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10 May |
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1:17 pm Posted by Kristy |
'Party Hat' by Sarah Trainor for LookLoveSend.com
Whether you’re the party host or guest, there are just a few things you shouldn’t let slide when birthday party invitations are at hand. Here are some of the most common party transgressions, violations of good etiquette and plain, old fashioned common sense:
RSVP vs. Regrets Only
Maybe people don’t care for the high society French-based répondez s’il vous plaît (please respond), or maybe it’s just too much to ask people to pick up the phone. Frustrating to any host, try offering several ways for people to respond, like email, or use the simpler Regrets Only on your birthday party invitations.
Sunday morning parties
Having lived for a time in the deep South, I don’t know anyone who schedules a party during church–no one would show up! In other parts of the country, while Sunday mornings aren’t off limits, they’re still not popular. Many a last-minute-party-planning parent finds Sunday morning the only time slot available at kid-friendly fun-time outlets like bounce houses, roller rinks, bowling lanes and other such places.
Mother’s Day parties
Yes, believe it. Someone you may know is juggling her kids around to get to a party on Mother’s Day. While that party host may not be able to much about the fact that their kid’s birthday falls on Mother’s Day this year, friends don’t need to leave their moms to celebrate it that day. Take our advice, just wait a weekend!
Thank you notes
Once you create birthday invitations, get your thank you notes in hand. That could mean being ready with your camera for a group photo you can turn into thank you notes, or ordering coordinating thank you notes in the same design as the birthday party invitations. Whichever your preference, you’ll find fresh designs for both at www.looklovesend.com. All invitations and note cards print on heavy-weight premium paper, and approved orders ship out within 48 hours.
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29 Mar |
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10:38 am Posted by Kristy |
Doesn’t parenting in the brave new world of social media sometimes feel like a game of Candyland? Instead of that mean Lord Licorice or Gloppy the Molasses Monster we’ve got to deal with new apps like ChatRoulette or SnapChat? Just when you get ahead, a new one pops up and sends you back a few spaces.
There’s no warning either–no pretty, printed, personalized party invitations to announce and explain the next new socially mediated experience.
Here’s a sampling of the typical markers we’re finding along the path being forged through Social Media Land:
- Have you arranged a play date yet entirely by text…and never even heard the other parent’s voice?
- Have you or your teen been forced to join Facebook in order to follow the team sports schedule? She can’t miss the travel bus pick-up change.
- Did your child miss the party because you didn’t receive the Group Text invitation? Shame on you for denying her that Android!
Bring Back Printed Personalized Party Invitations
'Classic Anniversary' by Amanda Zoss for LookLoveSend.com
Being in the personalized online stationery business makes us a bit biased. But we can all relate to a story of feeling both overwhelmed and isolated because of our new technology. This is reason enough to give a fresh look at printed paper for your next planned event. Sometimes it’s best to go with an email invite, but with today’s fast turnaround and high quality personalized party invitations, ordering them online leaves fewer excuses not to make a better impression.
Find out why paper is preferable…
Left out.
Ever missed the group text invite? Some of us with the wrong phone have. And not all our kids have them either!
Misconstrued.
Most digital communication can be copied and pasted, forwarded, reply to all. It’s easy to err socially with a misplaced comment or forward to someone not invited.
Not enough information.
Literally left to our own devices, the key information of the traditional party invite doesn’t always make it in a quick, one-off text. Details matter.
To get your next party on, go to www.looklovesend.com and find beautifully printed, personalized party invitations that you can order in an instant. Whether you’re hosting an anniversary party, birthday party, graduation party, or any other kind of party you can imagine, your order will ship quickly (turnaround of orders is within 48 hours). Order one extra for a keepsake!
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15 Feb |
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1:25 pm Posted by Kristy |
It can sneak up fast, but a milestone birthday party for a parent or other loved one presents an opportunity to do more than just send out birthday party invitations. Planning a milestone birthday is the perfect time to ask thoughtfully-worded questions about your parent’s health and financial well-being.
It’s not easy to talk about things that parents typically keep private from their children, like money and health matters. Discussing them underscores the growing possibility of illness and death that inevitably come with aging. The best case scenario is when parents offer information and instructions on their own accord, but this isn’t so common.
Have the ‘Birthday Party Invitations’ Talk
So here are 7 questions to consider asking your parent. The perfect time to do so might just be during a more lighthearted moment, such as discussing the guest list for the birthday party invitations! Here’s how to have a ‘birthday party invitations’ talk:
- WILL… Have you put your wishes in a legally-binding document, including the details about property?
- POWER OF ATTORNEY… Who do you want designated to make financial decisions on your behalf in case of an emergency?
- LIVING WILL… Have you thought about the details of your care and comfort in case of a terminal illness?
- HEALTH PROXY… Who would you want to make health-related decisions in case you were unable to?
- HIPPA RELEASE… Who should have access to your private medical information to help handle claims if needed?
- FIDUCIARY/TRUSTEE… Who do you want to have access to your financial accounts in case you are unable to? (Banks and other institutions may have proprietary requirements that could precede even a Power of Attorney.)
- LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE… Have you thought about the benefits of purchasing long-term care insurance to cover assisted living not covered by Medicare?
Follow-up by helping to get everything written down in legally binding documents. It’s a lot of leg-work and paperwork, so if you face resistance, do your part to facilitate the process. Make calls, get the proper documentation, follow through with all the parties involved.
Then, you can get back to party planning duties, including ordering fabulous birthday party invitations. For a wide variety of designs that you can personalize with your own text and photos, check the collection at www.looklovesend.com. All party invitations print on premium quality papers and turnaround is fast, shipping generally within 48 hours of receiving your order.
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10 Feb |
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10:00 am Posted by Nicola |
Greetings from a very snowy Northeast. Even as the days stay lighter for longer, we’ll be seeing white outside for many weeks to come. But if you’re hosting a party in your home in the upcoming weeks, consider choosing a spring theme to bring bright color into your home and grant guests a welcome taste of green. Whether you are sending out online birthday party invitations, baby or bridal shower invitations – a spring themed celebration can be surprisingly simple and inexpensive to achieve. Read on for some of our favorite spring party tips.
Tissue pom-pom décor: Make these simple tissue paper pom-poms to create an easy spring flower vibe. Buy colored tissue paper in bulk and get the kids involved in folding for this simple craft. Hang the pom-poms at varying heights across the party room for instant springtime appeal.
Planting activity: A shared activity makes every party more fun. Buy clay pots and potting soil in bulk then allow guests to decorate their pots with colored ribbons and plant seeds for springtime flowers or herbs. These plantings will double as a great party favor too!
Seasonal party food: Include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your party menu, seasonal ingredients to consider are: strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, blueberries, asparagus, basil and lime.
Spring cocktail: Feature a fresh seasonal drink such as a strawberry mojito, mint-garnished lemonade, or berry smoothie. Stock the bar with plenty of fresh fruit garnishes and striped straws to add a flavor of summertime nostalgia.
Set the tone for your celebration by sending spring-inspired party invitations such as ‘Birthday Banner’ by designer Eliza DeVogel, or browse LookLoveSend.com for other fresh and colorful designs sure to beat the winter blues. And remember…spring is just 37 days away!
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13 Jan |
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10:57 pm Posted by Nicola |
We’ve shared our princess party ideas for those pink-wearing, princess costume-wearing little girls. Next up: the construction theme party for imaginative young builders from ages 3-6. From birthday party invitations, to party games and favors – read on for our favorite party picks.
'Crane Construction Birthday' by Sarah Trainor
Birthday Party Invitations: Your guests will expect cranes and trucks when they see the ‘Crane Construction Birthday’ invitation by designer Sarah Trainor in the mail. Then yellow border looks like yellow ‘caution’ tape so buy a roll to decorate your party area and continue the theme.
Games: All kids love to dig. Setup large shallow buckets, provide plenty of toy trucks and bury small road signs for them to find using only their trucks. How you fill the box depends on how adventurous you are – from the cleanest option of rice (buy several large bags in bulk) to the traditional sand, to truly authentic but potentially messy piles of dirt. Think up construction crafts and activities such as hammering golf tees into Styrofoam blocks and building towers with marshmallows and toothpicks (prizes for the quickest and tallest).
Party Extras: Write each child’s name on a plastic hard hat to wear upon arrival. Search online for orange construction vests or pickup pocketed aprons from your local Home Depot (available for $0.77 each!) Bring out a Bob the Builder piñata or spray-paint any round piñata black to resemble a wrecking ball.
Party favors: Buy inexpensive plastic toolboxes and fill them with a few plastic tools, a small tape measure, and a construction truck. Inflatable hammers are also a big hit!
If you are lucky enough to know someone with a bobcat or tractor, ask to borrow it in your yard to pose some great kid photos to insert into those birthday thank you cards. And to set the tone with a high-quality construction birthday party invitation; checkout LookLoveSend for easy customization and guaranteed customer satisfaction.
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21 Dec |
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12:15 pm Posted by Kristy |
As seen on www.obsuessed.com
Winter blew in today at 50 mph. It’s got me thinking about good DIY wintertime crafts to do with the kids. Fresh new ideas are not only handy for weekends at home, but if you’re sending out wintertime birthday party invitations, they can do double duty as birthday party craft and favors. Here are some ideas to keep things interesting this winter, along with matching birthday party theme ideas:
LEGO PARTY
Craft & Favor: Lego baby food jar
Set up a giant table covered with Lego bricks and play a Lego version of Pictionary. Or have kids draw suggestions for a hat or let them loose with their own ideas. There are so many ways to do this party. Yellow paint and black sharpie is all that’s required for the cute favor. Paint them ahead of time for drying, and let the kids create their own Lego face. It’s breakable, so stick with kids ages 7 and up. Toss in a Lego mini-figure inside each one if you’ve got the budget for it.
ART PARTY
Craft & Favor: Multi-color crayon cakes
Make use of all your kids’ broken crayons. Ask kids to gather up bits and pieces of broken crayons in colors they like. Have them place their collection into a non-stick muffin tin. Melt them on a low temperature (200 degrees) for 10-15 minutes until they liquefy, cool, then move to a freezer for another 10-15 minutes. Voila–homemade rainbow crayon cakes, perfect especially for kindergarteners or even toddlers to hold and use. Toss in a little notebook personalized with each child’s name and place inside gift bags, and you’ve given them the perfect party favor to take home and actually use!
ICE CREAM PARTY
Craft & Favor: Fudge sauce
Making this fudge sauce is really the hardest part because it requires about 30 minutes of constant stirring. Best to make it ahead, and have the decorate their take-home fudge jars, with paint, stickers or glitter. Something the size of a small jam jar or large baby food jar is ideal. Depending on the number of kids, you can double or triple the following recipe, which makes enough for 4 small size jars:
- 1 stick of butter, melted on the stove
- 1 c semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
To find the perfect birthday party invitations to go with your winter birthday party, browse the collection of kids party invites at www.looklovesend.com. You can easily and quickly personalize your favorite design, and orders ship the next business day.
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27 Nov |
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11:32 pm Posted by Kristy |
If you’re birthday party planning for your December kid, you can try to navigate the fuzzy border that entangles balloons and balsam, or give in and go with holiday birthday party invitations. Here are a few ideas we’ve gathered from blogs and Pins from parents who’ve met the challenge. We’ve taken the liberty to organize them by age:
Cookies & Milk Party (1-3 year olds)
What age doesn’t love cookies and milk? Think gingerbread men, frosted sugar cookies, cookies with red-hot noses and antlers. This sweet and simple party is perfect for the baby turning one during December. It also works as a cookie decorating party for 2 and 3 year olds, with some assistance. The best part is handing out packages of cookies as easy party favors, perfect for the holiday season.
Grinch Party (school ages 6-10)
“Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas means a little bit more.”
While The Grinch himself may be a bit scary for younger kids, the sentiment he expresses is a powerful one for a Christmas-time birthday kid. Center this party around a showing of the classic TV special, have kids make Grinch antlers for their pets or themselves, serve some green Grinch punch and cupcakes. Find more game and activity ideas on www.Suessville.com.
Ornament Party (tweens & teens)
Engage older kids in the thought and meaning of giving at Christmas time. Guests choose an ornament to bring and trade with another guest, chosen either ahead of time or by drawing names during the party. Another way is for guests to place their ornaments in pre-numbered paper bags as they arrive. The host has guests draw a number and they choose that bag (as long as it wasn’t their own ornament).
You can find both birthday party invitation and holiday party invitations to personalize with your party details at www.looklovesend.com. Many designs allow you to upload a photo or other image, and customize with other details including flat or folded cards, backside printing, envelope liners and pre-addressed return addresses. Orders turn around quickly, and your complete satisfaction is guaranteed.
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22 Oct |
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9:51 am Posted by Kristy |
With all the frenzy and chaos that kids’ birthday parties bring to hosting parents, it’s helpful to go into it with an idea about how to handle gifts. Unless you’ve specified ‘no gifts please’ on your child’s birthday party invitations, the gifts will arrive in all shapes and sizes, and you’ll need to be ready to handle two main decisions:
- When to open gifts
- Keeping track of them
When to Open Birthday Gifts
Wait Until After Party
For younger kids, it’s fairly standard practice to hold off on the gift-opening until the party is over and guests have left. It’s entirely up to you, but common wisdom points to a few good reasons why the under age five set aren’t the gift opening crowd:
- Getting small children to sit for any length of time, in order to watch someone else open gifts, particularly if there’s nothing in it for them, is a challenge.
- Most parents of kids in this age group have chosen the birthday child’s gift, so there’s even less interest for the guest children to pay attention.
Let Older Kids Enjoy Gift Opening
For kids in first grade and older, it’s entirely up to you whether to open gifts during the party, or whether to continue the practice of holding off until later. But there are some good reasons to prepare for it. Kids this age tend to take more ownership for the gifts they bring, and some push hard to have their gift opened. Gift opening during the party serves two key purposes that are also important at this age:
- Each party guest gets the chance to connect one-on-one with the birthday child during the moments that his or her gift is being opened. Coach your child ahead of time to thank every guest by name when they open a gift, as well as to know not to mention whether or not they already have a gift.
- Fill up some extra time at the end of the party to keep the group relatively under control while waiting for parents to arrive for pick-up.
Whenever your child gets to open his or her gifts, be ready with pen and paper (or iPhone) to take note of who brings what. You will want to oversee getting thank you notes out within two weeks of the birthday party. For fresh, fun birthday party invitations and thank you cards, check out the party invitations online at www.looklovesend.com.
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15 Oct |
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10:32 pm Posted by Kristy |
If you can relate to any of the following, you are likely a sleep-deprived, multi-tasking mom with an infant who is less than twelve months old:
- Cheerios taste good again!
- Coloring in a coloring book is so cathartic, especially when accompanied by a glass of wine.
- Sleeping in past 5 a.m. is so refreshing.
- Walking a 5K is … strenuous.
- Coffee in your mug never gets completely finished.
While these are all conundrums that you might like to change, from baby’s point of view, each one hints at a good gift idea for baby’s first birthday. Whether you’re the parent looking for first year birthday gift ideas, or whether you’ve received a first birthday party invitation for someone else’s baby, here how each of the above situations inspire a gift for baby:- Cheerios…Snack-n-go cups with spill-proof tops for carrying all those cheerios when you’re out and about…
- Coloring…Fat block crayons that baby can grasp easily…
- Sleeping in…Crib toy that attaches to baby’s crib rails to keep her occupied for longer so you can sleep a bit longer…
- Walking…Flexible, soled shoes that really help baby move…
- Coffee…Okay, Milk. In a grown-up style but indestructible, stainless steel mug by Foogo that keeps milk cold…
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2 Oct |
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9:30 pm Posted by Kristy |
Sweet Little Birthday by Jennifer Pritchard
When it comes time to draw up a guest list for who should receive birthday party invitations, few other party planning steps demand such a rigorous balance between kindness and caution. And if you’re a parent, the pressure that comes with closer-knit circles intensifies with the need to set the right social example for your child.
Do you let your child include as many kids as possible to avoid hurt feelings (e.g. go ahead and invite the whole class or team!) if your own personal sanity, to say nothing of your wallet, is at stake?
Make Big Decisions First
You can navigate birthday invitation politics with a simple roadmap that is based simply on what matters most to your child, how age plays a role, and other circumstantial issues. Once you’ve got your roadmap, stick to it.
All-inclusive vs. Exclusive
This approach means you discuss with your child what matters more to him or her, inviting a large group of friends (say the whole class) or choosing a special activity that may limit numbers (you don’t need to go into budget discussions).
Age
Younger children don’t care as much about an activity or theme as much as the basics–cake, games and goody bags! But older kids whose friendships are cementing, a larger guest list may become fraught with social dynamics. A smaller gathering might be better for older kids, even as few as a foursome, taking a special trip somewhere, or keeping things simple with an outing to the movies or an amusement park.
Circumstantial
- Twins - If your child has a friend who is a twin, know that most parents of twins won’t expect them to be invited to all the same parties like a package deal. Ask your child if he thinks his friend’s twin should also get a birthday party invitation.
- New to town – An all-inclusive party is a great way to help introduce your child to everyone in his or her circle. It’s easy to utilize the school class or a sports team to invite a group of kids, and could help jumpstart friendships for your child and even yourself.
- Best friend moves away – This one is tricky to navigate. While an all-inclusive party might seem like a good idea, it might highlight the missing friend. Maybe this is the year to plan a small gathering or an extra special trip…to visit their old friend!
