catching up!

I have been neglecting my blog! I know, I know.

but here is something I should've posted a while back. I'd designed a map for Landra and Darren's wedding in Ocho Rios, Jamaica...which just so happens to be today! The map that i designed was then photo blogged by her photographer, Carmen (of Studio by Carmen)!

Landra had her invitations designed by Smashing Cards but asked me to design the map along with a welcome/rehearsal dinner invite. When Carmen received the invite in the mail she took this gorgeous flick and posted it to her blog:

Samples for Julie and Robert

Julie and Robert are getting married at the Brooklyn Bridge Park and will follow up with the ever famous Bubby's of Brooklyn as their Reception venue. BTW Bubbys has fantabulous comfort foods like Mac n Cheese and the biscuits are to die for....the pies ain't so bad either ; )

Now, I have made many Bridge invites, but it is safe to agree that this set is one of the most gorgeous sets I have done. The paper is fashioned after aged/antique paper...

When Julie saw the pieces for the first time she emailed me, "Wow...Very Beautiful!!".

Here's a look at the set. The soon to be Bride and Groom used Cream, Merlot, and chocolate colors for their Fall wedding.

Images of the sample.

Closed with a simple band:

Closed with coordinated bands:

Open to show panels and rsvp card:

I love how the paper became leathery after the printing process:

The best is yet to come with this set. Stay tuned for map inserts!

Brown and Creme Invites...

I have so many events in the next few days...I only had time to make these tonight.

Swinging Sixties Birthday Party Invite

Liz from New Jersey asked me to put these together for her mom's surprise party. Mom will be 60 on the big day!! These are called Enfolds and were fun to work with. they fit a standard A2 (1/4 letter sized paper) envelope. I had to retouch the photo that Liz gave to me...those photos will come later. But if you notice in the picture Liz's Mom, Ginny, has a cat on her lap. Really it was that murky that I didn't even notice the cat until i began cleaning the image up!

Map of Jamaica for Landra and Darren

I've met so many people since becoming an Event Planner and dabbling in Graphic Design. While on the DW Board, I met Landra who also happens to be a fellow Brooklyn-ite. Landra and her fiancee are getting hitched in Jamaica! She asked me to upgrade her monogram last August.

Her wedding day is approaching, so invites and stationery are a priority. We are working together to create the map inserts for her invites. Click to be taken to the draft that she created.

It took a lot of layers to create the map...keep in mind it is still a work in progress. Landra was originally getting hitched at Half Moon in Mobay, but due to circumstances had to switch the venue to The Ruins in Ocho Rios.





These maps are design only, Landra has purchased the image so that she can print as many as she wants for her various stationery and gift bags. I think the image can also be used for a nice tag on her Out of Towner Bags : )

Bari Part 2

After going over the design I made last week I am trying something a little more "greener" using orange as an accent.



Invite 3.6" x 8.5"
rsvp card 4.25 x 3.6"
reception card 5.8 x 2.83"

this is a comparable picture from envelopments

AuTour Du Monde

On Monday December 10th I planned and hosted two events. Both at an Ethnic/French Cuisine Restaurant in Clinton Hill called AuTour Du Monde.

Autour Du Monde is French for 'around the world'. Considering the menu, I would say 'around the world' is quite fitting. To obtain a sense of what niche the chef wanted to fulfill, he offered me his signature Duck Quesadilla smothered in Zucchini Tomato Salsa. It had a unique yet comforting taste.



Champagne glasses ready to go, YUM.



Council Member Letitia James was in attendance along with PACC to lend their support to ATDM owners.



AuTour Du Monde is located at 860 Fulton Street at the corner of Clinton Avenue in Bedford Stuyvesant. They are open daily at 8 a.m. and serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. Email me for a pdf of their menu or for media inquiries.

Corporate Holiday Invites

Opinions?

Tyese and Craig Day

On September 15th i had the pleasure of being the "day of" coordinator for Tyese and Craig. The theme, "A Match Made in Brooklyn". Everything was out of this world on a classy and sophisticated level. Tyese shared some pictures with me, I chose to post the ones with details I had a hand in:

The invitations made by moi:




The cake set in the distance is the actual cake (yes that is a cake with the Brooklyn bridge attached to it!):



The menu cards that doubled as reception programs at each place setting (view the scan here:



Honorable Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn borough president was invited and in turn sent over a proclamation that it was "Craig and Tyese" day...i will try to get the groom to take a picture of it for me.

Allison take 3

another spin on the project for Allison and Tobin

Lovie

I don't really delve into my personal life to much as i want it to be clear; I prefer only my crafts to be blogged about here. But, shortly after I did the Mike and Juliet Show, I got a job offer as the Press and Events Manager at a non profit organization. One of my new coworkers is throwing a baby shower and requested my help. heres a draft of the invite.

Allisson take 2

I am always up for a challenge...I thrive on challenges. It is with great pleasure that I may have come up with something for Allisson and Tobin's skyline invite. After i sent her the image, I realize that reminds me of the intro to Frasier. I am crossing my fingers, that this alternative is a "go".

My prior design may have been a bit unbalanced (see below).

Artsy Style Bridge Invite

So I am putting together an invite for a Beautiful Couple that contacted me. It has been really challenging as they are requesting something so unique! I am always up for the challenge. this is the draft version of the sample and I will be aiming to perfect it over the next day or so.



with the details:



Their colors are aqua and chocolate. They like the brooklyn bridge theme and wanted to incorporate the manhattan skyline as this sums up the locations of their wedding and reception. the skyline is pure my drawing but the bridge is a rendering from a picture. trying to merge two different elements so they fit just right has been interesting but i think im getting closer...I think the aqua borders help to blend the images. what do you think?

my invite template

here are the ones that started them all...
these are images of the invites that went out for my wedding. these are make overs, not from the original batch.

the save the date:

Its a tea length (#10 envelope) canvas panel with ribbon and backed with handmade lilac floral card stock. inserted into a handmade mini pocket. It kinda resembles a plane ticket, no??






The invitation:

This is a 5 and a half inch pochette, hand made of course. with a canvas panel backed with floral paper. This invite closes like an envelope and ties with ribbon.




Gorgeous aren't they!??

Brooklyn Bridge Invitation Sample

TodayI am trying out a new color scheme on the Brooklyn Bridge Wedding invitation. The Brooklyn Bridge invitation is gaining some popularity, thanks for the interest to all who have made inquiries. Here are a few as requested by a woman whom I hope to have the privilege of working with.

Special Delivery for the Battles

So, tonight i am going to do my first out of town hand delivery....don't worry she is within a 10 mile radius of me. so i will be traveling to NJ from Brooklyn and i anticipate a lot of glee! I am proud of this batch of invites as they were totally my art.

here is the precious cargo:




she has the envelopes! Tyese had them calligraphed and had to pick those up early. Isn't the ribbon stunning?

Teasers for "The Groom"

I have been relentlessly working on The Brooklyn Bridge invitations. Tyese and Craig's wedding date will be here before you know it and we want the guests to be blown away when this invitation is delivered to them. We were working with this design, a 5X7 Gate fold on 110lb card stock:

Then as it began to wind down to the final processes, we came to a more "functional" approach. The bridge is a very important element of the invitation. I wanted to showcase the length of it and give more of a landscape to the artwork. With the gate fold, the art seemed to distort in order to fit the paper.

So tried a tea length (9X4) as well as this fold over design out:

here's what i came up with:

Tjis of course are just rough product images, we have yet to choose the paper and ribbon...but Craig deserves a teaser as he is the first groom to contact me re: invites :) Tyese will be a lucky woman!

Which one do you prefer?

So I updated the RSVP card for Hillary. in the first one the rsvp card was updated just a bit. But it still needed more. The second has more color and wording relevant to the wedding location (a Vineyard in California). So...which one do you prefer? Leave a comment below.

Hillary part II

Today I put the finishing touches on Hillary's wedding invitations. She had seen an invitation made by Kate Spade. But that style was discontinued at the time she came across the picture with the brown backing. I worked at recreating the flowers and once that was done we were all set. Now... I put a little something extra together for the rsvp cards. Miss Hillary is a no fuss bride. She just wanted wildflowers. So whatever I made for the rsvp's had to be clean cut because really, this is a surprise! When I publish this blog, she will see them before the proofs are sent out. Hillary I hope you like! Really, the pictures do not do them justice. Michelle Stacey

Hillary

In December, Hillary found me on a classifieds website. She wanted a specific invitation that she had found, but it was discontinued by the stationer (the picture with the brown backing on the left). When Hillary contacted me, I was thrilled. I felt like this would be a challenge. What artist doesn't welcome a challenge? It took me under a day to complete but I tried as best to create the cascade of wildflowers for her. When I emailed her the slide show, she absolutely loved it. Hillary lives in California with her husband-to-be and family. This is the farthest distance I have ever worked with a client. So it was taken into huge consideration. Let me explain... Whether bride or not, when you desire a service, you want to feel comfortable enough to trust the artist to interpret the feel of your event. Hillary wanted to start off with the "Save the Dates" to announce her wedding date to those who will be invited. Once she received the finished product, she commissioned me to create the matching invitations! more to come...