wishuponastar

I think if you provide a packet of information for each guest with a bunch of options they should be able to get around on their own.

Think in terms of who is coming and work with the local chamber of commerce to get brochures and things you can tuck in each packet.

Break it up or highlight things that are good for different age groups, so maybe there is a classical music concert or museum exhibit for the the older folks, while there might be some sporting events or more active activities for the longer folks.

If you provide enough choices they should be able to pick some things to amuse themselves.

On my walk home last night I saw someone hanging their clothes on a line ... it reminded me of when people used to dry their clothes outdoors, not only because they didn't have clothes dryers but because the sun would make the whites that much whiter.

As far as product, I've used that bluette stuff ... hard to believe blue liquid can make your whites whiter, but it does.

What a fun idea! I'm already starting to think of what I might be able to call "currency."

I used to read Yankee magazine and really enjoyed the swap corner where people could say "i have a this, if you have a that"

I also like the idea of clothing swap parties. My sister used to do this with her friends. Each person would bring a bag of clothes they were going to donate. They'd pour all the clothes out on the floor and everyone could pick what they wanted from the pile. What was left over went to the clothing bins.

I painted my dining room a deep scarlet color. I think it was called Claret from Benjamin Moore. It was really warm and inviting. We had a chair rail that we painted white to set off the dark red. We also painted the inside of the built in corner china cabinet a lighter shade of the color. And, we painted the ceiling white ... and had the wood floors stained a "white" color, so all together the white and other accents set off the darker color. It was gorgeous!

Don't be afraid to experiment with color, even dark colors. They look really rich. What will make the room look smaller is large furniture pieces, so if the room is small try to keep the size of the furnishings in mind.

I'd be afraid I'd fall in love with something I can't do because of my house being too different from the other homes...

Don't overlook Payless for shoes ... they seem to knock off all the latest trends.

And, poke me if I've said this before, there's no shame in picking something up from a thrift store ... especially ones in fancy neighborhoods. You can score designer shoes that someone wore only a few times for next to nothing.

These days, anything goes, so don't hesitate to put an antique chair from grandma next to a modern couch or table.

IKEA is great, but I prefer picking things up here and there, shopping at tag sales and thrift shops to get pieces that make me happy. If you're handy (and/or creative) you can do a lot with old pieces that you sand, stain and/or paint. Change the hardware and finish on something that was in the trash yesterday and you have a brand new piece of furniture.

Sounds exciting. Good luck.