The lull before the fall

So here we are mid-August. Some kids are getting ready to go back to school shortly but here in the Garden State our kids don't go back to school until early September. So this is probably the most relaxed time of year. No back-to-school prep yet (unless you're super-organized and have already gotten everything for back-to-school.... yes, I'm guilty. ;)  Other than that, I'm off within the next few weeks for a little vacay... yay! I'll fill you in on my travels when I return.

Meanwhile I'm dealing with a slight concussion I received 2 days ago when I clonked my unusually large head on playground equipment. Yes, I'm one of those adults who climbs up the ladder and doesn't see the big metal crossbar. Well, that crossbar made me see stars and my head is still sore. This would be concussion #2 as I had another one years ago from a car accident. That one was one where I hit the top of my forehead. This one is directly on top so it's no fun washing or brushing my hair. Luckily I work from home so I don't have to venture out too much and scare people.

Concussions aside, get your own noggin' taking a peek at these awesome selections from my friends. But first up is my own Sweet 16 invitation for your Sweet 16 star.

Spotlight Star Pink Sweet 16 Invite by starstreamdesign

Make the Sweet 16 the star of the show with this unique Sweet 16 party invitation. Spotlights shine down upon the large bright pink number "16" on the front of this invitation to mimic a Broadway show or concert event. The lights still shine on the reverse to highlight all the party details. 

Fuchsia Dress Tiara Turquoise Quinceañera Personalized Announcement by Quinceanera_Event

Fuchsia & turquoise Quinceañera milestone birthday invitations featuring an illustration of a brunette with long hair wearing a tiara and a beautiful deep fuchsia pink dress, for your daughter's 15th Birthday.

Flourish & Chandelier Baby Shower Invitation by urbanshowerinvites

Flourish & Chandelier Baby Shower Invitation. Invite all your guest to your baby shower with this stunning custom designed flourish and chandelier baby shower invitation. The top and bottom are adorned with white colored elegant flourishes and a subtle yet dramatic chandelier with birds sits atop a blue wood background. A great shabby chic baby shower invitation.

Purple silver grey snowflake wedding invitation by weddings_

Purple silver grey white snowflake wedding invitation, featuring a waved band in silver grey with stars and purple elegant snowflakes. Text in gray and purple. A stylish design perfect for your winter, December or Christmas wedding. Modern and contemporary yet suitable for a traditional wedding. This elegant, classy design can be used for other special occasions such as engagements or anniversaries.

Movie screen and curtain birthday party invitation by Jamene

This cool birthday party invite has an at the movies theme! There are layers of red curtains all around a "screen" in the middle. At the bottom, there is a box of popcorn, a cup of soda, and a movie snapboard with a few pieces of popcorn on the ground. In the top of the movie screen, Lights, Camera, Action is written with two stars in between the text. Below that, you can easily customize the party information. With the neutral color palette, this could be used for a girls or boys birthday party. 

As it's summer, people are away so there's a small selection this go-around. Hopefully we'll have loads more to show in the next post when people are out of that holiday mode. Enjoy!!

The dog days...

The "Dog Days" are the hottest, most sultry days of summer. According to Wikipedia, in the Northern Hemisphere, the dog days of summer are most commonly experienced in the months of July and August, which typically observe the warmest summer temperatures. This all means that I am writing this during peak "dog days". They also imply laziness due to domestic dogs generally being not as active due to danger of overheating. I can certainly attest to this laziness as all I've been wanting to do lately is nap which just happens to be my favorite past-time. My own dog also is a testament to the dog days, as usually we'll send him outside to do his business. He then wants to come right back in because it's so hot, whereas usually he'll want to spend hours outside, ignoring my pleas for him to come inside when I have exactly 3 minutes to be somewhere.

Dog days aside, my Zazzle buddies are always busy at work creating awesome art and design. Nothing stops 'em! But first a message (product) from our sponsor (yes that would be me!)

Paris Destination Wedding Invitation by starstreamdesign
Start off a romantic Parisian destination wedding with an unusual invitation meant to look like a postcard from a bygone era. The background is made to look like an aged letter with subtle engraving, cursive handwriting and visa and postage stamps. The Eiffel Tower is dominant on top of a maroon panel. The paper background is repeated on the reverse to highlight extra information for your guests with a website at the bottom.

Rainbow Personalized Weekly Meal Planning Notepad by starzraven 
Use this 8.5" x 11" notepad for planning your (or your family's) meals for the week. These tear-away sheets, each with color-coded days of the week, are perfect for maintaining healthy eating and staying organized, complete with a column for your grocery list. Personalize this planner with your name or your family's name. This notepad has 40 sheets, which will last you more than half of a year's worth of planning!

Pink wild rose mint green floral wedding invite by weddings_ 
Pink wild rose mint green floral wedding invitation, featuring a beautiful wild rose in pink with dark green leaves, red waved lines and halftone elements on white and mint green background. This contemporary, floral design with a touch of vintage is perfect for a modern or traditional spring or summer country garden wedding.

Autumn Owl in Tree Birthday Invitation 5x7 by allpetscherished
This cute little owl is peeking out from an Autumn tree. Perfect for any occasion. You can change the wording and customize for a birthday invitation, baby shower invitation or bridal shower.

Vibrant Pink Orange Abstract Floral Personalized Travel Bag Tag by wasootch
You can personalize the name and address on this vibrant and cheerful hot pink and orange abstract floral personalized luggage tag. To change the name and address, use the personalize options. For more extensive changes to the tag, including changes to the font, font color, font size, and/or text placement, use the customize it option. A chic and stylish luggage tag for women and girls.

Customizable "Love" Stamps from malibuitalian
Customize the script on this stamp to reflect any sentiment.

Trendy Black and White Biker Wedding Invitation by sfcount
Black and white wedding-themed and motorcycle-themed photos framed by a leather-effect background make this wedding invitation a sophisticated, modern choice for biker couples. An open shield shape at the top contains a customizable monogram.

Elegant wedding dress bridal shower thank you card by Jamene This bridal shower thank you folded card has a soft mauve pink colored background with a darker mauve border. In the background, there is a swirl flourish design with a trendy white wedding dress. Thank you is written on the front. The inside is blank for you to hand write in your thank you message at home.

Modern Vintage Filigree Bridal Shower Invitation by twoheartsshoppe 
This striking bridal shower announcement by Two Hearts Wedding Shoppe features a stylish vintage lace filigree pattern in the background with the words "Bridal Shower" in modern and trendy typefaces.

bridal shower rose stamp by dbvisualarts
rose bridal shower stamp coordinates with rose bridal party cards

Elegant yellow sunflower bridal shower invite by TheStationeryShop

An elegant and stylish floral bridal shower invitation featuring a photo of a beautiful yellow sunflower on a distressed, brown, stained, old paper background. Brown customizable invite text. Beautiful bridal shower invitation for summer and autumn weddings.

Lime and Purple Damask Bridal Shower Invitation by NiteOwlStudio 
This modern lime green, white, and purple damask wedding shower invitation is fully customizable.

Yellow High Tea Bridal Shower Invitation by Cards_by_Cathy

Damask Yellow High Tea Bridal Shower Invitation. Lemon damask pattern background, and Vintage teapot with flowers. Perfect for inviting friends, family and bridesmaids to honor the bride-to-be!

Make sure you visit each of these shops. They're all so unique and I love how each of the artists expresses themselves in so many different ways and mediums.

Hot stuff!

So here we are mid-July and the thermometer says....

Needless to say, I'm staying inside. I'm battling a summer cold and my throat feels like I swallowed a handful of stinging nettles.

Anywho, my Zamily and I have had a busy summer so far. I just got back from a 3-day trip to a resort in the Poconos. Fun, but definitely not relaxing. Hoping to schedule another vacation for mid-August... maybe a road trip out to Cape Cod. Who knows, we specialize in last-minute plans.

Here we go onto some awesome designs by some pretty awesome people....

Song Birds Floral Weekly Personalized Meal Planner Scratch Pads by wasootch
You can personalize the name on this handy blue, green, brown, and white song birds leafy floral personalized weekly menu plan or meal planner calendar tear away notepad. Just fill it in each week and then tear it away to get to the next blank week. It includes meal planning for the whole week and a section to write out your grocery list so you can take it with you to the grocery store. Functional and pretty. A pretty nature inspired design featuring birds, leaves, flowers, and branches.

 Chocolatier Business Binder by starstreambusiness
This binder for a chocolatier, chocolate factory or retail shop elegantly displays the fruits of a chocolatier's labor by featuring a row of delicious-looking homemade chocolates displayed on a counter. A business name is highlighted in a plaque on top of a cream striped patterned background with a business description or tagline and a title of the binder below. Add a phone number or a website under the counter. The reverse reveals additional information against the same striped wallpaper bordered by the chocolate brown diamond border on top and the damask pattern below. However, someone's been at the chocolates and taken one!

Green Leap Frog Shower Invitation 2 sided invite by allpetscherished
This sweet frog baby shower invitation is perfect for a baby boy or baby girl. We love that it is customizable on BOTH sides and perfect for writing LOTS of instructions. If you have a baby shower raffle, lots of registries and instructions for guests, our LEAP FROG invitations are perfect for you!

Hearts, snowflakes aqua brown winter bridal shower personalized announcements by TheStationeryShop
Elegant winter bridal shower invitation with a pale aqua blue and brown border and two brown hearts on a soft white to pale teal gradient with snow and white snowflakes. Dark brown text, all text except for "Bridal Shower" can be customized. Cute and stylish design for winter showers.

Chic hot pink green paisley baby shower invitation by Jamene
This stylish baby shower invite has a sweet hot fuchsia pink, white, and lime green paisley design in the background. In the middle, there is a pink band. In the center, you can easily customize the baby shower information.

Mr & Mrs Watermelon Custom Thank You Note Cards by starzraven
Cute red notecards designed with 2 slices of watermelon, one wearing a black bowtie, "Thank you" boldly pre-printed on the inside, and personalized inside with your own custom text (or delete to leave note card message blank).

Modern women’s 20th birthday simple photo custom announcement by yourbirthday
Modern women’s 20th birthday simple photo invitation, featuring your photo on the front and some white text on a black banner with turquoise outline. We see the same banner and white text on the back on black background. A cool design perfect not just for the milestone 20 birthday party. Change the number to 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and why not 100! Also works great for men's birthdays.


Hope the summer is treating you well. Stay cool by the pool!
 

School's out for summer...

Here in the northeast, we lag a little behind the rest of the country in that school just got out. I've got my activities director badge on as I will be planning summer activities for the elementary school crowd. Personally, I'd prefer to stay inside and work but duty calls.

We don't have as many selections this week to review as people are starting with summer plans and general life issues, however there are some gems here.

Vintage Shabby Chic Floral Bridal Shower Invite by oddlotpaperie

Stunning vintage inspired floral design on rustic distressed white wood. A classy and unique shabby chic bridal shower invitation for elegant and simple weddings alike. 

Colorblock Retro Hoops Coupon Organizer by sfcount

Irregular hoops in color block shades of yellow, red, blue, purple and turquoise against a white background wrap around the spine of this retro turquoise coupon organizer binder. The word “coupons” with each letter in a diamond shape adds to the retro feel. 

Wedding Event Poster-Style Photo Invitation by typographix

This is an invitation that borrows from vintage event posters. The background is a soft parchment look. The typography is bold and attention-getting. The couple's names are highlighted in the bright red banner. Add "The Bride" and "The Groom" as nicknames or their own personal nicknames for added fun. Use a large, high-resolution photograph to replace the placeholder photo. Information regarding the ceremony prints below.

Restored Iconic Uncle Sam Image Tee Shirts by malibuitalian

This design features a restored representation of the iconic image of the vintage "Uncle Sam Wants You". Vary this design by adding customizable text or leave it blank. The original image is used with permission from the Library of Congress. 

Pretty purple violet flowers floral bridal shower personalized announcement by TheStationeryShop

Fun bridal shower invitation featuring pretty, purple or lavender flowers with green leaves. Two whimsical hearts symbolize love. Customizable, brown invite text. Green back. Cute and fun design.

Vintage circus typography birthday party invite by Jamene

This 5x7 birthday party invitation has a vintage circus theme. There is a yellow sunburst in the background with a red, aqua blue and yellow gold banner at the top. In the middle, you can personalize the party details. On the backside, there is a graphic that has games, popcorn, hot dogs, and cotton candy written in a cool typography design. This is a neutral invitation that could be used for a girl or boy.

That's it for this week. Hope everyone is enjoying the summer and come back next week for some great designs!

And what is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days

The title of this blog post is attributed to James Russell Lowell, an American poet (1819-1891). I felt a quote was fitting for this time of year. Don't ask me why though. So here we are mid-June and I feel like I've blinked and the year is half over. Time goes so fast and actually my birthday is coming up in 2 weeks. I won't tell how old I am but let's say I vaguely remember watching on TV the astronauts land on the moon...

This week's picks are as follows:

Elegant Mocha Floral Formal Wedding Invitation by bellabridals
Caramel brown with a hint of mocha is the color theme for the background of this elegant design. Additional features include a faux look "torn" piece of paper which has plenty of customizable text for your formal wedding or other occasion. The flip side of this elegant invitation has the same design.

Elegant black lace damask wedding invitation by The Stationery Shop

Classic beautiful wedding ceremony black and white damask border invitation.

Winter Girl Red Dress Pink Bridal Shower Custom Invitations by starzraven
Stylish pink Holiday Bridal Shower invitations designed with a brunette girl silhouette in a red dress and ear muffs, showing off her engagement ring.

Custom Photo Sailing Chipmunk Accent Throw Pillow by sfcount 
A smiling chipmunk sails in a blue coffee cup boat at the lower right corner of the frame to which you add your own photo on this keepsake accent pillow. In the upper left corner a cloud cheerfully blows the little rodent along. The frame is set against a blue-green sea and a blue sky filled with fluffy clouds. 

Elegant grape vine, fall leaves wedding invitation by weddings
Elegant grape vine & fall leaves wedding invitation, featuring an elegant vine with a grape and leaves in autumn colors on cream background. Two borders accentuate the design a double silver grey and an olive green. A stylish, classy design perfect for your vineyard fall theme wedding, modern or traditional.

Paper Party Lights Photo Graduation Invitation by allpetscherished  
Trendy Graduation announcements printed in full-color on front and back. These cute designs allow plenty of space for wording on the back, with a LARGE photo on the front!

Photo Scrapbook Anniversary Party Invitation by starstreamdesign
Use for any number anniversary celebration
This is an anniversary party invitation that's meant to mimic a page in a scrapbook. Two photos of the couple are used, one from their wedding or a time when they first became a couple. The second is a more current one. The photos sit on top of a parchment background with subtle writing and swirls. The words "love" and "marriage" slightly overprint the parchment-like background. Add the anniversary years at the top with customized party information below. Extra text such as directions or special instructions can go on the reverse or can be deleted to leave the back blank with just the parchment-look.

Where has time gone?

Time is just flying by. It's already the second week of June and school is almost out for the summer here in the Northeast. Thinking about what to do this summer. We try to take a lot of day trips and then one vacation. We're hoping this year to get further afield then we've been getting. Mostly we've been sticking within 2-3 hours of home due to finances but we're doing a little better this year so we're going to try to broaden our horizons. The question is where....?

Anyway, we've got some stellar selections this week. Enjoy...

Brown w/Turquoise Dots Bridal Shower Invitation by sfcount

The turquoise polka dots on a brown field at the left side of this faun-colored, silk-look bridal shower invitation are edged by turquoise rickrack. 

Black White Grey Floral Harlequin iPad Case by wasootch

This modern and stylish black, white, and grey leafy floral vine and harlequin pattern personalized iPad case fits iPad 1, 2, or 3. 

Bokeh Martini Business Card by starstreambusiness

Bokeh imagery against a black and indigo background makes this business card for a martini bar or cocktail lounge stand out. A large cropped martini overlays the background and the bokeh imagery is repeated on the reverse. 

Happy Spring Flowers Pattern Recipe Binder by Pip_Gerard

Change the initials on the recipe binder cover to personalize for yourself or for the lady you wish to buy this as a gift for.

Elegant Beach Destination Wedding Theme Invites by oddlotpaperie

Elegant Beach Destination Wedding Theme Invites. Designed for that classy yet beach/destination wedding in mind. Elegantly designed with starfish and stargazer lilies on black. 

Cute kawaii starfish beach wedding Save the Date Fridge Magnet byTheStationeryShop

Cute and fun beach or sea themed wedding Save the Date magnet featuring a two kawaii style, orange starfish with pink hearts. Around is a blue border. Customizable wedding date and bride's and groom's name. Brown text. 

Pink Mask Masquerade Sweet 16 Party Invitation by TheInspiredEdge

Send out a truly elegant invitation for her big day with our Hot Pink Mask Masquerade Sweet 16 Party Invitations.

Black white peacock and cherry blossoms poster by prints_posters 

Black white peacock and cherry blossoms custom poster print, featuring a black silhouette of a peacock bird and a cherry branch -sakura tree- with lovely flowers on white background. A B&W design with an oriental Asian flair.

Funny Pink Owl - Personalized iPhone 4/4S Case starzraven

Custom Case-mate iPhone 4 / 4S case with an illustrated pink owl and personalized with your name or text.

Chic Chevron Stripes Business Card by TheSpottedOlive

A fresh and fun original business card design by The Spotted Olive™ featuring a chic chevron stripes pattern in vibrant alternating colors and frame for your information on both sides of the cards. These unique business cards offer a stylish way to make your business stand out from the crowd. Easily customize with your personal or business information.

As always thanks for checking out all these great designs. And enjoy the summer, whatever you do!

June is busting out all over

Here in the US we've just had Memorial Day weekend. Since we live fairly close to the infamous "Jersey Shore" we took full advantage and spent a day down at one of the more quiet beaches, Spring Lake. It's a beautiful town with loads of huge Victorian-era homes. There are no fast food places/bars or the like right on the beach so needless to say, its one of the lesser visited beaches. So we spent a nice couple of hours there. Just a few blocks north in Belmar, the scene is quite different in the summer. We'll just say that I'm skewing the age median up quite a few notches when I'm there. We go there in the fall/winter as there's a playground for my daughter and a Dunkin' Donuts for my husband. ;)

We also went to the Bronx Zoo over the weekend. I hadn't been there in probably 20 years and it has changed so much for the better. It's huge and a great family day out. Highly recommended if you're in the NYC-area.

Enough of my life, let's look at this week's fabulous picks!

Pink Yellow Gerbera Daisy Baby Shower Invitation by wasootch

The text on this pink lemonade gerbera daisy with lemon yellow ribbon and floral damask baby shower invitation is fully customizable. This is a pretty pink lemonade and lemon yellow floral baby shower invitation. Great for those expecting a girl, those wanting to do a "flower baby shower", and for those who are gerbera daisy fans.

Vintage Black & White Save the Date Announcement by Pip_Gerard

Sample Photography by Andrea Rose.

Spring owl kids birthday party green border invitation by yourbirthday

Spring owl kids birthday party square invitations, featuring a cute spring owl in purple and dark brown holding a flower in her beak on a branch with green leaves, colorful text and a lime green plaid pattern border.

Night Sky Fireworks 4th of July Party Invitation by starstreamdesign

Explosions of fireworks light up the starry night sky on this sparkling Independence Day party invitation.

Beach tropical wave with birds wedding invitation by TheStationeryShop

Elegant beach / sea / tropical / holiday themed wedding invitation featuring a big wave in front of rising or setting sun with two flying birds.

Patriotic BBQ and Fireworks Invite by OOPSY_PAPERIE

Fun in the Sun - Beach Party Flyers by starzraven

Throwing the best beach party requires super fun flyers to tell everyone! These 8.5" x 11" beach party flyers are designed in a cool medley of pink, blue, and yellow over a sandy beach.

4th of July Red Silk Freedom Gold Party Invitation by TheHolidayEdge

Make your 4th of July celebration or bbq stand out this year with our 4th of July Red Silk Freedom Gold Party Invitations.

Save the Date fuchsia flower photography flat card Custom Invite by Jamene

This save the date wedding announcement flat card has a macro photograph of a fuchsia pink/purple flower on the front and back. On the front, Save the Date is written in white and fuchsia pink/purple. On the backside, you can easily personalize this with the names of the bride and groom and the date of the upcoming wedding ceremony.

Pizza Party Takeout Box Celebration Invitation by oddlotpaperie

Pizza Party Takeout Box Celebration Invitation. A really cool pizza party invite for any celebration. This invite is designed with the top of a pizza in mind. Great cardboard textures and pizza parlor colors throughout this invitation. Mushrooms and stars decor the top and bottom edges giving this invite a great appeal! 

Modern Floating Flowers Bridal Shower Invitation by twoheartsshoppe

This lovely bridal shower invitation by Two Hearts Wedding Shoppe™ features a cascade of lovely floating modern flowers with the words "Bridal Shower" in an elegant typeface. 

Damask Black Chubby Business Card template by susanmossart

Damask Black design Chubby Business Card template, suitable for anyone. Personalize with your own details.

Check out all these talented artists and the works shown here. There's so much more to see.