Hello Everyone!!!
For the latest and greatest about Blush Design Studio, hop on over to Flutter Letterpress-- we rebranded ourselves when we took the giant leap to focus entirely on letterpress designs and printing. Hope to see you soon!!
Oh, ya noticed the new banner, did you?
Well my friends, the time has come to finally reveal to you what has been in the works for several months and will be coming to a news stand nearest you very very soon-- literally and figuratively.
First, let me say 'i'm sorry' because I haven't had to guts to tell you all this very critical information before. There is a lot going on and I just haven't had the words, let alone be able to put them onpaper a blog.
Second, let me say, 'THANK YOU,' for every single one of you reading my blog, working with me, and expanding my horizons in this field to depths I will never be able to understand. It has been incredible building this art and learning more about myself, and the process of letterpress.
Okay, are you ready for part one of the big news? Really really ready? I'll let the following image illustrate it...
Yes folks, we're expecting a new little studio member! We're thrilled, excited, ecstatic, nervous, happy, and most importantly, already in love. We found out it's a little girl a few weeks ago and while we have a name picked out, we're keeping it under wraps until she gets here. I've been working on the most intense baby announcements I've ever seen- let alone designed- and yes, I'm going all out. It may or may not involve shipments of things from Japan {husband is 1/2 Japanese} and 3-4 different mediums. They will only be half as great as little baby B, for sure, but I sure hope she likes them. We can't wait to meet her, and I can't wait to introduce her to you all as our newest studio addition!
And as if THAT weren't quite enough news to rock your world, how about this little nugget?
First, let me say 'i'm sorry' because I haven't had to guts to tell you all this very critical information before. There is a lot going on and I just haven't had the words, let alone be able to put them on
Second, let me say, 'THANK YOU,' for every single one of you reading my blog, working with me, and expanding my horizons in this field to depths I will never be able to understand. It has been incredible building this art and learning more about myself, and the process of letterpress.
Okay, are you ready for part one of the big news? Really really ready? I'll let the following image illustrate it...
And as if THAT weren't quite enough news to rock your world, how about this little nugget?
Can anyone guess the significance of 'the peach state?' Well, not only is it one of my favorite colors {that shouldn't be a shock}, but it's also the state we're relocating to! I know, I know. A baby and a move, what are we, crazy? I guess if you put it that way, we are, but it's now or never and this is the right move for our family. We're headed back down south {remember this post about where we come from?} and only a few hours drive from my parents in NC-- which means Baby B can really get acquainted with her US family now {remember, hubby's parents live in the magical land of Singapore! Thankfully, they visit often, and I can't wait for us all to travel together!}
So what does that mean for us, you, and dear Blush Design Studio? Well, I'm taking this opportunity to ENJOY the pregnancy {we're at 22 weeks!}, pack up the house, studio, Mr. Gable & friends, and head on down to Georgia. It means I need go on a mini-hiatus for a better part of the summer starting this month and extend it into November 2011, but we'll be back. Oh, we'll be back. We'll be back to blow your socks off with the REST of the news to come...
Yes, you read that correctly, I'm not quite finished with surprising you, my dear readers. I have been working incredibly hard with a few fantastic folks to really build out this business and will return full force in November with not only our 2011 holiday line, but also some strategic business alterations that will really position me, Gable, and our other studio-mates {thinking of Beau- the other press, Savannah the cutter- which seems so appropriately named now..., and little Baby B} to work 100% on what we love most: letterpress printing. Well, Baby B will hopefully love to nap and be perfectly healthy, but i'm crossing all my fingers and toes that she lulls herself to sleep from the shwishing sound Gable makes every time the rubber rollers cross over the ink plate.
Phheww!! That's a load off. :)
For those interested, I am keeping the etsy shop OPEN and still accepting wholesale orders of my card sets, but weddings for 2011 are OFFICIALLY BOOKED. Please feel free to reach out to me via eMail if you are interested in wedding invitations for late 2011 and 2012 as I am quickly booking up {can you believe it?} for November-January.
I will still be updating the blog with our big adventures of moving into a new house, decorating/renovating, and welcoming a little baby in our lives-- as well as some stationery that is just itching to be debuted.
<3 you all!
Liz & Baby B
{Gable is waving his arms behind me to tell you all he loves you too}
<3 you all!
Liz & Baby B
{Gable is waving his arms behind me to tell you all he loves you too}
It's officially spring time, right?
I'm fortunate to have several windows in both my printing space, as well as my office space- and I love looking outside to see the people walking by the buds on the trees, flowers beginning to bloom, and leaves beginning to form. It's so refreshing after such a hard winter that Boston had-- although some would argue we always have really tough winters, I would like to throw my hat into 'super' hard winter camp. C'mon, 18inches of snow in 1 afternoon? Really? I'm done with you Winter!
I can't complain, it's a nice 62* outside and I THINK I saw the sun peek through this Monday afternoon. :) A perfect way to ring in the spring time.
So what do I have for you today? OH, it's a modern take on a vintage peony. Susan reached out to me a few months back to print her wedding stationery after we printed her save-the-dates last year {remember those? Gable and I single handily fell in love with everything about those Jasper Florals!}. She wanted a peony to be front and center and knew that it had to be a 'vintage' print. We toyed with the idea of having a vintage post card printed as a gift for the guests, but the more we thought about it, a wrap would work so much better. I'm trying to think outside of the box for my orders this year-- a way to challenge myself, if you will-- and this was the perfect project to explore a vellum wrapping for an invitation suite.
I printed everything on the wonderful 140lb Cotton Rag paper in the bone color in lavender, dark purple, and sage green inks. The vellum wrap you see there... one of my favorite parts about this invitation suite. That's a translucent vellum paper that I had professionally digital printed and cut to our exact dimensions {A7 invitation if you are the curious type}. Susan is one of those beautiful souls that wanted these to be over the top and memorable for all of her guests, so we went another step further and added a ribbon wrap with a letterpress printed tag of their names and wedding date. Swoon. We put everything into a Kraft inner envelope and completed the package with a lavender outer envelope.
Tell me you haven't falling in love with these modern peony invitations?!
I can't complain, it's a nice 62* outside and I THINK I saw the sun peek through this Monday afternoon. :) A perfect way to ring in the spring time.
So what do I have for you today? OH, it's a modern take on a vintage peony. Susan reached out to me a few months back to print her wedding stationery after we printed her save-the-dates last year {remember those? Gable and I single handily fell in love with everything about those Jasper Florals!}. She wanted a peony to be front and center and knew that it had to be a 'vintage' print. We toyed with the idea of having a vintage post card printed as a gift for the guests, but the more we thought about it, a wrap would work so much better. I'm trying to think outside of the box for my orders this year-- a way to challenge myself, if you will-- and this was the perfect project to explore a vellum wrapping for an invitation suite.
I printed everything on the wonderful 140lb Cotton Rag paper in the bone color in lavender, dark purple, and sage green inks. The vellum wrap you see there... one of my favorite parts about this invitation suite. That's a translucent vellum paper that I had professionally digital printed and cut to our exact dimensions {A7 invitation if you are the curious type}. Susan is one of those beautiful souls that wanted these to be over the top and memorable for all of her guests, so we went another step further and added a ribbon wrap with a letterpress printed tag of their names and wedding date. Swoon. We put everything into a Kraft inner envelope and completed the package with a lavender outer envelope.
Tell me you haven't falling in love with these modern peony invitations?!
Congratulations, Susan & Matt! Can't wait to see your beautiful wedding photos!
Holiday Weekend
Yay! It's a holiday weekend! It happens to be easter, and while I plan not to work, we have plenty to do around the house. This place is ALWAYS in need of some sort of cleaning, and Gable could always use a good oil.
Wishing you all a fabulous weekend!
Circus Circus!
Hi readers! Welcome to the newest edition of Blush Design Studio... and my lack of posting. Yikes, sorry for the long delays between posts folks, I have a lot to tell you, but as I sit at my desk chair, I find I just can't share the secret just yet. Mostly because I don't have any good photos to show you, but partly because I'm just not sure what kind of answers to give either. :) You'll all hear what it going on in my life soon enough. Gable is just fine, if you're wondering, and we've been printing together just about every day for the last 5-6 weeks. No joke, it's been that often.
Alright, so a little insight into my life outside of printing: I love to read. I bought a Nook from Barnes and Noble a few months back and it's been the best decision of my ENTIRE life. Kid you not, I feel lost without that thing. I am still firmly rooted in the camp of not wanting to give up my books for their fantastic aroma and texture, but there is something to handy about having 1 book shaped item in my Longchamp bag that I can read a Martha Stewart magazine AND my latest book from.
My latest passion on the Nook: Water for Elephants. Umm. Not really even sure how to explain how much I love this book. I read it a few years back it came out and fell all over myself in love with the story- the fascination, the love, in this novel. So, to commemorate the movie coming out this weekend, and the fact that I can NO LONGER hold these invitations back from you, let me please introduce you all to the wonder that is, Circus Circus!
... you all remember dear Meg, right? How could you forget her...Meg is the delight that brought to me the concept of a save-the-date ticket for her February wedding. Well, the wedding has long since past, but the photos are AMAZING and I must share with you all the wedding invitations that we created together. Feast your eyes upon this goodness:
Alright, so a little insight into my life outside of printing: I love to read. I bought a Nook from Barnes and Noble a few months back and it's been the best decision of my ENTIRE life. Kid you not, I feel lost without that thing. I am still firmly rooted in the camp of not wanting to give up my books for their fantastic aroma and texture, but there is something to handy about having 1 book shaped item in my Longchamp bag that I can read a Martha Stewart magazine AND my latest book from.
My latest passion on the Nook: Water for Elephants. Umm. Not really even sure how to explain how much I love this book. I read it a few years back it came out and fell all over myself in love with the story- the fascination, the love, in this novel. So, to commemorate the movie coming out this weekend, and the fact that I can NO LONGER hold these invitations back from you, let me please introduce you all to the wonder that is, Circus Circus!
... you all remember dear Meg, right? How could you forget her...Meg is the delight that brought to me the concept of a save-the-date ticket for her February wedding. Well, the wedding has long since past, but the photos are AMAZING and I must share with you all the wedding invitations that we created together. Feast your eyes upon this goodness:
and are you ready for what the invitations looked like... get ready to enter the tent...
Umm, yeah, you can't make up this kind of magic. I had SO much fun designing and printing these invitations that I'm almost sad to see the wedding over and my job officially completed, but I know that Gable nailed everything about these!
Everything was printed on the stupdenous and magnificent 140lb Cotton Rag in the bone color and printed in aqua and bright red inks. We used bakers twine to tie everything together, and envelopes are from Paper-Source.
THANK YOU Meg & Rich! Congratulations!!
wedding recap: a nautical affair
Oh boy blog readers-- I have another recap for you! How exciting to be apart of so many blogs and magazine articles as apart of my beautiful brides' weddings. I can't tell you how lucky I feel to have known each and every one of them {YOU if you're reading!}. It's been a silly busy kinds of few weeks for me and Gable-- between printing every night, including weekends, and designing with every waking minute there is, we are BUSY little bees.
... getting eMails like the one I got from Heather Parker, the magical photographer mastermind behind these wedding pics, never gets old, and I will never once utter a sigh of being too tired to see pretty wedding pics of my beautiful brides.
You all have to remember Alexa and Andrew. How could you know-- they were one of my very first projects with Gable, so they will always hold a special part of my heart. Heather Parker, as I mentioned above, is the mastermind behind the most beautiful photos ever and was kind enough to include Blush Design Studio in their photo wrap up for A Paper Proposal, a premier wedding blog that is chocked full of beautiful weddings and fantastic recommendations for brides to be.
Anyway-- just drool over the pretty pictures. Pay particular attention to every single detail that Alexa dreamt up in her beautiful head and excecuted flawlessly, and then tell me she isn't cut out for wedding planning. Go on, I dare ya.
Check out original blog post here. All photos by Heather Parker.
... getting eMails like the one I got from Heather Parker, the magical photographer mastermind behind these wedding pics, never gets old, and I will never once utter a sigh of being too tired to see pretty wedding pics of my beautiful brides.
You all have to remember Alexa and Andrew. How could you know-- they were one of my very first projects with Gable, so they will always hold a special part of my heart. Heather Parker, as I mentioned above, is the mastermind behind the most beautiful photos ever and was kind enough to include Blush Design Studio in their photo wrap up for A Paper Proposal, a premier wedding blog that is chocked full of beautiful weddings and fantastic recommendations for brides to be.
Anyway-- just drool over the pretty pictures. Pay particular attention to every single detail that Alexa dreamt up in her beautiful head and excecuted flawlessly, and then tell me she isn't cut out for wedding planning. Go on, I dare ya.
Check out original blog post here. All photos by Heather Parker.
urban chic wedding
Ohh my goodness. It's been a while since I've updated you, little blog. I'm sorry. Business around the studio has been wild, and coupled with a *few* other items in life, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day. Maybe I should make a casting call for a 'blogger' to attend to this site? Anyone interested? No? Okay...worth a try. :)
I had the incredible pleasure to work with Kathryn and Mike on their wedding suite earlier last year. If I had to put Kathryn into a word, I would choose adventurous. She is amazing. She regaled me with travels overseas for friend’s weddings and when we were able to meet face to face and discuss what she envisioned for wedding stationery, the word adventurous almost doesn't seem strong enough. She is amazing, and has an eye for design like I’ve never seen before from someone not in the stationery industry {btw folks, she’s a beautiful smarty-pants too...}. She told me 'urban' for the wedding theme...and we were off to the design gates.
Because Kathryn & Mike were to be wed in one of the coolest downtown areas, we really played with some character of major cities and I created a man hole cover that became our design mantra. I am in LOVE with these invitations! The man hole cover was used as a splash background for the invitation card and we used elements within those covers to create some structure for the reception and response cards. Not photographed {I didn't print enough!}, are bright yellow sheets of paper from Paper-Source {in the sunshine color} printed with the man-hole cover showcasing a beautiful monogram in grey ink. We used it as the envelope liner. Swoon.
Everything was printed on 140lb cotton rag paper in Bone- it has an amazing impression quality and really showcased the background printing- in grey and black ink. Did you notice all that beautiful text? It's by the fabulous Laura Hooper who I swear is a calligraphy goddess-- and not in the dirty Charlie Sheen way, I mean in the most magical way possible. This woman's hand creates the most perfect swirls and flourishes in a seemingly mundane text. I mean-- look at what she did for the word 'first' on the invitation card... love it!
THANK YOU Kathryn & Mike! This suite was as much fun to design and print as it was to ship them off to you-- I wish you both the very best at your wedding next month and a lifetime of happiness in your marriage together!
ps: I know, I still owe you some thank you cards.
I had the incredible pleasure to work with Kathryn and Mike on their wedding suite earlier last year. If I had to put Kathryn into a word, I would choose adventurous. She is amazing. She regaled me with travels overseas for friend’s weddings and when we were able to meet face to face and discuss what she envisioned for wedding stationery, the word adventurous almost doesn't seem strong enough. She is amazing, and has an eye for design like I’ve never seen before from someone not in the stationery industry {btw folks, she’s a beautiful smarty-pants too...}. She told me 'urban' for the wedding theme...and we were off to the design gates.
Because Kathryn & Mike were to be wed in one of the coolest downtown areas, we really played with some character of major cities and I created a man hole cover that became our design mantra. I am in LOVE with these invitations! The man hole cover was used as a splash background for the invitation card and we used elements within those covers to create some structure for the reception and response cards. Not photographed {I didn't print enough!}, are bright yellow sheets of paper from Paper-Source {in the sunshine color} printed with the man-hole cover showcasing a beautiful monogram in grey ink. We used it as the envelope liner. Swoon.
Everything was printed on 140lb cotton rag paper in Bone- it has an amazing impression quality and really showcased the background printing- in grey and black ink. Did you notice all that beautiful text? It's by the fabulous Laura Hooper who I swear is a calligraphy goddess-- and not in the dirty Charlie Sheen way, I mean in the most magical way possible. This woman's hand creates the most perfect swirls and flourishes in a seemingly mundane text. I mean-- look at what she did for the word 'first' on the invitation card... love it!
THANK YOU Kathryn & Mike! This suite was as much fun to design and print as it was to ship them off to you-- I wish you both the very best at your wedding next month and a lifetime of happiness in your marriage together!
ps: I know, I still owe you some thank you cards.
