In addition to the FREE version, and the Premium Edition, I have just created and posted the Ajira Airlines version of the Lost Boarding Pass Invitation which you can get to from the Products Page.

There’s also a new modification of the Premium Edition that allows you to replace Hurley’s photo with a photo of your guest, or a photo of the host, or anything you want.  Just make sure the layer you add to the graphic is 190 X 190 pixels in size to fit the frame of the design.

Have you already customized your invitation?  I’d love to see what you’ve done.  I’ll even showcase it on the site and point back to your blog or website!

A special thanks goes out to Courtney Contey of Adirondack Dream Homes who recently purchased the Premium Boarding Pass and tipped me off to an inherent design flaw.

The boarding pass was designed using Fireworks 8 from the Macromedia Studio 8 Suite which is severely outdated, yet usually compatible with some of the free graphic editors out there.  When Courtney called me to ask me how to edit the layers so she could put the right name on the invitation, I mentioned that she needed to know how to edit graphics with layers, and that she needed software that could do so.  She downloaded the widely popular GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) which is a free image editing package to find that the graphic wouldn’t open in multiple-layers.  I tried as well, and it just wouldn’t work for me, but I’m an inexperienced GIMP user, so perhaps I’m missing something.

I’m sure this must have been quite frustrating for her.  Through a connection at work, she was able to open the file in Photoshop, but not everyone has Photoshop, and my goal is to make this as easy as I can within my own skill set (i’m not a programmer, I’m a visual guy) and to not have it cost you a fortune.

Solution

I poked around for a few minutes and figured out that I could in fact save the PNG file straight out of Fireworks in Photoshop format (*.PSD.)  So that’s what I’ve done.

If in the past you downloaded the free version and were unable to manipulate it due to file compatibility constraints, I have re-placed the original with a new Photoshop version.

Ladies and Gentlemen, after two solid seasons of successful Boarding Pass Downloads from over 3000 individuals, I am thrilled to announce the release of an ALL NEW SEASON 6 BOARDING PASS INVITATION in honor of the final season of LOST on ABC.  If you’re getting ready to host a party, you’ll not want to miss out on this!

Download and customize your boarding pass invitation today and be the talk of the party.  Print and anonymously mail or e-mail your invitations to all of your party-hardy pals and they’ll be shocked when they receive it!

Download your FREE copy today, OR purchase the premium edition for the low, low price of only $7.95.

For the season 4 finale, we decided to put together some poems which I captured using a really horrible Palm Treo video camera.

Here is the resulting set of videos, broken into two parts:

Introduction

This FREE Boarding Pass Invitation is a custom designed image created in Macromedia Fireworks Studio 8. It was designed to look and feel just like a real boarding pass and looks quite authentic when customized and printed, especially when printed on card-stock. It was recently converted to Photoshop format.

Theme and Features

The entire boarding pass was designed to correspond with various themes from the hit TV show LOST on ABC. From flight number, to the mysterious hatch numbers, and the travel route, LOST was the focus. When you download this free boarding pass, you are downloading the LOST Boarding pass as is, with “Lost Guest” as the recipient. Simply print and send to someone for this year’s season premiere party.

When you purchase the Premium Edition for only $4.95, you will have full access to all of the available editable layers of the original graphic which will allow you to change enough elements to theme your boarding pass on a completely different premise, and you have unlimited use of the image provided you do not resell it.

Please note, a firm understanding of photo editing software is required in order to make custom design changes to the Premium Version.

SPOILER ALERT! LOST is a very addictive television series.  As a result, a cult following has emerged over the course of the past 5 seasons.  If you have been recently bitten by the LOST bug, but you’re not yet through Season 3, it is likely that the information here will be more than you’re ready to know.  This is your fair warning.

Prior to the season 4 premier of LOST on ABC, Carson and I began planning a themed LOST party that would include a prop contest.  As usual, our creative group of friends pulled out all the stops.  Since it was such a huge success, and we had such a great time researching, creating, and hosting the party, Carson decided to publish a “how to” guide by sharing our experience with the world.

Feel free to adapt any of these ideas for LOST or any other television series or themed party that you may throw.

How to Throw a LOST TV Show Theme Party

The first thing any self-respecting LOST party needs is an array of “DHARMA” product labels, most notably for the beer.  We located the labels {Dharma Beer Label (2493)}, and replaced the manufacturer’s labels, giving us an authentic DHARMA brew.

Next, if you’re really serious about surprising your guests, your food for the evening should be LOST or ISLAND themed.  Ours was “Taco Night” with mango salsa & chips for the appetizer.  Dessert was a combination of tropical flavored sorbet from Costco, and hand crafted DHARMA fish biscuit cookies.

The décor for the evening was creative on a budget.  Had we more time and money, we would have been able to implement some serious Hollywood style decorations.  Unfortunately, we didn’t come up with the idea until it was too close to the premier, however, what we did do was good enough.

Around the television was an assortment of suitcases with clothing hanging out.  Coconuts, Mangoes, and Papayas were strewn throughout the house as well as various boxes with DHARMA logos, including a supply drop.  The inside of the guest bathroom door and the exit doors had QUARANTEEN signs attached them.  Using a digital photo frame, Carson uploaded various images from the Brainwashing scene.

For an obsessed group of LOST fans, open up the party to the idea of costumes or props from the show.  We held a prop contest and voted on the winner.  A few people showed up in costume as well.  The winner of the prop contest won a Beanie Baby Polar Bear.

Some of you may think we’re a bit obsessive and that we need to get lives.  Get over it.  We only live once.  Enjoy it.  When all was said and done, everyone had a really good time being total TV nerds for one night.

Below are some prop and decoration ideas that you can use for your next LOST Theme party.

Props and Decorations

Handcuffs (Spencer’s)
Toy Plane (Hobby Lobby, KB Toys)
Sand & Shells
Power Cable (Home Depot)
Luggage with Clothing
Backpacks with Dynamite (spray paint, papier mache candles)
Tropical Fruits (coconut, papaya, mango)
S.O.S Message In A bottle
DHARMA – Ranch Composite, Beer, Supply Boxes, Cans, Boxes, etc.
Other Hidden Dharma Logos (toilet paper, remote control, etc)
Stuffed Polar Bear
‘Driveshaft’ album
Guitar w ‘Driveshaft’ Stickers
Pearl Station Pneumatic Tube & Notation Booklet (create using a large water bottle)
Stuffed White Rabbit painted with 15 or 8
Diorama scene (sand & shells for beach)
Digital Photo Slideshow (screenshots & pics using your computer or digital picture frame)
Quarantine Signs on Exits (use a textured spray-paint for cool effects)
Boardgames: Backgammon & Connect 4
Hurley’s Comic Book (purchase online or re-create)
Download Hatch Computer Clock (recommend Yahoo widget version here)
Fish Biscuit Cookies
Apollo Chocolate Bars (print and wrap around Hershey bars)
Virgin Mary Statue w Heroin bags (obviously fake)
Hurley’s Golf Flag (long branch with red surf shorts)
Caged Sawyer & Kate cut-outs (dog kennels work well)
Strap a homing beacon to your dog
Eko’s stick (good luck)

Food and Beverages

Fresh tropical fruit (pineapple, mango, papaya)
Themed drinks (daiquiri, pina colada, mai tai, mini liquor bottles, MacCutcheon Scotch, served in halved coconuts)
Taco Night
Mango Salsa
Mr. Cluck’s Fried Chicken (slap logos on KFC or Church’s)
Dharma products
Apollo Chocolate Bars
Tropical sorbets
Sushi (sea urchin? …eww)
Airplane food trays (could use frozen dinners)

COSTUME IDEAS
Dharma workers (jump suits, syringes, beer)
Charlie (F.A.T.E. on fingers, ‘Not Penny’s Boat’ on hand, hoodie, checker vans, guitar)
Kate (plane in envelope, handcuffs, orange juice w white powder, wedding dress)
Jack (shaved head, scratches on face, mini liquor bottles, black suit)
Locke (khaki pants, bald head, large knife, bowl of orange paste, wheelchair)
Sawyer (long hair, suitcase full of monopoly money, hoard of medicine, hand-written note)
Sayid (long curly black hair, tank-top, transmitter, pictures of Nadia)
Rousseau (rifle, tank-top, music box, notes)
Ethan (crazy hair cut, Wisconsin hoodie, syringe)

NEW YORK – Investigators have uncovered unbelievable new evidence in the recent flight incident in the Hudson River. Previously thought to have been downed by a flock of birds shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia, what officials had originally identified as US Airways Flight 1549 was in fact not involved in a mid-air collision with birds and was also discovered not actually to be a US Airways aircraft. Flight 1549’s current whereabouts are unknown, causing concern for the families and friends of the passengers aboard. In the early morning hours of Saturday, January 17th, as divers were retrieving the black box, a flight recorder installed in all commercial aircraft, an unprecedented discovery was made outside of the cabin as the pilot of a rescue Zodiak noticed a tear in the US Airways logo near the right wing exit. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the US Airways identification was a decal covering up the true identity of the aircraft, a decommissioned Oceanic Airlines Airbus A320 hybrid. Upon further investigation, it was discovered inside the cabin as NTSB dive master Colonel H.M. Hornacek III entered the plane that “there was no way the plane could have been carrying passengers. There are no seats from the cockpit to the rear of the plane.” Hornacek also described the cockpit as “violently damaged, as though something had vandalized it severely.” This obviously raises questions regarding the origin of the “passengers” who were rescued and the validity of their accounts has been under scrutiny by the NTSB since the discovery.

Officials aren’t sure what to make of the situation at this point, but will release more information as it is uncovered.

In another report, the free availability of the popular Lost Boarding Pass Invitation that thousands of people have downloaded has created opportunity for you to hold a Lost Themed Party like no other. The Season 5 Premier of LOST on ABC is scheduled for this coming Wednesday, so you’ll want to make sure you get your copy of the invitation for your event now, so you have time to print and deliver it.

Since so many of you have requested it for LOST events, birthday parties, weddings, anniversaries, you name it, I am hoping some of you will return to post your story here so we can all share in the fun.

LOST on ABC PARTY REPORTS

We’re looking for your report this season! Download the boarding pass, send it out as an invitation, throw a killer LOST theme party, take lots of pictures, and I’ll post them all here along with ours. We want to bring the fanatics together!

LOST Poetry Video

Season 4 ended with a bang at our LOST Season 4 Series Finale party where we recited some pretty creative poems with LOST as the theme. I’ll be posting the video here on Wednesday sometime before the premier. If you’d like to be notified when the video is posted, submit your e-mail address in the following form and you’ll receive an announcement.

LOST on ABC Season 4 Premier Party

Need some ideas for the LOST on ABC season 5 premier? Then read about our Season 4 Premier.

This year, we’re hosting yet another premier party, only this time, we’re going for “best costume.” The catch is that the costumes will be modeled after a thing rather than a person, or a situation. Anyone can dress up as a character. This time, we’re dressing up as situations, things, or places, or characters in a particular situation.

As usual, we’ll have lots of pictures, and I’m sure we’ll give those of you who miss out on a great theme party the opportunity to think about this season’s finale!