Friday Faves

What a week! My kids had three days of school this week (one of which was a field trip!), so I basically got nothing done this week. But that’s okay! We all have those weeks, and it’s been nice to have some extra time with my girls. Plus we’re getting all decorated for Halloween – so soon!

Forage Paper Co.

Card by Forage Paper Co.

Earlier this week, President Trump declared himself a Nationalist. Nationalism is not patriotism. You know who else were Nationalists? Nazis. It’s an ideology that believes that people can be categorized into “good” and “bad” based on the color of their skin, their religion, their sexual identity – and it’s an absolutely terrifying statement.

Similarly, the Trump regime is floating the idea of closing the U.S. southern border to all asylum applications. Asylum is legal immigration, and does not require applying for a visa or green card through a U.S. consulate. Refusing to allow asylum applications is a violation of international law. This thread has a great summary, and this thread discusses the political motivation behind this policy.

Loving the newest Oh Joy for Erin Condren collection!

Utterly obsessed with this dreamy pink lamp

I splurged on a new pair of jeans this week, and YOU GUYS. These are the comfiest, most flattering jeans I’ve ever worn. And they won’t stretch out, so definitely worth the investment.

How cute is this dress for fall?? And this one looks super cozy!

So many cute baskets and tote bags in this Etsy shop!

xoxo

Seaside Brunch Invitations

A seaside brunch with a few of your closest friends – doesn’t that sound like a dream? I love this brunch idea for birthday parties, bridal showers, or really any occasion. The romantic seaside brunch invitations by Jen of Chatty Press were printed on handmade paper from Farmette Press to mimic the rugged Maine coastline and feature Jen’s whimsical hand lettering on a fun keepsake print (the best kind of keepsake, IMHO). Take a look! 

Seaside Brunch Invitations by The Chatty Press

From Jen: The coast of Maine is often thought of as rocky and rugged, so we wanted to showcase the romantic vibes of the sandy seacoast for this seaside brunch invitation. While it’s easy to thrown down a blanket and a cooler and have a great time together, this group of gals wanted a day together that was a little more fanciful. So with windswept skirts four good friends spent the morning noshing on baked goods and fruit on a whitewashed farm table.

Seaside Brunch Invitations by The Chatty Press

I wanted the ladies invited to this brunch to feel special and have something aside from the memories to remember the day, so I decided to make a keepsake print inspired by the seacoast. After reading a ton of quotes about the seaside, the ocean, friendship and love, I decided that this short and sweet saying “High tides and good vibes” was the perfect sentiment that perfectly fit the feeling of the day.

Seaside Brunch Invitations by The Chatty Press

I hand lettered the quote, first as a pencil sketch, and then digitally, to be letterpress printed onto some very pillowy and soft handmade paper from Farmette Press. I didn’t quite want the ink color to match the handmade envelopes, but I wanted something that complimented it, so I chose a blue that was a tad bit darker and really popped on the off-white paper.

Seaside Brunch Invitations by The Chatty Press

Of course, the invitation still had to convey the important details, so I decided to create a small card printed on a sandstone grey handmade paper, that was concise and to the point. Each card was printed by hand on my antique golding pearl. I absolutely love adding something special and memorable to an invitation that guests won’t just throw away, and this keepsake print is my current favorite.

Seaside Brunch Invitations by The Chatty Press

Seaside Brunch Invitations by The Chatty Press

Seaside Brunch Invitations by The Chatty Press

Thanks Jen!

Design and Printing: Chatty Press

Paper: Farmette Press

Event Design: Aulette Events

 

Photo Credit: Ellysia Francovitch Photography

Friday Faves

Happy Friday everyone! Andrew and I hosted our very first cocktail workshop at Red Barn Mercantile last night – it was SO much fun! If you’re in the DC area, we’re planning to do more very soon and would love to have you join us! You can sign up for the Liquorary mailing list right here to make sure you don’t miss out on any upcoming events! Also, our vintage glassware will be available for sale at Red Barn Mercantile all weekend. It’s going to be a perfect weekend for a stroll down King Street in Old Town Alexandria, so I hope you’ll go check it out!

Liquorary Gold Cocktail Glasses

Currently loving all of the jewelry in this Etsy shop!

Did you see that JCrew is having a 40% off sale on all sweaters and coats?? Thinking about this lavender mock turtleneck sweater, this chunky knit sweater, and this super cute ruffle neck sweater. Ooooooh, and this colorful wool parka!

The perfect fall boot.

Have you seen the new Anthropologie holiday collection? Everything is so cute! I especially want these fluffy white faux trees and this faux wreath. 

So many amazing and strong women running for office around the country

The final call to save the world from climate catastrophe. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, especially in the context as a mother of two little girls and thinking about the world as they grow older. Are you taking personal steps to address climate change? I know most of this is happening at a level way above the individual household level, but if you have any advice or tips to share I’d love to hear it!

xoxo

DIY Block Printing Inspired Pumpkins

Last week’s DIY pumpkin tutorial was all about color – and this week we’re all about black and white! Well, and maybe a bit of copper for a small dose of sparkle. But for those of you who prefer to keep your pumpkin color palette on the neutral side, these DIY block printing inspired pumpkins are for you! I looooooove the black paint on white pumpkins, and I even added a couple of orange pumpkins (shocker!) for some visual interest!

Sometimes the weirdest ideas jump into my head – and that’s kind of what happened here. The vision for these pumpkins just came to me while I was working on the terrazzo pumpkins last week. I’ve always loved traditional block printing, and I’ve been feeling especially inspired by geometric shapes and arches lately. I drew my inspiration for the shapes in these pumpkins from Block Shop Textiles, artist Sofia Shu, and Electric Sun Creatives. Fingers crossed you love these pumpkins as much as I do! 

I kept the color palette mostly black and white, but then threw in a bit of copper on a whim! And the materials list for these pumpkins could not be more simple – just my all-time favorite paint pens, some matte craft paint, and brushes. That’s it! Are you ready to make some??

Materials

Sakura of America Pen-touch Paint Markers in Black, Copper, and White

Paint brushes (the smaller the better!)

Craft paint in matte black and opaque white

Paint palette or paper plate

Card stock (optional)

Scissors (optional)

Pumpkins in varying shapes and sizes

To make the DIY Block Printing Inspired Pumpkins:

Step 1. Start by coming up with a few shape combinations that you might want to use on your pumpkins. I sketched my ideas onto a sheet of paper – I didn’t necessarily stick to those exact combinations, but they helped me get a sense of what combinations I liked!

Step 2. Depending on your comfort level freehanding things, you might also want to trace a few round objects to use as guides for your pumpkins. I used a few random things to trace circles and half circles in various sizes onto thick card stock, then cut those shapes out to use them as guides when I was ready to decorate the pumpkins. If you don’t need shape guides, proceed to step 3!

Step 3. If you’re using guides, use your paint pens to trace your shapes onto your pumpkins, starting at the bottom of your pumpkin and working up towards the top. For larger shapes, fill the inside of the shape with craft paint and a small paint brush. Use a paint pen for line based shapes – although you can always go over the lines with a paint brush if needed (especially if using white paint over an orange pumpkin).

Step 4. Allow the paint to dry and apply a second coat, if necessary. Then enjoy your beautiful block printing inspired pumpkin!

If you make these pumpkins, you absolutely HAVE to tag me on Instagram so I can see photos! Promise me, ok?? Have fun decorating everyone!

p.s. DIY Terrazzo Pumpkins and DIY Matisse Pumpkins

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Romantic Calligraphy Wedding Invitations on Handmade Paper

Delicate vellum with a hand painted magnolia branch illustration. Pillowy handmade paper and envelopes with wax seals. Romantic calligraphy letterpress printed with care. Every single detail sings in these romantic calligraphy wedding invitations on handmade paper by Aileen of Plume Calligraphy. Take a look below – you’ll see what I mean!

Romantic Calligraphy Wedding Invitations on Handmade Paper by Plume Calligraphy

From Aileen: This invitation suite is a full calligraphy design featuring large looping descenders and elegant flourishes. This modern, yet romantic calligraphy style is complimented beautifully by Pressed Paper Co‘s soft, naturally deckled handmade paper. Adding transparent vellum in the form of envelopes and floral illustrated overlays creates contrast between the organic nature of the handmade paper and the clean modern appeal of vellum.

Romantic Calligraphy Wedding Invitations on Handmade Paper by Plume Calligraphy

I originally hand painted the Magnolia illustration on vellum for a styled shoot and found that it’s become one of our most popular details couples add to their suite design. We’ve been able to produce this pieces for clients with the help of Sibylle of Hubbub Paper Co., who letterpress printed the illustration in white ink on vellum. Once printed each piece is hand painted to show slightly transparent white brush strokes. The vellum takes on a slightly ruffled effect when painted, which we love as it adds depth and shadow especially when styling for flat lay photographs.

Romantic Calligraphy Wedding Invitations on Handmade Paper by Plume Calligraphy

White wax seals featuring our Magnolia design help to add a fresh aesthetic while keeping the overall scheme neutral to emphasize the textures and design elements.

Romantic Calligraphy Wedding Invitations on Handmade Paper by Plume Calligraphy

Styling this suite on a dark, moody background gives it organic flair and highlights the transparency of the vellum, the contrasting white details and the deckled edges of the handmade paper. We love creating designs that are mainly neutral and can be altered by the choice of background. Especially when designing for styled shoots, we find that giving the design elements simple, tone on tone schemes helps to allow the photographer or stylist the flexibility to work within their overall color scheme.

Romantic Calligraphy Wedding Invitations on Handmade Paper by Plume Calligraphy

This design is now available through our Semi-Custom Collection as the Winsome Suite! We absolutely love the romantic look of a fully handwritten invitation suite and we wanted to offer this option to our semi-custom couples! We can’t wait to see all the ways this suite will be personalized by our clients!

Romantic Calligraphy Wedding Invitations on Handmade Paper by Plume Calligraphy

Thanks so much Aileen!

Design and Calligraphy: Plume Calligraphy

Paper: Pressed Paper

Wax Seals: Artisaire

Printing: Hubbub Paper Co.

Plume Calligraphy is one of the talented, hand selected members of the Oh So Beautiful Paper Designer Rolodex – you can see more from Plume Calligraphy right here! Or visit our wedding invitations archive for more custom wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Plume Calligraphy