The most unoriginal first sentence of a blog…what a year! lol sorry but that’s just how I feel every year and I know so many can relate. Learning and growing forever is my motto. And this was certainly a year of a lot of both. I grew this business into a full blown, profitable, mini art + stationery empire this year. I often think about how “big” do I actually want my business to be? Because quality over quantity is important to me. I want to have my business and also have a life. I also love running things out of my home. Right now. When the kids grow older, maybe I’ll change my mind about t ..read more

Every year I post a version of this blog because it’s still a tradition I love to keep up with! Homemade cookies, homemade vanilla extract and dollar store cookie tins! Let’s get into it… Not to get all serious but…I know this season can bring on a lot of depression. I have experienced this myself especially during difficult financial years and when it comes to loss. The holidays have a way of bringing so much cheer, yet so much expectation. It can really be a mixed bag. My best unsolicited advice is to take as much time away from social media as possible and go real old school. Get together ..read more

Whatttttt this luscious wedding that I designed the invitation suite for was featured on Style me Pretty???? Pinch me. Click here to see the whole blog post on their website! Catherine and David came to me to hand paint scenic details along with a love story for their custom stationery, which really set the tone on these romantic hills. The whole vibe is whimsical and outdoorsy and I loveddd creating their artwork. Seeing the gorgeous photos by Elizabeth Burgi Photography blew me away. She really captured the romantic, sweet and outdoorsy details. Being featured is always a dream ..read more

September was the start of Kindergarten for my oldest, Logan! I’m shocked and not shocked. I feel like the transition was easier for me considering he has been in daycare / preschool and the latter is basically like a mini Kindergarten these days. But it was still an adjustment for our whole family! New hours, new lunch planning, new child care arrangements, new classmates, and so on… So after I got the school supplies, back pack and new shoes all the week before school started [ I only procrastinate things in my personal life, pinky promise ], it was back to business as usual! I’m so proud o ..read more

June was the fastest month of the year, no? Maybe this year just feels so fast because of all the incredible destination weddings I’ve been working on! Destination weddings mean earlier deadlines so lots of proper planning and clear communication are required to avoid headaches! I have learned a lot this month about the shipping to other countries and costs, etc. Even being nearly 10 years into this business I know there will always be new things to learn to continue bettering my business and I am here for it. I want my clients to have the best experience! Below let’s take a look at what was ..read more

So you’re getting married and making a weekend or a destination out of it, YAY! And also, wait. What’s the plan? What are the important dates and times? Where is everything? What do I wear? Is there transportation? Do I need a hotel block? And so on…These are the questions your guests will be asking themselves! Let’s make it easy for them. The wedding itinerary / timeline or wedding details or wedding weekend card is going to be the saving grace for your guests. Along with a wedding website. Here’s the thing. The card is the starting point. An immediate way for guests to peruse what the heck ..read more

It’s been my goal for yearsssssssssss to bring hand painted magic to more products than just stationery! From a business perspective, it’s smart to start with less expensive products so you’re not sitting on inventory that won’t move if sales don’t go your way. And all the while, you work on growing and setting goals for the future which is what I’ve been doing. I am always looking for a special gift to give to my family and friends that feels unique and intentional. That’s why I knew I was ready to bring tea towels to the product family last year! And since my first towel release that was re ..read more

Between March - June, usually things get * extra * crazy in the studio! Most weddings take place from May - September which means a good portion of my clients invitation suites need to be mailed during those months! April was not full of as much painting and design as March. It’s been mostly finalizing details then formatting all the stationery for print and gathering it all for review as each bit arrives! First up, this stunning Idaho wedding suite arrived from my printers and was quickly assembled and mailed! The bride and groom are from Australia but the brides parents have retired in ..read more

Augusttttttttt how did you happen already? Okay I think I say that every month but REALLY. Probably my favorite thing bout August was this wedding suite for a wedding happening this December in Mexico! My clients gave me allllll the creative liberties, after sharing their vision of course. What can I say, when you trust your vendor - magic happens! See below… In this suite there is a mix of watercolor art and letterpress printed pieces with a modern, tropical design. The invitations are die cut with a wavy edge to sit perfectly whimsically upon the info card featuring the custom border d ..read more

photographer: Clean plate Photography My wedding anniversary is also, essentially, my wedding stationery business anniversary. My wedding was, like so many, the catalyst to starting this business. I have always been an artist, even though I felt weird calling myself that. Now at 33 years old I finally feel more confident saying it. I AM AN ARTIST! Ok calm down. As an artist, it seemed only right to design my own wedding invitations. Of course I made SO. MANY. MISTAKES. like not putting a stamp on the rsvp envelopes??? I had literally no idea what I was doing - I just wanted to paint my own ar ..read more