Author Archives: Jennifer

How to Decorate for a Kenya Tea Party

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Take your friends on an afternoon safari with a Kenya tea party that includes leopard and zebra print decor, spicy dips and curry from Kenya, traditional British scones with jam, German chocolate cake as well as playing croquet for a good cause.

Kenya culture has a bit of an unusual history. To throw an authentic Kenya Tea Party you will find yourself incorporating three different important culinary influences: spicy Kenyan dips and curries, German desserts and traditional British tea bites. This is because Germany was the first country to colonize Kenya in 1885 followed by England about 30 years later.

The theme of this party is Safari in Africa. This is your time to get out your best safari themed accessories and linens such as Zebra print, leopard print and bamboo print tablecloths and linen. Rattan and woven furniture also evokes the culture Kenya. The china can be a traditional British white or you can go for a brown earthenware look that is more German in flair.

A Kenyan tea party is perfect to throw for ten to twelve friends who just need an excuse to get together and perhaps indulge in a bit of croquet. To enhance the colonial feel you could ask your guests to dress in all in white. However much more fun would be to ask them to dress in leopard or zebra prints. Make sure the paper you send out the invitation on is also in a leopard or zebra print.

Another way to evoke the atmosphere of Kenya would be to play some indigenous African music, or at least music with a bit of a tribal sound. Many of the electronic dance bands from Germany incorporate tribal rhythms in their contemporary mixes.

As a party favor each guest could receive a little gift bag of Kenyan coffee or tea or a small donation to an African charity in their name. You could also encourage individuals to donate to an African charity by setting up a decorative donation box at the door. You could also set up bets as to who will win a croquet tournament and use the proceedings to help the Red Cross or another good cause.

Remember that the key to throwing a fantastic Kenya party is to make it a mix of German, English and Kenya culture.

Feng Shui Tips For A Peaceful Home III

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Here are even more great tips for making your home more serene using the ancient Chinese art of object placement.
DECORATE WITH NATURAL MATERIALS. Stay away from plastics and formicas and go for bamboo, marble and cork surfaces. The less manmade and more recyclable the material the more peaceful your home will see. It is very Asian to decorate with furniture made out of bamboo, wicker and other natural materials.
KEEP FLOWERS AROUND. Keep natural fresh flowers around. Do not use artificial blooms unless you plan to keep them very clean. Dust on artificial plants is bad energy in general. The very best way to create a peaceful and beautiful atmosphere is to make sure that you have cut live flowers that are pest free. Do not keep wilting flowers around as that symbolizes fatigue.
KEEP EXERCISE EQUIPMENT OUT OF MAIN ROOMS. Exercise equipment that resembles boats or vehicles can create disruption in your home’s energy because they symbolize travel. They are especially bad in the bedroom and dining room because they represent motion when these are activities that should be enjoyed while one is still and relaxing. If possible store these items out of sight whenever you can.
KEEP CEILING FANS OUT OF BEDROOMS. These create “cutting chi” that is unhealthy and can interrupt peaceful sleep. This is because they symbolize the cutting of the air and air symbolizes energy.
REMOVE MIRRORS FROM BEDROOMS. Remove mirrors from any place that you sleep.. If you have one in your bedroom, remove it immediately, since it is said that the energy created by mirrors in this space can cause insomnia. Move mirrors to your dining room instead where the reflection of opulence and food brings wealth. Mirrors are also good in the kitchen. Whatever you do, do not hang a mirror so that it cuts off any part of the head. This will cause headaches.
CLOSE YOUR BEDROOM DOOR WHEN SLEEPING. This helps make your bedroom more of a womb or cocoon that facilitates relaxation. This is especially important to do if you have boisterous children or pets.
CREATE PEACE WITH PLANTS. Almost all plants create a peaceful atmosphere unless they are somehow dying or dusty. The bigger the plant the more calming it will be to you. Avoid spikey plants like cactus as they trap harsher energy. Instead opt for plants that have large fronds and leaves and that are more Asian or tropical in flair. As an added bonus – the bigger the plant the better it will be at cleaning the air with the oxygen that these plants produce.