Sabrina's Weekend Snapshots

My family and I spent the weekend in Healdsburg, CA visiting friends on their farm. It was a beautiful break from the city and the kids loved the farm animals!

Alex gardening.

Chickens!

James in his helmet holding a roly-poly bug.

The boys found this tiny little frog hanging out on a pole nearby. We loved the colors and pattern of its skin. Hope you all had a wonderful summer weekend!

Lucky Friday #70, Hipster Party

Hello all you lucky folks out there! This is the 70th edition of our Lucky Friday Giveaway.  Each Friday we feature one of our letterpress greeting cards. We’ll choose THREE LUCKY WINNERS to get a free card.  Post a comment by 12 p.m. PST the following Thursday, and we’ll announce the winners on the following Friday!

The winners from last week are (drum roll, please): Richelle, Martha and Ashley W! We’ll contact you next week to arrange sending your You're a Peach card.

Design: Hipster Party Artist: Esther Aarts Inspiration: Esther was hip to the idea long before the idea was hip. Who to send it to: Someone who is Indie or die, who makes wardrobe and facial hair decisions based on "what he can get away with," or who's so new and fresh she hasn't even been born yet. Ideas we scrapped in favor of this one: We had a birthday card that was so unimaginably funny—the joke was so raw and wrong and real and right-on that we didn't get it. Favorite detail: Sweet how you can see the dude's hand through the green glass of his micro-brew. Why letterpress? Why? Really, sister, stay with us here. Need we explain why the sky is blue like an orange?

Don’t forget to post your comment and tune in next week, same time, different stationery, to see if you’ve won!

Bicycle Weddings

If there's one thing we're really into this summer, it's gotta be a good bicycle wedding. It may be because we live in a bike-friendly city (despite all the hills!) or that we melt in the charm of the rusty tires and cute carrying baskets. A good bicycle wedding consists of your standard adorable tandem bike photo, the flower basket above the handle bars, and our favorite - the printed bicycle stationery. Our new French Bicycle wedding invitation designed by Jacqui Lee has all the summery details we love: balloons, bikes, and red, white, and blue. Here's a little collection of some of our favorite bicycle weddings we've seen around the web.

1. Best bicycle wedding...ever - Green Wedding Shoes 2. French Bicycle folded thank you card designed by Jacqui Lee - Hello!Lucky 3. Killer belt buckle - The Knotty Bride 4. Amazing bicycle fruit cake - Rocket Fuel 5. Kissing bride and groom cake topper - Wedding Star 6. French Bicycle wedding invitation designed by Jacqui Lee - Hello!Lucky 7. Great idea for a gift basket - Style Me Pretty

New from Susy Jack*

Have you heard the news? Susy Jack* just released her new Foodie line of kitchen products and it's simply delectable! We were seriously impressed with her display at the National Stationery Show and since the big debut her new collection has been a huge success (not surprised!). Susy continues to out-do herself with brilliant patterns and modern materials so it's safe to say we were quite pleased to hear she was catering to us food lovers.

This is just one of many patterns among her new collection. Inspired by broken mosaic and Delf dishes, Susy has a natural way of giving fresh faces to old ideas. That tea towel is basically frame-worthy! Below is a snapshot she took of her booth at the NSS. Simple and stunning.

Do you recognize this design? Susy recreated her work from the Bohemian save the date into a set of recipe cards. Now wouldn't that make a delicious wedding gift?!

Check out Susy Jack*s entire shop here!

DIY Fourth of July Tea Towels

If you can believe it, July is right around the corner and friends and family are starting to make plans for the fourth. Whether you celebrate each year with a blow-out bash or keep it simple at home with close pals, it's always fun to have some festive decorations on hand. There are lots of quick and inexpensive ways to throw together some red, white, and blue, but why not go the extra mile this year and try something worth keeping. These firecracker popsicle printed tea towels relive those nostalgic childhood memories of chasing down the ice cream man and indulging in a sweet summer treat. Super easy to make and totally washable, you'll be glad to have them for next year!

Materials:

Pencil, craft knife and cutting mat (a magazine will work), plastic coated freezer paper, masking tape, red, white, blue, and brown acrylic craft paint, foam brushes (or cut up some sponges at home), iron, white tea towels (we used flour sacks) and this handy Popsicle Template

How To:

Step 1. Print your Popsicle Template on your home computer.

Step 2. Cut out a piece of 8.5" x 11" freezer paper and trace the template. Be sure you trace with the plastic side down.

Step 3. Place your traced paper on a cutting mat or magazine and cut with your craft knife. Be very careful!

Step 4. Place your cut out freezer paper on your tea towel (plastic side down). We suggest using some masking tape on the corners to prevent it from shifting.

Step 5. With your iron hot, slowly smooth the paper onto the towel. Watch as the plastic seals itself to the fabric. Be sure to get all the bubbles out!

Step 6. Using your foam brushes and paint, dab each color in their designated spot. Don't forget to put a piece of paper under the towel as the paint might leak through.

Step 7. After your paint has dried, carefully peel up the paper and watch the design appear!

Easy, right? These tea towels would also make the perfect hostess gift if you're the one attending that big bash. Nothing says Happy Independence Day like a handmade gift.

For more fun DIY ideas, visit our website here!

New Wedding Programs!

We're thrilled to announce the latest addition to our wedding collection! Now you can customize your own wedding programs online in any of your favorite designs. Each one is available in folded or flat cards, so if you're having a big ceremony - we've got you covered! Don't see your design online yet? Fret not. Our programs are so new that we're still making final touches on some of the products. They should all be up soon but if you don't see a program available in a design you're looking for shoot us an email at info@hellolucky.com and we'll help!

Browse the entire wedding program collection here!

Wedding Invitation Pin Boards

 By now Pinterest has become the most inspirational search engine and idea web on the internet, and we're still amazed by all the style and design popping up every day. We use Pinterest to not only gather inspiration for our own work, but to also give our followers a place to gather ideas for your own use. We've taken our favorite and most popular wedding invitations and curated a collection of inspiration pieces that match the aesthetic of our designs. The best way to start planning a theme for your wedding is to start with paper products - and we've got you covered. Figs is the perfect design for a casual outdoor event, and for all you brides having a cozy, rustic wedding, the Figs Inspiration Board might be the ideal place to gather tips for table displays or floral arrangements. You'll find everything from neutral color palettes to delicious looking treats.

If bright colors are more your style - or if you're planning a desert wedding - check out our Desert Skyline Inspiration Board. We've taken our classic Desert Skyline design and transformed it into a bright and festive picture palette. Here you will certainly feel at home by all the warm sandy backdrops and gorgeous succulent bouquets. Visit us on Pinterest to view more inspiration boards and to find links to all the images above!

Lucky Friday # 69, You're a Peach

Hello all you lucky folks out there! This is the 69th edition of our Lucky Friday Giveaway.  Each Friday we feature one of our letterpress greeting cards. We’ll choose THREE LUCKY WINNERS to get a free card.  Post a comment by 12 p.m. PST the following Thursday, and we’ll announce the winners on the following Friday!

The winners from last week are (drum roll, please): Gina, Diana D and Albert! We’ll contact you next week to arrange sending your Thanks a Brunch card.

Design: You're a Peach Artist: Eunice Moyle Inspiration: We had no trouble coming up with juicy ideas for a sweet, summery little card like this one. Who to send it to: Pick just the right person when the season is ripe. Ideal for anyone named Melba, for anyone from Georgia, or for someone who knows just how to shake your tree. Ideas we scrapped in favor of this one: We were at a loss for nectarine puns, and kumquats were ruled out right away. Favorite detail: Love the skinny stem legs and all. Why letterpress? The stippled ink effect makes a strong impression of peach fuzz.

Don’t forget to post your comment and tune in next week, same time, different stationery, to see if you’ve won!

Real Wedding: Elizabeth and Simon

There's something about this wedding that has us completely captivated. Perhaps it's the stunning teal blue color palette, or the breathtaking Tres Hermanas Winery backdrop, or maybe the fact that this is just one of two wedding ceremonies this couple gets to enjoy. Either way, this wedding is glorious. Elizabeth and Simon met - of all places - on an airplane and immediately clicked. Their first destination wedding in Santa Barbara embraced all the rustic qualities of a winery, but incorporated many luxurious accessories, like the insanely beautiful gemstone hued table displays and floral arrangements. We can definitely see this color trending for fall!

The bridesmaids all wore the same teal feathered headpieces. Gorgeous!

We couldn't think of a better theme to match their palette than peacocks! The couple tucked our Antoinette menu card into their table linens and it matched perfectly with the setting.

Congratulations to Elizabeth and Simon! To view the entire post on Wedding Chicks and to see more photos, click here!

Photos by Beaux Arts Photography

Edyta Szyszlo Photography

This post has been long overdue and we couldn't be more proud to share our love and gratitude for Edyta Szyszlo Photography. You've seen her name mentioned in posts before but today we're revealing her true art. Edyta started collaborating with us last summer before the release of our guest designer holiday collection. From the moment she stepped foot in our studio we were certain we couldn't lose her. Her fun-loving personality makes work seem like play and if you're the one in front of the lens - there's nothing to fear - Edyta will make you shine!

Some of our particular favorites are Edyta's engagement photo sessions. She's pursued the most eclectic San Francisco neighborhood backdrops and traveled far-and-wide for the perfect pictures.

You may recognize these images from a Michelle and Jacob's Real Wedding last year. Edyta's photo made the cover of their Just Married card and it sparked a whole new trend here at Hello!Lucky. Her commercial photography is just as outstanding as her wedding images, and you can tell we love it because our website is basically an Edyta shrine!

Glitter, stripes and a whole blend of colors. This is the reason we love Edyta! Many many thanks to our friend for making our products look amazing and for always bringing a smile to our faces! Visit Edyta Szyszlo Photography to book your next session today!

Lotta Jansdotter Collection

Lotta Jansdotter is unstoppable. Her books have made printmaking at home a cinch and her modern patterns and fabrics have taught us that simplicity is everything. Sadly her shop is being put on hold to welcome new adventures but this is [somewhat] happy news for us because her genius collection of clothing and accessories is on sale! Why not help Lotta with some spring cleaning and make room for new and improved awesomeness. But don't hesitate cause this amazing sale is only lasting until June 22.

These 100% linen tote bags are sure to make a statement. Our favorite is this anemone pattern but there are more to choose from.

Is it too early to make a holiday wish list? This skirt would sit right at the top!

These crayon rolls would make for a darling children's gift, or if you're the creative type use it to carry your favorite pencils/pens!

Keep up the lovely work, Lotta. Can't wait to see what you come up with next! View the entire shop here.

 

Hello!Lucky Open Studio

We're just loving these photos by Rikki Ward Photography taken of our open studio event on SFMade Day! She captured the day perfectly - from the letterpress printing tutorials to our furry little visitors. If you missed out on the fun, on May 12th we opened our doors on a sunny Saturday to all of our San Francisco friends and offered first hand printing techniques, discounts on our cards and gifts, and even invited super stylish Leslie Yang - owner and designer of Feistyelle - to come and sell her killer accessories. We had such a good time that we are already planning the next event!

The original Vandercook press.

Handmade accessories by Feistyelle.

The spread!

We're thankful for such an amazing turnout.

Here's James giving a lesson about letterpress printing.

Even our curious customers got a chance to crank the press and make their own birthday card!

Leslie Yang looking fabulous.

Our favorite customer! Sending a big thanks to everyone who came and supported us. If you missed out last time don't be sad - we're planning on opening our studio for days like this more often, so stay tuned for details!

Photos by Rikki Ward Photography

DIY Father's Day Cupcake Toppers

Good Monday morning to all of our favorite readers! We want to start off on this week ahead with a new (and remarkably easy) Father's Day craft. These mini DIY paper crown cupcake toppers are the royal icing on the [cup]cake for your dad's day this year. Show him how much he means to you by customizing his crown with precious jewels, a photo, or even a personal note. Make him feel like the king he is!

Materials:

Colored Paper, craft knife, ruler, pencil, craft glue or tape (whatever you have around) and the cupcake topper template. Download below!

Cupcake Topper Template

How to:

Step 1. Print out the cupcake topper template.

Step 2. Trace the outline onto your colored paper. We've created three different designs - fit for all types of kings.

Step 3. Cut out your crown with a craft knife and ruler. This part takes time and patience!

Step 4. Place glue on the outside of the tab and secure to the inside of the crown.

Step 5. Display! We chose Martha Stewart's Devil's Food Cupcake recipe for a rich, flavorful treat. What dad doesn't love chocolate??

 Happy crafting!

For more great paper DIY ideas, visit our website here!

Lucky Friday # 68, Thanks a Brunch!

Hello all you lucky folks out there! This is the 68th edition of our Lucky Friday Giveaway.  Each Friday we feature one of our letterpress greeting cards. We’ll choose THREE LUCKY WINNERS to get a free card.  Post a comment by 12 p.m. PST the following Thursday, and we’ll announce the winners on the following Friday!

The winners from last week are (drum roll, please): Karen, Karolina and Kyle! We’ll contact you next week to arrange sending your Better with Age card.

Design: Thanks a Brunch Artist: Eunice Moyle Inspiration: We had a short stack of ideas— we didn't want the design to be over-easy or too syrupy sweet, so the smorgasbord result suited us to a tea! Who to send it to: A friend who's a fiend with a French press, who's bringin' and makin' the bacon, and who's got a sure cure for what ails you in the A.M. Ideas we scrapped in favor of this one: The "Toastest with the Mostest," "Eggs-cellent Job," and "You Take the Pancake!" cards were all wrapped up, thankfully, in one big brunch bonanza. Favorite detail: Took us a sec to figure why the toast is wearing a beret. Guess we might need a spot of that coffee. Why letterpress? Good grapes, can't get over that gorgeous purple overprinting!

Don’t forget to post your comment and tune in next week, same time, different stationery, to see if you’ve won!

Real Wedding: Molly and Daniel

We're counting down the days until official summer and that means we'll be seeing more of our favorite country weddings. You know a bride and groom that chooses our Heartland invitation is planning a rockin' farm wedding and that's exactly the case with this Colorado couple. Molly and Daniel wed at the adorable Ellis Ranch in Loveland, CO. Who wouldn't want to get married in Loveland? The picture perfect venue and priceless cowboy details made this wedding a classic.

We're definitely thinking green! The leafy floral arrangements by The Ruffly Rose are simply stunning.

What's a wedding without a good laugh? This groom's witty take on a classic photo gets us giggling every time.

To see more photos check out the post in Colorado Weddings Magazine!

Photography by Julianne Brasher

Father's Day Gift Guide

We love our dads! And that's why we couldn't wait to put together a collection of awesome gifts any dad would appreciate. Whether your old man is into gardening or history, there's something in there for him. And remember we're offering FREE printable Father's Day labels and cards!

1. The Art of Shaving is just that, an art. Help dad feel like a pro in the mornings with this rich, unscented cream by none other than The Art of Shaving. Is he a lavender or lemon guy? Pick from three different types.

2. Sometimes a handwritten note from his favorite son or daughter is just what dad needs. Our favorite Father's Day card BBQ Parade will cheer him up and you can even get sentimental inside.

3. Most of our dads are hard workin' guys. Whether pounding the pavement in the big city, traveling long distances, or getting dirty outside. A great way to help him protect his finest footwear is to give him this sturdy canvas and corduroy shoe bag from Need Supply.

4. Now it's time for the fun stuff. Father's aren't all about work - so spend a little time outside playing games with Restoration Hardware's Pocket Bocce Set. Don't let a little competition get in the way of your Father's Day, either. It's all in good fun!

5. You've seen our printable sock labels, well these are the missing link. Cozy, comfortable, and made in the USA, these socks by Freeman's Sporting Club are top notch.

6. When it's time for a wee dram - or a little sip - of something special, pick this Glenmorangie Scotch Whiskey from our favorite local spirits shop Cask. Want to make this gift extra-thoughtful? Get it engraved with his initials or send a sweet message. He's sure to enjoy.

7. Is your pops a grill master? Perhaps not until he gets his hands on this easy-to-store grill utensil set from Plow and Hearth. Perfect for a quick weekend camping or for keeping his tools in organized spaces. These stainless steel and wood collapsible utensils are just as heavy-duty as your standard brand, and, they just fit better (Mom will be happy too!)

8. There is something so mysterious and rugged about the story of Lewis and Clark. Every guy wants to set out on a cross-country journey and discover new and unadulterated territory. Now your dad can live vicariously through this heartwarming tale directed by by Ken Burns. Lewis & Clark - The Journey of the Corps of Discovery will have him daydreaming in no time.

9. Your dad may not have a green thumb but he'll definitely be plucking away at the yard with this Telescoping Rake from Terrian. It opens and closes to fit the size of the job - and is lightweight for easy travel or storage. Perfect for summer!

Don't forget Father's Day is Sunday June 17th. If you don't have time to get a gift - head over to hellolucky.com to browse our other Father's Day cards!

DIY Card Stands

These super simple and easy to make card stands are the perfect pick-me-up to any table display. We love the quirky drawer knobs found at local antique shops or the ornate ones for sale at Anthropologie. You can even buy wooden knobs at your local hardware store and paint them any color you like! The possibilities are endless with these little fellows. We'd definitely use them as place card holders at a reception or dinner party, but they could also be used to prop photos on a mantle, keep to-do notes on a desk, or even hold up a new recipe in the kitchen. Full instructions below!

 Materials:

Used or new knobs preferably without set screws (browse your local antique shop for fun shapes and colors, or visit Anthropologie), wire (we used 20 gauge for better strength), pipecleaners (any color will do, but try to match the colors of your knobs), wire cutters or scissors and some craft glue - if necessary.

How To: 

Step 1. Remove the screws and any washers from the knobs.

Step 2. Prepare your wire. Cut about 8" - 10" strips and fold at the center. Wrap the wire around your index finger twice creating a spiral loop.

Step 3. Cross both ends and spin to hold in place.

Step 4. Carefully wrap one end of the wire around the other side, leaving as little space as possible between each loop.

Step 5. Wrap your pipecleaner around the bottom part of your wire (underneath the hook). Cut off any remaining pipecleaner.

*The thickness of your pipecleaner will depend on the width of the hole in your knob

Step 6. Place the wire and pipecleaner inside the hole of the knob. It should fit pretty snug - if not, add more pipecleaner and a dab of craft glue to be sure.

Step 7. Insert place card between wire loops and display!

 

Visit our website for more fun DIY ideas!

Sweet San Francisco Wedding + Video

Our friend Greg recently married his darling Mel on a windy day underneath the Bay Bridge. Complete with their closest family and friends and a bunch of bicycles, their wedding didn't need anything more.  The couple loves cycling so much they're on a tour de Europe on their very own bikes. What a terrific way to see the sights while doing what you love!

Oh how we love our home. This lovely video by Tony Benna emphasizes all the things about San Francisco we couldn't live without. The bay breeze, the gorgeous cityscape, the incredible food (including a cake from Miette!) and so much more. And, we're giving huge props to Mel for biking in those heels. Enjoy!

Photography by Traci Griffin Photography

New! Love London Save the Date and UK Promo

In celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee we're delighted to release our newest London wedding suite Love London! The classic lines and bold typeface make it fit to be a favorite.

Right now we only have the Save The Date available on the UK site, but be sure to look for the rest of the suite in the coming weeks. And if you'd like to order it sooner feel free to contact our UK office directly at 020 7378 9740.

We hope you all had a wonderful weekend celebration. If you're in the UK be sure to take advantage of our 20% off sale on all UK orders until midnight on June 5th. Enjoy!