Thinking Out Of The Box

Over and over again, we hear from parents how much they appreciate having us host their Beary Cute Party at their home. Lugging the kiddos into a busy mall is just not something they would consider. But what if you do not want to have a Beary Cute Party at your home? What then?

Here are some fun ideas on locations other than your home where we have hosted Beary Cute Parties in the past:






Indoor party centers (bounce house centers, community centers, schools, etc.)


* For example, on Saturday, March 13th, we will be hosting a Beary Cute Party at Goin' Bananas (a bounce house center) in South Austin. We will set up in one of the party rooms, and the party guests will be able to bounce and build their own Stuffables at their convenience. Perfect for the parent who wants to add a fun, hands-on activity to their party -- plus save on goodie bags!



* Community Centers: We have hosted Beary Cute Parties in community centers. Community centers are relatively inexpensive to rent or may even be free, depending on your specific location. This allows you to be close to home but still keep your party out of your home :)





* Schools: On Friday, March 12th, we will be hosting a Beary Cute Party at a local elementary school for Lorenzo. Lorenzo and all of his classmates will be able to choose from a variety of Lil' Critters and go home with a new friend. Fantastic idea! Lorenzo will be able to celebrate his birthday with his schoolmates, and chances are, he will be the talk of the school tomorrow!







* Parks: I am sure that most of us are waiting patiently for Spring and Summer! Warmer temperatures are so inviting and encourage us to be in the outdoors. We have hosted several Beary Cute Parties in parks!


As you can see, Beary Cute Parties are not limited to the inside of your home. You may even want to consider your backyard! At Beary Cute Stuffables, know that we offer you choices for your celebrations -- whether they are indoors or outdoors! Have a great day!

Sincerely,


Rita Aceves
Owner, Beary Cute Stuffables

Our donation to the people of Haiti

After the devastating earthquake that affected the people of Haiti and believing that any little bit helps, Beary Cute Stuffables decided to join efforts with our community.

We decided to donate $25 for every Hosted and DIY Beary Cute Party scheduled between January 15th and February 15th.

In one month, we scheduled 6 Beary Cute Parties and received an additional donation from a customer! With this, Beary Cute Stuffables will be donating $175 to the American Red Cross!

A very special thanks to Leah Herde, owner of Theo-Saurus, who upon scheduling her daughters' very own Hosted Beary Cute Party, decided to match our donation. Thank you, Ms. Herde!!!

We are very happy to be able to help those who need us the most. Have a great day, friends!

Rita Aceves
Owner, Beary Cute Stuffables

And the next prize is about fashion...

Schedule a DIY Beary Cute Party - anytime between today and Friday, February 12th - and receive 50% off outfits!


To schedule a DIY Beary Cute Party, an order form, as well as $50 party deposit, must be submitted to secure your order. Contact us for more information. Thank you!

Our Next Prize Is Dedicated To Our Local Fans....

If there is one thing that I have truly appreciated, especially in the last few days while planning my son's 6th birthday party, is that a party hostess is priceless!

Having someone host your child's birthday party is one less thing for parents to worry about. Worry about how much food to have for your party guests but don't worry about how to entertain the kiddos.

With this, we will be giving away myself...okay, not literally (because I love myself and love being with my family)...but when you schedule a Hosted Beary Cute Party, I will host your Beary Cute Party for FREE (a $30 savings!)

What is included with a Hosted Beary Cute Party?

- Set up of your Beary Cute Party
- A party game with prizes (for every participating guest)
- Party hosting
- Assist party guests throughout the party, where assistance is needed.
- Assist party guests with their bear certificates, encouraging each child to use their creativity and imagination on naming their Stuffables
- Personalize each take-home carrier
- Clean up bear stuffin' area


Our Local Fan Winner Is.....





SUSAN MALLARI -- Congratulations!!!

Our Next Prize and Winner Is.....

$10 off a DIY Beary Cute Party!!


Our DIY Beary Cute Parties ship nationwide!

Having a birthday party and need a funtastic party activity for your party guests? Offer them a Beary Cute Stuffable Kit, and they will have a blast building their own Stuffable!

Snowed in or stuck indoors due to the weather? Offer your child a Beary Cute Stuffable Kit which will offer a creative, hands-on activity!


Drum roll...............





Based on Random.org, the winner is:


Abbey Bilek Fatica



CONGRATULATIONS, ABBEY! Please leave your email in the comment below.

Congratulations to our first set of winners for Beary Cute Stuffables' 3rd Birthday Party!!

Dear Facebook Fans,

We, at Beary Cute Stuffables, love to start every party with a bang! Every Hosted Beary Cute Party begins with fun game with prizes for each guest. Of course, only the birthday mom knows that each child will receive a prize, but for the children, it's an awesome surprise!

For our Facebook Fans that RSVP'd "Yes" to attend Beary Cute Stuffables' 3rd Birthday Party, YOU, my friends, will ALL receive a:




5 Beary Cute Dollars$


Use it for an upcoming Hosted Beary Cute Party, for a DIY Beary Cute Party, or even an individual purchase. This is our gift to you for supporting us on this very special day!


If you find your name below, please comment on this page with your email address in order for me to send you your Beary Cute Dollars$$. You may also email me privately at Rita@BearyCuteStuffables.com with the subject line: Beary Cute Stuffables 3rd Birthday Party Winner


Abbey Bilek Fatica
Julia Levy
Shayla Deppen
Deborah Morales
Melissa Hollingsworth
Joy Leschber
Sarah Di Martino
De Anne Worley
Fernanda Dugan
Stephanie Ybarra
Carolina Scogin
Yasmine Kopita
Shirley Tynan
Nun Kim Ya
Susan McPherson
Kelly Oehler
Susan Mallari
Lucila Flores
Esther Castillo
Heather Wolff
Kat Campbell
Shannon Kilpatrick
Sunny Nelson
Erika Sears
Heidi Aldrich
Alexsandra McCoy
Lynda Jeffs
Christina Marquez
Erica Roberts
Oyuki Hall
Meghan Davies
Enrique Del Angel
Nicole Del Angel
Rebecca Barron
Sara Bogan


FYI: We will not spam you or even keep your email address. Because of Facebook's new guidelines on giveaways, we are moving the party to our blog and need a way to contact you. Thank you!!

Congratulations!! This is only the beginning of our fun-filled day! Thank you, again!

Bear Hugs,



Rita Aceves
Owner, Beary Cute Stuffables

It's our birthday...and we want to celebrate with you!

On Monday, February 8th, 2010, Beary Cute Stuffables will be celebrating 3 years of business! We are thrilled to be here - sharing laughs, smiles, and hugs with children (and adults, alike). We appreciate our fans so much that we're having a party...and giving YOU the gifts!

Come and join us as we celebrate this "beary" special occasion for our business! Make sure you RSVP on our Facebook Page. While you're there, make sure you become a Fan on our Facebook Fan Page!

See you at the party!

P.S. You do not need to be present to win!!

Beary Cute Stuffables and Haiti Earthquake Relief

Dear Friends,

As many of you are aware of by now, Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake to an already impoverished country. Volunteers from all over the world are coming together to help the people of Haiti.

This morning, as I saw the latest news on this horrible event, I felt compelled to do something. My family is blessed to have food on our table, to have a roof over our heads, to have life...

While Beary Cute Stuffables cannot make thousands of dollars in donations, we feel that any and all size donations will assist the people who are suffering and need us the most.


Starting today and through February 15th, Beary Cute Stuffables will be making a donation of $25 for every Hosted Beary Cute Party or DIY Beary Cute Party of 10+ that is scheduled. After February 15th, we will announce our contribution and will make our donation directly to the American Red Cross.


Thank you for being a part of the Beary Cute Stuffables Family! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us.


Hugs,


Rita Aceves
Owner, Beary Cute Stuffables

Thank you, 2009!

If you are like me, 2009 sped itself through the months...one by one...and here we are, December 29th! Like it or not, 2009 is about to end, and a new year is upon us.

So, what's new for 2010?


You've probably already had someone ask you, "What is your New Year's Resolution for 2010?".

Have you thought about it?


Yesterday, on our trip back home from spending the holidays with family, I realized I hadn't thought about my "New Year's Resolutions".

Well, I believe in setting goals.


Those of you that know me personally know that I believe in setting goals. With goals, you make yourself responsible for what direction you will go.

Life happens, but you do have a say in what direction it goes. If my goal is to lose weight, my goal may be to walk around the block once a day. If I don't set that goal, what motivation will I have to get up and get it done? If I want my business to grow, sitting in my office will not make it grow!

Get up and go...set goals.


As I look back on 2009, I realize the many things I have accomplished and those things I did not accomplish.

So, what's in store for 2010?



Building Relationships in 2010

My overall goal for 2010 is building my relationships....


with God: With God by my side, everything and anything is possible.

with my husband: In 2010, my husband and I will happily celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. He has been with me through it all, and for that, I love him dearly. He has given me two incredible, fascinating children.

with my children: Children simply grow too fast! Our children definitely keep me on my toes, but I would not have it any other way. I am blessed to have them in my life.

for Beary Cute Stuffables: Business has kept me busy through 2009, but building and strengthening business relationships is also important.


So whether you set goals or make New Year's Resolutions, don't forget that a new year is a great opportunity to set your life in a direction you want it to take...No goal is too small!


May 2010 allow you to burst out into the you that you've always wanted -- whether it be for yourself, for your family, or your business.

You are awesome -- know it, believe it, feel it, and live it TODAY!


Happy New Year from Beary Cute Stuffables

Party Planning: When to schedule your child's birthday party?

Most parents start planning their child's birthday party anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks in advance. Planning your party can be a time-consuming task. Here are some tips to make the most important celebration of the year run smoothly:

Tip #1: Basic rule:
Consider the activities that your child enjoys, i.e. bounce house, crafts, video games, dress up, stuffed animals, etc. If you are unsure what type of party to throw for your child, simply figure out what they enjoy best! It is very simple, and if you follow this basic rule, the chances that your child will have an incredible party are very high!

Tip #2: Location! Location!:
So you have figured out what type of party would best celebrate your child, now you must consider whether you want to host the party at your home or whether you would prefer the party to be held at a party location. Here are three (3) important things to consider:

Amount of Party Guests:

• Home: You may invite as many or as little amount of guests as you choose.
  
  
• Party Location: There may be set minimums you have to meet and/or you may have to pay for a set amount of children whether or not all attend, i.e. minimum of 25 required when only 15 attend.

Budget:

• Home: Stay on a budget and serve cake and juice boxes or serve a full meal -- it is your choice! It is always great to have choices.
  
  
• Party Location: Some party locations do allow for the birthday parents to bring all the typical birthday food, some restrict on certain types of food, and others do not offer parents an option and must purchase all food through them.
  
  No matter which you choose and if budget is important to you, make sure you stay on your ideal budget. Check your party locations' policies and fee schedule.

Cleaning: Honestly, this is probably the main reason parents choose to celebrate their children at a party location. Very understandable!

• Home: The cleaning is obviously your responsibility.
  
  
• Party Location: The party location staff cleans up after your party.
  
  Consider your options and what is most important to you: If you want to stay on a budget and keep costs down, cleaning up after your party may not be too much of a hassle. If you absolutely do not want to worry about any cleaning, then a party location is probably the best way to go.

Tip #3: Scheduling Your Party:
Do you wait until the last minute to schedule your party? Do you schedule your birthday parties one year in advance? Relax, we have all been there!

Once you have decided on your party location, date, and time, make sure you contact the party location for availability (if hosting your party outside your home). As an example, yesterday, within one hours' time, we received two phone calls from two different parents requesting the same date for their child's Beary Cute Party. Reserving your party date is very important in order to secure your ideal date and time.

Tip #4: It's all about your child:
No matter what type of celebration you choose, small with a few close friends or all your child's classmates and friends, what is important is that your child has a great time. As parents, we only want the very best for our children as it should be. Children grow very fast, and the memories from your child's celebration are priceless.

Have a great day!

LAST DAY! Back 2 School Weekend Promotion for Beary Cute Stuffables Fans

Panda is trying out her favorite outfit and shoes for her very first day of school! She chose the Princess Hooded Outfit with Pink and White Zipper Shoes.



The Pink and White Zipper Shoes are her favorite because of the cute teddy bear cutout on the zipper portion of the shoe -- how cute!!



Last-minute back to school shopping is in full swing, and if you live in Texas, some of you will be enjoying tax-free weekend starting tomorrow through Sunday. Read below:

Limited Edition Beary Stylin' Stuffable Kit

ANY Large Stuffable
ANY Deluxe Large Stuffable Outfit
ONE pair of Zipper Shoes (pink w/white or blue w/white)
ONE T-Shirt of your choice (white, pink, or blue)

For ONLY $24


Texas Fans: Enjoy a tax-free purchase with us too! We'll pay the tax for you!

Out-of-state Fans: A 5 Beary Cute Dollars$ Gift Card will be included with your purchase (valid on future order)






Are you considering having a Beary Cute Party (Hosted or DIY) for your child? THIS is the weekend to schedule your Beary Cute Party!

If you schedule a Beary Cute Party (Hosted or DIY) during this promotion, we'll pay the taxes for you!* A $50 Beary Cute Party Deposit is required to schedule a Beary Cute Party.**








Sending our children back to school may be a stressful time for us parents. An idea to help you and your child create a special memory of the last few days of summer is, to have a special "Mommy, Me, and My Stuffable" time or "Daddy, Me, and My Stuffable" time!

Spend some quality time with your child, encourage team work, and take turns building your own stuffed animal. With this, you may want to have your new Stuffable "go on a field trip" with your child to their first day of school. Place your Stuffable in your child's backpack, and remind them that they can give their Stuffable a hug and remember of the special time you and they had.

If you have any questions regarding our promotion, please feel free to give us a call at (512) 608-4085 or email us at Rita@BearyCuteStuffables.com. Feel free to visit ourwebsite to view the variety of Large Stuffables available. Have a great weekend!


Special Notes: * Beary Cute Party may be scheduled for a future date but party deposit must be paid by Sunday, August 23rd at midnight. ** The $50 Beary Cute Party Deposit will be credited towards your party balance on the day of your party/delivery. Beary Cute Dollars$ may be used on Beary Cute Parties. Beary Cute Dollars$ cannot be used on the purchase of the Limited Edition Beary Stylin' Stuffable Kit.

Promotion begins Friday, August 21st, and ends on Sunday, August 23rd at midnight CST

Vote For Beary Cute Stuffables

Support Beary Cute Stuffables in the 2009 StartupNation Home-Based Business Competition

Posted using ShareThis

FREE Outfit Giveaway for Beary Cute Stuffables Facebook Fan

Are you a Beary Cute Stuffables™ Facebook Fan?




As parents ourselves, we understand that many parents are busy purchasing back to school supplies and school clothes for our children. But have you considered your child's favorite stuffed animal??



What about them?

They need clothes too!

Your child's favorite stuffed animal is always there to offer them hugs and kisses, walk with them to the park, tag along with them to the pool, or have a tea party!

As our way of thanking you for being a Beary Cute Stuffables™ Facebook Fan, we are giving one fan a Set of (4) Four Deluxe Outfits !

Here are a few examples:




Our Large Stuffable Deluxe Outfits fit most 15-17 inch stuffed animals.

One lucky winner will choose (4) Large Stuffable Outfits of their choice, based on our current inventory. Visit our website to view our current Large Stuffable Deluxe Outfit inventory.


** Contest begins Monday, July 27th at 11:59 pm and ends on Friday, July 31st, at 11:59 pm. Contest valid for ALL Beary Cute Stuffables™ Fans on Facebook, including current fans.



Have a Beary Cute Stuffables™ Day!

Beary Cute Back To School Celebration

August is right around the corner. Every year, store circulars advertising their "back to school" promotions is my first sign that it is time to start realizing summer is coming to a close.

If you are a mom, like me, the end of summer is filled with mixed emotions. Some parents look forward to the first day of school and others dread the very mention of that day. Personally, our youngest is entering Kindergarten, and it is a struggle for me to find the balance of being strong and positive and not showing my true emotions. When our oldest entered Kindergarten, he was so excited that I fed off his eagerness, and the first day of school was a breeze!

Here is a fun way to smooth into the back to school reality (for both children and parents alike):

Beary Cute Back To School Celebration

A fun way to get your children excited about the first day of school is to invite your child's former classmates and gather for some bear stuffin' fun!

Parents can spend time with other parents who may also be experiencing the "back to school" blues.

This is a great way for children to touch base with their classmates and start talking school!


Our wishing star ceremony reads:

"We'll share smiles and laughter and even some tears. I promise to love you throughout the years. No matter the year, or the month, or the day, I wish for good times to come our way!"

On the first day of school, children will wake up with their Beary Cute Stuffable and remember the promise that they made and hopefully ease them into their first day of school. Perhaps, they can even take their Stuffable with them on their exciting day -- as a journey!

Gather your child's neighborhood friends and invite them to a Beary Cute Back To School Celebration! Here are some great ideas on how to organize:






- Hosted Cul-de-sac/Block Party: Schedule us to set up our "Stuffin' Zone". Parents and children can make their very own purchases and enjoy the party! No cost committment for you. Minimum of 6 guests required. Hosting fee required.

- Local DIY Cul-de-sac/Block Party: We can set up a FREE Personalized Party Page on our website. Parents and their children visit our website and make their selections. We deliver your order days prior to your event! Again, no cost commitment for you. No minimum guests required. No hosting fee required. Delivery charge may apply.

- Hosted Home Beary Cute Party: In the comfort of your home, we are able to host a Beary Cute Party, filled with games and prizes, wishing star ceremony, as well as bear certificate naming ceremony. Minimum of 6 guests required. Hosting fee required.

- Not local to the Austin, Texas, area?: Not a problem! We ship our DIY Beary Cute Parties nationwide! Delivery fees apply.





Remember one thing: Our children always sense what we are feeling. If they sense that we are sad or stressed, they will begin their day knowing this. If they know you are excited for them and proud, their first day will begin with confidence. Best of luck, parents!

Chance of Rain

Here we are...it's Friday, and the Austin area FINALLY has a chance of rain! After neverending, three-digit degree temperatures, it seems we may have a slight opportunity to be outdoors without melting away.

Today, I have a busy day scheduled to deliver DIY Beary Cute Parties, go to my favorite store, Super Target, and take the kiddos to Chuck E Cheese. (Yes, not my favorite place to go to, but the boys REALLY want to go.)

What's a mom to do?

In the busy, multitasking day of a WAHM, sometimes we just need to put everything aside for what should be the main focus of our life: our children.

As the summer dwindles down and the start of a new school year is upon us, I tend to realize what little time I have left to enjoy the "crazy days of summer": Last night, as my husband was headed to bed, the boys and I decided we wanted to "rumble tumble" with The Daddio.

There we were, midnight, and a family of four just being crazy and having some fun: M "cannon- balled my husband, and C protected me as usual from M's thunderous feet -- it was sooo funny!

Yet, it is times like these that remind me that summer is slowly coming to an end. Before I know it, it'll be back to waking up at 6 am, packing lunches, and getting the kids ready for their first day of school.

Am I ready for our youngest to enter Kindergarten? No. Is a mother EVER prepared to walk their youngest into their first day of school? No.

If you're a mom, just like me, stop -- just stop -- what you're doing and focus on what's truly important in life -- our children. Before we know it, they grow up, and we don't want to look back and wish we had spent more time with them...if only I could take back time!

So, I'm taking the boys to Chuck E Cheese today because there's a chance of rain and because nothing can be more important than enjoying the time that we have.

Be blessed and have a fantastic weekend!

Congratulations to our winners!!

We had a tie for our contest, so we have two winners!!


Erika Sears and Sara Bogan


These two ladies will each be receiving a DIY Beary Cute Party for 4! Our hope is that their kiddos will have a blast with their Beary Cute Party

Stay tuned for future contests...and congratulations to these ladies!


P.S. If you're blessed to be a mother, make sure you visit @SaraBogan on Twitter.

"It's Too Hot Outside -- Let's Party" Giveaway

We're having triple-digit heat here in Texas, and staying indoors seems to be pretty popular at our house. Keeping the kiddos entertained with crafty activities and fun games is a daily opportunity to expand their growing minds.

With this, we want to give away an "It's Too Hot Outside -- Let's Party!" party for your child and three of their guests! A DIY Beary Cute Party!

One (1) Lucky Winner Will Win: One DIY Beary Cute Party for 4!!

DIY Beary Cute Party for 4 Includes:

(4) Unstuffed animals (Shamu, Dolphin, or MooCow)
(4) Packages of Stuffing
(4) Stuffing Stick
(4) Wishing Stars
(4) Easy-To-Understand Instructions
(4) Bear Certificates
(4) Take-Home Carriers


Contest Guidelines: Choose between Large Stuffable Shamu, Large Stuffable Dolphin, or Large Stuffable MooCow. You may mix n' match or choose all the same -- your choice! Contest ends at 11:59 on Tuesday, July 14th.

To Enter:

Visit Beary Cute Stuffables and browse through our Stuffables. Return to our blog and comment which Stuffable is you or your child's favorite. Don't forget to include your email in your comment in case you are the winner!

Interested in more entries?

2 Entries = Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BearyCuteParty

2 Entries = Become our Fan on Facebook at http://bit.ly/wu1VX

3 Entries = Join our Birthday Club by visiting our website.

3 Entries = Follow our Blog with Google Friend Connect.

5 Entries = Grab our button for your website or blog.

5 Entries = Blog about our giveaway on your blog and post the link in our comment section.

10 Entries = Tweet away our giveaway!

Good luck!

A very special celebration...for a special group of children

An example of how we can customize our Beary Cute Parties/Workshops for you:

Back in May, it was our 5 year olds' last day of preschool, and even though he had hand picked his gift and card for his incredible teacher, Ms. D, I had a light bulb moment in the middle of the night about a special way to celebrate his preschool graduation:

A Surprise Beary Cute Workshops for ALL his preschool friends!!

With most of his friends going to different schools, it saddened me to know our son will no longer see his best friends every week. They created special bonds, memories, and grew in God's word.

This morning, Mrs. D selected her favorite Stuffable, a Husky, but I advised her she would not be able to hand stuff her Stuffable -- ???

In turn, every student took turns putting a small piece of stuffing in Mrs. D's Husky; this way, Mrs. D would always have a little "piece" of every student close to her heart. During our "Wishing Star Ceremony", where every child selects their favorite wishing star and makes a wish, each student was given the opportunity to make a special wish/thank you upon their star for Mrs. D.

When Mrs. D looks back, she will always know that each of her students helped build her Husky and is filled with wishes and love from each of her students!

The children then started stuffing their own selections -- Huskies, Chihuahuas, and Pinky Bear were the favorites!

To finalize the workshop, as every child raised their stars, Mrs. D said a special prayer for each "Prayer Star". I advised each child that if ever they felt frightened or nervous -- say, on the first day of school -- to hug their Stuffable and know that they always had special wishes and a prayer from Mrs. D. right there with them.

A special workshop for such a special group of children...