ttyl

Hey, party people. The Evite Blog will be taking a hiatus while we're working on some exciting new things.

While we're away, check out some of our favorite blog posts to keep you inspired for your next party:

• Watermelon + power tools + alcohol = AWESOME! A watermelon keg keeps the good times flowing.

• Knives: Great gifts or bad luck? We discuss the superstition and let users weigh in.

• Everyone likes a good dip. Find out what happened when we made our Sweet Seven Layer Dip.

• Is having a second baby shower perfectly acceptable or a party faux pas?

• Turn a science project into spiked slushies. We tell you how to impress your guests with a block of dry ice and a bottle of booze.

• Peanut butter, good. Jelly, good. Cupcakes, goooood. Our PB&J Cupcake recipe is perfect for both the young and the young at heart.

• Get glowing party décor with nothing more than paper bags, sand and candles.

hey, mr. dj, put a record on

Like this design? Create an Evite invitation with this image.

Are you adding music playlists to your invitations? Here's why we love them: It's not just the host who gets to play DJ — guests can also add songs to create the perfect party soundtrack.

Setting it up is easy. When you're entering your party details, open the invitation options and select "Add Music Playlist." Follow the instructions to search our music database and add your songs.

Rock out while you check out the invitation's guest list and leave your comment. And hosts, you can use these songs as requests to help you decide what to play at your event. Handy!

Wanna know what songs are on other people's playlists? Here's the current top 10.

10. Girls Just Want to Have Fun — Cyndi Lauper
9. Happy Birthday — Stevie Wonder
8. Just Dance — Lady Gaga
7. I Kissed a Girl — Katy Perry
6. Round Round — Flo Rida
5. If I Were a Boy — Beyonce
4. Celebration — Kool & the Gang
3. I'm Yours — Jason Mraz
2. Hot 'N Cold — Katy Perry
1. Poker Face — Lady Gaga

Requests? Long-distance dedications? Let us know in the comments....

think fast

Half the fun of sending an Evite invitation is choosing the perfect design. There are so many of them to choose from (more than 1,400, to be somewhat exact)! On the other hand, there are so many of them to choose from. Did you ever wish that you could find just a few awesome invitation designs that were exactly what you were looking for? If so, you're going to love our new Fast Track Party Planner.

Select the type of event you're planning (birthday for her or him, cocktail party, dinner party or girls' night), then take the super-fun quiz. In just a few clicks, you'll get a page of invitation designs that suit your style. Be warned: You might want to take the quiz again and again.

In addition to finding the perfect invite, you'll also get helpful links to our party guides as well as suggested supplies from our party store, thus making your planning a little simpler and a lot more fun.

new! post your parties on facebook

You like to party. We like to help you do it. That's why we've added two easy ways to invite your Facebook friends to your events.

Here's how: Once you send your Evite invitation, you'll see the confirmation page (above) with that enticing blue button.... Just click it and you're off.

Choose "Send a Message" to deliver your invitation to your friends' Facebook inboxes.
Key usage: inviting people when you don't have their email addresses handy and don't have them in your Evite Contacts.

Choose "Post to Profile" if you want a quick way to spread your event to the masses.
Key usage: when you want to open up the guest list to a bigger group. Your friends can click the post on your wall to view your Evite invitation and add themselves to the guest list.

surprise, surprise

Like this design? Create an Evite invitation with this image.

Apparently Evite users really like surprises! For the past few weeks, the invitation design above has been holding strong in our top five most popular templates. Truth be told, this invitation is one of our current faves too — we love the shades of gray and the fact that it's gender neutral. But who knew so many of you were throwing surprise parties? Frankly, we're just a little... surprised.

For anyone who is planning a surprise party, be sure to check out our tips for making sure your surprise party stays a surprise. And keep checking back for more cool surprise party invitations!

new evite feature: kid and adult rsvps

Like this design? Create an Evite invitation with this image.

When you're hosting a party with kids and adults, there are additional factors to consider, like how much kid-friendly food to have on hand, the number of goody bags to make and how many places to set at the kiddie table. Misjudge your guest list and you can have, in a word, pandemonium.

Or, if you're lucky, you'll have panda-monium, which, as you see above, is far cuter, calmer and more cuddly than the traditional chaos.

To help cut down on the drama and make your party-planning easier, we've added a new feature to your invitations: RSVP totals for kids and adults.

Here's how it works:

When creating your invitation, check "Allow guests to indicate number of kids attending."

As guests RSVP, they'll specify the number of adults and kids they're bringing.

The totals will be tabulated for you at the top of your guest list -- no math required!

count on us

Like this design? Create an Evite invitation with this image.

Today is Earth Day and everyone wants to know, what have you done for Earth lately? Well, you can add at least one thing to your eco tally: By sending Evite invitations instead of paper invitations for your events, you're contributing to the number of trees saved by using Evite this year. Cool, huh? And to put it into quantifiable terms for you, we've added the handy counter below to our homepage.

evite on the office!

Did you see Evite on The Office last night? Even Michael Scott has problems with people viewing his Evite invitation and not responding, but he doesn't let it get him down. Watch the video to catch our prime-time shout out.

spring into action

Spring is finally, finally sproinging up all around us — days are longer, flowers are blooming, birds are singing, music is blasting out of open car windows, and the lure of the grill and outdoor parties is getting ever stronger.

In other words, no, it's not just you. We're all craving a little sun and some laidback, good times after this tough winter. And what better way to kick things off than with a sunny, springy invitation design? I know exactly where you can find some. Click an image to start creating your invitation!

Light up an outdoor party....

Hip up your house party....

Brighten up any event with a sunny color and traditional style....

Batter up for baseball season....

Set a sweet tone....

Add some pop to your party....

new! evite party store

Introducing...our new party store! We've partnered with the best party stores in the biz to help you find exactly what you need in a few quick clicks!

We've even organized the supplies in the ways you like to search:

• For the grab-and-go type: We've hand-selected new and noteworthy items, as well as seasonal supplies, for all of your upcoming events. Click-click-done. Now check this off your list!
• For inspiration seekers: Browse through our extensive collection of party supplies and favors to spark new ideas — we've grouped them by occasion, theme and color to make it easier for you.
• For busy moms looking for that extra-special touch: Matching Evite invitations and party supplies for your kids' party theme! You'll save time searching for the right invitation and tie the whole party together.

We hope you'll like the store. Check it out regularly — we're adding new stuff all the time.