May the 4th Be with You

If you're a Star Wars fan, you're not alone in the galaxy. May the fourth (as in "May the Force be with you") has become a regular celebration among Jedis and Stormtroopers alike. It's a favorite with children, too, but why should they have all the fun?

If you want to throw a good Star Wars party for grown ups, here are a few ideas for you, plus a free party planning sheet to download.

Of course, we use the term "grown ups" here loosely. Star Wars tends to bring out the kid in all of us.

Refreshments are a must at any party. Besides the usual Yoda Soda and Wookie Cookies, you could opt for some more savory food. BB-8 pancakes, lightsaber grapes on a skewer, and Death Star meatballs could be yummy. 

"Grown up" activities could include a costume contest, build-your-own-lightsaber activity (followed by a duel, of course), and a Star Wars trivia game like this one from Amazon. Or you could just make up your own trivia game.

If you need tips for decorations, the internet has a Bantha-load of ideas on how to make your party room look amazing.

 As for the guest list, that's up to you. But we suggest not inviting any Sith. They are kind of downers. If your leanings are to the Dark Side, we suggest you plan a party for the day after May the Fourth. The Revenge of the Fifth.

#THANKYOUBUSDRIVERS

Have you thanked your school bus driver lately?

Every year on the 4th Tuesday of April is National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day. This year it falls on April 23.

These men and women drive our kids to and from school all year long. We trust them. They care about our children. And they are trained to keep them safe.

So how can we show our appreciation for our bus drivers? We don't have to wait for National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day to thank them with a kind note, or a drawing from a student or parent. Gift cards and candy are nice too. Whatever it is, your bus driver will be happy they are appreciated. 

You can share your love and support by using #thankyoubusdrivers when you post on social media as well. Let us know what you do for your bus driver this year in the comments below.

Thanks to Our Teachers

It's that time of year again! The weather is getting warmer. The kids are almost done with school. And you need to figure out what in the world to give your child's teacher for a thank you gift.

Well, we did a highly unscientific survey of some of the teachers we know (and we know quite a few). Here are the things they told us they would appreciate for end of year or teacher appreciation week presents.

1. Not a Mug

Of all the teachers we spoke to, only one said she didn't mind getting a mug for a present. The others said they have an abundance of "Best Teacher in the World" crockery. Another no-no was lotions and other similar products. Their toiletry baskets overfloweth.

2. Gift Cards

Teachers love gift cards they can use to buy classroom supplies or go out to eat. Alternately, classroom supplies are much appreciated. More than one teacher we spoke to said they always need glue sticks and wet wipes and that their dry-erase markers seem to just get up and walk away. Asking your child's teacher what they need may be the best way to go.

3. Something Personal

If you know your teacher well, you can get them something they actually like. Our daughter had a teacher who collected all things owl. New teachers might also need supplies with their names on them. A package of pencils that read "Please return to Mrs. Wingo," a sign with their name on it, or a personalized stamp or stickers for their library books.

4. Appreciation

We all like to be appreciated. It takes a special person to be a teacher, and the ones we spoke to said their favorite thing to get from their students is a nice note. It could be a drawing, or a poem, or a simple "Thank you for being my teacher."

We are always looking for new ideas. Let us know how you decide to appreciate the teachers in your lives when you leave a comment below.

4 Ancient Games We Still Play

CHESS

We've all heard of chess. But did you know it originated in India in about 600 B.C.? Of course it changed  through time and across various countries, but the game we play today is very similar to the original. Chess became popular in the 19th century. Now we can play it on our smart phones! Of course, it's always better in person.

HNEFATAFL

Before chess became popular, tafl, sometimes called hnefatafl, was the game to play. It was a favorite game among the Vikings. Depending on which player you are, the object of the game is either to capture the king or protect the king. It's a game with complex strategy. When we discovered it we loved it so much we laser engraved our own board. 

MANCALA

The earliest evidence of mancala shows up more than 3000 years ago in Africa. With simple rules, but complex strategy, mancala is now a favorite worldwide. Try your hand at it online, or you could even make your own board from an egg carton and marbles. See instructions at https://www.marbleskidsmuseum.org/make-your-own-mancala.

MAHJONG

So, technically, mahjong isn't ancient. It originated in China in the 1800's. This game of strategy and skill is played with tiles by families all over the world. Although there are regional variations, the basic object of the game is for a player to get all fourteen of their tiles into four sets and one pair.

Is there a favorite old game you like to play? Let us know and we'll look it up and give it a try!

What’s Your Business Card Style?

When was the last time you got a business card and actually kept it? Well, people keep the business coins they get from Lynn Blamires.

Lynn is a 77-year-old four-wheeling enthusiast who takes other riders on trails of all difficulties. He even has a long-running newspaper column in the Ogden Standard-Examiner about his Utah ATV adventures. He also happens to be our grandpa. We sure do love him and his off-road exploits.

We printed business coins for Lynn at his request, with his logo on one side and his contact information on the other. He’s been giving them out like crazy and getting good responses.

Of course, depending on your business, a wooden business card may or may not work for you. Some other kinds of cards that may be effective for you include shaped cards, plastic cards, metal cards, and novelty cards. The more off-beat you get, the more you can expect to pay. But people are more likely to keep the fun cards and show them to their friends.

Forbes.com has 10 tips for great business cards in 2024. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/best-business-card-designs/

Here are our favorite three.

1. Use a minimalist card with embossing for emphasis. Forbes’ example has a cartographer’s business card with a topographical map embossed, perfectly suited to her business.

2. Be simple and still unique. A roofing company in the article has a business card that folds in half to look like a shingled roof.

3. Make it smart. Put a QR code or other link to your website or other material your customer will find valuable.

Remember to always have a few cards with you. We'd love to see your unique business card. Post a picture in the comments.

5 Meaningful Easter Gifts

We are not into lengthy introductions, so here goes.

1. If you are Christian, then Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We all know people who research the "real" meaning of Halloween or whether St. Patrick was a real person. Why not do some research on the origins of Easter? Some great gifts celebrating Christ's resurrection are a new Bible or Children's Bible, a cross of some kind (handmade, jewelry, etc.), a picture of Christ, or a quote about Him.

 

2. For those who are celebrating the newness of spring and the rebirth of Mother Earth, Easter could be a time for natural gifts. Fruit baskets, plants, or flowers are always appreciated. They celebrate life!

3. Let's face it, nowadays sugar = love. You don't have to give an impersonal Easter goody basket though. You could give a "box of sunshine" with all yellow candy to celebrate spring or opt for tulip-shaped cookies. Many companies sell chocolate crosses. Or, you could always go with a traditional chocolate bunny or egg with a note that says something like our great-grandpa would have said: "Take the dumb candy and just be glad I got you anything at all!"

 

4. The gift of time. Instead of something tangible, take your loved one on a walk to appreciate nature or to a church service celebrating Easter. You could also spend an afternoon decorating eggs or planning an egg hunt for the neighborhood kids.

5. Gift a gift to the environment. Those colorful, fun, plastic Easter eggs we all use for hunts are almost always un-recyclable. So what do we do with them? Reduce, reuse, repurpose.

If you already have an egg stash, reuse it instead of buying new eggs. If you don't need them, donate them. If you do need them, check a thrift store first. Another option is using old plastic eggs for crafts. Search online for plastic egg crafts and you'll find a plethora of ideas.

Good luck with your Easter gifting! We hope you have a memorable, meaningful Easter season this year!

Coming Out of the Woodworks

More than a year ago, when Bison and Bobcat Studios first got started, we had a little 20 watt laser and a small pile of wood. My husband, Benjamin, is a man of many talents, woodworking being one of them. The lure of a laser to customize his creations was strong, so we made the investment.

But where other hobbies had only held his interest for a short while, he became totally engrossed in wood lasering. With so many ideas in the works and our house filling up with wood burned items, we thought it only fair to share the joy and start an Etsy shop. 

This custom game board is one of the first things we designed and cut on the laser.

We started with just doing small jobs for friends, and now we are really enjoying doing custom wood creations for people all over the U.S. 

Alas, we now have a garage full of wood to reclaim, and our house is starting to burst at the seams with two lasers, a bunch of saws (I'm not sure what they're all called,) and piles and piles of wood. But we don't care about the sawdust and splinters and not having a place to park our car anymore. We are just glad we get to follow our passion to create and share that with others.