All you need is love…

As someone who is just 3 years into marriage, it is discouraging to see how high divorce rates are, but thankfully I can look to my parents and see that a long and happy marriage is not impossible  My siblings and I were unable to come together and celebrate my parents’ 25th anniversary so we decided to make it happen for their 30th. We threw them a surprise party and even secretly flew my brother, Chase, out from D.C. We all had a great time! 30 years of marriage truly is amazing. Check out the photos below to see how we celebrated:

For starters… we used the 30th wedding anniversary traditional theme of pearls and green as the theme to the party and implemented that into the invitations. I bought all materials at Michael’s and did not even need a cutting machine for these invites. Here is what I did:

1) Bought solid green cardstock, ivory/white cardstock, transparent paper, ribbon, metal embellishments, and pearl adhesive embellishments

2) Cut my solid green cardstock into 5x7s, the ivory/white cardstock into 4.75×6.75, then printed the party information on 4×6 pieces of transparent paper

3) Slid metal embellishments onto cut pieces of ribbon, then taped ribbon to back of ivory/white paper

4) Glue ivory/white paper onto green cardstock pieces, then glue party information onto ivory/white paper using spray adhesive

5) Add pearl adhesive embellishments to metal embellishments

Now for the party decor:

As I mentioned earlier, the 30th wedding anniversary tradition is pearl and green so we stuck with that theme but added a little pink for fun. The colors complimented each other well and were easy to find.

Gave the couple V.I.P. sitting with a sweetheart table dressed up with one of their wedding photos in an elegant pearl frame, a vase of flowers, and a candle. How romantic!

Set up a table just for food and drinks, but also added pictures, flowers, and candles I decorated the frames with leftover paper and ribbon from the invitations. Why not?

This was one of my favorite things at the party! My brother-in-law made a simple wood frame, my husband painted it. After it dried, my brother-in-law stapled ribbon to the back of the frame and I hung up my mom and dad’s wedding pictures with clothes pins We got so many compliments on this and it was so cheap and easy! PLUS my sister is going to replace the pictures with pictures of her kids and hang it in her daughters’ room.

Each table was decorated with jars full of sugar, pearls, and a candle. Again, super easy and cheap. We bought small jars and tea light candles from a dollar store, filled them with sugar, and sprinkled pearls on top of the sugar. I wish I had a close-up, but I don’t We used various sized pearls of white, powder pink and olive green. You can find any color and size on ebay for very cheap!

We had an Italian restaurant cater the party and knew that everyone would be stuffed after dinner so we went with some light desserts. Easy, individualized desserts make it easy for you to pass out without having to worry about cutting numerous pieces of cake or what not. My sis made mini cheesecakes topped with sugar pearls and I made brownie pops topped with sugar pearls and wrapped in ribbon. Both were a big hit!

I just like this shot. My mouth is watering just looking at it!

Don’t forget to buy a simple cake for the couple to cut into so they can have flashbacks of their wedding

The love birds themselves! Congratulations on 30 years of marriage, Mom and Dad! We love you and thank you for everything you have done for us throughout the years

The family- my brother, dad, mom, sister, and me! What a good looking bunch, eh?

Oh Toodles!

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you

What’s that? You wish for the Minnie Mouse .svg that I made to make these?

Click here to download the free Minnie Mouse SVG!

Here is what you will need to recreate these simple Minnie Mouse invitations:

1) My free Minnie Mouse .svg (download above), cutting machine and software (I use the Cricut and Sure Cuts A Lot 2)

2) Black, pink, and white paper

3) Pink polka-dotted ribbon

4) Glue and scissors, plus a printer to print your party 411

Follow these short, simple steps:

1) Download .svg and set up in your software

2) Cut shapes and print party information

3) Cut ribbon to desired length and tie bows (I did 15-16 inches per bow. There were a little long but that gave me room to tie easily and cut nice angles after I tied them)

4) Glue pink circle onto black background, then white paper with party information onto the pink circle (I used spray adhesive for this part)

5) Put a dab of liquid glue in between the ears and push on pre-tied bow. Hold for a few seconds or set something heavy and flat on top of it for a while (I used a book)

6) Send those cuties out and enjoy the party!

*BONUS SOON TO COME: Check back soon to see how to tie the perfect Minnie Mouse Bows. I hope to have a video on this within the next two weeks! It’ll make tying polka-dotted ribbon much easier and enjoyable

Hey baby, what yo’ name is?

Does anyone else feel like every gal pal of theirs has a bun in the oven? Well, I do! Lucky for you- this means more invitation ideas and .svg files that you can use for all those baby showers you will be hosting or attending For example, this lovely little baby doll dress invitation:

Adorable, right? Use it for a baby shower and match it to the colors that the mama-to-be wants for her party or nursery Here is what you will need:

1)My Baby Doll Dress SVG (download below) and a machine/software to cut out shapes (I use the Cricut)

2) colored paper and ribbon of your choice

3) glue and scissors

Once you have collected the necessary materials follow these simple steps for assembly:

1) Download my Baby Doll .svg below

2) Set up party info. and print (I use Photoshop)

3) Cut out shapes and ribbon (length varies depending on preference)

4) First glue ribbon, then party info. on top so that ribbon is hidden on the inside. Then glue the rest of the pieces together.

5) Tie ribbon

6) Enjoy party!

My hero…

Sad news… my nephew, Dax, is turning 1 already! He is growing up way too fast! It seems like yesterday that I just posted the invitations and pictures from his baby shower The good news, however, is that I have a new .svg for you! Instead of doing the typical  superhero theme parties like superman, batman, spiderman, and yada yada yada… make it custom to better suit your little one! Here is what I came up with for my not so little peanut nephew:

Soooo much fun! The cool thing is, like most of my invites, is you can personalize them.  Change the colors, change the letter, or superhero icon to what you want.  These ones were super easy to make too. Just follow the directions below:

1) Click her for the  

2) Cut everything out in the colors and paper that you want!

3) Use a scoring blade to make a crease in the cape where it needs to fold.  Then use glue on the top part, fold it over, and press it onto the shirt.

4) Glue the other pieces, except for the letter.  Use pop-up dots to give it some more dimension.

5) Print out event info. and glue it to the inside of the cape.

6) If you are making these invites for a girl superhero, add some glitter or bling

7) Enjoy your superhero party!

Check below for more superhero party ideas!

Let’s start with “super” cute decorations:

Keep the decoration colors bright, like a comic book. Have bright streamers, balloons, paper goods, and other bright decor!

Have a dramatic background for the desserts! I used cardboard and paper to make my building and added a call signal for the birthday boy

Make action word decorations. Make pom poms out of tissue paper then slap on words (I used my cricut to make my words)

Other words to use: clunk, wham, plop, boom, bang, whack, ka-pow, bonk...

Now for the “Super” yummy nom noms…

The 1st birthday requires a smash cake! However, our cake baking ended in tragedy the night before so we ended up with this one last minute. We ordered a plain cake and I dressed it up with starbursts and edible ink.

Again, we had a bit of a disaster while making the cake the night before so we ended up with cupcakes at the very last minute. We went with bright colors that matched the party and had time to dress them up with some superhero action words

…And for “super” cool party favors:

Make capes and masks for party favors! Wal-mart has cheap material that goes a long way

They don't have to be fancy. As you can see, they were a big hit!

Take a look at some of the extra “super” fun touches we did:

Create a photobooth so kids can take picture in their new capes and masks

And use superhero action words to make some fun action shots. Of course the adults were more into this than the kids were, but hey... we can have some fun too, right?

What superheros will show up to your party?

My husband went as "The Dealer" and had a cape with decks of cards all over it, while I went as "The Puzzler"- yes, my cape has the autism puzzle pieces all over it. It was awesome!

The birthday boy wasn't up to wearing his costume but my sister sported some handmade jet-packs for her "Super Mom" costume while my brother-in-law was Quailman mixed with Duck Dynasty? Just go with it!

Happy 1st Birthday to the cutest little superhero ever, Dax Hagen Rucker! I love you so much- even when you are covered in cake!

A little gem for those paper craft artists in the San Gabriel Valley!

Hello fellow scrapbookers and paper craft artists!  So, sometimes it is really annoying to go into a nearby Michaels or Joanns craft store, only to find the exact same thing you always find there.  To me, it seems like their selections are rarely updated.  So here is my solution- search your google maps for a local scrapbooking store.  This is precisely what I did the other day and stumbled upon heaven- Scrap N’ Yap in Monrovia, CA.

I love to support local businesses and I am a huge fan of this particular store for many reasons:

1) It’s pretty! When you step inside, the store is colorful and has an antiquish look to it.  It is clean and organized.  And so spacious! There is room to turn around without knocking things over with your purse. That, my friends, is important! The whole feel of it relaxing and not overwhelming like some craft shops I have been  in.

2) It’s full of unfamiliar things! As I mentioned before, other chain craft stores I have shopped at always have the same thing! I have seen the same paper and embellishments sitting there for years now.  There were definitely new and unique items at Scrap N’ Yap, which made me all giddy when I was there

3) It’s ran by awesome people! Nothing is more important to me when I am shopping than customer service, and people… this place had outstanding customer service.  The lady working, Jen, was super friendly, offered assistance, and gave suggestions.  I truly felt like I was a valuable customer to her and it was only my first time in the store! I later liked Scrap N’ Yaps Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Scrap.N.Yap) to let them know how much I enjoyed their store and 2 other Scrap N’ Yap ladies responded to my message! Incredible!

4) It’s fun for everyone! They offer a lot of classes there so you can constantly learn something new, or maybe teach others some stuff you know! I have not attended a class there yet, but they sound lovely! I have actually always been too intimidated to take any sort of paper craft class, but Jen almost has me convinced

I really hope some of you who live in the area will take the time to check this place out.  It truly is a delightful place, full of delightful people.  Get a sneak peek of what Scrap N’ Yap has to offer by visiting their website: http://scrap-n-yap.com/

This means the world to me…

ATTENTION READERS:

All profits from purchased .svg files from March 1st – April 20th will be donated to Autism Speaks!

As I mentioned in my previous post, I will be participating in the Walk Now for Autism Speaks in Pasadena, CA on April 20th!  I am trying to organize a team and gather donations to raise money for individuals and their families who have been touched by autism.  Below are links to learn more about the event, join my team, The A-team Warriors, or donate to my team.

Information about the walk:

 http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1037427

Join the A-team Warriors on a walk that will change lives  or make a donation:

http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/losangeles/theateamwarriors

Don’t feel comfortable making a donation online? Follow the link below to print out a form and send a check to help support a walker or the A-team Warriors:

http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/faf/tools/donationform.asp?ievent=1037427&lis=1&tmpid=377898816&tmpval=

Or purchase one of Grealish Greeting’s original .svg files!

Thank you so much for your time and support!

-The A-team Warriors team captain and creator of Grealish Greetings,

Ari Grealish

Let’s Find the Missing Pieces!

Hello Grealish Greetings followers and all of you new to my blog!  Although many of you are probably waiting for more paper craft ideas and .svgs, I am here to talk to you about something even better.  Well, to me it is

I am on a mission.  A mission to change lives and I want you to join me!

Every 11 minutes, another family receives the devastating news that their child has an autism spectrum disorder. I have worked alongside so many individuals with autism and have personally seen all the obstacles that they and their families have to face.  Enhancing the lives of children with autism and the lives of their families is my reason for living!  It sounds corny, I know, but I have been so lucky to find something I am passionate about!! Now it is my time to share my passion with you and ask for your help…your help to help those affected by autism. “How?” you ask- please join me and pass my project on!

I am trying to organize a team for the Walk Now for Autism Speaks event on April 20^th at The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA.  This event is to help raise money to help those who have been touched by autism.    By participating in this event, by walking or donating, we will be getting one step closer to finding what causes autism, how to prevent and treat it, and ultimately a cure.  Below is the link for more information about the Walk Now for Autism Speaks:

 http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1037427

 Our team name is The A-team Warriors!  There are already a few members on the team, but we still need more people to help us reach our goal. We would like to raise at least $1,000 as a team, which should not be hard if we have a big team. If we exceed this goal, then awesome! If we do not reach it, then no big deal- anything helps! What we earn goes to research, awareness, and toolkits that go directly to families affected by autism! Plus, there are incentives for participants – anyone who raises $150.00 gets a 2013 Walk for Autism Speaks T-shirt! For $1,000 plus we can join the “Grand Club” and get V.I.P. treatment on the day of the walk! Not to mention, it’ll be fun!

 So who is ready to change a life forever?

 If anyone would like to help by either joining our team, The A-team Warriors, or by making a donation follow the link below:

http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/losangeles/theateamwarriors

To support a walker follow the link below and search for the walker by name:

http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1037427

Don’t feel comfortable making a donation online? Follow the link below to print out a form and send a check to help support a walker or the A-team Warriors:

http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/faf/tools/donationform.asp?ievent=1037427&lis=1&tmpid=377898816&tmpval=

If anyone chooses to make a donation, I and The A-team Warriors thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  If anyone chooses to join our team, we look forward to walking with you.  Please feel free to invite others to participate in any way they can.  The more people we get involved, the more people we can help!  For any other questions and concerns please contact me.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

The A-Team Warrior’s Team Captain,

Ari Grealish

Email: ari.grealish@gmail.com

Carnie Love

How does one live their life long dream of becoming a carnie? Put on your very own carnival party for your kids! You’ll be amazed on just how easy a carnival party can be.  It can be in your very own backyard or at a nearby park. Set up games, hand out tickets, and give out prizes. The kids will love it! And, let’s face it… the adults will want to try out some of the games too. But first everyone will need a ticket to get into the carnival! Lucky for you, I have designed some incredibly fun ticket booths and admission tickets:

What you will need:

1) My ticket booth and ticket .svg file. Download here:  

2) Paper. Choose how ever many colors and designs you like. I went with a vibrant red for the background, striped paper as the top layer, transparent paper for the window, silver for the ticket holder, blue and yellow for the “TICKETS” sign.  I used the same red and blue for the admissions ticket. I also printed the party info. on white paper.

3) Silver brads to hold on the ticket dispenser.

4) Liquid glue and/or spray adhesive.

5) Roll of raffle tickets (BONUS: these can be used later for the games at the party and can be found at a dollar store)

Instructions:

1) Download my ticket and ticket booth .svg above.

2) Cut, print, and glue everything.

3) Add brads and raffle tickets.

4) Carnival it up! Enjoy the party!

Below are some pictures of party ideas that we used for my nieces carnival party!

THE BASICS

 THE RING TOSS BOOTH

GO FISH BOOTH

FACE PAINTING

PHOTO BOOTH

Have a photo booth! Use fabric for the backdrop and hang up a frame of your choice, or just have the people hold the frame while taking pictures.

Dress it up! Have a box full of costumes and silly props that people can wear when taking pictures in the photo booth.

Even I got silly with the b-day girl and her sister

Extra Shots of the The Birthday Girl, Kenley

Happy 3rd birthday, Nugget! Isn’t she precious?

Well, that wraps it up folks. I  hope you found this post helpful! Also, check out what Martha Stewart and Pinterest have to offer:

http://www.marthastewart.com/275410/how-to-throw-a-kids-carnival-party/@center/276964/60-days-summer

http://pinterest.com/chelcb/kids-carnival-party-ideas/

Get ready, kids! The carnival coming to town!

 That’s right! I will be posting my newest creation within the next few days!

Be sure to check in to see what I came up with for a carnival themed birthday party

Butterflies that will make your heart flutter!

You don’t need a net to catch these beautiful butterflies. You are just a click away from being able to create your own. Think about all the pretty paper and colors that you can use for your flutterbies. I coordinated mine with my snails (previous post). These are both great for birthday garden parties or baby showers. See for yourself…

Share yours with the rest of us- just email photos of your creations to ari.grealish@gmail.com!