Innovative Solutions, Outdoor Entertaining, Outdoor Lighting Ideas

Lamp Style Patio Heaters Provide Unique Heat!

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New Orleans Lamp Style Patio Heater

If you are looking for a unique and beautiful way to heat your outdoor porch or patio during the cooler fall and winter months, I have got a great suggestion for you. Lamp style electric patio heaters are amazing! Available in both tabletop and floor varieties, these heaters look like a decorative lamp and plug into any standard outlet. They are energy efficient and designed to warm an area up to 12 feet wide with their gentle heat waves. They are even designed to be weather resistant. Your guests will be amazed that they are warm and comfy because of your lamp! It is such a beautiful alternative to classic outdoor heaters.

Insect Control, Storage Solutions

Store Your Firewood Properly Now & Enjoy Toasty Winter Days Ahead

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Fireplace Image

If you plan to chop and prepare your own logs for upcoming winter fires, or if you’re like me and prefer to have locally prepared firewood delivered to your door, you’ll need some place to store it.  Here are some tips for properly storing your winter firewood:

  • Keep it handy, but away from your house.  Firewood can attract pests, and if logs are kept next to the house, those critters may find easy ways to enter your home or cause damage to your home’s exterior.  The best place to keep your logs is near the fence or next to the shed or other outdoor storage building — close and convenient, but not so close that you’ll be inviting unexpected “guests” into your home.  Never spray your firewood with pesticides to deter insects because burning these logs in the fireplace will create harmful toxic vapors. 
  • Keep it protected.  In order to burn efficiently, firewood needs to stay dry.  One option is to store your firewood inside your shed or in another covered outdoor structure.  Or, you could do what I do and cover the wood pile with a simple tarp.  They are inexpensive and can be tied down to prevent them from blowing away.  If your firewood is stored in a place on your property that is not visible to passersby, then covering it with a tarp will not damage your home’s “curb appeal.”
    Log Rack
  • Keep it elevated.  If stored directly on the ground, firewood can soak up moisture and attract pests.  Storing your firewood in a sturdy Firewood Rack, or Log Rack, will keep your logs elevated, promoting air circulation and deterring pesky pests and wood rot.  Log Racks come in multiple sizes, so you should be able to find one that fits the space in which you plan to store your logs.

Properly storing your firewood now will ensure that you have enough good firewood to last you through the whole winter.  So, get ready to cozy up next to the fireplace with a warm buddy, and don’t forget the hot chocolate — extra marshmallows, please!

Backyard Fun, Outdoor Entertaining, Portable Fun

Enjoy a Picnic This Afternoon!

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Picnic BasketPicnicPicnic Basket

My daughter and I have “afternoon adventures”, as we call them, at least once a week. Some times we go to the park, sometimes the museum, but we almost always have a picnic at the end of our adventure. There is something exciting and relaxing about enjoying the nice afternoon temperatures and dining outdoors. With the amazing new picnic baskets available today, adults and children alike can easily enjoy dining al fresco any time they choose! These are not the wicker baskets of the past. They come with not only a fully insulated container that holds food and drinks, but also a full place setting for two! Plates, silverware, cloth napkins, cutting board, and even a cork screw come tucked inside. They are super convenient, super stylish, and super fun! Plan your own afternoon adventure, and don’t forget your picnic basket.

Outdoor Entertaining, Outdoor Lighting Ideas, Outdoor Safety Tips

Path Lights Offer Safe Passage

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Path Lighting

As the evenings grow darker earlier, it’s important to consider safety in and around your home.  When you come home from work or when guests arrive for dinner, be sure that the paths and walkways leading up to and around your home are properly and safely illuminated.  Path Lights help prevent tripping and falling accidents, especially when there are steps or uneven ground to negotiate.

Aside from providing safe passage, path lights add a warm and welcoming touch to your property.  They can also dramatically highlight your favorite outdoor living spaces, and protect your garden beds from being accidentally trampled by visitors who are unable to see clearly where they are walking.

Backyard Fun, Outdoor Entertaining, Portable Fun

Create Campfire Fun With Outdoor Fire Pits

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 Fire Pits and Fire Bowls

The nights are growing deliciously cooler, and it’s the best time of year to let your senses soak up the seasonal changes.  One of the best outdoor smells in the fall months is that of a campfire, and creating your own backyard campfire is as easy as loading up the Outdoor Fire Pit with the proper fuel and setting it ablaze.   Outdoor fire pits are an ideal place around which friends and family can gather for cozy evenings of storytelling, marshmallow toasting, and star-gazing.  Most fire pits come with spark guards so you’ll never have to be concerned about fire hazard from flying sparks.  Plus, a spark guard makes it safer to sit closer to the warmth of the fire pit when those fall temperatures turn especially crisp.