Landscaping Ideas For A Tropical Getaway In Your Front Yard

Imagine stepping into a tropical paradise complete with tiki posts, picturesque pond and lush shrubbery and then realizing you’re not in Hawaii. Surprise! You’re in your own front yard! Imagine blowing people’s minds with that tropical-themed yard on your next BBQ. Even with limited budget, you can create a tropical oasis right in your own front yard. Here’s a few of my tried and tested frontyard landscaping ideas to achieve a stylish tropical oasis:

Adding Lush Layers of Plants

For me tropical themed anything is about a clever play of textures. Start by planting different varieties of shade trees, shrubs and low-lying plants to achieve textured layers. You want the overall effect to look as if nature has taken over.

Add Several Water Features

You can buy super cheap water features in any specialty stores. Choose designs that give a distinctive tropical vibe and use the water features as a focal point or as accents. I would go a step further by adding wild flowers to attract butterflies and tropical themed birdbaths to attract wild birds!

Add Tiki Posts!

Nothing spells tropical paradise than tiki posts! I would place the tiki post along the pathway leading up to the central point of the yard but you can also use tiki posts as an accent.

Add Stone Accents

When I’m designing a tropical garden or yard, I would use stone accents to pull together the complete look. I would use natural tones from the area. If stones are not available in your area or if it’s too expensive, mould wet concrete and get the same textured effect by sprinkling coarse rock salt over it.

Kitchen Photos from Architecture & Design

From https://www.facebook.com/ArchiDesiign

Awesome Kitchen

Antique Kitchens

Antique kitchens have distinctive features that come from an earlier period in history. Whether an authentic restoration or a fresh remodel, the unique character of this style brings a sense of age and beauty to any traditional home.

Beautiful French Kitchen Design

From http://www.homebunch.com/

Kitchen Islands 

Kitchen islands designs have become one of the most requested features for home buyers when searching for a new home. Having a kitchen island in your home comes with many advantages, provided you have an open plan living plus dining room. 

Kitchen Cabinets

Choose the correct dimension for your kitchen cabinet.

Chairs and Tables

Here is where you can find the best designed chairs and tables.

National Geographic: Best of 2014's Daily Dozen (So Far)

In this photograph by Your Shot member Peter Mather, a northern flicker returns to her nest to feed her hungry chicks in Yukon, Canada.

See all photos here.

All Natural Cleaning

25 DIY Green Cleaning Recipes For the Whole House!

There was a time (many years ago now) when I defined effective cleaning by how the air smelled. It's not really clean unless I can smell the chemicals!

8 Green Cleaning Recipes That Really Work

Save money and feel better as you switch from store-bought cleaners to safer homemade versions.

Live Clean Today offers professional house cleaning services using green and natural cleaning products.

Non-Toxic Home Cleaning

Safe, non-toxic formulas, techniques and products for cleaning in your home.

67 Homemade, All-Natural Cleaning Recipes

To That Person I Fell In Love With When the Timing Was Just Not Right

"You woke me up. You did wake me up. "

First of all, let it be known here and now that I did love you. I was only ever cold to you that one time because I cared too much. I didn’t know how I was supposed to act when you heightened such a keen sense of passion in me. I could never think normally when I was around you. Some say that infatuation is different from love but what I felt for you bordered in between. I loved you despite your faults but I also crushed on you like you were the best thing since coffee.

Via thoughtcatalog

Freeing Workers From the Insurance Trap

The Congressional Budget Office estimated on Tuesday that the Affordable Care Act will reduce the number of full-time workers by 2.5 million over the next decade. That is mostly a good thing, a liberating result of the law. Of course, Republicans immediately tried to brand the findings as “devastating” and stark evidence of President Obama’s health care reform as a failure and a job killer. It is no such thing.

The report estimated that — thanks to an increase in insurance coverage under the act and the availability of subsidies to help pay the premiums — many workers who felt obliged to stay in a job that provided health benefits would now be able to leave those jobs or choose to work fewer hours than they otherwise would have. In other words, the report is about the choices workers can make when they are no longer tethered to an employer because of health benefits. The cumulative effect on the labor supply is the equivalent of 2.5 million fewer full-time workers by 2024.

Full story.

Do non-profits really need insurance if they are helping their community?

The answer to this post’s question is a big “Yes.” The simple truth is that if a non-profit with no liability insurance is named in a lawsuit, the legal costs alone could force it into bankruptcy!

Almost any activity organized by your non-profit can potentially result in a serious injury and lawsuits. Liability insurance protects against two kinds of financial risk:

1.       Defense in court
2.       Payment for damages for which the organization is found liable

Did you know that your volunteer directors can also be sued? D&O insurance is the key to protecting your board members from claims, and it’s also a must-have. D&O coverage includes:

1.       Protection against potential liability to third parties resulting from their acts or omissions on behalf of the organization
2.       Indemnification for claims of failing to fulfill the organizations fiduciary duties
Having D&O insurance can also help you attract and retain top talent because board members don't have to worry about potential lawsuits against them.

Though claims against non-profits are rare, they do happen, and just one claim can be extremely costly unless your organization is insured properly.