Monstera Monday: Foliage-Filled Wedding Invites

September 19, 2016August 27, 2016 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

Ah, #monsteramonday! I’ve been saving these, just so I could use that hashtag on my Instagram post! It’s been quite the task, as this design is one of my favorites!

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When I saw these giant monstera leaves in a pack of watercolor illustrations I recently purchased, I knew they would make an awesome statement on an invitation! Equally perfect for a South Beach wedding (can you imagine these with a pink envelope?!) or a foliage-filled urban loft, these invites are sure to get your guests excited for the big day.

Destination Wedding: Tropical Invitations

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September 9, 2016August 27, 2016 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

Bermuda must be getting to me: I’ve been designing lots of invitations inspired by the tropics lately. And since it’s Friday, I thought you guys deserved a double feature!

Perfect for a destination wedding, or if you want your big day to feel like a getaway! And since most destination weddings happen in the winter, now is the time to get going on them!

When you’re planning destination nuptials, you might as well go all out, right? So whether you’re thinking palms or pineapples, both of these invitations feature hand-lettered brush scripts, colorful watercolor and playful illustrations, perfect for a big day at the beach!

My favorite thing about these invitations is that they don’t necessarily scream WEDDING, but they will definitely let your guests know they’re in for a fun filled day—which means they’re also perfect for any other kind of bash! They can be easily modified for a piña colada themed birthday party, a backyard luau or foliage-filled dinner party.

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Art Directors Anonymous

November 28, 2015November 27, 2015 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 3 Comments

Hello, my name is Kristin and I’m an art director. It’s been 14 months since my last photo shoot…

When I was working at the magazine, I coordinated/styled/directed a dozen or so shoots every month. At least one was a complex fashion shoot, consisting of days of scouting, planning and styling, a full day of shooting, several more days of choosing and editing photos and then designing a 4-10 page feature. And that was only my part in it: we also had a hair and makeup team, clothing stylist, photographer, interns and editorial team on hand to pull it all together. Sometimes these days were downright incredible—everyone involved was in a flow state where creativity abounds and beautiful results were almost effortless. Other times, not so much.

So, as rewarding as seeing your work in publication month after month can be, after sixty of them, I was ready for a little break. Until now.

Last weekend, I gathered a few friends—a dental assistant who moonlights as a model and an IT professional/talented self-taught photographer—for a shoot featuring my paper flowers. We headed to Horseshoe Beach for some boho bridal images, then down the road to The Reefs for an incredible sunset view.

I thought the shoot would be successful—Allison is gorgeous and moves effortlessly, Adi is more talented than he’ll ever admit and Bermuda scenery can’t be beat—but honestly, even I am blown away with the results. So without further adieu, here are just a few of my favorite shots. I’ll be unveiling the rest over the next few months, so check back!

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Bridal bouquets are available to order in the shop, or get in touch for a quote!

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Swimming in Stars

November 10, 2015 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

Last weekend I had what will perhaps turn out to be the most incredible experience of my time in Bermuda. We had spent the day out on a friend’s boat, and since there’s a good chance it would be the last boat day this year, we wanted to make the most of it.

After a day of calm water and clear skies, the sun set early—it is November after all. We were nestled between some of the smaller islands so trees blocked the lights from town and millions of stars were visible in the sky. At one point, silence fell as we marveled at the site over our heads.

Eventually the idea of a night swim came up, and when we jumped in, we discovered bioluminescent plankton in the water that lit up as they were disturbed. As we kicked our legs and moved our arms through the black water, it sparkled. Trails of tiny lights following our fingers and toes. Stars above us, stars around us, swimming in stars, reminding me how magical this world is.

New Digital Prints and the Cure for Wanderlust

September 30, 2015September 20, 2015 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

Well, I’ve been back from the big trip home for just over a month and I’ve already gotten a case of island fever. It’s amazing how quickly it sets in, isn’t it? Luckily, I was able to get away last weekend to visit a longtime friend out west. Breaking out of our routine for a few days is all I really needed to hit the refresh button, and once again I find myself glad to be home.

Inspired by my recent travels, or perhaps more accurately, by my return to this little island paradise, I added some new digital prints to my etsy shop! The “ocean” print above is completely hand-lettered and then vectored and placed over an image of Bahamian turquoise water. I actually couldn’t decide which I liked best though—so I’m also offering it in a watercolor version (in the small frame below).

The “Beach” print below is actually one of the first digital prints I ever made—it just took me six months to get in it up in the shop! It’s something a little different for me, as it has no illustrations and offers a much cleaner look (and a fabulous shot of a Bermuda beach, if I do say so myself!).

As you know, I’ve been painting a lot lately, and in addition to the finished paintings I recently listed, I usually work on a few little nature-inspired bits and bobs each time I sit down to paint. Since I often have to wait for paint to dry between colors, it’s nice to have several in the works at once. I combined a bunch of those flowers and leaves into what might be my new favorite print—with a hand-painted quote that will motivate you to get shit done to boot! You can find all of these and a few more here!