Party Tutorial Contest #2: First Place

I'm thrilled to announce that the winners of the second Party Tutorial Contest have been selected! What an honor it was to have Kate of Kate Landers Events, Lacey from Le Box Boutique, Paula of Frog Prince Paperie, and Candace of Candy and Cake as our guest judges. Thank you so much ladies for being a part of my one year blogging celebration. The entries were judged on creativity and how easy they were to follow. And the top prize goes to...

Julie over at So This is Julie for her Crepe Paper Flowers tutorial!

Here is what some of the judges had to say about her tutorial and why it chosen as the winner.

~ Vibrant colors were EXCELLENT for the tutorial. She immediately drew me in with the two-tone fringed crepe paper flowers. I also appreciated all the images of the supplies, and being honest about how it can be tricky at first. She shared inside-tips on making it easier by not using the frige scissors, as well as where to cut top-to-bottom to decrease chances of there being rips (shows for a good teacher). She also showed that you can hang on a garland, or put on bamboo skewers (more than one use for the finished product) which can then tie the theme across many decorative elements--this stood out to me the most in terms of creativity. All required supplies were inexpensive or likely something you had at home already, making it more accessible to a wider group. And how great that this decoration/project can be used for parties (not limited to birthdays) and celebrations of all sorts, and even used as home decorations after an event.

~ I like the simplicity of the materials and how do-able this tutorial is for the average person; that and the impact it makes in a party's decor make it a winner!

Julie wins a $50 gift certificate to Bird's Party, plus 3 months of sidebar ad space on her blog. Congratulations! Be sure to check back tomorrow to find out who won the custom designed party pack from Love Party Printables valued at $80. Ohhh...the suspense.

Party Tutorial Contest #2

A year ago, I had an aha moment. I realized that I had spent most of my thirties focusing on the kids and being a mom. I think Dawn of Not Just A Mommy sums it up perfectly when she says, "it can't be just about the kids". That same week, I signed up for a photography class, hit the gym for the first time in ten years, and started this blog.

My official one year blogging anniversary isn't until June 13th, but I couldn't resist the urge to start the celebration a little early. What a better way to get the party started than with another Party Tutorial Contest.

<a href="http://www.purejoyeventsblog.com/2011/06/party-tutorial-contest-2.html"><img alt="Pure Joy Events button" src="http://purejoyevents.webs.com/images/pje-party-tutorial-contest-button.png" border="0" width="125px"/></a>

Lacey, Paula, and Candace were the sponsors from the first contest, but I wanted to keep the name of the fourth judge under wraps until now...

Kate - Kate Landers Events

It's such an honor to have Kate as our special guest judge. She was the very first person to feature my parties on her blog, and has continued to be a true inspiration to me and so many others.

Lacey - Le Box Boutique

Lacey admits that she has an obsession with kraft boxes/bags, washi tape, and baker's twine. Her shop, Le Box Boutique, provides eco-friendly gift packaging, gift consulting, graphic design, and photography services.

Paula - Frog Prince Paperie

Paula is a brilliant invitations designer and party stylist, and a pro when it comes to DIY projects. As one of my first blog followers, I'm thrilled that she's on board to help me celebrate this milestone.

Candace - Candy and Cake

Serving the Saskatoon area, Candy and Cake offers cakes and confections baked from scratch. Candace's blog is dedicated to creative cakes and party planning. As she puts it, "what is a party without a cake anyway?"

Again, the judges will be looking for party tutorials that are creative and easy to follow.

Since the contest will be opened to everyone this time, our sponspors are offering digital prizes totaling over $200.

1st Place

Bird is giving the lucky winner a $50 gift certificate to her shop, plus 3 months of sidebar ad space -- a total value of $80. Have your 125px x 125px button seen by 50,000 unique visitors each month!

2nd Place

Get this -- the runner-up will receive a custom designed party pack from Love Party Printables worth $80. The pack includes party circles, invitations, tented cards, banner, napkin rings, straw flags, labels, favor tags and water bottle labels.

3rd Place

Shop for custom party printables with a $50 gift certificate from Lindi of Love the Day. Sweet!

To enter your DIY party project(s), you must:
1. Be a blog follower or Facebook fan of Pure Joy Events.
2. Mention the contest on your blog, Facebook page, or Twitter.

End of 2010

I've been planning my kids' birthday parties for years. But it wasn't until June when I decided to start this blog to share some of my ideas. I was a complete newbie to the blogging world, but I fortunate enough to come across some wonderful bloggers early on. I will always be grateful for Melanie at ewe hooo!, Kate of Kate Landers Events, and Jillian from Catch My Party for featuring my parties when I only had a handful of followers.

Recently, Kate showcased my Mad Science and Under Construction parties, along with dozens of other "extraordinary parties for children" from 2010 on her blog. And today, the Mad Science party was selected as one of Jillian's favorite parties of the year. Her site features so many amazing parties, I'm totally blown away to have even been considered. What an incredible way to end 2010!

Features on Stylish Children's Parties

I was completely flattered when Kate Landers asked to feature both my "Mad Science" and "Under Construction" birthday parties on her blog, Stylish Children's Parties. Her parties are absolutely spectacular and are featured in all of the popular party blogs. I just love her sense of style and attention to details. To see for yourself, check out Kate Landers Events, LLC.

Image from Kate Landers Events, LLC