Calligraphy Etc. Blog

Luck O' the Irish

With St. Patrick's Day right around the corner, we thought it might be fun to give you an idea or two (and FREE printable) to get in the Spirit O' the Irish! How about this straw idea for your St.Patty's shindig?  Kids and adults alike will enjoy being Irish for a day at your party!

Want to re-create our look?  You're in LUCK!  Simply download our template for the Red Mustaches, print on white cardstock, and glue them to any decorative straw (like these stripey ones).

Download Red Mustaches 

We also love this free printable St.Patrick's Day card featured on Make It Do.  What a fun and lovely tradition of giving a "lucky" $2 bill on this "green" holiday!

Want to go all out with authentic food too?  This recipe from Martha Stewart for Corned Beef and Vegetables looks pretty delicious! 

 For dessert, will anything less than "magically delicious" do?  Of course not!  That's why we think these Lucky Charms Cupcakes from Betty Crocker are a fun and whimsical choice!

Want more ideas?  Check out our St.Patty's Day Fun board on Pinterest!

Happy St. Patrick's Day, friends!

May good luck be your friend
In whatever you do
And may trouble be always
A stranger to you.

 

Resolution to Write.

Still reeling from the hustle and bustle of the holidays?  Well, they're offically over, which means...

a) it's time to join a gym.

b) you don't have to see crazy Uncle Sal again for a whole year.

c) you've got a few thank you notes to write.  You know, for the mountain of gifts you received.

{In this case, the answer is probably C, but that doesn't mean that A or B aren't appropriate as well.}

 

A New Year is a great time to get into new habits, especially when that involves thanking our friends and loved ones for all they do (and give us).

Below are a few helpful tips for kickstarting 2012 in the handwritten note department (and hopefully, you were nice enough this holiday to receive one or two yourself)!

When?  When?

If you're wondering if you should send a thank you note, chances are that you probably should.  Gifts for occasions (birthdays, Christmas, engagement, wedding, birth of a child) are a given.  Certainly, if someone has given you a gift, they deserve a handwritten note of thanks.  What about other times?  It's a pretty good rule of thumb that if someone has gone out of their way to do something nice for you, they also deserve a "thank you" too.

Being prepared is half the battle.

There are a few truths at play here: 

1.  Life is hectic. 

2.  You WILL need to say "thank you" at some point. 

3.  If you're prepared BEFORE the occasion arises when you need to express your gratitude, it's simply more likely that you will actually do it!  Having stationery or folded notes on hand is a MUST if your goal in the New Year is to be more diligent about your "thank you"s. 

So stock up!  Go to your favorite stationery store (hint hint) and pick out something that looks like... you.  It is after all, your way of saying thanks - it should reflect your personality!  Don't worry, it's not as complicated as you might think.  It really is just as easy as going to the store to pick out a shirt.  You have a favorite color?  Great.  Formal or informal?  Perfect.  For everyday use or a special occasion?  Got it.  Like a good department store associate, any great stationer can help you narrow down your options and find the perfect fit for you.  In most cases, they can personalize it for you too!  See?  Easy.

Be prompt.  Everyone likes instant gratification! 

The longer you wait to express your graditude, the more deflated the recipient will feel about their efforts.  You have no idea how much time and effort went into that super nice thing they did for you/gave you!  Wouldn't you want to be acknowledged before even you forget that you did something nice?  According to Emily Post, you normally have about 7 days (and if you're getting married, up to 3 months) to send a thank you note and still be smiled upon by the etiquette gods... but late is better than never! 

Say it like you mean it.
No one wants a half-hearted "Thanks for that thing".  Clearly you don't even remember what it was.  Try digging a little deeper so you can thank them with words that truly express your feeling of gratitude.  Try to be specific, yet genuine.  Instead of "Thanks for the blender", instead say something like, "I can't thank you enough for the new blender.  It's made my morning smoothies so much better, I actually look forward to getting up in the morning!"  You do want your words to be heartfelt and genuine - always - so if you're not a morning person, leave out that last part.  Just remember a generic "thank you" can be a slap in the face if someone has spent time and effort to get you a gift or perform a real gesture of kindess.  There's nothing more appreciated than a sincere note.

 

Seems simple enough, right?  Good.  Now get out there and get writing!  {And if you need us to help you prepare, we've got stationery options for every kind of personality!}

Ghoul's Night In Spooktacular

This Halloween, how about throwing a Ghoul's Night IN?

We love the details from this party - especially the invitation and the "shocktail" station!

Here are the details pictured above: 

This invitation, housed in a manilla envelope, is a fun play on a medical examiner's record.  With a skull image printed on vellum and attached to the "Medical Report" with a paper clip, this invitation is definitely one that guests will remember!

For the table, each place setting is framed with a black paper shoe (originally in PaperCrafts magazine in October 2005, updated template downloaded from Ellen Hutson). The shoe is garnished with a striped stocking filled with candy and a personalized tag.  Such an easy (and fun) place setting idea (that doubles as a party favor too)!

A Cocktail Cart is a great way to get any party in gear - it gets people involved!  Guests are given the opportunity to mix their own "shocktail" - in this case, with Black Vodka (Blavod), while they mix and mingle.  The featured drinks for this evening were a Black Widow, Bad Moon Rising, and Olive You to Death (you can see the ingredients on the drink cart board).

Appetizers included Mini Caramel Apples, Horsey Shrimp Cups, "Choke" Dip with Salty Bones and Spicy Meatballs.

For dinner, guests were served "Heart" (of Palm) Salad, Pumpkin Gut Soup, Grill (Chicken) Legs, Scream Beans, Stuffed Shells  and "Coffin" Cake with "Eye Scream"

As a party favor, guests even took home "Spiderwebs on a Stick" (white cotton candy wrapped around a rock candy stick and garnished with a tag and spider ring).

All in all, a SPOOKtacular evening we think!

Mailing Tip of the Day

When I was young, I was always so impressed with how organized my grandmother was about sending birthday cards to all of the family and friends.  In January, she would go to the store with her list and buy about 80 birthday cards, specifically chosen for each person that she planned to send a card to that year.  I remember being amazed by her enormous stash of greeting cards in those early months of the year, and that's definitely a habit that has stuck with me over the years (because you're more likely to send a card if you already have one handy, right?).  After careful card selection,she would then go through her birthday calendar and organize them by the month they needed to be sent.  Then, in her free time over the next few weeks, she would methodically go through the cards and address them, even months in advance... 

I think the most clever part of her whole process was that she knew exactly when she needed to mail the card in order for the recipient to have it waiting in their mailbox on the right day, and she would write that date in the upper righthand corner of the envelope.  I remember asking her about it once. 

Glancing at the organized stack of cards for the month, I said, "Why does this card have May 25th written on it?"  My grandmother said, "That's when I need to mail the card so he will get it in time."  Of course I, the perfectionist, responded "But won't it look messy with that written on the envelope?"  to which she replied very proudly with a smile, "Not once I cover it up with a stamp."

So simple.  Yet so genius.  The perfect little "soon-to-be-hidden" reminder of when to mail the card so that it arrives on time, and with no more effort than addressing the envelope.  Do you have any tips for card-sending that make it easier on you?  We'd love to hear them!

Until then, happy mailing!

Summer Brunch

Summer is the perfect time to host a brunch- especially on the patio or poolside... and we've got a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

When it comes to a party, there are a few little tips that will make a BIG impact.  Here are a few of our favorite ideas:

 - add decorative straws to your tablescape (like the ones shown below - they each have a specific "flag" that makes them fun and festive - the pink straws say "Yes, please" and the purple and green straws say "Hello, Mary")

- identify what your guests are eating and drinking (here we used mini chalkboards, but you could use decorative food picks or tent cards or something even more creative)

- try to come up with one "wow" factor for your party - whether it's a killer recipe, a unique floral arrangement, fun party favor, live entertainment or a serving experience (like the bloody mary bar below)- people like to experience new things, and as a hostess, giving them something to talk about is worth it's weight in planning!

We love these brunch bar ideas - after all, brunch is just a great excuse to have a cocktail before noon, right?  If your crowd is a bit more reserved, the "Choose Your Own Adventure Mimosa Bar" might be the way to go.  Guests can decide for themselves how much (if any) champagne they want to add to their orange juice.  If your guests aren't shy about the booze, then let them mix and mingle with a build-your-own Bloody Mary Bar!

Want to snag the idea for your next party?  Of course you'll need the basics - bloody mary mix (we used Mr. & Mrs. T's- regular, not spicy), ice, margarita salt, and vodka (since we're in Texas, we like Tito's).

For the "toppings", here are our suggestions:  olives, pickle spears, pickled asparagus, hot peppers, shrimp, carrots, celery, Tony's Creole Seasoning, Worchestershire sauce, Tobasco sauce, limes, and candied bacon.  Oh yeah.  You read that correctly.  Candied bacon... yum!

Are you short on space for all of your 'Mary Bar fixin's?   You could always make a drink cart like ours!  This old baby changing table was bought at a thrift store for just $15.  With a little paint, rolling casters, fabric to line the shelves and a plexiglass cover for the top shelf... it's a new piece of furniture with a much more fun purpose!

Alright, drinks are covered, now on to the food... 

Brunch is great because it's the best of breakfast and lunch- you can't go wrong!  We tried to cover all of the bases- from fruit to bread, sweet and savory. 

BRUNCH MENU

Yogurt and granola bar (featuring Greek Gods Vanilla yogurt and an assortment of berries, pineapple and granola for guests to create to their liking)

Sausage Cheeseballs (probably the only Paula Deen recipe that doesn't call for any butter!)

Rosemary and Strawberry Scones (gotta love this easy recipe from Giada DeLaurentiis)

Baked Tomatoes stuffed with spinach, feta and egg (no official recipe here- just hollow out beefsteak tomatoes and layer with a sprinkle of feta, a few spinach leaves, and pour scrambled egg mixture to the top and bake until cooked through)

Fruit Skewers

 

See now, doesn't having brunch sound fun?  Get to brunchin'!

 

 

Magic Jelly Beans

Plant a bean and watch it grow, into something… magical!

I saw this on See Jane Blog and I fell in love with the idea!  She says it “only works” the night before Easter, but it’s just a fun idea that could also “only work” before a birthday, etc.  What a  SWEEEET idea!

1.  Buy some “magic” Jelly beans

2.  Plant them in your yard (only on the night that they “work”)

3.  The next morning, go see what grew!

Zesty Zinnia Gift!

Sometimes being on a budget can inspire the most resourceful and creative ideas.  One of my favorites was this flower arrangement I made for my friend Linda’s birthday.

Since I just seeded a batch of zinnias in my flowerbed, I thought it might be the perfect time to share this easy breezy floral project…  The container is actually an inexpensive cheese shaker that I bought on the grocery store’s “necessity” aisle for just $1.99.  I wrapped a small strip of cardstock around the base and then added the pink checked ribbon on top.  For the “tag”, I traced the shaker lid on cardstock and cut it out to fit just inside.  Then I inked/stamped it with birthday wishes. I also threaded a tiny piece of bead chain {about 1 inch long} through one of the shaker holes and hung it around the stem of one of the zinnias so it would hang just below the flowers… After I had it positioned, I just popped the cardstock greeting into the lid!  A few zinnias from the garden and viola! A perfectly adorable gift for less than $5.00!

{As an added bonus, the recipient can also enjoy the shaker once the flowers are past their prime!}