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Personality of A Bunco Group/Monthly GIVEAWAY

I have been drawing a blank lately about which Bunco topic to write about next.  My group held their monthly Bunco meeting last Sunday.  It was a fun Valentines Day themed game.  Anyhow, one of our regular players brought a guest from out of town to play with us.  The lady is a member of a Bunco group in her hometown.  She made a comment to me that our group was very friendly and welcoming and noted that her group is focused primarily on ‘winning’ the game.  It got me thinking, is that how most groups are?  I have played with two groups and both have been mainly about socializing with playing Bunco a nice bonus.

I am the organizer of my Bunco group and I try my best to keep the game going and yet have people socializing.  For the most part my group is very social but there are a few who prefer not to socialize much.  They are usually the ones who say, ‘ding, ding, ding’ when the head table is talking and not starting to play when they want them to.  If you play Bunco regularly you know what I am talking about:)  Our games usually start at 2 pm on a Sunday and I have a rough schedule that I like to follow to try to keep all personality types happy.  People start to arrive at 2 pm and then we have a potluck meal until about 2:45 pm at which time the game starts.  We play two rounds of Bunco and then have a dessert break.  This break is typically 15 minutes and then we play one more round of Bunco, distribute the prizes and then play an (optional) game of Left Center Right.  From start to finish it is about three hours (give or take a few minutes).

Does your Bunco group have a ‘schedule’ that they follow? Are you a group who likes to socialize?  Let me know on the Bunco Game Shop Facebook Page.

This month we are giving away a cute pair of dice earrings!  The ladies in my group love these!  Just head to the Bunco Game Shop Facebook page and tell me about the personality of your Bunco group!  Also, if your minimum purchase at Bunco game Shop qualifies, you can add a pair of dice earrings to your cart for free!

Keep Calm & Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

 

 

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Pajama Party Bunco

Oatmeal Bar

One of my Bunco group’s favorite theme is Pajama Party Bunco. What’s not to love?  You get to show up in your pajamas, robe and fuzzy slippers and eat breakfast food (when it isn’t actually breakfast time!).

A Mimosa or Bloody Mary (either non-alcoholic or otherwise) would be a lovely way to start out. Breakfast favorites lend themselves perfectly to potluck.  Muffins, croissants, casseroles, waffles, cinnamon rolls, sausage, bacon, the list could go on and on.  I love all of those things!  However, I wanted to shake it up a bit!  Oatmeal in a slow cooker with a toppings bar is so much fun!  Some ideas are dried cranberries, golden raisins, nuts, brown sugar, honey, chopped apples, cinnamon, you get the idea.  This way there is a healthier option that people can customize.  Another idea for a crowd is make your own breakfast burritos. Make some scrambled eggs and keep warm in a slow cooker.  Have some warmed tortillas, cheese, meats, breakfast potatoes, salsa, sour cream, avocado, etc.so that each person can customize a burrito to her liking.  Easy yet delicious and something most people will enjoy.  If you prefer not to serve breakfast food, you could go the traditional route and make it a pizza party.  That is fun too!

Now onto the actual Bunco game.  Some prizes for this theme may include sleep masks, fuzzy socks, fleece throws,a Bunco apron even small packages of cinnamon rolls or muffins.  Everyone can vote on who is the most festive and she could win a prize–fuzzy slippers maybe!  There could be a fun movie such as, Girls Just Want To have Fun (one of my favs!) playing in the background.  We always have a ton of fun with this theme.  Some ladies wear pink rollers in their hair and are decked out from head to toe.  It is a fun way to start the New Year off!

Has your group held a Pajama Party Bunco?  If so, tell me what you did to make it fun on the Bunco Game Shop Facebook page.

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

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Holiday Season Bunco Beverages

It’s the time of year to indulge.  Many Bunco get togethers will center around good food and desserts (cookies!). A delicious seasonal beverage is a perfect accompaniment.  My group has had three December Bunco games so far throughout the years, with a fourth coming up this Sunday!  The first year we met at a Mexican restaurant, played Bunco and drank margaritas.  The second and third years we met at a members home, who along with her best friend are awesome at entertaining.  It is a not to miss event each year.  They go all out with non-alcoholic punch, soda and delicious Champagne Punch.  These wine charms would be great to keep track of whose cup is whose.

Hot beverages are popular during the winter season.  Even in the Southwest we are in the mood for a warm beverage.  One of my favorite ways to serve hot chocolate is in the slow cooker.  Drinking hot cocoa can be even more fun with a toppings bar.  The presentation can be beautiful and festive. I always get compliments and comments saying it looked like  I worked so hard to put it together.  The truth is it is so easy to do! You can let them think it is hard to do.   Mini marshmallows, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, candy canes and mini chocolate chips make perfect fixings for hot chocolate. For those that enjoy a spirited beverage, Irish cream can be added as well.

Some other festive beverages for this time of year include Egg Nog, Spiced Cider and Mulled Wine.  What is your favorite seasonal Bunco beverage?  Is there a tried and true favorite your group loves? If so, please let me know on the Bunco Game Shop Facebook page.  While you are there enter to win this month’s giveaway!

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

 

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Favorite Bunco Themes: Formal Bunco

The holiday season is quickly approaching.  With all the busyness of the holidays, it is fun to take a break  and play Bunco with the girls.

One year in November my Bunco group held a Formal Bunco.  It was so much fun!  We all dressed up.  Some of us were fancier than others but we all wore dresses.  Our potluck was done differently as well.  We had people sign up for food which included a variety of appetizers, salads, bread and dessert.  The hostess provided pasta as the main dish.  For added fun we had a sit down dinner instead of our usual buffet.

For dessert we had a chocolate fountain. People brought decadent dippers for the fountain.  Cheesecake pieces, cookies, pretzels, strawberries, marshmallows and dried fruit all tasted delicious dipped in the chocolate.  For my small fountain, it takes two packages of chocolate chips melted and mixed with 3/4 cup of vegetable oil.  I love a mix of premium bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate, yum!

Typically we use paper plates, plastic utensils and plastic cups at our Bunco games. Formal Bunco is the time to break out the fine China, actual silverware and glasses.  It really was nice for a change.  We spent extra time socializing and enjoying each others company.

Whenever someone rolls a Bunco we pass around a necklace, usually one that pertains to the theme.  At this Bunco we passed around a feather boa for a more formal touch.

The prizes were for pampering the Bunco Babe.  Bubble bath, shower gel, mud masks and nail polish were some of the items that people won that evening. Formal Bunco was a fun time for all.  It was a nice change from the casual approach we usually take and a wonderful indulgence, especially for a busy mom like me.

Have you ever attend a Formal  or even a Black Tie Bunco?  If so, please tell us about it on The Bunco game Shop Facebook Page.

Keep Calm & Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

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Favorite Bunco Themes: Hawaiian Bunco

Photo Originally Published in Family Fun Magazine

I started my Bunco group 3.5 years ago, I didn’t know anyone at that game. Now, quite a few of those players are friends of mine. Our very first game was a Hawaiian theme.  It still comes up in conversation occasionally, it was really fun.  Of course everyone needs to wear a lei, the hostess can provide one at the door or each person can wear their own. A Hawaiian shirt or grass skirt is a nice touch too.  There is always the fun-loving Bunco Gal who will wear a coconut bra!

Food is also key for a successful Hawaiian Bunco.  Think tropical: teriyaki, pineapple, coconut, macadamia nuts (chocolate covered please!), even SPAM.  Drinks are important as well.  The Blue Hawaiian, a frosty alcoholic concoction is festive and delicious.  For those guests that do not drink alcohol, here are some recipes for some mocktail treats such as Pina Coladas, Mai Tais and Sunny Hawaiis.  Don’t forget the mini umbrellas for the drinks!  I made these Sweet Sandal cookies to our Flip Flop Bunco and they were a big hit!

Some fun variations of a sunny tropical Bunco theme include Flip Flop Bunco and Beach Blanket Bingo Bunco.  For Flip Flop Bunco have guests wear their most blinged out Flip Flops, the most bedazzled pair wins a prize!  We had some very creative ladies with mad glue gun skills at our Flip Flop Bunco night!  For Beach Blanket Bingo Bunco we played Bingo along with our Bunco game.  There were prizes for both games.  Of course for any tropical theme Bunco, ladies can wear beach attire (floppy hat, shorts, tank top, etc.).  To make this theme even more fun, you can switch things up and hold a tropical theme Bunco in the winter!  I live in the desert, so winter is the best time of year here. In other parts of the country, ladies may need to wear a jacket over their shorts or wear boots and change into flip flops at the party.  It is a great diversion from winter and a reminder of what’s to come in the future.

Has your Bunco group had a warm weather themed Bunco party?  If so, let me know about it on The Bunco Game Shop’s Facebook Page.

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

 

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In It To Win It: Bunco Prizes

Cute Bunco Dice Bags!

Bunco is a great way to get out of the house and socialize with friends.  It is also exciting that there is a chance to win a prize!  In my group we have many ways to win both cash and non-cash prizes.  I have played with two different groups in the last eight years.  My former group had a $11 pay-in for the cash prizes and the host provided one non-cash prize and another was provided by the person who received the prize last month.  When I started my own Bunco group I dropped the cash pay-in to $5.  We typically play with 19-24 people so the cash prizes are still decent since we have more than the usual 12 players.

Cash Prizes in my group:

MOST BUNCOS:$20

MOST WINS: $9 + $1 for each player over 12

MOST THREE OF A KINDS (aka Baby Buncos): $9 + $1 for each player over 12

MOST LOSSES: $4 + $1 for each player over 12

50/50: $4 + $1 for each player over 12

MOST 123s (we keep tally marks for 123s rolled): $4 + $1 for each player over 12

Loser Lottery:  Three names picked randomly from ‘Losers’ and person that rolls lowest # wins $5

1st Bunco: Person who rolls first Bunco wins $5

Non-Cash Prizes:

First Bunco

Snake Eyes

Last Bunco

Loser Lottery (3 players)

Small Prizes for those with special colored Bunco scorecards

For non-cash prizes I try to purchase things that go along with the monthly theme.  I also try to keep the prizes between $8-$10. For our upcoming Animal Print themed Bunco in November I found really cute animal print pens and pads of paper at a local craft store.  I also purchased adorable zebra and leopard print bags and tissue paper to keep with the theme. To create even more fun ways to leave with a prize, I print the Bunco scorecards on different colored paper. Players who have that months color receive a small prize.  For our animal print Bunco, these cute napkin and plate sets will be the scorecard prizes. Thinking ahead, for our Christmas White Elephant Bunco this year I will be using these adorable bags.

Is your group creative with prizes?  If so let me know on The Bunco Game Shop’s Facebook Page.  I always love new ideas to make Bunco even more fun!

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty


 

 

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Bunco: House Rules



If you have played Bunco with more than one group, chances are each group had its own rules.  Most groups play with the main Bunco rules and prizes. Bunco being when three of a kind is rolled in the Round of a specified number, i.e. triple threes rolled when rolling for threes.  The typical Bunco prize categories are Most Buncos, Most Wins, Most Losses, Most Three of a Kinds (aka Baby Buncos) and 50/50.  We also award prizes to first and last Bunco, three losers (second chance drawing), whoever rolled the most 123 (we keep a tally throughout the game) and Snake Eyes.

What is Snake Eyes you ask?  Well, Snake Eyes is what our group does to shake things up a bit.  If you roll triple ones when not rolling for ones it is a Snake Eyes.  What happens next?  Well, you and your partner lose all of your points in the round you are currently playing.  You then yell, ‘Snake Eyes!!’ and the person with the fuzzy die throws it to you.  Whoever has the fuzzy die at the end of the game wins a prize.  In my current group I provide the prize but in my previous group the person who won Snake Eyes brought the prize for next months game.  I have played with a group who used a fuzzy die for ‘Traveling’.  When someone rolled triple threes when not rolling for threes they were given the fuzzy die and whoever had it at the end won a prize.

Another difference from group to group is who moves to what table after each round.  According to The World Bunco Association, The winning team from Table 2 goes to the “Head” table and the winning team from Table 3 goes to Table 2. The losing team from Table 2 goes to Table 3 and the losing team from Table 3 stays at the table, but one player moves over one chair so they will have a different partner. This is too confusing for me!  For the last three years my group has just had the losers move to make things easier.  Well, lately people have been complaining (and rightfully so) that the winners should be moving closer to the head table.  So, last night I made up some cute Pink Ribbon themed table signs to let people know where to move for our Bunco this month.  It was so fun, I may make some each month to go with our themes!  Hopefully I will have some happy Bunco Gals this month!

What are your groups rules?  How do you move from table to table?  Do you have a topic you’d like me to cover in a future blog spot?  Let me know on our Facebook page.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

 

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Fall into Bunco: Fun Autumn Theme Ideas

Fall is officially here.  Pumpkin flavored beverages and desserts are already everywhere.  Even though I live in the desert and the weather is still quite warm, thoughts of fall bring hope of cooler weather and fun get-togethers with family and friends like Halloween and Thanksgiving.

This will be the fourth fall that my Bunco group has been together.  We have played  Harvest Bunco, Halloween Bunco (twice) and had an Apple themed Bunco.  I always coordinate the color of our Bunco sheets according to the monthly theme.  For Halloween Bunco I use orange and green paper, for Apple themed Bunco, red and green and for Harvest Bunco, gold, light brown and green.  This time of year there are cute fall paper products available: plates, cups, napkins, etc. which add to the festive atmosphere.

Another fun thing about fall themes are the endless food and beverage possibilities.  For Harvest Bunco we had mulled wine (check out these cute wine charms), for Apple Bunco we had hot spiced cider and for Halloween Bunco the hostess put dry ice in the punch and it looked like witches brew.  We have potlucks at our games and the ladies are very creative!  One of my favorite recipes for fall is a pumpkin dip I found on Allrecipes.com.  I made it for my Brownie Troop last week and one of the girls asked if she could lick the bowl!  Best of all it is inexpensive and easy to put together.  It tastes great served with apple slices, ginger snaps and/or Nilla Wafers.

Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin

1/4 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

In a large bowl, mix together instant vanilla pudding mix, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Fold in the thawed frozen whipped topping. Chill in the refrigerator until serving.

Prizes for Fall Bunco are fun to coordinate with the theme.  Some of my favorite prizes are seasonal dish towels, candles, welcome signs and aprons.  This Halloween Dice Bracelet would be a perfect Bunco prize!

What Fall Bunco Themes (Halloween, Harvest, etc.)have you done with your Bunco group?  What are your favorite prizes and recipes for Fall Bunco themes?

We have been having technical issues with leaving comments on the blog, so please let me know your thoughts on The Bunco Game Shop Facebook Page

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

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Bunco Theme Favorite: Birthday Bash Bunco

A Bunco Game Shop Facebook follower threw an amazing surprise 91st Birthday Bunco Bash and it got me thinking of one of my favorite Bunco themes: Birthday Bunco!  In February a friend of mine in my Bunco group turned 40.  So, we held a Gold Lamé Soirée Bunco which was a fun 1970s theme.  We took it seriously!  The ladies in my group all wore sparkly gold shirts and of course there was Disco music in the background.  I bought  everyone  a disco ball necklace and we rocked them!

Usually we have a potluck but I decided to make the food since the theme was so fun! I immediately thought of the quintessential 1970s food: fondue. But after talking with the birthday girl, came up with doing a salad bar and soup.  I found an inflatable salad bar online and filled it with ice so that it kept all of the salad fixings cold.  I had everyone’s favorite toppings, lettuce, pasta salad and a variety of dressings.  I also made one of my favorite soups, Fire Roasted Tomato (see recipe below).  It is easy to make the day before and then warm in the slow cooker a few hours before the party starts.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon  olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cans (14.5 oz each) fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can can (14 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 cup whipping cream

In saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, broth, 1 tablespoon of the basil, the sugar and pepper flakes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes.  I use an immersion blender and blend the soup directly in the pot. If you are using a regular blender, let soup cool before blending, about 15 minutes.  After blending, add soup back to pot, stir in cream and remaining 1 tablespoon basil.  It tastes great with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese on top!

After playing two rounds of Bunco in which the birthday girl wore this cute tiara, we took a dessert break. We had the birthday girl’s favorite cupcake, homemade German Chocolate.  One of our players brought some gourmet ice cream to go with it.  Delicious!  As a nod to our 70s theme we had punch, both spiked and not, with sherbet floating on top.  Classic!

My 40th is coming up in a few weeks and I am throwing myself (with some help from friends) a Bunco Birthday Bash!  It is a fun Neon Tea Party theme.  I am having fun planning this event!  I found some cute neon pink, orange and yellow water bottles.  I will be tying neon balloons on some and making flower arrangements in the others.  I also plan on using these dice for some extra fun! I am really looking forward to it.  I will post pictures and let you know how it went!

A Bunco Game Shop Facebook follower, Charlyn, sent me some awesome food pictures from one of her bunco parties.  I am posting them here.  I am sure they will provide inspiration for many.  I think I may make the cupcakes for my Bunco Birthday (using carrot cake–my fave!).  The cream cheese appetizer with adorable spreaders looks amazing too!

What is your favorite Bunco theme?  Do you have any ideas for a Birthday Bunco Bash?  If so, I’d love to hear from you.  Leave a comment below.

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

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Get Crafty:Simple Bunco Decor Ideas

I love party planning and playing Bunco.  My group has themed Bunco parties which are so much fun to plan.  However, I am not naturally a crafty person.  I need things that are simple to execute and not time consuming.  The picture that I have posted here shows a few easy touches that will take your Bunco decor to another level.

First, notice the cute chalkboard sign that says, Strawberry Lemonade.  Nice touch, right?  Well, it is super easy and inexpensive to make.  I use mine all the time for things other than Bunco: Girl Scout functions, church hospitality, etc.  At a craft store pick out some wooden shapes that you like.  There are many shapes and sizes, pick the ones that work for you.  They range in price from about 79 cents to $2.00 or so.  Next you will need a can of chalkboard paint.  You can get it at the craft store but it is much cheaper at the hardware store.  You will also be using masking tape.  Place tape around the outside of the wooden shape.  The next step is best done outside on newspaper: spray with chalkboard paint and let dry according to directions on can.  Easy! I place them on small easels that I purchased at a discount store. Now you have cute chalkboards that can be used to label your Bunco food items!

Next, notice the table runner.  I made that myself!  All you need is about a yard and a half of fabric, fusible web (stitch witchery), scissors and an iron. Decide how wide you want your runner to be and then add an inch on each side to allow for the seam.  Once your fabric is cut, it’s time to iron. You will need a hot iron which is on the steam setting. Fold an inch of fabric along the long edge of the runner and press with iron to make a crease.  The fusible web will go inside this crease.   Fusible web is a fiber which melts when heated (so you don’t have to sew!).  It usually comes in a roll and can be purchased at craft stores.  Press according to the instructions on the package and be sure to do it on both sides of the runner.  It will look like the runners you buy in the store only much cheaper!  You will love telling everyone that you made it yourself!

As you may have noticed the picture is of a drink table.  It was a Bunco Baby Shower so we had non-alcoholic beverages that night.  The strawberry lemonade was a hit, especially when served in Mason jars with cute pink straws (It was a Girl!).  I added flags with each person’s name to the pink-striped straws so that everyone knew which drink belonged to them. It’s simple touches like these that take Bunco decor up a notch. This drink idea would be super cute for a Pink Ribbon (Breast Cancer) Bunco theme.  Check out these great products that would be perfect for a Pink Ribbon Bunco Party.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and my group will be having a Pink themed Bunco.  I can’t wait!

How have you been crafty with decor at your Bunco parties?  Let me know!

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty