We are excited to announce the partnership between Tiny Prints and DwellStudio, the popular bedding and essentials company.  Launched today, the stationery collection features the popular iconography from DwellStudio’s textile designs on several birth announcement and party invitation designs. To check out the full collection, click here.

DwellStudio’s also plans to design a series of greeting cards this holiday season.  Watch out as more designs are added in the upcoming months!

Following our post on Tuesday announcing our new partnership with MiGi, we are excited to have the opportunity to share with your our interview with the MiGi girls, Michele Adams and Gia Russo.  To learn more about MiGi and the MiGI Girl’s inspiration for their businesses, keep reading…

First, tell us about yourselves and how your partnership began…
Michele and I reside in Los Angeles with our husbands and toddler boys’. We met in NYC about 13 years ago while working at Martha Stewart Living magazine.  The two of us became friends and worked on numerous projects together for the magazine, mail order catalog, and television show.  Years later, we moved back to the west coast and formed MiGi. Because we both have similar sensibilities, work ethics, and desires — we were confident we would make great business partners.

What is MiGi all about?
MiGi is about creating a lifestyle that is stylish, cozy, and hip. Our design sensibility is a modern twist on vintage and classical that translates to an approachable and distinctive style.  As trusted sources of practical advice for modern living, as well as sharing the experience of being moms to boys, we provide solutions for getting the most out of everyday life. Whether it’s decorating a home, celebrating a milestone or just relaxing with friends and family. The company is divided into two business segments – media and products.

For media, we’ve authored several lifestyle books including Wedding Showers, Baby Showers and At Home with Friends, which was featured on Oprah.  We host and created the television show “The Art of the Party with the MiGi Girls” for the Fine Living network.  Gia and I are the contributing editors to Fit Pregnancy, where we design the nursery rooms featured in the magazine.  Our design expertise has lead us to team up with Baby Gap, Gymboree, and Pepperidge Farm for special events and television appearances.

Our latest accomplishment is the launch of our own line of MiGi branded products.  The MiGi baby collection includes crib bedding and nursery décor accessories, and is already a favorite among celebrity moms.  The MiGi brand also includes a range of products for the home and entertaining.

In 2006 you launched the MiGi Baby Collection, what you inspired you to launch this line?
We have been contributing editors to Fit Pregnancy magazine for several years.  Every time we created a nursery design, we had a hard time finding specific items that worked with our sensibility.  This experience made us realize there was a void in the marketplace.  Because we had the background in product design while working at Martha, we thought let’s design our own line of nursery décor items.  From that moment on, we started researching this new business idea.

Why did you choose to launch your first-ever stationery collection?
We chose to launch a stationery line because it fits with the MiGi lifestyle.  Every time we create a party or a shower for a magazine, TV show, book, or blog we always design or give advice on invitations.  Michele and I believe invitations set the style and mood of the celebration.  Also, most of our customers are first time moms and the design of their nursery is as important as choosing their birth announcement .

How important do you feel are handing written notes compared to digital communications?
We like the tradition of hand written notes and also the idea of digital communications.  The decision should be based on the the type of party or event you are throwing.  A milestone event, party or announcement calls for printed or handwritten invitations.  For a casual laid back get-together, digital communication is fine.   Thank you notes for gifts should be hand written.

Your collection is in collaboration with long time Tiny Prints design, Petite Alma? How did that partnership come about?
We met Kirby Woodson a few years ago through a mutual friend and we loved her work!  The three of us got together in hopes of working together in the future.  We knew the design sensibilities of both companies would make a great combination.

Having written a book titled “Baby Showers,” what is your favorite baby shower theme/idea?
Our favorite baby shower theme would probably be the “Daisy” theme.  We love this theme because a Daisy is very representative of a baby — innocent.  Daisies are affordable, hearty flowers that make beautiful décor.  You can also incorporate them into the food, invitations, favors.  This is a great theme for either gender or a mom-to- be who isn’t finding out the sex of the baby.

As style experts, what’s your best style advice for our readers?
To create an environment that reflects your personality and lifestyle.

Whether you’re barbecuing, watching the fireworks display, having a picnic or staying in, here’s hoping you stay cool, take lots of pictures and make tons of memories. If you’re going to take photos of the fireworks this year, you’ll want to pick an ideal spot, choose a wide-angle lens and keep your hand steady. For more tips check out BudgetTravel. Their article on Fireworks Photography is sure to bring out the professional photographer in you. In honor of tomorrow’s special holiday, we at Tiny Prints want to wish you all a safe, fun 4th of July.

If you’re planning a baby shower, here’s an idea for creating something memorable for the mom and dad to be. Have little note cards personalized with their baby’s name on it and leave one for each guest. If they don’t have a name yet, just personalize it with the names of the parents-to-be. Bring a handful of colorful pens and ask each guest to write words of advice or little notes to the new parents on them. These are sure to be a big hit with everyone and something that they can save, put into a scrapbook and treasure forever.

We are excited to announce the partnership between Tiny Prints and designer, MiGi.  MiGi founders, Michele Adams and Gia Russo (aka The MiGi Girls) are best known for bringing charming and unique style to everyday living by offering a modern twist on vintage ideas. Widely recognized for their best-selling books and the Fine Living television show “The Art of the Party with the MiGi Girls,”  Michele and Gia also produce a series of MiGi branded products including items for home, entertaining, and baby.

The new MiGi Paper line grew out of the collaboration of the MiGi girls and long time Tiny Prints designer Kirby Woodson of Petite Alma. To learn more about MiGi, visit their website at www.migistyle.com and to view their paper collection on Tiny Prints click here.

When I was looking for a fun, casual venue for an event I was planning, I stumbled upon the zoo. Since most kids love animals and hence love the zoo, I thought that this would also be a great place to have a birthday party. Keep reading for tips on how to make your party, wild, crazy and lots of fun!

1) Check out your local zoo’s website. In addition to finding out if they have special birthday packages, you can get all the details about having your party there. In November and December, for example, I learned that the San Francisco Zoo hosts ice skating parties at their zoo.

2) Get chaperones. Depending on how many kids you invite, you might want to gather up some parents and family members to help you supervise and keep track of all your guests.

3) Favors. Cute stuffed animals or a small bag full of kid-sized water bottles and snacks will be much appreciated after a long day at the zoo.

4) Food. The best thing about having a party at the zoo is that food can be conveniently ordered and purchased there. You might want to see if they also provide utensils and paper plates. A birthday cake or cupcakes designed with animals are sure to be a big hit with guests!

5) Activities. The zoo itself is filled with tons of things for kids to do. For the party, you could bring crayons and coloring pages of animals for a little something extra.

6) Invitations and Thank you cards. Here are a few animal themed birthday party invitations and thank you cards that would be perfect for a zoo party!

If you’re having a birthday party for some roller skaters you know, read on for some cool party tips.

Location. First of all, think about where you’ll host the party. Places can include your local roller rink, a park, a gym, or anywhere that has concrete for the kids to skate. While it’s hot, you might want to plan a trip to the ice skating rink which is a fun way for them to cool off.

Guests. Go through the guest list with your child to figure out who to invite. If you’re planning a party at a roller rink, take into account the number of kids you’ll be paying admission for.

Food, Favors, Decoration. If your party is at a roller skating rink, decorations can be simple and you can usually order food there as well. If not, go simple by bringing pizza or easy to eat finger foods since most kids will want to quickly return to playing after they eat. Choose decorations such as balloons and birthday cake with a roller skate theme. For favors, make small gift bag filled with snacks, candy and roller skate themed items such as pencils and keychains.

Invitation. You might want to tell guests to bring their own skates and/or safety equipment such as a helmet and knee pads which can be included on these two adorable Tiny Prints birthday invitations perfect for a roller skating theme party.

Have a teenager in your life? If so, you might be having a hard time deciding what to get them for their birthday. I have a girl cousin who just turned 13 so I know how difficult it can be. One thing about teens is that they really want to embrace their individuality. A gift option that would be perfect for my cousin and any teenager is giving them something personalized and unique. Tiny Prints has a line of new note cards especially for the teen in mind. Match these with a personalized address labels and a gift certificate to really create an outstanding birthday gift!

I love anything that’s free! That’s why I was ecstatic when I received an email from Amazon.com saying that FamilyFun Magazine by Disney was offering a free Island Party Planner. Just go to Amazon.com type in FamilyFun magazine and click on the Island Party Planner link for a free download. It has cool ideas for a hot island party such as how to make a South Seas birthday cake, palm tree decoration and delicious island foods. Check it out and if you’re then inspired to create your own island themed party, take a look at some of the cool ocean themed party invitation Tiny Prints has. I think this ocean inspired party invitation would go perfectly well with any island party!

Have an aspiring cowboy in your family? Here’s few tips on how to plan a cowboy birthday party that they’ll get a kick out of.

1) Invitations. After you’ve gone over the guest list, choose or have your child use their favorite invitation. Here are some adorable ones from Tiny Prints.

2) Decorations. Sites such as Oriental Trading sells fun decorations such an inflatable cactus and gold nugget bubble gum to give as favors. They even have a pinata shaped like a cowboy boot!

3) Activities. Purchase inexpensive cowboy hats, vests, bandannas and other fun costumes for the kids to play dress up. Play pin the tail on the horse. Or how about playing pass the cowboy hat to a Country Western music CD. The person who ends up with the hat when the song stops wins!

4) Food. Barbecue goes best with a cowboy themed party. Serve hamburgers, hot dogs, corn bread and baked beans. End with a cowboy shaped cake and root beer floats!