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Party Tips To Impress Your Guests

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How to impress your party guests? It is a question that stumps even the best. Impressing party guests is not an easy job. From the dilemma of the type of drinks you are going to serve, to the kind of entertainment, decorations of your location to the type of food to serve. You may be feeling a little bit confident at first about it with the meal squared away, however, there is a lot missing in place. Some kind of flair; you definitely want your guests not only to be merely impressed by your flavor, but also aesthetically impressed. Whether it is a pool party, cocktail party or a normal multi course meal party, read on the following piece of guide and discover some tantalizing tips to enhance your party presentation.


The ideal party location
Depending on the type of party you want to host, you would definitely want your guests to be more comfortable throughout the party. For instance, if you are hosting a dinner party, these are generally intimate; your dining room would definitely be the most ideal place, if it is too small, think of your garden as an alternative. Of course, you will need the basics; lighting, tables and enough chairs. Ensure the hosting location in your house is sufficient and have a place reserved for everything to avoid awkwardness; assign a place for the shoes, guests’ jackets and so on.

Taste of your home
If you are planning an elegant party, you definitely won’t be serving take-away! Ideally, cook your best some food if you have enough time, if not, then buy pre made food from various restaurants. Food can also be a great way to explore some culture. If in case you are from a different country, keep a menu largely from your country. Keep in mind that some of your guests may be meat lovers others vegetarians, so make a variety of options. Some may be on a diet while others may be expecting a hearty-meal from the party.

Warm welcome
The food, décor and the location set-up are very important, but do not forget about being the best host! Greet your guests when they are walking in, all smiles and friendly and take their coat. Talk to them and guide them to the location; the best way to welcome your guests is simply to be there to welcome and guide them. You can have someone you really trust to be at the door if you are busy with other things but it would have been best if you were there yourself. Guests always love to feel special and treated as so, since they are your friends.

Décor: keep it simple and classy
There is absolutely no need to load your dining setting with various vases. It is called a center-piece for a reason and that is because just one is enough. Exactly what you are after is a focal-point for your dining table. You will be creating “clutter” in front of every plate by loading the table with lots of flowers. Settle for a single center-piece, you can have two or more candles however. Ensure that the table-cloth matches your napkins for an aesthetic look.

Entertainment
Some soft classical music, especially instrumental, would do for a quiet dinner party. Music forms an intrinsic part of any party, however, it can be a challenge to get it right. You wouldn’t want to be very loud neither very sonorously dull. Ensure that the music sets the mood of the party, for a younger party for instance, go with some contemporary fusion or some remixed soft music.

Cocktails before and after party
While you are welcoming the early comers and waiting for the rest of the guests, serve them some cocktails. Hors d’oeuvres can also be an impressive way to welcome your guests. After the main course meal, you can serve desert with some coffee. This should help counteract any effects of wine that was consumed. Use these tips and throw a memorable and fabulous party at your home.

Kara is a passionate blogger and works as a party tours operator in Australia.

Top US States For The Ultimate Antique Shopping Experience

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Antique shopping offers great thrills for vintage lovers. If you are searching for special items that you want to add to your collection, America is a wonderful hunting ground. Whether or not shopping is your favorite pastime, there are excellent places in the US where you can quench your thirst for genuine souvenirs.

Oklahoma

The state of Oklahoma consists of several antique shops. There are towns where you can find real antique stores, particularly in Stillwater. There is a store located there that was built in 1894, so just the place itself is historic. Purcell and Ardmore also have intriguing assortments. Old tea collections are available at the Antique Marketplace Tea Room in Duncan, OK.

Tennessee

This state also has a vast collection of antique shops scattered all over. However, antique lovers will truly find Nashville as their greatest source for antiques. From pottery to face jugs and folk art, there is something for every antique collector in the capital city.

Washington

This northwestern US state offers a number of antique shops for everyone. There’s Georgetown, which is famous for old home furnishings and décor. There’s also the Kensington Antique Row in Maryland, which is deemed the first antiques center in the entire metropolitan. Northern Virginia is also a great destination where historic artworks and decorative items can be found. While here, don’t miss the antique mall in Mt. Vernon where over 25 dealers offer striking antique furniture, jewelry, and rugs among others.

Michigan

Detroit, Michigan is where you should be if you want to experience antiques shopping at a flea market. The Royal Oak Farmer’s Market in Detroit becomes an incredible hunting place for collectibles and authentic antiques. There’s also Vogue Vintage in Pleasant Ridge, which is a brilliant shopping spot where large-scale items are found, including bicycles, chairs, and dining room sets.

New York

Greenport is one of the places to visit while in the state. Enthusiasts will find something interesting here to add to their seafaring collection. Southold is another great place to drop by in which features a quieter bunch of shops. The antique doll hospital is located in this town. Another outstanding spot for you is in Locust Valley where inexpensive yet classic items are up for sale.

Texas

If you’re in Texas, drop by at the antique stores in Dallas. The most popular ones here are found in the Dallas Design District, particularly in the Industrial Boulevard, Slocum, and Dragon Street. Note, however, that both Slocum and Dragon Street typically have antique shops that are up for trade only. Nevertheless, you can still find some that allow you to buy antiques especially those with heavy emphasis on English and French designs.

Antiques may be old and timeworn, but to every collector, they will always be valuable and exquisite. On your next treasure hunting, consider the sites mentioned above for a satisfying experience on antique shopping.

Emelina Napolilli has worked as an antique appraiser for the past 7 years. For more great information on shopping in Oklahoma visit chickasawcountry.com.

4 Crucial Things To Organize Before You Throw The Garden Party Of The Year

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One of the most exciting things you can ever do is throw a garden party for all your friends. It gives you the chance to invite people you don’t get to spend quality time with. Everyone can come together and have a huge celebration. The garden is the obvious place to have it because you don’t want your home destroyed, but at the same time you are never more than 10 meters away from the comfort of your castle. Have a party somewhere else and it doesn’t feel the same. It might be great, but it just won’t feel the same.

The only thing you need to remember is that it has to be well-planned. You can’t just expect everyone to come around and stand about in your garden. If you want it to be amazing there’s some things you need to do and they might need to be done well in advance. You don’t want to run around at the last minute when you should be getting ready to burst open a cold bottle of beer. Grab your pen and paper so you can write these down and get on them straight away. Just don’t be surprised if you’re asked to host a lot more parties in the future.

Book a tent

This one is the most important out of the lot. You definitely can’t expect all your guests to stand outside when it’s raining. Who knows when there will be a downpour at this time of year? If you have a tent erected somewhere in the garden it means you have somewhere to sit if the worst happens. It’s also a good idea to keep the food undercover. If your garden is big it saves you running backwards and forwards to the kitchen all the time. Once you book one they will come and put it up for you before your party starts.

Hire a big barbeque

This is going to depend on how many people will be at the party. If there’s only a few people you might get away with using a small barbecue you have lying around, but if there’s lots of people you don’t want them to go hungry. That’s why you should have a big barbecue and there will always be plenty of food sizzling away. If you wanted to be really fancy you could even hire someone to come out and cook everything for you. Find out the costs and see if it fits into your budget.

Have lots of lighting

People need to see what they’re doing. It’s nice to look someone in the eye when you’re talking to them instead of staring into the pitch black. You have many options to choose from. If there’s lots of trees lying around in your garden you can hang lights from them. There’s also the solar powered LED ones that you can stick into the ground. Just make sure they’ve been set-up for a few days so you know they are working, plus it gives them a chance to absorb some sunlight. Apparently solar powered lights need this. Who knew?

Make sure everything is safe

The final thing you have to do is to make sure everything is safe. There’s also inviting people and buying alcohol, but I’m sure you can manage that. How can you make sure everything is safe? Well start by clearing the garden so people don’t trip up on anything. If you have a swimming pool you should have a rope around it. The last thing you need is someone falling into the water and no-one seeing what happened. Make sure all electrical cables are tucked away and covered. Make sure you do these four things then you can worry about the entertainment.

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David Hall is a home improvement expert and knows how to organize parties properly. If you too are planning to throw a party then do visit www.portablesheltersonline.com for more information.

How To Make An In-Home Bar, Your Friends Will Never Leave!

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Staying in is the new going out; and what better way to make sure that yours is the house people choose to stay in then to create your very own in-home bar. The question is where to start and what items should you add to ensure that your friends never want to leave. Jukeboxes, cocktail table arcade games, TVs and memorabilia are always good things to consider.

The Basics

Every good bar starts with the basics; you need drinks, somewhere to serve them and something to sit on while you enjoy them. While the liquid refreshment is the most important item in the bar- it is probably the last item you will add. Start with the bar and the seating. A good bar needs to be solid, at the right height to lean on and easy to clean. A varnished hardwood is the perfect material to choose and can be stained before varnishing to fit the decor of the room. How big of a bar you aim for depends greatly on the size of the room, whether you want a long bar or a corner set up, and how much room your other amenities are going to need. Bar stools need to fit in with the overall theme of your bar and more specifically be the right height for your bar or tables; there is nothing worse than not being able to reach your beer.

Making it individual

You have finished your bar seating, but, your in-home bar is a little flat and not very exciting; you need to personalize it. Decide on a theme; do you want sports, rustic, or disco themed bar? It’s good to hang memorabilia or pictures that relate to you theme; it will give it character and give your friends something to talk about over their drinks. It is also a good idea to make odd changes and then to see if your guests notice them; you can do this by updating sports cuttings or changing the color of the lighting over your bar area.

Music, television and games

Think carefully before you spend a fortune on items and consider the amount of space you have and the theme you have chosen. If you have decided on having a games bar then cocktail table arcade games and a pool or foosball table will be perfect. Adding a jukebox is an easy way to add atmosphere, which could also cause outbursts of out of tune singing late at night. If you are having a sport themed bar then a television that you can watch sports on with your friends is perfect.

And Finally

All that is left to do is make sure you are stocked with your friends’ favorite drinks; don’t forget something for the drivers, and invite your friends around for an amazing evening in with you, your new bar, and your cocktail table arcade games.

Chuck Stevens is a part of an elite team of writers who have contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites. Follow him @chuckstevens12.

Top Ways To Display Your Photographs Around The Home

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Photographs are some of the most personal items we can use to decorate the home, and are a completely unique decoration that can help to show visitors who we are and what’s important to us as well. No home then is really complete without a few photographs then, but this doesn’t have to mean just putting images into square frames – there are many ways to display photography that are more creative and more interesting and that will provide a more interactive or creative look. Here we will look at some of them.

Frame 16 - Ornate Gold

Creative Photo Frames

Of course manufacturers and designers realise the demand for more creative and interesting photo frames which is why it’s possible to find all kinds of more interesting ways to display your pictures. These include photo frames that allow you to decide images on the sides of a cube (which can then be rotated), that show your images in tiered layers, or that allow the images to hang and sway.

If you want to get really creative with your photo frames, then you can even get more creative still and start making your own. There are a vast number of ways you can do this from working with wood and other materials to carve them into the shapes you need, to using 3D modelling and 3D printing to have complex designs created for you on demand.

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Collages

The only downside of using photo frames is that they aren’t particularly efficient in term of the amount of space they take up and the number of pictures they allow you to display. If you really want to display a large number of pictures then one of the best ways to do so is by creating a collage whereby you can cut out multiple different images and then put them together by tying together a theme or just using a layout that will look great.

Embedding Them in Other Items

You can also use all kinds of other things as photo frames without that being the main purpose. For instance a placemat can easily make a great photo frame as can a coaster – and you can buy ones online that are specifically designed for this purpose. Alternatively clock faces, bottled drinks and even mouse mats can also provide great canvases for your photos.

Fall (painting and poem)

Canvases

If you have a particular image that you are especially proud of and you want to display well, then using canvases and mounting them is a great way to turn your memories into works of art. If you want to really make this look artistic meanwhile, then you can use this strategy with a series of similar side by side images that show movement, or by splitting one image across three or more thin canvases.

Using the Computer

Digital technology also allows for many more ways to display photos in unique and interesting ways. Of course photos make great backgrounds for computers, phones, tablets and other devices, but you can also buy specific digital photo frames that will enable you to have a slideshow of images you like rather than having to choose just one to display. Using the computer it’s also possible to edit your pictures using photo editing software and to this way make them look more stylish and more suited to the room they’re going to be used in.

Matthew Davison is a successful interior decorator who also maintains the website GrantElevators.com.au.

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