LilSugar

Paperless Post Gets Holiday Parties Started

babysugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:30:29 -0800

This holiday season, go green, go cheap, and go beautiful! Instead of sending out a tree's worth of paper invitations for your holiday soiree, consider using creative and gorgeous online invitations. While e-vitations have been around a while, few are as sassy, simple, pretty, and well-organized as the custom stationery from the Paperless Post.

A cinch to figure out, and party queens can choose between traditional, contemporary, modern, and casual templates and add the perfect touch with an embossed design, colorful trims, a grosgrain ribbon, or even their own photos. New members get 25 free virtual stamps (good for 25 email addresses) when they sign up and pay an additional fee when they want to send out their notice to more guests. If a hostess wants to blast the invitation out to 100 people, she would only pay the $8 fee for 100 e-stamps as opposed to a $44 bill at the post office. For an extra $5, mama can make the envelope fancy and add a liner. In the end, an $8 stamp fee and $5 envelope liner are peanuts compared to the snail mail option, and she never has to wait in that dreaded line! The bonus is it makes managing the party details as easy as one, two, three. Mommy can tell who has opened the invite, replied to it, and made comments on it.

So the next time mum's throwing a bash - holiday or otherwise - she should consider Paperless Post. The guests will be impressed by her fabulous and savvy eco-friendly ways, and it will give her the opportunity to spend the money on wine and music, 'cause that's what will make her party legendary.

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Kiddie Soireé: Tiny Prints For Halloween!

babysugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:00:30 -0700

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. The creativity, costumes, and candy get me all riled up for a ghoulish good time. Adding to my freaky fetish is Tiny Prints! The fabulous printmakers are showcasing a fresh line of Halloween invitations that will make any guest-to-be scream with joy!

Tots born during the spooky season who like to celebrate it with a costume-theme party can choose from pumpkins, black cats, and other haunted icons for fabulous invites or announcements

To see more invitations, read more.

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Couples Cocktail Party: Invitations

babysugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0700

Move over carriages and baby bottles, we're throwing a baby shower for guys and gals to attend this week. Many friends of first-time parents are often still single and sometimes weirded out by the fact that their buddy is about to have a babe. Starting with the invitation, set the tone for this celebration with a twist.

To see what party invitations I recommend, read more.

Choose something that appeals to both sexes, but that still screams baby. These concert tickets make great invites combining the perfect amount of playfulness and all the necessary details.

On the invitation be sure to include where baby is registered – especially for those, ahem, clueless bachelors. And if you're hosting the event at a restaurant or bar, include an ending time so the mama-to-be won't be obligated to party all night!

April Showers: Guide to Planning a Baby Shower (Part Two)

babysugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0700

We've dedicated the entire month of April to planning showers of all kinds, but if you've been nominated (or volunteered) to plan a baby shower for a friend or relative you should start with the basics.

Once you've picked your venue, theme and invites it's time to move onto the really fun part.

The small details like menu, music and party favors are often what make a great party wonderful and allow you to pay homage to the mommy-to-be's taste and personality. For some easy tips to help you plan the day, read more

Menu: Baby shower food and dessert menus are best kept simple. Finger foods, cupcakes, pastries and a signature party drink will help bring your party theme together. Talk to the mommy-to-be about her favorites (and cravings) and come up with a menu that's simple, but elegant.

Music and entertainment: Planning the entertainment element of the shower in advance is a must. You should talk to the mommy-to-be about her music style and make sure it fits in with your theme. Would she prefer the tunes be classic, traditional, punk or pop? Make an iPod playlist that mixes Rockabye Music with fun singers like Gwen Stefani.

Favors: Personalized cookies and sweet treats make the perfect baby shower favors. Personalized lip balm is practical and cute. You can get two-dozen tiny pods with a specialized label from Daisy Days for $20. If don't have time to wait for shipping, put on your apron or talk to your favorite local bakery about making cute cookies, like the ones pictured from Eleni's in NY and wrapping them individually.

Thank Yous: The mama–to–be should thank her hostesses for a soirée thrown in her honor. If you happen to be the hostess, you can help make the thank you process easier on the new mom by keeping track of gift givers and their addresses. The contact information will come in handy when birth announcement time rolls around.

For more baby shower ideas, check out all our baby shower tips, tricks and ideas.

April Showers: Guide to Planning a Baby Shower (Part One)

babysugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:00:02 -0700

Planning a baby shower can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. All you have to do is organize a gathering that makes the mommy-to-be happy and feel celebrated. Location scouting, invitations and worry aside, it's always more fun than it sounds. We've dedicated the entire month of April to planning showers of all kinds, but if you've been nominated (or volunteered) to plan a baby shower for a friend or relative you should start with the basics. For some of the most important things to consider when you start planning, read more.

Guest list: For decades baby showers have been "ladies only" events, but times are changing. Many expectant parents opt for co-ed affairs. I suggest talking to the mommy of the day about what she's comfortable with and who she wants to be invited. It's pretty traditional to include the future grandma, extended family, closest friends and close co-workers.

Location and venue: First, make sure the growing mommy-to-be will be comfortable. My favorite baby showers are those in a home, whether it's grandma's house, your house or the mommy-to-be's home. If you prefer to do it elsewhere, consider a cute park, spa, teahouse, restaurant, dessert spot or even a bar or lounge (mommy can't drink, but bar baby showers have become popular with the increase of co-ed showers).

Theme and decor: After you've planned the location start thinking about the party's colors, flowers, decorations and theme. You should think about the new mommy's personal style and whether or not she's announced the sex of the baby. When in doubt, go simple and whimsical.

Invites: If you're looking for something simple, but adorable, check out HP’s collection of exclusive birth announcements, which feature artwork by Gwen Stefani. You can easily personalize the cards to include all your party details and print them on your home printer for free.

Log on tomorrow for part two of my suggestions!

Source

Tea Party: Invitations

babysugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:00:00 -0700

If you're on board with the tea party theme, you might want to check out these simple and creative invitations that I crafted with supplies from my favorite paperie, Paper Source.

To see how to make them, read more.

I'm throwing this party for a friend who decorated her nursery in Tiffany blue, citrus orange, and brown. The couple doesn't know the baby's sex so I also wanted to be gender neutral with the invites.

What I need to buy:

5 1/2" orange square cards.
5" white square cards.
5 3/4" turquoise square envelopes. (note postage is $0.50 for square envelopes.)
Brown grosgrain ribbon with white pattern.
Brown pen for labeling.
Standard hole punch (matching the width of your ribbon.)
Decorative hole punch.
Double–stick tape.
Scissors.

Now it's time to get down to business.

First, decide on the text you want to put on the invitation. You might want to print a sample out on regular computer paper first to make sure there are no mistakes and so you don't waste the pretty (and more expensive) card stock. Once perfected, print out all of your invitations on the printer.
Next, place double–stick tape on the back of the invitation and firmly press it onto the center of the orange squares.
Mark two dots where you want to center your ribbon (about an inch apart) and punch holes on the marks.
Take your ribbon and cut it into 5" long pieces. Thread the ribbon through the holes from front to back so the ends are on the backside. Next, pull the ends through the opposite holes and tighten the slack. Cut the edges of the ribbon at an angle to give it a finished touch and to keep it from unraveling.
Use the decorative hole punch (a heart in my case) and punch a hole in the bottom right hand corner of your envelope.
Place the invitation in the envelope, address, stamp, and toss in the mail!

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Good Things Come in Small Packages: Invitations

babysugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:00:25 -0700

One of the first steps in planning a baby shower is to create a guest list.

It's usually a safe bet to ask the guest of honor for a list of people she would like to invite, but in sticking with "Good Things Come in Small Packages" theme, an intimate group of family and closest friends works well for this one.

To see what else we recommend for a "small" shower, read more.

As for the invitations, I like to reference the baby–to–be's room when making my selection. The pregnant mama will adore an invite that matches her nursery theme, especially if she plans on framing it for the room.

You're guaranteed to find a darling card at Tiny Prints. Featuring over 60 shower invitations, the super swell stationery company has pink and blue hued cards as well as gender neutral invites to please the thrill seeking mamas.

On the invitation, you'll want to answer all of the following questions:

Who is being honored at the shower?
What day and time is the shower being held?
Where is the party?
Who is the RSVP contact?
Where is the mama–to–be registered? (Optional.)
Who is hosting the shower? (Optional.)

Check back tomorrow for place settings and drink ideas.

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Heirloom Baby Shower: Theme, Guest List and Invitations

LilSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:00:45 -0700

lilsugar is celebrating mamas-to-be all month with extensive baby shower coverage that will help you plan awwwww-inducing, unique, socially relevant and hip fetes. This week we party hop from the darling sibling soiree to an inexpensive and nostalgia-inspired heirloom-themed baby shower bash.

The heirloom shower is all about cherished childhood memories and passing down treasured items or advice instead of consumer goods. It is a sweet, coin-saving incentive to gather friends to celebrate baby instead of a party focused on presents. Guests are asked to bring an heirloom or lightly worn hand-me-down item in lieu of a fancy new gift to this recession-friendly bash, and should be encouraged to recycle and re-gift the many expensive baby items some of us only use for weeks - if ever. These could range from larger items like a stroller or car seat (although this should be arranged in advance), to smaller items like a precious rattle, holiday photo outfit, handmade quilt or a stuffed animal. Those who don't have children or a closet full of goodies are encouraged to bring a memento from their own childhood like their favorite book or booties, or make a contribution to the party, such as a tasty dish or beverage.

Limit the guest list to family and friends who won't be uncomfortable sharing an heirloom item, but feel free to open up the list to a healthy number your venue can house given the low-cost focus of this bash. Stay tuned for all the details - from decor to food to downloadable party games - in upcoming posts this week. In the mean time, we've designed two breathtaking vintage, but mod invites fit for the occasion. To check them out, or print them out for free, read more!

You can select the blue or brown designs or both - they are free! The invitations are just two of our baby shower invitations we've created exclusively for pingg! pingg allows you to email invites to a guest list or print and mail, and send reminders via SMS, online, Facebook, Twitter and more! Just want this one? You can get the blue and pink PDF download of this invite here or the orange and brown here.

Don't forget to enter our fabulous April Showers Giveaway for a chance to win a $2,500 gift card to put toward your babe's nursery and or necessities for your child at Pottery Barn Kids!

Sibling Shower: Theme, Guest List and Invitations

LilSugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0700

It's time for April Showers! lilsugar is celebrating mamas-to-be all month with our baby shower coverage. From a sibling soiree to one meant for multiples and a sip and see fete to an heirloom event, our unique themes reflect the state of the economy and societal trends. So without further adieu, we will kick off the festivities with the sibling shower!

Many mothers just aren't comfortable with subsequent baby showers, so who better to honor than the impending babe's soon-to-be big brother, sis, or siblings? Get tots ready for the bundle of joy with a fun, low key and affordable get together. Limit the guest list to the youngster's small circle of friends so he or she won't be overwhelmed and the time to about two hours. Stay tuned for all the details - from decor to food to downloadable party games - in upcoming posts this week. In the meantime, print out these darling mad-lib inspired invites fit for the occasion. If your youngster is practicing printing, allow him or her to fill them out. The invitation is just one of our baby shower invitations we've created exclusively for pingg! pingg allows you to email invites to a guest list or print and mail, and send reminders via SMS, online, Facebook, Twitter and more! Just want this one? You can get a PDF download of this invite here.

Don't forget to enter our fabulous April Showers Giveaway for a chance to win a $2,500 gift card to put toward your babe's nursery and or necessities for your child at Pottery Barn Kids!

Kiddie Soiree: Easy and Inexpensive Birthday Invites

LilSugar — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 05:00:53 -0800

Why spend $50 on birthday invitations when you've got an artistic four-year-old? My daughter's fifth birthday is fast approaching and she wants to invite her entire preschool class to her party. Not all the children's parents are in the class email group or listed in the address directory and we don't want to accidentally leave anyone out. So I needed to figure out a foolproof way of getting every tot an invitation.

Using a marker and a piece of construction paper, I created a flier listing all the details and then asked my daughter to design the rest of the sheet. After doodling a border, birthday cake and dress, she was finished. We ran copies of her masterpiece onto pink paper and sent them to school where her teacher popped one in each child's backpack. Parents clearing out their kids' knapsacks easily found the bright invite.