The Paisley Farmhouse

By India Harvey http://indiaharvey.com

1. Dorms are blank, dull spaces that will quickly swallow up your stuff. The best way to avoid this boring-factor and to create a homey feel is to use the ENTIRE space (even if it's small)...the walls, the floor, even the ceiling! Add a floor rug, wall decorations, and even a canopy out of an old sheet to acheive that warm and cozy atmosphere all around you.

2. Dorms are white. You gotta have some color! The quickest way to add color to a dorm room is by adding bright wall hangings. You can really use anything to do this too...quilts, blown up photography, paintings, just a few yards of whatever fabric you choose. (I hung a rug for example.)

3. Dorms have bad lighting. Lamps are the easiest way to make a dorm room warm and inviting, because they will give off golden light instead of the florescent lighting you most likely have overhead. (Floor lamps seem to work better than just a desk lamp).

4. Dorms are cramped. It can be difficult, but try to arrange your furniture in such a way that it is open and inviting to visiting friends. It's always good to face your bed towards whatever other seating you may have, even if it is facing your roomate's bed. This way, it is easier to hang out and have people over. Also, for more storage it is good to lift your bed with bed risers and hide your stuff underneath!

5. Dorms are used. Things are often stained, broken, etc, but remember to laugh about it. Be creative and hide stains with a rug or hide nail holes with your own wall hangings. Also, candles and diffusers are a great way to muffle that dorm funk as well as fill your new home with smells from back home.

Have fun!

By Emily Kirk at http://perkybird.com

1) Have your friends help you remember those unforgettable moments. Have a memory book ready and have each guest jot down one of their favorite memories with you from high school. Make this memory book even better by adding snapshots from the memory, or from you with them at the party!

2) Load up on some disposable cameras and have them lying around at your party. Let your guests know that you want to capture all the candid moments you can, because it could likely be one of the last times you're all together.(Don't worry, you can usually get a CD of the images when they're developed, so you can upload them to your Facebook.)

3) Make a display of all your yearbook photos through the years. Don't be embarrassed we all looked that way at one point or another.

4) Theme your party! What was one of your favorite memories or events from over the last few years? Recreate that moment with food and decorations that will bring you right back to that unforgettable memory.

5) Say cheese when you say thanks. To make your thank you's a bit more personal, add a photo from the party to their thank you, to let them know you appreciate them being a part of your party and a part of your life.

By Misti of http://studiomdesigns.blogspot.com

Marketing yourself in today’s world has never been easier.

Whether you are setting out for your first job, or building a name and career, Social Networking is a very powerful tool, but one that should be well thought out before beginning the process.

The world of blogging is still new to most. Only a handful of people in your everyday conversations will have heard of a blog, and yet they will still question the reason behind the mysterious, new kind of website.

A blog is simply an interactive site where you can journal about whatever interests you. Other bloggers (people online who are interested in reading these said journals) will then comment on what you have written. New friendships are made instantly; you feel a bond with strangers who you will most likely never meet in person.

Before starting a blog there are a couple of things to consider:

What type of blog will you have? What subject will you write about? Decide on a subject and stick to it. Wishy-washy bloggers who can’t decide what to blog about usually lose visitors quickly. Some blog about life in general, some about plants, some blog about crafts or hobbies, some blog about their career or the career that they are studying. People identify you by your interests. So make it interesting!

Decide on a writing style and keep it going. Will it be more casual or more professional? Either way, remember that if the blog is not private, anyone can read it. Potential employers have started using social networking sites as a background check. There are so many things to learn about your personal life, so again, remember…if you don’t want the world to know about it…keep it out of the blogosphere. That is another term you will hear. Some lovingly call it Blogland.

Once you make the leap of starting a blog, which will be one of the most fulfilling things you may have ever done, be sure to be consistent. Building a body of work allows the search engines to find you. Be prepared to blog for several months before others decide to “follow” your blog. Following is the term used to show how many people subscribe to receive your blog post updates automatically through email.
Be sure to visit and comment on other blogs that interest you, and always reply to your own comments. It keeps people coming back for more!

Start a blog; you will be so glad you did. It’s kind of like a personal addition to your resume. Get your name out there, and make your mark on this world.

~Misti England