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After our return from the Stationery Show, we were knee deep in late summer wedding invitations, and then order filling and then off to Italy (more on that later), thus no time at all for posting. After our little breather here we are again, back with images from the whirlwind of custom projects.



This is actually a job I took on two days before we left for New York. Luckily, the adapted lotus flower design (which may look familiar from the World Notes series) fit perfectly for this traditional Hindu wedding. Since it's an August affair, we kept with the warm red, yellow, orange, which also calls out to the bright colors in many Indian designs.



And then for something a little more retro-modern (hmmm... a new catchphrase?), a local Boston couple asked for a typewriter typeface paired with a contemporary layout and color scheme. Rounded corners were our first at Albertine Press.



The illustrations for this Vermont wedding were provided by the sister of the bride. Printing in the rich beet color was a cheery nod to the coming summer and flowers blossoming all around.



The super-charming barn is the actual barn at the family's summer cottage where the couple will celebrate. I just adore the little wildflowers.



This last project is one of my favorites and a long time in the making. When I first met Irene, I was completely infected by her bubbling-over excitement about the invitation process. Not only were she and Kwasi a joy to work with, but they came with a precious little nugget of an idea for me to begin their designs.

As the wedding will take place in Ghana where the two are from, Irene wanted to use a traditional Ghanean symbol called a nyame dua, but in an non-traditional way. I was able to stylize the symbol and transform it into a blossom, a branch of which created a canopy over the invitation wording. This works on many levels, as the meaning of the symbol is literally "tree of god" and symbolizes protection of God and a place where ritual occurs.



Many of the blossoms floated behind the invitation text and gathered at the bottom, but all blind debossed for a really wonderfully subtle and textural effect.



I used this project to also test out a few sample sheets of the new Arch Paper. Not only is it 100% post-consumer cotton rag, but it has the absolute most luscious feel ever. Seriously, I want to wrap this around me and wear it, or sleep in it - that's how soft, pillowy and utterly delicious this stuff is. And it takes a phenomenal impression:



Not even bruised on the reverse. Now if only I can get this in an envelope...