Riesling strawberry slushy

You know when you're surfing Pinterest and then bump into something so mind-blowing that you freeze and stare... you picture your life with that something... and then, you get that burst of urgency to wipe away your plans for the remainder of the day to go buy or make that thing?! Yep, we suffered from this scenario just the other day and here's the culprit: A Riesling Strawberry Slushy.

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In this case, life might in fact be better while sipping on this fruity, boozy cooler. Join us in trying it this weekend? :) Happy Friday, lovelies!!!

Bright & Sunny

Happy Thursday Purseday, pretties! Today we felt inspired by the sunshine and wanted to highlight some of the vibrant pops of yellow that we've been seeing in the handbag world as of late. Awhile back we were fixated on neon yellow but today, we're embracing & celebrating all shades of this summery color. Would you ever rock a yellow purse??

From top to bottom:

{1} Ally Capellino Bibi Pouch Bag {$292.24}

{2} Contrast Buckle Clutch {$31.31}

{3} French Connection Woven Bag {$113.07}

{4} ASOS Limited Edition Sequin Shopper {$95.67}

{5} Kate Sheridan Leather Trim Shopper {$269.62}

*All photos courtesy of ASOS

Pretty Paper: Kelly & Chris

Today I'm super excited to share one of my {Anna's} favorite invitation suites with you! Last year when we started working with Kelly & Chris, we had no idea the directions their invitation suite designs would take. After drafting a few ideas, nothing quite came to life... until we introduced the sheep. This little icon, reminiscent of the sheep that wander the hills surrounding their wedding venue, was prevalent in their invitations and all of their day-of accessories- we even incorporated sheep confetti in their programs! But truly, I'm most obsessed with their RSVP card that was in the format of a Mad Libs! It must have been so fun to get each of the responses back! Who would have thought that a sheep theme would be so darn cute?!

*All photos courtesy of Laura Ashbrook Photography

Well Wed- spring & summer 2012

Well hello, Monday! Are we bummed you're here? NO. After having a fabulously relaxing weekend, we're just raring to jump back in to designs and meetings with clients. So why not start this week off with a wee bit of good news? We just caught wind that the spring & summer 2012 issue of Well Wed is out and low and behold, some of our stationery was featured!! You have to take a peek at the fun color palette inspiration they put together... and while you're at it, be sure to check out some of our fun accessories {pages 106 & 141} and invitations {pages 112, 132 & 142}. Thanks for sharing in this excitement with us and if you pick up the latest issue of Well Wed, you're guaranteed to be inspired with those wedding plans!!!

Kitchen Crush

We've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately... and I mean a LOT of time. Aside from inspiring us to further develop the culinary skills we wish we had, this quality kitchen time has caused us to realize how much we want to brighten up our experience. Recently perusing some registry lists for friends may have led to us peeking and planning for the brightest kitchen possible... and aside from the Kitchenaid, everything else could be easily interchanged if you get tired of the color palette! What do you think? Too much color??

{1} Martha Stewart Utensils

{2} Oxo Tea Kettle

{3} Kitchenaid Mixer

{4} Martha Stewart Mixing Bowls

{5} Crate & Barrel Cutting Board

{6} Kitchenaid Measuring Cups & Spoons

Viva Luxury: raspberry & mint

Awhile back, we had to force ourselves to stop buying black things as an attempt to brighten up the wardrobe... sad, I know. That seems like a lifetime ago now, and we're excited to say that we just can't get enough bright colors these days! Have you been through something similar? Please say you understand!!! :) Anyway, Annabelle from Viva Luxury has been inspiring us left and right to embrace our love for brightness this season, so when we spotted this sweet compliment of raspberry & mint, we couldn't resist sharing. This Rebecca Minkoff Mini M.A.C bag is seeming more and more practical by the minute!

 

*Photos courtesy of Zappos; Viva Luxury

Wandersketch

We're always on the lookout for fun and unique gift ideas- especially for engagement parties, showers and weddings. Naturally, when we skipped over to Wandersketch, we were just over-joyed to find their custom monogramed mugs!!

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Can you imagine sipping coffee or cocoa from these sitting alongside your new spouse?! AGH! It kills me... it would be adorable! You better believe that when I {Anna} get married, I'm getting these Mr. & Mrs. cups- they're just too cute to pass up!

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Thanks to Wandersketch for creating such darling mugs! Happy Wedding Wednesday, everyone!

Setting Sail

If we're honest with ourselves, we can admit that it's been a little refreshing to focus on the current trends of neon and pastels for the spring as of late. They're so bright & fun! Well, today's shoesday brings back the classic nautical style that we'll always be partial to. We love to go sailing and on top of that, living in New England, we're just naturally submersed in all things nautical & preppy. No complaints here! :) A few weeks ago when a dear friend sent us the link to these pumps, our hearts nearly leapt our of our chests and we've been dreaming of them ever since!

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Just looking at those little anchors, we can't help but to imagine a peaceful, sunny day out on the water... taking in the fresh air... ah! Wouldn't that be amazing?

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What would you pair these pumps with?

Crazy for Calligraphy

Aside from OBSESSING over paper {the color, texture, weight... the smell} we just can't control our raging adoration of calligraphy! Seriously, in our line of work we have the blessing of working with some of the most phenomenal calligraphers. Here are some calligraphy & addressing trends that we're just swooning over!!

Colored ink:

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 Off the page:

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Playful fonts:

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Lots of swirls:

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Truly, it's an art form that leaves us breathless. Don't you agree?

Cinco de Mayo

Any excuse to celebrate is a good excuse to celebrate- that's my philosophy. Perhaps growing up on the west coast made me fall in love with Cinco de Mayo {it was always a big deal} so when I uprooted and came out east, the tradition of celebrating this flamboyant & fun holiday could not be let go. Alas the time has come to celebrate Mexican heritage... so what makes a good Cinco de Mayo party in my book? It's simple really...

{1} Festive desserts such as these piñata cookies are a MUST!

{2} Distract guests with home made guacamole while putting those finishing touches on dinner... Works like a charm! Every. Time.

{3} Enchiladas are our entree of choice and this year we're thinking of switching up the traditional chicken with chipotle shredded pork!

{4} Obviously margaritas are a necessity. OBVIOUSLY. We sure love a traditional marg but this year, there may be another flavor to add to the menu.

And you better BELIEVE that if I had the time, I would make a fancy piñata for us to punch on this weekend. :) There's always next year! Happy Cinco de Mayo!

xo,

Anna

*Photos courtesy of She Knows; Martha Stewart; Pennies on a Platter; White on Rice Couple 

 

Thursday purseday- Cinco de Mayo

It's Tres de Mayo and you know what that means... Cinco de Mayo is in just a couple of days! Sadly, this Saturday is also shared with the Kentucky Derby. This means one of two things: the derby will be over-looked OR we'll be eating enchiladas and drinking margs while watching the horse races. Probably the former will happen, but I have high hopes for the latter. What do you have planned? We felt it only appropriate to choose a Cinco de Mayo inspired handbag for today... and low and behold this one from Anthropologie was too perfect to pass up!

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Bright but not too bright, and aren't those stripes adorable?! This cute & casual tote is just perfect for those lazy sunny days!

Stay tuned {tomorrow} for some more festive ideas for your weekend celebrations! Don't forget to enter to win the Lucia K. monogrammed giveaway!

Sea glass

One of our absolute FAVORITE color palettes for weddings this year is "sea glass". Fresh, soft and delicate... but not too feminine, which keeps those grooms happy. :) As of late, we've been submersed in all things glassy, mint, aqua, celadon and shimmery while tapping into this palette to design a current client's wedding stationery. We can't wait to share more once it's finished of course, but until then, please enjoy some of our inspiration...

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Tuesday Shoesday: Paloma Barceló

It's a rainy day in New England and as much as a cozy, soggy, grey day reminds me of home {Seattle}, I'm just bursting at the seams... nearly DYING for summer to arrive. Yes, I'm OVER this "April showers" business. Let's get on with it and embrace the sunshine, shall we? :) We've been searching abroad for this shoesday inspiration and after laying eyes on these intricately braided, rainbow wedges, we just needed to pay tribute to the Spanish brand, Paloma Barceló. Most known for their savvy collection of espadrilles, we think these Mallorca Knotted Suede sandals sum up their signature epically bright, punchy twist.

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Weekend warrior

Hello beautiful! Today, we want to know: what inspired you this weekend? Was it some time in the sunshine perhaps?

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Did you take in some delicious tunes?

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Or sipping your favorite beverage alongside your favorite someone?

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Perhaps you got your hands dirty in the kitchen kneading out something delectable...

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Whatever it was that you devoted your time to, we hope it was nothing short of FABULOUS. Because you deserve just that- a whole lot of fabulousness! Happy Monday... it's going to be a lovely week!

xo

Lucia K. giveaway!

Hi! Kirsty from Lucia K. Jewelry here, and so excited to be guest posting on Pearls for Paper. We've been asked for quite a while now if Lucia K. does monogrammed jewelry. The answer has always been no, because I just couldn't get it how I wanted it to be, until now!

So why are we so excited about this collection? For a few reasons. Each piece is made of hand hammered sterling silver, so each piece is unique and original, just like each person's life and story. I chose a version of american typewriter font since I'm a sucker for this classic- it's slightly formal but not fussy. Also the font is small, which to me is more personal and so is the charm. This allows each piece to be worn alone or in layers with other statement pieces. I also added a semi-precious stone - either a birth stone or choose your favorite, for color and to finish the piece.

My goal was to create a timeless yet chic piece of jewelry that could commemorate or celebrate a life.... symbolize a moment in time, or a wish you wear... to remind you of the story you tell as a mother, daughter, sister, best friend, soul mate, survivor...

To celebrate the launch of this collection, we are so excited to partner with the ladies at Paper Moss, to offer a giveaway. One reader will win a personalized monogrammed bracelet or necklace of their choice.

Here is how you enter, each of the following is considered 1 entry, please leave a comment below for each entry. Contest ends and winner will be announced on May 5th.

1.  Visit www.luciakjewelry.com and pin your favorite item to pinterest.

2.  Like Lucia K. Jewelry on facebook.

3.  Like Paper Moss on facebook.

4.  Share this post on facebook.

5.  Leave a comment below on what your story would be for your monogrammed jewelry.

Bonus...use code pearls25 at checkout, to receive 25% off any order on our site until 5/5, just in time for Mothers Day!

Happy Friday.

Best,

Kirsty

Thursday Purseday: Springtime softness

While hopping around on Pinterest the other day, I stumbled upon this adorable, classic combination and flat out fell in love. Stunning, isn't it?

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Naturally, we HAD to hunt down the clutch {It's Marc Jacobs- SHOCKER!} and then figure out how to re-create the whole ensemble because frankly, it's too cute and feminine not to. Full of timeless pieces, here's the verdict:

Burberry Trench {via}

Missoni Shades {via}

Essie Nail Polish {via}

Marc Jacobs Clutch {via}

And surprisingly, no, we didn't let the beautiful trench coat distract from how much we're lusting after that clutch! Happy Purseday!

Real Weddings: Becca & Dan

We have some great news today! You may remember seeing a fabulous navy & fairway green invitation suite that we featured several weeks ago... well, our sweet bride and her photographer, Melissa Robotti were kind enough to share some detail shots from the big day! Hope you enjoy & feel equally as inspired by these fun photos- we just adore the classic nautical flare that Wychmere Harbor Club is so loved for!

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Amazing, right?! We just love that ballroom too! Congrats to Becca & Dan and thanks so much for sharing your wedding day with us!

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Venue: Wychmere Harbor Club in Harwich Port, MA
Dress: Amsale
Grooms attire: Alfani Red
Flowers: Greenlion Design
Photographer: Melissa Robotti

Oh China!

Some days just require a little fancy flair to spice things up. This Monday is one of those days so we're filling up the french press with our favorite local roast {longingly dreaming of Cafe Vita Coffee- from Seattle} and sipping this newfound brew in fine china. Ah yes, this is one of the greatest ways to start a week that will be nothing short of conquered!!!

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Something you might not know about me {Anna} is that for most of my adult life, one of my favorite sources of inspiration is scouring antique stores for vintage pieces. Any other antique fanatics out there?? You guys know the epic charge that I'm talking about, right? There is something so unique and romantic about finding that perfect piece, designed decades before by someone who caught inspiration from their culture & daily life. Truth be told, this fascination started when the mother of an ex-boyfriend rolled out her phenomenal collection of vintage cups & saucers- in an array of florals, bright colors, shapes and sizes. Each delicate, detailed piece was gifted to her by different friends and family at her bridal shower. LOVE that idea!! And to clarify, are we reminiscing about the ex? No. We're definitely only paying tribute to this fabulous mode of inspiration & one adorable idea for a bridal shower. :)