DeerFest

Tomorrow is the opening day of bow hunting season and sadly I know this.  I know this because my husband is an avid bow hunter.  He looks forward to hunting season so much, almost as much I look forward to sleeping in on the weekends.  Anyway, on the eve of opening day, I thought it was appropriate to post a little something about a little thing he likes to call DEERFEST.

Deerfest was developed 4 years ago, as a celebration of the upcoming hunting season.  For those of you that don't live in the rural midwest, hunting is big around here.  I mean BIG.  I am talking so big that when we have a camofalge spirit day at school EVERYONE dresses up.  So big that kids take off school to hunt.  So big that my local outlet mall hosts a huge sale the weekend of opening day in order to entice the deer "widows".  I think you get the picture.

Deerfest has evolved over the years from a redneck gathering into an actual fun party.  Yes, there is still camoflage involved, but now there is also really good food, 50/50 raffles, auction items, and of course, lots of friends and family members to spend time with.  This year for Deerfest we had t-shirts specially desgined by Michael's cousin, Joe.  Joe is a mural artist in Chicago ( you need to check him out, he is beyond awesome - http://www.joemillerwork.com/) and is pretty awesome at anything art related.  He designed some funny shirts for us and the Deerfest 2010 planning was under way.

Typically, I am removed from any Deerfest participating as it is NOT my thing.  But this year, I thought I would make a little something I had been wanting to try for awhile.  Behold - the Deerfest custom water bottle labels!!!

I am soooo excited that I can now make custom labels for water!  How fun would these be for a bridal shower, birthday party, or rehearsal dinner???  They were so easy to make and looked so cute. 

In addition to having the snazzy water labels, Katie at Remaking Memories also donated some cool stuff.  She made a custom magnet and 2 sets of custom coasters for the event:

So kudos to us for embracing Deerfest and all that it entails! 

Now I want to make more water bottle labels - what is your next event?  Let's make some and make your event special!

Adam & Elia

Recently I finished up an invitation suite that was one of my favorites to date.  Awhile ago, I began corresponding with the bride.  She and her fiance were having a fall wedding in upstate New York and were looking for something modern yet beautiful.  They liked a lot of my designs, but nothing quite fit.  So, we went to the drawing board and came up with a beautiful modified paisley design that we eventually used throughout the entire suite.

It all began with the 4x6 glossy save the date cards. 

and then the coordinating bridal shower invitations:



and then came the wedding invitation set.  The set was printed on ivory 100lb. stock with coordinating ivory envelopes.  Included were invitations, RSVP cards aand accomodation cards.

And of course, the gift I gave them for their wedding - a Christmas ornament keepsake made from their wedding invitation, by Remaking Memories:

After the invitations were sent, it was time to work on the rest of the coordinating wedding stationery.  I created coordinating thank you cards:

Favor Tags:



Table numbers:

Menu cards:

Programs:

Open House invitations for the wedding celebration in the groom's hometown:

And, finally, my favorite part.  When discussing seating charts, we both liked the idea of doing a large poster sized chart.  Elia had found an idea in a wedding magazine featuring a tree, used to show how everyone was related.  I thought that idea was so cool, so we jumped on it and the result was THIS!:

This seating chart was so beautiful, my pictures do it no justice whatsoever.  It was 18''x24" and would be displayed on an easel greeting the guests as they entered the reception.  I am so in love with this seating chart, it is my absolute favorite thing that I have ever created.

I was so grateful for this opportunity to work with Adam & Elia.  Elia was one of the sweetest people, ever.  So easy going and laid back, she was a breeze to work with!  I have known Adam for years, so it was nice to be able to make such a grand stationery set for their wedding.  I loved how everything coordinated and I was very happy with the result of everything.  Cheers to you Adam and Elia, I wish you many years of happiness!

Since this design was created just for them, I have yet to post it on my site.  This is for 2 reasons.  #1, I wanted to wait until their wedding was over before releasing their design.  #2, I have to idea what to call this invitation design!!  Do you have any ideas?  Please, leave a comment to help me name this design - all ideas are welcome.

Happy Birthday, Emily!

Tomorrow I am attending the birthday party of a very, very special girl.  My buddy (and cousin!) Emily is turning 11 next week and we are throwing her a birthday party that is right up her alley!  This chick has always been crafty and creative.  When she was a little girl she always loved playing with side walk chalk and scrapbooking.  Now, she is turning 11 and is more creative, sweet, and awesome than ever.  Throwing a birthday party for a girl this special is a hard task, but her mom and I have cooked up our best idea yet, we are having an Art themed birthday party!!

Emily is a true artist.  She is creative, talented, and fun - the perfect mix!  She has spent many days with me painting pottery, making mosaics, scrapbooking, painting watercolors, etc.  This girl has more talent than some adults that I know!  She also helped me set up my Art classroom this year and did a fabulous job on my bulletin board.  That same day, she also helped me set up my Art studio/office, so I owe her!

Her party is going to be super awesome.  We are going to create a few fun projects, and have a ball!

For her party, I created these invitations:

Sticking with the Art theme, I designed her invitations so that her name looked as if it were hand painted.  The invitations were mounted on yellow cardstock and were sent in mint colored metallic envelopes.  Each envelope had the art palette design printed on the outside.  I then addressed the envelopes and sent them in the mail to each guest.  I know that if I were a kid and got something like this in the mail, I would be so geeked!

These days, favor bags are a must do at birthday parties.  When throwing an Art party, you can't just throw together a bag of candy, you must send the kids home with the tools to create!  That is why each kid will be going home with one of these:

I printed this thank you message on the bags using the same paint palette that was on the invitation and envelope.  Aren't they cute?!  And of course, each one was printed with a different color scheme, representing all parts of the color wheel!

Inside each goody bag you will find markers, colored pencils, watercolors and several blank artworks to color!  Again, if I were a kid and got to go to a party like this, I would be the happiest girl alive!

We have tons of fun artsy activities plan, I can't wait until tomorrow!

I am so excited for this party and I am so excited to do this for Emily.  Em, you are such a great kid, I am so glad to have you in my family!!!

Do any of you have a fun birthday memory that you want to share?  I would love to hear about YOUR favorite party!!

Stu-Stu-Studio!

Last May my husband and I purchased a very cool 100 year old farm house.  This house is HUGE and has so much potential!  Though decorated with lots of wallpaper and other bursts of "pattern" we love it and it is a great home for us.

As soon as we purchased our home, my mind began racing about which room I should make into my new office/studio.  I planned on setting up this room as SOON as we moved in!  It was all I could talk about, my plan of action was to move in and get right to remodeling.

Well, I soon realized that my idea actually involved work. Lots of work.  So, needless to say, it did not happen right away (much to the amusement of my two sisters that liked to tease me about my failed plan!).

Summer hit and I finally had the time to tackle the room.  This was a HUGE project.  Under the carpeting were PAINTED hardwood floors.  Do you know how much work it is to sand through paint?!  A LOT!  Thankfully, my cousin Trish and my Aunt El helped me and we worked away, sweating and sanding for an entire day.  The results were beauitful!!

Before:

And After:

So, after the floors were sanded and varnised, it was time to paint and set up shop.  The room is not completely done, I am still holding out for some new chairs and wall decor, but it is a great start and I am loving my new workplace!!

For more photos, check out the album on my facebook page.

I also have to give a shout out to Emily, who stayed up late with me to decorate the room.  Thanks, Em!

Contest Winner!

I sure had a ball reading all of the contest entries.  Some were so sweet and some were down right funny!  Thank you to all who entered.

I am excited to announce the winner........ "Idea Gal", otherwise known as V Alden Angst.  Congratulations, I look forward to working with you to design some Christmas cards!

Again, thank you to all who entered!  I look forward to lots of blogging this week, I am very busy working today on seating charts, party favors and invites and 2 last minute wedding invitation orders.  Yipeee!

(The winner was chosen using random.org) 

Back to School! Enter the Contest today!

Remember when you were a kid and you were excited but also full of dread for the upcoming school year?  Do you remember being excited for the new opportunties, new clothes, new teachers, but dreading the blaring sound of the alarm clock?  Well, being a teacher, I go through that excitement and dread every year.  And, since tonight is the eve of the first day of school, I thought I would try to put away the dread and focus on something fun, like a contest!!

In order to participate in the contest, all you have to do is comment on this blog and share your favorite back to school memory.  What did you love the most about going back to school?  Was it your new haircut or new shoes? Did you love getting a new lunch box or seeing your friends after the long summer?  Do you have a funny or special story to share?  Whatever it is, share it! 

For me, my favorite thing was always the excitement of new school supplies!  I loved coordinating my folders and notebooks and opening up that new box of crayons - it was always such a beautiful sight!  As an Art teacher I still get to relish in this delight.  Unpacking those new supplies gets me all geeked up!

So, share your memory here and you will be entered in the contest.  It's as easy as that!  The contest will run through this Friday, so enter away!

Oh wait, what's the prize?!  I almost forgot!!  The winner will receive 50 free 4"x6" glossy photo Christmas cards! Yes, I said 50!!!!!!  Want to double your chances of winning?  Follow my blog and you will be entered twice!!

It doesn't get much better than this, so comment away and good luck!