Bringing the Cheer to Work

(Courtesy: W Minneapolis)

 

A Minnesota woman has upped the cubicle decoration game for office workers everywhere by transforming her desk space into a log cabin Christmas wonderland.

 

Angela Westfield, 29, entered work to a standing ovation Monday from coworkers who had walked into their office surprised by the sight of Westfield’s desk as a cozy log cabin, complete with fake snow, white lights, stockings, at least one Christmas tree and a Christmas village inside.

 

“They couldn’t believe it,” Westfield said of her fellow sales team members at Minneapolis's W Hotel, coworkers who also admitted to using swear words to express their shock and awe.

 

 

Westfield had been planning for that moment for the past month, when her sales division announced  that they would hold a first-ever cubicle decorating competition in the office.

 

“I came up with the log cabin and just kept googling to see what I could make logs out of,” she said.

Westfield recruited her husband, Alex, who works in construction and loves DIY projects as much as his wife, to help. Together they found a carpet store that had enough empty carpet rolls to make a cubicle log cabin.

 

With those in hand, the couple set up shop in the garage of Westfield’s uncle, after they quickly learned their apartment would not have the space needed.

 

“We had to use a saw to cut the carpet rolls down, they were about 15 feet originally,” said Westfield. “We had measured the cubicle so we made a template and the cut notches out of the top and bottom of each roll.”

When Westfield’s mother, described by her daughter as a Christmas fanatic, heard of her daughter’s plans, she contributed leftover family decorations like the Christmas village and tree that decorate the cabin’s inside, and the stockings that decorate the outside.

 

“We did it all pretty much for free,” Westfield said. “The roof is tar paper that my husband had left over from a construction site.”

 

“The only thing we bought was the fake snow for the top and I bought a picture frame that I turned into a window,” she said.

 

Westfield describes her working space inside the log as “cozy” and “fun” and surprisingly well-lit thanks to the lights of the Christmas village, the tree and the yule log fire screen saver on one of her two computer screens.

“It feels pretty legit,” she said. The deadline for the cubicle competition was originally set for Monday but was extended two days so that Westfield’s now-inspired colleagues could give it another shot.

 

"We have a Candyland theme and a cubicle decorated as a present," Westfield said of her competition. "There's also one that has fake stairway on the back wall with stockings and another that turned a large-screen TV into a mantle."

The winner, and surprise prize, will be announced on Dec. 22. Each of the hotel’s roughly 100 employees is eligible to vote.

 

Westfield’s cubicle has proven so popular among employees that the hotel is now allowing guests to go into the sales offices to view it.

 

“We’re so happy that we’ve been able to spread the Christmas cheer,” she said. Westfield, whose own home is decorated a bit less extravagantly with just the usual tree and stockings, said her bosses at the W Hotel have already announced the cubicle decorating competition will become an annual event.

 

“It’s brought our team closer together and been a ton of fun for the whole hotel,” Westfield said.

Source: https://gma.yahoo.com/minneapolis-woman-transforms-her-cubicle-christmas-log-cabin-171743673.html
 

Bright Nights

 

 

Not sure what to do this holiday season? Sick of the holiday gift shopping and need a little break? If you answered yes to the second question, we found the perfect place for you. Bright Nights is a Christmas lighting display spectacular. Located in Forest Park of Springfield, MA, the annual event brings holiday cheer to all. With various sponsors and an array of themes, the drive through Forest Park can make any night a fun family night. The themes include:

  

the Winter Garden,

 

Seuss land,

 

the Victorian village,

 

Never, Never Land

 

and much more.

Can’t make it to see the light this year? No worries! The website has a virtual tour of the lights that even including the moving displays. Just be sure to play cheerful music in the background because if you were there in person, loud and cheerful music would be coming from your car’s speakers!

Welcome November!

Lets be honest with ourselves; no matter what you say, you love fall! So, to welcome one of the amazing months in Fall, we are dedicating an entire blog to it. Keep in mind that our blog is very selective.

Without further a due, we present, NOVEMBER.

November is the eleventh month of the year and its name comes from the word for eleven in Roman. Apart from Thanksgiving, many events are celebrating in this beautiful month. Among those events are Children's Day, World Diabetes Day, and Black Friday. Also, the month is dedicated to Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, American Diabetes Month and Lung Cancer Awareness Month. The month's stones are topaz and citrine and its flower is chrysanthemum.

El Dia de los Muertos

Around this time of year, we are getting ready to celebrate Halloween. But at the same time, many are getting ready for the three day celebration called The Day of the Dead. The Day of the Dead takes place from October 31 to November 2. Instead of dressing up and gathering candy from neighbors, friends and family get together to pray for and remember friends and family that have passed.

Some of the traditions that occur during this celebration include:

• building alters called ofrendas where food and gifts are placed as an offering to those that have passed
• praying and telling stories about the deceased around the altar
• dancing with colorful costumes
• skull face paintings and masks

Knowing that there are more celebrations going on while we trick or treat seems pretty cool.

Let us know if you've ever been part of a Day of the Dead celebration!

It's Pumpkin Carving Time!

And we have found the best steps on the Instructables Website!

Here they are!

1. Gather your supplies.
          - one medium to large size pumpkin 
          - carving knife ( a kitchen knife) 
          - thumb tacs or nails 
          - baking powder (optional, but helpful)
          - pen/ sharpie 
          - spoon 
          - large bowl 
          - candle 
          - 9 1/2 x 11 white paper
2. Create your design on the paper
3. Create a Lid
4. Remove the Insides
5. Attach the drawing to the pumpkin using nails or tacs along the design
6. Remove the drawing and use baking powder to fill in the holes
7. Connect the dots with a sharpie
8. Begin Carving!!
9. Place a candle or light in the pumpkin and display!

The website goes into further details, so make sure to check it out!

Show us your pumpkin! Send us a picture on Facebook!

Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month first began in 1968, and later became public law in 1988. As you may, or may not, know, Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 through October 15. 

Now, don't go thinking that a random period of 30 days was selected. Oh no, there is definitely a meaning behind the dates. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua all celebrate their independence day on September 15. Also, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence on September 16 and 18, respectively. Lastly, Columbus Day is on October 12; all falling within the 30 day period.

Today, this 30 day period is celebrated in many different ways. From website launches to the Hispanic Heritage Foundation Awards, there is always something to do in order to learn more about the Hispanic culture. In fact, the Hispanic Heritage Month's website has a calendar with all the events available, even outside of the 30 day celebration.

So go on! Learn more about another culture. After all, we do live in a melting pot.

Did you know? September Facts

To celebrate the wonderful month that is September, check out these cool facts!

1. September is the only month to have the same number of letters in its name as the number month it is
2. September is non-existing in Shakespeare's plays
3. William Taft is the only US President that had a birthday in September
4. The first Sunday, after the first Monday, is National Grandparent's Day
5. In the 1700s, September only had 19 days
6. 'September' has been the most used month name in film titles than any other month 

Have any other cool facts? Leave them in the comments below and don't forget to subscribe!

Organize Yourself

Lets face it! We live in a world where there are too many things to do and not enough time. This makes is SO hard to stay organized. But no worries; we can help with that!

Keep the necessities close! 
This allows you to find what you need, when you need it. I mean, do you know how much time we spend looking for things we need?

Make lists and check them twice
You can lower how frequent you forget things!

Stick to your habits
Once you have established ways in your home or office, stick to it! If you don't, what's the point?

Do it now
If you remember to do something, do it right then and there. Chances are that if you put it off, you won't get it done

Put it away
If you use something, put it away right after you're done using it. Isn't that what we tell children? How about we follow our own advice!

Do you have any ideas? Leave them in the comments below!

Are you ready for school?

And so another school year begins! But who is ready? 

No worries, we have got you covered. Keep reading for a guide to make your, or your child's, school you absolutely fabulous.

First, make sure you have style! Customize your locker and accessories to show off who you are. The school year will be so much better; so don't be afraid to express yourself.

Also, a good sturdy backpack is KEY. Books are not the the lightest thing you know, and having to lug a heavy bag is very uncomfortable. So make sure you buy a good sturdy bag. You can try LL Bean or even Pottery Barn.

Lastly, make sure you have a good pair of comfortable shoes. Chances are you, or your child, will be doing tons of walking and I can tell you from experience, walking in uncomfortable shoes is the worst experience ever. Although some shoes can be pricey, they are definitely a good investment. Try shopping at  Foot Locker or even pediped.com.

If you have any other ideas on what is a must-have for the school year, please share in the comments! Don't forget to subscribe!

Robin Williams

Last week, the world lost one of the most influential comedians. To honor his impact on us and to pay respect, here are five quotes that will melt your heart.

"You're only given one little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."

"A woman would never make a nuclear bomb. They would never make a weapon that kills. They’d make a weapon that makes you feel bad for a while."

"Never fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose."

"Comedy is acting out optimism."

"I'm a born entertainer. When I open the fridge door and the light goes on, I burst into song"

The beauty of Amazon Prime

If you have not discovered  Amazon Prime, we are taking it upon ourselves to open your eyes to the amazing service they provide. It just so happens that while delivering your prodfast. In fact, there is an article from slate.com which is all about how Amazon is changing the online shopping industry completely. We think that the article is a great read; why don't you take a look for yourself.
ucts correctly, they are also fast; very

Amazon same-day delivery: How the E-Commerce Giant will Destroy Local Retail.

So what did you think?! Lets be honest; why would you not want to have your products delivered to you within hours?

Let us know what you think! Leave comments below and don'f forget to subscribe!

Who are you rooting for?

If you don't know what big sporting event is going on as your read this, then it's a good thing you're here. The 2014 FIFA World Cup began on May 12th and will go well into July 13th. With anywhere from one to four games a day, this month of soccer is sure to keep everyone on their toes. But for first time watchers, the ranking system can be quite confusing. We would like to break it down for you.

At the beginning of the World Cup, 8 groups, categorized by letters, are formed.  The teams are categorized by ranking in previous years. There are four teams in each group. The teams in a group play each other until there are two victors who will go into the next round. 

At this point, there are 16 teams which are schedule to play each other until there is one victor left!

So, we want to know; who are you rooting for?!

Can you speak golf?

In an effort to prepare for the Travelers Championship this weekend, I decided to catch up on the latest golf jargon. In my search to perfect my golf vocabulary, I found quick a bit of funny terms. Like Afraid of a Dark which simply means that a ball refuses to fall into the hole. Or Fried Egg which is used to describe a ball in the sand-trap because it resembles an egg sunny-side-up.

But that's not all. There is also the Double Eagle that occurs when a hole is play three strokes under par. And what better term to describe smooth Carpet, or green, than the Dance Floor? 

I find it amusing that golfers create terms for the balls when they play the game. It is as if they believe the ball can hear them. There are golfers that tell their golf balls to Grow Teeth so the gold balls slow down.

There are many more terms that you can look at if you go to The Unique Language of Golf.

Let us know what you think! Don't forget to comment and subscribe! 

Happy WED!

Or as we like to call it, World Environment Day. Today we are celebrating the 41st anniversary of WED and what better way to celebrate than by taking care of our planet? Here are some things you can do to make the earth a better place.

1. Bring your own bag when you go to the grocery store to avoid using plastic
2. Keep recyclable items and reuse in fun and creative ways
3. Spread the word! Let your friends and family know about the importance of our planet's health.

But those are just a few things! For more things you can do, head on over the the World Environment Day's website.

Let us know how you go green; leave your comments below!

Can anyone tell me what...

...the summer solstice is? Well, it just so happens that the summer solstice not only takes place during June, but also during December. See the summer solstice takes place when the tilt of the plants semi-axis, whether its the northern or southern hemisphere, is closets to the sun. So when the summer solstice begins in one hemisphere, the winter solstice begins in the other. The summer solstice usually takes place between June 20-21 and December 21-22, depending on the hemisphere. 

In our past, the summer solstice was a time to celebrate renewal, life, fertility and the chance of a good harvest. Many people celebrate in different ways, like the Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Celebration which includes a parade and three-day festival.

Do you celebrate the summer solstice in a special way? Or do you simply enjoy the warm whether? Let us know! Don't forget to comment and subscribe!

Put Your Green Thumb to Work

Don't you wish your garden could look this amazing? With the weather becoming warmer outside, it seems  that every one is investing their time in making they yards look amazing. Just this past weekend, home improvement stores, like Home Depot, were packed! The problem is this; not everyone has the greenest of green thumbs. That being said, here are a few tips to help you achieve your gardening goals.

1. Follow the instructions If you are beginning your garden using seeds, make sure you read the details included. Many of the seed packaging include information as to how far and deep to plant the seed and how much sunlight is needed.
2. Don't toss the soup Whenever you boil or steam your veggies, do not toss out the water. Instead let it cool and use it to water your potted plants; they absolutely love it.
3. Watering and fertilizer do not fix everything If you are going to be un-potting a plant, make sure you take your time re planting the plant; water and fertilizer doesn't always make everything better.
4. Be patient and have fun! In all honesty, it takes time! You have got to be patient and trust that you have done everything you could to make your garden amazing.

If you have any other tips to work your green thumb, let them in the comments below. Don't forget to subscribe!

Awkward Family Photos!

In an effort to make you laugh, here are a few awkward family photos with our own captions!

 This family is 'Raising the Bar'

 All we can say is hair

 The key to happiness is coordination

 A rainbow of expressions

DON'T BLINK!!!

AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST

THE CRAB FAMILY

It's National Police Week!

Can you imagine a world without anyone to enforce the law? Everyone would completely ignore traffic lights and forget about pedestrians using the crosswalk! We don't usually think about it, but police officers play a huge role in our happiness. That is why there is an ENTIRE week dedicated to them. In honor of them, here are ten awesome facts about the men and women who allow us to live our lives.

1. Some police departments give positive tickets to youth who are caught doing something good
2. In 2010, not a single shot was fired by police at a suspect; way to go!
3. Policemen in India get paid more if they grow mustaches
4. In Britain, police officers carry teddy bears in order to console children after an accident
5. The first police officers were Medieval Knights
6. The reason why police officers wear their badges above their left chest pocket is to (1) remind them of their oath to protect and (2) because the left arm would hold the coat of arms during Medieval times.
7. The First american Policing Efforts began in Boston, MA
8. Police dogs wear badges too!
9. 12% of police officers are women
10. Police and detectives are not immune from irrational fears , they are as human and you and I.

So remember to thank all of the amazing police officers that make our lives so easy!

Have you met her?

Her name is Sandra Guzman and she is a powerful woman! To celebrate the amazing things that this woman has accomplished, here is a list of the few things she has done.

• Guzman is an award winning journalists and author. Among her publications is The New Latina's Bible, a book for women, not just Hispanic women, that talk about our struggles, how to overcome them and gives great advice. 
• Guzman has also been an interviewer on HBO and has written a number of publications for CNN and other companies
• She is an EMMY winner for producing "The Cuban Embargo"
• Among the many she has interviewed are Jennifer Lopez, Will Smith and Beyonce and Jay Z.

You may be wondering why this blog is dedicated to this woman. Is it her birthday? No, it's not. The thing is that she has a way of inspiring people through her stories. She connects to her audience in a way that makes the audience feel that they are talking to an old friend. Her openness with her fans is what makes her a powerful women!

If you haven't checked out her website, you can click here to do so. 

Do you know of any other powerful women? Leave them in the comments below!

Meet Judy

Did you know that today is National Receptionists day? Well if you didn't, you do now! And we typically do not like to brag, BUT we have the absolute BEST receptionist; no ifs, ands, or buts. 

Judy first started working for A Royal Flush in the Summer of 2011.She began by simply answering the phone and directing calls. Now Judy plays multiple roles which includes confirming orders. Not only does she do everything efficiently and effectively, she also pays close attention to detail, which allows her to catch anything we might miss and fix them. 

Judy is also excellent with our customers making sure that all of their needs are met and directing them to the correct person. Judy shows that she is not only here for the job, but that she actually cares for the well being of the company. 

Some may say, "It doesn't seem that difficult", but I'd like to see you try with the grace Judy does.

That being said, this blog is for you Judy! You may not have been with us for the longest time, but we wouldn't trade you for anyone else!

Want to brag about your receptionist? Leave your story in the comments below!