Fab * Blog by InvitationConsultants.com

Planning your own Birthday Party!

I saw a photo yesterday of my friend on her birthday and yet again she has inspired and amazed me. There she was in all her fun nail polish and party dress glory. In front of her contagious smile featured these amazing butterfly cupcakes that she made for HERSELF! They looked like no easy feat either. These fancy little treats fluttered beneath a gigantic birthday cake with wings made of chocolate and frosting in an array of colors. I thought what a lovely notion and why not take it a step further... throw yourself a birthday party! I mean why wait for someone to do it when you are perfectly capable. Everyone loves a party, I wish I could have been there eating cake and smiling! What else could there be to love at your very own birthday party? STICKERS of course! Pass them out and leave them around or better yet STICK 'em up, but first, check them out!

How to Shop Till You Drop on Friday

There are so many reasons to go shopping on Friday.

1. Because I will eat way too much stuffing on Thursday, so walking with me seems like a better option than rolling me around.

2. According to the media, stores I seriously discounting.

3. It is better to give than to receive.

4. I have the day off.

Other shopping tips:

I honestly don't need anymore odds and ends, as this year I am trying to simply my life. Simple life = less junk. (hint: that means don't look on the 75% off rack because that is where junk disguises itself as a "good buy.")

Don't shop with a friend, shop either alone or with your mom. Because you need to be able to just take off in different directions, and mom understands this. Shopping with a friend leads you into stores you don't want to go into or can't fit into their clothing (ie. I don't need to visit a petite store since I am 5 foot 9.) Shopping with friends also leads to distractions like, "did you hear that Samantha and John are breaking up?" What I am thinking is: I did not hear this and you are ruining my concentration. But instead of being snippy I would answer back - we would talk more and thus my shopping concentration would be thrown off. So, please avoid shopping with a talker!

Bring cash, so you know when you run out, that this is the end of the rope. Keep the credit cards and checkbook at home to avoid overspending. For example, when the tip of my Amex card comes shining thru my purse, I am done..I am cooked..I must then give in to the fact, that shopping with a credit card is way more fun but more damaging at the mall.

And finally, I will save some money for Cyber Monday, because I heard those sales are going to rock!

Thanksgiving: A time of cheer and STRESS

Thanksgiving is one of the greatest times of the year. Reason 1: You get to see family. Reason 2: You get to eat like a piglet, unbuckle your belt, sit on the couch stuffed and no one cares - because they are all doing the same thing! Besides being a time of overindulgence, it can also be a time of useless stressers. I know, it does not sound right, see this equation:

Thanksgiving = lots of yummy food + wonderful family and friends + cooler weather + and the day off from work. So how can this equation even have a stress variable inside of it? Simple, when you mix food and people you get indigestion and when you mix people and people you get stress. So here are a few stress relievers for this turkey time of year.

1. Get to the supermarket early - like a few days before in order to avoid the lines and choose a turkey of your choice. 

2. Don't sweat the small stuff. ie. your brother's new girlfriend comes to Thanksgiving dinner with him and she announces she just became a vegetarian - relax - let her eat the vegees!

3. Choose and order your holiday and Christmas cards the day after Thanksgiving to take advantage of sales and reduce the stress of rushing later.

4. Make sure all of your televisions work, so if your dad and son want to watch football all day, you can have an outlet in the other room.

5. Everyone this year is staying low-key, meaning people are on a budget, so don't feel like you have to spend tremendous amounts of money on that organic turkey; clip coupons and seek out cost savers this season.

6. Whatever Aunt Jane says about your life, just ignore it!

And have yourself a Happy Thanksgiving!

Black Friday

I'm not sure whether to be scared or impressed. I just can't believe what happens on Black Friday. For those that do not know - Black Friday is next Friday and it symbolizes the day after thanksgiving where sales on many popular items are extremely good in most cases. This causes mass panic to get to the mall and buy your items at a crazy low price before the rest of the soccer moms get to them first.

You may have heard stories from back in the "Tickle Me Elmo" days where lives have been threatened over some of these items. Well, it still happens (in FL at least). Please do not threaten anyone over a $10 DVD player.

There are alternatives to going out shopping on Black Friday. It's crazy.. It's beyond comprehension.. It's THE INTERWEB!!!!!!!!!  Though you may not be able to get some of the same deals as you would in the stores, you'll still be able to purchase your holiday gifts in a calm fashion without get trampled. You'll skip having a panic attack because you're in a line of 50 people where it looks like there's only 49 Elmos left on the shelf.

Sales will be online too.

Invitation consultants will be having a Black Friday Sale and it's going to be really, really BIG. I can't say too much about it but just be aware that we are discounting on popular items more than we ever have before! I was impressed when I got the word. It will be good. Stay Tuned.  :-)

Bride Wars

My brother and my now sister-in-law got engaged in March of 2006. My husband and I got engaged in September of 2006. They beat us to the whole engagement thing, but due to a few factors we beat them to the wedding thing. The planning process was interesting because my sister-in-law and I thought we were planning two very different weddings. We had one thing in common that we didn’t realize: the color oasis blue. We both envisioned an oasis blue wedding with black and white accents. Where did we get oasis from? No Clue. But, when we realized we both had desired the same color scheme, the battle was on.

There were a few snippy comments and a couple of glares, but after a few months of planning we had moved on from the argument and the color oasis too. My wedding colors were sage, pastel pink, and white with a lace meets nature theme. My sister-in-law decided on black, white, and pink with polka dot and stripe patterned accents. We both got our happy ending. Here’s hoping we both don’t want to name our first son Milo, or we will wage war once more.

Despite our happy ending, I wonder if other bride friends get in fights over wedding themes, colors, guests, or even venues. In the upcoming film 'Bride Wars' starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson, two best friends will battle it out for a June wedding date at the Plaza in New York. Judging by the preview, it’s going to get pretty ugly.

Because we love brides here at IC— and because we have something for everyone—I want to know: if you are a bride/groom, were a bride/groom, or want to be a bride/groom what’s one detail of your wedding you’d be willing to fight for?

Thanks to Bride Wars for the pic.

Cycle Chic

Why is it that I wish for cool vintage bicycles and scooters more than cars these days? When I saw this photo posted on a blog, It became clear. They are so much more chic! Cars are nice but with all the fuel fuss, more practical than fashionable. I mean she looks so cool and interesting! Where could she be going... some cool wheel store? or maybe for a cool cup o joe! Whatever the case I pulled together a cool couple of bike ride invitations to check out! They are super chic too; bike made for two and Ride on Through.

Teal Me Another Story

2009 Forecast states: Teal is the new color for the new year! As many know at IC, I am not a huge fan of blue. Green on the other hand is a keeper. Then there comes teal, this unassuming color that meets blue and green somewhere in the middle. I could live with teal. It is bright and vivid. I have heard through the rumor mill that teal this season will be paired quite a bit with grey (another color spoke of this fall often) and black and white. Why not mix it up and go wild with combinations such as teal and bright yellow and teal and lilac purple or even teal and lime green! So keep an eye on this color! Invitations Shown: Destination Mexico, Hawaiian Teal

RSVP Debacle

Funny story to share. We are hosting a holiday party and as the rsvp date approaches, I am even more anxious for the RSVP's to come in, until....I received an RSVP that said:

M_______________ and instead of a name on the line - it said 4. I surely do not know anyone with the name 4! I could not decipher the handwriting nor could I read the zip code on the envelope of where the envelope was sent from. Through highly intellectual deduction skills, I called a friend and found out it was her!!

Lesson learned: When RSVPing, make sure to always inlcude your name and your guests' names!

Die-Cut Cuties

For the past couple of weeks, my co-workers have heard aww's and eek's coming from my office. These new die-cut invites are just so cute I've called people in to see them. The way die-cuts usually work is they are printed on a larger sheet of paper, and you (the party thrower) pops them out along the perforated lines. It's a simple and a unique way to invite your crowd. If you have any leftover, you can also punch holes in the top of them and string them to make a banner.

Here are some party themes inspired by the cut-out invites pictured above:

Baby in a Box: Have a gift themed baby shower. The cake can be shaped as a present and the favors can be little gift boxes with candy in them. Because, really, babies make wonderful presents.

Little Rodeo: Have a western themed birthday party for the little boy in your life. He could be the sheriff and his friends can be cowboys and cowgirls. Get a horse shaped pinata and you have yourself a hoe-down.

Gymnastic Jamboree:  Gymnastic themed birthday parties are very popular right now. Many local gyms will host a birthday party where children can climb on gymnastic equipment and learn how to do super cool round overs and cartwheels. Make a soundtrack including the Olympics theme song and give every child a gold medal as they leave.

Sports Fanatic: A sports themed birthday party is easy. Put a whole bunch of sports equipment in those big round plastic coolers and let them go crazy (safely!). Have a soccer cake, a baseball pinata, a free throw contest, and football themed favor and you've covered all your bases!

Tea Time: A tea party is a sweet way to celebrate. Let them know on the invitation to wear their favorite party dresses and bring their favorite teddy bear. Set up small round tables with tea sets, fruit punch, petite sandwiches, and cookies. As a favor, supply costume jewelry for themselves and their furry friend.

Check out more die-cut invitations here and children's birthday invitations here.

Insider's Interview part 2: Payal Kripalani of Checkerboard

Can you give us an example of some parameters or rules of thumb that you follow?
Sure, here are examples of a few things that I think are key for successful design-
Design with your customer in mind, Have your pulse on the industry, fashion and trends, Beautiful form and function go hand and hand
 
I noticed all the great color combinations, Where do get your color theory and inspiration from?
We create our own combinations/palettes by studying the trends we see in the design and fashion industry. It is very exciting to study trends and apply your knowledge to a specific design.
I don’t even know to begin with where I find color inspiration. There are so many places to collect your inspiration from – different  websites, blogs, magazines, color reports and so on. I love looking at fashion magazines like W, In style, Vogue etc. and Interior design magazines like Dwell, Elle décor and so on.
Some favorite sites and blogs: Design Sponge, Colour Lovers, Etsy Weddings. These are just a few of the so many places
 
Do you seem to ideate more in your head first, the computer, or by playing with materials in your hands?
Most times, it’s in my head first. I find that inspiration and ideas come to me in the strangest places. I think if you’re a designer and you see something neat that inspires you, could be a beautiful bouquet, a pretty dress, an amazing plate of food, it makes you want to design and make something cool as well.
 
Where do you look when you need to find inspiration fast?
For fast inspiration, I love to look at our own product. If I can say so myself, I love our invitations and taking a quick look through my favorites gets my creative juices flowing. Makes me want to make more!

Do you have any regular sources where you collect inspiration from? If so, where?
 As artists we all bring our own inspirations to the table and in collaborating in our work we are able to inspire each other with new fresh ideas.
 
What do you do when unplugged from the adobe suite?
Hmmm…. Besides designing, here are some of my favorite things to do: I love painting. I also enjoy cooking - making delicious food and making it look good on a plate is definitely an art! I love watching my favorite TV shows. I also enjoy short reading materials - magazines, articles etc. and of course surfing the web
 
Do you have other artistic endeavors or hobbies?
Yes I do, I love to paint as well. I like sketching and also do oils and acrylic on canvas. Some of my paintings can be seen here: www.payalsart.com
 
Have you always worked in the invitations industry?
I did some graphic design work before, but I’ve been in the invitations industry for most of my professional life. I always liked paper products, but being an invitation designer makes you fall more in love with it! It’s got to be one of the most creative professions around. Very satisfying for someone who loves to design and create. The raw materials are beautiful and you have a great mix of craftsmanship and technology to play with.
 
This may not be as relevant but since you reside in Massachusetts, are you into the Boston Music Scene at all?
No, unfortunately not big into the Boston Music Scene. I’ve seen a few bands now and then, but nothing I can talk intelligently about.