New Save-the-Date Card

According to a survey conducted by TIME magazine, around 30% of today's couples meet online.  While my husband and I didn't meet online, we lived two hours apart for the first year we dated.  Instant messaging and email played a huge part in our relationship.  With internet and technology playing such a significant role in many of today's relationships, I thought it was only fitting to create a save-the-date that would be perfect for technology-loving couples.

Available here

What other technology-related stationery would you like to see?

Shop Makeover

I am lucky to have some very artistically talented and generous friends.  One in particular was wonderful enough to conduct a product photo shoot for me today!  She was patient enough to take over 150 photos that I can use in my Etsy and Artfire shops, and they turned out awesome!  We took some in front of a brick backdrop and some in front of a canvas painted light blue.  I am so thrilled to be making over my shop with these really great photos.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Available here

 

 Available here

 Available here

It will take me a while to update all of my listings, but hopefully it will be done by next Monday.  A great product photo can make all the difference!  :)

Villa Bella (Beautiful Home)

I started today in a day-dreamy kind of mood.  Recently, I've been obsessed with planning my dream home.  I've spent hours painting, renovating, and decorating in my mind, and today I created a Treasury with some of those decorations.

My two favorite items:

CastleandCottage on Etsy

 

ByGordonCompany on Etsy

The gorgeous lighting fixtures I found inspired me to use a little bit of light in my own way.  Specifically, paper lanterns, which are useful, fun, and elegant all at once!  This design started out as a New Address card (I told you I was in a house mood), but as I started designing, I decided it should be a Save the Date card instead.  No worries, though...I'm already working on a similar New Address card design.  :)

Available here

Perhaps one day soon I'll have my dream house and I can hang up some real paper lanterns along the patio.  Until then, here's to dreaming!

Now Available: Custom Monograms

I'm always excited when I learn enough to add a new type of product to my list of available items.  Recently, I decided to try my hand at creating monograms, which have become extremely popular for weddings and other special events.  Since they are created with a transparent background, monograms can be used on invitations, favors, even on the dance floor!

Source

I created my first monogram today, which you can see below.

Available here

I can't wait to create custom monograms because each one reflects the particular style of the people that it represents.

P.S. Happy International Women's Day!  I'm proud to be a high-achieving woman with my own business.

Southern Charm

Have you ever been to Savannah, Georgia?  In my opinion, it is one of the most elegant cities in this country.  I love it so much that my husband and I were married there.  :)  Even though I love our home in Illinois, sometimes I get a tiny bit nostalgic for that southern city.

I've been working on a series of save-the-date cards and wedding invitations inspired by southern architecture.  It's hard not to feel inspired when you think of such places as the Azalea Inn & Gardens:

This save-the-date design was inspired by the hanging signs you can see outside of most B&Bs, including the one in the above picture:

Available here

I also love the elegant street lamps you can see in many old southern cities.  They are especially gorgeous on summer evenings when the sun first goes down.  Pair a lamp post with some elegant iron scrolls and you've got a winner!

 

Available here

Finally, Birmingham is famous for its wrought iron fences, which are often impressively intricate.  I created a coordinating save-the-date and wedding invitation set inspired by those works of art:

Available here; wedding invitation here