Surtex 2012 Sneak Peak – Birthday Balloon Doodle Collection

Here is a sneak peak of one of my collections that will debut at Surtex 2012 in less than 2 weeks. 
(Surtex is the premiere trade show for selling and licensing original art and surface pattern designs.) 

The Birthday Balloon Doodle collection combines handwriting and doodles with subway art and brightly-colored stripes and dots. The girly version includes pink, while the non-gender specific version has red instead of pink. Both versions contain the same remaining colors of orange, turquoise, bright blue, lime green and yellow.

Below are some mockups to show how the Birthday Balloon Doodle patterns will look on gift bags and party ware. Would you use products in these patterns for a birthday party? If so, who would the party be for?

25 Ways to Spread the JOY of Christ this Christmas | Day 2

My intention was to write a new blog post each day till Christmas, each day sharing with you a different way to spread the JOY of Christ this Christmas. But I am having internet trouble, so I may not be able to get a blog posted every day. But I will do the best I can. 

The idea I am going to share with you today for
Spreading the JOY of Christ this Christmas
came from my sister, who actually did this—
decorate someone else’s house or yard
with Christmas decorations.

Everyone in family knows how much joy my youngest sister gets from seeing colorful Christmas lights and beautiful Christmas decorations. But we know that because my youngest sister is single, works late hours both at her job and volunteering in her community that she probably would not make time to decorate her house. So last week my mom, my daughter, and my middle sister and her two young kids traveled over an hour to go decorate my youngest sisters house and yard while she was at work. They did not even let her know they were in town. I did not know they were doing this or I would have gone to help. I found out about it because I happened to call my middle sister while they were in the middle of decorating, so when I asked her what she was doing she told me. 

Anyways, I knew this would mean so much to my youngest sister and I wish I could have been there to see her face when she drove up to her house that night. Here is what she wrote about it on her facebook wall:

What a wonderful surprise!!! I am driving up to my house late last night after a long day at work and see lights… someone came and decorated my yard, porch and living room with beautiful, bright, colorful Christmas trees, lights, bows… brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart! I am immeasurably blessed with sweet, thoughtful, loving family! THANK YOU to my precious sister, Mama, and nieces. I love you!

Now they didn’t spend tons of $$ or anything. They used things they already had, but this small act of kindness really touched my sister’s heart and made her feel loved. And each time she looks at these simple decorations, she is reminded of how blessed she is. 

So I challenge you to spread the JOY of Christ this Christmas by thinking of someone that you could bless by decorating their house or yard this Christmas. It could be a family member who doesn’t have the time or money to do it themselves or it could be an elderly person who has health problems that prevent them from doing all the things they want to do or it could be a family who is busy spending time at the hospital with a loved one. To me it makes it more fun if you can manage to do it as a surprise, but it may be that the it would be more of a blessing to someone to have the time of fellowship while doing the Christmas decorating together.

Just ask Jesus to show you how you can spread the JOY of Christ this Christmas, and then open your eyes and ears and don’t be surprised when he shows you exactly what to do and whom to bless.

Product Review of Neapolitan Valentines Printable Party Package

Joyful Heart Design’s brand new product, the

Neapolitan Valentine’s Day Printable Party Decorations

received a favorable review by Freebies for Friends on their blog today. Please go read it now!

This is our first printable package, so I am excited to find out what people think about it, and see it from a customer’s point of view.

I names this package “Neapolitan” because it’s designs are created in Chocolate, White and shades of Pink, the same colors as Neapolitan Ice Cream. Yummy!

I thought this would be a great way to help people have a “deliciously stylish” Valentine’s Day Party, even if on a budget.

The package retails for $20, but I’m giving a HUGE discount to my facebook fans and email subscribers, so be sure to LIKE my facebook page, then click the EMAIL SIGNUP tab to get your coupon code.

Purchase the Neapolitan Valentine’s Day Printable Party Decorations package HERE.

We also have two invitations that match this Printable package:
The

Neapolitan Pink & Brown Stripes Valentine Invitation

and the

Pink & Brown Chain of Hearts Invitation

More images of the Neapolitan Valentine Printable Package: