Making the Outdoors Great

Published on April 19, 2011 in HAYNEEDLE. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

At Hayneedle, we love our outdoor furniture. You know this. We’ve got everything you need to create a beautiful, personal outdoor space that matches your home, personality, and entertaining needs. But, once you’re out there… what do you do? After a while, the same things that irk you or bore you indoors are going to catch up to you if you insist on merely lounging. After all, gorgeous weather and great furniture won’t make your friends smarter or your kids less “but Mooooommm…” So, whether you’ll be sipping Lemon Iced Tea while watching the kids or Long Island Iced Tea while kidding with friends, it’s a good idea to plan for some outdoor activity.

Make waves

If you’re lucky enough to have a pool in your backyard or ocean at your beach, the outdoor entertainment question is a no-brainer – swim! Pool games and pool floats make great additives to the big drink – splash in a dash of playtime for the kids and a kick of sports or tanning for adults. When your energy starts to sink to the bottom, dry out under an umbrella or on waterproof poolside lounge furniture.

Land the perfect shot

Alright, so you’re landlocked. A lack of water doesn’t have to dehydrate outdoor activity, though – leisure sports to the rescue! Games aren’t just for kids… in fact, some of the greatest backyard classics will look downright foreign to the 3DTV- and internet-addled minds of today’s youth. But a time-tested game like croquet or bocce ball is a great way to get the entire family or a group of friends up out of the patio furniture and into the yard. If your crowd is more into beer and bragging rights, try one of the newer, rowdier yard games like cornhole or ladder ball.

Drink it in

When in entertaining doubt, ply your guests with alcohol. Nothing spices up with sitting circle blues like a mojito or a margarita. Stocking your kitchen (or outdoor island, if you’re lucky) with glasses, blenders, serving trays, and a sturdy wine rack will make sure your patio never leaves your guests parched for conversation. Killer drink recipes or tasty microbrews aren’t hard to come by these days, and just may be the ticket to making your outdoor space hazily memorable.

Can you dig it?

Let’s face it – you imagine your patio to be always teeming with activity, but sometimes you’re out there alone. Getting into gardening is a great way to utilize your outdoor space, and requires visits only from sunshine and rain. A barren yard is often the result of poor planting – use the best garden benches, wagons, potting benches, and hose reels to keep your greenery green and your flowers fresh. When everyone does come over, they’ll notice you’ve been working out(side).

Now get out there!

Go Maintenance-Free!

Published on April 12, 2011 in HAYNEEDLE. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

This week at Hayneedle, we’ve been talking a lot about “maintenance-free” outdoor furniture. But what does that mean, exactly? The end of telling your chair that it looks nice every time it asks?

If you’re anything like us, you went to drag out the summer furniture at the first hint of warmth. If you’re really like us, the effort was totally premature and your hopes of fun in the sun have already been dashed at least twice. But if you unearthed the ole’ table and chairs to discover a world of rust, dust, and disappointment… there’s a better way. Maintenance-free patio furniture is what’s cookin’ this year, and it look better and lasts longer than you could possibly expect.

Just think about it – nice-looking cushioned chairs that you can blast with the hose or leave in the sun? A dining set you can drench that doesn’t look like the kids table? That’s a seriously relaxing summer in the backyard. To get there, you’ll have to forget about fancy woods and delicate wickers that need treatment, care, and general worry and embrace some new materials.

This stuff is made from aluminum, resin-wicker, and recycled plastic. Each of these materials is unique, but at least one of them is perfect for your yard and your style. Here’s a little background on each -

Aluminum

A super-lightweight metal that never rusts and can be powder-coated to take on the look of just about anything. You’ll find it paired with textilene slings and top-of-the-line outdoor cushions for the look that fits your life. A great choice for furniture that gets moved around or put away often.

Resin-Wicker

You know traditional wicker is comfortable and versatile, but you also know it cracks easier than an egg. Resin wicker never breaks, cracks, or deforms and can be crafted into any number of traditional or modern shapes. It’s good and heavy, making it a perfect solution for high-traffic or high-wind areas.

Recycled Plastic/Poly-Wood

It looks and feels like real wood, but it’s completely waterproof, fadeproof, and never expands or contracts. You’ll find Adirondack chairs, benches, and picnic tables made from recycled plastic. Seriously, we wish houses could be made out of this stuff.

So, as you start dreaming of the dog days and the outdoor fun they bring, consider your outdoor furniture situation. You don’t have to clean  out the hardware store’s supply of Rust-B-Gone every spring, and you don’t have to spend another post-barbecue evening scrubbing down the table. With maintenance-free outdoor furniture, all you have to do is get the hose!

Be sure to check out our sale on all maintenance-free outdoor furniture featuring up to 30% off and free shipping!

From 2.5 to 3.5 – Oh, Baby!

Published on March 30, 2011 in BABY & KIDS, FURNITURE and HAYNEEDLE. 0 Comments Tags: , .

I have been a quiet contributor to the Hayneedle Blog for sometime now, but I think it is time I come out of the shadows and start sharing a little more with you guys.  First off, my name is Angie, and I’ve worked at Hayneedle for three wonderful years.  A lot has happened in my time at Hayneedle; I got married, got a dog (Lander – so cute – I’ll share pictures later), and now am expecting my first child!

In the past I have written about buying the right baby furniture, decorating the nursery, and other various baby-related topics, but boy has my perspective changed. I have many nieces and nephews and coworkers who have started families, so I thought my research on the topic of preparing for baby was sound. I was confident that I would be the most prepared expectant mother when my husband and I decided to go down the path of starting a family.  Now that I’m experiencing the fun (and stress) of planning for a baby firsthand, I have a humbled perspective of what it takes to get “baby ready.”

As I go through my journey of being an expectant mother, I’ll bring you along for the ride, from deciding which stroller/travel system is best to deciding how to decorate the nursery.  Feel free to offer your opinions and parenting insight, or to ask questions. I look forward to going through this journey with you!

-Angie

Twitter : angiekub

Free Weeks of Fitness WINNER!!!

Published on January 24, 2011 in HAYNEEDLE. 0 Comments Tags: .

And…. Stretch! Free Weeks of Fitness is over! We hope you’ve enjoyed the last three weeks as much as we have – we’ve learned a lot about fitness, muscle building, healthy eating, and 101 different ways to make ourselves feel better.  As you go forward in 2011, do your best to stay on top of your workout plan and make the most of this year. But for now… on to the big news – WINNERS! All winners chosen using Random.org.

Each of our Week 3 Winners will receive a $100 Hayneedle Gift Certificate, and they are…

Winner 1: Megan Wallace Rogers

Winner 2: A Marie Hj Saver

Winner 3: Alyssa Spencer McVey

Congratulations to Megan, Marie, and Alyssa! Use those gift certificates towards something to help you stay healthy, fit, and happy!

Aaaannnnd… it’s time for our Grand Prize Winner! Everyone who “Liked” every product during Free Weeks of Fitness was entered into the drawing for a $5,000 Hayneedle Home Gym Shopping Spree. With this much shopping power, the winner will be able to build the home gym of their dreams! Goodbye excuses, hello shiny new equipment! And the lucky winner is…

Maria Mertens!

Congratulations, Maria! And thank you to everyone who read along, participated, or won a prize during Free Weeks of Fitness. Just because the contest is over, don’t lose your fitness focus. There are tons of resources all across the web to help you get and stay fit just as we have. Have fun!

Whoa, Baby! Another Contest!

We’re proud to announce the newest addition to the Hayneedle giveaway family – the Destination: Nursery Giveaway! This little baby kicks off this Thursday, Jan. 27. All you have to do is write an essay – tell us why you or a friend deserves to win a Hayneedle Dream Nursery.  Submissions will be taken until Feb. 3.  On Feb. 4, the blog-reading public will vote on which essay they feel deserves the $5,000 Hayneedle Nursery Shopping Spree. Voting closes on Feb. 9, and the winner will be announced on Feb. 10.  You only get one vote for who’s headed to Destination: Nursery, so be sure to make it count! More details to follow on our Facebook page.

Free Weeks of Fitness: Day 19

Published on January 21, 2011 in HAYNEEDLE and SPORTS & GAMES. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Free Weeks of Fitness

Today is Day 19 of Free Weeks of Fitness… the last day! Make sure you “Like” each day’s featured product on Facebook (not the blog post, but the item itself) to be entered in the giveaway. You don’t want to miss out on your chance to be one of 3 to win this week’s $100 Gift Certificates – but only those who’ve “Liked” all five (5) products this week qualify. Go!

Also, this is your last chance to Like ALL of the products highlighted in the Free Weeks of Fitness. Like all the products by Sunday 1/23/2011 before we draw the winner of the $5000 Hayneedle Home Gym Sopping Spree.

To see all of the Free Weeks of Fitness posts in once place, click here!  

Today, Laura from Stretching in Heels is back one last time help you strengthen your core!

One of the most important parts of a workout plan is the core because it’s the stabilization point of the entire body.  Without a strong core, the other parts of the body won’t function correctly and become injured easily.  Have you ever had a lower back injury? If so, it probably wasn’t all because you strained your back, but could have been partially from a weak core. From crunches and sit-ups to planks, you can basically workout your core with anything.

CrunchesCentral Abdominals – Crunches are a great exercise to work your central abdominals. Simply lay on your back with your knees bent and contract your abs to raise your shoulders off the floor.  You can cross your arms over your chest or put them behind your head for this exercise. You can also do a full sit up to workout the same muscles (bringing your chest up to your knees), but I wouldn’t recommend this unless your abs are strong already.  Do three sets of 20-30 of these for a nice ab workout.

Lower abdominals – The reverse crunch is a great exercise for your lower abdominals.  Get into a crunch position, but instead of lifting your chest up, lift your feet off the floor (knees bent) and bring your knees in to your chest. This can be combined with a basic crunch as well. Another lower abdominal workout is the leg hold or lift. Lay on your back with your hands under your lower back to help support it. Lift your legs about six inches off the floor and hold for 30 seconds.  You can also raise and lower your legs for the leg lift version. Another three sets of 20-30 reps will give your lower abs a nice burn.

Obliques (side abdominals) – Crossover crunches are an easy way to work your oblique muscles. These are just like doing a crunch except you reach up and across your body to the outside of the opposite leg to work the outside of your abdominals. Just be sure you really cross over with the reaching shoulder to get a deep crunch. Three sets of 20-30 total are good for these as well. Side leans are another effective oblique workout. Standing with a 10 lb. weight in your right hand, lean to your left and squeeze your left oblique muscle. Release the muscle to lean to the right. This will work the left oblique with the contraction and lifting of the weight. Do three sets of 15 of these on each side and you’ll be feeling it tomorrow.

Total core – The plank is a great way to workout your entire core. Lay on your stomach with your forearms on the floor. Come up into the plank position, balancing on your toes and forearms and hold as long as you can. Be sure to keep your body nice and flat. It’s good to hold this exercise for 30-60 seconds doing three in a row with 30 second breaks in between.  You can do a side plank as well, which is the same except you are balancing on one arm instead of two and working your oblique closer to the floor. Hold these for the same amount of time.

Remember that the core is so important in any training program and will help you avoid many potential injuries. So work that core!

GoFit Ultimate Pro GymToday’s featured item is the GoFit Ultimate Pro Gym. Follow the link, check out the item, and hit the Facebook “Like” button -  you’re on your way to be entered to be 1 of 3 weekly winners of a $100 Hayneedle Gift Certificate (be sure to like all items for the week through Sunday to be entered). Stick with us through all Free Weeks of Fitness (19 articles and products), and you’ll be entered to win a $5,000 shopping spree to outfit your some gym. Get all the details here.