07/26/2013

{happy weekend!}

Happy Friday everyone! I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately along the lines of the quote in this week’s font post… inspired in part by some of the conversations that I had with friends in California. The last year has been amazing with the arrival of Sophie, but it has also been really hard with house hunting, moving, and trying to get settled into (much less fix up) our new house with a young baby at home and a very limited budget. It’s so easy to get weighed down by our problems and lose sight of our bigger goals and dreams. So I’ve been thinking about what I really want, not in my normal immediate sense but more in the big picture sense â€“ like Jordan’s list from a few years ago. I don’t have any answers yet, but it’s what keeps me up at night these days. I’ll keep you all posted. And in the meantime…

California! by Oh So Beautiful Paper (15)

Photo by me from our trip to California

…a few links for your weekend!

Love this behind-the-scenes peek into Flip and Tumble’s new produce bags
A cool video (and another behind-the-scenes peek) of Iron Curtain Press
Summery floral wedding invitations
I shared some of my favorite spots for a DC mini-moon on Snippet & Ink
Menswear etiquette rules for weddings
I am obsessed with Jenny’s awesome DIY concrete counter topsÂ and this DIY pipe shelving from Yas
Steven Alan is coming to DC. Fun! But why oh why does everything have to be in Georgetown?
MAKE: Popcorn chocolate chip cookies

This week on Oh So Beautiful Paper:

Some photos from our week in California!
Travel-inspired letterpress invitations for a wedding in Maine
Nautical invitations for a lakeside summer wedding
Gorgeous hand lettered invitations for a wedding in Cape Cod
Timeless silver foil wedding invitations
Love this collaboration between Blackbird Letterpress and calligrapher Betsy Dunlap
Pretty botanical inspiration for your day-of wedding stationery
Classic copper + gray wedding invitations with a modern twist
Well Said Type: Virgin Script
Beautiful calligraphy inspiration from Stephanie Fishwick
DIY Tutorial: Modern tri-fold banner save the dates
Lovely greeting cards from Wednesday

Check back soon for this weekâ€™s cocktail! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and Iâ€™ll see you back here next week!Â xoxo

07/23/2013

Michelle + Brian’s Timeless Silver Foil Wedding Invitations

These classic invitations from designerÂ Carina SkrobeckiÂ are timeless, elegant, and somewhat unexpected for a wedding on the beach! Carina drew her inspiration from the luxury hotel wedding venue, printing the suite in a matte silver foil for a hint of glamour. The resulting invitations perfectly complemented the white-on-white wedding and sophisticated venue.

From Carina: Michelle and Brian were married in Santa Monica, California, in a beautiful hotel venue on the beach â€” Â Casa Del Mar. Although the hotel boasts someÂ quintessentialÂ ocean detailing, it has an overwhelming classic feel to it, and so did Michelle and Brian’s wedding. Michelle initially wanted to use a blind emboss letterpress, or some form of subtle printing that was classic, elegant, but also a bit modern. We ended up going with a “dusted silver” foil to give the invitations just a hint of glam. These translated beautifully for their white-on-white wedding with hints of silver.

Each piece wasÂ printed on thick 130# Mohawk paper, which has a surprisingly soft and toothy feel to it. The main invitation, rsvp card, and thank you cards were printed using 100% foil, while the reception card, and rehearsal dinner cards were printed in a warm gray ink. All pieces were wrapped in a deep gray belly band with their “H” monogram and tucked into silver lined envelopes.

Thanks Carina!

Design:Â Carina Skrobecki

Envelopes:Â www.envelopes.com

Paper: Mohawk

Printing:Â Nikko Media

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

Photo Credits:Â Carina Skrobecki

07/16/2013

Todd + Sasha’s 1920s-Inspired Elegant Hand Lettered Wedding Invitations

Hi Again! Today weâ€™d like to share with you a recent invite we did for an amazing couple who was having a sophisticated ’20s-era wedding. Although â€œGatsbyâ€ was one of the words they used to convey the feeling they were going for, their suite was more about capturing the elegance and modernism of the era rather than trying to replicate the cues taken from the recent Baz Luhrmann movie.Â â€“Arley-Rose and Morgan of Ladyfingers Letterpress

The suite features a two-sided, super thick invite thatâ€™s letterpress printed on both sides, with an application of silkscreen on the front, and edge painted in antique gold. If youâ€™re familiar with letterpress printing at all, you may be aware that printing flats are a little more challenging than printing line work. We wanted to try a new approach where we attempted to letterpress a silver layer on top of the charcoal base flat layer, with the cream text knocked out of the charcoal layer. We had done a test in the studio before we pitched the idea to the client and it looked great. Somehow, by the time we were ready to print the silver layer, it didnâ€™t look as legible as the tests and we had to come up with a new approach. We opted for silkscreen since itâ€™s more viscous than letterpress ink. Another solution could have been hot foil stamping.

On the back of the invitation, we letterpress printed a cross section of a piece of wood, since the groom-to-be was an avid wood worker.

Their wedding was set to take place on Shelter Island, and features a letterpress print of a vintage map that acts as an inner envelope. These were then addressed in gold guache by our in-house calligrapher Tammy Ann Tan.

Their RSVP is also letterpress printed on thick cotton paper, edge painted and is double sided to accommodate menus, events and additional info. Their folded letterpress Info Card features directions, accommodations and vintage illustrations of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

p.s.Â Ladyfingers Letterpress is a member of theÂ Designer RolodexÂ â€“ check out more of their beautiful workÂ right hereÂ or visitÂ theÂ real inviÂtaÂtions galleryÂ for moreÂ wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Ladyfingers Letterpress

06/12/2013

Laurie + Jaime’s Nautical Wedding Invitations

Summer is fully upon us here in DC, and with it comes an obsession with the beach and all things nautical! As a girl that grew up along the beaches of Florida but now lives 90 miles inland, I really miss those beaches during the warm and humid summer months. Andrea from Chirp PaperieÂ sent over some nautical invitations that she designed for a wedding on the Massachusetts coast. With the navy and white color palette and anchor details, I can practically smell the salty ocean air through these invitations!

From Andrea: Laurie and Jaime are dear friends that have been eagerly awaiting their wedding day. They reside in Danvers, Massachusetts right between Boston and Manchester by the Sea. Their house is perched on the water and so it was no surprise that Laurie desired a nautical themed wedding and invitation suite.

Their wedding will take place at the Danversport Yacht Club, and feature navy, gray, and classic anchor details. Laurie and Jaime wanted something â€œclean, contemporary and yet still classic.â€ Using their vision, I created a simple layout featuring their wedding colors and anchors. I then played with typography options to add a playful vibe to the invitation itself while not steering too far from the classic look they desired.

The invitation was wrapped with a custom striped bellyband featuring their names and wedding date. The very talented Erica Dunhill of WP InksÂ did the calligraphy on the front of the envelope and was then sealed with silver wax giving it a polished and sophisticated finish.

Thanks Andrea!

Design: Chirp Paperie

Calligraphy: WP Inks

Printing: TAP of West Palm Beach

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

Photo Credits: Chirp Paperie

05/28/2013

National Stationery Show 2013, Part 6

Before we jump into a few more booths from the Stationery Show, I have one booth to share from Surtex â€“ a separate licensing show for artists and illustrators that takes place at the Javits Center during the same week. I wish I could spend more time at Surtex, but I made sure to stop by and say hello to the incredibly talented Dinara Mirtalipova at the show. Dinara created some fabric and wallpaper prototypes with her pattern illustrations below â€“ aren’t they amazing?? Hopefully someone will step up to produce them soon!

Dinara Mirtalipova

Okay, now back over to the National Stationery Show! Sarah from Fancy Seeing You Here had a delightfully quirky booth with everything from travel-inspired map stationery to fortune telling greeting cards (such a great idea!) to coasters. Totally up my alley!

Fancy Seeing You Here

After taking a break last year, Hello! Lucky was back in a big way at this year’s show with a bright and happy booth with tons of new cards! They also recently started incorporating gold and silver foil into their designs â€“ with fabulous results!

COMPLETELY obsessed with these gold foil pattern note cards!

Hello! Lucky

When it comes to colorful cards, no one does it better than the ladies of The Social Type! Their cards never fail to put a smile on my face, and this year they added some beautiful new matchbooks to their collection!

The Social Type

It feels like just yesterday that I stumbled into the debut Printerette PressÂ booth at theÂ 2011Â show â€“ I can’t believe this was Catherine’s third year exhibiting! In addition to her sweet letterpress greeting cards and wedding invitations, Catherine introduced a new seasonal calendar and some of the cutest notepads I’ve ever seen!

Cutest notepads ever!!

Printerette Press

I love the way the team at Egg PressÂ mixes graphic patterns, whimsical illustrations, and die cut shapes â€“ often in the same card! Their booth was full of colorful greeting cards, some fun new everyday greeting cards, and pretty gift wrap.

Egg Press

Next up, the wonderful illustrated cards from Dear Hancock! I’m already a huge fan of their “from the desk of” and unconventional workstation cards, along with their bunny and truck card series. This year they added a monthly calendar and some fun new notepads to the mix!

Dear Hancock

Last up for today, the greeting cards, art prints, and temporary tattoos from Banquet Atelier & Workshop! The mythical creatures print below might be one of my favorite new products from the entire show â€“ I want one for Sophie’s room!