Colorful Watercolor Crest Wedding Invitations

When I think about summer, I think of bright, vibrant colors and bold patterns (ideally of the fruit or floral variety). I’m loving these colorful watercolor crest wedding invitations from Sandy of Roseville Designs (one of our fantastic Designer Rolodex members!), whcih feature beautiful summery tones and a vibrant floral envelope liner. The custom watercolor crest is both whimsical and elegant, and the watercolor floral details throughout the suite are the perfect burst of summer color!

Colorful Watercolor Crest Wedding Invitations by Roseville Designs

From Sandy: I am so excited to share Melissa and Andy’s colorful watercolor crest wedding invitations! I love doing watercolor wedding crests because they can be used for not only invitations, but day-of wedding stationery, too! The beauty of a custom crest is you can take the elements of the crest and use them for designing the other paper elements.

Colorful Watercolor Crest Wedding Invitations by Roseville Designs

For Melissa and Andy, I created a watercolor wedding crest incorporating greens, blues, pinks, and peaches to celebrate their bright, summer wedding along the Connecticut shoreline. Since we knew we wanted to use a calligraphy-style font for the names, we used a more formal serif font for their initials inside the shield of the crest. The finishing touch were the rich green vines on the bottom.

Colorful Watercolor Crest Wedding Invitations by Roseville Designs

Colorful Watercolor Crest Wedding Invitations by Roseville Designs

I used elements from the watercolor crest in the rest of the suite, with different pieces of the floral and greenery on the RSVP card, reception card, and details card. Then I took florals from the crest and enlarged them for a bright and happy custom envelope liner! I knew this detail would put a big smile on the faces of their wedding guests when they opened the envelope.

Colorful Watercolor Crest Wedding Invitations by Roseville Designs

The final piece was a custom wax seal incorporating the monogram from the crest. This was placed on the outside of the envelope. I used a sea foam green wax to give it a soft feel. I love using wax seals in my suites because they give texture to design, and we all know invitations are a tactile experience!

Colorful Watercolor Crest Wedding Invitations by Roseville Designs

The entire suite was digitally printed on thick smooth white stock, to allow us unlimited flexibility with colors for the entire suite. This also allowed us to allocate more of her wedding invitation budget to additional pieces, like the envelope liner and wax seal. The result was an invitation suite that is romantic, timeless, and sets the tone for her elegant wedding celebration.

Colorful Watercolor Crest Wedding Invitations by Roseville Designs

Thanks Sandy!

Design: Roseville Designs

Invitation Printing: Stationery HQ

Envelopes + Envelope Printing: Cards & Pockets

Wax Seals: Waxseals.com

 

Roseville Designs is one of the fabulously talented members of the Oh So Beautiful Paper Designer Rolodex – our curated, members only directory of the best wedding invitation designers. You can check out more of her work right here!

Photo Credits: Xo and Fetti Photography

Inspiring Calligraphers: Anna Lora Whitley of Silt and Pine Calligraphy

Hey everyone! We’re into the summer swing of things… which means summer soirées and summer weddings! We’re celebrating these long summer days with some gorgeous calligraphy and hand lettering work from Anna Lora Whitley. Her calligraphy work as Silt and Pine is a sweet find (much like stumbling on a good lemonade in the summer). Jen

Inspiring Calligraphers: Silt + Pine

Inspiring Calligraphers: Silt + Pine

Photo Credits: Anna Rebecca

On her calligraphy style, Anna Lora says: My lettering style is honestly a version of my own handwriting. When I first started calligraphy, I kept getting so frustrated trying to do the traditional calligraphy styles. I quickly realized that it was much more important to me to create my own style.

Inspiring Calligraphers: Silt + Pine

Inspiring Calligraphers: Silt + Pine

Photo Credits: Ashley Goodwin Photography

Her calligraphy style feels just right with this Hawaiian themed invitation suite.

Inspiring Calligraphers: Silt + Pine

Photo Credit: Justin Johnson Photography

What a pretty way to display place cards!

Inspiring Calligraphers: Silt + Pine

Photo Credit: Laurie Dicus Photography

Mimosas, anyone?

Inspiring Calligraphers: Silt + Pine

Inspiring Calligraphers: Silt + Pine

Inspiring Calligraphers: Silt + Pine

Photo Credits: Tec Petaja

On a favorite project she’s worked on: I got to work on was a New Orleans + Indian fusion wedding. I am partial to New Orleans because my husband and I got married there, but I was so excited to work on this particular wedding because of the blending of cultures, beautiful color palette that the wedding planners, The Nouveau Romantics, created for the wedding and the absolutely stunning venue. It is hands down the most inspiring project I have worked on so far!

Inspiring Calligraphers: Silt + Pine

Photo Credit: Laurie Dicus Photography

On non-traditional surfaces, she shares: My favorite non-paper surface that I have worked on would be mirrors, but I have a feeling I’m about to have a new favorite. I have a fun wedding coming up where I get to write on acrylic and agate slices. The seating chart will be an 8-foot tall piece of acrylic. It is going to be such a fun project to work on.

A big thanks to Anna of Silt and Pine for sharing a peek at her work!

Macramé Wedding Inspiration

I love that textiles are having such a moment right now! Macramé wall hangings, plant hangers, and table runners are such a fun way to add depth and texture to a wedding or party. Today I thought I’d share some macramé wedding inspiration by rounding up a few favorite macramé wedding details – and the best part is that they can be used as home décor after the big day! If you’re DIY-inclined, check out Emily Katz’s new book, Modern Macramé, to learn how to make your own hand knotted pieces. And if you’re in the DC area, Emily will be teaching a macramé workshop at my studio space, Common Room Studio, this Monday, July 2, from 6-9 pm! You can sign up right here! Now let’s get to all the gorgeous inspiration…

Macramé Boho Wedding Chair Signs / Photo Credit: Illumien Photography via 100 Layer Cake

I love the idea of layering a macramé wall hanging or garland under chair signs for the bride and groom at a wedding reception! / Photo Credit: Illumien via 100 Layer Cake

Modern Macramé by Emily Katz / Photo Credit: Nicole Franzen Photography

Learn how to make this beautiful DIY macramé wall hanging (or ceremony backdrop!) in Modern Macramé by Emily Katz / Photo Credit: Nicole Franzen

Macramé Boho Wedding Seating Chart / Photo Credit: Let's Frolic Together via 100 Layer Cake

Um, how AMAZING is this macramé boho wedding seating chart?? Every detail is perfect, from the copper pipe to the floral additions at the top and bottom! / Photo Credit: Let’s Frolic Together via 100 Layer Cake

Macramé Plant Hanger Wedding Décor / Photo Credit: Lara Hotz via Green Wedding Shoes

Bestill my plant lady heart! Plants and ferns in macramé plant hangers make for perfect wedding décor / Photo Credit: Lara Hotz via Green Wedding Shoes

Macramé Wedding Arch Décor / Photo Credit: Olivia Richards Photography via 100 Layer Cake

Sweet and simple macramé wedding arch décor / Photo Credit: Olivia Richards Photography via 100 Layer Cake

Macramé Wedding Ceremony Backdrop / Photo Credit: Monique Serra Photography via Junebug Weddings

This macramé wedding ceremony backdrop is a total stunner – and would be perfect as a repurposed wall hanging or headboard after the wedding! / Photo Credit: Monique Serra Photography via Junebug Weddings

Macramé Wedding Seating Chart / Photo Credit: Katie Nicolle Photography via Ruffled

Okay, these macramé wedding seating charts just might be my new favorite thing. / Photo Credit: Melissa Biador via Ruffled

Macramé Wedding Table Runner / Photo Credit: Ben Q Photography via Green Wedding Shoes

I love the added texture from layering this macramé wedding table runner over baby blue linens / Photo Credit: Ben Q Photography via Green Wedding Shoes

Macramé Wedding Table Runner / Photo Credit: Laura Kelly Photography via Ruffled

Or skip the linens entirely and just stick with a macramé table runner for a more rustic look! / Photo Credit: Laura Kelly Photography via Ruffled

Modern Macramé by Emily Katz / Photo Credit: Nicole Franzen

Another one of the gorgeous DIY projects in Modern Macramé by Emily Katz / Photo Credit: Nicole Franzen

Are you feeling the macramé vibes for wedding and home décor these days? And don’t forget, if you’re in the DC area, I hope you’ll join us for Emily’s macramé workshop at Common Room Studio on Monday evening!

Behind the Stationery: 1Canoe2

Happy Tuesday! We’re back with another installment of Behind the Stationery featuring one of the best in the business, Beth Snyder of 1Canoe2! Beth moved back to her small town roots and shares how this is so important to her daily life and business. Having been in the business for 10 years and now managing 10 employees, Beth is here to share how she keeps the look and feel of 1Canoe2 consistent and each collection consistent across the brand after all this time. Take it away, Beth! —Megan Soh

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

Photo by Drew Piester Photography

From Beth: I have always been a visual person. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t love to draw, look at photos of far away lands in my parents’ National Geographic magazine, do crafts, and generally “make stuff.” This love of art mixed with my tendency to dream really big led me to start several little companies which served as a vehicle to sell my creations and enhanced the planner side of my personality.

I got a BFA in Graphic Design and Fibers from the University of Missouri (Mizzou) and while I was there, I worked almost full time at the local NBC affiliate TV station doing every kind of design work you can imagine. And when you work at a small company and show some initiative, you get to have a lot of responsibility! I designed TV sets, graphics for the news, logos, signage, and marketing materials. When I graduated I looked around and didn’t think I could find a creative job close to home, so I headed to Nashville, Tennessee (before it was the hot thing to do) and worked at the CBS affiliate there for 6 years. I won an Emmy for graphic design in television, and I also met my husband!

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

I never lost my intense sense of homesickness for gravel roads, big open skies, and being a small town dweller. We moved “back home” to our sweet little town of Fulton, Missouri (population: 12,000).

I’ve always had a penchant for selling a little something that I made. At the end of my stay in Nashville, I got a tiny Kelsey Excelsior 5×8 letterpress and learned everything I could from blogs, a friend, and internet forums. Pretty soon, I called up my childhood friend who was a talented artist and told her to send me some of her drawings and I would make plates which we could print together. 1canoe2 was born! That was almost 10 years ago, and studio locations and iterations of the business structure have come and gone. Now we have 10 employees, our own building in our historic town, and a following of really devoted fans who love to see what we’re up to on Instagram!

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

I’d love to tell you a little bit about our corner of the world, because we believe it’s at the very center of our success. We’re based in the middle of a rural part of the Midwest. There’s a grand total of 40,000 people who live in our county. A mile from my house in the middle of town, you’ve got dirt roads and corn fields—and I love it! I can go out rainbow chasing and post it on Instagram before it’s faded.

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

I live just 4 blocks from our studio/warehouse/paperie, on the same street which allows me to walk or ride my bike to work. It’s in an historic home near the downtown Brick District and we love it a lot. My husband, daughter, and our dog Trixie and I walk downtown at least once almost every day. All the little small town parades go right past our front porch. If you’re gonna go small town, do it up!

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

Our studio space is 5,000 square feet right in the middle of the historic business district and it was built in 1902. When I purchased the building in 2016, it hadn’t been inhabited for about 9 years, but in previous lives it had been a bank, a lawyer’s office, and an insurance company. It was definitely a space that required major vision to see through the 12 (!) layers of wallpaper, drop ceilings, maroon carpet, and the 1980s wallpaper. But from the moment I first stepped in the building, I saw a few architectural details that hinted to the treasures that had been concealed with generations of bad taste and small budgets. My favorite discoveries were the intact 14-foot pressed tin ceiling that was actually hidden above an 8 foot ugly fluorescent light drop ceiling, and the curved corner wall on which we painted a mural in the Paperie.

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

Now we have a bright sunny office for our team, and a little shop that is a benefit to the community, that is also the most incredible playground for me as a designer and product developer. It’s also amazing to experience the wholesale industry from the side of the buyer – who is our main customer! It’s made us much better at customer experience for sure.

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

We are artists and, first and foremost, an illustration company. We happen to sell our artwork on stationery like cards, calendars, planners, etc., because paper is our passion. We started out as a letterpress company with a couple of presses in a barn, and now we use an offset printer to produce our full-color illustrations.

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

Our business is unique because of our signature style and the influences that surround us here in the rural Midwest. We hope that our fans could see a card in a shop and immediately know it’s ours. We put a lot of heart and soul into the artwork, and we lead with our paintbrushes.

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

Our creative process is collaborative, and starts with a brainstorming session with every member of the team from shipping and production up to me. We all throw out ideas that we think might make interesting cards — either visuals or wording. The actual design process then goes to the art team, which consist of me as the creative director (and I do a little of the art) and two artists who paint to their individual strengths.

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

Since we’re three individuals working as a team to create a cohesive look, we have had to hone our process. For our big collections, like the new Goldenrod which we just launched, we work for about a year from a creative brief. Last summer I was really inspired by all the warm, peachy-golden light at the end of August; so I created a creative brief that listed out all the visuals that came to mind and created a vision board of sorts. During one of our art meetings, I presented the concept to Haley and Kate and over the next couple of weeks they went out and pulled their own inspiration images and phrases and added to the brief. We reconvened, and started making artwork based on this creative brief.

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

It’s definitely a fluid process, and we’re fine tuning it for our next collection, but I think we achieved our goals of creating an exciting, cohesive collection that has a clear intention. As we’re working on new products for the year, we’re painting new artwork and also using other artwork from the collection to put onto sketchbooks, notepads, cards, etc. But when it’s time to release all the new products, we have a massive library of artwork that can be used for future projects.

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

We thrive on a flexible work environment, but we have a lot of projects and we work as a team, so we have meetings. Generally, everyone is at the office on Mondays. We have staff meeting in the morning, and creative meetings in the afternoon. I personally spend a lot of time on big ideas and licensing partnerships. I think it’s my job to keep the company moving forward and creating amazing new things for our audience. I don’t know if it’s possible to accomplish all the big dreams we have, but our team is dedicated to trying!

Behind the Stationery: 1canoe2

All photos courtesy of 1Canoe2 except where noted.

Want to be featured in the Behind the Stationery column? Reach out to Megan at megan [at] ohsobeautifulpaper [dot] com for more details.

Paper Party 2018 Gift Bags + a Giveaway!

Yesterday I shared the photos from Paper Party 2018, and today I’m super excited to close out the week by sharing the amazing tote bags that we made for this year’s party! And because OSBP readers are the absolute BEST people on the planet, I saved a few tote bags from the party to give to you!! These bags are filled with some of the most gorgeous stationery, and I know you’re just going to flip out when you see what’s inside. For the actual tote bag, we collaborated with the ladies of 1canoe2 on this year’s design (definitely a bucket list item on my collaboration wish list!). I absolutely LOVE how they turned out. The sweetest phrase in 1canoe2‘s signature hand lettering style and totally perfect for carrying everything from groceries to towels and supplies for a day at the beach (or the local pool). Don’t you love it?? I’ve already started carrying mine with me all over town!

And inside the bag? Pretty much the most awesome stationery from some of my favorite stationers: Amy Heitman, And Here We Are, Boss DottyCardtorial, Chez Gagné, Dahlia Press, Emily McDowell, Good Juju InkHester & Cook, Hello!Lucky, Idlewild Co., ilootpaperie, Knock Knock, Our Heiday, Mr. Boddington’s Studio, Party Sally, Paula & Waffle, Pinwheel Print ShopRamona & Ruth, Rifle Paper Co., Shannon KirstenSmitten on Paper, The Good Twin, The Social TypeWild Ink Press, Worthwhile PaperMixbook, Sakura of America, and a full set of the amazing postage stamp cards sponsored by Legion Paper. Whew!

I wish I could invite every single one of you to the Paper Party, but instead I’m doing the next best thing – giving away THREE of these amazing Paper Party 2018 tote bags! I have three tote bags full of all the stationery awesomeness you see in this post to give away, just for OSBP readers. They’re kiiiiiinnnd of the most amazing tote bags ever, so you definitely want to enter the giveaway below!

To enter, just follow the options on the Rafflecopter below – there are three different ways to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Photo Credits: Charlie-Juliet Photography

*Sorry, limited to U.S. readers only. $150 approximate total retail value. Winners will be contacted via email after comments close.