{Sweet Ideas} Garden Party

It's the time of year when flowers start blooming, birds are chirping, and colors seem a little bit brighter and more vivid in the world around us. We love reflecting the feeling of spring in our creations, whether it be an invitation, a dessert table, or gift wrap. Today we've gathered a few of our projects that  reflect the look and feel of a lovely outdoor gathering,
as well as some other ideas that inspire us.

We'd like to invite you to our garden party!

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Two years ago we had the honor of doing wedding invitations and details for our dear friend Erica of Sweet E's Bake Shop (see her wedding invitations and reception details here).

For the farewell brunch the day after the wedding, we designed these lovely invitations with a floral motif. Erica's favorite color is pink of course so we used pink as the standout color, then added accents of kelly green for a fresh, elegant feel.

The envelopes were lined with a fine floral paper, and each flower was embellished with glitter.

Here are some thank you notes we designed for another client, with a similar flower motif, but a slightly different color scheme.

The feel is still bright and fresh; these would be perfect for a summer birthday party, bridal shower, or other special occasion.

We also designed these lovely invitations for a first birthday party at the Montage in Beverly Hills:

Using a striking hydrangea as the focal point, we incorporated lovely blues, purples, and greens to make the flowers pop. The effect was feminine and sweet--perfect for a first birthday.

The hydrangea and coordinating ribbon were incorporated into the favors as well; small boxes of candies and chocolates for guests to take home.

The pinks and greens of this pillow baby shower invitation also evoke images of a garden gathering, especially with the small rose embellishment in the corner.

Lastly, this romantic wedding invitation feels elegant and soft with the floral detail, pearl embellishment, and ribbon sash.

 We've come across so many gorgeous garden party ideas on Pinterest too! Check out our Garden Party inspiration board here:

Don't forget to follow us while you're there!

What would you do for a garden party?

Puppy Love

Many of us have furry companions in our lives that are truly part of the family; whether it's a big bounding labrador or soft cuddly kitten,
they have a wonderful way of making a warm place in our hearts.

That is why when we lose one of these precious friends, we can be at a loss about how to commemorate and honor them. 

We recently had a client come to us with the same dilemma; Chad and his wife had recently lost their sweet dog of 16 years, Lexi. Chad wanted to do something special as a surprise for his wife in memory of their precious companion.

With advisement and direction, he matted beautiful photos that captured Lexi's playful life. She was a mother, a show dog, and the heart of their household. In the center of the collage is featured an inscription to commemorate Lexi. We got the joy of helping Chad lay out his wording and inscription to make the center of his collage complete.

What a wonderful way to remember their sweet companion.

Thank you Chad for letting us be a part of your heartfelt project. It's truly puppy love!

Calligraphy Monday :: Spring!

Good morning!

We hope you all had a beautiful Easter weekend with your families, and had a chance to relax and enjoy the day. This Monday, spring is definitely in the air in Southern California, and we are getting excited for all things fresh, bright, and floral.

Remember this pic from our Unveiled display a few years ago?

Personalized stationery, an addressed envelope, and place cards all written in pink calligraphy...gotta love it!

Wouldn't personalized stationery make a beautiful shower gift or birthday gift for a friend?

And addressing envelopes in pink calligraphy would be so sweet for a baby shower, bachelorette party, or even bridal shower.

Let us know if you have a special event coming up that needs a touch of spring calligraphy as well!

Happy Monday!

{Frosting Friday} Happy Easter!

One of my favorite things about Easter is that it symbolizes a time of new beginnings.

As signs of spring blossom around us, it's a time of fresh starts. It's a time to remember our blessings and rejoice in the hope that is new every morning.

In fact, did you know that daffodils symbolize rebirth and new beginnings?

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We see this bright and cheerful flower everywhere right now, and after learning about their meaning, I am even more inclined to put a bouquet of these beauties where I can be reminded of the blessings of this time of year.

Low on cost and high on visual impact, why not put a a lovely arrangement of these on your Easter table?

And don't forget, if you need any last minute Easter treats, visit our friends at Sweet E's Bake Shop!

They now ship nationwide, and if you order online, use the code SWEETWEB10 to receive 10% off your order!

{Photo courtesy of Sweet E's}

Have a wonderful Easter!

{Things We Heart} Paper Rosettes

One of the eye-catching party decor trends you're seeing right now is the paper rosette (or paper medallion).

{via Hostess with the Mostess}

How stunning are these yellow, gray, and white paper medallions displayed together as a collage-style backdrop for a dessert table?

As we gather ideas for our Easter table decor, I keep coming across these cheerful little medallions and how they can be incorporated in a multitude of ways.

For example, how adorable would this be for an Easter dessert display? I love the paper medallion showcased inside the rustic wreath.

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And we LOVE this idea of using the medallion as a table number. This can be done elegantly for a wedding (as shown) or played up in bold colors for a bright and fun birthday party.

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Paper rosettes can be a lovely touch to a special gift in place of a traditional bow.

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Displayed artfully, they make a lovely and delicate wall display in an office or bedroom as well.

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Happily for us, there are many paper rosette tutorials out there, but one we found especially easy to follow is this one from HowDoesShe. They take you step by step on how to create this gorgeous backdrop.

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And for the month of April, Paper Source is holding a workshop on how to make rosettes.

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I think there will be some paper rosettes in our near future. Easy, chic, and a fabulous effect!

For more paper rosette inspiration, check out our Pinterest board here:

Will you be giving these chic little beauties a try?

{Event} Game of Thrones

Recently I had the pleasure of participating in a special event for the premier of HBO's original series Game of Thrones. 

The Season 3 premiere was at Grauman's Chinese Theater (now called TCL Chinese Theater), where the red carpet was abuzz with the stars of the series.

The after party for the premiere was held at the iconic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

The event space was transformed as if you stepped into another world from another time.

The hotel was filled with nooks and areas for guests to try their hand at activities like archery, get their fortunes told, watch fire dancers, stilt walkers, jugglers, and belly dancers as they entertained and interacted with onlookers. All of the talent was hired by a fabulous group that I got the chance to meet and be associated with called Fire Groove. With their assistance, they turned this event into an unforgettable experience.

Musicians kept the party hopping as celebrities, HBO executives,

and invited guests mingled and feasted.

Kathryn Murray, a respected colleague of mine, and I got ready prior to the event by getting our hair and makeup done, and dressing in costumes representative of the time period.

Here I am with Kathryn as part of the artistic crew of calligraphers at this station, where guests could get their souvenir of the famous Game of Thrones map (which is featured in the credits) personalized with their own House name in medieval gothic-like typestyle.

{Photo courtesy of Getty Images}

Here are samples of the House names written in calligraphy by Kathryn:

 {artwork courtesy of Kathryn Murray}

And here are my samples of each House name:

The souvenir maps:

It was wonderful getting to spend time doing what I love at such an amazing event, with one of my favorite fellow calligraphers!
Thank you to Kathryn for allowing me to showcase her beautiful work in this post as well :)

Thank you to Kamala and Hannah from Fire Groove for the joy of mixing my talents with yours!

And thank you to HBO for inviting us to be a part of your special Game of Thrones event!
It was an evening to remember!

Catch the season 3 premiere of Game of Thrones this Sunday at 9pm (PST) on HBO.
You won't wanna miss it!

{Frosting Friday} Easter Sweets

With Easter coming next weekend (can you believe it?), we've been thinking about our Easter dinner menu and tablescape details. While all of those details are important,
you know what we're really focusing on....dessert of course!

No special dinner would be complete without something deliciously sweet to finish the meal!

So we always look to our friends at Sweet E's Bake Shop for sweet inspiration!
These bright and sunny tags adorn Sweet E's Easter desserts beautifully don't they?

These cheerful tags can be customized to say whatever spring or Easter saying your heart desires.

If you're having a dessert table, we can create simple tented cards displaying the name of your sweets in calligraphy.

They would also make perfect springy place cards as well.

How adorable are these Easter egg cake pops? What a cute centerpiece idea.

Easter cookies on a stick

 These Bunny Whoopie Pies might just be my favorite Easter dessert this year...they're little, cute, and decadently sweet.

You can order all of these Easter delights plus the custom tags from Sweet E's Bake Shop!

Contact us directly to order place cards, for specific questions, or to discuss custom signage other than what is seen here.

{All photos courtesy of Sweet E's}

What's on your Easter dessert menu?