Bookclub Tea Party Part 1-Free Printables Included!

Yes, just part one! There were so many great aspects to this styled photo shoot that I couldn't possibly do it all in one post--and I know you'd fade away after 30 seconds no matter how compelling my writing is. We're just geared that way. At least I am.

The inspiration for this party was essentially my mother's tea set from Susie Davis called Black Fruit circa 1960, London. Again, props to my mama for having such good taste in tea sets. I have loved and lusted after this china for as long as I could remember, and I hope my mom is reading this so she can write that in her last will and testament. I did an initial color scheme photo in this post and the event inspiration details in this post.

Then I waited and procrastinated for several months (I think it was about 7) and then got myself in gear to finish the job. I invited Tammy Duvall (mom with fashion degree and insane need to do too much), Alexis Anderson (fabulous cake decorator and foodie), Karyn Hlad-Miller (photographer extraordinaire and fellow creative sucker) to join in the fun. So, the Jewel tone Book Club Tea Party became a reality. This wasn't an actual party because my book club wouldn't have the capacity to stop talking to pose for photos, nor could they NOT eat the food--you know how that goes, and I refer mainly to myself--but I think it makes for a great idea if you are either starting a book club for the first time, or getting the readers together for the start of another year. Do it in style, girl!

LET'S START WITH THE PAPER PARTS, SHALL WE?
I can speak coherently about that because I did it and since I have an insatiable need to understand artists and how they arrive at their final designs, I'll share my creative process with you.

First, I analyzed what was so beautiful about the tea set. It had a delicate and detailed black line drawing on a broad white background paired with a full flood of color striking jewel tone color. The overall style was classic but the color made it modern and edgy to me. When I translated those design elements into the coordinating peripheral paper materials it came out this way: A small black linear ornament with a splash of bold color (using the colors in the cups to keep visual consistency). The trick to a successful design is always in the balance of elements. In this case, the color equation was roughly a 2/3 white space, 1/6 black lines, 1/6 solid color. That makes one whole, right? Math was never my thing...

The invitation was a library pocket that I die cut with my Silhouette SD machine. It came standard with my software, so that was a nice bonus! The template for the pocket had a seam across the front so I used my most delightful Washi tape to cover it up. I chose the intricate black lace pattern to contrast with the simple lines of the main card design. I typeset the party specifics on a card that fit inside the pocket, making the enticing parts to stick out so you read those first. Then behind the invitation was a bookmark I created for each bookclub member to keep. It had all the books we'd be reading, the date of the discussion and who would be the host for that night. A handy memento that is both practical and pretty. I love it!

I always cherish a good party favor, so the bookplates were lots of fun to design. I carried over the design elements and printed them out on adhesive paper. Since I sometimes want my books back, but othertimes don't care, I included both options. A perfect gift for my book loving friends! I packaged a set of 6 in a flat white paper bag (from a restaurant supply store, probably used to hold large cookies, but we use them for the kid's lunches to cut down on plastic) folded over and closed with an ornately shaped color tag that I hand-wrote "Read On!" They were placed on the front table with a sign to let guests know that they shouldn't be shy and to take one with them when they left that day.

And for the fontophiles (not a real word), the main body text is Chisel Normal, and the script is Revised Dancer. The black ornaments are selections from Borderfont Classicals. Read more about using ornaments in this post.

The rest of the party signage is of course based on the main design concept. Smaller table tents for the food labels, and slightly larger tents for the various "stations" at the party, each with a punch of color in the border. One of my favorite ideas was to have a book exchange as a low key party "game". Guests bring their previously read and enjoyed paperbacks to exchange for another's beloved cast-offs. This was all mentioned in the invitation, of course, so everyone can be prepared.

Super cute, huh? Are you feeling like OMG I am so gonna take my bookclub up a notch this year! and have a fun party too? You're in luck because I'm giving away the bookmark and party signage printables FOR FREE! Just right click on the images below to download the jpg file. The bookmarks are blank because, uh, you need to come up with your own list. Even if you are not having a bookclub party, I think the bookplates would make a thoughtful gift for a teacher or friend who is always exclaiming, "You have to read this book!" I'm thinking these are going to be stocking stuffers this year.

SO ARE YOU STILL WITH ME OR DID I LOSE YOU? You are? Good, you have much more patience than I do. Next week, I will highlight the general decor and styling of the party, and the week after we can talk food and drinks (recipes and tragic story included, so you don't want to miss that one).

HERE ARE THE PRINTABLES!

Fonts I'm using a lot recently

Being holed up in my little studio, it's easy to get stuck in design rut.  I have lots of amazing resources for visual stimulation on-line, but still I often go back to what I've done before because it's, well, easy. Or perhaps I should say "efficient". I know how to make certain fonts work together and I just do it over and over again. And people like those combinations (*cough* Bickham and Garamond *cough*) so it's easy to slide into that comfortable shoe.

I have however, been enjoying some more interesting fonts lately and I thought I'd share them with you. Even the most savvy designer can get overwhelmed with the bazillions of choices, so sometimes separating them is helpful. It is for me. And while I'm posting this, I'm buried under a pile of client and design work. When I have more time, I'll do a little exploratory so you can see these fonts in action. Until then, I have to pay the bills. Ya know what I'm sayin'? (quoted from Trailer Park Boys--does anyone else watch that?)

They are in no particular order, so don't think I'm playing favorites.

Links: Gala & Gala Ombre, Strangelove Text, Aphrodite, Century Gothic, Ecuyer (free!), Lobster (free!), Ultra Condensed San Serif (free!), William Lucas.

DIY: What to say on a Wedding Program

Clients are always overwhelmed with their programs. What do they say? How do they say it? It is a lot of text and organization for sure! I thought it would be helpful to post a sample so that you could take what you need, fill in your details and be a lot less stressed about it.

Here is a program I created for my lovely client Katherine. The format is useful because it uses both sides of a standard 8.5 x 11" piece of cardstock. The program is printed on both sides and folded down the middle. No ribbons, bows or assembly hassles which is a bonus when you're so close to your wedding date. You need to be primping your beautiful self, not tying bows on 100 programs!

A tip on program quantities: You don't need a program for every guest. Most couples will only take one and share it. If you expect 150 guests, you may only need 100-125 programs. Tragic true story: I put a lot of effort into my programs (bows, special assembly etc) and made enough for one per guest, only to see the huge basket still filled with programs after the wedding was over. All the late nights of laborious assembly gone to waste...don't let that happen to you. ;o)

Inside the program

Front and Back side of the program

"Sewn" in Oakley unites sewers and non-sewers in colorful harmony!

Those of you who are lucky enough to be in Cincinnati have an exciting new place to visit in Oakley (near Hyde Park on Madison Rd.). I discovered the new shop called Sewn last week and have been so excited to tell you about it! The website is mainly a placeholder at the moment, but the Sewn Facebook page is more interactive and will tell you what is going on every day, so add it to your fan page.

1. Sewn has the modern fabrics that I love (think Amy Butler, bright colors, bold designs etc). Trust me, it's tough finding this locally. There is a great shop about an hour away called The Fabric Shack that I've blogged about but that's about it.

2. Sewn clearly was conceptualized and actualized by a sophisticated woman. The interior is clean and fresh with maple wood fixtures, ample lighting, good organization (and if you've been in Jo-Ann Fabric lately, you'll appreciate this too), and smartly placed product smaples that inspire you to just start sewing. They made me feel like that and I actually don't even know how to make a bobbin on my daughter's sewing machine. Which brings me to number 3...

3. She has a large portion of the store filled with sewing machines on work tables. Yes, if you don't like to sew in silence (or chaos if you're kids are younger like mine) you can come in and sew in good company. Sewn offers Sewing 101 classes for adults and teens, using simple projects to teach basic sewing concepts like putting in a zipper or button hole, adding piping to a pillow and more. And I JUST BET Stephanie will be able to show me how to make that blasted bobbin happen!

Here is my suggestion for a nice morning out in Oakley. Go to The Red Tree Cafe and have some coffee, then walk over to Sewn and get started on a colorful tote bag or purse for your spring wardrobe. Doesn't that sound dreamy? See you there!

Instant Cupcake Cuteness-Edible toppers

I should really say, edible cupcake toppers that don't taste like cardboard dust and break your teeth when you bit into them. Here are some clever cupcake toppers that will upgrade your standard classroom birthday treat. (I'm heading into birthday season in my family, so these seemed especially helpful.) Of course, they're not just for cupcakes...

Available from these great etsy shops: Owl Party pack from KidsCakes, Butterflies from SugarRobot, Mini flowers from SweetBouquet, Hydrangeas from SweetPetalBakery.

Make Valentines Crayon Hearts

Is anyone freaking out yet that Valentines Day is on Monday? If you're like my kids, they are celebrating this Friday, which makes the panic even worse. I'm on my own personal creative high, so I thought this valentine craft from The Long Thread was really cute. We've made these crayons at our house before using a heart shaped flexible cupcake pan but I like the idea of using the smaller hearts for the Valentines. And let's be straight, you know you have a big ol' box of crayon stubs somewhere just waiting to be repurposed! The bonus is that you can download the free valentine card file and print them on your own computer.

Background Patterns for blogs and web pages

A friend and fellow creative addict Chrissie Blatt just sent me this link to a site called Pattern Cooler that offers great digital background patterns. You can choose from existing designs and colors, or change to your own color scheme. If you're thinking about blogging, you could use these as backgrounds on your blog template. For those of you who are creating your event blog or website, I suspect they might add some personality to that as well.

I found these great patterns just in the first 2 pages. A word to the wise, though: It's better  to use a low contrast pattern when doing this kind of thing. Often, even though lots of color is so beautiful (and I know because I love color too) it is too dynamic in a background setting. The viewer's eye is confused because it wants to see the beautiful background, when it really should be looking at your web info. I'm just sayin'...Take a look and see what you can do! I know a couple of brides who could use these colors and classy damask patterns.

Meanwhile, I'm going to be working my patootie off today. Lots of great stuff to work on, and I'm struggling not to spend the day working on a new idea I have for my birthday invitations. Send me strength!

DIY Friday: Print your own fabric designs with Spoonflower

Do you love fabric? Do you think of the design you want but can never find it at the local fabric store? I do! And as I was doing my morning walk with my sister, she was bemoaning about the same issue. She has an idea of what she wants, but can't seem to find it anywhere!

I posted about this amazing printing resource over a year ago and thought today that it was worth another mention in case you missed it. Spoonflower is a fabric printing company that will print your digitally created design on the premium fabric of your choice with --sit down for this--no minimum order! Yes, so if you want a yard, you can get a single yard. Prices range from $18-$32/yard. If you are overwhelmed by the prospect of creating your own patterns, they also sell fabric from the many other designers who have participated.

Here are some of my favorites:

Are you inspired? I noticed that they had a book on how to create patterns in Photoshop. I'm almost ready to commit...

My list of excellent entertaining blog and web gems now available!

I had a lovely time sharing my passion for event design details and resources with the women in the Wyoming Newcomers Club today. In my presentation, I shared visuals of many of my favorite sources of inspiration. Now I'm sharing them with you as well! Look at the top of my blogsite for the tab named "Vendors and Web Favorites" for an updated list of links and enjoy!

DIY Friday: Do something with tags!

I have a real problem with tags. I can't stop buying them, and yet I can't bring myself to use them either! I don't really give that many gifts away, and I don't organize things alot so it leaves me with a huge stash of gems that I like to look at but don't dare actually use. And God forbid on of my children gets into the tags--you'd think I was hoarding chocolate candies or something. (My mother did that!) I had the same problem with my sticker collection as a young girl. Mounds of stickers to touch and view, but never to be used.

The good news is that if you are planning a wedding or other party, you actually have a really good reason to use tags. They make great place cards (write the guest's name and tie it around the napkin), favor tags, thank you notes, food labels (on jars of lemonade, packets of snacks) etc. This is a collection of tags I found on etsy this morning. I have already placed my order (I feel like if I admit to the problem, then isn't that the first step recovery?) and I'm asking you--what do you do with tags? And do you have the same problem collecting them as I do? Am I not alone in this??? Have a great weekend everyone! I'm going to Ann Arbor to see my favorite singers Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova perform, as well as visiting with one of my favorite cousins (they really are all my favorites!) and her husband. Yeah!

These great tag vendors are: 1. Ciaffi, 2. DeeJann, 3. Habitation Inc, 4. Irish Maz, 5. Mommy Holly, 6. Queen Bee Inspirations, 7. ScrapBits, 8. SillyLilly, 9. StampNSurf, 10. Blossom & Twig, 11. Sugar Papers, 12. Chatham And Caron

DIY Demystified: Using "dingbats" to bring decorative accents into your invitations

I remember the first time I came upon the concept of dingbats. I was in middle school perhaps, and my family had purchased it's first home computer (yes, young ones, I am THAT OLD). Not having any ability to actually DO anything on the computer, I set about admiring the 12 fonts and typing things like "Hi! Mike Weidner is cute" because I was in middle school and had nothing else better to say. Anyway, I located the Zapf Dingbats and was intrigued to say the least. I could only imagine that these were used for creating some kind of code. Being in middle school also meant that I was an avid notewriter (we didn't text back then, obviously) and often had the need to speak in code, especially regarding Mike Weidner and other crushes, so this seemed quite a plausible purpose. It wasn't until well into my college years when I realized that you actually used them within your text, such as needing a check box or a pair of scissors to illustrate an action.

I'm pleased to say that I've moved beyond that moment of 6th grade creative genius, and the world of dingbats has advanced significantly too. Since "Dingbat" is such an unsophisticated word, and does not express the bounty of design options available, I am heretofore calling Dingbats "Ornaments. Have you ever used the ornaments available to you on your computer? Sure, you can use the open square as a "check box" on your reply card, and you can use the scissors to indicate "remove at the perforation" but there are some clever illustrations and lovely designs that you can use within your invitation designs.

USING "ORNAMENTS" AS SYMBOLS FOR YOUR MAPS AND MORE
Of course there is the dependable Zapf Dingbats and just because it's been around since the start of computers, doesn't mean it should be disregarded! It's got simple religious symbols like crosses to put at the top of Christening invitations, it's got hearts and check marks and some great stars too. There is even an airplane, which might look cute in your accommodations insert, next to the suggested airports. Or use the symbols on your map, if you are printing one, to indicate where the church is and then the reception area.

USING "ORNAMENTS" TO ENHANCE YOUR INVITATION DESIGNS
Here's a killer design secret: We do not always feel like drawing. Yes, we can do it but often, there is a digital design that works perfectly and there is not a designer in the world who would create their own if a simple click will give them the same effect. It's about overall design, not how much original work you've made for yourself. Sometimes. But we'll debate about that another day.

Try enlarging a single ornament and placing your monogram around it like this save the date. I also used the same ornament to create a pattern for the back of the postcard. The design is elegantly understated, but it has some flair and texture in the details and that's what makes it rich.

You can divide the body of text with a nice calligraphic ornament like these two examples. I used a girly heart for the Valentine luncheon invitation and a sophisticated calligraphy swirl on this formal wedding invitation. Again, a small detail, but it enhances the overall sense of the event.

If you are working with more professional design software like Adobe Illustrator, you can use the dingbats to create borders, or turn them into vector art that you can manipulate into a more complicated design. Here is an example where I was using a border on the blue invitation, and I used a series of calligraphic swirls and ornaments to create this save the date design.

I WANT TO TRY! WHERE CAN I FIND GREAT ORNAMENTS?
There are standard ornaments that likely came with your computer like Zapf Dingbats, but ornaments are found anywhere fonts are. I use dafont a lot, which has free ornaments including hearts, planes, birds, calligraphic ornaments and borders...the list is surprising and seemingly endless. Some ornament fonts I like are Adobe Woodtype Ornaments, Nymphette, Borderfont Classicals, Borderfont Florals and Type Embellishments One and Two. To find more ornaments, check out font websites like fontsquirrel, Fonts.com and Fontspace. Take a peek around and see what you can find for your invitation. I know you'll be surprised and I hope this adds some fun into your design project.

FREE Valentine Pencil toppers

These make really cute customized and personal Valentines for your kids to give to their classmates. The file is a pdf which you can print at home and give to your child to color with their own pencils or markers. Then purchase some pencils (there are some good Valentine ones at Target in the dollar section right now!) and punch holes in the top and bottom as indicated. Slide the pencil through and you're all done. With no sugar or fat (no calories at all!!) and no nut allergens, this is a win-win Valentine for school. ;o)

This month I'm making an effort to increase my followship (I just made that word up) so I'm giving them away free to anyone who "follows" my blog through blogger (or other blog following network you use), facebook or twitter. If you already follow one way (thank you), just add another method. Send me an email letting me know which one you've chosen and I'll send you the pdf file. There are six different designs on one printable page.

Free printable valentines from Paperbox Press

Just saw this link for FREE printable valentines from Paperbox Press. I would also take a look through the other invitation offerings--it's cute stuff! To do this, just "purchase" the free pdf file and print to your own home printer. Trim, fold et voila! and you've got some nice little Valentines!

The 40th Birthday Project Begins with a place

Yes, the biggest DIY project of my own will soon get really under way. Of course I've been planning on my birthday party for over 2 years now but this is where it gets all real.

Here is the space I'm renting. It was recommended to me by another bride who said it was the coolest place for a small budget party. The venue is called "Gather" and it's located on the second floor of a renovated building in College Hill, Cincinnati. There is a parking lot, it's relatively close to my home, and it's a wonderfully bright and open space. And for $75 per hour, well, it just can't be beat!

Here are the pictures I took on my tour. I must admit to feeling a bit panicked now. Having a party in my head is all fun and games until you actually have to throw the party, you know? I've got some ideas brewing and more to come. I'll take you on the rest of the journey with me since I'll likely need some support. ;o)

The right side and corner

Right side and front windows

Front windows and left wall

Back area that will be renovated into the bar/food prep

Back wall/Entrance to the space

Lighting

Disco ball ;o)

Entrance to venue, foyer shared with Marty's Wine Bar