As spring and summer creep up around the corner, so are plenty of reasons for celebration! From the 4th of July to Easter, there is no shortage of occasions to throw a party. If you’re one of those people that love being the host just as much as you love attending get-together, then you likely want to impress your guests.

Creating the perfect space for entertaining friends and family starts with knowing what the best upgrades are. Here are some of the best ones to consider.

A Swimming Pool

When the weather gets warmer, most of your parties will likely start happening outside. What better way to spend your time outdoors under the sun than in a pool! Make no mistake about it; installing a pool in your home is a significant investment.

However, the good news is that it can add significant value to your home when you’re looking to resell. If you’re not looking to invest too much money into a pool, then you can always consider an above ground pool for much less money. It may not be quite as dazzling, but it still does the trick when you’re looking to cool off in the heat!

A Fire Pit

During a party, it’s important for guests to have a place to gather and chat. One of the best places to gather is a fire pit. Although most people think of gathering around a fire during colder months, it’s also great for spring and summer evenings.

When the sun sets, the air can get a little crisp. A fire makes a cozy place for your friends to gather and chit chat. You can even consider doing something like roasting marshmallows or hotdogs! If you have kids attending, they’ll get a kick out of it.

Plenty of Decorations

No party is complete without decorations! Glam up your home with plenty of decoration that will give your home a burst of color and light. Consider vibrant artwork or bright lights. If you’re feeling like splurging, even more, consider something like a chandelier in the middle of your main gathering space.

Seating

Although most of your guests will mingle throughout the event, it’s important to provide enough seating for everyone. From couches to chairs to love seats, it’s essential that you have an equal amount of seating for your guest count.

If your number of attendees tends to fluctuate, consider keeping foldable chairs on stand by. Part of creating the perfect party means encouraging conversation, and seating is essential for a good chat.

A Bar

Whether you’re serving alcohol at a party or not, having a station where people can grab something to drink is a huge perk. Incorporating a home bar in your house can be a simple yet fantastic upgrade.

 

When you spend a decent amount of money on something, you should also spend your money and time to ensure that your investment doesn’t go to waste by neglecting the items you’ve bought. This is especially the case with things like jewelry, which can easily become tarnished when not taken care of appropriately.

To help you see how this can best be done for the jewelry you own, here are three tips for caring for your expensive jewelry.

Take It Off Before Bed

While you might not think that wearing your jewelry to bed would be a big deal, this is actually one of the worst things you can do if you’re trying to protect and care for your jewelry.

According to Lauren Schumaker, a contributor to Insider.com, sleeping in bed can easily cause you to break your jewelry in one way or another. If you’re wearing a necklace or bracelet, the chain could break and cause your jewelry to be useless until and unless you get it fixed. And with engagement rings, wedding rings, or earrings, wearing them to bed could loosen the setting and cause your stones to become loose or fall out. Because of this, it’s best to remove all of your jewelry before you get into bed at night and then put your jewelry on again in the morning once you’re done getting ready for your day.

Vary Your Cleaning Routine Depending On The Materials

To keep your expensive jewelry looking like new, you’ve got to ensure that you adequately clean it on a routine basis. Depending on what materials your jewelry is made out of, the type of cleaning you’ll want to do will vary.

Lauren Smith McDonough and Carolyn Forte, contributors to Good Housekeeping, share that the way you clean silver, gold, gemstones, and pearls will differ drastically. So before you sit down to clean all of your jewelry with the same cleaners and cloths, make sure you first research how that specific type of jewelry should be cleaned in order to best care for your items.

Get Regular, Professional Maintenance Checks

In addition to doing your own cleaning of your jewelry, Blair Donovan, a contributor to Brides.com, recommends that you also take your expensive jewelry into a professional jeweler for regular maintenance checks.

At these checks, your jeweler should make sure that all of the prongs on your rings are tight, that none of your stones or jewels have been scratched or cracked, and that no clasps or chains have lost their structural integrity.

If you have expensive jewelry that you want to be able to pass down to future generations, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you know how you can best care for your jewelry.

 

One of the most asked questions about the gambling industry concerns the future of physical casinos. “Are online casinos destroying in-house ones?” “Are all physical shops going to close?” To determine whether they are suffering from this cohabitation, we must consider a few aspects.

First of all, these two worlds are not in competition with each other. Second, the audience is different. Third, although they earn money doing more or less the same things, there are some differences between them – learn more here.

Physical casinos revenues and rules

In 2015 all the casinos located in Las Vegas (U.S.A) made revenue of 6.348 billion dollars in total. Atlantic City instead has counted 2,426 billion dollars as the total income deriving from gaming rooms. If we think that following the estimates the incomes have grown by 3% each year, we have a clearer idea of which are the forces at play.

Although the gambling industry has changed a lot in the last 2 decades, in-house casinos are still very in-demand. The main reason which has permitted them to survive almost undamaged to the revolution is their targets. The kind of people who play in-house is different from those who play at online websites. In a nutshell, the target is different, and the rules which regulate “traditional” casinos are way more “permissive.

Online casinos world

Differently from traditional casinos which have already saturated, online websites have to face growing competition. The fact that this world is still changing and growing makes it very difficult to make some predictions. What will exactly be the situation in terms of revenues in ten years? We have to go cautious with previsions and call them ‘possible scenarios’. It is indeed impossible to make clear predictions.

Currently, based on the website Statista.com, the global online gambling market is going to make big revenues in the next years. In 2017 it generated 45 billion dollars, in 2024, it is predicted to reach 94.5 billion dollars. Then, it will almost double its volume in less than a decade.

Online and offline casinos

Based on the information we collected, we can assert that off-line casinos are still alive and well. They seem to benefit from the typical charm of old-style stuff. People who attend physical gaming rooms then are different from those who regularly use online ones. This is proven by the fact that they are still collecting a great success. Also, events like slot tournaments or competitions among players make some of them still prefer physical casinos. There are of course some peculiarities typical of their offer like the social factor which can’t be found while playing online. Some of these elements make their offer irreplaceable. This brings some players to still prefer them.

Then, what about their feature? Are they going to keep existing forever? For some people, it seems inevitable that traditional gaming spaces will be replaced by online ones. So far, this tun has not happened, and it won’t for a long time in our opinion.

 

Get ready to be transported to the gorgeous Emerald Isle by this Irish themed slot at Easy Slots. There is a mystical leprechaun that’s ready to lead the way. All you need to do is follow him and he’ll show you where he stashed his gold. Unlike what the myths say, he hasn’t hidden it away, all you need to do is help him and he’ll lead you to riches beyond your dreams.

Lucky Leprechaun General Info

This magical slot has clovers, a leprechaun, and other lucky symbols. Players can spin their way through this pretty slot and score some pretty big wins along the way. Lucky Leprechaun has 5-reels and 30 paylines and it features straightforward and uncomplicated gameplay. The borrowed Irish legend gives this slot a whimsical aura. The Irish theme is nothing new, but Lucky Leprechaun is one of the best and has earned its popularity.

iSoftBet Slot Developer

iSoftBet has developed a real winner when it comes to this slot as it combines great visuals, gameplay, and standard bonuses that earn players better prizes and longer gameplay. This company was founded back in the 1990s and has been going strong ever since. They have been releasing an impressive four slots a month. This Irish slot hits the spot and stands out among the rest.

Gameplay

With a 5-reel grid with 30 paylines, this slot has many opportunities for players to make winning combinations and be paid out. You can choose to bet across a few or all of the paylines, of course, the more lines you play across then the greater your chance of winning. The low betting range for this slot means that this slot is easy on players’ wallets and inclusive as anyone can play comfortably within their budgets. The highest valued symbol in this slot is the four-leafed clover. If you can get five of these to land consecutively one after another then the cash prizes will be massive. Another two of the high-value symbols are the ace and hat icons.

Lucky Leprechaun Special Features

This slot features the standard bonus symbols like wilds and scatters. These symbols earn greater prizes, unlock bonus rounds, and extend players’ gameplay. Wild symbols are represented by golden coins and have the standard ability to replace any other symbols on the board besides the other bonus symbols – the pot of gold and leprechauns. You can choose to gamble your winnings for a chance at a multiplier that is eight times your winnings. This feature can be chosen up to three times.

The Verdict

All in all, this is a fun and fortune-filled slot that has straightforward gameplay and big prizes to be won. The theme, graphics, and gameplay all tie together nicely to make this whimsical slot. Lucky Leprechaun is worth a spin as the low betting range and high potential wins make this slot a winner. Spin the reels to get a piece of that famous Irish luck.

 

There are so many benefits one can get from working at home. But, some do not see the joy of working right at the comfort of their home as they see it boring and uninteresting. Actually, it is not the case if you know how to make your home-based job exciting. There are actually some ways you can do ensuring that home-based jobs are equally or even more exciting than working on an office based environment.

How To Make Home-based Jobs Exciting

Just to help home-based jobs professionals, below are some ways you can do to make your work fun.

Dress up

Dressing up once in a while is a good idea when working at home. Sure, the effort you are exerting and the things that you do minus the stress of traveling is comparable to working at a physical office. Wearing high heels, putting on your make up and blow dry your hair before your day starts can be a good idea.

Some jobs require face to face conversations with their clients, hence preparing and looking nice is a must.

Give yourself a break

One of the many perks of working at home is your ability to take a break when necessary. Your time is not fixed, hence taking a break when you feel exhausted is easy, play online casinos or sister sites, drive to a supermarket, walk your dog, etc.

Giving yourself a well deserved break is recommended, provided that you ask permission from your client. Most of the time clients are very lenient in terms of giving their employees breaks, but that leniency must not be abused and be the reason of not performing right and as expected.

Ask for a career path

Asking your client for a career path is also recommended when working at home. What would be your status in their business a few years from now, will your tasks change, are you expecting any professional growth, if so, how can you achieve it.

Of course, you do not want to do the same task over and over again for 10 years, unless it is your preference. Ask your client if they give their home-based employees with career paths to pursue. You may also want to request for one on one coaching from time to time to enhance your knowledge and expertise even more.

Designate a work area in your home

Working at home gives people the opportunity to work anywhere they are, but if you want to feel like you are in a real office, designate a work area in your home. Sometimes, working can be dragging if you lose focus and get more excited watching television. Designating a space where you can work peacefully can help you a lot in finding the focus that you need to finish tasks assigned to you.

There are many opportunities where one can work from home and taking advantage of it is highly recommended. Follow the tips above and for sure, you can find the joy you are looking for when pursuing home-based work opportunities.

 

The mere idea of getting married can get rather exciting for the bride and the groom. Planning out every detail of a wedding along with the right wedding gown to choose and the best suit for the occasion can often make everything seem like a dream come true. Even deciding upon a suitable wedding invitation trend has its own share of fun and excitement as you can see here. How you wish to let your friends and family come to know about the wedding, the date and venue is entirely on the two of you. It will be a good idea to gain some knowledge about the different trends of wedding invitations so that you get to choose the right trend for your special occasion.

• Moody Colors: Just skip the traditional black and white invitations and go for colors instead. Black and white can often seem dampen the mood of a wedding. On the contrary, colors can make everything more exciting. You will notice that a moody and bold palette has come up in wedding paper, together with deep plum, black, and dark navy taking the center stage. If your wedding is during the fall or winter season, you may also opt for jewel tones to make it more exciting. Just make sure the keep the look appropriate for a wedding.
• Handwriting and Calligraphy Inspired: Cute motifs and different patterns have become a thing of the past. Try handwriting or calligraphy instead. It will be straight from the hand. You will find several calligraphers who are creating modern and new feel that is entirely fresh when it comes to a wedding invitation. You can certainly try the trend by just allowing your names to be hand lettered.
• Monograms: Instead of the letter-locking designs that flourished in the past, try the custom monograms that are taking on a completely new look with the help of different elements that are representative of the to-be-weds and also rather meaningful. You can try this trend on your wedding invitations, cocktail napkins, and any other personal stationery.
• Envelope Liners: You will probably find it tough to find a stationery designer who does not have any fun with envelope liners. When guests excitedly open your wedding invitation, this inner layer is what they will first notice. Lines are not just great finishing touches, but they also provide the ideal place to add in some fun elements such as personal detail or a sketch of the skyline or even your wedding date. You can pair it with a colored envelope to make it a really eye-catching mail.
• Watercolors: Adding color to your wedding invitation in this subtle manner has a romantic, delicate feel when designed in either bold and wild vibe or pastels. Brush it with bright hues and you will have a love wedding invitation ready to get distributed. You may also choose something that suits the overall wedding style. Put some additions to the design such as your envelope liner or reply card. You may also make it the backing of your invitation.

 

How do you know if your significant other is cheating on you? What are the differences between real signs and possible paranoia setting in?

While every relationship is different, and the actions and behaviors in relationships can be different as a result, here are four simple signs that your SO is cheating on you.

An improvement in appearance

We know what you’re thinking… An improvement in appearance, such as your SO wearing better clothes or taking care of his or her body by going to the gym more, should be a welcoming sign. It is — as long as this person is doing these things for you or himself/herself.

Out-of-the-ordinary behavior could be seen as a positive, especially when your SO is trying to better himself/herself, but this behavior should also be taken with a grain of salt and a pint of caution, especially if this person is also showing the signs below.

Secretive technology use

If your SO is using his or her technology in private, quickly closes his or her computer when you enter the room, or is trying to be secretive in any shape or form, then that’s not a good sign. It might not mean your SO is cheating, but it at least signals that this person is doing something wrong or something he or she feels guilty about.

Secretive technology use could include periods of your SO being unreachable or unexplained expenses.

For example, if your SO uncharacteristically starts taking phone calls outside or in another room, then that could be a sign of him or her cheating. And if your SO is unreachable at random times, whether he or she has an alibi or not, that could be another sign of cheating.

Another red flag: If your SO starts changing (or adding) passwords on his or her devices.

However, if your SO has always shown these habits, then they likely value their privacy and aren’t doing anything out of the ordinary. Of course, if your SO says he or she has to work and you see a receipt from a 9 p.m. dinner at a fancy restaurant, then this person has some explaining to do.

A sudden schedule change

A sudden schedule change could be the result of your SO getting a job promotion, but, of course, this isn’t the 50’s — while every relationship is different, staying at the office all night or your SO telling you he or she booked a hotel in the city for the night because it was late … likely means something is up, especially if this continues to happen.

Having to stay late or canceling dinner reservations at the last second isn’t alarming in itself, but constantly doing these things is cause for concern. It could mean your SO is cheating on you, or this person no longer values the relationship. Everyone makes sacrifices, and also needs to compromise in a relationship.

Your SO always seems guilty of something

Does it feel like your SO is walking on eggshells? This could be because of a number of different reasons, but if your SO’s behavior drastically changes, then there’s a problem.

If your SO’s behavior becomes really suspicious, then you can do a free phone number lookup. While these types of services are commonly used for providing mugshots, arrest records, and phone number/address lookups, they can also help catch cheaters.

Your SO should feel comfortable around you and vice versa, but if it always seems like he or she is hiding something or feels guilty, then these acts could be a sign of infidelity.

While these are common signs of cheating, we want to make it clear that even if your significant other is showing the above signs, it doesn’t mean he or she is cheating. Everyone is different and acts differently as a result. Something else could be going on, which is why it’s important to be honest in your relationship and bring up concerns that are bothering you.

 

Most people share a common problem in dealing with their old and unused stuff at home. For years, these items have remained untouched, covering a vast space that cannot be maximized for anything else. Without realizing how they could productively get rid of them, they ended up dumping the junk. The value of these pieces of stuff may be considered immaterial for their owners, but there are a lot of ways to make them usable and meaningful. Knowing the best approach to deal with such trash can somehow change people’s standard practice of quickly throwing away unused items.

Reinvent or recreate

The easiest way to deal with junk found at home is to save material parts that can be used to produce innovative items. Reinventing or recreating old and unused objects is not new in households, especially if practicality is the best option to consider. There are ideas that have sprung from creative minds that can turn old materials into functional ones, like the reuse of old tires to make fancy furniture or plastic bottles to grow plants in the garden. Aside from maximizing junk for home use, it may also be developed into a form of livelihood. Who will not love these kinds of goods, especially if they are made from recycled materials and a product of an artistic mind?

Donate to old stuff collectors

Another option to explore is to find collectors of used and old items in the locality and give them away for free. Since the appreciation for things varies from a different point of view, collectors of old stuff will be glad to accommodate goods that others have seen as junk. They believe in the never-ending value of things because of the labor and expertise attached to them. In this way, these materials will not lose their worth and will be kept in good hands.

Exchange for cash in junk shops

In terms of practicality, sending away unused objects at home to junk shops is the most practical way of disposing of them. Aside from getting rid of them quickly, they can be exchanged for cash depending on the state and usefulness of the unused objects. These items may range from pieces of furniture or appliances to housewares. And even a wrecked car that has been parked outside for so long can be sold to We Buy Junk Cars Fort Lauderdale. This option is still considered the best available solution to get rid of untouched items at home.

Make them reusable through repair

Commonly, items that are left untouched are those that have damage and defects. These goods may be checked for necessary repairs for them to be used again. In any way, repairing is still more affordable than purchasing new ones as long as the items are not far from being fixed.

Getting rid of house junk entails a few considerations. The top one is practicality, especially if such items are not worth dumping.

 

 

It’s an undeniable fact that given the opportunity, we would all want to transform our homes into something better. However, because of financial limitations, many of us often delay the idea if not forget about it entirely. But the good news is that you don’t necessarily need to spend a small fortune to get the desired results. You’ll be surprised at how far a modest budget can get you with some careful planning and research. To this end, here are a few money-saving tips for the budget-conscious homeowners looking to improve their homes.

• Don’t spend impulsively

Whether it’s the modern lighting that you need to enhance your home’s interior or landscaping services to add kerb appeal, it’s crucial never to spend impulsively. Instead, take your time and consider all available options before deciding. Tedious as it may appear to be, doing so will give you a better chance of finding inexpensive alternatives and better deals. And as a result, keep your expenditure to a minimum without compromising on the quality of the results.

• Tackle one project at a time

The reason why home improvement is generally associated with high expenditure is that many people give into the temptation of tackling multiple projects simultaneously. Instead, it’s a general rule of thumb to take on one job at a time. Doing so will not only keep costs from spiraling out of control, but this focused approach will allow you to reduce, if not mitigate, the chances of making any potentially expensive mistakes.

• Consider a DIY approach

While some jobs are best left in the capable hands of professionals, it doesn’t necessarily mean that there aren’t tasks that you can do on your own. And if the opportunity presents itself, consider taking a do-it-yourself approach instead. After all, not only will it keep you from spending a small fortune on labour, but it’s a satisfying experience that you’re bound to learn from too.

• Give yourself a financial cushion

When tackling a home improvement project, it’s not uncommon to encounter unforeseen issues and unexpected expenses to rear their ugly heads. As such, it’s good standard practice to have a financial cushion in place. In this way, any potential problems that might arise can be dealt with quickly. More importantly, it will keep your project from any expensive delays, and as a result, maintain a consistent level of productivity throughout the duration of the project.

• Understand your limits

In the interest of keeping expenses low, a lot of homeowners opt to tackle the tasks that the home improvement project entails themselves. However, this can be counterproductive if the job requires specialist work. And you’re far more likely to make mistakes that will be costly to rectify in doing so. As such, it’s vital to understand your limits and leave specific tasks to the experts when necessary.

There’s no denying that home improvement projects can be expensive endeavours. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that it should always be the case. And by following the money-saving tips listed here, not only will you get the desired results, but do so without breaking the bank.

 

 

You need to have a quality presentation to convince the people listening to you. Whether you’re presenting to a large crowd or to a small group of potential investors, your words matter. However, apart from the presentation, you also need to consider these other factors to guarantee success.

Good personality

When you step on stage to speak in front of the crowd, you need to look good. Even if you’re nervous and shaking inside, you still have to appear confident. Try to smile at the people in the room and be optimistic. Sometimes, even if you have something good to say, people will ignore you if you seem scary.

Sense of humour

Don’t take the process too seriously, even if you know that the results of your presentation are crucial. The moment you lose your sense of humour, you will also lose the interest of the people in the room. Therefore, you have to appear calm. Inject some funny lines along the way, especially if your speech could go on for a long time. You want to retain attention by being comic.

Visual aids

You need to have visual aids along with your speech to ensure that people are guided by what you’re discussing. Besides, there’s no guarantee that you can hold everyone’s attention even if you have a good topic. With visual aids, you can gain people’s interest. Make sure that you go to the venue early to check if the equipment you need for the visual aids is ready. You can also invest in an AV mount like the ones sold at www.unicol.com for the clearer projection of your visual aids.

Ability to respond to questions

You can prepare for your speech, but you won’t know the types of questions that will be thrown at you. Therefore, you must learn how to respond to questions. It shows that you know what you’re talking about, and you’re confident of every detail. You can reference your visual aids for clarity. You can also be honest if you have no idea how to respond to the question. It’s better than providing an incorrect response.

Level of engagement

No one wants to sit for several hours listening to you. It doesn’t matter even if you have an excellent topic. People’s attention won’t last that long. Some of them might doze off, while others might stay longer in the toilet. Therefore, your ability to engage with people is important. Find a way to interact with them by asking questions, playing games, and using other techniques. You have to break the monotonous speech. It’s better to pause for fun activities than to keep on talking when no one understands you.

Once you can combine all these factors, you’re good to go. You know that people will pay attention to your speech and understand what you’re saying. You have to evaluate what worked during the presentation so that you can do better next time.