Birthday card idea

My family has a number of birthdays in June and sometimes finding just the right card – especially milestone birthday cards, when you don’t want “put downs” – can be difficult. So this week I got the bright idea of making customized birthday cards using invitation/announcement cards from our IBY site. Not only did I write my own text, but I personalized each card with the person’s name. I can’t wait to hear how each one liked her card.

You can do the same thing either by buying single card stock and printing yourself or by using a printer (like us), who has no minimums and either no set-up fees or minimal setup fees. If you are ordering over the internet, order a number of cards at once, so that the shipping charges don’t make the cards too expensive. Ask for an electronic proof (free on our site and probably free on many sites) to make sure the card looks just the way you want it to.

What to say? Make it as personal as you can. Talk about the person’s exact age, or things that happened when he was born, special memories of her, relate it to his favorite hobby or her avocation, or even what is happening this year.

The only thing I suggest not printing is your name. Sign the card as usual. Click here to read more!

4th of July – a whole day to celebrate

Now that Memorial Day is behind us, the next holiday on all calendars is Independence Day. At IBY we are already having people order their party invites for July 4th and several have chosen one of our brand new patriotic cards.

This year the holiday is a Friday, which means another 3 day weekend – woo whoo! 4th of a July is another good time for family gatherings, summer activities, and, of course, fireworks. I prefer the professional fireworks. A couple years ago, I got to watch them while listening to a concert, which was great fun! Though probably the most memorable was watching them with the Statue of Liberty as a backdrop.

When our kids were young, the town where we lived put on a 4th of July parade. Kids could participate by dressing up in any holiday related theme. Once our girls marched as cowgirl and Indian partners. The other years we were merely spectators, but that was fun, too.

One year I made a rectangular chocolate cake, used whipped cream for the icing, then decorated it into a flag using blueberries for the blue section, and strawberries for the red stripes. Looked and tasted good!

Thought you might be interested in some ideas to make your day even more fun, especially if you don’t have a parade to attend.

from FamilyFun

4th of July Parties, Printables & Games

Party ideas from 123greetings

Want something a little more unique? Check out these articles:

How to Go Green for the Fourth of July from ehow

How to Plan a Spectacular 4th of July Menu! from ehow

Fourth of July Recipes and Menus – includes a Red, White and Blue Menu – from Busy Cooks Click here to read more!

A Toast to June Weddings

June is often considered the beginning of the wedding season. My sister managed to put college graduation and wedding in June on top of it being her birthday month. Weddings are definitely occasions for parties: engagement parties, bridal showers, couple showers, bachelorette and bachelor parties, rehearsal dinners, and of course, what is a reception but a big party?

If you’ve seen the movie The Wedding Planner, you see her feeding the best man what to say as he makes his toast. But most of us don’t use a professional wedding planner, so today I wanted to share some articles I found that offer help for wedding toasts.

Great “how to”s and tips:
How To Write and Give a Great Wedding Toast

Father of the Bride

Galleries of good wishes:
Samples of Wedding Toasts

Wedding Toasts

These 3 have quotes to use for a specific purpose:
Best Man Wedding Toast

Sister Wedding Toast

Reception Toasts

The above articles have links to other helpful sites, too. Click here to read more!

Schools Out – Hurray!

At least that’s what the kids say. Sometimes the parents aren’t so positive, although with all that happens the last month, I usually found it a relief. Here in Kansas schools get out this week. I know in Washington state they go another month.

At the start of summer vacation kids usually are just so pleased to sleep in and play, play, play, that they’re pretty content. But it’s also fun to give them the anticipation of a party, say at the pool, or lake, or park.

Encourage your kids to plan the party themselves (of course, adults always have veto power over any ideas). Have the kids pick a theme—whether it’s a food theme (i.e. ice cream sundaes) or an activity theme (i.e. pool party)—decide on the guest list, the food, decorations, if any, and make or choose invitations. Fill-in party invitations are quick and easy, yet are another task to occupy the kids while they enter all the info. Of course, you’ll want to remind them, that part of party duties are the clean-up, too!

Need party ideas? Check out these sites:
more4kids.info
home.ivillage.com
wilton.com
healthy-kid-recipes.com

And here’s one with Slumber Party Ideas:
Summer.about.com Click here to read more!

Memorial Day Parties

When I think Memorial Day parties, I start thinking of the food. Barbecued burgers, or pork ribs (I prefer boneless) or chicken, and potato salad, watermelon and/or cantaloupe, chips, carrot sticks, deviled eggs. With all that, dessert isn’t need in my opinion, but many in my family wouldn’t agree.

Memorial Day is a good time to invite someone over for a casual “dinner” party. Depending where you live, eating outside may not be an option, but we’ve barbecued when it was snowing, because it just tastes so good fixed outside over a grill.

IBY carries invites (both fill-ins and printables) that fit this kind of event. My favorite is the one below.
I can almost smell it cookin’! Guess I’d better start thinkin’ whom I’m inviting…
Click here to read more!

Mother’s Day

Today is Nurse’s Day and Teacher’s Day, and, of course, you are probably all aware that Mother’s Day is this coming Sunday!

Many years ago I used to be a telephone operator – Mother’s Day was our highest volume call day of the year. Nice restaurants will be swamped as families take their moms out to breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. Flower shops will be busy on Saturday. This whole week people will be standing before card racks looking for just the right card to send to their mother. And don’t forget the gift shopping.

I look over my time as a mother and some of my most memorable gifts are the personal words written in a card that meant more to me than any gift. Personal notes may not be as elegant or cutesy as what you’ll find in a card, but if you say them with your heart, express something particular about how important your mother is to you, she will appreciate it very much.

Okay, I know some of you aren’t satisfied with a gift of words. I really like gifts of service and maybe your mom would, too. Some I remember fondly are home cooked meals where I didn’t have to lift a finger (or decide what it was going to be!), massage certificates, pedicure and/or manicure certificates, coupons for specific housework items being done for me or for time without children. Of course, physical gifts are good, too, especially if you put some thought into what your mother would like. Gift certificates to her favorite store or restaurant can be a success, too.

I’d like to share a funny from last year. My daughter and her family were spending the weekend at our house. Sunday morning my husband whispers to her five year old son, “It’s Mother’s Day. Go tell your mommy ‘Happy Mother’s Day.” His answer was, “She knows!” Yeah, she does, but she does like to hear it, too! Click here to read more!

Tea Party

Somehow little girls learn early about having tea parties. Pretend tea parties with dolls and stuffed animals. Pretend tea parties with friends. Of course, it always makes it special when the adults allow them to have real food with their tea parties. I remember my daughters never having tea to drink, but they loved using a little teapot and cups for water. Specialty foods were banana slices with sprinkles on them, cookies, sandwiches cut small and without the crust. We served them on the girls’ tea plates. If you have a little girl in your life who doesn’t have a tea set, I strongly recommend you get her one. ArsaToys has some really cute ones – see my favorite set.

Big girls (grown ups) like tea parties, too. I’ve gone to Mother’s Day teas for moms and daughters (every woman is a daughter, so no one is left out). I’ve gone with friends to a special tea shop either for lunch (with tea, of course) or for afternoon tea.

When my husband and I visited England, we were introduced to “cream tea”—a pot of tea, scones with Devonshire cream and strawberry jam, and cream for your tea, if you desired. I could eat that every day! And now I have a number of scone recipes that we really enjoy at home. My personal favorite teas are English breakfast tea and Lifeboat tea.

I’ve also had “afternoon tea” in England and in Canada. Along with the scones, cakes, and cookies, small sandwiches are served.

One of my friends is so known for serving tea, writing tea columns, etc. that her grandchildren call her “Grandma Tea.”

The best part of a tea party, whether formal or informal, is the chance to sit down and relax. Time to take your ease with friends or family, sip and chat, be soothed by the food and the tea—quite a contrast to grabbing a bite at a fast food restaurant.

So want to pamper your girlfriends? Plan a tea party. Make it extra fun by sending invitations. Click here to read more!