Woodsy Illustrated Wedding Invitations

Now that Spring has arrived, we’re itching to break out our hiking boots and spend a weekend exploring and enjoying nature! In the meantime, we’ll just have to gaze at these rustic and woodsy illustrated wedding invitations by Amanda of Wide Eyes Paper Co.! Don’t you just love the illustrated bear for the reply envelope address? Here’s hoping that’s the only bear we encounter anytime soon!

Woodsy Illustrated Wedding Invitations by Wide Eyes Paper Co

From Amanda: A striking watercolor scene of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains makes these invitations simply majestic. Jenny and Aaron are a hip duo that enjoys the great outdoors and wanted their rustic, quirky vibe to be reflected in all of their stationery. We were so excited to craft up a complete custom watercolor stationery suite for them. Starting with the save the date cards all the way through to the main invitation suite, we dreamed up a woodsy wonderland to announce their rustic soirée.

Woodsy Illustrated Wedding Invitations by Wide Eyes Paper Co

Woodsy Illustrated Wedding Invitations by Wide Eyes Paper Co

This invitation suite is certainly not shy of the details. Along with the custom watercolor scenery, we also illustrated a custom grizzly bear that is seen throughout the little details in this set. We intentionally illustrated this bear to creatively ensconce the sender’s address. We used this motif for the custom envelope printing for both the main invitation envelope as well as the reply envelope. Keeping the theme consistent, we also incorporated the Colorado Rocky watercolor scenery onto the envelope liners for a bit of pop and whimsy.

Woodsy Illustrated Wedding Invitations by Wide Eyes Paper Co

To enhance the natural, organic feel of the suite we printed each piece on 100 percent recyclable French Muscletone Kraft card stock. This paper lends itself to a great rustic appeal, especially paired with the nature-inspired green envelopes.

Woodsy Illustrated Wedding Invitations by Wide Eyes Paper Co

Jenny and Aaron are not the traditional type, so they opted for an illustrated way to let their guests know about some of the main attractions in the area. Instead of going with a more formal, written information card we created a custom watercolor map. We included many landmarks that are special to the couple such as their favorite Ski Lodge and the local marina Tiki Bar. (Everyone has gotta love a good Mai Tai!)

Woodsy Illustrated Wedding Invitations by Wide Eyes Paper Co

To spice the invitation suite up even more, we created a custom monogram that is seen on the wood engraved tags. These wood engraved additions are perfect for any rustic occasion and pair well with all of our woodland inspired sets.

Woodsy Illustrated Wedding Invitations by Wide Eyes Paper Co

Woodsy Illustrated Wedding Invitations by Wide Eyes Paper CoThanks Amanda!

Design: Wide Eyes Paper Co.

Printing: Advanced Reprographics

Wide Eyes Paper Co. is a member of the Designer Rolodex – you can see more of their beautiful work right here or visit the real invi­ta­tions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Kelly Wilde

Nine Awesome Design and DIY Books

Hi everyone! I have a growing list of books that I’ve been meaning to share with all of you – so today I’m sharing them all in one fell swoop! We’ve got some fun illustration instruction books from some familiar faces around OSBP, creative ways to customize your things at home, a peek into the lives of creative business owners, nature-inspired prints and patterns, and so much more!

Nine Awesome Design and DIY Books

1. Erin Austen Abbot of Amelia is known for curating amazing wares for her shop in Oxford, Mississippi. With her first book, How to Make It, Erin takes us behind the scenes with 25 makers to share a behind the scenes look at what it takes to run a creative business. Yay Erin!

2. Dinara Mirtalipova is one of my favorite illustrators; we’ve been lucky enough to feature some of Dinara’s work here on OSBP, and I’m constantly in awe of her intricate folk art-inspired illustration style. Her new book, Imagine a Forest, includes 45 step-by-step tutorials for creating your own folk-inspired illustrations – along with plenty of illustration inspiration to gaze throughout the day.

3. Christine from Yellow Owl Workshop is a genius when it comes to stamps, stencils, and fabric dyeing. Her latest book, Make it Yours, is all about customizing your favorite objects around your home, from scarves and tote bags to quilts and dressers.

4. If you’ve ever wanted to learn the art of watercolor illustration, now is your chance! Everyday Watercolor from Jenna of Mon Voir will teach you everything you need to know for creating gorgeous watercolor florals and nature illustrations.

5. I love following illustrator Carolyn Gavin on Instagram, and I was thrilled to see her new book: Draw, Color, and Sticker Things I Love Sketchbook. The sketchbook is full of ready-to-color illustrations and partially illustrated pages that you can fill in using your own imagination. So fun!

6. How to Draw Type and Influence People is basically an activity book for grown-ups with a focus on hand drawn type and the role that type plays in advertising. If you’re interested in the grown up coloring book trend but not into traditional illustrations and patterns, this might be for you! 

7. Print & Pattern: Nature celebrates beautiful nature-inspired surface design, patterns, and motifs – including from a few stationers that are familiar faces around OSBP!

8. Rubber Stamping offers a comprehensive guide to the art of block printing and reduction printing using traditional rubber blocks, hand carved designs, and roller printing techniques.

9. I’m a huge fan of watercolor artist Kristy Rice of Momental Designs, so I was thrilled when she came out with a series of adult coloring books for watercolor featuring her original illustrations! The books are printed using thick watercolor paper and feature floral illustrations, woodland illustrations, and fun patterns. Check out the full series here!

Stationery A-Z: New baby congratulations cards

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage! Piggybacking on our recent theme of engagement and wedding parties, it only seems appropriate to also feature new baby greeting cards (also, they are just so cute!). New moms and dads need all the support they can get; sending a thoughtful message of congratulations, encouragement, and love can really go a long way for a sleep-deprived new parent (throw a lasagna in there and they’ll be eternally grateful to you). From cats and cradles to hedgehogs and holographic foil, we’ve got a myriad of styles for any new parent on your list! –Shauna

New Baby Congratulations Cards

From top right:

1. Farewell Paperie has got the right idea: no parent ever tires of hearing how cute their baby is. Pair that with wood type and a modern color palate and you’ve got a sure winner.

2. Printed with veggie ink, this Yellow Owl Workshop design features toys, rainbows, and even a hot air balloon.

3. New to me designer Behind Green Doors teepee design is perfect for your outdoorsy friend who can’t wait to take their infant camping.

4. This illustrated kitten from Canadian Triangle Trees comes in either orange or teal but always comes in adorable, sweet and thoughtful.

 5. It’s baby time! It’s definitely a party with chartreuse paper and silver holographic foil from The Social Type. Sleepless nights be damned!

6. You can always count on Snow & Graham for their sweet illustrations and clever design – this mobile inspired greeting card is no exception.

7. Dying from the cuteness of this adorable baby and mama (or dada) hedgehog from Los Angeles-based Clap Clap Design.

8. Not surprisingly, Moglea chooses to express congratulations with an abstract palate and a hand-lettered sentiment.

9. This Noah’s Ark themed design from Rifle Paper Co. is the perfect sprinkling of spirituality without being overtly religious.

10. Loving this family of retro illustrated fish by Nicholas John Frith for Wrap Magazine.

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Creative Garlands

Garlands are such a beautiful way to add color and texture to your wedding day. No matter your wedding theme or budget, there’s a garland that fits right in! And so many of our favorite garlands are made from paper – which just makes us love them even more! From hand stained coffee filters that look like flowers to papel picado banners to modern geometric triangles, here are some ideas to get you started. â€“ Annie

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Creative Garlands / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Those aren’t flowers hanging from the ceiling. They’re hand stained coffee filters! | Photography: Sargeant Creative, Event Planning: Brandi of High Society Event PlanningLarrissa of Inviting Occasion via Sargeant Creative

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Creative Garlands / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Cute strands of paper triangles. | Photography: Byron Loves Fawn via 100 Layer Cake

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Creative Garlands / Oh So Beautiful Paper

These papel picado banners add so much color to the space! | Photography: Mandee Johnson, Event Design: Outfit Home, Planning: Magic Hour Marfa via Green Wedding Shoes

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Creative Garlands / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Love these white papel picado banners, too. | Photography: Phil Chester, Event Design: SELVA, Paper Goods: Oblation Papers via Green Wedding Shoes

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Creative Garlands / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Add a personal touch by hanging family photos. | Photography: Fearless Photography via The Knot

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Creative Garlands / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Hang an assortment of colorful ribbons, flowers, and candles for an eclectic look. | Photography: Cinzia Bruschini, Event Styling, Design, & Planning: Chic Weddings in Italy via Modern Wedding

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Creative Garlands / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Love the combination of fabric and string lights. | Photography: Phil Chester, Event Design: Bright Night and Tera Hatfield, Event Planning & Florals: Bright Night via Green Wedding Shoes

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Creative Garlands / Oh So Beautiful Paper

String fresh flowers for an eye-catching display. | Photography: Lacie Hansen Photography via The Knot

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Creative Garlands / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Or make your own paper flowers! | via The Artisan Life

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Creative Garlands / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Personalize your own simple, graphic garland. | Photography: Therese Winberg Photography via Junebug Weddings

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Creative Garlands / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Greenery is always a good call, especially when it’s made out of paper and reusable. | Photography: Anna Killian  via The House That Lars Built

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Creative Garlands / Oh So Beautiful Paper

Can you believe these garlands are made from wax paper?! | Photography: Allie Rae Photography via Style Me Pretty

Elegant Blush and Gold Letterpress Wedding Invitations

I pretty much always fall in love with anything in the color pink. Pale blush pink, bright pink, magenta, neon… the list goes on and on. Lisa from Missive created these elegant blush and gold letterpress wedding invitations for a wedding in the mountains. I’m loving the combination of rustic and romantic, with hand drawn botanical details and vintage-inspired floral postage stamps. And those pale pink wedding details cards? So good!

Elegant Blush and Gold Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Missive

From Lisa: The inspiration for this suite came from both the event venue and the bride’s description of her vision for their perfect wedding day. The wedding venue was the Black Bear Inn, a rustic, elegant lodge in the heart of the Sierra (think towering sequoia trees and the scent of pine year round). The wedding was held outdoors in the venue’s garden, surrounded by the resplendent woodland foliage of the Stanislaus National Forest.

Elegant Blush and Gold Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Missive

An elegant blush and gold color palette with charcoal gray accents was a theme throughout the wedding and reception, from gold rimmed flutes, to sparkly pink sequin (yes, sequin!) table runners and blush pink floral arrangements in rustic wood boxes, which were handcrafted by the bride and groom.

Elegant Blush and Gold Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Missive

Since their wedding was all about their love of the outdoors, coupled with bride’s idea of a perfectly elegant wedding, I designed a nature-inspired invitation suite featuring hand drawn foliage surrounding a combination of modern, calligraphic scripts and typefaces with rustic charm. The invitation design was kept symmetrical and orderly while incorporating lots of flowing, hand drawn botanicals to frame the wording.

Elegant Blush and Gold Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Missive

Their entire wedding suite was letterpress printed on our vintage presses in blush and matte gold inks on soft white cotton and blush pink papers, with deep, tactile impressions. The couple’s wedding website had plenty of information for out of town guests, so we created a wedding details card printed in gold on blush pink stock for an accent of color.

Elegant Blush and Gold Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Missive

Reply card envelopes were the same blush pink color and featured their address surrounded by more hand drawn botanicals. The bride chose the gorgeous Botanical Art stamps for the postage, which I’ve personally been hoarding for future use!

Elegant Blush and Gold Letterpress Wedding Invitations by Missive

Thanks Lisa!

Design and Printing: Missive

Check out the Designer Rolodex for more tal­ented wed­ding invi­ta­tion design­ers and the real invi­ta­tions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Missive