Apartment Blog

Green doesn’t just have to be the color for your party, make it the theme!! Green living can extend to how you entertain! Making it green is easy on the environment and easy for you to do! Mimicking the tips we’ve already given you for St. Patrick’s Day Party Ideas, we’ve matched some eco-friendly ones. Check out these tips:

Tip 1: Invitations
As I always suggest, send out electronic invitations. Besides giving your party a more casual tone, you also save on paper that is just going to be thrown out later.  Or if you’re party is going to be formal and dictates having an invite, try to use recycled paper invitations.

Tip 2: Decorations
Just for the sheer expense, I always try to recommend fun crafty ideas for holiday decorations. Take a look at our St. Patrick’s Day Party ideas. But it turns out, not only will these save you money; they are also more environmentally friendly! Making your decorations would be a creative and a fun thing for you and your friends or kids to do.  And as much as it hurts, my favorite party staple that I always recommend–balloons–is actually pretty bad for the environment! They often end up in the ocean where they are consumed by sea life, which eventually die from balloons blocking their digestive system. So looks like all my ballooning days are over! 

Tip 3: Food & Drinks
A cute and easy idea to avoid waste is serving finger food. By serving finger food, you alleviate the need to have utensils or plates.  Your guest can just have their little sandwiches, cheese & crackers, cookies, chips on napkins.  And if you want to save on purchasing cups, offer your guests canned or bottled beverages. You can recycle them when they are done!  Wow, this tip allows you to save on a little bit of money as well! Cha-ching!

Tip 4: Entertainment
If you’ve read our blog about St. Patrick’s Day  Party ideas then you know we suggest doing contests, having music or a movie playing in the background.  These ideas don’t require too many materials. But another idea I’d like to add is doing Karaoke! You don’t necessarily have to have a machine (although it helps), but just grab a bunch of your already ‘tipsy’ friends for some movin and groovin and perhaps a little singing!  This should make for a lot of entertainment!! 

While we are making suggestions about how to make your St. Patrick’s Day party more eco-friendly, please remember these tips can certainly be used for your other parties.  If you’re having a Birthday celebration soon, think about using some of these ideas. Not only are you helping the environment but you also may be saving some money in the process!! Bonus!!

Source: Progressivekid.com

So this year you want to host a fun green filled St. Patrick’s Day party, huh? Well, follow these tips and you’re sure to not disappoint!

Tip 1: Invitations
As always, we start our hosting parties with letting the guest list know who, what, where, when, etc. These invitations can be hand crafted, store bought or emailed! Chose whichever suits the party you’re throwing or guests attending. Regardless of the medium chosen, have the St. Patrick’s Day theme clear with lots of green, shamrocks, leprechauns, etc. Think of clever phrases or jokes to get a rise out of the receiver, such as: ‘Knock Knock, who’s there, Irish, Irish who?, Irish you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!’ Ha ha ha!!

Tip 2: Decorations
Think green and silly when it comes to decorations for your party! Shamrocks and leprechauns are a must on the walls and windows. Take a look at our St. Patrick’s Day Crafts blog for ideas on how to create some of your decorations or go with store bought ones. I always advise using balloons as I think they scream party! But additional decorations would be needed on the buffet table such as green table cloth, napkins, cups, confetti, centerpieces, etc. Also make attire a decorative element by having everyone wear green and leprechaun hats!

Tip 3: Food & Drinks
Keep the green theme going with your food too! You can have green cookies, green M&M’s, chips with guacamole, fruit that’s green, green beverages, etc. Let your imagination run wild! And if you can’t think of enough foods that are green, you can always use food coloring! The obvious drink choice for a St. Patrick’s Day party is beer. Traditional Irish beers, such as Guinness or Murphy’s Irish Red Ale, would be served. If your party does have alcohol please be responsible for all your guests. Have someone as the designated driver for those that drink or offer guests to stay the night.

Tip 4: Entertainment
A must in every party is to have entertainment for your guests. You can have contests such as a limerick contest, St. Patrick’s Day games or just music or videos playing in background for noise. A suggestion would be having the music/movie coordinate with the theme, i.e. St. Patrick’s Day party having Irish music or one of the Top 10 St. Patrick’s Day Movies playing on your T.V. Either way, you’ve got to have something fun and interactive so your guests won’t be bored!

With these four tips your St. Patrick’s Day party should be a blast! Your guests will have a smashing time and you’ll be regarded as the best host! Enjoy!

Source: ehow.com

Do you and your sweetie want to go away somewhere for Valentine’s Day but can’t because of money? Then why not go to destination YOUR HOME!! If you can’t go somewhere for a romantic weekend, why not create one in your apartment? Here are some ideas to help you decide how you want to decorate your ‘paradise’ this year!

Pick an Idea or Theme! If you and your honey are beach bunnies and would love to go somewhere warm and exotic, why not decorate your place for the tropics? Or if you would prefer a smokey mountain retreat, decorate like a log cabin. There may not even have to be a specific theme besides Valentine’s Day. The decorations could simply be the atmosphere of love. The possibilities are endless!

Prepare Your Apartment! So you’ve come up with an idea of how to decorate, so make sure you prepare your setting. Valentine’s Day is one day when it’s okay to go ALL out!! Because all the special touches let your ‘special someone’ know how much they mean to you. So if you’re planning a tropical get-a-way have some flowers, island themed decorations, bikini, etc. If you’re planning on doing Valentine’s as the theme be sure and use lots of flowers (even a bouquet in the bathroom for a surprising touch) and balloons!

Set The Mood. So you’re preparing your apartment with all the appropriate décor, be sure to set the mood using candles and/or music. It can play with your theme too, beach music for beach theme. Or love songs for Valentine’s theme. (Of course love songs will work regardless of the theme given it’s for Valentine’s Day!) Another idea is to strategically place a setting in front of the fireplace of your apartment. Whatever you choose keep in mind you want to try and create some intimacy and magic!

Food/Beverages. You can really use this topic to your advantage, make it whatever you want! If you both have a specific cuisine you like, prepare it (or order it in…). J Or go with the theme that was picked (i.e. island food for beach theme, or heartier meals for a mountain/camping theme). It’ll be an extra something special and an expression of your love!

Have some Pre-Planned Entertainment. This is where your island retreat can really take off! Plan to do a Hawaiian dance for your sweetheart! Or should you be celebrating Valentine’s Day, watch his/her favorite movie (mushy or otherwise)! Have some portion of the evening dedicated to whatever your sweetheart would like to do! This is the ultimate gift you could give your ‘special someone’.

One year I decorated my boyfriend’s room with posters, streamers, balloons, a teddy bear and a giant card. You would have thought I gave him a new entertainment system by the way he reacted. He was so surprised and appreciative that I would think to do something like that! So trust me, your sweetie will enjoy the surprise and it’ll be a fun memory for you as well! J Happy Valentine’s Day!

Are you throwing a Valentine’s theme party this year? Do you need some ideas? Check out our five tips for throwing an awesome bash this year!

Tip 1: Invitations

Depending on the formality of your party, you can choose official invitations, emailed invitations or just verbally announce. Either way you choose, make sure it’s using the holiday colors and verbiage (lots of LOVE) while also setting the tone for the party.

Tip 2: Décor

Obviously you’ll want to stick somewhat to the color scheme of Valentines, like red, white and pink. Incorporate these colors in many of the decorations to give your party a truly lovely look. You might want to think about streamers, plates, napkins, cups, table cloth and of course the party staple balloons! And as I mentioned in our ‘cheap decorations’ blog, you can always make a lot of your decorations by using construction paper, colored plates cut out in the shape of hearts, or print out images on your computer. It’ll add just a bit more flair while not depleting your funds!

Tips 3: Food/Beverages

This is where a lot of your budget is going to be spent. You could do the usual finger foods for the party, i.e. chips, dips, wings, etc. Or you could do a dessert buffet! Give your guests all the treats they can take! J For beverages you can have the normal soda, water, etc. Or you can have a theme drink like ‘lovers punch’ or something of that nature.

Tip 4: Entertainment

You’ll want your guests to be entertained during your party. So make sure there are plenty of fun games for everyone to be involved in, music for the background and/or dancing as well as crafts for any children involved or adults that particularly enjoy it! But if you’re having an informal gathering where everyone knows everyone, then it may not be necessary to do all this. Just let everyone mingle!

Tip 5: Gifts

If you are going to be doing games, make sure there is a prize for each of the winners. You could also do door prizes or a gift exchange. And don’t forget little party favors as a thank you for the guests attending.

Did these ideas help? Will you incorporate them in your Valentine’s Party? I sure hope so!

I’m talking about the songs, that when you hear them, they just SCREAM Christmas to you? Ones you love to hear over and over again during the holiday season. Truth be told, I LOVE Christmas music. I could hear it all year long. And because I love them all, I don’t have just one top song. So I took a quick poll around the office and here’s a few that my co-workers and I love!

Jingle Bell Rock

Sleigh Ride

Wonderful Christmas Time

Rockin Around the Christmas tree

The First Noel

O Come All Ye Faithful

The Little Drummer Boy

What Child is this?

Santa Baby

All I Want For Christmas Is You

I’ll Be Home for Christmas

I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus (by Jackson 5)

So let us know your favorites!! Christmas is just two days away!! Start singing your beloved tunes!

Okay, so I was searching on the web and I found this cool article on MSN.com. (I copy and pasted the text for you below.) As you all know, my boyfriend and mine’s favorite Christmas movie is the Grinch. Read what the article says about Grinch lovers like us and figure out what your favorite Christmas movie says about you!!

Article:

By Margot Carmichael Lester

Your new guy says he can’t get through the holidays without watching A Christmas Story at least three times (he even has the leg lamp). Or it’s your new lady friend who sings all the tunes from Santa Claus Is Coming to Town in the shower. We asked pop culture mavens Alexis Bondoc, columnist for IntrepidMedia.com, and Ian Williams, an author/director/filmmaker, how a person’s all-time fave Christmas show reveals his or her dating M.O. Read on for some intriguing insights!

A Charlie Brown Christmas
Alexis: The fella who never misses this show is probably a classic guy who already knows how to dress and laugh. Slip him a CD by Vince Guaraldi (who did the jazzy numbers on the show) as a gift.
Ian: If your girl loves this show, deep down, she may want to don a black turtleneck and get existential—this show has a message. But she always has time to dance (who can resist that music!) and maybe she can make clouds of dirt like Pigpen.

A Christmas Story
Alexis: Aww… He’s got a wistful, nostalgic sense of humor and can probably remember every Christmas morning growing up. But, more importantly, there’s more than a slight chance that he didn’t get that one certain gift that every other kid on his block got — the Radio Flyer wagon or the super-cool robot set — and can still remember that deprivation NOW. Will you be the one to indulge him now?
Ian: Your romantic partner is something of a happy medium: corny, yet cool. Not cool in a desperately hip way, but subversive enough to keep things interesting. She hasn’t forgotten what the wonders of childhood were like—and doesn’t want to.

Bad Santa
Alexis: If this is your guy’s favorite seasonal show, then hold your horses. This guy is the Anti-Santa who would probably be happy to make a bunch of gift deliveries with a bottle of Jack Daniels. His ideal vision of Christmas probably involves telling little kids they don’t need Barbies or that Mickey isn’t a real Mouse and that he lives next to a 7-Eleven instead of the North Pole. Run, run, run. Unless you’re happy spending your time with the embodiment of Life’s Little Destruction Book…
Ian: Most likely, your lady was waiting for a movie like this long before it came out. Finally, someone told a Christmas story without much of a moral… and with lots of cringing along the way. Not one for nostalgia, your girl probably wants to order Chinese food rather than prepare a feast. If you are equally dark in your outlook, well, merry, merry!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Alexis: You don’t have to worry about this guy at all. He’s offbeat, sure, but he’s got a good heart. He probably loves celebrating Christmas with a delightfully creative and witty sense of humor instead of tradition. He’ll probably surprise you with completely novel ways of marking the holiday season.
Ian: The girl who loves this one is a sucker for ritual, and why not? We all know what happens to the Grinch, but the magic is in the retelling. The Whoville song is treacly and boring, but the Grinch’s theme, with jazz glissandos and rich baritone, make it a yearly must-see. But you must ask this woman: Does she identify with the Grinch… or the Grinch’s poor dog? That will give you some important clues!

It’s A Wonderful Life
Alexis: If your guy likes Frank Capra’s all-time classic, you can put good money on the fact that he’s as classically appealing as Jimmy Stewart—and probably as thoughtful, too. Thoughts count a lot with this kind of guy; make sure yours are up to snuff.
Ian: Like Crowded House sang, “Wherever there is comfort, there is pain,” and don’t your baby know it! She gets It’s a Wonderful Life as it was meant to be: not a sing-songy holiday card, but a deeply sad reflection on dreams deferred. She’s a deep-thinker… and probably a keeper.

Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Alexis: Any guy who picks this stop-animation classic is probably as unique as little Rudolph is. He probably celebrates Christmas — and lives his life — with a playful and creative streak. I mean, this is a guy who lives for the island of misfit toys and the Bumble! He’s probably quite a character.
Ian: Yikes. Easily the most anesthetized and goofy of the Xmas specials, Rudolph has the subtlety of a “Hang in There!” cat poster. Repetitious and cloying, it goes down like a bowl of red frosting. Your girl might be cute, but she’ll put antlers on your dog and giggle like she was the first to think of it. Consider yourself warned!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Alexis: The guy who loves this one is manly enough to really get down with Christmas and the classics, especially if he’s a Fred Astaire fan. This guy truly loves the holiday. You will celebrate every possible tree-lighting, sidewalk chorus group, eggnog-pouring moment, and you will do it with a smile on your face.
Ian: If your baby’s favorite is this one, she’s probably a Goth chick. No other Santa origin myth is quite so dark. Sure, Fred Astaire narrates, but St. Nick as an unwanted orphan? Hunted like a criminal? We knew Santa’s psyche was complicated, but we didn’t know he needed therapy.

Now, we’re not saying you should take any of these interpretations as the gospel truth. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule. But you should learn a little about yourself. What’s more, adding these insights to other information could help you figure out if you and your sweetie have a future full of holly-jolly Christmases together—or if your holiday honey will leave you feeling like your heart got run over by a reindeer. Ho ho ho!

Margot Carmichael Lester’s work also appears in Go magazine.

Seeing as this is my favorite Christmas movie of all time, I thought I’d share why I love it so much and ask for all your thoughts! The basic story line as you all know is about the Grinch who hates Christmas. So much so, that on Christmas Eve one year, annoyed at all the holiday cheerfulness, he decided he’d stop Christmas from coming! Sneaking into the Who’s houses and stealing all their toys, decorations, Christmas trees and even the ‘roast beast!’ But the greatest lesson for the Grinch and movie viewers to learn is that Christmas spirit goes deeper than tinsel and toys.

Now I personally don’t have a preference between Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Ron Howard’s version with Jim Carrey. I like Dr. Seuss’ version because it was the one I grew up with. I love the animation and the narration by Boris Karloff. I also feel the music was one of a kind; especially ‘You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch.’ However, I thoroughly enjoyed Jim Carrey as the Grinch in the 2000 remake. Jim Carrey is great for the part, not only for his usual crazy antics but also in part by his facial expressions which actually mimic the original Grinch character! I have to give kudos to the directors/writers for being able to reinvent a beloved childhood classic into an hour and a half magical tale. Both versions are definitely wholesome family entertainment for adults and children alike. I give them my highest recommendation and hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Did you know that Life is good^® has a Pumpkin festival?  Did you know that they hold a Guinness World Record of over 30,000 pumpkins being carved in Boston?? That’s amazing!!

It’s true, though.  Since 2003 over 225,000 people have attended a Life is good Pumpkin Festival for pumpkin carvings, games and live music. The event has raised over one million dollars for various children’s charities.

In 2007, Life is good Pumpkin Festival will be held in 8 different states, including: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Texas and Virginia. The beneficiary of the proceeds from these events is HomeAid; a leading provider of housing for today’s temporarily homeless.

According to Life is good, thousands of pumpkins were carved and lit, and thousand of children’s lives will be touched as a result of the money raised and donated to kids in need.

For more information about the festivals in your area, visit www.lifeisgood.com

Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween!

From your friends,

ForRent.com

Source: www.lifeisgood.com