an arts & crafts wedding invitation {sneak peek}

A bit late in the day, but I was so excited that I just sent these invitations to print I had to share a sneak peek.

I shared the color inspiration in this visual + sparkle = weddings here last Tuesday. This project was on fast-forward from the get-go so I’m glad things went so smoothly with the soon-to-be’s and that they were more than happy with the outcome; the digital outcome, that is. I’ll share the final pictures in a few weeks when we get the invitations back from the printer, and I’ll tell you more about the concept and design…for now, just remember the Gamble House.

{ Image Via :: LizzyB Loves }

inspired mexican {tile} patterns

I’ve been busy, busy like a bee this week with a couple Wedding Invitations (both with a Frank Lloyd Wright/Arts & Crafts twist) and a 50th Anniversary Invitation.

Well, the 50th Anniversary Invitation just so happens to be for my in-laws, who will celebrate the grand event in an elegant, circular ballroom dating back to the 1930′s in Ensenada, Mexico. Of course, I was inspired by the traditional tile work and mosaics which surround the venue, which used to be a Casino & Hotel in its prime and later a military fort during WWII, so I took to sketching, and later digitizing, these gorgeous patterns which I will use throughout the Invitation Suite.

I’ll keep you posted on the final invitation soon, but for now enjoy these Mexican-inspired tiles and patterns.

{ Images Via :: LizzyB Loves }

an arts & crafts {wedding} visual + sparkle

Bare with me for a moment if you please while I go on a little about weddings and the fabulous couples I come into contact with via LizzyB Loves.

As you may know, I haven’t had the pleasure of planning my own wedding yet, but I’ve been in love with paper ephemera all the years of my short (30 years) life, always creating my own stationery and gift-wrapping for holidays and birthdays, as well as Wedding Invitations for most everyone in my family and friends…so the love for Wedding Invitation paper goodies is all natural.

Sure, I like creating beautiful layouts and dreaming up interesting and unique concepts for social stationery, but to get the pleasure of working with soon-to-be’s with such vision for their Wedding Suite and passion for their roots (no pun intended, as you’ll soon read) is just out of this world.

A few days ago, Dallas, the groom, sent me an email praising my work and mentioning that he and his fiance would love to work together with me on creating their Wedding Invitations. But of course, I said, I just needed to ask a few questions regarding their vision and inspiration for the big day. Well, Dallas and Tracy were such sweethearts, they emailed me a complete rundown, sure, of what I had asked for in regards to color and venue choices, but they didn’t stop there. They let me in on the history of their families, how they were born, and how their parent’s love of nature and architectural elements which honor it, plays a role in their lives; this, in turn, gives way to the appreciation they have for the Arts & Crafts movement.

Dallas and Tracy’s only request was that through their Wedding Invitations we “…pay a bit of tribute to where [they] came from and what [their] parents have given [them] in terms of an aesthetic grounding while using [my] talents to craft a unique and dynamic look that would be distinctly [theirs].” Beautiful! And so it will be, Dallas.

This short email conversation with the soon-to-be newlyweds filled me with such inspiration that I’m more than excited to get started on the concept design for the Wedding Invitations. As I was gathering visual imagery to put together this Wedding color palette inspiration, I could imagine the final outcome of their vision combining their heritage and values all on a 5″ x 7″ piece of paper.

You’ll have to wait and see what I create, but for now enjoy this visual + sparkle = inspiration with the gorgeous architecture of the Gamble House in Pasadena, California. As you view it, imagine the couple’s love of nature and Arts & Crafts architecture, as well as the beautiful outdoor venue which I envisioned would look something like this.

Now, on to designing since I only have 10 days before going to print. Yikes!!

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visual + sparkle = color

Good morning and happy Monday. To start the week off right, I’m sharing this very colorful visual + sparkle = color with a burst of brightness and the cutest little love birds ever.

This is the perfect color palette for Fall, with just enough punch of color for you modern Brides.

{ Image Via :: Pinterest }

sending good cheer {minted} holiday challenge

I’ve been busy, busy, busy this past Holiday weekend finalizing designs for this year’s Minted Sending Good Cheer Holiday Challenge. I’m happy to say that after all that hard work, long nights, and 24 hours without sleep for the final run, two of the nine designs I submitted were accepted for the voting round!! Yey!!

I spent many hours sketching, tracing, and tweaking some very elaborate Papel Picado designs (which you can see below) for this Holiday Challenge, and its funny to see that the designs I created towards the end of the process, the most simple and minimal, are the ones that made it to the voting round. I do think this is my favorite though!

Here’s the second design that made it into the finals. A simplified Christmas Tree formed into my interpretation of a snowflake. Again, simple and minimal…clean.

These are the other options I submitted to the Holiday Challenge. Ahhhh, my Papel Picado…

This zig-zag design was my second modern take on a Christmas Tree…I thought it would have made it in.

There were many fabulous designs submitted for this Sending Good Cheer Holiday Challenge. I’ll share my favorites with you tomorrow.

{ Images Via :: LizzyB Loves on Minted :: LizzyB Loves on Minted :: LizzyB Loves :: LizzyB Loves :: LizzyB Loves :: LizzyB Loves :: LizzyB Loves :: LizzyB Loves :: LizzyB Loves }

visual + sparkle = color

I’ve abandoned you for a while so I thought I would share some bright and muted visual + sparkle = color inspirations today with these gorgeous images I found via Pinterest. This beautiful flower image is as bright as a Spring day and the palette is perfect for Spring or Summer Wedding or Quinceañera, don’t you think?

I’ve always loved these images of Emma Watson for Teen Vogue. The jewel tones in this shot are the perfect palette for a Fall Wedding.

{ Images Via :: plays with scissors :: Joe Anth. Tan }

an art deco {wedding} visual + sparkle

I’ve just begun the process of designing an Art Deco-inspired Wedding Invitation with this regal visual + sparkle = inspiration. Eliza, the bride-to-be, contacted me when she fell in love with the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Wedding Invitation I shared with you here, and as we talked more about her likes and wants and the venue (Oh the VENUE!!!!) I thought “wait, that’s exactly the venue, colors, and decor I would choose for my Wedding!”. You can imagine the fun I’m having with this inspiration.

Enjoy the warm golden and purple hues of this visual board along with those geometric shapes of the Art Deco-inspired Arizona Biltmore…what could be more opulent and deco than that?!

{ Images Via :: Arizona Biltmore :: Lynn Lugo :: the Knott via Pinterest :: The Bride’s Cafe via Pinterest :: Ruffled via Pinterest :: BHLDN }

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visual + sparkle = color

Hope you’re having a splendid start to your week. To help in accomplishing that, here’s yet another addition to LizzyB Loves visual + sparkle = color collection.

This time around with another fabulous photo from Paulina Merekiova…a great eye for capturing visual poetry.

I was instantly attracted to the light blue area of the image and visualized the high contrast palette working perfectly for a Summer or Fall Wedding. What do you think?

{ Image Via :: Paulina Merekiova Photography }

a frank lloyd wright {wedding} invitation

As promised, I have for you the final images of the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Wedding Invitation. I shared the original and then updated visual + sparkle = inspiration here and here respectively…you tell me if these aren’t right on with the client’s inspiration!

This Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Wedding Invitation Suite consisted of a double-sided invitation and a double-sided RSVP card, both accompanied by a charcoal-colored, metallic envelope giving a touch of elegance to the modern and casual feel of the design.

The envelopes dawned a wrap-around address label decorated with some of the design motifs carried across the entire wedding invitation suite.

The Arts & Crafts-inspired motifs and patterns were custom designed for the couple taking inspiration from the architectural design elements of some of Frank Lloyd Wrights’ most well-known projects.

The text layout and that of the design motifs also follow design principles of the Arts & Crafts movement in that the placement is very angular mirroring the lines of the pattern itself. This gives the format a modern feel which the couple wanted to portray.

The quality of the paper stock in any Invitation Suite is highly important. Although these invitations were digitally printed, the feel of the paper is still smooth to the touch adding to the casual elegance.

It was great working with you both Meg & Jeritt. I wish you much more happiness in this new stage of your life together with your newly expanded family!! (By the way, Meg is a fabulous Mosaic Artist…check out her lovely website!)

{ Images Via :: LizzyB Loves }

visual + sparkle = color

To keep adding to the visual + sparkle = color archive, here is yet another color inspiration. This isn’t technically a photograph, but I was immediately captivated by these vibrant colors from Crystal Jackson’s Precipice series and had to dream up the perfect Summer Wedding color palette. There are soooo many color possibilities I had to add just an extra accent color to the rundown. Can you dream up another palette from this interesting composition?


{ Image Via :: MocoLoco }