omething Specia Keri Guten Cohen Story Development Editor e en it came time to plan her daughter Danielle's bat mitzvah last year, Wendy Brickner of Commerce Township knew she wanted everything to be special — including her invitations. So she decided to make them herself. "I wanted something special and different, made with love," Brickner said. "I didn't know how to do it; I learned by trial and error. They came out better than I thought they would." Brickner is one of the growing ranks of do- it-yourselfers who make their own invita- tions for everything from b'nai mitzvah to weddings, showers and anniversary and din- ner parties. All you need is time, some cre- ativity and a good printer hooked up to your computer. "If they are computer-savvy, they can print from Microsoft Word on an inkjet or laser printer," said Susie Graham, owner of Greetings From ..., a stationery store in West Bloomfield. "The whole world is set up for being able to use paper that is inkjet compatible - especially now, with the ability to print your own pho- tos, too. "Customers have done some really neat things. We're seeing more and more people doing their own and we purchase imprinta- bles with that in mind." At Graham's store, everything you can purchase can be printed at honie. She also provides in-store inkjet printing as well as invitations that can be ordered from albums and done with raised printing. lmprintable invitations also can be taken to a printer for raised printing. Graham does have some words of caution for do-it-yourselfers: "It can be a nightmare," she said. "They buy paper, cut it and make the invi- tation very personal, a labor of love; then they need an envelope, but it might not come in the color or right size. It can be a nightmare if you Howard, Danielle, 13, and Wendy Brickner of Commerce Township don't think everything through.. "And when you're doing 150-200 invitations, you "It helped to make a sample and play probably would be better off ordering from a around, and to make changes before star- book, where the invitations are discounted. ing the big project," Brickner said. "I did In the long run, you might not spend less most of them. It was fun, but it took longer doing it yourself. than I expected. But I had started far "I would never discourage anybody - I enough in advance." would kind of like to do it myself. I'm just Brickner estimates that about one-third of saying they should consider all the options." the many invitations Danielle received dur- Brickner found that Danielle's 130 invita- ing her bat mitzvah year were homemade. tions cost about $175; if she had ordered Many families in her class at Congregation them, she would have paid about $400 B'nai Moshe in West Bloomfield were among more, she said. the do-it-yourselfers. Once she and Danielle settled on a design, "Friends liked my invitation," said Danielle, Brickner purchased some materials from a 13. "Some knew we made it ourselves and local Xpedex paper wholesaler and others some didn't. I didn't care about having the from the Scrapbook Zone in Farmington fanciest. I knew we were saving money doing Hills. Imprintable invitations also can be pur- it this way, and I loved my invitation." chased online or in kits at places like Target And, when it comes down to it, that's or Michael's, but the quality of the paper what's important. may be a mystery until you get it home and "They were different and made with love," unwrapped. Wendy Brickner said. "Danielle appreciated Be sure to allow plenty of time for printing it. She said they were 'the most special invi- and assembly, both Graham and Brickner tations there ever were." ■ warned. Something Special continued on page 8 6 CELEBRATE • 2006 • ed 14/ 0 Ol DO-IT-YOURSELF INVITATIONS ALLOW THE LOVE TO SHOW.