Stacey M Design

Summer Fave: Ice Cream!

2009-06-11T23:20:00.003-05:00

“I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!” OK, these lyrics have become a little overused and cliché, but they do accurately reflect how many people feel about ice cream. Many of us still have memories of the frenzy that ensued when we heard the bell of the ice cream truck rolling down the street. And it’s not just kids who are ice cream obsessed. My always amusing husband sometimes gets late night ice cream cravings and just has to jump into the car and go to Oberweis Dairy—his current ice cream crush. And whenever we visit a town that has a Ghirardelli’s, no matter how cold it is outside, no matter how tired we are, we must go there so hubby can get a sundae.

Since ice cream has been on the brain, I thought I would share some cute ice cream themed works of art.

1. Painted With Heart's Ice Cream Bowl Party Favors. I think this makes a special party favor. Kids and parents will love them because they will be able to use them over and over again.

2. One Elf's Ice Cream Sandwich Earrings. The ice cream sandwich is my favorite ice cream treat. One Elf also offers Neapolitan Ice Cream Sandwich earrings!

3. Cheeky Banana's 6 Scoop Ice Cream Applique Dress. What little girl wouldn't love this?

4. Mpatrizio's Ice Cream Journal. There are note cards to match this adorable journal!

5. Crafty Anna's Ice Cream Parlor Crochet Pattern. I love this because they are just so clever and realistic. Crafty Anna also offers a pattern for a banana split!

Interview with Artist Michelle Masters, Creator of Topiary-Themed Art

2009-06-05T20:16:00.021-05:00

It is really interesting to learn where artists find inspiration and how they develop their unique styles. Artist Michelle Masters of Michelle Masters Studio paints the most delightful little masterpieces in the shapes of topiaries. Yes, topiaries! Michelle recently shared a few details about her idyllic life.

What inspired you to start using topiaries as the theme for your artwork?
I have always been an avid gardener. I love garden structure and English cottage gardens. One summer as I was painting to prepare for an upcoming art festival I found myself reading more about gardens and topiaries. One charming book I remember was called “In and Out of the Garden", by Sara Midda. Just for fun, probably to distract me from the painting I “should” have been doing, I started doodling little topiary designs of things that interested me that were not traditional, the first one being the hat design called "Lady Lavender". I still use this design as my company logo.

While it is evident that nature inspires your art, where do you find inspiration for determining the shapes of the topiaries you paint?
I literally find it all around me. The first series of designs that I created were hats as mentioned above. The other two designs in the series were named after my grandmothers to honor them- Shirley's Tulip Chapeau and Virge's Pansy Bonnet. Animals are often featured in my work- we live on a farm and have quite a few of them. I get excited about creating an image that people have not seen before that requires a second look. I want them to be sweet, beautiful and clever. A number of years ago I was asked to do a children's series for a retail chain. The project resulted in the Dancing Elephant, Jumping Rabbit and Juggling Bear Topiaries.

Because topiaries are really just sculptural shapes...anything can be a topiary on paper. The charm of the design comes in the details- the angle of the design, how the pot is embellished and the fun stuff like flowers, bugs, butterflies and ribbons to dress it up.

I describe your style as uncluttered and traditional, with a bit of whimsy. How do you describe your style?
Simple and artful with a contemporary twist of humor and style.

What media do you use to create your original artwork?
Primarily Winsor & Newton artist watercolors and graphite on Fabriano 140lb. watercolor paper.

Describe a typical work day.
An interesting question... first, get my 7-year-old on the bus, then feed the horses at the barn. Since my studio is based in my home I then try to find something to keep my 4-year-old entertained while I do necessary paperwork, research designs, and send out requested catalogs. Before lunch I try to work on orders... with the occasional interruption of various Play-Doh technics and Polly Pocket dramas. Since it is finally summer in upstate New York I may venture out to see the delivery man and get distracted by a few weeds that need to be pulled or seeds that need to be watered.

While my daughter is at afternoon preschool I make all of my calls and try to focus on my creative work as much as possible. I'm in an endless state of wonderful frustration...trying to balance home-life and work. It is very challenging. A very organic process and I try to be flexible and open. I don't want to miss any of life's blessings... at work or home.

What is the most difficult part of your business?
See above!... and the paperwork and administrative aspects, I prefer not to manage people but if I don't have help then the growth of my business will be limited. I wish I could just focus more on the art/design instead of the billing/ordering. I will say though that part of the staying power of my business is that I have been content staying relatively small and not overcommitting myself.

What is the best part of your business?
Besides the creative process and being able to be with my children when they were tiny...it would have to be meeting people and seeing/hearing their reaction to my work. I have recently begun a collection called "Hedges & Hares" featuring these cute pear shaped bunnies with topiary and/or hedges. I tested out the images at the Philadelphia Flower Show in March and I was so touched by people's responses. One woman in my booth said "You must have had a wonderful childhood!". Another customer was a gentleman from the DC area who purchased 4 large prints of the series just because they made him feel happy. I was so appreciative and humbled.

Another aspect that I love is that I’ve been able to provide work to several stay-at-home Moms and retirees in my community. I don’t usually need full-time help, but being able to help other people achieve their goals in even a little way is very rewarding.

Does your love for plants extend beyond painting? Do you garden?
Oh yes! I would rather have a new plant than a new pair of shoes! Its an obsession that I inherited from my mother. I have slowly been installing gardens around our home. I've expanded my vegetable garden into a french potager this year. (A french potager is a kitchen garden that intermingles flowers, herbs and vegetables. Often it is designed using geometric shaped beds that create interesting patterns when planted.) It’s what happens when I'm left alone with gigantic pile of soil and a Bobcat Skid-Steer. It was like painting/sculpting with soil.

I hope to one day create in live topiary all of the farm animals that I would like around my studio. I picture a grouping of 3 sheep grazing in side field. So far we have Henrietta the Hen, Rooco the Rooster and Maurice and Geraldine the Ducks in boxwood topiary.

What is next for Michelle Masters Studio?
I have recently partnered with another woman-owned business to create beautiful handmade soaps for all occasions. My artwork is a great fit for the product and I sold out of them at the Philadelphia Flower Show... a good sign.

Also, we have a major website redesign coming up this summer that I am very excited about that will include a blog featuring articles on gardening, topiary, recipes, entertaining, design and lots more!

Name 3 blogs that you just love.
Velveteen Mind
The Noble Pig
Bumblebee Blog

Check out Michelle's full line at Michelle Masters Studio .

Ayva's Gymnastics Birthday Party

2009-06-03T09:02:00.000-05:00

I love it when clients share their party pics with me. Little Ayva recently celebrated her 4th birthday. And, this was the 3rd time that her mom used Stacey M Design invitations as part of the celebration! Thanks, Tywanda!

This year the theme was gymnastics. I love how she had the image from the invite put on to the cake. Most importantly, little Ayva liked the invitations and identified with the image on the invitation: “Ayva really thought that this was her on the cake and her invitations.” And what does mom think? "I love that she can identify with the pictures on your invites. She thinks the picture on her placemat is her too."

Interview with Artist Noelle Griskey of Pink Bathtub Designs

2009-05-26T18:30:00.018-05:00

As I journey through the art world, I have stumbled across so many very talented artists. Their artwork makes me stop and look and look. It is different, unconventional and beautiful. I decided to feature a few of these artists in my blog.

The first is artist Noelle Griskey of Pink Bathtub Designs. Noelle creates her beautiful stationery using stamp printing from hand made stamps.

First, I must ask, how did you come up with your company name, “Pink Bathtub”?
I actually have a pink bathtub in my vintage 30's bathroom. I come up with a lot of ideas for products and designs while I'm showering, so I thought it would be a cute name.

Please explain the type of printing process you use to make your products.
My products are hand stamped using my own hand carved blocks. I start with an original drawing, then trace the drawing onto tracing paper. The image is then transferred (basically rubbed on) to a rubber carving block and then carved to make the stamp.

I understand your family has been in the printing business for some time, but not stamp printing. How were you led to stamp printing?
On a whim! My husband and I were at an art supply store and he happened to come across a block printing/stamping starter kit. For some reason he thought I should try it out, so I did...and the rest is history!

I describe your style as “simple “ and “uncluttered.” How would you describe your style?
I would use "simple" and "uncluttered" as well, but would add clean and whimsical with a modern touch. I enjoy the use of bold color, pattern, positive/negative space, shape and repetition which I feel has helped define my own unique style.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
It's not hard for me to find inspiration, but it usually comes from nature, my own yard and natural surroundings. I also find a lot of inspiration in everyday, ordinary objects...the little things in life. For example, one of my favorite designs is an image of my Swingline stapler.

Describe a typical work day?
I'm usually at my desk by 9 am and spend the morning catching up on emails, updating my Etsy shops, reading blogs, Twittering and doing administrative chores such as updating QuickBooks, printing out invoices and ordering supplies. Then after lunch I start producing orders (wholesale and Etsy) and hopefully get them out to the post office by 4. When I'm caught up with orders, I use the afternoon to do marketing, update my blog and catalog, create new designs, etc.

What is the most difficult part of your business?
Selling! Sales is definitely not my forté. Luckily, I do have two reps which helps bring in business. Another difficulty of being a one-woman show, is having to wear all the hats! I have to market, do the books, create new designs and make all the products, ship and keep up with my online presence (that's a full-time job in itself!). Many times I feel like I'm spread too thin.

What is the best part of your business?
The best part of this whole crazy gig is the wonderful feedback I receive from happy customers and just the fact that I create something that people actually buy and enjoy. I know that sounds simplistic, but it's what keeps me motivated and excited. I also enjoy the process of coming up with new products and designs. And finally, I love the flexibility! If I want to take the afternoon off, I can:)

What is next for Pink Bathtub Designs?
Just to keep on keepin' on.

Name 3 blogs that you just love.
There are so many that I like to peruse, here's a few of my faves:

http://decor8blog.com/
http://abbytrysagain.typepad.com/
http://swirlygirl.typepad.com/swirly_girl/

Check out Noelle's full line at her Etsy Shop.

The Lemonade Stand- Lessons I Learned from Running a Business with A Kid

2009-05-17T18:09:00.016-05:00

My 9 year old son, Isaiah, had a lemonade stand this weekend. In addition to lemonade, Isaiah sold cookies and his "Snail Talk" greeting cards. Isaiah worked very hard to prepare for this event and it was a great success. We sold out of cookies, sold a lot of lemonade and several cards. Once again, hanging out with Isaiah was also a learning experience for me.

1. The Kid will partake of the Inventory. "Mommy, may I have just one package of chocolate chip cookies?" Five minutes later, "Mommy, may I have just one more package of cookies?" (I must mentioned that my husband casually walked by the table and when he left, another package of cookies was missing.)

2. Follow-up to above. The kid will use subterfuge to partake of the inventory. "Mommy, would you go in the house and get me another jacket." When I questioned him about this, he quickly confessed: "I was trying to get you to go in the house so I could eat another cookie."

3. The kid will eventually become distracted. At various times while I was sitting at the table, Isaiah whizzed by on his scooter, threw a football over the table and bounced a basketball in front of the table. Perhaps I should have kept the garage door closed to keep distractions out of sight.

4. The Kid's customer service will deteriorate. As the day wore on, Isaiah became impatient with filling the cups to the top with the lemonade. When I reminded him to fill up each cup, he responded, "Mommy, this is enough!"

5. The kid will turn the equipment into toys. Cups ended up on the ground in various patterns. "Mommy, we have plenty of cups!" Utensils became drumsticks. Hand sanitizer became body lotion.

6. The kid will be forever grateful about the experience. After the first sale of a 50 cents cup of lemonade, Isaiah smiled and smiled. He did the same after the 2nd cup and the 3rd cup. After the sale of the first greeting card, he looked at me with wide eyes and smiled again. "Somebody bought my card!" At the end of day, Isaiah hugged me and let me know how much fun he had. And he continued to smile.

6 Tips My Son Taught Me for Helping Kids Write Thank You Note Cards

2009-04-26T15:22:00.016-05:00

My son, Isaiah, recently celebrated his 9th birthday. Today he worked on his birthday gift thank you note cards. He was very bossy (yet cute) about the whole process. First of all, he wanted to use note cards he designed. (I need to write an entire new post about that process. :D ) He designed a cute little snail thank you note card. I wrote a script for him to use for each card. He promptly ripped it up and told me "I know what to write." Most of them were well written and cute: "Thank you for the Target Gift Card. Target is the best store ever!" For another one, "Thank you for the race car. I love it! I have about 100 of them at my house."

There were a few in which he was a little bit too honest. "Thank you for the.... I did not really like it." I made him rewrite that one. In another he pointed out the gift's shortcoming: "I really like the horse even though it does not stand up straight." In a third he shamelessly lobbied for a party invitation: "Thank you for the....Make sure you invite me to your party."

Overall the experience was very positive. He even taught me a thing or 2 about how to help kids write thank you note cards.

1. Explain to your child the reason for writing thank you note cards: to let people know that their gifts are appreciated. So, no Isaiah, you will not tell people that you dislike their gifts!

2. Encourage your child to write the thank you notes as soon as possible. Isaiah wrote his note cards a few days after the party when the excitement of the event was still fresh in his mind.

3. Write a special note to each recipient. Lesson from Isaiah to Mommy: "'form' thank you note cards are not the way to go! Therefore, I rejected the 'script' you wrote to use in each note card."

4. Let your child pick out the thank you note cards. Isaiah was much more enthusiastic about using the note cards of his choice—and they were acceptable to Mommy as well!

5. If your child is old enough, let him or her take control of the process. You may be surprised as to how creative and heartfelt the result is. In the words of Isaiah, “I know what I am doing!” This may be a little difficult because you do not want your child to mess up too many cards. So check in on your child every now and then to make sure things are going well.

6. Let your child take breaks during the process. If your child has several thank you note cards to write, allow him or her to write the note cards in sessions- 2-3 at a time. Isaiah’s enthusiasm quickly diminished after the first 3 note cards. So we stopped and he finished later on in the day.

The most important result of Isaiah's taking control over the process was that all of the sudden writing the thank you note cards became a fun activity and not a necessary chore.

Stacey M Design offers a variety of note cards for every occasion and age group, including for baby gifts, fill-in thank you note cards for kids and grown up note cards.

Opening Day! Save 20%...

2009-04-05T15:19:00.012-05:00

Today is Opening Day for baseball. I thought I would celebrate by introducing a new baseball theme invitation, note card, return address label and stationery set. I can customize these products using our JLMC feature.

Historically, baseball has been very accessible to everyone. Until recently in most major league parks tickets were very affordable, in some cases as low as $7. Many of us played some sort of baseball as kids: baseball, softball or even stick ball. As tots our kids now play T-ball.

Even if we did not love the game, many of us go to baseball games for social or professional reasons. We entertain clients at games. As summer interns, companies take us to baseball games. Hanging out at a baseball game with a group of friends is a great summer activity. For some of us it does not really matter if we even pay attention to the game; being there is just fun!

So, as we usher in another opening day, I would love to hear your baseball stories from your childhood, or your baseball experiences with your kids. We took Isaiah to his first major league game in 2004 when he was 4 years old. Isaiah enjoyed the surroundings. He was fascinated by all of the people. However, he demanded that he be allowed to go on the field and play, and just could not understand when we would not let him. (BTW, it was horrible game for Cubs fans and included Mark Prior giving up a grand slam.) Now we pretty much just go to minor league games. Single A Kane County Cougars’ home field is about 15 minutes from our home. The games are inexpensive and very kid-friendly. Each game includes at least 2 renditions of the SpongeBob theme song and permitting kids to run the bases at the end of the game.

I would love to hear about your experiences taking your child to a baseball game, watching your child play in a baseball game, or about you attending a baseball game or playing in a baseball game as a kid. The story can be about baseball, softball, stick ball or T-Ball.

To submit just click on the "comments" button at the bottom of this entry. Entries should be no more than about 150 words. We reserve the right to reject any entry, including those that include inappropriate language. We are just looking for fun, cute or touching family experiences.

Each person who submits a baseball related entry my blog that I post will receive a coupon for 20% off of Stacey M Design products. (Coupon is not valid for wholesale orders and or for custom design fees.) This offer is for the month of April 2009 only. One lucky person will also receive a FREE set of baseball note cards! I will chose this person at random from all posts that I publish during the month of April 2009. To receive the coupon, you must email to let me know you have left a comment and you cannot post anonymously. Thanks!

April- Monthly Goals

2009-04-05T09:04:00.003-05:00

I discovered a great blog called Modish Biz Tips which encourages business owners to publish monthly goals to help stay on track. Well, here are my monthly goals for April.

1. Design baseball-themed kids party invitations.
2. Design 4 graduation-themed invitations.
3. Finish adding products to Etsy shop.
4. Set up Facebook page for biz
5. Add min. of 4 new note card and stationery designs for grown ups
6. Attend at least 1 eWomenNetwork event
7. Schedule eWomenNetwork event to host
8. Complete 100 new home announcement sample packages.
9. Design more basketball-themed products

Here's to a productive April!

A New Project... and it does not involve illustration!

2009-04-03T19:02:00.003-05:00

Off and on over the years I have knitted. I have never gotten much beyond making a long, long scarf using the same 1-2 stitches. When Isaiah was a baby I discovered a yarn store a few blocks from my home in Evanston. The owner offered classes. I decided that I was going to knit Isaiah a sweater. I got about 1/4 of the way through the project and have not touched it since. That was about 9 years ago. I am at again. I have joined a knitting group at the local library. Yesterday I discovered a magainze called Knit Simple and found the cutest little sweater to knit. Supposedly it is a relatively easy. I plan to knit a sweater for a Christmas gift. Wish me luck that I will actually finish it!

eWomenNetwork

2009-04-03T18:27:00.003-05:00

I recently was introduced to a business networking group called eWomenNetwork. The purpose of the group is to meet business contacts who provide "warm" introductions to other individuals and businesses who might want to do business with you. Instead of making cold calls, you get warm introductions, increasing the likelihood that the contact will turn into a productive relationship.

After the first meeting I attended, I ended up with a new client, a photography business called "A Portrait Boutique" based in Plainfield, Illinois. The client wanted a unique set of note cards to use for correspondence to her photography customers. I created an illustration of a photographer holding a camera. I selected a few features from the client to highlight in the illustration: dark, curly hair; eyeglasses; burgundy polo shirt.

I really enjoyed this project.

Basketball Hysteria

2008-07-10T22:39:00.005-05:00

With all of the excitement surrounding the recent NBA finals, I decided to design a series of products featuring basketball kids. The fun thing about this series is that you can select the uniform colors.

Click here to see all of the products with the basketball design, as well as the uniform colors.

Ebony Magazine mentions Stacey M Design

2008-07-10T07:18:00.003-05:00

Stacey M Design was mentioned in the August issue of Ebony magazine. In an article in the parenting section, page 134, called, “Party Like a Rock Climber,” I discuss the children’s party invitations I design, as well as my son’s recent Rock Climbing birthday party. (However, the photo of the boy rock climbing is NOT Isaiah. :-)

Read the article here.

Baseball Fever

2008-07-02T17:43:00.004-05:00

In recent years I have become a baseball fan. I once thought baseball was a painfully slow game. I could never understand how people could watch it on television. I understood even less how people, like my father, could listen to it on the radio. (I still can’t do that!) When I first moved to Chicago, I lived on the north side and worked among “yuppies”—most of whom lived on the north side or in the northern suburbs. In order words, I became a Cubs fan. I grew in the Philadelphia area, so I also maintain an allegiance to the Phillies. And, a couple of years ago when the Tigers got hot and made it to the World Series after being pathetic for so long, I developed a soft spot for the Tigers. So, basically I am a baseball fan.

This year Chicago is crazy with baseball fever. For the past several weeks, both the Cubs and the White Sox are in first place in their divisions. And the cubs were first place in the league for a few weeks. Talk of an all-Chicago World Series is running rampant. Baseball fever!!!

What a great time for a baseball-themed birthday party!

School Uniform Stationery

2008-07-02T17:13:00.004-05:00

I have a wonderful client whose daughter attends a school that requires uniforms. She asked that I design products featuring girls in school uniforms. The uniforms are green jumpers and white blouses. I was very excited about this project because I went to a school, the Shipley School, which required similar green uniforms. We called them the green jumpers “tunics” and we also wore white shirts with them. Memories…..

My client also asked that I customize the girls to look like her daughter and her daughter’s classmates. For months I had been planning on offering clients options of selecting different looks for the kids when ordering certain products. Every now and then customers have asked for different skin tones, different hairstyles, etc. My school uniform client’s request provided the perfect opportunity for me to stop procrastinating and develop custom options.

For my client I made placemats and note cards featuring the School Uniform Girls. My client was very happy with the result--- and so was I! In fact, I was so happy that I decided to offer an array of school uniform options. My sister attended The Agnes Irwin School where they wore blue jumpers with white shirts. So that was the next option I created. I also offer jumpers in beige, blue and white plaid, and blue and green plaid. Currently, School Uniform Girls are available on note cards, placemats, luggage tags and stationery sets.

I will soon add options for uniforms with skirts, pants and uniforms for boys.

The Benefits of Using a Professional Party Planner

2008-07-01T07:10:00.005-05:00

Your child’s birthday is coming up and you need to plan that special party. But you also have to get the kids to soccer and swimming classes, plus meet a big deadline at work. When are you going to find time to plan the perfect birthday party with everything else going on in your life?

This is when a children’s party planner can help bring some peace of mind to your hectic life. A children’s party planner works like a wedding planner, providing everything you need to make your child’s party magical! The party planner can do everything from printing and sending your party invitations, catering the party food and birthday cakes, to providing all the party games and activities so your guests stay busy from the time they walk in the door to the time they leave with their goody bags in hand. This way you can relax and enjoy the party as much as your guests will. And the best part is the party planners clean up everything afterwards so you don’t have to lift a finger. What could be easier?

How do you know if using a party planner is right for your child's next party? Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do you have the budget for a party planner?

The prices vary depending on your area, the services and party packages offered, and so on. Do your homework to find a local planner that fits your budget and makes you feel comfortable and confident in their services.

2. Do you have enough time to plan a party yourself? Or are you too busy to sweat the details?

If you're like most parents, you're getting pulled in a million directions. If your time is limited, a party planner could pull together a magical birthday party much faster and more creatively than most parents have the time or energy to do.

3. Do you want the party at your home or 'off-site'?

Most party planners come to your home for the party. They do everything from setup, to hosting the party, to cleaning up afterwards. Some party planners even provide refreshment areas for the parents as well as the pint-sized guests, for an additional fee. The only limit is your imagination! But if you want to have the party somewhere other than your home, then a party planner may not fit your needs.

4. Can you 'relinquish control' of the party planning?

Some party planners allow parents to have as much (or as little) involvement in the party planning as parents desire. Other planners expect little or no parental involvement - other than attending the party and paying for their services afterwards. Discuss these options with your party planner up front to determine the level of involvement that's right for you. But remember, you're paying the planner to work for you. So sit back, relax, and most of all - enjoy the party!

[Special thanks to children's party planner, Kent Jackson, of Pint-Size Parties in Atlanta for offering these tips on using a professional party planner for children's birthday parties. If you live in the metro Atlanta area and need a party planner, contact Kent! Check out her website for contact information and details about her party packages: www.pintsizedparties.com.

Learning to swim

2008-06-22T17:48:00.005-05:00

Isaiah has been taking swimming lessons for about 3 years and still is a beginner. His biggest problems are his fear of getting into deep water and that very cold water bothers him. Isaiah is very, very skinny. He has very little body fat. He shivers like crazy if he gets in a pool that is not heated. This weekend he had a swimming class on Saturday and on Sunday we went to the pool. Neither day went very well. Both times Isaiah could barely do anything because he was so cold.
At end of our afternoon at the pool on Sunday, we discovered a 2nd, heated pool at our community center. Isaiah was very excited. He ran in the water and had a ball. He still did not want to practice going under the water or kicking his legs. "I just want to play!" However, as we left, he agreed that he would work on learning to swim if when we return to the heated pool. The problem with that is that his swimming lessons are not in a heated pool. So we will see how it goes at his next lesson.

Father's Day

2008-06-19T09:11:00.001-05:00

For Father’s Day I bought Harold and Isaiah a father/son cooking class at A Kids Kitchen. I thought this would be a great gift because Isaiah loves A Kids Kitchen and always enjoys helping me out in the kitchen. The class is perfect for Harold because they will be making Harold’s favorite food: RIBS!!!!

I must say that Harold is indeed a wonderful Dad. He spends a great deal of time with Isaiah, doing everything from driving Isaiah to his various activities, helping him with his math homework, taking him to get a haircut, taking him to the water park, taking him to Panera Bread or California Pizza Kitchen (Isaiah’s favorite restaurants), or taking him a doctor appointments. I often come home and find Harold reading a book to him or snuggled up together watching Sponge Bob or a movie.

Happy Father’s Day Harold and to all Fathers!!

Summer

2008-06-19T08:09:00.002-05:00

The official beginning of summer will be here in a few days. What does that mean? For our family it means lots of time at the pool. It means lots of time grilling. It means picnicking, the beach, enjoying fireworks, catching fireflies. What are you doing this summer?

Graduation

2008-06-19T07:37:00.002-05:00

For most graduation season has come and gone. However, I was going through some old photographs a few days ago and came across this photo from Isaiah’s preschool graduation a few years ago. So I decided to post it.

When recalling that event I remember being so excited that my little boy was reaching this milestone. He was just 4 years old. My mother and sister flew in from Ne Jersey and California for the event. Harold had a Kente graduation stole made for Isaiah to commemorate the event. This was a BIG deal for us. Just last week I was listening to a radio personality mention that he did not understand the point of celebrating preschool graduation or 8th grade graduation. He stated that finishing preschool is not such a big feat. Well I believe in celebrating in one way or another every accomplishment in life, no matter how big or small.

During Isaiah’s graduation, there were tears in all of our eyes. In all our minds we recalled Isaiah’s early entry into this world. He was born almost 2 ½ months early and weighed only 1 pound 14 ounces. He was in the hospital for 57 days. In our minds, as we listened to Isaiah sing the various songs the kids were taught for the event, we recalled that Isaiah had a severe speech delay. He first was taught to communicate via sign language. After intense speech therapy, he finally learned to speak. Isaiah’s speech therapist, Karen, was at the ceremony with tears in her eyes.

This year, several clients requested invitations that could be used for preschool or kindergarten graduation invitations or graduation party invitations. So I created a Kids Graduation design. I also have invitations for older grads—8th grade, high school, college, graduate school, etc.

A great day in Golf History

2008-06-16T15:52:00.003-05:00

For most the notable golf sports story of today is all about Tiger Woods… and a little about Rocco Mediate. For Tiger: Three U.S. Open titles. Fourteen major wins. For Rocco: Number 158 hung in there with Tiger. Both great stories. But for me, the notable golf story of the day is that today was my son, Isaiah’s, first day at Golf Camp. Isaiah has been telling us for a couple of years that he wanted to learn how to play golf. I have no idea how he came to this conclusion. We live near several golf courses, but we have never played golf. The closest we have come to playing golf is playing mini golf a few times. So this year we decided to register Isaiah for 2 weeks of golf camp. The first camp, Golf for Christ Clinic, is through our church, DuPage AME Church. Isaiah was very excited when he returned home from is morning of golfing: he had hit the ball into the hole!

Isaiah’s interests have always been a huge inspiration for me in developing new illustrations for invitations, notecards and other stationery. Being only mildly creative, I initially created designs featuring basketball, baseball and football. Isaiah caused me to think a little bit out of the box. I have since added bowling, wall climbing and golf themed stationery. The golf guy design is available with several different custom options.

Customize your cards!

2008-06-16T15:37:00.002-05:00

I have been working on providing an expanded selection of custom options for many of my products. I have always given clients the option of adding their own wording and selecting fonts. From time to time, clients have requested additional customization such as changes in the skin tone or hairstyle. I usually will make such adjustments as I love making my clients happy!!! These projects have been lots of fun, but have also been quite time-consuming. So I decided to develop a large selection of options including options for skin tone, hair style, clothing and accessories. Different designs will have different options. A few products and designs will not have expanded customization options, but the vast majority will. Check out our new custom options. I will be adding additional options over the next several weeks.

Rock Climbing Party

2008-03-17T12:40:00.003-05:00

This Spring Isaiah will be 8 years old. It is hard to believe that that scrawny little preemie, who weighed 1 pound 14 ounces at birth, is almost 8 years old! I recall visiting him in the Neo-natal intensive care unit every day for the 57 days that he was there. In the hallways were photographs of children who were once patients in the NICU. The children in the photographs looked as if they were about 2-4 years old. I recall saying to my sister that I could not even imagine Isaiah looking like that. At the time Isaiah had a bunch of wires attached to monitors, a feeding tube and was just so tiny.

Fast forward to 2008. He is now this tall, skinny kid who is constantly running around. He is in 2nd grade, is a Cub Scout, loves to use the computer, wants to be an architect and is currently obsessed with Sponge Bob. He also loves to rock climb!

Sometime in 2007, seemingly out of the blue, Isaiah told me that he wanted a rock climbing birthday party. I thought the idea was kinda cool and agreed to it. His birthday was still over 6 months away, so I figured there was a strong possibility that he would change his mind. Every once in a while when the topic of his birthday would come up, we would mention it to me again, “Mommy, I want a rock climbing party.” Two months before his birthday he was still insisting on a rock climbing party. I gave him other options. He was steadfast in his desire to rock climb. I decided that we would have to at least try it once or twice prior to his party to make sure he really likes it and that he can do it. We signed up at Vertical Endeavors to climb during one of their open climbing sessions. Isaiah was beside himself with excitement. Harold, Isaiah and I all put on the climbing gear. One of the instructors gave us an orientation on climbing and instruction. It really is not that difficult to learn how to do it. the difficulty is to have the strength to push your body up with your legs and/or pull your body up. Now for Isaiah, who barely weights 40 pounds, this is not so much an issue. We attached the safety equipment to him and practically scrambled up the wall!! I was shocked that he showed no fear even when he was all the way up—about 20 feet above the ground. Because Isaiah is so light, we had to attach an extra rope to his climbing belt that we would pull to bring him down. Typically, the climber’s weight would help him quickly descend.

When Isaiah was back on the ground after climbing once, we had a huge smile. He was just beaming. He loved it. We spent about an hour climbing. Isaiah climbed about 5 different areas of the wall. I also attempted to climb—with little success. I just was not strong enough to pull my body up. But I have not given up!

I took Isaiah climbing again the next 2 weekends. Since he loves it so much, we plan to purchase a family membership so that we can climb regularly.

So Isaiah is having a rock climbing party. Now that I have secured the location, my next task: design the invitation! For this invitation I am not sure whether to do my traditional style of invitation with one of my characters wall climbing. The other option I am considering is designing the invitation with a photo of Isaiah climbing. I think that a photo of him would be so cute and compelling that I may just go that route. I would still design a more traditional invitation and I would use my traditional design to make the accessories such as the favor labes, thank you note cards, etc.

Stay tuned!! I will post the invitations in a future post-- as soon as I design it!

Cooking Birthday Party

2008-03-17T12:10:00.006-05:00

Last year, for his 7th birthday, Isaiah declared that he wanted his party at A Kid’s Kitchen. We discovered A Kid’s Kitchen in 2006, shortly after it first opened. This wonderful little kid’s culinary institute offers numerous cooking classes for children. Isaiah has attended classes on making ice cream sandwiches featuring fresh baked brownies, pizzas, donuts and several other scrumptious, kid-friendly fare. Harold and I even took a “grown-up” class which doubled as dinner for 2. We made barbecue spare-ribs and salad and brought in a nice bottle of wine!

A couple of months before Isaiah’s party we took him to a class at A Kid’s Kitchen. It has been several months since he had taken a class, but he quickly remembered how much he enjoyed it. A week or so later I gave him several options for his birthday party: another bowling party, ice-skating, baseball game or a party at A Kid’s Kitchen. Without hesitation he selected A Kid’s Kitchen.

After contacting Chef Michelle, owner of A Kid’s Kitchen, the next thing I had to do was design a party invitation and accessories. A few days late my “Chef Guy” invitation design was born!

This party involved very little work. A Kid’s Kitchen’s license provided that no outside food could be brought in. All we provided was the goody bags.

The activity was making pizza. The kids did everything from rolling the dough, to adding the sauce and picking toppings. Some of the adults got involved as well and made personal pizzas. The great thing about his type of party is that kids love to put their hands into gooey, messy things. Add to pizza to that concept and you have a winning recipe for a birthday party. There is also an educational component. Chef Michelle instructs the children on kitchen hygiene. There are hand-washing stations that the kids had to use multiple times throughout the party. Chef Michelle also gave a mini-lesson on measuring ingredients.

After the kids (and a few adults) designed their own pizzas, Chef Michelle popped them in the oven. While they were baking, the kids decorated cupcakes to eat in place of a traditional birthday cake. (We had a traditional birthday cake at home.). We opened gifts and everyone went home with very happy tummies!

I designed the invitation to feature a boy. Soon after I posted it one of my clients requested a girl version. The Chef Girl invitation was born!

Bowling Party

2008-03-17T11:00:00.005-05:00

Many of my design ideas are based on my son, Isaiah’s, parties. Two years ago for his 6th birthday party, he wanted a bowling party. A few months prior to his birthday, Isaiah, Harold and I went bowling. Prior to that I had bowled about 2-3 times in the past 20 years. However, when I was in elementary school I was on the bowling team and was pretty gold. I even won a trophy! My assumption was that if I was able to bowl pretty well when I was 8, against other kids who were 8, then 30 years later I should still be able to bowl pretty well—especially against my 6 year old.

The first indication that my logic was faulty was when I tried to pick up a bowling ball. It was sooo heavy. After bowling a couple of frames my wrist ached. I was able to barely win the first game. However, both Isaiah and Harold handily beat me the second the game.

On the way home Isaiah could not stop talking about how much fun he had. They just happened to be a bowling match on TV. Isaiah sat and watched it…. mesmerized. It naturally followed that we would have a bowling birthday party. Soon after he made it clear to me that he wanted to have a bowling birthday party.

We had the party at Brunswick Lanes in Naperville, IL. Of course I had to come up with a cute birthday party invitation. Although my son’s party was the inspiration for the invitation, I wanted the invitation to be unisex. The invitation features both a boy and girl bowling. I also designed matching fill-in thank you note cards and favor labels. We used white paper bags that we purchased at an office supply store. We filled them with candy, small toys and a book. We folded the top of the bag over and sealed them with the bowling-themed label that read, “Thank you for coming to Isaiah’s 6th Birthday Party.” One additional special touch was that I designed a coordinating, bowling-themed t-shirt for Isaiah to wear to the party. He looked so CUTE!!!

Besides my designing the invitations, we had to do very little to prepare for the party. Brunswick provided the food and beverages. We brought in ice cream and toppings from Harold’s favorite ice cream store and a bought a cute little bowling themed cake from my favorite bakery. In addition to about 10 of Isaiah’s friends, the usual family and family friends came to the party: my mother, my sister and Karen (Isaiah’s speech therapist).

Let's PARTY!!!!!!

2008-01-18T16:15:00.001-06:00

I have several new party invitations--- not only children's birthday party invitations, but "grown up" party invitations! The line now includes:

*adult birthday party invitations
*wedding-related party invitations (bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, etc.)
*baby shower invitations
*graduation party invitations
*Christmas party invitations

I plan to add more invitations throughout the year. So visit often. :)