Curiouser and Curiouser

I'm on the move!

Hooray!  Mew has a new home.  Going forward, you can read all the latest and greatest news here at the new site!  Make sure to update your bookmarks.  Go on over now--there's a massive sale going on to celebrate!

Mew Wedding Stationery featured on the White Thread blog!

Remember a while back when I posted about this nautical theme wedding I was working on for Kevin and Jolie?  I'm delighted to announce that it has been featured on the beautiful White Thread Wedding blog--a really stunning site that features weddings and details for North and South Carolina weddings.

The post features the photos from Kevin and Jolie's talented photographers Anna & Spencer .  You are going to love the details--the couple pulled off a waterfront wedding in such a unique way.  Their centerpieces were simple jars of lemons tied with the striped navy/white ribbon used in the wedding stationery.  There is even a great shot of the custom programs that I designed for them here at Mew.

Congratulations Kevin and Jolie!  And thanks Dina for featuring this gorgeous event on your lovely, lovely blog!

A Vintage Travel Poster inspires a French-themed Bridal Shower

My lovely friend, and former neighbor Lisa approached me recently with an absolutely delightful custom project.  She is hosting a bridal shower for her friend who is a total Francophile!  So the theme is all things French--the tablescape will be decked out with decadent French cheese wheels, bottles of French wine, fruits, and of course baguettes!  How clever!

For the invitation, the bride-to-be mentioned her fondness for vintage travel posters.  While I worked as a framer at the poster gallery I became familiar with lots of the popular images.  I found a fabulous royalty-free collection of these images and re-designed it for the occasion.  Love the bold colors in the Nice landscape--and doesn't that lovely lady dressed in white seem just right for a bridal shower?  In addition to the invite, we're adding an insert with some extra information to have a vintage postage stamp vibe--Par Avion!

I hope Lisa will share some photos of the event coming up in November.  Do you have any ideas to add for a French-themed event?

Holiday Cards now available at Mew!

Despite my hearty attempts to hold it back each year, the holidays are already sneaking up on us.  And from a retail perspective, I might even be a little behind. *Grumble, grumble, grumble*.  I'll spare you my Grinchy monologue--no need to bring the rest of you happy little elves down with me!

The Holiday Section at the Mew shop is now stocked with all the perennial faves and more to come.  And stay tuned for new additions to this year's collection--including photo cards. 

I know everybody's wallets are a little thin this year--but try to remember the value in buying handmade for the holidays.  Anyone can get a gift card to Borders (have I told you about last year's gift from Dino???  Oh man, it's a laugh--I'll post that story soon!) or a new Netflix subscription.  Every small gesture can go a long way--even a sourpuss like me brightens up when I get a Christmas card in the mail!

What's new at Mew : : Busy, busy, busy!

Now that I've been blogging a bit more regularly, I sometimes feel bad when I don't get to it for a few days!  I start to wonder if my legion of adoring fans is starting to miss me!  Pffft--imagine that!  There's a lot to catch you up on the past few days--seems like a whirlwind ripped through here in the past two weeks or so!

First, I feel like I need to acknowledge all the heartfelt comments to the Weight Loss post--not that I ever thought I was alone in that struggle, but there is something really comforting in hearing about other people's experiences.  I gleaned a lot of good advice from all of you--and I'm really going to try to take it!  For example--the scale is gone!  (Thanks, Meg)  I'm going to weigh in once a week at most and I'm going to pay less attention to that stupid 3-digit number.  And lots of you mentioned the muscle > fat bit--though I know that mathematically that's impossible, I definitely get the point of what you're saying.  Muscle weighs more than fat by volume so if I replace lumpy fat cells with lean muscle tissue the scale will reflect that--but more importantly my clothes will!  So that's where I'm focusing from now on.  I do not want to enter my 30's with a looming sense of body dysmorphia and an obsession with every calorie I consume.


On a related topic (and this is a sentiment I'm sure I share with other bloggers) I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing from you guys!  Lots of times I get e-mails from people who read the blog but don't leave comments.  Don't be shy!  Otherwise I feel like I'm writing a blog for the ether!  Thanks for chiming in and keep it coming!

In other news, we spent last weekend away at my in-laws, and then this week I was wrapped up in prepping for a bridal expo that happened on Tuesday.  That was a big success--I had huge crowds at my table and lots of genuine interest.  Most people were looking for something a little more unique than the typical stationery books you look through for wedding invites.  So, now starts the follow-up marketing--usually you don't see the return on one of these events for a few months, but I'm confident this time.

I spent the night at my parent's house since my mom and I were traveling to see my granny the next day.  Isn't it strange how after you've been gone a long time, the house you grew up in doesn't feel like yours anymore?  My room is not the same as when I lived there.  I've told you about how my mom is totally kooky right, and addicted to tag sales and has a collection of things that you can't even begin to explain/understand?  So I go to crawl into bed that night, but a huge garment bag is covering the pillows--what's inside you wonder?  A coat maybe, or a formal dress or suit?  No.  A poly-fur Santa suit.  Don't.  Ask.  Words fail me.

The pics above are a little peek at what I've been working on--remember the Jane Marquis Wilson wedding dress post?  Here's the semi-final version of that.  And a birthday party invite for my friend in California's sweet little 2 year old girl who loooooves balloons at the moment!

Lots of other stuff going on behind the scenes here at Mew and I need to keep my nose to the grindstone before time gets away from me. 

A Personal Post :: Weightloss approaching 30

I’m sure I’ve mentioned turning 30 more than a few times in the past weeks.  I keep telling myself (and anyone who asks) that 30 is no big deal for me—I feel good about where I am in life, and where I’ve come from to get to this (mostly) comfortable place in my spirit.  But one thing keeps sticking to me regarding this looming 2-digit number—and it’s weight.  It almost feels like overnight it became hard to maintain a weight that I’m okay with.

 

Before I get into it, I want to start with a disclaimer of sorts—or at least a gentle plea…if you are over 30 I really don’t want to hear some condescending (though well-meant) remark about how “You’re still a baby, wait til you turn 40” or “Oh, you think 30’s tough, wait til you have a baby” or  “30’s nothing” or anything similar.  I get this All.  The. Time.  And it doesn’t make feel better.  In my opinion, turning 30 is a sort of milestone for me as a woman—and I don’t like hearing from older people about how insignificant it is compared to some other milestone birthday.  Know what I mean?  K, thanks.

 

Anyway, onto the weight loss bit…not for the first time, I’ve joined Weight Watchers online on 7/27.  I did it online because I knew I wasn’t going to sit through those meetings with the same type of women who says all of the above dreaded comments.  You might recall that I had done a body cleanse a few months back—this was a very dramatic program not specifically designed for weight loss, but in any case it really threw me for a loop.  I think of Weight Watchers as a nice, managable tool to train you about portion control and healthy habits.  (In general I have a pretty good understanding about healthy eating—I do my best to stay away from processed or prepared foods and never, ever, EVER eat canned veggies!)  The first week, as expected was a dramatic 6 lb. loss—it always is in the very beginning.  You’re pumped up, you’re committed and you’re shedding a ton of water.  But now I’m into week what, 5?  And I’m at a bit of a standstill.  I’m still as committed as ever, but it’s just not happening.  I’m working out more than I ever have in my life and I feel pretty good.  Lots of people insist that standing on the scale is not a good idea.  Admittedly, I’m obsessed with the scale.  Everytime I pee I hop on hoping for that tiny little .2 lb. drop. 

 

My frustration is that even though I’m closely following the program, counting my points, tracking every single crumb that I eat the results just aren’t what I’m hoping for.  I set a goal loss of about 14 lbs. and in this time since 7/27 I’ve lost a total of 4.4 lbs.  I can notice a difference in parts of my body—my tummy feels flatter and my butt feels firmer.  Than why is it that stupid scale the only thing that counts in my mind?

 

Have you tried Weight Watchers or any other plan?  Have you noticed a major body change after hitting a certain age?  What do you do to kill the obsession with that number on the scale?

Mew Paper is now an @emmalinebride Vendor

We all know I have somewhat mixed feelings about Twitter--I have yet to really honestly convey the feelings I have (I've got a drafted post that I just don't have the courage to publish!).  But even despite my (mostly) negative feelings, I do come up with some pretty cool finds once in a while.  I had been following Emmaline Bride for a while, and finally took a closer look at what it's all about.

Super cool site!  It's an indie/handmade marketplace for all things wedding!  Kind of like Etsy (I hope I'm not doing a faux-pas by making a comparison) but zeroed in to provide only wedding-related goods and services.  You can search by category or by region.  The category list is looong and they have got everything for sale here--from bridal footwear, veils, invites and other paper goods to cakes, albums, frames--you name it!  And now you can find Mew Paper Arts on the roster!

So if you're a bride-to-be (or know someone who is) with even half an inkling to think a little outside the box when it comes to your wedding planning, please take a look at Emmaline Bride and give Indie a chance!

Hand Painted Jane Wilson Wedding Gown inspires a Custom Invitation Suite

I've got a really exciting and fun project on deck that I'm feeling quite inspired to begin work on.  Recently, the bride-to-be's aunt contacted me about creating custom invitations based on the design of her niece's hand-painted Jane Wilson wedding gown.  These are my favorite kind of assignments!  I love it when a bride is so in tune to the importance of the invitations--after all, it's the first impression that you leave about your event.  Make it personal, sentimental, funny, quirky--whatever you want!  But leave your guest's curious about what to expect.


So, the foundation of this project is going to be based on my Blossom Invitation Suite.  I'm going to do a custom illustration to echo the flowers on the beautiful gown featured here.  The ribbon across will represent the sash on the dress.  Fun right?


I realize that this dress may not be for everybody, especially those who go a more traditional route.  But I love it!  I think the bride who wears a gown like this is spirited, adventurous, a little ecclectic and totally willing to buck the trend! 

I'll update you as the project gets underway and show you the sketches and process while I go along.

What's new at Mew : : Scooter Bunny Notecards

Shoot, these are cute, if I do say so myself!  A little pencil sketch has been turned into a digital illustration that's laser-printed onto 100% recycled notecards and embellished with just a touch of sparkle.  These might be my new favorite things in the Mew shop.  Go get yourself a set--they're perfect for every occasion or just saying hi!

What's new at Mew? The Breakers Wedding Invitation Suite

After our recent visit to Kykuit Estate I was reminiscing about our visit to Newport a few years back, when we toured some of the famous mansions, including The Breakers.  Wouldn't that be an incredible place to have a wedding?

I created this new wedding invitation suite based on the opulence and decadence of the turn of the century.  I used a very traditional color scheme for the sample which reminded me of vintage China patterns.  Of course, the color scheme can easily be customized to suit your wedding's theme.  As usual with my stationery, this is printed on recycled papers.

Wouldn't this be delicious in letterpress?  Dense, cottony paper with this intricate pattern pressed in...yes please!

It's currently available in my Etsy shop.