» Party Ideas and Party Planning Tips From Experts

Labor Day is nearly here.  That means there is still time to send out Labor Day invitations and have have a long weekend of  fun.  There are so many things you can do that don’t require a lot of advance planning.  Here are some last minute Lador Day ideas you may enjoy.

Backyard camping.  Bring out the tent one last time.  Invite friends, kids, family, whoever you want to celebrate with.  Create a smorgasbord of all that summertime fare you have left over.  Hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, and great summer fruits and veggies.  Don’t forget the s’mores!

Day hike.  You’d be surprised how many hiking areas there are withing a short distance of your home.  Pack a lunch and head out for a day of exploring.  Make sure to bring you camera!

S’mores in the backyard.  If you don’t feel like putting on the entire production of a backyard camp out, how about just doing the best part and make s’mores!  You can create a variety of s’mores ingredients to please every palate.  Try chocolate or cinnamon graham crackers, peanut butter cups instead of milk chocolate, or try dark chocolate too.  Try a toffee bar or caramel chocolate square. Oh the possibilities!

Kite Flying.  Let’s go fly a kite!  Take advantage of summer weather and find a grassy knoll to fly a kite.  This is fun for kids of all ages.  Try flying one at the beach or even just at your local park.  Just try and find some where that isn’t heavily wooded.  Kite flying is an excellent way to relax and celebrate the last days of summer.

Try out new parks.  Each day on Labor Day weekend, try out a different park -the ones you’ve been meaning to get to all summer long.  It’s a great way to go exploring without having to travel too far.

Volunteer.  Find a place to volunteer.  Whether it’s for the weekend or finding a place you can commit even more time to.  Volunteer at soup kitchens, women’s shelters, animal shelters, litter pick up, or whatever sparks your interest.  Giving back is one of the best ways to spend time.  There are so many places that need extra help, find the one that’s right for you.

Happy Labor Day!

Looking for stunning  wedding invitations with a modern feel?  PurpleTrail has a beautiful collection for you to choose from.  This wedding invitation is perfect for a regal couple.  It has an heir of sophistication and elegance captured best in black and white.  You can easily personalize this or any of our designs.  Our printed invitations use paper that is 80% post consumer waste so not only do you get amazing wedding invitations, you can feel good about them too. 

Congratulations to the happy couple!  Mark this important day with stunning invitations and start shopping now!

It’s time already for the kids (and adults) to head back to school!  Subdue the sadness with a back to school celebration! Send out your back to school invitations and get inspired by these back to school party ideas.

Cereal Bar Party- This theme is seen posted around the web lately and it’s a very fun idea.  Have a cereal bar party.  Everyone can bring their favorite box of cereal to share and then guests can mix and match how they wish.  Supply fresh fruit toppings and milk for a fun party that’s tasty too.

Cupcake Party- You can never go wrong with cupcakes!  Bake cupcakes in a variety of sizes and flavors.  Then create a decoration station.  Offer various types of frosting, sprinkles, and small candies (jellybeans, red hots, mini chocolate chips etc.) and let the kids create their own version of the perfect cupcake.  If you can do this outside, the clean up may be a little easier.

Wii/Xbox 360 Game Night- Have a night filled with gaming.  If others are able, have them bring their gaming systems and create a tournament style game night. Create prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

Lawn Games – If the weather is continuing to shout summer, plan an evening of outdoor enjoyment.  Games like croquet, badminton, bocce ball, and corn hole are a great way to celebrate and have relaxing time before school starts. 

Camp out/In- Have a backyard camp out!  If you don’t have a backyard or the weather isn’t cooperating, have a camp in! Set up the tent, make a fire and stay up all night telling stories and laughing.  (Don’t forget if you have to do indoor camping, you can just as easily make s’mores in the microwave!)

Scavenger Hunt- Create and odd ball list of things to collect and divide party goers into teams.  Send them around the neighborhood (with adult supervision) and see who can collect all the items first.  Add in some school supplies to the list like pens, erasers, and things just for fun.  Some fun items to gather are: sock without a mate, candy bar, gum, a 2000 penny, cd case, can of soda, movie ticket stub, anything fun and a little off the wall.  Make sure neighbors know they will not be getting these things back! Dispose of items responsibly, recycle what you can!

Pool Party – If you have a pool in your neighborhood or better yet in your back yard, throw a pool party to celebrate going back to school.  Have plenty of fruity fun drinks, beach balls, and water toys to make this party a success.  Keep a supply of sunblock and towels handy for those who forget.  Enjoy some serious fun in the sun!

Enjoy your back to school celebration!

As I just returned from a week long camping adventure, I figured the last thing I’d want to do is send out party invitations for anything camping related.  Then, I found this oh so clever camping themed table at Head Of The Table and thought, this is the kind of camping I can get behind!  Head Of  The Table provides beautiful tablescapes for you to rent or be inspired by. Their focus is on using  reusable materials instead of disposable.  Their Camping In Style theme is too cute not to love.  From s’mores to baked beans they made the rustic look stylish and polished.  My absolute favorite part is the marshmallow placecards.  I think an end of summer party is in order with a Camping In Style theme!  Check out their site for complete details on this fun party idea. 

Happy Celebrating! 

It’s sad but true, it’s almost time to bid summer adieu.  Why not send out one last set of summer party invitations and send off summer with a celebration. These sunny summer party invitations are the perfect way to invite guests to one last relaxing summer gathering.  Order our printed invitations and create memorable and irresistible printed invites.   All our invitations are printed on eco-friendly post consumer wasted paper so you can feel good about sending stylish invites.  Personalize this design or any design.  The PurpleTrail Design makes it easy to create custom summer party invitations.

Happy Celebrating!

Does your child have an Ugly Doll?  One of those dolls that are actually so ugly, it’s cute.  That’s what I always think.   How about you?  Wouldn’t it be a creative theme to build a party around these Ugly Dolls? Like it?  Read on for some Ugly Doll party inspiration.

• Using your favorite colors of card stock, cut out the invitation cards in the shape of the Ugly Doll.  Write your party details on one side and have the birthday child decorate the Ugly Doll invitation with craft materials.
• Those same Ugly Doll cutouts that you used for your party invitation can also be used as part of your Ugly Doll decor around the party room.  Cut out a large Ugly Doll shape and place on your front door with a “Welcome to (Birthday Child’s Name) Ugly Doll Party!”  Place smaller Ugly Doll cutouts on the party walls, table, and suspended from the ceiling with fishing wire.
• For a table centerpiece, place several Ugly Dolls in the center with balloons tied to them.
•  Have the kids make their own Ugly Dolls.

• Play Hot Ugly Doll, just like Hot Potato.
• Play Pin the Eye on the Ugly Doll, using a real Ugly Doll that you don’t mind getting pinned.
• Let the kids free play with their Ugly Dolls
• Create small slips of paper with the Ugly Doll characters written on them.  Have the kids choose a slip of paper and act out the Ugly Doll personality for the rest of the guests to guess.  Give everyone a turn to play these Ugly Doll Charades.
• Make Ugly Doll shaped cookies and have the kids decorate them with colorful frosting and candies to match their dolls.
• The kids can take their Ugly Dolls home for their party favors.

Submitted by Lisa Kothari

Lisa Kothari is the Founder and President of Peppers and Pollywogs, a kids’ party planning company.  Visit our experts page to read more about Lisa Kothari and our party planning experts.

If you are considering a robot themed party, you are definitely going to need a robot centerpiece!   Get your party invitations  ready and save up your tin cans.  Staci at Lizards and Ladybugs was insprired by this robot centerpiece but decided to create her own version.  Functional and cute; this little guy can hold snacks and flatware, easily accessible for small hands!  With just a few things you have on hand at home and a little craft time, you’ll have your own robot centerpiece to enjoy.  Check out Lizards and Ladybugs for complete project details.  Enjoy!

If you are a sophisticated bride, you’ll definitely want to send our sophisticated bridal shower invites.  PurpleTrail’s collection of bridal shower invitations are fully customizable so you can create stylish invites that suit your personality.  Chocolate brown and elegant embellishments create a subtle statement of grace and beauty in this design.   It’s perfect for the regal bride-to-be.  Send your bridal shower invitations online, print them at home or let PurpleTrail print them for you.   You can personalize any of our designs with photos and images too.

Start designing today!

As the mother of one energetic young man, I am always on the look out for great party themes for boys. My colleague found this great site, Moore Minutes who’s creator Lisa, just threw a Classic Boy’s Campout Birthday Party for her son. She left no detail to chance.  We thought it was the perfect party to share with you.  From the tablescape to the goodies and activities, she put together one amazing campout that you will find inspiring.  The s’mores table she put together is incredible.  Who knew marshmallows came in so many sizes! There is nothing that says camping like s’mores.

She had great homemade trail mix and beef jerky bags and foil dinners to satisfy hungry camper appettites. Not to mention an amazing cake she had created keeping in line with the campout theme.

Take a look at Moore Minutes for complete party details. It looks like a fabulous party that was enjoyed by all. If you have camping enthusiast at your house, consider this great theme for your next birthday party!

It’s hard to believe it, but back to school time is almost here.  Help the kids ease into new fall schedule by sending out super back to school invitations for one last summer party.  PurpleTrail’s collection of back to school invitations are easily customized in our Design Center. Send them online, print at home or let PurpleTrail print them for you.  You can order folded, flat and postcard styles in a variety of sizes.

Plan a party the kids will surely enjoy and let PurpleTrail help you with all your invitation needs.

Do you have some crafty kids getting ready to go back to school? Maybe you are sending out back to school invitations for one last summer party.  Decorate to celebrate with this fun craft we found at Yesterday on Tuesday, a lovely blog the celebrates the art in everyday life.  Creator Malia, shares this cheerful back to school wreath that you can make with: One 12 inch styrofoam wreath, straight pins, scrapbook paper, scissors, ruler or paper trimmer, small chalkboard, glue gun, stickers (optional), letter stickers or chalk, crepe paper, felt or cardstock heart.  It’s a sensational way to show your school spirit as the fall approaches!  Malia gives easy to follow, beautiful step by step instructions on how to create this colorful back to school wreath.  Check it out!

Find more back to school inspiration.

Get your red, white, and blue kids birthday party invitations ready!  Captain America is one of the infamous Marvel Comic characters that will soon be a major motion picture, Captain America -First Avenger. Is your child a fan of Captain America?  It will not only be a fun movie outing when it is released, but it is also a great super hero character to build a party theme around too.

1. Send a Patriotic Invitation Mask to your guests.  Purchase inexpensive paper masks made of stock white paper.  On the inside of the masks, write your party details and on the outside have your birthday child draw patriotic flags, stars, stripes, etc.  Request that your guests wear their masks to your party.

2. For your party decorations, keep it all red, white, and blue.  Find inspiration with these 4th of July party decoration ideas to serve as your Captain America decor.

3. When your guests arrive, in order to build up their perfect Captain America strengths and powers, give them a shot of Super Soldier Serum and Vita Ray.  Use any type of sport drink for the serum and a chewable vitamin for the Vita Ray.  Replace the labels on the sport drink with your own with Super Soldier Serum printed on them.

4. Captain America can run a mile in a minute.  Hold races to see how far your party guests can run in a minute.

5. Captain America can also bench press 1100 lbs.  Using small weights, have the kids lift them as a contest among one another.  Or divide the kids into 2 teams and have them carry the small weights back and forth as a relay race.

6. Play a game of Freeze Tag.

7. Just like Captain America carries, have the kids make a large disc-shaped shield to protect themselves from harm.  Use heavy pieces of large construction paper wrapped in aluminum foil and decorated with red, white and blue mini flags for patriotism.  These would be great to take home as party favors too.

8. Create a Captain America Obstacle Course with chairs, tables, and items you have around your home.  Let the kids do it as many times as they like for fun.

9. Serve a patriotic menu with hot dogs & hamburgers with all of the fix’ns, French fries, gelatin jigglers cut out in shield shapes, Rice Krispie treats with Fruity Pebbles cereal added to the mix and placed on sticks, and a rocket pop drink.

10. Send the kids home with their shields, masks, and any other patriotic goodies in red, white, and blue.

Submitted by Lisa Kothari

Lisa Kothari is the Founder and President of Peppers and Pollywogs, a kids’ party planning company.  Visit our experts page to read more about Lisa Kothari and our party planning experts.

Summer is in full swing and it’s time for a summer party.  Check out PurpleTrail’s sunny summer party invitations.  We like this fun and colorful flip flop party invite for an August party.  It’s bright and cheerful and shouts, “Summertime is here!”  It’s a great design for for a pool party, beach party or any summer occasion party invitations!

All of our designs are easily personalized in our Design Center. You can print your cards and invitations at home, send them online or let us print them for you! Top quality and excellent customer service are all part of the PurpleTrail experience.

Get started today!

The end of summer is near!  Send out personalized Labor Day invitations and plan a fantastic send off for summer.  With the PurpleTrail Design Center, you can easily create unique party invitations that your guests are sure to find irresistible.   Add in fun summer pictures or your favorite summer images to your invitations.

You can personalize any of PurpleTrail’s Labor Day designs or simply create your own.  Print at home, let PurpleTrail print them for your or send your Labor Day invitations online.  Choose the method that works best for you! Happy celebrating!

Check our PurpleTrail’s Labor Day weekend celebration ideas

Congratulations you made it through the first year!   Even with the sleep deprivation, you should still be ready to celebrate.  As you begin to think about those first birthday invitations, it’s fun to coordinate the birthday festivities with a theme.  We have 4 great first birthday themes that are sure to be a hit with the toddler circuit.

Jungle Animals.  Every little guy or girl seems to love animals.  You can set out your child’s stuffed animals and create a wild jungle atmosphere.  Serve bananas and animal crackers and green licorice to represent vines of the jungle.  Creatively name other foods to go along like “jungle punch” and “monkey bites” You can make cookie cutter sandwiches in the shapes of animals for easy to eat party food. 

Bubble Fun.  What child doesn’t love bubbles.  Keep party decorations round and light.  Hang circles from the ceiling.  If warm enough blow plenty of bubbles outside!  Party food can keep with a round theme.  Carrot rounds, cucumber rounds, round tortilla chips etc.  You can create cake balls instead of cake for sweet treats to nibble.

Building Blocks.  Set out all kinds of building blocks for the kids to explore.  Create construction like themed food.  Let them lay bricks in mortar.  Take graham cracker squares and let little ones spread on the “mortar” (frosting) and have fun eating their creation.  Adult help will certainly be needed but the little ones will have so much fun.  You can create a birthday banner out of paper blocks to showcase the birthday boy or girl.

Cats and Dogs.  Most kids love both cats and dogs.  It’s an easy theme that kids can understand.  Make cookie cutter sandwiches in the shape of dog bones or little fish and label “doggie treats” and “kitty treats” respectfully.  Set out finger paint and a cover a table with white butcher paper where they can make “paw prints”.  Create party favor bags for both animals.  Distinguish them with little cat ears and floppy dog ears drawn on brown paper bags (easy to recycle). 

 Happy Celebrating!

At PurpleTrail we are always looking for party inspiration.  And we certainly found it at Glorious Treats (www.glorioustreats.blogspot.com).  Glory Albin, creator of Glorious Treats, dedicates her blog to all her creative passions.  She has a bevy of beautiful desserts, delicious recipes, party inspiration, and adorable crafts.   The party she recently put on that caught our eye was her Rainbows and Race Cars kids birthday party.  Glory put together this two-in-one theme for her friend’s children that share the same birth month.  Not an easy feat since it was a party for a birthday boy (3) and a birthday girl (1).  Glory’s attention to detail and ability to create one cohesive theme  is to be applauded.  Take a look at these Rainbow and Race Cars party pictures and get inspired!

We love the gender neutral color scheme highlighting red and purple!

Look at these amazing cookies.  Her royal icing technique is flawless!

Cupcakes for her…

Cupcakes for him!

Thoughtful party favors for little girls and boys.

Glory did a fantastic job for this children’s party.  If you are looking for a creative party theme, consider rainbows and race cars.  We think this is one of the best kid friendly party themes we’ve seen in a long time.  Thanks for sharing Glory! Be sure to check out Glorious Treats for more inspiration.

all images from Glorious Treats

We are well into summer and the boredom may be setting in for the kids – a little.  Since school will be back in session before you know it, here are some great ideas for summer parties and gatherings.  Get your summer party invitations ready and embrace summer to the fullest!

Backyard camp out.  Get the tents, sleeping bags, and marshmallows ready!  Gather up family and friends for a simple back yard camp out.  Make it fun and fill up the kiddie pool with water and “fish” for prizes (water friendly prizes or keep them wrapped up).  Make a campfire (with adult supervision) and roast hot dogs and of course make some s’mores.  Enjoy the stars and tell a few ghost stories before sending the kids off to bed in the tents.  Then make sure they have flashlights because you know they aren’t really going to sleep.  Keep a closed container outside full of healthy snacks like granola, fruit and nuts so they can snack as needed throughout the night.  Kids will love having their friends over for a camping adventure and you’ll love not having to pack and unpack the car!

Picnic Party.  Gather up the troops and head to your favorite lake or riverside park!  Spend the day playing games in the grass. Games like ultimate frisbee for the older ones and Mother May I for the little ones.  Bring sand toys and plenty of water floats and swim the afternoon away.  Invite everyone to bring a dish to share and create a delicious picnic potluck.  Don’t forget picnic blankets, towels and lots of sunscreen. It’s the perfect way to enjoy the warm days of summer.

Summer Olympics.  Create your own Olympic competition. Create a series of games to compete in.  You can tailor them to meet the varying age groups participating.  Classic games like a three legged race or an relay race are easy to organize.  Create an obstacle course or even a treasure hunt.  It’s a great way to spend a summer afternoon.  Be sure to get medals or prizes and have a medal ceremony at the end to award the top three athletes.

Tie Dye.  Remember using your mom’s bathtub for your tie dye creations?  Take it outside!  Invite guest to bring white clothing to tie dye.  Cotton, shirts, shorts, dresses, onsies, even boxer shorts work great for tie dye.  You can buy kits online and all you supply is the soaking container.  Turn an old plastic storage container into a tie dye creation station.  You’ll also need a table area you don’t mind getting messy.  It’s a fun way to spend a summer afternoon!  It is also a great activity for family reunions or birthday parties.

Pool Party.  Throw a pool party and stay cool in the hot weather.  Or, if you aren’t having a hot summer, find an indoor pool to party at!  Many local pools are available for rent.  Fill the space with beach balls, fruity drinks, and easy finger foods.  If planning an all day event, consider a bbq in the evening.  Keep it light and easy.  Kebabs are and tasty choice to prepare and enjoy.  Keep a full supply of ice cold drinks and sunblock and your pool party will be a success.

We hope you are having lots of summer fun!

Have you heard of Catch My Party? If not, you should certainly check it out! Founded by Jillian Tohber Leslie, Catch My Party is a free website for people to post photos of their parties (birthdays, showers, weddings, holiday parties, etc.) to share with their friends, family, and people who love entertaining. It’s like an online party scrapbook.

It’s also a great resource for all kinds of party ideas and inspirations. So if you’re looking to throw a princess-themed kids’ party  or an elegant baby shower , this is the place to check out first, with hundreds of real parties from around the world.

Catch My Party is easy to use. Just join the site, then follow a few simple steps to add your party. Readers can leave comments on your party page and even “like” your party by giving it a cupcake. 

And if you are looking for a little more inspiration, Jillian writes a blog where she discusses current party trends on Catch My Party, highlights interesting people in the party community, and give lots of DIY tips. There is also a gallery  full of party-related photos to rate and comment on. The photo galleries include celebrity party dresses, wedding dresses, cakes, party shoes, hairstyles, and more.  

According to Jillian: “My goal in starting Catch My Party was to create a place where your party never had to end because I always hated it when, after all the planning and preparation, the band played their last song, and poof! It was all over. So at Catch My Party, you can create living scrapbooks – customizable party pages – that enable you to relive and ‘re-love’ your parties over and over again.”

Because we at PurpleTrail value great resources for party planning, we found this idea of reliving and re-loving your parties over and over again irresistible!  What better way to keep memories alive than to share them with others?

Next time you receive party invitations, consider making your own hostess gift! We found this inexpensive hostess gift idea on the From Glitter to Gumdrops blog.  Christy Robbins gives you step by step instructions on how to make your own chalkboard wine glasses.  It’s the perfect answer to, “which drink was mine?”.  Guests can write funny messages, nicknames, or anything they want.  As the night goes on, the messages may get even funnier.

Christy mentions that she made these wine glasses for under a dollar.  All you need is some inexpensive wine glasses, chalkboard spray, newspaper and painters tape. Then viola, you have an instant handcrafted hostess gift! It’s also a great housewarming gift too!

Check out from glitter to gumdrops for complete details on how to create this fun hostess gift!

Get the  slumber party invitations, mow the lawn and air out the tent.  It is time to plan your backyard camp out menu! Chances are the kids are going to be so busy having fun that they won’t need a huge meal, just lots of good grab and go snacks.  Here’s a few suggestions fro our party experts to serve at your backyard camp out.

Dinner

If you are going to have a fire pit, consider roasting hot dogs.  It’s easy and most kids love them. You can get turkey or tofu hot dogs for kids with special dietary needs.   Other simple things include grilling up drumsticks, or hamburgers.  Anything that’s easy and can be cooked outdoors!

Dessert

Of course you have to make s’mores! You just need marshmallows, chocolate bars and graham crackers.  Be sure to have adult supervision while roasting the marshmallows

Another fun dessert is banana boats. All you need to do is split a banana lengthwise leaving the peel on. Fill with three marshmallows and chocolate chips. Wrap in aluminum foil set on hot coals for two minutes.  Yum!

Grab bag
 

Let the kids put together their own trail mix.  Provide dishes of dried fruit, chocolate pieces (like chocolate chips or M&M’s), raisins, and an assortment of nuts.  Provide them with little baggies and have them put together their own mix!

Other great snacks are granola bars, fruit, pre-popped popcorn and of course plenty of water, juice and/or soda is a must.  Snacks that don’t have to be refrigerated so you can keep them outside for the kids.

Nothing makes a slumber party a hit more than great party games.  As you send out your slumber party invitations, consider  some fresh ideas are need to take your party to the next level.  Summer is the perfect time to gather up friends for a night of fun.  Here are some pointers and great game ideas for your next slumber party bash.

Things to Remember

• Be Prepared: Have all the games set up and ready to go before the party. Make sure you have clearly understood the game instructions/directions. It is better if you play the game once to help  find any loop holes or missing steps.
• Be Flexible: If you sense that a game is not going well, move on to the next activity or make a quick adaptation to the existing game.  Also be prepared to take the party indoors if the weather disturbs your outdoor party.
• Everyone is a Winner: Parties are a time to have fun. Consider playing most, if not all games without prizes, but everyone gets a candy or sticker.  This is especially important when younger children are involved.

Sleep Over Games

• Burglar Alarm - Set a little timer and have everyone go out of the room. One person stays in and hides the timer. Then the other children come back in and try to find the timer before it goes off. Whoever finds it gets some kind of prize and also a chance to hide it the second time around. In case the timer goes off before anyone has a chance to find it, the person hiding it gets a prize. For an added effect this could be played in a dark room using flashlights.
• Musical sleeping bags - Clear a space and lay out the kids’ sleeping bags in a circle or row on the floor. Use one less sleeping bag than the number of players.  Start some music – and have the kids walk around the sleeping bags.  When it stops each child has to get inside a sleeping bag.  Whoever is left without a sleeping bag is out of the game.
• Shadow Buff – This is a guessing game where a shadow is the only clue. One person who is “it” sits in the middle of the floor facing a blank wall or a sheet serving as a screen.  Turn off all the lights with only a single light (from a flashlight) behind the person who is “it”. One by one, the other players pass behind ”it” and in front of the light.  Looking straight ahead at the shadow on the wall, ”it” tries to call out the identity of the player crossing behind.  Players may disguise their shadows in any way to confuse the guesser. The player whose identity is guessed correctly becomes “it”.  Here is a good tip:  don’t let your height give you away.  Moving closer or farther away from the light will make you appear taller or shorter.

Have a great sleepover.  Be sure to check out all of our sleepover games!

  The PurpleTrail team wishes you a very safe and happy 4th of July!  We hope you have plans to spend the holiday with loved ones in exactly the way you want.  Here’s to barbecues, picnics, fireworks shows, and beautiful summer weather around the country. If you need a little last minute party inspiration, be sure to check our all of PurpleTrail’s July 4th party ideas.

Happy Independence Day!

 July 4th is nearly here! Don’t have anything planned? It’s not too late to send our July 4th party invitations.  If your celebration has kids on the guest list, make sure they will have plenty to do in between all the food and fireworks.  Our party experts have a few 4th of July activities for kids that should keep the smiling the whole day long.  

Sidewalk Chalk.  Don’t underestimate the power of this simple tool!  So many things can be created with the side walk chalk from hopscotch to foursquare to shuffle board! You can create any number of game boards with a little sidewalk chalk.  For older kids, have a drawing contest.  See who can make the best patriotic design.

Relay Races.  Kids will love the challenge of  a relay race.  You can tailor it to the age group of the kids.  One idea is to set up buckets of sand with small American flags in them.  Each team gets two buckets – one filled with sand and small flags, the other just filled with sand.   The goal is for each team to transplant the flags into the other bucket.  The first player runs down to the flags then marches or walks quickly with the flag, puts it in the other bucket and tags the next player.   You could also you pinwheels instead of flags.

Balloon Toss.  Kids love water balloons and especially love throwing them.   Partner everyone up and give the teams one balloon to toss. The partners start close together and after every successful toss, the take a step away from each other.  The last two with a balloon intact win!  Use the remainder of the balloons for a good old fashion water balloon fight!

Twister.  Bring the twister board outside!  Kids and adults will love this game of balance and skill! Kids will get lots of laughs seeing Aunt Matilda tangled and twisted!

Fireworks Wand.  This is a great craft idea for little ones who can’t get too close the real deal.  Get small dowels for each guest and loads of curling ribbon.  Get ribbon in red, white, blue, silver, gold and any other festive color you like.  Cut long strand or ribbon for the wands.  Each wand should have at least 10 pieces of ribbon.  Then staple all the ribbon together at one end so the it trails in one bunch.  Tie ribbons onto on end of the dowel.  Help kids curl long pieces of ribbon.   You’ll be left with a fun fireworks wand that the kids can wave and twirl all night long.

Bubbles.  Invite your young guests to bring their favorite bubble wand or toy.  With an array of bubble making tools, the kids will have fun trying new ways to make bubbles.  Have a bubble making contest.  Who can make the biggest bubble, the smallest, the most etc.

Happy 4th of July!

4th of July is nearly here!  Backyard barbecues or picnics in the park are perfect for an Independence Day celebration.   As you get your July 4th party invitations ready, check out these fast and easy dessert ideas.   July is prime season for berries so use them to their fullest for a sweet and satisfying treat.  We found some great, easy 4th of July desserts your guests are sure to love.

Berry Crumble

Ingredients:

2 cups blueberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blackberries
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup unpacked light brown sugar
1 stick of butter (1/4 lb), melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350◦ F. 

Place berries in a medium bowl.  In another medium bowl, combine flour and sugar.  Take 3 tablespoons of flour mixture and gently toss with berries.  Place berries in an 8×8 in square baking pan.

For the topping, add melted butter to the remaining flour mixture and mix well. Crumble topping in small bits over berry mixture.  Bake until berries begin to bubble  – about 35 to 40 minutes.  Cut into 8 pieces.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream if desired. 

Berry Smoothies

This is a great dessert for kids.   It’s easy and they can drink it on the go!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1 banana
1/2 cup vanilla or plain yogurt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup ice cubes

Directions:

Blend the banana, ice, yogurt, milk, and other berries together until a smooth drink is formed. Pour into a cup and enjoy!

Angelic Berries

This is simple and delicious! It’s refreshing and flavorful.

1 angel food cake
2 cups blueberries
2 cups raspberries
2 cups strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup fresh mint chopped
1/2  tablespoon of sugar
Whipped Cream

Directions

In a large bowl add in berries, sugar and mint.  Toss gently. Let it sit for about 15 minutes.  Slice cake and top with berry mixture.  Add a dolop of whipped cream and enjoy!

Wishing you a safe and happy July 4th celebration!

Kids birthday party invitations, decorations, themes, games, crafts, party favors… it all adds up quickly!  For a society in a recession, it appears that many spare no expense for kids birthday parties.    Bounce houses, facility rentals, professional entertainment, some 5 year old party expenses reach $5000.  That’s more than most people’s mortgage.  But how big is too big?  What is a realistic budget for kids birthday parties? If they get an all out party at 5 what happens when then turn 13?

Financial experts would most likely agree that a realistic budget is one that you can truly afford.  Not one you have to put on a credit card.  So if you can’t afford to rent a bounce house or hire your child’s favorite musician, then we suggest you stick to something  a little more low key.  We’ve put together some ways to keep the costs down but still enjoy your kid’s birthday party.

• Party in the backyard.  By planning a party at home you save the cost of a facility rental.   If you aren’t able to go outside for the party and you feel your place is too small, consider revising your guest list or ask someone in your family with the space, if they would be willing to host it for you.  Most of the time Grandma and Grandpa will happily oblige if able.
• Limit the guest list.  You don’t have to invite everyone that has ever met your child.  Close friends and family will make a party more manageable and may be less overwhelming for you child.
• Plan the party between meal times.  To avoid serving a complete meal, plan the party before or after lunch time. 
• Offer fewer food choices.  You don’t need to please everyone.  Have finger foods that are easy for kids to eat.  You don’t need popcorn, chips and pretzels.  Pick a few things and present them in a fun way.
• Bake a cake.  Bake your own goodies. It doesn’t have to be from scratch, cake mixes are inexpensive and many come with frosting mixes that taste homemade!

• Plan a party activity that can serve as the party favor.  Things like frosting cookies, popsicle photo frames, make your own magic wands, tie dye, etc. are great ways to have fun and remove the need for a separate party favor.
• Play.  Never underestimate the power of play.  You don’t need a magician and a bounce house to keep kids smiling. Play tag, hide and seek, musical chairs, have a cookie walk, play twister, simon says, mother may I, red rover, you get the idea.  For older kids plan a relay race or scavenger hunt. 
• Get creative with decorations.  If you are throwing a Thomas the Tank Engine party you don’t have to purchase the whole collection of decorations from the party store.  Choose one or two things you really would like to have from that theme and then incorporate the colors of the theme into your decor for the rest of your party supplies.  For example, you could get a Mylar Thomas balloon and centerpiece for the table and use blue and red cups and napkins.  Hang streamers in Thomas themed colors.  You can create the feeling of Thomas (or whatever your theme is) without buy everything Thomas. 
• If you want to throw a big party for your child, consider throwing one every other year. On the off years, you can throw a small celebration with family and save up for the big event the following year.

Ultimately you should do what you feel is right when planning kids birthday parties.  Above all else you should create a party that your child will enjoy.  Kids birthday parties should be full of smiles and laughter not stress.

It’s not to late to find heartfelt Father’s Day cards.  In fact, what could be more heartfelt than giving a card you designed?  Dad is sure to appreciate thoughtful Father’s Day wishes with a personalized card from PurpleTrail.   Send day an ecard or opt for PurpleTrail print at home.  The Design Center makes it easy.  You can add in a photo of you and dad to make it extra special.  This Father’s Day, take a minute to tell Dad how much he means to you.  Though it may not seem like Dad’s need to hear how appreciated they are, they will most certainly appreciate a heartfelt message of love. 

Happy Father’s Day!

Life is full of holidays to celebrate.  Check our PurpleTrail’s spectacular collection of holiday cards.

Hip, Hip, Hooray it’s Independence Day!  Summer is in high gear and it is time to send out 4th of July party invitations.  PurpleTrail’s collection of July 4th party invitations are festive and fun to help you spread the word about your fantastic celebration.  From backyard bbq themes to stars and stripes you can find a party invitation to fit your July 4th party theme.  You can even create your own design using the PurpleTrail Design Center.  We have a library of thousands of embellishments, backgrounds, and images.

 Enjoy your July 4th celebration! 

Get ready to celebrate!  Shop our amazing collection of holiday party invitations!

I recently went to a party and had the most fun party snack! The hostess put together a popcorn bar.  Next time you send out party invitations consider this easy party food to serve and is a crowd pleaser.  A popcorn bar is perfect for kids birthday parties, graduation parties, and slumber parties. 

Started with a few bowls of freshly popped popcorn.  Then provide fun popcorn containers for each person. You can purchase popcorn bags at most party stores or make party cones.  You can also use cone party hats as a fun way to serve the popcorn.  Create an area filled seasonings and toppings for guests to put on their popcorn to make it fun and delicious.

Seasoning Ideas:

• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Salt/powder
• Flavored butter shakers
• Chili powder
• Cocoa powder
• Dill
• Oregano
• Nutmeg
• Sugar (brown or white)

Topping Ideas:

• M&M’s
• Gummy bears or sour gummies
• Cheddar bunnies or goldfish crackers
• Small pieces of dried fruit
• Chocolate, peanut butter or butterscotch chips
• Granola
• Peanut butter puffs (cereal)
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Red Hots or Hot Tamales
• Toffee chips
• Melted butter

Let your guests dress up their popcorn anyway they like.  It’s an easy party food idea that everyone will enjoy and clean up is minimal! 

Shop our amazing collection of party invitations

Father’s Day is a great time to tell your dad how much he means to you.  Along with thoughtful Father’s Day cards, give dad a gift that he’ll really appreciate. We’ve put together some Father’s Day gifts that will put a smile on dad’s face and even melt his heart a little.

Photo books.  Make dad a special photo book full of all the people he loves.  Some dad’s may not always be outwardly sentimental but a photo book collection of all the people he holds near and dear is something he will truly appreciate.

Give dad the day off.  Set up something that your dad really enjoys doing. Whether it’s a game of golf, a movie, a sports game, a car race, time to work on a project, or even just time to nap.  Let dad have a day to do what he likes!  End the day with a family dinner complete with his favorite dish!

Do dad’s chores.  Organize the family to do all of dad’s chores. Mow the lawn, wash the car, insect removal, take the garbage out – whatever dad does, do it for him so he can relax!  After all your hard work, take dad out for his favorite meal or plan a backyard bbq.

Ode to dad video.  Gather the family and have them deliver a special message to dad.  Add in photos or videos of him as a kid and share your favorite dad stories! 

Heartfelt letter.  It may seem sappy, but letting your dad know how important he is  you and how he’s influenced you will mean a great deal to him.  Add in some humor and share a funny story about why you love your dad or a collection of your favorite moments.  Your dad will be touched knowing he’s had meaningful influence in your life.

Weekend getaway.  Plan a trip! If your dad’s a camper, plan a fun camping trip to his favorite spot.  How about a golf getaway? Or a weekend at the lake?  If dad’s more a city guy, plan a stay at a downtown hotel and see a show or museum exhibit he’s been wanting to visit.

No matter the gift you give make sure you take a minute to show your dad how much you love him. He’s sure to love anything you give if you take the time to make it personalized for his style and interests.  Happy Father’s Day!

Shop PurpleTrail’s incredible collection of Father’s Day cards and photo books.