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!