Where's the BBQ?

Lately, I’ve been enamored by the aroma of BBQ wafting through the spring air! It can’t help but conjure up images in my head of warm sunny afternoons spent with friends, gathered around the grill, eating roasted veggies, burgers and hotdogs. BBQ’s are a great excuse to sit back, relax and take a breather from the weekday grind. Here are some fun and quirky items that would spruce up any back yard grill fest! My particular favorite is the cow creamer, which could easily serve your favorite BBQ sauce!

{Images from L to R}
Spread The Love Lable from Etsy seller Miss Pickles Press
Cow Creamer available at Williams Sonoma
Bull invitation by Checkerboard Ltd. available at eInvite
Back-to-the-Farm Glasses available at Williams Sonoma
Bucket Grill available at Crate & Barrel
Country Barbecue Chop Plates available at Williams Sonoma
Mustache Handkerchiefs from Etsy seller Avril Loreti
Pirate Chefs T-shirt from Etsy seller Jon Wye
Vegetable Skewers available at Crate & Barrel

Brides of Autumn

{collage images via sweet paul, who I just love!}

{invitation via eInvite}

While all of us are enjoying the warm sun of spring, brides of autumn may have other temperatures and colors playing in their minds. Inspired by the palettes offered in the photographs of Sweet Paul's blog, here is a collage of autumn inspiration. All images found via Sweet Paul, who is a seriously talented food designer and quite a crafty guy. Black details can add the most amazing hint of drama to almost any color palette. This invitation by Rytex-Mission via eInvite goes all out with sophisticated black.

Whether there is a subtle hint or a bold presentation, pairing a natural palette with noire is just stunning.

Days in Sandy Linen

Today was hot. Really, really 92 degrees hot. Natural linen and cool, clear water are on my mind. Crane's Ecru Lettra Marquis Card on eInvite, J Crew's Goldwyn dress, Restoration Hardware's Del Mar Daybed, and Martha Stewart's striking pool hued blooms capture the feeling pretty well...

Graduation Invitation Sale

{15% off select graduation invitations on eInvite from now until May 19th }

Design Guru

I want to share an interesting interview of one of my favorite designers.

"Inspiration is something that comes when one least expects it. I can be inspired by almost anything: It can be a book, a film or something as simple as the smile of a child walking down the street." - Giorgio Armani

Thank you PEOPLE Celebrity Baby Blog!!!

{image via People Celebrity Baby Blog}

Thank you People for your post on eInvite's Fun Design and Fabulous Customer Service. We are oh so smitten by your kind words.

"Einvite.com’s pricing is fair and competitive with other stationary retailers. But their choices, their easy-to-navigate website, and stellar customer service make them a great go-to for all of your paper needs!" – Lisa, from People's Celebrity Baby Blog

Visit The Paper Fashion exposition at MoMu in Antwerp, Belgium via Antwerp Fashion Observer. I am having a small love affair with texture and these designs have me in a bundle. They look like you could actually put them on and style.

A Peek inside eInvite's offices...

{ Images of Tina Bates and Wendy Baglione, Caitlyn, Anne Bondanza, Kimberly Means, Caitlyn and Alita Mitchell, Caitlyn and Elizabeth Quinones }

Having fun today in the offices of eInvite.com was a possible future artist, Caitlyn, daughter of one of our staff members. She came to work completely prepared with art kit and smiles galore...and a super cool outfit!

For the Birds

One of the many joys of spring is hearing the birds chirping first thing in the morning. I enjoy it so much that I hung a bird feeder just outside my bedroom window. Sometimes there are so many birds at my window, I can’t help but feel a little like Snow White in the forest…minus the dwarfs of course. A beautiful addition to any home or garden, bird feeders make a wonderful house-warming or wedding gift. Here are just a few stylish options, perfect for even the most minimalist of gardens!

{Images from L to R}
Folding Bird House by Jesper Moller Hansen, Dorthe Weis available at the MoMA Store
Light Aqua Egg Bird House by J Schatz
Ceramic Orb Bird Feeder: Yellow available at Olive Barn
Birdhouse by Marcel Wanders available at Droog
Blomus - Nido Bird Feeder available at All Modern

Found in eInvite's 25% Off Spring Sale

There are some real gems in eInvite's Spring Sale - last day today: wedding invitations with multiple layers and ribbons at deep discounts, stunning letterpress invitations, thank-you notes, party and baby, too. The white foil text on the rich black paper of Beauty in Black sets a formal tone for an evening event and lets brights colors stand out even more. The letterpress invitation Field Flower in summery tones of yellow and green calls to mind margaritas and lemon-hued orchids (found on theknot.com). Take advantage of great sale prices and browse lots of other new invitations on eInvite!

Garden Florals

This spring, fashion takes a step back to watercolor florals in saturated orange, red and yellow hues. This is similar to styles seen in the early 90s, except with modern cuts and accessories. I love seeing how this trend has translated to paper. It's romantic and perfect for a spring wedding.


{L to R from the top: Stella McCartney, Floral Print Jumpsuit; Checkerboard, Ltd., Oriental Poppies; Rebecca Minkoff, Bowie Zip Down Racerback Tank; Ali Roe, Multicolored Silk Floral Printed Dress; Paul & Joe Beaute lipstick; Rytex-Mission, Floral Fantasy Invitation; eInvite.com, Fresh Bloom; Big Buddha, “Garden” Satchel}

Spring Pattern Inspiration

Thanks to some marvelous spring weather, I was able to get out riding (bicycling, that is) for the second time this year. Nothing is in bloom quite yet here in Massachusetts, but the trees have budded and the potential for greenery is almost too exciting to bear.

The ability to see green grass again is very inspiring. It was very windy this weekend and a motif in design for thousands of years has been capturing the wind through grass. There is something intensely beautiful about the movement of an ocean capturing in the stasis of green earth. This movement taps into a deep human experience, a shared and universal experience.

Marimekko has a noted pattern design portfolio and has seen waves of popularity just as waves of wind move through the grass. I was cruising their patterns for inspiration and found a design of Fujiwo Ishimoto that had a green and canary wash applied to it, resulting in exactly the feeling I have carried all weekend.

Key Details

Readily available at flea markets and antique shops, old keys are a great way to bring a bit of vintage flair to any party or wedding. Decorate invitations, boutonnieres, or even bride’s maids with antique keys. Hang them from your bouquet, give them away as favors, or dangle them from centerpieces and place cards. Keys are small enough to put almost anywhere but charming enough to make a statement. Best part is, they won’t break the bank either...except for maybe the ones at Tiffany's!

{Images Top L to R}
5 Porcelain Keys available at The Curiosity Shoppe
Acanthus Antiqued Brass Vintage Skeleton Key Necklace Collectibles by urbanheirlooms
Large Key invitation by Checkerboard Ltd. available at eInvite
Flea Market finds with Branch Floral as featured by 100 Layercake
Whiskey Brown Leather Saxony Clutch with Antique Skeleton Key by urbanheirlooms
Tiffany Keys available at Tiffany & Co.
Flea Market finds with Branch Floral as featured by 100 Layercake

Decorative Tape

A nice Daily Candy find this a.m. was decorative tape from TapeSwell. This is one of those, where have you been all my life products. From crafting to gift wrapping and envelope decorations, this tape is sure to be sticking in everyones mind! What I like most is the diverse imagery and nice proportions without being kitchy. Thanks TapeSwell! Check out their site for coordinating labels and other cool stuff.

Mossy Morning

Gorgeous green growth is sprouting! Check out the verdant hues in Pottery Barn's centerpieces (Carved Wooden Cachepot and Garden Ceramic Woven Collection) and the lushness of the succulent boutonniere found on InStyle Weddings. The two correspondence cards in shades of moss green are design perfection: Moss Bordered Ecru Card by Crane & Co. and Alight by Checkerboard available on eInvite.

Inspiring Textiles

Anthropologie has a great new line of pillows, which showcase the hottest spring trends of tribal prints and sketched florals. As a designer, I find the patterns and colors very inspiring. And as a consumer, I have my eye on the bottom right orange one!

{L to R from top: Canakkale Floor Pillow; Butterfly View Pillow, Iris; Saltarello Pillow; Impatients Whimsy Pillow, Square; Suzani Medallion Pillow; Seed Packet Pillow}

An Easter Epic

{image via allposters.com}

Once upon a time in a small old New Eggland town
called Sunnyside up over the hill from Omelet . . .

A town meeting was called by the
town mayor, Mayor Benedict. The
residents were hard-boiled to stop the
invasion of epic proportions, but it
was too late. They came over-easy by
land and sea. The residents scrambled
to stop them - but . . .
Oh, no!

It was tooooo late - the Peeps
have arrived in droves!
{The End}

by Marcia Boucher

Today, we had a little contest to keep our creativity level high, and our Good Friday spirits up. The contest was of the Easter egg decorating variety, one especially stood out, as this little tale accompanied the presentation.

Although we were eggstatic, we should not forget our friends that celebrate Passover! Lots'a matzah ball soup and a wonderful holiday to you!

{image via paurian on flickr}

And to everyone, enjoy the Spring weekend! We are a little softboiled around here. {wink}

Happy Easter from eInvite!

eInvite review

I was excited to read this awesome review, wanted to share it with everyone. Thank you Victory and Samantha!
http://ataleoftwobrides.blogspot.com/

Gray Today

{ images: ceramic ecru bowl by isabelle abramson ceramics, porcelain mushrooms by roost via velocity, fray scarf on etsy via another shade of gray, vintage beaded mules by haberdasheryboutique.com, and stunning florals by dandelion ranch via 100 layer cake }

{ handmade paper and feathery eggs with nest and handmade recycled linen Fleurs on Canvas by fanciful designs, roadside thistles and spring crocus by me, butterflies of costa rica by cracker via webshots, porcelain jellyfish by Toronto based artists Alissa Coe and Carly Waito that are now on display in the front window at Magic Pony • 694 Queen St. West • Toronto }

Easter celebrations will be at my home this year and so, I want to do something different. Changing up the palette a big and trying something a little modern. I love how the hues of purple, lavender and white play off each other in these images and the complimentary colors of the crocus remind us of balance. The warm and cool tones feel natural and comforting.

Warm Gray, Blank Slate

A neutral tone sets the groundwork for the use of bold colors in art and design. It is sometimes wonderful, though, to resist the urge to punch through the tranquil haze of a warm gray with a saturated hue. On its own, gray is meditative, calming, artfully moody. It is in the "gray area" that we find ambiguity - and from the haze comes new ideas and new life. Cloudy days (April showers) set the stage for the bursting life in the seasons to come.
Clockwise from top left: Ted Baker Men's Caprese Lace-Ups; Vase and Pillows: Vera Wang on Weddings; Tunic: Tine K Home; Invitation: Rocaille by Checkerboard via eInvite; Sofa: Milo Sofa from Anthropologie; Bag: Lisa Stickley London

Easter Craft

I am loving these Eggshell Votives from Martha Stewart. Very cute and pretty simple to make—what a great idea! Directions available here.

{Image from Martha Stewart}

Cross-Stitch Gets a Facelift!

Something I’ve been noticing a lot of lately is the popular craft of cross-stitching. It’s been popping up on everything from clothing, to home décor, to stationery and even jewelry. But what makes the cross stitch of today, different from that of the past? It’s the imagery. Modern patterns feature graphics taken from video games and pop culture, giving the craft a youthful, more vibrant flair. Most of what I’ve shown here is from the talented peeps over at Etsy. However, I’ve also included some items (below) from prepster retailers Stubbs & Wootton and Smathers & Branson who feature similar looks in their collections. My personal favorites are those sporting the Jolly Roger!


Images Top from {L to R}
Mustache Pin by Neawear
Watermelon Hearts Cross Stitch Earrings by thepinpals
Jolly Roger Cross-stitch by Futuregirl
Cross Stitch Monogram Initial Pocket Mirror by AdandBragButtonCo
Pinky Pin by stitchandplay
Retro Girl by DefiantDamsel
Yellow Bird on Robin's Egg Blue Cross Stitch Pin by thepinpals
Pink Camelia Counted Cross Stitch Pattern by WooHooCrossStitch
Images Bottom {L to R}
Jolly Roger (Black) from Smathers & Branson
Jolly Silver UK Slipper from Stubbs & Wootton

Little Bunnies

Inspired by springtime, babies, and with the Easter holiday right around the corner, this natural palette echoes freshness. European baby clothes always offer great design and simplicity. These little outfits by Bonpoint make we want to fly to France today to do a little shopping, even though they are available online!

{New Arrival letterpress announcement by Crane & Co. via eInvite.com, sterling silver baby rattle via The Kids Window UK, and Bonpoint couture childrens clothing}