Shabby Chic Style - Get The Look

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Re-create this look


 Shabby Chic Style


For a long time now it has been my dream 
to own a white weatherboard cottage by the sea
and decorate it in a 'shabby chic' vintage style.
A combination of the looks above would be just perfect. 
My current house is 1970's fibro shack beach house meets surfie! 
This look has been mainly influenced by my husband,
who's a mad keen surfer and a keen collector of vintage surfboards!

We're very excited to finally have bought our white weatherboard dreamhouse
so I 'm busily collecting magazine clippings and
getting lots of fab ideas for the decorating side of things.
In the meantime it is disaster zone as we undergo a major reno.
To keep myself sane, I content myself with these gorgeous pics
and remind myself that it will all be worth it in the end!

Melissah xox

Images via 1, 2-7 Coastal Style Pinterest, Mood Board by Coastal Style

Check out Coastal Style on tumblr and Pinterest

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In Memory of our sweet little feathered friend "Bird"

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Today our dear friend "Bird" passed on. It was sudden and we were right there as it happened. Most likely it was a heart attack. We miss him so so much already. His beautiful singing filled our days. We work from home and he was such a big part of our daily routine. He chirped when we opened doors, when we took the dogs outside he'd see us out the window and yell as loud as he could so that we'd hear him inside, when we used the microwave he had something to say, when we listened to music. In the morning Aaron would come downstairs first and Bird would be silent...he'd wait til we were both on the couch and then he'd start singing to start the day. His absence is truly palpable. 
We'll miss giving him his spray of millet...he'd get so excited as he saw us open the bag. And the little nibbles he gave to the tip of Aaron's nose...and the way he'd slide down the rungs of his cage like they were fireman's poles. 
He was present for every part of our day. Even when he'd chirp loudly and relentlessly it was never ever anything close to a nuisance...he'd be screaming his head off to the point where we could barely continue our conversation and we'd just smile and laugh and say "Bird...you're crazy!" 




This commercial was his favorite! Just a few minutes ago it came on the television and it was the first time ever that we didn't hear bird chirping at the end of the jingle. It was a little hard to handle. We loved that he had his "thing"...something about the Empire Carpet jingle thrilled the little guy.




And this song...oh, jeez we just listened to this and we couldn't hold back the tears. Every time the whistling part came it was Bird's time to shine. 

We'll miss the beautiful little guy. He was such a gift to us and I hope he knew it. There's no way that we ever could've reciprocated the magic and sunshine he brought to us. I seriously don't know how to explain it...he grounded us and kept things light when they could've been very heavy. Such a beautiful little guy. 

Bird, thank you for blessing us with your presence and your song.


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Travel Insurance Buying Tips

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We are all quite vulnerable when we travel because it usually means venturing out of our comfort-zones, and travel insurance is the only way to shield ourselves against monetary losses when things do go wrong. So here are some very useful tips to ensure you buy the right travel insurance that will protect you against such expected financial losses.
The most important thing to remember with travel insurance is that you are effectively buying an agreement, so always READ THE FINE PRINT, especially the exclusions at a coverage level and the general exclusions. They are written in legal jargon, so be sure to seek clarification on anything that you don't understand.

All Insurance companies are classified as financial institutions and are consequently regulated by the government organizations like the Financial Services Authority in the UK. So be sure to check this.

One of the major risks is trip cancellation, so ensure you buy the travel insurance as soon as your trip is confirmed, even if you are not traveling for months. It's not going to cost you anymore and your cover kicks in as soon as you purchase the trip insurance.

Always check the deductibles! A deductible, also known as excess, is what the insurance company deducts before payout on claims. For e.g. if you put in a travel medical claim of USD300 and the deductible is USD150, you'll only get USD150.

Be wary of companies offering cheap travel insurance premiums, more often than not they have very high deductibles.

Check the payout for children because some insurance companies only pay half the payout for children, which is ridiculous because the trip costs for a child is almost the same as for adults.

You need to count the start day and the end day of your trip when buying travel insurance. E.g. if you are departing on 05-April and arriving back on 10-April, your need cover for 6 days and not 5 days!

Don't get taken in by the high coverages like 10 million medical cover, its highly unlikely that you'll need that. Stay focused on the actual cover you feel need. For instance, if you are traveling with expensive business equipment, then you need to ensure that is covered adequately.

Check the payout ceiling because insurance companies tend to have a limitation on the maximum payout. For instance payout for personal belongings could be USD5000, but the maximum payout per item may only be USD1000. So that may not be adequate to cover your expensive golf clubs. Most insurance companies will list the payouts clearly, if they don't, avoid them.

If you are are frequent traveler you may want to consider taking an annual multi-trip travel insurance because it can save you time and money. Some insurance companies even throw in free extras like ski cover.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6678481

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Packing Tips for Air Travel

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Packing for international air travel can be a challenging task because of the restrictions and regulations related to luggage allowance. It is not easy to negotiate airport security and hence, it is best to pack wisely and stay prepared for unexpected circumstances. The right way to pack is to be aware of airport restrictions for check-in and carry-on baggage.

Carry-on bags may contain a day's change of clothes and few essentials that cannot be obtained or replaced at your destination. Valuables such as documents, heavy things such as books, and non-liquid medications must also go into your carry-on bag. Documents, such as ticket or e-ticket printout details, passports and custom details must be placed in a safe and easy-to-reach zipper of your carry-on bag.

You must avoid heavy items in your check-in bags because airlines impose strict weight restrictions on them. Luggage policies vary from airline to airline, meaning that it is crucial to look through their websites and check for maximum weight permitted, free baggage allowance per passenger, fees for extra baggage and items that need special handling. In order to avoid extra expenses, it is better to weigh the baggage in advance and distribute the weight uniformly.

Doing some research about your destination can be helpful, as you can carry the right kind of clothing and other items that will match the weather conditions, socially accepted dress codes, and so on. Choosing clothing items that match fairly well allows you to carry fewer clothing pieces, instead of carrying specific outfits. It will also help you travel light and keep your baggage secure. In fact, leaving some room in your bags can allow you to bring back souvenirs without having to check in additional luggage. You must ensure that your name, address and contact details are clearly visible on the luggage tag and also written inside your baggage, just in case they get misplaced.

Generally, airlines allow you to take along two carry-on bags to the cabin - one bag of a specified size and another personal bag, such as a laptop or purse. When it comes to check-in bags, policies vary broadly; you may be allowed to check bags for free, or pay a fee. Airline authorities forbid certain things in the check-in baggage, carry-on baggage or both. For instance, you may carry golf clubs in your checked baggage, but not carry-on bags. Explosives, gasoline and similar items are not allowed in either baggage. Sharp objects and tools are not allowed in carry-on bags, but may be allowed in the checked-in baggage. Travelers are not allowed to carry aerosol cans as they may explode in the decompressed interiors of the airplane cabin. Liquid containers must be well-secured by placing in plastic bags as per restrictions. Airline authorities allow exemptions for prescription drugs, infant formulas and similar liquids.

Packing according to the airline regulations avoids the need to re-pack or discard items at the airport. A few airlines may charge additional fees for overweight luggage or extra bags. Voluntary disclosure of packing details to security personnel will help prevent unnecessary delays.


Planning for your air travel? Know more about Jet Airways and Jet Airways Web Check-In service.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7454153

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