{Calligraphy Monday} The Blessing of a Sister

Hello there and Happy Monday!

We hope you had a wonderful weekend; ours was filled with a baby shower (Kylie's baby shower!) and consultations with new brides! Such a busy and wonderful time of year.

Today we wanted to share this beautiful gift we created for a client wanting to honor her big sister Tiffany. She came to us with this sentiment and asked if Jillian could write it in calligraphy on this floral textured paper.

The result was a beautiful, heartfelt gift that we know her sister will treasure for years to come!

Let us help you come up with a unique, thoughtful gift, perfect for a birthday or the holidays!

Enjoy this Monday and see you back soon :)

{Calligraphy Monday} Calligraphy Mixed with Art

It's the last Monday of August lovelies!

Can you believe it? Next Monday we will officially be in the fall season! I am so excited :) You know we love us some fall around here! But we do want to savor this last bit of summer, so we plan to do that this week!

First up, we're sharing a special wedding card we created for a client.

Our client was actually attending a wedding, and wanted to give a card along with their gift that would be a keepsake for the couple to treasure. 

One of the client's family members actually painted this beautiful scene.

She painted it on card stock so that it could be matted on a 5x7 card.

In step 2 Hearts B 1 Designs :)

We created a folded card and adhered the painting to the front; then Jillian wrote the sentiment in calligraphy on the inside.

She finished it by writing the couple's name on the envelope in coordinating green ink.

A perfectly thoughtful and sweet card for a summer wedding, don't you think?

This is just one example of how we can help put the small, finishing touches on your projects to give them that extra pop!

We love this idea and feel so honored to have helped with these special details!

Make sure to enjoy this last summer Monday and we'll see you again on the blog this week!

Don't forget you can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

XOXO

{Things We Heart} Cynla's Beautiful Notepads & A Giveaway!

Good morning 2 Hearts readers!

Do we have some exciting news for you today!

If you remember, several weeks ago we attended the incredible National Stationery Show in NYC (a whole weekend filled with stationery…swoon!)

One of the fabulous stationery designers we met that weekend was Cindy LaColla, who is the owner and creator of Cynla! She is the talented artist behind these beautiful notepads:

We talked about how much we loved her notepads here, and then sweet Cindy contacted us with a special giveaway offer for our readers!

Isn't that awesome?

We've gotten to know Cindy better through email correspondence, and feel like we have a kindred spirit in the stationery world! :) We just love her sweet personality and generous heart, and we know you will love her too. You must check out her gorgeous line of products and stationery in her Etsy store here.

Some of our favorite cards from her shop are the Mixer Birthday card, the Crockpot Birthday card, and the Brunch card, to name a few (all perfect for the foodies in your life!). You could easily spend an hour browsing over her beautiful artwork and the creative detail that goes into each and every card…so make sure you visit her Etsy shop and favorite it so you can stay up to date with all of her latest creations!

Ready to meet the lovely lady behind Cynla? Here's a little bit about Cindy, in her own words:

"Drawing has become a way for me to de-stress. I've found that it is the best medicine. I created Cynla to focus more on what matters in my life and send a “stress less” message into every piece of artwork I create. I incorporate a lot of the nature and world around me, and my art has become a visual diary of my life. 

I want to be better at keeping in touch with friends, make amazing memories with my favorite people and experience everything – and then make art that celebrates all of this. I want to live a happy, stress-free, inspired life. I try to create things that inspire others to do the same. 

I’m doing what I love and am so excited that people send my cards and art around the world. I’m proud to have a business that encourages people to communicate, connect with their family and friends, take time to write messages and put cards and letters in mailboxes.

I'm so excited to be a part of this giveaway and being featured on 2 Hearts B1 Designs! The gorgeous details that 2 Hearts B1 designs offers are what makes a wedding come together and makes it a day to remember. A big thank you to Jillian and Kylie for including me on their inspiring blog!"

~ Cindy LaColla of Cynla

Thank you Cindy! Can't you see why we just love her? We couldn't have expressed our sentiments about sending handwritten letters and cards any better ourselves.

So without further ado,

let's talk about the giveaway!

Sweet Cindy is giving away two of her beautiful notepads…

one "I Do" notepad and

one "Just Married" notepad

{Two winners will be chosen, and each will win one notepad}

Perfect if you're a bride or for the bride in your life! These would make beautiful shower or wedding gifts, wouldn't they?

Simply enter by following the steps in the Rafflecopter below. Each step you complete earns you another entry to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The contest goes from today until midnight on Sunday (July 6th, 2014). Make sure to complete all the entry requirements to get 5 entries!

Winners will be announced on the blog on Monday, July 7th, and notepads will be shipped on July 14th.

Another BIG thank you to Cindy for this generous offer! We're so excited to be featuring your beautiful work!

Find Cindy and stay up to date on all of Cynla's beautiful products here:

Facebook

Instagram

Etsy

Blog

Have a wonderful Monday!

{Calligraphy Monday} Ode to Mom

Happy Monday 2 Hearts readers!

Can you believe it's already May? And not just that, but almost Mother's Day?

Well don't worry, we've got you covered here at 2 Hearts B 1 if you're still having trouble finding that perfect gift for mom. What about having Jillian write out your mother's name along with some loving words to her?

It can be a sweet sentiment, a favorite song, poem, etc.--anything that expresses just how much you appreciate her!

Orders placed by Wednesday will be ready in time for Mother's Day! Contact us here and let us know how we can help!

Have a wonderful Monday!

{Feeling Lucky} Las Vegas Inspired Birthday Invitation & Gift Basket

Hello!

With St. Patrick's Day being on Monday, we're feeling a little lucky, and thought we'd share some projects inspired by a place where you should bring your luck…Las Vegas of course! ;)

We designed this invitation for a wonderful friend of ours. What better way to celebrate your
40th birthday in style than with a Las Vegas bash?

A group of friends celebrated with a fabulous dinner and a fun night on the town!

We took the martini motif and created coordinating return address labels, then adhered them to the eye-catching shimmer gold envelopes.

Happy Birthday Danny!

What a fun evening; thank you for letting us be a part of your birthday festivities!

To see our inspiration for this invitation, visit our Pinterest board here:

Here is another lucky project we did last year…we created a Vegas-themed gift basket for a television show producer's birthday. We were excited about this project because not only was it fun to create, but the person receiving it produced one of our favorite TV shows…Desperate Housewives :)

In the basket, we included some giant playing cards, (fake) money, specialty nuts, chocolate poker chips, mini bottles of Patron, Jack Daniels, and other liquors, and other Vegas-y items :)

Isn't this such a fun idea?

What a fun way to 'kick off' a trip to Vegas or give for a special birthday. No doubt the person who receives this will feel lucky to have you in their life! :)

For a Vegas-themed birthday invitation perfect for a girl's trip,
go here, and see our inspiration board for it here!

We hope these projects give you some great ideas for either putting a fun twist on your St. Patrick's Day celebration, or to celebrate a special birthday or event. We're so glad you stopped by, and certainly feel "lucky" to have such wonderful readers!

Have a great weekend! :)

{Calligraphy Monday} Personalized Guest Book

Happy Monday 2 Hearts readers!

We hope you had a fabulous weekend! Here in southern California, spring is definitely in the air! We were fortunate enough to enjoy some beautiful weather this weekend, and it gets us in the mood for all things bright and springy. With St. Patrick's Day and Easter just around the corner, we're starting to get inspired!

So we though today would be a perfect day to share this fun personalized guest book we did for our client Rebekah. Rebekah was throwing her husband a 40th birthday party, and wanted a place where all their guests could write a note of birthday wishes for him.

The guest book was scrapbook-style, complete with pictures and captions about why he is so loved.

Blank spaces for room to write a birthday wish or note.

Rebekah also wanted us to use this shamrock motif throughout the guest book, to represent his Irish heritage.

We love the springy colors and shamrock motif mixed with all the photos!

Isn't this a wonderful birthday gift idea?

It's thoughtful, sentimental, and captures the fun and memories of a milestone birthday all in one treasured book.

This could easily be done for any age, and any color scheme!

We love helping our creative clients put their vision to life. 

Thank you for letting us be a part of your special celebration!

We hope you have a wonderful Monday :)

{Calligraphy Monday} 10 Reasons Why I Love You

Happy Monday and...

{Via}

Is anyone else as excited as we are that it's February??

It's the month of love, the month of several birthdays in our family, and the month of all things pink and hearts! {We are 2 Hearts B 1 Designs, after all ;) }

If the month of love and Valentines makes you feel a little anxious, don't worry, we're here to help!

Check back here, on Facebook, and on Instagram for lots of love-ly ideas this month! :)

February is the month to celebrate everyone you love…husbands, girlfriends, moms, dads, best friends,  boyfriends, sons, daughters…you name it!

So to kick us off, we're sharing this calligraphy project we did for a client last year.

Sorry the picture is a bit blurry, we had to snap the pic with a phone before delivery since we forgot to take it beforehand!

The "10 Reasons" were written in a beautiful pink ink and framed in a sparkly frame for Mia's 10th birthday. What a sweet sentiment! This would be absolutely perfect for any loved one on Valentine's Day….who wouldn't feel special receiving something like this? It's a wonderfully thoughtful gift that won't break the bank and will make your loved one feel just that…incredibly loved!

We hope this helps get your creative juices flowing for a special gift for Valentine's Day…and as we mentioned, come back often for more sweet ideas!

Have a wonderful Monday!

{Calligraphy Monday} Shades of Gray

Happy Monday 2 Hearts readers!

You may be feeling the gray January chill at the moment (unless you live in southern California), so we thought we'd showcase this note that Jillian wrote in calligraphy for a client, which ties in different shades of gray paper and ink.

The words on the note, which are the lyrics to the Beach Boys' song "Meant for You," were special to the client and shared with her many years ago, so she wanted to "give them back" in this special note. Those are all the details we know, but sounds like a story out of a romance novel, doesn't it? We love helping clients create sweet sentiments like these.

The note was tucked into a coordinating light gray envelope and the recipient's name was artfully lettered on the front.

This would make a sweet idea for a significant other or a friend for Valentine's Day, or even for a birthday or special anniversary. You could frame the words to their favorite song or poem for them to showcase as a work of art. Never too early to start thinking of Valentine's Day ideas for your loved ones, right? :)

Hope this lovely idea warms your heart on this gray January day!

Have a wonderful Monday!

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!

Holiday A to Z Guide :: D is for Damask...

Hello!

Today we're continuing our Holiday A to Z Guide by bringing you the D, E, and F of a fabulous and fun holiday! If you missed A through C, go here to catch up!

So, without further ado, we bring you:

D is for Damask...

Look how gorgeous this damask print looks as a background for these holiday cards. I love how the intricacies of the snowflake play off the detailed damask pattern. The black and white keep it feeling elegant and formal, and the pops of red from the text and the photo give just the right amount of color!

Beautiful.

E is for Edible Delights…

Like these adorable ornament cake pops from our friends at Sweet E's Bake Shop!

Check out the rest of their selection of holiday sweets here.
We love how sweet treats like these are so fun and unique; they're sure to put a smile on anyone's face!
If you're more inclined to make your own treats at home, cheers to you! Here's a few ideas that inspire us to break out our baking pans and spatulas:

Beautiful joy cookies, nestled in a gift box.

Adorable North Pole cupcakes! Seriously, how cute are these?

Stunning snowflake cookies.

Wouldn't any of these sweets look spectacular wrapped in pretty wrapping, a gorgeous bow, and a custom tag? So simple, yet such a magnificent impact.

F is for Feathers…

Who says feathers and holidays don't go together?
They're delicate, elegant, and sometimes whimsical…the perfect detail for a unique holiday card or Christmas tree!

Here's a few examples of how we've incorporated feathers in a few invitations over the years, and how this idea could be transformed into a beautiful holiday version.

This gorgeous wedding invitation had a fabulous leopard print detail inside (for more info on these, go here), and the long wispy feathers were sealed with a red monogram wax seal.

It doesn't take long to see how feathers like these would look lovely in your holiday decor, as shown here:

And here:

They almost look snow-like! So pretty.

Another way we've incorporated feathers is with this baby shower invitation. We attached a beautiful peacock feather on the front of the invite, and this would be so lovely incorporated into a holiday card! The peacock print liner would be gorgeous if your holiday cards incorporated blues, purples, greens, or silvers…love.

See how peacock feathers are popping up in Christmas decor?

{Via}

{Via}

{Via}

We just love this jewel tone color palette.

So if you're in the mood to try something a little different this season, why not incorporate feathers (or a damask print!) into your decor and/or cards? We think you'll be glad you did! :)

Thanks for stopping by today, & join us Friday for the G, H, and I of our Holiday A to Z Guide!

Happy decorating!