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Category: Fun Tidbits

Flying Circus Toys- January Store of the Month

Posted on January 9, 2015January 9, 2015 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

Blue Orange Games is lucky to partner with a fantastic bunch of retailers who are passionate about their businesses and supportive of our games. We want to do more to recognize the stores and individuals that make our mission possible. That’s how our monthly spotlight on an outstanding Blue Orange Games retailer came about!

We are pleased to announce that Flying Circus Toys in Albertville, MN is our Store of the Month for January! Bart, from our sales team, nominated this store because of their dedication to the local community and their passion for creating fun times with their customers.

Only two years old, Flying Circus Toys has made a name for itself at the Albertville Premium Outlets. Having been voted one of the Top 10 Specialty Toy Stores in Minnesota, Flying Circus Toys has become a destination for shoppers around the world.

Walking into Flying Circus Toys, the little kid will light up in everyone from being surrounded by bright colors and toys galore. But how did this marvelous toy store come about? Jessica, the store owner, started in specialty toys over 20 years ago, attending toy trade shows with her sister-in-law. Having worked as a buyer, she was inspired to start a specialty toy store closer to home and family.

Family ties are an important influence at Flying Circus Toys, even in its unique name. To many customers, the name means a great toy and a great time, but to Jessica and her family it means much more. Jessica’s grandmother was the name’s inspiration, being that she was a part of the Ringling Bros. Circus!

When visiting “the GREATEST toy store on Earth!” new customers will learn and returning friends know that they will always be given a wonderful experience while shopping. The staff’s number one priority is to make sure that each customer has a valuable experience. Whether or not someone leaves the store having purchased a game, they will leave with a smile on their face.

The Flying Circus team takes pride in helping their customers choose the perfect gift or game. One of their favorites to give and play is our very own Fastrack! Being that it is a short game that can be explained quickly, it is an easy sell to customers. On top of that, Fastrack can be played by all ages, which, according to Jessica, is this year’s trend—games that the whole family can enjoy together no matter their ages.

If you are one of the seven million visitors to go to Albertville Premium Outlets this year, I am sure you will find yourself happily entering the world of Flying Circus Toys and leaving with a smile and a wonderful game!

For more information visit http://www.flyingcircustoys.com/

Games to Give this Holiday Season

Posted on December 11, 2014January 9, 2015 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

When you are an employee for an awesome board game company, such as Blue Orange Games, holiday gift shopping is made a little bit easier! Blue Orange team members share their top gifts that they will be giving this holiday season!

“I’m giving BraveRats to my cousin Meghan because it is light, portable and offers multiple styles of play–perfect for when she is waiting in line anywhere. Plus, who wouldn’t want to own a game featuring plaid wearing rats? I’m obsessed!”
Teresa, Customer Service Rep

“I am giving Doodle Quest to my
nephews because they like to draw
and it is something that we can
play together!”
Renaud, Regional Sales Manager

“I am giving Battle Sheep to my
friend’s niece because she loves
games, but mostly because she
has always wanted sheep of her
own!”
Michelle, Office Operations Associate

“I am giving Bendomino
to my Best Friend
because we have played dominoes
together since we were in junior
high–plus I know that I can win!”
Keyva, Accountant Assistant

“I am giving Gobblet Gobblers to
my brother because I know that
I will beat him every time.”
Jonas, Sales Trainee

“I will be giving WuzzIts to
my friend because she has
a wacky sense of humor.”
Stephanie, Art Director

“I will be giving my son
Tell Tale Disney/Pixar Toy Story
because he is obsessed with
Tell Tale and with Toy Story!”
Viyada, Marketing & PR

“I will be giving Spot it! Camping
to my mom because she does
not like to go! But I know that
she will if Spot it! is there!”
Francois, Sales Trainee

“I will be giving NIYA to
my girlfriend because it is
in such a pretty tin that fits
in your purse to play anywhere
and is such a clever game!”
Corinne, Marketing Manager

“I will be giving Fastrack to
my friend because I am the
best at this game–I will get
guaranteed bragging rights.”
Yann, Regional Sales Manager

“I will be giving Pengoloo
to my nephew because he lives
where it snows and the theme
of the game is so wintry!”
Kinga, Operations Manager

“I will be giving Fastrack NHL to
both of my brothers! They love the
Pittsburgh Penguins and air
hockey was one of our
favorites to play together as kids!”
Rachel, Marketing Intern

“I will be giving Longhorn to a friend
who introduced me to my favorite two
player games and I wanted to return the favor.”
Brandan, Marketing & Product Development Associate

Giving Thanks!

Posted on November 21, 2014January 9, 2015 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

[typography font=”Lobster” size=”26″ size_format=”px” color=”#030303″]Gobble, Gobble![/typography] It is time to head to the store, grab the turkey, make the stuffing, & pour the gravy! But before the Thanksgiving cooking & Black Friday shopping begins, the Blue Orange team pauses to share what we are most thankful for:

“I am thankful for the [typography font=”Lobster” size=”17″ size_format=”px”]rain[/typography]
that is finally falling in California!”
–Teresa, Customer Service Rep

“I am thankful to live in the
beautiful city of [typography font=”Lobster” size=”17″ size_format=”px”]San Francisco[/typography]
& for all of the nature that surrounds it.”
–Brandan, Marketing & Product Development Associate

“I am thankful for my [typography font=”Lobster” size=”17″ size_format=”px”]loving[/typography] parents who
taught me everything that I know.”
–Rachel, Marketing Intern

“I am thankful for my
smart, beautiful, & loving
[typography font=”Lobster” size=”17″ size_format=”px”] daughter[/typography] .”
–Kinga, Operations Manager

“I am thankful for
[typography font=”Lobster” size=”17″ size_format=”px”]Espresso[/typography], especially
on Monday mornings.”
–Renaud, Regional Sales Manager

[typography font=”Cantarell” size=”14.5″ size_format=”px”]Here at Blue Orange,
we want to wish you a[/typography]
[typography font=”Lobster” size=”18″ size_format=”px”]safe & happy holiday[/typography]
[typography font=”Cantarell” size=”14.5″ size_format=”px”]filled with love, laughter,
& overstuffed bellies![/typography]

Family Game Night

Posted on November 14, 2014January 9, 2015 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

The sun is setting way too early, the clouds are rolling in with a fall chill, and the holidays are right around the corner. This means that there may be much more time that your family is beginning to spend indoors and with each other.

So…how do you draw those little eyes away from the TV and IPad? Bring out the good ol’ board games and gather around for a family game night!

Blue Orange would like to suggest some game night tips and ideas to make this as close to a family success as possible.

[typography font=”Cardo” size=”20″ size_format=”px” color=”#091599″]Keep it light:[/typography]

Don’t stress about the rules! Yes Yes, structure is important, but if someone comes up with a new way of playing, try it out! This will help to keep everyone interested and spark creativity. After all, laughing together is what we are trying to achieve!

[typography font=”Cardo” size=”20″ size_format=”px” color=”#091599″]NomNoms:[/typography]

Nothing brings people together better than food, but then when food and games are mixed together– a good time is always guaranteed. What types of food are good for a game night? Keep the messiness at minimum and the bites small!

Veggies and dip and meat, cheese, and crackers trays are always a good idea to begin with. Foods like pepperoni rolls, sliders, and artichoke bread bowl dips are easy to prepare, easy to eat in small bites, and better yet—easy to clean up!

[Head over to A Mom’s Take to read about her Food & Family Game Night Ideas!]

My personal life motto—you are never too full for dessert! Make dessert easy– but do something out of the ordinary! This will help to make game night even more memorable. Maybe add some chocolate goodies to the popcorn or make root beer floats!

[typography font=”Cardo” size=”20″ size_format=”px” color=”#091599″]Have Fun:[/typography]

Having fun rules for the winner and loser can help to keep your game night competitive, but in a light way! Perhaps the winner is dubbed the game night Queen or King for the week, maybe they are out of dish washing duties for the night, or get to pick the next movie for family movie night.

[typography font=”Cardo” size=”20″ size_format=”px” color=”#091599″]Know Your Crowd:[/typography]

You probably have a good grasp on your family and friends that may be attending your game night. Some may prefer a good sit down strategy game, such as Battle Sheep, while others may enjoy a shorter high speed game, such as Spot it!.

Keep in mind that having a sit down game to play does not make your event more or less of a game night. Game night can consist of a speedy game of Fastrack while the lasagna is cooking or a sit down game of Aztack.

[typography font=”Cardo” size=”20″ size_format=”px” color=”#091599″]Team Up:[/typography]

Even though a game may suggest that it is for two players, there is nothing wrong with teaming up! Maybe Mom and daughter play against Dad and son in a game of NIYA and then switch partners.

Game night is a great way to gather your family around the table in an economically friendly way. But always remember why you are having family game night, while winning is fun; the goal is to create stronger family bonds with lots of laughs.

Halloween Safety Tricks & Tips

Posted on October 24, 2014December 17, 2014 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

[pinterest url=”http://www.pinterest.com/blueorangegames/” count=”horizontal”]

Here are some safety tips to keep your ghouls & goblins safe this Halloween!

1. Costumes: Make sure your little ones can see well through
their masks & that they will not trip on their capes!

2. Be Seen: Use reflective gear on costumes and trick or treat bags!
Remember to stay in lit areas while walking!

3. Charge up!: Make sure that your flashlight has new batteries &
that your cell phone is fully charged…
cameras too!(you don’t want to miss any memories)

4. Plan: Pre-plan routes that are safe for trick or treating.
Go over the routes with your ghouls and goblins so they are familiar!

5. Only: visit houses with porch lights on & never go inside a home or vehicle!

6. Big Ghouls & Goblins: Make sure they are going in a group
& set a time for them to be home or at a meeting spot.

7. Candy: Review before consuming!
Never eat candy that is open or looks suspicious!

8. Bad Candy?: Have some healthy options (dark chocolate/organic sugar cane)
to trade bad or unwanted candies for!

9. Too Much Candy?: Have a some presents or games, maybe a witch doll or a Spot it! Halloween,
to trade in some candies for! (more laughs and less belly aches!)

Do you have any Halloween Safety tips or traditions? Share with us in a comment below!
Blue Orange wishes you a safe and happy Halloween!

A Pittsburgh Girl living the California Dream

Posted on October 20, 2014December 17, 2014 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

How does a ‘yinzer’ from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania end up as a marketing intern for a board game company in San Francisco, California? Simple, I was a blonde hair freckle faced girl stuck in the east coast snow and humidity dreaming of California…just like everyone else.

The reality of my California dream came about 7 years ago as I watched my older sister pack her closet, lacrosse stick, and smile as she headed off to play collegiate lacrosse on the West Coast. As the youngest of four, I learned at an early age to follow the footsteps in front of me! Before I knew it, I was 18 years old and signing my life away to play collegiate lacrosse, for my sister’s conference rival, at St. Mary’s College of California.

And how does playing collegiate lacrosse connect to my 2,593 mile journey away from home? Skip over the hundreds of sprints, hours of practice, and preparing pregame speeches and you have a girl studying for a sports management and communications degree. Graduation was approaching and so was the dreaded post collegiate job search. Saint Mary’s College presented me with many opportunities for growth, but connecting with Blue Orange Games after graduation made that 18 year old’s decision to move to California worth it.

The strong Alumni and networking community of St. Mary’s led me to be able to connect with Martin Marechal, Blue Orange Games VP of Sales & Marketing and former student-athlete of St. Mary’s College of California. From there, the interview process for a marketing internship with Blue Orange began and before I knew it the job search was over! I packed my little Honda to the brim and head across country with my Dad.

That brings us to my current destination, Blue Orange Games: a fun and upbeat company that mixes education with fun and creates awesome board games. Board games have always been something that my family used to bring us together, so being able to bring other families the same joy was important to me. But honestly, who wouldn’t love to play board games for a living?! From attending events, to writing text for a game’s box, to managing the company’s Instagram account, I am lucky enough to be working in an environment where I can use my personality, creativity, and writing skills everyday.

Frozen Fever

Posted on September 26, 2014December 17, 2014 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

It has been 10 months since the release of Disney Frozen, and the craze has remained strong. The love of Frozen has expanded to tooth brushes, costumes, plush dolls, and Spot it!

All over the world, people, young and old, have been captivated by the story of two sisters, Elsa and Anna. Their story brings a bit of unexpected darkness to the expected Disney Fairy tale.

A relateable theme of two sisters who become estrange and their struggles to find their way back to each other. Elsa had been repressed by her parents and kept from her sister, but eventually emerges into her own after realizing her powers of freezing the objects around her.

The Disney Frozen craze has brought limitations and new ideas to the world of Disney. The demand of retail objects became so high that Disney ran out of merchandise online and inside of their stores. At one point, Disney had to restrict all consumers to two items of purchase for many weeks; that was if there were even 2 Frozen items left to buy.

A recent release by Disney states that ‘Frozen-world” will be the latest feature added to Epcot. The attraction will be opening in 2016 as the construction to the current Norway Pavilion will take place this fall. “Frozen-world” will be a hit with a boat ride, snow play areas, and of course an area to meet and greet Elsa and Anna. As if this is not enough, a short film will be released by Disney in the next year, called ‘Frozen Fever’.

Blue Orange Games has caught the Frozen fever and teamed up with Disney to bring you a new adventure. Spot it! Alphabet Disney Frozen is a matching game that features characters and iconic symbols from the hit movie. Between any two cards there is always one, and only one, match. What could be better than the #1 family card game teaming up with the winner of two Academy Awards®?! This is definitely a game worth melting for.

The process of creating a Spot it! Alphabet Disney Frozen was a blast for the Blue Orange team. First, the marketing team gathered around and watched Disney’s Frozen together—and yes, Olaf made us laugh. Watching the movie helps to prepare the team to search through the Disney Database to find just the right images from Frozen. Once those symbols are selected, they are then tested by the toughest critics—children. This is to mostly check to see if the chosen images evoke memories from any part of the movie.

Whether you are caught singing ‘Let It Go” in your car or laughing with Olaf, chances are Frozen has warmed your heart. Young and old can relate to this theme of connecting with a loved one, coming into their own, or simply wanting to be loved. Throw in a funny snowman, great songs, and some sparkly dresses and you have a Frozen craze.

Spot it! Alphabet Disney Frozen is a great way to incorporate fun and learning with Elsa and Anna. It is a wonderful birthday gift and stocking stuffer too!