The main idea is that you will go inside the box, so start by cutting holes for your head and arms in the bottom and on the side. If you have a rectangular box, made sure that the arm holes are on the short sides. On the large side of the box that will be in front you can cut out a large rectangle, leaving about 5 inches around the edge for reinforcement. Cover this rectangle with clear plastic. Now all you need to do is add a little pizzazz…

The claw arcade game: Take a trip to your local dollar store and get stuffed toys and other items you can use as prizes. Tape the prizes to the sides of the box with a small piece of tape (they must come away easily when pulled). Make a slot in the front of the box where people can put quarters in and tape a plastic container inside the box to catch the coins. Cut a flap out of the front where you can drop prizes should you deem someone worthy enough to win one. When someone puts a coin in your slot, use your hand as the claw and decide if they get a toy or not.

Zoltar the fortune teller: Wrap a towel around your head and draw a moustache on with eye liner. Create a slot for coins with a container to catch them just like in the example above. You also need to cut a slot through which you can pass fortunes printed on cards or strips of paper. When someone puts a coin in the slot, slip them a fortune.

Something fishy: Create an aquarium inside your box by cutting out pictures of fish and coral and gluing them to the inside walls. You can use plastic fish or draw your own if you’re artistic.

The post Environmentally friendly Halloween costumes for 2012 appeared first on Mogo Blog.

Now some innovative Torontonians are not only cleaning up backyards, they’re making good use of the fruit too!

Meet Laura Reinsborough who, where others see rotting urban fruit, sees a vast and abundant orchard of fruit trees. Laura spearheads Not far from the Tree, a not-for-profit organization where volunteers help to harvest fruit in the city of Toronto; “I put on my fruit goggles and suddenly the way I see the city changes. I see the same reaction in volunteers who have just started picking,” says Reinsborough.

How it works

Fruit tree owners register their trees with Not far from the Tree and, when they’re ready to be harvested, volunteers come around and pick all the fruit with 1/3 going to the homeowner, 1/3 to the volunteers and 1/3 to food banks, charities and community kitchens in the area.

Not far from the Tree take sustainability to a whole new level; “We are committed to sustainable transportation. This means that although we have trees registered across the city, we only service 14 of Toronto’s neighborhoods. This is because we want volunteers to walk or bike to trees and to the shelters to which fruit will be distributed. Last year we acquired a fleet of 7 cargo bikes and this year we will be growing that fleet to 11 bikes. The bikes transport the fruit picking equipment to the site where the volunteers meet up.”

Not far from the Tree picked 6 196 pounds of fresh fruit from 141 trees with 520 volunteers in 2011.

The post Not Far From the Tree appeared first on Mogo Blog.

Morgan’s on 17^th and the Kings Head on MacLeod are home to cover bands with heavier playlists. Tucked away in Calgary’s South East, the Shamrock Hotel is home to Blues, old school rock, and even funky big band acts with full horn sections.

On any weekend The Atlantic Trap N’ Gill brings in East Coast and Celtic acts that make any Maritimer or Newfie feel right at home.

The big hole in the Calgary Blues scene was filled when Mickey’s Juke Joint and Eatery opened a few years ago, offering live music every night, including Blue Mondays and Open Mic nights.

It wouldn’t be Calgary without a healthy does of country.  Ranchmans offers cover bands any Friday or Saturday night. Country Roads has fresh acts from time to time, as does the Ironwood in Inglewood.  The Wednesday Open Mic at the Ironwood is also worth mentioning, drawing wide range of acoustic talent from a variety of genres.

One of my favorite things to do is check out new talent, and one of the best places for it is The Palomino Social Club on 7^th. Small and unassuming, you’d miss it if you didn’t know it was there. Don’t let the small front fool you, it’s bigger than it looks, boasting two stages, two bars, a cool patio and amazing kitchen.

The upstairs is warm and homey with a tiny stage (just a squared away bit of floor at the top of the stairs) usually hosting solos or duets with acoustics. Downstairs is dark and dingy (like a good music venue should be). A square bar fills the room serving up cheep beer on all sides. A full stage and mixing board support the variety of acts that come through each week. There’s enough room between the stage and the bar to call it a dance floor and once the bands get pumping, the crowd uses every inch.

Music at the Palomino tends to be large and loud. An eclectic mix of Rock, Metal, and Rockabilly brings out the best from Alberta and beyond. Over the years I’ve seen the Shagbots, Seven Story Redhead, Cripple Creek Fairies, and Eve Hell and the Razors. Hometown rockers Hurricane Felix and The Smokin’ 45’s also make the rounds.

A quick scan of the Palomino Social Club’s Facebook page will tell you who’s playing over the next month. Cover is usually only ten bucks to see two or three bands and with great food and cheap taps the Palomino is great bang for your buck, and right on the C-Train line, you can leave the car at home for a worry free night.

This weekend is a great time to get out and catch up with your next favorite band.

The post Up and comers: The best places in Calgary to see live music appeared first on Mogo Blog.

For the 3rd year in a row, a particularly fierce group of Mogo team members (brought together under the name “Mogo My Balls”) will be playing in a charity dodgeball tournament.

The Tournament Goal: To raise $10,000 for Imagine1Day – a charity dedicated to providing education for children in Ethiopia. 100% of the tournament profits will help Imagine1Day to build a well and provide Ethiopian schoolchildren with clean drinking water.

The first year, we took the title. Last year, Lululemon knocked us out in the finals. This year, we’re hungrier than ever for that trophy.

If you love Dodgeball, Ben Stiller, or are looking for a great way to make a difference (and get a tax receipt!), click here to help Mogo and Imagine1Day reach their goal (just select “Mogo My Balls”):
http://donate.imagine1day.org/Department.aspx?DeptID=98&

Every little dollar counts!

The post You say Dodgeball, we say… Mogo My Balls? appeared first on Mogo Blog.

Want to let people know where and when to go in your town? Please hit the comments below. For a great article done by the CBC on Remembrance Day in 2010, go here.

Thank you to all the brave men and women that have served our country.

Image by kardboard604

The post Remembrance Day 2011 Ceremonies in Canadian Cities appeared first on Mogo Blog.

The Fireworks are one of Vancouver’s biggest outdoor events of the year and we’re going to be there, right in the heart of English Bay, handing out frisbees and more!

Come visit our booth and we’ll help you figure out your best air guitar move and snap your pic in front of our awesome Rock Star backdrop – you can enter to win an Xbox 360 and Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock game bundle through our Live At Squamish contest!

The Celebration of Light is on July 30, August 3, and August 6! Our team will be walking all around the area – keep an eye out for the blue wigs – or you can come visit our booth, see the map below!

View Mogo @ Fireworks in a larger map

Fun Fireworks Facts:

• The fireworks are launched from a barge in English bay – each show takes 16 people and 3 days(!!) to set up.
• Up to 4500 bombs/shells are used in each show.
• Fireworks originated in China before gunpowder was even invented – it all started with green bamboo that heated up and exploded when in fires!

For more fireworks facts click here!

Hope we see you there!

The post Get Free Stuff & Enter To Win: Visit Mogo @ Vancouver’s Celebration of Light! appeared first on Mogo Blog.

The tournament is for a great cause, imagine1day an organization that provides an opportunity for donors to be directly connected to projects that provide primary education for all children in Ethiopia, Africa.

Our goal is to raise $500 and any help would be greatly appreciated. Click here and scroll down the page until you see team ‘Mogo My Balls’ to make a donation. Every dollar makes difference!

The post ‘Mogo My Balls’ Ready To Defend Dodgeball Title appeared first on Mogo Blog.

We’re very excited to announce that we’ve crossed the $30,000 donation mark and will continue to give $1 to Kiva for every new customer. Click here to meet some of  the over 700 entrepreneurs we’ve have helped!

Thank you to all our customers for choosing Mogo and making a difference.

What is Kiva?

Kiva is the world’s first non-profit, person-to-person micro-lending website.They help individuals in the Third World start their own businesses by loaning them money. So when you borrow money from Mogo, you’re empowering someone to start a new life. Kiva gives loans that change lives. And so do we, because we’re committed to giving people everywhere the innovative financial solutions they need to live better lives.

The post Mogo Hits $30,000 Kiva Donation Milestone appeared first on Mogo Blog.

It’s that time of year again where we all rush off to the local malls with our shopping list in tow to find the perfect Christmas gifts for our loved ones. The holiday season is a time for fun & festivity so don’t let criminals be your scrooge this holiday season. Here are a few precautions that people can take when they venture out to do their shopping to avoid heartaches & disappointments.

1. Keep an eye on your little ones. A good idea is to have a plan should your children become separated from you. Suggest that they go to the nearest cashier to tell them they are lost & to stay there for assistance.

2. Leaving your children unattended in shopping carts can lead to injuries from children falling or leaping out of the carts. Parents should stay with their children & their shopping carts at all times.

3. As much as shoppers see the holiday season as an opportunity to find some great deals, pickpockets & thieves also see this as an opportune time. Cary wallets in your front pockets. Carry purses close to your body. Avoid using revolving doors as thieves with good timing can grab your parcels.

4. Never leave your purchases unattended, even for a short period of time.

5. If possible, park under lighting & close to entrances & exits.

6. Under no circumstances should you leave your children unattended in your vehicle, even for a short period of time.

7. Place all of your purchases in your trunk to avoid drawing attention to your vehicle. If you have a vehicle with no trunk (ie: mini-van, SUV, hatchback etc.) – place parcels in the back and cover with a plain colored blanket or sheet so it is out of eye site.

8. If you use a GPS to assist you in getting from one place to another, a good idea is to remove it from plain view as well.

9. When your day of shopping is over & it’s time to head home, a good practice is to have your keys ready when you approach your vehicle.

10. If you feel uncomfortable about walking to your vehicle alone in the dark, consider asking a security guard to escort you.

11. When disposing of boxes and wrappings (like after the big day), cut up boxes and bag everything before disposing of it.  You can also take boxes and packing stuff to local re-cycling depots as well. This is so you’re allowing thieves to go through your garbage to see what stuff and gadgets you have gotten.

Home Safety

People forget some basics  – here is just a reminder:

1. Keep your real Christmas tree away from floor heaters, fire places, or other heat sources.

2. Use only UL, CSA or ETL-listed lights, and no more than 3 strands linked together. Use LED or miniature lights which have cool-burning bulbs.

3. Turn off the Christmas lights when you sleep, or if you leave your home.

4. Never use candles on trees, even on artificial trees.

5. Install a smoke detector or new batteries in the ones you have and test them!

6. Use only outdoor lights outside your home.

7. Never use indoor extension cords outside.

8. Avoid overloading wall outlets and extension cords.

9. Keep outdoor electrical connectors above ground and out of puddles and snow.

10. Place candles in sturdy containers. Remember, hot wax burns kids.

11. Extinguish candles prior to going to bed.

12. Dispose of fireplace ashes into a metal container until cold.

13. After parties, check around and under sofa and chair cushions for smoldering cigarettes.

14. Install at least one carbon monoxide detector in your home.

15. Have an operable fire extinguisher readily available.

16. Don’t let strangers in your home. Carolers can sing outside the door and you can always give them cookies on the front step when they are done singing.

By: Jason Filz, Accounting Analyst @ Mogo

Happy Holidays!

The post Follow These Simple Tip For A Safe Christmas appeared first on Mogo Blog.

ENTER NOW to win money towards paying your bills!

Contest closes at 12:00pm PST on November 25th, 2010

Sweepstakes

Free Sweepstakes and Contest

The post $2000 In Cash Prizes & $1 Donated To Food Banks Canada For Each Entry appeared first on Mogo Blog.