Rosebud Design Studio

Olive Oil Cakes

2009-07-15T13:22:00.001-07:00

These were good. Tea towels by Henry Road.

Herbs!

2009-05-15T12:10:00.001-07:00

Yet another reason to love Sobsey's. Fresh herbs. I picked up a mint, a cilantro and a basil. And they are now in my kitchen window awaiting some sunshine....wait for it...Actually today's not so bad, I shouldn't complain.

Friday Updates

2009-04-24T14:22:00.001-07:00

It really is spring today! In honor of the nice weather, I've created a Rosebud Facebook Page. So become a fan, because, well...I need as many as I can get.

Also, the Etsy store has been reloaded. Phew! Click here to see.

Rosebud is on Twitter

2009-04-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why. It seemed like a good idea. Come follow me! My call sign is "rosebuddesign". Or, if you think i'd like to follow you, let me know your handle, and I'll jump on the bandwagon. I like bandwagons. Especially if they have balloons attached to them. Thanks again to Meg for the balloons.

How much do I love this place?

2009-04-16T13:37:00.001-07:00

I don't have the words....Petite Abeille

Today's Special

2009-04-15T14:54:00.001-07:00

I know I haven't posted in a looooooong time. I'm gonna try. Really I am. I might make this a regular "column". This is the chalkboard in my kitchen. Toby stole the chalk and, well....that's what happens when the small dog learns his alphabets. I like his sense of typography. Especially the kerning. Very avant-guard. Ok, I'm done.

ABC Carpet online store

2008-11-26T07:46:00.000-08:00

For the past little while I've been freelancing at ABC Carpet & Home working with them to come up with a new design for their online carpet store. The new design has launched, and everyone seems very happy with it.
If you didn't know, ABC has an impressive collection of rugs and carpets ranging from modern to one-of-a-kind antiques. The website features lots of deals, including free shipping on orders over $250. Check it out here.

Rosebud Design Studio on Design*Sponge Sneak Peek

2008-10-22T09:25:00.001-07:00

Ok, to be quite honest, this was a feature on Design*Sponge back in July. And, because I was goofing off all summer (I figured I'd be honest with you), I never got around to posting on the ol' Rosebud blog. Anyway, this was such a thrill to be featured on Design*Sponge (thanks again Grace and Anne), that I thought I would post the link here, months later just for kicks (and because I was goofing off all summer). Click here to see the full post.

New Products!

2008-10-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know, I know....it's been a while....yikes. Sorry. BUT, to begin to make up for it, I have some new products. I've expanded the In Your Face line of cards to include a Holiday Edition. You can find them on the Rosebud Etsy store. You can find the holiday cards here. And the original edition here.

The Art of Wooing: an email tale of modern courtship

2008-03-24T11:58:00.000-07:00

My friend Kaz has just self published an amazing book called The Art of Wooing: an email tale of modern courtship.

This gorgeous mixed media art and poetry book tells a juicy tale of romantic longings and ponderings through emails exchanged between the author and a colorful cast of friends who weigh in with thoughts on love, courtship and tales of their own adventures.

The book contains Kaz's own mixed media artwork and poetry and is produced in full color with vellum insert pages.

You can read more and even flip through some pages of the book for yourself at the website - www.theartofwooing.com.

Since Kaz is self-distributing her book, it's up to those of us who love it to help get the word out.

Remind me why I send Valentine's Day Cards...

2008-01-23T13:17:00.001-08:00

Because they're fun! Especially when you can send quirky messages softened by beautiful paper and metallic foil stamps. So go on tell someone that he or she....smells funny...
You can purchase some on our Etsy store.

Also, Rosebud Design Studio has an all new website! Check it out here.

Stocking Stuffers

2007-12-06T15:58:00.000-08:00

Rosebud Design Studio's Daily Fortune Matchbooks are perfect for holiday stocking stuffers. We have 5 varieties: Original, Love, Money, Marriage and Baby. Each matchbook is filled with 24 original fortune cookie-style fortunes, which you can tear off on a daily basis, or whenever you feel the need. Find them all on our Etsy store.

Product of the week - Holiday Notes to Self and Others

2007-11-18T21:25:00.000-08:00

Since the holidays are upon us, I thought I would start shamelessly promoting Rosebud Design Studio Holiday offerings. This card from the Holiday Notes to Self and Others Postcard Book is really popular. It seems most people I know have someone they can send it to. You can view the full set of postcards here on the Rosebud website, or you can purchase them here, on the Rosebud Etsy Store.

New Cards!

2007-11-02T13:49:00.001-07:00

I'm happy to annouce a new line of cards. These portrait cards are a combined effort of Rosebud Design Studio and artist and illustrator CJ Metzger. CJ created the original portraits of the Valentine, Halloween, Holiday and Birthday girls, and Rosebud designed the vintge inspired frames that surround them. You can view them on our website here. Or you can find them at our Etsy store.
The cards can be purchased as singles or as a set of four.

Holiday Gift Bazaar

2007-10-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I wanted to let you all know about a really cool holiday gift bazaar that Rosebud Design Studio is taking part in this November 17th in Santa Monica. It's called "Crazy Cool Super Ridiculous" and it is featuring a handful of talented local vendors like Melissa Moss, Luxe Link, and yours truly. Come out and get started on your holiday shopping - check out the website for more information.

Designing Letters Calligraphy

2007-10-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

Today I'm featuring DeAnn Singh of Designing Letters. She's an amazingly talented calligrapher. The above photos are of some pieces she created for National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets. DeAnn also does calligraphy for weddings, and gives lessons. You can view her website and contact info here.

Rosebud's New Etsy Store

2007-09-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! I'm very excited to announce the launch of the Rosebud Design Studio Etsy store. You can check it out by clicking here. The store will offer a hand-picked selection from the Rosebud product catalog, based on the season, the weather, my mood for the week, etc. Mostly, it will be based on the season. I hope you'll visit the store and do some holiday shopping!

Paris

2007-09-19T16:19:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while since my last post, but I've had a good excuse: I've been in Paris for a short vacation and to see the Paris gift show: Maison et Objet. It was a fantastic trip. Click here to see some photos from the whirlwind tour.

I'm going to try and post my favorites from the Maison et Object....just as soon as I can locate my paperwork on that...

Also, as an item of interest, here is a link to the awesome bicycles that we used to get around while in Paris.

Store of the week: Paper Doll

2007-08-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

The featured store of the week is Paper Doll, located in Chicago, IL. They girls at Paper Doll have been buying from Rosebud Design Studio consistently since I started. Although I have never been to their store (and never even been to Chicago), if you are in the area, you should check it out. They stock tons of great lines, fun gift items, and have a cute little store mascot, Maude, the pug. Thanks for being great customers!

Bliss Print from Yellena

2007-08-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

I just recently received the above print that I ordered from Yellena's etsy shop. I really love her drawings. The colors are bright and fun, and the artwork is almost like advanced doodling (I mean that as a good thing).

I'm starting to collect affordable art pieces. So far, I have a gooco print from Sugarloop, a silkscreened poster from L2, some letterpressed pieces from Manifesto, an art print from Old School Stationers, and some other random stuff of my own creation.

Product of the Week: Snowflake Cards

2007-08-08T23:46:00.000-07:00

These cards are one of my favorites. They are foil stamped in pearl foil onto super thick white paper stock.

For the design, I played around with flourishes to create original snowflake designs. I like cutting up decorative fonts and arranging them symmetrically to create more complicated flourishes, and ultimately patterns. I know, pretty dorky. I could spend hours doing this.

Below are some of the snowflakes I created before making my final choice.

Rosebud on Delightful Blogs

2007-08-06T16:14:00.000-07:00

I've added Rosebud Design Studio's blog to the Delightful Blog listing. This website is a fun little database of blogs in areas such as fashion, design, food, shopping and travel. It's got a clean and cute layout (love the birdie) so that everything is easy to find. You can check out Rosebud's listing here.

Doggie in the Window

2007-08-02T12:36:00.000-07:00

Happy August!

Featured Store: Sugar Paper

2007-07-31T17:15:00.000-07:00

I would like to start regularly highlighting stores that are carrying Rosebud Design Studio products. For my first feature, I would like to highlight one of the first stores that took me on - Sugar Paper.

Sugar paper has two locations: Century City, CA and Brentwood, CA. Both shops are adorable, modern, and have a great selection of paper goods and stationery gift items. The Century City location is next door to Clementine Cafe which is a great place to stop for lunch, while the Brentwood store is located in the Brentwood Country Mart which has tons of shops, plus the fabulous City Bakery.

So stop by and ask for some Rosebud product (hehe)!

Sugar Paper also has a web shop in case you aren't in the Los Angeles area.

New Invitations!

2007-07-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, so here are the long promised Versailles inspired wedding invitations. They are printed with four colors and stamped in gold foil. The envelopes are lined with three different marble papers: hot pink, light pink and a deep green/blue with gold flecks.

It's been a while....

2007-07-20T06:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been out of touch! Things have been so busy at Rosebud that I haven't had a second for blogging. And now, I'm on the East Coast for a little family vacation. I'll be back on Wednesday with some more fun posts, including the product of the week, featured shop, and some gorgeous new wedding invitations that are all tricked out Marie Antoinette style.

In the meantime, Congrats to Sarah for winning the Lost contest. She guessed correctly the characters from left to right (Danielle, Mikhail, The Black Smoke Monster, and Naomi). I hope you like your Rosebud prize, Sarah, and thanks for playing!

Thanks, Country Living!

2007-07-03T16:12:00.000-07:00

Country Living is Featuring Rosebud Design Studio on their home page. Click here to check it out. Thank you!!

Product of the Week - Pirate Cards

2007-06-20T21:22:00.000-07:00

This week's Rosebud Design Studio featured products are the Pirate Cards. I really like historical maps (I had been calling them "vintage" maps, but the nice librarian at the UCLA maps library informed me that they are "historical"). I started researching these maps for an invitation I designed for a destination wedding in Hawaii. There are lots of great sites on the web where you can get inspiration (check out my previous post on the topic for some more info).

Also, I really like pirates. And pirate-speak. Did you know that there is a National Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19th)? I had a lot of fun writing the copy for these cards, researching all the pirate-y words I wanted to use and putting them together....

These particular cards are printed on recycled paper (we are making an earth-friendly effort here at Rosebud HQ), and are for sending birthday greetings, congratulations, and thank yous.

Lost without Lost - Rosebud Mini Contest

2007-06-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

A few anonymous commenters have been requesting my YouTube link since I posted by brother's under Post Show Wrap Up. I do not have a YouTube Link (fortunately). I do have the above picture, which is the most embarrassing photo of me (left) I could find that I would still post on this blog.

This photo was taken at the Lost season finale. We all dressed up as different characters from the show. So, I'm going to sponsor a little contest. I will give a Rosebud Design Studio product prize to the person that can correctly guess all four characters shown above. Here are the rules:
1. To win, you must be the FIRST (and only the first) to comment with all four correct answers from left to right.
2. If you are an "anonymous" poster, I won't know who you are, so please leave your name in the post.
3. No friends or family of mine can play.
4. Gift will be determined by me, but it will be a selection of Rosebud product worth about $20.00 - $30.00
5. NO LAUGHING (seriously, people....like you've never dressed up as a Lost character before? Come on....)

Cool Artist: CJ Metzger

2007-06-13T16:05:00.001-07:00

Today I had the good fortune to meet C.J. Metzger and go to her studio in Glendale, CA. Her work is amazing, and you can check it out on her website (she says she's going to have a new website lauching this summer with a web store). Her studio is also fantastic, and much of her artwork is hanging up on the walls. I snapped these photos while I was there today. Some of the work is done with her sister, who is also an artist.

C.J. and I are hoping to work together on some cards for Rosebud Design Studio, so I'll keep everyone posted on that.

Vintage Fruit Label Cards

2007-06-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

I thought it might be interesting to post a product of the week and give you some insight into the design process/inspiration behind them. So, I'm starting with some of the new products, the Vintage Fruit Label Cards.

Here at Rosebud Design Studio, we (by which I mean "I") have a bit of a problem (read: obsession) with vintage graphics, packaging, etc. You might even have noticed – I wouldn't blame you if you did.

These cards are based on turn of the century fruit and vegetable labels. I found a bunch of excellent reference on the Internet, which you can see below. However, I always like to create something different for Rosebud. In this case, I wanted to add some occasional cards to the line, so I selected fruits I thought I could write "happy birthday", "congrats", "I'm sorry", and anniversary copy for.

Where was this when I was in High School?

2007-06-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

Once when I went to the West Hollywood Halloween Parade, I saw a group of people in Marie Antoinette style outfits made entirely of bubble wrap. But this duct tape prom looks cool too.
Do you think they'd let me submit if I promised to give the scholarship money to a high school student? The above photo is one of my favorites from the Stuck on Prom website. But there are many, many more...

Production Time

2007-06-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

Since the Stationery Show is over, now I'm deep into production for all the new Rosebud Design Studio items that people ordered. I'll be at it for a while, but orders should start shipping out end of June. Expect an updated list of stores on the Rosebud site soon.

Sign up for our newsletter (located on the Rosebud home page) if you would like to stay informed.

Above is a photo of the Circus Baby Announcements drying on make-shift clothes lines in my apartment. Usually, I send everything out to be printed, but these were hand silkscreened by myself and my lovely assistant Kaz. It was backbreaking labor. The clothes lines started to sag because of the weight of the paper, and you literally had to crawl underneath them all to attach more for drying purposes. What we do for paper products and design.

Polite Cards

2007-06-04T17:10:00.001-07:00

While at the Stationery Show, I visited Polite Cards' booth. These cards by David Shrigley are my favorites. For now, I'm going with "don't know."

Happy June

2007-06-04T13:25:00.001-07:00

Summer's coming...

Post Show Wrap Up

2007-05-29T23:07:00.001-07:00

Well, it's all over. I can hardly believe it. Here are some highlights from the Stationery Show. The above photos are from the Rosebud Booth. Thank you to all our new and returning customers (store list updates on the Rosebud site to come) that came by and placed orders. Also, a big hello to Lindsey and Brady from Hammerpress, who were the best neighboors an exhibitor could ask for. We had tons of fun this year, thanks in no small part to Kaz, who endured endless rides on NJ Transit, very early mornings, and my questionable sanity. Also, I couldn't have put the booth together without tips from the construction department - you know who you are. Additionally, thanks to Marmo and The Box for transportation, food, housing and general support with minimal harassment. Lastly, thank you to the Matador for the Yankee tickets.

Below are more photos of the booth, including one in the process of being dismantled. Also featured are myself, Kaz and our Uglydoll friend, and my brother John, who despite valiant efforts could not teach me to throw a frisbee properly.

And...one more thank you to Grace from Design*Sponge for featuring the Daily Fortunes on her blog.

On with the Show!

2007-05-15T18:18:00.000-07:00

The Stationery Show, that is. Come see Rosebud Design Studio at the Javits Center in NYC from May 20 - 23. We'll be in booth #1763, and we'll have CUPCAKES. Real ones. To eat. Yessiree. Don't forget your coupon (for paper products, the cupcakes are free).

Conference Finals

2007-05-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

A little faith, people. After all, we have:
Get your PDF poster here.

Rosebud Weddings Launch

2007-05-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

I've lauched Rosebud Weddings earlier today. This website is going to showcase all Rosebud's invitation offerings, from custom designed invites, to our BRAND SPANKING NEW line of ready-made options. This has been in the works for a long time, so I'm excited to finally get it out there. The ready-made options will also be displayed at the National Stationery Show in booth 1763 (May 20-23), with the rest of Rosebud's new line. Special thanks to Kaz for helping me with the photoshoot, and for coming out to New York with me for the second year in a row!

Stationery Show Time

2007-05-03T12:25:00.000-07:00

Well, the Stationery Show is finally upon us. This year, Rosebud Design Studio will be exhibiting in booth #1763. We've got tons of new stuff, so if you're going to be there, stop on by. I've also created this handy-dandy coupon for all orders placed at the show. Click here to download yours.

It's May

2007-05-03T12:21:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late on posting this, but here is Toby's May glamour shot.

The Magical Donut

2007-04-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

Please go here.

Let's Go Buffalo!

2007-04-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

In honor of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I've created a poster in honor of my favorite goalie for my favorite team, the Buffalo Sabres. Click here to download a free PDF. the size of the poster is 11 x 17, but if you bring it to a place like Kinko's, they should be able to enlarge it. So, if you're lucky enough to be going to a game and need a poster, feel free to use this one. Keep checking back, as I will probably make more....in the works are a "Captain Clutch" for everyone's favorite captain, Chris Drury and "Cookie Monster" for our sneaky center, Daniel Briere. Feel free to post suggestions in the comments section.

Rosebud on Trunkt

2007-04-16T18:09:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say that I signed Rosebud up for a listing on the Trunkt lookbook. You can view the listing here with an extensive list of where to buy Rosebud Products.

Bluebird Studios - Calligraphy

2007-04-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

Hello again - it's been a while since my last post. I thought I'd open things up again with a nice wedding related theme. Rebecca from Bluebird Studios as revamped her website. Rebecca has been lettering professionally since 1998. Her calligraphy style is unique and fresh. I highly recommend checking out her website for samples of her work if you are in the market for some calligraphy for your wedding invitations (or for any other event). Bluebird Studios has also been featured on Daily Candy.

Happy April!

2007-04-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

Nothin' says spring like a sleepy dog with a jaunty ribbon around his neck.

Sony Bouncing Balls

2007-03-29T17:46:00.000-07:00

This campaign has been around for a while, but if you haven't seen it, I recommned checking it out here. It's part of Sony's Colour Like No Other campaign. Also fun is the behind the scenes, which describes exactly how thousands of rubber bouncy balls were unleashed on San Francisco.

Rosebud Survey

2007-03-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

I created a very short survey for Rosebud Design Studio. I'm trying to gather opinions on the line, with the Stationery Show upcomming in May. If you've got a second (really, it doesn't take that long to fill out), please click here for the survey. I'm going to choose a winner randomly from the respondants. The winner will receive a goodie box full of Rosebud product!

See Jane Work Store

2007-03-20T15:56:00.000-07:00

I subscribe to the See Jane Work newsletter, and I received this notice that they are opening a Flagship store in Thousand Oaks, CA! The address (for those of you in the area) is 2993 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362. See Jane Work sells my Collected Keepsake and Correspondence books.

Something fun for today

2007-03-05T17:42:00.000-08:00

This is Mr. Pinky. He's a pig. I sewed him for my husband for Valentine's Day. As you can see, sewing is not my strong suit. Or, at least not sewing small pigs. Anyway, I've made my peace with his many imperfections, and now I think he's awesome. So I photoshopped him into a nice beach scene from Santa Monica, 'cuz he's a west side swine. OINK!

Rosebud Studio Tour

2007-03-01T15:13:00.000-08:00

I'm taking a break from builing out a website to give a Rosebud studio tour! I know....so exciting. Right now, Rosebud Design Studio is a desk (two desks actually, but this one looks more interesting) in my apartment. This is where I sit most of the day, designing, emailing, wasting time...so here are the finer points of my desk:
1. My Epson Stylus Photo 2200. Words can't describe how I feel about this machine. It's frickin' awesome. Of course, it is occupying about half the real estate of my desk, and is decorated with a plastic lizard and some other wildlife.
2. Pantone formula guide, solid uncoated. 'Nuf said.
3. My cell phone. Yes, it's pink. And yes, it has a Harry Potter ring tone. You wanna make something of it?
4. My to-do list. It's become more of a to-do binder. A mini binder from Russel + Hazel (because I do buy other people's stationery too).
5. Musical bunny, also pink.
6. Completely disorderly pencil holders. See inset photo below.
7. Piu Piu birdie paper clip holder thingie.
8. Laser Printer (because I can't address metallic envelopes on my ink jet).
9. Lacie back up hard drive....just in case...
10. Toby mouse pad.
11. My G5. I think the "G" stands for "glorious" because I hear angels singing whenever I look at it. Not really. Well, sometimes.
12. Hidden scanner that likes to crash my computer. I keep it unplugged until I need it. Vindictive little bastard.
13. Stylish vertical blinds!
Above are the disorderly and disorganized pencil holders. Items of note: various colored thin sharpies, a calculator, a pirate pencil, and a hidden troll (background). The troll was a gift from my old design firm. We worked on a project for trolls, and we each had one on our desks for "inspiration". Right now this troll is sporting some colorful hibiscus flowers in his hair.

It's March!

2007-02-28T18:24:00.000-08:00

Happy March! Here is a smiling Toby to ring in the new month. I'm hoping to get some good posts in within the next couple of days....I've needed a bit of a break to handle a particularly time intensive project. So, in between rocking back and forth under my desk and working, I haven't dedicated much time to blogging.

The Patina Bride

2007-02-23T10:49:00.000-08:00

Rosebud Design Studio is going to be taking part in a fancy-schmancy bridal event at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles. The event is being hosted by Patina Catering and it will be held at the concert hall this Sunday, February 25th from 11am - 3pm.
You will be able to meet with professionals in invitations, entertainment, photography, fashion, florals, cake, and event design. There will also be food and drinks.

To RSVP for this event:
Tickets are $35.00 each** ~ Complimentary Parking
(213) 972-7565 or eventrsvp@patinagroup.com
**Cost of ticket will be applied to any events booked with the Patina Restaurant Group.

Daily Candy highlighted the event in their weekend guide here.

Rosebud Design Studio on Design*Sponge

2007-02-20T15:33:00.000-08:00

Rosebud Design Studio was included in Design*Sponge's Letterpress Guide, which debuted today. Many thanks to Grace, both for including me and for putting together such a great resouce. You can check out the guide here.

Historical Maps

2007-02-19T11:16:00.000-08:00

I've always been into old maps, I think they're cool. A while back I had to do a wedding invitation using some historical maps (I used to call them vintage maps, but the helpful librarian at the UCLA Maps Library told me to say "historical" instead). You can get some really great quality images online from the Navy (copyright free too!). The Library of Congress also has some really great maps in their American Memory Project collection.

Rosebud + Lisa Congdon + ReForm School = YES!!!

2007-02-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

ReForm School hosted an exhibit of Lisa Congdon's work on Saturday. It was really fantastic, and if you're in the Los Angeles area, I highly recommend hustling on over there and checking it out while everything is still up. In the above photo you can see not only Lisa's painting on the left, but some of Rosebud's Valentine cards in the case on the right. The Valentine Hearts and Vintage Valentines are featured in the case, and looks mighty fun with all that other pink stuff. Lisa was nice enough to let me use this photo of hers so I could show it off. You can check out more of Lisa's work from the show here.
Photo by: Lisa Congdon

Swarovksi & Tord Boontje!!

2007-02-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

I wish I could see this in person. Check out the website here. In the pictures section, you can see a bunch of amazing images. I think Boontje might be the KING of awesome swirly madness. I love it!

Happy Valentine's Day

2007-02-13T22:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone. I hope cupid is good to you all...there are a few Valentine extras on the Rosebud website, under freebies. You can download new wallpaper, AIM icons, and gift tags for your Valentine.

More Nature!

2007-02-07T18:28:00.000-08:00

So I've started this collection of nature photos that I've taken. I don't have a flicker account, so now they're just sitting on my computer while I decide what to do with them. I thought I would post some here, just because. This one was taken at the Jersey Shore. I swear I didn't use Photoshop to get that pink color.

Printing Terms - Volume 2

2007-02-05T17:16:00.000-08:00

Recently, I've had some requests for "tea length" wedding invitations. Tea length is a fancy term for an invitation sized to fit in a #10 envelope (regular business sized) envelope. So, the invitation is usually sized about 4" x 9". There are two options for envelopes for tea length invites. There is the regular #10 envelope, shown in the top diagram, with a square flap. There is also the policy envelope, shown in the botton diagram. The policy envelope opens on the short side, instead of on the top. Policy envelopes can be hard to find. Paper Source has a great selection of them, in a variety of colors. I also found this website that has a nice chart of envelope sizes and terms that could be helpful.

Moon over New Jersey

2007-02-05T17:07:00.000-08:00

Here's a photo I took while back on the East Coast for the Holidays. I was trying to photograph the moon through the trees, which didn't turn out too clearly, as you can see. But I sort of like the effect it created, with the trees on the bottom, going from blue to black.

Happy February

2007-02-01T07:57:00.000-08:00

It's February! Above is the image I used for the Toby Calendar for February. So since Valentine's Day is on the horizon, I thought I would update some of the freebies on the Rosebud site. I have a new wallpaper, so you can decorate your computer appropriately, some AIM icons, and a PDF of downloadable gift tags that you can print and cut out. Click here for all the goodies.

Printing Terms - Volume 1

2007-01-26T16:08:00.000-08:00

I'm not planning on listing an all existing printing terms, but I thought a few would be useful, because they pertain to wedding invitations. The following terms are processes that you can use to make your wedding invitations more exciting (from a printing standpoint). They're also useful to know when shopping for any kind of stationery or paper product.

Foil Stamp: In this process, a metallic or pigmented coating is literally stamped onto paper with a heated die. The stamping creates a slight impression, similar to what you will find with letterpress printing. Foils come in a rainbow of colors, some are metallic, some are pearly, some are matte. I'm a big fan of the foil stamp. Below are images of some of my products that use foil stamps (Collected Keepsake book and Daily Fortune Matchbook).

Emboss/Deboss: In this process, an image is pressed into the paper so that it creates a raised (emboss) or recessed (deboss) relief. You can use embossing & debossing in conjuction with inks or foil stamps, or you can use it without - which would be called a blind emboss. (Image below from about.com)

Die Cut: This terms refers to the cutting of shapes out of paper. For example, you could cut a flower shape out of paper, OR you could punch it out, and leave its negative image behind. Below are some examples from my line (Letterpressed Cupcake Cards and Die Cut Flowers).

What is Offset Printing, Anyway?

2007-01-19T15:46:00.000-08:00

The above thank you card and dinner invitation set were offset printed. Many of you already know what offset printing is, but I thought I would do a post about it since I get enough questions, asking me what it is. In offset printing, film is created from the designs you create, and paper is rolled through the printer, where ink is directly applied. There are no raised surfaces, as in engraving, and there are no impressions created, like in letterpress printing. The ink sits flat on the paper. You can check Wikipedia's description of offset printing here.

Despite the "flat" nature of the printing, offset printing produces some beautiful results. You can customize colors, as in other printing processes. Additionally, offset printing can be a less expensive route.

If you are considering getting invitations printed (or anything printed, for that matter) you should consider what's important to you in terms of printing processes. You can have your designer or printer price different options for you so that you can see how it all breaks down.

ReForm School RULES!

2007-01-18T11:19:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited that ReForm School placed an order! They ordered some Circus Baby Announcements, Valentine Hearts, Vintage Valentine Postcards, and a bunch of Daily Fortunes of various editions. This is one of my favorite stores in Los Angeles, so I am thrilled and flattered.

In February, ReForm School will be having a Lisa Congdon show, which I can't wait for. You can sign up for their email list to get all the latest news on the ReForm School website.
(image from reformschoolrules.com)

What's in a Wedding Invitation?

2007-01-15T09:28:00.000-08:00

This may seem pretty obvious to some, but I thought I would include a primer here for those that are preparing for their weddings and don't know where to start for invitations.
So, what does an invitation package include?

• The main invitation
• The reply card
• Envelopes for the above

That's it. I know, it doesn't seem like much. What about Save the Date cards, direction cards, and all that? All that other stuff is extra. So, if you're thinking about getting invitations done, you might do well to spend some time itemizing all the printed pieces you would like to have. It's always best to go to a stationer or a custom wedding invitation designer with a detailed list of what you want.

Here are some points to think on (some of these only apply if you are building your invitations from the ground up with a custom designer):
• Colors: which ones and how many? The more colors you use, the more it will cost)
• Size: 5 x 7, sqaure, accordian fold. Keep in mind that if you want inner and outer envelopes for your invitations, you are limited in size to 5x7 and 6" square.
• Theme: do you have a theme for your wedding, a Roman Holiday, garden party, Hawaiian Luau? You might want to get invitations that will reflect this theme.
• Printing Process: letterpress, offset or engraving?

It always helps to look around. Collect magazine clippings, or images from the web of invitations you like. Keep color swatches from fabrics or paint. The more thinking you do on your end, the more likely you will be to get exactly what you want.
See more wedding invitations here.

Artocracy

2007-01-15T09:22:00.000-08:00

I found Artocracy.org through a subscription to Good Magazine (that my friend Kaz got me for Christmas). The artists are organized by "conceptual" art, "representational" art, and "photography". You have the option to buy a framed print, an unframed print, or you can download a PDF - how's that for accessible art? I really liked the above, by artist Glauce Cerveira

Tinlark Gallery

2007-01-11T08:53:00.000-08:00

This weekend is the grand opening of Tinlark Gallery. I'm really excited to be going. It's in an awesome location (Crossroads of the World) in Los Angeles. I designed their website (although not their logo - which is really great). The website isn't up and running yet, but there is a splash page that will give you all the info about the show this weekend.

Artist Andrew Saftel

2007-01-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

This is an artist I found while walking my dog past the Lowe Gallery in Santa Monica. Andrew Saftel makes these huge mixed media paintings. I love the colors he uses, and I love all the stuff that's going on in these paintings.

Stationery Show 2007

2007-01-05T08:22:00.000-08:00

Since it's officially 2007, I'm now allowing myself to start planning for the National Stationery Show, coming up in May. Some of you might think it's a bit early to plan, but it takes me quite a while to figure everything out. I'm hoping to have lots of new stuff this year. Above is a sneak peak at some cards I am working on, based on fruit and vegetable labels.

Cooper Hewitt - Design Life Now

2007-01-04T15:59:00.000-08:00

While in NYC over the holidays, we went to the Cooper Hewitt to see the Design Life Now exhibit. There was everything from NASA to Blik, and it was fabulous. The show runs until July 29th, and I highly recommend checking it out. The above photos are of the outside of the museum.

Added Links

2007-01-04T15:53:00.000-08:00

I've added some resources in the right hand link list. There are wedding resources, blog lists, and a list of places to find Rosebud products. I'm hoping to expand the lists in the future, especially the wedding resources. If you have any suggestions, please send them along.

Happy New Year

2007-01-02T10:08:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone! Today is my first official day of working on my own - yippee! Above is a photo of Toby, playing in the Buffalo, NY snow. I made a Toby calendar for my parents for Christmas, and this is the January image. I'm planning some changes for this blog, so stay tuned. I want to organize the links a bit better for all you brides out there looking for resources. I figured since I am an invitation designer, this would be a good place to list helpful links for brides-to-be. Hopefully I will have those up, along with some interesting new posts, in the next week or so.

Sea Creatures are Cool - Part 2

2006-12-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

This book, The Octonauts, looks awesome. I first saw it at the aquarium in Vancouver's Stanley Park, but now I found their website. The illustrations are fantastic. Read all about the Octonauts here. I'm taking off for the East Coast tomorrow for some holiday revelry and whatnot. I'll be back again in January. Have a great holiday!

Zebra Bunny

2006-12-17T19:27:00.000-08:00

I wanted to post a few more pictures of street art. Above is a zebra bunny - spotted in Santa Monica on Arizona Street, and some R's riding skateboards, also on Arizona. I'm not sure what any of these mean. Below, is a panda sticker, sometimes accompanied by a slug-like unicorn, and the happy cupcake - also a sticker.

Valentine Hearts

2006-12-15T09:58:00.000-08:00

I'm skipping ahead a few months to February to feature these Valentine Hearts. I've just recently finished them. The design is foil stamped in hot pink onto light pink printed paper. The paper these are printed on is Crane's letterpress paper, and it is so soft, like fabric. The font that I used is called Balmoral, but I added more flourishes to the letters.

Rosebud Sale

2006-12-11T20:55:00.000-08:00

The Rosebud Holiday Sale went really well - thanks to everyone who stopped by. And thanks to Harmony and The Bridal Bar who hosted the event. If you're a bride-to-be in the Los Angeles area, you should definitely check out this place. There are tons of references and ideas for your big day.

My Little Helper

2006-12-08T10:05:00.000-08:00

Toby's been helping me tie ribbons for my Holiday Ornaments for the Rosebud Holiday Sale tomorrow. Actually, he prefers hiding his toys in the pile of ribbons. I imagine he'd be better at tying things if he had thumbs.

Sea Creatures are Cool

2006-12-06T09:51:00.000-08:00

This is a new book from McSweeney's that my friend Kaz told me about. It's called Animals of the Ocean, in Particular the Giant Squid. A couple of years ago I made up a story about a clam named Fred who gets a job as a gardener at a palace run by a magical underwater sea goat named Ernesto. But I'm sure this book is more interesting. It promises to have squids, too, which is a bonus.

Gert & Uwe Tobias

2006-12-06T09:43:00.000-08:00

Recently, I went to the Hammer in Westwood to check out an exhibit by Gert and Uwe Tobias. The exhibit didn't have my favorite pieces of theirs, some of which I've posted above. Gert and Uwe are Romanian twin brothers who do large scale woodcuts in really bright colors. They work folk tales and imagery from their native Transylvania into their art. You can see images of their work here and here.

Rosebud Design Studio Holiday Sale

2006-12-05T16:44:00.000-08:00

Rosebud is having a holiday sale at the Bridal Bar in West Hollywood this Saturday, December 9th from 2 - 4pm. The Bridal Bar is located at 624 N. Doheny Drive (just north of Santa Monica Blvd.) in West Hollywood, CA 90069. We're going to have holiday cards, thank you's, stocking stuffers, and even some valentines. You can take a look at the Rosebud website to see what will be available for sale. Stop by if you are in the area, I'm hoping to have some hot chocolate and cookies on hand too!

Never Forget Vancouver

2006-12-02T22:10:00.000-08:00

Recently, while in Vancouver, we kept running into this grafitti art dinosaur all over the place. We laughed and laughed when we saw it, especially appreciating the drawing style. I know there are tons of prominent grafitti artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairey, but I sort of like these anonymous and kind of random versions. There's a discussion of the never forget dino here. I'd like to make street art a posting theme, so if anyone has any examples of grafitti art, feel free to send them in.

Paper Products at Urbanic in Venice, CA

2006-12-02T21:51:00.000-08:00

Today I went to a grand opening and holiday party at Urbanic, a relatively new stationery store in the Abbott Kinney area of Venice. The place is packed with great paper products, if you're in the area, definitely check it out. Click here for their website. There's also an informative post about the shop on LA Apartment Therapy here.

My first post

2006-12-01T20:30:00.000-08:00

This is my first attempt at blogging. I thought it would be a fun place to post ideas and inspirations that I come across and use for my designs. I'm also quitting my job on December 20th to run my own company full time, so I figured this would be one way to stay connected with the outside world, while I try and run a company in my pj's. I hope to improve the blog over time, so don't be discouraged by its bare appearance, expect good things to come. Above are some holiday postcards from my line. They're a spin off vintage apothecary labels. You can see some more images of them here.