Tailored

Monograms featured on House of Marlow

2012-02-29T13:44:00.005-06:00

Yesterday I received an email from Crissy of House of Marlowe asking if she could feature my custom monograms on her blog. Of course, my answer was YES!!!

Crissy wrote the feature this morning and it makes me smile to read it. As most of you know, I adore designing my monograms and it makes all the sketches, eraser shreds and pencil sharpening completely worth it when others show their love and appreciation for them too.

I am so honored to be a feature on her blog and can't wait to start working on her custom monogram.

BTW, I have SO many new monograms that I need to share with you!!! Hopefully I will get caught up soon.

Inspiration Overload: Color, Pets & Eleanor Grosch

2012-02-23T18:48:00.000-06:00

I am constantly inspired by Eleanor Grosch from Just Eleanor. She has topped my list of "favorite designers" for quite some time now. When it comes down to it, her ability to use simple yet sophisticated color and shape is unexpected, creative and visually appealing. Her illustrations are filled with joy and constantly make me smile. Plus (as if we need another reason) she frequently uses animals as the main subject of her illustrations. And, let's be honest, I am a HUGE animal lover. The two photographs above are for Stir Magazine, the color and design magazine for Sherwin Williams. I adore the illustrations of the animal (through both wallpaper and textile) meeting the cute, four-legged subject in an artistic photograph. Seriously, how awesome are these? Animals in design rule!

QR Code Invitations? I'm just not sure...

2012-02-13T18:32:00.001-06:00

via NYT

Did anyone catch the New York Times article about using QR codes on your wedding response cards? It was an absolutely fascinating article on how to blend the staunch tradition of wedding stationery with modern technology. I like the idea and concept, but am just not sure how I feel about it aesthetically. I guess I am old fashioned when it comes to stationery. On the other hand, I want to be "up on the times" so maybe it is a good thing to think about. But, QR codes are just such a bulky design element. But, Crane's, the stationery god, is going to offer them soon. Can you tell I am completely torn.

Maybe I will have a couple ask to use one in the near future. It would be a fun design challenge.

How do you feel about this topic?

Below are other stationery pieces (a valentines card and business card) that use the QR code. The business card is STUNNING! I could get behind this idea. Just think about how easy you could direct someone to your portfolio or website. Hmmm - now my wheels are churning (but I am still not sold on wedding stationery with the code).

via

Starting Up: It's been one of those weeks...

2012-02-09T19:46:00.002-06:00

...and i mean that in the best possible way. Guaranteed, I haven't had a moment to slow down and take a deep breath, but the crazy schedule, stress and abundance of work are all a REALLY good thing. Chena Design is coming into it's own in 2012! I feel so fortunate to get to do what I adore all the time (and I do mean ALL the time). It's taken a lot of hard work, moments of doubt, mistakes here and there, and a few tears to get things up and running (and I still have loads of work to do) but I am finally beginning to see all the tiny pieces of starting your own company come together. I am grateful for all the amazing clients that I get to work with, and am excited about all the new projects in the works. I tend to get so caught up in the "go go go" attitude of life that I forget to stop, look around and celebrate the little things that really matter. So, I want to thank everyone one that has helped me along this crazy, curvy path. This post goes out to my loyal and incredible clients for challenging me everyday, to my mentors, teachers and printers for constantly teaching me new things, to my family and friends for loving me even in high-stress moments, and to my three furry, four legged friends for keeping me sane, and hanging out with me in my studio in all day.

P.S. this started as a letter to explain why I haven't been blogging much, and turned into much more, so thanks for reading.

*Above is a typographic illustration by Jessica Hische, who is a constant inspiration, as she pays tribute to Doyald Young, the master of hand-written letters and another huge inspiration.

New Design: Sweet Pickins Website & Blog

2012-02-01T15:24:00.004-06:00

Last night the new Sweet Pickins site went live, and cannot tell you how thrilled I am about the final outcome on this site. Once again, Tony from Evenpar Solutions brought in an amazing client with an inspirational sense of style and creativity. Sausha came to us with a well-thought out vision for her site. She wanted Sweet Pickins (which combines her old blog Show and Tell with her furniture boutique) to have a DIY vibe that combined a variety of textures, but still feels professional, clean and elegant. Her painted furniture is absolutely gorgeous, so it was easy to find visual inspiration for this one. I designed the logo, web buttons and the overall look for site, and Tony made all the web magic happen. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I do.

And on a slightly different note, have I ever mentioned how lucky I feel to design blogs for other creative people? First, it gives me so much internet reading material that I cannot keep up (not even close). Second, I absolutely love when two creative paths (my design and DIY blogging) merge a bit. It keeps my artistic juices flowing, gives me new inspiration daily, and keeps the giant web of internet connections growing. Sausha, thanks for being one of my newest inspirations and making me want to start painting furniture!

Letter Love: Paper Cuts by Sabeena Karnik

2012-01-27T18:29:00.001-06:00

Boy, am I glad it is Friday! Here are just a couple amazing samples of Sabenna Karnik Paper Typography. Check out her whole alphabet here. I love when I randomly stumble across work like this! It made my day.

Inspiration Overload: Andrea Joseph

2012-01-25T19:37:00.000-06:00

I sketch everyday and draw letters all the time, but I don't really draw enough anymore. At least that is my gut reaction when I see Andrea Joseph's work. The invite above for Andrea's sketch group in the UK has all the touches of fine art; a charcoal gradient hat, marker lines and fantastic organic handwriting, yet it still feels like an effective piece of design. Oh, how I miss drawing like this (and making it work commercially).

My favorite pieces of Andrea's are obviously the ones that combine her whimsical illustration skills with beautiful and creative text, like the "chips" above. But, all her work is stunning.

New Design: Lynn & James Big Sky Wedding

2012-01-23T17:42:00.000-06:00

I was thrilled beyond words when Lynn and James contacted me about designing their destination wedding invitations. They are getting married in an intimate outdoor ceremony in Big Sky, Montana. While I have never been to Big Sky (and trust me when I say I keep throwing out hints to my husband to take me there), I think it might be the most romantic place in the world. Can you imagine getting married there! How AMAZING is that???

Lynn and James really wanted to highlight the massive size of Lone Peak Mountain and the gorgeous wildflowers that grow during Montana summers. We decided on an elongated invitation to really enhance the landscape, and had fun with textures by mixing a natural linen paper with both offset and thermography printing.

Hope you enjoy!

New Design: Brooke & Adriel's Lacey Save the Date

2012-01-18T15:06:00.000-06:00

Thankfully the sun listened to my blog rant yesterday, and I was able to capture some great photos this afternoon.

I have to admit that Brooke and Adriel's Save the Date is one of my recent favorites. Brooke came to me with a bold, modern, and slightly edgy idea for her letterpress save the dates. She had a vision of a black and white design with organic lace details to mimic the lace theme that would be a part of her big day. For the lace illustration, I asked Brooke to scan the lace from her veil (which was originally her mothers). It was important to both of us that the design was an accurate representation of the vintage chantilly lace, and I adore the sentimental value that was added by tracing the family heirloom. The organic edges add a playful element to the formal save the date.

To add a touch of drama we opted for a black envelope, and finalized the design with a custom wrap around label.

I can't wait to share the entire wedding suite in a few months. (I will let you in on a little secret - there are even more awesome details!)

Sunshine Day

2012-01-17T16:32:00.002-06:00

Sunshine, you know I love snow but please kick the clouds to the curb. Come on, I need you! Pretty please come out tomorrow, I need to photograph new work, and I am old school and like to photography with natural light. I will never take advantage of you again, I promise :)

Sorry for the rant but I have LOTS of new work I want to share. In the meantime, admire this beautiful sunny poster from etsy printed in neon CMY with a K frame. ADORE!

Inspiration Overload: Gold Printing

2012-01-13T18:07:00.004-06:00

Happy Friday! 2012 is off to a great start. I have so many fun and exciting projects in the works. A lot my clients have started asking for foil and metallic printing, which makes my heart smile. Metallics, especially gold, are a HUGE trend right now, plus they are really fun to use in design. Below are a few "golden" inspirations for your weekend.

via

Gold Letterpress on cotton paper always gives a soft metallic feel. Love the type here!

via

The hexagon shape of this gold menu is spectacular.

via

This invite is one of my recent favorites. The combination of gold foil printing, colored paper, confetti, stickers and hand drawn type is an invitation dream come true.

via

I am just waiting for the day when one of my clients wants custom coasters for an event. I love the simplicity of these gold and black ones. Perfect for a sophisticated soiree.


via

Fun, simple, playful. It's the confetti – I think I love it!

New Design: Annie & Marc's Classic Destination Wedding

2012-01-09T14:06:00.002-06:00

Annie wanted invitations that were classic and sophisticated, but definitely NOT stuffy since she was tying the knot near the beach. Her December destination wedding took place in South Florida where she grew up visiting her grandmother. Her wedding invitations are simple, carefree and "beachy" to mimic her happy childhood memories and the love that Marc (her amazing groom) and her share. The modern font, bluish grey ink, custom monogram and letterpress printing all combined to create Annie and Marc's perfect suite.

Annie & Marc's custom monogram

The full invitation suite that includes invitation, response card, accommodation card (and not pictured, stationery, and printed envelopes with liners).

Their fun and playful save the date taken in Austin, Texas where the couple lives.

Ceremony Programs with Custom Monogram

The rehearsal dinner invites mimic the invitation suite with font and monogram, but dive head first into the beach theme. These were digitally printed on linen paper, with colored envelopes and custom labels designed to match.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed working with this couple!

Looking Back on New Design: Liz & Darren's Wedding Invitations

2012-01-05T14:05:00.003-06:00

I have already shared some of the details (here and here) from Liz & Darren's glamorous October nuptials, so I figure it is about time to share their invitation suite.

When Liz approached me about designing all the paper goods for her wedding she already had a well thought out and elegant vision for her big day. She wanted everything about her wedding (from her invitations to the lighting at the ceremony) to mimic a classic, "old world" style.

The invitations are printed with gold thermography which actually shimmers in certain angles (even though the picture probably don't do it enough justice) on ivory paper that is mounted to a deep purple sparkle paper. The intricate scroll design seen throughout the invitation suite became a consistent design element for the entire wedding.

The purple paper continued to add a little sparkle as an envelope liner and belly band.

The full suite consisted of the invitation, printed outer envelope with liner, response card with printed envelope, accommodations card and thank you stationery with a custom one letter monogram.

Liz really wanted a custom monogram, but knew it wouldn't fit into her invitation vision. So, we created a one letter monogram of her married last name to use on her thank you stationery. Liz also used the monogram on cookies for out of town guests, and her lighting designer made a custom "globe" that projected her monogram on the dance floor during the reception. How cool is that?!?

Liz and Darren were an absolute pleasure to work with. I am thrilled with the outcome of all the design, and wish this lovely and gracious couple a lifetime of happiness.

Welcome 2012!!!

2012-01-03T11:49:00.001-06:00

via

I hope each of you had an amazing holiday season and a very happy New Year.

2011 was a whirlwind of changes: Chena (my stationery and design studio) officially became a small business, Reid and I bought our first place, Reid passed the bar exam, and we adopted an adorable little puppy. I am so grateful for everything that happened in the past 12 months, but I am ready for 2012 to be in full swing. I hope the next year allows me to continue to build Chena and enjoy all the changes from 2011. I know it will be a year filled with a lot of hard work, but by the end of next year it will all be worth it.

A few of my 2012 resolutions for the design side of my life are:
1. Continue to expand the company through marketing and referrals
2. Actually organize my home office (which may mean moving it to a new part of the house)
3. Get my stationery and design published on at least two of my favorite blogs
4. Rebuild my website so it is easy to update and can include an online store

The last few months of 2011 were crazy busy and I fell a bit behind in posting about my work. The next few posts on Tailored will be looking back at some work from 2011.

Hope you enjoy!

Day 12: Bring on the Snow

2011-12-22T18:07:00.003-06:00

For the last day of our holiday type I am going back to Brand Hatchery for their 2009 flocked holiday card. The overall simplicity and white on white texture is inspirational. Not to mention, I had a mild obsession with snow flocked trees as a kid (and never convinced my family to buy one). Plus it is rainy and gross in Chicago tonight – what happened to a white Christmas???

Hope you enjoyed the 12 Days of Holiday Type! I am going to take a brief vacation from rainy Chicago and my blog until the New Year. See you all then and have a VERY MERRY & HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!

Day 11: I'm Dreaming of Line Christmas

2011-12-20T17:02:00.003-06:00

The line quality and how it interacts with the hand drawn type in the above holiday card is a winter wonderland (to say the least). I have admired the typography on this card from Spring Olive for a couple of years now. It's just so elegantly busy! You can buy it on etsy here.

Day 10: The Sing-A-Long Type

2011-12-19T17:22:00.002-06:00

Today's holiday type is interesting typographically, but the printing is absolutely dreamy. The gold and black foil on black paper adds a certain richness. And the placement and highlighting of of letters T O D & D is thoughtful and not overly obvious. LOVE

The above design was for Todd's (an architecture firm in Ireland) holiday card a few years ago, designed by Sort.

Day 9: Yule Tide Ale

2011-12-16T16:57:00.000-06:00

Best client holiday gift ever! I wish I could get some of this. Vessel, a Chicago package design studio, created these for their clients holiday gifts this year. The illustration, texture, creative naming and attention to detail is amazing (and the cut type isn't too shabby either).

Happy Friday!

Day 8: Holiday Calligraphy

2011-12-15T19:02:00.003-06:00

I wish I knew how to calligraphy like this (available for purchase here). It is so organically playful, but also thoughtful at the same time. Oh pretty letters how I love thee!

Day 7: Holiday Cut Paper

2011-12-14T16:47:00.001-06:00

The beautiful illustration above was created by Kevin Kidney, an old Disney illustrator and now independent designer and art director, completely out of cut paper. To fit into the 12 Days of Holiday Type let's focus on the incredibly gorgeous letters. The hand made aesthetic of each serif adds so much character and holiday cheer. Kidney talks about his entire process for this piece on his blog. Check it out!

Day 6: Semi-holiday

2011-12-13T17:32:00.000-06:00

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, and letterpress poster that isn't about the holidays at all just reminds me of a tree.

Ok, ok, so I am not a song writer, but I still hope you enjoy this star poster created at Wayzgoose by Moore Wood Type and Inky Wink Press.

Days 4 & 5: Starshaped Press

2011-12-12T15:06:00.002-06:00

I completely forgot to post on Friday, so I am doing a double image post today to try to make up for it. Both images are from the amazing Starshaped Press. I have always been so impressed with Starshaped Press' ability to respect wood and metal type and ornaments while creating incredible imagery and compositions. Their work is so authentic to the history and art of letterpress. The holiday card (above) is made completely out of type ornaments (not to be confused with the ornaments you put on a tree) and the wrapping paper (below) is all wood type and ornaments. If my presents were wrapped in this I wouldn't even need an actual present. Just wrap up an empty box and I would be happy! Both of these images can be bought at Starshaped Press' etsy store.

Day 3: Simple & Festive Type

2011-12-08T18:23:00.001-06:00

I truly love today's holiday type (created by Jordan Metcalf). There is something about the overall simplicity, the delicate details and the use of wood that make me melt just a little bit. This beauty could be enjoyed all year (not just at during the holidays).

Oops! Day 2 of Holiday Type is a little late...

2011-12-08T09:31:00.001-06:00

To make up for getting distracted yesterday and not sharing some festive holiday typography, I am posting an absolutely amazing video showing the process of The Brand Hatchery's holiday poster from a few years ago. They used over 4000 eggs and did absolutely NO retouching! Can we say, inspiration overload.

12 Days of Type Love!

2011-12-06T17:09:00.001-06:00

For the next 12 days while I am finishing up all my holiday orders, I am going to post about holiday inspired type. I adore this example of wood type and the 12 Days of Christmas. I figure it's a good place to start.

Exciting Announcement – I am part of the Handmade Home's Week of Giving!!!

2011-12-02T13:36:00.001-06:00

Next week is going to be super awesome. And it is not just because it is one week closer to the holidays.

Next week starts the Handmade Home's (an incredibly awesome and laugh-out-loud blog written by a good college friend) first ever Week of Giving. And, I was asked to be a part of it which made me giddy beyond belief. It is such an honor to be a part of such an amazing online event.

Chena Design is giving away a free custom monogram with 25 flat note cards. So, if a custom monogram has been on your wish list visit Ashley's blog next week to enter the give-a-way.

There are going to be a ton of other awesome give-a-ways also so you should check it out!

Letter Love & Fonting Around

2011-11-30T13:29:00.001-06:00

This poster found on the How blog made me literally laugh out loud! I love it, and it is so true...

We creative-types spend so much time inspiration searching whether it is for the perfect font or just general imagery. It is important for us to stay up-to-date with the new trends and current designs, but when is it too much?

All I know is that I wish I had a little bit more time right now to do some creative inspiration searching. I would be happy to "font around" for an hour or two.

Turkey Type!

2011-11-23T12:26:00.001-06:00

Simple and elegant. By Sarah Burghart

Thansgiving Typography Inspiration

2011-11-22T15:35:00.001-06:00

It's officially my favorite time of the year. I absolutely love Thanksgiving and everything that comes with it: food, festivities, friends, family and the beginning of the holiday season.

This week, I am going to take some much needed time to relax, but I plan to post a few fantastic Thanksgiving inspired designs during my time off...

This typography project by Judith Uzcategui is absolutely stunning. As a whole it is a textural beauty, but when you look at the close-up and realize the strategic and meaningful placement of each word it becomes even more magical.

Starting Up: Can a tidy office really exist???

2011-11-17T16:50:00.001-06:00

UGHHH!!! My office is a disaster right now. It consists of paper samples, swatches, ribbon, printouts, boxes, and books galore. Not to mention, our new puppy has decided it is her favorite room which means puppy toys are everywhere. I am normally fully in the work zone when I am in my office that I don't think about keeping it super tidy. I know where everything is, and that's all the matters, right? Well, maybe not...

Recently, I have been doing a lot of planning, branding and growing of my small little company (Chena). If I am spending all this time, energy and stress creating my very own small business, shouldn't my office reflect the same sense of professionalism?

The answer is, without a doubt, YES! So, as of today, it has become my newest home improvement project. I am dreaming about organizing, which is very rare. I can't wait to buy boxes, paper shelves, etc. Honestly my current office space, when tidy, is a pretty good reflection of my creative style, but I want to push it more with paint, bulletin boards, shelves, etc. My office should become my design Mecca. I will try and keep you in the loop as I work to develop my new and improved work space.

As a starting point, I have gathered some inspirational creative offices. I only hope in the end mine looks this stunning. Enjoy!

I am digging the clean look and white space here. Plus, I always LOVE orange.

This work space is pretty close to perfect. My only change would be a color instead of black.

Pretty and a little shabby chic. I like all the cubbies and the green wall. I am starting to see a pattern in loving color on the walls.

Again, the cubbies are wonderful. Also love the magazine bins in this office.

Chena Design Holiday Cards are Here!!!

2011-11-15T14:58:00.000-06:00

The holidays are right around the corner (I know it doesn't seem like it, but they are, I promise!), and I am VERY excited (practically ecstatic) to announce the release of Chena Design's 2011 Holiday Photo Card catalog. Please take a look, let me know what you think, and order away!!!

Happy Shopping...

Open publication - Free publishing - More holiday cards

You can also click here to view the catalog.

New Designs: The Creative Exchange & Becky Ellsworth Photography

2011-11-09T13:06:00.003-06:00

I am so excited to share these two new projects! Partially because they are showcasing a new web/blog design section in my portfolio. In all honesty, I know how to code a website through basic html and css, but I completely don't LOVE it (hate might be too strong of a word, but not by much). Luckily, Tony from Evenpar Solutions contacted me awhile back about collaborating with his amazing programming skills. In my opinion, it is a perfect match. I can now design fun, creative and beautiful websites and then hand it off to an incredibly talented "web guy". We both get to do what we love!

Tony has given me the opportunity to design a bunch of great blogs recently like The Creativity Exchange, seen below. Not only do I get to design the look and feel of the site, I am also learning a lot and finding TONS of new creative blogs to follow. Cyndy came to Tony with a great inspiration board of colors and textures. The design just clicked, and I am thrilled at the outcome. You should check out the entire site here.

My new collaboration with Tony is also working the other way around. Becky Ellsworth, a childhood friend, asked me to help her rebrand her photography business which included a completely new and revamped website design. (Guess who did all the programming???)

Becky Ellsworth Photography's new site is simple and elegant with a pop of bright color to keep it fresh. I must admit, I LOVE this site and everything we were able to do with it. Not to mention Becky's photographs are incredible.

Letter Love!

2011-11-08T17:00:00.000-06:00

This A is beautiful – a great color palette and fantastic use of geometric line.

found here

An Exciting New Collaboration: Holiday Sweets Mini Session with Chena Design & Ten Little Bluebirds Photography

2011-11-07T20:35:00.001-06:00

Hi!!! I am back after a short brief hiatus with some VERY exciting news for everyone in the Chicago area (or anyone willing to travel). I have recently started collaborating with the very talented Emily Cummings of Ten Little Bluebirds Photography in Chicago. So far we have done a couple of small projects together – she photographs special moments and I design the cards for them. Today, we are ready to announce our First Holiday Sweets Mini-Session which will be held at the adorable and delicious Amy's Candy Bar on Saturday, November 19.

We all know how busy the holidays get, and sometimes our holiday cards get pushed to the end of our to-do lists. Hopefully our mini-session will help save time and provide you with a wonderful keepsake of your little ones along with a custom holiday card to share with your friends and family.

We have two packages to choose from:
The $75 Package includes a 20 minute photo-shoot, 1 professionally edited jpg, and a custom holiday card that you can print or use as an e-card.

The $150 Package includes a 20 minute photo-shoot, 3 professionally edited jpgs, an 8 x10 print, and 25 custom holiday cards with envelopes.

There will also be plenty of a la carte items including prints, extra cards, colored envelopes, etc. that you can order after the mini-session.

Great idea for gifts!

Email Emily at emily@tenlittlebluebirds.com to reserve a time. Spaces will fill up fast so please sign up early.

Each session includes a custom holiday card design. You may choose from one of the following:

And, just in case...

The Fine Print:
Package session fee non-refundable, non-transferable is required to book your session. If there is a last minute emergency and you are unable to book your session we will try to find someone from the waiting list to fill your spot in which case you session fee will be refunded.

Full-resolution digital images in color and black and white sent to your email on or before November 25th to give you plenty of time to print and mail your holiday cards.

A custom holiday card with full printing rights sent in your email along with the images. If you choose the package with printing, you will also get the hi-res jpg image.

If you need additional prints, you can print these out or have us print them for $30 per pack of 25.

Please let us know if you have more than 4 children so we can set up the proper accommodations.

*All design and images can be used by Chena Design and Ten Little Bluebirds in the future for marketing and portfolio.

Color Overload

2011-10-28T14:40:00.002-05:00

I need some color in my life today.

Maya Hayuk's paintings are the perfect cure at the perfect time. I stumbled upon Maya's work on Apartment Therapy while taking a brief inspiration break from work. The vibrant colors and geometric shapes in her paintings are the perfect blend of 1984 (the year not the book) and Constructivist Russia. Can we talk about how much I want one of these? I even have the perfect spot for one of these beauties right over my stairs (this may be an unrealistic hint to my hubby).

on a completely unrelated note: Don't you hate when you go to photograph something and your camera is DEAD!!! I was planning on sharing new work with you today, but that will have to wait. We can just overindulge ourselves on these beauties above for now.

Letter Envy

2011-10-25T16:10:00.002-05:00

I have a special place in my heart for letters and lace. I love the intricate details of both forms, and basically feel head-over-heels in love with this Q, by Rebecca Sandlant the moment I saw it. This hand-drawn letter embodies everything beautiful about the letter q and the unique lace details make me drool. Simply put, I love it...

hope you do to.

Hand-Painting Sign Inpsiration

2011-10-20T14:08:00.000-05:00

I love that sign painting is going through a revival right now. It is super trendy and I couldn't be happier. Below are a few inspirations I found. If only I could get a "mural"type job... Just think sitting outside, painting letters. Sounds just about perfect for warmer days (not today, it is cold and dreary).

This one by Visual Armory is right down the street from me in Chicago. Love the yellow.

I love the name of this place. It was painted by Tunnel Bravo and found here.

This is a vintage one taken by photographer Jay B Sauceda for his painted sign project.
Beautiful, huh?

Yummy Monograms

2011-10-18T17:07:00.002-05:00

My clients do the MOST amazing things with their monograms. Elizabeth sent me a picture (on the day of her wedding) of her custom 1 letter monogram on a sugar cookie. This delicious monogrammed cookie greeted the guests as the checked in to their hotel.

Liz got married a little over a week ago, and just got back from her honeymoon in Hawaii (can we say jealous). I cannot wait to share her entire wedding suite and extra pieces with you soon. Not to give too much away, but the cookie wasn't the only amazingly creative thing Liz did. From the few pics I have seen, it was a stunning affair.

Continuing on in the monogrammed sweet category...

I also found these delightful treats:

from Dainty Delights on etsy. Ummm - when can I find a reason to buy these?

Love the simple elegance of these from Sweet Ambs on etsy. I am so inspired by edible letters!

The Perfect Quote for a Type Lover's Friday

2011-10-14T17:56:00.003-05:00

It is truly amazing how much inspiration you find when you actually have a couple of free minutes to breath. While still busy, this week has been a lot more manageable than the past few. Which has given me a bit of time to catch up on some inspiration hunting and blog reading.

The typographic quote design seen above is from one of my favorite new finds this week, The Phraseology Project. This blog-project simply ROCKS. I am so inspired by designers who create a digital forum and evolutionary visual experiment using the greater web community. The creator of The Phraseology Project, Drew Melton, uses this forum to grow as a designer, practice the trade of creating original typographic imagery, and get do a little self promotion. I love the work and I love the idea.

The positive words and beautiful type in the showcased image make me smile, especially since I read it with a Forrest Gump accent.

Happy Friday!

Serious Blog Inspiration: Pixel Whisk

2011-10-13T13:27:00.004-05:00

I always LOVE finding new and inspirational blogs. My find this week is SERIOUSLY awesome. Pixel Whisk is a clever, beautiful and yummy blog created by Seton Hurson Rossini, a childhood friend and fellow designer. Along with being a designer, Seton is an incredibly talented baker. Pixel Whisk combines her visual talent, witty humor and delicious baking chops into one amazing blog. Did I mention that she designs cute printables to go with her recipes.

I will admit, she has inspired me to bake more (which is saying a LOT). I hope you enjoy the blog as much as I do.

*All photos are the property of Pixel Whisk

New Designs: Diana & Ian's Wedding Stationery

2011-10-10T14:54:00.003-05:00

Invitation with liner

My good friends Diana and Ian tied the knot a few weeks ago in an absolutely beautiful ceremony. Over the past 6 months you have seen sneak-peaks of the pre-wedding details, such as their monogram, shower details, save the date and website. And, now, after a lot of waiting, it is time to showcase their entire wedding suite...

Diana and Ian wanted an elegant, simple and classic look for their wedding. Think candlelight, roses and romantic lighting. We worked together to create letterpress stationery that would help set the tone for their picturesque wedding at the Chicago Cultural Center. Diana and Ian's custom monogram along with the navy and lilac color palette helped tie all the pieces together. But the details like envelope liners, labels, and edge painting helped bring these invitation set to life. I hope you enjoy!

Rehearsal Dinner Invite

Full Stationery Suite: Invitation, Response Card, Envelopes, Thank You Stationery and Accommodation Card

Custom Monogram Up Close

Not the best picture, but I loved how the edge painting turned out. Such a nice minimal touch.

Panel Program for the Big Day!

Menu Cards that were placed at each place setting. I get hungry just reading this - Delicious!

Found Monograms: Spain and France

2011-10-06T14:12:00.001-05:00

It seems silly to even write this, but I am pretty obsessed with monograms. I am constantly researching and seeking out new historical examples to serve as inspiration. Honestly, it is sometimes hard to find good inspiration since books on monograms are becoming more and more rare and the best examples have never been digitized. Which brings me to Spain...

Over the course of our vacation, I saw so many inspiring examples of these intricate designs. Historically, monograms were an early form of branding and identification. Every monarch (or anyone that had money and power) had their own monogram that consisted of their initials. Their monograms were used on anything and everything they owned or sponsored from palaces to parks to cathedrals to their furniture and crystal. Once you start recognizing certain monograms (Queen Isabel's for example) you realize how much power and wealth certain people had.

I tried to document as many monograms as I could find in both Spain and Toulouse, France. Below are a few examples. They really are stunningly beautiful. (unfortunately the best examples were on crystal and china in the Royal Palace, but I wasn't allowed to photograph those – bummer).

I'm Back...

2011-10-04T15:53:00.001-05:00

Well, hello blog friends. I am finally back to posting after a long hiatus. We got back from Spain at the end of last week. The trip was absolutely magical (more on that in a second). Since we got back I have been busy trying to kick jet lag out of my life, and playing catch-up with work, but I am officially back to my good old self as of today, and so, here I am.

Back to Spain...

I have been dying to share a bit about my trip which (as I mentioned before) was magical. A ten day vacation is always a dream come true especially when you get to share it with your favorite person in the world. But Spain was beyond my wildest expectations. We saw so much amazing art, ate too much good food, walked until we couldn't walk anymore, got caught right in the middle of Barcelona's largest festival, followed Salvador Dali's footsteps and even stopped by to say hello to France. I am so grateful for all the memories we made, and will cherish this trip forever.

Below is a very quick overview of the trip. Over the next few days I will post on the more "artistic" and inspirational side of our little adventure.

This photo is about 2 hours after we landed in Madrid. We were expecting 90 degree temperatures, but a random cold front came through and it was 50!!! We were freezing, but we still enjoyed the Palacio Royal.

Gaudi's Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is probably the most spectacular thing I have ever seen.

We went to a lot of museums, but Miro's was probably my absolute favorite. I love this sculpture against the modern backdrop of the museum.

Holy Bananas, Teatro-Museo Dali in Figueres (Dali's birthplace) was absolutely spectacular. The museum experience was like walking through a Surrealist's dream. Yes, those are giant eggs on the roof. I promise to write more about Dali later this week.

After stopping by the Dali Museum, we drove up to Costa Brava to Cadaques where Dali lived at the end of his life. It is a tiny, gorgeous medieval beach town. I was blown away with all the beautifully colored doors.

In order to get to San Sebastian we decided to drive through the south of France. I was on a hunt to find French castles which led to a couple of "mis-adventures", but we did find Fanjeaux (seen above) which was an eerily quiet but very quaint medieval town.

We stopped in Toulouse for a fantastic French lunch and after searching for awhile, I found a patisserie to buy a macaroon at. It was Sunday so nothing but cafes were open.

Our next stop was San Sebastian. I am not even going to mention our trouble finding our hotel (which took over 2 hours). Once we finally got settled we were able to enjoy the people, beach and pintxos in this incredible town. I am not normally one for anchovies, but in San Sebastian they are mouth-wateringly good.

Back to Madrid for our final night! What a glorious city to end our Spanish adventure.

I am glad to be back home, but I am still missing my European lifestyle. I can't wait to share more with you.

Adios (for a couple of weeks)...

2011-09-15T14:53:00.002-05:00

via

Tomorrow is Reid's birthday. Saturday is a good friends wedding. And... on Sunday we leave for Spain. I am busy trying to wrap things up, and figure it is best to sign off from blogging for a couple of weeks.

Adios Amigos – I will miss you and blogging while I am gone.

I am so excited for 10 days of relaxation and creative revamping :)

Inspiration Overload: Sketchbuch

2011-09-12T18:38:00.003-05:00

At this point next week, I will be in Spain with my hubby. I am counting down the seconds, and am giddy beyond belief.

Today while perusing pinterest, I stumbled upon the amazing sketchbooks of Sketchbuch (this is his flickr profile name - sadly I don't know his real name). His work is breathtaking. Look at all the layers, the handwritten text and the colors. I wish I could make myself create a book like this while we are on our Spanish voyage. Can you imagine how wonderful it must be to relive a trip through your own doodles and journal entries? I do miss sketching randomly and from life so maybe I will attempt it...

In the meantime, hope you enjoy these glorious images from Sketchbuchs trips.

From Italy:

I adore lime green with warm oranges! The food, type and patterned table cloth help the illustration come alive. I can almost smell the food.

Old sculptures vs. new dapper shoes. Who wins?

Watercolored type is one of my all time favs!

From Europe:

The top spread looks old and worn, and the bottom spread is modern and lively.

New York:

I love the long and lean image mixed with white space.

The layout of each page is so organic and fresh, but also feel so balanced.

The line quality of this spread has so much character.

Cupcakes, stand-mixers and cats are some of my favorite things.

Dominican Republic:

Hand drawn type love!

Ribbons & Bows

2011-09-08T18:19:00.000-05:00

Ribbons and bows are back! Honestly, I don't know if they ever really left. But recently I have seen so many sophisticated and pretty ways to use ribbon in fashion, interior design and event planning. Not to mention, quite a few of my wedding clients are asking to add ribbon accents to their big day, which means...

I have ribbon on the brain! Over the past couple of weeks, I have been collecting a lot of visual research about fun, festive and unique ways to use this "ordinary" material. Below are some of my favs. I can't wait to try some of them out.

I know I couldn't pull off his whole outfit, but I love the loose ribbon. I may have to try this simple, schoolgirl look.

I am not sure if it is the ceramic horse head or the ribbon that makes me swoon over this Anthropologie necklace. LOVE!

This cake is a bit over the top and feminine for my normal taste, but I am really digging it today. It is so simple and pretty. Perfect for a bridal shower or luncheon.

Martha does it again. I adore this center piece and am determined to find a way to use it in my house someday. The ribbon is the icing on the cake.

Easy to make and pretty to look at. Might have to try this one too.

Hump Day Inspiration...

2011-09-07T08:33:00.000-05:00

I love sketching but, let's be honest, sometimes I feel too busy to do it. This quote is a great reminder about the importance of stimulating original creativity. And the hand drawn type is beautiful!

It's Getting Hot in Here...

2011-09-02T16:44:00.000-05:00

Oh boy – I am HOT. I completely understand that I have no room to complain considering my poor friends and family in Texas have been dying all summer, but it is HOT in Chicago. I am ready for fall!

This steamy weather has me dreaming of fans, cool, vintage ones. I wish I had one like below blowing in my face right now. We are headed to the Kane County Flea Market this weekend... Maybe I will find one of these bad boys.

Happy Friday and enjoy the LONG weekend!

via

Monogram Style: The Details Count

2011-08-31T16:08:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-30T15:04:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-26T18:16:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-08-24T17:30:00.001-05:00

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

2011-08-23T13:28:00.001-05:00

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...

2011-08-17T18:48:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-15T14:57:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-08-12T18:12:00.001-05:00

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

2011-08-11T15:11:00.000-05:00

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...

2011-08-10T15:51:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-04T18:56:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-08-03T15:29:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-01T17:44:00.000-05:00

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 :)

Oh Canada!

2011-07-28T11:51:00.000-05:00

The bar exam is OVER and today we head to Montreal for a little weekend get-a-way with Reid's family. I am super excited about this little adventure. I have never been to our neighboring Canada and am thrilled to explore a tiny portion of the beautiful and friendly country.

In order to jump-start the trip (did I mention I haven't packed yet and we leave in 1.5 hours), I wanted to share a couple of beautifully designed Canadian posters.

The moose on this 1950's poster by William F. Schey and Harry Rogers is a stunning combination of shape and color. The Australian airline did a great and quite extensive series of travel posters which you can see here.

Above is the Formula 1 poster for the Canadian Grand Prix this year. The movement and simple color mixed with the natural paper quality are incredible. I absolutely love when clients choose simple, visually strong design. All of the posters for the 2011 Formula 1 season are pretty incredible.

I am going to try to post tomorrow, but if you don't hear from me I will be back next week.

It's Almost Over...

2011-07-27T07:43:00.000-05:00

Adorable poster available on etsy!

Today is the last day of the Illinois Bar Exam, which my hubby, Reid, is taking. I am so ready for it to be over. The Bar Exam and the many flash cards, books and papers that go hand and hand with it have been our constant companion for the past few months. This incredibly difficult test has been the third (well, fifth if you count the cats) member of our family, and quite frankly, I am ready to kick it to the curb.

In all seriousness, Reid has handled the pressures of studying with patience and grace. He has constantly surprised me with his devotion and diligence in learning all the legal topics from top to bottom. The past three months have consisted of hours upon hours of studying mixed with high levels of stress, and Reid has handled it like a super star. I know, without a doubt, I could/would not have done the same. I am so very proud of him and know he is going to be an awesome lawyer!

Now, come on 4:45pm CT... I am ready to celebrate the completion of this little exam :)

*Also, thanks to all our friends and family for their constant support during Reid's studying. We love you for it!!!

Random Found Monogram Inspiration

2011-07-25T16:48:00.001-05:00

It's Monday and things have been busy, busy, busy. I am working on more monograms and perused the internet to get my creative juices flowing. I am always so inspired by what others are creating. Below are some of my favorites...

I love the simplicity and elegance of this logotype monogram for the band The AMs done by Thinkmake Studio.

The hand-drawn quality here mixed with interacting letterforms and fantastic vintage inspired colors make this an easy favorite. I found it on pinterest.

Can we say love at first sight? I am still drooling over this watercolor letter created by IngridsArt over on etsy. She has almost all the letters in the alphabet and each one is just as stunning as the last.

New Design: Monograms Galore

2011-07-22T17:12:00.001-05:00

Over the past few months I have been doing a bunch of new monograms for wonderful clients who all had unique visions for their custom creation. In the past, most of my clients use their monograms for personal and/or wedding stationery, but lately a few clients have bigger plans for their monograms, including using them for embroidery, decorating and engraving. Below I wanted to share a few of the most recent designs. Hope you enjoy and Happy Weekend!

Liz wanted an elegantly modern one letter monogram to use on her wedding stationery. After we finalized the letter and printed the stationery, she kept finding new ways to use her monogram. Recently, we sent it to her lighting specialist so he can shine it on the dance floor during the reception. How cool is that???

One of my previous monogram clients bought her mother a monogram for Mother's Day. Great gift in my opinion. Mary Ann wanted something playful and feminine. Once we finished her monogram (above) she gave it to her mother to hand embroider. I cannot wait to see the end result that incorporated 3 generations of fabulous women.

Annie's monogram is going to be used throughout her wedding stationery. It has a simple, classic charm that I adore.

Julie's also wanted a monogram for her and her soon-to-be husband to use once they tie the knot. She had a very modern vision, and didn't want too many curves and flourishes. In the end we decided on a beautiful linear monogram with a graphic quality.

*Please remember that all monograms are the property of Chena Design. Do not reproduce them unless it is to a personal blog and credit is given.

Inspired by: The Kennedy's

2011-07-21T15:17:00.001-05:00

Over the past few days I have been absorbed in The Kennedy's miniseries. While it may not be award winning, it is very entertaining (Greg Kinnear is a very convincing JFK). I even feel like I am learning a bit about the JFK administration, which I knew little about beforehand. I completely understand why the Kennedy family fought to have it canceled on its prime time spot. It doesn't show the family, especially Ambassador Kennedy in a very good light. Through all the scandal and hardship of the Kennedy presidency one thing is for sure, Jackie Kennedy Onassis (even when played by Katie Holmes) has a fantastic sense of style. I am so inspired by her fashion and eloquence in front of the camera (even though she hated it in the beginning). The above pic from Life Magazine of her and JFK Jr is one of my all time favorites.

Loving Gray and Yellow

2011-07-20T16:15:00.000-05:00

via

I absolutely adore the color yellow. I grew up with a bright yellow bedroom, and, for as long as I can remember, all my birthday and Christmas presents were yellow. I guess I made my love for the color very clear and therefor people only bought me yellow trinkets and treasures. Simply put yellow makes me happy.

As Reid and I plan our fast-approaching move into our first home, decorating continuously comes up in conversation. I do most of the talking during these conversations, and Reid thoughtfully listens and comments as needed on subjects such as affordable furniture, curtains and rugs. I have been dying to have a yellow room ever since we first spotted our now "under contract" house. It has a ton of natural light and yellow just seemed to fit the personality of the turn of the century abode. After very little convincing, Reid agreed to a yellow and gray living room. I am so EXCITED!!! The images of today's post are providing a lot of sunny inspiration.

BTW, since we are on the subject of yellow, did you know that yellow is the least popular favorite color? Sad, huh? These are the little facts that you discover when you teach Color Theory.

unkown source

via


via


via

via

Found Monogram: Merchandise Mart

2011-07-18T17:19:00.000-05:00

I often overlook Chicago's largest architectural landmark, The Merchandise Mart. Its size alone is daunting. Have you ever tried to get from one corner to the other? I find it impossible. Because of how overwhelmed it makes me, I usually try to erase all thoughts of it from my mind. But, this past Saturday I leisurely walked by it on my way home, and because I wasn't trying to make it to a meeting, find a cup coffee, or catch a train, I was able to admire it's grand historical beauty. The Merchandise Mart is an incredible Art Deco building – not to mention that it has a simple, modern, and linear monogram as its original logo. Most of the monograms I do are inspired by ornate Victorian monograms that are filled with flourishes and details, so I find it very refreshing to see a minimal historic monogram. The Mart's monogram is all about lines and shape and their relationship to each other. Yes, it kind-of looks like a spider, but its fun and it fits the architecture and size of the building.

I can't wait to research more Art Deco monograms. Can anyone think of any on a building near you?

Starting Up: Creating a Full-Time, Freelance Design Studio

2011-07-14T17:11:00.000-05:00

I love my blog, I really do, but lately my life and design career have been changing (or, should I say, evolving) at a very rapid pace. I have had limited time to dedicate to Tailored and over the past few days, I have been thinking long and hard about the direction that I want my blog to take. I originally revived Tailored in order to document and write about my daily inspirations. In the process of doing that, I was able to establish the direction that I wanted my career to take. It was a slow process, but through writing, researching, and searching the internet for my posts, I realized that (1) I loved working for myself, (2) I was crazy about doing hand-drawn typography, (3) I was still very passionate about design, and (4) I cherished working with amazing individuals (not huge companies). So, I took a HUGE plunge and decided to take a break from teaching to see if I could really make it as a full-time freelancer. I am a one-woman shop (for now) and every day brings new challenges.

Which brings me back to the point of this post. My business is growing, slowly but surely. I am learning a LOT in the process. And, honestly, I am a bit stressed and nervous about all the little details of running a successful freelance business. So I decided that I needed a place to share these new parts of my artistic development every once in a while. I want my "Starting Up" posts to focus more on how I am evolving as a business owner/freelancer. I hope that they help my personal growth as a self-employed individual, that they spark dialog between other creative people going through similar career changes, and that the inspire others to think about doing what they are passionate about. These posts will be personal, full of stress, and hopefully we can all laugh at my successes and failures along the way. Of course, I've still got a lot of design inspiration to share. That's the amazing part about this new career – it is both the most challenging and most artistically inspiring thing I have ever done.

Full-time freelance is like what I imagine training for a marathon would be like. It is hard work but every day I feel like I am getting better and better at it. And with that said, back to work!

*BTW - The amazing poster from above is by the very-talented Brent Couchman (which reminds me - I should show more of his work). Found on Friends of Type, one of my favorite blogs!

Nostalgic for Home

2011-07-13T19:51:00.002-05:00

I was in Houston for the past couple of days both for work and pleasure. Work trips are always better when you are able to stay with your parents and see all your siblings (plus I love the people I get to work with). It was a wonderful trip filled with good food, shopping with my mom, bike riding with my dad, a good ol' Texas party (for my brother and sis-in-law who are moving to the Windy City) and meeting with a few of my wonderful clients! All-in-all it made me a little nostalgic for Texas, the place I call "home. As silly as it may be, I am a Texas girl at heart and am darn proud of it.

In honor of my Texas pride, I found a couple of adorable Texas-themed designs to share with you...

Absolutely gorgeous! Poppy and Pinecone have almost every state on their etsy shop.

Yellow + Type + Texas + Affordable = I might have to buy this. By Parada Creations

I love the hand-drawn type here. By Mandipidy

New Design: The Turquoise Pear Etsy Shop

2011-07-12T12:42:00.000-05:00

My super awesome and very talented cousin, Amy, recently decided to open up an etsy shop to showcase her fabulous baby and children's gifts. Amy is very crafty, and is great with a sewing machine, but when it came to her logo and store banner she called me for help. I was thrilled to be a small part of her new shop. Amy had a pretty good idea of what she wanted the design to look like (feminine, image of a pear, modern), so after a couple of quick rounds we were all set. It was fun to work with Amy on this project, and I wish her all the best in this new online adventure. Each of her precious gifts showcase her talent and incredible sense of style. I know the store will be a success and I know exactly where I will buy my next baby shower gift.

Make sure you check out her store!

New Design: Jill & Riley's Vineyard Wedding

2011-07-08T14:14:00.001-05:00

I met Jill and Riley on a chilly Chicago afternoon and was instantly warmed by their sincere and friendly personalities. Within seconds of meeting them, I knew they were going to be a very fun couple to work with. They are getting married at a beautiful Sonoma Vineyard in August, and wanted their invitations to reflect the natural elements of the destination and their casual, fun-loving personalities. They both have a love for the outdoors – biking in particular – and are getting married in wine country, so it seemed fitting that we outfit their whole stationery suite with a tandem bicycle filled with wine. I ended up illustrating the bike with pen and ink to give it a hand-made, natural vibe. Jill and Riley's thermography wedding invitation suite, thank you notes and rehearsal invites turned out beautifully.

Jill and I have a lot more up our sleeve for the actual wedding, plus Riley's mom is throwing a big Ohio shin-dig for all the guests that can't travel to the actual ceremony. I will have to show you those at a later date, but I can hardly wait...

The invitation with the custom liner and wrap around label. The liner really helped pull everything together into a cohesive bunch.

I love the labels. They set the mood for the entire package inside.

Thermography is quickly becoming a favorite of mine.

Close up of the bicycle. We struggled to find an antique illustration that we liked so drawing it was the best option. Jill plans to use the bike on all sorts of goodies.

The rehearsal dinner invite continued to play off of the same theme. It is simple but the big orange heart gives a fun pop of color. The natural envelopes help set it apart from everything else.

Hope you enjoy! Have a fabulous weekend.

Remembering a Master: Cy Twombly

2011-07-06T17:21:00.000-05:00

Untitled 1972

Camino Real (II), 2010

The Rose (II), 2008

One of my favorite artists, Cy Twombly, passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer. Since being introduced to Twombly's work as a freshman in college, I have always been inspired by his energetic lines, purposeful colors, dominating scale and scribbly handwriting in his work. Today while looking at his online gallery and website, I was overcome with emotion. His work is striking on so many levels, especially when seen in person. I am so grateful that the Art Institute of Chicago had a Twombly exhibit last year that featured some of his most current works. He truly is a master of line and movement. Twombly will never be replaced and his work has forever changed the art world. I am grateful for him as an artist, and the freedom and inspiration found within his brushstrokes.

Above are a couple of my favorites from his online gallery. All images copyright the artist.

Inspiration Overload: Lumadessa Prints

2011-07-05T15:52:00.000-05:00

I am over-the-moon-in-love with these prints from Lumadessa, the boutique print shop of artist and designer Josh Brill. How have I not seen these until today??? They are remarkable. I am trying to come up with the perfect words to describe them, but fear that I may fall short so I will keep it simple – the shape, the color, the positive and negative space are all sublime. I think I need one, but which one???

Happy Fourth: Celebrating America!

2011-07-01T17:53:00.000-05:00

I am on a bit of a travel poster kick right now. My current craving for a vacation is a little insane. There are a couple of trips planned in my near future, but I wish that time would travel a little faster. The beautiful posters below were created around 1937 for the WPA to promote American tourism. They have always been some of my favorites – the top one with the horse actually started my obsession of Montana which I still need to visit. The beautiful colors and simple shapes are almost as stunning as the actual American landscapes. There is so much out there to see. What are your favorite American destinations? Some of mine include Maine, Sedona, and Santa Fe.

Happy Long Weekend! July Fourth always makes me happy – maybe it is the friends, the bbq, the fireworks, or it may just be that I am proud to be American. We aren't perfect by any means, but this is my home and I am proud of it.

images via

New Design: Elyse & Josh's Hometown Wedding Invitation

2011-06-29T16:51:00.001-05:00

When Elyse and Josh approached me about designing their wedding invitations a few things were very clear from the start: they wanted invitations that clearly expressed who they were as a couple, they had a modern, organic and playful sense of style, and they were not afraid to experiment with printing and color. We played around with multiple design options and finally settled on a "hometown" themed invitation that showcased (through blind impression) the beautiful rivers and lakes of Rochester, NY. Elyse and Josh both cherish time outdoors – hiking, biking and camping, which made this design a perfect fit.

Response Card

With matching envelopes

Elyse & Josh's monogram

The design consisted of a deep, earthy green that matched both the outer and RSVP envelope. We also created a custom compass rose monogram that Elyse plans to use throughout the wedding. The final invitation suite was printed by Letterpress Chicago who did a fantastic job with the detailed blind impression map.

Intrigued and Inspired By: Montreal's New Tourism Campaign

2011-06-28T17:46:00.000-05:00

These crazy creatures have been on my radar for the past month or so. I keep spotting them both in print and online. I was instantly hooked by their curious presence (What are they?) and by the beautiful illustration quality (Can we say yes to color and line?). Reid forwarded me the above ad from the New Yorker this morning, and I decided it was time to start digging. This group of hybrid animals are the voice of Montreal's tourism campaign. It is hard to find out much about them–which is an utter shame. In my opinion, these guys could be a huge success. Why you ask? They are quirky and visually stimulating. They have distinct personalities that are witty and humorous. And, they are WAY out of the box for current advertising trends.

Bearcan: not to be read beercan, but half bear and half toucan


Deerus: Half Walrus Half Deer


Squirrog: Half Squirrel Half Frog

The Ceagle Brothers: Half Eagle Half Cat

I just adore them all. We are actually headed to Montreal with Reid's parents for a weekend vacation, and I might stalk these ads all over town. I am hoping they are easier to find in Montreal. Until I find out more, does anyone know what agency or illustrator is behind this? I want to give them the credit they deserve.

Starting a Vintage Sign Letter Collection...

2011-06-27T18:53:00.000-05:00

via

I am finally going to stop talking about how much I love old sign letters, and I am going to do something about it. I am starting a collection - today (or tomorrow after you help me make my first purchase decision). This collection is going to be legendary (at least for me). Old letters make me so happy.

In 2005, I tried to start my collection with a beautiful 2 foot plastic "A" (seen here in my first Chicago Apartment) that I bought at Standard Deluxe during the Old 280 Boogie Woogie in Waverly, Alabama. It was quite a conversation piece in every place I lived. Since it was such a treasured find and my first authentic vintage sign letter, I always placed it in a prominent spot for all to see. People, especially my husband, didn't understand why I had a giant "A" as decoration. They just didn't get it. I bought an "A" because it is one of my favorite typographic forms. I guess an "L" or a "C" would have needed less explanation, but they are boring letterforms. Sadly my "Waverly A" was knocked off of a shelf by Russell, the cat, about a year ago. I was devastated.

Which brings me to today...
I am going to start my new collection with an obvious letterform, "B". Since I got married, I finally have a great typographic form that doesn't require explanation. Today, I started researching old sign letters, and I found a great place to buy them online called Bay City Cargo. I am also swooning over Kidimo (pictured above). They are a Parisian boutique specializing in found letters. They are out of my price range, but their studio and letter pieces are amazingly inspirational.

I need your help with my "B".

My two favorites from Bay City Cargo are below. Which one do you like? Leave a comment and let me know. I am buying one of the two tomorrow depending on which one gets the most votes.

Option #1: Red See-through Plastic (17 inches tall)

Option #2: Worn Plastic (17 inches tall)

Also, if anyone has any flea markets or antique stores that have sign letters please let me know. Thanks!!!

Type Inspiration

2011-06-24T15:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! The weather is weird again in Chicago, but I am still very excited about the upcoming weekend. Why, you ask? Because I am going to be lazy... do a little work, clean up a bit and relax. I can't wait.

To end the week, I wanted to share a couple of extremely inspirational typographic images that I have been hoarding lately over on pinterest. I hope you enjoy!

This one pretty much speaks for itself. It is and incredibly beautiful combination of type, antique wood and color.

I am also slightly obsessed with this one. It is hand drawn and each mark and scribble has a life of its own. STUNNING!

I am intrigued by this G. I love the mathematical precision mixed with a little unexpected and organic flare.

Tickets to Spain (check)

2011-06-22T17:39:00.000-05:00

After a lot of back and forth on destination, searching for flight deals and figuring out the amount of time I could take off work, we finally booked two tickets to Madrid for Reid's Bar Trip. For all the non-lawyers out there, myself included, this is a trip to celebrate the completion of the Bar Exam and is also the final big vacation before starting the "real world" at a law firm with LONG hours and unexpected last minute deadlines. I am so excited to travel to Spain as it has been a dream destination ever since my parents went to Barcelona for the 1992 Olympics. The Spanish culture, art and design has always been a huge inspiration to me, and I cannot wait to see it all in person.

Both posters are from David Klein's famous TWA poster series created in 1960. I really appreciate and respect most of his illustration work, but his travel posters are among my absolute favorites. These colorful illustrations capture the beauty of Spanish culture through the movement and fashion of matadors and flamenco dancers. I simply don't agree with bull fighting at all so we will not be attending one, but matadors do have a very strong historical presence. On the other hand, flamenco dancing is breathtaking and I do want to check seeing the "real thing" off of my to-do list. Klein captures the over-the-top elegance of both outfits beautifully. Also, the color combinations used combined with the extreme spacial relationship of the figures are what make them memorable piece of design history. Are the typefaces cliche? Totally, but I like the kitschy Spanish vibe.

Does anyone have any Spanish recommendations for our trip?

New Design: Save the Dates for both Melissa and Liz

2011-06-21T17:02:00.000-05:00

Awhile ago, two friends of mine from different walks of life (childhood and Atlanta during grad school) approached me about designing their wedding stationery. I was thrilled beyond words because both Liz and Melissa were fantastic girls with elegant style. Plus they were my first two weddings to design outside of Chicago.

Melissa and Marc wanted a simple but elegant save the date that showed their zest for life and extreme love for one another. Their engagement photos were spectacular and we couldn't decide on just one feature photo. So we played up the photographs and went minimal on the type. The back of the card simply mimics the design on the front and gives the guest a bit more information. Melissa's invitations are also stunning. I get to pick them up in a couple of days and cannot wait to see the final outcome.

Liz and Darren wanted a Save the Date that set the tone for their "old world elegance" wedding in Houston, Texas this fall. Liz knew what she wanted: scroll work, elegant typefaces and eggplant purple. We played around with multiple options, but decided on the regal design seen below. Another childhood friend, Becky of Rebecca Todd Photography, took their stunning engagement photos and was also in charge of printing them on a beautiful pearlized/sparkly photo paper (sorry for the glare on the photo). Liz's Save the Dates definitely set the tone for everything else to come. Her invitations are going to be out of this world elegant.

Time Flies...

2011-06-20T16:20:00.000-05:00

When you are married to your best friend.

Sorry for the bit of cheese in the title, but it's truly how I feel! Yesterday marked our 1 year anniversary. It is hard to believe that a year ago we go married in the humidity and heat of the Georgia mountains. The first year of marriage has had a lot of ups, very few downs and a LOT of learning experiences. All in all, I am still the happiest girl in the world...

Especially since Reid surprised me with a trip to Graham Elliot last night for dinner. I have been wanting to go there for a very long time and was completely shocked when he pulled up to the door. We even got a tour of the kitchen. Reid knows that one of the keys to my heart is through good food and great ambiance.

I cannot wait to see what this year brings for us.

(oh and sorry for not posting for the past few days - our Internet has been in and out. It is finally fixed and I have a lot to share this week)

Dreaming of Glass Door Knobs...

2011-06-15T21:27:00.000-05:00

via

For as long as I can remember, I have loved glass door knobs. I admit it is quite odd to have loved such a strange item since I was a little girl, but it is true none-the-less. I blame my mother and her parents (Mama and Papa) for my obscure love of vintage hardware. Since we put the offer on our house, I have decided that I want glass door knobs on all of our doors. And, I don't want the new but made to look old knobs, I want the real thing. So, I have started my hunt on ebay for the perfect authentic door knobs. Do you know of any good places to find squeaky old knobs?

I love this red door. Maybe I should paint our interior doors???

Someday I would love glass knobs in the kitchen too.

Anthropologie always has good knobs. These would look beautiful if I can't find the real thing...

Inspiration Overload: Abigail Brown's Handmade Creatures

2011-06-14T16:53:00.001-05:00

Today, while taking a quick creative break, I stumbled upon Abigail Brown's beautiful, handmade creations. I was instantly blown away by the incredible, tactile quality of each bird and her immense attention to detail. She creates each one with found and bought fabrics both old and new. I am dying to own one of her animals. Hopefully one day I will. If you have time make sure to check out all of Abigail's work on etsy and her website.

Happy Friday!

2011-06-10T14:58:00.001-05:00

Our "home" went under contract earlier today!!! I am SO excited and just hope all goes well with the inspection and appraisal. Then we can close and the home will officially be ours.

Ahhhh...

"Home Sweet Home," well, not really but almost...

I feel like I am on top of the world right now, just like this amazing super hero dachshund. What an amazing photo, right? It made me laugh on this busy Friday afternoon.

Hope you all have a very happy weekend.

New Design: Asha's Monogram & Letterpress Stationery

2011-06-09T14:38:00.000-05:00

Asha approached me right after the New Year about designing a custom monogram for a set of nice personal stationery. She wanted the design to be sophisticated enough to send to work colleagues and business connections, but also whimsical enough for everyday friendly snail-mail. She nailed down the monogram design very quickly, but it took awhile to decide on color and layout for the final stationery. In the end, Asha chose a beautiful blue letterpress design (printed by Boxcar Press) that is both classy and playful, and the liner adds so much depth. I know I would be very excited to get a note from Asha in the mail, but maybe I am biased?!?

House to Home...

2011-06-08T16:32:00.002-05:00

via

I think I have mentioned it before, but Reid and I are in the full on search for our first home. I have read everywhere that it is an intense and stressful process, but, even with the warning, I was expecting it to be a breeze. I truly love looking at homes and interior spaces, so how hard could it be, right?

Now I can speak from experience (as minimal as it may be), it is tough. We fortunately have an AMAZING realtor who is caring, funny and listens to our crazy concerns. We have seen a little bit of everything, and I have fallen in love with a couple of places, have been side-swept by crazy amenities in others (steam shower anyone?) and have been slightly disappointed with how boring some are.

So, as of yesterday, we put in our first offer. EEEEKKKK!!! I am so anxious, and am trying desperately not to get my hopes up until the deal is sealed. Amidst all of my analyzing of things to fix, dreaming of new furniture and scoping out the hot new paint colors, I am trying to remind myself what a "home" is. It doesn't really matter what it looks like. What matters is how you live in it and the memories you make. Deep in my heart, I know that home is what you make of it.

I will keep you posted on the process, I promise :)

New Design: Elena & Tom's Chicago Wedding

2011-06-06T14:18:00.001-05:00

Last Friday, our good friends Elena and Tom tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony at the Chicago Cultural Center, one of my favorite architectural spots in the Windy City. I was thrilled to be a part of such an incredible ceremony and event. It was very obvious that the new Mr. and Mrs. Gorman are full of love for each other and are surrounded by amazing friends and family.

About eight months ago, Tom approached me about designing their wedding stationery. He has a passion for letterpress and typography, and wanted the design to express that passion through their wedding invitations. We mixed traditional with edgy to create their look in both color and font to mimic the couples energetic and contemporary style. Their monogram is a playful and modern twist on the original logo of the Chicago Public Library, which was located in the Cultural Center until 1991. We had a lot of fun designing and tweaking the entire suite which included the save the date (posted here), invitation, reply card, outer envelope with custom liner, mailing label, programs, save the dates and day-of signage.

Elena and Tom's monogram is loosely based off of the original Chicago Public Library logo.


Invitation and Envelope with liner and label

programs

Wedding direction sign

Judging a Book by it's Cover: Vaclav & Lena

2011-06-03T14:59:00.000-05:00

Last weekend while walking through our neighborhood Barne's and Noble, escaping the torrential downpour in Chicago for a long city block, I was stopped dead in my tracks by the beautiful new book, Vaclav & Lena. I have a very bad habit of judging books by their covers, and this one is the best I have seen in a LONG time. The overall cool color palette is captivating with a modern edge. Even though the colors are beautiful they seem a bit dissonant. After reading the synopsis the minimal colors seem to be a visual clue to the interesting and sometimes sad plot. As much as I love the muted palette, the hand cut ampersand and type were the design elements that fully engage my attention. The type and flourishes bleed in and out of each other establishing the close bond between the main characters of the book. Not to mention, I am a huge fan of birds even if they are cliche right now. It is quite refreshing to find an illustrator stepping away from the digital world to create beautiful and unique designs. I did a quick Internet search to find the designer/illustrator but struck out. Does anyone know who designed this? They deserve MAJOR credit and I am sorry I cannot currently provide it.

Vaclav & Lena, by first time novelist Haley Tanner, has been reviewed quite favorably by the New York Times. As soon as I finish my huge stack of current books, I will definitely be read this one!

Have a great weekend!

Found Monogram Inspiration

2011-06-01T15:29:00.000-05:00

It feels so good to be back blogging (just had to say that)!

As many of you know, I am an avid admirer of typography (pardon the alliteration there), especially when it deals with vintage and handmade lettering. My absolute favorite thing to both find as inspiration and to draw are monograms. Over the past few weeks I have been working on a few new monogram designs. When I work with a client on a custom monogram it is supremely important to me that I really get a feel for who they are and what they are looking for. Not only to I jump into my sketch book with very sharp pencils and giant erasers, I also scour the Internet looking for any historic monogram or vintage lettering that speaks to me. One of my current clients sent me a beautiful example from an old embroidery book as her starting inspiration. Eventually she wants to get her custom monogram embroidered into sheets, pillows, etc, which is so exciting for me because it means I am moving out of the paper only realm. While researching her monogram, I stumbled across these beautiful samples. Can we say inspiration overload!!! Hope you enjoy them as much as I do. They were truly inspiring for my first round sketches.

This monogram is stunning, and completely done by hand!

These are from an old book that a fellow blogger found. I am so jealous of it!

Back at It: A Sneak Peak into Carla & Rich's Wedding Weekend

2011-05-31T16:26:00.000-05:00

Reid and I bought wood and painted the direction signs by hand.

After taking a little bit longer than expected break from the blog, I am back at it today. As I mentioned, I needed to take some time to dive head first into freelancing full-time. The past couple of weeks have been a complete whirlwind, but I am absolutely loving every minute of it. Even after the short period of time, I know I made the right decision.

Last week, was filled with last minute design details for Carla and Rich's wedding. I have previously shown their Save the Dates and Invitation Suite, but I also did all the paper for both the Welcome Dinner and the Wedding Ceremony and Reception. On Sunday evening, after torrential downpour all weekend, the skies finally cleared to allow for an absolutely stunning wedding on the lake.

Carla will always go down in history as my first "official" client. She came to me right after my wedding to see if I would design hers. It was a HUGE undertaking (I actually think I designed more for her big day than I did for my own), but it was totally worth it. It also showed me all the different things I can design for future brides. Being a wedding stationery designer is so rewarding! I was able to work with Carla through every step and, hopefully, I made her day exactly what she expected. Carla was a blast to work with and I am so happy for Rich and her.

I will be posted a lot more about their wedding in the near future (I want to get professional photos also), but I wanted to give you a sneak peak into the weekend...

Above is the invitation for Carla & Rich's Welcome Dinner. I made a custom pattern based off of a fabric Carla had sent me. She wanted the party to have an subtle American theme since it was Memorial Day weekend. In the end, the softball game had to be canceled due to weather, but it was still a fun event with delicious BBQ and great people. I designed the water bottle labels below as well!

I designed all the signs for the wedding also. The above sign is for her favors. More pictures are coming soon and I am so excited to share them with you!

A New Chapter

2011-05-17T19:46:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was officially my last day of teaching (at least for the foreseeable future). I resigned a few months ago to focus on my steadily grown freelance design, illustration and stationery company Chena Design. And so today, I began the new chapter in my life as a full-time designer.

I woke up this morning with very mixed emotions. Don't get me wrong, I am very excited about my transition into full-time freelance. The past couple of months have been a whirlwind trying to balance teaching and design. But I am also going to miss the classroom, my fellow instructors and, mostly, my wonderful students. Over the past two and a half years I have been so inspired by the creativity and passion of my students. I cannot wait to see what each of them does in the future. Above are a couple of pictures from one of my favorite teaching memories, our field trip last summer to Hamilton Wood Type Museum in Wisconsin.

I may take a small break (no more than a week) from the blog to fully transition into my new lifestyle. I cannot believe I am actually freelancing full-time!!! It has been a dream for quite some time. Stay tuned for lots of new and exciting things.

Help Me Pick the Perfect Dress!

2011-05-13T18:03:00.000-05:00

This is a very different post for me as it doesn't have much to do with design or my inspiration. It is actually more about my total lack of decision making skills. Basically, I have been dying to try Rent the Runway for some time now, and in the next couple of months I have numerous weddings to attend. All of which need a cute, festive, and unique dress. So, weddings + dresses = rent a designer dress, FINALLY!!! The only problem, I will procrastinate my decision (as I do with all online shopping) until the last minute and then none of the dresses I like will be available. This is where you come in. Below are four of my favorites designer gowns and I am going to let you, my readers, pick one for me. I PROMISE to wear whichever one you choose (as long as it fits) and will post pics of the event.

In order to cast your vote, please leave a comment with the dress you like and why. I will be taking votes over the weekend, and will order the dress on Monday at noon central time. I am very excited about this little experiment and cannot wait for the outcome. Happy weekend and happy voting!!!

Dress 1 by Shoshanna: Crazy Pattern

Dress 2 by ADAM: Delicate Frills

Dress 3 by Thread Social: Short Sophistication

Dress 4 by Nicole Miller: Long and Colorful

Inspiration Overload: Fred Eerdekens

2011-05-11T15:36:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness...
I am in inspiration heaven. I am not really sure how it is that I have never heard of Fred Eerdekens before, but I am really glad I found him today. The Belgian artist creates breathtaking installations that use light and very purposely placed objects to create typographic spaces. I might have an immediate obsession. If only I could find one of his pieces in a nearby gallery or musuem. They are just cool beyond words. Can you imagine walking around a gallery space looking soley at the beautiful objects when all of a sudden you reach the position where the lights and objects collide to form a shadow of words??? I can barely contain myself I am so excited.

*All images from Eerdekens website.

Chicago Family Fun & Going Back Soda Shop Style

2011-05-10T14:16:00.001-05:00

The Fam in front of Lincoln Park Zoo

This past weekend was a whirlwind of incredible sight-seeing, showing off Chicago and quality family time with my brothers. There were six of us, plus the two cats, staying in our 1.5 bedroom apartment so we were quite cozy for the full three days. Thank goodness the weather was beautiful for the most part and we were able to enjoy the outdoors. My youngest brother and his girlfriend had never been to the Windy City so we crammed in about as much as you can in 3 days of Chicago. We saw the Cubs play, walked by the Bean and Millennium Park, went to Second City, walked Michigan Ave, visited the animals at Lincoln Park Zoo and ate a LOT (Chicago Dog, Deep Dish Pizza, Tapas, Molly's Cupcakes, etc). It was a seriously fun weekend and I can't wait to do it again next year.

David and me at Wrigley. David has always wanted to see the Cubs play at home.

Everyone left yesterday morning, but the fun continued. Some of ouur friends are moving back to Atlanta next week so we met them for a final Chicago dinner last night. Dinner was great, but dessert was inspirational. We went to Margie's Candy, a Chicago legend that I hadn't heard of. As soon as you walk in the door you step back in time about 40-50 years to the time when soda shops were the thing to do. The wood paneling, mirrored chandeliers, and gold foil made it a kitchy heaven. Plus the food was yummy! My ice cream sundae was the largest two scoops of ice cream I have ever seen, and I got my own hot fudge on the side. AMAZING!!! This has almost instantly become a favorite place of mine in Chicago.

Amazing, right?

The personal jukebox was so fun, but I couldn't get it to work.

The beautiful neon sign may be my favorite part of the whole place. The script font is too perfect for words.

Supposedly the Beatles loved Margie's. This is a case with historic memorabilia.

It is really hard to get back to work, not to mention a healthy diet, after such a fun few days.

Little Girls and Horses

2011-05-06T12:36:00.001-05:00

Both of my brothers and their significant others are heading into Chicago as I write. I am giddy with excitement especially since David, my youngest brother, has never been to the Windy City. So, for the weekend, we are living it up tourist style. It makes this beautiful May weekend, which is one of my favorite weekends of all year, even better. Why is it normally on my list of top weekends? The Kentucky Derby!!!

For as long as I can remember, I have adored horses. At around age 8 I remember watching my first Kentucky Derby and thinking it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Since then, I have watched almost every derby. I make a day of it. I sit for an embarrassingly long period of time in front of the tv, normally with computer and design near by, and watch the beautiful horses run like the wind. I eat it all up to the point that I have decided that I can't go to or host derby parties because I can't pay enough attention to the races. Since the my brothers are in town, I will not be able to watch hours of coverage, but I am going to be sure to watch the race. I have some favorites, but I am kinda superstitious and can't tell you yet.

In honor of the derby, I am posting pics of my favorite thoroughbreds of all time.

via

I feel like Barbaro is kind of a cliche favorite considering his sad and well publicised story, but he is on my list. I was borderline obsessed with him before the Derby, and he was my clear choice to win. I am still saddened that his life was cut short.

via
\

Man O' War was a super horse in 1919 and 1920. He was also one of my first Beyer model horses (of which I had too many to count). A girl always remembers her first favorite toy, right?

via

Rags to Riches is my favorite girl of the group. I thought she was going to be the next Barbaro, but then her trainer didn't enter her in the Derby. She is a beauty and a true athlete that proved she could run with the boys.

via

Secretariat tops my list! I fell in love with him as a very little girl - way before the movie.

via

Unbridled is another one of my favorites. I remember watching him win in 1990 as a 9 year old. I thought he was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen.

I wish all the horses and their jockeys the best tomorrow! I can't wait to see who wins.

Wallpaper, Wallpaper, Wallpaper...

2011-05-05T16:53:00.000-05:00

Wallpaper is all over my favorite blogs recently and I am loving it! It can add such a nice splash of color, pattern and decoration to any wall. I have dreams of doing a half bath in a crazy wallpaper someday.

This one by Kimberley Lewis Home and spotted on Design*Sponge this morning may be my absolute favorite. I love the soft graphic quality and the yellow and gray. It feels classic and refreshingly modern at the same time.

This is my other favorite from Kimberly Lewis. Not to mention I LOVE the yellow bag.

This dresser refinishing project was done by my college friend, Ashley, over on the Homemade Home. I love the small touch of patterned wallpaper in the back of the bookshelf.

This one from AphroChic (and originally seen on Elements of Style) is striking! Yellow has always been my favorite color, and this wallpaper reminds me why.

This one, on Apartment Therapy today, is probably a bit much for me, but I love the vintage style wallpaper and the pale yellow tiles.

Last, this crazy bird pattern is from the new Anthropologie wallpaper line. Thanks Sarah for posting about these because I am now obsessed.

Busy Day Indeed & Molly's Monogram Process

2011-05-04T17:13:00.001-05:00

I have been so swamped in the studio lately that Agador has adopted my printer as his new nap pad during the day. I guess it is the only way he feels like he can spend quality time with me. I must admit, it is really nice to have company, even of the feline variety, as I tediously design-away on my computer.

In other exciting news, I have been spending a lot of my time working on a bunch of new monograms. I finished one yesterday for my good friend Molly. She was looking for something whimsical and feminine with a bit of attitude. She is so excited about the end result, and I am equally as thrilled. Below are the pencil sketches to show the full process. I am going to keep the final version a secret for now because Molly is planning to use the monogram in beautiful stationery.

This monogram was a bit too formal for Molly. Although she like it, she wanted her monogram to express her sweet, professional and spunky personality.

This one was a bit too elegant, but on the right track. In our conversations, Molly kept mentioning the curls on the end. So, we ended up keeping those :)

Maybe this sketch was too informal and too playful??? We both nixed this one pretty quickly, but liked the bubbly attitude it had.

In the end we merged a little bit of 2 and a little bit of 3 to create the above final pencil sketch. I love the outcome, but what makes me really ecstatic is how much Molly seems to like it. The digital version is just a cleaned up version of this.

Hope you enjoy!

New Design: Savanna's Wedding Program

2011-05-03T10:45:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, the soon-to-be bride of one of my brother's best friends contacted me to do a VERY quick program for her wedding, which was three weeks away. Savanna wanted something simple that required absolutely no fuss, but that was also beautiful and went with her plum colored elegant wedding. We used the template from my wedding program and I created a simple scroll pattern to add a little flare. Because of time constraints we printed them on my large scale Epson printer at home. The turned out beautifully and "I hope" they made Savanna's day even a bit more special. My sister-in-law, Sarah, was at the wedding and provided me with the attached photos. Hope you enjoy!

Inspiration Overload: Ed Nacional

2011-04-29T17:07:00.001-05:00

I have seen Ed Nacional's amazing type design for some time (particularly in the New York Times), but each time I see something new I am blown away. The Brooklyn based designer has a real knack for innovative, unique and creative ways to showcase conceptual typography. Above are some of his swoon worthy pieces. Over the weekend you should check out is full site and fall as in love as I am.

Happy Friday!