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Monthly Archives: August 2011
Tradeshow Bootcamp Fall 2011
I’m thrilled to announce that I will be part of the Tradeshow Bootcamp Fall 2011 lineup. Along with Susan Kropp (Chirps & Cheers) and Katie Hunt (Kelp Designs), I will be talking about wedding invitation albums, wholesale v. retail custom stationery, and how to get a line of wedding invitations into market on October 6, 2011. If you’re new to the stationery world or are thinking about jumping in, Tradeshow Bootcamp is an amazing way to learn about the industry from experts. I wish it had been around before I started Delphine!
Many thanks to organizer and stationer extraordinaire Katie Hunt of Kelp Designs for asking me to participate. If you have any burning questions about how to put together a wedding invitation collection album please feel free to email me directly and I’ll try to answer them all during the seminar.
For more information about Tradeshow Bootcamp visit here. To register for the teleconference seminar visit here.
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Posted in delphine design, trade shows, Uncategorized
Tagged delphine, erika firm, event, industry, national stationery show, nss, speaking, stationery, trade show, tradeshow bootcamp
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Trend Spot: Neon at the Farmer’s Market
Everywhere I go these days I see neon, even at the Farmer’s Market. It’s a trend that I think has been trying to poke its way in for several years now. A little goes a long way: a neutral outfit with a single pop of neon is the way to go, I think. When I was a kid fluorescent was all the rage — I remember wearing neon green socks with my black stirrup pants and black Reebok high tops and an off the shoulder sweatshirt (ripped at the collar, of course). I recently bought myself some neon pink nail polish for my toes but haven’t had 5 minutes to sit down and try it out yet. Have you incorporated any neon into your life lately?
Delicious watermelon and strawberry juice at the Rancho Santa Fe Farmer’s Market. Don’t you love those neon drinking straws? And the cups of fruit sticks — perfect finger food for hot summer days. Replace the red “go cups” with simple glass ones, and I think it would be a pretty and perfect cocktail hour nibbles for a wedding.
For my wishlist: the neon green French basket. I think it would make a stylish beach bag.
Even the squash blossoms were neon at the market. They were so crazy bright they seemed fake and I will admit I poked them to be sure they were real (they were).
//photos: Erika Firm
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Posted in color, trends
Tagged color, color palette, colors, farmer's market, fruit, inspiration, neon, palette, photography, trend, weekend
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Behind the Scenes at our Chevron Picnic Photo Shoot
Earlier this summer my dear friend Cyd came to visit. Technically, her visit was supposed to be purely vacation, but we managed to sneak in a quick photo shoot/picnic. You can see the Backyard Picnic photos on her blog.
A lot of styled photo shoots you see on blogs are just for show, but we wanted to actually have a little picnic party to introduce Cyd to my SoCal friends. The second Jennifer Dery was done snapping photos we all dug into the yummy food. When it got dark we moved the party over to the fire pit and made s’mores. The evening was truly one of the biggest highlights of my summer.
One of my favorite things to serve for summer picnics is Orange Salad. We’re super lucky to have orange trees in our backyard, so we make it a lot. It’s refreshing and delicious for summer get togethers.
RECIPE: ORANGE SALAD. Serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS: 12 fresh oranges, 1/2 onion, 1 tsp. sea salt, fresh mint
DIRECTIONS: Slice oranges into small wedges (use a paring knife to remove all rind and membrane). Slice onion into very thin ribbons. Put in bowl and add salt. Toss gently. Sprinkle fresh mint leaves on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Some behind the scenes shots from the Backyard Picnic photo shoot, which was inspired by one of our newest wedding invitation designs, Chevron, the color blue, Bixby & Ball, and summertime:
Delphine intern, Marissa Cool, and her sweetie enjoy blueberry coconut cocktails between shots and lounge on cute pillows from Bixby & Ball.
Stylist Cyd Converse of The Sweetest Occasion, the brains and inspiring force behind the scenes.
Mémé Delphine and Bekka Palmer share a giggle.
The Delphine Chevron wedding invitation design, which inspired the look of the shoot.
MANY THANKS to the team behind this shoot, especially to Cyd for making it all happen. Event design + styling: Sweet Occasions Studio + Delphine / Stationery + paper goods: Delphine (Featured design: Chevron) / Floral design: Adrianne Smith Floral Design / Photography: Jennifer Dery / Decor + tablewares: Bixby & Ball / Styling assistance: Marissa Cool (Delphine intern extraordinaire) + Bekka Palmer of Minted Condition
//photos in this post by Erika Firm
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Posted in behind the scenes, in the press, parties, recipes
Tagged backyard, blog, blue, chevron, ciel, coasters, envelopes, food, in the press, invitations, marine, napkins, orange, party favor, party planning, photography, picnic, royal, stickers, stir sticks, styling, white
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new digs
Welcome to the new Delphine blog. Thanks so very much for visiting us. We are still getting used to our new digs, so please pardon our dust while we get settled in. If you notice anything not quite right please let me know.
Reminder: pretty please subscribe and update your RSS feed. Click the orange SUBSCRIBE flag at the right of the page. Merci, friends.
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adrianne smith floral design branding by delphine
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I absolutely loved designing the branding for Adrianne Smith Floral Design. Adrianne is one of the sweetest people around. When she came over to pick up her new business cards she brought homemade pesto, made from basil and peppery arugula. From her own garden, no less. Mmmm.
To match the natural style of her floral designs, I went with a toned down green, brown and taupe color palette and pulled in some linen and canvas textures. Another reason we went with green and brown is that the natural palette will complement all photos of her work.
Adrianne picked out the gorgeous 18th century botanical illustration, which adds a bit of romance and drama to the design. We wanted to keep the entire look and feel on the casual side (A is a “no foofy stuff” kind of gal), so the typographic logo has a hand stamped look, inspired by the markings on wood wine crates.
Still to come: her ad materials, updating her blog, tweaking the website, avatars, postcards, and other fun goodies.
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prop closet: tickets
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I picked up these three rolls of 25 cent tickets (the green ones are my favorite) at the local grocery store because I knew someday I’d use them in a photoshoot. I left them in my studio for a few months, and when the sun faded them to the perfect patina I finally was inspired to use them as props for our new Candy Shop wedding invitation.
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One of our newest wedding invitation designs, Candy Shop, is available in stores now. It’s shown here letterpressed in peacock and gray inks.
//photos Erika Firm
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sweet sips
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Friday already. Again. It was a rough week — full of impossible deadlines, last minute changes, sleepless nights, and illness. Many thanks to my dear friend Dr. Fhwy for getting me through these last few days.
I’m taking the afternoon off to go to a Goonie’s themed birthday party (one of our son’s classmates). Then tomorrow it’s back to work (yes, on a Saturday). I’m on antibiotics, so sitting poolside with an adult beverage is out of the question. Instead I’m hoping the fog in my head and the pain in my side/back/body/head will go away so I can focus on catching up on everything I let slide this week: proposals, proofs, and photoshoots.
//ABOVE our new FLUTTER wedding coaster and straw pennant flags shown in marine blue. Available in stores now. //Photo: Delphine
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Posted in delphine design, week in review
Tagged blue, coaster, flag, flutter, inspiration, marine, new design, party favor, party planning, pennant, straws, week in review, weekends
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rainbow matchbox cars
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//photos: Beatrice Firm
Let’s just say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Styling by my 7yo son.
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Posted in color, prop closet
Tagged art, color, color palette, colors, family, hot wheels car, inspiration, kids, matchbox car, palette, photography, props, rainbow, styling, toys
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color palette: summer’s end yellow green & white
// photo: Beatrice Firm
The rich, saturated color palette here reminds me that summer’s end is around the corner. There is something overripe and sticky hot sweet about this photo. Maybe it’s just that the deep forest, white and freesia yellows remind me of magnolia blossoms and sticky hot Charleston summers. My mom snapped the photo a few weeks ago at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
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Posted in color palette
Tagged avocado, color, color palette, colors, floral, flower, forest, freesia, inspiration, mimosa, palette, paper, photography, poppy, summer, yellow
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hostess gift ideas
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All of a sudden our social calendar seems to have filled up. I always like to show up with a little something for the hostess. Instead of the usual bottle of wine or baked treat, I think one of these cool gifts from One Kings Lane would make awesome hostess gifts. I just stocked up on Olivina gift sets. Don’t forget to bring something fun for the kids at the house, too! My son’s mind would be blown with the cute teepee for the backyard … though he’d be equally happy with a candy bar.
DETAILS: //1// Drexton Backyard Teepee $89 //2//Dransfield & Ross lacquer frame $36 //3//Magpie Ice bucket $169 //4//Olivina gift sets $12 – $45
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Posted in gift guide, shopping
Tagged gift guide, gifts, hostess, ideas, party favors, shopping
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sullivan’s island wedding invitation
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Sullivan’s Island is one of my favorite floral wedding invitation designs. It’s not one of our most popular, but I still love it. I was inspired by the sweet butterflies and pretty wild flowers along the sand dunes. Every time someone orders it I am reminded of walks along the beach on the South Carolina coast, where I consider home.
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Posted in delphine design
Tagged berry, butterfly, crocus, delphine design, designed by delphine, envelopes, flowers, invitations, letterpress, navy, peacock, south carolina, sullivans island, wedding
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big weekend plans
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//photo: Erika Firm
We’ve been working so hard getting those new wedding invitation albums finished that we are taking a much needed weekend off from work. We’re going to spend our weekend having fun: building a treehouse, roasting some marshmallows with the neighbors, swimming in the pool, walking on the beach, reading magazines, watching silly family movies, and just hanging out.
Wishing you a relaxing weekend with your friends and family, too. xoxo—e.
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Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged albums, fun, new, swings, wedding invitation, weekends
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summer plan: a s’mores party
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// photo: Jennifer Dery
We’re planning a little backyard get together this Saturday for the neighborhood kids … just ‘cause. S’mores will be the star ingredient to the shindig. When I told my 7yo he got so excited he started clapping his hands and jumping up and down with pure joy in his eyes.
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Posted in parties
Tagged brown, campfire, chocolate, fun, home life, invitations, kids, party, party planning, s'mores, weekend, weekends, white
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shared work space — studio in oceanside for rent
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Fellow North County graphic designer / photographer Myles McGuinness is looking for a new studio mate. The studio/gallery space is a couple blocks from the Oceanside Pier in the heart of downtown Oceanside, California. You could walk to the beach for your coffee break! Myles would love to share the space with another creative. It’s about $450/mo. If you’re interested, get in touch with Myles directly: fuel [at] 9myles [dot] com.
Even if you’re not looking for a studio mate, take a moment to check out his work. It will blow you away. His saltwater photos are particularly spectacular.
