The Three C's: Chairs, Cupcakes and Chanel

I'm a little late in posting this, but Emi Ink has a few designs featured in the current issue of Hawaii Bride & Groom magazine.

Spring/Summer 2012 edition

First up, the "Unveiled" section which highlights new products:

Chair favor boxes

I really, really love these chair boxes because they can double as favor boxes and escort cards/place cards. 

Custom printed cupcake sleeves

I had to meet photographer, Kris Labang, at his studio to shoot the cupcake sleeves and was worried about the cupcakes not looking "fresh" enough. I made a special trip to purchase the cupcakes the morning of our photo shoot and I took f-o-r-e-v-e-r to choose the flavors. Well, I actually didn't care about the flavors so much as the color of the cake and frosting. So happy with the way the photos turned out.

Another fun feature in the magazine was the "Double Vision" editorial. Vendors were tasked with creating two different tables that were similar in style, but for two different budgets. I had the opportunity to collaborate with an extremely talented group to create a Chanel-inspired set-up.

Double Vision: 1 theme + 2 tables + 2 budgets

The high-end stationery incorporated a classic black/white pattern and pearl accents. 

The look for less: double-matted menu card in pearl white and soft pink with coordinating  place card.

In the midst of chaos...more chaos!

While the "busy season" for stationers cycles a little differently than for other wedding vendors, I barely had time to catch my breath for the entire month of June. I have vague memories of side-stepping packing peanuts on the floor, scheduling client pick-ups and drop-offs, collecting an insane amount of empty Diet Coke cans next to my sink, and wondering what the sun would feel like on my face if I ever had the time to go outside (ok, maybe it wasn't THAT bad, but pretty close to it). Added to all that chaotic goodness, was sweet Merri, the event services manager at Ko`olau Ballrooms.

Ko`olau Ballrooms is a venue that's near and dear to my heart because it practically sits in my backyard. It's nestled at the base of the Ko`olau Mountains and that's not an exaggeration. This was my view when I pulled into their parking lot this morning. No photo retouching necessary, it's a gorgeous locale!

So, back to the chaos at hand, Ko`olau Ballrooms has been hosting special tastings for prospective clients. A couple of times a month, guests are invited to visit the venue, learn more about their event services, and are treated to a special tasting menu prepared by the chef. Aside from the delish food, tables are decked out with specialty linen and gorgeous floral centerpieces. I think it's such a fantastic opportunity for engaged couples to get a feel for the venue and start to envision their own special day.

Merri contacted me back in May, and I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the featured stationers for their tastings. While there typically isn't a long lead time for producing their custom printed pieces, I've had fun approaching these jobs as mini design challenges for myself. I typically produce printed menus, tented cards for the buffet table, and place cards for each guest. This is a small sampling of what I've delivered this summer:

Can't wait to find out the theme for August!

Less is more

I just did a quick scan of my studio. The picture above is true-to-size and accurately shows the only free surface space on my three large work tables. And, I guess it's not really free since there's a tiny coil of twine sitting there.

Less is more. Or, in my case, more is less. More work meant less blogging for me in the last six months. I'm so grateful for all the opportunities and wonderful clients that I've been able to work with, but I do miss blogging...dearly. The truth is, I blog for my clients (or potential clients), but I also blog for myself. My entire business represents a creative outlet for me, but it really doesn't involve a whole lot of writing. Occasionally, a bride will ask me for my input on their invitation or program wording, but I try to guide people with a light hand and don't like to impose too much of my personal style on other people.

So, six months went by with tons of work and zero blogging, and then...Nora Ephron passed away. I was a huge fan of hers and devoured everything she wrote. I was in awe of her writing style and loved the way she could paint a scene with so much wit and vivacity (or subtlety).

Anyway, long story short is that Nora's passing sparked a renewed sense of urgency to get back to writing and I decided to revisit my blog again. I never intended to stay away so long, but it feels great to be back.