News and photos

Issue No 20:
15 August 2003

Our new ordering system!

Welcome to our twentieth newsletter. Just to let you know our news first:

• New Ordering System – we have switched our ordering system so that is now via PayPal. We didn't end up sending you an email about this new system as we didn't want to send you too many emails and we were busy adjusting to the new system. But it is now up and running very smoothly.
• New prices – we are now charging $29.95 for our standard kits and small meet and mingle kits for up to 30 guests, $34.95 for our meet and mingle kits for up to 50 guests and $39.95 for meet and mingle kits for up to 100 guests (currently on "Celebrity Celebrations"). (Note: These prices have since increased.)

• Updated kits: We have added a number of new versions of The Balmy Bahamas Cruise so that is now for 8 to 17 guests. We have created versions of Celebrity Celebrations for up to 30 guests and for up to 50 guests so that you don't have to order the version for 100 if you are having less guests. We have renamed "The Family Quest" to be Fame, Money and Murder and extended it so it is now for 8 to 17 guests. We have rewritten Who Defeated The Slimy Monster? so that is less gross. There are now a lot less mentions of bodily functions.

In this issue, we have articles about:

• Our photo competition winners
• Feedback on "Death On The Mound".

Our photo competition winners

This month we received some wonderful photos from various parts of the globe. Thank you to all our entrants. The three winners are:

• Debbie Auld (South Africa) for photos from her Trouble On Board party
• Helga Jonsdottir (Iceland) for a photo from her Murder of the Great Chef party
• Maureen Adlam (Australia) for a photo from her Celebrity Celebrations party.

We are commencing a new competition with a closing date of 1 October 2003 (see photos.htm for details).

Here are two photos from Debbie's "Trouble On Board" party (click to see it larger):

Deb sent in this feedback about her "Trouble On Board" party:

"Hallo thank you for the newsletter.

I took my staff on board an actual cruise ship for our Christmas party. We had a great time doing Trouble on Board. I have sent you 2 photo's. We also did the new years party which was great.

We will definitely use you again.

Many thanks and good luck

DEBBIE AULD

OWNER/MANAGER
HARVEY WORLD TRAVEL
DURBAN - SOUTH AFRICA"

Helga sent in this feedback about her "Murder of the Great Chef" party:

"Hi Stephany

My sewing club with spouses had a great time at our dinner party where we played the "Murder of the Great Chef". I bought the kit from you last winter. My friend hosted the party and her daughter and son-in-law were the waiters at the dinner party.

My friend had decorated her house very nicely and all the guests were dressed according to their roles. Two people actually figured out who the murderer was. The night was a success and we cannot wait to play the second game I bought: also from you: Murdering the Boss.

With best regards from Iceland
Helga Jonsdottir"

(see her photo below, click to see it larger)

Feedback on "Death On The Mound"

Deb Fansler from the USA used the Death On The Mound kit for her party:

"Hi!

I just wanted to let you know that we had a fabulous time at my husband's 40th surprise murder mystery birthday party..."Death on the Mound" on Saturday, July 19th!! Everyone who participated or just came to spectate had a good time, also. It took more planning than I anticipated, but it was well worth it. Even our 8 and 10 year old, among other younger children, really got "into character"! Our brother-in-law set up the "crime scene" and there was a police car there, too!! My sister-in-law videotaped many of the suspects and goings on. It kept everyone occupied for the entire afternoon and many were stumped. My husband and his sister were the only ones to solve the mystery out of about 40 people present.

Now our boys would like to have a mystery birthday party next year! I love how you make these nice and clean for the entire family to enjoy.

Thanks again!
:)
Deb Fansler
Womelsdorf, PA"

Here is Maureen's winning photo from her "Celebrity Celebrations" party (click to see it larger):

Maureen sent in this feedback about her "Celebrity Celebrations" party:

"Stephanie,

I held our Celebrity Celebrations Party for my husbands 60th birthday on 31st May, 2003. I had 40 guest celebrities.

From the moment the invitations went out I was receiving phone calls, all very excited to attend. Everyone, dressed as their character and most of us went to the extremes of getting wigs. The Murder Mystery went according to schedule and only two celebrities picked the murderer. I had all the music to suit the characters and, each and every one of them actually took hold of the microphone and sang their song. Janis Joplin was a scream! I had a dance floor and hired a mushroom light, we decorated the house with blue lights, under them we had netting which we hung big white balloons and attached the bats. The fireplace was full of different shape candles and I had spider webs dangling down as well. The study was eerie and so was the bathroom and toilet.

Your Murder Mystery Party was just the thing I was looking for...something different to celebrate a 60th and much better than an afternoon tea for the old boy!! I am sure some of my guests will be purchasing a Murder Mystery for themselves in the near future.

I must mention that the Group Celebrities photo is of a few people that I took from other photos and put them in. If this is against the rules please don't use it. We were all too busy on the night and forgot to get a group shot but we have plenty of individual ones.

Thank You
Maureen Adlam"