The Daily Stroll

You're Invited

 

The truth is that your kid may not care what his or her birthday party invite looks like (but we know that you do). At a certain age though these things start to become important to our kid's, just around the time they want their hair brushed or care if their clothes are clean. With all of the options these days, pretty much any birthday bash theme or idea can come to fruition with the click of the mouse.

At Marmalade Ink they have just rolled out a new line of rockin' invites and thank you notes to take your child's birthday party up a notch. Actually those pink drums may seem familiar to some of you- yes our own Ruby inspired that collection and I couldn't be more proud (neither could her drummer Daddy). Or psyched for when her birthday comes around this year!

Have a little rocker on your hands? A skater? Whatever they like you are sure to find it at the website and while you are at it, why not sit down with them at the computer and let them have some input in their own birthday invites and thank you notes? You never know you may just inspire a budding  designer in that child on your lap.

designer:: marmalade ink

dailystroll readers receive 10% off of their order. use code:: dailystroll at checkout. expires 3.31.08.

{your kiss is on my list}

You have less than a month until Valentines Day. This year make it red hot. Hotter than hot. Re-kindle that flame, and if it takes a cheesy Hallmark holiday to do so than so be it. Just don't cheese out on the card. Get it right this time.

Quit reading the magazine articles on "how to get that lovin' feeling back when you are a mom" and just get the lovin' feeling back. Make a plan that this will be the best Valentines Day yet. A great way to kick off the mood is to send a funny, however loving note to the love of your life. Send it in the work briefcase, slip it into the lunch box, put it on the dashboard.

Haven't found the perfect way to say I love you? Well here are my top picks from Sidepony::

Only because I heart Hall + Oates like no other-

And because my husband and I have many a Burt Reynolds joke between us-

Sidepony is a witty and fresh little paper company. I am in awe of the retro references. I mean just the name says it all. You know you sported a "sidepony" in your younger years. Maybe you still rock one out at home when no one is looking? All Sidepony stationery is handmade by the lovely Kim Parker Russell (who totally wore her hair to the left). Say I Love You this year in a way they will never forget. I mean would you ever forget receiving something like this? Me either.

designer:: sidepony

Bragging Rights

I was looking for the perfect brag book and because I am the finder of all things perfect and in good taste- I found it!

My favorite brag book is the Kiwi Luxe from aimeej keepsake albums. It holds 36 4x6 photos. This is perfect because when you have 2 kids like me you have to deal in even numbers. If Ruby had more pages than her sister or vice versa she may bring it up in therapy down the road.

Brag books are great for slipping into your handbag. Never be caught without any photos! These make a great gift idea for that grandparent who has everything too. I bet they don't have 36 photos of their family that they can slip into their handbag and bring to their weekly bridge game or garden club. The size is also nice for people who live in small spaces or want to have just a little something on their coffee table to show off the cuties in their life. The brag book is only $17.99 and if you add the personal touch of selecting photos you have a complete gift! Coordinating albums and scrapbooks available as well as the famous keepsake boxes.

designer:: aimeej

Modern Baby Shower

How is this for a modern baby shower favor? Really cool jams that mention the word "baby" or "son" or "daughter". You put together your top 10 or so on a CD and Ringo Baby, a stationery company will do the rest! Send them your baby shower details, your song list, and they will make you these fashionable and high quality CD covers as well as send you CD labels that you can easily attach to the CD favors!

They can do this for baby announcements too which is the ultimate in hip ways to announce your new bundle!

Ringo Baby founded by Kristen Ringo can do it all. Magnet announcements, baby bookmarks, holiday cards- even holiday CD greeting cards! I love the look of this glossy card and if you do too make sure you get all holiday orders in before December 6th!



Ringo Baby is ALL baby and I am refreshed by their unique designs and superior quality paper. They are so in tune with the mom mind that they offer to pre-ship your birth announcement envelopes in advance so that you can get to work addressing them BEFORE the bundle takes up both of your hands!

designer:: Ringo Baby

daily stroll readers receive 10% off of your order! use code: DSTROLL10 at checkout. exp: 12.31.07

Mama Calling

My mom calling cards were out of date. They were missing an entire kid! I am not just "mom to Ruby" any more nope- we had to add baby "e". So A Touch Of Whimsy did these preppy argyle cards for me with both kids, our home address and phone # so if I meet anyone on the playground and want to share my digits I just hand them one of these!

The paper quality is excellent. They are glossy, and the backside follows through with the argyle design. Don't like argyle? That is okay there are other choices at the website. Their new line of calling cards are called Luxe and they are just that. The pricing is reasonable for such great quality and frankly, not having to search for a pen when you are holding 2 kids is priceless.

designer:: A Touch Of Whimsy

daily stroll readers receive 15% off of the luxe calling cards! use code: dailystroll15 at checkout. expires 12.31.07.

Bonnie StylePress

LOVE LOVE LOVE paper. LOVE it. Want to write notes all day long on cute little note cards polished off with fashionable stamps and perfect return address labels. I know, it is a problem. I am a firm believer in classy correspondence though so bear with me.

Bonnie Marcus and I are a lot alike. She loves paper too, which is why she is a designer and producer of paper galore at Bonnie's StylePress. Invites, note cards, moving announcements (her moving announcements are reason enough to sell and buy another house) and more. She even creates flip flops using unique illustrations and tons of flair. The good kind of flair not the Office Space kind of flair.

Having a holiday party? Get the word out in style. Not having a party? Well one look at her website and offerings and you will be ordering those cocktail wieners and bottles of Grey Goose faster that you can say Happy New Year.

Visit her site, put your dreams of ladylike letter writing into action and stuff your girlfriends stockings with couture flip flops. They will think you are so on top of your game.

designer:: Bonnie Marcus & Co

daily Stroll readers receive 10% off! Use code STROLL at checkout. Offer expires 12.21.07.

momAgenda

momAgenda is a must have. We all know how crazy life can get and momAgenda is thinking about you and your kids. With spots to schedule the daily events of you and your family as well as side columns to make to-do lists, your entire life can be toted along with you wherever you go. My favorite is the Mini Daily that slips right into my diaper tote! Also- genius- it starts when the school year does. I mean isn't that how we all think of "the year" anyway? I think they should change Labor Day to New Years!

momAgenda is a perfect holiday gift to your mama friends who have everything but just can't keep it all straight.

designer:: momAgenda

daily stroll readers use code: FREEMOM for free shipping on orders of $75+

Enjoy! Organizing

There are many reasons why I heart the entire collection at Erin Condren. Most of all it is the vibe. She really wants you to have a great day and a great (organized) life, and this is evident with her signature ENJOY!. Whether it is the way she signs her emails to me or the reassuring sticker on her perfect white box stocked with goodies for my paper loving family, I get a warm and fuzzy feeling from her every time and you know what? I DO enjoy being organized!

New to her collection is this great GIANT calendar. Perfect for organizing the entire family. Hang it on a wall in the kitchen and just marvel at all of the room you have to jot down everyone's schedule. Marvel at your husband when he actually remembers that you have a mom's night out planned because if it were written any bigger it would bite him on the nose!

Pair with Erin Condren's super fab family organizer for a great combo. Each one is personalized to your family and color choice!

ENJOY!

designer:: erin condren

Sweetness

I have said it before, I am a paper addict. Therefore my daughters also have an insane amount of personalized stationery. We write thank you notes in our home, I believe that it is important and just like my mother instilled that in me, I will pass it along to them.

Cake and Milk Paperie is a revival of a former paper company that I adored and wrote about way back in 2005. They are uber talented and their new collection hot off the press is everything I adore in a paper company. Fresh original designs, vibrant envelope choices and scrumptious butter cream paper for which to personalize.

The i can write and children's personalized flats are my favorite right now. Tomorrow it may be their new felt  lovebirds. What is your favorite?

designer:: Cake + Milk

dailystroll readers receive a free small Japanese button tote with any purchase. Enter "The Daily Stroll" in the "how did you hear about us?" box at checkout. Expires 12.15.07. Offer valid while supplies last.

It's Girl's Night

 

Oh how I would love to do a girl's night! Just eating, drinking, chatting! No kids clothing exchanges, no book club, no obligation to buy stuff, just fun. With these invites at Karen Cole Paper I am super inspired to invite all of my lady friends over, send the babies to Nana's for the night and send hubby somewhere....and soon!

Karen Cole Paper is a great spot for whimsical stationery whether it be personalized, an invite, or a holiday card to give from your family this year. The charming illustrations are done by designer Karen Bullard, for more info on her visit the website!

designer:: Karen Bullard, Karen Cole Paper

daily stroll readers receive 10% off of their order at Karen Cole Paper. Use code Daily Stroll in the comments section at paypal for a refund. Exp 10.31.07.