Minted Madness!

I've been in full blown wedding planning mode since December (give or take a few...years) and have just about all the big items in place.  We decided on the ceremony and reception venues in a snap, the heavens parted when I tried on my dress, the photographer was a no-brainer and so on and so forth…but when it comes to invitations…we're talking a whole other story.  Somehow or another I've tasked the invitations with the enormous responsibility of representing all parts of our big day…they should be classy but not boring, upscale but not stuffy, creative but not weird and a hush should fall over the room when they're opened.  As you can imagine, finding such an invitation has proved difficult.  Enter Minted.  Not only do they have some of the prettiest wedding invitations, menus and programs, I've come across, they also have birth announcements, (for a little ways down the road, don't rush me people), party decorations, business cards, art prints, journals and the list goes on!  Let's just say I've spent some time perusing the merchandise and I can say with confidence the selection is killer.  I gathered a few of their beautiful offerings below…I rest my case:

1. Ombre Menu, $1.63 each for 100  2. Wed in Type Invitations, $2.34 each for 100  3. Beautifully Penned Business Cards, $0.57 each for 100  4. Vintage Grid Birth Announcement, $1.15 each for 100 5. Wildflower Journal, $16 each  6. Miss Austen Print, $20 for 5x7
A collaboration with Minted, all opinions are my own.

Etsy-Fest!

I'm hopelessly addicted to Etsy...I've accepted it and you're just gonna have to accept it too.  Pick an interest- any interest- and chances are there's a really talented artist out there with an Etsy shop that caters to it.  The trick is having the foresight to place an order in advance since the turn around time isn't always immediate (it's the price you pay for handmade...totally worth it if you ask me).  I rounded up a few of my favorite Etsy Valentine's for your viewing pleasure.  If you order by this weekend I bet you'll get 'em in time! 

If your significant other is as awesome as I suspect, these should put a smile on their face:

Mr. Darcy Proposal Card, $4.00

Favorite Boyfriend Card, $4.00

Shark Attack Card: $5.00

I Love You More Than Downton Card, $5.00

Since Hermione Granger and I are kindred spirits and I am- in a lot of ways- a hopeless nerd, I just had to include a few of my favorite geeked out valentine references.  This is what I'm talking about with Etsy!  How great is this?!

1. Mini Harry Potter Illustrations $6.00  2. Big Bang Theory Valentine, $4.00  3. Lord of the Rings Valentine, $2.75  4. Star Wars Valentine, $4.00

And since I've spent far more February 14ths with my besties than I have with valentines, here's a few for your best gal pals:

Neon Letterpress Card, $4.50

Set of 5 Letterpress Cards, $15.00

Clever Romantic Squirrel, $2.50

Valentines Card, $4.00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Be-Grateful-Stuff-Your-Face-And-Hang-Out-With-Your-Family Day!  Seriously, is the premise of this holiday awesome or what?  You can't beat it!  Enjoy every moment and don't waste it with passive gratitude...tell the people you love just why you're thankful for them.  Which reminds me...I'm thankful for you!  Now go eat some turkey and we'll catch up later.  

1. Thanksgiving Card, Etsy $4  2. Give Thanks Quill and Fox Card, Etsy  3. Chalkboard Give Thanks Card, Etsy  4. I Am Thankful Letterpress Mini Cards, Paper Source $7

Iron Curtain Press

You know when you get to that point in your day when you just need a second to decompress and let your brain rest for a second?  You might pull up Facebook or Pinterest to enjoy the fact that, just for a moment, you don't have to think one bit.  That's what I do, at least.  But then you think anyway.  About people you love and the ones that get on your nerves and about things you need to do and how everyone looks like they have it all together.  And it gets to a point where it's just not healthy.  Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not at all anti-social media.  I'm a blogger!  You don't bite the hand that feeds you.  I'm just saying, when I'm looking for a moment of rest, I've learned that Facebook and Pinterest aren't always the best places to go.  They're, at best, aspirational and, at worst, total works of fiction.  Recently, I've been spending a bit of downtime on Etsy...specifically, checking out any and every letterpress item on the site.  I don't know what it is about letterpress but it always puts me in a good mood.  Apparently I'm easy to please.  All that to say, I found this adorable little shop called Iron Curtain Press (gee did I ever take the long route).  Their cards are simple and well designed...plus they're at that perfect price point where anyone can afford one or a few as a little indulgence (alongside other culprits like Starbucks and artisan ice cream).  It's good stuff.  Good stuff, indeed.

Images Via: Iron Curtain Press