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!

Custom paper wedding chain

Don't you love how there's a trend in weddings to go back to the homemade and vintage?

These custom paper chains could be used as decoration for many celebrations surrounding a wedding (bridal luncheon, rehearsal dinner, reception, shower, etc.)

This paper chain is printed with 1Corinthians 13 verses 4-7 & 13
And there are two custom places to print the names of the bride and groom and the date upon which they are married.

here at ormolu

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Don't forget to enter the Carolina Pad giveaway!  A cute set of Kendall Collection paper products!
Enter now!  Here!

Everyday Events: Sip and See!

Sarah wrote in to share a recent Sip and See she threw for a good friend.  For those unfamiliar, a Sip and See is a gathering held after a baby is born.  It's a way to celebrate their birth and for family and friends to get their first glimpse at the new addition.  Also, it's a wonderful way to shower the Mom (or parents) with some love, get them out of the house a bit and of course, let them show off as proud parents.

Sarah took her theme inspiration from my friend Kim at TomKat Studios.  While Sarah made her own invitations using digital scrapbook kits, Kim was the originator of the design and actually sells the invitations as well as a whole party kit in her store.

Reminder: make sure you click on the pictures to see the detail.

Here are Sarah's invitations. 

When I saw Sarah's entry, I laughed. I can't tell you how many of those bubble wands I've purchased!
Inside the pots?  Those are bubble wands from the Dollar Store and my son loves them!  I love how they really add to a theme and come in bright colors.  Sarah inserted them into colorful pots found at the Dollar General.

Sarah found these great drink jars at Walmart for $5.96 each!  Added some great labels and colorful drinks!

Cupcakes!  The cupcake stand was found at Michaels (don't forget your 50% off coupon!)
And the cupcake toppers again were inspired by TomKat Studio. 

If you look closely, Sarah cut paper to fit each level of the cupcake stand.  Brought in a bit more color and whimsy to a plain, white stand.

For favors, Sarah created the traditional candy bar except ... guests were asked to fill up a sippy cup to take home!  Sippy cups were found at the Dollar Store at the fabulous price of 5 for $1! 

Candy was easy to find inexpensively at Walmart.

Thanks for sharing, Sarah!  And welcome to the world, Jasper!  With Sarah in your life, you're sure to be showered in fun times!

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Don't forget to enter the Carolina Pad giveaway!  A cute set of Kendall Collection paper products!
Enter now!  Here!

Creating fruit slice fillers.

Jennifer wrote in asking about this simple centerpiece I put together for a wedding shower.  Her wedding is in a month and she's finalizing details of her centerpieces and wondered how to put these together.

This centerpiece is created in a short, square vase found at places like Walmart.  You can do one of three things to achieve this:

1.  Place the flowers in FIRST, then slide the lemon slices in and arrange. Plan on using one or more lemons per vase.  You want to fill the space up with slices, eliminating wiggle room. 

2.  Find a smaller vase to sit INSIDE the larger vase.  Put the flower stems in the smaller vase and slide the lemons in between the smaller vase and the larger one to create a boundary.  Be careful in not filling the vase too full or the water will overflow.  Go with less water in the beginning.  You can always add more.

3.  A new technique to achieve this look is using jello as vase filler.  Use a clear jello (white grape).  Let it firm up quite a bit, then slide in the slices.  Jello is a great way to add an additional color to the vase as well.

Hope this helps!  Jennifer, we'd love to see photos of your beautiful wedding!

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Don't forget to enter the Carolina Pad giveaway!  A cute set of Kendall Collection paper products!
Enter now!  Here!

Easy drink labels

An easy way to label your drinks!  Martha Stewart provides lots of free downloads and templates for these types of details.  It's categorized as an escort card template, but.... print it out, cut them up and add them to cardstock to label items for your guests.

Labels seem obvious?  Think about things like sweet versus unsweet tea.  Do you have diabetic guests?
Or that lemonade up there?  Could easily be a limeade.  Who knows?

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Don't forget to enter the Carolina Pad giveaway!  A cute set of Kendall Collection paper products!
Enter now!  Here!

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!

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.