My eight year old niece has expressed interest for learning to play the guitar. No one in her immediate family or extended family is musically inclined and this was something that her parents were quite hesitant to follow through, believing that it might just be phase. The child may outgrow the desire and expenses for buying a guitar and taking lessons will all go to waste.

However, my niece was persistent. All through last year, she took lessons and fortunately, has truly learned to love the art of guitar playing.

Today, she performs actively in a small crowd. In school, during family gatherings, she obliges everyone with her music. I see my niece growing from a shy little child to a confident young lady who really loves what she is doing. Even when no one in her family can play with her she is getting so much support from their encouragement and from constantly asking to listen to her music.

The guitar playing did wonders for her, that it also became a good influence in the way she does her school work. She is more inspired I guess, and her mother recently told me that she has gotten straight A’s.

She has also become more confident among peers. It seems that finding what she’s capable of doing and nurturing this, has boosted her self-esteem.

The other day, I found her teaching some of her friends the basic of guitars and I was really so proud of the way she carried herself and became the “teacher” this time. All these happened, because she chose to pursue what she really loved doing!

An old survey says that about seventy percent of homeowners tend to include outdoor fireplaces when they plan to do a home remodel. This is what’s currently trending among residents these days and rightfully so. An Outdoor fireplace would be a wonderful and beautiful structure to have in the backyard.

Whether as a stand-alone or a big part of the backyard kitchen, it’s generally a very ideal focal point of the area. It’s especially important when the colder season comes as it helps make the environment warmer, so parties and gatherings are still possible all year round. As such, an outdoor fireplace, while admittedly expensive to aspire, is not such a luxury but a necessity.

If you’re considering installing an outdoor fireplace though, safety must first be on top of the list. This proves most true if you have children at home. Planning and design must be carefully mapped out in order to avoid any untoward accident or mishaps. Here are some tips to take note when you are planning on having the fireplace installed:

• If you have an outdoor fireplace, it follows that you should always keep a fire extinguisher on stand-by, just in case.
• Invest in fire screens. This is an all too-important accessory for outdoor fireplaces as it helps prevent soot and cinders from flying in the area.
• Make sure to have a proper fire pit, one that follows the regulation of your city government. Also, make sure to diligently follow the regulation to the letter. There’s a reason for this as prevention is definitely a priority and a must.
• Keep outdoor furniture away from the fireplace to avoid getting it caught in fire.
• Maintenance is a must. Have the outdoor fireplace checked and cleaned regularly especially if you own a wood-burning type. Chimneys must be cleaned often.
• Be sure that young kids are never allowed to go near the fire pit or play within the zone of it.
• Never leave children by themselves when you’ve got the fire burning.

Adhering to these safety guidelines also involve a lot of common sense. You really have to be a responsible homeowner if you want to own an outdoor fireplace.

I confess, I am just not one of those concerned citizens who goes out of my way to save the earth or whatever.  I’m mostly just trying to take care of immediate things like day-to-day living.  When it comes to eco-friendly, if it’s easy, I’ll do it, and if it’s inconvenient, I just won’t. 

This is why it’s really good to have a site like Green Planet Parties around.  For a decent price–certainly no more than you’d pay buying all these elements separately–you can get cloth goodie bags and banners, biodegradable corn-based plastic cutlery, and even all-natural nail polish for girls’ parties. 

They offer complete eco-friendly party kits for all kinds of gatherings.  You can get fully supplied for kids’ birthday parties, baby showers, weddings, and other celebrations.  You can also just get different items separetely, including hair things and jewelry, books, sketchbooks, totebags, dishware, tablecloths, wrapping paper, and dozens of other things. 

As I browsed through the site, I was impressed several times by how reasonable the prices were.  Not everything was cheap, but nothing was any more expensive than you’d find in a local retail store, and some things were considerably less. 

So, since it’s not more expensive, and it’s actually easier to buy things on line than to go to the store, even lazy people like me can probably manage to do their part.  Green Planet Parties can help with that.