Birthday Blossoms

Last Minute birthday Invitation Ideas - Birthday Greetings and Free Birthday Cards

2008-06-16T04:57:00.003-04:00

Hey... I have a great idea! Guess what! You can't even imagine that you can also have a blast at your birthday bash even without a chicken recipe. Yes... June 17th is Eat Your Vegetables Day! And this is the best way you can have a twin celebration for your birthday and for this wonderful event, where vegetarian recipes can really make a blast! If you are really looking for some good ideas on vegetarian recipes that can create big impact on your guests, I would suggest you to drop in by the recipe sites. A couple of really yummy dishes that I have tried out personally are vegan bacon and Oriental Vegetable Kebabs with Peanut Dressing. But most of all, attention has to be laid down on inviting guests. That's what that gives an awesome kick start to your birthday bash. So if you are really thinking of a party -- it's not too late... Don't worry, it's only a couple of minutes! Just a sit back and make a fast list of the guests you want to call over. Review it twice to add or reject somebody. Check out these cool last minute birthday invitation cards. I am sure you will like these. Just click away each one of these awesome birthday invitation greetings and pick the one that suites your mood and theme. Personalize these greetings and shoot that off to your pals' email account. There's nothing better than this that you can strike your palls with a sudden delightful surprise!

Birthday Flowers - Floral Party Theme

2008-04-30T04:02:00.003-04:00

May Day is here, and this is the time when you have flowers blossoming all over. I have to arrange a birthday party on May Day(May 1), and I was thinking to make the birthday theme completely floral. The dress code of the guests should also be floral. Gals can wear floral prints and even guys can experiment with floral prints on shirts. The decor should obviously, involve flowers . Guests can bring flowers as gifts. With flowers all around, the best birthday gift to a friend would be nothing but flowers. Dont forget to send Floral birthday cards to the birthday guys and gals. Here are some of them , and also wish each and evryone you know a Happy May Day. Enjoy guys.

Great Gift Ideas For Men - Happy Birthday Cards

2008-04-15T03:51:00.005-04:00

Birthday gift for men

I faced no problem ever while buying a gift for another girl or women. But whenever it comes to gifting the opposite sex, I am left clueless. Finally, I decided on spending some time and pen down few gift ideas for men. To be honest, I took a bit of help from few men I know they would be the best ones to approach for gift ideas for men. I thought my gift idea list would be a help also for others, both gals and boys. I know few boys, who find it difficult to shop for others. Shopping for themselves is a cakewalk , but shopping for others can be a real tough task. Anyway, heres a list of gift ideas that would help you.

You can invest in an exotic ashtray, or may be a unique lighter,if he is a smoker.
If he enjoys beer, you can opt for a Nice beer mug, or gift him a wine or champagne bottle. Wine glasses are also a good choice.
For a book lover, books would be the right choice.
Buying his Favorite movie DVDs and Music CDs also would be something he would enjoy. Who doesn't enjoy movies and music?
You may also consider some gadgets as gifts, like an Ipod, or a nice mobile set for your little bro, or may be some video game or any other you know would please the person concerned.
Apparels are a good gift for men of all age. Don't forget Ties for the office goers.
If he is into jewelry, do gift him pendants, bracelets, rings and the list goes on. You can also invest into watches; a good set of watch is always adored by men.
You can also gift a hamper of toiletries with deodorants, body spray, aftershaves, shaving kit, and others.
If he is into biking or driving, you can also opt for related accessories.
Some say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, so I suggest cook a delicious meal of his choice. If u are confident enough, You can also try out making his Favorite cocktails.

Above all don't forget to send him a card, with a small note direct from your heart. That will make him feel special.

Here are some free birthday cards that would make any birthday boy feel special. Send these cards to the special men in your life, and brighten their birthdays. Send this Happy Birthday card! Click For More Happy Birthday Cards

Birthday Gifts for women – Cards for women (Mothers Day)

2008-04-10T05:42:00.004-04:00

Are you a guy who often is in a fix while buying gifts for a woman? Or are you a girl who loves shopping for yourself, but is clueless when it comes to buy gifts for another girl? If you are looking for birthday gift ideas or gift ideas in general for women, read on. Flowers are something that touches any women's heart, So don't forget fresh flowers to freshen up her day. Be it your mother, your girlfriend, your gal pal, your sister or daughter, flowers appeal all hearts. Do your homework, and learn to cook her favorite dishes. Surprise her by cooking her favorite dish. Jewelry adorns women – the most beautiful creation of God. So u can buy ring, bracelets, necklaces, pendants, and earrings You can also gift a hamper of toiletries, or Make up kit. If she is into books, gift her a good book that she would enjoy reading. If she likes cooking, gift her a good recipe book. Another good idea would be to gift her a set of photo frames, if possible with old pictures of her favorite moments with you. Apparels are something that women never get tired of . You can never go wrong ,investing in clothes . Also accessories like bags and purses, watches, belts, gloves, key chains, sunglasses Gadgets like Ipod, or a cell phone is also a not a bad idea. If your girl prefers pink, then you can choose the gadgets in pink. You can make a gift basket full of your woman's favorite chocolates and cookies. Shoes are also not dispensable. Last but not the least, send her beautiful cards with the three magical words. Tell her how much you love her and cherish her. With Mother's day coming close, here are some lovely cards for mothers day you can send to your mother or friends who are mothers or your wife who is a mother or your sister who is a mother , or any mother you adore.

Send this Happy Birthday card! Click For More Happy Birthday Cards Copy The HTML Code And Paste It In Your Friends' "Post Comment" Box...

Lovers Birthday Gift and Surprises - Lovers Birthday cards

2008-04-08T02:06:00.007-04:00

Are you wondering what would be your lovers birthday gift? Or wondering how to really make your love feel special on their Birthday? Some brilliant ideas struck my mind, while thinking about the same. When it comes to birthday, surprises are the most interesting part. Surprises bring smile not only to the recipient's face but the surpriser also feels very content when he or she is successful. Birthday Surprises for your sweetheart would include:

Pay a surprise visit to your love at midnight, when his or her birthday begins.
Plan the gift that you would give; make it very special, something that your love has been craving for years, or may be months.
When your love falls asleep, decorate the whole house in a way the person would appreciate, according to his or her likes.
Early, in the morning, you can cook a delicious breakfast for the birthday gal or birthday boy, which would include the person's favorites.
Go out for lunch at your love's favorite Restaurant, don't forget to order a surprise cake there and make some violinists play the birthday tune for him or her.
Spend the rest of the day as the birthday boy or birthday gal would want to. If they like movie, go for a movie, if they like to party, arrange a party, if they want to spend some special time with you, go ahead and do that.
If your love likes to go for a holiday or long drive, then make some prior planning and take your love out somewhere.
And last but not the least, if don't forget flowers ,chocolates,champagne and cards for girls. While for boys, don't forget a bottle of wine, champagne, beer and cards for sure.
Write a small note to your love and tell him or her about the love that you feel , and how special your sweetheart is to you; write them in an e card with some animation and music. See, how your sweetheart's Day brightens up.

Here are some free birthday cards that you can send your soulmate. I am sure it will touch your soulmate's heart a way like never before. Check them out.

Send This Happy Birthday eCard More Happy Birthday ecards Comments Copy The HTML Code And Paste It In Your Friends' "Post Comment" Box...

April 1 Birthday - April Birthdays

2008-03-29T01:27:00.006-04:00

Hi guys and gals. We are meeting for the first time in 2008. Sorry, was out of town for Jan and Feb. Took a break from life and went back to Wisconsin to be with Granny. Got refreshed out there and also recalled a lot of precious childhood memories with her. I was walking down the memory lane, and went back to my childhood days of April fools day pranks, April fools day ideas and April fools day jokes on April 1. As one grows up to be an adult, one loses interest in simple joys of life. You can't help! Life is such. Well, while recalling April Fools day tricks during schooldays as a child, I also got reminded of Dana. She was with me in school, and her birthday was on April Fools Day. Now thats what is called bad luck. Being born on April Fools Day? Must be so embarrassing. I remember we used to tease her like crazy and call her Fool Queen . Whenever someone discussed birthdays, Dana evaded the topic or ran off from that spot. I was wondering, that people whose birthday falls on April 1 should not celebrate their birthday on that day. If they invite others for a party, others might think, he or she is kidding or laying a trick trap. So, a nice idea would be to throw the party either the day before or the day after April 1, in order to make it believable. Anyway, thats a great idea to fool people by claiming your birthday to be on April 1. Invite people for your party and trick them. But be very convincing while saying that your birthday really falls on April Fools Day. Have a look at these good April Fools Day tricks through April Fools Day cards. Send these April Fools Day cards to your friends, family and sweetheart. These are innovative ways to fool people online.And also wishing all you people born on April 1, a Very Happy Birthday.
Send This Happy Birthday Day eCard
More Happy Birthday Comments Copy The HTML Code And Paste It In Your Friends' "Post Comment" Box...

A Birthday Celebration on New Year's Eve

2007-12-26T06:02:00.000-05:00

Hey! I'm sure your Christmas celebration was really cool. Now what about the New Year celebration? The last weekend one my Spanish friend -- Sara, mailed me sharing a wonderful idea of celebrating the birthday on New Year. Last year Pablo, her brother, waited for 15 long days to launch his birthday party on the New Year eve. "Era estupendo", said Sara. "It was a great fun", she meant to say. I know this because she often use this whenever she talks about fun that she had sometimes in the past. Anyway, that's a great idea indeed. For those whose birthday is on the first day of the year, each year starts with all special things. But if your birthday is sometimes very near the New Year eve, you can launch for a grand birthday celebration on the New Year's eve. The good point here is, you can save a lot of money by throwing a two-in-one party for your birthday as well as for New Year. So it's not only going to be a prefect blast but economic too at the same point of time. If you're planning for a New Year birthday party, launch it on New Year eve and reach out to your friends and loved ones with cool birthday invitation. All the more its going to be a perfect time to declare your New Year resolution and get to know about that of your guests too.

Christmas Cake Recipes For Christmas Birthday Party

2007-12-13T10:10:00.000-05:00

Here's something that I would really love top share with those of you whose birthdays fall on Christmas (although I'm not one of them). Yes , it's all about the Christmas birthday recipe that I found really exciting and can make your Christmas birthday celebration a perfect blast. Whether you are throwing a birthday party this Christmas eve or you are planning to freak out for pure Christmas party, recipe is something that has to be given special emphasize on. This Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert is going to add a special touch to your Christmas birthday party celebration. Ingredients

Ice cream sandwiches -- 19 pieces
Hot fudge ice cream topping -- One 12 ounce jar
Frozen whipped topping (thawed) -- One 12 ounce container
Salted peanuts -- One cup

Direction

Step 1: Cut out one of the Ice cream sandwiches into half.
step 2: Take an un-greased pan of about 13 inches x 9 inches x 2 inches measurement.
Step 3: Then place one whole and one half Ice cream sandwiches along a short side of the pan.
Step 4: Place 8 sandwiches in the opposite direction in the pan and fill it up.
Step 5: Take 6 ounce (50%) of the frozen whipped topping and spread it over.
Step 6: Take the hot fudge ice cream whipped topping and put it over the first layer of topping.
Step 7: Overit sprinkle 50% of the peanuts. Make sure your spread it well thoroughly.
Step 8: Use the remaining ice cream sandwiches to repeat the layer of toppings and peanuts.

So reach out to your friends and loved ones with really cool Christmas invitations and let them know that this Christmas eve is going to be a real blast for them.

Countdown For Christmas

2007-12-13T05:35:00.000-05:00

Hey friends! I'm back here again with the heart full of festive spirit. Can you imagine, Christmas is almost at your threshold? If you are really excited about Christmas decoration, you must start off with decorating your blog with these really cool Christmas Countdown widget that holds the true spirit of Christmas. Check it out.

Birthday Messages

2007-06-01T08:09:00.000-04:00

I WANTED TO SAY IT WITH A BUNCH OF FLOWERS A CARD WOULD HAVE SUFFICED.

I WANTED TO SAY IT WITH A PACK OF SWEETS A' HI' WOULD HAVE SUFFICED.

I THOUGHT TO SEND A POETIC WISH. POEMS ARE MEANT FOR MEN & WOMEN

DOES A POEM NEED A POEM FOR A WISH? I WOULD SIMPLY SAY.....,

A Birthday Hug ! Send a cozy hug to your friends/ loved ones and wish them a Happy Birthday. [ Interactive ]

Sparkling Wishes ! An ecard with a wonderful wish for your friends/ dear ones/ colleagues. [ Interactive ]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ! ************************************************ Morning I went to the church The priest looked at me in awe I never visit the church in mornings "Father!"I tell him "Today is her birthday"

On the way back the Sun I saw Was shining brighter. The birds flew high chirping love I tell myself,"They might have known, that today is her birthday"

All my friends were happy For a dinner I gave as treat A curious friend asked me why "Dear"I tell him "Today is her birthday"

I will never be dull even when the Sun is at West For I knew very well that I will live for the same day to come again the years to follow for this day will always be your birthday

Celebrating You ! A warm, sparkling Birthday wish for your friend/ family/ sweetheart/ loved one. [ Animated ]

A Beautiful Wish ! An elegant Happy Birthday wish for someone close to your heart. [ Flash ]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ************************************************ If you are married your wife will be happy for you were born this day.

If you are not married Your parents will be happy for you were born this day.

If you don't have parents We will be happy as your friends for you were born this day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY **************************************************

A Birthday Delight ! Wish your loved ones a day full of pleasant surprises. [ Flash ]

The Birthday Song ! Sing this fun 'Happy Birthday To You' song to your friend/ family/ loved one on his/ her special day. [ Flash ]

18th Birthday Invitations

2007-05-04T08:47:00.000-04:00

The 18th birthday has a significant place in the life of all individuals .It is a time when an individual prepares to step into adulthood. While birthdays are a time to celebrate, it is also the time to reflect on the past and think of the future. Hence the birthday invitation carries lot of weight and importance. It is an invite to people who matter a lot in life, to convey to them, how important their presence is in the life of the person throwing the party.

Happy 18th Birthday ! A special wish for your son/ daughter/ friend/ loved one. [ Flash Ecard ]

Celebrate Your Adulthood ! A cute way of wishing your son/ daughter/ cuz/ loved one and let'em know that he/ she has come of the age. [ Flash Ecard ]

However, it doesn't mean that the invitation has to be serious and prosaic. It can be forceful but is usually made in a light vein .The invitation should have an imprint of youthful vigor, energy, and intelligence. Teenagers like to show off their innovative skills, by making invitations of different materials other than paper. There are a number of companies, which print and sell ready-made 18th birthday invitations. These companies keep the track of the latest fads followed by the teenagers for designing hip18th birthday invitations.

From Mom With Love ! A warm greeting for your darling daughter on her 18th B'day. [ Flash Ecard ]

A Wish Big On Love ! This ecard's sure to make your son LOL on his B'day. [ Flash Ecard ]

The invitation can be fun filled, touching and personalized. It should carry innovative ideas and design. There can be a brief message or a short poem, to give a different effect and charm to the invitation. Many youngsters also like to have a theme party on their 18th birthday. In such cases, the invitations are also designed keeping the theme of the party in mind.

18 Already ! A funny ecard to wish your dear ones a happy 18th Birthday. [ Flash Ecard ]

'Rapped' Something Jus' For Ya ! A gr8 card for your friends/ near and dear ones on their 18th Birthday. [ Flash Ecard ]

The birthday invitation can also be a reflection of their excitement, to enjoy the liberties that they are eligible for, by stepping into adulthood .It can be an invitation to the peers to help the invitee, get into the groove, get in sync with times, and to have the best the world has to offer.

18th birthday invitations should be both fun and emotion, as it is a call to the loved ones to be a part of, one of the most eagerly awaited days in each person's life.

Vote For A Non-Stop Party ! An animated wish for your friend/ loved one who's turned 18. [ Flash Ecard ]

An Account For All Time Fun ! A special b'day gift for your loved one/ kid on his/ her B'day. [ Flash Ecard ]

Birthday Invitations provides detailed information on Birthday Invitations, Birthday Party Invitations, Printable Birthday Invitations, Free Birthday Invitations and more. Birthday Invitations is affiliated with Printable Birthday Cards.

Birthday Flower Arrangements

2007-04-30T07:16:00.000-04:00

If you have a friend or relative's birthday coming up and you don't quite know what to give her, flowers could be a good idea. If you can't choose the flowers, leave it to a florist, he will ask you questions about the birthday girl and select the flowers accordingly. Besides sending on beautiful flowers, florists' websites also send fruit baskets and personal care items as birthday gifts.

Happiness Blooms ! A beautiful wish for your friends/ family/ colleagues/ loved ones. [ Flash Ecard ]

Special Birthday Flowers ! A beautiful floral wish for someone close to your heart. [ Flash Ecard ]

If you've decided on flowers, you can choose flowers specific for her birth month. If her birthday is in January, send her carnations; in February, violets; March, jonquils; April, sweet peas; May, lilies; June, roses; July, larkspurs; August, gladioli; September, asters; October, calendulas; November, chrysanthemums; and December, narcissuses.

Happiness Unfolds ! A special blooming B'day wish for your friends/ colleagues/ loved ones. [ Flash Ecard ]

For You... My Friend ! Send these beautiful yellow roses to your friends/ loved ones. [ Flash Ecard ]

For younger women and girls, your flower arrangements could be based on a flower theme for her birthday party. You could create large paper blooms, perhaps of sunflowers, and do up T-shirts with flowers in thumbprint designs and get them to carry cake and confectionery bouquets.

A Wonderful Birthday ! A special Birthday bouquet for your sweetheart/ loved ones. [ Flash Ecard ]

The Fragrance Of Love ! A beautiful ecard for your sweetheart/ spouse.

Begin with the party invitations and design them in the shape of large flowers with each petal bearing all the details of your party. Make these cards with a sheet of card paper from which you will need to cut four-inch long petals. Now, cut a 1.5-inch diameter circle from the remaining sheet. In each petal, punch two holes, one in the center and the other at the narrow end. Pile up all the petals and cover them with the circle, ensuring that the holes are in line with each other and stick them together with tape. Open each flower and write the details of your party on each petal.

Popping Up A Surprise ! A cute wish for your friend/ dear ones. [ Flash Ecard ]

For Someone With A Beautiful Heart ! A beautiful, warm and heartfelt message for your sweetheart/ spouse/ family/ special friend/ loved one on his/ her Birthday.

Flower Arrangements provides detailed information about flower arrangements, Christmas flower arrangements, dried flower arrangements, and more. Flower Arrangements is affiliated with Growing Hibiscus.

Article Source: Birthday Flower Arrangements

Birthday Virtual Cards for 1st Birthday

2007-04-16T01:41:00.000-04:00

1st Birthdays are always special . Mom's and Dad's take a very active part in arranging their baby's first birthday . Birthday Invitations are send out in advance and birthday party supplies arranges the birthday theme for their first Birthday . If you know of anyone having their first birthday or even if you know someone celebrating their first birthday of their baby, you can send then these cute Birthday Virtual cards specially for their first birthday

A 'One'derful Birthday ! Send this cute 1st birthday card to your nephew/ niece/ grandchild [ Flash ]

Have A Bouncing B'day ! A cute 1st birthday ecard to pamper your son/ daughter/ niece/ nephew/ grandchild on his/ her 1st big day ! [ Flash ]

A 1-derful B'day To You ! Wish your son/ daughter/ niece/ nephew/ grandchild a day full of happiness and fun ! [ Interactive ]

Happy 1st Birthday ! Wish your nephew/ niece/ grandchild as he/ she celebrates their first birthday [ Animated ]

Looking forward to the day in a big way!!

2006-12-08T01:18:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the Birthday of a very special person of my life, somebody who means the world to me, who I call my second self. She has been my strength whenever I have been through doldrums, has been my inspiration in all that I have achieved in life and a friend when I ever I needed help and yes, my biggest critic an my biggest supporter too. My mom, who else could she be!!
When ever I sit to think or try to write about her I am into a complete loss of words. And when it is such a special day like her Birthday I just crazy making plans, picking p gifts, planning a party to make her feel on top of the world in my own little way. I look forward to spending some quality time just lazing around in the garden, her favorite place in the whole house. She is so fond of her plants; she literally treats them as children. I love to watch her nurse those tender buds and her excitement over each bloom.
This time I have planned a morning surprise for her. I would drive down to Camden early in the morning and would bake the cake tonight for her. I have already invited all her close frenz and they all promised to keep the secret and said they would get all the lovely shrubs and plants that they’ve grown and would get them as present her for their dear friend. I am so glad that they all agreed to join us for the breakfast, probably a brunch. I am sure that’s gonna be a big surprise for her. And an even bigger surprise awaits her. Dad has planned a holiday to Miami; a place mom just loves to visit. It’s sometime now that they’ve been on a holiday together.
Looking forward to the day so eagerly.
Oh….I forgot to tell you all about her gift…well, let u’ll know the day after!!!
I love you so much Mom. A very Happy Birthday to all the mothers who share the same birthday!!

Birthday Games I love!!

2006-12-07T00:14:00.000-05:00

Birthday Party’s can never be fun without games. They make the party more fun, exciting and enjoyable. Here’s a list of five games that I have always enjoyed playing and feel that these games help you get friendlier with the acquaintances in the party and takes the shy you away in an instance.
Detectives:

At the party some girls secretly fill in the questionnaires. In these questionnaires the girls indicate their distinctive marks: height, color of the eyes, dress cut, jewelries. The leader put all these cards into the box. In the pauses between the dances the leader asks the most attentive youths to act as Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot - to find a girl with help of the description given in the card. The youths take the cards and begin to search for the girls. The youth who finds the girl the first is the winner. Then the youths have a dance with the girls they have found.
Improvised Congratulations:

How can you imagine the birthday party without the funny and witty congratulations? Bring some happiness to one whose birthday it is - compose an improvised congratulation. The guests may compose it without difficulty. Ask every guest to say an adjective. Write down all these adjectives. Then take a text of the telegram of congratulation, which needs colorful additions. Say to the guests that you're not responsible for the high artistic merit of this "work of art" and fill in the blanks in this telegram with the adjectives suggested by the guests.Sample text of the telegram:… John! All of us - your … friends - are very glad that you (so…) were born on this … day! Taking a … opportunity we want to make a declaration of … love and … devotion. There are no very many people so … like you. Let's hope that our … life will not separate us and every ... year on this … day we'll gather together around this … table. We wish you … health, … happiness, … years of life! Your … friends.
Composition:

Each player is given a pencil and a long stripe of paper, where he/she writes the name of any present person. Then the paper should be folded (so as the name cannot be seen) and passed to the player to his/her right. He/she describes anyone's appearance and passes the paper further. In the same way may be asked the following questions: - what kind of character? - What did he/she do? - When? - Where? - What were the consequences? Of course, nobody should know what is written before, while answering. As each paper passed around the circle, one person reads aloud what is written on these stripes of paper. Usually it causes much laughter, because there is a lot of absurdity
Kiss:

The youths are given the cards with the figures. The girls are given the cards with the letters. All the players get into a circle. They choose the leader. The leader is not given a card. He is in the center of the circle. The leader names the figure and the letter. The girl whose letter was named must kiss the leader. But it's not easy! Because the youth whose figure was named tries to prevent the girl from kissing the leader. He tries to kiss the girl himself. If the youth manages to prevent the girl from kissing the leader, he gives the card to the leader and becomes the leader himself.
Treasure Hunt:
This is usually fun for the kids but it can get exciting with the adults too. You hide an object. And then divide the players into two groups. You give five clues to find the treasure. The team which gets to it first is the winner. The game gets interesting depending on how intriguing and imaginative clue that you give is. One clue leads to the other one. Its fun watching them for it also!!
It would be great if you just share some of the party ideas so that next I plan a party I can include them all. Hope you enjoy all your parties and not forget to wish them all and come back to share with me some of your most exciting moments.
Have Fun!!

Say It with Flowers!!

2006-12-04T07:14:00.000-05:00

No matter whose birthday it is, flowers are the best way to express your love and send out your wishes on that special day to your loved one. Flowers are the probably the most preferred gift all over the world because they are beautiful, cheerful and natural. Wishing someone with his or her favorite flower would be a unique and thoughtful gift that would be appreciated immensely.
Don’t you think that it would be even more exciting to get someone the bouquet of their Birth flower!! For this it is important to know the flowers that correspond to each month of the year, much like the birth stones!!
All you need to do is to call up your florist a day in advance of the birthday and order bouquets of each of these flowers in accordance to the Birth month and send it over to your fren with a lovely card tucked in. Even better proposition would be to fetch it yourself and present it to your loved one!! It’s gonna be a flowery wish indeed!!
As you try the flower power I quickly sip a piping cuppa coffee!!
C ya’ll!!

Let your Creativity Run Wild with Birthday Invitations!!

2006-12-02T04:13:00.000-05:00

It’s weekend already!! Its colleague’s birthday this Sunday so looking forward to some additional fun. But donno what to wear!! The invite says that the theme for the party is floral. May be I would keep to wearing something sober and simple and match it up with a lovely floral printed scarf and my pretty pink bag with those lovely flower motifs. Pink would be my color. May be I have to borrow a pair of those earrings from Jenny, they would be the perfect pair to go with this…now now…I can jus go on and on thinking and talking about all my clothes on my closet, but may be we can keep it for some other day!!
Being invited to a birthday party is always nice, especially when the invitation is done creatively. You may immediately think it’s going to be exciting because the organizers have thought out the event quite thoroughly, as you can see from the invitation you received.
Birthday party invitations should be fun. It is the perfect project to express a little of your personality and get everyone to celebrate with you. There are no set rules to design such Invitations. If it’s a kid’s birthday you can be whimsical with your card design, you can use the kids favorite cartoon characters too!! And if you don mind spending a little more, you can also send out simple toys as invites and the kids would be more delighted and would be more excited about the party. If it is for a formal invitation like the boss, colleague or friend, the card must possess an air of sophistication. The card should give out the time, venue, theme and dress code. The RSVP portion of the card should have correctly mentioned name and contact numbers of the person concerned. Guests with allergies to certain foods would also have a chance to advise you beforehand. And it is always better to send the invite a week in advance.
You can let your imaginations run while you design those birthday invites. You can check out the book stores for some different varieties of paper in different hues, weights and textures. You can use some cool art supplies to accessorize your card. The computer does a smart job too. It comes handy when you are starved for time. The e invites are the best solutions for me…they are my best frenz, save me when I'm jus about to loose my face!!
I gotta rush now….need to pick up a Birthday gift for the party too!! Wish you all a happy and fun filled weekend. Hope to catch ya soon!!
Ciao!!

Stop feeling guilty if you've missed a Birthday!!

2006-11-30T07:27:00.000-05:00

That was a hell lot off a surprise!!! Just couldn’t stop laughing when I received the lovely looking bouquet of fresh orchids and a sweet lil card from Sandra, wishing me a Belated Happy Birthday. Sandra is my fren from college. We used to be a pack of four, always hanging out together. I just could not believe that she would remember me after so many years, and that too with a belated wish!! And you know this wicked girl called me up the moment I received the bouquet!! It felt so great!! Belated wishes are fun too!! May be at times you tend to get a lil upset as you expect your loved ones to remember you on your special days. But life’s tough, so much commitments to keep and many more to forget!! To expect something in itself is a big expectation!! And if you genuinely forget to wish someone on their Birthday you can call up to say sorry, and your frens are bound to forget and forgive cos that’s what frens are for!! But I guess remembering someone’s Birthday isn’t that difficult anymore, especially with the new attributes like Birthday Reminders launched by various websites. Once you enter the name and date of birth, the mails keep flowing to your mail boxes each day reminding you that you need to wish that special person today!! These have made our lives so much easier.You can also maintain your own lil calendar which you check each morning!! A way to get away from all misunderstandings and unpleasant feelings is the e cards, just a click away. When you are too busy to lift your phone, they are the best possible solutions. They come real handy. That’s my secret of keeping in touch!!

So until I think of some great stuff to share with ya’all, you can quickly post some of these cards to the one’s whose birthdays you just missed!! Take care Ciao!!

Sky is the Limit!!

2006-11-29T07:42:00.000-05:00

Vibrant, stunning, colorful, joy, happiness and much more all clustered into one!! Yes, what else could that be other than those multihued clusters of bright looking balloons, a perfect Birthday ensemble, Isn’t it? To me, balloons are fun, frolic and fantasy, the ideal party maker!! It sets the mood and the tone of the party. It can be coordinated with the theme and the color scheme can be synchronized accordingly!! Kudos to Michael Faraday who gifted us with this wonderful invention in the 1880’s. Balloons were initially made of dried animal bladder but modern day balloons can be made from materials like rubber, latex, chloroprene or a nylon fabric. The party balloons are mostly made out of natural latex tapped out of rubber trees. The circular balloons are the most commonly known to us but now you get balloons with diverse shapes and sizes to perk up the party. The most loved ones are the heart shaped and cartoon character ones!! Now you can jus go ahead and look up for some cool and funky looking ones here. Balloons have a special significance on a kid’s birthday. Here are some fun ideas with balloons. Mylar balloons are a milestone to the adult birthdays. Whether it’s a 16th birthday, 18th birthday or 21st birthday, these balloons is an absolute daze. They are great as gifts on a birthday along with a teddy bear to add wonder. A happy birthday balloon bouquet consisting of six latex balloons and two Mylar happy birthday balloons are much sought after!! And when you far away and so desperately want to send your wishes to your loved ones, some quick surprises are here. It’s is one easy way. My sixteenth Birthday was a blast, and I remember getting a balloon hamper, it had all that I could ask for. It was a gift from my neighbors. They were a lovely bunch of people. Miss them a lot now!! With balloons I have plenty more to share, but need to catch up with some presentations for tomorrow. Oopss!!I I’m sure gonna end up making some colorful stuff for tomorrow!! C’yall!!!

Is Birthday Candle a Tradition?

2006-11-28T06:31:00.000-05:00

I love collecting candles. The fragrant ones are especially wonderful they just lighten up your mood whenever you feel the blues!! It makes a superb formal yet informal gift for all reasons and seasons for your frens, colleagues and neighbors and its specialty lies in its appeal to all ages. And when you think birthdays, can the candles be far behind? The candles have a long standing association with the Birthdays I’m sure. I can’t possibly remember a single birthday without a candle, could you think of one yourself too?? Not really I guess.
A peep into the history reveals that the tradition of placing candles on Birthday cake dates back to the Greeks, who used to put the lit up candles on cakes to make them glow like the moon. Greeks used to take the cake to the temple of Artemis-the Goddess of Moon. Some scholars say that candles were placed on the cake because people believe that the smoke of the candle carried their wishes and prayers to Gods who lived in the skies. Others believe that the custom originated in Germany where people used to place a large candle in the centre of the cake to symbolize ‘the light of life’. In present times too, people place candles on Birthday cakes and a silent wish is made before blowing out the candle. It is believed that blowing out all candles in one breath means the wish will come true and the person with enjoy good luck in the coming year. Some also smear out the name of the person before slicing of the cake to bring good luck.
Wow!! Seems like a long chapter in history!! Well, here’s some cool stuff too.
You can personalize your candles according to your theme and wish. You get such loads of variety with jus a click on the web. You name it and they’ll have it made for you. You have numbered candles marking the age that you’ve attained like a five and a zero for fifty years and you also have the single candles for each age. For the kids, the candles can be made fun. These days you even have candle printers to print your images of your loved ones on them. Isn’t it amazing!!
And when you have fun over the candles I quickly slip and snuggle into my cozy lil bed with the lovely aroma candle burning, this is the one I bought myself on this Thanksgiving!! Good night!!

The Birthday Ditty!!

2006-11-27T05:15:00.000-05:00

It seems almost like a decade that I am back to my blogging world and had been missing this lil experience so badly!! Life has been really hectic with so much to catch up after the Thanksgiving Holidays. I really dunno from where to begin as I have already had a gazillion of things happening all around me. Trust me, it feels great to be back once more!!
Was just sitting with Browning’s book of poetry, the best Birthday gift that I received this time from Betty, my childhood best fren, something so typical of her!!
The Birthday song, without which I guess no Birthday is ever complete has become so much a part of our Birthday tradition that we have no clue as to when it was written, who wrote it and when did it become so popular. This time it struck me when my frens where singing it aloud in chorus and then did I plan to check out what this four line ditty was all about!!
And here’s what I found. The song was written by American sisters Patty and Mildred Hill in 1893 when they were teaching at a school in Louisville, Kentucky. This was derived from the class room greeting “Good Morning to All”, a legendary song conventionally sung in all the English-speaking countries and has been translated to various other languages across the globe. The all-time official birthday song has been sung in countless movies, television programs and commercials. The birthday lyric was added later. Film footage exists of Marilyn Monroe singing HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU to President John F. Kennedy on May 19th, 1962 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The song was also occasionally performed in concert (but never on record) by Elvis Presley. This lovely song of cheer was born on 27th June, 1859 and this year, will complete 142 years of excellence.
You can jus check out the video of the historical performance here. The Happy Birthday Song has also been sung by various eminent singers and recorded by some leading recording companies. The Happy Birthday Song has also been incorporated in various birthday greeting cards and also available in music cds along with other birthday songs. While celebrating Birthdays in Restaurants and Café’s more often than not we find waitron come singers jazz up the party by singing the lovely Birthday songs!! We hardly can think of a birthday party without the song. I believe the song is more than a ritual. It actually adds to the spirit of the whole celebration. It cuts across boundaries of age, caste and status. Hmmm!! Now that I’ve read and heard so much of the birthday song tonight, I’m kinda feeling hungry and I guess would only see yummylicious cakes and lip smacking delicacies in my dreams!! What a gastronome I am!! Feeling great and hope to be back with loads more tomorrow!! Here I go..happy birthday la la….

Birthday Cakes - Facts and Recipes

2006-11-08T17:18:00.000-05:00

I spent a lot of time on the net today doing a little research work on birthday cakes! Why? Well, it all started this way. I was expecting Harry to call up and he didn't! Some how he always gets busy when he has to call me up! So I was making myself comfortable on a cozy corner of my balcony, relishing on the leftovers of my birthday cake. And it struck me! If birthdays are of such cultural and social significance as I had mentioned earlier, it's customs, rituals and everything related to it must also have some historical facts about them. That just gave me enough food for my idle brain and here I am, with Kate's own little take on birthday cakes!!!

The origin of birthday cakes can be traced back to ancient times. However, they were not the cakes that we have today. The word 'cake' is a derivation of the Old Norse word 'kaka' and is believed to be coined as early as the 13th century.

According to some historians, the custom of the birthday cake was observed in ancient Greece who made round or moon shaped honey cakes or bread and took it to the temple of Artemis -the Goddess of Moon. Ancient Romans celebrated three different types of birthdays: Private celebrations among family and friends, the birthdays of cities and temples, and the birthdays of past and present emperors or members of the imperial family. The 50th year was celebrated with a honey cake made of wheat flour, grated cheese, honey, and olive oil. Some other scholars, however, believe that the tradition of birthday cake started in Germany in Middle Ages, where a sweetened bread dough was made in the shape of the baby Jesus in swaddling clothes and were used to commemorate his birthday. The birthday cake later re-emerged in Germany as a kinderfest, or a birthday celebration for a young child. In England, birthday cakes are baked with symbolic objects inside. In medieval times, objects such as coins and thimbles were mixed into the batter. People believed that the person who got the coin would be wealthy, while the unlucky finder of the thimble would never marry. Today, small figures, fake coins and small candies are more common.

The birthday cakes are often decorated with a person's name and a message of congratulation! And candles, one for each year the person has been alive, make an integral part of it's decoration. Sometimes, an extra candle is also added for good luck. Tradition of placing candles on birthday cake is attributed to early Greeks, who used place lit candles on cakes to make them glow like the moon as they took it to the temple of Artemis -the Goddess of Moon. These candles were placed on the cakes with the intention of bringing up birthday wishes to God. In ancient times, people often prayed over the flames of open fire with the belief that the smoke would carry their wishes up to God. Today, it's believed, that if all the candles could be blown out in one breath, birthday wish would come true.

The cakes are usually yellow in color, though nowadays they come in all types of fancy shapes and themes. One of the flavors that have remained most popular over the years is the Chocolate birthday cake.

Earlier cakes were mostly round in shape. Scholars associate religious beliefs and technical compulsions for the same. Greeks offered the cakes to Artemis, and hence the round shape symbolizing the moon! Some believe, that the round shape in the early times resembled the cyclical nature of life, more specifically the Sun and the Moon! However, a technical explanation could be that in the early times most cakes and breads were made by hand. Typically, these were fashioned into round balls and baked on hearthstones or in low, shallow pans. Hence, these naturally relaxed into round shapes. With the progress of times baking pans of various shapes were developed and today we see cakes in imaginative shapes and sizes.

Finally, a lot of birthday cake recipes can be found in cookbooks publishes towards the last quarter of the 19th Century and the beginning of the 20th century. Some of the more famous and older recipes are from Fannie Merritt Farmer's "Catering for Special Occasions". It had a seperate chapter on birthday feasting, and cakes recipes were included in the child birthday menus. Some of the popular ones are Angel birthday cake and Sunshine birthday cake.

Angel cake:

Whites 5 eggs,

3/4 cup sugar,

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar,

1/2 cup bread flour,

1 teaspoon vanilla.

Beat whites of eggs until stiff and dry and add gradually, while beating constantly, sugar (fine granulated) mixed and sifted with cream of tartar. Sift flour into mixture, add vanilla, and cut and fold until blended. Turn into a buttered and floured angel-cake pan and bake in a moderate oven. Remove from pan, cover with White Mountain Frosting, and ornament with small candles placed in flower cases. The little cases may be bought of first-class city grocers or dealers in confectioners' supplies. --Catering for Special Occasions, Fannie Merritt Farmer [David McKay:Philadelphia] 1911 (p. 222)

Sunshine birthday cake:

Whites 5 eggs,

1/4 teaspoon salt,

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar,

Yolks 3 eggs,

3/4 cup sugar,

1/2 teaspoon almond extract,

1/2 cup pastry flour.

Add salt to whites of eggs and beat until light. Sift in cream of tartar and beat until stiff. Beat yolks of eggs until thick and lemon colored and add two heaping beaten whites. To remaining whites add gradually sugar measured after five siftings. Add almond extract and combine mixtures. Cut and fold in flour measured after five siftings. Bake in angel-cake pan, first dipped in cold water, in a slow oven one hour. Have a pan of hot water in oven during the baking, Remove from pan, frost and decorate, same as Angel birthday cake." ---Catering for Special Occasions, (p. 228-9)

Whew, all these about birthday cakes are making me hungry again! Gotta grab some grub!

Till then...

The Birthday Hangover

2006-11-07T15:23:00.000-05:00

Hello and welcome back! I partied almost the whole of last night and woke up quite late today! Had a gala time with my friends...lots of booze, lots of my fave pastries and lots and lots of dance & fun! And I probably got the best surprise birthday gift ever...a Lop rabbit!!!

However, I had spent a long time on the net yesterday before the party, just to make sure that though I'm late on the net socials, I don't miss the best of it! So now Kate can be found not only here at blogger, but also at Myspace, Xanga, Yahoo!, and Google...not to mention Youtube and Flickr. and guess what, this was more of a surprise to my friends! They've been the true netizens for such a long time now and have always asked me to join the pack...Now that I did, they found it difficult to believe that I have gone everywhere in such a short while...but hey!!! That's Kate you're talking about!!! Everyone seemed to be pretty happy to have me in the "netizen pack", except Harry...He said my profile photo looked quite like a comic picture of Cleopatra! Well, isn't Cleo the one who have been the most known ruler of the then great Egyptian kingdom?

As I was reminiscing the bits and pieces of the wonderful yesterday, I realized that there's a lesser year I'll be in this world. Well, so many things have come to my mind since then and gone and so much I researched. Birthdays, now I realize, are a lot more than gifts and fun! A lot more than celebration. It's an age old tradition that had it's origin in Persia and spread to different parts of Europe and eventually morphed according to the diverse cultural heritages. I'd really like to know and post more about it here...but later! That would be all for now, as I realize this post has actually become too long!

Later...

Welcome To Birthday Blossoms!

2006-11-06T08:47:00.000-05:00

First of all a verrrrry warm welcome to my blog! As you can see, I am from New York. It is my home town. This is where my roots are. New York happens to be the place which gave me my identity of being Kate. And you know what, all this took place on today's date. Yes! it happens to be my birthday! And I thought the best way to make my birthday a verry special one would be to start my own blog.

In all these years, I have seen my pals making their virtual personality by way of expressing themselves in their blogs. And I really feel that it is a nice idea of making yourself known to thousands of people. When I was born, I befriended my acquaintances, and now when my blog is born, I can befriend thousands of souls!!!! It's a gift I give myself today...

Yes, my birthday is something quite precious to me. My birthday happens to be the day, when I bacame known to the entire world, it is the day, when for the first time, I became a part of this beautiful world and its people. It is a day when I am flattered with attention, care and wishes. And I believe this holds true not only for me but for everyone.

Oh! One more thing! I would just like to send my heartiest wishes to every one who's here sharing my birthday with me!! Just have fun and enjoy your self! And plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, just don't get upset if your friends have forgotten it. Hey! you happen to be the most important guy or gal,on your birthday, right? So it is enough if you remember it yourself. You know what, there are some unlucky chaps who do not remember their own birthday.

Guess what I'm gonna do today? I was expecting a call from my friend in the morning, but that actually did not happen. I called him up myself told him about it. He sounded quite excited, though I really doubt it!

My birthday can not be celebrated without my friends. So we have planned a small birthday party at home. I am sure we are going to have a gr8 time together. And I am going to surprise them with this blog. Hope you guys are gonna be back for more!

See ya