It's my party (and I'll cry if I want to)

So there are a few important birthdays coming up. Most importantly is mine, obviously, but it's also my Mums and my Nans. Whilst I am planning a ridiculously awesome party to celebrate my turning of age (think pass the parcel, fairy bread and crazy hats), my Nan is celebrating an even more important birthday than me, if that's possible. To mark my Nans 80th, we are throwing a super special happy fun times party for a whole bunch of relatives I only see at funerals. No offense to them of course.

One of the most important aspects of throwing a party is the invitation. It sets the tone for the whole event and peoples expectations are positioned accordingly. And you know what? The art of invitation writing is gone. These days it's all about text messages and group emails and facebook. Eww. Facebook. Do you really want all those weirdos from high school who you have on your list knowing about your private business? Didn't think so. Not that facebook would have been appropriate for my Nans 80th. But we could very well have sent out an email.

But we didn't! I took great delight in going into Pepe's Papiere at Bondi to look through all the beautiful papers and envelopes and wax seals and luscious shiny gel pens. Swoon. I love stationary. The invitations I selected are by a company called hiPP and they are beautiful pink with a burgundy flocked damask pattern on them. Even the envelopes are gorgeous! They also came with little magnets to stick on the back of each invite. What a brilliant idea. It was so much fun sitting down and hand writing each of the invitations, and there have been lots of compliments thank.you.very.much! The best part is, I bought the matching thank you cards for my Nan so she can write and thank all of her friends after the event and still be in theme. If I really wanted to go all out I could have gotten matching placecards too, but I don't want to set table places because frankly I don't want to put myself in a position of being stuck sitting next to some distant relo who will interrogate me about buying a house and getting married. No fun.

I am however, giving my Nan the matching guest book as a gift. But don't tell her because it's a surprise.

Price: Invitations - $19.95, Thank you cards - $14.95
From: Pepe's Papiere, or any good newsagent
Why you need them: For a beautiful, well themed party that teems with sophistication