Location, Location, Location!

Hi there! It has thawed out a bit in NYC and I enjoyed a nice day outside. More on that later. The road to Super Bowl XLIX heats up with all four games complete. Next week's line up will be:

Colts vs. Patriots

Packers vs. Seahawks

I've started posting wedding ideas on Pinterest, which will include everything from dresses to locations to favors. Once the wedding timetable has been set, the most important thing is to figure out the type of wedding your would like to have and the venue where you want it to take place. There are many things to consider. Do you want a big wedding or an intimate gathering with family and a few close friends? Your wedding should be compatible with your style, whether it be classic, modern, vintage, funky, offbeat, or romantic. There are so many choices of venues from botanical gardens to the beach to exotic destinations. My wedding was the typical "temple package," but if I had a larger budget, I would have liked to been married at either a historical landmark or a museum. For inspiration, check out bridal magazines and websites, but there may be unusual places, too. Do you have an absolute favorite color, movie, era in history, or style of music? You may like typography and monograms--I'm a sucker for them! Check out home decor magazines for pattern trends, too. The possibilities are endless! This picture of some offbeat weddings made me laugh (well, except for the gun). I love the couple getting married under the Golden Arches (source: onewed.com).

When choosing a location, you also have to consider the number of people and your budget. One of the biggest headaches is drafting a guest list, but it must be done. You will probably be limited to the number of people you can invite, and nobody wants to be left out. This is where your gift for tact and charm comes in!

Now it's time to unveil another party game from our shop. This is a simple matching game featuring famous celebrity couples, which would be great for a movie-themed wedding. For this design, a white gel pen or white pencil is recommended.

This is another design variation on a star-studded background. Once again, you have the flexibility to customize it for bridal showers, engagement parties, weddings, and Valentine's Day (which I will also begin discussing this week).

Listmania (new lists coming soon):

Party Idea of the Day: At the Super Bowl party, it's very important to get the kids involved and keep them occupied. I like these treat favors by Live Laugh Rowe.


Super Bowl Fun Fact of the Day: The cost of a commercial for Super Bowl XLVIII was $4 million. For Super Bowl I, the average cost of an ad was $42,000.

Today's Birthdays: Cody Simpson (18), Aja Naomi King (30), Amanda Peet (43), Tom Rowlands (44), Mary J. Bilge (44), Tom Dumont (47), Kim Coles (53), Vicki Peterson (57), Phyllis Logan (59), Naomi Judd (69), Joel Zwick (74), Felix Silla (78), and Rod Taylor (85).

Holidaze: Got Milk? We are celebrating the most popular beverage in the U.S. today. On a more serious note, it's also National Human Trafficking Awareness Day Finally, the last one is rather silly: National Step in the Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day. In the middle of January? C'mon!

RIP to comedian and character actor Taylor Negron (57), as well as actress Anita Ekberg ("La Dolce Vita"), who was 83.

I went to to the monthly meeting of the Metropolitan Postcard Club this morning. This is an organization to which I belong. A number of dealers sell and talk about vintage postcards. I found an old postcard of my high school and had to buy it. I also bought three ham radio cards with dogs. Then I took a stroll to the Upper West Side.

Mepham High School in Bellmore, NY. My alma mater.

The Golden Globes are on soon, so I will be signing off for the night.

Have a PRINTASTIC evening!

Kathy

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