03/12/2013

Deirdre’s Southern Charm Baby Shower Invitations

These baby shower invitations from Christa AlexandraÂ are beyond cute. The new parents live in South Carolina, so Christa was inspired to incorporate a few southern details into the design, from a little bow tie to a seersucker pattern at the bottom of the invitation, all in a fresh mint green and charcoal gray color palette. So fun!

From Christa:Â I designed and printed this two-color letterpress baby shower invitation for the new mom of a little boy born in August. The family and friends organizing the party loved the idea of using mint and charcoal for the color palette.

The parents live in Charleston, South Carolina, so I brought in a few southern elements: a bow tie on the onesie, a little Ball jar with “Boy” written instead, and a seersucker pattern that lines the bottom of the invitation (and with letterpress it actually feels like seersucker). I used a light kraft envelope with wrap-around address labels to coordinate with the invitation. The invitation was printed on my Chandler & Price 1918 press.

So cute! Thanks Christa!

Photo Credits: Christa Alexandra

03/11/2013

Kristen’s Fly Fishing Inspired Baby Shower Invitations

Baby showers often revolve around traditionally feminine themes and color palettes, so these shower invitations from Elpitha of Print In CursiveÂ are a nice and refreshing change of pace! With a fly fishing theme, Elpitha letterpress printed the invitations in a navy and gray color palette with kraft paper backing. Love!

From Elpitha: I did these invitations for a shower for a couple who loves fly fishing. It’s letterpress printed in two colors (navy + gray) on Reich Paper SAVOY backed with kraft paper.

Thanks Elpitha!

Photo Credits: Print In Cursive

03/11/2013

Reis + Jaymee’s California DVD Save the Dates

These save the dates from Jaymee of Jay Adores Design Co.Â are just so great, from concept to execution! Created for her own wedding last fall, Jaymee wanted to create something personal to share with their guests-to-be. With the help of a friend and the talented folks at Rise and Shine Paper, Jaymee created a beautiful DVD, chipboard case, and an insert with helpful travel information. So fun!

From Jaymee:Â Once the reality of being engaged set in, I started thinking aboutÂ all theÂ mailÂ that passes through the post office relating to just one wedding.Â Â I wanted our save the dates toÂ be a little different, toÂ reallyÂ represent “us.”Â

Since we met and would marry in California, (where I’m from), but have spent the lastÂ 4 years living in Hawaii (where he’s from), many of the people who made up our guest list we hadn’t been able to spend too much time with as a couple. To announce our engagement, I thought it would be funÂ to make aÂ short video of us in our Hawaiian elementÂ and share it with family and friends on the mainland. Thankfully, my fiance-now-husband agreed to this idea and with the help ofÂ a friend, weÂ spentÂ an afternoon filming some of our favorite leisures on the north shore of Oahu where my husband grew up.Â

After editing theÂ video, I was even more excited to start the packaging process! Â I found these chipboard DVD cases and had them letterpress printed byÂ Rise and Shine PaperÂ (Ryan was so great to work with!). Then using some of our engagement photos,Â I designed a DVD label and created a separateÂ insert for other important details.

Thanks Jaymee!

Design: Jay Adores Design Co.

Letterpress Printing: Rise and Shine Paper

Check out theÂ Designer RolodexÂ for more talÂented wedÂding inviÂtaÂtion designÂers andÂ theÂ save the date galleryÂ for more beauÂtiÂful cusÂtom save the dates!

Photo Credits:Â Jay Adores Design Co.

03/11/2013

Natalie + Paul’s Southern Magnolia Wedding Invitations

We had the most gorgeous weekend here in DC, and with spring just around the corner these magnolia wedding invitations from Brynne at Harken PressÂ seem like the perfect way to start off the week! Created for a spring wedding in Baton Rouge, Brynne drew her inspiration from both the season and the wedding venue, with a sunny yellow color palette and beautiful vintage stamps.

From Brynne:Â Natalie and Paul are getting married this spring at a charming southern plantation called Magnolia Mound in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The magnolia blossom reoccurs throughout their wedding stationery as a symbol of spring and the venue. I really wanted to capture Natalie and Paul’s creative personalities and the mood of their quaint outdoor southern wedding. My inspiration was Gone With The Wind meets happy spring colors.

Natalie and Paul both have Masters degrees in historical preservation from the College of Charleston in South Carolina, where they met. The vintage stamps that Natalie collected for the postage are a perfect combination of Louisiana and South Carolina landmarks, as well as the couple’s love of architecture and literature. One of their favorite quotes, “Be silly, be honest, be kind.” by Ralph Waldo Emerson is attached to the twine that holds the suite together. I also illustrated the map of Baton Rouge to highlight some of the unique parts of the city, and of course the wedding venue.

The wedding invitation was letterpress printed, while the rest of the suite and save the dates were digitally printed. A great compromise for letterpress lovers on a budget!

Thanks Brynne!

Design: Harken Press

Save the Date Printing:Â Sunset Press

Letterpress Printing:Â Quality Letterpress

Check out theÂ Designer RolodexÂ for more talÂentedÂ wedÂding inviÂtaÂtion designÂersÂ andÂ theÂ real inviÂtaÂtions galleryÂ for moreÂ wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Harken Press

03/08/2013

Friday Happy Hour: Cucumber-Mint French Gimlet

Not every drink has a fancy, clever, or historical name. In fact, the vast majority of cocktails have no name and no recorded recipe. (I’m guessing that, in the collective archive of mixology, many amazing cocktail recipes were invented and then forgotten a few drinks later). Given the vast array of potential combinations of spirits, sugars, bitters, and all kinds of mixers â€“ fruits and juices and vermouths and liqueurs and the like â€“ this is no surprise. There are far more drinks out there than there are names for them, and that’s ok.* In that spirit, today’s cocktail recipe is a spin on one of our favorite cocktails that is delicious without a fancy new name: a Cucumber-Mint French Gimlet.

â€“ Andrew

Illustration by Caitlin Keegan

Cucumber-Mint French Gimlet

2 oz Gin
1 oz St-Germain
1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1/4 oz Rich Simple Syrup
3-4 Cucumber Slices, Peeled
2 Bunches of Mint

Slap a bunch of mint like it said something fresh, then put it in the bottom of a rocks glass. Don’t muddle it! Fill the glass with crushed ice. In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, St-Germain, juice, syrup, and cucumber. Muddle the cucumber really well (make sure you peel it first, or else the drink will be heavily dominated by the peel’s vegetal flavor), then shake everything with ice. Pour everything through a strainer into the glass, then garnish with more slapped mint and enjoy.

As I’ve said before, gin’s foral and botanical flavors pair really well with St-Germain‘s floral fruitiness. Both work really well with cucumber, mint, and lime, so let’s throw everything together into a delicious and very refreshing drink that is perfect for this emerging Spring we’re starting to see.

*This is the philosophy our one of our favorite DC bars, The Passenger, where there is no cocktail menu. Instead, there are bartenders who concoct drinks on the spot based on your mood or whim. Works for me.

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper

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