Ebook Covers, the Secret to Marketing Digital Products - The Packaging Sells

Advertisers have kept a well-known secret for eons. Product packaging sells.

candyland game

Most of us can immediately relate to the "magic power" of product packaging. From the time we were kids, we were "charmed" by products whose packaging was bright and colorful, or featured our favorite comic book, cartoon characters or commercial mascots (like "Tony the Tiger" - Frosted Flakes and "Toucan Sam" - Fruit Loops) on the box. I'm willing to bet that more than a few of you could right now describe in detail the box for the "Monopoly" game, "Candyland", or "Operation". Even some forty or fifty years later, the advertisers still have a hold on you.

CANDYLAND

When marketing digital products like reports and ebooks, "packaging" is no less important. In fact, it's much more important. Why? Because you can't touch or feel digital products; they have no physical presence. So how do you convey to a potential customer that your product holds value? You can give them a whole laundry-list of benefits and features, but it won't accomplish near as much as one well-designed product package. A great ebook cover.

What an ebook cover does for a potential customer is to psychologically give him/her a "physical" product, a thing of value. And while online customers are very attracted by the instant gratification of buying a product and being able to immediately download it to their computer (rather than having to wait days or even weeks for a product to be delivered to them), they still want to feel that they have purchased some "thing". So, rather than the customer simply paying money and downloading a series of ideas and information, "thin air" if you will, an ebook or report cover gives them a visual object that, when done well, creates something visually appealing, conveys a sense of credibility, adds quality, gives an illusion of a physical item, and so makes the customer more comfortable about the purchase.

So how do you get a great ebook cover design? Well, you could hire a professional graphics artist to do the work for you. Many online marketers choose to go this route. However, there are issues to consider, and one of the main drawbacks in doing so is cost. If you're only ever going to publish one or two reports, cost may not be much of an issue, even when the service may be a bit expensive. But, if you're an Internet marketer, consultant or own another business where you may be creating a multitude of digital products, then hiring a graphics artist will get very pricey very quickly.

The solution, find a graphics software program that will allow you to create professional-looking graphics (including report and ebook covers) quickly, is reasonably priced and easy for you to use. Features of a desirable program would include:

No prior graphic design knowledge or experience necessary Quickly and easy design creation A number of design features: colors/themes, fonts and effects to create fully customized designs Cover product creation that whether viewed in digital form or printed out, appear in high definition Realistic 3D design

Paying special attention to the packaging of your digital products will not only help to encourage prospects to buy, but when a customer is satisfied with your product, helps to encourage them to become repeat customers. Help your prospects to gain a sense of your credibility and assign value to the digital products you offer them. After you've worked long and hard to create an awesome product for the market, give your product the the quality in packaging that it most certainly deserves.

Ebook Covers, the Secret to Marketing Digital Products - The Packaging Sells

To find out how easily you can create ebook covers, report covers and other website design graphics, you're invited to visit http://www.Gignoskein.com.

CANDYLAND

Bat Mitzvah Invitations - A Memorable Occasion

Celebrate the next chapter in your daughter's religious future by throwing her a Bat Mitzvah celebration. As your daughter turns 12, she enters a new period in her life and is sure to enjoy celebrating this religious transition with her friends and family members. The reception following the Bat Mitzvah ceremony is a memorable occasion and the first step in planning a great party is to select the perfect Bat Mitzvah invitation.

invitations

To make the reception planning process fun for your daughter, involve her in the selection of the Bat Mitzvah invitations. For the largest selection and the most customization options, order the invitations online. Online invitations are available in a wide range of styles and quantities, making it very easy to find the invitation that is reflective of the style of your Bat Mitzvah while staying within your budget.

INVITATIONS

The invitation is an opportunity for you to set the stage for the Bat Mitzvah celebration. If you are planning a casual party, your Bat Mitzvah invitation should be reflective of that. If you are having a more elaborate event, you may want a more elegant or traditional option.

Available in sophisticated colors such as rich purples and featuring designs, including prayer shawls and the Star of David, these invitations are sure to impress everyone on your guest list. Once you and your daughter have chosen your favorite style, spend some time customizing the Bat Mitzvah invitation with the specific information pertaining to your reception. When placing your final order, you may want to make sure that you have allowed for a couple extra invitations to reserve as a keepsake for your daughter.

Most online invitation companies offer a fast turn around time. Give your guests the opportunity to mark their calendars for the event by sending out your Bat Mitzvah invitations with plenty of advanced notice. Get everyone on your guest list excited about the upcoming Bat Mitzvah by sending them a great invitation.

Bat Mitzvah Invitations - A Memorable Occasion

Jeff Fain is an author for Dependable Printing. Please visit Dependable Printing for a great selection of wedding invitations, bat mitzvah invitations, shower invitations, party invitations, and much more.

INVITATIONS

Making Rock Candy at Home Is Easy

If you are considering making candy at home, you will be hard-pressed to find one as trouble-free as rock candy. Lollipops are fun, and truffles and bonbons are possible, but they are all increasingly more demanding to make, so try rock candy first and get the utmost gratification for the least effort!

candyland party supplies

Here's a simple and foolproof recipe how to make rock candy at home

CANDYLAND

Rock candy is so simple, it is the best possible choice of the many available options you have for making candy at home.

Start by attaching a light weight, even a paper clip will do (avoid the temptation to use "split shot" from the tackle box as these are made from lead), to the bottom of a piece of cotton string to weight it down and ensure it hangs straight when suspended. Tie one end of the string to the center of a pencil, so that when placed over the opening of a jar, the thread ends about an inch from the bottom. Prepare the string by wetting it and rolling it in some granulated sugar then setting it apart to dry. This procedure prepares a base layer for the sugar crystals to form upon when next we add the sugar solution.

Now, cook the sugar syrup. You can create sugar syrup by adding 2 cups granulated sugar for each 1 cup of water and bringing the solution to a boil. If you have a candy thermometer make sure the temperature reads 265 degrees Fahrenheit, if you don't, boil for about two or three minutes for all the sugar to fully dissolved.

Careful! Hot sugar syrup requires care and cautious handling as it will burn badly if touched.

At this stage transfer the pot from the burner and add flavoring such as peppermint or lemon extract and a little food coloring if you wish. Stir them in with the minimum number of strokes. When the syrup is ready, pour it into the jar.

Now, lower the string you prepared earlier into the jar and cover it all with a towel. Within 2 to 4 hours you will start to see sugar crystals forming. Keep an eye on it and remove your rock candy from the jar before it is too big to clear the opening! That's all there is to it! Pretty easy, right?

Another hard candy that is uncomplicated to create at home is lollipops. Use 1 cup of water, 3-1/2 cups granulated sugar, and 1-1/2 cups corn syrup. With these ingredients combined in a saucepan over medium heat (never high heat!), watch for the sugar to start dissolving. Bring to a boil and at this stage discontinue stirring until the temperature rises to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. A candy thermometer is indispensable for this process. Now, withdraw from the heat and add your flavor and color. Stir quickly using the fewer strokes the better to avoid undesirable grain in the completed candy.

After you pour the lollipop mixture into the molds, tuck the lollipop sticks into their openings. Let it set until cool to the touch and they are ready. When set, the lollipops will pop out of the mold, usually with a soft tap, so have a forgiving surface like a tea towel ready to drop them on. If your kids are helping, they'll love helping with creatively wrapping and labeling your candies in cellophane, perhaps they can come up with a unique "house brand."

The one secret to creating perfect hard candy is using the candy thermometer exactly. If the recipe calls for 300 degrees, boil the syrup till you see 300 degrees on the candy thermometer. Neglect or anticipate the proper temperature and you may get a gelatinous glob of goo that just won't set properly. Continuing to stir after the right temperature has been achieved will also provide results that are "less than optimal."

Hey, that's what they say at NASA when something goes haywire! So, remember:

Pay attention to your thermometer Remove the syrup from the heat when you reach the proper temperature Add additives without delay Stir them in efficiently

Now that you know how to make rock candy at home, you will develop skills and self-assurance that will move you on to the more difficult recipes. Never lose sight of the goal, which is to make candy at home and have some fun doing it! What are you waiting for?

Making Rock Candy at Home Is Easy

JANET CLAYTON is a candy making expert, for more information on candy making, visit http://www.CandyMakingInfo.com

CANDYLAND

Winter Activities for Kids

Winter is the time of year for the coldest temperatures and the most amount of time that your children have off during the school year due to holidays and bad weather. There are several activities that you can share with your kids to pass the long, cold winter days.

candyland party decorations

Outdoor winter activities are an option for some wintertime fun. An old-fashioned snowball fight or just building a snowman can be fun for the entire family. Young children especially enjoy flopping on their backs and making snow angels. Sledding and ice skating can also be a way for your children to get some much needed exercise during long periods inside. A walk in the woods can allow your young explorers to see animal tracks in the snow that they would normally not see. While outside activities can be great fun, you should only allow your children to venture outside if the temperature is reasonable and do not allow the children to stay outside too long. Make sure that they are dressed in layers and that they are wearing a hat and a pair of gloves.

CANDYLAND

For inside activities, there are numerous craft projects that you can do. For smaller children, you can make a scene of a woods or a farm and allow them to color small pictures of animals to paste on it. This helps the children to use their imagination and can lead to hours of fun. You can also allow your child to cut designs out of folded pieces of paper. Young children are always amazed when the paper becomes a snowflake.

Another indoors activity that you could share with your small child is an exploration of their toy box. They may find toys that they have forgotten that they had. Take the time to play with their favorites, making up stories and letting them add their own details. This activity will exercise their minds as well as your own.

Board games are also a good way to spend quality time with your children. With the popularity of video games, families have gotten away from playing Candyland or Chutes and Ladders. It may be time for your family to rediscover the enjoyment that these games can provide as well as the chance for you and your children to communicate.

Cooking and baking can be a fun family activity, especially if you have younger children. You should plan this activity when you have plenty of time to enjoy it. Little ones love to mix things, be it mud in the back yard or milk in the dog's food dish. Give them free reign. Put the ingredients in the mixing bowl and let them go. They will have the time of their lives. The smile on their faces will be well worth the mess that you may have afterwards.

Reading is another activity that you can share with your young children. Studies have proven that children whose parents read to them regularly become better readers themselves. So take the time and read a book to your child. It will pay off in the long run.

Although some animals hibernate during the winter that does not mean that we have to. Enjoy quality time with your children whether it's inside or out. You will be glad that you did.

Winter Activities for Kids

Find helpful and creative ideas for parents and grandparents while you shop our affordable kids furniture. For more information, visit this article on wooden toy boxes

CANDYLAND

Wedding Invitations

Your wedding invitations are going to be an important part of your wedding planning. There are so many different wedding invitations designs for you to choose from.

invitations

Impressing your guests with beautiful invitations is often important for many soon to be couples. And this is not a very difficult to do, even if you are on a tight budget. Spending a large amount of money on your wedding invitations is not something that I suggest you do. Why, because it is unnecessary. Saving money on your invitations will allow you to get that upgrade in your floral arrangement or allocate these funds towards something you really want.

INVITATIONS

Selecting your wedding invitation design can become very difficult. It is important that you take your time so that you can be happy with your selection. There are a lot of companies online that sell wedding invitations. This is great because you can browse through their wedding invitation designs at your leisure. One of the best things you can do while looking at the different designs is print out the wedding invitation designs that appeal to you. Also, make a list; write down the website address where you found the invitations, as well as the price of the invitations. This will help you find the site again and save valuable time.

If you are having a themed wedding you will want to try your best to incorporate that theme into your wedding invitation design. This should not be difficult with all of the different companies that you can find right on the internet.

It's important that you begin looking for you wedding invitations in advance. This will leave you enough time to receive them at your home, as well as addressing them and mailing them to all of your guest.

Do not forget to include directions to your reception if you are having it at a separate location. There is nothing worse then licking all the envelopes only to find out you forgot to insert directions into the wedding invitations.

I must repeat, spending your money on very expensive wedding invitations is not something that you need to do. I understand you want this day to be as memorable as possible, but you can get beautiful wedding invitations that won't cost you an arm and a leg. Start by searching on the internet. Request samples and catalogs from the companies. You will definitely be able to save money and receive high quality wedding invitations for your special day. I would also suggest do-it-yourself invitations. They are very inexpensive and not difficult to complete.

Wedding Invitations

If you are looking for more ways to save money on your wedding, visit us today.

Regina Watson is the owner of Elegant Wedding Impressions. She sells a variety of wedding favors at affordable prices. Elegant Wedding Favors carries cheap wedding favors and unique wedding favors. At Elegant Wedding Impressions you will be able to find a variety of quality wedding accessories such as guest books, Unity Candles, toasting flutes, wedding decorations, ring pillows, bridesmaid gifts and groomsmen gifts.

INVITATIONS

Breast Cancer Candle Favors

I am always touched when I see a breast cancer favor. Having had so many family members and friends touched by this insidious disease I am always deeply touched when someone incorporates the pink ribbon symbol and cause into their event favor - whether it be for a wedding, a birthday celebration or a charity event.

candyland invitations

One of the most popular and beloved breast cancer awareness favors is a  candle that features a pink awareness ribbon - whether on the candle itself, the candle label or package, or both. In either case, it is a subtle reminder that breast cancer is a disease that affects us all - either personally or through a loved one.

CANDYLAND INVITATIONS

Because candles are such popular and beloved gift, having a pink ribbon candle favor as a fund raiser is a natural. It is something that people love to use and use frequently. It sets a mood, a scent, a scene.

When choosing the candle for your event, look for a soy based candle that burns clean, that is made with natural ingredients and that is subtlety scented (also make sure that 'unscented' is an option). One that is poured into a glass votive candle is certainly an advantage - it is a 'ready made' favor. Some candle makers even allow you to affix a personalize label which is especially meaningful when the favor is given at a breast cancer themed wedding or event, or when it is used as a fundraiser to showcase the sponsor and to state a message.

Diva Entertains, Copyright 2009

Breast Cancer Candle Favors

Deb Rosenberg is a party planner and is so taken with these beautiful breast cancer candle favors offered at Diva Entertains.

CANDYLAND INVITATIONS

The Best Gift Exchange Games to Play at School During Christmas

Depending on the school your child attends, you both may be looking forward to school Christmas gift exchanges. Some public schools do not allow exchanging of gifts but many do. Most private schools have their own policies for Christmas gift exchanges. There are many fun games to include in the school Christmas gift exchange to make the experience more festive and fun for children.

candyland birthday party supplies

The Christmas Gift Exchange

CANDYLAND

Create rules that make Christmas gift buying more interesting. An example is stating the gift must be handmade or crafted rather than purchased at a store. Another idea is choosing gifts that only feature the school's colors or mascot. Establish a low dollar limit for the gifts, such as or less. Once you establish the rules for the gift exchange, you're ready to create accompanying activities and games to make it even more fun.

White Elephants For Christmas

Have a white elephant gift exchange. The kids draw a number and select their present from a pile of gifts in order based on the numbers drawn. Recipients can exchange their gift for a different one if they want to. A gift can only be "stolen" three times. The person who drew the first gift can "steal" a gift at the end of the exchange. Children always have a lot of fun with the concept of "stealing" gifts during a white elephant Christmas gift exchange.

Drawing Names

Children like to buy Christmas gifts for other people. Have them draw names for the Christmas gift exchange. Add a twist by creating a rule that the children cannot tell the recipient they are buying a gift for them. This makes the exchanging of gifts more mysterious so you can play another game with the gifts. As each child opens their gift, make them try to guess who the gift came from. If children were asked to make gifts, this can be really fun. Certain kids may have painting or drawing skills that make it harder or easier to figure out who gave the gift. If the child guesses incorrectly, they must do a silly dance or sing a song before they can guess again. The process repeats until the child correctly guesses the person who gave them a gift.

Game Board Christmas Gift Exchange

Another fun idea during the Christmas gift exchange is having each child make a game piece for a mystery game board. Everyone must make their own game piece. Designate a maximum size, such as 2 inches, so everyone can use their games pieces to play on a communal board. The game board itself can simply be a big rug fashioned into a Christmas game. Create your own version of Santa's experiences in Candyland. Get Santa back to the North Pole with a variation of Chutes and Ladders. Select a board game all the children know so the holiday game is easy to learn and play. The handcrafted game pieces should be wrapped in festive paper and exchanged as gifts before everyone plays together on the oversize game board. The children can use their gifts to play the game.

The Best Gift Exchange Games to Play at School During Christmas

One last thing -- Imagine the look on your child's face if they received a personalized letter from Santa. You can also include extra goodies with the Santa letter like Reindeer food. It's a gift that makes a strong and lasting impression.

CANDYLAND

Myrtle Beach 3 Bedroom Condo - A Great Place to Unwind

Myrtle Beach, SC is known worldwide for its alluring white sands, scenic hotspots, great accommodations, enticing fun activities and a soothing laidback lifestyle. It is considered as one of America's top vacation destinations with about 13.5 million visitors annually. The climate of this enthralling place is quite apt for beaching and golfing. The average summer temperature remains around 87 degrees, and the average winter temperature reaches 59 degrees. A vacationer can find here more than 100 world-class golf courses - many of them created by top designers to challenge every playing level. At this picturesque place, you can find many lodging options. There are around 70,000 places to stay from modest motel rooms to high priced luxury oceanfront penthouses. You can choose your accommodation based on your needs and budget.

candyland costumes

The Margate Towers located in Kingston Plantation, SC is one of the perfect places for luxurious stay that easily matches the standards of luxury hotels. The best part is that world-class living in one of the finest 3 bedroom Condo is available at unbelievable prices. Here at 3 bedroom Condo, you can enjoy life in well furnished rooms studded with stylish furniture, kitchen, washer and dryer, new appliances, Jacuzzi tubs, Plasma TV and DVD's. In fully equipped kitchen, you can prepare sumptuous breakfast or lip smacking dinner just the way you like it. Then, you can enjoy your own cooked food from your balcony by taking a beautiful view of the Atlantic.

CANDYLAND

At Myrtle Beach SC, you can indulge in so many fun-filled activities. You can play a game at one of the finest golf courses. If you are an amateur or a professional golf player, come and avail Vacation Packages. With this package, you can enjoy luxurious living at one of the finest Condo and also enjoy golf to your heart's content. This picturesque place allows you to enjoy the thrills of playing golf at a reasonable price. If you are looking to just book tee-times, then Condo is the right place to be in. People from all parts of the world throng to Myrtle Beach to play golf because this place is not only scenic but also it provides golfers a chance to play in one of the world's most challenging golf courses. Tee off on North, South or Central golf courses, each designed to protect the natural habitat and wildlife indigenous to the area. Technically challenging and beautifully designed, these golf courses are the most admired and valued ones.

Apart from golf, there are so many reasons to celebrate life in Myrtle Beach SC. One such reason is the breathtaking beach. The beach is alluring and it entices each and everyone. Here, you can play in the golden sands and croon your favorite song. If you are a foodie, you can indulge in variety of foods available at different restaurants.

To end with it can be said that if you are a vacationer searching for pure bliss, then come and stay in Myrtle Beach 3 bedroom Condo. Avail world-class luxuries at affordable prices and enjoy all the attractions that are available on a platter.

Myrtle Beach 3 Bedroom Condo - A Great Place to Unwind

The author is an eminent expert on Myrtle Beach SC. He has written many articles on Myrtle Beach 3 bedroom Condo and Myrtle Beach Condo. If you want more information, you can log on to http://WWW.rentmycondomyrtlebeach.com.

CANDYLAND

Budget-Conscious Wedding Invitations

So you've done all of your planning for your big day, and all you have left to choose are your wedding invitations. You're excited, but the only problem is... you've spent most of your budget, you don't have much left, and all the invitation designers you've visited are quoting you -10 per set! If you're finding yourself stuck in this position, read on for a few tips you can use to bring your cost down:

invitations

1. Paper Choices - There are lots of beautiful papers out there, and if you've got a paper fetish like we do, it's difficult to choose just one or two! But if you inform your invitation designer of your budget, she'll steer you in the right direction of papers that are in your price range. Stick to the non-metallics. If you want something that has a little something extra, a matte (non-metallic) paper with a bit of texture to it often does the trick.

INVITATIONS

2. Size - if you just can't find a matte paper that suits your style, the other option is to put together a set that's a little smaller than the standard 5" x 7" size! Some brides like how concise and neat a 4 x 5 invitation looks, and you can get more pieces out of a sheet which requires less paper cost!

3. Printing Method - Letterpress invitations are absolutely stunning, and everyone would love to be able to use this printing method for their invitations, but ... you guessed it... it's out of your budget. Letterpress invitations are individually hand-printed, and each piece is unique, so your invitation is basically a work of art. But a good invitation designer can come up with something equally unique and beautiful by incorporating unique and beautiful design elements into the physical pieces. Maybe a pattern printed on your cards? Maybe adding a few rhinestones would give it a little sparkle? For budget-conscious brides, digital printing is the way to go.

4. Amount of Paper - Eco-friendly doesn't necessarily always have to be expensive. Ditch your response card in favour of an online RSVP, and you've also ditched the expense of the extra 2 pieces (card & envelope to match). Or, if you must have a response card of some sort, what about a postcard? No extra cost of an extra envelope, and you've just saved yourself around .50 per set!

Ladies, shop around! You don't need to sign with the first invitation designer you meet, especially if they don't fall within your budget. You do realize that you get what you pay for in some regard, but that doesn't mean you're stuck with the DIY kits from your local craft store (which often amount to more stress that it's worth)! A good invitation designer will be able to understand your budget and be able to offer an attractive and unique solution to fit in your ideal price range.

Budget-Conscious Wedding Invitations

Designed By Yours Truly is an online store specializing in custom bridal accessories. They offer a unique line of services including Birdcage Veils, Cigar Bars, Candy Buffets, Jewellery, and Crystal Trees - not to mention their Custom Invitations. Contact them today with your budget, and see what they can do for you! http://www.designedbyyourstruly.com

INVITATIONS

March is Reading Month Based on a Candyland Game Theme

Inspiring kids to read can be achieved through a month-long challenge during March is Reading Month. For every class reaching the Candy Castle the reward is to participate in a school-wide game day (or 1/2 day.)

candyland costumes

One idea is to use a game theme. As a school, a variation of the Candyland game board will be hung around the school walls. This is especially easy since the Candyland game board is made up of colored rectangles. If not a school-wide activity, certainly this could happen as a classroom activity.

CANDYLAND

Then, weekly bookmarks are handed out to students. Each piece of candy is colored in for every ten minutes of reading. At the end of the week the class minutes are totaled and then the class game piece is moved along the school-wide game board. Or, if in individual classrooms, each child would move his or her game piece.

To spice up the school-wide game board it is especially snazzy if the Candyland game board characters are scanned and enlarged. This can be done by scanning the images and then using a projector to show them on a wall or using a document camera, and then draw around them with black marker. Using pastel chalks is an excellent way to color the pieces. The older children can help with this activity.

A book jog is another way to encourage reading. Kids bring in used books from home that they would like to exchange. For every book that a child brings in, he gets a ticket to exchange for a different book. Create a path by taping rectangles of colored paper through the library and around the halls. Next, lay out all of the books that have been brought in along the path. Children travel the path looking for a book. At the end of the path the child exchanges their tickets for the books. By using the ticket method children can leave with as many books as they brought. In honor of the book jog, everyone should wear jogging suits for "Jog into Reading."

In addition to the game, theme days can correspond to the various characters such as:

Wear Red for Dr. Seuss' Birthday and play the games on the Dr. Suess website
Wear a funny hat in honor of Lord Licorice
Wear Green in honor of St. Patrick's Day and Mama Ginger Tree
Dress as your favorite fairy tale character in honor of Princess Frostine & King Kandy
Nutty Hair Day in honor of Gramma Nutt (a favorite of all kids is to come to school with crazy hair!)

Inspire kids to read by bringing a challenge to your school or class this year.

March is Reading Month Based on a Candyland Game Theme

Download the supplemental pages, such as the recording sheet bookmarks from the download center within the Mastermind Group of Educators website at http://mastermindgroupofeducators.com

Join Kathy and a group of educators dedicated to improving student learning through literacy and technology in the Mastermind Group of Educators http://mastermindgroupofeducators.com for continued support, resources, book discounts and community in educational technology.

Kathy Cothran is an elementary media specialist committed to helping teachers engage students through the uses of technology. Her vast teaching experience ranges from preschool through Master's level education classes. For years Kathy has been a "Gadget Girl." She loves technology! Tie that to her extensive teaching background and she has been able to interest, invigorate, and inspire children and teachers to use technology in a rich, exciting manner.

CANDYLAND

Crafty Baby Food Jars

There are so many different things you can use these jars for. They make perfect votive holders, jewelry jars, snow globes, spice jars, hair accessories holder, nuts and screw holders just to name a few.When I made jewelry jars, I hot glued big chunky beads to the bottom for legs. Other great ideas for legs would be... wine corks, marbles or small knobs from cabinets, to name a few. I took an old brooch and glued it the lid, then glued beads of similar color around the edge of the lid, to give it a finished look. If you have any mismatched jewelry, that would be perfect for this project. I made several in two different sizes.

candyland

Here are instructions for the votive holder. I personally have never burned the candles in the container, I use them for decorative purposes. I first glued tiny beads to the edge of the lid, once the glue was dry, I flipped the lid over and hot glued it to the bottom of the jar. This step is not necessary, It's up to you. You could also glue beads to the bottom for feet. I would suggest using a hot glue gun, in the event that you want to burn the candle, the glue can withstand a higher temp than any average craft glue. I glued tiny beads around the edge of the jar (this helps to mask the fact that it's a jar). I also glued beads in a flower design on the side of the jar for an extra decorative touch.

CANDYLAND

Here's how I made the snow globe. This project can be done using any size jar. You will need water proof glue (you can find water resistant glue in the plumbing department). I used my hot glue gun but you need to make sure that you apply enough to make a good seal or water could seep out. Start by applying a thick layer of glue on the inside of the jar lid, if you are using a clear glue, sprinkle white glitter on top of it before the glue dries (this is going to be the snow on the ground). You will also want to place your figures where you want them at this time. I purchased small Christmas figures from my local store. After the glue is completely dry, fill the jar with water and add white glitter (enough to make the snow effect when shaken). Twist the lid on tight and seal the outer part of the lid with glue. Wrap ribbon around the lid, covering any of the glue. Turn the jar over, and you have a cute little snow globe. These globes can be made with any other theme. A Valentine globe can be achieved by using red glitter and Valentine figures. You can make these for any occasion, use your imagination.

To use these jars for spices, just add your favorite spice to each one. You can even decorate them to match your decor. For a great spice rack, you will need a narrow piece of wood, a drill and small screw. Start by screwing holes in the lids of the jars large enough to fit the screws. Drill the same size holes in the wood, leaving about 4 inches between holes. Screw the lids of the jars to the piece of wood then attach the wood to the under part of a cabinet. Once the wood is secure, you can now screw the jars to the lids. Now you have a cute spice display and the jars aren't taking up any room. This project can be used to organize many things, jewelry, hair accessories, nuts and bolts, etc.

Supplies needed for the snow globe:

Baby food jar or any jar
Water
Water resistant glue or hot glue gun
Glue sticks (if using glue gun)
Ribbon
Glitter (whatever color appropriate for your project)
Small figurines

Supplies needed for standing Jewelry holder or hair accessory organizer:

Baby food jar
Beads, ribbon or any item you wish to use to decorate with
Large beads, wine corks, marbles, etc for feet
Hot glue gun
Glue sticks
Supplies Needed for spice rack/other organizer
Baby food jars
Drill w/bit (same size as screws)
Small screws
Strip of wood (size depends on project)

Crafty Baby Food Jars

Find Out how I lost over 24 pounds visit my website. Weight Loss Diary [http://juliesweightlossdiary.com/]. You will also find 100% REAL weight loss advice, from a 100% REAL woman, who has really been in your situation!

CANDYLAND

Email Baby Shower Invitations

Planning a baby shower can be very time consuming and hectic. You need to make sure you plan the theme, order the cake, coordinate the decorations and buy a gift. To top it off you also need to make sure people know about the event. In many ways sending out the baby shower invitations is the most important part of the planning process.

invitations for quinceaneras

Many times people choose the easy way out and send out the invitations via snail mail. While this method is traditional, there is an easier less expensive way. By sending them out through the postal service, you will need to purchase the invitations at a store, pay for postage and spend valuable time stuffing envelopes. By sending out email invitations, you will save both time and money.

INVITATIONS

It's easy to send invitations out to friends and family this way. You just need to make sure you include all the important information such as date, time, location and theme. If you're a little computer savvy you can include computer graphics or pictures in the body of the email. Send the first email out 4 to 6 weeks before the shower. Follow up reminders should be sent out a week before the event. You want to be sure to send a friendly reminder but not make it annoying. No one enjoys getting too much email.

It's always a very good idea to save money where ever you can. This will allow you to spend extra on more important things like the gift or cake!

Email Baby Shower Invitations

If you want to learn more ways that you can save money on your invitations, please visit our Free Baby Shower Invitations page. We are a web site that's dedicated to providing unique and creative baby shower tips and ideas.

INVITATIONS

7 Ways To Cheer Your Kids Up On A Rainy Day

You know those days...It's been pouring for hours (or even day) and the kids have the Rainy Day Blues. Here are some simple ways to cheer them up and keep them entertained until the weather clears up.

candyland birthday party supplies

Make A Batch Of Cookies

CANDYLAND

What child doesn't love to make - and of course eat - cookies. Whip up a batch of your favorite chocolate chip or sugar cookie dough. Make them special by adding some small candies like mini M&Ms. With sugar cookies, you can keep the kids busy even longer by letting them cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Bake the cookies, and then pour everyone a big glass of milk to serve with the warm baked treats.

Play A Board Game

Remember those boxes of board games that have been collecting dust in the closet? Dig one of them out and ask the kids to join you for a fun game of Candyland, Memory or The Game Of Life. Just grab one of your old favorites and share it with the kids. Card games also work well.

Go Play In The Rain

As long as it's not too cold outside and of course only while there are no thunderstorms in the area, playing in the rain can be a lot of fun. Get everyone dressed in their rain gear (including boots) and go jump in some puddles. I bet you have forgotten how much fun that can be - and the kids won't believe Mom is actually outside jumping around with them. What a great way to bond with your kids.

Watch A Movie Together

When was the last time you snuggled up on the couch with the kids and watched a movie together? Rainy days are perfect for this. Pop some popcorn and enjoy the show. Take it even further by reenacting scenes later, or making a craft that relates to the movie.

Build A Fort - Inside

What child doesn't love to build a tent or fort? When it's pouring outside, bring the fun inside. Throw a blanket over a few chairs for a quick tent hide away, or take the cushions off the couch and build a fort. Spread an old blanket or a towel out on the floor and serve the kids' lunch in their tent or fort.

Play Dress Up

Playing dress up is another great way to spend a fun afternoon with the kids. Start by raiding your closet and any Halloween costumes you have been saving for next year. A white shirt will become a doctor's white coat. Your prom dress or even a fancy blouse will turn your little girl into a princess or beauty queen. Make other props out of cardboard boxes, construction paper and anything else you can find around the house.

Get Out The Craft Box

Do you have a craft box? If not, just grab some construction paper, scissors, glue and some old magazines. The kids will be busy for hours making collages or creating storybooks. For younger kids keep a few coloring books and a box of crayons handy. A few tubs of playdough are also a welcome distraction when it's raining outside.

7 Ways To Cheer Your Kids Up On A Rainy Day

For more craft ideas and other fun activities for you and your kids visit http://www.kinderinfo.com and don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter full of crafts and ideas at http://www.kinderinfo.com/newsletter

CANDYLAND

Wedding Invitation Timeline - When to Order and When to Mail Wedding Invitations

Very few couples have the luxury of inviting absolutely everybody they can think of to their wedding. So it's time to turn to that guest list the two of you drew up; the number of guests will influence not only how many wedding invitations you have to send out but also your choice of stationery and how much it will cost you.

invitations for baptism

OK, so you've decided on your definitive guest list. Great! Before discussing the kinds of wedding invitations, announcements and stationery used - as well as their pros and cons - you should be aware of the following:

INVITATIONS

The average stationery costs per wedding are any where between three and six percent of your total wedding budget. (If having a small or very informal wedding and using hand-written invitations; then you might log in under three percent).

An average stationery order takes 8 weeks to complete but if dealing with a very popular stationer, expect your order to take up to 12 weeks.

Invitations should be ordered a minimum of 4 months prior to your wedding date but for larger weddings, at least 5 to 6 months before.

If marrying close to a major holiday, allow for an additional 2 to 3 weeks for your customized order as the stationer, if popular, will have a heavier workload than usual.

Mail out your wedding invitations 8 weeks before the wedding and no later than 4 weeks prior to the wedding date, to allow your guests sufficient time to respond but also yourselves sufficient time to plan, especially for your caterers who require an accurate as possible head count for the food and drinks. This rule also applies to mailing out your invitations a few weeks earlier if you're marrying close to a major holiday as your guests may very likely have holiday plans; if you're marrying near a major holiday, mail out your invitations 3 weeks earlier than usual, in other words, 12 weeks before your wedding date.

By mailing out your invitations at least 8-12 weeks before your wedding, you'll be able to adjust your guest list as the 'regrets' responses arrive, adding on guests who were originally squeezed off your list.

It may seem obvious to many, but don't forget to mail out wedding invitations to all of your bridal party! You may just assume that they know all the details of your wedding, once they've accepted your offer to be a member of your bridal party, but you shouldn't. You must send each and every member an invitation. By doing this, they also get to have a wonderful keepsake of your wedding and their participation in it.

Allow for extra wedding invitations as keepsakes for yourselves, your parents and possibly some of your immediate family members.

Wedding Invitation Timeline - When to Order and When to Mail Wedding Invitations

Extra wedding invitations should be added for those you intend to invite after adjusting your 'regrets' list, as well as keepsake invitations. Most stationers recommend a minimum of 25 extra invitations and often upwards of 50-100 envelopes for writing accidents/spilled ink, mistakes, etc. Expect the guest list to grow, especially if the wedding is a large one. All of these are important reasons to order extras.

INVITATIONS

Parenting Tips - Caring For a Sick Child

As it turns out, the swine flu has been sort of a non-event-at least so far. But it's early in the season, and all those hardy viruses are still out there just waiting to pounce-especially on your child and all those other coughing, sneezing friends of his seated side-by-side in crowded classrooms.

candyland game

All the more reason to take preventative measures, making sure your child washes her hands frequently and uses sanitizing gel in between times. Eating well, getting plenty of sleep, gargling with plain water a couple of times a day, and limiting sugar are all effective at warding off colds and the flu, too. A dose of vitamin C every day wouldn't hurt either.

CANDYLAND

But despite these efforts, the odds are good that some germ or other will still find its way into your child, so be prepared.

It all begins with school. Your son or daughter should already have enlisted a classmate or two to call in case of an absence, so that all missed work is collected and either brought to your house or left on the main office counter for you to pick up at the end of the day. Calling that friend is job #1.

Job #2 is making sure you're sick-child ready on the home front. After all, there's nothing worse than hearing your child call for you in the middle of the night-head hot, in a sweat, and complaining about a sore throat-only to discover that you're out of Tylenol and throat spray.

On-HAND ESSENTIALS:

o Thermometer

o Acetaminophen or ibuprofen

o Aspirin-, alcohol-, and sugar-free throat spray

o Vitamin C

o Menthol cough drops

o Cool mist humidifier

o Saline nose drops or spray

o Honey

o Tea

Keep in mind that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises against giving cold and cough medications to children under six, as they can have serious side effects in the very young. Moreover, most cold and flu symptoms dissipate on their own without them. If they don't in a week, call your doctor.

And, in the event that the doctor recommends putting your child on an over-the-counter cold and/or cough remedy, follow the dosing instructions to the letter and use the dropper, dosing cup, or dosing spoon that comes with it-not a teaspoon.

Then take these simple measures to ensure that your child is comfortable and quickly on the mend:

1. Use such pain relievers as acetaminophen and ibuprofen-never aspirin, as it can cause Reye's syndrome in youngsters, a rare but serious disease.

2. Do NOT use ibuprofen in children under six months.

3. Use saline drops/spray to ease nasal congestion.

4. Keep your child well-hydrated by having him drink plenty of liquids, thus helping to thin the mucus.

5. Offer chicken noodle soup and tea with honey-good medicine on both counts.

6. Ease coughing with a hot, steamy shower-or seat her nearby-to loosen nasal and chest congestion.

7. Add moisture to the air with a cool mist humidifier running at night-a natural decongestant-but be sure to clean it often and thoroughly. If not, it will blow fungus, bacteria, and mold into the air.

The rest of the story is that, although initially your sick child will love the idea of missing school, staying in pajamas all day, and watching a bit more television than the usual, boredom is likely brewing.

Head it off by having on hand a new puzzle or two and a few as yet unread books, as well as such items as coloring and activity books, drawing paper, crafts, playing cards, and simple games like Candyland.

Building a fort out of pillows and blankets is always fun, too, and nothing beats cuddling together.

But once your child is feeling up to it, making up that collected missed schoolwork must be a priority. See that it all gets done; otherwise he'll fall way behind his classmates and never really catch up. That's when times really get tough.

Parenting Tips - Caring For a Sick Child

Carol is a learning specialist who worked with middle school children and their parents at the Methacton School District in Pennsylvania for more than 25 years and now supervises student teachers at Gwynedd-Mercy College. Along with the booklet, 149 Parenting School-Wise Tips: Intermediate Grades & Up, and numerous articles in such publications as Teaching Pre-K-8 and Curious Parents, she has authored three successful learning guidebooks: Getting School-Wise: A Student Guidebook, Other-Wise and School-Wise: A Parent Guidebook, and ESL Activities for Every Month of the School Year. Carol also writes for examiner.com; find her articles at http://www.examiner.com/x-6261-Montgomery-County-Wise-Parenting-Examiner For more information, go to http://www.schoolwisebooks.com or contact Carol at carol@schoolwisebooks.com.

CANDYLAND

Personalized Holiday Invitations For Party Celebrations

Christmas, Halloween, Mardi Gras, New Years & Other Holiday Party Invitations Cards

invitations for 50th birthday party

The history of greeting cards has come a long way from simple words of congratulations written in stone and word of mouth on the streets. The Chinese have used them to convey goodwill and messages of prosperity to friends and family on holidays and other special occasions. The Egyptians were also known to have done the same using papyrus. During the 1400s, greeting cards, written stylishly in paper, were already circulating around Europe. It was not until the 1850s that the holiday greeting card was freely and affordably used as a means of expression among people for holidays.

INVITATIONS

Nowadays, cards are used not only for best wishes greetings during the holidays but also for more personalized purposes such as invitations, announcements and expressions of gratitude. Although cards can be used to help promote relationships between friends and family, greeting cards are used primarily today as delightful ways to celebrate the holidays and special occasions. The most popular use of holiday greeting cards are for Christmas party invitations, Halloween invitation cards and Mardi Gras King & Queen Ball invitations.

Many online stores specialize in making the best out of your holiday celebrations by creating ways to make holiday invitations more fun and functional. Whether you require unique Christmas invitations, Halloween party invitations, Mardi Gras party invitation cards or personalized business holiday thank you cards, they can do it all for you. Most online shops have a wide array of inexpensive custom greeting cards and a collection of designs for every special occasion that you can instantly preview online. With same day printing and shipping direct to your doorstep, you need not worry about your order since a professional staff provides only the highest quality work available, even for rush orders.

To make your printed invitations even more customized, many stores offer a large collection of sample Christmas invitations wordings, Halloween announcements sayings and verses for all holiday invitations that you can choose from. Or, if you prefer to use your own wording ideas, that is always permitted. Printable invitations can be pre-ordered for important occasions like Christmas, Easter, New Year's Eve party, Oktoberfest, business and Halloween. Browse through collections of unique designs to view the wide array of choices available to you. If your company needs business holiday thank you cards for your valuable clients on Valentines Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year, you can be assured high-quality and unique announcements. Aware of cultural diversity, there are many invitations to your Hanukkah party, St. Patrick's Day barbecue, Mardi Gras parade and Cinco de Mayo fiesta.

You aren't just provided with heartfelt services to businesses but also with individuals who want to have their families together for picnics and family reunions. Holiday photos can be included in the cards and favorite sayings can be printed together with your announcements. Many stores have holiday thank you cards, photo holiday cards and business holiday party invitations that can easily be ordered online. A team of dedicated staff is available to answer all your questions and help you through the ordering process. The entire ordering process can be done in the comfort of your home online, and photos or pictures can easily be uploaded through the website. While there are many online businesses, only a select few have unique personalized and a hands-on approach to the greeting card and invitation making business. Great service and a sincere attitude in helping you mark the holiday milestones in your lives is a GUARANTEE!

Personalized Holiday Invitations For Party Celebrations

About the Author: Sarah Porter has written several articles about personalized for invitations, announcements and cards and recommends Christmas Party Invitations, Halloween Invitations Cards, Business Holiday Christmas Invitations and more.

INVITATIONS

Rainy Day Fun For The Whole Family

Nothing can dampen spirits like a rainy day. Kids aren't the only ones who get cranky when they're cooped up inside. So to stop those rainy day doldrums before they happen, take a look at these 9 Great Rainy Day Ideas.

candyland game

1. Pull Out The Board Games. In an era where X-Box and PlayStation rule, the joy of playing board games has fallen by the wayside. These type of days are perfect for pulling out the Scrabble board or Bingo cards or even the Candyland game for the little ones. Crazy Eights anyone? Everyone will get so caught up in the games that they won't even notice the gray skies outside.

CANDYLAND

2. Have A Rainy Day Party. Let everyone dress up in their best clothes, and serve lunch or dinner on that good china you never use. Someone can play DJ and you can all dance away your discontent. Celebrate the rain. You'll find that you dread future rainy days less, and so will your family.

3. Walk. Yes, outside in the rain. Everyone gets dressed in their rain gear and then it's outside for a tour of the neighborhood. Puddle splashing is allowed! Getting wet won't hurt anyone--unless they're that witch from the Wizard of Oz--and it will be a great stress reliever. Actually, your kids will be so shocked, they'll probably look at you with awe for the rest of the day--and even better, forget to whine about being bored.

4. Create A Family Time Capsule. Putting together a time capsule is always a big hit with family members of all ages. Even teenagers will put their iPods down and get into the fun of making a time capsule. Set the time for pulling it out to be same time, next year--or even a rainy day a month from now. You'll have to help younger children, of course, but imagine their excitement when they see the time capsule in a year!

5. Start A Rainy Day Scrapbook. Let everyone design and create their own pages. Drawings, magazine cut-outs and photos will fill the pages. It can be an ongoing scrapbook or simply one for this particular rainy day. An ongoing rainy day scrapbook has the advantage of being a rainy day activity you won't have to plan for again and will give everyone in the family something to look forward to doing the next time it rains.

6. Visit A Museum. Museums offer a wide variety of activities for people of all ages. They're generally reasonable in cost to begin with, and charge less for weekdays. They're also great learning experiences and something your family doesn't do every day, so they're something special.

7. Give Each Family Member An Hour To Be In Charge. For one hour, they get to be king or queen of the rainy day and chose an activity for everyone else. This lets everyone in the family feel important and get to do what they enjoy most. You'll have to lay down some ground rules, of course, but letting everyone have an hour to be in charge will keep them busy not just for the hour, but for a lot longer as they make their plans.

8. Write Letters And Make Cards. To take everyone's mind off their disappointment with the rainy day, have them think of others who aren't as fortunate. A good way to do this is to have everyone in the family, including Mom and Dad, make cards for people in the hospital or write letters to soldiers or people in a foreign country. You can find sources online that will ensure your cards and letters are delivered anywhere in the world. This is also a good chance to teach children and teens about what living is really like in some countries.

9. If All Else Fails, Load Up The Car or Mini-Van and Head To Grandma's. She's probably suffering from some rainy day doldrums herself and will be thrilled to see you. It's also a free place to go where everyone feels comfortable just as they are. Just a note, though - you might want to call first. Grandma might be out and about taking a rainy day tour around her own neighborhood, and you wouldn't want to miss her.

Copyright 2006 Karen Fusco

Rainy Day Fun For The Whole Family

Karen Fusco is the co-author of " Essentials for Starting a Women's Group " and also " Women's Group Busy Bites " Karen can be reached at karen@womens-group.net.

CANDYLAND

Wording Ideas For Bridal Shower Invitations

Your bridal shower is a very special occasion and you will want all the details to be perfect. Of course you most likely won't be involved in the planning of your own bridal shower, but if you have some influence you might want to discuss wording ideas for your bridal shower invitations. It would be cool too if your shower invitations could tie in or reflect your wedding invitations as well. A fun way to word shower invitations would be:

invitations for graduation

John and Amy's wedding is on the way

INVITATIONS

let's help them prepare for the big day

Please join us for a

Bridal Shower

in honor of the happy couple!

Afterwards you would include the names of the bride and groom, date and location of wedding shower, and any places the couple registered at for gifts. A more straightforward type of wedding shower invitation might be worded:

Please join us for

A Bridal Shower

honoring the bride-to-be

Amy Jones

That's if the shower is just for women and you aren't planning on including the groom on the invitation. Again, information on the location, time, and date of the wedding shower are also very important to include.

Remember the type of wording you used on your wedding invitation cards because you will want to use the same type of wording on your wedding shower invitations in order to keep everything uniform and appropriate.

Keep in mind that when you are coming up with wording ideas for the invitations there are a lot of resources to help you. First of all the Internet has myriad wedding invitation examples and shower invitation examples to help you decide what to use. Also, if you don't want to use something that isn't original then you can hire someone to write something for you or you could give writing the invitation a try yourself. You just might find that it turns out sweeter and more personal than you ever imagined!

Whatever you decide to do when it comes to the wording of your invitations just remember that you are the most important one along with your soon to be spouse and if you two are happy with the wording then that is all that matters. Don't let anyone else's two cents come into play if you have already made your decision.

Wording Ideas For Bridal Shower Invitations

Caitlina Fuller is a freelance writer. It would be cool too if your shower invitations could tie in or reflect your wedding invitations as well. Remember the type of wording you used on your wedding invitation cards because you will want to use the same type of wording on your wedding shower invitations in order to keep everything uniform and appropriate.

INVITATIONS

Ten Terrific Godly Games For the Whole Family

Talking to our kids about our faith isn't something God simply suggests we do; He expects us to do it. Regarding the ways of God, it says in Deuteronomy 11:19: "Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up."

candyland birthday party supplies

Praying with our kids and being an example is what we should do every day. But God never said that we can't enlist the help of specific tools to make the job of teaching our kids about Him more fun! There are several Christian games on the market today that teach, train, and entertain our kids into a better relationship with Christ! Here are ten of them:

CANDYLAND

1. THE UNGAME. Huh? A game that's not really a game? Well, sort of. This non-competitive game encourages communication and opens up topics of discussion for the whole family. Also available in Teen and Family versions. Depending on the version, recommended age ranges from 5-Adult

2. THE LIFE OF CHRIST. This game includes over 1,300 questions about the life of Christ and will give you a better understanding of God's love and forgiveness through salvation. Recommended for ages 9+

3. BIBLEOPOLY. One of the most popular Bible games of all time. Instead of defeating your opponents, you will be challenged to assist them in order to win the game. Recommended for ages 8+

4. BIBLE BAFFLE GAME. How well do you know the Bible? Will you be baffled? Find out with this exciting and interesting trivia game that includes seven Biblical categories. This one is for older players, recommended for ages 13+

5. BIBLEMAN BOARD GAME. The popular fictional character comes to life in this fast-paced adventure where players have to rescue kids from the "bad guys" and get them to church safely before racing back to the BibleMan cave. Two ways to play: a basic game is designed for kids ages 3-6 and the regular game is recommended for ages 7+

6. APPLES TO APPLES BIBLE EDITION. This award winning game is now available in a Bible version. A wonderful party game or simply enjoy with your family of four on game night. This game combines clever comparisons and increasing biblical knowledge. Recommended for ages 9+

7. LIFESTORIES CHRISTIAN VERSION. Everyone has a story to tell based on his or her own life experiences. This game gives you the perfect chance to tell it! Use the prompt cards to make up stories the whole family will enjoy! Recommended for ages 6+

8. BIBLELAND. If your kids love CandyLand, they'll find BibleLand an even sweeter treat. Take a journey through the Bible, from creation all the way to salvation. Recommended for ages 3-6

9. INKLINGS. Answer questions like, "who am I" with only six clues. This game offers a wealth of information for Bible buffs. Recommended for ages 8+

10. BIBLE CHARADES. This classic game brings Bible topics to life. Act out words or phrases in six different categories. Great fun for the whole family. Recommended for ages 10+

Teaching the Bible to your kids will never be so easy or so much fun!

Ten Terrific Godly Games For the Whole Family

Lynn Powers is a staff writer for FaithReaders. Access Thousands of Christian Articles and Christian Poems.

CANDYLAND

Giant Twister

It is possible when reading this title that one would think there will be a lengthy discussion on one of the world's the largest tornadoes. Not so. This Giant Twister actually refers to a game you can play at a party--the one you are planning and racking your brain for new and unique ideas.

candyland game

We have all played Twister when we were kids, and if we were ever involved in a 60's/70's party, we probably played it then too. I'm suggesting you take it into the realm of "larger than life", or at least larger than the average Twister mat, and make it so an entire crowd of 20 or more can play at the same time.

CANDYLAND

First of all, get a hold of a Twister spinner. You know, the kind that the arrow spins and lands on something like "Left foot blue." If you do not have one, Twister games are readily available in stores. Thrift stores or garage sales will be more cost effective and are great places to start looking, depending on how far out the party is planned. Worse case scenario, make a whole bunch of cards explaining the colors and options and put them into a hat, and pull them out--bingo style--and give the players their instructions that way.

Next, you will need a large enough area to play on. Move the table out of the kitchen or all the furniture against a wall, and clear enough floor space to make your play area. You can make your game on a driveway, or in an unfinished basement, too.

Now that all the preliminaries are handled, all that is left is to make your game. You will need some colored party tableware--aka colored plates. Get the 9" large plates. Tape the plates down on the floor to make a large Twister "mat." A regular game come with 4 rows and 4 spots of each color, with a total of 16 spots. You are not confined to the standard block style or the standard colors, unless you want to do it that way. You can place the plates in a circle, in waves, or even psychedelically if that is your preference. If your group is large, add in more spots. You can even up the physical ante by putting the plates further apart than normal. Just don't put so many plates in that the players are too separate and can't enjoy the purpose of the game, which is to get all mixed up.

There you go--an old game with a new twist. Enjoy.

Giant Twister

If you are interested in finding more party advice and party supplies visit our online party store.

CANDYLAND

How To Host A Gingerbread House Party

Share your family tradition with your friends, and host a gingerbread house decorating party. It is a great annual event that can let you catch up with your friends during the holidays, and have them go home with something special to share with their own families. Here are some tips to get you started on hosting your own gingerbread house party.

candyland invitations

1. Pick a date. I like to do it the first part of December, because as the month goes by, people have less and less time to get together. I usually pick a Sunday, early afternoon.

CANDYLAND INVITATIONS

2. Create your guest list with an RSVP date. Decide if you want just all women, or if children and spouses are included. If you invite couples or families, make sure they tell you how many houses they would like to decorate, because not all couples will want to decorate a house together. This is what makes the guest list important. Start your guest list with a small number of people, and see if it grows. You can always add more people later. Requesting that they RSVP by a certain date is of extreme importance. You need to have enough time to bake all the houses, so the sooner you know how many you need, the better.

3. Plan a menu. I like to have some snack foods on hand for when people need a break from decorating. Nothing sweet! People will be snacking on their candy as they decorate their houses, so I try to put out things to cut the sweetness. Cheese and crackers, spinach dip, pizza dip, and some veggies are some easy options.

4. Decorate your home. The atmosphere should be all about Christmas, so make sure you put up your Christmas decorations. I also like to play Christmas music in the background. I've actually had guests join in and sing while decorating!

5. Pick a house design. If this is your first gingerbread house party, I suggest you keep to only 1 house design and make it a simple one. Use either an A-Frame design or a basic house design. Don't attempt anything with a second story. That's something to work up to.

6. Bake your gingerbread ahead. You can start baking your gingerbread early. This is extremely helpful, and you will be glad you did it when it gets closer to your party date. You can store your baked pieces in a Tupperware container with pieces of wax paper between the layers, and put them in the freezer. Pull the pieces out of the freezer a day or 2 before you're ready to assemble and let them thaw in the containers.

7. Assemble your houses the night before the party. Assembling the night before ensures that the icing will be dry when your guests arrive. Use an assembly line method. If using a basic house design, construct the 4 walls first for all the houses. By the time you are done with the walls of the last house, the first house will be dry enough to put the roof on.

8. Make your royal icing the day of the party. Royal icing is not something you want to make ahead of time when dealing with gingerbread houses. The longer it sits, the softer it becomes and doesn't do a good job of holding onto the candy. You can make it about an hour before your party, and then put it into the decorating bags. Just cover the tips with a damp towel to keep the icing from drying out.

Now you're ready for your guests to arrive. Take this time to socialize and get everybody acquainted with the houses and seating arrangements. I always have some magazines or books out showing examples of decorated gingerbread houses so people can get some ideas. Remember to keep everything as simple as possible, especially if this is your first party. Since you made the houses, you will be the go-to expert, so expect to help your guests out when they need any ideas, or just need to have their frosting replenished. At the end of the event, I take pictures of each house and the person, and put them in an album so that next year when your guests arrive, they can remember what they did the year before. Happy Decorating!

How To Host A Gingerbread House Party

Linda Boyles has been baking gingerbread houses for over 8 years. She hosts annual Halloween and Christmas gingerbread house decorating parties for her friends, and donates houses for fundraising efforts.

For step-by-step instructions with photos on how to build a gingerbread house, visit http://www.gingerbreadhousehowto.com/

You'll find free templates and recipes to build your very own gingerbread house and start a tradition. If you want to tackle a smaller project and decorate gingerbread cookies, visit us on Facebook for step-by-step photos.

CANDYLAND INVITATIONS

Moving Cards and Moving Announcements

If you are about to embark on a move, then you're not going to want to leave your friends and family members in the dark about the possibility. Instead, make sure to send out printed moving announcements as part of the other items on your to do list. Below are some tips for preparing and sending your moving cards in a timely and stress-free manner.

invitations for quinceaneras

Picking the Moving Card in Advance

INVITATIONS

Once you've decide to move, you can begin looking for appropriate relocation cards. You'll want to look at what plenty of vendors have available so you can choose exactly what you want. Remember shopping online is a good idea because there is a better selection. Moving postcards can also be used as well, especially if you want to reduce your postage costs. It's a good idea to choose cards that work with your personality and that reflect your new location. If you've made a move to the city, for example, choose moving greetings that have skyscrapers.

Before you purchase your cards moving, decide how many people would be receiving them. Generally, anyone who would receive a holiday card from you should get a relocation card. You may also want to send move cards to your neighbors if you were close to them or if you think there's a chance they may end up having some of your mail given to them by mistake.

Purchase a few extra just moved cards though. Most people forget a couple of names when they are putting together a recipient list so be prepared.

Have Information Printed on the Custom Moving Cards

If you're looking for a way to save time, purchase address change cards that can either be printed before you receive them or that you can use in your own printer. Printing the moving information has several advantages. For one, you'll save time. Writing the same address and contact information on each of those cards over and over again can take hours. If you're in the process of moving, you don't have that kind of time.

Another advantage is that the contact information will be more legible so recipients will have accurate details. Remember if even one number or letter is hard to read you could end up losing contact with someone close to you.

With moving invitations, you might still want to add a short personalized message. For instance, you may say "Hope to see you soon for a visit" or "Drop by soon." You may even choose to extend a specific invitation in your moving announcement. That choice is yours.

Sending Out We Have Moved Cards

Another important thing to remember is you don't want to send your moving announcements out too early. It's better to wait until the day of or after your official move. That way you don't have to worry about delays that might affect your contact information. You might want to consider photo moving announcements as an option. Just add in a photograph of your new home.

Remember to include your update email and telephone information on those moving announcements as well.

Moving Cards and Moving Announcements

About the Authors: Sarah Porter and Patti Paz have written several articles about Personalized Moving Announcements, Printed Moving Cards, Imprinted Housewarming Invitations, Online Business Announcements, Photo Housewarming Party Invitations, Printable Address Change Announcements, Unique Open House Invitations, Cheap New House Announcements and more for CardsShoppe and Express-Invitations.

INVITATIONS

Toddler Party - Ideas For Food

When planning a toddler party, ideas for food may be at the forefront of your mind. Toddlers are notoriously picky eaters and trying to plan for a group of toddlers eating in your home can be stressful.

candyland castle game

These toddler party ideas should get you started:

CANDYLAND

Sandwiches. Most kids like some kind of sandwich and you can make this more fun by using cookie cutters to cut them into shapes. Ask parents what kind of sandwiches their kids prefer so that you can customize the sandwich for each child. This will make her feel special. Pizza. You can't go wrong with a pizza. Kids go crazy for pizza. Stick with simple flavors like cheese or pepperoni so that you can please all the kids. You can order a small pizza for the adults with different toppings. Another idea is to let each child make his own mini-pizza with English muffins. Mac and cheese. This is another toddler favorite and it doesn't require a lot of effort. You can make the box-style or make something from scratch and bake it in the oven. Serve with fruit and dippings to round out the meal. Spaghetti. Spaghetti is a great meal that you can do really cheaply. Just regular spaghetti will be fine but if you want to splurge, you can look for pasta that comes in shapes, such as bunny shapes. Burgers and hot dogs. Burgers and hot dogs can make for a good meal when the weather is nice and you can cook them out on the grill. If you want to get more creative, you can use cookie cutters to cut the burgers or slice the hot dog so that it looks like an octopus. Cake only. If you time the party for the late afternoon, you won't be responsible for providing a full meal. This can ease your stress and help you save money.

Finding the right food for a toddler party doesn't have to be a challenge. Simply communicate with the parents of the kids that are coming, see what the most popular foods are and base your meals around that.

Toddler Party - Ideas For Food

Planning a toddler party takes a lot of work. Click on toddler party ideas to get some more ideas about planning a party for your toddler.

CANDYLAND

Men's Birthday Invitations

A birthday is one of the most memorable and wonderful events in a person's life. A birthday party starts with birthday invitations, which play a vital role in the success of the party. Men's birthday invitations are interesting in their variety. For men, their sixteenth, eighteenth, thirtieth, and fortieth birthdays are very important. Themes for men's birthday invitations are very different from other birthday invitations.

invitations for quinceaneras

Men's birthday invitations should ideally reflect the personality of the individual. If they are in keeping with the character of the man, they will have special appeal. Simple, elegant birthday invitations are the basic invitation models. They are primarily informative, giving details about the day, time, and venue. A variety of classic, trendy, and ornate birthday invitations are also available. To further personalize men's birthday invitations, you can choose from a wide variety of sayings and verses for the cover. In addition, men's birthday invitations come in a variety of themes such as trains, planes, baseball, race cars, trucks, tractors, tanks, construction, fishing, motorcycles, gymnastics, and more.

INVITATIONS

Like other birthday invitations, men's birthday invitations have their purpose and offer ample opportunity for creativity. Since adult birthday parties are a significant part of a person's life, it is essential that party invitations create memorable records for the guests. A creative and thoughtful idea for the invitation is to recollect the "good old days" of the birthday celebrant. In fact, this is often a popular theme for the birthday party event. So invitations bearing photos of the birthday person's childhood and adulthood can serve as lasting mementos for your friends and relatives and definitely make your guests attend the birthday party celebration.

Handmade men's birthday invitations are another option. Blank invitations can be filled in with appropriate words and images. Handmade invitations have an intimately personal touch and are ideal for small birthday parties, when you have a limited number of guests.

Men's Birthday Invitations

Birthday Invitations provides detailed information on Birthday Invitations, Birthday Party Invitations, Printable Birthday Invitations, Free Birthday Invitations and more. Birthday Invitations is affiliated with Printable Birthday Cards.

INVITATIONS

Halloween Candy Help - 5 Ways to Get Through Candyland Without Gaining a Pound

Halloween is here. It's a great holiday because of adorable costumes and endless photo opportunities in orange pumpkin patches. But it's also a terrible holiday, not only because of the gruesome ghouls and goblins, but because of those scary candy bars everywhere!

candyland castle game

How will you survive the candy avalanche without gaining a pound? Here are 5 tips to keep you ship-shape as you dodge the candy placed on every aisle at the grocery store.

CANDYLAND

1. Don't open any of the candy you buy for trick-or-treaters until Halloween night. How many of us have thought, "Oh I'll just have one piece," only to eat half the bag and have to buy a new bag before Halloween.

2. Decide how many pieces you will eat beforehand. If you choose to eat 10 pieces of candy, pick out your 10 favorites. Put them in a special place just for you and eat a few everyday until they're gone. Don't replenish your stash!

3. After Halloween, get rid of the extra candy - fast! Bring it to your skinny friends, a school or church, anywhere but your house. If your kids want to save some, have them pick out a reasonable amount and give away the rest.

4. Realize "bite size candies" take some effort to burn off. Before popping 5 mini candy bars in your mouth, think of this example: To burn off one mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, you would have to vigorously march in place for 6 minutes. That's just one mini!

5. While you're walking around with your kid(s) trick-or-treating, wear 3-5 pound ankle weights. Add a headband, leg warmers, and jogging suit, and voila, you have your Halloween costume.

When you find yourself surrounded by bite-size chocolates and candy corn, you know what to do. Just follow these simple 5 steps and you'll walk away from Halloween without gaining a pound.

Halloween Candy Help - 5 Ways to Get Through Candyland Without Gaining a Pound

Arlene Pellicane, mother of a toddler and infant, helps women lose their baby weight and thrive as wives and mothers. Her weekly podcast "Losing Weight After Baby" is full of practical ideas that work for busy moms. An everyday mom herself, you can visit Arlene's website for free articles and exercises at http://www.losingweightafterbaby.com

CANDYLAND

Children's Birthday Invitations

A birthday party is a special occasion in any child's life, and it is made memorable by the loving presence of parents, relatives, and good friends. Parents want their child's birthday party to be extra special with unique touches that capture the child's interests and sentiments.

invitations for sweet 16

It is a fact that children of all ages love birthday parties. Planning children's birthday parties can entail a lot of excitement. Arrangements for a child's birthday party begin with the selection of birthday invitations, which play a vital role in successful birthday parties. Children's birthday invitations can be simple but elegant ones, which plainly let people know about the birthday party that you are organizing. A good birthday invitation not only tells you the time, place, and date of the event but also about the theme of the party. They should be sent out to your guests at least two or three weeks ahead of the party.

INVITATIONS

Children's birthday invitations are attractive in their variety. Whether for a first birthday party invitation or the fifth, unique children's birthday invitations come in several different colors and designs with matching envelopes. The designs can include anything from balloons, cakes and candles to die-cuts and jackets. Handmade children's birthday party invitations of good quality and design are popular even in this era of e-invitation cards. Other great designs for children's custom-printed birthday party invitations include dinosaurs, jungle animals, castles, and princesses.

Personalized children's birthday invitations and photo cards serve as lasting mementos for your friends and relatives. Unique and attractive invitations express your love and dedication and persuade the guests to join in the celebrations. These invitations will keep your guests talking about your child's birthday party for some time.

Children's Birthday Invitations

Birthday Invitations provides detailed information on Birthday Invitations, Birthday Party Invitations, Printable Birthday Invitations, Free Birthday Invitations and more. Birthday Invitations is affiliated with Printable Birthday Cards.

INVITATIONS

50th Birthday Invitations - Golden Birthday Celebration

It's always nice to celebrate and throw a party during birthdays but there is really something more special when a person is about to celebrate his or her 50th birthday. Being able to remain alive and kicking for 50 years is quite an achievement and really calls for celebration.

invitations for quinceaneras

The first thing you have to do when you are planning to throw a 50th birthday bash is to prepare the invitations so that people can be informed as to when and where the party will be held.

INVITATIONS

Gold Is In

When you make 50th birthday invitations, you have to choose the color of the paper that you're going to use for invitations, right? Well, the most appropriate color for 50th birthday invitations is gold. However, if you don't really like the color gold, you can also use basic and neutral colors such as cream, black, white, beige, brown, flesh, etc. Using vibrant and overly-perky colors such as neons and hot pinks are really highly discouraged because it would be inappropriate for the age of the celebrant.

Simplicity Is Beauty

Unlike kiddy birthday invitations that are full of prints and other frilly stuffs, 50th birthday invitations should appear to be simple, elegant and straight to the point. As much as possible, you just indicate the important and basic information of the party such as when and where it will be held.

It is not necessary to overload the invitation with drawings, designs and photographs; just make sure that the important information are present and you're all set to give your 50th birthday invitations.

Electronic Mail Invitations

If you think that you don't have enough free time on your hands to send out invitations through snail mail, you can opt to send an electronic mail invitation. It's either you make a very simple electronic message or you can go to a Website that offers free personalization of online birthday party invitations. Either way, you get to inform and invite people to your birthday party without having to send out invitations manually.

Hand-Made Invitations

Hand-made birthday invitations are perfect for parties that will only have a few guests because it will be really tedious and tiresome to make a lot of hand-made invitations.

Make sure that your invitations will be done and ready weeks or days before the party to give way to the mailing time. Remember that it may take a few days for the snail mail to arrive that's why the invitations should be prepared ahead of time.

50th Birthday Invitations - Golden Birthday Celebration

To learn more about birthday party invitations, visit http://www.birthdaypartyinvitations101.com.

INVITATIONS

70th Birthday Invitations - Staying Alive

Whoever said that people who are turning 70 does not have the right to party and have fun anymore is completely wrong. People who will be turning 70 has all the right to party all night and have fun with their friends and family. Admittedly, there are some individuals who are already quite slow and fragile during this age, it doesn't mean that there will be no party held as a tribute to them. 70th birthdays should be celebrated because it will be like a thanksgiving for being able to stay alive and healthy for 70 years.

invitations wedding

Pre-party Preparations

INVITATIONS

Perhaps the most important pre-party preparation is the set of birthday invitations to be distributed to the guests. Without the 70th birthday invitations, it will be a bit difficult to disseminate information about the party. Informing people about the party by mouth usually ends up as a failure because the information can be chopped and distorted as it is transferred by mouth.

Before making invitations, the place where the party will be held, the time and date of the party and the number of guests should already be determined. The family, friends, relatives of the celebrant should be the primary people to be invited. Individuals who are in this age tend to be melancholic and nostalgic that's why all the important people in their lives must be present to grace their birthday.

The Invitation Proper

Unlike other birthday parties, 70th birthday parties are less robust and noisy. The ambience is most likely to be expected to as quiet, calm and elegant. No hilarious parlor games are to be expected; eating and sincere mingling with the guests are usually the activities in parties. In relation to that, the invitations for celebrations should also match the atmosphere of the party. No need for very extravagant and flashy birthday invitations. The wordings in the invitation are given more importance rather than the design. Invitations can get away with just simple and elegant ink and paper designs.

If you want to add more spice to the invitation, you can go online and look for invitation wording ideas. There are a lot of wording ideas available on the Internet and you may even come across nice invitation designs as you browse through the Internet. You can also try to put memorable or meaningful quotes in the invitation that will suit the celebration.

Early Bird Catches The Worm

It is highly advisable to send the birthday invitations ahead of time especially if there are guests that are living from far places. Although the invitations can be seconded by a phone call, it is still much better if the guest will receive the invitation days or weeks before the said event.

70th Birthday Invitations - Staying Alive

To learn more about birthday party invitations, visit http://www.birthdaypartyinvitations101.com.

INVITATIONS

50th Birthday Invitations For Your Special 50th Party Celebration

One of the biggest milestones in a person's life is the 50th birthday. That's why it merits an impressive celebration. Depending on the birthday person, however, you might choose to do an "Over the Hill" theme or a similar casual theme or perhaps something more formal for your personalized Party Invitations. The printable 50th Birthday Invitations sent out for the occasion will let guests know which to expect.

invitations for graduation

50th Birthday Party Invites & Casual Themes

INVITATIONS

Because celebrating this important birthday can sometimes be a stark reminder of old age and our own mortality, many people prefer to keep the celebration light-hearted and fun. That's where the popular Over the Hill theme stems from. Most party stores have a great supply of these darkly funny party supplies that are always in black and white and sometimes designed in the shape of gravestones. Although they don't have to be used with one specific birthday, the 50th birthday is a good choice. You might also be able to find matching or similar 50th birthday card for the party.

Of course, you can also choose other casual and fun themes. A tropical theme, for example, could be a good choice. In the summer, you can send luau party invitations cards and celebrate around a pool with frozen mixed drinks and refreshments provided courtesy of a backyard grill. Decorations can include Chinese lanterns, plastic palm trees, and lots of bright colors. In winter, you could keep the same theme indoors with many of the same decorations. However, you might want pictures of beaches and palm trees on the walls to distract guests from the falling snow or chilly temperatures outdoors. For the free 50th birthday invitations, choose anything that matches your theme. You'll find plenty of tropical-themed birthday cards to choose from.

Another great theme is your guest of honor's childhood. Bring in some items that will remind guests of the 1960's that is when the guest of honor was growing up. Rent a jukebox or hire a DJ to play the top hits of that decade. Decorate the location with peace signs, headlines from the era, images of famous people from the period and any other symbols you can think of. You could even ask guests to come dressed up for the 1960's. Make sure you choose 50th birthday invites that will reflect the theme and that provide clear instructions for guests.

Formal 50th Birthday Party Invitation

If your guest of honor would prefer something a little more serious, plan a dinner party. Send printed dinner party invitations cards to an intimate group of family members, friends and business associates. Arrange for a meal either at a private home or at a high-end restaurant. Decorations will not be necessary but be sure to have a bottle of champagne ready for a toast to the birthday person.

The dinner party won't be for everyone but neither will the more casual parties. Always think of what your guest of honor would prefer before making plans and sending out affordable 50th birthday party invitations cards.

There are many websites that sell these type invitations, but you should look for those shoppes that offer these advantages to buying online 50th Birthday Invitations and birthday party announcements, party invitations cards.

· Unique and Exclusive Designs Available
· See Your Personalized 50th Birthday Invitations BEFORE You Buy with Special Instant Preview Features
· Your Proof should be Emailed to You within ONE Hour during the Business Day, and You Can Make Unlimited Changes at No Additional Cost
· Offer Some Free Party Invitations and Free Shipping with Minimum Quantity
· They Will Print and Ship Your Order the SAME DAY if Approved by a certain Time in the Day
· Ability to Add a Photo, Picture or Logo to Any Cards on Their Site
· Able to Modify Any Card Design or Color on their Site
· Ask for Special Design to Be Created Just for You

50th Birthday Invitations For Your Special 50th Party Celebration

About the Author: Sarah Porter has written articles about Fun 50th Birthday Invitations, Buying Party Invitations, Surprise Party Invitations, Party Invitations Cards for All Party Occasions and lots more for CardsShoppe and Express-Invitations

INVITATIONS

Wedding Pocket Invitations - Modern Invitations For the Perfect Wedding

Gone are the days of scrolls, boring white envelopes and simple cardboard inviting a guest to attend a wedding celebration. How extravagant a wedding celebration can be easily determined on the level of sophistication that the invitation given out to invited guests. Nowadays, modern wedding invitations like pocket invitations have been frequently used in special events like weddings. Pocket invitations are more sophisticated and modern than their traditional counterpart.

invitations for graduation party

So what exactly are pocket invitations? Pocket invitations are more comprehensive wedding invitations which is one complete package, where you unwrap the initial invitation for more details on the inside. These invitations are simply gorgeous, and they are certainly more suitable than the traditional stationery, as all of the details you wish to give can either be printed directly on the invitation or placed neatly in the pockets. This helps create a wonderfully crisp presentation.

INVITATIONS

Of course in order to use these invitations, you will need all the wedding lingo. The details of the invitation must be free of misspelled names or words, the wedding ceremony information must be accurate, and are clearly printed using readable fonts. Pocket invitations are quite a bit more expensive than typical stationery, but they beauty and functionabilty makes it worth it.

Need ideas to make the invitations even more beautiful? How about using monograms? Monograms add a touch of elegance and modernness at the same time, embracing the formality of traditional weddings and welcoming the modern phase of our time. Pocket invitations with bold, rich colored envelopes like black, dark brown, red or bronze are simply elegant and attention magnet, giving the event itself such importance. These types of invitations are must see when you are on the invitation planning stage.

If you are on budget, you consider making your own pocket wedding invitation and you'll learn it isn't that difficult and can actually be done using printer, plain scissors, some parchment boards and special pocket envelopes. Get inspiration from many online invitation samples, visit some invitation printing shops, and consider adding some personal touch to the design like your images on the cover of the invitation. Adding vellum sheets inside the pocket adds elegance too. Designing your own pocket invitation will not only save you lots of bucks, but it will greatly help on exactly doing what design you have in mind. Just make sure that you have plenty of time to spare making your own pocket wedding invitation.

Regardless of the invitation design or motif that you will choose, make sure that your invitation layout and overall design complements your wedding theme. For example a very formal and traditional wedding should have highly elegant invitations, while a non-traditional beach wedding should have a very vivid and lively summer look or pastel hued wedding invitations.

Wedding Pocket Invitations - Modern Invitations For the Perfect Wedding

Pamela Kazmierczak writes numerous Wedding Ideas and wedding themed articles. Check out her site, Wedding Ideas if you are looking for help and free information to plan your wedding. This wedding site offers hundreds of articles, including how to find pocket wedding invitations! Looking for more than another article? Want to see photos and learn where to shop online? Check out her pocket wedding invitations page to see 10 beautiful photos (as well as where to buy) that range from traditional to modern, or elegant to whimsical!

INVITATIONS