We have the perfect invitations to rally your rowdies, 60’s style!

Dress the part. I don’t know how many Don Draper’s you have in your circle but a put a man in a suit and the transformation is immediate. Put a hat on him and you may find yourself swooning.  Women should be encouraged to locate their inner Grace Kelly.  Scour the vintage shops for broaches, brocade and gloves.  And while you’re at it, you need a “hair-do.” A demure chignon or sassy flip just might to the trick! Oh…and don’t forget the red lipstick.

What to serve is really pretty easy.  Thanks to the Internet, it is simple to find early 1960’s fare.  Break out some cheese balls, Lipton Onion dip and some stuffed celery sticks and you are halfway there.  If you have some old ashtrays, rotary phones or extra martini glasses, this will add to the early 60’s ambiance.  And let’s discuss cocktails, shall we?  You may need to brush up on your bartending skills because any self-respecting host or hostess must know how to serve a mean Manhattan or Blue Hawaiian.  Not to break the mood but serving water may not be so sixties but a necessity as your swinging soiree unwinds.  Cheers!

Is personal correspondence destined to go the way of the dinosaur? I guess it’s really up to us or better yet, our children.  Technology is a wonderful thing.  We all use it and reap the benefits but it isn’t the perfect fit for all of our cultural conventions.  I think there is a place at the table for all of us.  It’s just a matter of understanding how to pick the best tool to get the job done correctly.  What is the most effective and leaves a lasting impression?  This is the question you should ask yourself when thinking about blasting an email to a friend that was really there for you in a pinch. Is email really the best way to respond? By taking the time to send a handwritten note, it shows an extra effort on your behalf and puts more substance behind the sentiment.

I am sure you understand my point.  Just as there is a time and place for everything, so there is always a more appropriate way to get communicate to one another.  Because email is faster, it does not make it better.  Now it’s time for me to climb off of my soapbox and get to the crux of this blog which is teaching your children to joy of writing when they are young.  I will just bet there is a lot more excitement when they receive something in the mail VS another email…(yawn).  Emphasize this to them and make sure they have there own personal stationery available to write a letter to there favorite aunt or teacher when the mood strikes them. Let them pick our something colorful or with certain themes they enjoy. Teaching thoughtfulness is a lesson that will enrich your child’s life now and throughout their adult life as well as all who come in contact with them.  Will writing a note to someone make the world a better place? At the very least, someone’s world, and I think that’s a good start.

The meek may inherit the earth but make no mistake…divas rule it! Just ask them!  At least on this special night of Cooper’s 9^th birthday! Her mother, a former stationery storeowner herself knew exactly how to set the wheels in motion.  It began as it always does, with the invitation. Hot pink surrounded with footlights that were given an extra dose of “bling” set the stage for this summer night to remember. Adding a little extra something to your invitation lets your guest know this isn’t just any party. Our “Frosting,” is just the thing to give your message the boost it needs.

The divas were welcomed with much fanfare and received a big dose of “Hollywood hospitality,” as they stepped on to the red carpet.  Each received the royal treatment as they were announced to their adoring public. (Their parents), and had their paparazzi moment with a premiere shot taken by a professional photographer.  After showing off “who” they were wearing these 3^rd grade girls shed their diva duds and enjoyed an evening of swimming, dancing under a disco ball, karaoke a full BBQ and a margarita machine (sans alcohol)!!  This wasn’t just a party…it was an event.

As the evening came to a close, each girl received a box on SanLori princess stationery each accessorized with a wearable crown pin.  Perfect! This may sound like an elaborate fete to pull off but it is can be scaled to any size you choose.  When it comes to diva parties, we definitely have a broad range of invitations to call your little divas to action.  We appreciate the photos we received to highlight our part in this absolutely fabulous party.  Happy Birthday Cooper!

Get your room ready with our ceramic monograms!

Whether you call them sleepovers, slumber parties or bunking parties, lets get something clear right from the start, “sleep” is really not a big part of this petite soiree’.  I just wanted to put that our there for the unsuspecting parent that hasn’t ventured into the land of “no nod” yet.

Sleepovers however, are a rite of passage, especially for little girls.  In itself, it is a great theme for a birthday party but you can always add on from there.  There are so many ideas for hosting a great sleepover; it’s really up to you and your little insomniac.  Scavenger Hunts, board games, movies, and… “fun food.” (How’s that for a euphemism)!  I personally have always loved the vegetable tray but this may be a time when you loosen the reigns just a bit on the food pyramid.

KLI-203 Party Animal

KLI-205 Peace Out!

Our Fiddle-de-de fill-in invitation line has a number of adorable “all girl” invitations! Many are generic in theme so along with being the perfect pick for your slumber social, they make great “back to school party” cards and birthday party invitations.  Shown are just a few of the many choices available. For more choices, click here.  Have fun and take lots of photos… they grow up so fast.

Slumber Snack

12 oz. bag M&M’s mini baking bits

1-cup peanut butter chips

1 cup unsalted peanuts

2 cups Cinnamon Teddy Grahams

2 cups pretzel balls

Mix and enjoy!

It’s time to announce our six winners of the Pick-A-Chick giveaway.  We want to thank everyone who participated.  By following us on Facebook and Twitter you will be able to see all our new product offerings and enter other promotional giveaways in the future.  So even if you don’t see your name this time…. there will be other possibilities to win in the future.

So without further ado… Please check your Facebook, Twitter or email today.  If you are a winner you will receive a notification by 12:00 CST.

Please contact us at info@sanlori.com to confirm your preference and let us know where we need to send this bird to nest! Congrats and enjoy!

OK, I am jumping the gun a little but I’m ready to announce this because it’s hot outside and we all need a little distraction. How about something for FREE! It just makes it more fun, doesn’t it? I love getting mail (not bills), and the sighting of the UPS truck on my street has been known to make my heart skip a beat. but winning something…. now that’s a rush!

So here’s what’s up… We are giving away one each of our deliciously scented Hot Chick candles to our fans who comment on our blog, Facebook or Twitter or any featured blogs about the Hot Chick candles. When you comment, just let us know which scent you would prefer. Winners will be selected randomly. Six candles total will be awarded. Now, match your “Hot Chick” persona below:

· Cosmo Compatible- a mélange of cranberry and citrus liqueur, Your motto:” If the shoe fits, buy it in every color!”

· La Vie, Gypsy! – A mixture of the ancient oils of Sandalwood & Patchouli. Your motto: “Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you traveled.”

· Espresso Yourself- An infusion of cappuccino & hazelnut. Your motto: “I haven’t had my coffee yet, don’t make me kill you.”

· Olive My Love- A tasty combo of olive, sage & thyme. Your motto: La Dolce Vita! You want olive it!

· Sea & Be Seen! - A wash of Ocean Breeze & White Ginger. Your motto: Sun, Surf & Smiles. You direct your feet… to the sunny side of the street!

· French Kiss- blends of lavender and verbena that evokes the warmth of the fields of Provence. Instant romance. Your motto: Comprenez-vous Fabulous?

We will contact all winners by July 30, 2010.

Good Luck, Bon Chance and Buona Fortuna!

Well, we decided to take the plunge! On June 27^th I married John Owens on a swelteringly hot and humid Arkansas afternoon. Once we decided to “do this thing,” we didn’t waste any time pulling it together. So… In the midst of selling two homes, one (mine) that the show “Hoarders” might have been interested in, getting two girls out of school for the summer, buying a new home (can you say, STRESSFUL?), working at my beloved day job (SanLori), and moving into the new house and blending our families and animals… I had basically a little over a week to plan a wedding!

I had a leg up on at least one detail though…the wedding invitation! Thankfully as one of the owners of SanLori I had the run of the house. It was my turn to play and I must say, I enjoyed it! I chose our white linen pocket with a pearl deckled edge linen insert card (LCN-05) without bow. Lately, I am into all things blue. The walls of my new home are blue so maybe that was my inspiration. This particular invitation comes without ribbon so I personalized it with a beautiful teal sheer ribbon and matched the printed text to the ribbon. It was love at first sight! Our linen pockets can be purchased with or without a bow so if you want a specific color, (like I did!) we make it simple for you.

Thankfully, the invitations were bound for family only, so they excused the late request for attendance. With the invitations sent, what else was there to do except the cake, flowers, catering, music, dress, vows, reverend and rings. No worries. Ha! Believe it or not, it all came together. Our former Pastor, Rev. Betsy Singleton officiated our wedding with a great message that she tied in from the movie “Toy Story 3.” We were all surprised when the prop bag came out! I couldn’t believe we had pulled it all off! That is, until we remembered we forgot to have the reverend sign the wedding license and she had left town on vacation. As of yesterday, we were finally “legal.” And exhale….

SanLori was chosen to be the featured company in the summer issue of GREETINGS etc. magazine and we are so excited we wanted to share it with you! It’s always a little nerve wracking when you are being interviewed for an article! Thankfully Suzanne Pruitt with GREETINGS made the process pain free. We have been trying to get the word out about the great programs that we have in place for our retail partners. With the placement of SHOPATRON and our Digital Studio, our stores can add new revenue streams to their place of business.

If you have received a copy of the summer issue we encourage you to give it a gander! If features several of our newest designs and a window into our new retail initiatives. If you don’t have a copy, read it here. And… as you are perusing our site, check out our new bridal shower invitations, baby shower invitations and birthday party invitations that were just released. Lots of new!! Enjoy.

Playing sports offers children more than just physical benefits, it help kids academically and socially as well. And it doesn’t really matter whether or not your child actually excels at the sport, they get the benefit. If your child isn’t good enough to play competitively on a school team, try signing them up for a city league or encourage them to just go shoot some hoops with their friends or church group, find that outlet!

Sports offer a unique arena in which children can successfully exert their unique talents.  Why? For two reasons.  First, it engages the child as a complete human being: sports is not just about being physical, but also social, cognitive, and psychological – they are engaged harmoniously in striving toward peak fulfillment. Second, it tosses them into a community composed of their peers as well as their peers’ families, which teaches them how to work together.  Sports, shows them a larger world that most non-athletes sometimes don’t get a chance to experience.  In my family we have found ballet (for my daughter) and baseball (for my son) to be exhilarating, satisfying and very rewarding!

A sports themed party is a true winner.  SanLori has a nice selection of invitations to help our superstars get the game started!

Tweens are very vocal in what they want and what they like (if you have one you know!)  And Gen-X parents are spending on tweens — just not with the same frivolity that was seen in years past.  Parents spend on their kids before they spend on themselves.  With that said, remember the “tween” market and make sure to have a nice selection on your shelves.  If you’re not sure you want to commit an entire section to tween merchandise, mixing a few tween-related products throughout your store should do the trick.  After all, tweens are shopping with their parents, and they’ll be browsing the shelves no matter what — it doesn’t seem to matter if they have their own section.

Tweens are still kids, they just think they’re much older.  When they want something, they don’t just want it, they need it.  And that can work to a savvy retailer’s advantage.