Planning a Successful Event

This is an introduction to planning and executing a successful event. I will be picking one event type per edition. The first edition is on Furniture hire and rental.

So you think hiring furniture is easy? The short answer to this is yes it can be. There are however some easily made mistakes you need to take into account.

The fist of these is price; you really do need to shop around. Prices can vary supplier to supplier. The lowest price is however not always the best deal overall. As a general guideline, in London, you should be looking to pay around 90 pence - 1.20 for a standard folding chair. These are easily stack-able and therefore very easy to store 500 in a small space. A mid priced Banqueting / conference chair will set you back anything from 1.60 - 2.40. That 80 pence difference would normally be dependent on the amount that you intend to hire. Always negotiate with the supplier, you will never know until you try. One thing I have learned in my 30 odd years in this industry, everything is negotiable.

Always inquire about delivery and collection of your hire goods. It is no small thing collection 500 chairs and transporting them across London.

As a general rule you would be able to fit about 400 folding chairs into a large transit type van. The same sized van would only accommodate about 200 banqueting chairs. For this reason, delivery and collection prices can be substantial part of your order. In London a Transit van complete with driver costs over 700.00 per week to keep on the road. Each of these vehicles will only complete about 4 deliveries or collections a day. If you do the math that means each delivery actually costs the company 35.00. With that in mind anything below that figure and you have a good deal. On larger orders you can expect a 7.5 tonne lorry to turn up. A 7.5tonne vehicle generally would cost the company around 50.00 per delivery. You should now be getting an idea of what you will be paying for delivery. NEGOTIATE!

Always check with the Hire Company how long their standard rental is. You are most often offered only a minimal 24 hour rate while others will allow you 72 hours for the same fee. Always check that you will have enough time to set-up and dismantle you event without inuring extra fees.

The last thing you will need to know is how old is the furniture I am hiring? You need to know this as; there is nothing worse than dirty old event furniture. As a general rule anything over six months old will be sub standard.

Collecting And Trading Personalized Buttons

Personalized buttons make a statement, whether it is about one's business, personal history, or one's beliefs and interests. They are a way of stating "This is who I am, this is what I care about."

Though the modern use of buttons typically advertises business or group affiliations, historically they have been used for many purposes, and collecting these items has developed into a subculture and big business.

A Brief History

Buttons first came into use during the late 1700s, and for a century were used mainly during political campaigns to show party affiliation and candidate preference. Each candidate or party had buttons made up to hand out to supporters. They were a convenient and very mobile way of advertising in the days before electronic media made mass advertising possible.

Before long, marketing experts saw the potential of this medium in everyday promotion of goods, and soon buttons depicting everything from brands to businesses to cartoon characters began to appear.

Today they are a staple at trade shows, organizational meetings, carnivals, and shops. The nostalgic value of buttons has created a demand among collectors from all over the world. There are many web sites devoted to listing, valuing, and advertising buttons by their level of desirability and demand.

Buttons for Collecting and Trading

Buttons as collectibles fall into several different categories: their historic value, nostalgia factor, or personal value, though many buttons are all of these things.

Historic value:

These are typically buttons that commemorate a significant event in history, such as presidential campaigns, major events in history, and military buttons.

Nostalgia factor:

Nostalgia factor is usually relevant to a particular time period or event that is collectively remembered. A very popular example of this is the yellow smiley-face pins from the 1970s. Other examples include:

- Major festivals, such as Woodstock.
- Political conventions.
- Movie openings or art exhibits.
- Cartoon characters.
- Sporting events, such as the Olympic Games or World Series.
- Companies and brands, especially early advertisements, or companies that are no longer in business.

Personal value:

These are buttons that mean something special to the collector, whether it is a collection of buttons depicting a favorite band, a hobby, a sports team, or a cause.

How to Collect Buttons

Some people begin to collect buttons quite by accident. They see a button they like or that has meaning to them, and their collection just mushrooms from there.

If one decides to take up button collecting as a hobby, it is best to take an organized approach. This is for the purpose of display, upkeep, and ease in trading.

Here are some tips on collecting and trading buttons:

- Decide on the focus of your collection, the more specialized it is, the greater the personal and monetary value.
- A cork or foam board is best for displaying a collection. Buttons attach securely, they are light-weight and portable, and the collector can switch out and rotate the display items easily.
- Before you trade, know the value of what you have.
- Learn the etiquette of trade and swap events; Disney has an entire booklet and how, when, and where to trade their items. There are web sites that offer guidelines for the beginning trader.

Whether used to show off family and loved ones, advertise or a collection started for nostalgic purposes, personalized buttons are a fun item to keep, collect, and trade with others who share the same interests.

Top Dog Food Brands of 2012

In order for owners to select the best food for their dog, they must comprehend the differentiations between high and low quality dog foods. There is no doubt that an abundance of dog foods displays the label "complete and well balanced." However, your pet will only flourish on diets rich in quality ingredients that enhance or optimize their ancestral diets more densely.

What Makes a Good Dog Food?

Good food for dogs will consist of natural fats and oils, contains meat based protein, and is free of chemical flavors, preservatives, colors, and byproducts. In addition, it is qualified to meet your dog's nutritional requirements.

Below you will find a list of several top dog foods for 2012. These brands were chosen on how well they compare with the idyllic food for dogs. Ratings are founded on the caliber of each brand's ingredient quality, and the real experiences of those who have fed these brands to their pets.

Top Dog Food Brands 2012

-Orijen
Orijen receives high marks for ingredients and nutritional substance. Its foremost ingredients consist of all meals or meat, poultry or fish. For instance, their "Six Fish" formula includes walleye, fresh salmon, salmon meal, herring, and herring meal with zero byproducts. Following processing, all formulas are supplemented with pro-biotics that enhance the digestive and immune system.

-Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo utilizes natural ingredients including "Life Source Bits." These kibble-bits consist of dynamic antioxidants and nutrients that are "cold produced" to sustain their nutritional properties. In fact, Blue Buffalo produces multiple assortments of foods to fulfill the different requirements of each dog counting grain free foods.

The initial ingredient in the majority of their dog foods are meat proteins like chicken, turkey, or fish, ensued by standard supplies of carbohydrates consisting of barley, oatmeal, rye, and whole-ground brown rice. A few formulas contain divisive ingredients such as carrageen and canola oil; however, in minimal amounts.

-The Honest Kitchen
The Honest Kitchen dog food contains such high quality ingredients that they petitioned the FDA for a "human grade" endorsement, and it was approved! Manufactured in the United States, Honest Kitchen is a privately operated and owned company where human food is produced as well. Their food is dehydrated, and water must be applied to re-hydrate it, or it can be utilized as a food supplement. In addition, Honest Kitchen uses no fillers, and foods include an adequate sum of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Much of their dog foods contain fruits and vegetables that are beneficial to your dog's health.

-Weruva
Weruva "Human Style" dog food is a meat-centered, zero grain, wet product that utilizes an abundant quantity of high-quality meats as its core basis of animal protein. Void of any kind of plant supported protein enhancers; Weruva is a wet-food consisting of a rich amount of meat. Dog owners that prefer to imitate a dog's "natural ancestral diet," should select Weruva.

Conclusion

Other brands that meet the overall nutritional standards of a well balanced diet for your dog are Taste of the Wild, Natural Balance, Kirkland, Halo, and Acana. These all contain superb nutrition for your dog's daily diet.

Keep in mind that no dog food exist that is perfect for every stage of your dog's life. Therefore, be sure to choose wisely and check with your veterinarian if you are unsure.

The Fifty Shades Of Grey Effect!

The Ripple (or Domino) Effect-- ever heard of it? An effect that is sparked by a single event or person and leads others to follow or events to take place. Fifty Shades of Grey has sparked a series of domino effects. For one, it has led stay at home moms and the traditional woman to voice their needs and desires more in the bedroom. Many mother support groups, women's online communities, and neighborhood book clubs have voiced the impact that this book has had within their own relationships and sex lives as it has stirred up a desire, a notion, a fantasy, that maybe not everything in life has to be mundane and predictable. Maybe there are aspects of one's adult life that can be new, fun, and exciting. Fifty Shades of Grey has caused a domino effect in bringing wants, desires, and voices to be heard by women in the bedroom.

Another effect that Fifty Shades of Grey has had on society is not only sparking new conversation, but bringing forth the work of other brilliant authors. Fifty Shade's of Grey sales topping over 20 million has caused a ripple effect and spoke in sales of Tallis Scholars' book from the Renaissance era, "Spem in Alium" which is a forty part motet that had very provocative and sexual scenes, themed very similar to that of the fictional characters E.L. James created-- Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey. Who would have thought that Summer 2012's most sexual and entertaining steamy series would recreate a new success and interest in a fifty part series that is over four hundred years old?

The success of this book series continues to climb. E.L. James remains to be thankful and grateful for the book's success and tweets daily about her excursions all over the world for her book signing, leaving "Laters Baby" pins at her signings and keeping track of the fans' excursions and photos with them.

While the book continues to break records, the anticipation of the movie casting continues to make us anxiously await the roles that we've read about and fantasied about for so long. E.L. James has tweeted that the movie is far from being released but we can't wait to hear the latest movie news (hopefully) end of this week. EL James never expected the book to be this popular and with the up coming movie some say it will be even bigger than the book sales. We will have to wait and see in 2013.

Don't Make Writing That Novel a Someday Thing

Not long ago, at the recent O'Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing conference in New York City, Bob Young, founder and CEO of Lulu, a web-based personal publishing service, said, "We've seen a huge increase in people who meant to write a book and now are unemployed and are writing the book."

As an agent and novelist, I think this is great. These people are finally able to pursue their writing dreams; something good has come out of something bad.

But I think it's sad, too.

Why is writing a novel so often a "someday" thing? You know, that guy who comes up to you at a party and says he's got a great book in him and will get it down on paper someday. Just doesn't have the time now.

Or that woman who says she's looking forward to starting her novel when she's retired... in approximately fourteen years.

Obviously there's something holding these people back. The message seems to be that if they can't write full-time, they won't write at all.

I have to laugh about that. I have never written full-time, and neither have most of the writers I represent. Some of them couldn't afford to write full-time; others wouldn't want to. They tell me they need the everyday interaction of working, of being out in the world, to fuel their fiction writing. I feel the same way. Most of my writing ideas came to me the week before.

Are you one of those people who say they'll tackle that novel someday?

If you are, what's holding you back? Why can't you start it now? You really should, because none of us is getting any younger, and though you don't like to admit it, fate may not cooperate with your plans. Even if you're not ill or worse, you might find yourself just as busy in retirement as you are now. Life has a way of doing that.

So let's look at the obstacles and try to knock them down so that you can experience the joy of being a novelist now.

Fear of rejection. This is the biggie. You'll put all that effort into a novel, only to have agents and/or editors turn it down, and your baby will never see the light of day. Sorry, that's not a good excuse anymore, because this is the age of personal publishing, micro-publishing, print-on-demand-call it what you like, there's now a whole slew of outfits waiting to help you publish your book well and inexpensively.

The long tail has come to the world of books. I think we all pretty much recognize that the New York publishers are good at certain kinds of books, such as major mass-market-type books, and not so good at others, such as special-interest, not-such-a-large-audience type books. Thousands of people are now getting their novels finished and published and into the hands of grateful readers, thanks to this new technology. Gone are the days of having to print 5,000 copies of your book and store them in the garage. Print-on-demand means that when an order for a book comes in, that book is printed. That's right: one book. Which means no inventory, as we in the business call it, to get or moldy under the work bench.

Lack of technical skill. You feel you're not ready. You don't yet have the skills you need to write that book the way it should be written. Well, if you expect to have those skills by the time you're ready to start writing, you're in for a sad surprise, because if you don't take measures to get those skills, you'll be just as unready then as you are now.

Take a writing course, either at a college or online. Join a writers group. Attend writers conferences. Form a critique group. Find a writing buddy. All of these things can help you acquire the skills you need or improve the ones you've got.

Another option is to hire a freelance editor, or "book doctor." In this age of layoffs, more fine editors than ever are hanging out their shingles as freelancers. Think about it: You could have as your editor the same person a #1 New York Times bestselling author had a year ago. Granted, some of these book doctors can be expensive, but often they are willing to work with you on a step-by-step basis; for example, starting with an analysis of your manuscript, later moving on to suggestions for revisions, then reviewing your revisions, and so on. These days, everyone wants to work out a deal.

Lack of time. If you've still got your job, you don't have a lot of time. But you do have time. You've got nights and weekends, you may have commuting time if you don't have to drive, and you even have lunchtime. After all, these are the times most of today's published authors get their work done. I run a busy, medium-size literary agency. Do I write during the day? No way. Too busy. I write nights, weekends, and a lot of times I used to watch TV. I've got eight novels published as of this writing, and more in the pipeline. I decided a long time ago that time was not going to be an excuse for me. But it does take a firm commitment.

Lack of an idea. It happens. It's a sort of writer's block before you've even started. "What do I write about?" Ideas are everywhere. The key is to focus on the genre of book you want to write and then come up with ideas that will work in that genre. The reason this is easy is that you should be targeting a genre you love to read, and if you read in a genre, it only stands to reason you'll be pretty familiar with the kinds of ideas that are popping up in these books. More to the point, you'll know what ideas haven't popped up yet. Grab one of them and write it.

Fear of ridicule. This is sort of related to fear of rejection, except that it applies to the time after the book has been published. People won't like your book. Critics will pan it. Your mother will be ashamed/shocked/embarrassed. And you're right! All of these things can and probably will happen, and not just about your first book but about all of them.

Because when you put yourself out there creatively, dare to produce a piece of art for the world to look at and judge, that is always going to happen. Just take a look at the customer reviews on Amazon. I tell the authors I represent not simply to be aware that bad reviews, whether from critics or your family, may happen, but to be aware that they will happen. And then I tell them to start developing that rhino hide writers in it for the long haul develop and get on with it. Again, it's the way the world works. Create something; someone's gonna hate it. But someone else is gonna love it.

Fear of loss of income. Don't expect income from your writing and this will never be a problem. It's when you decide all of a sudden that you're going to make your living as a writer that the problems start. I tell my writers, "Don't quit your day job... yet." If, one day, money starts pouring in-and it sometimes does-then it's a bonus. But don't put that pressure on yourself. See your writing as nothing more than fun. Then I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

So what are your excuses for not starting that novel now-today? Afraid you won't sell it? Don't know how to do it? Don't have time? Don't have an idea? Afraid you'll be a laughingstock? Can't afford it?

Sorry. Those aren't good excuses. In fact, there aren't any good excuses. Don't be that poor soul who comes up to me at parties and says "someday."

Do it now. You deserve it.

Evan Marshall is an internationally recognized expert on fiction writing and author of the Hidden Manhattan and Jane Stuart and Winky mystery series. A former book editor, for 30 years he has been a leading literary agent specializing in fiction. His Marshall Plan Novel Writing Software, co-authored with Martha Jewett, is an adaptation of his bestselling Marshall Plan series and has just been released in a new version for both Windows and Mac. He is the president of the Evan Marshall Agency, a leading literary management firm that represents a number of New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors.

Find a Great Costume for Your Special Event

There is always an occasion in town that calls for theatrical clothing. Whether you're in a stage play, or simply need holiday or festival attire, there are shops that provide a plethora of different costume types for you. It's important to always fit the role of the night. From trick or treating, to Mardi Gras, you will need to have the outfit that is appropriate for the event. Instead of putting together a bunch of cheap materials, visit a shop that specializes in festive getups. With so much material to choose from you are bound to always find what you are looking for.

If you are in a play you will want to be easily identified based on your attire. For instance, if your role to play is a monster, you will want to look exactly like one so that your audience will not be confused. The same goes for any type of role. If your character is an angel or a ghost, you may be tempted to just throw on a white towel or sheet and call it a day. But to keep things professional, you should wear a top notch costume that identifies you in the most amazing way.

Actors are not the only people who dress up in character clothing. There are definitely happenings around town that sometimes require fun and cheerful getups. Certain times of the year, like carnival season call for dress up and a plain good time. And let's not forget Halloween. This fall holiday is a favorite for kids because of the candy and festivities. The biggest part of the holiday for both kids and adults is the opportunity to dress in costume. From witches, to goblins, to superheroes, to other cartoon characters, there are so many things to choose to dress as. Having the right place to purchase costuming material is key! Many people turn to drugstores and department stores at the last minute when needing an outfit. But there are shops that specialize in costuming that can meet all of your needs, whether theatrical or not.

Every now and then you may come across a themed party that calls for a specific attire. Costume parties have always been popular and are still held today. Time specific themes are given all the time like 70s themed parties, or historical themed events. Masquerades are common as well. No matter what the theme, you can always find exactly what you are looking for in the right shop. Imagine attending a Halloween party dressed as a nun and being mistaken for a witch instead. This is what happens when you purchase low quality attire. Instead, you should head over to a highly rated shop and choose from a wide array of top quality material that will last for years and years to come. Costuming is used all year long for different events. And if you're going to wear a costume, make sure you have the absolute best. This way your experience will be more exciting and memorable!

Craft Wars

The world of creative crafting recently entered a new arena, aiming to transform it from a hobby into an art form. A new US show called "Craft Wars' was launched in June, offering keen crafters (professional and amateur) an opportunity to win $10,000 prize money and receive validation as a professional crafter.

When you think about crafts, what springs to mind? Adding stickers to home-made cards when you were a child? A knitted jumper that you'd rather not have had to wear, lovingly made by an aged aunt or grandmother? Or, professionally upholstered furniture to breathe new life into your old, worn sofa? Well, prepare to be amazed as you learn that crafting possibilities are endless and surprisingly challenging.

Host and Executive Producer, Tori Spelling, is a keen crafter who understands how challenging and satisfying crafting can be. When not acting, she enjoys "taking every opportunity to creatively express herself." Tori says, "crafting provides an amazing outlet and nothing shows love more than something homemade". Tori has reported that she can't wait to share her passion and be inspired by all the amazing contestants on 'Craft Wars'.

The format of the show is fairly straightforward. Each episode features three enthusiasts competing against one another in two rounds of difficult challenges. Tori acts as both a mentor for the contestants and host for the audience.

All supplies for the show are provided by Michaels, an American creative product supplier. Along with supplying top quality, varied craft supplies and accessories, the company holds craft classes for keen amateurs who wish to master new techniques and skills.

The judging panel is made up of three distinguished and world-famous craft experts.

Erica Domesek is founder, creator and author of "P.S. - I made this"; a distinguished design and style expert living in New York City. Her "Designer DIY" projects range from jewellery to shoes and handbags.

Stephen Brown; an author, entrepreneur and founder of the multi-million dollar giftware company, Glitterville Studios. Stephen's designs are sold is a variety of high-end retail stores worldwide; with his one-off designs described as "wondrously wacky".

Jo Pearson, an author and craft host, is the third judge. For the past 25 years, Jo has been a creative expert for Michaels. A keen crafter since the age of eight, Jo finds that creating something is relaxing to her. Her craft videos have been viewed by millions of people worldwide, helping to inspire others to try crafting themselves.

So, what type of craft skills are the contestants expected to master? Numerous and challenging.

Despite each contestant receiving the same choice of raw materials and ability to use some additional supplies, the final designs have proved to be spectacularly individual.

For example, in the first round of a recent episode, the three contestants were asked to make a lamp. The materials included a variety of eyeglasses and eye protection goggles. Additional use of wood and arts/crafts supplies sponsored by Michaels was permitted. The results were stunning.

One contestant from Wisconsin used an embroidery hoop to create the lamp shade. Next, heating the eye glass enabled her to flatten the coloured lenses taken from sunglasses to create a mosaic look. After melting, the glass was moulded into flower shapes that were glued to the lampshade. Buttons were used for additional, complementary decoration. She used wood to create an attractive lamp base, then covered it in twine to produce a rustic design.

Opinion from the judges offers both praise for innovative design and criticism over poor technique or lack of cohesiveness in design. After the first round, one competitor was eliminated. The lady from Wisconsin survived.

For the second (and final) round, the remaining crafters were challenged to create a complete bedroom set in just five hours. They were given a mattress, carpenter, and four assistants to help them. The stipulation was that their design must include zips. This challenge wasn't one for the faint hearted!

The Wisconsin contestant chose a "smoke and mirrors" theme, creating a mosaic pillow using the zips. She created a wave-shaped headboard, side table and multiple accessories. Her team used the bottoms of shoes as a pattern to make unique tiles for the table. As a final touch, she made a garland out of tiny mirrors and rosettes out of zips for the centres of pillows.

Her challenger from New York designed a canopy bed, side tables and strange-looking chair. He incorporated the zips into a beautifully designed rug, created an upholstered headboard that was "absolutely gorgeous" but, running out of time, his paintwork was judged too sloppy.