I’m sure I’m not the only one who has a hard time hanging photos and art on my walls. I always pull out my tape measure, my level and my hammer but somehow end up hammering 2 holes where only one should be because my measurements are off! Also, nothing is more frustrating than hanging a collage of photos only to step back and realize that one picture is about 3 inches higher than it should be, throwing off your whole design!

I’ve found a system that is easy and fool proof for tackling both of these tasks!

First, cut some scrap paper to the size of the frame (or frames) and mark the nail location on the paper. Using painter’s tape, move the paper templates around the wall until satisfied. Once you have your frames exactly where you want them, hammer the nails through the marks you’ve drawn on the paper. Finally, remove the tape and paper and hang your artwork! It may take a little longer this way but you’ll be much happier in the long run when your frames are level and beautiful on your wall!

These are just some of the fun things to do while your visiting the Worcester area. Most of these can be reached on just one tank of gas!

• Ecotarium – Lots of educational material and some live animals. It is right here in Worcester
• Discovery Museums – Located in Acton, MA (about one half an hour from Worcester, MA). The Science Discovery Museum offers more hands-on science than
it would seem possible to fit into the building – a fun time for the little scientist.
• New England Aquarium – Located in Boston, MA (about one hour from Worcester, MA).
• Museum of Science – Located in Boston, MA (about one hour from Worcester, MA).
• Science Centers on Nessie – The New England Space Science Initiative in Education provides an index by area to science centers.

For the animal lovers here are the area Zoos and Animal Farms:
• Barnyard Farm at Green Hill Park in Worcester – the easy way to see animals in the City.
• Overlook Farm – an educational farm in Rutland, MA (20 minutes from Saint George Church).
• Davis’ Farmland – Petting zoo and recreation area in Sterling, MA (about 20 minutes from Worcester, MA).
• Southwick’s Zoo – Located in Mendon, MA (about 35 minutes from Worcester, MA).
• Franklin Park Zoo – Located in Boston, MA (about one hour from Worcester, MA).
• Roger Williams Park Zoo – Located in Providence, RI (about one hour from Worcester, MA), this is the biggest and best zoo this close to Worcester.
Amusement Parks

Here are a few theme parks that are just a short ride away:

• Canobie Lake Park – Located in Salem, NH (about one hour from Worcester, MA).
• Six Flags New England – Located in Springfield, MA (just under one hour from Worcester, MA).

You can check out more by visiting http://www.pack91.info/See_and_Do.htm

Does everyone remember Ted Williams?

No, not the Red Sox star. I’m talking about the former homeless man with the “golden voice” that had YouTube fame back in early 2011. Well he’s back for a Twitter-based Valentine’s Day campaign for Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

From February 12 to the 14th, Williams will shoot 100 videos for Kraft’s “Golden Voice of Love” campaign. The videos will feature Williams himself reading select tweets using the hashtag #VoiceOfLove. The winners will then be able to send the video of their Tweet being read by Williams to their special someone. Who wouldn’t want a unique Valentine’s Day message spoken by the man with the “golden voice?” Kraft will tweet messages to the winners to notify them.

As an added bonus, there is a philanthropic component to this contest! Each tweet will trigger a donation of 100 food boxes to Feeding America, a homeless advocacy group. So let’s all jump on the bandwagon and support Ted Williams as well as America’s hungry this Valentine’s Day! Are you with me?

Apartment living can be challenging for those who have lots of “stuff” that they’ve collected over the years. Many times, even the most fabulous apartment with gorgeous features just doesn’t have the room for a huge overstuffed sectional, and every last hat, scarf, magazine, book, blanket, CD, DVD, and every other little thing that you may have collected over the years. Not to mention how expensive finding perfect new furniture can be as well.

Facing this exact challenge, I began a Google search for “affordable apartment sized furniture with storage,” or some other variation of those words with the same idea. After scouring through the various links that came up in my search, I stumbled upon this amazing company called “Home Reserve.”

I am so impressed with Home Reserve that I don’t even know where to start. Not only do they have the space conscious furniture with storage that I was looking for, but they pride themselves on how affordable they are too. They have everything from ottomans to sectionals, 8 different collections, over 100 fabrics to choose from, including leather and pet friendly fabrics, and their sofas start at only $299!

I know what you’re thinking though-“If the prices are this low, then they must be poorly made, or there’s some other catch.” But the quality is outstanding, and the “catch” is that yes, you do have to put the furniture together. However, the instructions were the easiest instructions I’ve ever laid eyes on, they have multiple videos on their website to help you if you need further instruction, and the finished product is AMAZING.

My husband and I bought their “Tux” sofa and ottoman and I can’t tell you how many compliments we get on them. They are incredibly comfortable, we regularly take naps on them, and since they don’t have any sharp corners, we don’t even have to worry about our little one hurting himself as he learns how to walk. But the real marriage saver is the STORAGE! Now our winter accessories have a home, our blankets can be hidden away when we aren’t using them, and we have somewhere to store all of our DVDs and CDs that we don’t want to see cluttering up our small living room anymore.

So if you are facing the trial of finding stylish, quality furniture that will fit the smaller spaces that we sometimes find in apartment living, and you need more space to store your personal belongings as well, look no further! Check out Home Reserve! They make the challenge of furnishing a small space EASY!

http://www.homereserve.com/

So all of you Facebook users out there, have you switched over to the new timeline yet? If not, get ready! According to a Facebook blog post, in the next few weeks it will become mandatory for ALL Facebook users!! Now, what the new timeline does is list all of your Facebook activities by date. Your home page will have a whole new look! You will have the chance to add Life Events or for some, CLEAN UP PAST EVENTS! With this new timeline, all of your past activity will be out there for people to see. So those past posts that you thought were not visible any longer, well WATCH OUT! They will be there FOR ALL TO SEE! You will be given 7 days to add or clean up your Facebook activities before it goes live. This doesn’t seem like much time to rewrite your life does it?? Just another change that Facebook is rolling out! And it seems that there are A LOT of people out there that are not happy about it!! According to Forbes magazine a surprising 70% of people said they didn’t like timeline. What do you think?? Now, I have switched to the timeline but boy do I miss the old Facebook. No tickers, no timelines…just a nice break from your day to check in on what everyone else is doing!;)

With the busy and sometimes chaotic pace of life these days, have you noticed how many people are carrying around a water bottle? Well, I am one of them. I always have my 18/8 stainless steel Kleen Kanteen water bottle by my side. While mine is complete overkill at a whopping 64 ounces, you can purchase a variety of sizes to fit your lifestyle and help you stay hydrated.

I am a big fan of Kleen Kanteen because they sell “The Original” BPA-Free stainless steel bottle. The sizes and prices range from $18.95 for a 18 oz all the way up to $32.95 for a 64 oz. They sell a variety of sizes and colors with many types of caps to match your needs. The traditional loop, flip D ring, and sport top bottle are all options at the checkout process.

Visit http://www.kleankanteen.com/ for more information. Stay hydrated my friends.

In our nice little city of Portland, Maine, there are many things to do and see. There are local artist’s works to view, excellent restaurants to enjoy, unique shops to peruse and many historical sites to see.

One of my favorite things to do, though, is simple, free and exhilarating. It’s a way to de-stress, free my mind and in this day and age of fast-paced living, a way to take some quiet time just for myself. A nice, long walk on the beach, winter, spring, summer or fall is sometimes just what the doctor ordered.

Luckily, given the area in which I live, I have many options of places to do this. My favorite place, however, is Pine Point Beach in Scarborough, Maine. A short drive from Portland, I am at the beach in less than 30 minutes. I drive there and when I come up over the hill on Pine Point Road, my first sight of the glimmering Atlantic immediately puts my mind at ease.

In the winter, the beach is empty, usually just a few hearty souls walking their dogs. In spring there are more locals, some jogging, some sitting enjoying the view but still bundled up to stay warm. In summer, the beach is packed with people, colorful beach umbrellas abound, beach blankets, chairs and tourists everywhere. In the fall, there are still people walking or sitting in groups talking, trying to soak up the last few days of warmth.

My favorite time to go is when the beach is empty, either in the winter or late in the afternoon in the summer when most people have gone home for dinner. I can walk and just watch the ocean shimmer, alive with motion, while the waves break in rhythmic time. Pine Point offers miles of beach to do this, for as long or as short of a time as one would like. Walk, run, collect shells or just sit lost in thought.

Check out more at http://pinepointbeach.com/

Have you noticed “Check-In” requests at some of your favorite stores recently? I’ve been noticing signs similar to the one in this post more and more. I was vacationing in Saratoga Springs this weekend, when I went to the register to pay for my merchandise I noticed a “Please Check-In” sign that offered to give me 5% off my purchase. Pretty cool! I was motivated by the potential discount so I checked in on Facebook. This simple and fun act rewarded me with a discount and the establishment received some very valuable and free advertising!
If you think about it, most of us have 100’s of people on our Facebook pages. When you check in somewhere, these friends see the name of the establishment pop up on their news feed with your “stamp of approval”. This is a fun and creative way to get the word out about a place you enjoy. Next time you’re out shopping, look around, there may be an opportunity to check in and save! If not, ask the establishment to start the program. Free advertising for Free merchandise! Its a win win!

How daily writing enhances lives and relationships…….

Writing down your thoughts is a good way to maintain emotional and physical health, according to numerous studies on the benefits of therapeutic writing. People who write daily about their experiences “go to the doctor less and are psychologically healthier,” says James Pennebaker, author of Writing to Heal. For his tips on how to improve your life thorough the written word, visit www.americanprofile.com/writing

It’s that wonderfully gross time of year when everyone you know seems to be roaming around with tissues sticking out of their sleeves and cough drops in their pockets: Cold season. Sadly, I’m one of those people right now; everyone that hears my nasally voice slowly backs away from me and asks if I’m ok (read: contagious). In the grand scheme of things, I’m fine; colds are just annoying. That being said, I’m always on the hunt for a new way to nurse myself to better health as soon as possible, so I decided to ask some residents what their go-to “cures” are for the common cold. Some of these I may try… others I’m more than a little wary of (sorry guys!):
– Luzia: Add lemon and honey to a hot cup of tea and drink it all before it cools down. Repeat every 90 minutes. This sounds like it involves me getting off the couch more often than I want to, but I bet it would soothe my sore throat!
– Jay: Boil water on the stove. Stand over stove, drape a towel over your head, and breathe in deeply for several minutes. The steam is supposed to clear the sinuses, which sounds great. Maybe I’m just accident-prone, but I’m pretty sure I’d set myself on fire if I did this. Try at your own risk!
– Andrea: Put Vik’s Vapor Rub under your nose instead of just on your chest. If you can handle the intensity of the smell being directly under your nostrils, than give this a whirl and you could be better by tomorrow, according to this resident!
– Kleyton: Gargle several times a day with salt water. He says his mother made him do it when he got sick and, to this day, it always makes him feel better. Hmm.
I tend to drink plenty of hot tea all day, every day, when I’m sick. I take DayQuil when I’m feeling really crummy, though I do try to avoid loading up on medicine during the day because nothing helps me sleep better with a cold than my always-trusted NyQuil at night! What are some of your favorite home remedies?