Hey, Girlfriends! Just checking in with some interesting links for you to check out. It’s that time of year when we’re seeking something different to break up the monotony of winter (at least in our part of the world). Here are a few unique party ideas for your next girls night in. Try one; your gal pals will thank you!

Mardi Gras is going on now in New Orleans. About.com’s Donna Pilato has written a nice guide to hosting a Mardi Gras Jazz Brunch in your home. Festive, ladylike, refined (but not too)…give it a try, and your girlfriends will feel pampered, we guarantee! Photo via Flickr.

In case you missed it, our Karaoke girls night with a pop-Japan flavor is just the thing to melt away your winter blahs. Sing your hearts out, ladies!

Finally, we recently learned about House Party, a company that lets you host a house party to introduce a consumer product to the market. Products range widely, from coffeemakers to chocolate to hair color. If you are selected as a host, you receive a “party box” with free stuff (product samples, goodie bags) to share with your guests. The freebies vary by party, but the idea is to gather some friends and have fun while trying a new product. It’s a low-cost way for these companies to get word-of-mouth advertising. Celebrating a new product is not for everyone, but we know how some of you love free stuff! It might be a fun way to get the girls together for a change. Let us know if you try it!

What is your girlfriend group up to right now? We’d love to hear from you with any weird, wacky, unique or just fun girls night ideas. (Send pictures too – we love them!)