rock paper scissors

elum inspiration board: la fontaine

with a modern twist on the art deco era, elum designs has evoked the hollywood glamour days of yore in their "La Fontaine" wedding invitation suite. White on White letterpress graphics creating a blind debossing effect are sleek and eye catching; the black ink is timeless, accented with a pop of bright lemonade yellow, bringing it into the modern era. at once sophisticated yet dramatic, classic yet chic. makes us want to throw a party! have a look at the mood board they created that inspired the suite!

1. Art deco chandelier, photo by Raceytay via Etsy

2. Bridal shoes, photo by First Comes Love Wedding Photography

3. Sylvan slipper chair, Edward Ferrell + Lewis Mittman

4. Ranunculus boutonniere,
photo by Megan LaBarbera, boutonniere by Blush Floral Design

5. La Fontaine letterpress wedding invitation, elum

6. Ruffle wedding dress, Oscar de la Renta

7. Black chair, InvitingHome.com

8. Antique marquise diamond and onyx engagement ring, Erstwhile Jewerlry Co.

9. Black and white geometric dresser, photo source by stylehive.com

10. Bouquet, photo source by Casarei

11. Formal reception, photo by Adam Barnes Photo via Ruffled Blog

12. White on white wedding cake, Sweet Element

13. Bridal headpiece, photo by Jess + Nate Studios via Style Me Pretty

14. White curtain rod, Amazon.com

15. Formal pup, photo by Dove + Sparrow via Style Me Pretty

16. Wingback chair, Tom Dixon

17. Lemon blast cocktail, photo source by haveablastenergydrink.com

18. Black and white table setting, photo source by The Ritzy Bee Blog

19. Black dress and white bouquet, photo by Jose Villa Wedding Photography

20. Black hat with large flower, photo source by www.hat-a-tude.com

21. Bridesmaids in black, photo source by Beyond / Beyond

22. Joseph Abboud Two Button Tuxedo, Tuxedos Direct

 

in living color

we're excited to share with you the work of Pie Bird Press... letterpressed cards in color so vivid it almost seems real... (and yes, we said LETTERPRESS - honestly, they're so bright, they seem screen printed, it's an amazing feat! and some of them are 4 and 5 colors!) here's a little sampling:

 

 

 

and here's what Hannah Berman, creator, who studied printmaking at RISD (!), has to say about her company:

Pie Bird Press is a little company with a lot of heart.  We do all our printing by hand on antique letterpresses, and take pride in bold, saturated designs that draw from years of flea market hunting and collecting.  Our inspiration comes from a love of all things vintage and colorful, and of the good things in life that put a smile on your face:  fireworks, glazed donuts, puppies, lunchboxes, and pumpkins on the vine.  Our mission is to spread a feeling of nostalgia and cheer to everyone who receives our cards.

girls can tell (spotlight)

isn't that a great name? we think so! meet sara selepouchin, master behind the brand, girls can tell (remember, we told you were going to start doing some vendor spotlights?). she's also happens to be a uva grad from the architectural school... which makes sense with her structural drawings that take apart and dissect the pieces!

girls can tell is a new brand for us, so if you haven't seen her work, here are a few of her pieces (be sure to take note of the Rotunda card... this girl want to UVa, remember!!):

 

 

how did you get into what you are doing? 

Growing up, I wanted to be an architect, so I took mechanical drawing classes all through school, eventually attending architecture school at the University of Virginia. After working in the field for a few years for several firms, I realized that I needed to use more of my creative brain than I was drawing structural roof details and things,  so I began drawing +  screenprinting as a hobby, and selling this work online. After a brief stint working for Etsy.com, I finally became one of the self-supporting artists I'd long admired, and took the plunge to be a full time artist in early 2009.  

what is the story behind your brand's name? 

It's just the name of the album I was listening to most when I began printing as a hobby. (I still think it's a great album, from the band Spoon.)

what is your favorite item from your line?

I love tea towels, and my favorite design really varies from season to season. The beer glassware design is always a favorite, though. 

where do you get your inspiration?

Everywhere. I'm always thinking about what could be a good illustration for the line, and I'm constantly on the lookout for new items that would be a great addition and make super gifts. 

who is your favorite artist?

Oh, gosh, this is hard. I'm friends with so many talented people, I could never pick just one or two!

tell us something about yourself we wouldn't otherwise know?

We love local craft beer so much that my fiance + I are getting married at a brewery outside of our home city of Philadelphia this November! 

what is the best piece of advice you've ever received?

Take all business advice with a grain of salt. 

if you weren't making cards, what would you be doing?

Maybe in another life I'd be a cake decorator?

 

thanks for chatting with us, sara!! she's got a little shop in South Philly, so if you're in the area, stop by (currently by appointment only):

rainbow brite: the making of a new window

ROY G. BIV is making a comeback in a big, NEON kind of way! color is everywhere this season, the brighter the better! so we decided to craft our latest storefront window around that idea... we started with some colorful fabric from les fabriques:

sewed them in long, single color strips, like a curtain, and threaded them on to some wood dowels to hang at different heights and depths. then we kept thinking about "spring" and how does it relate... so instead of trends, we decided the "forecast" was the right word:

 

add to each strip of fabric with color-coordinating product...

 

and voila (ok, admittedly not the best photo.... all the more reason to come see it in person!):

  

our window is broken out by color, but many of products are just better in the full rainbow:

 

 

the new window just makes us happy... from the inside, it casts tons of colorful light:

happy spring, may it include lots of color!

save the date: graphic image stamping party

back by popular demand, rock paper scissors is hosting another monogramming event on Thursday, April 26, 2012 from 3 - 8 pm with special treats and "adult" beverages after our usual business hours. no need to reserve a space, just swing on by whenever is convenient for you (or feel free to stop by earlier to get your order in ahead of the rush!). perfect for graduation & mother's day gifts, or maybe you just deserve a treat for yourself! with so many perks (15% off your purchase, FREE monogramming on site, and FREE GIFT with purchase...) why not?!.

vendor spotlights, coming soon

stay tuned.... we very excited to introduce vendor spotlights on the blog soon! 

here's the back story: if you don't know (i say this b/c we get people almost every day asking where we find all the cool stuff in our shop!), we go on buying trips in the big apple about 3 times per year. At these shows (2 gift fairs and 1 stationery show), we're able to find fun new vendors as well as check out the latest & greatest products from our existing vendors.

the last show was the gift show in January... and we scheduled our deliveries so they would slowly trickle in throughout the winter & early spring. which really just makes us feel like it's christmas all year long... multiple times a week we receive in deliveries with such AWESOME new product... we're blown away by the creativity and sheer talent of our vendors! (vendors is such an impersonal term!)

but not only is their product so amazing, we felt like these small businesses were so cool - and we want to get you closer to these awesome, artsy hipsters... after all, how many times have you said, "I just need to quit my day job and go after my dream..." for a lot of these businesses, that's exactly what they did - many of them started in a home studio or basement, part time... until they could make it doing their craft full time. we admire them!!

elum inspiration board: shoreline

think blue seersucker for this blue stripe, nautical-inspired wedding invitation suite by elum designs. elum created this beachy inspiration board, taking nods from faded french ticking textiles and the traditional nantucket basket weave typical of new england shoreline living. natural elements like shells and driftwood create an organic feel... can't you just smell the salty sea air? 

1. Nantucket basket, photo by The Jason Groupp via Style Me Pretty

2. Beach bride, photo by Kaylee Eylander Photography via Jenny Cookies

3. White hydrangea bouquet, photo by Lisa Rigby Photography via Style Me Pretty

4. Shoreline letterpress wedding invitation, elum

5. Nantucket Golf Club, photo by The Jason Groupp via Style Me Pretty

6. Vintage French ticking, loodylady via ebay

7. Ribbon cake, photo by The Jason Groupp via Style Me Pretty

8. Blueberry lemonade cocktail, photo by Tim Halberg via Santa Barbara Chic

9. Driftwood hurricane lantern, Anthropologie

10. Shoreline letterpress wedding invitation, elum

11. Ring box, photo by Jessica Antola for Martha Stewart Weddings

12. Starfish mirror, Art Fire

13. Bride and groom shoes, photo by Kaylee Eylander Photography via Jenny Cookies

14. Lobster bake, photo by Kana Okada for Elle Decor

15. Seersucker suit, photo by Jessica Smith Photography via Style Me Pretty

16. DIY napkins, photo by Jessica Antola for Martha Stewart Weddings

17. Blue hydrangeas, Fresh Home & Garden

18. Gray flower girl dress, J.Crew

19. Clam basket, Frugal Farmhouse Design

20. Beach reception, photo by Kate Headley via Style Me Pretty

21. Lemonade, photo by Lisa Rigby Photography via Style Me Pretty

22. Beach reception seating, photo by Studio 28 Photo via Style Me Pretty

23. Prudence Island lighthouse at Sandy Point, photo via Alexey Sergeev

24. S’mores favor boxes, photo by VUE Photography via The Knot

25. Vanguard Cape Ann Chair, Coastal Living Collection, Rue La La

26. Flip flop basket, photo by Shannon Lee Images via Style Me Pretty

27. Antique French ticking, loodylady via ebay

28. Shoreline letterpress wedding invitation, elum

29. Anchor ring bearer pillow, photo by Katy Carrier Events via Style Me Pretty

30. Sailboat pulley, by Let Ideas Compete via flickr

words of wisdom for the new grad

these great cards from Sapling Press make the perfect graduation card (quick! while they're still in stock!):

 

 

good luck grads!

elum inspiration board: woodgrain

planning a late fall or winter wedding? a rustic or outdoorsy wedding? check out the inspiration board behind the "woodgrain" wedding invitation suite, created by elum designs. makes me want to cozy up by a fire & sip some eggnog! yes, even in summer...! the implied texture of this design is phenomenal. they took a minimalist approach to this organic layout. have a look!

image source:

1. Birch log candle holders, photo by Martha Stewart Weddings

2. Happy winter bride, photo by Sloan Photographers via Style Me Pretty

3. Hand crafted wood table numbers, photo source unknown via The Perfect Palette

4. Pine cone, photo source unknown via The Perfect Palette

5. Woodgrain letterpress wedding invitation, elum designs, inc.

6. Enchanted winter ceremony, photo by One Love Photo

7. Silver plated woodgrain table setting, photo by Z Gallerie

8. Modern woodgrain cake, photo by Gateaux Inc.

9. Woodgrain letterpress wedding invitation, elum designs, inc.

10. Winter birches, photo by joscelynb via Flickr

11. Woodsy boutonniere, photo by Martha Stewart Weddings

12. White faux deerhead, photo by Duck Duck Moose Design

13. White furry heels, photo source unknown via Cachic Design

14. Burlap & baby’s breath chair, photo source unknown via Valdirose

15. Antler candelabra, photo by Z Gallerie

16. Morganite engagement ring, by onegarnetgirl via etsy

17. White gold woodgrain wedding band set, photo by adziasjewelryatelier via etsy

18. Winter white centerpiece,
photo by Aus10 Photoartists via Junkerman Jones Wedding and Event Design

19. Egg nog shots, photo source unknown via Trendir

20. Silver aspen bark earrings, photo by Abella Blue

 

all we need is love

'tis the wedding season... here are few of the sweet things we've found of late!

printed ribbon:

missed a birthday or anniversary? make up for it (or just plain get ahead) with these little "IOU" gifts:

stamp it with love:

just married flags:

these wood bunting signs from our friends at figs & ginger are avaible in "LOVE", "SAVE THE DATE", "BRIDE & GROOM" and "JUST MARRIED"!

but in the end, all you need is love!