Dear Graduates (& Family of Graduates) of 2012,

Job well done! You have made it through to the end of your academic career, and have had many new doors open up for you. You have embarked on a new journey, which may or not be scary for you, and are stepping foot in new territory. Be bold in your new path, and follow your passions in life! For if you have a job you are happy with, you will never need to work a day in your life.

As for the supporters and family of the graduates. Your graduates couldn’t have done it without your support, and are so grateful for your help throughout the trials and tribulations of what can be the most rigorous time of your student’s life. Without you, they may not have gotten this far. Thank you for all your efforts. CONGRATULATIONS STUDENT AND SUPPORTERS!

As for the fun party part of graduation, there are many things you can do to celebrate your own victory, or to celebrate that of another person’s. You could throw a small family and friends gathering at your house, put on some good music, and cover your table with delicious snacks and meals (ideas on our Pinterest). We encourage you to do something like that, because this is a once in a life time opportunity to celebrate and recognize all of the hard work you have put forth in your academic career.

Again, Congratulations Class of 2012!

Sincerely,
The folks at Mypartyplanner.com

We know it gets kind of difficult to make and keep plans with all of your friends. Like game night, having a book club makes for a fun way to see all of your friends at least once a week or month. It gives you the opportunity to read a book, get together with old pals, and talk about something fun together over food & drinks.

Here’s how you can get started:
Make a list of books that interest group members. Allow members to make suggestions.  Book ideas can be generated by reading book reviews or from friends’ suggestions.  Randomly draw a book title and assign that book, or a section of the book.  Then meet to discuss the book and chat. You can look through some of our book ideas on our Pinterest page.

Invite everyone to feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions. To facilitate the discussion, jot down a list of questions to ask fellow members.  For instance, ask them whether they agree with reviews the book has received.  Another question to ask might be what actors should star in a movie or which was their favorite character and why.

The setting to the book club party should depend on the book.  Humorous or light book topics deserve a more festive setting with balloons and music.  More serious topics should get a more serious setting, with candles or incense.  More setting choices include a local library or coffee shop.  Make the party location as comfortable as possible, with pillows, plush seating, drinks and snacks.

For less formal clubs, choose pizza and snacks for food. Or choose fancier dishes or hors d’oeuvres with wine. Coffee and tea are other drink choices.

Gift ideas for a book club could be gift cards to book stores or coffee shops, books, or bookmarks. For more information on how to start a book club, or for ideas, check out our page about it!

I know we’re usually writing about great ideas for upcoming holidays, but I wanted to take a moment to explore all of the really fun theme party ideas and products that we have on our website. Theme parties shouldn’t just be for college students, but for everyone! If you’re looking for a way to spice up your social life, or just do something spontaeneous, then look no further for ideas!

We’ve got a great array of ideas for theme parties that will knock your socks off! http://www.mypartyplanner.com/themes.html

Our theme party ideas come in a lot of categories, including periodical, musical, cartoon, season, food & drink, movie, interactive, regional, costume party, regional, anniversary, birthday party, religious, tv party, sports, and so many others! You really need to just check out our page, and you’ll get so much inspiration for a theme party. Whatever it is you’re looking for (or not looking for), you will definitely find it!

We’ve also got a really fun Pinterest pinboard FULL of theme party ideas, products, and photos for your inspiration! Check out some of our pins here!

Okay, so it’s that time of the year…where you must believe nothing you hear! April Fools Day is here! So make sure while you lay in bed tonight that you come up with a few ideas for how you’ll play some fun pranks on friends, neighbors, family, and coworkers tomorrow! There are so many options, but make sure your pranks aren’t too cruel! You don’t want to upset anyone too much!

Light hearted pranks and jokes are always the best, and some of our favorite ideas that we found were on http://aprilfoolzone.com/. A really funny one from that site that we liked was the snow fakeout:

“Buy a can of fake snow. Early on April Fool’s Day, sneak outside and spray the fake snow around the edges of your victim’s bedroom window. Put some more on the ground wherever it will be visible from inside. Now wake up your victim and tell them it snowed during the night! This prank works best on a child or on the very gullible! Note: if you don’t have fake snow, you can try tricking them with some mashed potato flakes.”

Let your mind wander, and have fun with it! Happy pranking, everyone!

So, we thought we’d shake it up a bit with this post and let you know what our favorite game to play is. Bunco! Bunco is a dice game you can play with 12 people, and it is most fun when it is hosted once a month with the same group of people. Each month it is to be hosted at a different person’s house, and there are snacks, dinners, drinks, and prizes to be had! After a bit of googling, we found a website dedicated to Bunco, where you can check out rules and print out score sheets.

How To Play:
Here are complete bunco rules from start to finish covering hostess responsibilities, supplies, how to play and prizes. If you are starting your own bunco group and need to learn bunco rules then free-bunco.com is the site for you. Remember bunco is best played with 12 people.

• 3 Tables – square tables work best with 4 players per table. One table is designated Head Table & the rest (depending on how many players) are numbered 2, 3, etc.
• Bunko FOOD, table SNACKS, and drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) – typically done with a bunco party theme in mind, for example, a Mexican theme would have salsa, chips and margaritas.
• Bunco Box

Bunco Box – If you host a bunco party, you are responsible for all items which are stored in the official Bunco Box. The bunco box is passed from hostess to hostess and contains:

• Hand bell
• Set of 3 die at each table (total of 12)
• Scorecards for every player to keep track of wins, losses, etc.
• 4 sharpened pencils at each table
• Bunko Bunny (or other designated soft prop)
• Envelopes for hostess to put money into
• 1 notepad per table for scoring

The 12 player group decides how many games are to be played (generally 3-5). Each player puts $10 into the pot. To determine seating, players select scored cards which are secretly numbered 1 thru 4 for the high, medium and low tables.

A game consists of 6 rounds (1′s thru 6′s). First round you roll for 1′s, second round 2′s, etc. The OBJECTIVE is for you & your partner (the person sitting across from you) to roll more of that round’s number than the other team before the Head Table rings the bell.

To begin – someone at the Head Table rings the bell. All tables begin rolling for that rounds number. Play rotates from player to player clockwise after a player does not roll that rounds number on any of the 3 die or a birdie (3 of the same die but NOT the round you are playing) or a Bunco (3 of the same die the round you are playing). If you roll that round’s number on any one of the 3 die you continue rolling until you don’t.

As soon as a team from any table gets 21 points (WINNERS), the round is over for that table. As soon as a team from the head table gets 21 points (WINNERS), they ring the bell ending the round for EVERYONE. The LOSING team from the HEAD TABLE leaves and goes to the bottom table (highest numbered table). The WINNERS stay.

The LOSING teams from tables #2, #3, etc., STAY at their tables & the WINNERS move up a table. The goal is to get to the Head Table & stay as long as possible.

You cannot have the same partner twice in a row. So switch when you switch tables.

Ghosts – if an individual cannot make it (and could not find a sub (frowned upon) then whoever has the ghost for a partner rolls for the ghost & gets any of the ghost’s bunkos, Monte Carlos (see scoring below), etc. If a person doesn’t find a sub, then she must make arrangements with a fellow bunko player to get her money to the game prior to the meeting. In the case of two ghosts, they can’t be partners, so just switch at the table. Bunko is over after the designated number of games is played. For information on bunco scoring and to get free bunco score sheets and bunco score cards, see free-bunco.com. (From free-bunco.com)

Prizes:
Generally, each person would bring $10 to each Bunco game, so that the host of next month’s game could buy prizes. The host/hostess would buy $50, $30, $20, $10, $10 prizes. Gift cards are always a safe idea.

Fun Cake Idea for Bunco:

March 2, 1904, was Dr. Seuss’s birthday! In lieu of this day, I encourage you all to have some fun with it! Whether you go see the Lorax at the movie theater or have a Dr. Seuss themed party, Seuss’s birthday is an opportunity to have some colorful, crazy fun!

Horton Hears a Who, Horton Hatches the Egg, Hop on Pop, The Lorax, Oh the Places You’ll Go! and so many more are great books to base your theme off of. Have some friends over, or host a party for your little ones. Whether you host the party for adults, kids, or even just yourself; here are some great ideas to celebrate with!

To start, no Seuss party is complete without green eggs and ham as an appetizer. Photo of Green Eggs & Ham on the “And Everything’s Sweet” blog, and the recipe itself from 100daysofrealfood.com.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 eggs, pastured and/or organic eggs recommended
• 1 tablespoon milk, whole milk recommended
• 2 tablespoons onion, roughly chopped
• 1 cup fresh kale or spinach leaves, washed with big stems removed
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Butter for frying, organic and/or grass-fed butter recommended
• Optional sides: organic ham and homemade whole-wheat biscuits

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a blender (including the S&P) and blend until the greens are pureed into little bits.
2. Heat a big pat of butter (don’t be stingy!) in a frying pan over medium
   low heat.
3. Once the butter has melted pour the egg mixture into the warm pan. Let it sit for a couple minutes before you begin to stir and scramble with a spatula. Cook until eggs are done all the way through.
4. Serve warm with ham and biscuits.

OUTFIT IDEAS:

Try making your very own Thing 1 and Thing 2 outfits. Start by either buying a blue wig, or making one with some fabric from the store. Joann Fabrics or Walmart might be a good place to start. Then use a simple red long-sleeved shirt and red pants for the main outfit.

Cut out some white fabric into an oval shape, and with a Sharpie marker, write “Thing 1″ and “Thing 2″ on both of them. Then, you can either sew or hot glue the circular white fabric onto the middle of the red shirts. Then all you need is someone to be the Cat in the Hat! Cat in the Hat hats are easily found online or at a costume store.

DECORATION IDEAS:
Great idea for a Cat in the Hat party. A red and white layer cake and cupcakes, combined with colorful balloons, and anything funky would work!

Want to get in the spirit for Mardi Gras? I’m sure you’ll be going to some sort of festival or or Mardi Gras party this evening, but if you ‘d like to plan one for yourself, check out these ideas for how to throw a great and festive Mardi Gras party! We have found some great music and recipe ideas that are all pretty simple! We hope you enjoy them and have a fun & safe Mardi Gras!

Music: We’ve found some awesome Southern Bayou music that is perfect to listen to at your Mardi Gras party. You can listen to it for free online. Just check out this Songza playlist! to get it started!

Our Favorite Gumbo Recipe: Gulf Coast Gumbo
We found this recipe on allrecipes.com, and had to share it with you. Here’s how we followed their recipe to feed 20 guests:

• 4 pounds medium shrimp – peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup corn oil
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 (3 pound) whole chicken
• 2 onions, chopped
• 5 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 5 large tomatoes, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning TM
• 1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
• 3 (6 ounce) cans crab meat, drained
• 1 pound andouille sausage, diced
• 2 tablespoons file powder

Directions

1. Peel and devein the shrimp. Refrigerate shrimp meat. Place the shrimp heads and shells in a large pot, and cover with 2 quarts of water. Cover, and simmer over medium low heat until liquid is reduced by half. Strain out the shrimp heads and shells.
2. Select a large stock pot capable of holding all the ingredients. Add oil to the pot, and heat over medium high heat. Using a long handled spoon, stir in flour; cook and stir for several minutes until dark brown. At that point, the flour suddenly puffs and absorbs the oil. Slowly stir in chicken broth and an equal amount of water. Place chicken in the pot. Add onions, celery, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, Old Bay seasoning, and salt. Boil for about 1 1/2 hours, or until chicken meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
3. Remove chicken from the pot, and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove bones, and chop the chicken into about one inch pieces.
4. Add chicken meat, shrimp broth, crab meat, sausage, and shrimp to . Add the file powder, and stir from the bottom of the pot. When the gumbo comes to a boil, remove from heat. Continue to stir from the bottom for 1 minute. Serve.

Masks & Beads: You’ll be needing some masquerade masks & beads to go with the theme of your party; and most Michaels, Ben Franklins, and Walmarts have them if you are looking for something last minute! Or you can make a feathered mask yourself by buying a plain plastic or paper mask from a craft store, and then gluing purple/green/yellow feathers, sequins, and jewels to it!

You don’t hear of too many people actually having “President’s Day” parties, or celebrating the day other than having a day off from work or school. However, if you want to do something fun and crafty to create “President’s Day Awareness” (for your kids perhaps), then you’ll definitely want to check out some of these unique and easy to make craft ideas. Also, in lieu of the winter being so long, having a cabin fever or colonial theme party would be just as fun for those who are more into entertaining than crafts.

George Washington Powdered Wig

Making a powdered wig out of cotton balls and other house hold items is a great way to teach your kids or students about how previous presidents lived in the past. After digging around to see what we could find for this project, we really liked Kaboose’s idea the most for this. Here’s how you make a George Washington powdered wig:

Materials:
1/2 Bag of Cottonballs
1 Paper Painter’s Hat
White Glue
4″ x 2″ Black Felt
Scissors

How To Make It:
Stuff the painter’s hat full of paper towels, to make it easier to work with. Then, glue the cotton balls onto the entire hat, starting in the front, and working your way to the back. Cut your felt into 4 long strips, and glue 2 of them to the center of the bill of the hat (over the cotton balls), in an upside down “V” shape. This will be the tail of the bow. Fold the other two strips in half and glue the ends together to form the bow ties. Glue the bow over the tail and allow to dry completely. Wear the hat with the tail in the back. Thank you Kaboose!

President’s Day Weekend Colonial Theme Party

Another idea for those who are more into parties than DIY crafts would be to host a President’s Day weekend party! It could be a cabin fever party, or a colonial theme party! Your friends will praise you for your uniqueness if you pull this one off!

Food Ideas:
Southern Fried Chicken
Cherry Pie
Baked Smithfield Ham
Yams & Mashed Potatoes
Canned or Fresh Green Beans
Patriotic Cupcakes (Try vanilla frosting with red and blue sprinkles)
Mead or Wine

Decorating:
Red and White Table Cloth
American Flags
Red, White, and Blue Carnations
Patriotic Music (If you dare!)

What to Wear:
We know that it can be really expensive to actually find some colonial looking clothes, but all you really need is a (home-made) powdered wig, or a top hat from your closet! And if you really want to get into it, I’m sure you can find some funny looking colonial looking dresses at a thrift store somewhere.

Looking for an idea you could whip up for your loved one this Valentine’s Day? It’s always tough to be creative and original every year. But you don’t have to spend as you think you have to to surprise someone on that special day.

Make Valentine’s Day about the other person. Of course you want to surprise that special someone on the day of love! But what the heck do you get them or do for them? You can spend a whole lot of money on someone very easily, even if it may not be necessary. Do something from the heart. Since you know your partner better than anyone else, you will need to think of something personal, and that can be done on a weekday this year. What better way than to make them a dinner at home from the heart?

Every restaurant that night will be packed full of starry eyed couples on dates. Spend the night at home pampering each other with a home made dinner, wine, desserts, flirting, and a movie. We suggest you try to make chocolate covered strawberries as Valentine’s! What you make to go with it is up to you, but here is our favorite chocolate covered strawberry recipe to melt your lover’s heart.

Ingredients
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 pound strawberries with stems (about 20), washed and dried very well

Directions
Put the semisweet and white chocolates into 2 separate heatproof medium bowls. Fill 2 medium saucepans with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat; set the bowls of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth. (Alternatively, melt the chocolates in a microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stir and then heat for another minute or until melted.)

Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.

Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.
Recipe courtesy of: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/chocolate-covered-strawberries-recipe/index.html