Bella Ink Blog

One Last Summer Sleepover

 

Summer vacation is almost over and school will be back in session in no time.  Help make the end of summer sting a little less with one final sleepover.  

Here are some of Bella Ink's suggestions for making your sleepover a success:

Rent movies with students navigating the social ups and downs of high school.  Some of our favorites are: Can't Buy Me Love, Clueless, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Grease, Footloose, Mean Girls, and Never Been Kissed.  These films are classics and should appeal to a variety of age groups.

Make pizza rather than ordering from a local pizzeria.  Buy pre-made pizza dough, roll out and have ready to be topped by guests once everyone arrives.  Set up a toppings bar and be sure to include some unique choices.  Plan on making 1 pizza for ever 2-3 sleepover attendees. 

Cook dessert outside over the fire pit.  We love S'mores!

Practice different hairstyles to see how you'd like to wear yours on the first day of school.  Invite guests to bring what they're thinking of wearing and have everyone do a mini fashion show.

Play games, sing, dance, laugh and have nothing but fun.  After all, it's your last hurrah!

_{{Pictured above, Bella Ink's PH-105 Party Animal}}

The Suite Life at Bella Ink Designs

At Bella Ink Designs, we're always being asked if we have response cards and/or table cards to correspond with many of our invitations.  We took the hint, and with the release of our Winter 2011 line of stationery and gift products, we've incorporated several new response/table card designs into the mix.

Above is the Beachy Keen suite, printed on a textured cream card stock.  There is a casual elegance to the design, making it the perfect choice for a beach wedding.  With an invitation, folded note and response/table card available for purchase, any seaside event's stationery can have a cohesive look from start to finish.  Separately, the thank you notes would be a fabulous item for any beach lover to keep on hand.

 

Get girly for the bridal shower with either the Garden Party suite (top) or the Roses are Red suite (bottom), all printed on a textured cream stock.   Consider EF-114, Little Birdie Told Me (below), when selecting a thank you note for the bride.  

 

 

The WCC-11, Garden Variety, response/table card (above) coordinates with many of Bella Ink's Winter 2011 party and wedding invitations, including WH-24, Beautiful Bride (bottom), and PH-107, Tree of Hearts (top).  

Bella Ink Designs is available through card and gift boutiques nationwide, as well as through select online retailers.  To view a list of authorized Bella Ink dealers, please visit http://www.bellaink.com/stores.html.  

Retailers, please contact Bella Ink directly.  *Each item is sold separately.

Fall for Bella Ink's Autumn Party Invitations

You may wonder why we're already talking about fall since it seems that we've barely begun having a summer, but the truth is that now is the time to start planning for many of your major fall parties.  From Labor Day weekend, the last bash of the summer, through Halloween, there's no time like the present to think about your invitations.  Bella Ink's invites set the tone for your party right out of the envelope, and you'll want everybody to mark their calendars with your event and no one else's.

Fall birthdays, anniversaries, even baby or bridal showers would look elegant announced on Bella Ink's PH-88:

 

Cook up some excitement for a chili cook-off with Bella Ink's PH-101:

 

Get guests hopped up for Oktoberfest with Bella Ink's PH-82:

 

Scare up a crowd for Halloween with Bella Ink's PH-91:

 

Score with Bella Ink's PH-96:

Bella Ink invitations may be found through retailers nationwide, as well as through select online retailers.  To find a store near you, please visit http://www.bellaink.com/stores.html.

Retailers, please call Bella Ink directly to place an order.

Bella Ink Designs is Country Strong

Country themes are currently trending in the stationery world, just check out the June issue of Giftware News.  Bella Ink Designs has interpreted this style in an all-American, down-home way with a Country Western theme on invitation PT-138, Yee Hah.  This card would be a fabulous way to welcome friends and family to a summertime cookout or a gathering for after dinner s'mores around the fire pit.

From music to fashion country is being embraced wholeheartedly.  There have been 2 country music winners on American Idol, and the original Idol, Kelly Clarkson, often dabbles in the genre.  Our resident Kentuckian is a big fan of country music.  She adores Keith Urban and Lady Antebellum, and has pegged The Band Perry as one of her favorite rising stars.  (Idol contestant Lauren Alaina sang their song "If I Die Young.")

For a modern take on country style, purchase pieces in fabrics and prints often found in a cowgirl's closet, like plaid, leather and denim, but wear them in unexpected cuts and pair them with basics to keep the look from being too costumey.  The flirty plaid top, pictured above, is cut low in the front and back, making it a great date night item.  A sleek leather or suede skirt, in tan, will keep the outfit from being overly frilly.  A full denim skirt, leather and raffia wedges, and a leather and pony hair cuff will pair nicely with a simple tank top.  Perfect for attending the State Fair and listening to a little country music.

{Pictured clockwise from the left: Bella Ink PT-138, Yee Hah, NYLA Kevinne Wedge, Marc Jacobs Plaid Tank, Grace Creative Jewelry XL Cowhide Star Concho Cuff, Current Elliot Ice Cream Skirt}

Bella Ink Designs is Hot for Teacher Gifts

In two short months the nation's educators will be heading back to school.  Bella Ink's collection of desk accessories and stationery will help prepare them for the year ahead.

Bookmarks will keep the teacher's copy of any textbook stylishly marked, 4'' x 4'' note cubes will brighten up their desk while keeping note paper close at hand (available to ship beginning in July), a 6.5'' x 7'' monthly planner will keep their schedule in order, and Gift Card Mailers will adorably "wrap" a gift card so they may purchase whatever else they need to get them through the 2011-2012 school year.

    

Bella Ink's 2'' x 7'' bookmarks are hand-glittered and come with a tassel in a coordinating color.  Pictured left to right: 311-BM6 and 311-BM7.

311-NC1 (Upper Left), 311-NC-2 (Upper Right), 311-NC-3 (Lower Left), and 311-NC4 (Lower Right) are 4'' x 4'' note cubes with Bella Ink artwork on all four sides.  311-NC4 features a different design on each side.  Note cubes will be available to ship beginning in July.

 311-2C is just one of Bella Ink's 2012 calendar options.  This monthly planner, measuring 6.5'' x 7,'' has 28 fully printed interior pages, including a section for notes and important dates.  Each planner is hand-glittered and comes with a Bella Ink pencil.

Bella Ink's Gift Card Mailers, GC-9 and GC-41, are folded with a sparkling envelope affixed to the front for "wrapping" a gift card or other monetary gift.  The inside is blank for a personal, hand-written message.

To find a Bella Ink retailer near you, or an online retailer, please visit http://www.bellaink.com/stores.html.  retailers, please contact Bella Ink directly.

Bella Ink Designs Gets You in the Game

Bella Ink Designs' gridiron invitations will get any sports enthusiast in the game for NFL pre-season football.  There's only 2 short months until pre-season football begins with the Chicago Bears vs. the St. Louis Rams in the NFL Hall of Fame Game on August 7th, 2011.  

The newest football inspired invitation from Bella Ink is PH-69, Tailgatin', pictured above.  This half sheet invitation (8.5 x 5.5) has been printed on a premium, textured white card stock, giving the tailgate host or hostess all the room they need for the the important who, what, where and when details of their event.

Since pre-season football begins while the summer party season is in full swing, be sure to get your invitations, now, and secure those affirmative RSVPs before your guest's calendars are fully booked!

Visit http://www.bellaink.com/stores.html to find a Bella Ink retailer near you, or online.  Retailers, please contact Bella Ink directly to order this and other stationery products. 

Bella Ink's Beachy Keen Wedding Suite

For the newly engaged couple living near the water, or for those who simply love to vacation there, a beach wedding may be in the works.  Bella Ink Designs has just introduced a new wedding suite that will set the tone for their casually elegant seaside nuptials.  

WH-29, Beachy Keen (top left), is an 8.5 x 5.5 invitation printed on a textured, cream card stock featuring a pair of Caribbean blue starfish and a pale, faux bois background reminiscent of driftwood.  Coordinating thank you notes (lower right) and response/table cards (below) are also available for purchase.

{Bella Ink's WCC-12 Beachy Keen Response and/or Table Card}

In addition to the wedding stationery, everything else, from the bridal party's look to the decor, should be inspired by the event's natural surroundings.  A ruffled, floor length gown is unfussy enough for the beach yet perfectly bridal at the same time.  A shorter version of the bride's gown, in white, will keep the wedding party uniform while being on trend.  The guys should skip the dark tuxedos and opt for a suit in a light shade of gray or subtle seersucker in blue.

A combination of white, gray and ocean inspired blues will give depth to the sandy stage where everything from the ceremony to the reception will be taking place.  Don't forget to provide paper fans for guests on hot, sunny days.  A basket of inexpensive sunglasses would be a nice touch for those who left theirs in their cars.  Consider setting up a farm table, or two depending on the number of guests, and scattering bleached, wooden starfish down the middle as part of the centerpiece, which may also include lanterns made of reeds or sheet metal with a cutout design.  

{Crate and Barrel Abra Hurricane}

{Photo Collage Credits, Clockwise from Top Left: Bella Ink's WH-29 Invitation, J Crew Romina Gown, J Crew Ludlow 2-Button Jacket in Fine Stripe, Bella Ink's W-31 Thank You Note, BHLDN Crinkled Wheel Set, Zephyr Tents Farm Table with Photo by Anna Kuperberg, J Crew Beaded Nicolette Dress, BHLDN Papered Pom Set, Glass Starfish Wine Bottle Stopper by Beachthemeweddingshop.com}

Hot Hostess Gifts from Bella Ink Designs

Summer is the season for soirees ,and if you're looking for a little hostess gift that will stand out from all the rest, turn to Bella Ink Designs' hot new release of stationery gift products.

For the book club hostess, or any lover of a good book:

Bella Ink Bookmarks: 311-BM7, 311-BM9 and 311-BM13

For the chef extraordinnaire, or one in training:

Bella Ink Recipe Card: RC-7 (Recipe card and note pad sets also available)

For artists, journalers, travels, perpetual list-makers, etc:

Bella Ink Mini Journal Trio: 311-MJS2

To accompany your hostess gifts, don't forget a petite initial enclosure card.  They're just right for a short, but sweet, sentiment, and they won't overpower the gift:

Bella Ink 3x3 Enclosure Cards: EC1, EC13, EC-12 and EC11

To find a Bella Ink retailer near you, or an online retailer, please visit http://www.bellaink.com/stores.html.  Retailers, please contact Bella Ink directly.

Bella Ink Sneak Peek: Winter 2011

Here's a sneak peek at Bella Ink Designs' Winter 2011 line of Bridal Invitations, available through sales reps and retailers May 2011!

{Pictured from top left: PH-85 Room By Room, WH-24 Beautiful Bride, WH-30, PH-108}

Invites for Princess Parties & Boy Bashes

Whether you're hosting a good old fashioned party with cake and ice cream, blowing up a moon jump, or going all out with a Sweet & Sassy limo, Bella Ink Designs' assortment of pink party invitations will elevate any little girl's birthday to the next level.  

{Pictured: PH-63 Make a Wish, PH-74 Princess Party, PT-120 Uptown Girl, PT-133 Wildberry Cupcake, PT-127 Pink Party}

Little boys are a bit more rough and tumble and their birthday parties may reflect their active nature in the form of a pool party, boxcar derby or carnival-theme event.  Younger children will be enchanted by a jungle-theme birthday.  Bella Ink invitations will set the mood and get guests ready to celebrate.

{Pictured: PT-124 Under the Sea, PH-71, Vroom, PT-130, Zoo Balloons, PH-47, Ticket to Ride}