With the cost of hiring a handyman spiraling  the amount of people digging out power tools and doing their home improvement work is increasing. DIY has become nothing short of a phenomenon, with a multitude of books, TV shows and websites dedicated to the topic of taking something in your home and making it better.

One of the main appeals of DIY is that it seems a lot cheaper and easier than calling out a professional. There are no costs for workmen, no comparing quotes and no potential for a ‘cowboy’ to come along and ruin your home. It’s just you and your power tools.

Unfortunately, DIY is far from simple. In fact, a DIY can quite easily shift from a dream to a nightmare with one misplaced press of the drill. DIY, even though it might seem it, is far from easy.

Here are five of the main reasons a DIY project fails, and how you can avoid them!

Not Budgeting Properly

Even though it’s a project carried out at home by yourself, a DIY project still needs to be treated as it would if a contractor was carrying it out. While retiling your bathroom or knocking through a wall might seem like a fun weekend project, the costs of such a project can spiral without proper planning.

The first step in proper DIY budget planning is to figure out how much money you can actually spare on the project. Be tough with yourself when determining this figure, and don’t overstretch at the expense of other financial commitments.

Once you’ve got a set figure, you can determine how far you can go with the project. Consider all the aspects of the job that are going to cost you money; tools, materials and so on. List them all and then shop around; you should be able to find everything you need within budget. If you can’t, then it might be time to consider shelving the project until you have more funds.

Not Planning Your Time Properly  

Like money, the time you spend on a project also needs planning meticulously. While the implications of failing to plan your time aren’t quite as dire as failing to budget properly, improper time management can lead to a project that should take a day stretching over weeks.

To get an idea of how much time you’re going to spend on a project, break it down into various tasks. Designate each of these tasks with an estimated time, based on your level of experience and how quickly you can work. When estimating your time, always err on the side of caution.

Once you’ve got these elements, add them together and add a couple of extra hours to account for tea breaks, procrastination and any slip-ups that might leave you spending more time on the project. This is your overall project time. You can take your individual times and make a schedule, making your project much more efficient.

Not Knowing What a Project Entails

It sounds surprising, but a great deal of DIY’ers enter projects without knowing what a project fully entails. This leads to costs spiralling and a project going well over its allocated time, as well as the potential for tasks arising that you lack the knowledge to complete. The solution is often to call in contractors to finish the job at a high cost.

Before you embark on a project, no matter how easy it might sound, always read up on what tasks you need to complete on a project, what tools you are going need and the techniques you’ll need to learn. Having this knowledge beforehand can help you make an informed decision on whether to proceed with the project, and help you to plan your time and budget accordingly if you choose to proceed.

Lacking Motivation

Another massive factor in the failure of DIY projects, lacking the motivation to see through a project to its end can lead to half-finished decorations and fittings plaguing a house for years. After the wide-eyed enthusiasm that comes with embarking on a project, it’s perfectly natural to end up feeling significantly less ‘up for it’ once you realise just how much work and how long a project is going to take.

The main weapon in your fight against a lack of motivation is a proper plan, which gives you a nice guide through the project. It might also help to visualise what the finished project will look like, just to remind you that all of this work will be worth it at the end!

Poor Worksmanship

A home truth; DIY projects are more often than not pretty poor. This is because the people carrying them out lack the experience that tradesmen do and will often want to get the project done as quickly as possible.

Poor worksmanship, however, can be avoided by doing a simple bit of research. With a plethora of books and blogs on the topic of DIY, anyone with tools and a bit of ambition can carry out their own DIY project.

Doing a bit of ‘rough work’ can also help iron out any bad worksmanship; if you’re drilling, for example, practice on a bit of wood beforehand.  Basically, wherever there is a technique you aren’t sure of, practise it before you go ahead and try it on the final project!

Image credit: Digital Internet

Christopher Smith is writing on behalf of Excel Compressors, specialist suppliers of used air compressors for home DIY purposes.

(Image via loveMeagan)

A Little Bit Of Glam Goes A Long Way When It Comes To Couture

Here are just a few easy, affordable ways to incorporate some inspired couture touches into your everyday ensembles. From high-end ready-to-wear to mass-market pieces, these are available at a range of price points. You won’t have to worry about sacrificing your wallet for to keep on top of the latest trends.

• Get girly and romantic with lace: It’s pretty, feminine, and timeless—and it’s popping up on everything from denim jackets to corsets to footless leggings. Again, you don’t have to succumb to a full lace shirt. A few small touches like a lace-trimmed hem or lace pocket can make just as big of an impact. A little subtlety goes a long way.
• Expand your color palette beyond black and white: Step outside of your color comfort zone to experiment with sage, silver, violet, rose, and other couture-inspired shades. If you are hesitant, start small with a brightly colored scarf, belt, or layering tank. Even if you are shopping on a limited budget, understanding and utilizing the nuances of color can go a long way toward establishing an authentic couture style.
• Go for florals and polka dots and other retro patterns: These whimsically nostalgic patterns that invoke older eras are delightfully feminine, playful, and are popping up in all kinds of celebrity ensembles. Go all out with a belted polka dot sundress or a high-waisted polka dot bikini, or you can pair a pretty floral tunic with capri leggings.

Three Tips For Becoming An Everyday Couture Girl

• To stay on top of specific trends, browse through the latest fashion magazines. In addition to checking out the fashion spreads in the newest issues, carve out some time to read and study the trend reports and designer reviews. There are also hundreds of quality fashion blogs online, where you can get up-to-the-minute style news and tips from industry experts and chic, stylish, fashion-forward consumers.
• And keep an eye on what the hottest celebrities are wearing. They are usually an accurate barometer for what’s hot on the runways, as many fashion designers and stylists use A-listers as real world models for their newest and latest styles and looks.
• When choosing clothing for yourself, look for pieces that fit your figure, not hide it. When you are going for a couture-inspired look, you want to create an hourglass silhouette—not a baggy or boxy look. Your clothes should follow your bodyline, not the other way around.

This summer, you don’t have to dive headfirst into the “haute couture” pool. Instead of head-to-toe couture, try testing the waters with a little lace, a hint of velvet, or an unexpected, eye-popping splash of color. Check online for great deals on swimsuits and other apparel at places like Nordstrom and Target, which carry the latest fashion-forward trends, and have accessible price points.

Above all, don’t be afraid to take a chance on risks. After all, couture isn’t about blending in or following trends—it’s about standing out and forging a new style path for yourself.

Melissa Rudy is a staff writer for BluePromoCode.

Photo Credit: http://www.passionlighting.com/

Accent lighting is a type of lighting most commonly used to emphasize an object or draw attention to a focal point in the home or on a landscape. If you think you have a particular area in your house or your garden that you want to brighten up especially, you need to choose the best accent lighting fixture. However, you also need to consider three things – the lighting design, aesthetic theme, and your budget, of course.

Finding an accent light is easy since it comes in a variety of styles and designs. There’s tabletop accent lighting and there’s pendant accent lighting. Most designs are traditional while there are designs that would fit right smack into any modern home. What’s great about these lighting fixtures is these are readily available in home improvement stores as well as in Irving lighting stores. If you don’t have time to visit such stores personally, you can always go online and browse web-based catalogues from different retailers.

Nevertheless, it would be a good idea to decide where you want to put the accent lighting and create a design plan for it. Accent lighting can be functional or decorative depending on your needs. As mentioned earlier, it can emphasize an object or area in your home by shedding light on it or the accent lighting can serve as a standalone decorative piece especially if you purchase one with a unique style. Hence, it’s important that you have a definitive plan for the lighting fixture before you purchase one.

How do you go about this? Well, you need to determine which areas in your home you want to emphasize. Maybe your fireplace mantle has pictures on it and you want to draw the attention of people there. Perhaps there’s a spot in your living room that looks bare but could take on a whole new appeal if illuminated correctly. You probably have paintings, decors, an armoire full of collectibles, or certain architectural features in your house and you want to highlight these using functional accent lights.

Once you have decided on the types of accent lighting you need (tabletop, pendant, mounted, or freestanding), it’s time to think about the design of the accent lights. If you’re following a certain theme in the room where you plan to use accent lighting, choose one that complements or matches the theme. Alternatively, if you were installing the accent lighting in a plain-looking room, it would probably be a good idea to get a decorative accent light. However, if you plan to use accent lighting in a functional manner, choose one with a simple design that would blend well with the surroundings.

Prices of accent lighting range from inexpensive to relatively pricey. You need to set a budget and be prepared to stick to it when purchasing accent lighting. If you have a comparatively small budget, see if you can find stores selling secondhand light fixtures in good condition. Otherwise, you can check out thrift stores.

Keep these in mind when shopping for accent lighting fixtures for your home.

Stacey Kincaid spends most of her time writing independent articles on home improvement while taking care of her twin toddlers.

Building your wardrobe basics is the first place to start. By purchasing items that will weather the test of fashion trends, you will save on replacing items each season. Opting to avoid a trendy pair of skinny jeans and instead purchase a pair of classic straight leg jeans, may mean you will get several more seasons out of one than the other.  Also, keeping staples in your closets that are basic colors will help as well. By keeping whites, blacks and neutrals that you can pair with on trend accessories you will get more bang out of your fashion buck.

If you are in desperate need of a wardrobe revamp, start with what you have. If you haven’t worn it in the past 1-2 years and don’t plan on wearing it within the next year, it might be time to either donate it, have a yard sale, or even consign it. By selling or consigning your clothing you no longer wear, you can take your proceeds and invest in expanding your wardrobe. Once you’ve gone through your current closet, determine what basics you are missing or need to replace.  Depending on your profession, you may need 2-3 pairs of dress slacks, 6-8 blouses, 2-3 dress skirts, 2-3 blazers, etc. Or maybe you are a stay at home mom and jeans and tees are your daily garb, but you like to dress up on date night.  Focus on buying the items you need and purchase those items first.

Each season tends to have unique color trends. Therefore, keep the trendy colors to your accessories.  Earrings, scarves, purses, necklaces, hats, headbands and so on are inexpensive options for keeping up with color trends. And they don’t take up a lot of space to keep around for when they come back into style. Which most of them will, eventually.  On the flip side, when you want to splurge and go “high fashion” and buy the name brands, accessories are the least expensive way to do so.  A clutch or wallet will often be a fraction of the cost of a designer purse. A scarf will be a fraction of the cost of a jacket.

Another thing to keep in mind is that many department stores sell more affordable versions of high fashion items. Even some “big box” stores keep up with the trends pretty well.  It is true sometimes it is worth it to pay for a little higher quality, especially on wardrobe staples. You don’t want to skimp too much on items that are going to be worn a lot. For jeans, dress slacks, and jackets, shopping the clearance or sale racks at department stores will most likely yield you a higher quality of wardrobe than a big box / discount store. However, for a cute pair of coral hoop earrings this season, a big box store is the place to go.

As with buying a used car, sometimes it’s best to let someone else “take the hit.” By exploring consignment and high end thrift stores you can often find like new name brand items. If you are really lucky, you might even find them new with tags.   An added bonus is that many thrift stores and consignments stores are ran by charities or donate to charities.  Be sure to check out what you have locally. You may be surprised. You can shop and know you are giving back to your community at the same time.

Also, never underestimate the power of garage sales.  Generally, when someone is having a yard sale, they are motivated to sell and they price things to move. By visiting garage sales in upscale neighborhoods you can score some great finds – fashion and otherwise.  It’s best to map out your plan of attack in advance. Check your local newspaper and online classifieds for garage sale listings and plan out your day. This will not only save you on fuel costs driving around, but it will also save you time so you don’t have to back track or drive around searching for sales.

What fashion post would be complete without talking about shoes? Women love shoes. Many women own 50 plus pairs and only wear a handful of them.  Which brings up another good point. Make sure if you are on a fashion budget to buy items you are certain you will wear. Not just once, but really wear.  Those adorable strappy heels may be calling your name now. But consider what other items you could buy with the same amount of money.

Lastly, it’s ok to give in and buy into a trend every now and again, knowing, that you are buying an item that may or may not still be in fashion next year. If you love it and you will wear it, that is what matters.  Now it’s time to go shopping!

Ricki Pritchett is a wife, mama, and full time corporate workin’ woman. She has a passion for writing, crafting, nail polish, and good microbrews. She is also the designer and owner of The Rogue Baby and a regular contributor to the CareOne blog, a community that provides debt consolidation and money-saving tips.

Photo Credit: http://www.goldsmiths.co.uk/

Founded in Switzerland in 1884, Breitling is one of the world’s premier producers of top quality chronometers. It has an unsurpassed reputation for quality, style and innovation.

For the discerning watch buyer, Breitling has a fine range of timepieces. Among them, you will find the best Breitling watch for you. You will find a sample selection below.

The Transocean Range

Breitling Transocean Chronograph Gents watches are practical contemporary-styled watches that any man would be proud to wear. Dials are black or white and are housed in a slender stainless steel case, sealed with a glare-proof, scratch resistant sapphire crystal glass. These watches are secured by a stainless steel bracelet and are water resistant to a depth of 100 metres. They have a minimum power reserve of 70 hours.

The Superocean Range

Originally conceived for diving, the Breitling Superocean range of watches is perfect for the water sports enthusiast and the professional diver. The basic Superocean Gents watch has a simple black dial with bold hands and numbering. A COSC certified chronometer, it has an automatic movement with a 42-hour power reserve. Packaged in a stainless steel case with matching bracelet, it is an attractive yet functional timepiece for the modern adventurer.

In the same range is the more sophisticated (and more expensive) Superocean Gents chronograph. Water resistant up to 50 metres, this watch has a black face with three function dials set in a stainless steel case finished with an 18-carat rose gold bezel. A sapphire crystal glass and black leather cap complete this stylish masterpiece.

Another of the Superocean range is the Heritage gents watch. Its black chronograph dial contrasts beautifully with the 18-carat rose gold, uni-directional bezel. The Calibre 23 automatic chronograph movement has a minimum power reserve of 42 hours and the watch is water resistant up to 200 metres.

The Chronomat Range

The Chronomat 44 GMT watch included in this range is a superb piece of engineering. It features a stainless steel case with screw-on back, screw locked crown and a ratcheted bi-directional bezel. The three silver sub-dials are set against an onyx black background giving an easy-to-read watch that has a truly professional appearance. A self-winding movement, 70-hour power reserve and water resistance up to 200 metres complete this classic functional timepiece.

The Galactic Range

The ladies have not been forgotten as the Breitling galactic range has been made especially for them. The Galactic Ladies Calibre 36 watch features an attractive mother-of –pearl dial with diamond dot indicators. The stainless steel case is complemented with a diamond set bezel and is fitted with a white leather strap. This functional yet elegant ladies watch has an automatic movement and is water resistant up to 100 metres.

The Galactic Bi Colour watch is another stunner from the Breitling stable. It has a mother-of-pearl baton dial with rose gold hands set in a stainless steel with a unidirectional rose gold bezel. A bi-colour bracelet, automatic movement and water resistance to 100 metres round off the features of this lovely watch.

Find your perfect Breitling watch

Breitling watches are for those who lead an active life but want functional, stylish timepieces. To find the Breitling watch that best suits you, just visit the Goldsmiths website where you will find an excellent selection of the best the Breitling has to offer.

So you’re out at the local home appliance superstore looking for a new washing machine. You have walked up and down each row of gleaming machines several times, opened and closed a few doors, admired the colours and finishes and finally chosen one you think will match your tumble dryer. But did you check the EU energy efficiency label on any of the candidates?

No? Funnily enough, you’re not alone – lots of people pick a machine based on appearance without considering the energy efficiency ratings. Unfortunately this could be a costly mistake.

What are washing machine energy efficiency ratings?

Most home appliances are now required under European Union law to carry an efficiency rating label. The idea is that buyers should have some idea of exactly how efficient a particular appliance is compared to other similar units.

As you walked around the appliance superstore, did you notice the labels attached to the front of each? Usually right next to the price tag you will find a second label with some brightly coloured stripes – this is the EU efficiency rating info.

On closer inspection you will see that each washing machine has been assigned a letter between “A+++” and “G”. This letter defines just how energy efficient that device is in relation to all the other washing machines available. As you would expect “A+++” is the most efficient and “G” the least.

Energy efficiency experts working for the EU assign each machine a rating based on how much electricity is used per kilogram of washing during a standard 60 degree wash. The less electricity used, the higher the rating earned.

These ratings are only useful for comparison of washing machines though because the same tests cannot be applied to other appliances. After all, fridge freezers don’t have any wash cycle!

Why does having an energy efficient washing machine matter to me?

So why should you pay any attention to the EU energy efficiency rating as you trawl around the appliance warehouse or online store? Because the more efficient your washing machine is, the cheaper it is to run.

This means that over time, an “A+++” rated washing machine may actually work out cheaper than a “C” rated unit, even if it costs more to buy in the first place. The cost of electricity continues to climb, so a washing machine that uses less, is actually saving you money in the long term. Probably even more than the original difference in price between the two washing machine models.

Will I have to trade useful functions for energy efficiency?

Always bear in mind that although standard washing machine and combination washer dryer may have the same energy efficiency rating, they may still use different amounts of energy, meaning that one may still be more expensive than the other. You should also check the EU efficiency data for details of the energy consumption rates – it will show a number relating to kWh/cycle, the amount of electricity used each time you complete a wash. The lower the number, the better.

If costs are the main deciding factor in your choice of washing machine, you need to carefully balance the initial cost of the washing machine against the longer term costs. The EU efficiency rating data can help you decide which is more important. If you find two washing machines at a similar price, size and colour, then the energy efficiency rating could be the final deciding factor in your purchasing decision.

So next time you are looking for a washing machine, make sure you pay close attention to the EU energy efficiency label on the front of each unit– it could save you quite a bit of cash in the long term!

A natural born writer, Stacey Barton writes professionally and for fun across a wide range of niches with particular attention to how classic brands can continue to offer the same product for decades and somehow survive the turbulent and ever changing consumer market.

Bedsider.org is a free online resource for women about birth control. Bedsider is run by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. They are a private, non-profit organization and are not funded in any way by pharmaceuticals or the government. They also have a really cool birth control method comparison chart (sorta reminds me of the “which glue should i use?” charts, lol). You can look at the methods or create your own chart.

Method Explorer: Find which method is right for you: http://bedsider.org/methods

There is also a reminder app that will remind of of either important doctor’s appointments or birth control reminders.

Reminders: Set reminders to take your birth control & for appointments with your physicians: http://bedsider.org/reminders

What do you keep in your bedside drawer and what do those items say about you?

Pin to Win contest:

• Follow Bedsider.org on Pinterest.
• Create your own Pinterest board titled, “What’s in My Bedsider Drawer?”
• Repin this rules pin found here and at least one Bedsider’s 15 contest images found here from their board titled, “What’s in My Bedsider Drawer?” Be sure to tag each pin with the hashtag, #BedsideDrawer.
• Pin at least 5 additional images to represent your ideal bedside drawer. Tag each pin with the hashtag, #BedsideDrawer.
• Share your board’s URL on the Bedsider’s Facebook page here. Make sure to enter by 11:59 PM PST on May 29, 2013!

Here is my Pinterest Board if you need inspiration.
There are a bunch of awards including $200 gift cards.

Tell us about your current method of birth control and any other methods you have used in the past. How did you choose your birth control, and if you have switched methods, why did you do so? Does birth control empower you, if so, how?

Every girl has that bedside drawer that holds the bedroom essentials: their Kindle, a pair of reading glasses, sexy lingerie. – whatever fits their personality. No matter what your drawer says about you, there’s birth control that will fit right in. Find the best method for your routine and style at Bedsider.org.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bedsider.org.

I love the way Visit Missouri’s site describes the conundrum: “It’s an age old tale”, which reminds me of a disney movie. Well vacationing somewhere new can be like a fairytale, and not just to the kiddos. So you desperately need a vacation, but don’t know where to go. Don’t want to do a repeat, because where’s the wonder in that. You want to get away with the hubby and/or want your children to have different experiences. Missouri is a great choice for families or couples alike.

 

Our frist night would probably be tired from the trip so we’d have a relaxing dinner, possibly at the Winery or a Jazz spot.

The hubby is a HUGE sports fan (did I mention HUGE?!), so I am sure one day would involve a visit of Baseball and Brews. Awesome combo, right? With 5 professional sports teams, I’m sure we can get our fill in *yay*.

We’d love to also check out a scenic state park (they have 51 to be exact!).  Maybe even take a float trip.

Sunday would include the zoo (being the animal enthusiast and vegetarian that I am) and an amusement park. If the weather permits, preferrably a water park!

If we’re feeling really adventurous (aka I can talk the hubby into it) I would love to go scuba diving at Bonne Terre Mine, the world’s largest freshwater dive resort.

Night fun would include catching a show (over 50 live performance theaters to choose from — which makes it the “live music show” capital of the world) and trying out some of the famous barbeque St. Louis and Kansas City is known for.

Monday would involve some shopping (hey, I gave into the sports tours right!?)

What about you? What would your vacation entail?

Dont forget to visit and like VisitMO on Facebook, follow VisitMO on Twitter and if you share your experience, make sure to use the hashtag #VisitMO!

This is a quick tutorial on how to turn prestrung beads or a beaded necklace into a tiered necklace.

Materials:

Strung beads or old necklace folded in half or thirds

jump rings

chain

clasp

Decide how you want the necklace to lay and fold the beads. Use needle nosed pliers to add a jump ring to each end after its folded.

Add desired length of chain to jump rings and finish with a clasp. I left part of the chain as an extender by adding a jump ring a few links from the end.

PS – I party here!

I have suffered from insomnia for years. I’ve taken prescriptions, herbs and over the counter medications to try to get a good night’s sleep. So, I was thrilled when P&G gave me this product to sample by the makers of Vicks NyQuil called ZzzQuil. I’ve used Nyquil for insomnia in the past but, as you likely know, it contains other ingredients to treat cold symptoms. ZzzQuil is perfect when your only symptom is difficulty sleeping. No cold or pain medications, just diphenhydramine HCI to help you get some Zzz’s. ZzzQuil is available over the counter and comes in liquid form (Warming Berry flavor) and LiquiCap forms.

I tried Zzzquil out the other night, knowing I had an 8:00 appointment the next morning. Now this was a risk since I knew I had to be up early, but I decided to give it a go. I took the liquid form around 11 pm. (It comes in a nice and pretty purple packaging, by the way!) I was very impressed with the results. I woke easily at 6:30 the next morning and felt well rested. The flavor was not bad at all either.

Now, ZzzQuil is not for young children. It is indicated for adults and children ages 12 and older. Diphenhydramine HCI is not habit forming. ZzzQuil is safe and effective to use, as long as you follow the package directions.

Check out and like ZzzQuil on Facebook and visit their website – www.zzzquil.com to read more about safety and usage.  Also, don’t forget to test out and share your experience on twitter using the hashtag #ZzzQuilNight!