Four Tricks to Stay Comfortable and Look Fashionable While Traveling in an RV

When you’re renting an RV, there’s a lot of planning to do! Not only do you have to think about the kind of RV you want to rent, you have to think about where you and your family are headed, and you have to think about what you’re going to do when you get there.
You also have to think about what you’re going to wear.

You obviously won’t want to bring your stilettos and your little black dress, but that doesn’t mean you want to wear grass-stained sneakers and a holey T-shirt either!

Here are four tips for staying comfortable, but still looking fashionable, when you’re hitting the road in an RV.

Go for a Comfort Waistband

You’re going to spend a lot of time sitting in the RV, so you will want to make sure you aren’t wearing pants that are uncomfortable. Chances are, that means reaching for pants with a comfort waistband instead of constricting jeans.

From floral pajama pants to jogging pants, you have many options, and with the right accessories, they can look very stylish. Yoga pants are also an option, especially if you choose high-quality yoga pants in a dark color, like black or navy.

Know How to Wear Your Hair

Traveling in an RV is not the time for curls or elaborate hairstyles. You’ll want to keep your hair out of the way, especially if it’s going to be hot.

Keep the curling iron at home, and instead bring along items that can be used to cover your hair. If you’re going for a stylish look, avoid the baseball cap. Instead, learn how to tie up your hair in a turban, or use a head scarf. If you like the idea of a hat, reach for a fedora or a floppy hat.

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Choose the Right Layering Items

The quickest and easiest way to look fashionable is to layer. It’s also the best way to ensure you’re comfortable! That means bringing wardrobe staples on your RV adventure that include:

• Tank tops
• T-shirts
• Sweatshirts
• Scarves
• Jackets

To keep from overpacking your suitcase, reach for neutral items that can easily be mixed and matched. That way you only have to bring one or two of each item, but you’ll still have a comfortable outfit that looks put together.

Bring the Right Shoes
Planning an RV vacation is the perfect excuse to go out and buy some new shoes! You’re looking for a pair that is cute, but is also comfortable to walk in.

Look for a pair of tennis shoes that can go from a hike on the trail to a casual dinner in a restaurant. You should also look for a pair of sandals that are as comfortable at the beach as they are exploring shops in town.

You can look put together and comfortable at the same time, even if you are traveling in an RV. You just have to follow the easy-to-follow tips on this list!

Drawing Inspiration From Proper Pens and Fanciful Technique

The way you draw can be as fun and individual as you are. The styles used in creating a pen sketch are as limitless as your own imagination. But, if you’re looking for inspiration there are several techniques that can be achieved with a little study and the proper pen.

With a frenzy of cross hatches, random lines, ink washes, or stippling and the proper pen, you can make anything come to life against bright white paper. So grab your pen and paper and have fun exploring the world of pen sketching. You never know what you may end up creating.

Here are some of the most popular techniques to send you on your way to a ink drawing that is full of depth and contrast, whether you’re drawing the detailed wings of a butterfly or the soft feathers of a magical bird in flight.

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Stippling

This one takes a little patience and a lot of dots. Stippling is achieved by making an infinite amount of dots along your drawing to add value and depth. The heavier the value, the more dots you’ll need to place closely to each other. To achieve a lighter value apply less dots to the page with more space between each dot.

Hatching

Instead of dots, this technique is all about parallel lines. Draw lines in the same direction to achieve the proper affect. Like stippling, lines placed closely together will create heavier value. Lines that are placed with more distance in between create lighter value.

Cross Hatching

Cross Hatching is similar to hatching except that lines are allowed to cross each other. Create more hatches for greater value and less hatches for lighter value. Hatches can be accomplished with tight straight lines, or with loosely defined hatches.

Random Lines

You can get crazy with your drawing by becoming completely random in the way your lines flow to add value. As long as you stay true to the principle of more in areas that need heavy value, and less and further apart in areas with lighter value, you’ll achieve the desired effect.

Ink Wash

Ink wash is similar to watercolor techniques, but with ink instead of paint. The value is determined by the amount of water you add to the ink. The ink is applied to the surface by a brush, just like in watercolor.

Pre-Drawing

Especially helpful for those new to ink-drawing, sketching out your idea in pencil first will allow you to go over only the lines you want to keep in pen. Once the ink is dry, you can erase your pencil lines and enjoy your final product — graphite free.

Loose Pen Hold

If you’re looking to make your drawings a little more whimsical, try loosening the hold on your pen, or holding it closer to the end. You should notice a more fluid nature in your lines that adds movement to your overall sketch.

Smudging

To make areas within the drawing softer, try smudging fresh ink with a little water on your fingertip. You may be able to create the softness and shadowing you’re looking for while creating a fun and unique effect to your sketch.

Using Dried Out Pens

Don’t get frustrated anymore when the lids get left off the markers. You can use pens and markers that are almost dried out to create beautiful, soft effects on your picture.

Changing Up The Pen

Different pens and markers can be used in a variety of ways to create a fun, creative drawing. Choose the finest tip pens for the most detail. Try using washable markers for heavier value regions. And, add punches of color in just the right spot with colored gel or ink pens.

There are no rules in creating satisfying ink sketches. They can be as detailed or abstract as you want them to be. Follow recommended techniques or explore for yourself. Just remember to have fun while doing so.

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Celebrate National Root Beer Float Day With Your Family

Today, August 6th is National Root Beer Float Day! Yes, there's an actual national day for this great classic. A&W Root Beer helps create the perfect timeless family night treat: an A&W Root Beer Float!

The product, information, and gift card have been provided by A&W so that I could try the product and share my thoughts and information about A&W Root Beer. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions of A&W.

Many of us grew up enjoying a frosty A&W Root Beer float with our family and friends. There is something so satisfying about slurping one up on a hot summer's day. We love the classic version starting with two scoops of vanilla ice cream, and then filling your mug or glass to the very top with A&W Root Beer. It is the one drink where we don't mind any of it running over the edges of our glass, or getting a little messy. It's the perfect treat for the family to enjoy together!

I have never strayed from the classic root beer float, but I'm so intrigued by the different versions you can make. You can step up your float game by making a salted caramel root beer float. Simply start with two scoops of salted caramel ice cream, fill with A&W root beer, then top with whipped cream, caramel sauce, and a pinch of sea salt. YUM!

Looking for a more decadent option? How about a brownie sundae root beer float?! Put some brownie bits in a mug, add two scoops of vanilla ice cream, and fill with A&W Root Beer. Then you can top that all off with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, maraschino cherry, sprinkles, and additional brownie bits.

If you are watching your calories, you can easily use Diet A&W root beer along with a lower calorie or sugar-free ice cream product.

Be sure to grab a case or bottle of A&W Root Beer, and your favorite ice cream to share with your family and friends. School will be back before you know it, so make some delicious memories while you can!

For more tasty recipes, check out A&W Root Beer's website, and follow on Instagram.

Easy Ways To Entertain In The Summertime

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com.

Summertime is in full swing all across the country. Families everywhere are vacationing, road-tripping, relaxing and entertaining. Summer seems to be one of the best times of year to entertain family and friends. It's always fun to hang out at the pool, play cornhole, badminton, volleyball, and of course, have water balloon fights!

It's not really summer unless you have something delicious sizzling away on the grill. We grill out almost daily, and especially love burgers, chops, steaks, and veggies. The scent of char-grilled meat makes everyone's mouth water. You definitely can't live in the South and have a meal without a glass of ice cold sweet tea to wash down all of that good food.

One thing I find important when it comes to summer entertaining is to keep it simple. Don't stress out and think you need to break out the fancy dishes and glasses to enjoy a meal together. We are all about casual dining! Sitting out on the back porch is where you'll find us.

Nothing says back porch sittin' like a cold glass of sweet tea. I know a lot of people who love a good glass of it but complain that they don't know how to make it properly. Well, a great solution to that is by using Southern Breeze Cold Brew sweet tea bags. They are made to where you simply place one bag in a glass and add cold water. In five minutes you will have the perfectly sweetened glass of iced tea, just add ice!

We absolutely love the taste of peach tea in the summer. The Southern Breeze peach tea does not disappoint! I love garnishing with fresh peach slices and a sprig of mint. Doesn't it look refreshing? It has the perfect balance of sweetness with a good hit of peach flavor with zero calories and zero sugar. If you're up for a cocktail, you can add a shot of whiskey. Yum! Right now you can get FREE shipping on your first order of Southern Breeze cold brew tea, available in original, peach, raspberry, and half tea, half lemonade.

Do you love a good steak? We are huge fans of the perfect ribeye on the grill. Of course, quality is everything. We received the most mouth-watering selection of meats for our summer grilling from Fareway Meat Market. Our date night bundle included two 12-ounce beef ribeye steaks, two 10-ounce Iowa pork chops, two 8-ounce America's cut boneless pork chops, 85% Butcher’s Blend Ground Beef (1 lb.) and Premium Steak Burgers (4 patties). We knew immediately that the ribeyes were going to be the first to hit the grill! 

I couldn't believe how thick they were. These beauties had the perfect amount of fat marbling to indicate that you were going to have one tender, juicy steak. Even when I was handling the beef with the tongs, I could feel how soft the meat was.

Look at this gorgeous beef! I cooked it to medium-rare. The flavor of the beef itself was outstanding. If you appreciate the natural taste of beef, you will know that this is the good stuff!

Sometimes in the summer, we like salads with grilled steak on top. It gives the balance of lighter fare with a bit of heartiness. If you hate going inside the store, you can order meat online with Fareway Meat Market. You will not regret using this meat delivery service. They send you only the finest cuts of meat. Enter code “meatlover” to receive $20 off your first order! 

By the way, if you need a tasty pre-dinner snack that won't make you feel guilty, you must try out Popchips in the many varieties they offer. I couldn't wait to dig in to the zesty jalapeño cheddar popchips. This is the first time I have ever eaten chips that actually taste like you cut open a jalapeño, shredded your own cheddar, and combined them into a chip. The flavor explodes in your mouth! You won't have any greasy residue left on your hands either, because popchips are never fried.

You can't beat healthy snacks made with real ingredients. Make sure you grab a few bags from your local grocer. You will want to try them all!

We hope you enjoy the rest of the summer before the craziness of back-to-school takes over. Now that we have shared some of our summer favorites, what are some of yours?