patterns, patterns, everywhere

i've been busy refinishing as many tables and other pieces of furniture for some upcoming art shows, and here are a few more.  all of these were created with (fairly) simple taping techniques.  to balance these graphic patterns, i chose bold colors that could fit with a variety of home decor styles.  from classic to whimsical, these tables would make a great addition to any room.

furniture facelift

So. . . I'm back! - in Omaha and busy with many different design projects, including decorating our new house and refinishing furniture for upcoming handmade craft shows.  I thought I would take this opportunity to expand my blog to all things design + weddings.  After all, I love doing everything from weddings to making jewelry to picking paint colors for my home.  These tables will be featured at a few upcoming art shows along side many other talented crafters.  I look forward to seeing everyone there and stay tuned for more design inspiration!

may craft show

on friday, may 11 and saturday, may 12, my mother-in-law, debbie miller, will be hosting a craft show at her home in omaha, nebraska.  it will feature a variety of vendors with a wide range of talent and wares.  i will be selling my custom jewelry - more designs than previously seen on etsy!  please stop by and check it out!  we would love to see you there!
www.creativeclaycafe.com

elegant invitation package

continuing with katie and nathan's wedding design, I created this invitation package that included invitations, a map+info card, rsvps, rsvp envelopes, and invitation envelopes.  in keeping with the elegant, romantic theme of the wedding, I used a script font, soft blue with red accents, and plenty of swirls and loops.
photography by wilcoxon photography

ice blue & red

for my beautiful sister katie's wedding, she gave me full control of all things design, so of course i went crazy perfecting every last detail. fun!!!  here is the first of many posts i will do to show off her special day.  to start, i made 3 design collages for her to choose from, each conveying theme, design ideas, and colors.  she chose the ice blue and red scheme for a vibrant winter wedding.  after the direction was set, i started with save the dates, incorporating the colors, fonts, and overall feel of the wedding to come.  make sure to check back as i will be posting more designs from this wedding. 
photography by wilcoxon photography

chic country affair

for this collage, i was inspired by the rustic charm of old barns, lace gowns, and a vintage flare.  i would envision this wedding in the summer with yellow as the main color and a steel gray as the accent.  rock candy, clothespin seating cards, and monochromatic floral arrangements provide nods to the past, but remain modern when mixed with the right bowls, graphics, and vases.

bling bling

for katie's winter wedding, she wanted lots of crystals and diamonds in the decor.  to continue this concept in jewelry, I made chunky diamond-looking dangle earrings for each of the girls.  the earrings are unique for each girls' personality but fit into the overall theme.  find more of my designs at my etsy shop or contact me for custom designs.

let flowers set the (pan)tone

when choosing a color scheme for your wedding, why not start with the flowers?  the type you are drawn to not only gives you an idea of color, but also of your overall style: are you modern or traditional?  romantic or playful?  a mix of styles?  remember to not just look at colors, but at the architecture of the flower as well.  layered soft petals are romantic, as found in peonies and roses.  simple and more geometric shapes tend to be  modern and bold, examples being calla lillies and poppies.

beach wedding

getting married on the beach is such a romantic way to go, so for this collage, i was inspired by the ocean, tropical flowers, and the overall calm and breezy feel of the location.  For the beach bride, a light ruffled gown looks perfect, accented with a flower in the hair.  For the groom, black or gray suits would be too formal, so a khaki suit accented with a navy and pink tie fits right in.  Navy picks up on the blue of the ocean and shells while the pink brightens the scheme and looks great with blue. 

bold & fun

navy, lime, and charcoal:  this bold combination is modern, fresh, and fun.  for the bridesmaids' dresses, i chose a short, navy dress with a high neckline and satin accents.  the bride and groom are a fun couple, so a dress with pockets and a gray suit with striped tie suit them perfectly.  as for the reception, i used navy linens, white ribbon pendants, blue vases, and a lime green flowers. 

cupcake bouquet

for katie's bridal shower, i wanted a really unique cake design.  rather than a traditional flat cake, my idea was to create a bouquet out of cupcakes to fit in with the floral theme of the decor.  to carry out my vision, i worked with the cake lady's cakes & confections.  with only the sketch above, anna and her team created this beautiful and wonderfully creative cupcake bouquet.  green "stems" are placed into a large glass vase and topped with cupcakes and intricate sugar flowers and leaves.  the result was a stunning and fun addition to the day.

katie's bridal shower                                 this collage and invitation design was done for my sister, katie's bridal shower.  i decided to do a design with fun pop colors, floral accents, and great food and refreshments.  we made colorful pom-poms that hung from the ceiling, placed single-colored carnation flower arrangements around the home, and served mimosas, caesar salad wraps, fruit, and a variety of desserts. for a group activity after opening gifts, we put together scrapbooks with photos that each guest had brought of their favorite memories with the bride.

be my valentine

in honor of all things love, i've designed these valentine's day cards from my puppy, desmond to his fellow doggie family and friends.  i love using icons and bold colors in my graphic design - and of course, the perfect font is crucial.

spring jewelry collection

i've recently added new jewelry to my etsy shop that was inspired by natural spring colors and patterns.  these designs would be perfect for bridesmaids, mothers of the bride/groom, or a flower girl.  most of these designs can be duplicated for groups or changed to match a particular color scheme.

father/daughter pictures

after the wedding day has passed and pictures have come in, it's time to give out photos to those most important to you, one of whom is the father of the bride.  for my dad, i scanned in one of my favorite pictures of the two of us from when i was little and paired it with a photograph of him walking me down the aisle.  to make it a classic look, i printed both in black and white and framed them in a clean, traditional silver frame.  to make it even more special, you could add a monogram with the wedding date or a special note.
wedding photography by wilcoxon photography

 wedding cake display

for my wedding, rather than have a traditional stacked wedding cake, i designed several cakes to be displayed across a long table.  first, i made custom laser-cut acrylic "placemats"  that are either back-painted teal, green, or left clear.  next, i found varying heights of clear vases that i filled with silk flowers and pearls.  for the cakes themselves, i asked the bakery to make very clean simple cakes wrapped with ribbons of my choice and placed on a clear acrylic plate.  finally, i finished off the table with votive candles and fresh flowers.
photography by wilcoxon photography

lavender bridesmaids' earrings

to accent the dark purple bridesmaids' dresses in this wedding, i created a unique pair of earrings for each girl using a variety of lavender and purple swarovski crystals.  while each pair is different to match the personality of the attendant, together they read as a consistent set.

afternoon tea

i love the idea of getting inspiration from afternoon tea and macaroons.  here i've combined deep fuchsia with light pink and a cool lavender.  this theme is very romantic with the colors and choice of "White by Vera Wang" petal dress, yet kept modern with the use of clean centerpieces and chic Alfred Sung bridesmaid dresses.  as for the groom, nothing looks better with pink than a gray suit.

bridal jewelry

in addition to designing weddings themselves, i also make bridal jewelry for brides, bridesmaids, mothers of the bride/groom, and flower girls.  for emily, her husband marc planned to surprise her with this pearl necklace and wanted some earrings to match.  i worked with him on creating a this pair of classic pearl and swarovski crystal dangle earrings that fit the bride's look perfectly.  
photography by striped banana photography

summer in bloom

this collage was created last year for my brother marc and his wife emily's wedding.  it took place in the heat of summer, so the yellow and blue color scheme was bright and refreshing.  for this wedding, i created the graphic design work including save the dates, invitations, rsvps, and ceremony programs.

this custom monogram was used on the invitations as well as stickers on the favor boxes that were filled with lemon drops. 

photography by striped banana photography

invitation package including a map/info card for guests' convenience and a fun rsvp card

wedding ceremony programs