Custom Favour Tags

As I've mentioned recently, I have been creating Custom Favour Tags to accompany the delectable chocolate truffles of Sue (Crazy 4 Chocolate.ca) for her bride and groom-to-bes and am so thrilled to share this gorgeous picture she took of the final product. Not only am I super jealous of the amazing quality of her picture, but I just love the way the ribbon matches the border of the tags and how perfectly tied the bows are. They look good enough to eat...and hopefully they all were! The happy couple were married in Ottawa last weekend.

What a chic favour to consider for the guests of your next special event!

1st Wedding Anniversary is PAPER!

What a beautiful and thoughtful idea! I was approached by a male client looking to surprise his wife with personal stationery as her 1st Wedding Anniversary gift. The traditional first anniversary gift is paper afterall. What a fantastic idea...be sure to forward this link to your husbands, brothers and friends who may just need that extra hint, I always here to help!!! LOL!


I created some letter pages as well as some postcard size notecards, all with matching envelopes. The client chose the fonts and design that he thought she would like best and we went from there! I'm really pleased with how they turned out and am thinking what a great gift this would make for any occasion (Mother's Day, Birthdays, host gifts...). I love seeing how romantic men can be today! Bravo!

Tags and tags galore!

I am thrilled to be working with Sue Casey of Crazy4Chocolate when her clients request personalized favour tags to be added to their truffle boxes.


Sue attaches the tags to the boxes with dimensional two-sided tape so they "pop" from the box a little. Her boxes come in many colours and she wraps them in ribbon to match your event's theme or your desire. The tags above with the coloured border match the ribbon colour, creating conistency in design. The layered tags "MD" are printed on shimmery paper, layered on black linen paper and will be attached to gold boxes. What a rich look that will be! I'll be sure to have her send me pics of the final product.

Romantic Quotes to consider

In honour of Valentine's Day, I thought I would share some romantic words chosen straight out of the finest in English literature! Romantic quotations are a nice touch to feature on some stationery, such as your Wedding Program, Save the Date cards, Favours and albums too!

Here are my favourite quotations, taken from a list that was featured in Saturday's Ottawa Citizen:

"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." (Emily Bronte)
"Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be." (Robert Browning)
"For you see, each day I love you more. Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow." (Rosemonde Gerard)

This final one I love on a personal level, as it is engraved in both mine and my husband's rings in French (poor Rob can't pronounce it...so romantic right?!!!) It reads: Plus que hier, moins que demain.

To read all the quotes featured in the short article, click here.



My all time favourite romantic quotation, and the one I used personally on my Wedding Programs reads: "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return." (Moulin Rouge)

Happy Valentine's Day! xoxo

A Posh Night in February

Mark your calendars - yet another smaller, intimate Wedding Show is coming up and I love the location! The Posh Wedding Show will take place on Saturday, February 19th from 4pm -10pm in the evening...so grab your girls and make a night out of it!

It is happening at The Summit (formerly the Merlot Rooftop Grill), a restaurant located at the top of the Ottawa Marriott Hotel on the 29th Floor (100 Kent Street).

It is being advertised as an event for "modern, sophisticated brides who want to feel glamourous, stylish and unique!" Ummmm, o.k., who doesn't consider themselves to be this person...No actually, I'm an old-fashioned and tacky bride and prefer to feel ugly and blend in with others!!! LOL!
Anyway, check out the details and a list of vendors here.

Letterpress envy!

Today's Ottawa Citizen newspaper featured a nice long article on Ottawa-based letterpress company Dempsey Press. The couple (Vanessa Dempsey & Mike Freeman) create unique designs for greeting cards, whacky stationery, business cards and invitations/announcements on a massive "vintage Heidelberg Windmill Red Ball press" using rich, luxe paper product. Although I have not personally seen their work, I do know about these presses and get goosebumps thinking of the gorgeous final products that they create (insert jealous pangs here!!!).

These types of presses are a fortune to buy (that is if you can even get your hands on a classic one) and another fortune to maintain, but they really do allow for some creative and beautiful works. Of course, products end up on the pricier side for the client, but if this is a style or look you are going for and it's in the budget, I encourage you to support the local guys and give them a try. Their portfolio of pics online is a little bleak, but (as I know personally) that could mean that they are just too busy with orders to get them on there!!!

Enjoy readers and click here for the full article.

Breakfast at Tiffany's Shower

So, I was super excited to share pics of one of my latest projects, but upon checking them out, I am now super disappointed with...my camera! Lol! I know, I know, if I had a dollar for everytime I complained about my lack of a good camera, I would have one by now!!!

Anyway, it is the design and colours that I love so much about this fun Breakfast at Tiffany's-themed Bridal Shower Invitation. The party planner, Lesley, sent me a picture of a similar invitation that she had found somewhere on-line and requested Tiffany blue square envelopes. I was able to find them in a shimmer finish to match the shimmer of the off-white cardstock that the invitation was printed on. With a deeper shade of Tiffany blue as the second layer, the complete package looks so stunning - I can't wait for the bride-to-be to see them after the shower! It was fun playing with different fonts and graphics (including an imitation Audrey Hepburn pose from the classic film). So, the moral of the story is...don't judge based on the quality of this picture - the final product looks classy and fun!

FYI: if you are planning on creating and sending square cards or invitations by mail, be sure to allow for extra postage in your budget. They cost about double as much as rectangular-sized envelopes (ie: over a dollar each).

Boxes, Bags and Tags, oh my!

Just cleaning up some items after a busy month of orders and thought I'd share a picture of some older favour boxes and bags I have around the office. These sizes are perfect for most edible items (chocolates, candies and mints) but can be used creatively for many other items as well! The colours were always chosen by the hosts to match whatever theme they were going with - that's the beauty of custom-made: each box and bag is die-cut from your selected paper to ensure an exact match to the rest of your stationery...isn't life beautiful?!! LOL!

Happy Saturday!

Invitation Gallery 7

As I've always said, it is super helpful when a couple come to me looking for stationery and know what they want. In the case of Kristian and Michael, they had an exact picture that they found online and with just a few adjustments to colour and layout, I was able to come up with exactly what they were looking for. The Toronto couple will be getting married in Florida with a smaller guest list, but wanted to share their joy when they return by holding a reception for all those who could not attend the smaller destination ceremony.

Since Kristian will be taking her future husband's family name, we chose to put the first initial of his family name (the "S") as a dark watermark in pink in the place of an ampersand ("&"). I love the cursive and caps mix as well as the pink on ivory on black. Very chic, simple and elegant!

They are also having programs, candy jar labels, place cards and itineraries made, so I will keep you posted as they are created.
Best wishes to the happy couple as they continue with their plans!

Real Weddings: Giulia & Michael

I am thrilled to share some more gorgeous pictures from another amazing Ottawa Wedding. Giulia and Michael we married at Blessed Sacrament and held their reception at Centurion Conference and Event Centre in September. Now Giulia was a bride who had a vision and knew what she wanted from the start (which can be a dream for the stationery designer)...and this vision and determination is quite clear when you look at how the day came together in her pictures...everything looks absolutely perfect!

The vibrant purple, used in everything from dresses, flowers, favours, stationery and pew bows to the brides own shoes, looks stunning in contrast to the elements of white and black alike. I also really like the softness of the white hydrangea bouquets set low as the centrepiece on black linens.

Like couple Karen and Chris, she made use of the Ottawa U campus for her portraits. (Why had I not thought of this location before?) I especially love the one of the Bridal Party on the stairs. What a gorgeous couple, and wedding party! Congratulations Giulia and Michael and many thanks for sharing your day with us! I know these pictures will inspire those in planning mode!

Gift idea...for yourself too!

What has taken me so long to discover this gem? What a fantastic and fun find featured in this month's InStyle Magazine! Although all of their creations look earthy and cute, I favour the custom-made character stamps which you can create to look like you (or members of your family or friends) with your names scripted below and the custom monograms too. Just think of all the uses for these: Thank You cards, personal stationery, labeling books, writing notes, invitations, sealing envelopes, labeling favours...So fun! They have a little wedding selection too (which is heavy on bird designs, but beautiful nonetheless)

The prices seem very reasonable (starting at $18.50 USD) I can't wait to get my hands on some - they would make super cute Holiday Gifts, don't you think? Check them out here.

Real Weddings: Karen & Chris

Oh my goodness - I am so excited to share with you some exquisite wedding pictures taken here in Ottawa of newlyweds Karen and Chris in October. I highly recommend using parts of the University of Ottawa campus as your picture-taking location. The outdoor tiles, archways and hanging greenery look straight out of a storybook...not to mention how gorgeous this bride and groom and their wedding party look against it too!

The Bride's stunning gown was found at McCaffrey Haute Couture on Sussex while the "to-die-for" shoes are Jimmy Choo! The bridesmaids dazzled in dresses from Badgley Mischka's Bridesmaid Collection (see earlier post) and the groom wore a tux from Morris Formal Wear on Wellington.

For favours, they featured both a candy table for guests to fill their own take-out boxes with as well as sweet wrapped treat. Bride, Karen, adores chocolate while groom, Chris, favours licorice...so they married the two flavours and offered little chocolate dipped licorice sticks as an added favour. From what I hear, guests just loved them (and some took more than their share too!)

Now that is what I love to see - taking an idea (such as candy favours) and making it unique to you as a couple. Congrats to the Yzermans...I'm sorry I missed such an incredible celebration!

Cheers to a lifetime of happiness together. xoxo

All photos were taken by Photolux Studios (located on Preston Street). Check out their gallery online for a glimpse at other stunning work that they have done.

The wedding cake was created by my favourite local super mom Jessica of Fab Cakes by Jessica.

Invitation Themes

Check out WeddingBells latest article and pictures of themed invitations to get you inspired. I am loving this "Boho" style - I do like pocket invitations, but really love this simple card style with one pocket at the bottom. I would like to see what it looks like folded...perhaps a monogram on the card? Anyway, the grey and white with a splash of aqua is just striking! Love it!

Check out their website for more.

It's beginning to look a lot like...

I had some girlfriends over last night for some wine, munchies and...(wait for it...) some Holiday card-making! We had a blast using some gorgeous Stampin' Up products, some holiday-themed scrapbook paper and a whole lot of creativity.

If you would like to place a holiday order for cards, tags or wine bottle sleeves/tags, just send me an email and we'll come up with something special for you!

I am really on the ball this year! Maybe I should get my holiday shopping done while I'm at it?

Program Inspired by Bridesmaids

Thought I would share a few pictures that I have been meaning to for a while...sorry about that! New bride Karen asked me to create her booklet style Wedding Programs while taking inspiration from her bridesmaids dresses. The dresses they wore were the style seen in the first picture (the yellow dresses) but they were made in the lilac colour of the second picture. So gorgeous! Both are from Badgley Mischka's Bridesmaid collection.

Check out the last two pictures to give you an idea of how the booklet programs turned out. (And yes, I have put a new camera on my Christmas list this year!) Using a hopsack textured, lilac paper as the cover to the four shimmer ivory insert pages created an elegant look to match this elegant affair. We also used the same monogram-type label on the front of the programs as we used on her pocket invitations to continue that simple theme.

I'm looking forward to sharing some pictures from her big day with you soon. (The newlyweds are just home from their European honeymoon...so we'll let her unpack first!)

Stay tuned...I have a few newlyweds with pictures on the way!

Real Weddings: Kellye & Sean

Sean & Kellye are officially husband and wife after a beautiful celebration on Lake Huron in Kincardine. Although they planned for an outdoor rock garden ceremony, the winds, rain and cold were just wild (see picture taken from inside the pavilion), so the entire evening took place in the Beach Pavilion overlooking the water. (And this was no disappointing alternative.)

Everything was perfect...and I mean perfect! Every detail was taken into consideration and their theme colours of bright blue and deep purple were reflected in every aspect of the evening (the orchids, the sand ceremony, the linens, the cake and the stationery of course!) Click on the above wedding inspiration boards to check out their details more closely.

There is nothing better than providing transportation from the hotel to the venue for your guests. You are ensuring that they will stay and have a great time, leaving no one to drive at the end of the evening. Open bars always help this situation as well (thanks S & K!)

It is not too often that you see black linens being used at weddings, but it just went so well with their colours. I loved the blue satin material draped as ribbons behind each guests dinner chair. I also really liked how they tied the same blue satin material on the ceremony chairs along the aisle with a few sprigs of dendrobium orchids hanging down. Just stunning!

But, just when I thought that there is nothing my little iPhone can't do, I realize that the camera is not all that fantastic at all; however, if we didn't have it and all it's GPS wonder, we might not have even made it from Ottawa!!! So enjoy these pictures anyway - I hope they inspire you with your planning!

Favour Tags & Cards

It's been very busy here the past few weeks with many couples counting down to the BIG DAY and looking for some last minute stationery (ie: favour tags, programs, menus and table numbers, Thank You cards for shower and wedding gifts alike)...and I'm thrilled about it! I love the creative aspect of these pieces.

Check out what I've been working on above and I'll keep posting as I complete projects here and there. Don't forget to contact me if you're in need of any last minute items (a week may just be enough in some cases!)

Best wishes to all the special couples out there - don't forget to take nice deep yoga breaths!

Event Stationery Gallery 1 1/2!

I have already posted the samples I made for Kellye and Sean's wedding, but wanted to post the final versions of the wedding stationery that were shipped off to Toronto this morning. I just love the crisp vibrant blue and black printing together on the Table Number & Menu cards. They are having two of these tent-folded cards at each of their reception tables. The seating chart is a 18" x 24" poster and will fit into a black frame with glass that they purchased at Michaels (I can't wait to see this put together). They asked for special place cards for both sets of parents only, to ensure that they had the best seats at their respective tables (so thoughtful!)

How elegant does it look when all of your stationery matches? I believe that they will be having blue and purple orchids as flowers, so I can just imagine how it will all come together...looking forward to seeing this! It is not always easy to work with a couple long-distance, but I am thrilled with how everything turned out. Best wishes to the happy couple as they count down to their Big Day in just a few weeks!

Event Stationery Gallery 1

It is such a gorgeous day here in Ottawa - so this will be a quick post...I must get back to my lounger on the deck! I wanted to share some pictures of some sample event stationery that I made up for a couple who will be married in the Fall. I can not claim creative genius on these ones - the bride-to-be found pictures that she liked on-line and sent them my way to imitate. The Programs, Menus & Table Numbers and Thank You Cards are all printed on the popular shimmery off-white cardstock. The Menu is printed on the backside of the Table Number Card. We are still playing around with text (this becomes obvious when you read the program!!!) and colour so I will be sure to post the final copies when completed. Happy Sunday!