Sonya Thorpe's blog

One of my favorite movies of all time is The Wedding Planner starring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey. In the movie, Jennifer has this one line that goes… “You know the expression, ‘Those who don't do teach? Well those who don't wed plan!’” Oh yes, that line just speaks volumes about my life. I’m one of the few gals among my group of friends that hasn’t married or had kids yet. So when it comes to these monumental life-changing moments, I’m the one on the sidelines just observing and taking it all in. ...read more

I am sooo excited…the Oscars take place on March 7th – something I watch as devoutly as many people watch the Super Bowl. And this year it’s bigger and better than ever with 10 films to pick from for Best Picture. I think that calls for a celebration! Pop the popcorn, bring out the Junior Mints and invite your favorite film friends over for a “night at the Oscars” party. ...read more

Last February, I ran in the 12th Annual Mardi Gras Run in Dallas, and the first thing I noticed upon arriving at the race was the huge crowd of walkers and runners. I was a little intimidated at first – as it had been quite a few years since my last 5K – but I ended up having a total blast. Some people were dressed in wild costumes and others had their faces painted. Everyone seemed to have smiles on their faces and there was a collective energetic spirit in the air. The best part was the group of event volunteers standing around the finish line with armfuls of Mardi Gras beads. As each race participant crossed the finish line, they were showered with beaded necklaces in bright green, gold, silver, and purple colors.

In the days that followed the race, I found myself looking at my beads in admiration of my accomplishment and also puzzled as to what to do with them. I’m a big fan of recycling and repurposing. So, I put on my thinking cap and came up with a solution… I could use the beads for gift wrapping!

To help you see my vision, I put together a couple of samples. ...read more

Every year, I look forward to Valentine’s Day because I know it means getting delicious sweets from loved ones. This year, I thought I’d return the favor and bake up some goodies for my friends and loved ones to enjoy. (Not that I don’t still want that heart-shaped box of chocolates for myself, too!) And what better way to show others you care than with some tasty treats made just for them! So for our weekly round-up, I’ve found some yummy recipes worth sharing for anyone else in the mood to bake this weekend! And make sure you check out the fun project I whipped up at the end to go along with the goodies! ...read more

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and even though I’m single I still love the holiday! The blogosphere is absolutely overflowing right now with holiday projects. Next week we'll feature some drool-worthy food finds, but for today's post I’ve spent a few hours surfing the Web looking for some of the most creative ideas for fun or romantic gifts, home decor, and family projects. (I have a rough job, right?!) I absolutely adore the ideas below and I hope you will too. ...read more

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Calendars also make great promotional items or fundraising tools and ordering is easy – simply select a design and personalize each month with a different photo and custom dates. You can even customize the month the calendar starts.

Place your order online by Feb. 14, 2010, and receive 35% off.* Plus, every order qualifies for free, 7-day delivery.

Click here to place an order with this discount. ...read more

Recently, my cousin asked for help proofing a brochure she created, and as a student of journalism, I was happy to help. Upon first review, I noticed several layout and design elements that needed improvement. And that got me to thinking — I bet a lot of small businesses face the same issues. Making custom brochures is a surefire way to promote and grow your business, and with so many resources available, it has never been easier or more cost-effective.

The vast array of design and printing options available at retailers like FedEx Office and on the Internet give you more flexibility than ever to create professional brochures in no time. You can choose bi-fold, tri-fold, full-color, black and white, glossy finish, premium papers, colored papers…the list goes on and on. If you prefer to produce them yourself, check out the Web and Microsoft Word for free templates to get you started. 

Following are some tips I gathered to help our small business readers create a captivating brochure:  ...read more

Have you ever noticed when you travel that everyone else seems to have a suitcase just like yours? They all look like giant black boxes coming off the conveyor belts. Some of us tie colorful ribbon to the handle or use a bright-colored luggage tag. I have done both, only to find myself trying to remember the color of the ribbon. And then there was this one time when the contact card from my luggage tag went missing altogether! I figured it must have fallen out somewhere in transit. ...read more

As you may have gathered from my bio, I am the self-proclaimed organization guru of the group. To my credit, I have taken numerous personality tests that reveal I am innately detail-oriented and organized. I have found over the years that one way to keep New Year’s resolutions (and organize my time) is to use a weekly or monthly schedule.

For example, last year I committed to becoming more active and signed up for a series of running classes. With each class, I received a monthly schedule with my running and strength training assignments detailed by day. I put this up on my refrigerator so that it was front and center – serving as a daily reminder of what I needed to do. By the time I finished the 18 weeks of training, I reduced my run time per mile by four minutes and was able to run for longer distances. ...read more

It’s finally here! After all the decorating, planning, shopping, gift wrapping, etc., the big day has finally arrived. Instead of offering up another project idea, the Out of Office Blog Team would like to take this time to wish you all a wonderful day filled with holiday cheer, yummy foods, and quality time spent with family and friends.

I am certainly looking forward to my family’s annual tradition of watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy all day long. We started this practice three or four years ago with the first two movies and eventually added the third. Sadly, I always have questions about the storyline and my sister finds this to be completely annoying. Fun times!

Whatever your holiday tradition may be, I hope this day brings you peace, love and joy.