Cloud Nine

One of the many perks of being a design professional is having the opportunity to work with so many gifted and creative individuals. One such individual I have had the pleasure to work with is the multi-talented Ariana Broerman. Ariana's skills as a print and web designer are amazing. However, in recent years she has taken her penchant for design and applied it to a line of environmentally friendly products and textiles including pillows, lighting and apparel.

In 2005, Ariana, and her designer husband Matt, launched Paper Cloud. All of their creations are printed exclusively with water-based inks, on natural, eco-friendly fabrics, such as 100% linen and 100% certified organic cotton. The company has grown from their original offering of whimsical, hand screened pillows to now include incredible pendant lighting and apparel. Also, I have it on good authority that they will be adding some new, fabulous product to their line within the next few months.

So, if you enjoy finding truly unique products for your home, be sure to visit Paper Cloud....great product, hand-crafted by even better people!

Enjoy!
Susan

FREE: Wedding Shower water bottle labels

Susan designed the blog header for the Brides Buddy Blog and at that same time, provided this wonderful freebie to the Brides Buddy readers.

Today, we are sharing these water bottle wraps with you.There are two versions provided on each easy to print at home, sheet.
You can print them on regular copy paper and attach with double sided tape or you can print directly onto a sheet of label paper. (Download includes crop marks to indicate where to cut).

Either way, these will wow your guests! :: DOWNLOAD HERE::.

If you like this, please leave us a comment. Would you like to see invitations or thank you notes that you can download at home to coordinate with this theme? Or cupcake decor? Let us know!

Don't forget to join our Facebook page for updates and giveaways. Right now when you join, you are entered to win a free Wee Tidings of your choice!

Facebook Friend Giveaway

Become a part of the Blue Finch Studio family on Facebook. Just go to our page and click on the "Like" button. You will be automatically entered to win one of many Blue Finch Studio products to be given away. On June 1st, 2010, five (5) Blue Finch Facebook followers will be randomly chosen to select a product from the Blue Finch product line. You will have a choice of a Wee Tidings jar of cards - any variety or any downloadable file from the Blue Finch Etsy site, including the Alpha Birdies and Counting Birdies artwork for kids! Just follow the link below and click on the "Like" button for your chance to win!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Finch-Studios/126110354081232

making the most of that candid shot

Nine years ago, my son Jack came bursting on the scene with a loud roar. One of the most surprising things that I have learn since becoming a mother is the fact that much of who our children are can be contributed to nature rather than nurture. Jack, weighing in at a hefty 11 lbs., 13 oz. was a BIG boy with a BIG personality at birth. He is, and always has been, a super creative, very busy and yes, a sometimes mischievous little boy.

A funny phenomenon has occurred with Jack. Very often when he awakens in the morning he dons perfect little "hair horns". It seems so appropriate for my favorite little devil. One morning I decided to capture his ironically fitting hair-do.

It was such a funny shot, albeit not perfect. I felt I needed to share with others. And in that moment the idea for that my 2006 holiday card was born.

First, I needed to enhance the quality of the image. A little Photoshop magic and I was ready to go. Next, I needed a creative headline for the card. The solution was quite apparent, “Have you been naughty, or nice?” My daughter Ava took on the role of angel. A few clever footnotes added to their photos and it was ready to print and mail.

So, the next time you have that “classic” shot, think of a creative way to share it with others. Who knows, you may just put a smile on someone's face.

Enjoy!

Susan

Sometimes It's OK to Think INSIDE the Box

Whenever I get the chance and the budget to think outside the box for a client, my creative juices get flowing. As a designer, clients with a healthy budget allow for creative splurges that would be considered cost prohibitive to most. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use a version of the idea to create a unique mailer or invite that goes beyond the traditional envelope.

One of my favorite clients has a big 4th of July celebration each year at their ranch in Wyoming. Rather than send out a traditional A-7 sized, standard invite, I try to develop something a little more unique because their budget allows it. Over the years I have developed a variety of 3-dimensional mailers for the party’s VIP guest list. The first year I designed a “Wanted” Poster and sent it out in a tube mailer.

The next time around I sent out a chocolate brown box and tucked inside was a bandanna and the invitation tied to a steel horseshoe. I found the bandannas at a local craft store and the horseshoes at a local tack shop. Both items were very affordable. I designed an over-sized mailing label that also acted as a seal for the box.

I just sent out the invitations for the latest celebration. Again it was a boxed mailer. This year I enclosed a very nice red aluminum water bottle with a label that said, "Quench your thirst for adventure... join us for a week long stay at the ranch.”

Mailer boxes like the ones I used can be used on a smaller scale and are ideal to give your invitation a little extra punch. I recently designed an invitation for a 60th birthday celebration. The invitation was rather extensive, so I thought enclosing it in a mailer box was a nice finishing touch for the piece.

So the next time you have a special event that needs a fantastic invitation, consider thinking inside the box.

Enjoy!
Susan

coordinating colors

I am always amazed by the cool color combinations found in magazines, websites, homegoods, stationery etc. Just how do designers come up with such lovely combos, especially the splash of the unexpected that highlights things just brilliantly?
One tool is the Kuler Adobe website.

This combination is called "A Lullaby". I love it. You can spend loads of time clicking around on the Kuler site to see what people have submitted or even submit your own palette.
Another great feature is that you can search by color. Orange + Grey resulted in the above mix. Love it.

Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon

Susan, the super talented designer of Blue Finch Studios, competed in yesterday's Flying Pig Marathon Relay. Wow, I am so impressed. It rained cats and dogs yesterday adding a little bit more to the atmosphere. All that rain could not dampen the spirits of these two though:
This couple got engaged at the finish line!

What did you do this weekend?