on the road: california in the early 1960s

This week's post has a little bit of everything -- vintage cars, vintage boats, mid-century architecture, vintage signage, palm trees, beautiful water, open roads, great ocean views...and electrical towers. Didn't want California in the 1960s to appear too perfect!

The prettiest vintage cars in a rainbow of colors.

Ahh, mid-century road tripping at its finest! There are so many fun details in these old film slides. Which is your favorite? 

eliza birth announcement

Our latest birth announcement features our precious niece Elysa, but since she already has her own birth announcement, we decided to name this one after her big sister. Eliza is a big fan of blue, green, owls and polka dots, so we definitely think she'd approve of this design. The mix of bright colors with the black and white photograph is classic, and we love the sense of fun and whimsy that the hand-drawn owl (borrowed from our owl card DIY) and polka dots bring to the design. If Eliza had anything to say about her design, she'd want to see it in other colors. You can expect to see additional color schemes very soon! 

Interested in this design? Contact us here for order information.

Eliza birth announcement (front)

Eliza birth announcement (back)

lauren wedding invitation

This week we're featuring the Lauren wedding invitation suite. The fonts and gray and yellow color combination are both cheerful and classic, and they feel appropriate for a spring or summer wedding. For a little added personality, the back of the invitation and RSVP card can be customized in either solid yellow, yellow with white polka dots or yellow with white chevron stripes.

The actual wedding that inspired this suite took place at a historic plantation in the country, so the vibe was rustic, vintage and elegant. The bride loved the bunting detail so much that she hired us to create fabric polka dot and chevron bunting for the reception. You can see more details from the wedding here. 

If yellow and gray aren't your wedding colors, no worries! The colors of the Lauren wedding suite are completely customizable. For more information about the Lauren wedding invitation, suite, simply drop us a line here, and we'll be in touch! 

family stories: tina de forcade

As a child, I didn't realize what a blessing it was that I was able to spend time with three of my grandparents and my great-grandmother. Now I recognize just how special those years were to all of the generations. 

My great-grandmother Tina de Forcade passed away in 1991. I was seven years old, but I remember her vividly. She didn't speak to us in English, but that didn't matter. My sister, cousins and I would sit on her bed or in her lap, and she would talk to us in Italian. She had kind eyes and soft skin. She seemed so ancient and wise. I wish I had more memories of her. I hope this post will encourage my family to share some of their memories (hint, hint), so I can share them on the blog. 

She was a beautiful lady with a timeless sense of style and a lovely twinkle in her eye. 

With her daughter Lucy and grandchildren Tina and Fred. 

With Fred and a very adorable baby Tina.

With her two eldest great-grandchildren -- me and my cousin Carlo -- in 1985.