It's Tuesday...

I'm a little sad today.

Today is Tuesday.

Tuesday USED to be Party Tip Tuesday

with Jessica from A Darling Day.

I miss her.

Don't you?

To keep her memory alive,

I thought I would corral all her amazing party tips into

one

easy

location.

That way when we want to find a creative invitation idea,

or the tutorial on how to make tissue paper poms,

and the ribbon garland,

We can click on one simple button.

Do you see if over there in the side bar under "Mini Series"?

{If you're hanging out with me in Google Reader, you'll need to click on over to the blog to see it.}

I'm hoping to add a few more Mini Series!

Any ideas?

Want to do one yourself to promote your business or blog?

Have an area that you are an expert in and would like to teach us about?

Email me!

I'm totally interested.

A Darling Day Giveaway Winner!

Well, I hope I gave everyone enough time to enter the amazing giveaway by A Darling Day!

It was actually a little longer than 24 hours!

Without further ado...

The winner (chosen by random.org) is...

#17

Tiffany!

She commented:

"I love all the school notes greeting cards, they are so cute and funny! I think my favorite is the Old school Love one, you're a hot babe, ;) love that!  I'm also a blog follower of yours."

Congrats Tiffany!

You might remember her from her guest post on Better Life Bags!

Thanks, Jessica, for such an outstanding mini series on planning parties!

Keep her in mind for all your custom invitation needs

AND

adorable, creative greeting cards.

Hallmark has nothing on this girl :)



24 Hour Giveaway - A Darling Day

Today is Jessica's last day of posting on Tuesdays for Party Tip Tuesday.

I'm sure going to miss her amazing photographs and awesome party ideas!

I hope that you each walked away with more confidence on throwing your next party.

I know I did!

She is not leaving us empty handed, though!

Get ready for a 24 Hour Giveaway

from A Darling Day!

Keep reading for details:

_______________________________________________________________________________

Hello and Happy Tuesday friends! To wrap up my ‘Party tip’ series here at Better Life Bags, I am doing a giveaway!

The winner will receive their choice of either:

15 custom invitations in the style/theme of their choice,

or

an assortment of 12 greeting cards (available in A Darling Day’s Etsy Shop)

Entering to win is easy.

Simply head over to my Etsy shop, browse through my items and select your favorite.

Then come back to this post and leave a comment telling us which item is your favorite.

Bonus: if the winner is a follower of my blog, they will receive their favorite item, too! To follow my blog, just click on the RSS icon at the top of the page:

A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow (4/6/11), so make sure to leave a comment today.

And remember, you can follow me at my blog, on facebook and check out my etsy shop for more Darling ideas, products and inspirations! I hope to see you again soon!

Jessica

Party Tip Tuesday with A Darling Day: Let's Make Labels!

Hello friends! It’s Jessica from A Darling Day again, here with an easy tutorial for party labels. The more you can label at your party, the better. Here are some examples of important labels you might want to consider having at your next party:

*Label drinks, especially your ‘sweet tea’ and ‘unsweet tea’, or your ‘regular coffee’ and ‘decaf coffee’. Label half-n-half from milk and sugar from any sugar substitutes.

*Label food items, especially dishes with meat. Specify ‘fish’, ‘beef’, ‘chicken’ or ‘pork’.

*Label any food items that contain possible allergens, like nuts (My friend ate a chicken salad that contained pine nuts without knowing. It wasn’t pretty.).

*Label individual cups. It will save time on clean up if guests keep track of and reuse their cup during the party.

*Label each guest’s place at the table. Place cards are great to use at a sit-down dinner party. You can make sure to separate Aunt Gladys from her brother-in-law 

*Label different stations or areas at the party. Label the favor table, the gift table and the guestbook table.

So now that we know WHAT to label, here is any easy tutorial of HOW to label!

You will need:

*several pieces of your chosen ‘wood shape’ (I used hearts and rectangles)

*black board paint + chalk

*drill (optional)

*4″ styrofoam ball + knife to cut

*mini clay pots, mini picture frame and/or mini watering cans (I found these for .59 and 1.00, respectively)

*wire + wire cutter/needlenose pliers

*moss, rocks or sand to fill bottom of pots

First, make your labels. Paint your ‘wood shapes’ (I found each of these for .29 at Michael’s) with two coats of blackboard paint. Write with chalk on each wood piece to create your desired label. Chalk easily wipes off to correct or reuse. You might need a little water to remove residue completely.

Tip: Use scissors or a knife to sculpt the end of your piece of chalk into a point. It will be easier to make small letters.

Next we will start on the base for the label holders. Cut a styrofoam ball in half. Then in half again. Continue to halve the styrofoam pieces until they are the correct size for your pot or container. They do not need to be the perfect shape, just big enough to make a tight fit when pushed into the bottom of the pot. Wedge a piece of styrofoam tightly into the bottom of each container.

Cut a piece of wire about 8 inches long. Use needlenose pliers to hold the end of one side of the wire. Wrap the remaining wire around the nose of the pliers three times with your fingers. Before releasing the end of the wire, pull it out from the other layers, separating them slightly. You will then be able to insert your wood label between the wire swirls.

Stick the end of the wire label into the styrofoam container. Cover with moss, rocks, pebbles, sand or tissue paper to hide the styrofoam.

Variations:

1. If you do not want to work with wire, hot glue a toothpick to the back of the wood label. You can then insert the toothpick into the styrofoam container in the same way.

2. If you want to tie your label to the base of a glass or jar, drill a small hole in the corner of the wood piece. Then lace with twine, string or ribbon and tie to the desired container. You can also drill a hole in each corner of the wood piece to create a hanging label.

3. Purchase a small picture frame. You can find these at most craft stores (I found the one below in a Michael’s $1 bin). If it comes with a piece of glass or plastic in the window of the frame, remove it. A piece of thin wood can be cut to fit the frame and then inserted.

(That is my sister’s Easter egg tree, featuring small, hand-knit eggs. How cute would those be as a spring party favor??)

I was visiting my sister and her family in Charleston, SC when I wrote this tutorial. My sister designated herself my helper. THIS was her contribution…

So you see… you can use this basic idea in a number of different ways! Have fun making labels for your next party!

To wrap up my ‘Party Tip’ series here at Better Life Bags, I will be doing a giveaway of 15 custom, handmade party invitations next Tuesday. I will design a set of custom theme invitations for the winner, using the theme of their choice. Check out my website, my etsy shop or my facebook page for samples of invitations I have done in the past.

See you next Tuesday!

Hello lovelies! 

It’s Tuesday again and that means another “party tip” from me, Jessica, of A Darling Day. Today I will be sharing ways to make your party a guest-centered party. It may sound obvious, but when throwing a party, think about your guests! The party experience is created for the guests, so spend time thinking of extra special ways to get your guests involved.

1. Have a guestbook. 

They provide your guests with an opportunity to encourage, give advice or share excitement with you. The guestbook always plays an important role in any party I throw, but with a twist…

For my wedding, Neil and I provided guests with small pieces of cardstock, stamps, fun scissors and lots of colored pens and markers.  Prompts like “Always remember to…” and “Love is…” were printed at the top of each card. These notes from our guests are the most cherished keepsakes from our wedding day. You will be surprised how creative your guests will be when given an opportunity! And to make the process of signing our “guestbook” even more interactive, we asked guests to nail their note to an old wood door.

At a barn wedding, guests tied their notes to an old wagon wheel. 

At a baby shower, they hung them from a clothesline with small clothespins. 

Think about your theme and a fun idea will come to you! 

At Thanksgiving this past year, my sister cut cardstock into the shape of leaves. We all wrote something we were thankful for and tied the leaf note to branches in a big vase. And as a bonus, it doubled as a cool centerpiece!

2. Assign guests a task. 

This could be as simple as asking guests to come in costume. 

For a baby shower, you could send a plain white onesie with each invitation and ask guests to decorate it however they choose and bring it to the shower. 

You could send guests a series of clues and let them discover where the location of the party is. 

Assigning a task will get your guests thinking about and anticipating your party.

3. Have a photo booth. 

Yes, these are all the rage right now, and rightly so! It doesn’t matter if you are a boy or a girl, young or old… you love to act silly. And creating your own photo booth is very easy. All you need is a backdrop in a well-lit area (outside is ideal) and a box of props. A backdrop can be as simple as hanging a well-ironed sheet or bolt of fabric. 

Think again about your theme… it will help dictate the type of backdrop and props to provide your guests. 

Having a fall-themed party? 

Set up bails of hay and pumpkins and provide your guests with plaid shirts and bandanas.

 Having a travel-themed shower? 

Collage maps together for the background and provide guests with suitcases, aviator sunglasses, paper planes and vintage hats.

There are a few props you should always consider having, no matter what the theme of your photobooth. The first is a chalkboard or dry erase board (with chalk or markers). Guests can write messages on the board to pose with. You can also draw thought bubbles or speech bubbles on heavy mat board and write silly expressions in the bubbles. And you can never go wrong with hats and mustaches!

If you want your guests to be able to take photos of themselves, simply set up a camera on a tripod, turn it to the right settings and hook up a remote control shutter release. Otherwise, guests can take pictures of each other (just remember to provide a camera in case some guests do not bring theirs).

Neil and I built a “wall” for our wedding using a 4×8 piece of wainscoting. We added floral cotton fabric (to look like wallpaper) and molding. It was enjoyed by everyone, from my 3-year old nephew to my 85-year old Granny!

For an Alice in Wonderland party, we built a small box and decorated it like a room, with paint, wallpaper, molding, curtains and even some framed pictures. We provided a blue Alice dress for each girl to put on when she posed inside the booth. Remember in ‘Alice in Wonderland’ when she eats the cookie and grows and grows? This photobooth makes it seem as if our little Alices are getting bigger!

4. Always remember to give a favor to your guests. Always.

When throwing a birthday party for a child, do not fill a goodie bag with candy as a favor. I am sure the kids ate more than enough sugar AT the party. They do not need to be sent home with even more! Think of making their favor a game or toy or costume prop. Or make a craft at the party and send the kids home with their finished product.

A food favor is a better idea for adults and is best when homemade or locally made (it is more personal). Consider using an old family recipe to make jam, barbeque sauce or granola. Or put all of the dry ingredients to your favorite cookie recipe in a jar. Then tie the recipe to the jar to share with your friends.

The theme should be considered even when deciding on a favor. You could give locally made apple butter as a favor at a fall party. Or locally made honey as a favor at a ‘Birds and the Bees” baby shower. At a travel themed party you could give luggage tags. For a garden party, you could give small bags filled with seeds. I made each guest “a cup of cake” (cake and icing layered parfait-style in a mason jar) for a cupcake birthday party.

Try to make the party favor personal and cohesive with your party theme. Guests will appreciate the time and effort of a thoughtful favor!

5. Consider any special diet restrictions your guests may have. 

Sometimes, you don’t know if a guest has an allergy or special diet. But if you do, you should consider adapting different dishes or making special ones that they can enjoy. I know several friends who are lactose-intolerant, have a gluten allergy or are allergic to nuts or red food dye. I am a vegetarian, and although I always come prepared and never expect a host to change their menu for me, it makes me feel so special when they make a couple things meat-free for me. It takes a little more effort, but your guests will appreciate the consideration!

I hope this gives you some ideas of how to consider your guests when planning a party. Join me back here next week for a couple fun ideas for making labels for food and drinks. In the meantime, come visit me on my blog, my facebook page or my etsy shop!

Have a wonderful week!

Party Tip Tuesday {with a Darling Day} - DIY Party Decorations Part 2

Hello again lovelies! It is time for ‘part 2′ of A Darling Day‘s party decoration tutorials. The first of today’s tutorials is for Ribbon Garland. Here’s the How-To…

1. Cut several pieces of ribbon from several different spools. These pieces can be from 3 to 5 inches in length. Do not cut them all to exactly the same length. It is better to have slight variations in size.
2. Line up all the ribbon pieces in random order.
3. Pull the threads on your sewing machine so you have a couple feet of slack before you begin sewing.
4. Pick up your first piece of ribbon and top stitch across the width of the piece. Once you have stitched across the ribbon, keep pressing on the presser foot for several more stitches. This will provide distance between each piece. Then push through the next ribbon piece. Continue until you have sewed over each piece of ribbon.
5. Lay your ribbon garland flat on a table. You may need to manipulate the pieces across the thread to space them evenly apart.

Once finished, you can hang your ribbon garland vertically or horizontally against a wall.

I also wanted to share with you a super easy and clever DIY tutorial for fringy streamers over at Oh Happy Day.

Aren’t those just lovely?! (and a great example of “more is more” party decorating). In her tutorial, she uses crepe paper sheets. I hadn’t ever used crepe paper sheets before (and I wasn’t really sure where to find them…. I mean, I live in middle Georgia  ) So, I thought I would try it myself with a roll of crepe paper steamers you can find just about anywhere.

1. Cut a long piece from the roll of crepe paper (my piece was 6’ long) and fold the piece in half several times
2. Evenly space small cuts on one side of the length. Do not cut all the way to the center. Cut in about 1/3 of the way.
3. Make the same cuts on the other side. Again, do not cut all the way to the center.
4. Unfold your piece of crepe paper, separating the fringe and crunching it with your fingers.

What a clever way to turn a tired, overused party decoration into something new and fun! Plus, I got my roll of crepe paper for 79 cents, so this decoration idea is great for those not looking to break the bank.

Next Tuesday, I will be back here with ideas on making your party guest-centered (your guests will appreciate it!). Until then, follow me on facebook or visit my blog or my etsy shop!

See you soon!

Party Tip Tuesday with A Darling Day! {Easy DIY Party Decor, Part 1}

Small scale pom poms are a great addition to any party (and so easy to make!). You can string the pom poms on fishing wire and hang them around the room as garland. You can wire individual poms around drinking glasses or silverware. You can even use them to dress up a wrapped package or party favor! Here are some simple instructions for making small party pom poms:

1. You will need: scissors, 8 pieces of tissue paper 5″ wide x 8″ long, a piece of wire about 2 ½” long
2./3. Stack pieces of paper on top of each other. Accordion fold the stack of paper along the length, each fold about ¾” wide
4. Twist the wire tightly around the middle of the folded paper
5. Trim the edges to desired shape. You can cut them to a point (as shown) or round the edges into a half circle.
6. Open the folds until the sides meet each other.
7. Slowly peel and separate each layer of paper towards the center sides. Fluff and manipulate the layers to create a full pom.

For a whimsical alternative, use tulle instead of tissue paper. You won’t believe how dreamy the result is! Follow the exact instructions above, only substituting tulle in place of tissue paper. You will love these fanciful decorations!

Be sure to check back next week for another DIY party decor tutorial! In the meantime, visit my blog andmy etsy shop for more Darling ideas

Party Tip Tuesday with A Darling Day! {Decorating Your Party Space}

Hello again, new friends! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

It is Tuesday again and time for another party tip.
Actually, today it should be party TIPS, because there are two easy things you can do to elevate your party decorations and make your party fun and chic. If you have been following along, it is now time to decorate your ‘party space’.

Tip #1: Whoever said, “less is more” wasn’t talking about a great party. 
When decorating, remember that bigger IS better. Go BIG.  Don’t put one cluster of balloons at the corner of the food table. Instead, fill the entire room with balloons.  Take an inexpensive decoration (like balloons) and go crazy with it! This will help fill the space, create an element of surprise and keep the party cohesive (hey, balloons can even be your theme).

You might think inexpensive decorations are cheesy (I usually do), but when you use them excessively, they can become stylish. 

~ Fill dozens of big glass vases with plastic Easter eggs (or plastic Easter grass) for a spring party. 

~ Fill those same vases up with hundreds of plastic gold coins for a vegas or pirate themed party. 

~ Use rolls of carnival tickets to create centerpieces at varying heights for a carnival party (those same rolls can also be used as bunting to string around the room). 

Do you have any other ideas?

Your food or beverage table can also follow this “more is more” rule. Instead of keeping drinks in a cooler and setting out one or two for guests to see, set out ALL of your drinks. Placing all your beverages in one space will create a cool focal point. You already have food and beverages for the party…  

Why not use them as decoration??

For an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ birthday party, we hung dozens of inexpensive paper lanterns. The cluster defined the space and made the area much more exciting than if we had just hung one.

Tip #2: When in doubt, keep it monochromatic. 

Let’s face it, some people are amazing at mixing colors and prints and textures… and others are not. An easy trick is to keep all of your party elements in one color. Now, monochromatic doesn’t mean every detail has to be in the same shade, just the same color. You could do all different shades of yellow or red. Picking a color and sticking with it will make the entire party smart and stylish. And, as a bonus, sticking to a color will make decisions about the party easy!

Join me back here next week for several easy tutorials on making your own inexpensive party decorations!

And I hope you all have gotten a chance to visit my blog or follow me on facebook. I just recently shared my new invitation suites and listed them in my etsy shop… I would love for you to take a peak!

Party Tip Tuesday with A Darling Day! {Getting Your "Party Space" Party Ready}

Hello again and Happy Tuesday! 

Today’s ‘Party Tip’ is an easy one, but it is very important.
If you plan to host the party at your home, you need to determine the ‘party space’, the area where the majority of your party will take place.
Is it your backyard?
Your kitchen and dining room?
Your living room?

If you are hosting the party at your home, you may need to clear out the ‘party space’.
Consider moving picture frames, knick knacks and furniture into another area of your home.
Creating an open, clear space will make it easier for guests to navigate your party (and simpler if you need to bring in additional seating). Plus, when you start with a blank palette (void of your usual decor and knick knacks), it will be easier to decorate the space and make your theme the central focus.

Once your ‘party space’ is cleared of furniture and whatnots, do a thorough cleaning. Yes, cleaning (and remember to clean the bathroom your guests will be using).

It may be tempting to skip these steps, but they are important. Once your space is cleared and clean, you are ready to set up for the party!

Today, I also wanted to share with you some information on how to set a table. It is a simple thing, but not something that many of us are ever taught. Until recently, the extent of my knowledge of the place setting came from what I learned in Pretty Woman  .  Although I don’t put a lot of stock in the “proper” way to do things, I do think it is important to know which side of the plate to put the water glass. So, here is a diagram of a formal place setting:
a. salad plate
b. bread plate (and bread knife)
c. salad fork
d. dinner fork
e. napkin (can also be placed to the left of the forks)
f. dinner plate
g. dessert spoon
h. dessert fork
i. water glass
j. red wine glass
k. white wine glass
l. dinner knife (knife blade facing the plate)
m. salad knife (knife blade facing the plate)
n. teaspoon
o. soup spoon

Dinner plates should be placed about 2 inches from the table’s edge, centered in front of each chair.
Neatly line up silverware from the bottoms and space them about a half inch apart.
If you have a soup course, the soup bowl should be placed on top of the dinner plate.
If you are using name cards, place them above the dessert utensils to the left of the drinking glasses.

I hope you will find this little cheat sheet helpful next time you begin setting your table!

Please check out my blog at http://adarlingday.com or follow me on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/adarlingday!

See you back here next week, with tips on how to decorate for your party!

Party Tip Tuesday with A Darling Day! {Invitations}

In a time where we create events on facebook and send e-vites, it is easy to overlook the importance of the invitation. Although these digital alternatives are easy (and free!), by definition they are impersonal. They aren’t special.

The purpose of an invitation is to set the stage for the party. It is your guest’s first impression of the event they will be attending. You don’t want your invitation to blend in with all your guest’s other facebook invitations. Right?

Since you have already decided on the theme of your party (view last week’s post here), creating your invitation should be easy (remember, a theme makes it easier to make decisions about the rest of the party). 

There are two ways to get the perfect invitations for your party: order them from a designer or make them yourself. If you feel more comfortable ordering invitations from a professional, you can find some great options on Etsy or Supermarket or Wedzu. And you can always order some custom invitations from A Darling Day!

For those of you wanting to make the invitations yourself, try to think outside the box. An invitation doesn’t have to be a piece of paper… 

~ For a nautical themed party, send the invitation in a corked bottle. 

~ For a masquerade/carnival themed party, send the invitation tied to a feathered mask. 

~ For a baby shower, send the invitation in a baby bottle. 

~ For a Vegas themed party, glue the party info to the back of a playing card. 

~ For a travel themed party, purchase some vintage postcards from an antique store and write info about the event on the back. 

~ For a rustic themed party, paint a thin piece of wood with blackboard paint and write the invite out in chalk. 

Think about all aspects of your theme, and a creative idea for an invitation will surely come to you.

There are also ways to dress up a 2-dimensional invitation. 

~ Buy a paper punch from a craft supply store in a shape fitting to your theme… a flower for a spring or garden party, a cupcake for a dessert reception, a rattle for a baby shower. Paper punches are great because you can punch the invitation directly or punch out the design in contrasting paper and glue to the invitation.

~ You can also cut shapes out of fabric or felt and glue or sew them onto the invitation (I am sure Rebecca would vote for sewing!).
~ Or purchase an appliqué to glue or sew.
~ Or some cute ribbon!

Remember, whenever you are affixing fabric details to paper, use a spray adhesive (in a well-ventilated area).

Try using a hole punch to make small holes around the border of your invitation. Lace twine or raffia through the holes and tie into a pretty bow.

I hope this has helped give you some ideas for creative invitations! Whether you make them yourself or order them from a professional, don’t skimp the invitation. Sending out invitations will help set the tone of your party and make your guests feel special!

I’ll see you back here next week for another party tip. In the meantime, follow me at my blog or on facebook for more darling ideas!

Party Tip Tuesday with A Darling Day! {Party Themes}

Hello new friends! My name is Jessica and I design parties and invitations over at A Darling Day. I am very excited to begin a new series of posts here at Better Life Bags. Every Tuesday I will be here with easy, affordable tips for making your next party extra special.

The first step to planning a successful party is deciding on the type of party and theme for the party. Is it a dinner party for close friends? A holiday party for a large crowd? A birthday party for your crazy best friend?

Once you decide what type of party you are hosting, choose a theme. A theme will make it easier to make decisions about the rest of the party. For example, if you have a picnic-themed party, you can set the table with checkered tablecloths, picnic baskets and wildflowers. You can serve fried chicken and baked beans. If you choose a travel-themed party, you can send postcard invitations, decorate with globes and maps and give luggage tags to guests as a favor. Choosing a theme makes throwing a cohesive party easy!

In some cases, the type of party dictates the theme. If you are throwing a Christmas party, the theme is probably the holiday itself. However, creating a theme that is unexpected will surprise and excite your guests. An invitation for a baby shower doesn’t have to be pink and blue. You don’t have to decorate with diapers and pacifiers and balloons. Choose an unexpected theme to create a party guests will remember. Why not throw a circus themed baby shower? Use bold colors, give out raffle tickets, serve popcorn and cotton candy and dress like a bearded lady.

If you want a more understated theme, pick a color and/or a single item to be the star. This is a great option for a more formal party. You might choose ‘yellow’ and ‘buttons’ for a bridal shower.

Choose linens and paper products in several different shades of yellow, decorate with yellow daisies and serve lemon cookies and lemonade. Sew a button onto the invitations and place cards, fill the bottom of vases with buttons and tie a button around each glass stem to help guests keep track of their drink.

See how easy it is to create ideas around a single item? Use a monochromatic color palatte for all your party details and you will have an elevated, cohesive party.
Make sure to check back next Tuesday for another party tip! In the meantime, be sure to check out my blog at A Darling Day!

New Mini Series by A Darling Day!

 I have some seriously exciting news for you today!

We are going to be starting a mini series on this blog called:

Jessica from A Darling Day is an 

extremely 

talented 

event planner that I stumbled upon through a friend.

Seriously, her stuff is amazingly cute, and you should see some of the parties and events she has planned!

And the best part?!

We get to benefit from her expertise!

Jessica has graciously agreed to post every Tuesday about easy, and affordable tips for making your next party or event super special!

Check out this amazing photo booth she created for an Alice in Wonderland party!

  
I thought we should get to know Jessica a little.

You know... since we'll be spending the next few Tuesdays together!

Tell us a little about yourself.
I was born and raised in central Illinois and moved to Savannah, GA to go to Savannah College of Art and Design, where I majored in fashion design. I took a job in Saint Simons, GA designing and buying apparel for a small franchise company. It was there I met and married my wonderful husband Neil! In the last year, we got married, I started my own company, we got a 70 pound "puppy" (who we spoil daily),we moved to Milledgeville, GA (huh? where?) and got a new house!

How and why did you start A Darling Day?

After working in the fashion industry for a couple years, I realized it was not for me. Go figure, right? At the same time, I was planning my wedding, enjoying every minute of it, and realizing I was good at it! It was then I took a leap of faith, quit my job and began A Darling Day.

Jessica offers custom invitations as well

 What is your favorite party memory from YOUR childhood?

If you met my mother, there would be no surprise that I have a penchant for parties! She is an amazing hostess. My favorite party was my 6th birthday. My parents rented out a back room at the skate rink, which my mom decorated like a 50's diner, complete with jukebox. She made each girl a pink jacket with their name on the front and "Jessica's Pizzaria" written on the back. We all dressed up in poodle skirts and saddle shoes and skated and ate pizza all night. It was perfect.

How do you come up with inspiration/designs for your products?

Many of my products are made from a mix of texture, which probably comes from my background in fashion. I love to sew, embroider or use fabric on paper (check out my custom invitations here).  I like to use images of simple life and nature (like my line of greeting cards).  One of my favorite inspirations came from old notes I had saved from grade school. I turned love letters from my fifth grade boyfriend into greeting cards (check them out here)!

What has been your most favorite party/event to plan?

I threw my friend Brigitte a Champagne + Cupcakes birthday party last spring. My handy husband and I built a tent-like structure in a vacant lot using sheer fabric and Christmas lights. The birthday girl and her guests loved feeling like they were transplanted into another place. It was magical. (check out the photos in my image gallery here)

When you're feeling down, what do you do to cheer yourself up?

I get active. The danger of working from your home is that some days you don't leave your home. I like to get outside with my dog, go for a walk and play!

Favorite movie?

There are a few movies I own that I can watch over and over- Hook, Big, Doc Hollywood, Mr. Mom and Under the Tuscan Sun

And finally, tell us something quirky/unique about yourself!  (Don't worry... we're all friends here!)

I am fiercely competitive at board games and a sucker for baked goods.

 I'm really looking forward to Tuesdays...

aren't you?!