Not Spooky, Just Special

There's something about old cemeteries that I like. It makes me think about the lives that these people led and I don't even know them. Why do I care? I don't know, but I do. This old cemetery is in Idaho City, ID, population 100. They had their own Gold Rush in the 1860's but it is hard to imagine it today.

This old pine is younger than the gravesite!

The Big View, The Little Creation

The Deschutes River,

Mt. Bachelor, the little blooms of yarrow.

Francophile!

Definition - an admirer of France and everything French. That's my friend Jenny who just had a special birthday (you know the kind). She teaches French, and oh yea, she just taught a beginning Italian class as well! What a wonderful gift she has. I know a little French too. Very little. So with my limited knowledge I pulled together some stationery for her.

Happy Birthday Jenny!

Hang On

It seems a few folks like my hangers. Who'd a thunk? Well, I thought "maybe", with a shrug of the shoulders, so I put them up on my etsy.com site and they've sold! I never thought I'd be found at a fabric store so often... and actually like being there! (My mother will not believe I just said that!) Touching the ribbons and fabric are almost as much fun as paper. I need a few more colors in my collection though so I'm off to the fabric store again to add to the rainbow!

What to do about June gloom?

If the weather is going to be all misty like this we might as well pretend to be in Ireland. My friend recently got back from a trip there and I've been checking out her blog for photo postings of the trip. Those Irish sheep are so darn cute that when I took Cory to the groomers this morning (so misty I had to use my windshield wipers!) I asked for a lamb chop. Or maybe I didn't quite ask for that, but Cory came out with a nice short 'lamb cut' and he reminded me of Sissel's photo of some lambs. Really, check out her blog Cory looks like a lamb. Oh how I'd love to go there!

Well, Ireland is out, for now anyway, so I'll just enjoy our hydrangeas which make me very happy when they are in bloom like this. I bet Ireland has hydrangeas too.

With a gloomy day like today I think I'll create a wedding invitation in shades of gray, with maybe a touch of yellow since I'm hopeful the sun will come out... tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar!

Another something new...

I have a shop on Etsy.com. Pretty crazy. Inspired by the invitation in my last post, I decided to concentrate on a "banner" niche. Invitations, announcements and cards that are a declaration! The first one I created was the card for our niece and that got me hooked. My gift tags are just mini banners. Somehow my padded hangers got in there too! Please check out my shop on Etsy at http://kimgrantink.etsy.com/ and spread the word!

And a big "Congratulations" to Dave & Marsha who are now grandparents, and to Matt & Katie the loving parents of their new baby girl Ryen.

Celebrating Marriages

Back in 1980 my parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and in 2006 my husband and I did the same. They had a big bash, we had a small gathering, but a special invitation is something both couples did. My mom had acquaintances that made stunning screen printed artwork for invitations and calendars and such so she went to them for something different, and WOW it's still fabulous 29 years later. (lower left) Printed on gray felt with lavender, fuschia, silver and white ribbons sewn on it made for a declaration invitation. I guess we share a love of lavender as I used the same as well as pink for our theme. I created our invitation in shades of gray with the purple and silver paper as a background.

I asked our guests for their wedding albums the week before the party. As part of the table decorations I scanned some pictures from each album, printed them on vellum paper and matted them in silver and put three framed photos together with a votive candle inside to illuminate them. Then I printed out photos, one of each guest, and used them as place cards as well as favors. I asked everyone to sit at the place where their spouse's photo was. Gee, we were all so young!

The invitation by Marilyn Pace and Karen Wilson still inspires me almost 30 years later! Thank you ladies.

Tag... you're it!

My newest project: beribboned gift tags. I think these are so pretty, cute, fun, elegant that you don't need gift wrap. Put some ribbon around the box and tie one on! "It's a Banner Day" begins.

It's a Banner Day

When I get a phone call from my niece it's always a good day. A week ago she called and it was better than good... it was a banner day! She shared the fabulous news that she got a full ride scholarship TO MEDICAL SCHOOL! I know! Who gets things like that? Well, our lovely and smarty pants niece, that's who. So I decided to make a special card for her; a banner of congratulations. My inspiration was from an invitation that's almost 30 years old. I'll share that next month.

Poster Fun

Each June the Journalism Department at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has an end of year dinner to celebrate the accomplishments of their students. And for the past handful of years the chairpersons of the student-run public relations firm are responsible for the organization of the event. In 2007 my daughter was one of those chairpersons and enlisted my help in a few areas, one being the design of the poster to advertise the event and the tickets as well.

Print Journalism, Public Relations and Broadcasting take turns as the general the theme, and as you can see "good year. and, good luck." was the broadcasting theme choice that year. The movie "good night. and, good luck", about Edward R. Murrow had come out the year before so Ed became the star of the poster. And the dress code theme was black & white. I've discovered that if everyone at a party dresses similarly it gives the party a fun vibe!

The Daughter must have been feeling nostalgic about her college years because she requested this post. How could I say no?

Sunflower Soiree 90th Birthday

Driving along the road the other day I spied a sunflower plant in full bloom. It sure seemed early in the season but what do I know? It reminded me of my great aunt Audrey's 90th birthday invitation that I created a couple years ago. It was sent to relatives all across the country. My husband calls her a "little pioneer woman" and the folks in her tiny town of Twin Bridges, Montana call her "L'il Audrey". And since she's L'il Audrey, I thought I'd dwarf an old photo of her with a giant sunflower and thus sunflowers became the theme.

One of the most interesting things about her party is that the entire town (pop. 400) was invited. That's the way it is with occasions such as this and the invitation is always an ad in the local newspaper. So I emailed a digital B&W of her invitation and that's what appeared in the paper. No RSVP needed, they always guess that about 100 people will show up and that's what we had! About 15 family members from 4 states made it as well. It was a delightful and unique party, and so interesting to experience small town America. And I mean really small!

Bottom right photo is a mural on the side of the library building in town.

Hey Grad!

There's no doubt it is graduation season. Announcement number three showed up in our mailbox today so I thought I'd post some graduation announcements, grad party invitations that I've created and my daughter's graduation "thank you" notes. Knowing that she would be writing the same "this is what I plan to do now" I thought it best to just state that on the front of the folded card with a fun photo and leave the inside for the personal note of thanks. Best wishes to all the grads!

I owe ya Mom!

I am known as "The Mother" to my daughter and that just cracks me up! She has called me the much less formal "Kimmy" as well. I'm so bummed I can't spend Mother's Day with her, but I'm so blessed to be able to spend it with my mom, also known as "Mom". ;-)

To all my friends that are moms (and that's all of you because if you don't have human kids you have dog or cat kids) have a fabulous Mother's Day!

Celebrating Five-O, Installment #2

The wine weekend celebration for my friends will surely be a fabulous time for all who attend. This second invitation was fun to create. The invitation part is a wine label with a posterized photo of the hosts and has a very detailed RSVP card for the weekend chock full of activities! I'm ready to pack my bags now!

Earth laughs in flowers. - Emerson

It may be gloomy and cloudy today but our roses are in full bloom. And what is cheerier than a yummy yellow one? Ahhhh, spring and baseball season! Happy weekend!