11/16/2018

Friendsgiving 2018

Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Are you hosting this year? What about Friendsgiving? We always go up to my in-laws for Thanksgiving, but I have dreams of hosting my entire family someday. And now that my kids are a bit older, we might even be able to pull off hosting a small Friendsgiving gathering! Today I’m teaming up with Wheatley Vodka and a few seriously talented DC-area creatives to dream up my ideal cozy Friendsgiving celebration. And in addition to table inspiration, we’re sharing printable stationery and a couple of holiday cocktail recipes that you can make this holiday season!

I imagine an informal potluck style dinner with cozy candles, delicious cocktails, and of course some of our closest friends for company. And whether I’m planning a birthday party or a small dinner gathering, I always start by choosing the color palette. Neutrals are perfect any time of year, but I also brought in a few seasonal pops of color like burgundy, rust, and mustard yellow in the flowers and a few of the details. So cozy and welcoming!

The table settings are pretty simple, which is perfect for an informal gathering. Light gray ceramic plates, woven placemats for texture, some of our favorite glassware, and a couple of vintage brass candlesticks. Lori and Colleen from Wld Wst, a local floral design studio here in the DC area, made the most beautiful fall floral arrangement for our table. I also made a few DIY pom-poms in our fall color palette and wrapped them around knotted dinner napkins in mismatched colors (we used white, light blue, and pink). One of these days I’ll learn how to properly fold a napkin, but for now I’m really liking the napkins this way!

You know we’re all about the signature cocktail, and the holidays are no exception. Wheatley Vodka is made by the same folks behind Buffalo Trace Distillery, which has been making bourbon whiskey along the banks of the Kentucky River for more than 200 years. That’s more than two centuries of spirit-making knowledge! Wheatley Vodka is crafted in small batches using a one of a kind micro-still, using the same red winter wheat grain used for Weller and Pappy Van Winkle bourbons. The red winter wheat grain gives Wheatley Vodka a smooth, delicate finish that is pure and crisp on the nose, with hints of soft vanilla. It’s pretty much perfect for crafting holiday cocktails!

We made two holiday cocktail recipes with Wheatley Vodka for this Friendsgiving celebration: a bright and fizzy take on the classic French 75 (served in the coupe glass above and garnished with fresh herbs) and a winter punch that you can make in a huge batch for larger gatherings!

Cocktail illustration by Bright Room Studio

Wheatley 75

2 oz Wheatley Vodka
1 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 oz Orange Liqueur
1/4 oz Aquavit

Shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and strain into a coupe glass. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with a sprig of rosemary or thyme. Enjoy!

The Wheatley 75 is bright, effervescent, and a little bit tart â€“ absolutely perfect for this season! If you’re making this cocktail for a group of people, you can even mix up 2-3 at a time in your cocktail shaker, then just top with sparkling wine in the glass. We used prosecco, but any sparkling wine should work!

Cocktail illustration by Bright Room Studio

Spiced Winter Punch

1 bottle Wheatley Vodka
1 bottle Apple Cider (about 64 oz)
3 cups Lemon Juice
1 1/2 cups Cinnamon Syrup
1 1/2 cups Orange Liqueur
6 oz Allspice Dram
48 dashes Cardamom Bitters

Combine all the ingredients in a punch bowl and fill with ice and citrus slices. Serve in punch glasses and garnish with seasonal herbs or a cinnamon stick. Enjoy!

We’ve gotten so many requests over the years for an easy winter punch, and I’m beyond thrilled with how this recipe turned out! It’s basically all of my favorite fall flavors in one cocktail. Feel free to adjust the quantities depending on how many people you’re expecting â€“ this recipe will definitely fill up a punch bowl, so cut the ingredients in half if you’re expecting a smaller gathering.

Another favorite party tip: I always a drink station where friends and family can gather and chat before sitting down for dinner. All you need is a big punch bowl filled with spiced winter punch, a cheese board for snacking, and a floral arrangement â€“ or a vase filled with eucalyptus or foraged greenery. A little bit of greenery can go a long way and helps to balance bottles or punch bowls on the other side of the credenza.

Lindsey from Bare Ink Co. created these absolutely stunning invitations for our Friendsgiving. I love the way Lindsey’s lettering feels both a bit fancy but also relaxed and informal â€“ perfect for a Friendsgiving potluck!

Lindsey also made food and drink menus and the sweetest little conversation cards that you can place on each plate in lieu of place cards! I’m so excited to offer the menus and conversation cards as a printable download for all of you. Just download the files at the bottom of this post, print on regular letter-sized card stock, then cut out around the black outline! You can add your own text in Adobe programs if you have them, or just drop the entire file into Word. Easy peasy. We printed our menus on both vellum and card stock, and it’s absolutely impossible for me to pick a favorite!

We also personalized the invitations and menus with a single brushstroke of dark green paint on the left hand side. It makes every invitation and menu feel personalized, and it’s such an easy way to bring more of your color palette into your stationery!

I know the food is the heart of the holiday season, but it’s definitely more our style to make a signature drink or two instead of a traditional Thanksgiving dish. I love the idea of giving your guests drink menus instead of food menus at a holiday gathering â€“ especially if you’re doing a potluck style dinner! We placed our drink menus right on the plate so guests could keep them as a reference while trying the different cocktails.

And seriously, how cute are these little conversation cards? You can download them through the links at the bottom of the post! We placed them on custom engraved wood coasters by Michele from Meant to Be Calligraphy. Michele also engraved one of the Wheatley Vodka bottles with the word “gather” and I can’t think of a better sentiment for this upcoming holiday season.

I hope you all have a wonderful Friendsgiving weekend and Thanksgiving holiday! If you make any of our holiday cocktail recipes, please be sure to tag @beautifulpaper and @wheatleyvodka on Instagram so we can see how they turn out!

PRINTABLE FOOD MENU

PRINTABLE DRINK MENU

PRINTABLE CONVERSATION CARDS

Creative Direction and Styling: Nole Garey of Oh So Beautiful Paper

Prop Styling: Joanna Carden

Stationery and Calligraphy: Lindsey Swink of Bare Ink Co.

Cocktail Recipes and Vintage Glassware: Liquorary

Florals: Lori Tran and Colleen Rogin-West of Wld West

Wood and Glass Engraving: Meant to Be Calligraphy

Cocktail Recipe Illustrations: Bright Room Studio

Venue: Common Room Studio

Photography: Lauren Louise Collective

This post was created in partnership with Wheatley Vodka. All content and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make Oh So Beautiful Paper possible!

11/15/2018

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Hand Painted Acrylic

Acrylic signs have become quite the wedding and party staple over the past few years! You’ve seen a few of them here on OSBP, from these DIY acrylic cocktail menus four years ago to signs at the paper party during the National Stationery Show. Normally we see clear or solid color acrylic, but lately I’ve noticed a lot of hand painted acrylic for a more modern abstract art-inspired look. I’m absolutely loving this new trend, so I thought I’d round up a few examples to share with all of you!

How stunning is this hand painted acrylic invitation by Swell Press?? It’s seriously a work of art!

Beautiful hand painted signs â€“ a cocktail menu and a no cell phones ceremony sign â€“ by Anne Robin Calligraphy. Photos by Erin McGinn.

The sweetest hand painted acrylic welcome sign by Bare Ink Co.

Beautiful neutral hand painted acrylic bar menus by Hawaii Calligraphy

How cute is this rainbow acrylic sign by Deets&Things and With Love Calligraphy for a rainbow-themed birthday party?? Photo by L&B Photography via 100 Layer Cake.

I’m not sure if these faux sea glass table numbers by Bash Calligraphy are made from acrylic, but they were too beautiful not to include!

This deep green and gold acrylic drink menu by Bare Ink Co. is so perfect for fall events!

Colorful acrylic dinner menu signs by Bright Room Studio

Love this burgundy and gold sign from Bare Ink Co. letting guests know about a sparkler sendoff at the end of the evening!

Pretty hand painted table numbers by Mulberry Market Designs

I love absolutely everything about this hand painted acrylic sign by Hawaii Calligraphy, from the white paint and gold lettering to the copper frame and orchids!

So there you go! I think the hand painted look is so fun for modern weddings, but I want to hear what YOU think! Are you digging the hand painted/abstract art-inspired look on acrylic?? Or do you prefer clear or solid acrylic signs?

11/08/2018

Inspiring Calligraphers: Sable and Gray Paper Co.

Hello everyone! I have something light and bright to share with you, and of course, it comes in the way of paper inspiration. We’re focusing on the work of Kristin Hussey, a calligrapher who runs Sable & Gray Paper Co. I think you’re going to love this uplifting inspiration as we take a peek at her lettering work. Let’s dive in! – Jen

Photo Credit: Tifani Lyn Photography

From Kristin: I got my degree in Architecture, and after I graduated from school, I worked for a firm that I had dreamed of working at. It was fascinating and such a great opportunity, but I didn’t realize the reality of being a modern-day architect until I was working there: it had become a very computer-driven career with all of the models and drawings being done in computer programs. I really missed working with my hands so I decided to try out a different career path that would be more hands-on. So I got a job at a florist, which was just the change I needed. While I was working there, the florist merged with a stationery company, and asked if I would take over the custom stationery designs since I had a background in design, and I completely fell in love.

Photo Credit: Luxlight Photography

About a year later I went off on my own and started Sable & Gray, which has been such a beautiful adventure. I try to make each invitation a real work of art, incorporating as many hand-crafted details as possible. It only felt natural to learn calligraphy as well so I wouldn’t need to rely only on predesigned fonts. I took a calligraphy course from Molly Jacques (who is a true modern calligraphy legend!) about 4 years ago and never looked back!

Photo Credit: Luxlight Photography

I’ve developed my calligraphy style over the past four years with a goal to create a look that is elevated, yet approachable (and also legible!). I’ve looked up to other calligraphers like Molly Jacques (who taught me pointed-pen calligraphy) and Jenny Sanders (who is just amazing), but have tried to develop a style that is uniquely my own.

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Laduca Photography

Here’s a peek at Kristin in her element:

Photo Credit: Corey Weber Photography

I love to incorporate calligraphy into my custom wedding invitation designs and will tweak my style a bit to fit the mood and aesthetic of each invitation suite. I especially love doing watercolor brush calligraphy because it’s so beautiful seeing the gradient and watching the colors bleed together throughout each word. They really look like a little piece of art in and of themselves.

Photo Credit: The Weber Photographers

It’s tough to pick a favorite project! I really love this custom invitation suite that features a combination of watercolor brush calligraphy and letterpress printing on double-thick paper (and it has gorgeous dusty-blue edge painting, too!). The custom die-cut Michigan-shaped response card is an extra special cherry on top of this dreamy suite.

Photo Credit: Luxlight Photography

Thanks so much for sharing your work, Kristin! Looking for even more beautiful calligraphy? Check out our calligraphy archive right here!

Photo credits, except where noted: Kristin Hussey of Sable & Gray Paper Co.

Want to be featured in our calligraphy column? Reach out to us at submissions [at] ohsobeautifulpaper [dot] com with the subject line “Calligraphy Feature” for more details!

10/29/2018

Illustrated Vineyard Wedding Invitations

Watercolor illustrations and dreamy vineyard scenery sounds like the perfect way to start the week. These illustrated vineyard wedding invitations come to us from Designer Rolodex member Wide Eyes Paper Co. I’m loving the fold-out invitation design that shares all the wedding details (and the couple’s love story!) on a single page â€“ and Amanda always creates the most beautiful illustrated envelope liners!

From Amanda: Nicole and David decided on a fully custom eight panel quad-fold invitation that captures every beautiful detail of their vineyard wedding. The opening page of the invitation shows the gleaming watercolor portraits of Nicole and David with hand painted greenery adorning the corners. Such a fun way to get everyone excited for this couple to walk the aisle!

As the pages unfold you are whisked away to a hand painted watercolor scene of the Bluemont Vineyard, their lovely wedding location. I am tempted to hop in the car right now and head to Virginia! Our new favorite feature we have added to our invitations are the tiny custom icons that we curate for each couple.

The back panels of these illustrated vineyard wedding invitations tell “The Story of Nicole and David” with every detail from inception to real time. We loved painting everything from the college where they met, to the tender steak on their first date, to their graduation caps and, of course pizza. Talk about a fun love story. For all of the special watercolor details this set is simple on the verbiage. Sometimes a picture says it all.

The perforated RSVP is a good indicator that you should send your answer in the mail ASAP, because this wedding will be one for the record books. We love that the quad-fold invite allows the RSVP to be right on the bottom of the invitation for safe keeping and the fact that it is a postcard means it’s ready to be dropped right in the mail.

Lastly, we incorporated the watercolor scenery of Bluemont Vineyard on the custom envelope liners for that special extra added touch. One of our favorite details of the entire suite!

Thanks Amanda!

Design: Wide Eyes Paper Co.

Printing: Paper Jam Press

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

Photo Credits: Jordan Hughes

10/24/2018

Seaside Brunch Invitations

A seaside brunch with a few of your closest friends â€“ 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!

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.

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.

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.

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.