6 Gift Ideas for Dad

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In a little over 3 weeks, it will be Father's Day. So, we have to buy another gift. Except this time for Dad. Do you know what you're getting him? I'm not sure what I'm getting my dad yet, so I'll do some research for you.

During my research, I found so many brilliant ideas all in ONE place!! That's right, I said one place. So what is this great place? Amazon.com! You can find home improvement, lawn and garden, clothing and so much more!


Another thing I wanted to try was possibly a DIY project. And that's when I looked at my own job. We have so many fun Dad-related wall decals! Maybe putting it on a canvas or a board would be a fun project! And it wouldn't cost you a fortune!

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Is your dad somewhat of a geek? And by geek, I mean loves all things technology? Well, I might have found the perfect website for you! PCMag.com has some awesome ideas that any tech-savvy dad would appreciate!

Is your dad a jokester? Find him the perfect gag gift to make his day!

My dad always likes to look nice. He can't go anywhere without cologne on or his hair combed just so. One of my fall back gift ideas for him is always cologne or a tie. But that becomes so unoriginal that I like to find something more fun instead.

Hunting and fishing are popular sports among dads. Find him some new gear at the nearest Cabela's or Bass Pro Shop! Or nab this funny wall decal for him!

Happy early Father's Day to all the dads out there! Hope you have a great day, and know that you're appreciated every day, not just once out of the year!
~ Cassie

8 Super Summer Activities!

Are you looking to get your kids more active this summer? Try some of these fun summer ideas!!

Sports, like baseball, soccer or softball, are wonderful outdoor activities! If your child enjoys any sport in particular, enroll your child in a week long summer camp or program and they'll create life long memories!

Sports summer camp is a great option for kids who need to stay active! It's fun and also educational at the same time, although most kids wouldn't look at it that way. Look into local YMCA programs or if your school has any summer programs.

Better yet, find a free summer program! Save some money and try out some of the awesome ideas this blog has!

Via Google Images

Redecorate their room! Now is a great time to get rid of all that junk the kids seem to have accumulated during school! If you're on a budget, try sprucing up the room with some wall decals!

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Go swimming! If you don't have a pool, find a friend who does or take a trip to a local community center with one!

There are loads of summer activities for the kids! Try some hands on projects like gardening or painting. Decorate a flower pot

Head out to the beach!! Put their little toes in the sand and let them play in the sunshine! Then get some ice cream and settle down to watch a beautiful sunset!

Just for fun! Your kids will love helping you make some of these projects and then playing with them later!

Via Google Images

There are so many things to do in the summertime! Don't let your kids become bored! Make them use their imaginations! Have them pick a few projects that sound fun and do one a week!

Enjoy, and I hope a few of these summer activities will be helpful for you and your family!
~ Cassie

Memorial Day: The True Meaning

Memorial Day isn't just a holiday where we get together with family and friends to get our barbeque on. Nor is about hanging out on the beach or the boat all weekend. And although there is no harm in doing any of those things, we all need to take a moment and remember the true meaning of Memorial Day.

Memorial Day is a day for remembering all of our fallen heroes from every war we've ever been in. It started as Decoration Day, and could be traced back to 1866. It's not clear where it started but back then, ladies of the South were decorating graves of the fallen Confederate soldiers. I'm asking you to please, please don't forget to take some time out of your day to remember all of our fallen heroes and keep this tradition alive!

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As a United States Marine's girlfriend, and then wife, it hits home a little harder to me. Every Memorial Day for the last 4 years (and many many other times), I have thanked God for all the times He spared my husband. And all his comrades. We both remember and do our best to honor the ones who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

And I know that we can't expect everyone to go back to the traditional way of celebrating the day, but we can have a parade in honor of all the fallen. We could play Taps and have a minute of silence, no matter where we are, at 3 PM (local time for Washington D.C.). We can decorate as many graves of as many soldiers we can find.

Let's do what we can to honor them and the families left behind this Memorial Day!

Semper Fi,
~Cassie

8 Ways of Getting Ready for Camping this Summer

It's time to start thinking about what you and your family are doing for summer vacation! Going out of town? Planning a home away from home in your camper? And if you are, are you trying to clean up that camper so you can have it clean in the nick of time for that annual family camping trip? Here are a few ways you can clean it up and also jazz it up at the same time!

1. Haven't decided where to go for your camping trip? Take a road trip and go to one of our 401 national parks! Find what kind of campground suits you first and go from there! I can personally recommend the Grand Canyon National Park. It's fantastic! Words really can't describe how magnificent it really is!

2. Check out your local chamber of commerce to see where the nearest national park is and head out! There are plenty of family friendly campgrounds too!

3. Does the entire camper need to be cleaned? This blog has great tips on cleaning it from inside out! Like making sure the roof is in good condition, to the brakes and even tips on the refrigerator! And if you don't need to do the whole fifth wheel, scroll down to the section on cleaning the interior.

4. This Pinterest page has great ideas on how to utilize the small space of a 5th wheel!

5. Simply adding a wall sticker to the interior of your camper can jazz it up! It brings texture and dimension to what would normally be a non-usable space!

6. Don't like the inside of your camper anymore? Renovate it! The way this couple redid their 5th wheel was astounding! It also looks fabulous which is key to renovating.

7. If you like tenting it better than using the camper, find out what places are best for tents and venture out! Make it an adventure for the kids or just for yourself! Grab some friends and go!


8. Just for fun, here is a list of 25 things that will make life more fun and relaxed while camping!

Don't forget to have s'mores around the campfire while telling stories. Catch some fish or some rays of sunshine. Go on a hike. Take plenty of pictures. Create memories. This is what camping is really about. So, pitch a tent or park that camper and get out and enjoy your summer!!

~ Cassie

5 Ways to Guide Wedding Guests

Is your wedding reception a little far out in the country, or maybe a little hard to find? There are plenty of ways to help keep guests on the right track! Another thing that wedding guests may find somewhat confusing is what side to sit on. Help them out! Make a giant sign that no one could miss, and place it near the ceremony site.

Here are just a few tips to help you guide your guests, so that you can have a smooth wedding!

1. Buy a 30"x20" poster board, the wall sticker shown in the picture on the left. Then, put the sticker on the board and voila! You have a beautiful sign that none of your guests will miss!

2. Directions can be challenging even for the best navigators. So, help out your direction-challenged guests and make a road sign! This will help direct them to where your wedding reception is, and will also keep stragglers to a minimum, so the fun can begin on time!

3. Get creative and paint wooden signs! You know, the ones that are in the shape of an arrow? Those look so awesome and would be great with an outdoor theme wedding! Find ideas on Pinterest or have one made from Etsy!

4. Use balloons to mark the road where your reception site is located! Don't be afraid to use a giant bundle of them. Get them done in your colors, and add a wooden sign with them. Or spell out the bride and groom's name on all the balloons!

Via Google Images and CreativeCommons.org

5. Another creative idea for directions would be to make a card for guests! Written directions (as shown on the right) as well as a map would be extremely helpful to all!

Don't become too stressed out by all the little details of planning a wedding that you can't enjoy it! Delegate these smaller tasks out to bridesmaids or your maid of honor. I know they would be thrilled to help you out in any way they can.

Happy planning!
~ Cassie

5 Simple Steps to Choosing Wall Decal Colors

How do you choose a wall decal color? There are 30-60 wall sticker color options and you have to pick JUST ONE!  Read on for help in deciding on the best wall sticker color choice.
 

1. Look at what surface color you are putting the wall sticker on.  Is your wall color a darker color (burgundy, dark brown, or burnt orange), or a lighter shade (white, beige, light gray, pastel blue)?  The medium shades, like tan, can be a little more tricky.  

*Remember, if you have just painted your wall, you will need to allow the paint to cure for 2 weeks before applying wall decals.  This curing process will make it easier to remove the wall decal without harming your paint.
 

2. Now you need to consider what effect you want for your wall decal.  Do you want the wall decal to POP and really stand out on the wall?  Or do you prefer a muted, almost blended, design?
 

3. Go ahead and choose a color! If you want a wall decal that will POP, you want to pick a contrasting color choice.  Example: Placing a white wall decal on a dark brown wall, as shown above left. Your eye is instantly drawn to the PLAY BALL wall decal because it stands out nicely!
 

4. If you want the wall decal to be more muted, you will pick something that is a little closer to your wall color.  Example:  a light grey wall decal on a medium gray wall.  Ideal wall decals in this case, would be floral wall decals or art wall sticker designs that you want to be appear more like wallpaper or a mural.  Our vintage floral wall stickers is great example of this.

Here is an example of a light wall decal (White) placed on a medium shade wall.

  

5. If you have a simple photo editing program on your computer, you can get an idea of how your wall decal will look also.  Do this by starting with a square or background color the same as your wall. Then add some text in your wall decal color choice.  Now you can see if the wall decal "pops" or "blends".  Try a few different colors to see which looks best.  Keep in mind, this digital preview does not factor in lighting variances, which can also affect how your wall decal will appear on the wall.

The key in choosing a wall decal color is in the CONTRAST.  Make sure there is a contrast between your wall decal color and your wall color. 

On a side note, be wary of glossy wall decals! They are a cheaper quality material that can harm your walls. But they can also mess up how well they look on the wall.  The lighting in your room varies the appearance of glossy wall decals, and it makes planning much more difficult.

I hope this helps you decide on a wall sticker color, and come check out Wall Decor Plus More for a large variety of sticker choices!
~ Cassie