Lots of springy choices for free online invites and ecards

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Now Celebrations.com lets me set up full sample text so it's easier for you to customize it all and send it out! I do all the hard work and you just highlight my sample text and type in your own.

My "Daisy Chain" design (below) is fun because you can have your own monogram on the top and then your invitation text below can be in a variety of fonts and colors. And your invitation doesn't have to be the same kind of event as the sample text. Everything is customizable on this design!

My "Plum Blossom Spring" design (below) is very popular because it can be used for lots of different gatherings--bridal showers, baby showers, luncheons, Easter and a myriad of other fun events.

I set up the sample text for my "Victorian orchids" design (below) as an Easter brunch invite but you can change it up and send it for a shower invite, a Mother's Day card or even a gathering for your local botanical club!

My "Hollyhocks and delphiniums" design (below) is super versatile too. It can be an ecard for a birthday or get well soon card. It can also be as an invite for just about anything.

The other neat thing about using Celebrations.com is that you can utilize the wonderful event management tools they have and still send your invitations for free. For a fee, you can also choose to send real printed invitations or cards through their printing and mailing service.

Freebie: Chinese lanterns invitations for any celebration

Click on the image above to customize and send the invite for free

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, I get the privilege of living within a short drive from San Franciso's famed Chinatown. On my last visit I photographed some beautifully colorful Chinese lanterns hanging in a shop. By bringing the photograph into Photoshop, I was able to create an art photo from it that then became the invitation design you see above.

My inspiration

Paper lanterns evoke for me wonderful images of making memories with celebrations and festive events--large and small. Glowing in the twilight, they seem magical to me. That's probably why I love John Singer Sargent's painting "Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose". I love it so much that I have a framed print hanging on my studio door.

A bit of trivia

• Chinese New Year begins on January 23rd
• This year, 2012, will be the year of the dragon
• In China, Chinese New Year is known as "Spring Festival" (the literal translation of the Chinese name 春节 (Pinyin: Chūn Jié)
• The festival begins on the first day of the first month in the traditional Chinese calender and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day.

Click here to order printed custom invitations

featuring the "Celebrate" design

Happy creating and remember...

Freebie: Chocolate pie invite (with the recipe)

Click here to customize and send this invite for free

My previous post featuring lemon meringue pie may have made some of your mouths water, but I know that chocolate lovers really don't salivate for anything that isn't chocolate. So for all you chocolate lovers out there here it is...

"Chocolate pie"!

Like my previously featured watercolor painting, I found my inspiration in a vintage Borden recipe booklet I picked up at my local antique shop. It was full of technicolor photographs of delectable desserts including a yummy looking recipe for "Magic Chocolate Pie". I don't know how "magic" it is, but it sure looks full of chocolate-y goodness.

Want to make this pie for your own holiday gathering? Well, here's the original recipe in all its glory (click on the image below to see it larger).

Freebie: Lemon meringue pie invite for the holidays (with the recipe)

Click here to customize and send this invite for free

Have you noticed that there's always at least one person in every family that wants lemon meringue pie for dessert no matter what the holiday? That's who I had in mind when I painted this vintage-inspired watercolor illustration of a slice of homemade lemon meringue pie.

I found my inspiration in a vintage Borden recipe booklet I picked up at my local antique shop. It was full of technicolor photographs of delectable desserts including the slice of pie that was the inspiration for this painting.

Want to make this pie for your own holiday gathering? Well, here's the original recipe in all its glory (click on the image below to see it larger).

Freebie: Pink high heel online invite/ecard

Click here or on the image above to send this online invite/ecard

A couple of years ago I drew this pink high heel in my sketchbook in colored pencil while I was watching some dvd rental (I think it was Nanny McPhee). I've always intended to incorporate the illustration into a design, but more important things kept pushing aside my intentions. Today I finally got around to it!

I hope this gets sent as invitations for bridal showers, girls' nights out, fashion shows, pre-prom hair and makeup parties or any other celebration that makes those kinds of memories that last a lifetime.

What else do you think it could be used for?

Freebie: Little Halloween Witch invite

Click here to customize and send this ecard/invite for free

I released Little Halloween Witch as part of a different design last year. This year, I decided she needed a new backdrop for 2011. So here it is! I like the vintage sheet music background from my flickr friend, Renee (Playingwithbrushes). It's kind of spooky, but not really--the best mix for children for Halloween.

Did you know that if you send an online invite using pingg you also get online event management tools even if you use their free service? Pretty sweet!

Happy creating and remember...