Hand Lettering: Nope.

Whenever Lincoln gets tired of Truman pestering him to play, he takes refuge under the couch. Truman can never seem to figure out why he does this, or how exactly to coax him out to play again. Lincoln's just not having it any more. Typical big brother wanting nothing to do with his younger sibling!

This weekend we need to fix the gate in our backyard. SOMEONE *couchTRUMANcough* jumped up on the rotted gate and it just couldn't withstand 160lbs of mastiff. Not sure yet how I'm going to build it, but it can't be that hard right?

Have a great weekend!

Custom Wedding Programs

These are some programs I just completed for a wedding coming up next weekend. They compliment the wedding invitations I designed for them a couple of months ago. There are some things that I love to include in the program that I thought I would share. All the basic wedding info is on the front, and inside is the information about all the people in the wedding as well as the description of the ceremony. On the back is where I like to include a couple extra items, starting with a personal note to family and friends, this is a great place to tell everyone how much it means to have them at your wedding celebration. Then, when applicable, I like to include an area to remember family members who are no longer with us, but who we would like to think are with us in spirit. Last but not least, I like to include directions to the reception if it is not at the same site as the ceremony! Custom programs are great and completely worth it, if only to avoid assembling them yourself! I sell custom programs like this for $2 a piece.

Wedding Boutonnieres

Sometimes when planning a wedding, the guys tend to fall to the bottom of the barrel. Boutonnieres are one of the wedding items that can be personalized for the guys. The super heroes and the bull horns shown above are so much fun and can really tie in the guys personality. The others I've shown are just a little unique and different from your traditional styles, I'm not a huge fan of roses on the lapels, it feels a little high school prom to me. The succulents, berries, and less traditional flowers really keep them fresh and fun. 

1.  Horns   2. Metal Leaves   3. Succulents   4. Superheros   5 & 6. Nautical   7. Berries   8. Soft Colors

Polka Dot Bedroom

Our guest room is finally done.... kinda.  I'd still like to hang a bit more art by the rattan chair in the corner, and the desk chair is a place holder stolen from our dining room for the purpose of this little photo op. Right now though, I'm 95% happy with how it came out! Most of the items in the room were things we already had or DIY projects,  it's a guest room, I can't buy all new things! 

It started with paint. the room was an off white which made it feel kind of dingy. I painted the walls a pure matte white and made a polka dot template and painted the same pure white in a glossy finish across all the walls. It's a lovely effect that really plays with the light and made the room feel so bright and happy. I also painted all the trim the same glossy white which helps update the look of the room. 

Then came a series of projects! The mirror was $30 from Ikea and originally black, I spray painted it this lovely coral color to make it feel a bit more fun. The blue drawer pulls were another little project that I described in an earlier post. The headboard was also a fun $50 DIY described here. The curtains were cheep and basic from Urban Outfitters, I sewed on pom pom trim to make them a bit more fun, I talked about doing that in on of my first posts, I also list where I bought some of the items in the room in that post as well. I got the arrows over the bed from a great artist on etsy, she custom made them in the pattern and colors I wanted, I LOVE how they look next to the denser gallery wall over the desk (I'll go into more detail about the gallery wall next week!) The "desk" is a wall mounted shelf with drawers from Ikea. As guest rooms often serve as multi purpose rooms, this is just the right size to serve as a desk and night table.  The rattan chair was a $25 find from a local antique market, as were the hobnail lights on the dresser. So, all in all, for a room of hand me down furniture, DIY projects, and antique store finds, it came together pretty well! 

Hand Lettering: Oh...Shit

I'm getting better at my hand lettering with every passing week, it's getting easier the more I do it. This is our dog Truman, whenever he has extra energy, he'll go outside and run around with his soccer ball like a manic and every once in a while, he kicks it onto our pool cover. This is always what I imagine going through his head. I wonder how he'll deal once we open the pool in a couple days? We need to teach this mastiff how to swim! By the way, cursing looks lovely in calligraphy doesn't it?

Hope you all have a great long weekend!

Prehistoric Love: Dino Drinks

My husband and I have been together forever. Since I was 14 and he was 15, so long that he asked me to be his girlfriend while dancing to "Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith, because Armageddon was THE most romantic movie ever. That was May 15, 2000. Since we just celebrated our 13th anniversary of that dance, I thought it would be fun to design a little event decor around being together since before our lives really even started.

I thought "I've loved you since the dawn of time" was a perfect little catchphrase, and what better element to add to that than little dinosaurs! I made these little drink stirs and bottle label, mixed a girly drink and we toasted our anniversary in prehistoric style!

The dino stirs were super easy, some little wooden candy sticks, cheap plastic dino toys and some gold spray paint and we were ready to go! Can someone have a dino themed wedding so I can design a whole event around the theme of prehistoric love?

Affordable Dining Tables

When we moved into our house, I was on the hunt for an affordable and well designed dining room table. I knew I wanted to spend under $1000, and more like $750 if we were being honest. I wanted something clean and made with good wood. These were some of the final options I picked between. I actually ended up getting the one in the top left corner and I love it. I had a coupon so I got it for around $750 which was perfect! It took FOREVER to get here though, which was my only complaint. I love tables like these because you have so many options for what you can do with the dining chairs!

1. in mod $995  2. restoration hardware $590-$1095  3. overstock $1000   4. modern design direct  $540  5. west elm $700  6. overstock $400

Cut Paper Word Art

I've been a bit under the weather lately, with some sort of flu or cold that just won't quit. Usually I can power my way through illnesses and will myself healthy, but that hasn't worked this time! I've been sick for over a week and it's getting old. Meanwhile it feels like everything is happening at once, busy with weddings, busy with footwear design, busy with life! Yet each night, I collapse in bed, exhausted, and wake up feeling a little bit better. Sleep solves everything. I made this little paper cut art when I just couldn't lay sick in front of the TV any more. I'll have to find a little shadow box frame to put it in, I'm happy with how it came out and excited to hang it up! Sometimes quick little projects just make you feel better.

Wedding Color Pallet: Beachy Blues

Blues are all over the place this season, but they really have to be done correctly to keep them from feeling dated. Look at what you are pairing them with, use creamy whites, deep velvety navys, light heathery greys and beach wood browns.

1. girls and parasols   2. bow ties   3. bouquet   4. boutonniere   5. cake

Whatever You Are, Be a Good One

Whatever you are, be a good one" said by Abraham Lincoln. Whether it's a designer, a marketer, a coach, a parent, a runner, a teacher, or a husband or wife, do it to the best of your ability. Not a bad idea.

The picture is from a trip Chris and I took to Hong Kong last January. We each had work trips in Asia and were lucky enough to meet in Hong Kong together for a mini vacation in the middle. We did some things I had never been able to do while in Hong Kong for work, like go to see Big Buddah and visit Hong Kong Disney! Both very touristy and super fun.

Escort Cards: Message in a Bottle

I've said before, that well designed wedding escort card displays and seating cards can be such a great first impression of your reception. In a previous post, I shared some escort card displays I made for past events. This week, I wanted to make escort cards that were whimsical and fun. I love design that has an element of discovery, and what better than a message in a bottle and a treasure map as a way for your guests to find their table!

Products for Pups

As with most people with pets, and especially those who don't have kids to spoil, we tend to go a bit overboard with our dogs. I've toned it down a bit, I used to buy a new collar for Lincoln every month or so. That being said, it's hard not to spoil the little creatures that can always bring a smile to your face! Here are some great products for the spoiled pup!

1. doggie dome $25: I think our dogs would love having these in our fence, one set 4 feet up and the other 1 1/2 feet up! At the same time, it would probably be the cause of constant barking!
2. doggie duvet $25-$50:  We have these and LOVE them, they are very affordable, come in great colors and patterns, and you can stuff them with anything, foam from a bed they may have ruined in the past, old pillows, your old clothes, they have been a life saver for us.
3. elevated feeder  $98-$188: we used to have a wood one for Lincoln, but over time it got moldy and icky. Now we have one that I built to fit in with our kitchen, but this is a great option too.
4. bone pool $184: This picture just cracks me up, we have a real pool, but I'm not sure if our mastiff, Truman, will ever go in, I think he'd be much more likely to enjoy a pool like this!
5. tie tag $16   We have these for both our dogs, they are so cute and stylish! Love them.
6. rope collar $52: So classy! I might have to get this for Truman.

DIY: Scalloped Leather Clutch

Working 9-5 as a footwear designer, I have access to lots of lovely leather remnants. Whenever I pass a bin of leather to be disposed of, I pic them up, thinking that SOMEDAY I'll make something with them. I recently got a heavy duty sewing machine, but even that really couldn't get through two layers of the thicker leathers, therein lay the problem. How could I make something without sewing it? I've never really played with rivets, so i decided to give it a try. They were SO EASY and I think they came out even better than if I had sewn them. They turned out so well that I gave them both as mothers day gifts! Now I want to make more!

Materials:

1. Leather
2. Snaps
3. Cap rivets

Tools:

1. Hammer
2. Snap tool kit (you can get this at A.C. Moore, Michaels, or Jo Ann Fabrics)
3. Leather hole punch kit (you can get this at A.C. Moore, Michaels, or Jo Ann Fabrics)
4. Rivet tool kit (you can get this at A.C. Moore, Michaels, or Jo Ann Fabrics)

Process:

1. Print out the shape you want the flap to be, I used scallops. I then cut it out and traced it onto the leather, then cut the leather.
2. Punch small holes in the leather where you want the studs and snaps to go
3. place snaps and studs and hammer them together using the tools in the kit, basically just putting the metal base on the bottom and using the metal tool to hammer the top piece on. It's very strait forward and simple! 
4. All done! Now you have a cute little clutch, pencil pouch, or whatever you may want it to be!

Wedding Photo Booths

A growing trend at weddings is the photo booth or photo wall. I am a huge fan of both, they encourage guests to take candid photos (which can be scarce and forced otherwise), they are also a place for the bride and groom to take pictures with a variety of their guests. Last but not least, it's FUN for everyone involved.

1. This photo wall is from my wedding,  the photo taken by our photographer. I built this wall for our wedding (and am available to build one for your event too!). It was a great place to include pictures of our family members and the photos taken here were some of my favorite from our wedding. 
2. Chalkboard wall Backdrop
3. Polaroid Frame. I think these would be pretty easy to make and you could make a row of them if you wanted to. 
4. Sequin backdrop photo wall. Great for a sparkly event!
5. Flower and moss backdrop photo wall. You could have one of these built and use it as a backdrop for the ceremony and then for pictures later too.
6. These are some accessories I made for a tractional photo booth at a wedding I designed for. I made these chalkboard word bubbles with handles on the back so that guests could "say things" in their photos. I also made postcard sized cards that guest could fill out to put in the photo guest book next to their pics. Last but not least, I made little envelopes for their photos with a sticker to write their names on them and keep them protected. I tied them all together with these little boxes and labels to match, as well as a sign explaining the photo booth protocol. 

One Day At A Time

I've decided that combining my hand lettering exercises with pictures from my travels seems like the best of ideas. The photo is from our honeymoon in Costa Rica. I love this saying by Lincoln, I am a chronic planner, so it's a nice reminder not to get too ahead of myself, because despite sometimes feeling that everything is happening at once, I can take take a deep breath and do everything one day at a time. Traveling last weekend and this coming weekend, I've felt crazy not having the weekends to do my weekly projects and boards I post about, the funny thing is, I got it all done! Worrying about getting it all done was actually worse than getting it done! Funny how that works sometimes.

Custom Wedding Confetti Bags

How fun to run down the aisle at your wedding with confetti falling through the air around you! I thought I would make these custom little confetti bags that could be set out next to the programs or on the chairs for the guests to discover as they sit down to watch you get married. I'll add them to the store soon! It's the details that make the design, and fun details are what make events memorable! With personalized logos and messages, these little baggies are sure to be remembered! Email me if you're interested in custom baggies for your wedding! They'll be listed at $2 a piece.

Home Trend: Standout Stairs

I've been thinking about giving the risers on our stairs a little color. As I looked for inspiration, I found multiple iterations of stylized staircases. I'll get cracking on mine soon, lucky for me, we don't have more than seven steps in each staircase!

1. pink stair tops   2. painted grey runner   3. disco ball risers   4. painted stripes   5. shipping crate steps 6. painted edges and numbered steps   7. stenciled steps   8. chevron steps

DIY: Good Morning Pillows

I've been searching for what seems like FOREVER for good pillow shams for our bed. This past week I finally had a good idea of what I wanted and decided to bite the bullet and make them myself. I'm not the best sewer, clothes are out of my ability, but sewing strait lines is doable which means I can sew my own pillows, curtains and other various items. That being said, I knew I wanted white pillows because our wall paint color in the bedroom is so dark that it needs to be offset with light bedding. So I decided to go basic white with fun pompom trim and words on the euro shams that could be rearranged for different moods! Especially for all those rough mornings! Here is what I did, and how I did it! Do you love how Lincoln posed for all the pictures? Silly puggle. (All the instructions are listed below)

Materials:
Base Fabric- you'll need about 7 yards for 2 king shams and 2 euro shams, make sure the fabric doesn't have any stretch to it, because then it's more of a pain to sew
Pompom trim, I bought mine online here
White Thread
Fabric in whatever color and material you want the words to be in, about 1/2 yard
Double sided fusible webbing (the best tool EVER, especially for people who can't sew)

Process:
Measure out and cut fabric for pillows, Euro Shams are about 25x25in and King Shams are about 35x20in. Cut everything about 2 in larger than you need so you have room for pinning.
Pin Trim in-between fabric, FYI, the larger pompom trim is easier to work with.
Sew Edges- then turn right side out and the pillows are done! Next step, the words.
Choose what you want your pillows to say and pick a font (dafont.com has a good variety of free fronts) write it out and then reflect the words so that when you cut them from the back they will be the right side on the fabric.
Iron on fusible webbing to the fabric (don't peel off the paper yet! just iron the sticky feeling side to the fabric) make sure the steam is off on the iron. Glue or stick on the words you printed to the fabric. Then cut them out.
Once the words are all cut out, peel off the paper, now the back side of the fabric should be shiny, place it on the pillow and iron it on! All done!!

Sun-bleached Wedding Color Pallet

I'm in Fort Lauderdale visiting one of my friends from RISD, and walking on the beach last night and seeing a lovely color pallet during the sunset, I thought what a beautiful wedding color pallet it could make. These soft, sun-bleached colors make a stunning pallet for a spring or summer wedding. It's a fresh approach when looking back at all the saturated and bright colors of previous seasons.

1. wedding backdrop   2. beach   3. radios   4. flowers   5. sign   6. cake

Things Don't Have to Change the World to be Important

"Thing's don't have to change the world to be important" said by Steve Jobs. Sometimes, when I'm designing, I feel like I'm not doing things that are "important enough" or "different enough" but then I remember that they mean something to someone. Whether it's a comfy dog bed that will make Truman happy, a wedding invitation that is personalized and makes a bride and groom feel even more special on their wedding day, or just a little saying paired with a picture that reminds someone that whatever they are doing, it's important to someone.

This picture is from our trip to the Grand Canyon a couple years ago. I'm heading off on a mini vacation this weekend to visit one of my favorite people, my roommate from RISD, Claire! I'll be in Fort Lauderdale from Saturday to Tuesday and I'm looking forward to getting some sun (even though I will be wearing my 75 SPF), hanging out and creating chaos! Have a great weekend!

Baby Shower Favors

This week we had a little baby shower at work for one of my friends. I decided to make these little favor treats for the party. As she's having what is sure to be an ADORABLE baby girl, for the label sticker, I used lyrics from an old Doris Day song, "I Enjoy Being A Girl". The song is so cute, I chose the verse "When I have a brand new hairdo, my eyelashes all in curl, I float as the clouds on air do, I enjoy being a girl! I also used some velvet ric-rac to spruce it up a bit. The treat is a donut recipe with pink frosting.

Wallet Friendly Patio Furniture

As warmer days approach, I've been searching for affordable furniture for our patio. I thought I would share some of my best finds with you. These products are fun, well designed, and will leave you with money to burn on other fun in the sun activities! 

1. white chair $50 each   2. yellow chair $75 each  3. red chair $85 each (I know I'm a little over on this one but they are so amazing I had to include them)  4. blue chair $50 each

1. blue table $60   2. green table $50   3. pouf table $60  4. red table $60

1. coral lounge $60   2. wood with wheel $129 (a little over, but so fun!)    3. double lounger $99