Hasbro's Happier New Year's Game Night!

Courtesy of House Party & Hasbro

*Tip* Join House Party!! They give lots of freebies of real things people actually want, and to make it even better enough of items to throw a party! Great way to have some fun with all your friends and family! I got lucky after their application process to be selected as one of their Host(esses) for a "Hasbro's Happier New Year's Game Night." 

Being approved for this party we were sent Twister, Yahtzee, Draw Something (game, not app), and Scrabble Catchphrase. We also got some goodies to help the party, 1 Trophy & Crown for the Game Night Winner, some party cups and hats, along with coupons and batteries. Totally enough to get a Family Game Night on the right track, but of course I had to take that all a few steps further, it was New Years Eve after all.

We went for a mellow, warm up to New Years feel. Lots of goodies to munch on but not a big meal time, so if couples still wanted to go out they had room in there bellies and weren't already drinking and unable to drive. Also, made it a tad earlier (5-8pm) so my guests could avoid most potential NYE driver dangers.

This was the last night we could leave all our Christmas lights a glow so wed did...and throw in a few more touches.

Since they sent us yellow background hats and cups I ran with yellow. I bought some streamer and added it anywhere I could, stair handrails around television, anywhere I could. House Party provided their hosts additional links to items we could print an use, I made a little sign with it...also a way to deter from turning the tv on. I did get a few more trophies, knowing that we were gonna have a little one attending I wanted to be prepared in case any issues arise. 

I also picked up a few extras. New Year's Eve isn't New Year's without a few loud items. So noise makers were a must as was some sweets. I attempted for the first time to make Domino Brownies. I think they were kind of cute, my husband says looks wise a total fail. LOL! An yes, those are Ferrero Rochers, nothing says NYE like some gold wrapped chocolate. They worked as a added favor with some "Thank You for Coming" coupons for the games.

You may notice on a table there are some sheets with a pen laying by it, well I also printed out a few sheets New Years Writing Printable. I changed the best part of school year to say "school/work."  At the end of the night I sat with our Riley and asked her...kid's answers are the cutest! A few guests took some home to do in private.

I should had taken a picture, but I forgot, later we put out some more little appetizers, like smokies (sausage weenies, crock-pot cooked in BBQ sauce), popcorn chicken and some of Ore-Ida Potato Grillers. I wish I had more time or a bigger budget because I found these two ideas on Pinterest and I was dying!!! JENGA Cheese and Dice Cheese & Crackers!!! Seriously, would had loved to do the Jenga, even as a game it's self.

A few extra printouts that added to the decor was the New Year's Resoultion collage from "The Itsy Factor." I also found this New Year printable on Pinterest , but the link from there didn't work to the blog. It still worked for me to print though.

Games were all set, decorations a check and food was a go. Now it was just time for our group to get down to partying part!

Let me just say ALL the games were a HUGE BLAST!!! The newer version of "Twister" was some serious challenge and it was hilarious! Really enjoyed the new "Draw Something" way more then I ever thought possible. It still has the app premises of gaining coins by drawing something and guessing. It also still had the letters to help the guessing, just no bombs. Last but defiantly not least, "Scrabble Catchphrase." Took us a few times to get the rules straight but it was soooo much fun once we got it! Kind of like a trivia meets hot potato. "Boys Team" won, still unsure how that happened. Haha. Well my point is, Go Out and Get Any of these Games! Plan a Game Night because it was a great night for all of us (ages 4 to 50 something). We really all enjoyed it!!!

Did I show you the photo of our game night mascot? 'Cause I really have to, our poor old baby pug, Otis did great job rocking a party hat and watching out for dropped food. Too cute not to share.

an

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Just want to reiterate, I do not own the rights to any of the Trademarked items and did receive items for free as a promotion to share, though the opinions remain my own. Thank you.

"Things To Buy" Fridge Helper

If your house is anything like mine you either are always running out of items or finding that when restocking that the one item you just picked up so did your spouse, gets rather annoying when our fridge is now full of condiments an has less room for actual food. This is where the GENIUS STRUCK, of course I could go the normal route and buy a little paper pad with a pen and a magnet but why do that? LOL! Ok, really I just hate wasting paper so I really don't like it, plus I wanted to try something a little better looking, so here's my idea if you just want something a little different.

This project wasn't as easy as I first perceived. It became a little game of trial and error, but I'll give you what I've learned and you can make the best decision. Let me begin by giving you a list of some awesome sites with some print out organizing sheets that may/may not work for you and your lifestyle needs or at least this project.  The one in my main image came from: Artsy Fartsy Mama (btw, she's AWESOME). There's a huge list of sites complied on: Creative Organizing. I also have a tear off sheet shopping list version idea from pinned from here: Infarrantly Creative. If you chose to go with that sites, you are going to want to tweak the list so you can make it a list but not in the tear off form or go ahead and go with that blog idea, but it won't work this blog. In the end I went with a simple white sheet with a cute script saying "Things To Buy" & a sharpie drawn heart in the bottom corner cause our hand writing was to big for this cute weekly layout. (I'll show you later.)

Whatever style sheet you chose to print you'll put in the frame behind the glass and  use like a dry erase board. Dry Erase Marker whatever you need or to make note of and use your cell phone to take a picture before each store trip so no extra trees killed and just erase off the list whatever you got. Really when do we ever go shopping without our cellphones anyhow? This really makes it easier then finding a little scrap of paper in our purse to.

What you need: 1 Document Size Frame, unless you wanna cut your paper to whatever size this just saves a step. Whatever sheet from the printer. Dry Erase Markers & Erasers. Found ours in the cheap bins at Target. Magnet strips from Micheal's. You will need in addition to picture, craft glue. If you are lucky you will find at the Dollar Store already made magnetic pencil holder. I think intended for "Back to School" locker organization, so check those sections of your stores.

Assembly time. Remove wrapping, blow off dust, the typical fun stuff.

*TIP* If your frame has metal hooks for wall you may want to remove, as to not scratch your fridge.
Now put your sheet in. push Down your tabs and check the width of your magnet strip.

Ours was perfect to go on the cardboard an touch the fridge, if yours won't be so great you may want to cut and glue the magnet into strips to be placed the edge of the frame.

Here's where we had a lesson. We didn't run into any weight issues or our magnets giving out, but originally we didn't add any craft glue. I didn't think of a issue needing to worry about this. I had my husband test slamming the refrigerator door open and shut with out it moving so much as a milometer. We just trusted in the sticker part, well it got so humid that it just let go, we got lucky and it wasn't a issue so I reinforced it with craft glue and now that baby hasn't budged...and it's been even more humid.

It's been awhile now & it's still up an being used, eventually I'll change it out to a cuter piece of paper maybe add a defined Farmer's Market section, but this has really helped us. Hope it helps you just as much.