Hollywood glamour 40th birthday

My friend Jenny asked me to design a card for her 40th in black and gold for a Hollywood glamour themed 40th birthday party, I put together a few ideas for digital printing, but gold never looks quite right when it is digitally printed, so we decided to go for gold foil on black GF smith paper, oh how gorgeous did they look.







An amazing night was had by all and everyone looked stunning. Lots of champagne and posh frocks!

Personal stationery - why I love it

I have just designed a couple of notelet, correspondence cards for myself and for a present for my friend.  The cockerel has been painted by my friend Allie Pottinger, who is an excellent watercolour artist, exhibiting this week in Cheshire.








I have used these as correspondence cards, but they can be used as thank you's, birthday invites , anything really. I have chosen the rich dark blue surround, but they can be left plain.

I am also having printed some linings to match, I just can not wait to send them out.
The hand lined envelopes are fabulous, such a luxurious extra.

For a softer version I have also designed and printed the magnolia note card, again it can be used as a correspondence card, birth day invite anything really. I also lined an envelope to match, I am sending these as a present for my friends 40th, she is the lady who has everything, so it is a perfect 40th birthday present I hope. Watercolour by Allie Pottinger again - how did you guess.

See all my notecards and stationery - here

Magnolia notecard front

Luxury a hand lined envelope to match

Magnolia notecard reverse

Fur, feather and flora , a watercolour exhibition

My colleague and friend Allie Pottinger is having an exhibition next week at Deans Rough Farm, Lower Withington, Cheshire. A sneek preview below:

The exhibition runs from Friday till Sunday, pop along as there are 41 paintings to see.

If you like Allie's drawings, please look at her website. www.alliepottinger.com.

Party bags

I find it very hard to find good, interesting but cheap bits and bobs to put in party bags, I do think it is a nightmare for many parents.

So I went for cococards bits and bobs instead, used my brown bags from ages ago, printed off 5 sheets of names and then used my lovely cutter and some ribbon to attach them to the bags. So all the bags had personalised name tags.

Then all the children have personalised note books and a pen each, and of course a little bags of chocolates. Hope they like it all, Jemima's party is this afternoon.

 

Greek baptism invitations

I have designed a few Greek baptism invitations lately and they all seem like they are going to be big joyous celebrations. I was so interested in it I looked into it and found that the baptism of a baby in a Greek Orthodox Church is a ceremony second only to marriage in its symbolism, it is a major event in the child's life.
The godparents play a vital part as in many areas they have to bring the white towels, white sheets, olive oil, baptismal undergarments, baptism outfit, a gold cross for the baby, martyrika christening witness pins and white candles which are essential parts of the Greek baptism ceremony.
When the ceremony is complete the child wears a pure white outfit, the ceremony is then followed by a celebration at a local restaurant or their home.

These are examples of martyrika pins that can be given to the guests along with boubouniera.












I was inspired to design the Greek baptism invitation below I hope you like it, obviously it can be changed to fit any celebration from a traditional christening to a naming ceremony or even for a baby announcement card and colours can be changed.

Click here for CocoCards website.

Diamond Jubilee party

Four days off in June, sounds wonderful. Is anyone going to have a party. I have just designed one invite and my friend Allie Pottinger is painting a garden party invite as I write this.
Just googled street parties and the eden project have a great website called the big lunch, it has party packs, ideas for games - games for kids, team games and much more. The sticky toffee game sounds interesting.
It lists why we should get involved, added an excerpt below form the site www.biglunch.com

• To stoke up community spirit – we call it ‘human warming’.

• To make the third of us who live alone feel happier, closer and friendlier.

• To show how local people can change a neighbourhood for good, forever.

• To conquer our natural shyness by opening our curtains, doors and minds and looking out for one another.

• To share stories, skills and tools, so we all end up richer in every sense.

• To discover common ground across age, class, faith, race and the garden fence, and to remind ourselves that charity begins at home, or at most, a couple of doors away.

So can we create the street parties of yesteryear. 

Coronation street party

Why not choose to celebrate with this gorgeous watercolour invitation by Allie Pottinger.

Moving house

How much do I dislike packing, at the start I find it therapeutic due to throwing so much out, but then the nightmare begins. When you have packed 60% of your belongings and just have the straggly bits left, which box does it go in, will it fit in the boxes, do I need it in the last few days before I leave - nightmare, nightmare, nightmare.
You would think I would be good at it by now, we moved from our little house to the family house in 2003, then to another house for 6 months only, then did the big move to France, we are now on a reverse journey missing out the 6 month house and back to our lovely family house -  only 6 days left in France.
Still need to shop, silly things like their flour it makes so much better cakes than ours, pastry in a roll and then wine, champagne and kirs of course.