Employee Spotlight: Heather

The next lovely lady on deck for our employee spotlight series is Heather! With her calm-cool-and-collected presence, Heather manages our wholesale department with constant grace. Not only does she have an impressive wardrobe of vintage clothing, she keeps a record player at her desk! We admire her patience and consider ourselves lucky to have her on our team.

My role at Hello!Lucky is...

Wholesale Manager/Card Wrangler

I can't get through the day without...

A trip to Sight Glass Coffee.

My ideal weekend activities include...

Going for a long bike ride, browsing record bins at Amoeba, or picnicking in the park.

My favorite Hello!Lucky design is...

The Big Ideas journal but stay tuned for our next release in May! There are some hilarious new designs in the works reminiscent of another favorite of mine, the BBQ Parade Father's Day card.

Secret insider info you might not know about Hello!Lucky...

There are a handful of home brewers among us.

Second Birthday Party - Neon Bash + GIVEAWAY

Jude, James, Alex and a whole band of kids just celebrated their big birthday number 2 and the theme for this years party was none-other than NEON! Eunice designed these awesome mod lettepress invitations, complete with custom liners and neon edging. The event was a huge success, stocked with tons of neon balloons, cardboard playpens, and delicious treats galore.

Ruby is holding down the fort.

Each honorary birthday boy/girl wore custom #2 tee shirts. And how adorable are Ella's neon shorts? What a trend setter!

You can never underestimate the power of duct tape. These bright neon colors made the perfect assembly tool for the cardboard houses.

Party-goer Finn smiling bright inside the magic box. Definitely frame worthy!

 Sabrina and her twins looking stylish as always. Alex is rocking the sweet shades while James is practicing his fishing skills. The fun goes on...

What a spread! Even the quadruple layer cake (created by the multi-talented Anna Hurley) was neon!

Can Jude be any cuter? This photo of him and Eunice makes us totally melt.

You can have a chance to win this awesome plexi glass neon number 2 cake topper! Leave a comment below telling us your favorite detail of the neon party and we'll randomly pick a winner this Friday, April 6th. Best of luck!

A winner has been chosen! Thanks for participating!

Photography by Modern Kids

New Jacqui Lee Wedding Invitations

Hold on to your hats! The brand new Jacqui Lee collection has completely blown us away. The four invitation suites each have their own magical theme, but all have one thing in common - they were hand illustrated by the insanely talented Jacqui Lee. It's easy to see how much time and consideration was given to these mini artworks, all suitable for their own frame. These designs are now available just in time for spring, and just in time for your wedding stationery needs. Flora and Fauna (above and below) includes all the tiny elements of spring that we adore. And with Jacqui's charming critters and characters making appearances, they are perfect for an outdoor celebration.

Classic Parisian delight inspired this French Bicycle suite. With dreams of strolling the cobblestone streets and picking up a fresh bunch of flowers at the local market, this design is c'est magnifique.

It's time to channel your inner princess! Happily Ever After is exactly how you'll be living after a wedding inspired by this fairytale suite.

And Adventure sets the tone for a lifetime of romance and thrill. We love the evening enchantment of this suite, which would suit a celebration under the stars just magically.

Meet Jacqui Lee. Currently living and working in Vancouver, BC, her painterly style shines among a growing world of graphic design. Her holiday cards last year were such a hit, we honestly couldn't wait to collaborate for a wedding collection. Jacqui give us some insider information about her process:

1. What was your inspiration for this collection?

A lot of my inspiration came from imagery I associate with spring. I was working on this in the middle of a rainy and gloomy winter, so it seemed natural that all the ideas I was sketching down were bright and fun.

2. Did you like designing for a wedding collection?

Yes! I think there is so much opportunity to get really creative when designing for weddings. I've been seeing a lot of really great wedding work lately, so it was a ton of fun to try my hand at it. I was really trying to get into different niche personalities for each suite, and I hope that people can really connect with them.

3. What usually inspires your illustrations?

I'm always very inspired by the work of mid-century designers and illustrators.

4. If you had to pick one which suite would you chose?

Honestly, it's a tough choice. I worked on all of the suites simultaneously so they sort of grew off one another, yet there are separate elements in each that I really like. However, my initial starting point for the whole collection was the Foliage design, so I would have to say it's closest to me.

5. You illustrate so many adorable animals, is there anything behind that? Which is your favorite to illustrate?

That's funny because I never considered myself an illustrator who especially enjoyed drawing animals until they started showing up everywhere in my work. I decided to just embrace it, and then it became very natural for me to start using animals as different personalities. As of yet, I don't think I have a favourite...but bears have been popping up a lot in my work lately.

Check out the entire Jacqui Lee collection right here!

Store Feature: Modern Mouse

This week we’re continuing with our vendor feature series and highlighting the lovely indie shop Modern Mouse. Opened in 2009 and tucked away in an open-air shopping center in Alameda, California, this sweet boutique offers loads of handcrafted goods. We asked owner Eleen Hsu some questions about how this unique shop got its start and what makes it so special.

What inspired you to open Modern Mouse? In mid-2009, I heard about a business plan competition offering the grand prize of a 1-year lease on a retail space at a local shopping center. I'd grown up crafting and loved the world of DIY/handmade, was running a tiny little business on Etsy selling handmade bags and dreamed of having my own brick-and-mortar shop, so I entered! I made it to the semi-finalists with a concept pretty close to Modern Mouse's current business model, but in the end I lost out to a learning cafe concept. A few months later, I noticed that CCA (California College of the Arts) had opened a pop-up shop in my neighborhood shopping center. Inspired, I wrote to the property manager and within 6 of the busiest weeks of my life, Modern Mouse opened its doors! We started off as a holiday pop-up shop with goods from about 50 artists, and 2 years later we've tripled our roster and thrive on being able to bring the amazing work of local and indie artists to our community.

What makes Modern Mouse so unique? One of the things that we think makes us unique is that we're such big fans of DIY that we love sharing it as much as we love selling it. Every month we host a Crafty Hour that's led by queen of crafting Polly Conway. We choose a fun craft that teaches a different skill each month, round up supplies (and of course snacks and beverages), and invite the community to join us for an enlightening evening of crafts! We also love putting a name, face, and story to the goods that our customers purchase. We display artist profile cards alongside their work, as well as feature each one on our blog. We've also started a series called "Show Your Studio" to give customers behind-the-scenes looks into where all the magic happens.

How long have you been carrying H!L cards? We started carrying Hello!Lucky cards just a few months after we opened. H!L cards are right up our alley because like most of our products, they're also locally made just across the bay in San Francisco! Not to mention that the H!L team makes it fun and super-easy to order. :]

Do you have a favorite or best selling card from us? Peeps is our best-selling H!L card! Unicorns and Lionheart are tied for second, and the Sock Monkey series are all around faves as well. My fave is the new Greetings from San Francisco card!

Can you tell us a little bit about your staff and what they are loving in the store right now? Fuzzy monster gear by Ghoulie Girls is a perennial favorite, but the plush critters by Phil Barbato have also recently snatched a special place in our hearts, along with 3 Fish Studios' "I Love California" prints. Not to mention, of course, the work of three of our very own talented staffers: Genevieve Santos of Le Petit Elefant, Polly Conway of Pollyannacowgirl and Marguerite Payne of Bella Beads!

Anything else? We're so grateful for the support of our customers, our artists, the handmade community and wonderful vendors like Hello!Lucky for making it a joy to do what we love!

Thanks Modern Mouse! If you live in the Bay Area, go say hello! The shop is located at 2228 S Shore Ctr, Ste A, Alameda, CA 94501.

Today's Bride

These photos from Nancy Liu Chin's Anatomy of Today's Bride for Today's Bride SF are to die for! We were approached by Nancy awhile ago in efforts to come up with a classic and whimsical invitation and day-of paper suite for her ultra-sweet photo shoot. It was a piece of cake once she shared her inspiration with us, and knowing which amazing vendors were also on board, we knew it would be a hit.

You can see our working files below. We were really into mismatched patterns and folded cards. If you look closely, the invitation reads Christian & Dior, tres chic!

Visit Nancy's Brown Bag to view Anatomy of Today's Bride Part I and Part II, and watch the amazing video by Luke Goodman here!

Photography by Kevin Chin

New Susy Jack* for Hello!Lucky Wedding

 One of the things we take pride in most here at Hello!Lucky is our enthusiasm for working with talented artists and designers aside from our own. Combining forces with brilliant minds gives us a great pleasure, and there is no shortage of brilliant minds out there. As you saw this past holiday season, we paired up with 16 various artists around the world for our curated custom holiday collection, and it was quite a hit. Not only were we exposed to the extraordinary design skills of our favorite illustrators, but their designs were made available for our customers to enjoy. Since the holiday collection launched last year, we knew we were in the midst of some potential lifetime friends, one being the insanely gifted Susy Jack*. Her classic patterns and bold color palettes make up the perfect combination for a modern wedding invitation, and we're here to bring you just that! Six brand new, completely exclusive, letterpress and flat printed wedding invitations, save the dates, and day-of stationery, all for you!

Bohemian (above)

Meet Susy Jack*. A lover of textiles and paper, Susy's career took flight after her collection on Etsy made a splash in the design world. Now, you'll find her paper products and home accessories in stores all over the world. We asked Susy a few questions about her new wedding suite for Hello!Lucky:

What was your inspiration for this collection? 

My inspiration for this collection was to bring my most-loved motifs from decorative arts into a fresh, inviting, welcoming and stylish new place. I grew up in a house full of vintage and antique items. I was surrounded by decorative objects and they were a huge influence on my own creativity. I thought that exploring the place where art and craftsmanship meet, and combining that with a modern approach to style, was a great starting point for a wedding collection.

What was your process like?

My process is actually very mental--I spend a lot of time thinking before I get down to work. Often I'll perceive what I want something to look like before it even hits paper. I don't do a whole lot of sketching outwardly but in my mind. I sketch all day and play with ideas. Usually my sketchbooks are more filled with words than drawings; when I sit down to work, I often have words in mind instead of images. I'll want something to evoke humor, or love, or happiness or a combination of emotions and ideas.

 Cross Stitch

                       "Each suite is like a mini-collection, which I hope the bride will see as her very own."

 Daisy

     "I love overlapping patterns, and the idea of using a different pattern for each piece in the suite is so much fun." 

 Duchesse

 What usually sparks a design idea for you?

I'm an inspiration omnivore, which helps when you live in the middle of New York City. Usually an idea is sparked by browsing a flea market, museum or other place that's full of textural objects from bygone days but I also love the latest fashion and art. I try to get out and about and take in a lot of the real world: what people are wearing, what exhibits are happening. I love looking closely at something and figuring out what exactly it is that I like about it or what makes me interested in it. Then I start to work on my own new ideas. It's always amazing to see how looking closely, paying attention and being in the moment can make things come to life, creatively. It can be difficult to remember to stop and actually look more closely at something for a quiet, thoughtful moment, see it in all it's dimensions, experience it. I love doing that. It's always worth the time.

Feathers

"It's always amazing to see how looking closely, paying attention and being in the moment can make things come to life, creatively."

Tropic

To view the entire Susy Jack* collection and read more about her inspiration, click here!

 Photos by Edyta Szyszlo

Martha Stewart Weddings

By now you most likely know about Eunice and Daniel's wedding featured in Martha Stewart Weddings back in 2010. The excitement was radiating around our studio, and we still relish in the memory of such an honor of appearing on the cover. Martha Stewart is one of the most inspiring bridal information destinations [along with endless craft and recipe ideas] so we feel blessed to be a small part of it every now and then. It's such a thrill to see weddings we have worked on appear in the Bride's Guide or even inside the shiny pages of the magazine, and because we love the Martha Stewart collection so much, we wanted to revisit all those moments of pleasure by bringing the real weddings to you.

Eunice and Daniel started the trend by customizing our Woodland Damask wedding invitations (designed by Joel Dewberry).

 Recently, Megan and Alex's wedding was featured including one of our newest destination invitations Visit Martha's Vineyard (designed by Lab Partners).

We also created these program fans incorporating an illustrated version of their reception spot The Beach Plum Inn. You can really see the resemblance!

 

And of course, a New England wedding isn't quite complete without fresh oysters. We love the display atop this rustic mini fishing boat.

 Jenny and Ben's fairytale Sonoma wedding was a favorite last year, especially their custom created wedding invitations and programs. Their feature in MSW really highlighted their charming characteristics and artistic creations for the ceremony. We love that they weren't afraid to incorporate bright colors!

We can't forget about Jean and Devin's whimsical wedding. The true inspiration for our Big Day invitation suite, this couple's witty wording set the tone for one lovely [big!] day.

With the help of our friends at Alison Events, lots of crafty details made this intimate barn yard setting pop with color.

 

On Press: Broadside

This week James is operating the Vandercook and pressing a large broadside for a custom print job. The press is a No. 4 proof press from 1947. This video shows him setting up his guides and adjusting the furniture around the base for a perfectly positioned print. Next, he applies ink to the rollers and inks the polymer plates. Finally, after printing, he carefully cleans all the rollers.

Real Wedding: Kathryn And Joe

This wedding has been on our minds and in our hearts for months now, so we're thrilled to finally bring you the details of the event! Kathryn and Joe's glamorous San Francisco wedding has to be one of the most classic weddings we've seen yet. (Check it out on Martha Stewart Weddings!) Set in the heart of the city at the art deco designed venue Bimbo's 365 Club, this wedding was definitely not short on style. Kathryn is the founder and creative director of Dream a Little Dream Events, so without question, her wedding would be a show stopper. We love the classy details she and Joe chose - from all white flowers to fur shawls donned by her and the bridal party. And check out that sparkling backdrop for the ceremony!

Eunice worked her magic on the wedding stationery, which included the invitation suite, table numbers, programs, menus, matchbook favors - the list goes on!  Kathryn and Joe had always enjoyed live music at Bimbo's so a New Year's Eve blowout was a no-brainer for them and creating a design to flatter such a classic San Francisco landmark was a dream come true for us.  The art deco themed invitation suite took cues from vintage concert posters and album covers with a clean black, white and silver color palette.  We called on a neighbor silk screen shop to help out with the impressive tri-fold invitation and the ever-amazing Michele Papineau added the final flourish with calligraphy addresses.

Since Kathryn and Joe are avid music lovers, it was only fitting to create table signs with names of their favorite albums.  This was no ordinary wedding of course, so we created unique artwork for every album.. that's forty-one tables!  The couple had such fun coming up with names that they ended up keeping the cards and framing them as artwork in their home!

One photo doesn't do it justice so below are a few of our working files.  Eunice really knocked it out of the park with this one, now we all want copies!

In keeping with the music theme, the escort cards were custom designed to resemble concert tickets with each guests name printed along with their table assignment and corresponding illustrations.

A classic takeaway from a music venue, each guest left with custom matchboxes as favors.

Congratulations Kathryn and Joe and cheers to a new year and a new life together! View more photos here.

Wedding photography by Kate Harrison Photography

How to Assemble your Wedding Invitations Video

How to Assemble Your Wedding Invitations from Hello!Lucky on Vimeo.

And now for a feature presentation! We're over the moon about this next installment of DIY videos and the first to debut is "How to Assemble Your Wedding Invitations." This short film gives detailed instructions about how to put your paper materials together tastefully and efficiently. You'll know just what to do once you receive your pretty blue boxes in the mail. Check out all of our feature films on Vimeo and stay tuned for more DIY to come!

On Press: Midsummer

This week On Press is the two-color Midsummer wedding invitation design on white duplex paper with rounded corners (yes, we offer corner rounding!).

After their first color run, the invitations on the feed table are ready for their second color.

The invite rests securely in the guides to be pressed into the polymer plate.

 ...on the delivery table after the second color run.

Look at the beautiful impression! Duplex paper (220lb) is double the thickness of our standard 110lb paper and leaves a much deeper impression. We do offer duplex paper for all letterpress invitations for an extra cost, just be sure to ask!

 Anna meticulously rounds each corner.

 And here is the finished product! If you are interested in corner rounding or duplex paper for your invitations, just give us a call at (415) 355-0008, we'd love to hear from you!

Studio Valentine's Day Craft Night

We love crafting up a storm around here and Valentine's Day offers a great excuse for us to pull out all of the paper, washi tape, heart stamps, and other craft supplies we have laying around the studio. We were joined by the fabulous ladies from Alison Events and our new friend, wedding photographer Allan Zepeda. Here are a few shots from the crafting extravaganza!

Lia's valentine matched her outfit.

Anna B.'s sweet dog silhouette valentine.

Alyssa from Alison Events made a sweet paper couple.

Lyndsey's adorable banner.

We hope you have a sweet Valentine's Day!!

Photo booth Save the Dates

You may have seen these photo save the dates before but wonder where they've gone. Well, don't fret! These playful designs are still available for your wedding stationery needs. We're currently working on getting them on our website, so please hang tight. If you are interested in any of them, just give us a call and our friendly design consultants will help place your order!

The photos, taken by San Francisco based Magnolia Photo Booth, add a whimsical touch to your photo save the dates, and the postcard backing is available in three different designs.

Feel free to call us with questions! (415) 355-0008

Top to bottom: Notebook Doodle, Vintage Photo Booth, and Special Delivery.

Top photo by Edyta Szyszlo Photography

Rustic Farm Week: Real Weddings Roundup

It's Rustic Farm week at Hello!Lucky! We're dedicating this week's blog posts to all things country chic. There are some unbeatable farm destinations in California, but brides from across the country (and overseas!) contributed to our roundup. Today we're piecing together a collection of the most heartwarming farm weddings from our Real Weddings archives. We love it when couples match their wedding invitations with their venue and decor, and as you can see below, these weddings are all about country comfort.

 Kathleen and Seth's Barndiva wedding in Healdsburg, CA charmed us with their youthful band and warm red accents.

Erin and Nick also customized our Heartland invitation to match their summer wedding in Sonoma. We love how they hand made their place cards with tags, ribbon, and hung them on chicken wire. Doesn't get more farm friendly than that!

Our hearts flutter every time we see photos of Lisa and Rory's classic English wedding. Their table signs were an homage to local pub signs with silly plays on words like "The Stumbled Inn" and "The Drunken Duck."

The organic and picturesque landscape of Sonoma Valley always makes for a charming event. Lily and Andrew wed underneath the most enormous oak tree, which provided just enough shade from the hot summer sun. Guests took their seats atop hay bails - what a cute way to incorporate farm decor!

Their farm animal table numbers and bright floral arrangements reflect the summer wedding perfectly.

It's always impressive when couples come up with unique place card holders. Heather and Tom knocked our socks off with these apple place cards. When we found out Heather's childhood home had it's own apple orchard, we knew it would be an adorable wedding! Equipped with a farm house, pond and lush east coast greenery, they really could do no wrong.

And last but not least, this custom designed wedding invitation suite for Erin and Jeremy tops the cake. The couple wed in Calistoga in 2010 and took country wedding style to the max. Our favorite part is the Kansas City barbeque feast invitation hosted by the groom's parents. Sounds like a hootin' good time!

Click on each photo to see the full post!

Inspired by: Wedding Invitation Suites

With wedding season about to kick off, we're gearing up for some amazing additions to our collection. Wedding invitations serve as the first source of inspiration for the big day, and with all the pieces in check, you can really start to see all the details come to life. Frequently we find ourselves browsing through the photo database for inspiration drawn from particular invitations, and we wanted to share a place where you can do the same. Whether your wedding has a rustic farm theme, a sleek and modern theme, or a whimsical and playful theme, these photos will have you planning in no time! Click on the photos for a larger view!

Southern Belle (above) and its darling motifs will make that sweet southern wedding that much more charming. The delicate watercolors by Anne Smith are calling for lots of floral garland and white daisies!

 Rolling Acres is just right for a summer celebration. And the pennant liners (available soon!) will add a festive flare to your party invitation.

Figs has more rustic and natural qualities. Perfect for an outdoor wedding where locally sourced food and flowers are the focus.

We love the crisp and clean details of the Desert Skyline invitation suite. Bouquets of succulents and dried flowers arranged among rough wooded tables would complement this style beautifully.

Heartland is another favorite and best for the down-home country weddings we all dream about. We've seen lots of brides customize the colors and layout of this design, but it always stands out with some amazing farm-chic accessories.

 Big Day is one of our most popular suites, with its playful wording and simplistic hand-drawn icons, it's definitely a party starter. We've replaced the Golden Gate Bridge icon with other simple motifs, and it's still just as sweet!

We can't imagine a Cape Cod wedding without lots of nautical accompaniments. This maritime suite designed by Anne Smith was made just for our brides ready to wed by the ocean air.

A custom design gallery with all of our invitation suites is in the making, along with lots of brand new designs. Do you have a favorite style or wish we would create a wedding suite around a certain theme? Let us know in the comments!

All photos by Edyta Szyszlo

The Lab Event - A Success!

We had a blast at The Lab Event last weekend and wanted to share a few pics of the jaw dropping vignettes that filled the barrel room at Cline Cellars.   Guests were able to stroll through these themed areas gathering ideas, inspiration and even some sweet treats like monogrammed cookies and (I-can't-believe-these-are-vegan) cupcakes!

One of our vignettes had a "Toasted Marshmallow" theme with warm brown tones, gold accents and plenty of rustic wood and twig textures.  The menus had a burlap-inspired pattern framing text and a floral sprig and was letterpressed on a recycled cotton card stock.  We're so happy with the way everything turned out, we plan to offer the entire suite on our website soon.  Stay tuned!

How cool is that chandelier?  Its made from branches, Christmas lights and a few Ikea light fixtures... someone please DIY and let us know how it turns out!

Jen Musty from Batter Bakery blew us away with all her delectable desserts like Meyer Lemon shortbread cookies and Key Lime tarts.

The lovely ladies from The Collection Event Studio, styled a fantastic booth full of vintage flair and wedding inspiration galore!

The best part of the project was meeting so many amazing and talented vendors that we can't wait to work with again!

The Hello!Lucky Video

Hello!Lucky Studio from Hello!Lucky on Vimeo.

It's finally here! We've always wanted to give our fans and friends an inside peek into the daily lives of the Hello!Lucky team. This video has been in the making for awhile now, and after all the finishing touches were set in place, it's ready for opening day! The super talented Ryan Khavari of Arkaypix spent a few days with us at the San Francisco studio and captured all the right vibes. The cheerful tunes written just for us are by the amazing bay area musician Roger Riedlbauer. We're just thrilled with the way it turned out! Stay tuned on our Vimeo site for more videos to come. Enjoy!

New Wedding Designs Available Now!

Extra! Extra!  New wedding invitations hot off the press!  Whether your tastes gravitate towards romantic florals or preppy patterns, there's truly something for everyone in our new wedding suites.  A bunch of designs are still in the works (one just might be video game inspired!), but here's a sneak peak at a few inspiring invitations and sweet save the dates available online now!  Enjoy!

Midsummer Invitation and Save the Date

Fig Invitation and Save the Date

8 Most Colorful Cities on Earth

Manarola, Italy

We're loving this roundup of colorful cities that we spotted on Curbly. There is something magical about a city that embraces color into its architecture, and these cities have us begging for a visit. Who wouldn't want to scope out the spectrum of such vibrant skylines, especially when they are in places like Italy and Argentina.

Guanajuato, Mexico

Willemstad, Curaco

La Boca, Buenos Aires

St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada

Of course, we couldn't imagine a list of colorful cities without thinking of San Francisco. It didn't make the cut this time, but with images like these, we're certain it will top the charts next time.

Check out the whole list on enpundit!

One more day for the Lab Giveaway!

Don't forget! You have one more day to participate in our giveaway for the Lab Event! We're offering 2 FREE tickets to the best wedding event of the new year! All you have to do is comment below telling us why you would like, love, or absolutely NEED to be there! It's taking place at Cline Cellars, this Saturday, January 14th from 5-9pm. We'll choose a winner tomorrow at 3:00 (PST)! Good luck!