Interestingly enough, the most popular Pinterest content that is from my blog comes from my post on the Super Mario Bros. themed baby shower my mom and I threw for my sister-in-law -- and the related gifts for my nephew.  I was contacted recently about where I got the invites, and decided I should post some more helpful links if you'd like to create your own. Here's a look at the invitation design:


I went through several iterations of Mario-themed designs before I landed on this one. Somehow I found a website with a bunch of screen images from Super Mario Bros. 3 -- I cannot recall the site now. I had to edit the image to remove the original starting text so I could add my own, and a few other tweaks to format it properly for the invite.

I also did a search for related fonts to try to get something close to what is used in the game, but that I could write my own text with. The font I ended up using for the title is called Super Mario 256, and you can download it here. For the second line, I used a font aptly called Super Mario Bros. 3, which you can get here. If you've never downloaded new fonts before, it's super simple. Save the file wherever you like, then right-click the file and select "Install". It's done in a second and the font will now show up in your font list in any application on your computer.

For the Start Menu / Details text I used the System font that was already installed, and which I believe comes standard with a Windows machine. I just used a black stroke/outline on the text to create the right look. This is also the font I used for the RSVP and registration text.

Now, to get you started creating your own awesome baby shower invites, I'll include below a blank jpeg image file which you can save and use any image editing program to simply add your own text -- I highly recommend using the fonts outlined above or something similar for maximum effect. Right-click the image below to save to your computer and get started!


If you happen to have Photoshop, I'll make it even easier for you. Click here to download the editable Photoshop file. Simply replace my invite text with your own.

The image file is 6" wide by 4" tall - so it's an easy standard size to either print off at home on a photo printer or have sent to whatever store of your preference to have them printed off for you. Add your text. Save. Print. Send out your new awesome invites and have fun at the party!

Okay, so this isn't actually a stop on our brew tour, but it's something I have to share.  Last year, Tom attempted to brew his own beer for the first time.  He enjoyed the process and actually ended up making three different batches.  I think the first batch may be all gone now, but he still has some left from batch #2 and batch #3.  He recently gave a name to batch #2, stemming from the fact that it sat around in our basement for over a year -- after getting one bad bottle from that batch, Tom wasn't sure he really wanted to drink the rest of it.  And, thus it earned the name "Basement Creeper."  He now claims that only some of the bottles were affected and the beer is good for drinking!

I liked the name so much that I decided it needed it's own label design.  So, I made one:

Be careful going down those stairs!

The Basement Creeper is a Belgian Strong Ale, which I should probably add to the label, but I was just having fun with the design!

I couldn't stop there, of course.  Tom had said a while back that his beers were "Thom Bomb" brews, so I decided he also needed a logo for his home "brewery":

And, yes, that's a hop turned into a bomb

Finally, I made a design for his batch #3 beer -- a wheat beer, which he named "Barley Popp"

New credenza - the room is starting to come together!

Yeah, the track lighting should probably go, too.

First - the original photograph: a tree at my dad's house

And now, the final outcome. Behold, the wonders of Photoshop!