I'm pretty sure I hinted that I was up to something new behind the scenes. Did I say it sometime last week? Last month? Honestly, the days are running together and I'm quite proud of myself for remembering to wear pants today. Sometimes I even brush my teeth (but not if I go to bed after midnight, in which case I wear my pants).
Are you following me?
Anyhow, for the past two months I've been preparing for a new writing/crafting gig that just went live the other day. I'm the new "guide" to kids' birthday parties and other celebrations on About.com.
Here's my new site:
It's really a writing job, but I'm planning on putting all sorts of birthday- and party-related tutorials on there (hence, the crafts). I'll always alert Penny Carnival readers here when there's a new toot there, but feel free to bookmark that link, too, for your party-planning pleasure. Just some basic stories are up right now and links to existing articles from other guides, but I'll be adding content almost daily so check back often.
Can you believe someone is actually paying me to write about how to throw birthday parties?! This is right up my alley. Really, it is a TON of work, especially as I've had to learn their whole formatting, programming gobbley goop (Hello! HTML coding?! Who has to do that anymore? Why don't they just use Typepad? Oh, because then their site would look as crappy as my blog does right now. I see.)
But besides the late nights, I'm having a blast brainstorming all sorts of birthday themes and crafts and decorations. And with the holidays coming, I've been writing about how to throw Christmas parties for kids (Caroling! Polar Express in Your PJs! Gingerbread House Making!) and what to do for Hanukkah and New Year's Eve and everything. By the way, we're totally going to celebrate Kwanzaa this year. I hate to admit it, but I didn't know a thing about it until I wrote a little article for about.com. What a beautiful holiday!
Rest assured, it is not going to be a site about how to throw over-the-top Super Sweet 16s and how to beat other parents for the best party favors. Good grief! You can read more about my kids' parties philosophy of the bottom of my bio page.
By the way, I also am featuring "real" parties on the site, so please, please, please tell me about any fun ones you've thrown and send me pictures. [email protected].
So without further delay, here's one of my first tutorials for the site: How to make birthday invitations by creating a fabric collage, scanning it, and then printing it out.
Step-by-step photo instructions at that link above.
I made those invites today for Magpie's 2nd birthday party (like how I'm multitasking?), which will have a Little Red Riding Hood theme.
Speaking of Little Red, a friend hired me to make matching Red Riding Hood capes for her daughter and her for Halloween. I didn't get a shot of the little one, but here's the mama version:
I'm kind of in love with Little Red Riding Hood right now (as if you can't tell).
OK. An hour until midnight. Maybe I'll make this a pajamas-and-clean-teeth kind of night. Maybe I'll even floss!!!!
G'night.
my daughter is going to be little red riding hood this year too! I am brainstorming a LRRH quilt/wallhanging with some LRRH fabrics I have been collecting....congrats on your new site!
Posted by: kristine hanson | October 22, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Congrats on the new gig! Loving the idea of making a collage and then scanning it for invitations.
Posted by: Jennifer | October 22, 2009 at 11:17 AM
Bravo Megan! Can't wait to read what you've come up with. The LRRH invites look darling ...
I have my own cape to whip out this week, for the kiddo's Halloween costume. One vampire cape coming up!
Posted by: Carolyn L. | October 22, 2009 at 11:20 AM
That's great, Mimi! Can't wait to be inspired by you! :)
xoxo
Posted by: nis | October 22, 2009 at 06:25 PM
That's a fantastic cape! Love it.
Kristine - did you manage to snag any of the PRR red riding hood fabric for your collection (http://www.flickr.com/photos/77223848@N00/3313913993/in/set-72157610509978250/)
Posted by: Jes | October 22, 2009 at 08:15 PM
Oops ... I think this will work.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3459/3313913993_812c717ec0.jpg
Posted by: Jes | October 22, 2009 at 08:16 PM
Yeah for you...this is very exciting. Oh I'm envious, but in a good way...the kind that makes me want to grab my own new gig.
Posted by: emily | October 22, 2009 at 11:40 PM
Go, you!! One of my best friends is an editor at About - her subject area has nothing in common w/ yours, but she also runs the team that picks what appears on the home page every day.... Perhaps it'll be yours at some point!! Too cool.
Posted by: michaela | October 25, 2009 at 10:13 PM
Thanks so much, guys. I'm really having fun with it (About.com). Michaela--that's so funny that your good friend works there. What a small world this is. It sounds like a fun group of people--and it's not a very big group of people. They must work very hard.
Jes, I love, love, love that LRRH fabric. Super cute.
Kristine, I'll be sure to check your blog for your daughter's Halloween pix.
Posted by: Megan | October 26, 2009 at 08:58 AM
Love the cards, very clever idea, but ive come to expect that here on you blog! Congrats on the new job of sorts.
Posted by: Leah | October 27, 2009 at 10:00 PM
Hi, Megan! I have a totally non-professional mommy blog - but I do like to chronicle my kiddos b-day parties if you want to check it out for more ideas- thewrightthingstodo.blogspot.com
I "sell out" a little more than you probably like (I let them choose their favorite character - even if it is Disney :)) but I do try not to buy into all the marketing versions of the stuff.
Anyway, I love reading your blog - you are an inspiration! :)Trace
Posted by: Tracey | November 01, 2009 at 09:32 PM
Oh, Trace, I bet you throw some amazing birthday parties. By the way, we sell out here more and more all the time (Hello?! Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom was a major event in our house tonight). Thank you so, so much for reading my blog. I love knowing that you're out there. I'm off to check out yours now ...
Leah, you are too kind. Thanks!
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