Embellished by Emily

It's 2012!

2012-01-23T21:00:00.000-05:00

Well it's the start of another year! I was busy as ever last year, and am so excited to see where Embellished by Emily will go in 2012! I LOVE the opportunities I've had to design in just this month alone!

Anna's baby shower. Baby girl is due any day now.

Her friend asked that the invitations be "Grateful Dead" with a "ballet twist," so that those of Anna's friends who identified the bears would get the homage to Anna and her husband, and those who didn't get it would just think the bears were cute. I think they turned out adorable!

For Christmas, I made glass paintings of all of my family members' dogs. I now have a new favorite hobby -- glass painting!

I had already done Tanya and Brian's bridal shower invitations, wedding invitations and now wedding programs. They were printed on alternating cream and green parchment paper for their late-December wedding.

Then Katie contacted me for some invitations for her parents' surprise 40th anniversary party. She gave me two pictures from their wedding to scan, and I came up with this idea. The card slides out from behind with all of the information right in the middle.

Those few highlights should bring us right up to date!

Looking forward to what's next :)

Warmly,

Emily

I'M ENGAGED!!!

2011-12-28T10:23:00.000-05:00

Peter asked me to marry him in a snowy Colorado garden, and I said YES!

Let the wedding hoopla commence!!!

Warmly,

Emily

iPhone dump :)

2011-11-03T11:26:00.000-04:00

Finished up my second puffy quilt -- this one was for Lisa's baby shower.

Can't wait to see Silas practicing tummy time on it!

Remember Katie and Jonny from last year? She loved their kSj monogram so much that she asked if I could come up with seasonal cards. We did 25 cards and envelopes each for spring, summer, fall and winter.

Here's my favorite -- spring!

Anyone else listening to Christmas music right now? No? Just me, then...

Warmly,

Emily

Wreaths for Others!

2011-11-02T20:35:00.000-04:00

Stephanie loves monarch butterflies and requested this wreath.
Soo pretty! It can be autumn or summer!

How perfect is that ribbon that looks like a monarch butterfly? It's actually a Halloween ribbon. Perhaps spiderwebs? Who knows. It's PERFECT with the butterflies.

Warmly,

Emily

Late Summer Wedding Suite

2011-11-02T20:29:00.001-04:00

Now that the fall wedding season is wrapping up, I can share pieces of this awesome wedding suite I did for Jenna and Alex. They saw the invitations I did for Rachel and Wes and loved them, so I used the same sunflower and changed up the colors to fit their style. Enjoy!

invitation

front of RSVP postcard

reception menu

thank you cards

I also did the place cards, seating chart and programs, but because all of those have a lot of different peoples' names on them, I'm not going to post. The seating chart was 20x24 mounted on foam core board. The place cards were already at the tables and appropriately labeled with the dinner option of choice.

So fun! And so easy to work with.

Congrats Alex and Jenna!

Warmly,

Emily

Fall weddings!

2011-09-25T14:48:00.000-04:00

Isn't this couple beautiful? I am in love with these thank you cards. The bride requested envelopes the color of "Tahitian Waters," and they happened to match the groom's tie perfectly.

These thank you cards were printed on textured white cardstock and blank inside.

Eric and Katie are getting married sooo soon, and here is a sneak peak of their wedding invitation. Printed on a shimmery pearl cardstock with silver and navy embellishments.

Very excited to show you the whole thing once their wedding has happened :)

I am also itching to show you Alex and Jenna's entire wedding suite. Their invitations, programs, accessories for their reception and thank you cards are all so adorable, and perfect for a late-September wedding. Their wedding is at the end of this month, so I will share after that.

In the meantime, imagine yellows and greens and sunflowers :)

Warmly,

Emily

More wreaths!

2011-09-25T14:32:00.001-04:00

This time of year, my crafting gets out of control!

But I love it :)

After seeing my blogpost with this wreath Anne requested that I make her one for their B&B.


awkward angle, gorgeous wreath

Then Jennie requested that I make her a "Think Pink" wreath for breast cancer awareness month (October).

I strung sparkly pink beads throughout hers and found this most perfect pink ribbon head scarf to use instead of a ribbon. I think it's subtle enough to have up year-round if she wants.

I've seen various interpretations of this wreath, including looping scrapbook paper instead of ribbon and using hot glue instead of stick pens. All great ideas. The scrapbook paper one is probably significantly cheaper than the ribbon, as it takes a LOT of ribbon to construct one of these beauties.

Happy crafting!

Warmly,

Emily

Organization makes me happy!

2011-09-22T13:33:00.000-04:00

I think I may have a problem.

But it's a good problem to have!

I am obsessed with organization.

Exhibit A:

ErinCondren Life Planner

Personalized just for me!

by month

by time of day


pockets for receipts, stamps, labels, stickers...

Now instead of carrying around various notebooks for all of these things, I have it all in one fun, fancy planner! Who gets this excited about organization? Except for maybe this girl who introduced me to this ridiculousness in the first place. Love ya, Becks!

Now I can even more excitedly keep track of all of you lovely clients and your wedding days.

As well as my running schedule as I prepare of my first marathon (26.2 miles) in April. I just completed my first half marathon (13.1 miles) in Philly, and have another one coming up in November. And I am sooooo excited that I have found myself really, really having a passion for such a healthy activity. I remember the days of walk/running a 5k and barely making it to the finish. I hope I find myself looking back on my half marathons and feeling like I've come far once I accomplish my 26.2.

at the 5k mark and feeling good!

FINISH! Still feeling great!

I have recently started making and selling these fall ribbon wreaths. Let me know if you want one! They are seriously so beautiful, I want to eat them. They can be made for basically any holiday! I predict I'll be whipping one up for Christmas in a couple of months.

(Christmas is a couple of months? Holy cow...)

fully customizable!

In between these fun crafts and hobbies, the November/December wedding season has arrived for those of us in the wedding pre-planning stages determined to give you the most gorgeous day! I plan to have some items from recent weddings to show in the coming days.

Snuggle up to someone you love as the weather turns and the leaves begin to fall.

Warmly,

Emily

Thankful Thursday Linky!!

2011-09-01T17:33:00.000-04:00

Linking up with Megan over at Blissfully Burton today :) What am I thankful for?

1. This lovely 3-day weekend coming up, which I am kicking off by hanging out with 2 of my most favorite kiddos in all the land: Grace and Jack! Love!

2. Dinner tonight with super fun friends. It's nice to have a friend whose husband is the head chef at a swanky restaurant!! See? Super fun!

3. Rollover minutes so I can still talk to my favorite sister now that she switched providers:

4. Awesome friends, family, extended family and boyfriend who gave me such a fun birthday 1 week ago!

5. This series. Which has completely inspired me! If you're a woman with a pulse, you will love reading about these four best friends who run a high-end wedding business and find love with four very handsome men.

6. Hotel and plans booked for my first half marathon on Sept. 18. Rock N Roll Philly Half Marathon

Wish me luck! Happy Thursday :)

Warmly,

Emily

Baby Quilt -- Done!

2011-08-28T21:00:00.001-04:00

Beth's baby's quilt is done! And I must say, I love it!

If I had a passion for vintage airplanes, I might just keep it for myself :)

It started as this

Super Yoshi to the rescue!

Time to sew the puffs -- all 64 of them.

stuffed puff!


64 stuffed puffs!

Blanket with brown, satin binding. I hated it, ripped it out, and came up with a new idea:

Pull the back around to the front and make IT the binding!

Center 64 squares

Back and Front together!

Cannot wait to give it to baby boy in October!

After this quilt and Jack's wall hangings for HIS airplane nursery,

I think I could start a baby airplane Esty site :)

Goodnight all!

Warmly,

Emily

Birthdays, disasters and 9/11

2011-08-28T20:38:00.001-04:00

Good evening!

My birthday was this past Thursday, and Peter's was the 18th,

so we celebrated:

Then, on Tuesday, there was a bit of an earthquake. Weird. I was on my lunch break at work, outside on a bench, and after I convinced myself I wasn't having a panic attack, but the bench was indeed shaking, I realized what was happening. Our building was shut down, and we all went home early. BUT everything checked out fine, and aside from a lot of stuff falling off the top of some of our shelves, it was like nothing ever happened.

Then we had a hurricane. Apparently. It appeared to be more of a large rainstorm from where we live, and we didn't lose power or trees or cars, but I do feel for those who are experiencing loss.

Earlier yesterday, before Hurricane Irene was set to arrive, I drove the 3 hours up to Shanksville, Pa., the site of the crash of United 93, for work. I read all about what the passengers went through in those terrifying final moments, and thought a little too much about it all and how scary it must have been. The memorial promises to be very beautiful when it is complete in 2014.

That white wall is phase 1 of 3 for the memorial. It has the names of all 40 passengers and crew who were killed (excluding the hijackers). If you follow the wall down, that's the flight path that United 93 came in at. 50 feet off the ground, upside down, before crashing at the end of that mowed grassy region. The crater created by the crash was filled in once the remains of all 40 passengers and the hijackers were identified. Closure that loved ones from the Twin Towers and the Pentagon may never have. It is coming up on the 10-year anniversary of this tragic day, and sometimes I still cannot believe it ever happened. But at the same time will never forget.

Please take the time to look at the websites for the memorials being created in remembrance of the heroes of 9/11:

Pentagon Memorial

Flight 93-Shanksville Memorial

Twin Towers Memorial

Warmly,

Emily

sweet sewing for sweet friends

2011-08-23T12:40:00.001-04:00

I really wish Summer wouldn't slip by so quickly!

I seem to have a lot of works-in-progress at the moment. Fall weddings are approaching, so I've been doing those invitations, and now the programs/reception decor that follows. I've also been having WAY too much fun with my sewing machine.
Check out this little darling in her "pillowcase" dress:


too cute for words!

Also, my dear friend Beth is having a baby SOOOO soon! Beth and I met in 2005 when we were both randomly put together in a dorm for intern housing. I was an intern at the Washington Times, and she interned at a senator's office, which basically means she gave Capitol tours all day, every day. We've managed to see each other quite frequently since then :)


January 2007

Summer 2008

Beth's birthday. April 2009


Beth's wedding, Jan. 2010

Here it is 6 years later, and I've watched her meet and fall in love with Jason. I went to her wedding in Kansas, and now I will be heading back to Kansas to see her new baby once he pops out! Of course, Auntie Em cannot show up without a little something for the little guy, so I'm working on this super adorbs puff quilt, also called a biscuit quilt.
The tutorial can be found over at Honeybear Lane.

This is the center section

It now has a 4 inch denim border, and tonight I have to sew on the brown binding :) Oh, and the back is incredibly sweet -- my favorite part. Baby's nursery is blue, brown and red with vintage airplane accents, so I found this gorgeous fabric and snatched it right up:


Way too excited about this find

Yoshi was a real big help during the process, too! Every time I sit down to sew, he jumps up on the chair next to me and sleeps. Which is hugely distracting, because I always want to squish him.

Zzzzzzzz...

I'm heading off to Shanksville, Pa., on Saturday to do a multimedia project on the 9/11 Memorial there (I can't believe it's been 10 years!).
And I have my Annapolis 10-miler on Sunday.

Hope your weather is as gorgeous as it is here in DC!

Warmly,

Emily

Thankful Thursday

2011-08-11T11:59:00.001-04:00

It's time for another Thankful Thursday linky with Blissfully Burton

What am I thankful for today?

1. These adorable children and their ever-so-thoughtful mom, Nicole. I mean really -- A totally unnecessary birthday card and gift brought such a huge smile to my face yesterday :)

(Grace and Jack)

(their baby sister. Due Nov. 28)

THANKS Gracie and Jackity Jack! And "Soap"!!

2. A fun weekend planned. Going to see "The Help" with Julie tomorrow.

And an awesome new doggie park followed by pool day and grilling on Saturday.

3. My besties. These peeps would support me through anything. And have already.

Jules

Steph (and hubs Steve)

Barb, Steph, Kim and Me

4. Food and water. Given the recent drought circumstances in the Horn of Africa and Southern U.S., I am reminded of how lucky I am to be able to eat and drink when I want and live under an air conditioned roof. Please keep all those suffering in your thoughts.

Have a glorious Thursday, friends!

Warmly,

Emily

ABC play mat!

2011-08-07T18:44:00.000-04:00

Whatever could it be?

Grace and Jack's ABC play mat!

Nicole came to me and asked that I put this together to help her kiddos learn their colors, animals and ABCs. I always love bustin' out the ol' sewing machine, so I did just that and got to work!

With her baby number 3 on the way, I hope it finds happy feet for years to come!

Love those kids!

Warmly,

Emily

"pillowcase" dress and fun fabrics

2011-08-01T17:22:00.001-04:00

I read all about these pillowcase dresses and thought it sounded like such a fun project for me to try out on all my friends who have little girls. After searching around EVERYWHERE for cute pillowcases, I gave up and bought fabric samples from JoAnns. It turned out to be MUCH cheaper than buying pillowcases AND I could even mix and match to my heart's content :) I made 5 dresses in all, and got happier with each one I did. Here is Samantha debuting her dress:

And her little sis Meredith with hers:

And dresses for Reese and Grace, too!

JoAnns has these awesome little fabric pieces for $1.99. They measure 18"x24" and are pretty much perfect for these dresses.

I bought a whole bunch of them to make an ABC blanket-game for Grace and Jack:

I have the blanket/gameboard sewn. Now I just have to iron on all the fun letters and pictures.

Warmly,

Emily

Thankful Thursday

2011-07-28T11:20:00.002-04:00

Good Morning! My friend Megan over at Blissfully Burton is hosting a Linky party today, so I thought I'd join up and support a fellow crafter! Megan is adorable and is expecting a little girl, Harper, in just a few short weeks! Check her out and become a follower!
Blissfully Burton

So in light of Thankful Thursday, I suppose I should list some things I am thankful for:

1. Peter. My most fabulous boyfriend of 6 years. Love him and all the gourmet meals he cooks for me:

2. My adorable cat-dog, Yoshi. He's a handful of hilarious, but I wouldn't want it any other way:

3. My sewing machine and the patience/passion to learn new things on it constantly.

4. My job as a graphic artist and multimedia producer! And my side job as Embellished by Emily I love both professions dearly and am forever grateful that they both allow me to be creative all day long!

5. My family. Both biological and "in-laws":

Aren't they adorable? Married 31 years this September!

No, my sister is not one of the Duggers. She no longer has the bangs.

See? Aren't we hilarious? She's my most favorite person in the world.

And these people belong to Peter. I love them dearly.

Well that should conclude today's happy. I am thankful for so much more, but that would seriously take way too long. Thanks for reading! And follow me if you're stalking! :)

Warmly,
Emily

vintage invitations

2011-07-11T21:54:00.001-04:00

I am completely persuaded by this fabulous website recently

www.shabbyapple.com

And it seems my invitations are starting to end up there in the design process.

I mean, how sweet are these?!

In other news, Elena's Bat Mitzvah was last month, and she wanted a sparkly, flashy theme fit for a 13-year-old girlie girl :) Her envelopes were shimmery pink. Love!

Also, I've been working on my high school's 10-year reunion invitation. The class officers approached me a few months ago and asked if I'd be willing, and I thought the idea sounded fantastic! I cannot believe it's been 10 years already!

Warmly,

Emily

fun idea!

2011-07-11T20:40:00.001-04:00

From the yellow-and-black shower invitations all the way to the table identifiers at the wedding, I was beyond thrilled to help Whitney and Shawn plan their big day. Especially when Whitney asked me to do this fun project. She wanted blocks for her cake table, and after I was done with them, I mentioned she could also put them on her mantle or headboard after the wedding, which I'm thinking she loved! Each side has a different design.

For her table identifiers, we had the most fun idea. Whitney and Shawn are very involved in the Humane Society of Indianapolis, so the tables reflected the donations they made on behalf of all their guests to the Humane Society. Basically the guests were assigned to sit at a table named after a particular dog currently available for adoption.

The possibilities are endless!

Summer kick-off

2011-06-08T00:30:00.001-04:00

Happy summer, everyone!

Whitney and Shawn got married on May 21st, as did Rachel and Wes. Congratulations, you guys! Your weddings were a delight to work on!

As I promised...

2011-05-11T20:42:00.000-04:00

This post comes as promised! Butterfly Grace turned 3, and here is her painting:

From what I understand, it is hanging on her wall opposite of a digital print I made for her before she was even born! I love this little girl so much.

While I was at it, I decided to make one for my most favorite person in this world --

my gorgeous, funky, compassionate sister Sarah

Jelmi and Angelo got married in Hawaii on May 1, and I had an awesome time putting together these scroll invitations. I bought the bamboo and split and glued it around the invite. Then, I made custom labels to go around the tube mailers. They turned out so nice!

Whitney gets married SO soon! Her bridal shower invites used her wedding colors:

All of her other fun wedding pieces will be making an appearance on the blog soon enough :)

Have a lovely evening!

Warmly,

Emily

red on turquoise

2011-05-11T15:20:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite color combinations!

Meghan had spotted a red-and-turquoise poppy painting at Homegoods, but didn't get to it in time. The last painting in her local area had been sold, but she loved the color contrast so much, she knew she had to have it. I tried to recreate the look with the colors and the flowers she loved from the Homegoods original, without ever having seen it myself, and I think it turned out lovely!

The actual painting is extremely "bumpy," with lots of textures --

one of the many things I love about using a palette knife.

So, without further adieu, here it is:

I'll have to get Meghan to send me a picture of it hanging on the wall of her new home.

At 3ft x 2ft, it's sure to make quite the statement!

In related news, Grace's 3rd birthday was May 1, and so Auntie Em just HAD to paint her a little something special for her purple-and-green big girl room! Here she is receiving it from me on her big day:

Check back to see the painting in all its glory. For now, you can hang out with this post for my past birthday gifts for Grace and her little brother, Jack.

My mom requested some butterflies for Mother's Day, so I painted a couple of those for her on 8x10 canvases. Check back for those as well.

I hope you are all as EXCITED for this lovely weather as I am. I didn't think it would ever get here. In honor of this gorgeous spring, I leave you with my new wreath. I must be in a turquoise phase.

Email me at emily@embellishedbyemily.com for any requests.
I'm always full of ideas :)

Warmly,

Emily

Babies All Around!

2011-03-31T13:58:00.000-04:00

Baby Shower:

Baby Announcement:

I believe it's finally springtime!!

Warmly,

Emily

Some previews!

2011-03-07T21:48:00.002-05:00

The spring wedding preparations are in full force, and I've had the opportunity to put together some awesome invitations! Of course, I cannot show them in full until after the events take place.

But for now ... a preview!

In addition, some past opportunities:

Jordan and Nick got married:

Jennifer has a shower:

Mary has a baby:

Beth and Jason got married:

Laura is having a baby girl:

There we are! Stayed tuned to see what's up next!

Warmly,

Emily

On Finding a Photographer

2011-02-25T11:50:00.001-05:00

If I've heard it once, I've heard it a million times, "We don't really care about the photographer. All we know is we're not going to spend $5,000 on some guy to come out and click a camera for ONE day." I feel I can write this blog entry on an unbiased level because I am not a photographer. I just have a lot of friends who have been very disappointed in the results of the person they hired on a budget to capture one of the most beautiful days of their lives.

Wedding photography is ridiculously complicated. The shooter has to be:

1. sentimental

2. a fashion photographer

3. a lighting expert

4. an event photographer, and most importantly (in my opinion)

5. a photojournalist -- so you are captured in real time, living your favorite moments.

When you hire a photographer, you are actually hiring the person who will give you the ONLY remaining evidence of your wedding day. The cake will be eaten, the flowers thrown away, the guests will return home. But the pictures remain. If you find yourself with an album full of under/over exposed images and no depth or emotion, you will be incredibly disappointed. Even if it's something you never really thought you cared about.

Why are they so "expensive?" Just look at their equipment! The cameras, along with the lenses cost thousands of dollars. If they bring their own lighting equipment, that's thousands more. Also, a lot of wedding photographers run the business as their full-time job. They need health care for themselves and their families. Something else to consider -- you probably want your photographer insured, in case grandma trips over a lighting wire, breaks her hip, and ends up suing for hospital bills. The software used after the pictures are taken for correction and album building (Photoshop, InDesign, Lightroom, etc...) can run thousands more. AND if there is a second shooter, that person needs to be paid for their time as well. These expenses add up. You may only see your photographer for seven hours on your actual wedding day, but the time they spend before that, scoping out your venue for the best light and then again in post production making sure your blemishes are gone and your arms don't look fat is money, too.

These people are dedicated and SO worth the extra thousand or so. Even if it means only putting flower arrangements on the first 6 pews instead of the whole church, or making your centerpieces lower to the table and not so enormous to where only Shaq can get the full effect.

Just because Uncle Jim has a camera that looks professional doesn't mean he even kind of knows how to work it, how to see the moments, and how to edit them to anything beyond what everyone in the congregation is capturing with their point-and-shoots.

After checking out these amazing photogs, who dedicate their lives to the craft,

you'll know what I mean.

Chip Litherland at www.elevenweddings.com

Michael Connor at www.connorstudios.com

Melanie Mauer at www.melaniemauer.com

The Kaisers at www.theimageisfound.com

Armin DeFiesta at www.armindefiesta.com

They all travel, and they're all SO worth it!

Happy Planning!

Warmly,

Emily

Happy First Birthday, Happy Jack!!

2011-01-30T22:07:00.000-05:00

Welcome to almost February!

This weekend was spent hanging out with my good friends, Michael and Nicole, and their precious kiddos Grace (2 1/2) and Jack who just turned 1!! Such delightful babies, and I love when their birthdays come around because it means I get to make something fun for them! Their house is just full of Auntie Em pizazz. Check it out!

I have never seen a child born with more hair, so here is Grace's 1st birthday gift:

And then along came baby Jack:

Followed by Gracie turning two:

And then Jack turning ONE!

So much fun! Some of these items are listed on my Etsy site here: Embellished on Etsy

I leave you with these fun, bright bridal shower invites!

Have a great week!

Warmly,

Emily

Where is Summer?

2011-01-22T20:30:00.000-05:00

If it weren't for my little pooch, I'd probably be hibernating right now! ~~Unfortunately~~ Thankfully he requires frequent walks which forces me to get out of the house and away from my projects for at least a few minutes at a time.

What I'm working on...

Well, for starters, I've opened an Etsy account. It's a work in progress, but it's there and will continually be growing. Check it out! Embellished on Etsy

I have so many works-in-progress at the moment but cannot post them just yet. Jack's first birthday is coming up next week, so his Auntie Em has made him quite the gift. Also, Samantha is about to become a big sister, so I've been busy adding a few fun touches to the new baby's nursery. I will of course post the final look once it's finished. Stay tuned for the Hawaiian wedding scroll invitations. And the whimsical yellow-and-black ones. And the regal purple and gold sunflower ones. And the ...

Well, just stay tuned!!

Warmly,

Emily

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T15:48:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from my home to yours! Our Christmas card this year:

FRONT:

INSIDE:

BACK:

Here it is! The back of princess Grace's dollhouse painted by her Auntie Em. Photographed by her dad over at www.connorstudios.com.

I have been keeping busy. The Christmas decor came down this past weekend. For some reason, I feel that the faster I take down the decorations, the sooner spring will arrive. So I am very patiently waiting on those daffodils to make an appearance!

This sweet bride is getting married in Hawaii (lucky girl!) And we will be doing scroll invites that ship in a gold mailing tube. But for now, here are her airplane ticket save-the-dates! Cute, huh?

Stay tuned! Spring 2011 wedding season is upon us!

It's FREEZING!!

2010-12-14T11:39:00.000-05:00

I know, I know. It's December, and I should expect the weather to be less than desirable but REALLY. It's cold out there! Which only means one thing -- more time to Embellish! Thankfully my brain hasn't frozen, and I am doing some major projects. I have three weddings in May, so I have produced the save-the-dates for those and am working on the invitations now:

Rachel and Wes: Aren't they adorable?!

Friends continue to have babies. It really does seem like every time someone calls me, it's to announce a pregnancy or engagement. Such happy times.

New baby Blakely: Beautiful boy

90th birthday celebration: Congrats!

This past weekend, the mama of this sweet girl asked me to come over and help her out with a major problem. They bought a dollhouse for Grace for Christmas, but the back of it is so bland and boring!! ENTER EMILY! I painted their little family and a tree and some clouds and birds on the back to jazz it up a bit. I'm still waiting on pix from that, but cannot WAIT to upload them when they come in.

Grace playing with my Yoshi:

The holiday decorations in our house are full-force, and I cannot wait to move into a bigger home so I can decorate stair banisters and mantel pieces.

My Christmas will be spent in sunny Tampa this year, but I will be accessible by phone and email throughout the entire holiday season, so feel free to contact me as you please!

Warmly,

Emily

November already?!

2010-11-02T22:56:00.001-04:00

I love wine! And with that love for wine comes an overwhelming supply of corks! Here are a few perfect-for-fall projects I've done for my own home:

Sweet Samantha Paige turned 1 in August. I cannot believe it! Her mama is one of my dearest friends and is expecting baby girl #2 in March. I cannot wait to start projects for this beautiful new baby's nursery, and I am so excited for Samantha to be a big sis! What a wonderful thing it is to have a little sister. I know first hand :) Here is a little something I put together for Samantha's birthday gift:

Moving along we have the final component to Liz's rose-and-champagne wedding. I loved the theme I came up with for the invites, and I especially loved that Liz wanted the whole thing carried throughout all of her wedding stationary. Beautifully elegant menus:

Jordan's wedding is coming up in just a few weeks! I am so excited for these invitations because they are so different in an unpredictable kind of way. Loooooong and skinny :) The RSVP cards are postcards (good way to save on postage) and fit just perfectly in the envelope. These invites were complete once combined with a direction card and a little piece of purple tissue paper:

And last but not least, here are some paintings I've been working on recently. Such fun to have friends who request to hang your stuff in their house. The horse is for Barb and the children are the very specific (paint kids dancing in the rain with umbrellas) request of Steph. Now I just need to find a children's hospital with a similar request for their coffee room. :)

Thanksgiving and Christmas fun are just around the corner! Bundle up!

Warmly,

Emily

color block?

2010-10-25T10:10:00.001-04:00

The incredibly talented Melanie of Melanie Mauer Photography in Lexington, Ky., posted this very useful guide to color coordinating. What an awesome idea she has to find your favorite artwork and use the colors from that! While you're checking it out, be sure to travel all around her site and look at some of the most beautiful wedding/engagement/children photography. Her site just oozes classic beauty. Enjoy!

http://melaniemauer.com/

Warmly,

Emily

awesome autumn

2010-10-24T20:31:00.000-04:00

Happy fall!

I hope you are visiting Embellished after a beautiful day like we had today here in DC. Wow. Just gorgeous.

Between attending weddings --

getting to know my brand new (min-pin, pomeranian/poodle) puppy, Yoshi --

And going on a girls cruise with my bff's --

I have been quite busy! BUT I of course always make room for my fabulous clients! And how could I resist when people come to me with sweet requests like these thank you cards --

WEDDING --

BABY SHOWER --

I also found this awesome tutorial from the fabulous Patrice over on www.lemontreecreations.blogspot.com and just had to redo it for myself. The site is incredibly fun with lots of really great ideas. And I mean who wouldn't want a little witch wreath for Halloween?! Love it:

I have a friend's family who is turning their gorgeous Smith Mountain Lake home into a bed & breakfast. It was fun to do a commercial brochure to mix things up a bit:

To leave you with a little preview of what's to come. So far it seems gold/yellow is a really popular color for spring weddings this year. I've been working on quite a few projects with this sunshiny color for the 2011 spring wedding season.

Talk soon!

Warmly,

Emily

Embellishing in my sleep!

2010-08-24T13:15:00.000-04:00

Well, it's happened. I've officially started having dreams about the invitations I am working on. I was notified this morning that last night I had to "get the papers that are flying away! The papers I cut today are flying away and I need to get them!" Hahaha! At least my brides will know I am serious about this!

Currently--

JORDAN -- purple/black/white long invites with postcard RSVPs. SOO beautiful, and I cannot wait to post a pic!

WHITNEY -- yellow/black/white photobooth save the dates. The bride says she wants them to be "whimsical." I could not think of a more fun word to describe your wedding!

RACHEL -- Purple wedding everythings for a dear friend's sister. Beth was married in January and now her sister Rachel will be married in May. I am SO excited to work with her sunflower-and-purple theme! I drew up this idea board for her to get started, and I must say -- this is going to be gorgeous and regal!

And of course there are the odds-and-ends projects as well. I have been working on a few paintings for some friends, perfecting my sewing skills, and even putting together some wedding photo albums!

Enjoy these remaining summer days!

Warmly,

Emily

time is FLYING

2010-07-16T14:44:00.000-04:00

Take a deep breath and pause. Enjoy the moment. It's so hard to do that these days with so much going on and retail stores rushing through the seasons. Independence Day JUST passed and now everyone is back-to-school shopping and gathering crafts for their fall projects. Yikes!

Wedding planning is a process that starts and ends before you know it! I have brides that contact me within a week of the marriage proposal, and while that might seem a bit hasty, it is so necessary sometimes! Invitations are typically sent out 6 weeks to 2 months before the wedding date, and Save the Dates should really not be sent and closer to the date than 6 months. So when you think about it, a year-long engagement is really not a long time at all!

I guess what I'm trying to say is the wedding is one day. The planning for that wedding is 1 year. The marriage is for a lifetime. Forever. Till death. While you're in your most stressful moments, when you feel that nothing is going your way, take a moment to remind yourself of the most incredible adventure you're about to embark on with (hopefully) your best friend. And breathe.

-----------------

Lots of projects are in store for Embellished by Emily. I am in preparation for those beautiful late-summer/early fall weddings right now. My favorite part of this upcoming season is the use of bright, vibrant colors. Think sunflowers, squash, watermelon and pumpkins. So beautiful. I don't know what it is about autumn weddings, but they always seem so magical. My parents were married in late September and they're still together 30 years later, so I consider it good luck!

I am also working on a few personal projects, trying to spruce up my house and prepare some birthday gifts for my friend's sweet Samantha's first birthday. My house is in desperate need of curtains (and space, for that matter). I believe a massive "spring" clean is in order :)

Congratulations to my friends who had a beautiful baby boy, Max, on July 12. I hope he LOVES coming home to his outer space nursery! And it looks like I'll be taking a trip back over to their house to replace "Anderson" with "Max" on his rocket ship. Big letters are WAY easier to work with :)

Warmly,

Emily

Fun in the Nursery

2010-06-27T22:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Sunday night! Just poking in to post something I've been working on (and finally completed). My friend, Ally, is having a baby boy any day now, and they wanted an outerspace-themed nursery for him. I jumped at the chance to help out. Last summer I did a wall stencil for my friend Laura's baby nursery, and this summer I got to expand that even more and paint an ENTIRE nursery. The parents had a lot of fun ideas in mind, and I hope I did them justice! Enjoy :)

glorious summer!

2010-06-16T21:10:00.000-04:00

Hello!
Back from Rome (bye bye gelato and vespas!!) and two weekends of weddings. Finishing up some more weddings and showers before I head to Mexico on July 2 for a week. Jen and Fritz got married at a beautiful lakeside ceremony on June 5. The day was a total reflection of the both of them -- fun and relaxed. I was the "unofficial, official wedding coordinator," and loved every second of it! We ordered the flowers wholesale and had them set to arrive on Friday. They were in perfect condition Saturday for me to put them into beautiful bouquets for the bride/bridesmaids/mothers. Also, we used coordinating hydrangeas for the chairs making up the aisle. I hung paper lanterns with fishing wire and made sure all the people were set to make their entrance at the right time to the right music. Then, when I went to bed that night, I sighed a huge sigh of relief. Fun Fun!

Now, what have I been working on, invitation wise? For starters, we have Alison and Nick's super fun booklet invitation. Seriously. Check out how cool this is:

...and the coolest part? The perforated RSVP postcard:

Moving along, we have Liz and her fiance, Jason. I fell in love with her colors of champagne and rose, so I just went with it! She received them today and loves them! Whew!

In between these, I've constructed a few shower invites:

Put together some save-the-dates:

and helped some people plan some parties:
This weekend I am headed over to a friend's house to help paint her baby's nursery. It's a rocket/alien/outer space theme, and I simply cannot wait! It's going to be awesome. And I promise pictures :)

That's it for now -- gotta stop somewhere. More to come, as usual :)

Warmly,
Emily

...to sum up...

2010-05-12T21:42:00.001-04:00

What a CRAZY winter/spring it has been! I have been swamped and am LOVING every second of it!

What makes things even crazier, however, is that I am headed to Rome next week for work to teach Final Cut Pro to our Rome bureau. I am beyond ecstatic, but nervous about the flight. ALSO, this means I am working triple-time to make sure I have all invites to my brides before I'm gone, as I am flying straight to Colorado from Rome for a wedding and won't be back in time to have them shipped for the suggested 2-months-before-the-wedding mail out date.

I am working with the most fun brides right now! They are very open to ideas and suggestions, which allows me to experiment with new ideas. I am doing a BEAUTIFUL pink and champagne pocketfold for one bride and a FABULOUS "booklet" invitation with navy (yay!) and green swirls for another.

Also, I am having my first go around with scalloped program fans, and I love how they're turning out!

The groom requested that I include The Lord's Prayer for those guests who don't know it:

And how cool is this? The invite was printed on plantable seed paper. You plant it, and it grows flowers! How novel! :)

Oh, and can I please take a moment to say how excited I was to find out a friend of a past bridal client FRAMED her invite and gave it to the bride for a gift? I couldn't help but feel honored :)

OK! Thanks for the break! I'm off to address some envelopes for rehearsal dinner invites. It's at a pub in Ireland!

Slan leat anois mo stor!

Emily

new web site!

2010-04-15T11:31:00.001-04:00

www.embellishedbyemily.com has seen a drastic change!

The pink and grey site was really starting to get to me. It didn't convey the elegance that I thought demonstrated my capabilities. So, after much research, I revamped it and am very happy with the results.

Many more images still need to be added. I typically prefer to wait until after the event has occurred to post the invitation, and I also change the details around when the client requests.

Please let me know what you think of this recent revamp! I am excited for the many things Embellished by Emily has in store :)

Warmly,

Emily

p.s. - This photo warms my heart. It is of my lovely boyfriend of 5 years and myself last year at one of my best gal's wedding. Julie is now in Bolivia with her husband, and I miss her so much. This picture takes me back to what a fun day that was. I miss you, Jules! Please come back soon!!!! OH, the photo was taken by Michael Connor of www.connorstudios.com. Check him out for your wedding photography needs!

Loving what I do

2010-03-24T14:51:00.001-04:00

Embellished by Emily has been the name of my business since 2006, and I went back and forth at the beginning when I first thought it up. Now I couldn't be happier with it. Every time I take on a project outside of my normal paper invitations/announcements, the broad business name of "Embellished by Emily" makes more sense. The name says I can take any of your ideas and embellish them to your liking. Anything you desire can be embellished by Emily!

The days are getting longer and sunnier and warmer, and I am so incredibly excited about this! Cookouts and weddings are just around the corner.

I would love to post some things I've been working on in the realm of weddings and babies, but prefer to wait until after the event takes place to post it to my public site. So in the meantime, I will leave you with my paper flowers I made last weekend. I have no idea where I got the idea, but a couple sheets of scrapbook paper, some leftover fabric, and an awesome vase from Marshalls later, I have myself a never-dying table display!

Happy Spring!!

Warmly,

Emily

Jack's Wall Art

2010-02-03T13:37:00.002-05:00

Jack's wall hangings...

Baby Jack's nursery has a transportation theme. So fun!

I took the design of the bedding ...

... and made it into these matching button-and-canvas wall hangings.

Aiden's wall art coming soon!

spring weddings!

2010-02-03T13:13:00.000-05:00

I am working on some spring and summer weddings now. Yay! I love love LOVE the colors of spring. Anything to get me out of this snow and slush mess! As of this evening, www.embellishedbyemily.com will see some minor changes -- just an addition of some things completed in recent months.

It's fun when I hear from a bride who loved an invitation she got in the mail SO much that she just has to have the same one for her wedding. Lets me know I'm doing something right. I have one invitation that has now been used 3 times, but difference color schemes and a few alterations each time. For example, the original bride wanted the purple and black pocketfold to be tied with a little skinny ribbon and bow. The second bride wanted the same pocketfold but red and black and a larger ribbon with her monogram tag on the front. The third bride wants it to be black and hotpink. The good news is, I love customizing these for each individual bride.

I also just completed two wall hangings for a friend's little boy, Aiden, who just moved up into his big boy room. Canvases are such a fun way to grow my creative cells and really let the imagination soar. I just did 3 nursery canvases for another dear friend's newborn son, Jack. They are button-sewn and just darling. Photos to come.

In the midst of this, I will be helping my friend Jennifer prepare for her spring wedding. It is going to be on a lake, and since Jen is not normally into all this wedding jazz, she has asked me to take charge! The colors are Olive, navy and cornflower, and I cannot wait to arrange her bouquets and make her little pillow and basket. I will also be putting together a flower girl crown of flowers.

When choosing the name of my business, I wanted to make sure I picked something that was not invitation-specific. I wanted people to know that if it's creative, Embellished by Emily can do it. You come to me with your fabulous ideas, and I just add onto them, embellishing your thoughts and dreams of how you want the finished product to look. So far I'm loving every second of it!

Warmly,

Emily

spring weddings!!!

2009-12-14T21:10:00.000-05:00

I am up to my ears in pink paisley and green pocketfolds! That can only mean one thing -- springtime wedding season is just around the corner! And I couldn't be more excited.

Before I get too excited about the warm weather again (since it is only December) I should point out that some of the schemes I'm working on for January and February weddings are gorgeous. Red seems to be a very popular wedding color. I'd say it's probably surpassed purple.

Red/black/silver is also popular and elegant.

Beth and Jason are having a Kansas wedding in January, using those three colors, and we were both very happy with how they turned out. Her pocketfolds were custom-sized.

Moving on to Danielle and Sergio. This bride is so sweet and has great visions for her wedding day. She wanted Red and gold, and is getting married in a gazebo. The gazebo on this invite is actually from a photo she had taken at the venue on a nasty, rainy day. A little digital alteration, and voila! Perfect graphical element. I LOVE the paper this is printed on. It's a pearlescent called "stardream quartz" and is GORGEOUS. The envelopes are metallic, too! Quite the "pop" the bride requested, I think.

Here's a fun tip for my "green" brides. online RSVP. If it's done right, it is completely elegant and sophisticated. I have a bride who is preparing for a June wedding. Her invitations will be printed on "plantable" paper -- you can plant it after receiving it, and flowers will bloom! The accents on the invitation match her wedding Web site, so when guests hop online to RSVP, it still makes sense. I recommend www.mywedding.com for setting up an elegant site. They have tons of background options, and their RSVP section is very classy. This idea works best if the majority of wedding guests are internet-savvy, as it might be difficult for people like great-grandma to have access to the internet. The blue in the background of the above picture is handmade paper that will act as the back cardstock for her panel invite. The envelope is recycled, as are the twine pieces. I cannot WAIT to see this final product!

Happy planning! The ideas are limitless!!

warmly,

Emily

I am truly blessed.

2009-10-15T22:11:00.000-04:00

O how I love my brides and mamas!

Every time a new email comes to embellishedbyemiy, I sit back and think about just how lucky I am to have a day job and a side job that I love so much! As far as Embellished by Emily goes, how hard could it possibly be not to love the "work" involved? Every person who contacts me is completely elated with their newest stage in life and wants ME to be the one to illustrate that for them. Blessings are definitely counted every night. Believe me.

I currently have 3 weddings I am working on (save the dates, invites, programs) in one way or another. Three weddings = three very different brides = my favorite! One wedding will take place in a castle in Ireland, one wedding is in a beautiful outdoor-garden setting in Illinois, and the third will be in a gorgeous Christian church in the center of my hometown. See? Very different... Keeps the cogs from getting rusty :)

A very popular trend today is the "pocketfold" invitation. These are so wonderful when including multiple pieces of information. And since most receptions are held somewhere other than the church assembly hall these days, an added direction and reception card is almost always necessary. I am so excited about the pink and green pocketfold I am working on. What a FUN combo of colors for a wedding for such a FUN-loving couple.

Of course there are tons of options for pocketfold invitations. I can make them any size, shape and color you desire. Like this one I did for M+J's August wedding.

I really am lucky my love for glue, scissors, paper and art advanced beyond the 3rd grade!

With all that being said, I will leave you with this:

My very best friend, Stephanie, was the first wedding I ever did invitations for. I owe her a HUGE thank you from the bottom of my heart for not removing me from her wedding party and her life after the disaster that was her invitations and programs. Needless to say I have learned a LOT from her wedding almost 5 years ago, and whenever the topic comes up, we laugh it off, and Stephanie is proud that she was my "guinea pig." Now all I have to do is cross my fingers that she trusts me again when it comes time for her baby announcements!
Bundle up as the weather turns!
Warmly,
Emily

babies, weddings, autumn!

2009-09-24T21:05:00.001-04:00

It's true what they say... These things really do come in 3's. Three weddings then 3 babies, etc., etc., etc. And I LOVE it!!

Just today I found out a really good friend is pregnant and due at the end of March 2010. I am working on baby announcements for another friend and also wedding save-the-dates for another. The spring and the fall really are popular times for this stuff.

Don't you just love this time of year? You never know what the days are going to bring in, so that first cup of coffee in the morning is spent on the balcony adjusting to that particular day's temperature. Such a fantastic time.

I hope this fall is bringing you everything you hoped it would. I know for at least 5-6 of my clients, it's more than they could have ever imagined!

warmly,
emily

The new site is here!

2009-07-18T21:04:00.001-04:00

Well, it's finally here!

www.embellishedbyemily.com

It's new, it's FLASHy and it's PINK!

Please let me know what you think!

Warmly,
Emily

We are under way!

2009-07-01T00:14:00.000-04:00

Wow! What a summer! It's only just begun, but I am busy, busy, busy! First off, I just got a new computer and am busy transferring files from my old one to my new one

Where to begin...

Graduation invitations and thank you cards! Congrats, Grads!!

I have had a lot of bridal showers recently and have had a blast putting together invitations and decorations for those. I find myself saying yes to any project, and I feel this makes my people happy as well as expand my own horizons. I even designed a pair of Hearts cards that were 20"x30" for a bride and her husband-to-be. They turned out great, and according to a bridesmaid were quite a hit! Always great to hear.

My good friends, Dan and Regina just got married in Pennsylvania this past weekend. The wedding was so much fun, and the best part was that I got to have an excuse to hang out with Regina a lot before (and after) she moved from DC to start her married life back in Philly. We spent so much time having a blast while creating the programs and donation cards. I'd have to say that's the best part of doing this. I get to see so many different creative opinions and ideas AND spend fulfilling time with people I love dearly.

One of my best friends, Laura, is HAVING A BABY in August! Those shower invites were so much fun to do, and I have also created a stencil of the baby's name that I will paint on the nursery wall next week. I am so excited to see how this will turn out.

I am working on wedding programs for a wedding whose invites I did back in May. Mallory and Jason have an indigo color scheme, which has proven to be quite popular here recently, yet also VERY difficult to match colors to. Everything is too navy or too purple. No worries, though! Embellished by Emily has it down! The programs are tri-fold, and I am very excited to see them in print!

Just got word today that I have another bridal shower coming up in August with a brown and pink theme (yay!) and I am so excited to work on those.

It seems every time I log into Facebook, another friend is engaged or pregnant. Congratulations to all of you blessed friends of mine, and keep me in your brains if you find yourself finished with everything but invitations and all things paper!

I look forward to working with my autumn/winter wedding brides soon. In the meantime, catch those fireflies, and I hope to hear from ya!

Warmly,
Emily

So much coming up

2009-03-27T12:51:00.000-04:00

Summer is coming right up, and with that comes WEDDINGS!

A good friend's wedding was this past Saturday, and since I did all things visual (and was a bridesmaid) for that party, I must say I am a bit relieved that it is over. However, I am finding myself having withdrawals from hydrangeas of all colors. Best wishes to J+K and their marriage together!

The good news is, I am currently working on two more weddings coming up in June and August. And babies out the wazoo! We have a first birthday party in the middle of May

R+D are good friends so I couldn't help myself but to offer up my services when they announced their engagement over a year ago. I must say, I have quite outdone myself with their wedding announcements. They are so gorgeous and elegant.

M+J are getting married in August, and my sister is a bridesmaid in that wedding. I did announcements/programs for M's sister's wedding in December, and I guess she liked the way those turned out, so I was hired! Naturally, she wants something completely different than her sister's wedding since they're getting married only eight months apart. I am up to the challenge, and am very happy with how those are turning out.

Baby M turns 1 on May 16, and I am very excited to be putting together the invitations for his first birthday party. M's aunt is a wonderful photographer, so once she sends me a disc of baby pix, I can get started on those.

I hope my clients in the east enjoy these few spring days and my western clients make the most of their blizzard!

Warmly,
Emily

Bridezillas!

2009-01-14T15:39:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon!

I have a confession: I DVR episodes of Bridezillas, and it is hysterical! I don't know where these people come from, because I have never had the misfortune of meeting ANYONE like these women. One part that I find interesting about the show, however, is that there really isn't a focus on the invitations or announcements.

Unfortunately, I think a lot of people put off invitations until the last second. Aside from the exchanging of vows, the rest of your wedding day/weekend is a party for your guests. Wouldn't you want your guests to get the absolute best first impression of a party you are throwing?

Unlike on Bridezillas, I promise I won't misspell your name :)

Warmly,
Emily

Babies, babies, babies!

2009-01-10T21:28:00.000-05:00

Good evening!
I just found out that another friend of mine is pregnant. That makes 4 current expecting mothers. I think these things usually occur in 3's, so that means 2 more people connected to me out there in the universe are knocked up and just haven't shared the news :)

Congrats, ladies! This is such a fantastic time. With new babies, come birth announcements, all sorts of invitations (christenings, birthday parties, graduations) excuses for awesome Christmas cards, etc! The fun is just beginning, and I am here to help you show the world how much fun and blessed your life is.

Keep me posted!
Warmly,
Emily

CURRENT PROMOTION!!!

2009-01-09T22:18:00.000-05:00

With the wedding season coming up just around the corner, it's time for all my Summer brides to start thinking about what they want their loved ones to receive in the mail as the first impression of an amazing day.

I am currently offering a 15% discount off your total order from me for weddings taking place May-September 2009. This includes invites, programs, thank yous, and all things paper that you may need my assistance in creating!

What a wonderful opportunity for me to get to work with such amazing people!

Warmly,
Emily

Lindsey & Troy

2009-01-09T10:13:00.000-05:00

Over my brief trip home to Kentucky for Christmas, I was able to see Lindsey and Troy get married. The church, Anchor Baptist, is absolutely stunning, and Lindsey's family did a fantastic job transforming Anchor's recreation room into a gorgeous reception venue.

The happy couple's photographer was JoAnna Liston. She really captured the spirit of the day and the love and spirituality these two share together. Check out the slideshow she posted on her site of Lindsey and Troy. The very first image is the invitation I designed and assembled for their special day.

Lindsey and Troy - Best of luck in your new life together. Love you!
JoAnna - Awesome job. Keep it up!

Warmly,
Emily

Bridal Expo!

2009-01-08T10:22:00.000-05:00

Good morning!
On Sunday, January 25, I am headed to Bethesda, Maryland for a bridal expo to help my friend, Michael Connor set up his booth for wedding photography. He is an amazing photographer of weddings, engagements, babies, etc.

I've only been to one of these things as a spectator, never as a vendor, so I'm really excited to get to meet various brides and hear all about their ideal wedding days. I am also helping Michael on Sunday, February 1, at the Dulles Bridal Expo in Virginia. If you live in the area, come out and see us. If you have an upcoming life-altering event, come book us! These expos truly are an amazing/interesting experience with TONS of vendors (cake, photography, video, DJ, hotels, limos, etc.) You could have your whole wedding planned and booked in just one day.

Please join my Facebook group Embellished by Emily if you haven't yet. I hope to have stuff posted on there as I create it.

Warmly,
Emily

2009-01-07T23:01:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the many musings of Emily at Embellished by Emily. It is in this little forum that I hope to share with everyone the beauty of creativity and imagery. For whomever is thinking about working with me to convey a particular message or meaning in their special day, I want you to know (and you will after reading these entries) that you can come to me with ANY idea or change you wish to make.

This whole business is built around making you happy.

Hope to talk with you soon!

Warmly,
Emily