I spy...Emi Ink in the news!

I'm not ashamed to say that I let out a little squeal of excitement at the sight of my invitations in the Sunday newspaper. I may have even jumped out of bed and done a little happy dance in my PJs. But it's not like I told my husband to run out immediately and pick up 10 copies of the paper...we agreed that 3 copies was more than sufficient.

But seeing my designs -- vague ideas that once lived in my head that are now in print -- surrounded by my comments (eloquently translated by Nadine Kam, Style Editor for Honolulu Star-Advertiser), has left me with a feeling of...oh, what do you call it...something similar to and vaguely resembling...validation.

I love this job more than I thought I could love any job. I love my clients, love the design process, and I love the fact that everything that's cranked out in my studio will be part of a celebration of love, a milestone event, a fond remembrance, a very special occasion. But this job is also a lot of work and so often, the required multi-tasking is overwhelming and the days start to blend together with no beginning and no end.

It is such a nice boost to my energy (and mood) when I'm reminded of all the reasons I love what I do. ♥

Sweet damask

Have you checked out the Fall/Winter 2009 issue of Hawaii Bride & Groom Magazine? My talented friends from Vignette did the set design for the cover story and it is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L! Love the artsy look and feel that they whipped up.

Also in this issue...

A few months back I was asked to come up with table cards for a photo spread highlighting the popular damask trend that's been spotted just about everywhere! Usually mainstream color combos are the superstars of the wedding season, so it thrills me that a PATTERN is so popular among brides and grooms these days.


Our table was dressed in linens by REA Events and topped with custom damask runners. SU-V Expressions contributed the pretty florals and Cakeworks provided all the delicious goodies for the dessert table. The minute the photo shoot was over, this hungry crew of wedding vendors couldn't wait to sample all the desserts.

Here's a shot of one of my table cards with a custom-designed stand:

And the pièce de résistance, the gorgeous damask cake by Cakeworks:

Photos by Stefanie and Anna Riedel

Carisse + Todd

I adore my clients. I really do. And it's such a great feeling when my clients are inspired by my design aesthetic and see all the possibilities of using wedding stationery as an important element of decor. My clients, Carisse and Todd, are a great example of the perfect marriage that takes place between client + designer when a clear, shared vision becomes reality.

I started working with Carisse back in May 2008 after she spotted my work at the Wedding Expo. What transpired after that brief meeting was a wonderful collaboration of ideas and designs that resulted in a laundry list of custom stationery pieces. For this destination wedding couple, I created:

Luggage tag inserts
Save the dates
Engagement party invitations
Wedding invitations

Bridal shower thank you cards
Itineraries for welcome baskets

Flip-flop tags
Table number cards
Escort cards
Programs
Menu cards

Reserved seating cards
Restroom signs
Restroom basket signs
At-home reception invitations

And I'm wrapping up this lovely paper journey with a scrapbook that the couple will be displaying at their at-home receptions in a couple of weeks. I haven't had a chance to photograph all the pieces that I created for them yet, so thank goodness for the gorgeous photos by Chrissy Lambert Photography! Check out some of the photos at styleschool (the cool wedding blog by InStyle Weddings) and on the cakelava blog (check out their insane cake here).

I spy...

Big mahalo to Hawaii Bride & Groom for the nice shout out on their web site! Click on over to see photos of some of my latest custom projects!

Happy Earth Day!

Just a few hours left of Earth Day, but I really wanted to get this post in before the stroke of midnight. The Spring/Summer 2009 issue of Hawaii Bride and Groom magazine is set to hit newsstands any day now and I was excited to be able to contribute designs for one of the feature articles, "Eco Chic Ideas."

Recently, I've had a few clients who chose to bypass USPS in favor of hand delivering their invitations. Granted, their small celebrations didn't warrant an out-of-control guest count, but I thought it was a refreshing delivery method all the same. The handmade burlap pouches that I created for the magazine spread is perfect for housing invitations and the usual enclosures and provides guests with a reusable bag long after the invitation has been tossed aside. The pouch was handstitched and finished with a hemp cord loop and bamboo button closure, while the invitation was printed and mounted on recycled paper stock.

Check out Hawaii Bride and Groom for more details!

Your Wedding Day

In October of last year, I was lucky enough to be part of an amazing photo shoot for YWD Magazine. Sandra Williams of Finishing Touch was tasked with designing the look, and what transpired was a beautifully eclectic, old Hawaii meets modern world, breathtakingly fresh design that we were all excited to be a part of.

Here's the line-up of wedding professionals that helped to transform her vision into reality:

Yvonne Design
cakelava
Emi Ink
Les Saisons
blufotografica


Drawing inspiration from the Capiz shell lotus-shaped chandelier and the vibrant yellow from the rattan chairs, I created a set of menus and place cards to complement the decor.

The layouts and editorials in YWD Magazine are just gorgeous and if you're a cakelava fan (aren't we all?) there's also a great one-page write-up about the superstar husband and wife team, Rick and Sasha Reichart. Pick up the latest issue of YWD at Barnes & Noble!

All photos provided by the talented Brad Uyehara of blufotografica.

"First Impressions"

After sharing the Fantasy Tables feature in Hawaii Bride & Groom magazine a couple of weeks ago, I realized that I also wanted to share another feature that was near and dear to my heart...the one on invitations! Here's a little background info on the designs that Emi Ink submitted for the "First Impressions" feature.


In the "Classic" category, I decided to go with an elegant pocketfold-style invitation in pearlescent white. A gold paisley pattern on the matte and on the pocket trim gave it a sophisticated elegance.

In the "Tropical" category, I wanted to highlight the 'ulu (breadfruit) pattern and used a single die-cut piece as the focal point. Two layers of champagne and chocolate brown metallic cardstock were layered on a background matte made of woven bark.

I wanted to offer a variety of fun color combinations in the "Modern" category and decided on these three designs. The first design pairs a bright fuchsia with an apple green and a whimsical floral/butterfly design. The second design is bolder with a deep eggplant purple, an abstract floral design and an ivory satin ribbon embellishment. The third design (and one of my all-time faves!) is sweet and delicate with tiny cherry blossoms, clear Swarovski crystals and a lovely color combination of soft pink and platinum.

The Fall/Winter 2008 issue of Hawaii Bride & Groom magazine is on newsstands now!

Sweet Fantasy

Ahh, the sweetest table of them all...

Seeing this decor brought an instant smile to my face. The vibrant colors, lovely floral combinations and unexpected embellishments (like Rainier cherries!) were perfect for the Sweet Fantasy table.

For this table decor, I created a table name card with a playful striped backdrop, accented with soft pink Swarovski crystals and secured with a duo-tone paper pinwheel clip.


Be sure to pick up the current issue of Hawaii Bride & Groom to see the complete table decor that I've shared with you this week. The designers behind these fantasies are truly inspiring!

Table design: Sandra Williams of Finishing Touch
Floral design: Michelle Maeda of Flower Girls
Linen underlay and napkins: Les Saisons
Tableware, chairs and stools: Pier 1 Imports
Table name card design: Emi Ink
Location: Anela Garden

Vintage Fantasy

I love the vintage look of this table. Gold, red, ivory...everything about this tablescape is elegant and classic.


For the menu cards, I printed the text on an irridescent champagne cardstock and used an imported gold embossed matte with an intricate floral pattern. This was probably my favorite design that I came up with for the fantasy themed tables.


Tomorrow, I'll wrap up Hawaii Bride & Groom's Fantasy Tables feature with the most playful tables of them all, the Sweet Fantasy!

Table design: Su-V Expressions & REA Events and Designs
Floral design: Sueveangela Yamaguchi of Su-V Expressions
Linen & Canopy: REA Events and Designs
Menu design: Emi Ink
Location: Anela Garden

Luxurious Fantasy

The Luxurious Fantasy table featured in Hawaii Bride & Groom was all about crystal accents, platinum and silver hues, and gorgeous Phalaeonopsis orchids and Polo and Andian crystal roses. You can check out the full table decor when you pick up a copy of the magazine, but here are the detail shots:


The menu that I designed for this theme was covered in Swarovski crystals and printed on an imported brushed silver cardstock that shimmered from every angle.


Tomorrow we'll look at the Vintage Fantasy table!

Table and Floral design + Linens, Napkins and Tableware: Debbie Hemingway of Designs by Hemingway
Menu design: Emi Ink
Location: Anela Garden

Tropical Jungle Fantasy

The Fall/Winter 2008 issue of Hawaii Bride & Groom just hit the newsstands and I've been looking forward to sharing a couple of features with you. The first is a section called "Fantasy Tables" with lots of beautiful, dramatic, and awe-inspiring tablescapes to inspire you.

The Tropical Jungle Fantasy:


For this tabletop design, Emi Ink created the menu cards shown below. Designed with a wood-carved effect, I etched the words by hand for each of the menus...luckily, I only needed to do four menu cards!


Tomorrow, I'll share the Luxurious Fantasy table with you!

Table and Floral design + Canopy, Chairs and Linen: Yvonne Chapman of Yvonne Design
Stemware and Flatware: Pier 1 Imports
Menu design: Emi Ink
Location: Kualoa Ranch Mol'i Garden