Halloween on a Budget

In a perfect world, we’d all be able to transform our homes to Hogwarts castle, and our backyards to perfect pirate ships; but the truth is, not everyone has a budget the size of an amusement park to create the perfect Halloween party for both kids and grown-ups. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t dress up your venue with cool décor that will bring to life your theme for 2015.

Here are some tips on crafting the perfect party without going over the top. After all, Christmas is just around the corner!

1.   Upcycle. 

Head straight into your attic or basement and pull out past Halloween décor you’ve already used. There’s no need to buy a completely new set of pumpkins and werewolf masks just to create the perfect horror house. Survey your stock and pull out elements you can use again. With some spray paint, glitter, and smart crafting, you can breathe new life into old props and turn them into something brand new.

2.   Recycle. 

When buying table centerpieces, hangings for your front porch, and other materials, think long term. If you’re adding new things to your party stash, you may as well invest in things that have a long shelf life. Consider your Halloween plans for next year and next next year and envision how your tools today can work tomorrow.

3.   Play with themes. 

An old vampire theme can be tweaked in order to fit Gothic theme this year. Remnants of your Dora the Explorer party from years ago, can be relegated into a more broad jungle theme today. Not all décor needs to be set in stone—learn to adapt and reuse to lesson both clutter and expenses.

Photo source:  www.sxc.hu

3 Benefits of Taking Your Meeting Outside

It’s easy to slip into an uninspired routine at work, when everyday is the same and you find yourself in an enclosed space without the benefit of natural light or ventilation. Have you ever gone to the office in the morning and come out at night, not even noticing where the entire day had gone? When we fall into a work rut in the office, it becomes extra challenging to spark new ideas at a brainstorming meeting, or find ways to encourage camaraderie among colleagues.

Taking your team out for a change in scenery is one way to mix things up. Find out how this can create positive change your work environment with these five benefits to stepping out of your box.

1.      Literally, a breath of fresh air. Not only is it refreshing visually, to be surrounded by brand new spaces, getting out of your usual air-conditioned building gives you the opportunity to fill your lungs in a different space. If you find an out of the box office that provides you with some greenery and landscaping, you’ll be even better off.

2.   A sense of spontaneity. There may be nothing spontaneous about scheduling a team building workshop offsite, but just that small modification in your weekly or daily schedule can already make a marked difference in your team’s calendar. It informs everyone that there is room for change on so many other levels.

3.      Reprogramming your senses. Because of your repeated experiences in your current place of work, your mind may be associating the bleak gray walls, your rolling desk chair, and the strip of windows looking out to more concrete with uninspired thoughts like late nights at work, endless deadlines, and unproductive meetings. Moving into a brand new setting can start you on the road to associating work with more positive, less confining ideas.

5 Apps to Help You Plan Your Parties

1.      Evernote

Even the free version can offer a lot. Access your notebooks across all your devices (laptop, tablet, phone) and easily paste in screenshots. You can easily share notebooks with others too, so you can update your event stylist or party planner on your outlines, instructions and inspirations.

2.      Quip

Whether you need to share your best man’s speech with the rest of the wedding party, or are a group of five out to buy items from a consolidated To Do list, this free app can help you out. Incorporating the everything that Microsoft Office offers (documents, spreadsheets, presentations) and adding lists too, this will help you tackle everything on the go.

3.      Clear

Productivity fiends who like to keep things simple will like how straightforward this app is. You can easily reorder your lists, check your reminders from your Today view (on iOS), and use easy swiping gestures to tick everything off.

4.      Due

If you can’t keep track of deadlines (call the makeup artist, book your mani pedi appointment), this will keep your reminders updated and on schedule.

5.      Dropbox

One of the most widely used cloud apps, this will give you access to your photographer’s submissions, allow you to share documents across people involved in your project, and keep valuable (read: easily lost) information safe and sound.

Images from: Business Insider, Lifehacks, Dropbox.com

18 Ways to Make Your 18th Birthday the Most Memorable One Ever

18 marks a milestone in any young adult’s life—it’s the crossing over from child to adult and a rite of passage that is celebrated worldwide. With debuts so prevalent in our country, it’s become a challenge to create a party that’s memorable. Here are some ways to make this important occasion one you’ll remember forever.

1.      Curate your guest list. This is as much your parents’ party as it is yours—so give in to their guest list requests but be firm when it comes to inviting your posse.

2.      List your non-negotiables. Have five party must-haves that are essential to your dream party. Big occasions always involve compromise, but know what you’re not willing to give up, come rain or shine.

3.      Involve your BFFs. They know you best and can offer up great ideas.

4.      Make memories. Document not just the party, but also the process of putting things together. Whether it’s through video or scrapbook, it’ll be a fun memento to look back on.

5.      Collate looks you love. If you’re strapped for theme ideas, compile tear sheets from magazines in a binder or put up a Pinterest board. Sooner or later, your style will pop out!

6.      See party planning as bonding. It might seem like a drag to meet suppliers and go through samples with your parents, but this is one of the few times you’ll be working very closely with them. Make it count!

7.      Blog it. Other 17-year olds will have a lot to learn from your experience—why not share it on the World Wide Web?

8.      Collect, then simplify. After gathering inspiration, strip away the non-essentials. Bigger doesn’t always mean better.

9.      Pay it forward. Incorporating some outreach into any party—whether it’s giving plants as souvenirs or getting everyone to volunteer at a pet shelter—involving makes turning a year older all the more special.

10.  Scour the market. Attend fairs, join forums, and rely on word of mouth so you’re sure you get the best photographers, caterers, and sound system for your big day.

11.  Save. Having a stake in your party’s budget will make it even more meaningful to you! It’ll also make your parents proud.

12.  Chill out. 18 can be a lot of pressure on anyone. Make sure you take some time to relax and unwind so you can fully enjoy the day itself.

13.  Think out of the box. A party can easily be anything you create—a hiking trip? A wish to visit Disneyland? Beach vacay? Dream big!

14.  Consider DIY. Not only does this make things more personal, it’ll lower your costs too.

15.  Munch away. Food tasting is a perk of planning the menu! Indulge once in a while.

16.  Stay present. While it’s important to take snaps and photos of the day, what’s more important is you aren’t glued to your phone the entire night.

17.  Lower your expectations. 18 is a big number but it’s not the be-all end-all of parties. Once you realize this, you can ease up a bit and have more of a good time.

18.  Say thank you. Nothing compares to a debutante with a grateful heart.

Source: bhldn.com

Functional Freebies

Mid-year is right about the time that brainstorming for the busy holiday season begins.  In a country where Christmas begins in September, it’s important to get your resources ready before the rush takes over. Corporate giveaways are part (not so) random act of kindness, part marketing tool, and part gift.

One way of filtering through the endless stream of giveaway possibilities is to figure out your aim and cater to that. Sticking to products that also help productivity and efficiency can do you, and the recipient a lot of good. Look through these ideas and make your planning for gifts—no matter what the occasion—a lot easier.

• A calendar and penholder to keep your brand top of mind, no matter what day. 

• A plant that supports the local environment and is clean and green. 

• A water bottle that doubles as an infuser isn’t just good for the health, it makes hydration a little more interesting—and shows clients and employees your overall concern. Image: water bottle with strawberries; Source: kitchenstuffplus.com

• A classic puzzle equals fun, but can also double as a team-building tool for entire departments within an office. Image: game; Source: alpi.net 

• Whether you splurge on a fancy personalized pen, or go for bulk with a set of colorful mechanical pencils, writing instruments are essential tools, no matter how paperless your office has become. Image: (2) pens; Source: (2) epg.zo.ca, walmart.com