PLAYGROUND COTTAGES HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS.

Beauty and BrainsPosted by admin on February 28th, 2010

A friend of mine finally followed her dream of being a cosmetologist and enrolled in cosmetology school – we never thought she would really do it, because she is one who is really a brainer, she excelled in everything and would even represent our school to competitions way back when. We all thought she would be a doctor but she wanted a different path. She got the school of her choice through a website called Beauty Jobs. BeautyJobs recently launched a brand-new online job search engine, www.beautyjobs.com. Created exclusively for the beauty industry, the website will connect qualified job seekers with salon and spa owners and others who have beauty, salon, spa, or cosmetology jobs to fill—free of charge.

Lovely StuffPosted by admin on February 28th, 2010

1. I love the frames – it somehow brings me to small spaces but with wide space 2. I love the printed pillows. Not a big fan of poster beds though 2. I love how cohesive the room is even with three different types of chairs, proving again that it doesn’t have to be a set to look good.

I want these for my own space!

Pictures sourced from here.

Great Idea for a Girl PadPosted by admin on February 28th, 2010

I found the picture above here and immediately thought shabby chic. It would be a great idea for a girl’s pad, and I actually thought about my sister who is eclectic. She would love the vintage pieces. I’m sure she wouldn’t be as excited about the pink couch as she is very anti-pink! But she would love the purple walls.

Zooming in the CaribbeanPosted by admin on February 28th, 2010

What better place to travel to when you want to unwind, relax and just chill than the Caribbean? The white-sandy beaches which have always been a famous choice for destination weddings is not only perfect for weddings but also for vacations. The Karisma line of hotels has a resort suited for people from all walks of life! The Azul Beach Hotel Resort, for example, sits on a beautiful stretch of the Bahia Pentempich beach in Puerto Moreles, and has re-opened this season after being completely redesigned. With just 98 rooms with many family-friendly amenities, Azul Beach Hotel offers families a new way to vacation. Parents are pampered with adult-sized indulgences as well as extras like strollers, cribs, baby milk heaters, beach games, coloring books, refrigerators for milk and medicines, and even kid-sized bathrobes. Beach buffs will revel in the services of dedicated Beach Butlers, offering the ultimate in service and sun bathing convenience, including soft towel service, refreshment deliveries, tanning products and water vaporizers.

A Nice Idea for Displaying Your Kid’s MasterpiecesPosted by admin on February 26th, 2010

SOURCE

Plans for the SummerPosted by admin on February 25th, 2010

I have been going over our forecasted budget vs savings to see if we can afford to travel this summer, not far but a resort. It would be nice to treat the kids out and swim. We have not been doing that for the past three summers. I think we can squeeze one in, though not as grand as we want it to be. We need to make sure we don’t spend the kids’ enrollment money and the money set aside for the policy we decided to get among the insurance quote policies we read through.

House RepairPosted by admin on February 25th, 2010

So my mom and I were talking yesterday and we were talking about the little things we need to have to make our closets more orderly. It is cheaper to buy than the rv repair they need to do so we dealt with that first. I really want to finish my son’s room, hopefully next week and have cable installed so I can finally invest on a washing machine and a new dining table. The expenses are endless!

CollectiblesPosted by admin on February 23rd, 2010

I am a collector at heart. I have been collecting knick knacks and all sorts of things since I was little, from stickers to stationeries to pocketbooks then letters, clothes, shoes and bags. Now that I am married, I try to control my collector side because it usually translates to clutter all over the house. I married a collector/clutterer as well, that’s why! I am thinking of starting a collection that will be invaluable (in terms of money) in the future, like coins or designer bags or jewelry! These lladro collectibles can qualify as such.

I am sure Disney die-hard fans would love to get their hands on this collection! This is the all Swarovski Disney Snow White collection valued at $1,025.00!! In ten years, who knows how much would this set cost!

You can invest on anything Mickey Mouse too. This is valued at $125.00 (Dimensions: 1 13/16 x 2 3/8 inches.)

Summer PlansPosted by admin on February 23rd, 2010

Summer is upon us and in three weeks, school is out. I will two of my kids home all day and the very thought of it makes me go into panic already! My kids don’t handle boredom really well, they will be at each other’s throats and I am pretty sure our house will ring of scream and cries. AS early as January, we were already thinking of what to enroll them with during the summer. Time, transportation and cost are all essential factors that’s why we have not decided until now. My son wants to take singing lessons while my daughter I’d like to enroll in ballet. I want them to be involved in sports too so swimming is also in line. The problem with my son is he wants to learn everything. In addition to voice lessons, he wants piano and guitar lesson in addition to taekwando classes and swimming lessons.

Tooth AchePosted by admin on February 23rd, 2010

I have this one big problem on an upper tooth of mine. It has been giving me a lot of pain every now and then, and my dentist has recommended a root canal be done and a jacket afterwards. I have no problems with the pain and hassle of going there every few days but my dentist was honest enough to admit that root canals make teeth very brittle as they kill nerves and the blood supply to the tooth. And if I am not careful with it, it might crack (that’s why it is brittle) . In very rare cases, it gets infected again. All that expense for nothing! I might as well have it extracted but I cannot bear to accept that I will have missing teeth. Sure there are dental implants in San Diego available and I can try them but nothing beats the real tooth. Don’t you agree?

Free Standing GrillsPosted by admin on February 23rd, 2010

I am sure when you have a patio or deck in your backyard, chances are you also have a BBQ grill – it is a staple when entertaining guests at home outdoors. It makes your life easier as well because cooking food at BBQ grills is so easy that you have time to mingle with your guests. And anybody can take over to watch the food grilling too!

If you are serious about grilling, ask ask around and you will get the same answer which brand is considered to be the best there is – lynx grills. I know not all could afford it though so I made some research on other recommended grills. I specifically looked for free standing ones because I love the portability it can give – plus the cook for the day wont need to be so far away when entertaining.

The free standing fire magic grills lets you have a party anywhere in your backyard. You have a virtual bistro/grilling station in your shady deck or sunny pool patio!

If you want the free standing grill, you can get the E790s Freestanding Echelon Fire Magic Grill with Rotisserie.It has a rotisserie on its back burners, a wood chip smoker drawer, advanced meat temperature probe and two 110V electrical outlets!

You can have the choice of installing a power hood, infrared burners, use natural gas or propane, a flush mounted single side burner or double side burner, a solar grill and a magic view window. What is great about Fire Magic outdoor grills is that they have advanced heat zone separators that discreetly divide BBQ grills into areas of greater or lesser heat – imagine all the food you can cook in its entire 792 square inches! If you are selective with grills because of the taste it gives (some people prefer charcoal grills because it produces more flavored good than gas or electric ones), fire magic grills have echelon patio grills that have wood chip smoker drawers with dedicated burners, to satisfy friends and family with homemade smoked delicacies.

In Search for the Best SofaPosted by admin on February 23rd, 2010

Our couch at home is a hand me down from my mother who had it made for our very first home. In fact, it is the same age as me, 29 years young! I love it, but my connection to it is only on the emotional and sentimental levels. I know we need a better and more functional sofa soon. I just do not know what to do with my “heirloom” – I would not be able to get rid of it I am sure.

It doesn’t stop me from looking at sofas online though. I want something comfortable enough but would stand on its form in the many years to come. I do not want something bulky as we have a small house. I am saying no to leather seats as we live in the tropics so I do not want sweat marks all over my sofa. Besides, it will be too hot to sit in.

A fabric cover would be better, but I want one which is loose so it can laundered and replaced with alternate covers. With two growing kids I know there will be crayon marks, food spills and accidents all the time. With changing covers, I can change the look of our living room too.

This Charlotte 3 seater sofa from SofaSofa is what I actually have in mind:

You can change the sofa pillow covers too in prints so it will be more lively. It comes in the available colors: Natural, Sand, Coffee, Burgundy, Blue , Ivory, Russet, Chocolate

Here is another example on how you can play with prints:

Pair them with a nice couch, coffee tables and lamp and you have a very nice and cozy living room!

I Love These Rooms!Posted by admin on February 18th, 2010

If I had rooms as lovely and as orderly as these I would have needed less wrinkle lotion on my face.

1) I love the color and the shelves/storage system. The green paint is soothing and the little tea service is perfect for my girl. The bay windows and couch is something I love in my own room.

2)I love the blues and browns – the design of the room itself is appealing. Id love this to be our master’s bedroom.

3) This would be perfect for my little boy. He loves to read!

4) Perfect for my little girl!

IKEA Model RoomsPosted by admin on February 18th, 2010

Who isn’t in love with IKEA? I love to browse their catalogues whenever they have a new one out. It helps to indulge myself in their ideas – their rooms are pretty yet functional, stylish but modern and seem to be low-maintenance. Not that much can be said about acne vitamins (you need to consistent in taking them and they can be such a pain if you develop allergies to it!)

Here are model rooms that will make you drool!

Pretty and white, but still lived in
I love how this room shows that you don’t need to always use pretty decorative boxes. Clear plastic containers are no fail, and even I use utility shelves in my office. For a busy lifestyle and tight deadlines nothing beats it. And this image shows that it can look nice as well.
Oh how I would love to have a daybed in my office…I’m just afraid that I would use it as a "sleep all day" bed

Amazing storage and workspace!


Isn’t this bedroom glamorous?


All images via Ikea

Daphne LinensPosted by admin on February 18th, 2010

While Daphne Osena is known as a journalist/urbanista who has great skin as she is an endorser of Olay (a brand of day creams and moisturizers), she has recently branched out with her own line of linens called — surprise! — Daphne Linens!

It is one of my goals to own one of her lines, the duvets are luxurious and would rival the 300 ct of other linens abroad.Plus her designs are just classic.

Here are the lines I like:

The Classic Line: Great Lake
Women who prefer the absence of color in their wardrobe will rest easy on Great Lake. It has a quiet sort of elegance whose embroidery of dots gives it a dose of whimsy.

Vibrant Chic Collection: St. Tropez
Posh is the name of the game and those who live and breathe it have an understated form of luxury about them. Waves of blue rope cut across the sheets calling to mind those ladies who yacht.