SimpleSolutionsDiva.com

Simple Ideas

Mid-Summer Patio and Garden Perk-Up Ideas

During the summer, we spend so much time outdoors enjoying our gardens and patios! Time to perk things up mid-summer!  Here are just a few ideas on perking up the garden and patio for this summer!

 

A Lively Border For The Patio

Photo Credit: Courtesy of LandscapingNetwork.com
Photo Credit: Courtesy of LandscapingNetwork.com

So many gardeners use river rocks or gravel as a border for the patio or to fill the gap between pavers. Why not add a little pop of color?  These colorful glass pebbles are easy to find at dollar stores and craft stores – use one color to coordinate your outdoor color scheme, or use multi-colored for a vibrant effect.

 

Change Up That Wooden Deck

Photo Credit: HomeDepot.com
Photo Credit: HomeDepot.com

Have a wooden deck that is in need of an upgrade? Consider painting your deck with an unexpected design, like this patio featured on HomeDepot.com. To check out more pictures of this beautiful deck, Click Here.

For tips on painting a wooden deck, you can find information provided by the experts from “For Dummies” people at Dummies.com.

Finish off your look with updated cushions and pillows for your outdoor furniture – mid-summer is the perfect time to find some new favorites on sale!  Check WorldMarket or  PierOne for some great outdoor pillow sales.

 

 

Add Mood Lighting Through Gardening

Screen Shot 2013-07-08 at 8.26.42 AM

With this REALLY simple project, planters become mood lighting for the deck or patio. Plant favorite flowers along the outside edge of your pot, leaving space for hurricane glass and candle. A beautiful way to bring the garden onto your deck!

 

 

Get Glowing!

Krylon Glowz Spray Paint
Krylon Glowz Spray Paint

Add some nighttime visual interest to your garden with Glow-in-The-Dark spray paint. Choose to paint a pot, stepping stones, or anything your want to highlight in the garden. (Not for use on plants or animals!) Works best on products that have a white base.

Summer Activity: No Dye, Tie-Dye Shirts

Photo Credit: SunScholars.com
Photo Credit: SunScholars.com

Love the look of Tie-Dye, but don’t want the hassle (or the messiness) of dye! Try this great idea from SunScholars.com: Sharpie Tie-Dyed T-Shirts! Rachel of SunScholars.com provides these instructions:

Supplies You Will Need:
  • Variety of Colorful Sharpie Permanent Markers (Tried other brands with poor success)
  • Rubbing Alcohol
  • Something to “Tie” Dye, such as a white T-shirt
  • Plastic Cups
  • Dropper
  • Rubber Bands

Instructions:

** Before you start, make sure you protect your work surface!
Prepare the Shirt!
Place cups, open-side up, underneath, securing with a rubber band.  We placed as many as we could at one time.
Design Your Shirt!
Use your favorite Sharpie colors to make designs on each ‘circle’.  We loved the way dots of color would look in the end, so we added lots of those.  You might want to test different colors, as some spread nicer then others too.
Photo Credit: SunScholars.com
Photo Credit: SunScholars.com
Add The Alcohol! Use a dropper to add a little alcohol at a time to the center of each ‘circle’.  Don’t over-do it!  The alcohol will continue to spread for a while after it is added.
Photo Credit: SunScholars.com
Photo Credit: SunScholars.com
Now WAIT! You need to wait a bit to allow the alcohol to dry (so not to spread on parts of your shirt you don’t want it to).
What designs look like after adding alcohol. Photo Credit: SunScholars.com
What designs look like after adding alcohol. Photo Credit: SunScholars.com
Once it is dry, you can remove the cups and rubber bands.  You may want to add designs on the opposite side of the shirt.
To take a closer look at Rachel’s instructions, Click Here.

Simple Summertime Tip: Swimmer’s Ear Prevention

All you need for Swimmer's Ear Prevention!
All you need for Swimmer’s Ear Prevention!

Pool and beach time are key ingredients for a spectacular summer, but don’t let Swimmer’s Ear ruin your enjoyment! Telltale signs of Swimmer’s Ear include ear pain and tenderness, especially when the ear is pulled or slept on.

You can prevent Swimmer’s Ear by making a simple prevention “kit” with just a few common, household ingredients at minimal cost.

Assemble the following:

  • A clean, small plastic bottle
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • White vinegar
  • Cotton balls

Preparation:

In plastic bottle, mix equal parts rubbing alcohol and white vinegar. Thoroughly dry the outer ear with a soft towel after exiting the pool. Saturate a cotton ball with the rubbing alcohol/white vinegar mixture and squeeze 5-6 drops in each ear canal.

Allow the mixture to stay in the ear canal for a few minutes with the aid of a cotton ball.

Discard the cotton balls when done! And that is it! Use at the end of every pool or beach day.

You can assemble your kit (plastic bottle filled with mixture, cotton balls) in a plastic ziplock bag to take with you to the pool or beach.

 

Swimmer’s Ear Prevention information courtesy of Baptist Primary Care Pediatrics.

How To Fold A Shirt In Under 2 Seconds!

Folding clothes is one of my least favorite chores. Trying to fold a shirt is right up there with trying to fold a fitted sheet in difficulty for me! I find myself watching with envy at the way department store employees so easily fold knit shirts and t-shirts (those GAP employees are masters!).

My friend, Holli, sent me this video and I knew had to share it for all those people who might feel the same way as I do! So sit back and be amazed as the great Dave Hax shows you how to fold a shirt in less than 2 seconds!

(I now have a new skill to practice this summer!)

Simple Summer Solutions and Product Giveaway!

Simple Solutions Diva is looking for simple solutions to make hitting the beach or enjoying the summer easier! Maybe you found the answer to a typical beach or summer problem. Share it with Simple Solutions Diva!  Four great solutions will be featured in a future Simple Solutions Diva post, plus those chosen will receive a Simple Summer Solutions Prize Package with two of MY favorite summer solutions!

My Featured Summer Solutions:

Screen Shot 2013-06-14 at 8.24.37 AMSummer Challenge 1: I like to bring a beverage of choice to the beach, and I do NOT like getting sand all over my beverage cup (just ask my family!).

Simple Solution: Turtlebacks All Terrain Beverage Holder

 

 

 

Screen Shot 2013-06-13 at 9.52.37 AMSummer Challenge 2: I really don’t like getting a sunburn on my face – or the break-outs that some sunscreens can cause.

Simple Solution: Neutrogena Clear Face Sunscreen

 

 

 

How to submit your entry:

  1. Deadline for entries is Thursday, June 27, 2013.
  2. Subscribe to SimpleSolutionsDiva.com using the “Subscribe” section on the upper right side of the page. If you have already subscribed, you are one step ahead!! (Entries cannot be considered without email subscription, so please make sure you use the same email address to subscribe with, as well as submit from!)
  3. Submit your simple summer idea/solution to info@simplesolutionsdiva.com by Thursday, June 27, 2013.  Describe your Summer Challenge and how your solution works. Feel free to include photos (as long as you don’t mind me sharing the photos!).
  4. Please be sure to include your contact information in your email!
  5. By submitting your idea to Simple Solutions Diva, you agree to have your name and idea posted on our website, with no compensation to be provided by SimpleSolutionsDiva.com LLC, now and into the future.
  6. Four (4) Winners will be selected and featured in a future “Summer Time Simple Solutions” Posting. Each winner will be contacted prior to the post and will be sent a Simple Summer Solutions Prize Package, featuring a Turtlebacks Beverage Holder and a Neutrogena Clear Face Sunscreen.

Thank you for submitting your ideas to Simple Solutions Diva!

Boredom Busters: Kid-Friendly Summer Activity Ideas

I’M BORED! Those dreaded words that make any strong mother or father drop to their knees and scream, “What on earth can I do to keep them entertained?!” If this kind of describes you and your summer with the kids, then this topic is for you! I have pulled together some great summer entertainment ideas that will help keep your kids entertained (at least for a little while!).

I have included credit and links to websites where I found some of these ideas. I encourage you to visit the sites – they are wonderful and worth the visit!

 

Photo Credit: OverTheBigMoon.com
Photo Credit:
OverTheBigMoon.com

Homemade Ice Cream in a Baggie! My girls did this yummy project in elementary school, and it is a surefire winner in entertaining the kids! This project is great for older and younger children alike (even us moms and dads!). Recipe credit goes to OverTheBigMoon.com– Adorable website with great craft ideas and more!

Ingredients:

  • Half and Half
  • Sugar
  • Vanilla
  • gallon Ziploc baggies
  • quart Ziploc baggies
  • Ice
  • Rock salt

For each serving you need 1 cup of  half and half, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Pour ingredients into a quart bag and seal. (Blogger did about 3/4 cup half and half and 1/4  cup whipping cream. She said, “the whipping cream made it really smooth and creamy. Do not use all whipping cream though because it kind of whips up and doesn’t freeze as well.”)

Fill a gallon Ziploc bag a little less than half way up with ice and then add 1/2 cup rock salt and the quart baggie with the ice cream ingredients. Then shake it! It takes about 5 minutes to get it a really thick consistency. (Best of all, the kids will be exhausted by the time it reaches the right consistancy!) Once is it done, you can add chopped fresh fruit to make it a little extra special.

When everyone has enjoyed their treats, ask the kids how they think it became frozen. Challenge them to research the answer online. A teachable moment!

 

Screen Shot 2013-06-11 at 8.20.26 AM
Photo Credit:SheriSilver.com

Crafty Orange Bird Feeders. Most kids are naturally drawn to any project that helps animals.  And the reward of creating a bird feeder that attracts beautiful, colorful birds into your yard is a real treat, plus it demonstrates the immediate benefit of the project. This idea comes from SheriSilver.com, a website full of crafty ideas!

Materials:
orange
(4) pieces of twine, yarn or string, cut into 24? lengths
bird seed

With a sharp knife, cut the orange in half – scoop out the flesh. Pierce 4 small holes on opposite sides, about 1/2? from the top edge of each half . Thread one piece of twine through a hole, and out the opposite end. Repeat with the second piece of twine in the remaining holes (you’ll have an “X”). Gather the ends together and tie in a knot. Repeat with the other half. Fill with bird seed and hang from sturdy branches outside.

Photo Credit: wallcoo.com
Photo Credit: wallcoo.com

Family and Friend Dog Show! Gather together the sociable dogs of family and friends, a few props (you can use chairs, skateboard ramps or the slide in the backyard), and lots of treats, and you have the makings of a great dog show!

Let the kids take the dogs into the backyard and have them “train” the dogs to run an obstacle course, perform tricks, or just sit and look cute. The kids get to be creative with their pups, and the dogs get some much loved attention!

 

 

Vine Movie MakerThe Mini Movie Challenge! Encourage those budding movie directors with the Mini-Movie Challenge Using Vine. Vine is an application for your iPhone, iTouch, or iPad, that allows you to create short (6 seconds), looping videos.  I watched my teenager and her friend spend over an hour creating their perfect movie – it had drama, humor, and a murder mystery all in 6 seconds.  Best of all, you can share the movies with family and friends!

For the younger “directors”, you might want to give them a theme to start from.  For the older kids, let them do it freestyle, and just step back and let the creativity flow!

For a Challenge – Try a challenge like the international, 48 Hour Film Project: Break them up into teams. All teams must incorporate the same prop and the same phrase into their movie.  You’ll be surprised how different each film will be!

 

Photo Credit: MommaDidIt.blogspot.com
Photo Credit: MommaDidIt.blogspot.com

NightTime Ring Toss: This simple and inexpensive idea is sure to keep the kids entertained in the evening hours.  Two glow-in-the-dark bracelets, attached together with the connectors (included in packages) and reinforced with tape, make perfect rings for ring toss! Place two wooden poles approximately 10 feet apart, and you have a simple ring toss pit! To make things a little easier, paint the wooden poles with glow-in-the-dark paint.

You can find packages of glow-in-the-dark bracelets CHEAP at places like Hobby Lobby, The Dollar Store, Target, Oriental Trading Company. (15 bracelets/$1.00)

Check out MommaDidIt.Blogspot.com to see this idea, plus many more great, nighttime activities!!

For more great summertime activities, I recommend checking out a few Pinterest Boards:

Summer Ideas For Kids: Terrific ideas to keep the kids entertained throughout the summer! Compiled by Lisa from OverTheBigMoon.com.

Summer Board: Cool summer ideas for decorating, food, games, and more, compiled by Megan Mathis.

Summer Lovin’ Board – A Round up of activities, recipes, style, and decorating ideas compiled by SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

1 9 10 11 12 13 17

© 2015 SIMPLESOLUTIONSDIVA.COM Designed by The Web Design Chic | ADMIN LOGIN