I love the convenience of technology. I love being able to quickly send off an email from my computer or phone to a multitude of different people. Let’s face it…it is just easy. Anyone who knows me knows that I am all about being efficient. Sometimes that is a major downfall in how I run my life. I like everything being streamlined and done as quickly as possible. I love efficiency. However, once in a while I like to revert to pre-technological days. I like using the United States Postal Service. I love writing thank you notes, letters and sending out incredible invitations to events. I love knowing that people are going to receive a little something extra in their mailbox. It is like getting a present that you were not expecting, and who can not be happy about that.

Well, Rick’s big 40th birthday is looming on the horizon so I knew I had to throw the most incredible party he had ever seen. I have been planning it in my head for over a year now. I have been talking to caterers and writing down ideas and themes. My mind gets going on something and it just doesn’t stop. It just keeps getting bigger and better in my head. I talked to Rick about throwing him a party and the plans I had for an "Monte Carlo Style" Birthday Event. For those of you that don’t know Rick…he loves to gamble and is a total Monte Carlo style guy. He is always treated VIP style in Vegas and he enjoys winning in Vegas. Yes he is always winning in Vegas. I knew that to set the tone for this incredible event I needed an incredible invitation. I love creating invitations that make people say wow, so I brainstormed with Rick to come up with a French Riviera - Monte Carlo theme invitation.

The invitation consists of a wooden box with a sliding top. In the box, we had the actual invitation information silk screened on actual gaming felt with a European Roulette table theme. This felt table was then glued onto a piece of Brazilian Cherry Wood Veneer on top of gold card stock.  We carried out that Roulette table theme with a special RSVP piece that consisted of a plastic piece of a Roulette Wheel that we had manufactured with the number 40 printed on it and a white Roulette ball imbedded in the piece and the RSVP information printed on the back of the Roulette Wheel piece. All of this was then laid on top of actual shredded currency that I obtained from the Federal Reserve. Finally we decided that we wanted to create a piece to the invitation that made it become interactive. We decided that we would have a poker hand and the best hands would win prizes at the party. We randomly choose three cards and then sewed them together (we didn’t want anyone swapping cards with other party guests to get a better hand). We then glued an information circle on those three cards explaining how the Poker Hand Game would take place. As people arrive to the party they will be given the chance to randomly draw two more cards from a deck of cards to complete their 5 card Poker Hand. At the end of the night who ever ended up with the best hand will walk away with some pretty cool prizes.

I am very excited about throwing this party. I love dressing up and having a good time. I will include pictures of the event after it happens. I have talked to a few friends that haven’t received their invites in the mail, or if I accidentally missed you on the list email me and I will get you all the information.