Don't Panic Design

Last year I noticed a new trend in holiday cards. Ok, it might not have been new, but I thought it was awesome - the holiday newsletter card.  Just a little snippet of your year with highlights, maybe photos, and well wishes for the past and new year.  I think it's a fun way to share your year with friends and relatives you don't get to see enough, but it also helps you focus on what to share.  Did you move, how old are your kids, did you take a big trip, or have a professional win? It keeps you from spending a lot of time agonizing over what details to share, so you can get done faster, and get back to your day during this busy time of year. Here's a few I was inspired to make. To check out some more options, check out the holiday cards in my etsy shop, by clicking below.

Can you believe it is already the end of January! First, 2018 and now January is almost over. Seriously! The weather isn't much better around here - still gray and cold - but with February on the way, so comes the hope of spring. Groundhog's Day is coming, and may give us a hint at what we can expect in the coming months, out west here. But, it's not just the weather to think about. Valentine's Day is coming too. Whether you celebrate it with your friends and family, or your kids have parties at school, fun Valentine's are a must. And easy, DIY Valentine's make it more fun too. When I was a kid, everything gave me anxiety. (That might still be true...) So, all the designs I have in my Etsy Shop this year are designed in easy to print and cut layouts, with fun colors and sayings that are easy to share with close friends or acquaintances alike. Below are several of the listings up in the shop this year. You just purchase, download, print and cut, a...

Whether planning a simple wedding, or an elaborate one, one thing remains the same: it's not easy.  There are tons of things you won't consider until you are in the middle of it, and as many are frustrating as they are fun. If you are going the DIY route, you want to have a hand in the design and execution of your wedding.  Choosing or designing your invitation is a fun way to exercise creativity in your planning, and set the stage for your reception decor.  It is also one of the first ways you share your style with your guests. While it can be very fun, it can also be overwhelming: where to start? A couple weeks ago, Andrea reached out about a design in my shop . She loved elements already included in the design, and even the colors were close. But she had designed a wedding logo, and wanted to know if I could, or would, include it on the design. I never mind adjusted designs to make it work - whether it's color, wording, or adding a special touch, so I ...

The anatomy of any invitation is usually the same, and this will hold true for your Rehearsal Dinner invitations. The main difference is that you may include 2 sets of times and locations. Remember that you can have a theme for your dinner, and it doesn't need to match the wedding. It can formal or casual - see Rehearsal Dinner Basics for some tips and easy theme ideas to throw a great party. When drafting the wording for your invitation, be sure to include: • THE HOSTS' NAMES A wedding rehearsal dinner is usually hosted by the groom’s parents, but it doesn’t have to be. • THE COUPLE'S NAMES Of course! Use first and last names for more formal invitations, use first names only for a very small, intimate party, or us the phrase “the soon to be INSERT NAME HERE” if the happy couple are sharing a name after their marriage. • THE DATE It is customary to spell out the day, month and year for formal dinners, but for more casual parties, using the numerals is fi...

Whether you are having a small intimate wedding, an elegant soiree, a large raucous party, or a destination wedding, the wedding rehearsal dinner is a wonderful time to connect with the people closest to you - family and friends who have given their support and are likely to be involved in planning and the events of the day itself. This pre-celebration is a time to mingle, chat, say thank you, and spend a little real time together, as the wedding day is likely to be busy, and the reception a whirlwind.  Rehearsal dinners are often hosted by the parents of the groom, but whether it is the groom's parents, the bride's parents, the couple themselves, or some combination,  it is up to the hosts to choose what kind of dinner to have and who to invite. The hosts and the couple can discuss before planning to decide how involved each wants to be, and work together to create the right event.  Both the host and the couple should try to stay flexible - it's meant to be fun!...

What is I.C.E.?  I.C.E. stands for In Case of Emergency.  Hopefully you already know this, and you may already have I.C.E. contacts marked in your phone. As a back up, you should also have a physical card with names and phone numbers.  Carry one in your wallet, and keep one with your car registration, if you drive. For kids, consider pinning on in their backpack. Emergencies are by definition unpredictable. By taking a few minutes today, you can prepare yourself, or those caring for you to be able to identify you and contact family members or friends in a time of trouble of need. My mom has been a nurse for 40 years.  She loves her job, but she has seen a lot of things - and had a lot of bad days as witness and caregiver to terrible disease and destructive accidents.  Her job doesn't stop when the patient has been admitted. As a professional care giver, she is also responsible for contacting emergency contacts or relatives. Not only does it mak...

When I was in college, I was lucky enough to live with the best cook I know, my best friend Christina.  I would walk home from class, crossing my fingers that she was home, because if she was, the most magical thing would happen.  While I would look around the kitchen and see nothing to eat, Christina would open the fridge and say things like, I think I am going to make a quiche, would you like some? The answer, of course, was always, "yes, please." She has an intuitive sense for flavors I've always admired, and I finally smartened up enough a few years ago to start asking questions. After watching her cook, and getting her to tell me some of her secrets, I slowly started experimenting.  This is a fritatta I made last year, and that comment is from Christina - which is high praise! I knew that part of what I was lacking was an understanding spices and how they work together.  I started testing recipes with random spices I had to see how they tasted.  I ...

In the spirit of Halloween, add these printable posters to your decorations. Click on each link below to download the Free 8" x 10"posters.  Classic & Beautiful Fun & Modern:  These are each a pdf file with 1 page set up on a U.S. Letter size page.  Print on regular paper or card stock and hang it up as it is, or trim off the edges  (1/4" from the left and right, and 1/2" from the top and bottom) to fit an 8" x 10" frame.   It will also be easily printed onto an A4 page.   Throwing a party? Download some or all of these posters to decorate, then check out the some halloween invitations  here. •  •  • Happy Halloween!

It's that time of year again: the season of all things pumpkin flavored.  I live in the northwest U.S., and so it's also the time of year of changing colors in the trees. There is a chill in the air, which makes the afternoon sun feel even better.  It's time to start breaking out my sweaters... I don't love winter, but I do love sweaters. (This love contradicts my dislike of wearing socks, but that's a different conversation.) That means it's almost Halloween! Halloween around here is an often secularly observed, fun, time of year. It's a 'holiday' because we do it every year, we have parties and rituals for it, and there is an air of excitement around it.  I still have to work on Tuesday, but that doesn't make Halloween feel less to me. It's also a time of reflection; while Halloween and it's associated observances have long and varied histories, it's generally accepted as a time to reflect on the dead - those in our fami...

Here are five fun ideas to inspire your adventure themed baby shower! Know an outdoors couple having a baby? A world traveler? Maybe a couple of beach bums? I think parties with themes are more fun to plan, and attend, even if the theme is a simple one. One of my favorite date nights is Spaghetti Western night.  So simple, and so silly. If you don't know about spaghetti westerns, I highly recommend looking into them. Anyway, just make some spaghetti, set out the garlic bread, and put on The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Voila! Theme date night done. Plus, it's fun to say: Spaghetti Western. Anyway, a fun baby shower theme is adventure - as having a baby really is one.   Check out these fun themed baby shower invitations to inspire your celebration. * * * This is an adorable travel and mountain inspired invitation with a Seussian flair. Rounded mountains and an arrow compass rose with the date, this invitation is cute in blue and green, or any set...