12/08/2016

Playful Mountain-Inspired Wedding Invitations

We’re loving these cheerful, whimsical, and playful mountain-inspired wedding invitations fromÂ Alison of One + Only Paper, from the circle puzzle save the date (so fun!) to the whimsical calligraphed envelopes.Â Alison incorporated photography throughout the invitation suite, and the various images add just the right amount of texture to this flat printed suite. The real showstopper is the bellyband that also serves as a map and poster â€“ all in one!

From Alison: Melissa and Phil were married in late summer in Asheville, North Carolina, a fun mountain town with its own unique vibe. Melissa and Phil both love puzzles and games, and their fun loving, relaxed vibe set the tone for a super fun wedding suite.

We started with their save the date, and decided to make it extra special; we created a circle puzzle for their guests to solve. It was the perfect way to communicate to guests that this would be no ordinary wedding.

I worked closely with Gabrielle of Quietude Co. on the invitations. As Phil and Melissa are personal friends of ours, we wanted to be sure to do something spectacular and perfectly them for their invitations. The showstopper of the invitation suite was their welcome map. It functioned as a belly band in the envelope, and unfolded to an illustrated map of Melissa and Phil’s favorite spots in Asheville on one side, and a poster that guests could interact with during the wedding weekend on the other. We encouraged guests to visit the spots on the map, and take a photo of their poster, stating that they had #phunwithphilissa, Phil and Melissa’s wedding hashtag.

We kept the invitation clean and simple, with everything else going on in the suite, we wanted it to call attention in its simplicity. The backside featured their monogram. Another special touch was that all of the pieces for this suite were double sided, as we wanted it to feel fun and unexpected, like a surprise.

Something else unusual for this suite was the use of photography. We felt it would be another unique touch, and add color and texture in a more effective way than just using flat colors. We used succulents on the back side of the reply card to tie in the succulents that Melissa and Phil planned to grow and use as centerpieces at the wedding, and the mountains were evocative of the beautiful mountain views throughout Asheville.

The entire suite was enclosed in an oversize navy envelope, with fresh white calligraphy on the front, a more formal touch, but the movement and beauty of the calligraphy kept it feeling fresh and modern.

Thanks Alison!

Design: One + Only Paper

Calligraphy: Quietude Co.

Check out the Designer Rolodex for more talÂented wedÂding inviÂtaÂtion designÂers and the real inviÂtaÂtions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Mikkel Paige

12/07/2016

Modern Calligraphy Summit Winter Session!

Exciting news! Enrollment for a special session of the Modern Calligraphy Summit 1.0 is now open! I talked a lot about the Modern Calligraphy Summit last year â€“ you can read all about it here â€“ but basically itâ€™s the opportunity to learn the art of calligraphy from nine amazing calligraphers from the comfort of your home! It’s such an amazing value, and you’ll learn so much from some amazingly talented calligraphers. You can sign up for the special session right here!

The new session of the Modern Calligraphy Summit 1.0 will run January 3 â€“ 13 with a special NEW live Q&A with some of the instructors on January 14, 2017 â€“ just before the Modern Calligraphy Summit 2.0 launches in February! If you’re looking for a fantastic holiday gift for an aspiring calligrapher, now is your chance! Treat yourself, or your calligraphy-obsessed bestie, or send a hint to your Santa that this is what you want under the tree. Enrollment closes at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, December 9 and won’t reopen again until after the new session in mid-January, so hurry!

And if all of that wasn’t enough, the Modern Calligraphy Summit is currently offering a free video series that will help you create unique hand lettered holiday correspondence. Videos include tutorials on creating hand lettered holiday cards, mixing gold ink, and drawing holiday wreaths. The videos are available right now, and if thereâ€™s ever a time to improve your hand lettering skills the holidays are certainly it! You can sign up for the free video series right here, and the special new session of the Modern Calligraphy Summit 1.0 right here!

Photo Credits: Annie Mertlich of Wildfield Paper Co. for the Modern Calligraphy Summit

12/07/2016

2016 Gift Guide: For Designers, Artists, and Calligraphers

Today we’re sharing some gift ideas for designers, artists, and calligraphers! I started doing this guide a couple of years ago, after a very sweet husband sent an email asking for gift ideas for his wife. This year,Â Ashley Buzzy, Li Wardian, Emily from Hartland Brooklyn, and Katie from Odd Daughter Paper all sent over some fabulous ideas!

1. I’m obsessed with these shimmery iridescent calligraphy inks! They come in every color of the rainbow, but I’m loving iridescent coral, silver, and green.

2. This leather artistÂ kit from Signora e MareÂ boasts six pockets to hold tools and instruments, while the convenient inkwell and carrier allow for those on-the-go projects and easy travel. Each kit is secured tight with a hand stitched strap.

3. The cutest hologram pencil case for corralling all those essential pens, pencils, and small tools.

4. Tom’s Studio makes the most unbelievably gorgeous copper calligraphy pen holders

5. Rich and radiant liquid watercolors for everything from brush lettering to watercolor illustration. The colors are available both individually and in three separate sets â€“ Set #2 has beautiful earthy colors like indian red, sepia, and yellow ochre.

6. + 7. Handmade paper is an absolute treat for a calligrapher â€“ and there are so many options these days! Arpa Handmade PaperÂ (available in gorgeous shades of pale pink and lavender and envelopes with gorgeous deckled flap edges!), Share Studios (pictured in no. 6 above), Fabulous Fancy Pants, Signora e Mare, and Silk & Willow, just to name a few.

8. Blocks of watercolor paper will always be a welcome gift to any watercolor artist. Calligrapher and watercolor artist Li Ward recommends blocks of Fabriano and Arches cold press watercolor paper.

9. Pretty pink and navy blue pens for lovely stocking stuffers

10. These Ikea storage boxes are perfect for keeping track of small tubes of paint, brushes, and other small art supplies, according to Ashley Buzzy. Ashley uses her boxes to store paint tubes, brushes, washi tape, calligraphy pens, ink pots, and more.

11. This beautiful Japanese watercolor set comes with 36 color pans, including bright neons and shimmery metallics!

12. Every studio or home office needs a pretty candle. I’m a big fan of these Clementine + Clove candles from Sydney Hale Co., while calligrapher Li Ward recommends this Smoke on the Water candle for lettering sessions. Li says it smells romantic and mysterious like a haunted house!

13. A couple essential paper tools: a deckle edge rulerÂ and transfer tape gun (with plenty of refills)

14. This paper & book press is definitely a high end item, but Ashley Buzzy says it’s the single most useful tool in her studio. From Ashley: With the textural type of projects that calligraphers are being asked to do more and more, it’s amazing for flattening out watercolor-washed paper and flattening folded place cards. When I gold leafed a large order of invitations I pressed them afterward in a stack to make sure the leaf was securely adhered. If I do brush lettering on a sheet and it warps the paper, I just press it for a couple of days to flatten it out. Sometimes I’ll press lined envelopes for a couple of hours to flatten them out, etc. It’s just so so so helpful!

p.s. If you’re handy, you could probably DIY your own paper & book press at home. I found a few options here!

15. These simple and modern notebooks by Iron Curtain Press are perfect for sketching, writing down ideas, and so much more.

16. This Italian wood desk set is a beautiful gift for calligraphers and brush lettering artists! I also love these wood blockÂ pen holders for designers, illustrators, and hand lettering artists.

A couple additional ideas:

Online workshops and classes make a wonderful gift for both aspiring and established artists. There are classes to fit pretty much any and every need and interest, from Stationery Biz 100 to Tradeshow Bootcamp webinarsÂ for stationers interested in developing wholesale collections, to calligraphy and watercolor classes on Skillshare, Brit + Co., Creativebug, and of course the Modern Calligraphy Summit!

For artists that enjoy working with music playing in the background, consider a Spotify or music streaming subscription.

This post contains affiliate links. By clicking onÂ these links, youâ€™ll help support Oh So Beautiful Paper while also purchasing some wonderful gifts. I only recommend products that I truly love and trust that youâ€™ll love,Â too. My full disclosure policy can be found here.

12/07/2016

Purple and Fuchsia Watercolor Wedding Invitations

I’m always on board for bold watercolor washes with vibrant colors, and these purple and fuchsia watercolor wedding invitations from Lea Robinson of Lattice Tree StudioÂ are no exception. Lea paired abstract watercolor patterns with festive hand lettering to create this bright invitation suite. We’re loving the depth that the watercolor adds to the suite and the fun envelope liner thatÂ ties the whole suite together!

From Lea: Nina and Michael wanted their invitations to reflect their personal style as well as their wedding venue. They were married at a restaurant in Philadelphia, Talula’s Daily, which has a pretty whimsical style. The restaurant has modern meets rustic decor, with beautiful wooden farm dining tables. The couple also wanted to incorporate bold colors in the design. To achieve this look, I hand painted bright watercolor swashes and paired these with some hand painted leafy elements to bring in that natural/rustic feel from the restaurant’s decor. The typefaces (sans serif and script) were carefully chosen to reflect this whimsical style.

The main invitation is printed front and back, with the couple’s names on the back overlaid on a bright watercolor wash. This watercolor wash is also used for the couple’s return address on the outer envelopes. Their invitation suite uses inner and outer envelopes so we couldÂ incorporate envelope liners that would be both functional andÂ add an element of surprise for the guests. I often tell my brides that envelope liners only work when the guests actually have a chance to see the liners. Often times, if the liner is used on an outer envelope, the flap is sealed and when the guest opens the envelope, they rip it at the top seam. This causes them to miss the envelope liner entirely. To avoid this, we used inner and outer envelopes, making the inner envelopes a beautiful deep purple color that would add a pop of color to the suite.

The RSVP cards and the accommodations/welcome dinner cards also utilized different colors of watercolor washes as well as leafy elements. The couple was having a welcome dinner before the wedding day so they wanted to include information about that, as well as the accommodations on one card (printed front and back). To add even more interest to this bright invitation suite, we mix and matched the colors of the envelopes, so the response envelopes were a beautiful lavender. This variation in colors provided a nice contrast to the entire suite.

To complete the suite and to hold all of the pieces together, a tag with the couple’s initials was tied around the entire piece. I hand painted all of the watercolor elements to create a truly one of a kind design for all of my clients.

Thanks Lea!

Design: Lattice Tree Studio

Invitation Printing: Printswell

Envelope Printing: Indigo Ink

Check out the Designer Rolodex for more talÂented wedÂding inviÂtaÂtion designÂers and the real inviÂtaÂtions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Lea Robinson

12/06/2016

2016 Gift Guide: For the Cocktail Enthusiast

Today’s gift guide is all about gift ideas for the cocktail enthusiast! We’ve rounded up some of our favorite bar tools, syrups, glassware, and cocktail books for your favorite imbiber â€“ there are plenty of options to go around!Â We even included a couple of favorite spirits, including a limited edition spirit that I would love to find under my own tree this year. Here are a few ideas to help get you started!

1. Dress up your bar cart with one of these gorgeous shakers â€“Â a gold French-style shaker or this blue enamel shaker and jigger set!

2. Don’t forget to make drinking water available during cocktail parties! I’m loving this gold banded carafe (and it’s currently on sale!)

3. Basically the most beautiful bottle opener I’ve ever seen, by Sarah Cecilia via LEIF.

4. + 5. When in doubt, give booze! This limited editionÂ Lost Spirits Polynesian Rum is at the top of my wish list and this Roundstone Rye whiskey from Catoctin Creek is a local favorite.

6. Of course, vintage barware and glassware always makes a lovely gift.

7. This copper and brass pitcher and cocktail spoon set is so beautiful.

8. Three of our favorite syrups from BG Reynolds (especially for Tiki cocktails) â€“ and available as a gift set here!

9.Â These swing bottles are our favorite way to store home made syrups â€“ and the larger size isÂ great for serving big batch cocktails at parties or infusing liquors at home. We also suggest a sturdy funnel set and a simple embossing label maker to help identify random bottles in the back of the fridge.

10. Three cocktail books currently at the top of our wish list: Amaro, Smuggler’s Cove, and Regarding Cocktails

11. Speaking of infusions, this iSi Gourmet Whip is great for making quick infusions at home â€“ here’s the tutorial!

12. + 13. Loving the brass inlay pattern in these wood coastersÂ and the modern design of these black and gold coasters

14. A Lewis ice bag and mallet is a MUST for any self-respecting cocktail enthusiast, especially when it comes to ice-filled summer drinks. These tools allow you to control the size and coarseness of your crushed ice, and the cotton bag soaks up extra moisture so the crushed ice doesn’t immediately stick together and form a singleÂ large block of ice.