Etsy Find: Nature Favors Bird Seed Favors

(Image via Etsy-Naturefavor)

Another great Etsy find. We love Etsy and our latest find is no exception. Take a look at the store of Nature Favors. The line of eco-friendly creative favors is incredible.

Like the favor shown above-the Heart Shaped Birdseed Wedding Favors. Aren't they just the cutest? Plus, they're eco-friendly, and hand-made exclusively from all natural ingredients. A loop is made from hemp twine and is formed at the top of each heart, allowing you to display them as a yard decoration in the location of your choice. The price is also easy to swallow too-just $24.95 for 25 or 50 for $49.95. Nature Favors also makes FREE custom tags to go along with the favors.

Their suggestion for a centerpiece: use flower pots to hold tree branches and then hang these bird seed hearts on them for decorations. Place a note at each centerpiece to tell your guests to take one home to feed the birds. Use them to decorate individual place settings, put them in handmade baskets to hand out as favors, or even use as napkin holders.

These would be so perfect for every bridal shower but especially a cute garden party. Of course they would also be great for a wedding. Nature Favors also makes duckie bird seed favors for baby showers and earthbloom favors in a variety of shapes for bridal showers and weddings, too. I could see myself using these as favors for everything-they're that cute!

Guestbook Idea-Sign the Wine!

(Image via Myownlabels)

Miss Sunbeam from Weddingbee has an unique guestbook idea-have guests sign a 1.5 Liter bottle of wine! They're planning on having guests sign it at their wedding and then opening it for their anniversary.

While the Sunbeams are planning on using this for their wedding guestbook, we think it's a great idea for a bridal shower (or bachelorette party) guestbook. Not only is it creative and different, but its also practical-the bride gets a great bottle of wine to drink. This would be a great way to complement a wine tasting, a stock the bar shower, or any shower for the gal who loves her vino.

Our suggestions:
-Use a paint pen to write on the label. Try a sample label first to make sure the writing stays on the label.

-Customize the wine. No need to have a boring label-if this is a bottle they'll be keeping then make it one they'd want to keep. Try customizing the label-we love MyOwnLabels where you can choose from a variety of label styles and colors.

-It doesn't have to be wine. Try beer or other liquors like large bottles of vodka or rum.

GIVEAWAY: $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card

Yeah for giveaways! It gets tough being a good friend-you end up spending so much money on gifts for everyone else-the weddings, the bridal showers, the graduation parties, the baby showers, the housewarmings. Sometimes, especially now that times are tough, it feels like the only person you're not spending money on is yourself.

Which is why we are proud to have our FIRST giveaway:

A $25 gift card to Restaurant.com!

Good at more than 10,000 participating restaurants nationwide-including some of the hottest names in dining as well as premium online partners like LobsterGram, Mrs. Field's, deLaFlowers, and many others.

How to Enter:
Tell us the following-what was the best bridal shower game that you've ever played at a shower or what was the most memorable bridal shower you've ever been to (and why?)

For more entries:
Be sure to leave a comment for EACH additional entry that you complete.
1 extra entry-Add The Perfect Bridesmaid to your blogroll, if you have a blog (Leave me the address of your blog so we can verify)
1 extra entry-Subscribe to our feed
1 extra entry-Follow us on Blogger or through Google Friend Connect
1 extra entry-Leave a comment on one of our posts. Please don't say-"I'm leaving a comment." Instead say something like" love this idea." Leave us a link to the comment.


The Legal:

• Contest begins July 30, 2009 and ends August 15, 2009 at midnight. All entries must be posted by midnight to qualify.
  
• You must include your email address or your entries will not be counted. (Or check to see if your e-mail is included in your blogger profile.)
• US residents only.
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• There is a limit of one entry per person/household/email address for the duration of the promotion period. Entries received in excess of the stated limitations from any person or email address will be void. All entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned. Entries will be attributed to the authorized account holder of the email address submitted during entry. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of an entrant, the authorized account holder of the email address used to enter will be deemed to be the registrant or participant. The "authorized account holder" is the natural person assigned to an email address by an Internet service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. Winning participants may be required to provide Sponsor with proof that the claimed winner is the authorized account holder of the email address associated with the winning entry, or forfeit the prize. Entries specifying an invalid, non-working, or inactive email address will be disqualified and ineligible to win.
  
• All entries must be complete to be eligible to enter the Sweepstakes – and become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned or acknowledged, and Sponsor will not verify receipt of entries.
• Winner will be notified by email and must respond within 48 hours.
• Winner may be required to execute and return an affidavit of eligibility, a liability release and, where lawful, a publicity release within seven (7) days of date of issuance. If such documents are not returned within the specified time period, prize notification is returned as undeliverable, or the potential winner is not in compliance with these rules, prize will be forfeited and, at Sponsor's discretion, an alternate winner selected. Winner must be at least 18 years old.
• Prize is awarded "as is" with no warranty or guarantee, either expressed or implied by Sponsor. Winner may not substitute, assign, sell or transfer prize or redeem prize for cash, but Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to substitute prize (or portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value. Winner is responsible for all applicable federal, state and local taxes, if any, as well as other costs and expenses associated with prize acceptance and use not specified herein as being provided. All prize details are at Sponsor's sole discretion.
• Sweepstakes Grand Prize: One (1) Grand Prize will be awarded in the Sweepstakes, which consists of a $25 Gift Certificate to Restaurant.com
• Restaurant.com is NOT a sponsor of this sweepstakes or contest. Restaurant.com is a registered trademark and copyright and Restaurant.com retains the ownership and rights of such trademarks.
• Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes. Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the sweepstakes or website or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by the Sponsor, will be disqualified and all associated entries will be void. Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the sweepstakes and, if terminated, at its discretion, select the potential winner from all eligible, non-suspect entries received prior to action taken or as otherwise deemed fair and appropriate by Sponsor. Entrants, by participating, agree that Sponsor and all of their respective officers, directors, employees and representatives and agents (collectively, "Released Parties") will have no liability whatsoever for, and shall be held harmless by entrants against, any liability, for any injuries, losses or damages of any kind, including death, to persons, or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possessions, misuse or use of any prize or participation in this sweepstakes or the rights granted herein. The winner, by acceptance of this prize, expect where legally prohibited, grants permission for Sponsor and its designees to use his/her name, address (city and state), photograph, voice and/or other likeness and prize information for advertising, trade and promotional purposes without further compensation, in all media now known and hereafter discovered, worldwide in perpetuity, without notice or review or approval. In the event of a dispute regarding entries received from multiple users having the same email account, the authorized subscriber of the email account at the time of entry will be deemed to be the entrant and must comply with these rules. Authorized account subscriber is the natural person who is assigned the email address by the Internet Service Provider (ISP), online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses. Use of any device to automate entry is prohibited.

See this contest and more at Cashnetsweeps & Onlinesweepstakes!

Bachelorette Party Dilemmas

Miss Mary Jane from WeddingBee had a dilemma: she went to a bachelorette party where, although she was younger than the bride in actual age, she felt out of place. Meaning the bride had a bouquet made of Blow-Pops and was encouraged by her friends to sell the lollipops to strangers with the line: “Suck for a buck?” And of course the bride was downing shot after shot all night. Needless to say, Miss Mary Jane ended up leaving with the older folks like the bride's aunts and mom by 11:30. Now Miss Mary Jane was questioning-did she do the right thing? Did she end up ruining the bride's good time by being a fly on the wall? Should she have stayed home?

These questions led us to thinking about the bachelorette parties all of you are planning: What should you do if one of the guest at the bachelorette party is obviously not having a good time.

Our suggestions:

• Make sure guests know ahead of time how raunchy or naughty the party will be. Put it on the invitation or spread the word-you'd be surprised how people's definitions of parties or girls night can vary and you want the guests to know ahead of time how raunchy the party will be.
• If you know that some of the females who will be going to the bachelorette party (or who the bride would like to be there) aren't the type to enjoy shot after shot of tequila or a strip show by Ivan the firefighter, then plan a different type of party. A bachelorette party does not have to involve hangovers.
  
• At the party, try to get all of the guests involved. It's possible that some of the guests don't know each other or need ice-breakers.
• Planning a two-part party is a great idea. Have something like drinks and dinner and save the clubbing part for later on in the night.
  

Mindy Weiss's Celebrity Bridal Shower Favor-Hankies!

Celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss had a great idea for the wedding of Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan-vintage hankies for the woman to use to dry their tears of joy. This can easily be used for bridal showers though-wrap a handful of pastel mints or Jordan almonds in a hankie and tie with with silk ribbon or place by every guest's table setting.

Vintage handkerchiefs are gorgeous plus they're easy to find-check Ebay or local vintage shops for plenty of options.

DIY: Drunken Watermelon Keg

(Image via Evite)

What a great idea for any outdoor party but especially for a bridal shower or a BBQ-a watermelon keg. It's sure to have the guests talking about how creative it is-and think no punch bowl to clean up when the guests leave.

What you'll need:
• 10-pound seedless watermelon
• Sharp knife
• Big spoon
• Big bowl
• Drill with a 1/2-inch drill bit
• 3/4-inch ball-valve faucet with a handle that's easy to turn with one hand
• PVC-to-faucet adapter that will screw into the back of the faucet
• Rubber O-ring that fits the back of the faucet
• Blender
• Sieve
• Pitcher
• 1 1/2 cups rum
• 4 limes
• About 90 minutes of your time

For the rest of the tutorial click here!

Make Your Own Tart Bar

(Image via Thepartydress and Rachael Ray)

The Party Dress has a great idea-make your own tart bar. What a great way to serve dessert at a party, especially a shower. It lets guests mix and mingle while creating their own food.

We suggest:

• Tart Shells (store-bought or homemade)
• Lemon Curd
• Whipped Cream
• Sliced Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blueberries
• Caramel sauce
• Strawberry jam
• Peach filling
• Plum filling
  
• Cherry filling
• Nectarine filling