Laura Moreno

Did you know that the second Saturday of January is National Vision Board Day? With two weeks into the New Year, we've gotten our acts together and settled back into our "non-vacay" mode. As a crafty girl, I take my vision board very seriously! It has to be functional. It has to be accessible…and oh yeah…it has to look good! Now, without throwing any shade, let me say this. I've seen lots of vision boards and many of them look like ransom notes. I'm just keepin' it real! All the chopped up magazine words and images can easily come together to look like crime scene evidence rather than an inspiration. To remedy the epidemic of ransom note vision boards, I'm sharing a few of my own crafty tips for making a vision board that works! My first tip for vision boarding is to use you planner as the home of your board. Your planner is always within reach and you can reference your vision board whenever you want. By keeping a planner vision board, you'll constant...

Your clothes dryer is one of the biggest energy hogs in your house. Turn these 10 tips into habits, and you'll see the difference in your bill. We all know that line-drying our laundry under the sun is the green thing to do. Some of us actually enjoy it. But what if you live in a city apartment? What if it's been pouring rain for two days straight? What if you just can't cope with wrangling 75 clothespins today? Thank God for modern appliances. Just keep in mind that your clothes dryer is one of the biggest energy hogs in your house, often using more electricity than a newer refrigerator and dishwasher combined. Nationwide, according to Green Building Advisor, clothes dryers account for a whopping 6 percent of all household electric use! Here's how to dry with less energy - and less money. You can turn these 10 tips into habits in no time. 1. Get as much water out of the clothes as possible If your washing machine has the option, go with the fastest spin cycle. (Front-l...

It's that time of year again! So many pleasant things are happening: the holidays, lots of good food, parties to attend, gifts to give, and visits with friends and family. You might also be reminded that it's finally time to make plans to re-do the kitchen, update the baths, or finish the basement. Your family budget is probably another big thing that's on your mind this time of year. When it comes to updating their home, many homeowners think that getting good design puts remodeling out of reach. The truth is that a high-quality, well-designed project is a great investment that can actually save you money in the long run. What's on Our List? The items on our wish list for you – this holiday season AND all year long – are probably on your remodeling wish list, too. Your lifestyle requirements and budget are at the top. We take a look not only at the budget, but also at creative design possibilities that make the most of everything in the remodeled space: from traffic ...

The winter season brings it's fair share of snow, assuming you live in a region where snow is common. Even so, painting a home in the cold is not exactly ideal, even for painting professionals. Instead of breaking out the winter jacket and earmuffs, it might actually be better to focus on your home's interior instead. While you'll want to get the exterior painted eventually, it's better to wait for a more ideal climate than to brave the frigid weather. Consider these four reasons why interior painting is a great place to start this season.   Take Advantage of Your Holiday Vacation If you're snowed in, consider this perfect timing to take a closer look at your home's interior. Even if you aren't snowed in, chances are you've taken some time off work and have some time to kill anyway. Just make sure you purchase the paint you want to use beforehand in case you do get snowed in. While you're at it, it may be good to purchase other supplies commonly fou...

You are used to seeing ants scurrying around your patio or driveway, ant hills protruding out of your grass, and even ants who've made their way into your home marching in a trail toward your pantry in warm months. Seeing ants in your home in New England in the winter could signal a serious problem, though. What Happens to Ants in Winter In the winter months , most ants go into hibernation mode. Their body temperatures drop and they become sluggish. They prepare their colony for winter, sealing up their ant holes and burrowing into the warmer ground or behind tree bark. How Ants Survive the Winter Unlike humans, ants can go for a long time without food. They eat a lot of food in the fall to fatten up and prepare for winter. They huddle in groups to stay warm and protect the queen in a dormant state. What It Means if You See Ants in the Winter If you see ants outdoors in the winter, it's likely there's been a warm spell that tricked them into coming out to seek food. Once t...

by Ryan O. As we begin the new year, let's look at some of the new trends we are seeing from kitchen interior designers predicted to be big in 2019! The color pair that is everywhere in kitchens: NAVY BLUE/WHITE Navy Blue is appearing in magazines and showrooms right now not as a color for accessories, but as the color of the new kitchen cabinet. This is a darker blue that in some parts of the fashion world, can be treated as neutral as a sophisticated looking hue. We are veering away from the monochromatic kitchen, specifically, the all-white kitchen which requires effort to maintain. This hue is often paired with white and creates a high contrast, elegant look. You will even see a more specific version, LACQUERED NAVY, referring to the smooth lacquer finish of drawers and cabinets. Stylistic without being safe, this sapphire color will be an instant classic. Fans of the series "Doctor Who" have even referred to this color as "Tardis Blue" named after the iconi...

Learn how to start an overwhelming organizing project to make it more manageable and bring order to your space! I admit, there have been times when I have walked into a messy room with the intention of getting it organized and then walked right back out again because the task felt so overwhelming! I mean,... The post How to Start an Overwhelming Organizing Project appeared first on Just a Girl and Her Blog .

Why You Should Start Adding Sinking Funds To Your Financial Plan is a post originally published on: Everything Finance - Everything Finance - Its all about Money! Your washer breaks down and you need a new one. Or in my case, the furnace is near the end of it's life and you need to replace it soon. A brand new furnace can run anywhere from $600 to $2,000. How would you handle the extra but necessary expense ? Instead of using a credit card or borrowing money from others, you can establish sinking funds to help cover the costs. What Are Sinking Funds? A sinking fund is a fund formed by periodically setting aside money for the gradual repayment of a debt or replacing of a wasting asset. In other words, you can have one of more sinking funds. Each one represents a savings bucket for a specific planned expense. Many people confuse sinking funds with emergency funds or believe you only need to have one emergency savings account. Here are a few reasons why you should abandon that think...

No one wants to be the family "celebrating" year round with the tree on display. If there are any grown ups in the house it's time to put the tree away when xmas is over. Get the kids to do it if you can. Here is an easy step by step guide:

You might be wondering what happens to bed bugs in the winter . The answer is; nothing. Bed bugs are not pests that fall prey to cold weather and die off, nor do they hibernate. While they don't necessarily like cold temperatures, they can survive and continue to move from one location to another, causing infestations as they breed. If you discover you have a bed bug infestation, or just suspect that a bug you've seen in your house is a bed bug, there is no need to panic. Bed bug treatments are available to rid your Souderton home of bed bugs no matter the season.   There are several types of treatments to combat bed bugs. Chemical treatments, mattress encasements, and heat treatments are the most popular options. These are all done by professional pest control experts. While some people might attempt DIY methods of getting rid of bed bugs, there are no proven treatments for a homeowner to try on their own.   The most reliable and effective bed bug treatment solution for Soud...

Learn How to Create an Inviting Guest Bathroom Design in Your Bucks County Home One of the best things about the holiday season is having people to stay in your home.  Entertaining guests is important, but so too is creating a sanctuary for them with a well-prepared guest bathroom. To ensure your visitors feel happy and relaxed, good bath design is called for, along with a few extra touches for a guest bathroom or powder room.  1.  KEEP IT SIMPLE As with any bathroom design, invest in a good shower, toilet and sink with a vanity. Make sure there is a mirror and decent lighting for people to get ready. A bathtub probably won't be necessary in your guest bathroom design unless you anticipate visitors with small children. While you can experiment with color in the master bathroom, it's best to adhere to a neutral or monochrome palette in the guest bath. Play with textures and shapes and incorporate a statement piece but try to appeal to everyone's taste. ...

In the northern hills of Tracy, California, a vibrant new master planned community is coming to life. Parks, trails and open space to enjoy. It's all part of what makes Tracy Hills an amazing place. A 14-acre site is set aside for a future elementary school campus within the Jefferson School District. Everyone will come together and form bonds of home, friendship and community. Job centers in every direction are quick and easy. Just coming home is its own reward. Shea Homes® is excited to be part of Tracy Hills, and to be offering a diverse collection of floorplans, with innovative living spaces – for the way you want to live. Our new Vente community features 3 home plans, ranging in size from 3 to 6 bedrooms, and from approx. 2,552 to 3,451 square feet. On-site visits are expected to start in February 2019. Pricing is not yet available. VIEW HOME PLANS More About Tracy Hills There are plans for 45 acres to be devoted to three neighborhood parks, of which one includes a dog park, ...

After making the only New Year's resolution that matters, maybe it's time to use the resulting savings by turning it into an investment. A small business is one option, but they can be costly to maintain. Of course, there's certainly nothing wrong with getting a little help. That's why there are multiple small business financing options to choose from. Most of these are available for almost anyone - even people with bad or no credit. With that in mind, here are some of the best small business financing options for those who may have little to no credit: Crowdfunding Online crowdfunding has been a recent and major innovation for those seeking donations or quick funds. Crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter, Angel Investing, and Indiegogo, have taken the hassle out of traditional business finance and made it more straightforward for young entrepreneurs and small businesses everywhere - even for those with poor or unestablished credit. Gone are the days of acquiring f...

Is fumigation safe? Tenting your home or business and filling it with the gas used during the fumigation process can seem a little scary. You may wonder if the process is safe for your family, customers, and belongings. Yes, the process is safe. Gases don't work like chemicals and pesticides. They dissipate instead of settling onto everything inside the building. This means, once the fumigation process is over, you won't need to worry about any after-effects. Which situations are best treated by fumigation? For termites that exist only outside your home, a preventative treatment is the best choice. However, in certain situations, you may choose fumigation: In sensitive environments or industrial settings with wide-scale infestations Infestation of hard-to-reach spaces Many areas of infestation Which pests are best treated by fumigation? For an infestation in its early stages, other treatment options may work. Infestations that have grown very large often do require fumi...

Nothing can beat relaxing at home in front of a warm crackling fire as the frost of winter sets in. While enjoying the vibrant fire from the comfort of your home, the last thing you want to deal with is a pest invasion. Firewood, either chopped or bought, can contain pests and these pests will enjoy the warmth of your home and start invading. See Below for 3 Tips to Keep Pests Out of Firewood. Keep Firewood Off Of The Ground It is important to keep firewood dry because insects are attracted to wet wood. Keeping your firewood elevated off the ground will help keep the wood dry. There are structures specifically made for storing firewood that you can purchase, or you can concoct your own storage with extra lumber or cinder blocks. 2. Keep Firewood Dry As stated above, insects are attracted to wet firewood so protecting your wood from moisture is key to a pest free home during the winter. Covering the wood with a tarp will protect the firewood from natural elements and keep it dry. 3.  St...

With 2019 just around the corner, you may have a resolution to fix your finances. If 2018 left you in debt, stressed out, maxed out, freaked out or just ready for a change, read on. You would be AMAZED at what you can change in a year. The person you are today, does NOT need to be the person you are 12 months from now. There are so many ways to go about doing this: loans, refinancing, a second job, starting a blog or becoming a freelance writer, transferring credit card balances, seeing a financial counselor, etc., etc., ETC.! But those aren't particularly easy and they certainly are not a way to get quick cash. That's why I've created this list of 7 stupid easy ways to change your finances. Each option is a simple and fast way to start on the path to financial health. Survey Says- Make Some Extra Cash You can pinch pennies aplenty, but if you're not making a lot to begin with, you'll find it's challenging to get ahead.  If you can squeeze in some extra time in ...

welcome mat  //   buffalo check rug  //   kilim pillow (similar)  //   white tassel pillow faux monstera plant  //   black basket   //   modern house numbers Last week we launched the new  Juniper Print Shop !! We are so excited about all of the changes, including the addition of paper prints!! This has been in the works for a long time, and we knew we wanted to get some great video content to help introduce the new site and product to everyone. We had recently taken a tour of the Elm House,   a new Airbnb ( you can see the listing here ) in the heart of downtown Gilbert designed by our friends over at  Bigelow Built , and thought this would be the perfect location to showcase some of our new prints! BOTANICAL II print  //   HUDDLE print  //   KNOTS I print  //   WOMEN print entry table (similar)  //   basket with lid  //  faux tree  //   vintage runner (similar) We tried out multiple looks in the entry, each showing a different way you can incorporate our prints into your s...