Monogram Style: The Details Count

I have been working with Diana and Ian on their wedding stationery since early 2011 (remember their save the dates and website?). I cannot believe that their wedding is now less than a month away!!! We are beginning to wrap up the final details, and once the glamorous affair is over I promise to share all the paper goods we designed.

Above is a tiny sneak peak of what is to come...
Diana and Ian's custom monogram brings the masculine and feminine together in both color and form. It is a melding of two letters and visually represents the union of this perfect couple. I enjoyed every second while drawing their logo, and was quite pleased at the outcome of the two color letterpress.

And then...

Late last night...

I received an email from the couple with the below images from their wedding shower a couple of weekends ago. EEEEKKKK!!! I was giddy beyond belief when I saw their monogram used in playful and fun ways. Can you believe it, one of my custom monograms on cupcakes and m&ms. How cool is that? Looks pretty delicious, huh? I am always so inspired by the creative things my clients (or in this case their families) do with their monograms and logos.

Yummy! Could I get one please?

And personalized m&m's are always a wonderful little treat. Not to mention, I think the monogram looks pretty darn cute at a minuscule size. 

Inspiration Overload: Terrain

Just a few minutes ago, I was checking my email and decided to open my daily email from Terrain. Even though I LOVE that store, I normally delete their emails without ever reading them. I guess the words Design*Sponge and party caught my eye... I mean you mix my first blog love with a party hosted by Terrain and I am INTERSTED!

Sadly, I will not be able to attend the party since it is is Pennsylvania and it is Reid's birthday, but I am very happy I actually opened this email. Look at the BEAUTIFUL typography that welcomed me. I am in inspiration heaven. The simple yet intricate details and the placement over such a luscious image make me swoon.

Of course the designer/advertiser did a great job in getting me to the site. I was so hooked with the type that I crossed my fingers I would find more on Terrain. Alas, there was no more type, but now I am drooling over this lighting fixture. Oh Boy...

Brainstorm Session: Escort Cards

I am always inspired by the engaged couples that I get to work with on a daily basis. They bring so many interesting ideas and visions that I never would have thought of. Today I met with a wonderful bride about the finishing touches on her "day-of" design which includes programs, menus, table numbers and escort cards. We nailed down everything but the escort cards. She wants something unique and beautiful that fits her historically elegant venue and romantic-chic vibe. After our meeting I began researching and brainstorming different ideas. The wheels in my head are churning for the perfect solution.

Below are a few creative examples for these tiny, sophisticated, personal pieces of paper:

I love this example from Martha Stewart! The design is simple but effective, plus the lavender would smell great and be a tiny token to take home after the nuptials. 

The simply stated elegance of this is example is tremendously eye-catching. The use of ribbon helps connect the garden-fresh flowers with the place cards. 

A candlelit escort card. It doesn't get more romantic than that, but it may be dangerous if people are walking to their table with them?

LOVE this idea. The couples favorite candy or chocolate with a simple escort card. So sweet – literally!

The styling, by Lauryl Lane, of this entire wedding is to DIE for, but I especially love the the place cards inside of the moss vase. I wonder, if we could dress this idea up a bit for an indoor affair?

Simple and clean design + fun and playful ribbon = YES please! These are great, enough said. 

Anyone have any other neat and fun escort card ideas? I am still brainstorming and want TONS of options. 

Have a great weekend!

A Beautiful & Quirky Illustration to Brighten the Day!

I just spotted this INCREDIBLE illustration by 29chelizi on pinterest, and I could help but share it with you. It's playful and weird and it made me giggle the second I spotted it! I adore the animal heads and the personalities I instantly give each of them. Look at Mr. Cat – he looks so serious, a little uptight and like an absolute bore (and I am a cat person!). The pumpkin head is the cherry on top. He is so out of place its hilarious. I hope this image makes you smile. It sure was a refreshing chuckle for me after a long and busy day of work.

New Design: Lindsey and Thuan's Invitations

A few months ago, Lindsey approached me about helping her design the invitations for her upcoming outdoor wedding. She was looking for a simple and elegant letterpress invitation that fit her and Thuan's cheery personality, as well as, the natural essence of the venue. We ended up with a classic design that includes a traditional monogram in charcoal gray. The entire suite includes the invitation, reply postcard (which I love), an accommodation business card, and, of course, thank you notecards for all the post wedding correspondence. I love the way this invitation set ended up!

Lindsey and Thuan seem like an amazing couple. I hope this invitation helps set the tone for their wonderful wedding festivities and amazing marriage.

Full suite: all the printing was done by Letterpress Chicago!

 Close-up of the beautiful printing and typography

Tomorrow afternoon...

we will be on a plane to the Pacific Northwest for a dear friend's wedding.

I cannot wait to be under a beautiful sunset like above. It has been a busy week and the ocean is calling my name.

Welcome to the Neighborhood: Public Works

I love exploring my new neighborhood. Wicker Park is an incredibly diverse neighborhood that mixes hipsters, young families and a lot of artists both young and old. The abundance of boutiques and restaurants is a refreshing change from downtown Chicago. For the past two weeks, I have noticed the Public Works 3 poster in almost every window of the places I have stopped. At first, I wasn't sure about the type, but the more I see it the more I have grown to adore it. It's creative, geometric and plays little mind games with you due to the highly saturated cyan and red. What do you think?

I can't wait for the opening of the exhibit which showcases graphic designers who delve into contemporary culture and fine art. And, it is just a short walk from my new home!

Probably the Best Birth Announcement Ever!

I am always completely enthralled by information graphics. I think they are stunningly beautiful and quite difficult to do well. Needless to say, when I found this birth announcement I was instantly hooked. As I began to research the poster, I continued to fall in love. Turns out it was created by a fellow Auburn design graduate, Aaron Gresham. Can I get a War Eagle? 

All of Aaron's work is stunning, but the birth announcement for his son is the cherry on top. He documented his sons schedule over 6 months before creating the information graphic. It is witty, creative and unique. The beautiful color palette, streamlined data, chaotic but organized hierarchy and controlled typography are such an inspiration. I'm kinda drooling over here. I wish all design work was this awesome!

Happy weekend everyone!

New Design: Ten Year Anniversary Monogram

Eric emailed me about a month ago wanting a completely custom monogram for a ten year anniversary gift for his wife. I was so impressed by his obvious love for his wife, his thoughtful and creative gift giving and his planning ahead.

This monogram was a lot of fun to create partially because of it's ornate characteristics and detailing. Eric wanted a monogram that wasn't too feminine (obviously) but that had plenty of natural flourishes, a tiny bird, the year he married is beautiful wife (2001), and could eventually be etched into glass or engraved onto silver (he couldn't decide which one). In order to fit in everything desired, we went through a couple of rounds of pencil sketches before we finished the perfect monogram. I am pleased with the outcome, but more importantly...

I got an email last night from Eric while they are on a romantic anniversary get-a-way. He presented his wife with the monogram at lunch and she LOVED it. Supposedly she wants to put in on a silver platter and a pendant. I cannot wait to see pictures.

Honestly, it made my week to get such a special email from a client especially while he was on vacation. I feel so honored to be a tiny part in making their day a little more special. My clients are fantastic and are truly the reason I love my job!



*All monograms are the property of Lindsay Chenault Bolton and can not be reproduced without proper recognition.

I'm Alive...

via

It has been WAY to long since my last post. But the last five days have been a whirlwind of excitement and exhaustion. We moved into our first house on Friday morning and got our Internet installed today. Thank heavens! The break from technology wasn't that bad except for the fact that I had to run down the street to a local cafe to send emails 2 to 3 times a day. I guess that is what you get when you work from home.

All in all, I love our new, old house. It is over 120 years old and has a ton of character and quirks hidden inside of it. We are in the "getting-to-know-you" phase of our new relationship with our home, and everything appears to be going well so far.

I am also stoked about our new neighborhood. We walked down the street last night and ate at a quaint Italian joint with a beautiful patio.

Things are coming together here, and I should be back to regular blogging tomorrow. The above picture made me laugh. It defines the way I have felt over the last week. If only I had on such fashionable shoes when I was moving all my stuff. Come to think of it – I am not even sure where all my shoes are right now... Oh well :)

Inspiration Overload: Virtual Chaos

My life is a little crazy right now...

I keep trying to remind myself that my current hectic lifestyle is a good thing. I mean, we are moving into a new house tomorrow, we went on a fantastic get-a-way last weekend, and I have a lot of great, new work coming in. But, right about now, I am ready to tear my hair out. Ok, ok, it's not that bad - but I am so tired of packing boxes it is ridiculous.

On to beautiful visual images:
I am so inspired by these abstract vector illustrations by Diego Bellorin. They create a stunning chaos out of simple shapes and bold color. They instantly draw me in because, in my opinion, they accurately portray the way my brain works (especially during extremely busy and stressful times). The simple linear structure is constantly broken up by bright bits of creativity. I am in love. Beauty really can come out of chaos. And I will continue to tell myself that through our move this weekend.

Hope you enjoy!

We are Officially Homeowners!

 OMG - I can barely hold all of my excitement in right now...

We just finished the closing on our new house, which we have lovingly called "The Coach House" for the past few months. Now we can officially call it "Our Coach House". I am thrilled beyond belief, and kinda want to dance around the apartment.

Now we just have to finish packing before the big move on Friday - eeekkkk.

*I have been waiting for about 6 months to share the above image by Debbie Smyth. Isn't it glorious? I just love the colorful letterforms made out of an organized chaos. The new house will probably resemble this level of organized chaos for a little bit :)

Montreal je' taime

We are back from our absolutely fabulous weekend adventure in Montreal. On Thursday late afternoon, we flew out to meet Reid's family and came home late last night. It was very hard to get back into the swing of things after such an amazing trip. This week is going to be busy, busy, busy since we are moving on Friday (aghhhh!!!).

Here is my three word description of our trip and the city: Montreal is Spectacular! The city is beautiful, the food is delicious and the people are genuine and friendly. I would go back tomorrow if I could. All in all, tre magnifique!

A brief recap through pictures of our trip:

1. Montreal's Notre Dame (above) - the colors inside the cathedral were breathtaking.

2. We did a French cooking class that started in the large Montreal farmers market. The produce was to die-for, I mean look at those mushrooms.

3. We learned how to cook authentic ratatouille with lamb using all the products we had just bought at the market. Above is our balsamic reduction plate decoration for our appetizer. The class was taught in french, so we didn't always know what was going on, but in the end we had a successful and delicious lunch.

4. On our last night, Reid and I went to see Craig Ferguson (our favorite late night talk show host) at the original Just for Laughs festival. Above is a French sign – I loved how everything was in French and English. It felt so European.

5. On Sunday before our flight, we all went to the Montreal Museum of Fine Art for the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit. Oh my word – it was breathtaking. So much so that it probably deserves its own post to come later this week. Above are the entrance to the show and my favorite outfits.

Happy travelers before our flight home :)