Navy, Gold, and Ivory

This weekend Lars and Anna are tying the knot! That’s right! After all of their hard work, and planning, their day has finally arrived!

Lars and Anna are getting hitched this evening in Ollala, WA at the beautiful Edgewater House, and I can’t wait to see all of their wedding details: the ceremony, the reception, the cake, the programs, the centerpieces, the dress, the flowers, the escort cards…the list goes on, and on….oh how I just LOVE WEDDINGS! The weather is supposed to be gorgeous, and with a beach side wedding, I’m sure the entire day will be picture perfect!

I asked Anna a few months ago what her wedding colors were; she replied “navy, gold, and ivory.” In attempt to follow their color scheme, I’ve spent the past few months brainstorming how I wanted to wrap their gift, and it wasn’t until a few nights ago that I committed to a design.

I knew that I wanted to include buttons (it’s clearly my latest obsession) and I also wanted to make the envelope using this fantastic bright, and beautiful paper I found at my favorite art store almost two years ago, which I have held onto for a special occasion. Luscious ribbons were the last touch; holding the envelope just right. Take a look : )

Congratulations to the bride and groom!

Brooklyn

I didn’t know what it was going to feel like to be an aunt. When I got married last year, I was so excited to know that along with marrying such a wonderful man I would also have a new title! I am now lucky enough to be called “Auntie Jenn” and I have two BEAUTIFUL nieces, Izzie and Brooklyn. Brooklyn was born last December and it has been excruciating not to have had the opportunity to meet her yet. My sister-in-law Caryn and brother-in-law Steve live in Arizona with their adorable girls, and I do not get to see them as much as I would like. BUT this weekend, I finally get to meet Brooklyn after 7 LONG months of waiting!

I cannot wait to pick her up and engulf her in hugs and kisses. I have no doubt that she has just as much personality and spunk as her older sister, and I feel so lucky and fortunate to have another niece. Brooklyn is also getting baptized this weekend during my trip to home to CO, and I am so thrilled to be present for such an important occasion.

I decided to get Brooklyn a little gift as a way to say, “so nice to finally meet you!”  While shopping at one of my favorite stationery stores, I happened upon an elephant-print paper and immediately gravitated towards it. I loved the rich colors of the paper, and although it’s not a traditional “baby” looking design, I somehow got a feeling that it would be just perfect for Brooklyn. I had this fantastic orange and white striped ribbon at home that has been waiting to make its mark and I just loved how it looked in contrast to the little elephants.

I can’t wait to meet Brooklyn!

A Friendly Visit

I cannot wait for tomorrow! I’m finally getting the opportunity to visit one of my girlfriends Vanessa in the land of Chicago. Vanessa and I have been best buddies for almost 9 years, meeting each other during college at CU Boulder. She is someone I not only admire, but strive to be more like. She is both intelligent and beautiful, possessing a charisma and wit unmatched by most – the girl is just amazing.

I haven’t seen Vanessa since she was a bridesmaid in my wedding last August, as she is a very busy gal currently completing her obstetrics residency in Peoria, Illinois. We do not get to see each other as often as I would like which is why trips like these are so special. I can’t wait to see Chicago through the eyes of my favorite midwesterner…Cubs game, Sex and the City 2 premier, sailing, Chicago style pizza, antique markets and girl time here I come!

When Adam and I were on our honeymoon last year I bought a gift for Vanessa in Italy that I had ALWAYS wanted to deliver in person. Of course, since the gift got “misplaced” about 4 times since my last move and we haven’t seen each other in a while, I am just now delivering Vanessa’s gift on this visit. I wanted the wrapping to represent my good friend, even personalizing it with her initials. I actually felt quite accomplished last night when Adam said “that gift looks like Vanessa.” Ding ding ding! Mission accomplished! Can’t wait to see you tomorrow V!

Wee One

It’s not too too often that I get to wrap a baby gift, but when I do I am over the moon! Babies are awesome. They just are. And lucky for me I am surrounded by babies on most days; yes I do have a fantastic job! : )

I haven’t had too many close friends give birth yet, so when Amanda told me last August that she and Ryan were expecting in March I was so thrilled! Amanda was one of my closest friends in nursing school and boy did we go through a lot together. There were so many ups and downs, and highs and lows throughout school, and Amanda was right there beside me to either cry/whine with me, study beside me or doodle during class right along with me. We even held some of our first nursing school babies with each other during our rotations on labor and delivery.

Adam and I were fortunate enough to be invited to Amanda and Ryan’s wedding a few years back and I just couldn’t wait for them to get pregnant. And hip hip hooray! They did, and now baby Oliver is here!

I got to meet Oliver today during my trip out to Colorado and he is SOOOOO cute!!  Here’s a few pictures of my gift for Oliver. LOVED wrapping this one! Congratulations Amanda and Ryan!

Beginning the Celebration

I never feel like engagements are celebrated enough. A couple usually gets engaged and the first question is: “when are you gonna get married?”  It’s soooo important and fun to celebrate the engagement itself, and really relish in all the joy that comes from it! I get really excited when a couple decides to have a party to celebrate their engagement before moving into all the “craziness” that is wedding planning.

My sister Sarah got engaged a couple of months ago, and I wanted to, in some way, celebrate Sarah and Tristan’s engagement itself with a little gift. I decided to incorporate Sarah and Tristan’s wedding colors into the wrapping of the gift (red and turquoise) and also included a sneak peak at their wedding invitations that I’m working on through the gift tag design.

I can’t wait to do some wedding dress shopping with Sarah this weekend back home in CO and congratulate the happy couple on their engagement in person! Congrats you two!

The Map

My father-in-law Pete, and mother-in-law Linda are coming into town to visit Adam and I today! We’re very excited to have them and are looking forward to a weekend full of relaxing and catching up!

One thing we will be doing this weekend is celebrating Pete’s birthday. When I sat down a couple of weekends ago to figure out how I wanted to wrap Pete’s birthday gift, I realized how many amazing things have happened for Pete in the past year.

One of the most major things was that Pete retired from Continental Airlines after 26 years of service as a pilot for the airline. Adam and I, including Adam’s 3 brothers, his mom, and my sister-in-law Cindy were able to accompany Pete on his last trip. Over Thanksgiving weekend last November Adam and I met the Blake Fam in Houston and then we flew (Pete was the pilot) over to Honolulu for a little getaway. Although short lived, the trip was AMAZING! We hung out at the beach, soaked up some rays, and ate some fantastic food. We then hopped back on the plane and accompanied Pete on his very last flight as a commercial pilot. It was emotional to say the very least and I felt so honored to share the trip with my husband, and my new father in law.

I have always wanted to use maps as wrapping paper and thought what better way to celebrate Pete “the pilot,” who has flown all across the U.S., than by using a map to wrap his birthday gift! I bought one of those HUGE wall maps of the United States and cut it to the shape of Pete’s gift. I then added a very “masculine” looking ribbon (tweed looking actually) as the finishing touch.

Happy Birthday Pete! I’m looking forward to celebrating your birthday this weekend! What a year you have had and I hope you have many more years of monumental and amazing events to come! Love you!

A Lime Green Affair

When Evan and Amy’s Save the Date came in the mail a few months ago my first thoughts were:

1)     “Hooray for these two!  They are perfect for each other!  Can’t wait for their big day!”

2)     “Aaahh I LOVE their color combo: lime green and white!” and

3)     “I cannot wait to wrap their wedding gift!”

Well, the time is here!  Evan and Amy are getting married next Saturday (March 6^th) and I just finished wrapping their gift.  I knew from the get go I wanted to include shades of green in the wrappings, but it wasn’t until I found some adorable lime green buttons that I was truly inspired.

Now as far as wedding wrappings go, I will admit that I love a traditional beautifully wrapped wedding gift in all it’s glory (white, maybe shades of gold or silver, with a big white bow on top).  BUT I also love plopping a wedding gift down on the gift table that is unexpected in detail, bright and vibrant in color, and represents the couple and (perhaps boldly) celebrates the amazing commitment they are making to one another on that day!

If you were to ever meet Evan and Amy one the of the first things you would notice is the complete charm, comedic wit and outgoing personality of Evan and the cheerful, ambitious, and optimistic personality of Amy. This is a couple that will entertain the crowd for hours…they are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

So…here is their wedding gift all wrapped up:

Congratulations Evan and Amy!  I wish you a lifetime of love, laughter and happiness!  I see only the most amazing things in your future together as husband and wife!

Wrappings to Represent a Personality

I spent some time this evening uploading picks to my facebook page from the past fall, winter and spring months.  I often times forget many of the pictures I take, and was so excited to fall upon some pictures I took of my bridesmaids gifts.

When choosing the wrapping paper, ribbons and gift tags for these “thank you” gifts, I really wanted each of my girls’ personalities to be represented by their wrapped gift.  Although all of the packages had a pink ribbon and a tag attached, each was different and unique in its own way.  I am so in LOVE with this Eiffel Tower paper… bold, yet simple.