You all know I love paper. So, isn’t it fitting that I review yet another paper product? Today’s review-bridal shower invites. I received 4 samples from www.papeteriestore.com. I am in the midst of hosting a few showers and I have felt the pressure to send really great invites. The brides-to-be is one animal to impress, but, then you’ve got the other 35 (that is right..one big shower to host) guests to show them it’ll be a classy affair. Invites are the first impression-so you gotta get it right.

The papeteriestore.com is a one stop shop to get unique designed invites and the printing done. (If only they could address and mail out to all the guests as well…) Their bridal shower invites have a wide collection of designs that are classy and regal. The scroll pattern, the garland and the chandelier are my personal favorite looks. The text is small, depending on your audience the font size may be too small for some of your older guests to read. The paper quality is very nice. Linen cardstock is always a good paper to print on because it exudes elegance. There is also a double layer with a smooth colored cardstock that compliments the font color. This double layer helps the text pop even more and creates a very polished look to the invites.

The only real hang up with these invites is you may upstage the wedding invites! These bridal shower invites are so classy that they seriously may steal away from the invites to the wedding. If you are looking for an invite with some class I recommend you check out their collection.-Amber

Available online at www.papeteriestore.com.

I like cards. I should like cards because one of my businesses is creating greeting cards! I am naturally attracted to paper and cards. I can’t get enough! I have a trained eye on paper greetings. I notice all the details and I do mean EVERY detail. The colors, the spine of the card, the graphics, the greeting, the packaging, etc…it gets exhausting just looking b/c it quickly turns into a serious review.

So, this particular review is close to my heart, because I seriously heart cards!

I love seeing new clever things that I think I wish I woulda…
I wish I woulda done a series of shouts outs like cardsharks did. They are a simple to the point cards that have punchy colors and fun designs. Cute to send and decorative enough to keep and display in a frame. I especially love the LOVE card and think that could be adorable for a valentines display or a sweet sentiment to give to anyone who makes your heart happy.

The alphabet series is another one of those ideas that I think…ohhh I wish i woulda…
Hanging these cards in a nursery or a playroom is an inexpensive way to decorate the walls and a great way to add a theme to the room. The alphabet cards collection includes all the letters of the alphabet, so if you decide you don’t want to use it for art in a room…send the letter A to your aunt annie or use t for a thank you card. So many uses for these cards and it’s always great to have cute cards on hand. With Mother’s Day just around the corner you may want to stock up and get some cool cards that can be sent or kept.-Amber

Available online at card-sharks.net

*** Giveaway Cardsharks is giving away a collection of cards to one lucky Daily Dish reader. Please visit cardsharks website and leave a comment here telling us your favorite card series; include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline:May 4, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

“We can’t fix what’s inside your closet or restore your body, or jump-start your mommy-mush brain but we CAN stylishly put you back together when communicating with the outside world!” What? I’m supposed to communicate with the outside world? I have four kids and tend to stay at home in my pj’s until at least noon. Okay, it’s not that severe but I will admit my correspondence with friends, family and acquaintances could use some style. HauteMammas totally understands.

HauteMammas.com helps you create custom calling cards (okay, I SO want a calling card!), note cards, thank-you notes, permission slip pads, address and gift labels, babysitter pads and even pet sitter notepads. Okay, I’m not a pet lover but I’m almost considering one just so I can use a pet sitter notepad! I received samples of their gift labels, a set for gifts from me and a set for gifts from the Hill family.

To be honest, the Pink Pump gift label was not my style but I loved the fun design of the Enjoy Wave for family gifts. I was determined to see past the stiletto and check out HauteMammas other designs and I’m glad I did! I found a ton of designs I thought were super cute like the Spring Dots, Enjoy in Le Fleur Blue (tag rather than label) and the Merry Christmas Red & Green Dots. Once I saw those I moved on to the calling cards, and yes, I just HAVE to have one of these, especially the Pink Sorbet Polka! How great it would be to have something to give to playdate moms and family friends. Sure beats scribbling your name down on a scrap piece of paper (grocery store receipts in my case).

I checked out HauteMammas’ pet sitter notepads—there’s even a space for detailing play time! And for those of us whose pets consist of toddlers and pre-teens, the babysitter pad outlines everything your sitter needs to know…and then some. I would have liked a few more options in the thank-you notes and note cards, but the site has enough other fun products to keep my happy.

Your New Year’s resolutions may not have included a stationary makeover but it’s still the perfect time of year for one. Show off your hot momma style with some help from HauteMammas.com!—Emily

* Promotion! HauteMammas.com is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their order. Simply enter code “Cafe 10” at checkout.

I am one of those moms who look forward to the start of a new school year. No, I don’t love the homework and required daily reading minutes but I do love the seven hours of quiet and lower hormone levels in the house. I’ve already done the back-to-school shopping for the kids so now it’s time for my list of school supplies, which includes a new outfit (hey, if the kids get one Mom should too!), a couple good books and momAgenda’s Desktop Planner in the new leopard print.

I first reviewed momAgenda’s Desktop Planner in January of 2007 and I used that thing until its week-at-a-glance pages were full! Although the lime green was bright and fun I was super jazzed to receive the new 2008-2009 (August ‘08 to December ‘09) planner in the new leopard print for this review. Would it be too much to say I was purring over the thing the minute it arrived? For me momAgenda’s Desktop Planner is the cat’s meow of all calendars. The daily spots are big enough to fit all those piano lessons, soccer practices, play dates and errands without needing a magnifying glass to read them all yet the planner is small enough to fit in your purse or tote.

For those of us with kids this planner’s ingenious design includes a space for Mom and up to four kids. (If you have less than four do what I do and use one space for a to-do list!) Plus with its month-at-a-glance pages you can plan ahead for their famous American report and count the weeks until winter break. One of my other favorite features is the space at the bottom where you can write in what’s for dinner. That may be the one thing that saves my family from eating pancakes more than once a week!

momAgenda’s Desktop Planner goes above and beyond a simple address book and gives you pages full of favorite websites, space for notes on books, movies, music and fashion, vacation and party planning pages. Plus the momEssentials pamphlet comes with space for addresses, medical info, birthdays, websites and passwords. It’s the ultimate tool for keeping you and the rest of the family organized and it ought to be on the top of your back-to-school list too.

The rest of your list should include these other items from momAgenda: chores pad, family planner (perfect for the fridge), weekly menu/grocery pad, and babysitter’s pad (you’ll definitely need a date night after that first week of school!).—Emily

** Giveaway momAgenda is giving away one of their new 2008-2009 Desktop Planners! Please leave a comment telling us your favorite thing about back-to-school; include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: August 21, 2008 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

** Congratulations to Elizabeth C., the winner of the momAgenda giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

Besides the handful of cool strollers and a few other products here and there it’s not often my husband takes notice of the products I review on the Daily Dish (unless, of course, I walk around the house flaunting my new Wallaroo hat…look for that awesome find in a couple weeks!) . But when TrioArt Stationary sent samples of their whimsical and fun product line, he took notice, especially since they sent him his own “manly” yet super cool personalized stationary. And I know for a fact he’s already used it!

TrioArt actually has delighted everyone in our family. My oldest daughter couldn’t wait to use her personalized enclosure card for her friend’s birthday gift and my second oldest daughter was excited to have her own notecards (a great way for the middle child to feel like an only child!). My two-year-old had his own cool luggage tag, which he proudly put on his My Bag, and TrioArt even had something for our baby: personalized sippy cup and bottle labels! But I think the TrioArt goodies for me were even better because they included an awesome babysitter’s notepad, which had a generous size and room for notes. I find most babysitter’s notepads have room for less important items and leave little room for all those random thoughts you have to jot down just before rushing out the door.

There’s just something about TrioArt that puts a smile on everyone’s face, and perhaps it’s because of the designer behind TrioArt:

...I listen to your needs and find the right images and message to create a meaningful product specifically designed for you. ... I draw inspiration from my children, nature, fabric, vintage finds, interior design, architecture and fashion. I believe in following your passion, giving with your heart, and accepting life with joy and gratitude.

Personalized stationary makes a wonderful, unique gift and TrioArt will make that unique gift simply perfect! Good luck trying to choose just one design; fortunately the prices are just as delightful as the product line. Oh, and if you need help creating your design TrioArt offers some wording ideas to help the creative juices flow. Father’s Day is coming up, and what would be more fun than to give Dad something he can truly call his own?—Emily

* Promotion! TrioArt Stationary is offering Daily Dish readers a free gift with purchase! Receive one of their super nifty large grocery pads (a $10 value!) when you enter code “grocery list” at checkout. NOTE: I LOVE this notepad; it groups your groceries by type—super handy! Offer expires June 30, 2008.

-->