Ellumiglow Lighting Technologies Blog

Programs! Get your costumes ready. We had so much fun that we need to do this again. This year, we're expecting our best Glow in the Dark Tron Costume Contest turnout ever! Stay tuned to our Facebook Page  for more information on the upcoming event. This year we want submissions from parents, kids (with parents permission of course), and anyone from around the Grid. Make sure to submit your best photo for your chance to win some cool prizes (TBD). All entries accepted through Halloween and get your friends to join in on the fun to help pick the winners.

As Burning Man 2013 is quickly approaching, making sure you and your bike light up on the Playa is one of the keys to a safe festival. We want to make sure everyone has a safe Burning Man, so we are extending our Burning Man sale through August 19th, so everyone has a chance to illuminate themselves on the Playa.  copyright Kondophotography.com Because there are very few outside lighting sources at Burning Man, making sure you are seen is the only way to ensure your safety. Carefully crafted EL Wire and EL Tape costumes are a great way to illuminate yourself and provide a cool costume in the darkness of the moon. EL Tape Costume Kit at Ellumiglow.com Each EL Wire Kit or EL Tape Kit comes with everything you need to get your costume into high visibility action, and all the tough stuff is done for you. Simply plug in your EL products to the battery pack and start glowing! All of our kits come with pre-soldered connections so there's no guess work involved, just sel...

Fireworks on Lake Suwa There are few companies that like fireworks more than we do, but that being said, we wanted to take a moment to review the safety elements in order to get maximum fulfillment out of our nations Independence Day and fireworks extravaganza. So let’s go over some ground rules and general information about fireworks. A permit or license is not required to buy legal consumer fireworks in any state, but it’s a good idea to check your local laws to see what fireworks are legal. Certain states ban fireworks altogether like New York, Delaware, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, so make sure you are operating with caution this holiday season. Connecticut, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Vemont permit sparklers, and very little else. Wyoming permits only CPSC approved fireworks, and Montana prohibits skyrockets, roman candles and bottle rockets. If you are hopping on a plane for the 4 th , make sure you leave your fireworks at home. The FAA prohibits fireworks on ALL carry...

Here at Ellumiglow, we have been setting up lighting installations for quite some time. And one of the biggest hassles in this process, is cabling. With permanent installations, its not all that bad. You go through the process once and you're usually good to go for quite some time. Sure you might tweak the system a little bit, add or remove lights here and there, but you have your basic structure in place. Getting all of your lights throughout your venue connected to a single DMX controller takes careful planning and often times limits your setup, and when you are doing this multiple times a week or even a night in different venues and bars, it can become quite tedious and time consuming. The American DJ WiFly is about to change all of that. With the American DJ WiFly, you gain complete freedom from DMX cables. In essence, it replaces all of your DMX cables with a wifi system. Just connect your transmitter to your DMX controller, and your lights to receivers, and establish a connec...

The Oregon Country fair is a celebration unlike any other, bringing Oregon's greatest creators together for a weekend of magical fun. Crafters, entertainers and artists of all sorts show there wares and talents off in permanent booths built directly into the forest in Vaneta, Oregon, a short drive from Eugene. This three day festival is where Oregon's roots come together, and grow together. You will see a diverse and interesting crowd ranging from newborns to old timers, making this event as diverse the vendors themselves. At the Oregon Country Fair you can see just about anything with magic just around the Corner. Parades blare music trudging along the paths lined with vendors hawking there wares. A diverse and sustainable event, at the fair you will find hippies galore. Potters, jewelers, weavers, woodworkers, you name it, if it has a rich crafting history you will find a vendor there. Performance areas are peppered throughout the forest, so when your in need of a rest a s...

Festival season is quickly upon us with Sasquatch beginning today! There is nothing quite like outdoor festival season as far as concert experiences go. Camping out in the sun with your friends and thousands of other people is sure to be a fun time, and there are plenty of festivals to look forward to this year! Sasquatch is at the Gorge Amphitheater with a lineup packed full of the top names in a variety of genres, this music festival is sure to draw a large and diverse crowd(as it does every year). And the venue only adds to the magic that is Sasquatch. The Gorge amphitheater is a huge outdoor amphitheater in the middle of the eastern Washington high desert, and only a short walk from the camping area, creating a completely submersive festival experience. Some of the top names across the board are Mumford & Sons, The Postal Service, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, The XX, The Lumineers, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Cake, Empire of the Sun, Rusko, Steve Aoki, Laidback Lu...

It isn’t enough to know who your customer is; you need to know who you want your customer to be. As a business owner, you determine, for the most part, your customer base. You decide what demographic you want to attract, to sell to, to have patronize your establishment. It is an important fact that many business owners overlook. They go about it backwards, thinking about their product or service and how the customer can use it instead of thinking about their customer and how they can tailor their product or service to address that customer’s needs. I liked what the article said about finding an identity. You need to, as a business, find out who you are and work that to the best of your ability. As they said, you can’t always be something for everyone. No matter the size of the company or the vast amount of products or services they offer, it cannot offer something for everyone. Even large companies with vast and varied products will find at least a few sects of the po...

If you own or operate a night club, you should consider adding screen gems to your establishment in order to enhance the clubbing experience for your patrons. These are screens with high-resolution that have the ability to create absolutely fantastic visuals and backdrops that are considered to be life-like. The co-owners of the company LBH Dynamics, Michael Marcoe and Zach Nesbitt, are directly responsible for manufacturing screen gems and other types of screens that are utilized in night clubs and similar types of establishments. In this brief guide, you will learn some of the basics regarding screen gems from these Florida-based professionals. If you are interested in purchasing and setting up a video system in your night club, you will benefit from the information contained here. LBH Dynamics is directly responsible for creating display units that utilize LED lights. The company works closely with the establishments that require video systems, and create units tha...

Well, I just read “10 Trends to Watch for your Promotions and Marketing Mix” by Alissa Ponchione. It focuses on the bar and nightclub industry. Good tips, timely advice, but there is something between the lines that is very telling. Actually, there were several somethings... First, while this article focuses on bars and nightclubs, the scope certainly does not end there. Other businesses from dog grooming facilities to car salesmen can benefit from at least the gist of this piece. The main push here is to know your industry . This piece talks about bar trends and nightclub trends, but, really, if you are in business, then you need to be looking at the trends within your industry. You need to know what is driving your customers, what are they gravitating to, what is at the top of their Christmas list to Santa? Another thing that struck me is the importance that social media plays. It is becoming bigger and bigger. Ten years ago, this was not a big deal. Today, if yo...

This was a fascinating article about door policies and dress codes for bars and night clubs. It is an interview with Sin Bosier, the “queen of San Diego nightlife.” She is a hospitality consultant in the San Diego area and has quite a positive reputation. She does a lot of marketing and consulting for some 200 night clubs, bars, restaurants and hotels in San Diego, so she really knows her stuff. The question asked in this article was when does a dress code drive business and when does it drive it away. In other words, how much does dress code impact the bottom line and where is the line between just right and too much? This is really interesting because it allows us to peek behind the scenes a bit and learn some of the reasons for door policies and dress codes. For instance, a “no sandals” policy may be in place to protect the night club from any liability issues were someone to get cut on broken glass while wearing sandals in the establishment. Yes, some places may h...

If you are in a position where you are responsible for managing the careers of those that specialize in DJ work, you have likely discovered that it is not an easy endeavor. Yes, it is a rewarding career, but an exceptionally challenging one. Two individuals that specialize in DJ artist management through their talent company located in New York, Yoni Goldberg and Damon DeGaff, know and understand the challenges associated with the undertaking and are now relaying their expertise to others in the field of DJ artist management. These individuals are directly responsible for developing and creating superstars. A few of the individuals that they currently work with include Rev Run, DJ Ruckus and David Berrie. The name of the company that these professionals founded in the year 2003 is dGi Management. In this brief guide, you will learn a few of their suggestions on how to properly manage DJ artists. Hospitality When managing individuals that specialize in DJ work,...

Barcelona is one of Spain’s party headquarters. This incredibly beautiful city can be found in the north eastern part of Spain, and it offers something for everyone. During the days you can spend time shopping, take in some of the classic Gaudi architecture, such as Casa Batllo, one of Barcelona’s most unusual houses, or spend a day relaxing at the beach. When night falls, it’s time to party. Clubs are sprinkled liberally throughout Barcelona, with every kind of music that you could want, and styles that change with each neighborhood. The most popular clubs can be found in the waterfront area, and they don’t even open their doors until midnight so the party continues well into the morning. St. Tropez in France has long been known as a personal playground that caters to the rich and famous, and its party scene is unmatched. If you happen to be on the French Riviera any time soon, you can rub elbows with the very wealthy by stopping by some of the more popular clubs lik...

The term “Rave” came into existence in the 80’s, it was used to describe an Acid House party where people dressed in outrageous clothing and danced all night to cheesy techno beats. From a parent’s point of view raves are not a safe way to spend a weekend and if my daughter said she wanted to go to one, I’d probably place her in the nearest convent. However, if you had asked me that question when I was 20, I would have told you that I had a friend who said they were great….as long as you know how to stay safe. There WILL be drugs! Those signs that say safety zone, drug free zone, etc. aren’t worth the neon poster board that they’re printed on. If you are serious about going to a rave, you’d better know what people are offering you. The most common drug that you’ll see at a rave is MDMA (“Ecstasy”). No drug is safe, but there are different degrees of danger. Simply telling someone not to take drugs is unrealistic, that’s a personal choice, but at least make it with yo...

The nightclub industry is notoriously fickle, just as fickle as those who frequent nightclubs. Let’s face it, the main reason that a lot of people go to nightclubs is to be with the “in” crowd, and the latest trend may only last for what seems like a few weeks. This means that a nightclub that is THE place to be today could find itself struggling tomorrow. The key to success would seem to be for your club to be as changeable as its patrons. Before you worry about how to stay on top you have to get there, and there is nothing easy about starting a nightclub. Before you begin, research every aspect of your plan and honestly ask yourself if this is something that you can realistically accomplish. A good business plan can be your best friend when starting out. You’ll need to outline and examine every all of the critical aspects of the operation, right down to the last small details. This will include what type of resources that you will need to start with, and projected...

You hear a lot of name dropping from those who frequent popular nightclubs. “I went to (insert club name) last night, and we saw (insert celebrity name).” That’s all fine if you like that kind of thing, but I’d rather go to a club that’s unusual, or at least original. So with that in mind, there are some pretty awesome night clubs out there that think outside the box, and here are a few. Ice Bars seem to be quite common in many areas of the world, but they are fairly rare in the Middle East for some pretty obvious reasons. Running an Ice Bar in the Niger Desert has to be somewhat of a challenge, but it seems that the owners of Chillout, in Dubai, are up to the task. Everything is carved from ice, and with the temperature kept at around 20 F, it’s a good thing that your cover charge includes a coat, snow boots, and gloves. If you are a Lord of The Rings fan, this night club would be perfect. Hobbit House, in the Philippines, is a themed club based on the Tolkien trilogy, and the ...

While going to a rave will be unlike any other experience you can have, you do need to ensure you are dressed properly for the experience. Different situations will call for different attire and you need to be prepared to anything that can happen. You’ll want to begin the process by considering the venue you will be going to. Obviously, if you are at an outdoor event, you want to have on clothing that can get dirty without any problems. For events indoors, you can get away with better quality clothing. No matter what you wear though, it should allow you to dance freely, without falling off your body. The clothing you end up choosing for the event should be appropriate. What you will find is that you don’t want to stick out in a bad way. Try to keep things cool and in tune with the theme of the rave, if it has one. In the event you want to stand out in a positive manner, you can throw on some items that will glow in the dark and have people checking you out while you dance. Dressing f...

Walking into the club, you see different types of guys in the room. While some of them are pretty cool, others are people you want to avoid. In many cases, guys don’t realize it when they fall into one of these categories. Take a quick look and make sure you aren’t one of these problem types. The first is the guy who buys a girl a drink and feels like he should follow her for the night. Just because you buy her a drink, doesn’t mean you own her. It is time for you to move on and she will let you know if she is interested. While the guy who stalks during the night is bad, the guy grabbing women is worse. While you might think a woman is gorgeous, it doesn’t give you the right to touch her from head to toe. Be respectful and keep your hands to yourself. Another person you don’t want to be is the guy that doesn’t tip. Your bartender will remember you and you aren’t going to get good service. Even a small tip is better than nothing at all. If you stay on your best behavior and try to act...

If you want VIP guests to come to your club, then you need to be prepared to cater to their needs. These individuals want top of the line services and want a reason to actually walk through your doors. Because of this, you will want to consider the following. Offer VIP Members Extended Hours Consider shutting down the standard club an hour before you shut down the VIP services. This will give those who have exclusive access a reason to hang back and to drink an extra hour. Typically, VIPs will tip your servers better and will encourage others to check out your club. Mix Things up Better When a VIP walks into a busy club, they don’t want to see the same people all the time. It is important that you create a mix of both genders and represent the different ethnicities of the area. The club should be filled with people who are interesting and exciting, while you go against the norm. Focus on Quality with Bottle Service You need to understand that when a VIP pays for bottle service, the...

There is no denying that Las Vegas is home of some of the best nightclubs you will find. The problem is that Vegas is so saturated with nightclubs, you need to be picky about where you go. After all, the better the clubs you attend, the more likely it will be that you have a great time. When you are choosing the nightclubs you will visit, be prepared to spend some money. Many locations have cover charges, VIP booth fees and bottle service that you may have to pay. It is better that you ensure you can afford this in advance, rather than trying to wing it in the end. The first location you will want to consider is The Bank, which is located at the Bellagio. This is an upscale club that spans an impressive 6,600 square feet. To get into this club, expect to pay $25 for front of the line service, while planning on bottle services to start from $513.47. The next club for you to consider will be in the Palazzo. Here, you will find the 20,000 square foot club, LAVO. VIP packages are avai...

If you want to have a night out in New York City you should be prepared for sticker shock. A survey taken by a dating service in 2000 showed the average cost of dinner and a movie for two to be around $135. It doesn’t have to be that costly. The locals know all of the best places to go for a good time, without having to take out a personal loan. Britain introduced us to the gastropub, where we could dine on pub foods in an ale drinking atmosphere. Now there is the gastrodive to further confuse us. The Commodore, located in Williamsburg, is a wonderful combination of bar and restaurant where you can find old arcade games, a can of Schlitz, and old music. The menu includes a flaky catfish fillet on a grilled sesame seed roll, and “pork du jour”, this is a mix of slaw, barbecued pork, and pinto beans on a soft roll. You can also get such fare as fried chicken and fries. The average cost of a main course is $9, you won’t find that very often, even outside New York City. Weather permitti...

In recent years, there has been a spike in the amount of interest that LEDs have. These lights can be found in toys, sticks, clothing and a slew of other products. Because of their increase in popularity, prices have gone down and ravers have found that these items can actually make for a great event. When you look over the selection of products out there, one of the things you will find is that there is no shortage on the styles and designs of these lights that you will be able to find. This is because these lights can be found in a wide variety of shapes and colors and many are designed exclusively for use at a rave. Rave hosts that want to take their event to the next level should have a variety of LED lights available to their guests. This will help to ensure that the night is one that people will never forget and in many cases, the LEDs will add an element that not every event you attend will have.

When you are planning a rave, you are going to find that the process isn’t as complicated as it may seem. In fact, the most difficult part of the process will be gathering the funds that you will need. Beyond that, you need to be sure to following are listed in order of importance. A reliable location for your event is going to be important. You need to be realistic about the location and consider how many people might attend. Structures that are too large will seem empty and turn off some ravers, while small locations are going to feel cramped and ensure no one has a good time. With the location picked, you will need to pick a DJ. Music is the central point of the event and you need to hire someone who knows music. Look for the top DJ in your area and let them spin the best songs that are on their playlists. If you’ve been to a rave event before, you know how important the lighting is. You need to have a darker room that allows people to enjoy their LED toys. Consider offering glow...

If you are planning a rave, then you need to know how to get people to actually show up to your event. While some rave parties make major announcements to get tons of people in the door, there are better and more cost effective things you can do. A better choice will be to hand out flyers and pamphlets and build buzz that will stay among those who are going to be better matches for the event. The goal is to make the entire event feel like a secret event and when people show up, they will feel like they are on a short list. Even if word of the party catches on like wildfire on campus. With word getting around, you need to ensure that you are going to create a flawless event that people are going to remember for a long time. This means hiring a DJ that can spin sick beats and keep people dancing from the moment they walk into the door, until they leave. Above all, give away mementos from the event. LED shirts, glow sticks and other items that people can take away will add value. You c...

When you are looking to boost the presence of your business, the process can seem overwhelming. But once you get down the basics, you should find that things can start to fall into place. A good starting point will be to boost the image you have and to get noticed. This begins with the interactions you have with your customers. What you will find is that customers depend on what you tell them. Because of this, you need to ensure that you provide them with the things you promise and deliver everything on time. Advertising is important for your business. When you are first starting out, you may need to start small and work your way up. Your night club may simply be listed on small nightclub directories and public radio at first, but you can build on that over time. If you have a website of your own, this can be taken to a new level by offering advertising to another website in exchange for giving you a mention on their page. With the new digital age, you will find that apps are ...

When you head on out to a nightclub, you anticipate that you are going to meet some great new people. While your goal is going to be to have a blast and even meet that person of your dreams, you do have to watch out for the characters that will fill the club. Take for example, the promoter you end up meeting. This will be the person who gets you in the door, works you a discount of some kind and makes you feel great. Most of the time, this is a person who works for the club in an effort to bring more people in. As you scan the room, the next person you will inevitably see will be the hard partier. They need music, booze and a night to relax. This individual doesn’t often leave the comfort of the bar, but most everyone in the room knows them. By this time, you are getting into the music of the DJ and that’s when you meet the next character. This is the woman who loves the performers and she is usually all over them. She can be seen fawning over the entertainment ...

Today, it is important to save energy with any type of lighting whether it is residential or commercial. Many residential customers of light bulbs though, are still unsure of LED bulbs being the answer to this issue, because they cost so much money per bulb. However, they are being seen as the answer for commercial applications especially in the area of infrastructure and roadway signage illumination thanks to a new offering from Dialight. This new offering is the StreetSense LED Roadway Sign Light. The company has brought out two versions of this light to better suit signage needs. The first one is a 70W lamp (produces 6,000 lumen) that is ideal in groups for larger signs above 14 x 14 feet. The second choice is a 40W lamp (produces 4,000 lumen) and is designed for the smaller signs. They use a third less power over previous models according to the research conducted by the company. The bulbs will last longer according to the company. When tested, they are still putting out as m...

Some people think that choosing LED lighting to light a display or home is a very expensive choice. However, it does not have to be expensive. When you want to light up your home or create a holiday light display, several things need to be considered. First, you need to make it affordable. It’s also important to avoid potential safety hazards while making sure that the lights can be easily seen. LED lighting makes the perfect choice, especially if you know how to build your own quality LED system. Before you are ready to construct your new plug and play LED system, you’ll need to gather some important supplies. You’ll need to have a 12 volt power supply that is waterproof as well as a computer power supply that has a cord and a switch to turn it off and on. Project boxes, RCA jack boards and an 8-port speaker board will be needed. Some other important supplies to have include a caulk gun, pipe cutter, garden stakes, electrical solder, electrical tape 2-liter bottle caps and much mor...

If you enjoy making things, this is a project that will not only save you money, but it is fun. There are a great many products being sold today that you can make at home following a few simple steps. The materials are not nearly as expensive as buying the finished product. For example, a fiber optic chandelier that is available in stores could end up costing hundreds or thousands of dollars. The best part is you can make the chandelier with items that are not expensive and they will look like they cost a lot more. The cost – approximately $15 to $20, depending on where you shop – and think of the sense of accomplishment you will have when it is finished. The items needed will include fiber optic cable, a clear, acrylic bowl, a hanging light fixture, the shell from a flood light and various other things such as a light bulb, glue, a drill and bits and epoxy. The instructions for making a fiber optic chandelier will vary according to the design that you prefer. The basics include c...

When it comes to inventions, the imagination plays a huge role in design and function. The extension plug is no exception. Although the current design is pretty functional, a reinvention of this common household item may prove to be even more so. Youngkwang Cho, a designer from California, using a bit of imagination has come up with the Curious Extension Plug. Aptly named, the Curious Extension Plug is not shaped like your typical rectangular extension cord. This one has three sockets surrounded by a cord that plugs into the wall. This plug, much like the Curious mobile phone lies flat when it is not being used. This was also an invention of Youngkwang Cho. When the extension plug is being used, it twists and turns, changing shape as if it has come to life. The extension plug, like the Curious phone comes to life when it is being used. When a call comes through the phone it rings and vibrates like a standard phone, but it also changes shape. It becomes more conducive for holding...

If you’re often inspired by nature, why not bring the beauty of nature into your home? Maybe you love looking at the intricate beauty of dandelions or you’re stunned by the night sky full of shimmering stars. To bring lovely light and natural beauty to your home, making your own fiber optic LED dandelion lamp is a wonderful idea. It looks great whether you have it lit or not. The best part is that you can make this lamp yourself with the right materials and tools. Of course, you’ll need some specific tools and materials before you get started. You’ll need 0.75 end glow optical fibers as well as a variety of 5mm LEDs in blue, white and pink. You’ll also need some white card board, 9 inch drinking straws and a SPST rocker switch. Other tools and materials to have on hand include a soldering iron with lead free solder, electrical tape, mini glue gun with glue sticks, paper clips, brass fasteners and more. Once you have the right materials and tools, constructing the fiber optic LED dan...

People often meet over a drink and it seems there are two distinctive types of people / meetings, the coffee drinkers and the cocktail drinkers. Whichever the case of the choice of drink it is true that the setting is definitely a reflection of the personalities. Some may feel more comfortable in one over the other. Some may be definitely opposed to one over the other. Which are you? Here is a look at the two. Coffee drinkers are more down to earth, wanting to keep their mind sharp while enjoying a beverage that is probably more of a habit than an occasional sip. Avid coffee drinkers will know all the little coffee shops and will have their favorite blends on hand. Chances are they will have the ability to serve it from their home as well. These are the more responsible people who want to be able to drive without giving it a second thought. Cocktail drinkers are more mellow. These tend to be trendy and fun loving too unless they have an addiction to alcohol; then they are ...

Greetings glow enthusiasts! As of late, people seem to be getting quite confused about the differences between parallel EL panels and split EL tape. We have been getting so many inquiries, I've decided to just create an all inclusive EL PANEL GUIDE! So here we go! PARALLEL EL PANELS Parallel EL panels are flattened electrodes sandwiched together, and use a technology very similar to EL Wire. So similar in fact, that you can interchange parallel inverters and EL wire inverters freely, without losing any glow. They are produced using a screen printing process, which is nice because you can add animated effects to the panel, something that you cannot do with Split EL panels. The busbar in parallel panels surrounds the panel, and excites the phosphor causing it to glow. This allows for the animated effects we spoke of earlier, but also means that you cannot cut parallel panels. These panels still work wonderfully for signs though. You can easily create a cheap glowing adve...

Normally we write about anything that glows, but we had to write about this... O!Snap! This new product has changed my life forever, and our office fell in love with it, simply because it made our lives easier, cleaned up my desk, and solved a big problem I had around the office. For Christmas, my Secret Santa got me an O!Snap Headphone Holder . "A What?" you ask? Or at least I did. Haha. Basically it's a headphone clip that fits around the collar of your shirt, and holds your headphones in place. It's supposed to be for the running market, however I found it incredibly useful when doing work in the warehouse, or when I wanted to be on a long winded phone call and used my iPhone headphones. The clip more importantly doubles as a handy headphone holder which keeps your headphones all neat and tidy when stored in your desk drawer. Previously I would open up my drawer and find my headphones scattered throughout in a bit nest of cables. Now I just release the magnet...