INSPIRATION FILE // GONE FISHIN' EDITION

One final Gone Fishin' Edition of the Inspiration File. Unpacking is a nightmare.

This is a post from iDIY – fruity centerpieces. Perfect for weddings or just an evening with friends.

Back to regular Shop posts on Wednesday.

INSPIRATION FILE // GONE FISHIN' EDITION

A great resource for all things handmade is Etsy's ongoing, you guessed it, Handmade Wedding series. Great ideas for a completely handmade wedding or even if you want just small touches of handmade. Enjoy!

INSPIRATION FILE // GONE FISHIN' EDITION

Today's Gone Fishin' Edition is dedicated to engagement photos. Styled, beautiful and completely enviable. Here, here and here from Style Me Pretty.

INSPIRATION FILE // GONE FISHIN' EDITION

I'm at the lake this week but wanted to leave my {small} readership something to ponder while I'm gone. The Gone Fishin' Edition of the Inspiration File which usually posts only on Mondays will be chock full for a whole week of wedding ideas from other blogs in blog-land. Hope you like them. I'll be back on June 29th with a new post.

The first is from Apartment Therapy's The Kitchn. Cookie table before cake? Great idea in my book, especially if you have your favorite bakers contribute to the spread. Go here, here and here for more about this new trend.

IN THE STUDIO // INVITATION SPOTLIGHT

Just a quick post to spotlight one of my favorite invitations designs. The Ginkgo invitation was designed for Donna & Rob's 2007 wedding and is now a part of my wedding collection.

SHOP // GIFTS FOR YOUR GIRLS

Today I'm thinking about unique {and handmade, of course} thank you gifts to get your lovely bridesmaids. They range from things they can wear/carry at your wedding, to personalized gifts made just for them, to practical gifts they can use in their busy lives. Let's start with the personalized gifts because they are from Armato Design & Press {hey, it's my blog after all}.

Above are mini calling cards {and here is another design, with many more very soon to come}, letterpress printed on 100% cotton paper with name and contact information for that busy bridesmaid who is always meeting people. Choose the font and color that best represents your 'maid's personality.

And a great gift for the girl who wants to keep in touch with the people she meets is my personalized stationery. Letterpress printed with her name and a sweet little design. There are a couple different options {look here and here as well}.


Next are a couple of gifts that can be worn on your big day and after for her big and not so big days.

Limited edition clutch from Fiazco because who doesn't want a sweet clutch like this? But how often do we really buy it for ourselves? So buy it for her.

This necklace is perfect for a more casual wedding and so wearable for any day of the week. Little wood flower necklace by Yuki.

The next two are little gifts that are very practical but are also so unique that your girls are sure to think of you every time they use them.

On the face of it this may not look like the most practical gift ever but, who among us hasn't popped an apple in our tote while rushing out the door one late morning, only to find a bruised and mangled apple at lunch time? They may not realize it now, but your girls will consider this a must have. An added bonus: it's funny and just makes a person smile. Find the Wrapple Cozy Apple Fruit Sweater Jacket at Beautiful Bridget's Etsy shop.

I hate to think of how many trees have been sacrificed just to protect our hands from a hot cup of coffee. But since we are not giving up our morning caffeine, this is a perfect alternative to the ubiquitous and wasteful paper coffee sleeve. Cute and unique, just like your girls. Find it here from Laura Bucci.

INSPIRATION FILE // SECURITY ENVELOPES

A couple of days ago I saw this post at iDiY. Loving pattern as much as I do, the entire post made me swoon. That's right, a security envelope made me swoon. MANY security envelopes made me swoon. Oh, the things we take for granted.

When starting the custom design process, I encourage my bridal clients to think about what inspires them, what is meaningful to them in their relationship as a couple and as individuals, what do they just plainly like to look at? I like to look at patterns like these {found here}:



So, to illustrate my point, I thought I would create a sketch of an invitation for a bride who was really taken with security envelope patterns. Maybe she's an artist and he's an accountant and they wrote love letters to each other, and all of his letters came in security envelopes written at and sent from work. Feeling too shy about writing love letters at work and sending them from work, he wrote quick and slipped each note into an envelope with patterns such as these on the inside. And now, because of him, she associates these patterns with the pattern of their love story {which is way better than thinking of bills when seeing these patterns, in her opinion}. She wants them on their wedding invitations but, with an artistic twist, she wants to see them in sunflower yellow an steel grey. And can you imagine the fun she will have with envelope liners?

See? This is how an invitation can take shape if you dig deep and think inside the envelope {if you'll allow the very appropriate pun}. Here's a closer look: