Squid Blogs

St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching, and there are a number of reasons why people buy Irish themed jewelry for the ones that they love at this time of year.

For a start it’s St. Patrick’s Day, and anyone with some Irish heritage would love to receive an item of jewelry that has an Irish or Celtic theme.

St. Patrick’s Day also falls just a month after Valentines Day, so you might give the person you love a piece of Irish jewelry early, or you might meet a nice Irish girl on Valentines Day and by the time St. Patrick’s Day comes around, you are ready to give her a special gift to show her how you feel about her.

Spring is a time of the year when love is in the air, and I put together a selection of lovely Irish themed jewelry, so if you are thinking of a gift for that special person, hopefully you can find what you are looking for on my page of Irish Jewelry For St. Patrick’s Day.

Tags: boyfriend, celtic, claddagh, girlfriend, gold jewelry, ireland, irish, irish gift, irish gifts, irish girl, irish girlfriend, irish jewelry, irish silver, jewelry, loved one, patrick, silver jewelry, st patrick, st patricks day

Over 2,000 people who have attended stag and hen parties around the UK were interviewed, and the favourite destination for hen and stag parties is now Bournemouth, according to the Bournemouth Daily Echo.

Who would have believed that this once tranquil Victorian spa town on the south coast of England could have turned into a party capital in just a few years.

It wasn’t too long ago that Bournemouth was well known just for it’s miles of golden sandy beaches, well that and having one of the largest proportions of elderly people in the UK, since many people moved there to retire.

Then came the foreign language schools in the 1960′s, and in the last few years the town has seen a number of nightclubs and bars opening, catering to the younger party crowd who want to have a good time and party like celebrities.

The recent trend of turning a stag and hen night from just a local night out to a long weekend getaway has resulted in Bournemouth being the top destination in the UK, beating rival cities that include Brighton, Newcastle and Liverpool.

So why is this I wonder?  Bournemouth does have some excellent nightclubs of course, that is the number one criteria for a stag and hen night location, but the local area also offers some other opportunities for those who are looking for more than just a crazy night out in a club.  There is the beach and watersports of course, horse riding or bike riding in the New Forest, paragliding and other daredevil activities, and numerous places to explore.

If you don’t know much about this fun seaside town on the south coast, it’s time take a look at what you can do in Bournemouth.  If you are looking to visit the UK from overseas, don’t miss this golden opportunity to visit part of the UK that is rising up the list of places for overseas tourists to visit.

Tags: bournemouth, bournemouth nightclubs, bournemouth nightlife, dorset, dorset nightclubs, hen and stag, hen night, hen night locations, hen party, nightclubs, nightlife, stag and hen, stag and hen night, stag night, stag night locations, wedding parties

Putting together my sister’s backyard wedding was certainly an eye-opening experience. Luckily, I wasn’t alone – our mother, family, friends, and neighbors all chipped in to make it an unforgettable experience.

One of the nicest things about planning a backyard wedding (especially for a small number of people) is, surprisingly, planning the backyard wedding budget. When you have to rent a venue, organize transportation to and from the venue, schedule caterers, and pay for a million other things, wedding costs quickly spiral out of control. Having your wedding at home means that you get to pick and choose which things you’re willing to splurge on, and which you don’t mind sacrificing to save money.

For example, my sister knew that she wanted to rent a wedding tent, so that we’d be prepared in case of inclement weather, and to give our parent’s backyard a festive feel. The rental included tables, chairs, and linens, which meant three less things we had to worry about. On the other hand, with the number of accomplished amateur photographers scheduled to be present, she decided not to shell out $2,000+ for a paid photographer. (Luckily, I had plenty of wedding photography tricks up my sleeve to ensure the day was properly captured for posterity).

Another great thing about having the wedding in the backyard was getting to exercise our creativity. One part that especially comes to mind is figuring out how to play the wedding music outdoors. As you can see from the picture, we cobbled together a table, a laptop, and some home entertainment speakers to form an effective set-up. However, we soon learned that the vibration from the speakers would cause the laptop to fall off and land scree-downwards on the grass. After a slight adjustment (placing the laptop behind the speaker instead of on top of it), the party returned to full-swing. Our creativity meant we could listen to the songs we wanted, when we wanted to, for a total cost of $0.

If you’re looking for a detailed overview of everything that went into the planning process – from DIY wedding food to decorations to whether we invited the family dog – check out How To Plan a Backyard Wedding.

Tags: backyard weddings, bridal, bride, diy weddings, event planning, marriage, nuptials, reception, wedding planning, weddings

I didn’t think I’d be able to come up with 100 more things to be thankful for after that first list of 100 things, but it was actually easier this time around. And I don’t THINK I’ve duplicated anything. (Let me know if I have, and I’ll come up with something else!)

Creating this list was very uplifting (again) and helped put other things I’m not so thankful for into perspective.

Here they are: 100 MORE Things I’m Thankful For

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons / CC

Tags: grateful, happiness, optimism, thankful, thanks, thanksgiving

Whether you like it in your candy, cookies, as a sandwich, as a sauce or straight from the jar, January 24th is your day to celebrate your favorite form of Peanut Butter. Smooth or crunchy, January 24th is National Peanut Butter Day.

I have created this as a lens on Squidoo to celebrate one of America’s favorite foods, peanut butter. If you like or love peanut butter check it out. I have some recipes you may also like to try to satisfy your peanut butter desires.

Tags: buddybink, national peanut butter day, Peanut butter, peanut butter cookies