A colorful popsicle-stick inspired design frames this heart birthday invitation, complete with your child’s photo & colorful text which can say anything you wish! The white background color can be changed, as can the text color, see below for one example with a black background. The heart accents add a Valentine twist, or they can be changed or removed along with the shadowed “love” in the background to suit your party theme.

•    1 Tbsp vegetable oil
•    1 medium onion, chopped
•    1 clove garlic, pressed
•    1 can chopped green chilies
•    3 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth, if you prefer)
•    1 Tbsp chili powder
•    1 can diced tomatoes, drained
•    1 15 oz can black beans, drained
•    1 15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
•    1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Heat oil in a 3 qt saucepan over med. high heat.  Saute onion and garlic till transluscent.
Stir in remaining ingredients, except cilantro.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve.

“Roses are red, Violets are blue - Happy 1st Birthday to our little one too!” This heart themed invitation design is great for boys & girls of any age, and can be customized for a twin or joint party also. The wording & colors can be customized for your event, and your 1-2 photos may be left in color or converted to black & white or sepia if you wish.

This design can be created as a single-sided invitation as shown or as a double-sided invitation on cardstock with the party information on the back if desired.

To celebrate this sweet little girl’s second Valentine’s Day, we incorporated a sage green with the traditional red & white colors to match her photo and add an elegant twist to this photo invitation design. The verse at the top - “Celebrating our little sweetheart’s second Valentine’s Day…” - may be customized to whatever you wish & this design can also be altered to be a Valentine or thank you card if desired.

“Bring your dish and dog bones! You are being called to a Doggone Birthday Party!” This dog themed invitation design uses various graphics of dogs, bones and houses along with a faux ribbon accent to add interest to your invitation. The border has a “Woof” pattern around the edges and the text can be changed to anything you wish. Include an optional photo if you wish also.

1 cup instant potato flakes
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons or half a stick) margarine, melted and cooled
2 eggs
4 to 5 cups raw bite-sized vegetables (mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini or  yellow squash, and/or parboiled carrots)
Prepare ranch salad dressing or dip, optional

In a small bowl, combine potato flakes, grated cheese, celery salt, garlic powder and melted margarine. In another bowl, beat eggs. Dip vegetables, one at a time, into egg, then into potato mixture; coat well. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Serve with dressing or dip if desired.

1 1/2 lbs tiny new potatoes (scrubbed)
1 lb fresh green beans (cut approx 1 inch)
1/4 lb bacon fried crisp
1/4 cup salad oil
3 tbls tarragon vinegar
2 tbls chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tbls fresh chopped basil
1 tbls fresh chopped tarragon
3 tbls fresh chopped parsley
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

Cook potatoes approx 15 minutes or just until tender. Cool slightly.
Cook beans until crisp tender (approx 10 minutes)
Combine potatoes, beans and bacon.
Shake the rest of the ingredients in a jar.
Add to potato mixture.
Best when served at room temp.