No summer would be complete without a garden party, so if you are considering holding on of your own this year, check out the tips below for everything from menu planning to decoration to make your garden stylish for an affordable price. Whether you are holing a laid-back affair or something more formal these tips will help you on your way to a great party!! 

1. Shop ahead of time and don't Panic! 

Around a week before your party, sit and work out how many guests you are expecting to arrive at your home, how many are kids, how many are adults and if there are any vegetarians. This way, you can create a menu to please everyone and not have so many leftovers. If you have a large guest list and will not be in a position to get all you need in one shop, shopping online is a great way to make sure you get all your ingredients delivered fresh and ready for you to prepare. If fridge space is a problem, why not ask close family or friends to bring along a pudding or some nibbles. Remember to add the extra essentials to your shopping list including cups, plates and serviettes. 

2. Cheat your menu 

If you want to keep the work down when you are preparing your menu, remember there are plenty of ready-made items that you can use for your food. Pate, crackers, dips and ready made sandwiches are just some of the items you may want to purchase so that you do not have to spend hours in the kitchen. 

3. Get the drinks in 

Make sure you have a good amount of beer, wine, pimms and soft drinks, as these are all staple drinks of any good garden party. Getting some unusual drinks that your guests may not have tried before will go down a storm and really get the party atmosphere going, cocktails are great for parties. 


4. Is the garden party-ready? 

It goes without saying that the garden will need to be an inviting place that your guests will enjoy spending time in. The first thing to do is to mow the lawn, maybe scatter a few pot plants around with colorful flowers blooming so that you get the garden looking its best. If you don't have any, a parasol or 2 will be a good idea so that your guests have a bit of shade out of the sunlight, or if you have a large garden a gazebo is also a great idea. Ensure that you have enough tables and chairs for everyone and if you are tight on budget you could ask your neighbors to borrow some of theirs. If your garden party is likely to go on onto the evening, you will need to get some lighting out there, there are many types of lighting on offer for gardens and to make the area look magical you could drape some fairy lights around for that extra sparkle. 

5. Decorate 

Giving your garden party a theme will make it look very elegant, it may be something as simple as a color scheme or as sophisticated as a dress code. Whatever you decide s simple way of doing this is to make sure the colors of your plates and cups match the table cloths and if you are going for a stylish feel you can cover the chairs in fabric which matches your color scheme. 

When planning your party it is always a good idea to have a clear vision of how you want your garden to look and the type of party you want. That way you can look in the internet for color ideas, food ideas and lighting so that you can get all the supplies you need in advance of the day.

 

Are you feeling uninspired? Want to sleep better at night? Repainting your walls with a different color scheme could be just what is called for, or at least the first step in getting out of your rut. 

While color is not a magical solution to problems,it does have a big effect on our mood and outlook on life, sometimes we don't even realize it! In the advertising world color is used for many different products such as red to increase appetite on fast food adverts. 

Here are a few tips on creating the mood you desire with color: 

Red - Often associated with passion, excitement and love, meaning that it could be the perfect shade for your bedroom or kitchen. Darker shades of red indicate elegance, while red in its purest form shows a vibrant energy. Red is a very powerful color so be very careful of over using it. It is always a good tip to balance the red with some neutral colors such as blue, white or a few dashes of green. 


Orange - Can have a similar effect to red and yellow, but can also give your home a quirky feel as it is not as commonly used as the other two colors. Orange is a very inviting color and a gentler option to red when greeting your guests, if you want a cozy feel go for darker shades or brighter shades if you want to give the feel of summer at any time of the year. Good room choices for an orange theme include the living room, dining room, kitchen or a child's room. 


Yellow - Is the most uplifting color in the spectrum and represents cheer, joy and happiness. Paint your kitchen, bedroom or office yellow to inspire creativity and instantly cheer up even the most dark windowless rooms. 

Green - Although it is associated with health as it is a natural color and the color of most vegetables, green also has a calming effect and can encourage balance. Green is related to fecundity and growth, and can maximize the aura of your home office or creative space. If you cannot bring yourself to paint a room green just yet, try placing some pot plants in there instead. 

Blue - Blue, gray and black should be kept out of the kitchen and dining room, as they are the least appetizing color. Blue can be a perfect color for bathrooms and bedrooms, as it encourages feelings of serenity and peace. If you have trouble sleeping or, paint your walls blue to help your mind slow down. 

Purple - this is a very energetic color in its purest form, which is why many feng shui experts advise against painting walls purple or having too many purple decorations. Rather than a strong purple, go for lighter shades like lavender or pink. 

Pink - Is often related to love, but can also be a gentler and more delicate option for purple enthusiasts. Pair with yellow-green for a dramatic pop, or black for a classy effect with just the right amount of flair. 

Painting the walls of your home often induces a new love and appreciation for your home, it will feel like new with brand new colors icon the walls and if you are in need of inspiration, more sleep or would like to be more creative, there are colors which will encourage all of these things. Colors can be extremely powerful to the mind so before you choose which colors you should use, investigation is a must. these few tips above should give you a little idea for some of the rooms in your home.

 

More than 100 people took part in this years Cayman Islands Tourism Exchange, representing three international media partners, 15 travel trade buyers, 21 local tourism-related companies, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism and the Cayman Islands Tourism Association. 
The welcome reception took place on Palm Island at Camana Bay, on May 1st and various meetings between the delegates were held at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort. 
The following day, the delegates took the opportunity to explore Grand Cayman. With the Department of Tourism serving as guides, participants visited various accommodations, enjoyed food at local restaurants and experienced popular tourism attractions. 
"The opportunity to speak with these important travel representatives is so critical to the Cayman Islands and assists our ability to remain as the travelers top pick to the Caribbean," said Jane van der Bol of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association. 




Source:compasscayman.com

 

If you are thinking about decorating your living room, but have never embarked on this type of project before it can be a bit of a daunting task. It is best to make sure you have planned what you want to do and have given yourself enough time to achieve the look you want. If you are having trouble planning this project here are a few tips to assist you in achieving the perfect living room in your home. 

1. It is a good idea to set off with a clear plan in your mind and a general vision of what you want your living room to look like. This does not mean that you have to know every detail, but a general idea will help you to achieve your goal. Behind every successful project, there is a strategy and a plan, the same should be applied here. 

2. You should do as much research as you can before deciding on the look of your room. You can find plenty of home magazines and catalogues or surf the net for some great ideas of living room colors and styles. If you find something you like, tear the page out or print the picture off and keep it aside for reference later on. After you have a collection of different designs youcan then choose which ones suit you and your home, although this may be a little confusing at times it will help you in deciding what you do and dont like. 

3.Lighting will be an important aspect of your decoration, as it creates good ambiance, and adds to the mood and atmosphere of the room. So choose your lighting carefully so that you can create the right feel for your living room. 

4. Selecting the correct furniture is vital, again a good idea is to look through magazines and on the internet to match the correct furniture to the style of your room. After choosing, placing the furniture in the correct place and position is also important. It is never a good idea to line it up against the wall. Your room look small with this kind of arrangement. 

5. Curtains can make a room, so choosing them is very important, a nicely decorated room with shabby curtains that do not match will make all your efforts void. a good tip is to choose curtains which match the color of the furniture. 

6. Adding to the list of the most important parts of a room, flooring is also another that should be kept in mind as It is essential for furnishing. The coverings of the floor can be tiles, carpet or wood, and as you will see quite a bit of it, the color should tie in nicely with the furniture and walls. 

7. You should ensure that there is a sufficient amount of free space to allow you to get walk around and daily activities otherwise the room will feel like a furniture shop. 

8. Pick up any accessories that match in with your scheme to add zing to your room and make it unique. Craft shows and flea markets are good for this sort of thing. 

9. If you are into plants you could always choose some colorful plants to provide a natural beauty to your new living room. 

10. Some interesting paintings can really bring style to your room, so get out there and check out some art work that will compliment your choice of decoration. 

Decorating for the first time can be confusing especially with so many colors and styles to choose from, you can end up confused between colors curtains furniture and never know what you really want. Proper planning before starting any project is an absolute must and will help you to have some sort of vision in your mind so that you know what you are aiming for. Follow these simple tips and you are sure to have the perfect living room in no time at all!