Introducing our 2011 Valentine Collection

As a mom of two girls, I love all things pink! Pink tutus, pink nail polish, pink barbies, oh how I could go on! My oldest, nicknamed Ace, is almost five and adores all holidays but most especially those featuring giant pink hearts!

Last year was her first year at a mom's morning out program and they celebrated Valentine's Day be exchanging Valentines Day Cards. It was so exciting for us! I took her to the store and let her pick out the cute little box of character cards. But this year, I want it to be even more fun for her.

So for the past few days I have been burning the midnight oil designing a 2011 Valentine's Day Collection featuring your child's photo. Today as I was uploading them to our Etsy store and facebook page, Ace walked in and fell in love with one of the designs.

But Ace is not one to choose from the shelf, she wants her own personal touch on everything. Her independent personality is one of the reason's I offer the custom design option.

So, she preceded to tell me in great detail how she wants her Valentines Day card to look, down to the last heart and text. She then sat down and asked me to write down all her friends names as she excitedly named each and every one of them. Tomorrow she and I are going to sit down and design her card together. It is so much fun and I treasure moments like this.

However, I recognize that not everyone has the computer program to do their own designing so I am here to help! Go through the designs in our Etsy store and see if any of them strike your precious girl or boy's fancy, then email me with any changes. I am happy to update colors to match their favorite colors, change the text, etc. It is my pleasure to capture your child's personality for a custom card they can be proud to share with their friends.

$100 Gift Certificate this weekend only!

A bit more info about our upcoming event!

Hi-Fi Weddings Fest is a unique wedding fair that is bringing together like-minded vendors looking to help you celebrate love and make your day unique to you!

Join us for a vintage fashion show, live DJ sets, dancing, giveaways, photobooth fun, talented vendors, and more as we ring in the new wedding year with great ideas and inspiration! The fest beings at noon and lasts until 6pm at Lowe Mill (2211 Seminole Drive, Huntsville, AL). This day will be fun for the bride, the groom, and the whole family - as there are THREE floors of artists and artisans around every corner.

facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=104558536258836
site page: http://hifiweddings.com/hi-fi-fest/

We hope to see you there!!! A $100 Gift Certificate will be up for grabs for one lucky couple!

Throw away the wedding playbook!

What is a wedding if it doesn’t reflect the two people getting married? A wedding truly comes to life when the event showcases the individuals pledging their lives to one another. The more personal the event is, the more meaningful it becomes. I love it when a bride throws the old wedding playbook out the window for the sake of making the day about the people. A wedding is about everyone present. It is a day that elevates the love of two very individual people standing before the people they love and committing to the future, together. This process is strengthened in the details. Making the day truly personal and unique is often dependent on the details.

Using local, creative-minded vendors is the best way to achieve the type of event most brides are dreaming about these days. These extra, thoughtful touches are what really make a wedding stand out and extraordinary. 

These special, sentimental weddings are the inspiration behind Belle Announcement’s new Vintage Save the Date cards. 

These cards will make their debut at an event you simply can not miss. The first annual Hi-Fi Weddng Fest will be held on January 29th from 12-6 p.m. at Lowe Mill. This free event will showcase the like-minded vendors that strive daily to provide sentimental details that create just the type of wedding day you might currently be dedicated to planning. 

At the same table with Belle Announcements you will find Loletta’s Designer Jewelry. This amazing jewelry is so beautiful, you will surely find yourself in awe of the one-of-a-kind pieces.You will find Loletta’s Jewelry has something for every bride.

The Hi-Fi Wedding Fest is going to be an event you shouldn’t miss.. All the vendors involved are dedicated to offering a service to make your day heart-warming, unforgettable and your fairy tale come true. It is about being conscious and coming from the heart and The Hi-Fi Wedding Fest is about bringing just those type of vendors into one space for one day to truly have the most awesome wedding fair ever!

Meet Jenna! Our crafty, coffee drinking sweetheart

Hello!

I’ve been privileged enough to be blogging for Belle Announcements for the past 2 months now.  I’m enjoying the experience and hoping to add more contributions now that the holiday chaos has subsided.  Unfortunately, in that 2 month period I have failed to properly introduce myself.  So today I would like to formally say hello.

My name is Jenna, I’m a thirty something working mom and first time blogger.   My wonderful family consists of my husband Tom, our two beautiful daughters and of course our 2 pups.  By profession, I’m an I/T geek but as much as I love technology, I tend to gravitate toward more “human” things.  

I’m a crafter…  I love to create; knit, sew, scrapbook, bake, I enjoy it all.  Whether it is needful or for fun, to make something out of nothing provides a feeling of satisfaction that is sometime lost in this digital day.  My projects give me a chance to step away from technology, just for a bit, and get back to basics. 

I’ll also admit to being a coffee fiend!  It’s not uncommon on a Sunday morning to hear the kids ask, “Daddy can you make the coffee now so mommy can wake up?”  That smell could rouse me out of dead slumber, which is great because I am not a morning person.  Our current obsession right now is the French press.  What a lovely cup ‘o joe that makes, Tom has the process down to a science.  And doesn’t a cup of coffee taste better when someone who loves you makes it?

We’d love to hear from you!  What are some of the things you like, your hobbies?  Your favorite place for a good cup of coffee?

Enchanting Keepsake

Have you seen them?  Belle Announcements recently started offering beautiful Birth Announcement Wall Art.  Well, my “babies” are 5 and 3, announcements have long been done.   But I still couldn’t resist I needed one for each of my girls.  They are adorable, fresh and quite unique.

When I received my wall art I was blown away by the quality.  They are printed on Kodak Professional grade photo paper, mounted on 1/8 inch thick white matboard and look sharp!   I went with a ballerina theme, since my girls are prima ballerinas.  They were so excited to hang them in their rooms.  To the girls, they are pretty pictures with their names on it.  To me, it is a beautiful reminder of when they were brought into this world with the added benefit of reflecting their personalities. 

Obviously, this not the first time I’ve purchased from Belle Announcements but it is these types of purchases that inspired me to start blogging for them. 

What is in a name?

What is it about personalization that means so much? In this world where we constantly get lost in the shuffle, stuck on hold and are reminded more often than not that we are just a number– we long for that personal touch. When birthdays hit, we often get overwhelmed trying to figure out what to buy and we struggle as we search for the gift that will not only please, but accurately convey the feelings we have for the recipient.

When I was pregnant with my children, I had to find out what I was having. I couldn't wait to know, but also I wanted to give them a name as soon as possible. Something about naming them, even in the womb, allowed their identity to begin developing for me. Every gift I received that was personalized in some way with their name brought me to tears. 

Seeing your name printed communicates meaning. When someone receives a gift with their name on it, there is no question about the intention. This gift was bought for the recipient and no one else. You honor the recipient of the gift by showing them the time and care you put into selecting something for them and then personalizing it as well.

As you flip through the Stationery cards trying to select your favorite, don't forget that Belle Announcements customizes everything! If you are buying for someone that loves daisies, ask for a custom design featuring daisies.  Belle strives on personalizing and making every card perfect for you. There is no mass printing, every design is hand made with joy and passion for snail mail. 

Kids and adults delight when they see their name in print. It says: you have been and you will always be remembered. We would love to help you give meaningful, personalized cards and gifts this year that truly reflect the sentiment and love you seek to share.  

Baby Gender Reveal Party

How fun does this sound? The expecting parents have a party with a fabulously decorated cake. You know the one that looks too gorgeous to eat?! Instead of the usual vanilla or chocolate cake, the expecting parents have asked the baker to dye the vanilla cake pink or blue. No one knows the gender until the cake is cut. So the guests spend all night staring at the cake in anticipation of the great reveal! Boy or Girl?

To make the party even more festive, the guests are asked to wear their "team colors." If they believe it's a boy, they wear blue and if they believe it's a girl, they wear pink of course! I want to host one of these! I may have to beg all my pregnant friends, can I please host a gender reveal party!?

So next time you get pregnant, have a hip, gender reveal party to celebrate! Or if you are like me and two precious monkey's is plenty, host a party for your best friend. You can purchase your party invitation exclusively in our etsy store.