Tuesday, March 31, 2015

13/52 (part one) - March 23rd : Bowling

Happy Birthday, to my favorite brother!!! (I only have one.) We went bowling. I'd never been bowling before, and it was a ton of fun!! (even if I started off the morning with crying. way to go, lottie.) Also, a quick disclaimer: the lighting was terrible & also I did not take all of these photos.




THESE SHOES ARE SERIOUSLY REALLY COOL!!! They're like, cute, in their ugliness. ;D

It was not my spare. I think it was my younger sisters. I don't know. I don't remember. I will say that I did get two strikes so yay for me (though in between there were turns and turns of gutter-balls. ah, life.)



Enjoy your March!! It's almost gone!!! (:

Friday, March 27, 2015

Fabulous Friday : Graduation Party Playlist Tips

So here we are. It's party time!!

 Quick Disclaimer: I love party music, but my idea of of "party music" is Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Do You Wanna Dance? by the Beach Boys. Secondly, I don't have a ton of experience with playlists for graduation parties, but I do have experience with parties, playlists, and such. If I use a lot of "WE"s and "I"s, please bear with me. It's all I have to work with! (:
1. Consider whom you are going to invite, then base your playlist off that.
Also, consider what time of day (see #2). I know a lot of people have friends who are all okay with whatever kind of music. I don't. A lot of my friend just listen to christian music. and don't get me wrong, I don't listen to a lot of stuff I could (language is off limits, as well as some topics), but there's no use offending people, just so that I can have music to play for a party (that no one will really listen to. Let's be honest, and get it right out in the open: This is a playlist for ME--and the party girl, in this case--maybe to look back on in the next few years, but this isn't really for people to listen to DURING the party. Because who listens to it, anyway. --> See #3)

2. When?
Will it be played & also what time of day? For us, it was all day. Background music for the whole party. What time of day will it be? is something serious to consider. You definitely play different music depending on the day/night time so take that into consideration!

3. Repeat?
Consider the number of songs you want. We had a good fifty songs on the playlist. But it was a four hour party (open house, it ended late), and we planned on it going late. So we put it on loop and crossed our fingers that the people coming at the beginning of the party would not still be listening close enough by the end of the party to actually hear anything. I think we fooled them.

4. Organize!
My sister wanted to just put it on randomizer, but for me that wasn't a thing. Who wants Celebrate next to This Time Next Year (Fernando Ortega)? So I organized it. Loosely, but it was still organized. I started out with the party songs, got into more whimsical (Wildest Dreams, Somewhere Over The Rainbow), and ended with What A Wonderful World...and then we were back to Celebrate. Not bad, right? End the night with a bang! (Okay, it was 5:30 PM when the last guest left...)

5. Mix it up! Play different genres.
They don't all have to be one style AT ALL. We started with songs that were fun to dance to, songs she liked, songs she thought symbolized her growing-up years, and we went on from there. We didn't use every song we knew, and we certainly trimmed and tidied up the playlist some, but it was loose. It was for us, so no big (see #7).

6. Background or main entertainment?
Most people want background...If you're having an after hours pool party or something, you might want to consider, is it background or main entertainment? Either way; make sure it's not too loud, and it's not too quiet.

7. It doesn't have to be perfect. It should be fun.
Well, really, it should be YOU! If you're a perfect person, make it perfect. If you're a no-fun sorta person (haha, how could you still be reading this if that were you??) The most important thing is this: it should reflect who you are.
...And ya know what, if you're not a multiple-genre-sorta-gal (or guy), then ditch #5. Unorganized? Then don't organize it. The idea is, make it YOU!!

Need ideas? Personal favorites ((graduation party)):
(all of the following can be found on Grooveshark for free)
Celebrate - KC and the Sunshine Band
Do You Wanna Dance? - the Beach Boys
We Got The Beat - Go Gos
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Fun, Fun, Fun - Beach Boys
All Over The World - ELO
On Top Of The World - Imagine Dragons
Melody - Kate Earl
Safe and Sound - Capital Cities
Good Time - Owl City/Carly Rae Jepson
**The Nights - Avicii**
Geronimo - Sheppard
Big Blue Wave - Hey Ocean!
Hello, Goodbye - Beatles
**Young Hearts - Strange Talks**
We Gonna Make You A Star - Lee Mead
Be True To Your School - Beach Boys
**See You On The Moon - Great Lake Swimmers**
Good Vibrations - Beach Boys
Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) - Green Day
**So Young - The Corrs**
**Don't Worry Child - Swedish House Mafia**
Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley
**This Time Next Year - Fernando Ortega**
Let Mercy Lead - Rich Mullens
Scenic Route - Lost Dogs
**The Circle Game - Jodi Mitchell**
House That Built Me - Miranda Lambert
Cats In The Cradle - Harry Chapin
Wildest Dreams - Moody Blues
**Do It Again - Beach Boys**
**Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong**
----------------------------------------
**Favorite of the Favorites
I'd love to hear about your search for the perfect music (for any party)!! Share in the comments!! (:

Thursday, March 26, 2015

12/52 (part two) - March 21st : Par-tay!

You know that graduation party I've been talking about lately? Well, guess what!! It happened!! It was a ton of fun (and I wasn't even graduating!) I set up games downstairs and blared music (playlist here!), and we had the best food/decorations. For reals. ;)




See that scrabble board back there? Those are our names (the last one is our last name). Mine is the second one across (my real name is charlotte, if anyone was wondering.) Pretty cool, right?








I hope you guys have an awesome weekend! Tell me if you want to know about any aspect of the party (e.g., how we planned the decorations in one week, how we made all the food the day of, the day before, or the day before that, menu planning, recipes, playlist tips, etc. I'm here for you!) Do you have a graduation coming up? What tips would you give for a party goer or planner? 

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

12/52 (part one) - March 16th : Camping!

Last week we made our first real steps toward summer! We camped outside (on the deck, but I wasn't even in a tent.) for the first time!! Ready for summer? I think yes. Now, just for baseball to start...





Shooting in low light is hard (the sun was already down, but still. I managed. I mean...It's not exactly brain surgery.) Also, so can setting up a tent. (:
Hope you guys have an awesome rest of the week! I'm off to watch Rear Window (get this...IN THEATER. baby.)

Friday, March 20, 2015

Fabulous Fridays : Inspiration {part three}

Remember this series? (part one and two) I'm finishing it up now. Endings are always sad, aren't they? Well, who knows. Maybe I'll write a part three {continued}. But for now, this will be it. Enjoy!
 1. Good Lighting
Can I get an amen? Let's be honest. Good lighting makes me want to...to...well, I don't know. Jump for joy or something. Well, at any rate, take a picture. or two. or eight.
2. Scarves
I know this is super girly of me, but accessories make me want to go find good lighting and take a picture. This is sounding really familiar. Am I ripping off someone else's words??
3. Tea (preferably before the fire)
I am a sucker for a good cup of tea. It makes me want to go and create, create, create!!
4. Did I say BOOKS?
*coughcoughHmmMmmYes*
5. Shopping
This is me on my last shopping spree. See all that white? That's a petticoat. It's beautiful.

What makes you happy?