Napa Valley - Save the Dates

Brooke's wedding is being held at the Beaulieu Garden in Napa Valley. A gorgeous setting for an outdoor wedding. She wanted her save the dates to have a rustic, but soft, romantic and a European feel. Many of Brooke's guests are coming from all over the country so she also liked the idea of doing a vintage travel theme. Instead of the typical grapes and vines that you often see with a wine country wedding, Brooke is using olive branches throughout her decor, and wanted to incorporate them into her save the dates as well.

She chose the super soft and luxurious cotton paper.

We also did custom olive branch stamps, with translucent envelopes and fun wrap around mailing labels.

Colorado - Save the Date, Represent Your State

Hillary really liked my Santa Fe save the dates and wanted to recreate something similar for her Colorado wedding. Complete with mountain scenery and columbines. (Colorado's state flower).

Her wedding is taking place on a ranch in Telluride. She wanted her save the dates to have that rustic feel. We went with craft paper and the ever popular vintage map mailing labels.

Spanish Style Wedding Accessories

Andrea's beautiful wedding accessories to compliment her Spanish Style invitations.

Her color palette is full of rich wines, golds and plums, so for her accessories, we went with a deep plum with gold foil and thermography details.

The menus were die-cut to fit chargers, and are gold foiled, using the same ornate, iron work pattern from her invitations.

Wedding programs were printed on soft cotton paper, then rolled and tied together with gold ribbon.

The weekend itinerary booklet was printed with gold thermography and a timeline of events for the wedding day.

My Momma

Isn't she pretty. One of my favorite pictures.

When I Had Skillz

To finish up my week of looking back on my college days. I thought I would share some more of my artwork. These were assignments that I had to do for Drawing 101. It was a class where you touched on all different subjects for drawing, such a collage, still life, and yes, nudes. My first experience with nude drawing was insane! Lets just say, body glitter, a piercing where it shouldn't have been and something else that I do not think it would be appropriate for me to elaborate here on this forum! Lucky for you, I will not be posting any of my sketches from that session!

I wish my hand drawing skills were what they used to be. That is something I have to practice at. I do not have the natural talent that some do, but I thought it was a good effort. :) The majority of my work is done on a computer, therefore, my hand drawing skills have really diminished. Even my handwriting is terrible. In school they really encourage you you to sketch out your ideas first and then bring them to life with your design software so that you don't get out of practice of hand drawing. I used to do this, but I admit, I have gotten very lazy and skip that step and go right to the computer. Perhaps that will be something I will work on for 2011...

For this project we had to make a collage of magazine clippings first and then draw it.

Making Lists

I have been restless this week. I am not sure why. Most likely because I have lots of ideas and thoughts running around in my head. I can't sleep when that happens. I have woke up at 2:30 am every night this week, lets hope not again tonight. Monday, I couldn't fall back asleep. I got up, went downstairs, sat at the kitchen table, and by the light of my Macbook I wrote everything down.

I am a list maker. Always have been. There is something about the physicality of writing out a list by hand, and then crossing off each item when it is complete. I have all the technology I need to just type up a list and leave it on my desktop or put it on my calendar in my iphone, but I would much rather scrawl it out on a post-it and stick it on the dashboard of my car so I won't forget. Ask my husband. It drives him nuts. Right now I have 3 new invitation ideas on a post-it stuck to the fridge. I have scraps of paper in my purse with very important things written on them. To him it looks like clutter, but it is my way of thinking out loud and not forgetting.

I like the look of a list. It gives a nice order to things. If I am freaking out because I have a million little projects to get done by a certain date, and even though it is all recorded in ical, if I make a list, it will get done. I especially like to cross off each item when it's completed. I look forward to it because it gives me that sense of accomplishment. It's like when you go to Costco and you buy a 3 pack of Soft Scrub. You put them on the shelf in your laundry room, and one-by-one, as you use a bottle up, you go down for the next. Each one feels like you are getting closer to the end, and when you use that last bottle up 6 months later, you feel that you have accomplished something, AND, of course, you probably saved $6.00 for buying in bulk rather than buying from Kroger.

So, as I was up on Monday at 2:30 writing the last blog post, it got me thinking about all of the other jobs I had in college. 10 to be exact. I began listing them in my head, but then that got to be distracting, so I wrote them out so I wouldn't have to keep track of them in my head anymore. So, if you are curious...

Jobs That I have Held in My Non-Professional Career

(In no particular order)

1. Seasonal hire at Hudson's Department Store - Jewlery Counter

Pros: Discounts on merch.

Cons: Standing on your feet for 4-6 hrs during holiday season.

2.Bagel Haul Deli (one of the best Jewish delis EVER)

Pros: Free bagels and new dills!

Cons: Starting at 6am after being out late the night before.

3. College Pro Painters (yes, I painted houses)

Pros: Got a killer tan

Cons: I think I was paid $6/hr for climbing to the top of a 30 ft., fully extended ladder.

4. Parking lot attendant

Pros: Occasionally my friends would drive through and bring me beer disguised in slurpee cups. Oh, and ample time to do the State News crossword.

Cons: Working until 12 am on a Saturday night, well aware that a sweet dance party was just getting started at my apartment without me.

5. Student Assistant for the Department of Management and Budget

Pros: Got to drive the Director's state vehicle (a Jeep Cherokee, I am sure you are all wondering) to get gassed up and washed. Oh, and 10-ish years ago, it paid $12/hr. I wonder if it still pays that well?

Cons: Had to do such mind numbing tasks such as pull the staples out of 500 copies, remove the page that someone f'ed up, put the correct page in, staple and repeat.

6. Abercrombie and Fitch (for about 2 minutes)

Pros: None.

Cons: Worked with a bunch of DBs, choked on cologne and spent all of my earnings on their clothes. I was REQUIRED to wear 3 A&F items at a time! Ridiculous.

7. Tasty Twist (the best ice cream establishment in East Lansing)

Pros: Worked with a bunch of my friends. Free ice cream

Cons: Strictly a cash biz. Had to make change in my head, and I am no math star. Hence, why I am in a creative field.

8. Waitress at a local bar/restaurant.

Pros: Lots of dolla, dolla bills on hand.

Cons: Working late, while my friends went out. Carrying those giant trays on your shoulder.

9. Babysitter for 3 year old triplets with unfit parents.

Pros: Beautiful children and if I could have, I would of adopted them all.

Cons: Where do I start. I quit and called Protective Services. Enough said.

10. Designer for the State News

Pros: I got to do what I love

Cons: I can't think of any

COLLEGE

College rockstars. I think we've still got it!

Two weeks ago, my two best girlfriends and our husbands made the trek back to our old stomping grounds for homecoming. The place where a cab ride home was only $2.00, Jager Bombs were the new thing and running the dance floor was a must. Our only worries in life were making it to our classes and what we were going to wear out that evening. Yes people, I am talking about Michigan State University, home of the current undefeated Spartan football team, and where I spent some of the best times of my life. Every year, we try and make it back, and relive the glory days, and that is why we do it only once a year! It is much too hard to recover as you get older.

As we walked down Grand River, we passed the relatively new State News building. When I was there is was located on the third floor of the Student Services Building. Now, they have a sweet space on the main drag. As a junior and senior, I had a kick ass job as a designer for the paper. I LOVED it. Out of all the college jobs I had, this was by far the most gratifying. I went there every night for four hours and made locator maps, teezers, timelines and the occasional illustration for the next day's paper. Looking back, that job really prepared me for what I do now. There, I had nightly deadlines, and as I have to come to realize, I work best if I set a deadline for myself. In the invitation biz, I make maps to this day and the occasional timeline.

When we got home, I went back and looked as some of my old work. As a designer, I think it is good to do that. It's fun to see how your work and style has evolved. Some is always cringe-worthy and others, you are still impressed by.

Here are some examples of things I used to do for the State News.

Photo Illustrations.

Back when Jenny G. was new and popular.
I made countless maps of the middle east. This is when the U.S. has just invaded Iraq.

Inkwell - Art Nouveau

I wanted to share with you one of my designs from the Inkwell collection. Created for the bride on a budget or simply the bride that doesn't want to spend a lot on invitations because "they are just going to get thrown out." Yes, I know you are out there. As much as I try to change that mindset, I can't always make you see the light! Therefore, at least I have something to offer in a less expensive price range.

This the the Art Nouveau design that was customized with Alicia's colors and wording. On her own, she ordered petal enclosures from Paper Source and sealed each invitation inside. She just asked that I shrink the invite down a bit so that it would fit. I was happy to do that for her.

She further customized her order by adding coordinating accessories such as a program printed on shimmer paper, tented place cards and (not pictured) and a best wishes cards in place of a guest book. All printed on the same 120 lb. ivory stock as the invitations.

Seating Charts

The wedding season is starting to slow down, which mean lots of accessories for my final projects flying out the door. Last week, I completed 3 seating charts.

Here is a seating chart I did for Karen to go with the Vintage Flourish design from the Inkwell collection. Just another example how you can further customize you wedding paper suite when you chose an Inkwell design.

A super cute seating chart for Adrianna's baptism. (More on that later.)

A seating chart for Beth's 10.10.10 wedding.

Dana's Hindu Wedding Accessories

When I worked with Dana earlier this summer, we did her hindu wedding invitations in cobalt and gold, but her reception is going to be mainly in colors of black, ivory and a hint of green. Therefore, she wanted her wedding accessories to be black and ivory as well.

We did simple programs, printed on heavy ivory cardstock and then scored, and folded. Tented placecards and table names of various places the couple has traveled. I used the same paisley pattern from her invitations throughout the accessories.

Modern and Rustic Wedding Accessories

It's official, Nicole and Eric are married! Here are some photos of what we did her her wedding accessories.
I did programs with rounded corners and ribbon, table "numbers," with each table named after various kinds of wildlife, tented placecards and a fun Mad Lib at each place setting for guests to fill out and for Eric and Nicole to have as a keepsake. Nicole herself was a great help and she did the cute candy bar wrappers as favors. She chose several pictures of when she and Eric were young, we scanned them and she wrapped each candy bar and tied the thank you on all of them!

Congrats Eric and Nicole!

To see the rest of their wedding suite, click here and here.

Football Ticket Inspired Rehearsal Dinner Invitations

Mike's sister contacted me to help design rehearsal dinner invitations for Mike and Karen. She knew that she wanted to use the Georgia "G" logo and colors, because that is where Mike went to school and also the initial of his last name. From there, we decided to go with a football ticket style invite.

Complete with a tear off ticket stub response.

Rustic Rehearsal Dinner Accessories

My brother in law and new sister in law were married last weekend. A few weeks ago, I posted their rustic rehearsal dinner invitations. Here are the placecards and dinner menus to match. I found these birch placecard holders from Vermont Branch Company, an Etsy store.

I put the flower arrangements in birch vases! They were designed to look like bunches of wild flowers with Queen Anne's lace, millet, cattails and ranunculus (that unfortunately didn't bloom in time).

Stay tuned, next week I will post all of the paper goodness from their wedding.

Have a great weekend!

One Amazing Quilt

So yesterday, Katie, my wonderful bride from my Style Me Pretty giveaway, From Inspiration to Invitation, sent me the coolest email:

Working with you was one of the great joys of planning the wedding--I love the invitations and, as you'll see in the attached pics, so did everyone else.

I won't have the professional pictures for awhile (Kelty from Steep Street did them, if you haven't seen her work before I suggest checking out her site and blog). I'm hesitant to send you these because I'm sure that the ones she took will be even more beautiful, but I can't contain myself and want you to see the beautiful gift your invitation inspired.
Cameron's Aunt Lory made the quilt and even though I don't have good pics, the details are amazing. Your flowers from the invitation are stitched on the entire quilt and all the elements are quilted in.

I was soooo impressed, I had to share! What an awesome way to "preserve" your invitations. Unbelievable! Every detail of the timeline card are stitched in. WOW.

Oh, and Katie is right about her photographer. I checked our her blog after I received the email and she is phenomenal! I can not wait to see the pro photos. Stay tuned, I will be sure to post.

Thank you Katie for passing this along, I couldn't have asked for a better bride to work with. I am so happy that the design was able to convey the look and feel for your wedding day.

Spanish Style Laser Cut Invitations

This project was great for me to work on because I was able to try a few techniques I haven't done before!

When I first talked with Andrea, she knew the type of design she was looking for, but in terms of papers used, printing techniques, and a unique band to hold it all together, she wanted to let the design dictate that, and then decide what she wanted.

She is getting married in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Andrea wanted her invitations to reflect that Old World, Spanish style, - charming, romantic and elegant. She sent me some amazing photos for inspiration. She especially liked the architectural iron work that you see so much of there. That became the overall influence on the design. The wedding will be held at Castillo San Cristobal.

Spanish architecture and Andrea's actual dress!

For the design I found various ironwork details. The scrolls on the response card are actually replicas of spanish door hinges. The scrolls on the invitation are replicas of part of a candelabra. The patterns on the timeline are taken from a Spanish tile design.

Andrea also opted for the thick, luxurious, cotton paper and a combination of gold thermography printing and flat printing.

We had toyed with the idea of the band opening like a door, and I was thinking of just printing a Spanish gate design on that, but then she came to me with a laser cut band that she had seen on Etsy. She really liked the cutout look. I contacted the vendor, and they were able to take my design, make it so that it wrapped around the entire invitation and replicate 100 of them in 3 days! Each one took 20 minutes to cut out!

I then had a custom wax seal made for her and everything was held together with a sheer gold ribbon and the wax seal.

She is using vintage stamps and hand-lettered calligraphy for the envelopes. The graphic on the back flap on the envelope is the same design on the wax seal.

Style Me Pretty - Michigan Winter Wedding Shoot Recap

Last winter, I contributed invitations and paper accessories for a Michigan winter themed wedding photoshoot. We were lucky enough to have it featured on Style Me Pretty last week. You can see all of the photos here, and all of the great wedding professionals that I had the opportunity to work with here:

Event Design: Lindsey Nartker Designs

Stationery: Paisley Quill

Floral Design: New Creations by Kate

Linen/Rental Items: Special Events Rental

Videography: Jamie Honce Productions

Photography: West Park Photography

Attire: Gina’s Bridal

Hair/Make-up: Posh Hair and Make-up Studio

Venue: River Birch Lodge

Inframe Bride Magazine Feature

Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to work with a great group of wedding professionals to create a wedding photoshoot for Inframe Bride. It is a magazine dedicated to finding your perfect photographer. Lindsey Nartker of Lindsey Nartker Designs coordinated and designed the entire shoot and came up with the very modern theme loaded with rich colors. Jason Aten of Jason Aten Photography was our photographer. Kate of New Creations did the amazing flowers! Notice all of the carnations, they get a bad rap, but they look gorgeous when grouped together.
Colleen and Crystal of Affordable Elegance Chaircovers and Linens took care of picking the perfect linens for the shoot. Sweet and Savory Bake Shop made the fruit trifle along with the little cookies that garnished it. They matched the table runner! The best part of this shoot was that we got to eat that dessert when it was all over. DE.LIC.IOUS.

I did the invitation, place cards and table number for the shoot as well.