Showing off my new dinner table?

dinner set furniture image

rooney

We just purchased a really nice dinner table set and it is always covered with a vinyl tablecloth because I have kids and I don't want it to get ruined. Well I am having some people over and don't want the beauty of it to be hidden. Since the kids will be asleep by then I would like it to be uncovered, the only thing is that I am serving cocktails and appetizers and don't want the table to get ruined from heat and stains. What affordable options do I have besides placemats, since it is not a sit down dinner? A runner? Potholders (i don't know what they are called but they protect the table from hot dishes)?
Why are people getting mad at me? (like Edward W - who is actually telling me I shouldn't have ahd kids!) I'm just asking a question, geez!

Answer
I can completely relate to your wanting to protect your new table. We got a new dining table a year ago, and I'm only beginning to relax about using it now. It's very possible that the finish is water and alcohol-proof. But it's like a new car; you hate to see the first tiny scratch.

How about using more than one runner? 2 runners for 4 people, 3 runners for 6 people. If you and I were directly opposite each other, our settings would be on the same runner. Or if it's a long table, one along each side.

Some guests get very worried that they might hurt your furniture, so if you provide the coasters, placemats, whatever, they'll be more comfortable.

If you want affordable, a fresh clean potholder or small wooden cutting board can serve as a trivet. I sometimes use one of those silicone squares, but our style is pretty contemporary.

I need a use for my dining room?

shanmarie1

My hubby and I just moved into a new house and we need something to do with our dining room. I know it seems obvious... dine in it, but we are a very casual couple who doesnt have formal sit down dinners. For us it would be a waste of space and money to go buy a formal dining set that we would never use. We have an eat-in kitchen for meals and a family room that we watch tv in. So we're left with a big empty room in the front of the house. Any suggestions on what we can do with the space?

Also, I already turned one of the bedrooms into an office, so pls dont suggest we make it an office. Any suggestions are appreciated!

Answer
Before I decided to have a formal dining room, I toyed with a few ideas that didn't work out until I thought of having some of my more interesting and neat looking hobbies stationed in there. I decided to free up some space in my hobby room by moving my paintings, along with my easel, paint and paint brushes into the dining room area. The chandelier in there provided great lighting for works in progress, the paintings looked great on the wall and made it my little mini-gallery. I also had in there an apothecary which is an interesting piece of furniture sort of like a chest of drawers that has many little drawers which housed my paints and paint brushes. You can leave the area open, but yet it looks complete as an artistic center. Oh, and I also had a pretty bookcase in there which decoratively held my Native American flutes and my few interesting antiques.

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first aparment, one bedroom w/ 2 people- how much money should I save up for furniture and other supplies?

dinner set furniture image

Q. It's my boyfriend and I. It will be a relatively small apartment, about 500 a month.
what do you think?
covering basic furniture like a couch, bed, some kind of tv stand, a dresser, etc
towels, plates, etc etc
how much did you save?

Answer
First, ask any family or friends if they have any furniture tucked away somewhere that they thought they would one day use and really arn't going to.
My fiance and I got a dining room set and coffee table set from his parents.
My parents paid for a couch set as a house warming gift (cost from the brick - $1100 CDN)
Second ( do you not already have a bed?) i would assume yes, however you may each only have twin sized beds and would prefer a double/Queen.
If you buy a mattress set (box spring and mattress) you can usually get the set for about $600 CDN (Sears) and alot of places have a deal when you buy the Mattress set it comes with the frame (it will be a metal frame) (I personally prefer a wooden frame, but it is much more expensive and to my preference.)
For the little things (Cooking supplies, pots, pand, dinner ware, silver ware, toaster, kettle, coffee pot, etc) have a house warming party and on your invitations you can register somewhere or give everyone a hint as to what you need to make life a little easier in your new place.
Also go to some yard sales, people are always getting rid of old furnature etc. It may not be 100% appealing to you, but enough to start out with until you can afford what you like. Alot of people (who might me moving out of the country and cannot take all of their things with them) have a "house Sale" where they sell everything you see when you walk in the house (art, furnature, decor,) everything must go from these places, you can get some very nice things for very little because the seller whats whatever they can get because they cannot take it with them, If they do not sell it, the buyer of there house will inherit it when thy move in.
Also always have your next months bills saved for.
I.e. You rent is 500, utilities 250, food 300 anything else 250
Total 1300
When you pay in May make sure you have that 1300 saved for next month (June) and so on...
That way you will know a month ahead if you need to put a little extra away...
and you will always have the 1300 in case of an emergency
I would do the same for car insurance and loand payments and anything else you expense monthly

How to stop puppy looking at food whenever I am eating?

Mr.Sprite

He is labrador male -6 month old. Whenever we are eating or we are taking dinner, he will come and he everytime expect food from us. We do not give him anything as it can teach him bad manners. What should I do to stop this behaviour?

Answer
YOU and your pet SHOULD have been in a proper training club's weekly classes as of when he was 18-22 weeks old. GET there, so that YOU are coached on how to become an effective trainer.

There is nothing wrong with him LOOKING at your food - the problem is when you ALLOW him to attempt to DEMAND some of it (and Labradors are born believing that the world was created expressly to constantly supply them with an immense variety of food).

TRAIN your pooch an ACCEPTABLE way he can "explain" to you that he'd like some food. My GSDs think they have trained me so that, when they Sit ostentatiously in the kitchen (maybe pushing between me & the cupboards to make sure I can't help noticing their Sit - but one lad had so much faith in my omniscience that he'd Sit in the next room where I couldn't see him until I went to the fridge!), I HAVE to give them some of what I am spreading on my sandwich - or at least give them a chest-rub.

When I bring fish&chips or KFC home they lie down in a spot where they can watch me, and be ready to open a mouth when I lob a chip or a bone to that particular pooch that is telepathing to me "I'm being GOOD, Dad! - don't I DESERVE some yet?".

My dogs are TRAINED to keep their feet on the floor or ground, not on people or furniture. Any that steals food from another is hounded into a corner by me, and the food removed from its mouth and given back to the "right" pooch - part of canine pack behaviour is that the LEADER decides who eats what, where, and when.
My dogs accept me as the leader.
Does your pup really accept YOU as its leader? Or is it used to YOU doing what IT wants? Such as: - getting food without having to Sit for it? - being given tidbits without having to EARN them? - being allowed to jump on you and on the furniture? - being allowed to ignore commands? A natural leader can get away with allowing some of those, but a newbie should CONSISTENTLY adopt/demonstrate pack-leader qualities.

You might find it helpful to have a sheepskin or place-rug that is "his" - and when you are ready to sit down & eat you place the mat where he can see you, then you order him to Down and Stay on it while you eat. To improve his willingness to lie there, particularly during the early stages of the training, some bribes are: a bone to gnaw there; a tidbit under the mat for him to find; a supply of tidbits so you can toss one to him every minute or so while he remains Down on his rug. Yes, you WILL need to leave the table often to put him back on his rug, until he gradually accepts your leadership and the routine of "They eat there, I lie down on my rug and hope for an occasional praise-&-reward".
(If your aim is poor or he is a messy eater, spread some newspaper on the carpet or lino before placing his rug.)

Those who say to put the dog in a different room are avoiding the problem rather than controlling the dog - until you are an effective trainer you MIGHT need to do that, but don't make it your first choice forever.

â Add http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/The_GSD_Source to your browser's Bookmarks or Favorites so that you can easily look up such as rescue groups, feeding, vaccinations, worming, clubs, teething, neutering, size, diseases, genetics.

â To ask about your pet's breed, join some of the YahooGroups dedicated to various aspects of living with them. If you don't know how, click my group's link then, near the top of the page, in the field saying [Search for other groups], type the breed's real name. (For a cross-breed, Search for either the one he is most like, or do a separate Search for each breed.)
Each group's Home page tells you which aspects they like to discuss, and how active they are. Unlike YA, they are set up so that you can have an ongoing discussion with follow-up questions for clarification. Most allow you to include photos in your messages.
Les P, owner of GSD_Friendly: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/GSD_Friendly
"In GSDs" as of 1967

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first aparment, one bedroom w/ 2 people- how much money should I save up for furniture and other supplies?

dinner set furniture image

Q. It's my boyfriend and I. It will be a relatively small apartment, about 500 a month.
what do you think?
covering basic furniture like a couch, bed, some kind of tv stand, a dresser, etc
towels, plates, etc etc
how much did you save?

Answer
First, ask any family or friends if they have any furniture tucked away somewhere that they thought they would one day use and really arn't going to.
My fiance and I got a dining room set and coffee table set from his parents.
My parents paid for a couch set as a house warming gift (cost from the brick - $1100 CDN)
Second ( do you not already have a bed?) i would assume yes, however you may each only have twin sized beds and would prefer a double/Queen.
If you buy a mattress set (box spring and mattress) you can usually get the set for about $600 CDN (Sears) and alot of places have a deal when you buy the Mattress set it comes with the frame (it will be a metal frame) (I personally prefer a wooden frame, but it is much more expensive and to my preference.)
For the little things (Cooking supplies, pots, pand, dinner ware, silver ware, toaster, kettle, coffee pot, etc) have a house warming party and on your invitations you can register somewhere or give everyone a hint as to what you need to make life a little easier in your new place.
Also go to some yard sales, people are always getting rid of old furnature etc. It may not be 100% appealing to you, but enough to start out with until you can afford what you like. Alot of people (who might me moving out of the country and cannot take all of their things with them) have a "house Sale" where they sell everything you see when you walk in the house (art, furnature, decor,) everything must go from these places, you can get some very nice things for very little because the seller whats whatever they can get because they cannot take it with them, If they do not sell it, the buyer of there house will inherit it when thy move in.
Also always have your next months bills saved for.
I.e. You rent is 500, utilities 250, food 300 anything else 250
Total 1300
When you pay in May make sure you have that 1300 saved for next month (June) and so on...
That way you will know a month ahead if you need to put a little extra away...
and you will always have the 1300 in case of an emergency
I would do the same for car insurance and loand payments and anything else you expense monthly

How to stop puppy looking at food whenever I am eating?

Mr.Sprite

He is labrador male -6 month old. Whenever we are eating or we are taking dinner, he will come and he everytime expect food from us. We do not give him anything as it can teach him bad manners. What should I do to stop this behaviour?

Answer
YOU and your pet SHOULD have been in a proper training club's weekly classes as of when he was 18-22 weeks old. GET there, so that YOU are coached on how to become an effective trainer.

There is nothing wrong with him LOOKING at your food - the problem is when you ALLOW him to attempt to DEMAND some of it (and Labradors are born believing that the world was created expressly to constantly supply them with an immense variety of food).

TRAIN your pooch an ACCEPTABLE way he can "explain" to you that he'd like some food. My GSDs think they have trained me so that, when they Sit ostentatiously in the kitchen (maybe pushing between me & the cupboards to make sure I can't help noticing their Sit - but one lad had so much faith in my omniscience that he'd Sit in the next room where I couldn't see him until I went to the fridge!), I HAVE to give them some of what I am spreading on my sandwich - or at least give them a chest-rub.

When I bring fish&chips or KFC home they lie down in a spot where they can watch me, and be ready to open a mouth when I lob a chip or a bone to that particular pooch that is telepathing to me "I'm being GOOD, Dad! - don't I DESERVE some yet?".

My dogs are TRAINED to keep their feet on the floor or ground, not on people or furniture. Any that steals food from another is hounded into a corner by me, and the food removed from its mouth and given back to the "right" pooch - part of canine pack behaviour is that the LEADER decides who eats what, where, and when.
My dogs accept me as the leader.
Does your pup really accept YOU as its leader? Or is it used to YOU doing what IT wants? Such as: - getting food without having to Sit for it? - being given tidbits without having to EARN them? - being allowed to jump on you and on the furniture? - being allowed to ignore commands? A natural leader can get away with allowing some of those, but a newbie should CONSISTENTLY adopt/demonstrate pack-leader qualities.

You might find it helpful to have a sheepskin or place-rug that is "his" - and when you are ready to sit down & eat you place the mat where he can see you, then you order him to Down and Stay on it while you eat. To improve his willingness to lie there, particularly during the early stages of the training, some bribes are: a bone to gnaw there; a tidbit under the mat for him to find; a supply of tidbits so you can toss one to him every minute or so while he remains Down on his rug. Yes, you WILL need to leave the table often to put him back on his rug, until he gradually accepts your leadership and the routine of "They eat there, I lie down on my rug and hope for an occasional praise-&-reward".
(If your aim is poor or he is a messy eater, spread some newspaper on the carpet or lino before placing his rug.)

Those who say to put the dog in a different room are avoiding the problem rather than controlling the dog - until you are an effective trainer you MIGHT need to do that, but don't make it your first choice forever.

â Add http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/The_GSD_Source to your browser's Bookmarks or Favorites so that you can easily look up such as rescue groups, feeding, vaccinations, worming, clubs, teething, neutering, size, diseases, genetics.

â To ask about your pet's breed, join some of the YahooGroups dedicated to various aspects of living with them. If you don't know how, click my group's link then, near the top of the page, in the field saying [Search for other groups], type the breed's real name. (For a cross-breed, Search for either the one he is most like, or do a separate Search for each breed.)
Each group's Home page tells you which aspects they like to discuss, and how active they are. Unlike YA, they are set up so that you can have an ongoing discussion with follow-up questions for clarification. Most allow you to include photos in your messages.
Les P, owner of GSD_Friendly: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/GSD_Friendly
"In GSDs" as of 1967

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Does anyone know of some fun alternative activities for a dinner party?

dinner set furniture image

Nick

I'm hosting a dinner party next saturday together with my girlfriend. And we had originally planned a small activity where people should paint funny t-shirts for each other. But because my girlfriend is pregnant, we decided to stay away from the painting because of the chemicals it contains. So I was wondering if anybody had a fun activity to do instead? I mean, we could always just play a board game, which can be much fun. But maybe someone has a nice resource for some online activities, like a quiz game or something? We're gonna be 3 couples in total.

Answer
The Phrase Game

This is one of the easiest free party games to liven things up around the dinner table. All you need is a bit of imagination, a pen, and some small strips of paper. (Or, if you prefer more elegant dinner table games, some blank business cards or card stock and a printerâ you can do this on the computer).

The Game

Write or print a different phrase on several small pieces of paper. Place a piece under each of your dinner guestsâ plates. Make the phrases usable but strange. Eg: âI wish I was a dog,â or âHave you tried scorpion?â
Before dinner, ask everybody to read the card under their plate (to themselves, without sharing!). Instruct your guests to use their phrase or question as naturally as they can in conversation.
You can decide to make this a race â whoever manages to use their phrase last loses. Or it can be a competition between guests. The goal is for each guest to figure out when another guest is using an assigned phrase. If theyâre able to slip it into conversation naturally without anybody noticing, they win.

I Have Never

Everyone sits in a circle. Each player gets 10 pennies. Players take turns stating something that they have never done, such as rock climbing. All the players that have done what the player says they haven't must then give one of their pennies to that player. After each player has taken a turn, the player with the most pennies wins the game. For a longer game, you can have each player take two or more turns.

Apple

Fun-loving adults who wish to play games at dinner parties will enjoy "Apple." This game works best with couples. Tell your guests you are having a dance contest. Give each couple an apple to hold between their foreheads while dancing. Start with slow music, and gradually play faster and faster tunes for the couples to dance to. Continue to play varying beats of music, slow, fast, medium, fast, slow... The last couple with the apple held firmly between their foreheads wins.



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Cereal Box Game
The Cereal Box Game will keep your guests on their toes.

Clear away the furniture from the center of the room to allow plenty of room for guests to play. Once the room is cleared, cut the flaps off of a tall, empty cereal box and place the box in the center of the room. One at a time, each guest should approach the box, bend over and try to pick up the box with their teeth. Only the guest's mouth should touch the box and only the players feet should touch the floor, however, guests are free to bend or twist in any way necessary to pick up the box with their teeth. Touching the floor with any other body part results in elimination. After each elimination, an additional inch should be cut from the box's height to make it shorter and shorter. Continue cutting and playing until there's only one player left. That player is the winner.
Hot Camera Game
The Hot Camera Game will dare your guests to have fun.

All party guests should stand or sit in a circle. Set the timer on the camera, then pass the camera around to your guests. Each guest, holding the camera at arms length, points the camera lens at him or herself for a second or two, then passes the camera to the person on the left, who repeats the process until the timer goes off and the camera takes a photo. Whoever is holding the camera when it takes the photo must either do a dare, answer an embarrassing question or drop out. The last player left in the circle is the winner.

New Name Game
The Name Game will have your guests at hello.

Before the party beings, think of some funny or silly names for each guest. Create name tags out of stickers and surprise each guest with his or her newly given name to wear on their clothes when they arrive. Throuout the dinner party, guests must use their new name when talking about themselves, and all guests must refer to other guests by their name that is written on their name tag. There are two different ways to play this game--"Measles" or "Pennies." For the measles version, those who slip up and don't follow the rules of calling each guest by their newly given name must wear a red dot-shaped sticker on their face. The guest with the most stickers (measles) at the end of the night loses. For the pennies version, whoever catches a guest calling another guest by the wrong name gets a penny. The guest who has collected the most pennies by the end of the party wins.

Where can i rent a roof-top for an evening dinner?

Kendra G

I want to do something special for my boyfriend and have dinner on a roof top and decorate the roof top with candles but i don't know where i can use a roof top at. Can someone help me please !

Answer
Great romantic idea but completely impractical. This is the kind of stuff that you see in movies, not in real life.

First off, where is the food coming from and how is it going to be cooked and kept warm?
Who is serving the food to you?
Where is the furniture and the lighting and the electricity coming from?

You can't rent a roof, if you don't already have a rooftop in the building where you live you aren't going to find one that you have public access to.

Find a nice setting and have a nice romantic meal. Leave the movie props for Hollywood.

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