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By buyballoonboy, November 26, 2009 11:50 am

Halloween is in the air! Your favorite magazines are probably filled with lots of great ideas right now. Here you'll find some clever ideas that are cost effective and simple to do for your Halloween decorating. It's fun to decorate with a specific theme in mind such as monster mash, goblins and witches, or Nightmare Before Christmas. A few pumpkins and some spiderwebs can really set a spooky tone for very little effort and expense

Dark and Lovely Gothic - Go for a Gothic look by using lots of black tablecloths, dead flowers, candelabras with black candles with lots of wax drippings, and some black birds perched on frames and light fixtures. Look to Martha Stewart Halloween magazines for more ideas on decorating in a Gothic style. You can pick up lots of items at a thrift store that will enhance your theme. Look for black sheets, candelabras, and other items that inspire you.

Graveyard Theme - For a great entrance, create a spooky graveyard scene to greet your guests as they arrive. Use a fog machine, a coffin, and headstones. Headstones can be made with some Styrofoam available at craft stores, and grey spray paint for the headstone, black paint for the lettering. You could also hang a stuffed body from a tree to add to the spooky effect.



Thrift Store Bargains - Head to a thrift store in October for lots of great deals on spooky finds. Black sheets, candelabras, and assorted items can be spray painted black to give it a spooky look. Many thrift stores have a wide range of Halloween props and decorations for your home. If you don't want to store the items after the holiday, you can just donate back to the store!

Disney's Nightmare Before Christmas - The Nightmare Before Christmas is a fun theme for a Halloween party, especially for Tim Burton and Disney fans. You could also expand the theme to encompass Disney in general, and invite guests to come as their favorite Disney character. This concept is perfect for couples as there are many famous Disney couples to portray. Minnie Mouse Costume paired with Mickey, Jack Skellington and Sally, Cinderella and the Prince.

Use these ideas to spark your own imagination. Don't forget the most important part, your costume. There isn't much time left, so order your Mouse Costume, Minnie Mouse Costume or choose from thousands of others at the largest online Halloween store. Halloween will be here before you know it!

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By buyballoonboy, November 25, 2009 11:11 am

The Halloween season is nearly here, and it's time to start planning your Halloween party. Need some creative ideas to spark your imagination? Ranging from casual to formal, here are a couple of very grown up ideas to get your party planning started. Parties don't have to be huge costume parties, there are lots of ways to celebrate the holiday in a low key way with a small group of friends. Let your personal sense of style dictate what type of celebration works best. Whether your Halloween celebration will be filled with fun arts and crafts projects for the kids or spent mixing up spooky cocktails for adults, we've got some super creative ideas to get your party off to the right start.

Halloween Dinner Party - Invite a small group of friends over for a grown up dinner party. Choose a theme such as Gothic, old horror films (Dracula, Frankenstein) etc. Make your own invitations, inviting guests to come to your shindig in costumes related to the theme. This is a great way to celebrate Halloween in style with a close group of friends. Themes such as the Wizard of Oz, for example, are a great way to get your guests excited about your party, and they can be encouraged to come dressed as their favorite character. There's a brand new line of costumes from the land of Oz this year, including a Flying Monkey Costume that is very scary looking.

Halloween Cocktail Party - If you don't want to do a formal dinner or a big blow out costume party, why not have a cocktail party? Halloween treats and drinks for grown-ups make for a fun way to spend Halloween if you don't really care to get dressed up and go out to a big party. Schedule your party as the first event of the evening for guests that do. Create a signature spooky drink that you can make in advance of the party. Make sure to try it out first!

Halloween Tea - Hosting a Halloween themed afternoon tea is a great way to have a formal afternoon party for adults. Start with a black tablecloth, add dead flowers for a centerpiece and candelabras with melted candles. Serve some Halloween themed food items such as pumpkin cookies, or cupcakes, witches finger sandwiches, etc. For a striking table, order all black plates and napkins to create a very Gothic mood.

Halloween Scrap Booking Party - Purchase Halloween themed scrapbooking supplies and invite your crafty friends over for a crop. A great way to accomplish a personal project while having a fun social activity. Great for people who are new to the craft as well as experienced scrapbookers. You can provide the Halloween related supplies and ask guests to bring their own tools and other supplies. Bring out some treats and wine, and you've got yourself a fun crop party!

Seance - This is great for an older teen sleepover or an adult dinner party. Decorate a graveyard and use lots of candles. A Ouija board can be a spooky addition to the party antics. Keep the party focused on fun by calling only on famous long dead historical figures like James Dean, Elvis, Marie Antoinette, etc. Super spooky or fall off your chair hilarious, it all depends on the group of people (and how many bottles of wine are involved).

Ensure the success of your party with a little bit of advance thought and preparation. Determine the type of friends to invite and what works best for that group. A Halloween Tea might be perfect for moms and daughters. A Dinner party works well for a smaller group of friends, and you can really have fun with the menu and decorating. Cocktail parties are ideal in big cities where your guests may have several social events to attend. Pick whatever works best for you and your family. Most importantly, determine your costume and order it right now online. You can go check out the Monkey Costume site to see the Flying Monkey Costume or thousands of other costume options. Happy Haunting!

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By Edie Mindell, October 30, 2009 12:09 pm

If you decide to choose a toy as your baby shower gift, it is important to consider things like simplicity, practicality, how educative the toy is, and its ability to develop the infants senses through different colors and textures. Every year, toys for infants and toddlers are rated using many criteria in order to recognize and award the best, most useful, and most beneficial toys for babies.

This article will feature some of the top-rated infant and toddler toys, and the characteristics that make them great. Remember, there are tons of toys out there that are comparable to the ones that won awards (and might even have more features), which are available for a fraction of the cost. Note the attributes that make them top quality baby toys, and aim for gifts that match or beat these award-winning characteristics.

Some popular toys of this era are those that help babies develop their sense of hearing, touch, and sight. Musical toys are some of the most purchased toys these years, and one musical toy that has stirred up commotion and praise is the Learn and Groove Musical Table by LeapFrog. This table for infants and tots from six months to three years is a bilingual learning table that teaches children the alphabet, counting from one to ten, colors, and first words in both English and Spanish.

The Learn and Groove Musical Table is great for developing motor skills with gadgets that teach skills like sliding, spinning, opening, closing, pulling, and pushing. This toy features over fifteen musical activities and over forty songs! LeapFrogs Learn and Groove Musical Table has won many awards such as the iParenting Media Award for Outstanding Products.

Another wonderful toy for building your babys motor skills is the Amazing Baby Developmental Light-Up Pullstring Musical by Kids Preferred. This cool, star-shaped toy has a baby-safe mirror, a peek-a-boo flap, features flashing lights, plays "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," and is suitable for babies from ages birth and up. A dangling heart, butterfly, and sun rattle are great attachments on this musical toy that are wonderful for developing your infants sense of sight and touch. The ten-inch toy is very versatile and will attach to a car set, crib rail, stroller, and a diaper bag. Kids Preferreds Amazing Developmental Light-Up Pullstring Musical is the winner of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award.

LeapFrogs 10th Anniversary Hug and Learn Baby Tad is a tenth edition, award-winning toy that is full of interactive activities for your baby. This baby tad teaches infants the different parts of the body, letters, and numbers; it emphasizes basic movements, motor skills, and language acquisition skills. This 10th Anniversary Hug and Learn Baby Tad will even play classical music for your little one, which is proven to be good for the development of your mind.

The common characteristics amongst these award-winning, stellar toys are the development of movement and language skills, an emphasis on the five senses, and intellectual advancement; today, the best-rated toys are the smartest toys.

When it comes to baby shower gifts, getting the right gift can be a daunting task. That's why we put together these selections for you at www.simplyuniquebabygifts.com for your unique baby gifts. You will love the baby gift coupons advertised here.

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By Jaquelin Michaels, October 29, 2009 6:37 am

A baby shower gift basket is a special way to give a wonderful and thought-filled gift to the mother to be. Gift baskets are always welcome and give a lot of love in a relatively small package. The soon-to-be mother is sure to be appreciative of the thought you have put into the gift basket. Additionally, baby showers may be a once-in-a-lifetime special occasion for mothers to be. Their newborn baby is about to come and the baby shower is her last big celebration before she finally takes on the full responsibilities of mother hood.

When gift baskets are given out on the holidays, they are based around whatever holiday it is. That should be absolutely no different for a special baby shower gift basket. The day is a once in a lifetime event, even if this is not her first or her only child, each one is special in their own way. The basket should fit the theme and it should also reflect her both her lifestyle and the huge beautiful changes about to happen in her life.

Baby-related items are a must. If you know the sex of the child, placing either pink or blue items in the basket will give it a special touch. They can also be customized gifts for the baby, which the mother to be will love. Cute items are especially used in these gift baskets given the subject matter of a baby shower.

Do not forget that the party is not just about the coming baby, but the focus is also on the mother. The baby shower gift basket you give should have items for her and the baby, not one or the other. So while you can give her things that will help with taking care of the baby or the baby will like, things that are specially for her are appreciated as well. Bath beads and soaps as well as candies are all popular in these types of gift baskets.

A well thought out and customized basket can make the day all that much more special for the soon to be mother. Her new child is just about to be born and the baby shower is a celebration of what is to come. She needs to be aware that the women around her care about her and that they will be around to give love and support when she needs it.

Make sure that your gift basket the best it can possibly be. The coming baby is a huge event in her life and the baby shower is a time to celebrate and to come together as friends and family. Everyone else might just give something straight from a department store, but you can be proud to make a baby shower gift basket from your heart that she will love.

Gift her a gift that she will remember for the rest of her life. A baby shower gift basket is the perfect well thought out gift. Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.

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By Edie Mindell, October 25, 2009 3:22 am

One of the components that guests look forward to the most is, of course, the food! Contrary to popular belief, baby shower food does not have to be pricey or expensive to make. This article will provide some easy-to-follow baby shower menu recipes that are sure to awe all your guests. These recipes will make people believe that you spent a fortune on the menu, yet they will cost a fraction of what people generally spend on catering for events like showers.

Some of the easiest appetizers and snacks come already pre-made! Buy refrigerated croissant dough, biscuit dough, and cookie dough. Use baby-themed cookie cutters like diaper and baby bottle shapes, and roll croissant dough in the shape of diapers. You can also use pastel-colored sprinkles for the cookies to add a cute touch. These snacks are easy, inexpensive, and delicious!

Another idea is to make adorable, little baby-themed cupcakes. Buy cake mix and add the other ingredients as directed on the box. Bake in cake cups and decorate with frosting and sprinkles. A couple of drops of food coloring can be added to plain, white frosting to create light, pastel colors. Heart-shaped cupcakes stand out a bit more and look beautiful, but the size and shape of the cupcakes are entirely up to you.

The next recipe is a delicious and colorful salad recipe. This recipe is nutritious yet very appetizing, and will definitely be loved by all the ladies! In one or two large salad bowls, mix 2 to 4 bags of spring mix lettuce (depending on the size of your shower and the number of guests), 1 to two small packages of baby tomatoes, 1 to 2 cups of diced cucumber, " to 1 cup of shredded carrots, 1 to 2 cans of canned, sweetened tangerine slices, " to 1 cup of raisins, and " to 1 cup of caramelized pecans. Serve chilled with honey mustard or a sweet style vinaigrette.

An amazing fruit salad, popular in parts of Latin America is made using strawberries, mango, melon, sliced bananas, grapes, sliced oranges, sliced apple, and sliced pear. You can adjust the types and variety of fruits to fit your taste. Mix all the fruit pieces in a large decorative bowl and generously drizzle with sweetened condensed milk. Add caramelized almonds if desired.

A fabulous spinach dip that can be served with both corn chips and crackers calls for 1 " cups of real mayo (you can use light mayo if preferred), " cup of softened cream cheese, 1 package of frozen spinach (cooked and drained), " cup chopped green onion, " teaspoon of salt, " teaspoon of pepper, and parsley to taste. Combine all ingredients and serve warm. If desired, you can melt Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese over the dip before serving. Provide an assortment of crackers and crunchy corn chips to eat the spinach dip with.

These easy to follow, pre-made recipes will take up almost none of your time, and are guaranteed to bring compliments!

To get all the latest selections of the highest quality of baby shower gifts, be sure to visit us at www.simplyuniquebabygifts.com for your baby gifts online. You will love the baby gift coupons advertised here.

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By Edie Mindell, October 24, 2009 6:22 am

A common new tradition that began a few years ago is to include an arts and crafts segment as part of your baby showers itinerary. Arts and crafts are a great way to create fun and excitement, and to strengthen bonds between friends and family. Many women, and even men, enjoy spending time together while practicing fun activities like arts and crafts. Today, there are several baby-related crafts that are a blast and will create a great time for your guests at your celebration.

The most common craft for baby showers is probably the diaper cake. This is a group activity that all your guests can do together. This is a great way to start the party, as it creates a mood of togetherness and establishes unity among all your friends and family. For this activity, you will need around fifty diapers, fifty feet of a smaller, narrow ribbon, and eight feet of a thicker, wide ribbon. Cut the fifty feet of thin ribbon into one-foot segments.

Have your guests roll up each diaper and tie in place with a thin piece of ribbon. Ribbon can be baby blue for a boy, and pink for a girl. For a more neutral color, soft green or light yellow work fabulously. Start the base of your diaper cake with twenty-five diapers; stand them together in a circle. Use fifteen diapers for the next level of the "cake," and then eight diapers for the top level of your cake. Make each level separately and tie each group of diapers, or each level of the cake, with a strand of wide ribbon. Now, stack the levels of the diaper cake in order from largest to smallest, and you should have a wonderful baby diaper cake!

Baby bottle sand art is a fun craft that render fabulous souvenirs that your guests can take home. All you need for this activity is at least the same amount of baby bottles as your number of guests, different colors of sand, and funnels. Baby bottles can be the simple, inexpensive ones, and the sand should match your color palette for the baby shower. Distribute the baby bottles among all your guests. Have them fill the baby bottles up with several layers of different color sand using the funnels, and then close the baby bottles with their tops.

These turn out beautiful, and they are easy to make; they also make great party favors from which your guests can always remember your baby shower. For a special touch, you can have ribbon that has been personalized with your name and the date of the shower. You can also have stickers made with the title of the event and the date, and stick them on the baby bottles.

Scrapbooking is an art that so many people have come to love nowadays, and also makes a great craft at baby showers. You can give each guest a layout page and supplies, and have them decorate a background page. These can be put together to form an album for the baby shower.

To get all the latest selections of the highest quality of baby diaper cakes, be sure to visit us at www.simplyuniquebabygifts.com for your baby shower diaper cakes. You will love the baby gift coupons advertised here.