Today I’m loving these beautiful art prints from illustrator Vikki Chu. Vikki also creates some really beautiful animal, floral, and abstract patterns, which you can check out on her portfolio website here. These are a few of my favorites from her print shop:
 
 
 
Check out more in Vikki’s shop right here!
Photo Credits: Vikki Chu
FONT: THIRSTY SCRIPT
I’ve been hearing a ton of buzz about pink being a big color trend for fall fashion. Have you? I must say, I’m pretty excited about this! One of the “it” pink hues is bubblegum, no less. What a contrast to the typical autumn shades we see! To get all of you on the “pink for fall” bandwagon, even when it comes to your fall weddings, I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite ways to “pop” (pun intended) your day-of stationery with a little hit of bubblegum. —Kelly
Photo by Abbey Moore via 100 Layer Cake
Photos by Gabriel Ryan Photographers, Paper Goods by Pitbulls and Posies via Design*Sponge
Photo by Chelsea Mitchell Photo, Menu by Copper Willow Paper Studio via Style Me Pretty
Photo by Adrienne Gunde Photography, Escort Cards by It’s Amore Design + Letterpress via Elizabeth Anne Designs (left), Photo by Julie Lim Photography, Escort Cards and Calligraphy by Just Write Studios via Ruffled (right)
Photo by Holland Photo Arts, Stationery by Rock Paper Scissors via Elizabeth Anne Designs
Photo by Mirelle Carmichael Photography, Menu by Alissa Bell Press via Style Me Pretty (left), Photo by Wayne Yuan Photography, Calligraphy by Neither Snow via Style Me Pretty (right)
Photo by nbarrett photography, Tags by Southern Fried Paper via Ruffled
Photo by Half Orange Photography, Ceremony Program by Haley McMichael via Ruffled (left), Photo by KT Merry, Drink Sign by Fig. 2 Design Studio with Calligraphy by Meant To Be Calligraphy via Southern Weddings (right)
 {images via their respective sources}
Wedding invitations should always contain something personal and meaningful to the bride and groom, whether it’s a motif in the invitation design or the tradition of a classic engraved invitation. This couple chose to use their favorite place – a tower close to their home in Connecticut – as the central design element in their wedding invitations from Laura Macchia. The purple patterned envelope liner adds a perfect pop of color for this classic black and white invitation!
From Laura: JoAnna and Matt’s invitations are inspired by their favorite place: the Heublein Tower on Talcott Mountain, close to their home in Connecticut. The architectural tower illustration paired with the organic pattern on the envelope liner gives it a formal yet elegant feel. The suite is letterpress printed in black on Ecru Lettra with lavender envelope liners to add a pop of color.
Thanks Laura!
Design:Â Laura Macchia
Letterpress Printing:Â May Day Studio
Check out the Designer Rolodex for more talÂented wedÂding inviÂtaÂtion designÂers and the real inviÂtaÂtions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!
Photo Credits:Â Laura Macchia
Summer is almost over. Almost. But not yet, and there’s still time to enjoy an ice cold summer cocktail on a hot DC summer night. Here are a few of our favorite St-Germain drinks, just right for that last party of the season. So invite some friends over and give some of these a try, before we have to break out the fall cocktails!
St Germain Swizzle
1 1/2 oz Aged Rum
1 1/2 oz Clear Rum
1 oz St-Germain
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 oz Rich Simple Syrup
1 Dash Allspice Dram
Angostura Bitters
Smack a bunch of mint in your hands to release its oils, then place it in the bottom of a highball glass. Fill the glass with crushed ice, then add the rum, St-Germain, lime juice, and syrup. Top off your glass with more crushed ice, then swizzle the drink – put a swizzle stick or long-handled bar spoon into the glass and twirl gently between your hands to mix and cool the drink without churning up the mint at the bottom. Top with a dash of Allspice Dram and a few dashes of Angostura bitters, then garnish with more mint. Enjoy!
The last time we threw a summer cocktail party, I highlighted some recipes that were easy to make in big batches and light on the booze, the easier to serve to a gathering of friends spending a lot of time in the hot outdoors. This drink is sort of the opposite, and a bit on purpose. Swizzles like this Caribbean inspired cocktail are easy to drink, and this one is no exception: airy from the rum, sweet and floral from the St-Germain, minty and refreshing, sweet and spicy. It’s the sort of drink that you can put away before you feel its full effects, so it’s actually a good thing that the Swizzle takes some time, care and craft to mix up. So if you’re looking for a drink that will help your guests pace themselves, or an opportunity to hold court before your guests while you prepare a delicious and impressively gorgeous drink, mix up some St-Germain Swizzles.
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St-Germain Cobbler
2 oz Bourbon, Rye Whiskey or Brandy
3/4 oz St-Germain
1/4 oz Rich Simple Syrup
Blackberries
Combine the whiskey, St-Germain, syrup, and a handful of fresh blackberries in a cocktail shaker. Muddle the blackberries well, then shake everything with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with more blackberries. Enjoy!
Ok, so this might be the most perfect of all summer cocktails of all time. Not to brag or anything like that. But the combination of whiskey, blackberries, sweetness and ice is the sort of thing that could make a teetotaler convert. Unlike the Swizzle, this St-Germain Cobbler is pretty easy to make ahead in a big batch for a party. Just scale up your ingredients and combine in a pitcher; add to an ice-filled shaker and shake only when you’re ready to serve.
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The Pop-Up Paloma is a play on one of Mexico’s best cocktails, the Paloma, concocted by the brilliant minds of DC’s best cocktail bar, the Columbia Room. This awesome drink pairs the vegetal kick of tequila, the tartness of all that citrus, and a bit of sweetness with a pop of beer, preferably a hoppy IPA. It’s flavorful and refreshing and easy to make for a party, like the Cobbler. Just scale up your ingredients and combine them, except for the beer, ahead of time. When you’re ready to serve, shake up those ingredients with ice, strain, then add the beer – the sort of thing that will make you look like a master mixologist in front of your guests.
All illustrations by Dinara Mirtalipova for Oh So Beautiful Paper
Calligraphy Cocktail Menu Cards: Meant to Be Calligraphy
Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper
This post is brought to you in collaboration with St-Germain. All content, photos, recipes, and words are our own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help make Oh So Beautiful Paper possible!
p.s. In case you missed them, you can see our first two cocktail party posts right here: a housewarming cocktail party + recipes, and a backyard summer cocktail party + recipes
 
