costume party for kids

When a kid is invited to a costume party this often causes some worries to parents. In one of my previous posts, one mom did away with such for she was afraid this will make invited guests decide against attending because they do not have costumes for their kids to wear. In case this is a problem with you, I don't think not having costumes is a good reason for not attending a party to which your kid is invited. Consider this as a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, that this could be the one and only such party you will ever be invited to and you missed the fun because of one flimsy reason. Here's what you need to do. REcycling old clothes can be fun and will cost you little. Be creative. Does the party not require any specific theme? Does it only say come in any Disney character costume, bunny costume, pirate, fairy, princess, mermaid, or just plain ANY costume of a cartoon character? Of course we know that there are costumes which you can buy but that would be added expense on your part. Borrow? Nah--may not be a very good idea. The best way to handle this is to put on your thinking cap and start creating your own. Once you have determined the perfect headdress, you're halfway done with the costume. Actually, the real trick is in the headdress. Tails, paws, or ears, or trunks can easily be made too. The dress or outfit could be any dress with the closest color or cut to the character you want your kid to portray.

gowns galore!

Three occasions in which every woman wants to look her dazzling best are during her debut, prom night, wedding day. A woman now can actually have several options when it comes to the choice of her gown. She may want to:

a) rent one (there is a gownmaker in town who makes a gowns at a reduced price provided that after use the gown is returned at the shop. The gown is supposed to be made for you but you rent it from them), or you can choose from their already existing gowns.

b) borrow one/recycle from close of kin or friend

c) buy or order readymade from online gown boutiques or at your nearest department store

d) have one made for you by your favorite couturier (expensive but you get to keep the gown and choose the material to be used)

Well, well, well. The gowns displayed above are from some of the online boutiques I found on the net, particularly from Onlygowns . You will view more of their gowns if you click here.

useful tip for greeting dad

Get your cute glitter graphics to greet your dad on Father's Day at Cute-spot. Actually it has all you need to greet anyone on any occasion----birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestones. Quick! Make your dad's day special!

b'day gift for mom

Finding the right gift for our loved ones, particularly for our mom, can be an arduous task. You need to consider the following before rushing to the nearest mall: your budget, mom's age, mom's interest, the occasion. You might have noticed that in all my suggestions, budget is always top of the list. What you buy for your mom will depend on what you can afford to buy. How far can you go? Do yo have that much cash to buy her a new washing machine or do you only have a limited budget?

Years back my children gave me a fish in a bowl as a birthday present. I also received such gifts as blouses, skirt, make-up kit from them. I have worn and used all those gifts except for the fish that died after a few months because of overfeeding.

As a mom, I'd appreciate and welcome such gifts as a pair of fancy earrings, a red wallet, or a handy bag. If money is a problem then why not surprise her with a good deed like giving the house a whole new look---cleaning it and rearranging the furniture, changing the curtains, etc. Make sure that you do this while she's out doing the marketing. Or, volunteer to be the cook of the day, or dishwasher of the day. There are various other creative ways to make moms happy. You can put up posters all over your place saying, "to the best mom ever: happy b'day!" or "We love you mom! Happy b'day!" Moms are pretty sentimental and touchy and they will appreciate such gestures. Come on, give your mom that perfect gift now.

Once upon a time....

Once upon a time, when my children were still kids in high school, I got the biggest surprise of my life when they concocted a sort of program for me on Mother's Day. I am sharing this now because of the coming of Father's Day on June 17, some of you might get some ideas from this experience.

I just got back from the market and I was about to step inside the house when they gave me a surprise dramatic welcome. They had prepared the house in such a way that there was supposed to be a grand program that was going to happen and they were hosting it. They sat me at a chair in the middle of the sala and started the program. Of course, there was no big audience to witness that surprise program except my helper and our two dogs. But there I sat like a queen because they gave me a scepter and crowned me as "the best mother in the world" along with a sash bearing that title. It was such a big surprise to me that I did not know what to say.

See? My kids were being creative. They didn't have money to buy me anything but they had given me the greatest affirmation.

Happy Fathers' Day to all dads and also to moms who act as dads in the family.