Courtesy of Shelina Wardrope

Shelina's May 2023 Newsletter

Shelina Wardrope 403.239.8524 10 - 6020 - 1A Street SW Calgary, AB T2H 0G3 Your Referrals are Greatly Appreciated! REALTY PROFESSIONALS Each Office Independently Owned and Operated.

Service You Deserve

shelinawardrope@shaw.ca • www.shelinawardrope.com

Volume 38 Number 5

MOVING INDOOR PLANTS

Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, packing your houseplants takes a bit of advance planning. Before you even start packing, you’ll want to ensure your plants are healthy, the pots filled with fresh potting soil and any dead leaves or stems are pruned away. Next, you’ll want to wash larger plant leaves with a moistened cloth to remove dust and bugs. Allow them to dry thoroughly before moving. You’ll also want to keep a regular watering schedule as much as possible. Remember though that excess water in a plant is heavier to move and can react to extreme weather conditions which may harm the plant. On moving day you’ll want to pack your plants in open boxes or totes that are tightly packed around the plant pot. Use newspaper, towels

or packing peanuts to ensure the pots don’t shift during transport. If you’re travelling a long distance, you may want to use moss on top of the dirt to help prevent spilling. When it comes to weather and how it affects your plants, treat them as you would your pets. Plants will need to be protected from harsh extremes. Use a sheet to cover plants in cool weather and ensure air flow and a light spritz of water is available in hot weather. Once you’ve arrived at your new home, allow them time to adjust to the new environment. Sunlight, humidity, temperature and air flow can all affect how a plant grows and you may need to reposition them to find the ideal living space. Thankfully with a bit of planning and forethought, you can move your favourite plants with you to your new home.

CHICKEN BURRITO BOWLS

Courtesy of ehow.com

INGREDIENTS: 1 pound ground chicken 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons taco seasoning 15 ounces canned red or black kidney beans, drained 15 ounces canned corn, drained 1 1/2 cups pico de gallo 1 ripe avocado

3 cups brown rice or quinoa, cooked 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1/4 cup scallions, chopped 3 tablespoons of oil Chipotle yogurt sauce

DIRECTIONS: 1. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil. Add the ground chicken and taco seasoning. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes, while breaking it up with a spatula. 2. While the chicken is cooking, combine the cooked rice, cilantro and scallions in a bowl. Toss until evenly combined. 3. Dice the avocado. 4. To individual bowls or containers, add the rice, ground chicken, corn, beans, pico de gallo and diced avocado. The total number of containers will depend on their size. 5. When you're ready to eat, add a drizzle of chipotle sauce and dig in.

TRY NOT TO BECOME A MAN OF SUCCESS. RATHER BECOME A MAN OF VALUE. - Albert Einstein

German born Einstein was perhaps the most influential physicist to live. From developing the theory of relativity (E = mc2) to having an element in the periodic table named in his honour, Einstein contributed tremendous value to the world of science.

PAINT TECHNIQUES TO TRICK THE EYE Painting a room is a quick, cost effective and relatively easy way to change the look and feel of a room. Instead of painting all four walls the same colour, consider the following techniques to enhance the perception of the room. 1. Dark Accent Wall – probably the most common technique, painting one wall of a room a bold colour will draw attention to that particular wall. This is helpful in open concept homes where a focal point is needed as well as rooms where interesting architecture or design elements are showcased. 2. Dark Ceiling – a darker ceiling colour will make a room feel smaller and cozier. Paired with lighter walls and furniture, this technique is popular in dining rooms and bedrooms. 3. Narrow – to make a wide room appear more narrow, try painting opposing walls in darker colour and leaving the end wall light. The dark walls will make you feel like they are closer to each other than they are and therefore make a wide room appear narrow. 4. Lengthen – making a room appear longer is done by painting the ceiling and a back wall the same, dark colour. A light colour on the opposing walls draws your eye toward the dark wall and ceiling making the room appear longer. Do some research online or speak to a interior decorator to determine which painting technique can help your problem spaces.

BUDGETING WITH CASH AND ENVELOPES Budgeting your monthly expenses isn't a new concept. Most people have some form of budgeting that works for them. With costs on the rise, some people are turning to a popular budgeting solution that uses money envelopes to track spending. It allows users to stay accountable to their budget and prevent overspending because once the money from the envelope is spent, it is not replaced until the next envelope filling day. Here are the basics: 1. Create an envelope for each expense category in your life, for example: groceries, entertainment, eating out, gas, savings, debt, etc. 2. Determine how much you typically spend in each category taking the past few months into account. If you find you overspend in one category, determine how much you want to spend and start there.

3. When you get paid, fill each envelope with the appropriate amount of cash. If you get paid twice a month, put in half each payday. The money in the envelope can ONLY be used on what it is allocated for. Take the envelopes with you on your shopping trips and errands. If a purchase is overbudget, reconsider the purchase. 4. Remember, no borrowing from one envelope to fill another. If you find that is happening frequently, go back to step two and see if you need to adjust your amounts in the envelopes. 5. If you pay your bills online or tend to shop online,

keep track of money spent on the envelope and stick to the budget you allotted. It's tricky to not overspend, but it is possible. Over time, you may find you're able to save more by being more aware of what you're spending your hard-earned money on.

JOKE

Question: Five friends were eating tacos. Amber finished before Laura, but behind Marlene. Dianne finished before Jennifer, but behind Laura. What was the finishing order?

Answer: Marlene, Amber, Laura, Dianne and Jennifer.

Directions: A is south of E: D is south of V B is north of T and west of E C is west of Y and south of G E is west of S and south of J F is west of O: G is east of P H is east of J and north of O I is east of U: W is east of B L is south of B: M is north of Y N is north of U: O is east of A P is north of T: Q is west of V R is west of C: Z is north of F S is east of V and north of I K is south of J and east of T Y is east of T and south of V

ALPHA-GRIDDLE

Use compass directions to find the correct locations for the missing letters of the alphabet. When you have completed the grid, see if you can discover the hidden city, country, river or mountain located in the completed grid. Note: North or south means any location along the same column. East or west means any location along the same row.

Courtesy of www.puzzlechoice.com

Solution:

CREATING PRIVACY IN YOUR YARD With summer fast approaching, spending time outdoors is on the top of many Canadian’s to-do lists. If your backyard is your go to space, you want to create a private oasis where you can relax and enjoy nature. Even if you enjoy escaping to your balcony, there are a few ways you can ensure a more private area. It just takes a bit of creativity and planning. Aside from a traditional fence, one of the easiest ways to create privacy is to use trees, shrubs, vines and other plants. Planting up against a fence, balcony railing or even around a deck or patio can create a functional and visually appealing barrier to keep your neighbours from spying on you when you’re outdoors. Plants that grow vertically are an obvious choice, but also consider plants that grow wide and thick. Use tall planters if needed. The planters themselves can add a layer of privacy too if positioned strategically. Wood or metal privacy screens can come in handy for those that don’t have a green thumb. Use pre-built screens or build some yourself to create a wall that is decorative and useful. Slatted wood, or lattice patterns can allow some light through but also keep prying eyes away. Other materials can also be utilized in creating a privacy screen – think plexiglass, vinyl fabric, recycled tin or corrugated metal or simple pallets. The options for creating privacy are vast and don’t have to be expensive.

REALTY PROFESSIONALS Each Office Independently Owned and Operated.

403.239.8524 Your Referrals are Greatly Appreciated!

MAKING ARTWORK STAND OUT Hanging artwork, family photos and images of other special memories can help a homeowner make their living spaces positive, joyful environments. Most times, items are hung on the wall above furniture or in a grouping on an empty wall space with the center of the piece (or grouping) about 60” above the floor to provide an optimal viewing experience. To make the photos or artwork stand out more, designers suggest creating a gallery like wall that draws even more attention to the frames. Wooden trim can be used to make a frame which surrounds a grouping of photos. This is effective in a long hallway or wall. Another option is painting the section of wall behind the artwork a different colour and then arranging the pieces over the painted section. This works great in smaller areas like over a desk, in corners or on narrow walls. Be creative and place frames so they overlap the outside edge of the painted area and add other wall décor like mirrors and baskets to complete the look. The options are vast when creating a statement gallery wall and there are many suggestions and samples available on design websites.

Privacy Disclosure: We respect your privacy. The sponsor indicated on the front panel provides a complimentary subscription of this publication to you, a valued client. If at any time or for any reason you do not want to receive this publication, please contact the sponsor using any of the contact info on the front panel, and your personal information will be removed from the mailing list immediately. Without response to this cancellation offer, we assume your implied consent and permission to continue provision. Disclaimer: This publication is distributed for the purpose of information only. It is not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract by a real estate firm or under contract with another Broker, nor is it intended to cause or induce breach of any existing agreement. Distributed By: DMS Marketing Inc. The trademarks REALTOR ® , REALTORS ® and the REALTOR ® logo are controlled by CREA and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA . Thinking Of Buying Or Selling Real Estate? Call Today! & HOME FAMILY D I G E S T Copyright © 2023 All Rights Reserved Note: Printed on recyclable material

Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online