Winter Ice Skating birthday invitation and party planning ideas

Winter Ice Skating birthday invitation and party planning ideas

I know that spring is just around the corner (I can’t wait to share some of the new invitations I have been working on) but it is still very much winter in areas of the country! This ice skating invitation has been quite popular lately and is such a fun party theme. When I was younger I always wanted an ice skating themed party but living in South Texas it was not possible (now there are some indoor ice skating rinks down here though!)
Ice Skating Birthday Party Invitation by Ashlynn Elliff
I searched on Pinterest and found some great ideas to match this party invitation and it makes me want to throw an ice skating party just for fun!
Links to images above: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
Have you ever had an ice skating party before? What is your favorite memory from it?
New Spring Invitations (Upcoming Spring Holidays to plan for)

New Spring Invitations (Upcoming Spring Holidays to plan for)

Now that Valentine’s Day is over, we are officially moving into Spring! I have already been working on orders for March, April & May events and am having so much fun designing new invitations as well! Spring is one of my favorite times of year (although am totally a winter person as far as weather goes) because there are so many fun holidays & themes during this time.

spring invites by ashlynn elliff

Need a reason to throw a party this spring? Here are some upcoming holidays/events that you can use as an excuse to have a little fun! Also some of these make great themed birthday parties as well.

February 3rd – March 9th – Mardi Gras
February – May – Crawfish Season
March 17th – St. Patrick’s Day
April 1st- Easter Sunday
April 5-8, 2018 – Masters Golf Tournament
April 22nd – Earth Day
May 5th – Cinco de Mayo
May 5th – Kentucky Derby
April – June – Graduation Parties
May – June – End of School Year Parties

Of course these are just a few well known holidays & popular events, there are still thousands of reasons and themes for your Spring Parties this year!

What parties are you planning on throwing this year? Check out my handy post to see how early you need to send your invites out and don’t forget to download your free party planning printable!

St. Patrick’s Day Party Invitation & Party Ideas

St. Patrick’s Day Party Invitation & Party Ideas

Who is ready to bring out all the green gear for St. Patrick’s Day?! I’ll be the first to admit I’ve never been one to go all out for this holiday but I do love a good theme and I love an excuse to throw a fun party!
St. Patrick’s Day is an easy one to decorate for… lots of green, rainbows, gold and beer!  
St. Patricks Day Invitations by Ashlynn Elliff
I have two invitation options for you to choose from to celebrate St. Patty’s Day (and of course there is always the option for a custom order)
I also rounded up some of my favorite party ideas from Pinterest to help you with your party planning:
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What are your plans for St. Patrick’s Day this year?
How far out do I need to send out my party invitations?

How far out do I need to send out my party invitations?

A common question that I always get asked is… how far in advance do I need to send out invitations? I have gathered some research as well put in some of my own personal opinions to help you plan out your parties better and know when to order invitations and send them out!
First, we have to establish what type of event you are having. There are different guidelines for the type of event you are hosting. For example, guests do not need as much of a heads up to attend a barbeque than they do for a wedding or holiday party.
Girly Fiesta Invitation
If you are sending out informal birthday party invitations the typical timeline is two to four weeks with sending in the mail. If you are hosting a casual barbeque or get together then you can even text or e-mail the invite the day-of the party but in my opinion, sending a printed invitation in the mail is always better than getting a text! However, if your party happens to be around a major holiday (Christmas, etc.) extra advanced notice is recommended so that people can plan accordingly. Side note: When planning your party, you want to make sure that important guests (such as grandparents, etc.) are notified of the date before getting invitations done. You would hate to purchase invitations then have to move the date!
Baby Boy Baby Shower Invitation
If you are sending out formal party invitations graduation invitations, charity galas, baptisms, wedding showers, baby showers etc. You will want to send these out four to six weeks in advance. This gives people enough time to make arrangements, purchase gifts and RSVP in a timely manner.
Boho Style Wedding Invitations by Ashlynn Elliff
For wedding invitations, it is recommended that you send out six to eight weeks in advance. Same as a formal party invitation, this gives guests enough time to make arrangements, make travel plans, RSVP, purchase outfits if needed, etc. Side note: For destination weddings, the more time in advance you send out the invitations, the better so that people can make appropriate travel plans if they are planning on attending or giving people a heads up with a save the date!Tacky Christmas Sweater Invitation
For holiday party invitations it is recommended that you send these out four to six weeks in advance. The holidays are crazy for everyone and people’s schedules fill out very quick! So giving people enough time to plan around the holidays is key to having a great turnout at your party.
Here is a handy guideline for different occasions and timelines of when to send out your invitations:
When to send out invitations
So now you know when to send out invitations, now how about when to order them? I can only speak for myself and not other stationers but here are my recommended ordering timelines:
Casual & Formal Party Invitations: at least two weeks before you are planning on putting them in the mail (this gives enough time to design, edit, send to the printer, mail to you and address the envelopes.
Wedding Invitationsat least six to eight weeks before you are planning on putting them in the mail (this gives enough time to design, edit, send to the printer, mail to you and address the envelopes.
What are your thoughts on invitation timelines? When do you typically start party planning?
Football themed ideas for your Super bowl birthday parties

Football themed ideas for your Super bowl birthday parties

Superbowl Sunday is approaching fast! If you have a birthday to plan for at the beginning of February, it’s easy to turn it into a fun football themed party (or if you are like me and find any excuse to host a themed gathering…) Superbowl Sunday is always a fan favorite!
My husband loves football, so any excuse to throw a party for a football game is an easy decision for our house. We love to host & barbecue for game days and Superbowl Sunday is always bittersweet since it’s fun since it is such a big event but at the same time it’s the last football game until the fall. 
My football invitation has been quite popular these past few weeks for Superbowl Sunday themed birthday parties.
Football Birthday Invitation by Ashlynn Elliff
And I also created this other fun Football themed invite that just hit the shop!
Are you ready for some Football Party Invitation by Ashlynn Elliff
Football parties are great because there is no need to be fancy, snacks… BBQ and drinks are really all you need! Check out my party planning tips & tricks here.
Some fun ideas to spice up the football party are:
  1. Have people wear their favorite team gear
  2. Have people wear colors for the team they are rooting for
  3. Have a contest for the “loudest fan,” “best-dressed fan” etc.
  4. Place some gameday bets with your guests
  5. Have some fun kid-friendly games so the adults can watch the game
Decoration Ideas:
Click each number to see the original sources for each photo
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Recipe Ideas:
If you only try one of these recipes…try the spinach artichoke dip (so good!)
Who is ready for Superbowl Sunday now? Check back on Friday I’ll be posting a fun, FREE printable that you will want to use for your Superbowl party!
Party Planning: Valentine’s Day Themed Party

Party Planning: Valentine’s Day Themed Party

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! Whether you are throwing a party for your kid’s friends and classmates so they can pass out valentines day cards and treats, throwing your February babies a birthday party or hosting a fun Girls Night Out with your girlfriends, I have put together some fun ideas for your party!
First off, I have some fun invitation designs for your to jump start your planning:
Kid’s Birthday Party:
Hearts & Love Party Invitation by Ashlynn Elliff
Girls Night Out Party:
Galentine's Day Party Invitation
Kid’s Party:
Milk & Cookies Party Invitation
I found some adorable Valentine’s Day party decoration ideas via Pinterest! One of my favorites is the little trees full of paper hearts, they are so cute and festive! I bet you could even find some great deals on the tree shapes at Hobby Lobby right now since the holidays are over.
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Another fun addition to your themed party is instead of treat favor tags, you can add Valentine’s Day cards to your bags!
Check out my printable cards here:
Printable Valentine's Day Cards
Do you have any Valentine’s Day parties planned this year? What are some of your party ideas?
Party Planning: Mardi Gras Themed Birthday Party

Party Planning: Mardi Gras Themed Birthday Party

If you asked me what the most popular invitation that I have been selling the past couple weeks is… the answer would hands down be my Mardi Gras themed invite! With Mardi Gras just around the corner this has been quite the popular theme for birthday parties!
Mardi Gras Party Invitation by Ashlynn Elliff
 
This is actually one of my favorite designs that I have created for the shop in the last year and I love that others are loving it too. It is such a fun party theme for all ages!
I wanted to show you a couple examples I found on Pinterest to help you with your Mardi Gras themed party. These are some of my favorites that I found and are great inspiration that you can implement in your party this year.
While searching for Mardi Gras party ideas, I came across these two recipes that I had to share because they looked too good not too! They are easy and perfect to add to your party menu.
Have I convinced you yet that you should have a Mardi Gras party?! To get the invites in printed format click here, to get the printable file click here! And in true Mardi Gras fashion… Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler (let the good times roll!)
The most popular party themes lately!

The most popular party themes lately!

Happy Wednesday! Instead of the normal party planning post this week I wanted to round up some of the most popular party themes that I have seen lately. These party invitations have been selling like crazy the past couple weeks:
 
Ready to start planning your next party?