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!

Developments in the World of Art and Invitation

Some interesting things happened in the past week in the world of invitations of art. Two of particular note were: an article in the New York Times regarding the much maligned R.S.V.P., and the Pantone Spring/Summer 2011 forecast.

Latter first, the Pantone Spring/Summer 2011 forecast was called "Symmetry" and was supposedly going to demonstrate symmetries through color. The palettes were strong but the superset of color selections was very broad. I think that Pantone intended to communicate the philosophical symmetries of creating a highly balanced colorway but that fell a bit short.

Instead, we got a collection of palettes that suggested romantic and cinematic themes that centered around slightly soft primaries and lots of tinted analogs. The presentation didn't create the concept of symmetries so well, but some of the slides did. Take a look below at two of the slides from their presentation regarding the "Vibrant Friends" and "Shocking Buddies" palettes.



I think part of the breadth in Pantone's forecast is due to the economic uncertainty and a certain uncertainty on their part regarding whether the trends will stay conservative (muted, darker palettes) or exuberant (primaries). As a result, we get a selection that combines both. I'd personally suggest that you look for a lot of variation in 2011 and guess that it will be difficult for many companies to accurately find the right colors for their products. I imagine that 2011 will continue the trend of niche companies and products rising to the top, particularly those that are handmade or made by small businesses.

The second, but former, development was an interesting article in the New York Times regarding the R.S.V.P. by Op-Ed contributor Rand Richards Cooper. He wrote about the difficulty of using and ensuring the use of the R.S.V.P. when planning parties or other events. After his editorial, a great number of times readers responded to his writing with a variety of views, many espousing their support for tradition, manners, and social graces. I highly recommend reading both the original editorial, and have included two links to various letters to the editor regarding the editorial.

The original Op-Ed by Rand Richards Cooper can be found here.

Letters to the editor regarding the article can be found here and here.

Marella Ferrera

{images from Marella Ferrera.com}

Ooh, I was kind of taken away by the organic and free form sweetness as well as the edgy advantgarde style that is Marella Ferrera. This is her line "Goddesses" for Rome Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2010. I love the earthy and bright colors together giving way to a surprising palette of sorbet under layers and flowing lightweight fabrics. They are mystical and fantastic.

She also mixes in semiprecious stones, yarns and unexpected bits-clues and styling derived from her goddess inspiration. The lines are loose but so feminine. I am drawn to the texture and the organic visual nature of every piece. Read her bio, Marella Ferrera seems to be ethereal herself.

I have been working this week with flowers from our favorite flower shop, Sprout. The image I shot with my phone reminds me of the organic layers and natural colors that I see in the clothing. I love the grays and neutrals with lavender and pink tones. Don't you want to touch it?

{image of Ambrosia Rose from Sprout flowers}

This rose is also my prediction of one of the most popular new flowers for bridal bouquets this season. Like the Mocha rose, tones of chocolate make this flower an amazing and unique choice for wedding. They can be paired with almost any color and look so dramatic with touches of dark chocolate and black.

And the Color of the Year is...

Drumroll, please! Last week, Pantone announced the color of the year. To those of you whom follow the fashion and design trends (which we try to bring you here at eInvite's Insights), it should be no surprise that yellow (Mimosa Yellow, to be exact) is OUT and Turquoise is IN.


I have to admit, I am not a fan of turquoise. Not even remotely. However, it can be used beautifully in concert with other colors, and I'm quite certain we'll be on the lookout for good uses of turquoise in the future, to bring to you for your (and our) inspiration!

Loving Preen

{preen, british and edgy via design centre, dublin fashion house}

Wow! A Cure for Colorblindness!

I came across this article in one of the many creative blogs I follow and I just had to pass it along. I am not personally colorblind, but it's always seemed unfortunate that a cure wasn't available for those who are. While it's not yet available for human use, the researchers that developed it are so confident that they say,

"If we did this exact same thing to a human being today, I believe we would have cured their color vision."

That's incredible. I wonder what it would be like to suddenly be able to see the rest of the color spectrum that's usually available to humans. Would it be overwhelming? Read more at the ColourLovers.com

Ralph Lauren

So inspired today by the Ralph Lauren 2009 Fall Collection. Scrumptious hues from champagne to mauve with subtle earthy goodness. The textures, metallics, satin sheen and velvet shimmer adds life and depth to the eclectic, but contemporary mood of this collection. Translated to what we see as desingers, like the surge in shade of purple tones for wedding over the last year. I am glad to see the mature and evolved palette that is keeping this jewel in play for this year.

Pantone Fashion Statement

{"Links of London" bracelet in black wide please, via pantone}

Ahh, vacation

Recently I went on vacation to Wells, Maine for a week. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the ocean, beaches, the summer sun, and especially the Maine coastline. There are so many beautiful spots along the southern part of the state.
One late afternoon some of my family and I decided to take a drive down to Ogunquit and walk along the Marginal Way. The large expanse of ocean always refreshes me and gets my creative gears moving like a blank surface to fill with my imagination. The winding walk of the Marginal Way has many stunning views of the ocean, rocks, flora, etc. and as you can see in the above photo I snapped, this afternoon the air was clear and warm and the late sun truly brought out the brilliant colors of the coast.

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}

Of Masks and Men

(via Greenwala)

Upon first glance, these look like intricate, meticulously crafted masks. Well, they are, but they're meticulously crafted out of discarded toilet paper rolls. Yes, "whaaat?" was also my initial reaction. French artist Junior Fritz Jacquet sees art in what we see as trash. Using ninja-like origami skills and some amazing colors and lots of varnish, he turns them into mini works of art.

(via Greenwala)

I know what I'm doing if it rains this weekend! Why not give it a try yourself?

100 Years of Style

This weekend was spent enjoying the sun and the sales (yes, the sales!). Most retailers inventory seasonally and August 1st often marks the transition into Fall. We've covered some of the fall colors in past posts here on eInvite's Insights, but here in New England we haven't had the best weather just yet, so the opportunity to get some summer designer duds in SS09 colors at a discount was too great to pass up. A lot of the seasonal trends from spring are holding on through fall and the economy will cause a lot of design conservatism in the fashion industry, so it's a great time to stretch your wardrobes a bit, for a lot less.

While I was cruising the boutiques for deals (I'm a believer in natural fibers, handmade garments, and fair trade practices, so independent clothiers are the way to go), I discovered a copy of On The Edge: 100 Years of Vogue at a used bookstore for next to nothing! It was in great condition, all pages and plates were clean, and really gave me an opportunity to get back into the photographic and design trends of each decade. One of the things that astounds me is the quality of commercial photography eighty years ago. There was plenty of extraordinary photography in the art world (such luminaries as Weston, Cunningham, Stieglitz) but when I was in school, we didn't cover much of the early commercial photographic work in our photo history course.

One of the masters of the period was Edward Steichen (whom is often associated with war photography). He left Condé Nast in 1937 but his practices of celebrity portraiture laid the groundwork for Avedon and the armies of fashion photographers that followed. Take a look at this image of Gloria Swanson and you'll no doubt immediately recognize the echos of the past in our now "modern" sense of style.

©Condé Nast, c/o The Smithsonian and Corbis Images

It will be interesting to see how current economic conditions affect our cultural sense of style and design. The last time economic troubles had this profound an impact on the psychology of our culture at large. That period marked the end of Art Noveau (which is seeing a bit of a renaissance now, sometimes fused with technology, a style colloquially called "Steampunk") and the beginning of Modernism. So keep your eyes open for more use of handwritten/handworked materials and design "flourishes", integrated with strong lines and muted, solid colors, offset with exotic, colorful highlights.

Color Inspiration

It is (finally!) summer weather in Massachusetts, but my mind is on fall and winter. Designing 1-2 seasons ahead, we must stay on top of color trends. The jewel tones in the Cynthia Vincent Fall 2009 collection are so inspiring!



{ images via Cynthia Vincent}

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!

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

Hot Color Espresso Style

{image via until.com.au}

Pantone color, that is! How cool are these pantone expresso cups? Dish out color profiles for breakfast or mix up your palette daily. They are available in hot or cool hues. {Lu-uve these!}

Unbridled Color

{images: bride and groom via Michèle M. Waite, tropical orchid cake via instyle weddings; thistle via artsy_t on flickr, purple girls via instyle weddings}

Letting go is sometimes hard. Like letting go of the last oreo cookie, sending your youngest off to preschool, saying goodbye to your college friends at graduation, and letting go of thoughts that everything has to match exactly for your wedding.

From the invitation accessories to the bridesmaid's dresses, color variation is so acceptable and exciting. I find it so interesting and captivating, leaving your guests to wonder what is coming next. I love spicing up the palette with some unexpected and interesting details, like the girls here looking so vibrant in their array of magenta to plum. The bride and groom photographed by Michèle M. Waite in front of this wall of color, reminds me that variation is key.

Variations are found everywhere in nature, so run with it and create a slendor of unexpected excitement. Jumping over to Simply Seductive today, I found some more subdued lavender inspiration.

Coral

Perhaps you have noticed the abundance of coral inspired pieces on the market right now. They range from silhouettes of the shape to vibrant colored jewelry. My favorite is the color combination of coral and teal, like in the Williams-Sonoma Pillows and eInvite.com Invitation shown here. The colors instantly transport me to a tropical getaway!


{L to R from top: Embroidered Coral Pillows, Williams-Sonoma Home; Coral Informal, Checkerboard; Amrita Singh Chandelier Earrings in Coral, Pink Mascara; Thomas Paul-Flock & Coral Cotton Tote, 2modern; Oscillating Coral Necklace, Anthropologie; Lovely Sea Coral, eInvite.com}

Artist Flora S. Bowley

{Witnessing Skies of Birds, acrylic on canvas, 48"x60"}

This past week I came across the work of Flora S. Bowley via Design Milk and I am completely enamored. Her use of color and the combination of organic and abstract images is amazing. She lives and works in Portland, OR, but shows her work throughout the US.

{Rainwash, acrylic on canvas, 47"x62"}

In addition, she offers a unique service of “Wedding Paintings”, where she will attend your wedding ceremony and paint her “interpretation of the event, highlighting symbols, surroundings, colors, flowers and words that make the union memorable.” That may be the greatest wedding gift ever. For additional information and work, visit here.

{Morning Magic, acrylic on canvas, 48"x52"}

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.