This post is sponsored by BarkBox. As always, all opinions are entirely my own, and all canine models were compensated with treats and belly rubs. :-)
06.06.2023 - 21:05 / onegoodthingbyjillee.com / Jill Nystul
I can’t believe that Independence Day is just around the corner! It seems like summer is already flying by. But I do love all of the opportunities to have backyard barbecues with friends and family, so I’m not really complaining! ;-) The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays for that very reason, so I always like to celebrate by sprucing up the backyard a bit. A few pieces of summer-y or patriotic decor (along with a playlist of upbeat songs, of course) always go a long way towards making the holiday feel extra special!
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When I saw this project, I knew I wanted to replicate it for my family’s annual 4th of July barbecue. Since my husband usually uses his smoker to make some sort of delicious smoked meat for special holiday meals, our little charcoal grill doesn’t see much action. So instead of letting it sit off to the side, I thought it was a brilliant idea to incorporate it into my party decor as a drink cooler! The project was super simple, and the look just screams “backyard barbecue.”
Here’s what you’ll need:
If you get a charcoal grill from a thrift store, or you have an old one at home, you may want to clean it up a bit first. If it’s rusty, I recommend using Rust-Oleum’s Rust Reformer spray, which covers rust and stops additional rust from forming. We used this reformer spray to restore the vintage baseboard air vents during our studio makeover, and it was incredibly effective! To use, just prep your surface by using a wire brush to brush away any surface rust, then
This post is sponsored by BarkBox. As always, all opinions are entirely my own, and all canine models were compensated with treats and belly rubs. :-)
My son Erik is always looking for ways to attract more birds to our shared yard (he and my daughter-in-law Kaitlyn live in our basement apartment), which is great because I get to reap the benefits! There’s nothing I love more than sitting out in the backyard and listening to them sing in the morning (the birds, not my kids).
My daughter Britta has definitely emerged as the gardening guru in our family. Today she’s sharing with us her homemade organic fungicide that is just as effective and much cheaper than the commercial alternatives and won’t hurt the environment, our pets, or our families. Way to go Britta!
We spent a lot of time in the backyard this summer! With our new fire pit and all the bird feeders we added, the patio was a main attraction. Unfortunately, those cute little birds left their droppings all over the place, and the patio umbrella was looking pretty dingy! There was also lots of dirt, dust, and pollen on the umbrella that I didn’t even notice until I started moving it around.
One of our favorite ways to spend time together as a family during the summer is sitting around a campfire. There’s a little fire pit area in our backyard that we utilize regularly during the warmer months! But we recently upgraded to a new fire pit that has made those campfires even more enjoyable. I actually like it so much that I couldn’t resist the urge to tell you all about it in today’s post! :-)
Now that we are all getting outdoors more (hooray summertime!), most of us (some more than others!) are having to deal with pesky mosquitoes that love to try and ruin our outdoor fun. :-) I have to admit, here in this semi-arid desert state, we don’t have to deal with mosquitoes nearly as much as those of you in the midwest or back east. But any mosquito is an unwelcome mosquito!
This post is sponsored by TIKI Brand. As always, all opinions and ideas are entirely my own.
Every summer, for as long as I can remember, my mother has planted a vegetable garden. Even when we lived in Southern California and there wasn’t a lot of room to plant, my mother always had a garden plot in our local community garden. Every Saturday she would drag us kids to weed and water the garden, something we definitely did not appreciate back then. I wish I could turn back time and experience that all over again, because this time I would definitely enjoy it more! :-)
Depending on where you live, you may have already begun digging in your garden this year! We are ALMOST there…but not quite. I can’t wait! I’m itching to get my fingers back in the dirt! Of course with the fun of digging in the dirt comes the related chores, but today we’re sharing a super easy project that will make at least one of those chores easier!
I love that my son Erik and daughter-in-law Kaitlyn live in the basement apartment of our house! Especially because I get to benefit from his obsessions/hobbies! Today Erik is sharing his latest with us. :-) Erik writes…….. This year, I have taken great interest in feeding the wild birds in my neighborhood. I love animals, and was eager to put out some bird seed to see what kind of nature I could attract to my doorstep. It started with a standard, inexpensive, seed blend from the grocery store and slowly but surely the birds made their way to our backyard feeder. But it didn’t take an expert to see that some ingredients in the mix were MUCH more preferred than others.
I love the scents of the season! Spices, herbs, citrus, evergreens, cranberries… they mix and mingle to create the cosy and comforting aroma of the holidays. I’ve done a post or two in the past on how to recreate that scent in your home, but today’s idea is a bit different. Read More: My Favorite Simmering Potpourri Recipes
One of the true joys of summer has to be finally getting to eat the fruits (or vegetables) of our labors from our gardens! Just today I came home from our mini-vacation and found a couple of my tomatoes ALMOST ready to pick! I was so excited I could hardly stand it! I can already taste that delicious B.L.T. sandwich I’m going to make with one of them right now! :-) (CLICK HERE to read my post on planting “topsy turvy tomatoes.”)