Feeling Fancy: My Wedding Congratulations from the President

Some of you married ladies may have this already, but I wanted to share with you my wedding thank you from the White House.

Every time I look at it, I feel awesome and important - Chic 'n Cheap Living - the dignitary, haha.  It came a little late (maybe 3 months later?) but was awaiting me when I visited my parents in NYC.  It's something about the letterpressed seal or the signatures that make me feel nice.  If I had just sent this a little earlier and got some presidential attendees, that would have been the cream cheese frosting on the cake.

Anyway just an idea if you have an extra invite and want something for the scrapbook!

If you want to send the president a wedding invitation, see my original post here.

DIY - Use an edge punch to dress up a simple invite and my wedding invitation with edge press and heat embossed images

I found pictures of our invitations! I have just a few but wanted to share in case anyone else had or wanted to create simple invites like mine.

I only had a week to design our invitations (with no background). I knew they would be:
- super simple
- have an interesting textural element
- have a slightly vintage feel
- only one page

I knew I wanted to heat emboss some images to create texture. I also found Martha Stewart Edge punches at Michael's. I edge pressed all the invites and I thought that gave the paper a vintage vibe as well. I used this with our thank you card (which are in NYC now!) and I really like how those turned out though you won't see those for a few months since we're a few thousand miles away.

Note: Edge punches are useful on heavier cardstock. If you experiment on copy paper, it will likely get stuck in the punch.

Tips: Punch aluminum foil to sharpen the punch and wax paper to lubricate it. Also, use a good amount of force when punching or you will have to re-punch the card stock.

The heat embossed flower on the envelope seemed to have the most impact. People loved to touch it!I included the grosgrain ribbon because I bought 27 rolls from eBay and had to use it for something! 

I liked the way the image in back was in back of our names. If I did it over again, I would have included the image in front though.

Our NYC skyline! This was on other aspects of our stationary too.

Reminder:
Blossom Stamps has generously offered the following discounts to Chic 'n Cheap readers:
Offer #1 - 10% off orders of less than $40, 20% orders $40 or over - stock stamps only.
Offer #2 - Order a custom stamp, receive a free return address stamp.

DIY- Heat emboss/make thermography for your #wedding invitations

Texture and fonts really set stationary apart (my humble opinion). Since I was making my invitations, I wanted to at least make them interesting.

My invitations were very simple and I did them in a week, but if I had more time, I would have tweaked a few things (image on front, chosen a different font for some of the text).

All in all, they reflected the vintage, traditional feel of our wedding. They were also cool because I did some heat embossing to create raised images. Basically, heat embossing weds and melts embossing powder to a stamped image to create a slick, raised surface. It creates an interesting edge and many people instantly ran their hands over the images when I gave them their invites.

Materials:
- Dahlia and cherry blossom rubber stamps, under $15 for all 3 incl. shipping - Etsy through Blossom Stamps.- Pigment ink pads, $4 after 50% coupon - Michael's

- Embossing powder, $2 after 50% coupon - Michael's- Heat embossing gun, $12 after 50% coupon - Michael's (get this, do NOT use a hair dryer)- Paper - 65 lb cardstock at Staples, $13, but used a $10 or $20 off $50 coupon from eBay (110 lb would be even better)

Here is how I created the heat embossed image:

1. Select a rubber stamp and pigment ink pad in a desired color.

2. Press the rubber stamp in the ink pad (all corners) and press it fully onto the paper.

3. Quickly pour embossing powder (clear or in your choice of a color) entirely on the image.

4. Tap excess embossing powder from the image, most powder will be stuck to the image now.

5. Use heat gun and point about 4-6 inches away from the image. Direct at one point for only a few seconds or the powder will fly and melt too quickly.

6. The image will now be heat embossed (sorry picture is a tad fuzzy).

Note: I loved these flower images, but would recommend less detailed or solid images if you are particular about the embossing. The stamp doesn't always come out even and the powder gets everywhere! The girl's flowers were dahlias though so I liked how it matched!
Ultimately, I did a heat embossed image on the main invite and one on the outside of the envelope in the back - I really liked the envelope invite image.

Unfortunately my husband moved the pictures of our invitations to never, never land folder so I can't show you the invites just yet. You'll have to wait until I get back to the US then!

Hope that helps and happy embossing!

Non-paper Invitation inspiration - plexiglass, scrolls (ok that's paper), and tins

So I remember meeting a graphic designer at Pronovias (wish I remembered her name) who was presenting some cool invitations on plexiglass and velvet. Seriously? The invitation could double as a coaster!

I think my invitations are cute. Not super fancy, but interesting with lots of little details (I will post soon I promise!). They were also extremely budget friendly.

I hope people will keep them because my blood, sweat, and tears went into them. Yes, the old guilt trick. I know it will be tossed anyway, especially by the single male friends. But what would make an invitation a REAL keep sake?

1. Plexiglass invitation - durable, smooth, it could even be a paperweight!

2. Fan or scroll invitation - perfect for a warm, summer night or anything else you might decree, heehee

3. Tin cover invites - both an invitation envelope and a CD/DVD case - brilliant!

4. Finally, fabric backed invites - I totally would have used alencon lace trim if I had thought of it earlier...well and if it wasn't $35/yard.  An all fabric invite would also be wonderfully eco-friendly!  Think of your guests using them around the home!

Invites 1 - 3 are from Grapevine and 4 is from Two Brunettes.

My final invite...Mr. and Mrs. Commander-in-Chief

Ok, I've FINALLY put together all the invitations (more than 60% already mailed and waiting for one mailing address).

The final invitee: President and First Lady Obama of course
I had heard that you will receive a signed response in six weeks. That's one for the scrapbook.

Mail your invitation to the Obamas here:

The Honorable Barack Obama and Mrs. Obama
The White House
Greetings Office Room 39
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500


Prefer to fax it over? Use: 202-395-1232

Doh! Be careful in planning postage

So Mr. Chic 'n Cheap and I compiled the first batch of 23 invites to be mailed. But I just realized that my ribbon might be considered a rigid object (thus, extra postage). I was going to pull these ribbons out of the invites (there only because I had some cute grosgrain ribbon) but he already dropped them into the mailbox.

I wish there was some way I could get the invites.

Alas, crossing my fingers and hoping they get delivered. Otherwise, they will unfortunately bear an ugly return mark and a new set of stamps (I don't have enough extra envelopes). Oh well.

Remember to check the USPS postage calculator here when estimating postage (if it's a few ounces bring it in to be weighed).

Vintage image flair for your stationary

While my wedding is not completely a vintage wedding, I certainly love vintage flair. It's the timeless touches that get me - in design, clothing, architecture, etc. My dress for instance is very vintage glam looking and I'm a lace lover. I didn't know how else to incorporate vintage touches.

Yesterday I discovered free vintage images through Vintage Moth (as posted first on iDIY).

I have already incorporated this image for the back of my invites. How awesome is it?!

More to come on my invites soon...

Easy DIY invitations using rubber stamps

My invitation design is coming together. I'll definitely use stamps because it leaves a lovely imprint and can be heat embossed! I love the texture, color, and ease of heat embossing (haven't started but it seemed easy!)

I was inspired by:

1. Rebecca Minkoff who created the calligraphy for her main invitation and imprinted it onto a stamp via Picture my Stamp (prices start at $49 for a custom stamp and it looks like letterpress)

2. Custom small stamps that can create a design - Etsy shop Blossom Stamps starts at $3.85 and I love the doily

3.Multiple stamps to create a unique landscape - like the flowers within flowers and stems at Impress Rubber stamps (stamps starting at $5.75 and they have occasional coupon codes)

I'm going to emboss a floral or lace motif, intersperse with hydrangea craft punch outs, and lay them on top of my invitation. I just ordered these (metallic, A7, $14.95 on sale) from Envelope Mall and am so excited!

More to come on my invitations...

Design Inspiration

I've just discovered this lovely blog from the fussy designer. I love her whimsical touches and damask motifs. I've wanted to incorporate some damask touches with my hydrangea cut-outs from embossed, handmade, or colored paper.

Components:

1. hydrangea craft punch (Michael's, $5 after 50% off coupon):
2. Various hand-made/textured/colored papers (Target, $2-clearance)
3. Lattice edge punch (Michael's, $7.50 after 50% discount)
4. All on linen paper (no image yet but the ivory resume like paper, $12/100 sheets, $12/50 envelopes, will need to look for Staples coupon)
   

I was thinking of using A10 size envelopes and halving an 8.5" x 11" linen sheet lengthwise. There will be a little bit of overhang and our initials and lattice edge would take care of that. I wanted to minimize waste and postage (I plan to have people RSVP on the website anyway).

I was inspired by the summer (my previous centerpieces and invited had fall images, may still use the colors). What other things inspire brides and their stationary?