A party is a party...

But a party after all this whole lock-down/social distancing/shelter-in-place/quarantine business is going to be amazing! I’ve already started planning it. Its going to be a backyard rib fest rainbow themed birthday party for when the girls turn five.

We’re in weird times, and I am ready to get together with friends and family. One of the benefits is that a lot of the clutter in our lives has gone by the wayside, and I find myself enjoying meaningful connections more, even when at a distance. I’ve been better about dropping something off to a friend, calling my grandmother, sending notes my kids make to my mother (their grandma). And I find it fulfilling. And the best part, getting cards BACK from grandma. I remember how excited I would get when I got something in the mail as a kid (still do when I get anything actually addressed to me personally, not bills or junk) – and now I get to watch it on my kids. Their eyes light up, they get big smiles on their faces, and they cherish those envelopes and notes addressed to them.

So why don’t we do that more? 

This year I am sending out party invitations for the girls party – addressed to the their friends. I know when I get a text invite or email invite I don’t show my kids, they don’t know they’ve received anything (can I say how much I’m enjoying no email invitations in my inbox to keep track of?). I would love to spread joy with a card. We do it at Christmas time, send love in an envelope, why not more throughout the year?

I’ve already got the party invitation all figured out, with the help of BasicInvite.com. Here's what I've got so far: 

Dates and times can be figured out later, but I've already got the cuteness figured out. Now let me show you SOME of their color customization options - they have over 180! Plus foil options, multiple card shapes, designs with or without pictures, over 40 envelopes to choose from. They’re fully customizable invitations – you’re not pigeon holed into 4 color schemes.

They give the widest variety + most customization options I’ve seen (and in marketing + as a photographer, I’ve worked with a lot of invitation sites), and all of cards you actually want. You get the benefits of working with a graphic designer, without the cost. They offer free sample orders, free address collection + printing (so your envelopes come printed with addresses and return labels. My mind keeps exploding over this!), and free websites (wedding, party, shower, anything!). They even have an option to mail your cards for you! For this party I'll be self-addressing and mailing the cards myself, but the opt-in's are endless. 

Amazing, but what's the bottom dollar? That's the force that drives a lot of my decision making. They’re the same as or less than any other card you’d find on an online stationary site, – but I also looked at uncustom, very boring cards at some retail stores (the kind that say where/time/date and a blank line for you to write in the info) - these are about ten cents more a card, that’s it. For that marginal extra cost you can get a card made for any event: high school graduation announcements, wedding save the dates, 50^th wedding anniversary celebrations, surprise 80^thbirthday party invitation. They’ve got you covered. 

And thank you notes for after - how cute is this? 

And I can change the colors to mimic the invite - so they'll coordinate, but aren't the exact thing. Not too matchy-matchy. So adorable. And now to aspire to be the mom that helps my children write thank you notes (I joke, but it is a goal of mine to be better at writing thank you notes, and teaching my children). Is it too early to start planning our Christmas card?

This post was sponsored by BasicInvite.com, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. This really is an amazing site and one I will be recommending to friends and family (and brides).