01/02/2019

Best of 2018: Invitations + Gatherings

Happy New Year! My kids go back to school today, which means I finally get to go back to work â€“ yay! I’m planning some big changes here at Oh So Beautiful Paper this year, so I wanted to start the year off by looking back at some of my favorite features from 2018. And of course, I had to start with some of my favorite invitations and gatherings from the year. It’s also sort of a mini trend round up of the year and a peek forward at some trends I’m anticipating for 2019. Let’s take a look!

Deckle Edge Paper and Vellum

If I had to describe 2018 invitation trends in just two words, it would probably be vellum and handmade paper. Both are incredibly romantic on their own, but are even more powerful in combination. I’m excited to see more of these trends in 2019!

Romantic Calligraphy Wedding Invitations on Handmade Paper by Plume Calligraphy

Minimalist Type-Driven Wedding Invitations on Handmade Paper by Every Little Letter

Soft Neutrals

After several years of really bright color, neutrals made a comeback in a big way this year â€“ along with a return to classic type-driven designs. I’m loving the subtle tone-on-tone effect of mixing several neutral shades together and playing around with different ink colors.

Neutral Modern Minimalist Wedding Invitations by Owl Post Calligraphy

Understated Blush and Teal Wedding Invitations by Designed by Jaclyn

Minimalist Patterns and Colorful Paper

I found myself very drawn to abstract shapes, minimalist design details, and incorporating colorful paper into invitation designs â€“ like the simple hand painted brush stroke on our Friendsgiving invitations and white foil on deep green paper for the Paper Party 2018 invitations. These weren’t big trends in 2018, but I think the colorful paper in particular will be a major trend in 2019. We’ll see!

Minimalist hand painted Friendsgiving invitations by Bare Ink Co. / Styling by Oh So Beautiful Paper

Paper Party 2018 Modern Minimalist Invitations / Design by Ramona & Ruth, Printing by Bella Figura on Legion Paper Colorplan paper, Styling by Oh So Beautiful Paper

Pastel Mudcloth Wedding Invitations by Twinkle & Toast

Those are my favorites for 2018, but let’s talk! What do you think? Did I miss any of your favorite trends? Do you agree with me on the trends going into 2019? If you’re a stationer, are you excited to incorporate colorful paper into some of your designs â€“ either for invitations or other custom stationery? I really want to know!

12/21/2018

Shop Local: Where to Find Unique Gifts in Washington, DC

You guys! Only four more days until Christmas! How did that happen? I’ll be taking next week off to spend time with my family, including my dad and step-mom who are coming into town from the West Coast, then returning with brand new content in 2019! But since this is the last shopping weekend before Christmas, I thought I’d leave you with a quick round up of some of my favorite local shops in the DC area, including a limited pop-up shop from Matine that ends this weekend! DC retail has come a LONG way in the last couple of years, with a bunch of really cute independent boutiques opening up across the city, and I’m so grateful for each and every one of them. I love being able to look for the perfect little special something in person at these shops discover new brands in the process. So for those of you doing a bit of local shopping this weekend, or if any of you are planning trips in the future, here are a few favorite spots where you can find unique gifts in DC!

SALT & SUNDRY

Two locations in Washington, DC: Union Market (1309 5th St NE) and Logan Circle (1625 14th St NW)

Whenever I’m on the hunt for a unique gift, I always start at the OG Salt & Sundry location at Union Market. They have a fantastic collection of tabletop and home goods, art and wall hangings, some really cute baby and kid items, and lots of fun barware and mixers for cocktail enthusiasts!

SHELTER

1258 5th Street NE, Washington, DC

Shelter is one of DC’s newest boutiques, located just across the street from Union Market. Shelter was founded by DC jewelry designer Mallory Shelter and features a curated selection of jewelry, accessories, and natural objects by independent designers. Mallory has definitely curated the most beautiful and thoughtful selection of gifts, from the Clare Vivier clutches and hand beaded earrings and necklaces by Alchemilla Jewelry to Nightspace candles and ceramics from a local artist.

TAKE CARE

1338 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC

Heading across town to Georgetown and Take Care! Take Care is an all-natural skincare, beauty and lifestyle shop that offers an essential collection of plant-based and independent-label brands for your skin, body and home. I’ve made several trips to Take Care this year to finally get a handle on my skincare routine, and I can’t say enough good things about this beautiful little shop. If you know anyone who loves skincare, essential oils, or natural makeup, definitely stop by to check it out.

MATINE

1810 14th Street NW, Washington, DC â€“ until December 23 only

If you’re looking for beautiful and timeless leather goods, definitely check out the Matine pop-up in Logan Circle â€“ this weekend is the last weekend to check it out in person! After that, you can always visit Matine online!

PENNY POST

1201 King Street Alexandria, VA

Heading across the river to our friends in Old Town, Alexandria! Penny Post is the new stationery store from the owner of Red Barn Mercantile, and it’s seriously the cutest little shop with so many fun gift ideas. Books, notebooks, desk signs, fancy pens, art prints, mugs, and of course the absolute BEST greeting card selection in the DC area!

RED BARN MERCANTILE

1117 King Street, Alexandria, VA

And of course we can’t forget our friends at Penny Posts’s sister store Red Barn Mercantile! Home dÃ©cor, tabletop pieces, cookbooks, barware, accessories, kid gifts, and lots more. Plus, they also offer home design services!

Happy shopping everyone!

12/17/2018

Inspiring Calligraphers: Sam Teich

Hey everyone! No time like the holiday season to appreciate the beauty of calligraphy and lettering work. So today I have a treat for you that’s almost as sweet as a warm mug of cocoa topped with marshmallows. New York City calligrapher and creative entrepreneur Sam Teich takes us through a peek of her stunning portfolio, and shares inspiration behind her lettering work. (She had me at her logo, it’s simply so good!). So let’s dive in! – Jen

Sam working her calligraphy magic at Paper Party 2018! Photos by Charlie-Juliet Photography

Sam even wrote on balloons at the party! Photos by Charlie-Juliet Photography

On how she got into doing calligraphy:

“When people ask me how I got started in calligraphy, I usually say that I was a very nerdy kid! I taught myself cursive (in the backseat of a car during a road trip) and always loved decorating letters and trying to copy other people’s handwriting or fonts and logos that I saw. I went to NYU for photography and graphic design, and worked as a photo editor for editorial publications for a number of years before leaving the office life to pursue calligraphy full time nearly 3 years ago.”

Photo Credit: Ebbe Sweet Photography

On what she regularly works on:

“In addition to working on private and corporate projects and custom pieces, I produce and execute live lettering events, and teach regular modern calligraphy workshops.”

On her favorite unconventional projects:

“Paper is great, but I love applying calligraphy to unconventional materials. Denim jackets are always a favorite, and I really love working on sneakers too! I’ve done a few collaborations with the Italian sneaker brand Superga and they’re some of my favorites.”

On collaborating with the Steelers:

“This fall I also collaborated with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a few events and got to create custom jackets for the wives and girlfriends of the players, and custom luggage tags for all of the players’ game day bags! I also hand-painted calligraphy on leotards for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater to wear during the Steelers’ charity fashion show.”

Photo Credit: Nico Schinco for HeyDay

On seeing her work in neon lights:

“I have a neon sign of my writing for the NYC facial shop Heyday that’s not far from where I live in Greenwich Village, so I get to pass by and see that from the street, which is pretty special.”

On teaching calligraphy:

“I find calligraphy is an extremely therapeutic hobby and it’s very rewarding to create something with your hands. It’s very gratifying for me to be able to introduce people to a new way of thinking. Even if it’s not something you’re going to continue with or pursue in a big way, I believe that we should always be challenging ourselves to learn and try new things.”

Big thanks to Sam for sharing some of the fun ways she’s bringing her lettering work to the world! You can also find her over on Instagram.

All photos via Sam Teich, except where noted.

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!

12/13/2018

Winter Cocktail Workshop!

For those of you in the DC area, join our resident cocktail expert Andrew for a winter cocktail workshop this Sunday from 3-5 pm! Youâ€™ll sample three fantastic recipes with a focus on holiday entertaining, learn Andyâ€™s tried and true techniques for making delicious drinks at home, and go home with the recipes for each cocktail. It’s going to be so much fun â€“ sign up right here! We’ll also have a selection of our vintage glassware and barware available for sale before and after the class, so feel free to stop by if you’re on the hunt for some unique holiday gifts â€“ or beautiful vintage glassware to decorate your own bar cart.

Spiced Winter Punch

We had so much fun at our first cocktail workshop at Red Barn Mercantile in October, we couldn’t wait to do another one! This workshop will be focused on holiday recipes â€“ a punch for holiday entertaining, a perfect cocktail for New Year’s Eve (hint: it involves Champagne), and a recipe for cozy winter nights at home. Plus we’ll share some of our favorite spirits and mixers for stocking your home bar and send you home with all the recipes!

Charles Dickens’ Punch

12/11/2018

Deep Blue Modern Ocean Wedding Invitations

Anyone else majorly feeling bold and deep blue tones right now? It’s just such a fantastically moody hue, and it pairs so well with all of my other favorite colors, from mustard yellow to our color of the moment coral. These deep blue modern ocean wedding invitations from Lustre Theory make quite the bold statement with imperial blue envelopes, a hand painted watercolor jellyfish envelope liner, and watercolor hand lettering! Gorgeous calligraphy by Seniman Calligraphy is the perfect finishing touch.

From Kristin: I live and breathe the details whenever I design an invitation suite, and this one is no different. For me, it’s a chance to put a piece of detailed art directly into someone’s hands and make them feel special, even if just for a moment. It’s so personal! This wedding invitation embodies a modern ocean design theme. We chose a strong, deep blue for the design, which was printed on Moab Entrada Rag Bright 300 paper stock and paired with a dark Imperial Blue square with euro flap from Cards & Pockets for the envelopes.

We chose white calligraphy ink with a modern flair by Seniman Calligraphy for the main envelope, main envelope back flap, and RSVP envelope. A perfect white wax seal completes the main envelope. We chose stamps with modern ocean designs and a connection to the downtown Norfolk, Virginia waterfront location. You will see a shell, a tug boat, and an Oscar de la Renta fashion stamp that looked too much like deep blue water to not include.

The watercolor jellyfish on the envelope liner was hand painted and digitally reproduced by me to match both the color and sea theme. You’ll see black, shades of gray, blue, and purple within the watercolor. The lettering on the invitation and RSVP card mirrors the watercolor texture on the liner. I wanted the invitations to be simple and clean but also bold and well designed.

Thanks Kristin!

Design: Lustre Theory
Calligraphy: Seniman Calligraphy
Envelopes: Cards & Pockets
Stamps: Vintage Postage Shop
Paper: Moab Paper

Looking for more wedding invitation inspiration? Visit our wedding invitations archive for more custom wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Angela Elise Photography