You're engaged, now what?

First off, congratulations to all of the soon-to-be brides that got engaged over the holiday season.  This seems to be the most popular time of year to get engaged and I personally know several girls who have recently started planning.

Have you found yourself wondering where in the world you are supposed to start?  What should you do first? Should you call a photographer or venue first?  I'm sure if you asked 10 women, they would give you 10 different answers.  I spent ALL of 2011 planning my wedding and here are my top 3 recommendations for planning assistance:

1. Emily Posts's Wedding Etiquette

This book was gifted to me by one of my bridesmaids, and it became such a lifesaver.  From the formalities to planning a wedding to the different types of floral bouquet arrangements a bride can carry, this book was oh so helpful for everything!

2. Mindy Weiss Planner & Organizer

Mindy Weiss is one of the most well-respected wedding planners in Hollywood.  I enjoyed reading and following her blog to dream about the exotic weddings she plans.  This book/organizer is her newest product and would be a great addition to the Emily Post Etiquette Book above.

3. BLOGS!!

Well, I truly became addicted to the blogosphere while planning my wedding.  If you enjoy finding inspiration on the web, this is the most resourceful place to find, learn, and gain wedding tips.  It can at times be overwhelming so be sure to take everything in small doses.  Here are just a few of my
favorite wedding blogs that I still follow today.

Style Me Pretty
Grey Likes Weddings
Snippet & Ink
Budget Savvy Bride
Ritzy Bee Blog

Again, congrats to all of you planning!  I will be updating soon about some of my current wedding invitation suites available so stay tuned!

Minted: Baby Announcement Challenge

For those that aren't familiar, Minted is a company that promotes independent designers around the world by hosting design competitions.  The winners of the challenges are then sold on their website and the designers receive a percentage of the sales.  This has been a wonderful resource for me as I grow as a designer and it allows me to practice, make mistakes, and try new things.  I have already improved tremendously since my first entry back in August.

The current challenge is baby announcements and voting is now open.  If you have five minutes, I would love it if you could create a profile and vote for my designs below.  I hope your week has gotten off to a great start!  

Tiny Miracle

Sweet Stripes

New Orleans, Louisville & the Fleur-de-Lis

Tonight, my alma mater, the University of Louisville will take on the Florida Gators in the Sugar Bowl.  A ton of our friends traveled to New Orleans for the big game tonight.  While I wish I was there, I’m excited to cozy up on the couch to watch what will hopefully be a shocking Cards victory.

There is one unique symbol that ties Louisville, New Orleans, and stationery together and that is the Fleur de Lis.  This symbol has become so popular for stationery, invitations, and trendy goods, so where did it come from and what do New Orleans and Louisville have to do with it?

The Fleur-de-lis is French for “lily flower” and became the official emblem in the state of Louisiana as its roots stem from the French colonization of the Americas.  It is most widely seen as the NFL Logo for the New Orleans Saints, and has become a symbol of community and hope in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  Similarly, the city of Louisville adopted the Fleur-de-Lis as its official seal of the city and represents French aid that was given during the Revolutionary War.

In honor of the entire city of Louisville traveling to New Orleans for the game tonight, here’s a fun collection of the Fleur-de-Lis used in stationery.

Go Cards!

Source

Happy New Year!

It's hard to believe today is January 1st!  December was full of fun holiday parties, our much anticipated Junior League Hollydays event, designing Christmas cards, and finally a vacation to Key West.  Needless to say, I haven't had much focus on updating the blog.

Here are some pictures that summarize what I've been up to lately.  I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.  Here's to accomplishing your goals in 2013!

Created lots of fun personalized stationery that made wonderful gifts

Christmas Card for a great friend who recently got married

Save the Date cards for a friend's upcoming wedding

Another Christmas card designed for my cousins

Spent Christmas in Key West, Florida with the Warren's

Sunset Cruise

Had a Cabernet Wine Tasting Party for New Year's Eve, tasting card designed by yours truly.

My sister, in town from Honduras.  Happy New Year!!

Minted: Save the Date Challenge

I am WAY behind on updating lately, but I want to take a minute to share a few designs I entered this week in the Minted Save the Date Challenge.  I had fun creating these designs and would love your support in voting.  You have until Thursday to place your vote and all you have to do is create a login at Minted and click the links below.

Modern Garland

Future Mr. and Mrs.

Damask Frame

Buy Stationery = Help Sandy Victims

Through the Minted community, I have been connected with the most amazing group of designers.  They are encouraging, helpful, and all share the same passion for paper and design.  Several of the designers were effected by Hurricane Sandy, and one in particular decided to pull all of us together to help.

The etsy store, "Designers Care" will give 100% of the proceeds raised to the American Red Cross.  The designs will be stamped onto calling cards or greeting cards and shipped to you.  Most of the designs are meant to be uplifting and inspire.

I'm so happy that I could be a part of this effort.  My art card, "Lean on Me" can be purchased along with several other amazing designs.  Our goal is to raise $2,000 for the American Red Cross, it would be awesome if we could do more.

Below is my design, and here is the link for you to go make a purchase and a difference:  http://DesignersCare.etsy.com

Inspiration

These last few weeks I have been working tirelessly on Goldenberry Paper's first launch of stationery notecards.  A friend that I met through Junior League was kind enough to let me test out the market by selling my stationery in her shop at our upcoming Hollydays Art & Gift Market.  This opportunity has been perfect for setting a deadline to launch my first product line.

One thing that I struggled with was what would the overall look and feel of this stationery collection look like?  I decided to turn to Pinterest to collect photos of my favorite things.  Once I placed these images into an inspiration board, it was easy to see what colors and things inspire me and make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  A lot of the designs for the upcoming line have been tweaked and tweaked again and again, and I am so excited for the finished products.

For now, take a sneak peak into what inspired me for this first stationery line:

Images courtesy of Pinterest and Design Seeds