An Amazing GiveAway at Piggy Bank Parties

You remember Do, from Piggy Bank Parties?  She and her hubby were so kind to help me with an illustration for a customer's Shel Silverstein party a few weeks ago.  They are super talented, so great to work with and just reached 500 fans on FB.  So, they are hosting an amazing giveaway that I have had a chance to contribute to.  You must run, very quickly and check it out!  So many cute things!

http://piggybankparties.blogspot.com/2011/03/giveaway-fabulous-500-facebook-fans.html

Lots of Fun New Parties

Things have been super busy here and I LOVE it!  I have been working on some really cute new parties and some old ones too.  Getting ready to start offering a few new products in our store, lots of cute things that will just make your party complete!

My most recent pirate party!  Everything turned out adorable, can't wait to see pics from the big day.

We added lots of red glitter to this one!

Just recently I have had several bakeries in Baltimore contact me about making sets of cupcake toppers fro them to sell in their stores.  An easy thing for their customers to grab when they pick up their cupcakes and they add such a cute extra to any party!

And last, but not least, our Easter party!  The girls and I have been getting so excited as the 19th gets closer.  So many cute things planned for that day.  I was even able to get a petting zoo and some pony rides lined up for all the kiddos.  

Can't wait to post all the pictures from this party!

Heidi Sue

I am having such a hard time sleeping.   Even when I do fall asleep, my dreams are filled with thoughts of Heidi.    Every noise leaves me hoping that it’s the sound of her nails tap tapping on the hardwood floors or her snoring, so loudly, like a grown man.  Our alarm chimes every time you open the door and that was usually followed by a loud series of barks.  Not anymore, just the chime and then a very deafening silence. 

I thought it might help me in the grieving process to write down some of the things that made Heidi the wonderful dog that she was.  I don’t ever want to forget the little things and I feel like as time goes on, I will start to do that if I don’t write things down. 

I remember working with people who would call in sick when their dog died.  I thought, “why, it’s just a dog.”  Now I understand.  Heidi was our family.   She was AKC registered as “Princess Heidi Sue Lee”, changed to Beynon when Drew and I got married.  Heidi was a behavioral nightmare and would never have been a “Best in Show” kind of dog, but she was family. 

I got her when I still lived in Pensacola and was there the morning that she was born.  She was one of four, the only female and as soon as she could stand, she wobbled over to me, all ½ pounds of her with those long chicken legs.  We were a pair from that moment on.  At only three months, she traveled cross-country with me as I packed everything in my car and drove to San Diego, CA for my first traveling nursing assignment.  I couldn’t have asked for a better roommate or travel companion.  In just a few years, we moved to Maryland, Connecticut, North Carolina and back to Maryland.  Drew jokes that he may have even fallen for her before me. 

The first night I brought her home, I remember the breeder telling me not to let her sleep with me.  It was important that I crate train her from the first day.  When it came time for bed, I put her in the crate and went into my room.  Within minutes, she started to cry.  I of course felt guilty because she was so tiny so I brought the crate into my room.  I laid on the floor with my fingers in the crate and that appeased her for about 5 minutes.  Finally, I was so tired that I put her in the bed with me and she fell sound asleep.  10 years later, that silly girl was still sleeping with me every night.  She had my heart from day one. 

It wasn’t hard to fall for her.  She was a most unusual Min Pin.  Most are loyal only to their owners, but not Heidi.  She walked into a room with the assumption that everyone there loved her and if they didn’t, what was wrong with them?  She had so much personality and smarts to match.  Sometimes her smarts got her into trouble.  It was nothing for her to remember that we had had chicken that night for dinner and after Drew and I fell sound asleep, she would sneak out and have a midnight snack right out of the trashcan.  We always had the cleanest floors because “Heidi Hoover” kept it that way. 

She had the best temperament and tolerated most everything.  Way back before the girls were born, Heidi had clothes, yes, I dressed up my dog.  She had sweaters in the winter, bathing suits in the summer and even a cool Hawaiian shirt that she wore to a party once. 

She had a sixth sense for when I was sad and on more than one occasion, licked my face if I cried.  She knew just when to cuddle up next to me and without having to do anything, I felt better.  When the twins were born, I remember the look on her face as we brought in not one, but two car seats with new babies.  She looked back and forth at them and then at Drew and I like, seriously, two?  But she loved them as much as they loved her.  And then again when we brought home baby #3, Heidi gracefully took her place as 4^th.  I never worried about her with any of the girls, she tolerated everything they did to her and never retaliated, even when they dressed her in doll clothes.

She always just wanted to be near us.  She had to be where we were.  She just wanted to have her little paw touching you, maybe your foot, your hand, or your leg, just needed that physical contact.

Heidi brought so much joy & laughter to our life & home. I've been tempted to feel guilty for neglecting her once the babies were born. But Drew has reminded me that she knew we loved her. Although we have been occupied being parents, Heidi knew she was loved. Heidi knew she was loved, very, very much.  Heidi’s existence had purpose. 

I am so thankful that Heidi was ours for 10 years.  For 10 years, we were her home.  Her safe place. 

I know as the months pass and we begin to try to heal, there will be more stories and memories of our girl.  The tears have not even begun to stop, I don’t know when they will.  We love you so much, Heidi Sue and I miss you, I really do.  

Busy Times........

 i first have to apologize for the definite lack of posts.  i promised myself that i would try to post at least a few times a week and boy, have i not done that.  things have been super busy here and i am loving that!  i have had the opportunity to do so many custom designs in the last few weeks.  they are my favorite.  i love to see ideas that customers bring me and how we can put them into the perfect concept for an amazing party.

i have a really good friend that i have never actually met in person.  we were both pregnant and on bed rest with our twins at the same time.  she in california and i here in baltimore.  our twins are about 2 weeks apart and both sets just turned four.  jacob and mia, andrea's twins had the cutest birthday party at a bakery.   the bakery provided all kinds of adorable favors for the kids and they each were able to decorate their own cupcake to take home.  LOVE!   i was so excited when andrea contacted me to do some favor tags for her and some fun centerpiece signs to use at the party.

  

I have promised myself that I wanted to try to do more boy party themes.  Having three girls, it is so easy to find myself doing all girl things, all pink!  I was really excited when another good friend asked me to do a pirate themed party for her youngest, Max.  

 And probably the most original, creative party that I have ever done was the Shel Silverstein party.  When Robin contacted me to do this party for her son Justin's 4th birthday, I have to admit, I was really nervous about ideas and how to put this party together.  I know Shel Silverstein, but never really read many of his books as a child and wasn't really sure.  I headed to the library and checked out several of his books and started to research.  Well, the ideas just started coming in.  Robin is so creative and together, her and I came up with a really cool party.  I tried my hand at sketching some illustrations for the invite.  I was able to sketch the tree with no problems, but enlisted the help of the super talented duo behind Piggy Bank Parties for the perfect illustration of a little boy.  I sent them a picture of Justin and they nailed it!  If you ever need any design work check them out!  I just mailed out her party pack today and can't wait to see pictures of this fabulous party!

Free Valentine Printables

This last few months has been a whirlwind and I am loving it.  Things are really starting to pick up and I just wanted to thank all my customers and all my fans!  Your support is what keeps my dream alive!  Enjoy a free set of Valentine printables.  Make something fun for your sweeties!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/48386152/valentine-printables

Rock Star Party

I just got an email from a sweet customer who used my Rock Star party line for her son's 5th birthday.   Everything looked so cute and she added so many personal touches that made that party truly "rock".  I know, ignore my cheesy humor.

We blew up the invite to make some big posters

 Love the streamers on the ceiling

These guitar pics look so cool!

What a super creative idea to use the guitar pics for pin the pic on the guitar game!

Be sure to check out even more pics at Jennifer's website.  She is in the running for Top 50 Moms Blogs Contest.  

http://boogaboojones.typepad.com/boogaboojones/

Amazing Valentines Giveaway by Laura Winslow

I don't think that I have ever come across a more amazing giveaway than the one that Laura Winslow is doing right now.  There are 61 vendors with a total of $2600 in merchandise going to be awarded to one lucky winner.  Get over there....RIGHT......NOW!!!!

http://laurawinslowphotography.com/blog/2011/02/07/2600-61-shops-1-winner-the-awesome-photog-love-giveaway-from-laura-winslow-photography/comment-page-38/#comment-50995

And while you are there, check out her amazing photography!  Her pictures are gorgeous!!