A Child's Art

A famous line about children and their laughter is immortalized in a song by one of recent history's most lauded hit-makers, Whitney Houston, in the song "The Greatest Love of All." The line read, "Let the children's laughter, remind us how we used to be." And this is I believe one of the truest essence of men's sense of love. Children learn through an adult's modeling and even children's capacity to love takes its roots from those who understand who and what children really are.

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One of children's ways of expressing themselves can be through some really messy forms like painting. As a young boy, I used to make a great deal out of common household stuff, like cleansers, detergents and others by mixing them altogether and imagining what I did as something that Albert Einstein and Marie Curie did too. I used to dream of becoming a scientist, and I figured scientists then as those with long hair and beard holding up test tubes with fumes rising from its acidic contents.

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Children are always thought to be very imaginative and inquisitive. They want to try everything and test everything. If a mother would tell a young boy not to touch the skillet because it's hot, the boy won't always understand words without an associated actual experience, and so, the only time that the boy would truly understand what "hot" means is when he experiences getting burned at an attempt to touch it.

A child's artistic side is also similarly working as other systems. Every child is a gold mine of artistic potential and inclination. A mother, most of the time, discovers her son's artistic inclination early on, at age four or five, when the child starts to manipulate objects through her hands. It is also during these times when the child begins to develop functional dexterity. And by saying that, superstition about the child's intelligence also emerges as many believe that left-handed individuals tend to excel more in politics later in life and those who are right-handed tend to be dominant in business and are knacks in the field. Superstition, though, and doesn't have factual basis nor evidence-based research and study.

Nonetheless, every child is an artist, at the very onset of learning. Give them objects and you would find children making all sorts of things with what they have. Their hands are like tools with no trace of laziness; their brains like sponge absorbing and imbibing as much learning as possible. Looking at a child in itself is a satisfying moment, knowing that you are beholding what potentially may become the world's greatest artist of all time.

A Child's Art
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Buzz Lightyear Birthday Party Ideas

One of the most popular animated characters of the past decade has been Buzz Lightyear. From his beginnings in Toy Story and Toy Story 2, he has moved on to become a merchandising machine, along with his comic books and cartoon show. As a result, children still love to watch Buzz Lightyear battle it out with his enemies, and you can expect your children to ask you about a having a Buzz Lightyear themed birthday party.

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It may seem like a difficult task, but by bringing in some of the Buzz Lightyear birthday party supplies and these party ideas, the entire process will get a lot easier.

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Space Suits All Around

One great idea for a Buzz Lightyear birthday party is creating space suits for everyone who comes to the party. This can be easily done using a cardboard box. You can use the boxes by just cutting a hole in the top for the heads of the kids. Then using another cardboard box, you cut a hole in the side to create a helmet opening. Once you have done that, the kids can go about designing their space suits using party supplies and some crayons.

Space Walk

Once the space suits are done, everyone can take their turns at walking on the moon, throughout the house. Have everyone do his or her best weightless walking impression. The image of these slow walking spacemen will cause everyone to start laughing. Once done, get pictures of everyone for a memento.

Explore an Alien World

Before the kids ever arrive, you can have spent time in the backyard working on putting together an alien world for the kids to explore using cardboard cutouts of aliens, weird hanging vines using streamers, and other items. Then, when the kids are done with their space walk, you can put them into a large cardboard box or two (maybe even three or four) and have them walk out (leave the bottom of the boxes open for their legs) into the alien surroundings with their spaceship. Then, they can explore it and find all the hidden prizes that may exist.

The Buzz Lightyear movies are incredibly popular and there is no sign of slowing down. As a result, you can expect to be asked for a Buzz Lightyear themed birthday party soon. It can seem like a difficult task, but by using your imagination, some household items and Buzz Lightyear birthday party supplies, you can have a great event on your hands.

Buzz Lightyear Birthday Party Ideas
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Holiday Activities for Families Made Easy

Sleigh bells ring. Are you listening?

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The holidays are upon us and your To Do list is growing faster than a speeding bullet. In the mad dash to buy the right sweater for Aunt Myrtle, what happens to quality family time? Remember the little ones who remind you about Santa coming to town?

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Many students will be out of school for the holidays mid-December. How can you keep them entertained without adding to your load? The movie “A Christmas Story” is a seasonal tradition in our household but let’s face it. Few parents want to sit their kiddos in front of the tube for hours on end. You could flip through the paper to find some good events, but then you’ll need to research the activity further to determine if it’s appropriate for your child. Save yourself the trouble. I’ve researched numerous family-friendly activities in Houston. Here are a few favorites to help you spend more time with your family and less time in chaos.

Seasons of Sharing runs at the Children’s Museum of Houston through January 8. This annual exhibit celebrates Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Diwali, Christmas, Las Posadas, Hanukkah, and Lunar New Year. This gives children a chance to learn how the holidays are celebrated around the world. Open your kids’ eyes to cultural differences and discuss the reasons why you celebrate the way you do. Then, spend time enjoying the Museum’s fantastic other features like KID-TV, the Bubble Lab and the Expressions art studio. Admission is , but Thursdays 5-8 p.m. are free or visit Tuesday – Sunday 3-5 p.m. for only . Children under 2 are free daily. The Museum is located at 1500 Binz in the Museum District. www.cmhouston.org 713-522-1138

The Houston Symphony shares holiday cheer with A Very Merry Pops, evenings December 9-12 at Jones Hall. Kids age five and up can indulge in some fantastic holiday music. Photographs of children enjoying the holidays will be projected on two large screens during one musical piece. Families can e-mail photographs of their children to holiday.photos@houstonsymphony.org but see the details online first. Purchase tickets, and up, online at www.houstonsymphony.org or call 713-224-7575.

Looking for some free fun? There’s just nothing like packing the car full of kids, blankets and hot cocoa to drive around town looking at holiday lights. Check out the themed streets in Shepherd Park Plaza and Candlelight Plaza, north of Garden Oaks. Foley’s department store on Main Street in downtown Houston decorates with moving tin soldiers, garland, and stars. These huge decorations remind Houstonians of former holidays when so many went all out for the season. Good job!

Count your blessings. No matter what your religion, all can recognize how blessed we are. This holiday season, give back to your community by encouraging children to participate in the giving (not just receiving). Kids can do extra chores to earn money to donate to the Salvation Army collection spots around town. Load up nonperishable goods and take them to the Houston Food Bank so others have plenty to eat this season. Do a good deed just to help another and reap the reward of knowing you made someone else feel special.

www.salvationarmyhouston.org/ 713-752-0677;
www.houstonfoodbank.org/ [http://www.houstonfoodbank.org] 713-223-3700;
www.khou.com/community

Happy holidays!

Holiday Activities for Families Made Easy
Halloween Decorations Houston

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What is the Significance of Cinco De Mayo?

Cinco de Mayo is one of those holidays, which millions of Americans enthusiastically celebrate every year, although the vast majority of these people either know very little to nothing about this Mexican holiday. What is the significance of Cinco de Mayo and why is it that this holiday has become more popular in the United States than in its native country? If you would like to learn a little more about the holiday, you have come to the right place - read on for a brief introduction to the facts on this popular Mexican import.

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As everyone knows, Cinco de Mayo's is Mexican in origin; but there is one popular misconception about this holiday, which we should clear up before we go any further. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day - that's September 16th, in case you were wondering. So what does Cinco de Mayo commemorate if not the country's independence from Spain?

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This Regional Mexican Holiday actually celebrates the victory of the Mexican army over the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862. Outnumbered nearly two to one and facing one of the world's best professional armies at the time, the Mexican army led by General Ignacio Zaragoza routed the French against seemingly insurmountable odds. While it was an early battle in a war, which would last for the next five years, the victory was an inspirational one, which spurred the Mexican spirit of resistance, eventually leading Mexico to send the French back to Europe in 1867. It is this upset victory, which is celebrated each May 5th in Mexico - in Puebla and in Mexico City, there are annual reenactments of the historic battle.

Good to know, but given that many people in the US are not even aware of the historical background of the holiday, what is the significance of Cinco de Mayo to Americans? There are a few answers to this question. One is that as neighboring nations of approximately the same age (Mexico declared its independence in 1810, just a few decades after the United States), our two countries have essentially grown up together and we have strong historic and cultural ties with our neighbors to the south. As you probably know, much of the American southwest was once part of Mexico and in Texas, California and other southwestern states, Cinco de Mayo has long been celebrated.

Ever since the 1960s, when college students in California began promoting the celebration of Cinco de Mayo as a salute to Latino culture and achievements, the holiday has become ever more popular across the rest of the country. There are now celebrations held in cities in every part of the United States; and for many Americans, Cinco de Mayo is a day for saluting both our neighbors south of the border as well as celebrating America's large and vibrant Latino community.

What is the Significance of Cinco De Mayo?
Halloween Decorations Houston

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Halloween Safety is Always a Concern

No holiday conjures up all of America's deepest darkest fears more than Halloween. There are many sources of Halloween terror, such as razor blades in apples, cyanide in Pixie Stix, needles in Snickers bars, sex predators lurking in dark doorways, psychos with chainsaws and kidnappers in parked vans. While the vast majority of Halloween horror stories are exaggerated and unfounded, the real dangers are fires, hand injuries caused by carving pumpkins and traffic accidents.

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Since the 1970s, Halloween safety has focused on the fear of contaminated candy. In 1970, 5-year-old Kevin Toson died from a heroin overdose. A few days later, officials found that the boy hadn't eaten heroin-laced candy, as originally believed. Rather, he had accidentally gotten into his uncle's heroin stash and the family had sprinkled heroin in the boy's candy afterwards to protect the uncle.

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Similarly, in 1974, 8-year-old Timothy Mark O'Bryan died from cyanide poisoned Pixie Stix in Houston, Texas. However, upon closer inspection, detectives found that the boy had in fact been poisoned by his own father. Even though these poisonings were far from random, parents still feared for their kids' safety amid the Halloween fun.

Even though there are many urban legends surrounding Halloween, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that, on average, four children are struck and killed by cars each October 31st, which is four times the fatality rate on any other night. The statistics do not even include accidents that occur in driveways or on sidewalks, so the numbers are suspected to be higher.

Experts say kids in dark costumes and vision-obscuring Halloween masks dashing through the streets for delicious Halloween candy is a recipe for disaster. To protect the kids, costumes and candy bags should have bright reflecting tape on them, parents should accompany little ones and older kids should be given the pre-trick-or-treating huddle to discuss serious safety rules. Kids should be told not to run, to stay together at crosswalks and to carry a flashlight.

While the real danger of Halloween has been largely exaggerated, the urban legends and myths should not diminish the very real fears. From 1996-1998, there were 15,500 fires from October 30th - November 1st, causing 45 deaths, 175 injuries and million in losses, reports the National Fire Protection Association.

They say that arson activity is 10% higher around Halloween, and there is the additional danger from unwatched jack-o-lanterns. To stay safe, parents should make sure their Halloween decorations (like dry corn stalks) are away from electrical outlets or live flames, with pumpkins illuminated by flashlights or bulbs rather than candles. Additionally, all kids costumes should be made of flame retardant materials.

Halloween Safety is Always a Concern
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15' Red Carpet Runner Overview

Runner measures approximately 24" wide x 15' long and is made of polyester. For indoor or outdoor use, durable. Leading Edge of Runner includes Double Stick Tape to hold the edge of runner secure.



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Decorating With Metal Yard Art

Putting metal yard art around a home can be a fun and attractive way to enhance the look of a yard or house. Metal yard art comes in many forms, from metal lamps, lamp holders and signs, to address markers, garden signs, seasonal, holiday, or year round decorations, family name signs and solely decorative pieces.

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From whimsical and charming to serious religious symbols, there are many types of art that a person can use to express their personality, tell a story, advertise hobbies, political or religious ideas, or identify the residents of a place.

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Signs are a common form of yard decor. Many signs announce the surname of the family living in the home where they are displayed, or the name of the home, business, farm or ranch. Some include the year that the home, business, or family was established. Other signs have fun or festive sayings, or spell out a favorite quote or sentiment. Welcome signs are very commonly seen on metal yard art. Logos or names from sports teams have become increasingly common in yards across America, too.

Seasonal metal yard art is very popular. Easter, Independence Day, Halloween, and of course, Christmas, are holidays that many Americans dress up their yards for and metal yard art is a common choice for decorations as it stands up to the weather, looks terrific, is easy to place and move, and stores well.

Animals are very trendy metal objects, from the frequently seen pink flamingos to birds, reptiles, and mammals of all sorts. A metal yard stake with graceful butterflies is a gorgeous addition to a flower bed. A variety of metal birds and blooms can grace a patio and add to its appeal. A flock of metal chickens lend a country charm to a yard without the mess of the real thing, and a metal cat stalking grandly through the garden can be a better deterrent to rabbits and birds than a straw stuffed scarecrow.

Fairies and angels have grown immensely fashionable as art and the nature of these lends them to some regal, delightful, beautiful, and stylish metal yard art to adorn a yard or garden or fountain. From delicate metal fairies with stained glass wings to angelic beings with rust resistant halos and gracefully folded wings, there is a plethora of different angel and fairy pieces available on the market to enhance the area around the home or garden.

From rustic to regal, charming to solemn, the vast array of art on the market today means that any home and garden, patio, pool, fountain or other outdoor space around the home can go from a plain area to a delightfully adorned area with little hassle, cost or effort. From vintage styles to contemporary pieces, there is metal yard art available to suit any taste or style.

Decorating With Metal Yard Art
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Artificial Grass - How and Why it Was Invented

A wide range of people enjoy the benefits of synthetic grass every single day. From professional athletes to schoolchildren, astro turf helps provide a level and safe surface for a broad array of different people. More likely than not, you've played on artificial grass before; are you curious to learn how it was invented? If so, keep reading.

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AstroTurf: The Beginning;

Halloween Decorations Houston

In the decade of the nineteen-sixties, a business named Chemstrand were searching for new types of artificial playing surfaces for athletic activities. During the course of the research and development process, the company sought to create a kind of "tough carpeting." As they looked into this possibility, they were approached by the Ford Foundation, who were eager to find a solution for urban sports surfaces. Between 1962 and 1966, Chemstrand worked feverishly on this request.

A Solution For Urban Sports Players;

Living in the city brings many great benefits, but one drawback is that there are few - if any - grassy areas upon which people can play and enjoy sports. This is especially concerning to conscientious parents who want their children to run, play and get adequate amounts of exercise. Spurred on by this need, the Ford Foundation prompted Chemstrand to begin its research into creating a tough urban sports surface. A multitude of different types of surfaces were created during the 5 plus years that Chemstrand went to work on the idea, and it was one of those varieties that became the artificial grass we know this day.

Artificial Grass Takes Off -

In 1964, the first large-scale installation of synthetic turf took place at the Moses Brown School in Rhode Island in the United States. As was expected, it was installed due to the lack of green space in this urban region and was used to help schoolchildren have the space to run around as needed. Additionally, the material was used because it minimised slipping and provided a safer surface than concrete and other alternatives. In short order, the popularity of synthetic turf took off.

AstroTurf Is Born -

The most important event in the history of synthetic grass occurred in the year 1966. That's when the Houston Astrodome - home of baseball's Houston Astros and football's Houston Oilers - installed a Chemgrass surface for the first time. Soon thereafter, several other major stadiums started using the material, which was renamed "AstroTurf" and patented in the United States in 1967. In the ensuing years, this remarkable material has been used by countless sports facilities, schools and other places to help provide a safe, even playing surface for adults and children alike. There's no doubt that synthetic grass is here to stay.

Artificial Grass - How and Why it Was Invented
Halloween Decorations Houston

Super Mario Bros. Foil Balloon

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80th Birthday Supplies and 80th Birthday Decorations That Will Make Your Party a Hit

Having an 80th birthday party and need some great ways to make the place look festive? Use one or several of our wonderful decorating ideas below!

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To begin your 80th birthday decorations, hang a banner across the room or along a wall! You can make one by printing out the guest of honor's name and age. Or you can buy a premade 80th banner in multi-colored letters! Or hang a colorful number 80 garland along the tops of the walls! Place 80th birthday balloons at various points around the room. You can either hang them from the ceiling to float about guests' heads or cluster them together like balloon bouquets.

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Now on to creating that festive table! Start with 80th birthday plates to set your tables. You can use these no matter if your party is for two or for a crowd! You can be as simple or as elaborate as you want, using coordinated 80th birthday supplies of napkins, cups and table cloths. Be sure to use the 80 coasters which can coordinate with the rest of the 80th birthday decorations, especially if guests will be setting their coordinating cups down on wooden tables. Or if you're throwing a party, use 80th party invitations!

You can also add to the ambiance of the table with a 80th centerpiece specifically designed for an 80th party. If you are having a party with multiple tables, use two different centerpiece designs around the room to vary the 80th birthday decorations and add visual interest to the tables. Also, you can sprinkle numbered confetti on the tables, either right around the center piece, in a mound as a centerpiece itself, or lightly dotted over the whole thing.

Another exceptionally unique and appreciated 80th birthday decoration is to include in the 80th invitations a request that guests make & bring a copy of their favorite photo of the birthday gal or guy. Scatter scrapbook pages, photo book pages or 8 ½ by 11 inch poster boards, anything that will fit easily into a large binder, around the room with pens and photo adhesive. You can temporarily fasten them to wall, or place on side tables or mini easels scattered around the room. Have the guests put their photo on the page & write beside the picture, a bit about it like who the people are, when & where it was taken, the memories they have about it and any other comments they care to make. Guests will stroll about the room posting their pictures and reading what the other guests have written. This will promote circulation of guests and shared conversation as people comment, and perhaps elaborate, on the memories they treasure. As the pages are covered, they will become specially made to order 80th decorations! After the party, put all the pages into a binder or two and present it to the birthday person as a very warm, delightful gift of their friends' and loved ones' memories!

Your party will be the talk of the town.

80th Birthday Supplies and 80th Birthday Decorations That Will Make Your Party a Hit
Halloween Decorations Houston

15' Red Carpet Runner
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15' Red Carpet Runner Overview

Runner measures approximately 24" wide x 15' long and is made of polyester. For indoor or outdoor use, durable. Leading Edge of Runner includes Double Stick Tape to hold the edge of runner secure.



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15' Red Carpet Runner

15' Red Carpet Runner
Click for larger image and other views



15' Red Carpet Runner Overview

Runner measures approximately 24" wide x 15' long and is made of polyester. For indoor or outdoor use, durable. Leading Edge of Runner includes Double Stick Tape to hold the edge of runner secure.



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Price : Click to Check Update Prices Please.

15' Red Carpet Runner

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Cinco De Mayo For Children

Cinco de Mayo is a holiday, which is for everyone. Mexican, American, Canadian or people of every other nationality, people of all ages and from all walks of live enjoy celebrating this festive holiday and the Mexican food and drink which are always served on this day. If you have kids, however, this holiday is a great opportunity to teach them more about our next door neighbors by making your celebration a Cinco de Mayo for children, which is fun and educational at the same time.

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Depending on the age of your children, you may want to teach them more or less about the history of this Mexican holiday, but even toddlers can take part in some of the holiday festivities by assisting you with getting the house ready for a fun reason for a party. You can get your kids involved in helping you make pinatas, setting the table with party favors like miniature sombreros, making tissue paper flowers (if they're old enough to use scissors safely) and other activities which are both fun and useful in decorating your home for the holiday.

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If you have pre-teens or teenage children in your household, they may enjoy learning about the holiday while helping out in the kitchen. Naturally, if you are throwing a party to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, you will want to make some authentic Mexican recipes. You can tell your kids about the Battle of Puebla (which is what Cinco de Mayo commemorates - despite what many people think, Cinco de Mayo is not the Mexican Independence Day; that is September 16th) where the Mexican army won out over a French force which outnumbered them nearly two to one.

Any event for children should include Mexican food and beverages as well as games, which fit into the theme of the holiday. Break the pinata is a perennial favorite, which many people enjoy not only on Cinco de Mayo, but at birthday parties and other occasions as well. Needless to say, you do not have to be a kid to appreciate a good game of break the pinata, but your children are sure to love it, especially if they helped to make the pinata!

No matter whether you are having a party in your home, going to see a May 5th parade, attending a cultural exhibit or live performance (or all of the above) to celebrate this popular holiday this year, Cinco de Mayo is a holiday which everyone loves. Get the whole family in on the fun and make this May 5th a fun Cinco de Mayo for children and adults alike.

Cinco De Mayo For Children
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Sweet 16th Birthday Party Ideas

Is there any party more delightful than sweet 16? If you're stuck for 16th birthday party ideas, then you need to sit back and start counting! It's easy enough if you remember that a sweet 16 party is all about that magic number. How many sweet sixteen balloons do you buy? Sixteen, of course!

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Turning 16 can be the perfect time for an all-girls party or for a co-ed gathering. No matter what you choose to do, talk with your sweet 16 birthday girl first for her ideas. She might be hoping for a good old fashioned slumber party or something a bit more elegant that announces she is approaching adulthood.

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Sweet Party Ideas

Ideas for an informal 16th party can take advantage of the classic teen foods like pizza, ice cream sundaes, sub sandwiches, nachos, and lots of soda. When thinking about a more "sweet" party, consider sixteen delicate and tiny birthday cakes surrounding one floral arrangement. Another idea is to keep the guest list to sixteen friends.

Need more ideas?

How about a party where the guest of honor opens sixteen mystery boxes to find one final gift tucked inside? Or a cluster of small items like sixteen favorite candy bars, sixteen colors of nail polish, sixteen gift certificates to favorite fast food restaurants or sixteen movie tickets?

What about invitations for your sweet 16 party?

Invitations to your party could be presented on candy bar wrappers for the chocolate fiend. For mystery, you could send out a small key enclosed in each of the sixteen invitations. Once your guests arrive, let them try their luck at opening a small chest which contains sixteen special prizes. Keep in mind that often the most creative and appreciated items are the least expensive!

Sweet 16th Birthday Party Ideas
Halloween Decorations Houston

Tips to Throwing a Fun Apartment Party

Planning your first party in your apartment in Houston can be strenuous if you go about it haphazardly. Grab a pen and paper and list all the basic essentials you require for your party. No matter what theme you are going with, the basics are most important. Things like cutlery, drinks, food, seating, water, invitations, tissues or napkins, dustbins etc constitute the basic necessities for any party. Given the close-knit and well-planned communities in Houston TX apartments you should expect lots of guests over. An apartment party is always a great way to break ice with new neighbours.

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You don't always have to prepare invitations. If you have just recently moved in you won't even have the time to make invitations so you can either go door to door or pick up the phone and invite your friends.

Halloween Decorations Houston

For decoration, you have a lot of work cut out for you if you are going for a theme party. So if it is your first party, you can go with a no-theme, laid-back get together. If the party begins late evening, dim the lights a little to give a relaxed feeling. If you are starting early in the evening, use brighter lights to pep up the mood of those who have just returned from work. Lights can make your apartment in Houston look bigger than it actually is. For welcoming your guests, place a banner on the front door - it will definitely cheer them up.

Use flowers to make the place look homely. Say you don't yet have your entire furniture brought in. You can place lovely flowers all around the place to take one's attention from the space and focus it onto the decor. Given the wooded gardens around Houston apartments, it will look like a party in natural settings. For seating, you can throw on rugs and fluffy pillows along the walls. Lay some in your balcony as well so your guests can enjoy the element of nature around Houston TX apartments.

What takes the longest to plan is food. You can save yourself some money if you cook it yourself. Grab hold of an enthusiastic friend and pool in some money to make finger-foods. If your party runs through the entire evening, along with finger-food prepare one dish. You don't want to send your guests without dinner, do you? As far as drinks are concerned, go for effortless fruit-punch or beer.

A great way to turn any dull get-together into a fun party is to have board games. Given the spaciousness of your apartment in Houston, you should take the opportunity of laying down board games such as Pictionary or Scrabble. Since you are going to have many guests, you can divide everyone in two or more teams and experience a new kind of fun through the evening!

Tips to Throwing a Fun Apartment Party
Halloween Decorations Houston

Inflatable Haunted House Props - A Look at the Best Halloween Decorations and Ideas

An inflatable haunted house is both a great prop and decoration for Halloween. This type of blow up yard product is a great idea to decorate your home in October. If you have been to haunted houses, you know that it's all about being scary.

Halloween Decorations Houston

These inflatable haunted house decorations are similar, but not as extreme. These haunting props come with music and sound modules that will spook and scare the people that dare go inside them. Frightening house ideas of this type are made mainly for kids, but teenagers and adults can enjoy them as well. It is probably a good idea to keep the toddlers and infants away because they may be too young to understand that it's not real and become very afraid.

Halloween Decorations Houston

More scary ideas to increase the fear level is to add more props like spider webs and eve wallpaper or macabre pictures that scream Halloween. However, inflatable haunted house props for your lawn or backyard are not even close to the real haunted houses in Houston, Dallas Texas or Atlanta. These cities really go overboard when it comes to Halloween and scaring people. At home, keeping this holiday fun and safe is the main goal.

If you are a resourceful type, you can probably make your own scary house setup. Craft stores and even super markets will have some great decorations and props that will suit your needs. Look for grave stones, skeletons, pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, knives, cob webs, and more. The list of Halloween ideas is a long one that only is limited by your imagination.

If you just want a little flare, but not too much, definitely go for a simple inflatable haunted house or castle and you'll be set. Of course, don't forget the candy and a carved pumpkin. Halloween should be fun and festive for the kids, family, and friends. Always remember to carry a flashlight when trick or treating and look both ways before crossing the street. Even though many kids are out enjoying the candy and Halloween house decorations, being safe comes first before having fun.

Inflatable Haunted House Props - A Look at the Best Halloween Decorations and Ideas
Halloween Decorations Houston

Christmas Yard Art - Make Easy Yard Decorations for Christmas

Creating Christmas yard art can be as simple as using a Christmas shape template with accessories added. A grouping of different shapes in holiday colors can look very festive in your yard.

Halloween Decorations Houston

First, find a shape that you want to use. Search the internet for "Christmas tree shape" or "Christmas tree template" for example. Enlarge the shape or draw it freehand on a piece of plywood. Christmas trees, presents, ornaments and stocking shapes work particularly well.

Halloween Decorations Houston

Cut the shape out of the plywood. Sand the edges if needed. Paint the entire shape on both sides in a base color.

After the paint is dry, using another color of paint add touches like stripes to an ornament or color the toe and top of a stocking shape.

If you are making more than one shape to go together as a grouping, it looks nice to pick a color pallet and stay in those colors. Like red and green are nice and bright. You could paint 2 shapes in red and 2 shapes in green. Another suggestion is using gold, silver and white.

For the stakes, use 2 wooden dowel rods or steel rods for each. Paint these to match your shape. Attach them to the shape with small u-shaped brackets that can be attached with screws. Look for conduit hangers to use as the u-shaped brackets.

Now add some accessories to the yard art. For a Christmas tree shape, string 3" gold bells through some wire and decorate the tree. 3" gold bells are available at craft stores. Add a weatherproof gold star on top.

Add 3" gold metal bells to a Christmas ornament shape. Just string 3 or 4 on wire and let them hang down. Or gather the bells near the top and add some weatherproof holly.

Yard art in the shape of Christmas presents can be easily adorned with outdoor ribbon and the 3" bells.

Another neat idea for yard art is to add "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays from" and your name on a plaque or added to an ornament shape.

Yard art doesn't have to be fancy. Just plain old Christmas shapes do an excellent job!

Christmas Yard Art - Make Easy Yard Decorations for Christmas
Halloween Decorations Houston

Ghost Hunting on Halloween Night

Ghost hunting and paranormal investigations are becoming increasingly popular with amateur ghost hunters, in part due to the easy access of information on the internet and current television shows about hauntings. Since the spirit of Halloween revolves around the souls of the dead returning to earth to haunt the living, Halloween night is considering a "prime time" for hunting ghosts. It's an annual right of passage for both amateur and professional ghost hunters to be out in full gear that night.

Halloween Decorations Houston

Ghost Hunt - going to a location that may or may not be haunted and trying to capture them on film (video and/or photos). A graveyard late at night is the number one place to start.

Halloween Decorations Houston

Ghost Investigation - going to a known haunted place and recording data (video, photos, audio and temperatures), taking notes, interviews and other evidence to prove/disprove the haunting and existence of ghosts.

For many the quest is to seek out allegedly haunted locations, authenticate evidence of ghosts, do research and conduct investigations into paranormal activity. Among ghost hunters, some are also devotees of urban exploration, a growing hobby where enthusiasts venture into abandoned structures such as hospitals, asylums, and sanatoriums. The more experienced hunters investigate and document reports of ghosts, hauntings and paranormal activity; where as many of the amateur ghost hunters are just out to have fun.

The definition of a "haunting" is a recurring presence of a ghost, demon, or similar supernatural being at a specific place. Old houses, hotels, restaurants, pubs, prisons, cemeteries and graveyards are the most common haunted places. Belief in hauntings and ghosts spans the world and is recorded throughout history in legends and ghost stories.

There are five primary types of hauntings:
Intelligent - may be a ghost or demon. The entity is aware of its surroundings, including living people who may be present. Residual - the entity does not seem to be aware of any living beings and performs the same repetitive act (often the reenactment of a tragic event). Benevolent - a ghost that seeks to help or protect the living sometimes from an evil spirit. Malevolent - ghost or demon that seeks to inflict harm on the living. Benign - entity that is either unconcerned about the living or unaware of their presence.

What better time of year than Halloween to check out some of the "hauntings" in your neck of the woods! Whether you're a more experienced paranormal investigator or just out for a night of ghost hunting, the souls of the dead are waiting for you on Halloween night. Good luck and happy haunting!

Ghost Hunting on Halloween Night
Halloween Decorations Houston

Super Mario Bros. Foil Balloon
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Super Mario Bros. Foil Balloon Overview

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Super Mario Bros. Foil Balloon