Stylecology - Plan your next party in style

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Stylecology is an online store that offers stylish and unique accessories, gifts and products for every phase of life but also is the perfect place to browse for your wedding supplies. They have a variety of hostess and baby gift options, jewelry, home decor and more but it is also a place I bet you haven't thought to look when designing a party.

Their wedding section is ripe with great party items. Sure, you might not need table numbers for your next fete but these darling peacock seals and favor tags are a must. (other styles available) Set of 25 for $42.

Who doesn't love this old-fashioned one gallon candy jar? So cute. And the price at $13.32 (price break at 4) is very reasonable. Compared to how much some places charge for the apothecary jars, this is a steal! Oh and Stylecology sells some bulk candy too (by color!).

This glass plate ($29) is billed as a sign-on guest plate. I think it would make a perfect serving tray. Could this by my next inspiration board challenge piece? Because my head is swimming with possibilities.

Looking for personalized ribbon? You can find it here a bevy of colors. Not only can you take care of favors for your bridal shower or bachelorette party, but you can also package them up beautifully. They have dozens of options for boxes and bags but I'm partial to their small cloth bags. So cute!

Ribbon wands ($5.50 each), created by Mary Dann, aren't just for weddings any more. They come in several colors and I happen to know several little girls who love to have these at their next birthday parties.
These votive wraps $2.29 each (set of 24) are a stylish option for adding a little special touch to your event. The available designs are very.

There are great baby gifts, items you are going to want for your home, the most beautiful wrapped soaps. This post doesn't even begin to showcase all that Stylecology has to offer. Check them out for yourself.

Follow them on twitter (@Stylecology) for daily discounts.

Sharon

All photos via Stylecology

Tape, But Not Tacky

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There are some things I am a total perfectionist about. Of course, they are never the things you would think of. Like, I'm not really a perfectionist when it comes to getting to work on time or making sure my daughter's clothes match her shoes. And I'm not really a perfectionist when it comes to doing dishes or folding laundry. And I guess I'm not really a perfectionist when it comes to making dinner or cleaning the bathroom....So, OK...the point is...when it comes to planning a party...THAT'S WHEN those perfectionist qualities kick in. Like, I really really really enjoy it when things match. When a party flows together and the details all just sort of look like they were always meant to be there. I love for things to have a consistency and not just be thrown together. Which is why I will spend hours the night before a shower putting tiny colored stickers on the ends of the skewers being used for the chocolate fondue. Or why I will buy six different colored labels looking for the one that will be the exact right match for the patterned paper on the invitations. (I prefer the word perfectionist...as I know some of you might be reading this right now and thinking I'm sounding more like a crazy person....however, I say perfectionist...so we're going to go with that.) Anyhow...it can be really hard sometimes to get details worked out in a way that everything looks like a matched set. So here's an idea for you. Why not pick up some packing tape (you heard that right, packing tape!) from Tape Swell. The tape is just $7 a roll (plus $3 if you would like a matching canister) or $20 for matching sets. Use this to wrap around envelopes, create napkin rings, or add a runner to your table. Or get creative - use the tape to create a "mat" for photos, or to jazz up plain paper bags to put your favors in. There are no end to the options. And for $7 a roll? It's a steal! Check out all their designs at www.tapeswell.com today - and let your perfectionist qualities and obession about matching details do the rest!
a-

A Sweet 2nd Birthday!

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Next weekend is the big shindig. A double birthday party for my friend's 5 year old boy, E, and 2 year old darling little girl, K. But, K's actual birthday fell on this past Saturday. T wanted to do something small for her since all of the other extended family members were busy so I volunteered to put together a little party for her and a few of the neighbor kids. I sort of feel like I am cheating on Paper and Cake here, but I used another company's down loadable party!!! How could I!! But actually, the one that I used, from Happy Papers, was the very first downloaded table scape that I bought. I have been dying to use it and it turned out so cute. I thought it would be perfect with a little cupcake decorating. I purchased 6 unfrosted cupcakes from a new bakery I found, Layer Cake Bakery, as well as three different colors of frosting. I put the party hats together and made cupcake picks. I put two colors of frosting in to squeeze bottles that I purchased through Garnish and put out chocolate and butterscotch chips and pink sprinkles. The kids took turns using the frostings and decorated the cupcakes with a very heavy hand. Garnish has the greatest cardboard trays that worked perfect!!! for catching all the excess candy that fell off the cupcakes. I highly recommend them for your parties. It was a very short party as the kids enjoyed their creations just as soon as they were done decorating (or rather, the bowls of candy were empty). The few leftover cupcakes were put in to small white gable boxes (Garnish rocks!) to be sent home with the neighbor kids. This party was super easy to put together, really inexpensive and totally adorable. Happy Birthday K!!!!!!!!!!

Keep it together

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There is still a chance A might post today, but I saw this and wanted to make sure everyone knew about it. You may remember our posts on the awesomeness (totally a word) of tape here and here. Well, there are some pretty cool ones on sale today at Delight.com. Go check them out. A and I still plan on decorating an entire party with tape, but for now just think about how cute you can wrap a package!! I know with a 3 year old, I have to wrap presents at warp speed to ensure that a) he doesn't cut off a finger, any hair, his brother's eyelashes with the scissors, b) he doesn't try to "wax" the hair off my arms with unusually sticky Scotch tape, c) he doesn't wrap himself up in my very expensive, but expertly designed wrapping paper into a "baby burrito." So lately, I have started wrapping everything in kraft paper and if there is time, slapping on a sticky bow. But just think of how cute that kraft paper could look with these decorative tapes!!! Check them out!

S-

Stuck on You

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For some reason I knew that I wanted to use this title for this post, yet now I can't get the cheesy Lionel Richie lyrics out of my head. I apologize in advance if seeing this post invokes those same memories for you.

I realize I talk a lot about my kids on this blog but you need to realize that outside of my job and the once in a blue moon that I actually sit down to write here....my kids and the hubbie are pretty much what I've got going on. That said, so I was sitting here the other day watching my son decorate himself. Have you ever seen a little kid get sticker happy like this? Well it made me laugh anyway. These were itty bitty little happy face stickers and my son must have stuck, oh...maybe two or three dozen of them to himself. And he was SOOO happy about it. And then I thought, you know, that never really goes away, does it? I still love stickers. Okay, so maybe mine don't have Dora or Spiderman all over them but I love them just the same. I mean, a cute sticker in the right spot can really help give your party a sort of well-thought-out, finished look. So maybe that's the appeal for me but I love the designs by Stuck Labels. They are simple, modern and versatile. Plus the site features very user friendly printing instructions and both word and pdf templates so you can customize them. And although slightly pricer than the bought at Staples variety, they are well worth the price. So quick, go find something to stick them to and order some today!

a-

Bestow my beating heart

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I quit my job back in September and I thought I would have more time for Internet research for this blog. But actually, I got a lot more done when I was working (shhhhh, don't tell). But now with the new baby here, I am finally starting to see a pattern for me to work in some computer time (that won't have the added suspense of potential spit up in the keyboard). It is on quiet mornings like these that I check out the old stand-bys, the daily reads that never disappoint. But alas, what's this?!!! Something new!!!! As I was checking in on Party Perfect Blog, there was a picture of a heart. I have to be honest, I wasn't really drawn to the item, but in a quest to find the best of the best, I decided to click on the link under the photo. Boom. There it is. A new favorite blog and a total resource for all of us party planners. D. Sharp "A Practical Compendium of Random Things." It is the kind of blog that you could spend days looking at. There are beautiful vintage finds to tickle your fancy, new graphic designers to check out and so many other things to make your eyes happy. The part I think you all will really be interested is a section called "Bestow - Ideas for Gifts and Packaging" and it is all gorgeous! And a lot of it can be figured in to your party decor. You have to check it out. There is a download available for the XOXO wine hangers. We LOVE that. And if you are like me, who strives to be crafty but just can't make things look as beautiful as they are supposed to, there is a shop of "fine paper luxuries" (totally amazing, beautiful, stunning...with prices to match :() and also an etsy shop. And the part I love the most, she is a mom (plus so many other things like the rest of us). And she sees all this beauty and humor in the world and wants to share it with the rest of us. (Her Dispatches from Parenthood section is pretty great!!!) So check out the site! And let us know if you work any of the Bestow ideas into your parties.

S-

Great products and ideas, in one place

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I just love when you come across a company that is great to work with. That company for me is ThinkGarnish.com. I just love them. From getting answers about products to order processing, this company is the best. I have received the best customer service from them and think that everyone should order from them. Even if you don't really need anything. They are so friendly and you get such a good feeling knowing that they deserve their success and work very hard for it. I have only gotten to order once from them (you may remember I mentioned them in the post for T's baby shower). So you should for sure check out their products, but what you may not know is that they also have a blog. Their blog gives ideas for how to use their products and a lot of the ideas come from the very talented and creative people that have ordered the products. It is totally inspiring and I will for sure be using some of them for future parties. Check it out today! And don't miss their idea for Easter. So cute!

S-

A few fun new items from King Arthur Flour

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I have a few minutes so I wanted to let you know about a few products I came across in my latest King Arthur Flour catalog. There are a ton of other things I want you guys to know about but for now my posts have to be quick. With all the linking, etc. posts can take a looooong time to put together. Right now O is flying his dad's remote control airplane right next to baby M in the pack and play and it is just a matter of time until he becomes a landing pad and I'll have to ground all flights so here is what I love in the new catalog.

Tulip Muffin Papers. A cool, unique alternative to regular cupcake papers. A set of 24 for $4.95.

Candy Coated Chocolate Chips. Even a novice decorator like me can make a baked treat (or pancakes, etc.) look fun and delicious with the help of these bright toppers. About 2 cups for $7.95.

Swirl Cupcake Papers. Don't even bother to ice or decorate a plan frosted cupcake with these bright and cheery cupcake papers. They come in red, orange, green or assorted. 60 papers for $6.95.

Okay, that is it for now. I think I have time to check email before any crying starts.

S (by the way, I am totally listening to Pandora Radio in the background as I write this thanks to A's post. It is my new favorite!)

What a surprise!

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So I moved to a place that is about an hour from the nearest H&M store. So, it is safe to say that I miss my old neighborhood's shopping. In my old town, I could drive 5 minutes and get to any kind of store I wanted. Department, boutique, specialty...Here though, I have to drive all over heck and back. Plus, I don't know where the cool stores are yet, so I am sad. Especially this close to the holidays. So this weekend, my mom came down and we went to a center I had not been to yet. It was about 15 minutes from my house, but I can live with that. So it was a great center with some good stores (I found a dress to wear to my baby shower in the first store we went in!!!). Oh my gosh! What is that!!! I stopped dead in my tracks, and my mom just looked at me. I gasped, "It's a Paper Source store!!!" And she looked at me like I was crazy. Obviously she doesn't know just how few brick and mortar stores they have. They only 2 others that I know of in So Cal are Costa Mesa and Pasadena (but I am probably wrong...). Can you believe it!!! I have a Paper Source store!!! So of course I had to go in and look around and I found not only a few Christmas presents, but also some really cute party stuff for the holidays. I guess because I am newly staying at home with my young son, I am really in to crafts you can do with your kids. Paper Source has all kinds of kits that would be perfect for this. But some of the kits are geared towards the upcoming holidays and the parties that go along with them. Like the acorn place card kit!!! So cute! You could also use these on a buffet table to let guests know what is being served. Or the Turkey placemat kit! Perfect to construct and use on Thanksgiving day. And then the cute Tabletop Christmas Tree kit. I came very close to getting this as a decoration for T's shower. Of course, they also have amazing gift wrap and the perfect invitations for your upcoming get togethers. And it all can be found on line in case you are not lucky like me and don't have a store in your area.

s-

Do Me A Favor

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I've got to give S credit for this one. Awhile ago, she handed over some information which included a few great websites to check out. Naturally, I skimmed through it and put it back in its envelope and then put it on my bookshelf, intending to go through it more thoroughly as soon as could. Yeah, and that was about six months ago now. But this weekend, I actually had a few minutes to go through some of the things I had stashed away on that bookshelf (okay so that's code for 'the bookshelf had no more room and things started spilling out of the sides of it so I had no choice but to stop what I was doing and pick them up off of my bedroom floor'...but I digress). So in said envelope of information I found http://www.alittlehut.com/. Designer Patricia Zapata has a shop full of amazing things but what I enjoyed most was her gift box templates. This is your chance to create something that will not only fulfill that need to be crafty but will add a truly unique touch to your next party. She has several template sets to choose from and each set of four templates can be downloaded for just $3.99! My favorite is the flower box but you should definitely look at all the other options she has to choose from. I love the idea of creating your own favor boxes, not just for the obvious personal touch but there are so many things you can do with them. Create them in colors that coordinate with your theme and use them a centerpiece. Or create different boxes in one color and they can double as room decor on a fire place mantel or to help dress up your table. Leave them plain or add some sparkle, some ribbon or some other accent unique to your party. Your favor boxes will be the talk of the town. Thanks, S!

A-

Edited to add: The designer also makes favor boxes for boy/guy themed parties that are tanks! They are super cute without losing their toughness. Those are my favorite so I just thought I would interject...

S-

Clip it real good

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I am an organizer. Not crazy like T to the point of lining up all my cans of soda (but I don't think it is soda anymore, I think now it is Izze sodas or something healthier), facing forward in the fridge, but I like things to be easy to find and grouped. I covet all the items on the See Jane Work website. I just know if I had the money and time, that I could have the most fabulous looking organized home (or at least office area). But I have neither time nor money so I will settle on the items I can use to jazz up parties. I have been enamored with the various clips and clasps available on the site. I can totally picture using the shaped paper clips (in leaf, flower swirl or sunburst each comes in a pack of 20 for $6.00) on a kids birthday party invitation and then again during the party on a party game packet for each child. They would make a cute little nametag holder on a favor bag and would look so cute as an accessorie tied to the bottom of a balloon tied with a long tail of curling ribbon. They could also work in any garden themed party from a baby to bridal shower or little girls party. A little more pricey is the Happeez Clipper (a pack of 3 is $17). Again, these could be used on a favor bag and game card packets. How awesome to hand each guest a well designed pack of game cards with one of these clips and a personalized pencil to play with?! These would be well suited for a Sprinkle where you want to really show the mom to be how special she is and when you typically have fewer guests. But I think my favorite of all are the Studio Clips (a pack of 5 for $6.00). These aren't your grandmother's clothespins. What a way to modern up the tired old clothespin game at showers!! How darling would these be as a place card attached to a cute napkin patiently waiting on a plate at a seated luncheon. What is cool, is that when the shower is over, you can gather up the clothespins and send them home with the guest of honor, clothespins make my favorite chip clips!!! Take a look around your local office supply store and see what you can find that would be great at your next party. Sometimes you find the best ideas in the most unlikely places.

s-

Holding it together

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A and I love tape. Mostly I'm talking about decorative tape, but sometimes we have a lot of love for the plain old Scotch variety too. When I say we love tape, what I really mean is we love the idea of tape. We have not actually used decorative tape in any of are party plans yet. But it is only a matter of time. There are so many kinds out there to choose from. Yesterday I came across 3 types at Fred Flare. I immediately fell in love with the Kids Parade Tape (50 ft. of 2" wide tape for $10). I can totally picture an old fashioned, yet still modern baby shower decorated with black, white and hints of red. The children on the tape are so great and will certainly make the guests yearn for a more simple time of yore. The tape can be used in all kinds of decorations from wrapping it around a cylinder glass hurricane, creating a napkin ring, used as a table runner, decorating favor packages, or used as wrapping on presents wrapped in kraft paper to be used on a buffet table to add interest and height to the food. I'm sure there are a bunch of other ways to use it that I haven't even hit on too. Fred Flare also carries a multicolored checkerboard tape (80 ft. of 2" wide tape for $10), and Love tape which has different colored hearts on it (25 meters - you're on your own for conversion, simple math makes me sweat for $6). I have seen various neon color rolls of duct tape at Michaels (not sure of the price, I think $4/roll) and there are a ton to be found around the web like Lace Tape, Frame Tape, Bacon Tape, and Message Tape. Don't underestimate the decorative power of tape. It's not just for fixing pants hems anymore. What! I can't be the only lazy person around that uses tape instead of sewing. I hope I get to have a tape-tastic party soon.

Edited 8/12/08 to add: I have found several other cool tape options over at Chocosho - check it out.

s-