Friday, July 17, 2009

Pet Goodies

Okay, so maybe we're a little obsessed with Red Leaf Papers recently. We have a good reason to be excited about over 450 designs which will soon be available in a store near you (and right here on IC). And, we're not the only ones excited-- Parenting magazine featured our Woof and Meow birth announcments in their August issue. They wrote 'You sent announcements when your child was born- doesn't Fido or Fluffy deserve a shout-out too,?'

Here are some of our latest cute pet birth announcements and some of the most adorable pet goodies I could find.

Pet

From left to right: Woof and Meow, Peace Sign Collar from Funny Fur, Custom Charm by Etsy seller bynicolaSweet Kiss Dining set, Eiffel Tower, Bark Street Journal, Sushi, and Owl Toy- all by Funny Fur.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Midnight Vintage/Modern

There's no back story behind this post; it's just beautiful inspiration.

Vintage/modern style is ever so present these days. From wedding...to fashion...to even invitations, achieving the shabby chic look with soft hues and antiquated elements is totally dreamy in my book. Have your photographer use light in creative ways to whip up images that will make your wedding totally modern, yet very timeless. Pair that with a gorgeous color scheme and you'll leave your friends and family gazing at your wedding for years to come.  Enjoy.
 MidnightVintage
Image credits: Wedding Imagery by Our Labor Of LoveFrench Gift Tags via EtsyPretty Pillow by 5eizen via The Inspired Bride

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Late Summer Wedding {NY Times Style}

Hamptons
Every once in a while, I wander over to the New York Times Weddings & Celebrations section on their website and I indulge myself in a few of the whimsical and romanticized weddings that their Vows writers cover. There is something so classic about the announcements that it feels like you are stepping back in time and reading a vintage newspaper. The announcements always mention the bride as the daughter of so-and-so, and the groom as the son of so-and-so as though they are regal and renowned. They talk about the bride and groom's childhoods, how they met, and their careers. It's all so romantic.

Today, I read about an artistic couple, Elizabeth Wood and Gabriel Nussbaum, who met at a film festival in the Hamptons, and now live in the West Village. Their home was once occupied by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. How cool is that? Even cooler is the fact that Wood and Nussbaum spent time in Louisiana donating their time and talent to children after Hurricane Katrina. Wood taught the children film, while Nussbaum taught theater. They created a documentary using footage the children shot. Shortly after, they were engaged and married in Amagansett, New York.

Continue reading "Late Summer Wedding {NY Times Style}" »

Friday, July 10, 2009

Inspiration Board | Bridal Hustle Bustle

The Tour de France is well on it's way and serves as this week's wedding inspiration. Whether you cycle, love the art of movement, or the graphic appeal of transportation symbols really grinds your gears (in a good way, of course), incorporate this theme into all sorts of details for your big day.

Don't just stop at bicycles; planes, trains, and automobiles are always classic ideas, but ships and sailboats, hot air balloons, and bridges are also creative ways to help you make your big dash to the finish line! Start with a Save the Date, like this Bicycles for Two design from RedLeafPapers, and soon after that, you'll be rollin' to "I do!"

Do you have a hobby that you've incorporated into your event? What are other ways you made your wedding quirky and uniquely yours?

**Thanks to my hubby who rides his bike everyday for inspiring my post!
Hustlebustle

Photo credits: Vintage Fusion: Just Married Car via Project Weddingthe Lovenstein Love Bus via Living Light PhotographyBicycles are for Lover T-Shirt via Etsy, Golden Gate Bridge imagery via Marissa-MossHot Air Balloon via greenlaunches.comRetro Bentley via theknot.com, Ship-inspired groomsmen neckties and Love is the Air matchboxes via Etsy. Bride&Groom with Green Van photo credit coming soon! I left it at home! I apologize.

Thursday, July 09, 2009

Announcing Preston Bailey for Invitation Consultants

Preston Every bride dreams of the perfect wedding day, where all of the details seamlessly fall together in gorgeous harmony. Preston Bailey is the most preeminent wedding and event designer in the world who knows how to make these details so spectacular that they ignite the imagination. I am more than thrilled to announce today on Fab*Blog that Invitation Consultants will soon be releasing invitations designed exclusively by Preston Bailey for Invitation Consultants.

These invitations will be inspired by the beautiful floral arrangements that Preston is so renowned for. They will be the perfect way for bride's to show their guests a glimpse into their magical event that is yet to come.

Preston Bailey has worked with Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Uma Thurman, Joan Rivers, Donna Karan, and Liza Minnelli (among others), and is now ready to inspire your wedding through invitations.

Stay tuned as a few invitations will be available in the late summer, with more to follow throughout fall 2009 and winter 2010.

In the meantime, seek inspiration on Preston's site.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Our New Red Leaf Papers Album

Rlp2Rlp3Rlp4  Rlp5

Red Leaf Papers was created by Invitation Consultants in 2007 and now we are releasing our first invitation album. From 2007-2009 all Red Leaf Papers items were only sold online. And now with these new designs, numbering close to 400, we are going to reach the retail stores.

Red Leaf Papers is the design arm of Invitation Consultants.

The album will be offered at $150 plus shipping which will include an Image CD.  We are accepting pre-orders now for an anticipated album ship date of mid July 2009. Check out redleafpapers.com to view some of the new items.

Enjoy!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Letter Perfect

The trend of utilizing typography in home decor has been a long-lasting trend that continues to inspire. You can spell out your own personal style with letters of the alphabet. Throw in some numbers and you're truly spellbound.
Letterperfect

Letter perfect ideas:

  • Organize your home office with colorful letters and numbers. Make labels or decorate your calendar with unique lettering that will make special events stand out.
  • Spell out reminders around your home with lettered blocks and magnets.
  • Take your typography to the next level: artfully design your wall in collage-style groupings. Oversized numbers and letters like Alpha Art (above) create colorful anchor points for your wall.

Other notable images: Vinyl Decals'More' Light, Typography Print, and Home Pillows via Etsy.  Party Raffle & Bar Sets via Apartment Therapy. Enjoy.

Monday, June 01, 2009

Guest Post: Quentin from Destination Weddings

Destination
Today, I'm happy to bring you Quentin from Destination Weddings, a fabulous resource for planning a destination wedding. Quentin had his own experience planning his wedding in the Bahamas, and now assists brides in planning their fantasy getaway. Without further ado:  

I have seen over 3,500 Destination Weddings start and finish and even my own. Since I work for a Destination Wedding company you would think that it’s a requirement that I have a DW right?  Not necessarily, it just happened to work out, and we wanted something unique.  Our families are not from the same area, so if we got married somewhere in the US then one side of the family had to travel.  Both sides had the perfect spot in mind near them that means something to that side of the family, so how do you decide?  We didn’t…everybody was coming to the Bahamas! Give me a beach and a margarita.  We both love the Caribbean and couldn’t think of anything more appropriate then to get married in paradise and spend the weekend relaxing with our closest family and friends. I have been to so many weddings over the past couple of years that they all blend together.  I get dressed up, eat some rubber chicken, dance a little (not a pretty sight), and that’s it.  We wanted something that our friends and family (and us of course) would remember.

Continue reading "Guest Post: Quentin from Destination Weddings" »

Thursday, May 28, 2009

The Gift Of Paper

Print+Pattern

It is an ongoing joke with my family and friends that I am a horrible gift wrapper. It's not that I am messy by nature or do not like crafts, I simply run out of patience.

The fact of the matter is I love giving presents to others and am equally in love with the paper industry. I always choose great wrap and bows to adorn my gifts, but it always has this imperfect quirk to it...whether there's not enough/too much tape, or I did not measure correctly resulting in a little paper patch to cover my mistake.

Why can't someone who designs for a living, who has a {healthy} obsession with color and pattern, and loves accessorizing get it down to a science? I do not know. Here are some things I do know.

1. There is an invitation to go with every gift wrap design out there. Coordinating paper style with your greeting card or invite is not only fun to do, but it also shows the gift receiver that you wrapped their present with love and a conscious creativity. Make it about the whole package. I've paired eieio's summer of love & flex | red patterns with our Grape Gloss & Chic Bauble invitations.

2. Big things come in small packages, so whether you're wrapping an item of clothing, a book, or a board game, choose a paper that will really shine. There are thousands of patterns out there, and while I do enjoy a solid color here and there, well-designed papers are tres chic. Whether you gravitate towards retro-inspired, whimsical, or perhaps minimalist looks, there are endless possibilities.

3. Reduce, reuse, and recycle. The three r's have been ingrained in our minds and for good reason. Fish Lip Paper Designs uses 100% recycled paper and prints with soy inks. Forward-thinking designers are constantly coming up with ways to reduce impact on the environment. Make sure you do your part and make your gift a little greener.

 

Friday, May 22, 2009

How to Throw a Party while "Going Blue"

BlueBlog I felt nature-inspired today...and thought, is going green a thing of the past or permanently engrained in our lives, that we can now go on to, "going blue?" Now it is time to start focusing on saving the lakes, rivers and oceans. Here is some blue inspiration and some tips on how to have a "blue" party. But please, don't forget to be green too! These types of parties are great for birthdays, graduations, family reunions, and other get-togethers.

1. Incorporate the color blue into the food like blue inspired cupcakes.

2. Fill up jugs with tap water rather than bottled water. You can also make lemonade and Iced Tea with this H20. Don't overconsume but keep hydrated. Bring glasses rather than paper or plastic cups.

3. Show your love of the water by centering activities around the water like canoeing, rafting, or inner tubing. 

4. Having your party in the outdoors will mean no use of sinks or dishwashers to use water. Instead serve finger foods and stay away from wasting paper products.

5. Request no gifts and instead have your guests donate money to an environmentally-friendly cause.

Invitation shown: Picnic by the Lake.

For decor bring candles, creative vegetarian friendly foods, and fresh flowers.

Check out these Go Blue tips

Have a fabulously blue party.