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!

Fun Bandana Decor

I love bandanas - they're colorful and cute, and they're useful for so much more than just wearing. They're so carefree and summery, they're perfect decor for this time of year!

1. Use bandanas to jazz up your patriotic Memorial Day, Fourth of July, or Labor Day party or picnic!

2. Bandanas come in other colors, too! Use them for outdoor parties, office picnics, children's birthday parties, and decorating your house (especially kids' bedrooms or nurseries)!

Bandanas are perfect alternatives for cloth napkins, make great flags, banners, tablecloths, and table runners, and easily roll up for utensil holders or clever nut/popcorn carriers!

And bandanas aren't limited to just summer, either - orange and black bandanas are great for Halloween and other autumn events!

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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! :)
 

Winter Color Combo: Neon!

You might not think of neon colors when you're considering winter hues, but neon is a great color combo choice to add some spark to the coldest months of the year. :)

Don't be afraid to use several different shades, from neon yellow, pink, and orange to the more unusual electric blues and greens. There are almost limitless opportunities to incorporate neon throughout your event. Decorate tables by spray painting old vases or vintage metal lanterns with shades of neon, and then keep the flowers to a more delicate white. Tie neon bows to the backs of chairs, and hang old neon signs on the wall to give off a funky vibe. Serve colorful cocktails and brightly frosted cupcakes.

For a wedding, have each bridesmaid pick a different neon color to wear, and adorn the walls of the venue with re-purposed picture frames and mirrors that you've spray painted with a coat of bright color. Then, give out neon-themed wedding favors like fun sunglasses (even in the middle of winter!), or rock sugar candy.

Then, bring everything together (and give all the neon accents the perfect backdrop) with a season-appropriate neutral like crisp clean white. Your guests will forget all about the raging snowstorm outside and feel like they've entered a tropical paradise!

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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.

Halloween Party Ideas

Hosting a Halloween party this year?

Here is a short collection of links to peruse for ideas to transform your Halloween get-together from so-so to spook-tacular:

Martha Stewart Halloween Decor Ideas: A varied collection of sophisticated, creepy, grown-up decorations (such as bouquets and centerpieces, cheesecloth spiderwebs, and candlestick displays) and cute kid-friendly options (such as jack-o-lantern themed balloons).

Indoor & Outdoor Decor: A wide collection of real photographs submitted by bloggers of indoor and outdoor Halloween decor, including DIY crafty ideas (like pumpkin topiaries, banners, and paper wreaths).

Halloween-Inspired Cocktails: Adult-only drinks where spooky presentation is everything.

Best Pumpkin Recipes: Spice up your party with a new recipe - because classic pumpkin pie has already been done. ;)

Kid-Friendly Snack Recipes: Mummified Hot-Dogs, Eyeball Punch, and Graveyard Cupcakes (among others).

Halloween Activities: How to entertain children and adults at your Halloween party.


Need Halloween invitations? Check out my custom stationery at InvitesbyAndrea.com!

How to Line an Envelope

Lining envelopes is a great way to add a pop of color to your stationery, and its an easy process to do yourself!

Step 1: Insert the envelope liner into the envelope, making sure that the liner is tucked in as far as it will go and that it rests just under the sticky envelope seal.

Step 2: Fold the envelope closed as you normally would, making sure that the liner stays in place while it folds. This is much easier than measuring and trying to fold the liner separately and then inserting it into the envelope, and it makes a perfectly lined-up crease every time.

Step 3: Add glue to the back flap of the envelope liner.

I recommend using glue dots. They're easier to deal with and much less messier than liquid glue, and they stick superbly well. With liquid glue, you always run into the problem of not using enough or using too much. You don't want the glue to seep through the liner and ruin your stationery, and you don't want the glue to ooze out the other side and ruin the sticky part of the envelope making it either impossible to seal or impossible for your guests to open later on.

If you use a brand of glue dots that come on a long roll (like the "Zots" I used), you should either rip the paper around each dot or at least rip off a small section of the roll. It's easy to accidentally press a glue dot down on a part of the liner or envelope you didn't intend while you're applying a different dot on the same roll. Another easy way to solve that problem? Purchase glue dots that already come on individual backings, such as Michael's "Recollections" brand.

Press the glue dot firmly on to the back of the liner. For small or medium-sized glue dots, I placed five - one in the top corner, one on each side, and two on the center of each edge, just to help close the gaps that were created. For large-sized glue dots, I found three to be sufficient - one in each corner of the triangle.

Then, just peel off the paper backing. On the third picture in the above sequence, you can see what the envelope liner will look like once all the glue dots are in place.

Finally -

Step 4: Fold the envelope closed over the liner again, pressing down firmly to make sure the glue dots adhere to the envelope.

And voila! When you open the envelope, the liner should be attached to the top flap. In less than a minute, your envelope is beautifully lined! :)


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Shameless plug time: Do you love the look of lined envelopes? Need invitations and stationery? Have an event coming up? Visit my website at InvitesbyAndrea.com or email me at andrea@invitesbyandrea.com for more information! I do weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, birthdays, anniversary parties, holidays - anything you might need custom stationery for!

Father's Day Cards

Since next weekend is Father's Day, I wanted to take the opportunity to reiterate the sentiment I expressed before Mother's Day - parents and grandparents love handmade cards. You can draw something yourself, craft a design out of scrapbook paper, use rubber stamps, or generate a design on the computer and print it out yourself. Even if you aren't artistic, chances are you can find some way to make a card extra special for the person you're making it for.

Remember - it's the thought that counts, and your dad will be able to see the thought and effort that went in to the creation of his one-of-a-kind Father's Day card. And the best part is, it really doesn't take more time to make an original card than it does to drive to a card store, go through all the option, select the best card, pay for it, and drive home. It just looks like it did. :)

Mother's Day Cards

When I was in sixth grade, I was the Michigan finalist in a nation-wide Mother's Day card contest. Since I wasn't the national winner, my design wasn't made into a card sold in stores, but I still won a gift certificate to KFC and a set of Encarta CDs which included a digital atlas and an encyclopedia (which would have been a much cooler prize had the internet not already been around for a few years). On top of those prizes, I was also featured in our local newspaper and the Detroit Free Press, and I was interviewed on our local Fox news channel.

Since then, I've created several other greeting card designs. I made personal cards for my friends and family's birthdays all through middle school and high school, which I designed on the computer using Publisher. More recently, I've designed cards in Illustrator - here are a few birthday, anniversary, and Hanukkah designs from last year - or made them by hand, using leftover pieces of scrapbook paper to cut out and glue designs onto cardstock, handwriting the message on the inside of the card.

In my experience, card-receivers always enjoy a handmade or personally designed card over a store-bought option. Even if you aren't very artistic, chances are you can make some kind of design - either by hand or on the computer - that means something special to the person you're making it for. Even if it doesn't look perfect, the fact that you took the time to make it warms their hearts. And here's the real secret - it doesn't really take more time to hand-make a card than it does to drive to a card store, go through all the options, try to find the best card, pay for it, and drive home. It just looks like it did. :)

So this Mother's Day, get in touch with your inner child and make your mom a card like you used to in elementary school. She'll like it, I promise. ;)

Valentine's Day Decor Ideas

If you're hosting a Valentine's Day party (like the fun suggestions I made in yesterday's post), don't forget the decor! You can always go the stereotypical route and decorate with pink and red hearts everywhere - but don't think that is your only option.

Purple is a great color for Valentine's Day, too, especially when paired with a rich gold. Purple is close enough to red and pink on the color spectrum that it's still appropriate, but it's also just a little bit less "girly" that it will make your male guests feel more comfortable. Plus, gold can feel very masculine or feminine and can add a little gender neutrality to your decor. Another fun option is a pale pink and mint green combination, which is perfect for late winter and early spring parties. The pink is perfect for Valentine's Day, but the green is unexpected, goes great with the pink, and looks forward to the soon-to-be springtime.

And don't forget the flowers! Roses are beautiful and classic, but again, don't limit yourself to roses just because you've never seen anything else done. What about making your own bouquet out of fabric, paper, vintage jewelry brooches, or buttons? There are plenty of websites out there with craft ideas like those, or you can browse Etsy and find hundreds of fun fake flower decorations that are already made! If you do decide to use real roses, why not go with an unexpected color instead of the traditional deep red? Have white and silver decor with white roses for a very elegant color scheme, or have an all-yellow Valentine's Day party and use yellow roses, which stand for friendship.

Besides flowers, another thing most people agree is romantic is music. Why not have a music-themed Valentine's Day party? Make a flower bouquet out of vintage sheet music, or print sheet music on fabric and use it to make a table cloth - or buy a keyboard-themed table runner. Hang musical note silhouettes from the ceiling or walls. They even make balloons and paper plates decorated with musical notes. Similarly, you could host a jazz-filled Roaring 20's Valentine's Day party that features music-themed decorations.

Valentine's Day Party Ideas

You don't have to be in a special relationship to celebrate Valentine's Day. It's also a great holiday to share with your other single friends, or a whole group of people regardless of their relationship status. It's a time to show your friends and family that you care about them. And yes, I know that this holiday was mostly created into what it is today by greeting card companies - but what's so wrong with wanting to show the people you love that you love them? And I love any excuse to hang out with my friends. :)

So today I have a few different Valentine's Day party ideas for you. The first one I already talked a bit about two days ago, when I posted the Sunday Sample Spotlight "Kitchen Chaos." How fun would it be to get your baking-loving friends together for a cupcake bake-off? If your kitchen isn't big enough, you could always request that your guests bake their delicious creations at home and bring in a dessert dish to share instead. Everyone can vote on their favorite cupcake flavor combinations (or favorite dessert in general, if you broaden the theme to everything sweet). Give the official winner of the bake-off a festive prize, like a box of Valentine's chocolates. Or just do it for fun without any prizes - because, let's be honest, in a party revolving around dessert, everyone already wins.

Another fun idea for getting together with your girl friends is holding a fashion show or doing a clothes swap. If you're anything like me, you're already itching to wear something cute for springtime, even if the weather still thinks it's deep in winter. All of the stores already have their new spring fashions out - why not get the girls together to do some retail therapy? Or, save some money and do a clothing swap if you have friends that are about the same size as you. Everyone can bring some of their old fashions they don't want anymore and trade them in for something new. Don't like anything your friends have brought to give away? Add a re-purposing element to the party, where you all perform easy DIY tasks on the old clothes to make them new and stylish again. Rip holes or splatter bleach on jeans to give them a worn, funky look. Re-sew a new hemline to make a dress or skirt fit this season's lengths. There are plenty of websites out there with ideas on how to change an old outfit into something new again. And once you've got a whole new wardrobe, end the night with a fashion show for your friends, where you each get to show off your new outfits. :)

Of course, there are also plenty of activities you can do with a mixed group of friends that won't alienate the guys, too. Watch movies - and they don't have to be romantic ones, either. Play board games with boy/girl teams and have a night-long battle-of-the-sexes. If there's snow on the ground, go sledding. Have a fancy wine-and-cheese appetizer party. Do stereotypical "date night" activities in a large group of friends - go ice skating, go to the movies, share a pizza. My fourth grade class went on a field trip to a bowling alley for Valentine's Day one year, and it was one of my favorite memories of the whole year (even though I'd broken my shoulder and my arm was in a sling at the time). The important thing is to just have fun. Ultimately, Valentine's Day is no different than any other day of the year, but it is a nice excuse to let your friends know you love them. Even if that's a little cheesy for your taste. :)

How to Use Scrapbook Paper on Stationery

I've divided my catalogue of designs into three categories: patterns, illustrations, and stationery with envelopes lined with or inspired by scrapbook papers. I've already posted several times about some of my patterned and illustrated designs, but I hadn't yet touched on the scrapbook paper category (except where some examples were featured in the weekly Sunday Sample Spotlight posts).

Unlike the other posts about pattern and illustration, however, I'm not going to draw this one out. Because "How to Use Scrapbook Papers on Stationery" is pretty straight forward - just do it.

Every piece of scrapbook paper is going to be a little bit different, and I couldn't possibly discuss every option. Part of the joy in using scrapbook paper is finding something great. Go to art stores. Browse online. Design your own. And when you've found The One, build the rest of your design around it. The easiest way to do this, I think, is just to scan the paper into the computer and use that exact design, or parts of it, on the actual invitation as well, and then adhere the actual paper with its rich colors to the envelopes.

But you don't have to go completely matchy-matchy either - if you have a design that has similar colors or a similar feel, it doesn't have to incorporate the exact design from the paper to go well together.

I love using scrapbook paper. Simple patterns, like stripes or polka dots - or even a solid color - are easy to incorporate, but I think some of the best designs come from more unique scrapbook paper. I just love ones that look photographic, like the purple rose image I used to line the petal-shaped envelope in the sample above.

The key is to just have fun with it. And when you go to attach the scrapbook paper to the envelopes, here's a little insider secret: Zots. They're little sticky dots that are so easy to use, and once they're placed, they're super sturdy, so the paper won't go anywhere. Before I discovered Zots, I was using glue sticks (often not tacky enough, and the paper would peel right off again), and book glue (which worked really well, but got the paper so wet that the whole envelopes would curl up at the ends until I flattened them under a thick hardcover copy of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare). Trust me - Zots are faster, easier, and less messy. And if you're lining several hundred envelopes for your event, easier and faster is definitely the way to go. :)

Another great, easy option is using decorative brads to attach scrapbook paper. One thing to remember with brads, though, is to never put them through an outside envelope. The post office doesn't like pokey brads sticking out of the envelopes they're trying to handle and sort, and you want to make sure your beautiful stationery gets delivered! So keep brads to just the invitations or inside envelope packages only. And make sure to add in extra costs for mailing into your budget - brads might be heavy enough that you'll have to pay more per item to ship them out. Then again, they're so adorable they're often worth the little bit of extra work and cost if you can swing it!


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Shameless Plug Time: Love these invitations (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.