The Paper Stylist

Wedding Invitations: Jennifer & Kipp

2010-02-04T22:19:00.000-08:00

I am a bad blogger. There are no excuses, just explanations. I'm in the process of moving and restructuring the Paper Stylist. Lots of exciting changes on the way. I was postponing blogging until I got the new site up. Unfortunately, things are a tad bit behind schedule. As such, I'm just going to try to play catch up with my posts. I'm going to work backwards a bit. I'll start with my more recent projects and work backwards.

This brings me to Jen & Kipp's Wedding Invitations. I designed their Save the Dates last summer and was excited to work on their wedding invitations. As I stated previously, they are family friends with whom we've know for quite some time.

They sent me these images for inspiration.

Vera Wang Invitation

Wedding Paper Divas Invitation

They stated they wanted something modern, yet elegant with minimal graphics. This is what I created for them.

Custom Monogram in Metallic Pocketfold

Invitation matted with Seikaiha Washi Paper

I also designed two monograms for them. One for their invitations and pre-wedding paraphernalia and one married monogram. Both monograms have been used quite a bit. I love when monograms I create get incorporated into a variety of elements.

The Maid of Honor Jodi and Jerrhelyn, a bridesmaid, made cute labels for their wedding shower and placed them on the hot cocoa cones they made.

photo by Jodi D.

Additionally, my sister Cathee, another bridesmaid, had a wedding cake topper made with their married monogram.

The topper was beautifully made by Melissa of Bling Diva Designs. Here's a look at Melissa's handiwork.

Updates on the way

2009-12-14T11:43:00.001-08:00

I should rename my blog from The Paper Stylist to Buried-Under-Tons-of-Paper Stylist. I can't believe I haven't blogged since September. This isn't from lack of work. I have 10 projects to share. For now, I need to finish 3 small jobs and I'll gladly share them all. I can't wait to share them.

Portraits: Amber

2009-09-30T13:15:00.000-07:00

I am fortunate to have talented and creative friends. Amber is one of these friends. I "met" her a few years ago through an online message board, but didn't meet her in person until last year. We bonded over our love of architecture, aesthetics and modern design. We are self-proclaimed "DesigNerds" and can spend hours discussing the aforementioned topics. It is refreshing to be able to discuss art and design on an intellectual level. I hate to admit it, but I'm really hard-pressed to find that kind of conversation here in L.A. Did I mention Amber is wickedly sarcastic? {Extra points!}

During one of our most recent gabfests, I mentioned to Amber that I was looking to take my photography seriously. Pamela and I were looking for models to photograph for portfolio purposes. More specifically, we were looking for boudoir models. Before I could finish my sentence, Amber volunteered to model. She is in the midst of a major life change and is moving to Italy. She thought that a photo session would be a great way to celebrate her impending move.

A couple of days before the session, Pamela, Amber, and I meet up at the Grove to collaborate on some ideas for this photo session. After seeing photos on Facebook, we decided to do the entire photo session in Amber's Hollywood apartment. After a brief conversation, we found our ideas were very similar. As luck would have it, we all have similar, wicked senses of humor.

photo from Amber's Facebook Profile

When Pamela and I arrived at Amber's apartment with props in tow, we were not disappointed. Her apartment has the most beautiful natural light. We quickly went to work and started set dressing. The three of us had carefully planned the props necessary for the session. With three locations and three outfit changes, it turned into a 5 hour session. We did take breaks to laugh our heads off and have an adult beverage or 2 (or 5 in Amber's case).

Amber was a great model to work with. She is a beautiful woman and knows exactly how to emote for the camera. Without further delay, here are my photographs from this session.

The Naughty Baker

A Starlet in Her Bedroom

A Rooftop Chorus Line

The 'Stache

Pamela had to break the bottle of Spirit Glue with a step ladder. Amber was a good sport. She actually scooped some off of the floor to adhere her mustache. I thank them both. Otherwise, I would never have gotten this shot.

Please mosey on over to Pamela Master's Photography blog, to see her images from this shoot.

Save the Dates: Jen & Kipp

2009-09-10T22:11:00.000-07:00

I photographed Jen and Kipp with a specific intention. Aside from photographing them with their dog Jager, they had asked me to design their Save the Dates. They weren't sure of what they wanted except that they wanted to include a calendar and a magnet.

This is the only image they sent me for inspiration.

{Magnet Street Weddings}

This was fun project to work on because it was the first time I worked on the photography and design. Typically, I receive hires images from a couple's wedding photographer. I'm definitely NOT going to photograph their wedding, but I did appreciate having some level of creative input on the styling of the photographs.

Card with Magnet attached shown with Custom wraparound address label

This wedding is long-awaited. Jen and Kip have been together for 15 years. I applaud their commitment. Originally they wanted their card to say "finally!". However, I suggested the phrase "At Last" as a nod to the Etta James song of the same name.

Card with Magnet removed.

Back of Wrap Around label

Wedding Paper Accessories: Kanishka & Brian

2009-08-20T00:25:00.000-07:00

I had been working with Kanishka since September of last year, which in the wedding world feels like a lifetime ago. As I mentioned previously, she was among the first to hire me despite my limited portfolio. I am eternally grateful that she decided to work with me.

Kanishka decided early on that the rest of her wedding paper accessories would be part of the overall look of her wedding. We worked closely together to ensure that all of her wedding paper accessories would have a cohesive look and feel. Kanishka also wanted to DIY a good portion of the remaining pieces. Much of the remaining pieces were designed to allow for easy printing and assembly. The only element that I assembled were her wedding programs.

Here's a look at my handiwork.

Programs

Here they are at the wedding:

photo by Pix of Life photography

Custom Photobooth banner with their signature lotus flower.

photobooth by Partybooths

Here's a look at our collaborative effort.
Monograms
I created two monograms, which Kanishka used in a variety of ways. She had a custom stamp made and stamped their monograms on napkins.

She and Brian also hand-painted their monogram onto their aisle runner.

photo by Pix of Life photography

Escort Cards
Kanishka wanted something simple to assemble, yet unique. I suggested cards inside of mini envelopes. I designed the labels and insert cards and she took care of the rest.

photo by Pix of Life photography

Table Numbers

photo by Pix of Life photography

Bar Menu

photo by Pix of Life photography

Kudos to Kanishka for beautifully executing each piece. Her vision and color palette was exquisite. To see more photos of this gorgeous wedding, please visit Pix of Life's blog.

Wedding Invitations: Tanya & Oscar

2009-08-18T02:26:00.000-07:00

Tanya initially contacted me in May. She had discovered my work indirectly through the Los Angeles boards on theKnot.com. When we had our first initial consultation, she described her wedding as a modern-day fiesta. She and her fiance Oscar wanted very much to honor their Mexican heritage. She had selected persimmon, red, orange, yellow, espresso, gold and ivory as her wedding colors.

She sent me the following images for inspiration:

Snippet and Ink Board #135

Invitation featured on Martha Stewart

Wedding Venue - the Los Angeles River Center and Gardens -
photo by Gavin Photography

For design purposes, I used only the red, orange, yellow, and espresso in her color palette. Tanya's other requests were that I use vellum in a manner similar to my own wedding invitations and that I design versions of the invitations in both English and Spanish.

Here's what I created:

Custom Wrap-around label on Tangerine Vellum Envelope

Red Petalfold Enclosure with Vellum Bellyband

Initial Pattern Vellum Overlay

English Invitation

Spanish Invitation (text provided by client)

Directions

RSVP cards in English and Spanish (text provided by client) with matching envelope

Wedding Invitations: Lorrie & Justin

2009-08-07T12:06:00.000-07:00

Lorrie was referred to by her coordinator Carina McLaughlin of Tealight Wedding and Events. Lorrie had initially contacted me to discuss Rehearsal Dinner invitations and other wedding paper accessories. Unfortunately, she ran into problems with the invitations she had ordered from another company. Instead of continuing our discussion of work for smaller jobs, Lorrie asked me to design her invitations, but there was a catch. She needed a 1.5 week turnaround. {YIKES!} Ordinarily, I don't take jobs on such short notice with that kind of turnaround. It's a logistical and creative nightmare. However, Lorrie's coordinator, Carina, had written such a nice letter introducing herself a few weeks before that I squeezed her into my schedule. {Goes to show you that a good coordinator can really save you.}

So, Lorrie sent me these images and we were on our way.

from Wedding Paper Divas

Unknown Source

from Wedding Paper Divas

Thankfully, Lorrie's wedding was at a venue that I had previously made a map for. This saved us some time. She had already purchased the pocketfolds and envelopes necessary for the job, which was another time saver. After many emails and losing lots of sleep, this is what I designed for her.

Business Cards: Darvie

2009-08-06T12:26:00.000-07:00

I met Darvie through theknot.com in the Fall of 2007. She was a bride who almost hired the same horrible wedding coordinator that I did. Luckily, she changed her mind and went with Amanda Auer instead. {Smart move on her part}. The invitation designer she had originally contacted was unavailable. So, she asked me to design her invitations for her. I started working on them. Then, her original designer came available. She politely told me that she was going to go back to working with him. I was tad relieved because I was still working my day job. At the time, I had not even considered designing invitations professionally. Invitations were something I just did "for fun". I credit Darvie for getting me to consider making invitations for people that I'm not related to.

Darvie and her husband Kevin ended up having a gorgeous wedding. She and I kept in touch through facebook. This past spring, Darvie decided she wanted to sell Shure Pet products. She wanted atypical business cards. She sent me these images for inspiration.

From Zazzle.com

She also added she wanted something fun and whimsical. After a few short rounds of revision, this is what I came up with. Darvie had them printed through a local printer.

Darvie also sent me a few samples of Shure Pets Pet Shampoo. It's awesome. You should definitely check out her site.

http://socalpetpaw-ty.shopshurepets.com

Wedding Paper Accessories: Rhea & Joe

2009-07-21T15:21:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed working with Rhea immensely. As a bride on the East Coast, she received my emails as she got ready for work and I got ready for bed. {I'm an incorrigible night owl.} This made for interesting email exchanges. I designed and assembled her invitations, but she wanted to try her hand at DIY. She decided that she wanted to make her own programs, table numbers and escort cards. I obliged her by designing printable PDFs. She bought the Gartner line of wedding paper products and went to work. I think she did a remarkable job.

Here are some photos of my design work coupled with photos of Rhea's handiwork.

Table Names/Numbers
Rhea wanted to incorporate Joe's love of beer and microbrews. Each of their tables are named after Joe's favorite brews.

{photo from Rhea & Joe's Website}

{photo from Rhea & Joe's Website}

Escort Cards
These were printed on a beautiful Ivory tent cards that had a subtle champagne border. Sadly, there are no photos of the finished product.

Monogram
This was used to seal their invitations. Rhea also found other uses for it such as their out-of-town bags.

{photo from Rhea & Joe's Website}

Program
This was also printed on an Ivory cardstock that had a champagne border. These along with the rest of Rhea and Joe's gorgeous wedding can be seen on their Wedding Highlight video.

Rhea & Joseph Wedding from david joe on Vimeo.

Wedding Paper Accessories: Nina & Jared

2009-07-17T00:47:00.000-07:00

I have been working with Nina and Jared throughout their wedding planning process. I designed their Save the Dates and Wedding Invitations. To ensure a more cohesive look, the asked me to design some additional items.

One is their wedding program.

Cover

Title Page

Back Page

They also requested monograms. I provided two different styles for them.

Nina went on a DIY spree towards the end of her planning. The monogram I designed is featured on the menu cards and favor tags she created. Their cake and customized gobo also features their monograms.

Photo by Christine Farah Photography

Lastly, I made vellum candle wraps. When the tealights are lit, they have make beautiful luminarias. {They are the pink cylinders pictured above.}

Thank You Cards: Khurram

2009-07-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

The outpouring of love and support that my family and most notably my cousin-in-law Khurram has received since my cousin Melanie died has been overwhelming. Khurram and his daughter Aalia have received so many gifts and acts of kindness. Although etiquette does not require him to write Thank You notes for Sympathy gifts, Khurram decided he wanted to send everyone a Thank You note. Everyone is a group that is comprised of 400+ people. He was going to buy generic cards, but I offered to create something that was more personal.

This was a daunting, yet cathartic task. I combed through both Melanie and Khurram's facebook pages for just the right photos. I found this photo of Melanie from their Spain vacation and thought that it was perfect. Khurram wished to include this poem which they displayed at their wedding. Melanie had selected it to honor her father who had passed away a few months before their wedding.

She is Gone
You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she has lived
You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
Or you can be full of the love that you shared
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday
You can remember her and only that she is gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
-David Harkins

Here is what I designed.

It is simple, but much more personal.

Prior to Melanie's death, I had planned on designing baby announcements as my gift. Since circumstances had changed, I created Thank You cards for Aalia that were based on my original design.

Thank You Cards & Monograms: Mychel & Connor

2009-07-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

As with many of my clients, Mychel & Connor requested monograms and Thank You cards that coordinated with their wedding invitations.

Since the Oak Tree was an important wedding motif, I included it in one of their monograms.

For their Thank You cards, I used an Oak Tree that was similar, but had a slight variation.

Samantha & Greg: Wedding Invitations

2009-07-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

I constantly say that my clients find me or vice-versa through roundabout means. However, it is true. Perhaps, I need to adjust my marketing strategy or broaden it just a tad. Samantha is a prime example. She discovered my work through her co-worker Janice. Janice is an old friend from high school that I recently reconnected with via Facebook. {Did you follow that?}. Either way, I'm glad she contacted me.

She sent me these images for inspiration.

photos of their wedding venue Arterra Restaurant

her chic bridesmaid dresses

From Snippet & Ink Blog
Board # 358 Playful Minimalism

Board # 314: Not Black Tie

I created for them a simple, yet modern light gold, black and white invitation suite.

Wedding Paper Accessories: Ruby & Jereco

2009-07-08T22:55:00.001-07:00

When Ruby hired me to design their wedding invitations, she also requested I create coordinating wedding templates for the rest of her wedding paper accessories. Her original intention was to print and assemble her programs, table numbers, escort cards and menus herself. As her wedding drew closer, she opted to have her wedding coordinator, Amanda Auer of In the Now Weddings complete them for her. This allowed Amanda and me to collaborate. She had a lot of great ideas and am quite pleased with how the overall look turned out. Kudos to Amanda for flawless execution of our ideas while working with a tight deadline.

Here are some photos of our collaboration. All photos are courtesy of Amanda Auer of In the Now Weddings

Programs

For simplicity, I designed a single-fold program.
This allowed the design to really standout on the cover.

Escort Cards

Originally, I was going to create tent cards, but Amanda suggested square cards that can be pinned to a board. These turned out better than I imagined. The Ruby-colored pins are also a nice touch.

Menu

For more a glimpse of Ruby & Jereco's wedding, head over to Amanda's blog for her post recapping this gorgeous wedding.

Where did the time go?

2009-07-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

This poor blog hasn't been updated in a long time. It's not for lack of work. I've been working my iMac and fingers to death. For those that read my personal blog, you already know that my life has been overwrought with family obligations (both happy and sad occasions). In the midst of running from one part of the country to the next, I have been squeezing in design projects. The projects alone have taken every spare moment I've had. Thus, I've had no time to blog about them. I am frantically playing catch up. Expect a barrage of posts shortly.

Rest assured. The Paper Stylist is still here. I'm just buried under scraps of paper;)

Wedding Invitations : Carly & Lawrence

2009-05-13T14:00:00.001-07:00

Carly became my client in a roundabout sort of way. Carly and I became blog friends through my Anne K. in L.A. blog. She was among the first to become a follower of my personal blog. At the time, I thought it was funny because I didn't really think anyone other than a handful of friends was reading my blog. In turn, I became a follower of her blog Westside Bride, which chronicles her wedding planning. Then, a few months ago she was selected to become a blogger for Weddingbee.

For months now, we have been commenting on each other's blogs. I have oohhed and ahhed over all her gorgeous wedding details. After seeing all of these details, I was inspired to create her wedding invitations for her. I emailed her and offered my services. Luckily for me, she hadn't solidfied any plans for her wedding invitations.

Here are the inspiration images she sent me.

Carly and Lawrence are hosting their wedding celebration at the posh and elegant Millenium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.

{From Millenium Biltmore Hotel website}

Formal, calligraphy-inspired invitations

{Source Unknown}

Inspiration Board that Carly created

Biltmore Romance by carlysdreams on Polyvore.com

We had a bit of delayed start due to family business that I had attend to. Like Stephanie and Ronald, Carly and Lawrence were very gracious and understood the delay. Once I returned from my trip to Oregon, the design process when unbelievably fast.

Here is what I created for them.

Gold Leaf Pochette with Printed Scroll work

Pochette sans ribbon

Tissue overlay on Invitation card

All Inserts

Wedding Invitations : Stephanie & Ronald

2009-04-30T23:52:00.000-07:00

Stephanie was referred to me by her cousin Nataly Lemus. Nataly happens to be a very talented Southern California Wedding photographer, whose blog I've been reading for the last couple of years. When Stephanie contacted me and told me she was referred by her cousin, I was complimented and delighted.

I met Stephanie and Ronald at a Starbucks in Pasadena a few months ago. It was the first client meeting that I had that with the bride AND the groom. As they looked over my design samples, they excitedly shared how they met and their plans for their wedding. They lived in Corona, but were hosting their wedding and reception in Pasadena. They were planning a formal, yet festive family-oriented affair. They had a monochromatic color palette in varying shades of purple.

Stephanie sent me these images for inspiration.

Photo from their flower trial

From Wedding Paper Divas

I was excited to design their invitations. I was looking forward to the challenge of working with a monochromatic palette. The design process went quickly, but right as we were going to press tragedy struck my family. Like many of my other clients, they graciously allowed me to make arrangements for the completion of their invitations. For this, I am eternally grateful to Stephanie and Ronald.

Here is what I designed for them.

Wedding Invitations : Kanishka & Brian

2009-04-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

Time really does fly. It feel as though I was just finishing Kanishka & Brian's Save the Dates.

Suddenly, I'm working on their wedding invitations. I had the same inspiration images and color palette, which I absolutely love. I'm quite fond of the jewel tones she selected. Kanishka also wanted me to continue using the lotus flower motif. The only twist is they wanted a few extra details. So, I added a custom envelope liner and custom bellyband with a diecut opening.

Here's what I created for them.

Wedding Invitations : Ruby & Jereco

2009-04-24T01:42:00.000-07:00

Ruby was referred to me by her very busy and very talented wedding coordinator Amanda Auer of In The Now Weddings. I've been a big fan of Amanda's since I planned my own wedding in 2007. (She was the coordinator I wish I had hired.) When I met Ruby and Amanda for a consult, Ruby was very exuberant and had quite a bit to show me. Her primary wedding color is red, ruby red to be exact. She wanted her invitations to reflect the glamorous and glitzy event that she and Amanda had planned. I was anxious to create something that would do her event justice.

Here are the inspiration images she sent me.

{Source Unknown}

Here is what I created for her. I used a Stardream pocketfold and all her inserts printed on a Petallic Beargrass stock.

Wedding Invitations : Rhea & Joe

2009-04-14T16:21:00.001-07:00

When Rhea first contacted me in November, I thought to myself "How in the world did a woman in Brooklyn find me?". Not that I was complaining, but I was a little surprised. As it turns out, my client Carmela had been featured as "Knottie Bride of the Week" by the Knot.com. That is how Rhea found me. And I'm glad for it.

Rhea is a women who knew exactly what she wanted. Her wedding colors were Ivory, Purple, and Orange. She had become enamored with the invitations that I created for Jenny & Kenny.

She sent me these inspiration images.

View from her reception venue & cocktail hour location

Scroll Decor in her home

{Source Unknown}

Ultimately, she really wanted Jenny & Kenny's invitations with her color scheme. I thought it would be simple. Wrong! It took me 2 months of intense searching to find the right texture paper in just the right shade of purple. In the end, it was worth the effort.

Here is what I created:

Wedding Invitations : Nina & Jared

2009-03-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

I created Nina & Jared's Save the Dates a few months ago. When it came time to create their invitations, they wanted something with the same color family, but a little more formal. Their inspiration images were the same as their Save the Dates. Although, they did send me these two images.

from Bella Figura Letterpress

From Smock Paper

The design process for these invitations went smoothly. Nina and Jared had a clear idea of what they wanted and charged right through. The hiccups came in the assembly process. My color laser printer decided to die along with my die-cutter. So, the beautiful envelope liners became a real LABOR of love (Emphasis on labor). After working with the little sleep over the course of 3 days, here is the finished product.

In the end, it was worth the effort and I hope that Nina & Jared are pleased with the results.

Birth Announcements: Lior & Wendy

2009-03-18T02:44:00.000-07:00

Envelopes with Custom Labels

I waited to post this project a because of few of Lior & Wendy's friends read this blog. I'm hoping the new parents have put these in the mail. (I waited a week to blog them!) I didn't want to ruin the surprise. As I mentioned on my personal blog, I did two photo sessions with little Benjamin in order to get just the right photo for his birth announcement.

These announcements were my baby shower gift for Wendy. I am a big proponent of giving gifts that aren't on the Baby Registry. I figure someone else will buy the Diaper Genie or the Breast Pump or give the gift cards. If it's someone I care about, I prefer giving gifts that are more personal.

Wendy had a few parameters for my design. She did not want the typical "blue is for boys" announcements. She also said they wanted something gender neutral, modern, yet cute. I found these adorable little love birds when I was working on Save the Dates. My client eventually chose a different design, but I had hoped to eventually use them in some other project. Somehow, I thought they were perfect for these announcements. I added a third "baby" bird and the design was complete.

Here's what I created:

Announcement - closed

Announcement - partially open

Announcement- fully open

Congratulations to Lior & Wendy! I'm certain Benjamin is the luckiest kid on the block to have parents as loving as the two of you.

Table Numbers: Jessica & Steve

2009-03-18T02:34:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy working on other projects for my wedding clients. Jessica & Steve are no exception. When they asked me to create Table Number to coordinate with their invitations, I was more than happy to oblige them.

Here are their table numbers. I hope they coordinate nicely with their floral arrangements.

Congratulations to Jessica & Steve!

Wedding Invitations : Mychel & Connor

2009-03-06T16:09:00.000-08:00

Mychel and Connor are having an intimate wedding at her father's home in the gorgeous Santa Ynez Valley. She sent me this information to describe her wedding.

The Oak Tree: I'm going with an oak tree theme because my venue has beautiful oaks all around and they symbolize continuous growth, strength, and wisdom. Our venue is in an area with many oak trees, so it will be carried out in nature as well.

We are having a "Spring Romance" theme. I'd like the mood to be soft and romantic. People should feel relaxed and happy. I'll try incorporate as many good smelling flowers as I can to really invoke that spring feel. Once dancing starts the theme is simply FUN!

Colors are Eggplant and Sage (green and purple). Accent colors will be ivory and gold.

She also sent me photos of these invitation suites as examples of trees that she liked.

{Source Unknown}

{Source Unknown}

After a few technical difficulties with printing (lots of lessons learned with regards to digital printing and saturated colors), here is what I created for her.

The invitation suite tied up with a gold ribbon

Invitation

Direction Card

RSVP card

Papers, papers

2009-02-21T03:52:00.000-08:00

I've been remiss on my planned series of tips and info. I'll try to make up for falling behind. Since I'm calling myself the Paper Stylist, I'll talk about my favorite material - paper. I'll do my best to debunk and explain some of the terminology surrounding paper. I am by no means an expert, but here is some information I have cultivated through my work experience and the internet. This will be slightly boring, but highly useful information (especially for my clients)

Paper Weight
On packages of paper, you will frequently see a weight written like 28lb., 80lb., 110lb., etc. For paper weight, the "#" symbol means pounds. The weight refers to 500 sheets (a ream) of paper cut to a standard size is its basis weight. When manufacturers refer to standard size (basic size), they don't mean the 8.5 x11 sheets you purchase at Staples or OfficeMax. It isn't the same for all paper types.
BOND (Basic size 17" x 22")
TEXT (Basic size 25" x 38")
COVER (Basic Size 20" x 26")
The easiest rule of thumb is "The higher the weight, the thicker the paper."

Bond, Text and Cover
Bond or Writing - Bond or writing papers are used for letterhead and must be able to run through office copy machines and laser printers. The most commonly recognized bond or writing stocks are:

20# - A standard weight paper, equivalent to 50# text.
24# - The preferred weight for most business papers like letterheads, equivalent to 60# text.
28# - Heavier paper less frequently used because its thickness can pose problems feeding through laser printers. However, the durability of this stock makes its ideal for outer envelopes.

Text - Also known as book or offset papers, text paper can have a coated or uncoated finish. These thinner, lightweight papers are often used for publication interiors, sell sheets and letterheads. Below is a brief description of some of the most common text weights, from lightest to heaviest:

50# - Standard light weight paper, equivalent to 20# bond.
60# - One grade heavier than standard, equivalent to 24# bond.
70# - Equivalent to 28# bond.
80#
100#

Cover - Cover stocks are heavy in weight, rigid and not easily folded. These papers are generally used for publication covers, business cards and postcards. They can have coated or uncoated finishes. Common weights for cover stocks include:

65# - A lightweight, uncoated cover stock.
80# - The next weight heavier than 65#.
88# - Heavier than 80#, but still considered a lightweight cover paper.
100# - Mid-weight cover paper.
120# - Sturdy cover paper considered a heavyweight.
12 pt. - A heavyweight coated cover alternative.

Paper Finishes

Coated - A paper with a waxy finish (shiny or matte) on both sides. This allows ink or toner to better adhere to the paper. This is highly recommended for inkjet paper. A type of coated paper is the photo papers that are readily available at most office supply retailers.
Uncoated -A paper with an untreated surface that is dull and unreflective.
Laid - A paper that is manufactured with textured lines on its surface. This finish is used mostly for business stationery elements, like letterhead, envelopes and business cards. Laid is more textured than Linen finish and typically won't print well unless a wet printing process is used. Depending on the printer, laid does not print well with laser printers.
Linen - Similar to a laid finish, this paper has textured lines on the surface of the sheet, but they are finer and more regular than those that appear on a laid finish stock. This paper is also used frequently for business stationery.
Stardream - This is a brand of metallic and pearlescent colored papers. The colors range from pastels to jewel-tones. There are other brands of metallic papers such as Petallics and Curious papers. Although, Stardream is starting be used as a general term for any shiny, pearlescent stock. Many retailers will state that Stardream is inkjet-compatible. Do not fall for it. I have yet to meet a person who has successfully printed on stardream with an inkjet printer.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me. I'll do my best to answer them. Information was found here, here and here.

A few changes

2009-02-11T05:53:00.000-08:00

After hours upon hours of slaving on my computer, I have finished the first stage of my branding. I agonized over fonts and colors, but after all is said and done I'm really happy with what I came up with. I think this new look says more about me and my design aesthetic.

This...

...is replaced by this.

Say good-bye to this...

...and hello to this.

I also made some other changes. I imported previous design projects from my Anne K. in L.A. blog. Hopefully, this will make it easier for people to view my past projects. I also added a follower widget.

Please de-lurk and say "hello". I'd love to meet the people that read this blog and have been watching my budding business grow. I still have lots of work to do, but I'll bask in my sense of accomplishment for now.

Wedding Invitations: Jessica & Steve

2009-02-10T00:45:00.000-08:00

Jessica was referred to me by Stephanie & Jill of Style & Grace Events. At our initial meeting, she told me that she and Steve were planning an intimate celebration at the Long Beach Museum of Art. They were planning an intimate celebration and really wanted to put emphasis on celebration. She had Kathryn of Snippet & Ink create an inspiration packet to convey the look and feel on her wedding.

Here are some of the images Jessica sent me:

Paint a Rainbow

Marigold & Fuchsia

Pink Flamingo

Working with such a large color palette was daunting at first. I attempted to have her narrow down the colors to two or three of her favorites, but she couldn't pick just a few. I was worried that if I used all the colors her invitations would look garish. After some work, I found away to incorporate her palette without going overboard.

Here's what I came up with.

Invitation Suite bound together with Ribbon

Invitation

Postcard RSVP

Direction Card

Business Cards: Joellaann

2009-02-10T00:04:00.000-08:00

photo borrowed from Facebook

My friend Joellaann contacted a few weeks ago. She was in need of business cards. Her old business cards from her previous employer were no applicable. She had been resorting to scribbling her phone number and email on random pieces of paper.

She told me her criteria. Instead of something formal, she wanted something feminine and girly. She wanted hot pink, black and damask. Here's what I created for her.

2-sided card with rounded corners

My Home Office

2009-01-13T16:50:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd share a peek into my office. I use the term "office" very loosely. Rob and I live in a very small rented cottage. This means that my "office" has been relegated to a 48" x 24" section of our living room. Despite the limited space, I did get a window for my office. The view isn't fabulous {I see directly into our neighbor's trashy yard}, but the light is fabulous.

Here is a photo of my desk. If you click on the photo, you can view it in Flickr. In Flickr, you can see some of the notes I've added.

I am a Mac addict. I've had a Mac for the last 14 years. {gasp! That makes me sound really old.} I do the majority of design work on the iMac. The Macbook is more for when I or Rob goes out of town. After my last couple of trips, I've started to feel naked without a computer. Neither of these computers are what one would call Design Supercomputers. The iMac is a refurbished model that I bought directly from Apple. The Macbook I bought used from another designer. Both computers are running Adobe Creative Suite 2. I do the majority of my work of my work in Illustrator and InDesign. Yes, I am aware that there is an Adobe Creative Suite 4. CS2 works well for my purposes. If the Adobe fairy would like to gift me a copy of CS4, I would happily accept.

Here is a full view of my "office". Again, if you click on the photo, you can view it in Flickr. In Flickr, you can see some of the notes I've added.

We couldn't find a desk that would fit in the space. So, Rob built one for me. I love that all of my equipment is easily accessible. We plan to paint the black shelf to silver to match the legs of the desk. I love my inkjet printer and my Craft Robo cutter. My color laser printer? I would love to upgrade it. For now, I have a plain barstool to sit on. I'm in the market for a new drafting chair. There it is.... my office in a nutshell... Or should I say shoebox?

Tips, Tricks, and other Useful Tidbits of Information

2009-01-09T02:19:00.000-08:00

This blog is primarily for showcasing my design projects. Because it takes several weeks for these project to come to fruition, I've decided to share information regarding the creation of stationery to fill the gaps. Topics that I will cover will range from different printing techniques, types of paper, and tools that I find helpful. I am by no means claiming to be an expert on any of these topics. In my explanations, I will explain topics based on my professional experience and offer links to other sources of information. I hope that this will help my clients and others have a better understanding of what goes into the creation of stationery.

Holiday Cards: Anne & Rob

2009-01-05T01:53:00.000-08:00

Every year, I design our Holiday cards. And every year I want to kick myself. Don't get me wrong. I love making them. It's just that sometimes the process takes a wee bit longer than I plan. I'm just glad I was able to mail these out before New Year's. From the responses that I've received from my recipients, it was well-worth all the late nights.

I was inspired by these images:

Here are the finished product.

Front of Envelope

Back of Envelope

Holiday Card

Card as it is pulled from it's holder

Interior of Card and back of Card holder

Save the Dates: Nina & Jared

2008-12-21T10:45:00.001-08:00

Nina had contacted me back in May to do her invitations after seeing the invitations I did for Wendy. Originally, I was only going to design her invitations only. She had contemplated DIYing her Save the Dates. Then, she had contacted another designer to do them for her. Sadly (for Nina), that designer stopped returning her emails. So, she asked me to step in. I was more than happy to jump in. She explained that she wanted to introduce her color palette with her Save the Dates. She also wanted it to be unique, but didn't want anything too over-the-top.

Here's some images she sent me for inspiration.

Snippet & Ink board #72 - Romantic Red

Snippet & Ink board #147 - Valentine

This is what I came up with.

A flat-card and custom envelope liner.

I think she was pleased with the finished product and can't wait to work on her invitations.

Business Cards: Robert

2008-12-17T16:06:00.000-08:00

The man responsible for these culinary delights asked me about some design work.

From Wendy's Bridal Shower

Actually, the man responsible for the tasty treats is my husband Rob. This is definitely a case of "the cobbler's children have no shoes". He has been ~~whining~~ asking me to design his business cards for months. I kept shying him off because I was busy. To his credit, he knows how to motivate me. He threatened to have another graphic designer design and print his cards. I was horrified and immediately went to work.

The design process went fairly quickly. He threatened not to cook for me again until he got his cards. {Empty threats, BTW}. Rob ever the minimalist didn't want anything too fancy or too busy. I used his favorite Santoku knife as a point of inspiration. He also wanted cards that would easily fit in the pocket of his chef's coat.

Here's what I created.

Rob, now that I've done this, you'll have to wait another couple of months for any more design work;)

Birth Announcements: Tai & Ivy

2008-12-17T00:29:00.000-08:00

As I promised on my personal blog, here is the reason for my photo shoot with little Joshua. As part of my shower gift, I offered to design Joshua's Baby Announcements. I haven't designed baby announcements in a REALLY long time and I love to do them. Essentially, there are no "rules" to baby announcements. No etiquette on what should be said or how. They are simply happy pieces of correspondence. Mom and Dad want to share their news. This gives me an opportunity to have fun.

I don't have a photo of my inspiration for this design. I based it on Joshua's nursery. Ivy had painstakingly applied an animal mural on his nursery wall. I took the animal theme from there and ran with it. Because Ivy is a clever gal, she dressed Joshua in a cute baby animals onesie. Voila! Everything coordinated beautifully. I love it when a plan comes together.

Here is the finished piece.

Exterior of the Card

A Peek at the Interior of the Card

The Inside of the Card
{Tai and Ivy have a sense of humor. They chose the photo of Joshua winking at me.}

Congratulations Tai and Ivy! I can already tell that Joshua is going to be quite a character.

Photobooth Backdrop: Carmela & George

2008-12-15T01:10:00.000-08:00

I love to give wedding gifts that aren't on the registry. I have nothing against wedding registries. They are really great guidelines. However, when I find that there is some other gift the couple would enjoy more, I decide to go for that. I knew Carmela really wanted a photobooth at their wedding. The traditional booth that takes 4 photos was out of the question. In the last year or so, alternative booths have been gaining popularity. Many photographers have been setting up cameras on tripods with backdrops. It's a similar concept to the traditional booth. This has provided many couples wonderful wedding mementos.

I bartered services with my friend Pamela of Pamela Masters Photography. She graciously agreed. Not one to simply rest with that, I decided to do a custom backdrop that featured the tree motif Carmela was so enamored with. I put the design on white twill fabric. To ensure it was ready for use, I ironed and starched it.

Here's some photos with the backdrop.

From the looks of things, the booth was a big hit.

Best part, Carmela keeps the backdrop and is going to make pillows with it. The backdrop will live on.

Wedding Paper Accessories: Carmela & George

2008-12-13T14:35:00.000-08:00

Carmela and I collaborated on many of the things I created for her. She was definitely a bride with her own unique vision and tastes there are not that different from my own. During her planning process, we have become friends. I had the pleasure of attending her wedding. As with Janice and J.D., it was an awesome experience to see some of my work in their settings alongside the many projects which Carmela had worked so hard to complete.

Here are two of the projects I designed.

Programs

Vellum Cover

Title Page

Bridal Party page

Thank You Page and Back Cover

Placecard and Menu card

Placecard

Menu inside of place card

Placecard in the Tablescape

Placecard in Place Setting

Save the Dates: Kanishka and Brian

2008-12-12T11:44:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I have been a horrific blogger when it comes to updating this design blog. Thankfully, it's because I've been so busy with design projects that I haven't gotten around to photographing my finished pieces. So, I'm going to do a massive game of catch-up.

When Kanishka and I started discussing her Save the Dates, she said she wanted something modern, yet romantic. She also wanted to introduce her wedding color palette. Other than that, she told me to work my magic.

To give me a better idea of her palette, she sent me this inspiration board from Snippet and Ink.

She also had this inspiration board which she created.
These photos of Leanne Marshall's runway dresses from Project Runway (P.S. Leanne was my fave from this season.)

In addition, they has some amazing engagement pictures taken by Pix of Life.

Here's what I came up with:

Custom Wrap-Around Label

Save the Date with Vellum Overlay

Interior of the Card

I hope they like it. I can't wait to design their wedding invitations. This color palette will be fun to work with.

Wedding Invitations : Carmela & George

2008-10-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, Carmela is one of my early clients. I first discussed designing her invitations in February of this year! She asked me in February for her December wedding! In the interim months, Carmela and I have become friends. Also over the course of several months, she has forwarded a multitude of ideas for invitations. This particular suite was a collaboration between Carmela and myself. She is definitely a bride who has a specific look and feel for her wedding.

In the end, I used these items as sources of inspiration for Carmela & George's invitations.

Wedding Invitations from Smock Paper

The no-longer-in-print Blueprint Magazine

Pattern from Carmela's Centerpiece Stand

Fabric I discovered in the Fashion District

All of these items combined to produce this.....

Carmela made the labels and boxed each invitation

The pocketfold is comprised of printed duplex linen cardstock.
I hand-assembled all 140 pocketfolds!

The Main Invitation

View of Pocketfold Interior

Direction Card

Bridal Party Card, which is traditionally found in Filipino invitations

Reception Card

RSVP card and matching envelope

In the end, Carmela and I had a great time collaborating on this suite. I hope her guests will be as excited about them as I am.

Wedding Paper Accessories: Janice & J.D.

2008-10-15T00:16:00.000-07:00

Janice contacted me a few weeks ago to design more items. She and J.D. had successfully printed and assembled the invitations I had designed for them. They were ready to tackle more DIY items. I admire a couple with determination. I happily obliged them and they ran with it.

Janice and J.D. are friends of ours. My husband and I were invited to their celebration. I had the opportunity to see everything firsthand.

Here are photos of my design coupled with their handiwork.

Program Cover

Program Cover Page

Program Interior

Last Page of Program

Dinner Menu

Favor Label

Custom Photobooth Banner

Congratulations to J.D. & Janice! Your wedding was thoughtful and every detail beautifully executed.

Table Numbers & Programs : Pam & Geoff

2008-10-13T17:46:00.000-07:00

I am behind on blogging. Thankfully, it's not because of a lack of work. I am fortunate enough to have been VERY busy the last couple of weeks. Here is the first of several recaps.

Geoff & Pam contacted me to create Table Numbers and Programs to match the invitations I designed for them a few weeks back. They really wanted table numbers with images of themselves growing up through the years. So, I happily obliged. I incorporated the dahlia art from their invitations. I used a burgundy linen cardstock with Japanese hydrangea paper. Each number was printed on matte photo paper.

Here's a small sample of what they looked like.

Additionally, they asked me to design and print their programs for them. I designed a simple square-shaped program that was similar to my friend Wendy's Wedding programs. Again, I incorporated a graphic from their invitation on the cover. For these, I used burgundy 30% PWC cardstock, Japanese hydrangea paper, Stardream Opal Text and Classic Linen Text paper.

Here's a look at the finish product. The green hydrangea paper is actual much darker in person than in the photographs.

Cover of the program

First page

Interior with Bridal Party and Thank You's

Memorial Page

Congratulations to Geoff and Pam!

Their wedding was on Saturday. I'm sure the day went beautifully. They were in good hands. Thanks again to Stephanie & Jill of Style & Grace Events for referring such amazing clients to me.

Wedding Invitation Flashback

2008-09-17T23:42:00.000-07:00

To give myself a sense of accomplishment and to make it easy to find my previous invitation designs, here's a rundown of my wedding invitations from the last six months.

1. Wendy and Lior's Wedding Invitation Suite, click here.

2. Aileen and Scott's Wedding Invitation Suite, click here.

3. Daniella & Josue's Invitation Suite, click here.
4. Jenny and Kenny's Invitation Suite, click here.
5. & 6. Janice & JD and Pam & Geoff's Invitation Suites, click here.

To all the couples whose wedding invitations I've worked on in the last 6 months, thanks for giving this designer so many opportunities to explore my creativity.

Table Numbers & Escort Cards: Jenny & Kenny

2008-09-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

Jenny had fully intended on DIYing her own table number and escort cards. However, an extremely demanding work schedule put a halt to that idea. Because I had designed Jenny and Kenny's invites, she contacted me to help her by designing and assembling these items for her. Her only instructions were that she wanted to do something other than table tents and it had to have some kind of "wow" factor. Otherwise, my imagination had free reign.

I had some textured gold paper leftover from their invites. (I am guilty of constantly ordering far more materials than I actually need.) Here is a sample of the table numbers I created.

For her escort cards, Jenny had toyed with the idea of using little envelopes with each person name on it. The practicality of that was a bit daunting because she needed 155 escort cards! So, I worked with that general idea. Here's what I designed and assembled for her.

Each pochette was attached to ribbons that ran along the width of her escort card table

Close-up of Pochette

Opened with Table Assignment

Thank You Card : Paul & Kelly

2008-09-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

Kelly contacted me after finding my blog. She and her fiance had already sent their wedding invitations. So, she couldn't hire me to create that particular item for them. Instead, she decided that she wanted custom Thank You cards. Kelly was very thorough and specific about the look they were going for.

Here some of the images and commentary she gave me for design direction.

We prefer the Japanese Zen feel of something modern and clean but also bold, wispy, romantic and soft. Although a lot of times bamboo is portrayed as big stalks with some pointy leaves, bamboo is really a grass and it has a lot of movement in the wind and is very graceful. Some images that are modern and have a soft wispy feel are also attached to give you some inspiration and ideas hopefully. Our wedding colors are lavender, sage green and some deep purple (bridesmaid dresses and rehearsal dinner invitation).

{Source Unknown}

This is labeled non-preferred bamboo. This is because it reminds me of stereotypical Chinese/Asian/Polynesian bamboo especially with the placement of the double happiness image and all. It has an exotic "oriental" feel.

After a few rounds of correction, this is the finished product.

Thank You Card with matching light green envelope

I hope that Kelly and Paul enjoy writing their thank you notes on these cards. From the sounds of things, they have quite a few to write. They ordered 180 of these bad boys!

An Introduction

2008-09-13T18:50:00.001-07:00

For as long as I can remember, I have had an infatuation with paper. When I was kid, my mom used to bring home stacks and stacks of computer paper. This was the 80s when computer paper came in long perforated stacks. Give me a stack of paper and a new box of crayons and I was a happy camper.
This love affair with paper manifested in high school as fanciful collages made from magazine cutouts and wrapping paper and monumental stacks of black and white photos. In college, I discovered graphic design by way of an artist boyfriend. After that, I switched my major from pre-physical therapy to graphic design much to the chagrin of my parents. The learning process fueled my creativity past college. So, I continued to create things. I made cards, designed handmade books, fashioned origami, and whatever else the mood inspired. My favorite thing to do was custom stationery for friends and family. I made wedding invitations for my friend's wedding and baby announcements for another friend's baby. I did various small projects like this for years. It was something that I did "on the side". Five months ago, my day job quit me. Then, the thing that I did "on the side" became something I simply "did".

This blog is for my creative endeavors . I thought it was about time to separate my creative projects from my personal life. I can't promise that everything I post will be unbelievably incredible. However, I'll do my best to make it interesting.

Wedding Date Twins

2008-08-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

Thursday August 7, 2008

I really have been busy with design work. I have a first. This is the first time I've been asked to design invitations for weddings that are on the same day. These couples are in essence wedding date twins. Their wedding dates are the only thing they have in common. The style and feel of each wedding was radically different from the other. This gave me the opportunity to really flex my "design muscles".

Pam & Geoff

Pam and Geoff were referred to me by the very talented coordinating duo - Jill and Stephanie of Style and Grace Events. When I met them, they told me that their wedding colors were inspired by cymbidium orchids, only in reverse. They wanted burgundy as the dominant color with spring green/chartreuse as an accent color.

Additionally, they said they really liked the look of the dahlias in my wedding invitations from last year.

Here is what I came up with...

Burgundy Pocketfold with Chinese Symbol for "Love" printed on a Stardream Enclosure

Invitation and Inserts printed with Raised Thermography

Close-up of Invitation

Close-up of RSVP Card

Close-up of Map Card

Janice & J.D.

I have worked with Janice previously. She had me design bridal shower invites a couple of months back. This time it was a little more exciting because I was working on her wedding invitation suite. The extra challenge for this job was that Janice wanted to Gocco print all of her stationery. I had the very daunting task of creating a design that would translate well for that style of printing.

She and her fiance J.D. wanted invitations that evoked the rustic romance of their reception venue, The Firestone Vineyards' Crossroads Estate.

They also sent me these photos as a frame of reference. My apologies for not knowing the origins of these invitations.

{Source Unknown}

They were very much interested in an invitation suite that was a deck of cards.{Source Unknown}

Here is my design coupled with Janice's painstaking printing and invitation assembly. Janice is quite a trooper. She spent over a week Gocco printing these babies. To not leave anyone out, her fiance J.D., rounded the corners of each card and added the wax seals to the belly bands.

Invitation Bundle

Invitation, Reception Card, and Directions Card

RSVP Card and Envelope

Both suites were a lot of fun to work on. I'm looking forward to designing the rest of their wedding paper paraphernalia.

Little Things Add Up

2008-08-04T11:48:00.000-07:00

I have my very fun Sunday to recap and I will get to that a little bit later. I have been remiss in blogging about my design projects. This is not for lack of work. Thankfully, I have been fairly busy. Over the last month, I have been working on 2 invites suites and a plethora of small projects. It's these small projects that have really kept me busy. In the last couple of days, I have delivered 3 of them.

The first of these to be delivered were personalized notecards. These were requested by Melissa. Melissa wanted to give them as gifts for the hostesses of her bridal shower. She described one hostess as funky and the other as a girly girl. This is what I created for her.

The second project I delivered was for Wendy. She requested Bridal Shower invites for Janice. For this job, I was able to resurrect a design that another client had decided was not in keeping with the style and theme of their wedding. To add a teeny bit of flair, I created a matching envelope liner.

The latest project to be delivered was custom table numbers for Frances. Frances and her fiance Michael wanted to incorporate pictures of themselves growing up as part of their table numbers. Frances emailed her photos to me and I created a simple design. They had a whopping 17 tables! So, this could probably be classified as a medium-sized project. I didn't want to bombard this post with too many photos.

That was a preview of my small projects. I'll be debuting the two invite suites shortly.

Heartfelt Thanks

2008-07-10T19:00:00.000-07:00

Remember these envelopes?
Here are their contents.
I made the cards with my Craft Robo. I finally took it out of the box and set it up . For those that don't know, a Craft Robo is a personal cutter. It works in a fashion similar to that of a printer. Instead of printing on a piece of paper, it cuts out shapes that you designate. I didn't know such things existed. Paola introduced me to this machine last year and I've been pining away for one ever since. I still can't believe that my very generous friends gave me one for my birthday.

I really wanted to show them how much I appreciated the gift. I decided that custom cut thank you cards would be the best route. The cards are a bit simple, but my knowledge of the machine is still fairly basic. Just give me some time. Once I get the hang of that machine, my designs are really going to be elaborate.

Here's a really horrible video of my handy dandy machine in action.
[Video not viewable on RSS feed readers]

Craft Robo in Action from Anne K. Rodriguez on Vimeo.

The video is of my original thank you card idea. I ended up scrapping it for something more personal. My favorite part of the video is Dottie running away. She is not too fond of the noise that the Craft Robo makes while it is cutting. I need to stop torturing my dog with my craft projects.

Playing catch up

2008-07-01T21:02:00.001-07:00

Disclaimer: I actually started this post last week. I didn't get around to posting this because of a family emergency. Don't worry. All is well now.

If idle hands are the devil's instruments, than I should be very close to God right now. I have been toiling on this particular invite suite for over a week. This is one of the largest and most comprehensive projects I've taken on. The order was for 200 invites - designed, printed, assembled and addressed.

Jenny and Kenny - photo by Ellice Schwartz

I met Jenny a few months ago at one of our monthly dinners. Shortly thereafter, she found this blog and asked me to design her wedding invites. She said that she wanted something classic, elegant, and formal. Her colors were gold, ivory and champagne. Her brother had created a monogram for them. Lastly, she didn't want any graphics and minimal color. [Sound of record skipping.] What?! This project was going to be really easy or really difficult.

I treated this design like one of my design projects from Art School. I focused on using classic well-known typefaces. To create visual interest without relying on color or graphics, I decided to use texture as a design element. I used a Stardream paper, handmade paper, and classic linen cardstock.

Here is my finished product.

Invitation Pocketfold

Close-up of belly band and seal featuring monogram designed by Jenny's brother

Overview of Invite Suite

RSVP Card with matching envelope

Custom Map

Wedding Invitations: Daniella & Josue

2008-06-18T01:15:00.001-07:00

Aside from Michael's and Frances' wedding invitation, I have been feverishly working on Daniella's and Josue's wedding invitation.

Daniella is another person that I have meet through the knot. She has always been very sweet and genuine. In order to include as much of their family and friends in their celebration, Daniella and Josue have opted to put themselves on a very strict budget to ensure they could afford to include everyone. Because of this, Daniella had considered DIYing her invitations. I got that sense that she and Josue had their hearts in the right place. Did I mention they met while working at a retirement home? I felt inspired to do something nice for them. I offered to design and assemble her invites for her.

photo by Square Eye Photography

When I first spoke to Daniella about her invitations, she had a few small requests. She wanted me to use her existing monogram, her color scheme of red & black, and a damask pattern.

Here is what I designed for her.

I hope that Daniella & Josue like them as much as I enjoyed making them.

The envelope please....

2008-06-06T18:44:00.001-07:00

So now that these little envelopes have arrived at their destinations, I will blog their content.I designed my birthday invites. It's not a swanky affair, but I think I would be remiss if I didn't make and mail invites.

Here they are:

The front

Removing the ribbon band...

The Big Reveal

First panel

The full invite

I had purchased the art previously for my Wedding Save-the-Dates and didn't end up using it. I was hoping for an opportunity to use it and here it is. The colors were chosen as a personal design challenge. I have not worked with purple and plum yet. I am always asked to work with bright tropical colors or traditional, classic colors. I really wanted to move outside of my box. I also designed and assembled the enclosure the invite is attached to. I had fun putting these together and I think my recipients enjoyed receiving them.

Details, details

2008-06-01T13:22:00.001-07:00

Since this is my blog, I'm going to take a moment to gush. The other reason I was excited about Wendy and Lior's wedding is that theirs is the first to prominently feature my design work. All of the wedding stationery was a collaborative effort between Wendy and myself. I did the design work and Wendy did the dirty work (read: print & assemble). However, I cannot take all the credit. Wendy did an amazing job of incorporating and executing the designs.

Programs
I designed the monogram on the front cover and created the layout for the interior. Sadly, I don't have any photos of the interior.
Wendy created the cover and interior vellum insert, and carefully assembled each program.

photo by Jordana Taylor Hazel

Table Numbers
When Wendy's original table number concept proved to be too wordy, she decided to name the tables after hers and Lior's favorite bands. To add a personal touch, I incorporated a lyric from their favorite songs by said bands and indicated the song title and album.
Wendy printed each number, added matting, and carefully add crystal accents.

Escort Cards
I provided Wendy a template to use in Microsoft Word. She then printed each name and mounted them on beautiful stardream paper.

photo by Jordana Taylor Hazel

Bar Menu

Dinner Menu

Cocktail Napkins
I designed the monogram which Wendy painstakingly gocco'ed onto napkins

Photobooth Banner

It was really fun to see my designs at a wedding other than my own. It really was fun working with Wendy even though I teased her and said I was her design slave. I hope that my future DIY clients are as easy to work with as Wendy.

Completed Projects

2008-05-30T18:42:00.001-07:00

I received an email yesterday from Ali's mom. She thanked me for my help and graciously sent me some teaser pics to see how my design projects looked in her event setup.

Without further ado, here are the photos she sent me.

The escort cards look stunning all lined up.

Table Numbers with Candy Apple Favors

Close-up of the the Punny Label Ali had me design for her apples

Design Project Recap

2008-05-27T14:33:00.001-07:00

I'm going to try to blog in order. So bear with me.

This is Aileen & Jo.

Their wedding was this past Saturday. Many moons ag0, Aileen and I carpooled to our first knot GTG together. We even had the same wedding coordinator. After the disaster I had with said coordinator, she hired someone far more capable.

A few weeks ago, Aileen contacted me to create menus and programs. Like Ali and Bryan, Aileen and Jo had existing wedding stationery that I had to match. Here is what their existing stationery looked like.

Here is what I created to match. Each program was designed and hand assembled. It got a bit hectic and I enlisted Rob to help with the assembly process. Who knew my hubby was so handy with a hole puncher?

Programs

Front
*photo has been altered for client privacy

Page 1
*photo has been altered for client privacy

Page 2

Page 3
*photo has been altered for client privacy

I believe Aileen and Jo were pleased with the finish products. I can't wait to see their pro pics.

Another gift not on the registry

2008-05-20T00:27:00.001-07:00

These are my friends Ali & Bryan. They are Ali and Bryan of Ragtime fame.
Ali is part of the monthly diner's club (Non-knot GTG). Her wedding is the weekend. Coincidentally, the same day as Wendy's. As a wedding gift, I offered to create her escort cards and table numbers. It was a bit of a challenge because they had a monogram that a friend of theirs had designed.

My instructions were to create something modern and traditional AND match their existing monogram. This is what I came up with.

Escort Cards

Table Number & Escort Cards

The photos do not give really give a true impression of the cards. Because this project was a gift, I used some really great papers. Names were printed on Quartz Stardream and adhered to Blush Luxe Cardstock. I had a lot of fun creating these. Ali's wedding colors are very similar to my own.

From the reaction I got when I delivered these, they both really liked the finished product. They're so sweet. They generously gave me a giftcard to CPK. It was not necessary. Although, it is much appreciated. I thank them as does Rob - my perpetually hungry hubby.

More design goodness to come. Stay tuned!

Rehearsal Ready

2008-05-08T19:17:00.001-07:00

I have been very busy with my new iMac and the numerous design projects I have taken on. Here is a peek at one of the projects I have been working on - Wendy's Rehearsal Dinner Invites.

Invite wrapped in custom printed vellum

Invite Unveiled

Rehearsal Reminder Insert

A Sunny Sunday Afternoon

2008-04-27T23:42:00.001-07:00

I have to admit that I am typically not a fan of bridal showers. I find them too cutesy and nauseating. I can only stand but so many silly games like "Make a Wedding Dress Out of Toilet Paper" or "How Many Words Can We Make Out of the Bride's and Groom's Names". Less I forget, there is the gift-opening. It's like a kid's birthday party only the presents are boring and the bride is feigning excitement over a garlic press or citrus peeler. I have such an aversion to bridal showers that I carefully instructed my maid-of-honor Cicely to NOT throw me a shower. Additionally, I have not attended a bridal shower in 8 years. When I am invited, I courteously send a gift off the registry and make an excuse that I am busy.

Today I decided to foray back into the world of bridal showers. I have somewhat ulterior motives for attending this shower. First, I have become good friends with the Bride, Wendy and her Maid-of-Honor, Janice. Secondly, I designed the invites. Lastly, when Janice told me her plans for the event, I was impressed and intrigued. Janice styled a beautiful event in the backyard of her new home. The overall look of the event was based on yellow, white, and black color scheme with the use of a damask pattern. It was beautifully executed. Rather than describe it, here are some photos.

The beautiful tablescape
Linens (with exception of the damask tablecloth), tableware, glassware, tables, and chivari chairs were rented from Town & Country Rentals.
Paper floral napkin rings were made by Janice ala Martha Stewart.
Flowers by me (Recognize them from my previous post?)

The favors - Lemon-flavored Mexican Wedding Cookies
Janice custom dyed the fabric. Debra special order the cookies. I designed the tags.

One of my other attempts at Floral Arranging.

The food was amazing. I am, of course, a teeny bit biased. I volunteered Rob to cook for this party. He's a catering chef and I told him he needed "practice". Janice wanted an upscale picnic. Rob created a delicious, light Mediterranean spread.

Here are some photos of Rob and the food:

Rob in action

Grilled Halomi cheese with Rustic Bread

Fresh Taboleh, Hummus, Pita Chips, and Lavash bread

Dolmas, Olives, Marinated Mushrooms, and Marinated Artichoke Hearts

Roasted Eggplant with Feta over a bed of couscous

Luleh (marinated ground beef) and Salmon Kabob

Roasted Vegetables

Janice's Israeli Couscous Salad

Dessert - Cake by Jordana

I have to say I was more than pleasantly surprised. Janice requested we wear black, yellow, or white in any combination. This made for great photo ops. We only played 1 game "How well do you know the bride", which was was the source of much hilarity. Apparently, Wendy had quite a good time in her single days. The gifts were interesting and not your typical bridal party fare. The alcohol was plentiful. The majority of the party was spent gabbing and hanging out. As you can tell from these photos, a good time was had by all.

Janice & Wendy

My photo op with the the bride-to-be

In case there is any doubt as to how good of a time I had, this is how late I stayed.

Cherry Blossoms everywhere!

2008-04-21T13:03:00.001-07:00

This is Scott & Aileen. Photo by Bumatay Studio

Aileen and I started chatting when she asked me about the printer who printed my Wedding invitations. In the course of our conversation, I offered to design her invites. They are having their wedding at the chic Shutters-on-the-Beach Hotel in Santa Monica.

Her requests were for me to use pink, chocolate brown, and a touch of sage green... oh and lest I forget... use cherry blossoms. I bought some clip art, which I restyled in Illustrator.

Here is the final product.
Photos have been adjusted for privacy.

Outer Envelope with design
(Due to technical difficulties, I was only able to Gocco a few envelopes)

Invite Enclosure tied with Light Pink Fabric Cording

The Big Reveal

Close up of Invite

Overview of Invite Suite

Close-up of RSVP with Gocco'ed Envelope

Close-up of Directions Card

What's Black, Yellow, and White?

2008-04-12T15:16:00.001-07:00

Besides bees and Georgia Tech fans, shower invites come in black, yellow, and white.

Wendy's Maid of Honor, Janice contacted me about designing Wendy's Bridal Shower Invites. She had two requests. They were to use damask and the color scheme mentioned above. Here's what I came up with.

I designed the address and mailing labels using a damask pattern that I bought and manipulated.

Close-up of Mailing Label

Janice thought it would be a great idea to stamp emboss the back of the envelope.
Stamp courtesy of Jordana.

I designed this enclosure and printed the damask pattern on my inkjet printer.
We added a thick grosgrain ribbon to add more texture.

Enclosure with Invite Insert.
Actual Insert has a thin grosgrain ribbon running through the hole.

Close-up of Invite to show paper texture and ribbon.

These invites were quite labor-intensive. Thankfully, Janice called for some back-up and we had an assembly party at her house. Special Thanks to Debra, Jordana, and Janice for helping me put these together.

Something NOT on the registry

2008-03-31T21:22:00.001-07:00

My friend Jeannette's wedding is this weekend. Jeannette and I met on the Knot last summer. We bonded over stories involving our equally quirky families and jaunts to L.A. Flowermart. She is also my first design client that wasn't a family member or part of my inner circle. She and her fiance, Matt, opted not to register for gifts. This gave me a golden opportunity to design and make a gift.

Working with paper is my forte. As such, I decided to create a guest book for them. I bought an album kit from Paper Source and went to work. I'd like to say that this project was a walk in the park. In actuality it was A LOT more work than I had anticipated. I purchased the art from a website and manipulated it to fit my needs. The motif matched their wedding stationery, which I will post later. This was the easy part.

My original plan was to transfer the design to fabric and use the fabric as the book's cover. This was a disaster. The image didn't transfer as well as I would have liked. The fabric did not adhere as well as I would have liked. The fabric was so thick that it required a disgusting amount of glue. This, in turn, caused the covers to buckle. Long story short. The finished product looked like a child's art project gone very, very bad. Thankfully, I did not take any photos of this pathetic attempt.

Not to be deterred, I went back to Paper Source and bought another album kit and some paper. I decided to skip the fabric and stick to what I work with best - paper. I printed the design on Luxe paper. Assembly went much better this time. As persevering as I am, I wasn't sure I could buy another kit and start over yet again. I am quite pleased with the finished product.

Here are photos of the finished product:

Designs that didn't make the cut

2008-03-24T14:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some designs that didn't make it into Wendy & Lior's Invite Suite.

* Design edited for client privacy

This was their original invitation design. I had to edit the design when Wendy realized it would take her 7 Gocco screens and hours and hours of labor to mass-produce this piece. I was a little bummed that I wouldn't see this design "fleshed out", but loved what ultimately printed.

These were the original monograms I created for Wendy & Lior. They loved them until they realized that each monogram had to be hand-cut to be used as pocketfold seal.

Progress with my evvvillll plans

2008-03-23T10:49:00.001-07:00

This is Wendy & Lior. They are aiding and abetting in my eevvillll plan.Photo by Kim Fox Photography

I met Wendy through the Knot. We've become friends over the last couple of months. So, when she asked me to design her wedding invitation suite, I was honored. Wendy only had a few stipulations:
1. Invites had to have a modern feel
2. Incorporate a "Swirly Pattern"
3. Simple enough for her to Gocco print and DIY at home

I drew some of my inspiration from her wedding venue - Villa de la Vina in Malibu.
Here are some pics of her venue:

We ran into a few production hiccups. Because of that, her invites have had several incarnations. Thankfully, we got the kinks worked out. I helped assemble these invites.
Here is the finished product:

{Photo by Wendy Mills}
{Photo by Wendy Mills}
***Personal info has been removed to protect privacy.

{Photo by Wendy Mills}

Thank you Wendy & Lior for being among my first clients!

I have another invite suite to blog about, but I'll wait until after their wedding to post. Don't worry, JV...I didn't forget about your invites;)