|
30 Sep |
|
|
9:12 pm Posted by Nicola |
Expecting your first child? You’ll likely checkout a copy of What to Expect When You’re Expecting (according to USA Today, 93% of all expectant mothers who read a pregnancy guide, choose this book). Receive a baby shower invitation? You’ll probably pick baby essentials (and cute non-essentials) from the registry and be prepared to dispense baby advice if you’re already a mom. An expectant mom will receive plenty of written and verbal advice (whether she asks for it or not…) but for all the mainstream opinions it’s sometimes fun to hear the less conventional views of celebrity moms. Here are some of the less conventional celebrity baby trends in the news today.
Singer Alanis Morissette is a fan of attachment parenting to the extent that she has announced that she will only stop breastfeeding when her son asks her to. Similarly, Big Bang Theory actress Mayim Bailik nursed her son until he was three years old and is a believer in diaperless parenting!
Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal believes in diapers, but of the cloth variety.
Actress Alicia Silverstone recently sparked frenzy on the entertainment sites when she acknowledged that she feeds her son by first chewing food and then transferring it to his mouth.
Less unconventional but becoming increasingly popular, many celebrity moms swear by baby-wearing in a sling (Jennifer Garner) or co-sleeping in the same bed (Kourtney Kardashian). Angelina Jolie has shared that her whole family sleeps together on Sundays.
So, whether your future parenting style ranges from textbook traditional to the celebrity unique – rest assured there is plenty of guidance available. And for stunning baby stationery such as baby shower invitations, baby birth announcements, and baby thank you cards, checkout the growing collection at LookLoveSend.com. Shop now for fresh designs, high quality, and superior customer service.
|
29 Sep |
|
|
6:24 am Posted by Kristy |
You can learn a lot from wedding gown shopping 
when it comes time to look for your wedding invitations. While no one really talks about “the wedding invitation design of their dreams,” invitations should be as much of a touch and feel part of wedding planning as finding the dress. In fact, the wedding invitations you send to your guests will be the first thing they see, touch and feel about your wedding.
You can directly apply many of the same dress shopping strategies to finding the right wedding invitations:
- Be Consistent with Your Style – Use the same sources of inspiration to guide the look and feel of your wedding invitation design, whether formal, casual, classical or modern.
- Prioritize – Identify which details matter most and use your budget accordingly. Know cost considerations such as invitation size, added features, and even printing techniques.
- Get Up Close and Personal – Always order samples before buying. Just as you would try a dress on your body first, so too should you touch and feel the wedding invitation design before ordering.
What to Look for From Your Sample Wedding Invitations
- Paper – Feel the thickness and texture with your own hands. Substantial, heavy-weight paper distinguishes wedding invitations from other types of invitations. Decide if you prefer paper with a grain or texture or smoother finish.
- Color – Is it burgundy or magenta? Lime or avocado? Plum or purple? As is true with all online shopping, colors viewed onscreen may be quite different in print. Make sure you like the color as seen in person.
- Font – How well does the font style read? Font styles and font colors are easy features to change when you personalize your wedding invitation online, but see it in person first.
|
28 Sep |
|
|
6:02 am Posted by Kristy |
What kind of holiday planner are you? Eager, ready, cleaning-out-your-closets-now to make room for seasonal bounty? Or wondering what to do with the basket of last year’s photo Christmas cards? Find out how fanatical you are when it comes to holiday season planning with a fun, quick quiz.
As October looms, you are thinking about:
(A) What style outfits you want to coordinate for the kids’ Christmas card photo shoot.
(B) Checking out local consignment stores for a Halloween costume. First things first!
(C) Clearing off the bulletin board to make more room for school notices that have piled up in recent weeks.
Your parents ask you what the kids want for Christmas this year and you reply:
(A) “I sent you an email yesterday with the list. Just click on the links!”
(B) “I’ve been asking the kids and will send you some ideas soon!”
(C) “Who are you and what did you do with my parents?”
The first holiday catalogs begin trickling in through the mail. You immediately:
(A) File them for future reference in an organized fashion (home, children, clothing, etc.).
(B) Thumb through quickly to tear out the coupons.
(C) Add them to the nice dusty stack growing taller by the back door.
Your favorite part about holiday season planning is:
(A) Planning the menu and decor for your annual holiday party.
(B) Shopping Black Friday (especially the mid-night store openings!)
(c) Eggnog. Online shopping. Cozy new slippers. Some more online shopping. Nat King Cole. Bailey’s.
If you answered with mostly (A) answers, proceed immediately to www.looklovesend.com to create Christmas cards online with your photos. If you answered mostly (B), check out the fresh, stylish photo Christmas cards, so you’re familiar with the variety in styles. If you answered mostly (C), look for a back-up, non-photo Christmas card. LookLoveSend has a huge variety of non-photo holiday cards for those who just can’t get it together in time. But, no matter when you place your order, it ships within 48 hours of your approval!
|
27 Sep |
|
|
4:21 am Posted by Kristy |
The highest honor Dad could bestow on Mom when she tried out a new dish for dinner was to declare it “good enough for company”. Well we’ve got a few recipes that meet the “good enough for company” test too, but here are four recipes that also distinguish themselves with two other important characteristics to make them perfect party dishes:
- They’re “good enough for the kids” AND
- They use fewer than 6 ingredients
We deliberately chose these recipes for their crowd appeal as party dishes. This fall, send out your party invitations knowing you’ve got a dish or two ready to go.
Baked Honey Mustard Chicken
|
Salt and pepper chicken, place in a baking dish. Mix honey & mustard, pour half over chicken. Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes. Baste with remaining sauce, bake til cooked through. |
Quickie Turkey Chili
|
Brown turkey and onion. Add chili seasoning.2 Add beans and tomatoes, cook another 5 minutes. Add beer, bring to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes. Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream and crushed Fritos |
Sweet & Sour Meatballs
|
Empty bag of meatballs into crock pot. Whisk together jelly and taco sauce. Pour mixture over meatballs. Cook on Low 3-4 hours. |
Cheesy Ham & Potatoes
|
Mix all ingredients in 9×13″ baking dish. Bake at 400 for 1 hour Optional: Sprinkle 1/2 c crushed Ritz crackers on top and drizzle with 2 T melted butter |
Now with your party dishes planned, you can get those party invitations in the mail! You’ll find a wide variety of styles and colors for party invitations online at www.looklovesend.com. Designs are completely original and print on premium quality papers. You can personalize your invitations online with your information and even include a favorite photo with just a few clicks of the mouse. Your approved order ships the next business day.
|
26 Sep |
|
|
10:38 am Posted by Kristy |
Foodie couples are onto something when it comes to wedding cakes. They are choosing flavors that they personally love and creating a whole new experience for their guests. Going way beyond making a visual statement with a towering, round wedding cake, they are actually deconstructing that cake into all different shapes, sizes and colors. While the traditional, tiered white wedding cake is beautiful in its own right, it’s not every couple’s dream dessert.
Here are three major trends bakeries and caterers are serving up:
Cupcakes
Cupcakes have been lauded for their perfection as the ultimate personalized dessert. Portion-perfect, perfectly round, practically perfect in every way (as Mary Poppins would agree!). Caterers and wedding bakers with an eye toward the unconventional are using cupcake tree stands and custom cupcakes. Couples may continue the cake-cutting tradition with a much smaller, sweetheart cake. Then they surround the cake with designer cupcakes inspired by other wedding style elements, such as wedding invitations, venue, theme, colors, and more.
Deconstructed Wedding Cake
This is really what it sounds like–taking apart the tiers of a wedding cake! The fun is to create different cake tiers that might not work in a single cake, mixing up flavors, colors, and frosting in a visually coordinated but unexpected way. Bakers experienced in doing this, such as Magnolia Bakery in New York, typically arrange the cakes in a collage style on the wedding cake table, displaying the cakes in an asymmetrical fashion on stands of different heights.
Custom Dessert Bars
While some couples are scrapping the wedding cake altogether, some are just adding on custom dessert delicacies. Cake pops, macaroons, and infused strawberries come to mind. Others want a more personally appealing dessert, such as ice cream sundaes, a favorite fruit pie, cheesecake or gourmet pastries. These couples are looking for something else that better reflects their unique tastes, a special wedding theme, or the seasonal or regional specialty of their wedding date and location.
Wedding Invitations to Inspire Your Cake
In keeping with your unique tastes in dessert, find your own perfect wedding invitation design at www.looklovesend.com. You can personalize elements for your entire wedding invitation suite quickly and easily, including save the date cards and wedding thank you notes. Enter the monthly Wedding Invitation Sweepstakes today to win $500 towards your choice of wedding invitations and other stationery components you want.
|
24 Sep |
|
|
8:38 pm Posted by Nicola |
If you can’t make the baby shower in person, putting together a baby shower in a box is a great alternative to share your best wishes with the mom-to-be. Plan for your baby package to arrive days before the shower as a surprise. Insert a photo of yourself as an alternative to being there in person and as a fun personal touch. Collaborate with family, friends or colleagues if others can’t make the shower either. And incorporating a theme makes for an even more special presentation, some options:
Baby’s First Bath: include a hooded towel, washcloths, baby soap, lotion, and a rubber duck for simple bathtime fun.
Color theme: pick a favorite or seasonal color and incorporate it in all aspects of the gift and packaging. You can build this package around a favorite baby outfit, and then include a color-coordinating soft toy, socks, and a set of baby thank you cards. Shop LookLoveSend for cute baby thank you card designs that can be customized in many different colors for easy inclusion on your color-themed package.
'Little Sweetie' by Lauren DiColli Hooke (available in 5 colors)
Baby’s First Outing: add a canvas tote bag, baby sweater, blanket, diapers, travel-size baby wipes, and a small toy to clip onto baby’s stroller.
Baby Keepsakes: choose a baby scrapbook, picture frame, blank journal, and a handprint kit to capture those baby memories.
The baby shower in a box can be fun to put together and is guaranteed to be an absolute joy to receive. To include a set of designer baby thank you cards, checkout the fantastic collection at LookLoveSend.com printed on high quality paper and with guaranteed customer satisfaction.
|
23 Sep |
|
|
9:40 am Posted by Nicola |
If you receive a twins baby shower invitation, do you immediately rush to buy something from the registry – times two? I’m sure there are many things that parents of multiples can never have enough of – socks, onesies, bottles. It should be no surprise that there are many resource and community sites geared towards parents of multiples. The team at LookLoveSend has browsed these sites to find twin gift ideas that may not appear on those baby superstore registries, see below for some of our favorites.
Baby timer and tracker: The Itzbeen Pocket Nanny is an iParenting Media Award winning handheld device that helps new parents keep track of their baby’s eating, sleeping and changing schedule and provides reminders for medication doses, feedings, etc. One touch timers and alarms, built-in nightlight and easy carrying clip make this an easy gadget to use for sleep-deprived parents, babysitters and grandparents alike. The Itzbeen Pocket Nanny is available as singles, but it’s the twin pack that we think is really a must-have for any tired mom woken by a crying twin at night.
'Splish-Splash baby shower invite' by Eliza DeVogel
Personalized picture frame: For that must-have newborn picture of the twins sleeping side by side in matching or coordinating outfits. www.justmultiples.com has some great options for personalized twin frames, nursery décor and also twin-themed gift baskets.
Twin diaper bag: There are so many diaper bag choices available today – from backpacks to designer bags to diaper bags designed especially for dads. But twin diaper bags are definitely worth consideration for their multiple-friendly features – being able to attach to double strollers, dividers for each baby’s section, and of course lots and lots of storage space and pockets.
And if you are the one hosting a twins baby shower, shop LookLoveSend.com to create your own baby shower invitations for the occasion. Our selection of high quality designs range from traditional to whimsical to modern – something sure to delight any new mom – times two!
|
20 Sep |
|
|
9:34 pm Posted by Kristy |
September is a wedding season high point for good reason. Much like pausing to feel the warmth of the early-autumn sun hitting your back, the transition this time of year is one to savor. It’s a safer bet for outdoor weddings too, as summer’s extreme heat goes on the wane and fall’s brisker air is held at bay. Brides today can get very creative with different ways to use this transition in seasons in their color palette, decor and even food choices.
Speaking of food, when it comes to wedding favors, use your local harvest to cue ideas for treats your guests will savor. We love the simple ideas from theknot.com for fall-themed wedding favors, and pulled out a few of them you can easily do yourself for low cost.
Caramel Apples
You can make your own by enlisting some of your bridesmaids to join you for an afternoon of apple picking. Use the candied apple kit from your local supermarket (or buy a better-priced bulk kit from Costco or other mega-discount store). Wrap them individually in cellophane and attach a pre-printed wedding place card with your monogram, wedding date, or a handwritten sentiment.
Apple Butter Minis
This is relatively easy to make (especially if you skip the apple picking party), but you can save time and increase yield by following an easy crockpot apple butter recipe. Try covering recycled baby food jars with a fabric that coordinates with your wedding colors for a smaller-sized portion. Apply a label sticker telling guests what it is (don’t leave them guessing–it’s a funny color) and tie on a wedding place card with your names and wedding date, and maybe even divulge the recipe!
Candied Pecans
Guests will love the variety in flavor of these (sweet or spicy) and the ease with which you can make so many! Again, the “favor” part comes when you individually wrap a handful for each guest. The stickiness of these requires something other than netting or cellophane, so try small candy tins (think Altoids!) or bags.
Remember that it’s all about the presentation! For the same one-of-a-kind look for your wedding place cards to use with your favors, browse the beautiful designs at www.LookLoveSend.com. All wedding place cards are designed as part of a complete wedding invitation suite, allowing you to coordinate your wedding day style with a single design. Enter the monthly Wedding Invitation Sweepstakes today for the change to win $500 towards your choice of wedding invitations and other wedding stationery.
|
18 Sep |
|
|
8:30 pm Posted by Kristy |
As a bride-to-be in a pre-iPod era, I found choosing and coordinating my wedding music overwhelming. To make matters worse, my musically versatile fiance wanted a scat band that no one, and I mean NO ONE, would be able to dance to.
I would have been well served by a wedding music primer of the “for Dummies” variety, so here is a quick rundown of the main musical moments to help you. Nail these down for your wedding day music, and you can send out your wedding reception cards with excitement!
Ceremony Music
You won’t need to include all your musical selections in your wedding ceremony programs, but you’ll want to note the main pieces for each element:
- Prelude music – Play thoughtful, peaceful music for the thirty minutes preceding your ceremony, as background music to calm guests arriving and getting seated.
- The Processional – Choose three to six tunes that switch up as parents and wedding party arrive. This music should most dramatically change in tempo to signify the bride’s walk down the aisle. Traditional choices include Pachelbel’s “Canon in D,” Purcell’s “Trumpet Tune,” and of course, Lohengrin’s “Bridal Chorus,” better known as “Here Comes the Bride.”
- Interlude music – this is optional music for moments between the main ceremony events, such as lighting of a unity candle, or to follow readings or prayers.
- The Recessional – this is typically an upbeat tune and can be a much more personal choice that departs from tradition.
- Postlude music – this music keeps playing as guests leave and should be joyous but still in the background.
Reception Music
The central music decision you’ll need to make is whether to hire a band or a deejay, a matter of personal preference these days. Deejays can cover during band breaks, as well as play original renditions of your favorites. Nothing beats the wonderful sound of a live band, however, but know the right size and sound needs for your venue.
The other musical homework you’ll need to do is your Do-Not-Play-List. This list should include songs that irritate you, songs that aren’t appropriate, or songs that just don’t jibe with your tastes or style of event. Most bands and deejays will ask you for this.
Major reception highlights to consider musical selections for include:
- Your reception entrance as man and wife (tell your band or deejay how you want to be introduced, as Mr. and Mrs. or by first names)
- Wedding party entrance
- First dance
- Father-daughter dance
- Mother-son dance
- Wedding party dance
- Cutting of the cake
- Bouquet and garter toss
- Final dance
You can now confidently finish up the details for your wedding ceremony programs and get your wedding invitations and reception cards into the mail. You’ll find beautiful, original designs for all your custom wedding invitation components at www.looklovesend.com.
|
17 Sep |
|
|
10:05 pm Posted by Kristy |
Choosing a name for baby can be tricky business for some. Couples have lots of different approaches to doing this, but it’s still easy to get stuck. You may find yourselves getting a little nervous as the due date approaches and you can’t get past your disagreements. Or, you maybe haven’t nailed down the spelling by the time you want to order baby announcement cards, or worse, nothing at all is even sticking. What strategies have you used successfully to give your little one a first and middle name?
STRATEGY #1: Look to Family
Using a family name can simplify things. But if there’s any element of envy or competition among the in-laws, think about striking a balance with a family name from the other side, either as a middle name, or for baby no. 2. Using a family surname, popular in the South, recognizes an entire group rather than just one family member.
STRATEGY #2: Hit the Books
Make it a date night! Crack open a few name books at a cafe, or bring your name lists that you made independent of each other. Have some fun sharing with one another the ridiculous connotations you have with the names. Work a little at it, accepting each other’s hang-ups, and move on. You can probably whittle your lists down to just a few–maybe even just one!
STRATEGY #3: Check What’s Trending
The top ten most popular baby names over the past decade have remained fairly consistent. While old-fashioned names have moved up the list a bit, and creative spelling has spiced things up, similar names still top out the list. So think about how you’ll feel if your kid is one of four or five kids the same age with the same name. If that could be an issue for you, work your way down the list.
STRATEGY #4: Follow Famous Figures
If you’re a confessed celebrity stalker, you probably have some favorites baby name ideas from pop culture. But other famous people besides pop icons can be inspiration. Readers who love writers (Emerson, Whitman!), musicians with favorite composers and singers (Lennon, Dylan, Amadeus!), fans and athletes with sports heroes (Beckham, Babe!). Even past world leaders or historical figures provide fertile ground for name ideas, especially for middle names.
However you approach naming baby, make sure you try it out on a beautiful baby announcement card like those at www.looklovesend.com. Seeing the name in print, even just on screen on a digital proof of you order, will bring you a burst of pride. Share the news with everyone by ordering original, quality baby announcement cards that you can easily personalize with a monogram or photo. Announcements are printed on premium weight papers and orders ship the next business day.
