Flowerless Bouquets 10 - Nature

Today's wedding bouquets and centerpieces aren't limited to fragrant blooms. This week, I have two final flower alternatives to show you!

Option 10: Nature Bouquets

Nature has other options to offer besides flowers and the other flower alternatives we've already looked at (feathers, seashells, and fresh produce)!

In spring, use grasses and leafy ferns. In fall, celebrate harvest season with autumn leaves and stalks of wheat and other grains. And in winter, add pinecones and cotton to your bouquet for earthy colors and variety in texture!

In the top left picture, autumn leaves have been shaped into flowers. On the bottom right (second row up from the bottom), pinecones have been spray-painted teal to match a color scheme and dusted with glitter to mimic freshly fallen snow. Pair natural elements with fresh flowers (I love the sunflowers with cotton and grain second in from the left on the bottom row!) or let them stand alone, simple and unadorned (except for a ribbon to tie the bouquet together).

I hope you enjoyed this exploration into flower alternatives as much as I enjoyed scouring the internet for ideas and photos! It's amazing how many creative ideas are out there. I encourage you to explore yourself, or come up with something completely new! Your unique decor ideas may become inspiration for someone else planning their own event... :)

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Shameless plug time: Need invitations as beautiful as your decor? Check out InvitesbyAndea.com and let me design stationery for your event!

Flowerless Bouquets 9 - Fruits and Vegetables

Today's wedding bouquets and centerpieces aren't limited to fragrant blooms. This week, I have two final flower alternatives to show you!

Option 9: Fruit and Vegetable Bouquets

Use local and in-season produce instead of flowers for a unique bouquet perfect for destination weddings, autumn harvest themes, farm and orchard venues, and food-centered parties!

Perhaps you care passionately about organic produce, supporting local farmer's markets, eating healthily, cooking with fresh vegetables, or tending your backyard vegetable garden. Perhaps you and your partner shared your first date at an apple orchard or corn maze. Perhaps you come from a culture or family that puts a lot of stock into old family recipes handed down from generation to generation. Whatever your reason, don't neglect produce in favor of flowers if food means more to you! Fresh food can be as visually beautiful as delicious, and a surprising number of fruits and vegetables make for great bouquet staples (in addition to diet staples)! 

Fruits and vegetables to consider: strawberries, apples, cherries, berries, small gourds, citrus fruits (especially when sliced to decorate centerpiece vases and jars), pineapples (for table centerpieces only), leafy plants (spinach, lettuce, cabbage, etc.), string beans, artichokes, peppers, carrots, broccoli, garlic bulbs, small onions, and anything else you want to try!

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Shameless plug time: Need invitations as beautiful as your decor? Check out InvitesbyAndea.com and let me design stationery for your event!

Flowerless Bouquets 8 - Marshmallows and Candy

Today's wedding bouquets and centerpieces aren't limited to fragrant blooms. For the next five weeks, I'll be showing you my favorite flower alternatives, from new DIY creations to bouquets rich in history (and heirloom antiques!), from transient arrangements that look beautiful at your event to permanent keepsakes that'll look beautiful for generations to come.

Option 8: Marshmallow and Candy Bouquets

What's more fun, nostalgic, and delicious than edible candy centerpieces and bouquets? Answer: Nothing. Lollipops, candy canes, gumdrops, gumballs, and colored marshmallows make great options for bouquets, and they come in a great variety of bright, fun colors.

Use candy bouquets and centerpieces to inject childhood nostalgia into your wedding or other formal event, or decorate a child's birthday party.

And don't forget the main attraction - a table full of brightly colored goodies in glass jars and canisters that your guests can sample throughout the event!

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Shameless plug time: Need invitations as beautiful as your decor? Check out InvitesbyAndea.com and let me design stationery for your event!

Flowerless Bouquet 7 - Balloons and Pinwheels

Today's wedding bouquets and centerpieces aren't limited to fragrant blooms. For the next five weeks, I'll be showing you my favorite flower alternatives, from new DIY creations to bouquets rich in history (and heirloom antiques!), from transient arrangements that look beautiful at your event to permanent keepsakes that'll look beautiful for generations to come.

Option 7: Balloon and Pinwheel Bouquets

Embrace the whimsy of childhood with balloon and pinwheel bouquets and centerpieces!
 

Use large, single balloons for unique "bouquets" or twist long balloons into flowers to create a bouquet with a more traditional shape.

Similarly, pinwheels can be tiny and grouped together like miniature flowers in a tight bouquet ball, or they can be giant and stand alone as a fun bridesmaid "bouquet." They look amazingly adorable in photos!

Versatile and fun, balloons come in every color imaginable, and you can easily make your own pinwheels out of your favorite colored or patterned scrapbook paper.

They also make great decor! String balloons or pinwheels on to your ceremony canopy or arch, attach small balloon flowers or pinwheels to the ends of each row of ceremony chairs, decorate your reception hall with balloons, or hand out miniature pinwheel wedding favors.

Balloon bouquets and pinwheels are also great for children's parties!

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Shameless plug time: Need invitations as beautiful as your decor? Check out InvitesbyAndea.com and let me design stationery for your event!

Flowerless Bouquets 6 - Doorknobs and Buttons

Today's wedding bouquets and centerpieces aren't limited to fragrant blooms. For the next five weeks, I'll be showing you my favorite flower alternatives, from new DIY creations to bouquets rich in history (and heirloom antiques!), from transient arrangements that look beautiful at your event to permanent keepsakes that'll look beautiful for generations to come.

Option 6: Doorknob and Button Bouquets

At first glance, antique doorknobs and buttons look a lot like brooches - but even the most colorful, adorned doorknobs won't have <i>quite</i> the bling of vintage brooches, and often appear sturdier (they are) and less elegant (after all, they were intended more for everyday use, not just special occasions).

They come in almost any color (and you can always paint metal or wood doorknobs to a different color if you don't find what you're looking for), and even delicate flower-shaped knobs still have a hint of masculinity and strength to their construction that's both unique and beautiful for bouquets.

Doorknob and button bouquets would be fantastic for an historic "steampunk" themed event (especially if the constructed "bouquet" is all unpainted metal colors like gunmetal gray and antique brass).

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Shameless plug time: Need invitations as beautiful as your decor? Check out InvitesbyAndea.com and let me design stationery for your event!

Flowerless Bouquets 5 - Brooches

Today's wedding bouquets and centerpieces aren't limited to fragrant blooms. For the next five weeks, I'll be showing you my favorite flower alternatives, from new DIY creations to bouquets rich in history (and heirloom antiques!), from transient arrangements that look beautiful at your event to permanent keepsakes that'll look beautiful for generations to come.

Option 5: Brooch Bouquets

Brooch bouquets are <i>all</i> the rage right now! They're absolutely gorgeous, and they have a great vintage feel to them. Scour antique shops, jewelry stores (go for costume jewelry to save money and find large, colorful brooches), flea markets - even your grandmother's attic!

If the brooches mean something to your or your family, you'll have the added bonus of heirloom history on your wedding day - but even if all the brooches you find are brand new purchases, they'll mean something to you now, and will have all the more value for future generations.

Don't be afraid to mix different brooches! The best brooch bouquets have a variety of sizes and styles that all flow together by similarity in color or shape.

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Shameless plug time: Need invitations as beautiful as your decor? Check out InvitesbyAndea.com and let me design stationery for your event!

Flowerless Bouquets 4 - Seashells

Today's wedding bouquets and centerpieces aren't limited to fragrant blooms. For the next five weeks, I'll be showing you my favorite flower alternatives, from new DIY creations to bouquets rich in history (and heirloom antiques!), from transient arrangements that look beautiful at your event to permanent keepsakes that'll look beautiful for generations to come.

Option 4: Seashell Bouquets

Like feathers, seashells are both found in nature and manufactured by humans for decor. Collect your own seashells from your favorite beachfront, or order fake (perfectly round) seashells that mimic the real ones.

Dye or color seashells to match your colors, or add hints of color with beads, fabric, and ribbon. Pearls look great with seashells!

Seashell bouquets and centerpieces are <i>perfect</i> for destination beach weddings, but also work great for under-the-sea themed children's parties, or hip urban events hosted at city aquariums!


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Shameless plug time: Need invitations as beautiful as your decor? Check out InvitesbyAndea.com and let me design stationery for your event!

Flowerless Bouquets 3 - Feathers

Today's wedding bouquets and centerpieces aren't limited to fragrant blooms. For the next five weeks, I'll be showing you my favorite flower alternatives, from new DIY creations to bouquets rich in history (and heirloom antiques!), from transient arrangements that look beautiful at your event to permanent keepsakes that'll look beautiful for generations to come.

Option 3: Feather Bouquets

Feather is a great way to add texture to other styles of bouquets - including fabric and paper flowers, as well as real blooms - but you can also create an entirely feather bouquet to really indulge the senses. Feather bouquets are great for winter, when real blooms are harder (and more expensive) to come by, and look amazing with single-color or neutral color schemes (like an all-white winter wedding, or a vintage ivory/light rose pink wedding).

Use real feathers (or feathers that mimic those that occur in nature) for a realistic look (think bright peacock feathers, earthy brown ostrich feathers, or the white softness of goose down), or have fun with bright, unnatural feathers like hot pink and neon green!

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Shameless plug time: Need invitations as beautiful as your decor? Check out InvitesbyAndea.com and let me design stationery for your event!

Flowerless Bouquets 2 - Paper

Today's wedding bouquets and centerpieces aren't limited to fragrant blooms. For the next five weeks, I'll be showing you my favorite flower alternatives, from new DIY creations to bouquets rich in history (and heirloom antiques!), from transient arrangements that look beautiful at your event to permanent keepsakes that'll look beautiful for generations to come.

Option 2: Paper Bouquets

Just like fabric, paper comes in several different textures and any color under the sun (and if you <i>don't</i> find the shade you need, you can just print out your own!), making it a great option for brides who want flowers in non-natural colors like dark teal or their favorite blooms at times of the year when they aren't readily available.

Use soft, pliable paper for rounder edges, or thick cardstock for sharp-edged petals. The internet is full of origami flower tutorials - try a bunch of different options to find out which style flower you like best (or is easiest for you to create) before committing to this extensive DIY project.

Like fabric, you can make your paper flowers look surprisingly realistic, or you can play up the "paper-ness" of your material by using patterned paper and newsprint (or other paper with printed words).

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Shameless plug time: Need invitations as beautiful as your decor? Check out InvitesbyAndea.com and let me design stationery for your event!

Flowerless Bouquets 1 - Fabric

Today's wedding bouquets and centerpieces aren't limited to fragrant blooms. For the next five weeks, I'll be showing you my favorite flower alternatives, from new DIY creations to bouquets rich in history (and heirloom antiques!), from transient arrangements that look beautiful at your event to permanent keepsakes that'll look beautiful for generations to come.

Option 1: Fabric Bouquets

The great thing about fabric is it comes in every color imaginable (and if you <i>don't</i> find the shade you need, you can always design your own at Spoonflower.com!), making it a great option for brides who want flowers in non-natural colors like dark teal or their favorite blooms at times of the year when they aren't readily available.

For added elegance, sew small jewels (pearls, rhinestones) or beads into the fabric flower centers or around the edges of the petals. Fabric flowers can look surprisingly realistic, and are often significantly cheaper than real blooms - plus, they'll last forever as a great wedding keepsake!

For a less realistic-looking (but perhaps more beautiful) bouquet, mix solid colors with patterned fabrics, or play with texture by adding lace and using different types of texture.

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Shameless plug time: Need invitations as beautiful as your decor? Check out InvitesbyAndea.com and let me design stationery for your event!

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "If the Blue Fits"

Though simple at first glance, this stationery design has a lot going on - including a metallic envelope, scrapbook paper, colored brads, and a playful linear design.

"If the Blue Fits" - Invitation Duo (invite & info insert)

I started with a metallic sky blue folding envelope, then lined the left-side flap and right-side pocket with printed denim-blue scrapbook paper. I mimicked that same linear design on the actual invitation and information insert, using the nonparallel stripes as divisions for the paragraphs of text as well as design elements at the top and bottom of each page.

I love the "hollowness" of the font I used for the paragraph headlines - the thin blue outlines around each letter harken back to the nearly-horizontal stripes that cover the printed pages and scrapbook additions.

Finally, the blue brads give the stationery set added depth by incorporating three dimensions. From a distance, the lines and different shades of blue remind me of the way the surface of a calm lake might look as the water is rippled in the breeze. This design would be perfect for a spring or summer wedding - especially one outdoors near a pond or lake!


Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: a beautiful yellow and pink spring stationery 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.

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!! :)
 
 

Shameless plug time: Love these wall hangings? Head over to Spoonflower to purchase my fabrics! :)
 

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Ole Black & Blue Eyes"

What's more modern than an epic black envelope? Answer: Not much.

"Ole Black and Blue Eyes" Invitation Duo (invite & reply card)

If you're looking to create a balance between the traditional and modern, look no further than this stationery set, which features an elegant lace-like pattern that feels fresh and new thanks to its large scale, the timeless Helvetica, and a black petal-fold envelope.

More sophistication is added with the tactile characteristics of this design - the petal-fold envelope is a black linen, which gives it a hint of texture, and the obviously-textured light blue cardstock and powder blue brads give even more three-dimensionality to the set.

The cool blue hues paired with the classic and crisp black & white neutrals create a great color scheme that's perfect for winter!

Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: An evergreen-themed holiday 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.

Flower Bat Mitzvah Placecard Poster and Table Markers

A couple months ago I posted a pink and green flower-themed Bat Mitzvah invitation set I designed for a client. A few weeks after I made that post, the client came back to me to ask for some table markers and a placecard poster in a similar theme for the dinner party after the ceremony.

I used the same template for the table markers as I did when I made some for my own wedding. The three-sided self-standing table marker template fits onto standard legal paper (8.5" x 14") - a size that's bigger than the usual 8.5" x 11" but still fits into my printer. :) I used the same rose design from the invitations on each side of the table marker, but changed the number to a different (serif) font since the sans-serif font I used for everything else didn't have the most recognizable number characters from a distance.

Before I sent them off to the Chicago area (where the event was to take place), I first took some photos of them in my apartment. I had a bit of fun setting them up on a chair by the window, letting the spring sunshine work as lighting. Since they're self-standing, they even easily stack on top of each other to make a tall tower!

And here is a photograph of the table markers at the actual event. I love how it works with the color of the tablecloth and centerpiece flowers! :)

I also painted and assembled a sign for the dining room to show guests where to sit. I painted a large version of the same rose design along the right side of the sign (a large tri-fold foam board I found in the science fair aisle of my local Michael's store), and painted the new Bat Mitzvah's name across the top in both English and Hebrew (just like I did on the invitations).

To make sure that I painted it as accurately as possible, I printed out a template from my computer and traced it onto the board before painting. I used acrylic paint, mixing my own pink and green to try to emulate the exact colors I used on the invitations. For the rest of the sign, I printed a list of names for each table on my computer and attached each to a piece of the same metallic "pink azalea" colored cardstock I used on the invitations.

Here are a few photographs I took in my apartment of the completed sign:

And here is the self-standing sign on a pink-clothed table at the entrance to the dining room at the Bat Mitzvah celebration:

The clients loved the table markers and sign, and a lot of the guests were talking about them too! I'm glad it was a successful event!


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Shameless plug time: Love these design? Want some of your own? Download my convenient pdf catalogue to see all of my design options, or check out my Invites by Andrea website to view some samples and get more information. I can also do custom designs! Need a sign painted in acrylic or watercolor for your event? I do paintings, too! :)