Sunday Sample Spotlight: "The Only Exception"

This stationery set uses a funky bubble font great for whimsical events!

"The Only Exception" Invitation Duo (invite & reply card)

The neutral color scheme keeps this curly font from feeling too strange; there's just a hint of peach in the pattern, while the envelopes are ivory and brown to match the brown font and ivory cardstock.

The pattern fades into the ivory cardstock; because there's no crisp edge, it softens the design and makes it less jarring.

While the font certainly isn't for everyone, it would would great for any casual wedding or child's birthday party!

 
Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: A carnival-themed invitation set!


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Shameless Plug Time: Love this invitation (or others featured on this blog)? Want something similar (or something completely custom) designed for your event? Visit Invites by Andrea to view more samples, download a catalogue pdf, or fill out a design request form. Or shoot me an email to ask me your questions or learn more information.

Fancy/Funky Friday: Patterns Leela & Avery

Complex and elegant or simple and bold - what's your favorite type of pattern?

First, the "fancy": Pattern Leela

Why it's "fancy": From a distance, it looks like lace, with its thin lines and curls.

Why it's great: Up close, it's interesting to note that some loops touch each other while others leave a small buffer of white negative space in between.


And now, the "funky": Pattern Avery

Why it's "funky": Simple, bold, and modern, this pattern takes simple ellipsoid shapes, radiates them out to create a "racetrack" feel, and then alternates vertical and horizontal orientation to create unexpected repetition.

Why it's great: I love the fun shapes created from the negative space between each square of four "racetracks" - it's like a tilted white square that's being pinched in a little on all four sides!

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Shameless plug time: Love my patterns? I incorporate them into a lot of the artwork I create, from stationery for Invites by Andrea to the watercolors I paint. Check out Invites by Andrea's website to see examples of these patterns in use or drop me a line at andrea@invitesbyandrea.com to let me know what you think!

Summer Color Combo - Royal Blue & Magenta

Magenta is a great color for summertime because it's so bright and saturated! Pair it with a rich royal blue for a sophisticated color scheme.

Wrap magenta bouquets in royal blue ribbons or place them in blue painted porcelain vases for classy centerpieces. And with such a bright color scheme, don't shy away from having some fun with it! For a funky twist on vintage props, spray paint wire bird cages, old bicycles, and ornate picture/mirror frames hot pink!

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Shameless Plug Time: Love this color combination? Looking for custom stationery made to match these colors (or whatever other color combinations you're using for your event)? Visit Invites by Andrea to view more samples, download a catalogue pdf, or fill out a design request form. Or shoot me an email to ask me your questions or learn more information.

Color of the Week - Avocado

This week's color is Avocado - a darker green shade with yellow undertones!

Because of it's richness, avocado is a great color for autumn - and it pairs great with typical autumn colors, like browns, reds, oranges, and golds. But avocado is also unexpectedly beautiful with pastels (team it up with pastel pink or lavender for springtime!), and looks gorgeous mixed with several other shades of green for a rich nature-inspired display.

Fun facts about Avocado:

1. Avocado is named after the dark green skin of the avocado fruit native to Central Mexico.

2. Avocado fruits are also known as "alligator pears."

3. Avocado was a common color for metal surfaces (including automobiles and household appliances) and shag carpets in the 1970s, along with "harvest gold." Both colors (as well as shag carpets) went out of style by the early 1980s.

 

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Shameless Plug Time: Love this color? Looking for custom stationery made to match this color (or whatever other color combinations you're using for your event)? Visit Invites by Andrea to view more samples, download a catalogue pdf, or fill out a design request form. Or shoot me an email to ask me your questions or learn more information.

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Plum Major"

I just love this stationery set. It's colorful and whimsical, with fun flowers that look child-drawn and carefree. It's a great design for any spring or summer outdoor event, especially a more casual, family affair, or a hippie- or pagan-inspired event (including May Day and Renaissance Festivals)!

"Plum Major" Invitation Duo (invite & reply card)

For this stationery set, I started with a scrapbook paper I really liked. The paper had a scratched-texture purple and blue background, with colorful stems of flowers vertically aligned into stripes.

I used the same colors found on those flowers for each line of text on the invitation and reply card, and found a purple petal envelope and green outside and reply card envelopes to match the purple and green colors found in the scrapbook paper.

I also scanned in the scrapbook paper and included a strip of it on each side of the invitation and the left side of the reply card, to further tie everything together.

I love the petal folding envelopes because they mimic the same flower shapes from the scrapbook paper - and if you fold in two adjacent sides, the envelope looks like a heart!

 
Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "The Only Exception"


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Shameless Plug Time: Love this invitation (or others featured on this blog)? Want something similar (or something completely custom) designed for your event? Visit Invites by Andrea to view more samples, download a catalogue pdf, or fill out a design request form. Or shoot me an email to ask me your questions or learn more information.

Fancy/Funky Friday: Patterns Galaxia & Zoe

Happy Friday! Here are today's patterns -

First, the "fancy": Pattern Galaxia

Why it's "fancy": The offset angles and diamonds make me think of preppy argyle; from far away, it also takes on the appearance of lace.

Why it's great: This pattern always reminds me of the cat named Orion from the movie Men in Black... It has the same feeling as the galaxy in the charm around his collar.


And now, the "funky": Pattern Zoe

Why it's "funky": Simple white circles stand out in this pattern, where the negative space becomes more important than the whimsical green lines.

Why it's great: From a distance, it might look a bit like lace - but up close, there's too much white space. Instead it's like a loose-knit fabric or crochet pattern, letting lots of air through!

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Shameless plug time: Love my patterns? I incorporate them into a lot of the artwork I create, from stationery for Invites by Andrea to the watercolors I paint. Check out Invites by Andrea's website to see examples of these patterns in use or drop me a line at andrea@invitesbyandrea.com to let me know what you think!

Summer Color Combo - Tangerine & Tiffany Blue

Blue and orange are complements on the color wheel, so they're guaranteed to work well together! Choose a bright, sunny orange like tangerine and offset it with a blue that has a bit of green tint to it to call to mind a glorious orange sunset over green ocean waves!

You won't find naturally occurring blue-green flowers, so opt for orange and white blooms instead. You can also use orange and tangerine slices as centerpieces! I love the bright orange parasols the wedding party has in the bottom left photograph - parasols are shaped like citrus fruit slices, so not only do the colors match but the shape matches the theme, as well! :)

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Shameless Plug Time: Love this color combination? Looking for custom stationery made to match these colors (or whatever other color combinations you're using for your event)? Visit Invites by Andrea to view more samples, download a catalogue pdf, or fill out a design request form. Or shoot me an email to ask me your questions or learn more information.

Color of the Week - Magenta

This week's color is Magenta - a gorgeous hot pink color perfect for sunny summer days!

Tame this bright color with neutrals or pastel colors, or add another highly saturated color to your color scheme to really celebrate flamboyant fun!

Fun facts about Magenta:

1. Magenta was created as a complement to green for color printing processes in the late 1800s, and is one of the three primary colors (with yellow and cyan) still used in the color printing process today.

2. The color was named after the Battle of Magenta, fought in the town of Magenta in northern Italy during the Second Italian War of Independence in 1859.

3. To psychics who claim to be able to observe auras with their third eye, someone who has a magenta aura is usually described as being artistic and creative.

 

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Shameless Plug Time: Love this color? Looking for custom stationery made to match this color (or whatever other color combinations you're using for your event)? Visit Invites by Andrea to view more samples, download a catalogue pdf, or fill out a design request form. Or shoot me an email to ask me your questions or learn more information.

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Orange Creamsicle"

If you find a fun font and pattern you like, who says your stationery design needs anything else?

"Orange Creamsicle" Invitation Duo (invite & reply card)

Let your unique font and pattern border stand alone with this stationery set! The invitation and reply card are each printed on white cardstock and paired with a metallic orange envelope.

I used my favorite part of the pattern to create the "check boxes" for guests to select on the RSVP card!

Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: A fun purple stationery design!


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Shameless Plug Time: Love this invitation (or others featured on this blog)? Want something similar (or something completely custom) designed for your event? Visit Invites by Andrea to view more samples, download a catalogue pdf, or fill out a design request form. Or shoot me an email to ask me your questions or learn more information.

Fancy/Funky Friday: Patterns Ivy & Tarolla

Today's patterns both do a great job of balancing structure and fun. At first glance, they're both bursting with curls and whimsy, but each follows a strict grid placement and is well tamed. :)

First, the "fancy": Pattern Ivy

Why it's "fancy": From a distance, it looks like lace (or very structured curling vines). Can't you just see this pattern stamped on a brick garden walkway or stitched into a castle tapestry?

Why it's great: This is one of my patterns where you can definitely still see the letterforms I created the design from. Can you discern the elaborate cursive capital Ls and Rs? :)


And now, the "funky": Pattern Tarolla

Why it's "funky": Though the lines are thin, with traditional curlicues and double-lined angles reminiscent of diamonds, argyle, and Roman numerals, the fun spiral-inspired shape in the middle of each "frame" is just too modern to be called anything but funky!

Why it's great: I love how bold and attention-grabbing the purple lines are, even though they're thin. They're confident in their sharp angles and whimsical curls and stand out easily from the white negative space.

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Shameless plug time: Love my patterns? I incorporate them into a lot of the artwork I create, from stationery for Invites by Andrea to the watercolors I paint. Check out Invites by Andrea's website to see examples of these patterns in use or drop me a line at andrea@invitesbyandrea.com to let me know what you think!

Summer Color Combo - Pale Yellow & Grape

Purple and yellow are complements on the color wheel, so they look great together!

Several flowers are available in yellow and purple shades - so use as many blooms as possible in your decoration to really get across the fresh feeling of spring and summer! Use yellow-tinted mason jars as flower vases and decorate your venue with glowing yellow rope lights!

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Shameless Plug Time: Love this color combination? Looking for custom stationery made to match these colors (or whatever other color combinations you're using for your event)? Visit Invites by Andrea to view more samples, download a catalogue pdf, or fill out a design request form. Or shoot me an email to ask me your questions or learn more information.

Color of the Week - Coral

This week's color is Coral - a pink-orange shade that's beautiful almost any time of year!

Pair it with pastels, silver, or ivory for winter and springtime, bright jewel tones for summer, and rich neutrals like brown or gold for autumn!

Fun facts about Coral:

1. Though coral reefs naturally occur in many colors (including blues, purples, greens, and yellows), the color coral only refers to the Corallium rubrum and similar species which share a pink or red exoskeleton.

2. Owing to its intense and permanent coloration and glossiness, red coral (also known as "precious coral") has been used since antiquity for jewelry making. Coral jewelry has been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, and was especially popular during the Victorian age.

3. The ancient Romans believed red coral could protect children from harm, as well as cure wounds made by snakes and scorpions.

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Shameless Plug Time: Love this color? Looking for custom stationery made to match this color (or whatever other color combinations you're using for your event)? Visit Invites by Andrea to view more samples, download a catalogue pdf, or fill out a design request form. Or shoot me an email to ask me your questions or learn more information.

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Waking Up in Vegas"

Turquoise and red is a great fun color scheme for spring and summer!

"Waking Up in Vegas" Invitation Duo (invite & reply card)

The invitation is printed on white cardstock and mounted to a bright cherry red petal folding envelope which has been lined with turquoise polka dot scrapbook paper. The reply card has a matching red envelope and can easy tuck into the petal envelope for mailing.

This stationery set is very modern in its design - from the thick bold serif fond, the large scale simple pattern, and the fun polka dots!

This design would also be great for a children's birthday party, baby shower, or other funky spring/summer event!

Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Orange Creamsicle"


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Shameless Plug Time: Love this invitation (or others featured on this blog)? Want something similar (or something completely custom) designed for your event? Visit Invites by Andrea to view more samples, download a catalogue pdf, or fill out a design request form. Or shoot me an email to ask me your questions or learn more information.

Fancy/Funky Friday: Patterns Larissa & Lucy

Today's two patterns are similar in color - but not much else!

First, the "fancy": Pattern Larissa

Why it's "fancy": Thin lines, curves, and elegant x-shapes give it an overall lace-like quality.

Why it's great: The shapes formed by the arcs remind me of dividing cells or figure eights.


And now, the "funky": Pattern Lucy

Why it's "funky": Thick swatches of color and lava-lamp-inspired shapes give it a funky mod 1960s feel!

Why it's great: I love how the "stripes" of pattern are just a little off-kilter, adding an unexpected tilt to the design.

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Shameless plug time: Love my patterns? I incorporate them into a lot of the artwork I create, from stationery for Invites by Andrea to the watercolors I paint. Check out Invites by Andrea's website to see examples of these patterns in use or drop me a line at andrea@invitesbyandrea.com to let me know what you think!

Summer Color Combo - Watermelon & Lime

Take inspiration from fruits for a fun and fresh color scheme perfect for outdoor summer events!

Many flowers occur naturally in these pink and green shades, so it should be no problem finding blooms to decorate your event! Serve watermelon flavored cocktails or fruit punch, use slices of watermelon and lime as garnishes and centerpieces (by piling slices in a clear vase), and include whole limes or green apples in your flower arrangements.

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Shameless Plug Time: Love this color combination? Looking for custom stationery made to match these colors (or whatever other color combinations you're using for your event)? Visit Invites by Andrea to view more samples, download a catalogue pdf, or fill out a design request form. Or shoot me an email to ask me your questions or learn more information.

Color of the Week - Acid Yellow

This week's color is Acid Yellow - a bright neon yellow with just a hint of a cool green undertone!

Pair acid yellow with a cool neutral (like gray), or a highly-saturated color like magenta or azure blue for a fresh, youthful color scheme.

Fun facts about Acid Yellow:

1. The name acid yellow comes from the food industry, where some types of yellow food coloring are known as acid yellow.

2. The acid yellow color is similar to chartreuse yellow, a bright color named in 1838 for its resemblance to a type of French liqueur, and electric lime, a fluorescent Crayola color created in 1990 and popular for creating psychedelic art.

3. Neon lights were named for the noble gas of the same name, which gives off a red light. Other "neon" colors are actually produced from other gases and chemicals, such as helium (yellow), carbon dioxide (white), and mercury (blue).


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Shameless Plug Time: Love this color? Looking for custom stationery made to match this color (or whatever other color combinations you're using for your event)? Visit Invites by Andrea to view more samples, download a catalogue pdf, or fill out a design request form. Or shoot me an email to ask me your questions or learn more information.

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Manors & Etiquette"

This romantic invitation has a beautiful yellow and purple color scheme.

An elegant yellow pattern lines the top of this baby shower invitation; an identical stripe cuts the remaining white background into two, acting as both a design element and a way to feature the most important text of the invitation - the day, time, and location of the event. I love how the second pattern stripe acts like a fancy yellow highlighter!

Though this example is for a baby shower, this design could work for almost any traditional or elegant event, including weddings and spring holidays.


Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: A bold red & turquoise color scheme!


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Shameless Plug Time: Love this invitation (or others featured on this blog)? Want something similar (or something completely custom) designed for your event? Visit Invites by Andrea to view more samples, download a catalogue pdf, or fill out a design request form. Or shoot me an email to ask me your questions or learn more information.