July 4th Celebration

The fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. Each year, it is spent at my parent’s beach house with family and friends, in a weekend celebration. In the morning, coolers are packed and the boat is loaded with towels, bocce ball and fishing poles. We make our way to the island and enjoy a day in the sun filled with many laughs. Upon returning to the cottage in the late afternoon, we enjoy one of the greatest summer pleasures—an outdoor shower, then settle on the front porch with snacks and a cocktail to watch the sun set. The evening is spent grilling, visiting with neighbors and watching the seemingly endless fireworks.

{L to R: Star Medallion from Martha Stewart; Glory by Checkerboard, Ltd.; Berry Vodka Spritzers from Real Simple}

This year my dad turns 60, so the celebration will be extra special. We will all pitch in with the planning and lucky for us the internet is bursting with inspiring ideas!

{Lto R: Let Freedom Ring by Starfish and Dreams; Seaside Cookies from Women's Day; July 4th Pom Poms from Martha Stewart}

Still Raining?!

Well, here in Massachusetts, we've apparently been transported to northwest Washington state and someone forgot to tell us. It rained every day last week and supposedly will rain the rest of the week. Not that I'm actually complaining, I rather like the muted palette that summer rains bring. It's different than the colors in fall, winter, or spring; the light is sharp and high in the sky, so when the clouds break even slightly, the world glows. Summer rains bring a palette of water-washed blues and wooden grays, like the colors of the sea.

Pantone's color trend report for FW09 has been out for a few months now, giving us some time to live with the hues they predict to be popular. Screens of Majolica Blue (19-4125), Iron (18-1306), Warm Olive (15-0646), and Créme Brûlée (13-1006) carry the same emotions for me as rainy summer days. I feel that when you can use color to capture a feeling that is familiar, like the emotions that surround rain, you can connect with your customers/viewers at a much deeper level.



A some people seem to dislike rainy days but they are no different than any other - they just have a different set of colors and emotions around them. Using those two things (colors and emotion) are the underpinnings of good artistic expression, in my opinion.

Inspiration

Riddhika's Jewelry

I blogged about one of my favorite jewelry designers (and close friend) a couple months ago, and now she's launched a new website that I wanted share with you all. http://www.riddhika.com/
I am blown away by your fantastic pieces Rids!



“ I draw inspiration from everything that's around me. From my travels to simple things that I love. From the intricate architecture of Churches in Prague to the Temples in South India, from the serene beaches in Oman to the hustle and bustle of the streets of Bombay, my fun friends in New york to my mother. My last collection was inspired from animals, food and colors.” - Riddhika Jesrani

Love Is In The Air!

Editors' Note: Please welcome Alita to our staff of contributing writers! She is a integral member of eInvite's team and brings a different voice to our discussions. She'll be providing an inside look at all the craziness that is involved when planning a wedding. We're very glad to have her on board.

I am so excited to announce that my cousin got engaged a couple of weeks ago, and we're going to be following Sarah and her fiance Billy as they navigate all of the joys and challenges that wedding planning brings. They're going to be married in March 2010, so with only 9 months to plan they have a lot on their plates!

Are you finding wedding planning to be what you expected, or is anything different from what you thought? Is there anything so far that has pleasantly surprised you?

Sarah:
Due to the fact that our wedding is 9 months away, wedding planning during the first 3 weeks is very involved. We have seen 15 locations over the past 5 days and picked our top 3 locations. It has been a pleasant surprise with how helpful everyone has been. I have friends spanning from Washington state to Texas offering me all the help I could ever need! Kristina (our cousin) has even offered to make my save the date and invitations with her personalized card business. (Perhaps they'll look like Kristina's Love card below?)

Billy:
I always figured it would be time consuming and hectic, I guess the only thing I didn't expect was the time it took to become so crazy. Right now it is one week into the engagement and it feels like we have been planning this for months. There is so much to do right when you first start that you find yourself hoping that the pace slows down at some point.

The happy couple!

KTPaperCrafts' Love card - so pretty!

High Relief

Three-dimensional details are popping up everywhere. The Reaching Up invitation available on einvite.com uses embossing to give its blossoms a subtle texture that feels good and catches the eye. The new amazing Silk Dupioni Rosette Dress from J Crew expertly swirls silk into spiraling rosettes and wakes up the senses. The bouquet is from Housemartin and its Papaya Ecuadoran roses echo the "sweet papaya" hue of the dress. Rich and enticing.

Gloom-Busting Balloons

With the gloomy days we’ve been having here in New England, and the incessant cold I’ve been fighting for the past week, I find myself yearning for some cheerful, funny goodness and fortunately that’s what I found in the latest edition of W magazine.

Among the high glam and glossy beauties I stumbled across a small blurb on the fantastic work of Buster Balloon…it was the tiny inflated Elvis that caught my attention (anything Elvis makes me chuckle).

Based out of Southern California, the balloon twisting genius has traveled the globe teaching, performing, and uncovering new and amazing balloon ideas to adults and kids alike. He’s even inspired famed artist, Jeff Koons (known for his own larger-than-life balloon sculptures made of stainless steel) and has collaborated with Koons on a “top secret” project. Now…THAT is something I am very interested in seeing! Until then, these fun pics of Buster’s work will have to suffice…enjoy!





{all pictures via www.acmeballoon.com}

Patterns in Nature

I find amazing inspiration in nature. The colors...the textures...and most recently, the patterns. Stop and take a minute to look close and you will be astonished.

{L to R from top: Snow Gum, Cactus, Green Leaves, Silhouette Leaves, Brick Wall, Urchin}

Rain Rain.. Stick Around for a While

I have to admit, I like the rain in small doses. For the past day it has been raining and it's supposed to rain for the remainder of the week. That's enabled me to spend some time working on various art projects and in the progress of getting supplies at my local art store, I stumbled across this crazy in-home screen printing machine, the Yudu. I have NO idea how well this thing works, but it looks appealing to me for the following reasons:

1. It has this emulsified sheet instead of all of the various liquid components usually involved in screenprinting.
2. It's ridiculously compact.
3. It looks ... almost ... clean!

Now, I know that screenprinting without ending up completely covered in various goo is a crime against art, but for those apartment-dwellers out there who can't devote an entire wing of their house to their various creative misadventures, it might be a really awesome solution.

Once I started thinking about screenprinting, I inevitably had to troll Etsy for interesting screenprinted stuff, and found this totally absurd, wonderful linotype (with screenprinted colors) of the 2005 World Beard and Moustache Champion (what can I say, I'm a sucker for the absurd).

Just look at this. It is glorious.

Amethyst to Aubergine

{images: victorian desk via hausmaus, French romantic pillow, couch and bed linens via maison objet via point click home, rose bracelet by rodrigo otazu via funky lala}

the avant-garde of 20th century Mexico

{image from Museum of Fine Arts Boston}

I recently went to the MFA in Boston and saw the Vida Y Drama: Modern Mexican Prints Exhibit. It is a small, but excellent collection of prints by the likes of Alberto Beltran, Jose Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, among others.

It is fascinating to see how these great 20th century Mexican artists, inspired by American and European Avant-Garde art, used printmaking methods to depict and comment on what they saw around them; from political and social injustice to intimate portraits and studies. I highly recommend seeing it if you're in the area. It is on display until November 2nd, 2009.

Two stunning Invitations for two beautiful brides

I am so excited!! My best friend Zoey is marrying Jem in August and Dan's best friend Brian is marrying Jess in October. This is a very special time for us, since both couples are like family!
I am just soooooooo excited for these weddings - I know they will be super fun! I wanted to share their stunning invitation choices with the rest of you.

Zoeys and Jems choice { phoebe from eInvite.com }





Brian and Jess's choice { bejeweled from eInvite.com }



more to come on the wedding stories ...

Jungle Peas

{jungle peas via areaware}

If you have ever been lucky enough to receive flowers from Sprout of Worcester Ma, then you may have been introduced to these little critters. At least they look like the little guys that inhabit Cathy Walsh's June Street studio and enliven her work. Sprout is our local, our go to place for floral inspiration, as they complement invitations and signify celebration of all kinds.

I saw these decals on areaware and had to share.

every pair has a personality

My conversations with several girlfriends on crazy shoe shopping sprees and now this post on metacool made me think about why the right pair can be so irresistible! Shoes have been a medium for great design forever. Every pair has a personality of it's own - what better way to explore personal style and share your personality with the world :)

Cause a Riot

{images via joie de vivre's hotel pheonix, fashion by alix malka @ chris boal artists, and ehow}

Today, the sun came out here in central Massachusetts. I think I am a little over-anxious for blissful summer days and parties by the pool. We all know the flowers and veggies need the rain, but there are graduation parties, cookouts, wedding fetés, and baseball games to be had. Black is a staple in my wardrobe, and I end up wearing it most days.

It takes certain palettes for me to react and get excited about, like clifftowns in Italy on the shore, or the facades of little villages all over Europe. The riot of color in these selected images make me feel brave and adventurous, ready to celebrate! I can't image painting my stairs bright orange with hot pink ballisters, but it seems to work here. On a good day, you never know what I may try. Here in New England we look to nature for color. Nature throws riotous colors of flowers into green backdrops of foliage, bringing the same philosophy into your everyday sounds "natural".

Enjoy the summer sun this weekend and punch up your parties, homes, and wardrobes with color and excitement!

Wedding Invitation Hits the Front Page of Digg

How exciting is this?! A wedding invitation - the oldest of old world communication (other than bibles, political essays, and newsprint) made the front page of Digg.com, arguably the epitome of so-called "new media" (a major social news aggregator amongst many, of course).

Congratulations to Kayrock (the printer) and Jill & Matt (the happy couple). It seems that Jill did the layout, which is a monster of an undertaking - there's a lot going on. Check it out:

Metal Mother (the groom's blog)

I'd link the image here, but given it was a small shop and a couple's art, I highly recommend you do the footwork to the blog!

Feather Bouquets

Feather accents are being used by a great deal of brides—on shoes, in hairpieces and now in bouquets. What a fun way to make your wedding unique!

{L to R from top: Style Me Pretty; Style Me Pretty; Emplume; My Wedding Flower Ideas; Michelle Rago}

simply stunning

{ image by kostas murkudis via this branded youth }

Onwards

Onwards from AKQA on this branded youth

Are you a little green?

{Lime Slice via eInvite.com}

{cutest grill ever via anthropologie}

{and you MUST drive this to the party...image via ford motor company via seriouswheels.com}

A-B-C-D

{chest of 26 drawers via minordetails and swiss miss}

Inspired by Nature

These two great ideas from Martha caught my attention. I love how they incorporate nature into summer entertaining. They are simple, elegant, eco-friendly and inexpensive. Brilliant!

{left image; right image}

Interesting Things Afoot!

Things are very busy here at eInvite, with several new, super-secret projects in the works. Stay tuned to the blog for announcements in the next few weeks.

cool designs

I found some super cool clock designs on generate, but one of my favorites is this clock featured on crave

i shot the serif

{via ffffound.com}

Summer Party Invitations

As my calendar fills with barbeques and summer parties, Adoniram’s Memorial Day post has me inspired to throw one of my own! However, I would have a tough time deciding which invitation to choose. These are all so fun and clever, they are a wonderful way have guests looking forward to your gathering weeks in advance. If I received one of these invitations in the mail, I would clear my schedule! Which one is your favorite?


{L to R from top: Lobster, Meri Meri; Shake It Up, Checkerboard, Ltd; Lime Slice, Checkerboard, Ltd; Personalized Bag, Meri Meri; Golf Cart, Meri Meri; Palm Tree, Starfish & Dreams; Loungin’ Around With Umbrella, Putnam House; Big Kahuna, Checkerboard, Ltd}

Vintage with a Modern Twist: Gardenhouse

I'm currently loving and totally inspired by the fabulous colors and patterns of Gardenhouse's outdoor friendly furniture and fixtures! Be sure to check out the collection at gardenhousedecor.net