Vera Wang and Unveiled by Checkerboard

{image: vera wang gown, via verawang.com}

{sneak peek image of checkerboard's unveiled invitation, presidio: suite no. 1}


The accent of black is so elegant. I love Vera Wang's line of wedding gowns that feature long silky sashes of jet and these gloves in the image above paired with the industrial elegance of the neckpiece screams personal style and edgy elegance. These stunning gowns perfectly coordinate with this invitation suite.

Checkerboard has come out with an innovative line of wedding invitations coming soon to eInvite.com. This elegant item featured is Suite No. 1 called Presidio. It features a custom Geneva diecut envelope and printed liner, a Jet invitation with a diecut pocket on the back that echos the same shape of the envelope and reveals your response set and direction card. Checkerboard has also added a number of imported Italian liners to the collection. This suite features the fashion forward, Donatella liner. If you are looking for something that brings out your personalities, text that embodies your spirit as a couple in celebration with your family, these invitation suites are sure to excite. Do you want to share your story to your guests instead of just telling them the time and place? Create the most exciting prelude with Unveiled by Checkerboard. Stay tuned...we can't wait to share more!

Modern Clocks

I am beginning to redecorate my house this spring, and as I was pushing forward my clocks yesterday morning, I realized I had one more thing to add to my long list. New clocks! Love these modern ones from Generate Design.

Drawing with Paper

{image courtesy of simonschubert.de}

Ghostly interiors and architectural renderings by Simon Schubert created by folding and manually embossing white sheets of paper. These amazing works brilliantly use the paper itself to model light effects and details and shows how ingenuity can redefine the concept of drawing.

Yay, for Houndstooth!

As of late, I’ve been noticing houndstooth everywhere and on everything. The lovely duotone pattern is no longer limited to woven wool or the Scottish Lowlands; instead, it’s become rather international. It’s been spotted everywhere from the runways in Paris, to the households of America, and everywhere in between. It's also shed its traditional color palette of black and white, opting instead, for more adventurous hues such as fuchsia, purple, green and pink.

Houndstooth really is one of those classic patterns that will never go out of fashion. It’s the perfect accent to any attire, whether it takes the form of a scarf, wallet, dress, or a pair of shoes, you can wear it anywhere and anyhow; it will always look classy. It’s also a great design element to work into any party theme. Oh, so perfect for a wedding, bridal shower, or even a corporate holiday party, it will add that special panache you’re looking for.

Above, I’ve featured just a few of my favorites that I came across while on the hunt for houndstooth. I especially love the Toffee Pumps by oh! DEER. That little touch of yellow patent leather, is oh so yummy! Also beautiful, are the invitation designs by Checkerboard. They would be perfect for a 30th birthday bash, or even a bachelor party, the possibilities are endless! Yay, for Houndstooth...now go get yourself some!

{Images L to R: Resonate Invitation by Checkerboard, Alexander McQueen Houndstooth Tote, Alexander McQueen Large Houndstooth Sweater Coat, GUESS? Black Houndstooth Split Dial Watch, Alabama Crimson Tide Houndstooth Cufflinks, oh DEER! Toffee Pump and Vogue Invitation by Checkerboard}

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!

A Creative Wedding

Inspiration for this board was driven by the trends that I have been seeing and love the idea of getting creative with color, patterns and mixing it up a bit. Everything does not have to match, in fact the unexpected combination adds interest and originality. I was loving Adoniram and Payal's posts about the use of black and white and got to thinking about patterns and mixing them to give an ecclectic and artistic impression. A simple blue and green wedding plan can be alot more exciting if you incorporate patterns. The black and white damask on the beach was so stunning, it made me want to do it at home.

{man feet with argyle socks via greenweddingshoes, cake via brides.com, colorful ethnic pillows via designers guild, flowers and grass bridal bouquet via favorideas.com, the lantern via thepaperlanternstore.com, and the polymer and silver handmade cuff links by Molly Shattuck Thomas of Providence, the damask beach wedding via 100layercake.com and invitation via eInvite.com}

I love black and white too!

Adoniram’s post made me think of this awesome Hello! Lucky letterpress invitation on eInvite.

Black and White Style

I have to admit it, I love black and white, particularly when it's stark and severe. It's a trend that seems to come and go, but always has an undercurrent of popularity. There's something both classic and modern about black and white juxtaposition.

Maybe it's a certain fascination with the written word and typography too; black ink bound by white negative space. There's a pressure and an energy that surrounds such extreme contrast. I think you can find this feeling in many media, and lately I've been listening to Ladytron's latest album, Velocifero. The whole album, both in sound and imagery, has this interplay between the heavy weight of sound and the absence of it. Even the band itself, if you're not familiar with them, is a gigantic fusion of culture (Bulgarian, Polish, and British core members). Just check out the photography for one of the singles off the album, Runaway:


Of course, the strong interplay of black lines and white space doesn't have to mean ultra-modern style or electroclash music. Some of our wedding invitations have the same graphic sensibility, that meld transglobal culture and simplicity. Even better, you can get this unique sense of style and save a ton of money on eInvite with a wedding invitation like our Black Decorative Edge...



It's said that your invitations should be between 3-5% of the total cost of your wedding. Imagine having a wedding with a strong style identity like this that only cost thousands instead of tens of thousands. You could spend those savings on the perfect dress, like a Marchesa 2009 wedding dress that has the same design sensibility as many of our low-cost eInvite wedding invitations. Marchesa uses an incredibly bold border to the train and drape of the dress, just as our custom-designed borders frame our more modern invitations.



Such bold statements aren't for everyone, but it doesn't matter if you're lavish or minimalist, you can always be stylish.

A Wedding Palette

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon helping my friend plan her August wedding. She has chosen a wonderful color palette of black and white with pops of bright pink and orange. I think it will be fabulous for her outside evening wedding.

{L to R from top: Mi Mi Design; Silk Chifon Twist Tank Dress, J Crew; Citrus Vodka, Martha Stewart; Boutonniere, Jennifer Dery; Rebecca Thuss; Mi Mi Design}

Social Butterfly

It’s amazing how you can gain a new appreciation for something when you see it out of its normal context. When I saw this photograph that my friend Manya took in France, I gained a whole new appreciation for the monarch butterfly. As a dress, the wings of a monarch became more about pattern and color than about a flying insect that feeds on flowers. The black and white dots, bold orange patches, and powerful black lines inspired me to think outside the insect box. I thought wow, what a fantastic combination, so bold and fun, perfect for that social butterfly looking to flutter her way through a party!


Images from Top L to R:
Timeless Butterfly ring from Free People
Soutache Pebble Dot Top from Charlotte Russe
Kenneth Cole New York Black Elastic Tiered Tooth Bracelet available at Kennethcole.com
Chinese Laundry Woman’s Nuance Pump available at endless.com
Blank Skinny Classique Jeans in Orange available at tobi.com
Blu Bijoux Orange Lucite Circle Earrings available at maxandchloe.com
A Surprise Party Invitation from Checkerboard Ltd., available at einvite.com
Beaded Clutch in Black by Santi available at Urban Minx

Graphic Gifts!

I love the Colorways: Graphic Design article featured in the January 09 issue of Metropolitan home magazine. I appreciate the strong design statement these bold black and whites make. I was so excited when Emily gave me this cool black and white hand painted bowl for the holidays! I show a similar one in the image below. Designed and painted by artist Theresita. I saw Emily reading the same article a couple days ago.... love it when cool things inspire beautiful holiday presents!

From left to right:
{vita envelope liner on eInvite.com}
{3 images from colorways: graphic design article on pointclickhome.com}
{hand painted bowl by Theresita design}