Author: Mars Salazar Page 2 of 29

Marianne is Nixplay's Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

Staying In Touch With Children Studying Away From Home

By Mars Salazar

On August 12, 2020

In Home & Interiors

Starting university is a major milestone in a young adult’s life. While it’s an exciting time for the teen, it can be a cause of concern for parents, who would understandably be worried about their children’s welfare. Will their child be able to make friends? How will they cope if they need help with their studies? Will they be eating properly?

It’s important for parents to stay in touch with their children, especially when they live far from home. Finding the right balance between being supportive and being overbearing can be tricky, but it’s necessary. Here are some ways to do so.

Schedule regular video calls

Parents should be more open to all the possibilities technology offers. Video calls are a lot better than phone calls–they allow you and your child to see each other’s expressions in realtime. You can see your child’s mussed up hair, roll their eyes when you crack a dad joke, and get a glimpse of their messy dorm room in the background. On their end, they’ll be reminded of the things that make home special.

Share photos with each other

This is an easy way to keep your college student updated about what’s going on at home. You can agree with your child to send each other photos on a regular basis–maybe once a day, or once a week, no matter how mundane your schedule might be. Finding beauty in the mundane is a great way to hone your photography skills.

Sharing your photos will be more fun with a Nixplay Frame. This way, all your photographs will be displayed instantly without the need for USB drives, memory cards, or other devices. Now’s the best time to buy a Nixplay Frame: With our Secret Sale, you can get up to 30% off selected frames, only until August 23!

Visit as often as you can

Phone calls and video calls and care packages are great, but in-person visits are way better. If you have some free time, try to make a trip to your child’s campus. Nothing can replace the thrill of seeing your college student in their second home, where they’re hopefully learning, growing, and thriving. Make sure to tell your child of your plans to visit so you’ll both have something to look forward to and plan for.

Send care packages

A care package filled with food, supplies, and other dorm room necessities would be greatly appreciated by your child. You’ll brighten your kid’s day in a pinch, and you’ll help them save some cash during their next shopping trip. Make your care package more meaningful by adding a letter, a sweet note, or printed photos among the items so they’ll have a meaningful reminder of home.

Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

How To Look Your Best During A Video Call

By Mars Salazar

On July 30, 2020

In Lifestyle

The last few months have proven that working remotely is possible. It’s not without its own set of difficulties, though: time management can be more difficult when no one’s closely keeping tabs on you, your work hours can easily bleed into your personal time, and video conferencing takes a lot getting used to. Luckily, it’s not that hard to give a fabulous impression, even when you’re miles away from the people you’re meeting with. Here are some tips on how you can look professional on camera.

Know Your Angles

For video calls, you’d want your camera to be at least eye level or a bit higher (but not too high, or you’ll end up craning your neck the whole time!). Positioning your camera at a low angle can result in an unflattering shot, with a higher chance of double chins, gaping nostrils, and puffy eye bags. Just stack a few thick books under your laptop–you should be able to notice the difference immediately.

Fix Your Lighting

Great lighting can make you look more refreshed, giving you a healthy aura. Simply facing the window during your video call can make you look more presentable. Another quick fix is to position a warm light source (like a lamp or a ring light) behind your computer setup to cast a diffused glow on your face. Avoid harsh fluorescent lighting and lights coming from behind you–this won’t do you any good. TLDR: face the light!

Make Sure You Look Presentable

It always helps to treat video calls like you would a regular face-to-face meeting. Whichever gender you identify as, make sure you look decent before going on camera. Fix your hair, blot your oily areas, dab some concealer on blemishes, and make sure you’re well-dressed. If you think you’re looking a bit pale, don’t hesitate to apply some lipstick or blush to look better on camera–keep it light, and the people watching you will just think you look that good all the time!

Mind Your Background

Human beings are naturally curious people, so expect that whoever’s on the other end of the call will be interested in your background. A plain light-colored background is your safest bet as it keeps the focus on you. At the very least, keep your background neat and clutter-free to give the impression that you’re an organized person. If nothing could be done about your background, check if your video call platform offers options for virtual backgrounds so you’d look more professional.

Pay Attention

Don’t give in to the temptation of doing other things while you’re on the call. The people on the line can see whether or not you’re paying attention, and you’d want to look alert and attentive. Avoid eating, fiddling with your phone, or going to other rooms in your home–these might seem harmless, but they might shine an unwanted spotlight on you.

Photo by Dylan Ferreira on Unsplash

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

How To Make A Photo Journal

By Mars Salazar

On July 29, 2020

In Photography

We take lots of pictures using our smartphones and digital cameras, and while they’re convenient, you have to ask yourself: when was the last time you took a moment to actually enjoy them? We’re guessing most of your photos are stored in a forlorn folder in your computer, left unseen for months or even years. It’s a sad thought, isn’t it?

Creating a photo journal should remedy this. The process of making a photo journal will force you to make the most of your photos while flexing your creativity. Plus, it’ll serve as a reminder of the good times you’ve had and will make you hopeful for better things to come.

Want to learn how to create a photo journal? Follow these steps to get started.

Decide on a theme

Don’t enter a battle without a strategy! Before you start, decide on the memories you want your journal to hold. You can place photos from a certain time period, create a photo diary for every day of the month, or simply highlight a particular vacation. This will inform the rest of your journal process, so decide wisely.

Choose A Quality Notebook

First Things First: You’ll need to decide on the right notebook for your project. Choose one with the right size, binding, number of leaves, and paper style (blank, lined, or grid) for your needs. You should also think about the cover–will you be happy with the original cover, or are you planning to decorate it to better fit the planners’ contents? Finally, consider the paper’s quality–you’d want a notebook with paper thick enough to stick printed photos on while being smooth enough for writing.

Print Your Favorite Photos

Now here’s the fun part: Choosing and printing the photos that will go in your journal. Since you have limited space, prioritize your favorite images. Play around with the size of your prints to add variety: choose larger sizes for your most memorable shots, interspersed with smaller-sized photos.

If you have a Nixplay Frame, you can easily print your photos using the Nixplay App. Just select Fuji Prints to see all the available printing options, select the products you like, and you’ll get your order within a few days. Creating your photo journal has never been so easy!

Download or Update Your Nixplay App Today! App Store | Google Play

Add Captions

While we believe that a picture can say a thousand words, it wouldn’t hurt to write more details to add color to your memories. Add captions about the people you’re with, write descriptions of the places you’ve visited, jot down some musings about your most memorable moments. Trust us: In the future, You’ll be glad you took the time to do so.

Decorate Your Journal

Spruce up your photo journal with some decorations! You can add stickers and stamps, tack on memorabilia like tickets, notes, and maps, and paste cut-outs from magazines or newspapers. The sky’s the limit!

Photo by alexandra lammerink on Unsplash

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

5 Famous Friendships We’re Fans Of

By Mars Salazar

On July 27, 2020

In Lifestyle

True friends are hard to find–especially when you’re a celebrity. These famous folks, however, have managed to hold on to their best friends throughout their careers, proving that it’s possible to forge solid friendships away from Hollywood’s bright lights.

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have nurtured a solid bromance for years. The dapper duo practically grew up together, and have made waves in Hollywood beginning with their Best Original Screenplay Academy Award win for Good Will Hunting in 1998. They’re each other’s biggest fans, attending each other’s movie premieres and presenting at awards shows together. Theirs is truly the kind of friendship all men should aim for.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are two of the funniest women you’ll ever see onscreen. They’re real-life best friends as well, and it makes you wonder just how fun it’ll be to spend a day with them. The two met at an improv theater class in 1993 and immediately hit it off, performing standup comedy in Chicago for a few years before both moving to New York and eventually joining the cast of Saturday Night Live. The rest is comedy history.

Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King

Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King’s friendship have stood the test of time Their story began in 1976: Gayle, then a production assistant at a TV station where Oprah was a co-anchor, was unable to get home due to a snowstorm, and Oprah kindly invited her to spend the night at her place. “We sat up and talked ‘til dawn and have been talking ever since,” Oprah wrote about Gayle. “No matter how many ventures or adventures we undertake—whatever life has to offer—we’ll be in each other’s corner. Solid. Timeless. Forever.”

Taylor Swift and Abigail Anderson

Taylor Swift is known for her star-studded “squad”, which includes Selena Gomez, Ed Sheeran, and Karlie Kloss. Taylor’s best-est best friend, however, is not from show business: Abigail Anderson has been by her side since their high school days, and they make time for each other no matter how busy Taylor gets. Taylor even took Abigail with her as her date to the 2015 Grammys!

Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg

It’s difficult to imagine a more unlikely pair than Martha Stewart, domestic goddess extraordinaire, and Snoop Dogg, the many-monikered gangster rapper-singer-songwriter. But it just works. The two first bonded over mashed potatoes on The Martha Stewart Show in 2008, and Martha invited the rapper back in 2009 to bake brownies. In 2014, Martha wrote on Reddit, “I wish I were closer friends with Snoop Dogg.” Fast-forward a few years later, and it looks like her wish has come true: the two have their own cooking show, and Snoop has launched a cookbook with Martha’s blessing.

Are you as inspired by these celebrity friendships as we are? Commemorate your own bond with your best pals with a Nixplay Frame! Get up to 25% off our bestsellers, only for a limited time!

Photo of Gayle King by The Heart Truth via Wikimedia Commons, Oprah Winfrey by Georgeburnsharpo via Wikimedia Commons

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

How To Start Living A Low-Waste Lifestyle

By Mars Salazar

On July 24, 2020

In Lifestyle

It’s never too late to start living a more sustainable lifestyle. While one person can’t stop climate change, a collective effort to live with less waste can definitely help the environment. By consciously making better choices, you can gradually reduce your impact on the world around you.

We understand that it can be daunting to immediately make a major transition towards sustainable living. Start your eco-friendly journey with these simple resolutions:

Bring Your Own Containers And Utensils

Bringing your own water bottle wherever you go is one of the easiest ways to reduce your waste output. The price per bottle adds up to a hefty sum in the long run, and the empty bottles can pile up. By investing in a filtration system for your home and a cute water bottle, you won’t have to spend so much money on bottled water again.

The same thing goes for takeout containers and disposable utensils–the waste can pile up, increasing your carbon footprint. A microwaveable container and reusable utensils won’t take up much room in your bag and will make a sizeable dent in your plastic waste.

Shop Smartly

Instead of heading to the mall to get new clothes or furniture, why not duck into a thrift store instead to look for items you can reuse? There’s nothing wrong with buying secondhand: By breathing new life into vintage pieces, you can add character to your home (or wardrobe) while saving money.

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

The global demand for meat is a major contributor to climate change. If this makes you feel a bit guilty, remember that vegan or vegetarian meals can be tasty, nutritious, and cheaper than dishes with meat and dairy products. You can take it one step further by planting your own home garden: by growing your own produce, you can save on food costs and even make extra money by selling to your neighbors and loved ones.

Reuse Things

Before you throw away something, consider first if you can repurpose it. Maybe the paper bag you’re about to dispose of can be reused as a gift bag or a trash can liner. That plastic container you’re about to toss can be a suitable container for art supplies or small knickknacks. If it’s still usable, keep it–you never know when it might come in handy.

Commute Responsibly

Getting around everywhere in a car can make a dent in your wallet (and can really bump up your emissions). Using public transportation might be a bit inconvenient, but it’s an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint and save money. Plus, walking or biking can count as a workout, so you’ll be hitting two birds with one eco-friendly stone.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.