Trend Spotting...

Are posters becoming the new way to invite guest to your wedding? These two ultimately creative designs are posters and wedding invitations and when you think about it most events have posters so why not your wedding? Sure many of us will still covet the traditional styled invitation but for those brides who want to do things a little differently.... Poster anyone?


found this via Black Eiffel and it came from here


discovered via The Scoop or you can learn more about it here

Have You...

forgotten to get a card for a birthday or needed a quick card to say thanks and just didn't have the time to stop by a store to pick one up? Then Cardstock was made for you! They have all the cards you will need for a year. Birthdays, Thank you notes, Mother's Day,Sympathy, Get Well and even Holidays! What more can you ask for?

Simply Beautiful

I haven't forgotten about my calligraphy features so today we're going to combine beautiful calligraphy with lovely greeting cards. This combination equals simply beautiful cards by the renowned calligrapher Bernard Maisner. Figments features a line of lovely greeting cards filled with swirls,curls and decadence that is completely elegant.

These are the types of cards that would make anyone excited to receive mail. Here's another sample of Bernard Maisner's work.

DIY Wedding Invites

Not everyone has the wedding budget to allow for totally designer invitations, but don't worry there are plenty of ways to have stylish invites without the cost.

Uniquity Invitations creates stylish templates that you can insert your information into and print from home. You receive the entire invite suite and while you're printer will do a lot of work, you don't have to. One of my style favorites is The Ella style its designed with flourishes and is totally stylish and definitely elegant. Here are some samples of how some brides have used these design templates.





Ok, so Paper Source is one of my favorite places so I have to share their DIY invite kits too. What makes them different from uniquity is that their accents and style come from the papers they use as belly bands, backings or as envelope liners. With a variety of card styles its easy to design an invite that is totally about your wedding. Here are a few of their fabulous styles.





For you crafty brides who love all these diy paper projects, if you have a gocco, think about using it to create your wedding invites. Many brides on Wedding Bee have used the gocco to print their wedding invites and they have turned out so beautiful. Here are a few...







{some images also from flickr}

DIY Invites can be time consuming and if you're a bride who wants something done without you doing a lot of work then, DIY is not for you. If you love doing these types of crafts well visit these sites and start decicing which one fits your theme.
Go ahead and DIY!

Emboss It! {Part Two}

I was given a tip to another place to check out for embossers its called Wilshire Graphic Press.
You can make your choice size for your embosser, choose your own image and type style or create one of your own. Along with embossers, there are stamps, and stickers too! Definitely check this site out.

Emboss It!

Want a quick and stylish way to upgrade your stationary or create authentic stationary... Emboss it.

If you're looking for a monogram one of my favorite companies is PSA Essentials. They have a variety of pre-crafted designs to choose from and before you know it, you're ready to emboss anything made of paper.




If you're moods change like the weather and somedays want to use your monogram and other days a symbol like a flower then this desk embosser from Paper Source.is perfect for you. The emossing plates are sold individually so you can have as many as your heart desires.



What I love about the paper source embosser is you can use plates to share a simple message of "Thank You" or "Save the Date" or just leave your return address....

{hint to brides if your watching your budget think about embossing your return address on your envelopes or even using an thank you embossing plate}

Ready to change your stationary? Emboss it!

Calendar Girl

Even with smart phones, PDAs etc I still have to have a paper calendar. Sure your PDA can store everything you can imagine but when all else fails.... you can't go wrong with paper. Here are some calendars That could suit

I know for most of us, there's never enough time in a day so when I saw 8 Days-A Week calendar that gave me an extra day in the week I felt like finally my growing list of things to do could be scheduled.


If you're a doodler like me try the 8-Days a Week Doodle Planner.


Another great agenda is specifically for Moms who have to keep track of everyone's schedule.



I really just like the designs and bold patterns of these Whomi Calendars.


Now you may not need a calendar until August {like me} but its always good to look.

Psst..Card Crafter

For those of you who love doing paper crafts I found these great card patterns from Amy Butler Designs that are just lovely look....



When I saw these I thought how perfect these would be for a bridal or baby shower or for a princess tea party invitation and of course to just simply say "Thank You". Want to make your own click here. Be sure to select the free paper craft download links.

Oh and there are some other wonderful project besides cards that are also equally fun.

Inspiration...

DIY + Snow and Graham = Utterly Stylish!

Sometimes you need a invitation that all you have to do is format your information and then press print. Of course finding these type of invitations {ones that are stylish, chic and have some character} can be difficult. Not anymore! Snow and Graham has a selection of imprintable cards at Luxe Paperie These cards posess the lovely designs of Snow and Graham so all you have to do is find the right font and format these cards for your printer. That's easy! Here's a sample of their collection.

Get Crafty!

I was reading through the blog black eiffel and came across this cool tutorial about aking a photo journal and thought this is a very easy project but also perfect for recounting a trip, making as a gift for bridemsaids, or just to have for yourself to jot your own ideas, thoughts and wishlist down. Here's some pictures of the finished result.



{PS, If you don't want to do just photos try decorative paper, postcards and other cartstock weight paper.}

For more journal inspiration and more about Judy Lee and her journal making company visit the website five and a half.

Quotable Cards

I'm such a fan of quotes. They can be thought provoking, motivating or just plain funny. For weddings there's one quote I always write in the bride and grooms card because I feel it always seems to capture that special moment. Sometimes the only way you can say what you need to say is through the profound words of someone else. If you need the right words to say...visit Quotable Cards . I'm sure you've seen these before in stationary or gift stores, these wonderful designs and use of various fonts to display a quote on a mug, calendar or note card. Now they have wonderful thoughts on canvas that you can hang in your office and gaze at on those days when all you really need is encouragement. Here's some inspiring stuff....

CALENDAR


NOTE CARD SETS


WALL CANVAS

DIY Inspiration

Numerous blogs have talked about inspiration boards and even I have made my fair share, but after reading wedding bee and learned about a cool feature from big hudge labs, I couldn't resist playing with it. Sure there were probably more productive things I could be doing {but not today}. Big Huge Labs has a feature where you can create your own "mosaic tiles" or what I call an inspiration boards. It's effortlessly easy. If you have a flickr account or know the url's of the pictures either way you can create as many boards as your heart desires. So if you're trying to formulate a wedding concept or think about how to redecorate a room this is perfect. Here's one I made. Want to make one or two of your own click here.

Civilities

I really feel stationary is one thing everyone should have. You never know when you'll have to say thanks, send well wishes or just a thought to say thinking of you. What if you had a nice little card to give someone when something nice is done for you? Who doesn't love instant gratification? Who doesn't like to feel appreciated? Greer Stationary in Chicago, believes everyone should receive a thank you for the nice things they do. They created a reusable note of thanks for those random acts of kindness or just for being polite. The card line is called Civilities. Once you receive it, you must pass it on! What a concept!

Fashion Inspired

While gazing at all the beautiful things featured for fashion week I thought I'd share some inspiration. If you're planning an event or wedding in the Spring, then use the Pantone 2008 fashion color report as your guide. In my own little twist, I found invitations that feature some of the coming fashion season's colors.


If your planning a spring wedding and thinking about color, design etc... be inspired.

Packaging the Details

When it comes to party favors for your wedding or party, it's all in the presentation. There are so many simple and easy ways to incorporate your style and theme into the packaging of your party favors. Here are a few examples...


Heather & Andrae gave guest dark chocolate favors in beautifully wrapped paisley print paper.



Emily & Christopher blend pale pink, ivory and green in their own unique way. The cohesive blending of their escort and menu cards and favors.



Katie & Robert in Jacksonville, FL
Green polka dot accents and a modern vibe created the perfect day. The favor boxes and other decorative details carry out their modern theme.

Paper Mojo

A few post ago, I talked about incorporating paper into your event. Well if you're looking for wonderful paper prints to compliment invitations, enhance table numbers or escort cards Paper Mojo is the place to go. Now with the name Paper Mojo...I think they know what they're doing. Here's some of their prints.

I think any great idea is worth writing down so why not find a lovely journal to store all your thoughts, party or wedding plans. Besides the fact that they're stylish, you also have everything you need in one place.

Want something artistically inspiring and decadent? This Pulse Journal is perfect and the cover is made out of silk.


If your ideas are all about designs and sketches, well these Sierra Sketchbooks will allow for impromtu inspiration.


These letterpressed journals by Snow and Graham are also perfect for keeping track of any idea, list or thought. There are 64 lined pages. I think they're upscale composition books. This one is called Ebony's Patterned Notebook.


Don't you love the nameplate that you can customize for yourself!

The Carrot and Stick Press Lily notebook is perfect to fit in your purse and keep track of all your daily to do's favorite blogs and so many other things.


There are so many others like those wonderful prints and patterns from mirage paper co. and of course my favorite the paper patisserie by peculiar pair press. We all get inspired, so why not have something totally stylish to keep them in.

Its All In The Wrapping

I was in need of chocolate and as I was thinking about what would soothe my cocoa craving, I thought about some of my favorite chocolate places online and near home and as I visited site by site while munching on my steady standby {m&m's}, I thought I need to talk about Allison Nelson's Chocolate Bar in NYC. If you haven't been to visit them... Go. If you haven't seen their site...visit. Why? Because the wrapping for their chocolates is not only stylish but completely artistic and what better way to combine the two things I love....{paper and chocolate!} Once you see it you'll be in love too.

What better way to represent NYC than with the graffiti bars. Here's what is even better. Each Graffiti style is a exotic and delicious flavor like the Crash bar that is a blend of dark chocolate with rum infused ganache. {Oh yea, and you get some graffiti history}


The next wrapping has a more artistic style and its probably one of my favorite wrapper designs. Its the Stencil Bar Set. Buy in a set...



or buy individually....
Carmel Stencil Bar


Bittersweet Stencil Bar



Maybe you need something a bit more nostalgic, try the Retro Bar Set. It's the Chocolate Bars twist on a retro design but when you see all the flavors you know there is nothing retro about these bars {like salty pretzel}



I love chocolate but I love how the Choclate bar has used its wrapping to not only set it apart but also showcase its style. Besides while you're enjoying your chocolate shouldn't you have something good to look at?