My Creative Blog [Search results for outdoor spaces] 

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TIKI Brand® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
I'm a huge fan of outdoor living spaces, but you all know that working outside is not our forte. Last year, though, we added some much needed curb appeal by painting our front door and shutters to better fit our style, but this summer, our goal is to beautify the back yard, which is where we spend most of our time. Of course, i have big plans for our backyard. Who doesn't?! This will just be one of those things that will have to happen slowly over time, but a girl can dream, can't she? My backyard must-haves? Let's take a look: 1. Comfortable seating. I mean, come on. If I'm going to be spending lots of time outdoors with my kids or entertaining my friends, i want to have a nice cozy spot to sit and hang out.

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2. A secluded area that fits in with the natural surroundings. I'm a huge fan of seating areas that are snuggled under trees or is next to big planters in a hidden spot. That's not super easy to do, since we live in a neighborhood, but I think with the right plants, we could make this happen in some way.

Source 3. Great Ambiance. Man, i love me some outdoor lighting that sets the mood and creates an unforgettable atmosphere. Sadly, in the northeast where we live, we get lots of mosquitos at night that are attracted to lights. Booo. How can we light our space without attracting all those bugs?

Source Enter TIKI Brand lighting. This is one way I can immediately get to work on my backyard, create ambiance and keep the bugs away, even if I dont' have my dream space yet. The TIKI Brand Flame & Solar Torch is super simple to assemble and use. I was so impressed with how sturdy everything was…not like those old, plastic-y ones.The coolest thing about these torches is that they come with a small LED attachment that can be used when you're entertaining around a lot of people, especially kids. You don't have to worry about someone running into an open flame, which is a huge bonus in my book. The LED light turns on automatically at night and will last 8 hours after a full-day charge.

The other nice thing about the TIKI Brand Glowing Torch fuel is that it contains OFF! for protection from bugs. The worst thing about summer evenings is most definitely the bugs, and now I don't have to worry about that either.

Monica put her TIKI Brand Glowing Table Torch. on her table Monica and it is such a cool statement piece. It works much the same way in that it has a battery-powered LED light that illuminates the globe and the torch for a live flame. It looks super fun and modern and adds another interesting light feature to her outdoor space.

You can buy TIKI brand products at Walmart and Target for under $40. They definitely add a fun ambiance to any backyard space. Don't forget to follow TIKI Brand on Facebook for lots more ideas on creating the ultimate backyard expi

Kicking it into four-wheel drive up
I thought I'd share with you what I do each morning to start my day off, hike with our golden retriever Dylan. We're fortunate enough to live in a state that offers so much clean outdoor space so we hike every morning for an hour and a half through the woods, unfortunately the views are usually from the top of a range. (Yes, it was so easy hiking with a camera!)

On the way up, outcroppings of granite, we're called 'The Granite State' in reference to our tradition of self-sufficiency.

Yes we're still going up but nothing gets your day going quite like a little exercise! (Although I'm not against sitting around in my pajamas first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee in my hand!)

Once at the top of the ridge there are open spaces and a well-worn path through the forest.

Topside you get a lovely view of the mountain range before descending down to the lake. Trust me there's an easier path below to the lake and I wish just once my faithful companion knew that.

Although it's beautiful and peaceful walking in among the trees without a soul around.

At the bottom we're rewarded with a beautiful view of the dam....

and someone gets to take a dip....

and have a bit of a roll in the crunchy leaves before heading back.

Almost home....

Home! I keep wondering why everything is always up hill but I guess the best things in life are worth working for. I hope you enjoyed our hike in the beautiful fall foliage. Anyone who wants to hike Dylan's always ready, willing and able!

I am pretty sure if Pinterest was around a few decades ago, that Julie Andrews would have changed her lyrics! I'm in full-blown summer mode. My days are filled with sunscreen, swimming, walks at the park, and BBQs, no major house projects are going on… Even in the midst of crazy summer activities, I still LOVE sitting down and perusing Pinterest each night, so I thought I'd just share a few random, cool things I found last night… These Are a Few of My Favorite Pins 7.11.11

Source: sunsurfer.tumblr.com via Teresa on Pinterest
Outdoor living spaces are one of my favorite things. The hubs and I were just planning out our dream patio and pool layout last night. (Keyword: dream)

Source: skinnyfit-thebestyou.tumblr.com via Kelly on Pinterest
Honestly, one of my favorite things on Pinterest, are all the funny posters and sayings. This one makes me laugh, because it's so true!

Source: papercakesfinds.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest
I love this SO much I can't even tell you! The color, the objects, the patterns…

Source: etsy.com via Martha on Pinterest
I love Scrabble pillows- this is a little cheesy to me, but love the pillows.

Source: marthastewart.com via Sandra on Pinterest
I'm ready to try DIY chalkboard paint… stay tuned for a tutorial!

Source: etsy.com via Marszu on Pinterest
I love getting ideas and then tweaking them to fit me… I wouldn't hang this, but I'd love to make one, scan it, and create Thank You notecards to have on hand for the grandparents and family.

Source: houzz.com via Megan on Pinterest This space is sooo me. I love the b & w pics, the grey walls, the clean lines… Sigh… I think my kids will be all moved out before I can ever have white couches. So how's that for a random sampling of Favorite Pins? What are you liking on Pinterest? Leave us a comment with a link to your favorite Pin from today!