This month BHG Live Better gave me the opportunity to freshen up my office. I haven’t done anything to my office since its original makeover a couple years ago, so I was excited to add a little texture and style to the room.

If you’ve followed me for more than 5 minutes, then you know I’m obsessed with the color teal. However over the last year I’ve been trying to incorporate more dark blues into my design, as an accent color to all the teal in my life.

When I saw this stunning, deep blue rug on Walmart.com, I knew it would be the perfect accent to go with my teal desk.

On the other side of my office I have a large desk, my husband made me years ago, where my daughter loves to sit and do her art and schoolwork.

For years, every time she’s wanted to sit there, she’s always had to drag a chair from the dining room, into the office. I don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner but I finally purchased her a nice comfy chair that’s all hers.

I also did some reorganizing on my bookshelves and added in some more wire baskets to organize items on the shelves.

I love how easy it is to organize with cute baskets, I’ll never tell how unorganized the inside of the baskets might be.

It’s not a huge makeover, luckily we are done with those (at least for now) but it’s always fun to make little tweaks to a room and not have to spend a lot of money. I spend a lot of time in my office so I’m loving my little mini office refresh and all the new fun textures!

Puppy dog is loving the new, super soft rug too.

Shop this room –

• Indigo damask area rug
• Tufted dining chair
• Wire baskets with chalkboard
• Chevron pillow

Follow Better Homes and Gardens at Walmart to see what’s coming out soon!

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Disclaimers – I am part of the BHG Live Better Blogger Network; this post is sponsored by BHG at Walmart. All opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links, for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

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The post Office Refresh appeared first on Ask Anna.

I don’t know about you, but as soon as the weather turns from winter to spring, I want to have the doors and windows open as much as possible! My daughter loves to play in the front yard with the neighborhood kids so I usually just leave the front door open to get some fresh air and to keep an eye on her. The problem I’ve had for the last 3 years though, is that when the door is open, the bugs think it’s an open invitation to join us for dinner – gross!

Years ago I heard about Phantom Screens and ever since moving into this house, I’ve been dreaming about getting one for our front door. I love having the front door open as much as possible but I don’t like the look of traditional screens, I want to see my pretty door, and wreath, when the door is closed!

Now that we have our Phantom Screens I’m able to have my pretty front door show, but when the kids are ready to play outside, or I just want some fresh spring air, I open the door and close the screen.

I absolutely love our Phantom Screens, they are everything, and more, that I hoped they’d be. It might seem silly to “love” a screen door but when you get yours, you’ll understand. Everyone that comes over comments and says how awesome they are.

The Latch & Release handle makes it easy to use, quiet to operate and secure from unintended openings.

The screens are also very sturdy and durable. The day we had ours installed I had the dog in the backyard while the installation guy was over. When he was finished I left the front door open, with the screen in place, and let my dog back in the house. She came bolting up the stairs, and full puppy speed, and ran straight for the door – thinking she was going to get to run right out the front door. Instead she bounced off the screen, as if she’d just landed on a trampoline. I was so mad and thought for sure she had just broken my brand new screen, but when I went to inspect, it was in perfect condition. The screen had just let out a little more, to give into the tension (of our puppy bolting “through” the door) and then retracted back into place! Amazing!

Each screen is custom made for your home and the installation is seamless so when the screen is retracted you don’t even notice it’s there. There are 10 standard colors to choose from but countless custom colors to match any home, including wood tones.

We had a second screen installed on the glass door in our eating area, and it’s a different color from the one we put on the front door because the door color is different.

Not only are the color and sizing options custom for every home but you can also choose from a wide range of mesh options. Choose from mesh that stops bugs, lets the fresh air in, gives you privacy or provides shade from the sun, there’s an option for every need!

We chose the standard – keep bugs out – screens and I’ve been really impressed, they work far better than any of our other traditional screens.

Whether you have a single traditional door, French doors, double door or sliding door Phantom Screens will work. They also make them for windows! We absolutely LOVE our Phantom Screens and I know you will too!

To learn more about Phantom Screens, and find an installer in your area, visit their website or check out their Facebook and Twitter pages.

Happy Spring everyone!

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The post Spring is Here and the Doors are Wide Open! appeared first on Ask Anna.

Ever since we put in our outdoor kitchen, once the summer weather hits, we live outdoors! We’ve never had a proper dining table by the pool though, so this year I snagged the Camrose Farmhouse Dining Table as soon as it was available online.

I’ve been dreaming of summer for awhile so when we got a warm sunny break from the rain, I had to celebrate with lunch by the pool! My friend Katie came over and helped me set up this bright and beautiful lunch setting, I think she was excited about the sun too!

We layered the table with lots of bright and bold colors, and I have to say I’m in love with these melamine fish plates from Walmart. I found coordinating dishtowels for less than $1 that I used on the table as place mats. Who says kitchen towels have to only be used for drying the dishes?

The BHG Live Better galvanized metal serving tray and drink dispenser are the perfect combo for making a guest-friendly drink station.

I bought these BHG Live Better crossbar metal lanterns last summer but I use them all the time and they are perfect for a table centerpiece.

It’s not quite warm enough for swimming – yet – but I couldn’t help but buy some new towels for the pool. The BHG Live Better beach towels at Walmart are HUGE and they come in so many bright and beautiful colors! I draped mine over the chairs to make them more comfortable, and to add a pop of color.

So what do you say, are you up for a sunny lunch date by the pool? We’d love to have you join us.

Even the puppy came out to join us and enjoy the short-lived sunshine.

And now for the giveaway! I’m giving away a $50 Walmart gift card to get you all ready for bold & beautiful outdoor dining too. To enter to win, leave me a comment and tell me what your favorite Better Homes & Gardens Live Better summer product is at Walmart. If you haven’t seen all the great stuff they have this year, you can check it out HERE. (Giveaway ends April 24, 2017 at midnight PST, winner must be at least 18 years old and live in the continental US).

If you need me, I’ll be out enjoying the sunshine!

And just for fun, if you want to see how we layered and created this tablescape, here’s you go!

Shop this Bold & Beautiful look:

• Camrose Farmhouse Dining Table
• Galvanized metal serving tray (available in stores)
• Galvanized metal drink dispenser
• Crossbar metal lanterns
• Extra large beach towels
• Fish dinner plates
• Fish kitchen towels (available in stores)

 Follow Better Homes and Gardens at Walmart to see what’s coming out soon!

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• Pinterest
• Instagram

Disclaimers – I am part of the BHG Live Better Blogger Network; this post is sponsored by BHG at Walmart. All opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links, for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

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The post Bold & Beautiful Outdoor Living appeared first on Ask Anna.

Last spring I realized the need for an outdoor seating area on my front porch, so I added a rocking chair from the BHG line at Walmart, but I quickly realized that wasn’t going to be enough seating, so this year I added a table and 2 chairs!

I am so in love with this Better Homes and Gardens farmhouse style mosaic tile top table, from Walmart, because not only is it a showstopper, but it’s the perfect place to sit and enjoy my sweat tea while reading my BH&G magazine, while also keeping an eye on the kids.

And of course every showstopping table needs a stunning sidekick, right? These metal chairs from Walmart.com are the perfect match, and a steal at only $44!

Now the front porch is just calling my name, I can hear it beckoning me to come sit and relax – which I can’t wait to do once it stops raining for more than a day. I don’t know what the weather is like where you are but it has been raining buckets here!

But it won’t last forever and before too long I’ll be spending lots of time sitting out here, enjoying the sun and the laughter of the kids.

Are you looking forward to warm days, cool evenings and getting outside with your family? Use these beautiful pieces to set up a little outdoor eating area or a place to sit and relax on your front porch or back deck.

Happy (almost) Spring!!!

Shop this look –

• Black metal chairs (they have lots of colors)
• Farmhouse mosaic tile top table
• Chevron outdoor pillow

Follow Better Homes and Gardens at Walmart to see what’s coming out soon!

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram

Disclaimers – I am part of the BHG Live Better Blogger Network; this post is sponsored by BHG at Walmart. All opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links, for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

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The post Farmhouse Style Outdoor Seating Area appeared first on Ask Anna.

Every year around Christmastime I look to see if there’s a family in need, a cause to give to or a shelter to help out, because I know lots of people go without a lot of things most of the year; but, Christmastime is a time of year when no one should be without. Earlier this month I received the BEST email, presenting me with the opportunity to work with Aflac to help a family in need. Aflac understands that the ripple effect of financial burden, caused by an unplanned health event, can be especially compounded around the holidays, which was the inspiration behind the #AflacHolidayHelpers program. So when I received an email and was presented with the opportunity to fill someone’s fridge, decorate their home for Christmas and give them the best Christmas ever, I can’t even tell you how ecstatic I was!!!

The family

A good friend of mine from church had recently told me that her sister-in-law had gone into labor at 29 weeks and was rushed down to the local children’s hospital. Because her water had broken in the process of labor, but the baby hadn’t been born, she was required to stay in the hospital, leaving her out of work. During her stay, her husband lost his job and their baby shower got cancelled, leaving them with nothing for the baby and in a financial bind.

I knew without a doubt this was the family I wanted to help. The opportunity to bless them with an amazing Christmas, and provide everything they needed for the baby, sounded like a dream come true!

The strategy

There was a lot of shopping to be done so my friend and I teamed up and tackled the task together.

• Goal #1 – provide the family with a full fridge and lots of pre-made meals, because no new parents have time to make dinner.
• Goal #2 – provide them with everything they needed for their new baby boy: lots of diapers, clothes, toys, bedding, etc.
• Goal #3 – decorate the house for Christmas so it will look welcoming and magical when they return home.
• Goal #4 – spoil the new mommy and daddy with the best Christmas ever!
• Goal #5 – provide them with gift cards to help cover groceries, gas for their cars, etc. until they can get back on their feet.

By the end of the day my car was packed full of Christmas presents, goodies for the baby and food for the new parents! And we had SO much fun shopping for this much deserving new family!

The before

They have a super cute apartment, with beautiful hardwood floors but the living room needed a little sprucing up and the Christmas tree needed a little accessorizing. (These pictures were taken after we unloaded all our bags from shopping.)

The reveal

Their couches were a little outdated so we covered them with large blankets and sprinkled them with new pillows that matched their drapes. We also decorated their tree with fun ornaments, gift cards for groceries, gas and a family outing, along with toys for the dog and a reindeer and elf socks for their new little one.

They live in a 2-story apartment, so on their wish list was a place to change the baby’s diapers, and a place for him to rest downstairs.  To meet this need, we set up a pack-n-play, which is awesome, but took longer for us to put together than the crib! And of course we had to accessorize it with a Santa Suite for the baby.

I didn’t get a “before” picture of the baby’s room but before we got there they referred to it as the “storage room” because it was filled with office supplies, boxes and lots of other random things. Not a single thing in the room was for the baby. But when we got done with it, the room had storage, a crib, a new rug, LOTS of diapers – and they were speechless!

This family is so deserving, they are adorable, their new baby is so tiny and precious. My friend and I had SO much fun blessing them with a beautiful Christmas and a new baby’s room! They were speechless during most of the reveal but I know it meant so much to them to receive all these things, on behalf of Aflac, that they never could have imagined during such a difficult financial time in their lives.

The dog was pretty excited about her new toy too.

And, of course, we had to put the Santa hat on the little guy!

I am so incredibly thankful that I got to take part in the #AflacHolidayHelpers campaign and I’m pretty sure this will be my favorite Christmas post of all time!

In the United States, Aflac is a leader in voluntary insurance sales at the work site. Aflac knows that major medical insurance may not cover every expense related to a serious health event, so supplemental insurance from Aflac is there to help fill in the holes.

Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.

Z161385A                                                                                                              12/23/16

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The post Making Christmas Wishes Come True! appeared first on Ask Anna.