it’s been three years

Yep, it absolutely has flown by SOOO fast!! I had actually forgotten what date exactly, but I knew it was around my birthday (on the 17th)… my blog is now 3 years old!

On January 12th of 2010, the year I would turn 30, I started my personal/design blog. It’s taken a few iterations in these past three years, I’ve shared many things from the beginning, I stopped sharing somewhere in the middle, and towards the end of last year I think I almost stopped posting. But this year I am back, albeit it’s been somewhat scarce these first couple of weeks of the new year, but I promise I will appear here more frequently, with more content from the inner goings-on of Lizzy B Loves, and the inspiration that goes into each design and what I like to create.

I’ve been pretty social via the usual social media outlets, so I hope you follow along: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. I’ve even been filling my Pinterest boards over the last couple of years, but I think I’m finally ready to share them with you. Also, for all you lovely brides-to-be, if you’re on the look-out for some fabulous Wedding Inspiration make sure to check out Lover.ly, the absolutely most loveliest images and resources around. And make sure to check out my portfolio and share it while you’re at it!!

I’ve had the privilage of being featured on/and given the opportunity to become a member of some pretty awesome blogs and websites, take a look: 100 Layer Cake, The Grey Collective, Engaged & Inspired, Oh So Beatiful paper, PaperSpecs

These past three years I’ve built Lizzy B Loves from the ground up, with help from family and friends, but most importantly, with the help of all you lovely brides and grooms who have trusted in me to create your Unique Wedding Paper Ephemera!! For that, I thank you very much.

I’ll chat with you soon!

{ Image Via :: Sweetapolita }

visual + sparkle = color

Starting off this gloomy San Diego day with a spark of color. Still maintaining a hint of winter shades, this visual + sparkle = color combines bright canary yellow and soft peach with touches of blue and emerald green. Perfect for a Spring celebration (I’m so yearning for Spring weather right about now!!).

{ Image Via :: Jane Heller Photography on Etsy }

so long 2012

A sampling of my Christmas tree this year…

Although I’m a bit late in bidding you a lovely Christmas, I’m just in time to wish you an extraordinary New Year. In retrospect, this year has been one of new endeavors, growing triumphs, and settling into comfort to be able to open doors to new adventures. I had the opportunity of working with many lovely couples who gave me the joy of being but a tiny little part of their special days. Thank you to every single one of you. May your new lives together be filled with an abundance of joy and growth in life.

…with (unexpected) matching gift-wrapped presents

2012 has come to an end, and we’ve all, THANKFULLY, survived the ‘dreaded’ 12/21 =), so lets celebrate with good cheer and well wishes that this coming 2013 is filled with many riches and fantastic adventures.

Happy New Year to you all!

{ Images Via :: Lizzy B Loves }

a holiday gift for you :: art deco gift wrap

Finalizing the week of free digital downloads to help make your Holiday Celebrations a little more festive, here are a couple goodies which will help you on a last-minute gift-wrapping pinch.

For you last minute gift-wrapping chores, take adavantage of these Art Deco-inspired gift tag and gift wrap.

For the emerald, plum, or copper gift tag (set eight-up) click on each of the previous corresponding links. For the gift wrap options, click for the emerald, plum, or copper. The gift wrap sample is set on a letter-sized sheet, so you can use it for a small gift, or use your creativity to add an Art Deco element to a solid-wrapped gift!

Have a great weekend of last minute shopping and preparation.

{ Images Via :: Lizzy B Loves }

a holiday gift for you :: art deco thank you card

Continuing with the free Holiday digital gift downloads with an Art Deco theme, today we bring you an essential Thank You card for this festive season. We know you’ll be invited to many a Holiday bash, and you musn’t forget to give a special thank you to the gracious host. What better way than with an old-fashioned, hand-written notecard, made especially lovely with these Art Deco motifs.

Enjoy the regal emerald, royal plum, and luxurious copper by clicking the corresponding links. These are set two-up on a letter-sized sheet, so print on your favorite card stock and cut along the dotted line.

Come back tomorrow for even more surprises, something I’m sure will help you in a ‘gift-wrapping’ pinch!

{ Image Via :: Lizzy B Loves }

a holiday gift for you :: art deco place cards

As a taste of what’s to come for the New Year, I will be counting down the days until Christmas with a free downloadable gift just for you. Inspired by the recent addition of the Art Deco Wedding Invitation to our catalog, I’ve created a set of Art Deco-inspired place cards and menu cards perfectly suitable for your Holiday Table.

Today you get two-for-one since I missed yesterday, so make sure you click the following links for the elegantly-colored emerald, plum, or copper menu card and the emerald, plum, or copper place card. The menu cards are set two-up on a letter-sized sheet, so just insert into a Word processing software and type in your menu, or print them out as is, cut along the dotten line, and, in your prettiest handwriting, write your menu out.

The tented place cards are set six-up on a letter-sized sheet, so print out on a thick cardstock (slightly textured for a more elegant feel), cut along the dotted lines, hand-write the names of your guests, and fold in half along the marked diamond shapes in the center.

I hope you LOVE these free downloadable place cards and menu cards. Make sure to come back tomorrow for the next free Holiday giveaway!!

{ Images Via :: Lizzy B Loves }

art deco wedding invitation

It’s been some time in the making, but the Art Deco-inspired Wedding Invitation (well, actually a 40th anniversary invitation) is finally here!!

I shared the visual + sparkle = inspiration with you here, where I finalized the colors and feel for the overall design of the Invitation Suite. Of course, after comencing the process of design certain things changed, such as removing the gold color and making the bronze a darker shade. Over all, I think the final outcome is just gorgeous and I can’t wait to show you a second version which was created as a keepsake.

The Art Deco theme was inspired by the husband’s love of Art Deco architecture taking inspiration from architectural elements of various Los Angeles buildings and structures.

The elongated format of the invitation itself, fitting perfectly into a black, linen, #10 policy envelope, also reflects the long structures and slender motifs of the era.

The patterns were custom designed for the invitation suite, including the Save the Date which you can see below in this same post.

Each of the cards had a distinct pattern design, w/ one color combination on the front and an alternating color on the back, but always keeping to the carefully-chosen palette.

In order to keep costs down, the suite was printed digitally, but to add a sense of elegance we incorporated a pebble-textured belly band in a copper tone, which adds a touch of shimmer to the overall design.

A custom diamond-shaped logo w/ deco motifs was created to use as a decorative element on the belly band, on back of the rsvp, and on certain day-of elements.

The rsvp and save the date were paired w/ a metallic copper envelope to tie the whole suite together.

I’m in the midst of completing a second keepsake version of this invitation which includes textured stock, multiple folds, and photo corners!! Stay tuned for that. =)

{ Images Via :: Lizzy B Loves }

lovebirds in the mail ~ a letterpressed invitation

During the summer I was very fortunate to have the opportunity of working on many versions of my Mexican tile-inspired Wedding Invitation, which I’ll share with you in an invite retrospective before the year ends. But one very special invitation I was asked to collaborate on was this one for Ashley and Julian who married this past September, and whose invitation took elements from the Mexican tile-inspired Invitation in addition to original motifs.

Ashley, the newly Mrs. Garcia, asked me to just design the main elements of the invitation suite such as the invitation itself, an accompanying map, accommodations card, and rsvp card, she would take care of the printing on her end. When I found out the invitation suite would be letterpress printed I was filled with excitement because I had never had the opportunity of having one of my designs letterpressed. Just wait til you see!!

Before we jump ahead, isn’t this little detail of the wax seal with the lovebirds just adorable?!! Just one of the many special details Ashley incorporated into the invitation suite design.

And get a hold of this: LEATHER envelopes which were used as the main/outer envelope!!! WOW, loved it!!! When I opened my mailbox and this chocolatey lovely slipped out and into my hands I was instantly in love with the invitation suite!! Truly an excellent detail adding to the Mexican rustic feel.

The invitation suite was bundled into a tight package with onionskin paper and twine. Again, perfect elements adding to the rustic details.

All the pieces were letterpressed in two colors on a thick ecru stock.

A couple of the additional cards designed for the suite were an accommodations and transportation card, as well as a custom map and rsvp card.

Isn’t this Mexican-inspired Wedding Invitation Suite just beautiful?!! These picture really don’t do the details of the leather envelope and letterpress justice. Thank you Ashley for permitting me to collaborate with you on this special project for such a special day in your life, and of course for sending along a final invitation suite my way!! Congratulations!

Credit where credit is due, some fabulous vendors who collaborated on this Wedding Invitation Suite:
Design – Lizzy B Loves
Letterpress Printing – Crane & Co. via Pennysmith’s Paper
Calligraphy – Bill Kemp Calligraphy
Wax Seal – Nostalgic Impressions
Leather Envelope – Custom-designed by the Bride
Stock –  Cranes  extra heavy Lettra card stock in ecru – 100% cotton

{ Images Via :: Lizzy B Loves }

cmyk magazine professional showcase

A great surprise came in the mail this past week!! I had already forgotten about having submitted an entry into CMYKs 3rd Professional Showcase, so when I opened my mailbox last night and this popped out, it surely was the cherry on top of a very eventful weekend.

Pretty cool, right?! Stay tuned in a bit for what I gave you a peek of on Facebook, that fabulous leather envelope I also received yesterday in the mail.

{ Images Via :: CMYK Magazine }

mexican wedding invitation on paperspecs

For those of you not following Lizzy B Loves on Facebook, I wanted to share some great news via PaperSpecs website.

Earlier in the month I was their featured Paper Inspiration with an awesome video describing our Mexican tile-inspired Wedding Invitation!! Isn’t that great?!! Check it out!

Stay tuned for more great news from Lizzy B Loves, including a new inclusion in CMYK magazine, a future working-collaboration with the most awesome-est company (in which I am completely surrounded by beautiful patterns), a look into this fabulous stencil company (and their beautiful designs), and, just in time for the Holidays, some free downloads for your special get-togethers and gift-giving packaging!!

In just three months we’ll be celebrating the New Year, which brings with it the reflection of the past and the vision of the future, and something I have on the look-out for Lizzy B Loves this coming year is…Etsy, and the sale of many downloadable goodies for all you diy-ers!! Yay!!

Stay tuned.