01/31/2014

Happy Weekend!

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you’re somewhere warmer than DC â€“ it’s only the end of January and this is the coldest winter I’ve experienced since moving here more than 10 years ago! We’re supposed to have a couple of nice days this weekend, which I’m looking forward to enjoying before I head up to New York for NYNOW on Monday. Next week: reports from NYNOW! But in the meantime…

OSBP-Alt-Travel-and-Great-Transformations

Photo by me via Instagram

…a few links for your weekend!

A secret garden mini party at Alt Summit
I’m so so so excited for this new kids craft book!
Adorable baby shower invitations
This faux caning technique is amazing â€“ I want to try it on a chair I inherited from my grandmother!
Rooting herbs in winter
One of my favorite calligraphy fonts has aÂ gorgeous new bold version! You can get 40% off Belluccia Bold with the code “OhsoBeautiful” (but just for a limited time!)

This week on Oh So Beautiful Paper:

Elegant gold foil wedding invitations for a summer wedding in Vermont
Stunning invitations for a tropical destination wedding
DIY Tutorial: modern washi tape save the dates
More super pretty Valentine’s Day cards
Completely in love with the Kate Spade office stationery collection
Romantic shabby chic wedding invitations featuring a pair of Boston terriers
Gold foil zebra baby shower invitations!
Well Said Type: Aquus
Lili Emma’s colorful split fountain letterpress birth announcements
Elegant dinner invitations for a 5-day wedding in New York
A lovely hand lettered love print
Woodsy screen printed wood veneer wedding invitations
DC Guide: The National Postal Museum

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

01/30/2014

DIY Tutorial: Modern Washi Tape Save the Dates

Who doesn’t love washi tape? Ever since this awesome product arrived state side, we’ve been on board. We typically use it to seal envelopes, paper or belly bands but lately, we’ve had a desire to make it the real star. In this DIY, we use different tapes to add a bit of graphic drama to our stamped save the date cards. The effect you get is so much fun, especially considering it’s humble beginnings as tape!Â â€“Â Bailey and Emma of Antiquaria

Each save the date is its own, unique piece of art. The best part is that you can make it as simple or tricked out as you like!

Step One: Before you decorate, you’ll need to stamp your save the date (we used our Art Deco Save the Date stamp) on the bottom of a blank, cream A7 card. Choose an ink color that will coordinate nicely with the tape that you’ve selected. For a step-by-step video tutorial about this printing process goÂ here.

Step Two: Let your creative flag fly! Adorn the top of the card with washi tape in any pattern you like. We used a simple design with straight line and pop of diagonal tape for this example.

Step Three: Next, you’ll need to square up the tape so that you have a clean, professional look. Using a straight edge metal ruler and a craft knife, carefully cut the tape, making sure not to press so hard that it cuts the paper as well.

Step Four: Peel off the tape and press down the cut edge. Repeat the process on the top.

There are an infinite amount of possibilities for the tape designs. Get creative and experiment with tape colors and patterns. We love the way that they all look together, so don’t feel limited to one design!

Step Five: Next, you’ll need to stamp your return address (we used our Art Deco Return Address stamp) on the back flap of your envelopes. Now all that’s left is to address them, add postage and send them on their merry way!

Materials:

Art Deco Save the Date Stamp

Art Deco Return Address Stamp

Stamp PadÂ in Cocoa

Washi Tape

A7 Cream Cards

A7 Envelopes

Metal Ruler and Craft Knife

AntiÂquaria is a memÂber of theÂ Designer RolodexÂ â€“ you can see more of their beauÂtiÂful workÂ right hereÂ orÂ visitÂ theÂ real save the dates galleryÂ for more save the date ideas!

Photography: Antiquaria for Oh So Beautiful Paper

01/29/2014

Constance + Fahri’s Elegant Wedding Dinner Invitations

I love the idea of turning a small, intimate wedding into a multi-day extravaganza with your closest family and friends. And that’s exactly what this bride and groom did â€“ in New York City! They turned to designer Sue Corral, known for her classic and minimalist style, to help with the invitations… but they didn’t stop with the wedding invitation. Sue also designed separate invitations for five dinner parties at a different NYC landmark restaurant. Quite the challenge for Sue, but such a fun idea!

From Sue:Â Iâ€ˆdesigned this invitation forÂ a 5-day wedding extravaganza in New York City. Each night, the bride and groom invited their guests (family and close friends) to an intimate dinner at a different New York City landmark restaurant topping it all off with a Saturday evening wedding at The St. Regis. The bride and groom requested a separate invitation for each dinner but still wanted everything to be cohesive and coordinated. Overall, they asked that the design be formal, traditional, luxurious, and elegant.

A box seemed like the perfect package to hold the invitations. The guests stayed at the St. Regis, so the invitation box was part of the welcome basket waiting for them when they arrived at their rooms. The invitations were stacked neatly inside the box and wrapped with an onion skin belly band. The box itself was tied with a gold satin ribbon.

Each invitation used the same color palette and typography, but had a different decorative corner motif framing the text. The style of the corners and the full bleed back patterns on the back of each invitation matched the style and decor of the different restaurants.Â

For the actual wedding invitation, we designed a monogram for the motif that we were able to used sprinkled throughout the 5 day event on all sorts of other items, like place cards, coasters and mini champagne labels â€“ even fire branded wooden gift tags.

Thanks so much Sue!

Photo Credits: Design Corral

01/28/2014

Jaclyn + Brent’s Tropical Destination Wedding Invitations

Aaaahhh… the ladies of Papellerie sent over this beautiful tropical destination wedding invitation and now I can practically smell the fresh ocean air! The invitation suite combines lots of texture â€“ whitewashed wood veneer, letterpress printed text, and both matte and metallic foil â€“ and stunning calligraphy from Brown Linen Design. Gorgeous!

From Papellerie:Â Jaclyn and Brent chose Belize for their destination wedding and we knew right away we wanted to do something tropical, fun, and that would portray the relaxed feeling of a tropical beach wedding. We started by designing their monogram: a custom J and B with a fishing fly illustration to represent their love of fly fishing.

Their save the date was digitally printed photographs (taken by the couple!) with white foil on the cover and information on the accommodations in Belize. We assembled each save the date with a gold rivet and burlap tie and slipped them into customized muslin bags.

All of the calligraphy on the set was created by Abany Bauer ofÂ Brown Linen DesignÂ and fit so perfectly with our vision for this tropical invitation. The invitation itself was printed on hand painted white washed wood paper with gold foil and brown letterpress, the insert cards were all letterpress printed or foil stamped â€“ the orange welcome card features a fun matte foil!

Their invitation suite was packaged together with brown bakerâ€™s twine and custom made fishing flies. Each set had a different and unique fly! The invitations were mailed in a box mailer with calligraphy from Abany Bauer of Brown Linen Design.

Thanks ladies!

Design: Papellerie

Calligraphy:Â Abany Bauer ofÂ Brown Linen Design

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

Photo Credits:Â Adam Nyholt

01/28/2014

Beth + Tomu’s Woodsy Screen Printed Walnut Wedding Invitations

Nikkol from Peter Loves Jane sent over these lovely invitations for a wedding at the Sundance Resort! The bride and groom wanted to evoke the woodsy feeling of their wedding venue without being too rustic. Nikkol came up with the perfect solution: walnut wood veneer with white screen printed text! Nikkol paired the wood invitations with gray and white enclosures and gray envelopes to complete the suite.

From Nikkol:Â Beth and Tomu are both sophisticated successful attorneys that are socially aware but have a spontaneous and fun side. Beth and Tomu decided to get married at Sundance Resort, which is nestled in the mountains and surrounded by towering evergreens. Beth already knew she wanted a woodsy element in her invitations, but wanted to steer clear of any rustic intonations.

White screen printing on aÂ walnutÂ veneer was the perfect choice. Â I used a recycled paper for the additional items in the suite and tucked it all inside a grey pocket enclosure tied each with a black silk ribbon.

It was important to Beth and Tomu to thank each guest individually, so I designed playful thank you flags that we tied to the flatware at each place setting. Â That way if a guest wanted to eat, they had to read the note!

To add interest to the centerpieces and place settings, place card designs varied. Â Some place cards were tented above their plates, while others were marked with flags in potted succulents. Â The succulents were given to each guest as a favor at the end of the evening.