Thank you note to Tommy

White gouache on midnight blue envelope.

Inspired

Can I just say how much I love calligraphy and hand-lettering?  I think it's an art form that isn't appreciated as much as it should be.  Typography is a really great thing and it's so important in setting the tone for any visual piece.  The right font is imperative for an advertisement, logo, wedding invitation...  and with computers you have an infinite library of fonts available to you.

Don't get me wrong, I love computers and I will be the first to admit that my life would be a mess without my precious iMac (whom I have lovingly named Sue Sylvester from Glee)... but there's just something really special about hand-written words.  When you sort through your mail and you come across a beautifully hand-addressed invitation, you can't help but pause and admire it.

I had to share some of my favorite calligraphers in this post.  I am so in awe of their talents and unique styles, they really inspire me to find my own special way of lettering.

Just gorgeous! Hand-calligraphed invitation by DesignsGirl Kelle Anne McCarter.  It looks like a font, but it's not!  I love how she curves and extends the tails of certain letters.  When you learn about calligraphy, you realize that it's not just writing in cursive... it really is a special technique, it's a style of drawing a series of strokes and shapes put together to from letters.  Kelle Anne's style is different from classic copperplate calligraphy, she adds a quirky and playful style to it that is very elegant in it's own right.

I think the way Jenna has written this wedding invitation is just pure genius.  The white ink over the slate gray invitation is modern and stylish.  I love how the address is written off-center and slants upward and her method of extending the lines beyond the boundaries of the envelope really takes advantage of the space.  This style really takes you away from the traditional ways of addressing wedding invitations and I think it's brilliant!

I had the pleasure of meeting Anna Bond of Rifle Design a few months ago at a wedding professionals networking event.  She is just as cute as she is creative.  Her original hand-painted artwork is like none I have seen.  Her style is beautiful, nature-inspired and whimsical.  Always original and always full of personality.

 

I LOVE this piece by Kate Forrester.  The picture above is a close up of the original lettering and below is the finished work.  So creative, fun and sexy at the same time.  Something really great to give as a gift to your honey.

 

Wedding Video

Everyday I peruse wedding blogs to get some creative inspiration and I came across this video. It's probably one of the best "Same-day edit" wedding videos I have ever seen. There are so many things I love about this wedding, from the gray bridesmaid dresses to the lace and mason jar decorations, the handmade signs to the wooden cake toppers custom-made to resemble the
adorable couple.

I had to share this... enjoy!


{Credit ~ Event Planner: The Wedding Chicks, Videography: The Bui Brothers}

Grace and Tom

When your clients are your friends, the work becomes extra special to you. Tom and Grace trusted me to handle all the stationery for their wedding and I was so grateful for the opportunity. From the Save the Dates all the way down to the table numbers at the reception, we carried the green and purple color scheme from start to finish.

This job was extra special for me because Tom and Grace allowed me to go with my creativity and hand illustrate their design motif along with the calligraphy for each place card.

These two are one of my most favorite couples and I feel so blessed to not only create their wedding paper but also stand in their wedding!

{Photo credit: Heather Saunders Photography} Many thanks Heather!!! (Check her out everyone, she's amazing!)