Confetti and the Mugger

Have you ever thought about what you'd do if you were mugged?
Would you cry, fight back or just hand over your wallet?
My favorite story is of the lady who threw confetti in the air.
Apparently she loves confetti as much as I do and has some with her at all times.
This time she had her coat pockets full of gold teeny tiny star shaped confetti.
When the mugger approached her with the order, "Take your hands out of your pockets and put them up", she did exactly that and threw handfuls of these sparkly gold stars high in the air
The mugger doubled over laughing and walked away. I don't know if it happened exactly like this, I wasn't there, but I want to believe it did. I love the image of her tossing those glittering stars up high and throwing that mugger off guard. Maybe, just maybe, she gave him his
first genuine smile in a long time. I hope so. This is part of what I love so much about confetti, it create's smiles. So Smile today, save some of that New Year's Eve Cheer and tomorrow will be another day.

Countdown to New Year's Eve...3 days, 2 hours and 33 minutes.

The best known action is in Times Square but there will be parties everywhere.

I just talked to a lady in Concord, Mass who's having a Twilight themed New Year's Eve Party

Me, personally, I'll be snoozing at midnight. Since I live in a college town the sounds of midnight will rouse me but that's okay...let 'em have fun. Soon enough they'll have jobs and kids and mortgages.

Come to think of it, they're probably praying for at least the jobs and mortgages.

With the economy of 2009 it was a rough year to be starting out in the world.

I fervently believe we'll wake up January 1, 2010 to a brand new year and a brand new attitude.

It's going to be the year of the turnaround. I refuse to think negatively. As I've been telling a really important guy in my life, "when you have a bad year, the next one is super good to make up for it"

Think Glass half full, expect smiles and give smiles. Practice random acts of kindness and pay it forward. Cliche the heck out of 2010. This is my little burst of New Year's Eve Confetti...Pay It Forward!

So what's new in the world of Confetti?

The next biggest thing is New Year's Eve.

Times Square alone will use more than 2000 pounds of Confetti.

Worldwide, incredible amounts of Confetti will be dropped, tossed, thrown and scattered.

Huge venues stick to bulk confetti mostly because of the prohibitive cost of the

fancier shaped confetti.

For the more chi-chi parties, elegant star shaped confetti in embossed gold and silver will

make a lot of people smile this year.

Last year martini confetti was hot but this year it's star confetti and champagne glasses confetti.

For balloon drops, softer mylar confetti is all the rage. It's bright and shiny and mylar confetti comes in pretty much any metallic color.

Have fun, smile and don't forget a designated driver. 2010 is only 10 days away and the optimist in me expects it to be a banner year in health, wealth and wisdom...for all of you.

Good-bye 2009, Welcome 2010

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

It's December and the 2009 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has aired.

Proud to say they once again used confetti from www.chicoparty.com

This year's entertainment featured "The Black Eyed Peas" always a show stopper.

I still have fond memories of Usher kicking the silver stage confetti into the air

during last year's show

Confetti is a fabulous way to decorate large areas. It's especially effective on stages and runways. You get the reflection of the light and can play with so many different colors.

Name Confetti for Bar Mitzvah Tables

Name Confetti is one of the newer additions to the fabulous world of confetti

The cool thing is that you can order Confetti in your son's name for his Bar Mitzvah

I love the idea of scattering Name Confetti on the tables.

According to the Social Security Administration the two most popular boys names in 1997 was Michael, followed by Jacob

For boy's turning 13 in 2010 this will be their Bar Mitzvah year. Fortunately Michael is one of the many boy's names you can get in Confetti. So is Jacob...Yay

If you have a daughter turning 12 in 2010, you might want to order name confetti for her Bat Mitzvah. In 1998 the most popular girls name was Emily, followed by Hannah. Both are available as Confetti

While your planning this milestone event for your son or daughter, add special touches that will be meaningful to you and the celebrant.

Having their name on the tables and in the invitations is a great way to do that.

How to Plan A Glitz and Glamour Birthday Party For Girls

This party is a great idea for 8-12 year old girls. Get all their best girlfriends together and be ready for a night of glamour and fun! This party is simple to set up, and it is sure to be a hit!

· Go to a local thrift store and pick out a few dresses for guests to change into when they arrive. You can also ask around, many people have old bridesmaid or prom dresses they would be happy to lend to you for the party. Think bright colors, sequins and sparkle!

· Serve simple snacks and drinks at the party. Finger sandwiches or mini pizzas will be a hit with younger kids, and for a little extra glamour, serve sparkling apple cider in champagne flutes!

Sprinkle Girls Night Out High Heel Shoe Confetti, Diva Confetti and Diamond Ring Confetti on the table around the snacks.

· For this party, instead of sending home small gift bags, send home something a little more unique. Go to a local craft store and pick up some inexpensive cardboard frames. Grab some glue, confetti and glitter and you are good to go! Set up a table at the party where girls can decorate their frames.

· Set up an area for pictures. Use thumbtacks to hang a solid color sheet on a wall. Add a Disco Ball Balloon for some extra flair. Use a digital camera and print the pictures out before the end of the party for guests to take home in their new glitter frames.

After the party is over, don’t forget to send out thank you notes to all the guests who attended. Keeping with the theme of glitz and glamour from the party, add a little of the confetti used in the party into the envelope along with the thank you note.

Thank you guest blogger Emily Clark. Please comment on Emily's post. We'd love to hear your ideas.

Christmas Confetti

Christmas Confetti you ask. So, if you read this blog you know that Confetti is my business.

We try to offer fun promotions for our customers and today, as we worked in 106 degree Chico heat, I threw out the question "What kind of a promotion should we have?"

Without a pause, Jeff emphatically suggested "Christmas in July". After a brief discussion we decided to go with it.

Starting today and ending at Midnight July 31 we have every single style of Christmas Confetti on Sale. I think it's about 70 different styles.

My favorite is Gold Snowflake Confetti, Jeff's fave is HO HO HO Confetti

It will be fun to see what our customers think and if anyone can bear to think about Christmas in July. The best part for the customer is deep discounts on Christmas Confetti by the Pound and Christmas Confetti by the packet.

How to plan an 80's theme party

What's new?

Large Number Balloons. This one is a big gold number 80 balloon.

80's Parties are all the rage right now.

Need some ideas for an 80's party?

• Ask your guests to dress 80's
• Leg warmers, bright colors, big hair
• Think of the movies of the 80's
• Flashdance
• Ferris Bueller
• Top Gun
• Pretty in Pink and Breakfast Club
• Play 80's music
• Decorate your bathroom with scrunchies and aquanet
• Hang a disco ball
• 
  
• Don't have a disco ball? Use balloons that look exactly like a disco ball and are a whole lot less expensive
• Serve wine coolers and set out cans of cheez whiz
• Decorate with pictures of 80's pop culture

Molly Ringwald, the 2 Coreys, Rob Lowe, Ally Sheedy, Judd Hirsch and don't forget Anthony Michael Hall

How to Plan a Graduation Party

Graduation Season is here. Soon the Class of 2009 will be moving on to bigger and better things.
The earliest graduations are usually Colleges and Universities.
Some have already graduated, BYU Graduation was April 23, 2009
Most graduates will have a party.

The top 10 things to think about when planning your graduation party
1. The Date...will you have your party the day of graduation or wait until summer when more of your friends and family are around
2. The Theme...incorporate the occasion...your graduation, with a fun summer theme. Some of the easiest to do are Luau and Fiesta.
3. Colors...you could stick with school colors, favorite colors or colors that work with the theme.
4. Decorations...Balloons, 2009 Confetti, A Big Banner
5. Food and Drink....for little ones..think kindergarten graduation...cupcakes and juice boxes are easy. High School Graduates love BBQ's. Throw some burgers on the grill, set out bowls of chips and a table full of soda's and you're good to go.
College Graduates are more about the "Beverages"..Beer, Wine and Champagne to toast the big day. Order a Big Cake or have a dessert table. Brownies, Cupcakes, Cookies... An Ice Cream Sundae Bar. Make it Fun
6. The Guest List...Mom and Dad, School Friends,Family Friends and, of course, your family.
7. The Budget...Make a list of the basics and ask friends and family to help. No one minds bringing a potato salad or a 6 pack.
8. Photos...Depending on #7, the budget, hire a photographer or ask family and friends to take pictures. Just don't forget. This is a big day and photos are such a nice way to remember it
9. The Invitation...Email, Snail Mail, A Phone Call. They all work. The most important thing is to keep it personal. Grandma should be invited before the guy you mow lawns for.
10. Thank-you's....Last but definitely not least. Every graduate has Lot's of folks who helped them get there. Please send thank-you's and make them personal. A pinch of Thanks Confetti is a special touch.

This list authored by Linda Crawford, http://www.chicoparty.com/

Celebrate Cinco De Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner and it's time to get your decorations together for this special occasion. Although many people celebrate this Mexican holiday, not everyone knows the real facts behind the celebration. This day commemorates the victory of the Mexican army over the French militia at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. This victory was significant because it showed the rest of the world that Mexico was becoming a powerful nation and was the first real sign of Mexican patriotism.

Today, the holiday is mostly celebrated in the Mexican state of Puebla, but is also celebrated in other parts of Mexico and the United States, especially those cities with large Latino populations. The celebration includes lots of food, beverage, dance and customs unique to Mexico and their culture. Many cities host parades to celebrate and have mariachi bands and folklorico dancing.

Now that you know the real facts behind this holiday, you can start getting your decorations together for the celebration. We have many types of fiesta themed confetti, included confetti with sombreros, cactus, chili peppers, and more. You can sprinkle some on your tables at your event or throw some at the floats as they ride by in the parade. You can also add a margarita balloon to each table to show some true Mexican Spirit.

Good luck & we hope you have a great Cinco de Mayo. Or for you Spanish-speakers out there, "Que tenga suerte y le deseamos un feliz Cinco de Mayo!!"

"2009" Graduation is almost here!

As a senior at California State University, Chico I will be one of the many graduating this year. Graduation is a great time for celebrating with family & friends. At Partyconfetti.com, we have all the graduation decorations and supplies you will need for your big day. It can be relatively easy to decorate for your celebration, as long as you know what you're going to need. The first thing you should do to prepare for your graduation party is to send Graduation Announcements out to family & friends to let them know of your accomplishment. Next, be sure to purchase all the decorations your going to need for the party. There are a variety of products out there today to make your party extra special and we have them all at Confetti Party Headquarters. We have many different styles of "2009" Graduation Confetti. Just sprinkle a few in your grad invitations and then on your tables at your party.

In addition to Confetti, you can add "2009" Centerpieces to each one of your tables. These are relatively easy to make yourself. You just need some type of base to hold the spray and balloons. We recommend taking mylar paper and filling it with sand to make a sand base. Then clip the spray to the height you want and put it in the center of the base along with three 5" balloons.

Next, you can add some Graduation Balloons to your party. We have a variety of balloons for Graduation. One of our most popular Graduation balloons is the JUMBO "2009" Number Balloons. Order your balloons in your school's colors and just add helium to them.

With the invitation announcements, confetti, centerpieces and balloons, your party should be a success! Congratulations to all 2009 Graduates and good luck decorating!

Baby Shower Games

I love baby showers. There is something so sweet about those cute little onesies and the eager anticipation of a new life to love.

Some of my favorite baby shower games

• My water broke...everyone gets a beverage on arrival. In the drink is an ice cube with a plastic baby inside (obviously don't give these to small children) The goal is to get the baby out without "crunching" the ice. The first one to reveal their "baby" yells "my water broke" It's particularly entertaining at co-ed showers
• "Guess the Product"...the host fills a baby bag with" baby things". Some suggestions are a diaper pin, breast pads, baby theme confetti, bottle etc. A few should be easy and a few more obscure. Give each guest a piece of a paper and 30 seconds to feel inside the bag without looking. After she feels she writes everything she can think of for 30 more seconds and passes the bag to the next guest and her paper to the host. Everyone should get the same amount of time to both feel the items and to write. When everyone has had a turn read them aloud. You'll get some pretty funny responses

Mardi Gras 2009 Celebration

It's that time of year again and Mardi Gras is just around the corner! Mardi Gras literally means "Fat Tuesday" and ends just before Ash Wednesday. It is traditionally known as the last day for Catholics to "let loose" before Lent and the fasting starts. We have tons of Mardi Gras decorations to help make your celebration even better. Mardi Gras colors are gold, green and purple and we have balloons in every one of these colors to help you add some real Mardi Gras spirit to your celebration. We also have many different Mardi Gras Confetti styles. Sprinkle some on your tables or throw some at the floats as they ride by during the big Parade. My favorite confetti style is the Mardi Gras Confetti Masks. We also have some really cool Mardi Gras Centerpieces available. You can use them as a balloon weight or buy themselves to spruce up any table. There's no better time than now to buy your Mardi Gras decorations!

Happy 80th Birthday, Martin Luther King Jr

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929

If he were living he would have celebrated his 80th birthday just 5 days before America's first African American President took the oath of office.

What a perfect 80th birthday present this would have been. Were he alive, I would throw 80th Birthday Confetti in his honor.

As President Obama said in his inaugural speech, it was long ago that his African born father might not have been served in a restaurant in the very city where he now stands to serve the United States.

Today is historic for so many reasons, not least of which is the realization of Dr. Martin Luther Kings "I have a Dream" Speech.

How far we have come.

Happy 80th Birthday, Martin Luther King Jr.

And, Congratulations Mr. President, I'll throw some Obama confetti for you