Beautiful Bluebirds – Our New Mother’s Day eCard

THANK YOU and all our love to you, Moms!

Why do we like to delight our mothers when we celebrate them? Certainly it’s to return the abundant affection we receive from them; how can you really ever pay all of that back? But I think there is also a touching, wonderful feeling when you surprise your mom with beauty or delight. It’s the breaking of the routine where Mom is the one who surprises us and provides wonder for us and creates events for us. We ALWAYS see Mom in control and working and creating.. so on this day the turnabout is charming to us to see her get the goodies instead.

It is a smart child who keeps their mother happy and delighted. Here’s a little help for you: Macy’s one day Mother’s Day sale online.

We are truly delighted with our new Mothers’ Day ecards this year. We have taken on a new animator, Amanda, who lives in Virginia and who has created the most lovely animation yet for this holiday. Have a look. Here’s a still from the card; if you click on it (below), you can see the beautiful animation play.

May you and your Mom have a splendid Mothers’ Day full of love.

from our new "Bluebirds for Mom" eCard

 

 

April, May, and Mother’s Day

April is always a weird month weather wise, isn’t it? Spring arrives and the flowers start to pop up, but then there’s a snow storm somewhere as though Winter is making a last ditch attempt to take over again. Even here at the Doozy offices in Los Angeles (please accept our profound apologies, those of you living in the snow belt), we are getting clouds and rain unheard of for this time of year… not that we aren’t grateful. In fact, you hear dozens of Angelinos exclaiming, “It’s just like back home in Nebraska/Pittsburgh/Memphis/Florida/Maine!”

Wasn’t it genius that Mother’s Day was set up for the second week in May? By then Spring and warm weather have established themselves firmly and the flowers are filling the air with color and scent, and the trees! Oh thank you to the trees whose green turns the world into bright happiness and optimism. It’s as though Mother Earth were caressing us with nature with the same smiling gentle love that our moms gave us when we were their adored toddlers. A perfect seasonal reflection of mother’s love.

We are working on a new Mothers Day card for you to send with one of our favorite animators  busy creating it. Here’s a hint: butterflies!

Meanwhile, here is one of our most popular cards for Mothers Day to whet your appetite for May’s beauty:

 

 


Y
ou can peruse all of our Mothers Day ecards by clicking here.  Happy Spring!

 

 

 

 

WHAT A DAY-light saving!

When you go to bed this Saturday night, remember to “Spring forward” for daylight saving time. It’s time to change the clocks! Are you ready for longer daylight hours? I love reading my Facebook newsfeed and my Twitter-feed around this time of year. Here’s why: friends in L.A. today were tweeting that the climate seemed confused – a little warm and chilly at different parts of the day. Friends on the East Coast were posting status updates about a sunny day in New York. March is the in-between month; people don’t seem to know what to do with the weather.

I am definitely ready for hot weather, sunshine, and swimming pools!

During my childhood, I always knew Spring had sprung when the white dogwood trees bloomed. What flower signaled Spring for you?

Maybe the Crocus? Or daffodil? Bennett, our Creative director is calling out to me as I write this, “Forsythia!” Regardless what blooms first in your region, you can send our daylight savings cards to tell everyone to get ready! Remind them with a “Spring forward” daylight savings ecard. We are introducing an extremely cute one this year, clock changing time. Have a peek and tell us what you think. See you in the sun!

 

 

 

Celebrate Purim

I love seeing the signs celebrating Purim outside local synagogues in my town. I looked into it, and I think there is about 128 synagogues in and around Los Angeles. I know that my friends that celebrate Purim especially love this holiday for their kids. Good food, celebrations, giving to charity, and fun costumes. I always send them Purim ecards to wish them well.

Some of my friends try to make  Hamantaschen pastries for this holiday, but I understand why some of them end up buying them instead…

In this New York Times article, it says they take two to three day to make! These days, I feel like I’m lucky if I find 20 minutes to bake a Dr. Oetker organic cake mix. I give kudos to anyone who devotes two to three days baking these Hamantaschen pastries. They do look delicious, though, filled with prunes or poppy seeds. The pastries are made to look like “Haman’s Hats,” and they represent the victorious escape of the Jewish people from being executed during their time in the Persian Empire, all due to the courage of Queen Ester. I am excited to support my friends celebrating this holiday, so I am going to send them Dancing Hamantaschen ecards and other Purim ecards.

March 8 at sundown, it begins and last for two days. I want to wish everyone a Happy Purim. The Jerusalem Post says that there will be carnivals in the streets of Jerusalem with colorful costumes, acrobats, and puppets. Hopefully you are having a celebration on your own neighborhood block. Just remember to clean up the confetti afterwards and send plenty of Purim ecards!

 

 

What to do on New Year’s Eve

In between Christmas and New Year’s, is a time I like to relax and reflect. We used to stress about what we’d do for December 31. Pressure was on; but this year I researched some fun ideas and want to share them with you.

1. Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve on ABC

Dick Clark, on the other hand, has been hosting the New Year’s Eve special on ABC for 40 years! Longer than I’ve been alive. Don’t you feel like he’s the Santa Claus of New Year’s?

   The big show begins at 10:00 p.m. E.T., and Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber are scheduled to perform. In 1972, Dick Clark hosted this inaugural show and competed with Guy Lombardo’s New Year’s Eve special which ended-up airing for 21 consecutive seasons since 1928. My family and I like to watch this live show broadcast from New York City with the famous ball drop!

 

2. Family Friendly Events

I found out about this nationwide event calld First Night USA – a nonprofit that offers “community spirit” celebrations in 23 states. These celebrations focus on arts and performance allowing families to enjoy a night of spectatorship in downtowns of cities across America like Council Bluff, Iowa, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, and Alexandria, Virginia. I love the idea of exposing my children to art and theatre and getting out of the house to explore this holiday night with other local families.

3. Cooking Dinner for Friends

I read this great article in the Washington Post by Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan called, An Intimate Dinner for Friends. It listed some apropos recipes for a calm night with close-knit friends including fennel-roasted salmon and cranberry tart. One New Year’s I had dinner with about five other friends, and as the clock struck midnight, we all went outside and banged on pots and pans under the moonlight. We felt genuine childlike joy as we made each other laugh clanging and marching around in a circle. This is a great tradition for New Year’s Eve.

 

 

4. Don’t forget Happy New Year Cards!

I like sending Happy New Year Cards on both the Eve and on January 1. I like the idea of my faraway cousins receiving Happy New Year Cards on their laptops while they watch New Year’s Day football on the tube; and I want my girlfriends to laugh at their Happy New Year Cards right before they make the Hoppin’ John black-eyed peas receipe for everyone to enjoy that day.

Let’s make a pact to not feel so pressurized this December 31. Hopefully I’ve offered some fun ideas for your New Year’s plans. Watch Dick Clark, revel in family-centric events, cook an intimate meal for friends, or send faraway loved ones Happy New Year Cards. Just make a choice, and do it!