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Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:50:55 -0700

Well folks, it's time for me to plan my favorite event of the year - my birthday party! Since I threw a blow-out bash at a bar for 27 and a big picnic at an oyster farm for 27.5, I've decided that, for 28, things should be more subdued. Thus, I'm hosting an intimate dinner party for me and my 20 closest friends. The dinner will be served in my grandfather's gorgeous backyard, but before I can think about the menu, I have to send invitations. To learn how I made the ones seen here, read more.

I wanted an invite that looks clean, fun, and is representative of my personality. After searching several paper stores in San Francisco, I decided on a navy, cream, and turquoise theme. I purchased the majority of my supplies at Paper Source. Here's what I used:

Dark blue cardstock
Decorative paper
Glittery paper
Satin ribbon
Single hole punch
Sequins
Glue
Cream printer paper
computer
printer

Here's how I made the invite:

First, I decided on the long rectangular shape (4 1/8x9 1/2 inch) of the envelope. Next I cut the navy cardstock down to 4-x-9 inches. This would be the base of the invite.
I created a stencil of the word party by opening a blank workbook sized at 4-x-9 inches in Photoshop. I made the font as large as it could be (to fit in the space) and printed on regular paper. Using a pencil, I carefully connected the letters and cut out the word. I traced it onto a thick piece of cardstock and cut out again to create a stencil.
I traced the stencil onto the glittery paper and cut out 20.

Next I focused on the text. I opened another blank workbook, this time sized at 3-x-8 inches. Then I wrote the following message:

Your presence is requested at a birthday dinner to honor PartySugar

Saturday, September 19, 2009
Cocktails begin at 6:45

Al Hogan's House
Alamo, California 94507

Dress your best!
Regrets only: 415.444.4444

I printed this out and had FabSugar check for spelling and grammatical errors. When I was satisfied with the text, I printed it with a thin border on 23 sheets of nice paper. I cut these down to size.

To create a border for the back of the invite, I cut the decorative paper into 1-inch strips.
Next I cut the satin ribbon down to 3-4 inch pieces. I needed 4 ribbons for each invite, in total 80 ribbons.

Once I had all of the elements ready, it was time to assemble. I punched a whole in the glittery word Party and the base navy cardstock in four places: at the bottom and top of the P and the bottom and top of the Y. I used the ribbon to tie the glittery party stencil to the navy-blue cardstock, and repeated until all the invites were complete.

Then I turned the invite over and glued the decorative paper strips onto the edge of the navy cardstock to create a border. I trimmed off the excess and used this to fill in the remaining sides, repeating until each invite back had a border.

I glued the text to the middle of the back of the invite and repeated until all the invite backs were finished.

To give the invites some sparkle, I glued several sequins to the front (the side with the word party) of each invite. Then I set all of the invites aside to dry for several hours.

I slide the completed invites into the envelopes, addressed them with a nice navy pen, and sent!

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Come Party With Me: Technicolor Luau - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:39:01 -0700

Every Summer FabSugar hosts a luau. Since Fab is so fashion-forward, the theme is not your typical Hawaiian-shirt extravaganza; each year she picks a different style for the luau. Last July she threw a sophisticated black-and-white soirée, and next month, she's going vibrant with a technicolor luau. Fab and I often collaborate on parties and this time will be no different. I'm doing the planning and cooking, she's doing the hosting. To get things started, I had to make Fab an invite. Learn how I made the one seen here and read more.

After spending some time in Costa Rica, Fab was totally inspired by aquatic life, so we browsed pictures of jellyfish and came across these amazing images.

Once I had several pics, I dragged and dropped them into Photoshop. I flipped one of the images upside down and copied it into a blank file three times. Then I took another image (one with plenty of room to write the text) and pasted this on top of the jellyfish. Next I inserted the following text:

Surf's Up...at FabSugar's Technicolor Luau
You're invited to have a tropical blast!

Saturday, August 15
9 p.m.
Fab's Grotto
San Francisco

Wear your loudest, freshest, hottest gear.
Neon encouraged.

Bring your preferred poison

I sent the invitation to Fab and she helped make several edits. Once we were both satisfied with the look, I saved it as a JPEG. Fab can upload the image to Evite or pingg, or simply send attached to an email.

Have you ever hosted a luau? How did you invite your friends?

Multiples Baby Shower: Theme, Guest List and Invitations

babysugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:00:23 -0700

We've been sprinkling you with ideas of baby showers all month but what's more fun than celebrating one baby-to-be? Celebrating two or three! Moms expecting twins often need a double dose before the babes arrive. Prepping the mama-to-be with twice the good wishes, onesies and diapers will give her a jump start on the juggling act she's about to perform. Not wanting to create a circus for her before the show, we used calm, muted colors to create a natural and soothing surrounding for this soiree.
Bring an aviary touch to the shower and invite the whole gaggle of ladies to celebrate the mom-to-be. But, a lengthy guest list and two impending babies to celebrate doesn't mean the bank will be broken. For this shower, it's all about dividing and conquering. Stay tuned this week to see how we will create a charming setting, tasty dishes and fabulous favors for this birdy bash. To get the party started, we've created a winsome downloadable invite for hosts to send out to their guests. To download them, read more.

Free and easy to use, everyone will be impressed with the lovely two birds chirping on cherry blossoms PDF invite that you can download here.

Don't forget to enter our fabulous April Showers Giveaway for a chance to win a $2,500 gift card to put toward your babe's nursery and/or necessities for your child at Pottery Barn Kids! And, check out the baby shower invitations we've created exclusively for pingg! Pingg allows you to email invites to a guest list or print and mail, and send reminders via SMS, online, Facebook, Twitter, and more!

Heirloom Baby Shower: Theme, Guest List and Invitations

LilSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:00:45 -0700

lilsugar is celebrating mamas-to-be all month with extensive baby shower coverage that will help you plan awwwww-inducing, unique, socially relevant and hip fetes. This week we party hop from the darling sibling soiree to an inexpensive and nostalgia-inspired heirloom-themed baby shower bash.

The heirloom shower is all about cherished childhood memories and passing down treasured items or advice instead of consumer goods. It is a sweet, coin-saving incentive to gather friends to celebrate baby instead of a party focused on presents. Guests are asked to bring an heirloom or lightly worn hand-me-down item in lieu of a fancy new gift to this recession-friendly bash, and should be encouraged to recycle and re-gift the many expensive baby items some of us only use for weeks - if ever. These could range from larger items like a stroller or car seat (although this should be arranged in advance), to smaller items like a precious rattle, holiday photo outfit, handmade quilt or a stuffed animal. Those who don't have children or a closet full of goodies are encouraged to bring a memento from their own childhood like their favorite book or booties, or make a contribution to the party, such as a tasty dish or beverage.

Limit the guest list to family and friends who won't be uncomfortable sharing an heirloom item, but feel free to open up the list to a healthy number your venue can house given the low-cost focus of this bash. Stay tuned for all the details - from decor to food to downloadable party games - in upcoming posts this week. In the mean time, we've designed two breathtaking vintage, but mod invites fit for the occasion. To check them out, or print them out for free, read more!

You can select the blue or brown designs or both - they are free! The invitations are just two of our baby shower invitations we've created exclusively for pingg! pingg allows you to email invites to a guest list or print and mail, and send reminders via SMS, online, Facebook, Twitter and more! Just want this one? You can get the blue and pink PDF download of this invite here or the orange and brown here.

Don't forget to enter our fabulous April Showers Giveaway for a chance to win a $2,500 gift card to put toward your babe's nursery and or necessities for your child at Pottery Barn Kids!

Sibling Shower: Theme, Guest List and Invitations

LilSugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0700

It's time for April Showers! lilsugar is celebrating mamas-to-be all month with our baby shower coverage. From a sibling soiree to one meant for multiples and a sip and see fete to an heirloom event, our unique themes reflect the state of the economy and societal trends. So without further adieu, we will kick off the festivities with the sibling shower!

Many mothers just aren't comfortable with subsequent baby showers, so who better to honor than the impending babe's soon-to-be big brother, sis, or siblings? Get tots ready for the bundle of joy with a fun, low key and affordable get together. Limit the guest list to the youngster's small circle of friends so he or she won't be overwhelmed and the time to about two hours. Stay tuned for all the details - from decor to food to downloadable party games - in upcoming posts this week. In the meantime, print out these darling mad-lib inspired invites fit for the occasion. If your youngster is practicing printing, allow him or her to fill them out. The invitation is just one of our baby shower invitations we've created exclusively for pingg! pingg allows you to email invites to a guest list or print and mail, and send reminders via SMS, online, Facebook, Twitter and more! Just want this one? You can get a PDF download of this invite here.

Don't forget to enter our fabulous April Showers Giveaway for a chance to win a $2,500 gift card to put toward your babe's nursery and or necessities for your child at Pottery Barn Kids!

Announcing Our Free Invites on Pingg!

partysugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:30:02 -0700

Just in time for wedding season, I'm extremely excited to announce our partnership with my favorite online-invitation service, Pingg! Our fabulous designer has created a series of invitations for you to customize and send for free. Whether you're looking for an invite to an engagement or bachelorette party, bridal or baby shower, we've got you covered with multiple designs for each occasion. Pingg is incredibly easy to use: you simply upload the event information, customize the invite to your liking, and select your preferred method for sending (you can email, Facebook, or print and snail mail). I hope you will enjoy these wonderful invites as much as I do!

Come Party With Me: Bedazzle Bonanza - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:31:06 -0700

Some people may think a bad economy is not a very good time to host a party; however, FabSugar and I disagree. Now, more than ever, is the perfect time to gather up a group of friends and host an affordable get-together. That's why were throwing a Bedazzling bonanza. We'll supply the sparkling snacks and rhinestones, and everyone invited will bring an item (t-shirt, canvas tote, belt, headband) to Bedazzle. A Sunday afternoon is ideal for this sort of crafty party because it's after lunch, so only small nibbles are necessary, and on a work night - meaning no one will have a desire to drink heavily. All week, I'll be sharing the details of our party with you. Use them to throw your own fabulously creative event.

If you don't have a Bedazzler, consider a painting party, a knitting soirée, or cooking class. Save money and time by sending the invites through email, Facebook, or evite. To learn how I made the invite seen here, read more.

Find an image that illustrates your creative outlet. For my invite, I searched "rhinestones" and came across this fun picture.
Drag and drop into Microsoft Word or Photoshop.

Insert a text box and write out the details of the event. I used the Baar Sophia in size 14-18 to write this message:

FabSugar and PartySugar
invite you to
Bedazzle Bonanza!

Join us for a creative and crafty afternoon with sparkling snacks and bubbly.

Sunday, April 5th, 2009
3:00 pm
FabSugar’s Pad, San Francisco

Rhinestones provided
Please bring something to bedazzle
RSVP: partysugar@sugarinc.com
If desired change the color of the background and font.
Check for grammar and spelling mistakes. Save as a jpeg and send!

Party Foul: Assuming the Kids Can Come

partysugar — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:15:16 -0800

Recently, I hosted an event where I wrote "Significant Others Welcome" on the invitation. You can imagine my annoyance and frustration when some people showed up with husbands and children. The party was a happy hour, an occasion that children do not normally take part in.

When you receive an invitation, it's important to read the fine print. One should never assume that a significant other or child is invited unless specified. The names listed on the outside of the envelope are the invited guests. If it says Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the Smith children are not invited. However, if addressed to The Smith Family, then the kids are welcome to attend.

Have you ever been in a similar situation? Share your stories with us below!

Source

Download Our Free Holiday Invites!

partysugar — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:00:56 -0800

This holiday season we're giving you free, downloadable invites. Last week I showed you two festive invites and today I've got two more! The Hanukkah invite is elegant and simple, while the Christmas one is fun and fabulous. All you have to do is download, print, fill in, and send. Happy hosting!

Download Our Free Holiday Invites!

partysugar — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:15:14 -0800

OK, so you're not throwing an ugly sweater party this holiday season, but what about a holiday party? A festive cocktail, a delicious dessert soiree, or a laid-back brunch are great ways to gather friends together. Set the tone by mailing them a red and green themed invite. We've created two free, downloadable invites that celebrate the season. One features a girl and a Christmas tree and the other has an ornament theme. Start by clicking on the links above to download them. Next print, fill out, and send. So what are you waiting for? Go get your holiday party on!