Everyday Celebrating

Smilebooks at BlogHer!

 

You may have seen the button on the sidebar there.  This one:

That's one of the largest blogging conferences in the United States and it's sold out.  As always.
I'll be there representing several sponsors and one of them is the fine folks at Smilebooks.com

SmileBooks helps you turn your favorite digital photos into treasured photo books. Within minutes you can download SmileBooks free software and begin creating permanent photo book memories.  When you're done, fill out the order form and within days you'll receive your incomparable quality photo book.  Create memories that last a lifetime, in no time at all with SmileBooks photo books.

They have several sizes to create and also great templates if you're not that creative.  However, if you do want complete control over the design of your pages, you have that capability. 

I found the software to be easy and self explanatory.  The preview was clear and I loved how it would immediately tell if your photos were not going to print at a high quality level.

To show you an example, here is one of the booklets that Smilebooks prints.  What you are seeing here are the custom designed idea books I'll be passing out at the BlogHer conference.  Please leave me a comment if you're going to be at the conference.  I'd love to meet you and load you down with some swag!  :)

If you click on the photo, you can see more detail.  The pages are a beautiful gloss and really are coffee table quality.  They make beautiful hardcover books that are perfect gifts or a great way to celebrate a special occasion such as an anniversary, birthday, graduation or wedding.

Stay tuned!  Smilebooks and Everyday Celebrating is going to be having a fun competition through this blog with lots of fun prizes!

But for now.. Smilebooks wanted to celebrate blogs and the people that read them by giving a 25% discount to readers.  Simply type in the code Blogher25 at checkout to receive your discount! 

So get busy creating a book of memories! You don't need an occasion.. how about making a Summer Fun book or a book with your vacation photos?

Don't forget!  If you're going to the BlogHer conference... leave me a comment!

Enjoy!

Wishpot - online gift registry and fan of blogging!

Have you ever had someone ask you what you want for your birthday/valentine's day/anniversary, etc?
Ever wish you had a list you could just email those people?  And the list would contain everything they need to know to buy you a gift? 

Wishpot is your place! 

It's an online gift list or registry.  It lets you create an online wishlist where you can include items from many different online stores.  Add the Wishpot button to your browser and whenever you see something online you'd like, click the Wishpot button and it will add it to your list.  You can add details, like what size you wear, what color you want, etc.  I have lists for myself, my husband and my son.  No more relatives asking what my son wants for his birthday.  Online gift lists are genius!  Especially for hard to buy for people like myself.

Wishpot appreciates bloggers and their affinity for online shopping! 
Everyday Celebrating and Wishpot will be giving away a Microsoft Zune mp3 player.... soon!!!!
Going to BlogHer?  Come meet me to find out how to enter!

VistaPrint - Sitewide discount for EC readers!

Vistaprint has come on board as the official print sponsor of Everyday Celebrating!  VistaPrint is well known in all worlds as printing amazing quality product quickly and with amazing pricing.  I've never received any order from VistaPrint that didn't thrill me.  Any marketing pieces I'll have with me at BlgoHer 2009 will be a product of VistaPrint.

Also, ALL of my readers get a 25% discount at VistaPrint. Sitewide!

Yep, even if you don't go to BlogHer! 

Just go to this website  http://www.vistaprint.com/everydaycelebrating to place your order!

Many thanks to the folks at VistaPrint!

Wedding Bouquet Preservation

I've had people ask me about bouquet preservation and I know sometimes you hear about companies that do this work, but wonder if it's worth the cost.

So I thought I'd show you mine.  There it is!  My beautiful wedding bouquet!
It was preserved by Heller and Reid after my December 2003 wedding.  It looks exactly the same today as it did when I carried it down the aisle.

I thought I'd answer some of the questions I get about it.

Was it cheap?  Nope.  It ran around $800 including shipping.

What was involved?  Well, you'd probably have to ask my parents that question as they shipped it off after the wedding.  I can tell you that they (Heller and Reid) send you a box and very specific instructions on how to pack the bouquet to be sent to them for preservation.  And they have a very specific timeframe on when it's sent in after the wedding.  You have to send it immediately as obviously you're dealing with fragile flowers that have already been out of water and bumped around, etc.

How long did it take to receive the finished product?   That, I don't remember.  I think maybe two months.  I can't quite remember. 

What is the process of preservation?  From how they explained it to me, they first take a photo of the bouquet at several angles.  Then they dissemble it.  They take each flower, sprinkle it with a preservative and freeze dry it.  After that, they put it back together according to the photo and finally it goes to framing.

What it worth it?  Oh yes!  It's in the dining area of my home and I see it every day.  Also, there isn't a person that comes into my house that's seen it that hasn't made a comment about how beautiful and unique it is.  These pictures don't do it justice.. by far!  Especially of this bouquet, because it contains crystals that gleam in the light.  Also, it's increased in value in my mind since we've had our son.  It's turned into an heirloom piece that will be passed on to my son and his family.

If this is something you're interested in for your wedding or special occasion, don't hesitate!  It's a beautiful, unique memory.   This would also make a great gift!  Think of all the bridesmaids pitching in to give the bride a bouquet preservation! 

Stirrings and celebrations go hand in hand!

Stirrings is partnering with Everyday Celebrating as an official BlogHer sponsor!

Stirrings creates amazing cocktails.  They specialize in cocktail mixers and sodas with real juices that simply create a splendidly better cocktail.  And plus, they come in the cutest bottle.hehe

Going to BlogHer?  More importantly, going to BlogHer PARTIES?  Come find me! I'll be giving out 4 oz. samples of their famous Cosmopolitan mixer! We'll live it up with the Chicago version of Sex and the City!

In the meantime, go visit the Stirrings website for lots of entertaining ideas and recipes!
Ready to place an order for your upcoming gathering... Everyday Celebrating readers get a 15% discount on the site.  Just type in EVERYDAY in the code box at checkout!

What every teacher really wants!

Teachers.  One of the hardest jobs in the world.  And the most important. 
Now usually I'm not a huge fan of the cash or gift card gift, but I really think that they are totally appropriate in some situations.  Like situations where you get WAY more in return than you're paying on a daily basis - teachers or daycare workers, etc. 

Here's a fun way to present CASH that every crafty teacher will appreciate from the

A pad of cash!

This is a stack of dollar bills bound together like a notepad.

Basically, get parents to donate cash. 
Find a bank that has beautiful NEW dollar bills.
Have the children write up the ways they'll miss their teacher and print them on vellum in the same size as the cash. 
Place one reason in between each dollar bill.

Take the stack to Kinkos to glue together like a pad of paper.  A super cheap service! 

Wrap it up with a bow and you're done!

This would also be a fabulous gift for a new graduate, wedding, Christmas, etc.  Great for anyone that's hard to buy for or just likes to receive cash to do their own shopping.

credit:  nikbok

Chair love!

Another one of those things that I see AFTER my own wedding that I would've loved to have had there.
I love these chair sashes!

$40 for 2 at prettypleasemayi

Also would be nice for milestone anniversaries or have one made with "birthday boy" on the back, etc.

School's Out - the official beginning of summer!

Remember the banner I posted a while back as a way to welcome your child to summer?  One of my readers, Mandy, took that Family Fun idea a few steps further and really thrilled her children.  Great, easy ideas and I'm excited that she shared with me.

Mandy started off with the fun banner:

Under the banner were goody buckets for each child.  Including flashlights, animal crackers, silly string, book on CD, a passport, etc. 

Taped to the side were pieces of paper saying fun things they were going to experience that summer.

Also "Summer" sent each child a fun package!
The boy received a transformer and the girl received a cute beach towel.

And how about these passports? 
From Mandy:
"The passports were my favorite ... again, derived from an idea I read about in Family Fun magazine this spring. I broke out my scrapbooking sticker letters for the front, then doctored some recent pictures (not the ones with the best smiles by the way ... because who's passport picture is their favorite?!?) for the information page. I'll have to take a picture once they "authorize it" with their signature. The idea is that they'll take these passports with them as we run errands and do other stuff this summer. I'm guessing the grocery store clerks, post office workers, etc. won't mind stamping "something" on the pages (even if it's a date stamp or a sticker, maybe even a smiley face they draw). Should make doing errands a bit more fun."

So cute, right? 
Thanks to Mandy for sharing these great ideas with us! 

I'm always interested in fun, creative celebration ideas!  Contact me to share!

No kiln needed - Paint it yourself plates - at home.

My friend, Jessica, made this super cute plate for her mother featuring her daughter's hand and footprint. Pottery painting store, you ask?  Nope.  There's a way you can do this, at home!

This is done with everyday sharpie pens.  Yep.  Easy stuff.

Take a porcelain piece (plate, mug, etc.)  (Make sure it's an oven proof item and that it's not plastic.)

Draw your design directly on the item with sharpies.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Sharpies are non-toxic and perfect for children to create their own gift.

Also, how about hosting a painting party of your own!  At your house!  You can get these plates usually at the dollar store.  Buy enough for your friends and several sets of colorful sharpies, open a bottle of wine, whip up some appetizers and have a fun evening with friends!  Father's Day is coming up!  Get your mommy friends together to create Daddy a mug!

List lovers behold!!!

I've had several of you email me or make comments here about how we're kindred spirits in the world of lists.

Well.
BEHOLD, List Lovers!  Have I got something fabulous for you!
{This is where you click on the photo above to see it larger and let out a gasp!}

This is a totally customizable, super cute list of things for you to do each week.
You send the seller up to 28 things, she creates the list and sends it back to you in pdf.  You print them out forever more.  As many times as you like. 

Get it here. While it's on sale.

You're welcome. :)