Girls in Boots

You know you're in Texas when not just a few girls show up to a fancy event in dresses and cowboy boots (& look really hot in the process!)

Gawd, I miss my friends.

(I was out last week for Lacey + Jay's wedding. It was lovely. I ate a LOT of Mexican food.)

top photo by me, all others by J.

Kendra + Stephen: Invites

Not sure how these slipped through the cracks as I posted a sneak peek & the programs for my sister's wedding but managed to forget the invites!


Here they are, better a little late than never! I used a pearlescent paper for these—it was fun to do such a simple set and really let the texture of the paper be the hero.

*Stay tuned, Paper City Design is getting a big makeover and we're getting close to launching a shop!

Amanda & Will's Wedding Invites

Such a beautiful couple, such a beautiful wedding, it was an honor to do their invites!

They got married in July at Treehouse Point and it. was. gorgeous. and a so much fun!


Congrats you two—I hope you're enjoying some post-wedding down time.

Justin & Cara's Wedding Invites

Finally able to post this wedding set that I made for Justin & Cara. They got married this weekend under a tree in Belize—they send me a photograph of the tree so I could make the silohouette on the front of the invites... so perfect, sweet and romantic!
Everything on the inside was hand lettered—just incase you're a type-nerd like me and need to know these things.


If you've been following the news you know that hurricane Alex paid a visit to Justin & Cara's wedding on Saturday (pretty sure he didn't RSVP!) We haven't heard from the newly weds or any of our friends that made it out there yet but if we know them it was an amazing time anyway!

Congrats you two & if anyone reading this has heard from them please let us know that everyone's okay!

*Just heard that all is well, thank goodness!

Rebecca & Aaron's Wedding Invites

I loved creating these romantic wedding invites for my dear friend Rebecca and her husband, Aaron. They were married in St. Paul's chapel in Lubbock, Texas—such a sweet place and one of my personal favorites!

Since the chapel is so small they needed invites to the actual wedding and then a set of invites to the reception only.


Congratulations Rebecca & Aaron, I wish we could have been there!

Kendra + Stephen: Programs

I gave a little peek of Kendra + Stephen's wedding invites awhile back but now that the wedding is over I'm excited to share a few more details! I designed their programs and made some little cards that sat by the guest book and on the buffet table to let the guests know what all the food was.


The wedding and reception were at a beautiful mission-style church in Fort Worth, Texas. Kendra literally looked like she was standing in a beam of light with her blonde hair & white dress in the early Texas sun!

Thanks Kendra + Stephen for letting us be such a big part in your wedding. We love you!

*I will post details of the invites soon.

J+C Invites

Another set of wedding invites went out with today's mail!

*Just a peek! will post details later...

Wedding 1 of 4 (sneak peak)

Working on four weddings this year, here's a peek at the first. For my darling sister. Kendra and Stephen had to beat me down with sticks to do something simple and monogrammed for them (they're a little more classic that I like to be). But in the end we are all happy!

Dear Spring, you are very lovely but please don't play cat and mouse with us this year. We even got some Sunday-afternoon roof time in... but we need more to lift our spirits!

Jessica & Windsor's Wedding Invites & Programs

Earlier this year I designed a wedding set for Jessica & Windsor. Jessica came to me with a pretty clear vision. Both of them are musicians but while she is über feminine, classic, all about flowers, organic lines etc... Windsor is modern, clean lines & all about symmetry.

Jessica presented me with the idea of a "city park" something that has a orderly feel but retains some of that organic whimsy and of course flowers. Jessica & Windsor also share a love for Italy and spent their honeymoon there. I developed the pattern based on cobblestone or brick-layed streets and paths in a city part or in an Italian palazzo. I still wanted to get something handmade in there so we wrapped the cards in hemp and use a wax seal to hold it all in place.

Jessica did a great job of finding the wax seal & embellishing the envelopes herself.

The photos below are of the programs that I designed at their wedding. Below photos by Lauren Walker.

Annie & John's Reception Invites

Two of my dearest friends, Annie & John, got hitched in an intimate ceremony this spring. They're having a laid back reception in September & I got the opportunity to bust out the yudu for their invites. It was a learning process since yudu isn't quite like the screen printing I've done in the past though it's very similar.


John found these lovely envelopes in pine to complete the project.

When I was working on sketches for these I felt like I kept missing the mark. Then Annie sent me some of the wedding photos and her dress was absolutely amazing. When I asked Annie how much she "hearts" the pattern on her dress I believe her exact answer was "one-million hearts!" that's when I knew I finally had something that was going to work great for them. I used the vine-like beading on the dress as my inspiration for the invites. I love finding that perfect marriage (no pun intended) for a design, something that really fits the personality of the project & people that I'm working with.

*One day I'll share my yudu tips and the problems I ran into. I should also mention how glad I am to have the new apartment (nothing spacious but no longer a 450 square foot studio!) for lots of future yudu projects!

getting away

J & I are going "out of town" to a little place on Long Island this weekend to celebrate a little milestone in our lives. Think: hammock, ocean, jacuzzi, grass, beach, books, sand, outdoor shower, lake & wine. ahhh.

July has been something close to madness but it is our life & I love it, have a lovely weekend.

*photos taken last weekend on the Williamsburg Waterfront... I love those crazy boat-planes!

we've been out...

We rushed out of town early last week after getting news that J's wonderful Grandmother passed away suddenly. I'm flying back to NYC now while J spends a few more days in Mississippi with his family. Mrs. Bobbie was a beautiful, exciting woman to be around and she will be missed.

*I wish I had some of the amazing photos from her younger days on my computer but this one taken at our wedding nearly a year ago shows her true colors! (photo by Hillary)

Stationery for the new Mrs. Dutton

Jessica contacted me waaay back in January 2008 to do her wedding invites & programs after she saw what I did for our mutual friend, Lauren's invites back in 2007. (All of us go way back to the O.L. Slaton Junior High band... that's right, I was in band. I played the trumpet and we were awesome!) Jessica & Windsor's wedding was this past weekend & Lauren, the crafty, artist-supporting bridesmaid that she is had me design this stationery set for Jessica's wedding gift with her new name on it.


*Thanks Lauren for the fun opportunity & a thousand congrats to Jessica & Windsor. (I'll be featuring their invites very soon).

sneak-peek!

I've cryptically mentioned "projects in the works" & "new work to come..." in the past. Well, friends... I can't release some of them yet but here's a little teaser of of what's been going on in the studio of Paper City Design.



More photos with details to come (I promise).

rainy friday

I think that calls for a good book and a glass of wine.

(i wish.)

J's old roommate (Kirk) introduced us to Malbec a year and a half ago when he picked up a bottle for us in Oklahoma as an engagement gift. We had it with dinner before J popped the question so I was relaxed and enjoying the mystery wine that just showed up while J was stressing out and couldn't eat! cheers!

*horrible blogger note: I did not take this photo, nor do I know it's source.

it's here!

Guess what was waiting for me when I got home from work on Friday evening?! My yudu came in! (lucky me & lucky-clients-of-mine, I can't wait to use it on Annie & John's reception invites!) Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to use it this weekend. But we did catch the the Domino tag sale. It was quite picked over but we enjoyed the outing anyway.

I hope all of you Mommies out there had a relaxing Mother's Day! Have a beautiful Monday, darlings!

Cheers!

These two darlings got married yesterday. I've been misty-eyed all weekend because I'm sentimental & because I've known Annie since elementary school! Two people could not be more perfect for each other. I can't wait to see what the future holds for you two—J & I wish you all the blessing in the world! xo

*photos of the happy couple taken by me, August 2005 in St. Charles, IL.

LOVE-ly

Too busy to think this morning but my talented friend (& our wedding photographer), Hillary just posted this new photo on her blog. I'm trying to use it to help focus my energy!

*photo by the fabulous, Hillary Anne Photography.

pretties!

I did a little off-beat wedding dress hunting for my sister online this weekend. But what if I want one of these pretties for myself!!!

dresses by Sarah Seven & on etsy & her beautiful blog.

they're engaged!

My little sister got engaged on Valentine's day at the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens!

Her friends through them an impromptu wedding/engagement party! Complete with a veil, a bouquet of calla lilies, 3 tier wedding cake, cake cutting & champagne toast! I say she's as good as married!!!

*Congrats on one week of engagement, Kendra & Stephen! We love you!