Shamrocks & Blessings

Top o' the morning....evening to ya! =)

It's St. Patrick's Day, and I've been busy all day working on a big invitation order in the colors black and GREEN, fittingly! It's a lovely invitation suite for a local bride & groom, and features a monogram & an old-fashioned damask pattern. Here's a sneak peek!

{Congratulations, Mindy & Josh! Looking forward to working with you on matching programs, menus, and custom pieces for your luxury candy bar!}

It's finally done & ready to ship, so I am taking a {much needed} break from the studio. My plans? To grab dinner with my husband and get out for a bit to enjoy the weather {currently registering at a lovely 70 degrees}.

So if you're Irish {or just Irish for the day}, I hope everyone gets out to enjoy this gorgeous sunshine, relax with good company & partake in a tasty green beverage! =)

And being from Irish heritage {despite my married name, I'm always a Brady at heart!}, it's only fitting that I leave you today with one of my favorite Irish Blessings.

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Our latest milestone!

Last spring, we decided to expand our business beyond the local level. The first thing we decided to do to implement our expansion was to open an Etsy shop.

Not familiar with Etsy? Well, to sum it up briefly, it's an online shopping website full of all things handmade, specialty, or vintage. It's an exceptionally popular place for brides & party planners to shop for custom stationery, unique decor, and handmade accessories.

So we decided to open our own little Etsy shop back in April 2010. We started with just a few notecard sets & favor tags.....and quickly made our first handful of sales & received great feedback! So over the last few months, we've worked on building our shop with our most popular items, watched the custom requests roll in, and made our first international sales! {How exciting that our stationery is reaching brides in New Zealand, UK, and Canada!}

Which brings us to today. Earlier this afternoon, we sold a set of these:

Which officially marks our 200th sale on Etsy!

So we wanted to say a BIG thank you to all of our loyal customers. We truly appreciate all of the great feedback you've left us over the last 11 months. We look forward to working with you again in the future for birthday invitations, birth announcements, Christmas gift ideas, and any other stationery needs life may present you. =)

Proper Protocol: Are address labels acceptable?

We recently received the following inquiry, along with other similar ones in the recent months. We thought it would be a great topic to address in our blog....


Interprintations,

I'm helping my sister with her upcoming wedding, and volunteered to help with the addressing of her invitations. We are looking for a way to get these done quickly, and were wondering if it's ok to use labels for the guest addresses? Also, can labels be used on the bridal shower & rehearsal dinner invitations?

Thanks for your help,

C.L.



When it comes to wedding invitations, it is best to stray away from using printed labels to address the envelopes. I know a lot of brides are tempted to print their guest addresses on labels - but don't do it! It is a big invitation faux-pax that can easily be avoided.

Not only is it traditional to hand-write the addresses yourself {or hire a calligrapher}, it also preserves the "personal" touch to a wedding invitation. If someone is close enough to you that they deserve a personal invitation, then you should take a quick moment to hand-address the envelope.

Labels also detract from the appearance of your lovely, colorful invitations. What ruins a gorgeous envelope more than a big white label? Take a few moments to hand-write the address & preserve the loveliness of you invitation. A label will also make your invitation look like a mass-produced mailer, and can possibly be mistaken for junk or unsolited mail. The last thing you want is for your invitation to accidentally get tossed in the trash.

For party invitations, such as bridal showers and rehearsal dinners, it is more acceptable to address them with printed labels. However, it's usually still best to hand-address these, as to avoid having the invite mistaken for junk mail.

I know it may be tempting to use labels for your invitations, but it's just not worth offending your guests over or having your invitation get lost in the junk mail pile. Instead, recruit your bridesmaids, sisters, and mother to help you address the envelopes. With quite a few hands at work, you can get them completed in no time!

{source}

Have a question for us?
Feel free to email us at interprintations@gmail.com for answers to all of your stationery etiquette questions.

Etsy Envy: March Finds

After all of the showers & parties I've been to lately, I've decided to center this month's Etsy Envy around parties & events. Whether it's a baby shower, bridal shower, bachelorette party, or birthday bash, there's something here for everything!

You may have seen these beauties on my baby shower recap post - so I just had to share where I got them! This adorable little Etsy shop called "Sweet Estelle's" offers tons of edibles and baking accessories - a great way to add a dash of color and fun to your next themed event!

Damask isn't just for weddings anymore! Check out this handmade carseat cover - perfect for the stylish mom! {Plus, it's reversible!} Definitely on my "must purchase" list for the next shower on my calendar.



Aren't these corset cookies a great favor idea for a bachelorette party? {They're almost too pretty to eat!}



Check out this talented {local!} Etsy vendor - she is definitely an up-and-coming designer in the children's attire market! Wouldn't this outfit be perfect for the next birthday girl in your life? {Be sure to also check out their "Shirt of the Month" Club - also a great gift idea for the birthday kid!}

Is anyone else out there a big fan of Etsy?

What was your most recent purchase?

"Bee" is for...

"Bee" is for.....baby shower! =)

Yesterday we hosted a co-ed baby shower, in honor of our soon-to-be nephew! My husband and I are so excited to be an Uncle & Aunt for the first time, and are really looking forward to spoiling little baby Bentley. So what better place to start than with the baby shower??

We held the event at the lovely & spacious banquet facility at Adelino's in downtown Lafayette. This place is not only easy on the eyes, it also has some ahhh-mazing food. {Might I recommend the Hawaiian Chicken Skewers? Delicious and such a huge hit with the guests!}

The overall "bee" theme was a play on the letter "B"....prevalent in Baby, Boy, and of course...the baby's name, Bentley. =) We had so much fun incorporating the theme, using a touch of it in everything from the invitations to the centerpieces to even the desserts!

Here are a few snapshots of the day....enjoy! =)

YFA Show Recap

We had such a great weekend preparing for and participating in the Your Formal Affair bridal show!

We just love being part of the YFA group, and couldn't have asked for a more intimate show setting than La Dolce Salon & Spa in Carmel. They even had great stylists & makeup artists on-hand for free trials!

And while we're sharing photos of the event, here are a few shots of our small setup...

We also had the pleasure of setting up next to Lori from Boldly Chic Events, who also showcased some of our stationery pieces. Don't you just love her gorgeous tablescape?

We also owe a big "thank you" to DJ Orion for the great music and MC services throughout the event! He's now booking for weddings, so be sure to check them out!

Thank you to all the brides who stopped by - it was great meeting you, and I hope you walked away with useful vendor connections, great discounts & inspirational planning tips!

{Be sure to become a fan of our Facebook page for upcoming sales & specials!}

Coming Soon!

I could not be more excited about the "coming soon"s for Interprintations! We have a new product line {details & photos coming next week}, a unique bridal show this weekend, a baby shower just around the corner, and SO many brides & grooms with custom designs in the works. We are LOVING 2011!

This week has been insanely busy as we put the finishing touches on our display for this weekend's Your Formal Affair Bridal Show - which is guaranteed to be a must-see for all brides-to-be in the Indy area! Be sure to stop by on Sunday {12-3pm} at 1117 Rangeline Road in Carmel for an intimate show featuring....

* Premier Wedding Vendors
* Great Music
* Delicious Food & Wine
* Gorgeous Florals & Event Design Ideas
* Bridal Fashion {featuring Blue House Bridal & Circle City Tux}
* Makeup and Hair trials & tips {provided by La Dolce Salon}
* Fabulous door prizes from attending vendors!

Once things quiet down next week, we'll start sharing with you some of our newest stationery pieces & products. {I can't wait!} So stay tuned! =)