Notes From a Newlywed: The Invitations {Down-to-Earth Paperworks}

When it comes to our next vendor, Down-to-Earth Paperworks, I really can't say anything but good things. If you want to read more of my gushing over working with Menna and a bit of background as to why I decided on this particular style of invites, be sure to check out this post from earlier in the year.

Menna not only designed our invitations, but also whipped up coordinating ceremony programs, too. And these weren't your average programs...they had a front and back cover plus eight interior pages of text. When you have a 90 minute Indian ceremony, you definitely want to make sure that all of your guests can follow along.









Thanks, as always, to Nicole Peterson of Girl Photography for getting some great shots of our paper products.

Two Web Belles: Release the Hounds(tooth)

1. I'm totally keeping this cookie decorating trick in my back pocket. The modern take on the classic houndstooth pattern is from Sweet Sugar Belle.





2. These slender branches dotted with houndstooth fabric leaves from Etsy seller janejoss would bring warmth and just the right dose of color to your holiday table this year.





3. I want this houndstooth garden gate from Etsy seller SunsetMetalworks in my imaginary garden...in my imaginary backyard.





4. This graphic houndstooth envelope liner is sure to put a smile on your face. The liner, along with the entire invitation suite from Erin Jang/The Indigo Bunting, is rich with pattern and color, but still has an eye-appealing clean design.






5. Anyone up for some DIY shoe revamping? I saw the tutorial over on ...love Maegan.com for taking plain ol' pumps and turning them into houndstooth heels and thought it was perfection.

By The Way: Holiday Mail

I was feeling ultra organized and full of holiday cheer so I put together a little card exchange with some of my blogger friends (see that little blue TWIPS badge over on the right?) this year. Yesterday I went to my favorite local spot for picking out cards and paper, Paper on Pine, and am now ready to get cracking on my handmade cards. Don't worry, any friends and family reading this...I went ahead and bought cards to give to you so you won't be subjected to whatever crafty concoction I create.





Thinking about the upcoming holiday mail rush, have you all checked out the holiday stamps at the post office yet? I picked up a book of these ornament lovelies and think they're definitely going to be a fun addition to my mailings this year.





And just in case you missed it, this week on TWB we looked inside superstore MUJI, had a Southern Weddings spotting, and finished things off with some pasta inspiration (al dente) yesterday. Hope everyone has fun weekend plans ahead!

We're Fans: Ormolu

Do any of you ever fall into a blog black hole? Where you find a link on one blog, then it leads you to another blog, where maybe you putz around for a while and then find another link and yet another blog...and then you're so far removed from where you started that you can barely remember what you were originally looking for. Well that's how I found Ormolu one day not too long ago. But once I was browsing around the online shop and saw all the fun paper and fabric items they have for sale, I parked it right there for a bit before moving on.

I've included just a few of my favorite Ormolu offerings right here for your viewing pleasure.

The chevron prints and quick little sayings included in the Line & Letter Mix Tags would be nifty card or gift additions for so many different occasions.

Could you see the 'he,' 'she,' and 'we' Line & Letter Negative Scallop Tags making a great backdrop for wedding bands when it's time for the ring shot?

I can see why these Merrymaker Dots n' Spots are on back-order, especially with the holidays so close. How many craft projects could you add these lovelies to this season?

Wouldn't the GO Fabric Swatches be so easy to incorporate into a travel themed wedding guest book?

This is really just a small sample of all the papery perfection that Ormolu has for sale, so be sure to check out the store to see everything for yourself. The shop is also very eco-conscious, with a focus on recycled paper and soy ink, which is always a nice bonus.

Two Web Belles: Warrior Pose

1. Maybe a pair of sky-high heels isn’t your most sought-after wedding day accessory. You could do your best Gladiator impression with a pair of sandals like these, and still kill it in the style department. These cute flats were captured by Laurel McConnell in Seattle.







2. A photo booth isn’t quite a photo booth without some quality props. If you’re looking for options besides mustaches on sticks, then raid the Halloween aisle and stock up on some funny costume hats. Your guests will look fierce (literally) rocking those Viking horns, as is demonstrated in this Elizabeth Scott Photography booth.







3. A crest or coat of arms isn’t just a symbol from medieval battles. This basic logo can be personalized and used throughout your wedding day stationery, as is seen in these invitations by Nick Brue on Beast Pieces.









4. Draw your swords and get ready for that camera. These whacky images are from Jagger Photography at a wedding in Rhode Island.









5. When looking through the jewelry pieces from IMK by Rebecca Schiffman, we couldn’t help but think of chainmail armor. It’s this mix of masculine materials and feminine details that is a signature look throughout the entire collection.

Giveaway: Paper Creations by Mayla Studios

TWB is so excited to introduce a giveaway here on the blog! Barbara, the creative force behind Mayla Studios, has offered up 25 customized save the dates OR 25 personalized thank you cards to the lucky winner. How amazing is that?








Mayla Studios provides a little bit of everything in terms of pretty paper goods. The shop specializes in entire invitation suites, baby shower invites, wedding and event paper goods including escort cards and seating charts, wine labels, cake and cupcake toppers, high chair banners, door decorations...the list goes on and on. And she's always up for new and challenging ideas! She's been keeping busy with weddings, getting ready for the Fall 2011 season and has tons of save the dates for 2012. In Barbara's own words, she describes how she got started in this business below.

"I went to college for Communications and have been taking graphic design since high school. I've had administrative jobs in Washington, DC that required my design skills but my designing really took off when my best friend joined a shoe club called 'Hello Stiletto' {a nationwide shoe club, but she started the Tampa, Florida sector}. She would hold events and happy hours and asked if I could design banners, invites, and business cards for her. I was happy to because there wasn't much pressure there and it was fun!

But then...she got engaged. She completely blindsided me one day and asked me if I could design her wedding invitations. I said 'no', flat out. I would not, under any circumstance touch something as important and once-in-a-lifetime as wedding invitations! Anyhow, if you know my BFF, then you know she doesn't give up. Ever. So just to shut her up, I finally agreed. She took a trip up to DC to visit me one weekend and we ventured over to a local stationery shop that specializes in wedding & event invitations. After surfing the 100's up 100's of books they had, it dawned on me. This is something I could totally do! This isn't so hard. And with the help of the most supportive and amazing friends and family, here I am! What started as a hobby has turned into a full out business!

I'm still learning the ins and outs of the bridal business, but a general rule I've learned is that motto "A bride {client} is always right". I've also had to learn that people have many different tastes. What I may find beautiful isn't necessarily what another person may find fit for their event. It's a lot of back and forth with design. I don't expect to get a design or idea perfect in the first shot, it's a process. One that I hope to keep doing for a long, long time."








To enter for the chance to win 25 save the dates OR 25 thank you cards, just visit Mayla Studios' Etsy shop and come back here to tell us in the comments how you would use an item designed by Barbara for an upcoming event. Be sure to leave your email address in the comment. Only one entry per person for this one.

The giveaway will end at 5PM Eastern time Friday July 22nd. The winner will be announced on the blog on Monday July 25th. Good luck!

Two Web Belles: A Crowning Achievement

1. This place card is a throwback to a traditional English Christmas “cracker” – a little paper wrapped package that snaps or “cracks” when pulled apart to reveal a small token inside. These guests were cracking to get to colorful paper crowns inside. Are you supposed to wear the crowns? We’re not really sure. But you can fill your crackers will whatever bit of DIY whimsy you decide to whip up.






2. Oh, burlap. Sometimes we like you, sometimes we are overwhelmed by how much of you we see in weddings. But in the case of these bags found on Etsy, we’re on the “like” side of the fence.





3. We’ve spent a while looking at this next photo after seeing it on A Flower Fetish, and we still don’t know exactly what it is. It’s floral. It’s regal. It’s…tall. What do you think? Pretty or too extravagant?





4. This black vase from bargain-hunter paradise Hobby Lobby might seem a little dramatic for some, but that’s exactly why we like it. Think of how striking a visual you can create just by adding monochromatic blooms (deep reds, vibrant purples) to this in the middle of your table.




5. So, invitations can even look good when covered in graffiti. Noted. These invites are a true labor of love as they were handcrafted by the bride and groom themselves. You can’t help but love the KEEP CALM AND MARRY ON phrase on the back. Every bride should keep that in mind during those high stress planning moments!

Two Web Belles: Game Set MATCH

1. Simple fonts. A lineup of jars. Strike anywhere matches as tongue-in-cheek favors. Yup, we like all of the above.





2. This cake banner, which uses matches to anchor into the cake, just further proves that you can turn to household items in a pinch during your next crafting session. And yes, the cake in the photo is made of snow. If you look closely, you can see the packed snowflakes glistening in the light. Trippy, huh?





3. This DIY s'mores kit has everything you need tucked inside - not only the food, but a candle and matches, too. And the kit itself is constructed from a large matchbox, which can be personalized with paper, ribbon, and stamps.





4. This next DIY was originally used as a way to deliver Valentine's Day candies to school. But we think you can use the same idea to make customized favors for your wedding guests. We really love the coordinating colors and patterns used to tie all the tiny matchboxes together, don't you?



5. These bright invitations feature a matchbook insert. The little book pops out and is filled with all of the event's information. And can we just take a moment to talk about those letterpress designs? Insanely intricate.

We're Fans: Down-to-Earth Paperworks

My wedding invitation hunt, which I think took me to the end of the internet and back, eventually led me to an Etsy search for “tri-fold wedding invitations.” Why tri-fold, you might ask? Well that could probably be an entire post in itself, but basically I liked this style because it cut down on the amount of paper being used (you’re welcome, Mother Earth) and it was a fairly casual design, which I thought was a nice fit for us.

There was one shop that I kept coming back to, and that was Down-to-Earth Paperworks out of St. Louis. Once I started scrolling through Down-to-Earth’s designs on Etsy and its own website, I saw that designer Menna Etheridge was a fan of bold colors and clean designs. I didn’t see anything in my desired color scheme, but I saw from her portfolio that custom orders wouldn’t be a problem.

Menna took my initial design ideas and quickly turned around proofs filled with an array of options, including the mixing and matching of several different fonts, paper colors, digital calligraphy, and even custom motifs inspired by photos I had sent her. The entire process, from the first sample order to the full invitation delivery, really could not have gone more smoothly. Menna was even a superstar when I had to email with a major change after our final paperwork and payment had been sent in…and she still beat her delivery deadline! Talk about a professional.

Of course, Down-to-Earth has more paper goods to offer, too. If you’re in the market for table numbers, programs, or anything else wedding or party related, be sure to check out Menna's work.