SIGN IN BOARDS for Parties.

One thing we do often make are Sign In Boards.

I think they make a wonderful party props to set

the tone of the party and let people in on the theme

of the night and highlight that special person.

They also are a great spot to grab a picture.

(This happens to be my Eagle Scout grandson Ryan.)

 It really isn't so much about the signatures or

the messages. The messages left are usually the same

as people have already told you in person...like "great job!" or

"Happy Birthday" or "Mazel Tov" or "proud of you".

But it does gives folks another opportunity to congratulate and

also see that you have taken the time to have something

fun and interesting to make the party personal and lively.

I often hear...."But what will I do with it after

the party? I might get a memory book instead because it's easier

to keep." 

Well, memory books are fine. I like them. We also make them.
(You can view a blog post I made about them here.)

But, personally, I like Sign In Boards better.They are BIGGER.

Big things at a party just have more impact and pizzazz.

That's just a fact. They are more memorable. 

That's why you're getting a Sign In Board. 

To have something cool at the party. 

You wouldn't be having a Sign In Board if you weren't having a party. 

So don't worry about later. 

Take a picture of the board and save that.

You don't have to save the board forever and ever.

Another good thing about a Sign In Board is that it's standing

right there at your eye level when you walk into the party.

You really can't miss them. You CAN miss a book.

I hear often that not that many people signed the book.

Maybe they did miss it. Or...maybe they didn't.

A book is intimidating. Writing in a book means you should

comes up with something clever on the level of what 

J.K. Rowling would write in a book. Most people aren't prepared

for that much pressure. They are there to PAR-TAY or celebrate.... not

be profound and clever in writing something beautiful in 

a book that will be kept (hopefully) forever and read and

reflected upon the words left there. Oh dear...such pressure!

Where's the Sign In Board???? 

You can view more Sign In Boards on

our website.

Life before Google

I have all these artwork resource books I used before Google 

and all their wonderful images came out. 

Yes. 
I've been doing party decor artwork that long! 

I remember the 'olden days'.

They use to be called 'morgue' files and my files
spilled over even into 2 tall file cabinets of pages 
I had torn out from magazines that I kept in labeled folders...
just for inspiration or to place on my overhead projector 
and to help me draw up designs.
That was before I even had a computer.
OMG...times are so much better now!
I LOVE my computers....both of them and my ipad 
and my iphone. I'm in 2012 with both feet!

But...It pains me to even think about throwing out these books.

Ahhhhhh...do I have to???

Well...I've decided I don't have to do it today.

But some day soon.

THIS is what I need in front of my house.

Or at least in my town.

http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/index.html

That darn ipad. I love it but it has it's limitations.

It makes me crazy that the ipad doesn't

support Adobe flash. 

It makes me especially crazy that our

 website Photo Gallery section is

generated by Flash so it gives folks this

error message...and me included....when

I'm on my ipad.

The pictures are available on regular computers

that have Adobe Flash installed to work with

their SPECIFIC browser.

But sometimes it won't work with Safari even

though it works with Google Chrome on my

home computer.

I experimented with other options for the website for

all the ipad users and finally

just decided to add more pictures into the

body of our website and forget about the

flash Photo Gallery updates for now.

The iphone and ipad users are taking over the world

and Apple is forcing you to go in the direction it

wants you to head whether you like it or not.

And...I have to admit..limitations or not, I'm

a huge ipad and Apple fan.

Here's the latest picture I added to

the CENTERPIECE page of our

www.partydecorationsbymarlyss.com

website.

Winter's Coming so Tropical Beach Parties will be in.

Nothing like having a beach party in the winter.

Makes perfect sense to me.

If you can't be there, pretend to be there.

We've definitely done more beach themes in the

winter time than in the summer. But not always.

Here's some fun BEACH THEME ideas we've done.

Sign In Boards are popular.

Catch a Wave on a surfboard SIGN IN BOARD made

from foamcore with layered glittered letters.

Note that these two surfboard sign in boards

were done in October and January. See?

Looking for placecards or a 3D lifeguard

chair to display? Check out this blog

post I made here.

Now I know you don't want to think about it...but

there are sharks at the beach. We even made 

paper mache shark heads as centerpieces one time.

I can't say it was one of the strangest things I've

been asked to make but it's on the list of unusual.

But we had fun making them.

Camp plays friendly with a beach and water theme.

That's what good about a beach theme. 

Everyone loves the beach and it can be 

incorporated with camp or travel or tropical islands

even if you are in the middle of winter.

Funky Lighted MITZVAH BAR sign

I read somewhere..or they tried to teach it

to me when I took some college graphic design

classes, that you shouldn't mix more than 2 different

font styles in one design piece.

Fail.

I disregarded that like I disregard what I KNOW a 

teacher tried to tell me in a graphic design college class: 

You never point things directly to a corner in a graphic design. 

You always miss the exact corner on purpose. 

Well I remembered that while I was in 

his class but afterwards....well....I can't 

stay I always followed that rule because it 

made no sense to me.

Same with the font rule.

I used Beetle for Joey.

I used Inspiration for Mitzvah Bar.

I used Arial for OPEN.

Fail??

I hope some 'rule enforcer' doesn't send

me an email and tell me I broke a rule.

I like this funky sign.

Wedding Gift Card Box with paper flowers and pearls

Here's a "Marlyss & Stacey" version of a 

Bridal Dress we made from foam core 

(because that's what we do) for

a WEDDING GIFT CARD BOX. 

We decorated it with

paper flowers and pearls and

customized it with the 

bride and groom's name.

We had such fun creating all 

the paper flowers....especially the roses.

I liked ALL the different varieties of

flowers we came up with but the

rose was my favorite.

Here's the finished dress and

a picture of the 

gift card slot for the bride and

groom's gift cards that they

will receive at the wedding reception.

This wedding gift card box is available
TO RENT if you are in Michigan. We'll change the
names at the top to any names.

Just email us at: marlyss@mac.com

iPod Dancers make great centerpieces

iPod dancers just say FUN, don't they?

These were 4 feet tall and went on a 

large 8 foot D.J. sign. 

They had battery operated light wires for

the iPod cords that really glowed. 

They were two layers with black foam core on blue layer.

But they could be any color on the background.

Pink or lime green would really pop!

We've also made them smaller and

with a plain white cord that was

not illuminated. 

But still so cute and perfect for

a table centerpiece.

Lots of different poses!

My internet friend BJ Boyd sent me this

next picture of how she displayed the 

dancing figures we sent to her with a 

real outfit and she put the iPod and wire in

and added the cool necklace touch.

There are so many possibilities left to try.

We're ready to try some different figures and

in different colors.

Just call us with your ideas if you are having

a dance themed party or iPod party.

We're ready to expand the thought!!

marlyss@mac.com

New York Party Decorations

NEW YORK Themed Party Decor.

A smattering from several different parties.

Here's some NY centerpiece designs.

Centerpieces featuring locations around NY.

Often we can do the same idea...like

Times Square for example...in different ways.

Here's the front and reverse side for

a centerpiece for Madison Square Gardens.

Food signs make fun signs.

Don't forget the Gift Card Money Boxes.

Or, the Big D.J. signs with the PARTY LOGO.

And, the always important PLACECARDS and

a fun display for them.

So if your theme is New York, we've

got some ideas for you.

Give us an email at:

marlyss@mac.com

Live Laugh Love

Live, Laugh and Love this theme.

This was a really big sign. I had to

lay it out on the driveway and go on 

my upper deck and lean waaaay over

to snap the picture.

Live, Laugh, Love and Lean Way

Over My Deck and hope I don't

lean too far so I can continue to

Live.  LOL.

My job is dangerous...but fun and makes 

me happy to make these kinds of signs.

Sweet 16 Party Ideas

Sweet 16 party things can be so fun!

We can send you a completed 16 Gift Card Box or 

parts for you to finish it yourself if you like to DIY.

Here's a beach themed CANDLE LIGHTING CENTERPIECE.

We also make table centerpieces & sign in boards.

Let us make something special for you

...or...

we offer Do-It-Yourself Instructional Videos 

for folks on a tight budget or like to make things.

4 VIDEOS

Foamcore Tips & Tricks $5.00 USD DIY Centerpieces $5.00 USD DIY Octagon Base $5.00 USD DIY Square Gift Card Box $5.00 USD SAVE & BUY ALL 4 $15.00 USD

Do you have a personalized logo? 

We can duplicate it onto a GIFT CARD BOX.

Here's a Mardi Gras Gift Card Box.

Here's a few with an actual number 16 that

were boxed in for gift cards to drop into the top.

This neon florescent pink one below 

glows under black light but is pretty

bright and sparkly in daylight.

"Elegant and glitzy with rhinestone bling." 

That's how I would describe this gold and white 

Gift Card Money Box for a Sweet Sixteen party.

 Or how about blue?

Often we can work in themed elements like we did with these lollipops.

Cut-out names of ANY size are something we

can always make and ship anywhere.

30" sizes work well for Sign In's or Candlelighting tables.

Larger sizes (like Haley's name) can be 4ft. to 8ft. long and

be made to stand on a table top or hang from a drop

ceiling, dj truss or pipe and draping poles. 

We can provide the hangers for the reverse side.

We did do a play on words from

"My Super Sweet 16" and 

changed it to 13.

So that was almost one.

Most of things we've done have 

been Sign In Boards.

Here's a centerpiece we did with

a Green Day Rock guitar Rock theme.

I always thought this makeup

centerpiece would be a good

Sweet 16 centerpiece but it was

actually for a 50's theme party.

I guess no one does curlers any more.

It's all about blow dryers and straight hair now.

But the lipstick and nail polish still applies!

"Fashion" is a good Sweet 16 theme.

Here's a designer foamcore oversized purse for

a Gift Card Box for those cards and checks. 

Also, here's some foamcore designer shoes as 

Table Numbers for a Sweet Sixteen party along 

with a sign that went on the Sweet Table.

If you need something unique and customized

just for you, email us at:

marlyss@mac.com

Or VISIT OUR TWO WEBSITES for more ideas!

partydecorationsbymarlyss.com

guitarcenterpieces.com