My Type of Type

I totally have a crush on these old letterpress blocks at Three Potato Four! The wood color is fantastic & I am positive they belong on the bookshelf in my house...

Happy Weekend!

Just a little Spring prettiness for ya! My parents are coming into town tomorrow so I'll probably be MIA from the blog this weekend - just wanted to get in my Happy Easter post & wish everyone a great weekend!! Images from Good Housekeeping.

Yep, Think It's About Time

I need a vacation…again. Yes I just got back from New Orleans a month ago but I think I’m due. I want a straight up get-out-of-town-go-sit-on-a-beach-kind-of-vacation. Where my only concern will be what kind of fruity umbrella drink to have. But for now, I will live vicariously through my friend Amanda’s photos from her trip to Hawaii. Of course these are ridiculously stunning because she is a professional, but that just makes it easier to imagine breathing in that sea air. ((inhale))






((exhaaaaaaale)) I want to be on this beach! Photos by Amanda Hein Photography

Happy Furniture

So here's a little background to explain this non-wedding-related post:

I interned my senior year of college (Go Drake!) at Meredith Corporation, which publishes Better Homes & Gardens magazine. I worked for the Special Interest Publications division, mainly for Kitchen & Bath Ideas and it. was. awesome. I had so much fun working there! I got to help style photoshoots with the art director & choose products to feature every month – it was just a really cool place to work and for a creative person like myself, it was pretty perfect. They’d even have stock sales every few months were you could buy products used in photoshoots (that the vendor didn’t want returned) at a fraction of the cost!! Glorious.

But alas, the publications are based out of Des Moines, IA and if there was any chance of me getting out of that city, I had to do it right after I graduated. So, I came to Phoenix but still kept a catalog of vendors in my head of all the cool places I would buy things to outfit my home when I got settled. And with the fantastic Spring weather we’ve been having here, it made me think of these pieces from Archie’s Island. How fantastic is this outdoor furniture!? So cheery it makes me want to relax in the sun all day at my (imaginary) beach house, then snuggle up with a blanket & watch the sun set. I mean, their tagline is "Happy Furniture" - Agree?






I want it all!!

It's A Big Day!

The Swatchbook Weddings blog turns ONE today! YEAY!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG!

It’s amazing how this blog has become such a part of my life over the past year. I went from posting one or two things a month – thinking WAY too much about what to write – to 20 posts a month where I just find something I like and post it! It’s been a great tool to help me start conversations with potential clients & fellow wedding professionals. Plus, blogging has manifested my previously unknown passion for Tuesdays! Everything about this has been pretty fantastic.

Ah well, happy birthday ‘ol blog – you’ve been good to me. Hope you’ve got many years ahead of you!

I've Been Cursed

What's the curse you ask?

PERFECTION.

No, not that I'm perfect - It's knowing that it's out there, and I want it. I can't tell you how many times people have said, "Just don't care about it so much" and oh em gee if that were possible. I do think striving for perfection can be a good thing, though. Being passionate about what you're doing, setting goals and keeping yourself motivated is the only way to survive an entrepreneurial adventure. In fact, I pride myself on being able to have such a clear vision of what I want and don't want when it comes to certain aspects of my business.

But what about when it becomes a hindrance? What about when it leaves you spinning your wheels? There's nothing perfect about being unable to move forward.

As I am preparing my site & doing all the research required to make this go off without a hitch, I find myself in this struggle. Did anyone else experience this when starting their business? When do you say enough is enough, hold your head high and move on to the next thing??

Any Gleeks out there?

I don't know about you, but I am SO excited for the new season of Glee to start!! (told you I was a nerd) And in honor of that, I wanted to introduce you guys to a little gem I have hidden amongst wedding blogs in my reader - it's called What Would Emma Pillsbury Wear? It is full of adorable outfits befitting of Ms. Pillsbury & it's just down right awesome. Seeing as how most of her outfits are comprised of J.Crew, can't be bad right? I love the colors & patterns, there's inspiration everywhere!

Nawlins Trip in Photos

I had so much fun!! The vibe in that city is like none other - the food, the music, the drinks - it’s just non-stop! Here are a few photos from my trip as seen through my iPhone...

Besides the rough flight back to Phoenix (since when does it rain so much here!?) it was GREAT! Can't wait to go back!

Nawlins

Here I come! I’m taking off for the week & I am so excited! Call it what you will - a vacation, a mental health break – all I know is that I’m going to try to relax for bit. Anyone else out there like me? No matter what I’m doing, I have a bajillion things running through my mind at all times. Maybe getting out of town will clear things up.

And I’m going to eat.

A LOT.

If you know me, you know I have the palette of a 9-year-old. Give me a Coke, some chicken nuggets and mac & cheese and I’m set! It’s a wonder I’m not the size of a blimp by this point in my life. I’ve been trying to not eat fried food & it’s actually been going really well! But on this trip…

I’m going to eat.

A LOT.

And it’s probably going to be fried & covered in cream sauce.

Don’t judge! :) Again, I’m thankful that muh seestah will be holding down the fort while I’m gone & I hope to come back with some great photos to share! Have a good weekend everyone!

Muh Seestah

I'm texting her right now as I am doing this post & she's not happy about me posting a picture...buuuuut...there she is! I am heading out of town this week & my sister, Kristen, was nice enough to agree to watch my furry children, Oliver & Winston. She deserves a shout out across the wedding community! :)

Let's give it up for Kristen! Woot! Woot!

Happy

I debated about posting this because, well, I risk coming across as a 15-year-old posting song lyrics as their Facebook status after a breakup or something. But, here goes. I absolutely can't get enough of the song Happy, by Leona Lewis - and while I'm certain it's about love and blah, blah, blah I relate to it through another sense of the word. The love & passion to do what you believe in, follow your heart and be happy.

Here are just a couple of verses:

Someone once told me that you have to choose
What you win or lose
You can't have everything

Don't you take chances
Might feel the pain
Don't you love in vain
Cause love won't set you free
I can't stand by the side
And watch this life pass me by
So unhappy
But safe as could be

So what if it hurts me?
So what if i break down?
So what if this world just throws me off the edge
My feet run out of ground
I gotta find my place

I wanna hear my sound
Don't care about all the pain in front of me
Cause i'm just trying to be happy, yeah
Just wanna be happy, yeah

Cupcakes!

Oh and here I am researching something to blog about - how could I forget I made these cupcakes!? Cookies & cream! Turned out a little bit better than the gingerbread house :)

Happy Rainy Day!

The crazy weather has hit Phoenix & it’s about as gloomy as it can be outside. We are so spoiled with the sunshine all the time — it’s kind of nice to get a break. And (right now anyway) it's a really nice rain. Usually it’s a mess of dust & rain during our monsoon season — ever seen a haboob? ((cough, cough)) Yeah, it’s gross.

Happy rainy day!

Nice Try, Dad

Obviously this is the best post you've ever seen. I can only guess I was in 5th grade or so when this was taken & look at me, I am planning my future right there at that desk. Did you guys ever do "Take Your Daughter to Work Day?" Well here I am, sitting with my Dad learning how he crunches numbers for a living while "may the force be with you" scrolls across that computer screen. As if I could've taken a more opposite path in life...nice try, Dad.

Thoughts on this Throwback?

Have you guys seen these? I saw them for the first time today while shopping & they are pretty neat. Now this goes against everything I believe in, being that I am totally anti-Pepsi, but not only did I look at them, I wanted to figure out what they meant by "throwback." The design? Well, sorta. They're calling it a "throwback" because they are using real sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. (What about that commercial with the kool-aid and popsicles that said high-fructose corn syrup wasn't bad for you?) Anywho, you win Pepsi. I came, I saw, I blogged and I liked your designs. What do you guys think??

Not My Gumdrop Buttons!

Had to share! My sister & I made our first gingerbread house this afternoon, and boy are we proud! :) Okay, so we are 26 and 29 years old and this is the best we could do, but hey, we are impressed! The icing was a disgusting consistency - a cross between toothpase and spackle - and it wouldn't even stick to the gingerbread. Oh well! After doing all of our last-minute Christmas shopping, wrapping and food prep, this was a great way to get us in the spirit on Christmas Eve!!

The Future of Swatchbook Weddings...

The new year is fast approaching and with it, is going to come a new Swatchbook Weddings. 

My business has been based solely on custom invitations and it has been great! It has been so exciting working with brides, getting to know them, and developing great relationships which has in turn brought me many referrals and the opportunity to grow my business. I know I've gushed quite a few times in my blog posts about how thankful I am, but it just can't be said enough how much I appreciate all that have played a role. You have given me the confidence to create Swatchbook Weddings & now have given me the confidence to move my business forward. I will be moving away from custom invitations and moving to an online shop. This will give me the chance to create invitation suites that are truly an expression of my passion for design & typography...and hopefully people will like it!

As I am finishing up the jobs I have right now, I will have more time to focus on getting things in order for the new launch. This is a HUGE deal to me & has always been my dream - I am really excited, but nervous of course. I will continue to blog & those that are a part of Swatchbook Weddings on facebook & twitter will be really involved with the transformation. I can't wait to see what's next! 

LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT 2010!!!

Taking a Break & Hitting the Links

I took a break this past Sunday & went golfing at Stoneridge Golf Course in Prescott Valley, Arizona - the course was beautiful! But don't let that desert landscape fool you...

...it was FFFFFREEZING!

Eh, so what if I lost about 5 balls...sometimes you just need to take a break & get away. What do you guys do to take a breather?

P.S. Those beads you see hanging down? It's a counter for my strokes because I always have so many I can't remember! I never said I was good...