Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Breakfast at Tiffany's"

This stationery set fuses a fun diamond pattern with a pale striped design.

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" Invitation Duo (invite & reply card) with matching Save-the-Date

First, the solid Tiffany blue "Cascade" envelope is decorated with horizontally striped scrapbook paper on the left flap and right pocket, to make it seem even longer. Then, I used two vertical strips of one of my fancy patterns to adorn either side of the printed invitation to section off the long horizontal envelope.

I love when I can use part of the pattern for the "check boxes" on the reply card. Not only is it functional (here, the same diamond shapes from the pattern are available for the guests to select their RSVP option), but it ties the whole design together in a simple, cohesive way.

This pale aqua and crisp white color scheme is great for winter (think ice and snowflakes) or summer (think Caribbean beaches and the fresh whitecaps of waves); furthermore, the two patterns used (intricate arcs forming diamonds and simple, thick stripes) can easily be dressed up in elegance or dressed down for a casual affair, making this stationery set flexible for almost any event!

Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Heart of Steel"


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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 Sylvia & Basiliki

Happy Friday! Here are today's two patterns:

First, the "fancy": Pattern Sylvia

Why it's "fancy": Calligraphic, thin lines vary between tight lace-like areas and wide open negative spaces framed by elegant curves

Why it's great: The thickest, boldest, and largest arcs form giant lip-like shapes!


And now, the "funky": Pattern Basiliki

Why it's "funky": Crooked lines form imperfect tilted squares

Why it's great: Because of the slanted lines, this pattern has a lot of movement - and our brains play a trick on us, making us think the whole pattern is tilted (but if you look at the edges, you'll see the lines are straight after all)!

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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!

Photo Inspiration: The Colors of the Sea

I hope you've enjoyed this month's photo inspiration color schemes! Today's picture was taken on the Greek coast in 2011. I loved the different blues, greens, and neutral browns that were churned up from the sunlit water rippling over the rocks just offshore!

Why these colors go together: Blue and green are analogous on the color wheel; here they're both not quite the bright, saturated colors we're used to. The blue is darker and grayer, while the green is a little lighter and grayer. Add in two shades of light tan for a great beach-inspired set of neutrals and near-neutrals.

How to use this color scheme: The emphasis on neutrals and ocean colors make this a great color scheme for beach house interiors - or any interior space that you want to give that relaxing beach feeling (bedrooms and bathrooms in particular).

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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.

Photo Inspiration: Purple & Yellow

Today's photo was taken in Positano, Italy - a little town along the Amalfi cost - in 2010. Though I featured a purple and yellow color scheme just last week, this one is different enough in tone to merit a new post. :)

Why these colors go together: This blue-purple is much happier than last week's, which had some grayish undertones. The purple, pale yellow, and pale blue are all fairly pure (color + white, instead of color + gray), giving them that peaceful feeling that all pastel colors share. For the neutral color, I pulled out a green so dark that it's almost black, to give this otherwise pasty color scheme sophistication and depth.

How to use this color scheme: What couldn't you use this color scheme for? The pastels are all classic wedding colors for any time of year (especially the winter, spring, or summer), and here those  traditional colors are given a modern twist with a bit of dark black-green. Use this color scheme for a relaxing living room or bedroom inside your house, a nautical/beach themed room or a nursery.

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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.

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Take a Bow"

I love this colorful stationery set!

"Take a Bow" Invitation Duo (invite & reply card)

First, I chose a hot pink folding "Cascade" envelope, hot pink reply envelope, and pale yellow envelope to tuck everything inside.

Then I adorned the left flap and right pocket of the folding "Cascade" envelope with pieces of pastel-colored stripe-patterned scrapbook paper.

The invitation and reply card are printed in purple and black text with thin pink stripes (and one thick stripe at the top) and a pale yellow background.

Then I used "glue dots" to secure a strip of green ribbon across the top of both the invitation and reply card (to reference the green stripe in the pastel scrapbook paper). I tied two small bows out of the same green ribbon, and attached them with one glue dot each to the strip of ribbon already stuck to the paper.

I chose a unique elongated font for the design's text to mimic the vertical length of the scrapbook paper stripes.

Because of the colors and bow accents, this stationery set would be great for children's birthday parties, baby announcements or baby showers - but it could be appropriate for almost any event. The pale pastel scrapbook paper and yellow invitation and outside envelope give it a vintage feel that would totally work for a unique, whimsical wedding!

Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: A stationery set featuring the beautiful shade of Tiffany blue


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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 Thalia & Aldona

Happy Friday! Here are today's two patterns:

First, the "fancy": Pattern Thalia

Why it's "fancy": Thin, calligraphic curves create prominent loops

Why it's great: The large spiral-y capital O's resemble olives (especially from a distance), and the straighter diagonal lines come together to form starburst shapes out of the white negative space, but the thin lines and over-emphasis on loops keeps the pattern elegant and "fancy."


And now, the "funky": Pattern Aldona

Why it's "funky": Straight lines create unexpected shapes (from a distance some white "squares" of negative space pop forward, but the first thing you see is the shape formed by two horizontal rectangles - one with little "arms" pointing either up or down).

Why it's great: You can see a lot of things in that strange shape - when the rectangles "arms" are pointing up, I think instantly of a little bowl/goblet/candy dish, or a candelabra/menorah, and by tilting my head sideways I see letters - perhaps a capital I C, or a ligature of the word "HE."

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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!

Photo Inspiration: Neutral Olives

Today's photo was taken at an outdoor olive market in Thessaloniki, Greece in 2007.

Why these colors go together: They're all so dark that they act as neutrals - you could find any one of these colors (khaki green, gray, navy blue, and rusty brown) on a pair of dress slacks. Furthermore, since they all come from different kinds of olives, they have a common heritage that links them together.

How to use this color scheme: This rich group of neutrals would be great for a sophisticated office or library, although I can also easily imagine it for a modern kitchen or living space in a warehouse-style loft in the city, with concrete floors and stainless steel appliances. Seasonally, it would work best in autumn, when the nights are just starting to get longer and darker and the leaves are changing to rusty reds.

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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.

Photo Inspiration: A Hint of Neon

Today we continue the look at photograph-inspired color schemes that we started last week. This picture was taken in Barcelona's Parc de la Ciutadella in 2010.

Why these colors go together: These tints of blue-violet obviously go together, since they all have the same base color. I particularly love the blueish icy feel of the lightest tint! Then, for a touch of excitement, I pulled out the neon acid-yellow that was created from the sun shining through the background foliage. This acid-yellow goes with the blue-violet shades because yellow is purple's complement on the color wheel - and because it has the same icy feeling as the lighter purple shades.

How to use this color scheme: This funky modern color scheme would be great in a living space decorated with contemporary Ikea-esque furniture, a nursery/child's bedroom (who needs stereotypical pink and blue when you can have blue-violet and acid-yellow??), or a fun, unique event. The icy undertones lend itself obviously to winter weddings, but I think this color scheme could work just as well in any season - the neon yellow is perfect for spring or summer, and the richness of the darkest blue-violet pairs perfectly with the yellow for an autumn wedding, 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.

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Art Nouveau"

Give your event stationery the gold standard with this antique gold "Cascade" fold envelope!

"Art Nouveau" Invitation Duo (invite & reply card)

The long format of this folded envelope allow for a landscape-oriented invitation and leave plenty of room for a reply card and envelope to be tucked into the right pocket.

For this design, I used one of my "fancy" patterns to adorn the white backgrounds of the invitation and reply card. The font is an italic serif font with a calligraphic look, and the pattern's color mimics the gold of the metallic envelopes.

I attached a thin sheet of colored vellum to the invitation with two small gold brads to give the stationery added elegance. You can still read all of the invite's information through the vellum, or lift the paper to see the white background underneath.

Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: Getting pretty in pastels...


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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 Turina & Dahlia

Happy Friday! Here are today's two patterns:

First, the "fancy": Pattern Turina

Why it's "fancy": Thin "Roman numeral" letter forms (with a touch of elegance in the decorative loops) harken back to bygone eras.

Why it's great: The straight lines and handle-bar mustache curves instantly make me think of steampunk - an homage to the 1800s with a modern twist.


And now, the "funky": Pattern Dahlia

Why it's "funky": From a distance, the negative white space becomes more prominent, giving the pattern a "checkerboard picnic tablecloth" feel.

Why it's great: Up close, the thin curves create cloud-like shapes that are sectioned off by competing lines and arcs.

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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!

Photo Inspiration: Candy Shop

Today's photo was taken inside a large candy store just outside Montpellier in the south of France, which I visited as a high schooler in 2005.

Why these colors go together: The pink and blue colors of the candy wrappers go together because they're both tints (lighter shades) of primary colors - created by adding white to either red or blue. Adding the green (found in the darker candy wrappers on the next shelf up on the left side of the photo) is a great way to relate back to the pink and blue, since green is pink's complement and sits next to blue on the color wheel. For the last color to pull out of this photo, I chose a neutral tan. Neutrals go with everything, and are a great way to add some depth without introducing a fourth eye-popping color.

How to use this color scheme: This color scheme would be great for a winter or spring wedding, since the pink and blue tints have a bit of an icy feel. It would also be ideal for a baby shower or for decorating a nursery, since it features the quintessential "baby" colors of pink and light blue. Perhaps less obvious are other fun choices like valentine's day parties, the interior of bakeries or ice cream shops, or a unique, modern living space.

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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.

Photo Inspiration: Four Bright Colors

For the month of January, I have planned a series of blog posts featuring color schemes pulled from different photographs I've taken. These color schemes could be incorporated into a room of your house, an art project, or event decorations (for birthdays, weddings, you name it!).

Today's photo is one of the many floral pictures of taken of gardens. I just loved the bright, highly saturated colors!

Why these colors go together: The most dominant color in the photograph is that gorgeous kelly green color, and each of the other three picks relate specifically to that green. Yellow is next to green on the color wheel, pink (as a shade of red) is green's complement, and orange is a secondary color (a color created by combining two of the three primary colors of red, yellow and blue) - just like green. Since each of those colors work nicely with green, they also work well with each other!
How to use this color scheme: These bright colors would be great for spring or summer weddings, outdoor events, kid's birthday parties, sunny kitchens or living rooms, and children's bedrooms or playrooms.

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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.

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Through the Glass"

For the first Sunday Sample Spotlight of 2013, I present you with this elegant stationery set with a color scheme perfect for winter events - "Through the Glass."

"Through the Glass" Invitation Duo (invite & info card)

I used a metallic silver "Himalaya" pocketfold envelope with matching metallic silver cardstock as the main color of this sparkly stationery set. The invitation and information sheet are both printed on classic white cardstock, and then mounted to the silver backing with light blue brads and a beautiful two-toned blue ribbon.

The ribbon is a unique blend of satin and sheer - the shiny blue satin mimics the sparkle of the silver cardstock and envelope, while the sheer blue stripe lets the underlying pale blue pattern show through.

I love that when the envelope is folded closed, the silver speaks for itself. When you start to open it, the elegant pattern and ribbons are the first things you see!

As you can see in the photos below, the shiny silver envelope and paper can have quite a bit of sparkle to them, depending on the light. Just because paper is static and flat doesn't mean it has to be boring! Metallic papers are a great way to add interest and depth to your stationery.

The main invitation is only attached to the silver envelope on the left side (the three brads pierce through the ribbon, white cardstock, silver cardstock, and silver envelope), so you can lift up on the right side of the invitation for a peak of more of the beautiful silver envelope underneath!

This stationery set would be great for any elegant winter event, including December holidays, weddings, and anniversary dinners.

Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Art Nouveau"


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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 Destiny & Addison

I hope you enjoy the first Fancy/Funky Friday of 2013! :)

First, the "fancy": Pattern Destiny

Why it's "fancy": Thin, curvy lines that interact in a variety of elegant ways.

Why it's great: I absolutely LOVE everything about this pattern. I love how it looks from a distance and close up, I love the lace-like quality, and I love the line variation (from the thin curves that criss-cross into diamonds and ellipses, to the bolder quotation-mark forms, and everything in between).


And now, the "funky": Pattern Addison

Why it's "funky": S-like squiggles come together to form a collection of small right-angles that "pinch" the negative white space.

Why it's great: Some of the spirals overlap, while others are left to breathe, giving this pattern the variation it needs so that it doesn't become a ho-hum string of spiral shapes.

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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!

2012 In Review

Happy New Year!

2012 was a very exciting year for this blog, so I'm all the more excited to see what 2013 will bring! But before we jump into the new year, I wanted to take just a moment to review some of the most popular and my personal favorite blog posts of 2012.

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The top three most visited posts:

1. Summer color combinations - Here, I showcased three color schemes I thought would work great for summer events, including the coral & jade color combo I used on my own wedding back in 2011! It's received nearly 800 pageviews since it was posted in May!

2. Spring color combinations - Less than a dozen pageviews behind my most-visited post, this entry from March includes inspiration boards for three different super-saturated bright springtime color schemes.

3. Winter color combinations - With nearly 700 pageviews since it was posted last January, this entry also features three inspiration boards - including a sophisticated neutral palette perfect not just for winter weddings, but events held at any time of year.

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Some of my favorite color scheme posts of 2012:

1. Leather & Light Sage - I love how versatile this color scheme is. The softness of the green feels feminine, but when you pair it with shades of brown and the texture of leather, it's also a testament to masculinity. The perfect marriage between vintage romance and the rustic outdoors, this color scheme is perfect for an outdoor wedding and works for almost any season!

2. Neon colors - Fashion is harkening back to the 1980s with oversized sweatshirts, crop tops, leggings, and neon colors. If you're into this youthful trend, don't be afraid to mix neon into even the most sophisticated events - neon colors are a great option for unique couples looking to liven things up!

3. Romantic/vintage wedding colors - Unlike many of my color scheme posts, this one doesn't feature an inspiration board - but rather describes how one my go about selecting neutral and blush pink shades by pulling tints and tones from photographs of roses and flamingos. I love the colors those photos come up with, and the unique way of finding such a great color scheme for an important event!

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My three favorite painting projects of 2012:

1. My patchwork-inspired watercolor sign - This post not only shows off the finished sign, but the step-by-step process I used to draw and paint it!

2. "Waterlilies" Watercolor - I didn't paint many watercolors last year, but I really like the way this small waterlilies painting turned out!

3. My "Once Upon A Time" inspired mural - I loved painting an homage to my favorite television show on my bedroom wall, and I've loved showing it off to visitors ever since! I especially loved the response I got from the Twitter community after a Once Upon a Time fan site retweeted my link!

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And finally...

My favorite stationery project of 2012:

In the summer, I designed and printed a set of stationery for one of my husband's coworkers' daughters, who was getting married. I love the exciting lime green and bright blue color scheme she chose, and it was a lot of fun making a completely custom, love-letter-inspired design for her and her Australian groom.

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Thank you to everyone who visited my blog in 2012 and helped me reach more than 15,000 total pageviews! I had a lot of fun writing all of these posts, and I want you to know how much I appreciate each and every one of you for visiting!

Keep checking back in 2013 for more posts!

<3

Andrea