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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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!

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Garden Pixel"

This invitation combines retro 80's video-game style graphics with feminine touches and bright, cheery colors!

"Garden Pixel" Invitation

The idea for this invitation came from an idea I had for a fun winter party. Beat the cold winter blues with an indoor garden party! Celebrate the season's dismal bloom options with creativity! Make flower bouquets out of paper or fabric, or arrange pictures of flowers into 2D bouquets.

This invitation features 8-bit flower images printed on white paper and mounted on textured orange cardstock. Then, I paired the bright orange with a neon pink envelope to really scream for attention!

Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Silly Love Songs"


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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 Juliet & Arenzia

Both of these patterns are green and feature little white space, with lots of curves. But they evoke <i>very</i> different feelings...

First, the "fancy": Pattern Juliet

Why it's "fancy": This pattern looks like a scrap of vintage lace, with its cutesy curls and flattened heart-like shapes.

Why it's great: It even reminds me of argyle, with its stripes of diamonds!


And now, the "funky": Pattern Arenzia

Why it's "funky": The curls in this pattern feel more whimsical and kid-like than elegant and refined.

Why it's great: The density of line leaves little room for negative white space.

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

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Basket Case"

Texture (or implied texture printed on paper) is a great way to get across the feeling and formality of your event. This stationery set, which features a printed picnic basket weave texture, instantly feels casual and fun!

"Basket Case" Invitation Duo (invite & info insert)

I used scrapbook paper with a basket print to line the side flap and pocket of this folding envelope, and then scanned in the paper to copy the same design onto the printed invitation and information insert.

The unique sans serif font that mixes lowercase and uppercase letters reinforces the casual, fun look of the stationery. Guests who receive this invitation know to come prepared for the weather at this outdoor ceremony and "picnic lunch reception."

This would also be a great design for family reunions, summer office parties, and any other outdoor summer or early fall event!

 
Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Down Memory Lane"


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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.

Color of the Week - Bubblegum Pink

This week's color is Bubblegum Pink - a tint of pink with a hint of orange undertone!

Bubblegum pink goes great with other pastel shades and candy-colored hues.

Fun facts about Bubblegum Pink:

1. The name refers to the first brand of bubblegum, Dubble Bubble, which has been in production since 1928.

2. When Walter E. Diemer invented Dubble Bubble, pink was his favorite color - and the only dye he had on hand at the time - which is why Dubble Bubble's original flavor is and has always been its characteristic pink hue.

3. It's similar in color to Baker-Miller Pink, a hue that was originally created by mixing one gallon on pure white indoor latex paint with one pint of red trim semi-gloss outdoor paint and named for the two U.S. Navy officers who first experimented with its use in the Naval Correctional Facility in Seattle, Washington.

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Fancy/Funky Friday: Patterns Bernadette & Poppy

Here are two more patterns - one fancy, one funky - to start your weekend off right!

First, the "fancy": Pattern Bernadette

Why it's "fancy": Thin, calligraphic lines loop and crisscross to make a beautiful argyle & lace-like pattern.

Why it's great: I love the long, swooping arcs on the top of each lowercase-k letterform!


And now, the "funky": Pattern Poppy

Why it's "funky": Instead of calligraphic lines that vary in thickness, each of these whimsical curves is exactly the same line weight, making the pattern feel less refined and more childish.

Why it's great: I love the swirls! This pattern would be great for wallpapering a child's bedroom or play room.

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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: "The Elephant in the Room"

This stationery set is perfect for any carnival or circus themed event, including weddings, child birthday parties, and baby showers!

"The Elephant in the Room" Invitation Duo (invite & reply card)

The invitation uses a bright red envelope, while the reply card opts for yellow. Both are printed on pure white cardstock and mounted on textured yellow cardstock.

The two fonts are very carnival-inspired and fun, while the simplified illustrations add extra pops of the yellow and red color scheme without getting too literal. There are no animals or carnival rides or games - just balloons and banners in yellow and red.

 

 
Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Strawberry Swing"


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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.

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "The Only Exception"

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Plum Major"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Fancy/Funky Friday: Patterns Ivy & Tarolla

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

First, the "fancy": Pattern Ivy

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

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


And now, the "funky": Pattern Tarolla

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

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

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

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Waking Up in Vegas"

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Summer Color Combo - Watermelon & Lime

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

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

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

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

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Time to Pretend"

I absolutely adore this stationery set! It's perfect for spring!

"Time to Pretend" - Invitation Duo (invite & reply card)

I started with a metallic pale pink folding envelope, which I decorated with beautiful pale yellow scrapbook paper featuring a yellow/white/pale pink/sky blue floral design.

Up close (and tilted into the light), the pale rose-pink metallic envelopes really shine - and the scrapbook paper boasts an implied linen texture (though the paper is actually totally smooth). I very subtly mimicked this texture with pale yellow lines in the background of the printed invitation and reply card (it's so subtle, you can't even see it in these pictures!), and I incorporated the same blue, pink, and slate gray colors from the scrapbook paper for the images and text.

I recreated the linear floral design with Adobe Illustrator's pen tool so I could print it on the invitation. and seamlessly connect the digital printouts to the scrapbook-lined envelopes.

On the reply card, I only printed half of that flower form, poking down from the top edge of the paper. Because I didn't scale the image down (just cropped it), if you lay the RSVP on top of the invitation, the flowers line up exactly!

Because of its pastel colors, this design would work great for any spring event, as well as baby showers, birth announcements, and cutesy/feminine holidays like Easter and Valentine's Day!

Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Manors & Etiquette"


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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.

Sunday Sample Spotlight: "The First Twitter"

What's cuter for a baby shower invitation or birth announcement than illustrations of chirping baby birds?

"The First Twitter" Invitation

Fluffy and fun, these little birds stand on a tree branch not far from the nest where their future younger siblings lay sleeping in their eggs. I designed this image in Adobe Illustrator; it would be easy to create a custom illustration to reflect an actual family - perhaps a mommy and daddy bird, an older brother or sister baby bird, and a nested egg to represent the new addition to the family. :)

This design could also work for any spring event - especially Easter celebrations!


Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Creatively Cultivated"


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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.

Children's Birthday Party Theme Ideas - Part 2

Still need some inspiration for a child's birthday party, even after last week's post? Here are three more fresh, fun ideas!

1. Obstacle Course Party

Turn your backyard into an obstacle course for kids! Divide them into teams and have each team wear a different color shirt (or a different color bandana). Weave string in between trees for them to duck under or step over or crawl through and use old tires or draw hopscotch squares on your sidewalk with chalk for them to skip through. Include non-athletic "stations" in the obstacle course as well, such as solving math problems, "name that tune," blowing bubbles, balancing eggs on spoons or books on their heads, reciting the alphabet backwards, Pictionary, shaping things out of clay, bouncing balls into plastic cups, etc.

In the end, everyone wins! Distribute gold-medal shaped cookies and hand out awards - "Most Spirited," "Fastest," "Most Artistic," "Best Team Player," "Most Encouraging," etc.

2. Dr. Seuss Party

Set up a photo booth with Dr. Seuss props like crazy wigs, comically big sunglasses, and feather boas. Serve green eggs and ham, and a Dr. Seuss themed birthday cake. Watch a Dr. Seuss movie or cartoon, or read one (or several) of his books.

3. Safari Scavenger Hunt

Distribute cheap plastic binoculars, cameras, and butterfly nets or small picnic baskets and set them off to find everything on their scavenger hunt list. Some items to consider - scraps of fabric or felt with animals on them (like giraffes, elephants, etc.) or prints like zebra stripes or cheetah spots, school supplies (such as cute animal-themed notepads or paperclips), pencil erasers in the shapes of safari animals, rubber or plastic toy insects, and fake plants (such as ivy and other plastic leaves and vines). To eat, serve animal crackers!

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Children's Birthday Party Theme Ideas - Part 1

Need some inspiration for a child's birthday party? Here are some fresh, fun ideas!

1. Messy Party 

The idea of this party is just what it sounds like - to make a giant mess. Throw out the idea that decor has to be just-so and the food has to look perfect - you know those excited children will just make a mess of all your effort anyway!

Serve messy or gross-looking foods (Jell-O, gummy worms, cupcakes splattered with food coloring, etc.). Fill a pinata with an unexpectedly messy surprise (like cooked spaghetti). Cover your lawn or driveway with plastic sheets and let the kids go crazy with (washable) fingerpaints or paint-filled water balloons. Or fill a kiddie pool with potting soil and water to make your very own mud pit. On the invitations, request that everyone come dressed for a mess (i.e. bathing suits), and spray everyone down with a hose before they go home. Hand out towels as party favors on their way out the door!

2. Superhero Party

Serve food with primary colors (like a superhero-themed cake, and all-American red, white, and blue Jell-O parfaits) and label glasses of juice with different superpowers (invisibility, super strength, the ability to fly, the ability to read minds, inhuman speed, etc.) - whatever drink each kid chooses will be their superpower for the rest of the party! Decorate with campy "POW!" and "WHAM!" signage, and end the party with a fun superhero movie and buckets of popcorn.

3. Tiny Party

Give the kids the experience of following Alice down the rabbit hole by making everything at the party tiny, from the decorations (use Tootsie pops for balloons, make tiny flower arrangements out of paper or fabric, etc.) to the food (make cakes the size of cupcakes, and serve food like Pizza Bites or mini hamburger sliders). Play tiny board games (travel games are great, and often use miniature pieces or versions of the typical size board games), and hand out tiny party favors (sample-size mini tubes of lip gloss or nail polish, Hot Wheels cars, Polly Pockets, M&M minis, etc.).


Check back next week for three more ideas!

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Sunday Sample Spotlight: "What Lips My Lips Have Kissed"

This baby girl birth announcement is the perfect mixture of classic elegance and modern fun. 

"What Lips My Lips Have Kissed" Birth Announcement

The fun: The hot pink metallic petal-fold envelope is lined with semi-circles of scrapbook paper featuring large-scale pink polka dots.

The elegance: The printed announcement features a calligraphic font and hints of curly patterns in each corner.

But my favorite detail is the baby's head. Traced from an old photograph of myself as a baby, I turned a picture into a graphic illustration that's fun and modern, while still being realistic and photographic. Given photographs of your child (or engagement photos for wedding announcements), I can similarly turn one of your personal images into a fun illustration for use in whatever type of stationery you desire!

Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Ever the Same"


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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.