just imagine parties

Is Yelp Really a Help?

2011-03-10T11:22:00.000-08:00

Lately my "To Do" work list is a mile long, but I feel the need to voice my disapproval about Yelp.com. As a small business owner, I find their business practices to be unfair. I'm not sure if many of you are aware of how their review systems works, but Yelp has a filtering system in place. They claim that it has been put in place to protect both consumers and businesses from people leaving false reviews--either positive or negative. If a review comes in from a consumer, and that person does not have a review history with Yelp, it gets filtered out immediately.

I first learned of this filtering system, shortly after our first review. As both a business owner and a consumer, I can understand and appreciate this system to a certain degree. However, the system has recently changed. I am now noticing that reviews that have been left by our clients that do have a history with Yelp are now being filtered out for some reason. 10 of my Cinderella Company client reviews have been removed at an alarming rate these past 7 days. Sorry, but this is simply not right. From Oct of 2009 to date, The Cinderella Company has earned 35 five star reviews and only 20 of them were ever shown by Yelp. That number is now down to 9 this past week.

As a small business, the Yelp reviews have done much for our business. But I cannot help but feel that Yelp is manipulating the public into using their system on a regular basis. As a mother with a full-time job, I don't have the time nor desire to sit at my computer leaving massive amounts of reviews for companies. And if I do take the time to leave a review for a company, whether it be good or bad, I do expect for it to be posted. I think what Yelp is doing is unfair and dangerous and they don't seem to care about alienating small businesses. As soon as I noticed my reviews dropping off, I tried contacting them. The local SF phone number that I found

does not accept phone calls from consumers or businesses, and no one has responded to my email after locating the hard-to-find site contact info. In the end, I don't find Yelp be a real help

to people.

Disney, NYC is Open for Business

2010-12-19T08:22:00.000-08:00

This past summer while visiting NYC, I was disappointed to learn that Disney's 5th Ave location has closed. It wasn't until my nephew told me that they weren't closed for good, just relocating to another part of the city that I felt a little bit better. So for all of you Disney fans out there, Disney has just reopened it doors at 1540 Broadway that was previously home to a giant Virgin Megastore. After closing their store on 5th Ave last year, this is Disney’s attempt to re-invent itself in the retail world. This place is every child’s dream with its life size interactive Disney princess castle and children’s theatre that will entertain kids with movies and house some very exciting celebrity appearances. About the project, one of Disney's reps states, "Bringing Disney store to the center of Times Square is a monumental achievement, and we have created a retail experience that complements the energy and innovation that Times Square inspires”. This is the second venture Disney has taken on in Times Square with their renovation of The New Amsterdam theatre into the Disney Theatre in the 1990’s.The Times Square grand opening will be the largest Disney store in existence to date. The location will feature two floors and will be open seven days a week from 9am until midnight. I can only imagine the late night hours were created so all of us without kids can go check out the princess castle without shame." Go Disney!!!

Exciting News!!!

2010-12-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

The Cinderella Company was recently approached by Director Richard Bosner of Blue Creek Pictures. He and producer Barret Hacia are currently filming a micro-budget film this winter, and my wonderful performer Jena Hunt has the starring role. Falling Uphill is a romantic comedy scheduled for next year. Jena's character plays a 20 something woman living and working in San Francisco. If you haven't figured how The Cinderella Company fits into the equation, the character's day job is that of a princess performer for a children's entertainment company called, The Cinderella Company. How exciting is this?

Rapunzel, Let Down Your Hair!

2010-12-15T10:40:00.000-08:00

I hope that everyone has had a chance to see Disney's Tangeled movie. I was able to take my daughter just after it opened; I have to say it is a very cute movie and love the music. Anyway after several months of planning, my seamstress and wig designer were able to work their magic once again. This dress has quite a bit of lace, embroidery and crystals added to it, whereas the 5 foot wig is constructed out of a main base with two sets of extensions added to it. I hope that everyone likes it. Leslie is featured in the photo.

Wig Boxes Complete!!!

2010-11-07T08:47:00.000-08:00

A while back I ordered a boat-load of wig boxes for my CC character wigs, and this past week I finally had the desire to assemble them and hand them out to my performers. When I opened the box, I noticed that there were no directions. Being college educated I didn't forsee a problem--boy was I wrong! These boxes came with screws, lock nuts, and finials that I had no clue about. I of course tried finding directions online but there weren't any I could locate, and since it was after hours the company was closed. After making several attempts and bringing in a friend for help, I finally emailed a friend who immediately emailed me pictures of the completed product. She bought hers assembled! Oy! I guess you get what you pay for. The finial to the right is used to secure the wig head in place.

Newly Designed Disney Store, SF

2010-10-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

While visiting NYC this past summer, I was very upset to see that Disney's 5th ave location had closed down and was being relocated to some other part of the city. Not to mention their Union Square location had also closed a while back. Well today I am very excited to announce that the SF location is now reopened at a different location: 39 Stockton Street (right where the 3 story Sanrio building use to be in the 90's). Please check out the Business Wire article when you can. Go Disney!!!

Julius Kahn Park

2010-10-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday four of my performers were requested to attend a large event at Julius Kahn Park in the Presidio for an annual Halloween event organized by the Golden Gate Mother's Club. On hand were Sleeping Beauty (Nicole), Belle (Lacey), Jasmine (Frances) and Anakin (Jason). I ended up attending the event to ensure that my performers had everything needed since this was going to be held outdoors and it was scheduled to rain. Thank goodness the rain held off! The day was wonderful and as usual they impressed the heck out of me.

El Passo Penny

2010-10-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

This past year I probably introduced about 30 or so new characters through The Cinderella Company, and I keep saying that I won't add anymore. Then one of my regular clients call and before you know it, I've gone ahead and developed a new costume and character. Such is the case with El Passo Penny. In the past I have received calls about a cowgirl/cowboy character and have always passed on it, but when of my past clients called recently, I just could not pass up on the opportunity. So before you know it, I was consumed with everything cowgirl. My performer Jena was chosen for the role and she totally impressed the heck out of me listening to her speak in her southern twang telling the children about her tale of home life on the range and of course listening to her sing "Blue Shadow Trails". She even brought in Cowboy Kevin to accompany on guitar during the song. This gal has some set of pipes.

True Blood/Twighlight

2010-10-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

I am huge True Blood fan, but that show is not exactly for kids so this might be a slash Twighlight character for the youngins. Jessica is featured and I thought these came out great.

My photographer Sam Aslanian worked his magic yet again in shooting these. I was a little disappointed with the fangs though. I think next year I am going to have to go to an actual dentist and invest in having my performer fitted with a retainer that they use in Hollywood.

Rose Dewitt Bukater

2010-09-25T17:56:00.000-07:00

With Halloween just around the corner, my CC partner and I are trying to wrap up all of our new characters. One of our latest characters is that of Rose Dewitt Bukater of Titanic fame. I am so excited about this one because I just love that time period. The costume is a vintage sheer Titanic style dress that I recently purchased along with some fabulous props: an R.M.S life preserver, Titanic whistle, tea cup and saucer with the R.M.S logo, and of course the heart of the ocean. My beautiful Mill Valley performer Jena, will have the starring role for this character. Here are some photos of her from her recent photoshoot.

Inexpensive Tiana Ideas

2010-08-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

With my Tiana party this weekend in Marin coming up, here are two very inexpensive Tiana ideas. As a gift favor, why not give a Princess Tiana cookbook? Children love to cook and parents will definitely appreciate this one. With Simple instructions and large photos, the book features everything from Tiana's binets to a mud pie. Amazon is selling the book for $7 each. And with all of the parties that I host, cupcakes are so much easier to offer and the kids love them. Take a peak at these cute frog cupcakes.

The Evolution Store

2010-08-18T08:26:00.000-07:00

While in NY, I had a chance to visit the King Tut exhibit at the Discovery Museum in Time's Square. I was excited about it because I missed it while it was in San Francisco this past spring. It was of course amazing. I left there stating that next year Jennifer and I need to add an archaelogical character to our cast of characters. For those who know my Just Imagine parties, I try my best to create both informative and fun themes. Anyway, the next day while shopping in Soho, I found this really neat store called Evolution. It's located at 120 Spring Street and they sell replica natural history items such as skulls, fossils and artifacts.

New York, New York

2010-08-16T17:21:00.000-07:00

Greetings from New York! I've been getting a little bit of R & R lately--sort of. What can I say, I'm a bit high-strung so I find myself going into dark corners and making excuses to go to loo so I can respond to text messages, answer my phone and emails. Oh well. Having a blast anyway. I've been to see Mary Poppins, Wicked and King Tut. Look forward to getting back though.

New Princess & the Frog Theme

2010-08-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

Everytime that I think that I am going to scale back on doing parties, something comes up to make me reconsider and there I am creating a new theme. When Disney's Princess & the Frog was released this past December, I had no intention of adding it to my list of party themes. However, after receiving numerous phone calls and the lastest from one of my dear clients, I found my self watching the video and getting caught up in everything Tiana and Naveen.

With the party in just a couple of weeks, I had to quickly decide on a table design. With my princess performer wearing Tiana's green wedding gown, I have decided that a bayou look was the most appropriate, so I just ordered a bunch of lily pads and greenery for the table.. I also ordered a few yards of an durable green colored fabric to create sit-upon lily pads for a game activity. For the craft, the children will be assembling their own lightning bugs in a jar craft which I could not resist. Growing up on the east coast this was a big thing for kids to do so I thought this would be fun. My photographer Sam will be on hand to take the photos for this party.

Snow White Party

2010-08-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

I am so fortunate because I have the nicest clients, and that makes my job much more enjoyable and rewarding. On Sunday I had the opportunity to host a Snow White party down in Kentfield for one of my regular clients. This came in Monday's mail.

Hi Terri,

Yesterday was everything we could have hoped for-it truly lived up to the imagination of our little princess and she kept living the dream all the way until midnight last night. Both Lisa and Lisa (Snow White) were so patient and and truly lovely. Terri, you pulled off "making magic" and made it look easy. It was a wonderful party, and more importantly, a very special and very real dream come true for Summer.

Thank you again for a day to remember!

Marci & Mark

Way to go Maaika!!!

2010-08-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

I am so happy to announce that my very dear performer Maaika, will be starring in the movie Moneyball which is currently filming at Oakland Coliseum. This is the story of Oakland A's General Manager Billy Beane's successful attempt, to turn around his team's fortunes by applying some unorthodox economic theories to the process of hiring players. The film stars both Brad Pitt and Robin Wright, and Maaika plays one of the player's wives. Congratulations!!! I am so happy for you.

The Cinderella Company Wins the Gold!!!

2010-07-25T07:51:00.000-07:00

A couple of months back one of my dear faerie friends, whispered something very magical into my ear. Not being able to share the news immediately, I had to squirrel it away for a later time. Today, I get to shout it from the rooftops! The Cinderella Company, my youngest child, has been voted the number one children's entertainment company for 2010 by Bay Area Parent's Magazine. Yippee!!! Words cannot event begin to express how happy Jennifer and I are feeling. Thank you to all of my Cinderella and Just Imagine clients who took the time out to vote for us, and thank you to my wonderful cast of performers. Your talant, your zeal and your devotion melts my heart, and our two year journey together has been an amazing opportunity. Jennifer and I appreciate you all from the bottom of our hearts.

We Made It!

2010-07-24T14:20:00.000-07:00

Oh my! It has been a wild few months for my Cinderella Company partner and I. Not only has the character entertainment business been booming for us, but we just recently had about 60 new custom made gowns made, a ton of wigs styled and designed, and the TCC website fully updated. The new pictures are fabulous. There's not one bad picture up there. The performers are simply beautiful. Anyway, we are thoroughly exhausted--especially Jennifer. I have to take my hat off to her because she handled the entire site. Way to go. Please take a peak when you have a chance because it's pretty darn impressive if I do say so myself. By the way, be sure to check back tomorrow because I have some exciting news to share!

There's no Place Like Home

2010-07-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

After much needed rest and relaxation last week, my partner and I are focusing on updating all of our websites. This is one of the first pics taken from our photo shoot a couple of weeks ago. The Cinderella Company started receiving many requests at the beginning of the year for multiple performers, so we are now offering an ensemble cast for different themes. Having more than one performer at an event is perfect for larger parties, or for the client interested in a bit more theatre. This is one of my favorite pictures.

TCC's 3rd Annual Training

2010-06-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

The past few months have been insanely busy, but my Cinderella Company partner, Jennifer and I manage to pull off our 3rd Annual training this Sunday. Although this is our third year for this event, our second anniversary for TCC will be August 12th. Our first party was in Tiburon two years ago. So each year we invite our staff up to Napa Valley for our annual photo shoot and training day. This year our usual meeting spot got booked up early, so we were quite fortunate to be at the beautiful Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford. The day was well, hot--extremely hot. The temperature soared to about 103 and we were outside the entire time! My poor staff really pulled through for us though, but that doesn't surprise me because they are quite committed which we appreciate so much. I think Lisa and Nicole endured the most with their Elphaba and Glinda costumes. Afterwards a few of us took refuge indoors and enjoyed the cool air and an iced drink. One of the things Jennifer and I love about our company is the closeness of our staff; everyone truly enjoys spending time with each other

We've Found Peter Pan!!!

2010-06-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

Tim, is the latest addition to my Cinderella Company family. Welcome! He hails from the East Bay and has been brought on board as Peter Pan! He has arrived just in time because with my trip to Britex fabrics a couple of weeks back, we just had a fabulous new costume made. The stars could not have aligned any better for that one! Jennifer and I are so very excited to have him. He has a love for children and comes from a strong theatrical background. He is even a former Disneyland, Tokyo cast member. We are fortunate to have him.

Costumes, Costumes, Costumes

2010-06-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy I can cry. Yesterday I spent the morning with my TCC partner Jennifer, down in the East Bay. We spent time sorting through our new costumes, wigs, and accessories. This Sunday is our third annual training day up in Napa Valley, and we are busy getting ready for our lengthy photo shoot. As I looked through the costumes for the first time, I felt like a child in a candy store. Our seamstress did an AMAZING job. I especially love the Tink faerie costumes. Each costume is made out of a silky fabric that has been airbrushed and tiny gemstones have been attached. We cannot wait to unveil everything!

Alice, 2010

2010-06-22T15:43:00.000-07:00

As our costumes come pouring in for our annual meeting this weekend, here are a few pictures. Nicole is modeling the new dress that she wore this weekend for one of my regular clients down in Palo Alto and Jim his Madhatter costume. The detail on both is pretty impressive and I cannot wait for the professional photos soon to come.

Felecity, the American Girl

2010-06-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to host an American Girl tea party for one of my regular clients down in Marin. The character was Felecity and the performer Andrea. I always love it when I get to work with my performers because I have such a talanted cast. I find that everytime that I work with them, they give me 110 percent of themselves and for that I am extremely gratful. They also always amaze me with how fabulous they look in costume, wig and makeup. Andrea is absolutely beautiful as an adult Felecity.

The American Girl theme is one of those parties that is near and dear to my heart. I find it very rewarding to be able to convey a piece of US history to our children by presenting it in a fun and magical way. For an 1.5 Andrea did just that with her Colonial storytelling, period props, interactive Colonial games, simple dance instruction and tea etiquette. I hope you like the pictures.

I loved watching how every girl at this party insisted on hugging her goodbye

Happy Birthday Ella!

2010-06-05T19:16:00.000-07:00

Faerie parties are my all-time favorite, and today I had the chance to host one for a beautiful little girl named Ella down in Larkspur. The day was beautiful and the garden quite lovely for this theme. When I left my house this morning, the car was stacked full of tables, chairs, teapots, plates, costumes, centerpieces and a fabulous table top tree house. How I manage to fit everything in is beyond me, but I am so grateful that I can. Faerie Rose (Nicole) arrived promptly at the party start and was on hand to enchant the crowd of 14 with her face painting, storytime and beautiful violin playing.

Our New Ariel Shells Are Here!

2010-06-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know me, I go nuts about costume design. It's what lead me to have the "Just Breathe" gown from the movie Ever After made several years back. When choosing fabric,

I always opt for quality. So yesterday my TCC partner Jennifer and I, spent the day at Britex Fabrics down in San Francisco. For those of you who know Britex, it is fabric heaven. (Well, for those of us in San Francisco that is.) We spent hours walking through four floors with our seamstress. We were kids in a candy store looking through the finest fabrics and notions.

As we gear up for our annual photo shoot this month, we are busy completing all of our new costumes. This past week our new Ariel shells arrived. We went a little crazy with these. They are custom seashells hand-carved and then molded. Each shell is cast in a plastic resin and is airbrushed and topped off with an abundance of swarvorski crystal and pearls. Since we ordered them plain, we will be have the job of placing the crystals on ourselves. Each set has over 500 stones--ugh!!.

Garden Faerie Mask

2010-05-31T09:30:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I have a faerie party down in Marin. When hosting parties, I always try my best to provide a new experience for guests so as not to repeat the same party. One way in achieving this is by providing different crafts for each new party. The craft chosen for this event will be a faerie mask. You can buy the masks at places like Michaels which sells plain half ones. However, I purchased mine online because I was wanting a harlequine style instead. I then adhered flower petals to the mask using double-sided tape. I chose light green and blue and alternated the colors. Afterwards I finished it off with some stick on gems and thin ribbon. Depending on the age group of the children, you may want to tape on the first base layer to make sure the mask gets fully covered.

The Cinderella Company is Currently Holding Auditions

2010-05-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

Due to the success in business, The Cinderella Company is currently holding auditions for Disney style performers. We are looking for versatile individuals who can play these characters.Please take a look at our employment page. If you or anyone you know would make a good candidate, we would love for them apply via email.

Please Continue to Vote!!!!

2010-05-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

Both Just Imagine Parties and The Cinderella Company have been nominated as a potential nominee for Nickelodeon's 2010 Parent Pick Awards. Click on the highlighted link. You will have to register but once you do, you can vote every day for the next 20 days.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

2010-05-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

Growing up in the NYC area, I had never been camping until six years ago. It wasn't until my daughter Chase was in first grade, that we participated in her school's annual family camping trip. Having never camped before, I had so much anxiety that first year about going that I almost didn't make it. If my dh would have allowed me to, I would have sent her with close friends for the weekend. The whole idea of bears, raccoons, and nature was a little much at the time for this NYC girl. And since my heart really wasn't in it, I was definitely in denial and only borrowed the bare neccessities from friends; stupid! As I recall, that first year was extremely cold and rainy. And due to my lack of effort in planning, we only had sleeping bags with pillows and no blankets or mats for the tent. Ugh!! That was a major learning lesson.

Fast forward six years and I am now a camping pro who has adopted a real LOVE for camping. The key for me is being prepared. With that said, I pack everything but the kitchen sink! My dh does want to strangle me half the time though because he feels he's become the family pack mule. But hey, better prepared than not!. This past weekend we extended our trip by a day and it was the best ever. For the past few years we have camped with our closests friends and the memories of those years have been amazing. In the last year, two of those families have moved on from the school, but in wanting to keep up our yearly tradition still came with us.

When camping with others, divide up the work load by having each family be responsible for a major camping item. Our friend Jim always brings his heavy duty stove for us to cook on, while I tend to focus in on the dishware and decorative items (I like decorating the trees with battery operated paper lanterns). This year our friends Genevieve and Henry brought a friend's Airstream along, and I have to say having a generator was real nice!

I made the News!

2010-05-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

On Friday I was contacted by Claudia Hirsch, a New York City based writer with Market New International. She asked if I would answer a few questions for an article that she was writing on consumer spending with children's parties, so I requested that she forward me the article if she was able to use the quotes. Today she did just that. Please take a peek if you can.

I Need Your Votes!!!!

2010-05-12T19:25:00.001-07:00

Well, I just learned today that both of my companies, Just Imagine Parties and The Cinderella Company have been nominated as potential nominees for Nickelodeon's 2010 Parent's Pick Awards. I can't even begin to tell you how happy this makes me. I would love for you to cast your votes. Parent's Picks allows people to cast one vote each per day for the next 34 days, so please vote by clicking onto the above link.

Another Madhatter Tea

2010-05-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

With all of the rain we were having, it was so nice to have a beautiful weekend. This last Sunday I had the opportunity to host a Madhatter tea party in Napa for one of my former clients. Last year we were rained out for her daughter's Belle party, but this year was perfect for the Madhatter and Alice's appearance. David, is one of my newest cast members to the JI/CC family. Please take a look at his bio at The Cinderella Company. He is absolutely wonderful, and he and Jocelyn did a fabulous job entertaining the kids. I always love watching my performer's in action. Below are a few pictures of the day. While Alice face painted, the Madhatter entertained the children with his silly activities.

American Idol Party

2010-04-18T13:56:00.001-07:00

I had the opportunity yesterday to host an American Idol party here in St. Helena. Since I am a huge fan of the show, I was really excited to plan this theme. As with all of my parties, everything has a beginning, middle and end. My performer Andrea, played Brooke White, a former contestant from Season 7. She started the party with some interactive storytelling about the Idol audition process. Afterwards, the children were formally registered where they received authentic looking back stage passes, contestant numbers and American Idol hats (the hats were supplied by the client and the children got to take them home them home with them.)

Birthday Express carries many Idol products. The children were then divided into two groups. While one group received their "star" makeovers, the other group went with Brooke to learn a couple of songs. The groups then rotated.

If organizing this type of party yourself, my advice is to keep the song selection simple. I opted to have the children learn two Miley songs: The Best of Both Worlds which they sang acappella style for the judges, and Lets get Crazy, which they sang with the karaoke machine. It's also best to have printed song sheets for them to follow along with. After everyone learned their songs, Brooke sang her Idol audition song and the two divided groups then had their chance before the judges. Each group was judged on the way they sang their song, star pose, and attitude. Afterwards, the kids had fun singing into the open microphone.

Happy April Fool's Day

2010-04-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

I don't know about anyone else, but I woke up this morning to find both of my girls playing a couple of jokes on me before going off to school. When it comes to April Fool's know one knows for sure the exact origin of this day, but it has been celebrated by numerous countries for centuries. And there are of course many theories about its origin out there. Here at Just Imagine, we know for a fact that the faeries are responsible for this mischevious day.

Horse Drawn Carriages

2010-03-30T18:07:00.001-07:00

Just imagine Cinderella arriving to your daughter's party in her beautiful pumpkin coach. Just imagine party guests being able to ride in that same coach. How magical would that be? Last week my performer Nicole's presence was requested for a charity event at UCSF. It was hosted by the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Upon her arrival, she was escorted to a beautiful Cinderella style coach where she greeted, posed for pictures and made balloon swords and tiaras for the attending children. Within hours of blogging about that event on my CC site, Jennifer and I started receiving inquiries about the coach. We unfortunately do not own the carriage, but have decided to contract with the company that does. Pricing will vary from $700 for the traditional style vis-a-vis coach (below) up to $2,000 for the more elaborate pumpkin style coach (above). Pricing is dependent upon location. We will be sure to post carriage styles to The Cinderella site soon.

Is Yelp a Help?

2010-03-24T09:59:00.000-07:00

I had an ear-to-ear grin on my face as I began writing this blog entry yesterday morning because I had noticed that my Cinderella Company had received 5 Yelp reviews in one week--three of which came in one day! That had never happened before. Since I was so excited about it, I decided that I would share the good news with everyone.

As consumers, we all look to find people's reviews about products and businesses that we might be interested in online. Later yesterday afternoon, my partner and I were called by a Sales Rep from Yelp to inform us that the reviews were no longer posted. In less than 24 hours they were down. The reason that they were taken off is because Yelp has a filtering department. This filtering department weeds out any negative or positive reviews that a person writes who does not have an account history with them.

This department has been devised to protect both consumers and businesses from people making false claims--either negative or positive. Yelp's position is that they want to make sure that they deliver quality, so in doing so they carefully monitor people's reviews. Although I can understand this, it is still quite upsetting because our reviews were legitimate and I think the company is eliminating too many of these type of reviews. I also believe the company needs to do a better job at conveying their review policy to the public. For the longest time we couldn't understand why our client's reviews were not appearing. We now know why.

American Idol Party

2010-03-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

I was recently approached by one of my dear friends about hosting an American Idol party for his 7 year old daughter. Since my children and I are big fans of the show, I couldn't turn the idea down. I am just now working out the details. I will use my performer Nicole who is a musician, and she will play a former contestant. She will show the young applicants the ropes of learning how to audition as well as sing one of her favorite songs. This theme will include star makeovers, hip hop dance moves, lip syncing, karaoke, and more. Party accessories will inlude contestant numbers, access passes, and American Idol tee shirts. I cannot wait to share this one with you.

2010 Marin Cinderella Production

2010-03-04T17:26:00.000-08:00

Masque Unit Productions are adaptations of classic children's stories. This non-for-profit organization was started in 1961 by a group of women who saw a need to provide live theatre experiences at a reasonable cost for Marin County children. March 6 & 7 at 1 & 3 pm will be a production of Cinderella. I can't wait to take my girls.

Belle Loves the Beast

2010-03-03T11:18:00.000-08:00

March is always a busy party month for me. Today I am preparing for an upcoming Belle party I will have in Atherton. When preparing craft items, I always try to create and offer something that is appropriate to the theme. For Belle, the wilting red rose in a glass cloche is very important to the story because it symbolizes the time left that the Beast has to find true love before he remains a creature forever. Since a glass cloche is not practical for a young child's party, I am using a plastic bell shaped cloche with plastic bottom and handle for my craft. On the plastic bottom disc, I have hot glued a small piece of styrofoam covered in moss in which to place the standing rose. Depending on the age group, an adult will most likely have to hot glue the items on. On the outside handle, you can have the children adhere self adhesive gems or pearls, you can then attach a pretty name tag with thin red ribbon. The bottom will have to be secured with clear sticky dots. I will attach a picture as soon as I finish.

Tin Man Tea Set

2010-02-28T16:55:00.000-08:00

I was so excited when I found an owl tea set last year for my Snow White theme, but now that I am consumed with all things Oz, I am equally excited to find this tea set as well. I just love this. It is a Raku tea set designed for the Tin Man himself and collectors of tea sets too. The glaze is called Tin Can and is the inspiration for the design.

We're Off to See the Wizard

2010-02-26T16:57:00.000-08:00

I am so very excited about a new booking I just took today. I am going to have the opportunity to host a Wizard of Oz themed party in a couple of months and the client is requesting the presence of both Dorothy and Glinda. Lisa will be Glinda and Andrea will play Dorothy for me. I cannot wait to see these two performers in action together. Both of them have very strong vocal backgrounds so I know they will amaze everyone with their singing. I cannot wait to hear Andrea sing "Somewhere over the Rainbow". And since I am a huge "Wicked" fan, I will definitely include some song and theatrical components from the show in the storyline for the Glinda character.

Alice 2010

2010-02-26T12:55:00.001-08:00

I really wish that I had the time to learn to sew, but unfortunately I do not so costume construction is left to the professionals. Since I am a stickler when it comes to costume design and quality, the majority of my performer's outfits are custom made for me. So with Tim burton's new Alice in Wonderland movie due out in theaters any day now, my designer has already started production on her dress and I cannot wait to see it. This is an original shot from the front of Alice's movie costume.

Starting with the Alice buttons, the unique pattern on the front of the screen dress is almost impossible to match, so my designer and her team are having to hand paint flowers, leaves and vines on their buttons using calligraphy pens and white paint.

Beneath is a striped petticoat with a biased edge on the screen version. Not knowing what the actual petticoat looks like under the dress, their version will be a straight skirt halfway down with a large ruffle at the bottom.

Glad to Help!

2010-02-24T15:42:00.000-08:00

I recently received a call from a woman asking if my performers were of the same caliber as the Disneyland performers. Although I cannot even begin to make that claim, my performers are all very talented and wonderful at what they do. So when this review of Jocelyn came in yesterday's mail, it put a big smile on my face.

"Jocelyn was absolutely wonderful! We all thought she was great with the kids. She was also a bit of a Godsend to tell you the truth. I felt like I was in Disneyland witnessing first hand. I will definitely keep you in mind for the next go around. And as soon as I have time I will throw a lil blog up on the site. I will definitely recommend you. Thank you again!"

Jayme P, Petaluma

The Times of your Life

2010-02-21T14:38:00.000-08:00

Several weeks back I was flipping through the television channels, when I came across one of those long Time-Life infomercials--Music of the 70's. What can I say? I am a child of that era. I was totally hooked! After watching the entire thing, I went online and ordered my set. I am not exactly an impulse buyer, but found myself unable to say no to this one. It was on back order. The Time-Life set is a comprenhensive collection of 10 CD's of music from the 70's. My shipment arrived the other day and I finally opened it up last night. It was definitely worth the expense!

Pretty in Pink

2010-02-18T08:28:00.000-08:00

My dear friend, Photographer Sam Aslanian, sent me this picture of Nicole this morning. He was going through his archives and thought that I would like it. He was correct. This is from a Tink party a while back where the client requested multiple characters. Nicole is featured as Rosetta, one of the Tink Faeries. I'm hoping Sam can dig up some more photos, because that day was just absolutely magical.

Tiana is Here!!!

2010-02-17T18:56:00.000-08:00

With the recent release of Disney's Princess & the Frog, my performer Christell has been going strong since her first appearance in December. Christell comes from a strong theatrical and song background and has been dazzling children and their families.

This review just came in from this past weekend. Way to go, Christell!

"Princess Tiana was regal and an absolute dream. Several parents complimented her authentic accent, rapport with the children, storytelling and easy manner. If I had a princess party every year, I would invite her everytime! I will be recommeding her and her beautiful voice to my friends. She made our party a big hit!"

Pinkalicious

2010-02-11T18:40:00.000-08:00

I frequently receive phone calls about new characters. If I have an existing costume base that can be used for a new character, I am pretty much willing to construct a new design for a client depending upon time and availability. One of my former clients called me this morning and is requesting a Pinkalicious character. This character is based on the book Pinkalicious by Elizabeth and Victoria Kann. Pinkalicious can't stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her indulgence lands her at the doctor's office with pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head-to-toe. I think my performer Brittany is definitely up for this challenge and will make the perfect Pinkalicious character.

Belle & Prince Adam

2010-02-09T09:52:00.000-08:00

As an Event Planner, I always suggest a party size of 12 to 15 children for a child's party due to the activities that I offer through Just Imagine and The Cinderella Company. However, I do understand that is not always possible for some parents to do. When a client opts for a larger event, one of the things that I might recommend is to add a second performer. And if there are a substantial amount of boys invited, I might suggest a male perfomer who can help meet their needs better. Such was the case for one of my Cinderella Company clients this past weekend. With her guest list totaling 22 and half of those boys, I recommeded that she do just that. Since the party was a Belle theme, she chose our Prince Adam character. Her review came in today's mail.

"Thank you SO Much for a wonderful party. Andrea and Jason were amazing. All of the parents thought that separating the girls from the boys was a great idea. The boys really enjoyed sword fighting and the girls were ecstatic with Belle. They were shaking from excitement when they saw Belle and Prince Adam coming in. The amazing part was that the girls got really smitten with him and did not want him to leave. He was very gallant and served their every wish and made A LOT of balloons.

Thank you again,

Alona

A Very Special Weekend

2010-02-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

I must start by giving my entire cast a warm, "thank you." This past weekend was very busy and very special for us. Due to sunday's Superbowl game, I ended up doing numerous custom parties for some of my clients. I don't know what's in the water, but lately we have been booking out multiple performers for one event. For one such party, four of my princesses entertained at a 5th birthday party in Pleasanton for 3.5 hours. On hand was Brittany as Tinkerbell, Lisa as Cinderella, Lacey as Ariel and Maaika as Belle. As usual, they knocked it out of the ball park dazzling guests with songs, stories, magic, and more. I have a wonderful cast of performers and I am so grateful for all of their talent. Below is a review from a different party this past weekend.

"I actually had both Maaika and Brittany for my party. Everyone loved them. Friends were so in shock at how beautiful they looked. I have referred your company to two of my friends. I will see you again next year in 2011."

J. Thind, Walnut Creek

Coming Soon!

2010-02-06T08:40:00.000-08:00

With the release of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland scheduled for March 5, 2010, I will soon be offering a Madhatter through The Cinderella Company. Lately, many parents have been opting to have multiple performers at their parties, so my Madhatter will only be offered with Alice as a pair. Since the movie is not out yet, I am guessing that our version will be a little more on the traditional side, so as not to scare the kids. Johnny Depp has been cast in the role of Madhatter for Mr. Burton's movie and I he know will be absolutely brilliant. Also cast is 18 year old Mia Wasikowska as Alice. Mia's biggest role to date has been in Greg McLean's Wolf Creek, an Aussie killer-croc flick. Helena Bonham Carter will be the Red Queen and Anne Hathaway the White Queen.

Alice's Madhatter Tea

2010-02-03T13:37:00.000-08:00

With the new Alice in Wonderland movie coming out soon, I've recently been taking quite a few bookings for this theme. This past weekend I had the opportunity to host a party in San Rafael for 12 children. What started out to be an overcast day, turned out to be a beautiful sunny day instead. My performers Brittany and Jim were on hand to entertain the kids with their zany fun. I love when I get to work with one of my performers, but it is an extra special treat when there's two or more. I love watching how they role play with each other and interact with the guests in their own special way. While Alice face painted, the Madhatter entertained the kids with some crazy themed games. My Assistant Melani oversaw the craft table. While shopping at Michaels a couple of weeks ago, I found some red heart shaped bottles. I then purchased several bunches of white silk roses and gave each young child a miniature spray bottle filled with red fabric paint. For those who preferred to paint, I had brushes and a paint tray on the side. This was a perfect craft for the four year old age group. Since the spray bottles were small, the plastic

aprons that I brought weren't really needed. Wipes on the other hand are very important.

Superbowl Princess Party

2010-01-26T09:40:00.000-08:00

When I took a party booking the other day for February 7th, I had no idea that it was Superbowl Sunday because I am not a football fan. It wasn't until my Partner Jennifer mentioned it to me, that the lightbulb went off. My client is requesting a group visit from four of my beautiful princesses to entertain a small group of children while the game is taking place. I have to smile because I think it is a great idea. Hard core football fans can watch their game while their young children are enchanted by a fairytale visit! How great is that? As of late, I find myself getting many of these type of different requests. People are not just opting for one performer, but multiple characters for something other than a birthday party.

Fun for all Ages!

2010-01-25T16:51:00.000-08:00

Sorry that I haven't been around much lately, but with the new year business has just exploded so I've been a tad bit preoccupied. As of late, I have been receiving numerous requests for a Peter Pan character, so I have decided to add a Tink and Peter duo to my list of characters. With Nicole being my main faerie, she has taken over the lead as Tinkerbell for me, while my performer Maaika plays Peter. The two them work so wonderfully together, that I cannot help but share some of their great reviews!

"All of my expectations were blown out of the water for my daughter's third birthday party. Tinkerbell and Peter were wonderful! They kept the kids thoroughly entertained. Even my 80 year old grandfather enjoyed the show... He said that it was the best party that he had ever been to. Nicole (Tink) and Maaika (Peter) put on a show that my daughter and friends will remember forever."

M. Couch, Livermore

"I was at my great grandaughter's birthday party and the people that played Tinkerbell and Peter Pan enthralled the children and adults with their magic and violin playing! Kudos to them!!! They were great! I will definitely remember you in the future."

Charles Beer

Welcome Christell!

2010-01-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

Christell is one of the newest additions to my Cinderella Company and Just Imagine family. I introduced her in December to several of my former clients as Tiana, for the Disney release of Princess and the Frog. Christell comes from a strong vocal and theatrical background. Her primary roles will be that of Tiana, Cinderella, Pink Princess, Irridessa, and Mermaid. Welcome, Christell!

Welcome Andrea

2010-01-03T17:19:00.000-08:00

I kicked the new year off with a couple of magical parties this weekend. Today I had the opportunity to work with one of my new Cinderella Company Princesses, Andrea. Andrea has a strong vocal, theatrical and dance background. She portrayed Ariel for me and did an amazing job all around. I am always so moved to see how both adults and children respond to my performers. It just felt so wonderful to see 13 five year olds hang on her every word as she shared her mermaid story and to see them ask and answer questions. Afterwards, one little guest asked if she could come home and play with her. Andrea's primary roles will be that of Belle, Sleeping Beauty and Ariel.

The Princess & the Frog

2009-11-05T15:28:00.000-08:00

With the upcoming December 11th release of Disney's Princess & the Frog, Just Imagine and The Cinderella Company have just added Princess Tiana to our extensive cast of characters. With the dress already in production, we will be set to go in just a few weeks! Please let us know if you would like to book Tiana for your next party.

A Faerie's Dance

2009-11-02T08:04:00.000-08:00

One of my dear clients just dropped off two CD's of images from her grandaughter's Tink party a few weeks back. The day was absolutely magical. Both Tink and her friend Rosetta were on hand to entertain the little pixies for an afternoon of faerie fun.

Since faeries love to dance, Rosetta brought her violin with her so she could play beautiful Celtic music for the crowd.

Tink also joined in on the fun.

Very Kind Words

2009-10-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

I woke up to find a quick note from one of my clients this morning.

"Terri, it's late and I've been going non-stop, as I'm sure have you. But I gotta tell you Terri...
the party was absolutely maginificent...

I knew it would be good...I didn't know it would be great! You transported all of us--children & grown-ups into a magical world we all dream about. You made it come true. It's really stunning how you create experiences that we can float in. I've been lost in that experience, relishing every memory, since the party.

I have video too, which you can put on the website. Much love and admiration for your genius."

R. Bell; St. Helena

Tinkerbell

2009-10-15T12:07:00.001-07:00

Sorry that I have not shared much lately, but October is an insanely busy party month for me.I have a huge weekend ahead of me and the rest of my month is completely filled. However, I want to share a review that came in this morning about my faerie Nicole.

"My daughter really wanted Tinkerbell to come to her party, and that is exactly what she got! I really enjoyed how flexible Nicole was with the needs of the children. She adapted her planned activities to fit what the kids wanted at the time. She really helped make our daughter's party an experience that she and the rest of the guests will always remember."

"We had so many comments throughout the party from our guests asking questions about Tinkerbell. Everyone thought she was great, and was surprised by the quality of her appearance. We were told by a guest that we "set the bar for birthday parties" and we know that has a lot to do with the help of Nicole. Thank you so much!"

Christina McTiernan

Madhatter Tea Party

2009-10-03T08:16:00.000-07:00

Back in August I had the opportunity to host one of our Madhatter Tea Parties for a client in Sonoma. The day was perfect and the setting quite picturesque. Sweet Alice was on hand to paint faces, sing, and storytell, while the Madhatter entertained the kids with a zany game of flamingo croquet, musical chairs, and just pure silliness. The Queen of Hearts also made a special appearance! Diane Askew, a local Sonoma Wedding Photographer, was hired by the client to photograph the day. Here are some of her photos. The rest of the pictures can be seen

on the site.

One of Madhatter's calmer moments

Yes, she's wearing an apron!

"Drink me" bottles

Alice and the birthday girl!

Mismatched tea cups, flower topiaries, and red, white and black colors made up the table

Harry Potter is Here!

2009-09-24T12:32:00.000-07:00

I just got the photos back from my Harry Potter party last month, and I am so excited with the way they turned out. My Performer Jocelyn, was Hermoine and she did a fabulous job. This party was so much fun to work and plan! Here is a glimpse of that very magical night.

I just loved watching how everyone responded to Hermoine's storytelling.

Mystical Divinations

A wand selects its owner

Professor Snape's Potion's Class

Quidditch anyone?

Slytherin, Slytherin, Slytherin, please!

Wonderfully Wicked!

2009-09-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

Are people born wicked, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them? This is the main question in the musical, Wicked. As I get ready to launch my Glinda character next month, I decided to see the musical yesterday. The San Francisco production is playing at the Orpheum theatre at Market and 8th Street. The show is fabulous and a must see! Kendra Kassenbaum and Teal Wicks are amazing as the leads of Galinda and Elphaba. Adapted for the stage from Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, it tells the untold story of the witches of Oz: How one came to be known as good and the other wicked. It also provides some very interesting insight into the characters of the Cowardly Lion, Tin Man, Scarecrow, and of the ruby slippers. I loved everything about this show and cannot wait to take my family back to see it!

Absolutely Alice

2009-09-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

It has been an amazing week with all of the glowing emails that I have received about my performer's parties last week. This came in last night from one of our Cinderella clients. Thank you Lindy for sharing.

"Brittany was wonderful as Alice for my daughter's 4th birthday party. She was very professional and on time. The kids had a wonderful time with her and I was able to enjoy watching the kids have a great time at the party. I look forward to working with Brittany and the The Cinderella Company again. I loved that she brought a wonderful "magic" to the party. My daughter was so excited that Alice had come to have tea with her. Worth every penny!

Not just for girls!

Parachute play is always a hit

Truly Tink

2009-09-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

Being the person that I am, I pour my entire heart and soul into running both Just Imagine and The Cinderella Company, so I really love hearing back from my clients about their experiences. This is a recent review of my performer Jocelyn and The Cinderella Company: "Jocelyn made a lovely Tinkerbell. She was so great with the kids, and extremely professional with me. She got high ranks all around. Your service is wonderful. I am so very pleased and cannot think of any way to have you improve. You made my child's birthday so special. She asks me everyday when will Tinkerbell come back and when can she go to Neverland to visit with her. You guys are hard to top!"

Wicked

2009-09-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

On occasion I will have clients who request multiple performers for their parties. At last week's Alice party, we had Alice, the Madhatter and the Queen of Hearts all together for a zany two hours entertaining children and parents. I have now been hired by a former client to host her children's Halloween party. Due to the ages of the children, I've suggested the lead characters from Wicked: Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West. My performers Lisa A will be Glinda and Nicole, the Wicked Witch. Both are my singing perfomers and ideal for these roles. Glinda's dress is already in production and I cannot wait to see it. As for our storytelling, so much happened before Dorothy dropped into Oz. Long before the girl from Kansas arrives in Munchinland, two girls meet in the land of Oz. One born with emerald green skin~ is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular.

Amazing Ariel Party

2009-08-07T18:25:00.000-07:00

Every now and then a family comes along that melts my heart. Last weekend I had the opportunity to help host an Ariel party in Kentfield for a wonderful family. The party was for a little girl named Summer who turned four years old. When my staff and I arrived to do our setup, the family was busy at work putting the finishing touches on their mermaid's grotto out back. The grotto that they designed and decorated was amazing and I have to share the pictures with you.

The canopied tent was decorated with blue and green tulle fabric draped from the ceiling and billowing blue taffeta fabric on the floor and walls. A small decorated table held a treasure-filled chest, including pretty shell necklaces made by Summer's grandmother. Colorful seahorses and seaweed decor also filled the tent. On the back wall was a decorated mermaid's throne. Directly above the throne hung a beautifully framed painting painted by Summer's father. Look at the wonderful detail in it.

The grotto came in handy for storytime and craft time since it was very hot out that day.

I had a great time watching as the children listened to my Ariel performer, Brittany.

Flamingo Croquet

2009-08-06T08:25:00.000-07:00

As I get ready to head out of town for yet another trip, I am finalizing details for all of my upcoming parties that I will have back-to back. Last year I had purchased some plush Disney flamingo mallets for my Alice theme, but unfortunately they do not work well for a game of croquet. So yesterday I had my friend Steve cut out six flamingo templates on his jig-saw for me out of 1/4 inch masonite. Today I will take them to my friend Lisa for painting. I will then attach them to a child's mallet. I'm thinking that I would like to hot glue a wide velcro band to the back of the flamingo and wrap it around the mallet. However, I'm not exactly sure if this will work at the moment. For someone like me who is continually reusing and transporting items, I need to take good care of things so this works better for me. I will let you know how all turns out.

Storytelling Props

2009-08-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

Storytelling is a major component for most of my theme parties. Besides having fabulously dressed performers that weave these tales, we also offer a variety of authentic looking props to bring this magic alive. For an upcoming Harry Potter party, I recently purchased some fun trinkets to go along with our Divination's class. You can do the same without breaking the bank by visiting local thrift stores, garage sales or simply asking friends and realatives. You will be surprised at what you find. For this party I purchased a 125 mm crystal ball, runes, and some tarrot cards. A pretty tea cup with tea leaves and a burning candle will complete the scene.

Cinderella's Ball

2009-07-09T11:55:00.000-07:00

I am working today preparing for a large Cinderella party that I have this weekend. When it comes to party themes, I am all about the classics. So for this Cinderella party, I will have the performer wear my classic Cinderella gown. This ballgown is absolutely stunning and really creates the"wow" factor. And I am also excited because I just received a new shipment of children's Cinderella costumes in, so they will all be dressed in blue gowns as well.

Snow White Table Design

2009-06-30T09:04:00.000-07:00

I am a purger by nature. When something has completed its use in my house, out it usually goes. I am now in the mist of retiring many of my older table settings and princess costumes to make room for the new ones. Yesterday I spent the day with my photographer Sam, who was photographing some of my new designs. Here's a picture of the new Snow White table that I designed a couple of months ago. It will eventually have a few more subtle components added to it, but I was able to put this together for a last minute party. Everything centered around the owl tea set. When I found it, I new that it would be perfect for this theme. The fabulous centerpiece was designed by my favorite local floral designer. I wanted something with a woodland feel to it. The pot looks like a tree stump and there is dried hydrangea, lichen, moss, faux burch, twigs and branches and mushrooms in it. The table linen is a silvery blue, taffeta-like fabric which compliments the plates, owl cups and centerpiece perfectly. I have to say that I really love this design!

The Gown!

2009-06-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

While during one of my buying trips a few weeks ago, I found this fabulous gown that I purchased for my faerie Nicole to wear next fall. Unfortunately though, it did not fit as she tried it on during Sunday's photo shoot. I immediately realized though that it was meant for Lisa instead. Look how absolutely beautiful she looks in it. I had tears in my eyes as she modeled it for all of us.

Behind the Scenes

2009-06-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

Terri, Jennifer & Snow White

This past Sunday, my CC Partner and I, held our 2nd annual CC gathering at Meadowood Resort, in St. Helena. This is the 2nd year that we've been fortunate enough to meet at Meadowood with our staff. The day was simply amazing. Every now and then the stars will align together and things will magically unfold--this was the case for us. The weather was perfect, the food delicious, and the setting of course stunning. We all felt like kids that were given the keys to Disney Land, as we were granted access to this magical place all day. This year's focus was a photo shoot. Hiring Scott Fischbein, a San Francisco based photographer, our shoot lasted over 8 hours! As we slowly sort through the photos, they are amazing and we cannot wait to add them to our sites.

Fairytale Brought to Life

2009-06-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

Rachael Weisz as Snow White

Every morning I wake up to a picture of Rachael Weisz dressed as Snow White. This picture is what I use as my computer's screen saver; I just think it's the best. It is from a collection of photos taken by Photographer Annie Liebowitz, for Disney's Year of a Million Dreams campaign.Below are some others that I really like. Which one is your favorite? And which one do you think is most truthful to their character?

Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens as Aurora and Prince Phillip

Scarlet Johannsen as Cinderella

Julianne Moore as Ariel and Michael Phelps as merman

Jennifer Biels as Pocohantas

Introducing Our Gentle Clown

2009-06-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

Up until now, my party themes have been designed for children ages 4 through 10. Lately however, I have been receiving a number of calls for 1st Birthdays and for parties for children 3 and under. So when one of my clients in Sausalito called me and asked if I would provide a clown for her younger daughter's second birthday, I decided to do it. Since I did not offer that character at the time or have a whole lot of time to plan, I immediately conferred with my CC Partner, Jennifer, and the two of us quickly sent the 911 emergency call to our seamstress and the three of us designed a costume together. Here are a couple of pictures from that day.

Just What I Needed

2009-06-09T09:56:00.000-07:00

Things did not look very good for me this morning. Between my kids arguing before school, DH getting upset, and computer issues, I just wanted to run and hide. However after fixing the computer and being able to get back online, I opened a bunch of waiting emails. On Sunday, I hosted a Garden Faerie party for a little girl named Nadine, in Marinwood. These are the emails from both her mother and grandmother and thought I would share them because they just made my day--if not week.

"Terri, yesterday I was trying to think of how I could put into words how wonderful you and Fairy Willow made Nadine's birthday party so amazingly enchanting. Our children, our family, our friends were still talking about the party, at home, at work, and after work. I would also like to thank you for allowing the adults to be included in the Garden Fairie fun--this too made the party even more extroadinary. Your company seems to be a gift of just what is needed in the world today, keeping the innocent imagination alive in all of us."

Susan (Nadine's Grandmother)

"Terri, I have to admit when my mom told me about this idea for Nadine's birthday, I was a bit put off. I pictured a fake fairy arriving to greet my girls, and some silly games and that was it. I NEVER in my wildest dreams could have planned a more perfect party, and to have a REAL LIFE FAIRY was just the greatest gift for my 5 and 3 year old. Fairy Willow was just amazing. The girls absolutely loved her, the games, the magic, the face painting. My 3 year old has NEVER sat so still and been in such awe. Her magic fairy she caught in the garden (activity we did) has gone everywhere with her. It slept with her last night, went to daycare today, and the magic she performed last night left them talking till they fell asleep. The stories and experience will last a lifetime. Truly, truly the best birthday ever. And please thank Willow for painting the adult faces too, they absolutely loved being involved. Thank you so much!

Alicia Marie
(Nadine and Kerri's Mom)

A Touch of Magic

2009-05-28T19:19:00.000-07:00

My Performer Jocelyn recently hosted a Tinker Belle party in St. Helena. It was a party for one of my close friend's six year old daughter. Another friend of mine, was also at the party with her five year old grandaughter, Erin. Erin had found a pair of gold children's shoes in their garden the very next morning, and having never seen them before, was convinced that Tink had left them there for her. I was told that she could speak of nothing else for days. This led my friend to write some short notes to her grandaughter on Tink's behalf. Shortly afterwards, she rang me up and asked if I would coordinate a special visit by Tink from Neverland. I happily accepted her request.

In the words of my friend, "Terri, as I mentioned on the phone to you, the joy in Erin's eyes when she saw Tink was priceless. I wish that you could have been there. It's all that she has been talking about. This morning she went to the window three times, just to see if Tink was there. And when she was without fever this morning, she told me it's because Tink is watching over her." "Your Performer truly inhibits the Tinker Belle spirit in a beautiful and loving way."
Well done, Jocelyn!

Bringing Fairytale to Life

2009-05-27T13:17:00.001-07:00

Running two entertainment companies can be a little chaotic at times, but I truly love what I do because I am constantly creating and bringing fairytale into the lives of children and their families. Through Just Imagine I get to plan and host fabulous theme parties, whereas with The Cinderella Company, I get to create and develop characters for each of my Performers to bring to life. Since these two companies overlap each other, I have the good fortune to work with my Performers on a regular basis which I absolutely love because I get to see and experience first hand the impact they have on our clients and their children. This past week I had the opportunity to work with Brittany. She is one of my main Performers that has been with me since the launch of the CC last August. She never ceases to amaze me. Whether she is Ariel, Belle or Snow White, she just dazzles audiences both young and old whenever she performs. Here she is playing Belle for me for an event that I hosted down in Atherton.

Flag Protocol

2009-05-24T08:33:00.000-07:00

I learned something new yesterday about Flag Protocol. DH mentioned to me last night that we needed to take our porch flag down because it isn't proper flag protocol to fly a US flag at night. Hmm. I didn't know this, so I decided to look this up to see what else I didn't know.

In the United States as in many other nations, there are a series of rules governing the display and disposal of the national flag. These rules are referred to as “flag protocol." Although violation of flag protocol does not have legal repercussions, it is hoped that flag protocol will encourage respectful handling of the flag. More than simply a piece of fabric, a national flag represents the nation as a whole, and is an important symbol of national identity. The following flag protocol applies to the display of the American flag within the United States. In general, the rules of flag protocol are very simple and easy to follow. In most cases, respectful handling of the flag includes common sense measures. Here are just a few rules.

According to American flag protocol, an American flag must never be permitted to touch the ground. If the flag inadvertently touches the ground, it should be gently washed with soap and water.

When displayed outdoors, if the flag is in the middle of a street , it should be suspended with the union, or field of stars, facing either north or east, depending on the alignment of the street.

Flag protocol also dictates that flags should not be flown at night unless properly illuminated, and that when the flag is flown at half staff it should first be fully raised and then lowered to half staff.

The American flag should not be written on or otherwise defaced, and should not be allowed to become tattered or dirty. For this reason, many companies make all weather flags which are designed to withstand poor weather conditions. If a flag will be flown outdoors and exposed to sunlight and rain, an all weather flag should be purchased.

If a flag becomes damaged, it should be disposed of properly. According to flag protocol, the proper method of disposal for an American flag is respectful burning. A number of public service organizations such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Elks, and Boy Scouts are happy to assist with the proper disposal of flags.

Inexpensive Favors

2009-05-20T06:58:00.000-07:00

For your next Princess or Knight themed party, why not offer an attractive felt tiara or colorful crown as a favor? These tiaras and crowns sell like hotcakes. They are reasonably priced at $6.00 and are really cute. All are made of felt and have elastic bands to fit different sizes. The Princess tiara is made of padded felt and has the the word princess embroided on front with sequined flowers and dotted tulle. These have been so popular, that I am now offering a 5 point Queen's crown which is hot pink and slip-stitched with flowers on front. The boys crown is also very attractive with it's light and dark blue colors that is offset with a yellow star and band.

Table Linens

2009-05-12T09:43:00.000-07:00

When it comes to dressing a table, good looking linen is a must for me. From French jacquard linen to polyester blends that are wash and go, there's a look and price for every occasion. I use things that will add an elegance to a party or family event. One of my favorite Linen Rental Companies is La Tovola Linen. Located in Napa, they have locations in San Francisco and Beverly Hills. They offer a rich collection of fabric that is elegant, whimsical, traditional or unusal.

Mermaid Treasure Box

2009-04-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

Over my kid's Spring Break, my family and I headed to the Northern California coastline for some much needed rest and relaxation. The weather was very cold and extremely windy, but we had lots of fun anyway. We all love to comb the beaches for pretty shells and sea glass. The cottage that we stayed at was filled with lots of unique seashell treasures, and this inspired me to make my own treasure box. You can buy boxes and mirrors inexpensively from Michaels and assortment of shells online.

For children's parties, Michaels sells small wooden hinged boxes starting at $1.00. Depending on the age group, it might be best to prime and spray paint the boxes beforehand. You can then

have the children decorate the tops and sides with shells and glitter. Shells will need to be hot glued to the boxes so parent participation is a must.

The Cinderella Company

2009-03-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

Last year I reached out to another Bay Area Party Planner and asked her to collaborate on a new entertainment company, The Cinderella Company. Both of us had our fair share of "experiences" with the entertainment industry, so we saw the importance to take complete control of this area. As Event Planners selling fairytale to others, we feel that it is extremely important to offer “believable” characters that fit the part. All of our performers are talanted models, actors, and singers who love children and literally transform themselves to become your child's favorite storybook figure. Each performer is unique, and will magically appear in an authentic, beautifully crafted costume. They will surprise the birthday child and their friends with fairytales, fun activities, sparkling face painting ane more.

Welcome to Just Imagine Parties

2009-03-27T20:47:00.000-07:00

For a year and a half now, my friend Carolyn from CHS Creative Productions, down in Los Angeles has been encouraging me to create a blog. Not being a computer savvy individual, I fought the idea all the way. However, with the help of my 15 year old babysitter Melani, here it is! Thank you Mel; you're the best!!!