Baby: From Diapers to Dresses

There are few things more adorable than all the little sweaters, booties, outfits and accessories that come with a newborn baby. Well except maybe the baby itself! And I believe that's why images of children's clothing—from the iconic cloth diaper, to ruffle-rich dresses—are a favorite among stationers and customers, when they create or purchase announcements, greeting cards, or other baby-related special occasion invitations. Here are just a few selections to show the type of stationery available and the variety of designs you can find, along the baby clothing motif.

A new set of twins means a lot more diapers. That's why I love this clever greeting card from marizipan inc..

Diapers were also the inspiration for these custom birth announcements I created at Bride Design. They are a unique way to let loved ones know just how much a family's world has "changed" thanks to their new arrival.

This sweet baby boy pocket greeting card by Specialty Cards 4U has been selected as a finalist for a coveted Louie Award, bestowed by The Greeting Card Association each year in May. Rough and tumble overalls definitely say baby boy to me!

This Rock Scissor Paper exclusive design can be had as a fill-in invitation, or custom printed. One might think the cute little dolly is the star of this invite, but I think her sweet, mod dress steals this show. I can't think of a more stylish way to invite friends and family to a future fashionista's first birthday!

~ Erin, Bride Design and Sweet Talk Boutique

Show Me the PURPLE (wedding invitations, that is)

Purple is a hot color this year for weddings and wedding invitations- here are some beautiful purple invitations from around the stationery-sphere:

From Bride Design- stunning letterpress invitations with a custom geometric border and a coordinating pocketfold

From Brown Sugar Design: The invitation was foil-embossed on metallic purple paper . The additional pieces were offset printed in deep purple ink on thick white cardstock.

From Tulaloo- a deep purple folder with a custom bright lime green swirly design.

From Oslo Press- their beautiful "Garden" design letterpressed in a lavender ink-

From Lasso'd Moon Designs (left) Two coordinating shades of purple topped with a soft white cardstock and font to match the bottom purple. On the right- an eco-friendly gatefold made with lavender plantable paper, with the invitation being layered in deep purple and soft white. Custom drawn maps were printed on coordinating lavender metallic paper.

The beauty of purple, and all of its many shades is that it goes with tons of colors- orange, greens, silver, black... the sky is the limit when designing with this color.

~Carey, Lasso'd Moon Designs
All designs are copyrighted by their creators.

April {Bridal} Showers!

While there are many options for bridal shower motifs, there's still something very sweet about the traditional rain-themed shower (especially in spring). Looking for a fun and interesting twist on this tried and true theme? I love the adorable "bathroom shower" take found on these imprintable cards by marzipan inc.! Available with or without fill-in text and greeting, these invites would certainly make inviting easy on any hostess! Matching envelope and glitter embellishments included. Make no mistake...guests will surely get the message they'll be showering the lucky couple with helpful gifts and lots of love!

~Erin, Bride Design and Sweet Talk Boutique

Falling Leaves: Fresh Wedding Invitations Featuring a Seasonal Favorite

Since I started designing invitations I've watched fall weddings increase in popularity. In fact, when I planned my own November nuptials almost six years ago, I had one wedding vendor tell me "October is the new June!" and I think he was on to something there. While the rest of North America is just starting spring, autumn 2009 brides are already thinking about crisp breezes, warm and rich colors, and of course...falling leaves. Below is a feast for the eyes featuring a variety of interpretations on the seasonal autumn leaf theme beloved by many brides.

A pair of gold skeleton leaves combine with wine-colored hues and a modern horizontal layout in this Wedding Invitation from Bride Design.

This Autumn leaf stationery (at left) from Lasso'd Moon Designs seamlessly coordinates with a gorgeous pocket fold invitation suite (at right) also from Lasso'd Moon. These note cards would make perfect thank you notes for sending after your fall event.

The unexpected pairing of orange and blue adds a punch of color to this invitation suite from Evenstar Paperie, which also features a three-dimensional fall leaf in a subtle bronze.

Often under-used in an autumn wedding color palette, I think green is making a big comeback this year. I love Good Girl Gifts' take on fall leaves which highlights the company's signature stitched look. For me, the graceful stitch pattern evokes a vine at harvest time, or a gust of wind blowing the leaves this way and that.

Speaking of harvest time, I think the inclusion of autumn fruit and the catchy wording on these invitations from Just Another Day, offer another unique twist on the traditional fall leaf theme. They are offered in a variety of colors including this lovely green.

When it comes to themes, I think it's important to carry whatever motif you choose through the entire event. These gorgeous programs from Tulaloo, would perfectly infuse any wedding with a distinct autumn flair.

~Erin, Bride Design and Sweet Talk Boutique

Monograms: Why not brand your personal event?

Everyday corporate branding can be seen everywhere, so it's not a surprise to think about how to brand your own special event? Afterall, it'll tie everything together for a neat, well-thoughtout look and feel.

Wedding monograms have been en vogue for quite some time and it's wonderful to see how much fun can be added to the flavor of the event's stationery. From simple and modern to fun... there's definitely enough style to go around that will fit every nearlywed couple's dream day and it doesn't have to end when the wedding is over. You can even extend it to the morning after brunch as well and use it for the Thank You cards.

{Modern & Simple Monogram from Bride Design}



{Fun and Event-Inspired Monogram from Feterie}



{Ornate and Iconic Monograms from Lucky Designs}

A "Good" way to shop!

With all the lovely stationery choices out there, it's sometimes difficult to make a decision what to purchase for yourself, or for that special little gift. Goods for Goodness' Sake can help you with that, by ensuring that you not only purchase beautiful products, but you also do a little good for someone else along the way. Goods for Goodness' Sake is a new online boutique that donates 100% of its profits to one of several charities that the shopper selects when they make a purchase. Now that's something we can all feel good about.

Owners Cathe of Feterie (and one of the stationery guides) and Lara of Tiny Tales have partnered with several stationery designers that they have come to know over their years running their own businesses to fill this new online boutique with delightful paper goods. The shop includes products from designers Artful Sentiments, Bride Design, Feterie, Hen & Barley Press, Loop, Marzipan, Paper Stories, PaperLuxe Studio, Rock Scissor Paper, Shimmer Studio, Three Wheels Design + Paper, and Tiny Tales, many of whom have created products exclusively for Goods for Goodness Sake.

Stop by the shop, won't you? It's a great place to buy some lovely stationery and do a little good at the same time.

Molly, Artful Sentiments

The First Look, to the Last Bite: Cakes Inspired by Wedding Invitations

Every bride strives to make her wedding her own, and most lovingly infuse their day with graphics, colors, and motifs that speak to their unique style and tastes. When choosing your invitations, consider how certain elements from your wedding stationery may be used throughout the event. You can also ask your stationer to refer other trustworthy vendors who they have experience working with. Experts who will capably capture your vision and enhance the tone you've already set with your save the dates and invitations. One sweet way to keep your guests engaged and entertained throughout the wedding experience is to carry your design style through from the first look to the last bite. Here are some examples of just that: cakes inspired by invites!

This modern, letterpressed, invitation suite by Brown Sugar Design Studio, provided some tasteful inspiration for a five-tiered cake featuring its graphic circle motif.

This She Takes The Cake creation complete with marzipan cherries, is also embellished with hand-painted fruit that mimics the custom illustrations from a pocket fold invite by Bride Design.



~Erin, Bride Design

Just As Proud: Baby Announcements from Siblings and Grandparents

When a baby comes into the world, there's always cause for celebration! While we've seen the traditional baby announcements from parents, how about leaving the honor of announcing the big news to the newly minted "Big Brother" or "Big Sister" and even grandparents as well? They're all just as proud!

{Cathe, Feterie}

Photo credits: (top) Feterie, (middle) Bride Design,
and (bottom) Evy Jacob

Note: Photo in top design is provided courtesy of White Rabbit Studios.

Digital Printing Basics

digitally printed wedding invitation by Bride Design

A few weeks ago I posted about the basics of offset lithography printing, the most commonly used high-volume, commercial printing process employed today. As discussed in the article, offset printing shines when used for large print runs, where precise color matching is required or where specialty paper stocks are being used. But what if you only need 100 invites, with just text and line art, printed crisply on standard 70 lb. text weight paper? Then perhaps digital is the right choice for you.

With offset lithography, the printing press needs to be specially set-up to print your job. As you print more and more offset pieces, those set up costs are absorbed, making it more affordable when working in high-volumes. With digital printing, there are little or no setup costs, making this method an excellent choice for low-volume jobs. Little set-up also means quick turnaround times, so if you need your job in a hurry, digital printing generally offers faster delivery. Digital printing also provides easy and accurate proofing, since your proof will be an actual sample of the final printed piece. What you see is exactly what you should be getting in the end.

If your designer is using spot colors to achieve exact color matching, then digital may not be the best option. Digital printing's four-color process (also known as CMYK), is forced to simulate precise colors like those from the Pantone Matching System, by using cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks. Offset lithography and some other printing methods, allow the use of pre-mixed inks in highly targeted colors in addition to the traditional four-color process. That being said, if you are looking simply for affordable four-color printing, digital has the advantage.

For more on digital printing, continue to check our site for additional posts. If you have questions about this or other printing methods please send us an email at stationeryguides@gmail.com. Our expert stationers will answer reader questions on Fridays, and we're always happy to discuss the methods and techniques used to create the stationery and paper products we know and love.

~Erin, Bride Design

A Bridal Shower Tea

One of my favorite ways to throw a bridal shower is to host a tea in the bride's honor. The varieties of stationery, favors and decor available for this type of event are endless! Whether you approach the theme from a classic and nostalgic point of view, or choose to host a tea that is a more modern affair, any interpretation makes for a fun party that guests and the guest-of-honor will truly enjoy.

Start out by giving guests a taste of what they can expect at the shower with a cookie invite, like the one shown above, from Sweet Talk Boutique! Sweet Talk's signature shortbread/sugar cookie recipe tastes great with a cup of tea. Don't worry, a paper invite is included as well, so your guests can enjoy the cookie and still remember the details of the day. Hosts can further make the tea theme fun for guests by encouraging them to bring a vintage tea cup as part of their gift and contribute to a collection for the bride. Vintage tea cups also serve as a great party favor, as do packets of tea, or bundles of delicious loose tea tied-up and tagged with the bride's monogram or name and the date of the event.

Looking for a shower gift that any tea-sipping bride will love? How about a subscription to Springcart's Tea of the Month Club? I love a gift that keeps giving long after the shower is over. Of course, every bride knows that the most important task after a shower (besides enjoying all those great gifts with your groom-to-be or new husband!), is writing thank you notes. The letterpress thank you notes from Paper Stories Letterpress, shown below, are ideal for just this purpose! Treating yourself to a nice warm cup while you write, will also make that most crucial task a little more enjoyable.

A bridal tea need not be limited to a bridal shower. It's also nice choice for an intimate pre-wedding wedding party with the bride's friends, or an après dress-fitting get together with the bride and her attendants. You and your guests could cozy up for high-tea in a victorian mansion as fall winds blow outside, or perhaps you'll choose to sip some mint tea in your sunny backyard garden. One thing I know for sure, is that a tea-themed shower is guaranteed to be warm and welcoming. Just like that first, delightful, sip from your favorite cup of tea.

Photos courtesy of Sweet Talk Boutique and Paper Stories Letterpress

~ Erin, Bride Design and Sweet Talk Boutique

Offset Printing Basics

Offset printed wedding invitation by Bride Design

Printing techniques and the terminology that goes with them might seem intimidating, but I bet you know more about offset lithography printing than you think. When you flip through a magazine or read a book, chances are it's offset printed. That's because offset printing is the most commonly used high-volume, commercial printing process employed today. As you shop for stationery or invitations you might hear the term "flat-printing" used to describe the offset process. This description distinguishes offset printing from other methods like thermography (raised-printing) and letterpress printing, which bring the additional dimension of texture (and much more) to a printed piece. Flat-printing can also refer to digital printing, a technology that continues to grow but that has it's own unique benefits and limitations that differ from offset's.

Much like oil and water, offset lithography printing is based on the principal that ink and water don't mix. Once a plate has been created containing your design, it's inked and transferred (or offset) to a rubber "blanket" or roller. The image portion of your design gets regularly inked by ink rollers, and the non-image areas of your design are continually covered with a thin film of water. The inked image portion of your design is transferred to paper and voila! Your professionally offset printed piece rolls "hot off the press."

Now that you have a basic idea of how offset lithography works, how can you decide if it's right for your project? I'll save the real pros and cons of offset for another post, but I will let quickly let you in on the process' basic advantages. Offset printing offers high image quality and is an especially good choice when your design includes photography. Offset can be used to print on a very wide range of standard and specialty papers as well other materials like wood, cloth and plastic. Highly compatible with the Pantone® System, offset printing gives excellent color matching results, and since the price per unit goes down the more you print, it's the perfect choice for high-volume jobs.

For more on offset printing, continue to check our site. There will be additional posts on this method to come. If you have questions about offset lithography send us an email at stationeryguides@gmail.com. Our expert stationers will be answering reader questions on Fridays, and we're always happy to discuss printing methods and techniques.

~Erin, Bride Design

Personalized Stationery for Babies and Children

As a stationer I get a fair amount of requests for personalized baby and children's stationery. The average infant or kid might not need letterhead, but as a mother myself, I can attest to the fact that note cards definitely do come in handy. I frequently give correspondence cards, like the ones pictured above, as a gift to new Moms. Complete with the name of their new arrival and an illustration reflecting the baby's budding personality, these cards are perfect for the necessary thank you notes one writes after receiving all those welcome home, baptism or bris gifts. For a special touch you can further personalize the stationery by matching its theme or colors to the baby's nursery. Stationery also makes a great 1st birthday gift, and I always get a chuckle when I receive a thank you note on the very cards that were part of my present to the birthday boy or girl.

Older children who are just starting to write love to choose the color of their note cards, as well as a theme or style that suits them. Animals, princess crowns, fairy wands, trucks, soccer balls, and flowers are some of the most popular choices I see on a regular basis. It's never too early to encourage a love for the art of letter writing, and kids enjoy mailing off their cards to grandparents and far away friends. The style and colors might change, but stationery is still useful for school-aged kids and "tweens" as well. Whether it's a note sent home from sleep-away camp asking Mom and Dad for more treats, or a quick end of the year thank you to their teacher, I think you'll find personalized stationery is something no kid or parent will want to live without.


~Erin, Bride Design

Photos courtesy of Bride Design (top) and Jitterbug Stationery (bottom)

Meet Your Guides: Bride Design

My name is Erin and I'm the designer behind Bride Design. In 2004, after years as a corporate graphic designer, I struck out on my own and started creating couture wedding stationery wardrobes and event invitations. Over time, I've expanded into baby announcements, wedding ceremony and reception accessories, shower invites and more. In 2009, Bride Design is planning to launch a new line that goes beyond weddings, with a focus on social stationery, greeting cards and party invites.

I'm also the pen and paper half of Sweet Talk Boutique, where my invitation and greeting card designs are printed on cookies! Here at the Stationery Guides, I'll be talking about wedding and bridal shower invites, baby stationery, and printing methods (especially those of the non-cookie variety). I look forward to meeting you and hope you'll find this site a valuable resource.