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Alissa holds Alanna's poster.
Personal Tolic
Tap into your
inner party planner
to create a memorable
(and money-saving)
event.
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Carolyn Krieger-Cohen
Special to celebrate!
s a public relations consultant, I've learned
the ideas that really "wow" reporters and
producers are not the most expensive;
they involve the simple, always affordable
personal touch.
So last year, when I began planning my daughter Alissa's
bat mitzvah party, I used the tools of my trade to create a
one-of-a-kind party (as I did two years earlier for daughter
Alanna) that was big on fun and fun touches, not on budget!
As soon as her "Jam In Your Jammies With Alissa"
pajama party theme was set, visions of fluffy pillows, comfy
pj's and yummy pancakes began dancing in my head. My
idea for the table linens was born when I noticed colorful
fleece blankets in a newspaper circular for the day-after-
Thanksgiving door buster price of $5. At the crack of dawn
the next morning, I stocked up on dozens of soft, snuggly,
bright pastel blankets. Weeks later, I bought bundles of
washcloths in the same hues at Target to use for matching
napkins! (After her party, Alissa had them laundered and
donated them to HAVEN shelter).
My focus shifted to centerpieces. I found dozens of
pairs of patterned, fuzzy slippers for $1 at a local dollar
store and used them to anchor balloon bouquets at each
table. I stopped in a Kay-Bee toy store one day that had
doll bedroom sets (complete with beds, chairs, tables and
lamps) on sale for half-price. I emptied the shelves!
At Walgreen's and Meijer, I found oversized alarm clocks
(also half-price). While perusing the aisles at JoAnn Fabrics,
I noticed a huge box overflowing with turquoise, hot pink
and yellow throw pillows for $1.99 each. I bought them all.
Then my creative juices really started flowing. Our pho-
tographer, Marc J. Cohen, took pictures of Alissa wearing
a variety of pajama ensembles and doing typical slumber
party activities: eating junk food, reading teen magazines
and listening to music.
Using my computer and trusty glue gun, I scanned,
enlarged, printed and glued the photos (plus table
numbers) on the pillows. I printed more of Alissa's poses,
secured them atop the doll beds, and created mini, diora-
ma-like bedroom scenes using Barbie accessories that
were gathering dust in our basement. I also designed new
clock faces on the computer with Alissa's images and the
party logo I created.
I made place cards by scanning magazine photos of
teen bedrooms into my computer. Using Photoshop, I
placed Alissa in each bedroom scene, typed in each
guest's name, and inserted quote bubbles saying Tucked in
! I emailed our logo to a Hong Kong company
at Table
I found on the Internet and ordered satin sleep masks for
$1 each to put at each guest's place setting.
I bought a dozen pillows and pillowcases at a discount
store plus blank transfer paper, and ironed Alissa's logo
and old photographs of her on the pillowcases, which were
scattered around the party for decoration. Our family's
Personal Touch on 44
celebrate! 2007
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