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Celebrating St. Paddy’s Day at Home!

March 16, 2021 by cdiez Leave a Comment

While Saint Patrick’s Day is typically synonymous with parades, festive food and drinks, and large gatherings with friends and family, this year it looks like a quiet holiday at home is on the agenda. Staying in might not be what you had planned, but lucky for us, there are still plenty of ways to safely celebrate St. Paddy’s Day at home. From creative recipes and drinks to fun crafts for the whole family, we’ve got you covered. Check out some of the below ideas for inspiration!

Whether you’re relaxing at home alone, celebrating with that special someone, or trying to keep the kiddos entertained, everyone needs to eat. So why not make a festive meal at home? We’ve got you covered with St. Patrick’s Day-inspired dishes that will be sure to impress your St. Paddy’s Day crew.

Bring on the Appetizers: Looking for some tasty appetizers to go with that green pint of Guinness? Check out these mouth-watering dips, bites, and sliders.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Sliders: This ridiculously easy app is taken to the next level with Guinness-braised cabbage.
Hot Reuben Dip: This cheesy spread might be better than the actual sandwich….Learn how to make it here.
Pretzel Dog Beer Cheese Dip: With beer cheese, and homemade pretzels, what’s not to love? Click here to make this crowd-pleasing app.
Arugula Pesto: The striking green shade from the pesto makes this flavorful spread a great appetizer for the occasion!
Irish Nachos: Think nachos but with an Irish twist…This recipe calls for a heaping pile of potato chips, slathered in beer cheese, and topped off with crunchy bacon and fresh chives.
Zucchini Tots: Shredded zucchini makes this dish healthy yet delicious! Try making them in an air fryer for added crunch.
Bacon-Wrapped Cabbage Wedges: When in doubt, add bacon. Learn how to make these bacon-wrapped cabbage wedges here.
Irish Pub Cheese Recipe: This creamy cheese dish is loaded with Irish cheddar and pairs well with pretzels or pita chips.
Saint Paddy’s Dill Dip: Serve this delicious dip with raw vegetables or crackers of your choice.

What’s For Dinner?: These Irish-inspired dishes will take your Saint Patrick’s Day celebration to the next level.

Guinness Burgers: These Guinness burgers with Irish cheddar and crisp bacon are a sure crowd-pleaser. Pair with Irish chips for a complete meal.
Colcannon: This staple dish is a mixture of shredded cabbage, creamy mashed potatoes, and garlic.
Irish Stew: This comfort d ish features tender lamb, hearty carrots, and potatoes topped off with herb butter.
Soda Bread: Soda bread anyone? Learn how to make this quintessential Irish side here.
Irish Seafood Chowder: This hearty chowder is a delicious combination of smoked and fresh fish in a light creamy broth.
Corned Beef in Beer (Crockpot): Let your crockpot do the work by trying out this tasty Corned Beef in Beer recipe.
Boxty: Similar to latke, Irish boxty is a potato pancake that is prepared by mixing grated potatoes into mashed potatoes before frying like a patty.
Irish C abbage and Bacon: There’s nothing boring about this cabbage dish, which is loaded with bacon, onions, chicken broth, and mustard seeds.
Irish Shephard’s Pie: This layered casserole dish combines ground beef or lamb with buttery mashed potatoes.
Irish Pan Haggerty Potatoes: This dish is loaded with sliced potatoes, bacon, onions, and lots of cheese. Check out the recipe here.

Mix up a Green Drink: Get the party started with these holiday-inspired beers, mixed drinks, and mocktails!

Green Beer: It wouldn’t be Saint Patrick’s Day without green beer. With just a couple drops of green dye, you can make your own. Get the recipe here.
Gaelic Grasshopper: This decadent Irish-cream-infused cocktail is both gorgeous and packed with flavor!
Irish Coffee: Any coffee lovers out there? Celebrate the occasion (and get your coffee fix) with this Spiked Irish Coffee.
Lucky Charms Shots: Try out these “magically delicious” shots with Bailey’s Irish Cream and Lucky Charms!
Shamrock Sour Cocktail: Whiskey sour gets a festive makeover by going green. Learn how to make this cocktail here.
Jameson Jello Shots: Saint Patrick’s Day isn’t complete without jello shots! Try making these Jameson Jello Shots.
Fuzzy Leprechaun: This fruity cocktail is made with peach schnapps, blue Curacao, and vodka.
Lime Sherbert St. Patty’s Day Punch (Non-Alcoholic): This delicious lime sherbert drink packs a punch! Learn how to make it here.
Irish Car Bombs: End the night with a holiday favorite….the classic Irish Car Bomb!

Make a Festive Dessert: Don’t forget the dessert! Consider making one of these decadent treats to celebrate the occasion.

Mint Chocolate Pudding Cookies: These mint chocolate pudding cookiesare the perfect way to end your meal. Pair with mint chocolate chip ice cream for the ultimate treat.
Saint Patrick’s Day Chocolate Covered Oreos: Up your Oreo game with these chocolate-dipped Oreos topped with sprinkles.
Irish Chocolate Pots de Creme: Not only is this dessert gorgeous but it’s also “melt in your mouth” amazing… Add two tablespoons of Baileys for that Irish touch.
Irish Blackberry Fool: Sweet lightly stewed berries and vanilla whipped cream and yogurt come together to create this delicious dessert.
Pot O’ Gold Cups: These little brownies prove that you don’t have to go to the end of the rainbow to find the perfect St. Paddy’s Day dessert.
Lucky Charm Eclaires: This recipe swaps your standard chocolate fair for a citrus filling topped with Lucky Charms.
Green Velvet Pops: Forget red velvet — green velvet will be your new favorite rich (and seasonally appropriate) flavor.
Shamrock Shake Cupcakes: This minty cake topped with a fluffy whipped cream mousse is what dreams are made of! Get the full recipe here.
Chocolate Guinness Cake: This silky, smooth chocolate cake has hints of Guinness and is topped with a rich cream cheese frosting…need we say more?
Irish Trifle: This fruit-filled treat is layered with ladyfingers, jello, jam, and fresh whipped cream.

Get Crafty: If you’re home with the kids due to school cancellations, set up a fun craft they can do on their own.

Leprechaun Traps: As seen on Instagram, Leprechaun traps are one of this year’s biggest holiday trends. And most of the designs can be made with materials that you can find around the house. Check out these 6 DIY Leprechaun Traps.
Pot of Gold Mason Jar: Create these adorable Mason Jars filled with chocolate coins and gift them to remind your loved ones that they make you feel lucky each day.
Paper Shamrock Wreath: All you need is some scrap paper to create this cute shamrock wreath.
DIY Tee: Working from home? You can still be festive and wear your green with this adorable Kiss Me I’m Irish shirt.
St. Patrick’s Day Pencil Toppers: Make homework a little more fun with these DIY Pencil Toppers.
Shamrock Coloring Printable: Coloring books are all the rage – and this shamrock printable is no exception. This activity is perfect for both kids and adults.
Fruit Loop Rainbow: This simple rainbow craft is a great way to keep your little ones entertained all afternoon.

As we transitioned into the new year, low mortgage rates and low inventory drove up real estate prices in markets across the country.

But exactly how much did home values increase at the start of 2021? According to Realtor.com, in February 2021 the median list price of homes in Sacramento was $399,500 – trending up 12.5% year-over-year. That means if you purchased a home for $350,000 in February 2020, by February 2021, that home would have increased in value by $43,750, bringing your home’s value to $393,750.

Demand for homes is high and inventory is low, which is driving up home prices—so if you’ve been thinking about selling, now is a great time to list and fetch top dollar for your home.

SPCA DOGGY DASH RELEASHED!

June 2, 2020 by cdiez Leave a Comment

Join forces with Diez & Sigg Properties and Silver Oak Funding to help save the lives of thousands of animals at this year’s Doggy Dash Event, benefiting the Sacramento SPCA.

The health and safety of our community continues to be a top priority so this year’s event is a VIRTUAL experience! Just because we won’t be walking side by side, doesn’t mean we can’t still walk together to save more lives!

On June 27, walk around your neighborhood with your pup, hit a local park or trail, or get creative at home with your pooch. The Sacramento SPCA will be kicking off the walk LIVE on Facebook and you will be able to share your photos, videos and participate in activities throughout the day! You will still see some of their famous Bark in the Park games and contests to participate in right at home! They will be tracking all the fun using the hashtag: #DASHRELEASHED

Ways You Can Contribute: If you would like a Doggy Dash T-shirt, you can register under our team as an individual. Click here to view our team page. Click on this direct link to register as an individual under our team.

NEW T-SHIRT DEADLINE: June 5 is the LAST day to guarantee your shirt size! Your registration fee will make a difference for the animals who continue to need our help during the COVID-19 crisis.

Buying That First Home

March 30, 2020 by cdiez Leave a Comment

Do you remember buying your first home? I recall that it was a very exciting yet stressful time. I had only been married for a few years. I was literally tired of paying the rent. A lot of people told us that we could get a house for less than our rent which is a total eye-opener. After we got our first house, we did our darndest to not have to rent again. Just having something that was our own was very gratifying.

Craig Middleton writes on how to make that first home possible.

Buying a home is an exciting life event that most people never forget. If you do not know what you are doing you can make some mistakes that can have major consequences. But with the right amount of information and a good head on your shoulders you will not regret your first home purchase.

Set yourself up for success by using these five tips when buying a house:

Repair and Build Your Credit

This is a step that has to be done before you start negotiating rates and looking at houses. If you have a lot of debt to pay off you will need to start paying it off or find some way to repair your credit. You want a good credit score because that will allow you to get better rates on a mortgage.

If you do not own a credit card you will want to get a credit card. You can start out with a nice credit card for beginners that will not cost you anything. All you have to do is pay off the credit card monthly. Use it for purchases that you would normally make such as gas and rent. Instead of using your debit card or cash use your credit card and pay it off on time.

Down Payment

To buy a house most people need to take out a mortgage, which is a loan specifically meant to buy a house. Most people will not be able to pay 200,000 plus dollars in one payment so they take out a mortgage and pay that off throughout the years.

You are going to need some kind of down payment to get the mortgage that you want. Typically anywhere from a 15 to 20 percent down payment is what banks and lenders are looking for when issuing a mortgage. There are zero percent down mortgages but, as with any loans, there are pros and cons to them.

Find a Realtor

You do not have to have a realtor but a lot of people do not know a lot about home buying so they hire a real estate agent. There are perks of using a real estate agent such as not having to deal with a lot of the paperwork. Real estate agents are great if you are too busy to do all of the nitty gritty work of buying a house. They are also great if you are brand new and not really sure what to do.

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5 Home Decor Projects That Incorporate Nature Indoors

February 11, 2020 by cdiez Leave a Comment

When I think of nature indoors, the first thought that comes to mind is the mud that my kids track into the house after they have been outside with nature. Then, we clean it up. My second thought has me looking around to see what plants we have in the house. Of those, which ones are faring well and which plants needed watering.

Kara Masterson passes on five home decor project ideas that bring nature inside.

When you enjoy nature, you can bring it inside your home to improve your mental outlook and your physical well-being. Here are five home decor projects that will incorporate nature indoors.

Add Plants to Your Home

You can add beautiful planters to your home for a variety of lush and green houseplants, but today, some homeowners are creating hanging moss walls that create a natural appearance in a room. Instead of hanging paintings or photographs on a wall, you will have a special material where moss or other types of plants can grow.

Beautiful Water Features

You can bring artificial water features into your home to create a natural ambiance. There are large or small water features available that you can fill with water. These devices may resemble waterfalls or fountains. Some of these water features cover an entire wall while others are easy to place on a tabletop. These water features have pumps that require electricity to help the water flow.

Natural Window Coverings

Rather than using flimsy fabric curtains on your home’s windows, choose wooden window blinds instead. You can find blinds that are made from light or dark colors of wood that will match your home’s baseboards, doors or furniture. It is possible to select a variety of sizes of blinds for different types of windows. The natural color and grain of these blinds is beautiful, giving each room a special ambiance.

Stone Countertops

If your home has an ugly old-fashioned vinyl countertop in the kitchen, then have it replaced with stone. Each piece of stone countertop is unique, but you can find different colors to create a special ambiance in a room. There are granite, slate and quartz countertop materials available, and a technician can cut the materials to fit precisely in your home’s kitchen.

Skylight Windows

You can hire a contractor to add skylights to your home in strategic locations. This will give you additional natural sunlight that will help you to feel better. Instead of installing one huge skylight, you can have multiple small skylights installed. These are especially attractive in homes that have vaulted ceilings to add lighting to spaces that include kitchens or living rooms.

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The Home Improvement Decisions that You will Never Regret

November 3, 2019 by cdiez Leave a Comment

When I think about home improvement decisions for the house, I tend to see what my wife has up next on her major home to
do list. Of course, then I check the budget to see what we have available for funds.

Lidia Staron gives us some insight on decisions we make that are just right.

When it comes to home improvement, homeowners have a myriad of options at their disposal. However, this is not to mean that all of these options are the best. While some fixes and renovations in a home can turn your home into a perfect setting, others end up causing more harm than good. Right from landscaping to wiring and kitchen renovation, home remodeling needs careful consideration to avoid future regrets.

What to Avoid
While some home remodeling options may look trendy on the surface, they may not be ideal for a long term engagement. For instance, one of the trends you would not want to get involved in is specialty finishes on hardware. While most homeowners find specialty finishes on the bathroom or kitchen trendy, their relevance does not last long. Furthermore, they are expensive to have them installed or changed. So considering their up-charges and the fact that they are a thing of the moment, it may not be worth the effort.

In most cases, homeowners would try to do all they can to improve the overall outlook of their bathroom. However, some of these additions may be unnecessary. For instance, while adding a veined marble wall to your bathroom is a beautiful endeavor, going overboard can prove overwhelming since, in a few years, it will look outdated. The same applies to graphic tiling that seems trendy at the moment. At this age, Pinterest and Instagram, soon everybody will be going for it, and it will not be desirable in a few years to come.

What to Focus on in Home Remodeling
So you have everything figured out and are set up to make your investment in home renovation. Before starting your renovation project, make sure to budget all your expenses. With a detailed budget, you will know, whether is it better to consider a personal loan for home improvement or to use your savings and pay with cash.

Where do you start? With funds ready, you ought to go for priority aspects of your home remodeling. The following are some of the notable areas to lay your emphasis.

Storage
Come to think of it; a building is essentially meant for storage apart from being home. This fact explains why one will go to great lengths to create several rooms of various storage purposes. Over time, we accumulate a lot of stuff, and it only makes sense to create enough space for the same. Consider both your current and future storage needs when creating these spaces. This applies to both the interior and exterior storage.

Infrastructure
Apart from location, the home’s infrastructure can become a make or break point for your home remodeling design. By building a custom home, you have the autonomy to decide where each of the main features will be located. This is in addition to the assurance that whatever is used under the floor and behind the walls is high quality. Some of the notable infrastructural considerations in home remodeling include electrical systems, cooling systems, siding, plumbing, insulation, and windows. Work hand in hand with your architect or designer to ensure each of these works to improve the overall performance

Rise of the Colorful and Cultural Kitchen Backsplash

September 2, 2019 by cdiez Leave a Comment

I admit to watching a lot of the flipping homes shows just to get some new ideas on changes to make to the inside of the house. One of those changes has been adding value with the kitchen backsplash. There is something about this that tends to make a home look on the high-end side depending on what kitchen backsplash is chosen. We are looking at new designs now and are all in on something that is popular for 2019.

Elliot McGowan offers up some of the different choices and varieties of kitchen backsplash.

Kitchens of today strive to be as sleek and simple as possible. They are not a room of the home that we tend to decorate extravagantly. Instead, we stick to minimalistic and monochromatic decor that modern kitchen design advocates. Muted, neutral colors like pastoral whites and creams are the go-to options and bright, vibrant colors have become taboo choices. Today kitchen designers don’t recommend anything more complex than a two-tone kitchen that contrasts a light shade with a dark shade. But that is not to say that decorative design and splashes of color should be eradicated from kitchen design entirely.

One area we predict a surge in popularity is in the kitchen backsplash — an often overlooked feature of modern kitchen design. Historically, backsplashes are an extra layer of tiling placed on walls behind worktops, sinks, and stoves to protect them from food splashes and spillages. They have always been an integral part of the kitchen but not just for their practicality and hygiene — they are also a fantastic way to inject color and character into a kitchen. Tiles have a decorative prowess and with many different styles originating from all over the world, there is a multitude of stunning options at our fingertips. Here are some extravagant backsplashes inspired by cultures around the world, from Mexico’s Talavera tiles to the Netherlands’ famous Delftware blues.

When talking about tiling and backsplashes, Portugal’s Azulejo tile is one of the first that springs to mind. Anybody who has visited Portugal may recognize the style. Tiling is extremely common in the Mediterranean as tiles don’t retain heat so help to keep places cool in high temperatures. They are also, however, an important part of Portuguese culture and identity. Azulejo tilework actually dates as far back as the 13th century and was brought to the Iberian Peninsula when the Moors invaded what is now Spain and Portugal. Azulejo in Arabic means “small polished stone” and originates in northern Africa.

The last few centuries saw an explosion in Azulejo popularity. Today, it is common to see Azulejos adorning churches, palaces, schools, restaurants, bars, and train stations, as well as regular homes. They are also used extensively in interior decoration. In the kitchen below the Azulejos inject a perfect degree of character into the kitchen. The pastel blue, beige and yellow colors are soft and modest, rather than overpowering. The mandalas are decorative but not excessive, they complement surrounding neutral walls without creating a busy effect.

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