12/14/2015

Elegant Dip Dyed Pink and Gold Wedding Invitations

Pink and gold. It’s just such a great combination. Gold looks great with just about anything, but especially with the gorgeous shade of petal pink used in these invitations from Allie Ruth Bridal. Allie created these elegant dip dyed pink and gold wedding invitations for a summer wedding in Texas, with plenty of cactus and succulent illustrations included throughout the wedding stationery. In addition to the gorgeous wedding invitations, Allie also shared some of theÂ day-of details from this beautiful wedding!

From Allie:Â Catye and Trey’sÂ wedding was absolutely stunning, with florals that would make anyone swoon.Â Each card of the invitation suite was dip-dyed in graduated shades of pink from the small info card to the main invitation. The package was tied with natural twine and a hand-stamped custom monogram. The suite came together with an illustrated succulent motif, which found its way into the day-of wedding details, as well!Â

The pocket envelopes were show-stopping. Each one got letterpress printed on the back in matte gold with my full succulent illustration, and then I hand-painted the watercolor to fill in each one. They were lined with a matte gold-printed illustrated pattern. I then addressed them all and affixed Texas inspired vintage postage and finished them off with a band of pink masking tape and a custom-designed “mailed with love” sticker, with their return address stamped on the back.

The day-of design was so much fun. All of their foodâ€”menu, desserts and cocktails sounded amazing, so my mouth was totally watering as I was calligraphing the cards and created the stamp that you see on those pretty pink napkins. I dip-dyed all of the escort cards to match the invitation suite, and even designed large program and welcome signs for the ceremony.

Thanks Allie!

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

Photo Credits: Mustard Seed Photography

12/08/2015

Behind the Stationery: Wild Ink Press

Today we’re bringing you a MEGA edition of Behind the Stationery with the one and only Rebekah of Wild Ink PressÂ! She shares a little bit of everything: why she started Wild Ink Press, a tour of their studio and small storefront, the process behind her designs, and so much more. Thanks Rebekah!

Hello! Rebekah Tennis here â€“ owner, designer, and general boss lady at Wild Ink Press â€“ and Iâ€™m delighted to take you behind the scenes of our stationery company!

I started Wild Ink PressÂ in 2009, springing out of a desire to create a cherished, finished product. I have a BFA in Graphic Design, and while I loved my job working in a corporate design firm, I found the nature of branding design to be frustrating â€“ websites getting tweaked over and over, logos stretched out of proportion, with no finality to the work. I longed to create art that was both finished (forever!) and something that I loved, and so Wild Ink Press was born to create beautiful paper goods that others would value and enjoy. My husband Matt listened to my wild-haired ideas and we both took a series of letterpress classes at the San Francisco Center for the Book, then made the plunge and purchased a 1908 Chandler & Price Platen 10 x 15 Press on Ebay.

Our company has grown and expanded over the years (through lots of blood, sweat, and tears, believe me) and we now are a staff of seven with a retail and printing space in a converted old soda bottling shop in downtown Chico, Northern California. It houses our letterpress machines, inventory, and also our creative and packaging space. We bought the abandoned building, and it has been very rewarding to restore it to its former glory and let it shine as a 3200 square-foot open studio workspace. We now have three Heidelberg Windmills, a 1912 Golding Jobber, a Vandercook Universal I, and a baby Kelsey 5 x 8 press (for the kids) in addition to our original C & P. And yes, we do print on all of them!

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12/01/2015

Modern Calligraphy Fabric Wedding Invitations

As much as I love modern pointed pen calligraphy, there’s just something about bold brush lettering that just stops me dead in my tracks. Brush lettering is romantic and modern all at the same time, and I love the sense of excitement and movement it imparts. And these modern calligraphy fabric wedding invitations are quite the stunner, with calligraphy by Chelsea Petaja, silkscreen and letterpress printing by Smudge Ink, gorgeous blush and white paper (and fabric!) selections, and an overall design by Kathryn Yee of Bash Studio. And with all the wonderfulÂ details incorporated into this suite, things just keep getting better and better!

From SabrinaÂ of Smudge Ink:Â We were thrilled when Kathryn Yee, designer and stylist of Bash Studio, and her fiancÃ©e approached us to collaborate on their wedding invitations. Inspired by their love of Sonoma, the couple sought to bring its tucked-away vibe but elegant beauty to the shores of Newport, Rhode Island. In keeping with this vision, their wedding suite and stationery felt natural, romantic, and modern all at the same time.

Having recently launched The Everyday Napkin, Kathryn came up with the idea to silkscreen her invitations on the same 100% white linen that she uses in her new home goods line. With the invitation taking center stage, she wanted to letterpress print the remaining pieces including the reply card, reply envelope, details card, and outer envelope. Immediately, we knew the look and texture of Italian-made Arturo letterpress paper would complement beautifully. Kathryn chose a combination of white and pale blush to contrast with the classic black ink. Weaving Chelsea Petajaâ€™s bold and dreamy hand lettering throughout completed the suite.

From the E.E. Cummings quote on their envelopes to the ever charming brunch card, it was a pleasure to incorporate the beauty of letterpress into Kathrynâ€™s design. We loved how the coupleâ€™s fun and sophisticated personality took shape in the day of touches, like the lavender-filled pouches tied with a miniature program. Together with Kathryn and Arielle Doneson Photography, we are excited to share all of the thoughtful details that we adored about this project!

Thanks so much ladies!

Design and Styling: Bash Studio

Printing: Smudge Ink

Calligraphy: Chelsea Petaja

Check out the Designer Rolodex for more talÂented wedÂding inviÂtaÂtion designÂers and the real inviÂtaÂtions galleryfor more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits:Â Arielle Doneson Photography

11/30/2015

Black Tie Garden Party Calligraphy Wedding Invitations

AnytimeÂ I get to start the week off with a beautiful calligraphy wedding invitation suite, I just KNOW that it’s going to be a good week. And these gorgeous calligraphy wedding invitations for a black tie garden party wedding from Anna at Cast Calligraphy? So. Good. I’m completely smitten with every detail â€“ includingÂ the modern, imperfect (in Anna’s words) calligraphy style, the nature-inspired illustrations, the gold wax envelope seal, and the perfectly subtle light gray letterpress printing by Birdwalk Press. Stunning!

From Anna: Molly and Bobby wanted their wedding invitations to be natural, sophisticated, eclectic, and with a touch of gold. Instead of going over the top for this Rhode Island wedding, we incorporated each of these details into their stationery in subtle ways. They knew that quality was of most importance, so the letterpress printing and gold wax seal enhanced the look of the whole suite.

The invitation was designed to touch on the natural elements the couple loved. Molly grew up in Portland, Oregon and spends a lot of time outdoors, and it was important that the invitation reflected her love of the outdoors. The calligraphy was intentionally imperfect, to create a more comfortable, approachable style. Molly and Bobby mentioned the recurring use of gems, crystals, and agates for their decor. I illustrated a mini crystal logo for their details card that was repeated for their letterpress thank you notes. The trimmed corners added a bit of surprise to the suite.

Since neutral was one of the big defining words, Birdwalk Press did a great job printing the soft grey color on pearl white cotton paper. Just soft enough to be feminine and organic but clean and classy. The envelopes were calligraphed with a metallic gold and sealed with a custom wax seal. The team at Exquisite Events was instrumental in the communication process and in detailing their paper needs for the day of. Everything came together so beautifully and Molly and Bobby tied the knot on a beautiful October day in Rhode Island! Congrats to the happy couple!

Thanks Anna!

Design and Calligraphy: Cast Calligraphy

Letterpress Printing: Birdwalk Press

Check out the Designer Rolodex for more talÂented wedÂding inviÂtaÂtion designÂers and the real inviÂtaÂtions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Orange Photographie

11/16/2015

Seasonal Stationery: 2016 Calendars, Part 2

My heart is still so heavy today, so soon after the horrible events in Beirut and Paris. I’m sure I’m not alone. And I don’t know what else to say other than I send my love and supportÂ to the people of Paris and Beirut.

Today we’re continuing our 2016 calendar round up with ten gorgeous calendars, including three stunning calendars featuring abstract art, a ridiculously beautiful gemstone-themed monthlyÂ calendar, a bit of hologram foil, and an illustrated calendar featuring a different poet each month. You can find more 2016 calendars in the Market List here, and I hope these ten calendars help brighten your spirits today.