Dress up those walls

One trend that we can't get away from and can't get enough of is WALLPAPER! The thought of it may bring not-so-pretty memories of your childhood and what seemed like a good idea in the 80's or 90's... but don't let that ruin it for you!  Take a peek at some fresh new looks that we're obsessing over. {ohhhh how we love paper} Oh, and if you're a renter, don't be discouraged. There are a plethora of options for temporary, self-adhesive wallpaper including Tempaper Designs and Sherwin Williams. Gaze on and be inspired!

Photos clockwise starting in top left corner: Remodelista; Desire to Inspire; Small Place Style; KID Collective; New House of Art; My Deco; Houses of Turquoise; Graham and Brown

Sweets for your Sweet

Food is the way to pretty much anyone's heart {let's be honest}. Well in light of the upcoming holiday, we thought it appropriate to highlight some of our favorite Valentine Day treat finds.

Perhaps you're a fan of our Cake Pops post from a few months back... we noticed it was quite a hit! Well, Bakerella, the creators of Cake Pops have many other fabulous recipes up their sleeves such as this one for Red Velvet Sandwich cookies. Oh HEAVENS! Roll up a stack in clear cellophane and tie ribbons on each end and it's the perfect little V-day gift!

If you haven't heard of the Message-in-a-Cookie from Williams-Sonoma yet, then climb out of the cave you've been hiding in! Okay, not all of us are up to speed on cookie trends, but seriously, you have to check this out. Granted, the actual making of the cookies is quite tedious, but the outcome is so adorable and so worth it! What better way to say how you feel than through a COOKIE?!!

We spotted this post from Baking Therapy's 2010 Valentines day celebration. Not only are they super cute, but they used the chocolate cupcake recipe from the infamous Magnolia Bakery with a little inspiration from Scootabaker {LA's home delivery bakery... brilliant!!}

*Photos courtesy of Williams-Sonoma, Baking Therapy, Bakerella

Engaged!

We had to share this recent feature in Engaged Rhode Island Magazine! What a fun shout out and a fabulous way to inspire brides and event-lovers alike.  Thank heavens that the minds behind this publication see the value in having stellar save - the - dates and invitation suites. :) Take a peek at some of their top picks... And for more ideas to help plan the perfect wedding, check out Engaged RI Magazine online.

*Photos courtesy of Engaged RI Magazine, Paper Moss invites as featured above in numbers 1, 2, 4 & 9.

1. Vintage 'Rhode Island Postcard' Save the Date

2. Katie & Dave Invite

4. Photo collage Save the Date

9. Ticket Save the Date

BACK TO PRESS

DIY: old books = new art

Considering how much we love paper, it shouldn't come as a surprise that we were, well, attracted to this DIY we saw on the Jones Design Company blog. How can you resist? We are dying to get our hands on some old books of poetry and music sheets to compile a collage for our own walls. To see the step - by - step directions for how to transform this:

To this: Visit the Jones Design Blog... and plan to get distracted :)

Safari

We are out of the office today... on a Safari! We are bundling up with a spectacular team of New England vendors {and a special photographer flown in from DC!} for a Safari-themed photo shoot. We can't wait to showcase the talented team of professionals & gorgeous photos, so we'll hold you over with a glimpse of our inspiration board & favorite part of any photo shoot: SHOES! Get a load of these Dolce & Gabbana pumps that just might make an appearance later on the blog {hint hint}.

Here are a few more goodies that have inspired us, including some fur to keep us (er, the model) warm. Did we mention it's been 5 degrees these days? Literally.

Clockwise from upper left:

Coachella Safari Tent Lodging, Anthropologie, Max Wagner on Style Me Pretty, Max Wager on Style Me Pretty, Etsy Pillow, Lee Angel Necklace.

Ruffled wedding trends

Ruffles and weddings were made to go together - much like cake and frosting. While there are a plethora of wedding dresses adorned with ruffles and chic ruching, we must not forget the details! Here are some ruffle-related trends that turned our heads. So, if you're a bride to be, don't be afraid to add a feminine punch {and some fabulous texture} to your special day...

Photos clockwise from top: Cake via NoBloPoMo, garter via A Alicia Handmade, bridesmaids dresses via Cherry Blossom Girl, Flower bouquet via Emici Bridal, Ruffle ribbon ball chandelier via Martha Stewart Weddings, Wedding Dress via Style Me Pretty, White rosettes via Making it Fun.

Head-to-Toe Happiness

Happy Wednesday, everyone! While cruising around blog world, we came across this precious west-coast couple on the Jagger Photography blog and fell in love with the light, sweet, relaxed but romantic tones. Jagger Photography did an incredible job capturing the big day {all you Seattle based brides, check them out!} and the pair packed their event full of intricate details that made it sparkle! What a gorgeous couple from head.....

.....to toe! :)

This color combo reminds us of a wedding we did in September. Remember?? Gotta love those icons!

*Photos courtesy of  Jagger Photography

Write those Resolutions

Happy New Year, everyone!! We are so excited to finally welcome 2011- some beautiful things are on the agenda for this year. We found this cute book and think it’s a great way to keep track of each year’s happenings. Perhaps this could be a new resolution - to track resolutions? Not a bad idea…

This little gem can be found at Paper Source. Feel free to share your resolutions with us so we can cheer you on!

*Photo courtesy of robayre.com

Favorite posts from 2010: No. 4

In honor of ringing in 2011, here are a couple of our favorite party related posts to inspire... Celebrations call for champagne! Lets be honest, a little bit of bubbly is festive, fun and really gets the party started. With candy bars and dessert bars becoming commonplace at special events, we have a new "bar crush" on CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL BARS! Even the name sounds fluffy and delicious!!

Lifestyle and entertainment expert, Kelley Moore takes the complication out of putting one together when she unveils chic options for stemware, delicious types of champagne {not being a champagne connoisseur, this section is ever - so - helpful} and last, some tasty concoctions that will excite those taste buds! As for how to display the table, treat it like any other buffet, varying heights, sizes and colors. Pop over to Kelley Moore's website to get the full scoop on how to do it like a pro.

If you're looking for a quick way to add flair, consider one of these ideas from Martha:

{By soaking sugar cubes in fruit puree or concentrate, removing and letting them dry over night, you'll have instant bursts of flavor to pop in the glasses}

{Swap out your standard orange juice with blood orange juice for a unique twist}

Whether you're celebrating a shower, birthday soiree or a wedding... it's better with a little bubbly!

... And a party wouldn't be complete without the perfect party dress!

How glorious it would be to wear one of these? We are loving Ouma's shop on Etsy... so many gorgeous gowns that are perfect for parties, bridesmaids or even as a wedding gown! Enjoy!

*Photos courtesy of Ouma

*Photo courtesy of Martha Stewart Living

Favorite posts from 2010: No. 3

Here's a look back at another one of our faves...

The Evolution of an Invitation

Anything custom requires more time and attention than something mass-produced. In fashion-speak, it's the "haute couture" of stationery, while pre-made designs are equivalent to the ready-to-wear. Paper Moss has been custom since its first breath. There is something so satisfying about working with clients to make their vision a reality. The design process goes through many "renovations" to finally achieve the look that our brides and grooms are dreaming of.

When we first sat down with {bride to be} Mary Jo, she mentioned her love of Paris and the time she spent abroad. As the conversation evolved and we learned more about her and her honey, it only seemed natural to aim for a "Vintage Parisian" look for their invitation suite... without being cliche. Since we all needed a little inspiration, she sent these photos to inspire designs:

After identifying their color palette, discussing fonts, deciding on the type and weight of paper and getting a general idea of what they wanted, designs for Mary Jo and Paul began. In the first round, we included several options that the bride and groom evaluate and give feedback on. We pulled characteristics from one and add them to another, flip things around, make one design smaller or another less detailed... the list goes on! Here are some of their initial designs:

Sparing the details of the back and forth, the questions, the answers, the tweaking, the perfecting, the printing and yadda yadda, you get the point... their final product fit the bill! PUN intended! Our bride and groom both adored their invitation suite and we were gladly able to accommodate the budget they were working with.

And here is their final "Vintage Parisian" wedding invitation...

And that friends, is how a custom invitation evolves!

*Invite photos courtesy of Laura Ashbrook Photography

That's a Wrap!

If giving gifts is one of the greatest parts about this season, then wrapping gifts may be the second! It’s no secret that we’ve loved ribbons, bows and pretty paper since we were young, but only recently was it brought to our attention that we can be a little O.C.D about holiday wrapping. In our defense, we aren’t the only one’s who choose a color palate each year for giftwrap. Martha does it too.

Here are a few fun ideas to make the outside of your holiday gifts a little more special. It’s what’s on the inside that counts, but the outside should not be forgotten!

Add some mini ornaments or other funky, personalized goodies to enhance the bow.

{via Baraini Diva}

Add some texture with non-traditional ribbon such as yarn, raffia, fabric... the possibilities are endless!

{via Bugs and Fishes}

Or, spice things up by skipping a bow and creating a pattern and adding texture by weaving ribbon.

{via Martha Stewart}

Keeping with the concept of skipping a bow all together, how cute are these letter pressed buckles?!

{via d.Sharpe}

Lastly, check out some cute patterned containers or wrap a strip of ribbon or paper around a plain metal jar & treat it like a box! Don't you just love the toppers on this one?!

{via BHG}

Happy wrapping!!

Winter Inspirations

A few weeks ago we contributed to the Fall Inspiration series on She Said Yes. Well, it was so  much fun that we were thrilled when Jacin asked us to put together a little something for the paper portion of her Winter Inspiration series. So grab your hot bevie and take a peek at our suggestions for how to "winterize" an invitation suite - just click on the teaser photo below for more! Oh, and let us know what you think. ;)

Be sure to check back throughout the week as others in the industry guest post more winter inspiration!

She Said Yes!

The lovely Jacin from She Said Yes {one of our blog-friends} asked us to guest blog for her Fall Inspiration series. The entire series has been fantastic so far- she covers all bases from decor to favors to festive drinks and fall cakes. Check it out, even if you're not planning an Autumn wedding... you'll find fun, unique ideas that might lend an excuse to host an impromptu party!

Paper Moss decided to share some ideas to gracefully side - step the stereotypical fall wedding invitation. There are countless ways to create a seasonally appropriate motif without being confined to a fall color palate or standard fall designs {pumpkins, leaves or scarecrows}. Tracy and Kevin's invitation suite is just one of our examples that we share for our part in the Fall Inspiration series.

See the rest and learn how we arrived at each of the final designs. For the full effect, check out our guest post. Thanks She Said Yes, for letting us share our love for paper and design. Blog to you soon! {hahahah, bad joke?}

*Photos courtesy of Laura Ashbrook Photography

A New Art Form

For some people, like our friends at Totally Tabletops {in Seattle, WA}, setting the table is an art. When the holidays roll around, it's easy to focus on perfecting the timing of the cooking, getting the sweet potatoes just right, seasoning that stuffing to perfection and all the other good stuff, but we must not forget about the table! While the holiday is focused around giving thanks, football, food & guests, adding a special touch to the table can add a spark of extravagance. First and foremost, make sure you're setting the table correctly and THEN... be inspired to try your hands at this art form!

{via Totally Tabletops}

{via Christiane Lemieux of Dwell Studio}

{via Martha Stewart}

If you're looking for centerpiece ideas, here are some simple ways that you can spice up candles.

{via BHG & Good Housekeeping}

{via Napa Style}

Have fun decorating that table! Happy hosting, folks.

Happy Halloween weekend

Halloween weekend is here are we're feeling pretty stinkin' festive. Yes, it's true that we're about to set out on a journey to scrape together a semi-classy costume for tonight, but our procrastination has nothing to do with a lack of festivity- we've been BUSY!! In the spirit of this holiday weekend and with Thanksgiving on the horizon, we couldn't resist passing along a fun little D.I.Y from Martha Stewart. We're thinking of varying gold, copper and orange mini-glitter pumpkins for place cards at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Find out how to make these cute little guys here. Have a very merry & safe Halloween weekend!

*Photo courtesy of Martha Stewart

Friday Inspiration

One of the most beautiful places that we've ever been is Cape Cod. Can't you see why?? It's hard to put words to the perfection achieved through the combination of white sand, distant cliffs that line the coast, deep blue ocean water splashing around, the reeds that decorate a boardwalk, relaxed faces and full smiles of vacationers...'tis our happy place!

It probably doesn't come as a surprise to you that we find inspiration in pretty much everything... including some vintage treasures we found while scouting antique shops in East Sandwich.

Not only did we have a blast admiring all the little trinkets, the timeless jewelry and the old maps and cards but we loved talking with the couple who owned this adorable shop. If you're in East Sandwich, make a point to pop in... you will LOVE it! Antoinette's Antiques & Collectibles 774.413.9799.

{Okay, just one more photo from our trip}

*Photo collage courtesy of Laura Ashbrook Photography