Blog Posts

National Novel Writing Month

“I’ve found that the process of writing a book changes people. It awakens our imaginations, but it also opens our eyes to abilities we didn’t realize we possessed, and makes us hungry for adventures we hadn’t previously thought possible.” — Chris Baty November is National Novel Writing Month, and the Liv Northgate Apartments Blog is featuring several different tips for those ambitious writers attempting to tackle the National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo) challenge this month. Each year, writers all around the world attempt to write a 50,000 word novel before November is through. This averages into about 1,667 words per day. These writers attempt to write like the wind in an attempt to tick “writing a novel” off of their bucket list. If you’ve ever wanted to write a novel, or if you’re a writer looking for your next project, then participate in NaNoWriMo this month! Our first piece of advice is to use the resources NaNoWriMo provides. Sign up on the official NaNoWriMo website to gain access to a word tracking tool, the support of other aspiring novelists, pep talks from famous authors, and information on NaNoWriMo events. The NaNoWriMo website is a great resource for those who need a little bit of extra encouragement to get through the month. The pep talks from famous authors are a particularly useful resource for those days when you struggle to get the words on the page. One of our favorite pieces of advice comes from a pep talk by Deb Olin Unferth : “Keep in mind the initial image that you had of your book. Writers often say that they were struck with an early image or tiny scene that filled them inexplicably with emotion and inspired them to create a story around it: the image of a woman leaving with a suitcase, the image of a car fallen into the ocean, or a mattress salesman staring across an expanse of beds. For the book I’m working on now, I have the image of thousands of flightless birds running across a field. What’s yours? Return to your image when you get stuck, recover its emotional power.” Finding local writers in the Gilbert, AZ area is another great way to meet new people and to find other writers to encourage your work. You can find more information about local events by visiting the event page on the NaNoWriMo website. There are hundreds of writers in Arizona, and specifically in the Phoenix area. Take advantage of their advice, support, and help. The most important advice we could give you is, of course, to keep writing. Keep writing even when it gets tough. NaNoWriMo is in many ways a writing marathon. You’ll no doubt get tired while writing this month, but “winning” NaNoWriMo depends on how many words you can get on the page. So keep going even when the going gets tough. If writing isn’t for you, celebrate National Novel Writing Month by celebrating local novelists and writers by reading! Visit your local library and ask for books written by local authors. Thanks for reading our post! Are you planning on participating in NaNoWriMo? Let us know in the comments.

Gilbert Historical Museum

It’s important to remember the past. This week the Liv Northgate Blog is heading over to the Gilbert Historical Museum to explore Gilbert’s history. In this post, we are featuring our past through several of the exhibits at the museum. Gilbert has an important history as first an agricultural center, then as a railroad town, and today as a growing and thriving city. We are going to highlight three exhibits that feature different aspects of life in Gilbert, AZ through the years. Occupations Exhibit From the website: “ Just like any other American town, early Gilbert residents had to make a living. In the Occupations Exhibit you’ll discover our town’s deep agricultural roots. Did you know that Gilbert was once known as the Hay Shipping Capital of the World? Alfalfa, cotton and dairy farms were vital to the success of the town in the early 20th Century. As with any agriculturally-based community, a number of professions and businesses sprouted up to support Gilbert farmers in their work. As the community grew, so did the variety of professions. Retail stores, auto garages, a pharmacy and a post office soon offered employment to local workers.” Town Exhibit From the website: “Gilbert was named after land speculator William (Bobby) M. Gilbert, who sold his land to the railroad. The railroad established a siding at the site, around which the town started to grow. Unfortunately the town’s railroad depot, built in 1905 just north of the tracks and west of Gilbert Road, was torn down in 1969. In the Town Room visitors can see two dioramas of our community at different stages of its development (c1917 and c1944) and imagine what life was like! Examine the huge aerial photos of the Gilbert area taken decades ago; try to find where your home now sits, it was probably farmland way back when…” Model Train Exhibit From the website: “ Gilbert wouldn’t be Gilbert without the railroad; in fact if it wasn’t for the track we wouldn’t be here! The sound of train horns blasting are constant reminders of Gilbert’s railroad past. Our Model Train exhibit is a work in progress; we partnered with the Gilbert Model Railroad Club a few years ago and work continues every week. Our exhibit depicts the railroad as it was around WWII, showing the trains’ route to and from Gilbert. The Gilbert Model Railroad Club welcomes new members year round.” Thanks for reading today’s post! Have you ever visited the Gilbert Historical Museum? What was your exhibit? Let us know in the comments.

Decor DIYs

In this post, we are helping you decorate your Liv Northgate Apartment in Gilbert, AZ! We are featuring five different apartment decor DIYs to help you spruce up your space. We hope that you get the chance to try at least one of these DIYs this month. DIY Modern Black and White Abstract Art from A Sweet Afternoon Decorate your walls with your own abstract art! This quick craft is a great way to dress up your apartment. A Sweet Afternoon uses black and a very specific pattern to make her piece of abstract art; personalize this DIY by changing up the pattern and the color of your piece of art. Rustic Burlap & Yarn Fall Wreath DIY from Consumer Crafts Make your home fall-friendly with this rustic burlap and yarn fall wreath. This fall wreath is a great “autumn welcome” for your apartment. You could even personalize it by using different colors, flowers, and fall accessories for your wreath. Mason Jar Fall Luminary from Create Craft Love This mason jar fall luminary is the perfect fall decoration for your apartment. We recommend using electric tea lights instead of candle tea lights to complete the craft. It’s much safer, and you won’t have to worry about making sure the lights are out every time you leave the apartment. How to Make a Dropcloth Rug/Paint a Rug Tutorial from Nellie Bellie This craft is time-consuming, yes, but it’s a cheap way to get a rug into your living room. If you can’t find the rug you want in store or online, make your own! A drop cloth rug can transform a room without breaking the budget. DIY Painted House Doormat from Sarah Hearts Sarah Hearts teaches viewers how to make their own painted house doormat. This easy project won’t take too long to make, and (although the tutorial proposes making a “painted house” doormat) you can really paint anything you want! We hope that you get creative with this project. Do you ever do DIYs? Do you have any DIY projects that we should try? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Hosting Guests

This week the Liv Northgate Blog is featuring tips and tricks for the next time you have a guest staying at your house. Gilbert, AZ is a great place to live; we’re sure that there are plenty of friends from around the country that would love to visit. We have some advice for the next time a guest comes into town. We hope you enjoy our post! The first thing you need to do is make sure that your apartment is clean. Our first tip is to, well, clean your apartment. Give your whole apartment a thorough going over, make sure everything looks good for your guest. Pay special attention to the guest bathroom and bedroom (or, if you don’t have a guest bathroom or bedroom, to the room your guest will be staying in) and make sure to remember to wash any sheets your guest will be using. Next, go through each room to make sure it’s stocked for guests. The bathroom should have towels for your guests to use, extra toiletries, and plenty of toilet paper and soap. The bedroom should have plenty of blankets, a fan, a card with the Wifi password, and extra pillows. Make sure that the kitchen is guest-friendly, as well. Snacks should be easy to access, and you should remember to remind your guest where the cups, plates, and other utensils are (so they don’t have to go through all your things when you’re not at home). If your guest will be coming and going throughout the day, it might be best to have an extra key for them to use. For days when you have to work, leave your guest a “Guide to Gilbert.” This guide should have your favorite restaurants in the area, favorite theaters, and favorite landmarks and museums in it. We hope that our tips prove to be useful! Do you have any tips for hosting guests for us? Leave us your advice in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

All About Pumpkins

This post is all about pumpkins! The Liv Northgate Apartments Blog is excited for the start of fall! We are heading over to the pumpkin patch to find our perfect pumpkin. We will be featuring tips on picking your perfect pumpkin, decorating ideas, and where to find your pumpkin in this post. We hope that you get the chance to head over to the pumpkin patch sometime this month. There are plenty of places to pick pumpkins in and around Gilbert. Right here in Gilbert, AZ is Mother Nature’s Farm . Mother Nature’s Farm has its own Halloween pumpkin patch, where visitors can find pumpkins of every size. Vertuccio Farms ’ Corn Maze & Fall Festival features a pumpkin patch, a corn maze, a hay maze, and much more. Schnepf Farms doesn’t just have a pumpkin patch — it holds its own Pumpkin & Chili Party. Celebrate the fall by visiting one of these pumpkin patches this month! Once you’ve picked your pumpkin patch, it’s time to pick your pumpkin! When you’re picking your pumpkin, it’s important to keep your purpose in mind. If you want to carve a pumpkin, it’s important to make sure that your pumpkin is the right shape and size for what you want to carve. If you want to cook or bake a pumpkin, it’s important that you pick the right type of pumpkin. All About Pumpkins has a great guide to all the different kinds of pumpkins you can pick, and the Pumpkin Nook has several different tips on picking the “Perfect Pumpkin.” Once you’ve got your pumpkin, it’s time to decorate! There are many different to decorate pumpkins, from painting to carving to adding flowers to your pumpkin. Better Homes and Gardens has a great guide to decorating pumpkins, as does Country Living and Livingly . Feel free to use one of their ideas or to come up with your own unique, creative way to decorate your pumpkin! We hope that you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about pumpkins this month. Where are your favorite places to pick pumpkins in Gilbert, AZ? Are there any other fall events we should know about? Leave us a comment and let us know! Thanks for reading!

Decorate Your Apartment

This week the Liv Northgate Blog is featuring four fun and easy ways to help you decorate your apartment space. Decorating an apartment space can be difficult. Often, you have to heed your rental agreement. Your rental agreement may have restrictions on what you can and can’t paint, hardware installation, nails in the walls, and many other things. This week we have fun and safe ways to decorate your apartment home (and make it really feel like home) without doing any damage to the space. Tapestries Want an ocean view? You can get one with the right tapestry. Tapestries portray all sorts of different scenes, come in beautiful patterns, and are a great way to add color to your walls without breaking the budget (or your rental agreement). You could even paint or dye your own tapestry for a personal touch. Washi Tape Washi tape can transform your home by letting you put your artistic skills to good use! Use washi tape to put geometric designs, pictures, and portraits up on your walls. The best thing about washi tape is that it comes off the walls easily, doesn’t do any damage, and is easy to change. With washi tape, you could change the look of your apartment every week, if you wanted to. Curtains Curtains are a fun and easy way to express your personality. Pick curtains to fit your whole apartment, themed curtains, or use different curtains in each room to express different aspects of your personality. Rugs We’ve focused on the walls...but what about the floors? Rugs add instant warmth to a room and make any space feel automatically homier. Retailers offer plenty of cheap and fun options for your apartment space. Investing in a good rug will help tie together the entire look of your home. We recommend using your rug as a “finishing touch” to your home. We have a couple of other tips — plants liven up any room, and sticky tack is a great and safe way to hang things up on your walls. Do you have any decorating tips for us? Where do you get your decorating inspiration? Let us know in the comments section. Thanks for reading!