Lilac City Momma

DIY

Marketable Skills That Any New Mom Can Learn

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The internet has completely revolutionized the way that we approach learning. Not only has the internet put an incredible amount of knowledge at the fingertips of anyone who wants it, in particular, it is now possible for new moms to pursue education while also raising their children. This is both a blessing and a curse; it is a blessing in the sense that it provides a huge amount of choice for anyone who is looking to expand their skillset, but with so many options available it can be hard deciding what to do.

While you are considering potential skills and qualifications, think about which ones are best suited to your circumstances. The advantage of online learning is that it makes just about any skill available to just about anyone, the only requirement is that you have an interest in the subject.

The following skills are all excellent choices for both those who want to apply for a role in an existing industry, and for those who want to learn a marketable skill that they can put to use earning money in addition to regular employment.

Arts and Crafts

The internet is a treasure trove of inspiration and instructions for producing arts and crafts in all kinds of different mediums. Before long you will find yourself with the skills necessary to improvise your own crafts and even find crafts to occupy your kids. Sites like Etsy make selling these a breeze once they are made.

Corporate Website Design

Every business today has a website and that is because customers now expect them. It is no longer enough to just have a social media presence, or to only have a token website available. Businesses today need to have a well designed and fully functioning website in order to seriously compete. Now that online services such as WordPress exist, anyone can make a website or blog with minimal knowledge. Check out White Summary for some WordPress design tips and other useful information.

Once you have had some practice and got the hang of designing and building websites you should have no trouble finding businesses in need of your services.

Coding

Code is all around us in this day and age. Every single interaction you have with your smartphone is the result of coding. And obviously this extends to laptops, desktops, work computers, and all other electronic devices. Coding is essential for everything from the design of smartphone apps, to the software that underpins the operation of Blu-ray players.

Coding is ubiquitous, and no electronic device can exist without it. As such, it is a skill that will open all kinds of doors for anyone willing to spend the time necessary to study it. You can get started with learning to code all on your own by using sites such as Code Academy. You can then expand your knowledge so that you can gain work in a particular field. Many leading universities now offer online equivalents to their campus courses and these include programming and software engineering courses.

Having learned to code you then need to find something that people will want, and that you can monetize. There are an infinite range of options for this.

There are many different degrees that you can learn to do online, in fact, just about any subject is now available to be studied online. The above skills are just a few examples of the many possibilities out there. Web design and coding are particularly good career choices because they are in high demand right now and are relevant to many different career paths.

Top Safety Tips for Aluminum Roof Ladders

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It is easier than ever to buy ladders for all sorts of different jobs now. In fact, you can go online and purchase aluminum roof ladders that allow you to climb up to great heights. While this convenience is a great development, is also means that we all need to take responsibility for how they are used. Consider that 43% of fatal fall accidents involve ladders and it quickly becomes clear how important safety actually is. And even if a fall isn’t fatal, it can still be life-changing.

Why You Need Aluminum Roof Ladders

There are many different reasons why people need to have these types of ladders. And there should be no need for people to call in expensive professionals every time they have a little job that needs doing either. Some of the reasons why people may require ladders, be they roof ladders, step ladders, or extension ladders, including:

To clean the gutters, paint their house, or change lightbulbs.

To complete their trade, such as painting, carpentry, or electrical work.

To complete general maintenance or stack goods in warehouses.

The list is endless! But no matter how endless it is, and no matter why someone uses a ladder, safety must come first at all times.

What Never to Do

Never:

Stand on the ladder’s top step, it will make it wobble.

Over-reach. If your belt buckle is outside of the ladder’s rails, you’ve gone too far.

Walk the ladder (standing on it and moving it)).

Place the ladder on unsuitable surfaces (slipper, wet, unstable, uneven).

Use the ladder when under the influence of alcohol or drugs (including medication), while tired, or when injured.

Forget about electrical wires. Aluminum ladders in particular conduct electricity and should not be used near wires at all.

Leave the ladder unsupervised.

What Always to Do

Always:

Make sure the ladder is completely open.

Put the braces securely in place.

Check the ladder is stable by wobbling it on the first step.

Hold the ladder properly.

Take all tools off the ladder’s top before you climb back down or move the ladder.

Work with a partner.

Check the ladder is suitable for your weight and that of the materials you are taking up with you.

Ladders are incredibly useful tools that are used in many different trades, but equally by domestic users, especially when doing home renovations. And that is a good thing. They have enabled us to complete a wealth of jobs, and they have made people more independent as well. Imagine having to call out a tradesman every time there is a leaf stuck in the gutter, or every time you need a lightbulb changing! However, it is incredibly important to remember that ladders are trade tools and they have inherent dangers associated with them. You must respect that fact so that you can use the ladder in a safe and responsible manner that does not cause any danger to yourself or to others.

Christmas gifts on a budget

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Christmas spending can get totally out of hand, with the annual push for more, bigger, better. Time off work paired with the expense of parties, travel, and shopping at the grocery store for those special holiday meals doesn’t help matters. Take back control of the gift list with budget-friendly Christmas gifting ideas.

DIY

Creative homemade gifts can be a great option for those on a budget. For best results, consider your recipient’s interests and tastes, and price out materials ahead of time. If you need the supplies for other tasks or you can reuse them for multiple gifts, you’ll save more money. Dollar stores and some secondhand shops or thrift stores can also provide crafting supplies inexpensively enough to make DIY gifting practical. This is a great option for creative, artistic people with good hand-eye coordination, lots of patience, and some proven skills. If you’re new to crafting and DIY, make sure that you give yourself lots of time to work on the gifts, and that you have extra materials on hand to make up for any false starts, and be realistic about the complexity of projects. Homemade gifts can range from cute, simple everyday items decorated to a friend or loved-one’s taste, to impressive efforts in bespoke customization.

Humor

Joke or gag gifts can provide big fun on a budget. Since many of these are inexpensively mass-produced, their value comes from the response that they can elicit. Pick up on inside jokes, established interests, and styles of humor to find the right gifts for those on your list. Consider the probable audience in the room when it’s opened – adult humor can be great fun among friends or mature relations, but you don’t want to be scrambling to make awkward explanations in front of the kids on Christmas morning. Likewise, lowbrow humor will work better with the young and young-at-heart than those on your list with a more elevated or dry sense of fun.

Fandoms

Like joke gifts, there are often a wide variety of mass-produced goods targeted towards fans of pop culture franchises across film, gaming, and comic media types. Look for character or branded goods that the recipient would enjoy or find useful. From wearables to purely artistic pieces, toys to character serving ware and themed peripherals, there’s something for everyone. You can blend this with a DIY gift if you’re artistically inclined.

Vintage and second-hand

Vintage and second-hand shopping is an underutilized strategy in the budget shopper’s arsenal. Good for the environment, socially responsible, and deeply creative, finding the perfect gift in the post-consumer market is a treasure hunt for an unknown prize. You can go searching for one thing and find an even more perfect gift idea drop in your lap unexpectedly. While true vintage can fetch high prices in discerning markets, you can often find incredible deals on surprising finds – and be sure to find unique gift options. Online markets such as eBay and Craigslist are another bargain-hunter’s dream if you know what you’re looking for.

Books

Simple, fun, and budget-friendly, a good book is a smart choice for any recipient. If you’re not sure about the literary taste of those on your list, browsing their social media for ideas or asking for a recommendation based on age or interests at the bookstore are both great approaches. Bookstore employees are generally book enthusiasts who have wide-ranging knowledge about trends and top titles across many genres and love to help you find the perfect bookish gift.

Practical

Sometimes, the best budget gifts meet a need or supply a regular activity or interest. Keep things simple and elegant, or pull together a box of fun goodies with a theme. Perennial favorites for adults can be barware such as whisky glasses or whisky tumblers, a cocktail shaker, a wine decanter, or home décor such as a new decorative pillow or throw blanket in the recipient’s preferred shade, pattern, or style. For children, a selection of art and craft supplies or themed, age-appropriate small toys such as a collection of farm animals or dinosaurs can keep them busy and entertained. For teens, foundational or fun cosmetics don’t have to cost a fortune, and simple basics such as socks suited to hobbies, activities, or other tastes can go over surprisingly well. Pick up on a regular drink order with a new coffee mug, tea tumbler, or water bottle in a design that suits the recipient.

Whether you’re a DIY master artisan or a thrift-store maven, these budget-friendly ideas are sure to help you breeze through your list this year.

The Need to Buy GU10 Rated LED Lights

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When buying downlights, you need to make sure that you choose a safe option. Downlights are generally used over an extended period of time. For instance, you use them in art galleries or museums. They highlight a certain object to make it clearer and more fascinating.

The problem with ordinary downlights is that they easily get hot. They also require more electricity to fully function. Worse, you have to keep replacing them since they only have a limited lifespan. Hence, LED downlights are now more popular. At first, they did not really catch on because the light produced was not as bright as traditional downlights. Eventually, better LED downlights were created. It takes several LEDs to create such a bright light, but it still works.

Of the downlights available, choose one that is GU10 rated. This means that it is a safer option. It does not heat up easily. It is not a fire hazard.

Installation is key

When you have bought the downlights, they have to be properly installed. The performance of the lights depends on the heat generated by the LED. If heat is not well-managed during the installation, it could affect the overall performance of the downlights.

Aside from choosing the right downlight, heat-sinking should also be considered. There is a metal device that you can buy which helps take the heat away from the LED.

The correct voltage must also be considered. This is why you need an expert to make sure the installation is carried out safely and correctly. Otherwise, the lights might even end up exploding.

Choosing the best light

In determining which LED downlight to buy, you need to consider its purpose. Where are you going to place it? How long do you want it to last? What colour do you want? While answering these questions, you will gradually filter the options until you end up with the perfect choice.

LED lights change in colour over time due to the frequency of use and temperature. This should not deter you from choosing LED downlights though.

You need to make sure you are getting a correctly rated GU10 LED bulb before paying for it. You might have a hard time looking for a GU 10 rated light in your local stores. But you can go online and start looking for the best choices.

Once you have bought the right downlight, ask an expert to install it for you. Better yet, before you even consider buying one, consult an expert in downlights. You will receive guidance on which downlights to buy and how you can save money using them. It won’t take much time to get them installed if you choose the right person to help you.

How to Properly Maintain Your Vinyl

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Whether you have come into a sizable collection of vinyl records or you were merely curious about them as they seem to have risen in popularity, it is important to realize that vinyl is a very different substance than what you might be used to with CDs, DVDs or, if you really fancy your retro media, laserdiscs. While the previously mentioned forms of digital media are all composed of a polycarbonate plastic, vinyl records are made from polyvinyl chloride that has been made flexible through a plasticizer; this means that vinyl records are significantly more at risk of warping from high temperatures than digital forms of media, as well as being more prone to developing a static charge.

Upkeep and Repair

In the decades since the introduction of vinyl records, several tools and techniques have arisen to preserve their quality by doing it yourself. The previously mentioned issue of attracting a static charge comes from the relationship of dust particles and vinyl. The occasional “pop” or “click” generated from playing a well-worn record is the result of the needle passing over statically-charged dust that has settled into the natural grooves of the record. While some vendors may carry vinyl cleaners in their inventory, your best bet is to use a record-safe brush that will collect dust particles with minimum damage to the record’s shape, a plastic-safe cleaning solution and a soft towel to gently work through the grooves.

Approaches to Storage

Unlike with CDs and DVDs, that can safely stack up in a pile, the physical construction of vinyl requires that collectors put in a bit more work to maintain their personal record catalogs; piling them up like a traditional CD spindle will result in a warped mass of PVC that will produce nothing but noise when played on a turntable, if even that. Invest in a tall multilevel shelf that can accommodate the width of your records-vinyl should always be stored vertically so as to avoid warping-and that can be positioned well out of the way of solar exposure; ideally, you want to keep your record library in a location that is free of heat and moisture. Furthermore, you should always keep your records in their slipcases when not in use; slipcases are the best way to protect your vinyl from dust and sunlight.

“What is a Warped Record and How Did It Get That Way?”

Because of its plastic-like nature, a record warps when its shape has been maligned through heat, regular pressure or both. While you can play a record that has been slightly warped, the sound quality will suffer. In addition to the warp-inducing pressure generated from stacking vinyls like they were plates, records can also become pressure-warped from being tightly shrink-wrapped within their album covers. Fortunately, you can avoid this problem by looking into which venues practice this bad habit and shopping elsewhere.

While some say that you should fight fire with fire, using heat to soften and mold a warped vinyl record back into alignment is a horrible idea! While you may succeed in leveling out the physical record, the grooves responsible for making music are going to be even worse than before. Records that become sufficiently warped may be known to “skip”-the player’s needle will be pushed backward, resulting in an audio loop.

The Importance of Thickness

Thickness is a common listed detail with most records. The thicker the disc, the more resilient it is to long-term use. Even though new records are created with a thickness of 180 grams, every play session slightly erodes a record’s durability.

Jessica Kane is a writer for SoundStage Direct, the number one online source for the best vinyl records and turntables.