Finding the Best Kitchen Faucet For My Home Improvement Project

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So you have decided to remodel your kitchen. You have decided on the cabinets and the countertop. Now it is time to select the kitchen sink faucet. This is going to be a tough decision to select the best kitchen faucet to fit your décor. This faucet in the kitchen probably gets the most use in your home. Too select one, you went to Home Depot and then to Lowes and you still did not decide which one you want.

Looking for the right kitchen faucet involves many decisions. You first have to decide what type of faucet. Is your sink stainless steel? Then of course you want to get a stainless steel faucet. Is your sink a porcelain sink? Then you will have to match it to the other décor in the kitchen – white, black, bone, stainless steel, chrome, brass, brushed nickel, oil rubbed bronze, brushed bronze, pewter, etc. Is your sink an under mount sink? Do you need an 8″ spread on the faucet or can you space the spout, handles and sprayer at any dimensions? Do I want a soap dispenser? And finally you need to budget the right amount. The best kitchen faucet could be very expensive. Remember do not go cheap for this fixture because of the amount of use it will get.

The size of your sink will determine the type of faucet. If you have a small sink, then a single lever faucet will suit your needs. But if you installed a large double sink, then installing a faucet with two handles and a center spout is the right move. Make sure the faucet you choose is proportional to the size of the sink. You do not want a small one a double bowl sink. Some of the finishes faucet comes in are brushed nickel, chrome, polished chrome, brass, antique brass and many more. A chrome faucet is probably the most popular these days.

Kitchen faucets also come with side accessories. Lotion and soap dispensers, air gaps, and sink strainer are ones you can select. Side sprayers are available to clean those large pots and pans. The faucet can also be a pull out faucet which turns into a sprayer with a push of a button.

As you can see, the selection of the correct faucet will take some thinking and design sense. But when done correctly, it will really make the kitchen come together and feel complete. Do not just go and select the first one you see. Every time you enter the kitchen, it will be the first thing you see and you will not feel comfortable with your new kitchen.

The best kitchen faucets can be found at your local hardware store and at the local home center. You can lso go online and choose a faucet from the manufacturer’s websites. But do not buy it there. Those prices are higher than what you will pay in the stores. While on the manufacturer’s website, search for local dealers of their faucets. The following list contains links to the manufacturers’ websites so you can follow through if you really like what you see.

Price Pfister – Reasonably priced and easy to find as most reputable home improvement stores.

Moen – Reliable, stylish, and affordable kitchen faucets that are some of the best on the market.

Delta Faucets – Their products are regular award winners for both design and functionality.

Grohe Faucets – Grohe Faucets are designed with European sensibilities and are arranged in three different themes. The contemporary line, transitional line and authentic line.

Peerless – No-nonsense, simple, functional faucets that won’t break your bank.

In the end, before you go shopping for the best kitchen faucet, know your needs. There are so many high quality faucet manufacturers out there, they all make good faucets. In the end, your final decision will be based on the décor you selected for your kitchen. Find the faucet that stands out and really spices up the kitchen.

Paying Less For Your Health Insurance – Here Are Tips You Should Know

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Have you ever wondered why you pay so much for your health insurance? Do you want to save more on your health insurance? Here are some tips you should know if you must lower your health insurance rates.

Smoking is the most suspected cause of lung cancer as well as other health related problems. They therefore attract higher health insurance rates than non-smokers. This is because of their health risks and insurance companies have to pay more to smokers.

If you stop smoking for about a year or there about you should inform your insurer for a review of your insurance coverage. You might as well apply to another insurance company.

Your weight is another factor which you might want to consider if you must enjoy lower medical insurance rates. In calculating your health risks to an insurer your Body Mass Index is one of the factors used. Your Body Mass Index measures your weight to your height and it is used in determining if you are underweight,overweight or obese. It differs for males and females.

If you are over-weight (if you have a high Body Mass Index) you will attract a higher health insurance premium. So shedding off a few pounds will not only get you lower rates, but also it will make you live a healthier life.

Smoking attracts higher health insurance rates. Same goes for usage of other forms of tobacco products such as snuff. This is because of the health risks you pose to your insurer.

Thus, staying off all forms of tobacco products will make you pay less for your health insurance.

Having a poor driving history can make you pay heavily for your health insurance. Traffic violations, driving under the influence of alcohol and other forms of traffic violations will see you pay more for your health insurance because you become a greater risk to your insurer.

Also if you drive a sports car or ride a power bike you will pay more for your medical insurance. This is because you are predisposed to accidents. Being more responsible behind the wheels is one way to lower your medical insurance rates.

You might want to get and compare quotes from a number of insurance companies. This is because they offer different coverage plans and you might want to check which is best for you.

Funky, Fun and Unique Bridal Shower Gifts

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Weddings are undoubtedly a joyous occasion, but while starting a new life together is really exciting, it can also be very expensive for the bride and groom, which is why the tradition of the bridal shower began. Whether you’re the maid of honor organizing the wedding shower and looking for ideas, or you’re shopping for bridal shower gifts to help the blushing bride set up her future home, here are some ideas to help you find fun, creative and unique bridal shower gift ideas that won’t hurt your budget!

HISTORY AND TRADITIONS OF THE BRIDAL SHOWER
There are many different stories about the early origins of the tradition of throwing a pre-wedding party for the bride to be and “showering” her with gifts for her new home, although most agree that the custom began as something of an alternative to providing a monetary gift or dowry to the bride, especially for poor families.

The most widely circulated legend about the beginnings of the wedding shower is the story of a young Dutch girl in the 16th or 17th century who fell in love with a miller whose generosity towards the poor meant that he himself was never able to save up a fortune. The girl’s father disapproved of the miller’s poverty and so refused to give his daughter a dowry, but the young girl’s friends in her village, wanting to help her with the marriage, brought her many household goods to contribute towards her dowry.

The giving of wedding shower gifts also has some similarities with the hope chest or trousseau tradition, where special household things such as linens, clothing and sometimes dishware would be set aside and given to a girl of marriageable age.

Today, the wedding shower is as much an occasion for the bride-to-be to relax and celebrate with her friends and family, as it is about giving and receiving useful wedding gifts. It’s usually held about 4 to 6 weeks before the actual wedding, organized by the maid of honor with some help from the other bridesmaids, and attended by female friends and family.

HOW DO I ORGANIZE A GREAT BRIDAL SHOWER?
Organizing a bridal shower can be a daunting task, especially if party planning is not your strong suit. Plus, with all the decorations, refreshments and gifts that need to be purchased, it can also turn into a bit of an expensive nightmare.

So what sort of things should you keep in mind to throw a fantastic bridal shower that will be a fun time for all involved?

  • Theme up: Choose an appropriate bridal shower theme that will fit the bride’s personality. For a beach or destination wedding, consider a tropical or ocean theme with seashell decorations and margaritas, while a garden party theme with mini sandwiches, tea and floral decor might be an elegant twist on a more traditional celebration.
  • Wherefore art thou?: Where you will have the shower will depend on the number of guests – a smaller do can be held at an attendee’s home, while a big group should celebrate at a hotel, the park or community hall.
  • Be our guest: Besides the bride herself, immediate family members of both the bride and groom should be invited to the shower, as well as the bridal party; for anyone else, it’s usually a good idea to consult with the bride or her mother to determine the guest list. You should only invite people who are also invited to the wedding.
  • Games & activities: Don’t forget to have a little fun! Some ideas for bridal shower games include asking the guests trivia about the bride and groom; getting the attendees to provide marital advice; or having a little contest to make a “dress” for the bride out of toilet paper.

BRIDAL SHOWER GIFT IDEAS

Of course, the main event at a bridal shower is when the bride opens up her gifts, but where do you start to help the guests decide what to get, and to make sure they’re items the bride will actually enjoy?

The easiest approach to simplify the gift selection process is to set up a specific bridal shower registry or to get guests to purchase items from the bride & groom’s wedding registry.

But for a more creative approach that’s still easy and fun for all involved, try choosing a specific category of bridal presents, such as lingerie, bakeware or relaxation & spa products. You can always talk to the bride and ask her what type of stuff she thinks she will need the most.

Another neat bridal shower gift idea is to have each of the guests bring a photo or special memento they have shared with the bride, plus scrapbooking materials, to give her a personalized gift that she will always cherish!

This is also a real cool idea – how about making some personalized candles for the bride and groom to burn at each major milestone of their marriage? Check it out at this Hub: Unique Bridal Shower Gift Idea

And for the funky and fashionable bride, consider getting bridal shower attendees to buy vintage gifts and accessories from specific decades that she likes, such as vintage lipstick holders or perfume atomizers, or fun ’50s diner furniture.

If the guest of honor is big on being environmentally friendly and doesn’t mind pre-loved items, this is also a great way to go green if you have some heirloom items in excellent condition.

Another green wedding gift idea? Get the bride some gardening tools to help her start off her very own vegetable, herb or flower patch as it’s a gift that will last a lifetime! Seeds, composters, tool sets, watering cans are all great ideas for this type of present.

HOME ESSENTIALS THAT WILL MAKE FOR GREAT BRIDAL GIFTS

Even for the most easygoing bride, it can be difficult to figure out what sort of presents to buy, so here’s a list of useful wedding gifts that any woman will appreciate, whether she is a high-powered career woman or plans to be a busy stay-at-home mom.

Storage, shelving and organizers

As the saying goes, you can never have too many shoes… or too much space to store them! Help her keep organized with something like the Essential Home 15-Pair Shoe Organizer from Kmart.com, which is really convenient and easily stackable. Plus, the bride with an eye for design will be able to incorporate storage into her home’s aesthetic in a funky way, so storage and organizers are really a neat item to have.

Bath products

Towels, linens and other bathroom items are an essential for any home, as everybody can do with a nice relaxing bath or shower at the end of the day. Look for plush and spa quality products that will provide the bride – and groom! – with a luxury bath experience.

Luxe materials such as Egyptian cotton for towels and memory foam for bath pillows make for an especially nice gift – try the Cannon Egyptian Cotton Bath Towel from Sears.com, for example.

Bedding

Everyone appreciates a good night’s sleep, so give the happy couple sweet dreams with some comfy sheets, duvet covers or pillows! Most people know that the higher the thread count for cotton sheets, the softer and finer they are. However, keep in mind that some but not all extremely high thread counts of over 500 might be inflated. So remember that standard cotton thread counts are around 150, while good-quality sheets start at 180 and a count of 200 or higher is considered to be the best.

Some Interesting Whiteboard Games For Your Kids

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If you still think that games are just for fun, you are totally wrong. Games could also work as an education and learning method. You can take advantages of a lot of simple things near you to play this kind of game. And do you notice it before? Whiteboard is one of some useful simple items that could bring interesting and useful brain games for your children. Besides, this board allows the kids to write and down on the surface with erasable ink, so you will not waste too much paper during the games.

There are several options of interesting games with whiteboard as the media. The first choice will be “Picture What?” game. During the game, children have to guess the picture drawn on the board. This game is played by two or more teams. Surely, teamwork and interaction between the members of the team are really needed in order to play the game excellently. Some members of the team have to make some series of drawing while the rest have to guess the drawing of another team.

In this certain game the winner will be the team that is able to guess the drawing in the shortest time. Therefore, you need to pay attention on the time they need to guess what picture shown on the board as well as how long they need to picture their drawing. Make the list of the object they need to draw based on their age. Through this game, children will not only have fun, but also learn more about teamwork and interaction.

The next whiteboard game for your kids is Word Games. There are many kinds of word games you can do supported with your board. One of the simplest word games is Hangman. In this game, the players take turn to choose a word as the puzzle. Then, they need to create spaces for each letter of the chosen word on the board.

The puzzle maker then let the other player to guess the letters to form the word. They need to fill the space with the correct letters guessed by the player. For each wrong guess, he/she could draw part of body on the hangman. The game stops when the player could guess the word correctly or when the puzzle maker runs out of body part to be drawn on the hangman. With this certain game, you can reduce the use of paper while letting your kids play in fun games, not to mention the advantages of improving their vocabulary.

Surely, there are still many other interesting and educational games you can have with your whiteboard. You can also develop your own idea to create new game in order to prevent your children get bored. Just try it.