we had the honor of creating some custom cards for our friend, sarah, over at ladybird poppy. she wanted a card to include with her beautiful bouquets that would feature her brand along with some kind of floral design.
the red card decorated with hand drawn poppies.
the purple card decorated with hand drawn ranunculus.
to see more of sarah’s stunning floral creations, visit: www.ladybirdpoppy.com or like her on facebook.
custom birth announcements are a special way to welcome a new baby – and even better in an earthtone palette and square format.
we were given full creative license with this project to design something special for this little one. we used a darling collection of photographs taken by the mother. the color palette was taken from the colors used in the nursery, and penguins have a special place in the father’s heart. desaturated color and a grid layout make the design orderly and cohesive.
we designed this announcement double-sided to showcase more of the adorable photos.
thanks, meyer family, for letting us create something beautiful to celebrate the birth of sweet little lincoln!
one of the most rewarding aspects of being a graphic designer is creating designs that are more than simply beautiful but also full of meaning. good design must be effective communicating at a glance, but also reveal deeper significance given further attention – and it must command that extra moment’s notice. our pursuit is always to capture our client’s vision in a clear and eloquent manner that sets them apart in the marketplace of our image driven culture.
this recent logo project was a great example of all of that coming together in a successful way. “How To” Life Consultants, LLC is driven by the mission of “Personal Development of Multi-talented Individuals.” edith brought tons of inspiration and vision for her logo design. the first concept was a totem pole with a snowy owl on top and five masks underneath, to represent a spirit guide and the many faces of giftedness and facets of personality.
we took that concept and modified the layout to display more effectively at small sizes, since a logo must be able to reduce down very small. the snowy owl became the main shape of the logo, containing the stylized masks within it in a rhythmic pattern.
it was fun to bring bright colors to a illustration style inspired by pacific northwest artwork. it is the perfect combination of fresh and current with tradition and timelessness, just as edith brings her knowledge of “how-to” live well, rooted in ageless wisdom, to the needs people face today.
thanks edith! keep up the good work.
for all you lovely readers who visit our site, we’d love to clarify what we do! we’re a fresh stationery + design company based in denver, colorado. we are passionate about spreading happiness through beautiful design.
our site is split into two sections: bespoke & readymade.
bespoke is our gallery showcasing a lot of custom work we’ve done for our amazing clients. take a moment to scroll through our wedding, baby+kids, correspondence, celebration and identity categories. see something you like? click an image to see additional photos and a quick summary of the project. want to order unique stationery for yourself or someone you love? say hello!
readymade is our shop! peruse our off-the-shelf designs which include posters and greeting cards. we’re always working on new items, so keep checking back. also! if you are interested in wedding stationery, but don’t want to start from scratch, perhaps you’d like to chose from our signature wedding collection designs! we have 15 unique sets to get your creative juices flowing! see a design that you love? you can personalize this design with your color palette and your preferred style of wording. you can also request a quote for your specific quantity.
thanks so much for stopping by. we’d love to talk more about how we can partner together in the future! drop a line at hello@ampersandllc.com.
cheers!
we just love the vibrant pop of color on this custom graduation announcement. it just jumps with excitement, which is perfect for the exciting milestone of highschool or college graduation. diplomas! parties! new beginnings!
bright contrasting colors and bold shapes make this announcement hip and fun.
clean, restrained typography lets the intense color palate have center stage.
congratulations to keely and all upcoming graduates of 2012. give us a call. we’d love to create something beautiful and unique to announce your graduation and invite your friends and family to celebrate with you!
this recent project was a rare treat. we got to design stationery for a surprise gift from a husband to his wife! it was a completely unique and personal gift for a woman who loves to write notes.
we created this monogram for matt & molly to express their classic, elegantly simple taste. designing in tones of a single color allowed us to use offset printing with its amazingly crisp, rich inks. these single panel cards were printed on heavy recycled paper. we hope they are enjoyed for years to come by everyone who receives their notes!
inspiration for a custom wedding suite we’re designing for cori & tyler.
1. top 2 left photos: carrie patterson photography 2. wooden rsvp: bird and banner
3. bouquet and boutineer: ladybird poppy 4. cake: susie cakes
we’ve been so excited to share a couple weddings we designed for that took place over the summer. these projects were customizations of some of our collection designs. these are just a few examples of how you can truly personalize one of our existing collection suites to match your wedding vision. today, we want to specifically introduce you to ashley and adam! they are such a sweet couple and so incredibly easy to work with! we couldn’t have been more honored to create this suite to match ashley’s favorite colors.
ashley + adam
{collection : amber}
click to zoom
invitation, save the date, rsvp, reception info/ map, and two wedding photos, thanks to Dream Wedding Photography.
see the original amber collection design over at: Premiere Collection Gallery
here is another recent baby shower invitation that {ampersand} was commissioned to design. we had a blast creating the custom illustrations for this one. we love that lil owl and its leafy perch.
let us know if you have any weddings, parties or events in need of some unique illustrations!
here are a couple of our latest custom projects featuring some custom illustration…hot off the press!
clever graduation announcement
cute baby shower invite
design*sponge has a great post today about the Next Big Thing: custom.
“… I have high hopes that affordable custom work is something we can all look forward to in the next few years. Not only does it let you get something that works for your style and your life, but it also gives you the rare opportunity to work hand-in-hand with a local artist and get to see that artist’s process (and talent) in action — something that’s really hard to do when you’re just ordering a chair online.”
we thrive as part of a rising movement towards quality, authentic and unique goods that are created in relationship with you. nothing inspires and challenges our creativity like this process. it feels so appropriate to bring our custom design strategy to bear on weddings, which continue to evolve as a blank canvas for self-expression.
here’s a first on this blog: an e-invite. gasp!
now, let it be said that we are extremely partial to paper. it’s oh-so touchable, post-able, archive-able. and as we’re increasingly consumed by a sea of electronic communications, paper mementos are all the more delightful in their rarity.
but sometimes, last minute parties HAPPEN. and there is simply no time for lovely paper invites to make their way from the press to envelopes to mailboxes across town. yes, everything that makes paper invites so special makes them challenging on a tight schedule.
throwing a party without invitations just makes me too sad to bear. and so, e-invites were designed and emailed and saved the day!
to set the tone I chose a color palette directly from pantone’s color forecast for 2011. it is a FANTASTIC resource for brides searching for wedding color inspiration that will be absolutely of-the-moment and on-trend for this year.
congratulations to everyone who got engaged over the holiday! it’s such a magical time of year to get engaged. every time I turn around I to meet another lucky bride-to-be.
a small group of friends recently threw a party to toast autumn. it felt like just the right time to host a big bash before the hectic holidays sweep us all away. i have to confess that, as lovely as the soirée was, designing the invite was half the fun for me!
this pattern was inspired by the turning and falling of leaves. i love how the vibrant colors jump off the neutral background. it’s at once playful and sophisticated. it was printed on the back and was the first thing guests saw when they opened the envelope. i love creating little moments of surprise like that!
on the front, i did a bit of calligraphy in bright persimmon for something elegant and contemporary. it was perfect with our swanky 10th-floor lounge downtown and our autumn theme.
we’re excited to announce that we are now offering customized wax seals! if you haven’t used one before, they are super easy and elegant and anyone can do it. one of the best things about them is that no two marks are exactly alike because the wax creates a unique shape around the edge as it is pressed with the seal.
we can design everything from a monogram with your initials to a motif that incorporates your wedding theme or date. maybe even an old-fashioned family crest customized just for you! after your wedding, the seal becomes a fun keepsake of your day and you may even choose to continue using it in your correspondence such as holiday cards.
wax seals were used by royalty and nobility to authorize official documents. your seal was a symbol of your authority and a person’s seals would be destroyed when they died to prevent counterfeiting. they carry an air of prestige and celebrity.
think of everything you can do with just one seal: use it on your invitation envelopes, favor boxes, bouquet ribbons, place cards, menus, programs, guest book, thank you cards and anything else you can dream up! this is a fantastic way to bring a completely personal and nostalgic touch to your wedding. you can use different colors of wax in different applications for some variety, or stick with a consistent color for a very unified look.
a beautiful bride and beautiful photos make for one beautiful album!
our phenomenally talented friend john s. miller shot heather and curtis’s wedding this summer. we used his photos in the layout and design of an album that we absolutely love.
the album is archival quality with a debossed leather cover and hand sewn binding.
we hope that heather and curtis enjoy reminiscing and showing it off for decades to come. congratulations you two!
back in april, we worked with blue bridal couture to design invitations for a brides head revisited trunk show at their shop in the denver pavilions. we worked with a blue that matches their branding and screen printed the design on chipboard.
for all you brides looking for that perfect dress, we LOVE the ladies over at blue. blue bridal is a chic, contemporary boutique, located in the heart of downtown denver. locally owned and operated by two young women, they offer exquisite designer gowns, at surprisingly delightful prices. most of their designers are exclusive to their boutique in colorado, which means you won’t see the same gowns anywhere else.
here are some beautiful photos of their brand new shop downtown:
visit them at bluegowns.com or LIKE them on facebook.
here’s a great solution for addressing your invitations: custom labels that coordinate with your stationery! nothing is as clear and simple as a mailing label, but most are so boring/ugly that I shudder to picture them on a personal invitation. but not these!
these labels truly elevate your style and add a polished look to the envelope. here we used the teal color scheme, tiny dots and matching typography for a coordinated statement. (to see the matching invite check out our previous post.)
the return address folds over to appear on the back. easy as pie.
what’s sweeter than a tiny baby shower invitation sprinkled with tiny polka dots and a heart or two for good measure?
- tiny invites standing at attention!
these invites were custom designed to celebrate the impending arrival of a baby girl affectionately known as “Lil’ G”. they fold accordion style and fit in tiny envelopes with matching wrap-around address labels. not only do the labels unify the design, but they are a great addressing solution – much classier than typical mail-merge labels and way easier than hand addressing. the return address is printed on the part that wraps around the back so you conquer all your addressing needs with one simple sticker! gotta love it!
- under my umbrella…
…bridal showers, that is! we loved designing for a lovely bridal shower luncheon with a lemon + chocolate color scheme. this color palate makes a very modern and elegant statement when it takes shape in scrolls and polka dots. it’s fresh and fun for a spring shower.
coordinating shower invitations are available for all of our premiere collection wedding invitations. we’re also thrilled to create custom shower invites that capture your unique theme or colors you already have in mind. and don’t forget the thank you notes for all of those shower gifts! let us help you pull it all together. whether it’s your entire wedding suite or simply a shower, we’ll make your dreams materialize on paper. give us a shout!
