A Choclolate Lover's Party

Your very own chocolate festival can be fun for the whole neighborhood.

Start with the Menu

Don't force a sit down, four course meal. Do it just like you would on a regular barbecue Sunday. Serve grilled chicken, pork chops, pasta, mashed potatoes, anything you are familiar with! Now, the simple chicken pieces and pork chops can be made magical by adding chocolate inspired sauces like mole, a Mexican, chili-chocolate essential. Round it up with chocolate deserts such as chocolate cakes, pastries and don't forget to serve a pile of different kinds of chocolates. Make sure to have tons of them because you will be using them on games and other activities, anyway! You don't need to buy those expensive gourmet chocolates, just grab the regular ones, your favorite brands - unless the gourmet chocolates are really what you're going for.

If you want to serve fondue, then prepare fondue matches like marshmallows, pretzels and fruits. Research on wines that would go well with chocolates and keep the idea for the party! And last of all, max out on a variety of drinks that could help clean your guests' palates.

Stage the Grandeur

Take out your best linens. If you have chocolate designed-linens, that would be great! You can line two or three tables with them. One table will be for eating and the other for chocolate and wine tasting. It can also be a place where you can display desserts that fellow chocolate lovers may want to indulge in anytime they want to while in the party.

Decorate your party area by incorporating chocolate brown colors in your design. Set the sound system and make sure you have great happy music to match the ambiance. And finally, make sure that your program is ready along with the materials that you would need in games or activities.

Make the Chocolate Party Fun

Here's a list of things that you can do at your chocolate party aside from chocolate and wine tasting. You may choose one or few of them, at least whatever is possible and could easily be done without having to spend much money.

1.Game - Who Can Eat The Most Chocolates?
2.Chocolate Painting – where you use chocolates and your hands to draw pictures
3.Stage an exhibit on the history of chocolates, print pictures and put them on display so everyone could have a look and learn while having fun
4.Chocolate Poker – Use chocolate pieces as chips. Your guests take home whatever chocolates they can win.
5.Bake-off Challenge – Who Can Make The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie?
6.Special cooking demonstration – learn a new chocolate recipe and share it with friends

It's so simple, right? You don't have to wait for a special occasion to throw a chocolate party! Being a chocolate lover is reason enough. But if you want to make your birthday, Thanksgiving, reunion or any get together fancier let the chocolate lover in you come out and let your loved ones experience a feast that makes life sweet!


Bookmark & Share

Free e-Book

Your FREE e-Book "A Parent's Guide To Medicine Safety" available now.

Planning a Wedding on a Shoestring Budget - What to Wear For the Groomsmen and Bridesmaids

The general rule of thumb for guys is that they will mimic what the groom wears. If the groom wears a tuxedo, they will wear similar tuxedos as well. If the groom wears a suit, they will wear similar suits. Remember our previous tip about renting tuxedos. Usually a rental shop will give the groom his tux rental for free if the groomsmen rent their tuxedos at the same shop. This can result in huge savings for everyone concerned!

As far as the bridesmaids are concerned, there are several more options to consider. First and foremost, the style of dress you want them to wear. Traditionally, bridesmaids are expected to pay for their own wedding attire. Because of this, you, as the bride, should use good manners when deciding on what your attendants will wear. Remember that not all bodies are built alike and not all dress styles look good on all types of people.

Shop around are the key words here! See what you can find with the parameters you have in mind! If at all possible, pick a style that will enable the bridesmaid to wear the dress at other places and other times. This will make them less reluctant to plunk down big bucks for a dress they’ll wear once and have it hang in their closet until their next rummage sale!

If you know someone who sews, pick out a pattern and fabric at your local discount store and stitch up a masterpiece.

Just as our tips for finding a wedding gown, check out the bridal shops and see what you can find off their racks. Don’t be afraid to ask for a discounted price. Many times, they will grant your request just to clear their inventory!

In our next post we will start planning the flowers.

Cooking Is An Art

There’s more to cooking than putting food in a pot and then eating it. Cooking can be an art. Cast iron cookware is very popular among cooking "artists" and Old Mountain cast iron cookware is one of the most popular brands. For those who really love to cook it becomes a real pastime. They are able to come up with new variations of old recipes and put their own special touches on them.

Preparing for a gathering can be something of a joy for them and having the right cookbooks and recipes makes it all the more fun. While some find cooking a time to be stressed out, others engulf themselves with the task of creating something truly special for their guests. When preparing a meal for their loved ones it becomes an extra special motivation to ensure their family gets the best of what you have.
It may not be a daily occurrence when you prepare a special gourmet dinner for your friends and family,
but, you do go to the extra effort of making sure your family eats better than microwave quick fix dinners. If you love to cook you will be making efforts often to make, create, and improve the tastes that feed your
loved ones. Your gift of love is shown in the food you prepare and that in itself is an art.

What To Wear For The Groom

The traditional choice for the groom is a tuxedo. You can buy a tuxedo but that is virtually unheard of. Most people will seldom, if ever, use a tux again. If you were to buy a tuxedo, the average cost would be somewhere between $300 and $500. This is not exactly the way to go when trying to save money on a wedding!

If you do want to buy your tux, check in thrift stores, consignment shops, and online to find discounted tuxes. Buying off the rack will run you a lot more money.

Renting a tux will run anywhere from $50 to $100 typically. That rental will include everything your groom will need to look his best. This means cuff links, shoes, vest, and tie. Many places offer the grooms tux rental free when the wedding party rents from the same store. Be sure to ask about a perk like this.

If your groom wants to own his own tuxedo, we suggest a local thrift store or consignment shop. You may also want to consider a discount wedding store or even online at e-bay again.

Yet another great consideration when outfitting the guys in your wedding party is to have them wear nice suits or even casual slacks and a nice shirt. Not every wedding party has to be ultra formal; it’s all up to you!

Our next segment will talk about those loved ones who will be standing up with you. What they wear can be just as important as what you wear!

Make your own wedding vows.

Free EBooks for Children

EBooks are very popular all over the Internet. They are used to promote products, in marketing, and often are distributed for free by the author. Many aspiring novelists who have been rejected time and time again turn to the world of eBooks to distribute their material. It's not rejected due to low quality but sometimes publishers just avoid a certain genre if it isn't popular.

Many up and coming children's book writers have discovered that by distributing a free eBook or two, their name recognition may improve and sometimes publishers will just contact them first.

There are all kinds of places to get free eBooks for children. Just using any of your favorite search engines should get you a lot of results. Some sites that have these free eBooks are religious in nature, educational, or privately developed. Sometimes if you join a kids club online, you will receive free children's eBooks in your e-mail on a weekly or monthly basis.

Many sites will have you register with them before you can download any free children's eBooks. This is usually pretty safe but before you do, make sure to read the fine print. You don't want to have your inbox filled with garbage forever. There is rarely a subscription fee for these free eBook sites because the authors usually give everything away.

Before you sit your child down at the computer or with their personal eBook reader, make sure you flip through most of the pages. Odds are everything is how it should be, but as in any industry there are always one or two bad apples out there. Also read an abstract of the story so you will know if any important characters are going to die as that can be hard on children.

What to Wear for the Bride - Planning a Wedding On a Shoestring Bugdet

WHAT TO WEAR, WHAT TO WEAR?

Cinderella’s princess gown was tailored by mice. In fairytales, that’s an easy solution! In real life, it’s much more daunting! Finding the perfect gown is very important to every bride to be. Most girls want to feel like a princess as they walk down the aisle to their Prince Charming! You can look like a princess without spending a whole month’s rent on your dress!

Do you really need a hand-made wedding dress with beads and diamantes? This is where the big cost is and there are several options in cutting the cost.

First and foremost, consider wearing your mother or grandmother’s wedding gown – assuming they still have them. Can you imagine the pride on their faces as they watch you stroll down the aisle toward your future husband wearing the very gown they wore doing the same thing?

Think that gown is a bit out of date? If you don’t like the style, consider hiring a seamstress to update the cut a bit. You can often find a seamstress or tailor for around $100 – well less than the cost of a new, off the rack wedding gown!

Why not opt for a second-hand wedding dress? It’s probably only been worn once anyway and you can get a once expensive dress for half the price. Check out consignment shops or thrift stores to see what they have to offer. Better yet, check out ebay.com. Again, if you can get a great deal on a gown and only need some alterations, a seamstress will be only a fraction of the cost to buy the gown outright.

Consider buying an evening gown/cocktail dress from a department store. Look around prom season. These days, many prom dresses can look like wedding gowns. A lot of specialty shops will run specials prior to prom hoping to cull their inventory. You can come across a great deal on a beautiful dress and look like a prom queen in the process!

You may want to look around for close out sales or liquidation sales at bridal shops in your area. One word of caution: don’t drive the equivalent of halfway across the country just to find a gown. Another option is to rent your wedding gown.

Consider shopping online at a discount wedding store or even e-bay. You won’t get the pampering you do at a bridal shop, but you can save up to 40% by going this route! You can have the dress altered locally if it doesn’t fit just right.

Finally, you can realize incredible savings on your dream gown by picking one out and asking a local seamstress to copy the design. This probably won’t be the most cost-cutting measure, but you can have a designer gown for about half the cost you would pay directly from the designer. If you find a good seamstress, they should be able to copy the design for a significant savings.

What would be even better than that? If you or someone you know sews! Pick out a pattern at the local discount store, buy the fabric and notions, and make the dress your own, for a fraction of the cost!

What about the veil? Many brides these days eschew the traditional veil over the face in favor of a more contemporary design. That’s fine and even beautiful. It’s all a matter of preference! But don’t fall for the inflated prices of a handmade veil at the local bridal shop.

Want to know how to make your own wedding veil? It’s much easier than you think! Follow the directions below and you can have a headpiece that’s amazing!

• Start with a base. Many stores such as Claire’s have cheap tiaras that can serve as your base. If you’re not quite into a tiara, just have on hand some craft wire and some plastic combs to hold the veil in place.

• Have a glue gun on hand. Get some tulle and attach it to whatever base you have. If it’s a tiara, just glue directly to the headpiece. If it’s combs, you’ll need to create a “halo” to attach the tulle to. Add the combs so you can put it in your hair. Most tiaras come with built in combs.

• Simply glue the tulle to your base and add any embellishments you want – flowers, baby’s breath, etc. Add accents like ribbons and bows for a special look.
Also consider having simple flowers or baby’s breath in your wedding coiffure. It’s a beautifully simple touch to a beautiful day that will make you look like a goddess in the process!

One note here about hair and makeup. You could splurge and have a beauty shop do you and your bridal party’s hair, but that’s an extra expense that is really un-needed. Once again, call on family or friends to help.

Do you know someone whose hair is always stunning? See if she’ll help you out. Maybe you have a distant cousin who is a hairdresser. See if she’ll donate her services as a wedding gift.

When it comes to make-up, the best look is your natural look. Most people want to see the bride dressed up in her finery but looking like the same gal they know. No need to cake on foundation if you normally don’t wear it. Go for some light eye shadow, mascara, a little blush and a pale lip color. You know how to do your own makeup – do it on your wedding day too.

Now that you’re outfitted, what will your groom wear?

You Are Cordially Invited - Planning a Wedding on a Shoestring Budget

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED...

Ideally, invitations should be mailed out 6-8 weeks before the big day to give guests time to make arrangements to attend and RSVP back to you.

The first step is to get organized. Remember when we suggested a folder earlier? This is where it comes in especially handy! Begin by making a list of the people you just you just have to have there. This will probably be mostly relatives and close friends. Ask your parents and the groom’s parents to provide you with a list of who they would like to invite. Make sure you have accurate addresses for your guests.

One caution here: don’t think you HAVE to invite everyone you know. If you haven’t talked to your high school “best friend” since graduation, he or she probably doesn’t need to be invited. And don’t get all caught up in possibly offending someone by not inviting them to your wedding.

Often, people get sick of attending weddings for people they barely know. Unless you talk to them every day, chances are pretty good that they won’t give it a second thought when your invitation doesn’t arrive. Remember, you’re trying to save some money on your big day. Extra people means extra expense – cut corners here.

Once you have your guest list, you’ll have an idea of how many invitations you’ll need. Next, you’ll need to pick a design.

Wedding invitations shouldn’t be a big expense for you. Yes, when it’s delivered all pretty in its customized envelope and small tissue square inside, it can make an impression – for about a minute! Most people read it once, note the date, take out the RSVP card and throw the invite away. So why spend a lot on them? Remember, we’re trying to save money here!

The obvious thing to do with your invites is to create them yourself on your personal computer. You can use Microsoft Word or Publisher to create beautiful invitations that are ALL you!

There also are inexpensive programs out there specifically made for creating invitations and greeting cards. The best part about buying programs like this is being able to use it again after the wedding is over! I’ve had this program save me many times to print out a special occasion card (Birthday, Anniversary) at the last minute if I’ve forgotten!

You can buy heavy card stock at any office supply or discount store. Consider some pre-printed stationery which is also available at most office supply stores.

Not really hyped up on using up all of your printer’s ink on your wedding invitations? Take them to a specialized copy shop or office supply store. They can usually copy onto whatever paper you want (heavy card stock, pre-printed, etc.) and in color if you choose.

You could also print out simple text of your invitation then use rubber stamps or embossing powder to decorate them. Keep in mind, though, the number of invitations you’ll need to embellish. If you’re looking at a few hundred, you could be up nights just decorating them!

The traditional practice for wedding invitations is to put the invitation inside an envelope and then place that envelope inside another envelope. Why bother? One envelope is plenty and you’ll only need one stamp to mail if you use one.

If you’re doing your own invitations, check with some small local print shops for leftover envelopes they might have. You can buy these a hugely discounted price. Don’t get freaked out if you have several different sizes or styles. How many people are going to ask each other at your wedding what size envelope their invitation came in?

If you need to have RSVP’s, consider putting it on a small postal size card. That way you eliminate an envelope and it adds to the convenience for your guests. All they have to do is fill it out and drop it in the mailbox. Of course, you’ll have to provide the stamp for this card.

Consider also printing reception information directly on the invitation itself. For an RSVP, provide a phone number and/or e-mail address for guests to respond to. Not only will this save you on postage, you’ll have all the information right there for your guests to refer to before the big day instead of them having to save a separate reception card.

You can use labels to print out addresses on your computer. We would suggest getting the clear labels as it just looks better. The most prominent label maker is Avery. Their website offers free templates to print out your labels, so you may want to check that out before struggling with a software program.

If you don’t like the impersonal nature of address labels, address the envelopes by hand. You can get information about calligraphy online or just use your best handwriting!

Some brides don’t want the hassle of do-it-yourself invitations. We happened to have a friend who sold wedding invitations as a side business at an incredible cheap rate and she offered up a discounted rate as a wedding gift. We ended up with 300 invitations for just $60. Not everyone can be that lucky, however. Check out places online for the most savings.

Finally, when it comes to wedding invitations, one of your largest expenses is going to be the postage. You really have no control over that unless you’re the Postmaster General and even then, I doubt it! You may want to hand deliver some invitations to save on postage. I know I would prefer to have the bride or groom personally hand me their invitation. It tells me I’m special to them and I know it’s saving them the cost of a stamp!

So what’s next? The bride, of course! Finding the perfect gown can be a long and tedious procedure. Read on for tips to save money while finding the most beautiful dress for you to say “I Do” in!

Look for our next article on “What To Wear”