NSS Post Series on Susy Jack

Susy of Susy Jack has a 3 part series up with some fabulous pointers for budding stationers interested in participating in the National Stationery Show. There is a TON of work that goes into preparing for these shows and Susy does an excellent job at pointing out that, underneath all the glitz of the show, there's a lot of hard work to be done. Her first post is an extensive overview of the massive amount of work that goes into the pre-show. [via poppytalk]

It's OK to be a little nauti

I was planning a nautical themed post for today when what should I stumble upon but this beautiful "Nantucket Navy" wedding inspiration board from Soiree Special Events!


Perfect for planning a proper and preppy nautical themed wedding, this inspiration board was so stunning, I had to share it with you. They were kind enough to feature our Stevie Streck life preserver save the date, so perhaps I am a little biased. ;) Please visit their blog for more event inspiration and for the links to items featured in their board.

Friday Linkfest

Happy Friday! This week I was feeling a little bit crafty and the warm weather has me anxious to entertain. Here are some of my favourite posts from around the web. I hope you enjoy!


Get Crafty
- How About Orange shows you how to make some simple paper berries
- Ez's Tutorial Tuesday features a simple and stylish paper flower how-to
-Via Craft:, a sweet paper cutting tutorial by Skinny laMinx

Hip Hostess
- Simple suggestions for a sweet ice cream social (featuring one of our stacy claire boyd invitations)
- HWTM on Simply Stated shows you how to decorate your table top for a tropical Zen Theme
- I spotted this BEAUTIFUL tabletop for a rehearsal dinner (by Monique Lhuillier!!!) on head of the table and fell in love
- Chic and practical, these modern doilies make sophisticated look simple

Running Hot & Cold

I can't decide if I'm feeling bright, bold and warm hues inspired by the season or cool and comforting colors reminiscent of the cool night air. Here are two inspiration boards sure to have you feeling über cool or hot, hot, hot!



InspiRED
-Red hot shoes from Southern Weddings & Style
-A cheerful red and white table top from Rebecca Thuss
-Dior addict lipgloss from Sephora
-Crane & Co. red flat card stationery with white engraved monogram
-Lanvin red 80's glasses with brown gradient lens via The Shoptometrist
-A stunning floral arrangement by Rosenow




Keep it Cool
-Vera Wang chocolate brown and periwinkle engraved wedding invitation
- Lewis Cho Salon Z Silk Jaquard Dress at Saks
- Starck Ghost Chair at Haus Modern
- Honeybird in periwinkle by etsy seller yumi yumi

I'm off on an appointment today, but I shall return tomorrow. Enjoy the day!

Wedding Wednesday: Dramatic Purple and Silver

Welcome to Wedding Wednesday! For the uninitiated, each week, Rebecca of Tastefully Entertaining and I select an invitation (be it for a wedding, bridal shower, engagement party or rehearsal dinner) from FineStationery.com and create two totally different inspiration boards. For today's post, we selected this deep plum card with an elegant silver band.

[Clockwise from top left: Laudree macaroons, dusty plum dress, multi-hued bouquet, ganache galaxy cupcakes, violet, lavender and purple wreath, purple and silver handmade boutonnières, silver favour boxes adorned with purple ribbon, irises in shimmering silver centerpieces for your tabletop, a thoughtful welcoming gift of vosges chocolates for out-of-town guests]

Be sure to check out Rebecca's delicate and romantic interpretation of this purple and silver theme. Here's a sneak peak!

Monday Morning Goodness: Lovely Lettered Scarf

Typography is an important part of design and an art unto itself. It can make a phenomenal difference in the overall look and feel of a piece. I'm an admitted typophile so it's fitting that I became instantly obsessed with this stunning laser cut text scarf [via craft:].

Stephanie Congdon Barnes

One more post before I take off; I am absolutely smitten with The Calling Card Collection by Stephanie Congdon Barnes. What a clever idea to create a stuffed creature inspired by that most elegant piece of stationery, the calling card. [via A Cup of Jo]

Typollution

I'm taking the day off tomorrow to enjoy the beautiful weather and a much needed break. In the meantime, please enjoy this lovely video spotted over on even*cleveland called "Typollution".

Creature Comforts hosts a virtual party!

What a great way to start my day, Ez over at Creature Comforts is hosting a virtual party! Here's the mood board I threw together. I tried to incorporate pairings of black, white and romantic details as a nod to her original inspiration board and personal style.

Here's what I'm wearing & bringing to the party [clockwise from top left]:
A bouquet of white, doily bird framed print (a nod to Ez's header), black gauze dress with white lace accents, a delicious looking black & white cake with a single candle to celebrate her fantastic 1 year blog-iversary, a moonstone ring, black & white floral letterpressed stationery, some additional blackboard inspiration from Cottage Living, black and white engraved invitations, chalkboard vases [via swissmiss]

For more virtual party contributions and every day inspiration, be sure to visit Creature Comforts. Just putting together this inspiration board makes me want to throw this party for real! This would make a classy birthday party for a friend or even a sweet & sophisticated bridal shower. You could easily create some fabulous chalkboard favours using this great tutorial on making your own chalkboard paint!

Wedding Wednesday: Dream Wedding - Folksy Forest

Welcome again to Wedding Wednesday. This week, Rebecca and I took a break from interpreting the same card 2 different ways and decided to do a Dream Wedding Edition.

While Rebecca has already had her dream wedding and I'm fairly far from walking down the isle myself, it's a nice chance to showcase our unique entertaining styles and aesthetics.

Let me preface the bulk of this post by saying that I realize this inspiration board is not as match-y as my previous Wedding Wednesday posts; however, theme (rather than color) was my main concern and I selected items based on their relation to that as opposed to settling on images with matching colors. My ideal wedding would encompass several things I enjoy most: nature, greens & browns and the handmade.

Nature
I love the look of natural elements like pale florals, birch vases, illuminated trees [via] and branches and birds on both the cake and tabletop. If using real branches is out of the question, but you still want the look of a woodland setting, consider mounting this cole & son wallpaper on heavy board and using it as a backdrop for photos or hung as a banner.

Greens & Browns
Greens and browns are very natural hues and would compliment a forest theme nicely. This elegant engraved card with letterpress details is one of my favourite wedding invitations on the site and would be an excellent compliment to the theme. Aprihop from Dogfish Head brewery is not only my favourite beer, but the product of one of our local microbreweries. Finally, I feel most comfortable in greens so, rather than opt for a traditional white, I would rather stroll down the isle in this amazing (and sold :/) vintage frock.

Handmade
Aside from enjoying the fact that handmade items are so incredibly unique, I am also an avid crafter and I can't imagine having a wedding without a little DIY. For favours, what about something fun and forest themed like these "nuts about you" charms from Somethings Hiding in Here? These letterpress Moleskines from letteria [via] would be a sweet gift for bridesmaids and helping hands. Rather than wrap them in paper, I would opt to enclose them in these crafty screen-printed scarves.

I hope you've enjoyed this little peak into my brain and seeing my dream woodland wedding! Please be sure to drop by Tastefully Entertaining and see Rebecca's REAL LIFE dream wedding - an elegant black and white affair with theatrical flair.

Cool, Colorful Cocktails

It's been an incredibly long past 2 days - I can't believe it's only Tuesday! Today I'm feeling inspired by both the work week and this clever little book - The Cocktail: 200 Fabulous Drinks [via ohjoy]. The brilliant illustrations by Kate McLeod compliment the charm of modern entertaining and the subject, well, let's just say it captures the spirit. Cheers!

[Clockwise from top left: the blue orange, The Cocktail: 200 Fabulous Drinks, Gun Club Punch [via design crush], Turbo Stirrers from Urban Outfitters, Chambeer [via Hostess with the Mostess], lavalamp, lavender mojito, Hibiscus Mint Granita]

Friday Linkfest

Happy Friday and Happy Father's Day Weekend! Here are a few interesting reads for the weekend:

-An awesome robot party theme by Hostess with the Mostess
-A fabulous wedding blog I happened upon recently, Southern Wedding Style
-Creature Comforts celebrates their 1st birthday with a giveaway extravaganza
-Beautiful paper collages from Love Forever
-I love the way handwriting looks on chalk so I'm completely enchanted with this chalk paint border [via AT]

Enjoy!

Just Beachy

I'm loving the pairing of tranquil sea blues, oranges and crimson found in this photo of starfish by Steph Costa, boatman geller starfish foldover, and handmade brooch by one of my favourite etsy sellers - mosey. The little starfish in the pin is what inspired this beach-y interlude.

Wedding Wednesday: Elegant Black & Ecru Wedding

Welcome to this week's edition of Wedding Wednesday. I must apologize for being out over the past few days - I've come down with a lovely summer cold that has kept me away from the office & posting. Luckily I'm feeling better - just in time to pair up with the lovely Rebecca from Tastefully Entertaining on today's Black & Ecru themed wedding. Today our inspiration comes from this elegant black & ecru wedding invitation by Checkerboard.

One thing I enjoyed about putting together this inspiration board is the crisp, streamlined look that black & ecru create. Here are some black & ecru (or black and white, in some cases) items sure to help you to recreate the classic wedding look.

To carry: bouquets of white carnations wrapped in black make for a bold bouquet or an excellent addition to your table top while flowers tied with a chic black & white striped ribbon add an unexpected pop to your bridal bouquet [martha stewart]. A stunning arrangement from domino via stylemepretty.

To favor: Allowing guests to build their own favors at a candy or snack bar is a popular option, I prefer whimsical additions like these striped licorice sticks and candies. Of course, if your colors are black and white, an obvious (and delicious) favor would be some delectable black & white cookies.

To savor: Delicate flowers balance atop a bold, black beribboned cake, monochromatic place settings create a tranquil tabletop, black cushions upon white framed chairs give a preppy, modern edge to a romantic setting, a cake lover's dream - layers of chocolate and cream.

To wear: I love white ties upon white shirts for men and this gorgeous white boutonnière really compliments the look. I also enjoy when the bride and bridesmaids fashions are inverted versions of one another, like these black bridesmaid dresses with white sashes and white wedding dress adorned with a black ribbon. Lastly, don't forget a Little Black Dress for your post-nuptial partying.

I hope you've enjoyed today's post! Be sure to visit Tastefully Entertaining for Rebecca's take on this elegant black & ecru theme. Here's a peak!

Cheerful Cherry Summer Soirée

I suppose it's obvious I've been feeling retro-inspired lately. The cool color schemes, dapper dress and emphasis on entertaining make me nostalgic for the atomic era. Here's a modern spin on a vintage theme for all you hip hosts and hostesses - cherries! I think cherries are the perfect motif for a swell summer party, bridal shower bash or an adorable baby shower.

[Top left going clockwise: cherry cupcakes, some red & white decor, blue,white and red cherry invitation, very cherry swing dress, cherry sticker (for an address or party favour label), vinyl cherry wristlet, white and red polka dot plate, vintage inspired cherry tablecloth, handmade cherry branch necklace, the inspiration for this post - not martha's pies baked in tiny jars. Yum!]

Wedding Wednesday: Lemon Yellow Bridal Shower

Welcome again to Wedding Wednesday where Rebecca of Tastefully Entertaining and I select one item from finestationery.com and create two different inspiration boards. Today we selected a crisp lemon gingham bridal (or baby) shower invitation from boatman geller.

Clockwise from top left: Lemon centerpiece, light yellow dress from j. crew, the sweetest cupcake I've ever seen from jek in the box (who has a TON of fun and colorful photos), boatman geller lemon yellow gingham bridal shower invitation, an adorable lemon necklace, lemon souffles via snippet & ink (be sure to check out the fabulous lemon post over there), for favours consider a personalized lemon-lime notepad or delicious soap bar from the bubble roome, I'm a huge cupcake fan so I had to include these cupcakes adorned with lemon wedges, lemon & floral tabletop from brides.com, and (of course) a tall pitcher of strawberry lemonade]

I went for sort of a retro-meets-modern look for this board where Rebecca went for "Citrus Chic". Love it! You have to stop over and see her board...

AND congratulate her on her feature in THE NEST! Congrats, Rebecca!

Tuesday Trends: Purple & Brown

The pairing of deep chocolates and dusty violets was a major trend at the 2008 National Stationery show. Here are just a few items that feature this stunning color combination.

Clockwise from top left: Vera Wang lavender and chocolate sweet 16 invitation, fontaine maury modern monogram luggage tag, SanLori violet and brown polka dot stationery, a bold lavender and dark brown birth announcement by Robyn Miller, baby idesign purple polka dots on brown photo birth announcement, silver & purple ballet flats on brown, marc jacobs dress at Bergdorf, amethyst lantern necklace, gallery photo from theknot, fontaine maury custom canvas silhouette (love the green accent).

Purple & Brown has already been named a hot color combination by The Knot and our wedding consultants informed me that purple and brown wedding invitations & announcements have been incredibly popular with our brides-to-be. Only time will tell if this trend will move from stationery & wedding day looks to every day design.

Pink & Black Party Inspiration

Here's a color theme I would have flipped for when I was 16. I was all about hot pink and black. My favourite thing about this color combo is that it can be both punk and preppy. It all depends on how you spin it. I went a little more preppy on this theme to match the liner. I think this would be a great theme for a Sweet 16, bridal shower or just a really fun birthday party.

[Clockwise from top left: William Arthur fuchsia, black and white party invitation, some gorgeous favours with custom M&Ms, dress from forever21, H&M nail polish, pink and white flower arrangement, cake from the cake girls [via stylemepretty]]

Paper Dresses

It's been a while since I've features some paper art on the blog and today's warm weather inspired me to highlight some delicate paper dresses.

[clockwise from top left: a stunning floral number from marah johnson, paper sculpture by the always awe inspiring Elsita, robert ryan cut paper dress [via dear ada], an appropriate photo, paper doilies skirt]