Fancy/Funky Friday: Patterns Liberia & Toby

Both of this week's patterns feature curves and diamonds!

First, the "fancy": Pattern Liberia

Why it's "fancy": Several layers of over-indulgent curls pile on top of each other in this obviously Victorian-inspired pattern.

Why it's great: The white diamond shapes push unexpected negative space to the foreground, demanding attention.


And now, the "funky": Pattern Toby

Why it's "funky": Tilted squares feel off-balanced and more modern.

Why it's great: Like last week's, this pattern has a painted tile feel to it. I love the vine/leaf motif!

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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: "Dressed to Impress"

Purple has long been one of my favorite colors. This simple purple and white color scheme combines a rich metallic purple with elegant lavender!

"Dressed to Impress" Invitation Duo (invite & reply card)

Both the main folding envelope and the reply card envelope are metallic purple. I used the same deep color for the smaller text and chose a subtler lavender tint for the larger text and elegant pattern.

Naturally, the font is calligraphic, thin, and sophisticated to match the fancy pattern flanking the top and bottom of the invitation!


Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: "Steel Magnolias"


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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 Camilla & Dakota

Happy Friday! Here are today's patterns -

First, the "fancy": Pattern Camilla

Why it's "fancy": Elegant curls and vaguely flower-like shapes give this pattern grace and vintage charm.

Why it's great: I love how much it looks like lace from a distance!


And now, the "funky": Pattern Dakota

Why it's "funky": Simple shapes and bold lines give this pattern a fun mod feel.

Why it's great: From a distance, it looks like an ikat design!

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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!

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: "Down Memory Lane"

For a formal event, sometimes simple and elegant is the best way to go!

"Down Memory Lane" Save-the-Date

This save-the-date features one of my "fancy" pattern designs in a soft green in the background. The text is calligraphic and traditional, but instead of boring black the letters and the linen textured cardstock bordering the save-the-date are both in a rich chocolate brown. For a pop of color, the outside envelope is a cool grass green to match the light green pattern.

 
Next week's Sunday Sample Spotlight: A unique, retro twist on flower-inspired stationery!


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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 Olivia & Milana

Here are today's fancy and funky patterns -

First, the "fancy": Pattern Olivia

Why it's "fancy": The lines are thin and curvy, and the style seems a little worn, like a vintage fabric that has faded over time.

Why it's great: Like many of my fancy patterns, pattern Olivia also looks like lace from a distance!


And now, the "funky": Pattern Milana

Why it's "funky": Dense shapes, evenly spaced lines, bold color, and a modern, graphic style all make this pattern "funky."

Why it's great: I love the mini arcs that bring to mind the image of cartoonish rainbows!

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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!

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!

Fancy/Funky Friday: Patterns Magnolia & Sasha

Happy Friday! Here are today's fancy & funky patterns!

First, the "fancy": Pattern Magnolia

Why it's "fancy": From a distance, it looks like lace, with its uniformly-packed curvy lines.

Why it's great: The lines are calligraphic - meaning they vary in thickness from bold to thin, like a calligraphy pen!


And now, the "funky": Pattern Sasha

Why it's "funky": This pattern is busy, looking like furious bouts of scribbles, but underneath the madness is a firm repeating structure.

Why it's great: I love the small parallelograms formed in between each repeated pattern "unit"!

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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!

Summer Color Combo - Red & Heliotrope

Bright and vibrant, this color scheme gets the party going!

Play with different shades of heliotrope, purple, and magenta to over-saturate your event with fun color, or choose just one to complement a solid, dependable red for more subdued affairs. Decorate with lots of flowers and girly accents like lace, ruffles, or damask patterns to further play up the femininity of this color scheme.

This would also make a fun color combo for Valentine's Day!


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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!

Fancy/Funky Friday: Patterns Loretta & Memphis

Orange you glad it's almost the weekend? ;)

First, the "fancy": Pattern Loretta

Why it's "fancy": The lines that make up this lace-like pattern are thin and curvy.

Why it's great: Not all of the loops are the same size, adding visual interest.


And now, the "funky": Pattern Memphis

Why it's "funky": Though it has almost a lace-like or argyle-inspired design, the parts of the pattern with thicker lines give this a more masculine, southwestern feeling.

Why it's great: Wouldn't this pattern look great stamped on a pair of leather cowboy boots?

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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!

Fancy/Funky Friday: Patterns Leela & Avery

Complex and elegant or simple and bold - what's your favorite type of pattern?

First, the "fancy": Pattern Leela

Why it's "fancy": From a distance, it looks like lace, with its thin lines and curls.

Why it's great: Up close, it's interesting to note that some loops touch each other while others leave a small buffer of white negative space in between.


And now, the "funky": Pattern Avery

Why it's "funky": Simple, bold, and modern, this pattern takes simple ellipsoid shapes, radiates them out to create a "racetrack" feel, and then alternates vertical and horizontal orientation to create unexpected repetition.

Why it's great: I love the fun shapes created from the negative space between each square of four "racetracks" - it's like a tilted white square that's being pinched in a little on all four sides!

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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!

Fancy/Funky Friday: Patterns Galaxia & Zoe

Happy Friday! Here are today's patterns -

First, the "fancy": Pattern Galaxia

Why it's "fancy": The offset angles and diamonds make me think of preppy argyle; from far away, it also takes on the appearance of lace.

Why it's great: This pattern always reminds me of the cat named Orion from the movie Men in Black... It has the same feeling as the galaxy in the charm around his collar.


And now, the "funky": Pattern Zoe

Why it's "funky": Simple white circles stand out in this pattern, where the negative space becomes more important than the whimsical green lines.

Why it's great: From a distance, it might look a bit like lace - but up close, there's too much white space. Instead it's like a loose-knit fabric or crochet pattern, letting lots of air through!

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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!

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!

Fancy/Funky Friday: Patterns Larissa & Lucy

Today's two patterns are similar in color - but not much else!

First, the "fancy": Pattern Larissa

Why it's "fancy": Thin lines, curves, and elegant x-shapes give it an overall lace-like quality.

Why it's great: The shapes formed by the arcs remind me of dividing cells or figure eights.


And now, the "funky": Pattern Lucy

Why it's "funky": Thick swatches of color and lava-lamp-inspired shapes give it a funky mod 1960s feel!

Why it's great: I love how the "stripes" of pattern are just a little off-kilter, adding an unexpected tilt to the design.

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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!