Coastal Sunset

Anyone who has spent more than a little time around me, knows all about my coastal sunset wedding. Or, as I like to refer to it, the "I was robbed" wedding. I guess I need to, at some point in my life, get over it. Get over what, you ask? The fact that my sunset beach wedding was washed away by Hurricane Charley the night before the event. Now, I can honestly tell you that at the time, I just wanted to be married, and I did not care HOW it happened. If my husband and I had to get hitched while riding out the 20 foot storm surge on a plant ledge near my grandma's ceiling, that's how it was going to go down.

But in hindsight, and especially now that I create for weddings on a regular basis, I am so bummed about how all of the hard work that went into my wedding was made even HARDER by having to move everything indoors. We had plastic everything, because it was an outdoor, casual wedding. We had no music or entertainment whatsoever, because it was the BEACH, people. Who needs entertainment when you're on the beach? We had no shoes, no decorations, and no real plan except to get married and hang out with friends on the beach until we retired to our seaside condo for the night.

I am happy to say that although we crammed a rehearsal, a rehearsal dinner, a ceremony, and a reception into one afternoon, I married the man I love that day, and no hurricane can decimate that. So...it's all good!!

Every now and then, though, I daydream about having one of our monumental wedding anniversaries (10 years ago I thought it would be our 10-year anniversary, but I'm laughing now at how quickly that arrived!) on the beach, renewing our vows, and having the wedding reception we forfeited. When I saw this picture the other day...

http://venuesafari.com/venue/four-seasons-nevis-luxury-destination-wedding-location/

... I started daydreaming again. Thus, this week's Coastal Sunset inspired Watercolor wedding suite.

Here's the inspiration board.

1. http://venuesafari.com/venue/four-seasons-nevis-luxury-destination-wedding-location | 2. sunsetbeachwed.com
3. www.caciqueweddings.com | 4. http://blog.troygrover.com/surf-and-sand-wedding-photography
5. www.labellebride.com/2010/10/26/california-wedding-san-diego-diy-wedding-photos
6. (this is the only link I could find for this picture): http://www.clasf.mx/lamparas-chinas-de-30-cm-para-eventos-paquete-de-10-pzas-mdn-en-le%C3%B3n-2804939
7. wedluxe.com | 8. awhitecake.com

The original inspiration image has such an ethereal feel to it, and I wanted my design to reflect that. I thought about using an oil pastel effect, but in the end, watercolors just seemed the best way to bring the viewer right to the ocean's edge. And then I was so in love with the strands of lights and globes, that I added a few of those to the evening sky.

Although this design was inspired by a coastal sunset, it would be perfect for any outdoor, evening wedding. After all, a sunset sky doesn't only happen at the beach, right?

This listing is now available in my shop: pixelpaper.etsy.com

Giveaway!

PixelPaper Invitations has a Facebook page. And my friendship with Facebook swings back and forth between BFF and "you backstabbing traitor!". When used the way I intended to use it (keeping in touch with friends and family, and sharing encouraging life-moments), it's great! In fact, it's a blessing. However, when the soap-box loving, people-despising, opinion monger that lives in my head comes out, Facebook is a cesspool of all things wrong with the world. So it was with great disdain that I started my business' Facebook Page.

And then left it to rot in Facebook land.

Sadly, much like starting a blog, I realized that I was neglecting a pretty powerful tool in growing my business. In real life, society-hating hermits don't typically do good business. There's this thing called "customer service", WHICH I am actually very good at. But it's a bit like pulling off a bandaid. You don't WANT to do it, but when you finally just yank that sucker off, you realize it wasn't all that painful. The hard part was overcoming your complete aversion to tiny pieces of adhesive individually ripping tiny little arm hairs out by the root.

In order to get the Facebook page off and running, and just because I LOVE the thought of giving away something for FREE, I'm doing a giveaway. Once the Facebook page gets to 100 likes, the giveaway will begin, with multiple chances for entry. Oh, and here's what I'm giving away:

A set of 10 personalized notecards with envelopes. The front says, "Hello", with your name, and the back features a floral print design. The winner will get to choose the colors you like, and the card will feature your name (or someone else's, if you want to give the set as a gift).

To get the giveaway started, go here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/PixelPaper-Invitations/114236441992275, and click on the "Thumbs Up" or "Like" icon to the right. Then, share it with your friends and ask them to do it, too. Once the page gets to 100 likes, I'll post the giveaway here on the blog.

:D

A Very Merry Un-Birthday!

I'm neck deep in inspiration photos for my daughter's upcoming birthday party. She wanted a Mad Hatter Tea Party. Well, she wanted a tea party, and the controlling Martha Stewart in my head said, "Mad Hatter Tea Party!" So, I introduced her to the scene in the movie, and very gently persuaded her that she didn't want just an ordinary tea party, but a MAD HATTER tea party. After a little bit of, "Oh, but look how much fun they're having," and "Wouldn't you love to have an UN-birthday party?!", and finally "How about if everyone gets to dress up?", she was on board. So, we are having a Mad Hatter Dress-Up-As-Whatever-You-Want Tea Party!

Here's the inspiration board:

1. http://www.countryliving.com/cooking/entertaining/valentines-day-tea-party
2. https://www.etsy.com/listing/169188105/paper-straw-20-pcs-baby-pink-sparkle | 3. chic-deco.blogspot.com
4. Fyreflyhollow.etsy.com | 5. meehameeha.blogspot.com | 6. alice-in-wonderland.net | 7. disneypartyblog.com

Everything aesthetic in my heart is eclectic. Lots of textures, colors, patterns, shapes...and if that eclectic jumble happens to be VINTAGE ECLECTIC jumble, sign me up! I wanted soft colors with pops of bright; I wanted frilly with pops of structure; I wanted girly with pops of sophistication (because everything aesthetic in my heart is also double-minded -- and that's possibly not limited to just aesthetic, or just my heart). And THEN, my friends, I found THIS:

Are you kidding me right now? I almost fainted when I found the plates (they're PAPER!). But when I realized there was an entire LINE of these breath-taking paper products, I couldn't even stand how much I wanted ALL of it! It's a line by Talking Tables called Truly Scrumptious (there's a sister line called Utterly Scrumptious that mixes and matches). The only drawback for me was my budget. I had already bought some supplies, and I couldn't bring myself to spend more. So, if you're planning a tea party, GET THESE, and then send me photos so I can live vicariously through you. Deal?

Here is my design. To be honest, I already created my daughter's invites, and they were so similar to other designs out there, I couldn't bring myself to post it. I'd hate to think someone thought I stole their intellectual property, ya know? So I recreated a design based on my inspiration board. And frankly, if I had time to print and send invites, I'd rather have done these.

They are a 5 x 7 "tea bag" with a 2 x 2 "RSVP" hang tag. (Yes, I unashamedly Photoshopped some Truly Scrumptious down in the corner.) This design, at this point in time, will go into the DIY section of my shop. Clients can send me the information they'd like on the design, and then I will send them PDF versions for them to print, cut, and assemble themselves. I would love to start doing some hand assembling (i.e. the gold foil invites I have yet to play around with), but at the "I have two small children and a mound of laundry that never ends" phase of my life, I'm not sure it's wise to embark on ONE MORE thing that will suck up my time. 

The design will be in my shop within the week: pixelpaper.etsy.com

Rose Gold Vintage

Rose gold is the new burlap and lace. This past season, burlap and lace was ALL OVER THE PLACE. Brides were trending toward vintage rustic, and anything that screamed, "I was made in a cottage by my great-grandmother!" was IN. Barn weddings, forest weddings, country garden weddings. They were all draped in burlap and lace.

This season, we're still seeing vintage. And we're still seeing rustic. But great-grandma added some serious glow to her repertoire. Gold has always been a huge wedding trend, but this season, we've got the softer, more romantic sister of gold - Rose Gold. She's glamorous and sophisticated, but in an understated way.

Want to know why? Why has Rose Gold "come out" this season? Here is my personal guess:

http://www.urbandecay.com/urban-decay/eye-makeup/naked3/91900.html

This, my friends, is the Naked3 Palette. The what? The Naked3 Palette. It's a little rose-hued eyeshadow palette made by Urban Decay that will cost you about $50. Yes, that is what I said. That is not a typo. $50. And in the name of blogging transparency, I will admit publicly that I covet this palette. I will also probably never bring myself to spend that much money on EYESHADOW, but I can dream.

I know, your world probably doesn't revolve around makeup, but the makeup/fashion industry, whether we like it or not, has the pulse of what will be en trend in the upcoming seasons. It affects the clothes we wear, the colors we paint our bedroom, the haircuts we get, and it hugely influences the wedding industry. ("You think this has nothing to do with you..." This scene from The Devil Wears Prada. Gah! I hate it, but it's so true!)

So, I'm in love with this trend. And in scouring the internet (read: Pinterest), I put together this inspiration board for my Rose Gold Vintage invitation suite. It's a little bit glam, a little bit rustic, and a whole lot of dreamy, glowy, late-afternoon loveliness.

1. makeupkitty.com |  2. tutuandfru.com | 3. styleunveiled.com | 4. katelynjamesblog.com | 5. eastonevents.com
6. weddingity.com | 7. thelovelyfind.com | 8. weddinggownsguide.com | 9. Madison's on Main via shaylahawkinsevents.blogspot.com

Update: And since I <3 Etsy so much, I've put together more inspiration solely from Etsy curators. You can check out the treasury list here.

The key to a Rose Gold theme is to mix and match shades of blush and coral and cream, and then add little pops of gold. You can add touches of bling, but mostly you want it to feel soft and ethereal. Rose Gold is not fussy or frilly. It's soft and subtle. 

Keeping that in mind, I created two different versions of this invitation. The first version was the original design. It features 110 lb. (that's thick and luxurious, folks!) metallic (that's not sparkly or glittery--it just has a beautiful sheen) card stocks in soft coral and rose quartz. The wording is hand-foiled gold, and the edges are die-cut with a lace effect. Metallic gold envelopes finish the look.

Then I thought, what if the bride isn't quite as fussy as a lace edge? So I decided to offer the design with standard, straight edges, and coordinating envelopes.

The envelopes will be lined with gold paper, so that you get the flash of gold when opening the envelope.

I have yet to print these designs, but I can tell you that I'm insanely excited to try out the foiling. I'll be ordering samples from my printer this week, and doing a test run of the foiling and edge cutting. As soon as I have something to show you (lined envelopes and all!), I'll post an update, and the invitations will be available in my shop...(insert shameless plug here).

Why?

Why?

I would love to credit this, but I found it on a blog that did not credit it, and couldn't trace its source. If it's yours, let me know!

I had to ask myself this question when I started this blog: do we really need one more blog clogging up the blogosphere? Do we really need one more "pin it" button, or one more "DIY challenge", or one more person's opinion on EVERYTHING?

No, no we do not.

But when you're trying to promote a business, they tell you, "Start a blog." (I don't know who "they" are. Don't ask.) Apparently it doesn't matter what kind of business you have, there is a market for your blog. This amazes me. Do you make handmade marshmallow shooters? Write a blog! Do you give free advice about how to grow organic produce in our backyard using only your own compost? Write a blog! Do you create avant garde paint-by-number masterpieces? Write a blog!

Let me just say, I could not live without other people's blogs. I learned how to lower my grocery bill via a blog. I learned how to highlight and contour my face via a blog. I learned how to do my own foil stamping via a blog (which is so super exciting, and part of what my first post will be about!). But it still blows my mind that there is a blog out there for practically everything.

And here is mine. I have decided to use this blog as a challenge to myself to get out of my creative slump. After I drink multiple cups of coffee (seriously, I should have an IV), and after I homeschool my two crazy daughters (which I do through the help of another homeschooling mom's BLOG), and after I clean my house and do my (everyone's) laundry, and make PB&J's, and write Bible study lessons for our youth small group, and organize our next fundraiser, and fill already placed orders for invitations...somewhere in there I will create a new invitation suite.

This blog is a place for me to collect my inspirations, to show you (o, land of mythical readers) the process behind the creation, and to, OF COURSE, plug my business. Because let's be honest, there would be no blog if I weren't trying to grow my business.

So if you actually manage to find this blog and this page, and you don't feel like listening to me go on and on about 110 lb. card stock versus 65 lb. card stock, or die-cutting, or hand-foiling...just look at the pretty pictures :)