Aster Event Planning

Spring Has Sprung

erin — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 05:25:24 +0000

With spring time finally here, everyone is looking forward to cherry blossoms on all the trees, and fields of tulips in full bloom. The harsh reality of spring time is there are still quite a few rainy days in the forecast. Do not let these rainy days keep you from enjoying time in the house. Believe it or not there are fun activities you can do while cooped up inside your home to keep the day fun and entertaining. How about bringing the outdoors in? Grab your kids and bring them into the kitchen for an activity they will love! Making dirt cups is a great idea for entertaining the kids and you too will enjoy this sweet treat. Check out this quick and easy recipe that will leave a smile on everyone’s faces.

“Dirt”
1 package chocolate pudding
Regular Oreo Cookies
Gummy worms
Speckled Peanut butter M&M’s

4 plastic cups (or a tin-foil bread pan)
Fix the pudding according to package directions
Put Oreo cookies in a zip lock bag and crush with a meat tenderizer (flat side)
Put 1/2 cup pudding in cup
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons crushed cookies over top
Put gummy worm into the pudding and leave 1/2 laying on top of the Oreo cookies
Place two speckled “eggs” beside the gummy worm

Here is a list of ideas you can
try doing with friends, or if you have a little time to yourself that might
make that rain not seem so bad. These
ideas should help to get your own ideas flowing. Never let the rain ruin another day!

Watch some of
your favorite movies that you just don’t seem to have time for anymore.
Go through your
closet and get rid of the cloths that have not been worn in over a year. This may seem like a chore, but it will feel
so much better to have extra space and those extra hangers for your new spring
and summer wardrobe.
Poor yourself a
glass of your favorite wine, light a few candles, kick back your feet, and read
that book that’s been sitting on the shelves for months that you keep promising
yourself you will get around to.
Try something
new! Gather up all of those pictures you have collected over the years and put
together a scrap book. It would make for
a great filler on the bookshelf, and leave room for many great stories.
If you are accompanied by a handful of kids try going on a “treasure hunt” inside
the house, or give yourselves a nice pedicure.

New Year, New Attitude

Jenna — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 03:06:57 +0000

“We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws, but for potential.” –Ellen
Goodman

Sometimes New Year’s resolutions read like a checklist: call mom more often; cut out red meat from diet; run seven miles per week. Other times they read like a wish list: take a vacation; find that special someone. But no matter what our resolutions, nothing will be accomplished unless we have the right attitude. According to a 2011 Psychology Today article, having a positive attitude can help you achieve your goals faster and create a higher sense of satisfaction. Literally just smile! Additionally, it’s important to think about what kinds of goals you’re setting—if they all involve some type of self-regulation (exercise more, eat healthier, drink less alcohol), then you’re less likely to complete your goals. Focusing your energy on one regulation goal will not only increase the likelihood of success but could lead to improvements in other parts of your life as well.

The most important thing to remember is to not be too hard on yourself. If you set goals that are unreasonable, you’ll be setting yourself up for misery and failure—a terrible way to start the New Year! Laugh more often, cherish your friends and family, and have fun!

Holiday Cheer

Jenna — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 01:13:04 +0000

Christmas feels so much closer on this side of Thanksgiving. With large amounts of Christmas shopping and planning in front of us, it’s hard to focus on anything else! But as the weather gets colder, home begins to feel more cozy, so it can be difficult to coax ourselves out into the chilly outdoors.

To spruce up your home and make it cheerful and bright for the Christmas season, take some old candles and make them look new in a few easy ways:

Wrap double-sided tape around the perimeter of your candle then roll them in red, green, or silver glitter to make sparkly stripes. Or take plain white candles, dab a thin layer of glue on them, and roll them in fake “snow” to make them glitter and glisten. Surround the candles with Christmas baubles and pine tree boughs for a simple, elegant table centerpiece.

And as you do crafts, shop, or wrap presents, enjoy some holiday tunes with our Christmas playlist!

Jingle Bells- Frank Sinatra
It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas- Michael Buble
Baby, it’s Cold Outside- Lady Antebellum
Santa Claus is Coming to Town- Mariah Carey
Jingle Bell Rock- Blake Shelton
Blue Christmas- Elvis Presley
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree- She & Him
Joy to the World- Faith Hill
Holly Jolly Christmas- Michael Buble

Thanksgiving and Beyond

Jenna — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 23:28:29 +0000

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and lines are getting long at grocery stores as people frantically stock up on last minute food items for the coming feast. Perhaps your mouth is watering at the thought of all the delicious food that is getting prepared. Perhaps you’re simply enjoying the thought of seeing friends and family. Be sure to savor these joyful moments because they are especially important amidst all the holiday stress. To take the stress off of part of the Thanksgiving experience (cooking all the food in time!), here’s a simple and incredibly delicious recipe for a Thanksgiving side dish:

Creamed Corn Casserole:
Lightly grease an 8 inch casserole dish. In the casserole dish, combine one can of whole corn, one can of creamed corn, one small carton (8 oz) of sour cream, one box of Jiffy cornbread mix, 1/3 cup of melted butter, and two whisked eggs. Feel free to sprinkle cheese on top or add any spices to taste. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees. Enjoy sharing it with friends and family, and be sure to refrigerate any leftovers!

Of course, there are many good things to look forward to after Thanksgiving as well, especially the start of the holiday shopping season with Black Friday. Here are some quick tips for making the most out of all the holiday sales:

Make a list. If you just show up at the store unprepared, you’re going to forget things you want to buy and buy things you don’t want.
Create a budget and stick to it! This along with the list will prevent overspending and buyer’s remorse.
Do your research. Figure out which stores have the best sales on the products you want. Comparing prices online is going to be the fastest way to accumulate all the information you need. While you’re at it, be sure to look at a products online reviews. If you’re going to splurge, be sure you’re getting the best product.
Relax! Whether you’re shopping at home or in a crowded store, you can feel pressured to buy something simply because it’s a “great deal.” Just take a deep breath and know that it isn’t necessary to buy things in order to enjoy the holidays.

Harvest Centerpieces

Jenna — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 22:50:14 +0000

With Halloween behind us and November looming before us, it’s time to start planning ahead to host (or attend) one of the most meal-oriented holidays: Thanksgiving. Bring fall foliage into the house in a tasteful way—bundle several twisty branches and twigs together and display them in a clear vase. This centerpiece can be used on Thanksgiving to create a “Thankful Tree” by writing things you’re thankful for on small pieces of paper and tying them to the branches with twine. Not only is it simple, it’s meaningful, too. If flowers are more your style for a centerpiece, focus on warm colors like reds, yellows, and oranges by combining sunflowers with maple leaves and some twigs. Pumpkins aren’t just for Halloween, either. Turn a plump pumpkin into a vase for your floral arrangement by cutting off the top and scooping out the seeds. Or intermix smaller pumpkins with candles of varying sizes to create a warm and inviting table.

Whatever you chose to do, remember that the holidays aren’t about trying to impress anyone with your amazing decorating skills (although it can’t hurt!); they’re about celebrating with friends and family, coming together in love to enjoy food and laughter. So enjoy decorating, but be sure to make beautiful memories, too.

Spooky Decorations

Jenna — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 23:00:14 +0000

Halloween has arrived, and soon trick-or-treaters will be lining up at your door begging for candy. While the tradition of going door-to-door asking for food dates back to the ancient Celts, until the 20th century, trick-or-treating wasn’t as popular in America. In the 1920s, families hoped that taking kids out at night would curtail the pranks of the rowdy youth in the 1920s. Sugar rationing during the World War briefly put an end to trick-or-treating, but post-war America latched on to the custom and made it the tradition it is today.
Halloween falls right in the middle of the week this year, so it’s understandable if you’re completely swamped by all the work that needs to get done. Here are some easy, last minute Halloween decorations that are quickly assembled and will spice up your house for all the visiting children:

Use all those old moving boxes to create tombstones—simply cut out the tombstone, spray paint black, and add lettering or details to finish the product. Scatter them about your yard by taping a fork to the back of the cardboard (tines down), and sticking the fork directly into your lawn.
Dig out those Christmas ornaments that usually hang from the Christmas tree (you’ll be breaking them out soon anyway—tis’ the season!) Cover the orb with white handkerchiefs or other cloths to emulate ghosts. Use the hooks to hang them in your window or from the porch railing to greet your guests as they arrive.
Cut silhouettes out of black paper and tape them to the windows. Backlight them with a lamp or flashlight to make them really pop when viewed from outside.
Buy pumpkins of varying sizes to line up on the stairs or pile around the door—quick and festive!

Fall Food: The Pumpkin

Jenna — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 20:02:03 +0000

Colder weather brings a desire for the warmth and comfort found in hearty soups and homemade dinners. But fall food can be enjoyed in many different ways. There are so many recipes and options for eating pumpkins that it can be difficult to decide what to try first! Before you carve your pumpkin, scoop out the seeds, season them with sugar and cinnamon, and toast them in the oven creating the perfect fall snack. The pulp of the pumpkin can be used in a variety of recipes as well. After you’ve scooped out the seeds, continue to scoop out the interior of the pumpkin within an inch of the outer skin. The rind of the pumpkin can then be used for carving a festive jack-o’-lantern. Meanwhile, steam the pumpkin pulp over a pot of water for about half an hour. Puree and freeze it for later or use it in a delicious recipe right away (be sure to add a dash of lemon juice so it doesn’t brown).

Pumpkin Pancakes:
Use a regular pancake recipe, but add half a cup of the pumpkin puree in addition to some cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla. Serve warm with melted butter and sweet maple syrup.
Pumpkin Pie Milkshake:
Combine two cups of vanilla icecream, one cup of milk, two thirds cup of pumpkin, and ¼ cup of brown sugar in a blender. Stir in a teaspoon of combined cinnamon and ground numeg. Top with whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate, and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon.

Fall Fun: Corn Mazes

Jenna — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 20:30:34 +0000

Some of the perks of the fall season are the fun activities that only occur around this time of year, particularly corn mazes. The first corn maze was created in the early 1990s. Today there are hundreds of corn mazes across America varying in size, design, and features. Some corn mazes provide a scavenger hunt in which the visitors find clues or landmarks, such as bridges and towers, within the maze. Others have trivia and questions posted throughout the maze for the brainiacs to test their knowledge. Usually there are several different paths in the same maze, so the difficulty of the visitor’s journey is up to them. Daytime corn mazes are fun for the whole family or a group of friends. When the sun goes down, look for haunted corn mazes—perfect for an adrenaline and fun filled date.
Corn mazes aren’t usually found in the big city (after all, there needs to be a farm with a field full of corn), but usually several corn mazes can be found within driving distance. Carleton Farms, located just outside of Everett, features a trivia maze perfect for adults with fun activities for kids as well. While you’re there, explore the pumpkin patch and pick out a pumpkin—perfect for carving and using as decoration on the front porch. Come nightfall, check out their “haunted swamp.” At Bob’s Corn in Snohomish, WA, you can catch a hayride and pick out some fresh produce after you’ve completed the corn maze. They also feature firepits to build a crackling bonfire on chilly fall evenings.
Part of the excitement of the fall season is taking advantage of the fun activities fall provides. Whether you decide to tackle a daytime corn maze or experience the thrills of a haunted one, have fun this season!

www.carletonfarm.com

www.bobscorn.com

National Bosses Day

Jenna — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:01:10 +0000

“By working faithfully eight hours a day you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve hours a day.” –Robert Frost

In 1958, an Illinois secretary registered October 16th as National Bosses Day in honor of her working dad. A few years later, the Governor of Illinois began to spread the word, and now it is a nationally and internationally observed holiday to honor the bosses in our lives. If the holiday falls on a weekend, it is observed on the working day closest to the 16th, but this year it falls on an easily celebrated Tuesday.
As it does during every holiday, the question arises—should I just get my boss a card? Or should I include a little gift? And what gift should I get for the boss who seems to have everything? The easy answer is that it depends on the type of person your boss is, but here are a couple ideas that every boss could appreciate:

Newton’s Cradle: The stereotypical object that every boss should have. Perhaps the soothing metallic clacking inspires the work ethic. Or perhaps it’s just an interesting desk piece.
Mini Zen Garden: Ease their stress level by giving them some peaceful desk decor that will fit somewhere between their computer and piles of paperwork.
Band together with some of your colleagues and splurge on a gift basket filled with wines and cheeses, microbrews, or gift certificates to some nice restaurants and tickets to the next sports game or ballet.

So whether your boss is funny, serious, laid back, or overworked, be sure to some them some appreciation next Tuesday!

In 2008, FastCompany.com put together some facts about bosses:

32% of employees defy orders from their bosses, but 86% of American employees give their superiors high marks.
Of the 6,000-plus NYSE and Nasdaq-listed U.S. companies, 98 were run by CEOs under the age of forty at the end of 2006, so there’s still some hope for those of us in the younger generations!
According to a 2008 Yahoo survey, 43% of Americans don’t like their bosses’ management styles, while 55% agree that “people don’t leave companies, they leave managers.”
Women hold 15% of all board seats at Fortune 500 firms. Not a high number, to be sure, but certainly growing from years past.

Fall Fashion: Peridot Boutique & Consignment

Jenna — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 18:19:41 +0000

Located on Queen Anne Avenue, just a few minutes walk from Seattle Center, Peridot Boutique & Consignment is a quaint little haven in the midst of the bustling city. Peridot’s big sellers are dresses and jewelry, but all the clothes appeal to many ages. The buyers who choose what clothes the store will sell are women in their 20s and 30s and have varying lifestyles from the recently graduated college student to office work. The woman who shops at Peridot is “girly but sophisticated.” According to Lindsey, a sales associate and partial owner of the boutique, they try to include different perspectives in the choosing of clothes because “we don’t want people to walk away with nothing.”
Personally, I found it difficult to walk away with nothing because I wanted to buy everything. The store is filled with fall clothes, and Lindsey filled me in on what was going to be in style this fall. Look for “metallic and sequins” and “color blocking in jewel tones” as well as “fabric blocking” like mixing leather and suede. Also, look for monochromatic color schemes such as using a few varying shades of black and grey as the base for your ensemble. When it comes to accessories like purses, expect exposed zippers, the versatility of across the body straps, and metallic detailing.

When asked about a few basics for fall and winter that every Seattleite should own, Lindsey suggested fleece leggings. They look like normal leggings, so it “doesn’t look like you’re going out in long underwear,” but they are lined with cozy fleece to keep you warm on chilly autumn days. She also suggested a chunky infinity scarf, something big and comfy that you could throw on over pretty much any outfit. Another chic fall look to try is a warm knit sweater paired with skinny jeans and ankle boots.
With so many boutiques in the Seattle area, Peridot stands out in the affordable pricing compared to other boutiques. At Peridot, the buyer gets the best quality (and incredible cute) clothes for the best prices. The clothes at Peridot could be worn to a business interview or a relaxing get together with friends. With the fall season fully upon us, there will be lots of opportunities to organize such get togethers, and even more opportunities to buy a charming new outfit or funky piece of jewelry!

Peridot Boutique & Consignment
532 Queen Anne Ave. N
Seattle, WA 98109

Hours:
Mon- Sat 10 am – 8 pm
Sundays 11 am – 7 pm

http://peridotboutique.wordpress.com/