A Magical Tree House Lit Up with Christmas Lights

Feast your eyes on a very impressive backyard tree house that belongs to the Wakefield family of Dallas, Texas. Aside from being lucky grandkids’ play place, the tree house serves as the central feature to birthday parties, family reunions, and a charismatic Christmas party. “My favorite thing is watching the kids play and experience the tree house at this festive time of year,” says James Curvan, family friend and tree house architect. Read the original article featuring the tree house by Sarah Greenman of Houzz.com.

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Photos and Video Property of Sarah Greenman and Houzz.com

The tree house and furnishings are unique in that many were made with repurposed materials like an old piano bench or wood frame bed. Watch the video to discover more about the owners and how the tree house was built.

Beauty Essentials for Camping – or Glamping

BY SOPHIA PANYCH

It’s Memorial Day Weekend, the official start of summer, and my boyfriend is making me go camping. If you know me, you know that I don’t really “do” camping. I’m a beauty editor. I love my beauty products. I love being clean. I love showering. And I love going to the bathroom sitting on something that flushes, made of pristine white porcelain. Girls like me are the reason they created the term “glamping.” So if you’re in the same boat during the holiday, here’s what you should bring to survive the great outdoors.

Sarah Potempa Cordless Flat Iron. Plug this baby in before you leave for the weekend and you get 30 minutes of consecutive heating time. Or, you can purchase the car charger (!) that comes with it and you can slip away to the car to give it some more juice.

Aveeno Clear Complexion BB Cream. Moisturizer? Check. Sunscreen? Check. Concealer? Check. This one product leaves your skin feeling smooth and protected, and there’s actually enough pigment in it to conceal discoloration and zits.

Pacifica Coconut Cleansing Wipes. Infused with coconut water, these cleansing wipes remove dirt and oil, while leaving behind a faint scent of delicious coconut. I’ll be using these not only on my face at night and in the morning, but on my feet and underarms as well.

Nexxus Youth Renewal Dry Shampoo. Washing your hair is nearly impossible while camping, let alone styling it, so your best bet is a can of dry shampoo. I like the formula and scent of Nexxus’ new dry shampoo. Blow-out your hair (or have someone else do it) before you leave. Then spritz a light mist of dry shampoo into your roots and the top half of your hair every morning to absorb any oil that might have built up. (But if you’re in the wilderness for longer than just the weekend, then I’m sorry girlfriend, a ponytail is your only hope.)

Neutrogena Revitalizing Sheer Tint Lip Balm SPF 20. These tiny sticks not only hydrate parched lips and protect them from the sun, but they also leave behind a sheer touch of color that doesn’t look the least-bit makeup-y. They can also double as a pretty cream blush if you want a subtle flush while making s’mores.

L’Oréal Paris Sublime Sun Advanced Sunscreen Oil Spray SPF 50. I like the idea of a sunscreen oil spray. And this new formula is non-greasy so you don’t have to worry about leaves and dirt sticking to you. In addition, it has the necessary broad spectrum coverage you need, it nourishes dry skin, and can be used on face and body.

Juara Candlenut Hand and Body Balm. I’m neurotic about not having dry hands—they always have to be moisturized or I’ll go crazy. So it’s absolutely necessary for me to have hand cream wherever I go. This one doubles as a body cream to slather on elbows and knees if need be.

Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus IR3535 Expedition SPF 30 Aerosol Spray. For most of us who don’t like camping, bugs are the primary reason why. I know they won’t kill me, and I know they’re more scared of me then I am of them, but in the end, I don’t care. I don’t want them near me. A misting of this stuff will keep pesky mosquitoes and gnats away with an added bonus of UV protection. Sweet!

14 Glamping Essentials


Sometimes the idea of camping is a lot more appealing than actually roughing it in the great outdoors. But now, thanks to the “glamping” (that’s glamourous camping) trend, even those of us who want to stay comfortable and bug-free can enjoy some time in the wild. Pitch a spacious tent and pack a bag full of woodsy-chic products that will make your outing all the more attractive. Plus, you’ll take home some sweet pictures with your printed coat, paisley bandana and Pendleton blanket that might just make your homebody friends jealous!

Clockwise from top right:
-Sigg outdoor cutlery, $25, mysigg.com.
-Pendleton Yakima Camp blanket and blanket carrier, $25-124 pendleton-usa.com.
-Big Sure soap, $10, shop-generalstore.com.
-Sunny Sports Jacquard Sox Snow navy, $40, needsupply.com.
-Cosmic Wonder Astral Plains backpack in beige, $510, creaturesofcomfort.com.
-The Hill-Side jacquard woven paisley chambray bandana, $53, contextclothing.com.
-Malin + Goetz 1oz essential kit, $30, malinandgoetz.com.
-Cold Spring Apothecary all-natural bug spray, $8.50, fscbarber.com.
-Hue Coat, $120, needsupply.com.
-Rachel Comey Piedmont boot, $230, totokaelo.com.
-Citronella travel candle, $10, coldspringapothecary.com.
-Juniper Ridge Douglas Fir spring tip tea, $12, juniperridge.com.
-Oaxacan Travel Kit, $135, willleathergoods.com.