Chill Out: 10 Popsicles to Make this Summer

Celebrate summer with a bang – or should we say pop? It’s the height of the season, and unlike June with its flip flopping temperatures, we’re in for many gloriously hot days. To help keep you refreshed during these sizzling weeks we’ve found ten tantalizing popsicles for you to enjoy. Give one (or all) of the following recipes a try, and get ready to wow friends and family with these cool treats.

Watermelon Kiwi – Not only do these scrumptious snacks look good, they taste good and they’re good for you! Blended watermelon and sliced kiwi combine for a delicious, all natural pop.

Image via Real Food By Dad

Cookies and Coconut Cream – In keeping with today’s coconut everything trend, these goodies are made with coconut cream (or milk, depending on your preference) and cookies. Sound good? You’re right. One bite and we’re sure you’ll be hooked.

Image via The View From Great Island

Mint Chocolate Chip - Not a big cookies and cream fan? Why not try mint chocolate chip? This recipe also calls for coconut milk, and harnesses the power of fresh mint and semisweet chocolate. Yum!

Image via Tutti Dolci

Tequila Sunrise - That's right folks, they've found a way to make alcoholic popsicles. What's better than a tequila sunrise? A tequila sunrise popsicle. You're welcome.

Image via The Design Confidential

Blueberry Mojito - Almost every has a tequila story (we're not judging), so if you aren't ready to chase that particular dragon again, but still want to make a cocktail inspired popsicle (poptail?) we've got you covered. Blueberry mojito popsicles are the perfect blend of mint, rum, and blueberries.

Image via Broma Bakery

Key Lime Pie – Can you turn a pie into a popsicle? Short answer: yes. Long answer: HECK YES! These decadently sweet and tangy pops are finished with a graham cracker base and are arguably one of the best summer desserts we’ve come across in a while.

Image via The Attune Food Daily Digest

Sensational Stripes – Having a hard time deciding on what flavor to make? Make ‘em all! Layering your popsicles with different types of juice looks beautiful and lets you try several flavors at once. That’s what we call a win, win.

Image via The View From Great Island

Mango Chia – Here’s another easy, healthy popsicle for you to enjoy. Three ingredients (mango, coconut water, and chia seeds) combine to create a delightful snack. All you have to do is blend ‘em together, freeze, and eat – it’s that’s easy!

Image via Jelly Toast

Parfait Pops – Now this is a popsicle you can eat for breakfast! Yogurt, granola, your favorite fruits, and a drizzle of honey are the perfect morning treat. What a way to start the day!

Image via Le Zoe Musings

Almond Butter Banana Chocolate Fudge – Now this wouldn’t be the ultimate list of popsicle recipes without something chocolatey! Enjoy something on the richer side with this recipe.

Image via Peachy Palate

We hope these cool recipes take your summer season from hot to haute. Make sure to share your popsicle pics with @HomeShows on Instagram and Twitter – we love seeing what you create!

Don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook. It’s the place to find DIY projects, décor and design advice, home show updates, and exclusive ticket deals – like 2-for-1 tickets to the Marketplace Events Home Show nearest you! What are you waiting for? Like us to learn more today! 

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Get Smart: 5 Awesome Ways to Make your House Smarter

How smart is your house? It might seem like a silly question, but with so many technological advancements over the past few years, our homes now have the capability to get smarter and smarter. While we’re not quite talking about a robot butler for every household, there are some new, neat ways to control the systems in your house. If you feel like getting a little space-aged in your home, check out the cool gadgets below.

1. Baffle burglars - Lock your door with your smartphone using the Goji Smart Lock. See who comes to your door, share key codes with guests (permanently or for a specified amount of time), and lock and unlock your door from anywhere in the world.

Image via Goji

2. Light up your life - Use your smartphone, tablet, or computer to adjust your lights with Philips Hue. Hue's wireless LED lights and multi-platform app let you take your home lighting to a new level. Turn your lights on, off, to a different setting, or to a different color altogether. The free app makes it easy to do from anywhere, so you can always set the mood.

Image via Hue

3. Be "thermosmart" - Heat or cool your home the better way with the Nest Thermostat. The Nest Thermostat learns your heating and cooling habits so it can anticipate the temperature you'd like, and power down when you aren't home. It boasts being able to, when properly programmed, reduce your heating and cooling bills by 20%. You can also access it remotely using your smartphone or tablet.

Image via Nest

4. Chill out - Cool your small space with the Aros smart window air conditioner. Aros works a lot like Nest, where it learns from your schedule and preferred settings, so it can quickly conform to your needs. You can also use it to not only save money by being more energy efficient, but also to stick to your budget - you can set it to stop cooling beyond a certain dollar amount.

Image via Aros

5. Lighten your load - Do laundry the better way with 6th Sense Live. 6th Sense Live lets you start and stop your laundry anywhere, anytime, with your smartphone or tablet. It will also advise you of the best times to do laundry based on energy prices, let you know whether or not you should be adding more detergent to your load, and notify you when your laundry is done. Whirlpool also offers 6th Sense Live technology for dishwashers and refrigerators. 

Image via Whirlpool

Need help keeping your home looking as smart as the appliances in it? Get inspiration at any Marketplace Events home show. Check out the shows coming up in your area - US shows and Canadian shows.

It's also a really smart idea to like us on Facebook. Not only will you get updates and information on our home shows, you'll also get access to exclusive ticket deals. Right now when you like us on Facebook you can get two tickets for the price of one to the home show of your choice. 

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