Monday motivation

Monday, Monday... we're back at it again, ready to carpe diem! Are you? I think we can all agree that the start of the week can be rough, but as we've been scouring the latest Fall trends from Fashion Week, we thought that one trend in particular would be the perfect touch to add some extra polish & spur on motivation to the start this week right...

via | via | via

Are you familiar with the tried & true "dressed well, test well" motto from college? You better believe that when you put in that extra little bit of effort to look put together, you FEEL put together and that can very well flow into your actions & performance. Lipstick is a quick fix and definitely adds some sass. ;) Whether it's prepping for a huge exam, presentation at work or just a crazy busy week, we're ready to sport one of the beautiful new bright berry, soft peach or bronzed brown shades of Fall. Check out Harper 's Bazaar's top picks!

PS- Since we're loving on lipstick, I couldn't resist including Lipstick Dots, one of my favorite paintings from Cocoa & Hearts - shown on the right! Isn't it adorable?!

Happy Hour: Strawberry Thyme Lillet

We're in this odd seasonal transitional time of year and the ups and downs of the weather can be quite a roller coaster in New England. Before we completely embrace the approach of fall, there are just a couple more warm- weather cocktail recipes that we've been dying to try. This Strawberry Thyme Lillet we spotted over on What's Gabby Cookingsounds refreshing on a warm, sunny Friday like today! What kind of fun things do you have planned this weekend?!

via

Pinteresting

If you don't follow us on Pinterest just yet, you might want to log on ASAP to change that! ;) From wedding hair ideas to typography love- table settings to dessert recipes, our boards are constantly turning over fresh inspiration!! Check out one of our new boards filled with the bright & punchy watercolor paintings & patterns that we're absolutely adoring!!!

What has been catching your eye on Pinterest lately?

Tea time!

While perusing Style Me Pretty awhile back, we stumbled across this gorgeous Seattle wedding that featured a loose leaf tea bar for guest favors. Don't get me wrong, I would choose coffee over tea most days, but there is something so peaceful & comforting about sipping a cup of tea. Isn't this such a sweet idea?

via

If you're a tea lover, here are some other fun ways to blend into your wedding day. Aren't these corked test tubes full of leaves just adorable?! And it may come as no surprise, but we're in love with incorporating vintage style tea boxes or china!

  via | via | via | via

Font love Friday!

Sometimes short weeks feel like the longest ones, don't you think? I'm particularly happy that Friday is here MAINLY because I'm getting the nasty cold that's going around. You better believe that this weekend will be filled with sleep, tea and Emergen-C. What do you have up your sleeves for these days off? Hopefully your plans are more exciting than mine!! To kick off the weekend, here's a round up of pretty fonts to wish you a happy Friday!

Pretty Paper: Allison & Don

Hi friends! We hope you had a fabulous holiday weekend. Are you back at work ready to carpe diem?! Today we wanted to share some super rustic custom stationery to spark some inspiration. Not only are we obsessed with this color palette of smoky blue and natural, but the detailed sketches of the venue & elements within it add so much character! If you haven't heard of Riverside Farm, you must check out this picturesque venue in Vermont. We think this 1-color letterpress suite set the tone just perfectly for Allison & Don's big day... but if you'd like to see for yourself, check out their feature on Style Me Pretty!

*photos are courtesy of Ruth Eileen Photography

Weekend reflections

Another weekend is upon us and this one, being Labor Day weekend, calls for some extra celebrating. Don't you agree?? Whatever you have planned these next few days, take some time to relax & rejuvenate from all the work that is so easy to get swept up in day-to-day. I personally find it easy to be distracted by the excitement of a 3-day weekend, but do you realize that the purpose of this weekend is to celebrate the contributions that working Americans have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country? Maybe you love your job... or maybe you've been searching high and low for the next step in your career. Regardless of where you're at, remember that it's important to LOVE & believe in what you do. NO job is perfect but there is nothing more satisfying than working hard & knowing that even if you have a hard week, the way you spend your days is more than a "job" but rather a vocation.

via

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND! We'll be back on Wednesday with more pretty inspiration!

Geometric + floral letterpress

Monday's textile inspiration post is a perfect segue into sharing one of our latest letterpress invitation suites. We may sound like a broken record, but we just LOVE mixing patterns (throw pillows, clothing and stationery alike) and these preppy designs are a prime example...

Dana Jo Photographyhad a hay day styling and photographing the stationery before the wedding! We're giddy over how these photos turned out!!

*all photos are courtesy of Dana Jo Photography

Home decor & stationery inspiration

Hey friend! How was your weekend? We sure hope you had a good one, soaking up the dwindling days of summer in some fashion. :) Between cleaning the entire house, date night, 2 barbecues and catching up with a couple of my dearest lady friends, I spent some quality time nesting {& shopping for home goods} over the weekend. For some reason this has been an overwhelming task for me so it feels great to have made progress!! In the midst of hunting for the perfect piece of art for the living room, trying to figure out how to incorporate the antlers that my hubby acquired and considering freshening up my throw pillow collection, I stumbled across Caitlin Wilson Textiles. Putting it lightly, I am OBSESSED. Yes, I studied textiles in undergrad so that only adds to the intrigue, but these beautifully woven prints are tapping into our love for all things design. Aren't these swatches just gorgeous? Check out the rest of her current fabric options here.

 You may know that we're fans of mixing patterns (especially when it comes to stationery), so naturally we're a fan of how versatile this collection is!!

Are you swooning as much as we are?!

*all photos are courtesy of Caitlin Wilson Textiles

Happy Hour: white peach + rose lemonade

Oh hey friends! It's friday and you better believe that after a long and fun work week, we're ready to kick back and relax. What do you have planned? This week's happy hour pick is actually an "all ages" bev that we've been dying to try- White Peach & Rose Lemonade. We ran across the recipe on Heart of Gold and are certain it would be the perfect drink so serve at a shower- baby or bridal for that matter. Who are we kidding though, there is absolutely NO need to wait for a celebration to mix one of these up... kicking off the weekend is a perfect excuse!

via

Happy Friday!

Audubon style at its finest

Today, we're over the moon to share with you one of our all time favorite inspiration shoots, which was just featured on Style Me Pretty! We had the pleasure of collaborating with Greenlion Weddings, Glass Event Planning, Russell Morin Fine Cateringand the lovely Erin McGinn Photography to name a few of the talents behind this Vintage Audubon wedding styled shoot.
 

With a charge to design an invitation suite and accompanying paper goods that exude Vintage Audubon style, we got to work and had a blast doing so!! We think that Kristen Henderson's hand calligraphy was the perfect touch on that chocolate brown envelope! :)

If you're pumped about how the invitation suite turned out, you'll definitely want to check out the rest of the feature & gallery here! But here's a little peek at the beauty to further entice you...

*all photos are courtesy of Erin McGinn Photography

Nautical Baby Shower Invites

It's hard to believe that over 10 months have passed since Emily welcomed her little guy into the world! That sweet little guy is definitely a charmer!! Today we're FINALLY sharing photos of the nautical baby shower invitation that we designed to celebrate his arrival!

Of course we couldn't deny this opportunity to share a photo of this little heartbreaker... isn't he the cutest?!

*stationery photos are courtesy of Ruth Eileen Photography

Once a year

This friends, is great advice. If you haven't planned an excursion lately, you probably should start dreaming one up now. :) It doesn't have to be some grand adventure far away, or even one that costs a lot of money. Just the act of getting away from the norm and into a new surrounding is renewing, refreshing & inspiring.

I'm taking these words to heart this weekend, as we head out to Sonoma for a wedding! Here's to a weekend of exploring and celebrating! Hoping you have a beautiful weekend too!!

Hints for a happy marriage

It's easy to revel in the emotions of being in love and planning a beautiful wedding, but we think one of the most important parts of wedding planning, is MARRIAGE planning! Marriage is hard work and it's not about always "feeling in love", it's about choosing to love your spouse for better or worse. Those of you who are engaged, we want to challenge you to spend some intentional time building a foundation for a lifetime together, even when you're busy picking out linens, centerpieces and going to dress fittings. ;) Plan date nights, ask each other tough questions, talk about if and when you'd want to start a family, be transparent about finances {gasp! I know, it sounds scary but it's worth it}, share your expectations of what married life will look like... etc. We absolutely adore these helpful hints for a happy marriage that Southern Weddings put together. Such a great reminder for marrieds and almost-marrieds, alike.

 via

Because Every Kid Needs to Celebrate

Last week I had the chance to catch up with Stephanie Frazier Grimm, a wedding planner friend based in Newport, RI. My time with her was every bit inspiring… as an understatement!! Not only is Stephanie running a very successful event planning company, Couture Parties {specializes in all types of celebrations, in addition to weddings} but she recently launched a non-profit that we instantly fell in love with. Friends, meet the Confetti Foundation...

The goal of the Confetti Foundation is to give every hospitalized child the opportunity to celebrate their birthday by delivering a "Party Starter kit"... AKA a party in a box. While so much of these kiddo's lives is defined by the illness they're being treated for, taking a moment to celebrate their special day and feel like a "normal" kid again is a huge gift to them and to their family. At absolutely no cost to the family or to the hospital, every themed Party Starter kit includes the following items to help get the party started:

2 tissue pom decorations

4 wooden spoons & forks

4 Napkins

4 Plates

4 Cups

4 straws

Themed Coloring Pages

Crayons

Stickers

Happy Birthday Banner

Birthday Card

And it's all beautifully wrapped together in a white gift box!

If you're moved by this awesome cause like we are, we can help them reach their goal of making 500 party boxes by December 31st... or help spread the good news so they can have a presence in all 50 states! Check out their website for opportunities to support it & get involved!!

*all photos are courtesy of Meghan Sepe Photography

Rose Gold Wedding Inspiration

With blush pink being such a prevalent color in the wedding industry these last couple of years, we should have suspected that it would soon pop up in it's metallic form- rose gold! We have had the joy of designing quite a few save the dates & invitation suites this year that feature this classy color in a letterpress method called foil printing. Regardless of what colors you pair it with {for stationery or other design elements} the warm elegance it adds is just gorgeous! We've seen it with grey, navy, black or simply shown below, with white...

via | via | via | via | via | via

Whatever palette you're dreaming up, it's a pretty baller complementary color if you ask us! ;) And for those of you who want to hear more about the foil printing, stop by our office and I'll give you a quick, super nerdy explanation!

Designer Spotlight: Emily Riggs

It's been awhile since we've done a designer spotlight/ designer crush post but this one is well worth the occasion!! Between blog features, magazine appearances and Pinterest, we haven't been able to resist pouring over Emily Riggs Bridal's beautiful designs. Her collection exudes romance & whimsy. See what I mean?!

{via}

That embellished hankie is just gorgeous! With everything being light, airy and sophisticated, we are 100% obsessed with the veils, garters, hair pieces and gowns! Enjoy soaking up these beautiful shots, but be sure to check out the full collection {here}!

*all other photos are courtesy of Emily Riggs

The perfect backdrop

When dreaming of a wedding ceremony, one of our favorite decor elements is a fantastic backdrop. Just think of all of those beautiful wedding photos that will be snapped with the lighting, draping, florals or whatever installment you choose to set the scene. Here are a few breathtaking & fun ideas to get your wheels turning if you're in the planning process right now...

Weekend priorities

Hallelujah, it's FRIDAY!!! It's been one crazy week in our office, with 2 AWESOME photo shoots in the midst of everything else. We're stoked to have had the chance to collaborate with such sweet & talented people. We may be lacking energy but we're definitely full of inspiration! Obviously I can't share any of the delicious details with you yet, so for now let's sail into the weekend with a little inspiration to take a deep breath and relax...

{via}

I'm headed to the lake this weekend and am looking forward to some much needed sunshine & beach time! Have a fabulous weekend friends!

New England meets West Coast

We're ecstatic to share with you the details of a styled shoot that was recently featured on Style Me Pretty! We put our heads together with a dream team of wedding professionals, spearheaded by Alexis from The Little Thingsand we were aiming to capture the whimsical, effortless style of the west coast and pair it with the clean, preppy east coast style. Ruth Eileen Photography was there to capture every second, and MAN that girl is talented!!! :) Here are some of our favorite shots that we wanted to share, starting with the invitation suite which {as you know} sets the tone for every event!

Sweet Annie Florals and Shindig Events (who did the catering!) brought a TON of color into the soft backdrop of Plum Island. Can you believe how beautifully it all came together? We can't stop flipping through the photos...

Check out the full post {here} and get ready to be inspired!