We did! Strange love, a perfect font choice for a wedding invitation suite created for couple Emily + Tom that wanted a fun, light-hearted, whimsical way to invite guests to their Vermont wedding. Designed by a friend of the bride, I was brought into the mix to consult on connecting the details. Envelopes were purchased at Paper Presentation in order to coordinate ink colors. By printing the pieces all at once, costs were kept down and colors kept consistent. Masterpiece Printers printed the invitations, response cards, table numbers, favor tags and matching correspondence cards. Staples full sheet labels were purchased to create slim, modern address labels on a home printer. I do <3! (insert your word bubble reaction in comments)
the butterfly effect: inspiration
I was a very busy lady last week getting ready for a butterfly themed first birthday soiree! Creating paper goods, centerpieces and decor oh my! The party was Saturday and we couldn’t have been happier with how it all turned out! In fun anticipation of sharing the photos from the photographer & event…here is the inspiration board that I created for my clients prior to the party. Spring into the fun…
1. Flag banner, bridalcookie.com, 2. Lanterns and 3. butterfly straws Martha Stewart, 4. Pink butterfly cake, hostessblog.com, 5. Pink polka straws, HeyYoYo’s etsy.com, 6. Macaroons, iloveallrecipes.com, 7. Painted tin vases, countryliving.com, 8. Cotton candy, celebrationsathomeblog.com, 9. Dogwood centerpiece, Pottery Barn, 10. Branches in vases, marthstewart.com, 11. wheatgrass & buttefly cake, coppelclan.com, 12. Butterfly cookies on sticks, yaelsyummies.blogspot.com, 13. Table runners, Lily Bel Studio, 14. Butterfly seating cards, marthastewartweddings.com, 15. Butterfly escort tags, marthastewartweddings.com, 16. Cakestand, centralchef.com, 17. Paper cocktail napkins, Caspari,18. Photo by tmosnaps, flickr.com, 19. Butterfly accessories, whimsypics etsy.com, 20. Butterfly pot, statuaryplace.com, 21. Invitation, simplicity papers etsy.com.
maya dove
Monograms and personalized gifts make me swoon. So when my old boss had a daughter and named her Maya Dove, I wanted to take advantage of being able to thoughtfully execute her gift. I found the below clay bowl by Paloma’s Nest, a timeless treasure that Maya will hopefully enjoy even as an adult. And I designed a custom stationery stamp produced by the Ink Pad in NYC, perfect for hand written notes or stamping labels to sew into clothing for the school days to come.
bridal thank yous. . .
The below stationery was a gift to my friends that recently got married. The cards were offset printed by Masterpiece Printers and the envelopes purchased from Paper Presentation. I found a blind embosser online from Horchow and hand stamped the envelopes gifting them the embosser with the stationery. Embossers are a great gift for any new couple or home owner: it saves the money of having a return address printed, they can be used again and again and the look is clean, sophisticated and will never go out of stationery style.
Return address altered for privacy.
A hand written thank you note is dreaded by almost everyone, especially in large quantities. Mistakes are almost guaranteed and with white-out taboo, one is left with very little option for retraction or the addition of something forgotten. My mother always taught me to draft something to say before picking up the pen and as much as I don’t like to spend the extra time, this method works.
Couples have asked me what they should write; my advice is to make it as personal as possible. So when you are thanking someone for a gravy boat, throw in that you can’t wait to use it at your next Thanksgiving dinner or say the check they sent will go toward buying a house or your new refrigerator, etc. Show that the gift is appreciated and useful. Now if someone sent something you already own, but they live far away they need not know if you exchange it. If it comes from the bride or groom’s family you should keep it, unless they say for you to exchange it. And, if the person lives close by and would probably notice the absence of their gift in your home, kindly thank them for the gift but say because you already have one you were able to exchange it for something you had been eyeing for a long time. Thank yous should be sent either immediately after receiving a gift or within the next 3 months.
a very merry un-birthday
Last fall I had the pleasure of co-hosting my best friend’s baby shower. Since she is an illustrator/artsy type we wanted to give the shower a non-traditional theme, therefore we fell in love with the idea of A Very Merry Un-Birthday Alice in Wonderland theme. We created an outdoor tented mad-hatter tea party complete with my mother’s mismatched fine china, guests brought their own tea cups, teapot centerpieces stuffed with red roses, red heart garland and lanterns, croquet, pink flamingos, stamped Alice character cocktail napkins and playing card place cards.
1. Table setting, 2. red-heart garland and lanterns, 3. Custom made invitation set using Lewis Carroll’s illustrations, because they are black and white and not very baby…I hand water-colored the drawings in fun bright colors. The invitation read,
A Very Merry Un-Birthday
Join us for a Mad Hatter Tea Party
celebrating
Renee and baby to be
on the March Hare’s watch at one o’clock
don’t be late for this very important date!
Sunday, September 7th
follow the way to 5 Shower Lane
Please RSVP by August 29th or off with your head!
Kim Carroll 123.456.7890
The insert read, ‘Alice says “I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it.” Follow this way to a happy day’ with special instructions for the guests. The invitation envelope was sealed with a sticker that read OPEN ME, 4. Alice in Wonderland garland courtesy of The Long Thread, 5. beverage dispensers and station serving a selection of teas, iced tea, and champagne punch each labeled on a playing card DRINK ME and their name, 6. Custom made thank you notes to match invitation suite, reading “Oh my ears and whiskers, thank you” 7. All Things Alice Journal by Linda Sunshine, served as the guestbook
A few other details…luckily our friends are great bakers and chefs who made a spectacular menu. The service included homemade Scones served with Jam and Clotted Cream, Cucumber & Cream Cheese and Chicken Salad finger sandwiches and for dessert Berry Tarts, homemade Ginger Snaps and homemade Sugar Cookies that read EAT ME! Lastly, we requested that each guest gift the baby their favorite childhood storybook to build the baby a library of wonder.
A Very Merry Un-Birthday, indeed.