Stationery Scoop

Crane

2011-10-09T10:25:00.001-05:00

Check out one of my Christmas cards now available at Crane.com!

Christmas Garland

New Minted Holiday Designs

2011-09-22T19:10:00.000-05:00

My newest Minted holiday card is now for sale. I love the photo they selected!

Joy

Joy to the World

Holiday Photo Card Time

2011-06-02T14:19:00.001-05:00

It's that time again! I know it's only the beginning of June, but in the stationery business that means holiday photo card preparations are in full swing! I love entering Minted's design contests and the holiday challenge is always the most thrilling. This year there were over 2300 amazing submissions. I would really appreciate your votes for mine as well many of the others that made it to the top 700.

And, as a little incentive, Minted has a $500 gift certificate up for grabs! Everyone who rates at least 50 entries will be entered into a drawing for a $500 credit on Minted*. Ten additional voters will be chosen at random to win a gorgeous Minted T-shirt. Take a quick break, and help reinvent the traditional holiday card.

Here are my 2011 designs:

http://www.minted.com/design-rating/28016

http://www.minted.com/design-rating/29981

http://www.minted.com/design-rating/27119

batman birthday party

2011-04-25T17:35:00.003-05:00

I could literally add photos for days! Karen Tyrrell of piccolina photography captured so many wonderful shots of my son's 4th birthday party. Here are just a few along with details. I hope they can serve as inspiration for other parents of budding little superheroes!

homemade tags and cupcake toppers, gift box labels from littleday press

custom invitation from littleday press, wipeable tablecloth from etsy

capes from Sew Plain Jane, tee shirts by littleday press (see below for designs), bam! headband from etsy

personalized batman cape set from etsy

We asked all the kids to let us know their superhero names, superhero colors and superhero powers a week before the party so that I could prepare their tee shirts. I designed a logo for each one and used iron-on transfer paper to add them to the shirts. You can get more details from a great party I discovered on birthdaypartyideas.com. I purchased the blank capes from Sew Plain Jane and lots of felt from JoAnn fabric. I found great templates for masks and shapes from Martha Stewart. Moms helped their kids cut out shapes and glue them onto their capes (large sheets of double-sided adhesive worked really well for on-the-spot assembly felt glue for extra re-enforcement along the edges). Finally, I armed them all with silly string to battle the joker!

superhero party preparations

2011-04-01T17:55:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the big day! My son can't wait to share his love of Batman and superheroes with a dozen of his little friends.

superhero party sneak peek

2011-03-15T19:17:00.005-05:00

Gearing up for my son's superhero birthday party. So much to do!! More to come. . .

be mine valentine

2011-02-14T17:36:00.003-05:00

I had fun putting together the boys' valentines this year after seeing these on 24-7-365. I wish I had a better camera because these photos just don't do them justice! Happy Valentine's Day!

Harry Potter cupcakes

2011-01-25T17:39:00.000-05:00

My son turned seven today and we're headed to Harry Potter at Universal next week. Tonight we're having his favorite dinner, chicken nuggets and mac n' cheese, and these yummy cupcakes! The chocolate cupcakes are boxed, but the icing is Martha Stewart's wonderful Swiss Meringue Buttercream (heavenly!) and the incredible toppers are from Crafty Rosy.

Thanksgiving turkey cupcakes

2010-11-18T17:13:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I'm no Martha Stewart, but I think I did a decent job of making these fun little turkey cupcakes for my son's preschool class party tomorrow. After looking at the professional photo on her website I may go back and fluff them up a bit with some more toasted coconut.

Instead of making the cupcakes and icing from scratch, I went with the boxed stuff. I did add the melted semi-sweet chocolate chips to the vanilla icing to give a slightly home-made kick. I was able to find everything (including the toasted coconut marshmallows) at Wal-Mart after half a dozen failed trips to various other retailers. I should have known that I could easily find all the ingredients for a Martha Stewart recipe at Wal-Mart since her line is all over the place there! The gummy fish seemed too big for the beaks so I went with candy corn instead. I also attached the heads to the cupcakes with toothpicks so that they wouldn't all tumble off on the way to the party. I just need to remember to let the teachers know to take them out before the kids eat them. . .

beautiful photo calendars

2010-11-06T15:31:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited about the launch of the new photo calendars from Minted! From Minted's blog, "The idea for the calendar originated from the fact that most drug store-type calendars are wonderful in that they showcase your family’s pictures, but are horrible to look at. We were never sure where to even hang them… the closet or a hidden corner seemed to be where they gravitated to. We wanted to elevate the calendar to the level of fine art and make it something that was a reflection of your personal style and aesthetic. And we’re pretty confident we’ve done just that with today’s launch."

They are printed on high quality calendar paper and are available in two sizes with lots of customizable options for each month of the year. I plan to order several as Christmas gifts for family. My antico noe design is pictured above. Be sure to check out all the truly unique designs.

minibooks

2010-09-10T11:15:00.003-05:00

Loving the new Minted minibook format. These little booklets were so much fun to design. I only wish I had been able to squeeze in more of them! Stay tuned for voting!

wine bottle wraps

2010-09-04T12:21:00.000-05:00

I needed a last minute wine bottle wrap idea and, of course, turned to Martha for some ideas. I think this turned out pretty nicely. . .and I love being able to make use of my fun little gift tags!

coming of age challenge

2010-08-28T07:10:00.002-05:00

These are my entries in the latest Minted challenge. Voting is now open! I would love your votes!!

mis quince años

16 celebration

sweet cross

pink and green

2010-07-30T10:25:00.002-05:00

I just read an interesting article about fashion retailers and regional trends. This line in particular - "Southerners bought more white, green, and pink than other regions' residents, for instance, according to data from private-sale site, Hautelook.com which caters to young, urban professional women." - got me thinking about one of my first Minted contest entries, Preppy Monogram. The Around the World Holiday Card Challenge was created to bring in designs that represented different regions. Though I've never been much of a pink and green fan myself (I tend to prefer brown, black, grey and blue) I definitely notice its presence in the south. Having lived in NC, GA and FL over the past 10+ years I've seen my share of bright, preppy polka-dotted pinks and greens! Maybe it's time for a change to the west coast? Minted never actually offered this card for sale in these colors. Instead they opted for brown and blue. Go figure!

No. 18!!!

2010-07-18T20:26:00.001-05:00

My Joy to the World design placed 18th (out of 1370) in Minted's holiday challenge! I was so excited to see it posted on their Facebook page and Natasha's blog post was incredibly sweet! I had fun creating an alternate colorway, a patterned "backer" (backside design) and envelope liner for this card. Stay tuned for the link to order in the coming months. Thank you so much to all who voted for me!

a few of my favorites

2010-06-27T07:07:00.002-05:00

joyeux noel by Emily Potts • Doves of Peace by Mandy Gordon • banner + burst by Jody Wody

the greens by Stacey Day • vintage berry by Paper Dahlia •
joyeux noël + reindeer by Emily Ranneby

first christmas by Sara Heilwagen • peace love & hope by The Social Type •
scarf + garland by Moglea

Voting is now closed for the 2010 holiday card contest at Minted and we're all anxiously awaiting the results. I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorites. As you can tell, I'm hopelessly attracted to the color blue!

stationEry

2010-06-23T06:41:00.000-05:00

My very first post on this blog in May 2005 had to do with the difference between "stationery" and "stationary". I still encounter stationEry designers and retailers who spell it with an "a". It doesn't bother me as much when customers spell it incorrectly - we all make spelling mistakes sometimes, right? But, if you're in the business you really should know better. LizzyB Loves and Oh So Beautiful Paper both posted about these bags recently. I couldn't help but purchase one! Check them out on Sapling Press' etsy shop. . .

laikonik wrapping paper

2010-06-18T12:28:00.001-05:00

I came across this beautiful Polish folk-art inspired wrapping paper after reading Design Mom's post about the company's Once a Year Books. At this time I'm just not prepared to accept that my boys are ever going to turn 18 - the idea of this sweet little book makes me too sad. So, I decided to see what else they offered and noticed this lovely hand silk screen printed wrapping paper. The shipping from Australia may keep it from being a practical purchase, but it may be worth looking into!

voting time!

2010-06-17T15:51:00.005-05:00

I'm so excited that my designs survived the first round of voting. The original 1300+ entries have now been whittled down to just over 400 so the task of voting is much easier! I actually truly enjoyed going through all 411 of them this morning and giving them each a score from 1 - 5. I would really appreciate your votes if you have time. I promise it will be worth your while to browse through this wonderful assortment of holiday card designs! *If the site is slow (as it is while I sit here typing this post) you may want to try again later. The Minted team just sent out a big email about the contest so the site may be flooded with voters. Here are the direct links to mine:

joy to the world
http://www.minted.com/design-rating?id=10958

floral joy
http://www.minted.com/design-rating?id=11937

cashmere
http://www.minted.com/design-rating?id=12100

cheery holidays
http://www.minted.com/design-rating?id=12499

holiday daisies
http://www.minted.com/design-rating?id=12501

very merry holidays
http://www.minted.com/design-rating?id=12503

memory board
http://www.minted.com/design-rating?id=11930

The Fine Print: Everyone who rates at least 50 entries will be entered into a drawing for a $500 credit on Minted*. Ten additional voters will be chosen at random to win a gorgeous Minted T-shirt. Take a quick break (we won't tell), and help reinvent the traditional holiday card.

beach wedding

2010-06-15T10:03:00.002-05:00

My brother recently got married near the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The photos above, courtesy of lindsay brooke emeigh photography, are some of my favorites. The weather was absolutely perfect as you can see!

Many months ago I helped them come up with a bright, fun, and eco + budget-friendly wedding suite. The invitations served multiple purposes with the wedding info on the front and rehearsal dinner + farewell brunch info on the back. The response postcards featured a photo of the beach house porch. I was able to get Minted.com to print the skinny wrap labels in their wedding colors to go with the paper source "poppy" envelopes. I think we accomplished our goal of setting the scene for a fun, lively and laid-back wedding. It was a blast!

holiday photo cards

2010-06-11T06:28:00.000-05:00

My apologies (to Facebook fans, especially) for all of this Minted talk! Holiday cards are my favorite to design and their latest contest has some major rewards! So, even though I was on vacation for 10 days and this was the last week of school for my kindergartner, I had no choice but to find time to create and enter designs for the 2010 holiday card challenge. These are my 7 designs. Right now, Minted is having a first round voting phase to eliminate 75% of the 1300+ designs that were entered. Hopefully some of mine will survive this round! I'll let you know when official voting begins. Wish me luck!!

splurges

2010-06-02T13:38:00.000-05:00

I do plan to post about the wonderful boutique wineries we visited in Napa last week, but I wanted to quickly share my two splurge purchases. I was able to score this wonderful Yoana Baraschi love story trench coat at the resort shop for less than 50% off! It was definitely put to good use on our cold, rainy wineries tour last Thursday! I've also been eyeing these Frye riding boots all winter, but they don't make a whole lot of sense in Florida. Oh well, you only live once!

cupcakes

2010-05-31T19:23:00.000-05:00

Sorry I've been MIA for the past 10 days, but I was busy enjoying my brother's wedding just below the Outer Banks of NC and indulging in fabulous wine and food from San Francisco and Napa. Pictures from some of my favorite boutique wineries will be added soon!

While I was out, Kara from Kara's Party Ideas and Kara's Cupcakes posted my son's little monster birthday party pics on her blog. I wish I had found her blog while I was preparing. There is so much wonderful inspiration there! Be sure to check it out if you will be planning a party soon. She is also very talented at making cupcakes as you can see from the images above - adorable!

time to vote!

2010-05-11T15:58:00.001-05:00

Voting is now open for the Minted Make a Wish Challenge. I submitted two designs this time and would love your votes! Here are the links:

pink mermaid

garden sunshine

I'm sure all of the other talented designers would love your votes as well. Thank you!!

textile design

2010-05-07T10:16:00.000-05:00

I am so excited about my new opportunity with Globalweave Textiles. I was contacted last month about the possibility of licensing one of my designs and now it looks like I'll get to see my patterns on pillows, duvets and possibly rugs in the near future! Globalweave is a design and development company specializing in personalized textiles and rugs. Their program has been designed to give retailers customized made-to-stock product to satisfy local trends and instant gratification. My profile. . .

I hope to have photos of finished items to share with you soon!

the carrie diaries

2010-05-05T06:51:00.000-05:00

Just purchased and I'm looking forward to reading this on some long upcoming plane trips!

garden sunshine

2010-04-27T06:11:00.002-05:00

My latest entry in Minted's birthday party challenge. I could have a lot of fun with this garden sunshine invitation in several colorways!

clock screen saver

2010-04-26T18:28:00.000-05:00

Check out Real Simple's 10-anniversary free screen saver!

blumeboxes

2010-04-21T13:16:00.001-05:00

These multi-functional "vases" are made from 80% post consumer materials and are 100% recyclable. I know that these fun blumeboxes are definitely going to have a place in my next baby shower or birthday event! Be sure to check out their pages and pages of ideas in blume for all kinds of inspiration!

3rd Birthday Monster Party - Part II

2010-04-15T20:17:00.004-05:00

photos courtesy of Erica Posluszny

More details about the monster birthday party. . .

Treats:
• home-made monster marshmallow pops from my custom birthday girl inspiration board and some help from grace violet.
• lemon clouds in little boxes I modified from Sweet Street Gals' free templates
• coordinating blue and yellow cookies I purchased at Easter and froze
• gift bags with crayons, home-printed coloring books from Jelene's etsy shop and inflatable monster beach balls from oriental trading co.
• jars and gumballs from Home Goods

Games + Activities
• monster bowling by Melissa & Doug
• monster toss from Amazon
• monster masks from oriental trading co.
• Ben apparently thought forks were optional!
• a reading (and lots of tickling) from The Tickle Monster
• sidewalk chalk monster drawing contest
• musical monster paws

3rd Birthday Monster Party - Part I

2010-04-14T13:39:00.003-05:00

photos courtesy of Erica Posluszny

What a fun project for me and, more importantly, a great party for Ben! Much of my inspiration came from parties showcased on blogs such as Birthday Girl (and the help of Becca's custom inspiration board), The TomKat Studio, Party Perfect and sweet designs byAmy Atlas, to name a few. I made the six stuffed monsters from patterns I purchased from bit of whimsy dolls and my favorite local bakery, Sheila's Cakes came up with this fun fondant cake to match the party colors and theme. More photos of the activities and games are on the way. . .

pantone concepts

2010-04-10T19:50:00.001-05:00

Spotted this fun Pantone paint line by Samy Halim on the dieline. Love the square containers!

printable CD/DVD cases

2010-04-07T12:48:00.001-05:00

I noticed these free CD envelope templates designed by Tomoko Suzuki for Canon on How about orange recently. What a fun and easy idea to get you prepared for an upcoming trip or to package/gift a mix CD for a friend or graduate!

sweet linen wedding invitations

2010-04-06T12:46:00.002-05:00

Photo Credits
Row 1: starfish candles and mason jar candles via pottery barn; blue gift box via wedding things
Row 2: wine sack via Shorely Chic's etsy shop ; linen and burlap flowers via My Adobe Cottage's etsy shop; thank you linen pouches via junghwa's etsy shop
Row 3: natural linen wedding guest book via flickr; linen suit via wedding by color

What a great way to start the day today! Sweet Linen was one of the winners in Minted's Breakout Wedding Challenge. My inspiration board and full collection are shown above. This ensemble in 4 colorways will be available on Minted.com in the coming weeks!

new powder room

2010-04-05T06:58:00.002-05:00

We're so happy with the end result! I still need to find a piece of furniture of some sort to house toiletries, etc. but it works for now. My husband and a friend took on the beadboard project, we splurged on the Farrow & Ball wallpaper, I found the Restoration Hardware lighting at an outlet and I used gift cards for the Pottery Barn mirror.

happy Easter weekend!

2010-04-03T10:49:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone has a happy, healthy and safe Easter weekend! We started ours off early with a quick trip to the beach on this gorgeous day.

cereal addiction

2010-04-02T07:12:00.000-05:00

I look forward to waking up and diving into a bowl of this every morning now! I created my first me & goji mixture a few weeks ago and will be back for more very soon. I started with a base of choco granola for one and 5-grain muesli for the other and then topped them off with a variety of dried fruits and nuts. As long as you don't go overboard on the extras the price is pretty reasonable, especially once you realize how much you're getting. The "capsules" are huge! I feel so healthy starting my day with a yummy custom cereal that has little to no sugar.

powder room renovation - part I

2010-04-01T07:32:00.000-05:00

Well, the wallpaper is finally up in the powder room and we plan to hang the new fixtures this afternoon. As soon as the room is complete I'll post photos of the renovated bathroom!

little monster party prep

2010-03-30T17:37:00.001-05:00

Well, the party is now less than 2 weeks away and the invitations just arrived from the printer, so I thought I would share a bit of what I've been planning for the big event! I've been busily hand-sewing (since I don't actually sew and totally clam up when I attempt to use a sewing machine) these fun little monsters from a pattern I purchased from bit of whimsy dolls. Three down, three more to go! I designed the two-sided invitations and matching fill-in thank you notes with envelopes large enough to include a 4x6 photo of Ben with each of his friends. I don't feel like three is too old to take advantage of fill-in thank you notes, so I'm making my life a little easier after the party this year! My inspiration board put together by The Birthday Girl has definitely been coming in handy! More to come after the actual event. . .

birth announcement designs

2010-03-26T10:17:00.000-05:00

My latest entries in Minted's Here Comes Spring Birth Announcement Challenge. Would love your votes!

elegant baby

double the love

baby grace

steamline

2010-03-25T13:55:00.002-05:00

I'm totally impressed with this company! I contacted Steamline Luggage because I've been eyeing their Editor Series for months. I thought I had missed my chance to finally purchase one when I noticed they were sold out online. I emailed the company and they had one display model left in chocolate and said they could send it to me (with free shipping from Ireland)! It arrived at my door two days later and I couldn't have been more thrilled. Bad news is that they will no longer be selling the chocolate and mustard, but more of the Pink Editor series will be available this June along with several new designs. I can't wait to use this on my trip to Napa in a few months!

Vinyl Labels on Sale!

2010-03-22T19:30:00.000-05:00

Our popular vinyl labels designed by Kelly Hughes are now on sale! All sets of labels ordered by April 5 will automatically be doubled. These waterproof labels are great for bottles, sippy cups, lunch bags, gifts and more.

letters and numbers

2010-03-18T08:36:00.002-05:00

lovely prints from isak

a little bit o green

2010-03-17T09:39:00.001-05:00

http://greenpaperco.blogspot.com/2010/03/green-day.html

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33278218&ref=cat2_gallery_16

http://www.howdoesshe.com/trial-free-exclusive-st-patricks-day-printable

Happy Leprechaun Day (as my son says)! Here are a few fun green items I recently spotted.

baby Carlie

2010-03-13T13:33:00.001-05:00

My good friends' new baby girl recently inspired these sweet photo birth announcement designs now available on Pen + Parchment.

lovely mail order

2010-03-11T12:46:00.000-05:00

I'll take this eco-friendly and lovely file box in black walnut please!

one more wedding invitation

2010-03-08T11:13:00.002-05:00

This is one more wedding invitation I played with for Minted's Breakout Wedding Challenge. There's still time (well, less than an hour) for me to substitute this one for one of my other three. . .anyone?

wedding invitations

2010-03-07T20:50:00.000-05:00

My 3 entries have been submitted to Minted.com's latest challenge. I'll post again when voting opens!

gorgeous prints

2010-03-05T20:30:00.001-05:00

I just adore these photos by Skippy Designs' Mandy Lynne. As soon as I find the right spot I'm going to buy and frame several of them!

dear suki

2010-03-05T12:05:00.000-05:00

In case you missed Martha Stewart today, here are a few of Dear Suki's adorable wallets and card holders. I just purchased a new wallet, but I'm excited to sit down and go through all her card holder designs and order one for myself!

adorable birdie themed party

2010-03-04T09:12:00.001-05:00

As I begin thinking about and preparing for my son's 3rd birthday party I am constantly inspired by the amazing dessert tables I've seen! This adorable party done by Suzi of Alanna Rose Stationery Boutique from Melbourne, Australia, was featured on Amy Atlas' blog today. So many wonderful ideas, so little time!

chilewich

2010-02-26T17:15:00.001-05:00

If only I had an iphone instead of a blackberry. . .sigh

graduation announcements and invites

2010-02-23T16:37:00.005-05:00

I haven't had a chance to design many graduation invitations myself, so I was thrilled when I received the new designs from Take Note! The bright colors and fun fonts are great! My sole design this year is the elegant Striped Grad card above and I can easily change the colors to match your son or daughter's school colors.

SALE :: new calling cards

2010-02-21T12:51:00.002-05:00

My new line of calling cards is finally available on Pen + Parchment! Check out these fun two-sided calling cards printed on heavy matte card stock and save 20% on all littleday press items through the end of February with code: scoop20

photo Easter cards

2010-02-16T16:30:00.002-05:00

I've just added a line of Easter photo cards inspired by the lovely photographs taken by my friend Erica of EP Photography. It's already time to think about getting those cute spring shots of your kids!

little monster party

2010-02-15T07:47:00.005-05:00

Photo Credits

Row 1: invite via stationery scoop; gift bags via julie gcf; placemat via remodern

Row 2: cupcake via bunnycakes; calling card via stationery scoop; banner via the mcculleys

Row 3: monster sundae and coloring table via juicy bits; tickle monster book via amazon; handmade monster via flickr

Row 4: plush ugly dolls via land of nod; ugly doll figurines via flickr; marshmallow pops via very sweet desserts

I am SO excited about my toddler's upcoming birthday party, but I've been having trouble putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. Becca at The Birthday Girl created a custom inspiration board to help me get started on the planning. She also sent me swatches of recommended colors. I changed her navy to a brighter blue only because I think it's going to be easier to find party items in that color. I've been playing around with invitation designs (one idea is shown above). I'll post the final invite when I make up my mind. It is scheduled for April and I can't wait to share the pictures when it's over!

matchbox valentines

2010-02-10T16:10:00.002-05:00

So I finished up my version of the matchbox valentines last night. I didn't have the energy to create labels since my son is giving everyone a photo card (adorned with his hero, Optimus Prime) as well. I just put a card + a matchbox filled with a candy necklace in a clear plastic bag and tied with grosgrain. Cute!

chair socks

2010-02-09T09:45:00.000-05:00

I'm so bummed that these adorable chair socks from Charles&Marie aren't going to fit my kitchen chair legs!! I'm so tired of the little felt sticker thingys constantly coming off. These socks would have been the perfect solution! They come in sets of 4 for $20.

valentine's day cards

2010-02-06T09:02:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day is just around the corner! Minted is offering my petals of mine card with a free upgrade to overnight shipping for orders of $50 or more.

valentines matchbox treats

2010-02-04T12:36:00.000-05:00

What a fun, creative idea from inchmark! I think we may be working on a similar project this weekend. I'll post pics when we're done!

hoo hoo

2010-02-04T07:42:00.002-05:00

A great owl cake by sidewaysglances - I think this might be inspiration for a new stationery design!

via handmade charlotte

mangiare

2010-02-03T22:11:00.001-05:00

My brother and future sister-in-law gave me this book for Christmas and though I've loved every page of it, I was just able to finish it last night. The first section brought me back to my college days spent in Italy (and the 10+ lbs I put on while completely indulging in the incredible food there!) and the rest of the book took me through her spiritual journey in India and Bali. I highly recommend eat, pray, love, a book filled with lots of humor and insight!

good housekeeping stationery contest

2010-01-29T11:27:00.001-05:00

Here are my latest three Minted.com contest submissions. I would LOVE your votes!

Women's Stationery :: http://www.minted.com/design-rating/8856

Men's/Women's Stationery :: http://www.minted.com/design-rating/8403

Children's Stationery :: http://www.minted.com/design-rating/8439

color-your-own-card valentines

2010-01-22T08:52:00.003-05:00

Cool Mom Picks + etsy are hosting a Valentine's Day card design contest to benefit The Children's Heart Foundation. Here are my entries!

preppy floral stationery

2010-01-20T20:14:00.000-05:00

I just entered this design in Minted's latest stationery challenge. I was inspired by my friend's new baby girl!

birthday parties

2010-01-19T14:03:00.002-05:00

Resources:
Row 1: strawberry girl via design mom; ice cream towels via beau coup; handmade cones via ici
Row 2: cupcake cones via couture cupcakes; raspberry bombes via canalle vanille; double scoop invite via thetomkat studio
Row 3: ice cream tees via fig and ruby; sundae bar via bridalparty tees, toppings via for the love of weddings, cart via ms weddings
Row 4: custom ice cream via ecreamery; sprinkles kid & cone via polka dots & pirates; chocolate dip via fiona carter

Resources: invitation by Paper Buzz; candy boxes by Wonderful Graffitti; candy stand by Rebecca Thuss; party dress by BCBG; ice cream cones by Ici, sodas by Izze; other images from Martha Stewart.

Birthday Girl, one of my favorite blogs, is now offering custom inspiration boards to help you turn your next party idea into a reality! I love designing and creating, but I have the hardest time putting all the pieces together when it comes to event planning. This year I want to throw a monster party for my upcoming 3-year old. I don't want it to be based on a movie, tv show or book about monsters, but a modern twist on happy little monsters in general. I still have a few months to go, but some help from Becca at The Birthday Girl would be wonderful!

personalized plates from Boatman Geller

2010-01-15T16:27:00.000-05:00

I just added some more fabulous personalized melamine plates to the collection at Pen + Parchment! These designs by Boatman Geller are great for adults and children - so many fun options! We also have an adorable assortment of personalized plates by Kelly Hughes. Her whimsical illustrations have always been a big hit!

all occasion note cards

2010-01-12T16:58:00.001-05:00

Just added several of Boatman Geller's newer stationery designs. Check out their beautiful assortment of flat notes and folded notes!

valentines

2010-01-11T15:00:00.000-05:00

These aren't your typical drug-store Valentines! Check out our assortment of adorable ready-made designs and photo Valentines - 4.25 x 5.5 with envelopes. I love how more and more of my son's classmates have been handing out unique Valentines in recent years!

beautiful pottery

2010-01-01T21:33:00.000-05:00

I once took a wheel-throwing class (in my former pre-marriage, pre-children life) and loved it. I knew I wouldn't be able to make a career out of it because I just didn't have the talent, but it sure was calming. Ever since then, I've had a fascination with great pottery. Whitney Smith's creations are lovely and I hope to purchase this delicate cake stand once I dig myself out of the holiday spending hole.

new years photo cards

2009-12-14T20:16:00.000-05:00

It's not too late to order your holiday photo cards! Designs by littleday press are shipping out in 1-3 business days! However, if you don't want to even mess with getting your cards addressed and stamped before Christmas we now have a collection of New Year's photo cards. I'm happy to adjust the colors of any card to best fit your taste and photo.

personalized buckets

2009-12-08T11:08:00.000-05:00

I searched and searched last night and finally found exactly what I was looking for on etsy! These personalized buckets by Monkey See Boutique are going to be perfect for my sons' sudden influx of legos on Christmas day. I was thinking of breaking out the craftiness in me and attempting something similar myself, but for $30 each I would rather have them done by someone who knows how to do them right! There are so many options for bucket colors, text colors and ribbons. I might have found my next go-to children's gift!

cyber monday sale

2009-11-29T19:07:00.001-05:00

15% off site-wide today and Monday! Shop Pen + Parchment. . .

Christmas photo cards - pinwheel holiday

2009-11-19T17:17:00.002-05:00

Whew - I'm finally finished with my family Christmas cards! I never wait until this late in the season because it's just too hectic this time of year, but I changed my mind at the last minute and decided to finally take the plunge into letterpress. Fingers are crossed that they turn out as beautiful as I hope because I want to expand into that market in 2010. I'm already working on fresh, modern wedding designs.

Anyway, this was the card I was originally planning to send out (with more current photos - those are from last year), but I'll probably want to send the completely different letterpress cards instead - especially since they cost exponentially more! This digital design isn't for sale on Pen + Parchment because it can be quite time-consuming to crop and layout the photos, but it can be ordered by special request. Feel free to contact me for more information about this digital photo card or custom designed letterpress holiday cards.

Christmas creatures

2009-11-09T16:21:00.000-05:00

I'm absolutely loving these paper creatures from mibo studio's etsy shop! The printable pdf files can be used over and over again and have already provided hours of fun for my boys. They each have their own creature and have given them cute little names. So far they've been very careful with them, but when they do eventually break I can just print out new ones! I think they will be a great addition to our Christmas dinner table - perfect little name place cards.

skinny wrap labels

2009-11-02T19:24:00.002-05:00

I might have to break my obsession with round envelope seals and try these sleek and modern skinny wrap address labels from Minted! LOVE them!

state birds prints

2009-10-16T07:17:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited to have stumbled across some great Christmas gifts. I can totally envision these unique and modern little prints by Amy Ruppel framed and in a quartet on my family room wall. Should I choose my birth state? The state I grew up in? The state in which I currently live? My husband's home state? I can choose all four to create a truly meaningful wall!

anniversary party invitations

2009-10-13T20:09:00.003-05:00

Voting is now open for the Real Simple 10th Anniversary Invitation Contest. I would love your votes if you have a few minutes to spend on Minted.com. There are lots of great entries as usual! Here are direct links to my designs:

#1 - brighTENed
#2 - cupcake birthday
#3 - many wonderful years

soft earthy tee

2009-10-07T14:16:00.000-05:00

I love tunics and I'm a sucker for a super-soft shirt. I found this pretty one on etsy and thought it would be perfect for fall in Florida (if it ever actually gets here - it's currently 97 degrees with the heat index). This Earthly Pine Cone Tie Neck can be found at Alison's etsy shop, circular accessories. Her hand silk screened apparel is really unique. I definitely plan to purchase more!

elegant holiday photo cards

2009-09-29T10:04:00.004-05:00

All-in-one digital photo cards are definitely the newest trend. In this economy, holiday cards adorned with layers and bows have become a luxury that many customers just can't afford. Here are some of my favorite elegant digital holiday photo cards. . .

Sweet Scrollwork by SanLori

Merry Little Christmas by littleday press

Vintage Holiday by Stacy Claire Boyd

beach holiday photo cards

2009-09-24T20:50:00.000-05:00

Many of my customers like to showcase their family beach photos on their Christmas and holiday cards. Beach or coastal themed holiday cards are big sellers every year. Here are a few of my favorites. . .

Coral View digital holiday photo card by littleday press

Pacific Garden digital holiday photo card by Noteworthy

Seagreen Holiday digital holiday photo card by SanLori

Seaside Holidays holiday photo card (foldover) by Stacy Claire Boyd

Christening Invitations

2009-09-21T12:21:00.006-05:00

These were my entries in the latest Minted contest. I often have customers ask me for baptism or christening invitations and I don't have many currently available for sale. These will all be for sale on either Minted or Pen + Parchment. Here are the direct links:

delicate cross (now for sale on Minted in 4 colorways!)
lullabies and little shoes
floralia

holiday photo cards

2009-09-17T13:38:00.000-05:00

My new digital holiday photo card collection is now available at Pen + Parchment and should be available at several other partner retailers in the coming month. My littleday press line is professionally printed on 110lb smooth white card stock. 100% recycled stock is also available by request. Looking forward to a fun (and hopefully busy) holiday season!

birthday toppers

2009-09-15T11:23:00.002-05:00

Okay, I had saved this shop as one of my etsy favorites and now I've seen posts about it on several blogs I follow so I couldn't resist sharing! Lollipop workshop makes the most adorable handmade cake and cupcake toppers. I can't wait to orders something fun for my son's third birthday this spring! Of course, lots of fun birthday invitations and photo invitations (like the one pictured above) can be found at Pen + Parchment.

birds nest lamp

2009-09-13T07:48:00.000-05:00

I received the latest Serena & Lily catalog yesterday and devoured it as usual. Spotted this fun birds nest hanging lamp that I am now eyeing for my office. . .

unprofessional cupcakes

2009-09-11T16:00:00.002-05:00

I follow several blogs devoted to cupcakes and I'm often inspired to attempt to create them myself. While I think I'm a pretty good baker, I admittedly haven't mastered the art of presentation when it comes to desserts. I had high hopes of ending up with these gorgeous chrysanthemum cupcakes but when dozens of drops of green gel food coloring wouldn't yield better than a minty color, the orange resulted in barely peach and I realized I didn't have the right frosting tips I decided to go basic and add a few sprinkles. I will say that my Buttermilk Devil's Food Cake cupcakes from The Cake Mix Doctor paired with Martha's Meringue Buttercream icing are heavenly (if not beautiful to look at). Hope our friends at the dock party tonight like them!

personalized stationery

2009-09-06T09:06:00.002-05:00

My stationery is now available for sale at Minted.com! I love seeing it printed and professionally photographed. The design, Antico Noe, was named after my favorite little restaurant (or one room diner hidden under an arched alley) in Florence. My friend, Jill, and I ate there frequently during our semester abroad in collage many, many years ago :) It will be one of the first places I visit when I get the opportunity to go to Italy again!

twitter

2009-09-02T17:06:00.003-05:00

I'm finally starting to get the hang of twitter. Now I just need some more tweeters to follow!

reusable snack sacks

2009-08-31T10:01:00.002-05:00

Just ordered some adorable (and eco-friendly) sandwich/snack sacks from Green Street Bags on etsy and recently found these pictured above from Evelyn Fields. Can't wait to stop wasting so much plastic with each school lunch I pack!

elegant baby shower invitations

2009-08-28T14:57:00.000-05:00

I love baby showers and, sadly, those days are now behind me. I do have plenty of customers and friends still having babies, so I need to be aware of the current baby trends. Project Nursery is a wonderful site I recently discovered dedicated to keeping moms in the know about all things baby. The "real room" pictured above is adorable! I stumbled across these fabulous cupcakes on The Flirty Guide. Of course, no shower is complete without the perfect invitation. The elegant baby shower invitations by littleday press and sweet giraffe growth chart pictured above are now available on Pen + Parchment.

paper invaders

2009-08-24T18:59:00.004-05:00

I LOVE this wrapping paper from Whimsy Press! We wrapped a transformer in the paper for a birthday party this weekend and I was more impressed with the presentation than my son was with the actual gift. If I didn't have such an addiction to that website and I hadn't already spent so much money there I would buy more. But, I still have many, many sheets I've hoarded that need to adorn more gifts before I can justify indulging just yet.

holiday photo cards

2009-08-22T07:08:00.003-05:00

I wish I had been able to dedicate more time to Minted's most recent holiday card contest, but with the chaos of a final summer vacation and back-to-school prep, I just wasn't able to really focus. I did enter four fun designs, but I doubt any of them will be winners this time around. There weren't that many entries total, but there were several other really beautiful designs. I would love your votes (anyone reading this blog?) if, for nothing else, some encouragement and respectable scores :) As usual, designs not selected for sale by Minted will be available through Pen + Parchment and other littleday press retailers this fall.

Here are the direct links:

http://www.minted.com/design-rating&id=6503

http://www.minted.com/design-rating&id=6403

http://www.minted.com/design-rating&id=6455

http://www.minted.com/design-rating&id=6458

caramel heaven

2009-08-19T07:52:00.004-05:00

Spotted this shop on etsy and I'm in love! Caramel is my absolute favorite candy. I'm afraid this uncut caramel log could spell disaster! I'm really not good with self control when it comes to sweets, so I may start off with the little samples of Mayan Dark Chocolate Caramels. In fact, I'm off to place my order now. I'll let you know just how yummy they are when I receive them!

reclaimed wood frames

2009-08-15T08:35:00.004-05:00

My mother is an interior designer and owns a wonderful gift shop up in the mountains of NC. I had been eyeing one of these frames in a local store in Ponte Vedra, but when I returned to purchase it the frame had been sold. I told my mother about them and she thought they would be a wonderful fit for her store as well. I just came back from visiting her and brought home with me four wonderfully unique frames. I want to use pictures from my family's recent photo shoot with my friend Erica of EP Photography. So, when I have them up on the wall I'll take a picture and post it here. Check out the Face to Face Framing blog for more creative framing ideas!

back to school

2009-08-15T08:23:00.003-05:00

I was on vacation last week and posted notices all over the Pen + Parchment website stating that orders would not begin processing during that time, but that didn't keep customers from purchasing lots of fun stationery items to prepare their children for the new school year. I love dressing up my boys' backpacks, notebooks and lunch boxes with bag tags and stickers by Hootie Coo and vinyl labels by Kelly Hughes, to name a few. Of course, Stacy Claire Boyd's round address "stickys" are always a big hit and can be used as more than just envelope seals. My customers have ordered them as bookplates, birthday party favor stickers, wedding ensemble accessories and more.

happy spring

2009-08-07T14:53:00.003-05:00

I'm excited that my Save the Date design was selected by Minted as an Editor's Pick. It should be available for sale at Minted.com soon!

Eliot

2009-07-31T12:39:00.004-05:00

I stumbled across this moving video today. . .

fancy apron

2009-07-31T08:23:00.002-05:00

I'm lovin' my new apron from decorative instincts on etsy! I bought an apron/oven mitt set from her as a gift several years ago and when I started on my summer long cupcake-making binge I knew I had to have one for myself. The patterns she offers are modern-sophisticated and the craftsmanship is top notch!

bonnie marcus

2009-07-08T16:23:00.004-05:00

If I could just have one ounce of Bonnie Marcus' talent I would be so grateful! Her illustrations are absolutely beautiful and she has created a very successful business over the past 7 years, all while raising 3 boys (and I thought my 2 were difficult enough)! I just received her newest catalog and I hope to have at least some of her designs for sale on Pen + Parchment in the coming months.

joy

2009-07-07T20:50:00.004-05:00

"Joy" was one of the winners of the 2009 Holiday Card Design Challenge! This was one of my favorite entries. I hope it sells well on Minted.com this Christmas season! I will be adding the rest of my new holiday card designs to Pen + Parchment this fall.