Well, first there was Bridal Bijou ... we made custom unique favors for weddings because my own wedding favors were such a hit to our family and friends. Than I had kids and I started throwing fantastically themed birthday parties with these very interactive invitations. I didn't just want people to receive an invite in the mail -- I wanted them to LOVE receiving them in the mail and to give them to their kids to play with as toys. It got to the point where my friends were asking to bring their friends to my parties just so they can see all that I do (which is rather ridiculous really) and pretty soon I was adding them to my shop on Etsy and changing my name from Bridal Bijou to Party Bijou.

The venetian mask side of the business is also a growth story. I sold masks as party favors for exquisite masquerade themed weddings and than people started contacting me to customize masks for their bridal party and than to customize masks for their prom. From there began a side to my business that I would never have anticipated but which gives me wonderful creative pleasure. I LOVE to design masks for people based on their formal wear or the bridal gown or even a pair of shoes. I love just being free to add elements of sparkle and lace to a mask to create something whimsical and sometimes even sinful.

I have three beautiful little girls (my sister and her sons had to come over once to assist in the creation of my boy themed invitations) and I do this as a side business when I am not busy working at my day job: being a mother! They are my world and my greatest inspiration. Granted, I have had to close my store just to tackle the mind blowing chore of potty training ... but I love to work with my clients, I am very attentive to their needs and desires, and I love to hear form my satisfied customers after I'm through with a project. When I feel low, I read my previously earned feedback. It always makes me smile and boosts my confidence. Than I read it to my girls so they have a better understanding of what I do to earn our vacation money. My middle daughter was devastated once when I filled an order for a dinosaur party -- she was convinced I had sold her invitations to someone else and her party wasn't going to happen. But what would make her think I would do that to her!? A question that may never be properly answered.

I use "we" a lot in my descriptions and that's because I do this all with my mother's assistance. She is also a creative inspiration, she comes over in the evenings and helps me cut paper and assemble invitations. Her hands are getting more arthritic everyday, so she doesn't cut much with scissors anymore -- but I always find it soothing and helpful to bounce ideas off someone else and to have someone to talk to while I print and cut and glue and assemble. It makes the tediousness of some of the assembly easy and enjoyable.

I hope I shed some light on how I got started, what I do, who I do it with, and what I do it for. If you have any questions about any of the things I mention in this little box -- just convo me! I would love to discuss further. I tend to be a little on the chatty side ;-)