Finally ordered my invites!!!!

[So_happy]

Yay!!! The obsessing can stop I ended up ordering from Papersource and I''m so excited!

Pictured is my inspiration invite.

My plan is to make a square dbl layer invite but also add a third faux layer created by printing a border around the top white layer (so it''ll end up going, from center out, white center, lilac border, bit of white again, brown backing). I will emulate thier text format (making the text right justified and also having everything but our names in all caps) but have already chosen a prettier, in my opinion, set of fonts.

My favorite part: For the cherry blossom branch, I ordered a stamp and will first ink it with chocolate brown and then detail over the blossoms with a nice light lilace that hopefully will darken a bit when mixed with the brown (it will certainly add character to the image). Lastly, we want to emboss the cherry branch since the rest of the text will be flat. Our return address on the back flap will be embossed but I''m still looking at products to do that with. All other printing will be using our printer and we''ll use the same font as our names depict.

Wanted to share my good news

It took me SO long to get to this point!!!! Lots of you may remember me going back and forth on the DIY track lol.

 

[So_happy]

And here''s what my stamp looks like.........

 

[So_happy]

And my inspiration invite for doing three layers..........

I couldn''t afford to do another "real" layer so I practiced doing a nice border with Word and it came out lovely. I did a mockup with a sage green backing and it really made a difference. It looked really lovely

 

[fatafelice]

Those are going to look great! I can''t wait to see how they turn out!

 

[Mandarine]

They look great!!!!!!!!!! Congrats!!!

M~

 

[So_happy]

Thanks fatafelice and mandarine!! I am looking forward to getting the package in the mail I hope Papersource is one of those expedient mailers


(On the other hand, it''s better that it waits till after Wednesday because I have so much school work to catch up on

)

 

[So_happy]

Thanx to my invites, I have just realized that I really like the mocha/lilac combo even more than sage/lilac!! But I bet I can still use the three but maybe insert the sage as an accent instead of one of the main colors. I''ve been looking for some mocha/lilac/sage combos on things (anything really) but haven''t got lucky yet. Does anyone have anything that fits this bill saved on thier desktop for me to look at?

And would lilac (not pastel purple) flowers with green accents (like hyperbicum berries) look funny in a clear vase tied with a chocolate sheer ribbon? Too many colors goin'' on there?

 

[akw94]

Your invitations are so pretty! I just love them. I think the stamp is very pretty and I''m excited to see your finished product. So creative!
I bet you feel good having made that decision!

 

[So_happy]

Thank you, Dixie Papersource sent me a tracking number and apparently all my stuff will be here Friday!!!!!!!!!!!! If I didn''t go the way of embossing the cherrry branch etc and stopped at the double layer square invites and rsvp sets, the whole package would have come to only $100 for 75 full sets I went a little nuts with the extras lol.

Before I went with papersource, I had a couple of those DIY invite kits from Walmart for $30 bucks total but all I could think about was how to make them look better.So I began trying to find a way to embellish them to achieve a more modern look. I realized that wasn''t gonna happen as I really liked the square shape but I had a 5 x 7. I wanted something more modern so that''s what I had to get in the end. In any regard, FI and I are so excited to spend this weekend being all crafty!! I definitely will post pics

How are you coming along with your invites?

 

[FireGoddess]

I love ''em! I''m a big fan of cherry blossoms and the colors are great together!

 

[basil]

Pretty! I can''t wait to see how it comes out!

Where is the original from?

 

[So_happy]

Date: 4/5/2007 1:35:43 PM
Author: basil
Pretty! I can''t wait to see how it comes out!

Where is the original from?

The original was actually on ebay of all places. Some person will make these for you for about $4 per set. Do a search for "cherry blossom invitations" and maybe they''ll still be there

 

[Blenheim]

It sounds like they''re going to be awesome! I can''t wait to see them.

 

[monarch64]

Very pretty design, so happy! Can''t wait to see the end result!

 

[akw94]

Date: 4/5/2007 1:32:49 AM
Author: So_happy
Thank you, Dixie Papersource sent me a tracking number and apparently all my stuff will be here Friday!!!!!!!!!!!! If I didn''t go the way of embossing the cherrry branch etc and stopped at the double layer square invites and rsvp sets, the whole package would have come to only $100 for 75 full sets I went a little nuts with the extras lol.

Before I went with papersource, I had a couple of those DIY invite kits from Walmart for $30 bucks total but all I could think about was how to make them look better.So I began trying to find a way to embellish them to achieve a more modern look. I realized that wasn''t gonna happen as I really liked the square shape but I had a 5 x 7. I wanted something more modern so that''s what I had to get in the end. In any regard, FI and I are so excited to spend this weekend being all crafty!! I definitely will post pics

How are you coming along with your invites?

Well, all that you''re doing w/your invites has made me want to spruce up the ones from Michael''s that I''m thinking of. But I can''t think of anything interesting and inexpensive to do w/them. They''re very simple, just a green border and that''s it! I thought maybe a stamp of something but I don''t think it will work given the size. I think they''re just 4 x 6 but I have to check.
I''m still wishing I could just figure out flowers!! No real progress there! Any decisions your way? I''m still waiting for an email w/some pictures from one site of the types of roses they carry. Another place wants me to spend $125 and get 25 stems of 5 types of roses to see colors and types. But if I do that, that basically doubles my flower budget, so I want to pick one kind first and then make trials w/grocery store varieties, then just order the kind I want.
It''s hard w/all the online places b/c I really want to SEE the actual flower but no place will send out just one.. blah!

 

[akw94]

Btw, where are pics of your sample invites?? I know you''ve made some by now since you got your paper order in

! Did you order the stamp from papersource also?

 

[lovebug]

Hi There! I absolutely love the invites! Just one word of caution - i believe that square invites require extra postage. We sent save-the-dates out that were square and they were returned to me because they required extra postage because they don''t fit in the standard machines or something. We only had a about 25 that we sent out, so I just re-sent them, but it was a huge hassle! I had to wait for them all to be returned to me. I went to the post office and they told me the same thing. I don''t know if it was the size of them or what. I live in a major city where customer service is at a minimum, so that could be part of it. You may be fine, but I just wanted to make you aware of it so that you can avoid what I went through! Sorry to be a party pooper!

 

[diamondfan]

Those look so pretty! Congratulations!

 

[So_happy]

Dixie~ Hey girl!

Invitations: Well, we decided to start slowly and work our way up from "just" envelopes to the actual invite with the stamping and embossing etc. WELL, the envelopes turned out to be a very troublesome time. We formatted them just how we liked them on plain paper and tested one on an actual envelope; it came out wonderfully. Then, I put a nice stack in there and thought that was that! I was so happy to get at least one part done like I wanted. Too bad of the 30 we put in there, only 10 came out perfect. The othere 20 had ink remnat-like spots and smudges on them! I could use them but I just am so frustrated by this and they just aren''t perfect. I feel they should be. So, the printer snaffu squished our bubble just a little at least where envelopes are concerned. I don''t trust it to do anymore so I either need to get them printed elsewhere or use labels. Bleh. I''ll work on that Monday.

Tomorrow we should be able to do some of the actual invites, though Our layout is finished and we both put some practice time in on stamping well (takes a couple tries to get it perfect) and embossing nicely so we should be ready to roll on that part And I''ll post a pic then....I promise There is a Papersource in Boston (an hour away for me) that I may try to visit Monday or Thursday to get the additional extra envelopes I''ll need instead of using the website again.

Stamp: My stamp can be bought, I just found out today, at JoAnns and it (and many other really pretty ones) were about $9 (or $5 w/ a coupon

) and it is 4 x 2 so if you wanted to do stamping (totally fun!!! we both love this part so far!!!) you could find a smaller sized one there if you wanted it to fit your invitations!

Roses: I spoke with a florist and they said that Vendelas open up quite fully and to get them to that point by a specific date they alternate between putting them in warm water to open them and a more neutral temp enviroment to stop the opening until the desired openeness is reached. It''s done all the time but they also have a good sense when the rose is just not going to open anymore and is instead going to wilt! It sounds tricky to coordinate.

Having problems actually getting to see these flowers in person? This is what I did: Go to superpages.com, typing in ''florist'', and print out the list of numbers that you''ll get in your area. Start calling and asking if they know of a really full rose, similar to a peony for example, that they would be able to get you for a bridal bouquet in August. Take note of the flowers they recommend or give them your number if they need to call you back. Also ask them if they keep a large assortment of cut flowers on hand.

I did this and by the fourth phone call, I had the name of the Vendlela (don''t know if I love that one yet), 2 will-call-you-backs and the name of a place that boasts having tons of flowers on hand. I went to them and omg it was fantastic. They had almost every flower in season that I had been researching about!!! NO, they didn''t have 100 types of roses, but they had 4 or 5 and I got to see the vendela in person (lovely i must say but I saw it in it''s "normal" state and not as full as they say they''d get)! They had carnations on hand (the light green ones I liked online) and when I told her how I heard about the idea to make them look like hydrangeas, she was so intriqued she put a centerpiece together right then and there using 3 bunches of 5 carnations each, lemon leaf to simulate the hydrangea''s collar, and some filler flowers in a cube vase, in purple rocks, and even sprayed with glitter!!!! It was SO cute THey looked exactly like hydrangea lol.

Anyhow, I digress..............just use your local florists as the resource they are and you never know if you''ll hit the jackpot like I did!! I now know where to go to look at freakin'' cut flowers if I need to and this place said they could do that hydrangea/carnation centerpiece for $26per so if I can''t get the stuff MUCH cheaper than that DIY-ing, they might just get to do my wedding afterall.

Lovebug: Thank you for the warning but we already planned on getting them hand canceled anyway (thru advice on this fantastic site!!).

 

[akw94]

Sorry to hear about the envelopes! That sucks! I wondered about buying all the supplies and have them printed elsewhere, like Kinko''s or somewhere like that. I assume they do that but haven''t checked out anywhere yet. I wonder if you do one at a time, will they still come out that way, since your first envelope went so well by itself? Not that you want to do one at a time but maybe that would help?
With the stamping, how do you get the flowers in a separate color? I understand you do the whole thing in the brown but do you then have to color the rest in yourself?

I imagine there''s another way! Thanks for the stamp info, btw. I like how your stamp is in the middle b/c I think that fits nicely w/the borders. If I ever make it to the store, I''ll have to buy some sample stuff to play around with.

Great idea about contacting florists. Again, this requires me leaving my house and going somewhere so I suppose I''ll have to start doing that soon.

The sample that the florist made sounds really cute! I like the purple rocks idea!

Ok, time to stop being so darned lazy!! I just keep thinking, oh, I have plenty of time so I go back to the computer and do a bit more research. It''s been tough making actual decisions and following that up with purchases!

You are on a roll!

 

[So_happy]

Date: 4/8/2007 2:48:42 PM
Author: dixie94
Sorry to hear about the envelopes! That sucks! I wondered about buying all the supplies and have them printed elsewhere, like Kinko''s or somewhere like that. I assume they do that but haven''t checked out anywhere yet. I wonder if you do one at a time, will they still come out that way, since your first envelope went so well by itself? Not that you want to do one at a time but maybe that would help?
With the stamping, how do you get the flowers in a separate color? I understand you do the whole thing in the brown but do you then have to color the rest in yourself?

I imagine there''s another way! Thanks for the stamp info, btw. I like how your stamp is in the middle b/c I think that fits nicely w/the borders. If I ever make it to the store, I''ll have to buy some sample stuff to play around with.

Great idea about contacting florists. Again, this requires me leaving my house and going somewhere so I suppose I''ll have to start doing that soon.

The sample that the florist made sounds really cute! I like the purple rocks idea!

Ok, time to stop being so darned lazy!! I just keep thinking, oh, I have plenty of time so I go back to the computer and do a bit more research. It''s been tough making actual decisions and following that up with purchases!

You are on a roll!

We actually picked up some ink markers at Joanns yesterday w a coupon and are going to try to make them different colors tonight. The purple ink pad I bought from papersource is a lovely color but it''s too difficult to get the teeny flower blossoms with it. The markers have a fine tip point so we''re gonna try that. I''m sure it will look very lovely with colored blossoms so we''re gonna have to decide if the time to do one in this manner is going to drive us nuts by the time we''re done! As it stands, the single colored branch looks very whiteaisle.com-esque and not at all boring like I though it would. Wouldn''t be a bad thing if we decide not to color in the blooms

Funny, but all these craft supplies are adding up so I wonder about the DIY concept in that it is saving money?!

Oh well, we really enjoyed the embossing thing that now we are going to do our own xmas cards and hopefully develop our skills so the tools (embosisng gun, powder, variety of inkpads, ink markers, ink cleaners etc and hopefully new stamps) will be put to good use in the future.

Here are two really low-key looks that I found that you may like. I may do them still because they look SO easy and quick......keep in mind as you see these that, yes, while I love the full peony/hydrangea look, I also seem to be attracted to minimalist designs as well

. Also keep in mind that our table sizes will be 30" and 48" (not huge at all!!!) so the smaller styles will look very appropriate I''m not sure about your table schematics.

These require very little flower and arranging to make a nice impact. You could even use different colored "ice"!!

 

[So_happy]

I know this thread is about my invites but I''m hijacking myself anyway!!

These would be very nice on my high bistro tables but in a group of three.......notice the pretty ribbon around the neck I''d get the green cymbids for this.

 

[So_happy]

And there is always the roses-in-a-cube-vase look No need for filler or foam....just one big leaf (or even rocks of a certain color if you wish instead) and 9 roses per!

 

[So_happy]

And THIS one is so fantastic!! I love seeing options that depict minimal flower usage

 

[surfgirl]

Can I ask how long the turn around time is/was for your printed invites? I''m going to have to have Wedding Announcements made up immediately after our elopement and since I want to use a photo from the actual wedding, I''d like to know how long it usually takes to get invites turned around - from the time you place the order...thanks!

 

[So_happy]

Date: 4/8/2007 4:18:45 PM
Author: surfgirl
Can I ask how long the turn around time is/was for your printed invites? I''m going to have to have Wedding Announcements made up immediately after our elopement and since I want to use a photo from the actual wedding, I''d like to know how long it usually takes to get invites turned around - from the time you place the order...thanks!

Well, to be clear, I''m printing my own invitations as I just purchased the paper goods I''d need to do so from papersource.com. As far as ordering invitations professionally printed, I''d really just call the place up or email them and ask.

 

[lovebug]

Good to hear! I just wanted you to avoid our pain! I love that table setting with the minimal flowers -- they look like cymbidium orchids which I love. Glad to hear that you enjoyed working with papersource. I went with mygatsby and they are just okay.