07/20/2012

{happy weekend!}

Happy Friday everyone! Â It’s been a little over a week with our newestÂ foster kittenÂ and thankfully she’s alreadyÂ feeling much better. Â She’s so ridiculously cute and playful, but like most cats spends most of her day sleeping on the couch. Â Oh, to be a house cat… Â She’ll be available for adoption soon, so if anyone in the DC/VA/MD area is interested in adopting an incredibly sweet 6-month old kitten, please get in touch! Â But in the meantime…

Photo Credit: Fall Through Space

…a few links for your weekend:

Super cute first birthday party invitations
Colorful blocks even a grown-up would enjoy
Loving the new Susy Jack* collection of calendars and planners for Blue Sky
Seriously cute wood veneer greeting cards
Congrats to my friend (and amazing photographer) Katie Stoops on her beautiful new website!

This week on Oh So Beautiful Paper:

Absolutely romantic invitations for a wedding in Sonoma Valley
These hand lettered wedding invitations are so sweet
Classic peach + gray invitations for a brunch wedding
Beautiful (and DIY!) wood veneer wedding invitations
WhimsicalÂ calligraphy + kraft paper save the dates
A collection of creative birth announcements
Stitched + embroidered wedding stationery ideas
Cozy housewarming party invitations
Letterpress state prints from One Canoe Two

On a slightly different note, I’m looking to add a couple of people to the Oh So Beautiful Paper team! Â First up, an Ad Program Manager â€“ if you have experience in online advertising and sales, I’d love to hear from you! Â You can check out the full job listing and requirements here.

That’s it for me this week! Â I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I’ll see you back here on Monday! xoxo

07/19/2012

Victoria’s Housewarming Party Invitations

As a longtime renter, I’m definitely looking forward to the day that my husband and I own a home and can invite our family and friends over for a housewarming party. Â Victoria from Victory Paper Designs recently purchased a home with her fiancÃ©, and she sent over the invitations that she designed for their housewarming party. Â Victoria paired a plaid overlay with kraft paper envelopes for a warm and cozy design.

From Victoria:Â I wanted to use a play on words of “housewarming” so I created a plaid blanket overlay to simulate a warm blanket effect. Â Underneath that overlay, our house is revealed all warm and cozy. Â An illustrated map card pinpoints the way to our guests. Â The kraft envelopes add to the cozy, rustic charm and I even had a custom rubber return address stamp designed by Molly Jacques (who I discovered on Oh So Beautiful Paper!). Â Molly’s calligraphy is so charming, I think it finishes off the invitations so beautifully.

Thanks Victoria â€“ and congratulations on your new home!

Photo Credits: Victory Paper Designs

07/19/2012

Creative Birth Announcement Ideas

There are so many ways to announce the arrival of a new baby â€“ from hand lettering to sweet newborn photos, floral motifs to nautical designs, the possibilites are endless! Â Today I thought I’d share some of of the creative birth announcements that I’ve bookmarked over the past few months!

Combination family holiday card and baby announcement by The Indigo Bunting

TokketokÂ baby announcementÂ with calligraphy by Meant to Be Calligraphy, styling by Chelsea Fuss, and photo by Lisa Warninger

Lindsay Letters

Constellation & Co.

Letterpress twin birth announcements by Print in Cursive

Dauphine Press

Design by Greg Christman, letterpress printing by Rise and Shine Paper

Pink + Nautical baby announcements both viaÂ Paper + Ink

{images via their respective sources}

*Constellation & Co. and Dauphine Press are members of the Designer Rolodex

07/18/2012

Naomi’s Kraft Paper and Calligraphy Save the Dates

I have a confession: it’s enormously difficult for me to resist anything that combines kraft paper and calligraphy. Â Calligrapher Tara of Tine and Thread sent over these save the dates that she created for an upcoming wedding, and the addition of gingham envelope liners just put me over the edge. Â Too cute!

From Tara:Â I worked with the bride to create a save the date that complemented the overall vision of her wedding.Â Her colors are very rustic, mostly earth tones with a touch of navy.Â I chose to use kraft paper with navy blue gingham envelope liners and vintage stamps with blue accents.

I then took her wedding information and went to work.Â After two rounds of design, I came up with something that she loved.Â My specialty is calligraphy in a circular design and I incorporate that into most of my work.

Thanks Tara!

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

Photo Credits: Tine and Thread

07/18/2012

Wedding Stationery Inspiration: Stitched + Embroidered

Why stop with a handÂ crafted wedding when you can have a hand stitched wedding too!?Â The needle and thread is no longer relegated to repairing holes and finishing pillows: you or your stationer can break it out to add a little something extra to your day-of wedding paper goods.Â Embroidered and stitched elements works beautifully on both fabric and paper, so go ahead and have your programs sewn up or your place cards cross stitched!Â Have each guest make a quick stitch on a map to mark their hometown for a guest book or sew your embroidered table numbers together, post-event, to make an heirloom quilt… your very own little stitch in time. â€” Kelly