ceilings aren’t the most pressing concern for most homeowners, but they do have a pretty big impact on how a space feels and how it is viewed. When ceilings are high (or at least feel that way), the space feels bigger and your home seems to be freer - you don’t feel so much like you’re living in a birdcage!

If you have low ceilings and you’re bummed out about it, the good news is that you can do various things to make them look higher and give your home the spacious high ceiling feeling. Here are a few:

Install Uplighting

Uplighting fixtures, when installed on the walls will draw the attention upwards and make the ceilings seem higher, while also creating a cozy warm feeling in any room they’re installed. They are also one of the simplest ways of getting the high ceiling feeling on your property.

Takeout Tall Furniture

If you want your ceilings to appear expansive, then it makes sense to remove tall pieces of furniture, which will dwarf the size of the room. Choose low profile pieces to maximize the space between furniture and ceiling and things will start to feel a whole less cramped pretty fast.

Windows as Far as the Eye Can See

If you're up for a bigger renovation project, installing windows that stretch from floor to ceiling, bringing in more brightness and reflecting everything around them, will instantly give the place a lift and increase the sense of space.

Don’t Be Afraid to Go Big on the Ceiling

Because people with low ceilings tend to choose smaller lighting fixtures and fans, if you’re brave, choosing large ceiling fans or impressive lights can give the impression that you have more space than you really do. As long as they aren’t too low hanging, you should be fine.

Try Striped Wallpaper

If you like stripes and you’re cool with wallpaper, decorating your walls with vertical stripes will ‘lengthen’ your walls and give the impression that your ceilings are a bit higher than they, in reality, are.

Becoming A Healthier You!

Becoming healthier is what a lot of us aspire to when it comes to self-improvement. It might be doing away with a bad habit, or using some new products for your skin and hair. However, sticking to a new routine can be hard, and so we need to make it easier for ourselves or come up with a little more willpower. You can feel both healthier and sexier in yourself, and looking in the mirror can become a real treat in the mornings! We could all do with a little more discipline with ourselves when it comes to rearranging our lives, so here are few tips on what you can do for yourself and how. 

Image From Pixabay

Try Eating Properly in the Mornings

It might not do wonders for your health, but it does make us feel a little better about our lives. That little saying about breakfast being the most important meal of the day has a lot more truth to it than we realized when we were younger. When you start to eat breakfast in the mornings, either before work or college or with your kids, you’re going to feel a little more energy in yourself and happier about your outlook on life.

When we have some good food in us, we feel a lot stronger and ready to take on whatever an early morning rush hour can throw at us. Yet, a lot of us skip this meal for various reasons, with the most popular being ‘I have no time for it’ or ‘Eating that early makes me feel unwell.’ However, you can spice up your breakfast to make it more suited to you. 

If you struggle to keep something down that early in the morning, work up to it. Have a couple of crackers and some water when you first wake up, and then have some proper breakfast a little later. Similarly, you don’t have to eat heavily and get some good fiber from a spoon of yogurt, fruit, and fiber cereal. 

Try Out a Detox Program

Having either a full body cleanse or something that’s going to target specific organs in your body can make you feel a lot better, flush out your system, and make you feel lighter and healthier in your step. When it comes to a detox, you can invent your own, follow someone else’s, or book yourself into a good ol’ spa day. 

Detoxes can give us the necessary vitamins we’re missing, and show us where we’re going wrong with our usual diets. So you don’t have to feel hungry just to give yourself a good cleanse, and you usually don’t have to go without anything you don’t want to give up. However, when it comes to drinking soda, or eating too much chocolate, with a detox we can introduce ourselves to a cutdown and steadily make some progress. 

Yet sometimes we’re going to need a little help with the habits we want to break. For the more heavier cases we need to deal with, there’s plenty of centers offering targeted and varied detox programs, such as Serenity at Summit Detox Program. Specialists working on the job with you (and doing a lot of the work for you!) makes for some good relaxation!

Work Out Those Muscles

Muscles are what hold up a lot of people’s status when it comes to magazines and photo shoots, a and no matter who you are, you can work up some pretty good body sculpting that’s healthy and looks great. Putting on a little bit of weight isn’t bad for anyone, but when it’s in the form of muscles, it’s a lot better for both our strength and cardio. Becoming like the pros can make us feel a lot better in terms of our self-esteem and confidence to wear what we want. 

You don’t have to be constantly hitting the gym to build up some muscle, and you can do some pretty good own workout moves at home. For some good toning, try out some weight lifting, and go a little heavier at first than what you can manage. Work out multiple joints at once with crunches and lunges. Try and bulk up your diet a little with some good protein foods, like plenty of vegetables, some eggs in the morning, or a little extra steak at the weekends! A workout regime doesn’t have to be boring after all!

Truth be told, living healthy doesn’t have to be an exclusive club through expense and time consumption! 

5 Key Symptoms You Should Never Shrug Off

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In life, we all get ill. It’s something that’s not always avoidable. But sometimes, those illnesses are less severe than others. And some are so much easier to pinpoint than others. Like a cold or a sickness bug, you often know what you’re dealing with. But that’s not always the way. Sometimes, you feel under the weather or suffer from poor health and never really know why. When you’re a stoic, you tend to shrug it off and not let it bother you, but that’s not always the best approach to take. Although it’s easy to ignore some symptoms over others, that’s not always wise. So if you want to remain in good health, here are five symptoms you should always get checked out.

Headaches

Headaches are always a key sign that something’s wrong. Sometimes, you’ll get a headache due to dehydration or stress. But these are likely to go with you’ve rehydrated your body, or managed to relax a little. It’s when you get persistent headaches that you need to do something about it. If you’re not able to get rid of your headaches, or they’re more like a migraine, you need to monitor your experience and see your doctor. Headaches can be a symptom of a serious underlying illness, so don’t shrug them off if they are very persistent.

Neck Pain

Next up, there’s neck pain too. And this is another of those things that we all tend to suffer from at some point or another. Whether it’s something serious like a cervical herniated disc, or something trivial, you need to monitor it. Again sometimes it’s stress or tension causing the aches. But you should be able to work this out based on how easy it is to ease off. But if not, you need to consult your physician ASAP.

Back Pain

Similarly to neck pain, back pain is also a big indicator that something is wrong. Depending on where the pain is, you may need to seek urgent assistance or try to record your experience so you can let your doctor know. Either way, don’t just assume that having “a bad back” is normal. Because you could nip an issue in the bud if you act early enough.

Rashes

If you ever find yourself with a rash, you will need to monitor it. Doing some research on skin rashes will help you here. And some are obviously a flare up from heat or an allergic reaction to something, whereas others are more serious. And you need to be able to identify what your rash could be signifying.

Dizziness

Finally, there’s also dizziness to think about. Because if you do ever find yourself dizzy on the odd occasion, it’s easy to ignore. But sometimes, if it’s happening regularly, it could be trying to tell you something. From exhaustion to food intolerances, there’s a lot that a dizzy head could be trying to tell you. So try to rest up, and if it persists, go to your doctor with an explanation of what’s happening, and they should be able to go from there.

Kick Your Shame Aside And Dare To Bare Those Legs!

If you’re shy about baring your legs or even plain ashamed of them, you’re not alone. More and more girls are opting for leggings and trousers instead of wearing gorgeous skirts and dresses. There are so many reasons why we choose to hide our pins. So why not put your worries aside? Here are just a few of the ways you can kick those legs back into action and back into a dress:

Exfoliating

If you sit all day or stand all day, your poor legs are likely to swell and ache. They need to move about to get the circulation pumping. And when you’ve had (or about to have) kids, you might be risking varicose or thread veins by not doing anything about them. Swimming is the easiest way to get them moving. But did you know that simply exfoliating them can help the circulation and give the skin a healthy, silky glow at the same time? Slough away the tiredness of your legs. Finish with a light moisturizer.

Don’t hide your legs - let them be free! Picture at Pexels

Hair Removal

OK, so this is probably the main reason we’re covering up our legs, right? So get rid of the stuff! Razors are quick and easy, but they’re not best for long-lasting results or healthy skin. Try a sugar wax for a natural and long-term result that leaves you soft and silky smooth in just half an hour. Contrary to popular belief, shaving is more likely to cause ingrown hairs than waxing. Other options include creams, laser reduction, and epilating. Wax might sting for a moment but doesn’t hurt at all after that. When the skin is rested, why not use a moisturizing tanner to give those legs the glow they deserve?

Toning?

Do you have to tone your legs to get them out? No! Just be you. Your legs are beautifully shaped just as they are. Heels can help create the impression of a toned calf and longer leg. But what really shows off your gorgeous shape is the cut of your skirt or dress. There are several shapes of skirt and several lengths too. If you have very thin legs, you might prefer a pencil skirt that comes to the knee. Curvier legs look amazing in A-lines and longer lengths. 

Embrace your femininity with a skirt or dress. Picture at Pexels

Dresses and Skirts

Your body shape might determine the length or type of skirt that suits you best. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any exceptions to those ‘rules’ though. Why not click here to browse a dress boutique online to get an idea of all the different options available to you? Don’t forget, you can always pick a top that is bright or shapely to attract all the focus if you’re still worried about your legs.

Shorts and Hotpants?

OK, so we’re not teenagers anymore. Does that mean we can’t wear skorts, shorts, and hotpants? You can wear whatever you feel comfortable in. Clothing isn’t age-restricted, after all. However, there might be some occasions when a little length is more appropriate! If you’re daring to bare, why not go all-out though? Love your legs, and let them be free.

Keep An Eye Out For These Behaviors In Your Pets

Being a pet owner is often a journey of discovery, one on which we often have to decipher different meanings from the same signals in our pets. We can’t apply a universal rule to their behaviors in the way we can with humans, and they can’t tell us in our own language what’s wrong, so it’s time to get down to their level. 

If you’ve been a pet owner for a long time, or you grew up surrounded by dogs and they were your best friends, then you’re going to know a little more than the average person about how to keep your pet happy and healthy in your space. With that in mind, here’s a few tips on what to look out for that means something is wrong, and why punishing a pet may make it go a little more awry than you thought. 

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Give Yourself An Easy Makeover

Everyone seems to have their own beauty tips these days, and that could very well be true. Experimenting leads to discovery after all, and thus there’s a lot of different ideas out there about what you can do for your look in terms of having a spa day that’ll change your outlook on life; we’re talking makeovers! Here are some tips for making a makeover easier to accomplish, and simple to carry out. 

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Jolly Cow Chocolate Milk: A #NewDiscovery for Mommies!

Motherhood is always special and unique – it is an endless journey that’s filled with a lot of new discoveries in every season or occasion. Additionally, they’re the one who makes the joy complete with memories of hugs, giggles, and grins that leaves a mark all days of her kid’s life.

In the digital age, most moms want to share their experience and journey as a mother to other people – sharing their parenting hacks, relationship advice to matters of the heart and home, and new discoveries – through blogging.

For Annalyn Zolgman, a mom blogging for 13 years and a business owner at the same time, finding something new for her kids is always what she wants to share with her followers. “I’m a hands-on mom but I also make it a point to keep my schedule balanced and on track with the trends for my family. I want to keep my followers updated with the trend or what’s the best food for them to try or eat during their recess,” shares mommy Annalyn.

New Discovery

Just like Zolgman, most mommies are always in search of something delicious, fun, and healthy for their kids, that’s why it’s no wonder they’re the first person in the know about things worth discovering. Being a super mom requires a lot of talent in pleasing the discerning palates and cravings of their family.

A group of moms with their kids were gathered for a taste of this creamilicious drink that might be their new discovery. The fun begins when kids described their first sip as ‘clouds of heaven’, ‘super

chocolatey’, and ‘yummy’.

Their new discovery is all about Jolly Cow Chocolate Milk sourced from Europe. A chocolate milk

that has chocolicious taste, made from 100% pure cow’s milk and real cocoa.

“Jolly Cow Chocolate Milk is one of the best discoveries I uncovered this year. I can also enjoy it with different types of milkshakes, smoothies, and popsicles. I can’t wait for my other mommy followers to also discover this for their kids,” Zolgman proudly shared.

Everyone loves Jolly Cow Chocolate Milk’s rich and creamy quality, both kids and all the family members can’t get enough of enjoying it at any time of the day. Jolly Cow Chocolate Milk is one of the best new discoveries of most moms to their kids, since one of their simple pleasure is getting to enjoy a chocolate milk that tastes so good. Although trends come and go, a classic and creamy chocolate milk is always a treat.

“The popularity of Jolly Cow Chocolate Milk comes from its quality and taste that are truly loved and enjoyed by kids. So why not bring home a dose of happiness and enjoyment in every sip of Jolly Cow Chocolate Milk? Moms, this is a new discovery that even the whole family will love!” said Fly Ace Corporation Associate Product Manager for Jolly Cow, Ersanti Regi Santos.

Share your thoughts, watch and share the video, go to @JollyCowPH on Facebook. Jolly Cow is

available in major groceries and supermarkets nationwide, it comes in one liter and 200 ml tetra pack

sizes.

Hоw Tо Trасk Yоur Оvulаtіоn

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Wіth аll thе tесhnоlоgісаl tооlѕ оut thеrе tо hеlр a wоmаn gеt рrеgnаnt, іt ѕееmѕ wе hаvе fоrgоttеn thаt оur bоdіеѕ hаvе thе nесеѕѕаrу tооlѕ tо bе оur оwn оvulаtіоn саlсulаtоrѕ! Lеаrnіng аbоut hоw thе bоdу wоrkѕ, and hоw еxасtlу pregnancy саn bе асhіеvеd (bеѕіdеѕ thе оbvіоuѕ) tаkеѕ ѕоmе еduсаtіоn аnd mау nоt bе аѕ "ԛuісk" аѕ uѕіng аn оvulаtіоn рrеdісtоr оr саlсulаtоr. But thе rеwаrdѕ оf undеrѕtаndіng уоur сусlе, аnd іn раrtісulаr, оvulаtіоn, саn bе vеrу rеwаrdіng аnd hеlр уоu bесоmе ѕuссеѕѕful іn gеttіng рrеgnаnt. 

Your Menstrual Cycle

Thе fіrѕt ѕtер іѕ tо hаvе a bаѕіс undеrѕtаndіng оf thе mеnѕtruаl сусlе. A nоrmаl, hеаlthу wоmаn thаt is nоt оn bіrth соntrоl wіll hаvе a period bеtwееn еvеrу 21-34 dауѕ. Thіѕ mеаnѕ thаt frоm thе fіrѕt dау оf оnе реrіоd tо thе fіrѕt dау оf thе nеxt реrіоd tаkеѕ аbоut 21-34 dауѕ, dереndіng оn thе wоmаn. Thеrе аrе 2 раrtѕ tо thе сусlе; ѕіmрlу рut, thеrе іѕ thе wееkѕ bеfоrе оvulаtіоn аnd thе wееkѕ аftеr. It іѕ оnlу роѕѕіblе tо gеt рrеgnаnt іf оvulаtіоn асtuаllу оссurѕ; іf thеrе is nо еgg bеіng rеlеаѕеd, thеrе іѕ nо сhаnсе оf рrеgnаnсу. Thе mоѕt fеrtіlе tіmе іѕ іn thе fеw days рrесеdіng оvulаtіоn. Onсе thе еgg hаѕ bееn rеlеаѕеd and оvulаtіоn hаѕ occurred, іt іѕ nо lоngеr роѕѕіblе tо асhіеvе рrеgnаnсу іn thаt сусlе. 

Sо, wе are tаlkіng аbоut nаrrоwіng dоwn thоѕе few іmроrtаnt dауѕ whеrе thе bоdу іѕ рrіmеd аnd rеаdу tо rесеіvе ѕреrm fоr thе еgg! Wіth аn аvеrаgе 21 dау сусlе, іt wоuld bе аѕѕumеd thаt оvulаtіоn hарреnѕ rіght іn thе mіddlе оf thаt; ѕо, аt аbоut dау 14 of thе сусlе. Hоwеvеr, wоmеn аrе nоt аll thе ѕаmе, аnd оur bоdіеѕ аrе nоt саlсulаtоrѕ. Sо, rеgаrdlеѕѕ of thе сусlе lеngth, thе еxасt dау оf оvulаtіоn саn vary. Sоmе wоmеn оvulаtе аѕ еаrlу as dау 9 оf thеіr сусlе; оthеrѕ nоt untіl dау 20. Thе kеу іѕ tо undеrѕtаnd аnd bе аblе tо trасk thе ѕіgnѕ lеаdіng uр to оvulаtіоn, ѕо thаt nо mаttеr whеn іt hарреnѕ, уоu hаvе a ѕеnѕе оf аbоut whеn іt іѕ tо оссur. 

Tech-Free Kiddie Gifts For This Christmas

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Having a child in the 21st century is great! There are some many gadgets and tech out there to help you in your day-to-day life, and kids can play interactive learning games on the go with the help of a tablet or phone. But, sometimes, you wish that they had the same childhood experiences as you - with playing outside rather than on a game console and beating your brother at monopoly rather than his high score at flappy birds. Well, with Christmas just around the corner, now is a great time to plan some tech-free gifts for your kids.

Bikes & Trikes

There’s nothing better than teaching your child how to ride a bike, and watching them get better and better and lose those training wheels. So why not get them one for Christmas? You can even start your toddler off with one of these popular toddler tricycles. Build up the excitement by having them unwrap their helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads before getting to the bike itself. 

Experience Days

You might have thought these were just for grown-ups, but you can get experience days for kids too. Things like rope courses through the trees (not too high of course!) bodyboarding lessons, swimming with turtles, or even just a promise to go to their favorite activity place will do! You don’t have to spend loads on this gift, figure out something the whole family will enjoy and go with it! 

Make It Yourself!

Whether it’s hand puppets, pom poms friends, or baking - any arts and crafts kit that gets your kid learning and having fun is a winner! You can find them pretty much anywhere and are great for you and your kids. Depending on the age, you might need to help them out, or you can leave them to their crafty devices. Larger versions of make-it-yourself kits are great as a joint present if you have more than one child - it’s something that they can create together, and will help them learn how to share. 

Playdough/sand/slime…

Anything fun and squishy will entertain your child for hours. You can find thousands of sets involving playdough or soft sand. You can even DIY your own slime with this recipe. Turn it into a fun activity by giving your child the ingredients and instructions and making it together. The fun messiness is definitely going to be a treat for them, and having a great time with your child is a treat for you!

Building Blocks

With the success of the Lego movies over the past couple of years, so many kids out there are more than eager to get it all. Obviously, you need to think about the age range here - but building blocks come in all shapes, sizes, and colors - they’re perfect for imaginative play and cognitive development. But they are evil when you step on one during the night. 

NEVER LET LOSE A STRAND OF YOUR PATIENCE

Have you ever been in a situation wherein nothing seems to go well, that no matter how you try to choose the right path, you keep making the wrong turn? Just like having a bad hair day, no matter how many times you comb your hair, it just would not budge.

Life can be challenging at times but there will always be a way to resolve these challenges and come out victorious. Having this in mind will be easy to keep your patience and continue to move forward.

Just like losing strands of your hair due to factors beyond your control, you too can do something.

• Eat healthy – Eating the right food can alter your mood. Having low-level of folic acid in your body can cause anxiety, hence, food such as asparagus, avocado, salmon, and almond are recommended to fight stress hormones.
• Stay calm – Listen to comforting music and reading feel-good stories can help switch you to a calm mood.
• Exercise – Exercise releases endorphins that can relieve you from stress and anxiety.
• Supplement –Taking Vitamins such as B-complex can alter mood swings.

Don’t let your stress factors contribute to your hair loss. Letting yourself succumb to anxiety will definitely show up to your follicles and this can lead to more hair loss.

Hectic schedules and pressure from work, not to mention the pollution and filth outside easily make you feel unease and, at times, irritable. Slow down a bit, have fun and relax. 

Tip 1: The stroke of a comb can give you a soothing feeling while, at the same time, help unleash the natural oil in your hair.

Tip 2: Stay away from getting pigtails, hair weaves, braids and tight hair rollers, which can pull and stress your hair.

Tip 3: Avoid perming, straightening or coloring because they contain toxic chemicals that could cause damage to your locks.

Tip 4: Choose natural. Use NOVUHAIR topical solution. Apply a liberal amount on to your scalp and hair. Massage it gently for -10 minutes to help permeate deeply from root to tip. NOVUHAIR is packed with 19 natural ingredients that help promote growth, nourishment, and rejuvenation of your tress.

NOVUHAIR is available at Mercury Drug and other leading drugstores nationwide. For more information, please contact hotlines 4136570 and 09228830575 from Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm or visit www.novuhair.com.

Say Yes To May's Indoor Party!

It's the rainy season and it's the perfect reason to party with your loved ones. Whether you’re thinking of a grand gathering or an intimate celebration, May got tips on how you can add a personalized touch to your indoor party. Together with today’s famous and favored non-alcoholic delightful drink, May 100% Sparkling Grape Juice, check out the following useful tips on how you can pull off a simple but stand out get together with your family and friends. 

1. Get your theme on.

Catch the attention of your guests in a flash by thinking about a theme they can follow. From the Classic 80’s to Star Wars, from James Bond to Avengers, or from Sesame Street to Harry Potter, think of something out-of-the-box! We promise it’s a great way to kick off your rainy day of fun.

2. Play the right music.

From small talks to nap-inducing activity, an indoor party has a way of boring your guests. Music change that. Start off with a mellow music then pump it up with a playlist that will encourage everyone to tear it up on the dance floor!

3. Impress your guests with finger foods and fondue.

Serve foods like a heaping cheese plate, corndogs, or mini muffins. Easy to prepare, simple to arrange, and exciting to assemble, it’s also crowd-pleasing and sufficiently satisfying. And elevate your indoor entertaining efforts with an epic chocolate fondue to chocolate-cover everything, of course. Try this easy-peasy recipe: In a bowl, combine the bittersweet chocolate bar and chop into small pieces. Add ½ cup milk or cream and melt gently in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Stir until smooth and add milk if the sauce is too thick. Add vanilla ½ teaspoon of a vanilla extract and stir. Dippers could be brownie cubes, pineapple chunks, apple slices, and marshmallows!

4. Let the games begin.

The best way to gather all your favorite people together is to spruce things up with a fun game. Check out Heads Up that’s best for injecting life to the party and bringing some order to chaos! Simply download the app on your phone and divide groups into two for a hilarious guessing game that’s perfect for both adults and kids.

5. Set up a non-alcoholic bar area.

Bring together your guests by setting up a mocktail corner to put your guests in a cheery mood! Fizzy and bubbly, this drink is also guaranteed kid-friendly. So pass around some bottles of certified non-alcoholic red and white variants of May 100% Sparkling Grape Juice that’s made of selected, high-quality grapes from Belgium. You can also up the ante by installing a bar area where guest can pour out unlimited refills of this fun and wholesome drink. To make it even more memorable, serve a mocktail made of May 100% Sparkling Grape Juice and let your guests delight into something fancy. Refreshing and can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of age and dietary restrictions, May 100% Sparkling Grape Juice is delightfully ideal for joyful events filled with light-hearted cheer.

This rainy season, celebrate with people who are close to your heart. Plan out a seriously fun party because there’s always a reason to say Yes to May and raise your spirits when you need a dose of festive fun during the rainy months!

Alden Richards taught kids proper hand-washing with Safeguard in Global Hand-washing Day

Guarding Your Health Starts With Washing Your Hands! (L-R) Leila Florento, PAMET Former President, Leila Florento; Gina Noble, PAMET Executive Secretary; Edna Vidal-Nito Officer in Charge, Division Chief Media and External Relations Division Health Promotion and Communication Service, Department of Health; David Khoo, Safeguard Science Expert; Alden Richards; Carolyn Moore, Secretariat Director of the Global Handwashing Partnership; Jia Salindong-Du, Safeguard Philippines Brand Manager; Ronaldo Puno, PAMET President, and Lito Atienza, Chair of the Committee on Outreach.

In this year’s Global Handwashing Day celebration, Safeguard has partnered with one of the most prominent personalities in the country today to bring attention to the importance of proper and habitual handwashing. The nation’s leading soap together with the “Pambasang Bae” Alden Richards join forces to educate Filipinos on the importance of handwashing through the power of a song.

Alden himself sang the handwashing song and invites every Filipino to make it a habit to unfailingly wash their hands with Safeguard in these 5 “hugas non-negotiables” -- before “mano”, after using the toilet, before eating, after playing and before bonding. And more importantly, to spread the love and not the germs this holiday season.

If you’ve ever wondered the kind of impact personal hygiene really makes on the spread of germs and general health of the public, consider these sobering statistics gathered from the first Philippines Handwashing Index, a breakthrough study recently commissioned by the nation’s leading soap brand, Safeguard.

It has been discovered that Filipinos touch more than 23 other people per day, summing up to more than 90 ‘touches’ a day on average. However, they wash our hands only 5 times a day! There are other shocking findings that show opportunities for improvement on handwashing habits particular on specific occasions:

After using the toilet:

• 7 out of 10 Filipinos CLAIM to wash their hands after using the toilet but—ONLY 2 out of 10 really do.
• A shocking 64% of Filipinas DO NOT wash their hands at all after using a mall toilet.

Before eating and cooking

• It was observed that 60% of females washed their hands with water ONLY before cooking.
• Before feeding the kids, 40% washed their hands with water ONLY.

Before and after bonding:

• 80% of Filipinos DO NOT wash their hands after shaking hands with another person
• 40% of Filipinos DO NOT wash their hands before touching young children

After playing or traveling

• 49% DO NOT wash their hands after using their mobile phones
• 50% DO NOT wash their hands after traveling on public transportation

If these statistics seem particularly innocuous, keep in mind that one of the fastest ways to spread germs and diseases is by human contact and ingesting contaminated food. Clearly, Filipinos haven’t nurtured the habit of proper hand washing, and based on statistics, a great number do not care. There’s a great opportunity to educate citizens that washing hands with soap can effectively remove disease-causing germs and is the most basic way to prevent oneself from getting sick.

Did you know that 1.5 million children around the world die every year due to diarrhea? As shocking as it may seem, diarrhea is the second most common cause of death among kids. UNICEF has declared that pneumonia takes the lives 1.8 million children globally each year. Furthermore, in a study done by DOH locally, it has been found out that pneumonia is the number one cause of death among Filipino children of age 1-14 years. Believe it or not, the simple habit of proper handwashing with an anti-bacterial soap can be an effective way of reducing these incidents.

Bawat hugas, dapat Safeguard hugas

With the arrival of the ber months, these facts will become even more worrisome. The holidays mean more frequent gatherings with friends and family—and with it, the chances of you spreading germs to others increase. “The results of the Philippine Handwashing Index indicate that Filipinos clearly haven’t nurtured the habit of proper handwashing. Which is why Safeguard continues to take active steps to spread awareness on its relevance specifically through the Global Handwashing Day and through the new handwashing song with Alden Richards,” explains Jia Salindong- Du, Safeguard Philippines Brand Manager.

Ultimately, this is a call for every Filipino to do their part in promoting handwashing to keep everyone healthy and protected from germs throughout this season. Make it a habit to wash your hands with Safeguard in these 5 “hugas non-negotiables” -- before “mano”, after using the toilet, before eating, after playing and before bonding.

Share the newest Safeguard handwashing song led by Alden to remind your friends and family about the significance of handwashing especially during the Christmas season:

Made especially for the holidays, Safeguard is launching its Christmas gift sets, which contain Safeguard Pure White Body Wash (400ML), Pure White Liquid Handsoap (225ML) and a FREE loofa. These limited editions packs will be available for only PHP 199 beginning October 15, 2017.

Pregnancy After Miscarriage: How to Ease Your Mind

Most people may expect you to be overjoyed with your pregnancy news after previously suffering from a miscarriage. But, getting pregnant after a miscarriage is usually fraught with worry. In fact, for the first trimester at least, you may be feeling downright miserable. That isn’t because you’re displeased with the news of being pregnant, but you may be terrified that you’ll go through the same thing again. It isn’t uncommon for pregnant women who have suffered from miscarriages to detach themselves from their new pregnancy as a way of putting a guard up. So, how do you deal with it all?

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Find Distraction

One of the best ways of getting out of your own head is to find some really good distractions. During your first trimester you may not feel like doing anything exciting, but that doesn’t mean you can’t distract yourself close to home. If you already have young children, they may be enough of a distraction anyway, but there are other things you can do. For instance, reading a book or watching a movie you know you’ll love. Even playing a board game with your partner could be enough to ease your mind a bit.

Get Professional Help

If you’ve been through a miscarriage before, you may need some extra assurance this time around. That’s perfectly normal, and most midwives are willing to do whatever it takes to put your mind at rest. That may mean additional scans at your clinic, additional antenatal appointments with your midwife and even some counselling if you see the benefit. However, if you don’t feel like you’re getting what you need, you can always take matters into your own hands. At FME you can purchase fetal monitors that allow you to hear your baby’s heartbeat from the comfort of your own home. There’s nothing as reassuring as that sound when you’re worried.

Pixabay

Wait Before You Tell People

The last thing you need is other people getting excited around you when you can’t be. Many women wait until after the first trimester to tell people they’re expecting, even if they haven’t had a miscarriage before. So, keep your precious secret a little longer until you feel more secure in your pregnancy. However, it can help to tell close family and friends who will understand what you’re going through. It’s a large burden to try and carry on your own, so the more support you have during this critical time, the better.

Relaxation Exercises

Your mind is so full of thoughts and your body is going through a tough transition; it can feel like you’re fighting a losing battle. Doing some relaxation exercises, like pregnancy yoga, can really help you to quiet your mind and get some well-deserved rest. It’s also a great coping mechanism for morning sickness and fatigue, so it could benefit you immensely during those tough first few weeks.

The best thing you can do is listen to your body and try to give it what it needs. Don’t be afraid to disappoint people. You come first!

Do You Protect Your Tech?

Most of us have a wealth of gizmos and gadgets in our homes. We might even have a few in our bags when we’re out and about! Without a doubt, you have an arsenal of tricky-to-remember passwords for each one. On top of that, you have to remember all the other passwords for your apps and online accounts. It’s good to protect your personal information and data like that. But what about the device itself?

Lots of us have had a mishap with a smartphone or tablet in the past. Perhaps you just shrugged it off and carried on using it until your contract renewed? After all, we get a new device every year with most contracts. No wonder these devices can feel so disposable! Technology develops at such a pace that it renders devices unusable after just three or four years anyway.

No matter how much you spend on your devices, you shouldn’t really be flippant about it. It’s your hard-earned cash after all. And if you got it on credit, chances are you’re paying well over the retail price for it anyway. Taking care of portable devices is never easy to do. Think about all the places you go with it. Is it tucked safely in a rugged case? You can’t encase everything in bubble wrap, but there are a few ways you can increase your protection.

How many devices are you protecting? Pic from Pexels

The first, and most obvious, is with insurance. Household insurance rarely covers the full value of your device, and might not cover it if you take it from the house. Try to find specialist insurance for that type of gadget. 

The second level of protection is a ruggedized case. This can sometimes restrict the use of the device, though. It won’t protect against every serious knock or water accident either. But it’s a good start for daily use.

The third way to protect your device is to actually repair it if you damage it. With companies like Forever Wireless cell phone repair is quick, painless and affordable. Glass continues to crack and leave your device vulnerable once it is damaged. Get it fixed to protect your tech straight away. 

What about your other devices at home, like TVs and sound systems? This type of tech doesn’t tend to be upgraded nearly as often as phones, tablets and computers. That means it might be even more important to ensure your technology is in good working order. Most of our home tech is just as connected as anything else. Bluetooth and WiFi are the most common ways to connect to these devices. Software and operating system updates should benefit the equipment. Make sure you’re up to date.

Positioning is everything at home. Sturdy shelves, no heat sources, and sensible socket use are essential to protect your tech. Keep kids and pets well away from any of your wires to ensure nobody gets hurt, and nothing gets damaged. How do you protect your tech at home and away?

Avoid Fall House Maintenance Faux Pas

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Fall is finally here, and that means that it’s time to get the pumpkins for carving, stock up sweets for trick or treaters and make sure you have a pantry full of food for thanksgiving. However, it also means that we’re approaching the time whether the wind and rain take their shots at our homes, attempting to do some damage and maybe blow a few tiles from the roof. As such, you have to make sure that your home is prepared for the fall season with a little maintenance work. There are a few tips we can recommend here. 

Get Some Shutter Gutters

Wind and heavy rain equal one thing: blocked gutters. Usually, this is due to the fact that the wind blows up the leaves and other muck to the roof. The rain pushes it into the gutters, the gutters get clogged, and before long you have a smelly mess. That’s right, if gutters are left clogged up for too long, they can and will start to small. 

That said, there is an easy fix. You can get shutter gutters from http://www.guttershutter.com/. Shutter gutters fit over the gutters of your home like simple plastic coverings. Since they have holes in them, the rainwater seeps through, but the muck and mess of leaves and other dirt is kept out completely. As such it is the perfect solution, and the best part is that they are totally easy to install. 

Check Your Roof Regularly 

You might find that there is a hole in your roof, damage left over from a recent storm. It’s important to get this fixed well before the fall weather really kicks into high gear. An issue with the roof can leave your house more vulnerable and may cause issues with damp or even allow animals to enter. Don’t forget, as the weather starts to turn animals will be looking for shelter and if there’s an entrance point to your attic, this could be the perfect place. 

The answer here then is to get a roof inspection. If there is any damage, make sure it is fixed as quickly as possible before the weather starts to turn. Luckily, there are companies like https://www.crownremodelingllc.com/, that can take care of this type of storm damage for you. That way, you won’t have to worry about attempting a weird and potentially dangerous DIY repair. 

Prep The Yard 

You won't get much of a chance to get out in the garden through the fall and especially as the winter winds arrive. So make sure you are preparing your garden. You can cut the grass short, and you won’t have to cut it again until after winter. Grass tends to grow slower through the winter season, much to the joy of all gardeners. As for the rest of your garden, it’s probably time to let it go until spring arrives. 

We hope this helps you prepare your home for the fall season and ensure that everything is in place before winter comes.

Big, Black Mold: The Home Horror You Have To Avoid

The enemy within.

Mold is not a particularly nice topic. It’s something we’d all rather pretend doesn’t exist; we know it’s possible, but that doesn’t mean that we’re entirely comfortable discussing the idea of it. 

However, one thing that’s worse than just discussing mold is living with mold-- especially the pernicious and ruinous black mold. So, in an effort to ensure that your home is always mold-free, it’s necessary to have a discussion about this fungal invader-- and ensure that your home is always a mold-free zone. 

Healthy or Hoax? Rethink These Common Health Tips

Health is a complicated thing. It seems like everywhere you look, you can find advice on how to be healthier. And if it's not telling you how to be healthy, it's trying to convince you that looking a certain way is better for you. It can be really difficult to know what to believe and what to dismiss. Even things that are widely accepted as being good for you can turn out to not be true. The best thing to do is to look at what scientists and dieticians say about how to stay healthy. The health industry is just trying to sell you various products, so they're not the best people to rely on. 

Take a look at these common tips and the truth behind them.

Pic sourced from Pexels

Take Lots of Vitamins

Taking vitamins, on top of what you get from your diet, is recommended for lots of things. It's true that we all need to get a range of vitamins to help our bodies in the right away. And taking supplements can help you if you're not getting what you need from your diet. Many people take a multivitamin or one particular vitamin to help them stay healthy. However, at some point, taking more vitamins isn't going to do anything. For example, vitamin C helps your immune system. But if you have a cold or other illness, taking vitamin C supplements is unlikely to help you, beyond a placebo effect. High doses of vitamin C could help slightly but ultimately won't cure your cold.

Dark Chocolate Is Really Good For You

We all love to believe that the things we're told are bad for us are actually good for us. Unfortunately, you can usually find matching stories for pretty much any food or drink. If there's one story saying it's good for you, you're almost guaranteed to find another that says it gives you cancer or increases your risk of heart disease. One example is dark chocolate. Chocolate does actually contain something called flavanols, which are good for your brain. But to benefit from them, you'd have to eat an awful lot of chocolate. However, chocolate can still give you a little boost by making you happy.

Pic sourced from Pixabay

Cleaner Water Is Better Water

A lot of people worry about what's in their water. Aside from conspiracy theories about fluoride, you still might think that perhaps your water isn't as clean as you would like it to be. Some people think that super clean water is better, and opt to drink distilled water. However, distilled water has pretty much nothing in it. That means all the good minerals are removed, alongside the things you actually want to be removed that can affect the taste and safety of your water. A better option is to buy a water filter, which will remove the bad stuff but leave all the good stuff behind.

Navigating the world of health and diet can be difficult. But if you listen to the experts and look for evidence, you can find out what's true and what isn't.

Transform Your Garage Into The Perfect Children's Play Shed

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If you’ve got a garage that you’re not using for much other than to store junk, and kids that just love to make a mess, why not consider transforming your garage into the perfect children’s play shed? There are a few things you’ll need to do before it’s suitable to play in, and some considerations you’ll need to make along the way. Read on if this sounds like something you and your children would like!

Choosing A Theme 

If you want to transform your garage into a playroom, first consider the sort of theme that you want to create. This will depend largely on your kids, what they are into, and how long you think they’ll be using the space. Turning it into a room based on their favorite kids' TV show is all well and good, but you need to remember that kids change their minds and grow out of things quickly. It might simply be better to go with a theme or decor idea that will last much longer, so you don’t have to redecorate every year. 

If your children are old enough, you could even get them involved by asking them what colors to use. That is if you’re not having the playroom as a surprise! 

Making The Garage Suitable For Children

The garage isn’t often the most suitable place for children to play. This means you’ll need to make some changes before you can let them go in and play out their wildest dreams! Consider the temperature of the garage to start. If it’s freezing, there are ways you can insulate it to make it a more suitable temperature for kids to play. Of course, there are also personal heaters you can use. 

Making sure the garage is clean and tidy is important, so set about having a huge clean and clear out. Ensure there are no pests lurking that could pose a danger to your kids. You may need to get professional squirrel removal or find a similar service. Having the room assessed by a pro could be a good idea, as you may miss some of the signs of an infestation.

The flooring in the garage is crucial. Concrete is fine for parking your car on, but for your kids to play on? Nope! You can look at replacing the floor you have with laminate or carpet. Carpet is the best option if you want something soft and warm that your kids will avoid hurting themselves on. It’s also a great noise muffler, so you’re not going to hear excited cries from your children as they play, and neither will your neighbors. Bear in mind a dark color is usually best, as you won’t always be able to oversee their playtime and make sure they’re not spilling things! If you’d rather not install a carpet permanently, you could purchase a large rug or something to soften and warm up the floor instead. This way, once your kids have grown up, it won’t be too much trouble to remove them and continue using the garage for your car. 

Thinking about installing windows is also a good idea. After all, wouldn’t you like your kids to play somewhere light and airy? Natural light is important for health and development! Installing windows won’t be cheap, but it’ll make all the difference to the play shed. 

Installing a secure TV is another good option. If you also provide comfortable seating, then your kids will able to enjoy their programs and films here, without disturbing you as you watch yours. The TV must be secure, as kids can get a little rowdy at times and you’d hate to find it smashed to smithereens one day. Attaching it to the wall could be a good idea for this reason. 

Lastly, it may be a good idea to get down to your kids level and assess what needs to be changed from there. Are there ways you can childproof the shed further? What will they likely see/bump into when they enter? 

Hiring A Decorator Vs. DIY

Consider how much time you have to dedicate to this project, as well as the budget you’ll allow. This will help you to decide whether hiring a decorator or doing it yourself is a good idea. While hiring a decorator is more expensive, you’ll likely have the play shed up and running much sooner, not to mention completely to a higher standard. Make sure you spend as much as you can afford - don’t automatically go for the cheapest decorator. 

This play shed will be somewhere your kids make memories to last a lifetime, so you want it to look suitable. 

Getting As Organized As Possible

Finally, getting organized is a must. Your kids have plenty of toys, books, arts, crafts, and other items that you’ll want to store. Being as organized as possible is the only way to ensure that the room stays tidy, even when you’re not there to supervise. Stacking boxes are the perfect solution for this, depending on how much stuff you have to store. Make sure you label absolutely everything so that your kids have no excuse for making a mess when looking for certain things or putting things back in the wrong place. 

Ensuring Your Children’s Safety

While childproofing, as mentioned before, can keep the play shed safe, you’ll also want to take other safety precautions to ensure that your kids are as safe as can be while playing. Make sure there are no cords or anything that they can get tangled up in, and install alarms so that you are alerted should anything happen. 

The perfect children’s play shed will be comfortable, warm, look great, and be as safe as possible. You don’t want to have to worry about your kids when they’re supposed to be having fun! Take some of the tips here and you’ll end up with a room that both you and your kids fall in love with. 

Leave your own thoughts and ideas below!

Fine-Tuning Your Home For A Toddler

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Getting yourself a new home is fantastic, it's a new start, and it's a great opportunity to make this home a much safer one, especially if you have a young family. A lot of modern parents have to rent properties a lot of the time, meaning they can only make superficial changes to the house. So if your last home was a bit cramped with lots of items piling up everywhere, what can you do to make it safe, and more importantly, livable for you and your toddlers? Toddlers are very keen to get themselves into dangerous situations of course, so here are a few little nuggets of information to take on board.

Removing Trip Hazards 

There are wires everywhere now, from your television to your iPad, to your laptop, to everything. The one main thing to take away from this is not just to tuck the cables behind things because you know that your toddler can get into so many small spaces, but they will be grabbing those wires and chewing them before you can say Paw Patrol! Instead, cable ties are the way forward, they are cheap, and they will keep everything together. The other trip hazard is usually the toys that your children take out of the toy box and leave everywhere, so a solid solution to this is to create a playpen area where your children can make as much mess as possible. If you can try and limit it to their room, that would be great. The other main thing to be aware of is putting the expensive items out of reach. So this means making the most of the shelves, and putting up shelving where you can, during the first few years of any kids life, danger hazards are everywhere!

The Electrics 

Children love to stick their fingers in sockets so you can purchase some socket covers that go over your plugs easily, which will give you peace of mind. It's also important to check the voltage, and usually, the sockets are low voltage nowadays, but if you have moved into an old house, there is no point in running the risk. Make sure you get the lowdown on the best electricians in your area, for them to do a check on the electrics in your home. The other thing to think about is making sure that large bulky electrical items are stable and secure, such as the television, especially as these high-definition televisions now are very thin and can be easily pushed over. It's important to develop boundaries with your child in this respect (if they will listen to you)!

Baby Gates 

A lot of baby gates aren't built to last, so make sure you get strong ones. If you've got a strong toddler, they will be opening them soon enough. So if you can get good quality ones at the outset, this will give you a bit more peace of mind before they develop that superhuman strength! It is also important to be aware of them climbing over things when they are tall enough, so make sure the baby gates are at the bottom of the steps, not at the top.

The Bathroom 

There are plenty of slippery surfaces in the bathroom, and this applies to every room when you clean your home, and if you've got laminate flooring or material that takes a long time to dry. In the bathroom, the slippery-ness of these surfaces will be a big factor in accidents, so make sure you put down rugs as well as bath mats in the bath.

The safety of your children is always something that will cross your mind, but do you have enough things in place to make sure that they are safe? Try a few of these if you don't have them already.

Freshen Up With These Small Bathroom Changes

Your bathroom is one of the rooms you spend a lot of time in. You're in and out of it all the time, so it should be a room you enjoy being inside. While a big renovation of your bathroom can improve it, you don't always have to take on a big project to make it look and feel better. Some small changes can make all the difference and give you a better bathroom experience. If you think your bathroom could do with being elevated by a new look or just some additional accessories, try some of these easy ideas to give everything a refresh.

Wallpaper Patterns

In the past, wallpaper in the bathroom wouldn't have been a great idea. It would quickly have disintegrated, making the whole exercise of putting it up pointless. But now there are waterproof wallpapers available, which are perfect for use in the bathroom. Feel free to get steamy in the shower when you don't have to worry about soggy wallpaper. You can even use temporary wallpaper, which you can peel off when you no longer want it. Wallpaper will allow you to add fun patterns to your bathroom without any hassle.

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A Stylish Mirror

A bathroom mirror is an essential item for a number of reasons. Whether you're styling your hair or checking your teeth, it helps you with your daily tasks. A lot of people might just have a plain mirror mounted on the wall or perhaps one on the front of their medicine cabinet. But if you want to improve the look of your bathroom, you can make a big difference with a new mirror. One thing it can do is make your bathroom look bigger, which is great if it's a small room. It can also add extra style, improving the overall look and feel.