Banner Events 500 Fans Giveaway Winner!!!

Congratulations to Lindsay Litchfield, who left comment #3!  We will pass on your email to our contest sponsors for prize redemption instructions!  Thank you to all who entered our Banner Events 500 Fan Giveaway!

Banner Events: 500 Fan Facebook Giveaway

A little background about Banner Events

From concept to conclusion, at

Banner Events we believe in taking the hassle out of event planning so you can BE a guest at your own party.

After much encouragement from family and friends, I finally decided to jump feet first into the event planning world!  The last couple of months have flown by.  It's no secret that I love to throw parties.  I always have!  I knew event planning would be busy, exhausting, and require a lot of hard work, but looked forward to it opening up many new and exciting creative outlets for me.  (And it has!) What I wasn't prepared for was the fast exposure and success that I would experience or the amazing group of individuals and business owners I would have the privilege of working with and calling 'friends'. 

With a handful of events under my belt, finally, in late October, I gave a name to my party pursuits and Banner Events was launched on Facebook. 

Here are a few shots from some of our favorite most recent events (some are only sneak peek pics of events not published yet).

I know I still have a lot of work ahead of me, including a logo design to create and a website to develop, but for now, it's time to celebrate!

In less than 2 short months, over 500 {FIVE HUNDRED!!) people and businesses have shown their support for the pursuit of my dreams.  Are you one of them?  If so, I am so appreciative!  I look forward to sharing my love of parties for many years to come!

So, to {THANK YOU} for the amazing support thus far, let's get down to the real reason you've all come to my blog!

500 FACEBOOK FAN GIVEAWAY

DETAILS & INSTRUCTIONS

I am thrilled to include the following 5 businesses in our first Banner Events Giveaway (retail value over $125):

A to Z Celebrations is donating a $25 gift credit to their shop. 

The owner, Nancy, (besides being one of the nicest people you'll ever know) styles the most incredible parties and sells beautiful table runners, garlands, banners & more in her Etsy Shop.  You can also follow Nancy's beautiful party ideas & DIY projects over on her blog.



Cupcake Express is donating a $50 credit to their shop (for printables only).

Ashley sells darling cupcake wrappers and printable party decor for a variety of themes.  You can visit her blog here.

A&E Design Works is donating a $20 credit towards any vinyl design in their shop + cost of shipping (to U.S./Canada residents only).

Amy, the 'A' in A&E Design Works, is a great personal friend of mine and so talented.  She offers removable vinyl wall art and more.  You can select from a wide variety of pre-made designs or have Amy create something custom for you. There's pretty much no limit to what you can customiz with vinyl! 

Bird's Party is donating a $20 credit to anything in their shop.

Bird's Party is a one-stop-shop for affordable, printable party supplies and decorations - You simply print, cut and party!  From birthdays, to Christmas, baby showers, special celebrations or graduation, they have unique, stunning party designs to help you create amazing parties for all of life's special celebrations!  Bird also has a blog full of wonderful ideas.  Follow her here. 

Donna Hale, Independent Scentsy Consultant is donating 2 Scentsy bars (retail of $10) plus the cost of shipping inside U.S./Canada.

Scentsy offers a safe wickless alternative to scented candles.  They come in a wide variety of wonderful scents and warm by way of a small light bulb in cute decorative warmers. 

HOW TO ENTER THE BANNER EVENTS

500 FAN GIVEAWAY

Mandatory (1 totaly entry):

'Like' each of the 6 following businesses on Facebook for a total of 1 (ONE) entry. 

Banner Events

A to Zebra Celebrations

Cupcake Express 

A&E Design Works

Bird's Party

Donna Hale, Independent Scentsy Consultant

Leave a comment on each of their walls that says, "I am entering the Banner Events 500 Fans Giveaway" (or something similar).

(Be sure to link to the Banner Events Facebook page in your comment by using the @symbol.)

Then come back and leave me one comment only stating you liked all the pages. Please include an email address for contact purposes, should you be our winner.


Optional {BONUS} Entries (1 entry each):

1.  Share about the giveaway on Facebook.  Come back and leave a comment with the link to your post.  Please include an email address for contact purposes, should you be our winner.

2.  Share about the giveaway on Twitter.  Come back and leave a comment with the link to your tweet.  Please include an email address for contact purposes, should you be our winner.

3.  Share about the giveaway on your website or blog.  Come back and leave a comment with the link to your post.  Please include an email address for contact purposes, should you be our winner.

4.  Follow Banner Events on Twitter.  Come back and leave your Twitter name.  Please include an email address for contact purposes, should you be our winner.

This giveaway is open to all countries, (with the exception of free shipping of prizes being limited to US/Canada residents only as specified above). 

The contest will  end on Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. PST.  The winner will be announced on Sunday, December 18th.

Best of luck!

An Under The Sea Tea Party

(click on collage to enlarge photos)

With Max's birth shortly after Kaylee's 5th birthday last year, I never did get around to posting pictures from her "Under the Sea" Tea Party.  Of course, keeping with the running theme of Disney Princesses from the past 2 birthdays, Kaylee chose to honor Princess Ariel this year.

All the 'little mermaids' were sent custom invitations (cute Little Mermaid bottles filled with the invitation scrolled up).  Upon arrival, they received their 'mermaid tails'--adorable sequined skirts with tulle fins designed and sewn by my friend, Jaimee Nelson-- and a handmade shell bracelet. 

Soon after, Ursula (Whitney Egbert) arrived, being sure to snatch up the unsuspecting little mermaids with her tentacles while they danced to the Little Mermaid soundtrack.  They loved her!

The mermaids were then treated to an under the sea smorgasboard on the ocean floor, including, tuna fish 'sand'wiches, seafood pasta salad, hotdogs in the shape of an octopus, goldfish crackers, chips, fruit & blue lagoon punch.  For dessert, they enjoyed cupcakes decorated like fish, crabs and the beach.

One of the favorite activities was making a home in a golfish bowl and choosing a live goldfish to take home as a party favor.

Manicures, Pedicures, Facials...Oh My!

                                                                                                      Ahh, who doesn't love to be pampered?  Being the girly-girl that she is, Kaylee chose a spa-themed party for her 6th birthday party.  As of late, she is all about fingernail polish, pedicures, facials, make-up and fun hairstyles. 

We found adorable graphics from My Grafico and asked my incredibly talented friend, Amy Grendell, to design some fun party printables & an invitation using them.  I love how everything turned out!  We had so much fun coordinating party favors and dessert table elements with the hot pink and green color palette. 

The girls loved their custom pink and white polka dot spa pants that they were presented with upon arrival, sewn by another talented friend, Vivian Kerr. 

They were treated to a foot soaking in lavendar scented water, foot masages, spa socks & toe nail painting, followed by an avocado mud & cucumber eye mask facial.  They were given reading material (princess books) and beverages (pink lemonade served in glass bottles with cute striped straws & party flags). 

Each girl was then escorted to the beauty parlor station where fingernails were painted & adorned with flower & jewel art, make up was done & hair was styled.

When they were finished, each girl rocked out to Just Dance 2 on the Wii and enjoyed the colorful dessert and snack table.  They took home party favor baskets full of treats & beauty products to replicate their own spa experience at home.

Kaylee had a wonderful time being pampered with her friends for her birthday.

Zoom...Zoom...Landon Sped Past 3

I kid you not, for the e-n-t-i-r-e summer and into the fall & winter months, Landon talked non-stop about his 'car' birthday party. There was no question in his mind at all about whether he was actually having one. His only question was 'when?' Luckily for him, Josh and I had been collecting ideas perfectly fit for our racecar-loving little boy and were ready to see what we had only envisioned in our minds' eye, come to life.

The highlight of the event was the custom built race car track Josh built, inspired by Gwynn Wasson Designs. The guests had so much fun racing Matchbox cars down the track. Equally enjoyed by our pint-size racers was the life-size roadway & Little Tikes cars for cruising.

I loved the bright red & yellow color palette, with splashes of the traditional black & white checkered racing pattern. We used Gwynn to design our party printables and the invitation we used.

We hope you enjoy the pictures!

 

FunHouseGPT.com 1st Birthday!

Happy First Birthday FunHouseGPT.com!

Tomorrow marks the official 1st Birthday of FunHouseGPT.com! We are so excited! We appreciate your membership on our site & look forward to a long future together.

We will be celebrating all month long in what we will be referring to as

The FunHouse Birthday Extravaganza!

We hope you will join with us in celebrating! All month long, there will be contests & prizes galore! You do not want to miss out!

Here are the details of currently announced contests (but rest assured, more WILL be added as the month goes on):

March Monthly Offers/Daily Click/Daily Survey Contest Part 1: Complete the most offers from the monthly, daily click and daily survey categories that credit and win! March 1st, 2011 12 a.m. EST - March 15th, 2011 11:59 p.m. EST.

1st- $20

2nd- $10

3rd- $5

March Extravaganza Month-Long Contest: ALL OFFERS COUNT (including daily clicks, monthly offers & daily surveys)

March 1st, 2011 12 a.m. EST - March 31st, 2011 11:59 p.m. EST. Complete the most offers that credit and win!

1st- $75

2nd- $50

3rd- $25

Birthday Extravaganza Day 1 Contest (this will happen every day the first week): Complete the most offers that credit and you'll win (monthly, daily click and daily survey contests do not count in this contest)March 1st, 2011 12 a.m. EST - March 1st, 2011 11:59 p.m. EST.

1st- $5

2nd- $3

3rd- $2

4th- $1

5th- $1

**NOTE: There will be a daily contest every day for at least the 1st week!

March Referral Contest: Refer the most new members who complete at least one offer for credit (daily clicks do not count) and win! Referrals must remain in good standing for the length of the contest in order to count.)

March 1st, 2011 12 a.m. EST - March 31st, 2011 11:59 p.m. EST.

1st- $10

2nd- $5

Viral Activity Bonus:

We will be selecting up to 3 members to reward for their activity on our forums and other viral locations (Facebook, Blogger, etc). Winning members will receive a $25 Restaurant.com Gift Certificate. Drawing will take place on April 1, 2011. You may earn one entry for each of the following things:

1. Join the FunHouseGPT forum and post an introduction post in the "Introductions" topic. (If you've already done this, welcome new members!)

2. Reach cashout and post payment proof in the "Payment proof" topic in the forum. (May be done again, even if previously done.)

3. Join our FunHouseGPT Facebook group and post a comment on our wall with your FunHouse member name.

4. Get your friends to join the FunHouse Facebook group. Have them write on our wall telling us you sent them (they must write your username).

5. Blog about the FunHouse March Contests. Leave a link to your blog on our Facebook wall.

6. Leave a positive comment promoting FunHouse on any number of online moneymaking websites and link us to your comment. (If you need suggestions of such sites, inbox message us.)

Good luck!

FunHouseGPT

How Do I {LOVE} Thee...?

I {LOVE} love.

Look up 'hopeless romantic' in a dictionary. Yep, there's my picture. O.K., maybe not, but if I wrote the dictionary, *MY* picture would accompany the definition. I'll take that up with Mr. Webster, soon. Like right after I do my taxes and the laundry.

Soooo, you'd guess that one who LOVES love, also loves Valentine's Day, and you'd be right.

I love the hand-written notes, sweet sentiments, thoughtful gestures & simple romance behind the day. It's not about money spent. I still get giddy holding hands (with 4 kids, usually we are holding one of their hands, instead of each others), sneaking a kiss & sharing a conversation without interruption. O.K., and I love the chocolate. Chocolate dipped strawberries. Truffles. You name it, if there is chocolate in it, I'm in love.

This year, the kids & I made these :



And these:

O.K., and some of these:

And we may have added cute little labels to these Hershey's chocolates too:

Next year, I'm adding these to our {LOVE} menu.


After all, it's all about the little details...

Speaking of details...Stay tuned for the amazing details of our Valentine's Weekend! Coming up next!

Josh's Claim to Fame

If you haven't already, pick up your copy of the February 2011 issue of Men's Health Magazine in stores now. Josh's weightloss story is highlighted in the "Belly Off" feature. It was an exciting opportunity for him to interview with writers, editors and photographers of the magazine. Men's Health is the world's largest men's magazine.

We are so proud of his determination and hard work!

Here are a few pictures from the photo shoot.