Frugal Fun

It's summer tine and school is out and this means more family outings and finding things to do for children.  Houston has many activities planned, you just have to know where to look.

The Miller Outdoor Theatre offers free performances of classical music, ballet, dance, film and more.  It is an 89 year old theatre located inside of Hermann Park that is opened from March until October.

Discovery Green is 12-acres of shaded walks, Kinder Lake (a tranquil one acre lake), John P. McGovern playground, the Public Art at Discovery Green, and the Andrea and Bill White Promenade (offers a 360-degree view of the Houston skyline).

Designed by the premiere skate park firm Gridline, the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark is a state-of-the-art 30,000 square-foot in-ground skate park.  The park has areas for skaters from professional to beginner.

Project Row Houses is an art and cultural community center comprising 22 renovated shotgun-style homes where ten of the twenty-two row houses are dedicated to art, photography and literary projects, which are installed on a rotating six-month basis.

Museums and other activities are free on certain days of the week, so when you’re low on money and things to do with the kids, just click here to discover what waits just beyond your backyard.

Cupid IS a Man

In, Roman mythology Cupid is the god of desire, affection and erotic love.  That is what made him the perfect representation for Valentine's Day.  We have given great ideas on gifts that men can give to cause the desire and erotic love of a woman surface on Valentine's Day, but what can a woman do to gain the affection of a man?

Micheal Luna photography
from modelmayhem.com

from imgfave

My grandmother used to tell me that I was the Valentine's Day gift that kept on giving.  My birthday is November and I never understood until I was older.  The top gifts for men to receive on Valentine's Day are boudoir photos, electronics, and the gift of "love".  For those who do not know what boudoir photos are, these are classy pictures of a woman (in most cases) in lingerie or semi-dressed.  Photographers usually take these pictures in their studio or at a hotel. 
Wonderful boudoir photo session ideas can include the ones shown.  Some other great ideas are sitting in an over-sized chair, at the beach in the sand, or taking something your mate really loves (other than you of course) and incorporating it in the photo session.  An example of that is if your mate rides motorcycles, you can take a picture in lingerie on top of a bike or if he is a musician, you can take one with the instrument he plays.  Your imagination is your limit.  If you are getting photos taken, you must make an appointment to get these photos done this week so that they are ready to present on Valentine's Day.

Because Valentine's Day is so close, many stores like Best Buy and Target are running sales on electronics for those men in your life that are tech savvy.  You can never go wrong with an MP3 player or telephone upgrades.

--Brides Made Consulting is where dreams live and brides are made.

Impressions on a Budget

The CEO of Regal Magazine (the preeminent online magazine for African American men), Todd A. Smith talked about dining on a dime.  He got me to thinking about how so many men really dread the idea of Valentine's Day because of the expectations of elaborate dinners and expensive gifts. 

With flowers and jewelry being the top gifts given for Valentine's Day, there is no wonder that the price of a dozen roses goes from $20 to $30 in January to $50 as high as $125 in February and jewelry stores discount prices and encourage men to get their store credit card and finance the gift until the next Valentine's Day.  The common assumption that men are simple when it comes to Valentine's Day may hold water because the top gifts for men are picture gifts (also known as boudoir photos) and electronics.

Great Valentine's Day Gift

So how is any of this "impressing on a budget"?  Well let me tell you.  One year for Valentine's Day, my husband purchased a bouquet of stargazers, gave me a card telling me how everything I do everyday is why he loved me, and ran me a bath with lavenders and candles set up all around the bathtub.  I had had a long work day and the bath that he ran was the best Valentine's Day gift I had ever received.  The card and the flowers were the bonus.  Not everything has to have an expensive price tag on it to impress.

So, first instead of buying those $50 roses, why not buy her a seasonal flower bouquet that is beautiful and inexpensive or her favorite flowers.  Flowers that found to be perfect gift flowers are Asiatic lilies (stargazers) and daffodils.  Another understated flower is the forget me not.  If you pair them with violets, they make for a beautiful (inexpensive) arrangement and because the forget me nots come in white, blue and pink and the violets come in purple, pink, and white; you can pair them well with each other.   

You have the flowers, so it's time to buy the jewelry... an awesome place to get a necklace, ring, or earrings that's just off the beaten path, would be a pawn shop.  Pawn shops offer a variety of jewelry and watches for as much as 50% less than you would spend in a conventional jewelry store.  So you have the flowers delivered to her at home or work so that the anticipation is building up for the evening.  When you pick her up for you date, instead of taking her to the many chain restaurants (yes we saw the dinner special on the commercials and there is one on every other corner) take the time out to explore some great local owned business in your area.  Many of these "home grown" restaurants are very tasty and a fraction of the cost of the chain restaurants.  Houston and its surrounding areas offer many local eats. 

Another romantic option to going out and dealing with crowds of people all trying to celebrate Valentine's Day is to cook a nice romantic dinner for two at home.  For those who do not possess culinary skills, its ok, you can buy the food and put it on serving trays way before she arrives home.  In this circumstance its all about the presentation.  So you light some candles, pour some wine, and remember to pull out the chair for when she sits down.  Most local dollar stores sell candles in an array of shapes and sizes.  And when you give her that necklace or engagement ring, it will be the BONUS to the best Valentine's Day ever.

--Brides Made Consulting is where dreams live and brides are made.

The Precious and Semi Precious Age

Birthstones are considered that month's lucky charm and most are said to have healing powers that are heightened during their particular month. There are (as I learned) a few birthstone charts.The four common are the Modern, Traditional, Mystical and Ayurvedic Indian Medicine list.
The Modern list was adopted in 1912 by the American National Association of Jewelers.
The Traditional list dates back to the 15th century and are said to be named after the twelve gems on Aaron's breastplate.

The Mystical list is of Tibetan origin from over 1,000 years ago. The Ayurvedic is also over 1,000 years old and is associated with the Ayurvedic Indian Medicine.
January's birthstone is garnet and for the Mystical birthstone, it is emerald. Both stones are considered to have powers of purification and providing guidance and protection.
Garnet is also the traditional second anniversary gemstone.

--Brides Made Consulting is where dreams live and brides are made.

Purely February

February was introduced on the Roman calendar when they extended the calender from ten months to twelve.  I was added with January.  It comes from the word 'februa' which means purification or cleansing.  It is no wonder that the birthstone for February is the Amethyst which comes from the Greek word 'amethystos' which means sober.  The amethyst is believed to bring peace and calm to you and during this month its powers are heightened.  Amethyst is the traditional stone for the sixth wedding anniversary.

Amethyst was once considered more valuable than diamonds.  Because at one time purple dye was rare and expensive, it was reserved for royalty and the color purple came to symbolize power and prestige.  That's why amethyst with its hue ranging from lilac to black purple, can be found in the British Crown Jewels.  Ancient Egyptians and Greeks, also, adorned themselves with the gemstone.  The Greeks associated the gemstone with the god of wine and believed if you wore the gemstone or drank from a amethyst cup, it would ward off intoxication and overindulgence. 

The Greeks, also believed that an amethyst would sober the effect on those "drunk" on lover's passion.  Maybe another reason it's so fittingly February's birthstone.

Alternately, the Mystical Birthstone for the month of February is the Bloodstone.  The bloodstone is believed to increase courage and strength, and enhance self-esteem and self-appreciation.  It was thought to have the power to stop bleeding just by touching the stone and was said to heal a broken heart. 

The ancient Egyptians used the bloodstone to increase their strength and defeat their enemies magically.  In India today, powdered bloodstone is used as an aphrodisiac and in traditional medicines.

Just as the amethyst under the pillow is said to induce sweet dreams, the bloodstone is said to revitalize and induce dreaming.

The Zodiac for January 21-February 18 Aquarius (Air)  February 19-March 20 Pisces (Water)

Aquarius are erratic, unpredictable, stubborn, self-reliant, and philanthropic.  They can be interesting to be around because of their adventurous and active nature, but they become quite serious and sulky.  Aquarius are also very sensitive by nature.

Pisces are caring, artistic, perceptive, sensible and good-natured.  They have great imaginations that are perfect for story-telling.  Their capacity for love and their depth of understanding come from their highly sensitive nature.  Pisces seem to have a dual personality and are extremely compassionate and helpful.

--Brides Made Consulting is where dreams live and brides are made.

49 Raven Super Bowl Ideas

The Super Bowl is one the most anticipated sporting events of the year.  It is also the second biggest grilling day in the United States (second to July 4^th).  Here are 49 Ways to make you Super Bowl Party the best party outside of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

FOOD:

1.       You can start the party with games in prep for the big game.  When your guests come in, have them guess who will be the winner of the Super Bowl and what the score will be.  The winner gets a prize to end the night off great.
2.       Mini taco bowls—these are Tostitos “Scoops!” stuffed with refried beans, taco meat, shredded cheese, salsa (you can add sour cream and guacamole for those who like it)
3.       Spinach dip inside of a loaf of Hawaiian bread
4.       Seven-layer dip—this is a great dip because it takes about ten minutes to make (you can use ready-made ingredients) and can be kept at room temperature.
5.       Deviled Eggs
6.       Quesadillas—the best thing about these are that they can be cheese, veggie, or any meat so that your guest have a variety to choose from.
7.       My grandmother’s mustard potato salad recipe

Ingredients:

5lb bag of potatoes                8 boiled eggs                1/4 tsp paprika

1tbsp finely chopped onion    ¼ cup sweet relish        1½ cup Miracle Whip

       ¼ cup of mustard                ½tsp sugar                    a pinch of accent

Boil the potatoes and eggs.  Drain the potatoes and set into serving bowl.   Chop six of the eggs and slice the other two.  Add the chopped onion, sweet relish, Miracle Whip, mustard, sugar, accent, and chopped eggs to the bowl of potatoes.  Stir the mixer together (but not too much to mash the potatoes).  Put the sliced eggs across the top of the potato salad and sprinkle paprika over that.  Set in the refrigerator for four hours.

8.       Hot wings—these can be store bought or you can use your imagination on seasonings.
9.       Nachos
10.   Hamburgers and sliders—I love the sliders for game day because they’re so much easier to handle.
11.   Submarine sandwiches
12.   Ribs—they can be pork or beef ribs
13.   For those who have stuck to their resolutions, you can have healthier food choices you by substituting the ingredients of any of the recipes or foods above.  You can, also, add fruit trays made up of any of your favorite fruits.
14.   Jicama stick with low-fat ranch
15.   Veggie tray
16.   Cracker tray—most crackers have wheat alternatives.
17.   Veggie pinwheels
       Ingredients:
      16oz low-fat softened cream cheese    1tbsp lemon juice       1 minced garlic clove
      ½cup grated carrot                     ½cup chopped bell pepper      ½ cup thawed peas
      1 cup chopped steamed broccoli           6 (8in) flour tortillas

In a blend the cream cheese, lemon juice, paprika, garlic, with a pinch of salt and pepper (for taste).  Fold into the vegetables.  Spread the mixture across each tortilla leaving an inch at the top.  Starting from the bottom, roll the tortillas up tightly.  Slice each tortilla crossways to make the desired amount of pinwheels.

18.   Kale Chips—a great alternative to potato chips.
       Ingredients:
       1 bunch of kale         1tbsp olive oil    sea salt and pepper to taste
 
Preheat oven to 275 degree F.  Remove stalks and ribs from kale, rinse and dry leaves. 
Toss  leaves in olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  Arrange leaves on a baking sheetand bake for 30 minutes or until they are crisp.  Let them cool on a wire rack or paper towel.
19.   Sun-dried tomato and chili walnut layered dip
20.   Mango red pepper salsa
21.   The tried and true favorite of popcorn—it’s a very healthy game day snack if you skip the butter.
22.   Everyone loves to drink and if you choose to ditch the alcohol, there are great alternatives such as raspberry lemonade, bloody Mary, and punch.  My favorite punch is the one my mother made for us during the summer.  She took frozen sherbet (whatever flavor we asked for) mixed it with 7-up and fruit juice.
23.   For those who have chosen to drink, if you’re getting away from beer, there are some great mixes like Tropical Hooter
24.   Diamond Margarita
25.   Kamikaze
26.   Jell-O Shots
27.   Starry Night Shot
28.   Being a good host or hostess means making sure that those in your home drink responsibly so that everyone gets home safely from the Super Bowl.    
29.   Stop serving drinks at least an hour before the end of the party.
30.   Give your guest food and a non-alcoholic beverage before you start serving alcohol.
31.   Make sure that your guests have a designated driver or offer somewhere in your home for the guest to sleep.
32.   Check with your local taxi companies because sometimes they offer free rides for those who cannot drive.
33.   Know when your guests have had too much and don’t be afraid to cut them off.
34.   Offer water as a drink alternative and make sure that your guests are eating.
35.   Use more of the mixer than you use of alcohol in any mix drinks.
36.   If your city taxi companies do not offer free rides, offer cab fare to make sure your guests get home safely.
37.   Don not top off your guests drinks.  Allow them to completely empty one drink before starting another.
38.   Lastly, if you see that a guest is intoxicated and refusing a ride home, TAKES THEIR KEYS.

Decorations:

39.   Now that you have the food and drinks for your Super Bowl party, it’s time to decorate.  First, you can make (or purchase if you’re not crafty) paper pom-poms. 
40.   Give your beverages an added pop with beverage tags.  You can but tags that have the different positions of the players (Wide Receiver, Quarterback, etc.) and each guest name can go across the back.
41.   You can decorate with streamers and balloons with either your favorite team’s colors or you can have a “home” and “visitor” theme with both team’s colors.
42.   You can decorate your buffet table with a green plastic table cloth (found in most Dollar Stores) and draw white yard lines to complete the look.
43.   By adding football shaped plates, it will set the mood for a great Super Bowl party.
44.   If you have children who are in football, you can use their helmets (if you don’t have children, sports stores have them year round) for centerpieces.
45.   By using felt or construction paper, you can make a team banner that can hang over your buffet table and even from the ceiling.
46.   You can print out pictures of your favorite players, use cut-outs of footballs, and logos from each team and stable or glue the items to curling ribbons and hang them from the ceiling.
47.   Go to your local crafts store and pick up referee figuring and put them around the food so that it gives your guest a feeling of getting ready for some football.
48.   If you have time you can use wheat grass to simulate a field and add football shaped cake pops into the “field” as an inordinate centerpiece.
49.    If you have the drive but not the time, you can always call Brides Made Consulting (within the Houston Area) and we will be happy to come out and set up for you. By calling 713) 514-5718 or 832) 290-9161.

--Brides Made Consulting is where dreams live and brides are made.

Happy Birthday

With this being the beginning of a new year, it's also the beginning of a new age. My children have started telling me what they want for their birthday party and the nearest birthday is at least two months away.
My youngest daughter loves Hello Kitty, tea parties, and beauty pageants so she has decided she wants a Hello Kitty tea party pageant for her birthday. My oldest son says he wants to bring sports day to his party. This got me to thinking about birthday ideas (conventional and unconventional).
After the hit show My Super Sweet Sixteen, birthday parties have changed from the hot dog and nachos with a moonwalk to these extraveganzas. So for my daughter's very unconventional birthday party, everything will decorated with Hello Kitty and we will have activities set up based on pageant categories. Such as the Beauty category, there will be hair and makeup and for talent category, there will be a dance instruction.
These are some ideas for your child's birthday but whatever you do, you should take into consideration your child's age, interests, fears, and most importantly your BUDGET. 
Depending on how old your child and the child's guests are, you may not want to go too over the top. If your child has certain characters they love you should include them into the theme. Be careful though because if you have your child's favorite character there but your child is fearful of large strangers, they will be scared of the character. I found this out when my daughter wanted Dora the Explorer at her birthday, I wanted to make her so happy just for her to scream in terror and now she hates Dora.
My biggest demand is that all events stay within my budget and I am open to ideas that will accomplish that.  I have made cake pops and cupcakes myself in order to save on a baker.  But if you know someone who would be willing to do it as a gift for your child, that is great. Sometimes having activities set up is more cost efficient than a moonwalk. My children had a Micheal Jackson Experience station, a Archery area, and a tatoo station set up at one birthday party. This required two televisions, water, and removable tatoos. The children loved it and it was cost efficient. You can also buy popcorn or cotton candy machines at stores such as Wal-Mart or Target or on their websites.
Remember that every new year is important and every detail can make your event stand out over the rest. I will post pictures from my youngest daughter's party in March.
Good luck and happy planning.

--Brides Made Consulting is where dreams live and brides are made.

I Just Want my Name

With all the excitement surrounding finding Mr. Right and getting engaged then the wedding itself, somethings are overlooked.  One of the things people take for granted is the name change.  Do you change your last name?  Do you hyphenate?  How do you go about changing your name?  Do you have to change your name right away?

First is will the blushing bride actually change her name?  This can be contingent on several factors... her career, children, school, and her feelings on the subject.  In the United States (and growing rapidly in other countries) the divorce rate is so extremely high that you have to consider what to do if the love fades.  The trend of getting married later in life means that the couple has begun their careers before marriage and some have already had children. 

Traditionally, the woman changes her last name to that of her new husband but in recent years, more women have decided to either keep their last name or hyphenate the two names.  One of the factors going into that decision is due to the fact that as she has already gotten her degree and started her career, it is more convenient to maintain the identity that she is known by. 

When you have gotten degrees such as doctorates and law doctorates, it is hard to get the name changed on the degree and if the love fades and divorce happens, it's even harder to change the last name back to your maiden.  With the blended family where their are children who are coming into the marriage with you, it may be easier to keep the maiden name for school purposes.  But the most important deciding factor in the matter is the couples feelings on the matter of name change.  It could be a source of tension if the husband wants the wife to change her last name and she is not willing to without a really great excuse as to why not.

Then when you've decided on the name, how do you go about changing it if you wish to do so?  You will have to go to the social security office to have your name changed there before you can even change it on your license.  When you go to the Social Security Administration, they will notify the IRS so that you will not have to worry about your refund being rejected due to incorrect information.  You will be able, in most cases, present your new social security card at your bank to have the named changed with your institution.  Most credit cards will change your name with this document as well. 

After changing with the social security office, your should go to the department of motor vehicles in your state so that your driver's license can be updated.  While there, you can change your voter's registration card information.  This will make it easier to change information with your bank and credit card companies.  You may find this a good time to update your passport as well.

Inform the post office of your name change, and in cases when you both are moving into a new address, you can give them your name change so that they can forward your mail and have your new moniker. 

You will have to inform your employer of the name change so that it can be reflected on your payroll and deductions.  While you are there, you may want to update your insurance and beneficiaries on your work policies.  If you have additional policies outside of your employer, you may want to update those as well as your auto, home, and life policies.

You need to inform lenders of your new name so that your credit report can be up-to-date if it becomes necessary to have a credit check done, such as for a new house.  While speaking of lenders and homes, you should also notify these other people of your name change such as your mortgage company, doctor's office, professional licensing boards (the case if you're a doctor or lawyer, etc.), investments, your attorney (in case you did not contact him before the wedding), utility companies, and alumni association.

After, you take care of all the important updates, you can change your name with little fanfare as miscellaneous accounts come around.

There are so many companies that will send you information about doing the name changes for you for a small fee.  But, honestly, it is relatively easy to get the name change on all documents within a week and you don't have to give out your personal information unnecessarily. 

No matter if you change your name, hyphenate, or keep your original surname, make sure that the name that matters most to you is "his wife". 
 
--Brides Made Consulting is where dreams live and brides are made.

Winter's a Wonderland

You may hear more about June weddings or the beauty of flowers in bloom during the spring because these are the popular times of year for weddings.  Winter weddings aren’t as popular, but they can provide a great, backdrop to any event as well as a cheaper price tag.  January is after the winter holidays but before the bridal season kicks in making it an ideal time of year to get married.  Venues have more availability and there are so many themes you can choose from. 

Winter is a wonderful time to have a black and white formal wedding because the season lends itself to the beauty of a black tie, sit down dinner with all the trimmings.  Gem stones can lend themselves to the wedding colors and décor.  Flowers may vary depending on what region you are in but great winter flowers include tulips, roses, orchids and lilies to name a few.

Winter events are idyllic for using ice sculptures and vases for centerpieces.  Escort cards can be complimented by using mini sleighs, branches that are painted in white with crystals, or even using thick branches with cuts in them to hold the cards in place.

Cocktail hour can include warm drinks such as Hot Toddy, White Hot Chocolate, Eggnog (which is usually found ONLY in winter months), or to spice it up a little, the bar can offer Hot Sake.  This is also a great time of year to play up the wedding cake.  You can add rich colored gems or brush it with silver to give it a diamond look and add beautiful but unusual toppers such as pinecones and berries, a sleigh ride, and even Frosty and his wife.  The choices are endless. 

At the end of the reception, why jet off to the Caribbean when you can keep the winter wonderland going by lounging at a resort, skiing during the day and nestling close to each other with a warm drink by a beautiful fire overlooking those slopes at night.

Of course winter is a wonderland... and I wonder what you'll find to spruce up your winter event.

--Brides Made Consulting is where dreams live and brides are made.

Event(Full)

We know that planning any event can be time consuming and at times a little overwhelming.  That is the great thing about having an event coordinator doing it for you.  You tell the coordinator what you want and the coordinator DEMANDS it from your vendors. 

But there are times that you may not believe you need a coordinator like for birthday parties.  You may say "I'm just getting a moonwalk, hot dogs and treat bags."  That's an event and trying to get everything set up and make sure that the vendor is there on time is taxing. 

My kids decided that they wanted a carnival for their birthdays last year.  Do you know how hard it is to organize a carnival?  Did you know that you need special permits to do moonwalks or anything other than food at public parks?  These are the times when you can call an event coordinator to help iron out the red tape.

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and if you're thinking about asking that special someone a very special question, you may want to do it differently than taking them out to eat and dropping a ring in the dessert or champagne.  You may want to organize something unique and intimate.  That's where an event coordinator comes in and all you do is show up.  Whether it's decorating your home and have a chef come in to prepare a favorite meal or if it's finding the perfect restaurant to have a couples evening, a coordinator is always nearby to make sure the dream you have is the reality before you.


Valentine's Day Tip #1:
If going out for the evening, be sure to make reservations at least three weeks in advance because this is one of the busiest nights for restaurants and seating may be limited or the wait extended.

--Brides Made Consulting is where dreams live and brides are made.

Meet the Jack Family

Brides Made Consultanting is family owned and operated by myself and my husband.  My name is Z. Cherron and my husband is Joseph.  We are the Jacks.  We have over ten years of experience planning fundraisers and special events. We have worked with wonderful organizations such as Houston Community College Northeast, UNICEF, and the Houston Food Bank. 

One of the greatest events we had the pleasure of planning was our own wedding in 2011.  We are looking forward to planning your next great event or just helping you get started.  I will blog about relationships, make-up tips, and the small things you should keep in mind when planning an event.  I'll even let you in on the good, the bad, and the insanity that went into planning our own wedding. 

My very first tip to you is NEVER BE YOUR OWN COORDINATOR for your wedding.  With all the things going on the day of the event, you will miss the most important parts... the laughs, the hugs, and the kisses.


--Brides Made Consulting is where dreams live and brides are made.