All Posts By

Mamma Fairy

Home & Interiors

What Is Organic Bedding

Are you looking for new bedding? If yes, have you thought about considering organic bedding options? If the answer to that is no, we urge you to include organic bedding in your search and not just stick with conventional bedding. Just like the organic food we consume, organic bedding is made without any harmful chemicals. Additionally, organic cotton in particular is healthier for both you and the planet and is primarily what organic bedding is made from.

Let’s take a further look as to what organic bedding actually is and why you should consider it as one of your options.

It Is Healthier for the Environment

As mentioned above, organic bedding is healthier for the planet. Organic cotton is cultivated using methods that are friendly to the environment. That means it’s grown without the use of any pesticides or herbicides. It also doesn’t contain any synthetic chemicals or genetically engineered substances. In addition, it hasn’t been treated with any harsh chemical cleaners or fabric treatments.

All of this means that organic cotton really is all-natural. It also takes less water to produce organic cotton as compared to conventional cotton, which is healthier for the environment as well.

It Is Healthier for You

We alluded to this above too, but not only is organic bedding healthier for the environment, but it’s healthier for you as well. Mostly due to the lack of any chemicals being added, organic bedding is hypoallergenic. This means that there’s less of a chance of any skin or respiratory reactions being caused by the bedding. If you have sensitive skin, this is a necessity. Plus, as children and babies tend to have more sensitive skin than adults, organic bedding is a great option for their cribs and beds too. bed

It Tends to be More Comfortable

Do you want to sleep on sheets that are as soft as possible? Switching to organic sheets is the route for you. The fabric, whether cotton, wool, or otherwise, has no contact with harsh chemicals, unlike conventional fabrics. The result is a much softer sheet.

Additionally, in most cases, the cloth is woven, rather than made through chemical processing. This affects how soft, dense, and crisp the sheets feel, both when they’re new and throughout their lifetime in your home. With organic bedding, the quality is apparent even after regular washing.

Another positive is that organic bedding is better at keeping moisture away, allowing for a more breathable sleeping experience. It also keeps you cooler throughout the night. Not only will you have comfortable sheets, but your all-around sleep experience will be more comfortable too.

It Has a Natural Durability

Don’t let the softness of the sheets fool you into thinking they aren’t durable—in fact, the opposite is true. We won’t deny the fact that conventional sheets are more durable, however, organic bedding can be washed regularly and still retain its structure and its quality for a long time.

When organic bedding does become worn, you can feel confident about replacing it and sending the old to the trash. They’ll break down naturally, as they’re biodegradable. This isn’t the case for conventional bedding, which can harm the environment.

It Is Made with Higher-Quality Materials

Organic bedding is made solely from natural ingredients. There are no synthetic components, toxic chemicals, or anything of the sort. This means it was grown on an organic farm, harvested using safe methods, and then cleaned using hot water and vegan-based soaps rather than chemicals.

A conventional farm might use chemical fertilizer or pesticides in the growing process. When it’s harvested, it’s mixed with the oil and seeds of the plant, and followed by the addition of harsh chemicals to clean the cotton. This leads to lesser-quality cotton and might require further chemical treatment to increase durability. A key consideration will also be using organic laundry products to continue to maintain the integrity of your organic bedding. 

It Comes in Different Fabrics

We have talked about cotton a lot so far, as it’s the most popular material. But organic bedding comes in many of the same fabrics as conventional bedding. They’re just created using chemical-free processes. For instance, you can choose from cotton sheets and blankets, relaxed linen, bamboo, sateen, jersey, or wool.

It Does Tend to be More Expensive

One thing we don’t want to be shy about is that organic bedding does tend to be more expensive. However, this is for good reason and worth it. It takes a lot more work to be chemical- and pesticide-free throughout growing, harvest, and manufacturing. And when you choose organic bedding, you’re investing in both your health and the health of your family.

It Helps You Create an Organic Home

You might already restrict your home to organic foods and cleaning supplies, but it doesn’t need to stop with your kitchen and laundry room. Your bedroom should (and can) meet the same high standards. In addition to organic sheets, you can bring home organic mattresses, pillows, duvets, and blankets. If upgrading all your bedrooms at once sounds overwhelming, no problem. Starting one room at a time is a good idea. If you have a baby or young child, start with their bedroom before yours since their lungs and skin tend to be more sensitive.

If you’re looking into new bedding for your bedroom, don’t forget to consider organic products. As you can see, there are many benefits to choosing this option, both in terms of your health and helping to protect the environment. In addition to that, you’re creating an even better quality and more comfortable sleeping experience, and who doesn’t want that?

At Plank and Coil, we have everything you need to begin to turn your bedroom into an organic bedroom. In terms of organic bedding, we have various options of sheets, duvets, stroller blankets, shams, mattress pads, and more. We’re sure you will find exactly what you are looking for.

Note: This is a collaborative post
Features

5 Benefits of Living in a Memory Care Community

Receiving the news that you or a loved one is now in need of memory care can be difficult to hear. It is a very big change of life, both for the one affected by Alzheimer’s or dementia and for their family too. This is why it’s important to do thorough research before choosing a memory care community. You want to make sure the community works for you, your loved one, and your family, in terms of a great location, quality care, professional staff, and a caring environment.

It’s extremely important to understand the difference between memory care and assisted living. If you or your loved one needs memory care, an assisted living community will not fully meet your needs.

There are so many benefits of living in a memory care community—here are five of them.

  1. Highly Qualified Team

When it comes to memory care, it takes a special type of person to be a caregiver. Not only do they need to be specially trained in all of the disease processes that are associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia, but they need to be patient and compassionate too. These caregivers will also need to fully understand both the physical and emotional distress that those they work with are suffering from.

Because of this, our team members in our memory care community are highly qualified and have special expertise that you likely will not find in an assisted living or at home. Furthermore, these caregivers will treat you or your loved one just like they treat everyone else—with respect, with compassion, and with their best interests in mind. We understand that a quality staff at a memory care community can make all of the difference in the experience you or your loved one will have, which is why we make sure that our staff is top-notch, receives the proper training, and is compassionate

  1. Resident-Centered Care

At a memory care community, the residents are the ones who come first. Caregivers work for them, to ensure they’re receiving the best care possible and are still able to live their lives as best as they can. To guarantee this, caregivers learn each resident’s personal history, which allows them to provide an even more personal and familiar level of care. It is so important to do your reach on the facility, after all you are entrusting them with something so precious. I recommend starting by searching your local area using your preferred search engine, using a term such as Chelsea Senior Living at Suffolk County should yield results that you can review and sift through to find and review the facility you are looking for.  It is also worth speaking to friends, neighbours, colleagues who have loved ones in similar facilities for reviews and assistance.  Research such as this is invaluable. 

At BridgeWater, we encourage all of our residents to bring familiar belongings with them when they move into our memory care community to help with the transition. This simple gesture will help you or your loved one feel more comfortable. Additionally, highly qualified team members use special validation techniques to help residents accept reality. In turn, this creates an environment that is caring, comfortable, and safe.

  1. Services and Amenities

A memory care community is more than just a community—it will be your or your loved one’s new home. This is why many different services and amenities are in place to make sure that each resident truly feels as though they’re home, with everything they need in one place.

There are private apartment homes that residents and their families can decorate as they please. There are well-appointed community areas, secure garden courtyards, and specially designed activity programs so that our memory care residents can socialize in a safe and fun way. Assistance is also given in terms of bathing, showering, dressing, and grooming. There are also weekly housekeeping services and 24-hour emergency response monitoring.

  1. Measurable Positive Outcome

First and foremost, a memory care community is a home for you or your loved one. But in addition to this, these communities are meant to help slow the progress of cognitive decline. Because of this, measuring positive outcomes is an important benefit of a memory care community. Here at BridgeWater Assisted Living, we encourage our residents’ communication skills on a regular basis.

Our residents are shown to have improved memory, a greater awareness of sensory and motor function, and a reduced need for any form of pharmaceutical intervention. This helps to decrease anxiety, depression, wandering, and restlessness in our memory care residents. Regular healthcare evaluations are given to each resident, which allows us to track progress and get ahead of a potential health emergency.

  1. Activities Program

Our exclusive activity engagement program at BridgeWater Assisted Living helps create positive wellness and health outcomes as well. Our highly qualified staff is trained in this program too. A combination of music, mindfulness, art, and cognitive therapies are used to keep bodies active, spirits high, and minds engaged. All of this results in residents remaining happy, safe, and healthy.

To supplement this, real-time feedback is also provided to residents and their families. Equilibrium stimulates the brain and measures the feelings of each resident on a daily basis. This allows our team to continually adjust therapies and activities for the resident based on their specific needs, allowing maximum satisfaction and functioning to be achieved.

As you can see, there are many benefits to living in a memory care community. It will ensure you or your loved one is receiving the proper, personalized level of care to help slow the progress of memory loss. It also provides a safe, fun, comfortable environment for all residents to truly feel as though they are home. Additionally, here at BridgeWater Assisted Living specifically, our activities program works even deeper to create positive progress and to allow for more happiness and more positive measurable outcomes.

One important thing to do before choosing a memory care community is to go on a tour. This will let you get a feel for the community, ask more personal questions, and meet the team that will be caring for you or your loved one. We would love for you to come tour BridgeWater Assisted Living. Contact us today. We’d like to hear more about your needs and set up a tour.

Note: This is a collaborative post

Mamma Musings

Make Some Extra Cash by Selling Your Old Belongings

remote work

Pic Credit: Pexels

The New Year has rolled in and many of us are looking for ways to declutter our homes and get a little cash together after the busy festive period. You can achieve both of these things by selling belongings you no longer want or need online. Here’s a quick guide to show you how to achieve this!

Choose What You Want to Sell

Starting out, you’re going to want to know exactly what you want to sell and what you want to keep. This will inevitably involve some decluttering in your home. If you no longer use an item and it has no sentimental value, chances are you might as well sell it to get something else you will use!

Choose a Platform

If you’re going to sell your belongings, you’ll find that you can give yourself the best chance of finding a buyer by listing it online. For instance, if you are going to sell engagement ring, you should find a reliable and relevant store for the same.   Here, the whole world can view what you have to offer and can put in a bid or make a purchase if they see something they like. Of course, you’re going to have to choose a platform to sell from. There are a number out there, including Depop, Etsy and even Amazon for new products. But the vast majority of people do tend to opt for eBay. This is an easy to use online auction and shopping website where you can sell pretty much anything you no longer want – new or used. Of course, if you’re just getting rid of a few bits or bobs, this won’t be all too relevant to you, but it’s good to know that some people make a full time income from selling on eBay, with some eBay stores generating as much as £17 million a year through this site. Selling on eBay is pretty straightforward. All you have to do is list your products. Then people can start bidding on auction products or buy products immediately through the “buy it now” option. Of course, eBay does charge a fee for their services (usually 10%), but this is generally worth it.

Decide Whether You Will Ship or Buyers Will Collect

You need to know whether buyers will collect the item or whether you will ship it to them. This will allow you to add postage costs to the price of item if you are going to ship. Of course, it’s generally easier to post – especially if the item is large. You can compare rates on shipping for all sorts of items, from books to motorcycles, to get the best deal for your customers. If customers do want to collect, make sure you have received payment before handing the item over.

Put Effort into Your Listings

If you find you’re not getting much interest in your listings, it may be because they’re not up to scratch. You need to make sure that you have high quality images of your items and that you give plenty of information in the description, including condition, size or spec and more.

It may feel like a bit of effort to get the ball rolling with this, but once you start making sales, it’ll all be more than worth it!

Note: This is a collaborative post
Home & Interiors

3 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Kitchen

Whether you want to transform your kitchen into a socializing hub or whether you want to use this space solely for cooking, you should seek to get as much as you possibly can out of this all-important room in your home. Rest assured, if you put the advice laid out below into practice, you’ll be sure to do just that.

Here are three things you can do to improve your kitchen:

Paint the walls

A fresh lick of paint will be sure to work wonders in your kitchen. No matter what color scheme you opt for, taking this course of action will help you to banish the cooking stains that are splattered all over your walls. In turn, this will be sure to breathe a fresh lease of life into your kitchen, which is perfect if you do, in fact, wish to transform this space into a socializing hub.

Should you find yourself stuck for inspiration with regard to your color palette in this instance, be sure to consider the following shades. Here is a selection of the best paint colors that are perfect in any kitchen:

  1. Eggplant
  2. Pale green
  3. Marigold
  4. Peach lacquer
  5. Lavender
  6. Cobalt blue
  7. Flamingo pink
  8. Crimson
  9. Marine blue
  10. Coral
  11. Baby blue
  12. High-shine yellow

Alternatively, you could go for darker shades, such as matte black, dark navy, or even midnight blue. Consider if there will be any color clashes before picking the new shade. 

Invest in melamine

Kitchen

Pic Credit: Pixabay

If you want to get the most out of your kitchen over a sustained period of time, melamine is a material that you must invest in. This organic resin compound is used to manufacture a whole host of products commonly found in the kitchen, mainly because it is virtually unbreakable. Melamine is fire and heat resistant, durable, and nitrogen-rich, which is why you should seriously consider purchasing kitchen utensils that are made of it.

To ensure that you only ever invest in melamine products of the highest possible quality, be sure to align yourself with an industry expert such as Cabinet Timbers. With this experienced supplier of cut-to-size melamine goods by your side, you will be guaranteed to purchase kitchen utensils and countertops that last you for years to come.

Replace your appliances

If you’re serious about taking your kitchen to the next level, you might want to consider replacing the appliances found in it. This will give a massive boost to the aesthetic appeal of your kitchen, but it’ll also be sure to make your life as both a chef and an entertainer a lot easier. To find a comprehensive rundown of all the very best smart kitchen appliances for 2021, be sure to check out this insightful guide.

Are you determined to improve your kitchen in 2021? When you decide to undertake this renovation and redecoration process, be sure to remember all of the advice laid out above.

Note: This is a collaborative post
Home & Interiors

Simple Household Storage Tips When Moving

The process of moving can be time-consuming and stressful, and it is essential to do things right. Many people have managed to move without going through a lot of stress by using the tips below. The household storage tips below will help you when moving. You should start the process as soon as possible because the moving date will arrive quicker than you think. The following tips will help you avoid breaking things and misplacing your items. 

Planning Ahead

boxes

Pic Credit: Pixabay

You need to have a plan in place because it is going to make things easier. Have a packing rota even though some people see it as extreme, but it will be worth it.

Start by choosing the room you are going to pack first and when. Choose the rooms you are going to start with. You need to start with the least used rooms and then work towards the busier ones to minimize disruption. 

Another benefit of planning ahead is you can get help from your friends and family. Start early so that people don’t get the excuse of not helping you out.

Hiring a Movers and Storage Unit

Storage units are great for seasonal items. You can use it for storing your hiking gear and equipment you are not going to use for months. You might not be able to bring all your possessions with you when you move. But that doesn’t mean you have to part with them.

A storage unit will make things more comfortable as you sort out your stuff when moving. You can store items you don’t use regularly.

Also, hiring a moving company will save you a lot of time. Getting estimates from moving companies will help you to choose the right and affordable moving company. If you choose a moving company that provides storage units, that can add up to make your move stress-free.

Getting Your Supplies

When packing, you should make sure you have all your supplies ready. This way, you don’t have to start looking for something when you get started. Your focus should be on packing and not looking for scissors. Some of the supplies you are going to need when moving are;

  • Boxes – different shapes and sizes

    Pic Credit:Pixabay

  • Tape – brown packing tape and cello tape 
  • Labels 
  • Bubble wraps 
  • Fillers – Styrofoam packing peanuts and newspaper 
  • Scissors 
  • Pens – this includes a heavy black marker 

You also need to choose a room where you are going to store packed boxes. Once you are done with packing, you will feel a sense of accomplishment. Another option is renting a storage unit to use until the move.

Declutter

Decluttering your home is a must if you want to have stress free packing and storage. You need to go through everything you own and decide which of those items you will keep or get rid of. Keep things you are going to need in your new home. Get rid of things you have not used in months because there is a good chance you will not use them any time soon.

There are different ways to get rid of stuff. The first is through a garage sale. If you have enough time, you can sell them online on eBay and Facebook marketplace. If you don’t find a buyer for some items, consider donating them to your local charity. Some charities will be willing to come to your home and pick the items.

Decluttering is going to make things easier because you will have fewer items to pack and store. You can also make money from the items sold, and you can add to your moving budget.

Get Packing

Once you have sorted everything, you now need to start packing your things. Below are some tips to help you with packing.

  • Choose the right boxes. Put lighter items in bigger boxes and heavy items in smaller boxes.
  • Try to pack similar items together. For example, put electricals in one box and toiletries in another.
  • Fill the gaps – Everything needs to be compact. You can use your clothes to fill the spaces. It will help in protecting fragile items.
  • Avoid overpacking so that the boxes don’t become too heavy for you to carry. There is no need to hurt yourself carrying heavy boxes. Don’t cram many things into one big box. You can end up breaking some items just because you didn’t want to get an extra box.
Note: This is a collaborative post
Home & Interiors

Spruce Up Your Exterior: Four Great Ideas to Get Started

lightbulb

Pic Credit:Pixabay

It makes sense to start with your interior when it comes to home improvements, but sooner or later, you are going to want to focus on the outside, too. You want to feel at home the moment your home pulls into view, and not only that, but you want to elevate the area around you. Sprucing up your exterior with these four great ideas will really help your home stand out, improve your experience, and can even bump up your home’s value.

New Paint Job, New Face! 

Whether you are going to do the work yourself, or make use of a site like https://www.myhousepainter.com/painters/north-carolina/ to help you find a professional painter in your area, you have so many options when it comes to painting the exterior of your home. If you love your natural brickwork, you can instead focus and paint only the trimmings of your home (the windowsills, the doors, etc.). Or you can go all out and paint your exterior if the color of the brick was never to your likely and give your whole home a new look but do make sure you do your research as you will want to make sure that you use the right paint and process to ensure that you do a good job, and the paint job will last a good number of years.

Sliding is a bit more difficult, but thankfully it’s easy to have them replaced with a new color if that is what you are looking for.

Need a New Roof? Update the Design! 

Needing a new roof every few decades is just a fact of life, but it can also be a great opportunity to make your home stand out. So long as there aren’t any HOA rules in place that would stop you from making an aesthetic change, you’re good to go! You can go from the boring shingles to beautiful cedar tiles or even clay tiles, and really make your home stand out and be beautiful. Updating the design is easy if you already need a roof repair or replacement; you just need a company that can do the job and provides the supplies like Signature Roofing.

Want an Oasis? Look to Landscaping! 

pathway

Pic Credit: Pixabay

The best part about landscaping is that it can be very budget-friendly if you do it yourself. You aren’t building a permanent exhibit; the very nature of landscaping is that it is going to change as it grows. You can save by planning small, juvenile plants and caring for them as they grow into their own.

Don’t be too focussed on that grass lawn, either. While it’s a great choice for those who like it, it is far from necessary. You can go all out, you can start a vegetable garden, and anything in-between. It is your home and your vision; just remember to pay attention to how big plants get as they age and how easy it is to care for them as they mature.

Want More Character? Look at the Details! 

Everyone loves details. They’re like the icing on the cake, and they are very easy to add if your home is rather cookie-cutter. Switch out the exterior lights, change out the driveway (concrete driveway resurfacing is always a smart option), add a new walkway – the options are limitless. You will want to put more of your effort in your backyard than in your front yard, yes, but that doesn’t mean you cannot add great new features from a vintage street light to a waterstone pathway to give your home that extra pizazz

Note: This is a collaborative post
Features

Medication-Free Tips To Deal With Joint Stiffness

Joint stiffness is hard to live with, even if there isn’t a severe underlying cause like arthritis. But stiff and achy joints can affect your mobility, strength, and fitness. They can even lower your confidence and quality of life in the long run. Popping a pill to alleviate the pain and inflammation sounds like a shortcut, but it is not a long-term solution. You may experience temporary relief but wake up with the same feeling the next day. Fortunately, you can deal with the issue holistically. Here are some medication-free tips to address joint stiffness.

Eat a balanced diet

Surprisingly, eating a balanced diet goes a long way in keeping joint stiffness at bay. A plant-based diet is ideal because it provides healthy antioxidants, which lower inflammation by eliminating free radicals. Opt for brightly colored fruits and vegetables, as these are the highest in antioxidants and vitamins. You can go the extra mile by adding dietary sources of calcium and vitamin D. Supplementation may be essential if your diet does not give enough nutrients for bone and joint health.

Work out your joints

This one is a no-brainer because moving the joints is the best way to prevent stiffness and maximize mobility. Besides helping with these factors, exercise ensures a healthy weight, which lowers the risk of inflammation and stiffness. But you must consult a personal trainer about the best forms of workout if you are already in pain because going too far can actually worsen the concern.

Consult a chiropractic specialist

Consulting a back chiropractor specialist is another viable solution to address bone and joint stiffness for good. This holistic therapy helps with pain relief and preventive care, so you can deal with the existing problem and prevent it from recurring down the line. You can look for a seasoned specialist by searching for a chiropractor near me with a few clicks. Visit the clinic sooner than later to eliminate joint stiffness without medication and regain strength and mobility.

Rework your posture

A faulty posture is an unexpected culprit for joint stiffness, but it is also the easiest to address. However, people often fail to realize the importance of correct posture and end up suffering from aches and pains. You can make a conscious effort to avoid long hours of sitting and invest in ergonomic furniture to correct your posture. Stretching and walking around your work desk every hour are other ideal solutions for posture correction. 

Maintain a healthy sleep schedule

A healthy sleep schedule offers loads of benefits, and relieving joint stiffness is one of them. Getting enough sleep helps you stay active and mobile during the day, which prevents stiff and achy joints. Besides maintaining regularity, you must ensure a comfortable mattress that supports your back and joints. Avoid using gadgets and watching TV in an uncomfortable position because it can cause pain and stiffness.

Medication is not the best way to address joint stiffness because there are better natural solutions. You can try these remedies to stay healthy and pain-free over the years.

Note: This is a collaborative post

Mamma Musings

Why t-shirts make the perfect gift

Whether it is a birthday, Christmas, a special occasion or just because, you really can’t go wrong with the old reliable T-shirt, whether its Men’s T-Shirts or Women’s T-Shirts the choice is endless. So how you decide?! Well I have put together so useful tips to guide you in choosing the best choice in apparel.

Meaning

Oddly enough the origins of T-shirt can be traced back to the 19th century where it was used as an undergarment. The word T-shirt entered everyday parlance in the 1920 and its stayed there ever since.  It wasn’t until the 1960s that that T-shirts became used a method of self expression, advertising and not forgetting holiday souvenirs!

Choices, choices, choices 

Turning to some of my top tips and im saying this as an avid T-shirt lover!

Gorgeous T-shirts from pixels.com

  • Length – very important consideration. How often have you seen T-shirts half way up somebody’s back when they move – not a good look!
  • Sleeves – a pet peeve of mine, the sleeves should not go below the elbow…no just no!!!
  • Material – good quality material is probably critical, it helps it hang nice, it prolongs the longevity and most certainly adds to the look.
  • Express yourself – This is what i love about T-shirts the ability to use them as a form of self expression. Whether that’s to show your support for a sports team, a celebrity, a good cause or even customised using that holiday memory you want to share or even a whole class or work group T-shirt- that can even be done if you check out companies like rarecustom. It’s certainly one of the main reasons why my own wardrobe is full to the brim with a selection of greet tees!

The T-shirt has been around a very long time and it won’t be going anywhere which is why I think it makes the ideal gift whatever the occasion.

 

Note: This is a collaborative post

 

Home & Interiors

Tips for choosing wall art for your home

You will have seen over the last few years how we have undertaken two quite mega and very different renovation projects. Doing such vastly different projects –  one a modern  minimalist  city home  and the other a rustic country retreat has taught me a huge amount about renovating, furnishing and the finishing touches. I have had many conversations with experts in builders merchants, trades people, home furnishing etc and I have learned a thing or two which im quite happy to share on the blog.

While the projects were vastly different there was certainly one thing that was consistent across both and that’s wall art. Done right wall art can totally transform a room, from posters to tapestries it can add, texture, personality and pretty much transform a room into a welcoming, engaging space.  However with so much choice out there how can you choose? Below I have compiled a list of my tips gleaned over the last two years on how to choose the right wall art for your home.

  • Consider the room and size of the art you want –  for example if you are choosing art for your kitchen, you may not want large prints to overwhelm a space that already had a lot on the walls, cupboards, presses etc.  Conversely the sitting room may have very bare walls, so you can go for a large statement piece here. As a room that gets a good bit of traffic you could choose a statement piece here to provoke conversation. Maybe something that reflects your personality.

    An example of a curated collection from Fine Art America

  • Theme – one thing that I ended up doing almost subconsciously but it really works was go for themed collections in rooms. You will find good suppliers offering curated collections of art prints to help you make the decision here. This also helped us create the “feel” we wanted, for example minimalist with statement pieces in the city home and warming, rustic pieces in our  country weekend home.
  • Colour scheme – while there are no hard and fast rules here one piece of advice I got while deciding on paint for our sitting room is that it can add to the aesthetic of a room to choose art that is different shades of the main colour in the room, that can be going for softer shades of the main colour or one thing we did in our office space was go for a much bolder colour than the main room colour which really worked well.  One other tip was to use mirrors to enhance that statement piece in a room, for example a mirror on the wall opposite if that was possible.

While the above are very much tips I gleaned along the way, there are no rules. It’s your home and feel free to make that home a reflection of you and the things you like.  I hope this helps you in some way to choosing the art for you home, however truth be told the very best advice I can give is have fun.  Its an exciting part of any renovation and enjoy it.

Note: This is a collaborative post

 

Fairy Travels

Top 4 Parks to Enjoy Interactive Animal Experiences in Australia

From friendly koala bears to scary spiders, there is no doubt that Australia boasts a unique range of animals and meeting them up close is a must when visiting the country. Not sure where to cuddle a koala or feed a crocodile? Then why not visit one of Australia’s conservational nature parks, which offer once-in-a-lifetime interactive experiences that you will remember forever! Here are some of the top nature parks to look out for when visiting Australia: 

Crocosaurus Cove 

Croc Cove Australia

Pic Credit: https://www.best-tickets.com.au/

If you are keen to get up close and personal with one of Australia’s famous crocodiles, then Crocosaurus Cove is the place to visit! The ultimate crocodile experience, Crocosaurus Cove features Australia’s only crocodile dive which involves coming up close to a 5m Saltwater crocodile from the safety of a cage. Crocosaurus Cove also offers a variety of other crocodile related activities, such as the reptile house, swimming with crocs, feeding crocs and the big croc feed show which are suitable for all ages! Situated in the north of Australia close to Darwin, Crocosaurus Cove provides the wonderful opportunity to explore the Northern Territory. Enjoy the thrilling and fascinating experience of getting as close as you can get to these incredible, prehistoric creatures!

Mogo Wildlife Park 

From white rhinos to adorable marmosets, Mogo Wildlife Park is home to the largest collection of endangered species in Australia! Known for its engaging and educational animal experiences, you can feed a tiger, play with meerkats or sit with a Squirrel at Mogo Wildlife Park, whilst you learn all about their habits and attributes from the experts! Situated not far from Canberra, Mogo Wildlife Park is an opportunity to explore rural Australia close to the capital and experience animals from all over the world!

Ballarat Wildlife Park

If you are eager to meet Australia’s native animals in a natural setting, Ballarat Wildlife Park is the ideal place to visit! With beautiful, green lush grounds, Ballarat Wildlife Park boasts over 100 kangaroos bouncing around the park as well as wallabies, meerkats, snakes and wombats, which you can feed from the palm of your hand. If you are visiting Melbourne, Ballarat Wildlife Park is the perfect way to experience nature!

Kuranda Koala Gardens

As one of the cutest and most iconic creatures in Australia, meeting a koala bear is a must! At Kuranda Koala Gardens, you can enjoy the unique experience of holding one of these friendly furry friends and capturing this moment forever on camera! The park is home to several other Australian animals, such as crocodiles, quokkas, wallabies and snakes which are also there to interact with. Located just north of Cairns, Kuranda Koala Gardens is a popular tourist attraction and allows you to discover the utter paradise of the Kuranda rainforest!