Spring Color Combo: Poppy Red & Linen

Pantone has included both "poppy red" and "linen" in its list of spring colors for 2013 - and its certainly true that it's easy to find both of these colors on the fashion runways! Incorporate this classic color scheme into almost any spring event (weddings, Valentine's Day - even Easter, if you're open to changing out traditional white lily decor for some brilliant red poppies)!

Poppies are easy flowers to fake with crepe paper or fabric, making it a breeze to decorate (under budget!) for any occasion. Play up texture within the neutral beige color to add dimension - string a paper or fabric banner of triangle flags, and use a linen tablecloth with visible threads.

This color scheme would also be beautiful in the fall, or even for winter holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas!

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Spring Color Combo: Mint & Coral

Candy-colored pastels are super stylish this season - so why not use this beautiful mint and coral color scheme for your upcoming event? (These colors work for almost any springtime event, from weddings to Valentine's Day and birthday parties!)

These colors work because they're near-complements on the color wheel and because they're both tints (light hues of deep, saturated colors).

Play with a few different shades of coral (from brighter red-orange shades to pale pinks) and tie it all together with the cool consistency of mint green - a classic color with a vintage feel.

This color scheme would also work great for a child's bedroom or 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: "My Life in Green and Pink"

I call this design "ugly-pretty" (not to be confused with "pretty ugly") because it's a bit of an acquired taste. Funky and eclectic, there are several competing patterns and colors that seem like they shouldn't go together... but the childlike whimsy of it all brings it together into a design that works.

"My Life in Green and Pink" Invitation Duo (invite & reply card) with matching Save-the-Date

The invitation is mounted to a solid color smooth-textured grass green "cascade" style envelope. I adorned the left flap and right side pocket with fun pink and green striped/polka-dotted scrapbook paper, and then used all of those same colors (the lime green, light pink, rusty violet, and minty green-blue) in the text and pattern printed on the white cardstock of the invitation, reply card, and save-the-date.

There was a lot of white space to fill on either side of the invitation, and I didn't want the pattern from the scrapbook paper to start feeling stale by repeating it everywhere - so I designed and introduced a new pattern - a funky, two-tone linear design that stresses zig-zag cross-like forms and rounded rectangles. Because the colors still relate to the scrapbook paper, it still feels coherent, but also keeps everything fresh and interesting.

Finally, I picked a very angular font for all of the text to play off the structure of both stripe-emphasizing patterns. And - of course - I took a part of one of the patterns (in this case, the minty blue-green rounded rectangles) and used them as guest "check-boxes" for the RSVP card, to help tie everything together. :)

This green and pink color scheme is great for spring, and the festive feeling of the competing patterns makes this a great design for a let-your-hair-down celebration, such as a St. Patrick's Day party.


Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Beyond the Veil"


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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 Gloria & Alaska

Other than the warm colors they share, today's fancy and funky patterns couldn't be more different!

First, the "fancy": Pattern Gloria

Why it's "fancy": Loopy curves interact with each other to create a lace or crochet-like quality, especially when viewed at a distance.

Why it's great: This design reminds me of a pattern for a warm winter sweater or blanket - so cozy!


And now, the "funky": Pattern Alaska

 Why it's "funky": Straight lines and even spacing between lines give it a very ordered appearance; the emphasis on line length and simple repetition remind me of the patterns, paintings, carvings, and totem poles of native cultures.

Why it's great: From a distance, the negative white stripes between the rows of patterns and the white triangles left behind by the X shapes become the most prominent areas of the design - everything else almost fades into a solid block of red color.

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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!

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Florentine Brown"

I love the color of this metallic copper. Coupled with a rich chocolate brown, the light-reflecting copper really stands out! :)

"Florentine Brown" Invitation Duo (invite & reply card)

I used a bold, graphic pattern along one edge of both the invitation and reply card to give it a funky, modern feel. Unlike most of my patterns, I actually printed this pattern in white and placed it on top of a rectangle of copper color.

I used the same pattern unit (two capital-Cs turned sideways and facing each other) to break up paragraphs of text on the invitation and to serve as check-boxes for guests to indicate their availability on the RSVP card.

Both the copper envelopes and the dark brown cardstock that borders both the invitation and reply card are metallic, and the picture below is a great example of how different colors show off their shine in different ways. The lighter copper reflects light much easier (and looks a lot shinier) than its darker brown counterpart, where the metallic shimmer is more subtle and sophisticated.

The ultra-shine of two metallic colors makes this design perfect for holidays like New Year's Eve, where glitter and shimmer are everything.


Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "My Life in Green & Pink"


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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 Eileen & Martina

TGIF! Scroll down to see today's fancy and funky patterns!

First, the "fancy": Pattern Eileen

Why it's "fancy": Thin, arched lines that intersect to create elegant loops

Why it's great: Though the line thickness is more or less consistent, the amount of white negative space between the lines varies, giving the pattern dimension and visual interest.


And now, the "funky": Pattern Martina

 Why it's "funky": Lines that vary greatly in thickness and direction, creating a "spiked X" shape as well as a 1970s-inspired radial flower design

Why it's great: The unusual combination of elements is unique and unexpected, begging for you to take a second, closer look!

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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!

Valentine's Day Color Combo #2 - Cherry Red & Aqua

I've featured a red and aqua inspiration board on this blog before - and I've even featured a red and aqua stationery set for a "Sunday Sample Spotlight" post - but the color scheme is so versatile and exciting that it bears repeating.

Today's inspiration board is different from the one I posted last March because it specifically focuses on Valentine's Day decor:

I love the idea of scrapbook-paper "fortune cookies" (the first three pictures on the left of the first row), as well as the fabric patchwork-like banner that spells out l-o-v-e in different red and aqua fabrics. Valentine's Day is the perfect time to emphasize cute, so don't be afraid to don a fun aqua dress dotted with bright red cherries - or keep things romantic and simple by decorating a two-person "sweetheart" table with a centerpiece of classic red roses tucked into aqua-blue glass jars and bottles.

Just like yesterday's Valentine's Day color scheme of ballet pink and black, red and aqua also makes a great color combo for birthdays, children's bedrooms, or nurseries!


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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.

Valentine's Day Color Combo #1 - Ballet Pink & Black

Pale pink and black is a classic color scheme for Valentine's Day because it's become associated with two very romantic things - the unitards and tutus of ballet costumes, and the City of Love, Paris. (Just try to find a cutesy notebook adorned with the Eiffel tower and French poodles that doesn't use this color scheme - I dare you!)

This color combo brings out the little girl in all of us, reminding us of our childish dreams of becoming a ballerina (or princess) when we "grew-up." Play up this nostalgia with feather boas, flowers, bows, and polka-dots - or take this color scheme into a new, grown-up level of sophistication with sexy black lace, damask patterns, or forever-stylish "French bistro" white and black stripes, and then inject calculated doses of hot pink to liven the mood.

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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: "The Art Teacher"

I had a lot of fun with color and simulating paint splatter in Adobe Illustrator to create this invitation design.

"The Art Teacher" Invitation

The text blends into the paint splatter so much that at first glance it's a little bit like "Where's Waldo" - but it's easy enough to read as long as the text is minimal. In this design, not much information needs to be given since there is a website guests can visit for more details and to reply online, so the crazy text is perfect.

Artsy and playful, this design would be great for a creative venue (such as a rehearsal dinner or holiday cocktail party at a modern art museum), a more casual affair (like a child's birthday party boasting lots of arts-and-crafts activities), or a baby announcement or shower invitation.

Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Florentine Brown"


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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 Carlotta & Laney

Both of today's featured patterns boast thin lines - but how are they different? Read on to find out!

First, the "fancy": Pattern Carlotta

Why it's "fancy": Thin lines form loops, elegant X's, and modified diamond shapes; altogether, the pattern harkens to classic preppy prints like argyle and plaid.

Why it's great: I love the play of positive and negative space. You can choose to focus on the large circles (which are really more like 12-sided polygons), the two X's within each figure-eight, or the starburst/diamond shapes.


And now, the "funky": Pattern Laney

 Why it's "funky": Though the ribbon-like lines are thin, elegant, and loopy, they connect to each other in unique ways, creating an optical illusion. Because each "stripe" of pattern faces the opposite way, the diagonals play tricks on our eyes - stare at the pattern for two long and the lines look like they're moving!

Why it's great: This entire pattern was created just from a cursive-inspired font's capital L character!

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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!

Floral Quilted Wall Hangings

This past holiday season I hand-sewed three different "wall hangings" to give out as gifts to my mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother. 

Buy these floral fabrics here: http://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/ideasbyandrea

All of the fabric swatches (except for the solid light green around the edges) were printed at Spoonflower - a website that allows you to upload your own designs to be printed on fabric! The images you see are photographs of flowers that I've taken in the last several years (including pictures of roses and bouquets purchased at supermarkets, the flora around my grandmother's house, and professionally-designed gardens and landscapes in Barcelona, Paris, Southern Italy, Croatia, and Upstate New York). Many of the photographs were slightly altered/desaturated in Photoshop to give them a slightly vintage/aged/faded look. 

All of the photographs have a similar color scheme (shades of light greens, pinks, yellows, whites, purples, and oranges), and are intended to work together as a collection, making them great fabric choices for patchwork projects like these quilt-inspired wall hangings! 

There's no shortage of photographs of the finished project, so keep scrolling down!! :)
 
 

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