The Gender Reveal: SALE Confetti Balloon Revealers

We added some SALE Confetti Balloon Revealers! Well... the fooled us on the gender, but Miss Quality Control says they should probably only be filled up to about 24" (vs. the fill 36") to ensure the maximum surprise factor. That means a CLOSEOUT sale for these beautiful baubles.

The Gender Reveal: New Confetti Balloon Color + New Photos

 

Now introducing a lovely, opaque purple dot balloon to our Confetti Balloon Revealers in The Gender Reveal Etsy shop. We tested this balloon and it will keep your big secret just as safe as the trusty black dot balloon.

 

We also updated our Confetti PushPop Revealer photos. Didn't Megan do a great job playing photographer?

My personal favorite, the Black & White option:

Customer favorites, the Multi-color option:

Introducing: Confetti Balloon Revealers

When Megan, Andrew, and I originally met to discuss starting The Gender Reveal, or initial goal was to create unique party revealers. Well, today we launched our first revealer on Etsy! A jumbo 36" balloon filled with beautiful pink or blue hand-cut confetti. When the balloon pops the confetti flutters down, showering you and your guests with the sweet surprise. It's really quite beautiful and such a fun surprise every time we test it. You can check it out here.

More fun revealers are on there way to our shop, so keep checking back for more updates.

For party ideas and inspiration follow us on Pinterest. 

Tote or Hobo?

Dear Internet friends-
I need your help! I've been plagued with this decision long enough on my own, it's time to call in the experts. The question:

Here's the deal, I don't switch out bags/purses. When I buy one I use it all of the time. I'm just frugal and lazy like that. Therefore, my current trusty grey nylon bag is due for semi-retirement. It's held up well over the past year and a half, but I'm interested in adding some color and spice to my life.

Which do you think is more practical for everyday use? The yellow one is more unique and big and awesome. Big enough to carry papers back and forth between work and school, which is a bonus in my book. Will I get tired of the yellow? Is the camel version a more suitable and classic all-year-round option?

The blue one is a bit more standard and understated, but has a great more-neutral color. It's also big enough to throw papers in and go.

As I'm typing this I know which direction I'm leaning in... What do you think, should I take the plunge and go for yellow? Sigh, I do love them both...

Image and shop links: Yellow Leather Brook Tote by Art On Crafts OR Medium Leather Hobo Bag by Adeleshhop

The Gender Reveal - New Summer Arrivals!

We have a couple new arrivals to the Etsy shop, just in time for summer parties!

I had fun breaking out the watercolors for the quintessentially summer popsicle invite. The second features the most popular reveal method: the cupcake. Both are themed with The Sweetest Surprise.

The Sweetest Surprise Gender Reveal Party Printable Digital Invitation - Popsicle

Gender Reveal Party Printable Digital Invitation - Cupcake Surprise

Head on over to the official Gender Reveal shop to see all of the invitations we offer. Or find more sweetest surprise celebration inspiration at the most obsessive and rewarding site, Pinterest!

Things I'm loving: Craspedia

I know I'm a little late to the craspedia-craze (aka billy buttons), but I think they may be the perfect flower for late summer/fall. They have such a gorgeous color and texture. How could you not love them?

From flores de sol

Faux (and crafty) craspedia from Berry Island

And a simply elegant bout paired with bear grass from InStyle

Things I'm Loving: Herringbone

I've inherited a love for the simple pattern from my mother (that, and any tweed or houndstooth). So, to my delight I found this charming fall sampling when I checked etsy for my hourly inspiration:

Lovely, right?

And the peek-a-boo boxes from The Harbinger Co? Absolutely stunning.

Bicycles!

Today I enjoyed my first bike ride of the season! Spring is definitely here with the smell of fresh flowers, BBQ, and sounds of laughter around every corner. It couldn't have been a more perfect weather for a bike ride, I'm excited for more early morning and night-time rides.

I've been dreaming in bikes these days, here are some of my favorites goodies:

Recycled Bike Wheel Clock

Chalk Print

Bike Tea Towels

Bike Fabric Pins

Through the Viewfinder Bicycle Photo

Sweet Felt Gingerbread Houses

Happy Turkey Day! As we gear up for Black Friday tomorrow, I wanted to share one of my favorite little plus-ups at Hallmark this year for Christmas. I'm loving wool felt, it was #70 on my 100 Things to be Grateful For list, it was the material of choice for the DIFFA wreath, and there will be more about it in upcoming posts.
This year Hallmark has these sweet little gingerbread houses made out of felt, preciously adorned with rick-rack, glitter, and pom-poms. They're just too cute and so crafty. I think I'll use them for gift embellishments... or I might just keep them for myself!


I'd love to have a small tree filled with felt ornaments and garland. Here are some of my other favorite felt ornaments from etsy shops.

Big Green Acorn from astashtoys
Perfect for the squirrel-lover!

Winter Felt Garland from anastasiajaminhome
Delightful in white or chartreuse!

Penguin with Red Scarf from allthingssmall

Felt Stockings from rikrac
The ruffle ones are super cute too!

New(ish) Art 2 + Office Tour

Back in March, I got the "Keep Calm and Carry On Poster" from Blu Lima on Etsy. I was buying another color for a friend's birthday and thought I deserved one for myself and it's appropriate to have in the workplace. Don't you think?

I figured I'd take a couple extra photos and give you a tour of my booth at Hallmark:

Here are some of my favorites from the photo:

-Iowa landscape in pastels by Diane Kunzler, my high school art teacher, one of my most treasured pieces of original art.

-Vintage lime green turtle given to me by my co-worker, it is after-all my namesake.

-Mosaic frame and pitcher made in a Hallmark mosaic workshop during my summer internship.

-Laser-cut "Thanks," "Bananas," and wine bottle, all from co-workers... we like to use the laser cutter!

-Limited Quantity "What Up Homies" letterpress print from the one-and-only, Jessie Snede.

-Another piece from the intern mosaic workshop.

sneak peek: "red" atc trade

I just finished my ATC (artist trading cards) for the Hallmark trade this month, the theme was "red." I decided to go with one of my favorite flowers... red poppies. I bought a recycled poppy tutorial on etsy.com to learn how to make these little lovelies. The tutorial is so simple, yet yields stunning results!
I can't to see what others bring for the trade!

Spoonflower

I have been thinking about printing my own fabric for a couple of weeks now, either by screen-printing or some other method. Recently I found a Japanese designer on Etsy doing the same thing, under the name Kalla Design. All of her items are unique to her, which I think is really awesome. Apparently some other women were also frustrated with using the same fabric as other crafters for their own projects and started a company called Spoonflower, with their husbands.

How exciting? Spoonflower is currently in a beta version and inviting members to join. The logo caught my eye because it looks pretty similar to packaging design project I worked on while in college...

The tension is unbearably... chic!

I have been eyeing these tension rings on Etsy for awhile now. Recently, I have been doing a little gemstone searching to name a cat (that I never got... he was either going to be Onyx or Obsidian, Sid for short). I have always had mixed feelings about my April birthstone being a diamond; they're gorgeous, but expensive and there are other reasons to wear diamond rings...

In my research I found some other ways to cheat a different colored birthstone. For example, I was born in April and these could all be considered my birthstone:

Diamond: Modern, Traditional, Ancient Hindu, Polish & Ayurvedic Birthstone

Opal: Mystical Birthstone

Sapphire: Ancient Arabic, Hebrew, Italian, Roman, Russian, & Sun Sign (Taurus) Birthstone

Coral: Sun Sign (Taurus)

Turquoise: Sun Sign (Taurus)

Aventurine: Planetary Stone (Taurus)

Amber: Sun Sign (Taurus)

Emerald: Sun Sign & Planetary Stone (Taurus)

Garnet: Talismanic Stone (Taurus)

Now, I don't have to limit myself to just a diamond birthstone ring, I can have a choice!

The rings above are from Noform Design & Rob & Lean

Welcome to the 21st century...

I finally caved in and got an iPod (well my parents did). I am trying to do more walking/jogging/working out in general and so I decided it was about time that I get an iPod to help pass the time. I asked for one for my birthday from my parents and today it finally arrived; my shiny, new silver 8GB iPod nano. It's so beautiful... and small. I don't know exactly what I was expecting size-wise, but most of my friends have the classic or touch iPod, so this is definitely smaller and cuter.
Now, I need to get some accessories! I need a case, armband for workouts, and a cord adapter to play out of my new car stereo. I was scoping out this sweet hand-made armband at Etsy by Ohmay. I don't know if this is the most practical (I still need to do a better cost/benefit analysis), but it is cute.

Electronics seems to be the theme in my life right now. I don't know if my family and friends are trying to tell me something or if it's just a coincidence, but I have been getting a lot of electronic gifts lately. In addition to the iPod, I received a fancy new CD player/radio for my car from Jon for Christmas and a wireless router for my birthday... it's so nice to have these little luxuries that I didn't have before. It makes life so much easier (I am using wireless internet right now because, that's right, no more cord for me and listening to my iPod!).

Well... I guess it is about time I joined the rest of the world and jumped on the iPod craze... who knows what necessity I will discover next!