Category — {Art + Design}

When I came across this fabulous idea, I immediately knew I had to post about it.  This is so right up my alley!  And I suspect it’s right up yours, too…

Elizabeth Messina – one of my absolute favorite photographers in the entire galaxy and beyond, and who has a blog that is almost as fabulous as its maker –  posted about these babies and it made me go insane for the idea in a clinical way.  I learned of it from the lovely ladies of Love and Lavender, a creative blog that’s quickly becoming a favorite of mine…

How spectacular are those!  I would die for these kinds of photos of my family and friends.  I was talking about this with some friends recently; photo booths are a surefire way to get your guests to ham it up and, as I look at these, I can’t imagine a more beautiful way to capture the action!  Forget for a moment the simple fabric backdrops we know and love; this is a fully interactive wall, complete with three key points of head insertion!  (The double-entendre right there was NOT intentional, if you’re wondering.  Is it peculiar that I don’t feel like rephrasing, though?  I just don’t have the energy to be sufficiently appropriate right now.)

The smaller frames surrounding those that are empty hold photos of the bride’s and the groom’s families.  How wonderful is that?!  The bride, whose name is Kristen, added these family photos to this incredible work of art, created by Sasha Souza.  Do you love it like I do?  Well there are a couple more examples to check out over on Kiss the Groom!

Speaking of Elizabeth Messina, here’s a look at the kind of work she churns out, time after time.  Talk about a photographer with an eye for perfection…

The above and below are from the photo booth couple’s wedding!  Love it.  I am officially obsessed with brides who wear light jackets and feathered headgear on their wedding days.  Bold and beautiful.

By the way, if you decide to check out all the yumminess over on Kiss the Groom, you may notice a gorgeous pregnant woman dressed in black lace and a fedora.  If not, here’s the link.  Look at her belly button.  I pray to all that is holy that my belly button remains THAT FLAT when I am, one day, at that stage of pregnancy.  That is the flattest, most subtle belly button pop-out I’ve EVER SEEN.

Photos: Elizabeth Messina

Totally in love with these two sets of dreamy shots by one fabulous board creator, Niki .  Of the first set, I’m obsessed with the goldfish shot, and the color of that fence in the upper right-hand corner makes my brain tingle with joy.  Truly brilliant coloring tends to have that effect on me.  (Yeah, I should probably get that checked – brain tingles?)

Of the second set, I’m completely in love with the ballooned toe.  I could have phrased that several different ways, but “ballooned toe” pleases me in an unparalleled way, so it stays.  (Just one of the perks of being the editor.)

I adore the way both sets teeter between the colors blue and green, without ever stepping into true blue or true green territory.  Quite remarkable to me.  Not to mention excellent wedding color scheme inspiration, in my opinion.

Faves:

2. 73/365 (by Vanessa Paxton)

3. Is also friday for me!!!! (by Françoise Rachez)

Key to board above: 1. Vintage Blue,  2. 73/365,  3. Is also friday for me!!!!,  4. Old ladder,  5. winter butterfly,  6. 31/365,  7. inspired by vintage {tiffany},  8. the perfect fence,  9. dress code

***

Fave:

3. Sad… (by Kimberly Chorney)

Key to board above: 1. hope is a waking dream. [ aristotle ],  2. Tiny Flowers,  3. Sad…,  4. ~~*~~,  5. COLLECTIONS {Shells II},  6. Bench Monday(Beautiful summer),  7. a gift,  8. Untitled,  9. Little Blue Bench,  10. signs of summer,  11. ~Upon a summer’s breeze,  12. Men and fish are alike. They both get into trouble when they open their mouths.

Boards created by: Niki

After experiencing Issue #1, I was itching to see what the gals of Nonpareil Magazine had in store for us with Issue #2.  What’s the complete opposite of being disappointed?  I am that.

Totally inspiring.  Like, the definition of inspiring.  A color palette so powerful it actually makes me feel good when I linger on it.  Prop and set styling that make me go gaga and – icing on the cake, people – downloadable printable templates… for free.

Here, check out some more eye candy.  Don’t you just want to eat up the pictures?

Yummo.

This is some good stuff, m’friends.  It’s entire minutes of fun over there!  (That may not seem like a compliment, but trust me, it is – and it’s a huge one at that.  I normally spend seconds on all of my daily reads and the countless new discoveries I make throughout the day.  So, finding something that can hold my attention for whole minutes – and many of them – is, for me, kind of a big deal.)

{ Creators of Nonpareil Magazine: Maddy Hague of Inspired Bride and Kristen Magee of Papercrave }

Rachel of Jolie Jolie recently blogged about what may be one of the sweetest and most creative proposals I’ve ever seen when it comes to creativity and design.  Here’s a taste:

Eeek!  Don’t you love it?  I suggest reading Rachel’s post, in which she describes Deny’s whole process, start to finish.  It’s yet another fine example of how incredible a guy can be when love’s on his mind.

… By the way, Deny happens to be a senior designer at Larsen Interactive.  So yes – very, very talented.  Still, I encourage you to try this at home! 

Thanks, Rachel, for posting this totally inspiring proposal story!

Here’s another unique, extreeeeemely thoughtful proposal, while we’re on the topic.  Ooh, and here, too.  LOVE that one.

Cutely packaged cupcakes +

Lemon frozen yogurt and raspberry pops (reminds me of how I sometimes call my dad “Popsicle”) +

Design exercise for your brain (brings me back to my earliest drawings, which always started w/ some random squiggle on a blank page… inside of my history notebook… while spacing out in class) +

Credits:

• The Dieline
• Dessert First
• Jolie Jolie

Check in first thing tomorrow for some seriously stellar bridal shower inspiration.  (This one had me at pink peonies… and closed the deal with chocolate ganache centered espresso macarons.  So, you know, check it out, if you’re into that sort of thing.)