With An Oink And A Moo And A Cock-A-Doodle-Doo! Farm Birthday!

Well Howdy and Hello there!!!  Git yerself rounded up, and sit on down. We're down on the farm today, making plans for Abel's 1st Birthday Party!! Do you have a little one with a birthday coming up? Does he or she just love farm animals, or live on a farm? This is the cutest theme for a party, and of course the invitation that starts the party plan rolling!! It was a lot of fun setting up and planning this sample party for you! It makes me wish my kiddos were little again, just so I could do this theme for them!!!

 You may have noticed some trends in decorating these days...Mason Jars are new again....and they are not just for putting your jam in!! They are cute, and AFFORDABLE to decorate with!! They are also just perfect for containing party supplies like straws and pitchforks (errr.....utensils!!) Bandanas, small bales of hay (I found mine at our local craft store), burlap and wood were some other materials I made use of to set the tone of this party! Cardmint is your first stop of course to get your party started! Check out the Etsy shop to order your invitations and thank-you cards today!

 I just love the bright colourful invite with the farm scene, and red and white chevron, and of course the cute little twine tie at the top! Don't forget to use your invite as part of your decor on party day!!

 How adorable are these little chocolates? I was shopping a short while ago in Stratford, Ontario at the very famous Rheo Thompson Chocolate store, and when I saw these, I just KNEW they had to be part of this celebration! They come in packs of four, and make great party treats, or loot bag material for the guests to take home! You just never know when you will run into the perfect little thing, so keep your eyes peeled wherever you go! :)

 Of course, no party is complete without the FOOD!!! We had little Hay Bales (Rice Krispie squares), Chicken Feed (Bits and Bites), Straw (Hickory Sticks) and mini cupcakes for the kiddies to enjoy, and of course some good ole' fashioned milk to wash it down with (fresh from the farm!)

I made this cute little banner with two pieces of scrapbook paper, a ruler, scissors, a hole punch and twine. In just a few minutes I had created a little banner to string up! Of course, Cardmint has many beautiful banners for special occasions you should check out too!!

 For Loot Bags, I put the little farm chocolates inside these adorable burlap bags, and tied them off with a ribbon and a tiny pinwheel! They are just perfect for all of the guests to keep as a little memory of such a fun day!

 Don't delay! Just click your way over to Etsy, and order these invites for just $16.00 for a set of 12 printed invitations with white envelopes. All invitations are printed on a professional printer on high quality cardstock. You will receive a proof for your approval before printing. White envelopes are included. If you want colour, there is an upgrade fee of $9.00 added to your order. They will arrive 5-7 business days after purchase. You can also purchase the Thank-you cards for $1.30 each as well! If you prefer to buy the printable file for $15.00 and print it yourself, you have the option to do that as well! It includes all personalization and a proof will be sent to you within 24 hours of purchase.

 Thanks so much for popping by today! Don't forget to check us out on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for more party planning ideas!!

A Beautiful Baptism!

        Hello there! To all of the Canadian readers, I hope you had a fabulous long weekend! To all other readers, I hope your "regular" sized weekend was also spectacular! The weather around here was certainly amazing! There were people out enjoying their gardens everywhere I looked! It's lilac time here, and the trees are just phenomenal! I hope today's post will help intoxicate your senses the way mine have been every time I step outside right now! The fabulous smell, and gorgeous colour just seems to be everywhere in our neighbourhood these days!!

       Today's featured card is for a baptism! A child's dedication or baptism is a very significant event in their life, and the lives of all who love them! Friends and family gather to witness this event, and stand behind the parents who are choosing to raise their child in the way they desire. It's only natural that Mom and Dad will want to host a little celebration afterwards to remember this special occasion!
   
      After deciding who will be invited, and choosing the location, the planning is on a roll! Cardmint is here to help you start this day off with gorgeous invitations to send to your loved ones, and to start the planning for the rest of this special day!

      Give yourself a month ( if possible) before the occasion to decide on all of the details. With the assistance of a few helpers, your stress will be minimal on the day of the event! Decide whether your event will be indoors, or out, and book a venue if necessary! Our event here today is a "porch party"! An outdoor event, under a covered porch, with room for guests to move about the yard to enjoy themselves! Choose your time of day, and it will help you decide what type of foods to serve! If you are having a full meal, choose the menu, and if it's just a coffee/tea dessert bar, choose your desserts! Pick your colours, find some decorative pieces that you love, and before you know it, you will have a gorgeous atmosphere for this special day!

With lilacs abounding, it was an easy choice to use them as our fresh flowers for the occasion! White table cloths, and a burlap table runner added that touch of classy rustic-ness for the tables! I picked up some votive holders with crosses to commemorate the occasion! Don't forget that the invitation itself makes a great decoration in a frame too!

 Custom cookies https://www.facebook.com/SweettreatsbyLaurieButterworth to match the theme are a great way to add some edible decor too! Ours were made from a local cookie designer Laurie's Cookies. She does fabulous (and tasty) work!!! :)

You can order these invitations for $16.00 for a set of 12 printed invitations with white envelopes. All invitations are printed on a professional printer on high quality cardstock. A proof is always sent for approval before printing. If you would like to choose a coloured envelope, there is an upgrade fee of $9.00 added onto your order!  Your order should arrive 5-7 business days after purchase. Check out the Etsy shop to see what other additional items you may be interested in! There are banners and thank-you tags available for many occasions!

 You can also choose to purchase the printable file for this item if you prefer to do your own printing! for $15.00, you can print what you need, and it includes all personalization and a proof within 24 hours of purchase.

 For this particular event, as part of the decor, we printed a scripture verse that is very appropriate for this baptism party.....a reminder of why you may choose to dedicate your child's life to God. ;)

 Little "thank-you" gifts of treats in a tiny box, or candles wrapped in tulle are a great way to thank your guests for attending this momentous event!

We used a lovely, large lantern to hold any cards the child will receive. You can also use some branches on a nearby tree, or in a vase to have guests hang their written blessing or word to the child that they can look back on in years to come!

Thanks for stopping in! Don't forget to check us out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and of course the Etsy Shop for all of your invitation needs!!! :)

Our Little Man Is Turning One!!

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there! I hope you enjoyed your special day, and felt all the love that your family has for you today! It was a great day around here!! Cute cards from the kids, delicious meals prepared for me without lifting a finger, time spent with those I love. What more could I ask for? There is nothing like Mother's Day to make us think of those special little ones in our lives. Today's card features an invitation for Kingston's 1st Birthday! Do you have a little man who is going to be celebrating soon? This adorable invitation (complete with bowtie) conjures up all sorts of adorable party ideas! The blue and red plaid is bold and fun, and really started the ball rolling as I was looking for "Little Man" things to decorate with! Airplanes, baseball, globes, metal keys, chess pieces and a fun sock monkey are all combined to make a fun red and blue invitation theme come to life!!

 The ideas are endless really when you start planning this particular theme! I used what I had on hand that worked with the colour theme, and played off of the "Little Man" idea too! I did however think going with an all bow-tie theme would be a lot of fun too! A bow-tie banner, or combination bow-tie/necktie would be very charming! A cake that looks like a dress shirt with buttons and a bow-tie and suspenders would be super adorable too! Of course, the festivities would not be complete without a bow-tie pasta salad and little sandwiches cut out with bow-tie cookie cutters for the guests to eat!!

 Using the invitation itself as part of the decor at your party is a great way to get the ball rolling. Order your invitations today!! For $16.00 for a set of 12 printed invitations with white envelopes, or $15.00 to purchase the printable file, you can get your party started right now!!! All invitations are printed on a professional printer on high quality cardstock. A proof is always sent to you prior to printing. You will receive your proof within 24-48 hours of ordering, and your printed invites should arrive within 5-7 business days after purchase. If you would like to add coloured envelopes to your order, you can do so for an upgrade fee of $9.00.

 It only took a quick tour through my little guy's bedrooms to round up some fun props to decorate. Wooden airplanes, old fashioned keys, decorative chess pieces, and a favourite sock monkey all brightened up the table in no time! Blue and white paper straws, and little red and blue pinwheels were purchased at our local party store for fun party accessories!

 Keep your eye out for unique little containers like this Vintage Cracker Jack container (found at the Goodwill) to hold your chips or popcorn just to add a little touch of nostalgia to the day :)

 Thanks for stopping by today! We hope you love Cardmint's "Little Man" invite as much as we do!! Don't forget to check it out on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and of course the ever popular Etsy shop!!!! Come back again soon to see what invitation inspires us next!! :)

Anchor's Away-Nautical Baby Shower

Anchor's Away!! Another week of wonderful weather, has caused another fresh nautical themed post!! The sun has been shining, the temperatures warm and balmy, and thoughts of summer continue to be present  here once more! So, sail on in, and get ready to be inspired for yet another twist on a baby shower that is sure to impress! Yellow, Navy and White just make this week's invitation, and décor ideas POP with excitement!!

 Taking some inspiration from last week's theme, I kept the navy and white table cloth, and the super cute pinwheels, seashells,  and sand, but brightened things up with some splashy lemons! What's more refreshing than a slice of lemon in your ice water on a hot summer's day! Am I right?

 Cardmint offers so many options.... so that you can choose just the perfect invitation for any occasion! Of course, the price just can't be beat either! $16.00 for a set of 12 printed invitations with white envelopes is such a great price point to start planning your event! All invitations are printed on a professional printer on high quality cardstock. A proof is always sent for approval before printing. If you prefer a coloured envelope, there will be a $9.00 upgrade fee added onto your order! You should receive your order within 5-7 days after your purchase. If you would rather do the printing yourself, you can purchase the printable file for $15.00 which includes all personalization and a proof within 24 hours.

Seashells and beach grass, globes, burlap, and beach sand in candle holders help to set the tone for your nautical themed day, and lemons in bowls or vases just add that pop of colour to brighten it up. Lemons are like sunshine to me....they just make me HAPPY!!!



 Here's another great idea to do something different for the mom-to-be's special day....You can send a request card asking that guests bring a book instead of a card to help jump start the little one's story collection ($0.50 each with the purchase of invitations!) Also, check out the custom Diaper Raffle sign!($8.00)  Guests can exchange diapers for raffle tickets.....the new baby gets some much needed diapers, and your guests get the opportunity to win a prize!! :)

 Don't forget, you can use the invitation itself as part of your décor on the special day! Select a frame, and use it as your centerpiece!

 Here is the invite up close and personal! When placing your order, send Cardmint all of the details of the day, and consider the envelope colour you would like! Check out last week's post for lots of great food ideas to support your nautical theme, or if your are using lemons in your decorations like I did, how much fun would it be to go all the way? Lemon sorbet, tarts, loaf or cake.....just sprinkle a little sunshine into all of your treats for a very refreshing menu!! :) Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and of course, on Etsy!!