Fire Fighter Birthday Bash !

Every Little boy wants to be a fireman some point of his life ! My son right now loves anything cars and that moves so a Fire engine is definitely on the Christmas List !

Fire Trucks , Fire fighters and even Dalmatians are a huge hit in the birthday scene and even a Baby shower or two ! Here are some great products from Etsy of course that can help you throw your little guy the Fire Fighter Birthday of his dreams !

Lets start with the Invitations . This is one of my designs that you can find on Too Cute Invites shop. It is a 5x7 card on Black Card stock then a Red and white Polka dot layer . The wording layer is accented with little firemen extras and the Badge showcases the child's age ! We finish it off with a Yellow Paper sash and the fire truck that is 3 inches long so it really stands out ! I love it the way it is but as you know it can be made any color scheme you need !

 

Every Birthday Boy or Girl needs to Stand out on there special day ! I think they should be dressed theme appropriate or if you don't want to spend the money on an outfit just for that day then Accessorize ! I found this Adorable Bib from Sunshine Frogs It is a Firetruck and your child's name ! this can be used over and over again after the party as well. You cant have a Party without a party hat !! This one here is from Gingham Bunny and is full of bright colors again with the Fire truck and child's name it is a wonderful Keepsake to display in his room after wards !

 



 

When doing a Kids party a Candy/Dessert table is a must ! decorate it with confetti matching table linens for that extra special touch have note cards labeling the items and don't forget the Cupcakes !!

The toppers shown here for the Cupcakes are also from Too Cute Invites they have the same Badge and Age design  the wording with a little Axe and one with the matching Fire Truck as the invite.

The Cupcake kit is from Cakes And Kids Too it comes with baking cups , Sanding Sugar sprinkles and Cupcake Sprinkles to match ! Why go crazy finding everything when its all included in one kit . The Cake pops I adore as well they are by Simply Divine Desserts she makes these in tons of flavors like Devils Food and Key Lime ! these would look super adorable on display in a cylinder or even little mason jars with re ribbons. The Fire Truck Cookies are a must they are from Sugared Hearts Bakery they come in your choice of  almond vanilla sugar cookie with almond royal icing or there rich chocolate fudge sugar cookie with vanilla royal icing.You just add your sons age and they even come wrapped in cellophane bag with coordinating Ribbon . I would lay them on a big beautiful tray or add them in a favor bag. The kiddies would go crazy over these ! Try getting some red and yellow jelly beans or for the older kids Red hots  and great for this theme too ! add little jugs of milk and your set !

 

 

 Besides a candy table Favors are a big part of your party to have your guests leave with a little memento of that day ! These two that I found I absolutely LOVE these ideas and I am definitely going to use them for my sons birthday soon ! The little favor tag is also a must to attach to your favor bag or box these are made by Too Cute Invites Just tie them or ask for  the sticker option and apply them right on the box . The Little Fireman Hat soaps are so cute and such a great Idea for kids ! It makes bath time just a little more fun They are from Tub Time  they come pre wrapped and in Cherry scent unless you have a specific scent they have lots to choose from! These Little fire trucks are Crayons ! They are also such a cute idea from kids .They are made from recycled crayons so your keeping it green as well ! you can find them here at Ivy Lane Designs  a perfect addition to any favor bag !

 

I hope I got to give you all ideas and as usual I love to show items found on etsy ! I cant stress the uniqueness of buying handmade ! there is nothing fun about a generic party whatever the theme may be run with it and be original!



Hurricane Sandy you Broke our Hearts !

My title of this post says it all ! and it was one of the writings on a home I saw today in my hometown of Staten Island NY .

When Hurricane Sandy hit us on last Sunday night no one thought it would be a huge storm I personally didn't believe it I thought OK another rainy and crazy windy night ! the news always blows up these storms no biggie ! And then she came !! I luckily do not live near the water I am more inland and all we suffered from was some roof shingles falling and to be honest we were like the only block on Staten island that didn't lose power we joked about it and thought OK that was it a crazy windy night. When everything passed and we started watching the news I couldn't believe my eyes This isn't Staten island I thought to my self this is insane ! Rockaway , Breezy point , Long island and New jersey and many more shore line communities lost so much but when it hits your home town you need to get out there and help It was tugging at my heart !

I think the confirmed death toll here was 23 as of today . Most people did not evacuate because of looting in the Hurricane Irene last year as a result a 13 yr old girl and her father passed away the mother still in critical condition there bodies were found under the rubble of the home and in the near by woods . These are stories you hear everyday ! a  mother had waves literally rip her children out of her arms and into the waves its heart breaking and unimaginable .

I was stuck in the house for 4 days because of this lack of gasoline issue we are having here as well . Then finally we gassed up and I went out there not expecting what I saw at all .

Now I am not from the town of  Tottenville but I grew up in a town not too far went to Jr high school and high school there ! hung out on the beaches and in the parks Have friends that live and work there been shopping and had great  memories there ! I am not from Midland beach but played soccer in miller field ! had volleyball games at new dorp HS and went for Ices almost every night in the summer at the local ice cream shop my whole child/teen hood !

My Friends and I went to Tottenville town to help out with the clean up and I an choosing not to put up and pics just out of respect of the peoples homes these are and were. It looked  like a bomb hit it ! the homes on the water were completely flooded out and ripped off of the foundations . There were clothes , pictures and personal belongings all over the woods that blew away from these homes all there memories everything gone ! I couldn't believe it . Although there were tons of people cleaning out homes and helping the rebuilding stage we took to the streets handing out donated water and food then setting up a station of donated clothing and food and drinks and baby stuff etc and just helping these people get some type of normal back !

The community came together people flocked there it was amazing to see soo many people give and care it really warms your heart it shows you how strong we are and how caring people are when you need them .

You may have heard about Staten Island as Snotty .. Staten Italy .. The Mob wives and over the top Jersey shore wanna be kids and being from there yes I have thought it too and said ugh cant wait to get off this island but after this week and today I AM PROUD of my island and the people who live here we are considered the forgotten island by others but as a whole we never forget Each other !

I am going to start a toy drive for those children who were effected by this storm here on the island and go door to door with friends delivering toys for the holidays I will keep you posted any help is appreciated.

I pray for all the families who were effected by this not only on Staten Island but everywhere . My heart goes out to you and Stay Strong and rebuild !!

Over a Month !

Hi everyone ! I can't believe I haven't written in over a month I know I sound like A broken record lately but I have been super Busy ! I have some great news to share about Too Cute Invites we are slowly growing and my vision is coming together bit by bit !

September has been great so far ! its my favorite time of the year the weather in NY is amazing in the fall I wish it would be like this year round. I have been blessed with sales since we have started this Etsy shop and growing business . I have always liked to give back So I have decided to donate to local charities from my etsy sales . This month we are Donating to City Harvest. a great local charity that helps feed hungry New Yorkers  especially children and elders who need it most ! Its a great cause and no kid should go hungry ever . 10 % of  our sales for Sept will be donated on behalf of Too Cute Invites ! I know I don't make thousands but even if its $100 I know it will go far !

I am like an little elf in the night lately ( with my son its nearly impossible to do any crafting during the day lol ) Here are some of our newest items and Themes that really seem to be catching attention

Silhouette Birthday Items are perfect for any Girly Girl ! The color scheme shown here is Black, Light Pink and White with Pink Polka dots ! These Items have rhinestones added to the doll silhouette hair tie for that extra sparkle !

 What Will It Bee ? Baby shower theme is so cute for parents who are not revealing the sex of the baby or revealing it at the shower - this also seems to be a huge trend!  These little bee invites are in of course the Yellow, Black and a diamond patterned paper in the same colors. The are fully personalized and the wording can be for a Birthday party as well . Here on the Cupcake toppers they are for a 1st Birthday party and Favor tags make any favor bag or box even better !

These are just a few But Please Check out the Shop Too Cute Invites for tons more ! Stay tuned for a Halloween post with all new Halloween Party Ideas :)

Baby's First time in ER !

Yesterday was supposed to be a Fun Family day off !! We were meeting up with my cousins from Virginia for a BBQ all the ladies and there kids ages between 22- 16 months. We call my cousin Martha Stewart because she makes everything from scratch and is into whole organic everything crafted and pure lol Her food is AMAZING ! We had a blast My son was running around like a lunatic playing with all his cousins and having the time of his life until !!! My cousin brings him Hysterical crying Hysterical ! and says he saw him by the rose bush and thinks he pinched his finger with a thorn.

Now my son is pretty tough and I have seen him get hurt a million times he is  a BOY this crying was nothing like I have heard before and he would not let anyone touch his hand. Naturally with 25 Italian Women there ALL of them rushed over to him too which freaked him out . I know they are all my family members but I went into bitch mode lol I said Everyone Leave him alone and let me take him to the Doctors please. My Mother was nervous as hell and told me to calm down but if you see your kid screaming like that and his hand is blown up first thing I thought was he was having an allergic reaction to something and he needs to be checked out now!

Off to the Doctors we go the worst 20 min car ride of my life because of course you hi every friggen red light there is and my sons is screaming still and my mothers screaming at me to calm down and slow down . Get to the DR office and GOD FORBID they take you right away its not like this poor child has not stopped crying for the past hour or anything. Finally the Dr comes in looks at his fingers and tells me its a burn and I have to go to the ER and have a burn specialist see it ! I freak out even more How the hell could this be a burn and then me and my mom think there was a BBQ out side maybe he touched it .

Now my hubby gets home rushes to the DR like a lunatic and comes with us to the ER he's pissed at me because I wasn't Watching him !my hubby is worse then me with these things and he thinks the baby is just going to sit there like a doll while 15 other kids are playing. I mean come on now but thank god he got over that quick after I told him to chill out ! At this age no matter how many ppl are watching they are bound to do something and touch something they aren't supposed to so unless I keep him on a leash 24/7 accidents happen.

WE get to the ER and they take us in and finally this poor id is done crying the Tylenol kicked in and hes OK  ! I walk into the waiting area and there are about 10 Boys and 2 Little Girls waiting there I think to myself This is the First time here but not the Last ! my mother reminded me that my brother was a VIP client of the ER lol. The nurse checks him out as well and as the Doctor and she tells me to wrapped it with a prescription cream and change the band aid every few hours letting breathe at night and it should be ok ., My son took  a liking to the nurse because he winked at her ! a trick we work on but only has done it on command never alone until now lol little flirt he is .

Finally after 5 long hours of Doctors visits and ER visits we were discharged and The Nurse left me with a great piece of knowlegde ! She has 2 boys and 1 girl at home and I asked which sex is easier to handle I assumed girls and she Answered : Boys are Physically exhausting but Girls are Mentally Exhausting !

That was my Tues !! I need a VACATION ASAP !!

Weekend in Review

Happy Monday Everyone ! Today is a beautiful day here in NY and as usual I am in the office all day .Go Figure as life would have it all weekend the weather is crappy when I am home and can lay out in the sun ! Monday - Thurs its gorgeous and I am in the office ! This is why I still look like Casper the friendly ghost . Thank god for spray tan when needed !

This weekend was a good one though even if it rained ! Friday night Me and hubby had a MUCH needed date night ! I know it sounds so cliche and corny but we decided to have these planned at least once a month because life is just too hectic and we need to slow down and be US sometimes ! So My baby boy went to sleep at Nonna's house which he loves ! because she entertains him all night long as well as my brother who my son adores !! I decided to give him his little back pack to put his PJ's in and his favorite book that he picked himself and of course his doggy that he has been attached to lately ! Here he is all ready to go even though he looks pissed in this pic I think its because he woke up from his nap a little twisted Lol

He's 16 months old but he looks so big already in this pic ! My mother was peeing in her pants when he rang the bell in this get up ! M and hubby had a great night and all though it was supposed to be about US only we managed to talk about the little guy most of the time !

Saturday was a stay at home day because we were so tired and it was gross out ! So We picked up the little man early and had a blast at home ! We made a tent out of my sheets and pillows in my room and played with flash lights he was hysterical and learned a new evil laugh like when you put the flash light to your face and go MUAH AHAHA its adorable . My motto for the day was below :

Listen I could of cleaned the house all friggen day but I was not it the mood so we played,colored and danced all day ! Sometimes it needs to be done and I loved it as did my son .

Sunday we also stayed home but I made Sunday dinner for my sister and her new hubby ! who did some work with my hubby around the house and since he doesn't Accept money we pay him in Italian food ! So I was in cooking gear all day went shopping early and everyone was stuffed and gone by 5pm . after that I cleaned the house while father and son had some bonding time with the blocks and building houses lol ! Then once he get s to bed this is what My kitchen/art studio looks like :

The attack of the invitations !! LOL I do them while I watch True Blood ( OMG how great it is this Season ) and Real housewives of NJ ! Until about 1 am last night because I am happy to say its really taking off ! Then off to bed and ready for the week ahead.

I hope you all had a great weekend filled with family ! Ciao for now :)

Halloween Already !

Hi Everyone ! I know I haven't written in FOREVER !!! but I am trying to get back on the Blog Bandwagon lol!

I went to my local craft store the other day as I am always in these places lately with my invitation store getting busy  Too Cute Invites is on the rise :) Anyway!! I walked in ans saw some back to school stuff which is normal this time of year and then bam !! FALL AND HALLOWEEN decorations and crafts come on now that's pushing it too much its still August people .I really hate rushing the holidays because I feel like it makes the whole year fly by .

I love all the Holidays except for some little family BS drama lol but other then that I love em all ! Especially Halloween and Christmas but Thanksgiving food is my all time fave ! I guess being in this type of "industry" now I have to start cranking out Halloween invitations I don't want the big stores to beat me and I guess there are people who plan this far ahead. I wish my life were that organized !

So Stay tuned for some really cute things I have in store for Halloween and fall party's coming up ! Its right around the corner I GUESS lol

More Invitations made by me !

Hi Everyone ! I know its been a while since I have written anything but as usual life is a whirlwind here . I recently posted about a lump in my right breast and had he biopsy on it don't on Thurs so I am a little sore and its more of an annoying pain but its not too bad.The results will be given to me in a few weeks but I am not too worried I think and so does the Dr that its a Fibrotic cyst tissue like i had 3 yrs ago.

Lately my Etsy shop Too Cute Invited has been really booming thank god ! I really love doing this and if I could for a living I would ! Being home with the baby is my dream but who knows. I have gotten some positive feedback so I must be doing something right . Here are my newest creations.

Here is the Dinosaur  theme ! Its has everything from cupcake toppers ,invitations, centerpieces and favor tags. I print it all assemble it all and send it to you for your birthday bash ! I didn't make the clip art I rely on some really talented artists on etsy as well but I do design the tags and centerpieces as well as the invitations .

Here is the CUTEST little lady bug theme . I love it Its perfect for a little girls party or a baby shower the colors are great for the summer !

I hope you enjoy them and let me know if you guys ever need anything there are soo many more on my shop www.etsy.com/shop/toocuteinvites. I can do alot of themes as long as they are not licensed. Have a great weekend everyone :)