Stelie Designs

 My husband works for Braaten Creative Woods  a high end custom cabinetry shop!  They are amazing (personally & professionally) if I do say so myself.  This year I created holiday cards for them to send out.  I designed a tree full of tools in a deep gold, the inside has text & their logo.  They mailed these out in wood envelopes.  Coooool! 

Two sneak peeks. Two local weddings. Two unique designs. Two with oranges and grey.

I love being asked to do custom orders.  They are fun and force me to design stuff that is waiting on the back burner until I have free time. (Yeah like that exists with 4 kids) This sweet girl is turning 40! I hold a special bond with anyone turning 40, now that I am.  This project was kismet, not only because Alyson is turning 40 but because her party celebration is on MY actual birthday! We took my Golden Gate bridge wedding invite , added a sailboat and photo and here she is!

One of the best parts of being in business for a while is my wedding clients are now becoming my baby clients!! I was tasked with creating a clean + modern Kentucky Derby themed baby shower for a former bride.  Her colors were mint + yellow.   All that came to mind was horses + big hats!  [My husband decided to research and shared a bunch of details about the Kentucky Derby.]  Above is the final invitation and below are options that didn't make the cut.  While these are not listed in the shop, if you are in love with any of these 5 designs email steliedesigns@yahoo.com . Follow me on pinterest !  Then let me know and I'll follow you back.

A little something I'm working on for a Semi truck lovin' almost 4 year old boy! Which is your favorite?

Last week I shared these custom save the dates. Now on to the custom wedding reception / New Years Eve party invitations More gorgeous photos by their photographer.  Check out the champange cork and confetti on the rsvp card.  Awesomeness.  Next week, I'll share their actual wedding invitations.

Working on these save the dates was more than fabulous. Not only is the couple A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. to work with and in person but the date of their New Years Eve celebration is my 10 year wedding anniversary!  (Can I hear a Woot! Woot!) The bride gave me engagement photos by Kristen Lynn photographie , a husband & wife team in Chicago, to design around.  To keep the incredibly beautiful photo large, I put the details on the back. I also worked on their NYE / wedding celebration invitations and their actual wedding invitations.  I'll be sharing them in the future.

I was asked to do a Mickey Mouse themed birthday invite for a little boy soon to be 2!  Woot! Woot!  Yes, please!  I came up with a few designs. She chose the boy, which we customized to match her curly blonde haired blue eyed boy. ta da...the final product! 

Pigs in love!  Can't wait to show you this custom design wedding invitation I completed last week.  With an impending snow storm,  I'll be waiting for sunshine.  *Note to self, must ask hubby to build me a light box!

sorry about the title, it jumped in my head. no post about cows here, just chickens.  a previous wedding client asked me to design invites for a baby shower she was throwing.  when i heard the theme "is the baby a hen or a rooster" i just had to do it.  (avery wants a baby chick for christmas. yes, a real one.) the mom-to-be raises chickens + doesn't know the sex of her unborn baby.  apprarently the dr. wrote the answer on a piece of paper. they have it in a drawer in their house and have yet to peak!  how is that possible?!??!!!  (i had to know) i was so thrilled with how my chickens turned out, so I put it on an art print . use coupon code: EGHoliday10 for 10% off thru Monday, Nov. 14

one of my recent clients (remember these invites ?) sent me a few of her reception photos. i was so excited to see my paper goods used in real life.   {love love love the wine cork holders}  she did a phenominal job pulling it all together. especially from far away. the couple lives in canada & the wedding+reception was in france. beautiful.

missed me? i've missed you!  lots happened during my unexpected blogging break that will be shared in future posts.  do you remember this sneak peak from long ago?  a custom designed wedding invitation.  design direction:       { orange + gray + martini } here it is in it's final printed stage.... {the subtle martini glass top view with olives can also be abstract design shapes} {the stripes are carried thru onto the back. no more boring white}  i just love it. the pictures don't do it justice (not surprising since i'm not a photographer. i just play one on tv in my business world)  what do you think?

custom design project :: orange + gray + martini custom design project :: maple leaf + corn stalk + cinnamon brown + coral + plum + marigold new invitation design :: stelie designs ultra mod collection

{entire invitation set}  i had a blast drawing this truck for a custom design project! who knew a truck photo would be so inspiring.  the truck sits under trees on the property of their wedding venue the save the dates were the birds with bird house (see here ) which we kept in the invitation design for continuity.   {close up of the invite}  for thank you cards, i took the truck with the love birds and added a just married sign.  {thank you cards} if you love it as much as i do....here it is again. {close up of the design} do you have a custom idea you'd like? contact me steliedesigns@yahoo.com to discuss.

a couple months ago, a bride sent me a quick notepad sketch of what she was thinking for a save the date card she would print herself.  while i was booked solid at the time, i loved her idea too much too pass up.  so we worked together for which i am so glad.   i just love her pairings! don't you agree? they also wanted to keep it real by adding the "or we de-friend you on facebook"

the sun was shining so bright last week, i took photos of current + past projects.  i first shared this schematic design almost 1 year ago!  here it is again... better late than never has been my moto for this one woman show who can barely keep up with all the wonderful business stelie has coming in. now in all it's printed+assembled glory {full set} {front page with their beet root symbol.  they love to cook it + it  resembles a heart} {their story...requirement was to look scattered and crazy, just like their dating life. once a proposal happened life calmed as did the text} {invitation...yes they were acutally married almost 6 months ago} {tear off postcard rsvp. complete with beetroot outlines + fun response options} i had so much fun getting to know this couple and working with them. so wonderful. so special. plus the bride works in tourism + lives in australia + met steve irwin (bindi'sdad) + was working in africa during our design...

a little something fun i've been working on...

there are so many cool wedding guest book ideas out there.  8 years ago, my guestbook was a tad untraditional and fun at that time.  we did the izone sticky photos, where a photo was taken, then stuck in to a scrapbook along with a handwritten message from each guest.  recently i worked on a super fun and unique guestbook project.  My client came to me with a phrase "Today was a good day" & a background design found on her invites.  She wanted enough room for guests to sign and will eventually matte & frame. i mean how perfect is "today was a good day" to describe two people in love uniting in marriage?

the finished custom design project i mentioned here .  the invitation suite entailed french invitation with postcard rsvp + tear off map printed on natural white cardstock placed in curry envelopes along with a bilingual invitation also printed on natural white cardstock placed in blossom envelopes. my #1 goal in all my designs is for the bride + groom to love their invitations.  this bride not only loved her invites but also shared with me how these have been well received by guests. she sent me a note with this: "Everyone who contacted us about the wedding mentioned how beautiful these invites are. Some of the feedback from France are: unique, original, and very innovative." so so happy to hear this. so happy in fact, i can't wait for the guests to see the additional pieces we're working on for the reception. do you have a vision in your head and need someone to create it for you?  i'm here for you.

i was contacted by a canadian bride who is already married but having a dream wedding ceremony in france and wanted custom invitations to speak to their heritage (chinese & french) and life together with their baby daughter. here are some designs that didn't make the final cut. if you are a facebook fan then you already know the final outcome, if not stay tuned. or become a facebook fan. check out the upper right side -->