Life in Pajamas

"Snow Day" Sleepover Games Perfect for Today

Snow Days are perfect "Sleepover" Days. Bonus days off school are the perfect time to invite friends over and celebrate Snow Days together. We’ve scoured the web and come up with some fun games for you and your friends.  Give these a try and let us know what you think.  Also be sure to share your favorites with us.  Let the fun begin!

From www.birthdaypartyideas4kids.com and www.partyplan.co.uk come these ideas:

• Nail Polish Birthday Spin Game-Place several colors of nail polish in the middle of a circle of girls.  Have the first girl at the sleepover spin a bottle of nail polish.  Whoever the cap is pointing to when it stops must paint one of her fingernails that color.  Then that person spins the next color of nail polish…and so on.  Pretty soon everyone has really crazy hands and toes!
• Foil Make Over Game-The object is to create the best outfit out of aluminum foil.  This can be played individually or if you have lots of girls seperate them into teams.  Give each person or team 1 or 2 rolls of aluminum foil.  You can add accessories like belts, sunglasses, jewelry, hats and more.  Have the girls create tops, pants, dresses, skirts, bikinis or shorts.
• Blind Make Over Game-The first person puts on a blindfold and does the makeup of the second person.  Then when they are done the second person puts on the blindfold and does the makeup of the third person.  Draw numbers to determine the order.  Be sure to take pictures when you are done!
• Sleepover Ball Game-Buy a large inflatable beach ball and in permanent marker write questions all over it.  Place everyone in a circle and throw the ball to someone.  The person who catches the ball must answer the question that their right thumb is touching.  After answering the question they then throw the ball to another person.  Here are some suggestions for questions:  What is the scariest movie you’ve seen?  What is your favorite color?  What are three words that describe you? Who is your favorite band/singer? What is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to you? What do you say when you talk in your sleep?  What is your biggest phobia?  If you were invisible what would you do?  If you were an animal what would you be?  Who is your secret crush? What was your last dream about?
• Candy Hunt- Ask everyone to bring a flashlight to the party.  Before everyone arrives at the party ask a parent or sibling to hide candy all over the yard.  When it gets dark have everyone take their flashlights outside and hunt for the candy.

And from www.girlgamezone.com come these ideas:

• Snuggle Bug-Designate one person at the party the “Snuggle Bug” by putting slips of paper into a bowl (all blank except for the one that has the SB on it).  Whoever picks the “SB” is the “Snuggle Bug”.  All the guests are in the same room (with the lights off throughout the house) at the beginning of the game.  Then the “Snuggle Bug” gets to go and find a hiding place.  People roam throughout the house and ask other players, “Are you the Snuggle Bug?”  If the answer is no, then they keep searching.  If the answer is yes, then the person has to join them in the hiding spot and snuggle up to the SB.  As more guests find the SB and snuggle up, the hiding space becomes overcrowded and the game ends when the last person finds the SB.  Maybe have a “booby” prize ready for the last person!
• Kiss The Poster-get a nice poster of your favorite pop star, rock star or celebrity.  Have each girl put on lipstick and take turns putting on the blindfold and kissing the poster.  The person who kisses closest to the celebrity’s lips gets to take the poster home!
• Tapper-With everyone in the room, one person is chosen to be the Tapper.  The Tapper goes into another room where he/she can’t hear the other players.  Meanwhile everyone hides in their sleeping bags or under pillows and blankets.  You can also make decoys by putting pillows/stuffed animals under a blanket to make it look like a person.  Then someone gets up, turns off the lights and goes back to their hiding spot.  After everyone is settled, you yell to the Tapper to come in.  The Tapper comes into the room, with the lights off, and taps on someone.  If you get tapped you have to say “Yes?” in a weird voice (or say something else, it’s up to you).  The Tapper has to figure out who was speaking.  If the Tapper is right, the person tapped has to be the Tapper next and everyone gets a new hiding spot.  If the Tapper is wrong, he/she has to tap another person.   Or one by one the Tapper can guess each person until only one is left.
• Blair Witch Hide and Seek-A new type of hide and seek to play using a cell phone and a house phone.  Wait until it’s dark and turn out the lights.  One person hides with a cell phone.  In the pitch black, everyone goes looking for this one person.  Every so often he must call the house phone and give clues to where he is hiding.
• Two Truths and A Lie-Sit in a circle.  Each person one by one must tell everyone two things that are true about himself/herself and one thing that isn’t.  Mix up the two truths and a lie however you please.  Everyone has to guess which is the lie.

Try some of these games at your next sleepover and have fun

The Pajama Company hits the slopes http://bit.ly/ckGRQK

Gifts for Geeks

Have a hard to buy for geek in your family?  We think pajamas make a great gift for geeks. From computing to video gaming to chess playing, seriously aren't all of these activities just better in pj's?  Here are a few of our favorite Geek pajamas.

 

Gray Flannel Footy from Big Feet PJ's $44

We love our model enjoying life in his retro footy pajama.  Perfect for lounging and doing all things Geek.  Made of 100% cotton flannel, not too thick and not too thin.  We promise your Geek will love these and might just want to jump up and click his heels. 

 

Life is good Blue Plaid Flannel Pant $30

Comfy flannel pajama pants are always right.  Paired with a favorite tee, it's just all about comfort.  Life is good pj pants are always wonderful with no detail overlooked.  Should your geek need to dash out for the latest video game, bluetooth gadget, flash drive, star trek must have item...no worries, our pajama pant has pockets for those car keys.  

"Nerds Rule" Pajama Pant from David & Goliath $19.99

The perfect pajama pant for her.  100% cotton with an all around drawstring waist.  Teens and adults alike love the fit and fun of David & Goliath pj pants.  She will enjoy hours of video gaming, homework, computing in these comfy pajamas.

When sleep finally hits, your Geek needs a place for his or her head to fall.  We have the perfect rectangular soft solution, our handmade social media pillows.  100% handcrafted by Craftsquatch made with the softest fleece and the fluffiest polyester filling, this 12" X 12" pillow will make your geek smile.

Twitter Pillow from Craftsquatch $32

RSS Pillow from Craftsquatch $32

Facebook Pillow from Craftsquatch $32

 

Gmail Pillow from Craftsquatch $32

My Space Pillow from Craftsquatch $32

Twitter Bird Pillow from Craftsquatch $32

We love geeks in pajamas and geeks snoozing on our social media pillows.  What are your favorite gifts for geeks?  Share, share, share.

An Hour Ago He Was At The Office

Relax with Pajamas featuring Gray Reilly

Hope for a Snow Day

With snowstorms looming in the east and snow falling nonstop in the mid Atlantic and Midwest it's time to talk "Snow Days."  The building excitement of kids everywhere of the prospect of "no school" is just too good to be true.  That wretched homework assignment that somehow isn't finished tonight at 10:34...well on a "Snow Day" it suddenly is OK...a little time is bought.  We all knew February was good for something!  Snow Days are pretty much gifts that just appear at random.  We love you, Snow Days!  Now, as for superstitions, we've heard about a few but you must know many more that work much better than these.  Here are our favorites we try every February but please share yours (especially if they work).

• Sleep with a spoon underneath your pillow
• Put your pajamas on inside out
• Put your boots under your bed
• Do a snow dance (you choose, but preferably in pajamas)
• Flush ice cubes or snow down a toilet
• Put a penny under your pillow
• Eat ice cream

Start a "Grab Bag" Tradition this Valentine's Day

Today we are introducing our first ever Valentine's Day Grab Bag at The Pajama Company. These special bundles come with a sweet variety of small gifts and instructions on how to share the holiday of love with friends and family.

Modeled after my own family tradition, the Grab Bags are designed to be shared through an activity.  In a recent press release I said  “Valentine’s Day isn’t just about treating that one special person. At The Pajama Company we say you should share the holiday with all the people you love.”

Now here's how it works.  Each person takes a turn closing his or her eyes and picking something out of the grab bag. But there's a catch:  the picker than has to decide who else in the group should get the gift.  This little twist makes the Grab Bag all about sharing and giving, not just "grabbing".  It's a great way to honor all the people you love and help everyone feel special on Valentine's Day.

The Pajama Company is offering three options of Grab Bags priced $50, $75 and $100. Each come with a selection of books, eye masks, chocolate and accessories all wrapped in a specialty Valentine’s Day pillowslip. Start with our bag and top it up with more goodies you know your friends and family will love.  Maybe a favorite magazine, candy bar, card game, Starbucks, Subway or itunes card.  Maybe a CD or DVD, maybe a yo yo or jar of play dough.  The fun is in the stuffing of the bag as much as the grabbing.  

Start your own Grab Bag tradition this year and let the Valentine’s Day fun begin.

Pajamas Banned at a UK Grocery Store

The Guardian newspaper is reporting that customers at a Welsh branch of Tesco grocery store are now banned from wearing pajamas. The Cardiff Tesco spokesperson explained that shoppers sporting pajamas were offensive to other shoppers.  Of course we at The Pajama Company love to see pajamas here, there and everywhere.  Just the other day we complimented a guy at a cafe wearing a great pajama pant with his fleece jacket and slip on shoes.  He told us he was a film producer who used to always wear suits but now lives and works in pajamas.  All we could say was...how wonderful and his happy face kind of said it all. 

Now what do you think about pajamas at the grocery store? Take our poll and share your views.

Sleep Talkin' Man

Finding ourselves laughing out loud at the dead-of-night utterances of "Mild mannered English husband, Adam" as chronicled in Karen Slavick-Lennard's blog Sleep Talkin' Man. We hear from Mashable that this blog has truly gone viral with more than half a million visitors, 20,000 facebook fans and 10,000 followers on twitter.  Adam seems to have something to say every night and often says five or six crazy phrases.  Be warned that some are not suitable for small children.  Here are a few of his latest:

"Babies don't bounce. They don't bounce! Shame. It'd be much more fun if they bounce."

"I think you should sit down. Surely your ankles can't take the weight."

"Come back. Come back. Come baaaaack."

"Tick tock tick tock... Everybody's waiting. It's time for me to shine."

"No, not the cats. Don't trust them. Their eyes. Their eyes. They know too much."

"I'm here! I know, I brighten the room. Everything's better."

"No dog, no play. It's as simple as that."

"Yes, I can get away with wearing leather chaps. Just not on a windy day."

"Yeah, falling in love is WONDERFUL. Especially when it's with me."

"Hooray for me! Yup, I said it. Now the rest of you can join in."

"Just look at yourself. Yeah, now look at me. You don't stand a chance. It must suck to be you, I'm sure."

So, take yourself straight to Karen's blog for more sleep talkin' man chatter. 

The World's Hippest Pillowcases

Here at The Pajama Company, we are loving the new collection of pillowcases from Snooze City Designs.  So long hum drum white pillowcases and hello "Pass Out Here" and "I Heart U" and "Paparazzi."  Launched by Michael Azria and Derek Mosher in 2007, the guys explain their product this way:  "Our mission was to take plain existing products, and to add a fun and modern element to them.  The first result...the world's hippest pillowcases!"  And that is exactly what they have achieved. We love the thought of resting our sleepy heads on buttery soft and fabulously fun fresh pillowcases.($28 for the set of standard size cases)  Our celeb gossip experts at People Magazine tell us that Gwen Stefani and hubby Gavin Rossdale chose to lay their well-coiffed heads on these edgy pillowcases.  After receiving the "Plugged In" set, the couple requested the "Bride & Groom" set as well...Here are a few of our faves.

 

  

 

 

Let's Talk Cookies!

Time to take a break from holiday shopping, cards, decorating, work and just think Cookies! Doing a google search for "Christmas Cookies" took me straight to www.joyofbaking.com where the most beautiful, inviting cookies pop off the page in vivid Christmas colors.  We love the traditional sugar cookies in wonderful shapes and colors.  Most families make cookie baking part of their holiday celebrations.  Cookies just spread happiness.  Here is the recipe for this beauty.

Sugar Cookie Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure extract

Directions

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.  Set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes).  Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined.  Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough.  Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for about one hour or until firm enough to roll.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Remove one half of the chilled dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch.  Cut out cookies using a lightly floured tree cookie cutter and transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheet. 

Place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from spreading and losing their shape while baking.   Bake cookies for about 10 minutes or until they begin to brown around the edges.  Remove them from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Frost with icing.   Makes about 20 cookies.

Royal Icing Using Egg Whites

1 large egg white

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

Directions

Beat the egg whites with the lemon juice.  Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth.  The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. 

Confectioners Frosting

2 cups confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/3 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Directions

Cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract.  With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beater.  Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is nice and smooth.  

What are your cookie traditions? 

Everybody Loves Footzies!

With winter winds blowing and the holidays just around the corner, it's time to jump into a warm and cozy set of Footzies.  Choose from 8 luscious colors including our so festive Red, Pretty Pink, Warm Plum, Mint Green, Baby Blue, Tangerine, Lavender and Black.  Because Footzies are sold as separates you can mix and match the footy pants with the tee, tank or button up shirt and choose just the right size for each.  Footzies make the perfect present for women of all ages and are also loved by teens and tweens.  No more cold feet. No more socks in bed. No need for slippers. Footzies pants have a non-skid sole, and come in both Long and Short lengths. Made of 80% cotton and 20% polyester, the feel is soft velour and the price is just right, $29.99. The pant has an elastic waist with drawstring and comes in a long size for those 5'5" and above and a short size for those 5'5" or less and is sized from Small to XLarge for waist sizes 27" to 36".  The long sleeved tee and button up shirt are $19.99 each and the pretty tank top is $14.99.  Everybody loves Footzies!

 

Red Footy Pant $29.99   Long Sleeve Tee $19.99

Mint Green Footy Pant $29.99   Button Up Shirt $19.99

Lavender Footy Pant $29.99   Tank Top $19.99