Summer Activities Away from the Beach

Some people can’t get enough of the pool or the ocean. Others just want to get it over with. Not everyone can just relax and unwind by the water. And if you’re not much of a swimmer or water-sports person, spending a day poolside or beachside can leave you bored. Many people just like you are constantly seeking summer activities to keep their brains or bodies occupied.

Beading: A hot trend that’s landing on the beach this summer.

If you’re tired of flipping through the same magazines, bored of your trashy romance novel and you’ve had enough salt water in your hair for one day, head back to your beach blanket, reapply the sunscreen and start beading! It is the hottest trend on the beach this summer.

Beading is an activity that’s been around for almost 40,000 years, but many women are bringing it back as a therapeutic and fashionable way to relieve boredom. The popularity of big bead necklaces is on the rise, and if you can’t seem to find just what you’re looking for in your local department store, why not create your own? Beading is an inexpensive way to pass the time on those lazy days at the beach – and you’ll come away with hot accessories to match your summer wardrobe. No bulky tools or special equipment is needed to create fun summer accessories. Just throw some wire, a needle and your favorite beads into your beach bag and hit the sand.

What you need to get started:

• Beads! Choose the type of beads you like (Remember: the larger the bead size number, the smaller the bead)
• A beading needle
• Some thread or wire (depends on what you’re making – bracelet, anklet, necklace, etc.)
• Pick a pattern

Artbeads.com is a helpful resource for the beginner beader. This Web site has a wide selection of beads available for purchase from Swarovski crystals, silver, gold, and pewter to wood, glass, and freshwater pearls. Artbeads.com offers all the bead tools and jewelry tools necessary to complete your bead creation. If the sun has gone to your head and you’re stuck for ideas, visit Artbeads’ resource section for answers to beading questions or for some fun summer ideas.

Summer Beading Ideas:

• Flip Flops: Add some flair to your feet by beading those boring rubber flip flops.
• Ankle/footwear: Make anklets or footlets! A footlet is an anklet that attaches to one of your toes. It comes around the ankle, and then goes around your “ring toe.” (One toe in from your big toe)
• Bags: Make that beach bag shine!
• Earrings, necklaces, bracelets

How to Wear Beads:

• Layers upon Layers
  One trend for Summer ’06 is layers of strands. Create strands of beads in different sizes, shapes and colors and wear them all at once. This creates an eye-catching style, sure to stand out as an accessory to wear with your bikini or as the perfect conversation piece at a summer BBQ.
• Classic Style
  If you are into a more classic look, try a simple, white, black or metallic beaded necklace or bracelet, and create a universal piece to wear throughout the seasons.
• Mix it Up
  Don’t be afraid to mix textures and patterns. It’s the summer! It’s time to relax and get a little funky. Check out some of the latest fashion magazines for inspiration.
• Go on a Safari
  All things African are heating up this summer’s accessories so buy some big wooden beads in oranges, reds, yellows and greens to match your favorite summer sundress.

Click here to get started beading!

Paddleball

If you are antsy on the sand, grab a friend, two paddles, a paddle ball and get started on one of the most popular beach games around. Paddleball is catching up to volleyball as one of America’s favorite classic beach sports.

If you are interested in learning how to play and need some cheap gear, you can get a paddleball set for as low as $4.98. This set comes with two wooden paddles and one ball. But, if you know the rules of the game, and want a more professional set, opt for the $53.70 Championship Model. This set comes with three heavy-duty, 9-ply panels. The paddles come complete with a leather grip and strap.

Bocce ball

Move over croquet – there’s a new (but old) backyard game rolling into town. Bocce Ball is basically an Americanized version of Italian bowling. Bocce is played by rolling a grapefruit sized ball down a court. There can be either one, two or four players on each side and each side has four balls. The first player chosen throws the smallest ball (known as the “pallina”) and that is the ball the other players will try to get as close to as possible.

How to Play:

• Progress of play is unusual. The second side bowls until one of its balls is closer to the pallina than the ball rolled by the first player, or until all four balls have been used. The first side then takes its turn.
• When both sides have bowled all of their balls, the side with the ball closest to the pallina gets a point. A point is also awarded for any other ball from that side that is closer to the pallina than any ball rolled by the opponents. Thus, only one side can score in a frame, and that side can get up to 4 points. The first side to score 16 points wins.

The American Bocce Ball Association says there are approximately one million players in the United States. If you aren’t one of those million, buy a set, invite some friends over, and check it out. It goes great with a few cocktails, some grilled food and a lot of sunshine.

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

• Bocce Set: $29.99 (photo)
  If you’re up for some friendly family competition but haven’t reached pro status yet, try out this set. It’s cheap, has all the balls you need, and comes with rules.
• Bocce Set with Case: $59.99 (photo)
  The only difference between this set and the previous set is that this one comes with a wooden carrying case and the 8 balls that come with this are virtually indestructible. It’s a good kit for storing and for transporting, especially if you want to play on the beach. If you have somewhere to store your bocce balls, than go with the first set.
• Coleman Bocce Set: $89.99 (photo)
  This is the most professional of all bocce sets, and is intended for play by fairly regular and serious players. The main benefit of this set is that it looks more professional, and it comes with a nylon carrying bag.

Croquet

You don’t need tea, crumpets, or The Hamptons to enjoy a game of croquet. Even though bocce ball is surpassing Croquet in popularity, croquet is equally as fun. You may think Croquet only involves getting the ball through the wickets. This is not the case. In fact, croquet is a game of strategy and tactical planning. Making the shot is only a small fraction of the game. It is pure, backyard strategic warfare.

The English popularized this sport and, much like everything else, brought it to the United States. You can play one of two ways:

• The traditional six-wicket, single-stake game
• The nine-wicket, double-stake American version of the game

Even on the bumpiest, most uneven, sprinkler-ridden lawn, Croquet can still be played. All you need is the right equipment.

Alex Croquet Set: $49.99 with free shipping
This is perfect for the kids.. The wickets stand freely, so the kids can play indoors as well. It also comes with four balls and four mallets.

Average Croquet Set: $49.99 (photo)
This is a simple croquet set. It comes with all the traditional croquet accessories, but the balls are plastic. It does come with a carrying case, but the coolest thing is that the wickets come with little attachments, like bells, wind chimes, bulls-eyes, and streamers.

Earls Court 6 Player Croquet Set
Wrangle in 6 of your favorite friends. This is a good choice because the mallets are finished with urethane so you can avoid splinters. The only negative, is the plastic-coated wickets. They’re a bit flimsy. But, if you are only going to play once or twice a summer, than this set is perfect for you.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006 at 2:58 pm and is filed under Featured Posts, Home & Garden, Shopping Guides, Summer '06. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.