Pretty Pink Baptism Invitation

Here I created a very simple baptism invitation for my newest niece. Using Stardream Rose card stock as the base, I added a text layer in a creamy white that had a bit of texture to it. Since the layout is so simple, the texture helped to add some dimension to the invitation. I used a digital stamp to add a bit of flourish to the corner and rounded the whole thing off with a heavenly quote at the top. She was born almost two months ago, on my birthday! If my baby is a girl, I wish them to be the best of friends! Isnt she sweet?

Monkey See Monkey Do

Monkeys are very popular these days for everything from room decor to party themes. I recently designed this very simple monkey birthday invitation using Stardream cardstock in Fairway Green as the base and layered the text with light blue. A fun monkey embellishment gives the invitation its theme while keeping the look clean and simple. I really love Stardream cardstock, it has a very nice shimmer to it. Thanks for "swingin" by!

Outdoor Shabby Pink Baby Shower

A couple of weeks ago, I aided in hosting a baby shower for a new mommy-to-be. Knowing that the upcoming bundle of joy is to be a girl, we pulled out all the pinks and threw her an outdoor shabby baby shower. I sincerely wish I had more time to devote to this sort of thing because it really was a lot of fun to plan!

We started with a large back yard, added a few white tents, some shabby décor and fresh flowers. What we didn’t count on but received anyway, was lots of rain and really bad hair! We didn’t let the rain spoil the day; we counted it as good luck instead…just like rain on a wedding day. Prior to the shower, I began “researching” ideas, like I do for most all of my projects. Fabric bunting banners are very popular right now and come in a multitude of themes and styles. I thought they would be a nice shabby addition to the shower and they looked simple enough to make. In another post, I’ll show you just how easy they are! Another décor element that punched up the color factor were tissue paper pom-poms. Talk about inexpensive and easy! There are a multitude of resources out on the web on how to make these. I definitely suggest giving them a try for your next party…or even just for the fun of it! We had a simple brunch menu catered by a local friend that consisted of warm chicken salad, broccoli salad, fresh fruit, and muffins. Lovely choices for a warm, rainy, late morning baby shower. An interesting aspect to the menu wasn’t just the food but what the food was served on. An idea I had been dying to use for quite some time and look forward to building upon in the future. Mismatched china in a wonderful array of shabby patterns and colors! The town I live in has three Goodwill stores and I scoured each and every one of them to find enough dishes to use for the shower. I not only came across steals but some very lovely pieces as well. I think I could have gone hog-wild picking out shabby plates, glasses, and other table pieces of the sort. Fortunately for my pocket book, I was seven months pregnant and unable to carry too many fragile, heavy dishes. Vintage cloth napkins in varrying pink patterns were also used to add color to the tables and give a shabby appeal. I had a friend of mine arrange the flowers using white porcelain vases and pitchers which were actually left over from my own wedding reception. I love these vases and any excuse that allows me to use them! I think any flower color looks nice against fresh white porcelain, especially pink shabby ones! We also had light music playing in the background, which you obviously cant "see" in the pictures. I love mood music, it helps to set the tone to whatever type of gathering you're hosting. But all the sights and sounds dont hold a candle to the wonderful feeling of love that surrounds a new mother-to-be. For all those that gather in her honor, are truly a blessing!

Champagne Bridal Shower Invitation

Business has been quite busy here at Twin Sisters! A project I completed recently was an order for bridal shower invitations. The bride-to-be's wedding colors are champagne and white...it is an early winter wedding. There is something about the simplicity of various forms of white that I find breathtaking, especially during the early winter months.

The requirements were fairly simple, champagne and white invites that gave the indication of an upscale, luxe event. Fun! I was simply excited to work on something that wasnt pink, so imagine my giddiness when I was able to incorporate dazzling rhinestone buckles and fluffy white feathers! Unfortunately, the shimmery cardstock and white feathers do not show up well in the photo, but the end result was fantastic. A matching shimmery envelope completed the look.

Baby Shower Pocket Invitation

Busy as a bee, that is me! I was asked to help coordinate a baby shower for a family friend so the first thing on the list is the invitation. I pulled out my simple pocket card recipe for a slightly shabby pink, baby shower invitation. The Baby Love labels were cut from Nestabilities ovals and adorned with a simple pink paper rosette. The band was comprised of two pink shades of satin ribbon. The actual invitation card pulls out of the pocket to read details for the event. A quick and easy invitation!

Simple Pleasures

Summer hasn’t arrived yet but already it’s slipping away. We must enjoy these warm moments before they are gone! With a plethora of “to-dos” around my house, I sometimes have to make a devoted effort to stop and experience this great season.

Spring often awakens my “nesting” mood, my need to try out fresh ideas for my home and garden. I have enjoyed planning and planting new annuals around the house this year, forcing myself to toss out the tried and true pink theme and explore some new possibilities. That’s easier to do with an inexpensive crate of flowers! But some tried and trues are hard to live without, like the beauty that accompanies our thriving peony bush in early spring! So I took some of nature’s blessings and brought them indoors to create small flower vignettes. I nestled the oversized flowers in simple bud vases and placed them around the house. I love the romantic look that can be created with these flowers and the added vintage charm that comes from placing them next to a large apothecary jar, French script scrolls, and an aged doily. Vases with varied heights, colors, and textures create an interesting appeal as well. Be sure to stop and enjoy the simple pleasures of the season!

Baby Themed Pocket Card

I really like this self-made pocket card, it is so versatile. We’ve received a couple of baby gifts recently and I need to send out thank yous so I whipped up a pocket card in a neutral baby theme. Using Papertrey Ink cardstock in Lemon Tart and Kraft I was able to create a gentle baby themed thank you that was not gender specific. I printed the little booties using the Baby of Mine Doodlebat then added Baby Miller and its due date underneath.
The rest of the card was left blank so that I can hand write a personal note of gratitude.

Black & Fuchsia Bridesmaid Cards

Ahhhh, wedding season! I love weddings and all of the details that go into them. So I was super excited when someone came across my blog and asked me to make her some bridesmaid cards…a way for her to ask her friends to be in the wedding.

Establishing a wedding party is one of the first big steps in the planning process so I wanted to give this bride-to-be something that was unique and personal. Her colors were fuchsia and black and she was considering using orchids in her wedding. So I came up with this card: The design is a standard A2 size but it’s a pocket instead of a folded card so I was able to slip in a printed note, personalized for each attendant. The card reads "On my wedding day, I will need you more than ever. Please be my Maid of Honor now.... and my friend forever.

Fuchsia is so striking against jet black but it’s really the silk orchid that gives this bridesmaid card its distinctive style. Such a lovely way to ask someone to be a part of your special day, don’t you think?

We're havin' a baby!

Spring is already speeding by and Id like to grab it by the reins and slow it down a bit. Maybe bottle it up in a jar, poke holes in the lid, and let it slowly leak out. Spring is definitely a time of new beginning and that couldn’t be more true here at Twin Sisters.

Our most exciting news is that my husband and I are expecting our first baby! It isn’t even here yet and it seems to be occupying a lot of my time and brain power! So my craft room sat unoccupied for nearly a month until I was forced to reckon with it recently. And boy did it feel good! Ive been busy with some bridal jobs that I cant wait to share with you but first, I thought I would share a little baby item.

We told our families about the baby well over a month ago. My mom had been showing me some of her recent quilting projects and when she was done, I said that I had a new craft project to show her! So I presented her with this frame, wrapped in tissue paper: So that was exciting! Our little tadpole has certainly changed from that picture but its still remarkable to look back upon. We’re due in October so you can bet that you’ll see plenty of baby projects over the coming months!

Im Back!

My sincerest apologies for being inactive during the entire month of April! Spring is a time of new starts so I intend to be a better blogger during May. Hopefully everyone had a pleasant Easter and is now busy with their gardens or tending to other spring projects. Things certainly have been busy here so I cant wait to share some projects that I’ve been working on or that I have in the hopper. But right now, I have a batch of very ripe bananas that are screaming to be baked. See you soon…promise!

Black and Fuchsia Wedding Invitations

I was excited to be able to offer this particular bride-to-be some very budget friendly invitations. Initially, she had picked out some basic white invitations because they were some of the least expensive ones she could find. I firmly believe that an invitation sets the tone for your event, giving your guests an idea of what to expect. Plain white is not what these guests can expect at this wedding. I set out to not only save her money but get more color for her buck.


I created a simple flat card for the invitation then included a reception and response card that were banded together with coordinating pattern paper. The reception card gave logistic information and details about hotel rooms for the evening. The response cards contain the RSVP information on one side and mailing address on the reverse, allowing them to be stamped (at a lesser postage rate) and dropped in the mail without an envelope. By eliminating the traditional inner envelope and opting to use a postcard for the RSVP, the bride was able to save quite a bit of money on this set. For 200 invitations, they were less than $1 for each set!

Spring has Sprung!

Spring has sprung and isn’t it just wonderful?! I love a sunny spring day after the long, cold, dreary winter. With all that is going on in the world as of late, the promises of spring are so refreshing. Plump robins are everywhere, feeding on a smorgasbord underfoot. Forsythia is beginning to bloom and just today I saw a magnolia tree in full splendor.

Each spring I overwhelm myself with all the possibilities that spring has to offer. Maybe this will be the year I start that garden I’ve been dreaming about, or the year I raise my own herbs. What types of perennials will I add to the face of our landscape, what color scheme shall I choose for the annuals? How will we manage the crabgrass this year or fight those pesky weeds? It never fails, by the end of May I’m burned out and wonder why we can’t hire it all done. But spring has just begun and I plan to hold fast to the notion that THIS will be the year…

So bring on the garden ideas and plans,

dust off the recipes that winter pushed to the back of the cupboard,

unfold the delicate linens for the dining room table,

and spruce up the house with some fresh decor.

Spring has sprung!

Happy Birthday Barbie!

As one of the most influential women in my life *cough*, I feel it appropriate to take note of Barbie on her 50th birthday!

Magic Moves Barbie, I loved your blue fur gown and awesome moves!

(Yes, I had her!)

And Crystal Barbie was oh so flashy in her iridescent dress (and crunchy too!).

(Yes, I had her too!)

And Peaches and Cream Barbie, you were always one of my favorites. So much so, I dreamed of having a peach wedding all through childhood.

(Unfortunately, I did not acquire this doll and I'm still a little bitter.)

Happy birthday Barbie! If it weren't for you, my childhood memories would be cut nearly in half!

Princess Birthday Invitations

I have really enjoyed my little invitation business, especially when I get to see project come full circle. It started with her shabby couture birth announcements in black and pink, then her baptism invitations in pink and cream, and now it's princess birthday invitations.

Isabella's mommy said she needed some first birthday invites in a princess theme...except the princess should not be too princessy or "white trash." Come on, we all know the look we're NOT going for here right?! She sent me this picture of a bedding set that she liked and asked for something similar in an invitation.

I knew exactly the look she was going for, I just wasn't sure that I would be able to find it. I scoured the web for princess themes and imagine my surprise when I found this paper by Imaginsce called Back By Midnight!

I couldn't believe my luck, it's like the two were made for each other! I headed into the big city to pick up my slightly glittered but perfectly princess paper and other supplies. I wanted the paper the be the focal point so I kept it simple by matting it with pear colored card stock and set it atop a shimmery rose scallop flat card. Light brown inking around the edges and some pink rhinestones in each corner completed the look.
The flip side of the invitation contains all the the party details printed on creamy card stock, complimentary to the creamy background on the front. Rhinestones are again used to anchor the wording to the scallop card.

The shimmery rose scallop card was accompanied by a matching envelope. An envelope I just couldn't leave plain! It was mentioned that little frog princes might be used at the party so when I spotted this little stamp, I thought it would be perfectly suited on envelope seals.

Avery makes some full sheet sized labels that were perfect for this project. They come in white so I simply created a green color in Word to match the invites, and printed it out on the sheets. Then, using my Nestibilities dies, I cut out scallop squares, stamped them with my frog prince, then inked the edges with a soft brown. Very simple and convenient!

These invitations fit the theme like a glass slipper!

Fuchisa and Black Bridal Shower Invitations

I've just completed an order of bridal shower invitations. The only requests were to use black and fuchsia, the bride's wedding colors, and this little bride's dress cut-out. So I came up with a simple, double sided, flat front card.

I started by adding some black and white pattern paper to the front of the black card base. Next, was a black matted layer of fuchsia (technically raspberry) that held the dress cut out. I decided to leave the squiggles in tact with the dress, otherwise, it looked like the dress had been chewed by moths! I tied a coordinating ribbon around the waist of the dress and adhered a small pearl in the center. The edges of the dress are also slightly inked with a wheat chalk ink for added dimension but its darn near impossible to see in the photos.Below the dress I added a second matted layer of fuchsia to anchor the words "It started with a kiss and now it's come to this!" The flip side of the card carries all of the details for the shower, matted of course, by a layer of fuchsia.

What I especially like is the addition of the little flourish (DB Dainty Swirls), used here to separate the event's details from the registry information. It coordinated so well with the pattern paper!

With bright fuchsia envelopes, these trendy bridal shower invitations are sure to arrive in style!