Thousands of years ago, language and writing were a luxury afforded only to the wealthiest. Writing a letter, let alone a book, was an extremely difficult task. The most commonly used surface for documentation was parchment made of animal skin. As Egyptians made advances in society, and pharaohs wanted to document their triumphs, they developed the first paper from a pithy plant called papyrus that grew rampantly in their dry climate. Papyrus quickly became the writing surface of choice. It was made by stripping the stem of the plant to the pith and laying the strips together in a single line. Next another layer was placed on top of this layer, cross wise. The strips were moistened and hammered together to make a solid sheet. Lastly, the papyrus sheets were dried and ready for use. Papyrus was not only more accessible than parchment made from a dead animal, but it lasted much longer. Papyrus was more resistant to mold and rot and could be produced in bulk. It was for these reasons that its use spread. Papyrus was used around Europe until the twelfth century. Egypt’s dry, hot weather allowed the papyrus to hold up much better than in humid...Read More
For a fall party stick with the use of reds, oranges, yellows and browns tied with ribbon or raffia on the ends, for a warm autumn feeling. If you have a child, borrow their radio flyer wagon and fill it with some decorative, multi-sized pumpkins, or have the kids decorate them before filling the wagon! This would make a great area for photos, and could be used inside or out. While you are feeling creative, you can also make your own garland, utilizing either real leaves or store bought. Once completed, this can be placed in doorways or around edges of tables. No party decorating is complete without some sort of table decorations.  Follow through with fall colored napkins in orange, red, brown or gold, when you add plates in a similar palette the autumn felling should come alive. Depending on whether your party is inside or out you could consider also adding a coordinating table cover, confetti, or hay bales for seats. Food can also add to your decorating ideas. Some yummy suggestions for your party, that are easy to concoct are toasted pumpkin seeds, include: corn bread, popcorn balls, pumpkin or apple pie, hot dogs and marsh mellows...Read More
Do you love the feel of crisp fall weather after the endless days of summer heat? If so, what a great excuse to plan an outdoor party to share the joy of fall with your family and friends. What could be better than, being outdoors sharing ghost stories, smores, laughing and relaxing around a cozy campfire? Since fall is officially kicked off on September 21, there will be harvest festivals, Oktoberfest and lots of other traditional celebrations right around the corner, so now is your chance to spend some time planning your own unique Fall Harvest Party. The following tips and suggestions, should help you started. You should begin by deciding whether or not to host an indoor or outdoor party. This will be dependent on what kind of atmosphere you are trying to achieve and who will be attending. If you prefer really experiencing the "feel" of fall, hosting the party outside is the best plan. Once you have decided on an outside event you should begin gathering any simple and easy to find decorations, such as leaves, apples and pumpkins. You should plan to fill in with larger decor items that add to the fall harvest theme such...Read More