Lots of businesses these days are asked repeatedly for donations to a particular non-profit organization in the form of cash, gifts for a silent auction, gift certicates, etc. In addition, many schools are involved in selling “scrip.” In general, I like the scrip concept. Essentially, a non-profit organization rounds up […]

For some reason on certain holidays I get a lot of motivation. That could be because I am often at home and antsy, looking for a project. More likely, I’ve got the advantage of a coffee pot available and very nearby! New Year’s Day is really no exception. As a […]

Forever asked and always in search of what works…Here are a few more ideas about tried and true, sure fire successes. Casseroles, S’Mores And Do-It-Yourself Anything. I swear to you when I say that casseroles are just the hit! Every customer that I’ve had any influence on lately has heard […]

If you’re at all like me, you HATE to throw away those old Christmas cards. It seems like there is something intrinsically wrong with tossing that cute photograph of Bif and Susie in their matching tartan plaids. But what exactly does one do, post-holiday, with all of those extra cards? […]

Inevitably when I am interviewed for a magazine or other publication, I am asked: what trends are you seeing? What’s hot now? Here are some cool things that are new, have been around and are coming back. 1) DJ’s with emcees. 2) Gobos in the pool. 3) Cappuccino machines (also cool at […]

My co-blogger (Merri Jill Finstrom at HUTdogs) and I have decided that our second co-blog will cover the topic of what to do before starting your own business. Following are some things I think you should do. To get MJ’s perspective, log on to her blog and then tell us […]

Starting your own business is hard. I think it’s really, really hard. That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t do it all over again if I had to, but I think it helps to be realistic. Note I did not say pessimistic, nor am I telling you it can’t be done, […]

We’ve all been there: you’re busy with the day to day aspects of running your life, but you need to glam up your table (or house, office) before the guests arrive. Whether you’re short on time or cash, here are a few simple ideas to get your space ready for […]

Since party planning is a lot about being very organized. I love shortcuts, so I am giving you a few really helpful websites here. Hopefully, they will make life a little easier! * www.franklincovey.com (I have taken their classes and used their planners forever so I am totally biased toward […]

Need Help With Your Holiday Shopping? By the end of this week, I was really nervous that I had not done a lot of my holiday shopping. Considering myself fairly organized and in general up tight about deadlines, I started to get panicky. To ease my nerves, I got proactive […]