Yahoo! and Sony and World Smurf Day

I've held off posting this for a couple of months now... for reasons I best not go into.

When I first received the phone call I did want to lol. You have to understand that I get a lot of calls, companies masking themselves as clients and trying to sell advertising that you don't need at prices you can't afford and this one was no different. When the caller said "Hi, my name is ***** ***** and I work for Yahoo!"... "Ok... and?" (my usual curt reply... "Well we were wondering if you would make some tags for us, we are running a promotion to celebrate World Smurf Day and the launch of Smurfs 2"

(At this point I wanted to lol again 

and was waiting for the sales pitch to kick in).

Now, because this could so easily have been a spoof or hoax, I asked for the callers number and company address and told them I would be back in touch Shortly.

On further investigation I did indeed find out, that there IS a world Smurfs Day and more to the point, people actually dressed up like Smurfs! (Even more lol. 

Here.... see for yourself....

Here's their promo: Yahoo and Sony Pictures invite you to showcase your Smurfy antics this summer to win tickets to the London premiere of the movie Smurfs 2 

I have to say... the deadline was tight and with 

a few emails back and forth... the job was printed and cut

The ribbons tied on.....

Bundles made......

And shipped off to Yahoo! 

I still can't get my head around WHY they chose me out of the 1,000's of printers out there and I'm sure they thought I was part of some large outfit... but never-the-less, work is work. Whether I'm doing work for the Armed Forces, Royalty, Big International Corporations or Brides on a Budget.... it's all the same to me.We don't give preferential treatment and everyone is treated equally.... that's what makes us 'Us'. 

Personalised Wedding Invitations in Teal for Nicky and Adam

Teal.... is apparently the 'IN' colour for 2013!

and I've just finished these 

 Personalised Wedding Invitations in Teal

for Nicky and Adam 

As always, I wrote Nicky and Adams name

in beautiful hand lettering.... and 

she choose a butterfly design.

Most Brides go for folded square invitations,

which contain a folded insert and a 

postcard type invite for the Evening 'do'

Last year the most popular colour was Hot Pink or Fuchsia

and I must admit this made a refreshing change. 

I still get a massive buzz, seeing how each foil colour works with each design I've created. The choice of foil can change the look and feel of the design so much. 

I feel this worked particularly well, 

especially on the new card colour Ivory :-)

This coming week is ultra busy, with 3 Wedding Orders to make. Thankfully, the design work is already done and ready to go.... I'll let you see them as soon as they are done! :-)

Visit our Wedding Website:

http://northyorkshireweddings.co.uk

The Wedding Stationery side of

 http://inspiredbyscript.co.uk

Personal callers always welcome at the studio... please ring for an appointment first... to avoid any cross over :-)

Personalised 40th Birthday Concertina Card

I was asked to make a very special 40th Birthday card

From a friend, to a friend,

Containing a personalised poem.

I made it into a simple styled 6 page concertina

Using type for the poem in gorgeous purple 

and hand lettering the Greeting in pink

The balance of subtle type

worked well with the quirky lettering

A Butterfly charm with the words....

hand made especially for you 

matched the Butterfly on the cover

I attached a swing tag to the front...

omitting the '40th' bit!

People love receiving these cards. When recipients untie the bow at the side, the concertina pops open to reveal the secret contents inside. They are just loved by everyone! :-)

Personalised Made To Order, Wedding Concertina Card, In Champagne, Silver and Royal Blue

Personalised Made To Order, Wedding Concertina Card, In Champagne, Silver and Royal Blue

I was approached by Kat to make a special wedding card for her sister and future Brother-In-Law.... but as the wedding is in 2 weeks there was a bit of a sense of urgency about this one. 

I really didn't want to panic, but sometimes when I get asked to do something at such short notice. I'm quick to answer... 'Yeah no problem' then find out that the customer wants a ton of extras and makes almost impossible suggestions that are really not possible in a short space of time.... if at all. 

I must admit that I cautiously asked questions first BEFORE I said I could... It's took me a long time, but I'm finally getting ALL the information before I jump in with my big mouth.

I didn't have to worry... the brief was easy:

Champagne Wedding Dress, Royal Blue Bridesmaid Dress and a hint of Silver... Oh and Butterflies too.... and 'Do it however you think best'

The card was for Rosemary and Michael

From Kathleen-Ann, Rob, Chloe and Jude,

Who is not yet born, but as he is due sometime around the Wedding Day... he will be in attendance one way or another I expect, so I added him too :-)

For the covers I decided to try something a little different, seen as I was given a free reign and made a little tag with their names and Wedding Date on it, rounding the corners to soften it slightly...

I knew I had some gorgeous Champagne Japanese Silk Paper somewhere.... saved for a something special kind of moment and this was it! I wasn't sure how it was going to work with Blue.... but had to give it a try.

Mow, 'normally' I use thin 3 mm ribbon to wrap around and close the book, but this time I wanted to try something totally different. I used 1" Organza ribbon.....The tag is tie and fixed onto the front cover, with the longer piece of ribbon glued and threaded through the back cover. This forms a bow at the right hand side when tied. 

Here's the fully opened out book... all 10 pages of it.

The inside verse is The Apache Wedding Blessing....

suitably perfect for ANY wedding.

I had almost come to the conclusion, that I would not be making any more concertina cards. They are a lot of work for little return. Many clients want you as an artist to create something for them, they like your work, but then when you agree, put forth ideas that are totally unrealistic.

Working on this commission, I realised that if the artist is left to get on with creating something in a free and trusted manner and with only a small outlying brief, they can come up with something that's truly from the heart.... something they are proud to hand over and say... "I made that and it represents the work I do best". Put handcuffs and restraints and give too much input and the artist is not really creating something of themselves. Not only that, it puts an awful lot of pressure on them to interpret exactly WHAT the client wants.

I'm hoping Kat is please with what I come up with and I hope her Sister and future Brother-In-Law love it even more. If they do... then it's a job well done.... I will let you know.

COMMENT FROM KAT:
Oh my word Sue!!! The card is absolutely beautiful. It's just perfect, I can't begin to tell you how much I love it and appreciate what you've done.

I left a comment on the blog page, however, it needs to be approved by you. 

I cried for ages this morning when I saw it. Even Rob had a tear in his eye, when he saw Jude's name

If you want to see more Concertina Books

 I have made click here

A Journey Of a Thousand Miles - Commission

A journey of a thousand miles,

starts with a single step!

Commission

I was asked to produce something

for a client to give to a friend who is emigrating.

Although Australia is far more than a 1000 miles,

it's the start of a big thing!

I tried to do this a number of ways.... but it just wasn't working!

Once I let the piece flow and dictate itself,

the lettering and layout formed organically and took on a life of it's own. That's why it's really hard to work to commission and why artists so often steer clear of them and prefer to sell what they make, rather than be given a brief.

The background is pastel chalk, a technique that is not technically difficult and gives a great effect. 

The lettering is made using Gouache 

and the chalk acts as a tooth on the paper,

so letters are sharp and crisp....

I used a stencil of a spiral that I cut out some time ago

to represent travel, movement and journeys...

And it's hard to see on these pictures (which are far brighter in real life) but I've added silver squares too, to catch the eye as the viewer walks by. These represent things hidden to be revealed. 

The client will have the choice of 2, Landscape or Portrait format.... the other will be sold on my website or in my shop. 

Hand Made Wedding Invitations - Rebecca and Craig

Rebecca loved the heart design that was originally on a square format card (14.5 cm x 14.5 cm) but was really attracted to the long thin design with the bride and grooms name across the middle....

I was happy to oblige and redesign these to fit the 10 cm x 21 cm format

I think they worked really well and I've added yet another design to my portfolio.

Wedding Guest Books

Love, Good Luck, 2 entwined hearts and a hand made charm were just crying out to be added to these personalised, hand made guest books....

It's rather strange, that I can go for weeks, sometimes months, without orders to make these guest books, then all at once you seem to get a un of them.
Laura chose Light Purple (Almost lavender) covers and Cadbury's Purple ribbon and foil.

Ruth and Lee chose sunshine yellows, with copper lettering to match their wedding invitations.

Two very different looks for guest books made exactly the same, making each one unique in itself.

You can see more Albums and Guest Books by clicking on this link

Wedding Thank You Cards

It's been a busy week.....Here's the latest items made to commission at the studio. A set of 80 Wedding Thank You Cards, foiled in a beautiful satin green......

The foil colours come in 14 colour which you can see here.

Foiling as opposed to simple printing gives an overall more classy feel.

Amy and Ian wanted something that would match the flavour and theme of their Wedding Invitations and Seating Plan.

You can see more of my Wedding Stationery at http://northyorkshireweddings.blogspot.com or on my flickr page at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30445846@N06/sets/72157627904951060/ where you will find lots of ideas if you or anyone you know is getting married in the coming months. Email me (Sue) at inspiredbyscript@yahoo.co.uk if you have any questions. We are here to help.

Wedding Seating Plan for Claire and John

All my clients and customers are special, but this Bride must take the award of EXTRA special.
Claire came to see me about 4 weeks ago for her Hand Lettered Place Cards and then returned for her seating plan. Why the EXTRA Special Bride Award? Because she was to have a serious heart operation a week and a half before her wedding for 2 holes in the heart, undiagnosed since birth! The operation couldn't wait, but as the wedding had been organised and paid for she was determined to go ahead.....and that she did on Saturday!

The colour theme was Royal Blue....the colour of Johns favourite, Sheffield Football club

It's always nice to go that extra mile for our clients and I added Butterflies (a symbol of transformation and free spirited-ness) to both the seating plan and the table names.

I only glued them on their bodies so that the wings were flying free. This made them look as if they had just landed. Aren't they gorgeous?

I'm sure you will join me in wishing them all the very best and a long and happy life together.

Cloths of Heaven - W B Yeats in Calligraphy

Commission - Cloths of Heaven - W B Yeats

Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,

Enwrought with golden and silver light,

The blue and the dim and the dark cloths

Of night and light and the half-light,

I would spread the cloths under your feet:

But I, being poor, have only my dreams;

I have spread my dreams under your feet;

Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

It's always nice to work on a commission, especially when it is for a special occasions. This poem, Cloths of Heaven by W B Yeats must be one of my favourites.

The lettering colour choice was to be Aubergine and Plum to fit in with a particular colour scheme. Plum purple, silver and burgundy red, pastel hearts tumble down the page to compliment the lettering wonderfully.

The whole piece was mounted in a single plum mount which really set the whole piece off.

Commissions come to me for many different occasions. This one was for a 20th Wedding Anniversary from a wife to her husband.

Materials:

Fabriano 5, Gouache, Pastels and Silver paint.

Hand Made wedding Stationery - They chose Mystery!

Tanya and David came to the studio with no clear idea of which design they wanted. I have 2 wedding portfolios at the studio and not all the designs are on my website (NOTE TO SELF: really MUST get round to this!)

It wasn't long however, before they chose the card 'Mystery' with the only request of 'Can we have it in pale blue?'. Absolutely no problem!

They also asked me to make some RSVP cards.....these save the recipient of having to go out and find an acceptance or refusal card and thus speeding up the response time.

I particularly love the humour and lack of formality on this card.

I've also been asked to make a guest book, serving as a lasting reminder of their special day. That is in the press and awaiting photographs which I will add shortly.

Click here to see my Wedding Website

Cut Letters - Birthday Card for Pam

Just a quick post today....A handmade Birthday Card, made using the cutter. Beautiful purples and lined with lavender. I think the white contrast looks stunning against this colour.

I'm planning on offering these as personalised on of a kind pieces in the studio....but I will have to get a wee bit quicker to make them profitable... this one took me 3 hours!

Hand Made Get Well Soon Card

Here's a concertina card made as a Get Well Soon Card.....
The calligraphy is in a pinks and gold
to match the inside

The outsides are covered in a soft, dusky pink Hahnemuhle

and gold lettering compliments the gold butterflies wonderfully

Materials Used: Gouache, Hahnemuhle, Canaletto,

3mm ribbon and card covers.

Concertina Cards are superb for special occasions

and are £7.50 each.

If you would like one made,

contact me at: inspiredbyscript@yahoo.co.uk

It's been a Wedding theme all the way....

The studio has been busy. I've had a huge clear out of so much treasure (that's the creatives name for junk and excess) and given a lot away to good homes where I know it will be put to good use. It's amazing how much you can store and accumulated over 20 years. The main reason for clearing out is my intention to share the studio with Steve Smith Jewellery an amazingly talented Kiln Fired Glass Artist and Jewellery maker. You can see his blog here: http://www.stevesmithsjewellery.blogspot.com/ Meanwhile, I've been working on a few jobs...getting my new foiled Wedding Collection off the ground ready for adding to my North Yorkshire Weddings website I was also asked to do some Thank You Cards..... not for a Wedding, but a funeral this time.

And I have also completed a wedding order....for Amy and Ian with the theme of Ivy. After very little consultation she has to be one of the easiest brides I've ever worked for.

And finally, I was asked to do some ceramic egg cups which are both wedding favours and place cards. The eggs will be topped off with a Kinder Egg....I think the idea is wonderful and certainly one that I will use in the future.

I think they are stunning....what do you think? It's always nice to do something a little out of the ordinary and these are certainly a novel idea. Oh.... and they are dishwasher proof too... bonus :o)

Brides to be, don't forget to keep up to date at my Wedding Blog