Weddingbee PRO

“The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.” - Linus Pauling

And so it seems I am constantly thinking of new ideas and “getting myself into trouble” as my Mom likes to say. After several weeks of creating pieces for various collaborations with some of the finest vendors in the industry I got to thinking… collaborations are one of my favorite aspects of this business. The power behind a creative team coming together to vision an idea can be, for lack of a better word, magical. Stunning tabletops like those that you may have seen in the most recent issue of Bride and Bloom from Carissa at JL Designs and Karen of Karen Tran Florals are the magic I speak of.

So I decided to head up my very own tabletop shoot. Yes, I know what you may be thinking… a tabletop designed by a stationery artist? Well yes, design of all kind has always been a passion. My home has been a veritable sketchbook for the many interior design concepts I experimented with over the years. Take a look at what things look like around the Holidays and you will see I do love to dabble in creating warm and inviting environments. So I thought, why not combine my passion for paper details with my love of tabletop design?

Later this month several of my region’s finest wedding professionals will gather to execute two tabletop shoots. The first of which is Watercolor Harvest. The details will have an artistic flair - think art books as cake stand while the color palette is inspired by my beloved collection of pink milk glass. Stay tuned next week when I share a sneak peek into the inspiration behind the second shoot and introduce my partners in crime.

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When it came time to create the save the dates for our renewal celebration, there was no doubt in my mind - they had to be letterpressed. A quick sketch of Zion Canyon at the River Walk Trailhead was the subject matter of choice. A favorite song lyric from the Indigo Girls graces the cover.

“This world falls on me, hopes of immortality, everywhere I turn all the beauty just keeps shaking me.”

Now for the fun part; hand-water-coloring all 110 covers! I experimented last week first by adding a wash of water to several cards. Then I flooded vibrant shades of orange, crimson and green into the artwork. I love the contrast of the deep letterpress impression with the washy, magical personality of my juicy watercolor technique.

So, be honest - would love to hear what YOU think?

Nicole contacted me about 2 weeks ago with a mind full of ideas.  She is a collector of vintage lockets, obsessed with Anthropologie and has a stunningly sophisticated color palette planned for her wedding in April.    I have always been fascinated with lockets and the powerful romances they symbolize.  There is a certain magic these tiny pieces of jewelry posses - anyway, I digress…

Nicole’ s palette of blues, peachy coral hues in all shades and silver instantly intrigued me.  I chose to use all shimmering cardstocks combined with one of my newest signature patterns (yet to be named).  Small sketches (created from photos she sent) of Nicole’s most beloved lockets are intertwined in the pattern .  At first glance, you may not recognize them as lockets, but we are envisioning more detailed illustrations of the same pieces on other cards in her stationery collection.

Back in 2007 when I first started writing my blog, I stumbled upon these lovely little ringbearer bowls on etsy. I fell in love with their simplicity of form and material and the simple message of love each seemed to bear. Well here we are 2 years later where the creations of Caroline of Palomas Nest can be found just about everywhere wedding. Her message hasn’t been diluted by the widespread and well deserved press however, as her creations are continually evolving.

On her site you can read more about Caroline, the process and her inspiration. To quote directly “The inspiration for Paloma's Nest lies in the purity of the materials used, and the idea that something so simple can be so bold.” Well said. As a colorist myself, I have great respect for artists who can elicit the same impact as I do in my detailed colorful pieces but with a reserved use of color and form. There is something quite calming about Caroline’s smooth, creamy surfaces graced with a touch of texture or an added length of colored twine.

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Last week, I posted an interesting question on Twitter. Certainly not a question that has never been asked before, but an interesting one just the same. The question was simple - “what makes you feel most alive in your work?” I immediately thought of the question I am asked so often - “what inspires you”? I think this is an important question we should all ask ourselves, regardless of our professions, don’t you think?

I put together a few images from the past few weeks that made me stop and say wow. Obviously pattern is an affinity of mine, saturated color, yes, but also the concept of contrast. The bull posing in front of the fussy wallpaper is a good example of my obsession with contrasts.

The gorgeous headboard below motivated this invitation design recently.

From top left - Longwood Gardens, Anthropologie, Catherine’s Animals, Red Headboard via Design Sponge

So, what inspires you; makes you feel most alive?

I am thrilled to bring you this week’s Inspired Ink hand-picked by Amanda from the Vintage Glam Weddings blog!  Amanda sent over the loveliest inspiration board to enlighten my creation this week, and I am so glad she did.

Sources (clockwise)  Top: One Love Photo, dress from Strim Vintage , poster from All Posters. Bottom: cake shot , hula girls by One Love Photo.

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Nicole contacted me earlier this year after reading an interview I did for The Bride’s Cafe. She had a very special request and hoped I could help. Nicole envisioned a custom, hand-painted wedding certificate allowing space for each wedding guest to sign as witness to their marriage. She explained her color palette included bold jewel tones with a strong peacock theme throughout. Nicole planned to frame the final piece for display as a daily reminder of the day - no pressure!

I created several sketches for Nicole before beginning work on the final piece. The artwork was completely composed free-hand. Each color was layered onto the delicately shimmering matte board as a backdrop. Admittedly I was a bit nervous about capturing the gentle grace of each peacock feather, but in the end I was relieved and pleased.

Thank you Nicole for entrusting me with the creation of this artistic heirloom!

Welcome to week two of my Muddy Brushes, Fresh Ideas post.  Read more about the inspiration and last week’s post here.

I am loving Maddy’s samples this week.  Jessica (my fantastic studio manager) and I collaborated on two versions illustrated in pen and ink of her bouquet flowers.  One focuses on an iris as the focal point and the other an anemone.   When Maddy first contacted me, she was completely enamored with a black and white look but wanted her wedding invitation design to have life and personality while avoiding an overly stuffy or rigid look.

The sketchy, linear illustration style seems to fit Maddy’s vision perfectly.  I particularly like the long, graceful stems of each flower, how they almost cease to look like flower stems and more like simple sweeping lines pushing the eye upward towards each bloom.

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This week’s Inspired Ink post evolved out of a simple Twitter conversation that transpired last week.  Annemarie from Perfect Bound “tweeted” this colorful headboard project courtesy of Design Sponge.

Here is what she said:

and then me….

and so the challenge was born…

Headboard

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I stumbled upon this website while reading one of my favorite blogs, Unruly Things.  Samantha Robinson is a porcelain artist whose website is one of the most innovative I have seen in some time. I just adore the pencil-sketchy-casual feel with pops of unexpected color.

Dive into her website to find lovely porcelain vessels adorned with gorgeous pattern work in all shades of color. I am especially enamored with these Illuminators.

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