I thought tree rings or wood grain would be a way to add the tree theme without being too literal. I wanted to use these as accents on the invitation. So i did the usual and hit Google looking for anything that might work. I started looking for wood grain invitations and I found this one over at Oh So Beautiful Paper.

Beautiful Wood Grain Invitations

They were DIY project designed by the bride-to-be who initially posted them over at her blog. She also made many other wonderfull paper products for the wedding. Be sure to check them out.

It was this piece that started me in the direction for the wood grain invitation. I loved the Gmund Wood Grain embossed paper. So I checked out the color options on the Gmund site and ordered samples to see what the paper was like in person. I have to say that it is even better in person than it was on screen. I ordered a sample of each of the tree wood grain options available as well as some other fun papers that I’m already thinking up ways to use in other projects.

Paper sample pack from Gmund

I totally love the white wood grain and think it would be a subtle accent to a beautiful invitation. However, for the invitation I’m working on for my friend I plan to use the medium brown wood grain for accent pieces. Stay tuned for pictures once I have the invitations fully assembled.

This hunt for wood grain paper has only fueled my passion for paper. I love finding unique papers so that each invitation I design has a unique element to it. I could spend hours just searching for the beautiful papers but alas I do have to get some real work done.

I have a bunch of additional papers to showcase here as well. In addition to the wood grain invitation, I’m also working on an Asian inspried wedding invitation with printed Japanese paper as accents. So beautiful! Did I mention that I love working with interesting papers. They make designing much more interesting than using only standard cardstock.

Daily walks are a great source of inspiration. There are so many different things in my surrounding neighborhood that trigger my senses. I may see beautiful flowers in someones garden, hear kids playing on a jungle gym in the park, taste wonderfully rich ice cream from our local ice cream shop, feel the grass under my feet in our backyard or smell a freshly cut lawn. I find that my senses, no matter what the setting, are always storing information to use in my next creative brainstorming session.

I flip through the few magazines we get which include Sports Illustrated, This Old House, and Outdoor Photographer. These may seem like strange places to get inspiration for invitations and note cards but there is a TON of creative information within the pages. I find color combinations, or an interesting use of photographs, that inspire me to take a certain direction in my work.

Not only do I flip through the magazines, I cut our inspiration and tear out pages for later use in brainstorming or collage work. I have a few large file boxes full of ideas. Sometimes when I’m having a creative block I sit down and go through my boxes looking for something to jumpstart the creative process.

What to you do to motivate your creative side?

She is going for a beach-themed wedding but I decided I wouldn’t take it too literal because I find that when things are too literal they can become tacky. She is going with the slate/steel blue color scheme which is beautiful. I also decided to work starfish and sand dollars in to my design to keep with the subtle beach theme. These will also lend nicely to the decor at the reception.

Available at simplecharms.livejournal.com

During my initial search for inspiration I came across the pendant above and had a lightbulb go off.  This is the piece that led me to finish the outside the way that I did. The invitations are still very much in the works but with Erin’s permissions, here are a few shots of the initial design to give you an idea of where the theme is going.

I love designing!

To view more pictures of this design series check out my gallery!

]]> http://nakedearthstudio.com/2009/08/inspiration-starfish/feed/ 0 http://nakedearthstudio.com/2009/07/maple-leaf-amanda-joshua/ http://nakedearthstudio.com/2009/07/maple-leaf-amanda-joshua/#comments Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:43:05 +0000 Amanda http://nakedearthstudio.com/blog/?p=14 For my wedding in October 2006 I based my design around the Japanese Maple leaf in it’s Autumn coloring. I also decided that I wanted to save money so I decided to hand-pick and press the leaves myself. This meant that I had to start collecting leaves in September 2005 when the maple leaves started to turn crimson.

Borrowed from: CHIAROSCURO.baltiblogs.com

I remember driving around looking for Japanese Maple trees that were on public property. I also had no shame in knocking on peoples doors and asking if I could collect the leaves from their trees either. I ended up with hundreds of leaves to press and used the largest books in my collection to press them.

At that point I didn’t have a design figured out and had collected leaves of various shapes and sizes. I pressed everything that I had collected. In the end it was worth it because it gave me a lot of leaves to choose from when it came to make the invitations.

The leaves dried very well and once we knew that we would be able to use the leaves my Mom and I started throwing ideas around for what we wanted the invitation to look like. We went through many renditions of the invitation before we came up with the final piece.

Maple Leaf Invitation

The final invitation design is 4″ wide by 9.25″ high custom gatefold – red cardstock on the exterior and lined with off-white text weight paper. A off-white 1/4″ ribbon is fed between the layers to tie the invitation closed. The top diagonal edge is torn along to expose some of the off-white interior stock.

The interior piece is the same red cardstock with the invitation printed and layered with a 18″ border. The Japanese Maple leaf is glued to the top. (Note: Japanese Maple leaves are very brittle when they have been pressed.)

The invitations were then placed in and off-white #10 envelope with the response card and envelope.

We were really happy with the final outcome and spent an entire weekend putting them together. I have pictures of me sitting spralled out among all of the maple leaves trying to pick the best ones for the invites.

The suite also included an eight page wedding program, seating cards, table cards, and our marriage promise.

Maple Leaf Suite including invitation, program, place cards, and table card

Maple Leaf Wedding Promise

To view more pictures from this series check out my gallery.

Entrepreneurship is in my blood. Growing up, both of my parents worked from home running Wood That Works. Which, suffice to say, is still going strong almost 35 years after starting business in 1975.

I decided a long time ago that I wanted to own my own business. I knew that it would be hard work and honestly that is what drew me to the idea. However, I wasn’t ready until recently to take the risks associated with business ownership.

The idea…

When planning my wedding three years ago, I found that there were many mass-produced wedding options out there with embossing, gold leaf, and many other extras, but for a hefty price. These were the kinds you could select by flipping through large binders at stationery stores.

I could also have my cards digitally printed along with the envelopes and other components for a reasonable price but take away any personal connection that I wanted when inviting my guests. In the end, I designed and created my own wedding invitations.

More recently I have been working on designing invitations for my friend’s wedding that is coming up next year. I found that I was really enjoying the process. I really enjoy being creative. Since seeing my initial designs, my friends have been encouraging me to take the plunge into business ownership.

The jump…

Luckily the stars seem to be aligning to make this dream into a reality. In January, I left my job as a project manager at a design firm when I was pregnant with our son Taylor. If I still had a job to go back to I would soon be leaving Taylor in daycare and heading back to the office. Well it looks like the stars had something else in mind. I am excited to get the opportunity to stay home with my son as well as being a productive part of the business community.

With mounting encouragement from my friends and family, I decided that now was the time to launch Naked Earth Studio. Naked Earth is the culmination of many hours of contemplation and rejected ideas. After what had felt like forever, I am finally able to put into words what I want this entrepreneurial endeavor to embody – Nature inspired design for all of life’s occasions.

I hope this blog will help me share my passion for creativity and design. I plan to showcase new designs as I create them as well as the things that inspire my designs along the way. Please check back soon for the next edition of The Naked Earth Blog.