9 days until Halloween Countdown ~

There are many different ideas of where the very exciting and often spooky holiday that is halloween originated from. Growing up,  I didn’t really think of why Halloween existed, all I knew was I wanted to plan my costume a month in advance, find out what parties were happening and be prepared to stuff myself silly with candy that night.

Halloween has a richer meaning than I previously recognized. For one thing, Halloween goes by a few different names. Some call it “Samhain,” others call it “All Hallows Eve,” it can also be referred to as the “Festival of the Dead” and “All Souls Day” throughout differing cultures and traditions.

“Samhain” pronounced saw-win, in gaelic means “summers end” and is in observance of the sunset from october 31st until the morning of november 1st. This was an ancient celtic practice marking the halfway point between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. This was a celebration of and important glance into the darker side of things.

“All Hallows Eve,  “Halloween” or “All Saints Eve” is a part of the western christian observance of the feast of  All Hallows Day” which marked a 3 day time of remembrance of martyrs, saints and those departed.

“Festival of the Dead,” “All Souls Day,” and “Ghost Festival” is celebrated throughout many different cultures spanning South America and Asia. In Taoist and Buddhist traditions, the dates and times of this can fluctuate because it follows a different calendar. This was a time to honor and pay respect to ancestors.

It is said that during this period the veil between the two worlds, those of the living and those of the dead is at its thinnest. Thus , it is easier to observe, connect and make contact with spirits and ancestors.

Although they go by several different names and have slight variations in their reasons for the observance and festivities, a common theme strings throughout each of them.

There is a cycle to this journey. From sunset into sunrise, from summer into winter, from dark into light, from death into rebirth – these seemingly two opposing forces are happening simultaneously.

Meaning, whether we are dressing up to ward off evil spirits, feasting on sweet delicacies in joyous remembrance of those departed, lighting jack o lanterns to mimic the sun holding off the darkness for a little longer or simply realizing somethings aren’t always what they seem… we can gain a deeper insight behind the mysterious night of Halloween which is celebrated throughout our world.

View post: sixdifferentways.com

Firstly, being a good blogger for other blogs can be a little challenging but if you start by creating your own blog, it can be an easier way to get you started.  All you have to do is start a blog about anything you are interested in. Whether it be interior design, crafts, recipes, music, sports, or even documenting your pregnancy! You can write about pretty much anything, after all – it is your blog! 

Source: Nikola Mihailovic | SEO Expert

Next, use an easy content management system (CMS) like WordPress, for example. There is a difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org, if you a part of .org, you will want to purchase a domain and find a reliable hosting server.

Then, download the WordPress or whichever CMS you choose to use. If you go through WordPress.com,  you are using their hosting server usually with WordPress in front of a blog name like www.wordpress.com/your-blog-name. When you get a little more serious about your blog you will want to purchase a domain name and transfer it over or go completely through WordPress or chosen CMS / Server site.

Source: Entrepreneur

I use Dreamhost as my serve,  I’ve found it to have the least amount of issues and reliable services, but there are countless other sources.  I’d advise to read reviews and customer testimonials to find what meets your needs best.  From there, if you don’t have programming experience, you can pick from a variety of pre-made templates to begin designing your blog or you can pay a graphic designer / programmer to create one for you. Better yet, you can check out some YouTube tutorials and create your own!

Source: DesignPress Blogger Templates

Come up with a catchy title for your blog, something that relates to what you write about and something easy to remember – some of the easiest to remember and most high ranking blogs are one to three words at most.

Now you can start your first blog post! Let the writing flow, pay attention to keywords and if you want to accredit other blogs or use photos ask permission or at the very least source the photo which means giving credit in the caption.

Source: Pinterest / Dllconsulting.com

Another helpful tip: if you accredit another blog or site on your post, you are actually helping them through back-links and if your blog gets enough attention, they may do a link exchange with you, they may give you free products or even ask to advertise on your blog which means exposure, promotion, higher ranking on search engines, free stuff and cash money!

Once you start receiving compensation for your blog and posting daily, you will want to fill out a form to take out your own taxes for when tax season rolls around.

Source: Blog Tyrant

If your blog becomes successful you may start receiving offers from other blogs or companies or websites who want to purchase your blog.

Don’t undervalue yourself. Your knowledge, wisdom and information is important! If and when they make an offer and if money isn’t your end game, who knows – your blog could lead to many more opportunities that could build a dream future less fleeting than cash. So always be yourself and start blogging! 

Go here to read the rest: sixdifferentways.com

Your living space is a reflection of who you are. if you spend a lot of time at home and even if you don’t, its important to make your home your sanctuary, a place where you can relax and draw inspiration from.

If there are goals you want to accomplish whether it be career based, physical goal oriented such as dietary, exercise or deeper levels of growth such as boosting self esteem and positive self affirmations, there are ways to accomplish through your interior design, specifically mirror design.

Most of us have a mirror or two in our homes. There are people out there that swear against them, but the average person has at least one, in their bathroom or a body mirror in their bedroom.

If your going to look at yourself in the mirror, to primp, put on makeup, shave or whatever it may be, you can use washable markers, stickers, post-it notes or even lipstick to write positive affirmations on them, so each time you stare at your beautiful self, you can remember just how beautiful you truly are, beauty that runs deeper than the surface

How are you feeling? What makes you self conscious? Do you feel like you are aging? Do you notice wrinkles? Do you think your skin is in bad condition or that you wish your nose was smaller? Do you wish you had a stronger jawline or your body was slimmer? What goals do you want to accomplish? Are you a runner that wants to meet a specific time per mile?

You can even write things that you simply want for yourself and from your life.

If you are an avid lover of bacon, even the smell is mouthwatering and chances are its one of your go-to morning breakfast choices, the treat doesn’t have to end there though, did you know saving the bacon grease that fills your pan can be reused to take your other dishes to the next level?

Drain the hot grease into a jar or tin can (but be careful!) You can go as far as scraping any of the black bits stuck to the bottom of your pain and adding them to the jar too.

*IMPORTANT* After you make anything with hot grease you shouldn’t be pouring it down your drain anyway, this is very damaging to your pipes, if you aren’t going to reusing your bacon grease, you should be waiting for it to cool, then throwing it away or recycling it properly.

Next comes the fun part and it you can experiment with the grease for new and tasty creations. Bacon grease has a savory, salty taste. Take a spoon full or two for vegetable sautes, to grease pans for cooking meat dishes, eggs or mix in with homemade cookie dough!

You can use bacon grease for more than just cooking. If you have a pooch, add it to dog food, they love the taste and the oils make their coats silky and smooth.

Bacon grease can be applied to squeaky joints or creaks in doorways as a lubricant.

And, if you are camping or having a backyard bonfire, sprinkle a little bacon grease on newspaper to help amp the fire up a notch.

There are many uses of leftover bacon grease, it’s important to utilize the entire animal if you are going to eat them, so why not make the most of it!

Read more here: sixdifferentways.com

Adult coloring has been on the rise in the past few years, the reason? Well, coloring is more than just a kid friendly pastime, it is also can serve as a meditative and creative practice that can help clear your mind, is easy to do and plus its fun!

You can find printable coloring pages online or you can buy an adult coloring book to keep around all the time and to save your colorful creations. The best part is you can choose what you want to color to fit your mood.

First, choose your tools. I like to color with sparkly gel pens. They are better for smaller outlines but you can choose crayons, markers, colored pencils. Next, choose what it is you’d like to color.

If you want to center yourself or figure out a solution to a problem, try a labyrinth or mandala coloring page.

Having a bad day? Choose a coloring page with inspiring or helpful affirmations:

If you are still having a bad day and want to get out some frustration, they have some pretty hilarious adult coloring pages as well (warning: adult content):

Put away those heavy grains and over-salted snacks – replace with a simple to make side dish or healthier mouthwatering treat – roasted brussel sprouts!

Whether you are a seasoned chef or a cooking phobic, there are a number of neat tricks you can do to make sure your red meat is absolutely delicious!

1. Always store meat in its own cooking juices – this enhances and preserves the flavor
2. If you accidentally scorch meat, wrap it in a towel and cover the meat for five minutes before scraping off the burnt spots with a knife
3. To reheat meat, use lettuce leaves in between meat slices to keep the meat tender
4. To soak up any extra grease and to keep meat from curling (specifically bacon) place strips between paper towels, cook for 3 to 5 minutes
5. Marinade your meat in white vinegar and oil (one to two parts).  Add canned whole tomatoes to roasts as well. This will tenderize the meat and when marinating always keep in the fridge.
6. Never push meat down with a spatula while cooking, you’ll dry it by squeezing out all its yummy juices 
7. If your meatballs fall apart while cooking them, refrigerate them 20 minutes before to keep this from happening!
8. Use basil, thyme, marjoram, summer savory and rosemary when cooking red meat – you don’t have to use all at once, these are just the best herbs to use with red meat

Use these helpful red meat cooking tips and your dishes will come out perfect every time!

Even if you rarely drink aside from the occasional glass of wine, its always good to have your bar stocked for events, parties or impromptu visit by friends or family. Here are the best items to stock your bar with year around to keep you and your guests satisfied.

Hard Liquor 

• Vodka – grey goose, belvedere, ketel one – good choices, pricier but better to splurge on one for less hangovers
• Gin- tanqueray, bombay, beefeater
• Rum – dark rums are ideal
• Tequila – gold label is choice
• Whiskey

Basic Bar Essentials 

• Imported Beer
• Wine
• Triple Sec
• Angostura Bitters
• Amaretto
• Vermouth

Best Mixers

• Tonic Water
• Club Soda
• Grenadine
• Ginger Ale – great for stomach aches

Some mixed drinks are just too strong and not everyone enjoys the same thing, beer can be very delicious especially craft beers, but they can have a ton of calories and leave everyone feeling bloated by the end of the event – a savory and delicious drink you can make is sangria, it is  delightful mix of wine, brandy and fresh fruits with ice that goes with many different dishes and a really refreshing summer drink!

What you’ll need:

• 1 bottle of red wine – shiraz or rioja work well
• 2 cups orange juice
• 2 cups ginger ale
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup triple sec
• 1 thinly slice orange with a few extra pieces for garnish
• 1 thinly slice granny smith apple
• 1 thinly slice lime
• others fruits you prefer – citrus, berries, etc.
• wooden spoon
• pitcher

Add all ingredients in a pitcher, mix with a wooden spoon and allow to chill in the fridge overnight. Add ice cubes to the pitcher when ready to serve, a few more fruits and the orange for garnish.

You can also use white wine instead of red to make a sangria blanco. Sangria is a red wine punch that isn’t too heavy, isnt too strong its juuuuust right. Plus its pretty too! Sangria is the goldilocks of party drinks!