Lakeside Collection Blog

The debate around whether you should or shouldn’t take your cell phone to the beach is still open. The arguments against it are strong: you risk damaging or losing it, you will probably spend a huge part of your beach day talking to the friends or checking for updates from your work, and there will be little time to recharge and rest when your cell phone is with you. But on the other hand, you will be able to take pictures and share your moments with your friends, you’re ready if you’re waiting on important news, and in case of any emergency you can call for help – which are very good reasons as well; so let’s see what you can do to reduce the risks and to keep your cell phone safe from sun, water, sand, thieves, and what you can do to correct the mishaps.

1. Put it in a zip lock sandwich bag. It will be safe from the moisture and sand scratches; but you have to make sure that both the bag and your cell are completely dry, unless you want to turn the bag into a steamer.

2. Put it in your beach bag, but place it under your underwear and socks – hopefully they will serve as a deterrent.

3. Leave it in a locker, but carry the locker key with you when you swim. You can put the key in your shorts (if they have zipped pockets), in your water shoes if you wear them, or tie it to your bathing suit or around your wrist. Even the cooler is an option if you get really desperate.

4. Password protect your cell phone when you go to the beach.

5. If you see that your cell is overheating (some phones will display the warning message), put it in a cool place (if there’s nothing at the beach, place it under your towel or bag), or switch it off. Never handle it when it’s too hot to touch. Never.

6. Download the beach waves ringtone and use it if you don’t want to switch the ringtone off. This way it won’t be drawing attention when it rings. And you won’t be irritating the people around you (unless you have that bad habit of speaking loudly on the phone – if you do, kill it immediately!).

7. Add your home number as “01 Return to” to your contacts list. If you’re lucky enough and the person who found it wants to get in touch with you, this way it will be easy for him to find out who to call.

8. If you have dropped it in the water, there may be a way to salvage it if it hasn’t been in the water for too long. Dry it off and place it in a plastic bag filled with dry rice – it can help to absorb the remaining moisture, but you’ll have to keep it like that overnight.

9. Just in case, have a chit chat with a few people around you at the beach. Make sure that they remember you, so no one else can pretend that it’s their belongings, while you’re in the water.

10. Take an old lotion bottle, clean it well, cut the top part almost entirely (it should stay attached to the bottle on one end) and put your cell phone, keys, money in it. Keep the bottle in your bag, so that the possible thieves can’t see where you’re pulling the phone from. This way, no one will notice that you have any valuables with you.

It’s good to be free to carry your cell phone with you everywhere you go, but it’s also a good idea to make sure it’s safe. If you have anything to add, please share your tips!

Image Credit: Flickr

As a family nurse practitioner with a special interest in dermatology, I frequently have people ask me how they can not only prevent skin cancer on their faces, but how to keep their skin looking youthful.

The list of age-defying products, foods, tips, and “secrets” is endless. Typically they involve expensive lotions and creams, eating foods that contain antioxidants, or even sometimes rubbing those foods on your face. But here are some simple, everyday changes that can alter your look without altering your lifestyle or significantly impacting your budget.

1) Use daily moisturizer with sunscreen on your face all year round.

Everyone already knows that to prevent premature aging, they should protect themselves from harmful UV rays from the sun.  But think about it. How do you typically use sunscreen? You arrive at the beach and proceed to put it on. What about your drive there, though? It’s likely that the sun was beating down on your face as you wended your way down the road from your house to the beach, daydreaming of your toes in the sand. You should apply sunscreen before you leave the house. There are many facial moisturizers that contain between 15 to 50 SPF that are available in discount pharmacies as well as department stores. Higher price doesn’t necessarily mean more sun protection.

Image Credit: Flickr

Since my private practice is in the state of Washington, many patients say to me, “but we don’t have sun here in the winter.” Any amount of sun can be damaging to your skin, leading to age spots, wrinkles and cancer. Just like you should brush and floss your teeth daily, developing a daily habit of year-round sunscreen is best. See your healthcare professional or cosmetic dermatology practice to discuss treatments available to remove sun spots, skin cancer and minimize wrinkles. Using daily sunscreen can minimize the return of these aging effects of the sun.

Image Credit: Flickr

2) Just as less makeup is more youthful 

In most situations, less scrubbing will help protect your skin from damage. Dab – don’t wipe – your face with a towel to dry it off. I have seen women who, although using age defying cosmetics, are absolutely brutal with their face when it comes to removing the very makeup they are hoping will keep them looking youthful. And don’t forget, your daily makeup applying and removing rituals aren’t the only times you interact with your face!

Many times throughout the day we touch our faces without even thinking, breaking down the elasticity of our skin and creating perfect homes for wrinkles. Try to be conscious of when you touch your face;  fold your hands in your lap when you are tempted to rub your temples or rest your chin on your hand, and be gentle when using a napkin.

3) Sunscreen is not the only way to protect your skin.

Sun protective clothing, gloves and hats are all great ways to block the sun’s rays.  Each day I see men with cancer or precancerous lesions on their ears, temples, cheeks and neck, even though they have worn a baseball cap every day for most of their lives. You need to wear a broad brimmed hat to fully protect your face, ears and neck. Since I have fair skin, I make sure to wear a hat with UV50+ sun protection year-round, even when the sunshine is not as intense. Cowboys and people on the prairie learned this lesson a long time ago, and sun protection can be a fashion statement as well as a health decision.

Image Credit: Flickr

With just a few tiny adjustments, you will be well on your way to maintaining a youthful appearance. Like other things in life, I believe it’s the little things like these, that when compounded over time, can make the most profound difference.

Susan J Jones, ARNP is a registered Family Nurse Practitioner. She now runs her own family practice on Whidbey Island, Washington. In 2011, Susan was awarded the Hometown Hero award for her medical work, both domestically and in Latin America.

Having a get together for Mother’s Day is a great option. You can avoid large crowds (not to mention wait times) at restaurants and focus on what is important–Mom. Here are some quick tips to make a great brunch party she’ll never forget.

Plan a Menu
Let’s face it, the center of any brunch party is the food. It’s one of the biggest parts of the get together. Since this brunch party is focused on Mother’s Day decide what Mom’s favorite meal is and start there. The rest of the food will fall into place once the main dish has been decided.

Decorate with Purpose
Sometimes we can get caught up in the smaller details of a party. What color do you want the flowers to be? Do I need streamers? What about pictures. Instead, ask yourself what the purpose of those decorations are—then decide what is needed. For example, if you are honoring more than one mom this Mother’s Day, find some great photos of each mom the day they became a mom. Hang those around the house and add a pop of color with some flowers and you have got a great look without adding too much décor.

Designate a Play Place
Since there will be a few kiddos at the party (it is Mother’s Day after all) designate some areas that are just for the children to play in. If the weather cooperates, outside is always a great option. Grab some sidewalk chalk, and they’ll be set for hours of colorful fun. Put out some tables so the adults can monitor from a safe distance, but still have their adult time as well. A good planned flow will make it nice for all involved.

When in Doubt Delegate
Depending on the amount of people invited, you might need some help—and that’s OK. Don’t have time to cook, clean and get ice? Ask one of the guests to bring it, there is nothing wrong with that. Asking for help isn’t passé, it is a quick and easy fix to some of those pesky problems that pop up last minute. Don’t have time to add those picnic table covers? See if one of your guests can stop in a few minutes early to help. Remember, you are only one person.

Have Fun
This is a party after all, make sure you pencil in some time to have fun as well. Mom’s know all too well that you can plan and plan, but sometimes things just go astray. It’s ok, just go with the flow and make the most of what you’ve got. The less stress you have the more fun you and your guests will have on the big day.

Are you planning a brunch party this Mother’s Day? Let us know your brunch tips in the comments below.

Is it really Monday?  Here we go again the beginning of the week where Friday seems so far away.  Either back at work or school or getting those kids ready for another busy week.  But wait have no fear, maybe it really is a start of an amazing week.  Seize this first day of the week and find the joy of tackling a new week and a new exhaustion!  How you ask?  Let me begin with the, drumroll please…5 Items that were Popular Over the Weekend!  Then stay tuned the rest of the week for all our exciting tips and future blog stories!  At Lakeside we are here for you and let’s get through this week together!

Fashion Tote with Matching Flip-Flops keeps your coordinated when the temperatures start to soar. The snap closure on the tote keeps your items secure. The bold bag is accented with a large ribbon bow and double straps.

Solar Post Cap Lights
brings the exquisite look of stained glass to your home’s exterior. A solar panel soaks up the sun’s rays to activate the light in darkness. It’s designed to fit standard 4″ or 3-1/2″ wood or vinyl posts on outdoor decks, porches, patios and fences.

Don’t let a day at the beach turn into painful sunburns! This lightweight Kids’ Beach Chair with Adjustable Umbrellakeeps those harmful rays off exposed skin. The chair folds flat for easy transport.

The delicate look of lace makes a big impression whenever you wear this Plus-Size Lace Trim Cardigan. It instantly brings new style and character to anything you wear with it. The sheer lace shoulders and shirred, elbow-length sleeves give this beautiful top a look that stands apart from the crowd.

Portable Picnic & Party Servers
keeps salads, crudités, appetizers, chips,hamburger fixings and dips separate. The 2 removable 12-oz. bowls have twist-on lids.

 

Graphic T’s are a great way to show off your relaxed carefree style. It is true there are variety of shirts available out there in the world, and the nice thing about this fashion is you don’t have to invest a great deal of money. Graphic T’s can say anything from a funny catchphrase to simple the name of your favorite store. It is not necessarily the graphic T that makes the fashion it is how you dress it.

With Cut-offs
One of the most common trends to see with graphic T’s is a pair of worn cut-off shorts. It is one of the most relaxed styles that you can go with, and it allows you to show off a nice pair of legs without having to do all of the work to look red carpet ready. Jennifer Aniston and Miley Cyrus are infamous for this style. It is a great look for a nice stroll around the block.

Image Credit: Stylist

 Make a Statement
Just because the graphic T is a relaxed look does not mean that you cannot support a cause with it. You can either have some custom letters printed on it (the bigger the better) or a beautiful image to show what you stand for. This can be your local cause, world peace or even your freelance business (why not?)

Add a Jacket
There is no reason you have to worry about getting cold just because you want to wear your favorite worn out T–simply throw on a stylish jacket. It  not only dresses up your favorite T, but it also gives you a little extra warmth should it get a little breezy in the evening.

Image Credit: Celeb De’la Cream

Mini Skirts and T’s
Shorts are a great pairing for the graphic T, but do not forget about the mini skirt. It offers a little bit of dressiness to the entire ensemble, allows you to be comfortable, but it also allows you to show off a stylish pair of shoes that can bring the entire outfit together. Shorts are not the only way to show off your legs while strutting your favorite T, and in the cooler months throw on a pair of tights. The outfit will still work and you had minimal investment in order to adjust your wardrobe.

Image Credit: feminspire

Free Flowing Skirts
Graphic Ts definitely express one thing–a relaxed attitude, so when you are not trying to dress up your graphic T with a cute little mini skirt have a little fun with something looser and a little bit more comfortable. It is a great style that allows you to express your easy going nature without sacrificing your style.

Image Credit: Miss Ivy

Vest Anyone?
You may have that vest sitting in the back of your closet that you have no idea what to do with it. The graphic T is your answer. You do not have to have a complex wardrobe to add a little depth. Simply combine some of the items  you already have but have not had the opportunity to wear recently. The vest can help to bring the graphic T to the next level and avoid the just rolled out of bed appearance.

Image Credit: Catalogue of Style

Add a Belt
There is nothing that says that just because you are throwing on an old shirt of your favorite band or character means that it has to be a certain style. Spice up your graphic T with the right accessories. An attractive belt, bangles, or even rings can help take a rather plain ordinary outfit and make it extraordinary. Multiple bracelets are rather popular right now so have a little bit of fun with your costume jewelry while you are at it.

Image Credit: Cats and Cardigans

The Right Pair of Pants
Graphic Ts are great. You can throw on a plain pair of pants and make them kind of interesting with the right top. The same thing can be said about the right kind of pants with an otherwise plain graphic T. Find a cute pair of pants, throw in a graphic T, and accessorize. You will have quite the impressive outfit in no time.

Image Credit: A Listed

Author Bio: Peter Smith wrote the adorable post. He recommends Graphic tees as the latest fashion trend for this summer. He has added a vast variety for these Graphic tees at his online fashion store.

Easter is a mere four days away and many of us are nailing down the final details. Easter basket? Check! Kid’s Easter clothes picked out? Check! Dinner planned? Possibly. More and more of us are trying to find healthy (and delicious) alternatives to dinner classics. Easter is no exception. If you are still planning your menu, check out these great healthy alternatives to traditional Easter recipes.

Ham it Up
Ham is a staple for many Easter dinners. When purchasing your ham, make sure it is extra lean. The nutritional information for this cut isn’t as bad as you think. For one serving size (27g) there is only 29 calories and 1 gram of fat! Ham is also a great source of riboflavin, vitamin B6, potassium, zinc, protein and other minerals. If you are on a low cholesterol, low sodium diet however cut out the ham—it’s high in both of these. Check out Self.com’s overview below.

Leg of Lamb
If ham isn’t your family’s first choice for Easter, lamb is another great healthy alternative. With only 168 calories and 7.5g of fat per serving, you won’t feel guilty indulging in this delicious choice. When choosing any meat, make sure you get the leanest cut possible, if not you’re bound to add on extra calories and fat. CalorieKing has a great leg of lamb recipe that has us drooling. Their nutrition information is below.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
Everything is better with bacon, and prosciutto is bacon’s healthier counterpart. Delish.com has a great low calorie recipe that will have everyone’s mouthwatering. Sneaking in a great vegetable like asparagus is much easier when it’s wrapped in prosciutto. Below is the nutritional information for this side dish.

Carrot Cake
Carrot cake seems like a great option for Easter. After all, with a bunny themed event carrots seem to take center stage. Eatingwell.com reports, “Carrots give carrot cake a health-halo effect—people think it’s health food, but it’s usually very high in fat and calories. But our version has about 40 percent less calories and 50 percent less fat than most.” If you are having a carrot cake craving then head on over to Eating Well to get their reduced guilt recipe. Their nutritional information is below.

In the end, it’s ok to splurge on a few calories here and there for special occasions, but when you can substitute great healthy alternatives – why not? The above choices are just a few of the many great recipes for you to find. A quick search on Google yields thousands of pages of great tasting low-calorie options.

Do you have a great healthy recipe for Easter? Share with us in the comments below.

It feels like we just survived the holidays and New Years and it’s almost time for Easter! With the date being so early this year, many of us are playing catch up. Try not to stress too much, there is still plenty of time to get all the Easter goodies you want. Check out some of our Easter products below.

Seasonal Dishwasher Magnet Art makes sure your dishwasher is festively dressed for the holiday. Order each design individually or save and buy them all as a 4-piece set. Magnet backing makes them easy to switch as each new holiday approaches.

Cute Set of 5 LED Lighted Bunnies glows in color-changing springtime pastels. The bunnies make a charming decorative accent when displayed on shelves or scattered around a room.

Cheerful seasonal designs from artist Tina Ledbetter highlight these decorative lighted blocks. Diffused lighting emanates from inside the glass for an appealing look.

Greet friends, family and neighbors with the friendly rabbits on these Springtime Easter Yard Stakes. Adorable yard decor is sure to make your holiday complete. Order them separately, or get the 3-pc. set and save!

Milk Chocolate Dinosaur Egg is a fresh take on the Easter egg. The egg is loaded with 6 solid milk chocolate baby dinosaurs: 2 each of T-Rex, Triceratops and Stegosaurus.

Today St. Patrick’s Day is filled with a lot of green, parties and everyone claiming to be Irish for the day. However, it wasn’t always this way. St. Patrick’s Day dates back to the early seventeenth century and was originally a day celebrating the arrival of Christianity in Ireland.

St. Patrick
Unlike St. Valentine, we know who St. Patrick was. He was born in the fourth century and was kidnapped by Irish raiders from his Roman Britain home at the young age of 16. While captive, he was “told by God in a dream to flee from captivity to the coast, where he would board a ship and return to Britain. Upon returning, he quickly joined the Church in Auxerre in Gaul and studied to be a priest,” reports Wikipedia.

In 432 a.d. and now a bishop of the church, St. Patrick was called back to Ireland to help teach the Irish people Christianity. It is believed he used a shamrock to explain the doctrine of the Trinity. On March 17, 461 a.d. St. Patrick died and was buried at Downpatrick.

Snakes
One story associated with St. Patrick is that he drove all of the snakes out of Ireland with his flute.  Unfortunately, this story is only a myth. Many believe this story was created as a metaphor. St. Patrick is known as the person who converted Irish pagans to Christianity—hence he drove the “evil” from the land.

Irish Feasts and U.S Influence
In Ireland this national holiday was celebrated in the ninth and tenth centuries with a feast, but wasn’t an official national holiday until 1903. By the 1970’s Ireland started celebrating the holiday on a much larger scale. Philip Freeman of Luther College in Iowa, tells National Geographic, “St. Patrick’s Day was basically invented in America by Irish-Americans. Today, the U.S. tradition of St. Patrick’s Day parades, packed pubs, and green silliness has invaded Ireland with full force.”

Irish-American history expert Timothy Meagher also told National Geographic the reason for such a strong American-Irish impact on the holiday, “It becomes a way to honor the saint but also to confirm ethnic identity and to create bonds of solidarity.”

Blue not Green?
In the early years of celebration, St. Patrick’s Day was associated with the color blue—not green. Sky blue was associated with St. Patrick’s Order established in 1783. According to ABC News sky blue was assigned to differentiate from the Order of the Garter (dark blue) and the Order of the Thistle (green). Green came into the picture slowly because of his use of the shamrock to teach the Holy Trinity. By 1798, during the Irish rebellion, Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on March 17^th in hopes of catching public attention. After this statement, green became the dominate color associated with the holiday.

Lots of Guinness
If you think it wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without a pint of Guinness you aren’t alone. According to the brand, 13 million pints are consumed around the world on March 17^th. This is double the average daily consumption which is around 5.5 million. Beth Davies Ryan, the global corporate-relations director for Guinness says, “Historically speaking, a lot of Irish immigrants came to the United States and brought with them lots of customs and traditions, one of them being Guinness.”

Do you have your own St. Patrick’s Day tradition? Let us know in the comments below.

It might not seem like it now, but spring is just around the corner. Soon we will be replacing our snow boots for stylish sandals. From spring cleaning to planning your perfect garden, springtime is a fun and exciting time for us all. Are you ready for the weather to break? Make sure you have the following tasks on your springtime to-do list this year.

Donate  Used Clothes
When transitioning from your winter to spring wardrobe take a closer look at the items you actually wore this winter. Did you really wear that sweater? How about that scarf—how often did you really use it? Taking a critical eye to the items you hardly wore is a great way to get rid of clothes you just don’t need. Instead of them taking up space in your closet, donate them to your local Goodwill or other local charity.

April Showers Bring May Flowers
Do you have a green thumb? Planning for your garden now can save time and allow you to find the perfect garden accessories come spring. Whether it is a new fountain, or a cute birdbath, garden accessories can add some personality to those beautiful flowers you plant.

Organize, Organize, Organize
Nothing can add stress to your busy schedule like coming home to a disheveled mess. Some days that is just unavoidable. However, organizing can help in the long run. Our fun animal print storage units add character to a room while achieving your organizational goals. Running out of space in your kid’s room? Utilize the walls. Shelves are a great way to organize and can save on your square footage.

Pamper Yourself
We’ve survived all that old man winter has thrown at us this year, and can now focus on the warmer weather waiting for us. We all could use a little pampering every now and then, so why not focus an hour or more on you this spring? You don’t need to spend a ton of money on a spa day, when you could have our spa tub mat. Sometimes a nice relaxing bath can do wonders.

It’s Tool Time!
Anyone else remember the TV show Home Improvement? Well, hopefully you have better DIY skills than Tim Taylor. but whatever your skill set, home improvement projects are a great idea for spring. The weather is finally warming up so you don’t have to battle the cold while starting your new project. If you are the do-it-yourselfer check out our peel and press Berber carpet tiles. They are great for basements and playrooms.

As we count down the final 30 days of winter, let’s all try and focus on the great weather and activities that lie ahead. Do you have some great spring plans? Let us know how you are getting ready for spring in the comments below.

Image Credit: Fairygodmotherinc.com

Valentine’s Day. A holiday filled with love, flowers and chocolate. But before the chocolate, greeting cards and flowers, it was a church sanctioned holiday starting around 498 A.D. Filled with a rich and interesting history, Valentine’s Day isn’t just another made up holiday for greeting card companies.

Who Was Saint Valentine?
Because of its long history, it is hard to say who the Saint Valentine was—there were actually many early Christian martyrs named Valentine (or Valentinus). According to Wikipedia, the most popular of these Valentines was, “associated with [being] imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire; during his imprisonment, he is said to have healed the daughter of his jailer Asterius. Legend states that before his execution he wrote “from your Valentine” as a farewell to her.” We still use this saying to sign our cards today.

Enter the High Middle Ages
It wasn’t until the middle ages, that Valentine’s day was associated with love. We can thank the poet/author Geoffrey Chaucer for this. In his Parlement of Foules (published in 1382) he wrote: “For this was on Saint Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.” A handful of other poets in this same time frame also made romantic associations with the holiday during this time.

Fast Forward to the 1700’s
It wasn’t until 1797 that we would see anything that resembles a modern day Valentine postcard. Starting in England, a publisher created The Young Man’s Valentine Writer, which were cards written for those who couldn’t express their love as eloquently as they hoped. These Valentines became so popular in England that by the early 19^th century they were created in factories to keep up with the demand.

Jump to Modern Day
According to the Greeting Card Association, Americans send 145 million cards each year (this number doesn’t include Valentine’s given at schools). Christmas is the only holiday where more cards are sent. This is a far cry from the beginning of Valentine’s Day. The 20^th century is also when giving gifts became the norm for Valentine’s Day. It wasn’t until the 1980’s that diamonds where associated with the holiday.

Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? How do you show love to the special people in your life? Let us know in the comments below.