On the 7th Day of Christmas...

On the 7th day of Christmas...

Can you believe we are only 18 days away from Christmas? Today we are giving you another free gift tag printable to spruce up those gifts! Print as many as you need.

Peacock Gift Tag - DOWNLOAD HERE

On the 4th day of Christmas...

Happy day 4 of our 25 days of Christmas. The giveaway for the $25 gift card to the store of your choice is still active. Don't miss your daily chance to win by sharing the giveaway on your Facebook page (personal and/or business). Use this link to share the gift card giveaway... http://bit.ly/SCDv1a

{DAY 4}

Today's goody from us is a 25 count pack of our Christmas Mix Paper Party Straws for just $4 shipped. That's a savings of almost a 45%!

Christmas Party Mix

 Quantities are limited so don't wait! Find them HERE!

Day 3: 25 Days of Christmas

It's the most wonderful time of the year! It's the time for family gatherings, hot chocolate by the fire (unless you live in Texas like I do :)), holiday decorations, & GIFTS! I feel blessed to have been given this opportunity to stay home with my children and do this "job" that I love. 2012 was a great year for us and I know that 2013 is going to be even better.

This is our first annual 25 Days of Christmas and I'm sure we will learn a lot from it but it's all in good fun, isn't it?

{Day 3} Our gift to you: $25 gift card to the store of YOUR CHOICE! Yep, you got it! If you are the lucky winner, you will get to tell us what store you want your gift card to. Who wouldn't love an extra gift for themselves this year!

{THE DETAILS}

How to earn entries:

~ Be a fan of Painting Paris Pink on Facebook (mandatory)
~ Share this as a public share on your personal AND/OR business Facebook page (may do this daily to gain more entries
~ Leave us a comment on the blog telling us what your favorite part of the holidays is or any traditions your family has
~ Tweet about the giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway

And the winner is...

Roshann Cardenas! 

Congrats, sweetie! We are grateful to all of you that participated in our giveaway. We will be emailing coupon codes to all participants for a discount on your next digital file order at Painting Paris Pink just to say how much we appreciate you.

As for the trivia question...yes, the answer is CLUE! This is a game that I grew up with and for some dork-ish reason, I LOVE this movie. These are going to be fun printables for me to create. This collection will be released sometime around the beginning of October.

Want a sneak peek?

Invitation set with character cards & envelope

This would make a great set for an older child or even a murder mystery adult party. I'm thinking NEW YEARS PARTY! Fun!

Roshann, we will be emailing you with the details of your BIG WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Printable Party Package Giveaway

{written by Shannon}

The idea for Painting Paris Pink was born when I made my daughters 5th birthday Carnival Party supplies in July 2010. I had so much fun with it and was dying to get out of my going no where job that I decided to go back to being a stay at home mom and making a go of creating printables and parties. Long story short, in January, I teamed up with my cousin Katherine, she brilliantly came up with the name 'Painting Paris Pink' and we opened our Etsy shop on January, 28, 2012. We are coming up on our 7 month anniversary and feel that it is time to do a fun and fabulous giveaway to share some of the joy that our clients have brought us during these past 7 whirlwind months.

We'll do this giveaway with a little trivia question. We are planning a printable party collection and we want you to guess what it is :) It'll be easy peasy! You can enter the giveaway below. There are 2 mandatory requirements (answer the question and like us on Facebook). There are many other ways to get entries too. Have fun & good luck.

See our current party supplies HERE in our Etsy Shop

{THE DETAILS}

~ There are 2 mandatory entries
~ We have numerous ways for you to gain more entries
~ Prize can be claimed anytime between October 2012 - December 2013 (with a few blackout dates). So don't fret if you JUST had a party. You'll have plenty of time to use this when you need it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer In Paris - The Collection

I have 2 little girls and they are 2 days shy of being 2 1/2 years apart in age. With a birthday every 6 months, I feel that I am constantly planning a birthday party :) Good thing I enjoy my job!

This year, my oldest turned 6. She's been a huge fan of Paris and the Eiffel Tower since watching her Barbie movies. It was only fitting that we have us a Paris party theme this year. We are glad to share her special day with you here and share the release of our newest party collection, Summer In Paris.

Grace, the birthday girl, chose pink, black & white for her colors. Shocker! :) Then she chose polka dots & zebra print for her patterns. That meant mommy needed to get to work on some designs for supplies. I loved the idea of doing a boarding pass invitation. I made up a template and then an envelope which I turned into a file I could print with my cricut machine, purchased some shimmery card stock, and began assembling the invitations.

Boarding Pass Invitation

The guests arrived and were welcomed with an adorable welcome sign on the door that we jazzed up with some tulle and acrylic buttons. We incorporated a few French words into our decor for this party...

Summer In Paris Welcome Sign

As the guests came in, the birthday girl greeted them and had her photo taken with them "inside" the frame. Cindy at BadApple-Photography did a great job of making my day just a little less stressful....ok A LOT less stressful!

Birthday girl and dance buddy, Macy

Our food consisted of delicious pink poodle cake balls (chocolate & vanilla) from Viva la Cake Balls, based in Santa Fe, Texas. Mary & her staff do a great job with flavors and design. They were a huge hit with the kids at the party. What kid wouldn't love a pink chocolate flavored poochie!

Poodle Cake Balls from Viva la Cake Balls

We posted a menu of food on the dry erase board and decorated it with polka dot balloons. We had

• french baguette with strawberry jam
• strawberry malted milk balls
• raspberry lemonade cake (this recipe was so moist and yummy...see it pinned on Pinterest)
• yogurt covered pretzels
• cheese & crackers
• fresh fruit
• rock candy
• candy sticks
• chex mix
• pink lemonade.

At the beginning of the planning phase, I knew I wanted to get some cute little cookies for this party. I love the Eiffel Tower shaped cookies but budget restricted us from being able to pay $2-$3 per cookie. I began searching on etsy and came across some cute little mini heart cookies that were a great price. Karen over at Sugar & Flour made these to match the colors of our party perfectly. We set these out with cute little zebra print bags for the kids to take some home with them.

Itty Bitty Heart Cookies by Sugar & Flour

Most of the parties we've had in the past the kids just run wild and crazy. This time we wanted to have a little more structure. We made a 20 x 30 poster that we had printed at Sam's Club for a great price. It was a Paris version of pin the tail on the donkey with an Eiffel Tower and a large heart. We call it Love In Paris. We printed and cut out large hearts, sprayed the back with removable adhesive, blind folded the girls, and had some fun. Each winner won a satin goody bag with a hair clip and a bottle cap necklace.

Party guest playing Love In Paris game

The girls had a great day and topped it off with a dance session on the Xbox Kinect :). Nothing like a good dance workout to expend some energy from all of the sugar we had just given them. This party was so much fun. Our decorations came out fantastic and all of the little details just fell into place.

Each child went home with a favor bag filled with zebra pencils, bracelets, cherry scented nail polish, & bubbles (with some cute bottle labels made by us). Also included in the favor bag was a strawberry scented Eiffel Tower soap in either pink or black. These soap favors were made especially for this party by Favor Boutique by Angelique. They smelled fantastic, great craftsmanship and my girls thought it was "awesome" to be able to wash with "Paris soap." She has tons of adorable soaps in her Etsy shop. We made the Merci tags to go on the soaps.

Eiffel Tower Soaps by Favor Boutique by Angelique

All of the decorations seen in the party can be found now in our Etsy shop. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the details of our Summer In Paris party!

{Shannon}

Back 2 School {freebie}

The countdown is on... As parents, it seems that the countdown begins on the last day of school. Back to school deals have been flooding sale papers & retail stores for weeks now. Who doesn't want to take advantage of some savings? I know I do. I'm always looking for a great deal...especially now that I will have 2 to buy school supplies for {sniff sniff}. We put these cute little cards together for you to use as lunch box notes to brighten up a day with a little note of love. Print away and enjoy :)

Click HERE to download. Personal use only, please.

Christmas in July

Post by: Katherine

Have you ever wondered where the phrase "Christmas in July" originated from? We did a little research and the story is quite interesting.

The beginning of Christmas in July is not very clear, however, it is believed to have started in Europe. During the summer months, the weather would become so hot, that everyone would start longing for the cool weather of winter. People started having parties and festivals imitating those in December. They went so far as to have Santa Claus and gift exchanges.

The tradition of Christmas in July was so popular, that other countries have started their own traditions. In Australia, restaurants, hotels, bars and local shop started to advertise Christmas in July special sales and deals. Not only does Europe and Australia continue to celebrate Christmas in July, but we here in the US have also jumped on the bandwagon.

Although it is not an official holiday, Christmas in July has become a fun way to satisfy the craving for cooler weather and holiday cheer that many people experience during the hottest month of the year.

Do you join in any celebrations each year? We would love for you to share your traditions and festivals that you participate in for Christmas in July.

We at Painting Paris Pink would also like to join in on the celebration. Going on now in our Etsy Shop you can get 25% off any digital item (supplies & extra fees are excluded).

Christmas In July Sale

Summer In Paris...sneak peek

4th of July always holds a special place with me....it's my oldest daughter's birthday. This year she got to blow out 6 little candles. She's a huge fan of the Barbie movies and has become a big fan of Paris and the Eiffel Tower since watching them. It only made sense when she told me that she wanted a Paris party this year. 


...and so the planning began...


We had our party on June 23, 2012 and I can't wait to share all of the details with you. Those will be coming soon once I get the photos from the photographer. For now, I want to share a few of my own photos to give you a glimpse of the our 'Summer In Paris' Party Collection coming this month in our Etsy Shop.

Summer In Paris invitation

Summer In Paris water bottle labels

Summer In Paris fancy welcome sign

Summer In Paris party circles

Summer In Paris tent cards

Summer In Paris 4 inch party circle

We had such a great time creating this collection and there is so much more to share with you. It was a fun & festive set up and is sure to be a great inspiration for your next Paris themed party! We will share the full details & collection very, very soon!

We'd love to hear your thoughts!

4th Of July F-U-N!

Happy July, y'all! It's that time again....time for barbeque's, family & friends, and fireworks! We thought we'd share a few recipes with you to help make your 4th an extra special occasion.

Beefstro Bruschetta Burgers

 Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sugar apricot preserves
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 2 thin slices prosciutto or deli ham, chopped
• 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning
• 8 slices French bread (1/2 inch thick)
• 1 cup fresh arugula or baby spinach
• 2 ounces Brie cheese, cut into eight thin slices
• 1/4 cup julienned roasted sweet red peppers

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine the mustard, preserves and horseradish. In a small skillet coated with cooking spray, cook and stir prosciutto over medium heat until lightly browned. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine ground beef and lemon-pepper. Shape into eight patties.
• Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat for 3-4 minutes on each side until a thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.
• Grill or broil bread for 1-2 minutes on each side or until toasted. Spread each slice of toast with 1-1/4 teaspoons reserved mustard sauce. Layer each with arugula, a burger, a cheese slice and 1-1/4 teaspoons additional sauce. Garnish with peppers and prosciutto. Serve immediately.

Credit to Taste of Home

Red, White, & Blueberry Coleslaw

Ingredients:

• 1 small or 1/2 large head green cabbage, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips (about 6 cups)
• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 6 strips bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish)
• 1/2 cup dried blueberries (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 Directions:

• Toss the cabbage, onion, bacon, blueberries, mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar in a large bowl and toss to coat with the dressing. 
• Cover and refrigerate 1 to 4 hours.
• Stir in the pecans and season with salt and pepper just before serving. Sprinkle with reserved the bacon, berries and nuts. 

 

Credit to Food Network 

 Revolutionary Berries

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces white chocolate chips
• Strawberries
• Blue sugar or edible glitter

Directions:

• Melt 12 ounces of white chocolate chips in a microwave according to the package directions (make sure the container and the berries are dry; even a little moisture will alter the texture of the candy). 
•  One at a time, dip strawberries into the chocolate and then into blue sugar or edible glitter.
• Set them to harden on waxed paper.
• Makes 35 to 45 decorated berries.

Credit to Family Fun

 Have a fun & safe 4th of July :)

~Shannon

Birthday Party Checklist

Birthday party planning can be a bit overwhelming. Guest lists, supplies, food, games, prizes, themes...the list goes on & on. It's very easy to get flustered with all of the details to creating the perfect party. Let us help make it a bit easier. 

You can use our Party Checklist to keep your party organized and be sure you remember all of the little details. Print and use as needed.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted

"I Like To Move It Move It, I Like To Move It Move It, I Like To Move It Move It, We Like To...MOVE IT"

Yes, this is the song that is stuck in my head. In anticipation for Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted release date, my children and I have had a Madagascar Marathon. Oh my! Cute movies. They love them. It's pretty cute to watch them afterward because they always have to "act it out". They'll run around the house being different characters and acting out the different scenes. I'm pretty sure that the movie theater is where you can find us early tomorrow afternoon for a matinee.


Being that the last day of kindergarten was June 1, I decided to make crayons in the Madagascar 3 character shapes for the kids in my daughters class. And of course, I had to make some super cute bag tags for them as well.

Madagascar 3 Crayons with Bag Tags

We'll put out a tutorial soon on making the crayons themselves. If you want to snag any of the bag tags for party favors, you can contact us at PaintingParisPink@gmail.com or request them from our etsy shop via conversation HERE!

~Shannon