Paper Dolls

Party Invitations for Pennies

2010-07-09T07:46:00.000-07:00

I've had a nice long break from my Sweetest Whimsy blogs this summer and now I'm back! And with new items from my Carlson Craft paper and gifts website!

Carlson Craft, ever mindful of the up and down economy we live with, has rolled out another aspect of their Simply Sensible line of invitations and accessories: Simply Sensible Party! Now you can get amazing deals on party invitations, in addition to the great wedding packages already available.

Some of the products featured have actually been some of my favorite designs these past few years, so I'm happy to see them offered in small quantities, for those of us who like intimate gatherings, and at such good prices. The printed invitations start at less than $2 each for small orders to only 63 cents each when you order 100 or more pieces.

Printed invitations are total time-savers when you're inviting a crowd or when you something more memorable than an emailed invite; who has time to fill out all those fill-in invitations?

My particular favorites among the new line, which will hopefully expand quickly as people realize how convenient and value-oriented these designs are:

Psychedelic design, great for tweens and teens

Modern and girly, all my favorite colors

All the new Simply Sensible Party designs available online at Sweetest Whimsy's Carlson Craft site!

Fresh Baked Goodies

2010-03-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

Hello, dear blog, it's been such a long time! My attentions have been distracted of late, so my various blogs have been sadly neglected once again. I am officially "back" from surgery and recovery, so my life is again busy, busy, busy!

I'm happy to say that the past few weeks have been busy with wedding paper orders and cake designs for clients. Nice to get back into the swing of things with orders.

Today's 'Shopping Talk' bit is not about some cute paper stuff I already offer, but some really cute stuff that Sweetest Whimsy is about to debut! I've long wanted to offer some non-personalized items in addition to my core product lines of personalized papers and gifts, but haven't quite been able to narrow it down to a single or few collections. The problem was, of course, that I like too many things! But I can't sell everything, nor would it make sense to venture off in too many directions. Sweetest Whimsy is first and foremost about personalizing the experience, either with a custom-designed cake or treats, personalized invitations or accessories, or photo gifts created just for you.

However, I've recently hit upon some too-cute gift items that complement my love of all things sweet and sugary, with a twist. I happily offer Sweetest Whimsy's Fresh Baked Collection!

Let's see, I love cakes and all manner of sweets, and I love candles! Soy blend candles in a myriad of fresh-baked flavors. Cupcakes, muffins, cookies-- take your pick!

Tiny Temptations Cupcake Candles: Cherry Chip, Chocolate Coconut Cream Cheese, Boysenberry Vanilla, Jelly Bean

Fresh Baked Candles: Blueberry Muffin, Birthday Cake, Peach Cobbler, Lemon Cookies, Chocolate Chip, Key Lime, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, Cinnamon Toast (not all shown)

Each Fresh Baked candle even includes the 'toppings' such as blueberries, sprinkles or sugar!

I especially can't resist these cookie, candy and ice cream candle sets!

The Fresh Baked candles are $10 each and available soon at Sweetest Whimsy's online shop!
Product specs: 7.3 oz.glass-lidded jar. 2 3/4" diameter x 3 1/2" high. 45 hours of burn time. Made in the USA.

This One's For the Girls

2010-02-25T19:46:00.000-08:00

It's almost Spring! My birthday is on the cusp of Spring (kind of). In addition, with the changing of the seasons comes Spring Showers for brides-to-be, as well as Bachelorette Parties galore. I love shower and party invitations for events that shower a gal with love, warm wishes and gifts of course!

I have a ton of 'favorites' among the Bridal Shower and Bachelorette invitations I sell. Would you like to see some of them? Of course you would!

Showered With Love

Guests can write their best wedding wishes and advice for the bride-to-be!

Or bring your favorite recipe for the newlyweds!

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue!

Ladies Who Lunch

This is my favorite lunch-ish invitation! I love the simplicity and the novelty of the umbrella as well.

Glam Gals

Spa Day with the gals

Lingerie shower!

Bachelorette On the Town

All of these faves can be viewed at Sweetest Whimsy's Carlson Craft and TATEX invitation sites! Let the Bridal Season begin!

Paper + Cake = Love

2010-02-23T23:10:00.000-08:00

Papers. Cake. Two things that I obviously really love and know a bit about! So I'm always so tickled when I find unique objects that are fusion of two of my favorite things. Like these Paper Cupcakes and Cakes:

So clever! Cupcake made of paper, ribbon and silk flowers by Tresa Black, The Stamp Goddess.

Gorgeous tiered cakes constructed of paper! Masterpieces. Photo by Claudia of Paris Apartment blog via Jan of Poppy Talk blog.

I would love to try my hand at making these amazing creations, but I'm a little intimidated! I would love to have someone make one for me. Cakes and cupcakes that last forever and have zero calories!

Birthdays by the Bunch

2010-02-18T17:05:00.000-08:00

I have a slew of friends' and relatives' birthdays coming up in the Spring, including mine and my kids', and sometimes find myself scrambling for a birthday card! I have several methods I use to stock my greeting card supply:

Making my own cards, which is lots of fun, but also time-consuming and I never seem to make enough of them at one time!
Delegating the card-making to my children, who also love to make home-made cards for friends and family.
Purchasing cards for different occasions.

If you're the card-buying sort, like I am sometimes, you might like the convenience of buying an assortment of cards at once. Although I do love to browse a card shop in search of the perfect card now and again, I also like having different cards ready to go when I need them.

Another reason to buy all at once? The savings! A collection of 25 birthday cards or 25 all-occasion cards from Sweetest Whimsy starts at only $20! That's less than $1 per card, and the cards are printed on the same quality paper used for our invitations and stationery. You could pick up a couple of cards at the dollar store, but they just wouldn't be the same.

Many of my loyal customers may not realize that Sweetest Whimsy offers greeting cards for all occasions, both personalized and non-personalized! In addition, I offer cards customized for businesses, such as thank-yous, birthdays and congratulations for co-workers and clients.

Here are some of the humorous birthday card options available in the Birthday Card Assortment I on my Carlson Craft site (the greeting shown actually appears inside the card):

If you've "gone green" these days, your greetings can do the same! Check out the recycled paper designs to celebrate different occasions from the Green All-Occasion Collection:

You can view all of these different Carlson Craft card designs available at Sweetest Whimsy's paper site, and maybe even cross off one more thing on your to-do list for birthdays!

Shop Talk: Kitschy, Kitschy Cute Fred Flare

2010-02-16T19:33:00.000-08:00

I've been recuperating fairly well in the week since my double surgery, and entertaining myself with the Food Network, iPod app games and online shopping. While I'm heartily sick of sitting and laying on my couch, I have to admit I've gotten quite a bit of Internet shopping done!

So today's Shopping Talk pays homage to all the kitschy and cutesy gift shops and novelty stores I loved when I was growing up, especially places like Spencer's. These were the places in the mall where you could count on finding those really unique and fun "things." It's hard to really stand out now like Spencer's did 25 years ago, but I've found the "funnest" site filled with enough kitsch and cuteness for my heart's content.

Viola! Fred Flare, whose tagline on a Google search is "stay cute." Indeed. I am 11 years old again while browsing every little thing they offer. They have some notable kitsch, like the Hamburger Phone as seen in Juno, and some things you haven't seen yet but will make you smile. Especially the retro stuff.

Some random favorites:

I can't get over how cute these are!

I owned these very same sunglasses (red). Bought in the French Quarter in 1983! Wore them until they literally fell apart. Memories!

I need this. I really do. Now I'll have something to carry my Sweetest Whimsy earnings to the bank.

There's a little something for everyone at Fred Flare, but it's really for the gals, with their wide selection of jewelry, clothing and accessories. I love how their stuff is both old and new at once, like the Mix Tape Flash Drive:

Make your sweetie a Mix Tape, like the 'olden days'.

Because everything old is new again, there's Fred Flare to make it all fun for you!

52 Cakes: Cake Balls

2010-02-12T22:31:00.000-08:00

My Favorite Cake Balls: Chocolate cake, chocolate frosting and chocolate coating!

Wow, it seems like forever since I shared a cake recipe, what with my erratic blogging. "52 Cakes" is back this week, and this week's recipe is a variation on cake. A very popular one right now, actually. Cake Balls. So unbelievably simple, yet trendy at the same time. Cake balls are the sophisticated cousin of the cheerful cupcake.

As with cupcakes, you can customize cake balls in so many different ways. There are endless combinations of cake and frosting flavors, plus your choice of candy coating and decorations. And so easily devoured at once!

I like to make cake balls out of extra cake I have left over when I create shaped cakes, but you can start with a basic recipe like this one if you don't have any.

My Favorite Chocolate Cake Balls: Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Frosting, Chocolate Coating!

Basic Cake Balls

1 (18.25-ounce) boxed cake mix plus ingredients called for on box
1 (16-ounce) can prepared frosting
Almond Bark Coating or Confectionery Wafer Coating (both recipes follow)

Bake the cake according to package instructions. While warm, crumble the cake into a bowl with a hand mixer to a fine texture. Mix in frosting to make a paste, using 3/4 to a full can of frosting, according to taste. Chill the mixture for at least 2 hours.

Using a melon baller or your hands, form the mixture into 1 ½ -inch balls. Place the balls on wax paper; freeze at least 6 hours.

Working in small batches, remove the balls from the freezer and dip the balls into warm, melted Almond Bark Coating or Confectionery Wafer Coating, using toothpicks or forks to manipulate the balls. Remove the balls. Place the balls on wax paper to harden.

Makes about 30 cake balls.

Almond Bark Coating: In a double boiler, melt one (20-ounce) package vanilla- or chocolate-flavored almond bark, stirring constantly. Or, in a tall, narrow container, microwave almond bark for 45 seconds on High (100 percent power). Continue to heat in 15-second intervals, stirring between intervals, until melted; be careful not to scorch.

When almond bark is melted, stir in 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. If desired, stir in oil-based coloring drop by drop until you achieve the desired color.

Confectionery Wafer Coating: Melt 48 ounces confectionery wafers in double boiler or microwave oven per instructions for Almond Bark Coating. Omit oil. If desired, stir in oil-based coloring drop by drop until you achieve the desired color.

Source: Lea Worth-Portocalis, as printed in the Dallas Morning News

My Notes: I have used Baker's Chocolate and Ambrosia Chocolate Bark to coat the cake balls. I prefer Baker's.

Also posted on The Sweet Spot blog

The Getaway Wedding

2010-02-11T16:31:00.000-08:00

And just like that, another week or so goes by without any blogging! But I really have a good excuse this time--hospital stay and recovery time! I had a double surgery Monday, was released on Tuesday and now slowly getting back to my regular self. Prior to the surgery, I had a few days of annoying, required pre-op tests and "prep." Thus, these procedures have consumed my life for several weeks already!

So now I am confined to bed/couch this week with no heavy lifting or driving allowed per doctor's orders. In any case, it's nice to be back in my own home again and surrounded by my favorite people and things. And now I have time to blog again!

Today's product spotlight focuses on a very specific--and special--wedding theme: the destination wedding. Thirteen years ago, when my husband and I were considering different wedding ideas, a destination wedding, either in the Virgin Islands or Hawaii, was our first choice. However, after a few months of mulling over the actual details, we succumbed to the lure of a more traditional wedding closer to home. There were various 'good' reasons why we changed our minds: the cost of flying our nearest and dearest to a faraway island and limiting the guest list to those who could actually take time off to join us made us rethink our destination plan. However, I still have a tiny bit of regret that we didn't just run with the idea of a getaway wedding!

Sweetest Whimsy's Carlson Craft site recently added a new Wedding Invitation link for Destination Weddings! Just browsing through the new designs makes me yearn for a wedding re-do, somewhere on a sandy beach on a tropical island far, far away. The invitations themselves invite all sorts of great wedding ideas. Some can be customized to the destination you have in mind:

This clever mapmaker's invitation can be tailored to the specific location you choose for your wedding--Jamaica, Hawaii, Bermuda or Bahamas!

How about this muted translucent vellum design that evokes the wonder of finding a message in a bottle along the beach? I love that the text on these invitations is printed on the diagonal, very casual and intimate.

Forget subtle! Go ahead and scream "Vegas Wedding, baby!" with these full-color, full-energy invitations. Can you ever go wrong with a Las Vegas wedding?!

Romance in Paris . . . the ultimate destination. This charming invitation will have all your guests saying 'ooh la la' about a trip to Paris!

Leaving on a jet plane? What better way to let guests know that yours is not the typical wedding than with their own 'ticket' to ride along to your chosen destination? The invitation's die-cut shapes are tied together nicely with claret ribbon. A great beginning to any destination wedding!

Do you have a faraway dream wedding in your future? Check out Sweetest Whimsy's destination wedding invitation designs online or contact us about specific travel theme ideas you have. The wedding journey begins with the printed invitation, after all!

Brain Food for the Bluestocking

2010-02-02T23:11:00.000-08:00

Image from BasBleu.com

No blogging for nearly a week! I was caught up in several pressing projects on the home front and then out of town for a cake decorating seminar. But I'm back again, with a little bit of energy left for blogging!

I learned about this charming, quirky online bookstore (they also have a print catalog) when I received a single catalog in the mail from them a few years ago. I never bought anything, although I was sorely tempted, because I was going through a self-imposed book-buying diet. However, I kept the very interesting catalog for a long while, just for browsing.

The name of the company is Bas Bleu, which is French for "bluestocking." What is a bluestocking, you might ask? A bluestocking was an 18th century term for a "literary lady." By the way, it was not quite flattering to be labeled a bluestocking in those days, when women were expected to be as frilly as the outfits they wore. These were women who would rather sit at home reading or discussing literature wearing their most comfortable old country clothing, such as their blue woolen stockings. Thus, bluestockings.

Anyway, since this is a blog about paper and gifts, Bas Bleu fits in well. They sell books you've read or heard of alongside ones you probably haven't but definitely would like to now that you've read their thoughtful reviews. I enjoy the reviews and recommendations very much; it's like browsing an independent bookstore in my own city and chatting with the owner (if only we had more than a couple of these here in San Antonio!).

Another thing I like about Bas Bleu is the carefully and thoughtfully chosen selection of books they offer. Amazon or Barnes & Noble they are not. They do have their own loyalty program, similar to the big-box stores', which offers free shipping and discounts on books. So they can play like the big boys in that respect.

The Green Seal

2010-01-25T23:12:00.000-08:00

One wonders if I will ever stick to my blog schedule idea?! I failed to post a recipe on Let Them Eat Cake Friday . . . again. In my defense, I was flying solo as a parent this past weekend and was utterly devoted to the care and comfort of my children. *grin* Apologies for the lack of cake; I promise more cake this Friday!

Onward to spotlighting some of my products! Have you heard of the Green Seal? Green Seal is an independent, non-profit organization that sets environmental leadership standards covering a range of products and services, including paper. I'm excited that Carlson Craft, one of the main lines that I carry, now offers Green Seal Certified invitations and stationery!

What does this mean? The Green Seal indicates that the invitations are made from post-consumer fibers and created without the use of chlorine compounds. Green Seal invitations and cards are manufactured using a significant amount of renewable energy resources and responsible forest mangagement practices. You may notice slight imperfections in the paper due to the use of recycled materials; this tells the world you're going green! Why not take the planet into consideration when planning your big day? Or the arrival of your bundle of joy? Or for every day?

And did I mention that the Green Seal designs, along with Carlson Craft's other eco-friendly offerings, are awesome?!

'Vintage Perch' invitation and note card by Carlson Craft

Green Seal white note card with choice of motif and ink color

Subtly 'Beautiful Flower' invitation and note card

Sweet 'Green' baby!

Visit Sweetest Whimsy's Carlson Craft website for even more Green Seal and other eco-friendly designs available today. Because right now is the perfect time to Go Green!

Russian Dolls & A Schedule Tweak (again!)

2010-01-20T22:47:00.000-08:00

I keep tweaking my blog schedule to keep up with what I'm actually able to accomplish! I'll be blogging on alternate days, more or less, on Paper Dolls and The Sweet Spot. Fridays will be double dipping for now, with 52 Cakes, until I think of something more interesting to talk about.

Anyway, under the new schedule, today should have been a Day Off, but since I was too lazy to blog yesterday, then I'll throw in a bonus Shopping Talk for those half dozen or so of you who might actually be reading this!

A very long while back, I wrote about some 2009 predicted design trends. One of these was: Russian patterns & folk art--traditional themes and patterns in modern ways. As 2009 unfolded, we did indeed see Russian inspiration at our favorite stores, and for all ages. My favorite Russian theme to appear in 2009 has got to be the Russian Matroyshka Dolls on apparel and accessories. A traditional theme interpreted in modern ways:

Gap's "St. Petersburg" collection featuring the Doll . . .

. . . as well as subtler traditional Russian patterns.

Modern versions of Matroyshkas on handmade buttons, available on Etsy.com.

And even Russian Doll measuring cups in the kitchen!

I even snagged my own Russian Dolls t-shirt during the holiday season at Target, that matched my daughters'. They were a trend that I wouldn't mind seeing again in 2010!

Images from Ebay.com, Etsy.com and Google images.

Shop Talk: Twinkle Cakes

2010-01-18T23:39:00.000-08:00

As a cake designer, I'm always delighted and amused when I see cake and cupcake toys "out there" in Retail Land. Sometimes, I'll even invent them in my head. One day while browsing some play food at Pottery Barn Kids, waiting for my girls to finally get tired of playing with their luxurious pretend kitchen and washing machine, I thought of a great idea for a kids' cake toy: a plain felt cake that you could decorate over and over again. Because that is the magic of felt of course--it sticks to other pieces of felt with no adhesive necessary.

Well, great minds think alike. Someone else already invented my awesome cake toy idea:

I swear to you, this is exactly what I was thinking of! Unfortunately, I'm not the greatest of sewers, so this idea would probably have languished in my head for years more, unrealized. I'm so tickled that some Mom jumped on her sewing machine and actually created a felt cake! Twinkle Cakes, to be exact.

And when your budding little baker gets tired of the shape/color/number of cake decorations she has, you can buy more packs of them. Brilliant.

I haven't ordered one yet, but I think they are the cutest creative playthings. And best of all, they're zero calories!

52 Cakes: Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

2010-01-17T21:08:00.000-08:00

also posted on The Sweet Spot blog

Friday was a busy day spent on a special cake order, so I didn't have a chance to blog! Getting caught up today.

I love chocolate mint. Such a wonderful marriage of flavors. Cool mint and chocolatey chocolate. Yum.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. pure peppermint extract
3/4 cup warm water.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins w/ paper liners. With electric mixer on medium speed, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract and water. Beat on low speed until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

2. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 1o minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks to cool completely. can be stored overnight at room temperature or frozen up to 2 months.

3. Frost with Martha's Mint Buttercream. My note: Or frost with a Chocolate Mint Buttercream. Frosted cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature or 3 days in the refrigerator.

Makes 18.

Recipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes, which I just bought over the summer and have enjoyed perusing. Image from www.marthastewart.com.

Here Comes the Budget Bride

2010-01-12T00:20:00.000-08:00

If you've been to Sweetest Whimsy's Carlson Craft site recently, you may have noticed a new link to a new line of Wedding products:the Simply Sensible wedding collection.

Simply Sensible is an amazing collection of wedding invitations and accessories packaged together for the "Budget Bride." Who is she? The Budget Bride’s primary focus is on a set dollar budget she will spend on her wedding. How smart is that? In this recession economy, it's brilliant.

She wants to find a great solution to fit her budget and the new Budget Bride packages allow her to find what she wants while sensibly staying within her means. Yes, there will always be that bride who can afford $8 invitations for a 500 guest wedding. But for every one like her, there are many, many more thoughtful brides who want an elegant and professional presentation that isn't going to break her budget.

Wedding package with savings of $266

The We Do invitation: DIY

The coolest thing about Simply Sensible is that the designs are
classic and timeless, and there's definitely a style to suit each bride's taste. And the price! The price of each package is below retail, with savings from about $100 to $400 depending on order size. Packages start at just under $100 for 100 wedding invitations. Move over, Martha. Here comes the bride . . . and she's on a budget!

Click here to see the designs!

Shop Talk: Handbag Cookie Jars

2010-01-11T23:12:00.000-08:00

Eeeek! Almost forgot to post here and at The Sweet Spot and it's only the second day! I suck at my own blog schedule!

I'm tweaking the schedule a bit to give myself a fighting chance of sticking to it:

Mondays: Shopping Talk
Tuesdays: Product Reviews
Wednesdays: Blog Day Off
Thursdays: 52 Blessings*
Fridays: Let Them Eat Cake--52 Recipes*

*also posted at The Sweet Spot

Ok, time for my Shop Talk! Or should that be Shopping Talk?! This is where I get to show and tell about the cute stuff that's out there in the retail world, and not necessarily stuff I'm selling, but just anything and everything that I like.

Ta-da! Sweetly fashionable handbag cookie jars from Neiman Marcus! Wouldn't these be perfect to store all those Girl Scout cookies you're going to buy this winter?! I bought the Zebra one as a gift for my Godmother last month, and she loved it. I don't need a cookie jar right now, otherwise I'd have snapped one up for myself. However, I've been looking for an excuse to buy one of these cookie cuties for the past year at least, so I'm happy someone I love has one now.

I love how unique and whimsical they are. And functional too, which is a requirement for any kitchen. The cookie jar was actually bigger than I thought it would be when viewed online. Another good thing about them? They are currently on sale!

52 Cakes: Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes

2010-01-08T12:18:00.001-08:00

Also posted on The Sweet Spot blog.

Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup oil
1 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. vinegar

Prepare cupcake tins with liners, or if baking a cake, grease small (6-inch) cake pan.
Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer on medium speed until moist and well-blended.
Fill each cup 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees for cupcakes. Cake pan may need a few extra minutes baking time.

Do you have a friend or relative who can't eat eggs? I have a friend/former neighbor who had an egg allergy, and this cake recipe would have been absolutely perfect for his birthday. Unfortunately, I didn't have this recipe when he lived next door to me, but I am still dedicating this one to him!

Best of all, you don't miss the eggs at all in the taste--it's chocolatey and moist, and even more wonderful when paired with my favorite chocolate frosting recipe.

Say Uncle

2010-01-07T20:44:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010! I took November and December "off" from blogging about paper and gifts, but was, interestingly enough, busy with some unique paper orders during that time.

My mother-in-law ordered several sets of personalized stationery from the Carlson Craft line for her elderly relatives, who still write regularly in that quaint, old-fashioned way. But she wanted these note cards to be really special--she ordered them to be personalized with names of course, but not with the recipients' addresses as usually done. Instead, she wanted quotes about aunts and uncles. (Recipients were two aunts and and an uncle.)

Thus began my search for clever and thoughtful quotes about aunts and uncles. Do you know that there really aren't all that many good ones out there? Here is what I came up with after some online research:

Aunt and uncle-- a double blessing. You love like parents and act like friends. ~ Anonymous

Only an aunt can give hugs like a mother, keep secrets like a sister, and share love like a friend. ~ Spanish Proverb

In addition to being solely about aunts and uncles, the quotes had to be short enough to fit on stationery note cards! And although I, in all honesty, thought it was a bit strange to gift someone with "aunt" or "uncle" stationery, it was a sweet idea. Not sure how often they will use it, but they turned out lovely. The Carlson Craft representative who I spoke with when placing the order said she thought it was "really nice." And don't we all have a soft spot for our favorite aunt or uncle?

I haven't posted often enough on this Paper Dolls blog in the past year, but have a plan to change all that! If you've already visited The Sweet Spot, you'll know that I have an ambitious (perhaps too much so) blog schedule I'll be imposing on both Sweetest Whimsy blogs in 2010:

Mondays: Shop Talk ~ a little bit of this and that about retail love
Tuesdays & Wednesdays: Product Spotlight
Thursdays: 52 Blessings
Fridays: Let Them Eat Cake-52 Recipes ~ I know this isn't the cake blog, but I love to collect and share recipes!

PSA Essentials Special Offer!

2009-11-08T20:33:00.000-08:00

Image from PSA Essentials

Website maintenance. Ugh! I am Sweetest Whimsy's Webmaster, in charge of any and all updates involving the content of the site. (What this really means is that I am too economical and Type A to hire someone else to do all of this for me and that I must enjoy a good challenge!)

In an earlier post last week, I excitedly talked up the new PSA Essentials products Sweetest Whimsy now offers. However, I had yet to finish loading all the product descriptions and images onto my website! The PSA Essentials stamps have so many possible personalization options that it took far longer than I thought to get everything online and mesh with the shopping cart.

But finally, most of the PSA Essentials options are ready for purchase! And to celebrate the new products on Sweetest Whimsy's site, I am offering a special discount through November on any PSA Essentials Stamps. Receive 15% off any PSA Essentials order of personalized stamps; offer expires November 30, 2009. For online orders, use code: BLOG15.

So thanks for waiting! Visit Sweetest Whimsy (then click on STATIONERY) to view the PSA Essentials Stamps and Accessories.

Simply Sensible

2009-11-05T23:47:00.000-08:00

Bride on a budget? Looking for deals on holiday cards? Enjoy the challenge of DIY? After several years of poring through design albums and searching my paper websites, I can honestly say that price should never stop you from having elegant/whimsical/casual invitations and accessories for your upcoming special event. Why? Because Sweetest Whimsy has something wonderful for every price range. The hardest part? Choosing just one design out of many!

Carlson Craft debuted its Simply Sensible collection this year of affordably priced designs for invitations, holiday greetings and everyday greetings. Some designs are classic and simple, some are trendy and fun. All offer invitations or cards priced at less than $1 each for a standard order of 100 or more. When you consider that many invitations begin at $3-$5 per piece, this is great savings!

Visit Sweetest Whimsy's Carlson Craft site to view the many, many available designs that fit into any budget. Save on invitations or cards this season and splurge somewhere else in your budget--you deserve it!

More Cute Stuff from PSA Essentials

2009-11-04T22:46:00.000-08:00

I spent over 3 hours today uploading pics and descriptions of almost all of PSA Essentials lovely personalized stamps, but still not quite ready to go "live" yet! There are so many ordering details for those particular products, lots of personalization and choices, that I am still tweaking the ordering page. For those who have expressed interest in the stamps, thank you for your patience! It will be rewarded, I promise!

Meanwhile, here are some more photo teasers of other PSA Essentials accessories that complement the stamps. They make the stamps even more versatile.

Stampable Note Cards:

Stampable Luggage Tags:

Stampable Mini Note Cards:

Shimmer

2009-11-03T22:54:00.000-08:00

These are my shoes.

I love the metallic look, which still seems to be everywhere. Gold metallic shoes, silvery metallic handbags, shimmery threads woven into clothing, etc.

I especially like the look in stationery and invitations! Last week I worked on an order of note cards for a friend, who wanted them in a light gold shimmer. I love how shimmery paper is both subtle and striking at the same time. The note cards looked fantastic with a mocha imprint color.

Some of my favorite shimmery styles:

Silver pocket, although it looks white. Photo does not do this shimmer justice!

Even pink gets in on the shimmer.

All of these designs and many, many more available online at Sweetest Whimsy's Carlson Craft site!

Shoe image from Nordstrom.com

Introducing PSA Essentials!

2009-11-02T12:10:00.000-08:00

Recently, Sweetest Whimsy became a retailer for the amazing PSA Essentials line of self-inking stamps, embossers and stampable accessories! I'd bought their products as gifts for others before, so I'm very excited to offer their personalized stamps and embossers to everyone.

Also, they have a new Peel & Stick technology that makes their stamps even more efficient, useful and affordable! You simply peel off one personalized stamp die and stick on another in its place, without having to buy another stamp base. Quite clever, and now standard for all of their stamps sold since July 2009.

Stamps and Embossers

Peel & Stick Technology

Some of my favorite designs available:

'Dashwood' Monogram & Address Stamp Design

A non-personalized 'Fill-In' Stampable Design to label all your kids' stuff!

'Gabby' Personalized Monogram and Address Stamp Design

'Princess' Personalized Name & Address Stamp Design

Interchangeable center designs to use with your personalized name and address stamp dies:

'Tree O' Holiday Designs . . .

and 'Cupcake' Girly Designs!

Endless combinations are available! The one design I've been waiting for, however, is my alma mater's Collegiate Design! Many other schools are already available, and it's just a matter of time before my Texas Longhorns are on the list!

College and Greek Designs Available, such as the Baylor Bears

I will be adding all of the PSA Essentials products to my website over the next few days, so check the website soon for them and for a special offer!

Taking the NaBloPoMo Challenge!

2009-11-02T12:09:00.001-08:00

Calling All Princesses!

2009-09-10T06:31:00.000-07:00

You are cordially invited to take part in a fairy tale Mother/Daughter event, My Princess & Me, at the elegant and historical Red Berry Mansion on the Lake on Sunday, October 11! For just a $30 donation, each little Princess will receive a professional hairstyle from top hairstylists in San Antonio, make-up application, a tea party, music, dancing and a keepsake photo with her Queen Mum – all while helping support the children of St. Peter – St. Joseph Children’s Home.

Princesses will arrive in their most royal finery with their Mothers (or Grandmothers, Aunts, Sisters, Friends). All Princesses will receive a magical treat of hair design and makeup from our very talented fairies.

And this year, my company, Sweetest Whimsy, invites all Princesses to decorate their own royal cookie treats and dine on special Princess Cake and punch with their Moms! I will provide all the sweet ingredients for each girl to let her inner sugar artist come out!

There will be time for a fairy tale photo to remember this special day. What could be more magical than seeing hundreds of girls of all ages enjoying time with their Mothers and new friends?

Of course, this Royal Event wouldn’t be complete without dancing! Princesses will gather together and dance to great music with girls from the Royal Court. Special appearances by San Antonio Fiesta 2010 Queen of the Vine, Hannah Montana and other special guests!

And the best part of all? 100% of the profits from this royal event go directly to St. Peter - St. Joseph's Children's Home! St. P-J's is a home for children who have suffered sexual and emotional abuse, neglect, poverty and broken homes, as well as a community counseling and service center for families in crisis. This event is made possible by the many companies and individuals who are providing funding, services and in-kind donations, and I am thrilled that Sweetest Whimsy is a sponsor this year! I hope everyone will join me at the Red Berry Mansion on the Lake!

Event Details:
Sunday, Oct.11th, 2009
12:00pm - 4:00pm
The Red Berry Mansion on the Lake
858 Gembler Road
San Antonio, Texas

Ticket Information: Order Your Tickets Online!
$30 donation per person ~ Your entire donation goes to help St P-J's Home
(Or call 210-408-0101 to purchase tickets)

All images from My Princess & Me website

Welcome, Everyone!

2009-09-09T22:04:00.000-07:00

How much do I love blogging?! So much that I would create a brand-new one just so I can talk about my obsession with paper and gifts? But of course.

Actually, I created this blog at the very beginning of the summer; it was to be a quick project and go live right away. But then there was a trip out of town, then kids' summer camp started, then daughter's broken arm, and then family vacation, and so on and so on . . . and now summer's just about over! And a blog has remained 'Under Construction' for so many months.

The reason why I started Paper Dolls was to separate the two branches of my business, the sweet stuff from the cute stuff, and make it less confusing for myself and everyone else! So, if you want to read up about what's baking in my little empire, please continue to visit The Sweet Spot! And then come back here to see all the cool non-sugary stuff Sweetest Whimsy has to offer!

For those of you who remember when I first got a web presence and wanted to spread the word, Paper Dolls was the title of my email newsletter. (The "dolls" of course are my precious little girls!) Email newsletters seem so yesterday, don't they?

So WELCOME to the other half of my business, all the cool non-edible things that I love and will love to share with you all!