Holstee Manifesto: Words to Live By

{manifesto: from holstee.com, a very cool, sustainable

and conscious company you should check out}

We Summon You for Hallow's Eve Inspiration!

{images l to r via: einvite.com, cheeseclothe welcome beautifully used, ghosts: martha stewart, cookies: good house keeping, fabric flora: dragonflys and stars and mask: sarah thomas designs}

Halloween is such a fun holiday for children and adults. The folks here at eInvite tend to get a little hokey around Halloween and have a lot of fun. This invitation shown above is from our digital invitation line, perfectly priced for a fun event like All Hallow's Eve, and sets the tone perfectly for a night of childish fun. You get to dress up and eat absurd amounts of candy. When I see elegant Halloween ideas, I am really drawn to them, like this mask by Sarah Thomas Designs. You can even make something out of recycled pieces from around the house. Autumn is vibrant in New England and it is also a time we can all reflect on the passing summer, rustle through the leaves and think about the approaching holidays with family, hopefully while stopping at a neighbors for some warm cider and apple bobbing!

Fun Seating Cards by Checkerboard

{images from Checkerboard's Unveiled collection}

Fun table cards always add a bit excitement for your guests. They see their names printed together, sometimes for the very first time. You can add a splash of design and whimsy to greet your guest as they enter the reception. Have fun with your table cards! This selection of really unique wedding suites is coming soon to eInvite.

A Blush Pink Wedding

{images: couple, tent, candy and seating: michèle m. waite,

amnesia roses: sprout, meringues: cookie creatives }

We are so happy to share some inspiration from Checkerboard today. With so much emphasis on color in weddings for the coming year, this blush inspiration board sets the tone for a stunning use of this earthy pink hue. You will be seeing it everywhere this coming year.

Checkerboard has been collaborating with some outstanding wedding professionals to bring a little innovation to the world of invitations. With images from Washington photographer Michèle M. Waite a premiere wedding photographer here in the U.S., whose amazing work really fired up the collection. The exciting project is about to lift off at the National Stationery Show in May. Michèle's images are celebrated all over the wedding blog-o-sphere. She is incredibly talented at capturing the true essence of each wedding with a playful and fresh perspective. Her eye for color, light and location really give her clients something to cherish for generations. Also featured are images from Dom Miguel Photography of Boston whose talents recently captured moments from a wedding close to our hearts here at eInvite. {Click here to peek.}

All this wedding imagery in this collage board is complimented by incredible mocha kissed amnesia roses from florist Cathy Walsh of Sprout, a local designer we work with all the time. Trendy meringues from Jennifer Burkhart of Cookie Creatives, round out this champagne taste of wedding celebration. Wedding cakes from Worcester designer Michelle Bohigian from Something Sweet by Michelle are also featured throughout the project. Michelle's cakes have recognition of their own, as top choice in Bride's Magazine, her life-like sugar florals are second to none!

Each of these wedding pros contributed their work to the making of each of 18 collage boards for the Unveiled project, something new and different in the search for the perfect wedding invitation. Creative imagery can really get your wheels turning, and these girls are the best of the best at their craft!

This portion of the mood board is a little sneak peek that gives you a sounding board of inspiration. This board was created to compliment a new invitation suite from Checkerboard, which will be Unveiled in a few weeks at the National Stationery Show in New York City. There is more, a lot more. We can't wait to share!

Floral Inspiration

{images via the knot, floral verde, and our the top left and

bottom two by our personal favorite florist, Sprout}

Designing a new line of watercolor floral invitations and considering what the trends are for 2010 brought me to our neighborhood source for all that is hot in florals. Cathy Walsh over at Sprout gave me some great input for what her brides are looking for in bridal bouquets. This is the first inspiration board I put together to get me going for day 1. Whites, and nautrals mixed with contrasting darks and subtle silvers. I just love the Mocha Roses (top left) mixed in with the baby green hydrangea and tones of white, those chocolatey red berries or dark brown uluhe fern curls. One of Cathy's favs are the phalaenopsis orchids, which she says are "so sexy and modern". I have to agree. White or purple, the petals have such a thick and sparkly magic to them. I will start with these and continue posting more of Cathy's suggestions and tasty images that I find.

Funny, I found some imagery from Floral Verde and what do you know ...she entered Sprout's 50 dollar challenge! The top piece was created for a client and the bottom piece was inspried from it.

I just love the wild grassy and multiple textures going on. A great little piece of eye candy.

Dreams on Film

{image courtesy of livejournal.com}

Akira Kurosawa was a legendary film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor whose career spanned 50 years and influenced the likes of Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, and countless other filmmakers. Of the small portion of films I have seen of his, one of my favorites is "Kurosawa's Dreams".

Released in 1990 Dreams is a collection surreal vignettes based on actual dreams the filmmaker experienced throughout his life. They range from the beautiful, such as a boys adventure in magically blooming fields and vistas, living dolls dancing, and a journey through Van Gogh's landscapes, to the nightmarish; a Japanese officer confronted by the ghosts of his fallen platoon, and nuclear apocalypse among Mount Fuji. Dreams is a visually lush and extraordinary experience by one of cinema's greatest visionaries.

Witches Brew and Crow Tail Stew...

{images: crow pumpkin carving via marthastewart.com, skeleton "bottoms up" invite from Checkerboard via eInvite, spooky bottle labels via marthastewart.com, glitter skulls via martha (she is just getting her spooky on all over town), lastly, this spooky harvest via, yes once again miss martha}

Creative people just love Halloween. It is the most opportune time to let your imagination run wild. Never before have I seen more sophisticated and fun decor than in the last two years. Halloween is going "haunted glam" and I have to say, I just love it! You can find elegant and spooky inspiration at every turn. Loose the kitch and sophisticate your witch-y self!

Also, I find that using this kind of imagery and coordinating literature bring conversation to a festive halloween party.

...But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour. Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered- Till I scarcely more than muttered, "Other friends have flown before- On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before." Then the bird said, "Nevermore."

~ except from the raven / poe

How nice would this be on a plaque at the front door after just passing your lovely and welcoming raven? While your guests wait for you to answer and before the creek of the opening door, the wicked blustery wind howls by as the goose bumps form on their skin as the words of Poe strike chords of memory, erases whatever else was on their mind and sets the tone for your party! { the far off owl can be heard hooting in the distance}

Color Trend: Purple

Purple has been inching its way back to a top trend color over the past year. And while I originally fought this (Purple? Yuck!), I find myself gravitating toward it more and more. With any bold color, I still think it’s best appreciated in small doses. Like this gorgeous Michael Kors bag, versus, say, Barney.

{L to R from the top: Floral Arrangement, Utterly Engaged; Purple Floral band, eInvite.com; A Gathering in Plum, Checkerboard, Ltd.; Michael Kors Large Newbury Hobo; Miu Miu Suede Platform Pumps; RingsEclectic Oversized Stone-Embellished Ring}

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}

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!

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}

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}

Floral Letters

{images found on the knot, instyle weddings and michèle m. waite photography}

I love the inspiration from the floral letters I have been seeing. These are all great do it yourself projects that your wedding party could do over a few sips of wine. I think these are great for small gatherings too. Some years back I did some framed dried flower monograms for a very special little girl, and the presentation was so impactful. They made her room a little wonderland. Use your imagination!