Category Archives: Outdoor Entertaining

When the weather warms and your parties move outdoors, try these simple ideas. Entertaining doesn’t demand any elaborate decor, just simple food, good company, and your patio.

Beach Accessories, Outdoor Entertaining, Portable Fun, Shade Solutions

Portable Shade Canopies: Endlessly Handy

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I challenge anyone to find a portable structure that is handier than a shade canopy.  There is no apparent limit to the variety of ways that portable shade canopies can be put to use.  Here are just a few:

  • Set up a shade canopy along the sideline of your kid’s soccer games;
  • Use it to enjoy a comfortable, impromptu picnic in the backyard;
  • Keep it near the sandbox to provide the kids with extra shade as they play;
  • Bring a portable shade canopy along to the beach and create your own personal cabana shelter;
  • Set up merchandise tables under a shade canopy at your next garage sale;
  • Instantly create a covered dining area on the deck or patio.

Portable shade canopies are economical and durable; they are simple to put up and fast to take down.  Many come with their own tote bag, which makes for easy storage.  I keep a portable shade canopy in the trunk of my car, and it never ceases to amaze me how often I find a use for it when our family is out and about.  How do you use your portable shade canopy?

Innovative Solutions, Outdoor Entertaining, Outdoor Living Spaces

Misting Fans Provide Relief From Summer Sun

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If you are looking for the perfect way to stay cool and comfortable outdoors this summer, look no further! Misting fans are the perfect solution. I will definitely have one on my patio this summer to keep my family cool as the temperature rises.

Misting Fan

Most misting fans have a self-contained water reservoir, making them perfect for any outdoor activity. You can use them at pools, construction sites, camping vacations or picnics, or simply on your porch or patio. The misting fan above can cool approximately 200 square feet for 5 hours with a single fill up of water! It can also lower air temperature up to 30 degrees! That is a huge difference when you are in the sweltering summer heat. This mist is fine and gentle, so you will not become soaking wet or uncomfortable – just cooler. They are perfect for the family who enjoys the sun or an organization who is planning an outdoor event.

Garden Tools & Tips, Outdoor Entertaining, Storage Solutions

Fast and Easy Storage Shed Kits Save Time and Money

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Need some more storage for your yard and garden supplies?  Don’t want to spend a bunch of money on an expensive storage shed at the home improvement warehouse?  Try this solution:  a Fast Framer storage shed kit.  What’s nice about this storage shed kit is that you get everything you need for your new storage shed, except the wood itself.    You get the freedom of selecting your preferred type of wood.  Even better is that Fast Framer storage shed kits come with patented stud and angle brackets that allow you to connect the wood pieces together without having to do a bit of mitering.  You save time and effort, and the result is that you have a finished outdoor storage shed ready in a fraction of the time it might take if you used another type of kit.  Fast Framer storage shed kits are a fun project for the do-it-yourself enthusiast, no matter how much (or little) do-it-yourself experience you may have.

Outdoor Entertaining, Outdoor Living Spaces, Shade Solutions

Relax in the Shade

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Retractable Awning

Warm weather is upon us, and it’s only going to get hotter! Spring and Summer are prime times to get outdoors and enjoy your backyard. Sometimes, however, the sweltering sun can be too much to bear. If you aren’t blessed with shade trees covering your porch or patios, relaxation in the shade is still a possibility! Awnings and shade sails can both provide protection from the sun while also looking stylish and cool in your backyard.

For people opting for a semi-permanent or occasional shade for a patio or porch, a retractable awning is perfect choice. The motorized awning attaches to your home and rolls out at the touch of a bottom. Most come with a remote control, which allows you to adjust your awning without ever leaving your seat. While extended, these awnings provide complete protection from sun and rain. When you are in the mood for direct sunlight, they retract in minutes. They provide you with complete control of sun and shade with very little effort.

Shade Sails

Shade sails are intended to be a more permanent form of shade protection. They provide a super stylish alternative to a covered porch. Shade sails offer unique versatility because, unlike a retractable awning, the

y can be attached to almost any back yard structure, including your home, trees, or even installed columns. They are removable at the end of every season, but when you see how beautiful they are installed, you will want to leave them visible year round! They come in a variety of materials, offering different degrees of UV protection, and shapes so they can be customized to fit any taste.

Why limit your outdoor activity this summer because of the super hot sun? With a retractable awning or shade sail covering your porch, patio, or backyard area, you will be lounging in comfort all summer long! Sit down, relax, and enjoy the shade.

Backyard Fun, Outdoor Entertaining

Unique Outdoor Games Encourage More Family Time Together

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One of my favorite things to do when the weather is pleasant is to herd the family outside for some fun outdoor games.  My preferences, though, are more unusual outdoor games.  I certainly love kicking the soccer ball around and tapping the croquet balls with a mallet, but it’s those less than common outdoor games that really get my family’s attention and keep us together having fun for longer amounts of time.  Like chess, for example.

What’s so unusual about chess?  The chess I’m thinking of has thigh-high sized weatherproof pieces and an enormous chess board that can be easily set up in the backyard or on the patio.   At this size, you can have a truly unique experience with a classic game of strategy.  Outdoor chess is fun to play one on one or in teams, and all family members will get a kick out of working together to defeat the opponents.  With enough people — and some fun costumes — you could even substitute real people for playing pieces.  Now, that’s a unique outdoor game.