You're Engaged! Let the Fun Begin!

Good afternoon from bone-chilling NYC! I went to the gym this morning and went straight home. It was too cold to walk. We're watching the first game of the NFL playoffs. As predicted, the Ravens are winning,

January is the big month for bridal magazines. When I was planning my wedding, I bought every issue of the major magazines for wedding gown ideas and other tips. Over the next few weeks, I will be posting ideas for weddings and showers, as well as for Valentine's Day, on my Pinterest board.

The organized couple will set a game plan and create a checklist. There are several free online tools to assist couples with timelines and budgets. This 12-month timeline from Marry This is clean, simple, and modern.

There are even printable schedules for the day of the nuptials. I like this chart that appeared on Wedding Wire.

Weddings are expensive, but there are many ways to save costs. Plan a budget and stick to it! Although I did not have one, many couples hire wedding coordinators to help with the planning. The best way to find one is to get referrals from family and friends.

One of the most-requested items in the shop has been my custom wedding crossword puzzles. For $50, I will create a printable puzzle based on questions you answer on my clue sheet. The couple gets to choose the color, font, and wording for the puzzle. Here is an example of a "save the date" reminder puzzle. This puzzle can be customized as a table favor or goody-bag item for out-of-town guests.

Another "save the date" reminder I've created is a word search called "Love in Other Languages." This game features the word "Love" in several languages. The invited guests will search for them in a heart-shaped grid. The game can also be customizable for weddings, bridal showers, and Valentine's Day.

See these and more games in the "Wedding/Bridal" section of the shop.

Arrrrgh! Our cable service just went down in the middle of the game. Thanks for nothing, Time-Warner! Also, the Pats just tied. Boo!

Now on to the usual lists:

Party Idea of the Day: I didn't realize that each team had a favorite beer. You can offer a selection of beers representing the opposing teams. See Real Simple for a list. Many of beers on the list make sense!

Super Bowl Fun Fact of the Day: How many chicken wings will Americans consume on Super Sunday? Would you believe 1.25 billion wings??? Someone's going to have to clean up all those bones!

Today's birthdays: Cash Warren (36), Brent Smith (37), Butch Hartman (50), Pat Benatar (62), George Foreman (66), Donald Fagen (67), Rod Stewart (70), Frank Sinatra, Jr. (71), and Willie McCovey (77).

Holidaze: Chocolate lovers unite! It's National Bittersweet Chocolate Day! I'm not a big fan of bittersweet chocolate, but everyone has their own tastes. It's also National Cut Your Energy Costs Day. This day gives you a the chance to make a conscious effort to conserve energy (turning down thermostats, using energy-efficient windows, taking shorter showers, etc.) Finally, it's National Save the Eagle Day. Self-Explanatory.

Finally, I want to give a shout-out to my Etsy customer Diane, who is celebrating her baby shower today. I created a newspaper-style crossword puzzle for the big event. The hidden message reveals the names of the twins she's expecting.

That's all for now. I hear it's supposed to "thaw" tomorrow. We'll see.

Have a PRINTASTIC day!

Kathy