Regina & Todd’s Elegant Star-Studded Wedding

Congratulations to Regina and Gavin, who got married today in Nashville! Their wedding invitations are a perfect example of starting with a ready-made design and customizing it to truly make it your own.

In this case, that personalization came in the form of custom illustrations. Though she loved my Abstract Forrest invitation design, Regina wanted to incorporate the paper star lanterns that will grace her reception, so I gladly sketched them up and used them on some of the enclosures. I loved how they turned out so much I’m thinking about making a new ready-made design solely focused on them!

Another fun touch Regina wanted to add to this suite is the idea of having guests include song requests on their RSVP, which she fell in love with when looking at my Boho Floral wedding suite. It’s a great way to engage guests even before the party, and help your DJ be prepared!

Brittani & Peter’s Rustic Montana Wedding

Brittani and Peter got married today in rural Montana and I could not be more excited to share their invitations! Inspired by a previous custom project of mine, Brittani and I incorporated details specific to the couple to create a suite that truly represented them and their big day.

My favorite details are the unique watercolor touches, especially on the reverse of the main invitation card (it’s the first thing guests will see when they take them out of the envelope) and the RSVP. How great is that cow?!

Happy 2017!

You guys, I’m such a bad blogger! Between holiday travels and some big exciting projects, I haven’t had much time to write, but this rainy morning seems the perfect opportunity.

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First things first, if you’re here trying to find out more about the Kindness is Everything, I’ve licensed the design to the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health and you can shop for signs, shirts and more here. Follow our Kindness is Everything facebook page for updates and to connect with people across the nation that identified with the movement that began as a simple sign.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about above, check out my original post for the back story. Hundreds of emails and thousands of orders later, we’ve raised more than $7,000 for the ACLU with our Midwest sign distribution, and dozens of other groups across the country have raised even more! There were three of us managing all the requests and etsy page (completely pro bono of course) and it just got to be too much, so we started seeking a nonprofit with the capability to sell branded merchandise. Two of us had worked with WAWH previously, were familiar the good work the organization was doing in Wisconsin and nationally and thought it was the perfect fit (plus we knew the executive director would make the most of the opportunity!). It’s been really exciting to have something I made “go viral” and more importantly, to be able to connect with like-minded people across the world.

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I also took a step toward expanding the flower arm of 622 press in December. I offered my first flower making class in December! We ended up having to cancel it, but now that I’ve got the instruction booklets and material kits made—I even hosted a practice class with friends!—I’ve totally got the bug. I’m talking with a few venues in different cities about 2017 classes, so stay tuned! (And if you’re interested in having me teach a class in your area, get in touch, I’m available to travel!)

Speaking of flowers, I felt like they were starting to take over my Instagram feed, so I started a second account completely devoted to paper flowers. Follow here!

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I also had quite a few engaged couples get in touch before the holidays for save the dates and invitations. I can’t share any of those until after the big day of course, but here’s a lovely piece I received in late fall—nothing better than getting your own work in the mail! I’m so excited to work on more wedding invitations in 2017—get in touch if you’re planning your nuptials!

Kindness is Everything

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Last week an old coworker asked if I would design a more polished version of a handwritten sign she had seen in a neighbor’s yard. I agreed with pleasure, it felt good to counteract the hate swirling around our country in any way, no matter how small.

The last three days, I’ve answered hundreds of emails about the sign, group orders are being placed in communities nationwide, it’s been shared thousands upon thousands of times on social media and an etsy store has been opened to handle all the requests for stickers, magnets prints and more. We’re quickly approaching $2,000 for the ACLU from orders via our original group, and other communities all over the country have used the graphic to raise funds as well.

You guys, this little sign is what did it: restored my faith in my countrymen, lifted me out of my post-election haze. If you’re here because you sought out this message that resonated with you, thank you. Keep spreading the love and let others know that the headlines in America right now do not represent us. Love will always trump hate. Always.

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Boho Bride: Unique Orange, Pink and Purple Floral Wedding Invitations

Well friends, we’re getting close to the end of my month of weddings, so I thought we’d go out with a bang. Originally created for a late-summer boho styled shoot (pics to come this fall!), I painted the watercolor flowers for these myself.

boho_floral_6004I love the energy and colors in this suite, but I think my favorite part is actually the whimsical design of the RSVP! Such a fun way to pack in a lot of information for your guests.

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Too much floral can get repetitive, so for the boho save the date, I let the brush lettering shine on an ombré watercolor background. My new offset printer offers a variety of die-cut shapes, which really makes this piece stand out!boho_savethedate_5990