little bird creative :: blog
baby lorenzo
today i'm thrilled to share the birth announcement i designed for my new nephew, lorenzo. lorenzo was born in rio de janeiro. in january he and my sister will travel to angola to reunite with dad and get back to work at the international school. my sister mara and i worked via phone and email to create the safari themed card. she and husband rodrigo went on safari during her first trimester, and since they currently live in angola it felt appropriate. the animal sketches are based on photos she sent me of a onesie she bought during her summer visit to wisconsin. we even created a mailing label that incorporated the sweet giraffe, rino and elephant (he's on the back side of the wrap around label). half of the announcements were sent to family and friends here in the states. the other half, printed in portuguese, traveled with my parents to brazil last saturday for mara to distribute to folks there and in angola.
from a ball of yarn
here is a little cozy treat i found in the etsy shop reflectionsbyds. this lovely image has a warm feeling. it would be a great piece of art. the details in the designs and knitting makes these functional pieces special.
in type :: calligraphy #5
these are my first two prototypes for the broadside i'm working on for my calligraphy class. i am still refining my calligraphy skills and neither of these papers are to my liking. however, i wanted to document and share the progress i am making.
rainbow under your plate
designers love this stuff. i'm certain it's because we get giddy over color. Like a kid seeing a rainbow for the first time except it happens to us over and over and over again. it happens when we're at the paper shop, the art supply store and the hardware store (places we frequent). thanks to avril loreti that feeling can happen at the dining table. her custom swatch placemats are beautiful under classic white dinnerware. they would be a nice hostess gift if you plan on crashing somewhere for an extended stay over the holidays.
charleston design
here are just a few of the great invitation design work being done in charleston. the first is from the lettered olive, a gorgeous folded invite with day of accents. number 2 is by dodeline, the combination of design elements makes the invitation set unique. the final feature is from sixpense press, i couldn't resist featuring this one because of the great hook on the front band. also, i was already planning to use a silhouette technique for a client i'm designing for and seeing this confirmed it.
in the clutch
while in charleston we visited their farmers market (one of my favorite things to do). like most, the charleston market has grown to include more than veggie and meat vendors. we enjoyed checking out all the great produce, tasted delicious pickles, tried fried peanuts, looked through the photography of local artists, and watched designer libby ganong of add libb designs manipulating materials for use in her wonderful handbag collection. libby uses upholstery fabric and adds leather and vintage details to make each adorable bag unique. they are large enough to realistically carry your night out essentials; keys, phone, money, id, and lipstick. not only does libby have a spot at the farmers market, but she also sells from her shop at 47 spring street and online.
charleston inspiration: inverted tree
over the weekend mark and i traveled to charleston, sc. we walked the town, stopping for a couple of tours, visiting some of the great shops and feasting on some amazing "lowcountry" dishes. during the return flight i thought it would be fun to share with you some charleston wedding styles and vendors. each day i'll feature a new wedding detail culminating with a new invitation design inspired by the trip.
photo credit: kim graham photography
as soon as i saw this in charleston weddings magazine i knew i couldn't resist sharing it here. it's an amazing inverted christmas tree hung from the ceiling. said to be a victorian tradition, but from what i found it's a symbol of the holy trinity that begun in the 7th century. isn't it gorgeous! dripping with silver, gold and black against the rustic brick wall during the wedding reception of jennifer and travis last december.
happy halloween
this wallpaper from beware the moon is a definite treat! it has a great morbid/rocker feel. fitting for a day filled with ghouls and goblins.
in type :: calligraphy #4
i had to make a greeting card using my new calligraphy skills. after deciding on a message and a few test runs i dipped my pen and started writing. i used some leftover arturo paper. it is a100% cotton italian paper with a great texture. it's a little toothy for the wide nib and my unsteady hand, but i'm happy with how it turned out.
as for the missing dots the letter "i" well, this is a habit of mine when hand writing anything. it looks more awkward here than when i write notes and other cards. might have to change this little quirk.
as for the missing dots the letter "i" well, this is a habit of mine when hand writing anything. it looks more awkward here than when i write notes and other cards. might have to change this little quirk.
ready to wide-leg lounge
i finally made time on monday to finish my sewing project. the wide-leg lounge pants turned out just as i had imagined, and i'm so proud of this accomplishment. there was some confusion along the way, but in the end everything worked out great. i even have enough excess fabric to make another pair or maybe something else.
hi there! i'm carina and i love: graphic design, wedding invitations and letterpress (aka little bird creative). add sewing, shopping, decorating and cooking now and then, and i am one happy woman. this is my place for sharing thoughts, ideas and inspiration. i appreciate you visiting and look forward to hearing your comments.
