Kate Sutton

Speaking of fabulous illustrations, we just have to take a moment to opine about the brilliantly talented Kate Sutton. She just posted these new cuckoo clocks on her blog - how hilarious are they?! Love the squirrels especially.

Here are some hilarious soft items she sewed - the pirate peas and carrots are our favorites! Avast, pea hearties! ha ha

Kate has not one but two projects in our new book, Handmade Hellos, including this charming pop-up birdie card...

The beaks pop open - a chirpy way to say hello!

Kate also illustrated these fantastic letterpress valentine's day cards for us; check out all her cards for Hello!Lucky here. We'd seen Kate's work around - like this poster for the Renegade Craft Fair - and fell in love with her quirky style!

We also love this  custom illustration she did for a baby girl named Grace. What a sweet idea! Check out Kate's work and blog here.

Eli, no!

Ok, perhaps this was especially hilarious to us because Eunice (our co-founder & creative director) has not one but two dogs that are constantly shenanigan-tastic.  Simon, the naughtiest, has been know to eat entire sticks of butter and has chewed open any and every pocket containing a forgotten dog treat, stick of gum, or stray chapstick.  They are both simultaneously hilarious and perpetrators of the kind of behavior that makes you want to bang your head like that frustrated pianist from Sesame Street.

Needless to say when we saw this children's book (via sfgirlbybay) called "Eli, no!" (unpublished, which is just ridiculous!  Someone publish this immediately!)  from artist Katie Kirk, we were a) totally inspired b) so loving the design and illustration and c) so very charmed.  It's the story of one trouble-making dog, and the one word that isn't far behind.  Hilarious.

Real Vow Renewal: Nancy and Ryan

We were so delighted when Nancy over at Chronicle Books came to us with her brilliant idea for renewing her wedding vows: she asked us to create a single invitation to her husband, Ryan, to meet her at The Tides resort in Mexico to renew their vows. The invite appeared in the mail as a surprise - so romantic! Our design (available for purchase here!) was inspired by Mexican cut paper picatas, with a cute label and lined envelope.

Nancy shared these lovely pictures from their trip - love these welcome petals - so pretty!

The rooms at The Tides - perfect place for a romantic getaway!

Gorgeous star lanterns in the dining room.

The happy couple soaking up the Mexican sunshine!

Frothy drinks!  Cheers & congratulations, Nancy and Ryan!

Handmade Hellos is here!

It's official! Our new book Handmade Hellos: Fresh Greeting Card Projects from First-Rate Crafters, published by Chronicle Books, is now available at a store near you (including Barnes & Noble, Fred Flare, and of course here on our website)! There are way too many great projects in the book to showcase them all (click here for more info and a full list of contributors), so here's just a taste!

Simple, elegant Big Number Birthday Card by our talented friends at Binth.

Fabulous Owly Friend collage card by the lovely and talented UK-based Petra Boase.

New Baby Nest fabric collage card by London-based Abigail Brown.

Brilliantly simple and stylish origami self-mailing note by Norway's Darling Clementine - you'll be using this folding technique for years to come, trust us!

Pop-up "Ahoy there!" pirate ship card by one of our favorite illustrators, Kate Sutton.

Road trip post card set by the brilliantly creative Francois Vigneault!

Genius silk-screen on balsa wood valentine by Two Trick Pony (can also be adapted to a save the date card or even a dinner party invite "Wood you come to dinner?" ha ha).

Witty horoscope card by the talented crew at Egg Press.

Hilarious thumbprint Humpty Dumpty card from The Small Object (there is a broken Humpty inside, making this the perfect sympathy or apologies card) - check out the upcoming issue of Bust magazine for a wonderful family portrait variation on this for the holidays, which must be seen to be appreciated! (Also included in the issue is a variation on the fantastic MikWright contribution to the book!)

Adorable Library Book birth announcement by Paper + Cup.

Ridiculous and hilarious Fuzzy Octopus by the fabulous Daniel James which we had fun making with both kids and adults at last spring's Maker Faire.

And of course there are a few projects in the book by us, too, including this snazzy Blue Ribbon Card...

The adorable how-to illustrations were created by Sarah LaBieniec, half of dynamic design duo Lab Partners. So quick, get your copies - stocking stuffers for all!!

Real Wedding: Nicole and Colin

We had a fabulous time working with Nicole and Colin on the stationery for their Bay Area wedding this past summer.   Nicole is passionate about letterpress, a design fanatic and has to be one of the most detail oriented, organized and thoughtful brides we have ever had the pleasure of  working with.   As you will see from these photos courtesy of Alisha & Brook Photographers, the results of her thoughtful planning are stunning!

Nicole writes:

 We were married in June at the Grand Island Mansion in Walnut Grove, one of the gems of the Sacramento Delta.  We wanted to create a lush, magical atmosphere for the event with a profusion of hot pink peonies, while also keeping it fresh and modern with shades of purple and fuchsia.  My primary sources of inspiration were our gorgeous Hello!Lucky invitation suite, the ethereal Anthropologie bridesmaid dresses by Saja, and my own Kenneth Pool gown.

Love this sweet photo of Colin before he sees his bride!

The floral design from the invitations was carried through to other details like table cards, reserved seating signage and letterpress programs. Can we hire him?

Floral arrangements came from Flowers by Anne  and  Got Light? provided the lighting in the ballroom including projecting a pattern from the stationery on to the dance floor.

Such a gorgeous celebration.  Congratulations Nicole and Colin!

bridal makeup:  Maria Chang of Professional Makeup Artistry

bridal jewelry:  Haute Bride

BAWN Event at Flood Mansion

We were thrilled to co-sponsor a cocktail party and networking event hosted by the Bay Area Wedding Network (BAWN) last week at the glorious Flood Mansion in San Francisco. This is one of the city's iconic wedding venues, perched on a hill top in elegant Pacific Heights, with sweeping views over the bay.

Co-sponsor McCall Associates designed this lovely table setting featuring orchids and bamboo, and a gorgeous citrus colored linens from Wildflower Linens.

Here's a detail of the decorative touches they added to the backs of the chairs - lovely!

Everyone had a grand time, including the effervescent Kathy Goodman of Well Rehearsed!

Gorgeous modern cake by True Confections.

Lovely chocolates by Coco Délice - their chocolates can be customized with a monogram or design and come in a range of adorable favor boxes!

Finally, Curtis & Johan of Perfect Circle Photography did a beautiful job documenting the event.

Blueprint Studios event rental furniture

Looking to create a sleek, glamorous and modern vibe for your wedding or party? Blueprint Studios just may be the answer.  Co-founded by a team with roots in architecture and interior design, this San Francisco-based firm designs and rents ultra-modern furniture lines for special events.

We especially love this vignette from their Fresco Collection, which can make your party feel like it's happening at Kelly Wearstler's Viceroy Hotel (add some DIY spray painted plates as wall decoration and voila!).

A couple more fun and uber-glam pieces to create that hip lounge atmosphere. This is not your grandma's furniture rental company!

Real Wedding: Michelle and Ken

A big thanks to Mollie from Paula LeDuc Fine Catering for referring her friends, Michelle and Ken, to us for their stationery for their wedding this past September at The Tides in Zihuatanejo, Mexico.  We designed and letterpress printed invitations, menus and fan programs with a delicate floral pattern in bright raspberry and acid green.  And, from the looks of the photos from the talented Melissa Mermin, it was quite a  party (sorry, resistance is futile)...fiesta!

Fireworks, shot glass necklaces and absinthe lollipops?  Quite a festive evening, we're sure.  Love the cocktail napkin!

Congratulations Michelle and Ken!

A big thank you to Melissa Mermin Love Stories for sharing these photos.  You can read more about this wedding and see photos here.

Chelsea Fuss: Event Designer & Stylist

We just love the pretty, whimsical, vintage-inspired aesthetic of photo stylist and floral & event designer Chelsea Fuss.  She writes her own daily blog, Frolic!, which is a must-read for design and wedding inspiration. It's a gem!

This strawberry table setting with jam jar favors is just so darling!

Some oh-so-inspiring snaps from her photo styling portfolio -  we're especially smitten with her color choices and use of vintage wall papers/fabrics! (Photos by John Valls). Chelsea's work has been featured in the UK's Easy Living magazine, and on some of our favorite blogs, such as Snippet & Ink.

Bound.To Journals

Craft-tastic! We just discovered this fabulous hand-bound journal using  our Julia Rothman chandelier gift wrap, by Etsy seller Bound.To.  What a wonderful way to re-purpose wrap!

Here are some other beautiful journals she's created with other papers, too!

Vintage China

Daily Candy London featured Katy Potts Tea for Two Vintage English China today, and we are smitten!  All the china shown was created between the 1920's and 1950's and comes charmingly wrapped in a vintage-inspired hatbox.

How adorable are these butter dishes and toast racks?   Not that we need anything else to covet!

The line is available for purchase at Liberty of London, the V&A Museum Shop, Orange Pekoe or by private sales (the next one is in November in central London).  Visit the website here.

Real Wedding: Heather and Tom

We are so excited to share these amazing photos of Heather and Tom's wedding this past August! We met Heather and Tom when they approached us to work with them on their wedding stationery.  When we heard they were getting married at Heather's dad's home in Cape Cod (where Heather grew up), we were smitten.  Oh, did we neglect to mention Heather's childhood home is an amazing 11-acre property with an apple orchard, pond and a farm house built sometime in the late 1700s?  Obviously, we drew heaps of inspiration from their venue and designed their wedding stationery accordingly - the save the dates and invitations were designed with vintage fruit crate packaging in mind.

Heather looked stunning in French chantilly gown by Liancarlo with a floral motif resembling apple blossoms.

A vibrant color palette of oranges, reds, greens, yellows and pinks was evident throughout.

Guests were greeted with vodka spiked Arnold Palmers (iced tea and lemonade) and Heather walked down the aisle to "You are My Sunshine"  performed by Uni and her Ukelele who also played during the cocktail hour.

We worked with the delightful Allison of Pineapple Productions on these seating cards which Allison threaded onto bamboo skewers and inserted into mini macintosh apples.

Allison writes:

The party tent, provided by UnderCover Tents, featured lanterns in various abstract shapes in the spectrum of late summer colors -- pomegranate red, spicy orange, mango yellow and deep raspberry.  Tables were dressed in linens in the same color palette.

Guests lounged on hay bale "sofas" draped with colorful quilt and outdoor pillows all placed under an heirloom apple tree.  We used upturned antique cranberry crates as occasional tables.  Hanging votives and staked lanterns were placed throughout the property.

Guests danced (and sang) the night away to Sticky Fingers, a Rolling Stones cover band.

Beautiful photos courtesy of Kristin Spencer Photography.  Check out more photos here.

Catering:   The Lobster Trap

Cake:   Delicious Desserts

Flowers:  E. Sandwich Florist

Congratulations Heather and Tom!

Featured Retailer: Orange and Pear

Orange and Pear makes gift giving a breeze with beautiful gifts ranging from home decor, stationery, sleepwear, and even tea! And with the holiday season coming up so soon, we're delighted to hear that their website has just launched, making it easy to find stylish gifts for everyone, all in one place.

Their products are from small companies and designers known for their chic modern design and fresh approach to craft. Beautiful selection!

Above: Sukie Special and City notebooks

Above: Snowden Flood River Series mugs

Above: Skinny Laminx Borrowed Spoons tea towel

Happy shopping!

Lab Partners Halloween cards

With Halloween right around the corner, we thought we'd feature these new Halloween cards we created in collaboration with the ace team at Lab Partners.

This one is our fave - if you keep looking you'll see all kinds of hilarious, creepy details in the haunted house!

They're are available right here. For more ghoulish paper, also check out Parcel Post.  Happy Halloween!

DIY Postcard Table Cards

We came across this cute and relatively easy to execute idea for do-it-yourself table cards on Lovely Morning.

Kristina has taken vintage postcards with different images of Palms Spring (her wedding venue) and has mounted them to card stock.   The actual table numbers are on the opposite side.

And, voila!  A highly personalized table card.  Of course, you can adapt this idea to just about anything. Patterned paper, wall paper, photographs, etc... could all make suitable backings.  Nice to remember that a do-it-yourself project doesn't have to mean hours and hours of crafting and can add such a memorable and personal touch to an event.   Check out more of Kristin's wedding planning and more here.

Mix-and-match table clothes

We just love these charming & eclectic mix-and-match table clothes from Piper & Mark's wedding via The Bride's Cafe. Zofia of Zofia Photography also did a splendid job capturing them!

This wedding was just full of gorgeous details - check them all out here.

Wendy Kromer's Gorgeous Cakes

You've likely seen Wendy Kromer's work if you have ever picked up a copy of Martha Stewart Weddings - she is an incredibly talented cake designer and has created some of our all-time favorite cakes.

Wendy has a bakery and design studio in Sandusky, Ohio which would seem incredibly inconvenient for those of us who covet her cakes, but much to our delight we have discovered via BFF Bridal that you can buy her gorgeous sugar flowers as well as cake kits (like the amazing Magical Marzipan Forest Cake featured above) so that you (or for those of us who are less daring, your favorite local baker) can emulate some of her most fabulous designs.  Shop online at  Wendy Kromer Specialty Confections.

If you're still dreaming of one of her cakes for your big day, she will deliver her wedding cakes throughout Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Illinois.  If you're further away, no need to fret; they will deliver throughout the United States and even internationally!  All of their cakes are hand-carried on planes - it seems like a nerve-wracking job to us, but there you go!

You can also check out more of her cakes the new book she co-authored with Martha Stewart, titled Martha Stewart’s Wedding Cakes, where over 100 of her cakes are featured.

Photo shoot props

We just wrapped up a photo shoot of our brand new wedding invitation series with brilliantly talented Sara Remington, and we couldn't help but get excited about all the neat props that some of our staff brought in to liven things up!

Before shooting, we lined all the items up, and there were some fabulous flea market finds in the mix!

We've got to say, though, that some of the best items were brought in by Alex, our new sales associate, including this vintage book on how to snag a man! Pretty hilarious stuff.

Also in the mix is this retro book on the wonders of San Francisco, which matches perfectly with our new destination wedding invitation series coming out!

Now we can't wait to see how all the photos came out!

BFF Bridal Top 100

Practice makes perfect...but when planning your wedding, you usually only have one chance to figure out each and every last detail.  Once you have the experience of planning a wedding, you'll inevitably think about what you'd do differently if you were to do it again. That is, unless you take full advantage of the great advice dispensed on a regular basis by Meredith Levy and Tara Mandy of BFF Bridal.  We're admirers and readers of their newsletter and are happy to see they've posted a list of the top 100 things they would do if they were planning a wedding in honor of their 100th issue.   The list is chock full of great ideas like asking a bridesmaid to send some wedding photos to you on your honeymoon. Admit it, you're dying to see them!  And, recommendations ranging from hair accessories by the talented Jennifer Behr...

...to crafty do-it-yourself fabric boutonnierres courtesy of Martha Stewart...

...to calligraphy by Jenna Hein.

Have a look at the list here and plan away!

Well Rehearsed

Sometimes you meet someone and you can just tell they have equal doses of impeccable style and flawless organizational skills...not to mention a gracious, spot-on formula for creating a memorable, personal celebration...

That's how we felt when we met Kathy Goodman of Well Rehearsed, a San Francisco-based event-planning company that specializes in rehearsal dinners. So you should meet her, too!

Kathy specializes in designing rehearsal dinners. Brilliant idea, right?

Above, a charming Yosemite rehearsal dinner...

..and a fun football-inspired rehearsal dinner for two devoted fans (to USC, and, of course, to each other!).

Keep an eye out for Kathy's work featured in the inaugural issue of San Francisco Brides magazine, coming out in December.

PS. Kathy does all kinds of other parties as well, including bridal showers and baby showers!