Stars and Stripes

Hello, and Happy July! 

Here in the States, we're just coming back from celebrating our Nation's birthday, as well as getting in the mood for summer. 

We thought we'd spend some time looking at some patriotic and summer inspiration, while celebrating our love for, well...love! 

Sizzling cookie pops, by Sweet E's.

 A charming take on the red, white, and blue, in these floral arrangements. 

I love these place settings!

 The casual and colorful palette, the bold herringbone napkin, and the sweet ceramic berry bowl. Such a winsome combination! 

This sweet and simple garland is so fun, and adaptable! Perfect for a Fourth of July party. or change the color scheme and, presto! a princess or superhero party. 

This garland! 

 These creative snack crates are so evocative of summer for me! Doesn't it just make you think of strolling through the summer fair. The caramel corn cones and the pinwheels! Perfection. 

Pair with some fresh lemonade, and you have a party.

These cake pops are swell for summer!

Cupcake pops, by Sweet E's, and labels, by 2HeartsB1.

 Hope your summer is kicking' off with light and love! 

xoxo

'Twas the Friday Before Christmas...

Hello 2 Hearts readers!

We hope this Friday finds you well, as you tie up loose ends before Christmas next week so that you can enjoy the sweetness of the season! We know this time of year can be stress, anxiety, and a mix of  emotions for many--all the more reason to take some time to relax, slow down, and remember the reason for the season.

If you need some last minute holiday inspiration for gift wrap, we're here to help: check out our holiday gift guides below:

Holiday A to Z Guide: A through C

Holiday A to Z Guide: D through F

Holiday A to Z Guide: G through I

Holiday A to Z Guide: J through M

Holiday A to Z Guide: N through Z

And don't forget, we are here to help with your last minute gift-wrapping needs as well! Simply contact us for turn-around time and availability.

Please take some time this weekend and next week to sit, savor, and enjoy this special time. We are so thankful for you, our faithful readers and clients! We wish you peace, love, and joy this holiday season.

See you next week!

{Halloween Ideas} Dressed Up Pumpkin Centerpieces

Hi there!

If you need a last minute decorating idea for your Halloween gathering this Friday, look no further! We're sharing these fabulous "dressed up" pumpkin centerpieces we did recently for a client throwing a  Halloween party…the best part? Guests got to take a centerpiece home!

We used a variety of paints, ribbons, and embellishments to take these ordinary pumpkins from festive to fabulous!

It's amazing what a little ribbon and rhinestones can do, isn't it?

Simply take your favorite ribbon and tie it around the stem, and voila! A fun and festive centerpiece.

I love the colors of this one…how great would this look if you were doing a black and white themed party?

You had me at glitter! The burlap ribbon and cute little squirrel can take this pumpkin well into November.

Metallic paint on a pumpkin makes a gorgeous statement! Again we embellished this one with rhinestones, a little owl, and faux flowers and leaves.

Tying a simple ribbon sash around the middle of this pumpkin (and around the stem) takes it up a notch.

Another style that could easily grace your Thanksgiving table!

The nice thing about the pumpkins in the gold, orange, and brown tones is that they can easily transition from Halloween decor to Thanksgiving centerpieces…especially the ones with faux leaf embellishments!

We hope you have fun decorating your own fabulous pumpkins this week, and we'd love to see pictures of your creative ideas! Feel free to share! :)

Have a wonderful Wednesday :)

Holiday Guide A to Z :: N is for Note Cards...

Hello 2 Hearts readers! In the whirlwind of the season, we thought we'd wrap up our A to Z Holiday Guide series by providing you with a sweet summary of the rest of our must-haves and loves. So here we go!

N is for Note Cards…

Like these letterpress notecards featuring Jillian's calligraphy! These would be perfect to write all your holiday thank-yous on…so many ways to say "thanks"!

O is for Shimmer Opal Paper…

We love the elegant, subtle shimmer of this paper! (Seen below is this RSVP card--it's what the text is printed on, not the glitter paper…which we also love! :) It's perfect for any occasion, but we especially love it for weddings of course! A great way to add some shimmer to your event.

P is for Custom Postage…

We love how this client of ours used custom postage to send their wedding invitations; each vintage stamp had a different meaning that was special to them. It makes a beautiful presentation in the mail!

Q is for Quiet Time…

In the midst of all the holiday busy-ness, it's important to take a little time to sit, reflect, and be thankful for all that we have. It's easy to let the season fly by, so with some purposeful planning, you can intentionally make time to enjoy the season! We also look forward to the quiet time that January brings. Even if it's not very long, we cherish the opportunity to rest, reflect, and plan for the fresh new year ahead!

{Via}

R is for Ribbon…

And if you know us here at 2 Hearts B 1 Designs, our favorite ribbon is double-sided satin! :) No gift is complete without a fancy, fabulous bow.

S is for Sashes…

Whether it's a paper sash (as shown on the gift in the above photo) or a ribbon sash (like on this royal baby shower invitation), we love the look that a sash brings. It's a great way to incorporate pattern, texture, or color (or all three!) into a gift or invitation.

T is for Custom Tags…

You know we love our custom tags! This s'mores tag was one we created in the fall last year, but how sweet would it be on a Valentine's gift as well? S'mores really are appropriate any time of year, in our opinion :)

U is for Useful Tools…

We have many, many tools we use on a regular basis, but we thought we'd narrow it down to just a few of the basics, that any paper lover should have on hand.

Like this 1.5" circle punch (perfect for punching out cupcake toppers and cake pop tags):

And this 1.5" scallop circle punch:

We also use a bone folder to achieve a perfect crease every time, whether it's for a place card or another project:

And every crafter/DIYer/invitation creator needs a good cutting mat, to protect the surface you work on:

V is for Velvet…

We love the luxe feel of velvet, and it showed up on gifts and invitations last year. We used a velvet patterned fabric to cover these booklet-style invitations, and we love the effect!

The inside contained the letterpress invitation, as well as ceremony and reception information.

Here's another project we found that we love…it incorporates three of our favorite things: velvet, custom tags, and sweets!

{Via}

W is for Wood Elements…

Remember these boxed invitations we created? We used a wood-patterned paper to give these packages some extra pizzazz, and it also added to the western theme of the party.

X is for Xyron…

If you have not discovered the Xyron yet, well it's a happy day for you! Especially if you've ever thought to yourself, "I wish I could turn [x,y, or z] into a sticker!" Because that's precisely what a Xyron machine lets you do…turn almost any item (within reason of course) into a sticker!

We often use this for ribbon or paper sashes that we want to stick to a surface. Since the Xyron adhesive sticks only to the side you put face down, it covers the ribbon or paper perfectly, which is great for when double-sided tape is too thick to use as an adhesive. This is the large version of the Xyron machine but it also comes in a smaller version too. The nice thing about the large machine is that you can also use it as a laminator too.

Y is for Yarn...

We love how yarn made a statement this season on holiday gifts, and we think these adorable DIY pom-poms are perfect for birthday gifts too!

{Via}


Z is for Zots…

And last but not least, we must announce our love for Zots. If you've never heard of them, Zots are little glue dots. They come in many sizes and are the perfect little sticky circle to adhere the edge of a ribbon, a cake pop tag, or a small embellishment…really, we use them in so many different ways. Thank you to whoever invented the Zot--you have made our lives just a little bit easier :)

{Via}

Well, that wraps it up! We hope you've enjoyed our Holiday A to Z Guide, all of our likes, loves, and tips for having a festive and stylish holiday season! If you missed any of the other posts, check them out here:

Holiday A to Z Guide: A through C

Holiday A to Z Guide: D through F

Holiday A to Z Guide: G through I

Holiday A to Z Guide: J through M

Here's to happy celebrating and a joyous new year!

Holiday A to Z Guide :: J is for Jute Cord...

Today's holiday inspirations are all about details…the small, pretty details that make any gift or gathering special! So without further ado, let's get to it!

J is for Jute Cord…

Jute cord or twine is a strong cord made of natural fibers…in fact, it's made of the same material that burlap is made of. Jute cord gives any project a little bit of a rustic quality, and is a lovely addition to table details or gift wrap.

{Via}

We created these menus last year for a gorgeous wedding in Santa Barbara wine country. The small jute detail gave them a pretty rustic elegance, and this idea could easily be modified for a holiday party menu or invitation.

{Via}

A simple piece of jute cord tied around a pretty box is rustic elegance at it's best. So easy yet so effective!

{Via}

This image actually segues perfectly into our next item, because it marries both jute cord and kraft paper together. They added a simple contrasting sash (how lovely would something in gold, or burgundy, or silver look for the holidays?) and made a beautiful gift anyone would love to receive.

K is for Kraft…

Ahh, how we love kraft. If you've followed our blog for awhile, you've heard us sing it's praises before, and we still love it. It can be used for any event detail (place cards, menus, invitations), not to mention gift wrap.

We love to use it as an envelope to give invitations that understated elegance that is always in style.

These place cards by Style Me Pretty would be a gorgeous touch to a holiday table.

And again, the simplicity of these packages tied with a beautiful bow would make a gorgeous statement under your Christmas tree!

Brown paper packages tied up with strings,

These are a few of my favorite things!

L is for Lace…

Lace is timeless, traditional, and classic. It can be used in subtle ways to keep your holiday feeling modern and pretty. We used lace in these wedding invitations to evoke a very elegant, romantic feel, and the same can be done for holiday details, especially when it comes to gift wrap.

{Via}

When we came across these packages on Pinterest, we fell in love! They bring together lace and kraft, two of our favorite things! And one package even ties on an ornament with jute cord! Be still my heart...

{Via}

And we loved this idea of tying a fresh sprig of pine to your package, with a tartan print, and red and white baker's twine. So. So. Cute.

M is for Monograms…

When you think monograms you may think weddings, but a monogram is a beautiful way to incorporate your family's name into holiday cards, return address labels, or even gift tags.

Jillian created this handwritten calligraphy monogram, and then used it as a motif for the couple's wedding invitations. They also incorporated it into tags to tie on the outside of the invitation, menus, and programs.

This idea could easily be modified for holiday gift tags; the monogram would be at the top, and instead of the wedding information, you'd have a simple "To" and "From." Gorgeous!

Or how about incorporating it into festive details like cocktail napkins, an art print, or even an ornament? So many ideas for cuteness, we can hardly stand it!

We hope today's ideas inspired you to play with the details for your next holiday affair…whether it's tying a simple piece of jute around a jar of goodies, adding a sash of lace to a package, or incorporating your monogram, there are so many ways to personalize and festive-ize (yes, I just made that word up) your holiday!

Happy wrapping and happy personalizing!

Holiday A to Z Guide :: G is for Gift Baskets...

We're so glad you're here to join us for the third installment of our Holiday A to Z Guide! (To see posts 1 and 2, go here and here).

With only about a week left to do your shopping, planning, baking, and merry-making, we want to give you some practical tips, inspiration, and fun of course!

So here we go!

G is for Gift Baskets…

Fill a beautiful basket with the receiver's favorite things, and voila! You have a beautiful, thoughtful, meaningful gift that gets sweeter with each opened package. Gift baskets never go out of style! 

H is for Holiday Cards…

We showed you these holiday cards here, and just have to show you them again because they're some of our favorites! Your cards should be a reflection of you, and we always love a photo card! Even though it's too late to order Christmas cards, if you need a special order for New Year's, let us know!

I is for "I Heart…" (Things We're Loving This Season!)

Here's a small list of some of the things we're loving this season…

I heart gold home accessories

We love this collection of gold entertaining essentials put together by the fabulous Glitter Guide. Swoon. For more info on these products, go here.


I heart twine

{Via}

Whether it's tying up packages, wrapping up baked goodies, or tying together utensils for an informal gathering, twine has so many uses! We use baker's twine (like this one) all the time, for a multitude of projects. Do yourself a favor and pick up a spool, and see how often you reach for it!

I heart cake mixes

{Via}

This time of year, you're entertaining, gift-giving, and often needing a quick and easy recipe--so in steps the simple yet often overlooked cake mix! There are so many ways you can dress up a cake mix for a simple and quick bar, cookie, or cupcake…the options really are endless! Cake Mix Recipes by Gooseberry Patch is one of our favorite sources for all things cake mix (and it would even make an adorable gift to give with your baked treats!)

So there you have it…your Monday round-up of holiday inspiration! Come back every day this week as we round out our Holiday A to Z Guide, just in time for Christmas!

Happy Monday!