Posh Parties and Products

New Holiday Card Designs!

2010-10-04T05:55:00.001-07:00

It still feels like summer in my neck of the woods but that hasn't stopped me from preparing eight new designs for the holiday card gallery at Addie Kate Creations. I am really excited about how they turned out this year. I tried to include several options for multiple photos as well as cards that feature one large photo. Here is what I came up with...

I seem to be a little hooked on the black and green combo this year. I really like the modern feel that color combination gives to more classic designs.

I hope you like this years new holiday card choices! As always we can customize any card with your choice of colors and text. If you need a Hanukkah card or a New Years card any of our designs can be easily adapted. We can also customize our holiday designs as a holiday birth announcement. Make sure to check out all of our holiday card designs here!

Party Time Tuesday - Lady Bug Picnic!

2010-08-10T06:16:00.000-07:00

This week I am excited to feature one of the cutest party ideas I have seen! Miss Kennedy turned one this spring and celebrated with a ladybug picnic! Kennedy's mom put some adorable twists on the popular ladybug theme.

First was the perfectly coordinated set-up...

Next, a fun and unique idea for a child's birthday party, a peanut butter and jelly station!

Little guests (and big ones too)! Could assemble their own PB&J and cut it with provided cookie cutters. How fun! Looks like the birthday girl enjoyed hers!

Continuing with the ladybug theme were these adorable lady bug cupcakes...

When it was time for the fun to end, the guest went home with these sweet favor bags...

...and these cute bug jars filled with m&m's!

To thank all her guests Kennedy's mom ordered these custom thank you notes .

(photos by Canyon photography)

I hope you enjoyed a peek into Kennedy's perfect lady bug picnic! To check out my selection of ladybug photo invitations visit AddieKate.com.

If you would like to see your party featured on party time Tuesday please send an e-mail to meredith@addiekate.com.

Fresh Fridays- New Halloween Card Designs!

2010-08-06T05:51:00.000-07:00

It is still hot and toasty in most parts of the country still, but that doesn't stop me from thinking about Halloween! I decided to add a few new designs to our Halloween photo card gallery this year. I created this cute owl graphic last year and he showed up on a few of the new designs.

I also created this design featuring a simple black cat and a funky color scheme. I love the purple, white, green and black combo for Halloween and may have to come up with more designs in this color scheme.
The last new design I added is a simple design meant to show off two big photos. Perfect if you have two little ones!

I hope you like this years new designs. You can check out all of our Halloween photo cards at AddieKate.com!

Work at home Wednesday - Starting a home based business - part two

2010-08-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

This week for work at home Wednesday I will continue to talk about starting a home based business. Specifically I will discuss putting together a business plan.

It is a common when starting a home based business to want to jump right in and start selling your product and offering your service. I think many small business owners overlook the key step of writing a business plan. Don't make this error and take the time to organize your ideas on paper.

There are 7 key elements of a business plan. I will discuss each and how they can be tailored for a home based business plan.

Step 1 - Executive Summary

This section should be a short summary of what your company is about, your goals and how the goals will be accomplished. This section should be short and specific. The rest of your plan will detail these goals.

Step 2- Company Information

This section should include your basic information such as address, phone number etc. You can also include any plans for expansion or for employing others.

Step 3-Products and Services

In this section you should spend time detailing all of your products and services offered. When righting this section think about any future ideas you would like to incorporate and include them here.

Writing this section can be a great exercise in fine tuning the products of your company. Be specific and as your business grows return to this section and update often.

Step 4- Industry and market

This section is very important and is one that should be examined and revisited often. With online business there are new competitors surfacing frequently and industry changes faster than ever before.

When discussing your industry take a broad view and include facts that paint a picture of the current climate. The research for this section can really be an exercise in learning about where your company will fit in.

Once you have examined the industry focus on some specific companies within your industry. Look at their product offerings, pricing and anything that sets them apart from the competition. This will allow you to really think about your companies place in the industry.

Step 5 - Management and Organization

This section will outline who the stakeholders are of the organization. If you are planning on owning and operating the business as a sole proprietor this section will be short. If not make sure to include clear guidelines of the positions within your company.

Step 6- Marketing

This is the point in which you should discuss exactly how you plan to reach your customers. Write down your basic outline and than include specific action items for each marketing step. It can also be helpful to include time lines and an expected advertising budget.

Step 7 - Operations

Writing this section will help you think through the basic operations of your business. Think about what will need to be accomplished every day and create some processes to ensure daily goals are met.

For a start up business this section should be revisited often. As time goes on you will probably learn from trial and error and discover new ways to become more efficient.

Step 8- Financial projections

This section may be difficult as a start up but will help in goal setting. You can use this section to think about how many customers it will take to achieve financial goals. After a few months in business you may need to re-examine this portion.

Once your plan is complete it is important to keep a copy close by and review it often. Make it a working document in which you jot down ideas and revise when needed.

Writing a business plan can be a valuable way for a small business owner to organize ideas and inspire new ones. Take some time to develop your business plan no matter what the size of your venture!

I hope this was helpful and would love to hear from other WAHP parents on this topic!

Party Time Tuesday - Fun Flower Party

2010-08-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite party themes for spring/summer birthdays is the flower/garden party. There are so many possibilities and it is just so girly and cute. This week features a colorful, modern spin on the flower themed party.

The birthday girl's mama was inspired by a cute dress she had purchased for her daughter and asked me to create a coordinating invitation. This is how it turned out...

The party itself was full of fun details and decorations. My favorite were these large flowers made of tissue paper

She had them in the several places and they were very vibrant and fun. You can use this tutorial if you are interested in making similar decorations.

The flower theme was also reflected in the adorable cake and favors.

So cute and delicious!

Everything for the colorful flower party came together beautifully. We have several flower invitations featured in our card gallery if you are interested in throwing a similar celebration.

If you would like your child's party being featured on posh parties and products please e-mail photos to meredith@addiekate.com .

Fresh Fridays- New Fire Truck Invitation!

2010-07-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

What little boy wouldn't love a fire truck themed birthday party? When a customer asked me to create an invitation matching this theme I was excited to give it a try. This customer had used our popular cupcake invitation for her daughter's 1st birthday so she requested a similar format for the fire truck invitation.

Here is how it turned out

I hope you like it! I am hoping to have our 2010 Halloween card gallery complete for next weeks Fresh Friday. Can't wait to show you what I've been working on!

New print at home pricing!

2010-07-28T06:59:00.000-07:00

Work at Home Wednesdays will be back next week, as this week we have an exciting announcement instead. We are pleased to let our customers know that we have discounted our print at home design option from $30 for gallery designs to $20 . Custom designs will be $25. Custom design pricing only applies to brand new designs. If you are changing colors or wording those changes can be made at the gallery design price.

For those that are new to addiekate.com our print at home option allows you to purchase the rights to your card and have it printed as many times as you like. Some customers print on their home computer and others choose to print the design just like you would print a photograph at a processing lab. This can be an economical option for those that need a large quantity of cards. It is also a great choice if you are on a strict timeline to have your invitations sent. Some customers choose to go green and e-mail their card. The print at home option provides lots of choices!

We know that times are tough for many and are hoping this pricing change will allow our loyal customers to continue enjoying our invitation, announcement and holiday card designs.

Party Time Tuesday - Lovely Luau!

2010-07-27T06:04:00.000-07:00

This week for Party Time Tuesday I am featuring baby Katelyn's first birthday luau. Katelyn's creative mommy found some adorable fabric that she used as an inspiration for the entire party. I worked with her to create a custom version of our "A year in pictures" invitation design . I have done several different versions of this invitation to incorporate various themes and I always love seeing the progression from birth to one year.

The flowers were also incorporated in this cute banner...

and in the cake too!

Finally, here is the birthday girl in her adorable hand made outfit.
I love the idea of picking a single pattern or fabric swatch and using it as inspiration for the rest of the party. I think Katelyn's mom did a great job of adding a unique twist to a luau party theme.

Have you had a fun birthday party that you want to show off? Send your photos to me at meredith@addiekate.com and we will feature you soon!

Fresh Friday - New Apple themed invitation

2010-07-23T07:02:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite custom invitations from last year was this adorable apple themed invitation.

I love the green, red and white color combo and the little girly touches. The beautiful photo by canyon photography really completes the look of this invitation. I hope you agree that this apple invitation is a great addition to our photo card gallery!

Work at home Wednesday - Starting a home based business - part one

2010-07-21T06:43:00.000-07:00

Throughout the three and half years I have been running Addie Kate Creations I have encountered many moms both online and in real life that would like to find a way to work from home. In my opinion one of the best ways to accomplish this is to find a way to turn an interest or hobby into a service or product you can sell online.

I have learned quite a bit through the years about getting a business off the ground and thought I might be able to share some advice with others hoping to do the same. Today I will cover one of the first steps in getting started with an online business.

Choosing what it is you will be selling or offering.

When choosing what type of product or service you will be selling consider these important questions.

If you are making a product what is the time involved to produce it?

When considering this question think about the time involved in gathering needed materials, producing the actual product, packaging the product and shipping the finished goods. It is a good idea to go through all the steps for a prototype to get an accurate timeline. Many aspiring business owners are overwhelmed when they receive their first order and realize the entire process is more involved than originally expected.

What are the cost of materials?

Research the costs of your supplies as extensively as possible. See if any of the supplies you need can be acquired with a wholesale discount once you have your business license. Order sample materials to ensure they are of a quality you are happy with. Don't forget to consider packaging and shipping supplies when calculating your costs.

What are similar products selling for?

Spend time creating a list of competitors and finding the range of prices of your product. Consider whether you want to be at the high end, low end or somewhere in the middle. Pricing is a complicated process and I will create a more specific post about pricing in the future. To start though ,seeing the range of prices in your market is a good first step.

When will I have time to produce the product?

When deciding on what to sell think about your time constraints. Are you hoping to work form home with your kids present? Will you continue to work while building your business? These questions can help you choose a realistic venture when first starting out.

Asking yourself these questions can help you narrow the scope of your business venture to include items that can be produced in the time you have available. It will also help you determine if your item has a profit margin that will generate a decent income for you.

Hope this tip helps! I look forward to sharing more next week!

Party Time Tuesday!

2010-07-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy seeing the creative ideas my customers incorporate into their children's birthday celebrations so I decided to showcase one party each week. I am hoping this can help inspire others when planning their children's parties.

This weeks party is an adorable animal themed bash for little Nicholas (who is also my Godson). Back when his mom was awaiting his arrival we worked together to create animal themed wall art designs to match her nursery bedding. She decided to incorporate the same patterns and graphics in Nicholas' party, and if I do say so the result was adorable!

First we worked together on a custom double sided invitation..

Next my friend incorporated the graphics into this adorable banner and decorations

Finally the cake (that was to die for by the way)...
It was a great party and everything came together wonderfully! There is nothing better than celebrating a babies first year of life.

I hope you enjoyed these fun ideas! If you would like your own party pictures and invitation showcased on posh parties and products please e-mail me your photos at meredith@addiekate.com . Happy celebrating!

Introducing Fresh Fridays!

2010-07-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

What better way to end the work work week than by showcasing our newest work! Custom design is a huge part of Addie Kate Creations and one of my favorite things to do. I love creating new photo card designs as well as t-shirt designs for our cafe press shop. I can't wait to share what's new with you every week!

This week's feature is our new giraffe big brother/sister shirts . I have been obsessed with giraffes lately as evidenced by the theme of my baby girls birthday party and all the giraffe designs I have been creating for AddieKate.com . That obsession naturally lead to new t-shirt designs.

Both the big brother/ big sister and little brother/ little sister shirts can also be customized with your child's name. Just send me an e-mail with the name at meredith@addiekate.com and I will add it to the shop. Have any design ideas you would like to see added to our shop? Let me know in the comments below!

My baby girl's sweet safari party!

2010-05-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

It has been a wild year with our newest addition Emilia so I thought a safari themed party was a fitting way to celebrate.

I wanted the party to be fun, girly and modern so I decided on a hot pink and lime green color scheme. With that in mind I created this double sided photo invitation

I love the versatility of a double sided invitation as you can make a statement with one large photo on the front but also include more photos on the back.

Once the tone was set with the invitation I set to work on the decorations. My favorite (and most time consuming project was creating these party hats.

I love how they looked on the cake table. We all know that pretty scene didn't last long though, once the little ones started to arrive.

I made the hats out of scrap book paper and curling ribbon. I also added a sticker I designed for the final touch. I was actually really surprised how many of the kids kept the hats on for the party. Here is my oldest modeling hers.

Another decoration that I loved making was the banner I created using the photos I took of my daughter each month. It was very simple to make.

I also designed a sign for the door so that our guests would know they were at the right house.

No party would be complete without goody bags, so I enlisted the help of my older daughter and put together these brightly colored bags for our littlest guests. We included sunglasses, Slinky's, bubbles, a kazoo and safari stickers. I again used the stickers I had designed to seal the bags.

We had a blast celebrating Emilia's birthday. It was wonderful having all our friends and family together in honor of our sweet girl turning one. I'll end this post with a couple of pictures of the guest of honor. Happy birthday baby girl!

Recent Etsy Banner and Avatar Design

2010-04-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

I recently was asked by a friend and fellow work at home mom to design some graphics for her Etsy shop. Her business name is Heartfully Handmade so naturally she wanted to incorporate hearts into her design. First I started with her Etsy banner. This is what we settled on. I love how it turned out so girly and cute.

We also created this business card. We wanted to be able to showcase her work as well as convey the vital information about her business and I think we accomplished that with this card.

Finally we created a few avatars for her Etsy shop.

I really had fun with this project and am hoping to do more similar work soon. Designing without photos is always a fun way for me to leave my comfort zone.

I am hoping to add some logo and business identity packages to Sweet Rosie Studios in the very near future. In the meantime if you are interested in a business identity package feel free to contact me through my etsy shop or through my online store Addie Kate Creations.

Sweet Rosie Studios

2010-03-23T06:34:00.000-07:00

Over the past year I have been asked by a few friends to create unique wall art for their children's rooms. I have really enjoyed these projects and have decided to dapple in this area a bit more. I recently opened an Etsy shop called Sweet Rosie Studios.

Sweet Rosie studios is named after my second daughter and is currently featuring unique wall art prints for children. Custom prints and personalization is also available.

The shop is a work in progress but I am hoping to have more designs stocked soon.

Check Sweet Rosie Studios out and let me know what you think!

Back to blogging

2010-03-21T12:14:00.000-07:00

One of my business goals this year was to get back to blogging on a regular basis. Well here we are, in the second half of March and I have yet to publish a new post. As of today I am hoping to change that.

The last few months I have been busy creating new custom designed photo cards for Addie Kate Creations. I can't wait to show them off along with the fun birthday party themes they were inspired by. I have also done several other design projects this year such as logos, business identity packages and even some nursery wall art. In the next months I plan on posting a few times a week and sharing these ideas with you. I also am planning on posting some work at home tips that I hope other small business owners can find helpful.

So stay tuned for a new and improved version of Posh Parties and Products!

New Halloween and Holiday Photo Cards are here!

2009-09-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that I start thinking of the holidays early. In fact it is not uncommon for me to be found on a Saturday afternoon in July drinking hot chocolate, listening to Christmas music and dreaming up new designs for our holiday photo card galleries. I love all facets of running a home based business but designing new photo cards is hands down my favorite part.

This year I really enjoyed creating new Halloween photo cards. I was inspired by purples, blacks and greens, as you can see when you visit our Halloween card gallery. I hope you like the new modern, fun designs.

Our holiday card gallery this year is comprised of both modern and funky designs and classic sophisticated layouts. Most of my focus for our holiday photo cards was on designs that included several pictures. In the past three years I have found most of my customers love the flexibility of using multiple photos on their Christmas cards. Who can blame them? I know I can never just pick one photo of my family to showcase.

Visit Addie Kate Creations soon to view our newest work. Make sure to become a fan on facebook as well, to keep up to date on new designs and special promotions!

Adorable ladybug party supplies!

2009-04-26T15:49:00.000-07:00

I have always loved the idea of a lady bug birthday party. Recently I was browsing my favorite party supply website, Celebrate Express ,and found these adorable lady bug party supplies.

I have had a classic red and black lady bug photo invitation on my website for awhile but was inspired by these supplies to create a pink and green lady bug invitation as well. I think it is one of my new favorites.

I also added little sister and big sister lady bug shirts to my cafe press shop.

As excited as I am about this new design I will probably not be using it for my daughters birthday this summer. Currently she is requesting a monster party :). Oh well, I might be able to use it for her little sister's first birthday next year.

Elephants Everywhere!

2009-03-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

I recently choose this bedding by Carter's for our new baby girls room. Ever since I can't stop designing cards with cute little elephants. It started with an elephant birthday invitation, and led to an elephant birth announcement and a baby shower invitation.

I didn't stop there and also added elephant big sister and big brother shirts to my cafe press trendy tots.

So now that I have exhausted the elephant thing what's next? I am working on a website re design for addiekate.com and continuing to search for inspiration in every day life. Stay tuned!

New 2009 Valentine's photo card designs!

2009-01-15T14:34:00.000-08:00

I recently added new Valentines day photo card designs to the holiday card gallery at Addie Kate Creations.

Valentine's day photo cards are great way to connect with your family and friends if you didn't have time to send out holiday cards this year. Even if you did send holiday cards Valentine's day is the perfect excuse to show of your little sweetie!

Be sure to check back soon for new photo birth announcement and invitation designs!

New Rubber Ducky Photo Birthday Invitation

2009-01-05T13:29:00.000-08:00

I recently created a custom rubber ducky birthday invitation and decided it was too cute not to add to our gallery at addiekate.com. This design features a fun orange and yellow color scheme complimented by modern polka dots.

The rubber ducky photo birthday invitation can be customized with the color scheme of your choice.

I also came across these adorable Rubber ducky party supplies at celebrate express.The
Just Ducky Basic Pack
is a great option to get started on decorations.

To take the theme even further you can visit Designed 2B Sweet and view their large slection of themed rubber duckies for favors. I like their option for an a rubber ducky Assortment pack.

The rubber ducky birthday party theme is perfect for babies and toddlers and there are lots of cute ways that you can use rubber duckies to decorate.

Have fun planning your rubber ducky party!

Holiday Card order deadlines for AddieKate.com

2008-11-14T14:43:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post about our holiday photo card ordering schedule. The deadline for 2008 holiday card orders is Monday, December 15th. We will however continue to accept print at home orders throughout the remainder of the year. We will be closed for shipping from December 19th-January 1st. All proofs must be approved by December 18th. We will respond to all orders and inquiries when we reopen on January 2nd.

Holiday Card pre-order special ends tomorrow!

2008-10-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

Just a quick reminder that tomorrow, October 31st, is the last day to take advantage of our holiday card pre-order discount at http://www.AddieKate.com Use code Preorder10 to receive the discount. If you aren't ready to send you photos yet that is no problem. We will pre-ship your envelopes to you early so that you can get a jump start on addressing them.

Be sure to check out the new 2008 designs in our holiday photo card gallery!

Great toddler Christmas Gift Idea

2008-10-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

Holiday shopping is in full swing at my house and of course my daughter is my favorite person to shop for. I found this great arts and crafts table from eBeanStalk.com that I love.

It has a spot to roll butcher paper out as well as several cups to hold crayons, markers and more. The surface of the table is also a chalk board.

I think this is a gift that will last for years to come.

eBeanStalk.com is a great spot for many unique toys. They are also offering free shipping on orders of 65 dollars or more with code FreeShip$65. Check them out!

Our family Halloween Card

2008-10-20T14:25:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to report that my 2 year old daughter was actually cooperative for our mini photo shoot the other day. Hopefully this is a sign that we have moved past the months of only getting pictures of the back of her head as she runs away from us.

I usually design a new card for our family holiday cards but this year I was so busy with Halloween photo card orders that I just choose my favorite from my gallery, the Boo design.

I modified it a bit to say buzz instead of boo but that was the only change I made.

Stay tuned for our family Christmas photo card in a few weeks!

Holiday Photo Card Tips

2008-10-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just around the corner and before you can blink an eye the rest of the holidays will be upon us too. This is the perfect time of year to start thinking of taking family photos for holiday cards. Over the last few years I have picked up a few tips from photographer friends about how you can achieve great pictures on your own. I thought I would share a few here.

Take photos outdoors when possible
There is nothing like natural light to create beautiful photos. Make sure to test a few areas before starting you shoot to make sure there are no shadows or glare when taking your pictures.

Bring an assistant
This tip is especially important if you are photographing young children. An extra set of hands to adjust stray hairs and fix buttons can really be helpful. If an extra person is on hand to be silly behind the photographer this can help to get great smiles out of the kids too.

Take lots of shots
We are so lucky to live in the age of digital cameras. Take lots of pictures so you have many to choose from when selecting pictures for your holiday card.

Don't get too close up
If you are taking pictures for a holiday photo card make sure to leave plenty of room for cropping. This will ensure you have more options when selecting a design. Be careful about being too zoomed out though as if too much of the photo needs to be cropped you may lose quality.

Have fun and be creative!
If you go into a shoot with a positive attitude and an open mind you are sure to come up with some great shots!

Great Accesories from Multi Chic

2008-09-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

I am starting my Christmas shopping early this year as I will be busy with holiday card orders later on. In my search for unique items I came across MultiChic.com They have great home, office and wardrobe accessories. I especially loved the Red Flora Reusable Shopping Bag by Envirosax. I have been trying to use reusable bags for shopping trips as well as at the grocery store. This bag would be so much more fashionable for trips to the mall than a canvas bag.
They have lots of other great prints as well as other fun accessories. Check out MultiChic.com soon!

September Halloween Card special

2008-09-09T14:31:00.000-07:00

At AddieKate.com we are currently offering our customers 10% off on Halloween photo card orders. This special is good throughout the month of September.

This year we are featuring Halloween cards that are modern and fun. We have designs that are photo collages as well as designs that feature one large photo.

For the 10% September discount enter code PUMPKIN at checkout!

Have a spooky Halloween!

2008 Holiday Photo Card Designs are here!

2008-09-03T07:02:00.000-07:00

Our 2008 Holiday photo collection has arrived at addiekate.com. I am really excited about the modern, unique designs we are featuring this year. Here are two of my favorites.

All of our holiday photo cards are fully customizable. The card greeting and colors can be adjusted to suit your taste. This ensures your holiday photo card is as unique as you and your family are!

This year we are offering a pre-order holiday card special to all of our customers. If you order your holiday photo cards before October 31st you will receive 10% off and we will pre-ship your envelopes. The discount code to take advantage of this special is preorder10.

Visit our Christmas photo card gallery soon and let me know what you think!

Great childcare reosurce for moms that need a break

2008-08-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

I was chatting with a friend recently who is going back to work part time after having a baby. Her job won't have set hours and entails weekend work so she is having a difficult time finding childcare. A traditional daycare center won't work and most in home day cares require a somewhat set schedule and can't accommodate weekends. She is in a bit of a bind! After we had talked I remembered another chat I had with a different friend about Sittercity, an online database of local babysitters and nannies. They used the service to find sitters for an occasional date night.

I decided to check out the site to see what they had to offer. Basically you can plug in your zip code and read profiles of local sitters. They provide information about their experience, a photo, and their pay requirements. The best part is sittercity has a four part screening process and provides access to background checks. Those two factors are crucial for feeling comfortable with a new sitter. Definitely safer than Craigslist! This service is great if you need to find a sitter for occasional breaks or if you are looking for full time help. Sittercity works very similar to online dating sites. You can browse profiles for free but must join before you can contact anyone. It is like match.com for babysitting! Sittercity Also offers resources for pet-sitters and elder-care.

If you are a busy mom that just needs a break or are looking for a full-time nanny Sittercity may be right for you!

Halloween Costume of the week-Don't forget Fido!

2008-08-22T06:57:00.000-07:00

This week I decided to stray a little from my search for kids Halloween costumes. I have done many holiday photo cards featuring a family pet instead of children, so I thought I would check out what was available for pet costumes. I happened upon Costume Craze and immediately saw the link to Dog Costumes. This site is chock full of fun costumes for your pet. My favorite is the Elvis dog costume, although I am sure their aren't too many dogs that would actually put up with wearing sunglasses.

Costume Craze has a wide selection of costumes if your pooch is your baby. They also have great costumes for the rest of your family, many of which are on sale currently. Make sure to check them out soon!

Creative photo party favors

2008-08-18T15:57:00.001-07:00

Since I am in the business of creating custom photo cards it should come as no surprise that I love finding fun ways to incorporate photos in unexpected places. It never occurred to me, however, to use photos on party favors

I recently happened upon a great party favor site,Beau-Coup, that has done just that. My favorite is their Baby Photo Rice Krispy Treats. They just look so bright and cheery!

This edible party favor is perfect for the mom that just can't get enough of showing their little one off.

Beau-Coup also has a wide variety of non-photo favors. They are currently having a store wide sale until August 22nd, so make sure to stop by soon!

Halloween Costume of the week!

2008-08-15T07:09:00.001-07:00

This week I thought I would go back in time and reminisce about my daughter's first Halloween. I was checking out Moon Costumes and saw that they had the costume Addie wore for her very first Halloween. I loved her little cozy caterpillar bunting. It was so plush and snugly and was just adorable on her. Here she is modeling it for our first family Halloween card.

If you are looking for an adorable baby Halloween costume make sure to check out Moon Costumes. They have a large selection and great prices!

New Halloween T-shirt designs!

2008-08-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

As I was working on my Halloween photo card gallery I was inspired to create some fun new shirts for my cafe press store, Trendy Tots. I created a cute little pumpkin graphic and from that came op with the idea of "my little pumpkin" shirt designs. I added a version for mom, dad, grandma and grandpa. I can also take requests for different names at no additional charge.

Below are a few of the new designs. There will be more to come soon!

Throw a fun Mod Monkey party!

2008-08-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

The two monkey invitations I offer at Addie Kate creations have been so popular I decided to explore this fun theme a little more. I was curious what type of party supplies were available for a monkey theme that were modern and fun instead of cartoon like.

Well Birthday Express came through again with their mod monkey decorations.

I love how simple and modern these monkey decorations are. The blue and yellow color scheme is fresh and fun. It would be fairly easy to put together a great party using the mod monkey tableware as inspiration. A few balloons and bright colored table clothes would pull together the mod monkey theme nicely. They even offer a kit to include all your supplies to get you started. Check out the
Mod Monkey 1st Deluxe Pack for 8 or purchase just what you need individually.

I was so inspired by the fun yellow and blue polka dots that I decided to create a new modern monkey photo invitation for my gallery at Addie Kate Creations.

If you are in the process of planning a birthday party for your little monkey make sure to consider this fun theme and check out Birthday Express
.

This weeks featured Halloween Costume

2008-08-08T20:30:00.000-07:00

They aren't just for Easter anymore! That's right, you can now include Peeps in your Halloween festivities with this Peeps® Costume from Celebrate Express.

This costume just looks so soft, squeezable and fun. I bet any baby or toddler would be delighted to trick or treat dressed as a peep. Once again this costume is currently on sale. Like I said last week all the great costume deals are available in August or September.

If peeps aren't your thing check out celebrate express for more fun Baby Costumes.

Holiday Photo Card Preview!

2008-08-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

It may still be over a hundred degrees where I live but I have already begun working on our holiday photo card gallery. This year my designs have a modern and fun feel to them. My goal is to combine traditional holiday elements with bold shapes and colors to create a design that is current but doesn't lose the Christmas spirit.

Here are a few samples of designs that will be added to our holiday card gallery at the end of the month.

Check out our photo Christmas card gallery to see our current designs and watch for updates regarding holiday card promotions.

Great site for travel products

2008-08-03T08:28:00.000-07:00

We are planning a trip in October that involves a long plane ride with at least one layover. Now that my daughter is an active toddler traveling with her is a whole different ball game than when she was a baby. I have decided to start my research (and shopping!) a little early so that we can plan a smooth trip.

I found this great site My Traveling Buddy that specializes in products designed to make traveling with children easier.

My plan is to purchase the Gogo Kidz Travelmate which allows you to use your car seat as a stroller.

I also plan on purchasing some of the great toys on their site that are designed to keep toddlers occupied at the airport. I really like the Doodle Board and the Melissa & Doug Magnetic Pattern Block Set
.

From past trips I have learned that a few new age appropriate toys can go a long way when trying to make a trip with a toddler easier.

Whether you are traveling with an infant or a toddler My Traveling Buddy is a great resource for all your traveling necessities.

Halloween Costume of the week!

2008-08-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

I know it is just barely August and Halloween is nearly 3 months away but I am already excited about finding a costume for my daughter. I have noticed the last couple of years that popular costumes sell out quickly so I always tend to order early. I haven't decided on what Addie will be this year so I thought I would post about a cute find every week as I try to make up my mind.

This week's featured costume is the lil' disco toddler costume from Costume Craze .

If they had this in pink and I thought there was any way my little girl would keep the wig on, I would be ordering it for Halloween. I think it is such a fun and unique costume for a toddler. Another plus of this costume is that it is on sale currently at Costume Craze for 19.96. One of the benefits of ordering Halloween costumes early is that you can find great deals. Last year I saved 20 dollars on Addie's costume by ordering in August. You can also get 5% off at Costume Craze with coupon code GET5 .

Be sure to check back next Friday to find out what fun costume we've found!

Another great site for unique baby and toddler clothes!

2008-07-29T15:56:00.000-07:00

I happened upon a great little site this week Coco Bonbons. I am in love with they way they combine bright colors and cute patterns with simple styles. I love this lady bug romper that is currently on sale for 18.50. What a steal!

They also have the cutest little dress that I wish I would have found in time for Adeline's butterfly themed birthday party.

For boys I love these octopus overalls
They have a ton of summer items on sale so be sure to check out Coco Bonbons soon!

Hand Picked Pumpkin - Adorable Custom Baby Clothing

2008-07-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

I love anything that can be customized so I was thrilled to find Hand Picked Pumpkin . This great site features baby clothing in soft knit fabric that is easy for babies and toddlers to move around in. All their items are high quality and made in the USA. The best part is that everything is customizable. You select the colors and trim for your outfit. The fabric patterns they have are colorful and modern.

I love that you can create that perfect one of a kind outfit for your little one. Visit Hand Picked Pumpkin to view all their complete line of custom baby clothing!

New Halloween photo card designs!

2008-07-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

I know it is only July but before you know it summer will be over and it will be time to start thinking of Halloween. To prepare I added four new designs to our Halloween photo card collection at AddieKate.com.

The new designs for this year are bright and modern. I aimed to capture the fun spirit of Halloween. Most of the new Halloween card designs feature multiple photos. It is just two hard to pick just one photo sometimes! Especially when your little one is just cute as can be in their Costume. Below are two of our new cards in the Halloween gallery.

Visit Addie Kate Creations to view the entire collection!

Speaking of Halloween make sure to check back in early August for our featured Costume of the week.

Maddie's beach themed first birthday party

2008-07-23T06:32:00.000-07:00

Addie's little friend Maddie turned one last month and her creative mom threw her the cutest beach themed birthday party. She chose bright colors for the palate which turned out so festive and fun.

Her cakes were absolutely adorable. For the main cake she had a flip flop cake that fit the beach theme perfectly. The smash cake was a little beach ball. Both were just fabulous.

For favors she filled up beach pails with various goodies. What a great do it yourself favor idea!

If Maddie's party has you inspired to plan a beach themed party of your own here are a few resources to get you started.

For tableware Celebrate express has a couple of options. I love their Flip-Flop Fun pattern. The polka dots make this theme even more festive. They also offer Beach Ball tableware.

Sophie's Favors has fun Flip Flop Coasters that are great for decor or as a favor. They also offer these flip flop floating candles.

Lastly don't forget to visit Addie Kate Creation's Invitation gallery to find the perfect invitation to compliment your beach theme.

Great site for potty training supplies!

2008-07-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

My daughter started to show interest in potty training about 3 months ago so we have been gradually working with her. She does great at home as long as she is "diaper free". If she is wearing a pull-up there is probably about a 50% success rate. I think our main issue is she uses the pull-up for when she dosen't want to stop what she is doing. I have heard from many parents it is best to go cold turkey right into big girl panties but I am a bit hesitant.

While scouring the internet for tips I found this great site Potty Training Concepts . It is really helpful to have a complete resource for potty training needs. The site allows for customer reviews which I have found very helpful.

My current plan of attack is to order these 2 in 1 Waterproof Potty Training Pants . Hopefully they will help with the pull-up issue but still provide me a little peace of mind about accidents.

If these don't help my next plan will be to order the Potty Train in One Day System. I have heard great things about the potty train in one day method but thought Addie was a bit to young to start with that. If she isn't trained soon though I will be checking it out.

Wish Addie luck with completeing this milestone. Please feel free to share your own potty trainig tips in the comment section!

A few new Big Sister and Big Brother T-shirt designs

2008-07-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

Maybe it is because of all the recent pregnancy news in my circle of friends but for some reason I just can't stop designing big sister and big brother shirts.

I added a few designs that are customized for 2009 and some girly flowered matching big sis and lil sis designs. I also have added an option to customize your child's shirt with their name. Check out all the new additions here.

It's Addie's birthday!!

2008-07-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

Well my baby is officially two today! The old cliche that time goes by too fast is so true! When she wakes up for the day I plan on dressing her up in her birthday girl T-shirt and heading out for some fun activities.

Happy birthday Addie!!!

Adeline's butterfly themed 2nd birthday party

2008-07-20T09:46:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we celebrated Adeline's 2nd birthday with a butterfly themed bash. Addie is just getting over strep throat and was a tad bit cranky but after the festivities got started we had a great time.

For invitations I used a double sided invitation very similar to the garden party invitation on my site.
For decorations I purchased inexpensive paper lanterns and butterfly and dragonfly decorations from a local craft store. I also hung ribbon and some smaller lanterns from the curtain rods.

For food I ordered finger sandwhiches from a local tea room and served potato salad, fruit and spinich salad as sides. I served them on the Mod Butterfly tableware from celebrate express. For desert we had bright colored cupcakes and ice cream. Typically Addie is a big fan of sweets but she wasn't too into it yesterday.

Finally, the favors for the little girls were little butterfly wings and for the boys I had stuffed aligator toys. Here is Addie's friend Maddie modeling her wings.

We had a great time celbrating yesterday with family and friends. We feel very blessed that Addie has such wonderful people in her life.

Personalized Party Favors and Gifts

2008-07-19T21:56:00.000-07:00

I am sucker for all things personalized. Growing up with a name that is a little bit uncommon I could never find anything with my name on it. I am so glad that my daughter is growing up in the age of the Internet and won't have that same problem.

I stumbled upon mybambino and was impressed by their wide selection of personalized items. I really loved their personalized party favor section. They have a variety of favors for every price range and also offer volume discounts. My favorite idea for a first or second party is the personalized sippy cup.
It isn't always easy to find a favor when most of the children at your party will be under three and this fits the bill perfectly.

In addition to favors mybambino offers gifts for children, adults and even pets. They are a great one stop shop for all things personalized!

Modern mommy jewelry

2008-07-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

I thought the day would never come where I would find mommy jewelry that I would actually want to wear. I love the idea of having a piece of jewelry to remind me of my little one all the time, but the style of these types of pieces usually makes me run in the other direction.

Well that has changed now that I have found BlissLiving . They have a huge selection of mommy jewelry that is simple and modern. My favorite is this two toned necklace

They really do have something for everyone in their wide selection. Now I just need to think of an occasion for my husband to purchase one for me. Mother's day is too far away!

BlissLiving also offers great diaper bags, room decor and unique toys. Currently they offer free shipping on orders of 99 dollars or more with code FreeShip. Make sure to visit BlissLiving soon!

Give a unique birthday gift with a personalized story book

2008-07-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have many friends that have yet to enter into the crazy world of parenting and they often ask me for gift ideas when attending children's birthday parties.

I usually recommend a personalized story book. Adeline received one from a friend for her first birthday and it is beautiful. Now that she is older she loves having a book with her name in it.

ABC Personalized Storybooks offers two different options for personalized books. Their "my birthday surprise" book comes in a version for older kids (3-7) or for toddlers 1-3.

They also offer an array of other personalized products such as Cd's, place mats and sippy cups.

Another great company that offers personalized books is Mama Bebe & Co.. The book Addie recieved for her birthday is feautured on this site.

If you are looking for a unique gift make sure to stop by ABC Personalized Storybooks or Mama Bebe & Co..

Great new boutique for hand made baby items

2008-07-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine just recently opened a new online store, little love boutique. She has been sewing for years and I am so happy that she has decided to turn her hobby into a business.

I personally cannot get enough of her bows. They are so adorbale and have held up so much better than the other bows I have purchased elsewhere. I love that you can pick corresponding fabrics for the bows.

I also can't wait to purchase one of her adorable tutus for my little girl.
They are just perfect for dress up, birthdays or photo shoots.

In addition to her tutus, and bows she also offers nursing covers and diaper and wipes cases. Everything is hand made and she offers great modern fabric choices.

Make sure to visit little love boutique soon!

New Invitation designs added to AddieKate.com

2008-07-10T18:33:00.000-07:00

Recently I have done several custom photo card designs for a few new birthday party themes.

I designed a fun cupcake themed invitation that featured four photographs. I love the way my client incorporated the cupcake theme in the photo.

I liked the modern layout so much that I used it as inspiration when another client requested a pirate themed photo invitation. Again I love how the theme is incorporated in the photo.

Lastly I designed a custom bumblebee photo invitation. The idea of having your child holding numbers to spell out their age is just precious!

All of these invitations have been added to my invitation gallery that you can view here.

New Big Sister and Big Brother T-shirt design

2008-07-09T17:10:00.000-07:00

I recently created a custom invitation in a bumblebee theme. The bee graphic I designed for the invite was so fun that I decided to use it in a big brother and big sister t-shirt design for my cafe press shop. Feel free to check it out!

Adorable Butterfly themed favors

2008-07-09T00:15:00.000-07:00

My daughter's second birthday is in less than two weeks and I am putting the final touches on her butterfly themed party. I had not originally planned on giving out favors but now that I have found Designed 2B Sweet I may have to change my mind.

I am in love with these mini-butterfly planters

I am crossing my fingers that I can get them here in time for her party.

Whatever your party theme Designed 2B Sweet has great favors and supplies to match. I wish I had found them sooner!

Another Deal!

2008-07-08T15:16:00.000-07:00

Cafe press just posted that they are offering free shipping on orders of 65 dollars or more with code FREESUMMER. You can redeem it through my shop, trendy tots, through the cafe press main site, or a combination of the two. Happy shopping!

Deal Alert!

2008-07-08T11:20:00.001-07:00

I love a good sale so you can imagine how giddy I was when I saw that one of my favorite boutiques, The Land of Nod, is having a summer sale. I think I will be purchasing the animal noises puzzle as part of Addie's birthday gift.

They have some great bedding on sale as well if you are expecting a new addition.

The Land of Nod Sale is running through 7.16.08.

Don't miss your chance to pick up some great deals on their unique merchandise!

Lily's Minnie Mouse Party

2008-07-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

Adorable little Lily's mommy sent me the cutest photos from her minnie mouse themed first birthday party. Everything was perfectly coordinated and so well done.

Here are some of my favorite ideas from her party.

To commerate Lily's first year she put together this great collage of snapshots of Lily from each month. What a great way to show how much your little one has grown over their first year! It is a great keepsake as well.

Another fun touch was the cooler of beer appropriately labeled "Cheers to Alli and Mike for surviving their first year of parenting"!

I love the notion of celebrateing mom and dad on the first birthday. Making it through the first year is quite the accomplishment!

The final touches that really brought the party together were the cakes. They were both so well done. I especially love Lily's little smash cake.

If you are inspired by these great party ideas start with celebrate express for great Minnie Mouse themed supplies.

Also don't forget to visit Addie Kate Creations for your perfect custom invitation!

Adorable room decor at the frog and the princess baby boutique.

2008-07-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to update my daughter's room for ages but just haven't had the time to get to it. Well I just might be motivated to get back on track now that I have found The Frog and The Princess baby boutique.

This online store is filled with so many adorable products I don't know where to start. Addie's nursery is mostly frogs, butterflies, dragonflies and other little critters. I found these and fell in love

I think I will start with these and later check out some of their adorable bedding when Addie is ready for her big girl bed.

I have a feeling this site may be dangerous!

Adorable cupcake party ideas for your little sweetie!

2008-07-01T15:11:00.000-07:00

Our cupcake invitation at Addiekate.com has been such a big seller that I thought I would check out what was out there to bring this adorable theme to life.

A friend of mine shared some great photos from her daughter's cupcake first birthday party so I'll start with some of the adorable ideas from her bash.

One of my favorite ideas from her party was the decorate your own cupcake bar. What a great activity that you can set up and guests can do at their leisure. Below is a picture of the bar and one of the finished cupcakes.

What is a first birthday party without a smash cake? This is probably the cutest one I have ever seen

Sur la table offers a great cupcake mold if this scrumptios looking cake has you inspiried.

Once you have slected an invitation your next stop can be celebrate express. They have cupcake party supplies galore! Plates, party favors, hats piñatas, you name it and they probably have it. Their cupcake decorations are available in both a boy and girl color scheme. I would recommend looking into some of their kits such as the
Girl's Lil' Cupcake Birthday Basic Pack

Once you throw your perfect cupcake party you will need to thank your guests right? I was so inspired by all the cupcake cuteness that I created this cupcake thank you card available through my café press shop

There are so many great ideas out there for a fun cupcake themed party! Feel free to share any of yours in the comments section below!

Dance baby dance!

2008-07-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

I started my daughter in music classes about a month ago and she has been having a blast! Almost every night after dinner she has been asking to "sing" and "dance". I usually turn on the music channels that our cable provides and try to find something suitable. Well that just usually leads to frustration quickly.

To remedy this and make sure we could continue our evening dance parties I went looking for toddler appropriate CDs. I found some great ones at the land of nod and the best thing is they offer free shipping on all CDs for kids .

I am hoping my daughter finds some new favorites to rock out to on these albums!

I also purchased a great little set of instruments for her. It was supposed to be a birthday present but I just couldn't wait to give them to her. So far her favorite is the triangle.

It is so fun to watch Addie develop her love for music. It seems she learns more words to her favorite songs everyday.

If your toddler has a favorite cd or musical toy feel free to share it in the comments section!

Looking back on Adeline's first birthday luau

2008-07-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

For my first post I thought I would start by reminiscing a little about my daughter’s first birthday party. She is turning two in a few weeks and it feels like we were celebrating her first birthday just yesterday.

Since Adeline is a summer baby we decided a luau party would be perfect. I set the tone with a luau themed invitation. I found a grass skirt for her to wear in the picture and I loved how they turned out. For decorations I used mainly bright orange, yellow pink and green accented with fun luau themed table ware. For table cloths I found straw beach mats and dusted them with fun luau themed glitter. And cute little "luau duckies". I had no problem finding Luau Party Supplies

For refreshments we served food from a local Hawaiian BBQ. We also had the baker that made our wedding cake do her birthday cake.
I had originally planned on making pink lemonade cupcakes but at the last minute I remembered that I am hopeless when it comes to baking and ordered her cake. Since I waited until the last minute I couldn't do a custom luau themed cake but her cake turned out delicious none the less. For Addie’s smash cake I made a non-dairy and egg and gluten free cake due to her milk sensitivity at the time. I took apart a lei to decorate it with. Here is her cake and a picture of her enjoying it!

Celebrating Addie’s first year was such a blast. I can’t wait to celebrate her 2nd birthday in a few weeks with a butterfly themed bash! Stay tuned for details!